The Mountains Of Brega

Chapter 8

Seeing the mountains looming up on the horizon did not at once make much difference to the three travelers. The settled areas on their lower slopes were three days farther on from where they were now. It might be longer if they had to spend time avoiding roving parties of hostile Senar. After a meal of raw squirrel's flesh, Blade took Nugun aside and asked him about this.

«You think good, Blade,» said Nugun. «Yes. Senar not like to see you with your woman. They try to take, maybe kill if fight. Maybe kill you, me too.»

«What about the Blenar?»

Nugun cocked his massive head to one side for a long time, considering the matter. «Many Hairless Ones want Senar to think Hairless Ones friends. They also take your woman, maybe use her, maybe give her to Senar. Not good Blenar for you, your woman.»

Blade nodded. «Are there any Blenar I can trust not to hurt Wyala?»

Nugun was silent for an even longer time after that question. Blade began to wonder if perhaps he had asked a question about something that was taboo. Certainly Nugun looked like a man who knew the answer to a question but wasn't sure whether he should give it. He was wrinkling up his massive forehead into a frown and pulling at his thick lower lip with his fingers.

Finally he nodded. «Some Hairless Ones live in forest by Purple River. They say-Senar not go out with Hairless Ones to fight women, live in plains, take city. Not good. Better live in mountains, learn to raise food here»-he waved his hand around them-«not fight women.»

Blade wasn't sure what Nugun thought of this group of Blenar. So he only said, «That is a strange way of thinking.»

«Not-strange,» said Nugun sharply. «Think good. We go to city, women kill us all. Stay here, women come to us and we take easy. Here we know land, here we can fight them good. They know land by city, they fight good there.»

«Exactly,» said Blade, with a grin. He slapped Nugun hard on the shoulder. The Senar had stated perfectly the reasons for fighting on one's home territory. A trained professional soldier from Home Dimension could not have stated them as clearly and briefly. Then his grin faded. He would have to ask a ticklish question now.

«Nugun,» he said quietly. «I think I am going to have to talk to Wyala about the Blenar around the Purple River. She must know about them.»

Nugun did not show any anger. He merely looked puzzled. «Why, Blade?»

«From here on, we may be attacked by Senar or bad-thinking Hairless Ones at any time. Suppose I get killed. Then you will take her-«

«Nugun not take woman if Blade die. Nugun stay and die with him. Kill many bad Senar, Hairless Ones for Blade.»

Blade shook his head. «No, Nugun. That is not the way I want it to be. If I am killed or hurt so that I cannot walk and run, you must take Wyala to the Purple River. Promise?»

After a moment, Nugun nodded slowly. «I promise.»

«Good.» Blade shook hands with the Senar. «But she might not go with you if she doesn't know where you are going. So I must tell her that you will be taking her to friends in the Purple River forest. Do you understand that?»

«Nugun not want woman to know about Blenar. Tell women in city. Women in city come-«

«The women in the city will not come,» said Blade sharply. He was getting a little impatient with the stubborn man. «You have just told me that the women do not know this land, that they cannot fight good here. Didn't you?»

«Yes.» The answer was reluctant and sullen.

«So there is nothing to be afraid of, even if the women do come. But they will not come, because my woman will not go back to the city. The Hairless Ones of the Purple River will keep her here in the mountains if I am killed. But you must take her to them if I die. You must promise to do that, if I am to believe that you will really follow me.»

«Nugun follow Blade.» And, after a pause, «Nugun take woman to Purple Forest.»

Again Blade shook hands with the Senar and clapped him on the shoulder. Then he went back to Wyala and told her of his agreement with Nugun.

Wyala shuddered at the mere mention of the possibility of Blade's death. «I'd rather die. That Senar may be trustworthy as long as you're alive, but what if I'm alone with him?»

Blade sighed. «If you'd rather die, you'll have your knife and you can always use it,» he said frankly. «But if you are willing to trust Nugun after my death, you have a chance of getting to the Purple River and living.»

«Living in the mountains,» she said pointedly.

«Of course,» said Blade. He was also getting a little impatient with the woman. «Again, if you'd rather die…»

«No,» she said hastily. «I will follow Nugun to the Purple River.»

«Good,» said Blade, with a sigh of relief. He kissed her. «You are a fine, brave woman, and make me think well of your city.» That was almost telling the truth. «Now-let's get some sleep. Nugun will keep watch.»

Nugun kept watch as faithfully as ever, and the night was undisturbed. They scrounged some berries for breakfast and were on the move well before full daylight.

Moving across this open highland was different from moving through the forest. It would be almost impossible to meet any enemy unexpectedly. Nor could anyone readily lay an ambush for them. But there were also fewer places to hide. If they encountered an enemy, the odds were that they would have to fight.

