Chapter Five
A New Recruit
Dar, Shad, and Madmartigan ride hard through the day and deep into the night. Gelt the mule keeps pace with the horses, and is far less stubborn than usual as they ride to the town of Haven. Shad guesses, and quite correctly, that the Beastmaster has been communicating with the mule telepathically, keeping it moving by stressing the urgency of their quest. Ruh the tiger keeps a respectful distance from the mounts to keep from spooking the animals. As the night deepens, the three men finally bring their mounts to a halt and make camp. They build a fire, and by the time the flames have reached their peak, Ruh trots into the circle of fire light carrying the body of a wild lamb, his mouth clamped down on the creature's broken neck. They will be eating well this night. As they sit about the fire, Dar pulls his two thieves, the ferrets Kodo and Podo, out of his satchel so that they can get some fresh air. Madmartigan looks upon this with genuine amusement.
"You have some interesting traveling companions," says the Lord of Tir Asleen.
"They're my friends," replies the Beastmaster, "They have been all my life. I see through their eyes, they see through mine. They know my thoughts, I know theirs."
"A truly remarkable gift," says Shad.
"Doesn't it bother you that we're eating something you can communicate with?" asks Madmartigan.
"Does it bother the tiger?" replies Dar, "We hunt to eat, the same as Ruh, or Sharak. We communicate differently perhaps, but we are very much the same."
"I never though of it that way," admits the knight.
"I suppose we can all learn something from the animals," says Shad, "They don't kill for pleasure like the Juns. Or rape."
"We will avenge your sister," swears Madmartigan.
"And rid your village of the Jun threat once and for all," adds Dar.
"Then teach me how to fight," says Shad, "Or we will be vulnerable to the next threat after the Juns are gone."
"We were going to have to teach you eventually," admits Madmartigan, "No time like the present."
Madmartigan gets up and goes into the bush. Several minutes later he returns with three thick tree branches. Two of them are roughly three and a half feet long, similar to the one he had used in his initial duel with the stubborn young man from Khitai. The third branch is about five feet long, with two smaller branches sprouting from one end like the tines of a fork, giving it the appearance of a pitchfork or a trident. Madmartigan then takes out a knife and strips the bark off of the two sticks which are to represent swords, except for a length at one end just long enough to grip with two hands. The third branch he strips the bark off of the three tines at the end. He hands the longer branch to Shad.
"That is your trident," he says while pointing at the weapon in Shad's hands. "And this is my sword. This is the blade," pointing at the stripped end, "And this is the hilt," and he points at the end which still has bark. "The first rule of learning how to fight, use what you know. Spears, axes, hammers, these are every day tools that everyone has access to. As such they are easier to learn. Once you have mastered these, you can move on to more advanced weapons, such as the sword." Madmartigan assumes a ready stance with his wooden sword. "Come at me!" he commands.
Shad takes his wooden practice trident and thrusts it at Madmartigan's chest. The man from Tir Asleen casually parries the clumsy attack and smacks Shad on the belly with his wooden blade. "You're dead," he tells him. Then he steps back and assumes a ready stance. "Again!" he says.
Again Shad tries a straight forward attack. And again the experienced warrior defeats it easily. After a few more embarrassing slaps with the wooden sword, Madmartigan begins to give him some tips on how to use the weapon more effectively. To not attack the same way every time. To try and be unpredictable. Not to only thrust with the points of the trident, but also swing the shaft like a staff. It takes a while, but eventually Shad begins to get the hang of it. He starts deflecting Madmartigan's attacks more and more frequently. After only one lesson, he is soon able to wield his practice trident with at least some competence. Finally they take their rest and sleep through the rest of the night. They don't bother setting a watch. Even in his sleep Dar's mind is attuned to the animals. If a threat comes in the night, he will be the first to know. At first light they break camp and ride for Haven, eating cold roast lamb as they ride. The next night Dar takes a turn teaching Shad how to fight. His methods differ from Madmartigan's in that he orders Shad to protect himself, and then straight up attacks Shad with his practice sword. Madmartigan watches from the sidelines and offers tips for improvement, criticism where needed, and compliments where appropriate. He also studies Dar's fighting skills, and has to admit that he's impressed. This Beastmaster's skills with the sword might actually be equal to his own, or a very close second. He finds himself thanking any deity who might be listening to his private thoughts that he and Dar are on the same side.
