the Thulls upon the right flank of the Horde. And Yar Lek Thun,
King of the Nadraks, and Gethel Mardu, King of the Thulls, spake
with one another and withdrew their forces from that battle which
swirled around the Mimbrate Knights that they might better face the
Tolnedran Legions.
And there were with the legions Cherek Berserks from the fleet
that had borne the might of Tolnedra from Tol Honeth even unto the
rapids of the River Arend ten leagues below Vo Mimbre, and the
axes and huge broadswords of the Chereks were terrible to behold,
and the Nadraks were afraid, and the Thulls quailed.
And the clash of arms resounded to the west also as the legions
and the Chereks closed with the Nadraks and the Thulls.
And once again Zedar the Sorcerer went unto the black iron
pavilion of the Dread Kal-Torak, and once again besought he the
Accursed One to come forth lest the host be overthrown by reason of
their enemies upon the left and upon the right and of the Mimbrates
who even then made great slaughter in the midst of the Malloreans.
And Kal-Torak spake unto him despitefully, saying, ‘Art thou so
afraid, Zedar, of a handful of Mimbrates? Does thy heart fail thee in
the face of the ragged remnants of Drasnia and the tatters of Algaria
and the blind creeping things that burrowed forth from the ground
in Ulgo? Quailest thou before the fat, over-pampered legions of
Tolnedra and a few drunken barbarians from Cherek? My people are
Angarak, despoilers of the world. The horde is ‘ beyond counting,
and I am with them. No might in the world may stand against us
save only Cthrag-Yaska, and he who could raise Cthrag-Yaska
against me is no more. Return to the battle, Zedar, or flee and save
thy life. I will not come forth.’
And behold, it came to pass that from the forest to the north of the
city there emerged a silent host that cheered not, nor thundered, nor
trumpeted. Grey cloaks wore some or dun or smudged forest-green,
and came they from out of the forest in endless waves, grim-faced
and silent.
And the heart of Zedar fell as he beheld the coming of the Rivans.
And the rear ranks of the Malloreans turned and ran toward the
oncoming foe, but the forest-green warriors were Asturian bowmen,
and the Malloreans fell like mown wheat beneath the storm of their
arrows. And still the silent Rivans came, and with them the solid
men of Sendaria. And they closed with the host and slew the
Malloreans with abandon.
And once again Zedar went unto the black iron pavilion of
Kal Torak and spake unto the Accursed One, saying, ‘Great Lord, I fear
not the remnants of Drasnia nor the tatters of Algaria nor the blind
things that creep beneath the earth in Ulgo; nor am I unquiet about
the handful of Mimbrate Knights, nor the pampered legions of
Tolnedra nor the Berserks of Cherek. Know, however, that thine
army is assaulted on the front and on the left and on the right, and
lo, now from out the forest behind thee come Asturians and Sendars
and them whom most you hate – the keepers of Cthrag-Yaska. Yea,
Lord, the Rivans themselves have come to contend with thine host
and to cast their defiance in thy teeth.’
Then was the Accursed One wroth, and rose he and called upon
his servants to arm him. And he spake unto Zedar the Sorcerer,
saying, ‘Behold, Zedar, I will come forth, that the keepers of
Cthrag-Yaska may see me and be afraid. I will raise up mine hand
against them and they shall crumble as dry leaves before me. Send
unto me the Kings of the Angaraks that I may tell them of my
coming.’
And Zedar answered him, saying, ‘Behold, Great Lord, the Kings
of the Angaraks are no more. King Ad Rak Cthoros of the Murgos
lies dead with a hook-pointed Ulgo knife in his bowels. And Yar Lek
Thun of the Nadraks perished upon the point of a Tolnedran sword,
and Gethel Mardu, King of the Thulls. is cloven – hehn to chest – by
a Cherek war-axe. And behold, the sons of the Kings also are no
more and the generals of the Malloreans also, and there is confusion
in the Host by reason of the deaths of the Kings and the sons of the
Kings and the generals of the Malloreans, and of the multitudes of
the Grolims also.’
