Waylander

5

Waylander paused at the foot of a grass-covered hill and lifted Culas and Miriel from the saddle. The trees were thinning now and once over the crest the group would be on open ground. Waylander was tired; his limbs felt heavy and his eyes ached. A strong man, he was unused to this physical weariness and at a loss to understand it. Dardalion halted beside him and Danyal lowered Krylla into the priest's arms.

'Why are we stopping?' asked Danyal. Dardalion shrugged.

Waylander walked to the top of the hill and lay on his belly scanning the plain beyond. In the far distance a column of wagons was heading north, escorted by Vagrian cavalry. Waylander chewed at his lip and frowned.

Heading north?

Towards Egel?

This could only mean that Egel had been forced out of Skultik, or had made a run for Purdol. If either was the case, then there was little point in taking the children to the forest. But where else could they go? Waylander returned his gaze to the plain itself: thousands of square miles of flat, unending grassland, dotted with occasional trees and ground-hugging hedgerows. And yet the land was deceptive, he knew. What looked like flatlands hid scores of gullies and hollows, random dips and curves in the earth. The entire Vagrian army could be camped within the range of his sight and yet be hidden from him. He glanced back and saw the two little girls gathering bluebells. The sound of laughter echoed on the hillside. Waylander cursed softly. Moving back carefully from the crest he stood up and turned towards the group.

As he walked down the hill four men moved out of the trees.

Waylander's eyes narrowed, but he walked on. Dardalion had not seen the men and was talking to the boy, Culas.

The men spread out as Waylander approached. All four were bearded, their faces grim. Each wore a longsword and two of them carried bows. Waylander's crossbow was clipped to his belt, but it was useless, for the metal arms were snapped shut.

Dardalion turned as Waylander walked past him and saw the newcomers. The sisters ceased their flower-gathering and ran to Danyal, Culas moving alongside them as Dardalion went to stand just behind Waylander.

'Nice horses,' said the man at the centre of the group. He was taller than the others and wore a green cloak of homespun wool.

Waylander said nothing and Dardalion could feel the tension rising. He wiped his palm on his shirt and hooked his thumb in his belt close to the hilt of the knife. The green-cloaked newcomer observed the movement and smiled, his blue eyes flickering back to Waylander.

'You don't offer much in the way of greetings, my friend,' he said.

Waylander smiled. 'Did you come here to die?' he asked softly.

'Why this talk of dying? We are all Drenai here.' The man was uncomfortable now. 'My name is Baloc and these are my brothers Lak, Dujat and Meloc – he's the youngest. We're not here to cause you harm.'

'It would not matter if you were,' said Waylander. 'Tell your brothers to sit down and be comfortable.'

'I do not like your manner,' said Baloc, stiffening. He edged back a step and the brothers fanned out to form a semi-circle around Waylander and the priest.

'Your likes and dislikes are immaterial to me,' said Waylander. 'And if your brother makes one more move to the right, I'll kill him.'

The man stopped instantly and Baloc licked his lips. 'You are big on threats for a man with no sword.'

'That should tell you something,' said Waylander. 'But then you look like a stupid man, so I will spell it out for you. I don't need a sword to deal with scum like you. No, don't say a word – just listen! Today I am in a good mood. You understand? Had you arrived yesterday I would probably have killed you without all this conversation. But today I feel expansive. The sun is shining and all is well. So take your brothers and go back the way you came.'

Baloc stared into Waylander's eyes, unsure and aware of a growing unease. Two men against four and not a sword in sight. Two horses and a woman as the prize. Yet still he was unsure.

The man was so confident, so calm. Not an ounce of tension showed in his stance or his manner … and his eyes were cold as tombstones.

Baloc grinned suddenly and spread his arms. 'All this talk of death and killing … Is there not enough trouble in the world? All right, we'll leave.' As he backed away, watching Waylander, his brothers joined him and all the men disappeared back into the trees.

'Run,' said Waylander.

