A Darkness at Sethanon

by Raymond E. Feist

  The gates were open when Amos’s company reached the wall, and they spun in place once inside the barbican. Behind, the rear guard was hurrying, engaged in a running fight with the Black Slayers and other moredhel. A dozen Armengarians sought to escape from more than thirty pursuers.

  Amos sat next to Arutha as the Black Slayers cut down a pair of riders. ‘Ten,’ said Amos, counting the remaining riders. As they rode for the gate, Amos said, ‘Nine, eight,’ then, ‘seven.’ Upon the dusty plain a wave of black-armoured riders overwhelmed a half-dozen fleeing soldiers and Amos said, ‘Six, five, four.’ Then, with a note of anger in his voice, he shouted, ‘Close the gate!’

  As the gate began to swing shut, Arutha continued his count. ‘Three, two…’ The last two riders from the raiding party were cut down.

  Then from above came the sound of catapults launching. A moment later the screams of dying moredhel and horses filled the air. As the inner gates opened, Amos spurred his horse forward and said, ‘At least the bastards paid. I saw at least four chieftains down, two clearly dead.’ Amos glanced back, as if he could see through the massive gates. ‘But why didn’t the bastard use magic? That’s what I don’t fathom. He could have had us, you know?’

  Arutha could only nod. He also wondered. He gave his horse to a boy detailed to care for the mounts and hurried up the stairs to Guy’s command location. ‘Damn me!’ greeted him as he joined the Protector.

  Several prostrate figures in black armour were rising, in jerky awkward motion, moving back toward their own lines. Quickly their movement smoothed out and they were soon running as fast as if they had been uninjured.

  ‘When you told me of those…’ began Guy.

  ‘… you couldn’t believe,’ finished Arutha. ‘I know. You have to see it to understand.’

  ‘How do you kill them?’

  ‘Fire, magic, or by cutting their hearts out. Otherwise even the pieces find a way to rejoin and they just get stronger by the minute. They are impossible to stop by other means.’

  Guy looked out at the retreating Black Slayers. ‘I never had your father’s fascination for things magic, Arutha, but now I’d give half my duchy – my former duchy – for a single talented magician.’

  Arutha considered. ‘Something here has me concerned. I know little of these things, but it seems that, for all his powers, Murmandamus does little to truly trouble us. I remember Pug – a magician I know – telling me of some things he has done … well, they far outstripped what we’ve seen so far. I think Pug could pull the gates from the city walls if he’d a mind to do so.’

  ‘I don’t understand such things,’ admitted Guy.

  Amos was standing behind them, having approached at the last. ‘Maybe the king of pigs doesn’t want his army relying too heavily upon him.’ Guy and Arutha both regarded Amos with open curiosity. ‘It might be a matter of morale.’

  Guy shook his head. ‘Somehow I think it more complicated.’

  Arutha watched the confusion in the enemy camp. ‘Whatever it is, we’ll most likely know soon.’

  Amos leaned on the wall. ‘It’s been two weeks since your brother and the others left. If all has gone as planned, Martin’s at Stone Mountain today.’

  Arutha nodded, ‘If all has gone as planned.’

  Martin crouched down in the depression, his back tight against wet granite. The scraping sound of boots on the rocks above told him his pursuers were looking for signs of him. He held his bow before him, regarding the broken string. He had another in his pack, but no time to restring. If discovered, he would drop the weapon and pull his sword.

  He breathed slowly, attempting to stay calm. He wondered if fate had been kind to Baru and Laurie. Two days before, they had reached what appeared to be the Yabon Hills proper. They had seen no sign of pursuit until today, when, a little after sunrise, they had been overtaken by a patrol of Murmandamus’s riders. They had avoided being run down by climbing up into the rocks alongside the trail, but the moredhel had dismounted and followed. By poor chance, Martin and the others were on opposite sides of the trail and Laurie and Baru were forced southward, while Martin ran to the west. He hoped they had enough sense to continue south toward Yabon, and not to attempt to rejoin him. The chase had lasted throughout the day. Martin glanced upward, noting the sun moving behind the mountains. He judged only two more hours of light left. If he could avoid capture until dark, he would be safe.

