by Robert Ryan
“Strange, very strange that you should speak those words now, speak them in the context of a lòhren and not a Durlin. And all the more now do I feel that this is the right path for you.”
Brand was not so sure of things. “What will be, will be,” he said.
The lòhren’s mood suddenly shifted, and he laughed. “You of all people don’t believe that. You, who have foretellings hanging over your head wherever you go, and ignore them all.”
Brand shrugged, but did not answer. He wondered just who, or what, Aranloth saw when he looked at him.
And Aranloth did look at him now, his mood changing again to one of warning.
“Remember this, and remember it always. You are now a lòhren, though you have much yet to learn. But your serving may take a different form than you think. Even to those who wander the paths of the future, its ways and its twists and turns are often unseen. Remember that in the days ahead.”
Brand looked at him, looked at his oldest friend in Cardoroth, and felt the full force of those words. Aranloth knew something. And Brand had a feeling that the future held surprises for him. He smiled to himself, for it was a feeling that he liked.
Epilogue
A breeze touched the tops of the pine trees. Dusk was drawing close, and in the forest darkness had already descended, deep and impenetrable. Thus it always was in the woods that surrounded lake Alithorin, and thus it would always remain.
Beneath the fringe of that forest, atop a hill, several pairs of eyes looked down coldly at what they saw. The landscape shone eerily under the slanting rays of the dying sun. The light flickered, shifted and changed as it danced to the movement of the cloud-wreck on the horizon, the remnant of the terrible storm. Those clouds, fired red by the lowering sun, seemed like blood poured across the western sky.
But redder still was the great wall of Cardoroth. Blood was on it, and it reeked of death. Blood was soaked into the soil, and the remembered screams of the dying hung in the air, though all that could be heard by the ears of the watchers was the rustle of pine leaves and the sounds of small animals scurrying in the shadows, hunter and hunted, playing their own battle of life and death. Those creatures recked nothing of men, thought nothing of the battles that had been fought. And they cared even less.
But the eyes that watched, or rather the minds that directed them, cared and understood. And they felt the joy of the city and the people who lived there, and it chagrined them. And they felt the terror of the fleeing elugs, and though that excited them, it disturbed them more.
One of the great masters had fallen, and there were few in the world like him. Just how it had happened, they did not know, but one of them sensed the involvement of Brand. Brand of the Duthenor come west into lands that had nothing to do with him, come west into lands to kill and destroy.
The death of Khamdar was a great event in Alithoras, yet it was a small thing beside the death of one other that Brand had killed.
Ginsar stared out through the falling night. She paid no heed to the cold glinting of the stars that sparked to life like far-away campfires in the dark sky. She thought nothing of the forest behind her, though it had been her home for years beyond the count of mortal men. She thought of nothing but Brand, and the more she thought, the greater the cold fury that burned within her grew.
“The battle is lost,” she said to her three companions. “Khamdar underestimated Brand. That is a mistake I will not make, for I am not of the south as was Khamdar, and I have watched Brand closely over the years – and I have learned.”
One of the black-cloaked elùgroths next to her spoke, and his voice was wary, for he had seen this mood on his leader before.
“But Mistress,” he said, “if the battle is lost how can you attain revenge on Brand? He is safe in the walls of the city.”
Ginsar turned to look at him, and her expression was cold, colder than the void in which the stars burned out their life surrounded by oblivion.
“I am Ginsar, and my power is great. Khamdar failed, but I will not, and the death of Brand will atone for my brother whom he killed. And for all Khamdar’s power, he could not foretell the future as do I.”
“And what do you see, Mistress?”
She looked back at Cardoroth, and a smile touched her lips, but it was colder than the black void.
“Brand thinks that soon he can leave the city, that his duty here is done. But that is not so. His duty will pin him here, like an insect crawling over stone and squashed beneath a booted foot. And that will be the death of him.”
There was a pause, marked only by the rustle of the breeze through pine needles.
“How so, Mistress?” one of the other elùgroths asked after a moment.
Ginsar stood, silent as a stone, and whatever thoughts and plans spun through her mind, nothing showed on her face.
“This much I will reveal to you. The way to Brand is through those he loves. And one that he loves most will place a burden on him, and the care of a child.”
There was another pause. She said nothing, and the elùgroths grew anxious.
She turned to them and grinned, and power was in her glance, unwavering and potent. But there was madness in it also. This the elùgroths recognized, but it mattered not. She led, and they followed. Thus it had ever been, even with her as it was with her brother, the master that they had served before they had taken her as mistress.
“The child is the key,” she said. “I will use him to lure Brand to his downfall. And never will one have fallen from such heights to such depths. Never will one know such pain and regret. And I will draw it out, and savor every moment though it be unendurable torment to him.”
“And what of the child himself?”
“Ah. The child. Such sweet revenge, for with him I can condemn Brand. Yet the child is also an enemy. Verily, that youth is born of the line of she that we hate most in all the world.”
The elùgroths pondered this. After several moments and secret glances among themselves, one spoke.
“Mistress? Who is it that we hate even more than Brand?”
