David Gemmell - Waylander III - Hero In The Shadows

'Then you ran?'

'Yes, sir.'

Three-swords stepped back from the pair and drew one of his swords. In one move of dazzling speed he beheaded the speaker. The second warrior turned to run, but Three-swords was upon him within a few paces, his blade slashing through the back of the Kriaz-nor's neck. Turning, he strolled back to Iron-arm. 'Fresh meat,' he said.

'But leave the hearts. I do not want the blood of cowards flowing in my veins.'

At that moment the ground began to vibrate. Three-swords almost lost his footing.

'Earthquake!' shouted Stone-four.

A dull sound like distant thunder boomed across the clearing. A dislodged boulder rolled past them.

'It is coming from inside the hill,' said Iron-arm.

Another boulder moved, falling upon the overhang and bouncing out to crash to the ground close by. 'Back to the tree-line,' ordered Three-swords. Iron-arm ran to one of the bodies and, hauling it behind him, followed his three comrades back to the safety of the trees.

Yu Yu felt stronger when he awoke, his bruised body refreshed. Kysumu was sitting cross-legged beside him, eyes closed and deep in a meditation trance. Yu Yu sat up and stared out over the white ranks of the ghostly army.

Leaving Kysumu, he strolled among the clay figures, looking at faces, seeking out Qin Chong. But he was nowhere to be found. At last Yu Yu came upon the broken figures. Kneeling, he pieced together what he could of the heads. As he half completed the second, sadness touched him. In his hands he held the features of the Riaj-nor who had befriended him in his dreams. 'What do I do now?' he whispered. 'I am here.' There was no answer. Yu Yu placed the broken pieces on the ground and sat back. Kysumu should have been the pria-shath. He was a trained Rajnee.

Yu Yu moved back to Kysumu and waited for the trance to end. Within minutes Kysumu opened his eyes. 'Are you feeling stronger?' asked the swordsman.

'Yes,' answered Yu Yu miserably.

'Did Qin Chong come to you in your sleep?'

'No.'

'Do you have any idea of what to do now?'

'No, I don't!' snapped Yu Yu. 'I don't know how statues can help us.' Pushing himself to his feet he walked away from the swordsman, anxious to avoid further questioning. Yu Yu had never felt so useless. He wandered around the walls, coming at last to the ledge scattered with golden ornaments. In his mind's eye he saw the warriors lining up here, placing their trinkets upon the rock. He picked up a small golden ring, then let it drop. In his vision he had seen warriors march into the depths of the hill. Now there were only statues. Where were the warriors? Had they been covered with clay? The broken head of Qin Chong's statue had been hollow, and there were no bones or scraps of hair within it, so that seemed unlikely. What, then, was the purpose behind these statues? Yu Yu strained at the thought until his head hurt. 'You must wake the Men of Clay,' Qin Chong had told him.

'Wake up!' bellowed Yu Yu.

'What are you shouting for?' Kysumu called out.

Yu Yu did not reply. Unable to think of an answer he turned back to the ledge. His gaze fell upon a threaded rod of gold some four inches long. Beside it was a circular stand, with a hole at the centre. Yu Yu picked up the stand and inserted the rod into the hole, screwing it tight. The top of the rod was hooked, like a shepherd's crook.

'What are you doing?' asked Kysumu, coming alongside.

'Nothing,' said Yu Yu. 'Amusing myself. Something should hang from this hook.'

'We have more important matters to decide,' said Kysumu.

'I know.' Yu Yu continued to probe among the ornaments, finally finding a small golden bell with a ring at the crest. 'This is it,' he said, carefully hooking the bell to the rod. 'Pretty.'

'Yes, it is pretty,' said Kysumu, with a sigh. Yu Yu flicked the bell. A small chime sounded. The bell continued to swing, and the next chime was louder than the first. The sound began to reverberate through the domed hall, growing louder and louder. The rock wall began to vibrate, ornaments tumbling from it. Kysumu tried to say something, but Yu Yu could not hear him. Yu Yu's ears were hurting and he covered them with his hands.

Dust fell from the domed ceiling, and cracks appeared in the walls. The bell was now booming louder than thunder. Yu Yu felt sick. He staggered back from the ledge and fell to his knees. Kysumu had also covered his ears, and was squatting down, a look of intense pain upon his features.

The clay statues were trembling now. Yu Yu saw tiny cracks appear in the nearest figure, spreading out like a spider's web. And still the terrible tolling of the bell continued. Pain roared inside Yu Yu's head.

And he passed out.

Kysumu rolled to his knees. Blood was dripping from his nose. The noise was so incredible now that it had transcended mere sound. Everything hurt, ears, eyes, fingertips, belly. Every joint pulsed with pain. Kysumu forced himself to his feet and fell against the ledge, where the bell was still vibrating. Reaching out, the swordsman closed his hand around the tiny object. Instantly the tolling ceased. Kysumu staggered, then fell. He could scarcely breathe. Dust was everywhere, like a fog. Lifting the collar of his robe, he held it over his mouth. His ears were still ringing, his hands trembling.

Only then did he see the shining lights gleaming through the cracks that criss-crossed the statues. He blinked and tried to focus. It was as if the sun itself was trapped within the clay. The cracks of light widened, clay falling away. As the dust settled Kysumu saw that most of the statues were now bathed in golden light. The domed hall blazed with brightness. Kysumu closed his eyes against it, and where, only moments before, he had covered his ears, now he held his hands over his face. He waited for a few heartbeats, then opened his fingers. Light still blazed against his closed lids, and he waited again. Finally the brilliance faded. Kysumu let fall his hands and opened his eyes.

The Men of Clay were gone. Standing in the hall were several hundred living, breathing Riaj-nor.

Kysumu rose and approached them. They waited in silence. He bowed deeply. 'I am Kysumu,' he said, in formal Chiatze. 'Is Qin Chong among you?'

A young man stepped forward. He was wearing a full-length tunic of silver satin, his sword thrust into a black silk sash around his waist. He removed his helm and neglected to bow to Kysumu. 'Qin Chong did not survive the transformation.' Kysumu looked into the man's eyes. The pupils were black slits surrounded by gold. In that moment Kysumu felt as if he had been stabbed through the soul. His heart sank. These were not men at all. They were creatures just like the Kriaz-nor.

'I am Ren Tang,' said the warrior. 'Are you the pria-shath?

'No,' said Kysumu, turning away. 'The bell rendered him unconscious.'

Ren Tang strode to where Yu Yu lay. Other warriors gathered in silence around him. Then Ren Tang nudged Yu Yu with his foot. 'Behold the great one, the pria-shath,' he said. 'We have crossed the centuries to aid a human monkey in wolfskin.' Some of the men chuckled. Kysumu knelt beside Yu Yu and saw that he, too, had bled from the nose. He rolled him on to his back. Yu Yu groaned. Kysumu hauled him to a seated position.

'I feel sick,' muttered Yu Yu. He opened his eyes, then jerked as he saw the warriors milling around. He swore loudly.

'You did it, Yu Yu,' said Kysumu. 'You brought the Men of Clay back to life.'

'It takes no great intellect to ring a bell,' sneered Ren Tang.

'I spoke with Qin Chong,' said Kysumu, his voice cold. 'He was a man of great power and strength. He also understood courtesy and the need for good manners.'