Rhaki had received reports that Emla’s scouts had tracked the Linvaks to the Spine Mountains. He hoped they would carry on and find what remained of the Linvaks themselves. He would like to see Emla’s face when she received that tale! They had served their purpose – to a certain extent. Rhaki had not known of the Linvaks approach to Emla or of their theft of a Balance Weight.
How had they even conceived of the idea, and what had they planned to do with it? Rhaki was still annoyed with the Shardi. They had dismembered, and eaten, most of the Linvak band, totally failing to learn the whereabouts of the Weight. He scowled as he thought of the Shardi. Their stupidity was rapidly outgrowing their usefulness, he was beginning to think. He had not the faintest clue as to how the Linvaks might have forced a Weight free from its place in the time-suspended column of Power.
They had not a trace of Power in them. He should know, he had made them after all. From a simple human stock, he had bred in other lines, including Shardi. His plan had been to make a race of docile slave beasts, capable of understanding and responding to basic commands, and then carrying them out satisfactorily. They were far from attractive to most who had seen them, but Rhaki found their grossness gave him a sense of mild pleasure. Their bodies were of human form and stature, but they had extremely short necks supporting large heads, which were entirely bestial.
Rhaki was amused when snouted faces had first appeared in his breeding experiment. Too late, he found their vocal chords affected, so that sounds other than grunts and snarls were physically beyond Linvak capabilities. Too late also, he discovered how ill tempered and intractable were their natures. So he released them into the world, to live as they could.
There were reports of terror among some of the herders and small towns, but then the Linvaks reached the Swamp Lands far to the south. It seemed they thought it an ideal environment and settled there. Occasionally, they raided a few leagues beyond their lands, bringing fear to the scattered farmsteads. Mostly, Rhaki forgot their existence for generations at a time.
His trusty Jal had gone to the Shardi himself, with a large band of heavily armed men. Finding no living Linvak, no Balance Weight, and no information regarding its whereabouts, Jal had expressed Rhaki’s deep displeasure to the Shardisi. Their leader was killed, slowly and very painfully, as the lesser Shardi were invited, at sword point, to watch.
Now Rhaki was leaning over his worktable, studying a map. If the Linvaks had travelled directly from Emla’s House, detouring the city of Gaharn, to the place where they had died, then the Weight must be somewhere on that route. He had tried, unsuccessfully, to penetrate the Pavilion where Emla’s weights hung, in an attempt to get a mental ‘taste’ of the Weights. If he could do that, he would then recognise that ‘taste’ again, and thus find where the Linvaks’ hiding place was.
He had ordered Jal to return to the scene of the Linvaks’ slaughter with a larger force of men. They were to watch for scouts from Emla’s Guards, and they were only to watch. Rhaki knew that Emla, and that arrogant Gan, would have also deduced that the Linvaks had hidden the Balance Weight. If it were already in Rhaki’s possession, the shift of Power in his favour would be only too obvious to them.
Rhaki straightened his tall body, and the map he had been holding open curled itself closed. ‘Come, Bark,’ he called before there was any tap at the door. He found his staff were always unsettled by such small instances of his powers, although never Bark. His body servant brought his usual meal of meat, cheese and fruit. When he had placed the tray on the smaller table beside Rhaki’s fireside chair, he turned to his Master. Bowing low, he whispered, ‘Master, a letter comes from Gaharn.’ He held out a rolled parchment.
‘You may go.’ Rhaki said, taking the scroll. As the door closed behind Bark, Rhaki tapped the roll lightly against his palm. This was the first direct communication from the Golden Lady and her Seniors since Jerak’s unfortunate visit here. Unfortunate for Jerak, that is.
Rhaki tossed the unopened parchment into the blazing fire as he sat down. He did not wish to enter in to any discussions or debates with Emla and her advisors. He wished to do away with the lot of them. His spies reported that the human child, the Nagum and their two Dragons were now at Emla’s residence, but so far he had been unable to infiltrate a single spy into her House. Or indeed into the city of Gaharn. Nor had he found a suitable creature to corrupt, coerce, blackmail or bribe into passing on information.
He had destroyed Jerak, but he had not been able to take any of Jerak’s knowledge to himself in the process, as he had hoped. The ancient one had fought harder than Rhaki had been prepared for and he had been nearly at the limit of his own strength when Jerak fell.
He would wait now, to see if Emla’s scouts would backtrack the Linvaks trail, or continue through the Spine Mountains. It was vital he obtain the Balance Weight, and oh, if he could only discover how a mere Linvak had removed that Weight from its place! As he stretched his slippered feet to the warmth of the fire, a jolt of pain seared through his mind.
Rhaki clutched the arms of his chair and jerked upright, his eyes wide and unseeing. He flung up every mental barrier he could think of as the pain roared through him again. What was it? By the stars, WHO was it? Someone was taking Power, but where – who? The seconds grew to minutes and there were no further hammer blows to his mind. Rhaki’s eyes regained their focus, his brows frowning as he concentrated. There had been a familiarity somewhere, amidst that pain. A familiarity, and a strangeness. How could that be? Was it Emla perhaps, acting in concert with some of the Seniors, combining their minds against his? As a student he had learnt this could be done, indeed had been done, but far back, beyond any living memory.
