Authors: James Wolf
‘The need is greater,’ Hirandar said solemnly.
‘Tis strange,’ Drogal mused. ‘Two day ago, one o’ Rangers returned sayin’ there be a wizard headed fer ye Blizzen Passes. I do be forgettin’ it, as ye Kruns be comin’ hours after that Ranger do returned.’
Hirandar raised her eyebrow at this.
‘Neveryeless,’ Drogal said, ‘that party o’ this other wizard must be dead, for their path do be meetin’ ye Kruns.’
‘Indeed,’ Hirandar grimaced, less convinced than the Citadel Lord.
‘I do know this ranger,’ Drogal rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘He be stout, but something do have him flustered. He do been glad ter escape this fright’ning wizard an’ his friends. Said he could nay help but be feelin’ uneasy an’ fearful o’ them.’
‘He’s lucky to have his life,’ Hirandar sighed.
Although Drogal did not notice, Logan, Harnan and Taem heard the deeper meaning in the Wizard’s words.
‘What do send yhee eastwards by treacherous roads,’ Drogal asked, ‘an’ with such haste?’
‘A quest for an item of huge consequence,’ Hirandar said cryptically.
But Drogal seemed satisfied as he nodded his head, ‘Yhee ’ave always be a selfless ally o’ Rhungars, Hirandar o’ ye Firefist. If I could spare yhee army, I would. But with Kruns do knockin’ at my doors, an’ far worse in ye eastern mountains, I can nay spare yhee a single axe.’
‘Me Lord,’ the old Rhungari priest jumped in, sat on Drogal’s left. He wore long robes of brown and grey – dull for a Rhungar, Taem thought. ‘Ye rains have nay fallen fer nine days, an’ ye wind continue ter blow from ye north, tis
certain
signs that Odrin favours us again. I be
assured
by these signs that Kruns do nay return. Odrin’s hand do move ter protect us! Ye weather omens be definite proof.’
Harnan raised his eyes to the sky, as Hirandar shook her head in disbelief.
‘Aye, aye,’ Drogal said dismissively to the priest. ‘As Odrin wills it – I take comfort from thy council, Priest Grond. Yhee be sayin’, me Lady Hirandar?’
‘I have amassed a company of might for this task,’ Hirandar gestured to her companions sat at the table. ‘For which the Rhungars are represented.’
‘Forgrun Krojan, o’ Dundean,’ Drogal nodded. ‘He be a strong an’ proud example o’ me people. His father do be well known, as it be said he do be in time – after he do pass ye impetuousness o’ youth.’
‘How be a friend o’ mine be nay welcome at this table?’ Forgrun slammed his tankard down on the table, and stood up. The great hall went silent. Everyone in the chamber turned to watch Forgrun.
‘I merely be remarkin’,’ said a Rhungar, sat opposite Baek, ‘how times do have changed, ter be havin’ Aborle present in ye halls o’
me
ancestors.’ This Rhungar had a Claymore sword, and wore the red and green of his clan. ‘Yhee Aborle be nay friend o’ us Rhungars. Even if Forgrun o’ Ironstone do forget ye past, we Claymores do remember! We Claymores still respect ye ancestors!’
There were murmurs of agreement throughout the great hall. The Aborle should not be trusted. They had the blood of traitors.
‘This Aborle be battle-brother worthy o’ thy Ancestors!’ Forgrun raised a fist towards the Claymore.
Taem saw many rosy Rhungar faces go wide open with shock and outrage.
‘This Ironstone do break ancient custom,’ the watching Rhungars muttered amongst themselves.
‘More than that,’ Forgrun boomed, ‘this Aborle be me friend, ter which, fer me it do nay matter which people!’
‘An’,’ the Claymore Rhungar roared at Forgrun, raising his voice in challenge as he stood up. ‘How ye times do take a turn fer ye worst if an Aborle be sittin’ at ye table o’ me forefathers!’
‘Yhee insult me friend!’ Forgrun snarled. ‘Therefore, yhee insult me!’
‘Come on lads we’re all friends here,’ Drual held up his hands.
Taem saw the look of sheer bewilderment on Baek’s face.
To his alarm, Taem noticed Harnan was smiling –
smiling!
