The Sixth Book of Bao Dan: The Five Gaki Warlords

In the Winter of the Year of the Hsing, when the snow was first falling at the foot of the Pillars, Jen Shu left the Golden Tribe in their Gergs and set out with Nine Companions. An Gaki named Grothmak had slain the Andari of the tribe and made a mockery of its banner. So the anger of Jen Shu was kindled and bright, and his Companions could not keep him from the Pillars, though they sorely tried, fearing he would be slain.

Jen Shu turned to them and named them faithless. "Stay if you will, only trouble me not with the blackness of your tongues which matches the blackness of your hearts." Then he left his horse and taking only his sword and bow climbed to the upper reaches of the Pillars.

And his Companions followed.

For three days they climbed the steep routes and crossed the wide chasms, until they came at last to a vast garden of fire in the midst of the snows. There in clouds of steam sat a manor carved from the face of a mountain and its appearance was terrible to behold for it appeared to them that the rock drew breath. Within the manor sat Grothmak on his throne of emeralds and bone, and he was not alone. For he numbered scores in his band and four Gaki besides, though none were as powerful as he.

The least of Grothmak's servants was Arog the Clawhand and the Gaki sent him outside the manor with two score minions to meet with Jen Shu and to accept the parley. For though he was not accustomed to fear men, Grothmak marveled that one might climb to his redoubt, and command others to follow such a treacherous path.

Now the Gaki has a voice like thunder and the tops of trees will shake for their speaking. So it was that the snows fell from peaks as Arog the Clawhand spoke, saying, "Grothmak the Great and Mighty is honored by your climb, but to save yourself you need only return to the plains. A long Winter is set upon us and perhaps by the Spring, my master will have forgotten you."

Jen Shu did not answer the parley and stood gazing as though he could not hear the Gaki speak, even though the voice of him speaking echoed across the mountain tops. And the Companions of Jen Shu held their ground, for they had received a command of him already that they should do nothing until they had heard his signal.

So Arog stepped nearer and spoke again, but his two-score servants did not follow for they thought Jen Shu witless. Arog said, "Only death awaits you in this place. Return to your home and know life a bit longer."

But still Jen Shu did not speak.

So the Gaki grew wroth and stepped ever nearer, "Are your ears stopped with ice, or is your head filled with rock?"

But Jen Shu looked down and kicked at the snow and would not answer.

Then, full of wrath, Arog left his retinue behind. His eyes flashed and his teeth were barred as he ran at Jen Shu, intending to tear him in twain. When he came within striking distance, Jen Shu rolled to one side and lay flat and gave the signal, while his Companions, whose arrows were nocked, unloaded their bows at the furious Gaki. Thrice each man fired, and with many arrows the Gaki was slain.

Then with great shouts of triumph, the Companions, loosed a hail of arrows upon the retinue remaining, which broke their line and caused them to flee. Only one lived to tell the tale to its master and it was also pierced by arrows.

Now Grothmak was of vile disposition and he laughed to hear the death of his servant Arog who had broken the parley in anger. More than fury though, his curiousity was stoked for the impunity that Jen Shu showed. So he sent Ko the Horned who had a head like a bull and whose wounds could not bleed and who could speak all languages, one as easy as the other.

So Ko appeared before Jen Shu and his Companions and spoke, "Your arrows will not avail you, man. For I do not bleed and therefore cannot suffer death as others do. "

But, as he had with Arog, Jen Shu remained silent. Instead he twirled a rope as if to whip Ko the Horned as a common beast of burden.

Ko laughed to see the impunity of the man and drew closer, meaning to catch the whip as it traveled through the air. And so he did, but the Companions were ready with a second rope which they cast about the Gaki's neck and then, running together, jumped down from the garden of fire so that their combined weight took Ko the Horned from his feet and cast him over the side of mountain where he fell to his death, though he bled not as other creatures do.

Then Marhen Gozu Gaki came for Jen Shu and it was a creature of great height and strength, and had many arms, and a weapon in each arm. But the Companions were ready and rolled great bounders upon him from heights still higher than the garden of fire.

So next came Wunk Blue-Skin and four score of Grothmak's minions against Jen Shu and the battle was joined until the sun set and then rose upon a new day. All through the night Jen Shu and his Companions fought, until the last of the minions were slain and Wunk Blue-Skin lay dying and only Jen Shu remained for the Nine lay wounded or dying about him. Though Jen Shu bled sorely.

Finally, Grothmak the Andari Slayer roared forth from his manor seeking vengeance and found Jen Shu with his back turned, cradling the head of one slain companion. Then Grothmak leapt upon him, meaning to tear him arm from arm and leg from leg.

But Jen Shu had made a man of snow to wear his clothes, so that when the Gaki warlord attacked, he rose wearing the clothes of his enemy and smote the neck of Grothmak with his sword and severed it in a single blow.

The Jen Shu gathered the heads of his enemies and burned their bodies and buried them at the feet of his fallen Companions who are entombed on the Pillars to this day. But of his Nine Companions three yet lived and these accompanied him back down the mountains. So the Campaign of the Five Gaki Warlords was ended at the Campaign of the Tiger begun.