Rise of the TaiGethen

Chapter 29

The light of Ix burns strongest and brightest in the bodies of the shortest lived.

The Aryn Hiil, later Calaian Writings

The arguments had gone on late into the night, and even when they were done the Katurans remained doubtful. Auum was exhausted. Being among so many people for so long left him fidgety and uncomfortable. He needed air and, with Ulysan and Elyss, he walked out into a drizzling night, heading for the marketplace. It was the largest open space in the city.

He ached as if he’d been running all day, climbing all night and fighting open handed between breaths, as the saying went. The fatigue clung to his mind and he felt unable to even speak until they had seated themselves on some of the benches around the flagpole.

‘This battle cannot come soon enough. I hate cities.’ Auum sampled the air, raising his face to let the drizzle dampen his skin. ‘And this place is the worst kind. No parks, no trees and no space. It stinks of civilisation exterminating nature. It has no natural sound, like someone has shut out the whole forest. All I can hear are the cries of desperate addicts and the thuds of doors shut in their faces. We have such a short time to make such a long journey.’

Elyss was sitting by Auum. She put an arm about his shoulders.

‘We’ll do it.’ She gestured behind her towards the hall. ‘Your TaiGethen are there, talking with the thread priests. There is energy and desire alongside the doubters. And when they see the fires of the army, they’ll double their efforts.’

‘And what will the Beethans and Tualis do then, I wonder?’ said Auum.

‘Let’s pray they sharpen their swords and stand on the walls alongside us,’ said Ulysan. ‘I’m more worried about what they will do tomorrow.’

Auum sighed. ‘That’s why I need Pelyn. She knows this city as none of us ever will, despite her fall, and the old Al-Arynaar will flock to her when she wears the cloak and calls for them. The gangs are hoarding critical resources. If we don’t fortify sufficiently now, we’re finished before we start. Has anyone calculated how much metal we need to get this wall up?’

Ulysan smiled. ‘We just left the argument over how thick the plating needs to be and how many rivets or eyes and ties we need per foot.’

Now he tried, Auum could hear the search for raw materials already under way. The smiths’ furnaces in the second circle were roaring, ready to smelt. The hammering and sawing he could hear would be the construction of plating moulds.

‘Everything else is going to seem simple by comparison to that wall,’ said Auum. ‘What next?’

‘Prayer and sleep,’ said Elyss. She looked at Ulysan. ‘Can you give us a moment? We’ll join you at the temple.’

Ulysan smiled, nodded and trotted away to the temple of Yniss. It was a modest building, as they all were, free from desecration but also without a priest since the Tualis had driven Lysael away.

Auum looked at Elyss’ face, smudged with dirt and damp with drizzle but still vibrant. She was shivering gently and Auum assumed she was cold in the rain and wrapped his arms round her.

‘We should get inside, warm you up.’

‘It’s not the cold I feel,’ she whispered. ‘It’s a new life.’

Auum felt the smile broadening on his face and the tears gathering in his eyes. He couldn’t speak. He grabbed Elyss’ hands and stared into her eyes. Tears were spilling down her cheeks and she was shaking all over. Auum’s pulse was thudding in his neck. He placed a hand on her belly and imagined the life growing inside. Ynissul life. TaiGethen life. The future of the elves.

‘We did it,’ he whispered.

Elyss laughed, and the sound lit up the marketplace and echoed back from the blank dark buildings surrounding them. Auum glanced about him; it would have been an unexpected sound of joy in this place.

‘You needn’t sound so surprised,’ she said. ‘Just think of our future now. A TaiGethen child.’

‘We’ve got to win first, both within and without our walls.’

‘And can anything stop you now?’

Auum pulled her into an embrace he had no intention of releasing.

‘Nothing.’

He kissed her cheek and the side of her neck. She pushed him back, her face taking on a serious expression.

‘One thing. You mustn’t worry about me and you mustn’t try to stop me fighting. It’s what I do. The greatest risk to our child is to have its parents worrying about each other and not concentrating on the enemy before them.’

Auum nodded. ‘You sound like me.’

‘Funny that, isn’t it?’

Auum stood, feeling tall, powerful and replete with the blessings of Yniss. He held out a hand.

‘Let’s go and pray with Ulysan. He’s part of this family.’

‘All the TaiGethen are part of it.’

Elyss stood and froze, looking over Auum’s shoulder. Auum saw her expression and nodded minutely.

‘That’s very touching, it really is,’ said Jysune. ‘Good news is always so wonderful to share, isn’t it?’

