Hugh Cook - The wizards and the warriors

There was no chance of that now: but there might still be a chance for revenge.

Climbing the unfamiliar, ever-rising cliffs and hills, their pace slowed. They moved cautiously along the pine forest trails, with scouts out ahead and a rear guard behind. At dusk, Elkor Alish sent out clearing patrols to circle their camp site and ensure no enemy was creeping up on them in the twilight; he always chose to camp on high ground, with good defensive prospects, and posted sentries to watch out the night.

He was acutely aware that, while they might be questing for Heenmor's head, a Collosnon revenge force might be questing for them.

After days of hill climbing, they reached the high, isolated uplands of the Rausch Valley. No humans lived here, for the sandy soil would support no crops, and was worthless for grazing. Isolated from the moderating influence of the sea, the valley was blanketed by snow all through the winter: when the spring melts came, the entire valley flooded as snow melted on the mountains of the Coastal Massif.

They marched to the Fleuve River which drained the valley, and followed it downstream, in a southerly direction, to a point where the valley narrowed as the hills closed in. From here, the prospect to the east showed them high mountains, some still tipped with snow. From a Melski encampment, they learnt that the Melski had indeed taken Heenmor downriver to Ep Pass, where there was a pass across the Spine Mountains.

It now seemed certain that Heenmor was making for Stronghold Handfast. And. of course, the expedition must follow – but there was a problem.

On the raft belonging to the Melski headman, Blackwood turned to Hearst: 'It's no use. He refuses.'

'Try again,' said Hearst.

'Mister, they'll talk us out till the river runs dry, but they'll never changesay.'

Tell them,' said Hearst, 'they can't hope to stop us travelling downriver, no matter what they've promised to Heenmor. Tell them it might come to bloodshed if they try to stop us.'

Blackwood addressed the Melski headman, whose language came easily to his lips. In his exile years in Looming Forest, the Melski had been his friends and companions. Looming Forest: Estar: Mystrel. Was Mystrel still alive? 'Old father,' said Blackwood. 'You of the current-cunning, of the long-song memories, know that not everyone honours the virtue of their spawning.'

'Lor-galor,' grunted the Melski headman in assent.

'Now these of the dryhard standing by your home-banks take no part of the Cycle; on them lies no restraint against murder. They can be like stormwater, destroying with as little reason. I offer no threat, but the others lack the honour of peacemakers.'

'You do well to warn us,' said the Melski headman. 'You are one who has honour. May your days lie downstream.'

Then the headman sat back.

'Honoured father -' began Blackwood. it is no use,' said the Melski headman. 'You have the courtesy of our tongue upon your lips, but we cannot unspeak our speaking. The river cannot flow back to the hills, or words unsay themselves. We cannot offer you way by right down the river. If necessary, we will break the Cycle to preserve our truth.'

'What does he say?' asked Hearst.

'He says no,' said Blackwood. 'They won't let us follow Heenmor, even if it means a fight.'

'What's Heenmor paid them?'

'He paid them with their lives, mister. I'm sure you've made that kind of bargain now and then yourself.'

'Try again,' said Hearst, hurt by Blackwood's bitter tone.

'Old father,' said Blackwood. 'He wishes that I fish again.'

'We have given our answer,' said the Melski headman. 'Our word binds us. Is that entirely beyond their understanding?'

'They are not entirely without reason,' said Blackwood, 'but they are fated on this journey, for they also have spoken words of binding.'

'To whom have they spoken these words?'

'To each other.'

'Then they can unspeak their words between themselves. We cannot, for our pact is with our blood and the blood of another. We sought only to save our lives -that charred pine on the further shore is the mark of the power he showed us. In this time of danger, you could choose the way of example.'

'I have tried that way. It almost cost me my life.'

'And now the one who sits beside you forces you to talk. Well then, let us talk. Tell me how the families fare in the flow of the Hollern River, for there are years and leagues between us.' i will speak first of Hor-hor-hurulg-murg,' said Blackwood, 'for he was closest always; he bears himself with honour.'

Alish watched Hearst and Blackwood leave the headman's raft and walk back along the jetty to the riverside.

'Well,' said Alish when the two drew near. 'How did it go?' 'No joy,' said Hearst.

'They'll try to stop us,' said Blackwood. 'Even if it means fighting us.'

'Then let's get it over with,' said Alish. 'We'll go through them like a knife through butter. Weil clean them out, take their rafts and be off downstream by sunset.'

'No!' said Blackwood, it would be murder!'

'They're only gooks,' said Alish.

'Mister, I value them as my own.'

'That's nothing to me,' said Alish. 'Come on, Morgan, let's get everyone into position. I want to start -'

'Hold a moment,' said Hearst.

'What's this hold a moment?' said Alish. 'We're sworn to this quest. We have to go downriver. If we have to kill to cut the way clear, we do. The mountains to east are impassable unless we travel by way of Ep Pass – and that lies downstream.'

'There's more than one way to scalp a scat,' said Hearst. 'We can backtrack a little, slip through the forest and join the river further downstream.'

'Blackwood?' said Alish. Then, as Blackwood hesitated: 'He knows the answer to that. His love-hearted Melski will follow us if we leave to make sure we head back home.'

'Perhaps,' said Blackwood, 'but they might miss a small group that slipped away while the rest of us stayed here.'

'No!' said Alish. i'm not travelling with a fist of five when I can travel with an army. We might meet more Melski downstream, so we need our numbers.'

'Alish,' said Hearst. 'Let me go and scout out the land with Blackwood and one or two others. Then we can talk possibilities.'

'As you wish,' said Alish. 'Who will you take?'

'Blackwood, Durnwold, Miphon. Weil be back by dayfail.'

'Good speed,' said Alish.

Watching Hearst's scouting party slip away into the forest, Alish thought Hearst's life-debt to Blackwood was clouding his judgment. And Alish was disturbed that Hearst had taken Miphon to help him. Miphon, sensing things unseen by ordinary men, might well be useful in the forest – but a Rovac warrior should never become dependent on a wizard.

Alish had already made his decision. He had to do his duty, no matter how painful. His duty was to the Code of Night and the destiny of Rovac; his duty was to secure the death-stone for the highest purpose, to avenge the ancient wrongs and set history to rights -and no gabble of waterway gooks could be allowed to stand in the way.

Quietly, moving from man to man to advise each individually, Alish began to give his orders.

Elkor Alish, son of Teramont the Defender, warrior of Rovac, blood of the clan of the eagle, a man born into a free people and sworn to the cause of the Code of Night, stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword Ethlite, looking at the river, the rafts, and the eastern mountains tipped with snow that shone white-bright as the sun, great world-candle, lit and warmed the entire continent of Argan.

So it was killing time again. Voice would be raised against voice and blade against blade, making more corpses to rot down to maggot-filth. Well, there was no helping it. They were faced by the bare necessity. Delay would give Heenmor a better chance to escape or perfect defences against the pursuit he evidently expected.