He led the way back into the tower’s interior, followed by Shann, Alondo and Boxx, with Keris bringing up the rear. The atmosphere inside the tower was heavy with smoke. Lyall was acutely aware that there might be another explosion at any moment, but there was nothing he could do about that. They had to escape the tower as quickly as possible, and this was the only way.
Smoke curled around them and the heat increased. Fire was taking hold in the upper part of the tower. The petards had done more than destroy the transporter mechanism; whether by accident or design, they now threatened to raze the tower itself. Patches of red and orange were visible through open doorways, and there was a rushing sound, as the flames greedily tried to suck in more oxygen.
He heard a loud coughing. It was Alondo. Motioning Shann to carry on the descent, he turned back to his friend. “Are you all right?” he shouted. There was another round of coughing, but Alondo nodded. Lyall put one arm around Alondo’s shoulders, urging him on. He glanced back at Boxx and behind it, the outline of Keris. Both appeared to be coping. They descended through two more floors, and the smoke began to thin noticeably. Alondo signalled that he was able to continue unaided. Lyall released him and moved back to point, quickening the pace.
Lyall had no idea what had happened to the soldiers but right now, a possible ambush was the least of his worries. In any case, he seriously doubted whether they would want to face Alondo’s vortex arm again. His weapon had that effect on people and animals alike.
He was proud of his team, Shann especially so. She had faced a trained Keltar and held him at bay long enough for Keris to deal with him. The girl’s bravery was beyond question. The rest would just be a matter of training and practice. In a way, Keris concerned him more.
First the incident at the compound, and now this. It was as if, having turned on her former friends, she was now being forced to witness their destruction, one by one. It was clear that it was all taking a toll on her and that sooner or later there would be a price to pay for that. Lyall was not sure what he could do to help her, other than to be there for her, and to remind her from time to time of the importance of what they were trying to accomplish.
Regarding that, there was now the question of what they were going to do next. The device that was intended to transport them beyond the Great Barrier was destroyed, gone forever. Assuming they all made it out of here alive, then the others would be looking for an answer to that question. And they would be looking to him. Right now, he didn’t have an answer for them, but he was determined that he would find one. Lyall glanced back and saw them following him as they descended through the ruined tower. I can’t let them down.
They finally broke through to the ground floor and rushed out through the entrance, pausing to take great lungfuls of fresh air. The welcoming rain began to drench their clothes and their bodies, washing away the smell of stale smoke. Lyall scanned the area around the base of the tower. There was no sign of the soldiers or anyone else. Silently, he led the others in single file back towards the wagon and the waiting graylesh.
Behind them the tower burned, flames lighting up the darkening sky.
Chapter 17
The rain had eased to a gentle teasing drizzle. Three Kelanni and one Chandara sat around a small fire near the edge of the Eastern Plains. The Kelanni had blankets pulled over their heads in an effort to try and keep dry. The blankets steamed slightly in the heat of the campfire.
Despite their victory at the tower, the air smelled of defeat. Even Alondo appeared subdued. Earlier, he had broken out rations of dried raleketh meat and handed them around. Shann had done little more than pick at hers.
The injury on her arm no longer hurt, but her mind still seemed conscious of it somehow. Boxx had done something to the wound. At the time, she thought that the creature was just performing some peculiar ceremony and she did not have the inclination or the strength to object. In a few moments, an odd sensation suffused her arm, like hot needles, yet strangely, not unpleasant. Instinct told her she should pull away, but her body did not want to. After a while, she realised that the pain was gone. She probed the area of skin experimentally and to her great surprise, it appeared to be whole. The Chandara sat up on its hind legs, eyeing her curiously. She rubbed her arm. “Thank you.” Satisfied, the odd little beast dropped to all sixes, waddled off and lay down, its head resting on the ground.
