by Mark McCabe
The wizard repeated his question, glaring at Norvig as he did so. “I want to know who these enemies are.”
“I . . . Hrothgar doesn’t know,” Norvig repeated, unable to hide his nervousness. The wizard stared back at him, saying nothing, examining the slig with an intensity that rattled him. Norvig avoided his direct gaze, using a trick that Grartok taught him and staring at the wizard’s nose.
“Very well,” Kell finally responded, as Norvig maintained his silence. “Tell Hrothgar I will pay him more for the answers to those last two questions, five hundred gold crowns, in fact. I want to know how Golkar intends to use the human and against whom. Have you got that?”
“Yes.”
“Begone then,” said the wizard dismissively, turning his back to Norvig and busying himself with some papers on his desk. “Oh,” he said as an afterthought, barely glancing in the slig’s direction as he spoke, “Tell Nim that I said he should give you your two hundred crowns.”
Recovering quickly from his discomfort now the exchange was concluded, Norvig felt his anger rising rapidly. Wizard or not, he had no right to treat a slig warrior in such a manner. To turn one’s back on a slig was not only foolhardy but an insult of the highest order. Commonsense deserted Norvig as his innate pride took over. Without a conscious decision having been made, his hand started to slide the axe shaft from his belt.
“Don’t be a fool, Norvig.”
Kell’s response startled him. The wizard still fussed over his desk with his back to him. He couldn’t possibly see what Norvig was doing.
“You’d be dead before you could even begin to swing it,” the wizard continued quite casually. He made no move to stop what he was doing or to turn to face Norvig.
With some difficulty, Norvig eased his hand away from the axe handle. With even greater difficulty, he reined in his seething anger and turned and opened the door. Once out in the corridor, he steadied himself then headed for the exit, knowing that Nim would be close at hand. He was relieved to be out of the room and to be done with the task. His next one should be more to his liking.
As the doors closed behind the slig warrior, Kell moved from his desk to the chair beside it, turning to gaze out at the forest below as he sat. He had no interest in the papers he’d been handling, all that had been for Norvig’s benefit. His slight had been quite intended and it had evoked just the response he had wanted.
Kell felt that it helped to keep the slig on the back foot when he dealt with him. Although he would rather have nothing to do with the foul-smelling cutthroats, they had proved to be an invaluable source of information. Without them, Golkar would have had free reign and Kell would not have had the slightest idea what was going on until it was too late, if it wasn’t that already. Dealing with the sligs was a tricky business.
In Norvig’s case, Kell always made sure the slig was kept off balance. He clearly rehearsed what he said but tended to get flustered and say more than he had intended when Kell ruffled him. Hrothgar was more difficult to handle and tended to clam up if he felt he was not being paid the respect he felt he deserved. He was, however, quite susceptible to flattery. In many ways, thought Kell, it was just a matter of finding the right pressure points. The trick was to not let them know they were being manipulated.
Kell was sure Norvig had no idea the wizard had been baiting him intentionally. As far as he could see, Norvig was hardly the brightest member of his race. He wondered if the slig had even the slightest awareness of how important the news that he bore really was.
The news was, quite simply, devastating. Things were much worse than Kell had thought. Although he could not be certain how Golkar had done what he had, or how dire the consequences might be, he felt sure that the enemies the slig had referred to were none other than himself and Tarak. As to his having ‘gained access to another world’, it seemed inconceivable that such a thing could have been done.
Although, thinking of it, Kell did remember Tanis once saying that there were worlds beyond this one, ‘parallel worlds’ he had called them, some similar, some dissimilar, all as real to their inhabitants as this one was to its. Apparently, that’s where the mysterious Ilaroi had come from.
The Ilaroi. Now that’s a name he hadn’t heard in a very long time. According to Tanis, Mishra was the last of the Ilaroi, but who they were and exactly where they had come from, he either didn’t know or was unwilling to say.
Assuming for the moment that all this was so, however, and that somehow Golkar had managed to gain access to one of these other ‘worlds’, something he thought that Tanis had said could not, or was it should not, be done, then what could Golkar possibly hope to achieve by so doing?
This creature that he had summoned, what was it? A demon? Presumably not. Norvig had said it was human. Another wizard then, to aid Golkar, or some powerful warrior immune to their spells? And why would it aid Golkar? Kell could only guess at the answers to these most critical of questions.
The one thing that he was certain of was that he had to assume the information that Norvig had brought him was accurate. He couldn’t afford to treat it in any other way. If Hrothgar was lying, he would deal with him later, but if Golkar had actually brought some being into this world to use against his fellow Guardians, then Kell knew that both he and Tarak might be hard-pressed to resist him.
The wizard drummed his fingers absently on the arm of his chair as he sorted through his thoughts. His worst fears were being realised. He and Tarak may soon be fighting for their very survival. Hrothgar had said some months back he believed there was more going on then just support for the Sagath. It seemed now that he had been right.
To Kell that just went to show how far Golkar had fallen, when a slig could anticipate his motives more accurately than his fellow Guardians could. Although Kell had been expecting the worst, somehow a part of him had been hoping he was wrong. Unfortunately, this latest piece of information dashed those hopes. He feared now that Golkar’s megalomania might just prove to be the undoing of them all.
