Yes, Linden thought. In the Hall of Gifts. She wanted to believe that she could already feel power acc.u.mulating in the early stages of the construct; that its sheer glory would be apparent to Stave. But the bones remained stubbornly inert after each flaring of Earthpower. Their places in his design were still too fragmentary to imply their eventual shape and purpose.
When Stave said her name again, however, she reacted at once. Readying her Staff, she strode away from Jeremiah. She hoped to put at least a few paces between him and anything that she might have to do.
At first, she did not understand why Stave had called her. Under the leaden lid of the sky, she found only the untenable whiteness of bones, the circle of cleared ground, the shallow sides of the basin, the frangible jut of sandstone around the crater"s rim. But the Ranyhyn had skittered away in alarm. Hynyn, Hyn, and Khelen rounded to the far side of the pile and halted there, fretting.
What is it? Linden might have asked the Haruchai Haruchai. What do you sense?
Then she knew. She heard chiming- In an urgent clamor of bells, Infelice of the Elohim Elohim arrived like a whirlwind arising from the lifeless dirt. arrived like a whirlwind arising from the lifeless dirt.
Imperial and proud, she confronted Linden. Adorned in gems and rich music, and clad in sendaline woven and glittering like the stuff of dreams, the woman advanced like the world"s suzerain wreathed in wrath and judgment. The l.u.s.ter of her hair was bright with compulsions in spite of the waning sunshine, and she wore her supple loveliness as though it were an accusation. The gales implied by her eyes reminded Linden of Esmer"s sea-storm gaze.
"Now you are thrice a Desecrator, Wildwielder!" Her voice might have been a bitter snarl, but it was tuned to the pitch of beauty and jewels, and every word soared, accompanied by chimes in perfect harmony. "Rousing the Worm, you have doomed all that is precious within the bounds of Time. Acceding to the Harrow, you have bestirred slumbering havoc, avid for horrors beyond comprehension. Yet here you surpa.s.s yourself."
Linden glared in response. No doubt she should have been daunted; but she was not. Jeremiah was building-She was eager to see what he would achieve: too eager to flinch or falter.
"By all that your paltry heart deems holy, Wildwielder!" Infelice was a carillon of vehemence. She seemed to a.s.sail Linden with song and majesty. And she had placed herself between Linden and Jeremiah. "Releasing the boy from the toils of the croyel croyel-That indeed was well done-and no deed of yours. Likewise the Harrow"s death was well done, and no deed of yours. But now you enable ruin incarnate. You should not have heeded the Ranyhyn. They have brought you to this place of death, intending dire atrocity."
Linden"s eyes widened, but not in dismay. The flagrant indignation of the Elohim Elohim meant nothing to her. Death! she thought, sudden as an epiphany. meant nothing to her. Death! she thought, sudden as an epiphany. Bones Bones. For which her need-no, Jeremiah"s Jeremiah"s need-was great. need-was great.
Somehow the Insequent had foreseen this. In their own way, the Ranyhyn had foreseen it. And that flash of insight released Linden"s heart.
It contradicted the harsh logic of despair.
With music and consternation, Infelice proclaimed, "If you preserve this vile boy, you will cause eternal woe."
Vile boy? Inspired by revelation, Linden aimed her Staff at Infelice to show the Elohim Elohim that she was ready for battle. The need for death was Jeremiah"s, not hers-and he already lived in graves. If nothing of hers could restore him, perhaps he would be able to resurrect himself with bones. that she was ready for battle. The need for death was Jeremiah"s, not hers-and he already lived in graves. If nothing of hers could restore him, perhaps he would be able to resurrect himself with bones.
"Listen to me." Linden p.r.o.nounced each word as if she were articulating the significance of her love. "I"m only going to warn you once. If you lift so much as a finger against my son, I"ll do whatever it takes to stop you."
With her whole heart, she willed Infelice to believe her.
