Against All Things Ending Part 41

As was Bhapa. Patches of skin had been torn from his limbs, but those injuries were superficial. At some other time-perhaps in another life-Linden would be able to treat them.

Both Grueburn and the Cord peered at Linden, perhaps seeking to a.s.sure themselves that she was still sane. Then Grueburn called a few words over her shoulder to Rime Coldspray; and the Ironhand pa.s.sed them to the other Giants. Linden Giantfriend remains among us. She has suffered no bodily wound.

Galt and Jeremiah were likewise untouched. The croyel croyel had ceased its struggles. The boy stood slack and vacant, as if the creature had relaxed his puppet-strings. Blood and gore stained his pajama bottoms from thigh to hem. had ceased its struggles. The boy stood slack and vacant, as if the creature had relaxed his puppet-strings. Blood and gore stained his pajama bottoms from thigh to hem.

Careful to keep Anele from touching dirt, Stormpast Galesend climbed to her feet. Unconscious, the old man dangled in her arms as if every possible meaning had been taken from him. But he still gripped Liand's orcrest orcrest as though it might restore what he had lost. as though it might restore what he had lost.

-the hope of the Land.

Fresh wailing strained for release in Linden. Biting down on her lower lip, she held it back. Any cry that she permitted herself to utter now would be Elena's screaming, and Emereau Vrai's, and Dia.s.somer Mininderain's. It would be the compacted rage and ruin of Gallows Howe.

Dark in Jeremiah's shadow, Pahni had taken Liand into her arms. She knelt on gypsum and shale, hugging her lover against her while his sundered skull oozed its last blood onto her shoulder. She seemed as motionless as the Stonedownor, as unable to draw breath. Nevertheless the young Cord emanated distress as loud as keening. Her pain struck blows at Linden's heart.

Gently Galesend bore Anele to the spine of the ridge where Coldspray and Kindwind stood with their comrades. At Grueburn's urging, Linden forced herself to step away from Stave's support. With Stave and Bhapa ready to catch her if she stumbled, she trudged toward her gathered companions.

Her friends. Who had loved Liand as much as she did.

Mahrtiir had placed himself like a guardian in front of Kindwind and Covenant. Blindly he scrutinized Linden's approach. In his stance, she saw a raptor's acute ferocity.

Clyme and Branl now stood poised on either side of Kindwind. But their attention was fixed, not on Linden, but on Anele, and their hands were fists. The krill krill's reflections in their eyes resembled threats. They had stood watch over the company to no purpose. And they had foreseen the peril in Anele from the first.

Instinctively Linden feared them. They were Haruchai Haruchai, Masters, the Humbled-and they had failed. If they did not fault Galt for Liand's death, they would accuse Anele.

Hoping to forestall them, Linden said in a hoa.r.s.e rasp, "You can't blame him. He didn't choose this."

Days ago, Anele had urged his companions to give him the Sunstone when he requested it.

"The Earthpower is his," Branl replied without glancing at her. "It alone enabled him to endure such possession. Also the madness is his. The openness to Corruption is his. Such flaws conduce always to Desecration. Who will accept the burden of his deeds, if he does not?"

"I will," Linden answered through the turmoil of remembered cries. "It's my fault." She deserved this. "I only cared about Jeremiah. I stopped paying attention to Anele."

Together Clyme and Branl turned to regard her sternly.

You hold great powers. Yet if we determine that we must wrest them from you, do you truly doubt that we will prevail? Yet if we determine that we must wrest them from you, do you truly doubt that we will prevail?

Mahrtiir ignored the tension in the Humbled. Standing between argent and darkness, he retorted, "Do not speak of fault fault, Ringthane. The deed was Kastenessen's. His and no other's." Suppressed mourning fretted the Manethrall's wrath. "To a.s.sert otherwise is to urge despair in the guise of blame."

"I stopped paying attention," Linden insisted. "I let it happen. Anyone here could have told you what Kastenessen would do if Anele touched bare dirt without-" Her voice caught in her throat. Oh, Liand! She could not say his name. "Without the Sunstone. I caused this when I ignored him."

