'How does it feel, Matze Chai?' asked Eldicar Manu-shan.
'It feels very fine,' answered Matze coldly. 'However, it would have been good manners to ask my captain if he objected to losing some of his youth.'
'I have given you twenty years, merchant. I can give you twenty more. You can be young and virile once more. You can enjoy your wealth in a manner denied to you for decades. Are you now willing to be my friend?'
Matze took a deep breath. 'My client is unique, magick-er. Some men are talented painters and sculptors, others can grow any kind of bloom, in any kind of climate. You are obviously skilled in the arcane arts. But my client is a master of only one skill, one terrible talent. He is a killer. In all my long and - thus far - remarkably uneventful life I have neither known nor heard of anyone to match him. He has fought demons, and magickers, and were-beasts. He is still here.' Matze Chai gave a thin smile. 'But then I think you already realize this. He was supposed to have died in your massacre, and he did not. Now you believe you are hunting him. It is an illusion. He is hunting you. You are already dead men. I do not desire friendship with dead men.'
Eldicar looked at him in silence. 'It is time to know pain, Matze Chai,' he said. As he spoke he raised his hand and pointed to Liu. The officer's dagger slid from its sheath, spun, and plunged through Liu's right eye socket. He fell without a sound.,
Matze sat silently, his hands upon his lap as the guards moved in.
Three-swords stepped back from the rock door. Iron-arm continued to beat at the stone with the pommel of his sword. 'Enough,' said Three-swords. 'It will not budge.'
'How, then, did they pass through?'
'I do not know. But we have searched the hillside and this is the only way out. So we wait.'
The two Kriaz-nor climbed down to join the others. Long-stride was sitting down in the cave mouth, Stone-four beside him. The two survivors of Striped-claw's group were standing apart. Three-swords called them to him. They were both fresh from the Pens. It was stupid of Striped-claw to have chosen them for this task, but entirely predictable. Striped-claw liked to impress, and Pen-younglings were easier to impress than seasoned warriors. 'Tell me of the fight,' said Three-swords.
One of the warriors began to speak. 'Striped-claw told us to stand back while he made the kill. Then he fought the one in the wolfskin. It was very fast. The human moved like a Kriaz-nor. Great speed. Then Striped-claw went down. It was then that Hill-six attacked the second man. He died.'
'Then you ran?'
'Yes, sir.'
Three-swords stepped back from the pair and drew one of his swords. In one move of dazzling speed he beheaded the speaker. The second warrior turned to run, but Three-swords was upon him within a few paces, his blade slashing through the back of the Kriaz-nor's neck. Turning, he strolled back to Iron-arm. 'Fresh meat,' he said.
'But leave the hearts. I do not want the blood of cowards flowing in my veins.'
At that moment the ground began to vibrate. Three-swords almost lost his footing.
'Earthquake!' shouted Stone-four.
A dull sound like distant thunder boomed across the clearing. A dislodged boulder rolled past them.
'It is coming from inside the hill,' said Iron-arm.
Another boulder moved, falling upon the overhang and bouncing out to crash to the ground close by. 'Back to the tree-line,' ordered Three-swords. Iron-arm ran to one of the bodies and, hauling it behind him, followed his three comrades back to the safety of the trees.
Yu Yu felt stronger when he awoke, his bruised body refreshed. Kysumu was sitting cross-legged beside him, eyes closed and deep in a meditation trance. Yu Yu sat up and stared out over the white ranks of the ghostly army.
Leaving Kysumu, he strolled among the clay figures, looking at faces, seeking out Qin Chong. But he was nowhere to be found. At last Yu Yu came upon the broken figures. Kneeling, he pieced together what he could of the heads. As he half completed the second, sadness touched him. In his hands he held the features of the Riaj-nor who had befriended him in his dreams. 'What do I do now?' he whispered. 'I am here.' There was no answer. Yu Yu placed the broken pieces on the ground and sat back. Kysumu should have been the pria-shath. He was a trained Rajnee.
Yu Yu moved back to Kysumu and waited for the trance to end. Within minutes Kysumu opened his eyes. 'Are you feeling stronger?' asked the swordsman.
'Yes,' answered Yu Yu miserably.
'Did Qin Chong come to you in your sleep?'
'No.'
