The Shadow Kingdom
BY ROBERT E HOWARD
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Weird Tales August 1929.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"Some chain had broken in his soul, flooding his mind with a red wave of slaughter-lust."
1. A King Comes Riding
The blare of the trumpets grew louder, like a deep golden tide surge,like the soft booming of the evening tides against the silver beachesof Valusia. The throng shouted, women flung roses from the roofs asthe rhythmic chiming of silver hoofs came clearer and the first of themighty array swung into view in the broad white street that curvedround the golden-spired Tower of Splendor.
First came the trumpeters, slim youths, clad in scarlet, riding with aflourish of long, slender golden trumpets; next the bowmen, tall menfrom the mountains; and behind these the heavily armed footmen, theirbroad shields clashing in unison, their long spears swaying in perfectrhythm to their stride. Behind them came the mightiest soldiery in allthe world, the Red Slayers, horsemen, splendidly mounted, armed in redfrom helmet to spur. Proudly they sat their steeds, looking neither toright nor to left, but aware of the shouting for all that. Like bronzestatues they were, and there was never a waver in the forest of spearsthat reared above them.
Behind those proud and terrible ranks came the motley files of themercenaries, fierce, wild-looking warriors, men of Mu and of Kaa-u andof the hills of the east and the isles of the west. They bore spearsand heavy swords, and a compact group that marched somewhat apart werethe bowmen of Lemuria. Then came the light foot of the nation, and moretrumpeters brought up the rear.
A brave sight, and a sight which aroused a fierce thrill in the soulof Kull, king of Valusia. Not on the Topaz Throne at the front ofthe regal Tower of Splendor sat Kull, but in the saddle, mounted ona great stallion, a true warrior king. His mighty arm swung up inreply to the salutes as the hosts passed. His fierce eyes passedthe gorgeous trumpeters with a casual glance, rested longer on thefollowing soldiery; they blazed with a ferocious light as the RedSlayers halted in front of him with a clang of arms and a rearing ofsteeds, and tendered him the crown salute. They narrowed slightly asthe mercenaries strode by. They saluted no one, the mercenaries. Theywalked with shoulders flung back, eyeing Kull boldly and straightly,albeit with a certain appreciation; fierce eyes, unblinking; savageeyes, staring from beneath shaggy manes and heavy brows.
And Kull gave back a like stare. He granted much to brave men, andthere were no braver in all the world, not even among the wildtribesmen who now disowned him. But Kull was too much the savage tohave any great love for these. There were too many feuds. Many wereage-old enemies of Kull's nation, and though the name of Kull was nowa word accursed among the mountains and valleys of his people, andthough Kull had put them from his mind, yet the old hates, the ancientpassions still lingered. For Kull was no Valusian but an Atlantean.
The armies swung out of sight around the gem-blazing shoulders of theTower of Splendor and Kull reined his stallion about and started towardthe palace at an easy gait, discussing the review with the commandersthat rode with him, using not many