David Gemmell - Quest for Lost Heroes

She saw a dark-haired young woman pulled to the block, her yellow dress stripped from her. She had a good figure and her breasts were not over-large. Tanaki's eyes flickered to Tsudai's bidder and she saw his hand rise.

There were several other bidders, but the woman was sold to the Nadir general.

Tread warily, girl,' whispered Tanaki. 'Your life depends on it.'

Maggrig's fever-induced weakness lasted a further five days, during which time Chareos continued to teach Kiall the elementary moves of swordplay. Beltzer, his mood foul, took to walking alone in the mountain woods. Finn spent much of the time in his workshop, completing a new long-bow.

The snow all but disappeared from around the cabin, and the sun shone with summer warmth over the mountains.

On the morning of the sixth day, as the questors prepared to set off for the Valley of the Shrieking Gateway, Finn called Beltzer to his workshop. The others gathered round as the hunter pulled clear a brass-bound oak chest from its hiding place beneath a bench seat. Finn opened the chest and lifted out a long object, wrapped in oiled skins. He placed it on the bench-top and cut the thong bindings with his hunting-knife. He gestured to Beltzer. 'It's yours. Take it.'

The giant unwrapped the skins and there lay a gleaming, double-headed axe. The haft and handle were as long as a man's arm — oiled oak and reinforced with silver wire. The heads were curved and sharp, acid-etched and decorated with silver runes. Beltzer's hand curled around the haft, lifting the weapon.

'Nice to have it back,' he said and, without another word, stalked from the workshop.

'Ignorant, ungrateful pig,' stormed Maggrig. 'He didn't even say thank you.'

Finn shrugged, and gave a rare smile. 'It is enough that he has it,' he said.

'But it cost you a fortune. We had no salt for two years, and precious little else.'

'Forget it. It is past.'

Chareos moved forward and placed his hand on Finn's shoulder. That was nobly done. He wasn't the same man without that axe. He sold it while drunk in Talgithir and never knew what became of it.'

'I know. Let's be on our way.'

The journey to the Valley took three days. They saw no sign of any Nadren, and only once caught sight of a single rider far to the south. The air was thin here and the questors talked little. At night they sat beside camp-fires, but slept early and rose with the dawn.

Kiall found it a curious time. It was an adventure, full of promise — yet these men, these comrades of war, hardly spoke at all. When they did it was to discuss the weather, or the preparation of food. Not once did they mention the Gateway, or the Nadir, or the quest. And when Kiall tried to introduce such topics to the conversation they were brushed aside with shrugs.

The Valley proved an anti-climax to Kiall. It was just like several others they had journeyed through, its pine-cloaked flanks dropping away into a deep cleft between the mountains. There were meadows at the base, and a stream ran along its length. Deer moved across the gentle hills, and there were sheep and goats grazing close by.

Finn and Maggrig chose a camp-site, removed their packs, took up their bows and moved off to hunt for supper. Chareos climbed a nearby hill and scanned the surrounding countryside while Beltzer prepared a fire and sat, watching the flames flicker and dance.

Kiall seated himself opposite the bald giant. 'It is a beautiful axe,' he said.

The best,' grunted Beltzer. 'It is said that Druss the Legend had an axe from the Elder Days that never showed rust, and never lost its edge. But I don't believe it was better than this one.'

'You carried that at Bel-azar?'

Beltzer glanced up, his small, round eyes fixing to Kiall.

'What is this fascination you have with that place? You weren't there — you don't know what it was like.'

'It was glorious. It is part of our history,' said Kiall. The few against the many. It was a time of heroes.'

'It was a time of survivors — like all wars. There were good men there who died on the first day, and cowards who lasted almost until the end. There were thieves there, and men who had raped or murdered. There was the stench of open bowels, and split entrails. There was screaming and begging, and whimpering. There was nothing good about Bel-azar. Nothing.'

'But you won,' persisted Kiall. 'You were honoured throughout the land.'

'Aye, that was good — the honour, I mean. The parades and the banquets, and the women. I never had so many women. Young ones, old ones, fat ones, thin ones: they couldn't wait to open their legs for a hero of Bel-azar. That was the real glory of it, boy — what came after. By the gods, I'd sell my soul for a drink!'

'Does Chareos feel as you do — about Bel-azar, I mean?'

Beltzer chuckled. 'He thinks I don't know… but I know. The Blademaster had a wife,' he said, twisting his head to check that Chareos was still high upon the hill. 'Gods, she was a beauty. Dark hair that gleamed like it was oiled, and a body shaped by Heaven. Tura, that was her name. She was a merchant's daughter. Man, was he glad to be rid of her! Anyway, Chareos took her off his hands and built a house for her. Nice place. Good garden. They'd been married maybe four months when she took her first lover. He was a scout for the Sabres — just the first of many men who romped in the bed Chareos made for her. And him? The Blademaster, the deadliest swordsman I ever saw? He knew nothing. He bought her presents, constantly talked about her. And we all knew. Then he found out… I don't know how. That was just before Bel-azar. Man, did he try to die! He tried harder than anyone. But that's what makes life such a bitch, isn't it? No one could kill him. Short sword and dagger he carried, and his life was charmed. Mind you, he had me alongside him and I don't kill easy. When the Nadir rode away you've never seen a man so disappointed.'

Kiall said nothing but gazed into the fire, lost in thought.

'Shocked you, did I, boy?' said Beltzer. 'Well, life's full of shocks. It's all insane. There never was a better husband. Gods, he loved her. You know where she ended up?'

Kiall shook his head.

'She became a whore in New Gulgothir. The Blademas-ter doesn't know that but I saw her there, plying her trade by the docks. Two copper coins.' Beltzer laughed. 'Two of her front teeth were gone, and she wasn't so beautiful. I had her then. Two copper coins' worth. In an alley. She begged me to take her with me; she'd go anywhere, she said. Do anything for me. She said she had no friends, and nowhere to stay.'

'What happened to her?' whispered Kiall.

'She threw herself from the docks and died. They found her floating among the scum and the sewage.'

'Why did you hate her?' asked Kiall. 'She did nothing to you.'

'Hate her? I suppose I did. I'll tell you why. Because in all the time she was cuckolding Chareos, she never once offered it to me. She treated me like dirt.'

'Would you have accepted?'

'Sure I would. I told you, she was beautiful.'

Kiall looked into Beltzer's face and remembered the song of Bel-azar. Then he looked away and added fuel to the fire.

'Don't want to talk any more, young Kiall?' asked Beltzer.

'Some things it is better not to hear,' said the villager. 'I wish you hadn't told me.'

'Whores' lives don't make pretty stories.'

'No, I suppose they don't. But I wasn't thinking of her; I was thinking of you. Your story is as disgusting as hers.'

Kiall rose and walked away. The sun was fading, the shadows lengthening. He found Chareos sitting on a fallen tree, gazing at the sunset. The sky was aglow, red banners flowing over the mountains.

'It is beautiful,' said Kiall. 'I have always enjoyed the sunset.'