Chapter XIII:
Natham
The Statue
As has been noted on several occasions, Cheftan Ponteris Oastirne kept at the entrance of his property, a great stone sculpture. It was the figure of a beautiful woman, a Siren from the ancient world. The Sirens were known as those who spoke, if not God's very words, at least the most beautiful words that can be uttered. To protect this statue from rain and from wind (and from carriages and wagons), Cheftan Ponteris had built a wooden shelter around it. He also caused the road to be brought around it, so that it would be both impossible to damage it accidentally, and impossible to follow that road without seeing his great prize.
Nearby, though not easily seen, was a small guard house, which was always occupied by at least two men. They were armed only with short swords, but they had a great horn, which was meant to summon to their side what help they might need, should any peril ever come to the statue.
But nobody in the whole forest of Noras cared for the statue enough to trouble it. So it was that by this time, the guards spent most of their day sleeping, drinking, and playing dice.
But on the last day of Paschest, ere any tidings had come to Noras concerning the events that had taken place in Dadron, one of the guards found himself shaken to wakefulness.
'Jori! Jori! Jori Polcirne!' his companion shouted in his ears.
'What is it, Kelnan,' the sleeper grumbled. 'What time is it?'
'There is someone near the statue!'
'And what of it? Everyone must pass the statue.'
'Do you think that I don't know that as well as you? There is something amiss.'
'Are you saying,' Jori said reluctantly opening his eyes, 'that after all these years someone is actually going to trouble that stupid goddess?'
'That is how it looks, Jori, now get up, I am not going down there alone.'
When they had put on their leather armor and fastened their swords at their sides they left the guardhouse. There they found Natham, the monster of Vestron, staring ponderously at the great statue. They took one look at each other and skulked away from the estate, abandoning their employer and their charge altogether.
When Natham had made an end of Ollitov, and when he had given instructions to those who followed him, he turned his face toward the north, and set out alone for Oastir-la. He followed no roads and asked for no directions, his ancient memories seemed to draw him to his first home like wine draws a fly. Thus he came upon the sleepy estate of Cheftan Ponteris just as the sun went down. He saw, in the waning light, the great beauty of the whole region. The trees were tall and strong, for all those with crooked trunks or patched canopies had been hewn down. No animals remained in that place, for they had all been hunted and driven away. A serene, deathly silence pervaded the whole scene. There he halted, to look upon that statue.
'Guarded from wind, from rain, from cold and from foes,' he thought. 'It is good that he should take such heed for stones, AND such heed for his own honor. But his son! Ah, that ugliness was fit for death, even as every imperfect thing.'
With no hesitation he took the statue from its foundation and cast it down across the road, shattering it into a thousand pieces. 'This land will soon resemble the Barbarian's heart. Exterminate that which troubles the eye as you will, oh father, but you will never drive the ugliness from your soul.'
He made his way to the house, where he was soon confronted by a dozen armed brigands, such as Ponteris kept at his side at all times. It was easy work, making an end of these golden-haired mercenaries. In a short while, and ere they could summon further aid, the whole guard of Ponteris' estate lay in heaps of broken men and shattered swords. Admunth and his spear he had left behind in Dadron. Skatos Ereg alone he bore now in his blackened left hand. With every stroke of the blade a low growl could be heard from somewhere deep within him. A growl more of delight than anger.
Though in all, some two hundred warriors were to be found in that house on that day, no word came to Ponteris of this sudden assault. It did not enter into any of their minds that they would need help against but one man, and by the time they discovered it, it was too late to scream. So it was that Ponteris was completely unaware that his fate drew so near to him. He had, in fact, sent his soldiers to the far side of his house. For it was that very afternoon that he had driven Bronning from his side with his cold and rash words. From that moment he locked Lyris in his own chambers and counted the minutes until his daily affairs had drawn to their close.
When at last he had finished his daily tasks, he retired to his chamber, ordering his servants to keep away, 'For I am feeling a slight chill, and I do not wish to be bothered.'
When Natham at last found his way into that portion of the house, he heard the sound of glass breaking. He sought out the source of this commotion and when he at last found the Cheftan's door, he heard for the first time in years, the voice of that one soul among women who shed for him real tears of pity. The door was slightly ajar and in the room he saw the Cheftan, with blood pouring from a gash in his head, wrestling with a young woman in a bright white, though blood-stained dress. The blood, he apprehended, belonged to Ponteris.
'Witch!' Ponteris bellowed as he held his wound. 'Know you not what men like me shall become, when Dadron at last has fallen!? We will be like gods, ruling over the superstitious fools like shepherds over their flocks.'