"I"ll call up so much Earthpower that it makes another Landsdrop." In some sense, the Elohim Elohim were embodied Earthpower. Surely Infelice could be harmed by her own form of life? "And if that doesn"t work, I"ll use Covenant"s ring. were embodied Earthpower. Surely Infelice could be harmed by her own form of life? "And if that doesn"t work, I"ll use Covenant"s ring.
"I"m not its rightful wielder. I"m told that I can"t actually destroy the Arch. But I can still hurt you you. There"s a reason that you"re so afraid of wild magic. I think it"s because you don"t have any defense. Try me, and I"ll burn you until there"s nothing left."
Infelice clenched her fists. Bells clamored wrath in the caldera until the bones trembled, all of them-except the ones which Jeremiah had merged.
"And do you conceive that I regard your threat? Wildwielder, you do not desire comprehension. You have inquired concerning the shadow upon the hearts of the Elohim Elohim , but you do not attend when you are answered. It is , but you do not attend when you are answered. It is this this." She slapped a gesture at Jeremiah. "His purpose for us is an abomination, more so than our doom in the maw of the Worm. But it is not the worst evil."
"All right." Linden did not waver. The Staff held steady in her hands. "Let"s take this one step at a time." Jeremiah was still working, as undisturbed by Infelice as he was by caesures caesures. Apparently he had completed one wall of his construct. Now he began to meld a similar structure atop the second of his foundation-bones. He only needed to be left alone. "If there"s something that you want me to understand, help me with it."
Before Infelice could interrupt her, she said, "Whatever Jeremiah is making, he needs bone. But why these these bones? What are they? Where did they come from? How did they get here?" bones? What are they? Where did they come from? How did they get here?"
The Elohim Elohim"s raiment displayed jewels and exasperation. "Wildwielder, I will not suffer this. You ask for the history of the Earth entire. I will say only that they are the remains of quellvisks quellvisks." Her bells sang distaste under the dulled sky. "It does not concern you that they once made war upon the Elohim Elohim. In a distant age, they were destroyed. Their bones we deposited here, in Muirwin Delenoth, which signifies the resting place of abhorrence, as an emblem of our disdain for such affronts."
-destroyed. By Infelice and her people.
Linden frowned as though she wanted to understand. "That doesn"t help." She had no interest in extinct monsters. "It doesn"t matter how long ago you killed them. They"re still just bones. I"ll try a different question.
"Why were the Ranyhyn suddenly in such a hurry? For G.o.d"s sake, they spent two days just walking walking. Then they decided to run.
"Maybe if you explain what changed, I"ll understand."
Infelice brandished her fists. For an instant, her chiming collapsed into cacophony. Then she mastered herself.
Melodious again, she answered, "An implausible threat approaches the Timewarden"s wracked mate. Long and long within her frail confines, she has readied herself to confront him, she and turiya turiya Herem with her. But now the minions of noisome Horrim Carabal advance against her. They cannot harm her. However, they endanger the Herem with her. But now the minions of noisome Horrim Carabal advance against her. They cannot harm her. However, they endanger the skest skest that ward and sustain her. By so doing, they hope to weaken her. that ward and sustain her. By so doing, they hope to weaken her.
"This neither turiya turiya Herem nor the Ranyhyn foresaw. They could not. It is the unlikely outcome of your encounter with Horrim Carabal. Therefore the Timewarden"s mate fears it. She is roused to frenzy, and her Herem nor the Ranyhyn foresaw. They could not. It is the unlikely outcome of your encounter with Horrim Carabal. Therefore the Timewarden"s mate fears it. She is roused to frenzy, and her caesures caesures imperil all who travel here. For that reason, the Ranyhyn have hastened to accomplish their loathsome purpose." imperil all who travel here. For that reason, the Ranyhyn have hastened to accomplish their loathsome purpose."
This time, Linden shook her head. Infelice"s explanation raised as many questions as it answered. The Feroce had almost succeeded in delivering the Staff of Law to the lurker-and now they moved against the skest skest? But Linden did not allow herself to be distracted. Covenant was still alive: in effect, Infelice had said so. Other issues were more important.
