by Ian Irvine
As the blood-tipped claws came at her face, Irisis hung on with her knees and pummelled it about the side of the head. The blows seemed to daze it so she poked her fingers into its eyes.
Flangers came up off the floor like a ball from a catapult. The outstretched sword slid between Irisis's knees, found the gap in the plates and plunged into the creature's throat. Irisis, unable to untangle her legs in time, went all the way down with the falling beast. She hit the floor, rolled and came up holding her sword.
At the death of their comrade, the other two lyrinx checked, though not for long. Irisis just stood there, her initiative exhausted. Flangers caught her hand, jerking her away.
'Through the door behind me.'
It was just a few steps away but she hadn't noticed it before. Irisis waved her sword around in a professional manner as Flangers jerked it open.
'Hurry!' he roared.
Irisis took one look over her shoulder and ran for the door. Flangers kicked it shut behind them. They fled across the oval space outside but, halfway, Irisis stopped to look back.
'Come on!' Flangers was limping badly.
She stayed where she was. 'There's something wrong. They're not coming after us.'
He felt his injured arm with his good hand. 'Perhaps they're sneaking round through one of the other doors, to take us from behind.'
Irisis tiptoed back to the door, beyond which she heard thuds and squeals. 'No, they're back at their bloody work, killing the little beasts. They don't want any of them taken alive. I wonder why?'
'I can't bear to think,' said Flangers. 'Hey, now!’
Irisis had opened the door and was peering inside. One of the lyrinx, not three steps away, broke off from its bloody work with the club. Its dark eyes, the size of lemons, were fixed on her. She trembled. In the past year she'd had a number of encounters with the great beasts. It could kill her with a blow, yet it fascinated her. Its size, its strength, the play of muscles down its armoured front, the flickering skin colours, now mauve, now purple and black — and something more.
'What are you doing?' she said, not expecting it to know her language.
'My duty,' it said clearly, in a rumble deeper than any human had ever spoken. The sound tickled her eardrums. 'Seek you to stop me, small one, I must end you the same way.' It hefted the bloody club.
No one had described Irisis as small before, but to a lyrinx the largest humans were puny creatures. The other creature called in a higher voice, almost a chirrup. The first brandished the club. Irisis ducked backwards, the door was kicked shut and something slammed against it.
'Whatever they're doing,' said Irisis, 'they're determined to finish it. I'd better have a look at your arm.'
'It's not too bad.' Flangers peeled back the shirt to reveal two raw gouges from wrist to shoulder. 'Painful, though.'
'I'll bet. What about the other wound?'
He looked abashed. 'Oh, it's all right.'
"Then why are you limping? Turn around, let me take a look at it.'
The seat of his trousers had been torn out, and four deep claw marks carved across his right buttock, two extending onto the left. 'That'll need attention . . .' she began.
'Don't see much point right now.'
'Hoy!' called a soldier's voice.
'Over here,' roared Flangers.
Young Ivar and the other soldiers came running, followed by Fyn-Mah and a dark-skinned man Irisis had never seen before — yes she had. It was Eiryn Muss, Flydd's spy, in another of his disguises. This one was masterly — he seemed to have altered his size and shape as well as his appearance. He was the same height, but lean, stringy, and his eyes were a glossy dark brown.
'What happened?' panted Fyn-Mah.
'We found their flesh-forming cages, at least five rooms of them,' said Irisis. 'All the creatures in the first three rooms were dead or dying. In the fourth we came upon a lyrinx, destroying the remainder. It attacked; nearly killed us too, and then another two appeared. Flangers managed to kill the first lyrinx and we got out the door. They didn't come after us — weren't interested. They're finishing off the rest of the flesh-formed.'
'They don't want us to get a live one' said Fyn-Mah. 'All the more urgent that we do.'
'What are you doing here?' Irisis said to Muss, who reeked of tar smoke.
'Scrutators' business.' He looked frustrated. It was the first time she'd seen him show emotion.
'So are we. We need a hand.'
'In the struggle, some of the cages were broken open,' Irisis said to Fyn-Mah, and a few animals escaped. If we were to attack suddenly, we might overcome the lyrinx and catch one of the little beasts.'