Auum turned, staying close to Elyss. He faced Jysune even though three other Beethans, who had emerged from the quiet streets leading to the central circle, were now behind him. Jysune was flanked by two archers and had her sword in her hand.

‘We are going to pray for the Katuran people and give thanks for their strength in the face of a powerful enemy,’ said Auum. ‘Join us.’

‘You need to go a great deal further than the temple,’ said Jysune. ‘Go through the gates and back into the forest, where you can climb the trees with all your monkey friends. This city belongs to me. You are blind and deaf here, TaiGethen.’ She spat on the ground. ‘So much for your great skills. You didn’t even hear us coming, did you?’

‘A battle between us now will serve none of us when the humans arrive,’ said Auum. He noted Elyss’ hand gestures. Pairs of Beethans were moving up on either flank. They were surrounded. ‘Sheathe your weapons and lower your bows. We are not here to take your city. We’re here to save you. Help us.’

Jysune moved forward a pace. The archers either side of her tensed their bow strings.

‘You’re not listening to me, TaiGethen. I’m not fooled by your lies; the humans can never find us here. So you’re leaving, right now. Both of you. Start walking or you-’ she jabbed a finger at Auum ‘-will be leaving Katura alone.’

Auum stepped in front of Elyss and heard her hiss her displeasure.

‘You will not threaten my people. Stand aside, Jysune. We will pray that it is not too late for you to see sense.’

‘I will not tell you again,’ said Jysune.

Elyss stepped out of Auum’s shadow.

‘We cannot leave,’ she said. ‘We cannot leave you alone to face what is coming.’

‘Very well,’ said Jysune.

She nodded. Bowstrings snapped and two arrows thudded deep into Elyss’ chest, throwing her from her feet to slide across the ground until her head clipped the bench where she had just been sitting. Auum saw her come to rest and, groggy from the blow to her head, try to stem the blood flowing onto her shirt. He snapped his gaze back to Jysune. He moved.

Clarity. The blessings of Yniss must still have been surging within Auum because he saw the Beethans react as if they were wading thigh-deep through mud. Arrows passed behind him. He felt the change in the air and the hiss they made as they passed. He heard a cry of pain too — not from Elyss.

Auum crossed the space to Jysune before she could raise her sword. He leapt, kicked out with one foot and struck her on the chin, knocking her senseless. Before she hit the ground, he had both his blades in his hands. He landed between the archers and swept the swords left to right, feeling them bite deep into the first archer’s gut and smash the bow from his hands.

Auum leaned his weight on his right foot and dragged the blades back right to left, higher this time tearing into the other’s throat, slicing off an ear and part of his scalp. Auum was already moving left, a curving run. The first pair of flanking archers still had arrows nocked, though one also had a shaft sticking from his right thigh.

They brought their weapons to bear so slowly, to Auum’s eyes. He could see their fingers begin to release. He leaned to his left, never breaking his stride, and the arrows whipped by his torso. Auum straightened. He increased his speed. Five paces from them he leapt, bringing his knees to his chest and cocking his left-hand blade high.

Auum smashed the blade into the top of his target’s skull, releasing it in the same moment. He kicked out and down with both feet, feeling his soles drive the second archer’s head down into his shoulders, compressing the vertebrae. He pushed against the falling body, gaining enough momentum to turn a roll in the air before landing and sprinting at the trio of archers he’d seen approaching from behind.

Auum watched them bring their bows into line and begin to draw. He pulled a jaqrui from his pouch and threw it. The crescent blade mourned away, sliced through bow and string and lodged in the central archer’s mouth.

The remaining two released their arrows. Auum saw the flights so clearly. He angled his body right and let his head fall down onto his right shoulder. The shafts flew past him. The archers were fifteen paces away. Enough time to register their disbelief and begin to turn and run.

Auum swept his blade through the small of the first archer’s back, took a single pace forward and cracked the heel of his left palm into the base of the other’s skull, knocking him down. The Beethan’s head crashed hard into a kerbstone. Blood began to flow while the body twitched its last.

Auum spun. The last pair of archers were already running for the side streets. Jysune was sitting up, her head in her hands, groggy. Auum ran at her. His feet whispered over the stones. At the last moment she looked up. Auum took his blade in both hands, crouched on his last pace and took her head from her shoulders.

The sword dropped from Auum’s hands and he sprinted for Elyss. She was lying on her back, her breathing ragged. Her shirt was soaked with blood and bubbles were coming from her mouth. She coughed and cried out with the pain. Auum slid down beside her. He picked up her head in his hands, which were covered in the blood of her attackers, and cradled it in his lap.