They covered some twenty miles on their way to the mountains that day. The air was becoming noticeably thinner; Blade guessed they must already be more than a mile above sea level. Nowhere in all the highland they crossed did they find any water. By nightfall they had emptied their water bottles, but could find no place to refill them. Licking dry lips, Blade asked Nugun about the chances of finding water tomorrow.

«Oh-we find water tomorrow. No trouble,» said Nugun cheerfully. «We go to Purple River forest, yes?»

«Of course.»

«Then-big river on way. Much water. We have to swim river. But-«He hesitated.

«Yes?» said Blade.

«Many Senar live by river, catch fish. We cross river, they maybe see us, fight, kill.»

«Maybe,» said Blade. «But we will try to get there at night. They will not be able to see us so easily then.»

«Good, good.» Nugun nodded enthusiastically.

After a waterless and half-sleepless night, they pushed on. From what Nugun said, Blade guessed the river was just under twenty miles farther on. They pushed on hard for about ten, rested an hour, then pushed on for another five. Several times during this second stretch they saw moving parties in the distance. But none ever closed or showed any curiosity. Nugun was surprised at this, but after thinking it out had an answer.

«They see-we just three. Three people not kill, do much. They not think about us.» Blade hoped that Nugun was right and that the local Senar would go right on not thinking about his little party.

At the end of the five miles, Blade called a halt. The party went to earth in a nearby patch of shrubs like miniature fir trees. Blade's own throat felt as though it were filled with sand, and Wyala was on the point of collapse. But only five miles ahead lay water. Nugun didn't seem at all affected by the lack of water, any more than he had been affected by the lack of food or the hard marching or his injuries from the fight. The Senar seemed as tireless and tough as if he had been made of metal instead of flesh. Blade was gladder than ever that he had decided to try winning the man's loyalty and friendship, rather than just killing him. Without Nugun-and without Wyala-he would have a hard time getting anything worthwhile done in this dimension of more than usually strange peoples.

It seemed like forever before it happened, but eventually the sun went down and darkness covered the land. Flexing cramped and stiffened limbs, Blade rose to his feet and oriented himself. Straight ahead, on the route they had been following, lay the river. Without a word he urged his companions to their feet and led them out into the darkness.

Before they had gone more than a mile, the trees began to grow thick again. It soon became almost impossible to move as quickly and quietly as Blade would have liked. Blade was also worried about running into some night-prowling Senar by accident. «Senar sleep at night. Think night full of dimbuli-bad things,» Nugun assured him. But the reassurance did not make Blade relax his alertness.

Another mile or so, and Blade saw the yellow glow of fires off to the right. But they were far away in the forest. He did not slow down. If they ran into anybody from that Senar village, it would be purely by chance.

The fire had just drifted out of sight behind them when they came to a clearing. Blade led the way out into it, then froze abruptly. From behind a fallen tree he could see the faint glow of a small fire. In its light he saw four hunched shapes sitting around it. As Blade froze in mid-stride, one of them stood up, stretched, and turned toward him. A moment later, Blade saw light reflected off the man's eyes as he opened them wide, staring at the three figures coming out of the darkness. The man growled angrily and his comrades sprang to their feet, snatching up their clubs. In the next moment they were climbing over the log toward Blade, brandishing the clubs. Then Blade was running at the four, drawing his sword and knife with sharp metallic rasps as he ran. Nugun ran close behind him, waving his own club.

Nugun's mouth opened to shout a war-cry. Blade looked back over his shoulder at the Senar and snapped, «Quiet!» The cry died. Then the four charging Senar were on them.

One rushed at Blade, swinging his club low. Blade danced out of the way, at the same time thrusting high with his sword. The point drove into the Senar's skull squarely between the eyes. Blade felt the thin bone shatter under the thrust. As he jerked his sword free, the Senar toppled and fell face down on the ground, to lie motionless.

The two Senar behind Blade's victim had to swing wide around the body of their comrade, which opened a gap between them. Blade leaped into it, clear over the body on the ground. In the same moment he thrust to the right with his sword and to the left with his knife. The knife drove into a meaty thigh and drew a howl of pain. But a club plunged down on his sword, smashing it out of his hand. It plunged pointdown into the ground, and Blade frantically tried to fend off the Senar with his knife while shaking his numb and tingling right hand.

But the Senar did not follow up his victory. Clutching his club, he turned and plunged off into the darkness at a dead run, short legs churning frantically.

Blade let him go. Even if he had been able to use both hands, there was no sense in dashing off into the darkness, to blunder about in search of the fleeing Senar.

Instead he turned to help Nugun with his opponent. But as Blade turned, Nugun's club smashed down the other's clumsy guard and descended on his skull. There was a sound like a watermelon hitting a stone floor, and the last Senar also dropped. Like Blade's first victim, he did not even twitch.

