A Familiar landed hard on the back of Hirad's head, clawed hands raking across his scalp. The barbarian reached round and grabbed the creature while he fended off a soldier in front who looked to gain from his distraction. He slapped the blade aside, clouted his hilt into the soldier's nose and knocked him cold. Finding purchase on the Familiar's neck, he tore it from his head and brought it in front of him, clumps of his hair in its hands, its slathering mouth snapping at his face. He tightened his grip, the Familiar's tail whipping round and stabbing into his arm. He grunted in pain and looked for the Familiar's mage.
'This yours, Xetesk man?'
The Unknown had cleared a path, beating his sword into the back of a soldier, and Hirad pushed ahead, keeping his grip on the Familiar and dashing its skull again and again into the mage's face, the man trying to fend him off, the Familiar screeching its hate.
'Is it?' he said as he piled the demon in again. 'Is it?'
The mage went down, face a mask of blood, Thraun's sword crushing his ribs. The Familiar went limp, its strength disappearing.
'Good guess,' said Hirad, and dropped its dying body to the ground.
He looked left. Thraun was a man possessed. He caught the sword arm of a soldier, forced it back and stepped forward, jamming his blade into the man's stomach. Trampling over him, he over-headed his weapon into a mage's collarbone, slicing through into his chest, pushed the dead man away and went searching for more.
All around the Protectors fought silently, never once giving an opening, showing no mercy to their Given. Axes rose and fell, masks were smeared with blood, brain and dust. Eyes stared brooding through eye slits and mouths moved wordlessly.
But still Aeb cried out. The Unknown smashed his blade across the legs of the last defending soldier and bore down on the mage holding the punishment.
'Release him,' he grated, pommel of his sword raised to crush. 'Do it now.'
'Too late, Unknown. Or didn't they tell you? Once invoked, it can't be stopped. There is only death.'
'Right,' said The Unknown. He brought the pommel down and dashed open the mage's skull, swinging round immediately to run to the heaving Aeb.
Foam flecked his mouth, his legs thrashed, his back arched and his fists beat the sides of his chest. His eyes were bulging and wild, the demons ripping his mind to shreds from inside, his soul in torment in the Tank. But even in the hell of his consciousness he locked gaze with The Unknown and Hirad heard one word gasped out.
'Please.'
The Unknown nodded, drew a dagger from his belt and stabbed quickly into Aeb's temple. The Protector, at peace, lay still.
Quiet reined again.
Hirad sat down among the corpses, his hands draped over his knees, his body spent. He could feel blood oozing through his hair and dripping from his right hand to the ground but he ignored it.
The Unknown threw the dagger down by Aeb's body, stood, grabbed his sword from the ground and walked away towards the barracks. Hirad followed him with his eyes, hearing a soft sobbing. Erienne was kneeling over Ren, her body crushed in Denser's embrace, her shoulders hunched and jerking as she cried. Standing by them was Darrick, the bodies of three Xeteskian soldiers at his feet. Hirad hadn't even realised they'd broken through. Thank the Gods for the General or they might have lost all their mages in a day.
Hirad sighed and looked up. Thraun held out a hand. Hirad took it and pulled himself to his feet. With his sword dragging over the compound dirt, he forced himself after The Unknown, who was walking slowly towards Ilkar's body.
'This is a black day for The Raven,' said Hirad.
'But we have the thumb,' said Thraun. He pointed to the barracks. Auum was walking through the doorway, the prize in his grateful hands. Duele and Evunn came after him, pushing a man in front of them.
Yron.
Hirad started to move more quickly, a new target for his hate right before him. The Unknown stepped in his way.
'Leave it,' he said, his face full of sorrow, his voice shorn of its usual power.
'He killed Ilkar,' said Hirad.
Thraun growled deep in his throat.
'Yes,' said The Unknown. 'But Auum will deal with him. He can dispense elven justice on Yron.'
The Raven trio walked towards him nonetheless. Yron focussed on them, his eyes still adjusting to the brightness.
'Sorry the TaiGethen didn't join you in the fight,' he said. 'What they had was more important than risking themselves against Xetesk.'
