The Infinity Gate Part 3

StarHeaven gave a nod, straightening her back, and Axis gave her a smile, pleased. Then he looked at Ishbel.

"Insharah," he said.

Maximilian stepped inside the Twisted Tower, and stopped immediately, staring at Avaldamon, recognising him from the time he had called Avaldamon's and Boaz's shades back from the dead.

Then he took a pace forward and touched the man's chest. "You are flesh!"

Avaldamon nodded. "Yes, and there is a tale to it, Maximilian, but not one I think I need waste time with here and now. The One?"

"Gone," said Maximilian, explaining how Elcho Falling had expelled the traitors marked with his blood. "To where, I do not know. Avaldamon, what are you doing here? How did you get here? Why the Twisted Tower?"

"He came," Josia said, in an ironic tone, "to destroy the Twisted Tower, apparently, and me with it. And he came as a cat."

Maximilian's eyebrows went up. "A cat?"

"It is part of the long and twisted tale," Avaldamon said. "I took the form of a cat and became the One's companion, and learned some of his secrets and vulnerabilities."

Maximilian's mouth dropped, just slightly. "You became the One's companion? You --"

"All this can wait," Avaldamon said. "You and I, Maximilian, and Ishbel too, shall have time enough later to discuss it. But for now . . . I take it Elcho Falling is relatively secure?"

"Relatively," Maximilian said. "The Lealfast have been expelled, along with the One. I cannot think of anything else within Elcho Falling that may prove an imminent threat." His mouth twisted a little. "Although, I have been wrong before. Avaldamon, why do you need to see me?"

"You and Ishbel," Avaldamon said, "need to retrieve something from within the heart of DarkGla.s.s Mountain -- the Infinity Chamber -- and you have to destroy the pyramid. We need to get there within the day, before the One can get back to DarkGla.s.s Mountain himself."

"We can't get to DarkGla.s.s Mountain within the day," Maximilian said. And destroy it? How?

"Yes, we can," Avaldamon said. "There is a small trick you appear to have forgotten, which is not surprising given everything that has been happening over the past few weeks. Elcho Falling can aid us. I will remind you later how this can be done; it is something you learned on your way up through the Twisted Tower, but which you put aside to concentrate on raising Elcho Falling. But -- ah yes, there is always a but, isn't there? -- we cannot return so easily. I am afraid your days on the road are not yet over, Maximilian Persimius."

Chapter 6.

Elcho Falling.

What has happened? Bingaleal cried into Eleanon's mind as Eleanon hovered with the rest of his fighters some hundred paces away from Elcho Falling. I have felt something terrible!

Where are you? Eleanon asked his brother, who had been commanding the other twenty thousand members of the Lealfast fighting force further south in Isembaard.

Perhaps half a day's flight away, maybe a little more. Eleanon? What has happened? The One has been expelled from Elcho Falling, as have we.

But -- The One was not as prescient as he had thought. He has been outwitted.

Eleanon?

Eleanon could not for the moment respond any further. He was furious, the fury driven and deepened by the humiliation of what had happened to him and to his fighters. They should by now have been in control of Elcho Falling. Instead. . .

We have been tricked, brother, Eleanon finally responded, and whether by the One or by Elcho Falling or by one among those inside I do not yet know. But once I know . . . once I know . . .

The One? Where is he? Is he with you? What does he say?

Eleanon sent his power ranging out, searching for the One. For a long moment Eleanon could not feel any sense of the One, then he cursed as he realised where the One was. He has been expelled by Elcho Falling! He is back in Isembaard!

What?

Ah, what a rout, Bingaleal! What a catastrophe, and none of it ourfault! We should never have trusted the One so implicitly. We had every advantage. Every advantage. Our enemies should be lying slaughtered and Elcho Falling ours by now. Instead here we are, trapped beyond Elcho Falling, and the One in Isembaard!

Eleanon suddenly realised that the Lealfast fighters were milling about uncoordinated and unsure in the sky. G.o.ds, what a nightmare! Axis must be standing at some window laughing at him.

He shouted orders, grouping his fighters once more into their squads and setting them to patrolling the skies above Elcho Falling.

Once they were organised, Eleanon flew a short distance to a low hill just north of Elcho Falling. Here he alighted, standing with wings and arms folded, regarding Elcho Falling as Bingaleal still asked questions in his mind.

What happened to the One? Bingaleal said. I do not understand how he could have -- He has been oufoxei, Eleanon said, as have we, and that only because we were so stupid as to place ourselves under the One's orders.

You can't be implying that . . .

I am implying that perhaps we'd be better off looking after our own fortunes.

The One is a dangerous enemy to make, Eleanon.

Eleanon gave a little snort.

Eleanon . . . we are pledged to him.

He has broken his pledge to us, Eleanon said. I doubt he can deliver a single one of his promises to the Lealfast, nor, perhaps, did he ever have any intention of doing so. Look, Bingaleal, we will be careful. We will not overtly alienate him, nor overtly disobey him. But I tell you, I no longer trust him nor his promises of Lealfast home and glory. I don't think he has the wit for it. Yes, he is powerful, but he is like the running-to-fat bully in the schoolyard, able to push around those too weak to resist, but toppled unceremoniously by the first opponent who knows what the word "tactic" means.

And what do we have, Eleanon?

Eleanon realised for the first time that it was he who was the natural leader. Not Bingaleal.

What do we have? We have our cunning, we have the Lealfast Nation winging its way to join us, we have our command of both Star Dance and Infinity and we have the Dark Spire. We don't need the One and his promises to attain Elcho Falling and Infinity. Not now.

