The Warriors Path

by Brian Thomas

  Seeing the blow coming at the last second Mading ducked his head and leaned back as far as he could, the brass bound edge of the shield caught him across the top of his nose and forehead, scraping its way across. Mading staggered momentarily blinded by the pain and blood from the cuts it left. Knowing an attack would follow he swung his blades blindly to where his opponent should be, trying to shake off the effects of the blow to his nose and the blood running freely from his face. Mading felt his blades jar as they connected giving him the space he needed to step back and regain his vision, just in time to fend off the follow-up attack from Ronan.

  Mading smiled grimly. Despite the unexpected blow from the shield he felt he was the more skilled of the two and would win. The barbarian was bigger and stronger but wore chain mail, which sapped a man’s strength whereas Mading had only a hardened leather breast guard, almost as good as chain mail but a lot lighter. Feeling he had the measure of his opponent now Mading connected a series of attacks that drove the barbarian away from him, almost up to the side of the wagon. As the man gave ground Mading let him go, also stepping back so he could better clear the blood from around his eyes where the shield had struck him. A good strike by the barbarian Mading thought, as he wiped away the last of the blood and his vision cleared again.

  Li Chin looked down at Ronan who was almost leaning against the wagon side as he sucked in gulps of air, though he looked like a man who believed he was in trouble, rather than one about to die. “Is it part of your plan to convince him he is the better swordsman, to lull him into a false sense of security with exaggerated fatigue before you strike for the kill? If so it appears most convincing from here, but if not, I suggest you conserve your energy. Do not forget your second plan should the first not work.”

  Ronan was in a murderous mood and if he thought there were sufficient time he would have gladly turned on the aggravating man mocking him, who seemed not the least concerned at their predicament. Instead, he decided the priest was right and he was working far too hard. He should use his shield more. It was, after all, the technique his opponent was least familiar with. Ronan stepped back into the battle feeling better now he had settled on a sound tactic.

  Mading’s eyes still smarted from the blow to his face, the cuts and grazes still oozing blood. He would have to take care the bleeding did not obscure his vision again. His attention was entirely on the barbarian as the man stepped away from the wagon and back to the fight. But as the other man standing on the wagon had spoken to the barbarian a warning had flagged in his mind. Mading had survived as long as he had by heeding such warnings, even when he did not know as now, what might have triggered his concern. Mading fended off a probing thrust, realising the barbarian had changed his tactics inviting Mading to attack him and absorbing more of Mading’s attack on his shield, reinforcing Mading’s concern the changed tactics had resulted from what the other man had said. Shifting the fight so he could take a look at the man standing on the wagon Mading threw a quick glance in his direction, immediately having to duck below a swing from the barbarian’s sword as a result; twisting round sharply to avoid the threat. As he did so Mading caught a quick glance of the clouds building on the horizon behind the mounted men watching the contest. There was another flurry of blows and Mading worked overtime as what had been a whisper of concern at the back of his mind flared into an acute sense of danger. He swung one of the blades down hard against the shield and it glanced off the brass boss with a screech and a shower of sparks.

  Suddenly he knew who the other man was and the recognition nearly cost him his life when the barbarian took up the offensive at Mading’s hesitation with his realisation. They were trying to rob the possessed priest who had called down lightning on him last time he had tried something similar and the clouds were already gathering behind them.

  His mind only half on the fight now Mading was forced to give ground rapidly as the barbarian took advantage of his distraction. Convinced lightning would strike him any moment Mading had already decided this was a fight he could not win. If the barbarian didn’t kill him then the priest would. Seeing an opening Mading roared as he charged the shield, striking it with his shoulder and forcing the barbarian back. Instead of following through he stepped back and forced both of his sword points into the ground, releasing them so they stood upright quivering slightly either side of him but ready to hand if needed. The barbarian was in a half crouch, ready to attack again but confused by Mading’s action.

