Loremaster - Palace Of Kings Part 7

'I will outrun ~he Nightmare,' shouted Thane, setting his foot into Esteron's stirrup and springing lightly into the saddle. 'Give me room to chase Krulshards!'

Tombel laughed bitterly, releasing the bridle. 'You cannot catch the Master of Nightbeasts. He can outrun a shadow as it crosses the moon.'

'Esteron is a Lord amongst the Warhorses and he can outrun the wind,' cried Thane, spurring him forward.

'Halt!' cried Thoron, his fragile voice cutting through the night air. 'Beware chat your love for Elionbel does not blind your purpose, for there is more at stake than a loving cup. All Elundium totters on the brink of darkness now chat Krulshards is loose. Destruction and death will shadow every road he takes.'

Thane halted, turned and rode back to where his grandfather lay. 'I must hasten to put right all my wrongs and reach Woodsedge before Krulshards and take Elion....'

'Easy, be easy,' whispered Thoron, beckoning Thane to dismount. You must take.counsel before choosing such a wild and dangerous road. Even Tombel, I am sure, would agree to chat!'

Tombel nodded gravely, pointing his hand towards the warriors spread out across the plateau. 'Whatever stands

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between us, Thane, you are a leader of men. Strikes of Archers and whole squadrons of Gallopers stand poised to follow you. Think carefully which way the wind blows before you move.'

Thane looked steadily into Tombel's eyes. 'What of Elionbel?

How will chat matter stand between us if I stay here on the high plateau and follow counsel to take a different road?'

Tombel bowed his head, remembering Elionbel's soft touch and her gende voice. Blinking away his tears he looked up and caught sight of the summer scarf, re-tied to Thane's armoured arm. It fluttered in the chill night breezes, her st.i.tches sparkling in the darkness. 'Although I am against it and it darkens my heart, I see that a great love is between you.

Let it be enough that when Krulshards is dead and the siege of the Granite City is over, then we shall talk again.'

Thane gripped Tombel's a~n and offered up the hilt of his sword. 'I will be bloodworthy yet, my Lord, and rid Elundium of Krulshards' foul shadow. That much I promise!'

'First you must bury your warrior dead, or the carrion crows will pick their bones clean before the new sun reaches noon,' interrupted Thoron, his hand gently caressing Amarch's cold muzzle.

Thane frowned and looked beyond the Nightbeast pyres and saw for the first time the rows of battle dead: warriors, Warhorses, Border Runners and Battle Owls laid ready for burial.

'So many brave hearts,' he whispered, seeing the price of victory.

'Walk with me,' he asked, drawing Tombel towards the rows of battle dead, 'and tell me each and every warrior's name that marched or galloped beneath the standard of the owl, that I may never forget who came when hope was gone and who brought evening sunshine beneath the Nightbeasts'

shadows.'

Tombel frowned, gripping the hilt of his sword. 'There is

tragedy in this victory, Thane, for it will take us two daylights

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to bury our dead before we can chase Krulshards and by then he will be far ahead of us, destroying and shadowing all that is beautiful in Elundium.'

'Let us help you, Lord Tombel,' Willow called, leading his people to where Thane and Tombel stood. 'My people have great skill with the pick and shovel and it would be an honour to serve you here in the light. Just show us where to dig.'

Tombel frowned as he lifted Willow up, 'Your people have suffered great hurts and I would not add to them by having you serve me or any Marcher on this battlefield. Today you have won your freedom and all Elundium waits to show you its beauty.'

'Freedom!' Willow cried, looking at the Warhorses, the Border Runners and the great army of men gathered around them. 'You mean we shall really be free and bound to serve no-one?'

Tombel laughed and lifted Willow high enough for all to see and shouted, 'Warriors of Elundium, look upon this lad and all his people. Let no man stand in their path, or cross their purpose with his shadow, for by their feats this day they are forever free!'

Before the sun began to burn World's Edge with the morning light four great mounds had arisen on the plateau.

They were laid in a crescent facing the Gates of Night. One for the Warhorses, one for the Battle Owls, one for the Border Runners and one for the warriors of Elundium. In front of them a small mound stood on its own. Amarch and Silverwing were lain together and Thane and Tombel between them placed the last heather turf over their bodies as the new sun rose.

Thane lifted his grandfather's sword above his head, catching all the morning's glory on the bright steel, and shouted their names out loud. Spears clashed on shields, Border Runners barked, the Warhorses stamped their hooves and all the Battle Owls, large and small, rose into the air, casting moving shadows across the black gate.

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Thane lowered the sword, calling in a strong voice, 'We leave many we have loved to guard this foul place forever. The gate is shut to all Nightbeasts. The way is closed for all time!'

He lifted the sword again, reflecting a sunbeam into the blackness, and the key stones above the gate split, crashing to the ground.

'Mantern's Gate is shut. Now we must~return to Underfall and chase the Master of Nightmares into the heart of Elundium,'Tombel said, turning towards the plateau's edge.

Thoron rose shakily to his knees, brushing aside helping

hands, and crawled to Amarch's burial mound.

'Leave him,' whispered Tombel, putting a hand on Thane's arm to restrain him.

'Two Gallopers will wait just below the plateau's rim and bring your grandfather down when he has watched awhile beside Amarch's grave, for he has a lifetime of memories to search amongst and grief blinds him to everything else. Come with me, Thane, to Underfall.'

Thane reluctantly followed Tombel, but looking back he saw that Equestrius, the Lord of Horses, had moved to his grandfather's side. Sighing he called to Willow, offering him a place on Esteron's saddle for the long descent to Underfall.

Thoron knelt beside the single grave mound, his hands pressed into the heather. Eagle Owl descended on silent wings to perch on his shoulder and Equestrius moved to his side, snorting and whinnying softly, but the old man was unaware of their presence; he was far away, re-living the memory of riding into morning, the first day he had ever sat upon Amarch's back. A proud voice broke through the memory.

'Thoron, lift up your eyes. Look into the sunlight and put an end to your grief!'

'Equestrius! Why do you stand next to me, a ragged old man who has nothing but grief on his shoulders? Why?'

'Because grief must end. Amarch feared that your heart

would break. She knew that her death was woven into your triumph over the darkness.'

'And yet she came to free me,' Thoron said bitterly.

'Yes,' replied Equestrius, looking down at the mound where she lay. 'And none could, or wished to stop her coming, for Nevian commanded it many sunlights ago at the Bondbreaking.

Love drew her to you and love drew all the others who came to rescue you from the darkness. Even those with you at the Bondbreaking were drawn to Underfall and the battle on this high plateau, for the tattoo that Nevian traced upon their arms, of the owl in blue and gold, binds them.'