Nausea swept through him and he surrendered himself to the blissful dark.
It was a rerun of the scene in the Gardaryn though the stakes were immeasurably higher.
"Soak the walls!" roared an Al-Arynaar at the temple workers who had run out when the first torch and oil had struck the timbers. "Douse the flames and soak the walls. Do it!"
"Weapons!" ordered Katyett.
Twelve TaiGethen and forty Al-Arynaar drew their blades. They advanced a single pace. Each Tai cell formed into its three. Pelyn checked her ranks.
"Double line. Advance on my order. Push them back."
There were weapons in the crowd. Torches flew. Oil flasks shattered over the steps, over the walls and over the defenders. TaiGethen cells moved to the flanks. Katyett, Grafyrre and Merrat remained central. The mob had reacted to the first torch, howling in pleasure as flames ate briefly at a mural of Yniss giving life to the land. Al-Arynaar had dropped back to organise the temple workers.
"Target the agitators," called Katyett.
Pelyn"s heart raced in her chest. She wiped oil from her face. How close they stood to the brink.
"Move in," said Pelyn.
She was at their head. The Al-Arynaar marched forward, swords held low but ready. The crowd backed off, but from all parts was being exhorted to hold.
"Remember who you really are," said Pelyn. "Ordinary people. You have children, you have lives to lead. Go back to them."
They moved closer: Al-Arynaar and citizen could almost touch. The rain was coming down harder now but torches bathed in pitch would burn and the oil was resistant enough to do real damage. A torch was thrust through the front rank of the crowd and into the midriff of an Al-Arynaar.
Already covered in oil, she staggered back, flame shooting up her armour, across her hands and into her face. She screamed, pain and fear mingling. Three of her brothers dropped their swords and threw themselves on her, bearing her to the ground. And out of the crowd stormed six ulas ulas with more torch-bearers behind. with more torch-bearers behind.
They rushed the break in the line. Knives and swords rose. Helpless Al-Arynaar were going to be injured or killed. Pelyn had no time to think. She blocked a downward strike with her blade, heaved the ula ula"s arm back across his body and whipped her blade across his chest, a battle cry escaping her lips as she did so.
Blood sprayed into the air to mix with the rain. The ula was flung back, stumbling, dropping his knife and grabbing at his body. Pelyn saw it all through a haze. The mouths of elves dropping open. The fingers being raised to point. And the collapse of any semblance of order.
Screams rang out through the crowd. Panicked people ran left, right and back. ula and iad pushed each other down and aside to escape. More elves threw themselves at the Al-Arynaar. Fists struck down at the burning warrior and her protectors. Fingers raked across faces. Al-Arynaar barrelled into the attackers, sweeping them away.
TaiGethen attacked from left and right. Katyett hurdled the Al-Arynaar line with Grafyrre and Merrat. She bounced on one leg, rose and kicked out flat, driving the blade and arm of her target hard back into his gut. He fell back, sword arm flying out in a futile attempt at balance. The blade struck the face of another standing next to him, taking out an eye.
Pelyn faced a furious knot of elves.
"Murderer! Ynissul slave."
She could still see the ula she had struck moving behind them, stumbling as he tried to escape.
"Go back to your homes. No more need be hurt. You"ve burned my people and the temple of Yniss. Your shame will live with you in the eyes of Shorth." Pelyn brought her sword to the ready and moved towards them. "Any of you want to disagree?"
Four rushed her. Al-Arynaar were either side of her. It was an uncoordinated attack. Two were ahead. One brought an old rusting short sword overhead. She swayed left and it rushed harmlessly past her shoulder. The second flailed out with long fingernails. Pelyn took her blade two-handed and blocked the strike aside with her wrists, leaning in with her right shoulder to connect with her attacker"s chest. The elf was spun round and hit the ground hard.
The third found his way blocked by one of her warriors. The fourth made to throw his knife. His wrist was c.o.c.ked. A hand clamped to it and held him hard. His feet brought him forward and he was dumped on his back. Katyett dropped a knee into his gut and put a blade to his eye.
"Stop this attack or you will be the first to explain yourself to Shorth."
Pelyn had her blade at the throat of the elf she"d put down. Her other attackers were covered by warriors needing little more goading to push their blades home. On the face of the one staring up at Katyett there was fear and fury.
"It has already been a trying day," said Katyett. "And my sword hand aches."
