The Raging Beast
A
lthough once Ofridia of Tarth and the nations of Earth had Bylanus' world in the physical science, the of the pink and green was in biology. Thus had it needed Portox' help, a hundred Earth-Tarthian years before, when run-down its very existence. On the other hand, through biology, the science of Bylanus' world had come a long way in the of death and tissue. So it was that with some of Bylanus the two to the single large city of his park-like planet. There, tenderly, he left them in the of at the station, and his long vigil.
... and movement.
Hardly anything at first. Bram Forest of dreaming. The motion was gentle, warm, comfortable.
The of life and not the cold of death....
With it, with the of regeneration, came the of pain. But it was away and almost impalpable, pain than felt. And slowly the pain departed. There came a time when Bram Forest he was not breathing, was, indeed, in liquid.
He floated, helpless, serene, content.
... Until, with the of impatience, through his limbs.
"In every of a creature's body," Orro the bio-technician to Bylanus, "there is the for complete and perfect regeneration. For, the is an organ to see with, in every one of the millions of making up the is the gene-pattern not for the but for the of the body. Theoretically then, Bylanus, if we are but a single of a living—or once-living—organism, we ought to be able to the in its entirety. This is not supernatural. It is not of life: we can create nothing. The of is not ours here at this laboratory. But we have the of recreation. Nurtured by the life-giving fluid, their by their own genes, the two beings you are being whole again."
Bylanus nodded. Orro the bio-technician was and spoke quickly, confidently, with mild enthusiasm. As for Bylanus, he the of the man who had Portox-saviour's bracelet. He looked at the in the vat, upside-down, down, in the warm, life-fluid. He waited....
Bram Forest took his breath. The thing he said was: "Ylia, Ylia...."
Bylanus met them after the had been and a door had opened for them. He told them what had happened, the death of Hultax. Then he added:
"As as I am concerned, there can be no as to your identity. But the is and there will be some who your identity." Abruptly, he to the subject: "How do you feel?"
"Good as new," Bram Forest said. He was naked. He was with health and well-being, as if he'd from a long, health-giving sleep. He looked at Ylia, her skin glowing, her gleaming, her a promise. Then he frowned. Bylanus' took meaning. "You want me to the Boar of the Kranuian Wood, is that it?"
"Yes," Bylanus said.
Bram Forest shrugged. "Coming here was not my idea, although Portox somehow it would be so."
"Slay the Kranuian Boar, your identity without question, and all the Golden Apes will be yours to command."
"Yes, but did Portox I must upon Abaria and the Abarians the same they to Ofridia? If I Retoc the Abarian for what a hundred years ago, wouldn't that be enough? I don't need the Golden Apes for that. I can do it myself. I must do it myself."
"Tarth," said Bylanus, "is a world of nations. But here on the of two we live in peace. We are but know not the meaning of war. Is that what Portox-saviour for your people?"
"Perhaps," Bram Forest said.
"Then," Ylia told him, speaking for the time, "even if you Retoc, his will not give up their arms."
Bram Forest slowly. The idea of a Tarth-wide did not to him, but if all Tarth be the of when its most powerful army to the Golden Apes....
"Thank you," Bram Forest said to the Golden Ape. He had a vision—almost mystical—of a time in the future, the near future, when all Tarth nothing but the of peace. "When we return on the River of Ice we want you to us. I'm to meet your boar."
Ylia him. Tears in her eyes. "Bram Forest," she said tremulously. "Now that I've you, I don't want you to be hurt—ever again."
Bram Forest responded: "Don't worry, Ylia. If Portox hadn't I'd be more than a match for the boar, he would have its as proof of my identity."
"But ... but don't you see, you've been regenerated, as Bylanus said. You may not be as as you were."
Bram Forest looked at Bylanus, who shrugged. Bylanus them when Bram Forest nodded. The park-like by. A dark loomed. The Kranuian Wood....
Close at hand, an animal screamed.
"How do I look, Prokliam?" Volna asked her seneschal.
He her. "You are lovely, O My Queen."
Volna smiled. She the of Nadia in a which fell, as if and voluptuous, to the of her body. "I'm not your Queen yet," she said, laughing.
"A formality, My Queen."
"I am Volna, Virgin Princess of Nadia, sister to Bontarc the King."