  The sound of boots grew faint and Martin moved. He left the shelter of the rock overhead and scampered along at a half-crouch, half-run, following a rill upward. He judged he was close to Stone Mountain, though he had never come there from the northeast before. But some of the landmarks looked vaguely familiar, and had he not had other concerns to occupy his attentions at this time, he was sure he could easily find the dwarves.

  Martin rounded a curve and suddenly a moredhel warrior loomed up before him. Without hesitation Martin lashed out with his bow, striking the dark elf in the head with the heavy yew weapon. The surprised moredhel staggered, and before he could recover, Martin had his sword in hand and the moredhel lay dead.

  Martin spun about, seeking signs of the moredhel’s companions. In the distance he thought he saw movement but couldn’t be sure. He quickly hurried upward then discovered another bend. Peering around the bend, Martin found a half-dozen horses tied. He had somehow managed to double behind the pursuers and stumble across their mounts. Martin ran forward and gained the saddle of one of the horses. He used his sword to cut the reins of the others and slapped them across the flanks with the flat of his blade to drive them off.

  He spun his horse and spurred it forward. He could race down the wash and reach the trail. Then he could outrun the moredhel to Stone Mountain.

  A dark shape launched itself from atop a rock as Martin rode past, dragging him from the saddle. Martin rolled and came up in a fighter’s crouch, his sword out as a moredhel did the same. The two combatants faced each other as the moredhel cried out in his harsh elven dialect to his companions. Martin attacked, but the moredhel was a skilled swordsman and kept Martin at sword’s length. Martin knew if he turned to flee, he’d get a blade in the ribs for his troubles, but if he stayed, he’d soon be facing five moredhel. Martin kicked rocks and pebbles at the moredhel, but the warrior was an experienced fighter who moved sideways, avoiding dust in the eyes.

  Then the sound of boots pounding over the rocks could be heard from both directions. The moredhel shouted again and was answered from Martin’s left, to the south. From the right the sound of armour and boots grew louder. The moredhel’s eyes flickered in that direction, and Martin launched his attack. The dark elf barely avoided the blow, getting a slight cut in the arm for his troubles. Martin pushed his slight advantage, and while the moredhel was off balance, he struck out with a risky thrust that left him open for a riposte if he missed. He didn’t. The moredhel stiffened and collapsed as Martin pulled his blade free.

  Martin didn’t hesitate. He leaped for the rocks, seeking high ground before he was overrun from both sides. Moredhel warriors came rushing into view from the southern end of the wash, and one had his sword back, to slash at Martin.

  Martin kicked out unexpectedly and the warrior ducked, causing him to mistime his blow. Then, equally unexpectedly, a hand reached down and gripped Martin’s tunic.

  A powerful pair of arms lifted the Duke of Crydee and dragged him over the lip of the wash. Martin looked up to discover a grinning face, with a thick red beard regarding him. ‘Sorry for the rough handling, but things are about to get nasty down there.’

  The dwarf pointed past Martin, who turned to see a dozen dwarves dashing down the ravine from the north. The moredhel saw the superior number of dwarven warriors and turned to flee, but the dwarves were upon them before they moved ten yards. The fight was quickly over.

  Another dwarf joined the one at Martin’s side. The first handed Martin a waterskin. Martin stood and took a drink. He looked down at the pair of dwarves, their being barely five f
eet, and said, ‘Thanks to you.’

  ‘No bother. The Dark Brothers have been poking about here of late, so we keep this area heavily patrolled. As we have guests’ – he indicated some dwarves who were climbing up to join them – ‘we have no shortage of lads willing to go out and have a bash at them. Usually the cowards run, knowing they’re too close to our home, but this time they were a mite slow. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, who might you be and what are you doing at Stone Mountain?’

  Martin said, ‘This is Stone Mountain?’

  The dwarf pointed behind Martin and the Duke turned about. Behind him, above the edge of the wash he had crouched in, a stand of trees reared up. Following the woods, he saw they blanketed the sides of a great peak that rose high into the clouds. He had been so intent on the pursuit of the last day, so intent on hiding, that he had seen only the rocks and the gullies. Now he recognized the peak. He was standing with a half day’s walk of Stone Mountain.