'What bewitchment of folly has fallen upon my queen I know not,' she replied, 'but I would sooner die than let your slightest finger touch me. It was in vain that I was promised you. For at least one of us shall end this a corpse; either I die to be free of you, or you shall die, and I will be free.'
With those words he struck her in the face with the back of his fist, and leapt upon her, putting his hands to her throat, banging her head onto the floor. Once more, Judan roared, and such a roar it was that echoes of it were heard, or so it was said, in Cossa-la and Megd-la. Ponteris fell back and groped for his weapon, which lay on a table near at hand. Natham made no effort to stop him. He looked down at Lyris' face. She seemed to him so beautiful and so peaceful. 'Sleep, then,' he said, thinking she was dead 'And wake to a better fate than this.'
Cheftan Ponteris lifted his sword in the air to strike, but Natham blocked his strike with ease. Skatos Ereg seemed to devour all light and color in that room, and the blade of the Cheftan shattered like glass as soon as it touched the evil blade. With his black left hand and his strong right, Natham grasped the hands of his father in his, pulverizing every finger as he squeezed them. Ponteris shrieked and begged for mercy. 'Mercy I shall give to you in plenty,' the monster said; even as you gave to me long ago - for I pity you. A pity to death, and a pity to murder.'
'I don't know you, devil, I never saw you before!' he screamed.
Skatos Ereg thrust forward and pierced the Cheftan's chest, but the monster stopped ere the blade struck his heart. Back, he pushed the fool Cheftan, back toward the fireplace, wherein a strong blaze was dancing about.
'You have accomplished much, father,' Natham said, 'But there is one thing that you failed to finish.'
Then Natham paused and looked back at the fallen girl. 'No more shall that kind heart warm this earth; all light has grown dim with her passing, as the sun vanishes into the west, so Lyris goes to that darker realm. But perhaps there she will shine also. But I, in this darkness, have only flame to look to. Yes, flame and heat, such as I felt of old.' With those words the Cheftan's right arm was released and the black arm of Judan lifted the cloak from off his face, to look his father in the eye.
In that instant, when he saw those fierce burns and scars, Ponteris knew at last what had transpired. 'Not drowned!?' he whimpered, 'Not drowned!?' Then, this one last thought crossed his mind, and seared itself into him so deeply that no other thought, despite all that would soon follow, could so much as move him. He heard again the words of Rahdmus, 'Death and vengeance shall fall upon this house, By your own flesh and blood shall your end come, By the fire you long ago kindled sh
all your own flesh be burned.'
'Very well Judan,' Natham said, 'Let it be done then. If this is your will, then I will not withhold it from you. In all our days, and in all our wars, you have always suffered more. I neither can be, nor desire to be sundered from you, and where you will go, so must I.'
With that the black left hand of Judan clutched the Cheftan by the throat and thrust him into the flame, where he helplessly writhed in agony, until at last his body was consumed. But as he burned, the flames began to crawl up the dark arm of Judan, and to light his cloak on fire. Natham closed his eyes and whispered, 'So ends it brother, our long nightmare.'
To this sight Lyris awoke, and seeing the monster in flames she rose to pull him away. But the flames were too great, and had now spread to the walls and to the carpets. Suddenly, however, a great light appeared, as if from within the flame itself, and Lyris fell to her knees with her face upward toward the ceiling. In that moment all the shadows of that dim room vanished and the whole scene was washed in a heavenly glow. She saw no longer the ugly Cheftan, nor the burning flame, it seemed the whole world was now on fire, but not a burning fire - a life giving flame.
Before her stood Natham and another man, an old man robed in brown with a rope for a belt. But as she watched, she saw the body of Natham come undone, and, though she could never adequately describe it, she saw the brothers come untangled before her eyes. Soft, white skin and smooth dark hair now sat upon the once hideous face of Judan, and the two brothers stood side by side shining as it were with their own light.
'For what is this given us?' Natham seemed to ask the man.
The old man said with a smile, 'Of all men, Natham, son of Ponteris, you have been the most honest. There were many dark things that have come into your life unbidden, but that which was left within your power you handled with much courage and kindness. The work which you were ordained to do, you have done without fail, and, children, no other could have done it.
With that the vision passed, and Lyris found herself in a dark and cold place. But as she looked she saw from afar two brilliant stars appear, and then after them all the rest of the celestial host. These two stars shone upon her face and warmed her heart. But her exhausted eyes gave in at last and she fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.
End of Book IV
Book V:
The Siren's Song