CHAPTER 9: "THIS IS THE SMITHY OF DAEDALUS"
My mind was racing, trying to find a strategy to fend off the terrible creatures, when suddenly an invisible hand pressed against my shoulder and the child and I both disappeared. As Kho-An-Sa yanked us away, our bestial attackers swept by without striking a blow.
Cries of surprise and frustration went up from both sides of the field as the magician's voice hissed into my ear. "Memnon, you fool!" he said. "Were you not so valuable, I would leave you to these creatures. Come! And stay close to me!"
"I will not leave the boy," I replied.
"Very well then, the boy comes also! Let us depart, now!"
Kho-An-Sa pressed himself between the child and I as we walked across the field toward the path up the mountain. The throngs of half-human creatures milled about in a state of confusion, wondering what had happened to us.
Within moments, however, their attention turned towards each other as both groups cast suspicious looks at the other. Shouts and curses flew forth between them, then a javelin from among the goat-men sailed into the midst of the horse-men. By the time we reached the path leading up the mountain, the creatures were fully engaged in a furious battle.
It was a strange thing, seeing creatures such as these exchanging blows. I had been informed by Kam-Atef that these things would occur, but still it did not prepare me for the awesome sight.
Leaping nimbly, the goat creatures dodged the clubs and hooves of the horse-men, deftly poking, thrusting and drawing much blood with their javelins. The horse-men were much slower, but when they did strike one of the goat-men with their huge clubs or powerful hooves, most did not rise again.
Shouting out cries of terrible bloodlust, they seemed bent not only on winning the field, but on each other's total slaughter.
Kho-An-Sa, the child and I kept close as we walked up the rocky path, the sound of the battle fading as we climbed higher and higher. Moments later I noticed the form of the magician flickering back into view. When I could finally see him clearly walking next to me, the boy and I also became visible and Kho-An-Sa released his grip upon us.
Perspiration dripped from the magician's face, and for a moment he seemed weak and dizzy. But he quickly composed himself, gazing at me with a bitter scowl.
"Young panther," he began venemously, "your disobedience jeopardized our entire enterprise and very nearly cost us out lives."
I looked down at the boy. His arms were wrapped around my waist and he stared up at Kho-An-Sa in utter terror. I opened my mouth to speak, but the magician threw up his hand to silence me.
"I care not what you have to say," he continued. "I am the master here. Remember that the life of your sister is in my hands. Disobey me again and you will be punished. I will start by taking the heart of this child that you seem to care so much for. Is that clear?"
I looked away and said nothing.
"Is that clear young panther?"
"Yes," I answered. "Yes, it is clear."
We walked up the mountain path for hours. At first there was much vegetation in the form of small trees, bushes and thick green grasses. But as we climbed higher, the greenery gave way to rocks and brown grasses, while the air became colder and harder to breathe.
The cold winds blew stronger, causing Kho-An-Sa to pull his cloak tight. After noticing the boy shivering, I lifted him into my arms, drawing my cloak around us both to share the warmth. Soon we found ourselves enveloped in a thick white mist that clung to our clothing and made it impossible to see more than a few cubits ahead. We kept going slowly, picking our way carefully up the rocky path, peering ahead into the mist to keep our footing.
At one point I noticed movement in the dimness ahead, but it disappeared quickly and I said nothing. But as we plodded on, I glimpsed the dark figure again. This time it was much clearer, and I knew we were not alone on the path. I glanced at Kho-An-Sa and he nodded. He had seen it also.
"Do not be alarmed, young panther," the magician said. "They are merely the messengers of the blacksmith."
Walking on, I noticed one of the dark figures standing ahead of us. As we came closer, I saw that it was about the half the size of the boy. Though the mist still shrouded the figure, I could see that its body was round and shapeless, like a lump of unmolded clay. Its eyes were like large silver dishes and it seemed to have no feet. When we stopped a few cubits before it, a limb emerged from its shapeless body and formed into a hand.
Kho-An-Sa stepped forward and raised his hand in a gesture of greeting, and they began talking in a language that I had never heard. After a brief exchange, the creature's body melted like hot wax, directly into the ground without a trace. Moments later it rose from where it had disappeared, extending an arm again to beckon us onward. Kho-An-Sa nodded and we followed the creature up the path.
