Survivors: Book 4 Circles of Light series, page 41
‘We saw the extent of the damage,’ Tika replied. ‘So many of your people must have died surely?’
Chevra sighed. ‘At the last census there were thought to be around two million citizens. Far more than half of those have perished.’
Tika blanched. She had seen the crowded streets herself, but she had never imagined two million people would live in one place. Were there two million people in the whole of Sapphrea she wondered? She pulled her attention back to listen to Chevra.
‘My sea commander, Bavvis, has taken every ship capable of transporting men to the north, to rendezvous with the Emperor’s ships.’
Administrator Fenelon raised her hand and spoke at Chevra’s nod. ‘The sea bed shook as the land did. There have been reports of flames and hot rock spouting from the waters. No ships were lost though, but there was damage to some.’
Chevra nodded again, this time to one of the Wendlan Mages. The Mage inclined his head.
‘I am Tashi, Mage of House Chrysoprase.’ He spoke in heavily accented common tongue. ‘Word from the northernmost of our Mages – those who move with the first warriors, says that the invaders are faltering. Fewer numbers came from the desert until two days ago when desert men were seen retreating rather than advancing into Malesh.’
‘That is good news surely?’ suggested Gan.
Tashi looked dubious. ‘We – our colleagues now at the edge of the desert – have made mind contact with people called the Vintavoy.’
Gan frowned but Tika wondered. ‘Are these people in the City of the Domes?’
‘They are but they say they are people native to the Valley, not the Qwah of the desert tribes.’
‘The Keepers, or at least some of them.’ Tika was sure she was right.
All the companions had been aware that at times the various Keepers they’d met had been in mental communication with others – others who presumably made the decisions.
‘Our Mages have spoken with one called Hezwa, a female. She says one named Orla has gone northwards with a band of warriors.’
‘Orla?’ Ren asked in surprise. ‘She is one of the Survivors.’
Tashi spread his hands. ‘Hezwa tells us she is gone. She and other Vintavoyan colleagues smashed their way into – wherever this Orla dwelt. They found no trace of one called Kertiss.’
‘They broke in to the Survivors quarters?’ Ren was enthralled. ‘How did they do it?’
Another Wendlan in dark, rich brown shirt and trousers gave a seated bow. ‘Nirian of House Carnelian,’ he introduced himself. ‘The Vintavoy woman said the doors were forced, every strange box – she used the word “machine” – was smashed with heavy bars of metal.’
‘And the other Survivor Kertiss – was not found?’
Nirian shook his head. He spoke the common tongue far more haltingly than Tashi but with less accent. ‘Hezwa says alarms sounded – shrieks and whistles and bells. But when the boxes were broken the noises stopped. The only thing of any strangeness she said was a strong smell of mentha. I do not know its name in your tongue.’
Nirian looked helplessly at his colleagues. Tashi snapped his fingers. ‘You call it mint,’ he said triumphantly.
Tika and Ren could only gape at him. Gan missed their reaction and asked only if there was any clue as to where Orla might be going. The Wendlans conferred.
‘We only know that she and her warriors ride directly north,’ Tashi eventually replied.
Navan began to rummage in his pack. He pulled out a tight roll of parchments and knelt on the stones, flattening out one of his maps. There were exclamations of astonishment by both Maleshans and Wendlans at the detail of the map. Navan grinned.
‘The Ship, Star Flower made these maps,’ he explained.
His finger descended on the southern edge of the great swathe of desert which barricaded Malesh from Sapphrea. The long line of the Valley of the Spiral Star ran west to east, nearer the coast at its eastern point than its western end. Navan moved his finger north, towards the great plains of Sapphrea. He sat back on his heels, estimating distances.
‘Was it eight days or so from the coast to the Valley?’ he asked Gan. ‘Then six or seven through the Valley. I forget. And another ten perhaps from the City of the Domes out of the desert to Malesh.’
Chevra was on his knees beside Navan. ‘It is closer – from the Valley to the northern edge of the desert. This woman Orla may already be beyond it and into the upper lands.’