‘I do insult yhee Ironstone,’ the Claymore Rhungar bellowed, as he planted his fists on his hips. ‘For are yhee true Rhungar be? Or do yhee be weak half-Rhungar turncoat?’
Forgrun shouted something back, but Taem, who sat at the other end of the table, could not hear what it was. Because every Rhungar of Clan Ironstone was up on his or her feet and shouting, including their Clan Lord – which in turn brought the Rhungars from the Clan Claymore table to start yelling at the Ironstone table. Taem thought the deep booming of many Rhungars shouting in Grumbold was like the gathering of thunder in storm clouds.
‘
Enough
!’ The Citadel Lord's booming voice cut through the racket, and everyone went silent. ‘It appears we do have a matter that can nay be resolved between two Rhungars, two clans. Only by Gaunt Ruck can settled this disagreement be. Will yhee, Forgrun o’ Ironstone, be issuin’ forth ye challenge fer Gaunt Ruck?’
‘
I be
!’ Forgrun shouted.
‘Do yhee, Sturad o’ Claymore,’ Drogal asked, ‘be acceptin’ ye challenge?’
‘
I be
!’ Sturad bellowed.
At this, every Rhungar in the room, bar Drogal, began howling and whooping. Taem thought they sounded as if they were a bunch of drunks trying to imitate wolves. Baek wrinkled his nose in disdain. In an instant, all the hostilities had been forgotten – apart from the fierce glares being exchanged between Forgrun and Sturad. Seven of Clan Claymore got up from their table and made their way to stand behind Sturad. Four of Clan Ironstone went to stand behind Forgrun.
‘Yhee can nay even back up thy challenge with a full team!’ Sturad yelled, and the Claymore table exploded with laughter, as did some of the other clan tables.
Harnan Molboroth stood up, at which the whole room went silent, and walked over to Forgrun’s team.
‘Me Lord Captain Harnan,’ Sturad said respectfully. ‘We can nay be challengin’ thyself in Gaunt Ruck? Yhee be a Rhungar o’ mighty Kaladim. We can nay hit yhee.’
‘Do treat me nay different ter any opponent,’ Harnan boomed. ‘For yhee be nay receivin’ smooth treatment from me in ye games!’
The Ironstone table roared at this, banging their fists and tankards on the table, barking like dogs, cheering and howling, as did the Browen Dal – Harnan’s clan.
‘Yhee still do need two,’ Sturad said mockingly. ‘Are thy friends so little in number, Forgrun, that yhee can nay be gatherin’ a team?’
There was jeering from the Claymore table as no one else came to Forgrun’s side. It was embarrassing for Forgrun so, taking a deep breath, Taem stood up and went to his friend’s side. Hirandar gestured for Taem to sit back down, but it was too late. The Wizard scowled at Taem.
Rhungars in the great hall muttered amongst themselves.
‘It nay be custom fer non-Rhungars ter be permitted ter Gaunt Ruck,’ Sturad boomed. ‘But as this one be so
puny
,’ Sturad sneered as he pointed at Taem, ‘I do be makin’ an exception, if ye Lord do allow it?’
The hall was filled with raucous Rhungari laughter.
Puny?
Taem thought to himself. Taem was on the short side for a man, but with a broad sprinter’s build, and he knew he was strong for his size.
The laughter in the hall died, as Ragad stood up and went to join Forgrun’s team. Taem saw how the Claymore team looked at the giant of a man with awe and fear. Forgrun was five-foot tall, which was big for a Rhungar, but Ragad was closer to seven-foot than six,
and
he had the shoulders of a Rhungar to match.
‘Nay non-Rhungars ter be allowed!’ Sturad shouted.
‘Yhee do say so thyself, Sturad,’ Drogal said sarcastically. ‘Yhee would be makin’ exception
if thy Lord allows
– an’ he does.’
To which the Ironstones mocked and jeered the Claymore table.
Taem saw Baek looked pale, put out by the howling racket of the Rhungars.
‘Come be tomorrow morn,’ the Citadel Lord announced. ‘Let ye trials begin!’
The Hand of Fire were led to their guesthouse by a Citadel Guard, and Taem could feel the excitement in the lamp-lit Under City. The chant of “Gaunt Ruck! Gaunt Ruck!” was coming from the packed alehouses, and Rhungars ran through the streets to spread the word. Whilst the company walked, Taem looked at one of the most curious things about the underground city: stone channels that ran throughout the chamber, held above head level by stone pillars. From within the stone channels, Taem could hear the murmur of trickling water.
