A Strange Song of Madness (Part 2)

by Wil Clayton

  Chapter 18

  A flame of a thousand colours twisted and spun above the large, open space. From inside the ball of energy flowed a torrent of water that crashed loudly into a pool in the centre of the room. The water fed into huge channels that roared past the chair and into dark tunnels that were cut into the wall. Hassa looked above, her face alive with light of the amazing flame.

  "Where does the water go?" puzzled Hassa to herself, her voice only just reaching over the din of the rushing water.

  Shaol pulled himself from the chair and the beat left his mind. He walked over to side of the channel and peered into the rushing water. It was clear except for the white, bubbles that had formed on the peaks on the water that sloshed up the sides of channels as it tried to escape the track. Shaol stepped away as the water threaten to splash onto his skin.

  "What is this?" asked Shaol.

  "There is someone who could tell us," said Raphtune and then added, "she could tell us a lot of things."

  "It's not important," said Friend from the doorway at the edge of the room.

  "There you are," said Hassa.

  "Come, we're very close," said Friend.

  "Is this what poisons the city?" asked Shaol looking into the endless water that flowed from the flame.

  "No, it is nothing," replied Friend.

  "What is it, then?" interrupted Hassa.

  "A symbol of something lost, it's just water."

  "Where does the water go?" asked Hassa.

  "Nowhere," snapped Friend annoyed, "the water passes through the channels and returns to the flame, it is an illusion that needs no further attention."

  Hassa looked at Shaol scooped the water up into her hand. Shaol felt his breath stop.

  "Hassa, don't," barked Shaol.

  She raised her hand to her mouth and sipped the water.

  "As I said it is nothing, now if we are done with this we can find what is important," said Friend, "what we need to past the court room."

  Shaol looked up at the strange flame but saw nothing more than colours which danced with themselves. The distant drumming from the stone chair was erratic again.

  "Raphtune," said Shaol quietly as the two walked toward the doorway, "do you hear a sound from the chair?"

  "No."

  Shaol nodded to himself as Raphtune walked ahead. The door led into a hallway lit by lanterns that burnt with a pure light that came from within a round piece of glass, there were no flames just pure light captured inside a glass cage. Hassa walked at Shaol's side.

  "Do you still think there's nothing here?" asked Shaol.

  "Another rotten limb of a long dead corpse. Didn't your friend say it herself? This is all just a forgotten and lost. This is the strange nothing we suffer for."

  Shaol looked at the clean and empty halls of the temple, it may have been beautiful and full of life when the lands were green, when the light soared over head and the leather tents dotted the plains, but Hassa spoke the truth now it was just another forgotten part of a city locked in stone.

  What friend had called the court was a large chamber with banners made of red and gold fabric hung from the top the high walls, on one wall were banner decorated with images of a flame, the wall opposite were lined with banners with a tree, on a third wall at the end of the chamber were banners with the image of a tower. The roof soared high above as it slowly stepped in as the pyramid climbed.

  A podium sat in the middle of the room. Above it was a tunnel cut into the roof, its smooth sides lit by the same white lanterns that still burnt after all the years they had been buried and at the end of the tunnel Shaol could see the white stone that capped the temple. On the podium sat a tangled mound of melted gold, the red fabric that cover the floor around it was burnt away and blackened, exposing the black floor underneath.

  "Here," said Friend standing by a door.

  "What is this place?" asked Hassa.

  "The Temple of Sacred Light."

  "It this where you worshiped Sulla?" asked Hassa.

  Friend paused.

  "Yes," Friend replied flatly.

  "Sulla wasn't a god," puzzled Raphtune.

  "No but he was treated like one. Come, through this door."

  "What happened to him?" asked Hassa.

  "It's not important, none of this is important," said Friend angrily.

  "Let me judge that," snapped Hassa.

  "He died like all other men."

  "By your hand?"

  "The voices have told you many things," snapped Friend.

  "They tell me more than you will ever tell Shaol."

  "There is no need to talk about the things that have been done."

  "Did you kill Sulla?"

  "Who are you, Hassa?"

  "Did you?"

  "You are nothing if this is done. You are nothing if this is not done. Do not let yourself be betrayed by the whispers in the dark. It is not Sulla and it tells you nothing but what it chooses."