  Martin regarded the assembling dwarves. He removed his right glove and displayed his signet. ‘I am Martin, Duke of Crydee. I need to speak with Dolgan.’

  The dwarves looked sceptical, as if it was improbable for a lord of the Kingdom to come in this fashion to their halls, but they simply looked to their leader. ‘I’m Paxton. My father is Harthorn, Warleader of the Stone Mountain clans, and Chieftain of village Delmoria. Come along, Lord Martin, we’ll take you to see the King.’

  Martin laughed. ‘So he did take the crown.’

  Paxton grinned. ‘In a manner of speaking. He said he’d take the job of King, after we nagged at him a couple of years, but he won’t wear a crown. So it sits in a chest in the long hall. Come along, Your Grace. We can be there by nightfall.’

  The dwarves set off, and Martin fell in beside them. He felt safe for the first time in weeks, but now his mind returned to thoughts of his brother and the others at Armengar. How long could they hold? he wondered.

  The camp reverberated with a cacophony of drums, trumpets and shouts. From every quarter came the response to the order to marshal. Guy watched the display as the false dawn gave way to the light of morning. He said to Arutha, ‘Before the globe of the sun is at noon, they’ll hit us with everything they have. Murmandamus may have felt the need to hold back some forces against the invasion of Yabon, but he can’t afford even another day’s delay. Today they will come in strength.’

  Arutha nodded as he watched every company on the field before the city marshal for battle. He had never felt so bone tired. The killing of Murmandamus’s captains had thrown the enemy camp into turmoil for two days before order had been restored. Arutha had no idea what bargains had been struck or what promises made, but finally they had come again, three days later.

  For a week after, the assaults had continued, and each time more attackers had gained the walls. The last assault of the day before had required the entire force of reserves being thrown into a potential breach to keep the integrity of the wall intact. Another few minutes, and the attackers would have had a position upon the walls to hold, so that more warriors could have scaled ladders in safety, unleashing a potential fatal flood of invaders into the city. Arutha thought, it has been twenty-seven days since Martin had left. Even if help was coming, it would be too late.

  Jimmy and Locklear waited close by, ready for messenger duty. Jimmy regarded his young friend. Since Bronwynn’s death Locklear had become possessed. He sought out the fighting at every turn, often ignoring instructions to stay behind for courier duty. Three times Jimmy had seen the boy involve himself in combat where he should have avoided it. His skills with the sword and his speed had counted for much, and he had survived, but Jimmy wasn’t sure how long Locklear could keep surviving, or even if he really wished to. He had tried to speak to Locklear about the girl, but the younger squire had refused. Jimmy had seen too much death and destruction by the time he had reached sixteen. He had grown callous in many ways. Even when he thought Anita or Arutha dead, he had not withdrawn the way Locklear had. Jimmy wished he understood more of such things, and worried for his friend.

  Guy gauged the strength of the army before him and at last, in a quiet voice, said, ‘We can’t hold them at the wall.’

  Arutha said, ‘I thought as much.’ In the four weeks since Martin’s departure, the city had held, the soldiers of Armengar performing beyond even Arutha’s most optimistic assessment. They had given all they had, but attrition was at last sapping the army’s reserve. Another thousand soldiers had been killed or rendered unable to fight in the last week. Now the defenders were spread out too thinly to deal with the full force of the attackers, and it was clear from the careful way Murmandamus was staging that he indeed planned to throw the full strength of his army at them today in one final, all-out assault. Guy nodded to Amos. The seaman said to Jimmy, ‘Carry word to the company commanders: begin the third stage of evacuation now.’

  Jimmy nudged Locklear, who seemed almost in a trance, and led his friend off. They ran along the wall, seeking out the company commanders. Arutha watched as a few chosen soldiers left the wall once word was passed. They hurried down the steps to the bailey and began to sprint toward the citadel.

  Arutha said, ‘What mix did you decide upon?’

  Guy said, ‘One able-bodied fighter, two armed old men or women, three older children, also armed, and five little ones.’ Arutha knew that within minutes dozens of such groups would begin slipping out into the mountains through the long tunnel from the cavern beneath the city. They were to work southward, seeking refuge in Yabon. It was hoped that this way at least some of the children of Armengar might survive. The single soldier would be in command of the party and each would carry orders to protect the children. And the soldiers also had orders to kill them rather than let them be captured by the moredhel.