  Mading looked directly at the man on the wagon seat. It was him alright, in almost exactly the same position as when Mading had last seen him, just before lightning bolts had blasted half of his face away. Returning Mading’s look the priest raised one eyebrow, in query or invitation Mading wasn’t sure but they both recognised each other. Disgustedly, he turned to Sheywen who watched him with a disapproving frown. “We should go. Leave them and go now, while we still can.”

  Sheywen’s frown turned to a look of anger but whatever he was about to say died on his lips as they all noticed for the first time a large band of horsemen who had quietly approached under cover of the fight. The riders all had bows drawn and pointed at the stationary horsemen but their leader held up a hand to halt any escalation. Sheywen scowled as he recognised Zun leading the men, significantly less in number than his own but Zun’s prepared archers giving him the tactical advantage. Sheywen decided this would be a fight neither of them would want and signalled his own men to remain as they were. “What do you want here Zun, this is no concern of yours?”

  Zun looked from Sheywen to the priest standing on the wagon seat, holding the priest’s eyes for a few moments before returning to Sheywen. “I will decide what is of concern to me. What goes on here?”

  Sheywen gave a casual gesture towards the barbarian warrior who had turned to see the new arrivals, sword still in the guard position. “An interesting diversion, where we get the opportunity to observe this barbarian’s fighting style.” Sheywen dropped the scowl for a smile. “I was enjoying the bout until your arrival stopped it, just as it got interesting. You would appreciate it more than most; the barbarian has courage and an unfamiliar skill you would wish to see.”

  Zun didn’t say anything as he coldly watched Sheywen and in the quiet they all heard the pounding of horse hooves approaching at speed. Five riders approached drawing their horses to a sharp stop in front of Zun, the horses champed at their halters and danced spiritedly after the run in.

  Ronan had used the time to move closer to the wagon and Li Chin. “What’s happening?” he asked under his breath.

  Li Chin continued to watch the group which had just ridden up as he replied. “Their leader was admiring your duel. I believe he thought his champion was about to win.” Li Chin added distractedly as he continued to view them all closely. “It seems these men know one another but bear each other no goodwill.” Li Chin suddenly smiled in pleasure, “and I believe the woman with the new arrivals is Shushan, a gentle child full of smiles.”

  Ronan looked at the woman as she talked to Zun. She was dressed in armour with two swords crossed over her back and was handling her horse well. “At least you seem pleased to see her. I am relieved there is someone you know who doesn’t have cause to dislike you.” The words were spoken sarcastically as he watched the woman. She was attractive in the same way a leopard is, full of grace and power but likely to scratch if you got too close.

  Li Chin also watched Shushan as she spoke to Zun, trying to catch what was said and replied distractedly again. “After I went to her village her father was taken by the emperor’s soldiers for questioning and in all likelihood is now dead and her village destroyed. If any stayed they will now be dead too, her mother and friends fled but she at least seems to be well, this is good.”

  Ronan looked up at the healer incredulously. “Is everybody who meets you doomed to a life of misery as a consequence? There is no need of pestilence and famine while you’re around and it’s no wonder the emperor seeks you so vigorously, he
’s probably terrified you’ll return to his palace!”

  Li Chin frowned down at Ronan. “I seem to remember a friend of yours who still lives as a result of a previous encounter with me.”

  Ronan turned to watch the woman again, muttering under his breath. “And he now blames me for the nightmares about being eaten alive by maggots as a result.”

  Shushan had ridden up to Zun, ignoring the fact his men had bows trained on Sheywen’s men or that Sheywen was even there at all. “Zanwen sent me to find you, there is a nomad host in the area. He bids you join his caravan as soon as possible and has sent me to guide you in.” It had been a long time since she had seen Zun and while Zanwen had asked a messenger be sent it had been Shushan who had decided to deliver it herself. Now that she faced him again Shushan realised how much she had missed Zun while he had been away, the knowledge making her flush and, perversely, she scowled at him when she instead wanted to beam a bright smile. Zun was in turn frowning as he looked at her and she was uncertain whether it was due to the news she brought or because it had been she who had brought it, leaving Zanwen to do so.

