Rensaark's eye was caught by movement on the horizon. He saw smudges of smoke climbing into the sky, their intervals too regular to be a coincidence.
'What are those?' he said.
'Beacon fires,' said Danler. 'Atreska believes she is invaded. Should I light the fire on my roof, then the border will believe it too.'
Rensaark smiled. 'Believe me, not your fires. You are not invaded. Not by Tsard. Your invasion took place a decade ago. Our mission is liberation.'
'Don't make me look a fool, Rensaark.'
'Time will banish your worries,' said Rensaark. 'Now, I must go. I have business with your Marshal. It's time he understood too.'
Yuran had the simpering, patronising consul pinned to a wall in the throne room. His men kept the Conquord bodyguards back. Yuran had been kept waiting while the fear in his city grew by the moment and the beacon fires spread the word across the country. By the time the consul had deigned to appear, Yuran's eyes saw but one colour.
'The legions will reform in advance of the enemy. The Tsardon will never reach Haroq City.'
Yuran pushed a little harder, seeing the consul cough. He was a small man with close-cropped black hair and a belly that had seen too much luxury.
'Your precious army is gone,' he shouted, his spittle peppering the consul's face. He shook him with every phrase. 'They are leaderless, they are terrified and they are beaten. You have left me and my people defenceless through your arrogance and your deafness to my words. Where do we have to go now?'
The consul raised his hands in a pathetic, placatory gesture.
'I understand your concerns.'
'You have no idea of my concerns. You never leave your villa but to gorge yourself at my expense. You see nothing, you know nothing. There are fifty thousand Tsardon approaching my borders. And I have three legions. Three! And none of them are battle hardened, nor within a hundred miles of use.'
'And of course, you shall have more defence,' said the consul. 'I will return to Estorr immediately with my advisers and appraise the Advocate of—'
Yuran laughed loud and right into his face. 'Oh no, my weasel you will do no such thing. If I am to die at the hands of the King of Tsard then you will be standing at my shoulder.'
The consul displayed real fear for the first time.
‘I
—'
'You thought to escape. Even by the standards of Conquord consuls you are supremely gutless. I have already sent a delegation to Estorr. Most of the Gatherer unit has gone with my people to add credence. If nothing else, at least they have courage and the respect of the Advocacy. You, I am sure, have neither. You will not leave the city. Indeed, you will not leave your villa unless I so request it.'
The consul blustered incoherently. Yuran pushed him into the wall one more time.
'War is at my borders. And you, my spineless mentor, will face it with me.'
Chapter 36
848th cycle of God, 25th day of
Solasrise 15th year of the true Ascendancy
It was dawn and Chancellor Koroyan was angry. Her wagon trailed behind Prime Sword Vennegoor and the Armour of God riders while they swooped on a guard post set out of sight of travellers heading away from Westfallen. Leaning from her window, she could see men running. One jumped onto the back of a horse and galloped away in the direction of the town in a clearly pre-arranged move.
Vennegoor pointed three fingers and a trio of riders upped their pace further in pursuit. The rest rode around in an arc to cut off any other attempt to run. Before them were eight men dressed in the livery of Marshal Vasselis, his personal army not a Conquord legion. Sensibly, none had drawn their weapons or nocked arrows into bow strings.
Vennegoor dismounted when her carriage rattled to a stop. He opened her door and the pair approached the guards. All looked experienced soldiers. None displayed any particular fear. It was testament to their loyalty to Vasselis and their belief in the Order, whose crest they could not have helped but see. It made no difference.
'You stand accused of heresy and protecting evil in the town of Westfallen,' she said, watching the anxiety cross their faces. 'Furthermore, you stand accused of obstructing the Order in its ordained duties, and of complicity in harbouring and protecting a heretic Reader. I, Felice Koroyan, Chancellor of the Order of Omniscience, lay these charges. How do you plead?'
Felice kept her tone deliberately neutral and matter-of-fact despite the fury inside. For the third time, she had been forced to lay charges against those merely acting on orders from Vasselis. And for the third time, the fear before her was palpable.
Seven of the eight dropped to one knee, hands placed palms down on the ground. Their captain swept off his plumed helmet and held it across his chest. He was a man still in his early years. His bearing was professional but he, like his guards, stared back at her in mute shock.
'Speak,' said Vennegoor. 'The Chancellor has asked you a question.'
'We are not guilty,' said the captain, plainly struggling to believe who was facing him. 'We guard as ordered. Westfallen has suffered an outbreak of bovine flu and is quarantined. Respectfully, my Chancellor, I must ask you to turn back.'
Felice knew her expression was bleak. 'And we were asked the same by the first two guard posts we encountered. So do you know why we are still here? It is because God's work cannot be obstructed by lies. Bovine flu . . .' She shook her head. 'Do I look an imbecile to you?'
'No, my Chancellor.'
'No,' said Felice. 'Then why do you peddle this untruth before me. This flu outbreak you claim has gripped the unfortunates in West-fallen has been going on longer than science and knowledge can persuade. It would by now have taken the life of every animal in the town or long been cured. If you can come up with no other response, I can only conclude your guilt.'
