The scaled creature reared up behind Waylander, who snatched the rib and rammed it into the beast’s chest. ‘Now,’ said the shaman, ‘he has a sword. Now, he has a purpose. Enemies are all around him. His talents are focused. See how he moves, like a wolf.’
Silently they sat as the tiny figure destroyed the sphere and battled his way up the staircase of hands. ‘This I loved,’ cackled the shaman, as Waylander threw the white-robed priest into the jaws of the serpent. ‘He knew, do you see? In the dark, surrounded by foes, he knew there was no succour. The doorway he chose was the guarded one. Oh, it is so perfect. He must have Nadir blood! And to summon sunshine into the Void! Beautiful. Perfect! Zhu Chao must be trembling now. By all the gods, I would be.’
‘I do not know if he is trembling,’ said Miriel, ‘but I do know my father is riding for Gulgothir. And there will be no sunshine to summon there. Zhu Chao will surround himself with armed guards: he will be waiting.’
‘As the gods will,’ said Kesa Khan, with a wave of his hand. The fire flared once more. ‘Tomorrow we must move the women and children to Kar-Barzac. I have sent a message to Anshi Chen. He will leave a small rearguard to hold the passes. Fifty men will remain here until dark to defend the wall. It should be enough.’
‘What about my father?’ insisted Miriel.
‘His fate is in the hands of the gods,’ answered Kesa Khan. ‘He will live or die. There is nothing we can do.’
‘Zhu Chao will use magic to locate him,’ said Miriel. ‘Can you shield him?’
‘No, I do not have the power. There are deadly beasts in the valley of Kar-Barzac. I need all my strength to send them into the mountains, clearing the path for my people to the fortress.’
‘Then what chance will my father have?’
“That we will see. Do not underestimate him.’
“There must be something we can do!’
‘Yes, yes. We fight on. We make Zhu Chao concentrate his energies on Kar-Barzac. That is what he wants. His dreams lie in that old castle.’
‘Why?’ asked Angel.
‘The Elders built it. They cast great spells there, creating living demons known as Joinings to fight their wars. Beasts merged with men: the magic was colossal. So great that it ultimately destroyed them, but in Kar-Barzac the magic lived on, radiating out. You will see. The valley is twisted by it, deformed trees, carnivorous sheep and goats. I even saw a rabbit there with fangs. Nothing could live in that valley without being corrupted, twisted out of shape. Even the castle is now a monstrosity, the granite blocks reshaped as if they were wet clay.’
‘Then how the Hell can we go there?’ said Angel.
Kesa Khan smiled, and his dark eyes gleamed. ‘Someone was kind enough to stop the magic,’ he said. He looked away from them, staring into the fire.
‘What is it you are not telling us?’ asked Miriel.
‘A great deal,’ admitted the shaman. ‘But there is much you do not need to know. Our enemies reached Kar-Barzac before us. They removed the source of magic – aye, and died for it. Now it is safe. We shall defend its walls, and there the line of the Uniter will be continued.’
‘How long can we hold this fortress?’ enquired Angel. ‘We shall see,’ answered Kesa Khan, ‘but for now I need to drive the beasts from the valley. Leave me.’
16
Zhu Chao’s image floated before Altharin as the General stood in his tent, his aide Powis beside him, the albino Brotherhood captain, Innicas, to his left.
‘You have failed your Emperor,’ said Zhu Chao. ‘He set you a simple task and you have behaved like an incompetent. A few Nadir to kill and you baulk at the test.’
‘Those few Nadir,’ said Altharin coldly, ‘have boxed themselves behind three narrow passes. I have lost more than two hundred men trying to force a way through them, and your famed Brotherhood have enjoyed no more success than I. One old man broke their attack.’