Quest for Lost Heroes (32 page)

'Which way?' whispered Beltzer. They could hear the calling of the Nadir, but the mist had thickened into a deep fog and the sounds were distorted, muffled and eerie. As Chareos led them up the slope Beltzer was breathing heavily, his face red with exertion.

'I'm not as young as I was,' he said, stopping for a moment to get his breath.

A glowing sphere formed in the air before Chareos. 'Thank the Source!' he whispered. The sphere floated away to the right. Chareos and the others followed it and soon climbed above the mist into the relative safety of the trees. Okas was still squatting on the grass, but he opened his eyes as the questors entered the clearing. 'Sit around me in a circle," he said. 'Place the girl at the centre.' Beltzer gently laid the unconscious Tanaki to the grass and they formed a circle. Okas closed his eyes and began to chant once more, his voice low and rhythmic. Beltzer looked closely at him. The old man was painfully thin and his face was streaked with grey, his lips as blue as the tattooes on his chin.

Beltzer nudged Chareos and pointed to Okas. Chareos nodded. Whatever magic the old man was working was taking a terrible toll.

Nadir horsemen rode into the clearing and Beltzer jerked, and reached for his axe, but Chareos gripped his arm. The horsemen seemed insubstantial, like ghosts. They rode slowly past the questors.

Kiall shivered and watched the wraith riders as they passed. Okas opened his eyes and sagged sideways to the grass. Chareos and Kiall moved to him, but the old man waved them away and curled up to sleep. Chareos covered him with a blanket as Kiall turned to the girl. Under the bright moonlight he could see her face was swollen and bruised. Her left eye was closed tight, the right darkened and discoloured. Carefully he lifted the blanket from her body. Her legs and buttocks were also badly bruised and scratched, and there was dried blood on her thighs.

Beltzer knelt on the other side of Tanaki. 'You want some help?' he asked Kiall.

'No. There is nothing we can do. But a fire would help; we could keep her warm.'

'We cannot risk that,' said Chareos. 'I don't know how powerful the magic is, nor how long it will last.'

'I do not know why she is still unconscious,' said Kiall. 'The bruising is severe, but no bones seem to be broken.'

'I have seen this before,' Chareos told him. 'It is not the injury to the body, but to the spirit. This is an ugly business, Kiall.'

Tanaki moaned softly and Kiall lay alongside her, stroking her face. 'You are well now,' he whispered into her ear. 'You are with friends. Sleep, lady. Rest.' Chareos covered her with his own blanket, while Beltzer removed his jerkin and rolled it for a pillow beneath her head. She turned to one side, her hand outside the blanket. The fingers clenched into a fist, then opened and dug into the earth. Kiall took her hand gently and held it. Tanaki's breathing eased, and she slept.

Three times ghostly Nadir riders entered the clearing. Once a man dismounted within three paces of the que-stors, and knelt to examine the tracks. He looked puzzled and spoke to his companions, but the questors could hear no words. Then he mounted and rode away through the trees.

The night passed slowly. Kiall slept fitfully alongside Tanaki, while Chareos and Beltzer sat talking in low whispers. Harokas moved away to the edge of the trees and slept alone.

Dawn found Chareos and Beltzer on the hillside, scanning the horizon for signs of Finn or Maggrig. The Nadir camp was deserted, the town silent.

'They're canny men,' remarked Beltzer. 'They'll be all right.'

'I wish I could be sure,' said Chareos. 'The risk was too great; I should never have asked them to go.'

'They're grown men; they could have refused. And we did get the girl.'

Chareos was tired. His back ached and he stretched out on the grass. 'You should sleep for a while,' said Beltzer. 'I'll stand watch for Finn.'

Chareos nodded. 'Keep an eye on the Earl's man also. Don't let him move behind you.'

'You think he's an assassin?'

'I just think he needs watching.' Chareos closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The sun climbed higher as Beltzer sat beside Chareos, his axe in his lap, his mind on the mountain. He felt alive now, almost young again. Almost. Carrying the girl had sapped his strength, as had the battle in the town. His huge hand curled around the axe haft. 'There's still a skirmish or two left in us, eh?' he said.

