The narrative follows a hard‐bitten U.S. airman and his comrades caught in a collision of wartime duty and ancient mystery. After flying dangerous missions over Southeast Asia, they crash and are rescued by an archaeological expedition investigating colossal, enigmatic ruins in a forgotten temple complex. There the survivors—military veterans, scholarly archeologists, and local assistants—uncover evidence of an advanced civilization whose enormous, exquisitely carved buildings conceal secrets beyond human understanding. As the expedition progresses, the group learns that the temple is not merely an archaeological wonder but a repository of lost knowledge and technology. Among the relics is a mysterious metal cabinet with moving dials and levers that appears to function as a time‐machine. This discovery launches the characters into an adventure that melds modern warfare with fantastical elements from the ancient past. The ruins hide not only relics of an extinct, godlike race but also clues that hint at extraterrestrial origins—a civilization from another world that may have once intervened in terrestrial history. Internal divisions soon emerge. Some members cling to the old world’s heroic ideals; others are seduced by the possibility of divine power. A tyrannical ruler on a secured island stronghold, Ravana, wields an empty yet fearsome bow that—when fueled by a rare metal known as banaratha—can deliver cataclysmic devastation. Ravana’s ambitions to dominate the land are bolstered by his monstrous, giant-bodied warriors and the enslavement of native peoples. Opposing him is a former regent, Vibhishana, who, despite his own captivity, works covertly to rally forces and preserve a hope for liberation. The protagonists, led by the resolute airman, are forced to navigate sprawling corridors, hidden tunnels excavated by ingenious subterranean dwellers, and labyrinthine passages beneath the ruined temple. In these darkness‐filled recesses they encounter not only fierce battles against Ravana’s troops but also alliances with unexpected groups—a coalition of reformed ape‐soldiers and oppressed captives who have been transformed into “new men” by ancient techniques. Their struggle becomes a desperate bid to reclaim the weapon that could turn the tide: the legendary bow, a device of near-miraculous destructive power whose activation depends on scarce alien fuel. Amid daring escapes, brutal hand‐to‐hand combat, and covert maneuvers through secret passages and underground tunnels, the airman is further tormented by personal conflict when romantic entanglements with a determined woman from the expedition complicate his sense of duty. As the enemy forces regroup and Ravana’s plans to charge the bow advance, every moment grows critical. A final, high‐stakes plan is devised: to infiltrate the tyrant’s inner chambers and recover the bow before its power can be unleashed, thereby averting not only a military disaster but the subjugation of Earth by alien conquerors. In a tale that melds wartime heroism with time‐travel, ancient prophecy, and cosmic-scale conflict, the characters’ fates become intertwined with the destiny of lost civilizations. The outcome of their audacious quest holds the potential to reverse the decline of a once–glorious culture and reshape the future of mankind.
By Nelson S. Bond · First published 1932 · Genre: Adventure, Pulp Fiction, Fantasy · 20 chapters