Jeremiah was more important. He was balancing the first layers of his second wall, fusing them with Earthpower-and far from done. He might need hours yet.
He had enough bone here to fashion an entire castle.
"All right," she repeated, speaking slowly; stalling for time. "That"s a start. Let"s move on. You said that coming here enables atrocity. Jeremiah"s purpose is an abomination. What do you imagine his purpose is is? What do you think he"s making?"
She could guess. Roger had said about the Elohim Elohim, They"re They"re vulnerable vulnerable to certain kinds of structures to certain kinds of structures. Like Vain. Specific constructs attract them Specific constructs attract them. Exactly the right materials in exactly the right shape Exactly the right materials in exactly the right shape. Other structures repel them Other structures repel them. Or blind them Or blind them. By that means, the croyel croyel had concealed itself in the Lost Deep. had concealed itself in the Lost Deep.
Jeremiah"s edifice of bone might well be a trap of some kind. But Linden wanted to hear the truth from Infelice.
"Did the halfhand not speak of this?" The Elohim Elohim"s tone was bitter; but a note of sorrow softened the angry harmonics of her music. "The boy will ensnare us. He will deprive us of life and meaning and hope."
Your kid makes doors. Doors through time Doors through time. Doors between realities Doors between realities. And doors that don"t go anywhere And doors that don"t go anywhere. Prisons Prisons. When you walk into them, you never come out When you walk into them, you never come out.
Linden ached to move so that she stood between Infelice and Jeremiah; but she forced herself to remain where she was. As long as she contrived to keep Infelice"s attention fixed on her, away from Jeremiah- Stave watched the Elohim Elohim with his arms folded as though he had the strength to defy her. with his arms folded as though he had the strength to defy her.
"I"m going to pretend that that makes sense," Linden drawled, "although why Jeremiah would care what happens to you is beyond me. Tell me why-"
"Chosen," Stave said abruptly: a warning.
An instant later, the three Ranyhyn wheeled aside, lunged away from each other; and a caesure caesure erupted where Khelen had been standing on the far side of the bones. erupted where Khelen had been standing on the far side of the bones.
It was as ravenous as one of the skurj skurj; as irresistible as a Sandgorgon. And it was close close-! Its proximity filled her throat with vomit. In three more heartbeats, it would surge near enough to swallow Jeremiah.
Noise filled the air like the clatter of dropped bells or swords as Infelice vanished.
No. " "Melenkurion abatha!" Black fire burst from Linden"s Staff, fierce as a volcanic detonation. "Duroc minas mill!" Her whole being was flame: she lashed at the Fall with every pa.s.sion of her life. "Harad G.o.d d.a.m.n G.o.d d.a.m.n khabaal! khabaal!"
You will not will not have my son! have my son!
She was becoming an adept, elevated by extremity. For a moment, she seemed to hear Joan screaming in the heart of the storm. I"ve been good! I"ve been good! Against Linden"s onslaught, the Against Linden"s onslaught, the caesure caesure staggered; flickered. staggered; flickered. Make it stop! Make it stop! Then it lurched backward. Then it lurched backward. I can"t bear it! I can"t bear it!
Struck to the core, the time-storm curled into itself and imploded. Scant instants after it appeared, it was gone.
It won"t be much longer. Roger had promised his mother that. Roger had promised his mother that. We"ll make it stop together. We"ll make it stop together.
Covenant! Oh, Covenant, watch out. She"s getting stronger.
Jeremiah was still at work as though nothing had happened. Empty of every form of consciousness except concentration on his construct, he sealed phalanges in place, propped crooked bones among them, rested a scapula off-center and left it, imponderably secure. To Linden"s urgent glance, this side of his structure appeared to be an exact mirror of the other. If she had looked more closely, she might have noticed that he had set dozens of details deliberately askew. But she did not have time.
Announced by chiming, Infelice incarnated herself between Linden and Jeremiah as though she had never been absent. Her sendaline murmured of disdain and supplication as it moved, stirred by a breeze that Linden could not feel.
