Dark crusade by Karl Edward Wagner

Author:Karl Edward Wagner [Wagner, Karl Edward]
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy - General
ISBN: 9780446881548
Publisher: Warner Books
Published: 1976-05-15T05:00:00+00:00

XV

Omen

Page 69

Daylight dissolved the pall of night and unveiled a city of the dead. No assault, no plague, nor poison could have wreaked such wholesale annihilation of human life. Kane, riding at dawn through the murdered city, thought of the ravages of poison gas--although he knew too well that no such mundane death had claimed these victims.

The dead lay everywhere--grey, contorted faces, eyes stark with horror, tongues swollen and protruding, limbs frozen in final convulsions. Soldiers sprawled upon the ramparts, children crumpled beside their toys, merchants slumped across their wares, mothers fallen over their dead nfants. In street, or household, or tavern, or bastion, or alley, or stall...

For one dread instant, the portals of the dark world had yawned, and something alien and evil had crept forthand feasted.

Now the Satakis swarmed like maggots throughout the corpse of Sandotneri--despoiling the dead, pillaging the silent shops and houses, stripping weapons and armor that had been no defense against elder horror. Commandeered wagons groaned beneath the weight of the plunder, broad peasant backs bent from sacks of loot. The wealth of Sandotneri was being stripped from the corpse, dragged off piecemeal for the forests of Shapeli.

Kane, inured to such scenes and to such horrors, nonetheless appeared depressed as he rode to meet Orted Ak-Ceddi. The Prophet gazed about him with the smug satisfaction of an artist who views his own masterwork. Kane had seen nothing of Orted in the chaotic hours since the Prophet and his retinue had swept out of Kane's pavilion, taking the terror-stricken Esketra with them. Kane had spent the remaining hours of the night deep in thought, while the Satakis rioted in triumph through the city of the dead, and Kane's officers attempted to maintain order amongst the men.

From time to time, throughout the night, Kane called to him certain of his men whom he knew he could trust, spoke with them in hushed council. Some departed that night on missions known only to themselves and to Kane.

By dawn, his spirits somewhat improved, Kane mounted Angel and rode into the city, where men told him he might find Orted Ak-Ceddi. Kane found him, smiling benediction upon the revels of his followers.

"Your face is grim this morning, General Kane," greeted the Prophet. "Surely the vision of massacre does not appall you."

"The massacre was needless," Kane replied. "The city had surrendered to us."

"Surrendered to you, Kane," the Prophet reminded him. "Not to me."

"I had signed a treaty."

"And the treaty was disregarded. There is no novelty in that. Surely nothing about the deed can blacken the name of Kane."

Kane glanced sharply at Orted, wondering how deep the mockery might lie.

"No, Kane--don't scowl so. You have done as you promised, and I am well pleased with you. You have forged a true sword for Sataki, and you have wielded it gloriously against the enemies of the faithful. Page 70

You understand war and its waging to perfection, Kane--but you cannot understand the sacred mission of the Dark Crusade. You are a sword, Kane--and as you once told me, a sword has no soul.

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