  Fearful that she had displeased him after only just seeing him again Shushan let her horse dance away a little and saw she was in front of Sheywen, Leywee and Gaow. Sheywen was frowning at her speculatively but Leywee and Gaow were openly smirking, not bothering to conceal their lecherous thoughts. Exhilarated by the fast ride in only to be swamped with conflicting emotions on seeing Zun again, Shushan was suddenly incensed by the proprietary and intentionally intimidating attitude towards her by Leywee and Gaow. Recognising the two men from beside the river where Mading had intervened she had since heard many tales from women and young girls who had suffered at their hands.

  Without warning she kicked her horse towards them causing their own mounts to jig as she came close, spitting into their faces. “Vile scum! I was wrong to let you go when I had you before. Had I known earlier the damage you did to children I would have sliced your little pricks off and forced you to eat them there and then!” Shushan was livid and crowded her own mount aggressively against those of Gaow and Leywee, who both struggled to control their horses already made skittish at her unexpected charge toward them. The two men suddenly found themselves alone, only Sheywen not entirely drawing back his own horse as Shushan confronted them. “Face me now and I will slice away those odorous smirks; or is the only weapon you swing the tiny tooth picks you dare only show children for fear an adult would laugh at you?”

  Zun’s heart had leapt at seeing Shushan again, convinced she had grown even more striking in the months he had been away from her. Momentarily confused he had resorted to his habitual scowl to prevent making his affection obvious, though at mention of Zanwen he had felt concern that one of them at least should be with him. But now he was genuinely angry that she sought to instigate a quarrel that could easily escalate beyond his ability to control. “Shushan!”

  Focusing on the two men Shushan loaded her voice with contempt as she shouted, “They are cowards! Together they would not even dare take on a grown woman able to fight back!”

  Sheywen looked across at the two men she had confronted who were both flushed with angry embarrassment and from them to Zun, noting his concern. With a malicious smile he said to his two commanders. “If she wants you that much you had better go get her. If the pair of you together can’t even beat a girl barely off her mother’s teat then you are of no use to me anyway.”

  Shushan jumped from her horse, smacking its rump to clear it away. Leywee and Gaow angrily dismounted unsheathing their own swords as they approached her together, both as eager as she to engage in the fight. Sheywen looked at Zun over their heads, a mocking smile on his lips at seeing Zun clench his jaw in anger and concern as the two men closed in on her. Noticing Sheywen’s mocking stare Zun forced himself to relax, calling out to Shushan gruffly. “Make it quick, we have business elsewhere.”

  Ronan had been watching bemused unable to follow the conversation but seeing Shushan confront the men, apparently for no reason, before dismounting and obviously pushing hard for a fight. The two men now eagerly dismounted to follow the woman, drawing their weapons as they approached her. “You were right Healer. The sophistication and delicacy of your people’s women is beyond my ability to appreciate. Though I am pleased we found one who is of a cheerful disposition and so full of smiles.”

  Gaow and Leywee strutted in front of the watching men confident of their own ability and disparaging of Shushan’s. They steadily approached an arm’s length apart, smirking at her contemptuously and repeatedly feinting with their drawn swords to taunt her mockingly whilst they gradually drew closer. Shushan now faced them calm and expressionless, her own swords still sheathed behind her and her anger forced aside as she focused on what must be done. Leywee gave a signal and both he and Gaow attacked at once, swords raised high and screaming as they came in. Shushan leapt forward to take them by surprise, dropping low while stepping between them and catching them while they were still closer to each other than they had intended. Turning and drawing both blades simultaneously Shushan swept them out on either side. Both Gaow and Leywee still had their swords raised high and could not react in time to avoid the strikes, Leywee taking a slice across his throat and Gaow in the solar plexus, just below the bottom of his breast plate lifted higher than normal due to his own sword held high above his head. Their momentum carried them on past Shushan and they fell almost on top of each other, threshing out the last of their lives in the space where Shushan had stood only a heartbeat ago.