The Unknown nodded. 'Why did you do it?'
'I didn't know,' said Yron. 'If I'd realised that… souvenir would have caused so much death, I'd never have done it.'
'Ilkar is dead because of you,' said Hirad. 'Ilkar.'
Yron sighed. 'Nothing I can say will help. But believe me I had no knowledge this would happen. That's why I was trying to return it.'
'You should die for this.'
'I am going to, Hirad. That's why I'm out here.'
The elves gathered to offer prayers. The ClawBound pair padded out of the barracks and Auum opened his eyes and waved The Raven away from Yron. The Xeteskian mouthed an apology then knelt on the ground, Auum's hand pushing him down.
The TaiGethen spoke a few words, stepped aside and bowed his head. The panther padded up to Yron's back, placed her paws on his shoulders and bit down into his neck, breaking it and killing him instantly.
'We have our own rituals to observe,' said The Unknown.
He, Hirad and Thraun joined Rebraal at Ilkar's body.
There was precious little left of him. His clothes were burned away and his body twisted and scorched. But when Rebraal turned him over they could see his features, saved because he had landed face-down in the slightly damp mud under the parapet. He looked peaceful enough; his oval eyes were closed and his cheekbones still carried a hint of redness though his lips were drained of colour.
'Oh, Ilkar,' said Hirad, reaching out to stroke his face. 'Saved us, didn't he? I just wish he knew it. What am I going to do without you?'
Hirad tried to picture Ilkar alive and a startling vision of the elf's beaming face as they talked entered his mind. He started and sucked in a quick breath.
'We should prepare for the Vigil,' he said. 'There must be a shovel here somewhere. We'll bury him out in the countryside somewhere. I'm not having him left where Selik has been.' He took another look at his friend. 'Goodbye, Ilks. Oh, no.'
And he started to cry. He couldn't help himself. He shook his head as the tears came and he backed away, standing and facing The Unknown.
'What are we going to do, Unknown?'
'All the things we promised. Raise the Heart of Julatsa, free the Protectors, send the Kaan home. He wanted that as much as any of us.' The Unknown put his bloodstained hands on Hirad's shoulders. 'Come on, stop the tears. You know he'd only have laughed at you for it.'
Hirad spluttered and rubbed a bloodied hand across his eyes. 'Yeah, he would at that. Tell you what, Unknown, I'm absolutely knackered. And I could do with a bandage.'
'That's more like it.' Avesh couldn't move anything. Every breath was shallow, his mouth blowing bloodied bubbles. He lay on his back, life pumping from the wound in his side to puddle beneath him. He'd been staring at the sky while they fought around him, watching the billows of smoke blow across the dawning blue. It was going to be a very pleasant day. He'd so love to have shared it with Ellin.
Two of them were near him. He couldn't see but he could hear them.
'This is all so wrong, Unknown,' said one. Avesh had recognised him. Hirad Coldheart. A man he admired as he did all of The Raven. He had been so disappointed to see them ranged against the Black Wings. He thought they'd have seen the light. The righteous path, Selik had called it. But then one of them had borne the child who started it all so perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised. It was so confusing. He couldn't get his mind to work properly.
'I know,' replied the other, The Unknown Warrior, a giant in folklore and no less in reality.
'Look
at them. All these dead farmers. Our fight was never with them. What happened to them all?'
'Selik is a very persuasive man,' said The Unknown.
'Was,' replied Hirad. 'His head bouncing off the floor is the only good memory I'll take from here.'
Avesh coughed and the pain surged through his body. He convulsed.
'Gods, there's one still alive here!' Hirad again.
Avesh heard quick paces and the barbarian himself leaned over him. He felt a hand tracing down the side of his neck.
'He's no Black Wing,' said Hirad. 'Can we save him?'
Hope quickened Avesh's heart and his severed nerves howled in protest.
'No,' said The Unknown, moving through the periphery of his vision. 'Look at that wound. I'm amazed he's still alive.'
Hirad knelt by his head and Avesh felt a hand gently smooth down his hair. He tried to speak but all he succeeded in doing was coughing more blood onto the soaked earth on which he lay.
