Vault of the Ages (21 page)

Tom stumbled suddenly, clutching at Owl for support. His face
was white, and blood streamed from a slash in his leg. “Get him inside!” choked Carl. “Ronwy! Bandage that cut—”

“I will—I will.” The old man eased Tom to the ground and ripped a piece off his cloak for a tourniquet.

“I can fight,” whispered Tom. “I can still fight.”

“Later,” said Owl, inspecting the injury. “It’ll heal up all right. But you’re out of this fracas, my friend.” He went back to his place, and Nicky took Tom’s position.

Lenard raged among his men, yelling at them, ordering them forward again. The bombs had done little if any actual harm, Carl realized. It was the noise which frightened warriors and horses. And the Lann weren’t so easily scared.

“I’ll go myself!” Lenard ran toward the barricade. Two others followed, and then the rest shouted up their own courage and streamed in their wake.

Carl spread his legs widely, braced for the next shock. It came in a blurring roar of steel, whistling and crashing against his own hard-held defense, a weaving, flickering net of snakelike metal, and Lenard’s taut grin bobbing behind a lifted shield. Carl struck back, hewing and stabbing and parrying. The Lann yelled and pressed forward. Sam groaned and sank slowly to earth, a spear wound in his side.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The men attacking stopped in their onward surge. Someone wailed aloud. Lenard, raging, sprang against Carl anew, slipped in a pool of blood, and fell at the boy’s feet. Lithe as a cat, he rolled free, leaped up, and was trapped in the backward rush of his men.

Crash! Crash!

A horse ran wild, pawing at the close-packed warriors and trampling them to the ground before it was killed. Carl wiped the sweat from his face and gulped air into raw lungs.

“One of them didn’t go off,” said Ronwy. His voice trembled. “We have four left.”

Through the muttering army, Lenard strode, beating men with angry fists, urging them back again. Carl saw with wonder that they were close to blind panic. A fire leaped in him. It might work! Twenty men might drive off a thousand today!

“Forward, forward!” Lenard ran in the front. Slowly, a number of his warriors followed.

Ronwy hurled a bomb at them. As it clattered to earth, Lenard
picked it up and tossed it back. It fell on the heaped bodies of the fallen and burst, metal fragments wailing and ricocheting. The Dalesmen stood firm, but the Lann flinched.

“Once more!” raged Lenard. “It didn’t hurt you, did it? Once more and we’ll have them!”

He plunged forward, saber gleaming. The Lann came after, a walking forest of swords and axes and spears. Carl staggered a little with weariness, thinking that this might indeed be the last assault.

The Lann prince charged him afresh. After Lenard came his men, swinging their weapons, but fear had blunted the attack and few tried to scale the walls to left and right. Carl’s sword hummed, bouncing off Lenard’s helmet. He felt the return blow bite deeply into his shield. Savagely, he cut low, and Lenard intercepted the sweep with his own blade just in time to save his legs. Swords locked together. They strained, grunting, glaring, and Lenard’s greater strength slowly forced Carl’s arm back.

Crash! Crash!

The barbarians howled, a single shuddering wail of stark terror, and fell away. Nicky and Owl laughed, closing in on the suddenly deserted Lenard. The northern prince cursed and retreated.

Crash!

The last bomb exploded amidst the enemy, scattering its terrible jagged fragments, and the host became a mob, screaming, fighting itself, clawing and trampling as it fled.

Carl gasped for breath. His head reeled and rang, and he began to tremble uncontrollably. He sat down where he was and stared into the courtyard.

His men had suffered cruelly. Not one but bled from a dozen wounds, and five lay dead and six could not stand. The arrows were exhausted, the swords nicked and blunted, the armor bashed and the shields splintered. But the fallen Lann were thick, and the Dalesmen managed a weary cheer.

“If they come at us again,” said Ezzef grimly, “we’re done for. This time they can’t help carrying the day.”

“We’ll just have to hope they don’t,” answered Carl dully.

He sat listening to the howl of the mob. It seemed very faraway. He must have dozed off, for he woke with a start as Owl touched his arm.

“Lenard’s coming,” said the farmer’s son.

Carl got to his feet. The Lann prince was a gory and terrible sight
where he stood in the avenue. His face was turned to his men, who were out of sight behind the looming walls but who had quieted down, and his voice lifted angrily.