And great was the wrath of the Accursed One, and fire was in his
right eye and also in the eye that was not, and caused he his servants
to bind his shield to his maimed arm, and took he up his dread black
sword, Cthrek-Goru, and went forth from his iron pavilion to do
war.
And behold, the Host rallied around him who was both King and
God, and pushed they back against the Drasnians and Algars and
Ulgos upon the left and against the Tolnedrans and Chereks upon
the right, and tightened they the ring of swords about the Mimbrate
Knights before the gates of the city’
And there came from the north the sound of a great horn, and
from the midst of the Rivans a voice called out unto the Accursed
One, saying, ‘In the name of Belar I defy thee, Torak, maimed and
Accursed. In the name of Aldur also, I cast my despite into thy teeth.
Let the bloodshed be abated, and I will meet thee – man against
God, and I shall prevail against thee. Before thee I cast my gage. Take
It up or stand as craven before men and Gods.’
In fury did Kal’Torak smite the rocks about him with his sword,
Cthrek-Goru, and fire leapt from the rocks, and the Angaraks and
the Malloreans were sore afraid before his wrath.
And Torak spake in a great voice, saying, ‘Who among mortal
kind is so foolish as to thus defy the King of the World? Who among
you would contend with a God?’
And the voice from the midst of the grey-clad Rivans answered,
saying, ‘I am Brand, Warder of Riva, and I defy thee, foul and
misshapen Godling, and all thy stinking Host. Bring forth thy nught.
Take up my gage or slink away and come no more against the
Kingdoms of the West.’
And Zedar the Sorcerer heard this, and he counseled the
Accursed One, saying, ‘I beseech thee, Oh my Lord, let not thy fury
misguide thee. This Rivan is guided by thy kindred. Thy brother
Gods do conspire against thee, and this challenge is a trap of their
making.’
Again Torak smote the rocks with his great sword, and again the
fire leapt from the rocks, and he spake, saying, ‘Behold, I am Torak,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I fear no man of mortal kind nor
the dim shades of long-forgotten Gods. I will go forth and destroy
this loud-voiced Rivan fool, and mine enemies shall fall away before
my wrath, and Cthrag-Yaska shall be mine again and the world
also.’
And then strode the Accursed One forth from the Host. Black was
his armor, and vast his shield. The dread black sword, Cthrek-Goru,
swept like night through the no ontide air, and Torak spake, saying,
‘Who is this who will pit mortal flesh against the will and the
invincible sword of the God Torak?’
Then stood forth Brand, Warder of Riva, and his grey cloak shed
he away Mailed he was and helmed in grey steel, and he bare a
mighty sword and a shield muffled in rude cloth. And at his side
marched a grizzled wolf, and hovered over his head a snowy owl.
And Brand spake, saying, ‘I am Brand, Warder of Riva. I am he who
will contend with thee, Torak. Beware of me, for the spirits of Belar
and of Aldur are with me. I alone stand between thee and the Orb
for which thou hast brought war into the West.’
And Torak beheld the wolf and spake, saying, ‘Begone, Belgarath.
Flee if thou wouldst save thy life. It occurs that I may soon have the
leisure to give thee the instruction I so long ago promised thee, and I
doubt that even thou wouldst survive my instruction.’
But the grizzled wolf bared his fangs against him and fled not.
And Torak beheld the owl, and he spake unto her, saying, ‘Abjure
thy father, Polgara, and come with me. I will wed thee and make
thee Queen of all the world, and thy might and thy power shall be
second only to mine.’
* Another aside which proved very important.
But the great white owl shrieked her defiance and her scorn.
‘Prepare then to perish all,’ quoth Torak, and rais’d up
CthrekCoru and smote down upon the shield of Brand, Warder of Riva.
Many and grievous were the blows they struck, and the Host of the