"Let me up," he hissed at her.
"I don"t think so. I remember you from the chamber. And it was the torch in your hand that has burned my Al-Arynaar sister. You"re going nowhere. It"s more a question of whether you choose to die now or rot in the Lanyon. Call off the attack."
The attack was already over. The speed of the TaiGethen and the intent of the Al-Arynaar had scattered the body and will of the crowd. Anyone dragged along by nothing more than inflamed pa.s.sion had already run. Those with weapons were backing away. Pelyn waved her warriors to move up slowly, pushing the remains of the crowd further from the temple.
The rain began to pound down so hard it stung the unprotected head. Pelyn turned to check on the condition of her burned Al-Arynaar but her eye was caught by a lone TaiGethen running towards the temple having entered the piazza from the east. His body was fluid and in control but Pelyn could see anguish on his face. It was a moment before she recognised Pakiir. Her heart went cold.
Katyett had seen him too and was running to intercept him. The few remaining in the crowd caught a change in the mood. Pelyn watched Katyett. Saw her arms come out to slow Pakiir and grip his shoulders, trying to calm him. Katyett stiffened, kissed Pakiir"s forehead and brought him into a brief embrace. When she released him, Pakiir ran into the temple and Katyett turned back. Her face was grey. The rain pouring down it serving only to intensify an expression which would have stolen the thunder from the sky.
"Methian, keep the crowd moving out of the piazza," Pelyn said to her captain. "Muster back at the temple when you"re done."
She walked towards Katyett, who had called her Tais to her. As they joined her, they crouched, hands to the earth and heads bowed. Pelyn could hear quiet prayers of melancholy and knew already the magnitude of what had happened.
"Katyett?" she asked quietly Katyett had tears on her face. Pelyn could see them despite the rain.
"Yniss and Tual have surely turned from us," she whispered. "Feel Gyal"s tears, feel the anger within them."
Pelyn was shaking, her breathing fast and her vision tunnelling. "What has happened? Please."
Katyett shook her head. "Jarinn and Lorius. Both dead. Murdered by men and traitors. Burned beyond recognition by something the men brought with them, Pelyn."
Pelyn"s legs had given way and she"d sat down hard, her sword tumbling from her grip to clatter on the stone ap.r.o.n. She put her hands on her face, covering her mouth, eyes and nose. Nausea raged through her. She turned up to the heavens, letting Gyal"s tears drum on the backs of her hands.
She was aware Katyett had knelt by her and of the mourning dirge the TaiGethen were beginning to chant.
"We cannot keep this news quiet. We have to be ready for what is to come," said Katyett. "You must warn the Al-Arynaar."
"Who are the traitors?" Pelyn took her hands from her face and looked into Katyett"s eyes.
"This is not the time."
"What will I tell my warriors?" pushed Pelyn.
"Men killed our priests. Men backed by an Ynissul," said Katyett, the words hard for her to speak.
"Ynissul killed Lorius," said Pelyn, the sickness deep in her gut and a flash of hate for the temple in front of her impossible to ignore. "You know how this will play out."
"Ynissul killed Jarinn too."
"You and I both know that won"t matter," said Pelyn. "And Ynissul have brought strangers to these sh.o.r.es."
"I know," said Katyett. "Pelyn, this is a pivotal moment. How the Al-Arynaar react is key. You do understand me?"
Pelyn nodded. Emotions clashed within her. "It is difficult."
"Then remember what you"re fighting for. What we"ve fought for. You and I have stood shoulder to shoulder. On the walls of Tul-Kenerit we have faced the Garonin. All because we believe in what Takaar gave us. That has not changed. Criminal elements are taking advantage of the denouncement. We have to stand firm and we have to root out and kill those who would murder our most beloved to bring disorder down on the elves. We will hunt down the rogue Ynissul. Starting now."
"I want to believe that," said Pelyn.
Katyett bridled. "I am TaiGethen."
"I have warriors who will be seriously conflicted. Tual knows I understand why."
"You cannot crack. You cannot falter. Flinch and perish, Pelyn. Remember that. But it won"t just be your death, it"ll be the death of our entire way of life. The waste of a thousand years of effort."
Pelyn nodded again. "What will you do?"
Katyett glanced behind her. Pakiir and a group of healers were running out of the piazza.