They rest for the night, and begin again the next day. The entire way back to Haven they continue the pattern. Ride through the day, set up camp, then teach Shad how to fight. Some nights Madmartigan would handle his training, other nights it would be Dar. Some nights they would train him together, to get him used to fighting more than one opponent at a time. For as they explain to the young farmer, "The Juns are not likely to be fighting fair."
Before long the three men arrive at the gates to the town of Haven. The watchmen posted at the gate give the Beastmaster a bewildered look, but keep a respectful distance from him (or more pointedly, from Ruh). They head straight for The Lazy Cock. Shad sees the familiar sight of the large Cimmerian sitting at a table with a flagon of ale before him. With Conan are a a blonde warrior who looks every bit as impressive as the Cimmerian himself, and a smaller but clearly highly athletic Hyrkanian whose hair is worn long at the back while nature removes it from up top. Shad heads over with his two companions following right behind.
"Conan," says the young farmer in greeting, "I'm glad to see that you didn't just take my money and run."
"I don't steal from the poor, lad" replies Conan, "And when I make a contract with someone, I don't break it."
"My apologies," says Shad, "I meant no offense. Are these the old companions you told me about?"
"One of them is," confirms Conan with a nod, "Subotai here and I once fought a battle together with odds not that different than what we will soon be facing." Subotai bows his head to his employer in a silent but polite greeting. "Deathstalker here I had just met recently. He claims to have never been bested in battle, and is joining us for the thrill of the challenge." Deathstalker gulps down the rest of his ale and then lets out an impressive belch. "My other companion is Malak. He's over by the bar refreshing his ale. He may not look like much, but he's deadly with his daggers. He seeks only for a place to hide from the bounty hunters who are after his head, and a decent meal."
"Well met," greets Shad, "This here is Dar of the Emurites, otherwise known as The Beastmaster."
"The Emurites?" says Deathstalker, "Last I heard the Emurites were extinct."
"Thanks to the Juns," says Dar, "I am the last."
"So you are seeking revenge," says Conan.
"I prefer to think of it as justice," replies Dar, "But essentially, yes."
"I understand," says the Cimmerian with a nod.
"And why, pray tell, do they call you The Beastmaster?" asks Subotai. In response, Ruh lets out a mighty roar. "Oh," says the Hyrkanian, "Never mind."
"And this is Madmartigan," says Shad, indicating the armored knight, "Stewart to the throne of Tir Asleen and general of her armies."
"I also happen to be a husband and a father," says Madmartigan, "And if these Juns were to do to Sorsha or Elora Danan what they've done to Shad's sister? Well, just the thought of that happening is reason enough to add my sword to your cause."
Shad and his two recruits sit down at the table across from Conan and his recruits. Just then Malak arrives with three flagons of ale in each hand and places them on the table as he sits down. "I see what you mean about him not looking like much," says Madmartigan as he helps himself to an ale.
"I thought much the same about your wizard friend, remember?" says Shad, and he holds up his once injured arm and flexes his fingers to emphasize the point.
"You brought a wizard?" says Conan.
"Unfortunately no," says Shad, "His duties to his own people, and to the kingdom of Tir Asleen prevented him from joining us."
"A shame," laments Subotai, "A powerful wizard could have really tipped the scales of battle in our favor. I have heard tales of a lone sorcerer wiping out entire battalions of armored soldiers with just a few gestures."
"Stories?" says Madmartigan, "I've actually seen it. At the Battle of Nockmaar, the Witch Queen Bavmorta turned our entire army into pigs. Had it not been for the fact that we brought our own sorcerers with us, all would have been lost that day."
"You mean your friend, Willow?" asks Shad.
"Partly," agrees the knight, "He was only a wizard's apprentice at that time. It was his teacher, Fin Razael, who turned us all back into men."
Malak taps Subotai on the shoulder to get his attention. We had better get ready, he signs, There is going to be a fight soon.
"A fight?" asks Subotai, "Are you sure?"
