by James Wolf
‘Will the Maliven hunt me like they hunt Logan?’ Taem whispered.
‘It may be worse,’ Hirandar said softly. ‘The Dark Servants want this sword more than anything else in Hathlore. They will kill you just for carrying it.’ Hirandar touched Taem on the shoulder, ‘But you are not alone, Logan and I are with you. Come,’ Hirandar started walking for the cave exit, gesturing for Taem to follow. ‘We must meet Logan at Stheeman’s Hill.’
Chapter 4 – Stheeman’s Hill
Taem and Hirandar approached Stheeman’s Hill in the late evening, three days after leaving the mountains. Taem had never been to such a large town before. It had almost two hundred buildings. The glow of lamplight was comforting and warm after a week in the wilderness. Taem looked forward to sleeping in a bed, and warming himself by a fireplace.
‘Keep the sword covered,’ Hirandar whispered to Taem as they walked towards the town. Taem made sure that his cloak was pulled over the sword at his hip.
‘The Maliven have spies everywhere,’ Hirandar glanced around the twilight countryside. ‘They could be looking for me, and they might even be looking for you. We don’t know how much they know. Keep the sword secret, always.’
Taem felt a shiver of fear as he looked ahead at the lights of Stheeman’s Hill. They no longer seemed so inviting at all.
‘The town looks busy,’ Taem could see lots of people milling down the main street up ahead.
‘Stheeman’s Hill is on the Mountain Way,’ Hirandar said, ‘the main trade route from the north to the south. It has many inns, and many traders and strangers passing through. It’s not safe here for us.’
Taem could hear the Wizard was anxious, and that made him worried.
‘Don’t talk to anyone,’ Hirandar nodded at Taem, ‘don’t even look anyone in the eye unless you have to. Anyone could be Maliven. Follow me, and keep your eyes open.’
Taem was on a knife edge as he followed the old woman through the lamp-lit town. They walked past dozens of people out for an evening stroll, and they all looked harmless to Taem. He saw rich merchants with armed guards, farmers, townspeople, travellers, shopkeepers and inn-workers. Even so, he was careful not to catch their eyes. He shivered when he thought any of these normal looking people could be a Maliven spy. Hirandar led them past shops and taverns, to the other side of town, and into the Boot and Fiddle Inn.
The two companions stepped inside, into the warm yellow glow of the common room, with its black beams, crooked white walls and red brick fireplaces. There must have been fifty people sitting at the tables or propping up the bar. After a week in the wilderness, the hum of dozens of people all talking at once seemed strange to Taem. He became anxious that any of these could be Maliven. He was suspicious of the old men sat round the fireplace, the townspeople sat talking at the tables, and some merchant’s guards in the middle of the room. Even the way a townswoman glanced at him made him wonder.
But then Taem realised that Logan was sat at a small table in the corner, with his back to the wall, watching the rest of the common room. Taem’s tense shoulders relaxed as he recognised the familiar face.
Logan gestured for Taem to come over with a dip of his head. Hirandar went to the bar to talk to the innkeeper.
‘You have it then?’ Logan had a startling intensity in his eyes.
Taem patted his side where, underneath his cloak, the Starblade lay against his hip.
‘You must show me later,’ Logan glanced around the common room. ‘But not here, too many watching eyes.’
Hirandar came over and sat with them around the table, ‘We’ll eat now, and go to our room. We can’t talk properly here.’
Taem was surprised they had to be so secretive – that they could not even say hello to each other – but he knew Logan and Hirandar would not be like that without reason.
The innkeeper served the three of them a dinner of roast beef and vegetables. And still they did not speak to each other. Taem was enjoying the succulent beef and crispy potatoes, when he realised the people sat at the next table were having an interesting conversation.
‘They say there’s trouble in the North,’ said an old man with grey hair.
‘Last night,’ a local woman said, ‘I spoke to a Sarcaedian merchant who was staying at the inn where I work. She said there’s unrest on the Border, the Shadowlands are stirring.’
‘Trouble on the Shadowborder?’ A man with a big nose laughed sarcastically. ‘Nargs invading? You’re now going to tell us that Malveous himself was waiting for you last night, trying to get you – whilst hiding under your bed I suppose?’