'What?' asked Dardalion. But the dark-haired warrior was already sprinting towards the horses, pulling his crossbow clear and snapping the hinges open.

'Lie down!' he yelled and Danyal hurled herself to the ground, dragging the sisters with her.

Black-shafted arrows hissed from the trees. One flashed by Dardalion's head and he dived for the grass; a second missed Waylander by inches. Snapping two bolts into place and stretching the bow-arms tight, he ran for the trees, zig-zagging and ducking. Arrows flew perilously close. One hissed above Dardalion; he heard a choking cry and rolled over. The boy, Culas, had remained standing but now he knelt in pain, his small hands clutching a shaft buried in his belly.

Anger roared through Dardalion and with knife in hand he followed Waylander. As he went, a scream came from the forest … then another. Dardalion entered the trees at a run and saw two of the men down while Waylander, a knife in each hand, faced the other pair. Baloc ran forward, his sword flashing towards Waylander's neck, but Waylander ducked under the sweeping blade and rammed his right-hand knife in to the man's groin. Baloc doubled over and fell, dragging Waylander with him. As the last robber ran forward with sword raised, Dardalion's arm came up and swept down. The black blade thudded home in the robber's throat and he toppled backwards to writhe on the dark earth. Waylander wrenched his knife clear of Baloc and then, grabbing the man's hair, pulled his head back.

'There are some who never learn,' he said, opening the man's jugular.

Standing, he moved to the writhing man downed by Dardalion and, tearing the knife clear, wiped the blade on the man's jerkin before returning it to the priest. Recovering his two bolts from the other bodies, he cleaned his crossbow and pressed the bow-arms back into place alongside the handle.

'Well thrown!' he said.

'They've killed the boy,' Dardalion told him.

'Blame me,' said Waylander bitterly. 'I should have killed them instantly.'

'They may have meant no harm,' said Dardalion.

'Collect two swords and scabbards and one of the bows,' asked Waylander. I'll see to the boy.'

Leaving Dardalion in the woods, he walked slowly back to the horses. The sisters were sitting together, silent in shock; Danyal was crying as Culas lay with his head in her lap, his eyes open and his hands still clutching the arrow.

Waylander knelt by his side. 'Is there much pain?'

The boy nodded. He bit his lip and tears flowed. 'I'm going to die! I know I am.'

'Of course you are not,' said Danyal fiercely. 'We'll just rest for a little while, then we'll take the arrow out for you.'

Culas let go of the arrow and lifted his hand; it was drenched in blood. 'I can't feel my legs,' he wailed. Waylander reached out and took the boy's hand.

'Listen to me, Culas. There is nothing to frighten you. In a little while you will go to sleep, that's all. Just a deep sleep … there will be no pain.'

'It hurts now,' said Culas. 'It's like fire.'

As Waylander gazed down on the young face, distorted now by agony, he saw again his son lying among the flowers.

'Close your eyes, Culas, and listen to my voice. A long time ago I had a farm. A lovely farm, and there was a white pony that could run like the wind …' And as he spoke Waylander drew his knife and touched it to Culas' thigh. The boy did not react. Waylander carried on speaking in a low, gentle voice and turned the knifepoint into Culas' groin, slicing the artery at the top of the thigh. Blood gushed from the wound and still Waylander's voice continued as Culas' face grew pale and a blue tinge appeared on his eyelids.

'Sleep softly,' whispered Waylander and the boy's head sagged sideways. Danyal blinked and looked up, seeing the knife in Waylander's hand. Her arm lashed out, catching him on the side of the head.

'You swine, you despicable swine! You killed him!'

'Yes,' he said. He stood up and touched his lip. Blood was seeping from a split at the edge of his mouth where her fist had caught him.

'Why? Why did you do it?'

'I enjoy killing boys,' he said sardonically and walked to his horse. Dardalion joined him; the priest was now wearing Baloc's longsword.

'What happened?' he asked, passing a second sword and belt to Waylander.

