Jackdaw hesitated when he reached them, looking fearfully horn one to the other as though worried about how they would react to his presence. Ilumene gave a snort and tossed the man a half-full waterskin. Jackdaw took it gratefully, sucking down long gulps until he caught the scarred soldier"s stare. He handed it back quickly.
Ilumene allowed himself a mouthful and hung the waterskin back around his neck, then made his way into the wreckage of a building. Jackdaw looked past him at the bodies, many burned beyond recognition. He paused as he stared at the nearest corpse, a man lying at rest, his hands folded at his throat as though laid out for burial. It was a strangely peaceful sight, especially when compared with the charred heap of long, strangely distorted limbs and hooked talons a few feet away. Ilumene walked up to it and gave the ma.s.sive body a kick, knocking off some blackened lumps of some unidentifiable material. Whatever it might have been, it wasn"t human.
"Was that his Aspect-Guide.?" asked jackdaw breathlessly as Ilumene cursed and tried to shake the mess from his boot.
"Unless you think it likely some other beast this size wandered into the city last night," growled Venn.
Jackdaw didn"t reply, afraid of saying anything that might antagonise either of the other two men. They kicked and beat him whenever they pleased, and the mage had been too frightened to do anything in return to Rojak"s favoured sons. He stood now with his eyes on the ground, shoulders slumped, looking for all the world like a skeleton hung on a peg.
Ilumene moved through the rubble where the house had once stood, dragged aside a long, blackened timber and kicked chipped slate tiles and other debris out of the way until he found what he was looking for. Jackdaw surrept.i.tiously leaned to one side to get a better look until something snapped under his heel, drawing furious looks that made him scramble back, biting his lip to stop the gabbling apologies that so infuriated them.
Illumine finished glaring at Jackdaw and descended the handful of steps he"d uncovered. A battered wooden door at the bottom wouldn"t budge until he kicked it hard, splitting it enough for him to be able to smash through the rusted iron hinges with a lump of stone. Jackdaw didn"t need to see Ilumene"s face to know how much he was enjoying himself; the former King"s Man took an almost childish pleasure in destruction, anything that could break, anything that could bruise.
"What are we looking for?" Jackdaw muttered.
Ilumene said nothing as he ducked his head under the sagging lintel and disappeared from view. Jackdaw allowed a few minutes to pa.s.s before he sighed, cleared a s.p.a.ce on the nearest flat piece of ground and eased himself down. Venn stared at him for a moment, then stepped up onto the broken door and positioned himself so he could see both Jackdaw and the steps.
They waited in silence. Venn looked off to the northern horizon where he"d once said his home was located, then, murmuring something under his breath, he balanced himself on one foot, keeping remarkably still without any apparent effort. He glared disdainfully at the twitching figure in a ragged sheet.
Jackdaw ignored him, staring morosely at the patch of dirt at his feet.
After a while Ilumene"s voice echoed out through the doorway and Jackdaw, grimacing, clambered to his feet. Astonishingly, Ilumene was guiding out a large woman with long, straggly grey hair and a bewildered look in her eyes. Jackdaw could see she had a powerful body underneath her torn and damaged leather armour, and a younger face than her hair-colour indicated. Her solid frame surprised Jackdaw, most people in the city had become gaunt and emaciated after the weeks of chaos. This woman showed no ill-effects of the minstrel"s magic, but he could see a dozen more mundane injuries, both recent and half-healed. One eye was half-closed by a long grazed bruise down the side of her head. She was hugging something close, a book, maybe, wrapped in cloth.
"It"s all over now, you"re safe," Ilumene was saying soothingly. Jackdaw almost convulsed in surprise, at the man"s tone as much as anything. Ilumene sounded as kind and rea.s.suring as the monks in Vellern"s monastery until now he"d never known the man from Narkang to be even civil to anyone but the minstrel. He wanted to warn the woman to not be such a fool, to scream at her to run, not to trust whatever poisonous schemes Ilumene had in mind, but instead he looked down and said nothing, paralysed by his own cowardice. All he could do was bite his lip and hate himself a fraction more, if that were even possible.
"What happened here?" she murmured through cracked lips. She looked startled, blinking against the light and wary of the ruined Land she"d awakened to. Jackdaw saw incomprehension in her eyes and realised she didn"t even know where she was.
"War, and the cruelty of G.o.ds," Venn answered distantly, not even bothering to look at her. The woman shrank towards Ilumene when she heard the coldness in Venn"s voice and he immediately put a comforting arm around her shoulders. She leaned gratefully into his body, bigger even than hers, not noticing the b.l.o.o.d.y lattice that covered the back of his hand.