"Oh, good," Linden panted, shaken by her own exertions and the caesure caesure"s inrush. "You haven"t given up. I still have questions."
In scorn, the Elohim Elohim retorted, "And I continue to reply, imploring you to set aside your opposition. If you will not permit me to deflect the boy from the path of this atrocity, I pray that you yourself will thwart him, for the sake of the Land and the Earth, since you care naught for the retorted, "And I continue to reply, imploring you to set aside your opposition. If you will not permit me to deflect the boy from the path of this atrocity, I pray that you yourself will thwart him, for the sake of the Land and the Earth, since you care naught for the Elohim Elohim. Remove him from his task. Unmake what he has done. Set him upon his beast and ride hence. If you do so, while they live the Elohim Elohim will ensure that he does not fall under the Despiser"s dominion a second time. Thus the worst of all evils may be forestalled." will ensure that he does not fall under the Despiser"s dominion a second time. Thus the worst of all evils may be forestalled."
"Wait a minute," Linden demanded. She no longer held the Staff aimed at Infelice, but she was ready. "You"re going too fast for me.
"Never mind that Jeremiah probably doesn"t care about you any more than I do. I was about to ask you why getting caught in one of his doors is worse than being eaten by the Worm. They sound about the same to me. Either way, you"re finished. Why is a prison worse than dying?"
The music around Infelice sounded like teeth grinding in frustration. Lordly and contemptuous, she answered, "Wildwielder, the Worm is mere extinction. The prison which the boy will devise is eternal helplessness, fully cognizant and forever futile. It will out-live the ending of suns and stars. Which doom would you prefer? Which would you elect for your son?"
Still Stave stood motionless, like a man who had no part to play in the world"s ruin. Behind Infelice, Jeremiah had used two more heavy bones like huge femurs snapped in half to complete the frame of his second wall: the side of an entryway, or the start of a corridor. Now he was busy filling the s.p.a.ce between the uprights with fingers and limbs and lumps and gnarled boughs of bone. And as he worked, without haste or hesitation, Earthpower flowed from his hands like water, binding together the many pieces of his construct.
By degrees, theurgy swelled in the bones. It was still nascent, still tenuous and vague, but Linden sensed that soon it would start to burgeon. His creation was beginning to resemble the numinous box which he had used to reach the depths of Melenkurion Melenkurion Skyweir: it was coming to life. Skyweir: it was coming to life.
"All right," Linden said for the third time; perhaps the last time. "I"ll give you that one. It makes sense.
"So tell me. I"m ready to hear it now. What"s "the worst evil"? If imprisoning you is worse than the Worm of the World"s End, what could possibly be "the worst of all evils"?"
Infelice had become unalloyed wrath, a tintinnabulation too clangorous to be ignored. "The Despiser," she rang out, "who is called a-Jeroth and Lord Foul and many other names, has placed his mark upon the boy. You claim the boy as your son, but you do not know him. You have not grasped that there is no limit to what he can achieve when he is given suitable aid.
"a.s.suredly the Despiser desires his escape from the Arch of Time-and to accomplish that end, he does not require the boy. In his secret heart, however, he nurtures a darker intent. He seeks to devise a prison for the Creator, making use of the boy"s gifts when the Arch has fallen. This he means to accomplish in the moment of collapse, when all things have become mutable. As the Despiser has suffered, so he wishes all possible Creation to suffer, in unending emptiness and lamentation.
"This you do not comprehend. Your mortal mind cannot encompa.s.s such absolute loss. Yet I beseech you to hear me. You have asked after the shadow on the hearts of the Elohim Elohim. The eternal end of Creation is shadow enough to darken the heart of any being."
Linden stared, shocked in spite of her allegiance to her son. Was it possible? Possible? Possible? Could Lord Foul Could Lord Foul do do that? With Jeremiah"s help? The eternal end- that? With Jeremiah"s help? The eternal end- -but of my deeper purpose I will not speak.
