The Echolone Mine (31 page)

“In here,
never.”

“Elsewhere,”
Declan snapped.

“A few
times.”

“Like
this?”

“It is always
different.”

“This will
lead us out?”

“It has not
failed me yet.”

“So you don’t
know.”

Elianas
shrugged. “I believe the risk has merit.”

“Gods,
Torrullin, you trust this?” Declan demanded.

“Can I do
this?” he asked.

“Not that I am
aware of.”

“Yet here we
are walking on water in a space that exists more in the mind than
it can in reality,” Torrullin murmured. “And I bring up the rear.
Yes, I trust this.”

“The real
question you should ask, Siric, is whether he trusts me,” Elianas
said from the front.

“No, Elianas,”
Saska said. “Do you trust Torrullin?”

“I think I
must, or I would not traipse through the spaces like this on a
whim.”

“That’s not an
answer.”

“The
labyrinths of the soul, unfort …” Elianas froze, and twisted
around.

Torrullin
stared at him over the heads of the other two. “An astute
accidental remark, I think.”

“Elianas!”
Saska shouted.

Swearing,
Elianas jerked back and pointed to stabilise the ethereal bridge.
It began to dissipate as soon as he turned away.

“Well, now we
have no choice but to trust this,” Declan muttered.

“Labyrinths of
the soul or mind, Elianas?” Torrullin called out.

“Some would
say they are the same.” He did not turn again, but walked on
steadily, and as he walked the bridge lengthened.

Looking behind
him, Torrullin noted how it shortened from that side. It was
disconcerting. “The mind may influence the soul, and vice versa,
but mind and soul are separate. Wouldn’t you agree, Declan?”

“Yes,” the
Siric affirmed.

“What say you,
Saska?” Elianas prompted.

“I say you
duck the question.”

Elianas
laughed.

“Where do
shadows lurk most?” Declan murmured.

“The soul,”
Elianas said.

“The mind,”
Torrullin laughed.

“A fundamental
opposite in view,” Elianas said.

“Like much
else,” Torrullin threw back.

“Stop it,”
Saska snapped, “and concentrate.”

“Multi-tasking.”

“Damn it,
Elianas, you try my patience.”

“Consider
this, Saska. In order to escape this nothingness we need find an
answer. That answer, we now believe, is the understanding of where
we are and in what state we perform. Know your place and know
yourself, and you will be rewarded with a future. This bridge, this
dubious power I have, it is the result of that insight, and it is
the product of brinkmanship. In this answer lies the labyrinth
where shadows mark the corners of curves, remember? Do you see it?
In revealing this power, the battle has escalated for the two of
us, a battle prepared in the mind, or the soul, depending on one’s
point of view.”

“This is not
an answer,” Saska breathed. “It is another path only.”

“That is what
I think, yes,” Elianas murmured.

“You two
should have come alone,” Declan murmured.

“I told him,”
Elianas laughed.

“Shut up and
look to the bridge,” Torrullin said.

Elianas
halted. His head swung one way and then the other. “It appears we
have reached a crossroads.”

“How so?”
Declan demanded.

Elianas lifted
both hands and at right angles to the bridge two new paths opened,
while the one they were on continued dead ahead.

“Choose,
Torrullin,” Elianas called out. “Straight leads to an island, left
leads to an island and, lo, right leads to an island.”

“Interludes?”

“Ahead is
interlude, but the other two are new energy sources.”

“One dark, the
other light?”

“Indeed.”

“Turn for the
dark one.”

“And sit in
darkness again?” Saska muttered.

“It is not
lightless, Saska,” Torrullin murmured.

“It is the
other,” Elianas affirmed.

“I don’t want
to go there,” Saska said.

“Why should
we?” Declan questioned.

Torrullin
shrugged. “Go light, then.”

“It is not
light that forms the Path, brother; it is lack of sufficient light
strength. I would advise your original instinct.” Elianas moved his
head incessantly to keep all three paths in view.

“Gods, I hope
you two know what you are doing,” Declan said, and added, “Go
towards the dark island, for pity’s sake.”

“Yes?” Elianas
awaited confirmation.