'By the time we break down the door there'll be no taking them by surprise.'
'Especially since they've barricaded it.' said Flangers.
'But. . .' Fyn-Mah rubbed her fingers together, reflecting for a moment. 'If I were to blast the door off its hinges, using the Art ... All right! I'll try it. Stand back.1
'The node is dead,' Irisis reminded her.
'Artefacts that store power will still work, though I'd have preferred not to waste one here. Put your hands over your ears.'
She pressed a bead into her right ear, another into the left. Taking something small and shiny from a buttoned pocket, Fyn-Mah rubbed it between her hands as if to warm it, closed her fingers loosely around it and held her hand high. The upraised arm shook, her face went red, and a blade of raw sound sheared out between her fingers. The air shimmered, marking its passage. The door burst into splinters. Fyn-Mah was tossed the other way, to land on her back.
The sound, even through Irisis's hands, was a nagging, rasping screech. She crouched down, put her head between her knees and pressed her hands over her ears. Beside her, Flangers grunted as if he'd been punched in the stomach.
Beyond the doorway, the cages had been piled against the far wall by the force of the blast. One lyrinx lay on the now empty floor, kicking feebly. A shard of wood the size of a pick handle had gone through its thigh, severing the artery, and it was bleeding to death. The one Irisis had spoken to had come to rest against the far wall, its neck broken.
Several flesh-formed creatures lay on the floor, dead. 'Go through all the cages,' said Fyn-Mah, stooped and shaking with aftersickness. 'If there's any beast left alive, we must have it.
Are you all right?' said Flangers.
'Go on. I'll be with you in a minute.'
They started on the grim task, keeping a careful watch on the wounded lyrinx. It tried to get up, its claws scraping at the soft sandstone underfoot, but was too weak. Finally it slumped on its side, unmoving, its yellow-brown eyes watching them.
It did not take long to search the cages, but they found nothing alive. Fyn-Mah appeared, shaking her head. 'They must have killed them all' She knelt beside the dying creature; not too close. 'Are they all dead, lyrinx?'
'Yesss . . .' It was just a puff of breath. 'All dead.' Its head thumped against the floor.
'Some escaped their cages,' said Irisis. 'I don't think they could have got out of the room.'
The smoky smell had grown stronger, suggesting that the fire was moving this way. 'Search the room,' ordered Fyn-Mah. 'Quickly. Every minute we spend here lessens our chance of getting out of Snizort.'
'Here's something,' said the young soldier, on his knees beside a cupboard that had fallen on several others, leaving spaces between. 'A trail of blood goes in here.'
They dragged the cupboards out of the way. Underneath lay a flesh-formed creature, as dead as the others. Fyn-Mah stood frowning at it, took a notebook from her pocket and began to write swiftly.
She went around the room, describing and sketching the dead creatures while the search was completed. Looking bitterly disappointed, she disappeared into the adjoining room. The soldiers followed, leaving just Irisis and Flangers.
'Where's Muss?' said Irisis.
'He was right behind you —’ Flangers scratched his head in bemusement. 'I wonder what he's up to?'
Flangers rubbed his wounded arm, staring at the floor. 'Take a look at this, Crafter.' He squatted down, further splitting his pants, and emitted the faintest of groans.
'What is it?'
His finger traced a bloody squiggle across the floor. This was made by something trying to hide. Give me a hand.'
They pulled the broken cupboards out ot the way, inspecting each carefully, though it was not until the very last that they found anything. It was a furred creature about the size of Flangers's hand, the oddest little thing Irisis had ever seen. The fur was wet, bloody in patches and sticky in others. It scratched at Flangers as he picked it up, though its soft claws did not break the skin.
'It's newborn, he said wonderingly. 'That must have been the mother and, as she lay dying, she gave birth.'
'Better than nothing, I suppose.' Irisis looked for something to keep it in. 'I'll tell Fyn-Mah. Flangers, what are you doing?'
He was crouched beside the dead mother, holding the little one to a teat. 'It'll need feeding, and there's nothing better than mother's milk.'
The man never ceased to surprise her. Leaving him to his domestic duties, she went into the next room. 'Fyn-Mah! we've found one — an infant.'