  Slowly the sun rose, moving at a steady pace, unconcerned with the conflict below. When it reached the noon position, still no signal was forthcoming. Guy wondered aloud, ‘Why do they wait?’

  Nearly a full two hours later, a faint thudding sound carried over the quiet army on the plain, to be barely heard by the defenders. It continued for almost a full half hour, then trumpets sounded along the line of attackers. Then from behind the lines odd figures loomed up against the bright blue sky. They appeared giant black spiders, or something akin. They began moving through the host, slowly, stately. Finally, they cleared the line of attackers, and approached the city. As they came closer, Arutha studied them. Questioning shouts came from along the wall, and Guy said, ‘Gods, what are they?’

  ‘Some manner of engine,’ replied Arutha. ‘Moving siege towers.’ They appeared to be gigantic boxes, three or four times the size of the ones raised against the wall the previous week. They rolled on huge wheels, without any apparent motive source, for no giant, slave, or beast of burden pulled or pushed them. They moved under their own power, by some magic means. Their immense wheels thudded loudly when rolling over irregularities in the terrain.

  ‘Catapults!’ shouted Guy, and his hand dropped.

  Stones hurled overhead, and crashed against the boxes. One was struck in a support, which shattered, causing the thing to teeter, and fall, striking the earth with a resounding crash. At least a hundred dead goblins, moredhel, and humans were thrown clear of the crash.

  Arutha said, ‘Each one of those things must hold two, three hundred soldiers.’

  Guy counted quickly. ‘There are nineteen more coming. If one in three gains the walls, that’s fifteen hundred attackers on the wall at once. Oil and fire arrows!’ he shouted.

  The defenders sought to ignite the approaching boxes as they lumbered toward the wall, but something had been applied to the wood, and while the oil burned upon a few of the things, it only scorched and blackened the wood. Screams from within told of some damage done to the attackers by the flames, but the boxes were not halted.

  ‘All reserves to the wall! Archers to the roofs beyond the bailey! Horse companies to their stations!’

  Guy’
s orders were quickly carried out as the defenders awaited the approaching boxes. The magic siege towers filled the morning air with a loud grinding sound as the heavy wheels turned ponderously. The host of Murmandamus’s army walked slowly behind the moving towers, keeping a discreet distance, for all defensive fire was directed at the rolling boxes.

  Then the first of the boxes reached the wall. The side of the box facing the wall fell forward, as had happened with the smaller ones, and dozens of goblins and moredhel came leaping forward to engage the defenders. Soon there was frenzied combat along every foot of the wall. The attackers came flooding across the plain, behind their magic siege towers. The rear of the box opened as well, with long rope ladders being tossed out, and attackers in the field behind ran forward to clamber up the suddenly accessible entrances to the city. Long leather aprons were lowered from the centre of the boxes, only a foot in front of the ladders, confounding the bow fire directed at those climbing into the boxes. The catapult commanders continued to fire, and many of Murmandamus’s soldiers died beneath the rocks, but with the archers ordered to the first row of houses and the other defenders engaged with the attackers from the towers there was no bow fire to harass the host below as they raised scaling ladders against the walls.

  Arutha engaged a moredhel who had leaped over the body of a fallen Armengarian soldier, and slashed out, causing the dark elf to stumble backward. The moredhel fell off the parapet to the stones below.

  The Prince spun about and saw Guy kill another. The Protector looked about and shouted, ‘We can’t hold them here! Pass the word to fall back to the citadel!’

  Word was passed and suddenly defenders were scrambling away from those gaining the wall from outside. A select company of soldiers held each stairway while their companions fled toward the city. They were all volunteers and all were prepared to die.

  Arutha ran across the bailey and saw the last of the defenders on the wall overwhelmed. As he reached the midway point across the large open area, attackers leaped from the stairs and headed for the gate. Suddenly a rain of arrows came from the roofs of the buildings opposite the gate and to the last the attackers died. Then Guy was at Arutha’s side, with Amos running past.