Alchymist (97 page)

The
guards dragged her away. To her left a burly executioner was honing the blades
of his flensing tools, so sharp and fine that they could, in the hands of a
master such as he, remove the skin of a living human without nicking the flesh.
Beside him, the master disemboweller polished the edges of his scalpels,
gougers, slitters, reamers, renders, crushers, grinders and pluckers.

Last
in the line, the master dismemberer rubbed at a speck of rust on one of his
bone saws and frowned. Irisis was so struck by the sight — the men and the
tools that would undo flesh and organs and part her sinews from their bones — that
she did not even hear the sentence confirmed on Flydd.

Fyn-Mah
cried out in anguish. Flydd looked up at her and the light finally dawned. He
gave her a look of infinite ten-derness, then made a sign to her with his left
hand. Irisis could not read it but Fyn-Mah forced a smile. The scrutator bore
an ethereal expression as they dragged him across to join the others. Xervish
Flydd had come to terms with his fate.

'Master
Flenser,' he said, nodding to the first of the executioners, I trust you've a
keen blade on those knives of yours. I'm a sensitive man and my skin is
particularly thin, after the work your father did on me some decades back.'

'Never
fear, old fellow,' said the master flenser. 'I'm an artist of rare skill, if I
say so myself. I'll have the hide off you so quick you'll never know it's
gone.'

'Oh,
I'll know all right,' chuckled Flydd. 'Just don't let them make a handbag out
of my backside. My dignity couldn't stand the strain.'

'Don't
worry, surr,' said the master flenser. 'I'll treat you with the respect you
deserve.' Irisis thought he was being ironic, until he added quietly, 'I'm
sorry, surr. I'd rather peel anyone in the world than you, but your conviction
is a legitimate one.' He spread his hairy hands as if to say, what's an
honourable man to do?

'Of
course you must do your duty, Master Flenser,' said Flydd. 'I would not ask
anything else of you.'

Flydd
was having similar jocular words with the master dis-emboweller and the master
dismemberer when the master of the executions shouted, 'Quiet, if you please.
The executions will now begin.' He consulted his list, saying, 'We will take
them in order of the trial. The first will be Pilot Inouye.'

Two
soldiers lifted Inouye under the arms. She was such a frail little figure that
either of them could have carried her in one hand. They propelled her forwards,
her feet skipping across the canvas. It appeared that she was going willingly
to her death, though had they stood her up she would have fallen down again.

The
master flenser was selecting his initiating knife when the master of the
executions spun around, looking confused. Fusshte was shouting and waving at
him. The master of the executions ran across, conferring with the scrutator,
then called out to the soldiers, 'No, bring her back, lads.' 1b the witnesses
he said, 'The scrutators bid me to execute the greatest criminal and traitor
first, in case the enemy should attack. 'Ex-Scrutator Xervish Flydd,' he went
on, politely, 'if you would be so kind as to step into theflensing trough.'

For a
fleeting moment Flydd looked shocked, as though not expecting his end to come
quite so soon. He nodded, raised his right hand in salute to the other
prisoners, and then to Irisis, and stepped over the side. The flensing trough
was like a long metal bathtub with a broad platform on either side. A pipe ran
from below the plughole down through the hole in the centre of the canvas
platform.

'Would
you care to disrobe and take your place on the right-hand platform?' said the
master flenser. 'On your back, if you please, with your legs spread. Take your
time. Make yourself comfortable.'

Again
that muffled wail from Fyn-Mah. Flydd's hand was shaking and his knees would
scarcely hold him. He dropped the sheet, settled his scrawny backside on the
platform and swung his legs up. Looking around, he caught Irisis's eye. Flydd
attempted a smile, but not even he could pull it off at this moment.

Irisis's
heart went out to the man, though her own end would come soon enough. 'Take
heart, Xervish,' she said. 'It'll be over more quickly than you think.'

He
gave a stifled, mirthless laugh. 'Somehow, that's not nearly as comforting as
when I said it to you.'

'Begin,
Master Flenser!' roared Ghorr, striking a pose for the artists and the
chroniclers. 'I'll double your fee if you can take this scoundrel's skin off in
one piece — I've a special use for it.'

The
master flenser looked hurt. 'I don't need a bribe to do my best, surr' He took
up his knife, eyeing Flydd's prone figure as if choosing the best spot to
begin, though both knew that the procedure was prescribed in the manuals of his
art. Flensing began in the centre, at the most sensitive place, and worked out
in all directions.