'I killed the boy … he would have lingered in pain for days. Gods, priest, I wish I had never met you! Get the children mounted and head north – I'm going to scout around for a while.'

He rode for an hour, alert and watchful, until he found a shallow dip in the land. Riding down into it, he located a camp-site near a broken tree and dismounted. After feeding his horse the last of the grain, he sat down on the stump of the tree, where he stayed without moving for another hour until the light began to fade, then he walked up the slope and stood waiting for Dardalion.

The group arrived just as the sun slid behind the western mountains. Waylander led them to the camp-site and lifted the sisters from the saddle.

'There's a man coming to see you, Waylander,' said Krylla, curing her arms around his neck.

'How do you know?'

'He told me; he said he would join us for supper.'

'When did you see him?'

'A little while ago. I was nearly asleep and Danyal was holding me and I must have drifted. The man said he would see you tonight.'

'Was he a nice man?' asked Waylander.

'His eyes were on fire,' said Krylla.

Waylander lit a small fire in a circle of stones, then walked out on to the plain to see if the glare could be spotted. Satisfied that the campsite was hidden, he made his way slowly through the long grass towards the hollow.

A cloud drifted across the moon and the plain was plunged into darkness. Waylander froze. A whisper of movement to his right saw him drop to the ground, knife in hand.

'Get up, my son,' came a voice from beside him.

Waylander rolled left and came up on one knee, knife extended. 'You will not need your weapon. I am alone and very old.'

Waylander eased his way back along the trail and edged to the right.

'You are a cautious man,' said the voice. 'Very well, I will go on and meet you by your fire.'

The cloud passed and silver light bathed the plain. Waylander straightened. He was alone. Swiftly he scouted the area. Nothing. He returned to the fire.

Sitting beside it with hands outstretched to the warmth was an old man. Krylla and Miriel were sitting beside him, Dardalion and Danyal opposite.

Waylander approached cautiously and the man did not look up. He was bald and beardless and the skin of his face hung in slender folds. Waylander guessed from the width of his shoulders that he had once been very strong. Now he was skeletal and his eyelids were flat against the sockets.

A blind man!

'Why doesn't your face fit?' said Miriel.

'It did once,' said the old man. 'I was considered handsome in my youth, when my hair was golden and my eyes emerald green.'

'You look awful now,' said Krylla.

'I am sure that I do! Thankfully I can no longer see myself and therefore am spared great disappointment. Ah, the Wanderer returns,' said the old man, tilting his head.

'Who are you?' asked Waylander.

'A traveller like yourself.'

'You travel alone?'

'Yes … but not as alone as you.'

'Are you the mystic who spoke to Krylla?'

'I had that honour – and a delightful child she is. Very gifted for one so young. She tells me that you are a saviour, a great hero.'

'She sees with the eye of a child. All is not always as it seems,' said Waylander.

'Children see many things we no longer see. If we did, would we wage war so terribly?'

'Are you a priest, man? I've had my damned fill of priests,' snapped Waylander.

'No. I am merely a student of life. I would like to have been a priest, but I fear my appetites always had the better of me. I could never resist a pretty face or a fine wine. Now that I am old I wish for other delights, but even these are now denied me.'

'How did you find us?'

'Krylla showed me the way.'

'And I suppose you would like to travel with us?'

The man smiled. 'Would that I could! No, I shall bide with you tonight, and then I must embark on another journey.'

'We do not have much food,' said Waylander.

'But you are welcome to what we have,' said Dardalion, moving to sit beside the old man.

'I am not hungry, but thank you. You are the priest?'

'Yes.'

The old man reached out and touched the hilt of Dardalion's dagger. 'An unusual object for a priest to carry?'

'These are unusual days,' answered Dardalion, his face flushing.

'They must be.' He turned his head towards Waylander. 'I cannot see you, but I feel your power. And also your anger. Are you angry with me?'

'Not yet,' said Waylander, 'but I am wondering when you will arrive at the point of your visit.'

'You think I have some ulterior motive?'