‘They be aqueducts,’ Forgrun grinned, as he saw Taem eying the stone slide they were walking under, ‘aqua be ye ol’ Grumbold word fer water.’
It was strange for Taem to see water running
above
the stone floor! He had heard the Rhungars were resourceful inventors, but a river running through the air, what would they think of next?
‘Ye water be comin’ from mountain springs,’ Forgrun gestured to where a Rhungari woman was filling a bucket of water from a tap, beneath one of the aqueducts.
The companions were taken to a typical Rhungari house. Inside, Taem could see there was a rug in front of the fire, surrounded by some Rhungari armchairs. The armchairs were made from glazed green metal, and held a cradle of bright yellow cushions. Taem’s attention was drawn to two incredible pieces of craftsmanship in the otherwise barren room. Taem walked up to the sculpture that took up a whole corner of the room, and he gasped in amazement at its intricacy. The feature was fashioned from a single boulder of stone, and had hundreds of tiny metal Rhungar figurines walking up an ethereal bridge to a city in the clouds. It was so detailed that Taem could see the features of the tiny miniatures’ faces, and the swirling clouds looked as if they were moving.
‘Does this show Rhungars entering the Misty Halls?’ Taem asked Logan, as he gestured to the huge sculpture.
‘Yes,’ Logan said softly. ‘That is where the Rhungars will go after life. Just as we Sodan will find our final solace in the stars – in Alarsium – the worthy Rhungars will enter the Misty Halls, and take their place alongside their ancestors and their Gods.’
The other thing that Taem saw in the room was a stone prayer table. The table held a stone carving of the inside of a sweeping lord’s hall. In the prominent positions in the hall were figurines that Taem knew were the Ancestor-Gods, and beyond them stood countless Rhungari figures. Somehow, the sculpture gave the impression of a sea of Rhungars spreading back into the halls. Taem examined the prayer table from different angles, but he could not work out how the sculptor had made the hall extend far back into nothingness. Taem watched as Forgrun lit some incense sticks, dropped to his knees in front of the shrine and joined his hands in prayer, murmuring in Grumbold. Taem smelt the incense, and it reminded him of fresh air after a storm.
‘Thank you,’ Baek said to Forgrun, once the Rhungar had finished his prayer. ‘To defend an Aborle in front of all your peers took great courage.’
Forgrun nodded and smiled.
‘Let’s get a few more coals on the fire,’ Drual rubbed his hands together as he walked over to the huge fireplace.
‘It is chilly,’ Jvarna massaged some warmth into her arms.
‘These mountain cities are untouched by rain or snow,’ Logan lit an incense stick and knelt down in front of the prayer table, ‘but neither are they warmed by the sun. Even in summer the Rhungars need fires to ward off the cold.’
Taem noticed the windows of the Rhungari house had no need for glass panes to keep rain out, but were covered by thick curtains to help keep warmth in. Even the doors were made of heavy stone, set on durable metal hinges.
‘Rhungars never use wood for anything,’ Taem said to Forgrun, ‘do you? I have not seen a single bit of wood since we arrived in this great city – everything is made from stone or metal?’
‘Aye,’ Forgrun ran his hand over the metal chairs, ‘Wood can nay be wasted in makin’ doors and chairs, or be burnt on fire. It be too scarce in ye high mountains.’
‘Taem!’ Hirandar glared at the young man, causing him to jump. ‘You foolish boy! What were you thinking? Logan may have trained you to be a swordsman, but there’ll be no swords in the arena! Do you know you’ll be competing – with shoulder and fist – with some of the toughest Rhungars of Khan Zhen? Every one of them will be looking to send you to the apothecary! A Man playing Gaunt Ruck? They’ll be trying to take your head off!’
Taem gulped, perhaps he had been too hasty. And the stormy look in Hirandar’s eyes made him shudder.
‘Nay come on,’ Forgrun spread his palms wide. ‘No one be goin’ ter get seriously hurt. May be as well ter worry abou’ trippin’ on rock an’ cracking thy head open…’ The Rhungar trailed off, as he saw Hirandar’s look become blacker.