"What happened here is nothing for you to worry about," Ilumene repeated. "It"s all over now. A new dawn has come."
"Who are you."" she whispered. "How did you find me?"
"All that matters is that you"re safe now," he said, stroking her hair.
The woman"s face twisted. Jackdaw realised she was trying to smile at her rescuer. Breath of Vellern, she"s forgotten how to smile.
"Can you tell me your name?"
The woman thought for a moment then blanched and shook her head.
"You"ve forgotten it?" Ilumene asked, adding comfortingly, "That"s of no matter. We"ll find you a new name; the most beautiful name there is." Ilumene sounded so benevolent Jackdaw could scarcely believe this was the same man who"d awakened him just before dawn by punching him in the face. He probed a tooth with his tongue; yes, it was still broken; it hadn"t been a dream.
"Are you going to take me with you?" she asked uncertainly. It was strange to see such vulnerability from someone who looked as if she was a mercenary, but if she could not remember her own name, she doubtless had no memory of her years of fighting too. It looked to Jackdaw like Ilumene"s brutal appearance was causing her to hesitate as it d.a.m.n well should; run, you fool, run from him! but there was a hopeful innocence to her weathered and battered face. He could see she was desperate to believe any promise of protection against this blasted world in which she found herself.
"Of course we are," Ilumene replied, and then gestured towards the object she was still clutching to her stomach. "Come now, you have had a terrible time and you will be weak for a while yet. Would it not be easier if my friend carried your burden?"
The former Harlequin hadn"t moved towards her, but he was watching her with rapacious intent.
She pulled the book closer to her chest and shook her head. The movement created a faint cloud of dust and Jackdaw realised her hair was not actually grey, just covered in ash. "It is mine," she whispered hoa.r.s.ely.
As you wish," Ilumene said gently, "but can you tell me what it is? So I know best how to help?"
"I-" The woman looked up at him for a moment then hunched protectively over the book. The wrapping had slipped a little, bul still Jackdaw couldn"t make out the words on it. He thought it looked unremarkable, just a plain leatherbound work like the dozens in the monastery library. "It"s my treasure," the woman said finally.
"Treasure and ashes," Venn said suddenly.
She looked up fearfully as Ilumene chuckled beside her and brushed her sleeve, raising another cloud of dust. She coughed and spluttered, but never let go of the book.
The phrase banged around the inside of Jackdaw"s head; had he heard it before? It sounded like the sort of hateful p.r.o.nouncements Rojak had come out with from time to time; was this all still part of the minstrel"s final plan?
"They were burned," she replied, holding out her fist. Jackdaw saw she was gripping a piece of scorched paper in it and he frowned: the cellar hadn"t been touched by fire, so why had a book been burned? "All burned except this one," she went on, "all but my treasure."
Jackdaw"s stomach tightened into a knot. Abbot Doren had fled with the monastery"s books, as well as the Crystal Skull entrusted to their care. It looked as if the senile old b.a.s.t.a.r.d had tried to burn the books, as if they had been part of what they were after when the Skull of Ruling sat in his possession. He stopped. Had they?
Ilumene nodded as the woman opened her hand and let the remains inside flutter down to join the other ash at her feet. He c.o.c.ked his head sideways so he could see the book"s cover and made a small sound of approval.
Jackdaw couldn"t stop himself this time. "This was all about a book?" he asked, incredulous. He squinted at the cover himself, and this time made out an embossed symbol, partly obscured by the girl"s hand. There was a pair of entwined initials above it, a pair of Vs, maybe, indicating the book had belonged to a n.o.bleman once.
"This is no mere book," Ilumene said, answering the question, much to Jackdaw"s amazement. "This contains the writings of a madman."
"I betrayed my G.o.d for a book?" he asked in a daze.
"Indeed," Ilumene said with satisfaction, taking the lady"s hand and starting to lead her away from the cellar steps, "a book or a journal, to be precise: the journal of Vorizh Vukotic"
Now Ilumene was finally talking, Jackdaw was determined to find out as much as he could. "The vampire? But he"s insane."
"Among other things," Ilumene conceded, "but does that not strike you as strange? He is a man cursed with sanity by Death himself, like his siblings, and yet, unlike his siblings, he goes insane. As a mage, tell me, what sort of power could overcome Death"s own curse?"
Jackdaw looked blank. "What power? I know none, bar Death"s own."