'Please, my Chancellor, we are ordinary soldiers and citizens. We follow orders and display the loyalty demanded by our Marshal Defender.'
'Even if that means turning your back on your God?' Felice let her anger take her. 'Even if that means evil is born and blossoms before your eyes? Does not your God, do not I, also demand and deserve respect?'
'Of course, my Chancellor.'
'Then show it,' she spat. 'Tell me the truth.'
'I do not question the orders of my Marshal. Please, Chancellor, we are innocent.'
'Liar,' said Vennegoor smoothly. 'We know the questions you ask of those journeying to Westfallen. And we know what you ask of those who leave. Quarantine for the propagation of evil. You are as guilty of heresy as surely as your Marshal and your Ascendants.'
The word dripped like rot from his mouth. Felice saw the captain react and his head drop fractionally.
'Oh dear,' she said. 'Guilty.'
Behind her, a hundred bows were drawn back. Panic took the guards. Shouts for mercy, pleas for clemency, exhortations of faith. She shook her head.
'Your God asks of you only that you do His bidding and keep His earth free from those who would corrupt it. You did not do this. You provide no credible defence, you are aware of the presence of evil and so I find you guilty of the charges laid before you. You are sentenced to death and you will never feel the embrace of God.'
'You have no authority to carry out such sentence.' The captain at last found his courage.
'In that, as in many things, you will find you are wrong,' said Vennegoor.
One of the guards broke and ran. Vennegoor's arm rose and fell. From the flanks of the arc of riders, bow strings thrummed. Arrows clouded her vision for a moment, thudding into the guardsmen. Multiple shafts pierced each body. All the men died instantly. Felice shook her head.
'Burn them. Let the devils have them. Sentence has been carried out.' She knelt on one knee. 'Let us pray.'
Arducius walked through Westfallen towards the sea. His friends were with him. Ossacer had a hand on his right arm though he could have chosen not to; seeing through the trails was easy enough now but still an effort of mind. Mirron walked slightly ahead of them, chatting with Kovan, who strode proudly with his hand rested casually on his sword pommel. Gorian was on his left, sauntering in that way of his. He was chewing a stalk of grass and every time he looked at Mirron and Kovan, a small smile touched his lips.
It was afternoon on a God-blessed day and the life of the earth surged gloriously through the Ascendants. Arducius felt it as a rumble through his entire body. He remembered the pain of his connection with all around him and the relief in the faces of the Echelon when he came round. And to think they had thought that the playing with the elements they had done was emergence. It was not. It was just the preamble. Everything they had learned had been moving them towards the ability to accept the real energy, the real lifelines.
And what they felt now was an order of magnitude so much larger than before. No wonder their bodies and minds had fought to be able to accept it and control it. No wonder they could still barely contain what they felt and were so careful in preparing their Works. Even now, they did not dare try and examine their full potential. It scared them all and Father Kessian wanted them to tread carefully. And so they did.
Today they had a break from their studies and had decided to go swimming and sailing. Kovan was going to officiate in some races above the water and use the hourglass to time them on dives to collect a set of coloured stones he would drop himself. Arducius loved games like these. They brought the Ascendants closer together and, he hoped, helped repair the divide that existed between Kovan and Gorian. Perhaps that was too much to expect. Particularly when the object of their disagreement was right there with them. He wished Mirron would take it more seriously but she seemed to revel in it.
The fishing fleet was out in the bay when they arrived at the beach. Only a handful of boats were pulled up on the shore. Kovan's single-masted boat had been prepared by members of the household staff and, as always these days, some of the Marshal's soldiers were present. Still, Kovan was in a fine mood. His father had unexpectedly arrived the evening before from some business over at Lake Phristos and Glenhale. Actually, it gave the whole town a lift. There had been an air of worry over the place ever since the investigation and having him here made people feel safer.
Gorian knelt at the water's edge and placed his hand in the water. Ripples fled away against the inward tide and wavelets. Arducius went to stand beside him.
'Is he out there?'
Gorian turned to look at him, a smile on his face and his eyes a steady deep blue. 'Yes,' he said. 'He's coming in.'
The dolphin broke the surface thirty or so yards out and swam into the shallows, occasionally lifting his head from the water to chatter at them.
'He's happy,' said Gorian.
‘I
can feel a surge through him, like new life. Perhaps there's a big shoal out there.'
'Well, no doubt Jen has found it if there is,' said Arducius.
'No doubt,' replied Gorian. 'One day they won't need a fishing fleet. We'll be able to bring the fish straight into the shore.'
Arducius laughed.
‘I
don't think so, Gorian.'
'Believe it,' said Gorian and his face was serious once more.
Just down the beach, the staff had launched the boat and held it in a couple of feet of water. Kovan was already at the tiller.
'Come on,' he said. 'In you get. The contest won't wait.'
