Day of the Druid, Page 3

Gaar's will pulled her to life. Theblankness went out of her eyes and was replaced by a sudden gladness.

  "You came. I knew you would come."

  She struggled to sit up and saw that only the veil covered her nudity.She blushed. Gaar turned his back, bent and removed the black robefrom the crumpled figure on the floor. Over his shoulder he handed therobe to the girl. When he turned to her again she was sitting up, atrace of color still in her cheeks.

  "Where are they?" Marna asked fearfully. There was loathing in theglance she threw at Glendyn's body. "There are many more. Where arethey?"

  "Up above," Gaar told her. "This one and another were left to watchyou."

  "Good. They won't be coming back for a long time. Now they are busypreparing the sacrifices to Be'al." Marna shuddered. "It is the feastof Beltane."

  Gaar spoke quickly. "What sort of men are they?"

  "They are not men. They are devils. A long time ago they came out ofthe sky in strange ships. They brought strange powers and a strangegod who demanded human sacrifices. My people were driven out, killed.I am the only one left."

  "But why did they save you?"

  "As a hostage, at first. And later because it pleased them to keep meas a symbol of the race they had vanquished. Every year I haveawakened and they have used me as a mock sacrifice. And then they haveput me to sleep again for another year."

  "And today again?"

  "For the last time. They have lost their power to act at a distance.And they grow afraid that I may call someone they cannot defeat. Theirpower is great now on only this one day when the sun comes directlybetween the two stones they brought with them from their motherworld."

  She started suddenly and Gaar stared at her. "What is it?" hedemanded.

  "I feel something. I feel danger."

  * * * * *

  There was no time to ask questions. Gaar knew she would not be wrong.This daughter of a lost people had a knowledge he could not fathom. Helifted her out of the sarcophagus and set her on her feet.

  "We've got to get out of here. Once we reach my men and set back forthe coast they'll never stop us."

  They were running now, back along the corridor down which Gaar hadcome. Half way they went, and then they heard the voices and the feetthat came toward them from above.

  Gaar listened intently. There were too many. One or two he would havefought, maybe even a half-dozen. But this was the tramp of many feet.They must have found the body at the head of the Stairs. Gaar cursedhis luck.

  "We'll have to go back. Is there another way out?"

  "No none. It was the burial place for the kings of my people beforethe Druids came."

  And it looked like it would be his burial place as well, Gaar thought.But he had to go back anyway. He couldn't take a chance on the girlbeing hurt in a fight in the dark. Besides, that fellow he had killedhad a knife. It would be better than no weapon at all.

  The feet were close behind them as they ran. The girl was too slow.Gaar scooped her up and ran with her under his arm. But still notswiftly enough. They had been overheard.

  He had barely time to swing Marna behind the sarcophagus and out ofimmediate danger. He bent and tore the knife from Glendyn's loosegrasp. And then they were on him, a flood of black-robed figures.

  Blood spurted as the knife in Gaar's hand flashed. A man screamed, andthen another as Gaar's fist made pulp of flesh and bone. His handsstruck blows like Thor's hammer. He made them pay dearly for everybackward step he took. But they came on still.

  They were too many for him. They forced him back until a cold wallstopped him. Then, by the sheer force of numbers they overwhelmed him.He went down under a torrent of blows that drove everything from hismind but the thought that he had failed Marna.

  * * * * *

  Daylight, and Gaar's head ached as consciousness returned. He seemedto be a single aching bruise from head to foot. After a while herealized that Marna lay beside him at the bottom of the stairs thatled to the cavern mouth.

  Light came down strongly, too strongly. It was long after dawn. Astray thought flashed across Gaar's mind: his men would be well ontheir way to the ship: Yet there was no use castigating himself. Marnawould have died before they could have reached her if they had come ina body.

  "I'm sorry," Gaar said, and tried to turn toward Marna. Leather thongsbound him tightly but he rocked back and forth until he tipped ontohis side.

