Oasis
Part Seven: A Red Dawn
Sorrow’s End fell under a strange spell as the sun set. As his Riders made another circle around the rocks, Grayling descended to check on each hut in turn, making sure all was packed and ready to go. The heaviest items they had to carry were the looms and Behtia’s disassembled mill, and those were carefully arranged, lashed together and readied to be tied to the back of Spar’s crescent-horn. A travois to be pulled by two of the jackwolves held precious sacks of grain. Everything else was light enough to be carried on wolfback or by the elves themselves.
“We’re ready. Early.” His voice was full of surprise. “I didn’t imagine we could be prepared to abandon our homes so quickly.”
Door sniffed. “Then let’s be off. The sooner the better.”
“Yes,” Haken said. “Yurek’s spirit gave us the gift of time. Let us put it to good use.”
“No. We promised the Sun Folk until tomorrow, and we will give them that extra time.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Door growled. “You don’t have a lifemate heavy with child.”
“My Recognized may not be heavy yet, but I value my unborn child just as highly as you do yours, Door. But Timmain is keeping an eyes-high, as are the Jackwolf Riders. As long as the humans are not in sight, we have time to spare. Give them the gift of time.” He jerked his head towards the huts. “Let them say goodbye in peace – as you were never able to say goodbye to Blue Mountain.”
Haken weighed it carefully, but Door was unmoved. “My lifemate and I are leaving now. We’ll meet you on the other side of tunnel tomorrow evening.”
Door could not be persuaded otherwise. As the full Mother Moon rose over the desert, he and Spar prepared to leave. “We’ll take Ekuar with us,” Spar offered, and Jarrah smiled gratefully.
“You should stay close by,” Windkin said. “If your pains are coming more frequently you shouldn’t be far from a healer.”
“I’ll be fine,” Spar smiled. “This cub isn’t coming for a while. We just... we’ll feel better if we get to a safer spot.”
Venka and Jarrah lifted Ekuar’s little cocoon and set it against Door’s back. Flitrin flew about, spitting wrapstuff, until the cocoon was securely fastened by an over-the-shoulder silk strap.
Door held out his hand for Spar, and she took it.
“Flitrin,” Haken commanded. “Go with Fenn and Spar.”
Flitrin balked. “No! Stay with Lord Highthing.”
“Flitrin. Do.”
“Lord Highthing....”
“Now!”
Flitrin heaved a sighed. “Flitrin go with small-high thing and...” its lip curled back, “fat-red thing.”
“I won’t always be fat, Flitrin.”
“Always be red,” it sulked.
Door and Spar disappeared down the tunnel, their unwilling Preserver guardian in tow. A few Sun Folk lingered at the tunnel’s entrance, watching their silhouettes slowly blend into the darkness. Then they too returned to their huts to spend one last night in the village.
Savah took off her headdress and set it down on her empty throne. “Let the humans find this and call it a trophy,” she pronounced.
“It tears at my heart to think what they will do in our home,” Ahdri said.
Savah walked over to the Little Palace and smiled at the play of light across its crystal surface. “This is all we need of home,” she whispered. “This and the memories within us. Let the humans take rock and gold and cloth.”
“Do you want to rest, Savah?”
“No... I don’t think so.” Savah moved to the doorway of her hut and stepped out into the gathering darkness. A fresh breeze drifted down from the east – cool with the promise of a faraway sea.
“Strange... how awake I feel. How... alive.”
“We should go to bed,” Scouter said. But Leetah and Shushen remained sitting outside their hut, looking up at the light clouds drifting across the stars.
“No...” Leetah shook her head. “No... I’d rather stay up. This is the last time we’ll see the stars like this.”
Weatherbird descended from the rocks above the hot springs. Venka, Zhantee and Tass were submerged up their necks in the steaming water. Tass ducked her head under the water, then paddled lazily to the edge of the spring, misery written on her face.
“I think I’ll miss these the most,” Tass sighed.
“The water in the Great Holt isn’t warm enough for you, cousin?” Weatherbird teased.
Tass breathed in the smell of sulphur. “Mm, always reminds me of when I was cub, and we’d come here every summer to visit Father’s parents. I don’t think I’ll like visiting them at Oasis as much.”