You see those men playing cards over there? Malak replies, The one who is winning has been cheating. He is using a deck of marked cards. And he is about to get caught.
"How do you know?" asks the Hyrkanian.
Trust me, signs Malak, I know. And the thief pulls his own deck of Siege cards out of his pocket.
"What's going on?" asks Shad, who (not being a thief) doesn't understand Thieves' Cant.
"You're about to discover what your money has bought you," replies Conan.
Over at the table where the men are playing Siege, the latest hand is called and the players who have not surrendered show their hands. "Crossfire!" says one of the players, the term used when your hand has two sets of three of a kind.
"Not bad," says the man with the most coins in front of him, "Not bad at all. But not good enough to beat my Battle Wedge Formation," and he lays his cards on the table. The cards in his hand are a straight run of a Five of Archers, Six of Infantry, Seven of Cavalry, Eight of Battle Clerics, Nine of War Wizards, Ten of Cavalry, and a Lieutenant of Infantry. The man with the Crossfire hand throws his cards down on the table in disgust, and the other players groan at the winner's apparent luck. The man with the winning hand bursts out laughing as he reaches to collect the pot of this latest hand. As he pulls the pile of coins towards him, however, a card slips out from inside the sleeve of his tunic.
"Bel's teeth!" curses the man who had just lost the last hand, "You cheating son of a whore!"
"What are you talking about?" asks the winner, "I have no idea where that came from!"
"Troll dung!" shouts another player, "No one can be as lucky as you in cards! I always thought you were a cheater, and now we know it!"
"I don't have to cheat when I play against the likes of you!" argues the man, "Your tells are so obvious, you might as well hold your cards backwards!"
"Bah!" says another player, "You're a cheat and a liar! And I want my money back!"
"First man to touch my winnings loses a hand!" shouts the accused man.
"They're only winnings if you play fair!" says another, "Otherwise they're stolen coins, and I want them back!"
"Go ahead and try it," growls the accused.
One of the players makes a grab for the coins in front of the accused cheater. The man grabs his tankard of ale and smashes it over the other players head, and then punches the man in the face with enough force to send him flying into the table where men are playing Liar's Dice. The dice players pick up the man who broke their table and disrupted their game and threw him back to the table with the card game, where he smashes through another table. From there all hell breaks loose. People start punching and kicking the closest people to them. Shad gets up from his seat and backs up against the wall, while Malak takes his tankard of ale and quietly slips underneath their table.
Conan, Subotai, and Deathstalker all jump into the fray, knocking out drunken brawlers left and right. Dar and Madmartigan are more reserved, only defending themselves when threatened, but doing so in impressive fashion. A drunken rowdy sees Shad standing off to the side and throws a punch at the young farmer's face. Shad ducks under the blow and the ruffian's fist goes right through the wall. Shad then retaliates with a quick punch to the ribs, followed immediately with a punch to the jaw. He manages to knock the man out cold, but also hurt his hand in the process.
Shad watches in awe as Conan grabs two men by their hair and then smacks their heads together. Deathstalker headbutts a man in the face, and then picks another man up over his head and throws him over the counter of the bar. Subotai is a flurry of action, jumping and spinning, delivering punches and kicks so quickly that his hands and feet are a blur of movement. Though despite being smaller than his Cimmerian friend, his fighting style is no less fierce.
Another brawling bar patron swings a wooden chair at Shad's head, which the young farmer ducks under at the last instant. The chair smashes into kindling as it hits the wall, and Shad quickly retaliates by kneeing his attacker in the groin. As the man doubles over clutching his injured crotch, Shad brings his knee up again, this time connecting with the man's face. The drunken brawler falls back, slamming the back of his head against the wall, knocking himself out cold. Shad sees Malak sitting beneath their table casually drinking his tankard of ale, and Shad scrambles under the table to join him.
"You planned this didn't you?" accuses Shad. Malak smiles and nods his head affirmatively. "Why?" to which Malak just shrugs his skinny shoulders. "Why can't you speak?" Malak opens his mouth and shows Shad that he has no tongue. "Oh," says the young farmer, "I'm sorry." Malak just shrugs his shoulders again, his expression saying "It is what it is."