After a short while we emerged from the mist to find ourselves at the bottom of a sheer high cliff. We could go no further and I looked inquisitively at Kho-An-Sa. The magician gestured for patience as the small creature plodded up to the face of the cliff and touched the rocky surface.
A loud grinding noise pierced the air as a square slab of the cliff's face shook and receded. After grinding back a cubit, it slid to the side, revealing a long tunnel lit by strange flameless lights. We followed the creature inside as the opening closed ominously behind us.
Again we walked for a long time, following the endless lights along the walls, deep into the heart of the mountain, only to emerge in a huge cave filled with large spikes hanging from the ceiling and jutting up from the floor. We came to a halt in the middle of the cave, facing another smaller tunnel on the other side.
Suddenly a tapping sound echoed all around us. Peering down the tunnel ahead, we saw the shadowy figure of a man walking slowly toward us. He was hunched over, supported by a stout cane, which was the source of the tapping as it touched the floor of the cave. As he came closer I noticed he was surrounded by a dozen or more of the shapeless little beings, who scampered around his feet like well trained pets. He walked right up to us, his cane continuing to tap, until he came face to face with Kho-An-Sa.
"Greetings, magician," he said in perfect Kamitian.
"Greetings, great blacksmith," Kho-An-Sa replied.
"I will do the work if you can pay the fee," the blacksmith said. "Can you pay my fee?"
"That we shall see, great Daedalus," Kho-An-Sa answered. "That we shall see."
"Follow me," Daedalus said.
Daedalus turned back to the tunnel he'd come from and we followed closely. I observed him carefully in the dim light. He was an aged Tamahu with olive skin and small, piercing blue eyes. Never blinking, they flickered to and fro as he talked. A shiny bald head topped a broad torso equipped with hugely muscled arms and large hands.
He wore a long sleeveless garment of thick leather that reached below his knees, with boots to match and bracelets of the same leathery material. His skin was darkened in patches, no doubt from years before the heat of the forge. I noticed also that one of his legs was shorter than the other. Even so, he walked with a strong, sure-footed rhythm, punctuated by the tapping of his cane.
I wondered about the little creatures that followed him, happily milling about his feet. Some rubbed against our legs, giving off a strange, cool dampness. They seemed especially drawn to the boy, who kicked at them nervously, trying to shoo them away. Noticing this, Daedalus looked at the boy strangely, then spoke a sharp word, causing the creatures to melt into the floor and disappear.
"Excuse my friends, please," Daedalus begged. "Earth elementals can be very...touchy."
We continued down the tunnel until we emerged into a large chamber.
It was very hot, filled with the sounds of metal striking metal, and the little black creatures were scampering everywhere. Daedalus turned towards us, and with a sweeping motion of his hand, guided our eyes across the room.
"Welcome to my domain," he said. "This is the smithy of Daedalus."
The smell of melting ore filled
the air and metal contraptions of many shapes and sizes were all around. From the ceiling hung a replica of a human skeleton, made of pure shining silver. One table contained swords and weapons of all kinds, all wondrously crafted with keen and flawless edges.
On another large table there were tiny metal animals made of bronze, moving about in small metal cages as if alive. A tiny metallic replica of a lion lurked near the cages as if standing guard, roaring a tiny roar as it paced jerkily back and forth.
A nearby wall had several holes bored into it, all glowing with different kinds of hot metals. A long trough on tall legs stood over the holes, its bottom glowing red hot. Tubes from different sections of the trough led to the opening of each hole, each dripping with flowing hot metal. There was also a large bellows poking into a tube along the side of the trough. Several of the elemental creatures jumped up and down upon it, causing air to enter the tube with a loud hissing sound. The bottom of the trough glowed bright red and yellow-white as more hot metal poured down into the holes.
Never had I seen such devices, not even in the metal shops of Kamit. Daedalus, leaning upon his cane, grinned proudly as he watched the looks of wonder upon our faces. The boy seemed especially taken by the goings-on in the shop, his face lighting up with the first smile I had seen as he gazed at the wondrous contraptions.
