David Gemmell - Echoes of the Great Song

The Almecs began to fall back, moving from boulder to boulder, seeking cover. No-one was now firing at the men on the ledge. Yet there was still no panic among the fleeing men and they retreated at first in good order.

The ten mounted Avatars galloped their horses down the pass, shooting from the saddle. The Vagars had dismounted and were fighting hand to hand with a group of Almecs who had taken up a defensive position directly below Talaban and his men. The fighting was fierce. Talaban saw the young Pendar defending himself against an Almec swordsman. The Vagar was ludicrously lacking in skill, his flailing blade causing little concern to his attacker. All that was keeping Pendar alive was the fact that he was backing away furiously.

The Almec suddenly charged forward. Pendar tripped and fell back. The Almec loomed above him. Talaban's zhi-bolt took him in the side of the neck. The head was torn clear and the body fell across Pendar, blood bubbling from the severed jugular. The Vagar dropped his sword and scrambled back.

The surviving Almecs had retreated deeper into the pass, but they were being harried by the Avatars. Down below, the fighting had ended. Talaban rose to his feet. Only five of his men remained alive on the ledge and two of these were wounded, one in the shoulder, the other shot through the elbow. The drop from the ledge was not quite sheer, but it would still make a difficult climb. Sending the three fit men first Talaban edged along to the wounded.

'I can make it, sir,' said the man with the shoulder wound. He was sitting holding his crystal over the blood-drenched hole in his leather breastplate. 'No bones broken.'

'Are you sure?' The man nodded. Then, with a grin, he pocketed his crystal and swung his legs over the ledge. Talaban heard him grunt with pain as he took the weight on his injured shoulder, but slowly the soldier made his way down to the ground.

The other soldier sat with his back to the rock, his face grey with pain and shock. As Talaban moved alongside him he saw that the man had two wounds, the smashed elbow and another hole just below his belt.

'I don't believe I'll be making that climb,' he told Talaban, trying to force a grin. Using his dagger Talaban cut away the man's leggings and examined the wound. The ball had struck the hip, tearing the flesh and, apparently, bouncing from the pelvic bone. The gash was bleeding profusely.

'Where is your crystal?'

The soldier pointed to the pouch at his side. Talaban opened it. Placing the green gem into the man's left hand he told him to work on the pain from the elbow. Then he took his own healing stone and used its power to stop the bleeding from the hip wound. After some minutes the man's colour began to improve.

'You hurt, captain?' he heard Touchstone call.

'No. Catch my bow!' He dropped the weapon over the ledge. It spiralled down. Touchstone caught it expertly.

Returning his attention to the wounded man he gently unbuckled the soldier's belt and then his own. Buckling them together he helped the man to stand. 'I'll take you down on my back,' he told the soldier.

'You won't make it. Leave me here. I'll make a try later.'

Talaban shook his head. 'It is not possible with one arm. Now do as you're told.' Pushing one end of the belt into the soldier's good hand he slipped it around the soldier's body, then tightened it around his own waist. 'Put your arm around my neck and hold on. Not too tight, I'll need to breathe.'

'This is not wise,' said the soldier.

'We'll talk about wisdom when we get to the ground,' said Talaban. 'Move slowly with me.' Strapped together the two men crouched down over the ledge. 'Lean your weight forward onto my shoulders,' said Talaban.

Bracing himself he lay down on his stomach, then swung his legs over the edge. The soldier's dead weight dragged him back, and for one terrifying moment Talaban thought he was being torn from the ledge. Then his foot struck a jutting rock. Taking a deep calming breath, Talaban began to move down the face. The soldier was heavier than he had appeared and Talaban felt the muscles of his shoulders being stretched to tearing point.

From below men shouted encouragement, telling Talaban where the footholds were. 'A little to your left and down. That's it, captain. There's another just below that!'

Talaban's breath was coming in ragged gasps now and sweat was blinding him. His right hand began to tremble with fatigue. Two of the Avatars climbed alongside him, leaning in to help him with the weight of the soldier. Slowly they made their way down. Eager hands grabbed at Talaban as he reached the foot of the face. A soldier unbuckled the doubled belt and helped the wounded man to a boulder where he slumped down and closed his eyes in a prayer of thanks.

Regaining his breath, Talaban summoned Goray to his side. 'Report,' he said.

'Six Avatar dead, three wounded. Two Vagars dead, nine wounded. None badly.'

'The enemy?'

'I've counted seventy-two bodies,' said Goray. 'The survivors fled to the east. No more than a dozen escaped.'

'Gather the fire-clubs, the black powder bags and the ammunition. Give the weapons to the Vagars and explain how they operate.'

'Yes, sir.' Goray had been one of thirty Avatars to have experimented with the captured weapons back in Egaru. He had shown great aptitude with them.

Talaban strolled across to where Pendar was seated on a boulder. His sword was still on the ground near the headless Almec some 20 paces away.

'Are you feeling sick?' asked Talaban.

'Not any more. I've emptied what feels like the contents of three stomachs already. Now I just feel weak and faint. I see you are wounded,' said Pendar, pointing to the cut on Talaban's cheek. It was still leaking blood which had stained the right side of his face.

'I think it must look worse than it is. A fragment of stone pierced the skin.' Removing his crystal Talaban held it to the cut, which sealed instantly.

'That was a fine climb,' said Pendar. 'The men will love you for it.'

Talaban ignored the compliment. 'You have never had training with the sword, have you?'

'No. Was it you who saved me?'

'Yes. I shot fast and high. I am sorry. It must have been a shock when the bolt struck.'

'Shock does not truly describe it. One moment he was leering at me — the next he had no face to leer with. I would have known then — if I had not known already — that I am really not suited to this kind of work.' He smiled and looked away.

'Do not underestimate yourself, Pendar. Soldiering is about acquired skills. You have a keen mind and you will learn. Stick close to me. Observe the routines. It will come to you. You have already made a beginning. You led that charge well. My thanks for that. It was bravely done.'

Pendar smiled. 'A timely compliment, Talaban.' The Vagar relaxed, and scanned the battle site. 'So this is what it is like to be a warrior,' he said. 'I cannot say it has much to recommend it. There is a stench to the air that is gathering flies.'

'When men die in combat their bowels open,' said Talaban. 'There are so many songs about battles and heroes and not one mentions the stench. I think few of the song writers ever fought in one.' He sat down beside the Vagar. 'Are you feeling better?'

'Yes. What now?'

'We send the badly wounded back to Egaru and we push on to kill as many Almecs as we can. Would you prefer to go back? There is no disgrace in it. I will commend you in my report.'

'I don't think my grandmother would appreciate that,' said Pendar. 'She is grooming me for political office. She thinks that a hero will be well received by the people.'

'She is not wrong.'

'She rarely is. She's a tough woman, and single-minded.'

Touchstone strolled to where the two men were sitting. 'I go to clifftop,' he said. 'Kill watcher. Meet later, yes?'