‘What?’
‘It started when you left. Everyone is stuck but us.’
The Unknown swore and turned back to his victim. ‘Talk quickly. You want something from me. Something more. What is it?’
The susurration again. ‘You already know, Sol of Balaia. You are a light to follow. Cursed to lead us to where we want to go.’
‘And if I refuse to open the door?’
‘Your people are already dying. It is not an option, is it?’
The Unknown stood. ‘No, it’s not. Hirad, join me. We can call them. Why did you come?’
‘Because I was born to stand at your side to fight. I could feel your soul.’
‘Exactly. Think that of the others. Bring them to us. Will you fail?’
‘I will not.’
The two men spread their arms wide and called The Raven to them.
Chapter 41
Auum watched Miirt dispatch the three Garonin and felt almost sorry for them. The elves, like all of the dead, had nowhere else to run. The collapse of the passage was inexorable and unstoppable. It was folding in on itself, chasing towards where they were packed and trapped.
The Raven’s dead had blinked away one by one and Auum had viewed this with some small satisfaction.
‘He calls them,’ said Ghaal. ‘The Ravensoul is a powerful entity.’
Auum nodded. ‘And so are the elven Gods. Do you believe Yniss would abandon three of his chosen to a fate such as this?’
‘I do not.’
‘Neither do I. Miirt. Join us.’
Miirt flew out over the heads of the dead and came to rest where her brothers were floating. The three shades bowed their heads, their arms about each others’ shoulders.
‘Tai, we pray,’ said Auum.
‘Much good will that do you,’ said a voice from the crowd.
Their agitation had long since peaked and it seemed their energy had slipped away with the approach of what they assumed was oblivion. Even the sight of the quartet of Raven shadows departing had failed to lift their hopes.
‘Humans despair before all is lost,’ said Auum, his tone stilling the crowd. ‘And you have no Gods to protect you, nothing to which to anchor your souls. For elves it is different. We will not end our journeys here. Yniss keeps us for other tasks. Any who choose to believe that might do well to form a chain of touch that begins with us.
‘Tai, we pray.’
Auum bowed his head again, hearing worthless scepticism, sarcastic comment and open insult from those about to becoming nothing whatever. Such it was with humans. Offer them their only possible means of escape and their ridiculous pride would still ensure their annihilation.
‘Yniss, hear your servants. From beyond the bonds of flesh, we call you. We seek that which all elves desire. To find a new place to call home. A place to bring our people where they might flourish in your glory. Where Tual’s denizens might run free. Where Beeth holds mastery over all that grows and where Gyal’s tears bring life. Where Shorth may speed our passing from one life to the next.
‘Hear us, Yniss, your servants ready to do your bidding. To serve the purpose for which we are chosen. Hear us Yniss. Spare us for greater tasks in your name. The enemy still fights. We will cast them down.
‘Hear us, Yniss. Use us, love us. Your servants ever.’
There was a brief reverential silence, broken by ignorance.
‘Well, that got us precisely nowhere.’
Auum raised his head.
‘If I did not respect those of your kind already fighting for you, I would cast you all aside to perish in this miserable void where your souls will find no rest for all of eternity.
‘Wait.’ Auum looked at the end of the passage, coming ever closer. ‘Believe.’
Ilkar and Sirendor came across without difficulty. The elven mage took one look about him and sat on the ground, head in hands. Sirendor stood exactly where he had appeared, staring down at his perfect chain mail shirt and fine, tailored clothes. His blade rested in a delicately carved scabbard, its hilt freshly bound and its pommel buffed to a brilliant shine.
‘Admire yourself later,’ said The Unknown. ‘We need to get Thraun out of there.’
Sirendor nodded. ‘And quickly.’
‘Ilkar. We need you.’
Ilkar raised his head. His sharp features were drawn with sadness and his dark hair lay lank across his shoulders.
‘There is no mana here. Not a breath.’
‘We don’t need your magic right now, we need your soul,’ said The Unknown.
‘I feel empty.’
‘Well, Thraun is going to feel pretty flat too in just a moment,’ said Hirad.
Ilkar nodded. He pushed himself wearily to his feet and stood with the three warriors. Arm in arm, they bowed their heads. Ilkar leaned gently into Hirad.
‘Good joke, by the way. Probably your first.’
‘Concentrate,’ snapped The Unknown. ‘Invest your faith in The Raven. Push out with your soul. Reach for Thraun. Reach for all The Raven dead. Remember Thraun. Loyal, great heart. Whether man or wolf, Raven born and ever one of us. Stand with us, Thraun. We need you. Fight with us.’
Hirad sensed them all deep within him. The bond they had shared when they lived intensified now they stood together as souls clad in memories. The warmth and strength it brought suffused him. He cast his mind out, visualising the corridor. He thought one word and pulsed it through his soul.
‘Remember.’
A wolf howled close by. The Raven quartet broke up. Thraun padded towards them, scenting the air. He was hunkered low as he came, semi-submissive and plainly anxious. Hirad moved to him, kneeling down in front of him.
‘You’re safe, Thraun. Among friends.’
‘Where are we?’ asked Sirendor.
‘Ulandeneth,’ said The Unknown.
‘I’ve been in some dull places but this beats them all,’ said Sirendor. ‘Which way is out?’
‘I don’t know. But we’re going to need more of us, to build the combined soul that has the power to sense our destination.’
Hirad looked at The Unknown and wrinkled his nose. ‘I don’t want to doubt you or anything but how do you know that?’
‘I don’t. It’s a hunch. But feel us now, even with four and a wolf. You all came back to me, remember, and you were stronger when you were close to each other. Well nothing’s changed except I’m dead too. The Garonin have tried to get to me twice now. There’s something I can do alongside The Raven that bothers them. Something they can’t comprehend or control.’
Sol had begun walking. The others fell into step with him.
‘The Ravensoul,’ whispered Ilkar. ‘They don’t possess souls. It’s our one advantage up here.’
Hirad rubbed his hands over his face. ‘Have any of you taken a look about? There’s nothing here. I mean, I don’t see a whole line of doors, do you? Where are we headed, exactly?’
The Unknown spread his hands.
‘Come on, Hirad, you can’t be that literal. For one thing, everything is here, we just can’t see it yet. And for another, there was never going to be a line of doors, was there? This isn’t one of Korina’s filthy brothels.’
