David Gemmell - Quest for Lost Heroes

'What now?' whispered the giant.

'We raise it?'

The iron grille was four feet wide and seven feet high. Beltzer handed his axe to Kiall and gripped the lowest bar. The muscles on his neck and shoulders swelled as he applied pressure: the gate creaked and rose an inch. Harokas and Chareos joined him: the gate rose another foot. 'That is enough,' hissed Kiall, dropping to his back and sliding under the gate.

Chareos turned to Beltzer. 'Can you hold it there?'

The giant grunted. Chareos ducked down and rolled under to rise beside Kiall. The two men climbed the rampart steps; there were no sentries posted. Together Kiall and Chareos turned the wheel above the gate, tightening the rope and relieving Beltzer of his burden. Swiftly they returned to the gateway, where Beltzer struggled through followed by Harokas.

'Now we wait,' whispered Chareos.

From beyond the town came the sound of galloping hooves.

Finn rode headlong into the Nadir camp, scattering two fires. Warriors surged up from their blankets as his horse thundered by them. Finn swung the horse to a stop. Notching an arrow to his short hunting-bow, he sent a shaft slicing into a man's throat.

From the other side of the camp came a wild yell and Maggrig galloped into sight through the mist. The Nadir swarmed for their horses. Finn shot a second man, then kicked his mount into a gallop and headed off towards the south. The camp was in an uproar as warriors seized their swords and ran to saddle their mounts. Within minutes the camp-site was deserted.

Inside the town Tsudai ran from the hall, mounting the ramparts to watch his soldiers splitting into two groups to hunt down the attackers. He swung to an aide who was running towards him.

'Get out there and find out what is happening!'

The man darted to his horse, vaulted into the saddle and galloped through the gates.

Chareos and Beltzer climbed through the window at the rear of the long hall and crept forward. Four Nadir officers were sitting around a table, playing with dice.

Chareos sprang into the hall, slashing his sword through the throat of the nearest man. Beltzer leapt into action beside him, his axe killing two men before they could rise. The fourth man tried to run and made it to the door, wrenching it open. Harokas' knife plunged into his chest.

Harokas stepped into the doorway, grabbing the man's corpse and lowering it to the floor.

Outside Kiall, keeping close to the shadows, crept towards the auction block where Tanaki lay unconscious. Three men ran into the square and he ducked behind two water barrels and waited.

The men climbed to the ramparts where Tsudai watched the chase. Kiall could not hear their conversation. He moved carefully out into the open and climbed to the auction platform, where he knelt by Tanaki and cut the ropes binding her wrists. She moaned as she felt his touch.

'No more,' she pleaded. Her eyes were dark and swollen, her lips cut, her body bruised and bleeding. Kiall gritted his teeth and waited. The men on the ramparts came down to the square and he heard one of them laugh. Hidden behind the block he saw a Nadir warrior point to Tanaki, then turn towards her. The others hooted and swung to Tsudai.

'It is still your day,' he told them.

The first man clambered to the platform, loosening his belt and dropping his troos. Kiall reared up and plunged his sword into the man's groin.

Tsudai's eyes widened. 'Wolves to me!' he yelled and from the barn came a further nine men, swords in their hands. Take him!' shouted Tsudai.

The warriors surged forward, but just as they reached the platform Beltzer came hurtling into them, his axe cleaving and cutting. Chareos and Harokas joined him. Kiall leapt from the platform, cannoning into three men and bearing them down. A sword sliced the skin of his upper arm, but then he was up, his own blade slashing at the men beneath him. Harokas ducked under a wild cut and skewered the man before him. His blade sprang clear in time to block a second thrust from another warrior. Chareos despatched two Wolves, then swung to aid Harokas. Beltzer fought like a man berserk. Within seconds the last Nadir fighting man was cut down.

Tsudai ran along the ramparts and jumped to the ground, rolling to break his fall. He seized the reins of his horse and vaulted to the beast's bare back. Chareos ran to block his escape, but the horse galloped clear.

'Get the girl!' Chareos shouted.

Beltzer tossed his axe to Kiall and climbed to the platform. Lifting Tanaki, he draped her over his shoulder.

Chareos led the group back to the iron gate and out into the mist-filled night. Slowly they made their way clear, judging their path by the rising ground. Within minutes they heard the sound of horses' hooves. 'Down!' hissed Chareos. The group dropped to their bellies. Horsemen passed them by within a few paces. Chareos rose.

'Which way?' whispered Beltzer. They could hear the calling of the Nadir, but the mist had thickened into a deep fog and the sounds were distorted, muffled and eerie. As Chareos led them up the slope Beltzer was breathing heavily, his face red with exertion.

'I'm not as young as I was,' he said, stopping for a moment to get his breath.

A glowing sphere formed in the air before Chareos. Thank the Source!' he whispered. The sphere floated away to the right. Chareos and the others followed it and soon climbed above the mist into the relative safety of the trees. Okas was still squatting on the grass, but he opened his eyes as the questors entered the clearing. 'Sit around me in a circle," he said. 'Place the girl at the centre.' Beltzer gently laid the unconscious Tanaki to the grass and they formed a circle. Okas closed his eyes and began to chant once more, his voice low and rhythmic. Beltzer looked closely at him. The old man was painfully thin and his face was streaked with grey, his lips as blue as the tattooes on his chin.

Beltzer nudged Chareos and pointed to Okas. Chareos nodded. Whatever magic the old man was working was taking a terrible toll.

Nadir horsemen rode into the clearing and Beltzer jerked, and reached for his axe, but Chareos gripped his arm. The horsemen seemed insubstantial, like ghosts. They rode slowly past the questors.

Kiall shivered and watched the wraith riders as they passed. Okas opened his eyes and sagged sideways to the grass. Chareos and Kiall moved to him, but the old man waved them away and curled up to sleep. Chareos covered him with a blanket as Kiall turned to the girl. Under the bright moonlight he could see her face was swollen and bruised. Her left eye was closed tight, the right darkened and discoloured. Carefully he lifted the blanket from her body. Her legs and buttocks were also badly bruised and scratched, and there was dried blood on her thighs.

Beltzer knelt on the other side of Tanaki. 'You want some help?' he asked Kiall.

'No. There is nothing we can do. But a fire would help; we could keep her warm.'

'We cannot risk that,' said Chareos. 'I don't know how powerful the magic is, nor how long it will last.'

'I do not know why she is still unconscious,' said Kiall. 'The bruising is severe, but no bones seem to be broken.'

'I have seen this before,' Chareos told him. 'It is not the injury to the body, but to the spirit. This is an ugly business, Kiall.'

Tanaki moaned softly and Kiall lay alongside her, stroking her face. 'You are well now,' he whispered into her ear. 'You are with friends. Sleep, lady. Rest.' Chareos covered her with his own blanket, while Beltzer removed his jerkin and rolled it for a pillow beneath her head. She turned to one side, her hand outside the blanket. The fingers clenched into a fist, then opened and dug into the earth. Kiall took her hand gently and held it. Tanaki's breathing eased, and she slept.

Three times ghostly Nadir riders entered the clearing. Once a man dismounted within three paces of the que-stors, and knelt to examine the tracks. He looked puzzled and spoke to his companions, but the questors could hear no words. Then he mounted and rode away through the trees.