Shad suddenly notices that the sounds of fighting had stopped. He pokes his head out from under the table and looks around. Virtually everyone in the common room of The Lazy Cock is laying on the floor, either unconscious or moaning in pain. The only people left standing are the five warriors that had been recruited to protect Akir from the Juns. Conan walks up to Shad. "I take it this was your first fight," says the Cimmerian, "What do you think?"
"I think," says Shad as he looks at the carnage laying about him, "That I may have just bought my village a chance."
"Come on," says Madmartigan, "Let's get out of here before The Watch comes. We won't do your people much good from inside a jail cell."
"You're right," agrees Conan, "Let's go." He looks around and sees Malak gathering up the spilled coins from the gaming tables. "Malak!" calls Conan, "Come on! We're leaving!"
Malak quickly picks up another handful of coins and then runs to catch up with his companions. The seven of them mount their horses, or in Shad's case his mule, and ride out of town and toward the north. They ride until nightfall and set up camp. Once more Dar's animal companions prove useful, as Ruh brings them a deer for their dinner. That night they dine on fresh venison, and Shad continues his combat training. Now Conan, Subotai, and Deathstalker add their own styles to the young farmer's training. He takes his lumps, but eventually manages to hold his own while sparring with his teachers. They sleep through the night and then break camp at first light. The next night Sharak brings the group a brace of conies for their evening meal. In a few days time they come to a lush forest, the very edge of the valley where the village is to be found. It takes the better part of the day, but they eventually reach the creek that runs the length of the valley and feeds the lush foliage. The water is crystal clear and they can see trout swimming whenever the current slows enough to allow the warriors to see them. Shad smiles to himself, for they won't be needing Sharak's or Ruh's hunting skills to eat tonight. Shad might be just a farmer, but he's also an excellent fisherman with trident and net. No sooner does this thought enter Shad's head then it is interrupted by the sounds of steel clanging against steel.
"What's that?" asks Shad.
"Sounds like a battle," replies Madmartigan.
"Let's go see!" says Shad excitedly, "They may need our help!" Before anyone can object, Shad spurs his mule into a gallop.
"The energy of youth," says Subotai in amusement before spurring his horse to follow.
"More like foolishness," says Deathstalker before doing the same.
"We'd better go before our young friend gets himself killed," says Dar as he spurs his horse after them.
"Wait for me," says Madmartigan.
Conan and Malak quickly follow as well. As Shad approaches the sounds of battle, Gelt the mule decides to resume his stubborn streak and stop dead in his tracks. When Shad is unable to get the mule to go any farther, he dismounts and continues on foot. What he sees makes his jaw drop. Nearly a score of Juns have surrounded a beautiful young woman who carries the trappings of a warrior. She wields a magnificent bastard sword with exceptional skill, constantly turning to keep from being attacked from behind. Her hair is worn long, and is bright red, like poppies in full bloom. Her body is lean and muscular, with a dancer's physique. But what truly amazes Shad is her choice of armor. She wears steel shoulder guards, which are common enough, but the rest of her attire seems more suited to a king's harem than a battlefield. She wears a chainmail brazier which covers her perfectly shaped breasts, but provides no protection to the heart which lies between them as it is designed to accentuate the cleavage of her bosom. To accompany the brazier she also wears a chainmail loincloth, which covers her groin and buttocks but little else. She wears leather boots which reach nearly to her knees, and leather gauntlets that cover most of her forearms, but these would provide little protection against steel blades.
Laying at her feet were four Juns, either dead or dying. Off to the side were four more Juns mounted on horseback. Despite the fact that all of the Juns have a sword or ax belted to his hip, or strapped across his back, they are all wielding wooden clubs. One of the Juns comes at her from behind, his club raised above his head. The red haired woman ducks under the blow and slashes the Jun across the belly with her sword, disemboweling him. Another Jun attacks her with his club. She cuts the wooden weapon in two with her sword, slashes the Jun's hamstring, and then runs him through the chest.
"Why aren't they trying to kill her?" wonders Shad out loud.
As if in answer to his whispered question, one of the Juns on horseback, who is apparently the leader of this group, shouts, "Remember lads! Whoever brings her to me alive gets to have first Crack at her. . . . After I've had my fun!"
