Against All Things Ending Part 40

"If I am slain," he replied so tenderly that Linden's heart lurched, "you will remain to serve the Land, and the Ranyhyn, and the Ringwielder, as you must. My love will abide with you. Grief is strength. The use that you will make of it vindicates me."

While Liand held Pahni tight, a second caesure caesure violated the night. violated the night.

It opened its destructive horrors to Linden's left-and closer than the first; much closer. Like an eruption, it split the air no more than half a dozen paces from Clyme's position north of the ridge. Then the chaos of instants lunged toward him. But he sprang away, preternaturally swift. Scanning the hills for other threats, he kept his distance from the Fall.

Like the first, this caesure caesure swarmed toward Jeremiah and the swarmed toward Jeremiah and the croyel croyel as if it were drawn by the bright pa.s.sion of Loric's as if it were drawn by the bright pa.s.sion of Loric's krill krill.

Through his teeth, Covenant rasped, "Soon would be good. Now would be better."

He may have been speaking to Linden as much as to Liand.

Gently Liand separated himself from Pahni, raised his Sunstone high; strode toward Jeremiah.

The croyel croyel's look of triumph was gone. The nausea in the creature's eyes echoed the sick squirming in Linden's chest.

As he advanced, Liand made his light brighter, and still brighter. It lit Jeremiah's slack features like a small sun, challenging the night; burned like ruin on the monster's sweating face. Impossibly torn, Linden tried to concentrate on the caesures caesures, and could not. She needed to stop those gyring evils. But her need to witness what happened between Liand and the croyel croyel-what happened to her son-was greater.

"h.e.l.lfire, Linden!" Covenant shouted. "Pay attention! Joan isn't done. Look at the krill krill! Saving Jeremiah won't do any good if a caesure caesure gets us!" gets us!"

The gem around which High Lord Loric had forged his dagger was throbbing like a heart in ecstasy.

Caesures aren't the only bad thing that can happen aren't the only bad thing that can happen- Joan's attacks were Linden's doing: she knew that. She had announced her location. But the effort of turning her back on Jeremiah and Liand surpa.s.sed her.

She had to do it. If Liand failed now-If he failed because of her her- Shaking with strain, she lifted ebon flame to meet savagery and madness.

-when somebody uses white gold.

Nearly in tears, she faced the Fall squirming toward her from Clyme's hilltop. It was closer. Again she tried to believe that she could do this. She had quashed other caesures caesures by affirming the structures of Law and the pa.s.sion of Earthpower. She could do the same here. Surely she could do the same here? by affirming the structures of Law and the pa.s.sion of Earthpower. She could do the same here. Surely she could do the same here?

But Liand was reaching out to touch Jeremiah's forehead with his Sunstone; and there were no ur-viles or Waynhim nearby to help Linden transcend herself.

The crash of the third caesure caesure would have sent her sprawling if Stave had not caught her. It struck the ridge directly behind her. In the midst of the company. would have sent her sprawling if Stave had not caught her. It struck the ridge directly behind her. In the midst of the company.

While alarms squalled in her nerves, Stave spun her to confront the a.s.sault.

Virulent sickness nearly undid her. The caesure caesure was not large: not by the measure of other evils which she had encountered. But it boiled and twisted right where- was not large: not by the measure of other evils which she had encountered. But it boiled and twisted right where- G.o.d in Heaven!

-right where Covenant and Mahrtiir and several of the Giants had been standing.

In the first rush of panic, Linden could not count her companions. She did not know whether any of them had been taken. The Fall was no more than ten steps from Liand and Jeremiah.

Then her heart hammered once; and she saw Covenant plunge down the side of the ridge wrapped in Mahrtiir's arms. Grueburn s.n.a.t.c.hed Pahni aside. On all sides, Swordmainnir sprang out of the caesure caesure's path.

Frantic with haste, Stormpast Galesend staggered backward- -and tripped- -spilling Anele out of her armor.

With the second thud of her heart, Linden became flame.

G.o.d, she hated caesures caesures!

She knew this evil; knew it in every nerve and sinew of her being. She had experienced it too often. She needed only percipience and dread to focus Earthpower on the complex distortions shredding Time's necessary Law. If she had been stronger, or better, or clearer, she might have been able to reach straight through the Fall into Joan's excoriated heart. But she did not require that much force to counter the storm itself. While she believed in the commandments of linear cause and inevitable effect, she could st.i.tch them together as she had once sewn a patch of her s.h.i.+rt onto the Mahdoubt's gown.

Watched by the abandoned stars, she flung black fire into the caesure caesure and began its unmaking. and began its unmaking.