  "Just as you tell Shaol only what he needs to know. I know what I am, Saquaari, now I need Shaol to see exactly what he is."

  "You won't speak about me like that," yelled Shaol.

  "You will hear it," snapped Hassa, "hear it now before its too late."

  Hassa turned back towards Friend.

  "I have bled, I have suffered, I have died because of what you did," said Hassa with a low angry voice, "I will hear it from you? Why was I sacrificed at the altar of Tarlnath? What is worth all this?"

  "You are lost, Hassa," snarled Friend, "there are no answers that you could understand because you are but one woman headed for the Abyss like all the others."

  "While Tarlnath stands more will suffer."

  "You don't know what suffering is. You should have gone to Abyss when it called you, that is where you belong."

  "I am not a coward who runs from a battle."

  "This is not a battle, it is a horrid dance of death, pain and blood and you, girl, will not be the one to end it."

  "Why do you fear the end of Tarlnath?"

  "I do not fear the end of Tarlnath, I await the day it can be torn apart but for now it will stand."

  "That's not enough," interrupted Shaol who's mind was now alive with doubt and he needed it to go away, "tell me why."

  Friend froze for a moment and then let out a long breath.

  "You can go back now, if you choose," said Friend with a cold, darkness in her voice, "or you can come with me and I can take you home."

  Shaol looked at Hassa for a moment and she met his gaze.

  "You are already home, Shaol."

  There was long silence between the four in the gold and red room. Shaol looked at the melted lump of yellow metal, it spoke of destruction but little else. And then he realised, the Grey Men were still cutting him.

  "We get the box," said Shaol angrily.

  He must stay focused, confusion was what they wanted.

  "Through here," said Friend, her voice still cold.

  "Wait here," said Shaol quietly as he pushed through the door.

  There was a long, wide room lined with squat pillars that came to waist, on top of which sat vases, each sterile and empty. The vases formed a pathway through the room to a door in the far wall. The walls and floors were tiled with a mosaic of swirling blues and greens that were brought closer together by the lanterns on the walls which burnt a calming blue.

  "Here," called Friend from the other side of the room standing next to one of the many doors.

  Shaol made his way down the path of vases and found a long, green carpet which led to the door, he walked up the carpet and through the door.

  As Shaol stepped into the room, lanterns on the walls came alive with a soft, orange light. Bookcases filled every space on the walls each overflowing with books, some thick, some thin, all wrapped in leather covers stained every type of colour. Those that could not fit on shelves where piled up in front, pieces of paper where thrown between the books and scattered across the floor. An ancient bed rotted in the
corner, an unclean mass of green and brown, plates and cups had been discarded without care, they smelt putrid and rotten after ages of being left below.

  A desk sat in space between the bookcases at the far end of the room, hundreds of loose pages covered its wooden surface.

  "Here," said Friend quietly standing by the desk.

  "This' yours," said Shaol with a soft smile, finally he had found something that made his strange friend real.

  Friend nodded and was quiet for a moment.

  "A very long time ago," she sighed, "move the papers from the desk."

  Shaol pushed the mounds of paper to floor.

  "The box is what I need," said Friend.

  Shaol saw it stuck in at the rear of the desk and pulled it forward into the light. The box was made of dark wood, a single flower was carved into the top its petals were painted a deep red. A single golden latch held the lid tight, Shaol loosened it and open the box. Inside were a few dozen small vials, he found one and pulled it from the soft lining that nestled it.

  Blood swirled inside the crystal pattern of the vial.

  There was a song, distant but approaching, it screeched like metal scrapping on metal. Shaol put the vial back, he did not want this sound to grow loud but it kept coming now he had found it.

  "Let the sound pass you, Shaol," said Friend calmly, "you can keep them distant, it takes effort but you can keep it from your mind."

  "Why can I hear them?"

  "Just as some men are faster and some are smarter, this is something you can do. You can keep the song distant, do not let it into your mind, the songs will listen when you command them."

  Shaol started to hear the other vials inside the box, starting to sing and drum. A bizarre chorus of unmatched sounds marching at him from a distant place. He tried to let them pass, but every time he pushed one away another caught his attention and it became louder.

  Shaol grimaced as the sound of the screeching sound started to tear at his ears.

