The tiny speck in the eastern sky that was Hugturágis, ridden by Groiznath, did not escape the notice of the Drumster of the Deep, the farsighted one. With some relief, he saw it wheel away to the north; but he knew that Groiznath would return to pursue him across land and sea until he could catch him far from help or refuge.
He came to the wide estuary of the River, and saw before him the Quays of Féwarim. Even Slungandi, who had dwelt in all the cities of the Hyilavúna, and seen the mountain castles of the Gangri in olden times, and feasted with the Kabadri in their wondrous halls of stone, marvelled. For here was a floating city, made out of a multitude of ships of every shape and size, topped with a forest of masts and rigging, and connected by miles of quays and hythes and landing stages. The maze of walkways was bewildering beyond the capacity of the mind, yet the Fâwiengri who dwelt there, and regularly set sail and returned to their berths, knew their way to every corner of the harbour. There was not a single dwelling on dry land, apart from a small settlement of the Hyûvandri, named Arfyóremet, where many horses and ponies were stabled.
Slungandi walked the quays for several days, seeking a skipper whose vessel might be bound for Yivanówa. But none was to be found. He begged the crews of any small boat that he saw to take him to the Southern Sea. But knowing who it was that asked, and guessing what he bore on his back, they all refused him. He spoke of the urgency of his errand, and the danger to the Hyûvandri if either of the Thrâkúna obtained Gantzor. But they said that the Guardianship of the Silúna was over, that henceforth their business was only on the sea roads, and that now it was for the Hyúvandri to take thought for themselves.
Then one day he saw two young people climbing up to the quay from a moored boat, and coming towards him. One wore the garb of a rider, much like one of the Thendâ, with a great Thendáka knife at his belt. The other was clad in the mariner’s garments of the Fâwiengri, but she bore a small sword on a green baldric. Slungandi stepped aside under the shelter of the sails of a great galleon moored by the quay and let them pass, for he knew the face of the boy, and guessed at once who they were. And as they went by they spoke of their new boat and its capabilities at sea.
We can sail her to Yivanówa, Vidnî, I am sure! And Thilfri and Lansenet can take our ponies home.
I am not sure, Arbros. I think we should for safety have another in our crew. But if one of those two to were to come with us in the Aphadus, the other could not easily take four ponies home!
Now after they had arrived at Segnat Féwarim, Vidnî had taken Arbros to visit Fôyereste, the Captain of the Sea People, in whose ship she had sailed on her first journey to the West. He took great pleasure in the two youngsters. On parting from them he presented them with a beautiful sailing vessel, small enough to be handled by two sailors, and great enough to navigate around the shores of Thrâyeldim. He sent two of his mariners to instruct the youngsters in the handling of the boat. They spent a happy week learning all the skills they needed. They named the boat anew, the Aphadus, which means ‘hope’.
Slungandi slipped from his hiding place and followed the two along the quays and landing stages until they came to dry land and started off along the lane leading to Arfyóremet. When they had reached a secluded part of the way, Slungandi called out:
Ho there, Saystri! I would speak with you!
The youngsters stopped in the lane and looked round with surprise. Arbros stared at the brown face and long arms of the speaker. The memory of meeting that strange rider in the high street of Istammet came back to him. He replied:
I know you! You are the Purûsaréga, the Foul Rider! You are the one who tricked me with the promise of treasure at Uxul! What have you to do with us?
Slungandi seated himself on a great rock beside the path, and replied:
I do not deny what I told you then, Son of Hope. But through that promise, did you not, by your own courage, win a much greater treasure than gold?
To this Arbros returned no answer, but only glanced at Vidnî. She said:
What is your name, sir, and what would you say to us?
By way of answer, Slungandi reached behind him and drew forth Gantzor. The icy blade sparkled with a blueish light in the sunshine.
I am Slungandi, once called Silûnakánti, the Drumster of the Deep, whom some know as Fûbraváni. And this is Gantzor the Coldsword! He was forged by the Icegiant Dreygan long ago. He is deadly, and that is in two ways. A stroke from him will freeze every nerve and sinew of a person’s body and send him into agelong ice-sleep, and for this sleep I, at least, do not know any remedy. Moreover, a curse lies on him, that whoever deals such a blow with him will receive the like fate, frozen sleep for all the age.
And Arbros asked:
Then who can wield that sword unscathed?
Slungandi replied:
Dreygan, his maker, could wield him, for he made that curse bind all but himself, as he said:
Whose hand but Dreygan’s, the drake’s master
Shall seize Gantzor and smite a foe,
Shall with like smiting be himself smitten,
Stunned for stunning, slain for slaying,
Chaining with cold for cold-death dealing
With stiffened sinews in sleep agelong.
Dreygan is dead, but the white hand of Dreygan still lives. The anya of the most malevolent angûthéga, Negobith, chief of all Kúmi Netári, now possesses that hand, and his only desire is to wield Gantzor and bring all things under his own yoke!
Vidnî shuddered and said:
Will he come here for the sword?
Slungandi replied:
Nay, Lady, he cannot go from Kapgar Kûm, where his anya is housed. But even now his two sons, Prámiz and Groiznath, are searching for Gantzor. And they both know that I have him, and they both know where I am taking him, for I mean to bestow him where they cannot come.
Vidnî asked:
Where are you taking him?
