Beyond the Mists of Katura

Chapter 4

Ysundeneth was in ferment.

Auum and Ulysan had run hard from Aryndeneth, hearing the call to muster repeated over and over. It haunted Auum’s waking hours and woke him from his brief moments of sleep. Auum ran up to the top of the cliffs surrounding the Ultan to look down on the city before going in, and what he saw took his breath away.

Like an invasion was already under way, ordinary elves were flooding out of Ysundeneth and into the dubious security of the rainforest. He could see hundreds of sails, big and small, heading along the coast to the east and west. Elves thronged the streets doing whatever it was that panic prompted.

But there were no human ships outside the harbour; none on the horizon either. All the same, elves with no experience of living beyond the city were still throwing themselves on the mercy of the forest in fear of what might be coming. And Takaar had fuelled it all, whether by accident or design hardly mattered.

‘Why do they listen to him?’ whispered Auum. ‘You’d think no one else knew he’s insane and given to outbursts and fabrications. What a mess.’

‘Where do you want to go?’

‘The temple of Yniss in the piazza. That’s the only place we’ll get a level-headed appraisal of the situation.’

The Ultan bridge was thronged with people in the process of making themselves refugees. A few Al-Arynaar were with them, trying to direct them to the surer forest paths.

Auum ran along the handrail and swung about the flagpoles set along its length looking at the upturned faces as he passed. Two out of ten of them would fall prey to bite, claw or sting. No one with them had any knowledge of herbs or roots, barks or flowers.

Auum called for them to go home, to listen for the TaiGethen order to evacuate, if it ever came. But a greater power, a greater charisma at any rate, had voiced fear enough to drive them into the rainforest’s dangerous embrace. Takaar: they loved and hated him in equal measure, but they always believed him.

The temple piazza was full to bursting with elves desperate to pray in their temple, seeking guidance from their priests or simply looking to share their fear with each other. Auum and Ulysan headed to the temple of Yniss, skirting the piazza to avoid getting stuck in the desperate heaving crowd.

Auum was uncomfortable this close to a crowd; too many memories, too many harsh sounds at odds with the purity of the rainforest. He led Ulysan down the left-hand side of the temple. It was quieter here. The walls were painted the colours of the forest and Auum instantly felt calmer. He indicated upwards, Ulysan following his gesture.

Perhaps seventy feet up, lantern light was spilling from a circular opening.

‘Think she’s up there?’ asked Ulysan.

‘Race you to find out,’ said Auum.

Ulysan was strong, fast and had a long reach. Auum had often likened him to a monkey, and the big TaiGethen delighted in the gentle jibe. He leaped, found a tiny fingerhold in the timber work and cruised up the outside of the temple as if he was scaling a ladder. Auum smiled and followed as quickly as he could. He was still a good ten feet behind when Ulysan disappeared through the opening. By the time he’d turned a roll over the sill to land in Lysael’s dedication chamber, Ulysan was sitting in a chair reading a book.

‘Very funny,’ said Auum.

‘I thought we should attempt to alleviate the tension for a moment,’ said Lysael, moving into view from behind a screen, cinching her pale grey robes with a braided red cord. ‘You are most welcome, Auum.’

Auum knelt and Lysael kissed the top of his head. He stood and the two of them embraced, Auum kissing her eyes and forehead and she returning the gesture.

‘Please tell me you know what’s going on,’ said Auum. ‘All I know is a human mage called Stein has contacted Takaar and he has reacted with the proper urgency but without the proper tact.’

Lysael turned to a tray and filled three carved wooden goblets with sweet red wine. Ulysan rose and bowed his head as she offered one to him. Auum raised his goblet and muttered a prayer of thanks before taking a sip.

‘We’re in trouble. Whether an invasion fleet is headed this way or not, you’ve seen the effect the rumours have had. Takaar has brought Stein here. Pretty much every Il-Aryn too. But he needs swords, and that’s why he persuaded the ClawBound to muster the TaiGethen. He says he wants the Al-Arynaar too, and many of them are already with him.’