Galt might conceivably have warned Liand. But she had seen Cail beaten b.l.o.o.d.y by his kindred. She had watched Stave's expulsion from the communion of the Masters. For Galt's sake as well as her own, she insisted that she was culpable.

But Mahrtiir did not relent. "And I will not hear of fault!" he shouted. "Attempts must be made. We have spoken of this, Ringthane. Even when there can be no hope. Your son requires redemption. Therefore Liand strove to succor him. To claim fault demeans the Stonedownor's sacrifice."

With a visible effort, the Manethrall lowered his voice. "Mischance alone released Anele from Stormpast Galesend's protection. Thereafter Kastenessen's deeds could doubtless be foreseen. Yet the a.s.sault of such caesures caesures-aye, and of caesures caesures invested with such purpose-could not. And it was not inattention which caused the mischance of Anele's release. Stormpast Galesend's stumble was the consequence of unprecedented hazards. If you wish to a.s.sign fault, you must name her also. Indeed, you must name every Giant among us, and cast aspersion upon all who have learned to love the Stonedownor. Like you, we knew of the old man's plight, and of his desire to be given invested with such purpose-could not. And it was not inattention which caused the mischance of Anele's release. Stormpast Galesend's stumble was the consequence of unprecedented hazards. If you wish to a.s.sign fault, you must name her also. Indeed, you must name every Giant among us, and cast aspersion upon all who have learned to love the Stonedownor. Like you, we knew of the old man's plight, and of his desire to be given orcrest orcrest when some aspect of his madness demanded clarity. when some aspect of his madness demanded clarity.

"Hear me well, Ringthane," Mahrtiir demanded through his teeth. "You tread paths prepared for you by Fangthane's malice. Speaking of fault, you bind yourself to his service."

Linden bowed her head under the weight of his ire. As if to herself, she sighed, "You don't understand." No one except Covenant had truly understood her. Lord Foul knew her better than Mahrtiir did. She Who Must Not Be Named knew her better. "What I've done is all I have. Without it, I'm nothing. I ignored Anele. I roused the Worm. I followed Roger when he was pretending to be Covenant." Despair made sense. The new blackness of Earthpower in her hands suited her. "If I don't take responsibility, I might as well be dead."

All three of the Humbled watched her as if she had justified their deepest distrust.

She felt Bhapa's desire to protest. Stave also seemed ready to object. But Rime Coldspray spoke first.

"Enough." Like an appeal for forbearance, she rested one hand on Clyme's shoulder. "Linden Giantfriend, it is enough. If joy is in the ears that hear, then I must answer you with laughter. I do not only because I fear to augment your dismay."

Frostheart Grueburn murmured her a.s.sent. Several of the other Giants nodded.

"You demand perfection of yourself," Coldspray continued, "when mischance and error are the lot of all who live and die. You have a.s.sumed burdens sufficient to cow even Giants. For doing so, we honor you. If betimes you chance to stumble, as did Stormpast Galesend- "Well." The Ironhand tightened her grip on Clyme momentarily, then released him. "Among Giants, you would perhaps be named Blunderfoot." Frowning, she nodded toward both Latebirth and Galesend. "Thereafter you would doubtless be often teased. But you would not be faulted. In the caamora caamora, you would allay your pain and lamentation. Then you would arise, and shoulder your burdens again, and be held in undiminished esteem by all who accompany you.

"I myself," she admitted, "have upon occasion a.s.signed blame to myself. Now I cede that I erred in doing so. There was no harm in my heart when I delivered the blow which gave rise to Lostson Longwrath's madness. There was no harm in Latebirth's heart when by mischance she permitted Longwrath's escape and Scend Wavegift's death. There was no harm in Stormpast Galesend's heart when she stumbled. And there was no harm in your heart, Linden Giantfriend, when you fixed your attention and yearning upon your son rather than upon Anele. If I grieve for you, I grieve only because your flesh cannot suffer the healing hurt of flames.

