Read Online Bran Mak Morn: The Last King by Robert E. Howard, Gary Gianni - Free Book Online Page A

in reality awake in a strange country, for this is the clearest dream I ever dreamed. Who are you?� � am Bran Mak Morn, king of the Caledonian Picts. And this ancient is Gonar, a wizard, of the line of Gonar. And this warrior is Cormac na Connacht, a prince of the isle of Erin.� The stranger slowly shook his lion-like head. �hese words sound strangely to me, save Gonar �and that one is not Gonar, though he too is old. What land is this?� �aledon, or Alba, as the Gaels call it.� �nd who are those squat ape-like warriors who watch us yonder, all agape?� �hey are the Picts who own my rule.� �ow strangely distorted folk are in dreams!�muttered the stranger. �nd who are those shock-headed men about the chariots?� �hey are Britons �Cymry from south of the Wall.� �hat Wall?� �he Wall built by Rome to keep the people of the heather out of Britain.� �ritain?�the tone was curious. � never heard of that land �and what is Rome?� �hat!�cried Bran. �ou never heard of Rome, the empire that rules the world?� �o empire rules the world,�answered the other haughtily. �he mightiest kingdom on earth is that wherein I reign.� �nd who are you?� �ull of Atlantis, king of Valusia!� Cormac felt a coldness trickle down his spine. The cold gray eyes were unswerving �but this was incredible �monstrous �unnatural.
    �alusia!�cried Bran. �hy, man, the sea waves have rolled above the spires of Valusia for untold centuries!� Kull laughed outright. �hat a mad nightmare this is! When Gonar put on me the spell of deep sleep last night �or this night! �in the secret room of the inner palace, he told me I would dream strange things, but this is more fantastic than I reckoned. And the strangest thing is, I know I am dreaming!� Gonar interposed as Bran would have spoken. �uestion not the acts of the gods,�muttered the wizard. �ou are king because in the past you have seen and seized opportunities. The gods or the first Gonar have sent you this man. Let me deal with him.� Bran nodded, and while the silent army gaped in speechless wonder, just within ear-shot, Gonar spoke: �h great king, you dream, but is not all life a dream? How reckon you but that your former life is but a dream from which you have just awakened? Now we dream-folk have our wars and our peace, and just now a great host comes up from the south to destroy the people of Brule. Will you aid us?� Kull grinned with pure zest. �ye! I have fought battles in dreams ere now, have slain and been slain and was amazed when I woke from my visions. And at times, as now, dreaming I have known I dreamed. See, I pinch myself and feel it, but I know I dream for I have felt the pain of fierce wounds, in dreams. Yes, people of my dream, I will fight for you against the other dream-folk. Where are they?� �nd that you enjoy the dream more,�said the wizard subtly, �orget that it is a dream and pretend that by the magic of the first Gonar, and the quality of the jewel you gave Brule, that now gleams on the crown of the Morni, you have in truth been transported forward into another, wilder age where the people of Brule fight for their life against a stronger foe.� For a moment the man who called himself king of Valusia seemed startled; a strange look of doubt, almost of fear, clouded his eyes. Then he laughed.
    �ood! Lead on, wizard.� But now Bran took charge. He had recovered himself and was at ease. Whether he thought, like Cormac, that this was all a gigantic hoax arranged by Gonar, he showed no sign.
    �ing Kull, see you those men yonder who lean on their long-shafted axes as they gaze upon you?� �he tall men with the golden hair and beards?� �ye �our success in the coming battle hinges on them. They swear to go over to the enemy if we give them not a king to lead them �their own having been slain. Will you lead them to battle?� Kull� eyes glowed with appreciation. �hey are