'Hold
just a moment,' cried Fusshte. 'There's something wrong.'

'I've
done everything exactly as set down in the rituals!' the master of the
executions exclaimed.

'I'm
not talking to you!' Fusshte snarled. He looked around wildly, then ran to
Chief Scrutator Ghorr. 'One of the greatest villains of all is missing. Where
the devil is the arch-traitor, Artificer Cryl-Nish Hlar?'

THE END

OF
VOLUME THREE

Glossary
VOLUME FOUR

CHIMAERA

concludes The Well of Echoes
Quartet

Aachim:
The human species native to Aachan, once conquered and enslaved by a small
force of invading Charon (the Hundred). The Aachim are great artisans and
engineers, but melancholy or prone to hubris and arrogance. In ancient times,
many were brought to Santhenar by Rulke in the fruitless hunt for the Golden
Flute. The Aachim flourished on Santhenar but were later betrayed by Rulke and
ruined in the Clysm. They then withdrew from the world to their hidden mountain
cities. The ones remaining on Aachan gained their freedom after the Forbidding
was broken, when the surviving Charon went back to the void. Two hundred years
later, volcanic activity on Aachan had become so violent that it threatened to
destroy all life on the planet. The Aachim sought for a way of escape and one
of them, Minis, managed to contact Tiaan on Santhenar, because of her amplimet,
and charmed her. The Aachim ' showed her how to open a gate between Aachan and
Santhenar. She thought she was saving her beloved, Minis, and a small number of
Aachim, but when they came through, they were a hundred and fifty thousand, a
host ready for war, in eleven thousand mighty constructs.

Barkus:
Deceased master crafter of controllers at the manufactory, uncle of Irisis, who
allowed her to read his uncensored copies of the Great Tales.

Bifis:
A noble Aachim from Stassor, a brilliant mathemancer and geomancer.

Cryl-Nish
Hlar: A former scribe, prober in secret and reluctant a icer, generally known
as Nish.

Eiryn
Muss: Halfwit; an air-moss grower and harmless pervert, he turned out to be the
scrutator's prober (spy) in the manufactory, and vanished, but reappeared in
the west.

Elienor
(Clan): Elienor was a great Aachim heroine of ancient times, who almost
defeated Rulke when the Hundred invaded Aachan. She was the founder of
ostracised Clan Elienor.

Faellem:
A long-lived human species who have passed out of the Histories, though some
may still dwell in isolated parts of Santhenar.

Flammas:
A kindly, forgetful mancer. Ullii spent five years in his dungeon, the most
pleasant time of her life.

Flangers:
A soldier and hero in past battles against the lyrinx.

Forgre:
An Aachim and associate of Malien; a brilliant spy.

Fusshte:
A treacherous member of the Council of Scrutators.

Fyn-Mah:
The querist (chief of the municipal intelligence bureau) at Tiksi and a loyal
supporter of Xervish Flydd.

Ghorr:
Chief Scrutator and Flydd's enemy.

Gtthaelith:
An eccentric, amoral ge-omancer and mathemancer who dwelt at Nyriandiol.
Because of his dismal early years he is obsessed with controlling everyone and everything
in his life. When unable to do this the stress causes him to have panic
attacks. His overriding goal is to understand the nature of the physical world,
so as to control it too.

Gyrull:
Matriarch of the lyrinx city at Snizort. A powerful, far-sighted mancer,
profoundly intelligent.

Haani:
Tiaan's adopted sister, accidentally killed by the Aachim in Tirthrax.

Halie:
A scrutator on the Council and former supporter of Flydd.

Inouye:
The pilot of Jal-Nish's air-floater, stolen by Fyn-Mah. Inthis: Vithis's clan
of Aachim, since time immemorial first of the eleven clans (First Clan). All
Clan Inthis, apart from Vithis and Minis, were lost in the void when the portal
between Aachan and Tirthrax was opened.

Irisis
Stirm. Crafter, originally in charge of the controller artisans at the
manufactory; niece of Barkus; one time lover of Xervish Flydd, now a friend and
comrade-in-arms.

Jal-Nish
Hlar: Acting Scrutator; Nish's father. He suffered massive injuries from a
lyrinx attack and begged to be allowed to die, but Nish and Irisis saved his
life. Now, hideously maimed, he has a bitter loathing for them both, and an
unquenchable desire to be the greatest scrutator of all.

