Toll the Hounds Part 93

But the Hounds of Shadow were not hunting this day. Not antelope, not bhederin, nor mule deer nor ground sloth. A host of animals that lived either in states of blessed anonymity or states of fear had no need to lurch from the former into the latter at least not because of the monstrous Hounds. As for the wolves of the plains, the lumbering snub-nosed bears and the tawny cats of the high gra.s.ses, there were none within ten leagues the faintest wisp of scent had sent them fleeing one and all.

Great Ravens sailed high above the Hounds, minute specks in the vaulted blue.

Shan was displeased with the two new companions, these blots of dirty white with the lifeless eyes. Lock in particular irritated her, as it seemed this one wanted to travel as she did, close by her side, sliding unseen, ghostly and silent. Most annoying of all, Lock was Shan's able match in such skill.

But she had no interest in surrendering her solitude. Ambush and murder were best served alone, as far as she was concerned. Lock complicated things, and Shan despised complications.

Somewhere, far behind them, creatures pursued. In the profoundly long history of the Hounds of Shadow, they had been hunted many times. More often than not, the hunters came to regret the decision, whether a momentary impulse or an instinctive need; whether at the behest of some master or by the hatred in their souls, their desire usually proved fatal.

Occasionally, however, being hunted was such exquisite pleasure that the Hounds never turned the game. Let the chase go on, and on. Dance from the path of that rage, all that blind need.

All things will cast a shadow. If light blazes infernal, a shadow can grow solid, outlines sharp, motion rippling within. Shape is a reflection, but not all reflections are true. Some shadows lie. Deception born of imagination and imagination born of fear, or perhaps it is the other way round and fear ignites imagination regardless, shadows will thrive.

In the dark conjurings of a sentient mind, all that is imagined can be made real. The beast, and the shadow it casts. The beast's shadow, and the light from which it is born. Each torn away, made distinct, made into things of nightmare.

Philosophers and fools might claim that light is without shape, that it finds its existence in painting the shape of other things, as wayward as the opening of an eye. That, in the absence of such things, it slants unseen, indeed, invisible. Without other things to strike upon, it does not cavort, does not bounce, does not paint and reflect. Rather, it flows eternal. If this is so, then light is unique in the universe.

But the universe holds to one law above all others: nothing is unique. nothing is unique.

Fools and philosophers have not, alas, seen the light.

Conjure the shapes of beasts, of Hounds and monsters, fiends and nightmares. Of light, of dark, and of shadow. A handful of clay, a gifted breath of life, and forces will seethe in the conflicts inscribed upon their souls.

The Deragoth are the dark, and in their savage solidity would claim owners.h.i.+p of the shadows they cast. Lock and Pallid, however, are the light that gave the Deragoth shape, without whom neither the Deragoth nor the Hounds of Shadow would exist. If the hunters and the hunted so will, one day the beasts shall come together, baleful in mutual regard, perhaps even eager to annihilate one another, and then, in a single instant of dumbfounded astonishment, vanish one and all. Ha hah.

Not all instincts guide one to behaviours of survival. Life is mired in stupidity, after all, and the smarter the life, the stupider it can be. The Hounds of Shadow were neither brilliant nor brainless. They were, in fact, rather clever.

Salutations to this tripart.i.te universe, so mutually insistent. And why not? It doesn't even exist, except in the caged mind that so needs simplification.

A mind, mused Cotillion, like mine. like mine.

He glanced across at his companion. But not his. When you stand at the centre of the game, no questions arise. How can that be? What is it like, to be the storm's eye? What happens, dear Shadowthrone, when you blink? But not his. When you stand at the centre of the game, no questions arise. How can that be? What is it like, to be the storm's eye? What happens, dear Shadowthrone, when you blink?

'This,' muttered Shadowthrone, 'was unexpected.'

'A d.a.m.ned complication,' Cotillion agreed. 'We need the Hounds there, just to ensure nothing goes awry.'

Shadowthrone snorted. 'It always goes awry. G.o.ds below, I've had to use that mad High Priest again.'

'Iskaral Pust.' After a moment, Cotillion realized he was smiling. He quickly cast away that expression, since if Shadowthrone saw it he might well go apoplectic. 'Lovely as she is, Sordiko Qualm is not insurance enough, not for this, anyway.'

'Nor is Pust!' snapped Shadowthrone.

They watched the Hounds drawing closer, sensed the beasts' collective curiosity at this unplanned intercession. Their task now, after all, was simple. Straightforward, even.

Cotillion glanced back over his shoulder, eyes narrowing on the gaunt figure walking towards them. Well, not precisely the stranger was on his way to a d.a.m.ned reunion, and what would come of that?

'Too many histories, too many half-truths and outright lies.' Shadowthrone snarled every word of that statement. 'Pups of the Tiste Edur any one will do, it seems, if they know the old commands. But now . . .'

