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The desert tribes of Mars cling to ancient superstitions. When a warrior dies, his body can only go on to Khles. A grotesque land of trial by brute strength by which the victorious can move upward through succeeding plains, and finally into the fairer lands of Perlarh.
So when Moljar's battered consciousness returned somewhat, his cracked lips whispered it gently, with awe. "Khles. Khles. Khles. " Then he snapped open his burning eyes.