storm (69 page)

            “He has changed a great deal,” Pellaz said.  “But then, it was all so long ago.  We have all changed.”

            One of Lianvis' companions touched the Kakkahaar leader on the arm.  “Tiahaar, might I speak?”

            Lianvis glanced at him.  “Ask what you want, Herien, but be prepared the answer might not be what you seek.”

            “What do you wish to ask?” Pellaz said.

            “Ulaume disappeared from our tribe at a... crucial time,” Lianvis said.  “Herien, you may explain.”

            Herien appeared agonised.  Pellaz had never seen such an expression on a Kakkahaar face before.  It occurred to him at once what the question was.  “Tiahaar Herien, I believe you must be Lileem's father or hostling.  Am I correct?”

            Herien put one hand against his mouth.  He nodded.

            “Hostling,” said the other Kakkahaar.  “I am Rarn, Lileem's father.  Given what you've just said, I expect you know the circumstances surrounding our son's birth.”

            “I know that you created a Kamagrian between you, yes,” Pellaz said.  “And I suspect you might have guessed that Ulaume found her in the desert, after your shamans deemed she should be exposed.  He took her to safety and brought her up.  For some time she lived with him and Flick in Shilalama.”

            “Since we heard of the existance of Kamagrian, we realised this was what Lileem must have been,” Rarn said.  He put an arm round Herien's shoulders protectively, because it was clear Herien still could not speak.  “We also wondered whether Ulaume might have taken him.  I investigated the area where the child had been left and there was no sign of him –
her.”
  He shook his head.  “I'm sorry.  That term is strange to me.  After Ulaume disappeared, it was fairly simple to come to the right conclusion.  Where is Lileem now?”

            “I wish I could tell you exactly,” Pellaz said.  He paused.  “We need to talk about this in depth.  All I'll say for now is that she is not in this realm.  But do not fear, she isn't dead.  She's working on our behalf, seeking knowledge of both Kamagrian and Wraeththu, in a place beyond this world.  It was her choice to go there, and not even maddened horses could have prevented her from doing so.  I have no doubt she will return in the future.  Consider yourselves blessed, tiahaara.  Lileem is a fine individual, respected by many.  I'm sure that once circumstances are resolved here in Megalithica, and we are free to travel, Flick and Ulaume would be more than happy to talk with you about her.  I will do all that I can to arrange it, in fact.”

            “It was so long ago,” Herien said in a husky voice, “yet at this moment it feels like yesterday.  Thank you, tiahaar.”

            “Herien and Rarn have had fine sons since,” Lianvis said.

            “They had a fine one to begin with,” Pellaz said, gazing at Lileem's parents, “but many mistakes were made in the early days.  Do not blame yourself, tiahaara.  Lileem had the best childhood a har, or parage, could wish for.”

            “I always knew it was Ulaume who took him,” Herien said.  “Sometimes, at night, I thought I heard his voice, telling me all was well with my harling.  It was a great comfort.”  He glanced furtively at Lianvis, whose expression was unreadable.  “Even though many thought it was a delusion.  Eventually, I began to doubt my own mind.”

            “Well, now the matter is cleared up,” Lianvis said.  “If you wish to speak with the Tigron further about it, you must do it some other time.  I would now like to discuss more pressing issues, like what the Gelaming propose to do about Ponclast.”

            Pellaz addressed Herien before responding to Lianvis.  “We shall find time to talk, I promise you.”  He turned to Lianvis.  “I can't speak further without the presence of the Hegemony, and other tribal representatives.  This will be arranged immediately.”  He stood up.  “If you'll excuse me, I'll instruct my aide to convene a meeting.  Please, continue your breakfast.  We will meet again shortly.”

The Hegemony had a Hegalion building in Imbrilim, and it was here, a couple of hours later, that the meeting took place.  Every tribe who was already present on Megalithican soil sent a representative, and Tharmifex, Eyra, Ashmael and Velaxis were also in attendance.  Pellaz waited for everyhar to be seated before he entered the main chamber with Vaysh.  The place was packed to capacity, with many hara standing around the edges of the room.  Pellaz noticed Galdra sitting on the first tier of seats and a hot flush coursed through his body.  The secret of their union, he realised, was delicious, but this was certainly not the time or place to be thinking about it.  Their gaze met for the briefest moment.

            Lianvis inclined his head.  “We farm animals for the resources they can give us.  It is the Kakkahaar belief that otherworld entities look upon us, and those like us in other realms, in a similar way.”

            “That is a disgusting idea!” Ashmael said.  “Also, I cannot give it credence.”

            “We are not aware of it taking place,” Lianvis said evenly.  “Do you give no credence to the idea of higher life forms than ourselves?”

            “Of course I accept that is possible,” Ashmael said, “but surely if they were farming us, we'd know it.”

            “As the horse knows that it is born to serve and bear us?  As the bullock knows it is bred for the slaughter house?”

            “Are you suggesting we are food to them?”

            “No, feeding, as we do, is a primitive function.  Perhaps it is beyond us to comprehend exactly what we provide for these beings.”

