It was all lost on Druss, who sat alone in the drab office, his feelings numbed. He could help hold a fortress against all the odds, but could not prevent the death of a friend. He could cross the ocean and fight in a hundred battles. He could stand against any man alive, yet Klay was still dead.
Rising from his chair, he moved to the window. The dawn sun had filled the gardens beyond with colour — crimson roses growing around the white marble fountain, purple foxgloves amid carpets of yellow flowers beside the curving paths. 'It is not fair,' said Druss aloud.
'I cannot recall anyone saying that it would be,' came the voice of the Abbot.
'That bolt was meant for me, Father. Klay took it for me. Why should I live and he die?'
'There are never answers to such questions, Druss. He will be remembered with great fondness, by a great many people. There will even be those who will revere his memory enough to try to emulate him. We are none of us here for very long. Would you like to see his stone?'
'Aye. I would.'
Together the two men left the office and walked down the rear stairwell to the gardens. The air was sweet with perfume, the sun bright in the morning sky. Klay's grave was beside a dry-stone wall, beneath an ancient willow. A long, rectangular slab of white marble had been set into the earth, and upon it were carved the words:
Any good that I may do, let me do it now, for I may not pass this way again.
'It is a quote from an ancient writing,' said the Abbot. 'He did not ask for it, but I thought it was fitting.'
'Aye, it is fitting,' agreed Druss. 'Tell me, who is the woman Klay wanted saved?'
'She is a prostitute; she works the southern quarter, I understand.'
Druss shook his head and said nothing.
'You think a whore is not worth saving?' the Abbot asked.
'I would never say that,' Druss told him, 'nor would I think it. But I have just come from a battle, Father, where hundreds of men lost their lives. I have returned here — to find a great man dead. And at the end of it I have ensured that one more whore will work the southern quarter. I'm going home,' said Druss sadly. 'I wish I had never come to Gulgothir.'
'If you hadn't, then you would not have known him. And that would have been your loss. My advice is to hold to the memory of what he was, and think about him as you live your own life. There may come a time when you will draw upon those memories, in order to achieve some good for others — just as he would have done.'
Druss took in a deep breath, glanced down once more at the simple grave, then turned away. 'Where is my friend? We should be leaving soon.'
'He and his wife are gone, Druss. He said to tell you he will meet you on the road — he is returning the stones to a man named Talisman.'
Talisman, Gorkai and Zhusai rode up the dusty rise, cresting the slope and pulling back on the reins of their weary ponies. Below them, spreading right across the valley, were the tents of the Northern Wolfshead.
'We are home,' said Talisman.
'Now perhaps, my general,' said Gorkai, 'you can tell me why we have ridden so hard?'
'This is the Day of the Stone Wolf. All the captains of every Wolfshead tribe are gathered here. At noon there is a ceremony in the High Cave.'
'And you must be there?'
'Today I will stand before my people and take my Nadir name. That right was denied me when I returned home from the Academy; some of the Elders believed I had been tainted by Gothir education. Nosta Khan named me Talisman, and said that I would keep that name until I found the Eyes of Alchazzar.'
'What name will you now choose, my love?' asked Zhusai.
'I have not yet decided. Come, let us ride.' And Talisman led the trio down into the valley.
High on the hillside, from the mouth of a huge cave, Nosta Khan watched them. His emotions were mixed. He could sense the presence of the Eyes, and knew that Talisman had fulfilled his quest. This alone was cause for rejoicing, for with the power restored to the Stone Wolf the Day of the Uniter was infinitely closer. Yet there was anger too, for Talisman had disobeyed him and had despoiled the woman. Even now she was pregnant, and almost lost to the cause. There was only one answer, and it saddened Nosta Khan. Talisman, for all his strength and skill, had to die. After that there were herbs and potions to rob Zhusai of the babe. Perhaps then all could proceed as it should.
Rising, he turned from the sunlight and entered the cave. It was huge and spherical, great stalactites hanging like spears from the domed ceiling. The Stone Wolf had been carved from the rock of the rear wall centuries before and it sat now, its great jaws open, its sightless eyes waiting for a return to the light.
Today, at noon, the Eyes would shine again — albeit briefly. They were too powerful to be left in the stone sockets, prey to whatever thief had the wit or the courage to steal them. No. From now on the Eyes of Alchazzar would be carried on the person of Nosta Khan, shaman to the Wolfshead.
Three acolytes entered the cave, bearing bundles of oil-soaked torches which they placed in rusting brackets on the walls around the Stone Wolf.
Nosta Khan strolled back into the sunlight and watched the steady stream of men moving purposefully up the hillside. 'Light the torches,' he commanded the acolytes.
Returning to the Stone Wolf, he squatted down before it and closed his eyes, focusing his powers. More than forty leaders would be here today; not one of them had violet eyes, but after the ceremony he would question all of them. The Uniter was out there, somewhere on the steppes. With the power of the Eyes, Nosta Khan would find him.
The leaders trooped into the cave and sat in a wide semi-circle some twenty feet back from the Stone Wolf. Each leader had his own champions with him, chosen warriors. These stood behind their warlords with their hands upon their sword hilts, ready for any treachery. Truly, thought Nosta Khan, we are a divided people.
When all the leaders were present Nosta Khan rose. 'This is a great day,' he told the assembly. 'What was lost has been returned to us. This is the first day of the Uniter. The Eyes of Alchazzar have been found!'
A gasp went up from the crowd, followed by a stunned silence. 'Step forth, Talisman,' commanded the shaman.
Talisman rose from the centre of the group and made his way through the ranks to stand beside the shaman. 'This is the man who led the defenders at the Shrine of Oshikai Demon-bane. This is the man who inflicted defeat upon the gajin. Today, with pride, he will take his Nadir name, and be remembered for all time as a great Wolfshead hero.' Turning to Talisman, he said, 'Give me the Eyes, my boy.'
'In a moment,' said Talisman. The young warrior turned to the assembly. 'The Shrine of Oshikai stands,' he said, his voice ringing out. 'It stands because Nadir warriors aimed straight and stood tall. Here in this place I praise Bartsai, leader of the Curved Horn, who died defending the bones of Oshikai. Here in this place I praise Kzun of the Lone Wolves, who was slain leading Curved Horn warriors in defence of our holiest Shrine. Here in this place I praise Quing-chin of the Fleet Ponies, who was maimed and butchered by the gajin. Here in this place I praise Lin-tse of the Sky Riders. And I bring a new warrior to the ranks of the Wolves. Come forward, Gorkai.'
Gorkai rose and marched to the front. Across his shoulder he carried a long hammer with a head of heavy iron. 'This is Gorkai, who was Notas, and is now Wolfshead.
'Nosta Khan has told you that the Day of the Uniter is close, and he is right. It is time to put aside the stupidity of the past. Look at you all! You are Wolfshead, and yet you sit here with your champions behind you, fearing the brothers who sit beside you. Rightly fearing them! For given the chance there is not one of you who would not slay the other in order to rule. Each man here is an enemy. It is folly of the worst kind. While the Gothir wax rich, we starve. While the Gothir raid our villages, we plan wars among ourselves. Why is this? Were we born stupid?