The Echolone Mine (42 page)

“Yes, but he
will not allow Elianas anywhere near Torrullin if he suspects the
man of an ulterior motive.”

“And we
would?”

Quilla
shrugged. “I would. Torrullin needs him, no matter what motive
underlies what goal.”

“And prejudice
has kept the rest of us from working this out. I see.” Tianoman
steepled his fingers. “What if you are wrong?”

“The Syllvan
will know.”

“They know
what is in men’s hearts?”

“To a point,
yes, but I meant they will know if he is re-birthing, returned or
beyond our recall, as in a new, inescapable death’s journey.”

“Surely
Torrullin can figure this out?”

“Torrullin
sees only loss.” Quilla tapped the desk. “We should see the Syllvan
together. More questions. More answers.”

“We could use
them in the real world.”

“The reason
they work is precisely because the real world does not interfere
with them,” Quilla said.

“True. I
assume you know how to request an audience?”

“I had hoped
you do.”

“I have never
been near them.”

“What of
Digilan’s portal?”

“There is no
portal, only the idea of one, a convenience the Syllvan employed …
I see. I guess if I shout loud enough, they may hear.”

Quilla
waited.

Tianoman
pushed his hair back, leaned with elbows on his desk. He was silent
for a time, then, “I have a luncheon in an hour, a meeting soon
after, and I swore to Aislinn we would eat together tonight.
Tomorrow is full. Sunrise tomorrow, Quilla. And I may pray I get
back for the campaign meeting in time.”

Quilla rose.
“Are you prejudiced, Tian?”

“About human
and Valleur, probably. About Torrullin loving a man? I am not
sure.”

“Teroux?”

“Definitely
prejudiced.”

“And
Tristan?”

“Tristan is
the open-minded one.”

Quilla nodded.
“I like your honesty. Until sunrise.”

Tianoman sat
long after Quilla left thinking about Torrullin and Elianas.

Syllvan
Grotto

Tianoman
called out, and he and Quilla stood before the trunk-like
creatures.

“We hoped
someone would request audience,” one said.

“Yes, because
Elixir is in trouble,” another added.

“Hush,” said
the central figure. “Answers are given to questions. Welcome,
Q’li’qa’mz. Welcome, Tianoman Valla.”

Quilla and
Tianoman bowed.

“Ask your
questions,” the central figure intoned.

Quilla spoke.
“Thank you for admitting us. My first question is this. What
happened to Elianas?”

“That would
take an age to answer,” one muttered. “Be more specific.”

“Forgive me.
What happened to Elianas after he died in the Path of Shades?”

A sigh,
collectively. “We do not know.”

Quilla’s mouth
dropped open; he had been certain they would know this one thing at
least.

Tianoman
asked, “Is he aiming for a seventh birth?”

“No.”

“Realm
exit?”

“Elianas is
not in a realm.”

Tianoman and
Quilla looked at each other and Quilla asked, “He claimed to be a
true Immortal, yet proved not to be. Why?”

“He is a true
Immortal, Q’li’qa’mz. He did not lie.”

Quilla was
stumped. “I do not understand.”

“He faked his
death?” Tianoman whispered.

“No, he did
die.”

“Gods, then I
do not understand either,” Tianoman muttered.

“Are you
asking the confusion be explained?” a Syllvan asked.

“Please,”
Quilla breathed.

“This, then,”
the central figure said. “Elianas is a true Immortal, but the death
within the Path of Shades caused him to doubt. He did surrender
life, life as it is assumed where they were. But there is more to
it, for what he actually surrendered was his energy. Elianas is
unique in that he requires death in order to live. He does not know
this about himself, and the doubt he experienced within the Path
has unfortunately set him adrift. We cannot find him, for when he
surrendered energy, he surrendered his signature also. We do know
no realm contained within Reaume contains him. Even a
signature-less entrance will be marked.”

Tianoman and
Quilla were wordless in their astonishment. Obviously they had the
wrong end of the donkey before.

“Are there
realms outside of Reaume?” Tianoman.

A wheezing
chuckle. “He is sharp.”

“Yes, indeed,”
another murmured.

