party. Keera had come along, as promised, and Joseph's niece, Salah, was there too. To Sebastian's dismay, Cal had volunteered to accompany them, presumably to keep an eye on Keera; and he had brought along his best friend, Galt.
Many days had passed since the defeat of the Gograth – days that had been spent disposing of the dead, a task made even more irksome by the rain, which had continued to pour down for some time after the battle. Since there seemed to be nobody left to claim the bodies of the enemy, a mass grave had been dug in a jungle clearing and the fallen warriors had been piled up in the war wagon and ferried there by Max.
It had taken days to move them all but nobody had complained about the work. It was only now the Gograth had been all but obliterated that it dawned on the Jilith what they had achieved – their ancestral enemies had been defeated for ever and the villagers would never live in fear of them again.
They also had some mourning of their own to do: the victory had been achieved at a cost. Eight of their own warriors had died in the battle and scores of others had been injured.
Nobody seemed to feel the guilt of it more than Cornelius. The once happy-go-lucky warrior had become quiet and brooding. He took to sitting in the entrance to his hut, staring blankly out at the rain; and whenever Sebastian tried to talk about what was troubling him, he quickly changed the subject.
Finally the rain had stopped and the Jilith had held a celebration to mark their great victory, but it had been a curiously muted affair, as though everybody was simply going through the motions. Sitting in the place of honour, wearing his feathered headdress, Sebastian had been aware of Maccan looking at him expectantly, as though waiting for him to announce his intention to take Keera as his bride. But he didn't say anything and the party had wound down a good deal earlier than the last one they had attended.
Now a small expedition was setting out to retrace Joseph's childhood journey, which they hoped would lead them to the legendary lost city of Mendip. A couple of Joseph's brawny neighbours had carried the old man outside on an improvised stretcher so he could bid farewell to Salah.
'Be obedient,' he told her. 'Take care at all times and make sure you come safely back to us.'
Salah nodded and gesticulated excitedly with her hands. Sebastian assumed that she was saying he was not to worry about her. At any rate, Joseph seemed content with her reply.
'Bless you, child,' he said.
Then a silence fell and the crowd parted as Maccan strode towards them, dressed in his finest regalia.
'May Okrin smile on your quest,' he told Cornelius.
'Thank you, your majesty,' said Cornelius. But his voice was flat and unresponsive, as though he no longer cared about his mission.
'You have performed a great service for my people,' Maccan told Sebastian. 'The bravery of the Chosen One will be spoken of. Your deeds will become legend. And now, as I promised you, I send my own daughter and my two best warriors to attend you in your quest. I shall pray that Okrin brings you all safely back to us.'
Sebastian bowed his head. 'Thank you, Great Chief,' he said respectfully.
Now Maccan turned to Keera. 'Daughter, may Okrin protect you,' he said.
Cal stepped forward. 'Have no worries, your majesty,' he said. 'My sword and spear shall afford her all the protection she needs.'
'Er . . . yes, and so will mine,' added Sebastian quickly.
Keera rolled her eyes. 'Don't worry, Father. I can look after myself,' she assured him.
'I know this,' said Maccan, smiling. 'I have taught you well. You are the equal of any warrior and your conduct during the final battle will also be spoken of.' They embraced for a moment and then Maccan stepped back. He looked meaningfully at Sebastian. 'And I hope that when you return, you and Keera will have some good news for me.'
There was a long, awkward
Many days had passed since the defeat of the Gograth – days that had been spent disposing of the dead, a task made even more irksome by the rain, which had continued to pour down for some time after the battle. Since there seemed to be nobody left to claim the bodies of the enemy, a mass grave had been dug in a jungle clearing and the fallen warriors had been piled up in the war wagon and ferried there by Max.
It had taken days to move them all but nobody had complained about the work. It was only now the Gograth had been all but obliterated that it dawned on the Jilith what they had achieved – their ancestral enemies had been defeated for ever and the villagers would never live in fear of them again.
They also had some mourning of their own to do: the victory had been achieved at a cost. Eight of their own warriors had died in the battle and scores of others had been injured.
Nobody seemed to feel the guilt of it more than Cornelius. The once happy-go-lucky warrior had become quiet and brooding. He took to sitting in the entrance to his hut, staring blankly out at the rain; and whenever Sebastian tried to talk about what was troubling him, he quickly changed the subject.
Finally the rain had stopped and the Jilith had held a celebration to mark their great victory, but it had been a curiously muted affair, as though everybody was simply going through the motions. Sitting in the place of honour, wearing his feathered headdress, Sebastian had been aware of Maccan looking at him expectantly, as though waiting for him to announce his intention to take Keera as his bride. But he didn't say anything and the party had wound down a good deal earlier than the last one they had attended.
Now a small expedition was setting out to retrace Joseph's childhood journey, which they hoped would lead them to the legendary lost city of Mendip. A couple of Joseph's brawny neighbours had carried the old man outside on an improvised stretcher so he could bid farewell to Salah.
'Be obedient,' he told her. 'Take care at all times and make sure you come safely back to us.'
Salah nodded and gesticulated excitedly with her hands. Sebastian assumed that she was saying he was not to worry about her. At any rate, Joseph seemed content with her reply.
'Bless you, child,' he said.
Then a silence fell and the crowd parted as Maccan strode towards them, dressed in his finest regalia.
'May Okrin smile on your quest,' he told Cornelius.
'Thank you, your majesty,' said Cornelius. But his voice was flat and unresponsive, as though he no longer cared about his mission.
'You have performed a great service for my people,' Maccan told Sebastian. 'The bravery of the Chosen One will be spoken of. Your deeds will become legend. And now, as I promised you, I send my own daughter and my two best warriors to attend you in your quest. I shall pray that Okrin brings you all safely back to us.'
Sebastian bowed his head. 'Thank you, Great Chief,' he said respectfully.
Now Maccan turned to Keera. 'Daughter, may Okrin protect you,' he said.
Cal stepped forward. 'Have no worries, your majesty,' he said. 'My sword and spear shall afford her all the protection she needs.'
'Er . . . yes, and so will mine,' added Sebastian quickly.
Keera rolled her eyes. 'Don't worry, Father. I can look after myself,' she assured him.
'I know this,' said Maccan, smiling. 'I have taught you well. You are the equal of any warrior and your conduct during the final battle will also be spoken of.' They embraced for a moment and then Maccan stepped back. He looked meaningfully at Sebastian. 'And I hope that when you return, you and Keera will have some good news for me.'
There was a long, awkward
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