Xara-Harw (The Black Bow)

Baga-Bars held the bottle up to the light. The sunlight made tangsug colors as it shined through the glass. The han he had bought it from said that that the purple liquid would explode when thrown. Baga-Bars planned to use it to fight the green skinned orgh scouts.

Baga-Bars was not afraid of the orgh scouts, but they were hard to kill as they hid and healed. That, in itself, was not so bad. The problem was that the brit-hans had been whipped into a killing frenzy. Every time an orgh appeared it was immediately set upon by the han. This did make Baga-Bars afraid. Baga-Bars had seen what the han with their al-am-tam dragons could do. Baga-bars has seen the han bugu slaughter olon orgh in search of the orgh mask and bow. Who would the han kill when there were no more orgh?

A wounded orgh had come to the otog tosgon the night before. The unaga had searched long for a clue to the strange message it delivered but what they did not find was the most disturbing. Many long established orgh tosgon were empty. The desert orgh were gone. All dead. Or were they gathering somewhere for a final battle with the han? Neither answer promised a bright future.

The Khan Haruchai ordered the unaga of the otog to go forth in search of this orgh bow. If the otog were to discover who or what was behind this building war, and try to stop it, they must examine these new things. Baga-Bars had fought several orgh scouts, who were rumored to carry the black bow. It took a long time for a lone tsereg to kill one and either the han had interfered or the orgh had carried no bow. Baga-Bars decided that he needed a new tactic. This is where the purple liquid came in.

After purchasing several bottles of the purple potion, Baga-Bars traveled up to the orgh fort south of Yew. Although he was loath to revisit that place of death, he had received a message from Caileach Bheare asking for help. Although Caileach was a han she had befriended the otog bugu Idugan Aigeran. Not all of the han were crazy, it seemed.

Baga-Bars met her at the south east corner of the orgh fort. They fought a few orghs and were discussing the strange happenings when the orghs staged a counter attack. At least five orgh lords, an orgh bugu, several common orgh and even an ettin attacked. Baga-Bars shouted Uragshaa! and waded into the enemy. Baga-Bars knew that, although Caileach was brave for a han, she was no match for this pack and shouted for her to run.

As the orgh bugu fell to Baga-Bars’s blows, he saw that Caileach was in trouble. He tried to push to her side, but a han ordered his Al-Am-tam dragon to attack, covering the area with its huge wings. Baga-Bars shouted for the han to call the beast off, but before Baga-Bars could get to his friend's side, she was dead. Her helpless agta quickly followed. Furious at this interference, Baga-Bars cut down the remaining orghs. The ground was red with orgh blood.

A han-bugu resurrected Caileach’s ghost. Baga-Bars healed her as she tried to recover her belongings from under the pile of orgh bodies. Finally most of her belongings were recovered and she decided to return to her home to rest and recover from her ordeal. Baga-Bars promised to tame a new agta for her.

Baga-Bars traveled back to Delucia to continue his hunt. He had heard the han speak of a new orgh camp there. He found the same sickening slaughter that he had seen at the other orgh tosgon. Many of the orgh were young and frightened. They ran away in terror. Baga-Bars would not attack these, but the han cut them down without mercy. The earth ran red with the blood of these frightened orghs. Baga-Bars shook his head in anger and disbelief. Couldn’t the han realize that there was no honor in this? This was not battle. This was simple murder.

Baga-Bars turned Maraeda and rode away to the north. Just out of sight of the orgh tosgon, he felt the hair rise on his neck. He turned, raising his shield just in time to block the arrow aimed at his back. It was an orgh scout! Baga-Bars urged Maraeda forward and swung his kryss hurting the orgh, but it kept shooting. As they fought a mongbat fluttered by and decided to add its meager attack to that of the orgh. Baga-Bars ignored the bat, aiming his blows at the orgh. Badly hurt, the orgh vanished in a flash of light.

Baga-Bars killed the mongbat with a single blow and began searching for the hidden orgh. He could hear its grunting but could not quite locate its hiding place. Then he noticed something looting the dead bat. He tossed one of the purple bottles in that direction and saw the shadow of the orgh caught in the explosion. Maraeda sprang forward and Baga-Bars cut the orgh down before it could hide again.

Quickly he searched the body. In the orgh’s pack he found his goal. The xara-harw, the black orcish bow sometimes carried by these scouts. Carefully Baga-Bars placed this treasure in his pack. As he turned Maraeda and began the long trip back to the otog tosgon, he allowed himself a smile. The Khan Haruchai would be pleased...

© 2001 Todd Bailey