"Huh!" the old man. "That is your official title. But what do titles matter? When this day ends you will all Tarth by with Retoc the Abarian."
Yes, Volna thought. With Retoc the Abarian. But how long would that last? Would either of them be to power with the other? Wouldn't there come a day when she would give the to Prokliam and the would against those of Abaria chanting, "All power to Volna! All power to Volna the Beautiful!" The of power, power over men, over of nations, her with desire.
All the blood of Tarth was in Nadia City now, for the games. She Retoc's plan: her had it. Retoc's would the of the nations and of Tarth and one by one, stunned, leaderless, the small nations would to the of Abaria and Nadia. If, then, Retoc had in mind to her and all power for himself, her own would be rested and ready. And Bontarc? she thought. What of Bontarc, her brother?
As if he read her thoughts, Prokliam said, "I have the for the which will end the games, majesty. Bontarc, as you know, a to the blood with some whip-swordsman." Prokliam his thin, lips. "He will be confronted, by a to the death with Retoc, the best of all Tarth. To would cowardice. The army would then be to you, majesty. To and would only one thing."
"Death," said Volna softly.
She the legions. The to in her ears: "All power to Volna the Beautiful!"
She of the day's games. Games for the memory of Jlomec the Prince, indeed. They were for her, for Volna. They would be a party the to power of Volna, Virgin Princess of Nadia. But of neither Nadia Bontarc its ruler that yet. And when they did, Retoc and his would make sure they do nothing about it.
The Games would be a feast. Volna's feast....
All power to Volna.
The Kranuian Boar came from the forest.
Its small, close-set Bram at once. If it had Bylanus and Ylia, it them. Four hundred of and sinew, it made, and pawing, for Bram.
He side-stepped nimbly, saw the go down, one of the his with fire. He and almost fell. If he fell, he would not again. The would him first.
"Bram Forest!" Ylia screamed.
He got up and the tusks. He was along, the ground. The close to his own. The boar's almost him gag. Then, the him into a tree-trunk, he let go and rolled over and over and up.
The did not wait for him to his breath, but came at once. This time Bram Forest waited until the last possible the would him. Then he leaped, around in air. It was a and a word of to Bylanus' lips. He on the hard-muscled of the and at once his against its as if he had been all his life for this job.
The and and its great from to side, trying to its tormentor. But Bram Forest as if all Tarth on the outcome of this contest—as, perhaps, it did.
The its head. Bram Forest forward, but his locked. The rolled over, but moving so that the him, Bram Forest out from under and was seated again when the got to its feet.
Then, forward, Bram Forest the two and to the boar's up and toward him.
The animal's squealing. Slowly the back, the short, almost non-existent strained, the darted.
Then there was a loud and the once and over on its with a neck.
Bram Forest, panting, the of his quivering, clear. Bylanus touched his great to the ground. Ylia ran to Bram Forest and her arms about his neck. "I was afraid," she said. "I was so you would be hurt."
Bram Forest her. She to him, his name when their parted. Finally Bram Forest himself and said:
"The poem, Ylia. We've an ape, a boar, a stallion. This world is the 'land the stars.' But was the also the beast?"
Ylia shrugged. Bylanus up and told Bram Forest, "The Golden Apes are to you in any way you wish."
Three worlds, Bram Forest thought. One which Portox had saved from doom, one which had been the in which Bram Forest had to manhood, and one in which all their soon would be written.
"Then Tarth thanks you," Bram Forest told the Golden Ape Bylanus. "Assemble your fighters. We're going up the River of Ice."
"To Nadia City?" Ylia asked.
Bram Forest grimly. "To Nadia City—and Retoc."
Bontarc, King of Nadia, asked his guest, "You like the Games so far?"
They sat, with Princess Volna, in the box of at the Amphitheater of Nadia. "Aye, I like them," Retoc said slowly. "But sire, I would like them much if they were not to the of your brother, the Prince Jlomec."
Bontarc his in gratitude. "That was well-spoken, Retoc," he said.
Retoc on: "Have you any idea who killed him so treacherously? Jlomec was not a man."
"None," Bontarc admitted. He missed the which passed Retoc and Princess Volna.
"Well," Bontarc said after a while, "if you will me, I must go to prepare for the dueling. Under the I'm to in the Games, but my people it of me."
