He was a tower or iron, glinting and deadly. Weapons covered him like the scale-hide of a death monster and he both scared and fascinated me. What had he seen? What had he done? Which mighty foes had he slain? I wanted to know and I, with many of the other boys, approached him cautiously as he tied his enormous warshorse to the inn post. He looked around at us and we gave back in fear. His teeth were iron and fanged like those of the Troll uncle Gralf had found by the steam the previous season.
He might have been smiling but his eyes were glittering hollows of some savage amusement. "A fine collection of young fellows." he growled. maybe it was friendly, I don't know. From his tone, how could you tell? It was like bones grinding together.
"Have you fought many battles...Sword Lord?" I asked as strongly as I was
able.
He laughed almost joyously. Then he knelt down to us. "I've fought accross the Pass and past it against all manner of foes. I've worked for Kings and Queens, Dukes and Lords but have called no man master. I wander where I will and no hand is laid against me that is not removed a moment later! I am death on two legs and I live to deliver my gods message to those who stand in the path I chose to follow."
"Have you no Clan nor hearth?" Chipped in my aunty Erthen who'd come up
behind us as we spoke. Her tone was sharp and I remember being puzzled at her
hostility at the time..
The warrior stood and bared those teeth again. "I have no ties, I have no home. My brother is my blade, my family is war and my food is battle. When I stand before Humakt in his halls of Death all I will ask is "where is the fight?" and I shall know the perfection of eternal combat."
My aunty shook her head sadly. "It is a wasted life that you are leading. You produce nothing, you make nothing and if you were but one of many, you would make all else nothing too." As she spoke many of the villages menfolk had gathered around. I noted that some few had weapons with them, from hay forks to barely hidden swords. The iron warrior didn't seem to notice.
"What do you know woman? You have never held a breach when all others
flee, you have never tasted the glory of a charge into certain death yet through
skill you survive. You will live you life here, among your folk, knowing
nothing of the world around you, nor will you know the wonder of risking all
with nothing but your skill and cunning between you and oblivion. These things
I have experienced and seen. Who leads the wasted life? Not I!"
The Thane arrived then with three of his men, one was my elder brother. He was wearing his scale hauberk, the one I'd thought to be so fine till I saw the iron warriors harness of war. "What do you want here deathbringer?" He demanded.
"Are you Thane Thuren?" Asked the big warrior lightly, his fingers were
hooked casually over his sword and axe hilt and haft..
"I am." said the Than proudly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm here to kill you." With that he pulled out his sword in a
shimmering blur and vaulted over the childrens head's to cut into the Thane and
his men. I could not close my eyes during the scene. To this day, I remember
every stroke, every spray of blood and most of all, every scream.
They lasted mere moments against this titan of death and he turned at bay as the rest of the malefolk of the village leapt upon him screaming vengence. Bursts of magic exploded within the mass of men that surrounded him and the constant sound of metal on metal was overlayed by a deeper, meatier thump that occured every few moments. From the mob the screams began and in seconds they broke and fled for their lives. Five more men, including my father lay dead at his bloodspalttered feet Three more reeled away missing their arms or clutching at opening stomachs.
The Humakti stalked past me. I heard him mutter. "Next time they want a killing they can damn well get someone esle to do it unless they can find me some decent opposition!" He leapt onto his horse and prepared to ride away.
Ignoring the screams all around me I leapt at him in rage, beating my little hands against his greaved leg. An armoured paw hauled me up to face level. "I'll kill you you murderer!" I screamed at him, no fear in me at all.
He looked into the hate in my eyes hard and long, then he laughed. "Maybe you will little fellow, maybe you will. But wait a while yet before you try or you will be little competition. Remember me well, little one for I will be waiting. When you want me, my name is Onslaught. Remember." With that he dropped me.
That was ten years ago now and as I stand ready to take my final vows and enter the ceremony, I reflect on the purpose that has driven me all these years till, at last, I stand ready to become a Sword of Humakt. I remember a name, oh yes. I remember.
Martin Laurie
End of Glorantha Digest V2 #489
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
Powered by hypermail