Part 31 (1/2)

”For many thousands of years,” Isaiah continued, ”the River Angels existed in harmony with their fellow creatures. Then, over the s.p.a.ce of a few years, they developed a creed which supposed that no other creature dared to exist, given the overwhelming superiority of the River Angels. So they began to destroy them.”

Now the vision showed watery hands emerging from the streams and rivers to seize the necks of all the creatures lowering their heads to drink and twisting, ripping off those heads.

”It was appalling,” Isaiah said, his voice soft. ”And so, if I may cut this story short to save the pain, I destroyed the River Angels before they could destroy the rest of the world's living creatures.”

The vision ended abruptly, and Axis found himself blinking as he looked once more at the encircling Skraelings. They also were blinking, their faces a mix of emotions and confusions. He looked at Inardle.

She felt his gaze and returned his gaze, and Axis saw that she was weeping. She looked devastated and Axis wondered what she had realised that had as yet escaped him.

Axis returned his attention to Isaiah. ”You 'destroyed' them?”

”I took them from the water,” said Isaiah, his quiet voice carrying over the entire horde, ”and I made them to hate and fear it. I took from them the one thing they adored above all else. Water. Then I set them to wandering and I cursed them that they would become the most hated and reviled creatures that existed. I was so angry. I needed to punish their arrogance and cruelty.

”Then, to my eternal shame, I forgot them. Light and I became embroiled in our battles with Kanubai, with chaos, and then other matters came up, and aeons pa.s.sed . . . and, my friends, I am afraid I forgot you. If I had thought of you then I supposed that you had all perished. I had not thought .”

Axis' mouth was actually gaping open. He stared at Isaiah, then at Inardle who looked utterly shocked -- then about at Ozll and the other Skraelings.

He could see that they did not yet fully comprehend. They were struggling, trying to make the connection, but so many, so many countless generations had pa.s.sed that the Skraelings had lost most of their intuitive and intellectual powers.

They had descended into the abyss of brutality and ignorance and stupidity, and there they had stayed, in terror of the element which had once nurtured them.

Hating that which they had lost.

Constantly looking for a leader. Perhaps, unknowingly, wanting someone who could lead them back to the world they had lost.

”My friends,” Isaiah said, his voice full of pity, ”you are the lost River Angels.”

Chapter 23.

The Outlands.

The Skraelings still could not grasp the enormity of what Isaiah was telling them, and Axis thought that he, too, might have trouble were he in their position.

But then, he had been through similar, hadn't he? But never had he descended to the level of the Skraelings, creatures universally reviled and hated for their stupidity and the brutality of their existence.

Now, Isaiah was telling them that, in truth, they were probably the most wondrous and enchanted creatures this world had ever produced: more mysterious than the Icarii; more magical than the Lealfast; stunning creatures who had emerged from the mystical birth pangs of the world itself. Glorious.

Axis wondered, cruelly, if they still had the intellect to grasp it.

He looked again at Inardle. She had her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide, and was rocking backward and forward very slightly.

It is why you frost, he said to her. That is your River Angel magic.

She stared at him with those wide eyes, but Axis was not even sure if she had actually heard him.

”I have left you alone for far too long,” Isaiah said to the Skraelings. ”I had forgot you and, lo, look to what mischief you descended. Even cursed you tried to ruin the world.”

Isaiah sighed. ”I have many choices before me. I could destroy you utterly and, yes, I have the power, for I am Water and you are descended of water.” His voice turned bitter. ”If only I had realised all this earlier. I could have saved this land, and saved Isembaard, so much trouble. So much slaughter. Right now, my friends, I loathe myself quite terribly. But I have a decision to make, and so also do you. Here is what I propose. I have the means to destroy you completely. I have, likewise, the means to restore you to your full heritage. I can turn you from the ugly vile creatures you are now, back to the magical, beautiful creatures you once were. Or, I can give to you that responsibility -- the decision as to whether to go back or not -- in your hands. I can give you the power to restore yourselves if you want.

”But . . . which choice of those three should I make? Both River Angels and Skraelings have created havoc. They have murdered and slaughtered. Perhaps destroying you completely and putting a final end to the nightmare that you are and that you have caused this world would be the best thing.”

”No,” said Ozll.

Isaiah ignored him. ”I don't know what to do and I don't know if I have the right to make that choice, given that I am almost as culpable as you. So . . . I am going to leave the decision to you. I, and Axis and Inardle, are going to return to our camp, and there we will rest. Tomorrow we shall meet with you and you shall tell me what you think best for yourselves. There are no conditions attached to this. And if you choose either the second or third options -- that I, or you yourselves, restore you to full River Angel status -- I will not demand that you ally with either myself or my friends against the One.”

Axis hissed, trying to grab Isaiah's attention, unable to believe he was giving the Skraelings this much power and freedom. Stars, they would destroy the world in a minute if they took back the power of the River Angels!

The Skraelings were, to a single one of them, staring at Isaiah in total disbelief.

”I am going to put my trust in you,” Isaiah said softly. ”Consider well overnight. We will meet again tomorrow, at noon.”

Then he rose, indicating to Axis and Inardle they should do likewise, and he walked back to the Isembaardian camp, head high, braids jingling, jewels gleaming in the faint light of a mult.i.tude of campfires.

”Are you mad?” Axis hissed as they neared the edges of the Isembaardian camp. ”What have you done? Stars, Isaiah, if you have the means to destroy them then just --”

Isaiah turned on him. ”I have as much blame to bear for the actions of the Skraelings as they themselves. I forgot about them, a.s.sumed they had all died, and how many millions have suffered because of it? This is my recompense to the Skraelings for --”

”What about recompense to all the people who have been slaughtered by the Skraelings?” Axis shouted, not caring if his voice carried back to the Skraeling camp. ”What about recompense to this land, this one here and now that we stand on, for the misery inflicted on it? What about recompense for --”

”Axis --”

”-- all the Isembaardians who died. G.o.dsd.a.m.n it, Isaiah! You abandoned Isembaard to its fate, too! This is a most unbecoming character trait of yours.”

Isaiah had paled, and now took a step back. ”I don't expect you to understand, but --”

”You are right. I don't understand.”

With that, Axis turned on his heel and stalked away into the night.

After a moment, Isaiah walked on into his camp.

Inardle stood a long time in the darkness between the two camps, feeling keenly her isolation.

Stuck between two camps, as her entire life had been.

What Isaiah had revealed to her had shocked her to her very (River Angel) core. She had spent her entire life reviling her Skraeling heritage.

Now . . . did she have to admire it? Yearn for it? Or should she loathe it all the more for the foulness it had come from?

And were the Skraelings to decide her fate as well?

She did not know how to react, or what thoughts to muster. So she did the only thing she could actually think of doing.