David Gemmell - Echoes of the Great Song

'Give me one more! Just one!' shouted Rael, gazing up at the skies.

Three more fireballs exploded close by. Mejana was hurled from her feet by the blast. Dazed, she struggled to rise. Two of the Avatars were down, their white cloaks blazing. Pendar, pulling off his own cloak, ran to them, smothering the flames. Rael rose up alongside the Sunfire. The left side of his face was horribly burned. With a grunt of pain and effort he swung the Sunfire. 'Someone lift it!' he shouted. Cation, Pendar and Mejana ran to him. Together they grabbed the rear and hoisted the Sunfire high. Rael pulled the firing lever.

Another bolt struck the water, this time further back.

Once again the blue fire rippled out. Turning, the Almecs started to flee the field. More than 200 died in the second blast.

'There's time for another!' said Rael. His face was horribly disfigured, the flesh stripped away. His left arm was also badly blistered and black.

'No, sir,' said Cation. 'We will die if we stay here.'

'You coward!' shouted Rael.

'He is not a coward,' said Mejana. 'Now do as you are bid!' Taking his right arm she pulled him forward. Rael sagged against her. Together she and Cation carried him to the rampart steps. Behind them Pendar was helping Goray to his feet. The Avatar had been blinded by the last fireball. Pendar got him to the safety of the steps just as the battlements blew apart. The Sunfire was sent spiralling into the air, its power chest destroyed.

Below the wall Cation and Mejana lowered Rael to the ground. Cation produced a green crystal, which he held to the General's burnt face. Mejana watched as the skin began to repair, the inflammation dying down. The swelling around his eye sank back, the blisters on his flesh receding. Rael sighed. Reaching up he took Cation's arm. 'I am sorry for what I called you,' he said.

'It was nothing,' said Cation. 'Lie back. Relax. Let the crystals do their work.'

Just beyond them Pendar was holding a crystal above Goray's ruined eyes. Cation began the healing process on the General's burnt arm, then swung to Goray. He paused as he saw Pendar at work. For a moment there was anger, then it faded. Moving alongside the young Vagar he added his own crystal to the process. 'Try not to think of healing,' he advised him. 'Merely concentrate on what should be. See good, clean skin. Picture him as he was.

And let the crystal do its work.'

'Thank you,' said Pendar.

Goray groaned and opened his eyes. 'I can see,' he said. Lifting his hand he took hold of Pendar's shoulder.

'You have my gratitude, boy,' he said.

A soldier on the ramparts shouted down. 'Someone is coming. Fetch the Questor General!'

Cation moved back alongside Rael, and helped him rise. Together they climbed the rampart steps, clambering over the fallen masonry.

Cas-Coatl was moving towards the wall, his hands clasped behind his back. He could have been out for a stroll, and showed no tension as he walked closer and closer towards the defenders, ignoring the zhi-bows trained upon him.

'What is it you want, Almec?' shouted Rael.

'We need to talk, Avatar. Do I have your permission to enter the city?'

'You do,' said Rael. He, Cation and Mejana walked along the ramparts, then down the last set of steps before the gaping hole in the wall. Water was ankle-deep here and Cas-Coatl waded through it to stand before the Questor General.

'Can we talk somewhere where it is dry?' he asked.

'Here is fine,' said Rael. 'Have you come to surrender?'

Cas-Coatl smiled with genuine humour. 'We need to talk together, man to man,' he said. 'Just you and I.'

'Very well,' said Rael. 'Follow me.' The two men walked past the ruined wall to a building close by. Pushing open the door Rael entered the guard-house. Three Vagar soldiers were sitting in the narrow room eating a breakfast of flat-baked bread and mutton. They scrambled to their feet as the General strode in. 'My apologies to you,' said Rael. 'But I would be grateful if you would allow us some privacy.' Grabbing their food the men bowed, then left. 'Sit down,' said Rael.

Cas-Coatl did so. Rael stared hard at the man's glass-like brows and cheekbones. 'How is it that you survived being crystal-wed?'

'The Crystal Queen needs me. She saved me, and for that I serve her.'

'My daughter was crystal-wed. For her there was no saviour.'

Cas-Coatl said nothing, and the two men sat in silence for several moments. Then Rael spoke. 'Why are you here, Almec?'

'You were right and I was wrong,' said Cas-Coatl. 'I did underestimate you. You are not merely talented sub-humans. You are, in fact, Almecs. Or perhaps we are Avatars,' he said with a smile. 'My queen believes we should unite. We have much to offer you, and you can enrich us.'

'And, of course, I am to believe this?' said Rael.

'It is the simple truth, Rael. I have the weapons to destroy this city utterly. I do not need to lie to you.'

'Somehow I do not see myself travelling the world merely to rip out people's hearts,' Rael told him.

'Nor I. Some sacrifice is essential, in order to keep the lower orders in their place. But this slaughter does not sit well with me — nor with my queen. It is, sadly, necessary at this time. But once Anu completes his pyramid there will be no need of such mass extermination. We are brothers, you and I. I do not wish to see you Avatars die.'

'And if we agree?'

'My troops will enter the twin cities. No Avatar will be harmed.'

'The Vagars?'

'Anu's pyramid is not yet complete. And my queen is hungry. But do not concern yourself with sub-humans, Rael. If you have favourites among them, take them to your home. They will be spared.'

'This is not a decision I can make alone, Cas-Coatl. I will need to call my people together.'

'Of course. You have until dawn to make a decision. I urge you to make it a wise one.'

Talaban was deeply troubled. Several times now he had gone to Sofarita's cabin. She had ordered him to leave her in peace, and he had heard her groans of pain. Ro had warned him she would not withstand a twenty-day trip, and Talaban now believed this to be true.

There was no way to increase the speed of the Serpent. Talaban sat in his cabin running the problem through his mind again and again, seeking a solution.

Ro came to him, and together they discussed methods of increasing the power, calculating the effect of reducing the weight by throwing overboard every unnecessary item. But even if they emptied the ship of furniture and weaponry, and ordered every crew member over the side they could not decrease the time needed by more than a day.

Touchstone arrived at dusk, but he could offer no solutions, and sat silently as they spoke.

'If Anu were here he could speed the Dance of Time,' said Ro.

'And if the ship had wings we would not be in peril,' snapped Talaban. He was instantly contrite. 'I am sorry, cousin. I am tired and on edge.'

'We bring him,' said Touchstone.

'Bring who?' responded Talaban.

'This Holy One.'

Talaban rubbed at his eyes and fought for calm. 'Are you suggesting that we turn back and ask Anu to travel with us?'

'No,' replied the tribesman. 'Magic not in body. Magic in spirit. We fetch spirit.'

'And how do you intend to achieve this… this miracle?' asked Ro.

'One-Eyed-Fox,' said Touchstone, looking directly at Talaban. 'Like before. We fly.'

'The last time almost killed both of us,' said the warrior. 'But I agree. It is the only way.'

Touchstone moved into the centre of the cabin and sat cross-legged on the rug. Talaban sat opposite him.

Placing their hands on each other's shoulders they lowered their heads until their brows touched.

Relaxing his mind Talaban flowed into the trance state, seeking focus without concentration, the melding of opposites, the closing of the circle. As before, he felt himself moving, spinning. Colours danced in his mind, swirling rainbows passing over, around and through him.