Defiant Swords (Durlindrath #2) (16 page)

Both sword and staff flickered with lòhrengai. She
retreated. The beasts howled behind her. They trembled and shook and bit at
their own tails. Whatever magic Kareste was working on them was having an
effect, and he saw a glint of desperation in Durletha’s eyes. She stopped her
backward pacing.

Brand felt her thoughts reach out, out to somewhere behind
him. He sensed the darkness of the deep tarn. Or did he sense
her
sensing the darkness of the tarn? Lòhrengai was a tangled web, but he had no
chance to untangle it now.

Shadows flocked about him with a thousand wings. He
perceived that her mind had taken the willow leaves and the black water and
transformed them into this attack, this thing that pummeled and struck at him
like a host of hawks, their wing-beats fierce slaps of shadow that shattered
light into fragments and sent them spinning away until there was nothing but
dark.

It was darker than the deepest cave. It was blacker than a
moonless midwinter night. It was more shadowy than the dim flicker of long lost
memories, and as memories could be lost, so too he began to lose a sense of
where he was and what he was doing.

The will of the witch was on him – strong,
soothing, blotting out all of the world except her own smothering thoughts. And
she thought of death, and the long dark peace of the tomb.

As though from afar Brand heard the howl of a wolf. It
brought back a fleeting image of Kareste, alone and imbued with eldritch power.
Was she bending the beasts to her will, her first step in becoming a force of
darkness on the earth? Or was she reaching out to them, becoming one with them
so that she might break the sorcery that bound them?

Why should he care? The thought was overpowering. It was so
much easier to drift back down into darkness.
But he did care.

And because he cared, he fought. He struggled up as though
he were at the bottom of the dark tarn itself, launching himself toward the
surface. But he could not get there. That, he knew instinctively. No matter how
hard he tried, he would never reach freedom. But if not that way, then how?

His mind drifted, and he saw many things. He saw the face of
the usurper who now ruled the Duthenor, saw his father and mother holding
hands, saw them dead, saw the moonlit night where he swore vengeance and struck
fear through the usurper. 

He saw his coming to Cardoroth, and Shorty and Taingern. And
he saw Arell: quick-witted, skilled, quiet, brimming with compassion that she
kept hidden. He saw Gilhain and Aurellin. He had learned from them all.

And he saw Aranloth. Older than the others, burdened by
years beyond count and responsibilities so heavy that few men would have the
will to bear them, and to endure their bearing, down through uncounted centuries.
And he saw him atop the Cardurleth, sending his spirit into the elùgroth tent,
worried that perhaps the task he had set himself would kill him and his soul be
lost. He heard his words in the hollow dark that pressed about him.
Use your
sword and prick my flesh, even to the point of drawing blood. That strengthens
the tie between spirit and
body
, and
should pull me back.

Brand now knew what to do. Even as he thought of it he felt
the hilt of the sword in his hand. It felt like a tongue of flame, and when he
brought it to bear against his leg it whipped him with fire.

His eyes sprang open. The dark was gone. The world rushed
upon him, brilliant and full of light and sound and life.

He stepped toward the witch. The sword in his hand burned,
for he could fill it with lòhrengai just as easily as the staff.

Durletha looked at him. Surprise and fear was on her face.
She began to shimmer, her arms lifting up, and he knew she was changing form.

Brand ran her through. The sword passed into her flesh as
though nothing was there. The blade flared. Fire surged. Her arms dropped, and
her body grew limp. It was heavy now, and it seemed to fall from the blade. She
collapsed to the ground. Once she blinked, her hand reaching out to him. And
then she who had endured as long, or perhaps even longer than Aranloth, died.

The Halathrin-that-were-wolves howled. The crows in the
willows beat their wings in madness.

Brand reached down and with his palm closed Durletha’s eyes.
He had not wanted to kill her. But he killed her because he had to. Not just to
save himself, or for Kareste, or for Cardoroth. But for all Alithoras.

He sensed now why he had the power that he did. He sensed
that it came, as all power ultimately did, from the land, from whence he was
born and to where he would one day return. He perceived his responsibilities
and purpose, and did not know whether to shrink from them or embrace them. The
second he was fearful to do, for it would change his life beyond the grasp of
his imagination.

At least, he could not embrace it yet.

He turned to Kareste. The spell she wrought was at its peak.
Shurilgar’s broken staff was like a rent in reality. It was a thing of power,
not truly belonging to this world, and it bridged the gap between this world
and others. Nor did it belong to this time. It reached back into the distant
past, sustaining itself on enchantments that were made long ago, and yet had
not died with their maker. Shurilgar was gone, but his will lived on.