The conversation was subdued, mainly because none of them wanted to talk about the only subject on everyone’s minds–what were they going to do now. Back across the open plains, smoke could still be seen rising from the tower, commingling with the dark clouds overhead, barring passage to the other side of their world. They had been guided there by Annata, the woman from the past, yet the device she had used to communicate with them was silent now and she herself was long dead, bones turned to dust and washed away by centuries of rain. They were on their own, burdened with the knowledge of impending disaster, yet powerless to prevent it.
A dark shape moved across the brooding sky and descended to the ground near the campfire. It moved into their midst, the lambent firelight casting its visage in flame and shadow. The face grinned. “Greetings, people.” Keris looked up at Lyall, and then looked back at the fire. No-one spoke. “I have good news,” he began. “There does not seem to be any sign of the Prophet’s men. If the soldiers who confronted us at the tower have returned to their masters, then they have no doubt reported that we gave them a sound thrashing. I think it will make them think twice about attacking us again.”
There was still no answer from anyone. Lyall carried on, “I’m very proud of you all. Everyone was magnificent today. You all did a terrific job.” Keris made an odd snorting noise. Lyall looked at her with an inquiring expression. “Keris?”
“…A terrific job,” she repeated. Lyall allowed her to marshal her thoughts. She continued staring into the depths of the fire as she spoke. “Well let’s see…we… sustained injuries, failed to prevent the destruction of the tower, our only means of travel to the other side of the world and almost got ourselves killed in the process.” She picked up a stick and threw it savagely into the fire as if to punctuate her final word. “Terrific.”
Shann found herself reluctantly agreeing with Keris’ assessment. She wondered what she might do now. Go back and try to free the tributes at Gort again, maybe? If she were killed in the attempt it would hardly matter, as they were all facing destruction anyway. Or she could simply go back to Corte, find Gallar if she was still alive and wait for the end. She found neither prospect very appealing.
Lyall did not seem at all flustered by Keris’ outburst. “Did they teach you to give up so easily in Keltar School?” Keris looked away from the fire for the first time and stared at him. Lyall stood his ground. “Look, none of that matters...all right, it’s a setback, to be sure. But we are alive and well. And the fundamentals have not changed. We know that the Prophet is out to destroy the Kelanni and we have to get to the other side of our world to stop him.”
“How are we going to do that, Lyall?” Alondo asked in a quiet voice.
“We have to cross the Barrier.”
“Do you know someone who knows a way through?” Keris challenged.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” The rain had stopped, and the clouds were breaking up, allowing Ail-Mazzoth’s massive orb to dominate the western sky. “Boxx, is the machine you are carrying still operational?”
The Chandara rose to its hind legs at the mention of its name. “Yes, Lyall.”
“Do you know when Annata will appear next?”
“Yes, Lyall.”
“Can she show us how to continue to the other side of this world?”
“You Must Continue. It Is The Key.”
Lyall smiled. “Well, that’s one vote in favour.” He looked at the others one by one. “We know that Annata has machines and knowledge far beyond ours. We all glimpsed the wonders at the tower. Her people built a machine and sent it through time to warn us. In doing so, t
hey have placed a great responsibility on Keris, and now on us, as well. I do not believe that they would give up and neither should we. If we work together, past and future, then I believe we will find a way.
“I say that nothing has changed. We have a task to complete, on which the very future of the Kelanni depends. Are you with me?” Shann was grateful that his eye fell on her first. She nodded firmly, followed by Alondo and finally after a long pause, Keris gave her assent. “Then it is decided. We continue.”
“Where are we headed?” Alondo asked.
Lyall turned to Keris. “The map you acquired–how far does it extend?”
“All the way to the sea.”
Lyall nodded. “Good. The Great Barrier of Storms lies across the Aronak Sea. I believe we should make for the port city of Sakara.”
“That’s a long way if we take the usual road,” Keris observed.
“I’m aware of that.”
“There may be a short cut,” Keris suggested.
