Peter Brett - The Painted Man

The rock demon roared and beat its thick, armoured chest with gigantic fists, its horned tail lashing back and forth. It knocked the other corelings aside, claiming the prey for itself.

The Painted Man showed no fear as he approached the monster. He gave a high-pitched whistle, and set his feet, ready to spring when the demon attacked.

But before the rock demon could strike, two massive spikes burst from its breast, sizzling and sparking with magic. The Painted Man struck quickly, driving his warded heel into the coreling's knee and collapsing the monster to the ground.

As it fell, Leesha saw a monstrous black form behind it. The beast kicked away, pulling its horns free, and then reared up with a whinny, driving its hooves into the coreling's back with a thunderclap of magic.

The Painted Man charged the remaining demons, but the corelings scattered at his approach. A flame demon spat fire at him, but the man held up his spread hands, and the blast became a cool breeze as it passed through his warded fingers. Shaking with fear, Rojer and Leesha followed him into his camp, stepping into his circle of protection with enormous relief.

'Twilight Dancer!' the Painted Man called, whistling again. The great horse ceased its attack on the prone demon and galloped after them, leaping into the ring.

Like its master, Twilight Dancer looked like something out of a nightmare. The stallion was enormous, bigger by far than any horse Leesha had ever seen. Its coat was thick, shining ebony, and its body was armoured in warded metal. The barding about its head had been fitted with a long pair of metal horns, etched with wards, and even its black hooves had been carved with the magic symbols, painted silver. The towering beast looked more demon than horse.

Hanging from its black leather saddle were various harnesses for weapons, including a yew bow and a quiver of arrows, long knives, a bola, and spears of various lengths. A polished metal shield, circular and convex, was hooked over the saddle horn, ready to be snatched up in an instant. Its rim was etched with intricate wards.

Twilight Dancer stood quietly as the Painted Man checked it for wounds, seeming unconcerned with the demons that lurked just a few feet away. When he was assured that his mount was unharmed, the Painted Man turned back to Leesha and Rojer, who stood nervously in the centre of the circle, still reeling from the events of the last few minutes.

'Stoke the fire,' the man told Rojer. 'I've some meat we can put on, and a loaf of bread.' He moved towards his supplies, rubbing at his shoulder.

'You're hurt,' Leesha said, coming out of her shock and rushing over to inspect his wounds. There was a cut on his shoulder, and another, deeper gash on his thigh. His skin was hard, and crisscrossed with scars, giving it a rough texture, but not unpleasant to the touch. There was a slight tingle in her fingertips as she touched him, like static from a carpet.

'It's nothing,' the Painted Man said. 'Sometimes a coreling gets lucky and catches a talon on flesh before the wards drive it away.' He tried to pull away, reaching for his robe, but she was not to be put off.

'No wound from a demon is 'nothing',' Leesha said. 'Sit down and I'll dress these,' she ordered, ushering him over to sit against a large stone. In truth, she was almost as frightened of the man as she was of the corelings, but she had dedicated her life to helping the injured, and the familiar work took her mind away from the pain that still threatened to consume her.

'I've an herb pouch in that saddlebag,' the man said, gesturing. Leesha opened the bag and found the pouch. She bent to the fire's light as she rooted through the contents.

'I don't suppose you have any pomm leaves?' she asked. The man looked at her. 'No,' he said. 'Why? There's plenty of hogroot.'

'It's nothing,' Leesha mumbled. 'I swear, you Messengers to think that hogroot is a cure for everything.' She took the pouch, along with a mortar and pestle and a skin of water, and knelt beside the man, grinding the hogroot and a few other herbs into a paste.

'What makes you think I'm a Messenger?' the Painted Man usked.

'Who else would be out on the road alone?' Leesha asked.

I haven't been a Messenger in years,' the man said, not flinching at all as she cleaned out the wounds and applied the stinging paste. Rojer narrowed his eyes as he watched her spread the salve on his thick muscles.

'Are you an Herb Gatherer?' the Painted Man asked, as she passed a needle through the fire and threaded it.

Leesha nodded, but kept her eyes on her work, brushing a thick lock of hair behind her ear as she set to stitching the gash in his thigh. When the Painted Man made no further comment, she flicked her eyes up to meet his. They were dark, the wards around the sockets giving then a gaunt, deep-set look. Leesha couldn't hold that gaze for long, and quickly looked away.

'I'm Leesha,' she said, 'and that's Rojer making supper. He's a Jongleur.' The man nodded Rojer's way, but like Leesha, Rojer could not meet his gaze for long.

'Thank you for saving our lives,' Leesha said. The man only grunted in response. She paused briefly, waiting for him to return the introduction, but he made no effort to do so.

'Don't you have a name?' she asked at last.

'None I've used in some time,' the man answered.

'But you do have one,' Leesha pressed. The man only shrugged.

'Well then what shall we call you?' she asked.

'I don't see that you need to call me anything,' the man replied. He noted that her work was finished, and pulled away from her touch, again covering himself from head to foot in his grey robes. 'You owe me nothing. I would have helped anyone in your position. Tomorrow I'll see you safely to Farmer's Stump.'

Leesha looked to Rojer by the fire, then back at the Painted Man. 'We just left the Stump,' she said. 'We need to get to Cutter's Hollow. Can you take us there?' The grey hood shook back and forth in a negative.

'Going back to the Stump will cost us a week at least!' Leesha cried.

The Painted Man shrugged. 'That's not my problem.'

'We can pay,' Leesha blurted. The man glanced at her, and she looked away guiltily. 'Not now, of course,' she amended. 'We were attacked by bandits on the road. They took our horse, circle, money, even our food.' Her voice softened. 'They took…everything.' She looked up. 'But once I get to Cutter's Hollow, I'll be able to pay.'

'I have no need of money,' the Painted Man said.

'Please!' Leesha begged. 'It's urgent!'

'I'm sorry,' the Painted Man said.

Rojer came over to them, scowling. 'It's fine, Leesha,' he said. 'If this cold heart won't help us, we'll find our own way.'

'What way is that?' Leesha snapped. 'The way of being killed while you attempt to hold off demons with your stupid fiddle?'

Rojer turned away, stung, but Leesha ignored him, turning back to the man.

'Please,' she begged, grabbing his arm as he, too, turned away from her. 'A Messenger came to Angiers three days ago with word of a flux that spread through the Hollow. It's killed a dozen people so far, including the greatest Herb Gatherer that ever lived. The Gatherers left in the town can't possibly treat everyone. They need my help.'

'So you want me to not only put aside my own path, but to go into a village rife with flux?' the Painted Man asked, sounding anything but willing.

Leesha began to weep, falling to her knees as she clutched at his robes. 'My father is very sick,' she whispered. 'If I don't get I here soon, he may die.'

The Painted Man reached out, tentatively, and put a hand on her shoulder. Leesha was unsure of how she had reached him, but she sensed that she had. 'Please,' she said again.

The Painted Man stared at her for a long time. 'All right,' he said at last.