'Do you have any idea of what to do now?'
'No, I don't!' snapped Yu Yu. 'I don't know how statues can help us.' Pushing himself to his feet he walked away from the swordsman, anxious to avoid further questioning. Yu Yu had never felt so useless. He wandered around the walls, coming at last to the ledge scattered with golden ornaments. In his mind's eye he saw the warriors lining up here, placing their trinkets upon the rock. He picked up a small golden ring, then let it drop. In his vision he had seen warriors march into the depths of the hill. Now there were only statues. Where were the warriors? Had they been covered with clay? The broken head of Qin Chong's statue had been hollow, and there were no bones or scraps of hair within it, so that seemed unlikely. What, then, was the purpose behind these statues? Yu Yu strained at the thought until his head hurt. 'You must wake the Men of Clay,' Qin Chong had told him.
'Wake up!' bellowed Yu Yu.
'What are you shouting for?' Kysumu called out.
Yu Yu did not reply. Unable to think of an answer he turned back to the ledge. His gaze fell upon a threaded rod of gold some four inches long. Beside it was a circular stand, with a hole at the centre. Yu Yu picked up the stand and inserted the rod into the hole, screwing it tight. The top of the rod was hooked, like a shepherd's crook.
'What are you doing?' asked Kysumu, coming alongside.
'Nothing,' said Yu Yu. 'Amusing myself. Something should hang from this hook.'
'We have more important matters to decide,' said Kysumu.
'I know.' Yu Yu continued to probe among the ornaments, finally finding a small golden bell with a ring at the crest. 'This is it,' he said, carefully hooking the bell to the rod. 'Pretty.'
'Yes, it is pretty,' said Kysumu, with a sigh. Yu Yu flicked the bell. A small chime sounded. The bell continued to swing, and the next chime was louder than the first. The sound began to reverberate through the domed hall, growing louder and louder. The rock wall began to vibrate, ornaments tumbling from it. Kysumu tried to say something, but Yu Yu could not hear him. Yu Yu's ears were hurting and he covered them with his hands.
Dust fell from the domed ceiling, and cracks appeared in the walls. The bell was now booming louder than thunder. Yu Yu felt sick. He staggered back from the ledge and fell to his knees. Kysumu had also covered his ears, and was squatting down, a look of intense pain upon his features.
The clay statues were trembling now. Yu Yu saw tiny cracks appear in the nearest figure, spreading out like a spider's web. And still the terrible tolling of the bell continued. Pain roared inside Yu Yu's head.
And he passed out.
Chapter Thirteen
Kysumu rolled to his knees. Blood was dripping from his nose. The noise was so incredible now that it had transcended mere sound. Everything hurt, ears, eyes, fingertips, belly. Every joint pulsed with pain. Kysumu forced himself to his feet and fell against the ledge, where the bell was still vibrating. Reaching out, the swordsman closed his hand around the tiny object. Instantly the tolling ceased. Kysumu staggered, then fell. He could scarcely breathe. Dust was everywhere, like a fog. Lifting the collar of his robe, he held it over his mouth. His ears were still ringing, his hands trembling.
Only then did he see the shining lights gleaming through the cracks that criss-crossed the statues. He blinked and tried to focus. It was as if the sun itself was trapped within the clay. The cracks of light widened, clay falling away. As the dust settled Kysumu saw that most of the statues were now bathed in golden light. The domed hall blazed wit
h brightness. Kysumu closed his eyes against it, and where, only moments before, he had covered his ears, now he held his hands over his face. He waited for a few heartbeats, then opened his fingers. Light still blazed against his closed lids, and he waited again. Finally the brilliance faded. Kysumu let fall his hands and opened his eyes.
The Men of Clay were gone. Standing in the hall were several hundred living, breathing Riaj-nor.
Kysumu rose and approached them. They waited in silence. He bowed deeply. 'I am Kysumu,' he said, in formal Chiatze. 'Is Qin Chong among you?'
A young man stepped forward. He was wearing a full-length tunic of silver satin, his sword thrust into a black silk sash around his waist. He removed his helm and neglected to bow to Kysumu. 'Qin Chong did not survive the transformation.' Kysumu looked into the man's eyes. The pupils were black slits surrounded by gold. In that moment Kysumu felt as if he had been stabbed through the soul. His heart sank. These were not men at all. They were creatures just like the Kriaz-nor.
