absurd man might prove to be a serious problem for him, or he might prove to be the answer to all his problems.
Now that he was closer, the song became audible.
"
High, high, watch it fly!
Like an onion in the sky!
"
So he had gone mad. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
The little man came to a stop before him at last. He did not avert his gaze. He didn't bow. He stood there grinning like a fool.
"Professor Evor Ortus," said Radiant Leader. "Why aren't you dead?"
"Why should I be dead?" said the little man. "I'm not sick, nor am I old enough to die of natural causes."
"I searched for you. My men searched for you. You were nowhere to be found."
"That may be so. But lost is not dead."
He tipped his head to one side and studied the priest-king like a bird.
"Have you grown taller?" he said. "I remember you as quite a shorty. Ah yes, I see the trick of it. The furniture round you is made small. And your attendants out there—picked for their small stature, I suppose."
Radiant Leader's face turned a dull red. It was many months since anyone had dared to speak to him with such irreverence.
"I am Radiant Leader!" he said sharply. "I can have you thrown from the temple rock."
"You won't do that," said the professor, quite unafraid. "And you're not Radiant Leader. You're the old king's secretary in a shiny frock."
Radiant Leader stared at the insolent man, in grim silence, for a few long moments. His first instinct was to summon his axers and order them to dash out the professor's brains. But he controlled himself. There was a matter of vital importance to be settled first. Once, not so long ago, Professor Ortus had held the key to the most powerful weapon ever made.
Could he do it again?
"They won't stop me this time," said the little man, with a chuckle.
"Who are you talking about?"
"The hoodies." He nudged his wooden toy with one foot. "This time I've got a flying onion. This time we destroy Anacrea."
Before Radiant Leader could ask for an explanation, the far doors burst open and in hurried an attendant priest, his eyes on the ground.
"Radiance!" he cried. "Danger! War!"
Behind the priest came three travel-stained axers. They threw themselves to their knees and bowed their heads and cried out their news in a wild jumble of words.
"A terrible enemy—thousands upon thousands—strange beasts of war—a great warlord—invasion—"
Radiant Leader rose from his receiving throne and walked to the kneeling axers. He commanded them to be calm and to speak more clearly; and so he learned the grave news. An immense army had come out of the forest. Its leader called himself the master of the world. He demanded the submission of the priest-king of Radiance.
"He says," whispered one of the axers, fearful even to frame the words, "he says you're to greet him on your knees."
"On my knees?"
"Or the city will be destroyed."
"Destroyed?"
Radiant Leader laughed a short contemptuous laugh.
"And these strange war-beasts? What are they?"
"Like cattle, Radiance, but light and fast-moving. The warriors cling to their backs, and they attack so fast—they have whips—Radiance, strong as we are, we could do nothing. They could have killed every one of us."
"Then why didn't they kill you?"
"Because we knelt to their leader, Radiance."
"You knelt!" The priest-king heard this with proud anger. "You should have died. Better to die than to submit."
"We live only to warn you, Radiance."
"Very well. I am warned. But I'll not kneel."
He raised his arms high on either side, his palms facing outwards.
"I am Radiant Leader, beloved son of the Great Power on high! I do not kneel to any man!"
The axers were suitably awed and reassured.
"How long before these invaders enter our territory?"
"Within days, Radiance. Perhaps even as soon as tomorrow."
"Very well. You may go. I shall do all that is necessary."
The axers rose and bowed and departed, followed by the priest. Radiant Leader then turned his attention back to the
Now that he was closer, the song became audible.
"
High, high, watch it fly!
Like an onion in the sky!
"
So he had gone mad. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
The little man came to a stop before him at last. He did not avert his gaze. He didn't bow. He stood there grinning like a fool.
"Professor Evor Ortus," said Radiant Leader. "Why aren't you dead?"
"Why should I be dead?" said the little man. "I'm not sick, nor am I old enough to die of natural causes."
"I searched for you. My men searched for you. You were nowhere to be found."
"That may be so. But lost is not dead."
He tipped his head to one side and studied the priest-king like a bird.
"Have you grown taller?" he said. "I remember you as quite a shorty. Ah yes, I see the trick of it. The furniture round you is made small. And your attendants out there—picked for their small stature, I suppose."
Radiant Leader's face turned a dull red. It was many months since anyone had dared to speak to him with such irreverence.
"I am Radiant Leader!" he said sharply. "I can have you thrown from the temple rock."
"You won't do that," said the professor, quite unafraid. "And you're not Radiant Leader. You're the old king's secretary in a shiny frock."
Radiant Leader stared at the insolent man, in grim silence, for a few long moments. His first instinct was to summon his axers and order them to dash out the professor's brains. But he controlled himself. There was a matter of vital importance to be settled first. Once, not so long ago, Professor Ortus had held the key to the most powerful weapon ever made.
Could he do it again?
"They won't stop me this time," said the little man, with a chuckle.
"Who are you talking about?"
"The hoodies." He nudged his wooden toy with one foot. "This time I've got a flying onion. This time we destroy Anacrea."
Before Radiant Leader could ask for an explanation, the far doors burst open and in hurried an attendant priest, his eyes on the ground.
"Radiance!" he cried. "Danger! War!"
Behind the priest came three travel-stained axers. They threw themselves to their knees and bowed their heads and cried out their news in a wild jumble of words.
"A terrible enemy—thousands upon thousands—strange beasts of war—a great warlord—invasion—"
Radiant Leader rose from his receiving throne and walked to the kneeling axers. He commanded them to be calm and to speak more clearly; and so he learned the grave news. An immense army had come out of the forest. Its leader called himself the master of the world. He demanded the submission of the priest-king of Radiance.
"He says," whispered one of the axers, fearful even to frame the words, "he says you're to greet him on your knees."
"On my knees?"
"Or the city will be destroyed."
"Destroyed?"
Radiant Leader laughed a short contemptuous laugh.
"And these strange war-beasts? What are they?"
"Like cattle, Radiance, but light and fast-moving. The warriors cling to their backs, and they attack so fast—they have whips—Radiance, strong as we are, we could do nothing. They could have killed every one of us."
"Then why didn't they kill you?"
"Because we knelt to their leader, Radiance."
"You knelt!" The priest-king heard this with proud anger. "You should have died. Better to die than to submit."
"We live only to warn you, Radiance."
"Very well. I am warned. But I'll not kneel."
He raised his arms high on either side, his palms facing outwards.
"I am Radiant Leader, beloved son of the Great Power on high! I do not kneel to any man!"
The axers were suitably awed and reassured.
"How long before these invaders enter our territory?"
"Within days, Radiance. Perhaps even as soon as tomorrow."
"Very well. You may go. I shall do all that is necessary."
The axers rose and bowed and departed, followed by the priest. Radiant Leader then turned his attention back to the
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