Druss groaned as he eased the ripped and near ruined leather from his huge frame. He had been cut four times around the shoulders and upper arms, but there was a deeper wound under his right shoulder-blade. Blood had pooled around his belt.
'You need stitches, hey,' the Nadir told him. 'Or you bleed to death.'
Druss leaned on the ramparts and stared down at the Gothir forces, who had moved back out of bowshot.
'Take the old man with you,' said the Nadir, grinning. 'He fights so well he shames us all.'
Druss forced a grin and hauled Nuang Xuan to his feet. 'Walk with me a while, old man.' Turning to the Nadir warrior, he said, 'I'll be back before you know it.'
Talisman felt the pain of his wounds recede, and found himself lying on a bare hillside under a grey sky. His heart hammered in panic as he recognized the landscape of the Void. 'You are not dead,' came a calm voice from close by. Talisman sat up, and saw the little sorcerer Shaoshad sitting beside a flickering blaze. The tall figure of Shul-sen stood beside him, her silver cloak gleaming in the firelight.
'Then why am I here?' he asked.
'To learn,' said Shul-sen. 'When Oshikai and I came to the land of the steppes we were touched by its beauty, but more than this we were called by its magic. Every stone carried it, every plant grew with it. Elemental power radiated from the mountains, and flowed in the streams. The Gods of Stone and Water, we called them. You know what gives birth to this magic, Talisman?'
'No.'
'Life and death. The life forces of millions of men and animals, insects and plants. Each life comes from the land, then returns to the land. It is a circle of harmony.'
'What has this to do with me?'
'Not so much with you, my boy, as with me,' put in Shaoshad. 'I was one of the Three who robbed the land of its magic. We drew it forth and invested it in the Eyes of Alchazzar; we made the land barren; we sought to redirect the random magnificence of the energy, to focus it on behalf of the Nadir. In doing so we destroyed the link between the Nadir and the Gods of Stone and Water. Our people became increasingly nomadic, feeling no love for the earth beneath their feet or the mountains that towered above them. They became split and divided, isolated from one another.'
'Why are you telling me this?' asked Talisman.
'Why do you think?' responded Shul-sen.
'I do not have the Eyes. I thought the poet might, but I think now he is merely a skilled surgeon.'
'If you had them, Talisman, would you do what is right for the land?' asked Shaoshad.
'And what is that?'
'Return to it what was stolen.'
'Give up the power of the Eyes? With them I could bring all the tribes together into one unstoppable army.'
'Perhaps,' admitted Shul-sen, 'but without love of land, what would they fight for? Plunder and rape, revenge and murder? And this army you speak of — it would be filled with men whose lives are but a fraction of a beat in the heart of eternity. The land is immortal. Give it back its magic and it will repay you a thousandfold. It will give you the Uniter you dream of, it will give you Ulric.'
'And how do I do this?' he whispered.
'It is not as deep as you thought,' said Sieben as Druss lay on the table, feeling the poet's ringers probing at the wound in his back. Indeed there was little pain now, except from the ragged stitches.
'You are a revelation to me,' said Druss, grunting as he sat up, the stitches pulling tight. 'Who would have thought it?'
'Who indeed? How is it going out there?'
'The big attack is to come. . soon,' answered Druss. 'If we hold that off. .' His voice tailed away.
'We are going to lose, aren't we?' asked Sieben.
'I think so, poet — though it hurts me to say it. Is Talisman dead?'
'No, he is sleeping. His wounds were not as bad as we feared.'
'I'd better get back to the wall.' Druss stretched his back. 'Amazing,' he said. 'I feel as if I've slept for eight hours. I can feel the strength flowing through me. Those poultices you use have great power — I'd be interested to know what's in them.'
'Me too. Niobe prepares them.'
Druss shrugged on his jerkin and buckled his belt. 'I am sorry I brought you to this,' he said.
'I'm a free man who makes his own decisions,' Sieben told him, 'and I am not sorry at all. I met Niobe. Sweet Heaven, Druss, but I love that woman!'
'You love all women,' said Druss.
'No. Truly, this is different. And what is more incredible is that, given the choice, I would not change a single thing. To die not having known true love must be terrible.'
Nuang approached them. 'Are you ready, axeman?'
'You are a tough old goat,' Druss told him, and together they returned to the battlements. Sieben watched them for a moment, then moved back among the wounded men. He caught Niobe's eye and smiled as she pointed to where Zhusai was sitting beside Talisman, holding the sleeping man's hand. The Chiatze girl was weeping. Sieben crossed the room, settling down beside her.
'He, will live,' he told her softly.
She nodded dumbly.
'I promise you,' he said, gently laying his hand on Talisman's chest.
The Nadir warrior stirred, and opened his eyes. 'Zhusai. .?' he whispered.
'Yes, my love.'
He groaned and struggled to rise. Sieben helped him to his feet. 'What is happening?' he asked.
'The enemy are gathering for another charge,' said Sieben.
'I must be there.'
'No, you must rest!' insisted Zhusai.
Talisman's dark eyes turned to Sieben. 'Give me more strength,' he said.
The poet shrugged. 'I cannot. You have lost a lot of blood and you are weak.'
'You have the Eyes of Alchazzar.'
'I wish I did, old horse — I'd heal everybody here. By Heaven, I'd even raise the dead.'
Talisman looked closely at him, but Sieben met his stare with blank equanimity. Placing his arm over Zhusai's shoulder, Talisman kissed her cheek. 'Help me to the wall, my wife,' he said. 'We will stand upon it together.'
As they moved off, Sieben heard a small voice whisper in his ear. 'Go with them.' He swung round, but there was no-one close. The poet shuddered, and stood where he was. 'Trust me, my boy,' came the voice of Shaoshad.
Sieben walked out into the sunlight, then ran to catch Talisman and the woman. Taking the warrior's other arm he helped him up the rampart steps to the western wall.
'Well, they're gathering again,' muttered Druss.
On the plain beyond, the Gothir were once more in fighting ranks, waiting for the drum-beat signal. All along the wall weary Nadir defenders also waited, swords ready.
'Must be more than a thousand of them,' said Sieben, feeling the onset of terror.
The drum-beat sounded, and the Gothir army began to move.
Zhusai stiffened, and drew in a sharp breath. 'Put your hand on her shoulder,' ordered Shaoshad. When Sieben reached out and gently touched Zhusai, he felt the power of the stones flow from him, like a dam bursting. She released her hold on Talisman and moved to the ramparts.
'What are you doing, Zhusai?' hissed Talisman.
She turned to him and gave a dazzling smile. 'She will return,' said the voice of Shul-sen.
The woman climbed to the top of the ramparts and raised her arms. Overhead the sun — brilliant in a clear blue sky — shone down now on the woman in bloodstained clothes. The wind picked up, stirring her raven-dark hair. Clouds began to form with astonishing speed — small white puffballs that swelled and grew, darkening down and obscuring the sun. The wind roared, buffeting the defenders. Blacker and blacker grew the sky, then a clap of thunder burst above the Shrine. Lightning forked down, exploding in the midst of the Gothir army. Several men were hurled from their feet. Jagged spears of dazzling light flashed into the enemy force, while thunder rolled across the heavens.