Force roiled through Kareste. Her ash-blond hair trailed in
the wind, though no air moved. She shivered. And then she groaned. He could see
that she was in agony. Or perhaps it was ecstasy. He could not be sure what she
felt.

Suddenly, she stiffened. A wordless cry burst from her lips.
She lowered the staff, and the power from it flickered and subsided.

The beasts howled again, and when he turned to look at them
he saw that they were beasts no more. A score of Halathrin stood around him.
There was anguish on their faces such as he had never seen.

There was a cry behind him, and he turned again. Kareste had
fallen to her knees. Her head shook from side to side and she convulsed, her
eyes rolling in her head, and then went still.

He ran to her. He turned his back to the Halathrin and ran.
Kareste needed him, if it was not already too late. She needed him, and he
would be there for her. Though what she would do if she recovered, he did not
know.

Still less did he know what he would do if she died.

Thus ends
Defiant Swords.
The story
will continue in…

VICTORIOUS SWORDS

Book three of the Durlindrath series

Available Soon

Meanwhile,
Forgotten Swords
, the
completed Raithlindrath series is available. Discover what Aranloth was doing
before he came to Cardoroth and learn more of the enemies from the south that
threaten all of Alithoras.

FORGOTTEN SWORDS

A marauding horde. A famed
city. A lone man who stands between them.

Can one man defy an army? Only
one of the legendary Raithlin would try. But trying is not succeeding - or even
surviving.

Lanrik is confident in the
time-honored skills of the Raithlin scouts. He tries to slow the army long
enough for a warning to reach his home city. But treachery, political intrigue
and ties of loyalty test him more than the enemy.

He forms a bold plan against
overwhelming odds to protect all that he loves. But his choices lead him ever
deeper into a life-changing struggle. Dark forces of sorcery and witchcraft are
on the move. So too are the powers that contend with them. The conflict draws
him into a quest for the safety of the whole land and toward a girl who comes
to mean more to him than anything. He enters a world of magic: sometimes
beautiful, often perilous and always unpredictable.

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Many races dwell in Alithoras.
All have their own language, and though sometimes related to one another, the
changes sparked by migration, isolation and various influences often render
these tongues unintelligible to each other.

The ascendancy of Halathrin
culture, combined with their widespread efforts to secure and maintain allies
against elug incursions, has made their language the primary means of
communication between diverse peoples.

For instance, a soldier of
Cardoroth addressing a ship’s captain from Camarelon would speak Halathrin, or
a simplified version of it, even though their native speeches stem from the
same ancestral language.

This glossary contains a range
of names and terms. Many are of Halathrin origin, and their meaning is
provided. The remainder derive from native tongues and are obscure, so meanings
are only given intermittently.

Some variation exists within
the Halathrin language, chiefly between the regions of Halathar and Alonin. The
most obvious example is the latter’s preference for a “dh” spelling instead of
“th”.

Often, Camar names and
Halathrin elements are combined. This is especially so for the aristocracy. No
other tribes had such long-term friendship with the Halathrin, and though in
this relationship they lost some of their natural culture, they gained nobility
and knowledge in return.

List of abbreviations:

Azn.
Azan

Cam.
Camar

Chg.
Cheng

Comb.
Combined

Cor.
Corrupted form

Duth.
Duthenor

Esg.
Esgallien

Hal.
Halathrin

Leth.
Letharn

Prn.
Pronounced

Age of
heroes:
A period of Camar history that has become mythical.
Many tales are told of this time. Some are true, others are not. And yet, even
the false ones usually contain elements of historical fact. Many were the
heroes that walked abroad during this time, and they are remembered still, and
honoured still, by the Camar people. The old days are looked back on with
pride, and the descendants of many heroes yet walk the streets of Cardoroth,
though they be unaware of their heritage and the accomplishments of their
forefathers.

Alar:
Azn.
A strain of horses raised in the southern
deserts of Alithoras. Bred for endurance, but capable of bursts of speed. Most
valued possession of the Azan people, who measure wealth and status by their
number. In their culture, where a person on foot is likely to die between water
sources, horse-theft is punished by torture and death.

Alithoras:
Hal.
“Silver land.” The Halathrin name for the continent
they settled after the exodus. Refers to the extensive river and lake systems
they found and their appreciation of the beauty of the land.