'According to my, er, research, its name is Tulas Shorn, and no, I do not know the gender and what seems to be left of it doesn't look as if it will provide enough detail to decide either way.'

Shadowthrone grunted, and then said, 'At least it's sembled oh, how I hate dragons! If vermin had a throne, they'd be on it.'

'Everywhere there's a mess, they're in the middle of it, all right. Eleint, Soletaken hardly a difference, when it comes to trouble.'

'The chaos of their blood, Cotillion. Imagine how dull it would be without them . . . and I so cherish dullness.'

If you say so.

'So,' Shadowthrone resumed, 'how does all this fit with your ridiculously convoluted theories?'

'They're only convoluted because they are without substance if you'll kindly excuse that inadvertent pun. Light, Dark, Shadow. Hounds of this and that and that. These beasts may exist only because of semantics.'

Shadowthrone snorted. 'You don't have to clean up after them the only possible excuse for such an idiotic suggestion. They smell, they slaver and s...o...b..r, they scratch and they lick, Cotillion. Oh, and they tear things to pieces. When it suits them.'

'Because we expect them to.'

'Really now.'

'Listen what was the mess behind the origin of the Deragoth? Wild beasts from the dusty aeons of past ages, seven left in all the world, and the First Emperor who was anything but chooses them as the repositories of his divided soul. All very well, but then we have the Hounds of Shadow, and, presumably, the Hounds of Light-'

'They're just d.a.m.ned albinos, Cotillion, a detail probably irrelevant, and besides, there're only two of them-'

'That we know of, and we know of them only because they wandered into our realm why? What or who summoned them?'

'I did, of course.'

'How?'

Shadowthrone shrugged. 'I mused out loud on the need for . . . replacements.'

'And that const.i.tutes summoning? I believe I have also heard you musing on the "need" for a breathlessly beautiful Queen of Shadow, a slave to your every desire-'

'You were hiding behind the curtain! I knew it!'

'The point is, where is she?'

The question was left unanswered, as Tulas Shorn had arrived, halting ten paces before them. 'It seems,' the undead Tiste Edur said, 'my Hounds have found new . . . pets.'

'Saw his head off, Cotillion,' Shadowthrone said. 'I hate him already.'

Shan slid up beside Cotillion, eyes fixed on Tulas Shorn. A moment later Baran, Rood, Blind and Gear arrived, padding round the rulers of the Realm of Shadow, and onward to encircle the Tiste Edur.

Who held out his hands, as if inviting the beasts to draw close.

None did.

'They preferred you living, I think,' Cotillion observed. 'The dead surrender so much.'

'If only my sentiments were dead,' Tulas Shorn said, then sighed as it lowered its hands to its sides once more. 'Still, it pleases me to see them. But two are missing.'

At that Cotillion glanced round. 'Well, you're right.'

'Killed?'

'Killed,' confirmed Shadowthrone.

'Who?'

'Anomander Rake.'

At the name Tulas Shorn started.

'Still around,' said Shadowthrone, 'yes. Hee hee. Houndslayer.'

'And neither of you strong enough to avenge the slayings, it seems. I am astonished that my Hounds have accepted such feeble masters.'

'I thought it was pets. No matter. Ganrod and Doan died because they were precipitate. Blame poor training. I do.'

'I am of a mind to test you,' said Tulas Shorn after a moment.

'You want the Throne of Shadow, do you?'

'My first rule was cut short. I have learned since-'

'Hardly. You died.' Shadowthrone waved one ephemeral hand. 'Whatever you learned, you did not learn well enough. Obviously.'

'You seem certain of that.'

'He is,' said Cotillion.

'Is it simply megalomania, then, that so afflicts him?'

'Well, yes, but that's beside the point.'

'And what is the point?'

'That you clearly have not learned anything worthwhile.'

'And why do you say that?'

'Because you've just said that you were of a mind to test us.'

Tulas Shorn c.o.c.ked its head. 'Do you imagine the Hounds will defend you?'

'These ones? Probably not.'

'Then-' But the rest of his statement was left unfinished, as Lock and Pallid arrived, heads low, hackles upright like spines, to flank Shadowthrone and Cotillion. Upon seeing them, Tulas Shorn stepped back. 'By the Abyss,' it whispered, 'have you two lost your minds? They cannot be here they must not be among you-'

'Why?' Cotillion demanded, leaning forward in sudden interest.

But the Tiste Edur simply shook its head.

The two bone-white Hounds looked barely restrained, moments from exploding into a deadly charge. The hate was avid in their eyes.

'Why?' Cotillion asked again. Cotillion asked again.

'The . . . implacability of forces we think to tame, but the wildness remains. Control is a delusion in the mind of self-proclaimed masters masters.' And that last word dripped with contempt. 'The leash, you fools, is frayed frayed don't you understand anything at all?' don't you understand anything at all?'

