by Duncan Pile
“Ready to die?” the Gunthaak said.
“After you,” Baard responded, and in a move so swift that Sabu would have been proud of it, he thrust the weapon’s double-bladed head up into the Gunthaak’s chin.
The Gunthaak’s head flew back and he stumbled away from the blow on unstable legs. Baard let out a feral cry and sprang after him, Bonebreaker raised to deliver a killing blow to the Gunthaak’s neck. But the Gunthaak turned his body just in time, raising an arm and taking a fearsome blow from Bonebreaker, which severed his arm at the elbow. Roaring in pain, the Gunthaak summoned power and thrust it at Baard. Gaspi fully expected his friend to be smashed halfway across the room, but Bonebreaker’s dark aura swelled and absorbed the potent strike as if it were nothing. Gaspi let out the breath he’d been holding in a hiss of relief. There was clearly more to Bonebreaker than they knew about.
“GUNTHAAK-BANE!” someone cried, and Gaspi realised it was Sabu. The Kaas and Urzaaks picked it, calling out support to Baard. Baard shook off his surprise that the Gunthaak’s spell hadn’t flattened him, straightened himself up and raised Bonebreaker for another attack.
“GUNTHAAK-BANE, GUNTHAAK-BANE!” the ogres chanted. The Gunthaak rose to its feet, grievously wounded, but even with only one arm it was a deadly foe. It threw its staff to one side and pulled an axe from a harness on his back. Baard launched himself at his enemy, and the sound of metal on metal filled the air.
Gaspi held his breath, watching the fight with mounting anxiety. Baard’s surprise attack had enabled him to wound the monster, but even Baard’s most devastating swing didn’t seem to trouble the Gunthaak. The ogre deflected his swings without strain, and pushed back hard. Baard deflected the Gunthaak’s ripostes, but it was costing him dearly. Twice, he was driven to his knees, only to surge back up and carry on fighting when it looked like he might be overwhelmed.
One of Baard’s attacks finally got past the Gunthaak’s defences, Bonebreaker’s sharp blade cutting deeply into the ogre’s leg. The Gunthaak roared in pain and back-handed Baard across the face for the second time. Gaspi winced at the sick sound of knuckles hitting bone, and Baard flew backwards, somehow holding onto Bonebreaker. He collided with one of the tables and collapsed to the floor, making choking noises as he tried to gasp a breath. Somehow, he got to his feet again, but he wove dizzily from side to side. It looked like a strong breeze would knock him over!
“Time to die, little man,” the Gunthaak snarled. Lowering its horns, it surged into motion, the two deadly points aiming directly for Baard’s heaving chest. Gaspi summoned power, ready to intervene, but the shamans holding his companions did the same. There was nothing he could do! Agonised, Gaspi watched as the Gunthaak bore down on his friend. Baard looked steadier, his grip on Bonebreaker tightening, but the Gunthaak was almost on him. At the last possible moment, Baard raised the fabled axe above his head and brought it down on his charging opponent. The Gunthaak crashed into Baard with the force of a charging bull, and they went tumbling to the floor. Bonebreaker flew from Baard’s hand, bouncing and clanging across the flagstones. When the Gunthaak lifted its head, the crowd of watching ogres hissed in collective amazement. Its horns had been severed.
The Gunthaak raised a hand to his head and touched the bleeding stumps, a look of horror stealing itself across its face. “NOOO!!” it cried. Its face contorted with murderous rage, and it pounced on Baard, pummelling him with his remaining fist. Baard fought back, laying into his enemy with every last part of himself – fists, elbows, knees, but he was vastly overpowered by his monstrous foe. And then the Gunthaak had Baard pinned to the floor by the throat, pressing down on the giant’s windpipe, crushing the life out of him. In a last, desperate attempt to save his life, Baard was scrabbling around on the floor, looking for anything he could use to break the Gunthaak’s hold. The Gunthaak bent low over him, blood from the stumps of his horns dripping onto Baard’s face.
“So much for Gunthaak-bane!” it sneered, but in that moment Baard’s hand closed on something, and with a final surge of strength he rammed it hard into the Gunthaak’s open mouth. The Gunthaak stiffened, its grip slackening instantly. Blood fountained from its mouth and it toppled lifelessly to one side.
