Part 11 (2/2)
The King munched his apple and let his gaze rove over the depleted battle-company. He had no metapsychic nimbus. In fact, his appearance was peculiarly wan, with only his dark red hair and brows and the eyes like little chunks of jet giving life to his face.
Kuhal Earthshaker spoke to Celadeyr on the intimate mode: So he lives Celo ... Alas for the rumour that he choked in the Devouring!
Not that one. But he does look psychodyspeptic.
Both Nodonn and Mercy-Rosmar-! To subsume either would have been beyond the power of our mightiest legendary heroes.
What are we to make of a being who a.s.similates two such minds? Perhaps it is the final confirmation that he is indeed the Adversary.
I didn't need any confirmation. Only you younger ones doubted.
Not true Celo. The Craftsmaster didn't believe it. Nor does Lady Morna-Ia. I know that even my brother Nodonn himself doubted as his end approached ...
He believed.
He doubted. Who knew Nodonn as I did-unless perhaps my lost mind-twin Fian Skybreaker? Nodonn was the eldest son of my father Thagdal and mother Nontusvel and I served him for three hundred and eighty-five years as Second Lord Psychokinetic. Aiken Drum the Adversary-? Nonsense. Nodonn hated and feared this parentless wariangle as a Lowlife upstart and adventurer. But he never accepted him as the ultimate Foe.
Tchah! Even the Firvulag know the b.a.s.t.a.r.d for what he is!
Why do you think the Little People connived with us-showed us the aircraft in return for our promise to return Sharn's Sword?
The Adversary's coming foreshadows the Nightfall War, and they cannot fight the last battle without their sacred Sword. O Kuhal believe! Nodonn never doubted. You are the doubter!
And I know why. That North American woman is to blame ... the one Boduragol paired you with in the healingOld fool. Were it not for Cloud I would still be half a mind.
You still are. The wrong half! All your Tanu instincts your racial soul died with FianWretchedoldman STOP! Not you not anyone may fault my courage in this doomed undertaking! Nor my loyalty to Nodonn and our battle-religion. This matter of the Adversary is beside the point as we stand here flagrant traitors brought to judgment.
... Ah yes. Your pardon Brother Earthshaker. I am a defeated dotard and should bethink me of Tana's imminent peace rather than some mythical apocalypse ... But I have seen fulfilled so many portents that puzzled us ancients by their absence during that conflict at Void's Edge a thousand years agone in the old Duat Galaxy. Now we have seen the engulfing waters! The monstrous carrion-bird Morigel! The One-Handed Warrior leading the battle-company against all custom! The summer fog! So there remains only the last dread epiphany ... that baleful mindstar heralding the fall of Night ... I tell you Kuhal that soon the war will rage in which no warrior can tell friend from foe. And finally there will be a tearing asunder of the earth and high heaven as the Adversary triumphs.
CeloAnd he is here.
Aiken Drum had come to the front of the dais, nibbling the last bits from his fruit. He flicked the apple core over his right shoulder and it vanished. At the same moment a double-lever steel boltcutter appeared in his right hand.
”Do you know what this is?” His voice was quiet. The deadly blood-metal tool gleamed as he raised it high. ”It's iron. You Tanu thought that there was no way to remove a torc without killing the wearer. Well, you were wrong. There are two ways-and using this thing is one of them. When you cut off a torc with an iron tool it hurts like the lues of h.e.l.l. It may even drive you mad. But most healthy adult Tanu live through it, even though all of your wonderful metapsychic powers fall back into latency ... and you become as mentally impotent as the lowest bareneck human.”
The prisoners glowed more brightly.
Aiken's face was expressionless. He turned his back on them, and then suddenly his telepathic voice clanged on the declamatory mode: LET THE HIGH TABLE GATHER FOR THE JUDGMENT.
Above certain of the twenty seats reserved for the Most Exalted Ones, faces were materializing-the fa.r.s.ent simulacra of the ruling council of the Many-Coloured Land: Morna-Ia Kingmaker, Bleyn the Champion, Alberonn Mindeater and his wife Eadnar, Condateyr Fulminator of Roniah, Sibel Longtress, Neyal of Sasaran, the human Estella-Sirone of Darask, and Lomnovel Brainburner of Sayzorask.
Celadeyr's intimate thought was aghast: So few!
And Kuhal's sardonic: Our own seats are empty Celo. And likewise those of Thufan of Tarasiah and Diarmet of Geroniah who perished when the aircraft fell. And the seat of poor Moreyn Gla.s.scrafter who poisoned himself with ferrous sulphate when the usurper flamed victorious. And Queen Mercy's place!
And the seats of those who perished at the Rio Genii-Artigonn and the Craftsmaster and my brother the Interrogator. Let me see ... the Second Redactor's position was vacant. Who is the missing twentieth? I have it. Armida the Formidable Lady of Bardelask. No doubt she has more important matters to occupy her.Celo said: Nine present. A quorum. Enough to condemn.
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