  "Close the box," said Friend.

  Shaol closed the box and the world was silent again.

  "Why are they like that?" asked Shaol shaking the pain for his head.

  "It is their nature," said Friend, "but you will have to learn to let them pass you. I can teach you, once this is done, but until then you must not focus on the sounds, they are extremely powerful and hard to control when they are given life."

  "They took the bolt."

  "It was stupid of me show what they did but it had to be you. If I had tried to it, I would have likely ripped your guts from your body along with the rest. The notes and drums are very dangerous."

  "It was the sounds that killed the green beast and brought the tree."

  "And the tree killed the ones below. The songs can do many great but terrible things that is why we must not give them life."

  Shaol tucked the box under his arm and took a final look around at the mess in the room.

  "What did you do here?"

  "I learnt many lessons and little else."

  There was the sound of books tumbling in the corner, Shaol looked over and saw Raphtune rummaging through the piles.

  "Leave those," snapped Friend at the boy.

  "Payment," said Raphtune and continued to rummage through the books.

  "They're not yours to take," said Shaol.

  "Raphtune the Missing will claim his prize like everyone else. You have your treasure Raphtune the Missing will have his."

  "The books are useless to you," said Friend.

  "Then you won't mind if I take one or two," replied Raphtune flatly.

  "I will let you take one of my choosing," ordered Friend her voice angry, "is that enough?"

  Raphtune looked at Friend and then looked at the random book he held in his hand.

  "Which one?"

  Friend walked to a pile of books and pointed to one stained blue halfway up the stack.

  "This one," said Friend.

  Raphtune ran to pile and pulled the book out causing the others to tumble to the ground. Raphtune looked at the cover of the book, opened it and start looking through the pages.

  "Who are you?" asked Raphtune his eyes snapping up at the woman with wings.

  "Will this do?" replied Friend coldly.

  "Yes," said Raphtune pulled his bag from under his shirt and retrieved something wrapped in leather.

  Raphtune unwrapped the object, it was another book with a black cover which was quickly thrown to the ground without care and the leather sheet was then used to wrap Raphtune's new book.

  "What's it about?" asked Shaol as he walked over.

  "A kingdom at the end of world," said Raphtune placing the book in his satchel.

  "What use is that?"

  "Raphtune the Missing may want a kingdom when his travels are done," said the boy with a smile.

  "The books is yours only if I get my prize," said Friend, "if not, I will take back what is mine."

  Raphtune nodded.

  "We have spent too much time down here," said Raphtune, "we need to get moving."

  "Where is Hassa?" asked Shaol.

  "Keeping watch."

  Friend vanished from the room and Shaol made his way to the door. Raphtune grabbed him by the shirt.

  "Hassa is dangerous," said Raphtune quickly, "she was already raving when I met her in the pens."

  "She will come with us," said Shaol, "we are leaving together."

  "It won't be enough for her, you know this," said Raphtune, "she claims to talk to Sulla those aren't the thoughts of a sane person."

  "She has been poisoned by the Grey Men, we must help her."

  "I will not hang for you, Shaol," snapped Raphtune, "and I will not hang for Hassa. This book is curious but I cannot read it if I am dead."

  "I don't expect anyone to hang for me," snarled Shaol.

  "And yet so many have," spat Raphtune, "Hassa will turn on you, Shaol. You need to be ready when she does. I will not be there to save you."

  "Hassa will not betray us, that is what I know."

  Raphtune shook his head.

  "You're a damn, stubborn bastard."

  Shaol turned from the boy and walked back in the room of blue and green when Hassa exploded through the door that led back to court, slammed it behind her and pressed herself up against it.

  "Where is the Saquaari?" she called from door.

  "Gone."

  "Get her back now," yelled Hassa, "we need another way out."

  Raphtune ran over to the door and pushed himself against it.

  "What's on the other?" he asked.

  "Someone in a robe," said Hassa, "they came from running another chamber."

  "Weapons?" asked Raphtune.

  "Two blades was all I saw."

  "Shaol, we need a way out," called Raphtune.

  Friend was beside him.

  "Through here," called Friend from beside a door in the opposite wall, "follow me."

  "I have this," barked Hassa to the boy next to her, "get moving."

  "I can fight," yelled Shaol.

