The Library - The Complete Series (6 page)

V
anguard

"What are you waiting for?" Sharpe shouts, punching my thigh. "Go and get her!"

I carefully slip my sword from its sheath and prepare to strike. The human female is barely twenty, at most thirty meters ahead of us, but she's staring straight in our direction, which means we no longer have the element of surprise. She looks to be frozen in place with fear, which is fairly typical of her species. Humans are hardly known for their robust fighting abilities, and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she fainted. Frankly, she is most likely stunned by the magnificence of my appearance; in the human world, she is unlikely to have ever encountered such a fine warrior as myself. Still, I would prefer to expend as little energy as possible while capturing her, so I'd rather not do anything yet that sends her scurrying away.

"She's going to run for it!" Sharpe hisses at me.

"Patience," I reply, keeping my eyes focused on the female. "I am an expert hunter. You, I must point out, are nothing of the sort."

"If you lose her again..." he mutters darkly.

"Human!" I call out. "My name is Vanguard! I am a Lord of the House of Lacanth. I have slain ten thousand men. I have led armies around the entire circumference of the Library, and I do not bend! Whether or not you have heard of my legend, you must kneel before me!"

The human stares wide-eyed at me. It is impossible to miss the sheer terror in her expression.

"Did you hear me?" I continue. "My name is Vanguard! I am a Lord of the House of Lacanth. I have -"

"I heard you," she replies, interrupting me in a most infuriating manner.

"Good!" I say, stepping forward. "Now kneel!"

"Don't come any closer!" she shouts.

"You misunderstand the situation," I continue. "I have identified myself. I am clearly your superior. If you do not kneel at this very instant, I shall be forced to interpret your behavior as a challenge to my status, and I will have no choice but to remedy the situation by removing your head."

"Keep back!" she says, still moving away from me.

"Kneel!" I shout.

"Put that sword down first," she says.

"There will be no negotiations here," I tell her. "Kneel before me!"

"I'm not trying to negotiate," she says, clearly panicking a little, "but I'd really,
really
like it if you could put that sword down."

"You have no choice in this matter!" I insist.

"Just put the sword down," she stammers. "Please..."

"Kneel!" I roar.

She stares at me for a moment, before turning and running away along the aisle.

"See?" Sharpe says with a sigh. "Now you'll have to go after her."

"No problem," I reply, starting to follow the human. I quickly get up to speed, bounding along the aisle with great speed. Humans are noted for their ability to run fairly fast, but this pathetic little creature will be no match for me. I'm already starting to gain on her, even as she attempts to lose me by turning left to go down a different aisle. Given my greater size, I'm a little slower at negotiating a change of direction, but I'm soon back on her trail. She turns right, then left, then right again, but as soon as I follow her around the final corner, I realize that she seems to have vanished. Standing still, I listen for the sound of her feet, but she's nowhere to be seen. My knowledge of humans is far from extensive, but I was not aware that they had any ability that might allow her to get away from me. I take a few steps forward, determined to work out where she has gone.

"Face me!" I shout. "You can't run! Face me, and I will show you mercy!"

Just as I'm starting to fear that she might, indeed, have escaped, I hear a sound behind me. I turn and see nothing, but finally I spot movement down near the ground and I spot her: she has tucked herself into one of the shelves, presumably in an attempt to hide from me. Her eyes stare back at me, and she clearly sees that I have caught her. In one final, desperate attempt to get away, she rolls off the shelf and out into the mud, before scrambling to her feet and heading back the way she came. Fortunately, I'm able to reach out and grab her by the arm, yanking her back and slamming her into one of the shelves.

"Get off!" she shouts, landing a solid punch against my jaw; she's stronger than I would have imagined, but she's certainly not tough enough to cause me any problems. Smiling, I take hold of her by the shoulders and watch with amusement as she struggles to get free. It is almost as if I have caught some kind of particularly noisy bug, and I can take my time deciding when to squash her. After a moment, tiring of the continued spectacle of her pathetic attempt to get free, I decide that it's time to end this charade, so I take my sword, turn it around and smash the hilt down against her head, knocking her out cold. Her body goes limp in my arms, and finally I have her fully subdued.

"Wait for me!" Sharpe shouts, racing around the corner. He pulls up short when he sees that I have caught the creature. "You have her!"

"Of course," I sneer. "Did you ever doubt me?"

"Perhaps the Forbidders have looked kindly upon your prayers."

"Nonsense!" I shout at him. "This has nothing to do with the Forbidders. I, and I alone, tracked and captured this pathetic creature, and I alone shall benefit from the glory."

"If you say so," Sharpe replies.

"I do," I say, staring in wonder at the moist, succulent human. "I most certainly do."

"Is she..."

