‘And what does it mean, do you think?’ asked Astila.
‘The tree has Thirty branches,’ said Dardalion.
23
Waylander slept and in his dreams he found himself once more upon the lonely hillside with the blind King Orien. He opened his eyes and gazed at the sky and the unfamiliar stars.
‘Welcome!’ said Orien.
Waylander sat up and the old man took his hand and patted it paternally.
‘You have pleased me, Waylander. Restored my faith to full vigour. Your courage is great and you have proved to be a man of honour.’
‘I am uncomfortable with compliments,’ said Waylander, turning away and pulling free his hand.
Orien nodded. ‘Then ask that which you fear.’
‘Where is the Armour?’
‘You will find it. Tomorrow, if the Source blesses you, you will ride upon the flanks of Raboas. There you will find a narrow path which winds to a cave. The cave is on a ledge, and there you will find a second path. These two roads are the only route to the mountain’s heart. Enter the cave and you will see three tunnels. Take the right-hand entrance and journey on until you come to a wide, arching chamber. There is the Armour for all to see.’
‘It is an image which cannot be taken,’ said Waylander.
‘It is real, but only the Chosen One can lift it.’
‘And I am the Chosen One?’
‘That you will know tomorrow.’
‘Is Danyal safe?’
‘I cannot say, for I do not know. I am not a God, Waylander.’
‘Then what are you?’
‘I am nothing but an image in your dreams.’
‘You must be more than that.’
‘Then think of me as the spirit of Orien, the last flickering evidence of the once-King. When you take the Armour I shall be gone, never to return.’
‘Where will you go? Is paradise a reality? Does the Source exist?’
‘I cannot answer your questions. Only you can decide. But you must go now, for your danger is great. Dardalion no longer shields you from the Brotherhood. Go now!’
Waylander opened his eyes a second time and jerked upright. He was back in his blankets at the foot of Raboas.
And his horse was gone.
He rolled to his feet and saw that the bush where his mount had been tethered had been uprooted. The beast must have been terrified. But by what?
Waylander strung his crossbow and scanned the undergrowth.
He could see nothing untoward, but closed his eyes and listened. From the right he heard a faint rustling.
He spun and loosed both bolts as the werewolf rose and charged. The bolts thudded home, but the corded muscles of the beast’s great chest prevented them reaching the heart and lungs and its advance continued unchecked.
Waylander dived to his right, and a second beast reared above him. He rolled to his feet, his sword slicing out and bouncing from the creature’s head.
He backed away as the four beasts advanced, their great jaws open, tongues lolling and red eyes fixed upon him. Gripping his sword two-handed, he raised it over his right shoulder, ready to take at least one of them with him.
A dark shadow reared up behind them and Way-lander blinked as a massive hand grabbed a furry neck and squeezed. A terrible howl began and was cut short as the werewolf was lifted from the ground. A silver knife plunged between its ribs and the corpse was hurled ten feet into the bushes. The other beasts swung on the attacker, but with one bound he was among them and a second knife thudded home, disembowelling the creature which had been Lenlai the possessed. Fangs fastened on Kai’s shoulder as a third beast leapt at him. He tore it loose, curling his huge hands around its throat and dangling it before him. Waylander winced as he heard the neck creak and snap, then Kai tossed the corpse aside.
The fourth werebeast had fled.
Waylander sheathed his sword and watched in grim fascination as the monster placed his hand over the gushing wound in his shoulder. Minutes later, when the hand was removed from the place, the wound had gone. Kai moved to the corpses, pulling clear the knives. His legs weak, Waylander sat down with his back to a tree. Kai approached him and squatted down, offering the knives hilt first. Waylander accepted them without comment.