The sound of bells shattered the peace of the afternoon. In the water, the dolphin dived and disappeared. On the beach, the Marshal's guards shot to their feet and looked away to the rise on which the watchtower stood, looking down on the road to Cirandon. Kovan scrambled from the boat and the Ascendants gathered together.
'What's going on?' asked Ossacer, clutching at Arducius's arm.
'It's the alarm,' said Kovan. 'Nephis, take the detachment from our villa. Get my father, he's up at the lake. I'll get the Ascendants to the Echelon villa.'
'Yes, sir,' said Nephis. He and two of his comrades ran away from the beach. The other two came to flank Kovan.
'Come on,' said Kovan. 'You need to get under cover.'
'Well, why don't we just swim out to sea?' said Gorian.
'No,' said Kovan. 'You know the arrangements. You can't stay out there forever. Come with me.'
'I don't take orders from you,' said Gorian.
Arducius felt Ossacer's hand tighten on his arm. He looked round and caught the look on Mirron's face too. She was staring up at the rise where the bells still rang and soldiers were running. He swung round to Gorian.
'This isn't the time. They're frightened. We will do what Father Kessian wants or the Echelon won't know where to find us.'
Gorian glared at him for moment but nodded. Kovan relaxed.
'Let's go,' he said.
'They're coming,' said Mirron, pointing up to the rise. Arducius looked up. Riders were pouring over the rise. So many of them.
'Who are they?' he asked.
'It doesn't matter,' said Kovan, his voice assuming the tone of command. 'Let's go. Hurry.'
He began to run up the road that led up to the left of the forum. It was the quickest way to the villa and what they hoped was safety. In front of them, confusion was taking hold. People crossed their path, running, walking, shouting. Most were heading home but many were just moving away from the riders, heading down into Westfallen and towards the beach.
Arducius made sure the others were with him. Mirron's face reflected the fear he felt. Ossacer was using the trails in the air to guide him now and had left the security of Arducius's arm. Gorian's face was dark and angry, his eyes flicking to the invaders, whoever they were. Arducius prayed they were Advocacy forces. If it was the Order, they were in serious trouble.
Heat and the run was making him sweat. He felt it down the back of his tunic, under his arms and on his face. He ran just ahead of the other three, with Vasselis's soldiers bringing up the rear. People got out of their way, shouted for them to hide, to run and to disappear.
They turned left away from the forum and ran up a steep cobbled street with houses tight on either side. Kovan kept the pace up and the Ascendants followed him. Arducius could hear the sound of the soldiers' boots ringing on the stone. His fear grew. They left the street to head through fields to the villa. A dark line appeared on the horizon, spreading quickly to their right.
'Oh no,' said Kovan. 'Faster. Faster.'
It was more riders. They had ridden off the road and through the farmland, cutting off escape towards the lake and the river to Glenhale. Arducius's heart was thundering in his chest. He could sense the waves of uncertainty that had gripped the town. Through the ground, the rumble of hoofs could be clearly felt. The clash of sensations was uncomfortable within him, like a churning unhappiness of life lines. His chest tightened.
They had climbed above the level of the town now and were close to the villa. Riders had already made it into the heart of Westfallen and a quick glance showed them on the way to the House of Masks, around to the Vasselis villa and moving to completely encircle the town from the land. There was panic in the air and Arducius felt Mirron beginning to breathe too fast.
'Steady, Mirron,' he said. 'It'll be all right.'
'They've come for us,' she said. 'They've come to take us.'
'They will not get you,' said Kovan over his shoulder. 'Keep going. I'll keep you safe.'
They were in the open now, sprinting hard. The villa was only a couple of hundred yards away and Vasselis's soldiers could be seen in the grounds and around the walls. As he watched, three ran out of the front gates and turned right. Up the track towards them came five riders. There were barked shouts to stop that went unheeded.
Swords were drawn and steel glinted in the sunlight. Arducius caught his breath. The horsemen rode on. The soldiers came to ready. There was a blur as the two sides passed each other. He saw a blade sweep down into the face of one of the soldiers. He was plucked from his feet and tumbled into the ground, rolling to lie still in the wake of the horses. Blood. There was blood all over the sandy ground.
Mirron screamed and came to a stumbling stop, her hands over her mouth. Arducius felt sick. Around the other side of the villa came more riders. They seemed to be everywhere and on each horse was the same branded mark of a circle of arms with hands clasped.
Kovan stopped running and held his arms out left and right to stop the Ascendants running past him. The two soldiers came to his side and drew their swords. Ahead, the survivors of the rider attack ran to their comrade. Horses wheeled and came back towards them. Arrows were in tensed bows and they backed away, arms raised.
Arducius saw other riders coming down the road towards them. Yet others dismounted and ran in through the gates of the villa. Down in the town, the shouts were loud and scared. Horses whinnied and snorted. Hoofs stamped on cobbles.
'Stand with me,' said Arducius, bringing the Ascendants to him. 'Keep your heads down. Don't let them see who we are.'
'It's the Order,' hissed Gorian. 'They have come to kill us.'
'You don't know that,' said Arducius.
'We can stop them,' said Gorian.