The Kallanon Scales (65 page)

Torrullin?

Come to
Grinwallin now.

And Camot?

Him, too, and
his two soldiers.

What of Skye
and Lowen? I am loath to leave them here.

Dare he bring a child and a woman not made for war into the
fray? Dare he leave them where he could no longer watch
them?
Bring them. Bring Key-ler if he is
agreeable. We may require a Key Keeper.

The Xenian
crew have decided to remain on Atrudis. Only Shane is unsure, wants
to hear what Matt has to say first. They would fight to the death
for their adopted world. Do I bring them?

The crew had already offered beyond all duty.
No, win or lose, Atrudis could use their skills.
They have given enough. Leave them where they are safe.

Are they
safe?

Every Murs and
Mysor is camped at our gates. They are safe.

Are you all
right? Should I not leave Skye and Lowen here?

Wait.
He second-guessed himself.
“Vannis, Skye and Lowen?”

“Bring them,”
Tristamil said before Vannis could answer. “You will want them
where you can watch them after you hear what I have to say.”

Torrullin inclined his head, feeling cold inside.
Taranis, bring them. Come.

I will be
there soon.

Torrullin
broke the contact. “Taranis sounds calmer.”

“Skye probably
poked holes into him,” Vannis grinned.

“Personally I
would bet on Lowen.” He placed an arm around Tristamil’s shoulders.
He felt tension. “Come, there are interesting folk to meet.”

Smiling again,
he drew his son up the stairs and Vannis followed.

Phet launched
at Tristamil.

Laughing,
Tristamil embraced the blue birdman.

Never could control him,
Quilla put
out.
What bugs you now, Torrullin? This
should be happy moments for you.

It is, but
there is bad news.

Well, that
should come as no surprise. Enjoy the moment.

Torrullin
snorted and Vannis looked at him askew. “Quilla’s sagacity,” he
muttered under his breath, and Vannis grinned.

Phet released
his victim and they headed up, where Tristamil halted in amazement.
The huge forms of Dragons dwarfed the massive hall arches, and
Abdiah ponderously paced among them, listening to news and
intelligence.

“The Kallanon
are here?”

“You met
them.” Torrullin came to a halt alongside his son.

“Not really. I
heard Queen Abdiah’s voice.”

“Then they
must certainly seem awe-inspiring now. Particularly to the Murs.”
He glanced over his shoulder.

Tristamil did
likewise. “All gods! So many?” The sea of grey was overwhelming. “A
siege?”

“Seems so.
Come, meet Her Majesty in person,” and Torrullin led his son into
the Kallanon ranks.

Introductions
were in progress when Taranis appeared and with him Skye and Lowen.
Tristamil and Skye’s eyes met and held briefly, and then voices
flowed through the connection.

Shortly after,
Camot and his two arrived with Key-ler. Camot took one look at the
plateau and shouted at his troop to gather around, barking
questions by the hundred. Vannis laughed, loving the confusion, the
noise, the fellowship, and the lack of fear despite the presence of
danger.

Into the
confusion came Teighlar, his countenance severe, and his appearance
upped the level of consternation. Taranis was suspicious, Camot
flabbergasted, Tristamil thoughtful and Teighlar himself was a
combination of everything.

Bartholamu
hastened outside, muttering, “Worse than a bunch of women.” He
perched on a pillar to the right of the arches and bent his will
and thoughts to the Murs on the plateau.

“Tris,”
Torrullin asked in a quiet moment, “what of Krikian?”

“He is with
Matt and Cat and probably spitting snakes that I snuck out on
him.”

“He was meant
to remain at the Academia.”

“I said I
would take the responsibility for that. I needed to get to
Grinwallin and he was never going to let me do so alone.”

“And then you
left him behind.”

Tristamil
burst out laughing.

“I will
contact him. I see Abdiah wants your ear again.” Torrullin pushed a
reluctant Tristamil into the midst of questions and
explanations.

Krikian.

My Lord?

You sound
harassed.

Frustrated.
These humans are slow and tiresome.

