The adversary the 13th p.., p.24
The Adversary: The 13th Paladin (Final Volume), page 24
Sleeps-in-Treetop turned and understood what Ahren was looking at. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘The Adversary has His eyes fixed on Highstone Castle and all who reside there. Both sides know full well that the fighting will begin here.’ She paused, and for the briefest of moments, Ahren recognised an emotion in the haggard woman’s features that he would never have expected – fear. ‘The only question is – whose blood will be the first to spill in the final battle.’
Sun Shimmer beat her wings strongly before descending to a broader part of the eastern castle wall, whose stone surface was scored with scratches – evidence that the Roc had been making frequent use of the area.
Hardly had the enormous bird landed when Culhen leapt out of the cart with a howl of relief, closely followed by Muai and Selsena, who had successfully extricated her horn from the timbers, the Titejunanwa then giving a whinny.
‘She says that she will never complain about a stable again,’ chuckled Falk as he stretched, several of his bones cracking audibly. ‘We’ll see how long she keeps that promise.’
Trogadon smiled dreamily and bowed towards Sun Shimmer. ‘I thank you for this exquisite gift, good Roc,’ he said formally. ‘You have made a modest dwarf more than happy.’
An enormous bird’s eye looked towards him, Sun Shimmer then squawking in a manner that suggested – to Ahren’s ears at least – that she was laughing.
‘She has asked me to tell you that you undoubtedly possess many attributes,’ said Sunju with a chuckle, ‘but that modesty is definitely not one of them.’
Placing his hands defiantly on his hips, Trogadon stared belligerently at Ahren. ‘What has your wolf been saying about me?’
‘Leave me out of it,’ laughed Ahren, joining in the silliness which was typical of his friends after episodes of great tension. ‘You are perfectly capable of destroying your reputation on your own.’
‘Much as I have enjoyed the flight,’ interjected Khara as she loosened the leather strap, ‘I am now looking forward to a cosy fireside, a hot cup of tea – and perhaps even a bath.’ She yawned. ‘I wouldn’t say no to a soft feather bed either.’
The words of the Swordsmistress reminded Ahren of his own physical condition. He pulled his magic cloak around him and shivered as he began to feel the waves of weariness overcoming him.
‘We could probably all do with some peace and quiet,’ he murmured. Yawning, he unstrapped himself, stood up and walked unsteadily towards Sun Shimmer’s tail feathers which pointed invitingly down to the stone surface. He paused to look seriously at Sunju, Sleeps-in-Treetop and the head of the Roc. ‘I would just like to say a big “thank you” to the three of you. Without your assistance it would have been a long, cold journey home.’
‘Home?’ asked Khara in a low voice and with her eyebrows raised quizzically from where she was waiting on the solid, inviting stone of the castle wall.
Ahren walked down to her with a shrug of his shoulders. ‘I was born in Deepstone, and here is where I grew up – whether or not I recognise the place.’ Then he pulled her towards him with a smile, held her lovingly, breathed in the scent of her dark hair and whispered: ‘But I can hardly wait until we are released from our duty, and we can create our own home.’
Khara smiled, too, then kissed him.
For a brief moment, all was well.
It was a hesitant, almost timid knocking that woke Ahren. The tower room with its large but plain bed where he and Khara had yielded to their exhaustion was dimly lit. The Forest Guardian could not tell if it was still the day of their arrival or if the sun was on its westward journey a second time.
It's afternoon, mumbled Culhen sleepily.
Looking through the eyes of the wolf, the Paladin understood that his friend was lying on the castle chemin de ronde, snuggled into Sun Shimmer’s plumage. Before him lay Muai and Kamaluq, and Ahren thought that he could make out several more companion animals, all of them happy to be in the Roc’s company. Sun Shimmer’s influence must have become even stronger, perhaps on account of her increasing size.
No need to be jealous, added Culhen. We have been discussing everything all day and are very tired.
Ahren was no stranger to the companion animals’ councils of war, and he knew that there was no need for him to ask what the subject of their conversations had been – although a part of him suspected that they might have done a lot of gossiping about the Paladins, too.
‘Are you awake,’ mumbled Khara beside him, the Swordsmistress seemingly having lost a protracted battle against her heavy woolly blanket, the result of which was that she was sticking out from under and looking distinctly uncomfortable.
