Demonstorm

Chapter 37

They had run into the tower complex under a guard of ForceCones, Xeteskian warriors flanking them. The cursyrd had pulled away when they had entered the dome, shrieking their anger and frustration, promising lingering death.

Auum had barked for healers, for a place to lay Duele. Evunn shadowed him. The Tai was cut and bleeding, his eyes fierce and furious. Someone had shown them the path deep into the catacombs he remembered so well. Through multiple turns and antechambers to where the Xeteskian mages slept under guard to replenish their mana stamina. It was empty now. Just an anonymous chamber with bare walls, a single table and rolls of bedding.

Al-Arynaar had followed them through the maze and immediately began to prepare. Auum laid Duele on a bedding roll on the table. The Tai moaned feebly, blood bubbling from his lips. Auum smoothed his semi-conscious frown and kissed his forehead.

'You have come so far, my Tai,' he said. 'Stand with us again and we will complete Yniss's work.' He turned to the elven mages. 'Save him. And if you cannot do that, see he suffers no more pain. Evunn, we pray.'

The Tai knelt at Duele's feet while the Al-Arynaar worked on him, doing whatever they could.

'Yniss, our Tai lies before you, broken. His fate is in your hands. It is you who will call upon Shorth or keep him behind you. We are ever your servants and do your work without question. Keep Duele with us. Let Shorth wait for him. We will let your wisdom guide us and will never turn from the path. But. .' Auum breathed deep. Evunn's arms were about his neck pulling him close, their heads on each other's shoulders. 'Do not take from us the best of us, we beg you. His soul is pure. He must run with us, not the ancestors, not

yet. Save him. Do not let Shorth take him: We are your servants, Yniss. Hear us in our time of direst need. Hear us.'

Auum rose to his feet, Evunn supported him. He wiped the tears from his face and felt the weight of despair crushing him. He knew before he looked into the eyes of the healers what he would find. But Duele was still breathing. Indeed his eyes blinked open. Auum's heart raced with brief hope.

'He is dying, isn't he?'

The mage nodded and Auum's heart faltered. His mind was suffused with a rage he had little desire to control.

'His chest cavity is crushed beyond repair. His lungs are ruined and his heart is pierced. He should have died when he was struck but his will is so strong,' said the mage. 'Had we been standing over him then, we could not have saved him. I am sorry.'

'Do not be so,' said Auum. 'You are blameless.'

'He feels no pain. You should talk to him now. There is little time.'

The mage moved aside, ushering the others with him. Auum and Evunn stood together in Duele's eyeline, watching his deliberate movements. He raised his hand a couple of inches. Auum grabbed it and squeezed hard. Duele licked his lips, smearing drying blood. His eyes opened, lids flickering a little. He frowned again, trying to focus.

'Yniss takes me for another purpose,' he managed through wheezing breaths. Every word stung Auum with its optimism. 'Shorth is waiting. I can feel him.'

'So it is, my Tai,' said Auum. He swallowed hard.

'Don't grieve,' said Duele. T go to the ancestors.'

'It is a journey we had pledged to take together. All three,' replied Auum. He gripped Duele's hand harder. 'You were always the best of us. Yniss sees it. Do this for me. Seek the one who seeks Rebraal and Hirad. Seek Ilkar. Shadow him. Protect him. Show him the path.'

'I will, Auum.' Duele coughed blood and smiled. 'Always orders.'

'Not orders. A request. A hope.' Auum leant in and kissed Duele's lips. 'Goodbye, Duele. Until we meet, be strong. Serve Yniss. Find Ilkar.'

He withdrew, letting Evunn take Duele's hand.

'Forty years TaiGethen,' Evunn said. 'Forty years as one.'

'And not a day's regret,' said Duele, his voice faint and rasping.

'There should have been forty more.' Evunn's voice quavered. 'This is not right. This is chance.'

'It is all Yniss's design. We are his servants.'

'Yes and we-' Evunn paused. Auum saw his shoulders sag. Evunn leaned in to kiss the Tai. 'Shorth show you the glory you deserve, my friend.' He laid Duele's hand by his side and turned to Auum, his voice breaking. 'He is gone.'