'I am Ren Tang,' said the warrior. 'Are you the pria-shathr
'No,' said Kysumu, turning away. 'The bell rendered him unconscious.'
Ren Tang strode to where Yu Yu lay. Other warriors gathered in silence around him. Then Ren Tang nudged Yu Yu with his foot. 'Behold the great one, the pria-sbath,' he said. 'We have crossed the centuries to aid a human monkey in wolfskin.' Some of the men chuckled. Kysumu knelt beside Yu Yu and saw that he, too, had bled from the nose. He rolled him on to his back. Yu Yu groaned. Kysumu hauled him to a seated position.
'I feel sick,' muttered Yu Yu. He opened his eyes, then jerked as he saw the warriors milling around. He swore loudly.
'You did it, Yu Yu,' said Kysumu. 'You brought the Men of Clay back to life.'
'It takes no great intellect to ring a bell,' sneered Ren Tang.
'I spoke with Qin Chong,' said Kysumu, his voice cold. 'He was a man of great power and strength. He also understood courtesy and the need for good manners.'
Ren Tang's feral eyes locked to Kysumu's gaze. 'First, human, Qin Chong was not a man. He was, as we are, Riaj-nor. Second, I care nothing for your opinions. We drew lots to see which of us would fight for you humans when the gateway spell began to fail. It is enough that we will fight for you. Do not expect more.'
'It is not important,' said Yu Yu, climbing to his feet. 'I don't care whether they treat me with respect. Qin Chong sent them here to fight. So let them fight.' He looked into Ren Tang's eyes. 'Do you know who you are supposed to fight, and where?'
'You are the pria-shath,' said Ren Tang, contempt in his voice. 'We await your orders.'
'Very well,' said Yu Yu. 'Why don't you take some of your fighters and go outside? There were some enemy warriors out there earlier.'
Ren Tang put on his helmet and tied it below his chin. Taking several of the warriors with him he strode down the tunnel, returning moments later. 'We cannot get out,' he said. The stone door will not budge.'
'Is that right, Buttock Brain?' said Yu Yu. 'One simple order and already you fail.'
For a moment Ren Tang stood stock still. Then his sword flashed into the air, the point hovering over Yu Yu's throat. 'You dare insult me?'
'What insult?' snarled Yu Yu. 'You wait thousands of years and your first act is to draw your sword against the only person who can lead you out of this tomb. What animal did they join you with? A goat?'
Ren Tang snarled. The sword lanced forward. Kysumu's blade blocked it.
A low growl came from Ren Tang, and his eyes glittered in the lantern-light. 'You cannot beat me, human,' he said. 'I could cut out your heart before you could move.'
'Show me,' said Kysumu quietly.
Another warrior stepped from the ranks. 'Enough of this,' he said. 'Ren Tang, put away your sword. You too, human.' He was taller than most of the Riaj-nor and slightly round-shouldered. His armour was the same as that of the others - ornate helm and a torso guard of gold coins - but his ankle-length tunic was of heavy crimson silk. 'I am Song Xiu,' he said, offering a respectful bow to both Kysumu and Yu Yu. He looked at Ren Tang, who stepped back, sheathing his sword.
'Why are you so angry?' Yu Yu asked Ren Tang.
The warrior swung away from him and walked back into the ranks of the Riaj-nor. Song Xiu spoke for him. 'He is angry because yesterday we won a great victory. After all the years of struggle and suffering. We thought it was over, and that we would have a chance to know peace. To rest and lie in the sunshine. To send for the pleasure girls and rut and get drunk. It was a glorious day. But then the black wizard told us that the spell would one day falter, and Qin Chong asked all the Riaj-nor to draw lots to see which of us would leave the world we knew and enter the long sleep. Now we are here, to fight again and die for a cause that is not our own. Ren Tang is not alone in feeling angry, human. We only agreed because Qin Chong said he would lead us. But he is dead. He fought his way across two continents, facing and overcoming dangers you could not possibly imagine. Only to die from a rockfall inside a hollow hill. You expect us to be less than angry?'
Yu Yu shrugged. 'You didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be here. But we are here. So let's leave this place. I need to breathe fresh air.'