'Shh,' said Hirad. 'Don't talk. Lie still.'
'C'mon, Hirad,' said The Unknown Warrior.
'No,' said Hirad. 'The least we can do is be with him. It won't be long.' The barbarian appeared in his vision again, a frown on his weathered face, eyes betraying grief barely held in check. 'Why did you do it?' he said. 'You were fighting the people trying to help you. If magic dies, this land dies. Didn't you understand? All we want is Balaia returned to peace with its magic a force for the good of all. Has so much really changed in so few years? How was your memory so short?'
Avesh opened his mouth but the words wouldn't come.
'I'm sorry for your pain but I couldn't let you get in my way,' said Hirad. 'You're a fool, you know that? Blinded from the truth by a madman.'
Avesh felt tears in his eyes. He nodded. At the last he understood. It was all so simple. If only The Raven had ridden into the camp and not the Black Wings he'd be with Ellin still. Ellin. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.
'You're a good man,' said Hirad. 'It's in your eyes. I hope you have people waiting for you.'
Avesh smiled and nodded again. Atyo. He'd be seeing Atyo. In fact, he thought he could hear his son calling him. Hirad let The Unknown drag him to his feet and the two men stood over the dead man for a moment.
'That was good of you, Hirad.'
'I killed him, Unknown. He never stood a chance. He was just a farmer.'
Hirad let his gaze rove over the compound again. The elves stood in silent respect; Denser, Erienne and Darrick were sharing a water skin and the Protectors had picked up Aeb's mask and were mustered near the door.
'What about them, Unknown?'
'I'll speak to them before they go but what they'll face I just don't know. They're so vulnerable but the scale of their rebellion might even save them for now. Dystran can't afford to kill them all. He'd lose the war.'
War. Hirad raised his eyebrows. He'd forgotten there was one. And just now he didn't care who won. All he knew was that The Raven had lost too much for one day. For any day.
'I'll see you back at the campsite,' he said to The Unknown. 'Come on, Thraun, there's Raven we need to carry to the Vigil.' It was night and the TaiGethen had begun their walk back to Blackthorne and the Calaian Sun. Rebraal had stayed with The Raven. They'd found candles in Understone and four stood about the freshly turned earth of each grave, representing the points of the compass. It was time for the Vigil, one that Hirad had never thought he'd face.
The Unknown stood by Aeb, Erienne by Ren and Hirad by Ilkar. The barbarian nodded to the big man and he spoke for all of them.
'By north, by east, by south, by west. Though you are gone, you will always be Raven and we shall always remember. The Gods will smile on your souls. Farewell in whatever faces you now and ever. The Raven will ride together again one day.'
As he spoke each point, candles were snuffed until darkness covered them all.
The Raven did not move from the graves until dawn cracked the sky, but after the silence they talked, though Darrick and Thraun contributed little. They recalled battles and arguments. They cried and laughed together, they speculated on who would be next. It lightened their hearts and their spirits just a little.
'You never really got on with Ren, did you, Hirad?' said Erienne.
'Ilkar loved her and that was enough for me,' said Hirad. 'Let's face it, we'd none of us ever seen him so happy.'
'Evasion, surely?' accused Denser. 'You can do better than that.'
'All right, all right.' Hirad held up his hands. 'I'll admit she had her faults as far as The Raven was concerned. She was a brilliant archer, the best we ever had, but she was so impetuous. Look what she did at the temple.' He paused. 'And look what she did yesterday. '
The Unknown nodded. 'But we'd have taught her. And what she did was extraordinary. Proved she was Raven. Prepared to give her life for one of us without question. That's why I honour her.'
'I'll drink to that,' said Hirad. 'As soon as we get to Blackthorne, anyway.'
'I'll miss the arguments, you know,' said Denser. 'I loved listening to you two.'
'You're not so bad at it yourself,' said Hirad. 'And don't worry, I'll switch to you now. Got to have someone to poke fun at.'
'You mean you haven't started yet?' asked Denser.
'Oh, my dear Denser,' said The Unknown. 'There were ten years before you even joined. You don't know the half of it. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface.'
