Part 15 (2/2)

He spun on his heel, the axe thudding into the creature's ma.s.sive neck. As the beast half fell the axeman wrenched his weapon clear and struck again. The axe blades crunched through the creature's shoulder, biting deep. Two more beasts ran in. Tearing his axe clear the axeman turned to face them. They backed away, circling him. One rushed forward, then sprang away as the axe rose. The second darted in, but also swerved aside at the last moment. Rabalyn saw one of them look up at the sky. The boy followed its gaze. More clouds were looming, and he realized the creatures were waiting for darkness.

The axeman leapt at the first beast. It sprang away. Rabalyn wished there was something he could do to help the man. Then it came to him. He could distract them. Taking a deep breath he shouted at the top of his voice. Startled, one of the creatures half turned. The axeman charged in, his weapon cleaving through the beast's ribcage. It screamed and fell back, tearing the weapon from the man's hand. The second creature sprang through the air. The axeman spun and hammered a right cross into its jaws. The weight of the beast bore the axeman back, and they fell together, rolling across the clearing. Rabalyn scrambled down the tree and jumped from the lowest branch. He ran to the body in which the axe was embedded and grabbed the haft with both hands, trying to pull it free.

The beast was not dead. Its golden eyes flared open and it roared. Rabalyn threw his full weight back. The axe wrenched clear. The beast gave an ear-splitting scream. It half rose, then slumped back, blood pumping from the great wound in its chest. The axe was heavier than Rabalyn had imagined. Struggling with it, he hefted it to his shoulder and stumbled to where the axeman was wrestling with the last creature. The old man's helm had been knocked from his head, and blood was flowing from a gash in his temple. His left hand was locked to the creature's throat, straining to hold the snapping fangs from his face. His right was gripping the left wrist of the monster.

Holding the axe in both hands Rabalyn raised it high. It tipped backwards, almost making him lose balance. Righting himself, he hacked the axe downwards. It thudded into the beast's back between the shoulder blades. A hideous screech came from the creature. It arched up, dragging the axeman with it. Releasing the beast's wrist the axeman thundered a punch to its head. Behind the creature Rabalyn grabbed for the axe haft, trying to tear it clear. The beast spun. Its taloned arm lashed out, striking Rabalyn in the chest and sending him hurtling through the air. He landed heavily. Half stunned, he struggled to his knees. The old warrior had his axe once more in his hand. The beast backed away, then turned and fled into the trees.

The warrior watched it go, then walked over to Rabalyn. 'My, but you are a game lad,' he said. Reaching out, he hauled Rabalyn to his feet.

'You killed three of them,' said Rabalyn. 'It was incredible.'

'I'm getting old,' replied the axeman, with a grin. 'Was a time when I wouldn't have needed my axe to deal with such puppies.'

'Truly?' asked Rabalyn, amazed.

'No, laddie, I was making a joke. Never was much good at jokes.' He lifted his helm, wiped his hand around the rim, then settled it back on his head. A low snarl sounded from one of the bodies. The axeman walked back to the creature. Its legs were twitching. The axe swept up, then down into its neck. All movement ceased. Returning to Rabalyn, the axeman thrust out his hand. 'I am Druss. I thank you for your help. I was beginning to struggle a mite with that last one.'

'It was my pleasure, sir,' answered Rabalyn, feeling proud as he shook the old man's hand.

'Now I want you to climb that tree again.'

'Are there more of them?'

'I don't know. But I need to leave you here for a short while. Don't worry. I'll be back.'

Rabalyn climbed to the original fork and settled down. His fears returned once Druss had left the clearing. What if the man left him here? He banished the thought instantly. He did not know the axeman well, but he instinctively knew he would not lie about coming back.

Time pa.s.sed, and the sky cleared. Wedged against the fork in the branches Rabalyn dozed a little. He awoke to the smell of roasting meat.

Down in the campsite the axeman had hauled the dead beasts from the clearing and had rekindled the fire. He was sitting before it, a thick strip of flesh held on a stick before the flames. Rabalyn climbed down to join him. The aroma of the food made his senses swim.

He squatted down beside the axeman. Then a thought struck him. 'This is not from those creatures, is it?' he asked.

'No. Though were I hungry enough I'd try to cook them. Smells good, doesn't it?'

'Yes, it does.'

'Where did you get it?'

'From the dead horse.'

'My horse?' asked Rabalyn, horrified.

'There's only one dead horse, boy.'

'I can't eat my horse.'

The axeman turned to look at him. 'It's just meat.' He sighed, then chuckled. 'I know what Sieben would say. He'd tell you that your horse is now running in another place. He'd say the sky is blue there, and the horse is galloping across a field of green. All that's left behind is the cloak it wore.'

'Do you believe that?'

'That horse carried you from danger - even after it was mortally wounded. In some cultures they believe that to eat the flesh of a great beast is to absorb some of its qualities into yourself.'

'And do you believe that?'

The axeman shrugged. 'I believe I am hungry, and that what I don't eat the foxes will devour, and the maggots will thrive on. It's up to you, Rabalyn. Eat. Don't eat. I'm not going to force you.'

'Maybe your friend was right. Maybe he is running in another world.'

'Maybe.'

'I think I'll eat,' said Rabalyn.

'Hold on to this for a moment,' said Druss, handing Rabalyn the toasting stick. Then he rose and took his axe to a nearby tree. With two swift chops he cut away sections of bark, which he carried back. 'They'll make do for plates,' he said.

Later, after they had eaten, Rabalyn stretched out on the ground. He felt almost light- headed, as if in a dream. His stomach was full. He had helped defeat monsters, and he was sitting by a fire in the moonlight with a mighty warrior. 'How can you be so good when you are so old?' he asked.

The axeman laughed aloud. 'I come from good stock. Truth is, though, I am not as good as I was. No man can resist time. I used to be able to walk thirty miles in a day. Now I'm tired at half that, and I have an ache in my knee and my shoulder when the winter comes, and the rain falls.'

'Have you been fighting in the war?'

'No,' answered Druss. 'Not my war. I came here looking for an old friend.'

'Is he a warrior like you?'

Druss laughed. 'No. He is a fat, frightened fellow with a fear of violence. A good man, though.'

'Did you find him?'

'Not yet. I don't even know why he came here. He's a long way from home. He may have returned to Mellicane. I'll find out in a day or two.' A tiny trickle of blood was still seeping from the gash in the old man's temple. Rabalyn watched as he wiped it away.

'That should be st.i.tched or bandaged,' he said.

'Not deep enough for that. It will seal itself. And now I think I'll get some sleep.'

'Shall I keep watch?'

'Aye, laddie. You do that.'

'You think the beast might come back?'

'I doubt it. That was a deep cut you gave it. He's probably hurting too much to think of feeding. But if he does then two great heroes like us should be able to deal with him. Don't worry overmuch, Rabalyn. I am a light sleeper.'

With that the axeman stretched himself out and closed his eyes.

With Braygan clinging on behind him Skilgannon urged the tired horse down the slope towards the refugees. The steeldust was almost at the end of its strength and stumbled twice.

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