Spook's: The Dark Army (The Starblade Chronicles) (30 page)

‘Is Jenny all right?’ I asked.

‘Yes – I shielded her with my body and she came off far better than you. She’s out hunting rabbits.’

‘Grimalkin!’ I cried, remembering what had happened to her, seeing her bones shatter on the floor. ‘How can we manage without her? Why did she run at Golgoth like that? What a stupid waste. It was suicidal.’

Alice smiled sadly and shook her head. ‘There was nothing stupid about it. Grimalkin knew exactly what she was doing, Tom. She didn’t throw her life away needlessly. She did it to save me from Golgoth’s wrath. In seconds I’d have been dead, frozen solid. She died in order to buy us all a little more time.’

‘I still can’t believe that she’s dead. It’s a terrible loss. Did Pan destroy Golgoth?’

Alice shook her head. ‘No, but he hurt him badly and sent him back to his own domain in the dark. For now, the portal is closed and sealed, but Golgoth will eventually heal and be as strong as ever. And Pan drained a lot of his own strength to achieve that. He’ll need time to recover too. The battle between them is far from over. One big danger now is that Talkus will intervene directly.’

‘We’d have no defence against him then—’

‘Ain’t quite true, Tom: he’s still not reached his full strength, though if it happens soon, we’ll struggle,’ Alice replied.

‘Poor Meg,’ I said.

‘Yes, poor Meg – but she was brave, wasn’t she? Meg bought me the time I needed to begin my magic. Though I think
her
time had come, Tom. She came back to the County to find John Gregory, but he was already dead. Maybe she didn’t want to live anyway? Who knows? Anyway, the Round Loaf will be her tomb and also the tomb of Grimalkin. I replaced the stone and covered it with earth.’

‘The sad thing is that Meg and John Gregory won’t be together after death,’ I said. ‘She’s gone to the dark, while he’ll have gone to the light.’

Alice nodded and I saw the sadness in her face. We both knew that the situation was similar to our own, but let it remain unspoken. Then she came closer and put her arms around me. She was warm, and I was hungry for the heat of her body, but inside I was still cold from my memories of the Butcher God.

Two weeks have passed since the traumatic events in the chamber below the Round Loaf and we are back at Chipenden. Slowly I’m coming to terms with the death of Grimalkin but our future looks bleak.

Even now a decisive battle against the Kobalos is probably being fought. If the human army is defeated our enemies will be free to cross the Northern Sea and invade our island.

My life at the moment is bitter sweet. In one respect I’ve never been happier. I’m with Alice and that’s a dream come true. But with that comes the bitter pain of anticipated loss. Alice closed the portal to keep Golgoth at bay but their mages can still use the space between worlds to reach the County. They could come for me and Alice at any time. Talkus might wield power against which we have no defence.

So our happiness might well be short-lived.

I continue to train Jenny and she is working hard and learning fast. She would make a good spook. I only hope she gets the chance to become one.

As I write, the sky is darkening to the north and the first snowflakes of an early winter are falling towards the Chipenden garden. If the dark army of the Kobalos arrives we will defend the County and ourselves to the best of our ability. That’s all we can do.

Thomas J. Ward

Anchiette:

A burrowing mammal found in northern forests on the edge of the snow-line. The Kobalos consider them a delicacy eaten raw. There is little meat on the creature, but the leg bones are chewed with relish.

Note: I tried eating the creatures (which are hardly bigger than mice) and I definitely prefer rabbit. However, they are numerous and easy to catch and are best eaten in a stew. With the addition of the correct herbs the meal is tolerable – Grimalkin

Askana:

The dwelling place of the Kobalos gods. Probably just another term for the dark.

Note: This is intriguing. Nicholas Browne could be right, but could it be that the Kobalos gods exist outside what we term the dark? Cuchulain dwelt within the Hollow Hills, accessed from Ireland. That too was not directly within the dark – Tom Ward

Baelic:

The ordinary low tongue of the Kobalos people, used only in informal situations between family or to show friendship. The true language of the Kobalos is Losta, which is also spoken by humans who border their territory. For a stranger to speak to another Kobalos in Baelic implies warmth, but it is sometimes used before a ‘trade’ is made.

Balkai:

The first and most powerful of the three Kobalos High Mages who formed the Triumvirate after the slaying of the king and now rule Valkarky.

Note: We have not yet faced Balkai. It is terrifying to think that his magic is more powerful than that of Lenklewth, who came close to defeating us. Only the Starblade can protect me – Tom Ward

Berserkers:

These are Kobalos warriors sworn to die in battle.

Bindos:

Bindos is the Kobalos law that demands each citizen sell at least one purra in the slave markets every forty years. Failure to do so makes the perpetrator of the crime an outcast, shunned by his fellows.

Boska:

This is the breath of a Kobalos mage which can be used to induce sudden unconsciousness, paralysis or terror within a human victim. The mage varies the effects of boska by altering the chemical composition of his breath. It is also sometimes used to change the mood of animals.

Note: This was used against me; it leached the strength from my body. But I was taken by surprise. It is wise to be on our guard against such a threat and not allow a haizda mage to get close. Perhaps a scarf worn across the mouth and nose would prove an effective defence. Or perhaps plugs of wax could be fitted into the nostrils – Tom Ward

Bychon:

This is the Kobalos name for the spirit known in the County as a boggart.

