The Black Rose Part 16

Chapter XI.

the ubermensch It was only that evening that Jack realized he'd actually never been to a party before. It had used to bother him that Lucy was invited to all the gatherings when he never was, but after that evening, he couldn't imagine how a group of teenagers drinking in someone's living room could possibly match up to what they had been treated to.

They'd spent the rest of the afternoon inside The Golden Turtle, sorting out the stocks of provisions and clearing out anything left behind. When they emerged, night had fallen and flickering lights were emanating from the shelter. As they moved closer, it was clear that the zoputa had been hard at work. The canopy had been extended over more trees, now with something like walls, and the main area had been set out like a giant buffet. Smoky aromas wafted towards them, and Jack felt his stomach rumble. The lights were a series of fires licking an a.s.sortment of vegetables and something that probably used to be one of the antelope creatures.

The Apollonians had places reserved around the circle, equally dispersed amongst the zoputa. Jack sunk into a cross-legged position between a sinewy man and a grandmotherly figure. They ate with their hands out of bowls crafted from something like coconut sh.e.l.ls. The food was delicious: Jack couldn't remember tasting anything as good. After the soot-encrusted meals of Albion and the adequate but minimal rations from The Golden Turtle, it was refres.h.i.+ng to taste something properly organic. Dannie devoured hers within minutes and made straight for second helpings. Only after a fourth or fifth course did Jack put down his bowl, in recognition that his stomach would mutiny if forced to take any more in.

The shelter bubbled with conversation throughout the meal. Jack got talking to the man next to him, who had been among the congregation in the Cathedral. Jack's initial reservations about the man's complicity in the Cult's rule vanished immediately when he learnt that his wife and daughter had been lost in the cataclysm. Jack tried to ease the conversation to a less distressing topic, and they were soon talking about the new world.

The old woman, meanwhile, wanted to know everything about him and the other Apollonians. Feeling a little as if he was telling his life story, Jack explained about Earth, the Cult's attack, meeting the Apollonians, and everything they'd seen and done since then. All the while she nodded, occasionally volunteering a question or asking him to point someone out around the circle. It was only when he got to the bit about Thorin Salr that he remembered Ada's caution to them not to tell any locals about who they truly were. But then, he thought, this must be an exception. These people had seen enough to know there was something beyond their closeted world.

The only Apollonian who looked uncomfortable was Lucy. She sat next to a girl of a similar age, and though the zoputa kept trying to engage her in conversation, she gave only single-word answers before turning back to her bowl.

Jack a.s.sumed the meal would be the end of the evening, but he was completely wrong. Once the last morsels of meat had been sc.r.a.ped off the bones and the vegetables had been devoured entirely, the remnants were cleared away. People started getting to their feet, and Jack followed, not entirely sure what he was meant to be doing. Then, shakily at first but with growing confidence, a drumbeat rose. Another followed at a slightly different rhythm and another, and then came the rattling of some other percussion instrument.

The zoputa began to shuffle, a little awkwardly to begin with, but with growing confidence. Several broke out into the middle of the circle, tossing their heads back and jumping from one foot to the other. As the beat continued, the group joined in the communal dance.

Jack remained where he was. The man to Jack's right had been pulled in by a friend.

The old woman squinted at Jack. "Well, if you're not going, I am." And she jigged creakily from foot to foot into the crowd.

He looked around for the other Apollonians. Many of them had joined in, though a small group had collected around Charles, either to keep him company or as an excuse not to dance. Jack made his way over.

Hakim s.h.i.+mmied past, accompanied by the emissary from earlier in the day. "I knew the Cult didn't have complete control, but I was not expecting this!"

"We have a strong tradition of underground music," the emissary replied over the beat. "Of course, our instruments were destroyed, but we managed to cobble some imitations together this afternoon."

"Very impressive!"

"Not a dancer then, Jack?" Charles smirked, tapping the rhythm on the arm of his wheelchair. "You should make the most of it. I'd be out there if I could."