This ignites a flame within the young farmer's soul. "NANELIA!" he screams and he charges the field.
"Wait!" Subotai calls after him, too late.
"In for a copper," mutters Madmartigan as he draws his sword and runs after the boy.
"Crom!" says Conan as he draws his Atlantean blade and spurs Thunder into a gallop.
At the sound of Shad's outraged cry the Juns turn to face him, throwing their wooden clubs aside and drawing their steel. Shad throws his trident at the nearest Jun, the barbed middle prong diving deep into the Jun's shoulder while one of the outer prongs digs into the Jun's chest. The Jun drops his sword in order to try and pull the trident from his flesh. As he does so, Shad tackles him to the ground. Then the young farmer pulls his hatchet from his belt and begins repeatedly hacking into the barbarian's face. While he's busy mutilating the now dead Jun barbarian, two more Juns attempt to slay the young man. Two of Malak's daggers fly from the bushes and bury themselves into the chests of both Juns, killing them.
A third Jun tries to cleave Shad's skull with his battle ax in a two handed downward chop. At the last second, Madmartigan steps between them, parrying the attack with his sword and then retaliating with a pair of slashes across the belly, followed by a stab through the chest. Madmartigan places a booted foot against the Jun's chest as he pulls his sword free from the barbarian's ribs. Then he turns to look at Shad. "Second rule of combat," he says, "Once you've killed one opponent, move on to the next!" And with that, he moves on to the next Jun.
Subotai fires off two arrows in rapid succession as soon as he exits the bushes. One arrow strikes one of the mounted Juns in the throat, exiting out the back of the neck, severing the spine. The other arrow hits another mounted Jun right in the forehead, piercing the brain.
Not to be outdone, Deathstalker fires an arrow at another of the mounted Juns. His arrow strikes the barbarian right in the middle of his chest with enough force to throw him from the back of his horse. He strikes an oak tree six feet behind his horse's tail and is pinned there by the arrow. The fourth mounted Jun, the apparent leader of this small group, reins his horse about and spurs it into a gallop, fleeing the battle. Conan charges through the skirmish on Thunder, cutting down a Jun as he rides past, and gives chase.
Dar engages a Jun in combat, clashing swords with the barbarian. The Jun telegraphs an attack by raising his sword over his head with both hands for a downward slash and The Beastmaster takes advantage by thrusting his own sword forward and stabbing the barbarian through the chest. He quickly turns and sees Ruh mauling a Jun with claws and fang. He takes a brief moment to communicate with the tiger telepathically, and then Ruh sprints off after Conan and the Jun leader.
The Jun leader drives his mount at top speed. He had recognized the son of the elected leader of the Akira. What's more, he recognized The Beastmaster. He was there the night The Juns lost to the people of Aruk. He had witnessed The Beastmaster defeat Karak's father in single combat. He had witnessed the mysterious bird men devouring his fellow Juns. His body still bears the scars of the burning moat. He did not know who the others who ride with The Beastmaster are, but the simple fact that they are apparently coming to the aid of the Akira is sure to mean trouble. This is information which he is sure Karak needs to know. So he pushes his horse to its limits and hopes that if his men can't stop The Beastmaster and his friends, that they can at least slow them down long enough for him to get back to their Hidden Fortress. As the horse and it's rider round the bend, the horse rears up in fright and nearly throws the barbarian to the ground. There, waiting for them, is Ruh the tiger. The great cat roars at the fleeing Jun, causing horse and rider to turn about and head back the way they came. The Jun leader curses himself for not anticipating one of The Beastmaster's animal companions getting ahead of him. Tigers do not need to follow the traveled trails, paths, and roads that horses and other such beasts require to pass through forest terrain. He rides back, hoping to find a side path that he might take around the tiger, when he comes face to face with the Cimmerian. With a fierce tiger behind him, and a clearly powerful warrior in front, the Jun leader does the only thing left for him to do. He draws his sword and charges.
Conan also spurs his mount into a charge, his Atlantean sword drawn and held ready. The two warriors clash. Steel rings out against steel as the swords collide. Conan thrusts his blade at the Jun leader's heart, only to have it parried to the side. The Jun then tries a slash at Conan's neck, in an attempt to decapitate him. Conan parries the attack, and the two warriors lock blades just above the cross guards. Both men give a mighty heave, and the two of them tumble from their mounts.
