Even as the assembly in the cave cried the praises of Negobith, and as the Sword descended on Groiznath, Slungandi had picked up Brandubur and slunk away from the great cavern Onskabâ. Once out of sight of the cavern’s door, he ran for his life. He knew that the descending stroke of Daganarth would show that the sword was counterfeit. He knew that Groiznath would scarcely be harmed even by Negobith’s blow; he would soon be ready for action again. He knew that the whole assembly would quickly conclude that he, Slungandi, was the author of the deceit, and that he had the true Coldsword hidden somewhere. It would be only a short time before they would all pursue him.
He took the great processional pathway leading upwards to the Ruined Ring. He dared not go straight from Onskabâ upwards along the Eastern Incline to his usual doorway into the spiral stairway; no one had used that route for years, for no one had ever got past the Sleeper, who haunted all the chambers lying in between. There was not time to go outside and enter that doorway from the Eastern Gate, as he usually did, and in any case the only way to get there passed along the Giants’ Road where the vigilance would be the greatest. Slungandi did not know what rune opened the nearest door, the one from the Upper Hall, and could not risk being caught there trying to find out the right ûthéa for it. He went all the way up to the summit of Kapgar Kûm, hoping that this would confuse his pursuers; he was confident that no one knew of the upper door’s existence, nor its ancient Rune of Opening.
Dawn was breaking as he hastened across the Ruined Ring and down the track to the hidden door. Once through it, he began to descend as rapidly as he possibly could. After a while he passed the middle door and started the second descent. He reached the door into the Eastern Incline and stopped for breath before starting on the longest and most laborious stretch of the stairway, down to the roots of Hogunoth. He listened intently for sounds of pursuit. Only one other person knew of the spiral stairway: Groiznath. He had not reminded him of it during their travels together, and he hoped that its memory had faded during his long sojourn in the shape of a gulbân, but he guessed that the oft repeated stave, hid under Hogunoth, would revive the memory.
Just as he was about to continue his descent, he heard the sound that he feared. Though very soft and cautious, it was unmistakable. Someone was descending the stairway above him. At once, he thought of stratagems. There were many deep corners in the stairway where the darkness was absolute. He might wait silently in one of them and ambush his pursuer. He could cause the pursuer to fall down the stairs to his death. Also he had Sporni. The wandkey had great powers. He was not afraid of confronting one armed and skilled in combat. But a voice in his heart told him that this was not the way.
If he were to flee, there was no point in trying to conceal his flight. He must rely on speed, not concealment. The decision was made. Slungandi began to descend the long series of giant-sized steps as fast as he possibly could. The sounds of pursuing feet behind him became more rapid. He had been detected. He tried to hasten more, but he was already going as fast as he could, leaping from one step to the next in a dizzying descent, his breathing coming in great spurts, his heart pounding. Somehow his pursuer was catching up. How was that possible? He had something that gave him the power to take every step faster.
As his whirling downward plunge continued, Slungandi’s mind moved to the next stage. He thought carefully:
‘Groiznath — for it must be he — will not do me any real harm until Gantzor is back in my hands. He will guess that the Sword is hidden where he cannot easily find it and he knows that he cannot pull it from the stone if he finds it. He must wait till I bring out the Sword and then take it from me — alive or dead. He will see that I have the gauntlets and know that I can use Gantzor against him. But he will likely have with him a spear or a bow, so that he can attack me from a distance. But I do not wish to use Gantzor against him. My one purpose must be to prevent him from obtaining it.
I could make my escape without taking Gantzor, leaving the Sword embedded in the stone for ever. But one day the angûthégri would find a spell to loose it. And in the meantime they can hunt me down, bring me back here, and force me to draw out the Sword. My only choice is to take Gantzor away. I have to depart before the pursuer catches up with me.’
And now he recognized that he was only a few dozen steps above the Quay. But the sounds of his pursuer were only a few dozen steps behind him. He forced himself to go faster. As he clattered down into the level hallway, he wrenched the great drum Brandubur from his back and set it rolling towards the quay. He leapt aside to the corner where Gantzor was hidden. He seized its hilt. The Sword came to him. He bound it carefully to his back; precious moments were slipping by, but he must not risk losing Gantzor in his flight. He ran to the quayside. He heard the sound of strange flapping footsteps behind him, and there came a shout — it was the voice of Groiznath:
Ko-gaithâ ’na-fiyógethuk ‘You stand still or I will slay you!’
He ran on, and an arrow, well aimed, grazed his arm. He was at the quayside. Brandubur was floating in the sheltered bay. Beyond the rocky barrier, the Secret River roared and rushed onward into its uncharted caverns.
Slungandi leapt from the Giants’ Quay onto the broad back of Brandubur. Another arrow whirred past his ear and splashed into the rapids. He murmured a rune of binding as he stretched his arms and legs around the drum Brandubur and paddled into the roaring torrent. The rushing stream took them. They careered over the rocks and headed towards the dark fathomless chasm. Just as they entered it, Slungandi felt a sharp pain in his thigh. A third arrow had bitten deep into his flesh. His last thought was
‘Better that I should be pierced than Brandubur!’
And then, already faint from his headlong flight, he swooned. He, Gantzor, and Brandubur passed into utter darkness.
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