James Barclay - Beyond the Mists of Katura

Takaar flapped a hand at his tormentor for silence while he oscillated between anger and relief.

‘Gilderon,’ he said. ‘Tired of your personal quest, are you? Taken to thieving on the plains of Balaia instead?’

Gilderon led the Senserii to Takaar and they knelt before him, their ikari held in their right hands and away from their bodies. Their heads remained bowed while Gilderon spoke for them.

‘We seek your forgiveness. You saved us and gave us purpose yet we thought you had lost that purpose. We were wrong. We should have trusted you, had faith in you. We are sorry and wish only to serve as your guardians once more. Please hear us.’

‘How did you find me?’

‘We overtook a wagon carrying Auum’s wounded to Julatsa. They had recent contact with Kerela, who told them the path you were travelling. Our first task was to ensure you did not cross the river. So we waited. Your safety is everything.’

That must swell your ego to previously unheard-of proportions.

‘They are the lost seeking a path, just as before,’ said Takaar.

They are betrayers who deserted you on the eve of a great discovery.

‘I discovered nothing.’

You discovered your own purpose, which is why we are here. You needed them then and they were gone. They will do it again.

‘Still your babbling,’ spat Takaar. ‘You sow this poison because you fear that with their aid I might actually survive.’

That is their purpose.

Before him, the Senserii had not moved. They among all elves accepted him and his tormentor and never questioned. Yet his tormentor was right: they had abandoned him in a dangerous country to go and join Auum, whom he hated above all elves. But what was he doing but making the same journey now? Takaar smiled inwardly. Who had been right and who wrong if the conclusion was identical? They awaited his mercy or his wrath and they would accept either without flinching.

Oh, how it must pain you, the agony of such decisions. Decisions such as only the gods can make and be assured they are right. You know what you have to do, what you always do to those who betray you.

‘You have my forgiveness and my gratitude for admitting your error and seeing clearly to your true path, which is at my side for the greater glory of elves.’

His tormentor screamed inside him. The Senserii rose and he allowed them to kiss his hands.

You think mercy is a godlike quality and indeed it is, but it must be meted out correctly, as must punishment. And you have not done so. You will never be among gods; you do not have the wit or the wisdom!

‘Mercy is always wise.’

That’s an assertion you might want to save for Auum.

They would be off the mountains today and down among the foothills in Wesman lands. It didn’t matter that the dangers there probably outweighed those of the snow, ice, wind and rock; elves were not born to these conditions and knowing they would soon become memories had lifted everyone’s spirits.

They ate a spare breakfast at first light before readying themselves for the last leg of the journey. Rith came and sat beside Auum.

‘You saved all our lives,’ said Auum. ‘Bless you.’

‘I didn’t come here to garner compliments.’

Auum chuckled. ‘I’m sure you didn’t. What’s on your mind?’

‘What happens if the Wesmen turn us down?’

Auum was surprised by the directness of her question and had to pause to gather his thoughts.

‘Well, we’d be out of options. No choice but to go home, prepare and pray.’

‘But you’re not considering that eventuality.’ Rith didn’t smile. ‘No, of course you’re not. But even if they do listen to us and rebel, what then? Even without the shamen to aid them, who is strong enough to take on the Wytch Lords?’

‘Has this been keeping you awake at night?’

‘I just want to be able to reassure the Il-Aryn that we’re doing the right thing.’

Auum nodded. ‘It’s the only thing to do, Rith. We have to believe the Wesmen don’t want to be in thrall to the Wytch Lords, and if we convince them to rebel, we’re most of the way there. And Ystormun and his cadre? Well, that’s where our Julatsan friends come in. Human magic must defeat them. Stein says there is a way and I trust him.’

‘But it doesn’t solve the problem with Dawnthief.’

‘No, it doesn’t. But it means our people are safe in their homes, at least for now. One step at a time is all we can make.’

Rith nodded but Auum could see she was unconvinced.

‘We must have faith,’ said Auum. ‘And belief. If you think of a better plan, don’t keep it to yourself.’

At last Rith smiled. ‘I won’t.’

Outside the barrier the snow had abated but the wind was still high. Stein was relying on it dropping enough to allow flying as they moved down the ice shelf. It was critical that it did. Merrat had reported that the drop at the end was sheer for more than a thousand feet. The face was possible to descend but realistically only for the TaiGethen.

Auum walked with Ulysan at the rear of the group on the journey across the plateau to the ice shelf. It was a strange landscape, snow-blown and with hundreds of small rounded peaks, like fingers or capped chimneys, some no taller than an elf. They wove in and out of them, heading west under a partially blue sky and in a wind that, though still strong, was no longer gale force.

‘I will not miss this cold,’ said Auum.

Ulysan nodded. ‘Nor I.’

Auum sighed. He’d been setting Ulysan up for the entire walk and the big TaiGethen’s voice had remained flat.

‘I am almost afraid to say this, but the one thing I wish for right now is to hear one of your appalling jokes.’

Ulysan shrugged. ‘They’ll come back.’

‘Anything I can do to help?’

‘Nothing you haven’t already done.’ Ulysan shook his head. ‘You know, for a moment I was back there in that hole in the Arish complex. I could even hear the rush of water. . and my brother’s scream. I looked, but it was dark and then I saw you and you had my hands and you brought me back. I’d have fallen without you.’

‘But I was there and you didn’t. Don’t you forget you owe me.’

Ulysan said nothing. Ahead, the group was gathering at the edge of the shelf. Before he joined them to look for himself, Auum could see the tension in many bodies, and when he saw it, he could understand why.

It was vast and a blinding white that left him wishing for cloud. Its far edge was lost in the horizon and it stretched to either side as far as he could see. The near edge behind which they stood resembled a sculptor’s vision of a wave rearing in the sea before crashing in on itself. It must have been formed by the prevailing wind blowing loose snow up the incline and freezing it to ice. It was spectacular but also a distraction from the dangers beyond it.

Merrat and Grafyrre had been depressingly accurate in their assessment of the slope. It looked to Auum to be twenty degrees from the horizontal and was smooth and treacherous for the most part, punctuated sparingly by low ridges of ice like ripples caught on a frozen sea.

‘Is there no other way down?’ asked Rith, standing near Auum and next to Merrat.

‘In all likelihood there is, but can we stay here until it’s found?’ replied Merrat. ‘Just take it slow. It’s not as bad as it looks.’

‘Right!’ called Auum. He hopped over the wave form and felt the shine of the ice beneath his boots. He turned a gentle half-circle and came to a stop. Balance would not be so easy for others. ‘Here’s the method and all who want to live should follow it.’

The group gathered, eager to hear his words, wishing to miss nothing in the wind, which Auum guessed was still too stiff for flying though it was easing. The shelf was something over half a mile wide and the time it took them to traverse it might allow the wind to drop enough for Wings of Shade. They were taking a considerable risk that it would.