A Darkness at Sethanon (65 page)

Lyam turned his
gaze upon Guy. “Even without your hereditary office, we think
we shall still keep you busy. Kneel.” Guy was helped to kneel
by Armand. “Guy du Bas-Tyra for your deep concern for the
welfare of the Kingdom despite her having cast you out and your
bravery in the defence of both Armengar and this Kingdom, we offer to
you the office of First Advisor to the King. Will you accept?”

Guy’s good
eye widened, and then he laughed. “This is a grand jest, Lyam.
Your father’s having a fit somewhere. Yes, I’ll take it.”

The King shook
his head and smiled, remembering his father. “No, we think he
understands. Rise, Guy, Duke of Rillanon.”

Next Lyam said,
“Baru of the Hadati.” Baru left Laurie, Martin, and
Briana, and knelt before his King. “Your bravery is without
peer, both in destroying the moredhel Murad and in accompanying our
brother Martin and Duke Laurie over the mountains to bring us warning
of Murmandamus’s invasion. We have thought long and hard and
are at a loss as to what reward to offer. What may we do to show you
our pleasure at your service?”

Baru said,
“Majesty, I desire no reward. I have many new kinsmen come into
Yabon and would make my home with them, if I may.”

Lyam said, “Then
go with our blessings, and should you need anything within our power
to grant, to ease the relocation of your kinsmen, you have but to
ask.”

Baru rose and
returned to stand by his friends, who all smiled. Baru had found a
new home and a purpose in life.

Other rewards
were given and the business of the court continued. Arutha remained
apart, wishing that Anita could be with him, but knowing he was only
days away from her. He saw Macros off in the distance, speaking with
Pug and Tomas. The three figures stood in shadow, as the day was
coming to a close, evening rapidly approaching. Arutha sighed in
fatigue and wondered what they were concerned with now.

Macros said,
“Then you understand.”

Pug said, “Yes,
but it is still a hard thing.” He didn’t need to speak
any more. He had full measure of the knowledge gained when he and the
sorcerer had been joined. Now he was Macros’s equal in power,
and almost his equal in knowledge. But he would miss the presence of
the sorcerer, now he knew his fate.

“All
things come to an end, Pug. Now it is the end of my time upon this
world. With the ending of the Valheru presence, my powers have
returned fully. I will move on to something new. Gathis will join me,
and the others at my island are cared for, so I have no more duties
here. I must move onward, just as you must stay here. There will be
kings to counsel, little boys to teach, old men to argue with, wars
to avoid, wars to be fought.” He sighed, as if again he wished
for a final release. Then his tone lightened. “Still, it is
never boring. It is never that. Be sure the King knows what we have
done here.” He regarded Tomas. The human turned Valheru looked
somehow different since the final battle, and Macros spoke softly.
“Tomas, you have the eldar returning home at last, their
self-imposed exile in Elvardein at an end. You’ll need to aid
your Queen in ruling a new Elvandar. Many of the glamredhel will be
seeking you out, now that they know Elvandar exists, and you’ll
also find an increase in Returnings, I think. Now that the influence
of the Valheru is confined, the lure of the Dark Path should weaken.
At least, we can hope so. Seek inward, as well, Tomas, for I think
you’ll find much of your power is now gone with those who were
Ashen-Shugar’s brethren. You still stand with the most powerful
of mortals, but I wouldn’t seek to master dragons, if I were
you. I think they might give you a shock.”

Tomas said, “I
felt myself change . . . at the last.” He had seemed subdued
since his battle with Draken-Korin. “Am I again mortal?”

Macros nodded.
“You always were. The power of the Valheru changed you, and
that change will not be reversed, but you were never immortal. You
were simply close to it. But do not worry, you’ve retained a
great deal of the Valheru heritage. You’ll live out a long life
beside your Queen, at least as long as any of elvenkind are allotted
by fate.” At these words Tomas seemed reassured.

“Keep
vigilant, both of you, for the Pantathians spent centuries planning
and executing this deceit. It was a plot of stunning detail. But the
powers granted to the one who posed as Murmandamus were no mean set
of conjurer’s illusions. He was a force. To have created such a
one and to have captured and manipulated the hearts of even a race as
dark as the moredhel required much. Perhaps without the Valheru
influence across the barriers of space and time, the serpent people
may become much as others, just another intelligent race among many.”
He looked off into the distance. “Then again, perhaps not. Be
wary of them.”

