But drawing nearer they found that the gates were rusted and weeds grew
tall along the outer walls, many a roof had fallen, gables were
blackened and bent, and the golden eaves shone not as heretofore. And
the soldiers entering the city expecting to find their sisters and
sweethearts of a few years ago saw only old women wrinkled with great
age and knew not who they were.

Suddenly someone said:

"He has been here too."

And then they knew that while they searched for Time, Time had gone
forth against their city and leaguered it with the years, and had taken
it while they were far away and enslaved their women and children with
the yoke of age. So all that remained of the three armies of Karnith Zo
settled in the conquered city. And presently the men of Zeenar crossed
over the river Eidis and easily conquering an army of aged men took all
Alatta for themselves, and their kings reigned thereafter in the city
of Zoon. And sometimes the men of Zeenar listened to the strange tales
that the old Alattans told of the years when they made battle against
Time. Such of these tales as the men of Zeenar remembered they
afterwards set forth, and this is all that may be told of those
adventurous armies that went to war with Time to save the world and the
gods, and were overwhelmed by the hours and the years.




THE RELENTING OF SARNIDAC