‘You have nothing, numbskull. You are dead!’ said Tenaka.
‘Empty threats,’ sneered Saddleskull.
Tenaka laughed. ‘Ulric’s last jest! No one can wear his helm. Did you feel the sharpness, cousin, when the poison needle pierced your skin?’
The sword fell from Saddleskull’s hand and his legs gave way. He struggled to rise, but death pulled him down into the pit. Tenaka recovered the helm and replaced the sword in the coffin.
Slowly he climbed the stairs, squeezing past the blades jutting from the panels. Once into the open air he sat back, cradling the helm in his lap. It was bronze, edged with white fur and decorated with silver thread.
Far below Asta Khan sat watching the moon and Tenaka climbed down to him. The old man did not look round as he approached.
‘Welcome, Tenaka Khan, Lord of Hosts!’ he said.
‘Take me home,’ ordered Tenaka.
‘Not yet.’
‘Why?’
‘There is someone you must meet.’ A white mist billowed from the ground, swirling around them; from its depths strode a powerful figure.
‘You did well,’ said Ulric.
‘Thank you, my Lord.’
‘Do you mean to keep your word to your friends?’
‘I do.’
‘So the Nadir will ride to the aid of the Drenai?’
‘They will.’
‘It is as it should be. A man must stand by his friends. But you know that the Drenai must fall before you? As long as they survive, the Nadir cannot prosper.’
‘I know this.’
‘And you are prepared to conquer them . . . end their empire?’
‘I am.’
‘Good. Follow me into the mist.’
Tenaka did as he was bid and the Khan led him to the banks of a dark river. There sat an old man who turned as Tenaka approached. It was Aulin, the former Source priest who had died in the Dragon barracks.
‘Were you true to your word?’ he asked. ‘Did you look after Renya?’
‘I did.’
‘Then sit beside me, and I shall be true to my word.’
Tenaka sat and the old man leaned back, watching the dark water bubble and flow.
‘I discovered many machines of the Elders. I scanned their books and notes. I experimented. I learned much of their secrets. They knew the Fall was imminent and they left many clues for future generations. The world is a ball, did you know that?’
‘No,’ said Tenaka.
‘Well, it is. At the top of the ball is a world of ice. And at the base, another. Round the centre it is hellishly hot. And the ball spins around the sun. Did you know that?’
‘Aulin, I have no time for this. What do you wish to tell me?’
‘Please, warrior, listen to me. I so wanted this knowledge shared – it is important to me.’
‘Go on, then.’
‘The world spins and the ice at the poles of the world grows daily: millions of tons of ice, every day for thousands of years. At last the ball begins to wobble as it spins, and then it tips. And as it tips, the oceans rise up and cover the land. And the ice spreads to cover whole continents. That is the Fall. That is what happened to the Elders. Do you see? It makes the dreams of men a nonsense.’
‘I see. Now what can you tell me?’
‘The machines of the Elders – they do not operate as Ceska thinks. There is no physical joining of beasts and men. Rather is it a harnessing of vital forces, held in delicate balance. The Elders knew it was important – vital – to allow the spirit of man to remain in the ascendant. The horror of the Joinings is the result of allowing the beast to emerge.’
‘How does this help me?’ asked Tenaka.
‘I saw a joining revert once; it became a man again and died.’
‘How?’
‘When it saw something which jolted it.’
‘What did it see?’
‘The woman who had been its wife.’
‘Is that it?’
‘Yes. Is that helpful?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Tenaka. ‘It may be.’
‘Then I shall leave you,’ said Aulin. ‘I shall return to the Grey.’
Tenaka watched him shuffle away into the mist. Then he stood and turned as Ulric stepped forward.