“Dark,” Saska
said reluctantly.

Elianas
dropped his right hand and stilled his head into a left swing.
Within a moment only one way was available to them. He made the
sharp turn and walked on carefully.

The others
followed, two filled with misgiving.

Thereafter no
crossroad presented and there was no change in the watery landscape
or the hue in the sky.

They walked
for hours, speech gradually less until it vanished entirely.

Many hours
after many hours later, Saska said, “I can’t go on.”

Torrullin
passed the pack to Declan and lifted her onto his back.

More hours
later they had given of every reserve and still no island
appeared.

“Elianas, we
must rest,” Declan whispered.

“Can’t, bridge
will vanish, energy does not halt, energy does not grow weary.” His
words were slurred. He gave most in that seemingly pointless
walk.

Saska
whispered, “I can walk now.”

Torrullin,
wordless, let her slide from his back. He nearly buckled in the
cessation of weight.

“Go to him. He
is losing strength faster than we are.”

He stared at
her, uncomprehending, dark rings under his eyes, and Saska repeated
herself. He nodded and carefully went by her. At Declan he stopped
and found a coconut shell in a side pocket of the pack. He squeezed
past the Siric and then dipped down to collect water. He drank and
dipped again. Coming up on Elianas, he handed it over his shoulder.
The man took it and drank.

Torrullin
collected another shell full and passed it forward. When Elianas
was done he passed the hollow back to Declan, who did the same for
himself and Saska. She now brought up the rear and seemed
stronger.

“How much
further, brother?” Torrullin asked.

“There is no
distance here.” Elianas managed a shrug. “With every step I hope to
find the island. It was not this hard on previous … byways.”

“Different
rules. How is she?”

“Stronger.
Purpose has given strength. The Siric worries me now.”

“It has become
obvious, too,” Torrullin murmured. Declan was pale and strained,
and weakening fast. “But I discern no purpose.”

“Action is
purpose.”

Torrullin
rested a hand on Elianas’ shoulder. “How are you faring?”

A wry laugh
answered.

“Use whatever
I have left.” He moved his fingers to Elianas’ neck.

A hand lifted
to press those fingers to skin. “You are exhausted, Torrullin, but
inside your energy swirls unstoppable.”

“Use it.”

Holding his
hand in place over those fingers, Elianas moved on a little faster.
After a few steps he said, “Sometimes I wish life was normal for
us, and we could be brothers without the added tension. You are one
of the few people I actually like to be with.”

“I know.”
Torrullin’s heart beat a little faster.

“What
destroyed it?”

“It began, I
think, with the coercion enchantment we devised.”

Declan glanced
over his shoulder at Saska and she nodded at him. It was the first
time Torrullin and Elianas had been normal with each other.
Exhaustion stripped away the layers.

Elianas
sighed. “Something so small leading to such great consequence.”

“I still
believe we had no choice.”

“Agreed. We
needed water more than Nemisin needed fountains. The weather was
too hot and windy that cycle.”

“First
cycle.”

“Yes. I tend
to view second cycle as the decision-maker, though.”

“Second cycle
was your Ritual, and the rest of it.”

“They have
become one in my mind,” Elianas admitted. “We did not ever overlap
events and thus is has continuity hard to separate.”

“I have the
same long view.”

“It fits,
though, doesn’t it? It is all one.”

“Indeed.”

“Will we go
back?”

“If we do, it
will be far away. The curve is so huge now we may need forever
first. Or we may diverge this time into another universe and into
new cycles.”

“An attractive
thought.”

“Difference?”

“Yes,
difference.”

Torrullin’s
heart lurched in hope.

Elianas
stopped and Torrullin walked into him. “Get Declan up here to share
energy; he is about to fall.”

The Siric was
indeed toppling over and Saska’s gasp of dismay was loud. Torrullin
caught the Siric, swung him in a dance-like action until he was
between himself and Elianas. The pack, unluckily, went sinking into
the depths.

“Declan, can
you hear me?” The Siric nodded. “Place your hand on Elianas’ neck …
just do it.”

