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unknown, fates dire; and you have said that their sacrifice has gone for
nought, for it claws at you that we did not even reach the unbroken Dusken
Door, the sought-for goal, our mission's end. Yet, take heed: missions fail!
Only in the faery-scapes of children's hearthtales do all goodly quests
succeed. But in this world many a desperate undertaking has fallen full victim
to dark evil, or has been thwarted: turned back or shunted aside or delayed,
not reaching the planned end, costing the coursing lifeblood of steadfast
comrades. Such thwart fell upon our mission. Yet heed me again: all warriors
who encounter such calamities and who live on must learn to accept these
truths and go forth in spite of unforeseen setbacks.
THE BREGA PATH
117
"Once I said unto you mat you must become a warrior; and you have. But times
as these test a warrior's very mettle,' and he must be as stern as hammered
iron. We live, and so might our lost comrades; but in any case, we must now go
forth and war upon the thieving Grg, for that is our prime reason for being
here ready for battle." Anval fell silent and turned and looked expectantly at
his King.
With effort, Diirek cast his hood back and reluctantly agreed: "Though I am
loath to abandon our comrades to the Grg's hunt, Prince Rand is correct, and
so too is Anval: we must hasten to the War Hall at the Great Deep to meet the
Squam Swarm. Gnar soon will know that we are within the corridors, and he will
muster to meet us. We must needs be arrayed in our strength, for the numbers
of his force may be great indeed. But hearken to me, Friend Perry: after our
victory, I will send search parties for any of the three who still may live.
Yet now the Host must hie forth to the War Hall and array in our strongest
formation."
And Perry's heart at last admitted to the grim truth, and he nodded bleakly as
Durek issued the commands; and once again the Army began to move deeper into
Kraggen-cor, striding to the northeast at a forced-march pace.
Borin led the way back toward the Bottom Chamber. Once more, when they came to
the Drawing Dark the eight-foot-wide crack in the tunnel floor Perry overcame
his fear and made the running leap over the fissure, this time with less
hesitation; but Cotton delayed long, while others passed over, mustering his
courage for the hurdle above the sucking depths, the leap a long one for a
Warrow. At last the buccan stepped into the line of warriors and took his
turn, and cleared the wide crack easily; Perry had waited for him, and
together they ran to catch up with the head of the column.
At the Ova! Chamber, as signalled by Bane's jewel-flame, a force of Rucks was
arrayed to meet the Dwarves: some of the enemy who earlier had escaped had
told of the Dwarves' coming, and the Spawn did not yet know that it was an
entire army they faced, believing instead that they were meeting, at most, a
company-sized troop. And so, once again the Dwarves issued against the
maggot-folk in overwhelming force, and the skirmish was short and decisive.
Durek had ordered Cotton and Perry to remain out of the
118 DEMhISL. McKIERIWI
fray, saying that although Anval and Bonn knew most of the Pain now, he wanted
to hold the Waerans in reserve, at least until the Great Deop was reached then
he would have an entire legion of guides. And so Cotton and Perry remained
back in the corridor until the engagement was over.
The march toward the Mustering Chamber continued, and as they tramped, Cotton,
who was happy simply to be reunited with Perry, chatted about the Army's trek
from Landover Road Ford to Dusk-Door. In spite of his low spirits, Perry soon
found himself becoming more and more interested in Cotton's venture; and Perry
was slowly drawn out of his black mood by the tale he was told. Cotton spoke
of: the shrieking, clawing wind at the Crestan Pass; Waroo the Blizzard and
the blind guides and lost Dwarves; being snowbound and the great dig-out; the
forced march down the Old Rell Way, and the mud mires; the arrival at
Dusk-Door; the battle with the Krakenward and the breaking of the dam and
slaying of the Monster of the Dark Mere; the discovery of the Host by the
Rucken spies and Brytta's troop riding from the valley to intercept them; and
the removal of the mountain of rubble and the opening of the Door at midnight.
Perry was fascinated by the story. "Why, Cotton," he declared when the other
finished, "you have lived an epic adventure, one as exciting as even some of
the old tales."
"Wult, I don't know about that, Mister Perry." Cotton shrugged doubtfully. "It
seems to me that most of it was just a bother, if you catch my meaning." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]