‘And you, Master Rhungar!’ Hirandar snarled. ‘You have brought added risk to my quest? Not just to yourself, but you now risk three of
my
company, getting injured in your silly games!’
Forgrun looked down at the floor.
‘Fear not, Hirandar,’ Ragad said. ‘I will watch over Taem in the games. And regardless, brute strength alone is not enough. I wager Taem can run twice as fast as any Rhungar. A Rhungar cannot hit what he cannot catch.’
Hirandar, and the rest of the company, looked at the barbarian in surprise.
‘What’s done is done,’ Logan raised an appeasing hand to Hirandar. ‘We are not so weary yet that we need the rest. If anything,’ Logan gestured out the door, back out into the city, ‘this Gaunt Ruck has raised the spirits of a people under siege. Look around the Under City. You can see it, feel it,
everywhere
.’
Logan paused, and all the companions could hear distant Rhungars cheering, and chanting Gaunt Ruck.
‘Besides,’ Logan put a hand on Taem’s shoulder, ‘you underestimate my apprentice, Hirandar. Any Rhungar that thinks he is a small, weak Man, will be in for a big surprise.’
Logan nodded at Taem, and the Master’s approval gave him heart.
‘Aye!’ Forgrun boomed. ‘Nay man can move like Taem o’ Logan! I can nay wait to see ye shock in thine Claymore eyes. By thunder, Taem do show ‘em!’ Forgrun punched the air.
‘This Gaunt Ruck is a needless delay,’ Hirandar glowered at Forgrun, as she went to warm her hands on the fire. ‘With enemies ahead of us, and putting more distance between us.’
‘But the Kruns block the Blizzen Path, old friend,’ Logan said calmly, as he came alongside Hirandar, putting his palms out towards the fire, ‘the delay was already there before Forgrun defended his friend.’
Forgrun grew taller, and his chest expanded as Logan spoke.
‘I suppose Rhungars will be Rhungars,’ Hirandar muttered.
‘And we wouldn’t want them any other way,’ Logan put a hand on Hirandar’s shoulder, as he smiled at Forgrun. ‘That’s what makes them the most ferocious warriors in Hathlore. A ferocity we may yet need in the days to come. But for now, we should all get some rest.’
Taem was glad to find Rhungars did not sleep on mattresses of stone, but in comfortable cloth beds covered in furs and blankets. After days in the wilderness, Taem was happy to have a cosy bed, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning soon came, and the crowds were out in force and heading for the Gaunt Ruck pitch. Taem gazed up at the city roof in wonder. Beams of sunlight, reflected down long shafts by great mirrors, spread over the Under City and illuminated its darkest corners. Taem held his palms up to bathe in the light, and he simply could not believe it was possible.
The Hand of Fire joined the flow of walkers, and went down a passage that led into another chamber. When the company reached this Gaunt Ruck chamber, it really dawned on Taem he did not know what he had gotten himself into. He and his companions halted outside a massive stadium of stone. The coliseum was so tall that it reached up and came within feet of touching the vast rocky roof. Taem thought the architecture was typically Rhungari – of grand flowing stone, and steep archways with pointed peaks. Taem knew that if Macen were to see this mighty sight, he would have been in his element. And, from what little Taem knew of Gaunt Ruck, his brother Macen would have excelled at these games.
Rhungars clambered past Taem to reach their seats inside the coliseum, and the huge chamber was filled with excited Grumbold chatter. Everywhere Taem looked he saw rowdy Rhungars grasping great ale tankards in one hand, and huge meat kebabs in the other. Forgrun herded Taem and Ragad through the crowds, into a small door under one of the tall stands, and down into a changing room where Harnan and four Rhungars of Ironstone were waiting for them.
‘We do give Claymore a good thumping!’ One Ironstone boomed.
‘Aye!’ The others shouted and laughed.
‘I be going ter smack Sturad in ye games!’ Another Ironstone yelled.
‘Aye! Aye! Aye!’ The other Ironstones chanted.
‘Be welcome Forgrun,’ Harnan shook Forgrun’s arm, ‘an’ Taem an’ Ragad.’ He passed them all blue tunics, so everyone in the changing room was wearing a blue top.
‘Aye!’ The other Ironstones yelled, as they heartily embraced the newcomers.