She did not have to grasp every severed instant and restore its proper sequence. The Staff's rich outpouring performed that repair for her. And Caerroil Wildwood's runes made the wood's theurgies more specific than her own instincts for health and wholeness; more definite. Almost immediately, the caesure caesure started to implode. The collision of energies within Joan's maelstrom caused a deflagration which shrank as it burned. started to implode. The collision of energies within Joan's maelstrom caused a deflagration which shrank as it burned.

In moments, the Fall vanished as though it had been sucked away, inhaled by the sovereign rightness rightness of healed Time. of healed Time.

Yet encroaching evils still wailed in the night. The caesure caesure which had struck near Clyme surged closer. Joan's initial attack continued the hard wrench-and-lurch of its advance. which had struck near Clyme surged closer. Joan's initial attack continued the hard wrench-and-lurch of its advance.

And Anele had risen to his feet on bare dirt: crumbling sandstone and gypsum, exposed chunks of shale, the friable detritus of erosion and ancient wars.

Anele!

He radiated raw power as horrendous as the caesures caesures, but far more conscious; full of intention and screaming rage. With gestures like shrieks of lava, he dismissed Giants, swept obstacles aside. A fulvous crimson like primal brimstone blazed in his blind eyes, the hue of fangs in the maws of the skurj skurj.

Howling, he rushed at Liand.

Kastenessen had taken possession of the old man. In agony, the Elohim Elohim had come to rescue the had come to rescue the croyel croyel and claim Jeremiah. and claim Jeremiah.

Linden could not react quickly enough. She was too human; too horrified. But Stave had already left her side to stand in Anele's path.

Long days ago, the former Master had lost an eye to the horde of the Demondim. Nevertheless he had struck down Anele then, borne the old man to safety. Now he did not hesitate to confront Kastenessen's charge.

A slash of power flung Stave aside as if he were a handful of desiccated bones.

Standing in the heart of the orcrest orcrest's clean light, Liand seemed unaware of his peril. Oblivious to every darkness, he touched Jeremiah's forehead with his Sunstone: the sum and incarnation of his Stonedownor birthright.

Galt saw the threat. Of course he saw it. His flat eyes watched Anele. Yet the Master remained motionless, uncharacteristically trapped by conflicting commitments. He gripped Loric's krill krill. And he was swift. He could have driven death into the center of Kastenessen's fury. Could have killed Anele. Distrusting the old man's heritage of Earthpower, Galt might have slain him without a qualm.

But he could not do so without releasing the croyel croyel.

Freed from the blade at its throat, the monster would surely support Kastenessen. It might destroy or deflect Galt before the Humbled could harm Anele.

Perhaps Galt considered killing the croyel croyel and Jeremiah before confronting Kastenessen. Perhaps he did not have time to weigh every implication, Covenant's commands against the cause of Kevin's Dirt. and Jeremiah before confronting Kastenessen. Perhaps he did not have time to weigh every implication, Covenant's commands against the cause of Kevin's Dirt.

Screaming like Elena, Linden finally hurled black Earthpower against the Elohim Elohim. But she was too late. Anele shed her fire like water as he slapped his hands to the sides of Liand's head.

Compelled by Kastenessen's strength, the old man filled Liand's fragile skull with lava. In a spray of blood and bone and tissues, Liand's head was torn apart.

Then Stormpast Galesend hurtled forward. She slammed into Anele; wrapped her arms around the old man's incinerating force; carried him past Liand and Jeremiah, Galt and the croyel croyel. Ignoring the murderous heat in her clasp, the instantaneous burn like a furnace-blast, she somehow remembered to roll as she fell so that Anele's flesh lost contact with the ground.

In the instant before Galesend hit him, however, Anele contrived to catch the orcrest orcrest as it dropped from Liand's dead fingers. Linden saw the old man clearly. Kastenessen was trying to destroy the Sunstone- as it dropped from Liand's dead fingers. Linden saw the old man clearly. Kastenessen was trying to destroy the Sunstone- -until Galesend s.n.a.t.c.hed Anele off the dirt.

When Galesend landed on her back in a welter of stones and snarled pain, Kastenessen's power vanished. The orcrest orcrest went dark. Night seemed to crash down onto the ridge like the sealing of a sepulcher despite the hungry throb of the went dark. Night seemed to crash down onto the ridge like the sealing of a sepulcher despite the hungry throb of the krill krill's gem and the swelling rapacity of the caesures caesures.

Galt remained as rigid as a carving in the Hall of Gifts. Jeremiah stood like an empty husk while the croyel croyel gibbered and spat on his back. Gus.h.i.+ng blood, Liand slumped to his knees; leaned forward until he rested like an act of contrition against Jeremiah's legs. gibbered and spat on his back. Gus.h.i.+ng blood, Liand slumped to his knees; leaned forward until he rested like an act of contrition against Jeremiah's legs.