More power throbbed behind Infelice. Jeremiah appeared to be finishing his second wall, the other side of a doorway or pa.s.sage. In another moment or two, he would commence the next phase of his construct, whatever that might be.
He needed more time. But Linden was too stunned to think. The eternal end-? Infelice was right about one thing: Linden could not grasp the concept. Lord Foul intended that that? And she had run out of questions or arguments. Soon she would have no means to delay her antagonist except Earthpower or wild magic.
"Nonetheless, Elohim Elohim," Stave said unexpectedly, "your own comprehension is flawed." He remained standing with his arms closed across his chest, as impa.s.sive as Jeremiah, and as unmoved. "I acknowledge that your undying thoughts surpa.s.s mine, or the Chosen"s, or indeed those of the Ranyhyn. Yet when you speak of the shadow upon your heart, you speak in contradictions.
"In Andelain, you averred that your spirits are darkened by "the threat of beings from beyond Time." You cited the Chosen and also the Unbeliever, and I doubt not that you include this boy in your tale of darkness. You described them as "beings both small and mortal who are nonetheless capable of utter devastation.""
Linden remembered. By his own deeds By his own deeds, Infelice had said, the Despiser cannot destroy the Arch of Time the Despiser cannot destroy the Arch of Time. He requires your aid, Wildwielder, and that of the man who was once the Unbeliever He requires your aid, Wildwielder, and that of the man who was once the Unbeliever.
"To content you," Stave continued, "I will also acknowledge that the presence in the Land of "beings from beyond Time" has been chiefly caused by Corruption, if not by his own hand then by the efforts of his servants."
Infelice lifted an elegant eyebrow. The ire of her chiming receded into a more cautious mode. Apparently the Haruchai Haruchai had caught her attention. had caught her attention.
At her back, Jeremiah turned away from the walls or sides of his construct. With strength that astonished Linden, far more strength than he should have possessed, he retrieved the largest of his gathered bones, the single intact femur, and raised it over his head. His muddy gaze regarded nothing as he carried the ma.s.sive bone to his structure and set its length across the tops of the walls like a lintel.
When he had sealed the femur in its position, the vibration of his created magic rose to a higher pitch. Linden felt its hum in her own bones. Waves of power made her skin itch as if every inch were a wound newly healed.
But Stave did not pause; gave no sign that he was aware of Jeremiah or theurgy.
"Yet by your own admission," he said, "the Chosen did not effect the boy"s release from the croyel croyel. Nor was he freed by ur-Lord Covenant"s intervention. And it was neither the Chosen nor the Unbeliever who discovered the boy"s covert in the Lost Deep. Furthermore we were not brought to this place at this time by either the Chosen or the Unbeliever-or by her son, or by his son or mate. We are here only by the will of the Ranyhyn.
"Herein lies your error, Elohim Elohim. Every essential step along the path of the boy"s purpose has been taken by the natural inhabitants of the Earth. The Chosen and the Unbeliever and perhaps even the Unbeliever"s son have enabled those steps, but have not determined them. Therefore our presence here, and the boy"s present display of lore, do not conform to your description of the shadow upon the hearts of the Elohim Elohim. If we are now threatened by "the worst of all evils," it is through no fault or purpose or power of the Chosen"s son.
"Thus," the Haruchai Haruchai stated as though his logic were una.s.sailable, "it is made plain even to mortal minds that your protestations are spurious. You appear to believe that this boy is no more than a tool wielded by other beings. But the tool cannot be held accountable for the use which is made of it. And here the hands which wield him are those of the Ranyhyn and the Harrow, the first new Stonedownor and the lost son of Sunder and Hollian. They are the hands of beings who live and may perish within the proper confines of Time. stated as though his logic were una.s.sailable, "it is made plain even to mortal minds that your protestations are spurious. You appear to believe that this boy is no more than a tool wielded by other beings. But the tool cannot be held accountable for the use which is made of it. And here the hands which wield him are those of the Ranyhyn and the Harrow, the first new Stonedownor and the lost son of Sunder and Hollian. They are the hands of beings who live and may perish within the proper confines of Time.