A knock at the door broke into his thoughts. “Enter,” he responded, knowing it would be Nim returning from seeing Norvig on his way.
As the quickling opened the door, Kell motioned for his companion to join him, indicating the chair opposite his. “Did Norvig count out his money, like he usually does?” he asked as Nim eased into the seat beside him.
“Of course,” Nim answered with a laugh. “Only he had to start again a number of times. I don’t think he’s used to counting that high. I don’t know what you did to upset him. He was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
Kell couldn’t help but smile, albeit briefly, despite the seriousness of the situation. The frown that quickly displaced it, however, was a clear harbinger of the concerns he needed to share with his companion. “I’m afraid he brought grim news, my friend. It seems Golkar has indeed moved against us and I’m not sure we’ll be able to resist him.”
Nim’s mirth quickly left him as the wizard went on, revealing the message Norvig had borne and the fears it confirmed. Once again, Kell was grateful for the opportunity to share his burdens. This responsibility was too much to bear by himself.
He had always found that sharing his concerns with others helped him to regain the clarity of thought he needed to find the right answers to his problems. And it was not surprising that it was to Nim he often turned in his need. The quickling was, after all, his closest confidante. Kell trusted him more than anyone else in the world. Even Tarak, his fellow Guardian, knew less of him than did Nim.
Kell knew that the loyalty he received in return was founded both in the genuine regard they shared for each other and in their mutual concern for their world and its peoples. He and Nim had spoken at length of the danger that an aberrant Golkar could present, not only to the Guardians but to all of Ilythia. Nim shared both his concern and his commitment to averting such a disaster. Unfortunately, despite all their efforts, they had achieved little. It was only Norvig’s
most recent news that had finally confirmed what till now had simply been a growing suspicion.
The wizard knew that for Nim it was now, in many ways, a moot point. Soon, like all quicklings, his time would come. He had but a few years to live. It was a measure of his commitment, both to Kell and to their cause, that he hadn’t relinquished his work and returned to spend his remaining days among his own kind.
For his part, Kell had undertaken years of research, delving for ways to avert the senseless early demise his friend faced. His search had been fruitless. For all his efforts, he was still no closer to solving the riddle of the quicklings’ mysterious and sudden decline. And now his work would have to be abandoned. Neither of their lives would ever be the same again from this day on. The danger from Golkar was now of paramount importance.
“I must leave Cloudtopper, as soon as I can,” he said to his friend. “I may no longer be safe here.” The time for thinking was done. Kell was anxious to be on with it.
“Shall I go to Tarak, as we’d planned?” said Nim as they both stood.
“Yes. I see no reason to do other than that. For the moment we have some small advantage, as Golkar doesn’t know we’re aware he has moved against us. At the same time, we don’t know when or where to expect his first blow. He would want to strike at either Tarak or myself before we could combine. I think, therefore, that he, or this human who aids him, will move quickly. They will either come here to Cloudtopper, or they’ll go to the Vale. Failing that, they’ll look for us somewhere between the two.”
“Yes,” said Nim. “They would certainly want to deal with the both of you first. At least we must assume that, in any event. I think I’ll need to be careful I don’t run into either of them myself.”
“Do that, Nim. Be very careful. Speed will be important, I think. The sooner you can get the message to Tarak, the sooner you can be out of harm’s way.” Kell was concerned for the quickling but knew that the plans they had laid for just this eventuality had been thoroughly considered. What they had to do now was to act, quickly and decisively.
“Don’t worry,” said Nim, helping the wizard to sort through the mess on his table and gather the few books and other items he intended taking with him. “I just hope that Tarak sees the sense in joining you in Annwn.”
“He will. He said he’d be with me if my fears proved right. He’ll see that we must act together.” Kell hoped he was right. He and Nim had prepared a small hut buried deep within the Forest of Annwn for the need that was upon them. It would give the two wizards somewhere to base themselves while they worked out how best to resist Golkar. For a while, at least, it would be a safe haven. His concern was not so much whether Tarak would join him there, but what they would then do.
A confrontation between the Guardians was unprecedented. Just how they could constrain Golkar, even acting in concert, would be something they would have to decide on. Kell had a few ideas of his own and hoped that Tarak had also turned his mind to the problem. Clearly, Golkar believed that one Guardian could overthrow another, the fact that he had acted was proof of that. Kell felt that once it was started, a fight to the death would be inevitable. The fate of the world might depend on the outcome.
“Tell him about this human that Golkar has brought here to help him. That will alarm him enough to ensure that he joins me.”
“I hope so,” Nim replied. “And then on to Elissa?”
Having gathered what he would need from his desk, Kell turned to face his friend. “Yes, that’s right. She must do what she can to resist the sligs by herself for the moment. I’m not sure what he hopes to gain by it, but I think it is clear that Golkar will not hinder them. Neither Tarak nor I will be able to help her for now. Tell her that we will come as soon as we are able.”