Torrullin snorted again, but no one noticed.
Come to Grinwallin.
His
thoughts did not falter, but the knowledge that he would see Cat
shortly sent a frisson of anticipation through him.

We are headed
there, my Lord.

I mean
now.

Transport?
Yes!

Torrullin
could imagine the Valleur swivelling on his heels to grab his human
companions and, sure enough, moments later, the three materialised
before him.

Krikian’s eyes
lit. “It is good to be with you again, my Lord Vallorin.”

Torrullin
gripped Krikian’s arm in ritual greeting. “Good to have you
back.”

“Hey,
Krik!”

“Tris? You are
here? My god, I am going to skin you alive!” Krikian slapped a hand
across his mouth.

Torrullin
laughed. “It’s fine. Go give it to him,” and he waved the Valleur
in that direction, noting the grin his son sported and how Skye
stood nearby with Tristamil guarding her from the confusion.
Well.

“Torrullin,”
Matt smiled.

“Glad you are
safe, Matt.”

Before the
Xenian could say more, Phet was there to drag him away to Key-ler
and Caltian, engaged in gesturing conversation. Torrullin noted how
Matt craned his neck, and discovered the Xenian tried to find Skye.
Well.

The action
left Torrullin and Cat in an island of silence.

“Cat.”

She inclined
her head. “Torrullin.” She took his hand to shake it, but upon
contact, both froze. She snatched hers back and vanished into the
crowd.

Torrullin,
heart treacherous, made his way to Teighlar. The Emperor was
besieged and his gaze settled with relief on the approaching figure
of his rescuer.

“I am sorry,
Teighlar,” Torrullin murmured, and drew him away.

“Not a protest
when you interrupted. They listen to you.”

“Are you not
glad?”

“Oh, I thank
you.” Teighlar was sad. “I have forgotten how it is amid many
personalities.”

“My army.”

“Do not
belittle it. There is intelligence. Use them well and you may win
this.”

“I do not like
using people.”

“You have
little choice, Enchanter.”

“I guess I
needed to hear it.”

“From an
outsider.”

“We are the
outsiders.”

“That has
changed. In my singular state I have become he who is on the
periphery, but I acknowledge it and accept you.” Teighlar sat on
the top tier step, staring over the plateau. Torrullin sank down
beside him. Nearby Bartholamu maintained his own vigil. The Murs
and Mysor stood in their silent ranks; there was no change.

“How are you
feeling?” Torrullin referred to the man’s solidity.

“Alive. Dead.
I will get used to it.” Teighlar changed the subject. “Your son is
a good man.”

“Thank
you.”

“The girl is
intriguing. Very adult, very clever, very powerful.”

Torrullin was
silent and then, “She has a long future.”

Teighlar
nodded and did not push. “Where do you go now?”

“Tris has news
we must hear before we determine strategy.”

“I notice you
have not spoken with your father. Did you have words?”

“You could say
that.”

“Fix it. You
need your head clear.”

Torrullin
snorted.

Teighlar rose.
He understood the futility of advice when it interfered with family
matters.

“Let us
organise a more formal meeting.”

Do varied
personalities make a team worth working with? Is it not a truth
that a clash within ranks is able to weaken acumen?

~ Awl

Grinwallin

T
he huge space overpowered the
gathering.

Thirty-seven
Kallanon, two Q’lin’la, three humans, a girl, an Emperor, eight
Valleur, and a number of soldiers were not sufficient to dwarf the
massive expanse.

Teighlar sat
on a simple chair facing everyone, with Torrullin on his feet
beside him, a hand white on the backrest.

Tristamil, the
focus of attention, paced. With many watching and waiting, his
priestly clarity deserted him.

“It is about
Tymall, isn’t it?” Torrullin prompted.

The young
man’s head lifted, grey eyes clearing. “Yes, it’s Ty, but it isn’t
that simple. We should do this alone.”

“Why?”

Tristamil
spread his hands.

“I will
behave. Explain as best you can.” Torrullin’s tone was gentle, but
his knuckles were bloodless on that chair.