Jack smiled sheepishly and took up a token foot tapping.

Ada was part of the nondancing group, her face reflecting the intermittent firelight as bodies swooped in front of the flames. She wasn't smiling or even moving at all to the rhythm. With an odd stab of reminiscence, Jack thought of the first time he had met her. She had been extremely tense then, concerned about Sardar's well-being, and that had manifested itself as cold impatience. He got a sense of the same tension now.

"How's Sardar?" he ventured, making sure only she could hear him.

Ada exhaled slowly. "He's... sleeping. That fight with the Emperor took its toll badly, on top of the other recent injuries."

"But he's going to get better, isn't-?"

Ruth burst out of the rippling circle, her face flushed. "Aren't you joining in?" she addressed Jack, panting.

He glanced distractedly at Ada, but she shook her head. "I don't dance," he said.

"What do you mean you don't dance?" Ruth tugged at his wrist, and his resistance gave way. She pulled him into the midst of the crowd and began to move her body with the beat.

Jack stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. He was very conscious of being the only person in the entire crowd not dancing.

"Come on." Ruth grinned. "If you really can't, I'll show you how."

She placed her hands on his hips and pulled him closer, rolling him in time with her own motion. He moved his hands to her waist, and they drew nearer still. The flames reflected concave in her eyes. Her breath was warm on his cheek. Then they were kissing.

"I thought so," Vince called, moving past them with his arms around a zoputan woman.

Jack and Ruth both laughed, a little abashed.

"No, by all means, carry on," Vince added and disappeared into the mesh of people.

The next few days were hard but rewarding work. After everything from the celebration night had been cleared away, the zoputan council reconvened and several hours later came out with a resolution. They were going to establish a community on this new world, naming it Nduino after the revolutionary cell for which Ruth's parents and many others had laid down their lives. They were going to hold a series of further meetings to draw up a charter of laws so that they could live in greatest possible harmony with each other and this new environment. In the meantime, they would begin extending the shelters in the most sustainable way possible.

The Apollonians found themselves in an odd position. For the first time since their foundation, they had no enemy to fight, no cataclysm to prevent or plan for, no definite purpose to fulfill. It seemed natural that they should, for the time being, help build up Nduino. With Charles acting as architect, they all pitched in collecting materials, crafting them and mes.h.i.+ng them together, putting up canopies and constructing rudimentary huts. It was tiring, and in the superheated middle of the day they took prolonged breaks under one of the canopies. However, with every new structure erected came a growing sense of progress.

There was only one thing that marred their time there. All of the refugees, however shakily and sporadically, were getting gradually better. The same could not be said for Sardar. The elf had been lapsing in and out of consciousness their entire time on Nduino, and Ada had attended him almost constantly. Apparently feverish, he'd been moved aboard to rest in the cool environment of The Golden Turtle.

The others had offered to keep vigil, but Ada remained resolute. She said he was her responsibility and the others should a.s.sist the zoputan in building their community. Jack had seen nothing of Sardar since he'd been moved inside and very little of Ada. Whenever she climbed down the side of the s.h.i.+p or made a run for water, she looked increasingly worn down.

To a lesser extent, this also affected Hakim. Whilst he was sure to keep up an optimistic front as the de facto leader of the Apollonians, Hakim was sinking, and it was increasingly apparent to Jack in moments of inaction. When Hakim got away from the work periodically to drop down the hatch of the s.h.i.+p, he always returned more restrained than before.

A group had just erected another miniature shelter when Jack caught sight of Ada emerging from the s.h.i.+p. Hakim stood next to Jack, looking in the same direction.

"They seem really close."

Hakim smiled slightly. "They always were. I've never seen a couple quite like those two."

"How long have they been together?"

"Years and years. They went to school together, to university. That's where I met both of them. I've never known either of them to be with anyone else. They both had successful careers, one as a teacher, one as a lawyer, but they've never parted..." He trailed off.

