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READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

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Tarzan on Mars<br />

Tarzan came his insistent thought, leave Tario to me.<br />

Your enemy is elsewhere..<br />

Simultaneously, the phantom bowmen faded into<br />

nothingness and Tario gasped, not before the physical power<br />

of Tarzan's grip, but before the impact of a mental power such<br />

as he had never before experienced. He was not aware of its<br />

true source, not could he trace it because it faded from his<br />

mind as soon as his phantoms were gone.<br />

As the apeman slowly eased his grip on Tario, John<br />

Carter sprang half way up the steps of the dais, signalling<br />

Tars Tarkas to enter the amphitheater in force.<br />

"Jeds and jeddaks of Barsoom!" he shouted, even as Tars<br />

Tarkas led the vanguard of the army of Issus into the vast<br />

chamber. "You know me as he who pulled down the pillars<br />

and foundations of the old religion of Issus because it was<br />

cruel, man-made deception and cannibalism in its maddest<br />

form." As some of the Barsoomian nobility now menacingly<br />

drew their swords, he raised his palm. "Stay! But hear me<br />

out! I, John Carter, swear that we are come here not to<br />

enforce our will upon the planet arbitrarily, but to decide with<br />

both sides of the issue present and represented, what is the<br />

just and wisest solution of our problem. Know you that there<br />

has been revealed to me this day certain evidence that the<br />

fulfillment of the Legend of Issus may well be at hand!"<br />

Hearing this unexpected speech from his enemy, Tavan<br />

Jal, Jeddak of Jahar, now stepped forward and spoke. "Do you<br />

mean to say, John Carter, that you propose to face the truth<br />

at last? Are you prepared to embrace the olden faith of Issus?"<br />

The Warlord glared disdainfully at the speaker. "Before I<br />

would permit the people of Barsoom to be deceived again I<br />

would tear this fortress apart and see every city on the face of<br />

the planet reduced to ruins. But, I am telling you that the Prophecy,<br />

itself, is at hand. Be patient, and together we may yet<br />

see the shape of a destiny which was written long ages ago."<br />

Another jeddak snorted contemptuously. "The Warlord<br />

349

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