For man's only weapon is courage that flinches not from the gates of Hell itself, and against such not even the legions of Hell can stand. - Robert E. Howard

the mere fact of a black figure racing across the landscape carrying a white captive was bizarre enough,

If this myth of the harpies were a reality, what of the other legends—the Hydra, the centaurs, the chimera, Medusa, Pan and the satyrs? All those myths of antiquity—behind them did there lie and lurk nightmare realities with slavering fangs and talons steeped in shuddersome evil? Africa, the Dark Continent, land of shadows and horror, of bewitchment and sorcery, into which all evil things had been banished before the growing light of the western world!

All men know that a dead magician is more evil than a living one.