  Li Chin smiled, pleased at his protégé’s obvious progress since he had last seen her. “See? She finished them quickly and has conserved her strength, as you should be doing in your fight.”

  Ronan had watched the fight, almost missing the woman’s move it had been so fast and was no less impressed than any of the others watching that it was over so quick. “If this is one of your gentle women, then I would truly fear to have one of the rough ones displeased with me, Healer.”

  Ignoring the fallen men Shushan calmly wiped her blades clean and re-sheathed them, mounting her horse in a single athletic leap to sit beside Zun. Zun was filled with pride and relief, not daring to look at her lest she see it. He instead focused on Sheywen who wore a disgusted expression as he stared down at his two commanders.

  Zun switched his attention from Sheywen to lock glances with Mading, who still stood in front of what had previously been Zun’s command. It was the first time he had acknowledged his old sergeant since his fight with the priest. He decided Mading looked lost and out of place. Zun felt his previous anger at his men drain away and glanced across the rest of Sheywen’s men arrayed in front of him, wondering how many others were also lost and looking for an alternative way, as he had himself.

  Coming to a quick decision, he raised his voice to be certain all of Sheywen’s men could hear but looked directly at Mading as he spoke. “It is easy for a man to take the wrong path and lose his way. Once on the wrong path, it is difficult to find a route back. You men are on the wrong path and I invite you to change to a more difficult but better one. I shall make the decision easy for you.”

  He pointed to Li Chin who still stood on the wagon seat. “The wagon holds a treasure that is prized enough to make you all wealthy beyond what your dreams could envisage. But it is not yours and you will have to kill these men to steal it. Or you could join me and our town, where you will no doubt remain poor, work hard and be expected to fight for the security of us all. But you will have a place to sleep, food at the end of the day and it will become your new home that will respect and embrace you, providing welcome respite within it. We go to battle now against a larger force and many of us are likely to die. But those who survive shall return and we will sweep those of you who do not join us from these lands, like the pestilence they are. Choose now, our enemy will not wait for us.”

  Mading had held Zun’s gaze throughout the speech and any harboured resentment he may have had ev
aporated. He glanced up at Sheywen who had been listening with interest at the wealth Zun claimed was within the wagon and then amazement at Zun’s gall in inviting his men to defect.

  Ronan looked up at Li Chin having noticed the changed atmosphere and that he and the healer had, for some reason, become the focus of attention for the bandits again. “That first lot look like dogs eyeing the dinner table. What did he say when he pointed us out to them?”

  Li Chin replied without bitterness or accusation. “Zun, the leader of these men who feels that I humiliated him, told the bandits there is enough wealth in the wagon to make them all rich. Though they would have to kill us both to steal it. He then invited those who did not wish to live a life of banditry to instead join him for a life of honourable poverty, though possibly short-lived.” Li Chin cocked his head in interest. “He is apparently on his way to a battle where he and his men will be outnumbered and many are likely to be killed.”

  Ronan turned from Li Chin to scowl at Zun aghast. “The vindictive bastard! Whatever his grievance there is no need to set them upon us like that!” Crestfallen, he added, “Gods, can it get any worse. What chance of winning them over by a duel now?”

  Listening to Zun as he spoke but fearful of catching his eye, Shushan looked at the wagon as he pointed it out to Sheywen’s band and she saw its occupant was Li Chin. She beamed a radiant smile at him, quite at odds to her previous behaviour. Seeing the smile Li Chin placed his fingertips together and gave her a brief bow, which she returned from the back of her horse as Zun finished speaking.

  Mading, who had held Zun’s eyes throughout, gave a brief nod before turning to his men. “It’s time you started making decisions for yourselves.” Sheathing his swords he gathered his horse’s reins and leapt into the saddle. “But I’m going to join Zun and his battle. If we win, I want somewhere I can call home again. Where I can wake up feeling good about myself and know that if I fight, win or lose, I will be on the right side.”