Wolfeater

by Anthony Mitchell

  'This is where you cross,' said the man with the skeleton hand.

  Radok gazed out across the water, the ice giving it a hint of silver in the fading light. He guessed there was two inches of ice at its thickest, but he could still see the water flowing freely beneath the frozen surface.

  'It's too dangerous,' Radok replied. 'There has to be a safer place to cross. Further downriver, perhaps?'

  'There is, but you'll never make the Blackstone if you go that way.'

  Radok swallowed hard, the words sending a shiver down his spine. 'And how do the Empty Face know where the Grey Crow flies?'

  'I am Ashan Tay, my friend. If the Will knows it, I know it.' The man pulled his mask clear, taking with it a head of long black hair. Beneath the mask he was younger than Radok imagined, smooth faced and bright eyed, with his true hair tied back into golden braids. He offered a bow of his head. 'My name is Hadal, and these are the finest warriors the Empty Face has to offer.'

  The eleven men standing around them remained silent, letting their masks do the talking for them.

  Radok shrugged. 'Most impressive. But why would you help us when one of your brothers is doing everything in his power to stop us?'

  'Talak?' Hadal grinned. 'The man is a fool. Every single one of the Seven could appear before him and slap him across the face, and he still wouldn't understand the Will.' The smile faded slowly. 'He serves the Black Wind now, though he would never think such a thing possible.'

  Radok raised an eyebrow at that. 'He serves the Black Wind and you serve the Will? That's… hard to believe. Your lot are cannibals. If anyone benefits from the touch of the Black Wind, it's you.'

  Hadal looked anything but offended. 'As I said, Talak has never truly understood the dance of the Eighth. It does not surprise me that he has filled your head with nonsense, nor that he has fallen for the song of the Black Wind. We eat flesh, that much is true, but so do you, Grey Crow. Not man flesh perhaps, not even Wolf meat, but all meat is just meat in the end. To eat flesh - to eat anything, for that matter - requires that something else dies. And in that way it can be argued that death sustains life… yet even the Empty Face knows it works the other way too; that there can be no death without life.

  'Chadra knows this too. He knows that his song, the song of the Black Wind, would fall to silence if the Seven - his brothers and sisters - were gone. He knows this, yet he cares not at all. All he wants is an end, one way or another. He longs for the empty silence. That is the nature of the beast.'

  'Perhaps,' said Radok. 'But that's not Talak. He's a shit, true enough, but his heart moves for the tribe. He would never do anything to harm the Grey Crow.'

  Hadal nodded sympathetically. 'You can say that because you've never heard the song. But believe me when I tell you, a lifetime of the Will pounding at your mind, with all the voices of the Seven pulling you in every direction, can wear on a man's soul. And then you hear a different song, one voice telling you exactly what to do, filling your heart with joy and purpose. When you hear that song, it starts you thinking that perhaps this is the Will and everything that came before was a lie. There is great power in that. It may destroy everything you thought you knew, but it also sets you free. That is where Talak stands now. Instead of seven voices, he has chosen to listen to one. The wrong one.'

  Radok glanced around again at the Empty Faces and their empty faces. 'Then you're here for him, not for me?'

  Hadal smiled. 'My dear man, we're here for her.' And the Ashan Tay turned his attention to Nyana, still being held by one of his men. 'What about you, Little Sparrow? What do you hear?'

  Radok's innards took a turn at that, the sight of this cannibal moving his focus to Nyana, even using the name Radok had given her. He took a step towards them, ready to intercept Hadal, but each of the Empty Faces drew their blades, bearing an inch of steel, and Radok froze where he stood.

  'I hear the wind,' answered the girl, a slight tremble in her voice.

  'And what does it say?'

  'There are no words,' said Nyana. 'Just… a feeling.'

  Hadal knelt beside the girl, his voice soft. 'And it tells you what to do?'

  Nyana shook her head. 'It shows me the way. It makes it so that something feels right, or it feels wrong.'

  'A rare gift, for one so young. And a girl, no less.' Straightening, Hadal turned back to Radok. 'No girl has ever touched the Blackstone, but this one must. If her mind could be opened to the full power of the Will, she could become the first female Ashan Tay, not just for the Grey Crow, but for all Basilla. Are you truly the man to get her there, Wolfeater?'