Blade beckoned to Wyala, who had been hanging back out of the way while the two men fought. «We've got to move fast now,» he said. «One of them got away, and he may give a warning.» Wyala's face paled, but she nodded. Nugun merely growled defiantly and bent to wipe the blood off his club.

Blade led the others across the clearing at a run, slowing to a trot as they entered the forest on the other side. There were three miles to go to the river, more miles of populated territory on the other side, and not much time to cover both.

On they went through the dark forest, no longer daring to take the time to move slowly and silently. They plunged along, crashing through bushes, snapping twigs underfoot, occasionally tripping over outstretched roots. Blade went sprawling more than once, coming up with blood on his grazed cheeks and knees. Twice he had to help Wyala to her feet: Only Nugun never stumbled, but ploughed on, as noisy but nearly as unstoppable as a tank.

They must have covered nearly half the distance to the river before Blade saw the glow of any more fires. The first ones he saw were well off in the distance, so he did not bother even slowing down. A few minutes later, he saw a yellow glow coming closer, less than a hundred yards off to their right. He motioned the two behind him to slow down to a walk, and drew his sword. Step by step they slipped past the settlement, so close that Blade could see the bulky silhouettes of Senar against the fire. The moment he could be reasonably sure that the settlement was out of earshot, he sped up to a trot again.

They must have been less than a mile from the river when Blade heard sounds behind him. He whirled and stared back into the darkness, then at Nugun. The Senar had also heard something and was staring back, eyes wide. Finally he turned back to Blade with a grunt and said, «Men-Senar-come behind us.»

Blade knew that the Senar's night vision was considerably keener than his own. «Following us?» he whispered.

«On same path. Not walk fast.»

Perhaps they were not a search party, then. With luck and speed perhaps the three could outdistance those behind. Blade motioned Wyala to close in behind him. Then he broke into a run.

The three dashed through the woods even faster than before. Good luck and Nugun's eyes kept them from stumbling or going astray this time. But nothing could have kept them from making an uproar of footfalls, cracking branches, and heavy breathing. Before too long, Blade could look behind him and see the unmistakable lights of torches bobbing on the path, as the party behind them also increased its pace to a run.

Blade had no more doubt that the people behind them were after them. But there was nothing to do about it except keep running and hope to cross the river before the pursuers caught up with them. That would be easy for him and Nugun, but the pace was beginning to tell on Wyala. Sweat was streaming off her face now, and her mouth was wide open as she gasped for breath. Occasionally she lurched and reeled as she ran, but she never quite stumbled, never quite lost her footing.

Then the forest began to thin out around them, and in the darkness ahead Blade caught the faint glimmer of water. Within a few minutes, they were approaching the south bank of the river. At the same moment, Blade saw their pursuers burst out of the forest behind them. There were at least a dozen torches, and as they moved out into the open they spread out in a wide line, slowing down to a walk as they did so.

Blade turned back to the river, peering out into the darkness to pick out the far bank. He guessed it was a hundred yards away-a good healthy dip, to say the least.

Without a word Wyala bent and began removing her sandals, while Blade unstrung his bow and thrust the string inside his tunic. Hopefully that would keep it dry. Then he undid his own sandals and looked over his shoulder at the torches. They were still a good two hundred yards away, approaching cautiously. Did the people back there think that they had their prey trapped against the riverbank? They were going to get a surprise if they did. Blade turned and walked into the river.

The bottom dropped off swiftly, and in seconds he was swimming. The current was strong but not overpowering, and he was easily able to keep his head above water and push toward the opposite bank. The water itself felt refreshingly cool on his sweating body.

Behind Blade the others slipped into the river. Wyala gave a gasp as she entered the water and struggled for a moment. Then she gave a gasp of another sort as Nugun's massive right arm reached out to support her. She stared hard at him, eyes wide, then let him help her. Nugun ploughed through the water like a walrus, snorting and splashing so loudly that Blade had to tell him sharply to be more quiet. After that the Senar swam with steady, silent strokes that barely broke the surface.

They were halfway across the river before the line of torches reached the bank behind them. Looking back, Blade could see more than twenty men lined up along the bank, besides the dozen torch holders. One or two of the torch holders were waving their torches about like madmen. Now-if all those people would just stay where they were. Blade turned back and concentrated on his swimming.

Soon they were three-quarters of the way across. There was still no sign that the people behind them had figured out what had happened. Or perhaps they had, but none of them could swim, and they were going to have to waste time looking for a boat. The thought almost made Blade laugh out loud.

And now they were approaching the far bank. It was less than twenty yards away, heavily overgrown with bushes right down to the water's edge. Ten yards, and Blade felt weeds and thick mud underfoot. He let his feet drop down onto the bottom, but kept low and motioned the others to do the same. Still half-crouching, he covered the rest of the distance to the bank, then swiftly reached for a branch and hauled himself out of the water.