Ahren sat up. ‘Don’t know yet,’ he replied truthfully. ‘I was so worn out after our flight on Sun Shimmer that I hardly remember how we ended up in here.’
Khara glanced at him teasingly. ‘With remarkably little pomp and ceremony, anyway.’
Ahren chuckled. ‘That’s not really what I meant – but, yes, you’re right. ‘We had a Night Soldier with local knowledge accompanying us, didn’t we?’
‘Mm,’ murmured Khara as her eyes began to close again. Within three heartbeats she was fast asleep.
Ahren gently tugged at the blanket until it was lying properly on his beloved so that she was in a more comfortable resting position. Then he stood up and grabbed his clothes. He would come back later to keep the slumbering Khara company again, but for now he was determined to explore Castle Highstone and perhaps step outside into the surrounding city. The thought that some of his old friends from days gone by might be in the vicinity piqued his curiosity.
He slipped into his trousers and then out through the door – only to stop dead in his tracks.
Directly facing him stood a Night Soldier, so close that, if she was an assailant, she would have already dispatched him with ease.
Ahren swallowed hard, and as the woman eyed him coolly, he suddenly realised that he was unarmed. She said nothing – she didn’t need to – as she continued to stand there motionless, her hand resting easily on the handle of her sword, ready to spring into action.
‘I…uh…I’ll fetch my armour,’ muttered Ahren, suddenly feeling once again like an awkward apprentice whose master had spotted his carelessly tied knot or badly shot arrow.
The Night Soldier remained stock still. Ahren withdrew into the chamber, cursed silently as he put on his armour and picked up his weapons before returning to the passageway. The woman still hadn’t moved. Her eyes scanned Ahren’s figure, examining the Deep Steel over his clothing and the scabbard of his sword – then she stepped aside and gave a slight bow.
The Paladin pulled back his shoulders, suddenly strangely proud of himself – it was as if he had passed a particularly difficult exam. The time that he had spent as Meng-Un among the ranks of the Night Soldiers would, it seemed, remain with him to the end of his days.
‘Lead me to the other Paladins!’ he commanded brusquely, trying to remind himself that he was more than a mere lackey in the service of the Eternal Empress.
The cloaked woman moved noiselessly down the stairwell, Ahren following, full of joyful anticipation at the prospect of meeting his old friends and enjoying some cheerful conversation.
‘Sit down!’ said Quin-Wa irritably, Ahren immediately doing as he was told.
He should have known that his mysterious bodyguard would take him first to her mistress, who was both Ancient and Paladin.
The room in which Quin-Wa received him was little more than a bare cell with a narrow bed made from rough wood and a simple table with a couple of stools. The fireplace with its three burning logs was competing against the cold wind whipping in through the solitary barred window, which more than likely had previously been a loophole. If Ahren hadn’t known better, then he would certainly have believed Quin-Wa to be a prisoner of the castle.
‘Nice to see you,’ continued the Eternal Empress.
‘That is not what your tone of voice is telling me,’ Ahren countered lightly in a vain attempt at lightening the icy atmosphere that permeated the room. ‘I fear that you might transform me into a frog at any moment.’
Quin-Wa rubbed her round belly. ‘This waiting is torture,’ she muttered.
Ahren nodded. He didn’t ask the Eternal Empress if she was referring to the gathering of all the Paladins, to giving birth or to the new Night of Blood. He decided not to ask. After all, the answer would be yes one way or another. Instead, he nodded politely at her bump.
‘When is the baby due?’
The Ancient snorted. ‘She is over a week late. It seems that I am carrying a decidedly single-minded heiress under my heart.’
Ahren raised an eyebrow quizzically. ‘She?’
‘I am an Ancient,’ countered Quin-Wa with a dry laugh. ‘If I cannot even sense the sex of my own child, then I had better hurry up and hand over my jade throne to someone more capable.’
The corners of Ahren’s mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh. ‘You’re already working on it.’
Now Quin-Wa was chuckling. ‘Yes – you have a point. Perhaps you are referring to the woman who will one day ascend to the Eternal Empire throne – we shall see.’ Her face became serious, almost distressed. ‘But for her to have a chance of becoming my successor, there are still a few tasks that need to be carried out – if I am not mistaken.’