‘To do what, exactly?’ asked Auum. ‘We already have plans for defending the cities.’

Lysael swallowed the remainder of her wine and headed back to the jug for more.

‘That isn’t what he wants. He’s equipping ships.’

Ulysan coughed, spitting out a mouthful of wine and mumbling an apology. Auum could do nothing but stare at Lysael, trying to unpick the confusion of thoughts crowding his mind. Finally, he managed to get one of them out.

‘He’s planning an invasion?’

The question sounded ludicrous even as he was voicing it, and he was momentarily happy to see Lysael shake her head.

‘Not even he is quite that delusional,’ she said. ‘Though Yniss knows he’s dangerous when his other voice gets the upper hand. No, it seems he is planning a rescue.’

Auum put his goblet down, fearing he might drop it if the revelations got any more astonishing.

‘But who is there to rescue?’

Lysael paused as if weighing up what to say, or perhaps how to say it. She pressed her hands together and took a deep breath. Auum frowned, glad he’d put down his goblet.

‘He’s been sending Il-Aryn adepts to train in Balaia.’

‘What?’

‘Why?’ asked Ulysan.

‘You’ll have to ask him, but, whatever the reason, now they’re trapped and Takaar wants to rescue them.’

‘Well, he’ll be doing it without the TaiGethen,’ said Auum.

He was finding the whole scene surreal: the wailing out in the piazza a backdrop to Lysael’s words, which echoed in his head like statements of creeping madness. Even the wine tasted bitter.

‘Where is he?’ asked Ulysan.

‘He’ll be on the docks. He’s stationed himself at the harbour master’s house and he’s using the Herendeneth warehouse for staging people and supplies. The TaiGethen are there.’

Auum closed his eyes, hoping it was all a ridiculous nightmare. But when he opened them again, the fact that a Stein was here meant that, whatever perverse actions Takaar was taking, the elves were almost certainly facing a mortal threat.

‘We’d better go,’ said Auum.

‘Front door?’ asked Ulysan.

‘I don’t think so,’ said Auum. ‘I prefer our private route.’

‘Not before we share a prayer you don’t,’ said Lysael. She held out her hands to the TaiGethen and the trio knelt facing each other. ‘And we’d better hope Yniss is listening.’

Auum felt his heart skip as he reached the docks at Tual’s Wharf by the harbour master’s house. Amid the chaos engulfing the greater part of the docks, as people sought escape, this was an oasis of industry and organisation.

Laden carts stood by the doors to the Herendeneth warehouse. A chain of workers passed crates, barrels and nets inside. Four ships were tied up along the length of the wharf, their crews busy organising cargo into holds and checking sails, rigging and timber. Gang masters sang orders, their gangs responded in kind.

Ulysan grabbed Auum and pointed towards the warehouse. Faleen stood in the doorway. At the sight of him, she shouted over her shoulder and ran across the cobbles. Her face was bright with excitement.

‘So many have come ready to fight,’ she said. ‘It is the greatest muster for seven hundred years. A meeting of friends and a renewal of vows, joy amid the danger. How did you know to call the muster? I thought you were in Katura. . What’s wrong?’

Auum took Faleen’s shoulders and kissed her eyes.

‘It is good to see you, old friend. It’s been too long. But I did not call the muster. Where’s Takaar?’

Faleen frowned.

‘He’s inside. . but. . He didn’t, did he?’

‘Forgot to mention that, did he?’ said Ulysan.

‘What possessed you to think I’d agree to the TaiGethen sailing for Balaia?’ asked Auum.

‘We didn’t understand it,’ said Faleen. She shrugged. ‘But when the muster is called, the TaiGethen come.’

Auum nodded. ‘Yniss bless you, Faleen. How many of us are here?’

‘Two hundred and twenty-seven.’

Auum blew out his cheeks not knowing whether to be furious or impressed. He settled on the latter. The TaiGethen never failed to respond. But Takaar had much to answer for.

‘I’ll talk to you all in due course. But I need to see Takaar and this Stein first.’

