Waylander III: Hero In The Shadows ds-9

by David A. Gemmell

  The ruins covered a vast area, vanishing into the distance. 'This was once a huge city,' said Kysumu. 'I have never seen the like.'

  'It was called Kuan-Hador,' said the Grey Man. 'According to some historians, more than two hundred thousand people lived here.'

  'What happened to them?' asked Yu Yu, drawing alongside.

  'No one knows,' the Grey Man told him. 'Many of the ruins show signs of fire damage, so I would guess it fell during a war.'

  Kysumu half drew his sword. The steel shone in the sunlight, but not with the glittering blue radiance it had displayed during the demonic attack.

  'It looks peaceful now,' said Yu Yu Liang.

  The Grey Man heeled the steeldust forward and rode out on to the slope. The horses placed their hoofs warily on the scree-covered trail, moving with care. At the rear Yu Yu was growing hot, and undid the brass clasp of his wolfskin cloak, intending to place it over his saddle pommel. The wolfskin fluttered up, alarming the grey mare, who reared and leapt from the trail directly on to the steep slope below. Immediately she began to slide, dropping her haunches. 'Keep her head up!' yelled the Grey Man.

  Yu Yu did his best – and the descent continued at breakneck speed. The mare fought for balance on the sliding scree, righted herself then, still panicked, began to run. Yu Yu clung on in frightened desperation as the descent continued in a cloud of dust. He was almost unseated twice as the mare lurched. Dropping the reins, Yu Yu grabbed the saddle pommel.

  The grey mare slowed and stood on trembling legs, steam snorting from her nostrils. Gingerly Yu Yu patted her neck, then gathered up the reins. As the dust cleared he saw they had reached the plain. Turning in the saddle he saw the Grey Man and Kysumu high above, still picking their way down the slope. Yu Yu's heart was thudding in his chest, and he felt light-headed.

  Some minutes later the Grey Man rode up. 'You should step down now and let the mare rest,' he said.

  Yu Yu nodded, tried to move, and let out a grunt. 'I can't,' he said. 'My legs won't work. They seem to be stuck to saddle.'

  'The muscles of your inner thigh have been overstretched,' said the Grey Man. 'It is a common problem for new riders.' He dismounted then moved alongside Yu Yu. 'Just topple and I will catch you.'

  With another grunt Yu Yu leant to his left. The Grey Man took hold of his arm and eased him down. Once on flat ground Yu Yu felt a little better, but it was difficult to walk. Rubbing his tortured muscles he grinned up at the Grey Man. 'My cloak frightened her,' he said.

  'She is none the worse for it,' said the Grey Man. 'But this must be a lucky day for you. If she had fallen and rolled that pommel would have ruptured your spleen.'

  Kysumu rode up, carrying Yu Yu's cloak. 'Did you see my ride?' asked Yu Yu.

  The grey-garbed Rajnee nodded. 'It was very impressive,' he said, stepping from the saddle. He half drew his sword again, gazing at the blade. It remained silver steel, with not a hint of unearthly radiance.

  'Maybe they have gone,' said Yu Yu hopefully.

  'We shall see,' answered Kysumu.

  Having tethered the horses the Grey Man and Kysumu began to scout the ruins. Yu Yu, his thighs still throbbing, wandered to the remains of what had once been a large house, and sat down upon a ruined wall. It was hot here, and the events of the day – the love-making, the fight, and the wild ride down the slope – had sapped his energy. He yawned and glanced around for the others. The Grey Man was some way to the east, climbing over a pile of ruins. Yu Yu could not see Kysumu.

  Removing his sword-belt he lay down in the shade, rolled his cloak for a pillow, and dozed.

  He awoke with a start as Kysumu climbed over the low wall.

  Yu Yu felt curiously disorientated. Rising to his feet he stared around the ruins. 'Where is he?' he asked.

  'The Grey Man has ridden further to the east to scout the woods.'

  'No, not him. The man with the golden robe.' Yu Yu walked to the wall and peered out over the plain.

  'You were dreaming,' said Kysumu.

  'I suppose I must have been,' agreed Yu Yu. 'He was asking me questions and I had no answers.'

  Kysumu pulled the stopper from a leather water-bag and drank sparingly. Then he passed it to Yu Yu.

  'No demons, then?' said Yu Yu happily.

