BAR

Chapter Nine

There was a hollow thud. Her effort caused the mud to close over her and she experienced a moment of blazing terror as she thrashed panic-stricken in the darkness – but then her fingers fastened in Bar's jerkin and she hauled herself upwards.

When her head broke surface she could see that she'd stunned Bar; he was staring at her in blank incomprehension. Even so, she was taking no chances. She raised the rock again and brought it down on his temple with a crack. Then she cast it aside.

Knowing that she had to move quickly, she began to climb up Bar's body. It was hard, sticky work, and she was already exhausted. Nevertheless, she made steady progress, raising herself inch by inch out of the mire, and sinking Bar slowly into it.

As she pulled her chest free, Bar began to show signs of life. He began to babble incoherently and jerk his arms about. Sweet Mithra; if his wits were unjumbling themselves already, his skull must be thick indeed.

She hauled herself a little higher; then brought up her feet and pushed against Bar's chest. She was now almost horizontal in the mud, and could feel that she had just enough buoyancy. Grabbing her sword on the way, she half swam, half crawled to the far back, where she rolled onto her back and lay panting for a long time.

Eventually, she sat up with a jerk and looked for Bar. He was mired to his armpits, with his arms resting on the surface; but he was not struggling at all. Nor was he even looking at her; his gaze was directed instead on the rock she had used on him.

Suddenly, and with a spasm of horror, she saw that it wasn't a rock at all. It was a skull; a human skull. The place into which her thumb had fitted so neatly had been one of its eye sockets. Strangely white despite its time in the mud, it lay upright, facing Bar. He stared at it.

"Bar!" Sonja called. He didn't respond.

Sonja leapt to her feet and hacked at a nearby tree until she'd cut a branch about eight feet long and as thick as her wrist. Then she wormed her way on her stomach as far onto the mud as she dared, and held out the branch to Bar.

"Here – grab hold."

Bar slowly turned his head to look at her. There was still confusion in his eyes. He was sinking slowly as Sonja watched.

"Quick – grab the branch."

"Why?" Bar seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Because you'll drown otherwise. Take hold!"

Bar made no move. Instead he blinked several times rapidly. When he spoke again, his voice seemed to have regained its old certainty.

"No."

"What?"

"No. You spurned my mercy; now I spurn yours."

"Don't be a fool."

"A fool, am I? Like you?"

"That was different."

"How so? Our places are reversed, but I see no difference. Save one. I own that you have defeated me. There; that was hard for me to say, but I managed it." Bar sank to his neck, though he showed no sign of alarm.

"If you say so. I win, you lose. Possibly the Gods arranged it this way. Now grab hold and I'll get you out of there."

"No. We said no quarter, remember?"

"You haven't asked for quarter. You're a brave man, Bar – a fine one in your way. I even like you. I don't want to see you die."

"You could've been my woman."

"I told you why I couldn't."

"Yet you like me?"

"Yes."

"And would show me mercy?"

"If that's how you see it."

"I spit on your mercy." The mud lapped at Bar's jaw.

"Bar; in the name of the Gods. Look, you can come with me if you like. We can journey together; share adventures; fight side by side."

"Is that what you want, Red Sonja?"

"Yes. Hurry, Bar; you don't have much time!"

"So; we know what you want. But let me ask you something different. What are you prepared to give?"

"I -" Sonja choked into silence.

"You have no answer. I thought not." Bar turned his attention back to the skull which still lay on the surface of the mud. He stared at it intensely.

"Nyla -" he said. He reached out a hand towards the skull and touched it gently, almost as if caressing it. "Nyla – forgive me. I could not control my nature. Forgive me, Nyla. See – I come to you; open your realm to me." Then, with his eyes still fixed on the skull, Bar disappeared.

Sluggish ripples spread out from the spot where he had been. They reached the skull. It seemed to bob on the surface for a while, then it too sank, following Bar into the depths.

With a heavy heart, Sonja crawled back to the bank and got to her feet. She let the branch fall.

"Oh, Bar," she said. "If only you had been less stubborn." She paused. "Or I had."

Then she turned her back on Nyla's river, and walked away. Alone.