            “Where is your proof?”

            Lianvis opened his arms in an expansive gesture.  “I am merely offering a theory, based on intense etheric research.  There is no doubt that Ponclast has allies.”

            “He could have summoned or conjured them,” Ashmael argued.  “That, in my opinion, is more likely, and when he goes, they'll go.  I will lead our hara to Fulminir and the
sedim
will help us break through any barrier that has been erected.  They've done that in the past, they'll do so again.”

            Pellaz had still not told anyhar about his ability to commune with Peridot, not what the
sedu
had told him.  He, more than any others present, sensed the possible truth in Lianvis' words.  “Tiahaar Lianvis makes sense to me,” he said.

            Ashmael glanced at him sharply.  “How so?”

            “Well, what are the
sedim
?  Where did they come from and why do they serve us?”

            “Thiede made them, or conjured them,” Ashmael said.  “That is common knowledge.”

            Pellaz laughed.  “You make it sound as easy as modelling a horse from clay and straw!  They are not horses, Ash, as you know.  They appear to us as horses, because that is perhaps how we can best perceive them.  I don't think Thiede summoned them.  I think they found
him.
”

            Ashmael narrowed his eyes.  “Why do you think that?”

            “I have worked with Peridot intensely, as you do with Zephyr, but he has taken me to another realm, Ash.  I have seen a
sedu
in its more natural form.  They are higher beings than us, of that I have no doubt.  If they choose to work with us, it is for a reason.  Perhaps they are our shepherds.  And perhaps if a higher power does not require something from us as a resource, some other power is now trying to take it from them.”

            Ashmael uttered a derogatory snort.  “Such fancies will not help us at Fulminir.  We need to find Ponclast and destroy him.  All this nonsense will stop then.”

            “The Tigron has offered interesting ideas,” Tharmifex said.  “We shouldn't dismiss them out of hand, Ash.”

            Velaxis raised his hand to speak and Tharmifex gave him permission to do so.  “We should consider that, if any of these ideas are based in truth, we are clearly not supposed to be aware of these powers operating above and beyond us.  But, as Ponclast has been contacted by some agency, perhaps those who are opposed to them could contact us, or we could contact them.”

            “If there is any truth in it,” Ashmael said, “we do not contact any of them!  We are not farm animals, and if that is indeed what's taking place, it should be stopped.”

            “Perhaps it is a symbiotic relationship,” Velaxis said, “and therefore cannot be ended or changed.”

            “And what do you know about?” Ashmael said coldly.  “You are little more than a clerk or an escort for visitors, Vel.  It is not your place to speak here.”

            Velaxis stared at Ashmael with eyes that blazed like silver disks, until Pellaz was sure Ash would burst into flames.  “He has a point,” Pellaz said, “and it's a valid as any other we've heard.”

            “What you're all talking about sounds like something out of myths and legends,” Ashmael said.  “Like the wars of the angels, or something.  It's insane.  We should deal with the crisis, here on this earth, with our feet on the ground.  This is about territory, yes – Ponclast wanting ours.”

            “And this is why you are not Tigron,” Velaxis said acidly.  “You have no vision; you are just a fighter, like any common Varr.”

            “Tiahaar Shiraz!” Tharmifex said, simultaneously signalling at Ashmael for silence.  “That is out of order.  We have allowed you to speak, do not abuse the privilege.”

            Velaxis raised his hands.  “I apologize.  May I suggest we hear what other tribal representatives think of these claims?”

            “Indeed,” Tharmifex said.  “Would anyhar care to contribute?”

            Galdra stood up.  “The Freyhellans have always believed this is a war that will be fought on astral ground.  My personal suggestion is that we should ask Tiahaar Lianvis if the Kakkahaar have any ideas for a possible strategy we could use.”

            Many other representatives made noises of agreement, most likely because Galdra had spoken.  Over time, he had become the spokeshar for just about every tribe other than Gelaming. 
You are just too damn useful,
Pellaz thought.

            Tharmifex smiled at Galdra.  “Thank you, tiahaar.”  He turned to Lianvis.  “Do you?”

            “I have spoken with my colleagues here with me and have also communed with the shamans of my tribes before attending this meeting.  The Kakkahaar decision is that we will accompany the Tigron to Fulminir.  I will do what I can to divine what action should be taken once I have taken stock of the situation at close hand.  Ponclast will be waiting for you to come to him, you already know this.  The Kakkahaar, with our
dark magic...
”  Here, he stared directly at Pellaz in a challenging manner, “...should be able to provide a level of protection for your forces.  I have communicated with our founder on the matter.  He is already working on the problem.”

            “Velisarius is working on this?” Pellaz asked.  He addressed Tharmifex.  “The Kakkahaar founder is a recluse.  If he is moved to become involved, I'd say our situation is serious, if not dire.”

            “Velisarius is more aware than most of the way our world functions,” Lianvis said.  “He believes that each faction involved in this skirmish has an avatar in this realm.  We can only suppose that Tigron Pellaz is one of them, and that Ponclast is the other.”