AWARHAMMERNOVEL

Shadowbreed

Konrad-02

DavidFerring

(AnUndeadScanv1.0)

Thisisadarkage,abloodyage,anageofdaemonsandofsorcery.Itisanageofbattleanddeath,andoftheworld’sending.Amidstallofthefire,flameandfuryitisatime,too,ofmightyheroes,ofbolddeedsandgreatcourage.

At the heart of theOldWorld sprawls the Empire, the largest andmost powerful of the humanrealms.Known for its engineers, sorcerers, traders and soldiers, it is a land of greatmountains,mightyrivers,darkforestsandvastcities.AndfromhisthroneinAltdorfreignstheEmperorKarl-Franz, sacred descendant of the founder of these lands, Sigmar, and wielder of his magicalwarhammer.

But theseare far fromcivilised times.Across the lengthandbreadthof theOldWorld, from theknightlypalacesofBretonniatoice-boundKislevinthefarnorth,comerumblingsofwar.InthetoweringWorld’sEdgeMountains, the orc tribes are gathering for another assault. Bandits andrenegadesharrythewildsouthernlandsoftheBorderPrinces.Therearerumoursofrat-things,theskaven,emergingfromthesewersandswampsacrosstheland.Andfromthenorthernwildernessesthereistheever-presentthreatofChaos,ofdaemonsandbeastmencorruptedbythefoulpowersoftheDarkGods.Asthetimeofbattledrawsevernear,theEmpireneedsheroeslikeneverbefore.

CHAPTERONE

Sigmar’sdouble-headedwarhammerslicedthroughtheair,andwitheachmightysweepanotherofthegreenhordedied,itsheadsmashedtoabloodypulp.Butstillthegoblinscameonandon—andeachofthembecameacrushedcorpse,victimtothesacreddwarfweapon.

Thedwarfshadnamedthelegendaryhammer“Ghal-maraz”—“Skull-splitter”—andtodayittrulyliveduptoitsreputation.Timeaftertimetheheavyhammersweptdown,andeachtimeanotheroftherepulsiveenemywasnomore.

Thiswasdestinedtobethedaythatmarkedaturningpointinthetideofhistory,thedaythatthegreatestofallnamesenteredtheannalsoflegend:whenSigmar,chiefoftheUnberogens,leaderoftheeightunitedhumantribes,becameknownas“Hammerof theGoblins”—SigmarHeldenhammer.ItwasthedaythatthefoundationsoftheEmpirewerelaid.Anditwasthedaythatthegoblinsandorcsandalltheirunholyallieswerebanishedfromtheknownworld.

Dwarfandgoblinwereancientenemies.Theyhadfoughtlongandbrutallyforsupremacyofthelandsbetween theSeaofClawsand theWorld’sEdgeMountains,and it seemed that thegreenskinsmust inevitably triumph through sheer weight of numbers. After centuries of war, the dwarfs werefinallydrivenbacktotheirprecipitoushomeland,leavingafewhundredvaliantvolunteerstoprotecttheirretreatthroughBlackFirePass.Thishadseemedthelasthopeofthedwarfnation,althoughfortherearguardtherewasnosuchhope;itwastheirdestinytodie,surrenderingtheirlivessothattheirpeoplemightsurvive.

Butinsteadofdestroyingtheheroeslefttodelaytheiradvance,itwasthegoblinarmieswhowereannihilated. Trapped between the dwarfs and their new confederates, the burgeoning young raceknownashumans,thegreenabominationswereslaughteredbythehundred,bythethousand,untilthemountainpasswaslitteredwiththeirtwistedbodiesandtheveryrocksindeliblystainedbytheirfoetidblood.

ItwasSigmarwholedhistroopsintotriumphantcombatagainstthecommonenemy,andashechargedthroughthemassedgoblinranks,hismightyhammerexacteditsdeadlytoll…

Againandagain,theweaponswung,andeachsweepleftanotherhideousvictimwrithinginagony,itsbrainsoozingfromitspulverizedgreenskull.

Konrad felt invincible, a new strength surging through his limbs, his spirit infused by somepowerfulforcethatseemedasifithadalwaysbeenapartofhimyetwasassertingitselffromdeepwithinforthefirsttime.

Thegoblinsscreamedouttheiragonyandtriedtoscuttleawayfromthemercilessaxe.Itwasnotonlythebladethattheyfeared,theywerealsoattemptingtoescapethesuddenburstoflightwhichhadilluminatedtheirfoulundergroundlair—fromthethunderandlightningthatseemedtohaveinvadedtheirdarkdomain.

Konrad’s lipsweredrawnback,bared inanatavisticsnarl.Hecould feel theblood lustofhisprimitiveancestorsfloodthroughhisbody,sensedthathewasnolongeralonewithinhimself.

Countlessgenerationsurgedhimon,becameapartofhim,andhewasalmostaspectatortothemassacre.Itwasasifhisarmswerenothisown,thattheheavyaxetheyheldwasdirectedbyaforcewhichwasbeyondhiscontrol.

Thiswashismomentintime,andslayingthegoblinhell-spawnwashismission.Hestruckoutmechanically,hiswholebodyanefficientkillingmachineunhamperedbythought.Allheneededwasinstinctandreaction.

Thebodiesofcountlessgreenskins laysprawledacross the floorof theancientdwarf temple,theirbloodflowingasfreelyasinanabattoir.

Andthen,almostabruptly,therewerenomorevictims.Everydeformedbodywasdeadordying.Anysurvivorshadcreptawayintothedarkness,andKonradfinallyceasedslaying.Thewoundedheallowedtosuffer, lettingdeathclaimthemslowlyandpainfully.Herestedonthehandleofhisaxe,breathing heavily, and gazed at the charnel house he had created. His expression of murderousviolencecurledintoacontentedgrin.Hewipedatthestickybloodwhichcoatedhisface.Itwasnothisblood,butthedeadnolongerhadanyneedforit.

Slowlyheemergedfromhiskillingtrance,andgazedupatthesourceoflightthathadsuddenlyilluminated thecavernandwhichhadbeenhis salvation.Before thebrilliant sunburst,his foeshadbeguntooverwhelmhiminthedarknessoftheirownworld.

ThetransformationasiffromnighttodaymusthavebeentheworkofAnvila,herealized.Thedustwasstillsettlingfromtherockswhichhadfallenfromabovetoallowlighttoreachthetempleforthefirsttimeinmillennia.

KonradturnedtowardsthedistantagonizedfigureofWolf.Konrad,WolfandAnvilahadcometothesemountainsinsearchofalostdwarftemple,where

reputedlyafortuneinjewelsandgoldwashidden.Insteadtheyhadfoundagoblinstronghold—orrather,thegoblinshadfoundthem.

Wolfhadbeencapturedand tortured,andwasabout tobe slowlysacrificedwhenKonradhadarrived.NowWolfhungfromhiswrists,naked,coveredinblood.Thebloodwasred,notgreen;itwashisownblood,humanblood.

AsKonradmadehiswaytowardshiscomrade,herealizedthatWolflookeddifferentsomehow.His body seemed deformed, his limbs misshapen. Possibly this was because his whole body wastwistedinpain;buthistattooedfacehadalsotakenonastrangelook,asifhisjawwerestretched.Andalthoughhis fleshwassoakedwithblood, it alsoappearedmattedwith thickhairs.Almostas ifheweretheprimalcreaturethatKonradhadsensedhimselfbecoming…

Wolfwasstaringathimstrangely,asifhedidnotrecognizehisfriend,orasthoughhewerestillafraidthathewasabouttobeslowlymutilatedandfinallyslain.

“Didn’tyouhearwhat Iordered?”hemanaged tosay,hisvoiceweak.“Youweresupposed tokillme,nothim.”He spat towards the supinebodyof thegoblin shaman.Aballofbloodand spitlandedonthecorpse’srituallylaceratedface.

WolfhadissuedhiscommandwhenKonradfirstenteredthehiddencavern,whentheyhadseeneachotherfromafarbythelightofKonrad’sburningtorch.Instead,Konradhadusedhisonearrowtoshoottheshamanthathadbeentorturingitshelplesshumanvictim.

“Youcan’trelyonabow—it’sapeasantweapon,”Konradsaid,hisreplyechoingacommentWolfhadmadethedaythatthetwoofthemhadfirstmet.

Konrad leaned his gory hammer against thewall and reached for his knife. Then he paused,staringattheweaponwhichhadwroughtsuchdeadlydestructionamongsthisfoes.Itwasanaxethathehadusedtosuchdevastatingeffect,notahammer.Whyhadhebelievedotherwise?

Hisheadwasstill ringingwith thesoundsofcombatand thehorrendousdeathscreamsofhisenemies, with the roar of the explosion and the landslide of falling rocks. He wiped at his face,rubbingawaythetrickleofbloodthatkeptobscuringhisvision.Itwashisownblood.Hehadbeenwoundedandwasbleedingprofuselyfromseveralstabsandcuts,buthehadhardlynoticed.

Suchinjurieshadseemedasnothinginthemidstofcombat.HeusedhiskristoslicethroughtheropesthatheldWolfboundtothetemplewall.Asthelast

strandparted,thebladeoftheknifesuddenlyshatteredintoahundredpieces.Konradhadowned thewavy-bladedweapon formore thanhalf his life, and it had savedhim

fromdeathonmanyanoccasion.Hegazedatthebonehandle,thenletitfalltotheground.“Ithoughtyouweregoingtoslityourownthroatbeforeyouwerecaptured,”hesaid.Wolfhad

oncevowedthathewouldneverbetakenalive.Wolfgrimacedashewashelpeddown,baringhispointedteeth.“DecidedI’dratherslitafewof

theirthroats,”hegasped.Amoment later they heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the distance, and they both stared

towardstheoppositesideofthecavern—towardsthedarktunnelsintowhichthesurvivingcreatureshadfled.

KonradheldupWolfwithonearm.Hisotherarmreachedforhisblood-encrustedaxe.Sidebyside,theywatchedandwaitedfortheirenemiestoemergefromtheblackpassages.

Themarchingsoundscamenearer, louder,echoingintheunholysilence.Itmusthavebeenanarmyofgoblins—andthistimeKonradstoodnochance.

“Where’sallthistreasure?”saidAnvila.Thedwarf stoodat theendofoneof the tunnels, and she staredaroundat thevaulted temple,

ignoringthedeadanddyinggoblinsasshepeeredupatthebarewalls.

Atlasttherewassilence.Thescreamsandmoansofthedyinghadceased.Thegreenbruteswerealldead—orelseweretooweaktoevenwhimperandsoonwouldbe.

Wolf lay unconscious on the floor, andKonrad looked at him.Hiswoundswould eventuallyheal,althoughhisbodywouldbeevenmorescarredthanbefore.Apartfromhissuperficialwounds,he lookednodifferent fromthewayhehadeverdone throughout the time thatKonradhadknownhim.Theapparentchangeinhisappearancemusthavebeencausedbythesufferinghehadendured.EitherthatorKonrad’sownsenseshadbeenaffectedbytheferocityofcombat.Whyelsehadhebeenunderthedelusionthathehadwieldedahammerinsteadofanaxe?

He kept gazing at the darkened tunnels, thinking that the loathsome hordes would return anymoment.Itwasthelightthatkeptthemaway,buthowlonguntiltheyconqueredtheirfear,untiltheyrealizedhowfewtheirenemieswere?

WhenKonradhadventuredintotheundergroundmazeinsearchofWolfandhiscaptors,Anvilahadremainedonthesurface.Usingherengineeringskillsshehadbroughtdaylighttothedarkness.Theluminescencecamefromabouthalfwayuponepartofthecavern,radiatingfromwhatseemedatfirst tobeabroad tunnel—but itwasbright insteadofdark,coveredwitharoundpieceofglass,whichgaveittheappearanceofawindow.

“Dwarfsused to illuminate their subterranean templesbya seriesof lenseswhichdiverted thelightdownfromthesurface,fromthesun,”Anvilahadexplained.“Ifoundthelensabove,butitwascoveredintonsofrock—whichIblewawaywithgunpowder.”

“Toldyoushewasclever,”Wolfhadmuttered,thenhehadpassedout.Konradenviedhisoblivionandwishedthathecouldalsorest;but therecouldbenorestuntil

theyescapedfromthetemple.HewatchedasAnvilaexplored thecavern.Shecouldnothavebeensearchingfor the treasure

thatWolfhadhopedfor. If therehadeverbeenaforgottenfortunedownhere, lostwhenthedwarfshrine was abandoned during the age of volcanoes and earthquakes, it must have been lootedcenturiesago.

Anvila inspected the stones and carvings, studying the pillars that surrounded the variouspassageswhichledawayfromthecentralarea.Herfingertracedsomeoftherunes,tryingtomakeoutwhatwaswrittenbyherforefatherswhohadlivedherecountlessgenerationsago.

Thechambermusthavebeenhewnoutof thenakedrock, thegroundand thewalls linedwithmassivestoneblocks.Thefloorwascircular,sometwohundredfeetacross;thewallswerecurved,archinguptomeetoneanotherinamassivedomeahundredfeetabovetheground.

“Thiswasadwarftemple,”saidAnvila,whenshereturned,“andnowthegoblinsuseitfortheirown vile rituals. Thismust have been some ceremony connectedwith the last day of spring.” ShekneltbyWolfandgazedupatwherehehadbeentied,stretchedoutlikeasacrificialoffering.

“Tomorrowisthefirstdayofsummer?”saidKonrad,softly.Thatwas thedayhiswhole life had changed.Fiveyears ago, on the first dayof summer, his

nativevillagehadbeentotallyannihilated.Konradhadbeentheonlysurvivor.Heshookhishead,andsqueezedhiseyesshut, tryingnottorememberanyofit—butmostofall tryingnottorememberwhatmusthavehappenedtoElyssaonthatday.

Thebloodandgorewhichstucktohislimbsandtorsostankabominably.NowthatAnvilawaswithWolf,hesearchedthroughtherubbleofthetempleforsomewatertocleanhimself.

Hehadslainmanygoblinsoverthelastfewyears,butnonesowarpedanddeformedasthese.Itwaslivingundergroundthatmusthavesoaffectedtheirappearance, twistingthemintosmallerandmorehunchedshapes,making their skinspaler, theireyes larger.Unlikebeastmen,someofwhosebloodcouldburnlikeacid,goblinbloodwasrelativelyharmless;butitwasalwaysbesttogetridofanytracesofaslainenemyassoonaspossible.

Althoughunabletofindanywaterwithinthetemple,Konradretrievedhisswordfromwhereithadfallen, thenturnedbacktojoinWolfandAnvila.Ashedid,heglancedupat thehugecircleofglasssetintherockwall.Itseemedcomposedofvariousringsofdifferentsizesandthicknesses.

Hebeganto lookaway,butcaughtaglimpseofmovement in thelensaboveandwatchedasashapewithin itbecameclearer:a figureemergingas if fromafog.Hesawarider, the imageofamanonhorseback,amanhecouldnotfailtorecognize—thebronzewarrior!

Konradstaredindisbelief.ItwasfiveyearstothisverydaysinceheandElyssahadwatchedthebronze knight ride through their doomed village, a silent figure that had seemed like somesupernaturalbeing.

And when Konrad had described the rider who had appeared the day before the village wasinvaded,Wolfhadsaidthatthehorsemanwashisbrother,histwinbrother.

ThatwasthedaythatheandKonradhadmet,andWolfhadclaimedthathistwinwasdead.KonradcouldstillrememberWolf’sexactwords:Worsethandead…Wolfhadnotmentionedhis twinsince,andKonradhadhardlyconsidered thebronzewarrior.

Hehadneverimaginedthathewouldseetherideragain.Had the horseman really returned to haunt him — or was he merely the illusion that he

appeared?“Anvila!”Konradyelled,pointingupattheroundglass.“Canyouseeit?”“Yes!”sheshouted.“Whatdoesitmean?”“It’s adistant image, reflectedandmagnifiedby the lenses.Theoneon the surfacemusthave

fragmented,andbysomephenomenonit’sdisplayingastrayvision.”“Isitreal?”“Yes.”“Ishereal?”

“Yes.He’sprobablyafewmilesaway,neartheedgeofthemountains.”Butevenasshespoke,theghostlyapparitionfadedintothemistsofthelensandwasgone.Konradcontinuedgazingupatthecircleofglass,althoughtherewasnothingmoretosee,then

heturnedandhurriedbacktowhereAnvilaandWolfwere.“Ihavetofollowtherider,”hesaid.Thedwarflookedathim,butshesaidnothing.“Imustgo.Itis…mydestiny.”Anvilashrugged.“Ifit’sthatimportant,go.”“WhataboutWolf?Canyoutakecareofhim,helphimoutofhere?”“Yes.”“Whataboutthegoblins?”“I’madwarf.Thesearethelandsofmyancestors.Iknowhowtodealwithgoblins.”Konrad stareddownatWolf, andWolf’s eyes flickeredopen.Thepainandagonyhe still felt

werereflectedintheiricebluecoldness.HegazedatKonrad,hisglancegoingfromoneofKonrad’seyestotheother.Helickedathislipsandopenedhismouthtospeak.

“Chaos,”hewhispered.Hetookashallowbreath,thenspokeagain,hisvoicelouder.“Chaos!”hewarned.

Andthenhiseyesslowlyclosedandhedriftedbackintounconsciousness,asthoughtheeffortofspeakinghadbeentoomuchforhim.

Chaos…ItwasawordthatKonradhadheardbefore,awordthatwasoftenspokenonthefrontier,aword

hehadevenusedhimself,awordwhichseemedtomeansomethingdifferenttoeveryone.Whateveritstruemeaning,thewordsentacoldshiverdownKonrad’sspine.

Wolfwouldknow;butWolfwasbeyondanswering.Konradalsowantedtoknowabouthiscomrade’stwinbrother,whathadhappenedtohim,how

hehadbecomeinvolvedwiththeforcesofdarkness.HeturnedtofaceAnvila.Asusual,sheshowednoreactionandsaidnothing.

“Imustgo,”hetoldher.“Yousaidthat.Ifyouhaveto,then—go!”Konradnoddedandbackedslowlyaway,headingforthepassagethroughwhichthedwarfhad

enteredthetemple.HewasreluctanttoabandonWolfandAnvila,butthedwarfwasconfidentthatshecouldgetthewoundedhumansafelyawayfromthemountainsandthegoblinlair.

Wolf had been the secondmost important person inKonrad’s life, transforming him from apeasantboyintoawarrior.ButthemostimportanthadbeenElyssa.Itwasshe,hisfirstlove,hisonlytruelove,whohadgivenhimanidentity,evengivenhimhisname.Anditwasfiveyearssinceshehadbeenmurderedwhenthevillagewaswipedout.

Fiveyearslessaday.Nowthebronzeknightwasnearby,and thiswas thesamedateuponwhichKonradandElyssa

hadoriginallyseenhim.Therewasnosuchthingaschance,Wolfhadoftensaid—onlyfate.AndKonradhadcometobelievethatwasindeedtrue.

Hemust find thehorseman.Only thencouldhebegin to findhisown trueself, tounravel themysteryofhislife.

With a final glance at Anvila, atWolf, Konrad spun around and entered the dark tunnel thatwouldleadhimuptothesurface.

Thepassagewastoonarrowtoswinganaxeifhewereattacked,andhedrewhissword.Hisleft

handreachedforhisknife,forgettingthatitwasgone.Watchingfortheglimmerofevilredeyesthatwouldwarnhimofthedeformedenemywaitinginambush,hesteppedintotheblackness.

Heblinkedatthesuddenlight.Thesunwasatitszenith,blazingdownfromacloudlesssky.Inwinter,Kislevmusthavebeenthecoldestplaceintheworld—butinsummeritseemedthehottest.

He took several deep breaths, filling his lungs with clean air, ridding his nostrils of thenauseatinggoblinstenchwhichhadpermeatedtheundergroundlabyrinth.Hisskinandclothingwerestillsmearedwithgreenblood,andthatwouldnotbeaseasytoeliminateasthefoulodour.

As he discardedmost of his stained clothing, Konrad remembered the last time he had beencoatedwithsomuchgore.Thatwasalsothedaywhenthevillagehadbeendestroyed,whenforhisown safety he had disguised himself in the hide of a beast-man he had killed, joining the berserkraiderswhoinvadedthevalley.

Hespat,tryingtoridhismouthofthetasteofdeath,andtryingnottorememberthedistantpast.Thelatterwasmuchmoredifficult.

Hesoonfoundthehugelensthathadonceprovidedtheilluminationfortheundergrounddwarftemple.Itwascircular,atleastfiveyardsindiameter.Facetedlikeacutgemstone,itlayembeddedatanangleinthemountainside.Anvilahadblastedawaytherockswhichforcenturieshadcoveredthegreatglass,andnowitwascrackedandfracturedinnumerousplaces.

Severalsectionsweremissing,andthiswaswhatmusthavecausedtheopticalphantasmagoriawhichhadrevealedthewarriorinbronze.Adistantimagecapturedbyoneofthemissingfacetshadbeenreflectedviathesurfacelenstoitssmallercompanioninthecavernbeneath.

Konradwalkedtothefurthermostedgeoftheprecipiceandtriedtoseethelandscapefarbelow.Despite leaningoutasmuchashedared, toomanyof the lowerpeaksobscuredhisview.This faraway,hehadnowayoftellingwherethebronzehorsemanwas,whichdirectionhewasriding.

Hisonlyhopeofdiscoveringtheknight’slocationwastofindthecorrectshardofancientlens.Itmustexist,because thatwashowhehadseen the imageof the rider. Ifhe traced themissingglasssliver,hehopedtolookthroughitliketheeyepieceofaspyglassandthusfindhisenigmaticquarry.

Thereweresomanyshatteredfragmentsofrockfromthegunpowderthedwarfhademployed,thatKonradrealizedsuchasearchwouldalmostcertainlybefutile—buthehadtotry.

Fornearlyanhour,heclamberedoverthebouldersandscrambledamongstthedustanddebris,hunting for apieceofglass thathadbecomebalancedonavantagepointorwedged in apositionwhereitoverlookedthegroundbelow.Hefoundmanysplintersoflens,gleaminginthesunlightlikepreciousjewels,butnottheonewhichhewasseeking.

Finally, hewas forced to admit that itwashopeless.Everyminute that hadpassed, the furtherawaywasthebronzewarrior.

Hehademergedon the surfaceviaadifferent crevice in the rocks, althoughhehad takenhisbearings atonce, andnowheheaded for the lower slope.Heglanced towards the south, along therouteAnvilaandhehadclimbed,noticingthefamiliarlandmarks—thenhestaredintothedarkenedfissurewherehehadenteredthegoblinstronghold.

Hewastemptedtoreturn,tohelpthedwarfwithWolf,butherealizedtherewasnothingthathecoulddo.Theydidnotneedhisassistance.Hehadcomeoutintotheopentofindthebronzewarrior,andthatmustbehisprimeobjective.

Following the precarious route bywhich he had arrived, he beganmaking hisway down themountainside. Going down was no easier than ascending; in some respects it was more difficult.Climbing,hehadnofearforhimselfbecausehewasanxioustolocateWolf,andsavinghiscomradehadbeentheonlythingonhismind.

Hehadalsobeenfacingtowardsthesummitallthetime.Returning,hewasconstantlyawareofthealtitude,andhowveryfaritwouldbetofall…

Atlength,hereachedthepointwhereAnvilaandWolfhadbeenambushedjustbeforedawn.Itlookednodifferentfromanywhereelseontheharshroute—exceptforthemangledcorpsesofthegoblins that thepair hadmanaged to slaybeforeWolfwas captured andAnvilahad fallendownacrevasse.AmongthedeadlaythebodyofMidnight,Wolf’shorse.

Konrad found awaterskin among the supplies that thewhite steedhad carriedup the tortuousslope,andheslakedhisdrythroatwiththewelcomeliquid.

Whenhehaddrunkhisfill,heallowedthewatertocascadeoverhisface,rinsingawaytheworstof theblood.He rubbed at the slimewith thebackof his hand, then sorted through the rest of theprovisionsforwhateverhemightneed.

He did not take much. Wolf and Anvila would also need food and water. There were moresupplieswith theotherhorses furtherdown themountain—assuming theyhadnotbeen foundbyanotherbandofgoblins,orsomedifferentcreaturesthatdwelledinthisrockyrealm.

Althoughhewasstillexhausted,Konraddidnotremainforlong.Hehadtokeepmoving,andhecontinueddowntheruggedslope,collectingtheitemshehaddiscardedonhisupwardrace—hisfurleggings,thepiecesofarmourthathadslowedhisclimb—untilfinallyhereachedtheplacewherehehadspentthepreviousnight.

Everything seemedashehad left itwhenhehad suddenlyseenwhatwouldhappen tohis twocompanions,whenhehad rushed to their aid, racinghopelessly against the rising sun.Thehorseswerestilltethered,butKonradapproachedcautiously,drawinghissword,hiseyesflickeringacrosstherocksandboulders.Theareawasdeserted.

Konradfinishedcleaninghimself,beforebandaginghiswounds.Eversincehehadalmostlostit,hisrightarmhadalwayshealedmoreswiftlythantherestofhisbody.Thelimbhadbeenseverelywoundedincombatafewyearsago,andithadseemedthatamputationwouldbenecessary;butthewoundhadbeentendedbyanelfwhopossessedhealingskillswhichhadsavedthearm.

Afterdressinginwhateverhecouldfindandhurriedlyeatingafewrations,Konradsaddledhishorse—thenwonderedwhatdirection to take.Tobeginwith, therewasonlyone route.Hehad tocontinuedownthemountainside.Thetrackwasnolongersosteeporastreacherous,butitwasstillnoteasy.Onthewayhere,duringthispartofthejourneytheyhadledtheiranimals,whosehooveswerewrappedtomufflethesoundofirononrock,andtheyhadonlytravelledduringthehoursofdarknessforfearofobservationandpursuit.

Now,however,itwasKonradwhowasthepursuer—andtheroutewasalmostasbadindaylightasithadbeenatnight.Hehadnotimetoleadhismount.Speedwasoftheessence.Hehadtorisktheanimaltrippingandbreakingaleg;itwaseitherthatorallowingthebronzeknighttoescape.

Oncehewasbeyond themountains, hewouldhave to decide inwhichdirectionhe shouldbeheading.Untilthenhekeptscanningtheareabelow,watchingforadistantrider.Buttherewasnosignofanyone—oranything.Thesamehadbeentrueofthejourneyhere;theyhadseennotatraceofthealienhordeswhichinfestedthispartofKislev.Thatinitselfshouldhavebeensuspicious,butthetrioweregratefulfortheemptymiles.

AftergrowingupintheForestofShadows,whereanenemycouldbelurkingbehindthenearesttree,Konradwasstillnotusedtotheopenspacesthatexistedaroundthemountains.Hecouldseeformilesacrosstheplains.Iftherewereanybeastmeninthevicinity,hewouldprobablyseethembeforehewas spotted.Hewas continuallyon the lookout, but itwasnot themarauders forwhomhewassearching.

Hesoonrealizedwhichdirectionhemusttake.Therewasonlyonepossibleroute.

FiveyearsagotodayheandElyssahadfirstseenthewarriorinbronze.Thefollowingdayanarmy of beastmen had destroyed the village and slain everyonewho dwelledwithin.Konrad onlysurvivedbecausehehadleftthevalleybeforetheattackbegan.

Andtomorrowitwouldagainbethefirstdayofsummer,Sigmar ’sholyday.Wouldhistoryberepeated?Wasthatwhythemysterioushorsemanwashere,aharbingerofdeathanddestruction?

Konrad feared so. The bronze rider was the pathfinder, a scout who led the evil swarms ofdarknesstotheirtarget.

NorthernKislevwasabarrenandinhospitableregion,andtheareaaroundBelyevorotaPasswasrelativelyuninhabited.Therewere a few tradingposts, some small isolatedvillages and forts.Theonlyplaceofanysizewasthemine—andthatmustbethetargetoftheraiders.

Konradurgedhishorseon,backtotheplacewherehehadlivedforalmostfiveyears.Thatwashow long he andWolf had protected the gold mine from incursions by the northern aggressors,leadingthetoughesttroopofmercenariesevertooperateontheborderlands.Overthepasttwoyearstheyhadevensucceededinpressingbacktheinvaders.Nolongeronthedefensive,theyhadtakenthebattletotheenemy.

Then came the Siege of Praag.Despite its ferocity, it had seemed an isolated occurrence: butperhapsthetideofcombathadbeguntoturn…

Konradhadnoproof,notyet.He ferventlyhoped thathewaswrong,butdeep inhisheartheknewhistheorymustberight.

Herodelongandhardthatday,retracingtheroutethatheandhistwocomradeshadtakenafewshortdaysago.Herestedhishorseasbrieflyaspossiblebeforepressingonagain.Hewasinaraceagainsttime,andsunsetarrivedfartoosoon.ButthedarknessdidnotslowKonrad.Hespedonlongintothenight,untilfinallyheandhissteedcouldcontinuenomore.

Ithadbeenalongday,averylongday,butitseemedfarlongerthanasingledaysincehehadawokenbefore dawnand seen thedanger thatWolf andAnvilawere about to encounter.Thenhadcomehisbattleagainstthegoblins,whenhisaxehadscytheddowntherepulsivebrutesbythescore.

As he slipped into slumber,Konradwondered about the bronze rider.Had he really seen theknight?Orwasitsomedelusioninspiredbytheheatofcombat,likehisbeliefthathehadwieldedadouble-headedhammerinsteadofatwin-bladedaxe?ButAnvilahadalsoseenthearmouredfigure,herealized,asexhaustionfinallyoverwhelmedhimandheslept.

He dreamed that hewas killing goblins,whowere trying to prevent him reaching the bronzeknight. And amongst the deformed creatures, leading them and urging them to kill Konrad wasElyssa…

Heawokeabruptly,sweating,hisrightfistclenched,tryingtogripthehandleofhisnonexistentkris.Hesatup,staringatthestarsintheblacksky,atthetwomoons,beforelyingdownandfallingintoanotherdisturbedsleep.

Soonafterdawn,hewasbackinthesaddle,ridingacrosstheplainoncemore,onthroughthesilenceandtheemptiness,anditwasasifheweretheonlypersoninthewholeworld.

Halfadecadeago,adefencelessvillagehadbeenannihilated.Surelyitwasimpossiblefor theeventsofthatlongagodayinfar-offOstlandtoberepeated.Theminewasheavilyfortified,guardedbyseasoned troopswhowereconstantlyvigilant,whohaddefeated thebenighted legions from theNorthernWastesincountlessskirmishesandbattles.Therewasnocomparison.

Yet nomatter howmany of themwere slain, therewere alwaysmanymore of the renegadesreadyto taketheirplace.Over thepast twoyears,however, theyhadnotseemedsonumerous.Hadtheybeenbuildinguptheirforces,preparingforafull-scaleassault?

Numbers alone, however, were not sufficient. Had that been the case, the raiders could have

sweptacrossKislevyearsago—asindeedtheyhadoncedone.Twocenturiesearlierthemaraudershadoverrunthecountry,thenbeendrivenbackafteranalliancewasagreedbetweentheTsarandtheEmperor.Theunitedarmiesof twonationshad repulsed the invaders, forcing themback into theirowndarkdomain.

Theenemy’sonlymotiveseemedtobetokill,asifthatwerethesolereasonfortheirexistence.Theirbloodlustwasfedbydeath,anydeath,anditoftenappearedasiftheywereascontenttoslayoneanotherastheyweretokillthehumanswhoblockedtheirroutetotheheartofKislevandbeyond,totheEmpire.

ThedaythattheyhadwipedoutKonrad’svillage,however,thebeastmenhadbeenunitedintheirbarbaricmission.Andiftheyhadcombinedtheirforcestoday,putasidetheirownfeudsandhatredsuntilvictorywasachieved,thenthepeoplewholivednearthemineweredoomed.

Whenhesawthepallofdarksmokerisingonthehorizonfaraheadofhim,Konradknewthathewastoolate.

CHAPTERTWO

Konrad rode on and on, spurring his steed evermore furiously, until finally the exhausted horsecollapsedbeneathhim,sendinghimtumblingtotheground.Theanimallaypanting,foamingatthemouth, itscoat latheredwithbloodandsweat.Itshindlegskickedoutfrantically,as thoughitwerestilltryingtogallop.Thenallmovementsuddenlyceased;thehorsewasdead.

Pausingonlytocollecthisswordandaxe,hishelmetandshield,Konradranon,pushinghimselfashardashehadhismount.

By now he was only two or threemiles away, could smell the smoke, could see the flames.Althoughhewasdownwind,heheardnothing.Nosoundsofcombat, theclashofsteelonsteel, thebattlecriesofthewarriors—northedeathcriesofthewounded…

AlthoughmanymilesfromthemountainrangethatmarkedtheboundaryoftheOldWorld,thechainofpeakswhichranfromKislevinthefarnorthdowntotheBadlandsandbeyondinthesouth,themineworkingswere also located in a highland area.Lying in a valleybetween three toweringcrags,eachofwhichwaslinkedbyasolidlineoffortifications,thetownshipwasinanidealpositionbothstrategicallyanddefensively.Itcouldneverhaveexistedinsuchahostilezoneforsolongandwouldnothavedevelopedintoatradingcentrefortheentireregion,haditbeenotherwise.

Thethreepeakseachhadtheirownwatchtowers,overlookingtheplainsbelow—andnowallofthemwere ablaze, consumed by tongues of red and yellow flames. Smoke spiralled up from eachcrag,butitwasasnothingcomparedtothedenseblackcloudsthatrosefromtheencampment.

Konradrecalled thefirstblaze themaraudershad litwhen theyhadravagedhisnativevillage.ThetempletoSigmarhadbeensetalight,immolatingallthosewhohadbeenworshippingwithin,afuneralpyrefortheliving.Itwasnottheburningtemplethatherememberedmost,however:itwasthefirewhichhadconsumedthemanorhouse—andwhathadbeenwithin…

Hehadracedupthehill,hopingthathemightsomehowfindElyssastillthere,stillalive.Insteadhehad seen themost terrifying sightofhisordeal.Despite all themurders andmutilationshehadwitnessedwhenhehadbeencaughtupintheassault,despiteallthehideouscreaturesthathadinvadedthevillage, theimagewhichremainedparamount inhismindwasthatofamanwalkingunharmedthroughtheinfernothathadbeenthemanorhouse:themanhehadcalledSkullface.

Despitehisappearance,hecouldnothavebeenaman.Hewaslikealltheothertravestiesoflifewhohadrampagedthroughthehelplessvillage,asubhuman.

YetKonradhadbeenabletokillmanyofthosewithhisarrows.Everyoneheshothaddied.Notso Skullface. The black shaft had penetrated deep into his chest, but had been plucked out easily,leavingnotatraceofblood,notasignofawound.

ThepreternaturallythinfigureofSkullfacehadbeenthefirstcreatureKonradhadencounteredtobeunaffectedbyamortalwound.Inthefiveyearssince,therehadbeensomanymoreimpossiblebeaststhatrefusedtodieuntiltheyhadbeenkilledinadozenways.

Slayinggoblinswaseasy,buttheywereamongsthumanity’slesserenemies.Goblinswereapartof theOldWorld, like dwarfs, likemankind. Theywere not the abhorrent spawn of theNorthernWastes,theChaosWastes…

Itseemedthatwaswhereall thecreaturesknownasbeastmenhadoriginallycomefrom.Asifthefrozenwastelandswereanotherworld,nothingnaturalcouldexistthere.Itwasalandwhereonly

evilwasborn.ThebeingsKonradhadencounteredinhisyouthhadbeendegeneratespecimens,thedescendants

ofthosewhohadinvadedtheEmpiretwocenturiesearlier.Whentheincursionhadbeenrepulsed,thesurvivorshadfledintothedenseforests.ComparedwiththoseKonradhadseensincearrivingatthefrontier,theyhadbeenweakandslow—andeasytokill.

Almost every beastman looked different, and each had to be dispatched in a different way.Skullfacehadsurvivedanarrowintheheart—orwhereahumanheartshouldhavebeen.Butsomeof the creatures from thewasteland had a score of hearts, each ofwhichmust be savagely stilledbeforethebeingsurrendereditslife,whilstothersseemedtohavenoheartsatall.

Whatwouldhavebeena fatalwound toahumanwasnothingmore thana scratch to someofthesehellbeasts.Limbs severed incombat could takeon theirown life: adetached legbecomingalethal serpent, an arm holding a weapon becoming another deadly enemy. Some of the monsterscouldevensplitthemselvesintwaindeliberately,atwo-headedfoedividingitselfintotwoone-headedantagonists.

WhenKonradslept,heneverhadnightmares—becausenomatterwhathisimaginationcouldconjure,hehaddealtwithfarworseinreality.

Konrad had slowed his earlier headlong pace to conserve his strength, and now he lopedforwardinaneasyrun.Hecouldfeeltheheatfromtheinfernoforthefirsttime.Ashegazedattheflames, hewonderedwhat else hewould find beyond the blazingwooden stockade apart from thedead.

His nostrils twitched as he scented burning flesh, human flesh. He slowed for a moment,wonderingwhyhewascontinuing.Therewasnothinghecoulddo to saveanyonewithin theminearea,hewastoolateforthat.Theonlythingsalivewouldbebeastmen—ifsuchabominationscouldevertrulybecalledalive.

Therewasnoreasontogoon,butthiswasnotamatterforreason.Likethevillagewherehehadgrownup,theareaaroundtheminehadbecomehishome.Hebelongedhere,theinvadersdidnot.

Heresumedhispreviousspeed,runningintothevalleyofdeath.

Hereachedthefirstbodies,beastmenthathadbeenslainbythearrowsofthedefenders.Thenearerhecametothefortifications,themorebodieslaysprawledinthedirt,wallowingintheirownblood.

Itwas noon, and they had been dead for hours, butKonrad slowed his pace, picking hiswaywarilyamongstthecorpses.Hewaswellversedinthetacticsofmankind’streacherousenemies.Mostof the creatures were brainless, often literally, but others could be feigning death in the hope ofsnaringanunwaryvictim.

Theveryword“death”hadnomeaningtosomeoftheunholybeings.Hehadslaincreaturesinthepast,onlytoseethemriseupagainawhilelater,likeahumanrefreshedbyafewhours’slumber.

The very fact of a living being passing by could trigger a reflex in some of the corpses,reanimating them for one last frenzied attack. They could sense the warm red blood of a man,althoughtheliquidthatflowedwithintheirownveins,evenwhentheyhadbeenthebestialequivalentofalive,mightbeascoldasalizard’s—andcouldbeanycolour.

Theshapesofthosehemovedamongstwereasdisgustingasever,travestiesofboththeanimalandhuman,oftheinsectandreptilianandavianforms,cobbledtogetherasifatrandomfrompiecesofothercreatures.Itmusthavebeensodifficultforsuchunlikelybeingseventohavesurvivedthatitwasnosurprisethattheywerehardtoslay.Theyweretough.

But the ones out here had beenmown down by flight after flight of arrows aimed from theramparts,justasKonradhimselfhadbeenabletoslayahandfulofattackersfiveyearsago…

Heclosedhismindtothethought.Thepastwasgone,asdeadasthemonstershehadkilledsolongago.Hemustconcentrateonthepresent—anduponsurvivingthroughit.

Cautiously,Konradadvancedthroughthedead,hiseyesfocusedonwhat layaheadofhim.Heblinkedastheastringentsmokestunghiseyes,andheldhisshieldinfrontofhisfaceasprotectionfromtheragingheat.Hekepttheheavyaxeinhisrighthand,whilehisswordremainedsheathed.

The triple peaks were linked by a solid wooden palisade, three times the height of a man.Forwardofthatlayadeepditchlinedwithsharpenedstakes,juttingupwardatasharpangle.Itwouldtake adetermined army tobreach these linesof defence—and thebeastmenhadbeendeterminedindeed.

Thetreetrunksthatcomposedthewallwereafire,butthemaingatewasstillbarredandfirmlyclosed,furtherbarricadedbytheraiseddrawbridge.Themalignantinvadershadnotenteredbythatroute.Instead,aramphadbeenconstructedacrosstheditch,overthestakesandintothefortress—arampofcorpses…

Inthepast,Konradhadnoticedhowthebeastmenwouldoftenattackinswarms,notcaringhowmanyoftheirnumberdied,inthehopethatafewofthemmightendurelongenoughtoslayoneoftheirhumanfoe.Tendead, twenty,ahundred,suchnumberswereasnothingin their insanefrenzy.Theyhadnothoughtforthemselves,noinstinctforself-preservation,andthiswaswhatmadethemsodangerous.

Andnowhundreds andhundredsof the crazedbeingsmusthave sacrificed themselves, pilingtheirbodiesoneontopofanother,wedgedsotightthattheyhadsuffocatedtodeathinorderthattheircomradesmightpenetratetheouterringofdefences.

Konradtriedtoavoidthehideousroute,toenterbyscalingthewall,buttheintensityofthefiredrovehimback.Theonlywayinwasviathesamebridgeoffleshoverwhichtheassaulthadtakenplace.Hebegan toclimb the slippery slope,his feet sinkingashe trodupon impossible limbsandtorsos, squashing repulsive faces beneath his boots. His feet came up slowly with every step,squelchingandstickinginthealienslime.

Hewasalmostat thetopwhenascaledfistreachedfromthemoundofcorpsesandseizedhisankle.Hisresponsewasinstant,hisaxeslicingdownandcleavingthroughthewarpedarmthathadgrabbedhisleg.Buttheseveredhandgrippedevermoretightly,andhehadtoknockitfreewiththeblade.Itdroppedontothestackofbodies,itstalonedfingersclenching.Hekickeditasideandleaptforward.

Then he was over the palisade, peering through the smoke and gazing down into the areabeyond.Asanunwillingspectator to theattackonhisvillage,hehadseenmanybarbaricsights—and inhis fiveyearson the frontierhehadwitnessed farworse—butas the scenebelowbecameclear,hetastedbileatthebackofhisthroat.

He swayed, feeling dizzy; he closed his eyes, fighting back the urge to vomit; he opened hismouth,tryingtobreatheinfreshair.Yettherewasnone.Theatmospherewasbefouledbythestenchofcarnage,theodoursofburningfleshandspilledblood.

Theladdershadallbeenburned,andKonradleaptdownintothecompound.Heswunghisshieldoverhisshoulder,drewhissword,andadvancedintothekillingground.

Therewasnotasquareyardthatwasuntouchedbyblood,thatdidnothaveabodylyingthere—humanor inhuman.Or ifnotabody, then thepartsofone.Thevictimshadnotmerelybeenslain.Thatwasonlythebeginning—ortheend…

The murdered and mutilated, the maimed and massacred, were everywhere: nailed to walls,hangingfromposts,pinnedtotheground.Theyhadbeenrippedapart,halfeaten,flayed,setablaze—andtheluckyoneshadbeendeadwhenthathappened.

Somehadbeenstrangledwiththeirownentrails,otherschokedwiththeirinnards.Headscutoff,limbsrippedfromtheirsockets,eyesgougedout,fingersslicedoff,facespeeledaway…thelistofbarbaritieswasendless.

Theanatomiesofmanycorpseshadbeenrearranged,asifinsomemacabrejoke.Theheadofadwarf had been embedded in a woman’s body, resting in the cavity where her belly had been. Aminer ’sseveredlegswerereplacedwithapairofarmstornfromachild.Afootprotrudedfromthechestofamercenary.Anotherhadhisslitthroatstuffedwitheyeballs,likeanecklaceofgiantpearls.Eachcorpsehadbeendesecratedinamoreobscenefashionthanthenext.Thiswasmorethansimplekilling,morethanvengeance,morethanbloodlust:itwasevil,absoluteandtotalevil.

TheessenceofChaos,Konradrealized.The troops who had defended the mine, the convicted prisoners who dug out the ore, the

overseerswhoguardedthem,thedwarfswhoworkedasengineers,thewomenwholivedhere,theirchildren—dead,alldead.

Despite the unspeakable atrocities inflicted upon them, Konrad recognized many of themercenaries.TheywerewarriorsfromeverycorneroftheOldWorldandfromevenfurtheraway.Soldiersof fortunewhohaddied countlesshundreds, thousandsofmiles away fromhome—andwhowouldneverfindthefortuneofwhichtheyhadalldreamed.

NativesofKislevdefending theirown land, fightingmen fromeveryprovince in theEmpire,every city, others from the Estalian kingdoms and Bretonnia, from the Tilean City States and theBorder Princes, from themythical lands beyond the ocean,Araby andAfric, even farCathay andNippon, all had been welded together into Wolf’s crack military force. They had become alliesagainstthecommonfoe.Theyhadfoughttogether,andnowtheyhaddiedtogether.Diedveryslowly,mostofthem,andingreatpain.

Konradbithislowerlip,feelingthewarmcopperytasteofbloodinhismouthwherehebroketheskin.Heclenchedhisfistsaroundthehiltsofhisaxeandhissword.Hewantedtofight,tokill,tothrowhimselfintothefray,toventhisrageandangeragainstthedespicablefoes—buttherewasnoonetofight,nothingtokill.

Except for the fires, allwas still, allwas silent, andeven the flameswere slowlydiminishing.Flies buzzed around the corpses and fed on the blood. A few crows and vultures circled above,waiting forKonrad to disappear.A rat ventured out from the debris of the collapsed stables, thenscuttledbackinside.Soonthewolvesandotherpredatorswouldarrive,drawnbythescentofdeathtothefeastthatawaitedthem.

Foreverydeadhumantherewereseveraluglycorpsesoftheattackers,andtheycameineveryformimaginable.AswiththeirassaultonKonrad’shomevillage,theyhadputasidetheirrivalries,unitinginasingleassault.Whether theyhadturneduponeachotheraftervictory,as theyhaddonebefore,Konradneitherknewnorcared.

Thebodiesofthebeastmenwereofthetypehehadfoughtandslainonmanyanoccasion:themutatedoffspringthatslitheredandcrawleddownfromtheNorthernWastes.Impossiblebeingsthathadnorighttoexist, thatcouldnothaveexisted,thatstolehumanlivesinordertosurvivebecausetheyhadnotruelifeoftheirown.

Creatures that were feathered and furred, spined and scaled, taloned and fanged, beaked andclawed,wingedandtailed,whoselimbsweremadeofweapons,whosebodiesweregaudilycolouredorcleverlycamouflaged,whosefaceswereupsidedownortotallyfeatureless,whoseeyeswereonstalksorwithoutpupilsandcouldmesmerizeamanwiththeirapparentcharms—butwhohadnone.

Konradhadseenthemall,killedthemall.And then therewere theothers, thosewhosemutationswere farmoresubtleandcouldalmost

passforhuman.Sometimestheydid—becausethatwaswhattheyhadoncebeen…Just as beastmen appeared to aspire to humanity, it seemed some humans wished to become

beasts, to sacrifice their birthright, preferring toworship theDarkGods andmutate into creatureswhichwere far less thanhuman.Manyof thesealso layamongst thedead, theeffectsof their foulmetamorphosishiddenbeneaththearmourinwhichtheywereclad.

Konrad stepped amongst the corpses, hisweapons poised,wishing that just one of the enemywouldshowasignoflifesothathecouldallowhisfrustrationsomerelease.Buttherewasnothing,andeventhecarrioneaterswouldnotsettlewhileheprowledthedeathzone.

For the second time,Konrad realized,hehad survived sucha total attack.Onceagain,hehadbeenawaywhenthebattlehadcommenced;onceagain,hehadlived.

Thevillagehadbeenerasedfromthefaceoftheworld.Whenhehadreturnedafewdayslater,there had hardly been any trace of habitation. Every building had gone, only their faint outlinesremaining.Ifsuchacataclysmwereabouttoovertakethemine,heoughttoleavewhilehestillhadachance,buttherewassomethinghemustdofirst—somethinghehadtriednottoconsidereversincehehadseenthefirsttraceofsmokeonthehorizon.

Theentrancetothemineshaftitselfseemedtohavecavedin,themassivewoodensupportsweretornaway,leavingahugepileofrockandmangledbodies—humanandnothuman.

Everybuildingwithinthecompoundhadbeenransacked.Bodieshungfromeverywindow,werestackedupateverydoorway.Mostof thewoodenfabricationshadbeenburneddownorotherwisedemolished.Theinnwasnothingmorethancharredbeamsandblackenedbones.

There was only one place that concerned Konrad now, which was the gallery above themercenarybarracks,andtheroomwhereKrystenhadlived.Hehadavoidedlookinginthatdirectionaslongashecould,butatlasthisgazewasdrawntowardstheirregularconstructionthatjuttedoutfromthesideofthesteepestofthethreecrags.

Although smokedrifted frommostof thewindows, the central part of the top floor appearedintact.Konradalmostwishedthatwerenotthecase,thatthewholestructurehadcollapsedintoashesanddust.Thenhewouldnothavehad toventureup thenarrowsteps todiscoverwhatheknewhemustinevitablyfind.

Slowly,reluctantly,hemadehiswaytowardsthebarracks.Thehallwaywaspackedwithcorpses,humanandotherwise;thestairwaywasawashwithblood,

redandotherwise.Itwasmuchdarkerinside,fullofpungentsmoke,andKonradremovedhishelmet.Heleftitwith

hisaxeandshieldintheentrance,thenproceededthroughthedebrisandfallentimbers,pushingthecorpsesaside.Humanornot,hekickedthemawayorshovedthembackwithhissword.Themutilatedfleshwasnomore thanrawmeat.Theessenceofhumanityhadlongfled, theirspirits takenbythegodstheyhadworshipped.

Herecognizedalmostall thebodies, those thatwerestilldistinguishable.Theywere troopshehadcommandedandtrusted,girlshehadknownandloved.