  "Not with your chest," snapped Hassa, "go, I'll follow."

  Hassa slipped on the tiles and as the door tried to open. She pressed her leg against the pillar and pushed back against whatever was on the side of the door. Shaol watched and clenched his teeth, he did not want to leave her.

  "Give Raphtune the box," ordered Friend, "he will be able to keep it safe."

  Shaol felt the box snatched from hands, Raphtune was through open door and down the hallway beyond. Shaol looked back at Hassa who was straining against the door.

  "Go," she grunted.

  Shaol ran through the door and into the hallway. Raphtune was already far ahead of him, moving quicker than Shaol ever could. Wooden doors, empty vases, large statues, all flew past him on either side. Ahead, Raphtune disappeared down a turn to the right.

  Rounding the corner, Shaol saw Friend standing next to a door, Raphtune was already pulling it open, the box held tight under his arm. Shaol
looked behind, he could hear something in the distance, it was the sound of blades coming together, he needed to go back, Hassa was alone with whatever was coming after them.

  "Shaol," yelled Friend, "in here."

  Shaol ran for the door and into the room beyond, it was full of all manner of tables without space to move between them. Shaol noticed a door was open on the far wall, he squeezed himself through gaps between the tables and into the next room.

  A large, dining hall which was several long tables, each one flanked by dozens of ornate chairs. The tables were covered with plates, cups, candlesticks, little silver figurines, all which sparkled in the white light that fell from large pieces of glass which hung from the roof. A pair of large doors stood at the far end of the room.

  "Hide," Friend hissed from behind and she vanished.

  "Shaol," came a whisper.

  Shaol looked down and saw Raphtune hiding under the smooth, white fabric that covered the tables, Shaol dropped down next to him and crawled under the table.

  "What's?" Shaol started but Raphtune clamped his small hand over Shaol's mouth.

  Shaol heard the sound of the large doors opening at the far end of room. Raphtune released his hand, nodded towards the doors and started to make his way down the table towards the noise, his smaller frame allowed him to move easily in the space while Shaol had to slide himself awkwardly between the angled legs that held the table, as Shaol bent his body around the space the loose bone moved in his chest.

  "What are you waiting for?" yelled Hassa from the small room.

  Shaol saw two black, smooth feet move past him. With each step the soles of the feet gave a soft click as they hit the polished, black floor. Hassa would be surrounded if they caught her in the small room. Without a moment of hesitation Shaol pulled himself from under the table.

  "Hassa, get out of the room," he shouted as he knocked the wooden chairs to the side.

  Shaol saw it, a tall thing dressed in a dark, purple cloak, its eyes glowed a brilliant orange from behind a black, stone mask. He had seen the face on the mask before, it was the same as the green face that had emerged from the mist. The creature stopped and studied him for a moment, Shaol readied himself for a charge.

  Hassa leapt from a table in the small room through the far door.

  "Get to the chair," yelled Hassa as she flew into the room and turned as a second creature pounced after her it cloak whipping behind as it gave chase.

  The one that was studying Shaol flicked its head and focus its orange eyes on Hassa. It charged her as the other creature did same. Hassa stopped at the far end of a table, she became frozen except for her head, which whip back and forth tracking the two that closed in on her from both direction.

  The creatures brought forth their black blades from beneath their robes. Hassa dropped her own large knives to ground, spun at the last moment, got around the back of one of the creatures, grabbed it by the shoulder and pulled her body back into the beast, ramming it with the full strength of her wiry legs. The two creatures slammed together, their robes, arms and blades became entangled.

  Hassa leapt into the air at the jumble of limbs and rammed her shoulder against the back of one. The creatures tumbled to the ground as Hassa pulled back quickly from the whirl of arms and blades.

  "Get out," she yelled as she collecting her blades.

  Shaol did not move, he would not run while Hassa was in danger. The creatures pulled themselves apart, Hassa readied herself between the tables. The beasts readied themselves and charged towards her again.

  As they came at her, Hassa deflected each swing, one after the other, making her way quickly down the long table towards Shaol, but there were too many blades, Hassa spun away as one cut in a metal of leather dress and sliced straight through metal cover. Hassa cried a fearsome sound that shook Shaol, she leapt free just before it could slice into her gut, stumbled off balance and hit the ground.

