David Gemmell - Morningstar

‘Then offer me a different plan!’ he stormed.

‘I cannot,’ admitted Megan.

‘Then it is settled. I’ll leave at dawn.’

Alone?’ I asked him.

He laughed then, the sound harsh and bitter. ‘No, I’ll ask for volunteers to accompany me, Owen,’ he sneered.’

‘Everyone loves the Morningstar. I’m sure they’ll all want to come.’

I wanted to offer, I desperately desired to find the strength to stand beside him. But at that moment I could not: My mouth was dry, my hands trembling. I looked away then.

‘I’m going to get a couple of hours sleep,’ said Mace, rising from the chair and moving to the pallet bed in the corner of the room. Megan did not move; she sat staring into the dying fire, lost in thought.

I needed fresh air, for my stomach felt queasy. I walked outside to find Wulf, Piercollo, Astiana and Ilka all sitting together in the moonlight. Silently I joined them.

‘Did she talk him out of it?’ asked Wulf.

‘No.’

It’s all over then,’ said the hunchback, staring down at the ground.

‘It is so foolish,’ put in Astiana. ‘He is throwing his life away.’

Ilka’s sweet voice whispered into my mind. ‘What will you do, Owen?’

I looked across at her and swallowed hard. I’d had time to gather my thoughts, and my courage. ‘I’ll go with him,’ I said aloud.

She smiled and nodded. ‘As will I.’

‘I can’t do it,’ said Wulf. ‘I want to, mind. Truly I do — but I can’t.’

‘I will come also,’ said Piercollo. ‘He rescued me from the torture. I owe him.’

Corlan approached with Brackban, Raul Raubert and Scrymgeour. I stood and waited for them. It was Brackban who spoke first.

‘We need to see the Morningstar,’ he said.

‘He is resting. Can it wait?’

‘No. Everyone is terrified — on the verge of panic. Already we’ve lost fifty men. They just packed their belongings and fled into the forest.’

‘What do you expect Mace to do?’

‘Talk to them,’ said Raul. ‘Inspire them with a strong speech — give them back their courage.’

‘It is the wrong time, my friends,’ I told them softly. ‘Mace is resting. And he needs that rest. Tomorrow he intends to enter the city and slay the Vampyre Kings.’

‘May God preserve us!’ said Corlan, amazed. ‘Has he lost his mind?’

‘No.’

‘Does he… intend to go alone?’

‘Yes.’ I could see the relief in the outlaw’s face, and he read my thoughts.

‘Do you think me a coward?’ he asked.

‘Far from it,’ I said swiftly. ‘No man would relish the thought of entering Ziraccu. But I have spoken to Mace and I think he is right. What else can we do? We could run, but they will come after us. We could hide, but they would find us.

’He is a man of courage,’ said Brackban, ‘but answer me this. Even if you get into the city and kill the Kings, what then? How do you get out?’

‘I don’t think Mace is concerned with getting out.’

We stood in silence then and I watched their faces: Corlan, hawklike yet fearful; Brackban, strong, deep in thought; Raul Raubert, the nobleman, young and naive, his expression troubled; and Scrymgeour, his feelings masked.

It was Raul Raubert who broke the silence. ‘I shall accompany him,’ he said, his voice shaking.

‘Why?’ I asked.

‘I am a knight,’ he answered.

‘What in Hell’s name does that mean?’ roared Corlan.

Raul was taken aback by the force of the words. ‘I… I don’t understand you?’

‘You’re no better than me — just because you were born on silk sheets. A knight you say? So you’ve had your shoulder tapped with a king’s sword. So what? You’re only a man like me.’

‘I know that,’ said Raul gently, ‘but there are vows that a knight makes on the eve of the King’s blessing. You know what I am saying, Owen. Can you explain it?’

I sighed. ‘A knight pledges to support the King, and to defend the weak against the strength of evil. It was a vow laid down in law after Rabain destroyed Golgoleth.’

Rabain and the knights,’ corrected Raul.

‘Yes, exactly. Rabain was said to have stormed the Grey Keep, leading the Knights of the White Order.’

‘So you see,’ said Raul to Corlan, ‘I have to go. I don’t want to. But I have to.’

I could see the torment in Corlan’s eyes, and I knew what he was going through. He longed to make the same offer but like myself, in the cabin with Mace, he could not find the courage.

‘I know what you are thinking,’ I said to the outlaw. ‘You would like to go. But bear this in mind. Some of the leaders must stay, or all the men will drift away.’

I saw him relax and he smiled his thanks. Then he shook his head. ‘Brackban will stay. He is a leader of men. Me? I’m, just a… a soldier. But I also made an oath. I took the Soul-fire into my veins. I swore to follow the Morningstar. And I’ll do it. By God, I’ll do it!’

When Mace emerged, the dawn light was seeping over the forest and the air was rich and fresh, the sky bright and cloudless, the last stars fading against the brightness of the sun. He moved into the doorway, tall and impressive, longbow in hand. He was wearing a dark brown leather jerkin over a shirt of white wool, leaf-green leggings and knee-length doehide moccasins. He saw us and moved forward, his face expressionless.

‘Come to bid me good luck?’ he enquired.

‘We’re coming with you,’ I said.

‘All the way?’ he asked, a cynical smile accompanying the words.

‘All the way,’ agreed Corlan. ‘To the gates of Hell and beyond.’

Mace said nothing but his eyes raked the group, pausing on Raul Raubert, then sweeping on to Piercollo, Ilka and myself. ‘A motley group of heroes,’ said Mace, but the smile now was genuine. ‘Well, let us be on our way.’

We set off across the village towards the south, and found Megan waiting at the edge of the trees. Mace halted before her. ‘I could do with a blessing,’ he said softly.

‘For what it is worth you have it,’ she said, stepping forward and resting her hands on his shoulders. ‘I will be with you — not in the flesh, but close by in the spirit. I cannot fight Golgoleth, but I can guide you and warn you of enemies close by. Now be warned — the Vampyres are fast and strong. They cannot be slain by iron or steel. The enchanted blades will destroy them. Or fire. Nothing else.’ Turning to Piercollo, she smiled. ‘Your great strength will avail you nothing, Tuscanian. You must carry a weapon.’

‘I will find something,’ he said.

Megan swung to face the rest of us. ‘You are about to confront enemies of supernatural powers. They are cunning, powerful and infinitely evil. All goodness is gone from the Vampyres. They live only to feed and they strike faster than you would believe possible. But they can do more. They can enter your hearts and make you fear them, and with that fear comes a slowing of the reflexes, a dulling of the mind. Do not engage in conversation with any of them. Faced with a Vampyre, you must kill it quickly. This may seem obvious to you now, but hold the thought in your minds. With the Vampyre Kings it is even more necessary. They are also sorcerers of great power; they can only be slain by decapitation.’

‘That’s an inspiring little speech,’ said Mace.

‘I am sorry,’ Megan told him, ‘but it is better to know what you face.’

Mace sighed, but said nothing more. Raul Raubert stepped forward.

‘I think we should begin this… quest… with a prayer,’ he said. ‘Let us kneel.’

I knew Mace had little faith in any god, yet he was the first to drop to one knee. The others followed until only I remained standing. Raul looked up at me. I felt foolish standing there, and joined them. ‘Lord of All Things,’ said Raul, his voice deep and solemn, ‘be with your servants this day. Make our hearts pure as we face evil. Make our limbs strong as we fight your enemies. And deliver us from the power of the Dark. Amen.’