The hills on either side of them grew taller and steeper. The trees became sparse again as they gained height. Four days after they left Gildenthal they found themselves travelling between the snow capped peaks of the mountains of Ristalshuz. It was bitterly cold, even when the sun shone, and they found patches of snow in the valleys. The valleys themselves were formed of long, grey scree slopes that converged at their path. Hardy tussock and lichen grew among the rocks but little else. At Grath’s suggestion they had cut wood and carried it with them. But this had to be used sparingly. Menish could not keep his leg warm enough no matter what care he took of it and he began to wish he had listened to Adhara.
On the fifth day they crossed a saddle in the mountains and found themselves in a wide, valley with a shallow river winding through it. This was a place Menish remembered well. It was the site of the last battle with the men of Gashan, forty years ago. As he looked across it his memory peopled it with those who had fought and died here. He saw again the imperial armies drawn up along the near edge, the Anthorian contingent arrayed along one flank and his own small company at their edge, near the river. The river had saved his life and, in the process, had saved Anthor. But so many had died. The valley must be littered with old swords and armour.
There had been too many dead to dispose of fittingly. They had gathered up those they could and made a pyre of them, the remains of Telish IV and Kizish, Menish’s father, lying on top of the pyre. It had burned for two days, and when it had gone out they piled a great cairn of stones from the river over the charred remains.
He could see the grassy mound near the river and they rode towards it. It was covered with forty years of tussock growth but the outline was still clear, even if it now looked like an earth mound rather than a stone one. Menish had forgotten how large it was, so many had died, and it must have subsided over the years.
Would they, perhaps, have to build another mound soon? Would his own body lie on that mound? He turned to Azkun.
“Do you know what this is?”
“A hill, though an odd one. Was it made by men?”
“It was made by men, by men and of men. After the great battle we fought here with the men of Gashan we gathered up our dead and placed them here, though there were so many that we had to leave most where they fell.”
“How many died?” Azkun was pale.
“Nearly four thousand.”
“These men of Gashan killed so many?”
Menish nodded.
“I understand. It was like the fight with the pirates. You had to fight or you would die yourself. I see that, but it is appalling.”
On the other side of the wide valley floor they came to a stream which bubbled and gurgled across their path. They looked at it with amazement for it steamed. Grath leapt from his horse and plunged his hand into the water. He pulled it out quickly with a yelp.
“It's hot! Hot water flowing along the ground! I've heard of such things but I never believed them.”
“I, too, have heard of them,” said Menish. “This place is mentioned in the Gash-Tal, or some place like it.”
“It is indeed, Sire,” said Hrangil. “Gilish III found several of these streams. He also found something else here. Let's dismount and lead the horses through those trees.”
They did as Hrangil suggested and he led them up the stream for about ten minutes. The way was difficult for there was no path and trees and undergrowth had gathered about the stream. Presently they came to what Hrangil had been looking for, the source of the stream.
There were two pools at the base of an earthy bank. The first pool was rough and natural. They could see holes in its bed where clear water gushed out of the earth. A conduit joined this pool to a second pool. The second pool had been carefully faced with stone by human hands to form a wide, square bathing pool with steps leading from one corner. Another conduit allowed water to flow from the other side into the stream.
“It's just like a Relanese bath!” said Grath.
“Who else would have thought of such a thing?” said Althak.
“It's exactly what I need for my leg.”
Without further discussion they removed their clothing and entered the pool. At first it was too hot to bear but it soon became pleasant when they were warmed up. For Menish the pain in his leg became excruciatingly delightful then ebbed away entirely after a few minutes.
“Now what we need is some soap,” said Hrangil.
“While you're wishing,” laughed Grath, “how about some fresh food and a soft bed.”
“Gilish III went to a lot of trouble to build this,” said Althak. “I thought he came up here to fight Gashans.”
“The Gash-Tal says he found this place,” said Hrangil. “Not that he built it.”
“So who built it? No one lives here.”
“What's that?” asked Menish, pointing to one of the stones that faced the pool. It was a large slab that supported the conduit from the upper pool. There was something carved on it.
“It's very worn with age,” said Grath who was closest to it. “Not much to make out. It looks like an axe I think, although there's this… oh, it could be a double headed axe.”
“A double headed axe?” asked Hrangil. “Why would anyone carve that? Are you sure?”
“No, I'm not. But that's the best I can make of it.”
“Let me look.” Hrangil peered at it. “It could be anything. It might even be a sword.”
“I've seen a double headed axe carved in stone before somewhere,” said Althak, “but I don't remember where. Somewhere in the north I think. Perhaps my folk came here.”
“Or the folk who built this also visited the Vorthenki coasts,” said Grath. “Perhaps the Monnar built it. It's said they sometimes built in stone.”
“Crude carving on stones they found in place,” said Hrangil. “Nothing like this.”
They emerged refreshed from their bath but, although it was not time to look for a camp site, they decided to spend the night here. It was a pleasant place with plenty of wood, and a taste of luxury, after travelling so long, was not to be wasted. They bathed again after the evening meal and yet again when they rose in the morning. Menish’s leg felt much better for the treatment and he was ready to set off again, though with some reluctance.
Not far past the stream the valley opened out even wider and they found themselves standing on the shores of a huge lake. It was so big that they could only just see the other side of it, and it was much longer than it was broad. They were near one end of it, the other end was lost in the distance. This was the legendary Lake Kel, or Bekel as some called it. There were few people who had seen it with their own eyes. The Gash-Tal told of its vastness, like a sea yet with fresh water. It was said to be the home of strange monsters and they trod warily along its shores.
The road ended at the lake shore. There were the remains of a stone pier but it was buckled and broken with age, possibly by the shaking of the earth. Hrangil said that it had been whole in the time of Gilish III and they had used it to launch barges across the lake. But Menish had no intention of building a barge and sailing across on it, even though there were a number of good-sized trees here. It would take too long and, besides, all except Althak and Azkun hated sailing.
The alternative was to go around the lake. The near end was not far and the shores of the lake were sandy beaches. They spent two pleasant, though cold, days making their way west. Here there was plenty of wood and fresh water. Althak caught some fish but no one else wanted any. Three times they found warm streams running into the lake but there were no more pools to bathe in.
On the third day the lake edge became rocky and more difficult to get the horses across. They had to resort to leading them for much of the time. The weather also turned against them. Up until now it had been cold but dry, now an icy wind blew down from the mountains and grey snow clouds swirled across the sky. The next day the snow fell, dusting everything with white and making their way even more difficult. They found the end of the lake, a deep gorge was sliced into the mountains and a river plunged from it into the lake. It was swift, cold and deep.