Rhaki strode to the door, wrenching it open. He made his way rapidly through chambers and passageways until he neared the great gateway to his stronghold. Most believed this entrance, set in the side of the mountain, the mountain itself deep in the Realm of Ice, was the only means of access. A very few knew of the long tunnels, taking many days to travel through, which led to several different exit points.
But now Rhaki had need of guards. In a barrack room alongside the great gateway, he stopped. ‘Four of you, attend me,’ he ordered. From the crowd of human males who had fallen silent at Rhaki’s appearance, four came quickly forward, buckling sword belts as they came. Rhaki’s finger pointed to one man among a smaller group, clearly of higher rank than the majority.
The five men marched behind Rhaki down a sharply sloping passage running against the outer mountain wall. As they went ever lower, so a stench and a clamour rose upwards. Finally they came to a door of metal bars, through which could be seen Rhaki’s more recent experiment. Two door guards sprang to attention as Rhaki arrived and he gestured for the door to be unbarred. Two of his soldiers exchanged glances. This was their first sight of the Cansharsi, as Rhaki had named them. “Draw your weapons and be prepared. They are occasionally unpredictable.” Rhaki smiled coldly and entered the long cavern. There were many creatures there. They seemed at first glance to be four legged beasts, but as those nearest to the door became aware of visitors, they reared onto their hind legs so that they stood taller even than Rhaki.
There was a predominance of human features to the faces now turning towards Rhaki. Except for the tusks protruding a handspan from their upper jaws. All four limbs ended in three clawed hooves, and their bodies were covered in thick coarse hair. As the furthest Cansharsi became aware of Rhaki’s presence, the shrieks and trampling slowly ceased, and they pushed closer to see what was taking place.
Rhaki spoke quietly. ‘Soon, my children, I will have work for you. You must organise yourselves now, as you have learnt, into groups who will work well together. There will be no squabbling between you once you begin my work. Is this understood?’ There were barely intelligible calls of agreement in distorted human voices.
‘You will form your groups calmly and I will return to you tomorrow. I will come alone then, without guards, showing my belief in your trustworthiness and wi
llingness to obey your Master.’
Rhaki waited until the chorus of Cansharsi voices faded to silence again. ‘You will also decide, calmly, which of you will remain here, for reasons your group leaders know. When I return I do not expect to find any injuries, or deaths, to have occurred among you during the night.’
The deep-set dark eyes gazed over the crowded Cansharsi, then Rhaki moved to the door. The door guards slid the heavy bars into place again as soon as the last soldier was outside. Rhaki paused as they neared the upper level and the barrack rooms. ‘You two.’ He looked at the two younger men whose first visit to the Cansharsi this had been. They stood to attention, their faces pale and sweaty. ‘You handled your fear well there. You were afraid, were you not?’ Unaccustomed to conversing with their Master, they hesitated. Finally one licked his lips and muttered.
‘Uncomfortable Master, rather than really fearful. The smell and the look of them things.’
‘Quite so,’ said Rhaki kindly. ‘Return to your work. You, Verim, stay.’ The officer stood stiffly beside Rhaki as the four soldiers hurried on up the passageway.
‘You were with the patrol led by Jal seeking the Linvaks?’
‘Yes Master.’
‘He said you were efficient. Work with him from now on, Verim.’
‘Yes Master.’ Verim’s face flushed with gratification. Rhaki could read this one’s mind easily enough: work well with Jal and his future was assured. Rhaki smiled, not wholly pleasantly, and dismissing Verim, he continued back to his study.
Once there, he summoned Bark. As he waited, he stared into the fire, his thin fingers absently rubbing his temples where the pain had been. ‘Bark,’ he said. ‘Sit.’ The shadowy figure sat on a straight-backed chair near the worktable. Rhaki turned to him, noting Bark seemed even thinner and more faded than ever. ‘Bark, do you remember when you were a student?’
‘With you, Master? Yes,’ whispered the hoarse voice.
‘Do you recall the lectures on combining minds for the purpose of multiplying the effect of the Power?’
Bark sat silent for a while, eventually replying, ‘I do, Master.’
‘Well,’ said Rhaki impatiently, ‘what do you recall?’
‘That none had seen it attempted, or knew of any who had. They said it was perilous to try to draw so much Power to focus on one thing.’ Bark paused, then added: ‘My mind is damaged, as who should know better than you Master? I would be of no use to you in such an experiment.’
‘I am aware of that Bark. But could it be done, do you think? I admit I have never thought of it since those distant days of learning.’ Rhaki turned his eyes away from Bark, back to the fire. ‘Earlier this evening there was – a disturbance – in my head.’
‘Yes, Master.’
‘What do you mean “yes master”? Are you just agreeing with me, or did you already know this somehow?’ Rhaki was plainly exasperated.