'Not at all,' said Waylander drily. 'A blind man invites himself to supper through the mystic talents of a frightened child and finds our fire in the middle of a veritable wilderness. What could be more natural? Who are you and what do you want?'

'Do you always have to be so loathsome?' said Danyal. 'I don't care who he is, he's welcome. Or perhaps you'd like to kill him? After all, you haven't killed anyone for a couple of hours.'

'Gods, woman, your prattle turns my stomach,' snarled the warrior. 'What do you want from me? So the boy died. That's what happens in wars … people die . And before you let fly with your viper responses, remind yourself of this: when I shouted to get down I see you managed to save yourself. Perhaps if you had thought about the boy, he wouldn't have had an arrow in his guts.'

'That's not fair!' she shouted.

'Life is like that.' He swept up his blankets and walked away from the group, his heart pounding as rage threatened to engulf him. He strode to the top of the rise and stared out over the plain. Somewhere out there were riders hunting him. They could not allow him to live. For if they failed in their quest their own lives would be forfeit. And here was Waylander trapped by a priest and a woman – caught like a monkey in a net while the lions moved in.

Folly. Sheer folly.

He should never have accepted a contract from that Vagrian serpent, Kaem. The man's name was a byword for treachery: Kaem the Cruel, Kaem the Killer of Nations – the web-weaver at the centre of the Vagrian army.

All of Waylander's instincts had screamed at him to spurn Kaem's contract, but he had ignored them. Now the Vagrian general would have sent out groups of assassins in every direction; they would know he had not headed south or west, and the ports to the east would be closed to him. Only the north beckoned – and the killers would be watching all paths to Skultik.

Waylander cursed softly. Kaem had offered 24,000 gold pieces for the contract and, as a gesture of faith, had lodged half of the amount in Waylander's name with Cheros, the main banker in Gulgothir. Waylander had completed the contract with his customary skill, though his memory burned with the shame of it. Seeing again the arrow in flight, he squeezed shut his eyes …

The night was cool, the stars gleaming like spear-points. Waylander stretched, forcing his mind to the present, but his victim's face returned again and again … a gentle face, haunted by failure … soft eyes and a kind smile. He had been stooping to pick a flower when Waylander's bolt pierced his back …

'No!' shouted Waylander, sitting upright, his hand lashing out as if to drive the memory from him. Think of something else … anything else!

After the kill he had slipped away to the east, for the journey to Vagria and the promise of Kaem's gold. While on the road he met a merchant travelling from the north who told him in conversation of the death of Cheros the Banker. Three assassins had killed him at his home and made off with a fortune in gold and gems.

Waylander had known then that he was betrayed, but some instinct – some inner compulsion – drove him on. He had arrived at Kaem's palace and scaled a high garden wall. Once inside, he killed two guard dogs and entered the main building. Locating Kaem's room had posed a problem, but he woke a serving girl and forced her at knifepoint to lead him to the general's bedchamber. Kaem was asleep in his apartments on the third floor of the palace. Waylander struck the girl on the neck, catching her as she fell and lowering her to a white fur rug on the floor. Then he went to the bed and touched his knife to Kaem's throat. The general's eyes flared open.

'Could you have not come at a more reasonable hour?' he had asked smoothly.

Waylander's knife pressed forward a fraction of an inch and blood seeped from the cut as Kaem stared into the dark eyes above him.

'I see you have heard about Cheros. I hope you don't think it was my doing.' The knife pressed deeper and this time Kaem winced.

'I know it was your doing,' hissed Waylander.

'Can we talk about it?'

'We can talk about 24,000 gold pieces.'

'Of course.'

Suddenly Kaem twisted and his arm lashed out to knock Waylander from the bed. The speed of the attack stunned the assassin and he rolled to his feet to find himself facing the wiry general who had now clambered from the bed and pulled a sword from the scabbard hanging on the bedpost.

'You're getting old, Waylander,' said Kaem.

