Quest for Lost Heroes (41 page)

'How did you come here? For that matter, how did I come here?'

'Asta Khan poisoned your body. Even now you are dying in the world beyond. He plans to kill what he sees as the soul of the child.'

'I remember,' said Chareos. 'He wants to bring Tenaka Khan back to life. Can he do it?'

'Yes, if his timing is right. That is why the bones were at Bel-azar. That is also why Jungir placed a thousand spells on the Tomb of Ulric - not to stop robbers from getting in, but to stop Tenaka Khan from getting out. But Asta fooled him; he substituted the Khan's bones, and carried them to Bel-azar - to await the
ghosts-yet-to-be
.'

'So we fulfilled his dreams?'

'We kept him alive when he was weak. But now he is strong again.'

'What can we do?'

Okas shrugged. 'We can defend the child.'

'Can we succeed?'

'No, Chareos. But when has that ever been important?'

A cold wind blew across the hill-top and a dark mist formed. The mist hardened to become a horde of demons with dull red eyes and long talons. In their midst stood Asta and beside him Tenaka Khan, the King Beyond the Gate.

Chareos stood and drew his sabre. It shone with a silver light.

'Still you oppose me?' sneered Asta Khan. 'It will avail you nothing. Look now upon my army!" As far as the eye could see there were creatures of darkness, and Chareos could sense their lust for blood like a physical force pushing him back.

'Step aside, Chareos,' said Tenaka Khan. 'You have done all that you were intended to do. The
ghosts-yet-to-be
have fulfilled their quest - they have given me a second chance at life.'

'No, Great Khan,' replied Chareos. 'You had your life, and it ended. This child deserves to see the sky and live his own life. And I do not believe that my friends and I died for your glory. If anything, it was for the babe.'

'Enough of this!' shouted Asta. 'You think to stop us alone?'

'But he is not alone,' said Beltzer, walking to stand beside Chareos. When the Blademaster looked at his friend, Beltzer was no longer old and fat, no longer bald. Red hair framed his face in a lion's mane, and his silver axe blazed with light.

Maggrig and Finn appeared on his left, white bows in their hands.

Chareos felt a swelling in his throat and tears formed in his eyes. He brushed them away with the sleeve of his shirt.

'Now you know, Tenaka,' he said, 'the meaning of the
ghosts-yet-to-be
. Bring on your demons. We defy you all!' Beltzer hefted his axe, Maggrig and Finn drew back on their bows. Asta raised his arm, but Tenaka held to it. The Khan walked forward, his violet eyes sad and thoughtful.

'I thought you were created for me,' he said. 'I knew you had some purpose - it is why I let you live, why I scarred my life of victories with that one defeat.' He gazed down at the light and sighed. 'But you are right, Chareos. My day has passed. Let the child see the sky.'

He turned away and walked back to the demon horde. A path opened before him and he vanished from sight.

Asta walked towards Chareos, but the Blademaster blocked his way to the light.

The shaman looked old now, wretched and desolate as he looked up at Chareos, blinking and confused.

'You must let me have the babe,' he said.

'No.'

'I do not mean to kill it. I cannot now - not without Tenaka's blessing. But the Nadir must have a Khan. You see that, do you not? He is of the blood of kings. Let me have him.'

'What do you offer, Asta Khan?'

'I have an antidote to the poison. You will live.'

'You misunderstand me. What do you offer the child?'

'My life. I will defend him all the days of my life. I will teach him to be the Khan.'

'Then you may have him.'

Asta's surprise was genuine. 'Let me see his spirit.'

'No. Return to Bel-azar and give me your antidote. You will see the babe when he is born.'

'Can I trust you, Chareos?'

'I am afraid that you can,' said the Blademaster.

Asta turned and vanished and the mist formed about the demons once more. The wind howled, the mist swirling away into the grey sky.

