The shadow of the mountain

" Let me go, Kishward! And send out of the way these bone-saws! " barked Qbad, pushing brutally the two doctors, who were trying one to restrain him the other to treat the ugly wound that tore at his broad and muscular chest.

The commander of Peshawar avoided the doctor, who almost had tumbled on him, pushed away by the warrior, and he grabbed for a Qbad shoulder, forcing him down. The man snarled in pain, but Kishward did not release the pressure of his arm on him.

" You don't serve me to nothing in this state, Qbad. Calm down! "

Qbad gritted his teeth in a fierce expression. On his face, disfigured by the scar across the left empty orbital cavity, his only eye flashed with repressed fury. " Those men who dragged me away ... cowards ...I'll tear their guts! "

" They obeyed to Daryun's order to retreat " retorted Kishward for nothing intimidated, unlike the two doctors, who were remained on the sidelines, without the courage to approach again.

" Daryun's order? It was not to him they had to obey, but to me! I am their commander, not Daryun! " roared Qbad, always struggling to get up, heedless of pain.

" You were hurt, and your men decimated. Retreat was the only reasonable choice. If you'd stayed, you'd have died in vain" retorted Kishward.

" NO! " yelled Qbad and grabbed his friend's arm. " I've seen all of them disappear in that damned mist, Kishward! All disappear! Do you understand ?! Such Atropatena. Worse than Atropatena! " A spasm of pain twisted his face, but he did not abandon his grip. Qbad clenched jaw and his voice came out from teeth, almost growling. " It was a trap, and we have fallen into it like two idiots, Kishward. Destroyed villages, merchants attacked and massacred ... everything was planned ..."

" You're delirious, Qbad " said Kishward frowning. He looked at the massive body of his friend

covered with wounds: the muscles under the sweaty skin, were trembling in agony suffering. " You two! give him something to calm down, before he kill himself! " he ordered, turning to the two doctors who did no sign of wanting to approach.

" Stay away from me! " snapped Qbad and left Kishward's arm, always struggling to get up. " I have no intention to kill myself. I can do it, Kishward. Let me go to seek for Daryun. I am the last one to have saw him ... I know where to look ... I know WHAT to look... "

His face hardened into a stony expression, Kishward pulled away from the hurt man and let him still tried, unsuccessfully, to get up. He did not move, until he was finally forced to grab Qbad, to keep him from tumbling awkwardly to the ground, out of bed.

Qbad glared at him with his one eye. In front of Kishward's silence and, as mirrored in his merciless gaze that showed all his weakness and impotence, the mighty marzban seemed to calm down and finally take note of its inability to do anything.

" Give me a drink ", finally muttered Qbad, letting himself fall on the pillows.

Kishward nodded to the two doctors to provide wine. " We are seeking them, Qbad, and you can be sure that we will find them. Nothing in this world can disappear into thin air, certainly not five hundred men with their arms and horses. "

Qbad had an inarticulate sound, like a sarcastic laugh " I would have told the same, if I had not seen all of them disappear with my own eyes " he said. "Who did you send? "

" Zaravant. "

" Zaravant ?! That greenhorn?! " Snapped Qbad. He attempted to rise again, but once again he failed. Instead fell backward, growling a blasphemy.

The doctor who had approached carrying a cup of wine, backed precipitously.

" Zaravant is young, but not a greenhorn " retorted Kishward. " Now stay quiet and let the doctors take care of you. I sent a messenger to Arslan in order to inform him about the incident. I am sure his Majesty is coming here in Peshawar.

Qbad raised both hands to his face sinking the fingers through his thick and disheveled dark hair. " " You can bet ... Arslan will fly here faster than his hawk " muttered.

Kishward took the cup from the hands of the doctor and handed it to his friend. " I want you to repeat everything to him and Narsus, but without swearing. "

Qbad grimaced, reached out and took his cup. He drank greedily, letting the wine flowed on his chin, dripping from the sides of mouth.

" Zaravant is patrolling the place where you were attacked, and Daryun has been missing together his men. Jimsa of Turan is with him. I hope they will manage to find something that can help us to understand what happened " said Kishward, severely gesturing again to the doctors to return and take care of the wounded warrior.

The two men approached silently with caution.

" The fog? " Asked Qbad, returning with bad grace the cup emptied to one of the doctors.

" Now it's completely disappeared. Since this morning, there is no more trace of mist. So I hope the research will have greater success than as happened so far Kishward replied, approaching the window. The warm light of sunset lit up his face. " Jimsa knows the places, but did you told Zaravant to search that drawings I told you about? " churches Qbad . Kishward nodded. " Yes, I told him. "

Qbad lifted himself up on an elbow, pushing away the doctor who tried to wipe the sweat from his forehead. " You believe me, Kishward, don't you? Do you believe me when I tell you that all this mess is the work of black magic ... "

The commander of Peshawar raised his face to look at the horizon tinged with red, and his eyes rested on the dark unmistakable silhouette of Mount Demavant. The sinister dormant volcano seemed to threaten the dome of the sky with his highest sharp peak , aimed as a skeletal finger over the clouds.

" I believe you, Qbad " replied Kishward, in a low voice.

He frowned, lowering his eyes on the movement of men and horses who he saw were approaching to the fortress from distance, along the way. They carried some carts, and on those carts there was what he expected, and feared having to see.

Kishward moved to leave the room, even before he heard the officer's voice to call him. He left the room without another word, leaving Qbad at the care of doctors, without telling him that Zaravant was returning, and he had found something.