The Eternal Champion

'If you say so, Roldero…'

'I do say so. Now drink up.'

I did drink up. And I drank deep and I drank myself stupid. Now there were not merely the dream memories to contend with, but more recent memories, too.

Another night came before we reached the harbour city of Paphanaal and we lay at anchor, a sea league or so offshore.

Then, in the shifting dawn of the morrow, we upped anchors and rowed in towards Paphanaal, for there was no wind to fill our sails.

Nearer we came to land.

I saw cliffs and black mountains rising.

Nearer.

I saw a flash of brighter colour to the east of us.

'Paphanaal!'shouted the look-out from his precarious perch in the top trees.

Nearer.

And there was Paphanaal.

She was undefended as far as we could make out. We had left her defenders on the bottom of the ocean, far behind.

There were no domes on this city, no minarets. There were steeples and buttresses and battlements, all close together. They made the city seem like one great palace. The materials of their construction were breathtaking. There was white marble veined with pink, blue, green and yellow. Orange marble, veined with black. Marble faced with gold, basalt and quartz and bluestone in abundance.

It was a shining city.

As we came closer, we saw no one on the quaysides, no one in the streets or on the battlements. I assumed that the city had been deserted.

I was wrong.

We put in to the great harbour and disembarked. I formed our armies into disciplined ranks and warned them of a possible trap, although I did not really believe there could be one.

The warriors had spent the rest of the voyage repairing their clothes and their armour, cleaning their weapons and making repairs to their ships.

All the ships crowded the harbour now, their banners waving in the light breeze that had come up almost as soon as we set foot on the cobblestones of the quay. Cloud came in with the breeze and made the day grey.

The warriors stood before King Rigenos, Katorn and myself. Rank upon rank they stood, their armour bright, banners moving sluggishly in the breeze.

There were seven hundred divisions, each hundred divisions commanded by a Marshal who had as his commanders his Captains, who controlled twenty-five divisions each, and his Knights, who controlled one division.

The wine had helped fade the memory of the battle and I felt a return of my old pride as I stood looking at the Paladins and Armies of Humanity assembled before me. I addressed them:

'Marshals, Captains, Knights and Warriors of Humanity, you have seen me to be a victorious War Leader.'

'Aye!' they roared, jubilant.

'We shall be victorious here and elsewhere in the land of Mernadin. Go now, with caution, and search these buildings for Eldren. But be careful. This city could hide an army, remember!'

Count Roldero spoke up from the front rank.

'And booty, Lord Erekose. What of that?'

King Rigenos waved his hand. 'Take what booty you desire. But remember what Erekose has said-be wary for such things as poisoned food. Even the wine-cups could be smeared with poison. Anything in this damned city could be poisoned!'

The divisions began to march past us, each taking a different direction.

I watched them go and I thought that while the city received them into its heart, it did not welcome them.

I wondered what we would find in Paphannal. Traps? Hidden snipers? Everything poisoned, as Rigenos had said?

We found a city of women.

Not one Eldren man had remained.

Not one boy over twelve. Not one old man of any age.

We had slain them all at sea.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN ERMIZHAD

I did not know how they slew the children. I begged King Rigenos not to give the order. I pleaded with Katorn to spare them-to drive them from the city if he must, but not to kill them.

But the children were slain. I do not know how many.

We had taken over the palace which had belonged to Duke Baynahn himself. He had, it transpired, been Warden of Paphanaal.

I shut myself in my quarters while the slaughter went on outside. I reflected sardonically that for all their talk of the Eldren 'filth', they did not seem to mind forcing their attentions on the Eldren women.

There was nothing I could do. I did not even know if there was anything I should do. I had been brought here by Rigenos to fight for Humanity, not to judge it, I had agreed to answer his summons, after all-doubtless with reason. But I had forgotten any reason.

I sat in a room that was exquisitely furnished with delicate furniture and fine, light tapestries on walls and floor. I looked at the Eldren craftsmanship and I sipped the aromatic Eldren wine and I tried not to listen to the cries of the Eldren children as they were butchered in their beds in the houses in the streets beyond the thin palace walls.

I looked at the Sword Kanajana which I had propped in a corner and I hated the poisoned thing. I had stripped myself of my armour and I sat alone.

And I drank more wine.

But the wine of the Eldren began to taste of blood and I tossed the cup away and found a skin that Count Roldero had given me and sucked it dry of the bitter wine it contained.

But I could not get drunk. I could not stop the screams from the streets. I could not fail to see the flickering shadows on the tapestries I had drawn over the windows. I could not get drunk and therefore I could not even begin to try to sleep, for I knew what my dreams would be and I feared those almost as much as I feared thinking of the implications of what we were doing to those who were left in Paphanaal.

Why was I here? Oh, why was I here?

There was a noise outside my door and then a knock.

'Enter,' I said.

No one entered. My voice had been too low.

The knock sounded again.

I rose and walked unsteadily to the door flinging it open.

'Can you not leave me in peace?'

A frightened soldier of the Imperial Guard stood there. 'Lord Erekose, forgive me for disturbing you, but I bear a message from King Rigenos.'

'What's the message?' I said without interest.

'He would like you to join him. He says that there are still plans to discuss.'

I sighed. 'Very well. I will come down shortly.'

The soldier hurried off along the corridor.

At last, reluctantly, I rejoined the other conquerors. All the marshals were there, lounging on cushions and celebrating their victory. King Rigenos was there and he was so drunk that I envied him. And, to my relief, Katorn was not there.

Doubtless he was leading the looters.

As I came in to the hall, a huge cheer went up from the marshals and they raised their wine-cups in a toast to me.

I ignored them and walked to where the king was seated alone, staring vacantly into space.

'You wish to discuss further campaigns, King Rigenos,' I said. 'Are you sure…?'

'Ah, my friend Erekose. The immortal. The Champion. The saviour of Humanity. Greetings, Erekose.' He put a hand drunkenly on my arm. 'You disapprove of my unkingly insobriety, I see.'

'I disapprove of nothing,' I said. 'I have been drinking much myself.'

'But you-an immortal-can contain your…' he belched… 'can contain your liquor…'

I took pains to smile and said: 'Perhaps you have stronger liquor. If so, let me try it.'

'Slave!' screamed King Rigenos. 'Slave! More of that wine for my friend Erekose!'

A curtain parted and a trembling Eldren boy appeared. He was bearing a wineskin almost as large as himself.

'I see you have not slain all the children,' I said.