"Thus it follows that you have no cause to oppose the boy. His present efforts cannot achieve Corruption"s designs."
Yes, Linden thought. Yes Yes. It was Stave who had first shown her how to believe that Jeremiah did not belong to Lord Foul. Now the former Master dispelled every doubt that had marred her faith.
Apart from the claiming of your vacant son- He"s belonged belonged to Foul for years to Foul for years.
Roger had lied to her. The Despiser had tried to mislead her. From the first, one or both of them had striven to teach her despair. And they had succeeded.
Yet Stave answered them for her. The Ranyhyn and Anele had answered them. Jeremiah himself was answering them now.
Trust.
With as much subtlety as she could manage, Linden began mustering Earthpower in her mind.
As her son added phalanges and tarsal blocks like supports for his lintel, the force implicit in his structure scaled still higher. Soon it felt like the gnashing of dislocated realities, a door between worlds. In contrast, the music of the Elohim Elohim seemed dim and l.u.s.terless; as dulled as the ashen sky. seemed dim and l.u.s.terless; as dulled as the ashen sky.
Over her shoulder, Infelice cast a glance like a blaze of gems at the boy. Then she faced Stave for the first time.
"You are Haruchai Haruchai," she said in a tone of regal disdain. "Have you forgotten that your strength is as weak as water to the Elohim Elohim, and as devoid of import? Yet I have heard you, hoping that the Wildwielder will reconsider her folly while you bandy words. Now you have said enough. I will hear no more.
"If the tool cannot be held accountable for its use, it likewise cannot be used if it does not exist. Hold yourselves blameless, if that is your desire. I have spoken of perils which transcend blame. They must be prevented at any cost."
With a gesture of dismissal, as if she were banishing Stave from her sight, Infelice turned away.
Toward Jeremiah.
Linden was already summoning fire from her Staff when Stave barked harshly, "Chosen!"
Another caesure caesure. As soon as Stave called to her, she felt it stinging her flesh, hiving in her guts.
The puissance of Jeremiah"s construct ramified into the grey heavens. He stepped back from it as if his work were done. Gazing blankly at his structure, his marrowmeld sculpture, like an artist who had expended every iota of himself, he extended his halfhand in Linden"s direction like a request for confirmation. But he did not turn his head, or shift his feet, or give any other indication that he wanted something from his mother.
Infelice was about to destroy him. One way or another, the Elohim Elohim would put an end to every possibility, every hope. would put an end to every possibility, every hope.
Nevertheless the Fall was more immediate. And Infelice feared it. She feared it at least as much as Linden did. She might hesitate while she was in danger.
Frantically Linden wheeled away to hurl black fury into the migraine storm of hornets and instants.
But she was wrong. As soon as she spotted the caesure caesure, she saw that she was wrong. Joan had missed her aim. Her concentration, or turiya turiya"s, was fraying. Vicious as a tornado, the Fall seethed on the far rim of the caldera. From where she stood, Linden could not have thrown a piece of bone to hit it. And it was moving away. Awkward as a cripple, it stumbled onto the outer slope of the crater and began to descend, a blind thing forsaken by its guide. If it did not suddenly change directions, it would drift out of sight and do no harm.
Wrong, wrong, wrong wrong. Linden had given Infelice a chance- And Stave was powerless against the Elohim Elohim. Long ago, Linden had witnessed the negligent ease with which Infelice"s people had refused Brinn and Cail, Hergrom and Ceer, from their demesne.
Swinging the Staff"s howl of Earthpower, she spun back toward Jeremiah- -and was instantly frozen; stopped where she stood, as if every imaginable motion had been stripped from her. Her arms and legs were paralyzed: her heart seemed to stop beating. Blood congealed in her veins. Her fire vanished as if she knew nothing of Earthpower and had never understood Law.