  'Well,' Radok's hand found its way to the sword sheathed at his waist, where it waited patiently. 'She's not going without me.'

  Hadal nodded. 'And what about you, Little Sparrow? Do you want to carry on this flight alone with the Wolfeater, or would you like some company? What does the wind say about that?'

  Nyana cocked her head in much the same way the Ashan Tay had, though it was more in concentration than curiosity. She's listening, Radok realised. 'We go alone,' she said at long last. 'That is the way it should be.'

  Hadal smiled knowingly, as though he had known the answer all along. 'So be it.' He gestured to the river, the frozen surface glowing red in the dying sun. 'We spent some time searching and this is the best place to cross. The ice is strongest here, though not strong enough for all of us. Best you two go alone. We'll stay here and… distract your friends.'

  Kneeling before Nyana again, the Ashan Tay removed his bracelet of teeth and placed it in Nyana's hand. 'Keep this with you,' he told her. 'If you ever find yourself in need of the Empty Face, show them this and tell them Hadal sent you. They'll give you anything you need.'

  The girl said nothing, but Radok watched her closely as she ran the teeth gently through her fingers, and then carefully tucked the trinket away beneath her furs.

  'It's a shame the Seven still have a use for you,' said Hadal, almost wistfully, pushing himself to his feet and turning his attention back to Radok. 'We've none of us ever tasted dark meat before. I should have liked to have tasted yours, Wolfeater.' Grinning like a fool, Hadal lifted his mask back to where it belonged, disappearing behind its cold, deathly stare.

  'A true shame,' Radok agreed, easing his hand away from the pommel of his sword. 'Try not to die too quickly, eh? We need all the time you can get us, but these Grey Crow know how to bite back.'

  'Don't worry about us,' said Hadal, his voice once more muffled by the leathery flesh of the mask. 'We know our part in the All Song.' Some of his men shifted uneasily at that, the first reaction they had shown of any kind. 'Well, I do,' he added with a smile. 'Best you be going now, Wolfeater. Tread carefully. Ice is a treacherous beast at the best of times.'

  Radok needed no further encouragement. Taking hold of Nyana's hand, he walked to the edge of the river and paused. When he looked back, the twelve Empty Faces were watching them go, their dead, barren faces more disturbing than ever. It looked like twelve corpses brought back to life to haunt them.

  Taking a deep breath, Radok stepped out onto the ice. It creaked and groaned beneath his weight, but it held firm. He thought about lifting Nyana to his back again, but it made little sense adding more weight to his footfalls. 'Let's go, Little Sparrow. Hold tight to my hand and if you feel any give in the ice, you let me know.'

  By the time they had taken several strides, Radok could see the water still sloshing about a few inches below the frozen surface, flowing east. Further downstream he could hear the great falls, quieter now than in the summer, but still a crushing sound in the distance. A fall through the ice would mean certain death, and a bad one at that.

  If you give me anything, he found himself praying to the Seven, give me this!

  Chapter Thirteen

  The Stronger Will

  Talak reached the foot of the cliff as the last fingers of sunlight disappeared behind the western mountains, a ball of light being swallowed by a mouthful of sharp teeth. Still, even in the
twilight he could make out the trail of their prey, heading west along the banks of the Velga. Not that it was hard. They had made no efforts to hide their tracks, nor was even the slowly building snowfall making a dent. By the Seven, thought Talak, even Radok's girl could track these fools.

  'There's at least a dozen of them now,' said Talgar, as ever pointing out the painfully obvious.

  'You smell that?' Vinak, sniffing at the air, his nose scrunched up in disgust.

  Talak breathed in through the nose, tasting the air. It was there alright; the copper-like scent of blood, the sour tang of decay. Smells of death. He was so lost in the thought of it, so distracted, that he didn't realise, for the first time since touching the Blackstone himself, the wind was blowing against him.

  'Empty Face,' he hissed, and the sound of ringing metal filled the air as his men drew their blades.

  'There's no sign of a struggle,' said Talgar, finally offering something useful. 'If Radok and the girl go with them, they go willingly.'

