More screams rang out, magnified by the darkness. Uthas followed the sounds, Calidus’ voice distinct, even in rage. And the screaming was soaked with it – not fear, not pain, not even anger, but pure, undiluted rage. As Uthas drew closer he heard the rasp of a sword drawn, the thud of iron cutting flesh, a wild neighing, then Uthas saw him.

Calidus was standing amidst the paddocked horses that pulled their wains. He was hacking at a stallion, the beast already fallen to its knees, eyes rolling white, blood spurting black in the night from a great rent in its neck. Even as Uthas stood and stared, dumbstruck, the animal crashed onto its side, legs kicking as if it were running. With a shiver it lay still.

He has gone mad.

‘Calidus,’ Uthas called out, striding over to him. He was dimly aware of footsteps behind him, Salach, no doubt, as well as a growing number of Kadoshim. Uthas dipped beneath a rope bound between trees. Calidus turned his eyes upon the giant, blazing with malice, and Uthas froze, deciding that getting too close to Calidus with sword still in hand might not be the wisest move.

‘What is wrong?’ Uthas asked.

‘Incompetent. Fools,’ Calidus hissed, then turned and swung his sword overhead, chopping into the dead horse, wrenching his blade free in a spray of blood and bone.

‘Who?’ Uthas asked.

‘Rhin. Veradis.’ With each name he hacked into the horse again. Then once more. Finally he pulled his blade free and leaned upon it, chest heaving, head bowed. After a while he wiped his blade clean on the horse’s carcass and strode to Uthas, saw a crowd of faces staring back at him.

‘Meical and his puppet have escaped,’ Calidus said, all calmness and composure now, although somewhat ruined by the streaks of blood splattering his pale face and silvery hair. ‘And the Vin Thalun fleet is burned, sunk or stolen.’

‘What! How can that be?’

‘They attacked the Vin Thalun fleet moored at Uthandun, stole some ships and sailed east, burned the rest. The details are vague. We shall have to wait until we see Rhin face to face for the finer details. I met her in the Otherworld and must confess, I became . . . a touch irritated. She fled from me.’

I can understand why.

‘Meical is behind it, of that I have no doubt,’ Calidus said.

‘We could change course, pursue them, perhaps catch them before they leave the Darkwood.’

‘No,’ Calidus snapped. ‘The opportunity was too great to resist – to catch them between our two warbands. But to change course, chase them across the Banished Lands. No. I cannot lose sight of the task I have been set.’

‘What do you mean?’ Uthas asked.