Auum moved back to Duele, standing opposite Evunn. He took the pouches of paint from his belt and the two of diem re-applied the hunting colours to Duele's face, taking exaggerated care over every detail, leaving no part uncovered. Auum drew Duele's twin short swords and placed one in each of his hands while Evunn unsnapped his jaqrui pouch and laid a whisper crescent high on his broken chest.

'Where you go now, you go armed,' said Auum.

'Fight well,' said Evunn. 'Fight strong.'

In silence, the surviving Tai painted each other's faces, speaking quiet prayers to Yniss to watch over them all, for Tual to keep them strong and for Shorth to take their enemies quickly. Eventually, Auum addressed the chamber; three Al-Arynaar mages and a Xeteskian warrior.

'No one will touch him until we return. He will remain as he is with no covering. He is of the TaiGethen elite and he still performs the work of Yniss. Evunn, come. We have the memory of our Tai to honour. There is cleansing to be done.'

They ran through the maze, their direction unerring. In the dome, Dystran moved to stand in front of the great doors. Outside, Auum could hear the shrieks of countless demons. Their calls of triumph and mastery; and their promises of failure and enslavement. Auum recognised Dystran instantly. He had no quarrel with the man. Not now in the moment of the greatest need of all Balaian races. Another day he would have killed him for his crimes against the elven nation.

'Move,' he said.

Dystran smiled indulgently. T understand your pain. .'

'No you do not, human.'

'. . but I cannot let you out there. You will be killed.'

Auum felt the blood drain from his face. He took a pace forwards.

'Move,' he repeated.

Dystran held up a hand to stop his guards closing in. 'Idiots. How close do you think you will get?'

'We have prayed,' explained Auum, fighting for the words and to retain his calm. 'Now we honour our dead and cleanse our minds.'

'How?' asked Dystran. 'There is nothing outside but death and demons.'

'Leave open the doors and watch,' said Auum. 'Move.'

Dystran clearly knew he would not ask again. He shook his head and stepped aside, nodding to his men. The doors swung gently open.

'Tai, we move. Tual will guide our bodies.'

Auum walked calmly out into the cold fresh air. Cursyrd cavorted in the air over the courtyard. Karron had beaten down the gates and were gathered by their shattered remains. A tentacled master floated serenely overhead. All eyes fixed on the TaiGethen pair moving into their midst.

Auum walked to the edge of die steps, well beyond the periphery of the ColdRoom shell. He spread his arms wide, his head was cocked to the heavens. He felt the desire then, the craving for absolution. Duele would be watching them.

'I am Auum of the TaiGethen. I stand with Evunn and in the presence of Duele. You know us and you know our calling. Today, you took from us. And for such action, there must be recompense. Which of you will offer yourselves to honour our dead? Which of you will journey with Duele to face the judgement of Shorth? Which of you will send us before him? I, Auum, am waiting.'

T, Evunn, am waiting.'

Screeching with pleasure, the cursyrd descended.

The pressure on the ForceCones was intensifying. Reavers had torn away windows and ripped timbers and stone from the roof. Only the spells kept them out now. At ground level the situation was no less difficult. WardLocks and investitures bowed under the incessant hammering of the karron. Yellow mana light crackled across

groaning joints. Plaster castings cracked and crumbled, thudding to the floor.

The Al-Arynaar waited, their calm spreading to all but one corner of the playhouse. Hirad wasn't hearing the roar of the demons gathered outside, baying for their souls. He was stalking around Rebraal, whose leather and shirt lay on the floor nearby. Denser and Pheone were studying him. Both had hands on his right arm and chest, their eyes closed as the mana probed his badly bruised body.

'You didn't think it something we needed to know?' Hirad couldn't believe it. He fought to keep his temper, aware that they needed focus for what was sure to come. 'What if we needed you in the line?'

Rebraal faced up to him, expression set. 'Organisation had to be done. We had to be secure above anything.'

'We're capable, Rebraal. Or hadn't you noticed? I can speak elvish.'

T wanted to be sure.'

Hirad shook his head. 'How bad is it?'

'Ribs, arm, shoulder. .' Rebraal shrugged and half smiled. 'The rest just aches.'

'Anything broken?'

'Of course there is,' said Denser, opening his eyes. 'And of course he also knows that to fix it we'll have to put him to sleep. Fractured collar-bone, three cracked ribs and one broken and leaning on his lung.'

'Bloody hell, Rebraal,' said Hirad. 'What good do you think you're going to be like that?'