The door burst open and a young man ran in, carrying a bow with arrow notched to the string.

Waylander's arm shot forward and the young man collapsed with a black-bladed knife in his throat. Waylander ran to the door, hurdling the corpse.

'You'll die for that!' screamed Kaem. 'You hear me? You will die!'

The sound of sobbing followed Waylander as he ran down the wide stairs, for the dead man was Kaem's only son…

And now the hunters were searching for his killer.

Wrapped in his blankets with his back against a jutting rock, Waylander heard the old man approach, the coarse cloth of his robes whispering against the long grass. 'May I join you?'

'Why not?'

'It is a glorious night, is it not?'

'How does a blind man define glorious?' 'The air is fresh and cool and the silence a mask – a cloak which hides so much life. To the right there, a hare is sitting, wondering why two men are so close to his burrow. Away to the left is a red fox – a vixen by the smell – and she is hunting the hare. And overhead the bats are out, enjoying the night as am I.'

'It's too bright for my liking,' said Waylander.

'It is always hard to be hunted.'

'I had a feeling you knew.'

'Knew what? The feeling of being hunted, or the fact that the Dark Brotherhood are seeking you?'

'Either. Both. It does not matter.'

'You were right, Waylander. I was seeking you and there is an ulterior motive. So shall we stop fencing?'

'As you wish.'

'I have a message for you.'

'From whom?'

'That is not part of my brief. And also it would take more time than I have to explain it to you. Let me say only that you have been given a chance to redeem yourself.'

'Nice of you. However, there is nothing to redeem.'

'If you say so. I do not wish to argue. Soon you will reach the camp of Egel where you will find an army in disarray: a force doomed to ultimate defeat. You can aid them.'

'Are your wits addled, old man? Nothing can save Egel.'

'I did not say "save". I said "aid".'

'What is the purpose of aiding a dead man?'

'What was the purpose in saving the priest?'

'It was a whim, damn you! And it will be a long time before I allow myself another such.'

'Why are you angry?'

Waylander chuckled, but there was no humour in the sound.

'You know what has happened to you?' asked the old man.'You have been touched by the Source and those are the chains you rail against. Once you were a fine man and knew love. But love died, and since no man lives in a vacuum you filled yourself not with hate but with emptiness. You have not been alive these past twenty years – you have been a walking corpse. Saving the priest was your first decent deed in two decades.'

'So you came to preach?'

'No, I am preaching in spite of myself. I cannot explain the Source to you. The Source is about foolishness, splendid foolishness; it is about purity and joy. But against the wisdom of the world it fails, because the Source knows nothing of greed, lust, deceit, hate, nor evil of any kind. Yet it always triumphs. For the Source always gives something for nothing: good for evil, love for hate.'

'Sophistry. A small boy died yesterday – he hated no one, but an evil whoreson cut him down. All over this land good, decent people are dying in their thousands. Don't tell me about triumphs. Triumphs are built on the blood of innocence.'

'You see? I speak foolishness. But in meeting you I know what triumph means. I understand one more fragment.'

'I am pleased for you,' mocked Waylander, despising himself as he spoke.

'Let me explain,' said the old man softly. 'I had a son – not a dazzling boy, not the brightest of men. But he cared about many things. He had a dog that was injured in a fight with a wolf and we should have killed the dog, for it was grievously hurt. But my son would not allow it; he stitched the wounds himself and sat with the hound for five days and nights, willing it to live. But it died. And he was heartbroken, for life was precious to him. When he became a man I passed on everything I had to him. He became a steward, and I left on my travels. My son never forgot the dog and it coloured everything he did …'

'Is there a point to this tale?'

'That depends on you, for you enter the tale at this juncture. My son saw that everything I had left him to care for was in peril, and he tried desperately to save it. But he was too soft, and raiders came to my lands and slew my people. Then my son learnt the error of his ways and became truly a man, for he now knew that life often brings hard decisions. So he gathered his generals and worked on a plan to free his people. And then an assassin slew him.