Splashes behind him told him that the other two were doing the same. Nugun was practically lifting Wyala out of the water. Then from within the bushes came the sound of running feet and crashing branches. Blade whirled so fast that he nearly slipped on the muddy bank, drawing his sword and shouting a warning in the same moment. Then the attackers burst out of the bushes with savage cries.

There were at least a dozen of them. For a moment Blade could only stare at the two men in the lead. Both were short, bearded, and stocky, but neither of them had much more hair than Blade himself, and their foreheads rose high above glaring black eyes. Both carried long, straight swords and large, round shields. They charged at Blade. Behind them came ten Senar, waving seven-foot spears. They plunged down the bank toward Nugun and Wyala.

As Blade met the rush of the two Blenar, he heard one of the Senar shout, «No kill woman! We want!» and the wsssh of thrown spears. Blade heard two of them splash into the water behind him.

He ducked under a whistling slash from the man on his right-fast but clumsy-and thrust under the edge of the shield at the man's knee. The sword point grated on bone, and the man screamed and staggered.

As he did, Blade grabbed him by his beard and pulled him around. He held the man in front of him as the other Blenar rushed in. The second man's sword slashed down as Blade thrust his prisoner forward. The prisoner let out another howl of agony as the descending sword sheared off his right arm. Blade released the man, then snatched the shield off the man's left arm and snapped it up in front of him. Now he had a shield as well as a sword and perhaps a chance, even against the other Blenar's longer sword.

But in that moment another scream tore into the air — a scream that could only have come from Wyala's throat. Blade spun around.

Wyala was kneeling on the bank, both hands clutching the shaft of a spear driven through her body just below the left breast. Blood was already trickling from the corner of her mouth and dripping down onto the muddy bank. Then she choked on the blood welling up in her throat and sagged forward. As she did, the butt of the spear caught in a root and the point broke through her back and stuck out behind her, red and dripping.

For one more moment the Senar stood paralyzed, staring at the dead woman. Then a tremendous uproar broke out, with curses, growls, and screams of rage and pain as they fought among themselves. Blade saw one Senar thrust with his spear into the groin of another-the one who had killed Wyala? Blade hoped so. The wounded Senar fell to the ground and rolled around, clutching at his wounds and howling in agony. Blade turned, looking for Nugun. If the Senar could attack that mob before it got itself sorted out-!

But Nugun was nowhere to be seen. No, there was a trace of him, and Blade felt a chill as he saw it. Out on the river, a few feet from the bank, was a spreading pool of blood. Even as Blade watched, the current caught it and it began to break up.

Blade cursed and turned back to the Blenar, with one grim determination in him-kill as many of the enemy as he could before they got him. He accepted the fact that his luck had run out, but he still had some things to do before he would lie down and die.

He charged the Blenar and drove him back into the bushes until he could not retreat any farther. But the man was a good swordsman. With his shorter weapon, Blade could not close. He backed off, holding up his shield, backing to where the first Blenar lay, hoping for a moment to snatch up the fallen man's sword. His opponent followed him, but did not crowd close. The man had too much respect for Blade's strength and reflexes.

Two steps more-one step-there! The Senar were still fighting among themselves, and two more were down on the ground now. The first one lay still, unconscious or already dead from loss of blood. Blade began to allow himself a faint glimmer of hope. If he could kill his opponent before the Senar sorted themselves out, perhaps he might find a road to the Purple River….

But as he bent to clutch the sword, there was more crashing in the bushes. Six more Senar and one of the Blenar burst out of the greenery, and these Senar were under control. Blade's opponent sprang aside from their path as they charged in. At a barked order from their own leader, all six reversed their spears, to come at Blade thrusting and swinging with the butts. Blade tried to back away, but he could not go far without running into the other group of Senar.

He fended off thrusts and swings with his shield and slashed away at the flailing spear butts with his sword. But his opponents still had the reach on him. His sword chopped through one spear shaft, then stuck in a second. The Senar's massive arm muscles twitched, the spear jerked up, and the sword snapped out of Blade's hands and flew into the air. Sickened, Blade watched it arc over the heads of the Senar and splash into the river. Then all six of his opponents came forward in a single rush, a solid wall of massive muscles and rank hair and foul breath.

Blade felt one spear swing low and scythe into the side of his knee. He could not move to avoid the next spear, which thrust butt-first under his shield into his stomach. Agony tore through him and he tried to keep from doubling up, tried to keep his shield up. But one of the Senar got around to his left, and a spear came down on his shield arm with a crash. More agony. The shield sagged down, and as it did, two more spear-butts crashed onto Blade's exposed head. There was pain, there was flame and sparks before his eyes, and finally there was blackness.