In the ninety-ninth year of the siege of Kapgar Kûm, the Giants’ War came to a crisis.
By some rending of the earth in ancient times, there is a deep gorge within a spur of the northern mountains that reaches out towards the Dagnath Nebren. Along its floor a secret river flows, plunging underground at the southern end, and passing through many long tunnels into the lowest halls of Kapgar Kûm and out on the other side of the mountains of darkness, the Dagnath Nebren. Now, by his arts, Melyúnas the seeker of knowledge discerned that such a place existed, and greatly desired to find it, but could not, for after it was made — amid the forming of the waterways by the Silúna — the Gangri, builders of Kapgar Kûm, hid it from the sight of all others. So Melyúnas sent his son Groiznath to find this place. But he had no success, and returned to his father.
Melyúnas was greatly displeased with his Groiznath. And Groiznath was mocked by his brother Prámiz, who had succeeded in stealing the starfire. So while they slept, Groiznath stole some of the starfire to aid himn in his search, and departed from them. He called up two Hyûvanka companions, men who had been outlawed from their tribes and had been with him in his wanderings. These three searched the hill country, but still found nothing.
Then they were met by a wild-looking wanderer, bearded and weatherbeaten, who named himself Gwasdalyága. This man (if Hyûvanka he was) told them that he alone could show them the way to the gorge. Sure enough, he led them to the hidden rift, and with some difficulty they found a way down to the deep floor of this place, and came to the bank of the river that cascades into the cleft at its northern end. This fast-flowing stream rushes for miles among rocks deep down in the narrow rift. When it reaches the end of the gorge, it plunges into a dark underground tunnel.
Groiznath and his men cut logs in the forests above and lowered them into the rift, then, down on the sandy floor they built themselves a crude raft. Gwasdalyága warned them not to navigate the river in such a flimsy vessel. Nevertheless, they determined to try, and compelled Gwasdalyága to accompany them. Indeed Groiznath had made up his mind that if the course of the river led to some place of advantage or treasure, the old wanderer should not be permitted to go free again. They launched their raft, and, using poles and paddles to fend off the rocks, and starfire torches to light up the passages they traversed, they navigated the rushing stream down the tunnel and all the way to a wide rapids, filled with barriers of rock. But here the raft was wrecked, and the three companions of Groiznath were swept away through the rapids to an unknown fate. Groiznath scrambled ashore with his wallet of starfire still at his side. By its light he saw that he stood on a stone platform, shaped by hands: a great quayside, surely built by the Giants, at the foot of a staircase winding upwards into darkness.
Giving long thought to his father’s ambitions, he guessed that he was in the lowest of the Round Halls of Kapgar Kûm, and that the staircase led into the heart of the stronghold of the Giants. At this time the Stonegiants, ruled over by Dreygan the last living Frostgiant had been besieged in Kapgar Kûm for ninety-nine years by the Fellgiants. That needless strife had indeed been caused by the lies of Melyúnas, father of Groiznath. But now, Groiznath bethough himself that if he could weaken the defence from within, he might bring about the victory of the Fellgiants, and with their help make himself lord of Kapgar Kûm instead of his father, and get the better of his loathed brother.
He was but one adventurer, and the fortress was garrisoned by hundreds, but he saw that the occupiers had neglected to guard this entrance, because they believed that the secret river would never be discovered. Greatly daring, he began to climb the spiral staircase. He laboured up great steps designed for the stride of a Ganga, and after a while he reached a landing place with a door. Cautiously he opened it, and came out into a long straight sloping passageway. Light was dimly penetrating from its upper end, and as he walked silently up to it he saw that there was a great gateway with open gates giving on to the outside world. As yet he could neither hear nor see any evidence of the defenders.
Groiznath marched boldly up to the doorway. From what could be seen beyond it he recognized it as the great eastern door of Kapgar Kûm. As he cautiously looked out from the shadows, he could see parties of Stonegiants in the distance, sitting at their ease, with weapons stacked here and there. No doubt there was a lull in the fighting. The doors opened outwards, and had great bolts attached, gleaming with grease. On a sudden impulse, Groiznath dashed to the left-hand gate and swung it shut, then ran to the right-hand one and likewise slammed it upon himself. Then he seized the bolts by their handles and shot them home. The defenders were now shut out of their stronghold!
Knowing no other way of escape himself, he resolved to seek the main gates on the upper level. He went back to the spiral staircase, and began to climb the great steps again. After a while, more light came in, for at every two or three turnings, a long shaft was cut through the rock to the outside air. He reached another landing place, with another door. He cautiously opened it and found himself in a great hall, at one end of which he could see doors. They were the main doors of Kapgar Kûm, and like the others they stood open. There was no sign of the garrison. It could only be that they were all taking their leisure in the sunshine.