The TaiGethen were gathered to welcome Auum when he walked into the warehouse. He acknowledged their cheers and the songs with a wave but his eyes were fixed on the elf who stood behind a long table covered in parchments. He straightened and spread his arms in a gesture of welcome with that damned beatific smile on his face.

‘Auum. More trials await the greatest among elves. And we must greet such challenges with energy, humour and an unswerving faith in our power and our gods.’

‘I feel sure the entire elven nation is calmed by the knowledge that you have stepped up to marshal the defence of Calaius.’

Takaar’s smile flickered briefly before firming once more. ‘I have merely done what needed to be done while awaiting your arrival.’

‘Really?’ said Auum.

He walked up to the table and cast his gaze over the parchments, seeing cargo manifests, lists of names, racking plans and what appeared to be a list of ingredients for some of Takaar’s most potent poisons. Some ingredients were ticked, many were not.

‘On learning of a threat to Calaius, would you not have mustered the TaiGethen and made this place your centre of operations?’

‘What I would have done is not panic the entire city! There is an evacuation going on without any order and without a plan. Thousands are putting themselves at needless risk by fleeing to the rainforest totally unprepared. Do you have a parchment dealing with that?’

Takaar looked at him blankly. ‘We have enemies to face. Our people must be trusted to look after themselves.’

‘We must keep them safe from harm. That is our duty. You have pushed them into harm’s way. All the Al-Arynaar you have gathered will be redeployed to advise and aid the population of Ysundeneth.’

Anger flashed across Takaar’s face. ‘They have more important tasks.’

‘There is no more important task than the safety and security of our people.’ Auum sighed. ‘Look, let’s not do this wrong. Right now I can see panic across the city, ships in the harbour and my people gathered here for no particular purpose. Talk to me, Takaar. What do we face? Where is Stein?’

‘See, I told you he would believe me,’ said Takaar, looking to his right, apparently addressing his other self. He frowned. ‘Tell him, Auum. You do believe me, don’t you?’

Auum noted Takaar’s lieutenants — Drech was one, he didn’t recognise the other — switch their attentions to the table. Drech gave the merest shrug and Auum wished, not for the first time, that he was more than the tacit leader of the Il-Aryn.

‘I believe that not even you would call a muster without cause.’

Takaar looked to his right again.

‘Well I would call it a ringing endorsement. And we must be ready or we will be swept aside.’

Auum waited while Takaar descended into spitting and muttering, the mad elf’s hands clenching a piece of parchment and finally ripping it into pieces.

‘Takaar, where is Stein?’ asked Auum gently, cursing himself for a fool for not seeing Takaar’s delicate state sooner. ‘Why did you send your adepts to Balaia to train with humans? With our enemies?’

Takaar focused on him briefly before laughing at something his other self had said.

‘Well we can agree there,’ he said. ‘No combat magic on Herendeneth. Only place to go is Julatsa.’

Auum frowned. ‘And Julatsa is. .?’

‘The human magical college and city most closely aligned to the Il-Aryn in terms of ethics and magical constructions.’

Takaar was so far within himself, Auum doubted he had heard Drech’s answer. With a tip of his head he indicated Drech should come around the table and speak with him. But before he moved, Auum pointed at Takaar’s other lieutenant.

‘You, make sure he has water to hand and a place to sit when he comes back to himself.’

The iad bobbed her head nervously. Takaar stared at Auum through faraway eyes.

‘Where are you going? We have so much to discuss. So much work to do.’

‘It’s all under control,’ said Auum. ‘Just one question: how many of your adepts are in Julatsa right now?’

Takaar smiled broadly. ‘The programme is working so well. Our adepts have been welcomed by the Julatsans. They have shared their knowledge in return for the best of training in key castings where our lore and energies connect.’

Auum felt his heart rate increasing and a crawling sensation across his shoulders.

‘How many, Takaar?’

‘Our current success currently numbers four hundred and seventeen.’

Auum gaped, he couldn’t help himself. He licked his lips, trying to frame a response, but his mind was struggling to comprehend the ramifications of that number. It was beyond his darkest fears, potentially catastrophic beyond measure. And all the while Takaar smiled at him as if he’d made a decision that would bring them peace for eternity.

