27: Chaos Incarnate
Marielle
How was Anglarok not smelling this? All Marielle could smell was Legend – at first, she’d thought the scent was madness she knew now what it was – it was Legend. The smell of madness distilled over hundreds of years and made more potent, more powerful. It leaked all around Tamerlan like the drain of an alley leaking out to the canal, mixing in and out of his golden scent like a woven basket.
Maid Chaos had him completely in her grasp and to Marielle’s eyes, her ghostly shape was overlaid over Tamerlan’s normal human shape. His actions seemed delayed a half-second after hers – as if she were controlling them. And wasn’t that because she was?
That was his secret. His horrible, deadly secret.
Realization flooded over her, leaving her chilled. In Jingen, when the Butcher of the Temple District had strode through the streets slaying anyone in his path it really had been Tamerlan. And it really had been Maid Chaos. Suddenly – Marielle was seeing everything clearly.
When he’d given an eye to stop the dragon that really had been King Abelmeyer. And it had really been Tamerlan.
He was everything she knew him to be – a heroic, compassionate, intelligent man. And everything she feared – horrific, deadly, and murderous. He was both what she’d feared and what she’d hoped all wrapped into one. Who could have imagined such a thing?
A light flared and Marielle saw everything at once before it was suddenly extinguished again. Etienne holding the lantern over his head with a look of worried puzzlement on his face. Liandari slumped on the ground, eyes closed. Anglarok curled in on himself against the smell, moaning in pain. The avatar a ruined mess of ancient cloth, shattered glass, dust, and dried meat in a crude tangle on the floor. Tamerlan screaming, his face a mask of agony as he charged after the darting shape of the Grandfather.
The Grandfather snatched the lantern from Etienne as he passed, dashing it against the wall. A crash followed by darkness.
And then Marielle was hurrying to chase them. The light of the room above hit her like the blow of a hammer, but she had no physical body to deal with, no physical eyes to squint in pain.
The Grandfather rushed out onto the streets of Choan, Tamerlan at his heels. He was fast, but Tamerlan was faster. As they ran past the little fence surrounding the Embalmers, Maid Chaos reached out and pulled a bar from the fence as easily as if it were a twig from a bush.
“My last run will be one for the stories, Grandfather!” she yelled, hurling the bar at his back.
It bounced off and he stumbled out into a knot of men dressed like the nameless who had served Liandari and Anglarok. They attacked without warning, harpoons stabbing. The first in the group stabbed out at the Grandfather, but the Legend was too fast for him. He grabbed the harpoon, flicking it with so much power that the nameless who had attacked him spun through the air like a discarded rag. Two more leapt toward the Grandfather but the harpoon he’d stolen spun in his hands, swiping each of them out of the way.
Tamerlan had caught up now. He leapt toward the Grandfather, his sword flashing in the light of morning.
Oranges, trampled to mush, filled the streets, coating everything in sticky juice and filling the world with the scent of citrus. But Marielle smelled more than oranges. She smelled terror – raw red swirls that burnt her nose with the smell of vinegar tangled between houses and guild buildings. She could smell the people within, hiding in terror, some hurt, some dead. She smelled their blood as it slicked the walls of the buildings and flowed through the streets. She shuddered at the thought of it.
Had they stepped into a battle?
The ground beneath them shook, making both the Grandfather and Tamerlan stumble as they engaged in a duel so fast that Marielle struggled to see every movement. Sword met harpoon, spun toward the head of the opponent, missed as he ducked, immediately lashed out at his feet, whistled through the air as he leapt, twisted to slash mid-body. The strokes grew faster, faster, faster as they pressed the attack. Maid Chaos versus Grandfather Timeless. It looked almost as if the two had sparred a thousand times before. As if they knew every move the other would make and were already countering it before the opponent could even move. But if the Grandfather won it wouldn’t be Maid Chaos who died. It would be Tamerlan.
He had to win.
If he lost, all was lost.