‘It’s all right, Elyss,’ he said. ‘You’re going to be all right.’

‘Oh, Auum,’ she said, her voice choked and desperate. ‘I’m dying.’

‘Ulysan! Ulysan!’ roared Auum. ‘No, you’re not. Keep calm. We’ll get you to a healer. We can fix you.’

‘Liar,’ she said, crying through the blood in her throat. ‘Just don’t leave me.’

‘I’ll never leave you,’ said Auum. ‘I love you. I love our child.’

Elyss sighed and closed her eyes. Auum swallowed hard. He prayed to Yniss to deliver her back to him. He prayed to Shorth to keep her from his embrace. She opened her eyes again.

‘I will run with you again when the ancients call you, my love, my Auum,’ said Elyss. ‘Dream of our child. Never forget us.’

‘Don’t give up,’ said Auum, but his voice was clogged with the sick certainty of her fate. ‘Please, don’t leave me here alone.’

Elyss’ chest rose and then slumped. Blood came from her mouth and her chest, where the arrows must have punctured both her lungs. She stared at him and reached up a bloody hand to cup his cheek.

‘A TaiGethen is never alone,’ she whispered.

Her hand dropped away. A smile touched her face and her eyes closed. She sighed once more and her body relaxed. Her chest did not rise again. Auum leaned over her, the sobs shuddering through his body and the sounds of his anguish ripping from his throat however he tried to contain them.

It was all gone. The joy that had been so bright was now dark with the night. The future which had seemed so wonderful was nothing but bleached bones. The grief thundered in his head. The tears splashed on her perfect face every time he opened his eyes but hers did not flicker in response.

‘Breathe,’ he whispered. ‘Please. Breathe.’

Auum recognised the touch of the hand on his shoulder. He rose swiftly and buried his face in Ulysan’s chest, hugging the big Tai- Gethen hard. Ulysan’s hands were on the back of his head and around his back. Auum heard him curse and then call the TaiGethen to muster.

Auum breathed although his lungs fought him all the way. He broke their embrace and looked up at Ulysan, seeing the fury in his face and the wobble in his chin. Ulysan glanced about the marketplace and took in the scene under the flagpole.

‘What happened?’ he asked.

‘They killed her,’ said Auum. ‘They shot her while she stood unarmed at my side.’

Footsteps were growing in volume with the approach of the TaiGethen.

‘How-’

‘All this came afterwards,’ said Auum. ‘They didn’t give her a chance, so I did not give them one either.’

Auum knew what Ulysan was thinking. That a single TaiGethen could not bring down so many archers. Not spread out as they were, not unscathed. Auum didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t look at Elyss again. Not yet. Others had knelt to tend to her; to remove the arrows and clean her face and hands to make her ready.

‘Beethans,’ muttered Faleen.

Auum looked round. The TaiGethen were waiting for his order. But there was no more rage within him, no desire for revenge. He had already exacted that and he wondered how he had managed it. He felt a chill calm descend on him and it cleared his mind.

‘No more killing,’ said Auum. ‘For now it is over. Tonight you need rest. We have so much to do in the days to come. Tomorrow, Pelyn and the Al-Arynaar will drive the Beethan and Tuali gangs into the forest, where they can do no more harm. And you will tear their lairs apart to find the metal we need to defend this city.

‘To fail would be to shatter Elyss’ dreams for our freedom, and I will not suffer that.’

‘But first we will all accompany you and Elyss to the Hallows,’ said Faleen. ‘We are one TaiGethen.’

Auum shook his head. ‘She was my light and my love. She is my burden alone as is our child sleeping within her.’

The sound of an addict crying for help echoed in the distance. The roar of furnaces and the glow of flames further broke the night. Yet the silence among the TaiGethen was abiding and, in it, Auum found his strength. He moved to Elyss and knelt by her, nodding his thanks to those who had cleaned her, and laid her arms across her stomach. He smiled; her hands were supporting their baby. So it would be as she travelled into Shorth’s embrace.

Auum put one arm under her shoulders, the other under her knees and picked her up. Elyss’ head fell back and her hair brushed the back of his hand. About him, the TaiGethen had knelt in prayer, each with one hand to the ground and the other open to the sky. It was a prayer of deliverance.

Auum turned a slow circle, showing Elyss to her brothers and sisters. Her family.

‘You will never be alone,’ he said.

He walked through the city and out into the forest.