single street. A thick-bodied peasant sat on a stool in an
open-sided shed, milking a brown cow.
'Hello, there, friend,' Kurik called to him, slipping
down from his horse. The peasant turned and stared at him in slack-lipped
stupidity.
'Do you happen to know about a place called Giant's
Mound!' Kurik asked him.
The fellow continued to gape at him without
answering.
Then a lean man with squinting eyes came out of a
nearby house. 'Won't do you no good to talk to him,' he
said. 'He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was
young, and he ha'n't been right since.'
'Oh,' Kurik said. 'Sorry to hear about that. Maybe you
could help us. We're looking for a place called Giant's
Mound.'
'You're not plannin' to go there at night, are you?'
'No, we thought we'd wait until daylight.'
That's a little better, but not much. It's haunted, you
know. '
'No, I didn't know that. Whereabouts is it?'
'You see that lane as runs off toward the south-east?'
The lean man pointed.
Kurik nodded.
'Come sun-up, follow that. It runs right past the
mound - four, maybe five mile from here.'
'Have you ever seen anybody poking around it?
Maybe somebody digging?'
'Never heard tell of nothin' like that. People as has
good sense don't poke around haunted places.'
'We've heard that you've got a Troll in this area.'
'What's a Troll?'
'ugly brutes all covered with hair. This one is pretty
badly deformed.'
'Oh, that thing. It's got a lair someplace out in the bogs.
It only comes out at night. It wanders up an' down the
lake-shore. It makes awful noises for a while an' then
pounds on the ground with its front paws as if it was real
mad about somethin'. I seen it a couple times myself
when I was cuttin' peat. I'd stay away from it if it was me.
It seems like it's got an awful bad temper.'
'Sounds like good advice to me. Ever see any StyriCS
hereabouts?'
'No. They don't come around here. People in this
district don't hold with heathens much. You sure are full
of questions, friend.' Kurik shrugged. 'Best way to learn things is to ask
questions,' he said easily.
'Well, go ask somebody else. I got work to do.' The
fellow's expression had turned unfriendly. He scowled
at the stupid fellow in the shed. 'You done with the
milkin' yet?' he demanded.
The slack-lipped idiot shook his head apprehensively.
'Well get at it. You don't get no supper till yer done.'
"Thanks for your time, friend,' Kurik said, remounting.
The lean man grunted and went back into the house.
Page 155
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
"Useful,' Sparhawk said, as they rode out of the village
in the ruddy light of the setting sun. 'At least there aren't
any Zemochs around.'
"I'm not so sure, Sparhawk,' Kurik disagreed. "I don't
think that fellow was the best source of information in the
world. He doesn't seem to take too much interest in
what's going on around him. Besides, Zemochs aren't
the only ones we have to worry about. That Seeker thing
could set just about anybody on us, and we've also got to
keep an eye out for that Troll. If Sephrenia's right about
that jewel's making its reimergence known, the Troll
would be one of the first ones to know, wouldn't he?'
"I don't know. We'll have to ask her.'
I think we'd better assume that he will. If we dig the
crown up, we should more or less expect a visit from him.'
That's a cheery thought. At least we found out where
the mound is located. Let's go see if we can find Kalten's
camp before it gets dark.'
Kalten had set up for the night in a copse of beech trees
a mile or so back from the lake, and he had built a large
fire at the edge of the grove. He was standing beside it
when Sparhawk and Kurik rode in. 'Well?' he asked.
"We got directions to the mound,' Sparhawk replied,
climbing down from his saddle. "It's not very far. Let's go
talk with Tynian.'
The heavily armoured Alcione was standing by the
fire, talking with Ulath.
Sparhawk related the information Kurik had obtained
from the villager, then looked at Tynian. 'How are you
feling?' he asked directly.
"I'm fine. Why? Am I looking unwell?'
'Not really. I was just wondering if you felt up to
necromancy again. The last time took quite a bit out of
you, as I recall.'
"I'm up to it, Sparhawk,' Tynian assured him, 'provided
you don't want me to raise whole regiments.'
'No, just one. We need to talk with King Sarak before
we dig him up. He'll probably know what happened to
his crown, and I want to be sure he's not going to object
to being taken back to Thalesia. I don't want an angry
ghost trailing along behind us.'
'Truly,' Tynian agreed fervently.
They rose before dawn the next morning and waited
impatiently for the first sign of daylight along the horizon
to the east. When it came, they were ready, and they set
out across the still-dark fields.
"I think we should have waited for more light,
Sparhawk,' Kalten grumbled. 'We're likely to run around
in circles out here.'
'We're going east, Kalten. That's where the sun comes
up. All we have to do is ride towards the lightest part of
the sky.' Kalten muttered something to himself.
"I didn't quite catch that,' Sparhawk said.