Kho-An-Sa let out a loud whistle, bowing low before the blacksmith. "Truly, it is as they say. The wonders of the shop of Daedalus are like the workings of the Neters."
"I can do the work if you can pay the fee," replied Daedalus. "What is the work?"
Kho-An-Sa gestured toward me and I stepped forward. Reaching into the sack on my back, he pulled out the sky-metal and handed it to the blacksmith.
"Ah, Sky-metal!" Daedalus cried, turning the rock over several times in his hands. "Very pure. Where did you get it?"
Kho-An-Sa shifted a little, rubbing his chin for a moment before reluctantly opening his mouth to speak, but Daedalus held up his hand to interrupt him.
"Never mind," Daedalus said sharply. "It is not my business where you acquired the ore. I only asked because it is the purest I have ever seen. What is it you wish?"
"Weapons," Kho-An-Sa said. "Weapons of a most wondrous sort. Weapons to conduct the life force in a way that will allow its bearer to defeat any foe, man, beast or monster."
Leaning upon his cane, Daedalus stared at the ore for long moments then said, "It is true that sky-metal, forged properly can be a conductor of life force, but who is to wield these weapons?"
Kho-An-Sa pointed to me.
"He is to wield them." Daedalus looked at me incredulously. "But he is a mere youth. The bearer of such weapons would have to be trained to channel such power, and trained in the ancient tradition of the greatest warriors and kings. He would surely die otherwise."
Kho-An-Sa smiled. "He has received this training," he replied. "And he is the son of the Great Memnon of Troy."
Daedalus leaned forward on his cane, looking at me closely. "Yes! Yes I see it now!" he exclaimed. "The son of the great Memnon of Troy!
Then he looked at Kho-An-Sa suspiciously.
"But why would you, a Servant of the Serpents, want to arm the son of your greatest enemy with weapons such as this?"
Kho-An-Sa looked at the blacksmith gravely.
"I have my reasons, which you need not concern yourself with.... Can you do the work?"
Daedalus raised the sky-metal to his eyes and asked, "Can you pay the fee?"
"What is the fee?" asked Kho-An-Sa.
"Come," replied the blacksmith, "let us enjoy a meal and we will discuss it."
Daedalus led us to another torch-lit chamber containing a large table and several chairs. Two young women emerged from an adjacent chamber. Daedalus spoke to them briefly, and they scampered back the way they had come. They were young and pretty Tamahu women, and I was surprised to see them in the company of the crippled old blacksmith.
Moments later they came back with several platters of food and mugs of drink. My plate had only vegetables and nuts, while the others dined on small birds. Daedalus looked at us and shook his head.
"I hope that these meager offerings satisfy your hunger, my friends," he said, "my stores are growing light, due to the situation at the foot of my mountain. I might not be able to offer you much more than this."
"You mean the war between the monsters," I replied.
"Indeed," the blacksmith answered. "It is a grave situation."
"Tell me, blacksmith, why do they war?" Kho-An-Sa asked.
"It is part of the madness that has overtaken this land," sighed Daedalus. "Those creatures were normal men a short time ago. The goat-men, called Satyrs, were common herders who dwelled near the foot of the mountain. The horse-men, called Centaurs, were mounted nomads who habitually raided them."
"It is the Reckoning," said Kho-An-Sa.
"Yes," answered Daedalus. "The Reckoning. I have seen them come and go over many thousands of years. Mankind likes to forget about them, never learning the lessons they are intended to teach, choosing instead to push these dark times into the realm of myth and folktale. But it is real, and it will keep happening until mankind changes its ways, or is destroyed."
"Or until the proper powers take control," added Kho-An-Sa.
Daedalus looked at him and suddenly there was strong tension between them. Then the blacksmith shook his head sadly.
"I have seen many attempts similar to the one your coalition plans, Kho-An-Sa. They always end in disaster."
"This time we will succeed," retorted Kho-An-Sa angrily.
"That remains to be seen, magician," the blacksmith shot back.
Both men glowered, until I spoke up to stop their argument. "How have you seen the Reckoning manifested over the years, great blacksmith?" I asked.