And the heroes of Bel-azar were alone on the hill-top. The light from the twin spirits grew, touching the dead tree. Leaves sprang from the branches, blossoms of pink and white flowered into life and fragile petals fell like snowflakes around the souls.

For sixteen hours Chareos lay close to death, scarcely breathing. Asta Khan stayed by his side, pouring a foul-smelling potion between his lips and rubbing his limbs, forcing the blood to circulate. Chien-tsu offered his help, but Asta waved him away.

'Is he doing any good?' Kiall asked the Kiatze warrior.

'I have never seen anyone work harder. I could almost believe he actually cares whether Chareos lives or dies. Almost.'

Kiall returned to the guardhouse where Ravenna had given birth to twin boys, healthy and strong. Tanaki was still at the bedside, but both women were asleep. Kiall was about to leave her there when Tanaki opened her eyes; she smiled wearily and stood, moving in to his embrace.

'What now?' she asked, looking up at him.

'Now we wait for the Lord Regent's answer.'

One of the babes began to cry and Tanaki went to where he lay with his brother in a makeshift crib, lifting him clear. She carried him to Ravenna, pulled back the blanket and held him to Ravenna's breast. The mother did not stir from her sleep.

Tanaki rubbed the babe's back and returned him to the crib. The other babe awoke but did not cry. Tanaki lifted him also and carried him to Ravenna. He too drank lustily.

'It is a pity Ravenna was not the woman of Chareos,' said Tanaki.

'Why?'

'He could have challenged Jungir Khan to single combat for her. It is the Nadir custom and the Khan could not have refused. That way, we could have avoided a war.'

'I could challenge him,' said Kiall.

Fear flashed into Tanaki's eyes. 'You will do no such thing! I have seen you in action and you are not one half as skilful as Jungir. He would cut you into pieces.'

'I could strike a lucky blow,' he argued.

'Luck does not enter into a contest of that nature. Put the idea from your mind.'

He paused in the doorway. 'I do love you,' he said. 'You know that?'

'Yes. I know.'

He left her then and walked to the ramparts where Salida was standing with Harokas and Chien-tsu. Glancing back at the unconscious Chareos, he saw the shaman was still beside him.

'I think his heart gave out,' said Harokas.

'He is not a young man,' Salida said, 'but I hope he pulls through.'

The Nadir began to stir, rising from their camp-fires and saddling their horses. Salida glanced at the sky. It was almost time.

A rider came galloping through the western gate, leaping from the saddle of his lathered mount. He ran to Salida, handing him a scroll of parchment sealed with green wax and stamped with the Lord Regent's seal. Salida walked away from the others, removed his battle gauntlets and opened the scroll. He sniffed loudly and read the document slowly; then he rolled it once more and tucked it into his belt.

Pulling on his gauntlets, he returned to the others.

The Nadir began to ride forward with Jungir Khan at their head. They halted below the battlements and Jungir looked up.

'You have your answer, Captain Salida?'

'I do, Highness. I am instructed to hold this fortress in the name of the Gothir people, and to deny access to any foreign power.'

'Then it is war,' said Jungir, drawing his sword.

'Wait!' shouted Kiall. 'May I speak, Highness?'

'Who are you, boy?' called Jungir.

'I am Kiall. Ravenna was my woman, stolen from my village. We were betrothed. Now I demand the right of combat to decide what happens to her.'

Jungir leaned back in the saddle, his dark eyes fixed on Kiall. 'You wish to challenge me directly?'

'It is my right, and the Nadir custom so to do.'

Jungir glanced to his left, watching the men around him. Each of them knew the custom and he felt, with certainty, that the boy's daring appealed to them.

'And when you lose?' called Jungir Khan. 'What then? I get my woman back - and what else?'

'I can speak only for Ravenna, sire.'

'Very well. Come down - and we will fight, man to man. And I promise not to kill you slowly, for you have followed your woman as a man should.' A grunt of approval came from the Nadir warriors around him.