The perquisitor came running. 'Where?'
'Flangers is feeding it.' Irisis found a small, undamaged cage which she padded with handfuls of straw.
Fyn-Mah was standing over Flangers. 'Come on, soldier!'
'One feed will make a big difference to its chances,' said Flangers.
'The time could make a big difference to our chances. Oh, all right, but only a few minutes. Where's Muss?'
'He just disappeared.'
Fyn-Mah did not look surprised. 'He's got other business to attend to.' With an anxious glance at the door, she hurried back to the adjoining room to resume her search.
Irisis sat the cage next to the dead mother. It made her uncomfortable to see Flangers feeding the creature, but it fascinated her too. What an unusual man he was. 'Did you grow up on a farm?'
No, I lived all my life in Thurkad, until I signed up.'
'Then how did you know . . .?' I'm just interested in things. Do you know —’
Fyn-Mah came flying through the door, followed by the soldiers. 'Come on!' She hurtled out.
Flangers slipped the little creature into his pocket. Irisis took the cage. 'What's the matter?'
Fyn-Mah was running on tiptoes. 'There are more lyrinx on the way.'
'How do you know?' Irisis panted. 'Where are they?'
'Shut up and run!'
She led the way, followed by Irisis and Flangers, then the soldiers. The young captain looked very uncomfortable to be bringing up the rear. They raced down the corridor, sticky tar rasping underfoot, turned the corner and saw half a dozen lyrinx ahead. Fyn-Mah spun on one slender foot and darted to her right, into a smaller, darker tunnel.
'I'm not sure this is the right way,' said Irisis.
Fyn-Mah glanced at the swinging cage as Irisis pounded beside her. 'Where is it?'
'Flangers has it in his pocket.' He was in the middle of the line of soldiers.
'Flangers! Up with me. Myrum, go back with Irisis.'
Flangers made his way up. Myrum, a stumpy chunk of scarred muscle, moved back. Irisis studied him as he joined her. Long black hair curtained a high, bald dome. The old soldier was missing one ear, most of his teeth and the tip of his nose, yet she had not seen him without a smile.
'What're you so happy about?' she said.
'Being alive,' Myrum said with zest.
'Enjoy it while it lasts.'
I do — every minute.'
'Lead the way, Flangers,' said Fyn-Mah. 'And take good care of the little beast.'
He flashed her a grin, sketching a salute with his left hand, and moved ahead. Fyn-Mah came next and Irisis just behind, with a short gap to Myrum, the other four soldiers and the captain at the rear.
Fyn-Mah s eyes were fixed on Flangers's scored buttocks, which were round, tight and moved beautifully as he ran. Irisis found her own eyes drawn to the sight, and once there, it was hard to look anywhere else. She could not help wondering what it would be like to lie with him- She'd not slept with a soldier before. Her lovers had been men from the manufactory. She wondered if Fyn-Mah was drawn to him. Impossible to tell; the perquisitor never gave anything away.
Fyn-Mah was fleet, considering her small stature. Irisis's long legs could barely keep up with her. The soldiers were also labouring, but they wore chest armour and carried heavy packs. Behind them a sword clanged on something hard. A man cried out, then there was a thud, barely audible over the sound of their pounding feet.
One down, Irisis thought. Probably the captain who'd insisted on his orders in writing — fat lot of good it had done him. Why was this mission so important? Was this little creature what Fyn-Mah had hoped to find, or had she been looking for something else when she went off the other way? It was unlikely Irisis would ever find out. All quisitors, from lowly probers to exalted scrutators, were close-mouthed, but Perquisitor Fyn-Mah made an art form of it. And she had good reason not to trust Irisis.
Irisis caught a whiff of smoke — the throat-gripping reek of burning tar. When the node-drainer was destroyed, the incandescent blast would have liquefied rock.
A scream and there was one less pair of pounding boots behind her. Attacking from the rear, out of the dark, suited the lyrinx perfectly. There was nothing to be done about it. They had no spears to throw, no crossbows to fire, and they dared not stop to make a stand. The tunnel was too narrow. All they could do was run.