Pug spoke
slowly. “Macros . . . at the end I was certain we had lost.”

Macros smiled an
enigmatic smile. “So was I. Perhaps the Valheru’s
manipulation of the Lifestone was prevented from reaching fruition by
Tomas’s sword stroke. I don’t know. The rift was opened,
and the Dragon Host allowed to enter, but . . .” The old
sorcerer’s eyes seemed alight with some deep emotion. “Some
wonder or another, beyond my understanding, intervened at the last.”
He looked downward. “It was as if the very stuff of life, the
souls of all that lived upon this world, rejected the Valheru. The
power of the Lifestone aided us, not them. That was from where I drew
strength at the last. It was that which captured the Dragon Host and
the Dreadlord and closed the rift. It was that which protected us
all, keeping us alive.” He smiled. “You should seek, with
care, to learn as much as you can about the Lifestone. It is a wonder
beyond what any of us suspected.”

Macros was
silent for a time, then looked at Pug. “You are as much a son
to me, in a strange sort of way, as any I may have called that over
the ages. At least you are my heir, and husbander of all the magic
lore I have accumulated since coming to Midkemia. That last case of
books and scrolls I held at my island will come soon to Stardock. I
suggest you hide that fact from Kulgan and Hochopepa, until you’ve
reviewed what’s there. Some of it is beyond any on this world
but you, and whoever may follow you in our unusual calling. Train
those around you well, Pug. Make them powerful, but make them loving,
generous men and women as well.” He paused as he looked at the
two boys grown to men, those lads from Crydee whom twelve years ago
he had begun to mould to save a world and more. At last he said, “I
have used both of you, ungently at times. But in the end it proved
necessary. Whatever pain you may have endured is, I like to think,
offset by the gains. You have achieved things beyond your boyhood
dreams. You are now the caretakers of Midkemia. You have whatever
blessing I may give.” With an unusual catch in his voice, his
eyes moist and glowing, he softly said, “Good-bye and thank
you.” He stepped away from them, then slowly turned. Neither
Pug nor Tomas could bring himself to say goodbye. Macros began
walking toward the west, into the sunset. Not only did he move away
from them, but with the first step he seemed somehow to become less
solid. With each additional step he became more insubstantial,
transparent, and soon he was like mist, then less than the mist. Then
he was gone.

They watched him
go, saying nothing for a while. Then Tomas wondered, “Will he
ever know peace, do you think?”

Pug said, “I
don’t know. Perhaps someday he’ll find his Blessed Isle.”

They were again
silent for a time. Then they returned to the King’s Pavilion.

There was a
celebration in full swing. Martin and Briana had announced their
plans to wed, to the obvious approval of everyone. Now, while others
revelled in life and survival and the simple joy of living, Arutha,
Lyam, Tomas, and Pug picked their way through the rubble that was
Sethanon. The populace was housed in the less damaged western
section, but they were only a distant presence. Still they moved
cautiously, lest anyone observe them.

Tomas led them
through a large crack in the ground, to what appeared a cave opening
below the rubble of the keep. “Here,” said Tomas, “a
fissure has opened, leading down to the lower chamber, the centre of
the ancient city. Step carefully.”

Slowly they
descended, seeing by a dim light of Pug’s magic arts, and soon
they entered the chamber. Pug waved his hand and a brighter light
sprang forth. Tomas motioned the King forward. Figures in robes
stepped out of the shadows, and Arutha drew his sword.

A woman’s
voice came from the dark. “Put up your sword, Prince of the
Kingdom.”

Tomas nodded and
Arutha resheathed his mystic blade. From out of the dark came an
enormous figure, bejewelled and brilliant as light danced across a
myriad of facets. It was a dragon, but none like any seen, for in
place of scales once golden a thousand gemstones gleamed. With each
movement, a rainbow of dazzling beauty washed over the monstrous
form.

“Who are
you?” asked the King calmly.

“I am the
Oracle of Aal,” came the soft voice from the Dragon’s
mouth.

“We struck
a bargain,” said Pug. “We needed to find her a proper
body.”

