Final answer:
The excerpts describe scenes filled with horror and panic, often during battles, highlighting characters' feelings of terror and their grim surroundings. They employ symbolic imagery that enhances the macabre tone, showcasing the depths of human fear and despair amidst destruction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpts provided seem to be from a literary work that deals with themes of terror, horror, and battle. The passages describe scenes where characters are constricted by fear or engaged in conflict. The vivid descriptions of the settings and the events, like where 'the fiend worshippers were seen,' the 'hell-kindled torches,' or soldiers retreating through a mud-trodden landscape, are telling of the grim nature of the narratives. Characters in these scenarios face desperate situations, exhibiting a range of emotions from terror to determination.
The use of symbolic imagery, such as the 'strange red light' or the 'pillar of fire,' underscores the macabre tone. Moreover, human struggles and mental agonies are central, shown in lines like 'To an anomalous species of terror I found him a bounden slave.' These narratives speak to the human condition when confronted with extreme fear and danger.
Lastly, the sense of despair and desolation is palpable, with the 'blazing ruin of a dwelling' and the lack of other living beings, which signifies a deep level of destruction and loss.