Gan felt a twinge of alarm. It was a long way indeed from the desert to Gaharn; perhaps half that distance to Vagrantia. Vagrantia’s volcanoes were plainly marked on the map. He studied it, weighing up Orla’s options. Did she too have maps made when Star Singer orbited this world before his landing? If she had, she would surely veer east of north, for Vagrantia. He wracked his brain to remember whether there had been any mention of Vagrantia while the company was in the City of the Domes but he couldn’t recall.
Tika got to her feet and paced restlessly between Farn, Storm and Brin, unaware that all eyes followed her. She faced the gathering.
‘We must speak of many things,’ she said finally. ‘Some of you saw the gijan who travelled with us?’
Several heads nodded and Tika guessed that the Wendlan Mages at least had been in the Imperial Palace when Kasheen summoned the Heads of Houses and their Mages. Her eyes rested sadly on Taza.
‘We said there were no Elders left to train our three young gijan. There are. There were two hundred and twenty two huge statues in the greatest of the three Domes in the desert. We discovered they were Elders, suspended in time by Valesh somehow during the final battle. When she was destroyed so was her spell.’ She watched Taza’s face light up. ‘They are scattered now I think, but two came to find me and the gijan in our company.’
Tika was aware of how closely Zerran watched her and listened to every word.
‘They were male and female, Rainbow and Flute. They are both as tall as Gan and winged of course. Flute told us they had rescued all the gijan kept as menial slaves in the City and had taken them to safety. She followed us I think for our three gijan. Those three pledged their lives to me when their wings came – they should have pledged to an Elder Flute said. She summoned Rainbow to be their teacher and his first lesson was a harsh one to instil obedience.’
Tika sat down on the stone slabs again and sighed. Brin took up the story using mind speech.
‘Tika gave the gijan their lives back.’ His eyes whirred, moving from face to face below him. ‘They told her that they feared the two Elders, but they couldn’t say why. They fled in the night to find a place of safety for themselves. Flute had already departed we know not where, but Rainbow was greatly angered.’
A picture of the tall Elder filled their minds and murmured exclamations rose.
‘So what I’m saying,’ Tika resumed, ‘is that perhaps a thousand years trapped as statues has changed the nature of the Elders.’ She held up her left hand. ‘My hand was burnt to the bone, but Rainbow healed it. I felt a vast compassion in him but then he seemed not to understand the word “kindness”. And Brin showed you his rage. Flute said that they killed many humans rescuing the gijan in the City. There were no armed men in that section when we were there so the Elders killed teachers, healers, maybe students. They could surely have spoken to them, asked that they give up the gijan. Flute seemed unconcerned.’
Taza’s face had grown white as he listened.
‘Taza?’ Tika asked gently.
‘The Elders were slow to join the final battle: to take life would condemn the killer to insanity – they could not kill.’
Silence followed Taza’s words, broken by Ren.
‘Maybe that was what changed these Elders then,’ he suggested. ‘I felt no sense of madness about Flute or Rainbow, not even when Rainbow grew so angry. He maintained his control. But perhaps that has altered them, for they are surely not as you describe Taza.’
The Grand Harbour Master’s cousin and closest advisor agreed. ‘I would suggest we treat these Elders with respectful caution until we know what they intend.’ He shrugged. ‘The histories say the gijan Elders ruled this world together with the Dragons: that they had humans in their councils to whom they listened. What Lady Tika has told us of the two she has encountered together with Lord Brin’s information suggests there is a violence and arrogance about them now.’
Tika saw Taza’s stricken expression and was saddened that his lifetime of service might end with his beliefs as ruined as his City. There was murmuring among the Wendlan Mages and Tashi spoke again.
‘The mage Dersu,’ Tashi bowed in his direction, ‘sent five of his mages to join ours with the front line warriors.’ He paused, looking to Dersu to continue.
‘We sent five mages led by Tavri, whom you met I believe?’ Dersu waited for Tika’s nod. ‘We sent them as soon as we felt the immense power fluctuating from Valesh. We had no idea what energies the Bound Ones might generate – no way of recognising the signs of their particular powers when activated.’