"Dead?" I shake my head. "I was able to capture her without causing any harm, although I imagine she will have a significant bruise when she wakes up. Fortunately, I was able to avoid damaging the parts of her body that produce the best meat. One must always take care to look after one's meal prior to placing it onto the grill." Holding her closer, I examine her scalp and see that there is no blood. I was careful not to hit her too hard, although I wasn't entirely certain as to the strength of the human skull. She seems to have withstood my assault fairly well, though, and there is very little sign of trauma; I'm quite confident that she will clean up adequately, and I can hardly wait to see her flesh sizzling next to the platter. Still, I must -

"Fuck you!" the human shouts suddenly, kicking me in the groin before reaching out and biting the side of my face. Shocked, I stagger back, feeling a searing pain in my cheek as her teeth sink into my skin. It has been a long time since any adversary was able to surprise me, but the human is proving to be much tougher than I had anticipated. Still, I have no doubt that I can subdue her. I spin around, slamming her into one of the shelves, before finally pulling her away from my body; she keeps her teeth clenched tightly on my cheeks, ripping off a sizable chunk of flesh as I pound her for a second time into a section of shelving. This time, her head smashes into the wood with a resounding thud and a slight cracking sound, and finally she is knocked unconscious.

"Let there be no doubt," I say, with blood pouring from my face as I hold her before me, "that the carcass of this human will enable me to reclaim my rightful place as ruler of the Library and all its people." I hold her limp body up as high as possible, until her head is almost level with the top of the shelves. "With this creature," I shout, determined to make the gods themselves hear me, "I will begin my journey back to the Citadel!" As I hold her aloft, a trickle of blood runs from her nose, and a drop falls onto my lips. It tastes good. After all this time, after all these months of hunger, I have finally got my hands on fresh, prime human meat.

Book 2:

Into the Library part 2

Vanguard

At night, the Library fills with strange sounds. There are creatures that sleep during the day, and then come out at night to howl and scream at the moon. They are far off, of course; they inhabit dark, faraway parts of the land. I once knew a man by the name of Ergo who set off on a journey to explore and catalog these strange beasts. Despite constant warnings from all his friends, he packed up a stove and some supplies, and set off on a journey that he estimated would take between five and ten years. He insisted that the gods of the Library would never create any
truly
evil creatures, and that he would be able to navigate his way through the uncharted aisles with ease. The very last thing he said to me, before he left, was that he would see me soon; it has now been more than two hundred years since his departure, and as far as I am aware he has not returned. Sometimes, though, late at night, I can't help but feel that I recognize one of the distant howls.

"Gum!" I call out as I reach the camp-fire. "Where are you?"

I stop and listen out for an answer, but there is no sign of him. His sausages are piled up on the ground, and the camp-fire is still smoldering. Gum is a creature of habit, and one who is particularly fond of two things: food and warmth. I find it hard to believe that he would wander far from the fire, harder still that he would be away for so long as to allow the flame to start dying out.

"Gum!" I shout again.

Stepping around the camp-fire, I spot something on the ground. I pause for a moment as I realize he has discarded his shawl and bandages. Feeling a chill run through my body, I glance about but see nothing unusual in the darkness. Is it possible? After all this time, has Gum finally completed his healing process? I always knew that one day he would be ready to leave, and he's hardly the type to hang around and bid me a sentimental farewell. Still, I last saw him just a few hours ago, and he seemed to be still a long way from full recovery.

"Gum!" I shout one final time, but it's clear he has left. I will not miss him too much and, besides, Gum is the type of creature who always shows up at some point. Kicking his shawl and bandages into what remains of the fire, I turn to start the journey back to where I have left the girl. After a moment, however, I hear a noise nearby; a kind of rattling sound, coming from up above. Looking to the top of the nearby shelves, I see nothing but the clear night sky, but that sound definitely seemed to come from the heavens. Seconds later, I hear it again.

"Who are you?" I ask, determined to show no fear.

No reply; just silence. I suppose a more superstitious mind would immediately assume that the noise comes from a Forbidder. It certainly can't be Gum; there's simply no way he would ever dare to climb the shelves.

"Show yourself," I continue. "Whatever your purpose in hiding like this, you would be better disposed to come down here and face me." I reach down and place my hand on the hilt of my sword; although this part of the Library is sparsely populated, one never knows when one will be accosted by some kind of creature. I wait, poised to strike if anything should leap out me, but after a few silent minutes I realize that I am once again alone.

It takes me a short while to get back to where I left the human girl. She is still asleep; asleep or unconscious, anyway. Her injuries do not seem to be particularly life-threatening, and I am confident that she will awaken with the dawn. For now, there is nothing to do other than to keep watch over her. Humans have many weaknesses, but one of their few strengths is a determination to fight against all the odds. Most creatures, when faced with certain death, surrender to their fate; humans, however, will struggle to the bitter end. I have no doubt that, while she is badly hurt, this particular human will try to escape as soon as she is awake, even if her broken bones rattle like marble in a bag while she walks. Besides, just before I knocked her unconscious, I saw something of particular interest in her eyes; I have faced humans before, but I have never seen one who looked so alive and intelligent. It is almost a shame to contemplate the fact that she must die soon. I only hope that her meat will be tender.