Opening both arms, Kell clasped his friend to him, feeling Nim respond warmly to his show of affection. After a brief embrace, he stood back with his hands on Nim’s shoulders. He knew they would both be lucky to live through what was before them. This could be the last time they would see each other. Looking into the quickling’s eyes he spoke softly. “May Mishra guide your way, my friend. Once you’ve spoken to the Queen, join me in Annwn. If I’m not there, wait for me. It’s to there I’ll return when I can.”
Nim nodded and turned towards the door. He turned back as the wizard spoke again. “Please don’t do anything foolish, Nim. If there is trouble in the Vale of Dreams, don’t do anything rash. Save your own skin.”
“Don’t worry,” said Nim with a grin. “I wasn’t planning on any heroics.”
Kell watched his friend till he was out of sight and then headed for his own quarters, anxious to be on his way to Annwn. He had some thinking to do. The news that Golkar had obtained an ally of unknown power or strength had shaken him more than he wished to let on to his companion. He had considered extensively the prospect of a confrontation with Golkar, but this ‘champion’ he had enlisted from another world created a wild card that he had not allowed for.
He did not know how but he did know what he and Tarak would have to do first if they were to survive the coming battle. They would have to find this human and eliminate him.
Chapter 6
With a tug on its rein, Rayne urged his horse on, up over the rocky surface, slowly climbing higher with each step taken. They were leading them now, but the horses were still finding the going hard, constantly slipping on the worn granite surface in the fading evening light. Although they had pushed on through the day, knowing they had to put as much ground between them and their pursuers as they could, their strength was ebbing in tandem with the dwindling light. The mad rush that had begun at the falls had gradually slowed as the afternoon wore on and their progress had now dwindled to a determined slog.
Darkness was falling quickly and Sara could feel her exhaustion sapping the strength from her limbs as she dragged herself along in Rayne’s wake. With her eyes cast down, carefully watching every weary step she took on the slippery surface, she nearly walked right into the back of his horse when it suddenly halted in front of her.
“This’ll do,” said Rayne, as she drew abreast of him. “Let’s tether the horses over there.” Sara wearily followed his lead. Where he had stopped, the ground levelled out for a short distance among a small clump of trees.
“If you can unsaddle them and brush them down,” Rayne added, taking his bow from his gear, “I’ll do a quick scout around.”
Sara nodded mutely as Rayne headed back in the direction they had come from. Mechanically, she forced herself through the process of unsaddling Nell, then repeated the procedure for the horse Rayne had been riding. Once that was done, she took the stiff brush he kept in his saddlebags and began to groom Nell with long, slow, purposeful strokes, knowing she had to conserve enough energy to do the same for the other horse.
At first, she found herself looking around nervously, peering into the darkness beyond the trees as she worked. She had been tempted to ask Rayne to stay with her, but he’d been off so quickly he hadn’t really given her much of a chance to voice an objection. Besides, she had to be braver than that. Rayne was no fool; she only had to think about his response to the attack at the falls to know that. Although Sara had no experience in such matters, she wondered how many grown men in similar circumstances would have acted as coolly as he had. He knew the risks now just as well as she did. He knew that a group of men were out there somewhere, looking for them.
Someone she had hoped never to set eyes on again was leading those men. She had recognised the draghar instantly at the falls and dreaded what might happen should he ever catch up with them. Sara shivered at the thought of becoming their captive again. As she worked, she offered up a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was responsible for putting Rayne in her path. She would already be back in their clutches, if not dead, if it hadn’t been for him. For all that, though, Sara knew they shouldn’t count on getting away so easily a second time.
Realising her turn of thoughts was only making her depresse
d, Sara turned her mind back to the task at hand. She had already finished with Nell and was working on the big chestnut coloured colt they had found at the falls. As she brushed his flanks with long sweeping strokes, she started to hum, her spirits rising as she picked up the rhythm of one of her favourite songs.
“I think I’ll call you Ned,” she said aloud to the horse after a few minutes, having forgotten how the rest of the tune went. “Ned, meet Nell. Nell, meet Ned.”
“You’re a cool one.”
Sara jumped, unable to stifle a small screech at the unexpected voice behind her. Turning quickly, she was relieved to see Rayne, with his bow slung over his shoulder and three or four of the wild tubas he always seemed to be able to find so easily in his hand.
“I thought you’d be worried about me,” he said with a grin. “Here you are humming a song and having a nice little chat with the horses. I needn’t have worried at all.”
“Oh, Rayne,” Sara returned, her emotions a mixture of annoyance and relief. “I nearly had a heart attack. Don’t do that again.”
“I’m sorry,” he replied, with a wry grin on his face. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You looked pretty relaxed to me.”
“Well, that’s how much you know. I’ve been scared out of my wits here waiting for you.”
“I truly am sorry,” said Rayne, all serious now. “You look like you’ve done a good job there. Let’s hobble them for the night. Give me a hand.”
Several minutes later the task was completed and the two horses were left to forage for what foliage could be found among the trees that surrounded their campsite. Rayne then took his saddlebags from among Nell’s gear and laid them out on the ground. As he started removing the things he needed for their camp, he turned once more to Sara. “Let’s get our gear ready first and then we can talk. Would you bring those saddlebags over from . . . Ned is it? Let’s see if there’s anything useful in there.”