  'Of course!' Talak almost jumped for joy at the revelation. He searched the faces of his merry band, and saw that Jian was still missing, left behind to burn Dakar. So instead, he settled his gaze on Tess, the woman's closest ally. 'No tribe favours the Black Wind more than the Empty Face. They want to see the Wolfeater touch the Blackstone. That should tell us all we need to know about their union.'

  'Then we have to stop them,' said Tess. 'Any way we can.'

  'You should remind Jian of that, when she finally shows her face again. I fear the woman is too fond of Radok to see the threat he poses.'

  Tess's lips tightened and she lifted her chin, defiant. 'Do not fear for Jian. Surely Dakar proves she will do what's right when the time comes?'

  'Well, she might not get the chance,' said Vinak, gesturing ahead with his thick bearded chin. Talak squinted in that direction, peering through the falling snow and into the gloom. A large fire was burning in the distance, along with several torches set out around it in a circle.

  'Come on in, Grey Crow,' a voice called from the darkness. 'Join us for dinner!'

  Laughter boomed out at that, muffled slightly; a hollow, haunting sound that caused Talak's men to shift uneasily. Their weary eyes darted all around, as though they half expected the night to come alive and take them.

  Talak might have let his own fears get the better of him, if not for the hand at his back driving him on. For that's what it was now; no voices, no wind, just an unseen hand urging him forward. There were no more arguments to settle, no confusions to untangle, no decisions to resolve. Follow your instincts, was all the Will seemed to say now. Follow your instincts and we'll follow you.

  Right now, Talak's instincts led to only one place. 'Damned cannibals,' he muttered. 'Grey Crow, with me!'

  Despite their fears, they fell in behind Talak without hesitation, the group marching along the frozen bank in grim silence. Say what you would about the Unblessed, at least their faith gave them all the courage they needed.

  Faith, whispered a voice upon the wind, and fear. They fear you more than they fear even the Empty Face. Show them the wisdom of that, Ashan Tay. Kill them. Kill them all.

  Talak swallowed hard, his throat dry as desert rock. The voice of the Will had never been so clear, so… singular. Yet what were they asking of Talak now, when they said to "kill them all"? Was it just the Empty Face they wanted dead, or even the Grey Crow too?

  He looked around at the men following in his wake. With Dakar dead and Jian still missing, there were six of them remaining. They were all hardened warriors, battered and weathered into shape by their time on the plains of Basilla, and they had been fighting side-by-side for as long as any of them could remember. There were raids against the Valor, skirmishes against the Empty Face, bitter feuds with the Blue Eyes, and all-out war with the Cran. Some had even fought against the children of the One God, far to the east. Even the girl, Tess, had the look of a killer. Her face was carved from ice, sharp featured and deadly cold.

  They were all of them seasoned killers, and while any Ashan Tay worth his salt had his own skills with the blade, Talak had no desire to put his to the test against his own people. He would give the Seven the Empty Face, as they asked, but nothing more. Not yet at least…

  Tess had brought her bow to bear, arrow notched, but Talak gave her a shake of the head. 'Don't loose until I give the signal. I need to speak to them first.'

  'You can't reason with cannibals,' said Talgar, coming up on Talak's left. 'Best we attack first.'

  Talak ignored him as the circle of light drew ever closer. The smell of smoke burnt his nostrils, and his skin prickled at the first waves of heat from the fire. 'This is the Will,' he muttered, as the light and warmth enveloped him.

  The Empty Faces were gathered by the fire, one of their number sitting cross-legged in the snow facing the direction of the newcomers. The others were standing behind him, hands resting on their own blades. Their masks - the faces of the dead, dried and hardened through some unknown magick - were even more disturbing in the orange glow of the flames.

  Halting before the man with the crossed legs, Talak raised a hand, signalling for his own men to stop. The Grey Crow drew up behind him, facing their counterparts as warriors did back in the old days, when feuds were settled in the pit.

  With the help of a staff that had been resting in the snow beside him - a smooth shaft of wood topped by a skeleton hand - the sitting man pushed himself to his feet. He was dressed in the thick hide of a black bear, with bone trinkets for decoration, including a necklace of small, sharp bones and a skull hanging from his sword belt. Though the mask bore no emotion, Talak had a feeling the face beneath it wore a smile as wide as the Velga.