Rebraal's eyes flared. 'More than if I'm lying over there asleep. I am not in your Raven. I will fight beside you and with my people if I choose.'

'Perfect,' growled Hirad. 'Want to tell me how you propose to tie up the right-hand side when you can't hold a mace?'

'I have two hands,' snapped Rebraal. 'I'll fight on the left instead.'

'And who's on my right, Sirendor Larn? Only he's been dead for eight years. Want to be joining him today?'

'Hirad, enough,' said The Unknown, striding over from the healer mages. The cut on his forehead had been closed by a

WarmHeal. It glowed unnaturally red and was edged dark yellow, almost gold in the Globe light. 'Let's get thinking.'

'That'd be a novelty.'

'Coldheart, stop it.'

Hirad leaned into Rebraal. 'Fight with us, but withdraw if you're weakening. Promise me. We can't afford to lose you too.'

Rebraal nodded, a reluctant gesture. To their left, a six-foot section of the outer wall gave way to the accompaniment of roars from the massed demons outside. Above the tear, a balcony box teetered and collapsed, thundering to the ground and sending up clouds of plaster dust. Karron moved in, wading through the rubble.

'Get a Cone on that hole!' ordered Rebraal.

'Gheneer, do it,' said Dila'heth.

Gheneer moved forwards quickly and swung his spell from the ceiling to the ground.

'Clear!' he shouted.

Elves ran left and right. The Cone caught the karron, driving them back outside.

'I need another Cone on the roof now,' said Dila. 'Afen'erei. Sorry but I need you.'

The wear)' Al-Arynaar mage dragged herself to her feet. There was not the slightest hint of discontent in her expression. She began to cast.

'Whatever we're going to do, it had better be fast,' said Hirad. 'These investitures aren't going to last.'

As if to confirm his words another gap, longer this time, was dragged in the walls. Dila'heth called for more mage back-up. Healers left their charges and ran to the defence. Pheone moved up to the stage once again, urging greater concentration and efficiency.

'Thraun, all of you, get over here,' called The Unknown into the growing din. 'We're forming up. Someone help Rebraal on with his armour.'

'Gods falling,' said Hirad. 'They're going to bring this place down on top of us.'

'The ForceCones will keep the roof up,' said Dila'heth.

'Not for long,' said Pheone. 'That's a lot of weight and pressure.'

Thraun led Erienne, Denser and Ark over. Around the playhouse, elven warriors readied themselves. Mages prepared offensive spells and led prayers. Demons howled and shrieked. Reavers gathered in the sky, visible through the tears in the roof. Strike-strain clustered. Another gash was ripped in the playhouse wall. Timbers collapsed bringing more balcony boxes down.

'We've got to make a decision here,' said Denser. 'When to drop the spells and use the ColdRoom so at least we can kill some of them.'

'Only when we have nothing else. We're holding for now,' said Pheone.

'Raven, form up,' ordered The Unknown. 'Rebraal, my left. Thraun, switch to the right by Hirad. Ark, far left. Denser, you know where you need to be. Erienne can you cast?'

T don't have much choice, Unknown,' she replied. 'I'll be all right.'

'Use the weakening casts,' said The Unknown. 'We'll do the rest.'

'Whatever you say.' She sounded tired. Frail.

'Ready to move, Raven,' said Hirad. 'Where's Eilaan?'

'Injured but recovering,' answered Pheone. 'I'll back you up.'

'ForceCone overhead,' said The Unknown. 'And thank you.'

Two men ran over to the stage, flinching at the sound of falling stone from behind. Another tear, another weak point. They stopped in front of The Unknown.

'Captain Suarav.'

'Sol,' said the captain, a man already in the Xeteskian college guard when The Unknown had been prepared as a Protector. 'Brynel is gone but we aren't done. It would be an honour to fight in your line.'

The Unknown smiled mirthlessly. 'How the world turns, eh? You're welcome. Our right, by Thraun if you don't mind. Sharyr, I suggest you prepare something suitably lethal. Stand in the mage line.'

'My pleasure.'

'Maces, Raven,' said The Unknown. He raised his voice, cutting across the cacophony, Rebraal translating his words. 'Waiting. Remember, we need to force a viable breach if we're going to break for the college. Al-Arynaar, you have to shore up the flanks and rear. Just keep a holding pattern. Dila, Pheone, we need someone near the wounded to bring them out of sleep if we have to.'