“Yes indeed, I
am sharp, or yes indeed there are realms outside of Reaume?”

“The latter,
Lord Vallorin.”

“Goddess,”
Quilla murmured. “Elianas could be in one of those?”

“It is
doubtful.”

“Why?”

“We have an
understanding with those gatekeepers. We asked.”

“Hell’s
bells,” Tianoman muttered. “Does Torrullin know of these other
gatekeepers and those other realms?”

Silence, and
then, “He knows.”

“Secretive
man,” Quilla muttered. “Damn it.”

“Allow me to
elaborate,” a Syllvan murmured. “Elixir knew before memory loss of
other gatekeepers, but when he came to us for the first time, the
memory was no longer available. He may not have come to renewed
realisation.”

“What trouble
is Torrullin in now?” Quilla asked.

“Despair,
Q’li’qa’mz. He is alive, but he functions as a soulless being. His
deliberate isolation harms more than helps him.”

“Where is he?”
Tianoman asked and held his breath.

“We may not
reveal it.”

Tianoman
swore.

The central
figure said, “He went home.”

“You said too
much!” another Syllvan accused.

“Where is home
- never mind, you cannot say,” Tianoman muttered. He glanced at
Quilla. “Home?”

“Torrke,
Sanctuary, Akhavar, maybe Luvanor, none of which have seen
him.”

“Surely you
know of a place he calls home?”

Quilla
shrugged. “I would have said the Keep, Tian.”

“A realm?”
Tianoman demanded of the Syllvan.

“No,” one
said.

“Please, give
us something,” Quilla requested. “We cannot help him unless you
help us.”

A longer
silence came.

“We suggest
you study the deeds of property.”

Quilla
brightened. “We can do that.”

“Yes,”
Tianoman said, relieved.

“Do you wish
to ask anything else?”

“You have
questions remaining,” another added.

Tianoman faced
them. “I would like to know whether Elianas has a goal beyond the
obvious.”

“That depends
on what you imply by obvious, Lord Vallorin.”

Threading a
hand through his hair, he said, “Beyond dominating Torrullin.”

“Ah, crossing
the line. Yes, he has a goal, but so has Torrullin. We cannot say
with certainty what either of those is.”

Tianoman
sucked at his teeth. “Did Elianas know what lay beyond the door on
Echolone?”

“You suggest a
complete manipulation of the Path of Shades, Tianoman, and not even
Elixir has that. Elianas has a power as strong, but he cannot see
through doors. Avior’s doors are notoriously dense, as it is.”

“You further
suggest he intended to harm Saska,” another said. “If we are
certain of one thing, it is that Elianas respected her. He, in
fact, suggested she accompany them, because he knew Torrullin would
cope better. He did not mean her harm.”

“He did not
intend to die, or to doubt, and he certainly would never have gone
where he would be forced to relinquish power.”

“Do you trust
him?” Quilla asked.

“We do not
judge in that manner.”

“Do you trust
Elixir?” Tianoman asked.

“We do not
judge in that manner.”

“In which
manner do you judge?” Tianoman snapped.

“Good and
evil. Lumin and darak. We seek the scales between.”

“Where do you
think Elianas might be?” Quilla asked.

“We do not
know.”

“How will he
return?”

“He must find
his fuel. Energy requires fuel.”

“However, the
fuel needs be efficient first.”

Tianoman and
Quilla glanced at each other, and then Quilla said it,
“Torrullin?”

“Indeed.”

“Are we not
discussing a circle here?” Tianoman frowned.

“We are,” the
central figure murmured. “Elianas needs Torrullin fired to
re-establish, and Torrullin requires Elianas to restore him a
reason for living. This circle may go round and round without
solution, unless someone stands in the way.”

“You suggest
it is a good thing, the two of them together?”

“It is not
good or evil, Lord Vallorin. It is simply the way of it.”

“Do they
belong together?”

“Which
together are you referring to, Tianoman?”

He sighed. “I
do not know.”

“Then we
cannot answer.”

“You have one
final question,” the central figure intoned.

Tianoman
glanced at Quilla. “This was your idea. You have the final
one.”