He glanced round, relieved to see that his audience was following his explanations
‘We have never known the precise locations of any Bound One, but we concluded now we have felt Valesh’s mind signature, we might be able to pinpoint Qwah’s position in the desert.’
Tika and Gan both leaned forward eagerly. ‘And have you?’ Tika asked.
‘Tavri reports a large area with a similar mind signature diffused through it. It is far weaker than Valesh’s but also badly fragmented.’
Tika’s hopes rose. She knew that without Seela’s action she would never have survived her confrontation with Valesh.
‘Tavri cannot far speak well so he sends his news through a Wendlan Mage.’ Dersu gestured towards Nirian.
‘The latest report told us that the energy field is mostly gone from the desert.’ Nirian was grave. ‘A fragment here and there. One source moves northwards. We fear the Bound One has discovered a host in which to conceal his essence.’
Chapter Thirty-Three
The company were impressed by the organisation Chevra had put in motion regarding the recovery of his City. By one of the docks he had ordered a burning ground be cleared. So many had died, several generations of every family, that they had no one left to identify their bodies, to mourn them or arrange their death rites. Chevra commanded that priests representing every temple be brought to chant the prayers over the shattered corpses dug out day after day from the ruins. Anyone who could heal or nurse was encouraged to go to the infirmaries set up around the City. Squads of armsmen toiled to clear water systems and increase the supply of clean water for the survivors.
Later that day the companions went inside the palace, to the Debating Chamber where a few dishes of dried fruits and nuts were offered to them. Ren, Gan and Navan peered from the windows, watching the tiny figures below working ceaselessly to move great blocks of stone from one of the streets leading up to the palace. Maressa touched Tika’s sleeve and when she turned, pointed at the floor. Chevra’s long heavy table stretched from one side to the other of a mosaic circle edged in black tiles and patterned in green, blue, white and crystal. Tika stared.
Chevra and Zerran were bemused to see the two women suddenly hurling furniture around. It was the sort of thing Chevra was more accustomed to – his wife had frequently thrown things. The Wendlan Mages moved prudently out of the way when Ren hurried from the window to struggle with Chevra’s massive throne. Maleshans and Wendlans looked at a breathless Tika. She beamed, waving at the floor.
‘We have these in the north.’
Jakri stared at the floor. ‘There is something similar in the Imperial Palace, although different colours I think.’
‘Does it work?’ Tika demanded of Maressa.
The air mage closed her eyes, her feet on the outer edge of the circle. She grinned.
‘It does.’
‘Can we use it to warn Lady Emla and Lady Thryssa?’ asked Gan. ‘I fear Orla is heading in their direction and they can have no idea what’s been happening here.’
‘Paper and ink?’ Maressa looked hopefully at Harrip. ‘What shall I say?’
‘A basic warning,’ Gan said decisively. ‘A description of Orla and the Elders. We can send more details later. I really would be relieved to know Gaharn and Vagrantia are alerted to the situation they might face as soon as possible.’
‘Have you scroll tubes?’ Tika enquired while Maressa sat at Chevra’s great table, now ignominiously wedged half in, and half out of the Debating Chamber.
The company crowded at Maressa’s shoulder, watching her write her message twice on separate sheets of parchment. She rolled one and slid it into a tube Harrip offered her. While Ren rolled the second message, Maressa walked into the circle, placing the tube on the square blue slab at its centre. She retreated to stand just outside the circle and began to murmur softly. There was a soft implosion of air, a faint gulping sound, and the tube was gone.
She took the second tube from Ren and sent that one on its way through the circles. A babble of excited chatter broke out between Maleshan and Wendlans while Chevra stared at his floor, his mouth open and his complexion pasty.
‘Now we wait,’ Tika told him.
For some reason she felt unaccountably light hearted: there were active circles here! It made Gaharn, Sapphrea, the Stronghold, Vagrantia, seem comfortingly closer. A cold wind began to gust in from the sea as the sky darkened and Chevra himself went round shuttering the windows. Maressa found herself in the middle of a mayhem of mages, all battering her with questions she was quite unable to answer. They fell silent as the air in the chamber suddenly tingled.