Butnowheredidheseeatraceofthesmallfigurewithblondewavyhair,althoughthefurtherhepressedthroughthecarnage,themorelikelyitwasthathewouldfindher.

Everystepbecameharder,andhisheartwasbeatingfasterthanithadduringhisracetowardstheblazingminecompound.Earlier,hehadstoppedhimselffrombeingsick—butnowhewasunabletopreventtheemotionbuildingupwithinhim,andthesadnessoverflowedintoasingletearthatrolledfromhislefteyeanddownhisface.

A few days ago it had been Krysten’s salty tears he had tasted when he leaned across herslumberingshapetokissherfarewell.Becausetheybothknewtheywouldneverseeeachotheragain,

shehadpretendedtosleep;butshehadbeenbetrayedbyhertears.ThatwaswhenKonradthoughthewouldnotreturn,whenhehadleftwithWolfandAnvila in

searchofthelostdwarftempleanditshoardoftreasure.Theyhaddiscoveredtheformer,butnotthelatter.HehadleftKrystenashehadfoundher,alone.ShehadmanagedwellenoughbeforeKonradentered her life, and he believed she would do so again; but no one could survive such anunprecedentedattackbythecombinedlegionsofthedamned.

Oralmostunprecedented.ItwasnotonlyKrysten thathemourned.ThememoryofElyssawasforever inhismind,and

becauseofthepresentcircumstances,hermemorywasonceagainprominentinhisthoughts.She had also been slain by the beastmen,murderedwhen the village had been invaded. And,

exactlylikeKrysten,Konradhadabandonedhertodie…WithKrysten,hehadnotknown;butwithElyssa,hehadseenherdeath—knownthatshewould

bedestroyed,althoughhehadbeenunawarewhenorhow.ButhehadalsoforeseenthatElyssawouldbringabouthisowndownfall,andinthatrespecthe

hadbeenwrong.Shehaddied,whilehecontinuedtolive.ElyssaandKrysten,KrystenandElyssa.Theywereexactoppositesinsomanyrespects.Wasthat

onereasonwhyhehadbeenattractedtotheKislevite,becauseshewassoradicallydifferentthatshecouldnotremindhimofElyssa?Elyssahadbeentallanddark-haired,whereasKrystenwassmallandfair.Yetnowtheywereidentical,Konradrealized.Theywerebothdead.

Hepushedasidetheblood-stainedcurtainandsteppedintoKrysten’sroom.Acorpselayonthestrawmattress: the corpseof a yellow-skinnedbeastman, its catlike features frozen into amaskofpain,thehiltofaknifestickingoutfromthecentreofitsfurrychest.

Konradstoodwithoutmoving,hiseyesscanningthewreckedroom.Deadoralive,therewasnosign of the girl. He recognized the blade. It was a stiletto he hadwon at cards, that he had givenKrystenforherprotection.Itseemedtohavefulfilleditspurpose.Shehadescaped,orsoitappeared,buthowfar?

Hemovedfurtherintotheroom,proddingthesupinecreaturewithhissword,itspointslicingintothecolddeadflesh.Hewithdrewtheblade,wipingitonthecorpse’spalefur.Thenhetippedupthemattress, rolling the creature onto the floor, notwishing it to desecrateKrysten’s bed for onemomentlonger.

Konradkneweveryinchofthesmallroom,andtherewasnowherethatthegirlcouldbehiding.Hebentdownandpickedupthetinyfigurinesthatshehadkeptonashelfbythebed,thehandfulofornamentsandtrinketsthatwereheronlytreasures.Theshelfwassplinteredandtornaway,andsoheheldontoKrysten’smementoes. Itwasas ifheheldall that remainedofher in thepalmofhis lefthand.

Asherose,henoticedthemirror,anotherofKonrad’sgiftstothegirl.Ithadbeencrackedwhenhegaveittoher,butnowithungcrookedlyfromthewall,evenmoresplinteredandshattered.

He stared at the fractured glass, and he remembered another mirror, Elyssa’s mirror— themirror inwhich he had first seen his own image, and inwhich he had then seemed to observe adifferentreflectiongazingback,areflectionofhimselfnotashewas,butashewouldbe…

Becauseofitstiltedangle,KonradwasunabletoseehimselfinKrysten’smirror,andneitherdidhewish to.Hisconsciousnesshadbeensnaredby thepast,but suddenlyhesawamovement in thefragmentedglass—andtheglintoflightonablade!

Hesprangback,throwinghimselfdown,andaknifeembeddeditselfinthewalllathsabovehishead.Hadhemovedafractionofasecondlater,thesteelwouldinsteadhavelodgedinhisthroat.

Hewasthroughthedoorimmediately,chasinghiswould-beassassin.Hebellowedoutawarcry

ashechargedafterthehunchedfigurethatscurriedalongthedarkenedgallery.Thecreaturetrippedoveradismemberedcorpseandfell.It triedtocrawlaway,butitsroutewasblockedbymoredeadbodies,humanandbestial.

“Die!”snarledKonrad,hisswordraised.“No!”screamedthefigure.“No!I’mhuman,I’mhuman!”

CHAPTERTHREE

Thoughtyouwasoneofthem,sir.Seesyouclimbingupthereandfigureditwasmeonlychancetotakerevengeforwhattheydonetoallmemates,didn’tI?”

Konradhaddraggedhisattackerout into theopen to takeaproper lookathim,andnowtheystood together inacorner thatwasrelativelyclearofbodies,where thestenchofdeathwasnotsooverpowering.

Hewasoneoftheminers,apparentlytheonlysurvivoroftheattack.Hestoodfivefoothigh,butwouldhavebeentallerhadhisbodynotbeensocurvedfromalltheyearsworkingbelowground.Hissmallheadseemedtobesunkintohisshoulders,asifhehadnoneck.Hehadagedprematurelyandthethickhairsonhislimbsandtorso,andthoseofhisscalpandchin,weregrey;evenhisskinlookedgreyfromallthedustthathadsettledonhisfleshduringhistimeunderground.Hisheadkepttwistingnervouslyaround,asthoughhewereafraidthatthemarauderswereabouttoreturn.

“Whyareyoualive?”askedKonrad.Hekepthisswordattheready,nottrustingthegrey-hairedminer.

“Hid,didn’t1?”Theminerglancedatthesword.“Honest,sir,Ithoughtyouwasoneofthebeast-things.”

His long nose twitched and he reached up to scratch itwith his left hand.His right handwasmissing,Konradnoticed.Itendedinastump.Hemusthavelostityearsago,eitherinanaccidentoraspunishment.

All theminerswere convicted criminals, sent here to serve out their sentences. Itwas almostalwaysalifeterm;fewlefttheminealive.Theywereneverchained,becausetherewasnowheretheycould go. Beyond the mine lay hundreds of square miles of wilderness— and of beastmen. Theprisonerscouldescapethecompoundwithoutmuchdifficulty,butitwasnotsoeasytoescapewhatlaybeyond.

Konrad stared around at the devastation and the dead.Hewas still searching forKrysten, buthopingnottofindher.Theminer ’sdarkeyesfollowedhisgaze.

Konrad lookedaway, thenathisown lefthand.His fistwasclenched, still graspingKrysten’sworthlesssouvenirsthathehadbeenholdingwhentheknifewasthrownathim.Hedugthepointofhisswordintotheground,makingashallowhole,thendroppedthetrinketsinandcoveredthemover.

“Whathappened?”heasked.“Itwasdawnandwewasgettingreadytogointotheshaft,sir,whenthebeastmenattacked.There

washundredsofthem.Hundredsandhundreds.Nowayofstoppingthem.Neverseenanythinglikeit,hadI?HopeIneverwillagain.Theguards,therewasnothingtheycoulddo.LikeIsays,therewasjusttoomanyofthem.Itwashorrible,horrible.”

Theminer ’snosetwitched,andheshudderedmomentarilyashetoldhisstory.“They come over thewall,more andmore of them, screaming and yelling, killing everyone

whattriedtostopthem.Theotherminerspickeduptheweaponswhatthedeadguardsdropped,buttheysoonendedup justasdead.Couldn’tdomuch,could I,notwithoutmehand?”Hehelduphisstump.

“Youseemtohavehandledthatknifeyouthrewatme,”Konradremarked,thinkinghowhehad

beenwithinamomentofdying,ofbeingkilledwithoutevendefendinghimself.Hisextrasight,hiseyethatwarnedhimofdanger,seeingwhatwouldhappenbeforeitoccurred,hadbetrayedhimagain.

Overtheyears,Konradhadreliedlessandlessonthefuturevisionofhislefteye.Heneedednosuchwarningsofdanger;hereinKislevtherewasalwaysdanger.Buttherecouldbenoambush,nosuddenassault,becausetherewerefewplacesthatanattackercouldhideoutinthebarrenlands.

Hehadalsobecomeawarrior,atrainedfightingman,andhiscombatskillsweresufficienttodefeatanyassailant.Henolongerneededtoseewhathisopponentwoulddoasplitsecondhence.Hisreactionsandinstinctswereenoughtobeat thebest that theheathenhordeshadtooffer;hedidnotneedanotheredgetohisawareness.

“Goodwithaknife,aren’tI?Alwayshavebeen.”Theminergrinned,showinghisstainedteeth.Konradwonderedwhat themanhadbeenconvictedof, andwhyhehad losthishand.Hewas

mostlikelysomecutpursefromoneofthetownsofKislev.“Goon,”Konradprompted.“Wasn’tmuchwhatIcoulddo.”Heshrugged.“Eitherhideorgetkilled.Lotsofothershadthe

same idea, sir.But it never did themnogood, did it?Theywas found andmurdered.”He sniffed,peeringaroundatthecarnage.“Murderedandworse.Me,Isqueezedunderafewcorpses.That’swhatsavedme.”Hepeeredatthesmearsofbloodwhichstainedhistorntunic,wipingatthemwiththethinfingersofhisonlyhand.

“Laywithoutmovingforhours,”hecontinued.“ThenwhenIseesyou,Ifigureyoumustbeoneofthem.FeltbadaboutwhatIdone,abouthiding,abouteveryoneelsebeingkilled—soIcomeafteryou.That’saboutit,sir.”

HeshruggedandstudiedKonrad.“Howcomeyouwasn’tkilled,sir?”Konradstaredbackattheminer,notsurewhethertobelievehistale;butsomehowhehadlived,

andthatwasallthatmattered.Hedidnotknowwhethertheminerrecognizedhimornot.Therewasnoreasonwhyheshould

havedone.ToKonrad,alltheslaveworkerslookedthesame.Andtotheminer,allthemercenarieswereprobablyidentical.

“Iwasonpatrol,”Konradanswered.“WhenIsawthesmoke,Icameback.”Therewasnoneedforthetruth,asimpleliewouldsuffice.“What’syourname?”

“Name?”“Yes.”“Heinler,sir.”Therehadbeenamomentaryhesitation.Probablyanotherlie,Konradrealized,butitwasofno

consequence.Theybothknewnottotrustoneanother.Hisnewcompanionwasaconvictedcriminal,buttheonlydifferencebetweenhimandmanyofthemercenarieswhohadguardedtheminewasthathehadbeencaught.

“MynameisKonrad.Weseemtobetheonlyhumansforhundredsofmiles.There’snoneedtocallme‘sir ’.”

“Sorry,sir.WhenyoubeenaprisonerlongaswhatIbeen,everyoneelseis‘sir ’.”“Let’sseeifwecanfindsomewater,Heinler,maybesomefood.”Theysearchedthecompound,butthewellwaspolluted,fullofbodies,andallthesuppliesfrom

thequartermaster ’sstoreshadbeenstolen.Thehorsesfromthestablesweregone,everyhumanweaponwastaken,eventhestockofgold

orehadbeencarriedaway.Thathadneverinterestedtheraidersbefore.Whenevertheyhadraidedaconvoy,theironlyconcernhadbeentoslaynottopillage.

Konrad made his way to the southernmost of the three crags, and Heinler followed. They

climbedthestepswhichhadbeencarvedoutoftherock,uptowheretheremainsofthewatch-towerstillsmouldered,andwheretheburnedbodieslay.

“Theyheadedinthatdirection?”saidKonrad,andHeinlernodded.Therewasnosignofthemaraudersonthehorizon.BynowtheyhadvanishedtowardsPraag.

Konrad realized that he andHeinlerwere trapped between the alien army and the landwhence thehellhordehademerged.Wasthistobeare-enactmentofthegreatinvasiontwocenturiesago,justastheattackontheminehadbeenarepeatoftheeliminationofKonrad’snativevillage?

“Skullface,”saidKonrad.“What?”“Didyouseeatallmanamongstthecreatures?Bald,verythin?Hewouldhavebeenoneofthe

leaders.”“Er…”“You’d have recognized him because he was unlike any of the others. He looked human,

probablyhadnoweapons.Andhemayhavewalked through the flameswithoutbeingharmed.Didyouseehim?”

“Yeah,yeah!Sawhim,Isawhim!”KonradlookedatHeinler,unsurewhethertobelievehim.Theminerhadagreedtooeagerly.“Verytall,verythin,bald,lookedhuman?”saidHeinler.“Swearitwashim!”Konradknewhehadgiventoomanyclues,thatHeinlerwassimplyrepeatingwhathehadsaid;

butitmadenodifference,becauseKonradwantedtobelieve.Yesterdaythebronzeknight;today,Skullface.Konrad turned away, gazing towards the south again, towards the Empire, towards Ostland,

towardsthevalleywherehehadbeenbroughtup.“Wasgivingorders,wasn’the?”Heinlercontinued.“Hewastheonewhatstoppedsomeofthe

killing,whatmadetheotherstakeprisoners.”“Prisoners?”demandedKonrad,spinningaround,grabbingholdofHeinler ’stunicandpulling

himclose.“Theytookprisoners?”“Yeah.”Heinlerleanedback.“Honest,sir!”“Who?Howmany?Whatfor?”Theminershookhisheadrapidly.“Dunno.Alot.”“Men?Women?”“Yeah.Men.Women.Both.Anyonewhowasstillalive,nottoocutup,seemedlike.”Konradletgo,andHeinlersteppednervouslyback.TherewasnoreasontoaskaboutKrysten,tofindoutiftheminerhadseenher.Hewasboundto

replyin theaffirmative,knowingthatwaswhatKonradwantedtohear.But itwasHeinlerwhohadvolunteered the informationaboutprisoners;hehadno idea thatKonradhadbeen lookingforoneparticular person. There was no trace of Krysten anywhere within the burned-down walls of thestockade,whichcouldonlymeanthatthebeastmenmusthavetakenher.

Konradwantedtobelievethatshewasstillalive,thathehadachancetomakeupforhisbetrayalin leaving the girl here. Yet if she were alive, it would not be for long. The creatures had onlypostponedherdeath,weresavingherforsomehideouspurposeoftheirown.

“Looksasifwe’vegotalongwalkaheadofus,Heinler,”hesaid.“What?”“Unlessyouwanttostayhere,thatis.”Heinlerstareddownatallthebodiesspreadoutinthecompoundbelow,andwrinkledhisnose.

“Wherewegoing?”heasked.Konradgesturedtowardsthesouth.“Wherevertheyare,”heanswered.

TheyretrievedtheirweaponsfromKrysten’sroom,becausethereseemednothingmoretheycouldtake.Everythingelsefromtheminethattheymighthaveusedhadbeenlooted.

Heinler ’s dagger looked as though it had beenmade by theminer himself. The handlewas aroughlycarvedpieceofwood,thebladeclumsilyfashionedfromashardofmetal.Butnomatterhowcrude,itwasaweapon,itcouldkill—andithadalmostkilledKonrad.

Thestilettowasslenderbutsquare-bladed,anefficientknifeforstabbingthroughtoughbestialhides. It hadoriginallybelonged tooneofWolf’smercenaries, a silentwarriorwhowould revealneitherhisnamenorhisnativeland.Hehadbeenonpatrolwithfourothers,andtheydidnotreturn.ItwasKonradwhohadfoundwhatremainedofthem:fourhumanbodies,plusthecorpsesofascoreofthe deformed invaders who had ambushed them. But of the silent mercenary there was no sign,nothingexcepthisstilettowhichlayonthegroundafewyardsbeyondthecarnage,itsbloodiedtippointingtowardsthenorth.

BecauseKonradhadhisownknife,whichhadservedhimsowellovertheyears,hehadpassedthebladeontoKrysten.Nowitwashisoncemore.

He and Heinler left by the southern entrance to the stockade, which had been completelydemolished by the victorious assailants when they took their leave. Already the deserted stockadeseemed to be decaying very rapidly. Some of the other walls of the fortress had collapsed whileKonradhadbeenwithinthecompound,anditwasnotmerelybecausetheflameshadconsumedmostofthetimbers.Itwasiftheyweretotallyrotten,asiftheyhadagedacenturyinamatterofhours;thewhole place looked as if it had been uninhabited and forgotten for countless years. Before long,everythingmanmadewouldhavecrumbledintodustandbeendissolvedbytheelements.

The sunwas lower, but burned almost as fiercely as it had done at noon.Konrad had alwaysbelievedthattherewasonlyonegirlhehadevercaredabout.Nowhehaddiscoveredotherwise,andallthatdrovehimonwasKrysten.

Therewasnosignofthemarauders,but itdidnotneedanexperiencedtrackertofollowtheirtrail,themarksoftheirpassingwereeasytofind.Everynowandthen,theycameacrossamalformedcorpse,oneoftheassailantswhichhaddiedofthewoundsithadsufferedduringtheassaultonthestockade.Manyofthebodieslookedasthoughtheyhadbeendeadfordays,evenmonths;theywererottenandbloated,swarmingwithflies,crawlingwithwormsandmaggots.

It was almost as if the northern army were purposefully leaving a spoor in the wake of itspassing,discardingunwantedbooty,scarringtheisolatedtreeswithwagonhubsasthoughblazingatrail. There were wheel marks by the score, countless footprints, hoofprints, pawprints, and theycoveredawideswatheofland.Theremustindeedhavebeenthousandsofthebenightedcreatures,buttheirspeedwasrestrictedtotheslowestoftheirnumber.

YetKonradstillfeltashehaddoneearlierthatday,asthoughheweretheonlylivingbeingleftonthefaceoftheworld-despiteHeinlerbeingsoclose.Itwasasiftheyweresimplytravellerswhohappenedtobetakingthesameroute.Theywerenotallies,alltheyhadincommonwasthefactthattheywerebothhuman.

Konrad kept on steadilymarching, andHeinlermatched his pace. Theminermust have beentough.Heonlyhadonehand,sohemusthavedonetwiceasmuchworkwiththatlimbastheotherconvictsdidwithtwo.Barefoot,hisfeetwerebleeding,andhewaslimpingslightly.Konrad’sbootsweremadeforriding,andhewasnotusedtobeingonfootforsolong,buthetriedtoignorethepain

ofhisblistersandachinglimbs.Whiletheenemykepton,hehadtodothesame.Pushingonremorselessly, theyclosedthegapbetweenthemselvesandtheenemy.Byevening,

theycouldseethedustofthealienarmyonthehorizon.Aftersomanyhours,theinvadingforcesmustsoonstop.Or,notbeinghuman,didtheyneedno

rest?Thedistancebetweenthethousandsandthetwonarrowed.Asfarastheeyecouldsee,fromeast

towest,thelandscapewasinfestedbytheplagueofdarkfigures.IttookawhileforKonradtorealizethattheswarmwasseparating,someoftheunholyhordeheadingtotheleft,otherstotheright,therestventuringstraightahead.Theyweredividing their forces inorder tostrikeatseveraldifferentpointswithinKislev,hesupposed.

Thecountryhadthreemaincentresofhabitation:Praag,ErengradandthecapitalcityofKislevitself.Thebeastmenand their allieswould find the fortificationsof the cities farmore formidablethanthoseofthemine,thedefendersfarmorenumerous,soperhapstheirprimaryintentionwastoattacksmallertownsandvillages,spreadingfearandpanicacrosstheland.

Orpossibly theoutlawbandsaheadwereonlythevanguardfor thegreaterpestilencethatwasyettocome,thetensofthousandsofmalevolententitieswhoweretofollow…

ButallthatconcernedKonradwastoidentifywhichevilechelonhadtakenKrystenwiththem.Afterseveralmoreminutes,heobservedthatthelegionsaheadhadcometoahalt.Therewasa

gapofatleastamilebetweeneachofthethreemainsections,andsoitwasunlikelythattheyhadonlydividedtomakecamp.Theymusthavesplit theirdivisions,ashehadsuspected,readytogooff indifferent directions at dawn. Until then, like any other battalions, they lit fires and seemed to besettlingdownforthenight.

For the first time in hours, Konrad allowed himself to stop. He sat slowly down, giving histhrobbinganklesandknees,hisachingcalvesandthighs,historturedfeet, therest that theycraved.Heinlersankdownnexttohim,breathingheavily.Bloodoozedfromhisfeetintothedirt.Konraddidnotevenwanttothinkaboutremovinghisboots.Theyweredampandstickyinside,andhisfeethadsquelchedwitheverystephehadtaken.

“We’llwaituntilit’sdark,”hesaid.“Thenwe’llgoonahead.”“And?”Theminer still didnot knowwhyKonradhadbeen following theheathenhorde, althoughhe

musthaveguessed.HecouldnothavefailedtonoticeKonrad’sreactionwhenhehadrevealedthattheinvaders had not slain everyone within the stockade, that they had taken prisoners. But he hadfollowedKonradwithoutquestion,andhehadsaidnothing.Neitherof themhadspokenuntilnow;therewasnothingtosay.

“Andthenwe’llseeiftheyhavesomefoodandwatertospare,”Konradanswered.Therehadbeenplentyofbothontheroutefromthedevastatedmine,ifoneknewwheretolook

—andKonradhadknown.Theforagingskillswhichhadhelpedhimsurviveinthepastcouldneverbeforgotten.Buthehadnotwantedtostop, to losevaluableminutes.Foodanddrinkwereof littleconsequencecomparedtowhathemustdo.

Hismissionwastheonlysustenanceheneededtokeepgoing.And itwasnot foodhewantedfromhis ruthless foes.He intended toscoureverycamp, from

oneendofthelinetotheother,untilhefoundwhathewassearchingfor.Hesatandwatchedthesungodown,impatientforthenight.HedidnotwantHeinlerwithhim:hewasnotafightingman.Theminerdidnotknowhowto

moveinvisiblythroughthedark;hecouldnotambushguardsandsilentlyslaythem;hewasunawareof the subtle techniques involved increeping throughanenemycamp, slittingevery throatwithout

wakingthosewhowerenextabouttodie.Buttheminerwashimselfasleep,andsoKonradlefthimwherehelayandadvancedthroughthe

blackened night. Only the stars shone down. It would be several hours until Mannslieb shed itsnocturnal glow over the landscape.Morrslieb might rise before then, but the lesser moon wouldprovidelittleillumination.

Leavinghisshieldandhelmetbehindhim,andclenchinghisaxeinhisrighthand,hisswordinhisleft,Konradmadehiswaycautiouslytowardstheflickeringflamesofthemostwesterlycampfire.He tried not to think what the barbaric army might be devouring. As he crept on, he inevitablyremembered theway that his native village had surrendered every night to the beast-men, and thesamemusthavebeentrueinsomanyotherpartsoftheworld.Daylightwasforhumans,butintheblacknessthesamelandsbecamethedomainofthedeformedforestdwellers.

Here,however,thehouroftheclockmadenodifference.Becausetheenemywerecreaturesofdarkness,thatdidnotmakethemcreaturesofthenight.Therewereenoughofthesavagestoventureforthatanytime;theydidnotneedtohideamongsttheshadows.TheyregardedthenorthofKislevastheirs—andnow,itseemed,theyintendedtotakeovertherestofthecountry.Andbeyond…

Thenightwas filledwith loudnoises and strange smells.The alien armywas half beast, halfman,and the soundsandodours that emanated from thecampswereamixtureofbothanimalandhuman.Therewaslaughterandscreams;inhumanlaughter,humanscreams.

Even in summer, theKislev nightswere cold.Konradwas used to them after so long, but hesuddenlyshivered.Herealizeditwasthescreamsthathadcausedthechillwhichhefeltfromhisnecktohis toes.He recalled thevictimsof the atrocities in theminingcompound.Theymust alsohavescreamed,screamedlongandloudinultimatepain—thosewhohadnothadtheirtonguesseveredortheirthroatstornout.

Tonight, Konrad vowed, some small measure of justice would be exacted for the hideoustorturesinflictedearlierthisveryday.Hehadslaingoblinsbythescoreyesterday,andnowitwouldbe the turn of the beastmen. The slaughterwould be less spectacular than themass killing he hadaccomplishedpreviously,yetitwouldbenolesseffective.

Hewishedhestillhadhiskris,thebladewithwhichhehaddispatchedhisfirstbeastmanallthoseyearsago.Indoingso,hehadsavedElyssa’slife.MaybenowhisotherweaponscoulddothesameforKrysten.

Hemovedcloserandclosertowardsthemostwesterlyfire.Hewouldbeginhere,thenmakehiswayalongthehostileranksuntilhefoundthecapturedgirl.Oruntiltheenemyfoundhim.

The enemywere so confident, ormaybe so stupid, that they had not posted any guards.Veryslowly, Konrad edged closer, then crouched down so that he could keep the nearest group underobservation.Half a scoreof thegrotesque creatures sat around theblaze. In the twisting light theylooked even more repulsive than they would have done in the daytime, the flames and shadowsalternatelyrevealingtheirdeformitiesandmaskingthemoncemore.

Somelookedalmosthumanforamoment,untilthefireexposedtheirawfulaspects,thebestialcharacteristics that made them even lower than beasts. Then the light would change and theirsubhumanattributeswouldbehiddenagain,andinsteadtheirneighbourswouldbeunveiledasfoultravestiesofhumanity.

Konradgazedinmesmerizedhorror.WhatwassoawfulwasnothowdifferenttheywerefromthesquadronsofmercenariesKonradhadcommanded,buthowsimilar.Theywerepassingaroundaflagonofale; theylaughedtogether,probablysharinganobscenejoke; theyspokeintheirheathentongue,doubtlessboastingoftheirexploitsduringtheday’sextermination;theyevensangtogether,theirraucousvoicestotallytuneless.

Konradhatedand loathedeachandeveryoneof them.Theywouldalldie,heswore; thatwashowhewouldbeginhisvendetta.

Hestoodupslowly,takingseveraldeepbreaths,stretchingeachshoulderinturnashepreparedtoswingbothhisweaponsinhispersonalwarofretribution.Heliftedhissword,raisedhisaxe-thenfroze,seeing…

He spun to the left, aware that was the direction from which the danger would emerge, andbackedawaydeeper into thedarkness.Ashedidso,hesawapale figureemergefromthegloom,headingtowardsthefire.Ahumanfigure,tallandslender,totallyhairless.

Skullface!Konrad stared in total amazement, unable tomove. The figure passed directly ahead of him,

twenty feetaway.Hehad toactnowor themomentwouldbe lost.Heshookhimself free fromtheimaginarybondsthatheldhimtied,andsprangforwardathishatedenemy.

Instinctively,heusedhissword;itwasamuchmorepreciseweaponthanthedouble-headedaxeblade.Eventhoughhestruckwithhislefthand,Konrad’sleftwasasstrongandaccurateashisright.

Thepointof thebladeplunged intoSkullface’sback,between the ribsbelowhis left shoulderblade,towherehisheartwas—orshouldhavebeen.Bloodspurtedimmediately,andthatwaswhenKonradknewhewasmistaken.TherehadbeennosuchbloodwhenhisarrowfirstfoundSkullface’sheart.

Hewrenched his blade free, and the tall figure toppled twitching to the ground.After a briefspasmoffreneticwrithing,itlaywithoutmoving.Konradhadkilledoftenenoughtoknowwhenhisvictimwasdead.Heglancedswiftlyaround,watchingforanotherintruder,butthepaleshapehaddiedwithoutasound.

Using his boot, Konrad rolled the figure onto its back. He already knew it could not beSkullface; the creature had died too easily. Even in the gloom, a quick glance confirmed hissuspicions.Itwasjustanotherofthebestialfoe.Tallandthin,paleandbald—baldbecausenohairwouldgrowonbone.Itsheadhadneitherskinnorflesh,musclenorsinew.

ThenKonradheardanothersound,andhetwistedonhisheel,springingbackasanamorphousmasssprangtowardshimthroughtheblackness.Hebroughtupbothweaponsasfastashecould,butnot fast enough.The thing knocked him to the ground, its hatchet aimed at his unprotected throat,fallingontopofhim…thenrollingaside.

Konradfeltwarmwetnessonhisface.Blood.Butnothisownblood.Heglancedatthebeastman.Hecouldnotmakeoutthedetailsofitsappearanceinthegloom,butitwasbiganddark-anddead.

Anothershapeloomedthroughthenight.“Thoughtyoumightneedahand,didn’tI?”whisperedafamiliarvoice.Konradrosetohisfeet,wipedthebloodfromhisfacewithhissleeve,andwatchedasHeinler

retrieved his blade.He had underestimated theman.Because hewas aminer, his night visionwasexcellent;buthealsoseemedtopossessotherskills.Itwasnoaccidentthathehadsurvivedtheattackwheneveryoneelsehaddiedorbeencaptured.

Konradglancedovertothefireandthegroupofnon-humanswhosatcarousingaroundit.Theywereunawareofwhathadtakenplaceadozenyardsaway.

Like the pale figure that he hadmistaken forSkullface, his attacker had come from the otherdirection.Konrad’svengefulbloodlusthadbeenassuagedforthemoment.Therewasnoneedtokillagain,totakeunnecessaryrisks—notyet.

“Wanttotellmewhatyou’rereallylookingfor?”saidHeinler.Konradtoldhim.“Let’sgofindher,shallwe?”saidtheminer.

“Youwant this?”Konradasked,offeringhissword. Itwasbest todivide theweaponsbetweenthem.

Heinlerstuckhisknifeintohisbeltandacceptedtheblade;Konradkepttheaxeinhisrighthand,drewthestilettowithhisleft.

Therewasnoneedfordiscussion.Heinlerunderstoodwhatmustbedone,andforthefirsttimeKonradreallywonderedabouthiscompanionandhispreviousprofession.Hehadpaidlittleattentionto theminer,or toanythingelse.All thathadconcernedhimwascatchingupwith the legionswhomusthavecapturedKrysten.Theymovedonwarily through thenight,headingfor theglareof thenextflames,coveringeachother ’sbackastheyapproachedtheirtarget.

ThenHeinler ’svoicebrokethesilence.“Lookout!”heyelled.Konrad spun swiftly around, but too late. He felt a terrific blow on the side of his head. He

managedtotakeanotherpace,turningandstartingtoswingtheheavyaxeathisunseenassailant,butthenhedroppedtothegroundandthedarknessclaimedhim.

CHAPTERFOUR

WhenKonradfinallymanagedtoopenhiseyes,thefirstthinghesawwasMorrslieb,gleaminghighabove.

His headwas tilted back, his neck tightly tied, and his handswere boundbehindhim.Hewasupright,lashedtoatree,naked.HewasinalmostexactlythesamehopelesssituationasWolfhadbeenlessthantwodaysago—evenmorehopeless,becausetherewasnoonetorescueKonradfromhisinevitablefate.

He kept staring up at the irregularly shaped moon, not wanting to lower his gaze. Thehorrendous sounds that assailed his ears told him more than he needed to know about what washappeningallaroundhim.

UnlikeMannslieb, the smallermoon never offeredmuch illumination evenwhen itwas at itsnearestoritsfullest—andtonightitwasbothcloseandalsoatitsmaximumdimension.Morrsliebalwaysappearedtocastastrangelight,almostanabsenceofluminescence.

Itwasasifitwereashadowmoon,throwingdarknessontotheworlditencircled,drawingawayanybrillianceinsteadofgivingit.

Ashegazedatthemoon,Konradtookstockofhimselfandhisinjuries.Hewasfastenedbytheneckandwrists,bothropessecurelywrappedaroundasolidtreetrunk.Hisheadthrobbedincessantlyfrom the blow it had received and he ached in several other places, as though he had been beatenwhileunconscious,thendraggedacrosstheground.Manyofthewoundshehadsufferedduringtheassault on thegoblin strongholdhadopenedup again.Hewas coated inblood, downhis face andoverhisbody,althoughmostofithaddried.

Hewasaliveforthemoment,buttortureandultimatedeathseemedhisonlydestiny.He lowered his eyes and swiftly glanced all around, then squeezed his eyelids shutwith even

greaterrapidity.Hedidnotwanthiscaptorstoknowthathewasconscious—andhedidnotwanttoseemoreofwhatwasgoingoninthemoonlitclearingaheadofhimthanhehadbrieflywitnessed.

Hecouldnotexcludetheharrowingimagesfromhismindassimplyashecouldclosehiseyes.Inthecentreofagroveoftreesstoodasmallaltar.Atitsfocuswasanarmouredfigure.Cladinredandblack,itwasarmedwithamightyaxeandboreafamiliaremblememblazoneduponitsshield.Konradhadnoticedthedesignmanytimesbefore,onsomeofthebannerscarriedbythelegionsofbeastmen:anX-shape,withahorizontalstrokethroughitscentreandoneatitsbase.

Beneath the elaborate brass helmet, therewas no face, however, nothing except darkness.Theempty suit of armour sat upon a chair. No, not a chair, a carved throne— because the armourcomprisedaneffigyofthepervertedgodthatthisclanofoutlawsworshipped.Atitsfeetlayapileofbonesandskulls.Humanskulls.

Andfreshhumanheadshadrecentlybeenaddedtotheheap…Around theshrine theblasphemousacolytes stood reverently, revelling in the freshblood that

flowedfreelyfromthelatestsacrificestotheirgorylord.Konrad had seen all this in but amoment.He had also seen the victims.Andnowhe kept on

hearing themas theyendured theunendurable, as they suffered the insufferable.They screamedastheyweretortured,screamedastheyfinallydied,andeventhentheirscreamsseemedtoechoonand

onandon.Heriskedanotherglance,toleftandright,searchingforHeinler.Buttherewasnosignofhim.

Hewasnottiedtoanothertree,andneitherdidhishunchedcorpseseemtobeamongsttheacephalousmoundofdeath,hisheadanofferingtothehideousdeity.

Ashiseyessweptthebarbarictemple,Konradrecognizedthelastvictim.HisnamewasHralvan,amercenaryfromNorsca,whowasprobablythestrongesthumanwarriorKonradhadeverknown.Heused to cut his own flesh for fun, to hold a blazing torchunder his limbs to show that hewasimmunetopain.

Buthewasnolongerimmune.Hehadstoodsevenfeettall,withagirthtomatchhisheight.Nowhehadnolegsandheweptlikeabeatenchild—butitwasblood,nottears,thatflowedfromhiseyesashewasslowlyslicedtodeath.

AndtheoneswhowereinflictingsuchunspeakableatrocitiesonhismassivebodyweretwoofthemostbeautifulwomenKonradhadever seen.Except that theycouldnothavebeenwomen,notquite;bothhadslendertails,thetipsofwhichwerebifurcated.

Apart from spiked metal collars around their necks and wide loops of bone through theirearlobes,theywerecompletelynude.Theirlimbswerelongandlithe—andsplatteredwithblood.Astheirdoomedvictim’slifespurtedforth,theybecamespeckledwithevenmorescarlet.Theygrinnedastheydancedaroundhim,lickingthedropsofcrimsonfromthebladesthattheybothwieldedwithsuchdexterity.Thekniveswerelikethegirls,slimandsupple.

Konradwasunawarehowmanyworshippersstoodaroundthealtar,becausemostofthemwerelost in theshadows,buthecouldhearall the idolatorsroaring theirdepravedenthusiasm,chantingtheirhymnsofblood.

Thentherewasasuddensilence.Atotalabsenceofsound:notascream,notawhimper,notachant,notaprayer.

Konradrealizedwhy,buthecouldnotpreventhimselffromconfirmingthatHralvanwasdead.ThegiantNorscanhadbeendismembered,andoneof thegirlswasholdinghisseveredheadaloft.Blooddribbledintoheropenmouth,thenHralvan’sheadwasaddedtothetrophycollectionatthefeetofthearmouredidol.

Therewasnooneelsetokill,nomorevictimstotorturetodeath—exceptone…Konradclampedhiseyestightlyshut,hopingtheywouldbelievehewasstillsenseless,hoping

thatitwouldmakeadifferenceeveniftheybelievedit.Thesilencecontinued,buthewasawareof the twodevildancersmovinglightly towardshim.

They stoodnext tohim, andhe felt theirwarmbreathonhis face as they leanedclose.Then theirhandswereonhisbody,strokinghim,theirfingersstickyanddampwithblood.Evenhadtheybegunto cut him, he could have continued feigning unconsciousness; but he was unable to ignore theirghoulishlysensualadvances.

Heopenedhiseyesandjerkedupwards,supportinghimselfwithhisarmsashelashedoutwithbothlegs.Hemissed.Thebloodmaidenssprangback,giggling,andKonradalmoststrangledhimselfontheropearoundhisthroat.

Thatwouldbeamuch lesspainful,much swifterway todie,he realized.Butbeforehecouldpursuetheideaanyfurther,oneofthenudegirlshadmovedbehindthetreeandreleasedhisneck.Asecondlater,hisarmswerefree—butonlyforasecond.

Alengthofropehungfromeachofhiswrists,andtheotherendswerecaughtupbythebeautifulexecutioners. Even though their facesweremasks of red, their long hair drippingwith gore, theywerehypnoticallyattractive.Theyappearedidentical;itwasimpossibletotellthemapart.

He rushedat theone tohis right,but she leapt away fromhim.As sheavoidedhis lunge,her

knifewhipped through thenight air—and throughKonrad’s forearm.Hegrunted in surprise andpain. As the blood oozed from the wound and trickled to the ground, the worshippers sighed inecstasy, their ritual chants commencing again as their final victim began to play his role in theirobsceneceremony.

Thegirlbrandishedherknifeintriumphandthenputthebladetohertongue,lickingatKonrad’sblood.Hertonguewasforked,likehertail.

Konradyankedontheotherpieceofrope,haulingthesecondprofanepriestesstowardshim.Shesimplyletgooftherope,andhefellbackwardsintothedirt.Thegroundwaslikemud,saturatedafteradownpour.Butitwasastormofbloodthathadturnedtheearthintosuchaquagmire.

Thenbothof thegirls sprang at him, twin streaksof red—and two streaksof blood flowedfromhisthroat.Konradregainedhisfeet,andthenakedwomencircledhim,takingitinturnstodartforward,tofeint,topullback,thentospringagainandreallydrawbloodwiththeirflashingblades.

Theywere fast, inhumanly fast. Female torturers were probably preferred because theyweremoresubtlethanthemales;moredelicate,theywouldnotslaytoosoonwithunnecessaryforce.Theirvictimswoulddiemoreslowly,bledtodeath,dropbydrop.

Konrad’s bodywas soon as bloody as theirs, but itwashis ownbloodwhichgavehima redsecondskin.Hewasalsoingreatpain,butitwasonlysuperficialandhewouldnothavetoendureitforlong.Histormentorswereonlyplayingwithhim.Whentheybecameserious,hewasdoomed.

Beforeitwastoolate,hehadtogetoneventerms.Andwhatheneededtoeventheoddswasaweapon.Heimmediatelythoughtofthesuitofarmourontopoftheshrine,andthemassiveaxeheldinitsgauntletedfist.Thethoughtwassufficientimpulse.

Oneofthetailedgirlswasbetweenhimandthethronedfigure.Konradrandirectlyather,andshenimblyskippedasideashehadknownshewould.Insteadofturningback,hekeptgoing,rushingatthealtar,tearingfreefromthetworopes.

Until now he had not paidmuch attention to the worshippers who stood around the diabolictemple.Hecouldnotseethemverywellinthegloom,andhispriorityhadbeenthepredatoryduo.

But suddenlyhis route to theweaponheneededwasblockedby a groupof shadowy figures,making awall around the sacrificial area.He clenched his fist, slamming it into a darkened face,hearingarewardingcrunchashisknucklescrushedthebone.Theshapefellback,creatingagap.

BeforeKonradcoulddivethrough,aglovedhandgrabbedhisshoulder.Hetwistedfree,turningback,seeingthegleamofaweaponinthefeeblemoonlight.Thesecondfigurewasdrawingasword,butKonradwrenchedthehandfromthehiltandseizedthebladehimself.Thehandlewasfashionedlikeacoiledsnake,andKonradraisedthesword,completinghis turnandheadingbacktohis twintorturers.Thenthesnakewrithed,uncoiled-anditsfangsbitdeepintohiswrist.

Konradyelledoutinagony,droppingtheblade,andherubbedatthetwopuncturesinhisflesh.Therewasabsolutesilence,andallwasstill.The rhythmicchantinghadceased,everyonewas

staring atKonrad.The fiendish pair stoodpoised behindhim,while theworshippers encircled thethreenakedblood-soakedfigures.

TheshapewhoseswordKonradhadtakensteppedforward,andanotherdarkformdidthesame,bendingdowntoretrievethefallenweaponandhandittoitsowner.Theswordhiltwasaswordhiltagain,theserpenttightlycoiledoncemore.

Konradglancedatthefirstdarkform,almostindistinguishableintheblacknight.Henoticedtheshieldthefigurecarried.Itcontainedthesamerunicdeviceastheoneonthealtar,buttherewasalsoanotherdesignontheshield,acrestthatKonradrecognized.

“Kastring!”hesaid.Thefigurehadbeguntosheathhisweaponandturnaway,butnowhefroze.

HestaredatKonradforafewseconds,thenwalkedslowlyuptohim.“Noonehascalledmethatforalongtime,”hesaid.Although he was very close, Konrad could not make out his features because they were

shadowedbyhishelmet.“Kastring,”Konradrepeated.“Iwas so looking forward to seeingyoudie,”Konradheardhim sigh. “But I believe thatwe

shouldtalk.Wedoneedalastsacrifice,however.”Hesaidsomethingquickly,inaheathentongue.Konraddidnotunderstand,buthesensedamovementbehindhim.Hespunaroundintimetosee

one of the death dancers decapitate her companion with a single stroke of her long knife. Theheadless corpse stood upright for several seconds, a fountain of blood pumping from the neck,beforecollapsingintothemud.

Her twinheld thegoryheadupby its hair andwhirled it around, spraying cascadesofbloodovereveryonewhowaswatchingandroaringtheirbestialapproval.

Konradglancedback to theshapewhohadgiven thecommand.Beyond,henoticed theseatedfigureonthealtar.Andalthoughitwashardtobecertain,becausehiseyeshadbeensplashedwithfreshblood, itseemedforamoment that thearmourwasnotempty, that therewasashadowyfacestaringbackathim…

“Would you care for some refreshment?” saidKastring,who seemed to be the leader of thisgroupofheathens.

KastringhadbeenElyssa’sfamilyname.ThatwaswhyKonradhadrecognizedtheheraldiccrestontheshield.Butwhichonewashe?

ItcouldnotbeElyssa’s father,WilhelmKastring;hehadbeenkilledat the same timeshehaddied.Itmustbeoneofherthreebrothers.TheywereallolderthanElyssa;theyhadallleftthevalleybefore the village and itsmanor house had been destroyed by the beastmen. And now one of theKastringswasincommandofabandofsuchcreatures.

Elyssahadreferredtoherfamilyonlyrarely,andKonradtriedinvaintorememberthenamesofherbrothers.Itmadenodifference,hesupposed.

Afirehadbeenlit,anditwasonlywoodthatwasburning,nothumanflesh.Konradsatinfrontof the blaze. He was shivering and felt feverish, weak from the blood that he had lost, totallyexhaustedbytheeventsofthelastfewdays.Hisbodywasawebofpainfulcuts.

“Knowledge of a person’s true name gives one power over that person, they say,” Kastringremarked,ashesatdownafewfeetfromKonrad.HedidnotlookatKonrad,andinsteadgazedintotheflames.“Theveryfactthatyouarestillaliveproves,Idaresay,theremaybesomesubstancetothetale.Butnopurposewouldbeservedbymyrequestingyourname.”

Konradgazedattheman,tryingtorecognizehim.HehadoftenseentheKastringbrothers,butithad been many years ago.Whichever he had been, he looked much different now. His lips weremissing,sothatheseemedtobegrinningallthetime—andapairofcurvedhornsgrewfromhisskull.Evenwiththeglarefromthefire,however,itwashardtomakeKastringout,toseewherehislong dark hair became the thick dark furs that hewore over his armour.Konradwas glad that hecouldnotseewhatelsehadhappenedtotheman—ifhecouldstillbecalledaman…

A figure walked towards them. Slim and supple and apparently female, it was the survivingtorturess.Shewascarryingasilvertray,onwhichstoodajewelledflagonandtwomatchinggoblets.

Kastringspoketoherinanunknownlanguage,andshesetdownthetrayandpouredsomethingintoeachgoblet.Itwasred.Sheliftedthetrayoncemore,offeringittohim.Kastringgesturedandsaidsomethingelse,andsheheldthetraytoKonradinstead.

“Sheknowsnothingaboutetiquette,Iregret,”Kastringremarked.“Dotakeit,”headded,whenKonradhesitated.Helaughedbriefly,withouthumour.“It’snotwhatyouthink,Iassureyou.It’swine,redwine.”

Konradacceptedthecup,sniffedatit,tookataste,thenswallowedthecontentsinasinglegulp.Kastringwatched,thentookhisowngoblet,spoketothegirloncemore.Shesetdownthetray

andwentbackthewayshehadcome.“Iwasintendingtoofferatoasttoyourverygoodhealth,butIventuretosuggestthatsuchmight

belessthanappropriateundertheseinauspiciouscircumstances.”He swirled the goblet and inhaled the bouquet, then put the cup to his teeth— the lower set

overlapped the upper—and tilted back his head.Because he had no lips, some of the pink liquiddribbleddownhischin,andhedabbedatthedropswithalacekerchief.

“Prayhelpyourself.”Hegesturedtowardsthetray.Konradfilledhiscupagain,thenagain.“Therewassomeonewithme,”hesaid.“WhenIwascaught.Whathappenedtohim?”Kastringshrugged,andhesaidsomethingincomprehensible,inthealientongue.Hemusthave

beenspeakingtothehugeshapewhostoodafewyardsbehindKonrad,theonewiththebeakedface,the talonedhands, theclawed feet. In reply, thecreature letoutahugebelch, loudand long.AgainKastringshrugged,sippedathiswine,savouringitonhistonguebeforeswallowing,thenhemoppedatthestraydrops.

KonradhadseennosignofKrystenamongstthedead,buthedidnotask.Hewouldnotbetoldthetruth,hewascertain,andthereweresomanyothermutantcohortsinthevicinitywhereshecouldbeheld.

“Howdoyouknowme?”Kastringqueried,finally.The truth was always to be avoided wherever possible, and so Konrad replied: “I’m from

Ferlangen.”“Ferlangen!Nowthere’sanameIhaven’theardformanyayear.Byyouraccent,Isuspectedyou

musthailfromthesameregionofOstlandasI.IdwelledinapoxyvillagenearFerlangen,butIhadmanyafinetimeinthetown.OttoKreishmierandIusedtogohuntingtogetheronmanyanoccasion.Howisthefellow,doyouknow?”

“Dead.”Kastringraisedhisglassinasilentsalute,butKonraddidnotdrink.ItwasKreishmierwhohad

sentencedhimtodeathforpoachingrabbits—andwhohadbeenkilledbyWolfinaduel.ThatwashowKonradandWolfhadmet.

“HowmanyyearssinceyoudepartedfromFerlangen?”“Five,”Konradreplied.“Andyou?”Kastringsaidnothingforseveralseconds,andKonradthoughtthathewouldnotreply,butthen

hesaid:“Before,Ibelieve.Icannotrecallprecisely.Butwhatistimeotherthanachainaroundourlives?I leftbecauseIwishedtoseetheworld, thegreatcities,otherlands.AndIdid.ThenIfell inwithabadcrowdand…”

Ifhecouldhavesmiled,heprobablywouldhavedone.Instead,hesippedathiswineoncemore,andwipedhischinagain.Hewasclean-shaven,hadmadenoattempttocoverhismissinglipswithabeard.Konradwondered ifhis lipshad rottedawayorwhetherKastringhaddeliberatelymutilatedhimself.

“ButtellmemoreofFerlangen,”hecontinued.“WhatofMarlena,Otto’ssister?Sheisstillalive,Itrust.”

“Shewas.”

“SheandIhadsuchexcellenttimestogether.Wewereintimatefriendsforaconsiderablewhile.Our families were nearly joined through us, but I was somewhat reluctant to bind myself sopermanently.Instead,IsuggestedthatOttoshouldmarrymysister.Didtheyeverwed,doyouknow?Iwasneveroneforwritingletters,Iadmit.Andbecauseofmypresentcircumstances,Ihaveratherlosttouch.”Kastringshruggedandreachedforthewineflagon.

Konradstaredathimevenmoreintently.“ItwasyourideathatElyssashouldmarry?”“Indeed.”Kastringloweredhisgobletwithoutdrinking.“Youknowmysister?”“I heard the name somewhere,” said Konrad, swiftly. “I don’t think they married. Otto was

killed…ahuntingaccident.”“Whatashame.MarryingthatfatbastardwasexactlywhatElyssadeserved.”Hetouchedtheside

ofhisface.Anancientscarmarkedhischeek,runningfromhislefteyedowntohisjaw.HebecameawareofhowcloselyKonradwaswatchinghim.