The room fell silent. Baard climbed out from under the Gunthaak’s body and slowly stood up. He reached down, pulled something from the Gunthaak’s mouth and thrust the bloody object into the air. The Urzaaks and Kaas broke into a wild cheer, and even as the hands that held Gaspi fell away, he realised what he was looking at. Baard had killed the Gunthaak with its own severed horn. Suddenly, Emmy appeared at Baard’s side, white light glowing around her hands. Gaspi rushed to her side and put his arm around her protectively, in case any of the shamans were alarmed by her sudden appearance. But they didn’t seem to care at all. Their magic had winked out the moment the Gunthaak died, and they weren’t putting up a fight as the Kaas led them away.
“Bloody hell Baard, that was amazing,” Gaspi said. The giant looked fearsome, drenched as he was in the Gunthaak’s blood.
Baard looked at him confusedly, but then his eyes came into focus. “Gaspi!” he said. “That was some fight eh?”
“Yes it was!” Gaspi responded with a grin.
The ogres were descending on Baard with a celebratory roar of noise. “Quickly, this way!” Gaspi said, tugging at Emmy.
“But I haven’t healed Baard yet!”
“Best to leave me bloody fer now,” Baard said.
“Come on Emmy,” Gaspi said, and the two of them slipped away before the horde reached them. They joined the rest of their companions, to find the fire and air spirits had reappeared, returned from wherever they’d been hiding. Gaspi was about to ask them how they’d managed it, but was distracted by the ogres’ enormous roar as they hoisted Baard up over their heads. They surged towards the front of the room and, when they reached the throne, deposited him right on it.
Baard sat there, staring out in bewilderment at the amassed ogres. The Urzaaks that had carried him retreated a few paces, and a Kaas stepped out from among them, carrying Bonebreaker. He climbed the stairs, dropped to one knee and extended the weapon.
“You have come, Gunthaak-bane, as was fated long ago. You have set us free from the tyranny of the Gunthaak and the controlling hand of his shamans. We are yours to command.”
Baard looked at Gaspi in surprise, completely nonplussed. The silence extended awkwardly, and Gaspi started to grow concerned. What did these ogres expect from Baard? What if he didn’t say or do the right thing in what was quite clearly an important moment for them?
“Take the axe Baard,” Taurnil called out.
Baard looked down at Bonebreaker, swallowed and nodded. He reached out and lifted it from the Kaas’ enormous hands. “Er…thank you,” he said.
The Kaas looked up at Baard. “We are yours to command, Gunthaak-bane,” he repeated roundly.
The rest of the ogres dropped to one knee, their fealty given. “GUNTHAAK-BANE!” the Kaas called, and the crowd repeated it, a thunderous chorus that shook the very room. And then they surged to their feet, riotous and joyful. They clapped each other on the back, roaring and shouting, a sound so deafening Gaspi had to put his fingers in his ears. He shared a glance with Baard, and couldn’t help smiling at the giant’s bemused expression. It seemed he had won the allegiance of the ogres, whether he wanted it or not.
Forty-two
“I don’t get it,” Baard said as his friends gathered. “I mean, what do they want from me?”
“They want you for their leader,” Talmo said.
“But I’m not!” Baard responded. “I just defeated their leader!”
“And took his place,” Talmo said.
“But I’m not an ogre!”
“There are certain similarities,” Sabu said with a sly smile.
“Shut it Sabu!” Baard said, flushing.
“Look, we can sort all that out later,” Gaspi interjected. “Let’s get those fragments from the altar. We’re moments a
way from completing the quest.”
“Good point,” Taurnil said. “That must be it, right?” he said, indicating the creamy block of stone Gaspi had noticed when first entering the room.”
“Looks like an altar to me,” Gaspi said.
They strode over to the dais, circling the altar and looking for some indication of what to do.
“This isn’t right,” Emmy said.
“How come?” Gaspi asked.
“I don’t know, but it just isn’t.”
Heath stepped forward and rested a hand on top of the altar, his face a mask of concentration. “Emea is right. There’s nothing special about this altar. It’s just a block of dead stone.”