"There is wisdom in the Manethrall's words." Coldspray shook her head sadly. "You have spoken with the voice of despair."

If the Ironhand had shared Linden's nightmares, she would have recognized that voice. It was the scurry of noisome things that feasted on carrion; the shrieking of the bane's victims. Ever since Linden had surrendered to the horror of She Who Must Not Be Namedno, ever since she had stood on Gallows Howe-she had forgotten forgiveness.

She did not choose to remember it now.

With the surface of her mind, however, she understood Coldspray. She understood Mahrtiir. Superficially she could acknowledge their arguments. And she had succeeded in her immediate aim: she had deflected the recriminations of the Humbled from both Galt and Anele.

"All right," she muttered without lifting her head. "I get it. Liand is dead." She said his name as if it were as dangerous as the krill krill. "The croyel croyel still has Jeremiah. That's what matters. Talking about me right now is just a distraction. still has Jeremiah. That's what matters. Talking about me right now is just a distraction.

"We're wasting time." Grimly she forced herself to look up at her companions. "We ought to concentrate on what's important."

The Giants had no wood for a caamora caamora. Like Linden and the Ramen and even Stave, they would have to find some other way to anneal their loss.

Apparently Pahni had been waiting for Linden to acknowledge Liand's death. Now she lowered him to the ground. Gently she settled his limbs as if to make him comfortable. Then she surged to her feet and flung herself at Linden.

With the krill krill's light behind her, the Cord's visage was masked by shadows. Nevertheless her anguish outran her. Pain as raw as an objurgation stung Linden like a blow. Before Pahni reached her, she flinched.

Quicker than the girl, Stave stepped forward to intercept her. But Pahni wrenched to a halt before he touched her. Her garrote she gripped taut between her fists, although she seemed unaware of it. For a moment, her chest heaved so hard that she could not shape words.

"Cord," Mahrtiir said sharply. "Compose yourself." Ire and compa.s.sion struggled in his tone. "This is unseemly."

Pahni ignored him. "Ringthane!" she cried: a ragged shout rife with imminent hysteria. "Restore him!"

"Pahni!" Now the Manethrall's voice cracked like a whip. "Compose yourself! Is this the conduct of a Cord?" yourself! Is this the conduct of a Cord?"

Still she ignored him. In jagged gasps, she demanded, "You must restore restore him!" him!"

Shaken, Linden hardly heard herself protest, "I can't."

"You must! must!" yelled Pahni. "He is my love! And his death is needless! He has given himself in your name, and it is needless! it is needless!"

"Pahni!" Mahrtiir urged. With both hands, he reached out to restrain or embrace her.

So fluidly that Linden scarcely saw her move, Pahni snapped her garrote around the Manethrall's wrists, jerked them together. In the same motion, she sprang past Mahrtiir and raised her arms over her head; used her fighting cord to flip him off his feet.

Branl caught him before he struck the ground. Clyme positioned himself to ward off a following attack.

But Pahni had already returned to Linden. She held her garrote ready for Linden's throat.

"You will heed heed me, Ringthane!" she shouted like pelting hailstones. "In Andelain, you restored your own love! Now you will return mine to me! Every instrument is present. White gold. The Staff of Law. The me, Ringthane!" she shouted like pelting hailstones. "In Andelain, you restored your own love! Now you will return mine to me! Every instrument is present. White gold. The Staff of Law. The krill krill of High Lord Loric. And of High Lord Loric. And there there"-she did not drop her hands-"lies Liand slain!

"Are you heartless? I know that you are not! Therefore you must renew his life! Therefore you must renew his life!"

Mahrtiir had regained his feet. Now he showed his own speed. Blind, he moved unerringly to grasp Pahni's garrote between her fists. Then he was behind her. Pulling on her cord, he bent her arms until he could pin them with his own.

"Pahni," groaned Bhapa. "Oh, Pahni." Refused weeping clogged his voice. "You must not. You must not."

"Ringthane!" The young Cord thrashed against Mahrtiir's clasp. "You will heed me!"