  'No, but there is something here. I can feel it.'

  'Something . . . evil?' asked Yu Yu nervously.

  'I cannot tell. It is like a whisper in my soul.'

  Kysumu sat quietly, eyes closed. Yu Yu drank more water, then glanced up at the fading sun. It would be dusk soon, and he had no wish to be in these ruins once night had fallen.

  'Why do you want to find these demons anyway?' he asked the Rajnee.

  Kysumu's face twitched. His dark eyes opened. 'Do not disturb me when I am meditating,' he said, without anger. 'It is painful.'

  Yu Yu apologized, feeling foolish.

  'You were not to know,' said Kysumu. 'But to answer your question I do not want to find demons. I am Rajnee. I swore an oath to stand against evil wherever I found it. This is the way of the Rajnee. What we experienced in the camp of Matze Chai was evil. Of that there is no doubt. And that is why my sword brought me here.' He looked closely at Yu Yu. 'It is why you are here too.'

  'I don't want to fight evil,' said Yu Yu. 'I want to be rich and happy.'

  'I thought you wanted to strut through marketplaces with people pointing at you and saying your name with pride.'

  'That too.'

  'Such respect has to be earned, Yu Yu. Were you a good ditch-digger?'

  'I was a great—'

  'Yes, yes,' interrupted Kysumu. 'Now think about the question, and answer it with seriousness.'

  'I was good,' said Yu Yu. 'I worked hard. My foreman praised me. When times were tough I would always be employed ahead of other men. I was not lazy.'

  'You were respected as a ditch-digger?'

  'I was. But I was also paid for being a ditch-digger. Who will pay me for being a hero and fighting demons?'

  'The payment is greater than a mountain of gold, Yu Yu. And more beautiful than the richest gems. Yet you cannot touch it, or hold it. It swells the heart and feeds the soul.'

  'It doesn't feed the body, though, does it?' said Yu Yu.

  'No, it does not,' agreed Kysumu. 'But think back to how you felt when we fought the demons in the camp of Matze Chai, when the sun came up and the mist departed. You recall how your heart swelled with pride, because you had stood your ground and survived?'

  'That was good,' agreed Yu Yu. 'Almost as good as making love to Norda.'

  Kysumu sighed.

  Yu Yu walked to the edge of the broken wall. 'I cannot see the Grey Man. Why did he go off on his own?'

  'He is a solitary man,' said Kysumu. 'He works better alone.'

  The sun dipped below the western ridges. 'Well, I hope he gets back soon. I do not want to spend a night here.' Yu Yu picked up his cloak and shook it out, then swirled it around his shoulders. 'What is a pria-shath?' he asked.

  Kysumu's face registered shock. 'Where did you hear that word?'

  'The golden man in my dream. He asked if I was a pria-shath.'

  'And you have never heard it before?'

  Yu Yu shrugged. 'I don't think so.'

  'What else did he ask?'

  'I don't remember. It is all very hazy now.'

  'Try to think,' said Kysumu.

  Yu Yu sat down and scratched his beard. 'He asked me a lot of questions, and I didn't know the answers to any of them. There was something about the stars, but I don't recall exactly. Oh . . . and he told me his name . . . Qin someone . . .'

  'Qin Chong?'

  'Yes. How did you know?'

  'Later. Keep thinking of the dream.'

  'I told him I was a ditch-digger, and I didn't know what he was talking about. Then he said, "You are the pria-shath." That was when you woke me. What is a pria-shath?'

  'A Lantern Bearer,' said Kysumu. 'He was seeking me. That must be why the sword brought me her
e. I shall contact this spirit myself. It means going into a trance. You must stand guard over me.'

  'Guard? What happens if the demons come? You will wake, yes?'

  'It depends on how deep the trance. Now do not speak again.' With that Kysumu dipped his head and closed his eyes.

  The last of the sunlight blazed up from behind the mountains, then darkness descended upon the Eiden Plain.

  Yu Yu sat miserably upon a broken wall, and longed for a return to the lands of the Chiatze, with a good shovel in his hands and a deep ditch waiting to be dug. He wished in that moment he had never found the Rajnee sword, and had stayed on to face the wrath of the giant, Shi Da.

  'You have brought me nothing but trouble,' he said, glancing down at the sword in his lap.

  Then he swore.

  A soft blue light began to glow along the length of the blade.