Ahren tried to keep his response light-hearted in an effort to give Quin-Wa courage. ‘In fact,’ he countered, ‘there is only one task – to wipe HIM, WHO FORCES off the face of Jorath for once and for all.’
The Eternal Empress nodded. ‘And yet there are still a couple of obstacles before this goal can be achieved. A fortress, for example, that takes up a considerable portion of the Borderlands – one that is teeming with Low- and High Fangs – all of them armed and ready.’
‘Not to mention an army of Dark Ones,’ added Ahren casually.
‘And the last child of the Dark god,’ Quin-Wa reminded him with a nod.
‘And whatever will await us once the Thirteen are all gathered in the one place,’ whispered the Forest Guardian, completing the list.
‘Yes.’ The single word uttered by the Eternal Empress was as brittle as poorly forged iron in the depths of winter.
For a while, the two were silent. Then Ahren nodded towards the walls of the bare, narrow room. ‘Isn’t this…cell…a little too basic? I mean…considering your condition?’
Quin-Wa shook her head. ‘It’s perfect precisely because of my condition.’ Then she performed a tiny hand movement, Ahren immediately gasping and screwing up his eyes. For a heartbeat, he believed the room to be ablaze, but then it became clear to him that every inch of the floor, the ceiling and the walls was decorated with tiny, glittering, fiery-red runes. Quin-Wa performed another gesture and the Bane Charm faded away as quickly as it had manifested itself.
‘I like to look after my own security despite the countless precautions that the other Ancients insist on implementing,’ explained the Eternal Empress, her tight smile failing to hide the tension evident in the corners of her eyes.
Ahren cleared his throat. ‘Is there a reason why we are having this conversation in private? Surely, we should be talking about these obstacles within the context of a council of war, shouldn’t we?’
Quin-Wa leaned in. ‘What took you all to Kelkor? she asked through half-closed eyes. ‘What was so damn important that shortly before the imminent battle against the Adversary you went off and did a detour of forty odd leagues and caused the most powerful Bane Curse in centuries to hurtle after you?’
Ahren chewed on his lower lip. ‘It would be best if Uldini explained it all to you…’
‘He’s asleep!’ snapped Quin-Wa. ‘As is Jelninolan! And having examined their eyes, I would calculate that they are going to remain in that state for the next few days without sorcerous intervention. Meanwhile, Muai has been too busy yapping with Sun Shimmer and the rest of them. The only thing she said to me was that your little adventure was very wet and that she would like to have done nothing better than to tear Belsarius limb from limb had he been living, which made absolutely no sense to me!’ She stared deep into Ahren’s eyes. ‘Which is why I am asking you.’
The Paladin groaned, sat down on one of the stools and leaned back against the stone wall. ‘You’d better make yourself comfortable, for this story is neither particularly short nor is it exactly laden with good news. It all started with a visit from the Woman in Black…’
‘Unbelievable!’ gasped Akkad, whose face had drained of all colour once Ahren had explained to him of what had happened during their diversion to Kelkor. ‘What you are telling me…why, it…it pulverises most of our current theories regarding the Adversary!’
Ahren waved his hands helplessly. Night had fallen by now, and he was relating the same story for the third time. As soon as Quin-Wa was more or less in the picture, she had dragged him hot footed to Sleeps-in-Treetop, who had then sent for Akkad. Now the four of them were sitting in the castle’s eastern tower – in a high-ceilinged room that was clearly furnished out as a council chamber, large enough to hold thirty people comfortably.
‘Now listen to me – I am not going to tell the story yet again,’ said Ahren, whose weariness was making him stubborn and uncooperative. All he had wanted to do was to meet up with old friends, yet here he was, being questioned non-stop in a manner that was beginning to resemble a cross-examination. He pointed at the large, circular council table on whose surface had been carved a detailed representation of the Obsidian Fortress, the Ring and the surrounding area. Deepstone and its castle were particularly prominent. ‘Why don’t we simply drum up all the decision makers and start our council of war?’
‘Because, my dear Ahren,’ explained Akkad wearily, ‘what you have told us might mean that we will have to delay this battle against the Adversary until – and I am speaking literally – the stars are favourable.’