A couple of other townspeople burst out with laughter at this suggestion. Taem found nothing funny about it though. He saw the black look on Hirandar’s face, and the fury with which Logan was cutting into his beef.
‘Do you think the Grim Wanderer is going to come and save you?’ Big Nose chortled.
‘I don’t believe in childish tales of demons!’ The lady inn worker glowered at Big Nose. ‘And I know those legends of the Grim Wanderer are just stories! But I do believe that Beastmen live in the Shadowlands.’
‘I’ve heard men from the army talk about the ferocious Nargs,’ Grey Hair said, ‘but all the Beastmen are trapped in the Shadowlands. Sarcaedia holds the Northern Border, so they cannot overrun our lands. I think we’re safe from Narg raiders here.’
‘Honestly, you people!’ Big Nose scoffed. ‘The travellers must have great fun at our expense, telling us backwater folk tall tales about things out of the storybooks. Someone’s now going to tell us how a Baku followed them home last night–’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ The townswoman snapped. ‘You’re a fool to speak that name aloud!’
‘Believe what you like,’ Big Nose smirked. ‘I’ll wait till I see one with my own eyes – and not go by the word of some traveller looking for a cheap laugh!’
Hirandar rose out of her chair, scraping it across the tiled floor. There was a thunderous scowl across her face, as she stormed out of the common room. Big Nose, Grey Hair and the townswoman turned round in surprise, but soon continued on with their misinformed conversation.
Logan and Taem finished their dinners, and followed after Hirandar without a word. They found Hirandar lying back on one of the three beds in room number eight. The Wizard did not speak until Taem and Logan had entered and locked the door behind them.
‘Bloody fools!’ The Wizard snarled. ‘So ignorant these people are of the world! Content they sit, chatting away in the tavern – whilst hundreds of soldiers die every year defending The Border! Just so these idiots can continue their ungrateful existence!’ The Wizard thumped her fist into her palm. ‘This is why the Maliven can spread their influence so easily. Sowing the Dark One’s evil seed in the world of Men – without them believing until it’s too late. I almost wish a Narg had come through the inn door! Well, almost…’
‘Why don’t they believe Nargs exist?’ Taem stashed his travelling pack in the corner of the room, and hung their cloaks up on the back of the door.
‘Because we do our job too well,’ Logan walked over to the window, peering down at the alley behind the inn. ‘We fight and die, to keep these people safe. And that is the thanks we get. It isn’t worth getting upset about, Hirandar. It’s always that way in the kingdoms far from the Shadowlands.’ Logan pulled the curtains across the window. ‘Show me the sword, Taem.’
With the whisper of metal on leather, Taem pulled his blade from its scabbard and presented it to Logan with two hands. The Sodan Master took the blade and tried a few strikes through the air.
‘This sword is a unique wonder,’ Logan whispered, as he brought the blade up to his face. ‘Flawless and perfect,’ the Sodan Master turned the keen edge over, examining it from different angles.
Logan’s sword was a mighty Sodan blade, but the Master knew this Starblade was something else. He could feel the power of Estellarum coursing through his blood as he held the sword. Logan had never felt anything like it, nothing e
ven came close. The Sodan Master knew this Starblade was imbued with the Light itself. And he could already feel the link between Taem and his sword.
‘This is your sword,’ Logan offered the Starblade to Taem. ‘It’s a part of you now. You must never lose it.’
‘Yes, Master,’ Taem took back his sword, touched the flat of the blue blade to his forehead, and sheathed the sword by his side.
‘And Taem,’ Logan smiled, ‘I’m proud of you.’ Logan touched his apprentice on the shoulder.
‘Thank you, Master,’ Taem grinned.
‘I never doubted you’d come back with the sword,’ Logan said.
‘It’s late,’ Hirandar reached over to turn off the oil lamp, ‘It’s a long way north to Dolam, and further still after that. We better get some rest.’
‘Good night.’ Taem reached over to extinguish the last oil lamp, and fell asleep.