"There was a time," Venn said softly, "when creator and destroyer walked across the Land hand-in-hand, when they commanded the dust at their feet and the air above."
"Creator you mean Life, Death"s bride? But she died at the Last Battle, and Aenaris was buried with her. Not even with her sword could the Queen of the Go-" Jackdaw stopped abruptly, a look of horror sweeping across his face. He gaped at Ilumene, who gave him a broad smile in return.
Clutching his hands to his chest, Jackdaw wheezed, "Death"s magic? Death"s own weapon? But Termin Mystt was broken during the battle, it was destroyed..."
"Not exactly," Venn said, nodding towards the book as the woman, her eyes wide, clutched it even tighter. "Not at all, in fact, but history is written by the victors, who tell what they choose to tell."
"How can you, of all people, say that?" Jackdaw asked, still shaking. "You were a Harlequin, a teller of the past a teller of the truth!"
"Exactly so," Venn replied, a nasty gleam in his eye, "and I tell you truthfully: Termin Mystt drove a Yeetatchen maid insane when she touched the hilt during a feast in Lord Death"s honour. The Key of Magic is so powerful that it will twist the mind of anyone who touches it and that was what drove Vorizh Vukotic mad. He stole the sword in desperation, trying to undo the curse on his family."
"You"re hunting Termin Mystt," Jackdaw said dully, overwhelmed. "And this book will tell you where he hid it?" A small spark of anger flared inside him and he pointed at the woman holding the book. "What about her? Are you going to kill her to take the book from her?"
The woman gave a whimper of fear and shrank from Ilumene.
Jackdaw waited, shivering, for Ilumene to smash his fist into the woman"s face, but the man from Narkang only laughed.
"But of course not," Ilumene said gently to the woman, "not when you"re with child. I was sent to protect you both."
"A child? But how do you know?"
"It has been foreseen," Venn intoned, "and when your child is born, you will gift him your treasure."
"Him? It"s a boy?" she asked. "I wanted a girl... I think I had a little girl, once-"
A boy," Ilumene said with certainty, "and one who will grow to be a prince. He will build you a palace of ivory." He smiled at her, his arm around her shoulder, and urged her to start walking.
Her steps hesitant, she pa.s.sed Jackdaw, who was still frozen with shock.
"A boy?" he echoed hoa.r.s.ely. "A prince?" "A new dawn, a new Land," Ilumene called cheerfully over his shoulder.
"Oh G.o.ds," Jackdaw breathed as a cold presence swept over him.
"G.o.ds," said the shadow softly, "will soon have no place in this Land."
The End.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
Aftal, Voss High Priest of Nartis in Tirah Ajel, Lord Yeetatchen n.o.bleman, father of Xeliath Alterr G.o.ddess of the Night Sky and Greater Moon and member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Amavoq G.o.ddess of the Forest, patron of the Yeetatchen and member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Amber nickname of a Menin major in the Cheme Third Legion Anarie G.o.ddess of Calm Glades, an Aspect of Amavoq Ansayl, Jachen, Major Farlan officer a.s.signed to the Rangers Antern, Count Opess advisor to King Emin Aracnan immortal wanderer of unknown origin Aryn Bwr battle name of the last Elven king, who led their rebellion against the G.o.ds. His true name has been excised from history Atro Lord of the Farlan tribe before Lord Bahl Azaer a shadow Bahl Lord of the Farlan tribe before Lord Isak Belarannar G.o.d of the Earth and member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Bern, Jopel High Priest of Death in Tirah Beyn, Ignas member of the Brotherhood Bohreq (The Herdfather) Aspect of Vrest, G.o.d of Beasts Breytech a Chetse trader Brohm a thug from Scree Burning Man, the one of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers Carel (Carelfolden), Marshal Betyn Farlan n.o.bleman and commander of Lord Isak"s Personal Guard Cerdin G.o.d of Thieves Certinse, Knight-Cardinal h.o.r.el Commander of the Knights of the Temples, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Farlan by birth Certinse, Cardinal Varn Farlan cleric. Third son of the Tildek Suzerainty, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Knight-Cardinal Certinse and d.u.c.h.ess Lomin.
