more and more of the wraiths. Thousands of Skraelings burned that clear frosty morning in the
northern reaches of Gorken Pass, died screaming and whispering amid the Mother‘s anger and
retribution. Others died as the men pushed their horses in among the confused mass, reaching
down to grab their stringy hair and put out the light in their eyes with a vicious thrust of a sword.
The emerald fire did not touch those who wore the threads about their arms.
It was a rout, and only when there were no more Skraelings left to kill did the men rein
their horses in and watch the remaining wraiths flee back towards Gorkenfort.
―Pray we have bought them enough time,‖ Belial whispered, his face drawn with
exhaustion.
―Pray that Borneheld got them out of Gorkenfort before the Skraelings returned,‖ Axis
replied just as quietly. ―Pray that he can rally Achar to hold them at Jervois Landing…until I
return.‖
58
BATTLEAXE
In the cold evening air they sat their horses at the base of the Icescarp Alps.
―We will not follow you in there,‖ Belial said quietly, his eyes on the massive black cliffs
that reared out of the snow-covered plains before them. ―That is for you alone.‖
Axis turned to him. The excitement of the morning had faded, and now his face was as
exhausted as everyone else‘s. ―And you?‖
Belial was silent for a moment, his eyes drifting over the black cliffs. Then he dropped
his gaze to Axis. ―I will take your army and ride south through eastern Ichtar, the WildDog
Plains, until I find us a safe haven. I doubt the Skraelings will bother us overmuch. They will
want to push south after Borneheld rather than east. We will wait in the southern WildDog Plains
for you, Axis SunSoar, perhaps even Sigholt if it remains free of Skraelings. Do not take too long
to rejoin us.‖
Axis‘ eyes shone with tears. He gripped Belial‘s hand and arm. ―I thank you for your
friendship and support,‖ he said quietly, ―and I will rejoin you as quickly as I am able.‖ He let
Belial‘s hand go and slid off Belaguez, handing the stallion‘s reins to his lieutenant and patting
the horse‘s neck in affection. ―Look after my horse for me, Belial. I will need a good mount
when I return.‖
He turned to Magariz and gripped the man‘s hand. ―I thank you for your support as well,
Magariz. I pray that you will not suffer for it.‖
―Then come back to us quickly,‖ the scar-faced man smiled. ―I do not know who will
reach us first, Gorgrael or Borneheld, and I do not know which will be the most dangerous!‖
Axis laughed and saluted his men, smiling and waving at their cheers. Then he turned and
walked towards the base of the cliffs, not knowing what to expect.
His army sat their horses silently, staying to bear witness to whatever would happen next.
Axis‘ booted feet scrunched through the snow, and he threw his cloak back over his
shoulders. He had been walking for some ten minutes, the black rock of the cliffs now only fifty
or so paces away, when the five Icarii birdmen who had been watching his approach landed
softly in the snow in front of him.
Axis stopped. Two he recognised, HoverEye and SpikeFeather, but the other three he did
not. Two of them had the black wings that HoverEye and SpikeFeather sported, but like FreeFall
the fifth had pure white wings, golden hair…and pale blue eyes. He wore no clothes over his
upper body and Axis could see that his torso bore the scars of a recent battle.
Looking into his face Axis could see reflections of his own.
He opened his mouth to speak, to say something, but he could not find the words to say.
He could not take his eyes from his father.
StarDrifter slowly stepped forward, his eyes locked into those of his son. That this man
was his son StarDrifter had absolutely no doubt, the man‘s blood sang to him, called to him,
screamed for him, and StarDrifter could feel his own blood calling back.
StarDrifter‘s mouth thinned at the black uniform that the man wore and his eyes glittered
angrily. He stopped a pace from his son and they both stood and stared at each other. Axis‘ eyes
were filled with tears, but StarDrifter‘s were utterly dry.
Slowly, hesitantly, StarDrifter reached out a hand and laid it flat on Axis‘ breast, feeling
his son‘s heart beating frantically under his fingers. Then StarDrifter‘s fingers convulsively
clutched into the black material of Axis‘ tunic and with one vicious twist he ripped the insignia
of the crossed golden axes from his son‘s breast and hurled the piece of material away to flutter
unwanted across the ice-bound wastes at the foot of the Icescarp Alps.
