Elves: Rise of the TaiGethen

by James Barclay

  ‘I will not betray him, though I swear to you he is not in the temple,’ said Ainaere. ‘Ix has blessed him. He has powers which he can awaken in many of our people, and Ix is the daughter of Yniss, who presides over us all. What greater path is there to follow?’

  ‘Then the priesthood acts against all reason too,’ said Auum quietly. ‘Stand aside, Ainaere, or I will be forced to move you out of our way. Tai.’

  Elyss and Ulysan came to Auum’s shoulders. Weapons remained sheathed but that scarcely lessened the threat. Ainaere stared at Auum and her fortitude had clearly not withered over the centuries. She did not move. Auum spoke again.

  ‘We are both vassals of Yniss. My faith is unsullied by the promise of new weapons and I will not stand by and allow the questionable pursuit of magic to lead our enemies directly to Katura.’ He paused. ‘The humans are tracking him through his magic. Thousands of them are in the forest right now, waiting for him to show them the way. The tragedy is of course that you, like him, do not believe that, do you? Stand aside.’

  ‘Even if I did believe you, it merely makes his mission more urgent. Trust me now,’ said Ainaere. ‘Turn from this path. Return to the forest. Fight as you know how. Come no further. I cannot stand aside.’

  ‘Then I am sorry,’ said Auum. ‘Yniss forgive me. Tai, we move.’

  Auum strode forward. In deference and respect, he did not raise his hands, choosing instead to use his shoulder to force a path between Ainaere and her entourage. One laid a hand on Auum’s right arm, and Auum stopped and stared into the young Ynissul’s eyes.

  ‘Your honour, such as it is, is already secured. Much good will it do you,’ he said. ‘Your hand is touching my shirt. Drop it or I will remove it.’

  Auum marched on, feeling the young priest’s fingers relax and fall away. He moved on towards the rear doors, motioning his Tai to continue their search within the temple. He felt sick and betrayed by those who stood at the head of his faith. Only Lysael, it seemed, had not been beguiled by Takaar’s words. Worse, they would not listen to any other voices.

  The rear doors of the temple stood closed and bolted. Behind him, the temple’s workers, priests and acolytes were emptying into the central passage, following the lone TaiGethen cell. He heard shouts designed to shame him, turn him, accusing him of acting against his god. He heard threats of retribution from Yniss, from the Il-Aryn and from the whole of the elven race.

  ‘And for this, we are trying to save our people,’ he said to his Tai when they reached him. ‘He’s out there, isn’t he?’

  Auum unbolted and threw open the doors to the temple village. He walked into the light.

  ‘You know that, if I chose, I could pin you and your precious warriors to the walls of the temple and there slowly crush your bodies until you beg for my mercy,’ said Takaar.

  ‘Then do it,’ said Auum. ‘And see how fragile your following really is.’

  Takaar loved nothing if not the dramatic. So it had been throughout his life, his spectacular and tragic fall from grace and his rise back to some semblance of honour. Here he was, standing in the centre of the village with his Il-Aryn followers spread around him in an arc. Temple workers were gathered in groups at the sides of the village or peered out from the half-open doors of their dwellings.

  ‘What are you doing here, Auum? I thought we said all we needed to say at the borders of Ysundeneth.’

  Auum walked further away from the temple, happy to allow those clustered behind him to come and hear what was said. Elyss and Ulysan followed him, never more than a pace behind. Ulysan had his eyes everywhere, searching for any hidden threat. Elyss’ fingers rubbed at her palms and her breathing was too fast and shallow.

  ‘Your great human friend has betrayed you, Takaar. Garan has only sent you to Katura so you can lead his warriors to the gates. You’re like a firefly, showing him the way through the darkness. And your light will bring the flame and ice and horror of human magic down on our people. It will bring human steel down upon the helpless and the innocent. It will signal the end of the elven race.’

  Takaar applauded. His handclap was slow and contemptuous.

  ‘You should really save such speeches for your own people. Very impressive, Auum, but your words, as I have sadly come to expect, are full of nothing but lies and scaremongering.’

  ‘Scaremongering?’ Auum pointed towards the Ix. ‘What did you tell them, Takaar? That there is no army marching along our great river? That the rainforest is not invaded? They are here, and they are following the signature of your magic. And worse, you intend to lead them exactly where they want to go.’