Jack had an uncomfortable feeling that Hakim had been about to say, Until now. "He's not doing well, is he?"

Hakim took a moment to reply. "No, he's not."

"Why's he been affected so much worse than the others?" Jack pressed, hoping he wasn't sounding too insensitive.

"That's the problem-we don't know exactly what's wrong with him. He was weak already, from all the events in Thorin Salr and Albion, and the duel with the Emperor seems to have tipped him over the edge. The others injured may have been tortured or caught in the wreckage, but none of them had to face off with possibly the most powerful alchemist of our era. And then there's the matter I spoke about at the meeting. Using a Shard for too long means you become accustomed to it: the power becomes natural to you. When it's gone, your idea of your limits is... warped."

Jack didn't reply. His gaze followed Ada, who had sunk to crouch in the shadow of the s.h.i.+p.

"Should we go and talk to her?"

"I've tried. So have Charles and Vince and others too. There's nothing any of us can say that will make the situation any better. It's a waiting game now."

Later that day, Jack finally got the chance to see Sardar. Ada had appeared at his side as he had been tying some leaves together and told him that Sardar wanted to speak to him. Hurriedly leaving what he was doing, he followed her into the s.h.i.+p and down one of the corridors. She slid open a cabin door and muttered a few words, then stood aside to let him in, closing the door behind her.

The room was dimly lit, the amber glow from the lamp s.h.i.+vering slightly against the opposite wall. It took a moment for Jack to realize that the lump of shadows on the bed was Sardar-his only movement was the hint of his chest rising and falling.

"Come closer, Jack." His voice was barely audible, rasping like the rustle of leafless branches.

Jack moved up to the bed. He was about to ask "Are you alright?" but the sight he was met with answered the question all too clearly for him. He had never seen anyone look so weak. The elf's face seemed to have collapsed on itself, the lamplight shadowing the deep recesses of cheeks and eye sockets. His hair had thinned and greyed, and his hands, laid upon his stomach, looked skeletal. What appeared to be life-support aids only exacerbated the dreary effect. Sardar looked as if he was caught in a cradle of wires, weaving over and between the blankets and puncturing his skin. Jack involuntarily raised his hand to his mouth, then forcibly lowered it. He had no idea what to say.

Sardar gathered his energy, then spoke again. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Can't this wait until you're better?"

The elf smiled sadly. "I'm not sure that's going to happen. This can't wait."

Jack paused, then nodded.

"Good. Now take off your language ring."

Puzzled, Jack struggled to pull the ring off his finger. It had been on for so long that it left a red welt against his knuckle. As before, the symbol wasn't lit up.

"Now is there anything different?"

"No," Jack replied slowly. "Wait. You're speaking your language, aren't you? How can I understand you?"

Sardar closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. "Just as I thought. It hasn't worked in a while, has it?"

Jack thought for a moment. "No, I suppose not. Dannie pointed it out to me the other day, but even before then... What does it mean?"

Sardar didn't reply, his eyes still closed.

"Sardar, what does it mean?"

The elf's next words were so faint that Jack had to lean in until he could feel the breath on his cheek.

"It means that you are the ubermensch."

Chapter XII.

departures Sardar died the following day.

Looking back on it, Jack remembered thinking there should have been a thunderstorm or some other seismic event. There wasn't. There was just Ada, emerging from the s.h.i.+p looking wrecked, the first Apollonians halting their activities, realizing what had happened, cl.u.s.tering about her, followed by more and more people. Jack stayed out of it, feeling like a pebble as people streamed by. Her sobs were m.u.f.fled by the ama.s.sed bodies.

The rest of that day was a blur. No more work was done. The body was conveyed off the s.h.i.+p in the most respectful way possible. It had been wrapped in one of Sardar's old cloaks. It wasn't actually Sardar under there; it couldn't be. At least, for the time being, Jack could pretend it wasn't. The folds of brown under the sun could have been disguising anyone.