“Myfirstbattlewound,”helaughed.“Agiftfrommysister.OttoandMarlenawereveryclosetooneanother,anditseemedreasonablethatElyssaandIshouldenjoyasimilarrelationship.”Kastringshookhishead,sippedathiswine,wipedhismouth.“Alas,shehadadifferentopinion.”Helaughedagain,alaughthatbetrayednotraceofhumour.

ElyssahadnevertoldKonradanythingabouthowoneofherbrothershadattemptedtoassaulther;buttherewasverylittlethatshehadtoldhim,herecalled.

“WithOttodead,”Kastringcontinued,“thatwouldmakeMarlenathebaroness.PerhapsIshouldvisit the old placewhenwe reach the Empire. I would rather like to renewmy acquaintancewithMarlena.”

“The Empire?” said Konrad, his voice soft. “You’re heading for the Empire?” He alreadysuspectedthatthearmiesofdamnationintendedtocrosstheborder,buthehadhopedhewaswrong.

“Just a fleeting visit, perhaps,” Kastring told him. “Burn a few towns, loot some villages,slaughteralltheinhabitants.”Thistime,therewasnodoubtthathewasgrinning;thelasttracesofhislipswerecurledupwards.“They’vehaditfartooeasytherefortoolong.They’vegrownsoft,likefruitover-ripeforthepicking.”

Konradshuddered,thinkingwhatthebattle-hardenednortherntroops—thebeastmenandtheircrazed allies— could accomplish amongst the defenceless townships. He clenched his fist tightlyaroundhisgoblet.

Kastringsippedmoreofhiswine.“Imayevencallinonmysister.I’msureshe’llbepleasedtoseeme.”HenoticedKonrad’sglaringeyes.“Comenow,don’tbesoold-fashioned.Sheisn’tevenmyrealsister.”

“Whatdoyoumean?”Kastringyawned, leaningbackagainst thefallen tree trunkbehindhim.“Oh, I’mnot toosure.

Fatherneveradmitted it,but I’mconvinced therewassomethingstrangeaboutElyssa.Motherdiedsoonaftershewasborn,althoughIdon’tknowifshewasreallyElyssa’smother,oreveniffatherwasElyssa’sfather.Ibelieveoneofmyparentshadbeenuptosome—howcanIputthis?—somemischief.Probablybothofthem.”

Konradsaidnothing.Elyssahadrevealednoneofthistohim,buttherewasnoreasonwhysheshould have done. She might not even have known. Her mother may not have been her mother,WilhelmKastringmay not have been her father—ormaybe neither of themwas her parent.Heroriginsseemedasmysteriousashisown…

Konradwondered ifKastring had heard anything of his unknown past. They had lived in thesamevillage.Kastring’sfatherhadbeenthelordofthemanorandshouldhaveknownofeverythingthathappenedthere.ButifKastringdidnotevenknowthetruthabouthisownsister,itseemedvery

unlikelythathewouldbeanymoreawareofthebackgroundofanamelesspeasantboy.Kastring’s shieldwasbyhis side,decoratedwith the talismanicemblemofhisdarkdeity, and

also marked with his own family design. That was not the only heraldic crest which Konradrememberedfromhisnativevillage.Therewasalso thepatternon thebowandarrows thatElyssahadgivenhim, theweaponssheclaimed tohave foundhidden ina forgotten roomin theKastringfamilyhome.

Aquiverofsomestrangerippledleather,tenarrows,andabow—alljetblack,allmarkedwiththe samegoldenpattern: amailed fist between two crossed arrows. Itwas the last of those arrowswhichhadfoundSkullface’sheart,thattheinhumanhadcontemptuouslypulledfromhisunbloodiedchest.YetSkullfacehadappeared to recognize thegoldencrest,ashadWolfwhenhesawiton theblackquiveranddemandedtobetakentotheannihilatedvillage.

CouldtheweaponshavebelongedtoElyssa’srealfather?“Back inFerlangen,”Konradbegan,“Ioncesawanother familycrest. Inblackandgold.Two

crossedarrows,amailedfistbetweenthearrowheads.Doyouknowanythingaboutit?”Afterawhile,Kastringreplied:“Thatdoessoundsomewhatfamiliar.”“Onabow,aquiver,asetofarrows?”“Yes.” Kastring’s eyes were closed, and he ran his fingers across his brow. “An elf? Some

connectionwithanelf,coulditbe?Iconfessthatnoughtelsecomestomind.”Konrad stared deep into the flames, trying to concentrate, but his exhaustion and weakness

conspiredtodefeathisthoughts.Elyssahadgivenhimthebowandarrows,andshehadalsogivenhimhisname.Until thenhe

had none. And now her brother, or the person she had believedwas her brother, seemed to havedeniedKonradaname.

“Yousaidnamesgivepower,”saidKonrad.“Whydidn’tyouwanttoknowmine?”Kastring’s replies had always been slow, but now he said nothing for almost a minute, and

Konradhadbeguntothinkthathemusthavebeenasleep.“Becauseyouwillnothaveitforlong,”heansweredslowly.“Youwillbedeadbydawn.”Konradglancedaroundanxiously.“Ineffect,youarealreadydead,”Kastringadded.“Youshouldnothavetriedtostealmysword.”Konradhelduphisrighthand,examiningitbythelightofthefire,staringatthetwinholes.His

handfeltnumb,butsodidhisotherhandandbothhisfeet.Hewastired,verytired,thatwasall.Tiredandcoldandwounded.

Hiswristwas not even swollen. It could not be poisoned.Hehadonly felt anypainwhen thesnakehadactuallybitten—ifindeedtherehadbeenasnake.Itwasprobablyonlyatrick,adelusion.Therehadbeennoserpent,nofangspuncturinghisflesh,novenomflowingthroughhisveins…

Aminuteearlier,allthatKonradhadwantedwassleep,butnowthelastthingheintendedwastoclosehiseyesandsurrendertothenight.

CHAPTERFIVE

Konrad satupabruptly,wincingat thepain thatwrackedhiswholebeing.The sunburned fiercelydownuponhisnakedbody.Histhroatwasdrierthanever,hislipscracked,hewascoveredinacrustofblood.Theembersofthefirestillsmouldered,andthewispsofgreysmokeweretheonlysignofmovement.Everythingelsewasstillandsilent;everyoneelsewasgone.

Fromtheangleofthesun,itwasatleastthreehourssincedawn.Heseldomsleptthatlong,yettherehadbeenplentyofcatchinguptodo.Althoughhewasnolongersototallyexhausted,hefeltasifhecouldeasilyhavefoundsomeshade,closedhiseyesandsleptthroughtherestoftheday.

Heresistedthetemptationandstudiedhiswrist.Thetwoserpentbiteshadscabbedover,ashadthe cut in his arm where one of the inhuman girls had sliced the flesh. The elf who had savedKonrad’sarmnowseemed tohavealsosavedhis life.According toKastring,Konradshouldhavebeendead.Thatwaswhythemaraudershadlefthimhere;theybelievedthathewas.Itcouldonlybetheresidualeffectsofthepotenthealingmagicwhichhadsavedhim.

Hestoodupandwenttoexaminethecreatures’camp.Atfirstglance,therewashardlyanysignthattheyhadbeenhere.Eventheheadlesscorpsesofthesacrificialofferingsweregone.Thebloodhadbeenabsorbedintotheearth,bakedbytheearlysun.Thegroundseemedverydry,andKonradkneltdowntotouchit.Ithadnosubstance,wasaslifelessassand.Thefewclumpsofgrassandplantsinthevicinityhadbecomebrownandbrittle,andwerewiltingaway.Thenearbytreeswerecoveredin fungus and rot, decayed like those where the Forest of Shadows was inhabited by beastmen.Whatevertheinvaderstouchedbecamecorrupted,eventhegrounduponwhichtheytrod.

Konrad fingered his lips, remembering the goblet from which he had drunk, rememberingKastring’slips,wonderingifthatwaswhyhisownwerenowcracked…

Butitwasthelackofwater,hetoldhimself,theragingthirstthatconsumedhim.Drinkingwinealwaysmadehimverythirstythenextday,andhehadbeenparchedevenbeforehisfirsttaste.

“Ittranspiresthatyouareastoughasyoulook.”Konradwhirledaround.Kastringwasafewyardsaway,mountedonahugebeastthatmustoncehavebeenahorse.Its

skinwasmottled, redandblack,and its flankswereprotectedbyarmour. Insteadofhooves, ithadtaloned claws; itsmouthwas fanged like a dog’s, and a single spiral of dark horn grew from thecentreofitsskull.

Despitehisowngrotesqueappearance,Kastringdidnotlookasfrighteninginthedaylightashehadatnight.Thehornsonhisheadseemedtobeapartofhishelmet,hisgrinningteethwerelikeamaskheworeoverhisface.Hishairhungalmosttohiswaist,andhewascladinblackfurandredleather, aswell as gleaming brass armour.His snake-hilted sword hung at his hip, his two-crestedshieldhungfromhissaddle.

Konradbackedaway.“Have no fear,” Kastring told him. “I have no intention of killing you, I assure you. Not at

present.Imerelywishtoinviteyoutojoinourexpedition.”“IfIrefuse?”“Thatquestiondoesnotarise.Myrequestwasmoreinthenatureofacommand.Youshouldbe

dead.Becausethatseemsnottobethecase,youintrigueme.Youwilljoinus.YouwillamusemewithtalesofFerlangen.Iwasfatiguedlastnight,Imustadmit,andsomyconversationmaynothavebeenveryspirited.ForthatIapologize.Wewillsharemanyhoursofdiscussioninfuture,until…”

“Until?”“Untilyoudie.Allthingsmustcometoaconclusion,evenlife,especiallylife.Wearebornto

die.Itisnotknowingwhenweshallmeetourultimatedemisethatmakesourlivessointeresting,I’msureyouagree?Andyourownlife,Ipromiseyou,willbeextremelyinteresting.”

Konradsensedanotherfigurebehindhim,andheturned.Itwasthesurvivingdeathdancer.Shewascladnow,wearingsandalsandashortlooserobe,herbodycleansedofgore.Herhairwastiedback,butwasstillthecolourofblood;sowerehereyesandherferalteeth.

HerforeheadwasmarkedwiththemainsymbolthatwasonKastring’sshield;thecrosswithtwobarshadbeencarvedintoherflesh,leavingavividcrimsonscar.Shelookedfarmoregaunt,farlessseductive than she had in the hauntedmoonlight, but no less terrifying. The spiked bandwas stillaroundherneck,butnowshealsoworeanecklacethroughwhichherknifewaslooped.Thenecklaceseemedtobemadefrombones,humanfingerbones.

“I don’t believe you have been formally introduced,” said Kastring. “This is Silk. OrmaybeSatin.I’mafraidInevercouldtellthemapart.Nomatter.Likemyself,shehasnoneedtoknowyourname.ShedoesnotspeakOldWorlder,butyouwilllearntodoeverythingthatshecommands.Fromnowon, you and shewill never bemore than a yard apart. Perhapsmuch closer. She can be verypleasantcompany,Iassureyou.Andthenoneday,maybesoon,maybenot,shewillkillyou.”

Kastring spoke to the girl, who nodded solemnly. All the time, her eyes were on Konrad,studying his naked body.WhenKastring had finished speaking, she raised the blade of her knife,kissedit,andblewKonradthekiss.Heshuddered,staringatherlips,rememberingherforkedtongueandthewayithadlickedhisbloodlastnight.

“Sheappearstolikeyou,”Kastringcommented.Konrad remained silent. It would not be him who died, he promised himself. His erstwhile

torturerwouldbethefirsttomeetdeath.EitherherorKastring…“The Empire, Ostland, Ferlangen!” called Kastring, as he tugged at his mount’s reins. “Our

belovedhomelandawaitsourreturn!”Thehorserearedup,caracoled,thengallopedofftowardsthesouth-west.

“AnychanceofsomeWater?”saidKonradtohisguard.“Somethingtoeat?Anythingtowear?”He saw her tail twitch. She spoke, a few grunted syllables, and pointed in the direction that

Kastringhadtaken.Konradkeptwatchingherandremainedmotionless.Thegirlwithdrewherknifeandraised itata throwingangle.Shewas toofarawayforhimto reachbeforeshecouldhurl theblade,buttoonearfortheknifetomissifshethrewit.

Konradturnedandfollowedtherider;hisescortfollowedhim.

HehadwalkedfromtheEmpiretoKislev,leadingWolf’spack-horse.Nowhewalkedback,thistimewithadeadlyshadowclosebehindeverystepoftheway.Itwasalongerwalk,becausewithoutanyboatjourneyitwasmuchfurther—andbecausethereweresomanyinterruptionsforfightingbattles,sackingvillages,sacrificingcaptives.

Konradsawverylittleofthis,andhesawveryfewofKastring’smotleyregiment.Theywerenotlikearegulararmy,takingorders,marchingtogether.Theysplitupintosmallerunits,choosingtheirownroutes,thencametogetheragainforaraidoramassacre.

He was allowed to clothe himself with garments taken from the victims. They soon becameripped,slicedwhenSilkgavehimanorderthathedidnotimmediatelyunderstandorwhenhedidnot

respondwithsufficientalacrity.Hisbodywascoveredintinystabwounds,asifhehadbeenbittenallover.

He had very little chance of escape, and even less chance of success. Everyminute, Silkwaswithinafewfeetofhim.AndbeyondherwereKastring’swarriorsandbeastmen,eachofwhomwaseagertokill,cravingtheofferingtheycouldmaketotheirfoullordbyspillingfreshblood.Itwashard to judge how many there were in Kastring’s band. The numbers were forever changing,increasingwhen theyappeared to recruit newmembers from the areas throughwhich theypassed,decliningaftereveryclashofarms.

Sometimes they travelledbynight,other times their journeys tookplaceduring theday.Oftentheywouldbeonthemoveforawholedayandanight,thentheywouldhaltforafewdays.KonradneverunderstoodwhyHeneverasked,andnooneevertoldhim.

Theycarriedfewsupplieswith them.Therewerenobaggagewagons,althoughtherewasonechariot. Itwas alwayswell guarded, andKonrad realized that itmust have borne the sacred brassarmourwhichcomposedthealtar.

Thetroopshadtoforageforfood,orplunderfromthefarmsteadstheydestroyed.Mostofthemwereonfoot,whichmeanttheycouldcarryverylittle.Ahandfulofwarriorsrodeonhorseback—horses thathadbegun tomutate inasimilar fashion to their riders.Thesewereanelitecorps, truefightingmenwithprofessionalweaponsandarmour.

They seemed oddly out of place amongst the rest of the war-band. They were more likedisciplinedknightsthanberserksavages.Theyhadtheirownwarpedcodeofchivalry,anditseemedtheironlydestinywastofight,thattheyhonouredtheirchosendeitybythesheddingofblooduponthefieldofbattle-eithertheirownbloodorthatoftheirvanquishedfoes.Butthentheoppositewouldhappen: when the lesser moon was full, more blood sacrifices would take place, but on theseoccasionsitwouldbehelplesscaptiveswhowererituallytorturedandfoullymurderedtosatisfytheobscenecravingsoftheChaoscult.

At the other end of the scale from thewarrior knightswere the brutal subhumans, dressed inrags, bearingwhateverweaponry they had been able to steal. Between these two extremes lay themajority of Kastring’s renegades, beings that were neither man nor monster, but some hideouscombinationofthetwo.

ThesewerethekindthatKonradwasmostusedtofightingonthefrontier,fightingandkilling:thecreatureswhoselimbshadbecomeweapons,whohadextraeyesorearsormouths,whosefacesweresetintheirchests,whowerepartinsect,withhugepincersforarms,whowerepartbird,withgreatwings on their backs,whowere part reptile,with their flesh covered in scales,who had theheadsofanimalsonhumanbodies—orhumanheadsonbestialbodies.

Theirbodieswerepredominantlyredandblack,thecoloursofbloodanddeath;andtheirfurorfeathersorfinsorpeltsorshellsorhideswouldbestripedorstreakedorspottedwithvariationsofthese two hues. Many of them had eyes which were completely white, without any pupils. Theyseemedblind,buttheycouldsee.

And theywereunitedunder the samesymbol, the sameemblem thatwason theirbanners, thesamedevicethatwasonKastring’sshield,thesamepatternthatwasonSilk’sface—thevicioussignofKhorne,thegodofblood.

Khorne,oneofthefourgreatpowersofChaos.The runic design was the mark of death, as if it were the Huntsman of Souls’ own unholy

signature.Silkproclaimedherallegiance toherdark lordwithhis runeemblazoneduponher forehead,

andothersofthecreaturesweresimilarlymarked.Manyofthemhadhornswhichweretwistedinto

thedesignofKhorne’selaboratecross.Hisdevoteesworshippedtheirlordthroughslaughter,throughcombatonthebattlefield,through

blood sacrifices. Every death was dedicated to the greater glory of Khorne, and it was not onlyenemieswhocouldbecomesuchofferings.Whenadeathwascalledfor,thenitcouldbethedeathofanothercultist—ashadhappenedwhenSilkslewSatin.

ToKhorne’sfollowers,everyoneelsewasapotentialsacrifice.Theyhadnofriends,noallies,onlyfuturevictims.Everydaythatpassed,itseemedmorelikelythatKonradwouldbecomethenextbloodoffering.Butuntilthen,everydaythathesurvivedwasanothervictory.

And the days went by, the weeks, themonths… until the hideous regiment had crossed fromKislevintotheEmpire,everymileoftheirroutemarkedbythedeathofanotherinnocent—ortheoccasionalally.

Konrad foundhimselfpraying that themarauderswould find enoughvictims, that theywouldslaysomeoneelse,anyoneelse,solongashesurvived.HehadtosurviveinordertokillbothSilkandKastring.Atfirst, thatwasallhecaredabout, thecentral ideawhichkepthimgoingashetookeverystep.

Krystenhadrecededtothebackofhismind.Alreadyhewasbeginningtoforgetthegirl.Hehadknownherlessthanayear,andwheneverhetriedtopictureheritwasalwaysElyssawhoseimagehesaw.HedidnotwanttorememberKrysten,becausehefelthehadbetrayedher.HadhenotgoneoffwithWolfandAnvila,thenKrystenmayhavestillbeenalive.Shemustsurelyhavebeendeadbynow.He hoped for her sake that shewas, because the only reason the legions of the damned ever tookcaptiveswasfortortureanddegradationandultimatesacrifice.

Henever felt in immediatedangerhimself. Itwasalmostas ifall thecarnageandmayhemhewitnessedhadnothingtodowithhim,thathewaswatchingfromadistance,anuninvolvedspectatortotheeventshappeningaroundhim.Evenhisownpunishmentsseemedtohaveverylittletodowithhim.Hisbodymightbeinpain,buthismindwaselsewhere.Hefeltthathewassimplytravellinginthe samedirection asKhorne’swarband.They shared the same route, and thatwas all they had incommon.

Konradwasawarethatthisstateofaffairscouldnotcontinue,thatsomethingmusthappen—andsomethingwouldhappen.Realitywould returnwhenhecameface to facewith the inevitabledeaththatKastringhadpromised.Eitherthat,orhewouldbeawokenfromhistranceinsomeotherfashion.He could not imagine what might prompt his reawakening, but he would recognize it when itoccurred.

HewasuncertainwhyKastringwaskeepinghimalive.Heseemed toderivemacabrepleasurefrom Konrad’s long torment. Maybe they would reach Ferlangen, and there he would be finallyexecutedinwhatKastringbelievedwashishometown.KastringknewKonradwasasoldier,buthewantedhimtodielikesomebeastonabutcher ’sblock.

“Youareaveteranofmanybattles,”heremarkedoneevening,ashesatoppositeKonradandhistailedcaptor.

ThegirlwasthrowingKonradscrapsoffood.Hisarmsweretiedbehindhisback,andhehadtoeat fromthedirt. Itwasonlyaminor torture,butKastringand thebloodgirlwerevastlyenjoyingthemselves.

“You have caused many deaths,” Kastring continued, “and so your own death is of greatersignificancethanthatofsomeonewhohasnotthemselvestakenlife,notshedthebloodofothers.Youare too valuable to sacrifice for no good reason. I do believe that I will save your demise as acelebrationforsomespecialoccasion.”

HewatchedasSilkpouredatrickleofwaterontotheground,andKonradthirstilylappeditup.

Thenhespoketothegirl,andsuddenlyherfootwaspressingKonrad’sheadintothedirt,herdaggeratthemainarteryinhisthroat.

“OrmaybeIwon’t,”Kastringadded.Afewsecondslater,heissuedanothercommand,andSilkreleasedherprisoner.

Kastringdelighted in thehumiliation thatKonradsuffered, thatawarriorhadbecomeaslave,and thathewascommandedbya female.Konradfeltonlyhatred,and itbecamedeeperwitheverypassingday.Itwasacold,calculatinghatred,notthefutilefuryofimpulse.

SilkandSatinhadbeentoomuchforhimonthatveryfirstnight,whenhehadbeenweakandexhausted.Hecouldhavetakenthembothnow,buttherewasonlyone.

Heknewhecouldkill thegirl—hecouldevenkillKastring-andoftenheconsideredthatthepriceofhisowndeathwouldbeworththepayment.Butthenhewouldreasonthathehadtoomuchelsetodowithhislife,thatultimaterevengeuponhisenemieswasnotworthhisowndeath.Notwhileheknewhewouldlivethroughanothernight.Andnotwhilehewasstillawaitingthetimeheknewmustcome.

Severalnightswouldpasswithoutanysacrifice,andduringthatintervalthenumberofcaptivesheldbytheraiderswouldincrease.Andthenthetimeoftorturewouldarriveoncemore,hewouldbeboundbythethroatandwrists,andoncemorehewouldbecometheonlyhostagetowitnessthedawn.

That was the one time he was left alone, when Silk went off to play her part in the obsceneceremony.Shewouldfinallyreturntohim,nakedandcoveredinblood,excitedbythepainandterrorandfinaldeathshehadinflicteduponherhelplessvictims.Despiteherappearance,shewasfarmorelikeananimalthanahuman.Hertail,herforkedtongue,manifestationsofhertruebestiality.

“Orpossiblyyou should joinus,”Kastring suggestedonanotheroccasion.Hewas in agoodmood, having destroyed a small garrison of road wardens during the afternoon. “We are alwayseagertorecruitagoodman.Althoughyouneednotbeaman,ofcourse,orevengood…”

The idea was utterly repulsive, but Konrad pretended to consider it as he watched Kastringacrossthefire.Itmightkeephimalivealittlelonger.

“WhatwouldIhavetodo?”heasked.“Kill. You have done that before, I believe. But now you would kill in the sacred name of

Khorne.You’reamercenary,Iknow,thatiswhyyouwereinKislev.Youkilledformoney.Whatkindof reason is that?Would you not prefer to kill for a holy purpose, to glorify the greatest of thegods?”

ItwasnottruethatKonradhadkilledformoney.Hehadreceivedhardlyanypaymentduringtheyears he had worked withWolf, but that had not been his motivation. He did have a purpose inslaying,hehadbeenprotectingmankind’snorthern frontier against the incursionsof the creaturesfromthefrozenwastes,therealmsofChaos…

Andnowhewasinthemidstofthoseverycreatures.Hefeltlikeatraitortohisraceforbeinghere,forbeingalivewhensomanyothershaddied.

The heathens had broken through humanity’s first line of defence, making their way acrosshundredsofmilesofterritory.Yetithadhardlybeenaninfiltration.Kastring’sraidershadburnedafierytrailintoOstland,thefirstprovincewithinthebordersoftheEmpire.Thesavageshadmadenoattempttodisguisetheirpresence,andthishadresultedinmoreandmoreoppositionbeingdirectedagainstthem.

At first,Konradhadwonderedwhether thiswaspartof themasterplan.Kastring’smarauderswerecreatingadiversion,drawingaway the Imperial troopswhile themassed legionsofdarknessprepared to invade elsewhere, striking at the larger townships. Yet such a scheme was far tooorganized for the blood clans.Kastring appeared calculating and cunning, but hewas no different

fromthecreatureshecommanded.Allhecravedwasblood,allhewantedwastokill,todestroy.Thatwas how hemaintained his authority, by providing his followerswith enemies andwith

victims.Themoretroopslinedupagainstthem,themoreopportunitytherewasforslaughter,andthemoreprisonerstherewereavailableforsacrifice.

“WhodoIhavetokill?”Konradasked,knowingwhattheinevitableanswerwouldbe.“We have several suitable captives, I believe,” Kastring told him. “Perhaps you would care

inspectthem,tochoosetheonewhichyouwishtogivetoourgreatlordandmaster.”

Kastringwasright:Konradhadkilledbefore,manymanytimes.Buthehadnevermurdered.Now,itseemed,therewasnoalternative.Ifhedidnottakehumanlife,thenhewouldalsobecomeavictim.Evenifherefused,thatwouldnotsavethepersonhehadtoslay.Thevictimwoulddienomatterwhat.Konradmustkill.Buthecouldkillquickly,givingthemercifulreleaseofinstantdeathinsteadofthelingeringagonyoftorture.

“Theygonnakillus,sir?”askedthesmallfiguretiedupnexttohim.Hewasaboutfifteenyearsold,hiseyeswidewithfear.Hehadbeenbroughtinwithagroupof

othercaptives,militiafromthenearesttown.Theothersweretakenelsewhere,buttheyouthhadbeendraggedawayfromthemandthrowndownwithKonrad.

Hisclothingwasstainedwithblood;hisfacewasdirtyandbruised,streakedwithtears.“No,”Konradlied.“Iftheywantedtodothat,they’dhavedoneitbynow.”“What’sgonnahappentous?”“Idon’tknow,”heliedagain.Silkwassquattingdirectlyoppositethetwocaptives,andshewasgrinning,hummingatuneless

tunetoherself,tappingthebladeofherknifeonherbonenecklace.“Whereyoufrom,sir?Whentheycatchyou?”Konradsaidnothing.Hewantedtoavoidanycommunication,becauseheknewfromthelookin

thegirl’sredeyesthattheyouthhadbeenchosenastheonehewastoslaughter.“Theyaregonnakillus,sir.Iknowit!”“No,” saidKonrad, trying to reassure him. “They caughtme a longwhile ago, and I’m still

alive.”“Shewantstokillus,”theboysaid,loweringhisvoicetoawhisper.“Icantell.”Silkstaredathim,buthelookedatthegroundandwouldnotmeethergaze.“Sheoneofthem‘mutants’?”Hespokethewordasthoughitwerethefirsttimehehaddareduse

it.Konradrealizedthattheyouthknewfarmoreoftheworldthanhehimselfhaddoneatasimilar

age; he had never heard ofmutants until after he had left his native valley. The village had beenoverrunbythem,andhehadnotevenknownwhattheywerecalled.

Chaosmutants.ThesourceoftheirdeformitieslayinthecorruptedregionsnorthofKislev.“Idon’twannadie,sir!”“NeitherdoI,”saidKonrad,softly,thinkinghowthepriceofhisownlifewasprobablytheboy’s

death.Hegazedupatthedarksky,litonlybythestars.Mannsliebwouldnotriseforseveralhours,that

wasdefinite; thelessermoonwasfarlesspredictable,bothinitshouranditsphases,butitseemedthattonightMorrsliebwouldbefull.

The frightened boy kept talking, asking questions. Konrad said as little as was necessary.Meanwhile,Silkwatchedandwaited,thenfinallytheirregularlyshapedmoonroseabovethehorizon

—andahideousscreambrokethesilence,alongululatingscreamofabsoluteagony.The assembled beastmen, the mutants, the warriors of Khorne had greeted the arrival of

Morrsliebbysacrificingtheirfirstcaptive.Theboygasped,andSilklaughed.Withoutherpartnerintorture,shewasnotalwaysthemain

executioner,althoughseldomaneveningofdeathwentbywithouthertakingsomepartintheorgyofmutilation.

FromwhereKonradsat,hecouldnotseeintotheareawherethealtarhadbeenerected.Sincethefirstnight,hehadalwaysbeenoutofsightofthekillingzone;buthehadalwaysbeencloseenoughtoheartheritualslayings.

Tonight,hewasontheoutskirtsofthemarauders’encampment,ontheveryedgeofawoodedslope that leddowntoa,valleybeneath.Belowhim,hecouldhear thedistantrushofwater.As thebloodceremoniescommenced,hetriedtoconcentrateonthesoundsoftheriverinsteadofthesoundsofpainfuldeath.

Therewas screaming from the sacrifices in thedistance, and screaming from theboynext tohim.

“Stopit!”Konradyelled,turningtotheyouthandshoutingdirectlyintohisface.“Shutup!Listentome!”

The boy became silent, his eyes wide with fear. For the moment, he was more terrified ofKonradthanthefatewhichawaitedhim.

“You’llbeallright.We’llbothbeallright.That’swhyyou’rewithme.That’swhytheytookyouawayfromtheothers.You’renottobekilled.Theyhaven’tkilledme.Theywon’tkillyou.”

Theboystaredathim,andhisexpressionhardened.“You’reoneofthem!”heaccused,andhespatinKonrad’sface.Thenheturnedaway.Atleasthewassilent,thoughtKonrad.Buthekeptthinkingabouttheboy’swords:You’reoneof

them.Inaway,hesupposeditwastrue.Hehadbeenwiththesavagesformanyweeks.Andifhewere

forcedtokilltheboy,thatwouldindeedmakehimoneofthem—oralmost.Kastring had invited him to become one of Khorne’s followers. If he slew before Khorne’s

effigy,wouldthatserveasaninitiationceremony?Nomatterhismotive,orhisintention,wouldtheslaughterbethefirststageofhisowndescentintotheabyssofbestialmutation?Kastringhadbegunasaman,ahuman.Howhadhestartedtochange?HadithappenedintheChaosWastes,orcouldthemutationoccuranywhere?

Konradhadconsideredthathecouldsavehisownlifebytakingthatofanother,bykillingtheboy;butdidsacrificingbeforetheshrineautomaticallymeanacceptanceofKhorneashisdeity?Inthatcase,hislifewouldnolongerbehisown—hewaslostforever.Itwasmorethanmerelyhislifethatwasasstake:ifhejoinedthebarbarousclan,Khornewouldalsoclaimhisimmortalspirit.

Hewishedheknewmore.Konradhadneverbeenreligious.Thereweresomanygodswhowereworshipped within the Empire and Kislev, but he had never had much contact with any of theirfollowers and rituals. He knewmost about Sigmar Heldenhammer, whowas venerated as a deity.WolfhadbelongedtothecultofSigmar,andhealwaysofferedaprayertothefounderoftheEmpirebeforegoingintocombat.

Silk rose to her feet.At the same time,Konrad became aware that therewas silence.The lastvictimhaddied.

Thelastbutone—ortwo…Thegirlkickedoffhersandals,shruggedoutofherrobe,lethernecklaceoffingerbonesfall,

untiedherblood-redhairandshookitloose.Shestoodnaked,armedwithherknife;shewasreadyto

kill.Shespokeafewwords.Konradrecognizedthecommand.Shewastellinghimtogetup,butheignoredit.Shesprangtowardshim,herbladeathisthroat.Thetipdrewblood.

Sherepeatedherorder.Shewouldnotkillhim,heknew,butshewasanexpert inpain.Witha fewswiftandaccurate

knifestrokes,shecouldinflictexcruciatingagony.Instead,shetransferredherattentionstotheboy,jabbinghimintheshoulder.Hecriedoutinagony.Shegesturedforhimtorise,andheobeyed.Sheswiftlycutawayhisgarments,andhewasnaked,hishandsstilltiedaroundhisback.

She lookedatKonrad, thensheslowlydrew thepointofherbladediagonallydown theboy’schest,righttoleft.Hescreamedasthebloodbegantoflow.Shediditagain,lefttoright,herredeyeswatching Konrad. She was carving the mark of Khorne on the boy, he realized, and she wouldcontinueunlessKonradobeyed.Hedidso;hestoodup.ButSilkdidnotceasehermutilation.Withtworapidstrokes,onetotheleft,onetotheright,shecompletedthepattern.Theboy’storsoglistenedwithtricklesofblood.

He swayed, as though he were about to faint, but he held himself upright. His screams hadceased,andnowhesobbed.Hewasnotbadlyhurt.Silkhadnotwantedhimdead.Notyet.

NowshesteppedtowardsKonrad,andherknifeflashed.Hewincedassheslicedhischeekfordisobedience.Her blade keptworking, and after a few seconds hewas also naked. She growled acommand, andKonrad beganwalking slowly towards the shrine. She pushed the boy, and he alsobegantomove.

Theworshippersawaitedthem,darksilhouetteswhoencircledthearmouredeffigyofKhorne.Oneoftheshadowssteppedforward.“Delightedthatyoucouldacceptourinvitation,”saidKastring.“Isthisyourguest?”

The boy stoodmotionless, dazed, his eyes fixed on the shrine, staring at the skulls and freshheadsatthefeetoftheseatedbrassfigure.

“I’mgoingtokillyou,Kastring,”Konradhissed.“Youseemtomisunderstandthesituation,”Kastringreplied.“Theonlykillingyouaregoingto

doinvolves thisyounggentleman.NeitherdoIbelieve this is themostappropriate timeforyoutothreatenme. I’m the one who issues the threats. And, as I once promised, I will have you killed.Eventually.”

Silk’sknifeseveredKonrad’sbonds,andKastringheldoutadagger tohim,hilt first.Konradacceptedtheblade,andashedidhefeltthetipofthegirl’sknifeatthebaseofhisskull.AsKastringsteppedback,sodidSilk.

Konradandtheboywereleftinthecentreofthearea,infrontofthealtar.Thegroundbeneaththeirfeetwaswetwithblood.

Theboyturnedawayfromtheshrinetolookathim,attheknife,thenatKonrad’sface.“Iknewyouwasoneofthem,”hesaid,veryquietly,andheloweredhishead.Konradwantedtodenytheaccusation,totellhimthathewoulddispatchhimswiftlywhereasany

oftheotherswouldhaveslainhimslowlyandhorribly.Buttherewasnopoint.Hewouldonlyhavebeenspeakingforhisownbenefit,nottheyouth’s.

Theidolatorsbegantochanttheirhymnsofblood.“Doit!”Kastringcommanded,hisvoicelouderthanallthesacrilegiousprayers.Konradgazedattheshadowedshapewhichhadspoken,andheheldtheknifelooselyinhishand,

testingitsbalance,weighingitforitsflightthroughthenight—andintoKastring’sthroat.Before he could act, the blade was suddenly knocked from his hand. Silk had hurled herself

silently at him, and she shouldered him aside. Unbalanced,Konrad fell into themud.He instantlyrolledaway,believingthatthebloodgirlwasabouttodiveonhim.Instead,hertargetwastheyoung

Ostlander.Herbladeplungedintohischest,andhiscrywasterrible,longandear-piercing.Hefell,andSilk

wentdownwithhim,herknifecarvingdeepintohistorso.Afterafewseconds,shesprangup.Inonehandsheheldherknife,intheotherwasalumpofrawhumanflesh.Itwastheboy’sheart.

Hisbeatingheart!Therewasaroarofapprovalfromtheworshippers,andshereverentlyplacedthegoryorganat

thefeetofthebrassfigure.Konradhadbeenunabletofindthedaggerandwasbackonhisfeet,andhebecameawareofa

darkshapemovingtowardshim.Heheardaswordbeingdrawnfromitsoiledscabbard,andheknewitwastheswordwithacoiledserpentasitshilt.

Hebackedslowlyaway,glancingquicklyoverhisshoulderforanotherpotentialassassin.Whenhelookedbackamomentlater,therewasaslimfigurebetweenhimselfandKastring.ItwasSilk,butshewasfacingherleader,threateninghimwiththereddenedbladesheheld.

Kastringhalted, said something in theheathen language.Silk saidnothing,butneitherdid shemoveaside.

“She reallydoes likeyou,” saidKastring.Thenhe forced a contemptuous laugh, sheathedhisswordandturnedaway.

SilklookedatKonrad,andtheireyesmet.Forsomereasonofherown,shehadkilledtheboywhenKonradhadrefused,andshehaddefendedhimfromKastring’swrath.ButshehadalsosavedKastring’s life by knocking the dagger from Konrad’s hand. Konrad had no idea why she hadinterferedintheceremony,protectinghimfromKastring.Whateverthereason,itmustsurelyspelldoomforbothofthem.

Thedarkshapesaroundthemmeltedawayintothedeeperdarkness, leavingthemalone,alonewith the body of the young Ostlander and the corpses of all the other victims who lay as goryofferingstoKhorne’sbronzealtar.

Astheygazedateachother,Konradsuddenlyrealizedwhatshemustoncehavebeen:human.And he also knew that this was the moment he had been awaiting. It was the time of his

awakening.KonradwalkedawayandSilkfollowed.Shewasapacebehindhimwhenhereachedthespurof

landabovetheriver.Heturnedasthegirlraisedherknife,standingmotionlesswhileshethrustthepointoftheweaponintothetrunkofthetreenexttohim.Thebladeglintedasitvibrated.Mannsliebhadbeguntorise,asliverofbrillianceonthehorizon,alreadysheddingaradiant lightfargreaterthan the dull glow created byMorrslieb. The river lay far below, and on the edge of his visionKonradnoticedanotherglimmerfurtherdowninthevalley.Itwasalsothereflectionofmoonlightonmetal.

Andhefinallybecameawareofwhathemustdo.Thegirlpressedherselfhardagainsthim,turningherfaceuptohis.Nomatterwhat,hehated

herabsolutely,butforamomentherememberedwhathehadthoughtwhenhefirstsawherandSatin:thattheywerethemostbeautifulwomenhehadeverseen.

Until now he had always refused the temptations of her body, no matter what torments sheinflicted upon him in reprisal. Because of tonight he owed her this one final tribute to her losthumanity,toherforgottenfemininity.

Herfleshfeltwarmandsoft,andthatsurprisedhim.Hetriedtoignorethebloodonherskin,herferaleyes,herforkedtongueandtail.Hesanktotheground,allowinghertoassumetheascendantrole,asifstillacceptinghissubserviencetoher.

Shewasatherleastanimal,heathismost.Whenshecriedout,itwasnottheruttingcallofsome

bestialmutant but the sounds awomanmade at the peak of passion.Hewas the onewhogrowledprimitively,drivenbyhisdeepestinstinct.

This was the way life was created, the way of Konrad’s unknown origins, the way that Silkherself had begun her true existence, before her body had become corrupted byChaos, her spiritstolenandtwisted.

Konrad reachedup toher, beyondher, and for the first timehe allowedher lips to touchhis.Again,sowarm,sosoft.Theykissed—anditwasthekissofdeath.

Silksighedasheslippedthedaggerintoherbackandplungeditdeepintoherheart.Theireyesmetforonelasttime,andthegirl’swerewetwithtears.Sheleanedbackandsmiledandshediedaseasilyasifshewerestillhuman.

Konradcaughtherasshefell,andherolledfree.Hewithdrewthebladeandstareddownintothevalley,searchingforwhathehadobservedafewminutesago,theglintofmoonlightonarmour.Onbronzearmour.

CHAPTERSIX

Konradhurledhimselfheadlongovertheedgeanddownintothedarkness,clutchingthedaggerinonehand.Hewasfinallyescapinghisbarbarouscaptors,butmoreimportantlyhewasinpursuitofthemysteriousbronzeknight.

ThiswaswhyhehadstayedwithKastring’sclanforsolong.Itwasalmostlikeseeing,buthehadbeentotallyunawareofthenatureofthevisionuntilnowbecausetheeventhadbeensofarahead.

There was no longer any sign of the armoured rider below, but that was because of theconditions.Thelightwasnotasgoodasithadbeenatthetopoftheslope,andthereweretoomanytreesobstructinghisvision.

HehadkilledSilk; shehadallowedherself todieat themomentwhen shehad recaptured theessenceofherhumanity.

Konrad’sonly regretwas thathehadnotbeenable to slayKastring.Although freeofhis redshadow,therehadbeennotimetocreepthroughthenightandtakehisrevengeagainsttheleaderofthe evil outlaws. Itwas infinitelymore important that he find the bronze figure he had seen at thebottomofthevalley.Hemustreachtheknightbeforehecouldrideoutofrange.

Heslippedandstumbled,rolledandcrashedagainstoneofthetreeswhichgrewfromthesideofthe valley. Ignoring the pain, he was back on his feet almost at once and plunged onwards,immediately colliding with a sapling which blocked his route. It splintered, and Konrad’s hecticdescentcontinued.Asherecklesslythrewhimselfdownthesteepslope,heagainlosthisfootingandtripped,butthistimetherewasnotreetrunktoblockhisfall.Herolledoverandover—andoveraprecipice.

Ashedroppedthroughtheair,hesawtherockygroundrushingupathim.Butthenarrowriverwasalsobelow,andheplungedintothecoldwaters,narrowlymissingasharppinnacleofrock.Hesank below the surface, then kicked himself to the top. He trod water for several seconds beforetakingalongdrinkfromtheicyriver.Heswamtotheedgeandhauledhimselfontothestonybank.

Hesatthereforafewseconds,regaininghisbreathandexamininghiscuts,scrapesandbruises.Thedaggerwasstillinhishand.Thiswasalmostanexactrecreationofhowhehadkeptatightgriponhiskriswhenhehadfledbyriverfromhisvillage;butnowaknifewasallhehad.

Howcouldheconfrontthebronzeriderwhennaked,armedwithonlyadagger?Heneitherknewnorcared,notatthemoment.Firsthehadtolocatetheenigmaticfigure.

Fiveyearsagohehadescapedfromanarmyofbeastmen;nowhehadmadeagetawayfromasmallerbandofthebestialmarauders.And,ashethoughtthis,heheardthenoiseofpursuitfromhighabove.

Theywerecomingafterhim,yellingouttheirwarcries,howlingtheiranimalfury,thesavagesounds slicing through thenight air just as theblades theycarriedwould slice intoKonrad’s fleshoncetheyfoundhim.

Heglancedaround,findinghisbearingsinthedimness.Hehadseentheglintoflighttotheleft,andthatwasthedirectionhetook.

Hedashedalongtheriver ’sedgeinpursuitofthefigurehehadfirstseenhalfadecadeago.Thefastwaters raced past him as he headed upstream, and he leapt the dark rootswhich fed from the

water. He had a few minutes’ start on his enemies. They would come down the slope far morecautiouslythanhehad.Otherswouldtrytofindadifferentwaytotheriver,attemptingtocuthimoffateitherendofthevalley.Beforehewastrapped,hemustfindhiselusivequarry.

Konradsprintedthroughthenight,allhissensesalert:feelingthehardgroundbeneathhisfeet,tastingthecoldaironhistongue,hearingtheriverrushingpast,watchingthetwistingvalleyahead,sniffingforthepungentscentofthebeastmentrackinghim—andseeing,seeing…

Hisextraawarenessgavehimnowarningoftrouble;hewasinnoimmediatedanger.Eitherthatorhisfuturevisionwasoncemorebetrayinghim.

Thenhecametoasuddenhalt,andhedodgedbehindthetrunkofawidetree,becausefaraheadhehadseenthereflectionofmoonlightonmetal.Cautiously,hepeeredoutfromthesideofthetree.Ahundredyardsawaystoodahorse,ahorsecompletelycoveredinbronzearmour.Buttherewasnosignoftherider.

Konrad climbed the slope and used the woods as camouflage while he paralleled the river,closingthegapbetweenhimselfandthehorse.Hemovedslowlyandsilently,anditseemedtotakeforeveruntilhewasabovetheanimal.

Therewasnodoubtitwasthesamemounthehadfirstseenoverfiveyearsago.Herecognizedtheelaboratearmour inwhich itwasclad,encasing thesteed fromhead tohoof.Therewasnotaninch of horseflesh in view. Its skull was covered by an intricate chamfron fromwhich two hornsprotruded,hornsthatmatchedthoseontherider ’sownhelmet,heremembered.Theshieldstillhungfromthehorse’sarmouredflank,andthelonglancestoodverticallynexttoit,strappedtothebackofthesaddle.

Eventheleatherofthestrapsandthesaddlewerebronze,asifdyedsomehow.Theridermusthavedismounted,andthatmeanthewasmorevulnerable.Weigheddownbythe

bulkofhisarmour,hecouldnotmoveasfast.IfKonradcouldsurprisehim,hecouldsliphisdaggerbetweenthehelmetandgorgetandintohisthroat.

Butitwasnothisintentiontokillthebronzewarrior.Hewasnotsure,however,whathereallydidwant from the knight. He needed to interrogate him, ask all sorts of questions.Was he reallyWolf’stwinbrother?

Andwherewashethisverymoment?Hecouldnotbefaraway.Konradkeptwatching,hiseyesscanningthedarkenedrivervalleyas

farashecouldsee.Therewassomethingoddaboutthehorse,henoticed.Ithadnotmoved;itwasinexactlythesamepositionthatithadbeenwhenhefirstsawit.Standinglikeastatue,ayardfromtheriverbank, it reminded him of those equestrianmonuments to great chieftains he had occasionallyobserved,exceptheretheriderwasmissing.ItwasalsolikethealtartoKhorne,hethought,anemptyarmouredshape.

Under other circumstances,Konrad could havewatched andwaited for as long as it took theknighttoappear,buttimewasoftheessence.Kastring’smarauderswouldarriveatanymoment.Heglanced back up the hillside, and thought he couldmake out the dark silhouette of the spur fromwhichhehadnoticedthebronzewarrior.Judgingbytheangle,thiswasexactlythesameplacefromwhichMannslieb’slighthadbeenreflected.Itseemedhehadonlyseenthehorse,nottherider.

Couldtheriderhavefallenintotheriver?Thehorsemighthavethrownhim,orstumbledinthedark,andhehadrolledintothewater.Becauseoftheweightofarmour,perhapshehadbeenunabletoriseandthusdrowned.

Konradmoveddowntheslope,towardsthehorse.Andthere,byoneofthetreesthatgrewfromthewater,hesawthearmour.Theknight’shelmetandgauntlets,breastplateandbackplate,pauldronsand rerebraces, couters andvambraces, cuisses andpoleyns, chausses and solerets, swordbelt and

scabbardedblade,alllayuponontheground.Itseemedthattheoutfithadbeenabandoned,castaside.Wherecouldtheknightbe?Hadhestrippedoffhisheavysuitinordertosleep,orperhapstobathe?

Steppingwarilyforward,Konradknelttoexaminethebronze.Heglancedatthehorse.WolfhadsaidthatthesteedwasthetwinofMidnight,hisownmount,andKonradknewthatthewhitehorsehadbeenakillerinitsownright.Buttheanimalcontinuedtoremainabsolutelymotionless.

Konradheardasound,ashoutinthedistance.Hestoodupswiftlyandretreatedafewpaces.Ifitweretheunknownwarriorwhohadcalled,hewasdefencelesswithouthisarmourandweapons,andKonradfeltconfident.Thentherecameanansweringyell,andherealizedthatitwashispursuers.Ahandfulofthebloodbeastswereafewhundredyardsaway,headingtowardshim.

Heglanceddownat theswordandbegan to reach for it, thenhepaused, studying thearmour.Duringtheattackonhisvillage,hehaddisguisedhimselfintheflayedskinofabeastman.Thiswouldbefarmorethanadisguise,herealized.

Dropping the dagger, he began to pull the armour over his naked skin.He should havewornprotectiveclothingbeneath thesuit, toprevent themetal rubbinghis flesh,but therewasnone.Thearmourwasnotcold,ashehadexpected,perhapsbecausehisskinwaschilledbythenight.

Itwas usually very difficult to get into a suit of armour, and assistancewas needed to tie thestrapsandbucklesandhelpwiththeweight;butKonradwasinahurry,andhishasteseemedtomakeeveryitemeasytofit.Breastplateandbackplatewerejoinedtogetherasacuirass,completewithtacesandtassets.Thepartsforeacharmandlegweresimilarlylinkedintowholepieces,simpletopullonandattach.

He buckled the swordbelt around his waist, fastened the gorget to his throat, drew on bothgauntlets. Like everything else, they were the ideal size. Because bending down would have beendifficult,hehadpreviouslyplacedthespikedhelmetonaboulder.Hepickeditup.

Duringhisyearsonthefrontier,hehadusuallywornarmourofsometypeduringcombat,butneverthefullpanoply.Hefoundit tooheavy, toorestrictive.Thebronzearmour,however,seemedcompletelydifferent.Alreadyhefeltcomfortable,andhecouldhardlyfeelanyextraweight.

Hedidnothavetimetoquestionthis,becauseheheardahowlnotfaraway.Heturnedintimetosee twobulky figures rushingalong the riverbank:dog-faceddegeneratesofKastring’scommand,moonlightglintingofftheirweaponsastheychargedtowardshim.

Konradloweredthehelmetoverhishead,pusheddownthevisorandstartedtodrawhissword.Thenheglancedatthehorse.Itremainedmotionless.Henoticedtherewasaslopingrockbyitssidewhichhecouldusetoclimbintothesaddle,buthehadonlyjustmanagedtoclamberuptherockandhaulhimselfontothehorse’sbackwhenthefirstofthebeastmenattacked.

The sword stroke caught his arm, the power of the blow denting the armour and almostunseatinghim.Heslippedhis spurred feet into thestirrups,grabbed the reins,andashedidso thehorsesuddenlymovedforthefirsttime.Itrearedup,bronzehoovesflailing,pummellingKonrad’sassailantandthentramplingtheuglycreatureunderfoot.

KonradknewthismustindeedbetheequinetwinofWolf’shorse.The second savage hurtled up the same rock that Konrad had climbed, and launched itself

throughtheairattherider.Konradhadalreadydrawnhisnewweapon.Hisarmandtheswordwereasone.Theyflashedthroughtheair,andthedogheadwasseveredfromitshumanoidbody.