  Chapter Six

  Leaving the steeldust tethered close to the lake, Waylander moved cautiously among the abandoned wagons, examining the tracks. The wagons had come over the pass and been drawn up here to rest the horses. Some of the footprints in the mud were of small feet, and several had run to the water's edge. A pair of shoes and a yellow shirt had been laid on a rock, indicating that at least one youngster had been preparing for a swim. The ground was too churned for Waylander to be exactly sure of what had happened next, save that the adults had herded together, pulling back towards the lake. Blood splashes to nearby trees and large stains upon the dead grass showed what happened next. They had been slaughtered – killed by huge creatures whose taloned feet left deep impressions in the earth.

  The grass itself might have proved a mystery, had Kysumu not already told him of the immense cold that accompanied the coming of the mist. It was frost-damaged by temperatures far below freezing.

  Waylander moved warily across the killing ground, examining the hoofprints of riders who had come upon the scene later. Twenty, maybe thirty riders had entered the wood, and left in the same direction. All around the site were the bodies of scores of birds. He found a dead fox in the bushes to the north of the wagons. There were no marks upon it.

  Venturing deeper into the woods he followed the trail of dead birds and ice-scorched grass, coming at last to what he believed to be the point of origin. It was a perfect circle, some thirty feet in diameter. Waylander walked around it, picturing as best he could what must have happened here. An icy mist had formed in the spot, then rolled towards the west as if driven by a fierce breeze. Everything in its path had died, including the wagoners and their families.

  But where then were the remains of the bodies, the discarded bones, the shredded clothing?

  Backtracking towards the wagons, he stopped and examined an area where bushes had been crushed, or torn from the ground. Blood had seeped into the earth. This was where one of the dead horses had been dragged. Waylander found more deep imprints of taloned feet close by. One creature had killed the horse and torn it from its traces, pulling it deeper into the woods. The blood trail stopped suddenly. Waylander squatted down, his fingers tracing the indented earth. The horse had been dragged to this point, and then had lost all bodyweight. Yet it had not been devoured here. Even if the demon had been ten feet tall it could not have consumed an entire horse. And there were no signs that others of the creatures had gathered around to share in a feast. There were no split and discarded bones, no guts or offal.

  Waylander rose and re-examined the surrounding area. The tracks of taloned feet just beyond this point were all heading in one direction, towards the lake. The demons, having slaughtered the wagoners and their horses, had returned to where he now stood – and vanished. As incredible as it seemed, there was no other explanation.

  They had returned from wherever they had come, taking the bodies with them.

  The light was beginning to fail. Waylander returned to the steeldust and stepped into the saddle.

  What had caused the demons to materialize in the first place? Surely it could not have been chance that they had happened upon a convoy. As far as he knew, there had been two attacks, one upon Matze Chai and his men, the second upon these unfortunate wagoners. Both parties contained large numbers of men and horses.

  Or, looked at from another viewpoint, a great deal of food.

  Waylander headed the steeldust away from the woods, and began the long ride around the lake. In the years he had dwelt in Kydor there had been no such attacks. Why now?

  The sun was setting behind the mountains as he skirted the lake. A feeling of unease grew within him as he headed towards the distant ruins. Lifting his crossbow he slid two bolts into place.

  When the sword began to shine Yu Yu Liang had been frightened. Now, an hour later, he would give anything he possessed to be merely frightened. Clouds had obscured the moon and stars and the only light came from the blade in his hands. From beyond the ruined walls, and all around him, he could hear stealthy sounds. Sweat dripped into Yu Yu's eyes as he strained to see beyond the jagged stonework. Twice he had tried to wake Kysumu, the second time shaking him roughly. It was like trying to rouse the dead.

  Yu Yu's mouth was dry. He heard a scratching upon the stony ground to his left and swung towards it, raising his sword high. As the light shone he saw a dark shadow disappear behind the rocks. A low growl came from somewhere close by, the sound echoing in the night air. Yu Yu was petrified now. His hands began to tremble, and he was gripping the sword hilt so powerfully that he could hardly feel his fingers. They are just wild dogs, he told himself. Scavenging for scraps. Nothing to fear.

  Wild dogs that could make the Rajnee blade shine?

