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there and then, but even as he turned one of the
Bowiss aimed his little box-like weapon at him, causing extreme pain and
paralyzing him completely. Amid wild, pealing laughter, Nis-We-Bask fainted.
When he regained consciousness, he and two of the creatures were traveling in a
weird conveyance that made little sound yet traveled at great speed, along a
wide shiny road. Inside the cave it was quite light for the very rock overhead
shone with a pale silvery color. Ever downward their conveyance went, then
finally came to a stop in what seemed to be a vast cavern.
"Nis-We-Bask
had no choice but to follow the creatures. He looked about for an exit should
escape be possible, but saw none save the way they had entered. On all sides
towered terrifying monsters of metal that somehow or other seemed to have lives
of their own; one or two even glowed with a weird blue light. Beyond that his
mind could not conceive or describe. One of the Bow-iss aimed his little
box-weapon at Nis-We-Bask causing that intense pain and paralysis, after which
they dragged him over and chained him to a ring set in the floor of the cave,
then they proceeded to place around him, in a half circle, a pile of wood,
collected for this very purpose. This was then set afire. He knew what his fate
would be; he was to be roasted alive.
"Already the heat from the fire was unbearable.
"Realizing their captives crazed fear, the Bow-iss screamed and
danced themselves into a frenzy, as moans and cries were forced from
Nis-We-Bask's seared and cracked lips, then merciful unconsciousness.
"Nis-We-Bask awoke to a feeling of infinite coolness and comfort;
then he realized that he was still in the cave, but on that strange vehicle,
and being returned to the surface; but instead of the hideous creatures that
had taken him down into the cave, the other occupant of the conveyance was a
man, huge and fair in coloring. The giant seemed to be aware that Nis-We-Bask