The sky was lightening. The new day was coming. It would be a day without Ilkar, and for Hirad that was something awful to contemplate. But in his death he'd given hope to every living elf, and that was something that burned in Hirad's heart with an intensity that would never wane.
He stood up, brushed himself down and turned to The Raven.
'Come on, it's getting light. Time to leave our friends to rest a while.' He knelt and patted the earth of Ilkar's grave. 'See you, Ilks, but got to go.
'It's a long way to Calaius and we've got work to do.'
Epilogue
Erienne knelt before the statue of Yniss and its shattered hand that the Al-Arynaar had reattached but did not have the magic to bind.
Are you there? she asked.
Yes, Erienne, said Cleress. Before we start, tell us how you felt in the stockade at Understone. You used the One.
Were you with me?
Of course, but only to help you should you falter. We cannot afford to lose you. But you learned the essence of it all. Casting reflects desire. You wanted The Raven to have time to talk, and you gave it to them. You will be able to achieve almost anything but this strength is also the curse. Go further than the power of your mind and the One will swamp you, kill you. This is the limitation you must understand before we can withdraw from you.
I didn't feel in control.
You were not, said Myriell. Not entirely. It will become more natural as you begin to understand how it feels.
Erienne shook her head. No more now. Elves die as we speak. What must I do?
We will guide you, said Cleress. You must open yourself to the One, let us feel what you feel.
I'm just a conduit, right?
You are far more than that, said Myriell, her voice weak and distant. But for this binding, yes, you can put it that way.
What should I do?
Just place both hands on the statue. One on the thumb and one on the fracture at the wrist. Then delve down into the entity and feel us there with you.
Erienne placed her hands where she was asked and closed her eyes, tuning her mind to the mana spectrum. She dived deep within herself, down to the hated pulsating mass in her mind that was the One. She hovered above it for a moment, then plunged in.
The energy that stormed through her body was as overwhelming as it was beautiful. It took her breath away, stopped her heart and stole the strength from her limbs. But still she lived, still the blood raced through her veins and her grip on the statue was secure.
She felt uplifted and everything around her was so clear and pure.
The water in the pool next to her, Auum and Rebraal standing near her, their bodies taut with tension, their minds so complex, so dark and yet so fundamentally good. She pushed outwards and everything was in focus. She could feel the beating heart of a bird in a nearby tree, she could feel the roots of the tree itself, growing down as they sought nourishment. She could feel a panther and its partner outside the temple, their bond closer than mother and unborn child, and she could feel The Raven, strong but bowed by grief, waiting for her. Waiting and hoping she could do what she was asked.
This may be painful for you, said Myriell. I am sorry if it is so.
Do what you must. I am ready.
Very well.
The sound of their voices grew in her mind and at once the tendrils of the One started to move together. The language was ancient and elvish but power reverberated in every syllable. They were forging a shape like a cast. It was huge and rotated, dragging the essence of the One from the entity inside her, melding it to what they had already built.
And then came the pain. From the tips of her toes to the top of her scalp, every nerve came alive and shrieked. The raw spirit of the One was surging through her, only kept in check by the strength of the Al-Drechar's minds. The tendrils fattened to great twining ropes feeding into the structure that blossomed as it grew.
She knew she was juddering with the force of it all; her eyes and mouth flew open, spittle rolled over her chin and she heard a low wail that she didn't realise at first was coming from her. The voices grew so loud in her head she feared she would pass out but the One kept her upright; it wouldn't let her go.
The marble of the wrist, hand and thumb was moving, moulding and shaping. Like ants crawling on the forest floor, it shifted over itself, knitting together, the movement seething upwards, the stone feeling alive beneath her fingers. It pulsed and writhed, every shard moved to its place, every nick was covered and every crack smoothed away.
Her eyesight began to fade as the sound of the Al-Drechar's voices dropped to a low bass. The floor under her began to vibrate, water in the pool splashed, dust filtered down from above, settling on her arms and head. She saw the sheath of mana pass over the hand, up the arm and then across Yniss's body. And as it did, her body quivered, every muscle in minute spasm, her nerves still alive and open, her pain quite without peer.
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