"I must see to Olmaat. He"s still alive and what he has seen is crucial to us. I don"t know what"s next, Pelyn, I really don"t. But no Ynissul will be safe. I am debating taking every Ynissul in Ysundeneth out of the city."
"You know the message that will send."
"Do I have another choice?"
Pelyn shrugged and climbed to her feet. Her heart was pained and melancholy ached throughout her whole body. The TaiGethen had completed their dirge and had moved to stand behind Katyett. She was helped up.
"I don"t know, Katyett. All I know is that I am empty inside just as you must be. But you have not lost your priest to another thread. This will spread. How long does it take for news to reach Tolt Anoor or Deneth Barine? How can it not consume us?"
"Grieve for Lorius. Hate me if it helps. Just don"t turn your back on the harmony. Think, Pelyn. Bring the Al-Arynaar with you or we"re all lost."
"I am thinking, Katyett. And I do not know who to trust."
Chapter 11.
If you pause to regret a killing blow, you will be explaining your regret to Shorth.
Sildaan watched Garan kneel by Haleth and then each mage in turn. She could have told him he was wasting his time. Auum would not have left any of them breathing unless their wounds were mortal. The one he had left alive had lapsed into unconsciousness and was moments from death.
The front of the dome floor was covered in human blood. Ice melted and dripped from the walls and fell like rain from the statue of Yniss. The casting did not appear to have done any damage. Nothing physical. But the effect on the forces which would range against her would be far-reaching.
Sildaan sighed. "Perhaps you"ll listen to my advice next time. I will deal with the TaiGethen."
"This is dealing with them, is it?"
"You intervened with your magic. You caused this. You do not know what you have antagonised."
Garan jerked to his feet. "I think you"ll find I know pretty b.l.o.o.d.y well. That one b.a.s.t.a.r.d and his ghost priest killed nineteen of my men. And now he"s slaughtered my second in command and four of my mages before the ice has melted from his hair. So you"ll excuse me if I don"t feel like hearing "I told you so" right now."
"You"ve no idea what you"ve done, have you?" said Sildaan.
"But I"m sure you"re going to tell me."
Sildaan walked towards him. "Right now, Auum will be organising a muster of the whole TaiGethen order. And their sole focus will be on ripping out your still-beating heart."
"Well it isn"t as if there are that many of them," said Garan.
"Considering just one has managed to kill twenty-four of your finest, there don"t have to be many of them, do there?" Sildaan wondered if she"d slipped her knife into the wrong ally. "And he"s not even the best of them. He"s young and his skills aren"t complete. Think about it."
"I"m thinking the rest of the temple Tais did not present too much of a problem."
"Indeed, but killing the rest with a single casting won"t be so easy, will it?"
"My mages will deal with them. Don"t worry about it."
Sildaan gestured at the bodies around the pool. "I do not share your confidence. What is it that"s stopping you understanding just how dangerous the TaiGethen are?"
"I think I"ve outlined how aware I am."
"Then you aren"t listening to your own words. There are TaiGethen cells across the rainforest. A few in each major city too. You don"t see them unless they want to be seen. Your d.a.m.n mages can"t cast on something they can"t see, can they? Any TaiGethen has the authority to kill any stranger they find in the forest. They are not required to ask you questions.
"They kill without error and without mercy. They are quick and they are silent. They are utterly loyal to Takaar and the harmony of the elves. He is their father as much as Yniss is their G.o.d. Not one will waver one iota. That makes them our mortal enemies. And you, Garan, have managed to unite them into a single force with a common goal. Now that may not worry you but, in your language, it scares the s.h.i.t out of me."
Garan looked a little uncertain for the first time. "How many of them are there?"
"It"s hard to say at any one time," said Sildaan, blowing out her cheeks. "If we a.s.sume all are alive barring those we know to be dead, probably around ninety."
"Ninety?"
"Now you"re getting it."
"You"ve been less than clear about this so far, that"s what I"m getting. We need more men. Particularly if your Al-Arynaar side with them too."
"The Al-Arynaar will be split. We"ve seen to that. And we don"t need more men. We need smarter men, don"t you think?"
Garan took on that arrogant air that Sildaan was learning to hate in men.
"You"ve put me in charge of the muscle and mayhem. And I say we need more men."
"You"ve got all you"re going to get on the payroll of the new Ynissul, Garan. You need to manage your losses better. You forget that any reinforcements are on Balaia. That"s a lot of days of delay. Thirty at least."