  "Not as sorry as I," she said, her eyes soft on his face. "If I hadnot called you would never have come."

  "The only thing a Norseman fears is that he should die in bed," Gaartold her.

  But he wasn't ready to die yet. If he could only get a little playinto these thongs! His muscles bulged with the strain as he threw hisstrength into the effort. Then a scream filtered down and sent ashiver along his spine.

  "The sacrifices have started," Marna said. "It will not be long now.They will be coming for us soon."

  "Can't _you_ do anything?" Gaar asked. "Can't you fight them withtheir own weapons?"

  "Not while I am awake. When I sleep my soul is in communion with mypeople who have gone and I draw strength from them. But this is thefeast of Beltane. While the sun comes directly between the two greatstones the magic of the Druids is at its most potent. And mine iswaning."

  As her voice faded there came again the scream of a soul in mortalfear. The scream died quickly, merging into a rising paean from theDruids. Then there was a patter of sandal-clad feet and the light fromabove was blocked by the figure of Cyngled, the high priest.

  In Cyngled's hand the great sacrificial knife dripped blood. Be'alwould drink well this day, Be'al would be appeased. Behind Cyngledcame other priests, lesser ones whose faces revealed unholy joy asthey came down the stairs.

  Two of them lifted Marna but it took four to carry Gaar. Strong lightmade him blink as they emerged from the mouth of the cave. Shockforced his eyes to remain open as they entered the charmed circle.

  Blood-red came the sun between the two monoliths to fall upon thegreat Cromlech that was redder still with human gore. A wave of nauseaswept up from Gaar's stomach. He fought it down.

  Then the strength filtered out of him as he was carried into thecircle. Now he was a child in their hands. He felt himself beinglifted, felt his back touch the slippery stone. Beside him Marna waslaid, the black robe she had worn ripped from her body.

  Cyngled's chant rose above them, the knife came up and hovered atGaar's throat. The knife was coming down. And then it stopped! Itstopped as the air was split by the battle cry of the Norsemen!

  * * * * *

  Gaar twisted his head and saw them come out of the woods beyond thecircle. Like madmen they raged across the clearing. But nobody rushedto oppose them! Instead, the Druid priests drew back, gathered aboutCyngled. As the Norsemen came into the circle the high priest's handsdrew the magic symbols in the air.

  And the Norsemen stopped! Like men of stone they were, a tableau ofarrested motion.

  There was no hope. The bitterness of gall was in Gaar's mouth as heturned his head from the scene. He looked at Marna. Her eyes werebright, burning into his own. No hopelessness there. Her eyes werespeaking to him.

  They were willing him, willing him to strength! Gaar felt it come backto him. Her magic was stronger than she knew. He felt the strengthcome back in a surge that would not be denied.

  This was only leather that held him. The leather could bite into hisflesh as he strained. But it could not hurt him. His great chestfilled with air and the thongs gave, stretched. And burst!

  In a single leap he was off the altar. He wanted to rage into theDruid priests, to tear them apart with his bare hands. But there weretoo many. And Marna's will was telling him that there was somethingelse he must do.

  He knew what it was. He had to strike at the source of their power.They were turning to meet his charge, setting themselves solidly.

  Gaar wheeled, spurted around them and then
around the Cromlech. Theyguessed his purpose and leaped to stop him. They had to prevent himfrom reaching the two great stones. Gaar battered them aside and wentthrough them.

  His back was against one of the monoliths, his feet against the other.He climbed that way, ignoring the knives that slashed at his back.Then he was above the reach of their arms. The sun was full in hisface. His shadow blocked the altar. His back was on stone, his feetwere on stone. Two great pillars, rooted in the earth, and againstthem the strength of one man.

  * * * * *

  But that man was Gaar. Slowly his legs straightened, his shoulderswent back. All the power that was in his mighty frame went into thethrust. It was a power that would not be denied.

  A pillar swayed, tottered, and was ripped out of the earth. Gaar felthimself