Into Battle

by Garth Nix

Tal wrinkled his nose."So I'll be breathing Adras?" he asked. "That sounds disgusting.""You won't even notice," said Lokar. "Nor will he, as long as you don't stay in the armor for more than a few hours."

  Tal considered this. It was pretty revolting, but it did seem the only way he could cross the lakebed. Then another nasty thought struck him. He remembered the Kerfer being sucked straight under."So I'll be in armor," he said. "But what if something swallows me whole?""Chromatic armor can be fashioned to radiate intense heat. You'll be comfortable inside, but to anything outside you'll feel like a red-hot belish root. Nothing will want to eat you, I promise.""I'd better ask Adras," Tal said. The Storm Shepherd was still snoring in midair. Tal prodded him in the arm. Nothing happened, so he punched him lightly, his fist sinking into the cloudy shoulder."What!" boomed Adras, sitting up with a start. "I'm awake! I didn't fall asleep.""Yes you did. But that doesn't matter since we seem to have survived. Now, how do you feel about crossing the bottom of the lake inside armor made of light while I use your air to breathe?""What?" asked Adras again. He shook his head and cleaned out one huge ear with a puffy finger. "What did you say?"

  Tal explained. Three times. He explained they couldn't fly because they'd be seen. Adras's main problem with the plan was going under the ash. He didn't like the idea of that at all.When Adras finally agreed to give it a try, Tal looked back into the Red Keystone. Lokar was sighing again.7"How long have you been gone?" asked the Guardian."Only fifteen minutes, at the most.""Fifteen minutes…" Lokar shook her head. "Gone with the hours, gone with the days. Listen, Tal. I will explain how to make a suit of Chromatic armor. Are you familiar with Indigo crafting and Blue welds?"

  Tal had to admit that he was not."Violet bonds? Yellow crimping? Red shifts? Orange weaves?"Only the last two were familiar to Tal. He said so, and Lokar sighed again.

  "Then I will begin with the basics. Listen carefully. We will take it in stages. I will explain, then you will do what I have taught you, then we will go on to the next step."For the next six hours, Tal labored under Lokar's directions. He made several false starts, and was continually having to begin again. But slowly the suit of Chromatic armor began to build in the cave. It looked like a man-shaped sarcophagus made of rainbows, all seven colors swirling through it. It was fashioned in two parts that hinged down one side, so Tal could get in and close it on himself.Finally, the Chromatic armor was ready. It lay glowing on the floor, colors constantly chasing and mixing across its surface. It looked solid and heavy, but Tal had no trouble standing it up and opening it a bit more so it stood upright on its own."How do I see out of it?" he asked Lokar. As far as he could tell the suit was all rainbow light, with no transparent parts, even in the helmet."You will be able to see from inside when the suit is closed," replied Lokar. "Provided you've made it correctly. It is particularly important that the unraveling cord is in the right place on the outside."

  Tal looked at the suit. Sure enough, there among the moving rainbows in the middle of the chest plate was a solid circle of violet light. When it was time to open the suit, he would grasp that and pull it, springing the suit open. The unraveling cord was essential. Tal remembered the near disaster he'd had creating the minor veil, trapping Adras in its making, and almost asphyxiating himself and Crow."I guess we'd better go, then," he said. "I'll talk to you as soon as I can, Lokar."

  Lokar didn't answer. She was singing the song again. Tal looked away, breaking contact. He tied the Red Keystone into his shirt once more, for safekeeping.7"Time for us to get in," Tal announced to Adras, who had been floating near the ceiling. The Storm Shepherd grumbled a low thunderous rumble, but lowered his legs to the floor.

  Tal opened up the two halves of the suit a bit more, then stepped back into it, shuffling his feet into position and setting his shoulders in place. The suit, as instructed, was too large. When it was closed there would be a good handspan between Tal and the sides.

  Adras drifted over and stared at him."Where am I supposed to go?"

  Tal hadn't thought about how they would actually get in. After a moment's reflection, he stepped out.