Konradfeltasuddenjoltofheat,almostasifhehadswallowedaglassofEstalianliqueur.Butinsteadofawarmglowonhistongueanddownhisthroat,thisapparentheataffectedhiswholebody,radiatingthroughouthisentirebeing.Itssourceseemedtobehisrightarm,hisswordarm.

Hewaspleasedthathehadslainanenemy;thatwaswhatthestrangesensationmusthavebeen.Hehadfelt fire inhisveinsagain, the thrillofbattle. Itseemedsolongsincehehadheldasword,

riddenahorse,foughtincombat.Hepeeredthroughtheeyeslitsinthevisor,eagertofindmoreofthefoetoslay.Hesoondiscoveredthem.

Hehadhardlytuggedthereins,barelybeguntomovehisbodytogivethehorseitscommands,beforetheanimalresponded.Itturnedandbrokeintoacanter,headinguprivertowheremoreofthebenightedmaraudershadappearedinMannslieb’slight.

Inamatterofminutes,KonradshedasmuchbloodaswasspilledduringasacrificetoKhorne—andtherewereevenmorefatalities.Hisswordswungthroughthenight,slashingandslicing,andthebronzeofthebladeturnedtobloodasthebeastmenturnedtocorpses.

Konradfeltinvulnerable.Everylifehetookgavehimnewenergy.Witheverydropofbloodthathespilled,hebecamemoreinvigorated.

Thehorseseemedtoknowexactlywhatitmustdo,andhedidnothavetothinkaboutcontrollingit.Neitherdidhehavetothinkaboutkilling,thatcamenaturally.

ThecreaturesofKhorneattackedwithclubandsword,spearandmace,buttheyallmetthesamefate.Theydied.

ThebronzearmourabsorbedeveryblowthatevadedKonrad’sshield,andnoneofthemutantssucceededwithasecondstrike.Theyallfelltoaswordthrust,ortheirlimbswerehackedoffasthesharpbladesweptdown,andtheyendedtheirlivesastheirsacrificialofferingshaddone,bleedingtodeath.

Theycamefrombothendsofthevalley.Despitewhathadhappenedtotheircomrades,noneofthemretreated.Theyattackedwithinsanefrenzy,incitedbytheflowofblood.Thefloorofthevalleywas littered with hideous bodies; others were carried downstream by the swirling torrent of thenarrowriver.

Afinalstroke,andKonradstabbedhissword into theforeheadofa furredmonstrosity—theforeheadwhereitsthirdeyehadbeen.Itwashislastvictim.Thecreaturekickedandwrithed,finallydying.

Therewassilence,totalsilence.Therewerenocriesandscreamsandmoansfromthewounded.Therewerenowounded.

TheChaosbroodhaddiedbythescore,butthesewereonlyafewofthosewithwhomhehadreluctantly travelledso far, fromKislev into theEmpire.All thedeadhadentered the frayonfoot.Noneofthemhadbeenthemountedelite,theterrortroops.

AndnoneofthemhadbeenKastring.Konradwentinsearchofhishatedadversary.

KastringmusthaveknownthatallthosehehadsentafterKonradweredead.Hewouldhaveheardthesoundsof combat; theclashofweaponsand the inhumancriesofdeathwouldhaveechoedup theslope.Hemightevenhaveglimpsedthebattlethroughthetreesfromhisvantagepointabove.

Konradhad to take the longwayaround inorder to climb thehill, via theheadof thevalley.Even so, his mount was able to carry him up the incline at a very steep angle. He rememberedMidnight, thewayWolf’shorsehadbeentheonlyanimalabletoclimbtheruggedtracktothelostdwarftemple.

The night was almost over by the time Konrad reached the top of the slope. Morrslieb hadvanishedfromthesky,andMannsliebwouldsoonberenderedalmostinvisiblebythesun.Alreadytheskywasbeginningtolightentowardstheeast,heraldingthedawn.Themaraudershadleftingreathaste.Theyhadnothadtimetodisposeoftheheadlessbodiesoftheirvictims.

Oneof thedead still had its head, theboy thatSilkhad slain.Therewas agapinghole inhischest, his broken ribs showing throughwhere the tailed girl had ripped out his heart. Like all the

others,however,heseemedtohavebeendeadforweeks,nothours.Eveninthehalflight,Konradnoticedthatthegroundwherethesavageshadcampedwaslifeless.

Everythinghadbeguntodecayandrot.Thetreeswouldsoonbelikefossils,butblackenedasthoughcharredbyflames;and itwasas if tonsofsalthadbeenpouredupon theground,not thebloodofinnocentvictims.Nothingwouldevergrowhereagain.ChaoshadstakeditsclaimtoanotherpartoftheEmpire.

Butwhyhaditsminionsbeeninsuchhastetoleave?CouldtheyreallybesoterrifiedofKonrad?Thatwas the only explanation.Theywere unaware that they had fled from their fugitive prisoner,however;theybelievedhewasthebronzewarrior,becauseitseemedthatwaswhohadslainsomanyoftheirnumber.

Konradhadnever foughtsuchabattle.Althoughhehadkilledmoreatone time,whenhehadslainsomanygoblinsintheirfoulsubterraneanlair,thefightagainstKhorne’sevilservantshadgoneonmuch longer.Manyofhisantagonistshadbeenberserkers,withnocombatskills,but therehadbeenanequalnumberofveteranwarriorsamongstthemutants.

He should have been exhausted, but he felt totally revived.He had been a prisoner formanyweeks,hadneverbeenfedproperly,hadalwaysbeenwearyanddispirited.Yetnowhewasfullyfit,completelyalert;hedidnotevenfeelhungryorthirsty.

Heglancedattheground,inspectingitforwheeltracks.Therewereplentyofhoofprints,leadinginavarietyofdiversedirections;butwhicheverwaythechariotbearingKhorne’saltarhadgone,thatwastherouteKastringwouldhavetaken.Thewheelrutsledtowardsthewest,deeperintotheheartoftheEmpire.Konradfollowed,thedawnsunbehindhim.

Itseemedonlyafewminuteslaterwhenhenoticedthreemountedfiguresinthedistance.Theyhadhaltedandwerespreadoutacrosshispath.Theyweretherearguard,hesuspected,makingastandhereinordertoallowthechariotwithitscargoofsacredarmourtoescape.

Eachriderwasmountedonahugeanimal,acreaturewhichhadoncebeenahorse,orwhoseancestorshadbeen.Nowtheywerehornedandclawed,scaledandarmoured,andscaleandarmourwereoftenfusedintoone.Thesamewastrueoftheriders.Theywerecladinredandblack,anditwashard to distinguishwhere the fur that theyworebecame their flesh,where their brass armourbecame metallic bone. The two on the flanks had their heads completely covered by elaboratehelmets,wroughtintothesymbolofKhorne,butthemiddleoneofthetriowasKastring,solemnandbrooding.

Fifty yards from the three dark knights,Konrad halted.He fitted his shield over his left arm,grippingthehandlewithhisgauntletedfist,anddrewhissword.Hehadnotcleanedawaytheblood,butthebronzewasunstainedandgleamedinthescarletlightofdawn.

“Whoareyou?”Kastringdemanded.Hehadnotwantedtoknowhisnamepreviously,andKonradconsideredsayinghehadnone;but

heremainedsilent.“Whatdoyouwant?”saidKastring.“Whichgoddoyouserve?Whyhaveyouchosenaquarrel

withus?”WhenKonradmaintainedhissilence,Kastringdrewhisser-pent-hiltedsword.Theridertohis

leftwasarmedwithalong-handledaxe,thethirdwithamorning-star,aspikedballontheendofachain.

AndwhenKastring swunghis sword as a command to attack, itwas those twowho suddenlychargedatKonrad.

Almostbeforehecould instructhisownmount,Konrad’shorse sprang forwardandbegan togalloptowardstheChaoswarriors.Herodebetweenthem,hisshieldblockingtheaxe,thequillonsof

his swordhilt entangling thechainand tearing it fromhisopponent’sgrasp.The threecombatantswere past each other in less than a second.Kastring had notmoved, andKonrad expected that hewouldjoininthefray.Instead,hestoodhisgroundandwatched.

Konrad’shorseturned,andsodidthoseofhisopponents.Theythunderedbacktowardshim,onestillarmedwithanaxe,theothernowbearingasword.Thistime,theyslowed,asdidKonrad.Theyattackedfrombothsides,buthedidnottrytoescape.Heusedtheshieldtodefendhimselfagainsttheaxe.Itwasaheavierweapon,moreunwieldy,andfewerblowscouldbestruckthanwithasword.

Konrad’sownswordmetthatofhisotherenemy,sparksflying.Again,thebladesclashed,thenagain.Butthenexttime,Konraddrewbackatthelastmoment,andhisfoe’sweaponflashedpasthim.Konradlungedforward,andthemetalplungedintothesoftfleshofhisopponent’sside,throughthegapbetweenbreastplateandbackplate.Thebladepassedcompletelythroughhisbody.WhenKonradwithdrewit,hisenemyslumpedforward,thendroppedfromthesaddle.

BythenKonradhadfocusedhisattentionuponhissecondassailant.Hetookanotheraxeblowonhisshield, thendroppedhisguard.Theknight’sarmwas raised fora repeatedassault,andKonradsimplythrustouthissword,thebladeenteringthethroatimmediatelybelowthehelmet.Hesawedhisweapontoleftandtoright.Thehelmettoppledtotheground,andthewarrior ’sheadwaswithin.

Theriderremaineduprightinthesaddle,andforamomentKonradthoughtthattheduelwasnotyetover.Hehadfoughtapparentlydeadopponentsmanyatimepreviously.Thentheaxedropped,sodidtheshield,andfinallytheheadlesscorpsetumbledtotheearth.

KonradsawKastringreachforhiswarlance,itsserratedbladedecoratedwithvarioustalismans,bleachedbonesandplaitsofhair.Konradsheathedhisswordandunfastenedhisownlance.

Theyrode towardseachother, theirhorsescanteringas theriders lowered theirweapons,andthen the animalsbroke into agallop.Watchingover the topofhis shield,Konrad staredalong thelengthofhislanceasthegapbetweenhimselfandhisimplacableenemynarrowed.

Itwasoverinamoment.Konrad’sbronzeshielddeflectedthespearpoint,whilehisownlancepenetratedKastring’schest,impalinghim.Kastringflewbackwards,skeweredontheendofthelancelikeasheepuponaspit.Heslidoffandfelltotheground.Konradrodetowardshimandgazeddown.

“Whoareyou?”Kastringgasped, staringupathisconqueror.Bloodbubbled fromhismouthandflowedfromthegapingwoundinhischest.Hewasstilldefiant,stillproudandarrogant.Evenhisdeathwaslikeavictory.Hehadlivedforcombat,andthiswasthewayhehadchosentodie,hisownbloodafinalofferingtoKhorne.KonradwishedthathecouldhavehumiliatedKastring,awardedhimadishonourableanddegradingdeath.

Heremainedsilent,watchingasKastringreachedforhissword,hishandmovingwithagonizingslowness.Butbeforehisfingerscouldtouchthesnakehilt,hishandslippedbackandhewasdead.

Konradexperiencednoneofthetriumphheshouldhaveenjoyedwithvictoryandtheconquestofhisenemy.Hehadfeltasurgeofwarmthwheneachofthethreeknightshadfallenvictimtohisweapons,ashadalsohappenedwiththedeathofeachmutant,butthatwasall.

Hereplacedhisshieldandlance,thenreacheduptoraisehisvisor.Itwouldnotmove;itmusthavejammedsomehow.Hestruggledtopushitup,buttonoavail.Heusedtheheelofhisgauntlet,hittingtheunderneathofthevisorwithhishand.Neitherdidthatsucceed.

Heneededmoreforce,herealized.Thepommelofhisswordshouldservehispurpose.Hetookholdof thehilt todrawthebladeandattempted topull it fromthescabbard.Nothinghappened.Hemusthavesheathed itwrongly,atanangle,and ithadbecomewedged.Heseized thehiltwithbothhandsandtuggedashardashecould,buthewasunabletoreleaseit.

Onceagain,he tried tofreehisvisor,but itwasstill firmlystuck.Whenhebegan toundohishelmetattheshoulder,thefasteningswouldnotcomeloose.

His endeavourswould be less difficult if hewere on the ground, he decided.He attempted toclimbdownfromhishorse,butdiscoveredthatwasalsoimpossible…

He could move his leg a fraction, but could not move the armour itself. It seemed to havebecomeapartofthearmourofhismount.

Man,horse,armour,theywereasone.

Hewasthebronzehorseman.Hewasbronze;hewashorse;hewasman.The horse took him where he needed to go, and the armour provided him with all the

nourishmentherequired.Thearmourfedonlife,andthelifeforcefedhim.Itwashisfunctiontofindthelivesnecessarytosustainhisarmour,hishorse,himself—findthe

livesandthentakethem.Hewasaprisonerwithin thebronzesuit,but thesuitand itsmountneededhim toachieve the

deathswhichtheyrequiredforsurvival.Atsuchtimestheswordwouldbereleasedfromitsscabbard,sothatitmightfulfilitsfunctionofslaying.

Evenyethepossessedsomevestigialtraceofindependence.Hedidnothavetoslaughter,tosteallives.But ifhedidnotdo so, then thearmourwould feedoffhisown life,drainingawayanotherpieceofhishumanity.Hecouldfeelthebronzebecomingpartofhim,himselfbecomingpartofthebronze.Thiswaswhathadhappenedtothehorse;animalandarmourweretotallyasone.

Andthiswaswhatmusthavehappenedtothepreviouswearerofthesuit.Thearmourhadfinallysuckedhimdry,thenfallenaparttoawaitthenextvictimwhowouldstepintothepanoply.

Hewasthewarriorinbronze.

CHAPTERSEVEN

The bronze knight rode on, killingwhenever hemust, because thatwas the onlyway inwhich hecouldsurvive.

Hewasawarrior,however,andheonlykilledincombat.Butinaworldofwarandbattle,alandofarmiesandsoldiers,therewasneverashortageofvictims.

Manyatrooperfelltohissword;manyahorsemandiedontheendofhislance.Andthentherewereall theotherswhoalsosacrificedtheir livestohim,theoneswhodidnot

belongtoanytruemilitaryforce,thebestialcreatureswhosawhimasnomorethananotherenemytobeslaughtered.Instead,itwastheywhowereslain.

Therewasnoconsciousnessinvolvedinanyofthiskilling.Itwassimplyhisfunction,whathedid,allhedid.Hewastheperfectdeath-dealingmachine.

Hesawanenemy.Hefoughttheenemy.Thatenemydied.Theriderwasinvincible,invulnerable,andeveryvictorygrantedhimfurtherpowertocontinue

hiscrusadeagainstlife-bothhumanandinhuman.Thedayspassedby,daysandnightswithoutnumber;andwitheachofthemwerethemiles,the

milesbeyondcounting.Andonrodetheknightinbronze.

***

Deepwithin,hewasawareofthepain.Hefeltnorealpain,notassuch,becausemachineswereimmunetothesufferingsthataffected

livingcreatures.Butheenduredadifferentkindofagony,whichmeantthattheshellwhichheldhisinnerbeingcaptivehaddecideditwasagainthetimetoslay.

Heneededtokillsoon,orhewouldloseanotherpartofhimselftohiscaptor.Iftherewerenoalternativesourceofnourishment,hewouldreplacethenextvictim—yethisowndeathwouldtakealmostforever.

Hemustfindrelieffromthatburden.Hemustkill.Beyond thenarrowslits inhisvisor, thedarknesswas fading. Itwas thebeginningofanother

periodoflight,thetimewhenmenandnon-menwalkedtheworld,thetimeforfighting,thetimeforkilling,thetimefordeath.

Andthere,aheadofhim,stoodhisvictim.Thiswasthewayithadbeensofrequently.Hedidnotneedtosearchforanadversary,because

theysoughthimout,issuingtheirchallengestoarms.Hepaidnomoreattentiontothesilverfigurethanhedidtoanyoftheothers,tooknoheedofhiswords.

Aftersolong,theywereallthesame.Whatwas less thanusual about thisonewas that, althougharmoured likeaknight,hewason

foot.Hestoodinagladebetweentworowsoftrees,hisswordinonehand,ahugeovalshieldintheother.Thebronzewarrioralsodrewhissword.Hishorsebegantocanterforward,pickingupspeedasitapproachedhisnewopponent.

Buthalfwaytotheswordsman,theanimalsuddenlyjerkedbackandsloweditspace.Ithadneverdone this previously; somethingwas evidentlywrong.The horse soongatheredmomentumagain,although its legs seemed uncoordinated. The rider was thrown about in the saddle as his mountlurchedforward.Hegrippedthereinsfirmly,tryingtocontrolthesteedwithhisbodyandhislegs.Hehadneverneededtodothisbefore.

Thearmouredshapeaheadstoodinexactlythesamepositionasithad.Itneitherraiseditsswordinoffencenoritsshieldindefence.

Riderandhorsemovedevercloser,but thehorsewasagain losingspeed,andeachof its legsseemedoutofstepwith theothers. Itkeptveeringawayfromthe target,beforepullingback in thecorrectdirection.

Asingleblowwasallthatwouldbeneededtofellthemotionlessfigure,andthewarriorraisedhissword—orattemptedto…

Hisarmrefused toobey thecommand.Hecould feelhismusclesstraining,but thearmour inwhichhisarmwastrappedwouldnotmove.Ithadlockedrigid.Then,abruptly,thehorsecollapsedbeneathhimandhewasthrownfromtheanimal.

Helandedinaheapatthefeetoftheunmountedknight.Hewasunabletoturnhishelmet,andhisvisionwasrestrictedtoanarrowanglewhichencompassedpartoftheskyandhisfallenhorseafewyardsaway.

Onlythendidherealizethathewasfreeoftheanimal.Hehadbeenseparatedfromitforthefirsttimesince…hecouldnotremember.

Therewasverylittlethathecouldremember.Itseemedthatheandthehorseandtheircombinedarmourhadbeenunitedforallofhis life.Hewasdimlyawareofapreviousexistence, thathehadoncelivedanindependentlife,buthewasunabletorecallanyofit.

He sawvariousmovementsbetweenhimself and themotionlesshorse, a fewsmall andbroadfiguresexamininghimandtheanimal.Men, likehehadoncebeen.No,herealized,promptedbyadistantmemory—dwarfs.Thecreaturesweredwarfs.Hecouldseefourofthem.

Heheard their excitedvoices andgruff laughter as theycongratulatedoneanother.What theysaidwascompletelymeaningless,untilhesuddenlyrecognizedaword,andthenanother.Theywerespeaking in their own tongue,whichwaswhy he had not comprehended at first. But he had onceunderstoodsomeDwarvish,heremembered—oralmostremembered.

“IsitnotexactlyasIpredicted?”saidanothervoice.Thisheunderstoodcompletely.Itwasahumanvoice,usingthelanguagethathadoncebeenhis

own,buthewasunabletoseewhowastalking.“Allmycontemporariesrefusetomoveawayfromtheirlibraries,togetoutintotherealworld.

They are content to repeatwhat has been done for centuries.Where is the future in that?Ha!Thefuture!Theyarethepast,thisisthefuture.Iamthefuture!”

Thespeakerfinallysteppedslowlyintoview.Itwasthearmouredfigure.“Helpme offwith this ridiculous outfit,” he ordered, and two of the dwarfs assistedwith the

removalofhissilverarmour.Theoutfitwas far too large for themanandhadmagnifiedhisheightconsiderably.Hecould

havebeennomorethanaveragesize,yetseemedmuchtallerinthecompanyofthefourdwarfs.Hishairwasblack,streakedwithsilver,andhungalmosttohiswaist;hisbeardwasequallyaslong.

The dwarfs were also bearded and long-haired, although their colours were ginger and redinstead of grey and black. They seemed like squashed versions of the human. Their bodies werestocky,theirlimbsthickandshort,theirfingerswerestubby,theirnosesflattenedandeyesdeep-set.Theyworethickgarmentscrisscrossedbybeltsandstrapsfromwhichhungtheirweaponsandtools.

Their human leader gazed down at the fallen knight, and all the rider could do was starehelplesslyup.Hewishedhisownarmourcouldbeshedaseasily.Thebronzeheldhimtrapped.Hewas locked in the smallest possible prison, one exactly the size of his body, andhe still couldnotmoveevenafractionofaninch.

“Nowletmeseewhatisinsidehere,”thehumansaid,andheturnedtowardsthefallenhorse.“Yousurethisissafe,boss?”askedoneofthedwarfs.“Safe?Whatissafe?Youwanttobesafe,yougetanotherjob.Everythingisarisk,andsowe

mustriskeverything.”“We’vecomethisfar,Ustnar,”saidoneoftheotherdwarfs.“There’snogoingbacknow.”“Yeah,”agreedathird.“What’sonemorebitofwarpstonetous?”Helaughedandmovedcloser

tothearmouredhorse,pullinghisheavyglovesonevenmoresecurelyandreachingforthecrowbarthathungfromhisbelt.

Thefourthproducedahammerandchiselandalsowalkeduptothefallenbeast.Theybegantoworkonthebronze,prisingapartthearmourplates.Theothertwojoinedthem,hackingandprobingatthemetal.

Alltheridercoulddowaswatchasthebronzewasslowlyliftedawayfromtheanimal.Hecouldnotseetooclearlyatfirst,becausethedwarfsobstructedhisview.Finallytheymovedaside,andhegazedatwhathehadbeenriding.

Itwasaskeleton.Therewasnothingleftofthehorseexceptitswhitenedbones.Exposedtothesunlight,theskeletoncrumbledinunderaminute,thebonesturningtodust.

“Howlongtillthathappenstous,boss?”askedtheonecalledUstnar.“Thesoonerithappenstoyou,”saidanotherofthedwarfs,“thebetter!”Ustnarraisedhishammerangrily,thenventedhisragebykickingattheremainsofthebones.A

cloudofwhitedustflewupfromhisboot.“That’showwe’llallendup,Isuppose,”hesaid.“It’sjustthatI’minnoparticularhurry.”“The rider will be the same,” said the human. “Get the armour off the bones, collect all my

apparatus,thenwecanloadeverythingintothewagonandbeawayfromhere.”Oneof thedwarfs came towardshim,knelt downand inserted the endof a chisel beneath the

edgeofthehelmet.Thatwasexactlythewaytokillanarmouredknight,heremembered;hehaddoneitsooften.Achiseloradagger,theeffectwouldbethesame.Hewoulddie.

Again,hetriedtomove,triedtospeak,triedtomakesomesignalthathewasstillalive,capturedwithinthebronze.Butwhatdifferencewouldthatmake?Eveniftheyknewhewasalive,theywouldkillhim.

Thedwarfraisedthehammertostrike—thenpaused.Heloweredthetoolandleanedclosetothevisor,hiseyesmeetingthosewithinthehelmet.Hefrowned,removedthechisel.“Heyboss,Ithinkyoushouldtakealook.”

“Atwhat?”“Ithinkhe’sstillaliveinhere.Icanseehiseyes.”Anotherheadleaneddown,thatof thehuman.Hewasasthicklybeardedasthedwarfs,buthis

nosewasaquilineinsteadofflared.Hispaleeyesstudiedthosebelow.“Ithinkyoumaybecorrect,”hesaid,afterafewseconds.“Let’ssee.”TheburlyfigureofUstnarshoulderedtheotherdwarfaway,andhestareddown.“Ican’tseeanything.”“Eyes,”saidthehuman.“Thereareeyes.Ifyoucanunderstandme,closeyoureyes.”

Heshuthiseyes.“Openthem.”Hedidso.“Thatprovesnothing,”saidUstnar.“Whateverisinthere,itisn’talive.It’saChaoscreature.We

shoulddestroyit.”“Itcannotdoanyharmatpresent,”saidthehuman.“IwonderifIcangetitoutofthere?”“No,boss!We’vegottoplaysafe.Whateveritis,killit!”Ustnar raised his hammer over the helmet, but the human pushed him away and continued

lookingintothevisor.“This is interesting,” he said, as if to himself, “very interesting. Yes, I think I shall take this

specimenbackwithus.”Hesmiledwithsatisfaction,althoughitwasalmosthiddenbehindhisthickbeard.“Whatachallenge!Putitinthewagon.”

“Boss!”protestedUstnar.“Doit!”“Won’tthesuitdissolvehimbeforewegetbacktoMiddenheim?”askedthedwarfwhohadfirst

seentheimprisonedeyes.“Idonotthinkso.Itisinertnow.Whateverthecircumstancesofthatunfortunatewithin,theywill

notdeterioratebeforewereturn.Unless,ofcourse,hediesbeforethen.”“Wecan’tgotakingChaosinfectionbacktoMiddenheim,”Ustnarprotested.“Whynot?”“Er…we’llbecaught.We’llnevergetpastthewatch.”“Ustnar,webothknowthatyoudwarfscangetinandoutofthecityanytimeyouwish.Ifyou

won’trevealyoursecrettunnelstome,thenatleastyoucantakemynewspecimeninwithyou.”“It’sthecarnivalnextweek,boss,”theotherdwarfsaid,quickly.“Whatisthattodowithanything?”saidthehuman.“Thefestivalisintheautumnthisyear,boss.Onlyafewdaysaway.Thousandsofpeoplewillbe

arriving.Wecaneasysmugglethisthinginamongstthecrowds,couldpretendhe’salreadydressedforthemasqueradeifwewant.”

Thehumannoddedthoughtfully, thenwithmoreemphasisashecametoadecision.“Fetchthewagon.Dismantleallmyequipment.”Heleaneddownandstaredinthroughthevisor,hiseyesonlyaninchfromthemetal.“Youblinkedaminuteago,althoughthatmayhavebeenofnosignificance.Itismyintention,however,totryandgetyououtofthere.Thisnotthroughanyaltruismonmypart,Iassureyou.IhavemyownmotivesforwhatIplantodo.Doyouunderstand?”

Heclosedhiseyes,thenopenedthemagain.

Hewasstillaprisonerwithinthebronzearmour; thatmuchhadnotchanged.Forseveraldaysandnightshelayatthebottomofawagon,completelyunabletomove—andhewasinpain.

Thiswasnotthekindofpainhehadenduredforsolong,anawarenessofbeinghurt,ofbeingsubtlydevouredbythearmourthatenvelopedhim.Thebronzemayhavebecomelifelessmetal,butnowhewasintorment,realagony.Hisskinburnedwhereveritwasincontactwiththearmour,whichwas everywhere. He was in total contact, totally aflame. There was no release from the torture,because the armour still held him absolutely immobile, unable tomove amuscle, unable even toscream.

Therewasnocessation,evenforsleep.Heneverslept;hispunishmentwouldnotpermitit.Norwasthereanyhopeoffinaloblivion,becausehiscaptorsseemeddeterminedtokeephimalive.He

wasstilltrappedwithinthesameprison,althoughhehadexchangedonejailerforanother—andtheresultwasinfinitelyworse.

Heburnedforeverineternal,infernalpain.Whileheburnedwithinthearmour,heshiveredandtrembled.Itwastheonlymovementhecould

make.Therewasthelight,thedarkness,thedays,thenights,thetimeswhenthewagonwasmovingand

thetimeswhenitwasnot.Therewerethevoicesofthehumanandthedwarfs.Hetriedtoconcentrateonwhatwassaidin

ordertomaintainhissanity,buthewassoondistractedbytheagonywhichwashisentirebeing.Afteracentury,theypulledhimuprightandsathimatthefrontofthewagon,nexttothedwarf

whohadfirstnoticedhiseyes.Twooftheotherslaughedandjokedastheybenthishipsandkneestomakehimsitupright;onedidnot.

“Thisisn’tgoingtowork,boss.”“Ignorehim,”thedwarfbyhissidesaid.“He’sonlyhappywhenhe’scomplaining.Givehima

purseofgold,atankardofale,abeautifulmaiden,andUstnar ’sthemostmiserablebastardthissideoftheWorld’sEdgeMountains!”

Heandthedwarfrodeinthewagon,theotherfourwereonhorseback.Forthepastaeons,allhehadseenwasthesky.NowhewassittingupforthelastpartofthejourneytoMiddenheim.

Ahead,hesawthetoweringpinnacleofrockuponwhichthesecondlargestcityoftheEmpirehadbeenbuilt—andhewonderedhowheknewitwasthesecondlargestcity,howheknewabouttheEmpire.A lifetimeago someonehad spoken tohimaboutMiddenheim,he recalled, someonewhohadvisitedthecityofthewhitewolf.Wolf?Thatseemedfamiliar,butwhatwolf…?

Thepeakloomedhighabovethesurroundingforests,andeventhroughthetearswhichforeverburnedhiseyeshecouldmakeoutdistantbuildingscarvedfromthehostilerock.Farahead,theroadtwistedandturnedasitwounditswayuptotheloomingcity,borneuponaseriesofstonebridges,anelaborateviaduct.

“Webuiltthat,”saidthedwarf.“Well,notusexactly.Ourancestors.Myancestors.Couldn’tgetanyhumanstoconstructanythingthatwouldlastaslongasthat,huh?Thehumansreckontheyfoundthis place; but they would, wouldn’t they? The mountain was called Fauschlag— ‘Fist-strike’—althoughofcoursewehadourownnameforthepinnacle.I’mnotboringyou,amI?Justtellmetoshutupifyouwant.”Heturnedhisheadandgrinned,thenhissmileturnedtoafrown.

“IhopeLitzenreichknowswhathe’sdoing,”hecontinued,hisvoicelow.“Orelsewe’llallbeinthe shit.Andnot justus, I suppose. Iwish Ihadn’tmentioned thecarnival,but I supposehe’dhavepersuaded us to get you into the city anotherwayYou know about theMiddenheim carnival?Youmustdo,everyoneintheworldknowsaboutthecarnival!”

“Can’tyoueverstoptalking,Varsung?”saidUstnar.“Ifheisn’talreadydeadinthere,you’lltalkhimtodeath.”

“It’snicetohaveacivilizedconversationwithsomeonewhodoesn’tkeepcomplaining.”Ustnar returned to the rear of the wagon, where the other dwarfs rode. The human called

Litzenreichledtheway,whileVarsungdrovethevehicleandkeptontalkingtothesilentarmouredfigurebyhisside.

Thetwohorsespulledthewagonupthelongwindingviaducttowardsthecity.Therewasplentyof trafficon the road,wagonsandcoaches,peopleonhorseback, farmoreon foot,and theirpaceslowedand finallyhaltedas theyneared thegates.Ahead,guardscheckedeveryonewhowished togainadmittancetoMiddenheim.

Finally,Litzenreichreachedtheheadofthequeue.Varsunghaltedthewagonbehindhim,inthe

shadow of the high city walls. There were two guards. One was waving traffic out through themassivegates.Theothercasthiseyeidlyoverthewagon,staredatthearmouredfiguresittingbythedriver,thenglancedattheriderssurroundingthevehicle.

“Whereyouallfrom?”heasked.“Middenheim.IamLitzenreich.Thesefellowsareinmyemploy.”The guard nodded. “I recognize all of you,” he said. “Except him in the fancy suit.Who’s in

there?Why’shehidingaway?”“Who?”askedLitzenreich.“Him.Theoneinarmour.”“Thereisnooneinarmour.Onlyyou.”The guard looked puzzled. He closed his eyes for a moment, opened them, shook his head

rapidly,andstaredatthebronzefigure.“I’vebeenondutytoolong,”hemuttered.Hegesturedforthegrouptoproceed,andtheyenteredthecityofthewhitewolf.

“Niceone,boss,”remarkedVarsung.“Itwasnothing,”saidthehuman.“Ihopethatnoonefromtheguildseeswhatwehavehere.Pull

inassoonasyoucanfindaquietalley,andthenwecanhidemyguest.”“Homeatlast,”Ustnarsaid.“I’llbegladtogetoffthisbloodyhorse.Neverthoughtwe’dmake

it.”“Youneverdo,”Varsungreplied.“Isometimesthinkyou’dbehappierifwedidn’tgetback.”“Watchit,youlittle—”“Little!Who’stalking,shorty?”“Stoparguing,”commandedLitzenreich.“Weallhaveworktodo.Thisisonlythebeginning.”Thewagonturnedintoanarrowentranceandhalted.Theprisonerwithinthearmourfelthimself

beingmoved to the back of the vehicle, then everything became dark. Thewagon began tomoveagain,itsiron-rimmedwheelsrattlingoverthecobbles.

Afteraperiodoftime,allmotionceased.Hewaspickedupandcarriedoutfromthevehicle.Itstayeddark;heremainedcompletelycovered,maskedfromtheviewofthepeopleofMiddenheim.

Heheardbootsonsteps,muchcursingandarguing,doorsbeingopened,thenshut,theechoingoffootstepsalongnarrowpassagesandstairways,moredoorsopeningandclosing,andfinallytherewas stillness again. Stillness and then light, narrow bands of illumination shining in through thehelmet.Hewaslyingonhisback,staringatadistantdirtyceiling.

Hewasstillafire,hadnotyetbeentotallyconsumedbytheflameswhichseemedtoengulfhisentirebeing;andhewasstilltrembling,frozenbytheicewhichheldhiminitsmercilessgrip.

Afaceloomedabovehim,thatofLitzenreich.Hepeeredinthroughthevisor.“Blinkyoureyes.”Hedidso.Thatwasalmosttheonlymovementhecouldmake,openingandclosinghiseyelids;

thatandmovinghiseyestoeitherside.“Anything,boss?”“Icannottell.Itistoodark.Passmealanternandamirror.”Bright lightwas reflectedwithin,andheblinked,andkeptonblinking to let themanknowhe

wasstillthere,stillalive,stillaprisoner.Hethoughthesawhisowneyesgazingbackathimfromthemirror, and that almost remindedhimof something.He tried to grasp thememory, but itwas tooelusiveandwasgone.

“Yes.Heisinthere.”“It,boss,that’swhatyoumean.”Ustnarleanedoverthehelmet.“Andifwedogetitoutofthere,

thenwhat?We’llonlyhavetokillit.Mightaswelldothatnow,boss,saveusallalotoftroublelater.”“This is going to take a lot of warpstone,” said Litzenreich, ignoring the dwarf. They both

movedoutofsight.“Iwillneedallthestuffwebroughtbackwithus.”“Allofit,boss?”“Don’tworry,Ustnar,”saidVarsung.“Wecanalwaysgetmorefromourregularsuppliers.”Theotherdwarfslaughed,butUstnardidnot.“Towork,”orderedLitzenreich.“Towork!”Heheardthehumanandthefourdwarfsmovingaroundthechamber,heardthesoundofmetal

being sharpened, smelled the charcoal as a firewas lit, listened as they spoke in lower voices, asthoughafraidofbeingoverheard.Hetriedhardtoconcentrateoneverythingthatwashappening,todrawhisattentionawayfromtheeternalagonieswhichtorehimapart.

Some of his senses were still active, he realized, as the time slowly passed by. He had notconsideredthisuntilnow.Hecouldseeandhearandsmell.Thesuitofarmourhadnotbeenabletodestroyhimtotally.Andhecouldthink.

A fewwordswere spoken in theDwarven language, andhewonderedwhyheunderstood thewords.Hehadknowndwarfsinthepast,oneinparticular.Butwho?Whatwassosignificantaboutmirrors?

Hehadalmostseenhimselfreflectedintheglassheldabovethevisor.Himself?“As I saidpreviously, I intend to freeyou from theChaosarmour inwhichyouare trapped,”

Litzenreichtoldhim,gazingdown.Chaos? Another word which seemed familiar, yet whose meaning he could not begin to

comprehend.“If therewere anyway that I could administer some kind of soporific in order to ease your

inevitable torment, then Iwould.But that seems impossible. I shouldwarnyou that thisexperimentwillhurtyoumorethanithurtsme.”Hesmiledandthenleanedaway.“Letusproceed.”

A strange odour had been assailing his nostrils, a smell that he did not recognize. He sawshadowsontheceiling,theoutlinesoftheoccupantsintheroomastheymovedaroundhim.Heheardscraping sounds as somethingwas dragged close towhere he lay, and the illumination seemed todecrease slightly.He had been enclosed in someway, but itwas beyond the limit of his restrictedvision.

Therewasmore noise, andhe saw a hugemetal device being lowered towards him from thearchedroof.Itappearedtobesomekindofinsect,madeofmetal.Itwasheldbyaseriesofchainsandropes,andvariousleversjuttedoutfromitsloweredges.Theylookedlikemetallicclaws,andtheycametorestafewinchesabovehim.

Thedwarfsbegan insertingaseriesof rods into thesideof thestrangedevice,andwith thesetheywereabletomaketheartificialclawsmove:theleversbendinglikearms,theclawsopeningandclosinglikefingers.Thethingwaslikeaspider,eight-legged,suspendedinawebofchains.

Wheneverythingappearedtobeworkingtotheirsatisfaction,therewasarattlingofchainsandthesteelspiderglidedtoonesideandvanished.

HeheardLitzenreichgivinghiscommandstothedwarfs,andafterawhilethespiderreturned.Ineachmetalclawitheldaglowinginstrument;therewasahammerandasaw,achiselandaknife,apairofpincersandaturnscrew,andtwocontraptionshedidnotrecognize.Theyglowedwithheat,butwithfarmorethanthat.Attheveryepicentreofeachdevicewasapointofabsoluteblackness,atotaldarknesswhichseemedtoabsorballlightwithinitsimmediatevicinity.

Theyplannedtoopenhimupwiththisequipment.No,nothim—thebronzearmour.

Buthewasthebronzearmour…He gazedwith terror as the spiderwas lowered even closer towards him, and itsmetal arms

begantomove,eachofthembearinganimplementwhichwasdirectedatthearmourinwhichhewasheldcaptive.Theystartedtoworktheirwayintohismetal,hisflesh,peelingbackthebronze,flayingawayhisskin.

Hehadbelievedhewas inpainearlier,but thathadbeenasnothing incomparison towhathenowexperienced.Hewasoverwhelmedwithabsoluteagony, therefinedessenceof torment.Allhecoulddowassqueezehiseyesshut,sothathedidnothavetowitnesshisownlivingautopsyButevenwith his eyes closed and flooded with tears of poison, he could not dim the brilliance of themechanicalinsectrippingitswayintohisbody.

Forthefirsttimeinages,hemanagedtoutterasound,acryofinfinitetorture.Andheheardadistantvoicesay:“He’sdead,boss.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

Hewasfreeofthesuit.More:hewasfreeofhisbody…Hefelthimselfrisingup.Butwhowashe?Whatwashe?Hewasmorethanabody,becausethatwasthepartofhimselfwhichhehadleft

behind.Hisessencefloatedawayfromhisphysicalform.Hehadnoeyesbuthecouldsee.Andwhathesawwashimself,thehumanshapewithinthearmour.

He seemed to be hovering at ceiling height, and the metal spider should have obscured hisvision,yethiseyelessgazecouldfocusthroughthedevice.

Afewpiecesofbronzehadbeentornawaytorevealthefleshbeneath—hisflesh.Orwhathadbeenhisflesh…

What lay belowwas but a corpse, a lifeless corpse. It was still almost entirely covered witharmour,buthecouldseethroughthebronze,seetheemaciatedbodybeneath.

Itwascoveredwithawebofred;thearterieswereclearlyvisiblethroughthetranslucentskin.A shield of metal encircled the figure, behind which the four dwarfs and the one human

sheltered.Thehumanwascladinsilverarmour;thedwarfsworehelmetsandmailedgauntlets.Itwasthedwarfswhooperatedtheleverswhichcontrolledthespider ’sclaws,manipulatingthe

implements theyheld.Theycouldonlyobservewhat theyweredoing indirectly,by looking intoaseriesofmirrorsthattoppedthemetalbarrier.

Theglowingcontraptionswiththeheartsofdarknesscontinuedremovingthebronzefromthefigure.

Butthefigurewasdead.Hewasdead.Hefeltnopain,notanymore.Hefeltnothing,becausehenolongerhadanyphysicalsenses.

Instead,hissenseswerefarmorethanmerelyphysical.Hewasnotrestrictedtowhathishumanbodycouldperceive.

Hisbodywasdead,buthewasnot.Hewasmorethanhisbody,somuchmore.His essence survived, and that was the infinitely greater part of him. It was the part that had

existedbeforehewasborn,thenbeentrappedatbirth—justashisphysicalbodyhadbeentrappedbythebronzearmour.

Now his body was free, although it was too late: his liberation had finally killed his mortalembodiment.

Butithadalsofreedhissoul.Hegazeddownatwhathadbeenanelementofhimforsolong,thefleshandbonesinwhichhe

hadinhabitedthematerialworld.Hehadabandonedhisbodywithoutregret,aseasilyashehadoncecastoffunwantedclothes.

Therewasnolongeranyconnectionbetweenhistemporaryhumanformandhistruesubstance.Hemoved on up, higher, passing easily through the arched ceiling, higher, through the solid

rock,higher, throughthebuildingsabove,higher, throughtheroofsandatticsandraftersandtiles,higher,thenoutintotheair,higher.

Middenheimlaybelow,acityhewnfromtheverymountainside.Itwaslikeatoyfortress.Roads

andvillages,riversandforests,allwerelaidoutlikealivingmap.Farbelow,hecouldseehundreds,thousandsoftinypointsofmovement.Theywerepeople,as

hehadoncebeen.And,ashehadoncebeen,theywereofnoconsequence.With the escape from his body, his memories had also been released. He remembered. He

rememberedWolf.ItwasWolfwhohadfirstspokenofMiddenheim;andherecalleditwasadwarfwhohadtaught

himtofightwithanaxe,fromwhomhehadlearnedsomeoftheirancientlanguage.And he rememberedKrysten.Thatwaswhy he had pursued themalevolent armieswhich had

destroyedthemineandannihilatedalmosteveryonewithin;hehadbeensearchingforthegirl.Fromhisvantagepoint,withallhisrestoredandheightenedsenses,hecouldhaveeffortlessly

locatedKrysten—ifshewerestillalive.Whatofit?Hehadmemoriesofthegirl,buttheywerenothismemories,notanymore.Hehad

othermemories,truememoriesofthespiritworld.Andthatwaswherehebelongednow.Finallyfreefromhisearthlybonds,hecontinuedtoascend,risingfasterandfaster.Hewatchedthelandscaperecedebelow,sawthewholeoftheEmpirefarbeneath.Hecouldeven

identify thedesolatesiteof thevillagewherehehadspentmostofhishumanlife.But itwasofnosignificance,notnow.

He sawKislev, its northern frontiermarkedby the unnatural hybrid colourswhere theChaosWastesbegan.

The Sea of Claws, theMiddle Sea, the GreatWestern Ocean, the Southern Sea, the blue thatborderedthegreenandbrownoftheOldWorldonthreesides,hesawitall,allandmore,includingthelandswhichdidnotappearonanymap,orwhichhadbeeninaccuratelymeasuredorlocatedbycartographerswhoreliedonlyonthelegendsoftravellers.

Higher,higher,over themostdistantofdistant lands,over fabledcontinents,over islands thathadneverbeennamed,hadneverbeendiscovered,overunknownseasandlostoceans.

Theywereasnothing.Thewholeworld,thatlowlysphere,itwasagrainofsand.Hearosebeyondtheplanetanditstwospecksofdust, thetinymoonswhichrevolvedaboutit.

Furtherthanthesun,itselfnothingmorethanasparkofflame.Further,faster,higher,deeper,pastmoreinsignificantpointsoflight,moresuns,infinitesimally

small,infiniteinnumber.Into theheartof theuniverse—and thenbeyond,beyondalldistance,beyondall time,untila

billionstarsbecameasone,thenfadedandvanished.Hewasaloneintheabsolutevoid,lostinaneternityofsolitude.Withoutanyreferenceintheultimatedarkness,heallowedhimselftofloatforever,adriftinthe

endlessspectralcosmos.Buthediscoveredtherecouldbenototalnothingness.Beyondforever,furtherthantheinfinite,

hefoundhimselfremorselesslydrawntowardshisownkind,tohistruegenesis.Totheoceanofminds,theseaofsouls…A glint of light, coming closer, closer, growing, expanding, resolving into individual stars.

Anothergalaxy,auniverseofthedead.Except theywere not stars, not incandescent infernos. Theywere spirits, the true essences of

existence.Heretheydwelled,beingswithoutbeing.

Hehadbeenherepreviously,herecalled;manytimes,timeswithoutnumber.Hisperiodsofimprisonmentwithinamaterialbodywereasnothingcomparedtothedurationof

hisinhabitationofadimensionwithoutmatter,perpetuitywithoutlimit.Yetthiswasnotaplaceofpeace,ofrest.Peaceandstasiswereimpossible.Thatcouldonlymean

entropyandabsolutedecay,thetotalabsenceofanything—ofeverything.Andtherecouldbenoultimatevacuum.Beyondnothing,therewasalwaysmore.Likethephysical lifewherehehadbeenentrapped,herewasconflictandconflagration.Some

spiritswere easily overwhelmed and annihilated, others formed alliances to combat their enemies,andindoingsotheycreatedthoseenemies.

Thefirmamentseethedandbubbled,wasforeverrestless.Therewerewinnersandlosers,almostasifnon-existencewereareflectionofthetangibleworldwherelifeheldsomanyspiritsashostage.

Likesoughtoutlike,andbecameabsorbedintoagreaterwhole,powerfulandopposingforcesofsingulardetermination.Eachofthesewastotallyantagonistictoeveryothersuchgrouping.

He did not belong within any of the greater entities, yet he was not totally independent, notanymore.Onlywithunitycamestrengthtodefeatthenegativeforces.

Hefoundhimselfbeingdrawntowardsoneofthesmalleressentialforms.Feelingthewarmthofattractionashegrewnearerthepower,hespedtowardsthetrueheartofhisdesire.Thenstopped!

Andsuddenlyhewasmovingbackwards,beingpulledawayagainsthiswill,tornfromhistruedestiny. He fought and struggled, but to no avail. Slowly at first, remorselessly, he was draggedacrosstheinfinite,backthewayhehadcome.

His speed increased, accelerating ever faster; and in the blink of an eyeless eye, the omneitywhichhadbeenhisfulfilmenthadvanished.

He was torn away with far more urgency, across the desolate interstices of the dimensionalmatrix.

Therewasspeedwithoutdistance,withouttemporalrestriction,withoutillumination.Until — there was light. The flickering stars rushed towards him, engulfing him, impelling

onwardswithevergreaterspeed.Finally, he noticed that hewas focused directly on one star, oneworld. Then he realized the

awfultruthwhichhehadbeentryingtoavoid…Itwastheworldwherehehadlivedsorecently.Hehadbeengoneforaeons,aninfinityevenincosmicterms,atimeduringwhichgalaxieshad

expired,beenbornagain.Heremembered,remembereditall.Hislife,hisdeath.Andeverythinginbetween.Trappedinsidethesuitofbronzearmour,thatwashowhehadsufferedhisdeath.Suffered…Materiallifemeantsuffering.Frombirthtodeath,therewasonlypainandagony.Heremembered.Therewouldbebutafewyearsoflife—ameremomentassuchmatterswere

measuredonthetruescale-andyetitsendurancewouldseemeternal.Heremembered.Borninavillageamidstaforest,growingup,learningtouseabowashisfirst

weapon. Then the raid on the village. He had departed earlier and thus escaped death, but Evaneremained.Whenhereturned,everythinghadbeendestroyedbythegoblins.Hefoundhisfirstlove,ormostofher:

theinvadershadstolentheheadfromhercorpse.Heremembered,remembered.Downhesped,hauledbackbytheinvisiblelifelinethathewishedhecouldsever,butwhichhe

couldnotresist.Back,back,awayfromthelibertyoftheethereal,backintotheprisonofflesh.Andlikeallthenewborn,hescreamedbothindefianceanddefeatathisbirth.

CHAPTERNINE

KONRADSCREAMED.“Ah!”saidavoice.Heopenedhiseyes,andheknewinstantly that therewassomethingwrongwithhisvision.He

couldsee,buteverythingseemedtohavechangedslightly,althoughhewasnotsurehow.Afigurewasleaningoverhim.ItwasLitzenreich;hesawhimclearly.“I was about to proclaim the experiment a success, although alas the subject died,” said

Litzenreich.“ItseemsIshallhavetomodifymyconclusion.”Theywere still in the roomwhere the dwarfs had begun to remove the bronze armour.With

greateffort,Konradglanceddown—thefirstmovementhehadbeenabletomakeforsolong,herealized.Thearmourwasgonebutwhenhesawhimself,hegasped.

Ithardlyseemedhisownbody;itwassoemaciated,littlemorethanaskeletoncoveredwithskin.Orwasthatskin?Hisentiretorsoandlimbsweresoreditappearedthathisfleshwasraw,thathisskinhadbeenpeeledawaywiththearmour.Heopenedhismouthtospeak,butnowordswouldcome;hislipswerefrozen.

“Youareingreatpain,”saidLitzenreich.“OryouwouldbehadInotadministeredanassuaginginfusionwhenIsawthatyoustilllived.Donottrytospeakormove.Therewillbeplentyoftimeforthat.Yourbodymustrenewitself,andyoumustrecoveryourstrength.Thatwillbethetimefortalk.”

Konrad was aware of the dwarfs moving about in the darkened room, dismantling theirequipment, and he could hear the sounds of metal being dismembered. Above, he saw the spiderdevicewhoseclawshadremovedthebronzecarapace.

Afewbriefminutescouldhavepassed,thatwasall,yetheseemedtohavebeengonefromthisearthforalleternity.

But timewas relative. It couldbe expanded and compressed, twisted anddistorted.Duringhisinfinitejourney,anaeonhadbeenbutasecondhereintheworldofmen.