Joeyn
(Joe): An old miner, Tiaan's friend, who died in a roof fall. Klarm: Scrutator
for Borgistry. A handsome, cheerful man, despite his dwarfish stature. Lemuir:
A sergeant in Jal-Nish's army.

Liett:
GyrulVs daughter, and a lyrinx with unarmoured skin and no chameleon ability; a
talented flesh-former and brilliant flier who yearns to lead her people, even
though she is regarded as incomplete. She has a turbulent relationship with
Ryll. Liliwen: Daughter of Troist and Yara, twin of Meriwen. Luxor: A
conciliatory Aachim clan leader.

Lyrinx:
Massive winged humanoids who escaped from the void to Santhenar after the
Forbidding was broken. Highly intelligent, many of them are able to use the
Secret Art, most commonly for keeping their heavy bodies aloft in flight. They
have armoured skin and a chameleon-like ability to change their colours and
patterns, often used for communication (skin-speech). Some lyrinx are also
flesh-formers: they can change small organisms into desired forms using the
Art. In the void they used a similar ability to pattern their unborn young so
as to survive in that harsh environment. As a consequence, they are not
entirely comfortable in their powerful but much changed bodies. The lyrinx were
forced to abandon their culture and heritage in the void. Their lives are
entirely martial, and some of them are beginning to regret their loss and
wonder what to do about it once they've won the war. Maigraith: A great heroine
of olden times, one-time lover of Yggur and the great love of Rulke's life.

Malien:
A venerable but ostracised Aachim living in Tirthrax. A heroine from the time
of the Mirror (also known as the Matah). She helped Tiaan make the thapter, or
flying construct. Meriwen: Daughter of Troist and Yara, twin of Liliwen.
Merryl: A slave who taught human languages to the lyrm Snizort; also known as
Tutor. He was kind to Tiaan. Minis: A young Aachim man of high status;
foster-son of V Tiaan's dream lover who was forced to spurn her when r Aachim
came through the gate to Tirthrax. He feels guilty about his treatment of her,
yearns for her but is totally in the thrall of Vithis.

Mira:
Yara's sister who dwells at Morgadis, embittered after the loss of her husband
and her three sons in the war. She communicates by skeet with a coalition of
like-minded people. Nish fled her home in fear of his life after an unfortunate
liaison which ended with a misunderstanding.

M'lainte:
Flydd's mechanician, in charge of balloon and air-floater construction. Mylii:
Ullii's long-lost twin brother for whom she has been searching all her life.
Nish: Cryl-Nish's nickname. Numinator, the: A mysterious figure mentioned by
Flydd when in his cups, said to control the Council of Scrutators. Nylaitl,
the: A malicious creature created by Ryll and Liett's flesh-forming. It killed
Haani's aunts and attacked Tiaan. Nish destroyed it after it attacked him and
Ullii near Tirthrax. Ranii Mhel: An examiner; mother of Nish.

Rulke:
The greatest of all the Charon, he created the first construct.

Ryll:
An ostracised wingless lyrinx who captured Tiaan and subsequently used her in
flesh-forming. He was an honourable lyrinx and after Tiaan saved his life he
allowed her to escape from Kalissin. He later captured her again when she came
to Snizort looking for Gilhaelith, and used her in the pattemers. Seeker:
Ullii. Also, one who can sense the use of the Secret Art, or people who have
that talent, or even enchanted objects. Talis the Mapmaker: An Aachim and
associate of Malien. Tchlrrr: A young soldier in Troist's army.

Tiaan
Liise-Mar: A young artisan; a visual thinker and talented controller-maker.
With the amplimet, she picked up Minis's cry for help, fell in love with him
and carried the amplimet all the way to Tirthrax, where she used it in opening
a gate to Aachan, to save Minis and his people. She subsequently helped Malien
make a thapter in Tirthrax, departed in it, attacked the Aachim camp and later
crashed near Nyriandiol when the amplimet refused to do what she wanted. Her
back was broken in the crash. She was taken to Nynandiol by Gilhaelith, who
began to teach her geo-mancy. When he was kidnapped by Gyrull and taken to Snizort,
she followed in the thapter but was captured and put to use in the patterners,
to pattern torgnadrs or node-drainers. This was only partly successful, because
of her broken back, so the lyrinx flesh-formed it to repair her spine. After
Snizori was abandoned, Merryl helped Tiaan to escape the pattemers.