Venka hauled herself out of the water and wrapped a long cotton sheet about her limbs. “I remember when I was a cub, Tass, back when the Wolfriders’ only world was Sorrow’s End, when this was the only water to bathe in. Sunstream and I would come here almost every day... with our parents... or sometimes by ourselves. We got into trouble a few times, for sneaking out without a minder to keep us out of the deep water.”
Weatherbird winced, and her hand strayed to her right side.
“What is it?” Venka asked.
“Suddenly... I don’t know.” She frowned. “Something... touched me.” She rubbed her side, her eyes distant. “Timmain? Something... something’s not right.”
“Try sending to her,” Tass offered.
Weatherbird closed her eyes and sent. But she shook her head. “No answer. She’s cut off her mind to me. I only see... a wolf looking back at me. She’s sunk deep in the wolf-thought. I can’t reach her.”
Tass shrugged. “Well, she’d let you in if it was important.”
Weatherbird continued to fret. “I don’t know.” Again a twinging pain in her side made her pause.
The jackwolf hauled herself into the shadows, whining softly. The humans tramped through the rocks all around her, shouting loudly. Timmain wedged herself deeper into the fault between two boulders, licking up the blood that welled about the arrow stuck in her ribs.
Petalwing buzzed about her, and Timmain whimpered, willing the creature to be silent. Petalwing understood, and perched on Timmain’s back, waiting.
“The beast went in here...”
“Leave it, Tagon. It’s not jackals we’re hunting...”
“Might be a demon...”
“It was a clean shot. The beast will die soon enough. Let’s go before the moons set...”
In the back of her mind, Timmain knew she had to flee, had to resume her elf form and send to Sorrow’s End. But the jackwolf she had become wanted only to rest, to nurse the bloodied wound. And as the pain throbbed with her pulsebeat, the elf’s voice slowly grew softer.
The humans moved on. At length she was left alone.
“Oooh, poor mother-grower highthing,” Petawing fretted. “Petalwing help. Petalwing do.” It seized the arrow-shaft in its claws and yanked hard. Timmain cried out. Ignoring her yowl, Petalwing yanked on the wooden shaft again. The crude arrowhead, unbarbed, slid out of the wound, releasing a fresh gout of blood. Petalwing spat wrapstuff over the wound, sealing it from the sand and grit.
“Mother-growler need be mother-mother again,” Petalwing insisted. But it was all gibberish to the jackwolf.
She had to get back to the pack, she knew. She had to warn them.
She crawled out of the hole. Her legs were weak. She felt a pain deep in her side, and she knew, somehow, that she was bleeding inside. Petalwing’s wrapstuff could only do so much.
She tried to summon the strength to shapeshift. But pain kept her in the wolf-thought, and she could not tap the elf magic within her.
“We go sunnywarm homeplace,” Petalwing urged.
Timmain took a few limping steps. Once again she tried to fleshshape, not to become an elf, but to control the internal bleeding. She wobbled on her skinny legs, and she moaned softly.
Had to get back to the pack...
Had to warn... humans...
She started out at a run, bearing south-east to avoid the humans. Her ribs ached with each step, but forced herself to ignore the pain. Petalwing flew alongside her, its nagging hum urging her on.
She paced in a wide arc around the humans. She outpaced them soon enough. But her strength was failing her. A grating pain tore against her muscles. She coughed, and she tasted blood against her tongue.
Had to warn the pack... had to send...
Preservers had never mastered sending, for all the time they spent among elves. But Petalwing was better trained than the others, and Timmain’s feeble wolf-sending penetrated its hard-shelled head.
“Petalwing... go on first to sunnywarm homeplace?”
Timmain buffed her approval.
Petalwing hesitated. Timmain snapped at it, lightly, and it understood. Turning, Petalwing flew off into the night. Timmain summoned her last reserves of strength and loped after it as fast as she could manage.
She coughed again, and blood dribbled from her chin. She tried to send to Weatherbird, but she was too weak, and too far away.
She staggered on, ever aware of the hushed sounds of humans stalking the rocks, not far behind her.
All elves could go without sleep if properly trained, but as dawn neared Sorrow’s End, most of the Sun Folk had given up their final vigil and fallen asleep. Even the Jackwolf Riders meant to stay eyes high were dozing, safe in the knowledge that Timmain was guarding the outer defense perimeter.
Coppersky heard a Preserver buzzing overhead, and he rolled over against his tuftcat, moaning softly. Petalwing tugged at Coppersky’s braid, and the elf rewarded it with a sharp swat of the hand. Sust slept on against Stubtail, oblivious.