Taem woke in the middle of the night, filled with a sense of unease. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Taem felt as if he could sense evil. He felt a terrible sense of doom and foreboding, as if he was in danger. He stared up through the shadows at the beams overhead, and looked round the dark room. There was nothing untoward in the room, and Hirandar and Logan were sleeping. But yet Taem could feel something was not right. There was something Dark close by. He could feel the presence of something that could only be evil. Perhaps he was just imagining it, but the sense of dread felt too strong.
‘Get up!’ Logan roared, as he leapt out of bed. ‘Nargs!’ The Sodan Master reached for his sword. ‘Hirandar, make some light!’
The Wizard sat up in bed, and conjured a ball of white light to float above her outstretched palm.
‘Ready your sword!’ Logan shouted at Taem. ‘Nargs are coming, I can feel them. They are close!’
Taem felt a surge of terror wash over him. He could not move. It made horrible sense. Logan had told him that Sodan could feel when Nargs were close, feel their blight on the world. That was the dreadful sense of evil that had woken him. He leapt into action, hurrying to pull his clothes on, relieved Logan was there to tell him what to do. A scream echoed through the night outside. Followed by a bestial roar that was more savage and violent than anything Taem had ever heard. There were more cries and roars filling the night, from all over the town. Taem shuddered as he heard those evil cries. They chilled his soul. He wanted to crawl under the bed and hide.
‘The Light protect us,’ Hirandar murmured as she got out of bed.
‘Sounds like a full war party.’ Logan peeked out the window, pulling back the edge of the curtain.
‘How many’s that?’ Taem asked Hirandar.
‘Fifty.’ Hirandar picked up her staff.
Taem began to shake again. Fifty? They had no chance.
‘Stay close to me,’ Logan looked at Taem. ‘Do not hesitate. These Nargs are here to kill us. Follow me.’
Logan pulled the door back fast, sword at the ready. There were terrified people in the corridor, but no Nargs. Logan crept down the corridor and Taem was close behind. The horrendous roars were just outside the inn. Taem’s hands were shaking so much he had to concentrate to hold his sword. Logan reached the top of the stairs, and Taem followed him down. He kept thinking a Narg would jump out any moment. The roars outside grew louder. Taem’s heart was thumping through his chest. They entered the common room, where someone had lit all the lamps. Taem looked all over the room, searching for any Nargs. He was so glad Logan was with him. The Sodan Master did not even seem scared. Taem had never seen Logan emanate such strength, and he took courage from his confidence. There were townspeople cowering down, huddling together in a corner, praying.
‘Help us!’ A townswoman cried out, when she saw Logan. ‘There are monsters outside!’
There was a massive smash as the inn’s front door splintered, and crashed off its hinges. A terrible howl came from just outside the doorway. It was so loud that it shook the inn’s walls. Taem trembled when he thought about the Narg that made that sound. The townspeople fled for the stairs, screaming in terror. The monster’s shadow filled the doorway. Taem wanted to run away. He saw the Narg was seven foot tall, and so wide it filled the entire door. The Narg stepped into the light. Taem reared back. The creature was horrific. The Narg had the head of a bull, and the body of a huge furred man. But the creature was far taller and more muscular than any man Taem had ever seen. Its eyes were red, full of murder and bloodlust. Those eyes burned like coals in the dark. The Narg carried a great rusty axe in its massive arms, and was covered in black metal armour. It opened its fanged mouth and bellowed a bestial challenge. Taem quaked, and prayed to the Light. The Narg stepped inside, and it moved like a beast, as if it could explode into violence.
Logan took a few steps towards the Narg. Taem wanted to pull Logan back, tell him they had to run away. But the Sodan Master seemed so calm. The Narg rushed towards Logan. Taem wanted to shout for Logan to run, but he was frozen in fear. He was terrified the powerful monster would cleave Logan in two. The Sodan Master leapt to the side as the Narg charged. The creature pulled back its axe to swing. But Logan was too fast. The Sodan Master’s blade cut through the Narg’s arm, cleaved through its dark armour, and halfway through its giant chest. The Narg slumped to the floor, dead.
Taem stared at Logan in amazement. He had never seen the Master move that fast before.
‘Taem,’ Logan kept his eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the doorway, ‘stay close to me!’