And he would be lost, too. He needed saving as badly as she did – saving from the Legends.
Marielle snuck closer, closer, closer until she was at his back. Maid Chaos stepped back, dodging a blow, and just like that, Marielle was in Tamerlan’s mind with him, looking through his eyes, watching the gleam in the Grandfather’s Eye as they pressed the attack.
She hadn’t meant to do that.
Meant to do what?
That was his voice!
Marielle? Is that you?
Shut up, you two! I’m trying to concentrate. Maid Chaos’s mental growl actually stung.
Marielle felt like her eyes should grow wide. This wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She wasn’t supposed to be inside his mind. But unlike Maid Chaos, she had no control over his actions. No control over what he might do – or not do. She felt his helplessness. Felt his desperation for the Legend to succeed and destroy Grandfather Timeless.
And the Maid could fight. She held her own, matching the Grandfather move for move. In Tamerlan’s body, she might even be faster than him. The Grandfather spun to the side, avoiding a clump of Choan guards as they rushed into the enemy with battle cries. She followed him, dodging the nameless who rushed to counter the guard. None of them seemed to care about the two Legends with the private duel, but indifferent blades could kill just as quickly. And they were fighting their duel in the middle of an invasion.
The Grandfather spun suddenly to the side, leaping up onto the top of an orange seller’s cart. The seller was long gone, hiding, fighting, or dead. But the oranges fell in every direction from the over-full cart as the Grandfather scrambled over them. Maid Chaos leapt after him, scrambling over falling oranges and fighting for speed as she had to scramble for footing, too. The Grandfather climbed from the cart to an awning, his feet slipping over the angled cloth as he fought for purchase. Tamerlan reached after him, snagging the back of his coat and tugging hard.
It worked. The Grandfather stumbled backward, hands clawing for purchase, but there was nothing to grab. His harpoon spun away and he fell backward into the cart, leaping back to his feet and running down the street, oranges rolling after him.
Tamerlan followed, climbing up to the tiled rooftops, shoving his sword in the scabbard and then half-running, half climbing up one peak, only to half-run, half-slide down the other side.
One more roof and they’d be at the canal, but Maid Chaos showed no signs of stopping.
Destroyed. Destitute. Torn from the land of Legends! He will pay for what he did to me!
She pushed all her fury into Tamerlan’s legs, flying over the rooftops as she watched her prey running on the ground. She didn’t notice or care when she hit the angle wrong and twisted his ankle. Didn’t pause as she left scraped skin and flecks of blood over the roof tile.
The Grandfather was fiddling with something. Was that a scrap of the bandages that had been around her avatar? What was he doing with those?
A trophy! He took a trophy?
Fury bled through her mind and then she was speeding up again. How could she be running faster?
Marielle felt like she was holding her breath – an unwilling passenger on the world’s most terrifying ride. Why did Tamerlan allow this? Why did he invite it? It was horrifying. It stole her humanity away – her agency.
They flew through the air as Maid Chaos leapt from the final roof, her legs treading air as she tried to keep her balance as she fell.
Below them, the Grandfather had just scrambled into a gondola. He argued with the gondolier, making demands.
They were going to miss the gondola by inches. Marielle could see it. Maid Ch
aos twisted slightly in the air and out of the corner of Tamerlan’s eye, Marielle saw the gondolier make eye contact with them. Jhinn! He stuck his oar in the water and heaved, sending the bow just under the falling Tamerlan.
“Ooof!” The sound was torn from Tamerlan’s lungs as he hit the hull of the boat, landing in a crouch.
But Marielle’s attention was on something else. The Grandfather swirled, spiraling around so fast it was like he was a child’s top spinning. Yellow and purple sparks flicked all around him, popping and crackling and then he was gone.
But she’d seen it happen.
And she was relatively certain that she could do it, too.
Maybe.
Under the right circumstances.
