Riders of the Dead (Warhammer Fantasy) by Dan Abnett

Author:Dan Abnett [Abnett, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2011-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

II

The marked men remained in the temple for the next eight days. They were fed, well and regularly, and had to endure the squealing attentions of shamans who came in and performed rites at them.

All the zars sent their shamans to the temple to conduct rituals over their marked property. Ons Olker visited five times. Though he was busy with Blayda’s marked souls, such as von Margur, his eyes constantly searched for Karl. Whenever he was around, Karl kept a firm hand on his true killer.

Uldin’s shaman, whose name was Subotai, visited frequently, singling out Karl and other men with Uldin’s mark, and daubing them with ash and body paints as he chanted and rattled. When he removed his snake-etched barbute, Subotai revealed a strange face. It was broad and flat, and his eyes were narrow. Karl had once seen a traveller’s drawing of the men who lived in the farthest east, in the realm of Cathay. They had these facial characteristics.

‘He is of the Man-Chu, who dwell far around the Circle, nigh on the territories of the Dreaded Wo,’ von Margur said to Karl. Of course, the knight had not even seen Subotai’s face. ‘He was taken by Uldin as a war trophy years ago, but marked and spared because he has the sight.’

Only then did Karl notice that the shaman had three blue dots on his right cheek, a very old mark faded by time. Zar Uldin’s mark. Karl knew he had the same thing on his own face.

Word of what Karl had done to Wernoff that first night spread amongst the captives the next day, and many men chose to avoid him. Though it was not the place or time for real friendships, Karl suddenly found himself short of comrades. But von Margur didn’t seem bothered. Neither did a laconic crossbowman from Nordland called Etzel, who also wore Uldin’s mark, and a Carroburger called Vinnes, who sported the red dots of Zar Herfil. Both of the latter had been forced to fight – and kill – in bouts after Karl’s. The four kept themselves together. They understood.

During those eight days, other men were drawn out, and some failed to return. Gradually, the number of captives halved, and all those that remained had killed in a bout. Karl and his comrades were no longer shunned, but the mood had hardened. For most of each day, the marked men sat in bleak silence, consumed by their own thoughts.

Karl was called out twice more, into the firelit square and the blood-lusting crowd. He killed once, in a fight with another Stirlander, who seemed to give up and welcome the swift death Karl granted him.

In the other bout, Karl was drawn against a young man from Middenheim who, at the last moment, broke down and refused to do battle. The Middenheimer threw away his blade and tried to run, weeping and begging. Hinn executed him, and Karl was dragged back to the temple.

By the seventh day, only von Margur had not been called.

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