‘What is Gaunt Ruck?’ Taem asked Harnan.
‘Nay worry, little man,’ Harnan placed a massive hand on Taem’s shoulder. ‘Be close ter me, an’ ye be okay. There be four games first, where we do collect a shield fer each win. Then there do be three shields ter win in Gaunt Ruck itself – be seven shields in all, fer each o’ ye seven clans.’
‘Fine,’ Taem said confidently, even though he was shaking inside.
‘Good,’ Harnan nodded, with a reassuring smile.
Taem was bewildered as Forgrun and the other Rhungars started crashing their heads together, punching each other in the arms and chest, and slapping each other round the face. The Rhungars were snorting, growling and bawling like deranged wild beasts – Taem caught Ragad’s eyes, and he could see the Croma was as mystified as he was. Ragad dipped his head, and Taem saw the giant man give a rare smile, before the barbarian leapt amongst the Rhungars and started smashing his huge shoulders into them. The Rhungars looked at the Northman in surprise, but then they all howled as they started charging, thumping and wrestling with Ragad. As Taem kept well out of the way, he wondered if he was the only sane one in this changing room.
The teams ran out into the arena, and Taem was almost bowled over by the roar of a huge crowd. He found himself trembling with excitement under that attention. The arena floor was circular – Taem estimated eighty yards in diameter. There was row behind row of Rhungars sitting in the tiered stands, which stretched up twenty stone tiers high at least, and for the full circumference of the arena. The Rhungars in the crowd jostled, swayed and sang, a giant bubbling cauldron of frivolity. Drums were banged, and supporters chanted for either red or blue – Claymore or Ironstone. Taem could see a sea of faces looking down at him, and he felt even more nervous than he had in the changing room. He wondered what they all thought of his small frame, when they compared him to all the giant Rhungars stomping around the arena, and he hoped he was not about to make himself look stupid. Taem took a deep breath and calmed himself, as Logan had taught him, by concentrating only on what he would have to do – trying to ignore the noise of the crowd.
The two teams lined up alongside each other in front of the Citadel Lord’s booth, which stood out on stone columns in front of the main stand. Taem could see the other five warriors of the Hand of Fire were also sat up the Lord’s booth. He regarded the colourful flags that hung down in front of the booth: seven smaller flags, one for each of the clans, centred around two large flags. These two large flags were one for the Rhungari Empire – storm clouds hovering over snow-capped peaks – and one for Khan Zhen, a golden falcon swooping on a silver field.
The crowd went quiet as Drogal, Lord of the Citadel, stood up and said, ‘Forgrun o’ Ironstone do challenge Sturad o’ Claymore. All who be takin’ ter arena, do so in Kaladim. Let ye games be begin!’ Drogal cried out, and the crowd roared.
A great bell tolled, and Taem looked to the left of the Lord’s booth at the giant bronze Gaunt Ruck bell, emblazoned with the insignias of the Clans. Drogal pointed down to the arena floor at a large wheel, and everyone turned to watch. The colourful wheel was split into eight sections, and on each segment was written a task: Drag Pull, Bridge, Rock Chuck, Pyramid, Duel, Gauntlet, Stones and Rune Hammer. A stately Rhungar, wearing a black and gold shirt, gave the wheel a mighty spin, sending it into a tumbling kaleidoscope.
The quiet crowd waited as the revolving wheel slowed to a halt, and the pointer landed on
Gauntlet
. The whole crowd exploded with cheering and whooping. Serving Rhungars, in brown tabards, ran about the arena using teams of Dhurran horses to drag equipment from storage sheds underneath the stands. The two teams put their arms around their teammates’ shoulders, forming tight circles.
‘We do need ter spilt team in half,’ Forgrun said, ‘offence an’ defence. Ter win we be needin’ ter get our four runners down Gauntlet first. Simple – aye? Our defenders do be duffin’ up their runners an’ be mashin’ their defenders.’
Although Harnan was the senior Rhungar, Forgrun had issued the challenge, and so had taken the role of team-captain.
‘Taem and Ragad do be play runners,’ Forgrun looked to each of his friends. ‘So all yhee have ter do is barge or dodge yhee way through Gauntlet. I be runnin’ ye last leg. Pendran, yhee can go first so ye Men can see how it be done. Harnan, yhee marshal ye defence.’