Inside the fortress Asta Khan heard the exchange. As Kiall descended the rampart steps Asta ran to him, grabbing his arm.

'What do you want?' asked Kiall, trying to pull away.

'Listen to me, fool, there is no need to die! I will help you in this battle, if you trust me.'

'I want no trickery, or magic,' said Kiall.

'No tricks,' Asta assured him. 'Just say these words after me. Will you do that?'

Kiall shrugged. 'What are they?'

'Merely a good luck charm which will open you to a friend. Trust me, Kiall. Can you not see I am with you? I am fighting to save the life of Chareos. Does that mean nothing? I am your friend.'

'Speak the words,' said the former villager.

Asta Khan closed his eyes, and began to chant:

Nadir we

Youth born,

Blood letters,

Axe wielders

Victors still.

Kiall spoke the words. 'What do they mean?'

'Life,' whispered a cool voice inside his mind and Kiall reeled back. 'Do not be afraid,' said the voice of Tenaka Khan. 'I am the warrior who aided you against the demons and I will aid you now. I want you to relax, to allow me to live - for but a brief moment. It is all I ask, in return for the aid I gave you.'

Kiall could feel the rising tension in him, like a pressure building. 'Give way, Kiall. And let me save your friends.'

'It is my fight,' he argued weakly.

'Jungir Khan poisoned me,' said Tenaka. 'He poisoned his own father. You must allow me my hour of revenge.'

'I ... I don't know.'

'Trust me. Relax,' said Tenaka and Kiall felt himself give, felt the power of Tenaka Khan flow through his veins. Their memories merged, and Kiall felt the thrill of countless battles - saw the fall of the mighty Dros Delnoch, experienced the great love the Khan had known for Kenya, the Joining Child. But more than this, he felt the confidence of the warrior born. He tried to will himself forward, but found to his terror that he could no longer control his limbs. His arms stretched out, his lungs filled with air.

'Oh,' came his voice, 'oh, it is good to breathe again!'

Tenaka Khan moved to the postern gate. At that moment Tanaki ran from the guardhouse. 'Kiall!' she screamed, 'oh, please don't do this.'

She flung herself into his arms and Tenaka kissed the top of her head.

'I will come back,' he said softly. 'He cannot beat me.'

'But he
can
. He is the greatest swordsman since my father. There is not a man alive - save perhaps Chareos - who could best him.'

'Did you love your father?' he asked.

'You know that I did. More than anything.'

'And do you love me?' he asked. Trapped behind his own eyes, Kiall despaired of the answer.

'Yes,' she said simply. 'I am for you, Kiall. Now and always.'

'Your father loved you,' he said. 'You were the joy Renya left . . . him. Watch from the battlements - and fear nothing. Kiall will come back to you. I promise, Naki.'

He turned to the gate, opened the bolts and walked towards the waiting horde. For a moment Tanaki was stunned. He had seemed so different, and he had used her pet name - the name she carried as a child. She swung to Asta Khan.

'What have you done?' she shouted. The old man said nothing, but returned to the still form of Chareos. The Blademaster opened his eyes.

'I kept my bargain,' whispered Asta. 'Will you keep yours?'

'I will,' answered Chareos. 'What is happening?'

'Kiall has gone outside to battle with Jungir Khan.'

'By the Source, no,' groaned Chareos. 'Help me to the battlements.' The wiry shaman pulled Chareos to his feet and half carried him to the steps. Painfully Chareos eased his way up to the ramparts.

Out on the valley floor Tenaka Khan strode out confidently to meet his son. Jungir carried the jewelled blade given to him by Chien-tsu. Tenaka drew the cavalry sabre, tested it for weight and then hurled it aside. He walked past the surprised Jungir, halting before an old man on a grey pony.

'They told me on the battlements that you were Subodai, the oldest friend of Tenaka Khan,' he said.

The grim-eyed old man nodded his head.

'Would you loan me one of the short swords Tenaka gave you on your last meeting.'