Taker Of Skulls(20)

No definitely not a goblin, Kormak thought. An Old One. He charged towards it. The Old One’s wolf wheeled and bounded to meet him at terrifying speed. Kormak prepared to step to one side and slash at its neck but, with a more-than-animal intelligence, the creature sprang to one side at the last second. His slash went wide. The wolf turned its head and spurted a jet of flame at him. It was his turn to leap as the ground seemed to catch fire around his boots.

The Old One riding the wolf let out a peel of mocking laughter. “Well done, Fenang,” he said in the tongue of the Old Ones. Hearing him speak the goblins turned to look at him.

“Graghur, Graghur,” they began to chant in their squeaky voices. The dire wolf opened its mouth and let out a long terrifying howl, so loud it threatened to deafen Kormak. There was something in its eyes that suggested that it understood what its rider was saying. Was it possible it was an Old One that had shifted shape?

“Ho—mortal! I am Graghur, Taker of Skulls, Lord of Goblins, Ruler of Khazduroth and you are on my land.” His voice was loud and boastful but he was eyeing Kormak’s dwarf-forged blade warily. He seemed reluctant to press his attack.

“This is the first I have heard of it,” said Kormak.

“It will be your last chance if you do not leave soon,” said Graghur. “This is not your territory and I am bound by no Law. I am tired of these interlopers stealing my treasure and killing my people. I am tired of them plundering my domain. Tell them to go and I will spare their lives. Tell them if they stay they can expect only death.”

The goblin raised the great horn that hung on his chest and blew out a long mellow note. He heeled the wolf and sprang away, his guards swiftly following, and shortly after that the rest of the goblins had scuttled away into the darkness, carrying their loot.

Big Heidi came running up a bloody cleaver in her hand.

“I don’t know what you said to him,” Heidi said. “But you certainly sent him packing.”

“I didn’t say anything and he left of his own accord,” said Kormak. She slapped him on the back and did not seem inclined to believe what he had said.

“For months now, the goblins have been sneak-attacking. This is the first time they’ve done anything like this. It’s the first time I have seen their king too,” she said. “He was kind of impressive.”

“He was an Old One,” Kormak said. “They usually are.”

“Looked like a goblin to me,” Heidi said. She seemed less happy now and more worried.

“Goblins don’t ride on wolves that breathe fire,” said Kormak. He turned around and looked for his companions, praying to the Holy Sun that nothing had happened to them.





Chapter Nine





WOUNDED MEN AND women lay sprawled by the fires while their companions tried to staunch their wounds any way they could. Others looked at toppled tents and plundered supply packs and shook their head.

“A month’s work gone on one night,” a man said. “Bastard goblins.”

Karnea, Sasha and Boreas were standing in a cluster around their fire. They looked all right. Kormak strode over to Karnea. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide behind her glasses. Sasha stood nearby, her stonethrower clutched tightly in her hands. Kormak noticed that her knuckles were white.

“That was not a goblin,” Karnea said, as Kormak strode up.

Kormak nodded. “It was an Old One.”

“Did it flee because you invoked the Law?”

“No,” Kormak. “Its name is Graghur and it claimed this land was his, and that everyone here is a trespasser and must go.”

“This land belongs to no one. It is not covered in any of the old treaties,” Karnea said.

“I suspect he claims it by right of possession,” Kormak said.

“What are you talking about?” Sasha asked. “And what did you say to that goblin?”

“The goblin’s name is Graghur,” said Kormak, “and he is not a goblin but an Old One.”

“Graghur is the goblin king,” Sasha said. “They chant his name some times when the moon is full. King or not, he turned tail soon enough when he saw you.”

“I think he was just surprised to encounter me, and he departed to consider his options. He’ll most likely be back when he’s thought things through.”

“Tonight?”

“I don’t think so, not unless he is particularly tricky. He gave me a warning for the prospectors. If he was serious, he’ll wait and see what affect it has.”

“A warning?”

“Leave this place or die.”

“That sounds serious,” Sasha said.

“It might be a trick,” said Kormak, “or a bluff. Old Ones don’t think like men. He may even forget what he said by the morning. I’ve known it to happen.”