  "You get in first, and then I'll squeeze in against you," he said."It's pretty small," Adras objected.He started to go in face first, until Tal stopped him and made him back in. Though Adras was much bigger to start with, he compressed well into the armor. His cloud body could shrink and expand enormously."Shrink a bit more," Tal instructed, as he backed in himself. "We have to both fit.""I don't like this," said Adras. "It's a prison." "No it isn't!" exclaimed Tal. "It's only for a few hours. There!" He was in. It was weird being pressed up against the Storm Shepherd. He felt like a clammy sponge. Tal hoped Lokar was right about Tal being able to breathe some of the air that Adras was made out of.He reached forward and grabbed a thin blue circle that had held constant among the rainbows of the other half of the armor. He pulled it and it came apart in his hand, breaking into a thousand tiny motes of blue light."Dark take it!" cursed Tal. He thought he'd broken it. Then the suit of armor started to close. Tal quickly pulled his arm back into position and kept absolutely still. Adras squirmed a bit around him.

  "Stay still!"Slowly the other half of the suit closed in on Tal. He watched it inexorably shutting and had a moment of panic. What if he'd made it wrong, and the suit crushed him? What if he couldn't breathe? What if Adras had too much water vapor in him and not enough air and they ran out halfway?The suit closed. Rainbows danced across Tal's face. He took several deep breaths, and was relieved that there seemed to be something to breathe.Slowly the rainbows in front of his face faded. He could see out into the cave, though flashes of red and blue did keep crossing his vision.Experimentally, Tal raised one arm. It moved easily enough. Tal could see his armored limb rising, rainbows coruscating all over. But as he raised his arm higher, it got harder to move, until it was stuck and no matter how he strained it would not move at all.He tried to move his other arm. It went a few inches and then froze, too.Fear hit Tal again. He'd made the armor incorrectly and now he couldn't even reach the unraveling cord.They were stuck in here forever!

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Ebbitt and Crow were in one of the cellar rooms, lying in beds arranged directly under the single weak Sunstone in the ceiling. Crow's head was heavily bandaged. Ebbitt looked uninjured, but he was unconscious, too. His great cat Spiritshadow lay across the end of the bed. It raised its head as Milla and Odris entered, but didn't get up.

  Malen was already examining Bennem. The big man sat quietly on a stool at the end of Crow's bed. The Crone was staring him in the eye, with one hand on his forehead. Gill, Clovil, Ferek, and Inkie were all ranged alongside Crow's bed, watching the Crone intently.

  Malen withdrew her hand. Bennem smiled and turned back to look at Crow."He is gone too deep," said Malen. "I think that he might be brought back, but I do not have the skill for it. Perhaps when one of the Crone Mothers comes, or one of the others who knows more healing than I do.""What about Crow?" asked Milla. She wanted to talk to him about Tal, and also to ask his advice about attacking the Castle. Crow had spent many years making plans to defeat the Chosen. He would have useful knowledge."I haven't looked at him yet," said Malen. She walked to the head of Crow's bed and bent down to listen to his chest. Then she took the pulse at his neck and lifted one eyelid. The other Freefolk continued to follow her every move, obviously fascinated."Who bandaged him?" she asked. "I need to remove it."

  "Jarnil," said Gill. "He knows the most healing. He did light magic on the cuts on Crow's head, and that stopped the bleeding. But he hasn't woken up."

  Malen nodded thoughtfully. She started to unwind the bandage, but stopped as Bennem got up from his stool, obviously distressed at what she was doing to his brother."I need to see," Malen said to him. She looked him in the eye and repeated her words. Whether he understood them or not, Bennem was calmed, and sat back down.

  Malen undid the last of the bandages, revealing a nasty, puckered, and very new scar across the top of Crow's forehead. It was partially healed, but
looked red and inflamed. Milla had seen wounds like that before. Usually people died of them, if the Crones didn't arrive in time.

  Malen peered closely at the cut. Milla looked, too. She knew some healing light magic, but she didn't mention it. A head wound was a Crone's business, not for someone with only a basic understanding of Sunstone healing.. "I will need to clean and treat this," Malen said. "I have some of the medicines I need with me, but I will require boiled water and kriggi."

  "Boiled water's easy," replied Clovil. "What are kriggi?"

  "Ah, little white grubs that eat meat," replied Malen. "Do you know of them?""Maggots," said a voice from the next bed. "Twisty little beggars. Try the composting tunnels at the southern end of Underfolk Five."Everyone looked across. It was Ebbitt who had spoken. Everyone but Malen knew his voice. But he still lay there, apparently asleep.

  "Ebbitt," said Milla.

  One of Ebbitt's eyes opened a fraction. The pupil moved until it was looking straight at Milla.