StarDrifter‘s anger faded as the hated emblem blew away. He hesitated, then stepped
forward and embraced Axis, speaking the ritual words of greeting normally uttered only to a
newborn baby.
―Welcome, Axis, into the House of SunSoar and into my heart. My name is StarDrifter
SunSoar and I am your father. Sing well and fly high, and may nothing and no-one tear your feet
from the path of the Star Dance again.‖
Axis wrapped his arms about his father and held him tight, the tears finally sliding free
from his eyes.
Glossary
ACHAR: the realm stretching over most of the continent, bounded by the Andeis, Tyrre
and Widowmaker Seas, the Shadowsward Forest and the Icescarp Alps. (Achar is pronounced
with a hard ch, as in ―loch‖.)
ACHARITES: the people of Achar.
AFTERLIFE: both Acharites and the Forbidden believe in the existence of an AfterLife,
although exactly what they believe depends on their particular culture.
ALDENI: a small province in western Achar, devoted to small crop cultivation. It is
administered by Duke Roland.
ANDAKILSA, River: the extreme northern river of Ichtar, dividing Ichtar from
Ravensbund. It remains free of ice all year round and flows into the Andeis Sea.
ANDEIS SEA: the often unpredictable sea that washes the western coast of Achar.
ARCEN: the major town of Arcness.
ARCNESS: large eastern province in Achar, specialising in pigs. It is administered by
Earl Burdel.
ARNE: a cohort commander in the Axe-Wielders.
ARTOR THE PLOUGHMAN: the one true god, as taught by the Brotherhood of the
Seneschal. According to the Book of Field and Furrow, the religious text of the Seneschal, Artor
gave mankind the gift of the Plough, the instrument which enabled mankind to abandon his
hunting and gathering lifestyle and to settle in the one spot to cultivate the earth and thus to build
the foundations of civilisation.
AVAR, The: one of the races of the Forbidden who live in the forest of the
Shadowsward, or the Avarinheim as they call it. The Avar are sometimes referred to as the
People of the Horn.
AVARINHEIM, The: the home of the Avar people, known to the Acharite people as the
Shadowsward. See ―Shadowsward‖.
AVONSDALE: province in western Achar. It produces legumes, fruit and flowers. It is
administered by Earl Jorge.
AXE-WIELDERS, The: the elite crusading and military wing of the Seneschal. Its
members have not taken holy orders but have nevertheless dedicated their battle skills to the
Seneschal to use as it wishes. The Axe-Wielders were the main reason the Acharites managed to
defeat the Forbidden in the Wars of the Axe and, over the subsequent thousand years, have
enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for military excellence.
AXIS: illegitimate son of the Princess Rivkah and an unknown father. Currently he holds
the position of BattleAxe of the Axe-Wielders. See ―BattleAxe‖ and ―Axe-Wielders‖.
AZHURE: daughter of Brother Hagen of Smyrton. Her mother came from Nor.
AZLE, River: a major river that divides the provinces of Ichtar and Aldeni. It flows into
the Andeis Sea.
BANES: the religious leaders of the Avar people. They wield magic, although it is
usually of the minor variety.
BARROWS, The Ancient: the burial places of the ancient Enchanter-Talons of the Icarii
people. Located in southern Arcness.
BARSARBE: a Bane of the Avar people.
BATTLEAXE, The: the leader of the Axe-Wielders, appointed by the Brother-Leader for
his loyalty to the Seneschal, his devotion to Artor the Ploughman and the Way of the Plough, and
his skills as a military commander. See ―Axis‖ and ―Axe-Wielders‖.
BEDWYR FORT: a fort that sits on the lower reaches of the River Nordra and guards the
entrance to Grail Lake from Nordmuth.
BELAGUEZ: Axis‘ war horse.
BELIAL: lieutenant and second-in-command of the Axe-Wielders.
BELTIDE: see ―Festivals‖.
BOGLE MARSH: a large and inhospitable marsh in eastern Arcness. Strange creatures
are said to live in the Marsh.
BOOK OF FIELD AND FURROW: the religious text of the Seneschal, which teaches
that Artor himself wrote it and presented it to mankind.
BORNEHELD: Duke of Ichtar, the most powerful noble in Achar. Son of the Princess
Rivkah and her husband, Duke Searlas.
BRACKEN RANGES, The: a low and narrow mountain range that divides Arcness and