Logan edged towards the doorway, and Taem followed. Hirandar was close behind. Taem watched as Logan peered out into the darkness, looking all around.
‘We must get the horses,’ Logan edged out. ‘Follow me!’
Logan turned left and hurried away, towards the stables, Taem ran after him. As he stepped out into the night, he heard more spine-chilling cries. They seemed to come from all directions. A great shadow loomed out of the dark. The giant Narg loomed over Logan. This Narg seemed even more sinister than the last. Out of a shaggy mound of hair, protruded two massive horns, a huge snout of sharp teeth, and two red eyes gleamed. Taem saw Logan’s sword flash in the torchlight. Logan ducked as the Narg swung its club. The Sodan Master drove his sword forward and up. His Sodan blade speared the monster through its gut and up into its heart. Taem looked back, and saw more looming shadows running towards them from the Boot and Fiddle Inn.
‘They’re behind us!’ Taem shouted. ‘We can’t get to the stables!’
Fire sprung to life in Hirandar’s fist, and she launched it at the charging shadows. There was a terrible shrieking as one of the Nargs was engulfed in flame.
‘Run!’ Logan pulled Taem and Hirandar along with him.
They sprinted down the street. Taem saw Nargs off to one side, tearing a corpse to pieces, feasting on the flesh and drinking the blood. Taem felt his stomach turn, and he thought he was going to be sick. The Nargs looked up with beady red eyes, and soon began running after Taem. Up ahead, some townspeople ran screaming from a house. Two Nargs came bounding after them, pouncing on the people. The Nargs hacked and slashed and ripped out the people’s throats. Logan was too far away to do anything, and Taem had to avert his eyes. Logan knew the old Wizard would never be able to keep this pace up. Up ahead there were clashes of steel on metal, as many shadows battled in the dark. Taem saw men fighting the Nargs in the dark street, outside a large inn.
‘Head for the inn!’ Logan shouted as they ran.
Taem watched in horror as a Narg skewered a merchant’s guard with a great spear. The Narg screamed as it hurled the dead guard away like a ragdoll. Two other merchant’s guards managed to hack a Narg down with their swords, by coming at it from both sides. But most of the guards were backing away in terror. The Nargs were surrounding them, huge shadows coming forth from the night, red eyes glinting with evil intent. One Narg leapt forward and brought a great axe down. It cleaved one of the merchant’s guards in two. The Nargs roared and screamed, calling for more blood.
Logan ran at
the Nargs, his sword trailing behind him. The Nargs had their backs to him, as they faced the dozen merchant’s guards. The Sodan Master leapt up high and decapitated a Narg. Logan landed, turned and thrust his sword through the back of another. From behind Taem, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck go stiff. There was blinding light. Hirandar launched lightning bolts into the two Nargs either side of Logan. The monsters were lit up with blue light, and screamed as they burned.
‘Inside the inn!’ Logan shouted at the terrified merchant’s guards, and everyone followed him through the door.
Taem saw many horrified townspeople in the inn, all looking up as if they had seen their worst nightmares come true.
‘The Light protect us,’ one of the shaking merchant’s guards mumbled.
‘Bar the door!’ Logan shouted at the guards, shocking them, and they jumped into reinforcing the door with benches and tables.
‘Taem, go with those two,’ Logan pointed at a couple of quivering merchant’s guards, ‘go and check the back door is locked.’ Logan grabbed Taem’s arm, ‘Be careful! Don’t hesitate. Go!’ Logan pushed him towards the door behind the bar.
Taem crept into the dark kitchen. Nothing moved in the shadows. All he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, and the frightened gasps of the two guards behind him. Every moment Taem expected a Narg to jump him. From under one of the tables, out from the corner of the worktop. Taem’s heart was thumping through his chest as he slunk to the other side. He could hear one of the merchant’s guards shaking so much that his sword was knocking against the metal on his belt. They reached the other side of the kitchen and started down a passage. One of the guards picked up an oil lamp and lit it. Taem was expecting the light to reveal a great Narg hiding in the corridor. But it was empty. Taem could see a door to a larder, and at the far end of the corridor the back door was open to the outside.
‘Light!’ One of the guards gasped. ‘How long’s that door been open for?’