Quilla
inclined his head and stood in deep thought for a time. “Beyond
goals, is there a greater purpose to this ancient partnership of
two equal powers?”

“We believe
so, and not merely greater, but higher. A noble purpose, without
shadows,” the central figure replied. “However, it will be far in
the future.”

Quilla smiled.
Those words would cause him to support Torrullin and Elianas
always.

Tianoman
nodded. “Is there anything you wish to ask of us?”

The central
figure seemed to ponder and to await his companions, and then he
spoke.

“We do not
have a question, but choose to say something at this point. It is
thus. Elianas is a true Immortal by virtue of seven deaths as
opposed to Torrullin’s seven births. A fine distinction, but
distinction nonetheless. This last death went beyond that, yet it
has proven to reveal an unknown quantity in the man. We believe the
power of energy requires transmutation, and this is how he would
transmute. However, it cannot happen often or it loses strength and
direction. We believe he must think on a death in every age, but we
mean not death of matter, but the energy within. This is a facet of
himself Elianas must be made aware of, if he does not understand it
after this transmutation, and he must further learn to read the
signs within that tell him when an event is due. You must do this
to aid one half of an ancient partnership to his eventual nobility.
He is Alhazen.”

Quilla and
Tianoman were wordless.

“Will you do
this?”

Quilla said,
“For my part, yes.”

Tianoman
pulled a face. “Elianas makes me uncomfortable.”

A chuckle from
somewhere. “He does not fit into our ideas, we know.”

“Tianoman, if
you have not the words to tell him, then show him your support in
other ways. Elianas knows how to hear the voices within.”

“He knows many
things,” another muttered. “Destroyer and Nemesis.”

“Yes, but he
is Destroyer’s Nemesis, not Lifegiver’s,” the central figure
said.

“Really?
Really
?” Quilla breathed, and then waved a hand when he received
baleful stares. “Now I know the meaning of Hope,” Quilla added and
smiled.

“Quilla?”
Tianoman questioned.

The birdman
touched his arm. “Read your Oracles, my friend, so you may know the
threat of Destroyer. When you know, we shall talk more.”

Tianoman
blinked.

A Syllvan
said, “It is time to go. We thank you for coming. We, too, feel
more hopeful now.”

“Thank …”
Quilla and Tianoman noted Valaris surrounding them once more. “…
you.”

Tianoman
released a sigh. “We may have maligned Elianas earlier.”

“We saw the
present only,” Quilla said. He fluttered his wings and resettled
them. “It is time to commence a deeds search.”

Chapter 34

A dream prompt
is traumatic, even if the prompt is for peace and harmony. A prompt
is more about memory … and memory is hard to focus on in a
dream.

Rosenroth,
Ymirian dream interpreter

Avaelyn

H
e dreamed every night and it
exhausted him.

For years
dreams left unacknowledged in the morning, and those that were
visions also were few. The dream of Lowen calling for help in
strata was the last remembered visitation, and now visits in the
hours of darkness would not let him alone.

Torrullin
found, in the dark, he could suffer his own memories with greater
equanimity than he could suffer the real aching of others. For
there the dreaming took him, night after night - to the pain of
others. He gradually accepted he could not remain isolated forever.
It was a selfish wish and, while he preferred his own company, the
words, expressions and feelings of loved ones were missed.

He understood
the scales were levelled. On the one side balance ruled, and on the
other, unbalance, and he further understood it would sometimes tip
to either side, with years of peace opposing years of anarchy. That
was the way of it, and it was right.

Yet he knew
also Elixir was not an entity that could withdraw from either and
merely watch the scales from afar. At first he believed he could do
so - others, after all, achieved what Elixir had in the past - and
then realised nothing functioned long in a vacuum.

It had little
to do with power; it was about the soul. A man could be alone and
prefer it, but a soul could be lonely and know itself lost.

The dreams
were an inner prompt. His absence now created an unseen void and
into that emptiness came suffering. Elixir saw, heard, touched and
tasted sorrow, and relieved it by sending out the Kaval, and he no
longer did so. In later years his presence alone, without the
deployment of senses, largely quelled pain, but abdicating
completely, in thought also, brought it rushing back.