“You mean the Fire Pits of Kharthrun? Is that wise?”
“What are ‘the Fire Pits’?” Shann cut in.
Lyall tried and failed to look non-committal. “They are…nothing to worry about for now.”
~
Slowly, the Eastern Plains came to life, rising to meet the cold light of dawn. Two cloaked figures stood near the base of the tower, looking down at a crumpled heap on the ground. It was unmoving. Nikome.
A soldier in crimson surcoat over leather armour strode over and stood before them. He glanced down at the body before Saccath commanded his attention. “Report, Commander.”
“The tower is clear, my Lord. No sign of the fugitives.”
“What of the device that they were reported to be using?” Saccath demanded.
“Destroyed. The upper floors have been gutted by fire–the soldiers claim they were ordered by Lord Nikome to set petards to prevent the fugitive’s escape.”
“Then where are the fugitives now?”
“They…proved to be too strong for the men, my Lord. There were Keltar among them. The men also spoke of another man with a weapon, the likes of which they had never seen. They claim they could not stand before it.”
“Fetch the men here. I will question them myself.”
The Commander grasped the hilt of his weapon and gave a short bow. “At once, my Lord.” He turned on his heel and swept away.
Saccath’s face contorted. “Fools!”
The figure in the hood turned towards him, one eyebrow raised.
“They ran,” Saccath spat, “left Nikome to face the rebels alone.”
“Nikome disobeyed orders,” the hood pointed out.
Saccath was determined to defend the young man, even in death. “He was trying to stop the rebels from escaping.”
“Escaping where? They had trapped themselves at the top of a tower. Where were they going to go?” The face in the hood shook its head. “No. I know you liked the boy, but the evidence is clear. He was told to maintain distance and not engage the enemy. Yet he decided to go in on his own with four soldiers.”
Saccath felt anger and frustration welling up within him “What were the rebels doing here?”
“We may never know,” the hood’s voice sounded distant. “I suspect that somehow, they discovered a rumour about an artefact at the tower and thought that they might use it to aid their cause. Thanks to Nikome, any indication of the true nature of that artefact was destroyed with the tower.”
The hooded form sighed. “Well at least we have the satisfaction of knowing that whatever they were after was lost to them.”
Saccath was still staring at the body. “We cannot allow this outrage to go unpunished. We have been snapping at these rebels’ heels like gundir when we could have chased them down and eliminated them long ago. Now they have murdered a Keltar. They must pay.” He faced the other squarely. “If you will not go after them, then give me the responsibility.”
“No. The orders stand. The Prophet has his reasons. We will move against them, but only when I say and not before. Is that understood?”
Saccath bowed; his face a dark mask. “As you wish, Excellency.”
“You are right about one thing,” the hood mused. “The soldiers on the spot deserted their Keltar. We cannot allow that. An example must be set.”
The Commander returned, bowing once more before the two cloaked figures. “I have the soldiers from the tower here. Do you wish to question them in private?”
The dark outline beneath the black hood thought for a moment. “No. Assemble the rest of the men, Commander.”
“Right away, Excellency.”
As the soldiers gathered, the four escapees from the tower were brought. They stood before the two Keltar, eyes filled with fear.
The hooded shape turned towards them, its face obscured. “What did you see at the tower?”
The four appeared to have deferred to one of their number, who served as spokesman, a tall man with short dark hair and craggy features. He blinked and his eyes moved rapidly as he spoke. “We saw a great globe rise into the air above the roof of the tower, surrounded by blue lightning. The rebels were inside. We were ordered to bring it down with petards.”
“And when you brought it down, what then?”
“They came from the sphere and attacked us, Keltar. They used a weapon…I do not know what it was, but we could not stand before it.”
“And so you retreated.”
“Yes, Excellency.”
“Abandoning your Keltar.”
“I…we had no choice. We fought against it, but the weapon drove us back.”
“So you wish that you could have stayed to defend your master?”