  Takaar appeared completely lucid. There was no confusion in his eyes signifying chatter from his other self. No distraction in his gestures. Auum had come to see Takaar’s tormentor as a sometime ally; if they were in agreement for once, it would make his job infinitely harder.

  ‘No elf would deny the threat facing us,’ said Takaar. ‘You insult me and all those who stand with me by suggesting as much. It is because there is an army marching through our forest that I am tasked by Yniss to build a force of Il-Aryn capable of defending our race. And achieving that is only possible because Garan, friend to the elves, has shown me the way. He has shown me our errors because he desires our survival. He should be feted by all elves, not cursed by the TaiGethen.’

  The crowd surrounding them was hanging on Takaar’s every word. Shouts of assent greeted every one of his assertions; fingers were pointed at the TaiGethen in their midst. Auum did not like the fervour contaminating the atmosphere around them.

  ‘War comes today, Takaar. Tell me, how long will it take to train an elf to be a mage strong enough to combat the might of men? Twenty years. Thirty? More?’

  ‘We must build for the future even as we fight for our present.’

  ‘Takaar,’ said Auum. ‘I know you’re no traitor and that you believe you are doing the right thing. So pursue this course with my blessing, if only because it keeps you away from me. But you cannot do it by travelling to Katura to collect your new subjects.’

  Takaar said nothing for a moment. He scowled deeply and waved a hand to his right.

  ‘I will handle this,’ he hissed. ‘I will not reveal all of my plans unnecessarily.’

  ‘Someone else agrees with me, do they?’ asked Auum.

  Takaar’s gaze, when it returned to Auum, was brim with fury.

  ‘None but your sycophants agree with you,’ he spat, his voice low and hoarse. ‘You and I both know that the enemy will reach Katura, it was only ever a question of when. And when they find the city they will march in unhindered, because there is no strength or will left there to fight.

  ‘So I am travelling there to rescue those who will become the bedrock of our race in the years to come; the Ixii, Cefans, Orrans and Gyalans. I will not leave them to scatter into the forest. As for the others in Katura, they had best pray to their gods and commend their souls to Shorth, for that is the only place they will find mercy.’

  Prayers for the fallen of Katura swept the crowd, and Auum found himself muttering a few words too before attempting reason one more time.‘Takaar, I have heard your words, now listen to me. Return to the Verendii Tual. You know like no one else how to hide there. Take your Il-Aryn and continue their training. Go with the blessing and the protection of the TaiGethen and all who follow the pure path of Yniss. I will protect Katura and I will bring your students to you personally. I guarantee their safety.’

  ‘I will not entrust this task to any other,’ said Takaar.

  Auum addressed himself to the crowd.

  ‘And are you truly with him? Do you understand what his actions will do? Thousands will die for the sake of the lives of a handful. How can you stand behind him while he commts this crime?’

  There was a murmur in the crowd. One voice rose above the rest.

  ‘He is committing no crime. The humans are the criminals. Takaar only seeks to save the elves.’

  ‘But he — ’ began Auum,
but the noise in the crowd in support of the speaker would have drowned out anything he had to say. He scanned the elves gathered around them and shook his head in weary disbelief.

  Auum looked to either side and his Tais nodded they were with him.

  ‘Takaar, I don’t know how you have convinced them so utterly but I will not stand by and let you lead human steel to the throats of elves.’ Auum walked forward until he was five paces from Takaar. Close enough that he could not attempt a casting. ‘I am forced to place you into the custody of the TaiGethen. You will be held somewhere you can do no more harm and where, should the humans continue to follow you, you will have led them far from those I am sworn to protect. Should you or any of the Il-Aryn attempt to reach Katura, the TaiGethen will strike you down for the protection of our people.’

  Though none of the hundred or so who heard him could have been surprised at his announcement, the hiss of indrawn breath was loud and the muttering was low and angry. Takaar adopted a beatific smile and opened his arms wide to encompass all.

  ‘And would you strike these people down too? These iads and ulas who have devoted their entire lives to Yniss and have seen a path to salvation?’

  Auum raised his voice to carry across the village.