Far off to the west he saw a rider, keeping to the low hollows. Beltzer shaded his eyes and tried to identify the man; it looked like Finn. Scanning the hills and hollows, he could see no pursuers. He thought of waking Chareos, but hesitated. The Blademaster was bone-weary, he needed rest. Slowly the rider made his way up the slope. It was Finn. He dismounted and led the horse into the clearing, then walked back to Beltzer.

'Where is Maggrig?' Finn asked.

'He's not back yet,' Beltzer told him.

Finn sank to the ground. 'I didn't think I'd make it; they almost had me. I killed two of them and then rode into a swirling river. I lost my bow. I thought the horse would drown and I hung on to the pommel. But he's a good beast. He swam well - and found solid ground.'

'Get some rest,' Beltzer advised him.

Finn shook his head. 'I've got to find Maggrig.'

'Don't be a fool! The Nadir are everywhere. Maggrig is probably holed up in some cave. He'll wait till nightfall, then make it back. If you ride out there, you'll lead them to him.'

Finn sighed. 'You are right. I'll sleep for a while. Wake me if he comes.'

Beltzer nodded. 'We got the girl,' he said. 'It went well.'

Finn did not reply but lay on the grass and closed his eyes. Beltzer sat with his back to a tree and dozed in the morning sunshine. He awoke to see Harokas kneeling beside Chareos. The hawk-nosed warrior was staring intently at the face of the sleeping man; his expression was hard to read, but Beltzer could see he was troubled.

'Don't wake him,' said Beltzer softly and Harokas looked up.

'I was sent here to kill him.'

'I know,' said Beltzer. 'So does he.'

'But there is no need, is there? You have all decided to die. And I am glad to be relieved of the task.'

Harokas rose and walked away to his horse. Beltzer watched him mount and ride away.

At the centre of the clearing Kiall awoke. He sat up and looked down at Tanaki. Her colour was better. Opening his pack, he took out some comfrey leaves which he mixed with cold water. It was good for swellings and he laboured over the poultice for some time. Satisfied at last, he touched Tanaki's hand and she awoke with a start.

'You are with friends,' he told her, his voice soothing. 'It is me, Kiall. I have a poultice here for your eyes. Lie still.' She said nothing as he placed the cool cloth over her eyelids. He took her hand and patted it gently.

'The Wolves?' she whispered.

'Gone.'

'How did ... ?'

'Do not talk, lady. Rest. We came into the town last night and slew the men who . . . attacked you. Then we carried you here. You are safe.'

'Why?'

'Rest now. Let the poultice do its work.' He tried to release her hand, but her fingers gripped his.

'Why?' she asked again.

'Because you were in need,' he said lamely. He sat with her for several minutes; then her fingers relaxed their grip and he saw she was asleep once more. He stood and stretched. Beltzer was asleep by a tree on the crown of the hill, Chareos and Finn lying close by. Of Harokas and Maggrig there was no sign.

The voice of Okas sounded in his mind. '
Kiall, can you hear me?
'

'Yes,' he answered aloud, looking down at the old man's sleeping form. The voice was like a whisper through time, impossibly distant and yet clear. 'I can hear you.'

'
Tell Chareos to travel to the Mountains of the Moon. Tell him to seek out Asta Khan. Tell him I am sorry.
'

The voice faded. Kiall moved to Okas and knelt by the body. It was stiff and cold.

The Tattooed Man was dead.

*

They buried the old man on the crown of the hill and stood silently around the grave. 'The first of us to die,' whispered Beltzer, his words hanging in the air. He walked back to the camp-site and sat staring at the blades of his axe, twirling the haft in his hands.

'I am sorry,' Kiall told Chareos. 'I wish I had never asked you to help me. It all seems so futile now. I don't know why.'

'We are free men, Kiall. We make our own choices.'

'I know that,' said the young man. 'It is just . . . there is so much savagery. Look at Tanaki. How could men do that to her? I don't understand.'