Alith
Nien:
Hal.
“Silver
river.” Has its source in the mountainous lands of Auren Dennath and empties
into Lake Alithorin.

Anast Dennath:
Hal
.
“Stone mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with
Auren Dennath and location of the Dweorhrealm.

Angle:
The
land hemmed in by the Carist Nien and Erenian
rivers, especially the area in proximity to their divergence.

Angrod:
One of the
ancient names of the witch better known in present times as Durletha.

Arach Neben:
Hal
.
“West gate.” The great wall surrounding Cardoroth has four gates. Each is named
after a cardinal direction, and each also carries a token to represent a
celestial object. Arach Neben bears a steel ornament of the Morning Star.

Aranloth
:
Hal.
“Noble might.” A lòhren.

Arell:
A name formerly
common among the Camar people, but currently out of favor in Cardoroth. Its
etymology is obscure, though it is speculated that it derives from the
Halathrin stems “aran” and “ell” meaning noble and slender. Ell, in the
Halathrin tongue, also refers to any type of timber that is pliable, for
instance, hazel. This is cognate with our word wych-wood, meaning timber that
is supple and pliable. As elùgroths use wych-wood staffs as instruments of
sorcery, it is sometimes supposed that their name derives from this stem,
rather than elù (shadowed). This is a viable philological theory. Nevertheless,
as a matter of historical fact, it is wrong.

Aurellin
:
Cor. Hal.
The first element means blue. The second appears to be native Camar. Queen of
Cardoroth and wife to Gilhain.

Auren
Dennath
:
Comb. Duth.
and
Hal. Prn.
Our-ren dennath. “Blue mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with Anast Dennath.

Azan
:
Azn.
Desert dwelling people. Their nobility often serve as leaders of elug
armies. They are a prideful race, often haughty and domineering, but they also
adhere to a strict code of
honor
.

Barok:
A healer in
Cardoroth. A man held in high regard by the profession he represents. Distantly
related to the king on his mother’s side. It is believed by some that he
obtained his position as chief physician via political influence. Others argue
that, his family being wealthy, they bribed the king’s chancellor in order to
obtain the favored position for one of their own. Be that as it may, it is well
known in Gilhain’s court that the king dislikes him. This likely stems from an
older cause, however. In his youth, the king required stiches. Barok inserted
them, but miscalculated the date of their removal. The process, undertaken many
days later than it should have been, was painful. Gilhain still bears the scars
on his arm, not just of the initial cut, but also the faint point marks where
the string was pulled from his flesh.

Brand
: A Duthenor tribesman. Currently serving King Gilhain as his
Durlindrath. However, by birth, he is the rightful chieftain of the Duthenor
people. However, an usurper overthrew his father, killing him and his wife. Brand,
only a youth at the time, swore an oath of vengeance. That oath sleeps, but it
is not forgotten, either by Brand or the usurper. The usurper sought to have
him killed also, but without success.

Bragga
Mor:
Cam.
A great poet and
storyteller from the city of Esgallien. He traces his ancestry back to the days
when one of his forefathers served Conhain, that realm’s first king, as both
bodyguard and court bard. It is said that Bragga Mor is similarly skilled in
both music and in sword play.

Camar
:
Cam
.
Prn.
Kay-mar.
A race of interrelated tribes that migrated in two main stages.
The first brought them to the vicinity of Halathar; in the second, they
separated and establish cities along a broad sweep of eastern Alithoras.

Camarelon
:
Cam. Prn.
Kam-arelon.
A
port city and
capital of a Camar tribe. It was founded before Cardoroth
as the waves of migrating people settled the more southerly lands first. Each
new migration tended northward. It is perhaps the most representative of a
traditional Camar realm.

Carangar
:
Hal
. “Car – red, angar – outcrop of rock or something prominent that
juts
from the surface of the land or another object.” A
Durlin.

Cardoroth
:
Cor. Hal. Comb. Cam.
A Camar
city, often called Red Cardoroth. Some say this alludes to the red granite
commonly used in the construction of its buildings, others that it refers to a
prophecy of destruction.

Cardurleth:
Hal
.
“Car – red, dur – steadfast, leth – stone.” The great wall that surrounds
Cardoroth. Established soon after
the
city
’
s
founding
and constructed with red granite. It looks displeasing to the eye, but the
people of the city love it nonetheless. They believe it impregnable and say
that no enemy shall ever breach it – 
except
by treachery.