Hewasbackonceagaininhisbody—although,hesupposed,thatbodyhadnotbeenhiswhilehewastrappedwithinthearmour.Already,hismetaphysicalexperiencewasbeginningtoseemlikeadream.Thiswasreality;whathadhappenedwhilehewasunconsciouswasnothingbutthedelusionsofhistorturedmindseekingreleasefromthetormentofhisbody.

Unconscious?Orhadhereallydiedforafewseconds?Hadhisheartstopped—andthenbeguntobeatoncemore?

He tried to concentrate, to fix in his mind what he could remember of his epic supernaturaljourney.Heneededtodiscussitalllater,whenhefoundsomeoneabletointerprethismemories.

Hewascertain,however, that themostrecentmemorywouldnotfade.Hehadapparentlybeenrecallinghisearlylife.Yethismemorieshadbeenconfused,nottotallyaccurate.Itseemedasthoughhehadparents,parentshehadknown…

Hewishedthathehadconcentratedmoreuponthatmemory,becauseitwasfurtherbackthanhehadeverbeenable to recall. Ifhecould remember, itwouldgivehimavitalclue tohisenigmaticpast.

Thenherealizedthatitwasnothisownpasthehadrecalled,butsomeoneelse’s.Evenatanage

whenKonradhadnoparents,thisotherpersondidhavethem.Thatearlylifeboremanysimilaritiesto theonehehad imagined,suchas theway thevillagehadbeenattackedanddestroyed.Except, itseemed, it was a nearby village that had been wiped out. Also, it was goblins who had beenresponsiblefortheatrocity,notahordeofmutatedbeastmen.

AndithadnotbeenElyssawhohaddied,butsomeonecalledEvane.Thenamewasfirmlylodgedinhismind.Hehadneverhearditbefore,sowhohadshebeen?

Whydidsheseemsoimportantinhismemory?Orsomeoneelse’smemory…“Iwill takegoodcareofyou,” continuedLitzenreich. “After all the trouble Ihavegone to, it

wouldbeapitytoloseyounow.”Heranhisfingersthroughhislongbeard,noddingintriumph.Despitethegreyinhisuntamed

beardandhair,hewasprobablyonlyaboutfortyyearsold.Litzenreichwasawizard,Konradknew.Only amagician could have freed him fromhis prison of armour. Indeed, only amagician couldhavedefeatedthebronzewarrior.

NowKonradwas inhisdomain,asubterranean laircarvedoutof themountain, farbelowtheinhabitedpartsofMiddenheim.WhatdidLitzenreichwantwithhim?Therewouldbeapricetopayforhisliberty.Themagicianwouldexpectarewardforwhathehadaccomplished.EvenifKonradwerewealthy,herealizedthatwasnotthekindofrecompensewhichwouldbeexpected.Therewardsdemandedbyspellcastersweremorethanmerecoin.

He had escaped from Kastring only to be captured by the bronze panoply. Had he againexchangedonekindofimprisonmentforanother?Allthatcouldbecertainwasthatforthemomenthe was totally helpless, either because of his weakened body or because of the potion whichLitzenreichhadgivenhim,orperhapsfromacombinationofboth.

“First,”saidLitzenreich,“Imustgetyouawayfrommyexperimentalchamber.”Hesummonedtwoofthedwarfs.“Takehimtothelastroomintheeasterncorridor,andbeverycareful.”

“Whateveryousay,boss,”saidVarsung.He and the other dwarf lifted Konrad onto a wheeled table and pushed him out through the

doorway,alongaseriesoflownarrowpassages.Litzenreichwalkedahead,finallyunlockingadoorattheendofthelowestandnarrowestoftunnels.Varsungwentinsideandlitthelanternwhichhungfromthebarerockof thesmallchamber.Konradwaswheeledthroughandloweredontothestrawmattressonthefloor.

“FetchGertrautandRita,”Litzenreichordered,andtheotherdwarfretreated.“Lightafire,”headded,andVarsungmovedtowardsthefireplaceandbegantodoso.

“Itiscoldinhere,”saidthewizard,“andyoumustremainuncovered.Thatistheonlywayyourwoundswillheal.Youwillrequireconstantattention.Someonewillbewithyouallthetime,andtheywillcallmeifyourequiremyassistance.”

The young women entered the room. They were both slim and fair-haired, and they studiedKonradasLitzenreichspoketothem.Hehadloweredhisvoice,andKonraddidnothearwhatwassaid.ThemagicianglancedatKonradbriefly, thenleft theroom.VarsungnoddedtoKonrad,madetheancientdwarf“goodfortune”signwithhisthumb,andfollowedLitzenreichoutofthedoor.Thedoorwasboltedontheoutside.

Konradmayhavereturnedtohisownbody,buthewasashelplessasanewbornbaby—andhewastreatedassuch.Hecoulddonothingforhimself,andsoGertrautandRitadiditall.

Thetimepassed,veryslowly.Deepunderground,hehadnowayofmeasuringthehoursorthedays.Allthatchangedwaswhosatwithhim.Hewouldheartheheavyboltsbeingdrawnback,thenthedoorwouldopen,andthetwogirlswouldexchangeplaces.Ifeveroneofthemrequiredhelp,theysummoneditbymeansofaropewhichrangabellalongthepassage.

Theyfedhim,cleanedhim,gavehimthevariouspotionstohelprelievethepain.Strangely,ashisskinre-formedoverhistenderflesh,thetormentincreased.Itwasasthoughhisskinwereanewcage,asthebronzearmourhadbeen,exceptitwastootightforhisbody.

At first, he could not havemoved had hewished to.Whenever they relieved one another, thegirlswould shift his positionon themattress.Theonewho leftwould take away the blanket uponwhichhehadlain,freshlystainedwiththebloodfromhisopensores.Asheregainedhisstrength,andhisbonesnolongerprotrudedthroughhisflesh,hewascarefulnottomoveofhisownaccord.HedidnotwishLitzenreichtoknowofhisrecovery.

Konradhadmadeonediscoveryabouthissenses.Almosthisfirstreactionuponrealizingthathehadregainedhislifewastonoticethattherewassomethingwrongwithhiseyes.

But thatwas incorrect: the oppositewas true.His visionwas nowperfect.His eyes had neverbeen in true alignment.His left eyehadpossessed the talentof futurevision. It couldwarnhimofdanger;hecouldfrequentlyseewhatwouldhappenbeforeitoccurred.Thepowerhadgrownmoreandmoreerraticandunreliableovertheyears.Inaway,ithadbecomemoreofahindrancethananasset.

Nowitwasnomore.Hehadnoproof.Howcouldtherebeanyevidenceofalostskill?Yethewascertainthathenolongerhadtheabilitytoforeseedanger.

Whenhaditgone?Duringhisconfinementwithinthearmour,itseemedallthatwaslefttohimhadbeenhissight.Perhapseventhathadbeentakenaway.Orpossiblyhehadlosthisgiftwhenthebronzehadbeenremoved.Ormaybeithadhappenedduringhisapparentflightfromhisbody.

Whateverthecircumstances,Konradwasglad.Eversincerealizingthatotherscouldnotforeseedangerashedid,hehadfeltuneasy.Nooneshouldpossessanysuchextraskills.Whyhadsuchagiftbeengrantedtohim?Insomerespects,itwaslikeamutation.Andthemostcommonmutationintheworldwas thatwhichafflictedbeastmen.Theyweredeformed,evil,andhisowntalenthadseemedsimilarlytainted.

Fromnowon,hemustrelyonlyonhisnormalfivesensesandtheaptitudeshehaddevelopedover the years.And as soon as itwas possible, hewould use all of these to accomplish the samepurpose—escape.

Hehad no ideawhat thewizard had planned for him, and he had no intention of finding out.Litzenreichoccasionallycametovisithim,andsodidVarsung.Theytriedtoprovokesomereaction,buttonoavail.Konradrefusedeventoadmitthathewascapableofspeech.Hesimplylayimmobileandsilent.

Allhecoulddowasthink.Mostlyhethoughtaboutthepast,hisownandtheequallymysteriouspastofhisfalsememories…

Asplitsecond, thatwasallheneeded.Heknewthathewouldhave tokeeptotallyalertbecause therightmomentmustinevitablycome—andfinallyitdid.

WhenGertrautandRitachangedplaces, thatwasthemostlikelytimetoattemptanescape,buttheywereneveralone.Oneofthedwarfswasalwaysthere,guardingthedoor.

Heheard theboltbeingdrawnback,butGertrauthadentered the roomnomore thananhourearlier.Varsungcamein.WheneverheorLitzenreichappeared,oneoftheotherdwarfsalwaysstoodoutsideinthecorridor.Thistime,thepassagewasempty.Itwasonlyhalfachance,butthatwasmorethansufficient.VarsungstoodwithhisbacktoKonrad,speakingtoGertraut.

Konradsatupquickly,spinningaroundandreachingoutforthehiltofthedwarf’ssword.Onceitwas inhishand,heusedboth legs tokick thedwarfaway.Thenhesprangup,dashedoutof thedoor,turnedintothepassage.Butsomehowhislegsgavewaybeneathhim,andhefelltotheground.

“Iamgladtoseeyoucanmove,”saidLitzenreich,whowasstandingafewyardsaway.KonradwasstillholdingVarsung’ssword,butheofferednoresistancewhenthedwarfremoved

itfromhisgrip.Herealizedhehadbeentricked.Theyknewhewasnotasweakashepretended.Itappeared,however,thathewasfarweakerthanhehimselfthought.

Hepickedhimselfup,hisheadspinning.“Whatdoyouwantwithme?”hesaid.“Whatdoyouwantwithme?”thewizardrepeated.“Isthatit?Isthatthefirstthingyouhaveto

say?Not‘Thankyouforrescuingme’?Gratitude.Courtesy.Haveyoueverheardofthosewords?Dotheyexistwhereyoucomefrom?”

Konradleanedagainstthewall,andnoddedslowly.“Whatisyourname?”askedLitzenreich.“Konrad.”“Whereareyoufrom?”“Avillageseveraldaysfromhere,butI’vebeeninKislevforfiveyears.”“Takehimbackinside,”saidLitzenreich.VarsungandGertrauthelpedKonradintothechamberwherehehadbeenkept,andsathimdown

onthemattress.Gertrautfilledabeakerofwater.“Haven’tyougotanybeer?”saidKonrad.“I’mfedupwithwater.”“Ithinkhe’saboutrecovered,boss,”saidVarsung,grinning.“Soitappears.”Litzenreichsteppedintotheroom.“Leaveus.Fetchhimsomeale.”Theothertwodeparted.Thedoorwasclosed,butitwasleftunlocked.Litzenreichwasawizard;

hedidnotneedboltstokeepKonradhisprisoner.Hesatdownintheonechair,andtheygazedatoneanother.

Konradglancedaway,notwishingtobecomemesmerized.“Thankyou,”hesaid,finally,inordertobreakthesilence.Asif thatwereasignal,Gertrautreturned,handedKonrada tankardbrimmingwithbeer, then

left.“WhatdoIwantwithyou?”askedLitzenreich,echoingKonrad’searlierquestion.“Nothing.”Konradstaredathim.Hewasmoresuspiciousthanever.Thewizardmustwantsomething.He

wipedathislipswiththebackofhishand.“Nothing?”“Assoonasyouarefullyhealed,youarefreetogo.”“Free?WhyhasthedooralwaysbeenlockedifI’mfree?”“Ididnotwishyoutocometoanyharm,thatisall.Whathappenedwhenyourushedoutofhere

afewminutesago?Youfellover.Youarenotyetstrongenoughtoleave.Whenyouare,youmaydoso.”

“Icansimplywalkoutofhere?”“Yes,althoughthatmaynotbesuchagoodidea.”“Why?”“ThegoodcitizensofMiddenheimwouldprobablynottakekindlytoanakedmanwalkingthe

streets.Thewatchwouldarrestyou,andtheirhospitalityisfarlessgenerousthanmine,Iassureyou.”“Youcouldgivemesomeclothes,orlendmesome.”“I do not think so. I have alreadydone enough, do younot think?You are not a beggar, you

wouldnotaskmeformore.AndIamcertainthatyouarenotathief,youwouldnotstealfromme,notafteralltheexpensesIhaveincurredonyourbehalf.”

“Youwantmetorepayyou?”

“Notatall.Youhavenofinancialresources,Ibelieve.”“Youdon’twantmoney,butyouwantsomethingelse.What?”Litzenreichshrugged.“Iamnotcertain,notyet.ButIamsureyouareanhonourableman.Ihave

doneyouagreatservice—oratleastIpresumeIhave.Youdidnotwishtoremainwithinthebronzearmour,didyou?”

“No.”“AsIwassaying,IhavedoneyouagreatserviceandIamsurethatIwillfindsomeservicethat

youmayaccomplishformeinexchange.Ithinkthatisreasonable,doyouagree?”Konradnodded.Hesupposedthatthemagicianmustalreadyknowwhathewantedinreturn,but

therewasnopointinpressinghimfortheanswerwhichhesoclearlydidnotwishtogive.“Howdidyouunseatmefromthebronzehorse?Howdidyougetmeoutofthearmour?”“Twoquestions, but almost the sameanswer.”Litzenreich stoodup. “I feel, however, that you

needtorestafteryourrecentexertions.Weshalldiscussthissubjectinthenearfuture.Meanwhile,isthereanythingyouwish?”

Konrad thought for amoment before answering. “A book? I’m bored doing nothing. I’d likesomethingtoread.”

Thewizardraisedaneyebrow,evidentlyimpressedthatKonradcouldread.“Whatkindofbook?Poetry?Science?Geography?Philosophy?History?”“History.”“Ishallchoosesomethingfrommylibrary.”Litzenreichlefttheroomandclosedthedoor.Itwas

leftunbolted.Forthefirsttime,Konradwasalone.Afterawhile,Varsungentered.Hewascarryingsomeclothes,andalsothreevolumes.“Thankyou,”saidKonrad.“Andthankyoufor—”“What?”Thedwarffrowned.“ForseeingthatIwasalive.”“Ah,yes!AssoonasIsawyoureyes,Iknewtherewaslifethere.”Herubbedathisbackwhere

Konradhadkickedhim,andhepulledaface.“I’malmostwishingIhadn’tnoticed.”ThedwarfhadtakenagreatriskinallowingKonradtoseizehissword;hedidnotknowthathe

wouldnotfindhimselfimpaleduponhisownblade.VarsungsawKonradlookingatthehiltofhissword,andhegrinned.Hedrewtheweaponwith

his righthand, then thrust it straight intohis left palm!But as soonas the tip touchedhis skin, thewholebladedisintegrated,dissolvinglikebrokenglass.

“IwishLitzenreichwasthearmourerforallmyopponents!”thedwarflaughed.Itseemedtherehadbeennoriskatall.ThewizardhaddevisedtheswordtotrapKonrad.Heshouldhaverealized:dwarfswereusuallyarmedwithaxes.“Myeyes,”saidKonrad,remembering.“Whatcolourarethey?”Varsunglookedathimsuspiciously.“Thisisnotrick,”Konradassuredhim.“Iwanttoknowwhatcolourtheyare.”Thedwarfpickedupthelanternandmovedcloser.HeheldthelightinfrontofKonrad’sface,

gazingateachofhiseyesinturn.“They’re…different,”hesaid.“Theyseemthesameatfirst,lightgreen.Buttheleftoneismore

yellowreally,almostgold.”Konrad nodded. His eyes might now both give proper vision, but it seemed they were not

identical.Theywerestilldifferentcolours.

“I’vegottobegoing,”saidVarsung.“Anythingyouneed,justopenthedoorandyell.”Konradwatchedhimgo,thenpickedupthethreebooksandreadtheembossedletteringonthe

leathercovers.TheEmpireDividedwasthetitleofone,YearsofDespair: theVampireEmpresswasanother,andthethirdwassimplycalledSigmar.

Thatwasthevolumeheselected,andhepulledthelanterncloser.OneofthefewbooksavailableonthefrontierhadbeenabatteredcopyofanotherbiographyofSigmarHeldenhammer.

Konradhadreaditseveraltimes,eventhoughmanyofthepagesweremissing.HeopenedSigmarnearthefrontandbegantoturntothebeginningofthesaga.Butashiseyes

idlyscannedtheopenpage,oneofthefirstwordshesawwasafamiliarname.ItwasEvane…

Konradreadwhatheneverhadbefore.HewasawareofhowSigmarhadbeenborntwoandahalfthousandyearsago,thesonofTafal,

chief of theUnberogen tribe.He had lived at the southern edge of theGreat Forest, in a fortifiedvillage.

WhatKonradhadnotpreviouslyknownwasthattherewasanothervillagenearby.TheheadmanwascalledQuant,asub-chiefofTafal’s,anditwashewhotaughtSigmartousethebowandarrow.QuanthadasonnamedErrol,andalsoadaughternamedEvane.Thethreechildrengrewuptogetherasclosefriends,andastheyearspassed,SigmarandEvanebecameevencloser.Itwasacceptedthatwhenthetwowereoldenoughtheywouldmarry.ButthenthegoblinshadattackedQuant’svillage.

Sigmarwasthefirsttoreachthevillage,havingseentheominouspallofsmokewhilehewasouthunting.Thewholeplacehadbeenlootedanddestroyed,everyonewithinslaughtered.HefoundEvane’sbody,buttheuglymaraudershadtakenherheadasagruesometrophy.

Itwasthisterribleepisode,Konradrealized,whichhadshapedtherestofSigmar ’slife.Thiswaswhyhehadbecomesuchanenemyofthegreenhordesanddedicatedhimselftotheirdestruction.Hehadwagedaone-manwaragainstthehideouscreatures,andovertheyearshebuiltupanarmysworntodefeatthegoblinsanddrivethemfromtheknownworld.

KonradhadnotknownaboutEvane,notuntilhisstrangevision,whenhehadseemedtoreturnfromhisinfinitevoyageacrosstheuniverse.Butwhyshouldhehavedreamedofapersonhedidnotknow?Hemusthaveheardhernamesomewhereelse,perhapsfromastorytellerwhohadnarratedthefamoustalearoundthecampfireonenightontheKislevborder.Itwastheonlyexplanation,andthatwaswhyinhisdreamhehadconfusedthelegendofSigmarwithhisownearlylife.Theattackonhisnativevillage,whenElyssahadbeenslain,hadbeenverysimilar. InElyssa’scase,however,hehadnotevendiscoveredaheadlesscorpse.

HethoughtofKrysten,whomustcertainlybedeadbynow.Lifewasshortonthefrontier,andhehad lost so many good men, so many friends. He tried to convince himself that Krysten was nodifferentfromhiscomradesincombat,becausethatmighthavemadeherlossmorebearable,butheknewitwasuntrue.

Konradreadon,tryingtolosehimselfintheepictaleofSigmar.Allyinghishumanlegionswiththedwarfs,thegoblinoids’ancientenemies,SigmarfinallydefeatedthegoblinswarmsattheBattleofBlack Fire Pass. That was where Sigmar won his name “Heldenhammer” for wreaking ultimatevengeanceagainstsomanyofthefoulbeingswiththelegendarywarhammerGhal-maraz.

Insomerespects,Konradrealized,hisownlifeparalleledthatofSigmar ’s.EvaneandElyssahadbothbeenmurdered,bygoblinsorbeastmen.Theybothseemedtohavebeenvictimsofincreasesinhostileactivitybysuchinhumanforces.Sigmarhadlivedduringoneofthemostviolenterasinthehistoryoftheknownworld,andnowanothereraofrelativepeacewasending:forthefirst timein

twocenturiestheEmpireitselfwasindangerofinvasion.ItsfrontiershadalreadybeeninfiltratedbyKastring’saccursedwarband,andtheremusthavebeenmanymoresuchmaraudingChaoscultsontherampage.

Chaos.ItwasatimeofChaosoncemore.LikeSigmar,Konradhadbecomeawarriorfightingagainstthehordesofdestruction,andlike

Sigmar,hehadfoughthisownbattleagainstthegoblinswhenheventuredintothesubterraneanlairtorescueWolf. Insteadofabattlehammer,however,hehadusedadouble-bladedaxe towreakhisvengeanceuponthegreenhorde.

ButSigmar,hethoughtruefully,hadneverbeenimprisonedbeneathafortresscity,capturedbyamadmagician.

Konradclosedhiseyes, remembering.Hehadused theaxebecausehehaddroppedhisswordwhenhefiredthearrowatthegoblinshamanthatwastorturingWolf.Ithadprovedabetterweaponforthetaskathand,likeamightybutcher ’scleavertoswingathisenemies,severingheadsandarms.Whereverhestruck,anotherofthefoulcreatureshadscreamedanddied,andthenthehugeaxewouldswingoncemore,cuttingaswatheofdestructionthroughhishatedfoes.

Yet,atthetime,hehadbelievedhewasusingawarhammer…He had put this out of his mind since, preferring to forget what he could not explain; but

something of such significance could not be easily forgotten. He recalled how he had seemedpossessedashefought,asifsomeunknownpowergovernedhisactions.

Wheneverhewasincombat,hisfightinginstinctstookcommandofhisbody.Often,itseemed,therewasnoneedforthought;fightingwasonadifferentlevelofexistencethanthinking.Ifhehadtimetoconsiderwhatheshoulddo,debatingallthefoolhardyriskshehadsofrequentlytakeninthepast, thenhewouldhavehesitatedmoreoften thannot—andhesitationwouldhavemeant failure.Fortunefavouredthebrave.

That was not the way it had been during the underground battle, however. It was somethinggreater thanmere reactionandskill thatdominatedhisaggression;a feeling thathewasnotaloneagainst the goblins.At the time, he had imagined that his unknown ancestorswere guiding him, awholeghostlylegionwhichstretchedbacktothedawnoftime.

Itwassimilartowhathehadexperiencedduringhisphantomflightthroughthestars,whenhehadbeendrawntowardsthatunimaginablybrightentitywherehefelthesomehowbelonged.

Krysten had always been fascinated by dreams. They were humanity’s doorway to the spiritworld,sheclaimed.Whenpeopleslept,theirsoulswerefreetowander;dreamsweretheadventuresofthesoulandcouldbeinterpretedbyseers.Konraddidnotbelieveher,andhealwaysteasedthegirlaboutherbeliefs.

Now,hewasnolongersocertain.Hehadneverwitnessedanythinglikethevisionsthatcametohimwhenthebronzearmourwasremoved.Unlikeotherdreams,ithadnoconnectionwithanythinghehadeverexperiencedduringhiswakingtimes;andunlikemanyothers,itdidnotreturntohim.

Thefollowingmorning,Litzenreichasked:“Howdidyoucometobeinsidethebronzearmour?”Theywere in thechamberwhereKonradhad spent so long recuperating.Now thathedidnot

havetopretend,hepacedupanddowntheroom.He explained brieflywhat had happened: he had been a prisoner ofKastring’smutated band,

escaped,foundthearmour,climbedinsidetodefendhimselffromhisruthlesspursuers.Whathesaidwastrue,buthedidnotrevealeverything.

Hedidnotsaythathehadfirstseenthebronzeknightfiveyearsearlier,whenthewarriorhadriddenintohisvillage;hedidnotsaythathehadobservedthehorseman’simagereflectedthrougha

lensinsidetheancientdwarftemple;hedidnotsaythathehadbeenpursuingthemysteriousrider;hedidnotsaythathehadfinallyfledfromtheKhorneworshippersassoonasheglimpsedmoonlightreflecteduponthebronze.

Thewizardnodded.“Asyousay,youcannothavebeenwithinthearmourforverylongorelsetherewouldhavebeennothing left ofyouexceptbones, ashappened to thehorse.And theremusthavebeenevenlessofyourpredecessor;hemusthavebeentotallyabsorbed.Thebronzefeedsofflife,thelifethatitslaysorthelifewithinthearmour.”

“But—whatwasit?”“AcreationofChaos,”saidLitzenreichsimply,asthoughtheanswerwereevident.“Whatelse?I

hadheardaboutthiscreaturepreviously.Ithasroamedtheknownworldformanyyears.Whenitwasreported tobenearMiddenheim,severalKnightsPantherweresent to investigate. Iheard that theyneverreturned,andIthoughtitworthyofmyattention.”

“Why?”Litzenreichstaredthroughhisnarroweyes,anditwasalmostasthoughhedidnotunderstandthe

question.“Why?Why?Becauseitwasthere!”Fiveyearsago,whenKonradhadspokentoWolfaboutthebronzewarrior,Wolfhadsaidthat

theknightwashistwinbrother.Buthowlongagohadhistwinbecometheenigmaticknight?Washethefirsttowearthearmour?Howmanyothershadbeenheldhostagebythebronze?

Itseemedthattheremusthavebeenalongseriesofwarriorswithinthesuitofarmour.Konradhad merely been the latest -and the last. It was no coincidence that he had found the armour. Itappearedthatthepanoplyhadbeenawaitinghim.Itwasasiftheyweremeantforoneanother,thatithadbeenhisdestinytobecomethebronzeknight…

“Thewarriorseemedinvincible,”saidKonrad.“Howdidyoustophim?”Herealizedthathewasspeakingas thoughtheknightweresomeone—orsomething—else,

thatithadnothingtodowithhim.Butitwastrue.Theknighthadbeenthebronzearmour,andKonradhadmerelybeenwithinthearmour.Hewaslikeaservantwhohadsimplydonehismaster ’sbidding.

“ThebestmethodtofightacreatureofChaos,”repliedLitzenreich,“iswithChaos.”Konradwaitedforhimtocontinue.“Warpstone,” said Litzenreich, as though the word were a spell. “Warpstone,” he repeated,

noddingforemphasis,asthoughthetwosyllablesweretheanswertoeverything.Thewordwasfamiliar,butKonradhadevenlessideaofitsfullmeaningthanhedidthenature

ofChaos.“Itistheeffectofwarpstonethatleadstomutation,”Litzenreichexplained.“Withoutwarpstone

there would be no beastmen. The bronze was Chaos armour, forged with warpstone. The way tocombatwarpstoneiswithwarpstone.Likerepelslike,justastwolodestoneswillpushawayfromoneanother.”

Konradwaitedagain,hopingthattherestoftheexplanationmademoresense.Hisincomprehensionmusthavebeenevident,becauseLitzenreichsaid:“I setmyself up as theChaos rider ’s next challenger, drawing it into a line of trees, each of

whichwashungwithwarpstonesoarrangedastoresonateandmagnify-”HebrokeoffandglancedatKonrad,whohadnoticedhowthewizarddescribedthebronzefigureas“it”andnot“you”, thencontinued:“Thewarpstoneinthetreesnullifiedtheeffectofthewarpstoneinthearmour.Thatwastheonly thingholding thehorseup, and so it fell.Becauseyouhadnot become totally fused, youwereunseated.Understand?”

“Yes,”repliedKonrad,andhealmostdid.“WhenVarsungrealizedthatyouhadnotyetbeendevouredbythearmour,Idecidedtotryand

remove it from you.Without getting technical, suffice to say: once again, I usedwarpstone; onceagain,Isucceeded.”

“IwastrappedinsideChaosarmour,”saidKonrad,slowly,notlikingthedirectioninwhichhisthoughtswereleadinghim.“ThatmustmeanIamtaintedbyChaos!”

“Yes,”agreedLitzenreich,“butitwasnotmerelythearmourwhichinfectedyou.Therewasalsothewarpstoneneededtoextricateyoufromthebronze.”

“Youshouldhaveletmedie.”“Die?”Litzenreichblinkedrapidly,seeminglyperplexed.“Why?”“BecauseIamevil!”Thewizardscratchedhishead.“Whatisthisevil?”Heemphasizedtheword,asthoughitwere

foreignandhewasunsurehowtopronounceit.Thenorthernhordes, themutants, thebeastmen,Chaos!Evil!Konradspatout thewordas if it

were poison— and it was, a poisonwhich flowed freely through his veins, corrupting his entirebody.

Heknewevil.Hehadbeenfightingitforfiveyears,defendingthemineandtryingtoholdbacktheforcesofdarknessonthebordersofKislev.

“Chaosandevilarenotsynonyms,Iassureyou,”saidLitzenreich.“Evilisacreationofmen,ofhumans—andinhumans.Chaossimplyis.Itexists,itisneithergoodnorevil.Onlythewayweareaffectedbyitleadstoourinterpretationofitaseither‘good’or‘bad’.”

Konradneither spokenor reacted.Hehadhaltedhispacing andwasbusy contemplatingwhatmustbehappeningtohimself.

“Iswatergoodorevil?”askedLitzenreich.“Itisneither,itissimplythere.Ifwedrinkwatertoquenchourthirsts,wemaysaythatitisgood.Ifsomeonedrownsinit,wecouldsaythatitisevil—unlesstheonewhodrownsisourenemy.Butthewords‘good’and‘bad’havenoabsolutemeaning.Afireisgoodifitwarmsusinwinter,butbadifitburnsdownourhomes.Fireisnotgood,fireisnotbad.Itisneither—oritisboth.”

Konrad was staring at his hands, watching for any signs of hairs on his palms, of his nailsgrowing into claws. Litzenreich could not fool him with clever words. He had been infected byChaos, and his body must have begun to change even though he could not yet see the traces ofmutation.Wherever he looked, however, he could only find new skin.New skin coveredwith oldwounds.

“Ihavebeenworkingwithwarpstoneforyears,”saidLitzenreich.“Onceithasbeenrefined,itisquite harmless. Unless one happens to swallow it!” He laughed. “And even then the chances ofmutationareverysmall.WhenIhavealargeenoughsampleofexperimentalsubjects,Iintendtofindoutpreciselyhowsmall.Idohaveacertaingroupinmind.”Henoddedslyly.

“Where was I? Warpstone. Yes, in its powdered state it is harmless. Admittedly, I do haveoccasiontousesomeoftherawstuffoccasionally,butIalwaystakethenecessaryprecautions.Iamashumanasyouare,Konrad.”

“You’reawizard.”“Wizardsarehuman, too, although I like to thinkofmyself asamanof science.”Litzenreich

stood up. “Let us go through into my main research chamber.” He walked towards the door,beckoningforKonradtofollow.

Theymadetheirwayalongaseriesofnarrowpassages,allhewnoutofthemountain,untiltheyreachedtheareawhereKonradhadbeenextricatedfromthearmour.Agroupofwomenwereinthecentre of the room, dissolving various powders into numerous containers of liquid, then pouringthemintoglassbottlesofdifferentsizes.Twodwarfswerebusyinthefarcorner,workingwithtiny

piecesofmetal.Oneofthem,Konradnoticed,wasUstnar.HeglancedatKonradforseveralsecondsbeforereturningtohisintricatetask.

“As far as I am concerned,” Litzenreich said, “the name ‘wizard’ has fallen into disrepute,particularly inMiddenheim. Ever since the artwas legalized, it has becomemore regimented andmorebackward.Therearenoadvancesinmagicthesedays.Theguildsseetothat.Nooneisallowedto tryanythingnew.Therearesomany rulesand regulations,ourpredecessorsachieved farmorewhentheyhadtooperateinsecret.”Heglancedaroundthecavern.“As,indeed,Ido.”

Konrad was also gazing around, and he stared up at the metal device which hung from theceiling: the objectwhose claws had stripped the bronze armour from his body, andwhich he hadimaginedasaspider.Litzenreichkeptonspeaking,even thoughhisaudiencewasnotpayingmuchattention.Konradwasbusystudyingthedoorsandsearchingforpossibleweapons.Herefusedtobehypnotizedbythewizard’swords.Itwasstillhisintentiontoescapeassoonaspossible.

“The only reason magic was legalized,” Litzenreich continued, “was because of its militaryimplications.Butthereisfarmoretosorcerythandevisingnewweapons,newdefences.Tryandfindfundingforpureresearch,however,anditisimpossible.Yetthatiswherethegreatestadvanceswillbemade. I have to finance all my own experiments, you know. And I have to hide away beneathMiddenheim,hoping that thecollegesofmagicwillnot realizewhat Iamdoing. Ihave tobeherebecause of the guild’s library and the various bits and pieces I need from the university. Youunderstand?”

“Er…yes,”Konradagreed.He knew very little about magic, and he had always been very suspicious of such unnatural

powers.Onthefrontier,Wolfwouldnotemploywarwizards;buthewasveryold-fashionedanddidnotbelieve inanythingnew,suchasgunpowder.“Never trustasorcerer,”hehadoftensaid.“Theytrickyou,theycheatyou—andyoudon’tevenknowit.Notatthetime.”

Konrad, however, had good reason to be grateful to sorcery. His arm had been saved by elfmagic,anditseemedthatthespellhadcontinuedtoprotecthimagainstKastring’ssnake-hiltedsword.For allLitzenreich’s talkofwarpstone,Konradknew itwasmagic that had releasedhim from thearmour.Itwasasubjectaboutwhichheshouldlearnmore,althoughperhapsnotnow.

“You’vealwaysbeenamagician?”hesaid,tokeepLitzenreichtalking.“Ofcourse. It ismyvocation.Allmyancestorshavebeensorcerers. It is rumoured thatsome

werehedge-wizards,althoughwenevermentionthose.Iambasicallyanelementalist,withastrongdashofalchemist,butIwilltrymyhandatanyofthedisciplines.Whyshouldtheybeseparated?Amasterchefcancookmanymeals,hedoesnotrestricthimselftoonedish.”Heshookhisheadslowly.“Idespairofthefuture.Theacademiesseemcontenttoturnoutcleveryoungwizardswhohavenointerestintheancientarts.Theyonlycareaboutthemoneytheycanmake,aboutowningexpensivehomesandfancycarriages—andexpensiveandfancywomen.”

“Whathappenedtothebronzearmour?”“What?Oh, itwasallmelteddown. Ineeded to extract thewarpstone. It tooka lot to stop the

bronzeknight,andalottogetyououtofthearmour.Rawwarpstone,Imean,aswellasthepowderedstuff.Mysuppliesneedreplenishing,whichisnoteasy,becauseitisillegaleventopossessthestuff.”

“Whatiswarpstone?”askedKonrad,havingseenallthatheneededto.“Thereismuchargumentoverthat.Itisasubstancethatisnotofthisworld,orsoitisgenerally

accepted.Some say thatMorrslieb ismadeofwarpstone,buthowcan therebeproof?Noonehaseverbeentheretofindout.Oriftheyhave,theyhavenotreturnedtotellthetale.”

KonradlookedatLitzenreichandsawthathewassmiling.“Thereareeasiersourcesofwarpstone,however.ItcanbefoundinquantityintheChaosWastes,

forexample.AsIsaid,currenttheoryisthatwarpstoneevencreatesthewastesandisresponsibleforallthemutationswhicharespawnedthere.Itisfascinatingstuff,andIhaveonlybeguntoexploreitsuses.And,ofcourse,becauseofitspotentialitisregardedasdangerousandthereforeillegal.Butsowhat?”

Litzenreich shrugged, and continued: “Magic used to be illegal; now it is legal.Warpstone isillegal;somedayitwillbelegal.Atpresent,itcannotbeusedunlessinImperialservicewhateverthatmeans.Lawsareonlyusedtobenefitthelawmakers.Ifthereisalawpreventingsomething,Ialwaysaskmyself‘Whomadethatlaw?’Neverconfuselawandjustice,theyarecompletelydifferent.”

“YouhaveheardoftheGodsofLaw?”thewizardasked.Theologiansbelievethattheyarealsothe creation of Chaos. And as far as I am concerned, Law and Chaos are both used to the samepurpose: tobreed ignoranceanddespairandmaintain the forcesofbrute strengthover reasonandenlightenment.Lawsareimposedbyourrulersinordertomaintaintheirpower.ThatiswhyItrytoignorealltherulesofthecollegesofmagic.”

The wizard had been walking slowly around the cavern as he spoke, his eyes taking ineverythingthatwashappening.Nowhehadhalted,andwaslookingatKonrad.

“Itcostmequitealotofwarpstonetoliberateyou,”hesaid.“Youalreadysaidthat.”“Ineedmoreinordertocontinuemyresearches.”Konradknewwhatwascomingnext.“Iwantyoubringmemorewarpstone,”saidLitzenreich.“WheredoIgetitfrom?”“Youmayhaveheardofthem.Theyarecalledskaven.”

CHAPTERTEN

Konradhadindeedheardoftheskaven.Itwasthreeoftheratmenwhohadpreventedhimescapingfromhisnativevalleythedayithad

been attacked by the feral hordes. They had forced him to turn back, to join in the assault on thevillage,towitnessallthefoulatrocitiesthathadbeencommittedbythearmyofbeastmenandtheirallies. Possibly this was why he had always hated skaven so much more than any other Chaoscreatures.Ormaybe itwasbecause theyweresomuch likehumans,yet sodifferent.Hehadcomeacrossveryfewduringhistimeonthefrontier.Wheneverhehad,theydied.

KonradwasstillunsureofLitzenreichandhismotives.Itwasalwaysthebestpolicytomistrusteveryone,andKonradrememberedWolf’swarningsaboutsorcerers.IfLitzenreichwantedrepayingfor helping Konrad, and he were allowed to pay that debt, then he would be satisfied with thearrangement.Hedidnotwishtobebeholdentothemagicianforever.Whatwasthepriceofhislife—alifetimeofslavery?

Thedwarfs andhumanswhoworked forLitzenreichdidnot seem tobe slaves,however.Thedwarfswerehardlyevenservants—theywouldoftenargueonequaltermswiththewizard,althoughthey all called him “boss”.Konradwas never sure howmanypeopleLitzenreich hadworking forhim,buttherewereatleastsixdwarfs.Theundergroundchamberswereguardedbyadozenhumans.Therewerealsoseveralwomenengagedinvariousabstrusetasks,andtheywereallfedbyahalflingcook.

Thesorcererhadbuiltupquiteanorganization,andhemusthavefinanceditsomehow.Konradsuspectedhedidsothroughtradinginwarpstone.Ifitwasillegal,itwasinevitablethatmoneycouldbemadefromdealinginthesubstance.Litzenreichhadspokenofneedingwarpstoneforresearch,butKonradwaswellawarethattherehadtobefarmoretoitthanthat.

TherecouldbenodoubtthatLitzenreichhadsavedhislife,andKonradwasnotamanpreparedtocheathiscreditors.Hewoulddoasthewizardasked,thisonetime.Afurtherincentivewasthathisenemieswereskaven,andthiscouldbeachancetokillanumberoftheuglyrat-things.

“Here,” saidVarsung,handingKonradascabbardedsword.“Don’tworry, it isn’t like theoneyoutookfrommelastweek!”

Aweek,wasthatallithadbeen?Despitearegularroutineofwakingandsleeping,hecouldnotgetused tomeasuring thedayswithoutseeing thesunriseandset.Hehadnotbeenallowedon thesurface,probablybecauseLitzenreichthoughthewouldtaketheopportunitytoescape.

Although no longer locked up, Konrad was still a prisoner. He could not work out theconfigurationofLitzenreich’sbase.Therewere somanydifferent levelsand tunnels, andsomanystrongdoorseverywhere.ButbynowKonradhadresolvednottoleaveuntilhehadsettledhisdebt.

Hehadkept studyinghis body,watching for some indication that it hadbegun to change, forhintsoftoughskinwhichmightbedevelopingintoscales,forevidencethathisfeetwerebecominghooves,fortracesofhairwhichseemedmorelikefur,forsignsofwebbingbetweenhisfingers.Buttherewasnothing.

Touching a mutant’s weapons did not necessarily lead to mutation, he knew. No matter howslendertherisk,itwasalwaysbesttobeavoided,whichwaswhysucharmamentswerenevertakenastrophies.Yethehadbeenwithin thebronzeforcountlessdays,weeks,andhehadalmostbecomea

partofthearmour…AndifwarpstonewereasharmlessasLitzenreichclaimed,whyhadhewornprotectivearmour

while thebronzewasbeingremovedfromKonrad?Whyhadthedwarfsbeencladingauntletsandgloves,andbeenshieldedbehindabarricadeofmetal,onlywatchingwhattheyweredoingthroughmirrors?

KonradunderstoodwhatLitzenreichhadsaidaboutChaos,buthewasuncertainastowhetherheshouldbelieveanyofit.Menusedtheword“Chaos”toexplainallkindsofunexplainablephenomena.Ifthenorthernwasteswerethelandsthatbredmutants,andthatwastherealmofChaos,thenitwasonly to be expected that Chaoswould be considered evil because of the nature of the creatures itspawned.

Howelsecouldmendescribethemalevolentlegionswhofedonhumanfleshanddrankwarmblood,wholivedonlytotortureandravage,toslaughteranddestroy,whowereneitheranimalnorman,butsomethingfarless—howelsecouldtheybeaccuratelydescribedexceptasevil?

Whetheritwas“law”or“justice”thatwasopposedtosuchmalignforces,Konraddidnotcare.That was the side he was on, the banner beneath which he would fight and, if necessary, die. IfLitzenreich’senemiesweretheskaven,thenKonradwasthewizard’sswornally.

Hehadspentmostofhiswaking timeregaininghisstrengthandmuscle tone.Litzenreichhadmanybooksforhimtochoosefrom,farmorevolumesthanhehadimaginedeverexisted,buttheirattraction had soon faded. He still did not feel entirely fit, but he craved action, and the sorcererfinallyannouncedthatitwastime.

Konradexaminedthebladeclosely.Itwasanexcellentweapon,madebyacraftsman.Hecheckedits sharpness and flexibility, then tested the balance, practising several sweeps and thrusts. It feltwonderfultoholdaswordinhisgripagain.Hesliditbackintotheoiledsheath.Thenexttimetheweaponwasdrawn,hesworethatitwouldtasteskavenblood.

HeandfourdwarfswerepreparingthemselvesforanexpeditiondeepintothehiddenheartofMiddenheim.ThedwarfswerethesameoneswhohadbeenwithLitzenreichwhenhehadfoundthebronzerider,andwhohadremovedthearmourfromKonrad’sbody.Varsung,Joukelm,Hjornur…andtheoneknownasUstnar,whowasincommand.

It was the dwarfs who went on such raiding expeditions, Varsung had told him. The humanguardsweretheretoprotectLitzenreich’sdomainagainsthisenemies.Itseemedhehadmany,bothinMiddenheimandbelow.Skavencouldsmellwarpstone,andsotheywouldtrytoretrieveitfromthesorcerer—who had probably stolen it from them originally. This was why he kept his stock invariousplacesbeneaththecity,onlytakingitfromitslead-linedboxesshortlybeforeitwasneeded.

Litzenreichhadothersourcesofwarpstone.ThesubstancewasoftensmuggledintotheEmpire,but itwasavery riskyenterprise.Thedangerdidnotmerely lie in thepotential formutation.Thepenaltyfortradinginwarpstonewasexecution,assumingthattheskavendidnotfindthesmugglersfirst. The punishment they inflictedmade execution seem verymild in comparison. These factorstended tomake the price ofwarpstone very high,whichwaswhy thewizard preferred not to pay.Instead,hisdwarfsstolefromtheskaven.

It felt strange tobewearingarmouragain,butat least itwasarmourwhichheknewhecouldremove ifnecessary.His leathersandmetalwereblack, ascamouflage in the tunnels, and the fourdwarfsweresimilarlyclad.Heworeahelmetwithoutavisorandabreastplate,otherwisehistorsoandarmswereprotectedbyalongcoatofchainmail.Heworegauntletsandcarriedaroundshieldwhichborenoemblem;andinadditiontohissword,aponiardwassheathedathiship.

The dwarfs were all armed with axes and daggers, protected by mail and armour and hideshields likeKonrad’s.Middenheimhad been constructed by their ancestors,who had dug upwards

throughthemountainknownasFauschlag.But,dwarfsbeingdwarfs,theyhadkeptontunnelling.Thewhole area beneath the city, and far beyond, had become a maze of passages. Litzenreich hadestablishedhimselfinonesuchsection.

This was below the web of tunnels which the humans had built for their own purposes: thecellars,thesewers,theescapepassagesfortheGrafandtherulingfamiliesofthecity,thesupposedlyhiddenvaultsfortherich,andtheburialchambersoftherichandthedead.

Inancienttimes,thewholeoftheknownworldhadbeenlinkedbydwarftunnels;alltheircentresofhabitationhadbeenconnected.HalfacenturybeforetheEmpirewasfounded,Artur,chiefoftheTeutognens,hadenlistedthedwarfsandbeguntobuildthefortresscity.ArturwaslaterdefeatedinsinglecombatbythechiefoftheUnberogens,andtheeightwarringhumantribeswerefinallyunitedbythevictor—Sigmar.

Because of its relatively recent construction, it seemed unlikely that the dwarfs had madeMiddenheim a part of their subterranean network. They would not reveal this information to anyhuman,justastheymaintainedthesecretoftheirownclandestineentrancesintothecity.

ItappearedthatMiddenheimwas,however,partofanotherseriesofpassagesthatjoinedeveryregionoftheOldWorld.Manyofthesetunnelshadoriginallybeenbuiltbythedwarfs,buttheyhadbeen takenoverandexpanded.Fewevenknewof theshadowycreatureswhonowdwelledbeneathalmosteverytownandcityintheEmpire,perhapsevenintheworld:thesinisterbreedcalledskaven.

LitzenreichhadtoldKonradfarmorethanhehadeverknownabouttheratbeings.Theywerebelievedtobehybridsofhumansandrats,ashehadsuspected,andtheirmutationhadbeencausedbywarpstone.Unlikemostmutants,however,theskavenwereclever.Theypossessedtheanimalcunningoftheirrodentancestorscombinedwiththeintelligenceoftheirhumanforebears.Theywerelikeanewrace,justashumansandelvesanddwarfswere.

They had their own benighted city, Skavenblight,whichwas reputed to be hidden deep in themarshlandsofTilea.Once a human town, now itwas but ruins.Becauseof their extensivewebofwarrens,nowherewassafefromtheskaven.Theyhadoriginallylivedbeneathtownsthathadfalleninto decay, and it was their intention that every centre of habitation should similarly becomeabandonedandleftfortheirowndiseasedpurposes.Forthis,theyneededmoreandmorewarpstone.

“So, by taking warpstone from the skaven,” Litzenreich had said, “I am helping to preserveMiddenheim.”

Konrad was unsure who the wizard was trying to persuade by this argument — himself orKonrad.HewassurethatLitzenreichfeltnoloyaltytothecity.ButKonradneedednoconvincing.Hewascontenttodoanythingthatwouldharmtheskaven,althoughhewasnotreallysurewhyhewasneededonthemission.Evenifhehadnotbeenhere, thedwarfswouldhaveventureddeepinto thesub-worldinsearchofpreciouswarp-stone.Butanextrabladewasalwaysuseful,andthemagicianknewthatKonradhadbeenaprofessionalsoldier.

It had been a dwarf who taught Konrad the skills of tunnel fighting. He had been his axeinstructoronthefrontier,andhesworethatsuchaweaponwasallthatwasneededbelowground.

In such a confined space, a two-handed axe could be swung back and forth with devastatingeffect; it could also be thrust forward, and its hooked blade could snare an enemy, shredding himapart.

Konrad, however, preferred a sword. In a narrowpassage, oneman could hold back a dozenenemies,becauseonlyonefoecouldattackatatime.Often,theonewouldbeatanadvantageoverthedozen,becausehis firstopponentwouldbeunwillinglypushed forwardby thosebehind—pushedtowardshisdeath.Itwashardtofightwhentherewasnoroomtomakeatacticalretreat,nospacetoleanbackandavoidablow.

The tunnels almost seemed the dwarfs’ natural habitat. They were the right size, because thepassageshadbeenconstructedfortheirrace.Theycouldalsoseebetterinthedarkthanhumans.Socouldskaven, thoughtKonrad,andtheyalsotendedtobeofasimilarsize todwarfs.Hehadneverconsideredthisconnectionbefore.Maybethatwaswhydwarfshatedtheratmensomuch.Butdwarfsseemedtohateeverything,fromelvestogoblins.

Theonlyotherracetoleratedbydwarfswerehumans.Thisalliancehadoriginallybeenforgedby Sigmar, and nowKonradwas continuing thismilitary tradition. Theirmissionwas to find theskaven that lived beneathMiddenheim, and to take their warpstone. The dwarfs had accomplishedsimilar taskspreviously,orsoVarsunghadsaid,and theyhadclaimedgreatquantitiesof thestuff.The skaven had not expected to be attacked on their own territory, and were at first easilyoverwhelmed.Assaultsupontherodentdomainhadbecomemoredangerous,lessrewarding,astimewentby.Thelairswheretheyhidtheirwarpstonewerebothbetterhiddenandbetterdefended.

The plan now was to raid quickly, grab whatever could be carried, then retreat with equalalacrity.Thiswastobeaswiftsurpriseattack,whichwaswhytherewereonlyfiveofthem.

Konradneedednoinstructionsinfighting,thathadbeenhislifeforthefiveyearshehadlivedinKislev.Buthowcouldhefindthewarpstone?

“WhatdoIlookfor?”hehadasked.“Thedwarfsknow,”Litzenreichhadreplied—andsoKonradhadaskedVarsung.Thereweretwoformsofwarpstone,hediscovered.Itsoriginsweresupposedlyunearthly,and

mostofitwasfoundinfist-sizedpieces.Thiswasrawwarpstone,anditwasblack,morethanblack;itwasdeeperthanabsolutedarknessbecauseitseemedtoabsorballlight.

Konrad realized that thiswas the stuffwhich had been used to extricate him from the bronzearmour; he remembered the ultimate black at the centre of the implements that the dwarfs hadmanipulated.Rawwarpstonecouldnotbeproperlyresolvedbythehumaneyebecauseofthewayitdrewinlight;itsedgescouldnotbeproperlydefinedexceptbytouch.

