David Gemmell – Rigante 4 – Stormrider

Suddenly there was silence. Utter and total. No breeze billowed the canvas, no sound came from the camp outside. Not a horse whinnied, not a bough creaked. The lantern no longer flickered. Gaise rose from his folding canvas chair and stared at the flame. It sat proud and unmoving.

Moving to the tent flap Gaise lifted it and stared out at the camp. Everything was as it should be. Men were sleeping, sentries stood quietly, the picketed horses were asleep on their feet. No, not as it should be, thought Gaise. The sentries were statue still. Nothing moved. He stepped out into the night and approached a sentry, walking in front of the man. The sentry’s eyes stared ahead. They did not flicker as Gaise peered into his face.

‘The death heads were a fine idea,’ said a voice. Gaise spun. He was not wearing his sabre, but he drew his knife. ‘No need for that, kinsman.’ A tall man was standing some twenty feet from him. His hair was golden and long. He was dressed in an old-fashioned knee length tunic of pale green, embroidered with gold thread. His feet and legs were bare.

‘Who are you?’ demanded Gaise.

‘I am your ancestor, Stormrider. Look upon me. Can you not see the resemblance?’ Gaise looked into the man’s eyes. One was emerald green, the other tawny gold.

‘You are Connavar?’

The man laughed. ‘No. He was yet another of my children. I am Cernunnos, the father of the Rigante. My children did well today. Fighters all of them.’

‘This is some trick,’ said Gaise. ‘You are the enemy.’

‘No, Gaise. I am with the enemy. Since I do not as yet have a body I have little choice as to who carries me and where.’

‘What do you want with me?’

‘I want to be your friend, Gaise. You are important to me. You are a part of my destiny. You just do not know it yet. Let us sit and talk. I will answer all your questions. If you wish you may summon the little mage. He will hear what I say and will vouch for my honesty.’

‘I will judge that myself,’ said Gaise.

‘Good. I always did prefer one to one conversation.’ A small fire sprang up and the golden-haired man sat down before it. Gaise sheathed his knife and joined him.

‘You give power to the Redeemers. Is that not true?’

‘Absolutely true. I enable them to use their puny minds with greater focus.’

‘Why?’

‘Do you know how long I have languished in an iron box? Thousands of years. Alone with my thoughts. Winter Kay found me. I tried to communicate with him, but it was largely useless. There is no Rigante in the man. It is easier now since he killed the unfortunate king, and allowed his blood to touch the decaying bone of my skull.’

‘And now you are leading him north to destroy us?’

‘Now he is bringing me north. He is the one who will be destroyed. If you allow me to help you.’

‘Why would you wish to?’

‘The north is my home, Stormrider. I once had a palace there, though it drowned beneath a lake aeons ago when the ice melted. I sired the Rigante. I took human wives and one of them bore Rigantis, my beloved son. Ah, but I joyed in his strength and courage. The Rigante owe their name and their clan to my son. But I am what makes them – and you – special. You have traces of my blood. Seidh blood. You are touched by magic. I want to be among my own people, Gaise.’

‘To rule them.’

‘Of course to rule them. I am a god. Can you imagine a ruler better qualified?’

‘And what if they don’t want to be ruled by you?’

‘Ah, but they will. All men desire strong leaders. There are none stronger. I am their father. I gave them life. I can give them immortality. Those I choose to walk beside me will live for almost as long as I do.’

‘You are offering me immortality to serve you.’

‘Sadly no, Gaise. You have a different purpose. I wish that it could be altered, but, as I said, it is a part of destiny. You are the vessel which will allow my return to the flesh. I will, in short, become you.’

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