"I wasn't talking to you.'
'Oh. Sorry.'
The pale pre-dawn light gradually increased, and
Sparhawk looked around to get his bearings. That's the
village over there,' he said, pointing. The lane we want
to follow is on the far side of it.'
'Let's not rush too much,' Sephrenia cautioned, drawing
her white robe about Flute. "I want the sun to be up
when we reach the mound. The talk of haunting may be
just a local superstition, but let's not take any chances.'
Sparhawk curbed his impatience with some difficulty.
Page 156
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
They rode through the silent village at a walk and
entered the lane the surly vilager had pointed out.
Sparhawk nudged Faran into a trot. "It's not all that fast,
Sephrenia,' he said in response to her disapproving
expression. 'The sun will be well up by the time we get
there. '
The lane was lined on both sides by low field-stone
walls, and like all country lanes, it wandered. Farmers,
by and large, take little interest in straight lines, and will
usually follow the path of least resistance. Sparhawk's
impatience grew greater with each passing mile.
"there it is,' Ulath said finally, pointing ahead. "I've
seen hundreds like it in Thalesia.'
'Let's wait until the sun gets a little higher,' Tynian
said,
squinting at the sunrise. "I don't want any shadows
around when I do this. Where's the king likely to be
buried?'
'in the centre,' Ulath replied, 'with his feet pointed
towards the west. His retainers will be in ranks on either
side of him.'
"It helps to know that.'
'Lets ride around it,' Sparhawk said. "I want to see if
anybody's been digging, and I definitely want to make
sure that nobody's around. This is the sort of thing we
want lots of privacy for."They cantered around the
mound. It was quite high, and it was perhaps a hundred
feet long and twenty wide. Its sides were covered with
grass, and it was smoothly symmetrical. There were no
signs of any excavations.
"I'm going up on top,' Kurik said when they returned
to the road. 'That's the highest point around here. If
anybody's in the area, I should be able to see them from
up there.'
"you would actually walk on a grave?' Bevier's tone
was shocked.
'We're all going to be walking on it in a little while,
Bevier,' Tynian said. 'I'll need to be fairly close to where
King Sarak's buried to raise his ghost.'
Kurik clambered up the side of the mound and stood
atop it, peering around. "I don't see anybody,' he called
down, 'but there are some trees off to the south. It might
not hurt to have a look before we get started.'
Sparhawk ground his teeth together, but he had to
admit to himself that his squire was probably right.
Kurik slid down the grassy side of the mound and
remounnted. 'Sephrenia,' Sparhawk said, 'why don't you stay here
with the children?'
'No, Sparhawk,' she refused. 'if there are people
hiding in those trees, we don't want them to know that
we have any particular interest in this mound.'
'Good point,' he agreed. 'Let's just ride on down to
those trees as if we intended to keep going south.'
They moved out, following the winding country lane
across the fields. 'Sparhawk,' Sephrenia said quietly as they approached
the edge of the trees, 'there are people in those woods,
and they aren't friendly.'
'How many?'
'A dozen at least.'
'Hold back a little bit with Talen and Flute,' he told her.
'All right, gentlemen,' he said to the others, 'you know
what to do.' But before they could enter the woods, a
group of poorly armed peasants dashed out from under
the trees. They had that vacantt look that immediately
Page 157
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
identified them. Sparhawk lowered his lance and
charged with his companions thundering along at either
side of him.
The fight did not last for very long. The peasants were
unskilled with their weapons, and they were on foot. It
was all over in a few minutes.
'Nicely done, Sssir Knightsss,' a chillingly metallic
voice said sardonically from the shadows back under the
trees. Then the robed and hooded Seeker rode out into
the morning sunlight. 'But no matter,' it continued. "I
know where ye are now.'
Sparhawk handed his lance to Kurik and drew
Aldreas's spear out from under his saddle skirt. 'And we
know where you are as well, Seeker,' he said in an
ominously quiet voice.
'Do not be foolisssh, SSSir SSSparhawk,' it hissed.
Thou art no match for me.'
"why don't we try it and find out?'
The hooded figure's hidden face began to glow green.
Then the light flickered and faded. 'Thou hassst the
ringsss!' it hissed, seeming much less sure of itself now.
"I thought you already knew that.'
Then Sephrenia joined them.
"It hasss been quite sssome time, SSSephrenia,' the
thing said in its hissing voice.
'Not nearly long enough to suit me,' she replied coldly.
"I will ssspare thy life if thou wilt fall down and
worssship me.'
'No, Azash. Never. I wil remain faithful to my
Goddess.'
Sparhawk stared at her and then at the Seeker in
astonishment.
"thinkessst thou that Aphrael canssst protect thee if I
decide that thy life ssservesss no further purpossse?'
