Thirsty Blades by Otis Adelbert Kline
Rankin, an American disguised as an Arab traveler, is cornered in a blind alley near a caravanserai in Tekrit by six swordsmen sent by Sayyid Absál, son of the Shareef Yussuf, to test his skill. Rankin's revolver has been sabotaged, so he fights with a scimitar, kills three assailants, and is finally captured in a net at Absál's signal. Brought before the Shareef, Rankin is identified by the veiled lady Azizah as the man she saw in the souk. He explains, under questioning, that he is the reincarnation of Abdemon, a captain of Suleiman Baalshem's guard who was promised Suleiman's daughter Neferte but was cheated of her when the djinn prince Iblis exploited an unguarded oath. Rankin has been guided across Asia for twenty years by recurring dreams and by the darvish Ismeddin's interpretation of them, seeking to fulfill Suleiman's promise by defeating Iblis in single combat in a vault on the night of the 14th of Nisan, thereby freeing Azizah (Neferte reborn), who falls into a deathlike trance each full moon. Rankin proves his identity with a leaden seal of Suleiman but cannot recite the Muslim profession of faith truthfully; Absál recites it on his behalf. The Shareef, distrustful of Ismeddin (with whom he has a feud over stolen horses), imprisons Rankin pending investigation. That night a note smuggled to Rankin's cell, signed "Neferte to Abdemon," tells him Ismeddin will free him on the 12th of Nisan to meet Azizah's party at the oasis of al Akra. Meanwhile Zantut, a devil-worshiping priest of Iblis (worshiped as Malik Taûs) who has come from Kurdistan with armed adepts, is searching for Rankin, having lost track of him. Learning Rankin is held by the Shareef, Zantut instead sends his disciple Humayd, coached with a false vision and a counterfeit seal, to pose as the true Abdemon. Before the Shareef, Absál challenges Humayd's claim and demands proof by combat, but Zantut argues a holy revelation should not be tested that way. As compromise, the Shareef releases both Rankin (bound) and Azizah into Zantut's party, so that whichever man fails, the other may attempt the ritual. A disguised beggar reveals himself to the Shareef as Ismeddin, wagering his own head against two horses to prove the Shareef has been deceived. Using sand, wind, and moonlight, he conjures a vision showing Azizah's peril and Rankin's helplessness, then signals for the palace guard with a flare. The Shareef, convinced, rides with Ismeddin toward the Valley of Djinn (Biban ul Djinni), site of Iblis's hidden vault. At the vault, Zantut and his adepts perform rites before a copper image of Iblis, open a hidden stairway, and descend to a subterranean hall where the Dark Presence sits enthroned, barely alive. They prepare Azizah and the bound, gagged Rankin as sacrifices, awaiting reinforcements from Azerbaijan and a final gong signal. Ismeddin and the Shareef, riding hard, pass a warder guarding the vault's entrance by displaying a stolen silver peacock token, then storm the sanctuary just as Zantut is about to kill the sacrifice. Ismeddin drives off the cultists with a signal rocket used as a flame weapon, and he and the Shareef cut down fleeing adepts on the stairs while the palace guard, arriving above, engages the rest. Ismeddin and the Shareef free Rankin and Azizah, who remains in her trance. Ismeddin draws a magic circle with chalk and red powder around the throne, invokes Iblis by his hidden name, and compels him to descend and fight Rankin sword to sword within a ring of green flame, declaring only one may leave the circle alive. Rankin, exhausted and repeatedly mocked by Iblis for having failed in four previous lives, endures a punishing exchange of blows as the ring of flame shrinks and shadowy allies of Iblis press against its barrier. At the critical moment, Rankin evades a killing stroke with a full lunge and drives his point home, and Iblis collapses as the green flame dies. Before losing consciousness, Rankin glimpses the shadowy figure of Suleiman bowing in salutation beside an unveiled, smiling girl. The Shareef and Ismeddin revive Rankin, and Azizah wakes unveiled and free of the curse. Ismeddin declares her Rankin's at last, and the Shareef, marveling at Rankin's swordsmanship, leads the way up the blood-drenched stairs, while Ismeddin claims only one of the wagered mares as his reward, with the Shareef predicting he will steal the other in due course.
By Otis Adelbert Kline · First published 1930 · Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery · 13,587 words
First lines
The side entrance to the _caravanserai_ was closed. Well then, back down the alley, and around the corner to the main gate. But when Rankin turned to retrace his steps, he saw that it might be a long way from there to any other place. For to his right and left were blank walls; at his back, a closed gate; and in front, a crescent of drawn blades was closing in on him.
Behind the six advancing swordsmen rode their commander. He reined in his Barbary stallion, stroked his beard -- henna red, as Rankin could see plainly in the white moonlight -- and settled back to enjoy the spectacle.
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Genres
- Adventure — The narrative is driven by an exotic quest across Asia, featuring sword combat, perilous encounters, supernatural obstacles, and heroic feats of survival in dangerous locations and circumstances.
- Fantasy — Central plot elements include reincarnation across centuries, a demonic prince awakening to full power on a specific night, mystical circles with supernatural flames, and the fulfillment of an ancient magical curse and promise.
- Sword and Sorcery — The climactic battle combines skilled swordplay with supernatural forces—a magical duel within a circle of green flame against a demonic entity, merging combat prowess with occult elements.
- Orientalism — The work is set entirely within Islamic Middle Eastern locales (Tekrit, Kurdistan, desert valleys), employs Arabic terminology and Islamic cultural practices, and centers on Muslim characters and Islamic religious references throughout.
Tags
fantasy · adventure · reincarnation · supernatural · swordplay · pulp fiction · mythology · quest · dark fantasy · magic · Kurdish setting · sword dueling
What this Textopian page supports
Thirsty Blades is listed on Textopian as a novella by Otis Adelbert Kline, dated 1930 CE.
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- Work type: Novella
- Author: Otis Adelbert Kline
- Date: 1930 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Orientalism, Paranormal
- Length: 13,587 words
- Structure: 1 section, 414 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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