'Perhaps-'

Tulas Shorn lifted both hands again, but this time in a warding gesture. 'We thought the same, once. We'd deceived ourselves into thinking we were the masters, that every force bowed to our command. And what happened? They destroyed everything!' They destroyed everything!'

'I don't-'

'Understand? I see that! I see that! They are conjurations manifestations they exist to warn you. They are the proof that all that you think to enslave They are conjurations manifestations they exist to warn you. They are the proof that all that you think to enslave will turn on you will turn on you.' And it backed away. 'The end begins again, it begins again.'

Cotillion stepped forward. 'Light, Dark and Shadow these three are you saying-' 'Three?' Tulas Shorn laughed with savage bitterness. 'What then of Life? Fire and Stone and Wind? What, you fools, of the Hounds of Death? Manifestations, I said. They will turn they are telling you that! That is why they exist! The fangs, the fury all that is implacable in nature each aspect but a variation, a hue in the maelstrom of destruction!' They will turn they are telling you that! That is why they exist! The fangs, the fury all that is implacable in nature each aspect but a variation, a hue in the maelstrom of destruction!'

Tulas Shorn was far enough away now, and the Tiste Edur began veering into a dragon.

As one, all seven Hounds surged forward but they were too late, as the enormous winged creature launched skyward, rising on a wave of appalling power that sent Cotillion staggering back; that blew through Shadowthrone until he seemed half shredded.

The Soletaken dragon rose higher, as if riding on a column of pure panic, or horror. Or dismay. A pillar reaching for the heavens. Far above, the Great Ravens scattered.

Recovering, Cotillion turned on Shadowthrone. 'Are we in trouble?'

The ruler of High House Shadow slowly collected himself back into a vaguely human shape. 'I can't be sure,' he said.

'Why not?'

'Why, because I blinked.'

Up ahead, the Hounds had resumed their journey. Lock loped a tad too close alongside Shan and she snarled the beast off.

Tongue lolled, jaw hanging in silent laughter.

So much for lessons in hubris.

There were times, Kallor reflected, when he despised his own company. The day gloried in its indifference, the sun a blinding blaze tracking the turgid crawl of the landscape. The gra.s.ses clung to the hard earth the way they always did, seeds drifting on the wind as if on sighs of hope. Tawny rodents stood sentinel above warren holes and barked warnings as he marched past. The shadows of circling hawks rippled across his path every now and then.

Despising himself was, oddly enough, a comforting sensation, for he knew he was not alone in his hate. He could recall times, sitting on a throne as if he and it had merged into one, as immovable and inviolate as one of the matching statues outside the palace (any one of his innumerable palaces), when he would feel the oceanic surge of hate's tide. His subjects, tens, hundreds of thousands, each and every one wis.h.i.+ng him dead, cast down, torn to pieces. Yet what had he been but the perfect, singular representative of all that they despised within themselves? Who among them would not eagerly take his place? Casting down foul judgements upon all whose very existence offended?

He had been, after all, the very paragon of acquisitiveness. Managing to grasp what others could only reach for, to gather into his power a world's a.r.s.enal of weapons, and reshape that world in hard cuts, to make of it what he willed not one would refuse to take his place. Yes, they could hate him; indeed, they must must hate him, for he embodied the perfection of success, and his very existence mocked their own failures. And the violence he delivered? Well, watch how it played out in smaller scenes everywhere the husband who cannot satisfy his wife, so he beats her down with his fists. The streetwise adolescent bully, pinning his victim to the cobbles and twisting the hapless creature's arm. The n.o.ble walking past the starving beggar. The thief with the avaricious eye no, none of these is any different, not in their fundamental essence. hate him, for he embodied the perfection of success, and his very existence mocked their own failures. And the violence he delivered? Well, watch how it played out in smaller scenes everywhere the husband who cannot satisfy his wife, so he beats her down with his fists. The streetwise adolescent bully, pinning his victim to the cobbles and twisting the hapless creature's arm. The n.o.ble walking past the starving beggar. The thief with the avaricious eye no, none of these is any different, not in their fundamental essence.

So, hate Kallor even as he hates himself. Even in that, he will do it better. Innate superiority expressed in all manner of ways. See the world gnash its teeth he answers with a most knowing smile.

He walked, the place where he had begun far, far behind him now, and the place to where he was going drawing ever closer, step by step, as inexorable as this crawling landscape. Let the sentinels bark, let the hawks muse with wary eye. Seeds ride his legs, seeking out new worlds. He walked, and in his mind memories unfolded like worn packets of parchment, seamed and creased; scurried up from the bottom of some burlap sack routed as rats, crackling as they opened up in a rain of flattened moths and insect carca.s.ses.