The ground heaved under them, rocking the gondola. Out of the corner of Tamerlan’s eye, she saw the Grandfather getting up out of a crouch in the street up above the canal. He was grinning as he looked down at the gondola.
Tamerlan, she started to say, but just like that – like the closing of a door in her face – something slammed between them and she was out of his mind and body.
The last thing she heard was a loud curse from Maid Chaos.
28: Come back!
Tamerlan
Marielle? Marielle! Come back!
She’d disappeared as quickly as Maid Chaos had, leaving him shaking in the boat with his hands on his ringing ears.
Bring us back! Bring us back!
Open the Bridge!
Dragon. Dragon. Dragon.
The roar of their voices was overwhelming, making thought difficult. He gritted his teeth against the pain of it and braced himself as the gondola jolted. A huge wave rippled across the canal, carrying everything on its swell. Smoke rose in the distance as battles continued around the city.
“Smoke again! Smoke again!” It took him a moment to realize it was Jhinn screaming at him and not one of the Legends. He was pointing at the Grandfather from where he looked down on the canal laughing. “I saw Marielle and the golden-haired lady. You can smoke again and get them back!”
“She didn’t use the Eye. I begged her to, but she didn’t use it.”
Jhinn didn’t listen. He fumbled in the back of the boat, moving so quickly that when he pulled out the tiny wooden box with the paper rolls in it, some of them spilled across the gondola floor. Urgently, he scooped one up, lighting the end in his gondola lantern. He jammed it in Tamerlan’s mouth.
She’d been there. Marielle. Jhinn had seen it, too! Tamerlan sucked in smoke like drinking water after a run, hoping to hear her voice. Hoping for the strength to catch the Legend again.
Yes! He could almost feel Lila’s fist pounding the air as she snatched his body, winked at Jhinn and then leapt off the gondola to scale the smooth stone wall up to the street. She was as effortless in her motions as a spider crawling up a web. Stick with me, pretty man and I will have you begging me to stay. You still have more of that mixture, right? Keep it around and we’ll rule the world you and me!
Lila? Why Lila and not Maid Chaos again?
She scaled the wall and flung herself over the railing. She was running almost before she leapt from it, skidding to a halt at the sight of the Grandfather battling Etienne, Liandari, and Anglarok all at once.
I didn’t think you’d be sorry to feel her leave.
He hadn’t been.
She’s gone. Gone forever. When the Grandfather killed her, it destroyed her for all eternity. She only had as long as her spirit could hold on to you.
Swords and harpoon met the Grandfather’s blade in a quick dance, but he was already spinning, purple and yellow sparks flying in every direction. He disappeared with a pop.
Tamerlan spun around looking for him along the rooftops and down the street, but he was nowhere to be seen. Wasn’t Lila upset that he’d killed Maid Chaos? Wasn’t she troubled by that?
Not particularly. I never liked her. I prefer to drink wine, not blood.
Then why complain that he’d killed her?
The chaining of magical creatures – particularly ones as big as dragons – is a complicated process requiring renewed magic.
Great, change the subject. His eyes were still studying every rooftop and alley he could see, looking for the Grandfather.
I’m not changing the subject. Renewed magic is part of the answer.
Etienne had told him about that. The mandala that the people walked through the city streets helped hold the dragon in place. So did the Lady Sacrifice’s blood every year.
Fail on either count, and the dragon wakes.
“What just happened?” Anglarok asked, spinning like Tamerlan was. His scarf was wrapped so thick around his mouth that his words were muffled. “Have we lost him again?”
He avoided Tamerlan’s eyes and Tamerlan wanted to blush at that. The man thought he was insane.
You are insane, or maybe you’re the sanest of us all. Who knows? Lean into it. Your insanity is more powerful than their dull sanity.
The ground rumbled beneath their feet again.
“What is that?” Liandari asked, her face pale.
Etienne exchanged a look of understanding with Tamerlan. They’d both felt this before.