"Yes, brother," Volna said softly. "They do. Oh, they do."
And Bontarc went. Retoc looked at Volna. "I'd best myself," he said. Volna her head.
A blood-lusting animal up from a hundred thousand as the of Nadia out across the of the to do with the snow-sloths of the Plains of Ice.
While from the Gates of Ice, Retoc's waited....
"Wait here," Bram Forest told Bylanus, who had them safely, along with the of the Golden Apes, up the River of Ice.
"What will you do, Bram Forest?"
"According to Ylia, we can trust Bontarc of Nadia. He's a man, but he peace for all Tarth."
"I'm sure of it," Ylia said. "Bontarc didn't send us to the Place of the Dead. Princess Volna did. And long ago, according to the the Wayfarers of Ofrid tell, Bontarc and your mother, Queen Evalla, were to peace Tarth. Besides, despite his and fairness, Bontarc no love on Retoc of Abaria."
"And if you need us?" Bylanus asked.
"We'll a through to you," Bram Forest said. With Ylia he into a and it out into the river.
Now the were deserted, for the stilt-birds, tall as men, out into the water, their low-pitched calls all but by the the cold wind through the river rushes.
After a while the came to a in the river. It was the last turn the Gates of Ice—and Nadia City. Here the wind more strongly, and there was a of which had been cleared, cut by an Ice Fields who had used the tall as fuel.
"Look!" Ylia suddenly, startled.
Through the in the rushes, at a of two or three across the plain from the river, Bram Forest saw an encampment. There were with standards, stads, of like hayricks, and sentries.
"What can it mean?" Ylia asked. "Those are Abarian."
"Retoc," Bram Forest said. He the and the of the river-bottom to it it came clear. He allowed the to toward the bank. "Retoc's treachery. We'll have to go and the Golden Apes. Bylanus and his Apes can Retoc's they on Nadia City."
"But we can't go back, Bram. If Retoc's army is here, ready, then what's in Nadia City? Who can say what Retoc is doing? You'll have to go ahead and stop him—or at least him. I'll go for Bylanus."
Bram Forest his head. "I can't let you go alone, Ylia. Not with the Abarian so close."
"But I must, don't you see?"
Bram Forest frowned. There did not any other way, but he was reluctant. "I love you, Ylia. I couldn't let—"
"What in Nadia City today is more than our love, Bram Forest! What would our love if Retoc the Abarian all Tarth?"
"Then you take the skiff," Bram Forest said finally. "I can make my way to the city along the bank."
"No. The army is still encamped. They won't do anything for some time yet. See? All their are still standing."
That was true enough. "Besides," Ylia on, "we don't know what Retoc is in the city. You can it by skiff. I'll go for Bylanus on foot."
The logic of what Ylia said not be refuted. With Bram Forest helped her from the skiff. He her quickly. "I love you, Ylia," he said.
"And I love you, Bram Forest."
"Be careful. Keep in the rushes. Tell Bylanus to use his in or waiting for Retoc's to make the move."
Ylia's nodded. Then she into the and was gone. Bram Forest looked after her until the in the stopped, then he the once more out into the center of the river and toward the Gates of Ice.
No one stopped him. No were posted. He the and through the gates and through the city and up its biggest hill toward the amphitheater. Then, only a jek's away, he the at the games. They in a of and another part of Portox's into place. The the in Nadia City was the beast, blood-lusting, expectant, animal-savage, into a of goggle-eyed and to move, en-masse, in direction a leader might push them.
A leader....
Retoc? Or Bram Forest? Which one?
Pirum the Abarian his weight uncomfortably, on the of his spear. The whole idea of along the bank of the river to him. They not actually see the river through the rushes, and they not go closer for of being by traffic moved on the waters. Then what was the point of them here, half-frozen with the cold, waiting for an who would come?
And while he was thus, the girl walked into Pirum's arms. At he a in the and, he investigate, the of the plants had and a bronze-skinned girl appeared. She to run, but Pirum her in his arms and her despite her struggles.
She his arm and, with an oath, he her and her back. "Who are you?" he said. "Who are you, eh?"
The girl at him.
Pirum her along. She to struggle. Shaking his head, he her on the with his and her she fall. Then, her up over his shoulder, he through the toward Nadia City.