Tomas said,
“Ryath was rendered mindless, her soul gone at the hands of the
Dreadlord. Her body still lived, though damaged severely and hovering
close to death. Macros healed her, replacing the destroyed scales
with new ones fashioned from the gems of the treasure hidden here,
using some unique property of the Lifestone. With his restored arts
he brought the Oracle and her servants here. Now the Oracle lives
within the emptied mind.”

“It is a
more than satisfactory body,” said the Oracle. “It will
live for many centuries. And it possesses many powers.”

“And,”
added Pug, “she will remain forever vigilant over the
Lifestone. For if any were to tamper with it, she would perish along
with everyone else upon the planet. Until we find a way to seek out
and deal with the Pantathians, the risk still exists that the Valheru
could be recalled.”

Lyam regarded
the Lifestone. The pale green gem glowed softly, seeming to pulse
with a warm inner light. And from its centre a golden sword
protruded. “We do not know if this destroyed the Dragon Lords
or merely holds them in thrall,” said Pug. “Even the
magics I learned from Macros may not penetrate all its mysteries. We
are fearful of removing Tomas’s sword, for to do so might cause
no harm at all or it might unleash what is trapped within.”

Lyam shuddered.
Of all he had heard, the power of the Lifestone had made him feel the
most helpless. He approached it and slowly put forth his hand. The
stone proved warm to the touch and contact filled him with a mild,
relaxing pleasure. There was a sense of lightness in the stone. The
King faced the mighty form of the bejewelled dragon. “I have no
objection to your stewardship, lady.” He thought, then spoke to
Arutha. “Start some rumour that the city’s now cursed.
Brave little Humphry’s dead, and there’s no heir to his
title. I’ll move what’s left of the populace and pay them
indemnity. The city’s more than half destroyed already. Let’s
empty it out, and the Oracle will remain undisturbed. Let us leave,
lest we are missed at revel and someone comes seeking after us.”
To the dragon he said, “Lady, I wish you well in your office.
Should you have any need, send a message, by means magic or mundane,
and I shall seek to meet it. Only we four, and my brother Martin,
shall know the truth of you, and from this time forward, only our
heirs.”

“You are
gracious, Majesty,” answered the Oracle.

Tomas led them
out of the cavern, and upward, to the surface.

Arutha entered
his tent, and was startled to find Jimmy sleeping in his bed. He
shook him gently. “What is this? I thought you were given
quarters?”

Jimmy looked at
the Prince with an ill-concealed grumpiness at being awakened. “It’s
Locky. The whole damn city’s coming down about our ears and he
finds another girl. It’s getting to be a habit. Last night I
slept on the ground. I just thought to catch a nap. I’ll find
another place.”

Arutha laughed
and pushed the youngster back into the cot as he began to rise. “Stay
here. I’ll bunk in the King’s Pavilion. Lyam was busy
handing out rewards this evening, while you slumbered and Locky . . .
well, did whatever he was doing. In all the confusion I overlooked
you two. What should I do to reward you scoundrels.”

Jimmy grinned.
“Make Locky Senior Squire so I can go back to the quiet life of
a thief.” He yawned. “Right now, I can’t think of a
damn thing I want except a week of sleep.”

Arutha smiled.
“All right. Get some sleep. I’ll come up with something
for you young rogues.” He left Jimmy and made his way back
toward Lyam’s tent.

As he approached
the entrance, a shout of announcement and a trumpet flourish
accompanied the arrival of a dusty carriage bearing the royal crest.
Anita and Carline quickly stepped out. Arutha showed astonishment as
his wife and sister rushed forward to hug and kiss him. “What’s
this?”

“We
followed Lyam,” said a tearful Anita. “We couldn’t
wait in Rillanon to find out if you and Laurie were alive. As soon as
messages reached us you were well, we broke camp and hurried here.”

Arutha hugged
her as Carline listened to singing a moment and said, “Either
that’s a nightingale in love, or my husband is forgetting he’s
now a duke.” She kissed Arutha once more on the cheek and said,
“You’re going to be an uncle again.”

Arutha laughed
and hugged his sister. “Much love and happiness, Carline. Yes,
that’s Laurie. He and Baru arrived today with Vandros.”

She smiled.
“Well, I think I’ll go give him some grey hairs.”

Arutha said,
“What does she mean “again”?”