Tristamil
paced away, paced back. “I need to begin with the kidnapping on
Valaris. It was a test. Mine was a desert Valaris and I thought I
would die. Mostly I thought it would be from hopelessness. I saw no
way out and it nearly drove me insane.”

Torrullin’s
eyes flickered. Nobody said a word.

“I found freedom in there, all the kinds one can imagine. The
acknowledgement of what I am. Not what I thought I was and not what
I believed I would be and not even what I wanted to be, but what
I
am
. Time is
irrelevant to that. I am what I was and will be and my personal
interpretation does not influence that. Does that make
sense?”

“Spectacularly,” Teighlar whispered.

Tristamil
glanced at the strange Emperor and went on. “The test was the
knowing and in the knowing I was released. Tymall underwent the
same, but his reality was different. I reached out to growth, and
faced nothingness. Tymall confronted growth and fertility, a foil
to his inner emptiness. His reality was a jungle of extremity,
strangling and poisoned, and although he went in with two others,
they were taken to leave him entirely alone for the first time in
his life.”

“How do you
know this?” Torrullin asked.

“He told me in
the Star Chamber. Ty was not forced into the Dark, he was the Dark,
and he had to acknowledge it. He fought it, but what was he
fighting? Not to find the Light. He fought the final step. The
struggle pulled him apart and to be free he chose to admit what he
is. Despite how it sounds, it was his choice.” Tristamil’s eyes
dropped away from his father’s and he stared at the floor. “Then
came Abdiah’s abduction.”

“She would not
relate what happened.”

“How do you
tell a father that his sons stumbled into their destiny? Her
Majesty was not free to divulge the secrets of the chamber and even
I can only tell you part. Tymall isn’t here to finish the tale, and
I will not speak for him.” Tristamil gazed directly at his father,
daring him to refute that.

“I know about
destiny, Tris. Continue.”

“There were
two swords in the chamber.”

“Your father
has heard their history,” Abdiah said.

“Then you
know. Ty and I were given a last opportunity to change our ways. In
the end we left as we entered, although more certain. The chamber
affirmed in a second testing what the first already wrought. I took
with me the blue sword and only I could remove it. Ty tried, but it
would not budge.”

“We figured
this already,” Taranis said.

“You needed to
understand who and what we are now. We have chosen a path. My
brother and I are twins now only in blood and birth - in every
other way we are separate at last. I am no longer responsible for
him and he can no longer hide behind me.”

“Why do we
need to understand this?” Torrullin asked.

“Ty told me something in the chamber, something he wanted to
gloat about and then he withdrew. I think he tried to warn
me,
you
, but was
prevented from doing so. You see, the Ty of our childhood would not
hesitate, he knew I could keep secrets. The Ty in the chamber was
not the brother I knew, thus I have to regard his words as either
truth, or untruth. I was unsure until I used the sword.” Tristamil
drew the blade out.

In the gloom
of the hall, the bluish sword appeared old and blunt, without
decoration to distinguish it.

“It looks a
trifle timeworn.” Tristamil smiled. “It is a very special sword.”
He ran his fingers along the edge and drew blood. “Appearances can
be deceiving.” He locked gazes with his father as he said that, and
then murmured something incomprehensible and the dull blade leapt
into sapphire brilliance, changing the great space into a moonlit
world.

“Gods,” Vannis
muttered.

Torrullin
stared at the device in fascination.

“It’s
beautiful,” Skye whispered.

“It is …”
Teighlar’s expression was rapt.

Both Tristamil
and Torrullin’s attention was upon him in an instant.

“Teighlar?”
Torrullin demanded.

“Torrullin,”
Teighlar craned up. “Do you know?” His expression closed. “Perhaps
not.”

“Emperor, that
was an intense reaction,” Vannis drawled.

“I am not
Emperor.”

Tristamil
sheathed the sword. The hall returned to normal. “What Ty said
bothered me and I needed to share it with you.” He spoke to his
father alone. “Yet I had a journey to complete first, one that
would prepare me for the truth. It took me to a wall on Tunin.”

Teighlar
hurtled up, face animated. “Did you read it? Did you use the sword
there?”

Tristamil was
extraordinarily calm. “Yes and yes.”