But Choan had sacrificed their Maid Chaos. Choan had people walking out the mandala on her streets. In fact, they were running the mandala right now, chasing and being chased all over the city as they fought the invaders.
There’s a third thing that also must not fail – the initial binding.
Initial binding?
Every generation has to deal with dragons. The question is not whether they will rise, but what your generation will do when they come for you. Will your generation stand the test? Will anyone rise who can bind the dragon?
The initial binding? Was she suggesting that Maid Chaos had bound the dragon Choan? That somehow the destruction of her avatar nullified that binding?
Why else do you think Choan is rising?
He shivered under her control as the ground under them shivered again.
“Tamerlan! TAM!” Jhinn’s voice was faint, but Tamerlan dashed to the railing and looked down at the boy. He pointed in the distance to where boats choked the canal, white boats filled with the Retribution.
They were bearing down the canal, lighting every boat they saw on fire.
Horror filled Tamerlan. Those weren’t just trading boats and gondolas. Some were family boats. And most were operated by Waverunners who would die in the water or by the flames. He clenched his jaw. He didn’t care what Lila wanted, they had to save Jhinn.
And avoid the dragon’s wrath.
She could just keep her opinions to herself.
Did I say anything?
She launched him over the rail and took up a stance in the bow as she drew her sword.
She wasn’t going to fight him on this?
Just you and me against an army? Sounds like fun. Maybe when we’re done, we can find the Grandfather.
And just like that, he saw the old man, running along the rooftops heading in the opposite direction of the raging boats of the Retribution.
“That way!” he called to Jhinn. “We’ll avoid the invaders and try to keep the Grandfather in our sights!”
Why didn’t the Grandfather just leave the city?
There is something here that he wants, and I am determined that he should not get it.
Jhinn began to spin the boat around at the same moment that it jostled, shoving deeper into the water and rocking violently. Tamerlan spun to see Liandari, Anglarok, and Etienne recovering from their leap into the boat.
“Glad to see that you’ve joined us,” Lila said with his voice. She sounded almost glib. “You’re just in time. We have invaders chasing us, bent on our destruction, the dragon beneath the city is rising, and the Grandfather is outdistancing us. Oh, and if he gets to his goal before we do, he’ll unleash destruction on these five cities unlike anything you’ve ever seen.”
“We’ve seen dragons rise before,” Etienne said qui
etly.
“But have you seen the Legends ride them?” Lila asked. “No? Then let’s make sure that you never do.”
29: Unthinkable
Marielle
She’d seen it! She’d seen exactly how to pop in and out of time! And now she just needed to try it. But to try it, she’d need a body and hers was stuck in a clock.
If she’d had a body, she would have had to swallow down the acid rising in her throat. Because claiming a body could only mean one thing. There was only one person offering his body to spirits right now. And that was Tamerlan.
The fool!
The utter, incomprehensible fool. She wanted to throttle him. No cause was great enough to risk losing everything like that. He was risking his sanity, his humanity, his agency – everything!
Her thoughts stuttered to a stop. Really, Marielle? No cause? What about justice? Hadn’t she sworn an oath that she would do anything necessary to preserve justice? Would she have risked her sanity for it? The sanity of others? The lives of others?
Where did you draw the line? When the choice wasn’t between good and bad but between bad and worse. When the risks were uncertain and the outcomes opaque – where did you lay out a line and guard it like the wall of a palace?
She wished she knew.
But there was a clear answer somewhere. She just had to find it. And she had to try to find a way to do this without taking over his body. Because she would never be able to forgive herself if she violated someone else that way.
She searched, diving through time like a dolphin, searching, searching, searching for another way. A way that would keep them both from doing the unthinkable.
30: Bell Tower
Tamerlan
Whatever that device was that Jhinn had made to propel the gondola was worth ten times its weight in gold. Etienne worked the pedals, sweat beading on his forehead as a watchful Jhinn used his oar to steer the boat between the other escaping craft.
Bridge of Legends- The Complete Series Page 55