‘Can you imagine how the rulers of the Jorathian realms would react to such news?’ asked Quin-Wa. ‘Many of my fellow sovereigns – and I, too – have already committed everything that our countries have been able to provide – be it soldiers, materials, or provisions. Last autumn, many of the most fruitful fields were already laid bare, and now supplies for the army at the Ring are slowly but surely running out.’
Ahren nodded. ‘Even a delay of a couple of years would completely drain the realms’ supplies,’ he whispered. ‘Not to mention the damage that would be undoubtedly done to the morale of the troops if the Thirteen Paladins suddenly announced that the time for the final battle had not yet come.’
Akkad went to one of the small, thick-glass windows and stared out into the darkness, his eyes fixing on the green points of light that could be seen here and there in the distance, the blazing fires of the Obsidian Fortress presenting a constant reminder of the enemy’s war preparations. ‘I could draw up some star charts, but it would be a time-consuming task – and it would not only be embarrassing, but also potentially deadly should I end up making an error in predicting the precise reappearance of this special constellation. I have long wondered why the Adversary has insisted on pulling back behind black protective wall after black protective wall instead of simply weakening us with the captured magic of the Pall Pillar and slipping out from the noose that we have put around His neck.’ The portly Ancient rubbed his neck as he pondered. Then he concluded: ‘In light of the latest information, I cannot think of any solution that doesn’t cast a decidedly gloomy light on the future of all of us here.’
Chapter 10
Culhen’s fur was soft and warm against Ahren’s back, a welcome contrast to the cold stone of the castle wall.
Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you, or should I simply sniff around in your memories?
The wolf’s question caused the Paladin to flinch. He stared up at the stormy night sky and tried to make out the order of the stars above him, only to be defeated in his efforts by the clouds scudding across the firmament at speed – as if they were intent on getting as far away from the Obsidian Fortress and as fast as the wind would carry them.
‘The Ancients are, to put it bluntly, at a loss as to how they should proceed,’ he said, speaking aloud as he tried to make sense of his disorganised thoughts. He sighed. ‘And we are condemned to waiting until Akkad works out when the constellation will appear.’
‘That sounds exciting.’
Ahren quickly turned his head, spotting Lyssin, who with her she-wolf Yoka was approaching the group of companion animals to whose company he himself had fled. Culhen leapt to his feet, dumping Ahren unceremoniously onto the hard stone.
‘Ow!’ exclaimed the Forest Guardian. ‘At least now I know where your priorities lie!’
Ignoring his friend, Culhen whimpered and danced around Yoka, who stood there in silence, ignoring the wolf completely. Ahren realised that this was not down to arrogance or coldness, but because the eyes of the she-wolf were fixed on those of the Roc.
Give her a few heartbeats, the Paladin advised. This is the first time that Sun Shimmer has welcomed her.
Culhen froze. Oh. Of course.
Then, with his tongue lolling, he lay down beside the she-wolf, his spirit vanishing from Ahren’s mind. It seemed that the companion animals were now having their own private discussion.
Lyssin snapped her fingers before Ahren’s eyes. ‘I’m talking to you,’ she said before frowning. ‘Why can’t I hear Yoka anymore? She always yaps from one end of the day to the other. It’s almost too much to bear.’
Ahren’s grin was as spontaneous as it was genuine. ‘You mean, she’s reached that stage so quickly? Believe me – once she has completed her vocabulary learning, she will quieten a little.’
Lyssin rubbed her temples and sat down beside Ahren. ‘Am I mad or what?’ she asked, perplexed. ‘First, I wanted nothing more in life but for Yoka to give me some peace, but now I’m already missing hearing her voice in my head!’
Ahren looked at her knowingly. ‘Believe me, I understand you all too well.’
The young woman snorted. ‘Oh,’ she began, imitating her companion animal in an artificially high voice, ‘isn’t that a lovely butterfly. I wonder does she want to be my friend? I wonder what her name is and…and…and what she tastes like, her parents must be somewhere around here, surely, I wonder how butterflies are able to fly at all, and why aren’t they blown away by the wind? They must have some sort of sixth sense when it comes to predicting storms and why…?’ She broke off, her voice having been drowned out by Ahren’s laughter.