Note: It will be interesting to discover whether these boggarts fall into the same categories we have in the County or whether there are new types there – Tom Ward

Chaal:

A substance used by a haizda mage to control the responses of his human victim.

Cumular Mountains:

A high mountain range that marks the north-western boundary of the Southern Peninsula.

Dendar Mountains:

The high mountain range about seventy leagues south-west of Valkarky. In its foothills is the large kulad known as Karpotha. More slaves are bought and sold here than in all the other fortresses put together.

Dexturai:

Kobalos changelings which are born of human females. Such creatures, although totally human in appearance, are susceptible to the will of any Kobalos. They are extremely strong and hardy and have the ability to become great warriors.

Eblis:

This is the foremost of the Shaiksa, the Kobalos brotherhood of assassins. He slew the last King of Valkarky using a magical lance called the Kangadon. It is believed that he is over two thousand years old and it is certain that he has never been bested in combat. The brotherhood refer to him by two other designations: He Who Cannot Be Defeated and He Who Can Never Die.

Note: Grimalkin told me that Eblis is dead. He was defeated by Slither and finally slain by Grimalkin. So the brotherhood was proved wrong to give him the above designations. He was defeated; he did die – Tom Ward

Erestaba:

The Plain of Erestaba lies just north of the Shanna River within the territory of the Kobalos.

Fittzanda Fissure:

This is also known as the Great Fissure. It is an area of earthquakes and instability which marks the southern boundary of the Kobalos territories.

Note: The Fissure is north of the Shanna River, but both have been described by Browne as boundaries between Kobalos and human lands. It is likely that the borders have changed many times over the long years of conflict – Grimalkin

Galena Sea:

The sea south-east of Combesarke.
It lies between that kingdom and Pennade.

Gannar Glacier:

The great ice-floe whose source is the Cumular Mountains.

Ghanbalsam:

A resinous material bled from a ghanbala tree by a haizda mage and used as a base for ointments such as chaal.

Ghanbala:

The deciduous gum tree most favoured as a dwelling by a Kobalos haizda mage.

Haggenbrood:

A warrior entity bred from the flesh of a human female. Its function is one of ritual combat. It has three selves which share a common mind; they are, to all intents and purposes, one creature.

Haizda:

This is the territory of a haizda mage; here he hunts and farms the human beings he owns. He takes blood from them, and occasionally their souls.

Haizda mage:

A rare type of Kobalos mage who dwells in his own territory far from Valkarky and gathers wisdom from territory he has marked as his own.

Homunculus:

A small creature bred from the purrai in the skleech pens. They often have several selves, which like the Haggenbrood are controlled by a single mind. However, rather than being identical, each self has a specialized function and only one of them is capable of speaking Losta.

Note: In Valkarky, I encountered the homunculus that was a servant to Slither. The one that could speak was like a small man and it reported directly to the mage; another took the form of a rat and was used for espionage. I found it easy to control and subvert to my will. There was a third type which was able to fly, but I did not see it. Such a creature could be used to gather information about us at long range. The three selves of the homunculus share one mind (as did the Haggenbrood): thus what it sees is instantly known back in Valkarky – Grimalkin

Hubris:

The sin of pride against the gods. The full wrath of the gods is likely to be directed against one who persists in this sin in the face of repeated warnings. The very act of becoming a mage is in itself an act of hubris and few live to progress beyond the period of noviciate.

Hybuski:

Hybuski (commonly known as Hyb) are a special type of warrior created and employed in battle by the Kobalos. They are a hybrid of Kobalos and horse, but possess other attributes designed for combat. Their upper body is hairy and muscular, combining exceptional strength with speed. They are capable of ripping an opponent to pieces. Their hands are also specially adapted for fighting.

Kangadon:

This is the Lance That Cannot Be Broken, also known as the King Slayer, a lance of power crafted by the Kobalos High Mages – although some believe that it was forged by their blacksmith god, Olkie.

Note: Grimalkin told me that this lance was finally broken by Slither, the haizda mage with whom she formed a temporary alliance.
He used one of the skelt blades, Bone Cutter, to do so – Tom Ward

Karpotha:

The kulad in the foothills of the Dendar Mountains which holds the largest purrai slave markets.
Most are held early in the spring.

Kartuna: This kulad is beyond the Shanna River. I believe it to be the tower once visited by the haizda mage called Slither; he escaped after slaying the incumbent High Mage, Nunc. I believe that the second most powerful mage in the present Triumvirate has now taken up residency there in preference to Valkarky. Many of his magical artefacts will be stored in that tower – Grimalkin

Note: Grimalkin was correct – Lenklewth had taken up residence there. When we went to investigate the kulad, he laid a trap for us – we were lucky to survive and did not manage to seize any of his magical artefacts. Though he is now dead, there is no doubt that another mage will rise to take his place – Tom Ward

Kashilowa:

The gatekeeper of Valkarky, who is responsible for either allowing or refusing admittance to the city. It is a huge creature with one thousand legs and was created by mage magic to carry out its function.

Kastarand:

This is the word for the Kobalos’ Holy War.
They will wage it to rid the land of the humans whom they believe to be the descendants of escaped slaves. It cannot begin until Talkus, the god of the Kobalos, is born.

Kirrhos:

This is the ‘tawny death’, which comes to victims of the Haggenbrood.