A pyre was formed in an open s.p.a.ce beyond the shelters. No one questioned this-it seemed that Ada, along with several others, had known of his preference. It was a mound of bark, gra.s.s, and dry leaves, into which the cloaked shape was placed like a cradle. Then they dispersed, waiting for nightfall.

Sometime afterwards-he had no idea how long-Jack found himself slumped in the shadow of The Golden Turtle, hidden from sight of the shelters. A glimmer of white sprung up next to him. Inari sat on his hind legs, the thick, paintbrush-like tails wafting. For once, he didn't speak, considering Jack with his beady black eyes.

Jack didn't acknowledge him immediately but maintained his gaze over the savannah. He didn't want to talk, especially about what had just happened, but one thing had just become clear. "You knew, didn't you?"

"That you're the ubermensch? Yes."

"I suppose it's pointless asking why you didn't tell me."

"For the same reason I can't tell you everything right now. I'm constrained-"

"But by who?" Jack stomped the dirt with one foot. "The Cult's gone! The Emperor's gone! Even Sardar"-the words caught in his throat, but he forged ahead-"even Sardar's gone now. What can possibly be stopping you?"

The fox opened his mouth, but only a spluttering gasp came out, as if he were being strangled. He tried again, with the same result. "I... I can't..."

Jack didn't reply. He was beginning to feel numb, the sensation spreading from his core outwards, pus.h.i.+ng the heat from him. He wanted to get up and leave Inari in the dust. The fox usually showed up at the most unwanted times, but when he was needed he was so rarely there.

Even as these emotions began to form into a loud rebuke, they withered and died again. Jack was too tired for this, too exhausted by existence. Too much had gone wrong in the last few hours; there was no point adding to the load.

The fox waited a few seconds. Then he wriggled next to Jack, who absently caressed him. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help. I know it must be difficult at the moment."

Jack exhaled slowly. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. It seems like a huge revelation, but I'm just where I was before. So I can speak any language. Now what? I'm supposed to be leading the Light against the Darkness. How's being multilingual going to help me do that?"

"Far more than you know."

"Can't you give me any more than that?"

Inari turned his triangular head toward him. "You're on the right track."

"What, you mean finding the Shards?"

"Not just that. You were on it long before you came across the Apollonians. You're a good person, Jack. Better than me. And that's what will make all the difference in the end."

Night approached slowly, but when it fell, it was particularly clear. A tapestry of stars hailed the gatherers at the pyre. Nothing was said. Jack was glad of that; he wasn't sure he could have handled any kind of elegy or reminiscence. They waited in solemn silence whilst Ada and Hakim approached, bearing twin alchemical flames between their palms like lotus flowers. They took up positions at opposite ends. Everything was still. Then they lowered the fires onto the fringes of the wood.

To all the lights glimmering in the heavens, they added another, the sparks spiralling into the night. The blazing pyramid, steadily crackling, marked their shadows into the dust. The cloak wore away, and the dim outline of a figure flickered amidst the flames before being obscured.

Jack didn't look at anyone else. His gaze was fixed on the flames until his vision swam with smoke.

As the fire began to quell, the zoputa dispersed. A little later, the first Apollonians took their respectful leave. Eventually, only Ada, Hakim, Charles, and Jack remained.

Charles creaked his wheelchair over to him and spoke softly. "I think it's time we gave Ada some s.p.a.ce."

Jack nodded and turned away. Hakim joined them as they made their slow way back towards the shelter, not speaking a word. Jack was glad of the darkness. His eyes had begun to sting, no longer with the heat of the fire.

They hadn't reached the shelter before Lucy became discernible out of the gloom. She was in their path, and it was clear she was there for a purpose. Jack glanced over his shoulder. Ada was knelt before the embers, her form blurred on the edges by the sinking heat. He didn't want to talk to Lucy right now.

"Jack," she began.