“All right, I’ll prove it! He’s no more a witch than we are. I’ll show you his magic won’t help him. Then maybe you’ll have heart enough to kill the rest of those pig-headed southlanders.”

He turned to Carl and flashed a wolf’s grin. “Truce!” he called. “I want a truce of battle while you and I fight it out alone!”

The boy stood stock-still. It was the custom among many tribes, he knew—single combat among the leaders before the real battle was resumed. He could not refuse this fight. Quite apart from custom, it would prove that he had no real magical powers to give him confidence; the Lann would take heart again and overrun the little defending force. But if he, Carl, failed in the duel, that too would inspire the Lann to a fresh and final attack.

“I’ll go for you,” whispered Ezzef.

“No, you can’t,” answered Carl. “I’m the one who’s been challenged. Also, I’m the one they think is the witch—Ronwy and I, and Ronwy surely can’t go. If I failed to meet this, it’d be the end for all of us.”

“Come out, Carl, come out!” jeered Lenard. “Or are you afraid?”

“I’m coming,” said the boy. He cast his battered shield to earth and took a better one from Ezzef. His sword was dulled with use, but so was everyone else’s; it might still be sharp enough.

He felt no dread, he was past that now. But the weight of destiny was heavy on him as he walked out into the street.

T
HE
sun was sliding down the last quarter of its journey toward darkness, and the mellowed, ivy-covered walls glowed with a golden light. Trees rustled here and there in the faint breeze. Through the hot reek of blood and sweat, Carl smelled a cool, damp breath of green earth and summer blowing from the great forest. He flexed his aching muscles, taking glory in their very throb and weariness. His heart beat steadily and strongly, air filled his breast and tingled in his veins. Every ridge on the sword haft under his fingers sent a message to him, telling of a real world, one to be grasped in the hands and known by the living body—a world of life and mystery, a world of splendor and striving and wistful beauty. Yes, it was good to live, and even if he was now to join the sun in an endless night, he was glad of what he had been given.

Lenard smiled at him and lifted his blade in salute. There was a strange warmth in his greeting: “I could almost wish you luck, Carl. You’ve been a gallant foe, and I would we had been friends.”

The Lann stood waiting on either side of the cleared space, row on row of tensed and breathless men, still shaken by the thunder of the bombs. The defenders went outside their own barricade to watch.

“Go get him, Carl!” shouted Owl.

Carl crossed blades with Lenard. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” said the northerner. “Let’s go!”

His saber slithered free and lifted for a downward sweep. Carl struck first, holding his shield up as he battered against Lenard’s. The prince’s blade rasped across that shield and slewed about toward Carl’s thigh. The boy smote downward, beating the enemy weapon aside, and skipped back. Lenard rushed at him, blade howling. It crashed mightily against Carl’s shield. The boy planted himself firm, and his lighter, straight weapon clashed against the saber.

Then they were at it, ducking and dodging, weaving around, and steel banging on steel. Carl’s flickering blade sprang past Lenard’s guard to slash the man’s cheek. Lenard’s saber answered, ringing on the Dalesman’s helmet, bouncing from his shield. It struck the rim of that bullhide defense with a fury that dragged Carl’s arm down. The Lann warrior grunted, thrusting forward, but his curved edge slid off the armored shoulder beyond. Carl hacked at the calf of his enemy’s leg and felt his weapon bite through leather and flesh. The Dalesmen whooped.

Lenard growled and bored in, a sudden whirring, clamoring blur of attack. The blows hailed and thundered, shivering in Carl’s muscles and bones. He tried to parry, and his sword was hammered aside. Lenard drove forward relentlessly. Carl stepped back, panting.

Whooo—bang!
Carl’s head reeled with the shock. Stars danced before his eyes. Lenard hewed at his ankles, drawing blood. Carl slashed at the barbarian’s arm. The cut was deep, but the blunted edge would not bite well. Lenard grinned in fury and his snake’s tongue saber blazed against the boy’s defense. A ragged hole opened in the Dale shield, carved away by shrieking steel. Carl met the saber in mid-sweep, sparks and rattling. He ran backward as Lenard parried. The saber howled by his ear and raked down his sword arm.

He was fighting desperately now, against an older, heavier, more experienced warrior. The shock and thunder of blows was loud in his ears. He crossed blades and his own was hurled aside—almost wrenched from his hand. The frame of his shield gave away, a splinter stabbing his left arm. He threw the thing off, hurling it under Lenard’s feet. The northerner tripped over it and crashed to the ground. Carl hacked at him, but the enemy shield turned his blow and Lenard scrambled up again.

