The Lesser Kindred (ttolk-2) (45 page)

By nightfall I had reached only the outer ring of stone. The demon within me was certain that Lanen was just beyond and it pushed me to scrabble around the stones, looking for a way in. It was dark, which favoured me. I was caught up in the fight and I was prevailing, for the moment, when the Sending used me single worst weapon it possessed.

Despair.

It showed me images of hideous death. My death. I saw in that dark place a rain of fire over the beauty that had so blessed me earlier, a vision of all I loved or had ever loved come to nothing, and finally of my own body rotting on a hillside, untended, uncared for, food for worms and ravens.

That was the battle. There, alone among the cold stones, outside anything that might be happening in the circle of life beyond, I fought with all the lonely strength of my spirit to overcome despair, whose talons are sharper than swords and whose breath of fire is straight from the deepest hell. If ever I began to overcome it would torment me afresh with dark visions of death and ending. Almost I gave in, almost I stopped fighting, but I was learning that the fight itself fuelled a will in me that strove still.

Then a sound distracted me and I looked up. There, over the rim of sharp stones, dragons flew. They were dancing a-wing in the moonlight, and mere was that about them that sparkled, that reflected the light in scattering joy. The demon chose that moment to strike at me with pain but I did not even notice, for the joy of those creatures was made my joy, their song of thanksgiving the echo of my life, and in that moment pain had no more dominion over me.

However, I had forgotten in mat transcendent moment that pain can cause a purely physical reaction. I lost consciousness, but the last things I saw were the dragons, wheeling, soaring on the wind in pure delight, and my heart flew with them as my mind fell away.

When I woke again to pain I was moving. It had got me through the gap in the stones unnoticed, and was now creeping around the southern rim of the field. It should have been impossible to go so far unmarked, for the field was filled with creatures of all kinds—horses, humans, and more of the little dragons than I had imagined existed. There must have been more than two hundred of them, but all their attention was focussed on something happening in the centre of the plain.

I tried to cry out but I had no voice. It was like an evil dream, in which time slows so that you run at a crawl, and you cry out for help with all your might but only the merest squeak comes out of your mouth. If I could speak I might be able to call for help, someone to kill the beast for me.

But I could not speak, and there were none to aid me.

The demon was in a hurry now, so I spent my strength on keeping my steps as small as that nightmare pace. I was still fighting for every step, but it was nearer its goal and I had to work ever harder to stop its advance. I could feel the sweat drenching my clothing as I used every muscle to deny it. By the time it—we—reached the stony outcrop I had been striving against it for almost ten hours without ceasing and I was weary to the bone. We were then two-thirds of the way across the field. It seemed to be heading for a darkness on the far side that I guessed was a wood.

After that I lost ground to the force of will and the pain, for my weariness lay upon me like a great weight. I no longer counted victory in steps, but in breaths. That breath I did not move forward. That breath I resisted, but it moved a little. That breath I rested and it took half a step, but this breath I have stopped it again.

The night moved like years, until suddenly it stabbed me again with agony and I could bear it no longer. I released my hold on it long enough to take a deep breath and rest, just for a moment. In that time I covered half the remaining distance. I managed to look up as we entered the wood and blessed the Lady, for the sky was growing light and that endless night was all but over.

I decided to choose my final battle and let it walk unhindered towards the hidden place it sought, but while it was moving I began to draw in my power. It felt what I was doing and tried to stop me, but my will now was iron and pain meant nothing, for my death was upon me and I knew it. I called to me every scrap of will and training and innate power I had ever possessed, commended my soul to the Lady, and unleashed it at the thing I carried.

I heard it scream as the power of the Lady Shia struck it like a lance. I sent wave after wave of power at it, drowning it in the blessed light of the Goddess. If I had been stronger, or if I had known more of the nature of demons, perhaps I might have been able to kill it, but it had reached its destination. I was no longer needed.

I was grateful for the swiftness with which it severed the great cord in my back, for the pain was stopped like the snuffing of a candle. I felt nothing as it clawed its way out, and I kept the clear light of the Lady around me until the last second. The last sight I saw in life was the first rays of true dawn striking the great peaks round about and gleaming off the scales of the beautiful dragons, and I blessed the Lady with my final thought as I took beauty down with me into darkness and death.