Slungandi replied:
To Otset Ingos, an island that you know of, to lay him beside the body of Ingos, the father of the Hyûvandri. For you have heard of the Dolorous Stroke, with which Negobith Oigenas smote Ingos Earthstepper, binding him in agelong frozen sleep. While Ingos lies undisturbed, his bane can lie beside him in safety.
And now, my Lady and my Lord, I make my request of you. I can find no crew willing to take me from here to Yivanówa. The Fâwiengri are no longer concerned with the fate of the Hyûvandri. You are my last hope. Carry me and my unwanted burden to the Southern Sea, I pray, that I may place Gantzor beyond the reach of Oigenas.
But Arbros said fiercely (for the shame of Uxul clung to him):
How do we know that this sword is truly what you say? I am not in haste to believe you again, Master Slungandi! Nor is it to my liking that we should carry one of your kind with us on the sea.
Slungandi frowning sprang up, and said:
You doubt that this is indeed Gantzor? Then take heed of the rime that Dreygan placed upon his making:
By a sound stroke you will sunder stone
None shall withdraw save who drove you home,
And by this sign shall you be known.
Then he took Gantzor by the hilts and thrust him deep into the stone on which he had been sitting.
Now, Lord Arbros, know that this is Gantzor, the sword of Dreygan! Take the hilts and draw him forth, if you can, either of you!
In his turn, Arbros looked surly and hung back. But Vidnî stepped to the sword, which stood halfway out of the stone. She took hold of the hilts and pulled with all her might, but the sword did not budge. Then she said:
It is as he says, Arbros! The sword is stuck fast. You can try for yourself.
Unwillingly, Arbros laid hold of the sword. He gave a vigorous pull, and, behold, the sword slid so easily, as if from butter, that Arbros almost fell backwards on to the path.
Slungandi the cunning Drumster of the Deep had never been taken by surprise. But this he had not expected. So for a moment he was speechless. Then he recovered himself. He went down on one knee before Arbros.
Lord Arbros, Slungandi asks your pardon. It is most evident that you are not subject to the one part of Dreygan’s ban, at least. That is of great moment! I beg you, let me thrust Gantzor once more into the stone, and draw you him out a second time.
Greatly pleased with himself, Arbros passed the Sword to Slungandi, who thrust it back into the stone. After waiting for a few heartbeats, Arbros once more drew it out without effort. Slungandi continued, with the same deferential tone:
Do you not see, my Lord, that this sign marks you out for the venture? I did not know that you had this gift, but merely hoped for your mercy. Now, if you are untouched by Dreygan’s second ban, it is perhaps also true that his first ban has no power over you. And if you can wield Gantzor unscathed, let the two sons of Negobith beware! They cannot challenge us for possession of that weapon! But in the meantime, I pray you, let me take back the burden of Gantzor, for it is too great for one so young to bear.
Arbros was standing abstracted in thought, still grasping the sword. He gave a start as Slungandi gently took Gantzor from his hands, and he relinquished it reluctantly. Vidnî noticed his thoughtful look and his hesitation, and wondered what they might mean. She said:
How can we two children undertake this venture, Master Slungandi? It was our simple-hearted plan to sail for pleasure into the Southern Sea. It is altogether another thing to aid your flight from these wicked enemies!
But Slungandi said:
It is a hard thing, my lady, but are you not Ilgurath Aphtu, the Children of Hope? And is not your vessel the Aphadus? It was well named! The hope of the Southlands, of all the tribes of the Hyûvandri, depends on keeping this Sword out of the white fist of Negobith. You are indeed the last hope. And did you not say that you wanted a third crewman to assist you in this voyage? But I by myself can do the work of three crewmen. For am I not a fosterling of the Silúna?
And Arbros said:
Vidnî, he is right. I was wrong to mistrust him. We must take him to Otset Ingos. I am sure that Rauno and Mirutháli would tell us to do it. Let us go straight to our lodgings and give commandment to Thilfri and Lansenet to ride home with Borotíki and Lopatúvu.
Slungandi said:
I thank you for your trust and your promised aid. This last thing must Silûnakánti do if he can, and then depart. Now while you make your preparations, I shall remain here in the lane, so as not to affright your companions. Return to me as fast as you can.
The two young people hastened to their lodgings in Arfyóremet. Arbros gave instruction to their companions, saying only that they intended to sail their new vessel the Aphadus back to Ravinnigos, with the help of a third crewman whom they had found. Vidnî was troubled that the full truth was not told, but there seemed to be no other way. They hastily assembled their belongings and bade farewell to Borotíki and Lopatúvu and to Thilfri and Lansenet. When the two ponies heard what was to happen, they became anxious, neighing over and over. So Arbros and Vidnî came away with heavy hearts and rejoined their new shipmate with not a little foreboding.
Slungandi was waiting for them, not on the pathway but under the shelter of a leafy chestnut tree. As they approached, he beckoned urgently, put a finger to his lips, and pointed upwards. They looked out from the shade of the tree, and saw, far up above, a flying creature. Small though it seemed at such a distance, they knew that it must be huge, greater than any bird, and flying at speed. It began to circle around Segnet Féwarim, coming lower; and all three of them could make out the tiny figure seated on its back. Then it turned away and made off eastwards.
Slungandi said:
That is our enemy. That is Prince Groiznath, riding on the monster Hugturágis, whom I myself have ridden. He is a fell beast. But Groiznath is worse than he. This sword at my back is the one thing he desires, and he must not get it. But neither must his brother Prámiz, who is no better.
Then they made their way back to the Quays.
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