  ‘Those who would follow you to Katura are deluded and represent a threat to all elves. None of them can stand against the TaiGethen. Should they try, they announce themselves enemies of the elves and yes, we will strike them down.’

  ‘It is as I feared, my friends,’ said Takaar, speaking in the manner of the ancient orators of Hausolis. ‘Those who are sworn to protect us will instead raise their hands against us. So it is fortunate that I have found the true defenders of elven faith.’

  He clapped his hands together. Auum stiffened. The TaiGethen were the true defenders of the faith – could Takaar have convinced a cell to join him? Doors opened to four houses in the heart of the village and Auum prepared himself to fight rogue TaiGethen, even though every nerve in his body protested that only in a nightmare could Takaar have swayed them.

  Fifteen figures issued from the houses. They were cloaked in grey, wore cloth masks over their faces and carried long double-bladed spears – ikari. They spread out between Takaar and the TaiGethen, forming a barrier Auum knew he had no chance of breaching.

  ‘Senserii,’ breathed Auum. ‘That bastard has found the Senserii.’

  Beside him, Elyss moved to a ready position. In front of them, fifteen ikari snapped upright and forward; the Senserii were poised to attack. Auum put out a hand.

  ‘Elyss, no. They’ll kill you,’ he said.

  ‘He finally speaks sense,’ said Takaar and he chortled like a child. ‘A history lesson, Elyss my love, a history lesson. Will you, Auum, or shall I?’

  Auum felt his anger surge and fought to keep himself in check. He jabbed a finger at Takaar and moved to force his way between two Senserii. Their ikaris clashed in front of his face.

  ‘Auum!’ hissed Ulysan. ‘Elyss, stand right where you are. I have seen them in action. Everything you have read about them is true.’

  Auum had not moved. He did not lift his head to look at either Senserii before him.

  ‘I know you, Gilderon,’ he said quietly. ‘I know all of you and I respect your skills. You know me. This need not come to blows between the elite warriors castes. We need you to aid us in the fight against men. You have heard why Takaar must not reach Katura. Let me through, I will not harm him.’

  They did not speak, or even move a muscle, to suggest they had heard, understood or would accede to his request. Auum rubbed a hand over his mouth. He wanted to scream in their faces that they were wrong and that Takaar was fooling them all, but it would have been a waste of breath. Takaar was going to bring an avalanche of human steel and magic down on Katura and Auum would have to risk all the TaiGethen to try and even the odds.

  ‘So be it,’ he whispered.

  Auum stepped away from the Senserii, turned and motioned his Tai to follow him. He ran around the edge of the temple before leading them back into the rainforest. At the first fast-running stream, he stopped to wash his face and scrub his hands.

  ‘As soon as Takaar heads for Katura, the enemy will move. We will have to be ready.’

  Ulysan nodded but Elyss pointed back towards Aryndeneth.

  ‘Why didn’t you go back through the temple? We should have prayed. I needed to pray there.’

  Auum shook his head. ‘Yniss no longer listens to prayers uttered there. Until Aryndeneth is rededicated, it is no longer our temple.’

  Chapter 16

  One of the enduring tragedies of the enslavement of the elves and the betrayal of Llyron, High Priest of Shorth, was the disappearance and presumed death of Juijuene, teacher of the Senserii. It was perhaps the first of many mortal blows unknowingly struck by the hand of man.

  From A Charting of Decline, by Pelyn, Arch of the Al-Arynaar, Governor of Katura

  In the vastness of the rainforest there was nowhere to hide. Auum ran as never before while his mind struggled to develop strategies and his soul to maintain the merest vestige of hope. Neither was proving simple. The calls had gone out, the TaiGethen had met together. For some, it would have been for the last time.

  Two days after the stand-off at the temple, the army camped on the banks of the Ix had begun to march again and Auum had known Takaar was on the move.

  The TaiGethen were split. Fifteen cells, including Auum’s, would harry the Ix army while the remaining two cells under Corsaar would track and obstruct the smaller army from Deneth Barine, which it had been confirmed was approaching along the River Shorth.