“Well done!” he cried.

His saber whistled against Carl’s now unshielded left. The boy retreated, weaving a barrier of flying metal to guard himself. The Lann army tightened and cheered, seeing him outclassed.

He couldn’t go any farther. The wall of a building opposite the vault was suddenly against his back. Carl planted his legs firm and struck two-handed at Lenard, letting the northerner’s blade smash at his own armored side. The straight sword whined against Lenard’s incautiously exposed head. Blood ran free and Lenard’s helmet rolled off. Carl had cut its chin strap but done little other harm. Lenard shook his head, bull-like, briefly dazed, and gave Carl a chance to slip back into the open.

Yelling, Lenard rushed him. Carl twisted his body sideways, holding his left arm out of danger. He thrust against the attacking barbarian, reaching for the eyes. Lenard nearly spitted himself, but he danced aside in time. Carl drilled in, pulling his dagger out with his left hand. Sword caught on sword, and Carl stabbed with the knife.

His thrust, awkwardly made, did little harm. Lenard broke free and crashed his shield-rim down on Carl’s wrist. Numbed, the boy dropped the dagger. Lenard thrust close, sword spitting from behind his shield. Carl clinched again. Lenard thrust a sudden foot behind Carl’s ankles and shoved. The boy went over on his back. Lenard sprang at him. Carl kicked with both feet. The kick thudded against Lenard’s shield, driving him back. Carl rolled free and regained his stance, panting.

Lenard’s blade sang against Carl’s helmet. The Dalesman staggered, and the watching Lann cheered afresh. Carl lurched back, Lenard hammering his defense.

“Carl, Carl,” groaned Owl.

Wildly, the boy held firm and battled. His breath was sobbing now. A wave of dizziness went through him and his knees shook. He was not afraid. There wasn’t time for fear. But his body wouldn’t obey; it was too tired.

He sent a mighty blow against Lenard’s bare head. The shield came up to catch it, and the saber chopped for his neck. Carl ducked, letting the sweep ring on his helmet. He yanked his sword free and stabbed two-handed against Lenard’s shield. The bullhide gave—but only a little, and Carl had to leap away before he was cut down.

His back was once more to the wall. He leaned against the old
bricks and met the furious assault as it came. Steel whistled and belled, a flying blur.

Carl’s sword met the thick edge of Lenard’s saber, slid along it, and caught in a notch there. Lenard roared triumphantly and twisted with a skilled strength. The sword spun from Carl’s sweat-slippery hand and went clanging to the street.

“Now you’re done!” shouted Lenard. His saber lifted for the death stroke. The Lann howled their glee.

Carl sprang! He leaped against his enemy, one hand closing on the sword arm, one reaching for the throat. Lenard writhed, stepping back. Carl’s right hand doubled into a fist and jolted a blow to Lenard’s jaw. The northerner snarled and tried to jerk his weapon free. Carl tripped him, and they crashed to earth.

The boy clawed for the saber. Lenard’s shield was pinned under the barbarian, holding his left arm useless. Carl’s hands tugged at the saber haft. Lenard slipped his shield arm free and closed it about Carl’s neck. The boy grunted, hammering a fist down on the fingers closed about the weapon. It suddenly clattered free as the two fighters rolled to one side.

Carl’s fist smashed into the dark face that was now above him. Blood came. Lenard gouged for his eyes. Carl flung up an arm to protect himself, and Lenard twisted away, clutching after the saber. Carl got a scissor-lock about his waist and dragged him back.

The air was alive with the howling of the Lann. The Dalesmen strained forward, white and drawn of face. The combatants rolled in the street, fists and arms locked, battering, raging.

The flat of Lenard’s hand struck Carl in the throat. Gasping with pain, the boy released his gripping arms. Lenard writhed half-free of the scissors-hold, reaching for the saber.

Carl surged up, clawing his way onto Lenard’s back. He closed fingers in the barbarian’s hair and smashed his enemy’s forehead against the old pavement.

Lenard roared. Carl beat his head down again, and again, and again. Suddenly the warrior lay still.

“Carl, Carl, Carl!” whooped the Dalesmen.

The boy shook his head, now ringing and swimming with darkness. Thunder beat in his ears and blood dripped from his face to the street. Shuddering, he crawled free on hands and knees, looking up at the enemy host through ragged veils of darkness.