I had rested some hours after I spoke with Varien, but as the first hint of false dawn lightened the sky I leapt into the updraft that had kept me from crashing into the cliff. My wing ached but it bore me yet, and the updraft carried me swiftly to a decent altitude. I had to fly a long way north to find what I sought, but I knew it at once when I found it— the river was unmistakable, the only feature so large that it could be seen from so far away. The hills were away to the west of where I flew, but not too far.

"Varien, my friend, how fare you?" I called, as dawn rose bright behind me. "/ am near, I believe. I have found the great river, and the sharp hills lie before me."

He did not answer me, so I tried bespeaking Lanen. "Lady Lanen, is Varien—?"

"I am here, Shikrar," he replied at last. His voice sounded extraordinary. "You are as welcome as a summer's day in midwinter, my friend."

"Varien, what news? What news now of the Lesser Kindred?"

"Come find us, my brother," he said. "Oh, Shikrar! It is the unknown and the Word of the Winds both together. I have no words. You must see."

He sounded weary but very happy. I glided towards the sharp peaks ahead, wondering what there was for them to show me.

Where is it? The damned thing should have come to me by now. It should have been here hours since! Dawn is here already, the best time is past, if it comes not swiftly I shall be forced to—

Ah. Good.

"Masster, all iss done. The prey awaitss you, the Swift-lines are planted in the heart of the host and both are open to you."

"You are late," I growled. "You should have been here hours ago."

"The hossst wasss ill chossen, Masster," it hissed happily, knowing I had not specified a time limit. "Healersss can work againsst uss. He wasss a sstrong Healer and killed himself before I could force him to build the altar. I wass forced to built it mysself, and that wass not in the price we agreed."

"You speak truth, little demon," I said, throwing an extra handful of lansip onto the flames. It inhaled the smoke greedily, its reward sufficient. "All now is achieved. Our pact iss concluded, all iss done, live in pain and die alone," it intoned, spitting at me as it vanished. I ignored its petty complaints.

All was prepared now for the summoning of the Nameless One, the Demonlord, for I would undertake it the instant La-nen was in my power. There was much to do, and it must be done swiftly, but all was in readiness for my return.

I took with me every set trap I had to hand. Such things were very useful—all the work had already been done, I had only to break the thin clay discs the spells were encased in to summon up the demons in question. If I encountered difficulties I had anywhere from one to a legion of the Rikti at my command, and in extremity I could call up a Raksha from the Third Hell. That should take care of most things. It would even slow the Kantri down long enough for me to appear, take the girl and get out;

The most useful set trap against the Kantri, of course, would be a Ring of Seven Circles, but there had been no time. The making of such a thing took far longer than the two days' notice I'd had from Marik. Bastard. He should have told me before.

Still, I was prepared. My robes of black and silver, woven about with spells of protection, would serve as armour—not for long, but for long enough.

I stood in my summoning chamber among lighted candles with Durstan at my side. "Be ready to silence her the instant we appear," I told him.

"I am prepared," he rumbled. "Success, Master."

"Always," I replied, and stepped into the circle that marked the outgoing Swiftline.

It took no time that could be measured. Between one breath and another I travelled to the far end and stepped out into a small wood. I looked quickly about me. I could not see Lanen, indeed I was hard-pressed to find any humans. There on the field before me were hundreds of the little dragons that commonly haunt the woods. I broke a disc and a single Rikti appeared. "Find the living humans in this crowd and come and tell me where they are," I commanded.

I had not known I would need to deal with these creatures, and I did not know what their response would be. I watched its flight from my hidden place in the wood and saw that it was pursued by several of them. Then, to my satisfaction, I heard a voice cry out, " 'Ware demon!" That voice was human enough, and I could tell where it came from, so the thing's death by the paltry flame these little creatures could command was no great loss.

There were the humans, out in the open and looking terribly confused. How delightful. Ah, and there was my prey.

I was feeling extravagant. I drew out nearly every disc save the one that summoned the Raksha and broke them. The air was suddenly black with Rikti awaiting my command. I pointed. "Leave alive that human, the tall female with the long hair. Kill the rest," I shouted, to be heard above the yells and hisses of the creatures in the field.

