These were followed by still more, and the ground began to tremble under the
pressure of so many of these enormous arms. the chanting of the priests, for I knew
them now to be the servants of some hidden Power, became much louder and very
nearly hysterical.IA! IA! ZI AZAG!
IA!IA! ZI AZKAK!
IA! IA! KUTULU ZI KUR!
IA!The ground where I was hiding became wet with some substance, being slightly
downhill from the scene I was witnessing. I touched the wetness and found it to be
blood. In horror, I screamed and gave my presence away to the priests. They turned
toward me, and I saw with loathing that they had cut their chests with the daggers
they had used to raise the stone, for some mystical purpose I could not then divine;
although I know now that blood is the very food of these spirits, which is why the field
after the battles of war glows with an unnatural light, the manifestations of the
spirits feeding thereon.
May ANU protect us all!
My scream had the effect of casting their ritual into chaos and disorder. I raced
through the mountain path by which I had come, and the priests came running after
me, although some seemed to stay behind, perhaps to finish the Rites. However, as I
ran wildly down the slopes in the cold night, my heart giving rise in my chest and my
head growing hot, the sound of splitting rocks and thunder came from behind me and
shook the very ground I ran upon. In fright, and in haste, I fell to the earth.