‘Oh?’ Khalida said. ‘And who fights for the City of Decay?’
‘Who else?’ Antar said, spreading his arms. ‘Antar, Mightiest and Most Magnificent of All Princes, Whose Glory is as the Sun, will fight for Mahrak. For is he not Mahrak Embodied? The question, mighty queen, is who shall fight for Lybaras? Your Herald is crippled,’ he said, gesturing to Zabbai.
Zabbai began to squirm in Kharnak’s grip. ‘Crippled, am I? Let me down, honoured one! I shall take his yattering jaw,’ she hissed.
‘Be at peace, Herald of Heralds,’ Khalida said. ‘You have done all I asked, most faithful one. Djubti shall make you whole, and you shall serve me anew. But our guests appear to be the impatient sort, and likely will not deign to await your restoration.’ She looked at Antar, who inclined his head, and waved disparagingly at Zabbai. The latter reached for him with a throttling motion, and Kharnak was forced to tighten his grip to keep the broken Herald from squirming out of his grip and going after the prince of Mahrak.
‘As you say, most puissant queen,’ Antar said, backing away from Zabbai, who filled the air with curses. ‘Though I would happily await the Herald’s pleasure, we are here now, and spears rattle and swords are raised. Battle! Battle calls to us! The gods watch and champions must clash! Yes? Yes! Antar is but the game-piece of fate, and he is burdened by glorious purpose!’
‘Then it seems that I require a temporary herald.’ Khalida looked at Gotrek. ‘Have you any wisdom to offer, Son of Stone?’
The Slayer was silent for a moment. Then he smiled and looked at Khalida. Felix looked back and forth between them, hoping that the next words out of Gotrek’s mouth weren’t going to be what he expected. ‘You didn’t give me the doom I was promised, but it’s not every day I get to kill a queen. I owe you for the fight, by my reckoning, High Queen of Lybaras. And I always pay my debts, one way or another,’ Gotrek said.
Khalida examined the Slayer. ‘You are not bound, Gotrek Gurnisson. You have done all I required. You are free to leave, to go where you wish.’
‘I always was,’ Gotrek said with a huff. ‘Aye, and I will, by and by. But this mouthy crow’s leavings and I have a fight to finish before I and the manling take our leave of your lands. A debt of honour stands to be settled, between the folk of Mahrak and mine.’ Gotrek grinned and looked past Antar, where King Tharruk watched from his chariot. ‘I want that hammer back, you sun-bleached oaf!’ he roared, shaking his axe.
‘Hammer?’ Felix blinked. ‘Oh, oh no, Gotrek, really?’
‘Of course, manling. The Hammer of Algrim! I bet that buzzard vomit has it on him,’ Gotrek said, waving his axe at the distant chariot. ‘One of them does, at any rate. Better to shave my beard than let an opportunity like this pass. I’ll silence this chattering numbskull,’ he hiked a thumb at Antar, ‘and I’ll return Algrim’s hammer to Karak Azul. That alone will make this trip worth it, doom or no.’ He looked at Khalida expectantly.
She examined him for a moment, and then inclined her head. ‘Will you lend me one final service, Gotrek Gurnisson, before you depart for the lands of the living?’
Gotrek grinned. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’
Felix groaned.
‘Good!’ Antar barked. ‘It is our time come around at last, cheating monkey. Now shall Antar have his vengeance and he shall have King Alkharad’s as well! Antar shall await you between the armies! Come and die, one-eyed ape!’ He spun about and trotted away, still shouting and gesticulating.
‘This’ll be fun,’ Gotrek said, and slapped Felix on the back. Felix took in the enemy army and swallowed. It was massive. Drums crashed as Antar bellowed something to the troops who’d come with him. They raised a clattering cheer. Behind them, the Lybaran forces began to form up into organised lines. Zabbai inclined her head as he met her gaze. Djubti fussed about her, realigning her cracked bones and poking at her wrappings. She’d be up and around in no time. He was glad she’d survived. He realised that he would miss her, when all was said and done.
‘Cheer up, manling. I’m almost positive I won’t survive this one,’ Gotrek said cheerfully. He gave his axe an experimental swing. Felix looked at him.
‘Here’s hoping,’ he said.
Gotrek guffawed.
‘That’s the spirit!’ he said. Then, with a laugh, the Slayer hefted his axe and went to meet his waiting opponent, as Felix watched the rising sun, and thought of Tilea and sandy beaches.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author of the novels Knight of the Blazing Sun, Time of Legends: Neferata, Time of Legends: Master of Death and Gotrek and Felix: Road of Skulls, Josh Reynolds used to be a roadie for the Hong Kong Cavaliers, but now writes full time. His work has appeared in various anthologies, including Age of Legend and several issues of the electronic magazine Hammer and Bolter.
For Noah, who probably won’t read this
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Published in 2014 by Black Library, Games Workshop Ltd., Willow Road, Nottingham, NG7 2WS, UK
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Map by Nuala Kinrade.
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Gotrek and Felix: The Serpent Queen Page 34