They massed and attacked, and I strode forth to claim my prey.

Into the midst of our celebrations the first of the demons came alone and died swiftly. If it had not been for Will's shout we might have had no notice at all. As it was, we were at least a little wary when a great cloud of them appeared and came straight for us.

My first instinct was to rise up and flame them, but when in the next instant I remembered, instead I called out in true-speech to the brother of my heart.

"Shikrar! Haste, my friend, the Rikti attack!"

His voice rose in a song of battle. "Behold, they are their own undoing and it is good. I know now where you are for I can smell the evil from here. I come, Akhor!"

In the meantime, for I knew not how far away Shikrar might be, I drew my sword as my only defence, for tooth and claw and breath of fire were denied me—but they were not denied the Lesser Kindred. I had not known for certain that they would react in the same way as the Kantri; our hatred of the Rakshasa must be deep in the bone. The Lesser Kindred rose in flame and struck with claws and teeth.

Lanen, beside me, had drawn her blade as well. Vilkas stood in the centre of his blazing corona, no whit diminished for all that he had laboured all night to aid the Lesser Kindred, but the fear on his face was plain. Aral, beside him, also had drawn her power about her, but her corona was barely visible in the early-morning light. She only just had the time to draw forth the soulgem of the Ancestor before the things attacked.

I could not see Jamie and Rella, and Will was off somewhere in the midst of the newfound ones. I saw him fighting his way back to be with Vilkas and Aral in the brief moment before I was set upon by three of the demons. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lanen swinging her sword with a will.

My own sword was not to their liking, for their bodies are physical and they can be hurt, but I was too slow. I cried out as my back and my face were raked by two separate Rikti, but to my astonishment both the attackers screamed and the other that threatened drew away from me. I could only see the one that had struck at my face; I watched in amazement as the claws that had drawn my blood burst into flame as it screamed and fled. Other of the Rikti came nigh me to attack but ever they veered away before they could strike. It was as if they could smell—

Of course. My blood. Whatever else had changed about me, it seemed that was still the same. An idea struck me that normally I would not even consider, but in the heat of battle I acted upon it immediately, for there was nothing to lose. I swiftly wiped away the blood that was running down my cheek with my hand, and spread it upon the blade of my sword.

Lanen, only a few feet away, was hard-pressed—I saw blood on her arm and on her face. The sight roused me to fury and I started to fight my way to her. The first I struck with my bloody sword screamed and vanished—it had worked! With a fierce joy I slew the Rikti that kept me from my dearling.

I was caught far from the others, for I had been walking with Salera. She had more words now, though there was still much to learn, and we had been trying to speak with one another when the demons attacked. I had not even my staff with me. I tried to run back for it, but there were too many dragons in the way, for many of them took to the air to fight. There were too many demons as well, and when one fastened on the arm I'd raised to protect my face I thought sure I was doomed, when a strong arm plucked the creature from me and tore it apart. I stared. Salera stood beside me, her new soulgem blazing. She sent flame after the next one and managed to scorch the one behind it as well. She had to push me down to get at one that was attacking from behind, and I realised that I was only in the way. It wasn't very heroic, I admit, but then I'm no hero. I stayed down, curled up at her feet, while my valiant Salera kept all harm from me.

I could not do it. I had thought that once I had released it I could claim all of my power, but I could not. The old deep injunction that kept me from fighting the Rikti still held. I cursed and fought to tap into that power, throwing all my will behind it, but I met only the same blank wall. When the Rikti attacked in force I could only put up a shield to surround myself—though my fury at my own failure made it strong. I would have extended it to Aral, but she shouted "No!" and I had to obey. As was now becoming her custom, she held the jewel—the soulgem—in her hand and sent her power through it. She kept the creatures away from both of us for a time and managed to kill a few, but there were just too many. The best we could manage was protection for ourselves until we saw, not far away, Jamie and Rella. I have never seen such combined ability with a blade—they appeared to be surrounded by ten swords—but even they were tiring and injured. Rella's clothing was torn and blood showed through some of the tears. Jamie's cheek was opened to the bone. They, like we, could do little beyond delaying the inevitable.