Her every word left wounds like the scoring of claws.

"I can't," Linden said again. Abruptly she dropped her Staff. As if she were striking herself, she s.n.a.t.c.hed Covenant's ring out of her pocket and hurled it to the dirt. Then she went to wrap her arms around Pahni and Mahrtiir.

"I would if I could," she breathed like a moan in Pahni's ear. "For you, I would. Even if I didn't love him myself." Even if she had not already violated so many Laws. "But I can't. I just can't.

"I don't know where he is."

For a moment, the Cord paused to listen. Then she began to fight again. "He is there there!" she cried as if she wanted to sink her teeth into Linden's throat. "His body lies there there!"

"I know." Like Bhapa, Linden refused weeping. "I know that. But I don't know where his spirit is.

"In Andelain, Covenant was right in front of me. I didn't need his body because his spirit spirit was there." It implied every aspect of his lost flesh. "He was still himself. But all I have now is Liand's body. I can't call his spirit back," even if she could have repaired his skull, "because I don't know where it is. was there." It implied every aspect of his lost flesh. "He was still himself. But all I have now is Liand's body. I can't call his spirit back," even if she could have repaired his skull, "because I don't know where it is.

"Maybe he's among the Dead in Andelain. I hope so. But I can't reach that far. I can't locate him, never mind ask him to live again. And I can't create a new soul for his poor body out of empty air. I don't know how how." She had learned none of the lore of the Old Lords. Even the meaning of Caerroil Wildwood's runes mystified her. "Whatever I made-if I could make anything at all-it wouldn't be Liand."

This time, the sound of his name in her own mouth went through her like a spear. It seemed to repeat the moment of his destruction: the brutal slap of Anele's hands; the sudden rage of lava; the ravage of bone and blood and brain. Gasping, she clenched her teeth, bit down on her pain, so that she would not cry out in Pahni's ear.

Briefly Pahni continued to writhe against Mahrtiir's embrace, and Linden's. Then, so suddenly that she appeared to stop breathing, the Cord went limp.

Imagining that Pahni had fainted, Linden released her. The Manethrall eased his clasp; s.h.i.+fted his feet so that he could scoop the Cord into his arms.

In that instant, Pahni spun free. Fiercely she threw a punch at Linden's face: a blow that would have staggered Linden if Stave had not deflected it. Instead Pahni's knuckles only clipped Linden's cheek; jolted her. Phosphenes like lightning flashed across her sight and were gone.

Wailing, "He is my love!" Pahni fled.

Mahrtiir made no attempt to stop her. When Cabledarm moved to catch her, the Manethrall barked, "Do not!" and Cabledarm let the girl pa.s.s.

Sprinting into the night, Pahni headed down the southward slope of the ridge. Almost at once, she dropped beyond the reach of the krill krill's illumination.

"Manethrall," Bhapa protested: a m.u.f.fled plea.

Mahrtiir faced Pahni's flight. In his fist, he held her garrote. After a moment, he gestured Bhapa into motion.

"Follow, Cord," he commanded softly. "Do what you may to ward her from harm. But do not intrude upon her sorrow. She has lost her first love. Such attachment is sometimes deep and lifelong, but always as rending as fangs."

Linden had done nothing to relieve Bhapa's hurts. She had treated none of her companions.

While the older Cord hastened away, the Manethrall addressed Linden obliquely. "She is Ramen. She will become herself again when she is needed."

Then he turned to study Linden through his bandage. "Ringthane," he said stiffly, withholding anger, "I crave your pardon on my Cord's behalf. She would not suffer so, had she not heard the Timewarden imply Liand's doom."

I wish I could spare you.

"Nonetheless she is is Ramen, and has committed insult. To raise her hand against the Ringthane is inexcusable. Yet I must excuse it. Therefore I will bear any consequence which you may choose to require." Ramen, and has committed insult. To raise her hand against the Ringthane is inexcusable. Yet I must excuse it. Therefore I will bear any consequence which you may choose to require."