She looked at him coolly, and he trembled.
“Think, O fool. Think!”
One of the other elùgroths bowed, and glanced slyly at his discomforted brother. “Mistress. She that we hate is Carnhaina, and the child must be descended from that ancient witch.”
Ginsar tossed back her long hair, black as the shadows of the forest. It was a girlish gesture, and, coming from her, was so out of place that it unnerved even the elùgroths.
“So he is, and destroying the boy and Brand together is fitting beyond description. For though the witch has been dead many centuries, still does her spirit linger in the city, watching and helping. And the destruction of Brand and the witch’s descendant will drive my revenge deep into her long-dead heart, and her anguish will add to my ecstasy.”
The stars wheeled above. The night wore on, and Ginsar revealed her plans to the elùgroths. And even they, dark souls though they were, blanched.
Thus ends Victorious Swords. It brings the Durlindrath trilogy to a conclusion. Yet the growing power of the south, and the madness of Ginsar, imperils all of Alithoras and more of the desperate struggle is told in book one of the Son of Sorcery series: Prince of the Magic.
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Encyclopedic Glossary
Note: the glossary of each book in this series is individualized for that book alone. Additionally, there is often historical material provided in its entries for people, artifacts and events that are not included in the main text.
Many races dwell in Alithoras. All have their own language, and though sometimes related to one another, the changes sparked by migration, isolation and various i
nfluences often render these tongues unintelligible to each other.
The ascendancy of Halathrin culture, combined with their widespread efforts to secure and maintain allies against elug incursions, has made their language the primary means of communication between diverse peoples.
For instance, a soldier of Cardoroth addressing a ship’s captain from Camarelon would speak Halathrin, or a simplified version of it, even though their native speeches stem from the same ancestral language.
This glossary contains a range of names and terms. Many are of Halathrin origin, and their meaning is provided. The remainder derive from native tongues and are obscure, so meanings are only given intermittently.
Some variation exists within the Halathrin language, chiefly between the regions of Halathar and Alonin. The most obvious example is the latter’s preference for a “dh” spelling instead of “th”.
Often, Camar names and Halathrin elements are combined. This is especially so for the aristocracy. No other tribes had such long-term friendship with the Halathrin, and though in this relationship they lost some of their natural culture, they gained nobility and knowledge in return.
List of abbreviations:
Azn. Azan
Cam. Camar
Chg. Cheng
Comb. Combined
Cor. Corrupted form
Duth. Duthenor
Esg. Esgallien
Hal. Halathrin
Leth. Letharn
Prn. Pronounced
Age of heroes: A period of Camar history that has become mythical. Many tales are told of this time. Some are true, others are not. And yet, even the false ones usually contain elements of historical fact. Many were the heroes who walked abroad during this time, and they are remembered still, and honored still, by the Camar people. The old days are looked back on with pride, and the descendants of many heroes yet walk the streets of Cardoroth, though they be unaware of their heritage and the accomplishments of their forefathers.
Alar: Azn. A strain of horses raised in the southern deserts of Alithoras. Bred for endurance, but capable of bursts of speed. Most valued possession of the Azan people, who measure wealth and status by their number. In their culture, where a person on foot is likely to die between water sources, horse-theft is punished by torture and death.
Alithoras: Hal. “Silver land.” The Halathrin name for the continent they settled after the exodus. Refers to the extensive river and lake systems they found and their appreciation of the beauty of the land.
Alith Nien: Hal. “Silver river.” Has its source in the mountainous lands of Auren Dennath and empties into Lake Alithorin.
Anast Dennath: Hal. “Stone mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with Auren Dennath and location of the Dweorhrealm.
Angle: The land hemmed in by the Carist Nien and Erenian rivers, especially the area in proximity to their divergence.
Angrod: One of the ancient names of the witch better known in present times as Durletha.
Arach Neben: Hal. “West gate.” The great wall surrounding Cardoroth has four gates. Each is named after a cardinal direction, and each also carries a token to represent a celestial object. Arach Neben bears a steel ornament of the Morning Star.
Aranloth: Hal. “Noble might.” A lòhren.
Arell: A name formerly common among the Camar people, but currently out of favor in Cardoroth. Its etymology is obscure, though it is speculated that it derives from the Halathrin stems “aran” and “ell” meaning noble and slender. Ell, in the Halathrin tongue, also refers to any type of timber that is pliable, for instance, hazel. This is cognate with our word wych-wood, meaning timber that is supple and pliable. As elùgroths use wych-wood staffs as instruments of sorcery, it is sometimes supposed that their name derives from this stem, rather than elù (shadowed). This is a viable philological theory. Nevertheless, as a matter of historical fact, it is wrong.
Aurellin: Cor. Hal. The first element means blue. The second appears to be native Camar. Queen of Cardoroth and wife to Gilhain.
Auren Dennath: Comb. Duth. and Hal. Prn. Our-ren dennath. “Blue mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with Anast Dennath.
Azan: Azn. Desert dwelling people. Their nobility often serve as leaders of elug armies. They are a prideful race, often haughty and domineering, but they also adhere to a strict code of honor.
