Chapter Seven

THE PURSUIT

THEN I was running from the tent, blind with remorse and anger. I rushed through the corpsestrewn field towards the Calling Hills, bent on Shizala's rescue!

I ran past startled warriors of the Srinai and the Karnala, who called after me enquiringly.

I began to run up the hill towards the spot where the Argzoon had taken their stand.

I heard more shouts behind me, the sound of fast-moving feet. I refused to pay them any attention.

Ahead and above, the Argzoon stirred, evidently thinking that we were launching another surprise attack on them.

Instead of holding their ground as I expected, they began to turn and run in twos and threes.

I yelled at them to stop and fight. I called them cowards.

They did not stop.

Soon it seemed that the whole Argzoon force was in full flight—pursued by one man with a sword!

Suddenly I felt something grapple my legs. I turned to meet this new adversary, wondering where he had come from. I raised my sword, striving to keep my balance.

More men jumped on me. I growled in fury, trying to fight them off. Then my head cleared for a moment and I realized that the one who had grappled me was none other than Darnad— Shizala's brother!

I could not understand why he should be attacking me. I cried out:

"Darnad—it is Michael Kane. Shizala—Shizala— they have . . ." Then came a blow on my head and I knew no more.

I awoke with a throbbing headache. I was in my room in the palace at Varnal. That much I could understand. But why?

Why had Darnad attacked me?

I fought to think clearly. I sat up rubbing my head.

The door suddenly opened and my attacker entered looking worried.

"Darnad! Why did you-?"

"How do you feel?"

"Worse than I would if your comrade had not knocked me out. Don't you realize that..."

"You are still excited, I see. We had to stop you, even though your madness resulted in the Argzoon fleeing in complete disorganization. As far as we can tell, they are now scattered. Your plan to slay their leader must have worked. They seem to have broken up completely. They no longer represent a threat to Varnal."

"But I slew the wrong man. I—" I paused. "What do you mean, my madness?"

"It sometimes happens that a warrior who has fought long and hard, as you did, is gripped by a kind of battle-rage in which—no matter how tired he might be—he cannot stop fighting. We thought this was what happened to you. There is another thing that concerns me. Shizala—"

"Don't you realize what you have done?" I spoke in a low, angry voice. "You speak of Shizala. Is she here? Is she safe?"