  Auum tried not to think about the size of the forces Ystormun had sent into the forest and the paucity of the defences. Ulysan had been right of course, the elves had to use their land to their advantage. But the only really positive news Auum had heard was Onelle’s mention that the ClawBound were attacking the enemy in order to free slaves. Auum would have preferred to develop a coherent strategy with them, but that seemed an unlikely prospect.

  The enemy had passed the Olbeck Rise on foot, while their twelve barges were half a day further on, soldiers and mages staying firmly on board and the vessels anchored in midstream when night fell.

  It was almost dusk when Auum finally caught up with Merrat and Grafyrre’s cells about a mile north of the enemy. A steady rain was falling and looked set for the night, happily making camping uncomfortable for the invading army. The nine TaiGethen climbed into the lower boughs of a sprawling banyan and sheltered beneath its broad leaves while they talked.

  ‘What’s their attrition rate?’ asked Ulysan.

  ‘Conditions are poor,’ said Merrat. ‘Many of them are sleeping on the ground and we’ve seen plenty of infestation, bites and infections. The trouble is that the mages seem quite capable of curing most things so I don’t think we can look to the smaller of Tual’s creatures to do much for us.’

  ‘All right, so let’s focus on how we can damage them at rest. I don’t want to risk a direct attack right now. Better to do something covert that supports the ClawBound’s efforts. Can we introduce a mass infection, for instance? Something on a scale which would overwhelm the mages. Waterborne is the obvious choice, but we cannot risk poisoning the water courses.’

  ‘They boil all their drinking water; they even fill their skins with boiled water. They’re being careful, experience has taught them that much,’ said Merrat. ‘So there is not much joy to be had there anyway.’

  ‘What about their food supply?’ asked Elyss.

  ‘Their diet is principally fish,’ said Nyann, who with Ysset made up Merrat’s cell. Nyann was a young TaiGethen, one of the newest to be fully fledged. ‘The braver ones go hunting, or they did. The ClawBound returned last night’s hunters to the camp perimeter in pieces. They are carrying large quantities of dried food, though. It’s all loaded on the barges in crates and barrels. Which makes sense, I suppose.’

  Auum thought for a moment. ‘All ri
ght. Here’s what we’ll do: their route is bound to take them towards the Haliath Vale and straight past the Apposans on their way inland to Katura. I want all the remaining cells up there including yours, Graf. You’re going to be in charge of preparing the ground and canopy for defence. Use everything. You know how the Apposans like a fight and the Scar is a perfect ambush site.’

  Grafyrre nodded. ‘And the rest of you are . . .’

  Auum smiled. ‘Going swimming.’

  ‘Anyone cut?’ asked Auum.

  ‘We’ll soon know enough,’ said Merrat. ‘Plenty of crocodile and piranha on the scent right here. Actually, Auum, you’ve chosen a particularly well-stocked passage of the Ix for this.’

  It was full night. The rain had eased a fraction. Auum, Elyss and Ulysan sat with Merrat, Nyann and Ysset, smearing their bodies with a dense sticky poultice of verbena, vine leaf and crushed tubers. The preparation would mask their scent in the water and hide any cuts. It would be good for the swim downstream but would not be so effective for their return to the shore.

  ‘Beeth has been unkind,’ said Elyss. ‘This stuff itches like fly larvae under the skin.’

  ‘But at least you know it’s sticking,’ said Ulysan cheerfully.

  ‘But what else is it doing?’ asked Elyss, the best swimmer of the six.

  ‘Playing havoc with your complexion,’ said Ysset. ‘You’ll need a good infusion of lemongrass and camu to reduce the rashes on your skin afterwards.’

  ‘How comforting,’ said Elyss. ‘There are few things I detest more than lemongrass. I think I’d rather take the blotches.’

  Auum let them chatter. His plan had been greeted with silence followed by fervent and anxious prayers, and they were now only two hundred yards from the prow of the first barge. All twelve lay at anchor line astern in the centre of the channel.

  Lights from the barges and from the multitude of fires in the enemy camps along the bank gave the nighttime a curious flickering glow. Bright pinpoints of light blinked as people walked in front of lanterns and torches. The sound of an army settling to rest carried up the river along with the smells of cooking and the unholy stink of man. The rasp of weapons on whetstones sounded like the call of a rainforest lizard, overlaying the fizz and crack of damp wood and chatter of men.