‘I too, Master, had a “disturbance of the mind” as you put it.’
‘You did? But your mind is damaged. You hear thoughts imperfectly, and only of those very close by.’
Bark was silent once more, then, his voice even fainter, due to this increasingly rare use of it, he said: ‘I can only say, Master, that there were two daggers of pain in my mind. It was like a brilliant light, revealing all the dusty corners.’ He lapsed into silence yet again. ‘It was a great drawing of Power, Master, but only a single mind.’
‘Are you sure? I thought there were two at least, one of whom I nearly recognised.’
‘No, Master, I regret to disagree with your Lordship, but somehow I know there was but the one.’
‘And was this one familiar to you also?’
‘Yes, Master. It was the ancient one.’
‘Jerak?’ Rhaki spun round to face Bark. ‘I destroyed him!’
‘No, Master. You caused him to flee for his survival, but survive he did.’
Rhaki found himself in his armchair, gaping at this cadaverous wreck. ‘How long have you believed Jerak has – survived?’
‘Master, he did survive. I knew he had not gone beyond, while I was caring for you in your prostration after the great struggle between you both.’
‘By the stars, Bark! Why did you not tell me this sooner?’
‘You did not ask me, Master,’ Bark whispered huskily.
‘If Jerak is not beyond, where is he Bark? Have you any information you would care to share with me on that matter?’
‘He is far, yet not, Master. I do not know the place where Jerak is.’
‘Leave me.’
Bark rose, bowed to Rhaki and left.
Rhaki stayed sitting by the fire, his brain racing through possibilities as to where Jerak could be. Was the ancient one surviving physically, or just mentally? Was he hidden somewhere like an animal, licking his wounds and regaining his strength? Could Rhaki perhaps glimpse him in the bowl of seeing?
Pausing only to wrap his cloak around him, he opened the hidden door, and almost ran down the dark passage. He had no need of the special drink this time, he would not be sending forth any of his own Power. He seated himself, calmed his too rapid breathing, then placed his hands either side of the black bowl. He made his mind concentrate on an image of the old one until it seemed Jerak was actually present.
‘Show me where this one is.’
The bowl’s inner blackness shifted, swirled, and slowly cleared. Rhaki stared into its depths. Jerak was there, looking as he always looked, but enclosed in a nebulous sort of bubble of some kind. All was darkness around the bubble, giving Rhaki no hint as to the precise location of it. As the scene faded, Rhaki sat back. He had no idea what this meant other than that Jerak, somehow, still existed. He would search through some of the oldest books he had; maybe he could find a clue there. It was late. Rhaki stood, his hands supporting his lower back for a moment. Then pulling his cloak closer round himself he made his way back to his study.
He planned to move the Cansharsi, with great secrecy, to positions far apart. The first groups had been moved ten nights ago – they were destined for the southern lands. In heavy merchant wagons, some were on their way to the Lower Plains beyond the Ancient Mountains. Others were being similarly carried far to the south of the Middle Plains, close to the borders of the Swamp Lands of the Linvak.
The horde of Cansharsi still in his stronghold, were destined for the High Lands, the place where they met with the Spine Mountains. So widely scattered, on his signal, they would be loosed to wreak what havoc they wished. The population of the entire countryside would swamp the high council in Gaharn City with requests for assistance. The Guards had not had real battle experience for five human generations. Then, they had put down a rising of overly aggressive humans, west of the Ancient Mountains.
Rhaki seriously doubted that the Guards would have enough men to field even three medium sized bands, let alone a modest army. He had cultivated the men of the western areas over many Cycles of Seasons, teaching them to enjoy the subtle thrill of cruelty. Several Lords, as these strutters and braggarts liked to call themselves, had achieved high standards of unpleasantness. Two in particular pleased the Grey Guardian – the Lord of Far, and the Lord of Return.
He had made the arduous journey to their lands on several occasions, twice in this Cycle of Seasons in fact. They knew only that he was one of the People of Gaharn and thus a true Lord. It amused Rhaki to watch them pick up his occasional hints and add quite interesting embellishments of their own to them, in forms of torture for instance.
Their minds were extremely inventive and quick, except when it came to the subject of the Power. Then, they made their silly gestures to ward against evils. As if a wave of their fingers could halt the true Power if it was sent against them! But Rhaki was almost fond of these humans. They had even surprised him once or twice, with the agility of their minds.
Now, some of his Cansharsi would stir them up a little. That should be an entertaining squabble to witness. Rhaki expected the humans to beat the Ca
nsharsi there. But he would wager the exhilaration of battle would inspire the humans to ideas of invading northwards, into Gaharn territory.
Oh yes, Rhaki had planned for a very busy Cold Season, allowing him to risk a personal visit to his beloved sister. He hoped to find her at home, with a greatly depleted household Guard in attendance. So he would put thoughts of Jerak slightly to one side for now, and exert his not inconsiderable talents to availing himself of Emla’s Balance Weights.
Chapter Fourteen
Soul Bonds: Book 1 Circles of Light series Page 13