Petalwing grumbled and flew on. It flew into Savah’s hut, and found the Mother of Memory sitting on the edge of the throne’s dais, quietly contemplating the folds of her gown. Ahdri was asleep on the floor at her side.
“Sunnymother highthing!” Petalwing shrieked. Ahdri awoke with the start.
“Danger! Danger! Bad, bad bigthings!” It wailed. “Mother-growler highthing stuck by pointywing! Bigthings coming! Coming now!”
“Oh, High Ones!” Savah exclaimed. **My children!** her open sending rang out. **Everyone – arise! We have run out of time!**
She was already on her feet, racing down the steps with a speed that amazed Ahdri. In the darkened chamber below, Haken and Chani were waking up, Chani already scrambling for her clothes, Haken holding up the sheet clumsily to cover his mangled left arm.
“What’s happened?” Chani demanded, hastily pulling up her dress.
“The humans are on their way. And your mother has been wounded.”
Chani let out a snort of disgust. She slipped on her sandals and bolted for the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Haken demanded.
“To the walls!” Chani shouted over her shoulder.
“Chani, be careful!” his voice chased her up the stairs.
“Scat, scat, scat!” Coppersky growled as he sprang astride Stealth and gave the cat a hard kick in the ribs. The tuftcat took off down the rocks, followed closely by Sust on Stubtail. Down below in the village, Weatherbird and Venka dashed out of their hut, their clothes rumpled and hastily laced up. “Ayooah, Softpaws!” Venka called the wolf to her side, and she and Weatherbird climbed on.
“Let one of us come too!” Zhantee called as he and Tass lingered in the doorway. “You’ll need a shield–”
“We’ll need stealth and speed more dearly,” Venka called back. “Stay here, both of you. Protect the Sun Folk.”
Softpaws took off in a run, and the two elves held on tightly as the wolf bounded up over the cliffs and down into the desert, close behind the two tuftcats.
Chani climbed up the defensive wall and stood alongside Grayling as they watched the riders run out over the rocks. Behind them, the first rays of dawn were beginning to light up the desert, casting deceptive shadows everywhere.
“I see nothing,” Grayling frowned. “Just sand and rocks.”
Chani narrowed her eyes. “The rocks are moving.”
**I see her!** Coppersky sent. In the distance, a shape lay on the ground, occasionally twitching. Timmain saw the tuftcats approaching and summoned a weak growl. She tried to rise, but could not.
**Timmain, High One!** Venka sent, but the only reply that came was a garbled wolf-sending.
Timmain struggled as Sust and Coppersky dropped to the ground next to her and held her down. The wolf had completely consumed her, and she did not recognize them. But her strength was gone, and she could not fight them as they threw their shoulders against her and pinned her to the gravel.
Weatherbird dismounted Softpaws and ran to Timmain side. **Venka, hold her jaws!**
Venka’s hands darted in, retreated as Timmain snapped at them.
**Timmain!** Venka locked eyes with the jackwolf and Timmain was momentarily mesmorized. Venka seized her jaws and held them close. Even lost in wolf-form, the High One shook off Venka’s spell quickly, and began to fight again. Weatherbird held Timmain’s head fast and forced the wolf to look at her.
**Timmain! Look at me. You’re not a wolf. You’re a High One! Remember! Return to us!**
Timmain struggled.
**You will remember!** Weatherbird commanded.
Timmain began to shudder. She convulsed, and the elves struggled to hold her. Her skin grew hot to the touch, and she seemed to melt in their arms. Her form lengthened and narrowed. Venka released her as her muzzle receeded back into her face. Her dun-coloured coat lightened to a fair elfin skin, and a great silver mane grew from her head. She coughed as her elf-form stabilized, and again blood welled in her mouth. Now they could more clearly see the arrow-wound clumsily patched with wrapstuff. The silken packing was saturated with blood, and in danger of coming loose.
Now that Timmain’s struggles had eased, they could hear a distinctive sound in the darkness. The soft thunder of hundreds of footfalls on gravel and sand.
**Let’s get her home,** Weatherbird sent.
**Stubtail’s the biggest – he can carry her best.** Sust hefted Timmain. **Come on, Timmain. Walk!**
Timmain moaned and stumbled over to Stubtail. She collapsed on the cat’s back, and Sust mounted behind her, holding her fast. In a heartbeat, Stubtail was off, bound for Sorrow’s End. Coppersky, Venka and Weatherbird mounted their own bondbeasts and followed at a run.