  "Nice crown," said Ebbitt. "Interesting fingernail. Where did you get that?""The heatways," said Milla. "The same skeleton that had the Sunstone you split for Tal and me. Are you all right?""Weary," said Ebbitt. He shut his eye and opened the other one. "Stonkered. Worn out. Too old for emergency light magic.""You saved us, though," said Clovil. "We are grateful."

  Ebbitt gave a tiny shrug. "Couldn't stand the thought of the mess," he said. "Besides, Tal didn't mean it. Accident." "Inkie told me that Crow threw his knife at Tal," said Milla. "Do you know what happened to him?" "Knife missed," said Ebbitt. "Should have had a fork as well. Maybe a spoon. Whole set." Milla was used to Ebbitt and his unique way of talking. She continued her questions."Do you know where Tal is now? Odris says Adras has gone back to Aenir. Could Tal have gone, too?""Maybe," said Ebbitt. "He had the Red Keystone.

  Should have brought it to me. Then again, he probably thinks I got squashed. Who knows where the caveroach goes? Ask Crow when your charming companion has opened his head. Should use healing magic but too tired. Get Lokar to do it properly this time. Anyone seen the Codex?"Everyone shook their heads. Malen looked at Milla, obviously thinking that the old man was sick and raving. Milla whispered that Ebbitt was always like that."I have," added Ebbitt. Then he rolled over, closed both eyes firmly, and refused to answer anyone else's questions.Gill went to get hot water while Malen removed a small case of Wreska hide from under her light furs. She unfolded it on the bed, revealing lots of tiny pockets filled with medicines made from seaweed and the many beasts of the Ice. Milla only recognized a few of them, like the powdered Merwin horn, still faintly glowing, and a vial of very rare Ursek tears.While the healing preparations were under way, Milla explained to Clovil her plan to enlist the Freefolk to transport airweed to the halfway point in the heatway tunnels. Clovil listened intently, but wouldn't commit himself or any friendly Freefolk or Underfolk until they could talk to Crow about it. Milla wanted him to make a decision without Crow."We need to move quickly," Milla urged. "Right now all the Chosen are in Aenir, their bodies sleeping above us. If I can bring enough Icecarls equipped with shadowbags and other such weapons into the Castle, we can capture or destroy the Spiritshadows that guard them before the Chosen can come back from Aenir. A surprise attack will mean there is less damage to the Castle--and fewer people will die, including Underfolk. Just think what a full-scale battle will mean to your people, even if they're trying to stay out of the way." "And when we have won," she added, "your help will ensure that all Underfolk are treated properly. Icecarls are always faithful to sworn allies.""Crow is the leader," Clovil answered uncomfortably."I think… I think… we should help Milla," said Ferek. He glanced anxiously at Crow. "The Icecarls will come anyway. Best we be friends from the start.""What's that?" Gill asked, as she staggered back in with a huge crystal tub of hot water, her face red from the steam rolling off it and the effort. She put the water down next to the bed.

  "I found some old biscuits, too," she added, taking a handful out of her pocket to put on the bed. A whole lot of maggots fell out onto the blanket. "Are those kriggi?"

  Malen nodded and herded the squirming maggots into a neat pile, ready for use. Then she dropped some medicines into the pot of steaming water and stirred it with her knife. When the blade came out it was bright purple.Everyone except Milla looked the other way as the Crone began to cut.After a few seconds of strained silence as everyone tried not to hear the Crone at work, Clovil explained to Gill what they were discussing."We might as well get started right away," said Gill. She didn't seem to think there was any difficulty in joining forces with the Icecarls. "There's no point in waiting for Crow, Clovil. He won't be better for ages. I'm sure we can get Korvim to come back for this, and he'll bring others!""It's a big decision," warned Clovil.

  "Of course it is," said Gill. "But haven't we been waiting all this time to do something big? This is it! This is our chance! Everything is going to be different. No more Chosen lording it over us. No more Hall of Nightmares! Freedom for our people!"

  "I hope so," said Clovil. He looked at Milla. "Perhaps we will just be exchanging one lot of rulers for another.""You are free to choose now," said Milla. "I promise you we will help you decide your own fate in the future."

  Clovil looked into her eyes. Whatever he saw there made up his mind."We'll get the airweed. Tell us where it has to be taken.""Good," said Milla. "I will draw you a map. When Malen is finished with Crow, she will tell the Crones to expect you, and to prepare for the assault!"

