The pirates thereafter proved unable to dominate Stokos.
The result had been civil war. The losing faction – which included many pirates – had withdrawn to Hok. The adherents of the Flame had finally won a conclusive victory, establishing themselves once again as rulers of Stokos. As a matter of principle, those victors had long wished to destroy Heth and all his followers.
For Heth was a sometime henchman of the evil ogre Tor, and a sworn enemy of the Hame. Heth's men were for the most part ogre-followers, or pirates, or religious dissidents, or escaped criminals, hence richly deserved death as far as the rulers of Stokos were concerned.
To Stokos, the destruction of Heth and all his people was a matter of religious duty. And Heth's people were now Sarazin's people.
Once Sarazin had finished his history lessons, he had to go forth and meet those people, to show himself, to make speeches, to accept oaths of fealty, to raise morale and rouse hopes in his troops. He proclaimed – and the claim was true – that the rule of the Flame on Stokos was not unanimously accepted.
'Many hate this religion,' said Sarazin, an instant expert on the subject thanks to detailed briefings from Heth and others. 'If we can break the strength of Stokos in battle then there are many on the island who would rally to our banner if we dared invasion.' So spoke Sarazin.
But knew the breaking of the strength of Stokos might prove well beyond his capabilities.
Six days after Sean Sarazin learnt that he himself was the true ruler of Hok, warriors from Stokos struck at the Eastern Passage Gate. At the time, Sean Sarazin was defending the gate. Thodric Jarl was supervising the fortification of the Lesser Tower itself while Fox was lecturing junior commanders from his sickbed.
The raiders from Stokos did not come in great numbers, for this was not a full-scale invasion. Such an invasion would follow shortly, but this was but a probing raid – a reconnaissance in force. The raiders were charged with establishing: (a) whether Sean Sarazin had reached Hok alive; and, if he had, whether Jaluba could be used as a hostage to compel his surrender; and if the Words revealed by the wench Jaluba would truly open the Passage Gates.
The raiders landed unopposed on the coast of the Willow Vale, for Hok lacked the strength to fortify and defend that shore. Observed at a distance by scouts, the raiders marched inland to the Eastern Passage Gate. Short of that gate they were stopped by defenders under the command of Sean Sarazin.
Lord Sarazin consented to parley with the raiders in front of the hastily erected earthworks which now guarded the Eastern Passage Gate. He told them to be gone. And, when Jaluba was produced, weeping and wailing, he told them they could butcher the bitch and eat her for all he cared.
Sudden responsibility and the prospect of death at the hands of a remorseless enemy had brought out the harshest aspects of Sean Sarazin's character. And he was truly furious with Jaluba. For, if she had only kept her mouth shut, the enemy would not have learnt the secrets of the Words, and would not be standing in armed strength before his gates.
Rebuffed, the enemy retreated. But Epelthin Elkin, standing beside Sean Sarazin during the parley, had read them, and warned Sarazin to expect a night attack. For the enemy, while they had the answers to questions (a) and (b), still lacked an answer to (c).
'A mind search tells me they have the Words for cer- tain,' said Elkin. 'They know how to command the gates and indeed to open the Lesser Tower itself. But as yet they cannot be certain that they know. Therefore they will attack tonight, pressing their assault to the Eastern Passage Gate to test it with a Word.'
Sarazin tried to think of something intelligent to say, failed, and so contented himself with saying the obvious:
Then we must keep them from the gate. Can you help us?'
'By night,' said Elkin, 'I will conjure an illusion for your troops.' 'What illusion?' said Sarazin.
'Our own troops will see the enemy glowing scarlet in the dark. The enemy will not share the illusion, hence will think themselves night-shrouded.' 'Is that the best you can do?' said Sarazin.
That,' said Elkin heavily, 'will be a sore trial of strength. It will suffice to exhaust me for a month.' Sarazin hoped he was exaggerating.
That night, while Sean Sarazin waited for the enemy to attack, he realised he was not afraid at all. But then, he had little cause to be. His position was strong; he had experienced troops under his command; he had a wizard fighting on his side.
When the enemy finally attacked, they were massacred. Elkin did as he had promised. Sarazin's men saw the enemy glowing scarlet in the night. Many were shot by archers as they crept towards Sarazin's position, thinking them- selves invisible in the dark.
Soon the enemy retreated, and Sean Sarazin thought the battle won. But the enemy attacked again. And a third time. A fourth. A fifth. That night, Sarazin learnt some- thing about the nature of religious fanaticism.
However, by the time dawn came, the enemy's strength had been truly broken, and the enemy were in full retreat. Calmly, Sarazin ordered the pursuit. He led that pur- suit himself, hoping to kill out every single enemy survivor before the foe could reach the shores of the Willow Vale. And hoping, also, to capture Jaluba.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
Two days later, Sean Sarazin returned to the Eastern Passage Gate with many scalps and three prisoners. One of whom was Jaluba. Sarazin was determined to put her on trial. But, on reaching the gate, he found he had a more urgent duty demanding his attention. The Rovac warrior Thodric Jarl had that day assaulted Epelthin Elkin at the gate, and had tried to kill him.
Elkin himself was waiting by the gate to tell Sarazin of this. The old wizard had escaped without serious injury, but was exhausted. He had been forced to use his special powers in self defence. 'Where is Jarl?' said Sarazin. 'We're holding him here,' said Elkin. 'On whose instructions?' said Sarazin.
'Mine,' said Elkin. 'If we'd carried him back to the Lesser Tower as a prisoner, all of X-zox would know of it by now. If you can persuade Jarl to behave himself, I'll not press charges against him.' 'Let's go and see him,' said Sarazin.
'No,' said Elkin. You go alone. He almost starts frothing at the mouth when I come in sight.' 'Is he mad?' 'Fanatical,' said Elkin simply. 'Like the rulers of Stokos.' 'I'll see what I can do,' said Sarazin. This was serious.
Jarl was a seasoned campaigner, a greater warrior than Heth, Fox and Sarazin rolled into one. Sarazin could not afford to lose him. He knew the victory he had just won was nothing – a skirmish, no more. The real invasion was yet to come. And when it did, then his own life would really be on the line.
Sarazin was glad Elkin had kept Jarl's arrest as quiet as possible. Dissent in the highest ranks would be disastrous for the morale of the defenders of X-zox.
When Sarazin came to him, Jarl was being guarded by two hefty Stokos-born swordsmiths from Stokos.
'What's going on here?' said Sarazin, as if he didn't know. 'Let me go!' said Jarl. 'I'll kill him!' "You'll kill me?' said Sarazin, faking amazement. TMo, fool! Elkin! He's a wizard.' 'So he is,' said Sarazin. 'But what of it?'
Jarl screamed with incoherent fury and struggled all the harder. Unable to escape, he settled.
'Whatever Elkin is,' said Sarazin reasonably, 'he's been a mutual friend for years. Your friend as well as mine.'
'By the knives!' said Jarl. 'If I'd known he was a wizard I'd have killed him when we first met in Voice.'
Elkin was right. Jarl was a fanatic. But what was the source of this fanaticism?
'I fail to see,' said Sarazin, 'why Elkin's death is so important to you. I've heard you mention a feud between wizards and Rovac, but surely this is neither the time nor the place to pursue such a feud.' 'I am not free to think likewise,' said Jarl.