Taking the chance I offered, Daedalus leaned back in his seat before answering me. "When the negative forces of the Taut overwhelm a land, it changes those who are spiritually unprepared, bringing the animal nature within them to flesh. It changes their bodies to match their thoughts. Then they fight endlessly, savagely, compelled by their lusts, greed and pettiness."
"Unless they are shaped and molded by men of power," quipped Kho-An-Sa.
Ignoring the magician's comment, Daedalus took a bite of his food and continued. "Some, like the Wolven, those terrible wolf-creatures who dwell to the east, make actual pacts with the dark forces. They then become what Kamitians call Sebau fiends, knowing servants of Set. Eaters of human flesh and drinkers of human blood. Fortunately, there are less Wolven than there are of the others, for they are surely the most fearsome."
"I have had some dealings with them," I reported grimly.
"Then you are fortunate to be among the living," replied the blacksmith. "My concerns now lie primarily with the hooved beings. These creatures, when they were men, brought me food and other items in exchange for my services. If their war continues much longer, I shall starve here in my mountain."
"What do you plan to do?" asked Kho-An-Sa.
"This is the fee that you must pay for my work," the blacksmith replied. "One of the groups must win this war, so that some trade can resume."
"And what would you have us do?" I asked.
"Simple." Daedalus replied, tapping his finger on the table. "In exchange for my forging your weapons, you must align yourselves with the Satyrs, who are far less savage than the Centaurs. Make certain that they win this war and gain control over the area."
Kho-An-Sa and I looked at each other.
"We will do this," the magician said.
"And one other thing," Daedalus said, pointing to the boy. "Who does this child belong to?"
I placed my hand on the child's head, jostling his golden hair. "His people were killed by the Wolven, he is under my protection."
Daedalus stared into the child's face. "I sense something special about him. I have need of an apprentice. Leave me the child, that I might teach him the craft, and your debt to me
will be paid."
"Surely," replied Kho-An-Sa.
"No!" I cried.
Kho-An-Sa looked at me menacingly.
"Do not challenge me on this, Memnon..."
Daedalus looked at us both, then pointed to the boy. "Let us see what the boy has to say." He then addressed the child in the local Tamahu language. At first the boy was distraught and seized my arm, looking fearfully at the two older men. But as Daedalus kept talking, the fear changed to a look of curiosity.
Finally the blacksmith reached into a pocket of his garment and brought forth a tiny golden replica of a panther. After placing the tiny feline on the table, he tapped its back with the tip of his finger and the panther's head reared back, letting out a tiny roar, and then it ran toward the boy. The child caught it as it leapt from the table and looked up with his eyes beaming with joy. Daedalus spoke to him again and the boy nodded happily.
"It is settled," the blacksmith said. "While I forge your weapons the child will learn to construct wonders such as the toy he holds. If at the end of your time here he would learn more, he will stay. It will be his choice."
I observed the boy carefully. Looking into his eyes, I could see the happiness he felt. Kho-An-Sa looked satisfied and Daedalus grinned triumphantly.
"Then it is done," said the blacksmith. "I have had my women prepare chambers for your rest. Let us retire now. Tomorrow, the forging begins."
The next day we stood before the ore-melting device of Daedalus, marveling at his skill and precision. First he pulverized the rock and melted the sky-metal away from the refuse. Then he poured the pure metal back into the trough for the final phase of heating. Kho-An-Sa had told me what I was to do at this stage, and I stepped up to the trough and held my hand over it. The magician took a small knife and sliced my palm. I ground my teeth in pain as the blood flowed into the metal, hissing loudly.
After long moments, the blacksmith released the first portion of the metal onto a slab of rock and put it to the side. Three more portions flowed from the trough until all the metal was released. After letting it cool, he placed each piece atop a large slab of metal and struck them with a huge hammer. Over and over again he pounded them, until the pieces took on elongated shapes. Then the blacksmith stepped back. It was now up to Kho-An-Sa to empower the metal.
The magician stepped up to the slab. Closing his eyes, he waved his hands over it and rocked back and forth. Resting his head in the world of the spirits, he then began to chant. At first it was low, but gradually it grew louder and fiercer in intensity.
"Fire lover," Kho-An-Sa cried, "fierce one, lover of slaughterings, devoted lady who comes in the guise of Sekmet, slaughterer of Sebau fiends at eventide. By force of the might of Ra, make all fiends burn to dust."
