David Gemmell - The King Beyond the Gate

'Don't worry, lad! Keep a stick in your belt.'

'A stick, sir?'

'Yes. If they get too close to the wall, hurl the stick and shout "Fetch!" '

The joke didn't help, but it cheered Ananais who was still chuckling as he mounted the rampart steps.

Decado was leaning on the wooden shaft of the giant bow when Ananais joined him. The leader of The Thirty looked haggard and drawn; his eyes were distant.

'How are you feeling, Dec? You look tired.'

'Just old, Darkmask.'

'Don't you start with the Darkmask nonsense. I like my name.'

'The other suits you better,' said Decado, grinning.

The Joinings had settled down beyond the tents, creating a vast circle around a single black tent of silk.

'That will be Ceska,' said Ananais. 'He's taking no chances.'

'It seems we are to keep all the Joinings to ourselves,' concluded Decado. 'I see no sign of them splitting the force.'

'Lucky us!' said Ananais. 'It makes sense from their viewpoint, though. It doesn't matter which wall they take — just one and we are finished.'

'Tenaka will be here in five days,' Decado reminded him.

'We shall not be here to see him.'

'Perhaps, Ananais. .?'

'Yes?'

'It doesn't matter. When do you think they will attack?'

'I hate people who do that — what were you going to say?'

'It was nothing. Forget it!'

'What the hell is the matter with you? You look sadder than a sick cow!'

Decado forced a laugh. 'Yes — as I grow older so I become more serious. It's not as if there's anything to worry about after all — a mere twenty thousand warriors and a pack of hell-beasts.'

'I suppose you're right,' agreed Ananais. 'But I'll bet Tenaka mops them up in a damned hurry.'

'I would like to be here to see it,' said Decado.

'If wishes were oceans, we would all be fish,' said Ananais.

The huge warrior wandered away to the grass once more, settling down to finish his nap. Decado sat on the ramparts and watched him.

Was it wise to withhold from Ananais that Tenaka was now the Khan of the Drenai's greatest enemy? But what would it achieve to tell him? He trusted Tenaka, and when a man like Ananais gave his trust it was forged stronger than silver steel. It would be inconceivable to Ananais that Tenaka could betray him.

It was a kindness to let him die with his belief intact.

Or was it?

Did a man not have a right to know the truth?

'Decado!' called a voice in his mind. It was Acuas and Decado closed his eyes, concentrating on the voice.

'Yes?'

'The enemy has arrived at Tarsk. There is no sign of the Joinings.'

'They are all here!'

'Then we will travel to you. Yes?'

'Yes,' answered Decado. He had kept eight priests with him at Magadon and sent the other nine to Tarsk.

'We did as you suggested and entered the mind of one of the beasts, but I don't think you will like what we found.'

'Tell me.'

'They are Dragon! Ceska began rounding them up fifteen years ago. Some of the more recent came from amongst men captured when the Dragon reformed.'

'I see.'

'Does it make a difference?'

'No,' said Decado. 'It only increases the sorrow.'

'I am sorry. Does the plan go ahead?'

'Yes. Are you sure we must be close?'

'I am,' said Acuas. 'The closer the better.'

'The Templars?'

They have breached the Void Wall. We almost lost Balan.'

'How is he?'

'Recovering. Have you told Ananais about Tenaka Khan?'

'No.'

'You know best.'

'I hope so. Get here as soon as you can.'

On the grass below, Ananais slept dreamlessly. Valtaya saw him there and prepared a meal of roasted beef and hot bread. She carried it to him after about an hour and together they walked into the shade of some trees where he lifted his mask and ate.

She couldn't watch him eat and moved away to gather flowers. When he had finished she returned to him.

'Put on your mask,' she said. 'Someone might come by.'

His bright blue eyes burned into hers, then he looked away and pulled on the mask.

'Someone just did,' he said sadly.

Towards the middle of the morning bugles sounded in the enemy camp and some, ten thousand warriors began to move purposefully around the wagons — pulling ladders clear, tying ropes to grappling hooks, hitching shields in place.

Ananais ran to the wall where Lake was bent over the giant bow, checking the ropes and ties.

The army lined up across the valley, sunlight flashing from swords and spears. A drum-beat began and the force moved forward.

On the wall, defenders licked dry lips with dry tongues and wiped sweating palms on their tunics.

The slow drum-beat echoed in the mountains.

Terror hit the defenders like a tidal wave. Men screamed and jumped from the wall, rolling on to the grass below.

'The Templars!' screamed Decado. 'It's only an illusion.'

But panic continued to well up in the Skoda ranks. Ananais tried to rally them, but his own voice was shaking with fear. More men leapt from the walls as the drums grew closer.

Hundreds of men now streamed back, skidding to a halt as they saw the woman standing before them in her rusty mailshirt.

'We don't run!' bellowed Rayvan. 'We are Skoda! We are the sons of Druss the Legend. We don't run!'

Drawing a shortsword, she walked through them towards the walls. Only a handful of men remained by the ramparts, and these were ghost-faced and trembling. Rayvan mounted the steps, fear growing as she reached the battlements.

Ananais staggered towards her, holding out his hand which she accepted gratefully.

'They can't beat us!' she said through gritted teeth, her eyes wide.

The Skoda men turned and saw her standing defiantly at the centre. Gathering their swords they moved forward again, pushing against the wall of fear before them.

Decado and The Thirty fought back against the force, holding a shield around Rayvan.

And then the fear vanished!

The Skoda warriors surged back to the walls, angry now. Shamed by the courage of the warrior woman who led them, they stood their ground, determination on every face.

The drum-beat stopped. A bugle sounded.

With a savage roar ten thousand warriors surged forward.

Lake and his workers hauled back the bowstrings on the two weapons, filling their bowls with filed lead shot. At fifty paces Lake lifted his arm. At forty he dropped it and tugged the release. The arm whipped forward. The second machine let fly a moment later.

The first ranks of the enemy were scythed down and a great cheer rose from the defenders. Taking up their bows, the Skoda men sent volley after volley of arrows into the charging warriors. But they were heavily armoured and they held their shields before them.

Ladders thudded against the wall and grappling-hooks sailed over the ramparts.

'Now it begins!' said Ananais.

The first warrior to reach the ramparts died with Ananais' sword in his throat. As he fell, he dislodged the man below him.

And then they were over and the battle became hand-to-hand.

Decado and The Thirty fought together as a unit to the right of Ananais. Not one warrior gained the ramparts there.

But to the left the invaders forged an opening. Ananais charged among them, cutting and slashing, hacking and slaying. Like a lion among wolves he hammered his way through their ranks, and the Skoda men gathered behind him roaring their defiance. Slowly they pushed back the soldiers. At the centre Rayvan plunged her blade into a warrior's chest, but as he fell he lashed out, his sword slicing her cheek. She stumbled as another man ran at her and Lake, seeing his mother's danger, hurled his dagger to hit the assailant hilt-first, behind the ear. He half-fell and dropped his sword, whereupon Rayvan finished him with a two-handed cut to the neck.