  'Greetings, Talak,' he said, his voice muffled by the mask. 'It's been a long time.'

  'Not long enough,' replied Talak, though he offered a nod of the head in greeting. 'Well met, Hadal.'

  'What brings you this far north, old friend? This is Empty Face land up here, lest you forget.' He looked past Talak at the gathering of Grey Crow, nodding slightly. 'Looks like this winter has taken its toll on your lot, but you'll find nothing up here but cold and emptiness.'

  'You seem to be doing well for yourselves,' Talgar pointed out.

  'Keep your fool mouth shut!' Talak barked at him, but Hadal only smiled.

  'There is always food to find, when you have the stomach for what has to be done.'

  Talak grunted. 'We have stomach for more than you know, but we're not here for food. We are tracking two of our folk, currently headed for the Blackstone. Unless… you're about to offer us something special for supper?'

  'Something special?' Hadal frowned. 'Like your friends? What kind of monsters do you think we are?'

  'The kind that eats babies.' Talak waved it away. 'No matter. Have you seen our friends?'

  'The Wolfeater and his Little Sparrow? Aye, we've seen them. They've crossed the Velga. Two weeks, perhaps, and they'll reach the Blackstone.'

  The wind seemed to hiss in Talak's ears, and a flame of anger sparked inside him. 'They mean to touch it, Hadal. They mean to touch the Blackstone.'

  Hadal shrugged carelessly. 'Let them, if that is the Will.'

  'I am the Will!' Talak snapped. The Empty Faces and their ridiculous masks offered nothing, but Talak realised what he had said when he felt the Grey Crow shifting uneasily behind him. 'I was sent by the Will,' he smoothed over, 'to stop them before they desecrate the laws of the Seven and touch the Stone.'

  Hadal took a step closer. 'Yet I was sent by the Will to stand in your path. A strange turn of events, no?'

  'Pah,' scoffed Talak, 'you who listens to the Eighth before you hear the Seven?'

  Hadal raised his eyebrows. 'I listen to the Eighth? Tell me, Talak, how many voices do you hear these days?'

  One voice, one Will.

  'Enough,' said Talak. And he surged forward, dagger sliding from its scabbard in a smooth arc.

  ✽✽✽

  Jian watched the s
cene from twenty yards away, shrouded in the growing dark, her breath smoking in the cold night air, short and bated. She had no idea who the Empty Face was standing toe-to-toe with Talak, but he carried his rank with as much splendour as he hid his face. It was written in the garb he wore, the grim baubles decorating his outfit, and Jian found herself smiling.

  Outside of a Gathering, it was a rare thing indeed to find two Ashan Tay in the same place at the same time; rarer still for both to survive such an encounter. With any luck, the Empty Face will do us all a favour…

  Usually it would seem all manner of wrong to cheer on a cannibal, but in Talak's case Jian was willing to make an exception. The arrogant bastard had dragged them up here after all, to risk their lives on foiling the dreams of a dead man. It had already cost Dakar his life. How many more had to die to soothe Talak's ego? Radok and the girl at least, but now it looked likely more blood would be spilt.

  If the Ashan Tay did go after each other, their tribesmen would do the same, and say what you would about the Empty Face, those mad bastards had never been easy to kill.

  'Fuck,' muttered Jian, who was still Grey Crow, despite it all. She had no desire to see any of her people harmed, but especially Tess, who was down there in the thick of it. Easing her sword from its scabbard, the soft glide of metal against leather loud in the silence, Jian started forward.

  And that was when everything changed. Talak moved almost in unison with Jian, surging forward and drawing a knife from some hidden place. The Empty Face - no doubt a fine warrior, judging by the trophies jangling around him - had no time to react as Talak's knife slid up under his chin and into his brain. The man collapsed backwards, taking the knife with him, blade buried up to the hilt below his chin.

  Jian staggered to a halt, her own jaw agape at what was unfolding before her. The world slowed to a crawl and every detail burned itself into her mind. She watched the remaining Empty Faces draw their swords and sweep forwards; watched Talak raise a hand to his Grey Crow companions, telling them to hold their ground, while he moved to meet the charge head on, alone.