READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
"What is the word of a mere panthan against Tario's?" he
exclaimed.
At this point, Tario himself spoke. "This is no panthan.
It is the vaunted Warlord of Barsoom."
The jeds and jeddaks started, grasping their sword hilts,
but Tario raised his hand, smiling. "It is well," he said calmly.
"The time has come for all of us to know the truth." Here, he
pointed at Tarzan, who still slowly approached him. "This tall
white stranger is the imposter. Here is my great challenger,
gentlemen! This man also claims he is Tharos Pthan. Now we
shall see the outcome of our meeting."
Because of the phantom bowmen, only Tarzan and John
Carter had as yet made an entrance into the amphitheater,
though Tars Tarkas held his forces triggered to make a
charge, and Churg, who might possibly have entered there
with impunity, remained as yet unseen for mysterious
reasons of his own. However, the jeds and jeddaks assembled
on the steps of the great dais supporting the Golden Throne
of Issus tensed with anticipation as they waited for the
contest to develop.
Slowly, Tario raised his hand and pointed it at Tarzan,
who had now come to a stop at the foot of the dais. "Thus far,
false one!" he commanded. "Beyond that point you cannot
move! Now—drop your sword!"
Tarzan felt his mind gripped by the icy hand of another's
will. At first, it seemed that he was actually powerless, yet he
soon perceived that he had not obeyed the command to drop
his sword. A red haze of anger pervaded him, and he knew
that it was this alone that gave him strength before this
mental demon, whose eyes bored into his with a searing,
searching power that might have terrorized a lesser victim.
Here, before him, was that same mighty mentality which had
transported first La of Opar and then Jane Clayton to another
world. It was to this strange entity Akmath had referred on
that now long gone day when he had first given him the Great
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