There was a tiny popping noise and two figures stood in the centre of the floor. Tika gave a helpless shriek and flew into Emla’s arms. There was a bustle near the partly jammed door and Farn’s long neck craned over the table, his eyes whirring pearl and sapphire. Finally Emla finished mopping Tika’s tears and her own and faced the room, her arm holding Tika close to her side. Gan gathered his wits and stepped forward, saluting the woman who stood as tall as he. He turned smartly.
‘The Golden Lady, Emla of Gaharn City,’ he announced. He glanced at Emla’s companion. ‘And her personal Guard, Shan.’
Tears threatened again when Emla caught sight of Sket’s grinning face, but first she went to Farn. With no heed to her dignity she scrambled over the table to hug him fiercely and greet Brin and be introduced to a bashful Storm. She looked over her shoulder to Tika.
‘Is Seela outside?’ she asked.
Lady Emla was appalled at the wave of grief which poured into her from all directions. Shan helped her back into the chamber where she found a man named Ren, with eyes silvered as Elyssa’s had been, was the only one able to give her a coherent account of what had taken place.
The evening sped by as Emla listened to the companions relate their experiences. Harrip spoke for Chevra, his report crisp and concise befitting a man as highly intelligent as he. She listened to the Wendlan Mages, and the Maleshans, filing away every word in her phenomenal memory. She had shot one warning glance at Shan before sending her Guard off to renew her friendship with the Dragons squeezed in the passageway beyond the chamber. Emla had absolutely no intention of telling Tika that Kija and Kadi had flown to Drogoya a full season past and not a word had been heard from them.
She explained that time was necessarily short: she had told her people she would return within a set span. Lamps were lit and placed around the chamber as night wore on. It seemed only moments had passed when Emla got to her feet, calling Shan to her.
‘Maressa will instruct you on using the circles,’ she told Chevra and Harrip. ‘Please keep us informed. I will arrange for grain to be sent to you as soon as I get back. You must tell us what else you have urgent need for and we will do what we can to ease the suffering of your people.’
‘There was a circle in one of the Domes,’ Navan suddenly remembered. ‘If we travel north, we can send messages from there.’
Emla frowned. ‘One of these Bound Ones you speak of was nearby I think? Maressa, be very careful of that circle.’
She gave Gan a quizzical look. ‘Do you return to Gaharn, my Captain?’
Gan knelt before her. ‘Lady, you should choose another Captain. I must stay with my friends, with my family.’
Emla’s green eyes sparkled with tears again but she nodded, turning to hug Maressa in farewell. She and Shan walked to the edge of the circle and began to follow the pattern inwards, chanting softly. The air popped and they were gone. Tika climbed over the table to the Dragons and they made their way back out to Chevra’s garden. Maressa made to follow but Sket stopped her.
‘I’ll go Lady Maressa. Leave them be a while. We all forget she’s scarcely more than a child.’
Dawn was smearing the sky with grubby fingers when Zerran quietly left the Debating Chamber. Kilting his robes round his elderly knees, he sincerely hoped Chevra would have this table moved as quickly as possible. He walked along the passage, marvelling that a Dragon the size of Brin had managed to squeeze through it. Zerran paused at the door to the garden: the three Dragons seemed asleep; their heads back between their wings. Khosa and Akomi were curled together on a blanket next to Sket who sat patiently working on a sword belt. He glanced up at Zerran and nodded his head towards the further end of the garden.
Zerran walked along one of the narrow paths close to the wall, the scent of dew laden roses almost overpowering in its richness. Tika sat on a stone bench, her back to the wall and her knees drawn up to her chin. He sat beside her in silence for a while before he sighed and leaned back more comfortably.
‘You were glad to see the Lady Emla,’ he said. ‘She is wonderfully tall.’
Tika giggled. ‘Of all the things you might say, you choose “she is wonderfully tall”!’
Zerran smiled. ‘Well, she is. Has it made it harder, seeing her and knowing you could go to her through the amazing circles?’
Tika turned her head, resting her cheek on the top of her knees to regard the Administrator.
