The Lists

Beyond the Eastern Gate of Verdwer, there was a blasted heath. Blackened and barren after countless summers, no life grew here.

High wooden barriers closed off the heath, with only a single gate. In the middle of the field was a second enclosure, a square ten paces across. Stands overlooked the doubled ghortos, with locked boxes set aside for the great Houses of Verdwer and their guests.

Here was the field of honor. Here was where the city held its tournaments, where kings and warriors and ranking men pitted their skill at arms against each other. Here was where men defended their klewos with wood and steel and bare hands.

Here were the lists.

When we arrived, the lists were empty and silent. A raven croaked expectantly. A wagon went into the city to inform the royal ghortos and to fetch a healer. The rest of the convoy settled into the empty seats. Soon the men began placing bets among themselves.

Regneus and I entered the lists.

Standing at opposite ends of the heath, we stretched, we checked our gear, we made ready for battle.

Regneus walked up to the stands, arms spread wide.

“See there, that man of wood! His tongue is sharper than his stake, and his stake harder than his spear! Under a man of steel, he will break! Sky and Earth hear me! I will cut him down ere the sun touches the Sky-Pillar!”

Bronze and silver passed from hand to hand. At his bench, Arsek gathered them in two piles. One was much higher than the other.

I drew my knife and whittled my stake down to a sharp point. Then I stood tall and Breathed.

Life and light passed through my skin and gathered in my belly. Swirling about, Breath condensed in a golden ball. Larger and larger it grew, ready to surge at my call. An unseen liquid flooded the spaces between my flesh and bones, awakening the entirety of my strength.

Regneus might outmatch me in every way, but I would give him a fight he would never forget.

Megiklews returned with the wagon. With him was a Hand of Hagra, along with a seruonos with an iron neck-ring.

The healer stood at the border of the lists. The merchant joined his fellows at the stands. The seruonos entered the field.

“Fighters, come forth!” the seruonos cried.

We came to him. The seruonos drew out a glowing mind-stone from around his neck, then looked at me.

“Taran Barak-sonu?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Regneus Regklew-sonu?”

“Yes,” the armsman replied.

“I, Neunos Angmos-sonu, voice of Ghrados Hreks, am come as witness. I will hear now your case against each other. The challenged will speak first.”

Regneus planted his halberd on the earth.

“This man wished to join our convoy as an auxiliary. Yet he has no arms or armor, only a wooden stake. I told him he could not join us, for he would place the lives of our men at risk. Then we had words.”

“Taran Barak-sonu, is that true?”

“He accused me of cowardice. He claimed I could not have slain a mother khonkonghos with my stake, even after I had named witnesses. Then he sang an insult-sekwa at me.”

“What say you, Regneus Regklew-sonu?”

“That is the sum of it,” he admitted. “That was when Taran challenged me.”

Neunos carefully schooled his face. “Very well. I see that this is a matter of klewos. Yet, even at this point, if any settlement can be had, you may withdraw without loss. I charge you to consider again the causes of this quarrel, and to confirm that no peaceful outcome is possible.”

“If Taran withdraws from the caravan, then I will withdraw from the lists,” Regneus said.

“Regneus blackened my klewos,” I said. “If he will not withdraw his words, then neither can I.”

Regneus snorted. “As you yourself have said, to take them back is to be a lesser man.”

“Then no settlement is possible.”

“So be it,” Neunos said.

Now that my wrath had cooled, I saw clearly my own failings. I should have bought a steel spear or halberd from Dhelklew, or at least borrowed one. Better yet, steel armor. Had I outfitted myself properly, this need not have happened.

It was too late now.

“You will now swear on the Hallower and the Binder that your case is just and your words true,” Neunos continued. “Regneus Regklew-sonu, you will go first.”

Regneus raised his hand.

“I call the Hallower and the Binder to witness! I sought to protect the convoy from a lesser man! I sought to carry out my duty! My case is just and my words true! Upon Your Names I swear!”

“Very good. Taran Barak-sonu, your turn.”

I raised my own hand.

“Hallower and Binder, come witness!”

The sun bore down, hard and bright. The colors of the earth washed out in the unforgiving light.

“I spoke truly of my deeds! This man insulted me! He sang falsely into the World-Weave! I seek to unmake that which should not have been spoken! My case is just and my words true! Upon Your Names I swear!”

The earth below twisted one way. The sky above twisted another. The air itself grew heavy.

“Regneus Regklew-sonu,” Neunos said, “as the challenged, you may choose the weapons.

“Wood,” he declared. “I will not have it said that I fought a man with unequal armaments.”

I blinked. He was more gallant than I had expected.

“Taran may fight with that toothpick he calls a weapon,” Regneus continued.

My brow sharpened. I would make him choke on his words.

“Do you agree, Taran Barak-sonu?” Neunos asked.

“Yes.”

“Then, Taran Barak-sonu, as the challenger, you may choose the manner of satisfaction.”

“First blood.”

“His stake is sharpened,” Regneus interrupted. “It will be easier for him to score first blood.”

“Then we fight until one man yields,” I said.

“That I can agree to.”

“Very well,” Neunos said. “As the law decrees, if a defeated man yields, his ransom shall be three pekuna of silver. If he falls, his possessions shall go to the victor. If a man flees the battle-ghortos, he shall be called a half-man evermore.

“You will now take off everything you own that is made of steel and stone, everything that may not be used in the fight. I, Neunos Angmos-sonu, swear on the Names of the Hallower and the Binder that I shall guard your belongings until you return to claim them.”

Regneus set down his halberd. He doffed his helmet and placed next to his weapon. Then he cast his belt aside. Last of all, he stripped off his plates.

I took off my bags and backpack, axe and knives, anything that could be used as a weapon. Then I untied every pouch from my belt and piled them on my gear.

As we worked, Neunos produced a key and walked to a shed beneath the stands. He unlocked the door, revealing racks of wooden weapons. He selected a staff and checked it against my stake. Satisfied that they were of equal length and heft, he handed the staff to Regneus.

When we stepped away from our piles, we had only our clothes, belts, shoes and staves. Neunos patted us down, checking that we had nothing that violated the terms of the fight. Then he spoke.

“The fighters will now take to the battle-ghortos. The challenger shall stand at the southern end, the challenged at the north.”

At opposite ends of the square, Regneus and I climbed over the wooden fence.

“Fighters, take up your guard!”

Left foot forward and planted, right heel back and raised, I brought the stake across my body, point facing the earth. This was the Middle Iron Gate.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw a bird settle on a fence.

A raven.

[Arta?]

[Watch your opponent!] she replied.

I turned my gaze to Regneus. He stood as if he were in the spear-wall. His stance was narrow, and his staff was aimed at me.

He smirked.

Regneus. He had started this. He had smeared my klewos. With his insult-sekwa, he had woven a lie into the world. He had to pay. He would pay!

The rage came again. In the rage was the Storm, and in the Storm was victory. I opened my heart to the Storm, and let it come.

The sun shone. The wind blew. The raven cackled.

Nothing happened.

[This fight does not serve the One,] Arta said. [You have turned your face from Him.]

I swore.

“BEGIN!”