  Shaol grabbed at a plate on the table and hurled it at the whirling bodies that were baring down on Hassa. One of the creatures turned from Hassa, dropped to its blades to the floor, jumped for the plate and grabbed it from the air. The beast then landed next the table, its feet clicking against the stone as it did and placed the plate on the table, its head then whipped around and the orange eyes studied Shaol.

  The Masters were never happy when their possessions were broken, every Under knew this and their was always a punishment when it happened to any that could be blamed.

  Shaol grabbed the fabric on the table and pulled, spilling the delicate plates, metal cups and silver candlesticks across the perfect metal floor. The hall rang with the sounds of countless things shattering and breaking together.

  Both creatures became frozen in spot. Hassa had recovered and now brought her knives down. The blades sliced down the creature's back, through the robes and slipped, quick and harmless, across whatever lay underneath. Both creatures ignored her, their eyes focused on Shaol.

  "Shaol, go," yelled Hassa and sheath her blades.

  Shaol turned to the large, open doors beyond them sat a short hallway and then the red and gold of the court. Shaol ran as fast as his legs would take him towards the door.

  A creature was behind him, then it was gone as Hassa leapt from the side onto it. Shaol picked up two plates as he ran and turned, the second beast was on him, he hurled the plate at it. Hassa was on top of another, wrestling with the blade in its hand. Shaol turned and started to run again, Raphtune had been lost in the confusion.

  Shaol scooped up another plate, he turned back and the stone figure landed on top of Shaol, pinning him to ground. His chest screamed as the small bone moved and cracked under the weight. The creature ignored the scream, brought a black fist into the air.

  Shaol put the plate between him the creature. The fist stopped. The creature grabbed the plate out of Shaol's hand, the placed it beside his head and lifted the fist into the air. Shaol took the plate up and held it in front as the creature tried to land another blow. The plate was taken and put it beside him, again. Shaol grabbed the plate, again and then again and then again.

  Hassa leapt from the side knocking the creature from him.

  Shaol picked himself up, coughing and heaving as his chest punished him, he tasted blood in his mouth as he ran for the door. He spat out the blood on the ground and the song came at him again, he cursed and pushed it away.

  "Hassa, go back around," called Raphtune, "get to the exit."

  Shaol was in the short hallway, Raphtune crouched on the floor, something was burning at the base of the stone

  "Hurry," yelled Hassa as she leapt on to a long table as she ran up it Hassa kicked the ancient plates and cups to the ground.

  "Get into the court room," yelled Raphtune to Shaol as he ran from the hallway.

  Shaol was into the room of red and gold, pulled himself up against the cold, lump of gold in the centre of the room.

  The creatures turned their orange eyes onto the door as an explosion tore the walls apart. The large, wooden doors in the court fell forward into the room through the dust Shaol could see the hall of tables was now block by pale, yellow stone.

  "The chair," yelled Raphtune as he ran back towards the room of colours, scooping up the box of vials from the floor as he went.

  Shaol pulled himself up and followed into the room, his chest hurt each time his boot cracked against the floor. He looked back and saw the dust settling, the creatures were still watching them through the gaps in the stone and then the eyes vanished.

  Raphtune was waiting next to the stone chair as the water raged around him, Friend appeared next to him. Shaol fell onto the stone chair.

  "How did you do that?" coughed Shaol trying to regain his breath.

  "Another gift from you friend," said Raphtune putting a vial into his bag, "one more, if we need it."

  "I told you I needed their help," said Shaol to Friend.

  "Hassa is coming through the court room," said Friend ignoring him.

 
"Get the chair up," said Raphtune.

  "Don't lose focus," added Friend.

  "I won't," said Shaol letting the unsteady beat of the chair enter his mind.

  The screaming pain of his rib melted away, even the song that started from the blood in his mouth disappeared. His breath was shallow and it hurt, but Pysuun was calm as he slept under the leather, his face was covered, only his black hair was visible. He found the beat in the black of the kitchen window. In his kitchen and he could always find what was important as milk washed away the dirt for another day.

  In the distance beyond the reflection and red hair, he knew Hassa was safe. The beat was constant that was all he needed to know.

  And then he felt Raphtune pull on his hand and Shaol was forced to leave his kitchen.