The skaven could also transmutewarpstone from its raw state into a refined form, a powderknownasgreywarpstone.Thisservedthegiantratsinmanyways.Itcouldbeconsumedtogivethemstrength,orswallowedinapotionbeforetheywentintobattleinordertoenhancetheircombatskills.Itwasusedintheirweaponryandmagicandworship.Warpstonewasindispensabletotheskaven—andKonradandthedwarfsweregoingtostealitfromthem.

Greywarpstonepresentednodangertohumans,orsohehadbeentold.Buthehadbeentoldsomuch he was unsure what to believe. The only thing in which he placed any trust was the swordVarsunghadgivenhim.Asheanticipatedthebattleahead,hecouldfeelhisheartpoundingandthebloodpulsingthroughhisveins,andhefelttrulyaliveoncemore.

Thefivecheckedeachother ’sblackarmour,makingsureallthestrapsandbucklesweresecureandtight.Eachshieldhadbeenconstructedwithanoillanternbuiltintoit.Thelampswererecessedintothelayersof leathertoprotect themduringcombat.Theywerepartlyobscuredinordernot togiveofftoomuchlight,andtheycastaneerieglowaheadofthem.

KonradnoticedUstnarwatchinghim.“Ihopeyouwereworth it,” said thedwarf, slinginghisdouble-headedaxeacrosshisshoulder.

TheywereonthelowestlevelofLitzenreich’shauntthatKonradhadyetvisited,buttherewasnosignofthewizard.Twoguardsstoodbytheheavywoodendoorattheendofthepassage,otherwisetherewerejustthefiveofthem.Thetunnelitselfwasmuchnarrowerandsmallerthantheothersinthecomplex,andKonradhadtoducktoavoidtheroughlyhewnceiling.

Thetwohumanguardsdrewthewedgesfromthedoor,yankeditopen,thensprangback,theirhalberdspointingintothedarknessastheystoodsidebyside.Thelanternsrevealednothingexcept

the tunnel. It continued straight ahead, vanishing into the shadows beyond the light. The soldierssteppedaside.

Varsungwasthefirstonethrough;Konradwasthesecond.

Timepassedslowly,andKonradgrewmore tense,allhissenses totallyonedge.Hehaddrawnhissword togivehis clammy righthand something todo.They seemed tobedescending towards thecentreoftheworld,followingamazeofpassageswhichendlesslyspiralleddown.Sometimestherewouldbeaseriesofstepscarvedoutofthemountain,sometimestheyhadtoclimbdownanalmostverticalwallofrock.

Varsung led theway,neverhesitatingdespiteall the junctionsandalternate routes theypassed.Konradsoonrealizedthathewouldneverfindhiswaybackalone,buttherewasverylittlechancehewouldhaveto:ifthedwarfswereallkilled,thenhewouldprobablyhavemetthesamefate.

Mostofthetunnelshadbeenhewnfromtherock,andthewallswerestillpittedwiththeancienttoolmarksof the forgottenexcavators, and theoccasional runicnamecouldbe seencarved in thestone.Otherpassagesseemedtobenaturalfissures,undergroundfracturesinthestrata.Theoriginaltunnellershadadaptedtheseflawsinthesolidrockaspartoftheirconstruction.

Therewere occasional rockfalls,where the passages had become partially blocked.But therewasalwaysroomtosqueezebybecauseearlierexplorershadcomethiswayandremovedmostoftheobstruction.Therewasnowayoftellingwhentheroutehadbeencleared,whetheritwasayearago,ahundred,orathousand.

Hereandthere,theroofhadsunk,asthoughthewholeweightofthemountainhadpresseddownupon it.Even thedwarfshad tobenddouble topass through suchplaces.Elsewhere, the floorhadbuckled,orthesideshadbeencompressed;buttherewasalwaysenoughspacetowrigglethrough.

Itwasnotonlyrocksandstonesthatlitteredthefloor,thedustanddebrisofmillennia.Therewerealsobones.Theycouldhavebeenasoldasthetunnels,ortheycouldhavebeenvery

recent,pickedcleanbythepredatorswhichKonradimaginedlurkedaroundeverybend.Then the shafts began to change. The difference was very subtle, and at first Konrad hardly

noticed.Hegraduallybecameawarethatthepassageswerenotsoeven,notaswellfinished,notsoregular.Thesewerethetunnelsthatmusthavebeenconstructedbytheskaven.

Heand thefourdwarfsspokenotaword throughout thewhole journey.Therewasnothing tosay,theyallknewwhatmustbedone,andanysoundwouldcarryalongtheemptyshafts,echoingandmagnifying.Suchnoisewouldserveasawarningoftheirpresence, justasthereflectedlightfromtheirshadedlanternsmustinevitablydo.

Onandontheywent,further,deeper,downanddown.Theywerestillmovinginthesameorder;therehadbeenfewchancestochangeplaces,andno

reasontodoso.Varsungwasthepathfinder,leadingthewayandKonradfollowed.Ustnarwasbehindhim,theothertwodwarfstookuptherear.

ThenVarsunghalted,glancingback.For thefirst time,he lookedpastKonrad towardsUstnar.Thelocationappearednodifferentfromanyoftheotherpassagesthroughwhichtheyhadcome,butevidentlythedwarfsrecognizedthispartofthetunnel.

Konradalsoglancedaround,andhesawUstnarnod.Heturnedback,andVarsunggesturedforhimtocontinue.Hedidso,butafterafewsecondshelookedaroundagain.Therewasnosignoftheotherthree.KonradandVarsungwerealone.Foramoment,hewonderedwheretheothershadgone.Weretheywaitingtoseewhatwouldhappen,orhadtheytakenanotherroute?Thereweresofewofthem,itseemedamistaketosplittheirforces.

Helickedathisdrylips,wipingthesweatfromhisforeheadwiththebackofhiswrist.Hisheart

wasbeatingfasterthanever,hiswholebodypoisedforaction.Heknewsomethingmusthappensoon,andhefelthewouldburstifthetensionthatwasbuildingupwithinhimcouldnotfindaswiftrelease.

AfewminuteslaterVarsungsuddenlystoppedagain.Hewastwoyardsahead,andKonradalsopaused,wonderingwhythedwarfhadhalted.Thetunnelwasverynarrow,andhecouldnotseepasthim.Heglancedbackbriefly,lookingforaglimmeroflight.Therewasnone.

Whenheturnedagain,henoticedthatthedwarfwasslowlyfallingbackwardstowardshim.Ashetoppledover,Konradglimpsedthecrossbowboltthroughhisthroat…

Hewasdead,Konradknewthatinstantly.Withoutamoment’shesitation,heleaptforward,threwasidehisshieldandgrabbedholdofthedwarf,pushinghimupright.Abodywasusuallyafarbetterdefencethanashield.Heheldthedwarfverticalwithhislefthandandshoulder,duckingdownsothathecouldseeaheadbythelightfromVarsung’slantern.

Therewasnothing to see,nothingexcept anothernarrow twistingpassage.Hewas tempted tosmashthelamp,becauseitwaslikeabeaconsignallinghisposition.Butwithoutit,hewouldbeblind—yettheskavenwouldstillbeabletoseehim.

Heheardasoundfromahead,likeasighofbreath,andfeltanimpactasVarsung’sbodyjerkedback.Anothercrossbowbolt,herealized.

Whatshouldhedo?Hecouldhaveretreated,draggingthedwarf’scorpsebackwards,buthewasawaretherecouldbenoescape.Hehadcometoofar,andhedidnotknowwhereheshouldgotogetback.Evensprintingawayonhisownwouldbefutile;hewouldsimplybecomelostmorequickly.Remainingherewaspointless.Hewaspinneddown.Ifhestayed,hewouldcertainlydie.Thatleftonealternative,theonlyalternativeforawarrior:togoon.

HecouldnotgoonwithVarsung.Thecorpsewouldhavebeenheavyenough todragbackasprotection; itwas far tooweighty topush forward.He reachedbehind,pickeduphis shieldand itslantern,whichwasstilllit,helditinfrontofhimandallowedVarsungtofall.Bybendingdouble,theshieldcompletelycoveredhim.Hegrabbedthedwarf’saxe,wedgingitintohisbelt.Thenhemovedforward,veryslowly,verycautiously,peeringpasthisshieldeveryfewseconds.Anarrowbouncedoffit,butthenextonemissedhisrightearbyaninch.

Judgingbythetimeittooktoloadacrossbow,therewasonlyonearcherahead;andthepassagewasalso toonarrow toallowmore thanonebowman—orbowrat. If therewerebutone isolatedguardahead,maybehecould take itbeforehecould sound thealarm.Havingcounted the secondsbetweenthearrows,heknewthatforabriefwhilehecoulddashforwardwithoutfearofacrossbowbolthaltinghisprogress.

Hewaitedforanothershafttohithisshield,thenspranguprightandran.Heheardvoices,inhumanvoices,skavenvoices,dozensoffootstepsechoinginthepassage.A

wholepackofthemwererushingathim.Thearchercouldhaveheldhimback,butitseemedthatalltheotherswereanxioustogettohimfirst.

ThatwasfinebyKonrad.Hehalted,duckingbeneathhisshield, remainingabsolutelystillandwaitingwhile the rat things came nearer. Then he leapt up, slamming the first one asidewith hisshield.Thelampsmashedwith the impact,but theoil fromwithinsplashedacross theskaven’sfur,andtheflamessettherodentalight.Itscreamedhideouslyasitburnedalive,butthetunnelwasnowbrighterthanever.

ThesecondcreatureranstraightontoKonrad’ssword,impalingitself.“That’sforVarsung!”heyelled,andhespatintoitsuglytorturedface.

Thedeathcriesof thefirst twobeastsmingled,anunholyduetofdeath.Konrad’searliervowhadbeenfulfilled:drawinghisswordhadmeantspillingskavenblood.

Asecondlater,thenextskaven’sthroatwastornoutwithasingleswordsweep.Itgurgled,blood

bubbling from its mouth and pouring from its neck as it died. He wrenched his blade free, thenplunged it into the chest of the next creature. Its hot blood spurted over him, and he laughed intriumph.Fourdown,ahundredmoretocome!

Konrad’sswordrippedoutthegutsofthefifthratman,anditwentdownscreechingasthebladedecapitatedthenextgiantrodent.Thebodiespiledupinfrontofhim,afurryrampart.Theyhadtheirownweapons,andhefelthimselfcutandstabbed,butitwasoflittleconsequence.Hisinjurieswerenotenoughtoslowhimdown;heseldomfeltbattlewoundsuntillater.

Headvancedacross thecorpsesofhisenemies, tramplinguponthebodiesof thedeadandthedying,deflectingtheirweaponswithhisshield,dealingdeathwithhissword.Theywerevermin,hewastheirexterminator.Theirliveswerenothing,andheannihilatedthemassimplyasifhehadbeensquashinginsects.Hedidnotneedtothink,hisreactionswereautomatic.Thensuddenlytherewerenomore,thewayaheadwasclear.

The flames from theburning rathaddied,but the shaftwasnot totallyblack.Therewas lightcomingfromahead,aghostlygreenradiancefromwhatmusthavebeentheskavennest.

Breathingheavily,Konradpaused,wipingthefoulbloodfromhisface.Thenhewalkedslowlyon,andafteratimethepassagewidened.Theroofreceded,thegroundsankandhefoundhimselfonagalleryoverahugepit,aboveascenefromdamnation.Hisownlevelseemedtobelitwithtinyredlightswhichencircledhim,butthenherealizedthateverypairoflightswasared-eyedskaven.Theywereallwatchinghim,lineduparoundthewallsofacavernousamphitheatre.

Highabove,stalactiteshungfromthedomedrooflikethreateningweapons.There could be no retreat. This was where he would make his stand. Konrad leaned on his

bloodysword,breathingheavily,andhegazedatallhisenemies.Therewerehundredsofratbeings,allclad invariouspiecesofarmourandbearing their jaggedknivesandswordsandspears.Theirdark garmentswere decoratedwith runes, their fur brandedwith their clan insignia, and the sameemblemswereonthetatteredbannerstheirstandardbearerscarried.

Theskavenwerenottheonlyonesinthevastcave,henoticed.Farbelow,therewerehumans—orcreatureswhohadoncebeenhuman.Theycarriedonwith theirarduous tasks,slaves to therat-things,performingtheirunknownfunctionsamongstthehugefieryfurnaces.

Thereflectionofthegreenflameshadilluminatedthetunnel.Thesoundwasdeafening,theheatoverpowering,anditwasdifficulttoseewhatwashappeningbecauseofallthethickchokingsmokethat rose from the abominable processes. The whole place seemed to be a bizarre amalgam of asorcerer ’slairandablacksmith’sforge,butmagnifiedahundredfold:adaemon’sworkshop.

Herewaswhererawwarpstoneunderwenttheprocessofrefinement.Thetransformationwassodangerous that they employed slave labour for the lethal operations. But not all the slaves werehuman,Konradobserved;amongstthelabourersbelowtherewereanumberofskaven.

Asheglancedaround,Konradrememberedthelasttimehehadbeenundergroundlikethis.Hehadalsobeenupagainsthundredsofenemies,butnowtheoddswerefarlessinhisfavour.Varsung’saxewasnosubstituteforthemassivedouble-bladedweaponwithwhichhehadwreakedsuchcarnageamongstthetroglodytegoblins.

Timehadseemedfrozenashesurveyedthescenewhichconfrontedhim,butnowtheimmobilesecondsmeltedanditwasagainthetimeforfighting—andfordeath.Thatmustinevitablyincludehisowndeath,Konradknew,butnotuntilhehadclaimedafewmoreenemies.

Hesawanarmouredfiguremovingrapidlytowardshimalongthehighrockyledgewherehestood.Itwasarmedwithasword,defendedbyashield.Hecouldtellitwashuman,andheraisedhisownshieldindefenceandliftedhissword.Hisbladeclashedwiththatofhisenemy,thesoundlostinthe

cacophonyfrombelow.Theyfought.Konradandhisopponentwereevenlymatched.Theywereboththesameheight,ofequalweight

andstrength,bearingidenticalarmament,andtheircombattechniqueswereverysimilar.ForeverystrokethatKonradmade,hisenemyofferedanappropriatecounter-stroke,bringing

uphis shield in response, or elseblocking theblowwithhis own sword.Wheneverhis antagonistmadeastrike,Konradcouldanticipateandrepeltheattack.

Hehadnever fought such an enemy. It seemed that theybothknew the same techniques,weremastersofidenticaltactics;itwasasthoughtheyhadbeeninstructedbyexactlythesametutors.

As theirswordsrang together,metalslidingdownagainstmetal,hilts touching,Konradfoundhimselfstaringdirectlyintohisenemy’sface.Inthegloomandbeneaththeshadedfigure’shelmet,hecouldnotseemuch—exceptthattheman’seyesweredifferentcolours.

Hisleftwasgreen,hisrightwasgold.Itwaslikelookingintoamirror…AndKonradrealizedthathewasfightinghisdouble,hisownimage!Somehow, the skaven had created his doppelganger. That was why every sword stroke was

matchedandreturned—becauseheandhisreflectionweresoequallybalanced.Theduelcouldlastforever.Theywere not exact opposites, because his antagonist carried his blade in his right hand,borehisshieldintheleft.Yetthatseemedaminordetail,andinanycase,Konradwasambidextrouswithweapons.

Hecouldhavefoughthimselfuntilallthatdefeatedhimwasexhaustion.Itseemedthathistwinwasstronger;hisenergieshadnotbeendepletedanddrainedbyaprisonofbronze.Hecouldnotwinbystrength,becausehehadless,norbyskill,becausethatwasevenlyapportioned.Theonlyroutetovictorywastodosomethinghehadneverdonebefore,toadoptacompletelydifferenttechnique.Hehadnootherchance.

“Whoareyou?”hedemanded.Healreadyknewtheanswer,butheneededmoretime,anytime.Buthisopponentgavehimnothing.Neithertimenorananswer.AsKonradparriedlikeafencer,

thenbludgeonedlikeabarbarianwarrior,hewonderedwhattactichecouldadoptthathehadneverused.Hehadlearnedsomuch,beentaughtbysomanymasters.Whatcouldhedothatwascompletelyagainstallhistraining,againstallhisdouble’sexpectations?Thiswasatimeforthoughtinthemidstofadeadlyduel,buthecouldthinkofnothing—exceptnothing.

Heswunghisleftarmout,releasinghisgripandlettinghisshieldflyoff.Thatdistractedhisfoeforaninstant,whowatcheditvanishintothegloom.ThenKonradthrewhisswordaway.

Hisenemybecamestillmomentarily, swordandshield immobile,andKonrad lashedoutwithhisrightfoot,catchinghiminthestomachandunbalancinghim.Heflungouthisarmstotryandkeephimself upright. A moment later Konrad used his head as a battering ram, the helmet taking hisduplicate in themidriff.Downwenthis twin, andhewas instantlyon top,kneeling abovehim, theponiardinhishand,plungingthebladedeepintohisneck.

Thereshouldhavebeenblood.Instead,maggotspouredfromthewound.He had been fighting a deadman.But the dead could die again, and this one became still—

exceptforthehundredsofwhitewrigglingwormsthatcrawledfromthegapingwoundintheneck.Konradwassuddenlyseizedfrombehindanddraggedtohisfeetbytwohugeskavenwarriors.

Hisdaggerwasknockedaway,hishelmettornoff,Varsung’saxewrenchedfromhisbelt.Hekickedathiscaptors’legsandtriedtoelbowhimselffree.

Thenhefeltcoldsteelathisthroat.Theweaponwasheldbyathirdfigure,andKonradleanedback so that the point of the blade would not bite into his flesh. As he did so, he recognized theweapon:itwasthestilettohehadgivenKrysten.

Avoicehissed:“Surrender!”

The sibilant syllables sounded familiar. The shapewith the knifewas in shadow, andKonradcouldonlyjustmakeoutitsoutline,buthealmostrecognizedthesizeandthewaythecreaturestood.

“Konrad.”Itsfurwasgrey,anditheldthestilettoinitsleftpawbecauseithadnorightone.ItwasHeinler.

CHAPTERELEVEN

TherehadseemedsomethingoddaboutHeinler,butnowallwasexplained:hehadnotbeenhuman,hewasskaven.

WhenKonradhadfirstencounteredhimintheminecompound,Heinlerhadseemedtobeaman.In retrospect, his features had certain rodent traits; but now hewas a true skaven, a giant rat thatwalkedlikeaman.Originally,hemusthavetransformedhisappearance,orelsehehadusedsorceryto convince Konrad that he looked human. A spell of illusion would have been simple enough,becauseHeinlerwasoneofthemostpowerfulofallskaven:hewasagreyseer.

Konrad had learned of these creatures from Litzenreich. The wizard had made a point ofknowingeverythinghecouldabouthisenemies.Greyseerswereskavenwhowereabletotransformwarpstone, and the process gave them increased power. They were great magicians, the directservantsoftheThirteenLordsofDecay.

TheThirteenwerethehighpriestsandleadersofthemonstrousrats.Manywererulersintheirownright,governingthemaincentresofskaveninfestation,theirundergroundcitiesofcorruption;otherswerefarmorereclusive,supremesorcerersandexpertsinentropy.Onlytwelveoftheselordswereskaven.Thethirteenthandfinalplaceinthecircleofultimatecommandwasreservedfortheirlordoflords:theHornedRat,acloseallyofoneofthemostpowerfullordsofChaos—Nurgle,thegodofplagueandpestilence.

HeinlerhadhissedhiscommandsatthetwoburlyskavenwhoheldKonradintheirgrip,andhewasdraggedhelplesslybackwardsthroughalongdarkpassage,downintoadankcavewhereametalcollarwasclampedaroundhisneck.Thecollarwaschainedtotherockwall.Itwasasifhewereawildanimalthattheyhadcaughtandtethered;thatitwashewhowasabeast,notthem.

ThetwowarriorratsweretallerthanKonrad,bothbrown,theirfurcoveredinleatherarmourand chainmail.Theywere armedwith short swords, and theyheld the serratedblades at the ready.Bothwereveterans, their limbsanduglyfacesmarkedwithancientscars.Onehadaneyemissing,andasilvercoinwasembeddedintheemptyleftsocket;theotherhadbothitsearstornaway.Eachwore the same emblem branded on its forehead: a circle, with four lines from the circumferencemeetinginthecentre,likeaninvertedTwithafourthradiustothebaseofthecircle.

Therewasverylittlelightinthecave,becausetheskavenneededneitherlanternnorcandle,butKonradcouldseethatheandhisthreecaptorswerenotalone.Thereweremorechainedfiguresinthecavern. None of them moved. Human and inhuman, they were all dead, their corpses rotten andfestering,orlongturnedtodriedcarcasses,orskeletons,orjustapileofbones…

The place stank of disease and decay. The miasma of putrefaction made Konrad choke andalmostthrowup.

Inthegloom,KonradsawHeinlerbarehisteethinwhatmayhavebeenaskavengrin.Hewasdressedinablackvelvetrobe.Thehoodhadbeenpulledbacktoshowapurplesilklining.Theneckofthegarmentwasheldbyagoldenclaspwhichwasintheshapeofahornedrat,theskavendeity.

“WhenItookonhumanform,”hesaid,“IwishedthatIcouldhavehadyoureyes.”Thesibilantwhisperwas completely different from the voice he usedwhen he had pretended to be aminer, aconvictedcriminal—ahuman.HetouchedthepointofthestilettotoKonrad’slowereyelid,theleftone.

“AndnowIcan.”Konrad drew back instantly, and lashed outwith his right leg in an attempt to crush the grey

seer ’sribcage.ButHeinlersprangoutofrange,andKonradwasdraggedbackbythechain.Thetwoguardspounced,pummellinghimwiththehiltsoftheirswords.Konradfoughtback,punchingoneofthecreaturesinthejaw,butithadnoeffect.Hewasforceddownbeneathahailofblows.Allhecoulddowassinktothegroundandtrytoprotecthishead.

“No,no!”theyyelledathim,inurgentlywhisperingparodiesofhumanvoices.“Stop!Stop!”Heinlerissuedacommand,andthetwoskavenmovedback.“Itwasajoke,”saidHeinler.“Probably.Ilearnedthatkindofhumourfromhumans.”Hetappedthehandleofthestilettoagainst thewall,andKonradwonderedwhathadmadehim

keeptheblade.“Don’tgivethemanyexcuse,”Heinlerwarned.“Thesearemypersonalbodyguard,buttheymay

notbeabletorestrainthemselvesifprovoked.Theycansmellyou—andtheywanttoknowwhatyoutastelike.”

“Smellme?”Konradmanagedtosay.Why should he smell different from any other human?And he had no doubt that the skaven

warriorsmust have tasted human flesh before. Theywere like the creatures fromwhich they hadevolved;ratswerescavengerswhowoulddevouranykindofflesh—whetheraliveordead,freshordecayed.

“Theycansmellthewarpstone,”explainedHeinler.Therewasashoutfrombeyondthecavern,andHeinlerturnedawayasanotherskavenrushedin

through the roughly hewn entrance. The newcomer was smaller, piebald, unarmed and wore noarmour.Ithadtwotails,Konradnoticed.Skavenwerehighlyresistanttowarpstonemutation,buttheycouldstillbeaffectedbyvariousphysicalchanges.

Thetwo-tailedrodentbowedtoHeinler,thenspokeveryrapidly.Beforeithadcompletedwhatitwassaying,Heinlerbegantoscurryfromthecave.Thetwosoldierratsstartedtofollow,butHeinlershoutedacommandandoneofthetworemained.

The guard stood in the entrance, staring back along the shaft. After aminute, he returned towherehiscaptivesat,andheloomedoverhim.

Konrad tried to lean back, but hewas alreadywedged against the foetid rock. The deformedsnoutmovedclosertohim,andhecouldsmelltheskaven’sdisgustingbreath.Henoticeditsteeth:thetwofrontfangshadbeenreplacedbymetalspikes.

Thecreature’slongtonguerolledfromitsjaw,anditlickedatoneofthewoundsonKonrad’scheek,lappinguptheblood.

Itsteppedback.“Good,good,”ithissed,gazingdownathimwithitssingleeye.“Webefriends,friends.”Itmadeanawfulsound,acoughingnoisewhichKonradrealizedmusthavebeenlaughter.

Herubbedhischeekwithhishand,wipingawaythestickyskavensaliva,andhopedthatHeinlerwouldsoonreturnfromtheshadows.Whathaddrawnhimaway?Theremusthavebeensomekindofemergency,judgingbyalltheinhumanyellingthatwasgoingoninthedistance.

Konradhadbeenwoundedduringhisbattlewiththeratmeninthetunnel,althoughnotseriously.Hefeltsore,andhisbodywasbruised.Thechainmailhadbeenseveredbyoneortwoheavyblows,andhis rightarmwasbleedingwhere themetal linkshadbrokenandsliced through theprotectiveleather jacket beneath.His armwas in pain and he folded it behind him, tugging at the chainmailwhichhadpenetratedhisflesh.

Hehopedthattheone-eyedratwouldnotnotice;butherealizedthatthecreaturedidnotneedtoseethebloodtoknowofthewounds.

Recalling the rough feel of the skaven’s kiss, Konrad kept touching his face. He moved hisfingersuptohiseyes,thinkingofwhatHeinlerhadsaid.

His lefteyehadgivenhimnowarningof impendingdanger;hehadbeenunawarethatheandVarsungwereabouttobeattackedinthetunnel.Thiscouldhavebeenanexampleofhiserratictalentabandoning him at the crucial moment, but he knew it was of far more significance: it wasconfirmationthatthegiftofforesighthadtrulydesertedhim.

Hekeptwatchinghisguard.Havingtastedblood,thecreaturewasevenmoredangerousthantherestofhisdarkbreed.Konradknewtherewasnowaythathecouldescape,buthehadtostaytotallyalertinordertodefendhimselffromthepredator.

Theguard’stonguesnakedfromitsmouth,betweenitspointedteeth,anditlickedatitslips.“Tastegood,good,”theguardassuredhim,inrapidOldWorlder.“Latermore,more.”Konradcoveredhisfacialwoundwithhislefthandandtriedtoignoretheskaven.Warpstone, he thought. Skaven could smellwarpstone, andLitzenreich had usedwarpstone to

extracthimfromthebronzearmour.As he sat on the cold damp stone, surrounded by bodies and bones, a hungry giant rodent

standingtwopacesaway,Konrad’smindwentbackovertheeventswhichhadbroughthimhere—andhedidnotlikehislineofreasoningandwhereitledhim.

Heinlerfinallyreturned,theotherguardwithhim.Konradrosetohisfeet,readyforanything.“Litzenreich!”theskavensnarled.Konradremainedsilent,showednoreaction.“Iwonderedwhathadbroughtyouhere,butnowIknowsomeofit.Severalpoundsofwarpstone

havebeenstolen,bothrawandrefinedmaterial.Itwastakenbydwarfs,itseems,buttheymusthavebeenworkingforLitzenreich.Youwereadiversionwhiletheraidtookplace.”

Konradstillsaidnothing,butthegreyseer ’swordsconfirmedhisownconclusion.Litzenreichhad sent him here in full knowledge that the skaven would detect the warpstone which he hadabsorbed,knowingthathewouldbecapturedorkilled—orworse.ThemagiciandidnotcarewhathappenedtoKonrad,oreventoVarsung.Theywerebothexpendable.Theironlypurposehadbeentodistracttheattentionoftherat-thingswhiletheotherthreedwarfsstolethewarpstone.

“Litzenreich amused me once,” Heinler continued. “The idea of a human working withwarpstone!Maybe I felt toomuchsympathy, regardinghimasa fellowsorcererdespitehis race. Ipaidthepricethen.Icannolongertoleratesuchinterferencewithmyvitalwork.Hemustdie!”

Heinlerheldthestilettobeneathhishumancaptive’sthroat,andforamomentKonradbelievedthathisownmomentofdeathhadarrived.

“Icanhelpyou,”Konradsaidquickly.Ashemovedhislowerjaw,hefeltthepointofthedaggerprickhisflesh.

“Help me?” Heinler repeated, and he made the coughing sound of skaven laughter, but heloweredtheknife.

“Yes,”saidKonradquickly,andhewipedthedropsofbloodfromhischin.Hisfirstthoughtwastosavehisownlife,butheowedLitzenreichnothing.Thewizardhadnot

cared about Konrad’s fate. To him, Konrad had been a sacrificial offering, the price paid foracquiringwarpstone.

“Nevertrustahuman,”whisperedHeinler.“That’sthefirstthingyoungskavenlearn.”HisgazeshiftedfromKonrad’sgreeneyetohisgoldenone.Konradrememberedthethreatto

takehiseyes—andhealsorecalledhisdouble,whoseeyeswereamirrorimageofhisown.Heinlermust have been responsible for his twin opponent.But had the grey seermanaged to

createanidenticallikenessofKonrad,orhadhebeenundertheskaven’sspell,deludedintobelieving

thathewasfightingagainsthimself?“WhodidIfightoutthere?”heasked.“Wasitme?Wasitmyself?OrwasIjust…justtryingto

fightmyownshadow?”Heinlergazedathim for several seconds, andKonrad thought thathewouldnot reply,buthe

eventually said: “It was you, Konrad. Or almost you. More than your reflection, less than youranalogue. It couldhavebeenan interestingcontest,perhapsan infiniteduel, ifonly I’dknownyouwerecoming.”

“But…?”Konradshookhishead.Hehadsomanyquestionsthathedidnotknowwheretobegin,andhewasunsurewhethertheskavenwizardwouldansweranyofthem.

WhenHeinlersighed,itseemedaveryhumansound.“Irefinewarpstone,”hesaid,“thatismytask. I’ve organized the process so that the systemcan function almostwithoutme,whichmeans Ineedahobby tokeepmyselfoccupied. Ibeganfurtherexperimentswith reincarnation formyownamusement.”HeglancedatthebodiesinvariousstagesofdecompositionwhichsurroundedKonrad.“HerebelowMiddenheimisanideallocation,andIwillberecruitingagainverysoon.”Heraisedhishead,asthoughhecouldseethecityfarabovehim.“Wehadsomeproblemsseveralyearsago,butproductionisincreasingoncemore,andagainmypastimeisbecomingmorethanthat.”

Konradrealizedthatthehumanshehadseenatworkintheinfernowerealldead.Transmutingwarpstonemusthavebeensohazardousthatonlytheresurrectedcorpsescouldsurvive.

ThecreaturewithwhomKonradhadfoughthadalsobeenazombie,alifewithoutlife,thathadbeengivenhisownappearance.

YetHeinlerseemedtobesayingthathehadnotknownKonradwouldbehere,althoughhehadhistwinreadytodocombatwithhim.

“AreyouunderLitzenreich’sspell?”saidthegreyseer,anditseemedthathewasaskinghimselfthequestion.“Whoareyou,Konrad?”

Theireyeslocked,andKonradsaidnothingforseveralseconds,partlybecausehedidnothaveananswer;buthedidnotlookaway.

“Whydidyoubuildalikenessofme?”heasked.“Chance.”Thereisnosuchthingaschance—Wolfhad toldhimthatsomanytimes,andover theyears

Konradhadcometobelieveitwastrue.Fate,coincidence,theydidnotexist.Theywereallpartofalarger,althoughincomprehensible,pattern.

“Iwastransforminglife,”Heinlercontinued,“takingoneoftheundeadandrefiningtheirimageintothatofsomeoneelse.Oneofthemhappenedtobeyou.Beforeweparted,Itookasampleofyourblood and a piece of your flesh.Thatwas enough to build a semblance of your life.An excellentsemblance,infact.”

Blood, flesh. When Konrad had regained consciousness, discovering himself a prisoner ofKastring’smarauders,hehadlostplentyofboth.

“Theeyeswerewrong,”hesaid.“Thecoloursswitchedfromlefttoright.”“Perhaps.Orperhapsit’syoureyesthatarewrong.”TodistractHeinlerfromhiseyes,Konradsaid:“Youmusthaveknownitwasmeinthetunnel.

Thatwaswhyyousentmydoubletofightme.”“Ihadmadeasimulacrumofahumanwarrior.Iwantedtoseehowitwouldfareagainstahuman

combatant.Thathumanwarriorhappenedtobeyou,Konrad.Chance,”Heinlersaidagain.And again Konrad did not believe it could be chance. The rat wizard must have been lying;

everythinghesaidhadprobablybeenalie.Heinler ’s longsleevecoveredtheendofhisrightarm,and themissingpaw. If hewere such a great sorcerer, if he could create an imitationof life,why

couldhenotreplacehisownmissinglimb?Thegreyseerspoketoeachoftheskavenwarriors.Theybothreplied,andthentheonewithout

anyearsleftthecave.Theguardwiththesingleeyeremainedbyhismaster ’sside.“Idon’tknowwhattodowithyou,Konrad,”Heinlersaid.“Isensethat…”Heshookhishead,

whichseemedsuchanunrealgesturefromsuchaninhuman,buthedidnotfinishthesentence.Konradwaited, hoping that hewould concludewhat hewas saying and that hemight provide

somecluetotheenigmathatwasKonrad’slife.“Whatwereyoudoingatthemine?”Konradasked.“Waitingtokillme?”“TheknifeIthrew?IfI’dwantedyoudead,youwouldhavebeendead.”Heglancedatthestiletto

and threwit into theair. Itspunaroundandaround,buthecaught thehandleeasily inhisonepaw.“Goodwithaknife,aren’tI?”hesaid,inthevoiceofaKislevitemineslave.“Iwasaminer.Foraday.Until I caused a dark mist to envelop the watchtowers so that the raiders could attack withoutwarning.”

“WhydidyoujoinmewhenIfollowedthebeastmen?”Heinlersaidnothing.“WereyouobeyingSkullface’sorders?”Thegreyseerstilldidnot reply,but therewassomethingstrangeabouthisexpression.Was it

doubt?Coulditbethathedidnotknowtherealanswer?PerhapsheknewalmostaslittleasKonrad.Heinlerstaredathimforalongwhile,andKonraddidnotglanceaway.Hemettheskaven’sredgazewithoutflinching.

“Whydidn’tyoukillme?”heasked.“Itwasyouthathitme,wasn’tit?Youcalledoutawarning,Iturned,thenyouknockedmeout.”

It took awhile for the grey seer to reply. “I took your blood, I took your flesh,” he insisted.“ThatwasallIwanted.ThistimeIwilltakemore,farmore.”

Hespunaroundandleftthecave,andKonradwasleftalonewithoneofthegiantwarriorrats.

Timepassed,anditwasalmostlikebeinglockedinLitzenreich’schamber.Butthatwasseveralmilesaway,bothhorizontallyandvertically,andtherewereanumberofotherdifferences.Hewaschainedup, itwasdark,hehad to lieon thehardrock,andhewasgivennofood.Hemanaged tokeephistongueandthroatmoistbysuckingonthemoisturewhichoozedfromthedampwalls.

Therewasno lockeddoor,but therewasnodoor. Instead, therewasalwaysaguardnearby. Itwasoftenoneofthefirsttwowarriorrats,whohecametothinkofasNoEarsandSilverEye.Ifnot,theyweremembersofthesameclanandbrandedwithanidenticalcircularemblem.Therewasneveranysignofthegreyskaven.Konradshoutedouthisnamemanyatime,hopingthatthesentrieswouldcalltheirleader,buttonoavail.PerhapsHeinlerwasnoteventhegreyseer ’sname,justonehehadinventedwhenhehadtransformedhimselfintohumanform.

Hebeganpickingup thenearestbones.Therewereplenty lying loose,andhedidnothave toprisethemfromthenearbycorpses.Hesmashedthebonesagainsteachother,orrubbedthemuponthewall,untiltheybecamesplinteredandpointed.Heusedmostofthesetopoundintotherock,asifhopingtodighiswayfree.

Theskavenseemedveryamused,andheoftensawafewofthemintheentrance,coughingtheirrodentlaughter.Theydidnotevenappearconcernedwhenhetriedtoleverthemetalcollarfromhisthroatordigthechainoutofthewall.Hesoongaveupontheformer,becausetheonlydamagehedidwastohisownneck.

Afterhehadsnappedseveralfemurs,therustysecuringboltwasstillsecurelyembeddedintothestone.Ithadremainedinplaceforcenturies,andhundredsofprisonersmusthavebeenchainedtoit

anddiedinthisverycellcarvedfromtherockystrata.Butwhenhewasnotapparentlyattemptingtoleverawaythesolidmetal,ortochiselintothesolidrock,Konradcollectedafewsharpenedboneswhichwouldserveasweapons ifeveroneof therat-thingsapproachedwithinrange.Theyseldomcamecloseenoughforhimtoreachwithhisbarehands.

Withoutdayornight,therewasnotellinghowlonghehadbeenchainedup.Hehadsleptafewtimes,butneverproperly,andithadbeenimpossibletocalculatethepassingdays.

HethoughtofHeinler,andhowhehadfirstmethimatthemine.ItwasbecauseofHeinlerthathehadbecomeaprisonerofKastring’sband.KastringwasElyssa’sbrother,andKonradhadbeenwithElyssawhenhefirstsawthebronzewarrior.ThenKonradhadbecomethebronzewarrior,anditwasLitzenreich who had saved him from the armour which imprisoned him. Now he was Heinler ’sprisoner,andHeinlerseemedtoknowLitzenreich.

Everythingseemedconnected,eachseparateoccurrencelikethelinkinachain—aninvisiblechainwhichhadalwaysheldKonradcaptivewithouthimeverbeingawareofhisconfinement.Allhecoulddowascontemplatethesituationintowhichhisunseenslavemasterhadnowdrivenhim,andtrytoworkouthisplaceinthelargerpattern.Thereseemednosolutionbecauseasaforgottenhostageoftheskaven,hisroleinthegreaterschememustbeover.

Hewaslostbeneaththeworld,wherealltrueeventsoccurred,andhemustsurelydieandrotlikeeverypreviousinhabitantofthefoetidcavern.

As always, he was leaning against the damp wall, gazing through the darkness towards theslightlylessdarkentranceopposite,whenhethoughtheheardasoundbehindhim.Buttheonlythingbehindwasrock,andherealizedhemustbehallucinating.Hewasdeliriousthroughhunger.

Hewas almost beginning to hope thatHeinlerwould return, to carry out his threat of takingmorebloodandflesh.Thatwouldbeamuchswifterwaytodie,althoughKonraddidnotliketheideaofhisunlivingdoublecontinuingtoexistafterhisowndeath.

Thenheheardthenoiseagain,adistantechoingwhichseemedtobecomingthroughtheveryrock.

Heleanedbackagainst thecavernwall,pressinghisear to themoistsurface.Itsoundedlikeahammer hitting a chisel, as though someonewere tunnelling through.Theremust have beenothercavesnearby,wheremoreprisonerswereincarcerated.

Oneofthemwashittingthewallwithastoneorapieceofbone,doingwhatKonraddid.Thatwastheonlypossibleexplanation.

Konradstoodupandwalkedasfartowardsthecentreofthecaveasthechainaroundhisneckallowed.Hekeptmovingasmuchashecould,althoughherealizedthatitdepletedhisenergy.Anykindofactivitykepthissensesalert,however,andheexercisedhismusclesregularly.

He paced two yards to the left, two yards to the right, because that was as far as his tetherallowed.HesawtheredeyesofNoEarswatchinghim.

Suddenly,Konradwasflungacrosstotheothersideofthecavern,neartheentrance.Helayonhisback,gazingupatthelowceiling.Thecavewasfullofswirlingblacksmoke,andhecouldnotworkoutwhatwasgoingon.

Asquatshapeloomedabovehim.Heseemedtorecognizethefigure,butcouldnotidentifyhim.Hesawthemouthmoving,butheheardnowords.Justasthesmokycloudshadobscuredmostofhisvision,soheseemedtohavebecomedeaf.Theshapepulledhimtohisfeet.Adwarf;itwasadwarf!

Hefeltdizzy,sawthedwarfmouthingaword,andheshookhisheadagain.Anothersquatandbeardedfigureemergedfromthejaggedholethat theymusthaveblastedintothecave.Thedwarfshadblowntheirwayintothecavernwherehewasheldprisoner.Theexplosionhadfreedtheendofthechainthatheldhim,butithadalsostunnedanddeafenedhimforawhile.

“Varsung?”yelledavoice.ItwasUstnar,herealized.Thatwaswhowassupportinghim.“Dead,”hewhispered.“Dead!”heshouted.Theotherdwarfclosedhiseyesforasecond,shookhishead,thensaid:“Let’sgetoutofhere!”ButbeforeKonradand the twodwarfscouldescape through thepassage theyhadcreated, the

cavernwasinvadedbyapackofskaven.Ustnar leapt forward,hisaxeswinging.Furry limbsweresevered,androdentbodies tumbled,

slicedandscreaming.Konradjoinedthefray,swingingthefreedendofhischainasthoughitwereaweapon.Hecaughtoneoftherat-thingsaroundoneofitsupperlimbs,draggingitclosertohim.ItwasNoEars.

Theskaven’sjaggedbladearcedtowardsKonrad,butheduckedawayandevadedtheblow.Ashe did so, he picked up one of the bones that lay scattered on the ground—and thrust it into therodent’smouth,downitsthroat.

The creature fell, dropping itsweapon.Konrad raised yet another bone, one of those he hadsharpened,anddroveitintotheskaven’schest.Foulbloodspurtedfromitswrithingbody,buthekepton stabbing thebeastwithmore andmorebonesuntil it hadbeen totally impaled.And still it kepttwitching,refusingtoacceptthatitwasdead.

“Comeon!”yelledavoice.ItwasHjornur,theotherdwarf.Ustnarwasbusyslayingskaven,andthecavewasamassofbodies.Itseemedthathewouldhave

preferredtoventureoutintothewarrenbeyond,tofindmoreoftheenemyandkeeponkillingratherthanretreat.Konradknewthewayhefelt.

Hjornur beckoned to Konrad, and he gathered up the chain, then bent down into the tunnel.Hjornurpushedhimthrough.Hesawanotherfigureahead,litbyalantern.Astheshapegesturedforhimtohurry,herecognizedJoukelm.Heobeyed,movingasfastashecould,followingthedwarfasheturnedandmadehiswayalongthepassage.Heheardmoresoundsbehindhim.HjornurandUstnarwerebringinguptherear,althoughhepaidlittleattention.Hewastoobusytryingtokeepupwiththedimfigureofthedistantdwarfclamberingthroughthenarrowtunnel.

Therewasasudden thunderous roar,andablastof turbulentairknockedhimforward.Bloodtrickled from both nostrils, another cloud of dust enveloped him, and he coughed. Choking anddeafenedagain,herealizedthatthedwarfshadusedmoregunpowdertoblockoffthepassagebehindinordertopreventpursuit.

Konradkeptonscramblingthroughthegloom,butwitheachstephewasclimbing,headingbackthe way he had come an unknown number of days ago, back towardsMiddenheim, back towardsLitzenreich’ssubterraneanworkshop.

CHAPTERTWELVE

“Thanksforcomingforme,”saidKonrad.“Wedidn’tcomeforyou,”saidJoukelm.“WecameforVarsung,”saidHjornur.Konrad already knew that, but he said nothing else; the first five words had been difficult

enough.He drank somemorewater. The dwarfs had taken no such luxury items as food into theskavendomain,beingladendownwithtunnellingequipment,weaponsandgunpowder.

After a long and arduous journey, they had at last reached the labyrinthine levels beneathMiddenheim.SeveraltimesKonradthoughthecouldnotgoon,hewastooexhausted,butthedwarfshadhalf-dragged,half-carriedhimovertheworstobstacles.Itwasasiftheyhadtogethimbackorelse theirwholemissionwouldhavebeenwasted.Hewascovered insweatanddirtandblood,hisbodywascutandgashedandbruised;buthewasalive,hewasfree,andthatwasworthanypainanddeprivation.

He stripped naked and used more water to bathe his fresh wounds and wash away the driedblood, torinseoff thedustandthesweat.Buthewasnotcompletelynaked,becausetheironcollarwasstillaroundhisneck,aswasthelengthofrustychainwhichhadfetteredhimtothewallofthecave.KonradrememberedtheblacklinksthatWolfworearoundhisneck.Hehadsaiditwaspartofachainwhichhadonceheldhimcaptive, thathekept it inorder torememberhowbadincarcerationhadbeenandtoremindhimthathewouldratherdiethaneverbetakenprisoneragain.ButKonradneedednosuchreminder,andJoukelmremovedtheironnecklacewithafewaccurateblowsfromhishammerandcoldchisel.

“Howdidithappen?”Ustnarasked,finally.“It was all over in a moment,” Konrad replied, knowing exactly what the dwarf meant. “An

arrow fromacrossbow.Varsungneverknewwhathit him.Therewasnopain.Hedied instantly. Ikilledhiskiller.”

Onlythelastsentencewasuntrue,althoughKonradhadslaughteredsomanyskaveninthetunnelthathemightevenhaveslaintheonewiththecrossbow.

Ustnarstaredathim,andKonradreturnedhisgaze.“That’swhathappened,”heaffirmed.Ustnarnodded,andhewalkedoffintothegloomofthecavern.Theotherthreewatchedhimgo.“Varsungwashisbrother,”saidJoukelm.“Butthat’snotwhywereturned,”saidHjornur.“WewentbackbecauseVarsungwasacomrade.”Konraddranksomemorewater,thenchewedonapieceofdriedbread.Ithadtakenthemlong

enoughtoreturn,hethought,ormaybethatwasonlythewayitappeared.Afterthewarpstoneraid,theskavenwouldhavebeenonfullalert,andthedwarfsmusthavetakenadifferentcourseintotheratwarren,evencarvinganewroutepartwaythroughtherock.

HewascertainLitzenreichhadnothingtodowiththeirexpedition.ThewizardhadsentKonradtohisdeath,andalsoanyonewhowaswithhim.ItwasVarsung’sbadluckthathewastheone.

Or had it been Litzenreich’s suggestion that it should be Varsung who accompanied Konradwhiletheotherthreetookadifferentpath?

Konradthoughtofwhentheyhadfirstventuredintotheskavendomain,andheasked:“Yougot

thewarpstone?”“Yes,”repliedJoukelm.“Why?”“Why?”repeatedJoukelm.“Whydidyoudoit?WhyworkforLitzenreich?”“Weworkwithhim,”saidHjornur.“Butyoucallhim‘boss’,”Konradsaid.“Onlytokeephimhappy,”saidJoukelm..“Buthe’stheonewhogivestheorders.Heistheboss.Hewantsthewarpstone,notyou.”Konrad

lookedatthetwodwarfs.“Weareallies,”Hjornursaid.“Wegetthewarpstone.Litzenreichusesit.”“No,heusesyou.”“Maybe.Butitistheresultthatmatters.”“ThedeathofVarsung?Isn’tthattheresult?”“No,”saidJoukelm,joiningin.“Noonelivesforever.”“Varsungdidn’thavemuchchanceto,didhe?”saidKonrad.“Therearealwayscasualties.”Now that hewas beginning to recover,Konradwas becoming irritated at theway the dwarfs

seemed toconsiderLitzenreich.Did theynot realize thathemanipulated themforhisowndubiouspurposes?

“LitzenreichwantedtheskaventoknowIwasthere.Theycouldsmellthewarpstoneyouusedtoget me out of the bronze armour. Varsung and I were a diversion, so that you could steal thewarpstone.Becauseofthat,Varsungdied.Youdidn’twantthat,didyou?That’swhyyoucameback,hopinghewasalive.”

“Wehoped,”Joukelmshrugged,“but—”“We’refightingawar,”saidHjornur,“justasyouwereinKislev”Thedwarfmusthaveheardof

Konrad’s years on the frontier fromLitzenreich. “Youwere defending a goldmine, whichmeantbattlingagainstbeastmen.EachoneyoukilledslowedtheadvanceofChaosbyafraction,althoughthatmaynothavebeenyourmotive.Andwearepartofthatsameconflicthere.”

Konrad stared at the two dwarfs, hardly believing what he was hearing. Had the magicianenchantedthem?

ThereactionofJoukelmandHjornurwascompletelycontrarytowhathehadexpected.Dwarfswerenotoriouslyshort-tempered,andhehadthoughttheywouldbeabsolutelyincensedattheideaofLitzenreichdeliberatelyusingVarsungtobaitatrap.Ustnarseemednaturallyupsetatthedeathofhisbrother, yet that was all. The other two appeared totally unconcerned, as though the wizard’sbehaviourhadbeenentirelyreasonable.

They had not even seemed surprised when Konrad revealed that the skaven must have beenwarned of their approach by the smell of warpstone. The reason, he suddenly understood, wasobvious: thedwarfsknew.Theyknewallaboutwarpstoneanditseffects; theyknewKonrad’sbodywaspermeatedwithwarpstone;theyknewthattheskavencoulddetectthescentofwarpstone.

WhatofUstnar?HadhealsoknownthathisownbrothermightdieasaresultofLitzenreich’sscheme?Hemusthavedone—andVarsungmustalsohaveknown…

TheonlymemberofthemissionwhohadbeenunawarethattheskavenwouldsmelltheodourofwarpstoneonKonradhadbeenKonradhimself.

Would he always be affected? Or would the taint fade over the years? He needed to ask

Litzenreich.He hoped never to encounter another skaven; but if they could smell him, theywouldseekhimoutforthewarpstonethattheycraved.

Although relieved to be free,Konrad still resented thewayLitzenreich had used him.Hehadusedthedwarfs,too.Theyknewit,yettheyremainedloyal.Itmadenosense,butKonradwasusedtothedefeatoflogicinthefaceofunreason.

