Haggopian and Other Stories

“I can say!” I answered. “Not where, exactly; but how at least! Enslaved, I said, and told no lie. I had it first from Bo-Kareth, late of DyIath-Leen, who told me that when those traders had taken all the fat black slaves of Parg in exchange for those evil stones of theirs, they brought to the city the biggest ruby ever seen—a boulder of a gem—leaving it on a pedestal in the main square as a false token of esteem. It was the evil influence of this great jewel that bewitched the people of Dylath-Leen, bemusing them to such a degree that in the end they, too, became slaves to be led away to the black galleys of the traders. And now, apparently, those traders have…used up…all the peoples of that ill-omened city and are starting their monstrous game here! And Bo-Kareth’s story was true in every detail, for with my own eyes—”

“A great ruby…hmmm!” Atal musingly cut me off, stroking his face and frowning in concentration. “That puts a different complexion on it—yes, I believe that in the Fourth Book…there may be a mention! Shall we see?”

I nodded my eager agreement and at Atal’s direction lifted down from a corner shelf the largest and weightiest tome I had ever seen. Each single page—pages of no material I had ever known before—glowed with burning letters which stood out with fire-fly definition in the dimness of the room. I could make nothing of the unique ciphers within that book, but Atal seemed thoroughly familiar with each alien character, translating easily, mumbling to himself in barely discernable tones, until suddenly he stopped. He lurched shakily to his feet then, slamming the priceless volume shut, horror burning in his ancient eyes.

“So!” he exclaimed, hissing out the word, “It is that! The Fly-the-Light from Yuggoth on the Rim, a vampyre in the worst meaning of the word; and we must make sure that it is never brought to Ulthar!” He paused, visibly taking hold of himself before he could continue:

“Let me tell you…

“Long ago, before dreams, in the primal mist of the pre-dawn Beginning of All, the great ruby was brought from distant Yuggoth on the Rim by the Old Ones. Within that jewel, prisoned by light and the magic of the Old Ones, lurks a basic avatar of the prime evil, a thing hideous as the pit itself! Understand, Grant Enderby, it is not the stone that induces the hypnotic weariness of which you have spoken, but the thing within the stone, the evil influence of the Fly-the-Light from dark Yuggoth on the Rim! Few men know the history of that huge jewel, and I do not consider myself fortunate to be one of the few.

“It is told that it was discovered after coming down in an avalanche from the heights of forbidden Hatheg-Kla—which I can believe for I know much of that mountain—discovered and carried away by the Black Princess, Yath-Lhi of Tyrhhia. And when her caravan reached her silver-spired city it was found that all Yath-Lhi’s men at arms, her slaves, even the Black Princess herself, were as zombies, altered and mazed. It is not remembered now where Tyrhhia once stood, but many believe the centuried desert sands to cover even its tallest spire, and that the remains of its habitants lie putrid within their buried houses.

“But the ruby was not buried with Tyrhhia, more’s the pity, and rumour has it that it was next discovered in a golden galley on the Southern Sea twixt Dylath-Leen and the isle of Oriab. A strange ocean is the Southern Sea, and especially between Oriab and Dylath-Leen; for there, many fathoms deep, lies a basalt city with a temple and monolithic altar. And sailors are loath to pass over that submarine city, fearing the great storms which legend has it strike suddenly; even when there is no breath of wind to stir the sails! However, there the great jewel was found, aboard a great golden galley, and the crew of that galley were very beautiful even though they were not men, and all were long dead but not corrupt! Only one sailor, mad and babbling, was later rescued from the sea off Oriab to gibber pitifully the tale of the golden galley, but of his fellow crew-mates nothing more is known. It is interesting to note that it is further writ how only certain peoples—they who are horned and who dance to the evil drone of pipes and rattle of crotala in mysterious Leng—are unaffected by the stone’s proximity!” Atal looked at me knowingly. “And I can see you have already noticed how strangely our traders wear their turbans.

“But I digress. Again the jewel survived whatever fate overtook the poor seamen who rescued it from the golden galley, and it was later worshipped by the enormous dholes in the Vale of Pnath, until three leathery night-gaunts flew off with it over the Peaks of Throk and down into those places of subterrene