Careth
Nien
:
Hal. Prn.
Kareth nyen. “Great river.” Largest river in Alithoras. Has its source in the
mountains of Anast Dennath and runs southeast across the land before emptying
into the sea. It was over this river (which sometimes freezes along its
northern stretches) that the Camar and other tribes migrated into the eastern
lands. Much later, Brand came to the city of Cardoroth by one of these ancient
migratory routes.

Carist
Nien
:
Hal.
“Ice
river.” A river of northern Alithoras that has its source in the hills of
Lòrenta.

Carnhaina
: First element native
Cam
. Second
Hal
. “Heroine.” An
ancient queen of Cardoroth. Revered as a saviour of her people, but to some
degree also feared, for she possessed powers of magic. Hated to this day by
elùgroths, because she overthrew their power unexpectedly at a time when their
dark influence was rising. According to dim legend, kept alive mostly within
the royal family of Cardoroth, she guards the city even in death and will
return in its darkest hour.

Carnyx
horn:
The sacred horn of the Camar tribes. An instrument of brass, man high
with a mouth fashioned in the likeness of a fierce animal, often a boar or
bear. Winded in battle and designed to intimidate the foe with its otherworldly
sound. Some believe it invokes supernatural aid.

Chapterhouse
:
Special halls set aside in the palace of Cardoroth for the private meetings,
teachings and military training of the Durlin.

Crenel:
The vertical gap on a battlement between merlons. The
merlon offers protection, the crenel
an
opening through which missiles
are fired.

Drùghoth
:
Hal
. First element – black. Second element – that which
hastens, races or glides. More commonly called a sending.

Durletha:
Hal
. “She who is as enduring as stone.” A witch of Alithoras
whose birth was before even the rise of the ancient, but now forgotten, Letharn
empire.

Durlin
:
Hal
.
“The steadfast.” The original Durlin were the seven sons of the first king of
Cardoroth. They guarded him against all enemies, of which there were many, and
three
died to
protect
him. Their tradition continued throughout Cardoroth’s history, suspended only
once, and briefly, some four hundred years ago when it was discovered that
three members were secretly in the service of elùgroths. These were imprisoned,
but committed suicide while waiting for the king’s trial to commence. It is
rumored that the king himself provided them with
the
knives that they used. It is said that he felt sorry for them and gave them
this way out to avoid the shame a trial would bring to their families.

Durlin
c
reed
: These are the
native
Camar
words, long remembered and
much honored, uttered by the first Durlin to die while he defended his father,
and king, from attack. Tum del conar – El dar tum! Death or infamy – I choose
death!

Durlindrath
:
Hal.
“Lord of the steadfast.” The title given to the leader of the Durlin.

Duthenor
:
Duth
.
Prn
.
Dooth-en-or. “The people.” A single tribe, or sometimes a group of tribes
melded into a larger people at times of war or disaster, who generally live a
rustic and peaceful lifestyle. They are raisers of cattle and herders of sheep.
However
, when need demands they are fierce
warriors – men and women alike.

Elugs
:
Hal.
“That which creeps in shadows.” A cruel and superstitious race that
inhabits the southern lands, especially the Graèglin Dennath.

Elùdrath
:
Hal. Prn.
Eloo-drath.
“Shadowed lord.” A sorcerer. First and greatest among elùgroths. Believed to be
dead or defeated.

Elùgai
:
Hal.
Prn.
Eloo-guy. “Shadowed force.” The
sorcery of an elùgroth.

Elùgroth
:
Hal. Prn.
Eloo-groth.
“Shadowed horror.” A sorcerer. They often take names in the Halathrin tongue in
mockery of the lòhren’s practice to do so.

Elu-
haraken
:
Hal.
“The shadowed wars.” Long ago battles in a time that is become myth to
the Camar tribes.

Erenian
River
:
A river in northern Alithoras. Some say its name derives from a corruption of
the Halathrin word “nien,” meaning river. Others dispute this and postulate the
word derives from a pre-exodus name adopted by the Camar tribes after they
settled the east of Alithoras.

Exodus
:
The arrival of the Halathrin into
Alithoras from an outside land. They came by ship and beached north of Anast
Dennath.

Faladir
:
A city founded by a Camar tribe.

Foresight:
Premonition of the future. Can occur at random as a
single image or as a longer sequence of events. Can also be deliberately sought
by entering
the
realm between life and death where the spirit is
released from the body to travel through space and time. To achieve this, the
body must be brought to the very threshold of death. The first method is
uncontrollable and rare. The second exceedingly rare but controllable for those
with the skill and willingness to endure the danger.