Certinse, Duke Karlat Farlan n.o.bleman, ruler of Lomin, grandson of Suzerain Tildek Cetarn, Shile a Narkang mage in the employ of King Emin Cetess, Pirlo an artist native to Scree, one of King Emin"s agents Charlat deposed Lord of the Chetse Charr deceased Lord of the Chetse, Krann to Lord Chalat Chirialt, Dermeness Farlan mage Chotech, General Chetse general of the Knights of the Temples Coran white-eye bodyguard of King Emin Corci, Prior see Jackdaw Corlyn, the traditional name adopted by the head of the Farlan"s priest branch of the Cult of Nartis Cytt, Lord deceased Menin white-eye Krann Daughters of Meqao minor Aspects of Amavoq Death the Chief of the G.o.ds Dedev, Borl Farlan ranger a.s.signed to Lord Isak"s Personal Guard Deri, Major Parr soldier from Canar Thrit, member of the Knights of the Temples Dev, General Chate Chetse general and Commander of the Ten Thousand Disten, Cardinal Farlan cleric, once a Legion Chaplain Doranei, Ashin a member of the Brotherhood Doren, Abbot Abbot of an island monastery and High Priest of Vellern, G.o.d of Birds Dupres, Syen Farlan servant, steward to Suzerain Foleh Echat, Tachrenn Chor Chetse legion-commander of the Ten Thousand Echer, High Cardinal Farlan cleric, leader of the cardinal branch of the Cult of Nartis Ehla the common name Lord Isak is permitted to use for the witch of Llehden Elierl, General Brinn deceased Farlan general, once commander of the Lomin armies Endine, Tomal mage in the employ of King Emin Eperal Aspect of Hit Erizol (the nrcraiser) Shaman from an extinct tribe in the Elven Waste, now a Raylin mercenary Erwillen (the High Hunter) Aspect of Verllern, G.o.d of Birds, and Aspect- Guide of Abbot Doren Farlan, Kasi Farlan prince during the Great War, in whose image white- eyes were created and after whom the lesser moon was named Fedei, Wisten the Seer of Gh.o.r.ent Fernal a Demi-G.o.d living in Llehden Fershin, Horman Farlan wagon-driver, father to Lord Isak Flitter Raylin mercenary Foleh, Suzerain Shoqe Farlan n.o.bleman Fordan, Suzerain Karad Farlan n.o.bleman Galasara Elven poet from before the Great War Gaur, General hybrid warrior from the Elven Waste, general of the Menin armies and advisor to Lord Styrax Gort, General Jebehl general of the Knights of the Temples Grast, Deverk former Lord of the Menin Great Wolf, the one of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers Grepel of the Hearths Aspect of Tsatach Haipar the shapeshifter Raylin mercenary of the Deneli tribe from the Elven Waste Headsman, the one of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers Helras Farlan monk Herald of Death Aspect of Death Hobble Farlan monk Ial Aspect of Hit Hit G.o.d of the Wind, patron of the Litse tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Ilumene a former member of the Brotherhood Introl, Tila advisor to Lord Isak Ironskin, Tachos Raylin mercenary of Chetse origin Isak Lord of the Farlan, Chosen of Nartis and Duke of Tirah Jackdaw (Prior Corci) former monk of Vellern Jeil Farlan ranger a.s.signed to Lord Isak"s Personal Guard Jesters, the Demi-G.o.ds and Raylin mercenaries, sons of Death Karkarn G.o.d of War, patron of the Menin tribe Kehla (of the Dawn Light) an Aspect of Tsatach Kelet, Sir Veyan Farlan n.o.bleman and Ascet.i.te Kels, Abbot Farlan cleric, head of an abbey in Saroc Keneg Menin soldier of the Cheme Third Legion Kenn, Shuel Merchant from Scree and Farlan agent Kitar G.o.ddess of Harvest and Fertility, member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Lady, the Fate, G.o.ddess of Luck Lahk, General Farlan white-eye, commander of the forces in Tirah Larat G.o.d of Magic amp; Manipulation, member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Larim, Shotein Menin white-eye mage, Krann to Lord Salen and Chosen of Larat Lecha, Tachrenn Erach Chetse legion-commander of the Ten Thousand Leferna, Priata member of the White Circle, leader of the uprising in Tor Milist Legana Farlan devotee of the Lady, employed as an a.s.sa.s.sin and spy Lehm, Suzerain Preter Farlan n.o.bleman Lehm, Countess Rais Farlan n.o.blewoman Lesarl, Chief Steward Fordan princ.i.p.al advisor to the Lord of the Farlan Leshi Farlan Ascet.i.te soldier Leteil, Lord white-eye Lord of the Yeetatchen tribe and Chosen of Amavoq Luripp, Count Aras