Leetah rushed out to receive Timmain as the riders returned. “Quickly, Grayling!” Coppersky cried. “We need the Riders. The humans are close on our heels.”
“We have run out of time,” Haken commanded. “We must leave now!”
“Chani, Ahdri, see that everyone prepares,” Savah said. She turned her face to the rising sun. “A red dawn for Sorrow’s End...” she whispered.
Leetah tore away the blood-soaked wrapstuff and placed her hand over the wound. “So much blood lost...” she breathed. “Fight, Timmain! You cannot rest now!”
Timmain coughed and drew in a sharp convulsive breath. “Live!” Leetah commanded.
Chani lingered for a moment, casting a glance over healer and patient. Then she turned and hastened to marshal the Sun Folk.
Slowly, the colour returned to Timmain’s face. She tried to sit up.
“No,” Leetah urged. “Be still.”
“No time,” Timmain moaned. “The humans–”
“We know,” Grayling said. “Timmain.... we’re taking to the walls.”
“I’m coming with you–”
“You’re in no condition to fight. You’re going into the tunnel with the first of the Sun Folk.”
The village was in a flurry of activity. Bleary-eyed farmers hastened to load their goods onto the travois and yoke it to the most docile of the tuftcats. Spar’s crescent-horn panicked at being handled by a stranger, and Wing and Behtia struggled to calm it while Ahnshen, Shashen, Coppersky and Vurdah tried to strap the heaviest load to its back.
Windkin circled high overhead. The rising sun was gradually shrinking the shadows, revealing countless creatures making their way across the desert. Men loaded down with weapons, their backs bent over in an attempt to blend in with the shadows. The swarm was closely fast, little more than a good sprint away.
**We have visitors!** Windkin’s sending rang out.
“Curse them, how are they so fast?” Chani swore.
“Jackwolf Riders!” Grayling called. “To the walls!”
Wing kissed Behtia quickly then whistled for his wolf-friend. Behtia ran for her bow and arrows and chased after him.
“We’ll hold them back as long as we can,” Grayling said to Haken.
“Go now!” Haken commanded. “We’ll see the Sun Folk off.”
The first of the Sun Folk were ready, the farmers who carried all their possessions on their backs, the lifebearers and the young children. Chani hustled the first dozen towards the tunnel opening. “Now. No second glances.”
“Grayling–” Alekah began, but Hansha and Jari pushed her resolutely towards the gaping hole in the rocks lit red by the advancing dawn.
“He’ll be right behind us!” Hansha insisted.
“We have to go now,” Jari agreed. “Come, lifemate.”
“Go with them, Timmain,” Venka implored the High One.
“I’ll stay until the last are safe inside,” Timmain said stoically.
“The first ones are away,” Chani told Haken. “Another three-eights and some to go.”
Haken touched her shoulder. “Go with them.”
“What? No... I’m staying with you.” She reached for his hand, but he twisted away.
“Please, Chani,” he touched his forehead to hers, still holding his hand out of her reach.
“I can fight.”
“But I can’t... knowing you’re in danger. Go. Protect our children. Get them to Fenn on to the other side.”
Chani hesitated a moment longer. They could now hear a new sound beyond the walls. Humans were stamping their feet and beating their weapons in rhythm.
“Go!” Haken implored.
“I hear my lord,” Chani nodded sadly. She took his face in her hands and kissed him fiercely. Then she turned and ran for the tunnel, not risking a glance over her shoulder.
“Savah, we must go!” Ahdri begged. But Savah remained seated on the bed, clasping the little statuette in her hands. She stroked the planes of its face tenderly, tears welling in her eyes.
“Was I ever so young?” she asked softly, inspecting the youthful face that stared back at her.
“Savah! Please! We’re running out of time.”
“Yurek... forgive me...” she clasped the statue to her breast. “I swore I’d never leave you.”
“Demons!” Tagon shouted, pointing at the little figures backlit by the rising sun. The cliffs rose a full thirty feet high in some places, and atop them perched a dozen creatures armed with bows and dart-throwers.
“Go back!” Wing shouted in the humans’ tongue. “Ma-nak say ‘Go back or die!’”