Mahrtiir-Unable to master her voice, Linden simply went to the Manethrall and hugged him: the only language she had.

At first, he stood rigid, affronted; as unyielding as one of the Haruchai Haruchai. But then she felt him soften as though she had won his a.s.sent.

She wanted to sob on his shoulder, and could not. Her emotions were too extreme. Liand's death and Jeremiah's plight left no room in her heart for other forms of surrender.

After a moment, she stepped back.

"The consequence," said Cabledarm gruffly, as if she expected an argument, "is that all must excuse Pahni of the Ramen."

"Our regard for her is a.s.sured," the Ironhand answered, mildly reproving. "We need no urging to countenance her grief and ire. Therefore I ask a more exigent consequence.

"Linden Giantfriend must also excuse herself."

Before Linden could find words, Clyme spoke.

"The Humbled do not excuse her. All that has transpired results from her transgressions. We sought to prevent her violation of Law in Andelain, but were opposed. That failure cannot be undone. And because we are the Humbled, we now honor the Unbeliever's return. Yet some action we must take against Desecration. We are Haruchai. Haruchai. We are Masters. In a former age, we were Bloodguard. We do not condone. Nor will we permit." We are Masters. In a former age, we were Bloodguard. We do not condone. Nor will we permit."

"Permit what, sleepless one?" asked Mahrtiir sharply. "What is it that you will not condone?"

Around him, several of the Giants moved closer, ready to intervene. Cirrus Kindwind withdrew slightly to keep Covenant out of harm. But Stave did not react.

He knew what the Humbled were thinking.

Without inflection, Clyme replied, "You have beheld the blackness of Linden Avery's flame. You have witnessed her taint. You can no longer doubt that Earthpower is perilous. Therefore we will retrieve the Sunstone from the old man. We will allow him no further access to its magicks. In his hands, orcrest orcrest may also be turned to Corruption." may also be turned to Corruption."

As if their rect.i.tude were self-evident, Clyme and Branl started toward Stormpast Galesend and Anele.

"No!" Linden cried out. G.o.d, she had misunderstood the Humbled. Again! Fearing for Galt and Anele as well as herself, she had jumped to the wrong conclusions.

With one arm, Coldspray barred the path of the two Humbled, although she did not touch them. In a granite voice, she announced, "Nevertheless you will do Linden Giantfriend the courtesy of hearing her objection. You propose to wrest Anele's only sanity from him. Yet he has served us well-and has been much abused. We will not stand aside while he is harmed."

Out of respect for the Ironhand, perhaps, or perhaps simply because Linden no longer held her instruments of resistance, Branl and Clyme paused; waited.

Silent as the heavens, Stave moved to stand with Galesend.

"Name your objection, Linden Avery," Branl commanded. "We will consider it."

Linden felt her companions watching her. Deliberately she left her Staff and Covenant's ring where they were. If the Humbled were caught in a contradiction for which they have no answer caught in a contradiction for which they have no answer, as Stave had told her, they might be susceptible-h.e.l.l, they might be almost human. Her voluntary powerlessness might do more to sway them than any words.

When she had swallowed as much of her despair as she could, she answered carefully, "Maybe what's happened to the way that I use use Earthpower is corruption." She could not tell. "Maybe it isn't. But it's an effect of the runes." An expression of Caerroil Wildwood's power. The legacy of Gallows Howe. "They seemed to come alive while I was inside Jeremiah. Maybe they changed my Staff." Reinterpreted it. "Or they changed me. I don't know how," although she could guess why. "But they didn't change Earthpower. You saw me snuff those Earthpower is corruption." She could not tell. "Maybe it isn't. But it's an effect of the runes." An expression of Caerroil Wildwood's power. The legacy of Gallows Howe. "They seemed to come alive while I was inside Jeremiah. Maybe they changed my Staff." Reinterpreted it. "Or they changed me. I don't know how," although she could guess why. "But they didn't change Earthpower. You saw me snuff those caesures caesures. You saw that Earthpower hasn't changed.