‘It is truly amazing, isn’t it?’ said Takaar. ‘What do you say, Auum?’

Auum felt his control slip and he had no desire to regain it. He reached out and grabbed Takaar by his collar, hauling him across the table. Papers and weights scattered across the stone warehouse floor. Takaar’s feet caught on the table edge, tipping it over to hit the ground with a resounding crack.

Auum turned and pushed Takaar ahead of him, pushing him up against a wall with enough force to shake off dust and rattle the contents of nearby shelving. Takaar’s smile was gone now, replaced by an expression of pained confusion. Auum spoke quietly though he knew every eye in the warehouse was on them.

‘I’ll tell you what I say. I say that you have trapped more than half of your magical strength on an enemy continent an ocean away from here. Four hundred and more who you have promised to the defence of Calaius should the day come. I say that you have left our people vulnerable, and yet your answer is to send more of our defenders after those surely already lost.

‘I say that once again you have demonstrated your utter unsuitability to be in any position of influence or power. I am done with you.’

Takaar laughed in his face. ‘You should be pleased, shouldn’t you? Four hundred of the adepts you so hate and wish had never been created, able to cast the magic you despise and deny can help us, are overseas. Now’s your chance to show us how the mighty TaiGethen alone can defend Calaius from what is coming.’

‘And what is coming?’ asked Auum. ‘No, strike that. I don’t want to hear any more from you. I’ll ask the question of someone capable of answering it.’

He let Takaar go and the mad elf sank to his haunches, back to the wall. Auum turned on his heel and strode towards Drech, who was standing with Ulysan and a human: Stein. Auum ignored Takaar’s taunting and abuse and the angry stares of his acolytes.

‘Get him out of here,’ said Auum to Ulysan.

‘Got a point, though, hasn’t he?’ said the big TaiGethen.

Auum shrugged. ‘Yes. Magic is damaging, as he proves daily. Those four hundred should be wearing the cloak of the Al-Arynaar, shouldn’t they? I wish they were not Il-Aryn but they are. And at the base of it all, we need bodies here when our enemies attack.’

Another tirade of abuse struck Auum’s broad back.

‘I’ll find him a place to lie down,’ said Ulysan.

Auum turned to Stein, appraising the human carefully. He was a confident man, confident enough not to be cowed by the presence of the TaiGethen. His bearing was proud and his features, bold and prominent, reminded Auum of his ancestor of seven hundred years past. But it was his eyes that truly marked him of the line of the first Stein. And it was the birthmark across his palm that granted him the right to speak.

‘Sorry about the altercation,’ said Auum. ‘Takaar and I have our. . differences. What is it?’

Stein was smiling and he was shaking his head gently, musing on something.

‘I’m sorry. This may be hard for you to comprehend, but you and Takaar are elves whose tales have been told, whose names and deeds have been passed down through the generations of our family for hundreds and hundreds of years. And here you stand, free of the ravages of time, at least physically. For me it is simply amazing that you can have lived for so long. For you, of course, it is normal.’

Auum thought for a moment before holding out his hand in the way he remembered humans did. Stein took it and shook it, a broad smile breaking out on his face.

‘If my history is correct, you would not shake the first Stein’s hand.’

‘Perhaps I’ve grown soft over the centuries,’ said Auum. ‘You risked your life to come here to warn us of invasion or worse. For that I thank you.’

‘Yes, but it isn’t altruism that brought me here. We need your help. We must have your help. And whatever else you believe about Takaar, he is right about the need to take ship.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you cannot beat what is coming on the shores of Calaius.’

‘And you’re honest too. Your elvish is excellent, by the way,’ said Auum. He glanced about him. Ulysan was leaning over Takaar, speaking quietly and firmly. ‘This is not the place for this discussion. We’ll go to the harbour master’s house. Drech, I need you too. Faleen, take the rest of the TaiGethen, find as many cloaks as you can. We need to quell the panic. Tais, my friends, we move.’