“You do not speak for–” Aballan’s breath caught in his throat as he tried to raise his voice. The death-march over sand had weakened his lungs. “You do not speak for Manach, fell beasts of shadow! Die in the rays of the pure sun!”
In answer, Grayling loosed a dart on the humans, felling the man next to Tagon.
“Warriors!” Tagon cried. The humans stamped their feet and raised their weapons high.
“Go back!” Wing attempted one last time. “We no want kill you, but we will.”
“It’s not us who’ll die, demon!” Tagon cried. “Warriors! For Manach’s favour! For eternity!”
The spear-bearers surged forward, while the archers aimed at the elves perched high above. The elves easily dodged and hid from the arrows. The first wave of warriors reached the base of the cliffs and made for what seemed like the best handholds. A cry rose up as a man fell into one of Spar’s sticker-traps. Another man tried to scale the rock, and the “handholds” proved to be crumbling clay, and he collapsed to the ground. A constant rain of elfin arrows and darts drove the humans back.
“You lot, to the north!” Tagon ordered. “You, to the south! They can’t guard every inch of these cliffs! Aballan, come with me! We’ll burn these creatures who dare tell the Children of Manach what to do!”
* * *
“Dodia, Shashen! Halek, Rosh! Take the south wall!” Grayling ordered. “Behtia, Wing! Take Maleen and Daan to the north! We’ve got the high ground and we’re going to hold it!”
Down below in the village, several villagers were wrestling the crescent-horn into the tunnel. “Calmly now, but with haste!” Sun-Toucher ordered.
“Come on,” Tass cajoled the hesitant tuft-cats. “In you go.”
The slow procession continued into the tunnel. All but the last few farmers and crafters remained. “Where is Savah?” Sun-Toucher cried.
Ahdri led Savah out of her hut. Savah held the Little Palace tight in her hands. She hesistated at the threshold of the hut, but Ahdri gently urged her on.
“So it ends...” Savah breathed. “Our world is closing in...”
“Savah!” Haken rasped. “Come on!”
Tagon led the warriors up a gentle incline towards the south-western edge of the village. The rock walls were less sheer, hastily formed. An arrow shot down from above, and Tagon raised his woven shield. The arrow struck the shield harmlessly.
“There!” he pointed to a little crack in the wall. “Through there. Go! Go! Go!”
The warriors, full of adrenaline and bloodlust, surged up the hillside and began to climb the rocks. Tagon hung back cautiously, letting his brothers absorb the first volley of arrows from the creatures above.
**They’re coming, Grayling!** Dodia sent. **Up the south wall by the Bridge.**
**They’re scaling the north wall too!** Daan added.
Grayling cast a glance over his shoulder. The last of the Sun Folk were milling about the tunnel, hesitant to abandon their home until the last possible moment. Savah stood by the old well, unmoved by Ahdri pleas. Already Haken was moving towards her, and Zhantee and Tass stepped in to take Haken’s place as shielders of the tunnel.
Grayling looked back over the wall. The humans were steadily gaining ground. They had the advantage of numbers and size. Many humans were still climbing despite two or three arrows in their backs and shoulders. They would die soon, but not soon enough.
Weatherbird nocked another arrow and fired. It struck a human in the throat and he fell to the ground. Another human stepped on his body before he was quite dead, to get a better boost up onto the rocks.
**Fall back!** Grayling commanded. “Fall back now!**
**We can hold the walls!** Scouter snapped back.
**There’s no point now, Scouter. It’s lost. We’ll not buy time with the loss of our lives. Fall back! Fall back!**
At the south wall, Dodia loosed her last arrow on the humans. Her quiver was empty. She had killed at least ten humans, but the invasion continued up the southern wall, barely fifteen feet high in some places and easily scaled. She heard Grayling’s call and turned from the wall. She took three bounding steps down the rocks and made for the village.
She heard an arrow whistling behind her.
She felt a sharp pain in her back, knocking her over. As she fell to the ground, she looked down and saw the arrowtip sticking out of her chest.
“Dodia!” Halek screamed. **Grayling, they got Dodia!**
Savah cried out, clutching her chest. “No... no... not like this..”
Haken seized her arm and hustled her towards the tunnel. “Ahdri, get her inside!” he barked as he dashed forward to cover the retreating Jackwolf Riders.