Afterhehadsleptforanuncountednumberofhoursandeatenhisfirstpropermeal,thedwarfstookKonrad higher up through the network of tunnels, returning him to the area where the magiciandwelled.Theguardsallowed them through,and theymade theirway to thecentral chamber.WhenLitzenreichsawKonradandtheotherthree,hehardlysparedthemaglance.Hecontinuedabouthisworkofassemblingaweirdcoppercontraption.

“Holdthis,”hesaidtoJoukelm,andthedwarfhurriedtodoashewasrequested.Konradwalkedtowardsthewizardandstoodinfrontofhim.Litzenreichmusthaveknownhe

had been captured by the skaven, but even when he had finished his immediate task he ignoredKonrad.Thiswasalsothefirsttimehehadseenthedwarfssincetheirrecentexpeditiontotherodentunderworld. Even if he did not know of theirmission, hemust have observed that they had beenabsentforawhile;buthepaidnoattentionandbehavedasthoughnothinghadhappened.

Whilechainedupafewmilesbelow,Konradhadfrequentlypassedthetimebyconsideringallthepossibleslowandpainfulways thathecouldkillLitzenreich ifeverheencounteredhimagain.Now,however,theideaofsuchvengeanceseemedhollow.Inthefuryofcombat,whenthebloodwashot, revengewasan idealmotivation,an incentive toaction. Ifacomradehadbeenkilledorbadlywounded,awarriorwouldseekoutandslaytheopponentthathadbeenresponsible.

ThoughtsofvengeancehadhelpedKonrad tosurvive,yet theflamesofangerhaddieddown,and he no longer felt much hostility towards Litzenreich. Perhaps he had been influenced by thedwarfs, themanner inwhich theyhad treated thewhole episode so calmly.Therewas noway thatKonradwouldhavesoughttoavengehimselfincoldblood.Thepastwasoveranddone.Hehadbeenliberated,andthatwasthemostimportantthing.NothinghedidtoLitzenreichcouldmakethingsanydifferent. Neither would he be saving himself from any future threat by dispatching the wizard,becausehehadnointentionofhavinganyfurtherdealingswithLitzenreich.

Withinthehour,heplannedtobeawayfromhere.First,heneededanewoutfit,weapons,ahorseandmoney.AndthatwaswhathetoldLitzenreichassoonasthemagicianquitthecentralchamber,leavingthethreedwarfstofinishconstructingacomplexwebofcoppertubesthatseemedalmosttobeamodelofthetunnelnetworkthroughwhichtheyhadsorecentlytravelled.

“Money?”saidthewizard.“Money?”Hefrownedasthoughitwereanunknownword.“Idonothavemoney”HeattemptedtomovepastKonrad,butfoundhiswayblocked.“Youarefreetoleavewheneveryouwish.”

“Armour,clothes,ahelmet,ashield,asword,ahorse,”repeatedKonrad.“Ioweyounothing.”“Youtriedtokillme.”“Ididnot.”“Yousentmeintotheskaventunnelsknowingthattheywouldsmellthewarpstone.”“Yes.”“Youtriedtokillme,”Konradrepeated.“No.Idonotunderstandwhyyouarecomplaining.Youarenotdead.Ifyouwere,youwouldn’t

beabletocomplain.”“TheonlyreasonI’mnotdeadisbecausethedwarfsrescuedme.Andtheydidn’tcomeforme.

TheycameforVarsung,whoisdead.”“Ithoughthemustbe.”“DidyouknowhewasUstnar ’sbrother?”“Alldwarfsarebrothers.”“Hisrealbrother.”“Whatofit?”Litzenreichhadsavedhislife,andLitzenreichhadnearlycosthimhislife.Thesetwobalanced

out.Originally,thewizardclaimedhehadwantedKonradtobringbackthewarpstoneaspaymentforresurrectinghimfromthebronzearmour—andso,bysuchreckoning,Konradwasstillowedfortherolehehadplayedinthemissiontotheskavenlair.

“I’mleavingassoonasyoupaywhatI’mdueforbringingbackthewarpstone,”hesaid.“Butyoudidnotbringanyback.Youdidnotcomeback.”“Ihavecomebacknow.AndifIhadn’tgone,ifVarsunghadn’tdied,theotherthreewouldnot

havecapturedanywarpstone.”“Notnecessarily”saidLitzenreich,andhemadetopassbyKonradagain.Konrad touchedhimfor the first time,holdinghispalmagainstLitzenreich’schest toprevent

himmoving.“Idonotthinkitwouldbewiseforyoutothreatenme,”saidLitzenreich.AndKonradrememberedwhohewasdealingwith:asorcerer…Evenwithoutaweapon,hecouldhaveslainLitzenreichinunderasecondifnecessary.Adead

magiciancouldnotcastaspell.Konradloweredhishand,buthewonderedhowfastLitzenreichcouldhave protected himself.Was it possible to conjure a defence faster than the reflexes of a trainedwarrior?Wouldthewizardhavediedbeforehecouldevenutteradeathcurse?

“Youdonothavetoleave,”saidLitzenreich.“Icangiveyoueverythingthatyouneedhere.”“Ha!Are youofferingme a job?Youwantme to go back and let the skaven smellmy scent

again,sothatthedwarfscanlootmorewarpstone?Imaybeasoldier,Litzenreich,Imaylivebythesword,butI’mnotstupid.I’mleavingbeforetheskavengethere.”

“Before the skaven get here?” echoed thewizard, and for the first time he looked atKonradinsteadofthroughhim.“Whatdoyoumean?”

“They’re coming for you. They’re fed upwith you stealing thewarpstone. They plan to killyou.”

“Youareguessing.”Itwasastatement,notaquestion.“Theyknowwhoyouare,Litzenreich,andtheyprobablyknowwhereyouare.Theyaregoing

tokillyou.Idon’tintendtobeherewhentheyarrive.”For the first time, thewizard looked confused.He appearednever tohave considered that the

skavenmighttakeactionagainsthim;heseemedtobelievethathecouldkeeponstealingfromthemforeverandtheywoulddonothingtopreventit.

“Youareguessing?”Thistimetherewasdoubt,anditwasaquestion.“No.Heinlertoldme.”“AndwhoisHeinler?”“Theirleader.Agreyseer.”Litzenreich stared at him with undisguised incredulity. “A grey seer told you? Do not be so

ridiculous.”Konradshrugged.“Hedoesnotseemtolikeyou,Litzenreich,hesaidsomethingaboutalready

having paid a price forwhat you had done to him. Since then, your dwarfs have been back down

there,killedseveralmoreskavenandblownupatunnel.Heinlerwillbeevenlesspleasedwithyounow,Iimagine.”

“Thisgreyseer,hereallyspoketoyou?”Konradnodded.“Hecandoallsortsofthings.He’soneoftheirsorcerers,he’slikeyou.”“Nothinglikeme!”Litzenreichbecametotallystillforafewseconds,hiseyesunfocused,then

suddenlyhehelduphisrighthand.“Hispawwasmissing?”“Yes.Youknowhim?”“Gaxar.ThatwasthenamebywhichIknewhim.ItwasIwhoremovedthepaw.Soheisback,

thatone?”“You‘removed’thepaw?Bysorcery?”“Witha—”Litzenreichpaused,asiftryingtoremembertheword“—asword.”“Ifheisawizard,”saidKonrad,bringingupasubjectthathadearlierintriguedhim,“whycan’t

hedosomethingabouthishand?Hispaw,Imean.Hecangivelifetothedead,sowhynotlifetohismissingpaw?”

“There isanoldsaying: ‘Magician,heal thyself’. It isaparadox,butwhatwizardscando forotherstheyoftencannotdoforthemselves.”Litzenreichshookhisheadslowlyashecontemplatedthemystery.“Butyousayheisrestoringthedead?”

KonradtoldthesorcererwhathehadseenintheskavennestandwhatHeinler—orGaxar, ifthatwashisrealname—hadtoldhimofhisnecromancy.

“Creatingsimulacraoncemore,ishe?”saidLitzenreich,whenheheardoftheduelKonradhadfoughtwithhisdouble.Hestoodwithoutmoving,hisunblinkingeyesstaringpastKonrad.

But this was not what Konrad wanted to discuss. He was wasting his time trying to talk toLitzenreich.Hewouldgetnothingfromhim;hewouldhavetotakewhatheneeded.Therewouldbeweaponsintheguardroom,armourandachangeofclothing;andtheremustbesomethingofvaluethathecouldsellorexchangeforahorseoncehereachedthesurfaceofMiddenheim.

Heturnedawayfromthewizard.

Konradhadno real ideaof the topographyof the tunnels.Allhecoulddowas search through thevariouspassagesuntilhefoundwhatherequired.Hisprogresswassoonblockedbyasolidwoodendoor.Hedrewbacktheheavyboltsandpassedthrough,butthereseemednomorechambersofftheshaftahead.Allhecouldseewasanotherdoor.

WhenKonradreachedittherewerenolocks,nobolts.Thedoorwassecuredbymorethanmerelocks and bolts, he discovered. He could not get out of Litzenreich’s domain until the sorcererallowedhimto.Heturnedandheadedbackthewayhehadcome.Hehadleftthefirstdooropen,andhecouldseethemagicianstillstandingattheendofthepassage,illuminatedinahalooflightfromthelanternhungfromthebracketnexttohim.

Ashereachedthedoorway,Konradheardalouddetonationbehindhim.Itwaslikeasuddenclapofthunder,andhespunaroundintimetoseethelightningstrike.

Theheavywoodendoorattheendofthetunnelshatteredintoathousandpieces,andhewashitby a number of splinters and blinded by a flare of luminescence. He knew what a gunpowderexplosionsoundedandsmelled like,but thiswas somethingdifferent. Itwasnophysical force thathaddemolishedthesoliddoorwithsuchease.

Hewasstillwearinghischainmailand leatherarmour,whichprotectedhimfrom thewoodendarts, and he had instinctively thrownup his hands to shield his eyes.As he blinked, beginning torecoverfromthebrilliantglare,hesawtheoutlineofashadowyfigureappearthroughthedustandsmoke.Thecreaturewascoveredinfurandcarriedasword—askaven!

Although still half-dazzled, Konrad sprang, armed only with the weapons of his primitiveancestors—hishands,hisfeet.Thecreaturecouldnothaveexpectedanopponenttobesoclose,andtheadvantagelaywithKonrad.Helungedforward,usingthetechniquestaughtbyhiseasterntutorsonthefrontier,choppingwiththeedgeofhishandagainsttheintruder ’sneck.

Downwent the creature, and Konrad’s boot followed it, crushing its throat. He retrieved hisvictim’sswordandnoticedthatitwasnottheusualkindofjaggedskavenblade;healsorealizedthatthecreatureappearedtobewearingarmourbeneathitsfur.

Butbythen,asecondcombatantwasfacinghimin the tunnel.Thetwoswordsclashed,andasKonrad’s eyes finally adjusted he observed that he was not fighting a skaven. His opponent washuman,wearingawolfskinoverhishelmetandarmour.Hecouldnotbeatruehuman,Konradknew,hemusthavebeenoneoftheundeadresurrectedbyGaxar.Yetwhenhefell,mortallywounded,hebledredblood,notwhitemaggots.

Wolf fur, thoughtKonrad, as he tackled the third intruder.And thiswas theCity of theWhiteWolf.TheymusthavebeenMiddenheimtroops,herealized.Nolongerdidheattacksoferociously,insteadconcentratingondefendinghimself.Hedidnotwantanytroublewiththecityauthorities;hehoped to leave Litzenreich’s domain via Middenheim. But, having killed two of their troops, themilitarycommandwereunlikelytotakekindlytohim.

“Litzenreich!”yelledavoicefrombehindKonrad’sopponent.“Youareunderarrestforillegaluseofwarpstone!Orderyourmentosurrender!”

Surrender was not a word in Konrad’s vocabulary. He had just slain two of his opponent’scomrades,itwouldbesheermadnesstogiveuphissword.Inmanycircumstances,surrendermeantsummaryexecution.Here,hewouldberegardedasanallyofLitzenreich’s,andthepunishmentforhandlingwarpstonewasdeath.

He heard footsteps racing up behind him, and he recognized the sound of the strides. Onlydwarfs ran like that. A second later, he was joined by Ustnar. Dissatisfied by Konrad’s evidentreluctance to finish off his opponent, the dwarf pushed past.His axe swung twice, and the trooperdropped,bothhislegsseveredattheknee.

Joukelm and Hjornur also arrived, and the three of them trampled the wounded trooperunderfootastheyadvancedalongthepassage,cuttingaswathethroughtheranksofattackers.Theyweretheexperts,borntunnelfighters.Konradgazeddownat the thirdwarriorwhowasscreamingandwrithinginagony.Allhecoulddowasputanendtohimasswiftlyaspossible.Thiswasthefirstlesson that Wolf had ever taught him, when the mercenary had finished off the second of thewoodsmenwhohadambushedKonradintheFerlangenstables.

Heplacedthetipofhisswordagainstthetrooper ’sthroat,thenleaneddownwithallhisweight.Thesoldierjerkedandscreechedonefinaltime,thenbecamebothstillandsilentastwinstreamsofbloodspurtedfromhisthroatandmouth, joiningtheriversofredthatfloodedfromhisamputatedlimbs.

Konradwentback insearchofLitzenreich.He found thesorcerer inhiscentralchamber.Theplacewasaninferno,andhewonderedhowtheinvaderscouldhavereachedheresosoon.Thenherealizedthatthedestructionwasthemagician’sownwork.Litzenreichstoodinanuntouchedpartofthecavern,whiletheblazeragedaroundhim.Hewasdestroyingalltheevidenceofwhathehaddone,allhisbooksandnotes,allhisequipmentandmachineryandapparatus.

Forcedtostepbackfromtheblastofheat,Konradshelteredawayfromthearchedentrance,andyetthewizardstooduntouchedbythedevastationhehadwrought.Hecouldhaveusedhispowerstothrowbacktheassault.Insteadhechosetoannihilateeverytraceofwhathehaddoneinhissecretlairbeneaththecity.

That would not save him, Konrad knew. The very fact of immolating his work would besufficientproof.ItwouldbethedeathpenaltyforLitzenreich—andforKonrad.

Then the wizard stepped calmly out of the furnace he had created, and he noticed Konradwatchinghim.“Theyshallnothavethebenefitofmygenius,”hesaidcalmly.“Myyearsofresearchareminealone.AndIstillhavethemostimportantthingofall.”Hetappedhisforehead.

Fourofthehumanguardspushedpastthem,tojoininthebattle.“Backtoyourposts!”Litzenreichcommanded.“Theywillbebreakingthroughelsewhere!”“Atleastit’snottheskaven,”saidKonrad.“I think I would have preferred the skaven,” said Litzenreich. “You saw how that door was

disintegrated?The so-called sorcerers ofMiddenheim are afraid to faceme, so they send in theirmercenaries,thecity’stroops.”

Ifthewholeofthefortresscity,themilitaryandthemagicians,wereinalliance,Konradrealizedtheystoodverylittlechance.

“Whataboutyourmagic?”saidKonrad.“Myrivalshavecombinedtorestrictmytalents.Icansensetheconstraints.Itisasthoughthey

have put a shell between me and Middenheim. I cannot summon any enchantments against ourattackers.”

“Thenallwecandoisfight.”“Fight? No, no. Perhaps I ought to try and explain, tell them about the skaven, that it is all

happeningagain.”Konradstoppedlistening.Talkingwasnousetohim.Thatwouldonlyleadtosurrender,which

meantexchangingoneformofimprisonmentforanother.Heneededtoescape,andheknewthatthedwarfshadtheirsecretroutesoutofMiddenheim.

“The skaven,” he said. “That’s it! We’re trapped between two enemies. We must bring themtogether,letthemfighteachother,notus.”

“How?”Theskavenwereasecretivebreed.Fewevenknewoftheirexistence.PerhapseventheGrafof

Middenheimwas unaware of the rival domain far beneath his own territory. The foul beings thatlurkedinthedeepestshadowswereamuchgreaterthreatthanLitzenreich,andsomehowKonradhadtobringthecitymarshals’attentiontothedanger.Thegarrisonwouldthendivertallitsenergiestodefeatingthegiantrats—whilehetookhisleave.

TheMiddenheimtroopshadtobeledtowardstheskaven.Therodentlairwastoofaraway,andthe soldiers would be unwilling to pursue Litzenreich’s band down into the deepest darkness. If,however, they learned of the existence of the subterranean skaven city, a whole army would bedespatchedtoeradicatethehiddenmenace.

“Heinler… Imean,Gaxar… said something about new recruits,”Konrad remembered. “Thatmeansdeadbodies.Theskavenweregoingtotakethemsoon.Wherewouldtheyfindthem?”

“Morrspark,”saidLitzenreich.“Thecatacombs.”“That’swherewe’re going,” saidKonrad. “Andwe’ve got tomake sure thatwe’re followed.

Understand?”“Imaynotbeasoldier,”saidLitzenreich,“butIamnotstupid.”

There was no way that Middenheim could grow larger; its boundaries were the edges of themountain. The plateau was not much more than a mile square, which meant that land was at apremium.Therewasnotenoughroomfor the living,andvery littlefor thedead.ThepoorsimplythrewthebodiesoftheirrelativesovertheCliffofSighs.Thosewithmorerespectandmoneypaid

forcremationorburialatthefootoftheslopes.OnlytheveryrichcouldaffordaplaceinthevaultsbeneathMorrspark.Thiswasthepointwheretheclanofdwarfswhohadtunnelledupthroughthegraniteoriginally

reachedthesurface.Itwastheoldestpartofthecity,andthereweremoreshaftsradiatingfromherethan anywhere else inMiddenheim.With the passing years,many of these passages had collapsed.This made the room available for burial even more restricted, and the price of entombment hadincreasedaccordingly.

Funeralstookplaceonthesurface,butthatwasnottheonlyaccesstothecemetery.Thedwarfsknew how to reach the area via the crumbling maze of tunnels, a long and winding route whichinvolvedtravellingviasomeof thesewers.Thecity troopsweretobeheldbackforashortwhile,thenallowedtofollowthedefenders;buttheyhadtobeunawarethattheywerebeingdeliberatelyled.

JoukelmandUstnarwereattheheadofthefugitives,whowerecomposedofanotherdwarf,anumberofLitzenreich’sguards,thewomenwhoincludedGertrautandRita,thecook—andalsothesorcerer andKonrad. Itwas still impossible todiscoverhowmanydwarfsworked for thewizard,becausesomeofthemmusthavestayedbehindwithJoukelmandtheothersentriesinordertodelaypursuit.Finally,thatpursuitcame.Inthedistance,reverberatingthroughtheweboftunnelscouldbeheardthesoundsofcombat,theringofclashingweaponsandthecriesofthewoundedanddying.

Joukelm and Ustnar had halted the group within the passage, waiting while the last of thedefenders caught up with them. The Middenheim troops must enter the catacombs only secondsbehind,sothattheywouldalsoseetheskavenscavengers—iftherewereany…

Konrad had planned to escape from Middenheim, and that was still an option. But if thealternative to fleeing the citywas to kill skaven before he disappeared, then his choicewas not indoubtforaninstant.

Therestofthedesperatebandarrived,andtherewereveryfewofthemleft.Threehumansandonedwarf; itwasnotHjornur.The footstepsof thepursuerscamecloser.The reflected light fromtheir lanterns couldbeen seen around thenext twist in the tunnel, andKonrad feared that thebodystealersmightalreadyhavebeenwarnedawaybyallthesounds.Buttheywerethere!

AsKonradsprangoutintothecavernofthedead,hesawseveraloftheskaveninthedistance.Theyweredisinterringfreshbodiesfromthestonecoffinswhichlayintherecessescarvedfromtherock.Theyfroze,trappedinthesuddenglareoflamplight.

Therewasnoneedforacommand.Theguardsanddwarfssprintedforward,whiletheskavendropped the corpses and tried to scuttle back into the passages from which they had emerged.Konrad’sfightinginstinctsurgedhimtojointhem,butinsteadhespunaround,waitingtoencounterthefirstoftheMiddenheimtroops.Anarmouredshapeloomedoutofthedarknessofthetunnel.

“Beastmen!”Konradyelled,guessingthattheword‘skaven’mighthavenomeaning.“Truce!AtruceinthenameofUlric!”

Middenheim was Ulric’s city, the City of the White Wolf. That was why the troops worewolfskinsovertheirarmour.Theleadingwarriorslowedasheemergedfromthepassage,hisswordraisedreadytocutdownKonrad.

Konrad stood his ground, his own blade lowered. An officer appeared from behind the firsttrooper.HestaredpastKonrad,andgazedatthesceneofdesecrationwhereapackofbeastmenhadinfestedthesacredgroundbeneathhisowncity.

“Forward!” ordered the captain, and his troops rushed from the passage to battlewith the ratcreatures, joining in combatwith the other humans and the dwarfswhowere already fighting theverminousbreed.“Staythere,”hewarned,hisgazeencompassingbothLitzenreichandKonrad.

Hehurriedto joinhiscommand.Severalofhismenremained,andtheyencircledKonradand

thewizard.Konradcouldhaveevadedthem,couldhavetriedtoescape,butthereseemednowheretogo;hecouldhavefought,couldhaveslainanumberofthetroops,butthereseemednoreasontodoso.

A short plumpman emerged from the shaft.Hewas not in uniform, butwore dark garmentsdecoratedwithrunicsymbols.Hecarriedacarvedwoodenstaff, itshead tippedwithagoldenorb.Konradsuspectedthathewasasorcerer,thestaffhiswand.HehaltedandlookedatLitzenreich,whoreturnedhisgaze.

Theskaven,meanwhile,wereslaughtered.Therehadbeenrelativelyfewofthem,andtheywereallswiftlybutchered.Whenthemassacrewasover,Litzenreich’sgroupsurrenderedtheirweaponstotheMiddenheimforces.

“Thesword,”thecaptainsaidtoKonradwhenhereturned,andheheldouthishand.Hewasnoolder thanKonrad, and his face bore a single neat scar on his cleanly shaven left cheek. Itwas aduellingwound,whichheworeasproudlyasamedalofvalour.Hehadprobablynevermetarealenemyincombat.

Evennowtherewasnotraceofskavenbloodonhisuniform,andhisbladewasuntaintedwithratgore.

Konradhadmethis typebefore.Theircommissionshadbeenpurchasedbytheirfamilies,andtheirarroganceandinexperiencefrequentlyledtomorecasualtiesamongsttheirowntroopsthanwasevercausedbyenemyaction.Thepossibilityoflosingtheswordwasofmoreimportancetohimthanthelossofthesoldierwhohadbornetheblade.

“Ineedit,”Konradreplied,exaggeratinghisruralaccent,buthemadenomovetobringuptheweapon.“Thosecreaturesarecalledskaven,andthetunnelsbelowMiddenheimareinfestedbythem.Extendthetruceandwecanleadyoutotheirnestandyoucandestroythemall.Takeuscaptive,andinsteadtheskavenwilldestroythecity.”

“Thatistrue,”saidLitzenreich,addressingtheothermagician.“Thatistrue,”repeatedthewizard,speakingtothecaptain.HemovedclosertoLitzenreich,and

theybeganconversing.“Iwanttospeaktoyourcommandinggeneral,”Konradsaid,notevenbotheringtolookatthe

officer.“Wemustactnow.Oneortwooftheskavenwillhaveescapedandbecarryingwordbacktotherestoftheirlegion.”

“Iknowaboutskaven,”saidthecaptain,bitingbackhisanger.Hegazedaroundthenecropolis,atthedistantcorpses,bothhumanandinhuman.Hesummonedamessenger.

“Thedwarfsknowthefastestwaytothesurface,”Konradtoldhim.Withevidentreluctance,theofficergavehisconsent,andUstnarledtheensignbackthroughthe

tunnel.Twoothertroopsaccompaniedthem,toguardthedwarf.“Nomatterwhathappens,”thecaptainsaidtoKonrad,loweringhisvoice,“wheneverthetruce

ends,youaredead.Thatswordbelongstomyregiment.”Konradglancedatthebladeinhishand.Hehadnoscabbardfortheweapon,itwasstillonthe

bodyofthefirsttrooperhehadkilled.“No,”hesaid,“itbelongstome.”

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

The military command of Middenheim had sent as many troops as it could spare to join theunderground expedition: part of the garrison, members of the watch, a group of mercenaries, anumber ofTemplars of theWhiteWolf and also a handful ofKnights Panther. Evenwithout theirhorses,theelitecavalrywereanxioustobepartofthemissiontoprotecttheirnativecity.

Litzenreich’smenwereattheheadofthelongcolumn,thedwarfsleadingtheway.Theywouldbearthebruntoftheactionandtakethemostcasualties,shieldingtheMiddenheimwarriorsduringtheinitialassault.

Konradhadhalf-intendedtoslipawayduringthedescent.Hehaddonemorethanenough,andthecitytroopscouldtakecareoftheskavenwithouthim.

HewassurethatLitzenreichwouldwishtoavoidbecominginvolvedinanymilitaryaction.Oneofthedwarfscouldescortthembothsafelythroughthetwistingtunnelsandoutofthemountain.

But it seemed that thewizardwanted to investigate the skavenwarrens, and his only possiblemotivecouldbethehopeofdiscoveringhowrawwarpstonewasrefinedintogreypowder.

InordertopreventanyofLitzenreich’scolumnfromdeserting,therewasacitysoldierbehindeachone—andthecaptainwasimmediatelybehindKonrad.

Konradwasunconcerned.Hadhewished,hecouldeasilyhaveevadedthearrogantofficerandgotaway.Ashehadnowhere togo,hekeptondescending the spiralling shafts.Hewasbecomingalmost used to it by now. Only the dwarfs and their guards were ahead of him; Litzenreich wasimmediatelybehindthecaptain.

Neitherdidtheofficer ’sthreatconcernKonrad,althoughhehadbeengladofthewarning.Forthecaptain to revealhis intentionhadbeen stupid; equally stupidwas forhim tohavehad suchanintention.Konradhadfoughtandkilledoneofthecaptain’smen,takinghissword.Whatofit?HehadalsoslainasecondMiddenheimtrooperandgivenmercifulreleasetotheonewhoselegsUstnarhadsevered.Ithadalloccurredduringcombat,yetthecaptainseemedtoconsiderthatmurderhadbeencommitted.Whyhadhetakenitsopersonally?

Oneofthecaptain’smenmusthavekilledHjornur.ThedwarfhadhelpedsaveKonrad’slife,buthehadnoreasontoseekoutHjornur ’skillerandslayhim.Herememberedwhathehadbeenthinkingrecently,ofrevenge.Duringabattle,awarriormighthuntdownacomrade’skiller.But thatwouldnothappenafterhostilitieshadceased—probablybecausetwoopposingsidesseldombecomealliessoimmediately.

As he clambered down another steep incline, Konrad realized that he might soon have anopportunityforhisownvengeance.HewouldneverhavegoneoutofhiswaytosearchforGaxar,butitseemedthattheymightsooncomeintocloseproximityagain.Inthatcase,hewoulddohisbesttoavengehimselfagainstthegreyseer.

He recalledwhat Litzenreich had once told him about the difference between justice and law.Perhapsthatwaswhathereallysought,notrevengebutjustice.Gaxarwasnotonlyresponsibleforhisincarcerationinthedarkdampgrottoforanunknownnumberofdays.Konradhadbeenknockedsenselessby the treacherous inhuman,andwhenheregainedconsciousnesshehadfoundhimselfaprisonerofKastring’soutlawbandofbeastmen.

KonraddidnotsimplywishtokillGaxar.Hewantedtointerrogatehimfirst.

The more he considered the idea, the more he anticipated another encounter with the greyskaven.He hoped that the rodents had not all fled.Theymust have been aware of the strike forcebeingsentintotheirdomain.Wouldtheymakeafightofit,orwouldtheyturntailandfleeintothedeepesttunnelsoftheirshadowyrealm?

If the rodents had gone, Konrad knew that the truce with theMiddenheim soldiers would beinstantlyover.Onlythenwouldhehavetoworryaboutthedeaththreat.Untilthattime,hehadastayofexecution.Thecaptainwouldnotstabhimintheback.Heclearlyregardedhimselfasagentleman,andforhimhonourwasasimportantashisownlife.Hehadobviouslyneverservedonthefrontier.Hewouldnotmakehismoveuntilthesubterraneanbattlewasover.Withluck,hewouldbekilledbytheskaven;withluck,Konradwouldnotbekilledbytheskaven.

Hisnewswordwasthrustintohisbelt,andhehadtobecarefulthathedidnotcutorstabhimselfon thenakedbladeasheclimbeddown themostdifficultofpassages.Konradwas still clad in thesameleathersandchainmailhehadwornonhisfirstundergroundventure;buthehadneitherhelmetnorshield,allhehadwasthesword.Itwasquiteafancyweapon,withelaboratequillonsandawolfsheademblemetchedintotheguard.Thebladeitselfwasdecoratedwithfancyrunes;itwasprobablyamottoinscribedinanancientlanguage.Perhapsitmeant“deathbeforedishonour”.Konradsmiledattheidea,becausetherewasnothingelsetosmileabout.

He beganwishing for a return of his future vision. Erratic though itmight have been, itwasbetterthannothing.

Inthenarrowtunnel,inthedarknessbetweentwoMiddenheimsoldiers,therewasnothingtobeseenwithhisnormalsight.

It was Joukelmwho led the descent, but hewas not the first to die. The first screams came fromfurtherback,higherup,echoingdownthenarrowshaftsandmagnifyingastheybouncedfromwalltowall.

The skaven knew that their regions were being invaded, and they had reacted accordingly,defendingthemselveswithanouterringofsuicidesquads.Theselurkedinsidepassagesthensprangout,killingandmaimingmanyofthehumansbeforetheywerethemselvesslaughtered.

Theyhadalsoprepared traps,but theyallowed thefirstgroupof theenemypast,cutting themoff,beforethefloorofachambersuddenlydroppedawayandadozentroopstumbledintoapitlinedwith barbed spikes.Thenext rat beasts’ victimswere those crushedbeneath tons of rockwhen theroofabovethemcollapsed.TheMiddenheimbrigadehadtheirowndwarfs,whowereabletobridgethegapandtounblockthetunnelwithinafewminutes.Theforwardsectionwaitedforthemtocatchup,andbythenitwastheirturntobeattacked.

Joukelmwasthefirstinline,andnowitwashisturntodie.HewasslainasVarsunghadbeen,withanarrowfromacrossbow.MostoftheothersaheadofKonradtooktheprecautionofduckingdown,andsoitwasthetrooperimmediatelyinfrontofhimwhodiednext.Thebolttookhiminoneeye,itspointpenetratingthebackofhisskullandhishelmet.

Konrad’sheadhadbeendirectlybehind.Heleaneddownasheadvanced,andhepickeduptheshielddroppedbythecrossbowvictim.Thecaptainwouldnotlikethat,hepresumed,butitwasofnousetothedeadman-at-arms.Theembossedcrestontheshieldwasthatofthewhitewolf.

In theflickeringlantern light,Konradthoughtherecognizedwherehewas.All tunnelsshouldhaveappearedthesame,darkpassageshewnfromthesolidgranite,butthisseemedtobetheplacewhereVarsunghaddied.Ifso,thehugecentralcavernwasnotmuchfurther.Hestrainedhiseyesforaglimmeroftheweirdilluminationthathadcomefromthewarpstonefurnace.

“Ustnar!”

“What?”“Wenearlythere?”“Yes.”“Nextarrow,thenwesprint.”“Right.”The next shaft hissed past Konrad. There was a slight bend in the passage, and it splintered

againsttherockface,otherwiseitwouldhavefinishedoffthecaptain.“Go!”yelledKonrad,andhedashedforward,afterUstnar,afterthetwodwarfswhosenameshe

didnotknow,after the threeMiddenheimtroopers.Soon, itwasonly twotroopers,asoneof thembecamethenextvictimoftheunseenarcher.

Lasttime,afterthefirstarrows,Konradhadbeenattackedinthistunnelbyapackofskaven,andhe expected to hear the sounds of anothermob rushing towards them. Instead, therewas a suddenglareoflightandtheywereoutintheopen—andtheskavenwereallwaiting…

Hehadbeenwrongabout the tunnel, thiswas adifferentpassage. Insteadof comingouton agallery,theyemergedonthefloorofthemassivecentralcavern.

BythetimeKonradreachedtheendofthepassage,theothertwosoldiersandoneofthedwarfsweredead.Ustnarandtheotherdwarfweredefendingthemselvesfromafuriousskavenonslaught,theiraxesswinging.Alreadytherewereseveraldeadratthings,Konradnoticed,ashekilledanother.Butthereweremore,fartoomanymorestillalive.Hethrusthisswordforwardagain,andanotherskavendied,thebladedeepintoitsheart.

Then the captain was by Konrad’s side, claiming his own first kill; perhaps he was not asinexperiencedasKonradhadpresumed.

Litzenreichwas thenextout.Hehadnoweapon,andUstnarwas immediately in frontofhim,defendingthewizard.Oneoftheskavenevadedhim,lungingtowardthehuman.Litzenreichthrewouthis right arm as though he were armed with a sword. Without even being touched, the rat thingbecameabsolutelystill,frozenintheactofstabbingwithitsspear.Ustnar ’saxesevereditshead,andheadandbodybothfell.

Moreoftheinvaderspouredfromthetunnel.Mostofthemmadeitalive,andtheybegantopushthe brown swarmback.But theywere retreating toowillingly,Konrad realized.The humansweredeliberatelybeingdrawnforward.Hehungback,gazingup,wonderingwhereGaxarcouldbeandhowtoreachhim.

The huge chamber was like a vast unholy temple, in the centre of whichGaxar ’smonstrousmetallicmechanismwas an effigy of an evil god, belching fire and smoke; but the acolytesweremissing,theundeadslavesofthewarpstonecultwhoworshippedatthishugealtar.Constructedupona stone dais, the great idol did not accept its votive offerings in quiescent silence. The hugeinterlockingwheelsandlinkedleverswithwhichitwasornamentedwereforeverinfuriousmotion,rotatingandthrusting,aroundandaround,upanddownandinandout.

Konradhadgrownusedtotheperpetualpoundingnoisewhilehewasaprisonerhere.Butnowthe soundwasmuch reduced, the heat no longer so fierce, the glaremore bearable; the cogs andpulleysnolongerspunsofast.Thedeityseemedtobeslumbering.Knowingtheattackwouldcome,operationsinhell’sfoundrymusthavebeensuspended.

Thenthedeadattacked.Theunlivingwhowereslavestotheskavenhadbecomeabattalion.Theydidnotneedweapons,

because there were so many of them. They emerged from the tunnels opposite, fat flies buzzingaroundthemas theyslowlyshambledforward,confiningthe invadersbysheerweightofnumbers.Most of theundeadwere easily destroyed, but therewere alwaysmore to take their place.Konrad

hoped that hewould not see himself amongst the dead, but therewas no sign of his double in thenecromanticlegion.

Theresurrectedwerenottheonlyoneswhohadprocessedwarpstonefortheirrodentmasters.The rat things hadmademany of their own number into slaves, and these also joined the assaultagainstthehumaninvaders.Thesewerearmedwithavarietyofweapons,buttheywerealsochainedtooneanother.Theyweresuicidesquads,theirdeathsasinevitableastheannihilationoftheunliving.Withironcollarsandheavyrustingchainsaroundtheirnecks,Konradcouldnotbuthelpthinkofhisown incarceration.Theywereasmuchprisonersashehadbeen—but thatdidnot stophimfromslayingasmanyofthemashecould.

Theenslavedskavendied,joiningthefesteringzombiesanddecayedskeletons,rottingcarcassesandmummified corpses, putrefying ghouls and embalmed cadavers,which dropped to the groundandformedarampartthatheldbackthehumanwarriors,trappingthem.

Andthatwaswhenthetrapwassprung.Ahailofarrowslasheddownfromabove,andmanyofthehumansfellvictimbeforetheycouldraisetheirshieldstoformahugeprotectivecanopy.

But thiswas no protection from the skaven’s next appallingweapon.A sudden thunderbolt ofyellow flame shot fromone of the upper levels, pouring a cascade ofmolten lava down onto thewarriorsbelow.Shieldsdissolvedandmetalmelted.

Morethanhalfofthetroopswerekilledalmostinstantly,crematedwithintheirarmourcoffins.Otherstooklongertoperish,shriekinghideouslyastheyburnedalive.

TheMiddenheim troopshad raised their shields inunison,as theywere trained todo.Konradhadnotaddedhisownshield,andthatwaswhatsavedhislife.Thefluidflameshadnotflowedacrosshim,andhehadavoidedbeingcaughtintheconflagration.

Many of the chained skaven and the undead also fell victim to the fireball. Some burst intoflames,othersdisintegrated in theblastofheat.Anumberof thedeadkeptonwith theirparodyoflife,advancingthroughthemayhemdespitebeingablaze,asthoughdrawnbythenauseatingscentofcookedhumanflesh.

Theyhadnovoices,theyfeltnopain,theycouldnotscreamanddidnotneedto.Litzenreichstareduptowardstheskavenwiththeincendiaryweapon.Thereseemedtobetwoof

themstandingonanuppergallery.Onecarriedawoodenbarrelonitsback,andtheotherheldsomekindofbrassdevice.Itwaslikeamusicalinstrument,anornatetrumpet.Andtheskavenwasaimingthethingdownwards,readyforanothersilentsolooffierydeath.

Thewizard raisedbothhishands,pointingupat the rocky ledge,and lightning flewfromhisfingertips.An instant later, the lethal barrel exploded, splashingboth the ratswith the incandescentliquid. They were afire as they dropped into the abyss, already charred bones by the time theysmashedtotheground.

Litzenreichstaggeredback,andKonradthoughthehadbeenwounded,butheleanedagainstthecavernwallasifrestingfromsomegreatexertion.

Konrad’s facehadbeenburnedandblisteredby the terribleheatof theskavenflamemachine,andthebladeofhisswordhadbecomeredhot.Theheatwastransferreduptothehilt, throughhisgauntlet,andhehadbeenforcedtodroptheweapon.Hesearchedforanother,loosenedonefromthegripofacorpse.

Thecorpsewasthatofthecaptain.Deathanddishonourwereallthatwaslefttohimnow.Hehadbeeneviscerated,andhisspilledgutsmingledwiththoseofthedisembowelledskavenwithwhichhewasentwined.Theylaytogetherlikeloathsomelovers,matinginsomeobscenefashion.

“Thanks,”Konradsaid.Theswordwasidenticaltotheother,andwithitKonradcontinuedtoslaymoreoftheundead.

Maggotsandallkindsofcarrion-eatinginsectsspilledfromhisnewblade.Thecemeterystenchofancientleprousfleshmixedwiththeodourofroastedbodies,adaemon’semeticperfume.

Konrad saw thatLitzenreich had recovered andwasmaking hisway through the necromanticlegion.Theanimatedcorpseswhichwerestilluprightseemedtomoveasideforhim.Ustnarwaswithhim, his blade hacking at the few surviving skaven slaves. The wizard gazed up at the bizarreapparatuswherethewarpstonewastransformed,whichseemedasifitcouldbeamuchlargerversionofsomeofhisownconvolutedequipment.

Nomorehumantroopsemergedfromthetunnel.Couldthesewhosurroundedhimbetheonlyones who had survived?Were reinforcements sheltering in the passage?Where were the skaven?Even the archerswhohad sucheasy targetshadonly firedonevolley.Konradglancedall around.There were no ratmen in sight. They had withdrawn between the arrows being unleashed and theeruptionofthevolcanictorrentoffierydestruction,andtheyhadnotreturned.

The skaven could surely not have retreated; they must have been preparing another devioustactic.Konradfeltveryvulnerable,andslayingtheundeadwaspointless.Hewantedtogoup,butthewallswerefartoosheer.Therehadtobestepsleadingfromsomeofthepassagesatthefootofthecavern.Hebegantoinvestigate.

The third archway led to a spiralling stairway carved from the rock. Cautiously, he climbed.Therewasstillnosignofanyskaven.Buteveniftheycouldnotseehim,theycouldsmellhim…

He reached the next level, paused and listened, then climbed again and kept doing so. At thefourthlevelheseemedtobeatthesameheightasthetunnelfromwhichhehadoriginallyenteredtheskavenhub.Ifheventuredallaroundtheledgewithinthechamber,heoughttofindthattunnel,andalsothepassagedownwhichhehadbeendragged.

Hedid—butbeforehediscoveredthelatter,SilverEyewaswaitingforhim.Theystaredateachother,andthiswasthefirsttimeKonradhadseenthehugeskaveninsomuchlight.Itwasnotasilvercoin in his eye, he observed, but something that appeared to move like quicksilver: a piece ofwarpstone. Silver Eye’s tongue emerged from beneath his metal fangs, and he licked his scarredjowls.

Konradshuddered,rememberingtheraspingtouchoftheskaventongueonhischeek.Hethrusthisswordforward,therat-manbroughtuphisshield,metalclashedonmetal—andKonradgazedinutterastonishmentattheemblemontheshield.

Theshieldwas long, triangular,black,withagoldencrest.And thecrestshowedamailedfistbetweentwocrossedarrows.ItwasthesameheraldicdevicethathadbeenonthebowandarrowsthatElyssahadgivenhim!

Hewas so totally amazed that hewas almost guttedbySilverEye’s sudden sword strike.Thepointofthejaggedbladehackedthroughhischainmailandleathertunic,andhefeltbloodflowashisskinwassliced.Heswunghisownsword,raisedhisguard,andtheyfought.Hewasthebetterfighter:faster,moreskilled.Theskaven’sonlyadvantagewasitssize,butKonradcouldturnthattohisownbenefit.HeknewthathecouldwintheduelandkillSilverEye.But,aswithGaxar,hedidnotwanttokillhim-notyet.

Hewantedtoquestionhim,toaskwherehehadgottheshield.Itwasbatteredandrusty,madeofmetalinsteadoflayersoftoughhide,andithadseenmuchcombat;buthadthatbeenwhiledefendingthegiant rat?Skavenwere scavengers, their armour fabricated fromvariouspieces of leather andmetalthattheyhadlootedfrombattlefieldsandcorpses.Thesamemustbetrueoftheshield.SilverEyecouldonlyhavestolenitsomewhere,fromsomeone.Butwhere,fromwho?

Konradfoughtdefensively,andthecreaturepresseditsadvantage,pushinghimback.TherewasnowaythatKonradcouldtalktohim.Theywereofdifferentraces,andSilverEyecouldspeakonlya

fewhumanwords.Konradneededthegreyratastranslator.Hisonlyhopewastocapturebothskaven,forcethemtoanswerhim.Butevenifsuchimpossiblecircumstancescouldbesatisfied,heknewtheywouldlie.

Itwashopeless.HemightaswellkillSilverEyenow.Ifnothingelse,hecouldtaketheshieldashisprize.

Askavenvoiceshouted. ItcamefrombehindSilverEye,whopushedKonradevenharder,hissword thrusting, the black and gold shield pressed against the human’s shield, forcing him backtowardstheedgeofthecavern.Fromthecornerofhiseye,Konradglimpsedafigurereachingthetopofthestonesteps.ItwasLitzenreich.

Thentheotherskavenshoutedagain,andSilverEyebarkedareply.Beyondhimwasapassage,wider thanmostbutequallyasdark.Therewasamovement in thegloom.Thesecondskavenwascomingnearer,emergingfromtheshadows.ItwasGaxar.

Thegreyseerwasnotalone.Therewasahumanwithhim,ahunched figure,nakedandpale.Gaxarheldachainaroundthehuman’sneck,asamanwouldleashahound.

The hostagewould not remain so for long,Konrad vowed. The two skavenwould die, theircaptivebeliberated.

Gaxarspokeagain,andSilverEyedrewbackapace.Konradlungedtowardshim,buttheblowwasdeflectedbythestrangeshield.

Litzenreich arrived, standing a few feet from Konrad, and he gazed at Gaxar. The skavensorcererstaredbackatthehumanmagician.

Konradwasdistractedforamomentbythis,andSilverEyestruck.Konradsteppedbacktoavoidtheswordstroke,butthentheskavenpulledhisbladeawayandinsteadswunghisshield.

Caught unawares, Konrad was hit on the shoulder and sent flying. He teetered backwards,flingingouthisarmsforbalance,unsurehowfarhewasfromthelipofthechasm.

A stronghand caught him in the small of his back, pushinghimupright.Ustnar stoodbehindhim.

“Shallwego,boss?”hesaidtoLitzenreich.In a moment, Gaxar and his prisoner had vanished into the dark, and now Silver Eye was

disappearingafterthem.Konradstartedtofollow.“No,”saidLitzenreich.Konradignoredhim,takingseveralstepstowardstheblackness.“Iknowwheretheyaregoing,”thewizardadded.Konradslowed,reluctanttoallowGaxartoescape.Butanimpenetrablemazeoftunnelsmustlie

ahead,andhehadnoideahowmanyskavenlurkedwithin.Hehadnolantern,hewaswounded.Ifhewenton,itwouldonlycosthimhislife.Thepricewas

toohightopayforvengeance—orevenjustice.“Where?”heasked.“Altdorf,”Litzenreichtoldhim,thenheaskedUstnar:“Isthereanyoneelse?”“Noneofus,”saidthedwarf.Konradwalkedback,glancingdowntothebottomofthehugepit.Itwaslikeamassgrave,full

ofthedeadandtheagaindead,humanandskavenandGaxar ’sdeathspawn.TherecouldhavebeennomorethanadozenoftheMiddenheimtroopsleftalivebelow.

“WhyAltdorf?”heasked.“That’swheretheEmperorlives,”saidLitzenreich.Konradwaited.

“Didyouseewhothatwas?”thewizardadded,gesturinginthedirectiontheskavenhadfled.“ThatwasGaxar,”Konradtoldhim.“No,nottheskaven.Themanwiththem.ThatwastheEmperor.”

Konradgazedupatwhat couldbe seenof the sky. Itwasgreyandveryovercast,withheavydarkclouds. Rain threatened and a cold wind blew icy blasts through the tears in his clothing, but toKonraditwasabeautifulday.

Thiswasthefirsttimehehadbeenoutsideincountlessweeks,thefirsttimehishorizonhadnotbeenthenearestgranitewall.

Anditwasthefirsttimehehadbeenfreeforfarlonger.HewasfreeofthelabyrinthoftunnelswithinandbelowFauschlag,freeofthebronzearmour,freeofKastring’sKhorneworshippingbandofbestialmarauders.

Hestretchedouthisarmsanddidnottouchstone;heleaptashighashecould;heroaredouthisappreciation,longandloud,amixtureofunfetteredjoyandsheerboundlessexuberance.

He gazed back at Middenheim, which seemed to grow out of the pinnacle of rock, and herealizedthathehadneverseenthecity.Hehadglimpsedtheoutsidewallsandafewstreetsthroughthebronzevisor,butthenhehadfoundhimselfcoveredupandcarriedunderground.Untilaminuteago,hehadbeenundergroundeversince.

HehademergedfromacaveonthesideofarockycragsomethreemilesfromtheCityoftheWhiteWolf. Seeing the distant point of beckoning daylight growing larger, he had hurried ahead,unwillingtostayaprisoneroftheunderworldasecondlongerthannecessary.

Hearingasoundbehindhim,heturnedandwatchedasLitzenreichandUstnarsteppedoutintotheopenandclambered thefewyardsdowntogroundlevel.Thedwarfhad led themup throughaseriesof tunnels, away from the subterraneanbattleground. Itwashard to judgewhohadbeen thevictor.Mostof theMiddenheim troopshadbeenmassacred,but theyseemed tohaveaccomplishedtheirmission:theskavenhadbeendrivenoutfromtheirdarkdomain,foratimeatleast.

OnlyoneskavenwasofanyinteresttoKonrad:SilverEye,becausehecarriedtheshieldwiththemysteriousheraldicdevice thathadfascinatedKonradforsovery long. ItwasoveradecadesinceElyssahadgivenhimtheblackbow,thetenmatchingarrows,thequivermadefromrippledhide.Thegiftwasarewardforsavingherfromabeastman.Itwasthefirstsuchcreaturehehadslain.

In theyears since,hehaddestroyedcountlessmutantsofevery sizeanddescription—all,henowknew,servantsofChaos.

The shieldwith the golden emblemwas the only linkKonradhadwith his past, of life in hisnativevillage.Evenifhecouldnotfindoutanythingabouttheshield,hewantedit.Suchanartefactshouldnotbepossessedbyaskaven.

There had been little chance for conversation during their long and arduous ascent from theskavencity,andnowKonradsaid:“ThatwasnottheEmperor.”

“Not the Emperor himself,” replied Litzenreich, leaning back against the side of the peak,breathingheavily,“butcertainlyhisdouble.Gaxarcanresurrectcorpses,andhecanalsogivethemadifferentappearance.”

Konrad knew that. He had been forced to duel with his twin, a creation of Gaxar ’s. But theEmperor? He found that hard to believe, althoughGaxarmust have considered his prisoner veryimportant;hehadtakennoneofhisotherresurrectionswithhim,soperhapsLitzenreichwastellingthetruth.

“IhaveseentheEmperorwhenIwasinAltdorf,”addedthemagician.“YousaidtheymustbeheadingforAltdorf,butwhy?It’sthecapitaloftheEmpire;it’swherethe

realEmperorlives.But…?”“Ican thinkofonlyone reasonwhy the skavenhaveconstructeda replicaof theEmperor: in

order to replace him with a duplicate— a creation of Chaos. They have tried something like itbefore.”

It took a while for Konrad to comprehend the enormity of Litzenreich’s claim. Finally, henodded.Itsoundedextremelycunninganddevious,theverytacticsthattheskavenwouldadopt.