When your deeds have come to doom- Unconscious in Galesend's arms, Anele still gripped the inert Sunstone as though his life depended on it.

-remember that he is the hope of the Land.

The impending Falls were all that kept Linden from wailing like a maimed child.

Attempts Must Be Made

Storms of time and anguish filled the night. Somewhere turiya turiya Raver imposed purpose on Joan's weakness by sheer brutality; compelled her to direct her blasts. Moments after Linden quenched the nearest Raver imposed purpose on Joan's weakness by sheer brutality; compelled her to direct her blasts. Moments after Linden quenched the nearest caesure caesure, a fourth made madness of the stream at the foot of the canyon, spun the sand where she and her companions had eaten and slept into a migraine tornado. A fifth nearly claimed Branl as he sprinted toward the company. He saved himself only by diving headlong down a bouldered slope. A sixth found the ridge a stone's throw to the east and staggered closer.

After that, there were no more. The Raver must have exhausted Joan. Still five fierce instances of chaos converged on Jeremiah-or on the krill krill. Linden could not answer them all. Other storms raged through her, leaving her concentration in shreds.

Liand.

She had brought this upon him. In spite of his youth and ignorance, she had allowed him to accompany her when she fled from Mithil Stonedown. She had taken him to Revelstone, where he had become the first true Stonedownor in many millennia. And she had practically commanded him to risk his life for Jeremiah.

Liand!

She had seen Anele gesture at Liand, asking for the orcrest orcrest and sanity: his only defense against possession. But in the frenzy of other pressures, she had ignored the old man's plea. and sanity: his only defense against possession. But in the frenzy of other pressures, she had ignored the old man's plea.

Liand!

Here was the result. Still on his knees, Liand leaned against Jeremiah's legs, resting there with his skull torn open as though he prayed to the idol of a false G.o.d.

In a sense, Handir had foretold this. Speaking of Anele, the Voice of the Masters had said, Yet the Earthpower within him cannot be set aside Yet the Earthpower within him cannot be set aside. Therefore his deeds will serve Corruption, whatever his intentions may be Therefore his deeds will serve Corruption, whatever his intentions may be. Now Anele had killed Liand.

It was too much. Linden needed to hold Liand in her arms and wail her bereavement; weep herself out of existence. Yet caesures caesures lurched closer. Toward Jeremiah. Joan sent no more; but these five did not dissipate. Instead they raved like hurricanes trapped in s.p.a.ces too small for them. Joan or lurched closer. Toward Jeremiah. Joan sent no more; but these five did not dissipate. Instead they raved like hurricanes trapped in s.p.a.ces too small for them. Joan or turiya turiya Herem had made them strong. And Thomas Covenant's spirit no longer defended the Arch of Time. Herem had made them strong. And Thomas Covenant's spirit no longer defended the Arch of Time.

If Linden did not set aside her horror and grief-and if she did not do so now now-everyone she loved would be destroyed. Swept away into a future of unrelieved absence and cruel cold. The eventual outcome of Joan's craziness The eventual outcome of Joan's craziness.

Voices shouted tumult at Linden, but she did not hear Covenant's among them. Stave said her name with something like urgency. She did not hear him at all.

Battered by storms, she could not look away from Liand and Jeremiah.

The hunger echoing like exaltation from the krill krill's gem had begun to ebb. Now the croyel croyel struggled for freedom. Finally it feared the struggled for freedom. Finally it feared the caesures caesures. Jeremiah jerked up his head; his arms. Reaching behind him, he clawed at Galt's forearm, tried to drag it away from the throat of the creature.

If he s.h.i.+fted Galt's grasp, the blade would bite into his own neck. Nevertheless he strained to free the croyel croyel.

The Humbled did not move. He betrayed no hint that the heat of wild magic had hurt him. Unyielding as Loric's dagger, his forearm defied Jeremiah's efforts.

The Ironhand barked orders, rallied the Swordmainnir. Still on her back, Stormpast Galesend hugged Anele as though she meant to squeeze out his life. Swift as a hawk, Pahni threw herself at Liand.

Through the confusion, Mahrtiir yelled Bhapa's name.

Instantly obedient, the older Cord rushed to Linden's side. But she hardly noticed him. She only remained on her feet because Stave held her.

Caesures yowled at her from every direction. Their sheer yowled at her from every direction. Their sheer wrongness wrongness made her want to puke up her soul. made her want to puke up her soul.