Grayling hurried down the rocks. “Go, go!” he shouted to his feeling companions. He waved them ahead: Scouter, Shushen, Coppersky, Sust, Wing, Behtia, Maleen, Daan, Venka, Weatherbird. Windkin dropped down from the sky and rushed to join the others at the tunnel mouth. Grayling glanced to the south and saw Halek and Rosh running across the sand. The first of the human invaders were climbing down to the sand at the foot of the Bridge.
**Tass!**
But Tass was already sprinting across the sand to reach them. Her shielding powers reached out and encompassed them, turning away the arrows and stones shot by the humans.
“Go, go, into the tunnel!” Grayling shouted. Zhantee now held up a shield over the tunnel wall, which he lowered briefly to allow Venka and Weatherbird in.Wing and Behtia were close behind. Sust whistled shrilly and the tuftcats who had lingered unwillingly in the rocks now acquiesced and turned down into the tunnel.
Shushen turned and looked back at the rocks they had held only moments before.
“No, Shushen, don’t look back!” Leetah screamed from her place at her father’s side.
The humans were ever now cresting the hightop, aided by ropes and wooden poles. As Shushen turned, an archer lined him up in his sights and fired.
Shushen saw the arrow coming and feebly raised his hand as if to stop it. The impact knocked him onto his back.
“NO! Shushennnn!” Leetah howled. Sun-Toucher and Toorah held her from bolting.
“Shushen!” Scouter spun about and ran back towards his lovemate.
“Scouter! Don’t!” Grayling shouted.
Scouter dropped to his lovemate’s side and held him in his arms. But Shushen was gone.
“Scouter!” Leetah screamed. Scouter heard a whizz of an arrow. It caught him in his hip, crippling him.
Leetah tore away from her parents and forced her way out as Zhantee lowered the shield to let Maleen and Daan in to safety. “Leetah!” her mother called, but Leetah sprinted blindly across the sand. She dropped to Scouter’s side and tried to lift him as arrows and stone pocked the sand around them.
Tass reached them a moment later, and her shield snapped up to deflect the barrage of projectiles. “Come on!” she shouted, seizing Scouter’s other shoulder and helping Leetah haul him to his feet.
“Shushen–” Scouter began.
“Leave him! You can’t save him!”
Ahdri and Savah rushed for the tunnel, Savah slowed by the train of her gown.
“Let me take the Little Palace,” Ahdri reached for it. “Go on ahead. Savah, please –ahhh!”
An arrow struck her shoulder, spinning her around. “Ahdri!” Savah cried, dropping the Little Palace in an attempt to catch her. The crystal hit the ground and broke in half.
Haken ran towards them. Savah righted Ahdri on her feet and gave her a push towards them. A louder, lower hiss filled the air, and Savah turned to see a dark blur out of the corner of her eye.
The long dart caught her square in the chest, piercing her heart. Haken reached her side just in time to catch her as she fell.
“No! No, Savah!”
Savah sagged against his arms limply. Her eyes were open, but the light had already left them. Haken slumped to the ground, holding her fast, his shield protecting him and Ahdri.
“You little fool...” Haken murmured against Savah’s silver hair.
The ground began to tremble underfoot. Rocks tumbled down from the walls above. The humans slowed in their charge, confused.
The tremor built up strength. The ground was rocking wildly. Fingers of stone rose up from the ground around Haken and Ahdri.
“Go...” Haken whispered, lifting his eyes from Savah’s lifeless face.
“Savah...” Ahdri reached for her again.
“Go!” Haken lay Savah down on the ground. The rock was rising up to swallow her. The ground underfoot had become pourous and soft as sponge. Ahdri got to her feet and ran for the tunnel. Haken reached down to the broken Little Palace, and could only snatch up one piece. The other half was already gone.
He ran alongside Ahdri, keeping his shield in place over them both. The huts behind them were collapsing into rubble. As he cast a final glance over his shoulder, he saw Savah’s body sink into the ground, disappearing forever.
A great crack, like unimaginable thunder, ran across the village. The elves and humans turned their heads to the south. The Bridge of Destiny was breaking, great slabs of rock fallen down into the ravine.
“Witchcraft!” the warriors shouted as they struggled to remain standing.
“It’s Manach’s doing!” someone cried.
“We have sinned!” another shouted.
