James Barclay - Beyond the Mists of Katura

Ulysan was heading the column with Duele, who had been co-opted back into Auum’s cell with the fall of poor Ollem on the walls of Julatsa. They’d lost too many up there and on the field afterwards: twelve in all from across the spectrum of experience and representing four full cells. It left them light.

TaiGethen ran the flanks and rear and also provided scouts ahead and on the points. Ulysan was chatting to Duele as the two ran, Ulysan in his easy loping stride, Duele with his soft feet which seemed almost to float a hair above the ground. His was an extraordinary skill in waiting and Auum prayed that he lived to see it realised.

‘Come to see the real excitement, have you?’ said Ulysan when Auum fell in alongside him.

‘I can’t take their denials any longer,’ said Auum. ‘Even Stein is blinkered when it comes to Xetesk.’

‘Then we must look after ourselves,’ said Duele.

‘I’ll speak when we stop for the night,’ said Auum. ‘Some among us are following blindly, and I don’t like that.’

‘I hear you,’ said Ulysan.

‘So, where are we?’ asked Auum, gazing out at the landscape ahead.

‘Well, there are the mountains,’ said Ulysan, pointing. ‘In case you hadn’t spotted them.’

‘I was really down until I came to speak to you and now I’ve improved to suicidal,’ said Auum. ‘If you want to run with another cell, Duele, I fully understand.’

‘The thought will never enter my mind,’ said Duele.

‘I’m still working on his sense of humour,’ said Ulysan.

‘I shall pray fervently to Yniss that it doesn’t turn out like yours.’

‘I am hurt, my Arch,’ said Ulysan, placing a hand on his chest.

‘Just tell me what I’m looking at,’ said Auum. ‘I know you studied the maps.’

Ulysan smiled. ‘No learning is ever wasted. Right, we’re heading south-west at the moment and we’ll encounter the River Tri where it rises at the base of Triverne Lake, probably by nightfall if we push on. Quite a beautiful spot, I’m told. We can cross at the shallows there and then hug the mountains. From here you can see the lake sparkle against the mountains when the sun hits it right — that’ll give you an idea of distance.

‘It’s about six days to Understone from here, I’d say. The terrain is very easy. Our only problem is staying hidden if we feel the need; that’s another reason to stay close to the mountains. This way keeps us as far from all the colleges as possible too. That’s it really. No significant landmarks I haven’t mentioned, no trees and precious few people because the land in the lee of the mountains isn’t good for farming.’

‘Escape routes once we’re past Xetesk on the way to Understone?’

‘We want to hope it doesn’t come to that,’ said Ulysan. ‘If we’re closed off from behind then we’re effectively trapped.’

‘Is that likely?’ asked Duele.

Auum raised his eyebrows. ‘It depends who you ask.’

‘Right,’ said Ulysan. ‘Everyone else says it isn’t; Auum says it is.’

Duele fell silent but Auum could see there was conflict within him.

‘It’s always best to speak,’ said Ulysan, seeing the same thing. ‘Silence only breeds resentment.’

Duele took a breath and glanced at them both.

‘There is much uncertainty and fear,’ he said carefully as if voicing the words was somehow heretical. ‘Among the Il-Aryn certainly but also within the newer emerged TaiGethen. It’s distracting. We should be united, and I feel we aren’t. It is difficult to be surrounded with such differing opinions.’

Auum’s first reaction was of disappointment, but a moment later he smiled.

‘Uncertainty is the hallmark of this venture,’ he said. ‘And I am asking much of the inexperienced. . I’ll speak to everyone later.’

And he did. On the banks of Triverne Lake, with the cook fires throwing a warming glow into a chilly night and the lapping of the water on the shore a relaxing influence, Auum spoke to whoever would hear him, human or elf.

‘It is terribly hard to see those you know — those you love — die beside you. I cannot promise you that it will get any easier because it doesn’t. Those who fight to save Calaius must bear that burden. I ask that Yniss bless you all for being here and showing your faith in our gods and in me. I am humbled by your courage and your strength, particularly those of you who have just had your first taste of the fight. The experience of violence and death are shocking, yet here you sit, willing to do it all over again even though you worry that you are afraid.

‘Don’t worry. Fear is healthy; believe me, the fearless die quickly. Let your fear make you cautious and lead you to the right decisions; don’t let it cripple you and make you easy prey.

‘Are we on the right path? Yniss knows none of us can be sure, but we do know the Wytch Lords must be defeated. So I’m asking you to fight alongside Xetesk even though every fibre of my being screams that it is wrong. I’m doing it because there is no other choice. At Understone Pass we can strike, together, at Ystormun’s twisted heart. I know you don’t want human allies. Neither do I, but this is reality. We are not enough on our own.’

Auum led a prayer and invited questions. He saw Stein talking to a couple of cavalrymen.

‘They were wondering why you’re here at all if you mistrust us so much.’

‘It’s a good question,’ said Auum. ‘We’re here because the Wytch Lords have to be defeated and we can’t do it back home. So here we are to see it done. It doesn’t mean we have to like it, or like humans — with some notable exceptions.’

Stein passed on Auum’s response and the cavalrymen both nodded their understanding.

‘Anything further?’ asked Auum. ‘Then let’s eat and sleep. Yniss bless you all and keep you safe until dawn.’

Auum slept little that night, wondering if he should have kept his council. But he needed eyes. Not just TaiGethen and Il-Aryn but those of the Julatsans travelling with them. As the next day’s travel got under way beneath a deep grey sky, a chill wind blew off the mountains, surprising the elves, who donned cloaks while the humans did not. He could see groups of the cavalry deep in conversation as they rode and their gesturing and pointing told its own story about the impact of his words.

Stein trotted up to him while he was running with Merrat’s cell, discussing possible tactics.

‘You caused quite a stir last night,’ said Stein.

‘Good.’

Stein blew out his cheeks. ‘Yes, but I had to give one or two a history lesson to stop them riding back to Julatsa.’

‘I’m not apologising for being careful,’ said Auum.

‘I’m not asking you to. I just thought you should know that some have their sympathies elsewhere.’

‘Nor am I apologising for being careful with my choice of allies. Got friends in Xetesk, have they?’

‘Yes, some of them probably do. We don’t just wall ourselves in and talk in hushed tones, you know. There is more similarity than difference between all four colleges.’

‘Then perhaps I shouldn’t trust you either?’

Stein laughed. ‘I asked for that, didn’t I?’

Auum looked up at him and thought to reinforce his point, but there was nothing to distrust about this particular human. Stein smiled broadly and spoke again, pointing along the shore of Triverne Lake.

‘And you said there were no trees here. Just look at that. Beautiful, isn’t it?’

Auum looked and saw an area of woodland about two miles away hugging the shore for some considerable distance and stretching away a hundred yards or so towards the foothills. Nyann’s cell, the duty scouts this morning, were closing on it already. He hoped they enjoyed themselves beneath the patchy canopy.