Gaspi approached it, thinking hard. “This can’t be the altar. Voltan used to wear a fragment of it round his neck, but this thing is undamaged.”
“Okay, so where’s the altar?” Taurnil asked.
“Baard, can you ask your new friends?” Sabu said.
“Sure,” Baard said. He glanced at the Kaas that seemed to have nominated himself as spokesman. “Er…Kaas?” he called.
The Kaas approached him immediately. “My name is Khul, Gunthaak-bane,” he said.
“Khul, we’re lookin’ fer an altar. The one ter the old goddess.”
“El-Amyari,” Emmy interjected.
Khul paused for a moment. “There is a sacred place in the old part of the temple.”
“Can you lead us there?” Baard asked.
“Of course Gunthaak-bane.”
“Thanks, but please stop callin’ me that. Me name’s Baard.”
“As you wish,” Khul said. He turned around and barked some orders, and a troop of Urzaaks formed up immediately. “Follow me.”
They were led from the great hall by Khul and half the Urzaaks, the other half trailing behind them as a rear guard.
…
The door creaked open, scraping an arc across a floor of dusty flagstones. Khul sent the Urzaak guards ahead and then led them in. Gaspi looked around, taking in the broad, oval room, empty and disused, and the heavily draped windows. In the very centre of the room was a raised dais with three shallow steps leading up to it, and on that dais was an exquisite sculpture of a tree, carved from glistening white stone. It was elegant and delicate, its branches stretching towards the heavens.
“The altar,” Emmy breathed from beside him, taking an involuntary step towards it. Gaspi had expected to see something like the blocky, stone altar they’d left behind in the upper chamber, but Emmy seemed to have no doubts they’d found what they were looking for. Perhaps her natural affinity for healing made her sensitive to such things. As they approached, the damage done to it could be clearly seen. Branches had been fractured from the trunk, lying broken in the dust at the foot of the sculpture, but it was still beautiful. Whoever had carved it had taken great care to make it lifelike; it was so realistically carved that he could have sworn there was movement among the leaves. Emmy was out in front now, rushing towards the altar with a look of longing on her face. He jogged to catch up with her and laid a restraining hand on her arm.
“Emmy! What are you doing?” he asked, but when she looked at him, he instantly withdrew his arm. Her face was beatific, transfigured by joy. He’d never seen her look that way, but there was no way it could be a bad thing.
“This is my part in the quest, Gaspi,” she said “Wait for me.” She smiled at him, a smile laden with sweet longing, and carried on walking towards the altar. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he trusted Emmy’s judgement.
He turned around and faced the others. “This is something Emmy has to do alone.”
“So it’s definitely the altar then?” Taurnil asked.
“It seems so,” Gaspi said.
“So what’s she doing?” Taurnil said.
“I don’t know,” Gaspi responded. “But she’s pretty clear that this is her task. We’ll just have to wait and find out.”
The group stood in fascination, watching as Emmy approached the tree. She slowed down when she reached the dais, placing a careful foot on the first step. At first Gaspi thought he was mistaken, but after a moment’s careful observation he realised that the tree was actually glowing, and if he wasn’t mistaken, so was Emmy. She climbed the next step with an outstretched hand, and the glow intensified, enveloping them in a halo of light. The sense of love that Gaspi was accustomed to experiencing in his meditations stirred in him, rising from some deep, secret place.
When Emmy took the last step and laid her hand on the trunk of the tree, light exploded from the altar, shooting across the room in broad beams. All of Gaspi’s companions shielded their eyes, but for him, the glorious eruption of light had been echoed by something similar in his heart. Love arose in him, greater than he’d ever known. It was immense, inconceivably vast, and for those moments he felt like he was brushing up against eternity. Overwhelmed, he fell to his knees, unable to stand up even if he wanted to. Emmy threw her head back and cried out, an expression of heartfelt passion Gaspi felt in his very soul. Around them, every one of their companions fell to their knees too, including the ogres, and for a moment, the shadow of something great beyond understanding passed over them. Gaspi didn’t even dare look up. This was Love, but it was also unknowably pure and unimaginably powerful, and he didn’t feel he could take a face to face encounter.
