Hallsfoot's Battle Read Online Free PDF

rain, from the ravaged mountains themselves. It is the
mind-executioner.
     
     
    Chapter Two:
Decisions
     
    Duncan Gelahn
     
    The mountain cave seems darker now, if such a
thing were possible. The mountain people have flowed together in
their prison so their stone sides form what could have been a
barrier to his arts, if they had been stronger than he. The smell
of dust has become greater, almost overwhelming, and their tall
elongated stature is more jagged. Haunting. As Gelahn continues to
touch the mountain leader’s frame, a spark of stone travels up the
mind-executioner’s arm—a foolish gesture and one he quickly turns
back on his would-be assailant. With a shift of his thoughts, the
stone falls to the ground, tearing itself apart from the rock-flesh
of its owner. Duncan can feel the scream in his mind, but it does
not hurt him, even without the mind-cane.
    The fact that the mountain has tried to harm
him, however, gives him the beginnings of an idea. Releasing the
mountain man who staggers back before all but disappearing into the
bodies of his companions, Duncan erects a mind-wall and pursues the
thought. Up to now, the pain he has used to control his enemies has
been based in his mind only. While he still possessed the
mind-cane, that power was more than enough. He shakes his head at
the memory. He will not dwell on the past, it is the future that is
important.
    Equally important is that Hartstongue the
Scribe does not know how to harness that power. If he did, then by
now Duncan would be beyond death, drowning in the fires that never
go out. He snorts a laugh. Has he not already experienced something
of that in his former Gathandrian jail where the Elders chose to
keep him for so long? By the gods, he will never let that memory
go. It gives him strength, strength to fight and keep on fighting.
But if his mental powers are less, then why not utilise physical
prowess instead? Perhaps now is the time to take his battle into
the lands and bodies of men. Perhaps now is the season to begin to
build an army in the flesh, time to learn how to inflict physical,
as well as mental, pain.
    He turns back to the mountain leader. He
smiles. Both of them have much to learn, and quickly.
    Concentrating, he forms an axe in his mind,
feels the length and breadth of it, the stalwart wood of the handle
and the silver glimmer of the blade. He has not done this before,
he has never needed to and he remains unconvinced of its success.
But a story’s end-time later, the twin of the axe lies on the
stones at his feet. He can feel its weight against his torn shoe.
He picks it up and turns to his mountain companions.
    “Come then,” he says. “Let us see what we can
discover together.”
    Duncan discovers that mountain people can die
without the use of mental tricks, although the process is slower
and more exhausting. He also discovers that the stone-dwellers
never stop fighting back, and twice he has to pause in what he is
engaged in to rebuild the mind-wall that keeps them out. This would
have been unnecessary if he still had the cane but, in that case,
neither would he have required the axe. He will have to be careful
of his mind-skills now. The loss of the cane means he has to spend
more time refreshing his thoughts.
    Finally the execution is complete. When the
mountain-leader is beyond even the healing of stone, Duncan lays
down his axe and slumps to the floor besides the ravaged being. The
high keening of the mountain assaults his ears and he wipes the
sweat from his face. Beyond the mind-wall’s protection, the dead
mountain leader’s companions are mourning, but after a while they
fall silent. As stone, he thinks to himself and laughs. They are as
silent as stone now. It is the mountain-dogs who continue to roam
in the shadows and growl.
    He waits for his strength to return. Then he
gets to his feet, rips aside the mind-wall and steps out into the
stones’ dark grief.
    “This,” he says, his voice rising like the
cry of