David Gemmell - Quest for Lost Heroes

'Why do the bones ofTenaka Khan lie buried at Bel-azar?'

Tenaka Khan — The King Beyond the Gate, the Prince of Shadows. A man Asta believed should never have died. Now the shaman sat in the birth room, holding to the skull of the Great Khan. Chareos' mouth was dry and the thoughts tumbled together. What had Asta said? 'No harm will come to the mother of his flesh.'

What of his spirit, his soul?

He glanced down at the guardhouse. In there, at this very moment, Asta Khan was waiting to slay the child's soul. Chareos rose and ran down the rampart steps.

He had reached the guardhouse door and was about to enter when he heard a sound from behind and swivelled, but too late. Asta's dagger slashed out to nick the skin of his face. As the little shaman jumped back Chareos tried to draw his sabre, but his limbs were sluggish and heavy.

'I knew,' whispered Asta Khan, 'that you would divine my purpose. But it is too late for you, Chareos. Die in peace.'

The poison flooded his veins. His legs gave way, and he did not feel himself hit the ground.

Asta pulled the body to the side of the building, then returned to his place at the bedside. He sat on the cold floor and closed his eyes, his spirit soaring free.

Ravenna was moaning with the pain of the contractions, Tanaki beside her. Kiall was asleep by the far wall, but he awoke and sat up. 'What is happening?' he asked.

'Her water's broken. The babe will be born any time now,' answered Tanaki.

'What can I do?'

'What all men do at this time — nothing,' she answered, a smile robbing the words of venom. Kiall rose and walked from the room. Outside the night was fresh and clear. Most of the soldiers were asleep, save the guards on the walls. He looked around for Chareos, but there was no sign of the Blademaster. Seeing Chien-tsu rise from his blankets, Kiall strolled over to him.

The little warrior stretched and lifted his sword-belt into place, the long blade hanging between his shoulder-blades. His servant slept on, snoring softly.

'Where is Chareos?' asked Chien.

'On the wall, I think.'

'Let us hope so,' said Chien, trotting towards the rampart steps. They searched the wall and the gate-tower. Chien seemed anxious now. He turned to stare back into the fortress, his eyes alighting on the still figure by the guardhouse wall. Both men ran to the body and Chien turned it over, feeling for a pulse.

'What happened to him?' asked Kiall.

'I do not know. I heard his soul cry out. It woke me.'

'Look, there is a cut to his face.'

'It could have happened when he fell,' said Chien. 'We must get him to a fire. His body is cold, but the heart still beats.'

Chareos awoke to a bleak landscape — the sky a pitiless grey, the land devoid of life. A dead tree stood like a skeleton on the brow of a distant hill, and a light shone there. Chareos shook his head. He had no recollection of travelling to this barren land. As he walked towards the light wolves howled in the distance, the sound eerie and hollow. Chareos climbed the hill and sat by the light, which was emanating from a point just above the ground. He reached out to touch it, but a voice stopped him.

'It is fragile, Chareos, and pure,' said Okas and Chareos turned. The Tattooed Man smiled and held out his hand. Chareos took it.

'What is the light?' asked the Blademaster.

There are two lights,' said Okas. 'They are the souls of the twins Ravenna carries.'

'They are beautiful,' Chareos whispered.

'All children have bright souls, but these two are special. They will change the world, Chareos. For good or ill.'

'How did you come here? For that matter, how did I come here?'

'Asta Khan poisoned your body. Even now you are dying in the world beyond. He plans to kill what he sees as the soul of the child.'

'I remember,' said Chareos. 'He wants to bring Tenaka Khan back to life. Can he do it?'

'Yes, if his timing is right. That is why the bones were at Bel-azar. That is also why Jungir placed a thousand spells on the Tomb of Ulric — not to stop robbers from getting in, but to stop Tenaka Khan from getting out. But Asta fooled him; he substituted the Khan's bones, and carried them to Bel-azar — to await the ghosts-yet-to-be:

'So we fulfilled his dreams?'

'We kept him alive when he was weak. But now he is strong again.'

'What can we do?'

Okas shrugged. 'We can defend the child.'

'Can we succeed?'

'No, Chareos. But when has that ever been important?'

A cold wind blew across the hill-top and a dark mist formed. The mist hardened to become a horde of demons with dull red eyes and long talons. In their midst stood Asta and beside him Tenaka Khan, the King Beyond the Gate.

Chareos stood and drew his sabre. It shone with a silver light.

'Still you oppose me?' sneered Asta Khan. 'It will avail you nothing. Look now upon my army!" As far as the eye could see there were creatures of darkness, and Chareos could sense their lust for blood like a physical force pushing him back.

'Step aside, Chareos,' said Tenaka Khan. 'You have done all that you were intended to do. The ghosts-yet-to- be have fulfilled their quest — they have given me a second chance at life.'

'No, Great Khan,' replied Chareos. 'You had your life, and it ended. This child deserves to see the sky and live his own life. And I do not believe that my friends and I died for your glory. If anything, it was for the babe.'

'Enough of this!' shouted Asta. 'You think to stop us alone?'

'But he is not alone,' said Beltzer, walking to stand beside Chareos. When the Blademaster looked at his friend, Beltzer was no longer old and fat, no longer bald. Red hair framed his face in a lion's mane, and his silver axe blazed with light.

Maggrig and Finn appeared on his left, white bows in their hands.

Chareos felt a swelling in his throat and tears formed in his eyes. He brushed them away with the sleeve of his shirt.

'Now you know, Tenaka,' he said, 'the meaning of the ghosts-yet-to-be. Bring on your demons. We defy you all!' Beltzer hefted his axe, Maggrig and Finn drew back on their bows. Asta raised his arm, but Tenaka held to it. The Khan walked forward, his violet eyes sad and thoughtful.

'I thought you were created for me,' he said. 'I knew you had some purpose — it is why I let you live, why I scarred my life of victories with that one defeat.' He gazed down at the light and sighed. 'But you are right, Chareos. My day has passed. Let the child see the sky.'

He turned away and walked back to the demon horde. A path opened before him and he vanished from sight.

Asta walked towards Chareos, but the Blademaster blocked his way to the light.

The shaman looked old now, wretched and desolate as he looked up at Chareos, blinking and confused.

'You must let me have the babe,' he said.

'No.'

'I do not mean to kill it. I cannot now — not without Tenaka's blessing. But the Nadir must have a Khan. You see that, do you not? He is of the blood of kings. Let me have him.'

'What do you offer, Asta Khan?'

'I have an antidote to the poison. You will live.'

'You misunderstand me. What do you offer the child?'

'My life. I will defend him all the days of my life. I will teach him to be the Khan.'

'Then you may have him.'

Asta's surprise was genuine. 'Let me see his spirit.'

'No. Return to Bel-azar and give me your antidote. You will see the babe when he is born.'

'Can I trust you, Chareos?'

'I am afraid that you can,' said the Blademaster.

Asta turned and vanished and the mist formed about the demons once more. The wind howled, the mist swirling away into the grey sky.

And the heroes of Bel-azar were alone on the hill-top. The light from the twin spirits grew, touching the dead tree. Leaves sprang from the branches, blossoms of pink and white flowered into life and fragile petals fell like snowflakes around the souls.