'Be glad that you do not.'

'Do you?'

Chareos turned away, staring out over the Steppes. 'Yes, sadly I do. I would never contemplate such a deed - but, yes, I understand it. It is connected with war, Kiall, and the nature of the warrior. He is competitive, and his desire is to dominate and destroy his enemies. But the word to remember is dominate. There is another word to consider also; arousal. A man can be aroused to anger as easily as he is aroused to rut. The two emotions are closely linked. Anger and lust. So the warrior is aroused in battle and fights to dominate. Tanaki, and others like her, are the victims of that. Dominated, abused, humiliated.'

'They are evil,' said Kiall. 'Simply that.'

'Would that it were so simple. Some of those men will have had wives and children. They might have been good family men; they knew love and compassion in their lives.'

'I would show them no compassion. I am glad we killed them.'

'Glad? Never be glad another man has died. Not
ever
. Just be relieved that you are alive. I had a teacher once, a great man called Attalis. He told me that the path to evil often begins with righteous anger. A Nadir band raid a Gothir village; they rape and kill. A group of Gothir soldiers set out for revenge; they want to hurt the enemy, so they rape and kill. It never ends. Never . . .
ever
. . . be glad to kill.'

Chareos walked away and stood at the graveside. Kiall left him there and wandered over to Beltzer who was sitting alone. The giant's face was set, but a muscle twitched in his cheek. His eyes were red-rimmed and he was blinking rapidly.

Kiall sat opposite him. 'Are you all right?' asked the younger man.

'Me? I'm fine. I was just thinking we haven't eaten. I'm starved.' His mouth trembled, but he clamped his jaws tight. 'Stupid old fool,' he said. 'Stupid! He killed himself to protect us. Stupid.' Beltzer sniffed, then hawked and spat. 'Damned if I'm not getting a chill. It's this weather; cold winds and dust. Only the Source knows how people live out here. Give me a city any time . . . and taverns. What are you staring at?'

'I'm sorry,' said Kiall. 'I didn't mean to stare. He had a message for you, you know. He said to say farewell to old Beltzer.'

'Did he? Truly?'

'Yes,' said Kiall, continuing the lie. 'He didn't sound unhappy.'

'You know what the worst thing is, boy? Do you?'

'No.'

'He liked me. For myself. Not because I could swing an axe, or kill a few tribesmen. But for
me
. There's not much to like, but he found it. And I'll tell you something - laugh if you like - but I loved that old man. "Old Beltzer". That's something, isn't it? I loved him.'

'Why would I laugh?'

Tears welled in Beltzer's eyes, flowing to his cheeks and into the red and silver beard. He bowed his head and wept. Kiall reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder.

'Get away!' said Beltzer. 'Leave me alone. Can't a man even grieve in private?'

Kiall rose and backed away. Tanaki was awake and sitting in the centre of the camp-site, a blanket round her shoulders. Her eyes were still swollen, but she could see.

Kiall sat beside her. 'How are you feeling?'

'You wouldn't want to know,' replied Tanaki. 'Did you kill them all?'

'Yes. No. There was one man - the leader, I think - he escaped.'

'Good.'

Kiall was surprised, but he did not press the point. 'Do you wish to be alone?' he asked.

She smiled, then winced as her lip split and a tiny drop of blood formed. 'No. You sit close by, I like your company. Why did you rescue me?'

'Does it matter?'

'It does to me.'

'Is it not enough that you were alone and needed help?'

'This is not a song or a fable, Kiall. I am not one of your yellow-haired ladies trapped in a tower.'

'But you are a princess,' he said, smiling. 'One should always rescue a princess.' She ignored the smile, and annoyance showed in her eyes.

'What about the others? Why did they help?'

'The Tattooed Man asked them to - he said you were part of our quest. Does that satisfy you?'

She nodded. 'I will repay you all.'

'There is no need.'

'I will judge that. I want no debts hanging over me. Where will you go now?'

'To find a man named Asta Khan.'