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  "Adras!" yelled Tal. "We're stuck!""Don't shout," grumbled Adras. His voice was incredibly loud, right at Tal's ear. "Do you mean I don't have to stay still?"

  Tal's arms suddenly spread wide and his legs shuffled forward. The suit toppled. Reflexively, Tal tried to put his hands down to break the fall, but his arms were wrenched the other way.They bounced once, got halfway up, then Tal found his knees bending and his arms windmilling. Finally he realized what was happening. Adras had stopped Tal moving before, and now the Storm Shepherd's movements were directing the armor. Tal was so much weaker that he was just a passenger inside the suit.

  "Adras!" he ordered. "Stay still for a moment. We have to work together."

  Adras obeyed and the suit slowly settled down."Right. Adras, please follow my motions, but don't use too much strength or overdo it. I'm going to raise my left arm now."He started to raise his arm, felt Adras join in, and then the limb was jerking all over the place."Ow! Ow! Easy!" exclaimed Tal. "Now the right arm."It took quite a lot of practice, but eventually they managed to work out how to move inside the suit. Tal moved first, then Adras would join in, using only a fraction of his strength. Tal was glad no one could see them as they jerked about the cave, occasionally crashing into the walls and falling down. Even when they'd worked it out, their movements were still stiff and clumsy.They headed out of the cave. Tal wanted to stop near the entrance and have a look around, but mistimed stopping, so they staggered out and tipped over. While they got up, Tal cursed and Adras complained, until the Chosen boy suddenly realized that he didn't know if sound traveled outside the armor or not.That shut them both up. Fortunately, they didn't seem to have attracted any attention. At least not with the noise. Tal was further alarmed to see just how bright the suit was out in the night. Not as bright as a Sunstone, but the rainbow surface did glow, even before he started the defensive spells that would make it burn red-hot.They needed to get under the ash quickly. Tal started for the lake and quickly waded in. He had a moment's worry as the ash closed over his head, but the suit was airtight. Or at least ash-tight.Even though the ash was mixed with clear crystal, it was still very hard to see more than a few stretches through it. Tal took a few steps down the steeply shelving lakebed before he thought about another problem. Without knowing where he was going, he could easily get lost or turned around. How was he going to find the Empress's island?He thought of Milla then, and her unerring sense of direction on the Ice. What would Milla do if she were here?
/>   Follow a bridge, came the answer. Tal smiled as he thought of Milla telling him what to do, but the smile faded as he recalled that she was probably dead, too, gone to the Ice. Someone else who was dead because of his actions.

  He was alone."Stop it," mumbled Adras.

  "What?""That feeling in your head, when it gets all heavy and your heart aches," replied Adras. "It makes me sick."

  Tal didn't answer. Instead he started moving along the lakeshore, keeping his helmet just a fraction out of the ash. The Big South Bridge--one of the main bridges to the central cluster of Chosen houses was about eight hundred stretches away. He would follow the shoreline to it, then follow the bridge's foundations out. As he got closer to the bridge and its steady Sunstone light, Tal went deeper into the ash to avoid detection.He was surprised to find as he went deeper that the lakebed was not smooth as he'd imagined. It was often broken up, and there were deep holes and crevasses. He had to pick his way carefully and several times he almost fell into what might be a very deep pit. The biggest problem was that he only ever saw them at the last second, because the visibility was so bad.At least that was the biggest immediate problem. Tal couldn't help remembering the sudden disappearance of the stunned Kerfer. Something really big and really hungry was down here in the ash. He really, really hoped it wasn't looking for dessert after its Kerfer dinner.It took what seemed like hours before he reached the Big South Bridge. In fact, he almost walked straight under it and continued on, but he ran into some cut squares of stone. That made him turn back to shallower waters, carefully poke his head out, and check his position.He was under the bridge. Sunstone light shone down to either side. He could certainly hear through the suit, he discovered, because there were heavy footsteps above, and the sound of voices. Tal tried to hear what they were saying, but they were too far above. All the bridges and the houses stood at least forty stretches above the lake, probably to ensure the Chosen's safety from things with long tentacles. Tal strode back down the sloping lakebed in what he hoped was the same direction as the bridge. It was, as discovered before long when he almost walked straight into a pylon, built of massive blocks of shaped stone. It was hard to tell in the constantly changing light from the suit, but to Tal it looked like the stone was a dark green--not volcanic gray or black--which meant it had been quarried somewhere else and brought to the crater.