“No!” Tagon raged. “No! Manach favours us! To me, warriors! To me! We will–”
With his last burst of strength Aballan staggered to his feet and drove his dagger into Tagon’s back. The Blasphemer swayed on his feet and collapsed to the ground.
Falling under the waves racing through the ground, Aballan looked up over Tagon’s corpse at the one-armed demon standing guard across the sands. His hood fell from his head, revealing burning golden eyes and long black hair. His gaze fell on Aballan and the old shaman felt a shudder run through him.
“Manach...” he whispered, holding out his hand.
He felt a searing pain as one of Tarach’s men thrust his spear into his back. Aballan’s last sight as he fell over Tagon’s body was of his god turning his back and disappearing into the black tunnel.
“Inside! Inside!” Grayling waved Sun-Toucher and Toorah. Tass and Zhantee helped Leetah bear the wounded Scouter inside, while Timmain hustled Ahdri over the threshold. Grayling and Haken lingered at the entrance, watching the entire village collapse in on itself. Massive rockslides in the walls buried the retreating humans under stone. Savah’s great hut toppled over into a great cloud of dust. Finally the rocks about the tunnel entrance began to move, and the two elves abandoned their vigil, seeking safety deeper inside.
“What’s happening!” Vurdah cried out. The tunnel walls were shaking. Alekah curled into a fetal ball, while Jari and Hansha shielded her from the dust and pebbles that rained down. Chani crouched low on the ground, struggling to keep her balance. The rocks were alive and angry. But the tunnel held. And after a few moments the violence passed. The Sun Folk huddled against the walls, trying to stay calm in the near-total darkness.
Haken stalked down the line of refugees, looking for his lifemate. Chani saw him approach, saw the pain in his eyes, and began to weep. She staggered to her feet and rushed into his arms.
It did not take long for the others to realize what had happened. Cries echoed in the narrow tunnel as the word spread up and down the line. The Mother of Memory was dead.
“She has what she wanted,” Haken consoled Chani. “She’s with her lifemate now, never to leave her home.”
“Savah died trying to protect me,” Ahdri piped up from further down the tunnel, where Timmain had set her down. Leetah finished healing Scouter and now turned to remove the arrow from Ahdri’s shoulder. She looked down at the broken half of the Little Palace that Haken had given her. The sculpture had broken along the highest tower, and the tops of several of the lower turrets had snapped off as well. Ahdri closed her eyes and the Palace melted into a shapeless lump of crystal, then reformed into an abstract sculpture of Savah’s triple-roofed hut.
Ahdri turned to look at Leetah. Leetah’s eyes were equally bloodshot and swollen with tears.
**Kel!** Hansha called out as Grayling staggered down the tunnel. Grayling saw his lifemate huddled against the wall with Alekah and Jari and he hastened to their side. Hansha and Alekah held him close as he collapsed against them.
“We’re safe now,” Hansha whispered. “It’s over.”
But Grayling could only weep for the three who fell.
The survivors limped through the tunnel at a gentle pace, for there was no need for haste now. The sun had climbed clear of the horizon by the time they emerged into the shallow canyon. Door and Spar were there to greet them. Even at such a distance from Sorrow’s End, they could still hear the thunderclaps of rockslides and shifting cliffs.
No one had to tell Door and Spar what had happened. Wordlessly, the lifemates gathered up Ekuar’s cocoon and fell into step alongside Haken and Chani at the head of the party. Grayling’s jackwolf moved forward, and Grayling lay the cocoon over Haze’s back.
“A cruel sun,” Leetah murmured, supporting the limping Scouter. “It mocks us.”
“No...” Scouter sighed. “No, the sun is just the sun, Leetah.” He closed his eyes tight to hold back further tears. “Shushen...”
“There’s nothing more for us here,” Haken said. He glanced to Weatherbird at his side. She stepped forward and closed her eyes, sending out a silent call into the morning sky.
Somewhere in the throng of Sun Folk, Dodia’s mother was weeping loudly. Ahdri staggered from loss of blood, and Windkin held her up.
It seemed to take an eternity before the familiar shimmer of light filled the air around them.
Elfquest copyright 2014 Warp Graphics, Inc. Elfquest, its logos, characters, situations, all related indicia, and their distinctive likenesses are trademarks of Warp Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved. Some dialogue taken from Elfquest comics. All such dialogue copyright 2014 Warp Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved. Alternaverse characters and insanity copyright 2014 Jane Senese and Erin Roberts