Declan lurched
forward, fell against the dark man, but Elianas had braced. He
reached behind, found the Siric’s freezing fingers and pressed them
firmly against his skin. It meant his own energy would now reduce,
but he would do it until he could not give more. Torrullin moved up
behind Declan to mirror the action at the Siric’s neck. He, too,
would now lose energy and there would be no recharge flowing
between himself and Elianas, but he would give all.

“Saska, please
hold onto me; let us not lose you now,” he said over his
shoulder.

She wedged her
hand into the belted area around his waist and looked at him. “Is
he all right?”

“His body
constantly attempts to re-grow wings. It diminishes him.”

“How much
longer can we do this?”

“Not long,” he
admitted. “But we are not to surrender, do you hear? Fight, Saska,
fight with all those furies inside you.”

She leaned
against him, her forehead on his back, her free hand splayed over
his shoulder blade, and for that moment drew strength from his
nearness. She would love him forever; she would fight, yes, to
remain in spaces he occupied. She drew breath, straightened and
found his gaze on her. She smiled, and the smile he returned proved
he knew exactly why she chose to go on. That he loved her also she
never doubted.

“Let’s go,”
she murmured.

A moment more
he looked at her. “Elianas, we can go on.”

Elianas
started moving again. It was a slow duck-like waddle from there, a
connected chain of weary souls.

Valaris

“You must
return to the Dome, Tris. This waiting is plain unhealthy,” Caballa
said.

He nodded.

“If I see more
I will let you know, promise.”

Tristan paced
the patio, shivering again. “Where is Cassy?”

“Staying with
Vanar, but she can’t help.”

“Surely we can
do something?”

“We can be
strong for them.”

He pinched the
bridge of his nose, a gesture so reminiscent of Torrullin that she
shivered. “Being strong isn’t good enough. The Digilan plan didn’t
work; now I am going to set the Kaval onto it.”

She smiled.
“Good.” It would keep him busy until something changed. “Now
go.”

He grinned and
kissed her. “Will you talk to Tian?”

“Of course,
and he probably already understands.”

He kissed her
again, and was gone.

Shadows hide
souls with greater impact than darkness is able to.

Scroll of
Wisdom

The Dome

T
he Dragon ogive chimed and those
inside the Gatherer’s Circle wondered who would come striding
in.

It was
Tristan. He looked remarkably like Elixir, but walked differently;
at first, it was the only way they could tell them apart.

The console
was unmanned when Tristan reached it. The lights blinked at him,
then stilled. Belun, at the table, looked over questioningly.
Tristan nodded and Belun called all to the slab for conference. As
they came, they spoke greetings.

Most were out
and thus it was only Belun, Quilla, Fuma, Lowen and Erin who took
seats.

Tristan leaned
on the console. “First, how goes Lax?”

Belun gave
reply. “Well. All projects are running and education has
commenced.” He paused and then, “I don’t know if this is relevant,
but Amunti has reported a settling in of apathy over Laxians. He
says he begins to feel the same. Fuma believes it may be some kind
of chemical residue …”

“It isn’t. I
shall explain shortly. Quilla, Echolone?”

“The mining
conglomerates have commenced clean-up and Beacon is locked in
negotiation with Echolone’s leaders.”

“Apathy?”

“Not yet,
no.”

Fuma spoke,
“Lax is not alone in apathy.”

Tristan nodded
and then, “It is time to tell you a story, I believe.”

Quilla gave
his wise little smile and Lowen looked at her hands.

Tristan left
the console and perched on the slab. He glanced at Lowen and began.
“When Lowen vanished into Time, fourteen of us set out to retrieve
her. I believe you are aware of the other factors, particularly the
redress of an ancient crime on behalf of the world below. Yet I
will warrant nobody was given the full tale. In fact, if I were to
guess, you were only told all is well.”

Fuma said,
“Quilla told us Grinwallin was at peace, as was Teighlar, and the
future is secured in the form of the present we know. Sabian as
Agnimus was explained, and not much else. Considering little
altered, and everyone emerged safely, with Lowen, we chose not to
push. Torrullin was singularly uncommunicative, and we had to be
happy with the situation.”