Drenai Series 02 - The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell Page A
Authors: David Gemmell
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any survivors from escaping to bring help. I didn't tell them to do it, they're soldiers. Now, the whole skirmish lasted maybe two minutes. What could you have done?'
'I don't know. Drawn my sword. Helped!'
'There will be time for that. What is the situation at Delnoch?'
'I don't know. I left there five years ago and before that I had spent ten years in Drenan.'
'Who rules?'
'No one of the House of Bronze. Orrin was poisoned and Ceska put in his own man. His name is Matrax. Why do you ask?'
'My plans have changed.'
'In what way?'
'I was intending to assassinate Ceska.'
'And now?'
'Now I plan something even more foolish. I am going to raise an army and bring him down.'
'No army in the world can stand against the Joinings. Gods, man, even the Dragon failed - they didn't even come close!'
'Nothing in life is easy, Arvan. But it's what I am trained for. To lead an army. To bring death and destruction on my enemies. You heard Parsal and Galand; what they said was right. A man must stand against evil wherever he finds it and he must use all his talents. I'm not an assassin.'
'And where will you find this army?'
Tenaka smiled. 'I need your help. You must take Delnoch.'
'Are you serious?'
'Deadly!'
'You want me to take a fortress single-handed? A fortress that has withstood two Nadir hordes? It's insane!'
'You are of the House of Bronze. Use your head. There is a way.'
'If you have already thought of a plan, why don't you do it?'
'I cannot. I am of the House of Ulric.'
'Why so cryptic? Tell me what to do.'
'No. You are a man and I think you sell yourself short. We will stop in Skoda and see how the land lies. Then you and I will bring an army.'
Scaler's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.
'A Nadir army?' he whispered, blood draining from his face. 'You would bring the Nadir?'
'Only if you can take Dros Delnoch!'
7
In the dark of the library the Abbot waited patiently, leaning forward on his desk, his fingers steepled and his eyes closed. His three companions sat opposite him, immobile, like living statues. The Abbot opened his eyes and regarded them all:
Acuas, the strong one, compassionate and loyal.
Balan, the sceptic.
Katan, the true mystic.
All were travelling, their spirits entwined as they sought the Dark Templars and threw a veil of mind mist over the movements of Tenaka Khan and his companions.
Acuas returned first. He opened his eyes, rubbing his hands over his yellow beard; he seemed tired, drained.
'This is not easy, my Lord,' he said. The Dark Templars have great power.'
'As have we,' said the Abbot. 'Go on.'
'There are twenty of them. They were attacked in Skultik by a bank of outlaws but slew them with arrogant ease. They are truly formidable warriors.'
'Yes. How close are they to the Torchbearer?'
'Less than a day. We cannot deceive them for much longer.'
'No. A few more days will be invaluable,' said the Abbot. 'Have they tried another night attack?'
'No, my Lord, though I think it likely.'
'Rest now, Acuas. Fetch Toris and Lannad to relieve you.'
The Abbot left the room and the long corridor beyond, making his way slowly to the second level and the garden of Decado.
The dark-eyed priest welcomed him with a smile.
'Come with me, Decado. There is something for you to see.'
Without another word he turned on his heel and led the priest to the steps and the oak doors above. Decado hesitated in the doorway - during all his years in the monastery he had never ascended these steps.
The Abbot turned. 'Come!' he said and stepped into the shadows beyond. A strange sense of fear gripped the gardener, .as if his world was slipping away from him. He swallowed and began to tremble. Then, taking a deep breath, he followed the Abbot.
He was led through a maze of corridors, but he looked neither to left nor right, focusing his gaze on the grey cassock of the man walking before him. The Abbot halted before a door shaped like a leaf; there was no handle.
'Open,' whispered the Abbot and
'I don't know. Drawn my sword. Helped!'
'There will be time for that. What is the situation at Delnoch?'
'I don't know. I left there five years ago and before that I had spent ten years in Drenan.'
'Who rules?'
'No one of the House of Bronze. Orrin was poisoned and Ceska put in his own man. His name is Matrax. Why do you ask?'
'My plans have changed.'
'In what way?'
'I was intending to assassinate Ceska.'
'And now?'
'Now I plan something even more foolish. I am going to raise an army and bring him down.'
'No army in the world can stand against the Joinings. Gods, man, even the Dragon failed - they didn't even come close!'
'Nothing in life is easy, Arvan. But it's what I am trained for. To lead an army. To bring death and destruction on my enemies. You heard Parsal and Galand; what they said was right. A man must stand against evil wherever he finds it and he must use all his talents. I'm not an assassin.'
'And where will you find this army?'
Tenaka smiled. 'I need your help. You must take Delnoch.'
'Are you serious?'
'Deadly!'
'You want me to take a fortress single-handed? A fortress that has withstood two Nadir hordes? It's insane!'
'You are of the House of Bronze. Use your head. There is a way.'
'If you have already thought of a plan, why don't you do it?'
'I cannot. I am of the House of Ulric.'
'Why so cryptic? Tell me what to do.'
'No. You are a man and I think you sell yourself short. We will stop in Skoda and see how the land lies. Then you and I will bring an army.'
Scaler's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.
'A Nadir army?' he whispered, blood draining from his face. 'You would bring the Nadir?'
'Only if you can take Dros Delnoch!'
7
In the dark of the library the Abbot waited patiently, leaning forward on his desk, his fingers steepled and his eyes closed. His three companions sat opposite him, immobile, like living statues. The Abbot opened his eyes and regarded them all:
Acuas, the strong one, compassionate and loyal.
Balan, the sceptic.
Katan, the true mystic.
All were travelling, their spirits entwined as they sought the Dark Templars and threw a veil of mind mist over the movements of Tenaka Khan and his companions.
Acuas returned first. He opened his eyes, rubbing his hands over his yellow beard; he seemed tired, drained.
'This is not easy, my Lord,' he said. The Dark Templars have great power.'
'As have we,' said the Abbot. 'Go on.'
'There are twenty of them. They were attacked in Skultik by a bank of outlaws but slew them with arrogant ease. They are truly formidable warriors.'
'Yes. How close are they to the Torchbearer?'
'Less than a day. We cannot deceive them for much longer.'
'No. A few more days will be invaluable,' said the Abbot. 'Have they tried another night attack?'
'No, my Lord, though I think it likely.'
'Rest now, Acuas. Fetch Toris and Lannad to relieve you.'
The Abbot left the room and the long corridor beyond, making his way slowly to the second level and the garden of Decado.
The dark-eyed priest welcomed him with a smile.
'Come with me, Decado. There is something for you to see.'
Without another word he turned on his heel and led the priest to the steps and the oak doors above. Decado hesitated in the doorway - during all his years in the monastery he had never ascended these steps.
The Abbot turned. 'Come!' he said and stepped into the shadows beyond. A strange sense of fear gripped the gardener, .as if his world was slipping away from him. He swallowed and began to tremble. Then, taking a deep breath, he followed the Abbot.
He was led through a maze of corridors, but he looked neither to left nor right, focusing his gaze on the grey cassock of the man walking before him. The Abbot halted before a door shaped like a leaf; there was no handle.
'Open,' whispered the Abbot and
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