Barok: A healer in Cardoroth. A man held in high regard by the profession he represents. Distantly related to the king on his mother’s side. It is believed by some that he obtained his position as chief physician via political influence. Others argue that, his family being wealthy, they bribed the king’s chancellor in order to obtain the favored position for one of their own. Be that as it may, it is well known in Gilhain’s court that the king dislikes him. This likely stems from an older cause, however. In his youth, the king required stiches. Barok inserted them, but miscalculated the date of their removal. The process, undertaken many days later than it should have been, was painful. Gilhain still bears the scars on his arm, not just of the initial cut, but also the faint point marks where the string was pulled from his flesh.
Black Corps: An irregular unit of cavalry for Cardoroth. Formed by direct command of the king. Its leader, Hilk Var Jernik, was appointed its captain after the king had seen him ride in a competition. At that time, he was of low rank in the regular cavalry. His offices commended him, but said he was willful and unsuited to command. The king researched his military exploits, overruled the commanders, and ensured the Black Corps answered directly to the throne rather than the leadership of the regular cavalry.
Brand: A Duthenor tribesman. Currently serving King Gilhain as his Durlindrath. By birth, he is the rightful chieftain of the Duthenor people. However, an usurper overthrew his father, killing him and his wife. Brand, only a youth at the time, swore an oath of vengeance. That oath sleeps, but it is not forgotten, either by Brand or the usurper. The usurper sought to have him killed also, but without success.
Camar: Cam. Prn. Kay-mar. A race of interrelated tribes that migrated in two main stages. The first brought them to the vicinity of Halathar; in the second, they separated and establish cities along a broad sweep of eastern Alithoras.
Camarelon: Cam. Prn. Kam-arelon. A port city and capital of a Camar tribe. It was founded before Cardoroth as the waves of migrating people settled the more southerly lands first. Each new migration tended northward. It is perhaps the most representative of a traditional Camar realm.
Cardoroth: Cor. Hal. Comb. Cam. A Camar city, often called Red Cardoroth. Some say this alludes to the red granite commonly used in the construction of its buildings, others that it refers to a prophecy of destruction.
Cardurleth: Hal. “Car – red, dur – steadfast, leth – stone.” The great wall that surrounds Cardoroth. Established soon after the city’s founding and constructed with red granite. It looks displeasing to the eye, but the people of the city love it nonetheless. They believe it impregnable and say that no enemy shall ever breach it – except by treachery.
Careth Nien: Hal. Prn. Kareth nyen. “Great river.” Largest river in Alithoras. Has its source in the mountains of Anast Dennath and runs southeast across the land before emptying into the sea. It was over this river (which sometimes freezes along its northern stretches) that the Camar and other tribes migrated into the eastern lands. Much later, Brand came to the city of Cardoroth by one of these ancient migratory routes.
Carist Nien: Hal. “Ice river.” A river of northern Alithoras that has its source in the hills of Lòrenta.
Carnhaina: First element native Cam. Second Hal. “Heroine.” An ancient queen of Cardoroth. Revered as a savior of her people, but to some degree also feared, for she possessed powers of magic. Hated to this day by elùgroths, because she overthrew their power unexpectedly at a time when their dark influence was rising. According to dim legend, kept alive mostly within the royal family of Cardoroth, she guards the city even in death and will return in its darke
st hour.
Carnyx horn: The sacred horn of the Camar tribes. An instrument of brass, man high with a mouth fashioned in the likeness of a fierce animal, often a boar or bear. Winded in battle and designed to intimidate the foe with its otherworldly sound. Some believe it invokes supernatural aid.
Chapterhouse: Special halls set aside in the palace of Cardoroth for the private meetings, teachings and military training of the Durlin.
Crenel: The vertical gap on a battlement between merlons. The merlon offers protection, the crenel an opening through which missiles are fired.
Drilk: Lieutenant in the Black Corps and second in command to Jar Van Hilk. Married to Jar’s sister. Their extended family operates a horse stud that produces mounts not just for the Black Corps, but also the regular cavalry of Cardoroth. The leaders of the regular cavalry often complain to the king that the best horses are held back from sale. The king advises them to make better bids at the auctions.
Drinhalath: Hal. “Drin – a group of people united in one purpose, Halath – a long-dead Halathrin king.” The Drinhalath is an order chosen by the living king from the people as a reward or honor for some great service or deed to the people. The service itself, of protecting the remains of the memorial, lasts for twenty years.
Drùghoth: Hal. First element – black. Second element – that which hastens, races or glides. More commonly called a sending.
Drùgluck: A pattern of three slanted lines, going from right to left and each one longer than the previous. Used by elugs as a warning to stay away from a place because it is a sacred area that serves as a gateway between the spirit and normal worlds. Such areas are used in ceremonies and invocations for help or retribution against enemies. It is believed that at certain cycles of the moon and seasons the barriers that separate the worlds are weakened and the gateway opens. Also marks a place where the effects of elùgai linger or where there is some unspecified but lethal danger. Often it signifies all three at once.