  With a trembling hand he wiped sweat from his eyes and glanced back towards the horses. They were tethered within the ruin. The grey mare was also shivering with terror, her eyes wide, her ears flat back against her skull. Kysumu's bay gelding was pawing the ground nervously. From here Yu Yu could just make out the line of hills, and the slope he had ridden down only a few hours before. If he was to run to the mare and clamber into the saddle he could make that ride again, and be clear of these ruins within moments.

  The thought was like cool water to a man dying of thirst.

  He flicked a glance to the seated Kysumu. His face, as ever, was calm. Yu Yu swore loudly, feeling his anger rise. 'Only an idiot goes seeking demons,' he said, his voice sounding shrill.

  High above him the clouds parted briefly, and moonlight bathed the ghostly city of Kuan-Hador. In that sudden light Yu Yu saw several dark shapes scatter to hide among the rocks. As he tried to focus upon them the clouds gathered once more. Yu Yu licked his lips and backed across the ruin to stand alongside Kysumu.

  'Wake up!' he shouted, nudging the man with his foot.

  The moon shone once more. Again the dark shapes scattered. But they were closer now. Yu Yu rubbed his sweating palms on the sides of his leggings and took up his sword once more, swinging it left and right to loosen the muscles of his shoulders. 'I am Yu Yu Liang!' he shouted. 'I am a great swordsman and I fear nothing!'

  'I can taste your fear,' came a sibilant voice. Yu Yu leapt backwards, catching his leg on the low wall and falling over it. He scrambled to his feet.

  At that moment a huge black form came hurtling towards him, its great jaws open, long fangs snapping for his face. Yu Yu swung the sword. It slashed into the beast's neck, slicing through flesh and bone and exiting in a bloody spray. The creature's dead body cannoned into him, hurling him from his feet. Yu Yu hit the ground hard, rolled to his knees, then surged to his feet. Smoke began to ooze from the carcass alongside him, and a terrible stench filled the air.

  Five more of the beasts came padding towards the ruin, clambering over the broken stones, and forming a circle around him. Yu Yu saw that they were hounds, but of a kind he had never seen before. Their shoulders were bunched with muscle, their heads huge. Their eyes were upon him, and he sensed a feral intelligence within their baleful gaze.

  To his left the grey mare suddenly reared, dragged her reins loose of t
he rock and leapt over the wall. The bay gelding followed her lead and the two horses galloped away towards the hills. The huge hounds ignored them.

  The voice came again, and he realized it was somehow speaking inside his head.

  'Your order has fallen a long way since the Great Battle. My brothers will be pleased to hear of your decline. The mighty Riaj-nor, who once were lions, are now frightened monkeys with bright swords.'

  'You show yourself,' said Yu Yu, 'and this monkey will cut your poxy head from your poxy shoulders.'

  'You cannot see me? Better and better.'

  'No, but I can see you, creature of darkness,' came the voice of Kysumu. The little Rajnee stepped up alongside Yu Yu. 'Cloaked in shadow you stand just out of harm's way.' Yu Yu glanced at Kysumu and saw that he was staring towards the eastern wall. He squinted, trying to make out a figure there, but he could see nothing.

  The demon hounds began to move. Kysumu had still not drawn his sword.

  'I see there are still lions in this world. But lions can also die.'

  The hounds rushed in. Kysumu's blade flashed left and right. Two of the beasts fell, writhing upon the stones. A third struck Yu Yu, fangs closing upon his shoulder. With a cry of pain Yu Yu rammed his sword deep into the beast's belly. In its agony the hound opened its jaws, letting out a ferocious howl. Yu Yu tore the blade clear and brought it down upon the hound's skull. The sword clove through bone and wedged itself. Desperately Yu Yu tried to haul it clear. The last two beasts rushed at him. Kysumu's sword sliced through the neck of the first, but the second leapt for Yu Yu's throat.

  In that instant a black bolt materialized in the creature's skull, a second lancing through its neck. The hound fell at Yu Yu's feet. Freeing his sword Yu Yu swung round to see the Grey Man upon his steeldust gelding, a small crossbow in his hand.

  'Time to go,' said the Grey Man softly, pointing towards the east.

  A thick mist was moving across the ancient city, a wall of fog rolling slowly towards them. The Grey Man swung the gelding and galloped away. Yu Yu and Kysumu followed him. The pain in Yu Yu's shoulder was intense now, and he could feel blood flowing down his left arm. Even so he ran swiftly.