Naza #8

Published quarterly by Dell Publishing Co
October-December 1965
Writer: unknown'
Artist: Jack Sparling

Part 1: The Savage Stonemen

After escaping the deadly forest where the Tree Men lived, the Gairn continue their search for a tribe that they could join and live peacefully with. Leaving the woods, they begin to climb a mountain, going higher and higher up a narrow path. As the air gets thinner, they start feeling good about things. This feeling is soon shattered by fearful cries ahead. Primitive stone age men rush down the pathway, telling the Gairn to flee or become Tartec slaves.

Naza asks for an explaination. He is told that no one is a match for the Tartecs. If they go on they will either die or become slaves. Then the primitive men run down the path.

Keena wonders if they should turn back. Naza considers this, saying if they go on ahead they must scout the path carefully as they advance. Soon their minds are made up for them as Roon sees a rabbit and chases it up the path. Naza says they will retrieve Roon and then leave the mountain path.

Racing after Roon, they come to the top of the path. It opens up onto a opening. To their amazement they see a great city of stone. The Gairn wonder if they will meet people here that are as intellectually advanced as themselves.

Thier thoughts are interrupted by an attack. They are overpowered and taken to Mdalo, the leader. Mdalo is impressed by the intelligence in their eyes, but is offended by their prideful arrogance. He pronounces them slaves and commands that they be taken away to the slave quarry.

Suddenly, Roon runs up and bites the ankle of one of the guards.
Something strange happens; all the Tartecs prostrate themselves before Roon. Mdalo points to the image on their temple. It is the image of a jackal,and they call it the Barking God. Now, the Gairn are raised to the level of honored guests, because they are friends of the Barking God.

Later, after they have eaten, the Gairn are taken to an amphitheatre where deadly games are being held. In it spear men are pitted against club men. Keena urges Naza to stop such cruelty. Naza watches for a while, until he is revolted as well. Then he gets up and demands that the Tartecs stop the fight. The people enjoying the slaughter rise up and demand that Naza and the Gairn be tossed into the arena.

Part 2: Revolt

Before Mdalo can stop them, a mob surges up and attacks the Gairn. Naza picks up one of the men and hurls him back into the crowd. But it is not until Roon attacks one of the mob that they drop to their knees. Mdalo calls the games to a halt, realizing that the Barking God was backing up Naza.

That night Naza contemplates the miserable conditions of the Tartec slaves. He knows that if it were not for his friendship with Roon, that he and his friends would be suffering with them.

The next day Mdalo proudly shows the Gairn the quarry. The Gairn marvel at the achievements of the Tartec, and they commeserate with the suffering of the many slaves they see working in heavy labor.

Naza tries to confince Mdalo that the Barking God disapproves of slavery and that the Tartecs must free all their slaves. But Mdalo resists this, stating that he needs more signs. He will wait for the full moon to rise that night and read signs from its celestial image.

That night the slaves decide to make a revolt. They attack their guards and try to fight their way out of the city. Sola wonders who they should help. Naza says, "Who else but the slaves"

As more Tartec warriors rush to attack the unarmed slaves, Naza and Sola push a huge stone round thing (hell, I'm not sure what it was) off the balcony where they are watching from down on the warriors. Naza and Sola vault down to the street and join the slaves, only to be caught by a large net.

Recaptured, Mdalo condemns the slaves to the Maze. It must be a terrible place because the slaves asked to be killed rather than go there. Naza and Sola are spared because of their association with Roon, but a guard is placed on them at all times.

When night falls, Naza and Sola overpower their guards. They have decided to leave the city. Once free of their guards' survailance, they try to find their way out without success. Eventually, they they are discovered and chased. They discover a door and duck inside a room beyond it. The door becomes locked, and they are trapped. When dawn comes they find out that they have trapped themselves in the Maza.

Part 3: the Maze

Roon's wailing warns them of attack. It soon comes in the form of a charging watter buffalo. Naza kills it with his spear and knife.
No sooner has this been done when a earthquate shakes the ground and topples some of the stones in the walls of the Maze, city and quarry. People begin to die, including the guards, causing the slaves to make a break for freedom. Mdalo calls his people to the safety of the Shrine. The slaves try to reach the Shrine but are turned away by Tartec spears. They run for the safety of the valley below the mountain.

Back in the Maze, the Gairn are attacked by several monsters. A gaint boar, saber tooth tiger, and finally gaint monster insects. They kill the boar and tiger, but are trapped by a swarm of man-sized insects. Pushed against the wall of the Maze, Naza calls for help. On the other side, his plea is heard by some slaves who toss him a rope, recognizing the voice of one who had tried to help them. The Gairn barely escape death as they scamper up the rope and out of the maze.

The earthquake gets worse. The entire city is flattened. The Tartecs are crushed in their fallen shrine. Naza's comments, "No...even had the Tartec survived, great as their skills were, we could not have settled among them! For the home of the Gairn is not in the heart of cruelty." They climb down the mountain to the valley below.

Rod Hunsicker comments

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