of Zindara and Istahn and many-citadeled Yan, Hebith and Ebnon may not
overcome him nor Karida be safe against him among her bleakest
mountains. He is a foe mightier than Zeenar with frontiers stronger
than Eidis; he leers at all the peoples of the earth and mocks their
gods and covets their builded cities. Therefore we will go forth and
conquer Time and save the gods of Alatta from his clutch, and coming
back victorious shall find that Death is gone and age and illness
departed, and here we shall live for ever by the golden eaves of Zoon,
while the bees hum among unrusted gables and never crumbling towers.
There shall be neither fading nor forgetting, nor ever dying nor
sorrow, when we shall have freed the people and pleasant fields of the
earth from inexorable Time."

And the armies swore that they would follow the King to save the world
and the gods.

So the next day the King set forth with his three armies and crossed
many rivers and marched through many lands, and wherever they went they
asked for news of Time.

And the first day they met a woman with her face furrowed and lined,
who told them that she had been beautiful and that Time had smitten her
in the face with his five claws.

Many an old man they met as they marched in search of Time. All had
seen him but none could tell them more, except that some said he went
that way and pointed to a ruined tower or to an old and broken tree.

And day after day and month by month the King pushed on with his
armies, hoping to come at last on Time. Sometimes they encamped at