They both roll to their feet, maintaining a grip on their swords. Conan whirls his sword about before him in a figure eight pattern, before presenting it in a ready stance. The Jun leader assumes his own ready stance. The two of them lock eyes, both knowing full well that only one of them would be leaving this conflict alive. Then they charge at each other. Their swords clash, again and again. First high, then low. Each man trying to gain the advantage. Each man countering every attack to stop the other from gaining said advantage. Silently, both men admire the other's skill. But while their skills with the blade are nearly equal, Conan's years on The Wheel of Pain have given him a strength and stamina that few can match. He sees his opponent tiring, the Jun's sword swings coming in more slowly and not as frequent. In response, Conan increases the strength and speed of his attacks. The Jun leader desperately attempts to match the Cimmerian's ferocity, but just can't keep up. Conan cuts the Jun's hand off at the wrist. Then as the barbarian stares helplessly as his life's blood pours out of the bloody stump where his hand once was, Conan slashes deep into the man's shoulder, and then across his belly. The Jun leader collapses, laying on his back as he bleeds out. In what some might call an act of mercy, Conan finishes the Jun leader off by driving the point of his Atlantean sword through the man's heart.
Some time later, Conan returns to where he had left the others, the body of the Jun leader slung across the saddle of the leader's horse, the animal in tow. Ruh is plodding along beside the Cimmerian and the horses. Conan sees that his companions had fared well in the battle. Two dozen Juns lay dead on the ground, and not one of their company appeared to have received so much as a scratch. Conan dismounts and walks over to the others, who are talking with the beautiful woman warrior.
"Good! You're back!" says Shad, "I'd like you to meet Sonja. Sonja, this is. . . ."
"Kalidor?" she says.
"I am Conan," replies the Cimmerian, "I don't know any Kalidor."
"The resemblance is remarkable," she says, "You two could be brothers. Twins even."
"Where is this Kalidor?" asks Conan, "Who is he?"
"He's dead," says Sonja with genuine sorrow in her voice, "He was a friend. A very good friend."
"I'm sorry," says Dar, "How did he die?"
"In battle," she replies, "Bravely. . . . And stupidly."
"Too often those traits go hand in hand," says Subotai.
"Shad here has told me of your mission," she says, "I wish to join you."
"These Juns only wanted to capture you," LLLsays Conan, "To use your body for their pleasure. Can you fight as well when they're looking to kill you?"
"I have never been bested with sword or ax by man, woman, nor monster," she says, "And if you wish to test my claim then draw your sword and I will prove it to you!"
"No need," says Conan, "One of the greatest warriors I ever knew was a woman. If you are half as good as you claim to be, then you are more than welcome."
"What are we going to do with the bodies?" asks Shad, "Bury them?"
"Gather their weapons and armor," says Conan, "Then load the bodies onto their horses. We will take them with us."
"Take them with us?" says Shad, "Why?"
"Because," replies the Cimmerian, "They may not have realized it when they woke up this morning, but they are going to help protect the Akira."
Shad still looks confused, but shrugs his shoulders and does as Conan had instructed. These mercenaries would know better than he about protecting his village. After all, that's what he hired them for. The others all go right to work, gathering up the dead bodies and dropped weapons. Malak pats Subotai on the shoulder to get his attention, and then holds up seven fingers. "Yes my friend," says the archer, "Now there are seven of us. A lucky number. I only pray to The Four Winds and Mitra that it will be lucky enough."
It will be, signs Malak, I know it.
"Just as you knew that a Baroness and a court jester are not supposed to be intimate?"
Hey, she came on to me, he signs.
"That doesn't give you your tongue back though, does it?"
Malak just shrugs and goes back to work. Subotai chuckles and does the same. Then he looks about at the bodies that lay on the field. Seven of them, eight including the farm boy, took out two dozen Juns without hardly breaking a sweat. That's three to one odds. And Sonja had already killed four of them before they had even arrived, and another two while they watched. Yes, maybe the seven of them can defeat this Jun Horde. If not, then may their defeat cost many Jun warriors their lives.