'You want to break out?' asked Pheone.

'Not if we don't have to. If we can hold them, that's what we'll do.'

'And then what?'

'Pray for assistance,' said The Unknown grimly. 'Because if we do have to break out, we'll lose a lot getting to safety.'

'Let's hope it doesn't come to that,' said Denser.

The Raven watched the increasing desperation of the Al-Arynaar mages. Hirad's heart thumped in his chest. He felt the adrenalin wash away his aches, hiding them from his body while he prepared for battle. He took a long look at Rebraal. The elf was clearly hampered by his injuries. He stood left-side-on and held his right arm across his chest. He was pale and sweating.

'Leave the line, Rebraal,' said Hirad. 'You aren't fit to fight.'

'I'll be the judge,' said Rebraal. 'I do not desert my friends or my people while I can stand.'

'You aren't in the rainforest now, Rebraal,' said Hirad. 'We need you for later.'

'Think there's going to be a later, do you?' he asked. 'Listen to the noise. Look out through the holes. We need everyone fighting just to survive for whatever help The Unknown thinks is coming. The Al-Arynaar must see me here in the front line.'

'Be ready,' said The Unknown.

He indicated a buckling area of wall behind the raft of injured. The Raven began to move. The WardLock cracked and protested. Plaster burst from the binding. Timbers groaned and splintered. The tear would be at least six yards wide and there weren't enough mages to keep ForceCones in place.

'Not too close,' warned Hirad. 'It's time to complete those spells.'

Al-Arynaar moved up on either flank, covering the route to the injured. To Hirad's right, Thraun snarled. His yellow-tinged eyes were wide but the set of his body calm and composed. Beside him the Xeteskian, Suarav, gripped his sword tight in his right hand. He was determined but in the shake of his body was the memory of the horrors he had suffered to get to this new place of danger. His soul would not be easily taken.

The investiture failed. The stone and timber of the playhouse wall

burst in, tumbling across the gangway and sweeping aside benches. Balcony boxes fell across an area of thirty yards. Dust and debus billowed towards them where they stood at the edge of the standing room, clouding around the edges of the ForceCones. Karron bellowed and squawked. They charged in, reavers behind them.

'Spells away!' roared The Unknown. 'Raven, let's use what we learned on board ship. Suarav, take our lead. Steady. Steady.'

Pheone's ForceCone blazed overhead, slapping into the reavers flying in behind the karron. Deep blue FlameOrbs leapt from Denser and Sharyr's fingers, arcing over The Raven and dropping into the pack still outside the playhouse. Hirad felt the heat when they passed, saw the detonations and heard the screams. Mana fire splattered across the defenceless karron. It had the desired effect. Those in front of the fire clustered in.

'Casting,' muttered Erienne.

The air dried out all around them. Dust dropped from the sky, clearing the scene dramatically. The One casting, otherwise invisible, struck the karron in the front rank and over a wide arc in front of The Raven. These lesser demons, far more reliant than their better-evolved reaver brethren on the density of mana, sensed the linkage to their life force shorn from them.

Hirad sensed panic spreading through the karron but another set of FlameOrbs from Denser focused their attention once more. They came on again urged on by the reavers but vulnerable with Erienne's casting settling on them.

'Ready, Raven!' The Unknown's mace tip tapped rhythmically on the floor of the playhouse. The first karron reached the standing-room floor. 'Stepping up, let's take them.'

The Unknown double-tapped his mace. At the left-hand side of the line, Ark took a pace forwards and left. He thundered his mace through in an upward curve, following up with a downward slash with his blade. The karron was Icnocked backwards, its stomach opened up, spewing its internal organs to the ground. The Raven all followed suit in order, a heartbeat apart. Blows catching karron on limbs, heads and torsos. The ferocity of the attack stopped the demons in their tracks, confusing them with its direction.

Suarav hadn't followed the move and had gone straight forwards, many Al-Arynaar likewise. But the space it left between him and

Thraun was bait the karron in front of it could not resist. It stepped forward and flailed its limbs outwards.

'Thraun, go.'