It was both wonderful and excruciating – unendurable for longer than moments, and just when Gaspi felt he couldn’t take any more, the intensity of the experience started to fade. As the Presence grew more distant, Gaspi dared to open his eyes. The light had faded, but not entirely. The tree was still glowing steadily, and Emmy was standing with her hand on the trunk, her eyes closed and her lips moving soundlessly. Gaspi approached her, climbing the dais and placing a careful hand on her shoulder.
“Emmy,” he called gently, but she didn’t respond. He tried again, but she was oblivious to him. “She’s not responding,” he called to the group, who gathered around anxiously. Lilly lay across her feet and Heath took her free hand. He closed his eyes, and light emanated from both him and Lilly as he began to mutter, but then the light blinked out and Heath let go of her hand as if shocked.
“What’s the matter?” Gaspi asked urgently.
“Nothing’s the matter,” Heath responded with a shake of his head. “We are not to interfere, that is all. Emea is communing with…something. We will have to be patient”
After a few moments Baard cleared his throat. “Why don’t yeh gather up some o’ them broken branches while we wait? That way, yeh’ll be ready to transport when she’s done.”
“Not a good idea,” Heath said. “After what I felt before, I think we’d best wait for permission before carrying off holy artefacts.”
“Baard, why did you say it like that?” Gaspi asked.
“Like wha’?”
“As if you wouldn’t be transporting with us.”
Baard looked at him steadily. “Because I won’ be, laddie.”
“Why not? You’re kidding right?”
“Nope,” he said, scratching his beard. “These ogres swore ’emselves to me, just like I did to yeh eh? I can’t jus’ up-an’-leave’em.”
“But we need you,” Gaspi said.
“I don’t think yeh do,” Baard responded. “Normally me job’s to hit people and hit ’em hard, but it looks like, fer once, I’ve got somethin’ more important ter do.”
“What do you mean?” Sabu asked.
“We came ’ere to get the fragments righ’? To ’elp us fight Sestin and ’is demons. I reckon Hephistole could make use of an ogre army.”
“You intend to stay here, forge an army, and lead them to Helioport?” Talmo said.
“Wha’ could go wrong?” Baard answered with a rakish grin. “What d’yeh reckon Gaspi?”
“You don’t need my approval,” Gaspi objected.
“Yeah I do,” Baard responded. “I swore me-self ter yeh.”
“I don’t see it that way. Y
ou just have to do what feels right.”
“I’d still prefer yer permission.”
“Well for what it’s worth, I think it’s a good idea,” Gaspi conceded, considering Baard’s plan. It was bold but it could work. If Baard could bring them even a few hundred ogres, it might make the world of difference when they finally faced Sestin and whatever hordes he had drawn to himself. “You don’t need my permission, but if it matters to you, you have it. If you’re going to stay, then bring us an army, and do it quickly.”
“Thank yeh laddie,” Baard said. He put an arm around Gaspi’s shoulders, squeezed him in a crushing hug and let him go. “I won’t let yeh down.”
“I know you won’t,” Gaspi said.
…
Time ticked by slowly as they waited for Emmy. They all felt a sense of urgency. The quest was almost complete and they wanted nothing more than to get the fragments and get out of there.
Baard went off with his entourage to get a fuller picture of what was happening among the ogres. Had the shamans in the valley also given in, or just those in the temple? Was there any resistance? Would the reign of the Gunthaak-bane be uncontested? Before he left, he made them promise not to transport out without saying goodbye, and went out into the temple complex.
An hour passed, or perhaps even longer, but Emmy remained as she was, bathed in gentle light and murmuring beneath her breath. Gaspi watched her worriedly, willing her to complete her task and return to them. Forcing himself to exercise patience he didn’t feel, he looked away from her and glanced around the group. They were exhausted; battered, bruised and bloodied. The quest had taken its pound of flesh from every last one of them, and it was time it was over.
Without warning, the door exploded, splintering into a thousand pieces, and through it burst an apparition from their worst nightmares; the Darkman. Gaspi couldn’t react, too numbed by weariness to cope with what was happening. He forced himself to move, even though dismay was written large across his thoughts. Not now, not when they were so close. After all they’d been through, it couldn’t end like this!