Eleanon turned to look back at Elcho Falling. "Elcho Falling's destruction lies in its bas.e.m.e.nt," he murmured, not sharing the words with Bingaleal. "Waiting for that word from me."

Where are the Isembaardians? Bingaleal asked.

Lost in his contemplation of the Dark Spire, Eleanon did not immediately know to what Bingaleal referred. What?

The Isembaardian army. Is it still camped at the lake?

Eleanon turned his regard to the sprawling encampment on the western sh.o.r.e of the lake.

His mouth curved in a slow smile.

I think they might provide us some fun, Bingaleal. Maybe I can retrieve something from this day, after all.

Chapter 7.

Elcho Falling and Sakkuth.

"What has happened to Lister, Armat and Ravenna?" Axis said. He and Ishbel stood just inside the great arched entranceway of Elcho Falling, staring along the causeway that stretched over the lake toward the Isembaardian encampment. It was close to dawn now, and the lightening sky revealed the ma.s.sive sprawl of tents and horse lines. Above them, the Lealfast rode the thermals high in the air.

They were biding their time. Waiting.

"Lister is dead," Ishbel said. "Slaughtered in the same manner as the many men he sent me to slaughter as Archpriestess of the Coil. Armat has become a witless puppet, with Insharah his master. I thought he might prove useful in that capacity, given that the general Kezial is still out there, somewhere. Ravenna . . . she I cursed with Maximilian's blood. Her child has been disinherited, and Ravenna condemned to wander friendless and alone." Ishbel paused. "I would have killed her, save for the child."

"Is she dangerous?"

Ishbel gave a small shrug. "Less so than formerly."

Axis grunted, wishing Ishbel had not left Ravenna alive. He could see movement in the Isembaardian camp now and, with his excellent Icarii vision, could see Insharah standing by one of the tents closest to Elcho Falling's lake. Axis didn't know how to feel about Insharah. For a long time he had been a close and trusted companion of Axis. When they were in Isembaard they had travelled and fought together. Axis had liked him immensely.

Then Insharah had decided to abandon Maximilian for the rebel general Armat, taking with him the majority of Isembaardian forces who had been with Maximilian.

It had been a foolish decision, and had lowered Insharah in Axis' estimation.

Now Insharah had command of Armat's army. Three hundred thousand men, give or take a few ten thousand.

Axis did not know if he could trust Insharah, yet at the same time neither did he want to abandon him to possible -- probable -- attack from the Lealfast.

He glanced up again, more nervously now. StarHeaven? Axis said, sending out the query with his power.

Yes, StarMan, the Enchanter replied.

What strength are you?

Perhaps two hundred who are fully fit, StarMan.

Axis winced. Two hundred only left? What a disaster this treacherous night had been! You are ready to fight? Axis asked StarHeaven.

There was no hesitation. Yes.

She sounded strong and in control of herself, and Axis found some satisfaction in that. Elcho Falling is encircled by a defensive cordon, perhaps fifty paces or so. Stay within it. With your numbers there is no means by which you can take on the entire Lealfast force, but you should be able to shoot through it.

Axis looked at Ishbel. "Can you hear my conversation with StarHeaven?"

"Yes," Ishbel said, and Axis realised just how strong her power had grown in recent days.

Can the Lealfast shoot their arrows through to the Strike Force, if it stays within the defensive cordon? Axis asked Ishbel, sharing also with StarHeaven.

No, Ishbel said, and Axis nodded.

Good, he said. Weapon and array yourselves, StarHeaven.

He returned to his speaking voice. "They cannot give us much protection, Ishbel. This is going to be a bloodbath."

"Then a bloodbath it must needs be, Axis. But we do need to get as many of those Isembaardians inside as possible. Elcho Falling can absorb them easily."

Axis sighed. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Ishbel, I can use the Song of Mirrors that I used previously to help the Strike Force . . . it should take the Lealfast a few minutes to realise it is being used and where we are, given that we are so far below them. We should make it across to Insharah well enough."

StarHeaven, he said, show yourselves, and distract the Lealfast.

Then he took Ishbel's arm and, humming the Song of Mirrors under his breath, started across the causeway toward Insharah.

The One screamed with frustration and sheer anger. Such a chance to take Elcho Falling and Maximilian, and it had been wasted, all wasted!

Elcho Falling had expelled him. The One could not believe it. He had been inside -- inside! -- and then Elcho Falling had spat him out.

The One could not understand what had gone so wrong. Elcho Falling rejected him because of the blood he carried, the blood of Maximilian and Ishbel's dead daughter? Some problem with treacherous heirs and Ravenna?

The One knew he should have slaughtered her years ago. Cursed be her name! She had failed, and thus he had failed.

But, oh, of everything, the One blamed Maximilian and Elcho Falling most of all.

He would destroy them both for this.

He had not a thought for the Lealfast; to the One they were such minor players in this battle between himself and the Lord of Elcho Falling that he could not afford to waste a single thought on them right now.

The One looked about, wondering for the first time where he was. Elcho Falling had expelled him with great power and the One knew he had come a vast distance, but where. . .

He moved in a slow circle, looking at the lightening landscape with narrowed eyes.

Where was he?

Ah . . . there. What remained of Sakkuth after the Skraelings had been through it. He was in the north of Isembaard, then.

Why had Elcho Falling sent him here? What purpose?

The One furrowed his brow, thinking. Why not send him back to DarkGla.s.s Mountain?

He stilled, very suddenly, his gaze flattening.

Elcho Falling did not want him at DarkGla.s.s Mountain. Instead, it had sent him to a point halfway between Elcho Falling and DarkGla.s.s Mountain.