The third man fell without a sound, the sudden lack of footsteps all they knew of his passing. 'That's three we've lost,' Irisis gasped. 'Slow down.'
A grunted cry. Four!
Fyn-Mah threw a glance over her shoulder. Her iron control was slipping; Irisis could see the panic in her eyes. 'We can't afford to.'
'We can't afford to lose anyone else,' said Irisis.
Fyn-Mah called out to Flangers, who wore neither pack nor armour and had heen drawing ahead, despite his injury. 'Slow down, soldier.'
The two remaining soldiers closed the gap. Myrum was still grinning, though it was more forced. Young Ivar's eyes were ablaze with terror.
Myrum clapped him on the shoulder. 'Do your duty like a man, lad.'
Ivar nodded as he ran, his head jerking like a puppet. Myrum ushered him ahead, taking the last place in the line.
But he's not a man, thought Irisis. He's just a boy. What kind of monsters are we, that we demand such sacrifices of children? Yet, selfishly, she was glad that the lad was between her and the enemy. Those few extra moments of life were precious.
I'm sorry, Ivar. Myrum is going to be next, and then you. The old fellow will put up one hell of a struggle, maybe even kill one of the enemy, if he's lucky, but the next will get him. That's all his life was for. And then, just you, Ivar. You won't last a minute. Who'll mourn your insignificant life and brutal death? We won't, because we'll be following you. Everything we've done will have been for nothing.
'Where are you going?' panted Irisis. Fyn-Mah had called directions to Flangers whenever they came to a junction, but apart from that she'd said nothing at all.
'I left a finder in the air-floater. I'm tracking it back as best I can.'
Irisis had never heard of a finder. How could it show Fyn-Mah the way back through this labyrinth?
'Fyn-Mah!' she hissed. 'Why don't you blast them with another of those crystals?'
The perquisitor turned as she ran and Irisis saw torment in her eyes. 'I can't.'
'You don't have any more crystals?'
A long pause. I have one,' she said softly. 'I'm saving it for an emergency.
'And this isn't?' Irisis said in a low voice. You could have saved those soldiers and you chose not to? You callous bitch!'
The whole left side of Fyn-Mah's race quivered.
'I have my orders, Crafter. If I use it now I won't have it later, and believe me, before we get out of here we're going to need it.'
Irisis lowered her voice. 'So the soldiers are expendable?'
'I don't like it, but yes, they are.'
'And me? Is that what I'm here for too?'
'You know it isn't. But, since you've asked, I'll sacrifice you, too, if I have to. What are any of our lives, before the fate of humanity?'
Nine They ran until they could run no further, when Irisis realised that only Myrum was behind her. Ivar had fallen back and been killed without their even knowing it. Irisis brushed a tear from one eye. He had been just a boy doing his duty.
Myrum was scarlet in the face and labouring under his pack. 'I'd chuck that away, if I were you,' said Irisis.
'I can manage it,' he gasped. 'It's needed. We seem to have lost them.'
Iris doubted that. 'We must have run leagues, Fyn-Mah. Are you sure you're going the right way?'
The perquisitor avoided her eye, staring down the three passages ahead.
'In a straight line,' Irisis went on, 'we'd have gone right across Snizort and out the other side by now.'
Fyn-Mah checked the small object in her hand. 'We go right.'
'You're not leading us out at all!' Irisis said furiously. 'You're taking us further in.'
The perquisitor moved into the right-hand tunnel. 'We had to take the long way round,' she said unconvincingly. 'There's fire in a central core of tunnels surrounding the Great Seep.'
Irisis followed, keeping a careful watch over her shoulder. As she passed what seemed no more than a dark niche in the wall, something slipped out beside them. With a yelp she leapt out of the way, for it looked like a little wingless lyrinx. She had her sword out when it said, in Eiryn Muss's voice, 'This way!'
The disguise was a brilliant one — it might even have fooled a lyrinx, from a distance. Muss was truly a master. How did he create such wonders from the small pack on his back?
'I've found it; he said to Fyn-.Mah. 'The tunnel collapsed and they must've thought it was buried too deep to recover.' He still had that frustrated look 'What's still here?' said Irisis. What were they up to now?