“Of course.”
The voice from the shadowed cowl rose in volume so that all could hear. “Then you will have your wish. Captain, take these four men into custody.” After a brief struggle, the four stood bound. “Take them to the roof of the tower. Let them join their Keltar.”
A short while later the soldier band rode off into the distance, leaving behind the blackened tower and five broken forms at its base, abandoned like discarded marionettes.
~
Shann spun rapidly in the air, and brought down her darkwood staff with all her strength. She sliced through empty air. As she began to descend towards the ground, she cast about wildly. A breath on her cheek and a staff constricting her throat. How did she get behind me? They touched down together and Keris released the girl.
Shann felt annoyed at her adversary and frustrated with herself. Training with Lyall had been joyous and instructive. Training with this woman felt like a cross between drudgery and ritual humiliation. It was as if the Keltar enjoyed showing up her failings.
“Don’t take your eye off your opponent,” Keris warned. “Follow and anticipate his actions. He won’t be intimidated by your trying to pull off a fancy move.”
“I was not ...,” she protested as Keris turned on her heel and walked away.
“We’re done for today,” Keris called from behind her back. Shann followed, scowling.
It had been Lyall’s idea for her to begin training with Keris. “You can learn a lot from her,” he had urged, “and it might help you to get to know each other a little better.” Shann knew that that was code for ‘getting on better.’ The tension between the two of them had become increasingly obvious since the tower. This was Lyall’s way of trying to smooth things over. If they were going to be a team, they would have to learn to work together. Of course, Lyall did not know what she knew. She had thought again about revealing the woman’s secret communication to him. However, it would still be only be her word against the Keltar’s. She had to have enough proof to convince him. However, the woman had obviously been careful since the night on the plains, when Shann had seen her speaking into her Ring, away from the camp. Shann had done her best to keep watch, but she had been unable to catch the woman out again.
The way back to camp led through a narrow cut in
the hillside. It had been two days since they had left the plains and entered the line of hills that bordered its eastern edge. They were labelled on the map Keris carried as Gilah. The vegetation here was sparse, as was the animal life. A small creature with large round eyes and a long prehensile tail had approached their camp, sniffing with curiosity, but when Shann approached to try and make friends with it, it scooted off. She had kept her eye out for it since but hadn’t seen it again.
She, Lyall and Keris had taken turns scouting for signs of pursuit. It was a surprise to her that Keris considered her competent enough to take a turn, but when Lyall had suggested that Shann be included, the woman had not objected. Maybe she was hoping that Shann would fall into the hands of the enemy and she would be rid of the girl. One thing was certain; if the woman were to learn that her treachery had been observed, then Shann would find herself lying with a Keltar’s diamond blade in her back.
Shann followed Keris into the camp. The wagon had been parked just off the hillside track. The woman headed for the graylesh and her saddle pack. Shann spied Alondo seated next to the wagon, his back leaning against a wheel. She walked over, and he gave a broad smile as soon as he saw her. “Hello there, Shann.” He gestured for her to sit down beside him and she gratefully accepted. “Training going well?”
She made a face at him. “She hates me. She does everything she can to make me look inferior.”
Alondo laughed. “I doubt that. Our resident Keltar is a little…stern. But she does have a lot of skill and experience. Lyall is right; you can learn a lot from her. In spite of her demeanour, I’m sure she means well.”
Shann would have loved nothing better than to have confided in Alondo right there and then; to tell him everything about the woman’s secret communications with Chalimar. But she could not do it; she could not place him in that kind of danger. It was one thing to risk her own life in exposing the woman’s duplicity, but if anything were to happen to him, she would never forgive herself.
She decided to gloss over the matter. “Maybe you’re right. Hey, I don’t have to like her to learn from her, right?” Alondo looked at her sceptically, but said nothing. Shann changed the subject. “Alondo?”
“Yes?”
“Do you miss Hedda?”