The King Beyond the Gate

The corridor beyond should have been in total darkness, but a strange green light glowed from the walls. Tenaka dropped to his hands and knees and crawled forward, scanning the walls on either side. There must be more traps. But where?

The corridor ended at a circular stair, dipping down into the bowels of the tomb. Tenaka studied the first few steps — they seemed solid. The wall alongside was panelled with cedar. Tenaka sat on the top stair. Why panel a stairwell?

He ripped a section of cedar from the wall and moved on down the stairs, testing each step. Halfway down he felt a slight movement beneath his right foot and withdrew it. Taking the cedar plank, he laid it flat against the edges of the steps and then lay back upon it and lifted his feet. The plank began to slide. It hit the rigged steps at speed and Tenaka felt the 'whoosh' of a steel blade slice above his head. The plank increased speed, hurtling down the stairs. Thrice more it triggered death-traps, but such was the speed of the makeshift sled that Tenaka was untouched. He thrust his booted feet against the walls to slow himself down, his arms and legs being battered and bruised as the journey continued.

The plank hit the ground at the foot of the stairs, pitching Tenaka through the air. Instantly, he relaxed, curling his body into a ball. The air was punched from him as he hit the far wall. He grunted and rolled to his knees. Gingerly he touched his ribs; at least one felt broken. He glanced round the chamber. Where was Saddleskull? The answer came seconds later: hearing the clatter on the stairs, Tenaka grinned and moved away from the stairwell. Saddleskull hurtled by him — his plank smashing to shards, his body cartwheeling into the far wall. Tenaka winced at the impact.

Saddleskull groaned and staggered to his feet; spying Tenaka, he drew himself upright.

'It didn't take me long to work out your plan, half-blood!'

'You surprise me. How did you get behind me?'

'I hid by the body.'

'Well, we are here,' said Tenaka, pointing to the sarcophagus on the raised dais at the centre of the chamber. 'All that remains is to claim the helm.'

'Yes,' said Saddleskull warily.

'Open the coffin,' said Tenaka smiling.

'You open it.'

'Come now, cousin. We cannot spend the rest of our lives here. We will open it together.'

Saddleskull's eyes narrowed. The coffin would almost certainly be rigged and he did not want to die. But if he allowed Tenaka to open the coffin, he would gain not only the helm but, more importantly, Ulric's sword.

Saddleskull grinned. 'Very well,' he said. Together!'

They moved to the coffin and heaved at the marble lid, which creaked open. The two men gave a final push and the lid fell to the floor, breaking into three pieces. Saddleskull lunged for the sword that lay on the chest of the skeleton within. Tenaka seized the helm and leapt to the far side of the coffin. Saddle-skull chuckled.

'Well, cousin. Now what will you do?'

'I have the helm,' said Tenaka.

Saddleskull leapt forward, slashing wildly, but Tenaka jumped clear, keeping the coffin between them.

'We could do this for ever,' said Tenaka. 'We could spend eternity running round and round this coffin.'

His opponent hawked and spat. There was truth in what Tenaka said — the sword was useless unless he could get within range.

'Give me the helm,' said Saddleskull. 'Then we can both live. Agree to serve me and I will make you my Warmaster.'

'No, I will not serve you,' said Tenaka. 'But you can have the helm if you agree to one condition.'

'Name it!'

'That you let me lead thirty thousand riders into the Drenai.'

'What? Why?'

'We can discuss that later. Do you swear?'

'I do. Give me the helm.'

As Tenaka tossed the helm across the coffin, Saddleskull caught it deftly and pushed it on his head, wincing as a sharp edge of metal pricked his scalp.

'You are a fool, Tenaka. Did Asta not say that only one would return? Now I have it all.'

'You have nothing, numbskull. You are dead!' said Tenaka.

'Empty threats,' sneered Saddleskull.

Tenaka laughed. 'Ulric's last jest! No one can wear his helm. Did you feel the sharpness, cousin, when the poison needle pierced your skin?'

The sword fell from Saddleskull's hand and his legs gave way. He struggled to rise, but death pulled him down into the pit. Tenaka recovered the helm and replaced the sword in the coffin.

Slowly he climbed the stairs, squeezing past the blades jutting from the panels. Once into the open air he sat back, cradling the helm in his lap. It was bronze, edged with white fur and decorated with silver thread.

Far below Asta Khan sat watching the moon and Tenaka climbed down to him. The old man did not look round as he approached.

'Welcome, Tenaka Khan, Lord of Hosts!' he said.

'Take me home,' ordered Tenaka.

'Not yet.'

'Why?'

'There is someone you must meet.' A white mist billowed from the ground, swirling around them; from its depths strode a powerful figure.

'You did well,' said Ulric.

'Thank you, my Lord.'

'Do you mean to keep your word to your friends?'

'I do.'

'So the Nadir will ride to the aid of the Drenai?'

'They will.'

'It is as it should be. A man must stand by his friends. But you know that the Drenai must fall before you? As long as they survive, the Nadir cannot prosper.'

'I know this.'

'And you are prepared to conquer them. . end their empire?'

'I am.'

'Good. Follow me into the mist.'

Tenaka did as he was bid and the Khan led him to the banks of a dark river. There sat an old man who turned as Tenaka approached. It was Aulin, the former Source priest who had died in the Dragon barracks.

'Were you true to your word?' he asked. 'Did you look after Renya?'

'I did.'

'Then sit beside me, and I shall be true to my word.'

Tenaka sat and the old man leaned back, watching the dark water bubble and flow.

'I discovered many machines of the Elders. I scanned their books and notes. I experimented. I learned much of their secrets. They knew the Fall was imminent and they left many clues for future generations. The world is a ball, did you know that?'

'No,' said Tenaka.

'Well, it is. At the top of the ball is a world of ice. And at the base, another. Round the centre it is hellishly hot. And the ball spins around the sun. Did you know that?'

'Aulin, I have no time for this. What do you wish to tell me?'

'Please, warrior, listen to me. I so wanted this knowledge shared — it is important to me.'

'Go on, then.'

'The world spins and the ice at the poles of the world grows daily: millions of tons of ice, every day for thousands of years. At last the ball begins to wobble as it spins, and then it tips. And as it tips, the oceans rise up and cover the land. And the ice spreads to cover whole continents. That is the Fall. That is what happened to the Elders. Do you see? It makes the dreams of men a nonsense.'

'I see. Now what can you tell me?'

'The machines of the Elders — they do not operate as Ceska thinks. There is no physical joining of beasts and men. Rather is it a harnessing of vital forces, held in delicate balance. The Elders knew it was important — vital — to allow the spirit of man to remain in the ascendant. The horror of the Joinings is the result of allowing the beast to emerge.'

'How does this help me?' asked Tenaka.

'I saw a joining revert once; it became a man again and died.'

'How?'

'When it saw something which jolted it.'