For now, however, I must ensure that she regains consciousness. The desire to rip her apart and consume her flesh is strong, but I am forcing myself to wait. Human meat begins to degrade from the moment of death, and I want her to be fresh when I reach the Citadel. The journey will take a week, so I have decided to keep her alive and make her walk with me. This way, when I finally gather the guests for the great feast, I can cut the human down in front of them all. From the moment of her death to the arrival of her meat on the grill, there must be as short a gap as possible. She will live a little while longer, then, even if her ultimate fate is sealed.

"Wake up," I say, kicking Sharpe in the back of the head. I left him here to keep an eye on the human while I went to fetch Gum; he has failed even in this task, and it is purely a matter of luck that the human did not wake up and try to run away.

"Is she still sleeping?" Sharpe asks, rubbing his eyes.

I nod.

"What are you going to do when she awakens?"

"I am going to inform her of our impending journey to the Citadel," I reply. "What else would I do?"

"Under what pretense?"

"Pretense?"

"Are you going to tell her the truth?" he asks. "Are you going to tell her that you want to eat her, and that she has to walk right up to your grill?"

"She should be honored to learn that she will be part of my great banquet," I say. "Even a lowly human must surely recognize that this is an important role to play."

"Still," he says, "I doubt she'll be too enthusiastic."

Sighing, I realize that Sharpe might be right. There is certainly a risk that the human would decline to be eaten, in which case I shall have to tie her up and drag her all the way. The problem with that approach, though, is that it might risk making her meat a little more coarse and tough that I would prefer; it would undoubtedly be preferable if she were to walk as we travel to the Citadel.

"Relax," Sharpe says, patting my thigh. "You'll think of something. Big old smart guy like you." He pauses for a moment. "Actually, I was thinking I might come to the Citadel with you."

"You?" I look down at him. "Do you believe a lowly creature such as yourself would even be granted passage through the gate?"

"I believe the Citadel is in such a state of disrepair that no-one will give a damn," he replies. "I've heard the stories. They say the Citadel is little more than a set of ruins. I met a Golv recently who'd been there, and he said the place was the preserve of shadows. Even the Forbidders have apparently deserted the place and -"

He stops as, in the distance, some unseen creature howls and gurgles his rage at the moon.

"Didn't that sound a little too close?" Sharpe asks.

"It was miles away," I reply.

"Exactly," he continues. "When something has such a loud howl, I'd prefer it to be leagues away, rather than mere miles."

"Then you're a coward," I mutter. "Whatever that creature is, it's too far away to hurt us. It must be beyond the angel."

"Are you sure? It sounded less distant than the others." He pauses for a moment, clearly gripped by fear. "You're probably right. Still, I'd hate to run into something like that, especially in the dark."

"What is your business at the Citadel?" I ask.

"My business? Oh, I have no business. I merely wish to make the journey with you, Vanguard, and see the place for myself. It's probably my only opportunity."

I stare at him. Thomas J. Sharpe is a cowardly creature who prefers the easy life, so I fail to see why he would willingly ally himself with me for this journey. I can't help but think that there is some ulterior motive to his request.

"You may accompany us," I say eventually, "but you will have to keep up. And if you cause trouble, or if you get hurt, I will leave you behind to rot. Do you understand?"

"Of course," he replies. "I'm getting old, Vanguard. I'm starting to realize that there are many, many things I have never seen, and the years are drawing closer. I've always wanted to see the Citadel, even if it's well past its prime. Besides, wouldn't you like a little company for your journey? I hardly think a lousy human is going to be able to provide much in the way of conversation. She's probably only one step up from Gum." He pauses for a moment. "Did you find Gum, by the way? Is he coming?"

I take a deep breath. "Gum is gone," I reply eventually.

"Gone?"

"He was not at the camp-fire. He seems to have finished his recuperation."

"Then he is back to full strength?"

"Not full," I say. "But he is certainly on the move again."

"And you're not worried?"

I shake my head. "I doubt he has much interest in anything that we do. Ours was an alliance of convenience. We were both injured, and we both needed to heal; it made sense for us to work together for a short while, but the context has changed. I'm glad to be rid of him."

"And you think you won't see him again?"

"I would hope that he is long gone by now," I reply. Deep down, though, I know that Gum will be back at some point. Whatever he is doing, and wherever he has gone, he will undoubtedly raise his ugly head in my vicinity again. When he does, I will have to be careful, since Gum can never be trusted. For now, though, I can put him out of my mind. "Keep watch a little longer," I say firmly, turning to walk away. "I will be back shortly, and we will start our journey at dawn."

"What if she doesn't wake up?" Sharpe calls after me.

"She will," I reply firmly. "One way or the other, I shall make sure of that." Instead of stopping to engage in more discussion, I keep walking away. The sun will be up soon, and before we set off on our journey to the Citadel, I have one more thing to do in this part of the Library. I have to say goodbye to my family.