n.o.bleman from Scree Macove, Count Perel Farlan n.o.bleman and member of the Brethren of the Sacred Teachings Malich, Cordein deceased necromancer from Embere Mariq, Shan Farlan battle-mage Matak Snakefang Raylin mercenary Mayel a novice from Abbot Doren"s monastery, native of Scree Mehar, Lieutenant Garap aide to General Gort of the Knights of the Temples Meqao (Hunter of the Silent Wood) Aspect of Amavoq Mihn ab Netren ab Felith failed Harlequin, now friend of Lord Isak Mikiss, Koden Menin army messenger Mistress Raylin mercenary Mochyd, High Chaplain Farlan cleric. High Chaplain of the Farlan, head of the Chaplain branch of the Cult of Nartis Morghien a drifter of Embere descent, known as the man of many spirits Nai manservant to Isherin Purn, the necromancer Nartis G.o.d of the Night, Storms and Hunters. Patron of the Farlan tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon Nelbove, Suzerain Atar Farlan n.o.bleman Nerlos, Suzerain Jai Farlan n.o.bleman Nostil, Queen Valije Aryn Bwr"s queen, first owner of the Skull of Dreams Nostil, Prince Velere Aryn Bwr"s heir, first owner of the Skull of Ruling Ortof-Greyl, Colonel Harn member of the Knights of the Temples Panro Zhia Vukotic"s manservant Portin, Prior Farlan cleric, prior of an abbey in Saroc Purn, Isherin Menin necromancer once apprenticed to Cordein Malich Quistal, General Centaur tribal chief and general of the Menin armies Rojak Minstrel originally from Embere, first among Azaer"s disciples Roqinn Farlan white-eye cleric, High Priest of Belarannar in Tirah Salen Menin Lord of the Hidden Tower and Chosen of the G.o.d Larat Saljin Man, the daemon sent to plague the Vukotic tribe Saroc, Suzerain Fir Farlan n.o.bleman and member of the Brethren of the Sacred Teachings Sebe member of the Brotherhood Seliasei minor Aspect of Vasle that now inhabits Morghien Selsetin, Suzerain Pelan Farlan n.o.bleman Shalstik Elven oracle who predicted the return of the last king Shandek a criminal from Scree Shart Menin soldier of the Cheme Third Legion Sheln, Brother-Captain Tanao a member of the Brethren of the Sacred Teachings.
Shinir a Farlan Ascet.i.te agent.
Shotir G.o.d of Healing and Forgiveness.
Shyn criminal from Scree.
Siala, Mistress Fora ruler of Helrect and member of the White Circle.
Soldier, the one of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers.
Spider crime-lord of Scree.
Styrax, Kastan white-eye Lord of the Menin and Chosen of Karkarn.
Styrax, Kohrad white-eye son of Lord Styrax.
Styrax, d.u.c.h.ess Selar white-eye mage, wife of Lord Styrax and mother.
of Kohrad Tael, Sergeant-at-Arms Farlan soldier.
Teuaq Demi-G.o.d, Raylin mercenary and daughter of Amavoq Thonal, King Emin King of Narkang. Thonal, Queen Oterness Queen of Narkang Tildek, Suzerain Esh Farlan n.o.bleman. Elder brother of Knight-Cardinal Certinse; his sister, Karlat"s mother, was married to the Duke of Lomin Tiniq Farlan ranger and brother of General Lahk Tori, Suzerain Karn Farlan n.o.bleman Tremal, Harlo member of the Brotherhood Triena G.o.ddess of Romantic Love and Fidelity, part of the linked G.o.ddesses who together cover all the aspects of love Tsatach G.o.d of Fire and the Sun, patron of the Chetse tribe Ush.e.l.l G.o.ddess of the Mountains, Aspect of Belarannar Vasle G.o.d of Rivers and Inland Seas Veck, Cardinal Farlan cleric, second only to the High Cardinal Veil member of the Brotherhood Vellern G.o.d of Birds Vener, Telith General of the Knights of the Temples and ruler of Raland Veren first G.o.d of the Beasts, killed during the Great War Verliq, Arasay celebrated mage and academic, killed by Lord Kastan Vesna, Count Evanelial famous Farlan soldier from Anvee Vrerr, Duke Sarole ruler of Tor Milist Vrest G.o.d of Beasts Vrill, Duke Anote Menin white-eye general Vukotic, Prince Koezh ruler of the Vukotic tribe, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle Vukotic, Prince Vorizh younger brother of Koezh, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle and subsequently driven insane Vukotic, Princess Zhia youngest of the Vukotic family, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle Wither Queen, the one of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers Woren, Private Merir soldier from Scree, member of the Knights of the Temples
end.