Ahead of The Unknown's order, Thraun had ducked and moved right, coming up under the karron's strikes and crushing its skull with a massive overhead strike. The creature collapsed and Thraun paced forwards and right again, leading die line this time. Suarav had anticipated too and moved with him. His blow was caught by the karron ahead but still the demon was pushed back. The Raven's line drove hard, maces aiming at gut and chin, beating a space in front of them.

'Down,' ordered Denser.

They dropped to their haunches, Thraun dragging Suarav with him. IceWind wailed into the space. Simultaneously, Sharyr dropped more FlameOrbs outside the playhouse. The elven flanks moved up left and right, forcing the karron into an ever tighter area. Abruptly, the lesser demons broke and fled into the teeth of screams of rage from the reavers.

'Hold!' bellowed The Unknown.

Outside, the demons massed again. Strike-strain bunched and clouded. Karron jostled and reformed. Reavers landed and began to run.

'Plenty more work to do, Raven. Good start but they might not fall for that again.'

The Unknown tapped his mace once more and The Raven paused for breath.

Flanked by guards and with Vuldaroq next to him, Dystran watched. He tried to take it all in but didn't really believe what he saw. Tried to understand and follow the speed of strikes. It was all but impossible, a fact that the demons were finding out in far more brutal fashion.

Auum and Evunn stood back to back and about a yard apart. Stances slightly crouched and feet planted at shoulder width, they fought with an effortless grace that was simply breathtaking. Dystran couldn't see exactly how they tackled the enemies that came at them on the ground and in the air. They barely seemed to look. But their strikes were efficient and unerringly accurate. He focused on Auum

as the reavers flew in. Not in great numbers. Perhaps fifteen and accompanied by dozens of the tiny strike-strain. Karron grouped and moved up but did not attack.

Auum had logged his immediate targets. The first approached on foot, three others in the air around it. Auum dropped and swept its feet from under it, bouncing back and striking out and left with his knife hand at his next target, dragging the point deep into wing membrane. The demon flittered clear. Auum ignored it. The next had whipped out its tail. Auum caught it in front of his face, looped it around his wrist and dragged the reaver from the sky. It bounced onto the ground. The TaiGethen dropped onto its chest and drove his knife up under its arm.

Never stopping, he rose and turned, sweeping his right foot high over the head of Evunn, scattering the strike-strain that dived on him. His momentum carried him round and he planted his foot before delivering an extraordinary series of strikes that Dystran couldn't follow. The first downed demon had got to its haunches in time to catch a boot in its face, sending it sprawling. Auum's arms were a blur. Dystran could see the flash of his knife in the sunlight. He saw reavers beaten aside, he saw them die in spasm and he saw strike-strain flung far and wide. He saw Auum block the odd strike and deliver a riposte before he had any right to be balanced. His limb speed was simply awesome. As if it was being directed from elsewhere.

Seven reaver bodies lay on the ground around the two TaiGethen. The others gathered and dived straight down. The elves waited. Without a word, they dived left and right in concert, cartwheeling back onto their feet and running back into the space they'd vacated. The reavers had landed hard and were in some disarray. The TaiGethen ploughed into them. Evunn took the lead, his punches designed to cripple temporarily. His knife sheered wing membrane, his fists and fingers crushed throat and thumped into chest, nose and temple, his feet denied them balance.

Behind him came Auum, sliding into their prone forms, knives in both hands driving home. His body was a shadow across the courtyard. And where he went, demons died. Fifteen reavers were downed and strike-strain littered the ground before the karron attacked too.

Auum and Evunn stood to face them, bowed fractionally and walked calmly back towards the tower complex. The two elves strode past Dystran without saying a word. Their bodies were covered in small cuts. Evunn had a long gash down one arm and Auum's left leg was dripping blood.

Dystran ordered the doors closed. Heavily invested with protection, they would stand massive bombardment by the karron should the need arise, and Dystran had no doubt that it would.

He watched the elves return to the catacombs.

'Extraordinary,' he said.

'But even they knew when to stop,' said Vuldaroq. 'A handful of demons are dead and tens of thousands still fly.'

'If only we had a few hundred more like them, eh?'

'Shame that you killed so many of them with the Elfsorrow, isn't it?'

Dystran glanced sharply at Vuldaroq but there was no blame in his expression, merely statement.

'And all for nothing,' he said, feeling suddenly weary. 'Would that I could have that time over.'