As the magician continued to chant, the already hot air in the chamber grew hotter, and after long minutes, his face was covered in perspiration and his clothing was soaked through. Kho-An-Sa continued on, until after a full hour of chanting, the chamber suddenly turned cooler. Looking closely at the space before the magician, I saw the reason why. The heat had gathered before him in the form of a red swirling mist as he continued to chant.
"Fire lover, fierce one, lover of slaughterings..."
The blacksmith and I stepped back as the red mist coalesced into a large human-like form. Then my eyes widened as a lion's head appeared upon the figure. I feared for all of our lives, for Kho-An-Sa had dared invoke one of the most terrible forces in creation-Uachet, the heat of creation, in her guise as the war Neter Sekmet.
The hot mist thickened and Sekmet's head became more defined. Then her womanly body solidified, emphasizing her full, round breasts, voluptuous hips and finally her thickly muscled legs. She threw her head back, emitting a terrible roar that shook the entire chamber. Kho-An-Sa ceased chanting and looked at me. I remembered his instructions, but hesitated.
"Memnon!" Kho-An-Sa shrieked. "I cannot hold her for long. Give her the blood, now!"
Still I hesitated. In awe of the fearsome image, I could not move.
"Memnon, now!" he cried again. "She must have the blood, or she will kill us all!"
I stepped forward as Sekmet roared again, raising her claws to strike Kho-An-Sa. But I thrust my arm forward and offered my hand, still dripping with blood. Her fiery eyes veered from the magician to me, and she seized my hand in her burning grasp.
Bringing my hand up to her mouth, she opened her huge maw as if to bite it off. But then she saw the trickle of crimson and hastily licked the wound with a tongue of hot blue flame. A flash of heat rushed through my body and I momentarily lost my senses.
When I opened my eyes again I was on the floor. Looking up, I saw Kho-An-Sa chanting once more, as the great Neter Sekmet danced before him. It was the Kamitian war dance, and though she floated in the air, she was bobbing and stepping around the room as if on solid ground. She danced all the moves for long minutes, until Kho-An-Sa gestured toward the four pieces of metal.
Sekmet then stopped, bowed her head obediently and changed back into red mist. Kho-An-Sa gestured again and the mist separated into four streams, sweeping down to the metal and enveloping all the pieces. Suddenly the metal turned bright red and shook violently. Kho-An-Sa stood proudly as he gazed down upon them.
Then the wizard stepped back and Daedalus took his place at the forging slab once again. Lowering his head, he spoke a word I could not hear and made a sign in the air. Immediately the metal stopped shaking and the red color faded. He then seized the pieces with his tools and resumed pounding them. Each time the hammer came down, I heard a low growl as Sekmet was being tempered and forged into the very essence of the weapons.
We watched the smith at work for hours that day and for days afterwards as he crafted the weapons with all the skill at his command. During the forging process, he imbedded the colorful jewels of the eight great Neteru into the hilt of each blade, so that they would conduct all the vibrations of the life force. Then he turned his attention to the edges of the weapons.
Daedalus went to a corner of his smithy, returning with a small glowing stone of an intensely yellow hue. With great care and reverence, the blacksmith ground the blades of the four weapons against it for hours on end, checking them carefully after each stroke. Though Kho-An-Sa and I inspected the blades and deemed them finished several times, still they were not good enough for the smith.
"No," Daedalus insisted, " these blades must slice the very breeze from the air, the heat from the flame, the breath from the lips that breathe it."
It was difficult to tell time in the heart of the mountain, where neither the rays of Aten nor the beams of the moon penetrated. But we slept and awakened 15 times before the day came that Daedalus pronounced the weapons ready.
Kho-An-Sa and I rushed into the blacksmith's workroom, after being summoned from our resting chambers by one of his strange servants. There upon a large table lay the weapons-a long sword, a short sword, a dagger and a small throwing knife. All gleamed with the brilliance of polished white silver, the color of the forged sky-metal. The jewels in the hilt of each weapon shined brightly in the torchlight and beside each weapon lay a finely crafted scabbard of rich leather. Daedalus stood beside the table with a satisfied smile.