'His life was ended … and as he died all he could see was a failure, and a terrible despair went out from him that touched me a thousand leagues away.

'A terrible rage filled me and I thought to kill you. I could, even now. But then the Source touched me. And I am now here merely to talk.'

'You son was King Niallad?'

'Yes. I am Orien of the Two Blades. Or, more exactly, I was Orien once.'

'I am sorry for your son. But it is what I do.'

'You speak of the death of innocents. Perhaps – had my son lived – many of those innocents would also have lived.'

'I know. And I regret it … but I can't change it.'

'It is not important,' said Oren. 'But you are important. The Source has chosen you, but the choice is yours.'

'Chosen me for what? My only talent is hardly one your Source would admire.'

'It is not your only talent. You know of my early life?'

'I know you were a great warrior, never beaten in battle.'

'Have you seen the stature of me in Drenan?'

'Yes. The Armour of Bronze.'

'Indeed. The Armour. Many would like to know its whereabouts and the Brotherhood seek it, for it threatens the Vagrian empire.'

'Is it magic then?'

'No – at least, not in the sense that you mean. It was made long ago by the great Axellian. Superb workmanship and the two swords are of a metal beyond compare – a silver steel that never dulls. With that Armour Egel has a chance – no more than that.'

'But you said it carries no magic?'

'The magic is in the minds of men. When Egel wears that Armour it will be as if Orien has returned. And Orien was never beaten. Men will flock to Egel and he will grow – he is the best of them, an iron man of indomitable will.'

'And you want me to fetch this Armour?'

'Yes.'

'I take it there is some danger involved?'

'I think that is a fair assessment.'

'But the Source will be with me?'

'Perhaps. Perhaps not.'

'I thought you said I was chosen for this task. What is the point of having aid from a God without power?'

'A good question, Waylander. I hope you learn the answer.'

'Where is the Armour?'

'I hid it in a deep cave high up the side of a tall mountain.'

'Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Where?'

'Do you know the Nadir Steppes?'

'I am not going to like this.'

'I take it that you do. Well, two hundred miles west of Gulgothir is a range of mountains …'

'The Mountains of the Moon.'

'Exactly. At the centre of the range is Raboas …'

'The Sacred Giant.'

'Yes,' said Orien, grinning. 'And that's where it is.'

'That is insane. No Drenai has ever penetrated that far into Nadir lands.'

'I did.'

'Why? What purpose could you have had?'

'I wondered that at the time. Put it down to a whim, Waylander; you know about whims. Will you fetch the Armour?'

'Tell me, Orien, how much of a mystic are you?'

'What do you mean?'

'Can you see the future?'

'In part,' admitted Orien.

'What are my chances of success?'

'That depends on who accompanies you.'

'Then let's say that the Source chooses the right company.'

The old man rubbed his ruined sockets and leaned back.

'You have no chance,' he admitted.

'That's what I thought.'

'But that is no reason to refuse.'

'You are asking me to ride a thousand miles through hostile lands swarming with savages. You tell me that the Brotherhood are also seeking the Armour? Do they know it is in Nadir lands?'

'They know.'

'So they will be hunting me also?'

'They are already hunting you.'

'Agreed. But they don't know where I'm going. If I set off on this quest of yours, they'll soon find out.'

'True.'

'So … there will be Nadir warriors, warrior wizards and Vagrian troops. And if I get through those I have to scale the Sacred Giant, the holiest place on the Steppes, and risk myself in the bowels of a dark mountain. Then I merely have to ride out again, burdened down with half a ton of armour.'

'Eighty pounds.'

'Whatever!'

'There are also the werebeasts who live in the caves of Raboas. They don't like fire.'

'That's comforting,' said Waylander.

'So will you go?'

'I am beginning to understand your comments concerning foolishness,' said the warrior. 'But yes, I will go.'

'Why?' asked Orien.

'Does there have to be a reason?'

'No. But I am curious.'

'Then let us say it's in memory of a dog that should not have died.'