Yu Yu strode along the tunnel to the rock door and stretched out his hand. Instead of passing through it his fingers touched solid rock. 'Oh, it just gets better,' muttered Yu Yu. He kicked the stone. Cracks flowed across it. The door shivered and broke, collapsing to the overhang and falling to the trail below. Yu Yu gave a proud grin and swung to Kysumu. 'Nobody told me how to do that,' he said. 'I just did it myself! Good, hey?' Then he stepped out into the light. Kysumu followed him, then the Riaj-nor. The warriors milled around, turning their faces up to the sunlight. Two of them approached the body of the dead Kriaz-nor. One knelt down and dipped his finger in the gaping wound at the warrior's neck. Lifting his hand he licked blood from the finger. 'Recent kill,' he said. Peeling a strip of flesh from the body he put it in his mouth and chewed upon it. Then he spat it out. 'Tastes of fear,' he said.
Kysumu walked away from the group and stood staring into the distance. Yu Yu joined him. 'Are you all right, Rajnee?'
'Look at them, Yu Yu. All my life I have dreamt of being as great as these. And what are they? Part animal, part man - and as vile as those we fight against. I thought to find great heroes. Instead . . .' His voice tailed away.
'They are here,' said Yu Yu. 'They endured a spell that left them dead for centuries, so that they could protect a new generation. Doesn't that make them heroes?'
'How could you understand?' snapped Kysumu.
'Being a ditch-digger, you mean?'
'No, no,' said Kysumu, reaching out and gripping Yu Yu's shoulder. 'There is no dishonour in that. What I meant was that all my life I have denied myself pleasure. No fine foods, strong drink, women, gambling. I possess nothing but my robes, my sword and my sandals. I did this because I believed in the order of the Rajnee. My life had a noble purpose. But it has all been based on a falsehood. To win that war our ancestors merely duplicated the enemy. No honour, no holding to principles. What does that make of my life?'
'You have honour and principles,' said Yu Yu. 'You are a great man. It doesn't matter about the past. You are who you are, regardless of it. When I first began to dig trenches they told us the foundations needed to be four feet deep. When the first earthquake hit, all our new buildings crumbled. Foundations should have been six feet deep, you see. All that digging just to make an unsafe house. But it didn't make me a bad digger. I was a great digger. A legend among diggers,' he added.
At that moment Song Xiu and Ren Tang approached them. 'What are your orders, Pria-shath?' asked the crimson-clad Song Xiu.
'Do you know how to make the gateway stay closed?' asked Yu Yu.
'Of course. The spell was cast using the power of Riaj-nor blades,' said Song Xiu. 'We must assemble at the gateway and hold our swords against it.'
'That is all we have to do?' asked Yu Yu, astonished. 'Just walk up to the
gateway and tap it with a sword? We could have done that!'
'It will take more than two,' said Ren Tang.
'How many?' asked Kysumu.
Song Xiu shrugged. 'Ten, twenty, all of them. I do not know. But it will all be for nothing if the gateway is fully open. We must reach it before that event, while it is still blue.'
'Blue?' queried Yu Yu.
'I watched the first spell cast,' said Song Xiu. 'It began with what appeared to be white lightning searing across the opening. Then the colour deepened, becoming at first pale blue like a winter sky, then darker. At the last it was silver, like a sword blade. Then the light faded, the silver turned to grey and we were standing before a wall of solid rock. After the Men of Clay were chosen we were told that as the spell degrades it will flow through the colours in reverse. If it reaches white the spell is finished. If we can restore it to silver the gateway will seal itself.'
'Then we'd better get started,' said Yu Yu.
Eldicar Manushan felt sick. The communion had been more painful than usual but, then, it had been prolonged almost beyond endurance. Yet it was Deresh Karany's torture of Matze Chai that had turned his stomach. The old man had been far tougher than anyone could have expected, considering his effete lifestyle. The boils sprouting on his flesh, the open, cancerous wounds had failed to break him. Blinding head pain had weakened his resolve, the fat maggots chewing upon his wounds bringing him even closer to the edge. But it was the leprosy that had sent him spinning into Deresh Karany's control. The old man was fastidious to the point of obsession. The thought of his own skin decaying and falling away had been too much for him.