"These weapons are quite possibly my finest work. The purity of the sky-metal allowed me to hone them to a precision unknown even in my experience."
"Yes, you have done well, blacksmith," replied Kho-An-Sa. "These weapons will be feared and revered by many."
"Yes they shall, provided the bearer can provide them with the proper force," replied Daedalus. "Are you sure that this young panther, even though he is son of the Memnon who fought at Troy, is prepared to wield such powerful arms?"
Gazing at me from head to toe, Kho-An-Sa answered the blacksmith. "He has proven himself a great fighter, especially since coming to these lands, blacksmith. I have had a master of the Short Path to the Knowledge of Rau temper him as you did these weapons. They are imbued with his own blood and
are therefore a part of him. He is, I assure you, ready to wield these weapons.
Daedalus nodded.
"Very well. Young Memnon, step forward."
I took two long strides and stood before the blacksmith. He then lifted the long sword, holding it inches away from my outstretched hands. Suddenly I felt a strange tug upon my body as my whole being cried out to hold the weapon. Daedalus noticed this and nodded again.
"Yes, yes," he cried enthusiastically. "These are indeed your weapons, young Memnon. Forged with your own blood, they are a part of you now."
The sword seemed more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. My mouth grew dry and I reached for it, but the blacksmith jerked it back.
"But beware," he said. "Never have there been weapons such as these. As receptacles of such power, they are a grave responsibility. Do you understand this?"
I swallowed hard. At that point, I would say anything to possess the weapons.
"Yes." I cried.
"Good," replied the blacksmith. "These are the very Claws of Sekmet, empowered with the ka of she who lives to slaughter. The jewels will tell you what power drives your enemy, so that you will know how to fight it. Again, are you sure you are ready for such power?"
"Yes, give them to me!" I cried.
The smith passed the hilt of the blade into my eager hands and as soon as the sword touched my fingers, the Rau rose from my center, near the bottom of my belly. Flowing up through my body, it passed into the sword and back again into me, circulating like blood, pulsating like the very heart within me.
When I first grasped the weapon, I felt that its weight was of medium heft for a weapon of this size. But as the Rau rushed through me, the swords weight disappeared. I could scarcely believe what I was feeling. Waving the weapon before me as I gripped its hilt, it felt like one of my own limbs. Daedalus and Kho-An-Sa both smiled, looking on approvingly. "Can you feel it? the blacksmith asked.
"Can you feel that it is a part of you?"
"Yes," I answered. "Yes!"
"Focus your Rau, young panther," Kho-An-Sa said. "Focus it into the sword."
This time I consciously pushed the life force from my body into the sword, and the weapon pulsated. Looking at it carefully, I saw no movement, yet it throbbed like the blood in my veins. The blacksmith handed me the short sword and the same thing happened. Grasping the two weapons, I felt no weight as they seemed to meld into my hands, becoming part of my flesh, one with my bones.
Lifting my head, I tilted it back and my mouth opening in a silent scream of ecstasy. My life force now pulsated from the tip of my toes, to the top of my head and into the very tip of each weapon. I could feel the razor sharp edges the way I felt the tips of my own fingers and toes and I could feel the rumble of a low growl emerging from them. Only then did I know for certain that what the blacksmith had said was true: These weapons were indeed a part of me and they were empowered with a ka of mighty power. I had at my service the spirit of retribution feared by all men and beasts; I possessed the very Claws of Sekmet.
And as I stood there holding the Claws, the pulse of the Rau running through me, I felt a familiar sensation, not unlike what I had felt that day on the deck of the ship. This time the feeling was even more intense, and I was both strangely elated and unsettled.
Compelled to feel them in motion, I began whirling the weapons in defensive patterns, only to discover another intoxicating aspect of the blades: As they cut through the air the growl transformed into a high pitched scream that echoed throughout the chamber. This was Sekmet's scream for blood.
Suddenly I wanted to run down the mountain and single-handedly slay all the creatures who threatened the well-being of the blacksmith. I knew it was not right, but my will could not fight the compulsion. With these new, deadly weapons in my grasp, the Rau pulsating within me and the urgency of Sekmet's scream, I felt a strong urge to make war.