David Gemmell - Waylander II - In The Realm of the Wolf

'I would like to be able to show you more, but sadly I had to leave,' said Zhu Chao, his words ripe with malice. 'But the monster was Bodalen – and several other of my men, merged by magic.'

'I do not believe you,' said Karnak.

'I thought you might not. So, for your edification, Drenai, here is another scene I took from Kar-Barzac.'

The vision shimmered again, and Karnak groaned as he saw Bodalen and the other warriors falling asleep in the crystal chamber, the bodies beginning to writhe, and merge…

'No!' he screamed, and wrenched savagely at the chains which held him.

'I do so enjoy your pain, Drenai,' said Zhu Chao. 'And here is a second source of agony for you. Tomorrow Galen will kill your friend Asten, and the Drenai will come, as the Gothir already have, under the rule of the Brotherhood. As indeed will Ventria. Three empires under one Lord. Myself.'

'You are forgetting Waylander,' snarled Karnak. 'By all the gods, I would give my soul to be alive at the moment he kills you.'

'Before the night is over my powers will be so great that no blade will be able to cut me. Then I will welcome this . . . Drenai savage!'

'Welcome him now,' came a cold voice from the other side of the room.

Zhu Chao spun, dark eyes narrowing as he peered into the shadows by the door. A knight stepped from behind a pillar, and lifted clear the full-faced helm he wore.

'You can't be here!' whispered Zhu Chao. 'You can't!'

'I came in with the men carrying the body. So good of you to lock the others out.'

The assassin stepped closer, crossbow raised. Zhu Chao ran to his left and leapt over the golden wires, making for the centre of the pentagram. Waylander loosed a bolt that flashed for the sorcerer's neck, but Zhu Chao swung at the last instant, his hand coming up. The bolt pierced his wrist – and he screamed in pain. Waylander took aim. But the sorceror ducked behind the altar of gold and began to chant.

Black smoke oozed around the altar, swirling up to form a massive figure, with hair and eyes of green flame. Waylander sent a crossbow bolt into the huge chest, but it passed through and clattered against the far wall.

Zhu Chao rose and stood before the creature of smoke and fire. 'Now what will you do, little man!' he jeered at Waylander. 'What pitiful weapons can you bring to bear?' The assassin said nothing. He had no more bolts, and dropped the crossbow, drawing his sabre. 'Lord Shemak!' screamed Zhu Chao. 'I call for this man's death!'

The figure with eyes of flame spread its massive arms, and a voice like distant thunder rumbled in the room. 'You do not command me, human. You ask for favours, and you pay for them with blood. Where is the payment?'

'There!' said Zhu Chao, pointing to the chained men.

'They still live,' said the demon. 'The ritual is in­complete.'

'I will deliver their strength to you, Lord, I swear it! But first, I beg you, give me the life of the assassin, Waylander.'

'It would please me more to see you slay him,' said the demon. 'Shall I give you the strength?'

'Yes! Yes!'

'As you wish!'

Zhu Chao suddenly screamed in pain, his head arcing back. His body twisted and grew, stretching, swelling. His robes fell away as new muscles formed, huge and knotted. His body spasmed and a series of terrible groans came from the deformed throat. Nose and chin stretched out, and sleek velvet fur burst through his skin, covering the now colossal eight-foot frame. His mouth opened to reveal long fangs, and his fingers, treble-join ted now, boasted talons.

The creature that had been Zhu Chao stumbled forward, dislodging the delicate golden wires, scattering the black candlesticks.

Against the wall Karnak tore at his chains, using all of his mighty strength. Two of the links stretched, but did not give. Again and again the Drenai threw his weight against them.

Waylander backed away from the beast, and the smoke-demon's laughter filled the room.

Outside the Sanctum the remaining Knights of Blood were hammering on the door, calling out for their master. Waylander ran back to where he had discarded his helm. Slipping it over his head he lifted the bar on the door – and stepped aside. The door burst open, three knights tumbling inside, one falling to his knees directly before the awesome beast. The man screamed and tried to rise. The beast's talons tore into him, lifting the knight into the air, the deadly fangs ripping open his throat. Blood sprayed across the altar.

The other knights stood transfixed.

'It killed the master!' yelled Waylander. 'Use your swords!'

But the knights turned and fled. The beast leapt at Waylander. Ducking under the sweep of its talons the assassin sent a slashing cut to the creature's belly, but the blade merely sliced the surface of the skin. Waylander dived and rolled to his feet.

Karnak, with one last effort, snapped the right-hand chain, then turned and used both hands to rip loose the left. Spinning on his heel he swung the chains around above his head and charged the monster. The iron links hit the beast on the throat, whipping around the neck. It turned and reared high, dragging Karnak from his feet. Waylander darted forward and plunged his sword into the open belly, driving it home with all his weight and strength.

A great howl went up – and a taloned arm flashed down, opening the flesh of Waylander's shoulder. He fell back. Karnak dragged back on the chain, which tightened around the beast's throat. It tried to turn and rend its attacker but Karnak, despite his great bulk, moved nimbly, keeping the chain taut. Waylander ran to the fallen knight, retrieving the man's sword. Holding the blade double-handed, the assassin advanced once more, lifting the sword high and cleaving it down on the elongated skull. The blade bounced clear on the first stroke, but twice more Waylander struck. The bone of the skull parted on the third blow, the sword wedging deep into the beast's cranium. It sank to all fours, blood gushing from its mouth, talons scratching at the stone.

And died.

The smoke-demon was silent for a moment. 'You offer me good sport, Waylander,' he said softly. 'But then you always have. I think you always will.'

The smoke billowed and faded – and the demon vanished.

Karnak unwound the chain from the dead beast's throat and crossed to Waylander. 'Good to see you, old lad,' he said, with a wide smile.

'The men you sent are all dead,' said Waylander coldly. 'Now only you remain.'

Karnak nodded. 'I was trying to protect my son. No excuses. He's. . . dead. You're alive. Let that be an end to it.'

'I choose my own endings,' said Waylander, moving past the giant Drenai to where the Emperor stood, still chained to the wall. 'It has always been said that you are a man of honour,' Waylander told him.

'It is a source of pride to me,' said the Emperor.

'Good. You see I have two choices, Majesty. I can kill you, or I can let you go. But there is a price for the latter.'

'Name it, and if it is within my power you may have it.'

'I want the attack on the Nadir Wolves stopped; the army ordered back.'

'What are the Nadir to you?'

'Less than nothing. But my daughter is with them.'

The Emperor nodded. 'It will be as you say, Waylander. Is there nothing you want for yourself?'

The assassin smiled wearily. 'Nothing any man can give me,' he said.

Angel pushed the table on to the stairs, up-ending it to block the view of the enemy archers on the landing above, then sank to his haunches and stared around the hall.

The Gothir had forced the portcullis gate on the eleventh day of the siege, the defenders falling back to the transient safety of the keep. The older women and children hid in the lower levels of the fortress while, as Angel had predicted, the younger women now joined the men in the defence of the citadel.