"you've decided that before without much noticeable
effect. I will still serve Aphrael.'
'Asss thou ssseessst fit, SSSephrenia.' Sparhawk moved
Faran forwards at a walk, sliding his ringed hand up the
shaft of the spear until it rested on the metal shank. Once
again he felt that enormous surge of power. 'The game isss
almossst played out, and itsss conclusssion isss foregone.
We will meet once again, SSSephrenia, and for the lassst
time.' Then the hooded creature wheeled its horse and fled
from Sparhawk's menacing approach.
PART THREE
The Troll Cave
*Chapter18
Was that really Azash?' Kalten asked in awe.
'His voice,' Sephrenia replied.
'Does He really talk like that? All that hissing?'
'Not really. The Seeker's mouth-parts distort things.'
"I gather that you've met Him before,' Tynian said
shifting the shoulder plates of his bulky armour.
'Once,' she said shortly, 'a very long time ago.'
Sparhawk ' got the distinct impression that she didn't
really want to talk about it. 'We may as well go back to the
mound,' she added. 'Let's get what we came for and
leave before the Seeker comes back with reinforcements. '
' They turned their horses and rode back along the
winding lane. The sun had fully risen by now, but
Page 158
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
Sparhawk nonetheless felt cold. The encounter with the
Elder God, even though by proxy, had chilled his blood
and seemed to have dulled even the sun.
When they reached the mound, Tynian took his coil of
rope and laboriously led the way up the steep side. Again
he laid out the peculiar pattern on the ground.
'Are you sure you won't raise one of the king's
retainers by mistake?' Kalten asked him.
Tynian shook his head. 'I'll call Sarak by name.' He
began the incantation, and concluded it by clapping his
hands sharply together.
At first nothing seemed to happen, and then the ghost
of the long dead King Sarak began to emerge from the
mound. His chain-mail armour was archaic and showed
huge rents in it from sword and axe. His shield had been
battered, and his ancient sword was nicked and scarred.
He was enormous, but he wore no crown. 'Who art
thou?' the ghost demanded in a hollow voice.
"I am Tynian, Your Majesty, an Alcione Knight from
Deira. '
King Sarak stared sternly at him with hollow eyes.
'This is unseemly, Sir Tynian. "return me at once to the
place where I sleep, lest I grow wroth.'
'Pray forgive me, Your Majesty,' Tynian apologized.
'We would not have disturbed thy rest but for a matter of
desperate urgency.'
'Nothing hath su
fficient urgency to concern the dead. '
Sparhawk stepped forward. 'My name is Sparhawk,
Your Majesty,' he said.
'A Pandion, judging from thine armour.'
"yes, Your Majesty. The Queen of Elenia is gravely ill,
and only Bhelliom can heal her. We have come to entreat
thee to permit us to use the jewel to restore her health.
We will return it to thy grave when we have completed
our task.'
'Return it or keep it, Sir Sparhawk,' the ghost said
indifferently.
'Thou shalt not find it in my grave, however.'
Sparhawk felt as if he had been struck a sharp blow to
the pit of the stomach.
'This queen of thine, what malady hath she so grave
that only Bhelliom can heal it?' there was only the
faintest hintt of curiosity in the ghosts voice.
"She was poisoned, Your Majesty, by those who would
seize her throne.'
Sarak's expression, which had been blankly indifferent,
suddenly became angry. 'A treasonous act, Sir
Sparhawk,' he said harshly. 'Knowest thou the perpetrators?'
"I do."
'And hast thou punished them?'
'Not as yet, Your Majesty.'
'They still have their heads? Have the Pandions
become weaklings over the centurieS?'
'We thought it best to return the queen to health, Your
Majesty, so that she might have the pleasure of pronouncing
their doom upon them.'
Sarak seemed to consider that. "It is fitting,' he
approved finally. 'Very well then, Sir Sparhawk, I will
aid thee. Despair not that Bhelliom is not in the place
where I lay, for I can direct thee to the place where it lies
hidden. When I fell upon this field, my kinsman, the Earl
of Heid, seized up my crown and fled with it to keep it
out of the hands of our foes. Hard was he pressed and
Page 159
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
gravely wounded. He reached the shores of yon lake ere
he died, and he hath sworn to me in the House of the
dead that with his dying breath, he cast the crown into
the murky waters, and that our foes found it not. Seek ye,
therefore, in that lake, for doubtless Bhelliom still llies
there. '
Thank you, Your Majesty,' Sparhawk replied with
profound gratitude.
Then Ulath pushed forward. "I am Ulath of Thalesia,'
he declared, 'and I claim distant kinship with thee, My
King. It is unseemly that thy final resting place be in
foreign soil. As God gives me strength, I vow to thee that
with thy permission I will return thy bones to our
2 - The Ruby Knight Page 32