Bhapa may have rubbed something under her nose. He may have dabbed a powder as fine as dust onto her tongue. Nothing made any sense- -until she closed her mouth and swallowed; inhaled through her nose.

At once, the acrid sting of amanibhavam amanibhavam ignited flames in her as if she were tinder, apt only for bonfires and lightning, conflagrations that would consume the housing of her entire life. ignited flames in her as if she were tinder, apt only for bonfires and lightning, conflagrations that would consume the housing of her entire life.

She needed flame. Oh, she needed needed it! it!

With an inadvertent slash of Earthpower and despair, Linden sent Bhapa tumbling down the slope. Involuntarily her gaze followed his plunge; but she could not afford to watch what happened to him. The Fall which had routed Clyme was only heartbeats away. Bhapa was not swift enough to catch his balance and sprint aside.

This, too, was her doing.

There were four other Falls. They were all advancing. But she did not look at them. Crying curses as if they were the Seven Words, she flung dire Earthpower and Law like a shriek into the abomination which threatened Bhapa.

Perhaps she extinguished it. Perhaps she failed. She did not wait to observe the outcome. Like a surgeon surrounded by carnage, she did not pause to check her work or watch for intimations of survival. With Stave's help, she whirled away.

Four more caesures caesures. Four unconscionable rents in the necessary fabric of time.

Her Staff was a streak of midnight in Linden's hands as she wheeled it around her head; lashed ebon fire like the scourge of a t.i.tan in every direction. Her theurgy had changed, but she did not feel the difference. It was an exact reflection of her spirit.

Blinded by fury and woe, she did not know whether she snuffed the Falls, any of them. Her own flame consumed her. Moments ago, she had been helpless; paralyzed. She had simply watched while Liand was slain; watched and done nothing. But if Lord Foul, or Joan, or Roger, or any abhorrent bane had stood before her now, she would have striven to tear them apart.

I perceive only that her need for death is great.

G.o.d d.a.m.n right! right!

Shouting accompanied her grief-stricken rage, her inconsolable slash of flame. She may have been yelling herself. The only voices that she could hear clearly were the cries and excoriation of She Who Must Not Be Named's victims. Around herself and her companions and the ridgecrest, she created a whirlwind to answer the seethe and distortion of the Falls. But she no longer knew what she did. Exalted or broken by pain and loss, she whipped blackness into the dark heavens until it seemed to erase the stars.

Until Stave reached out to catch hold of the Staff.

Until her vehemence and Stave's grip nearly ripped the Staff out of her hands.

Then the energies of amanibhavam amanibhavam and fury failed her. In an instant, her lash of Earthpower vanished, leaving only Loric's and fury failed her. In an instant, her lash of Earthpower vanished, leaving only Loric's krill krill to answer the irreparable night. Panting like sobs, she sagged into Stave's clasp. to answer the irreparable night. Panting like sobs, she sagged into Stave's clasp.

"It is done, Linden." His voice sounded as unrelieved as the Earth's deep rock. He seemed to know the cost of what she had done-and had failed to do. "There is no more need. Wild magic and Desecration have pa.s.sed. We endure."

Word by word, he brought Linden back from storms. Every sentence restored some riven piece of her. Leaning against him, she believed that he had stopped her at the brink of a catastrophe as intimate as her immersion in She Who Must Not Be Named.

But he could not heal her.

"When you are able," he continued as if he spoke for the darkness, "you will observe that we have lost only Liand. Bruises and gashed flesh we have in abundance. And Kastenessen's fires were bitter to the Swordmainnir. But they are Giants, hardy against any heat or flame. They will prevail over their hurts. Also the Manethrall has preserved the Unbeliever. He is absent once again, but unharmed. And your son stands unscathed"-Linden felt Stave shrug-"apart from the many cruelties of the croyel croyel.

"Six Falls a.s.sailed us, Linden. Nonetheless we endure."

He may have meant to comfort her. But she could not be comforted. She felt like a derelict in his arms, wracked beyond repair.

Nevertheless her health-sense returned by increments. As her vision cleared, she saw that Stave spoke the truth.

Above her on the ridge, Giants towered against the benighted sky. The dagger's gem lit their forms with silver streaks like cuts. Cirrus Kindwind had taken Covenant from Mahrtiir. Vaguely Linden recognized that Covenant had again collapsed into his crippled memories. Kindwind carried him in one arm as if to protect him from himself.

Frostheart Grueburn trod heavily toward Linden and Stave while Bhapa scrambled upward. The Swordmain's face and arms radiated a scalding pain, and a deep contusion ached on one side of her forehead. Her right hand and forearm bled from various sc.r.a.pes. Yet she was essentially whole.