“HowfartoAltdorf?”heasked.“Aboutthreehundredmiles,astheskavencrawls,”saidUstnar,speakingforthefirsttime.CouldtherereallybeanundergroundrouteallthewaytoanotherrodentcitybeneathAltdorf?WasthatthedirectionwhichGaxarwastakingatthisveryminute?“Isuggestwetraveltogether,”saidLitzenreich.“Wecanallbeofservicetooneanother.”Konraddidnotliketheideaofaccompanyingthemagician.Nowthathewasfree,hewantedto

be totally free. He had previously resolved to have nomore to do with Litzenreich. Nothing hadhappenedtoalterhisdecision.

“Idon’tplantogotoAltdorf.”“Youdo.Thatiswhyyouaskedhowfaritwas.”He wondered what the sorcerer considered his motive in making Altdorf his destination.

Revenge?Konradshrugged.“I’veneverbeenthere.”HewouldnottellLitzenreichofthearrowsandfist

emblem.“Whydoyouwanttogothere?”“Ihavetobeginmyresearchessomewherenew.IhavelivedinAltdorfpreviously,anditwould

besuitableformypurposes.AsIknowthereareskavenbelowthecity,Iwillhaveafreshsourceofwarpstone.And,asIdonotbelieveitwouldbeverybeneficialiftheEmperorwereaskavenpuppet,perhapsIcanalsofoilGaxar ’splot.”

Thatmightbe theonlyway inwhichKonradcould find thegrey seeragain,he realized.AndwhereverGaxarwas,SilverEyewouldbeclose—andsowouldtheenigmaticshield.

“Whichway?”askedKonrad.“South-west,”saidLitzenreich,andhepointed.“Threehundredmiles?Howdowegetthere?Wehavenomoney,nohorses.”“Youforgetmychosenprofession,Konrad,”saidLitzenreich.“Adwarf,awarrior,awizard.We

makeafineteam.Agreed?”“Yes,boss,”agreedthedwarf.Thewarriornodded,butonlyrepeatedhalfthedwarf’sreply.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

TheroadbetweenMiddenheimandAltdorfwasoneofthemajorhighwaysoftheEmpire,andtheytravelledupon itbystagecoach.Konradhadnever ridden insuchavehicle,andat firsthe felt sickbecausethecoachwassowell-sprung;butbytheendoftheinitialday’sjourney,hehadbecomeusedtotheswayingmotion.

Everyevening,heandLitzenreichandUstnardined in thecoaching innwhere thevehiclehadhaltedforthehoursofdarkness.Theywouldfeastonthebestfoodavailable,thenretiretotheirsoftbeds.Afterthefirstsleeplessnight,Konradpreferredtosleeponthefloor.Eachmorning,theywouldbreaktheirfastbeforeclimbingintothecoachoncemorefor thenextstageof their journeytothecapital.

Thewizardprovedtobeausefultravellingcompanion,arrangingallthedetailsoftheirjourney.The normal procedure, it seemed, was for passengers to pay the innkeeper for each night’shospitality;meals and boardwere not included in the coach fare. Litzenreich neither paid for themeals,therooms,northeirpassage,butheusedhismagicaltalentstoconvinceeveryonethathehaddoneso.

Freshclothingwasalsoacquiredforeachoftheminasimilarmanner,andKonradwasabletodiscardhis stainedbattle outfit.Hehadworn the samegarments ever since first venturing into thetunnelswhichledtotheskavennest.Itwasarelieftobathe,tochangeintodifferentclothes;andhiswoundsandburnsgraduallyhealed,theinjuriestohisrightarmmuchmoreswiftly.

He couldwell understandwhy thewizard had no need formoney, not when he could obtaineverythingherequiredatnoexpense.Everythingexceptwarpstone…

Duringthelongdaysthatpassed,KonradfoundhimselfwonderingagainaboutthepurposeofhisownvisittoAltdorf.Havinghadverylittletodoexceptconsiderhismotivesforundertakingthejourney,hisreasonsforheadingtothecityhadbeguntoseemverytenuous.EvenifGaxarandSilverEyereallyweremakingforthecapitaloftheEmpire,howcouldheeverfindthemandthemysteriousshield again?And if he succeeded, then captured andquestioned the two skaven, theywouldneverrevealthetruehistoryoftheshield.

Did he really care about the shield? Itwasmerely an old piece ofmetal. The only thing thatmeantanythingtohimwasthegoldemblemandwhatitrepresented:hispast,hislifebeforeheleftthevillage.Andtherewasonlyonepartofhisearlyexistencewhichhewishedtoremember:Elyssa.Buthedidnotneedarustyanddentedshieldtoremindhimofthegirl,shewasalwaysinhismemory.

Wherehad theweaponsshegavehimcomefrom?WhydidWilhelmKastringhave them?Orsomeofthem.Thebow,thequiverandthearrowshadbeeninhiskeeping.Someoneelsemusthavehad the shield.And,Konrad realized, theremust also have been otherweapons and accoutrementsbearingthesamepattern.Therewouldbeaswordwith itsscabbard,probablyadaggerandsheath,and a beltmade from the sameblack rippled hide as the quiver.Could there also be a helmet andbreastplate,perhapsevenafullsuitofarmour?

ThearrowsElyssahadgivenKonradwerenottheshaftsthatanordinarybowmanwouldhavecarried towar.Theywere perfect arrows, all identical, each the product of a craftsman.They hadbelongedtosomeoneofwealthandsignificance.Theveryfactthattwocrossedarrowswerepartoftheheraldicdeviceproved the importanceofarchery to theirowner,while themailedgauntlet that

composed the rest of the emblem would certainly not be worn by a bowman. One possibleexplanationwasthatthecrestmightbetheinsigniaofsomeprinceorwarlord,andwornbyallthoseunderhiscommand.

YetKonradknewthat theshieldandhisbowandarrowsbelongedtogether,oncehadthesameowner.Thefeelingwasnotsoabsoluteasseeing,andtherewasprobablynowaythatitcouldeverbeproved,yetwhenhehadfirstseentheshieldhesensedthatitwaspartofagreaterwhole.Hehadtriedtoholdontothatconviction,althoughoverthedayshehadlosthisinitialcertainty.

Onethingheknewhehaddefinitelylost,however,washisgiftofforesight.Perhapsithadbeenthewarpstonethathaddeprivedhimoftheextrasense.Infreeinghimfromthebronzearmour,thesubstancehadrestrictedhimtonormalvision.Bynow,hewassurethatthetalenthadlefthim,buthehadnoregrets.Infuture,hemustrelyuponhisfivenormalsenseslikeeveryotherhuman.Orlikemosthumans…

He had allowedWolf to throw away the black quiver, to drop it in the ashes and dust of themanorhousewhereElyssahadlived—anddied.Lookingback,itseemedasthoughWolfhadbeenfamiliarwiththeemblem,yetforsomereasonKonradhadneverlaterquestionedhimonthesubject.Neitherhadheeveraskedaboutthebronzeknight,whoWolfsaidhadbeenhistwinbrother.Bothofthese seemed so important now, although theyhad appearedof little significance at the time.TheywerematterswhichbelongedtoKonrad’spast,whichhehadwantedtoforget—yetsuddenly theyhadbecomeapartofhis lifeoncemore.Whathadhappened toWolf?Hadhe left the frontierandreturnedtotheEmpire?Altdorfwashisnativecity,andsoperhapshewasbackinthecapital.Atownmightsuithimforafewdays,buthesoonbecamerestlesswithnothingtodo.Wherevertherewasactionanddanger,thatwaswhereWolfcouldbefound.

Afterthebeastmenhaddestroyedthemine,theyhadheadedsouth.Therehadbeenrelativelyfewofthem,comparedtothenumberoftroopsthatKislevcouldmuster.Butmanymoremarauderscouldhavesweptdownfromthefrozenwastessincethen.Kastring’sbrutalbandhadpenetrateddeepintotheEmpire,andhiscouldnothavebeentheonlybestialpackthathadcrossedtheborder.WasWolfnowfightingonthenewfrontier?

Therewasnochanceofever recovering therippled leatherquiver thatWolfhadcasuallycastaside.Thebowhadsnappedyearsago,andallthearrowswerelonggone—thefinalshaftfiredintoSkullface’schest,only tobepulledasideand snapped.Butnot,Konrad remembered,until thebaldinhumanhadstudiedthecrest.

Skullfacehadstood in theblazingentrance to theKastringhouse,and fiveyears laterKonradhad encountered one of the Kastring brothers.When he had asked him about the arrows and fistdesign,Kastringansweredthathethoughttheheraldicpatternwassomethingtodowithanelf—buthecouldhavebeenlying.

Whether the first owner had been elf or human, the shield should not nowbe possessed by askaven.Konradoughttohaveit,yethewasawarethatthechancesofdoingsowereveryslim.Havingsurvivedtworecentencounterswiththegiantrodents,heshoulddohisbesttoavoidallfuturecontact.Hehadkilledenoughoftheratmentosettleoldscores.

WasLitzenreichseriouswhenheclaimedthatheintendedtostoptheskavenfromreplacingtheEmperorwithadouble?Konradwasallinfavourofsodoing,butsurelyallthatwasnecessarywastoissueawarningtotheImperialbodyguard.Itappearedthat thewizardpersonallyplannedtofoilGaxar ’sscheme,thattheywereoldenemies.

KonradwasstillnotconvincedthatthepatheticfigurehehadseendeepintheskavendomainhadreallybeenanincarnationoftheEmperor.GaxarhadfabricatedareplicaofKonradfromacorpse,usingsomeofhisfleshandbloodinthenecromanticrecipe.Wouldithavebeensosimpletoobtain

thenecessaryingredientsfromtheEmperor?KonradonlyhadLitzenreich’swordforwhatGaxarwasplanning,andthesorcererwasalmost

asuntrustworthyasthegreyseer.The stories that he told their fellow coach passengers were complete lies; but the more

improbablehistales,themorehewasbelieved.Konradsaidverylittleduringthejourney,andUstnarcontributedevenlesstothevariousconversations.

LitzenreichhadstoodinfrontofthestagecoachafewmilesbeyondMiddenheim,haltingitsothatheandhis twocompanionscouldboard.Neither thedriver, the twoguards,nor the fiveotherpassengersevercommenteduponthis.Eventhetwowhoweredisplacedfromtheirseatswithinthevehicleandforcedtorideoutsidemadenoobjection.Itwasapparentthatthemagicianhadblockedtheeventfromtheirminds,justashewasabletopersuadeallthetavernownersthathehadpaidforeachnight’slodgings.

ObservingLitzenreich’stalentinoperation,Konradwonderedifhisownwillwassimilarlyheldin thrall.HadLitzenreichmesmerizedhim?Was thatwhyhewasgoing toAltdorf?Ifsuchwas thecase,whatdidthemagicianwantwithhim?

Konradresolvedthatassoonastheyreachedthecapital,hewouldslipawayfromLitzenreich.Therewasnopointindoingsonow,notwhentheyweresoclosetothecapital.Andifhewereunabletobreakfree,itwouldprovethathewasindeedunderLitzenreich’sspell.Hewondered,however,ifthe very fact that hewas capable of consideringwhether hismind had been enslavedmeant that itcouldnothavebeen…

Hewouldsoonfindout.TheyspentthenightattheSevenSpokesinn,thelaststopontheroutetothe capital. The driver and the two guards were looking more relaxed now that the journey wasalmost over. Although the coachmay have been travelling from one side of theGrandDuchy ofMiddenlandtotheother,overroadsthatwereregularlypatrolled,eventheheartoftheEmpirewasnotsafefromtheChaospredators.

ThecapitalofSigmar ’sEmpirehadbeenReikdorf,whichwaslaterrenamedAltdorf;butinthetwoandahalfmillenniasince then, thefocusofcentralgovernmenthadmovedseveral times.Thelocation of the capital depended upon the balance of power and political alignments amongst thedifferentstatesthatcomposedtheEmpire.Now,however,AltdorfwasoncemoretheImperialcapitalandasthestagecoachroundedacurveintheroadandfinallyemergedfromtheDrakwaldForest,itwasrevealedtoKonradforthefirsttime.

Surroundedbymassivewhitewalls toppedwith red tiles, the city lay at the confluence of theriversReikandTalabec,builtupontheislandsbetweentheseriversandtheirtributaries.TheReikwasnavigableallthewaytoMarienburgandtheSeaofClaws,andtheharbourwasfullofocean-goingvessels aswell as river boats. But their tallmasts and furled sailswere dwarfed by the two greatbuildingswhichdominated thecity, twoof themostmagnificentconstructions in theknownworld:theImperialPalaceandtheCathedraltoSigmar.

Asthecoachpassedthroughthenortherngatesandenteredthecapital,Konradstaredatallthebuildings,all thepeople.ExcludinghisbriefsightingofMiddenheim, the largest townhehadeverseenuntilnowwasPraag,butitwasasnothingcomparedtoAltdorf.ThelargestcityintheEmpirewasaplaceofuntoldwonders.

ThevehiclehaltedandKonradwasthefirsttojumpout.Ashedid,hegazeddownatthecobblesbeneathhisfeet,wonderingiftherewereanothercityfarbelowthehumancapital,askavenlairdeepunderground. Then he noticed that the central square was deserted. Or almost deserted: a line oftroopsencircled thecoach.Mostof themwerehalberdiers,clad inredcaps, longochre tunics, redleggings,brownboots.Theyheldtheirweaponshorizontally,pointedatthestagecoach—atKonrad,

Litzenreich,Ustnar.Nobladeslongerthanacertainlengthwerepermittedtobewornwithinthecitywalls,exceptby

themilitary,andKonrad’sswordwaswrappedupinabundle.Hecastasidethematerial,grippinghisweaponbythehilt.Henolongerhadashield,havingabandoneditduringtheascentfromtheskavenwarren.Ustnarwasclutchinghisaxe.KonradglancedatLitzenreich,expectinghimtousehispowerstoreducetheoddstomorefavourableproportions.Butthewizardstudiedthearrayoftroops,andhisattentionfocusedontheonlytwofiguresamongstthemwhowerenotcladinuniform.Altdorfhaditsownwizards.Litzenreichshrugged.Takingthisasasignal,Ustnarloweredhisweapon.

Thehalberdiersadvanced,closinguparoundthecoach.Konradknewitwashopeless,althoughthathadneverstoppedhimbefore.

“It’sthemwewant,”saidavoice.“Notyou.”Turning,Konrad lookedat thesoldierwhohadspoken.Hewasasergeant, thickset,clad ina

brass helmet which was topped by a cobalt plume, wearing a scarlet uniform and polished brassarmour.Hisbreastplatewasembossedwitha twin-tailedcomet,oneof the insigniaofSigmar.Hisswordhungathiship;amongstsomanyarmedmen,hehadnoneedtodrawhisweapon.

KonradwonderedhowmanyoftheAltdorfsoldiershecouldkillbeforetheycouldoverpowerhim,butheloweredhisblade.

TherewerevariouswaysthatamessagefromMiddenheimcouldhavearrivedinAltdorfbeforethetravellers had done. The authorities in the City of the White Wolf could have sent couriers toneighbouringtowns,orusedtheEmpire’snetworkofsemaphoretowerstodeliverawarningofthefugitives.Signalsmusthavegoneouttoeverytownandcity,becausetherecouldhavebeennowayofknowingwhichdirectionLitzenreichhadtaken.Thewizardhadmostlikelybeenidentifiedatoneofthecoachinginns,andamessageforwardedtothecapital.

UnabletofindLitzenreich’scorpse,thesurvivorsfromtheattackontheskavenlairwouldhaveknownthatthewizardhadescaped.ThesignalsentfromMiddenheimmusthavebeentoarresthimandanydwarfsinhiscompany.ItwasknownthatthedwarfsassistedLitzenreichwithhiswarpstoneexperiments.TherehadbeennowarrantissuedforKonrad.NooneinMiddenheimwasawareofhisexistence,noonestillalive.

Litzenreich and Ustnar were chained and manacled, loaded into a cart and driven away. Thesergeant and two other troopers escortedKonrad away fromKonigplatz and through the crowdedcity.Onceithadbeenwrappedagain,hewasallowedtocarryhisownsword.Hewasnotaprisoner,butitwasclearthatneitherwasheafreeman,andhetriednotmarchinstepwithhisescort.

Although concerned aboutwhere hewas being taken, but determined not to ask,Konradwasoverwhelmedbythesightofthecity’stwogreatbuildingsthatlayaheadofhim.Alone,theywouldhavebeenveryimpressive.Together,theywereabsolutelyspectacular,eachsodifferentinshapeandconstructionyetperfectlycomplementingtheother.

Sigmar ’scathedralstoodtotheleft,itshugecentralgildedcupolagleamingintheearlywintersunlight.ClosebywastheImperialPalace,itspinnaclebuiltfromgraniteblocksbroughtbackfromBlack Fire Pass, the scene of Sigmar ’s greatest triumph. The apex of each imposing edifice wasexactlythesameheight,sothatneithercouldbesaidtodominatetheother.

AltdorfwasSigmar ’scity,andtributewaspaidtohimthroughoutthecapital.Thepalacespirewas topped by a huge replica ofGhal-maraz, the immortal hero’s greatwarhammer.Themassivecupolaofthecathedralwasetchedwithapatternofeight-pointedstars,symbolicoftheeightdividedhumantribesthatSigmarhadunitedasone.

The long shadowof thepalaceblockedout the lowsunasKonradwas led into the courtyard

below,throughadoorwayintoabuildingthatformedpartofthedefensivewalls.Hefoundhimselfinaguardhouse,andanumberof troopssatnear thefirewhichblazed in thehearth.They talkedandlaughed together, paying little attention as Konrad and his escort entered. The other two soldiersshruggedoutoftheirarmourandjoinedtheircomrades.

“Sitdown,”saidthesergeant,ashetookaseatononesideofaroughlyhewntable.Heremovedhishelmetandsetitdowninfrontofhim.Hewasagrey-hairedveteran,andthewoundsonhisfaceweretruebattlescars.“Let’stakeaproperlookatthatsword.”

Konradsatdownopposite,laidhisbladeonthetable,thenunwrappedit.Thesergeantstudiedthewolfsheadembossedontheguard.

“Those other two,” he said, “have broken Imperial law. You, however, seem to have brokenMiddenheimlaw.Itappearsthatyou’vestolenasword.”

Itwasevident thathe recognized theweaponasbelonging toaMiddenheimregiment,and theImperial law to which he was referring must have been the one about using warpstone. Perhaps,however, the sergeant did not know the precise nature of Litzenreich’s crime.Hemay never haveheardofwarpstone.Konradhimselfhadonlyrecentlylearnedofthesubstance.

“I bought it off that dwarf,”Konrad said, “the one you arrested.He and his companionweredangerous criminals? They broke Imperial law? I thought there was something suspicious aboutthem.Ilostmypreviousswordwhenabeastmanranoffwithit;itwaswedgedinthething’sskull.”

Thesergeantnoddedslowly.Heseemedamused.“Possession,theysay,isnine-tenthsofthelaw.Possessionofastolenweaponisthereforenine-tenthsasbadashavingstolenit.”

“It’saMiddenheimsword.YousaiditcameunderMiddenheimlaw.WhatdoesithavetodowithAltdorf?”

“Weliketoobligeourallies.Theswordwillbereturnedtothem,butthequestionis:dowealsoreturnyou?”

“Whatfor?Iboughtitfromthedwarf,askhim.”Konrad had no doubt that they would not ask Ustnar about the blade. Wherever he and

Litzenreichwere, therewould be farmore important questions for them to answer.Altdorf had areputation for the excellence of its judicial system. During their interrogation, the two prisonerswouldbetorturedlessthananywhereelseintheEmpire.Therewouldalsobeatrialbeforetheywereexecuted.

Hedidnotexpectthatthesergeantwouldreallybelievehisstoryaboutthesword,butthemostimportant thing was that he should not think there was any connection between Konrad andLitzenreich. So far asAltdorfwas concerned, it was chance that he and the sorcerer had been onboardthesamestagecoach.

“Evidence from a criminal is no evidence,” said the sergeant. “And if I send the sword back,there’llbesomanyqueries,somuchpaperwork.”

“Thendon’tsenditback.”“No,wemustdothat.IftheyfoundanImperialguardswordinMiddenheim,Iwouldhopethey

wouldreturnittous.Ifyouwentbackwiththesword,youcouldansweralltheirquestionspersonally.Thatwouldseemtobethemostprudentcourseofaction.Whatdoyousay?”

Konradsaidnothing.IfheweresentbacktoMiddenheim,evenunderarmedescort,hehadnodoubtthathecouldescapebeforeeverreachingthecity.ButhedidnotwishtoleaveAltdorf,notyet.

Thesergeantwaswatchinghimstrangely,andhekeptsmiling.ItseemedthathewasnottakingtheinterrogationveryseriouslyandKonraddidnotunderstandthejoke.

“If,”thesergeantadded,afterawhile,“thisswordhadhappenedtocomeintothepossessionof,say,anImperialguard,thennaturallyhewouldbeabovesuspicion.”

Konradfinallyunderstood,buthesaidnothing.“It’sagoodjob,goodhours,good—”thesergeantslappedagoldencrownonthetable,“pay.”“The Imperial guard?” said Konrad, and he studied the soldier ’s immaculate uniform: the

polishedbrass, theplumedhelmet, thepearlbuttons, thedecorativebraid, theelaborate insignia.“Idon’tknowifIwanttobeatoysoldier—marchingupanddown,standinginasentrybox,holdingaflaginsteadofasword,allneatandtidylikesomeornament.”

“Wearenottoysoldiers,Konrad!WearetheEmpire’sbest,theEmperor ’sloyalbodyguard!”Konradstaredathim,wonderinghowheknewhisname.“IwasinPraagthatwinter,”cametheunbiddenanswer.“Remember?MynameisTaungar.”Konradnodded.HerememberedPraag.How could he forget that siege?But therewas no reasonwhy he should have recognized an

Altdorfsergeant,althoughTaungarknewhim.“Whateveryourreasonforcominghere,”Taungarsaid,“youcan’tdobetter thanenlist in the

guard. It’s the best opportunity for any fightingman.And Imean ‘fighting’— notmarching, notparading.Iknowyou’rethekindofmanweneed.”

“Or?”Taungarshruggedandlookedattheswordwiththewolfemblem.“DoIgetanothersword?”“We’ve discovered that guards can perform their functions best if they are armed.” Taungar

reachedbehindhim,takingdownabeltandscabbardedbladefromapegonthewall.Heputitonthetable,nexttotheMiddenheimsword,nexttothegoldcoin.

Konraddrewthebladefromitsoiledsheath,grippingitbythehandleofwhitebone.TheguardwasembossedwiththeImperialcrown.Heglancedatthecrownonthesword,thegoldencrownonthetable,andhepickedupthelatterwithhislefthand.

“You’veacceptedtheEmperor ’scoin,Konrad.Nowyoumustswearallegiance.Standup.”Konrad did so, and he pledged the oath of blood loyalty, swearing by Sigmar that hewould

faithfullyandobediently serve theEmperor, layingdownhis life ifnecessary in the serviceof theEmpire.

“Welcome,”saidTaungar,offeringhishand.Konrad transferred the sword to his left hand, held out his right. The twomen gripped each

other ’swrists.Therehadbeenmanyquestions inKonrad’smind,buthedidnotask them.Hewouldsoonbe

abletodiscoverwhatheneededtoknow.Fortherest,hedidnotintendtostayaroundlongenoughtorequiretheanswers.

Konrad’shairwascroppedsothatitdidnothangbelowhishelmet.Healsohadtoshave,forthefirst timesince leavingKislev,becauseonlyofficerswerepermittedbeards.Thenhewasfittedoutwith his uniform.The outfitwas the same for every infantryman,whether a raw recruit or seniorofficer. The only differencewas in the colour of the long helmet plume.The higher the rank, thedeepertheblue,fromaquamarinethroughtoindigo.

TherewasnoneedforKonradtostandinoneoftheImperialsentryposts.Taungarhadplentyofidentical troops to do that. But even ornamental sentries had to learn more than parade drill andstandingstraightandimmobile,andKonradwasenlistedasacombatinstructor.Thatdidnotmeanhewasabletoavoidhisshareofdressingup,ofpolishingarmoursothathecouldseehisface—hisscarredface—intheburnishedbrass.And,asalwayswheneverhesawhisreflection,herememberedthefirsttimehehadseenhisownimage,inElyssa’smirror.

Healmostbecameusedtowearingcleanoutfits,ofhearinghisbootheelsclickonthemarble

floorsofthepalace.Therewassomethingveryreassuringinbeingoneofsomanyothers,alldoingpreciselythesametask,ofhavingregularhoursandknowingexactlywhenhewouldnextbeabletoeat,torest,tosleep.

Therewasnoneedtothink,becauseeverythingwassoorganized;allheneededtodowasreact.Evenhisowntrainingsessionshadaregularroutine,althoughduringthosehoursKonradtried

tointroducetheunexpected.Itwastheonlytimewhenhewasondutyandoutofdressuniform,aswere the trainees. Combat practicewas dirty and sweaty, and uniforms could never be allowed tobecomesoiledeitherontheoutsideortheinside.

ItwasnotonlyothersthatKonradtrained.Hehadencounteredmostkindsofweaponsduringhiscareeronthefrontier,buttherewasalwayssomethingelsetobefound,andthearmouryprovidedadifferentarmamentwithwhichtopractise.

Onafewoccasions,KonradwentintothepalacetoserveasamemberofthehonourguardwhentheImperialbannerswerefurledandunfurledatduskanddawn.Fromtheramparts,twohundredfeetabove the ground, the entire city, the roads, the docks, the rivers, the canal to Weissbruck, thesurroundingforests,nearbyvillages,distantmountains,wereallclearlyvisible.Evenhigherup,fromtheobservation turret in thespire, theviewwouldbeevenmoreextensive—whichwaswhytherewerealwaysguardsondutyupthere.

Everythingwithin the buildingwas on as large a scale as the exterior.Hallswere vast, doorsenormous,stairwaysandcorridorswiderthanroads,ceilingsashighasmostotherbuildings.Itwasasifthepalacehadbeenbuiltforgiants.

ThestatuesofallthepreviousEmperorswerethreetimeslifesize,theirtitanicfiguresliningthefirst hallway from the steps beyond the main entrance. Further within, different chambers werededicated to each successive ruler.Thehistoryof their reignwas chronicledby separate paintingscommemoratingeachsignificantevent,makingupafriezewhichencircledtheentireroom.AbovethiswouldberichlyembroideredtapestriesdepictingtheEmperorintriumph,uponhiscoronation,showinghimasagreatwarrior,huntingthemostferociousofcreatures,achievingfamousvictories.FromwhatKonradhad read inLitzenreich’s volumes, themajority thesemagnificentworks owedmoretotheirartists’exaggeratedimaginationsthantotheannalsofhistory.

EveryhallcontainedeffigiesofeachEmperordefeatinghordesofhideousbeastmeninsinglecombat,fightingduelswithdeadlyrivals,andheldtrophiesofeverykindfromallacrosstheEmpire,from the known world — and the unknown: golden ornaments and jewelled treasures, bizarreanimals, strange weapons, relics of forgotten wars and campaigns. Many of these objects haddisintegratedoverthecenturiesandwerenolongerrecognizable.Somewerelittlemorethanpilesofdust,althoughstillveneratedbytheirveryantiquity.

Inthecentreofeachroom,restingonasimplestoneplinthandilluminatedbythenaturallightshining through the circular stained glasswindows in each ceiling,was all that remained of eachEmperor.Therewerecoffinsofbasemetalandofgold,ofgraniteandofmarble.Therewereevenglasssarcophagi inwhichgildedskeletonswerevisible.Manypedestalswereempty,because thoseEmperorshadreignedwhenthecapitalhadnotbeeninAltdorf,andtheywereburiedelsewhere.Theverylastplinthwasalsoalmostempty,becausenooneknewSigmar ’sfinalrestingplace.Accordingtolegend,attheendofhisdaysthefounderoftheEmpirehadriddenaloneintothedwarfrealms,toreturnGhal-maraztoitsoriginalowners.Nohumaneversawhimagain.

The only known relic of Sigmar ’s reign lay upon a black velvet cushion in this position ofhonour:theivoryhandleofthedaggerhehadcarriedattheBattleofBlackFirePass.Thebladeoftheknifehadrustedawayoverthemillennia.

By eachpillar, everyhourof theday andnight, stood amemberof the Imperial guard.They

werenotmerelytheEmperor ’sbodyguard,theywereliterallytheguardsofeveryEmperor ’sbody.Konradseldomsawanyonewithin thepalaceexcept for theseguards.Thebuildingwasso large itcouldhavehiddenawholearmy.Occasionally,hewouldglimpsealiveriedservantgoingabouthisduties.

One reasonwhy itmay have been so quiet and emptywithin the Imperial palacewas that theEmperorwasabsent.IttookaweekforKonradtodiscoverthis.TheEmperor,hisretinueandmostofhis guardswere on a state visit toTalabheim.Hehad sailed in the Imperial yacht, voyaging somethreehundredmileseastuptheRiverTalabec.

Konrad wondered if Gaxar had somehow known this, and, instead of making Altdorf hisdestination,hadtakentheundergroundskavenroutetothecitystate.

TwelvedayshadpassedsinceKonradhadarrived in thecapital, andhehaddonemuch in thecourse of that time.But twelve dayswas a very brief span in the legal calendar, and he knew thatLitzenreichandUstnarwerestilllanguishinginacellbeneaththeAltdorfbarracks.

They had been arrested under Imperial law, but theywere being held by the citymilitia. TheAltdorfarmyandtheEmperor ’sguardweretwodistinctforces,veryjealousoftheirresponsibilities.

Thecity’sstandingarmywasrecruitedmainlyfromthecapitalitself,althoughinhabitantsofthenearby villages in Reiklandwere also eligible to enlist; but the Imperial guardwas comprised oftroopsfromeveryprovinceandcitystateintheEmpire,includingAltdorfitself.

Technically, because Litzenreich andUstnarwere accused of breaking Imperial law, they hadbeenarrestedbytheImperialforces.ThiswaswhyTaungarandafewofhismenhadbeenamongstthetroopswaitingforthestagecoachtoarrive.Thefugitives,however,hadbeentakenintocustodybythecitymilitia.

Havingdiscovered thewhereabouts of the captives itwas time forKonrad to get themout ofthere.Heowedthemthatmuch.HaditbeenonlyLitzenreich,hemayhavelefthimtohisfate;hehadalreadydonemorethanenoughforthewizard.Ustnarandtheotherthreedwarfs,however,hadsavedhim from the skaven cave. The others were dead, but Konrad could now repay his debt to thesurvivingdwarf.

Itwasduskwhenhewentoffduty,andhewalkedstraightoutof themaingatewayof thefort.Thesentrieswatchedhimgo,assuminghehadpermissiontoleave.Heheadednorth,acrossthewidebridgeoverwhichhehadarrived,eachparapetofwhichwaslinedwithpaintedstatuesofwarriorsandgodsandmythicalcreatures,andmadeforthearmyquarters.Thedaysweregrowingshorteraswinterbegantobite,andhewasgladofthewarmthaffordedbyhislongcloak.

Heenteredadarkandnarrowalley,whereheremovedhisbrasshelmet.Whenheemergedafewseconds later,apurpleplumehungfromthehelmet.Konradhadbecomeanofficer in theImperialguard.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

ThefirstsentrieslookedonidlyasKonradstrodeconfidentlypastthemintothecourtyard.Hemadehiswaytotheguardhouse,whichheknewwasdirectlyahead.

“Iwanttoseetheofficerofthewatch,”hetoldthesoldierwhostoodbytheentrance.“Officer!”yelledtheguard.“Strangeratthegate!”Konradwaited,andafewsecondslateranofficersteppedoutintotheevening,bucklingonhis

swordbelt.HelookedatKonradandpulledhimselfuptohisfullheight,clickinghisheelstogetherandsalutingcrisply.Konradreturnedthesalute,althoughmorecasually.

TheImperialguardconsideredthemselvessuperiortotheAltdorfarmy;butalthoughhewasofapparentlyequalrank,Konradhadnoauthorityhere.

“WhatcanIdoforyou?”askedtheofficer.“TheImperialguardrunoutofpolish?”“Ihaveawarranthere,”saidKonrad,pullingaparchmentfromhistunic,“requestingthatIam

grantedadmissiontoseeoneofyourprisoners,adwarfyouareholdingincustodyunderImperialedict.”

Heunrolled theparchment,whichwasstampedwithan impressiveofficialseal.Hehoped thattheofficercouldnot read,because itwas thequartermaster ’s inventory for the Imperialgarrison’sarmamentstore.

“Youdoholdsuchaprisoner?”heasked.Theofficerappearedtostudythedocumentandhenodded.“Yes.Butwhat’sthisabout?”“It’sonanothermatter,not thereasonhe isbeingheld.Thedwarf isbelieved tohavestolena

swordfromoneoftheMiddenheimregiments.”“Iheardsomethingaboutasword.”HegazedatKonrad’sface,butKonradknewhowdifferenthemustlookwithoutthebeardandin

Imperial uniform. Only Imperial officers were permitted beards, but that did not mean they werecompulsory.

Wordofthestolenswordmusthavespreadfromtheguardstothearmy.Thetwoforceswererivals,butafewindividualsoldierswerefriends.

“Wehavetomakesurethatthebladeisreturned.”“Ofcourse,”agreedtheofficer.“Ineedtoquestiontheprisonerabouthowtheweaponcameintohispossession.”“Wecandothat.”“Fine.I’llleaveyoutomakeafulltranscriptionoftheinterrogation,withcopiesformyselfand

fortheMiddenheimauthorities.You’llalsohavetohandleeveryotherdetail,allthedocumentation,arrangetohavetheswordtransportedtoMiddenheim,afullacknowledgementofreceipt.Isthatallrightbyyou?”

“Er…”“Youknowwhatthesethingsarelike.Themoresimplesomethingseems,themorecomplexit

reallyis.”The officer glanced up at the sky, as if seeking inspiration in the heavens. “How longwill it

take?”heasked.

Konradpunchedhisrightfistintohisleftgauntlet.“Notlong,”hesaid.Theofficergrinned.“I’llneedtobewithyou.He’smyresponsibility.”“Ofcourse.”“AndIdon’twantanyvisiblemarksleftonhim.”He ledKonrad into thebrickbuilding,pickedupahugebunchofkeysandcalled foranother

guardtoaccompanythem.Theguardcarriedalanterninonehand,thekeysintheother,andheledthewaythroughaseries

ofnarrowpassages.Thebrickwallsbecamestoneastheybegantodescend,passingthroughseveralheavydoorsallofwhichwerelockedbehindthem.Therewasaguardateachdoor.

The sequence of doors reminded Konrad of Litzenreich’s domain. Once again he wasunderground,deepbelowthesurface.Thistimethetunnelswerewideandhigh;thistimetherewerestepscutintotherock,wornawaybythefootstepsofcountlessgenerationsofwarders;andthistimehisdestinationwasnotmilesaway.

Hewouldnotbeabletotalkhimselfbackthroughtheguardsandthedoors,buthedidnotintendtoreturnthisway.

Thewarderopenedeachdoorinturn,andtheofficerfollowedKonrad.Theyhadpassedmanyother doors, doors recessed into the tunnels, doors with barred windows. It seemed that themostimportantprisonerswerekeptonthelowestlevel,asKonradhadhoped.

Anotherdoorwasunlockedandpulledopen—andtheguardontheothersidefellthroughthedoorway.Konraddrewhissword,hearing theofficerdo thesame.Thewarderkneltover thedeadman.Konradalsobentdown.Therewasnomarkonthebody.Itwasstillwarm;hehaddiednotlongago.

“Aretheyhere?”askedKonrad.“Thosetwodoorsattheend.”Konradadvancedintotheshadows,andtheofficerfollowed.Anotherheavydoorblockedoffthe

tunnel,but therewere twomoredoorsbefore it,oneoneithersideof thepassage.Theywerebothclosed—and theywereboth locked.Hepeered in through thebarsof the firstdoor, loweringhisvoicesothattheofficercouldnothearwhathesaid.

“Litzenreich?”hewhispered.“Ustnar?”Therewasnoresponsefromeitherofthecells.“Keys!”shoutedtheofficer,andtheguardhurriedforward.“Openthedoor!”Theguarddidso.

“Inside!”Drawinghisownblade,holdingthelanterninfrontofhim,theguardsteppedintothefirstcell.

Konradandtheofficeralsoentered.Theplacewasempty.Sowastheoneopposite.“Theycan’thavegotoutthatway,”saidKonrad,gesturinginthedirectionofthecorpse.“They

musthavegonethroughhere.”Hepointedwithhisswordtowardstheenddoor.“Howdid they get out of the cells?” asked the officer, his voice low. “Howdid they kill that

soldier?”“Idon’tknow.Idon’tcare.Butgetthatdooropen,beforetheyhavemoretimetoescape.”“Wecan’tgothroughthere.”“Whynot?”“It’slocked.Wedon’thaveakey.It’sneverbeenopenedwhileI’veservedhere.”Sofar,thesubterraneanjailhadbeenasKonradexpected.Hehadlearnedofitfromoneofthe

Imperial guardwhoknew the layout fromawarder. It had beenKonrad’s intention to get this far,disposeof his escort, breakUstnar andLitzenreichout of their cells, then let thewizardopen this

finaldoor.ButitseemedthatLitzenreichhadalreadyusedhisabilitiestofreehimself,annullingthespellthattheAltdorfsorcererswouldhavecastinanattempttomaketheirprisoner ’scellresistanttohismagic.

Konradpushedattheheavydoortheofficerclaimedhadneverbeenopened,anditcreakedonitsrustyhinges,swingingback.Itwasamuchthickerdoorthantheothers,farolder,itsancientwoodheld together by heavy bands ofmetal.He looked at the officer,who nodded and took the lanternfromtheguard.

“We’regoingthrough,”saidtheofficer.“Bringasmanymenasyoucan,andasfastasyoucan.Sendoutawarningtoblockoffallthesewerexits.”

Thewarder turnedandranback, thekeys jinglingashevanished in thegloom,whileKonradpeered ahead. The tunnel continued as far as could be seen in the flickering lantern light, but itbecamenarrower,steeper.

“There’s an underground river somewhere,” said theAltdorf officer. “The sewers and drainsemptyintoit,andthenitjoinsupwiththeReikdownstream,beyondthecitywalls.”

Konrad knew this, and the subterranean stream had been his proposed escape route. Had thewizardandthedwarfheadedthisway?Theymusthavedone;therewasnowhereelsetheycouldhavegone.

The officer entered the passage, and Konrad followed. It was cold and dampwithin, and thelamplightseemedtobeabsorbedbytheabsoluteblackness.Theyadvancedcautiously, thesoundoftheirbootsechoinginthesilence.Afteratime,Konradnoticedthattheywerenolongerdescending.Thetunnelhadbecomelevel.Hefeltabreathofaironhisface.Somewhereaheadofthem,theremusthavebeenaroutetotheopen.

Notonlythat,buttherewasadistantglimmeroflightandsomekindofsound…Konradhadexpectedtoheartherushofwateracrossrocksasthehiddenrivercascadedbeneath

thecity.Butitwasnotthatkindofnaturalsound;itseemedunlikeanynaturalsound.Heshivered,andnotbecausehewascold.

Theofficerpausedandglancedback.“Whatisit?”hebreathed.Konradshookhishead.Heremovedhisgauntlets,tuckingthemintohisbelt.“Idon’tlikeit,”whisperedtheofficer.“Maybeweshouldwaitforreinforcements.”Konrad said nothing, but he tried to push past the officer; the officer began moving again,

keepingaheadofhim.Astheycontinued,thelightaheadgrewbrighter,thenoiseslouder.Itwassomekind of animal sound, almost like babies crying, hundreds and hundreds of them, whining andscreamingintheirhungryinfantvoices.

Butthesoundswerenothuman,Konradknew.Hismouthwasdry,buthisbodysoakedinsweat,andhegrippedhisswordwithaclammyhand.

Theofficersuddenlyhalted,andKonradalmostbumpedintohim.Hewasstaringstraightahead,gazingintothecavernwhichhadopenedupaheadofthem.Konradalsostopped,watchingthebizarretableau with which they were confronted. The chamber was hung with stalactites speckled withphosphorescence,itsspectrallightilluminatingthewholehideousscene.

“Konrad!”hissedafamiliarvoice.“We’vebeenwaitingforyou.”ItwasGaxar,buttheskavenhadtakenonhishumanform,andhestoodonlyadozenyardsfrom

theendoftheshaft.Thecavewasmuchsmallerthantheareawherehehadrefinedwarpstone:anaturalgrotto,itswallsandflooruneven,theriverflowingthroughachannelatitscentre.LitzenreichandUstnarlaystretchedoutontheground.Theywerenakedandhadbeencrucified,

theiranklesandpalmsnailedtotherock.Butthosewerenottheironlywounds:theirbodieshadbeenlacerated,andrivuletsofredcoursedovertheirtorturedbodies.Theyhadbeengaggedsotheycould

notscream.Therewasaspacebetweenthem,Konradrealized—aspacewaitingforhim,withfourheavy

nailslyingontherocks,readyforhisimpalement.All around the two prone figures crowded more naked shapes, small, sexless, humanoid,

hairless.TheywerealmostlikethebabiesthatKonradhadimaginedhecouldhearcrying—buttheyresembledinfantsinnootherway.

Therewere scoresof them,withmassivedeformed skulls, hugepink eyes, their bodieswhitelikemaggots.Theyweresomebreedoftroglodytebeastmen,withlongtongues,sharpfangs,bloatedtorsos,stuntedtails,scaledskin,threeclawsattheendofeachlimb.

Theypushedandgrabbedateachotherintheireagernesstolapatthebloodfromthewizard’sand the dwarf’swounds. Itwas theywhomade the awfulwailing sound, the sound of craving forlivingflesh.

Itseemedtheirhelplessvictims’weepingwoundswerecausedbyteethbites.Thecreatureshadalreadybeguntheirferalfeast.

SilverEyewasthere,standingclosetoGaxar,themetalshieldwithitsenigmaticgoldenemblemheld in frontofhim.He thrust his tongue fromhis jaws, andKonrad remembered the skavenkisswhentherodenthadlappedathisblood.

A fewother creatureswere alsopresent, butKonrad couldnotmake themoutproperly.Theystoodonahighledgeonthefarsideofthecavern,likespectatorswaitingtobeentertained.

Konrad noticed all this in less than a second— the same second inwhich he transferred hissword to his left hand,while his right reached behind his back for the holster hidden beneath hiscloak,fromwhichhepulledhisnewweapon,aimed,fired.

Thedevicewasaone-handedcrossbow,aprecisiontooledmechanismofbrasswheelsandsteelcogs. The six inch bolt had already been in place, the taut wire drawn back. It was the armamentKonradhadbeenpractisingwithforthepastweek.

Gaxarmayhavebeenagreyseer,buthewasnotswiftenoughtosavehimself.Theprojectiletookhimintherighteye,jerkinghimback.Hetriedtoclutchatthemissilewithhisrighthand-buthehadnorighthand.Withoutasound,heslowlycollapsedandbecamestill.

Therewasaterribleanguishedscream,ahowlsochillingthatKonradfrozeforamoment.Thecry came fromSilver Eye, a cry of despair that hismasterwas dead. The ratman rushed towardsKonrad,buttheAltdorfofficerinterceptedhim.Theirswordsrangastheyfought.

Konrad cast the bow aside and leapt forward, his sword swinging at the first of the pygmypredators who rushed at him. Its head was lopped off and keep screeching as it flew across thechamber.

Konradslewmoreoftheuglypalethingsastheyswarmedthroughthecavern.Theysprangathimfromrocks,clawingathisface.Otherstuggedathislegs,tearingathisflesh,tryingtobringhimdown by sheerweight of numbers.He kicked them aside, pulled them off, stabbed at them, slicedthem, squashed them underfoot. The noise theymade as they died wasmore horrendous than thesoundsoftheirfeeding.

HereachedLitzenreich,andleaneddown,tearingthegagawayfromhismouth.Whilehewasdistracted,afewoftheshrunkenmutantsleaptonhim,andthistimehealmostlosthisfooting.Oncehewasdownontheirlevel,hewouldstandnochanceagainstsomany.

“Magic!”heyelled.“Aspell!”“Freemyhand,”heheardthewizardsay,weakly.Konrad threwhispainfulburdens aside.His swordwhirled through the air.Several corrupted

headsweresevered,sprayingbloodeverywhere.Heleaneddownagain,vainlytryingtodragthenail

fromthemagician’srighthandwithhisfingers.“Pullthehand,pullthehand!”Konradobeyed—andsplintersofshatteredboneandshredsofgoryfleshfromLitzenreich’s

palmremainedattachedtothenailashishandcameup.Thewizardscreamed,thenthrewouthisrightarm,thescreamloweringinpitchandbecomingtransformedintoaspell.Aboltoflightingflashedfromhisblood-stainedindexfinger.

His chantwas answeredby a demented shriek as the first of his torturers erupted in a ball ofincandescence. Then another monstrosity began to burn, and another, and the cave filled with thestenchofroastingflesh.

Slayingseveralmoreof thehunchedtroglodytesashedidso,Konradmovedacross towhereUstnarlay.Heslidhisbladebelowtheheadofoneofthewristnails,restedtheswordpointontheground,and levered thenail free.Ustnarreachedupandgrabbedoneofhisassailantsby theneck,crushingitsthroat,whileKonradfreedhisotherhand.

Therewerefewerofthemisbegottenbrutesnow,fewerofthemstillalive,yettheystillattackedwith the samemaniacal fury.By the timeKonradwas releasingUstnar ’s secondankle,Litzenreichwasonhisfeet,havingfreedhimself.Konrad’sswordsnappedintwoasthefinalnailslidfromtherock.

Heglancedaround.TheAltdorfofficerwasdown, and from the twistedangleofhisbodyhemusthavebeendead.TherewasnosignofSilverEye,norofGaxar.Theskavenmusthaveescapedandtakenhismaster ’shumancorpsewithhim.Thefiguresontheledgebeyondthestreamseemedtohavegone.All thepygmydeformitieswerenowdeadordying in flames,victimsofLitzenreich’sincendiaryrevenge,andtheairstankofcharredflesh.

Konrad,LitzenreichandUstnarstoodandlookedateachother,blooddrippingfromalloftheirwounds.Theywere alonewithin an arenaof death anddestruction.Theonly soundwas their ownheavybreathingandtheinfantilewailingofthefatallymaimedbloodbeasts.

But then there came another noise, from deepwithin one of the tunnels that led off from thechamber. It was a noise that Konrad could not fail to recognize: the distant warcries of Chaosmarauders.Thesebeastmenwouldnotbeundersized,theywouldnotbeunarmed,andtherewouldbemoreofthemthancouldbecounted.

“Theriver!”orderedKonrad.“It’souronlychanceofgettingout!”Theyhurriedtotheedgeoftheriver.Inappearance,itwaslikeanyotherswiftstream,itsfoam-

fleckedwaters rushing throughachannelwornaway in the rock. Itvanished intoa lowarchat theedgeofthecavern.

“Ihatewater!”saidUstnar—andhejumpedin.Hevanishedbeneaththesurface,thenreappearedafterafewseconds,alreadyhalfwayoutofthe

chamber.Litzenreichseemedhesitant,andsoKonradshoulderedhim.Thewizarddropped,splashingunderthewater,bobbingupagainbeforedisappearingdownthetunnel.

Konradthrewhishelmetaside, torehiscloakfree,pulledhiscuirassoff,kickedhisfirstbootaway,startedtoremovehissecond,buttherewasnotime.Hecaughtaglimpseofgleamingredeyesapproachingthroughoneofthepassages,thenanotherpair,andanother.Thatwasenough.Hesprangintothecoldriver,stayingbeneaththesurfaceasheallowedthefastflowtocarryhimtowardsthetunnel.

Asecondbeforehewassweptintotheculvert,hisheadbrokethesurface,andhegazedup.Therewerestilltwofiguresontheledgeabove.Hecouldseethemproperlynow.

AndthefirstofthemwasSkullface!Therecouldbenomistake this time.Evenafter fiveyears,hecouldremember thecreatureas

clearlyasifitwereyesterday.Thesamethinbody,thesamebaldheadwhichseemedtohavenofleshonthebone.

Byhis side stood someoneelseKonradhadnot seen forhalf adecade, someoneelsewhohecould never forget, although for different reasons. She was older now, but she was instantlyrecognizable.

Forabriefmomenttheireyesmet,hisgreenandgold,hersjetblack.Elyssa…

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

DavidFerringwasbornonasmallislandcalledBritain,fromwhichheescapedbyrunningawaytosea.Hisfirstwritingjobwastypingoutpassengermenus,buthesoonbeganmakingupimaginarydishes. Critical reaction to his early literary work was mixed, and he jumped ship in New York.ClaimingtoreadJapanese,hewashiredtotranslatethecaptionsofscoresofmangabooks.Instead,hemadeitallup.

He wrote his first Warhammer novel, Konrad, after he stopped producing gags for nightclubcrooners in Las Vegas; Shadowbreed was written when he gave up devising plot-lines for anAustralian soap opera; andWarbladewaswritten one-handedly inHongKong, after he broke hisrightarmduringastuntinaJackieChanmovie—andhe’donlybeenonsettocomposeafewlinesofdialoguefortheEuropeanvillain…

Nowlivingonhisnativeisle,DavidFerringisstillmakingupthings.

Scanning,formattingandbasicproofingbyUndead.