storm had finally broken. Too late to save the city of Alpeasak . Now it thundered down, a heavy tropical rain, hissing into clouds of steam when it struck into the smoldering ruins.
“You have brought us death, Kerrick,” Enge said, her voice loud enough to be heard above the hammering rain, sorrow in her every movement.
“No, Enge, you are wrong about that. I have brought life to my ustuzou, because without me creatures like this dead meat before me would have killed us all. Now she is dead and Alpeasak is dead. That uruketo will leave and the last of you will be gone. I will bring my ustuzou here and it will be our city. You will go back to Entoban* and you will stay there. They will remember with fear what happened here and will never come back. You will remind them about the death here. See that they never forget it. Tell them how they all burned and died. The Eistaa, her advisors, Vainte…”
“Vainte is there,” Enge said, indicating the ship. Kerrick looked but could not tell her from the others who were climbing onto the creature’s broad and wet back. She had not died after all. The one he hated the most, still alive. Yes, he hated her — then why this sudden feeling of pleasure that she had not died?
“Go to her,” he shouted, the loud words drowning out his mixed feelings. “Tell her what I have told you. Any Yilane that comes here again shall die here. Tell her that.”
“Can I not tell her that the killing is over? That there is life now, not death? That would be best.”
He signed a simple negative. “I had forgotten that you were a Daughter of Life. Go tell her, tell them all that if they had listened to you all the dead in Alpeasak would now be alive. But it is too late for peace now, Enge, even you must realize that. There is hatred and death between us, nothing more.”
“Between ustuzou and Yilane, yes, but not between us, Kerrick.”
He started to protest. There could only be hatred. This cold creature could mean nothing to him. He should raise his spear and kill it right now. But he could not. He smiled crookedly.
“That is true, teacher. I will remember that there is at least one marag I have no desire to kill. Now go with that uruketo and do not return. I will remember you when I have forgotten all of them. Go in peace.”
“Peace to you as well, Kerrick. And peace between ustuzou and Yilane as well.”
“No. Simple hatred and a wide ocean. As long as you stay on your side you will have your peace. Go.”
Enge slipped into the water and he leaned on his spear, drained of all emotion, and watched as she swam to the uruketo and climbed aboard. Then, as the uruketo moved out to sea he felt a great weariness pass over him.
It was over, ended, through. Alpeasak was gone and all with her.
His thoughts went to the mountains to the north, to the circle of hide tents in a bend of the river. Armun was there waiting for him. Herilak came slowly to his side and he turned to the big hunter and took him by the arms.
“It is done, Herilak. You have had your vengeance, we have all had ours. Let us take our spears and go north before winter comes.
“Let us go home.”