He had the same impulse as he had had at the East Gate, but this time decided to look for another way out before shutting the Gangri out of their fortress. From the hall, on the left, led a broad curving passage, well lit by shafts. It evidently led towards the flat top of mount Hogunoth. Taking this path, he soon emerged into the sunlight on the top of the mountain. Here was a wide open space ringed on all sides by low buildings. At its far side was an archway, a kâdrollad, from which a path led down the mountain. He delayed no longer, but ran back down to the great hall, seized the gates and slammed them shut, and then shot the great bolts.
As he turned away, congratulating himself, his joy was blown away. There in the great hall, between him and the left-hand passage, stood a silent throng of dark grey figures. Then, with relief, he recognized the Runewives who had once danced for his mother Murnag in Valkamet.
‘It is I, Groiznath, son of Murnag ta-Valka. I seek the way out of Kapgar Kûm. Let me pass, O Runewives.’
Bavális, leader of the Runewives, stood forth.
‘We know you, O Groiznath, and we know what you carry with you, and we know that it is not rightfully yours. And we will have a share of it ere you pass to the top of Kapgar Kûm!’
Then the Runewives crowded menacingly round Groiznath and stretched out eager hands towards the wallet he carried at his side, where he kept the starfire stolen from his brother.
Knowing the power they possessed, Groiznath could not break free from the surrounding crowd. He reached into his wallet and drew forth the crock of starfire. The brightness escaping from the neck of the vessel caused them at least to step back. But Bavális, as though forewarned of this encounter, brought from her side a similar crock and a stone ladle. Groiznath proffered his vessel, taking care to keep a tight hold on it, and the Runewife drew forth a generous portion of the starfire, shielding her eyes. As soon as she had what she wanted, the crowd of Runewives turned away and melted into the shadows at the end of the hall, chanting as they went:
Age-long life is ours! Now shall Night’s reign be sure!
Groiznath, once more glad of his good fortune, but regretting the dwindling of his store of starfire, hastened up the wide passageway and returned to the great ring of buildings on the mountaintop. It was a very dry season, and in that open place the herbage was parched and withered. Groiznath took a dry torch and kindled it from his remaining stock of starfire. Then he set the torch to the undergrowth and lit it. The fire caught and was soon blazing and roaring. It spread to the fine houses that stood all around. They were of stone mixed with timber. Before long the flames began to take hold of them. The smoke rose high in the air and could be seen far and wide.
Groiznath stayed a while to admire the destruction that the fire was making, then darted through the kâdrollad and took the downward path. As he descended, he heard shouts in front of him. He quickly hid himself in the bushes below the rim of the path. A body of Gangri came hastening up the path, prepared with spears and swords for battle at the summit. Plainly the Stonegiants guarding the southern approaches had seen the fire and believed that somehow their enemies had got round their defences. Groiznath laughed to himself and thought how vexed his father would be with his exploit. When the Stonegiants had passed, he continued on his way, and found no defenders on the road: they had all foolishly gone to the summit to find out what the fire betokened.
Groiznath went on his way congratulating himself. He had still got a portion of the starfire. He had contrived the probable defeat of the Kapangangri. He had found the Secret River and travelled down it to the Giants’ Quay beneath Kapgar Kûm. He had not revealed the secret to his father and brother, and now he was free from their control.
Further along the Giants’ Road, he encountered an outpost of the Fellgiants. At once they surrounded him with a hedge of spears.
‘Ho there! Halt and declare yourself! Are you not of our enemies the Kapangangri, that you descend from Hogunoth?’
‘I am Groiznath, the son of Melyúnas the mighty, and bearer of the stolen starfire. I come from Kapgar Kûm, where I have barred the doors on the inside against the defenders, and set fire in the garth on the mountaintop! The wretched Kapangangri are locked out of their stronghold at both the gates, and their garth on the mountaintop is burning. If you attack them now, they will have nowhere to escape to!’
‘This we shall see for ourselves,’ replied their captain. ‘But you meanwhile shall be taken to the Daughters of Fundrubâl, and they will find out who you really are!’
And so, while Groiznath was taken, at the point of many spears, to the camp of the Fellgiants for further examination, the great rout of the Stonegiants came about. The Dagangangri immediately attacked their enemies at both gates, while a detachment hurried up the mountain path. The defenders of the two gates were caught in the open with no place of refuge. The Kapangangri who had hastened to the burning mountaintop were trapped between their enemies and the fire. Only a small number won back to the entrance leading down to the Round Halls. Here, at great cost, they halted the advance of the Fellgiants. They erected makeshift barriers to prevent the Fellgiants from entering, but their plight was now quite desperate. It was a very small party of Stonegiants that remained to defend Kapgar Kûm.
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