The Last Guardian

'With what?' asked Shannow, stepping down. 'All you own is what you're wearing.'

‘I’ll get it back. Somehow I'll find a way "to beat those creatures — and that damned woman.'

'You should be grateful to her,' said Shannow. 'She's surely not a general. With a hundred well-armed, well-mounted men we could destroy them in a day.'

'Maybe,' Scayse agreed. 'But I'd say she has the upper hand around now. Wouldn't you?'

Shannow did not answer and the two men walked on for some time. Finally, Shannow turned the horse on to a narrow side trail leading up to a cave. The opening was less than four feet wide, but inside the cave itself was huge and almost circular. Shannow unsaddled the stallion and rubbed him down. 'We'll stay here for ah hour or two, then I guess we should find a way to get over the Wall.'

'Easier said, Shannow. By now those reptiles will be swarming over it like bees on honey. By the way, thanks for the timely rescue. I'll pay you back one day.'

'That's an interesting thought,' answered Shannow, taking his blankets and spreading them for a bed. 'Wake me in an hour.'

'We could be trapped in here. Shouldn't we move on?'

'It's unlikely they'll hunt for long. Having removed your force, they'll congregate at the Wall.'

'And if you're wrong?'

Then we'll both be dead. Wake me in an hour.'

* * *

The great Wall had been torn asunder by the quake, a huge gash appearing more than twenty feet across. On either side massive stone blocks hung precariously, looking as if a breath of wind would tumble them down on the rumbling wagons.

The Parson watched the column inch its perilous way along the stone-strewn pathway. Behind them the explosions had stopped — as had the headlong advance of the enemy.

'Shannow?' asked Bull and the Parson nodded. 'He don't give up, do he?'

With the last wagon through the gap, the Parson sent a group of men to scale the Wall and lever down the hanging blocks. They crashed to the ground, sending up clouds of dust.

'We should be able to hold them here for a while,' said Bull. 'Mind you, I think them beasts could climb over anywheres they chose.'

'We'll head south,' said the Parson. 'But I'd like you and a dozen others to hold this breach for a day… if you're willing?'

Bull chuckled and ran his fingers through his long, sandy hair. 'Given the choice between this and having boils lanced, I'd surely plump for the knife, Parson. But I reckon it needs doing. Anyways, I think it would be neighbourly to wait for Meneer Scayse and the others.'

'You're a good man, Bull.'

'I know it, Parson. And don't you forget to tell the Almighty!'

Bull sauntered among the men, choosing those he felt he could trust in a tight spot. They unloaded extra ammunition, filled their water canteens from the barrels on the wagons and took up positions on the Wall or behind fallen blocks to await the enemy.

From the north came the sound of gunfire and two more muted explosions.

'He surely does get around,' observed Bull to a young rider named Faird.

'Who?'

'The Jerusalem Man. Hope to God he makes it.'

'I hope to God we make it,' said Faird with feeling.

'Goddammit, there's that second sun again.' The brilliance was overpowering and Bull shielded his eyes. He felt the rumble beneath his feet.

'Get back from the Wall!' he bellowed. Men started to run, then the tremor struck and they were hurled from their feet. Jagged lines scored the surface of the Wall, blocks shifting and falling. A chasm opened across the valley and a great roaring filled the air, as flames spewed from the pit.

'Son of a bitch!' whispered Bull as the smell of sulphur blew across him. He pushed himself to his knees. Another massive section of the Wall had collapsed and from out of the dust-storm walked a tall reptile, his right hand held before him. Faird levelled his rifle. 'Hold it,' said Bull, and he rose and walked out to meet the beast, halting some three paces short.

The creature snorted dust from its slitted nostrils, then fixed Bull with its golden eyes.

'Speak your mind,' said Bull, his hand resting on the pistol butt at his side.

'Yess. Sspeak. Thiss war no good, U-man. Much death. No point.'

'You began it.'

'Yess. Great sstupidity. We only soldierss. You unders-stand? No choicess. Now Goldenhair ssays talk. We talk.'

'Who is this Goldenhair?'

'Sharassad. Leader. She ssays to give uss the man Nu and we will leave you in peace.'

'Why should we believe her?'

'I don't believe her,' said the reptile. 'Treacherouss woman. But she ssays sspeak so I sspeak.'

'You're telling me not to trust your own leader?' asked Bull, amazed. Then why the Hell come here in the first place?'

'We are Ruazsh-Pa. Warriors. We fight good. We lie bad. She ssay come, talk, tell you words. I tell you words. What answer you?'

'What answer would you give?'

The reptile waved his hand. 'Not for me to ssay.' He snorted once more, then began to cough.

'You want some water?' asked Bull. He called Faird over.

'Yess.' Faird brought a canteen and handed it gingerly to the creature, who lifted it high and poured the cool liquid over his face. Immediately the dry scaled skin took on a healthy glow. The reptile handed back the canteen, ignoring Faird.

'Very much bad, thiss war,' he told Bull. 'And these,' he added, patting the pistol at his hip, 'no good. Battle sshould be fought close, daggerss and swordss. No win souls from sso far. I, Szshark, kill twenty-six enemies with dagger, face close, touch their eyess with my tongue. Now

… bang… enemy fall. Very much very bad.'

'You seem like a decent sort,' said Bull, aware that the others had gathered close. 'I… we… never seen nothing like you before. Shame we got to go on killing one another.'

'Nothing wrong with killing,' hissed the creature, 'but it musst be according to cusstom. What answer you give treacherouss woman?'

'Tell her we need time to think about it.'

'Why?'

'To discuss it amongst ourselves.'

'You have no leader? What of the red-headed one in black? Or the Deathrider?'

'It's hard to explain. Our leaders need time to discuss it. Then maybe they'll say yes, maybe no.'

'It sshould be no,' said Szshark. 'It would lack honour. Better to die than betray a friend. Yet I will take your words to Goldenhair. Water wass good. For that gift I will kill you the right way, with dagger.'

'Thanks,' said Bull, grinning. 'That's nice to know.'

Szshark bowed stiffly and loped back to the Wall. With one leap he cleared a ten-foot block and was gone.

'What the Hell do you make of that?' Faird asked.

'Damned if I know,' answered Bull. 'Seemed a reasonable… thing, didn't he?'

'You could almost like him,' agreed Faird. 'We'd better get back to the Parson — tell him about the offer.'

'I don't like the feel of it,' said Bull. 'No way.'

'Me neither. But my wife and children are with that convoy, and if it comes to a choice between a stranger and them, I know where my vote goes.'

'He saved you and your wife on the trail, Faird. You surely don't go too long on gratitude in your family.'

'That was then, this is now,' snapped Faird, swinging away.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The bodies of the three sacrificial victims were carried from the altars. The High Priest lifted the three gleaming Bloodstones and placed them in a golden bowl.

'By the Spirit of Belial, by the blood of the innocent, by the law of the King,' he chanted. 'Let these tokens carry you to victory.'

The three men remained kneeling as the High Priest brought the bowl to them. From his jewel-encrusted throne the King watched the ceremony with little interest. He could see the giant Magellas and feel the warrior's discomfort as he knelt. The King smiled. Beside Magellas, the slender Lindian showed no expression; his grey eyes were hooded, his face a taut mask. On the extreme right Rhodaeul waited with eyes closed, mind locked in prayer. All three looked like brothers with their snow-white hair and pale faces. The High Priest gave them their Stones, then blessed them with the Horns of Belial. They rose smoothly and bowed to the King.