Wrath of Kerberos (27 page)

“A god.”

“A god?”

“Yes, Kerberos.”

“Interesting. I understand that some do indeed believe Kerberos to be a deity. The worship of Kerberos has become particularly prevalent amongst the humans. Do all worship Kerberos in your time?”

“Most people don’t have a choice.”

“And why were you trying to escape the god?”

“We angered Kerberos by harbouring fugitives that He had been seeking to destroy.”

Seeing the expression of confusion on the woman’s face, Kelos explained about Illiun and his people; how Kerberos had consumed the god that once looked down on their planet and how Illiun had lead a group of exiles into the void, hoping to escape the anger of the usurper god, only to be pursued across the millennia.

“I can’t claim to fully understand you,” said the woman, “but I do know someone who will want to talk to you.”

The elf walked over to the wall, where an extendible brass tube sat in its housing. This she raised to her lips.

“Keldren, please. Yes, I do mean Keldren. Thank you.” There was a long pause, during which the woman looked at Kelos, her gaze unwavering. The mage felt like he was being stripped bare by her scrutiny. “What? Yes, it is she. I have someone I believe you are going to want to talk to. It concerns Kerberos, amongst other things. Yes, we’ll wait.”

The woman slid the tube back into its housing before re-taking her seat. She didn’t say anything, but instead resumed her study of Kelos. He began to squirm under her gaze, before looking out of the window and humming a tune to himself.

Eventually the door opened and an elderly elf male entered. He blinked and shielded his eyes against the light flooding the room. “You wanted to see me?”

“Keldren. Your studies take in Kerberos, and related religious belief within human culture?”

“I thought that no one cared. I must admit, I’m somewhat flattered.”

“I make sure I know of all our academics and their studies, Keldren. At any rate, I believe that you will want to speak to our guest, Kelos. It sounds like he’s had rather an interesting experience concerning Kerberos.”

The elderly man shuffled over and brought his face close to Kelos’s own. “What an unusual example of his race.”

“Kelos is something of a special case. He claims to come from the future, having been displaced in time due to sorcery.”

“Really? How extraordinary.”

“Indeed. I believe that you two have much to discuss. Keldren, if you wouldn’t mind?”

The woman bent to her papers again, making it clear that they were both dismissed.

“A
HUMAN SORCERER,
” Keldren muttered to himself as he led Kelos through the palace. “How extraordinary.”

“Then the humans amongst you aren’t magic users?” Kelos said.

“No. Nor would they be allowed access to magic even if they had the ability to wield the threads. I must say that you are most eloquent for a human.”

“Thank you, I think.”

They had descended so far through the palace that Kelos reckoned they must now be deep within the cliffs upon which the city was built, perhaps even below sea level. Indeed, there was a distinct briny odour to the air and, in places, the stone walls were covered with barnacles.

“I know,” Keldren said, noting Kelos taking in their surroundings. “It’s not ideal. The atmosphere plays havoc with my texts, and these tunnels are often flooded. If it weren’t for the protective wards I commissioned – at my own expense, I must add – my library, and I along with it, would have been washed away long ago. My area of expertise is rather obscure, so, alas, I find myself relegated to the sub-levels. I suppose I should be grateful that I have a room in the palace at all.”

The room was hardly
in
the palace, Kelos considered, but he didn’t say anything as the silver-haired man unlocked a door slimed by gelatinous moulds and ushered him into the damp room beyond.

Despite the less than ideal surroundings, Kelos had to admit that Keldren was in possession of a most impressive library. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled every wall, and he couldn’t help but examine the wealth of literature with avarice. With an academic thrill, he recognised some of the titles on the spines; works that would, in his own time, be some of the most sought-after magical texts. And here they were, in pristine condition.

“My gods,” Kelos said. “You have
Treatises on Dwarven Stone Magic
and... and is that
Calma Theology and Related Aquatic Magical Thinking and Practice?
I’d heard, but never, ever thought I’d see...”

He was momentarily struck dumb by wonder as he fingered the binding of the legendary work, noticing, as he did so, that the gold foiling appeared to be brand new.

“What? Oh, yes, I had that bound last year. But how can you have heard of it? I only had five copies of the work produced and I’m fairly certain I’m the only one to have actually read the thing. Sad, really, seeing as I’m the author. But, like I said, my studies do tend to be confined to the more obscure subjects.”

“Hang on, you’re the... Of course, why didn’t it strike me earlier? You’re Keldren Dremos Enthrold!”

“You have heard of me?”

“Heard of you? Your name is legendary amongst practitioners of sorcery, your works the most prized! I must say that I’m a massive, massive fan. I adore
Sea Water: Divination, Transformation and Communication
. I practically based my entire study of elemental magic on it!” Kelos saw the blank look on Keldren’s face. “Oh... of course. Sorry, you probably haven’t written that one yet. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. Anyway,
Dwarven Stone Magic
is equally as brilliant.”

Keldren grinned, the delight transforming his face into the features of one more youthful. “I say! I didn’t think anyone cared. It’s marvellous, just simply marvellous, to meet one such as yourself who appreciates my studies. It’s nice to know that I make a difference. My works persevere, even if the elven empire doesn’t.”

“That’s a somewhat pessimistic view to take, don’t you think?”

“It’s true though, isn’t it?” When Kelos didn’t answer, Keldren nodded. “Which bring us to Kerberos. Tell me, what do you know of that most unusual entity?”

Kelos told him of everything he and his companions had been through: how Silus had developed a unique ability to commune with the god; how Kerberos had used its powers to save Twilight from an invasion of the Chadassa, and how they had discovered a more sinister side to the god when they had met Illiun and his band of interstellar refugees. He also told Keldren of the Final Faith, and how it used military fear to enforce belief in Kerberos as a god.

“I have certainly observed the roots of the Final Faith in the humans of our time,” Keldren said. “And I can understand why some may consider Kerberos a god. But the central tenet of the Final Faith is incorrect. Kerberos is not the
one
true god. Kerberos is just one of what was once a pantheon of beings” – Keldren moved over to one of the bookcases – “and, if I am correct in my supposition, there were
twelve
such entities.” He reached up and tugged at the spine of a huge book, which shifted a few inches before becoming jammed. “Would you mind...?”

“What? Oh, yes, of course.”

Kelos helped the academic wrestle the mighty tome out of its niche. When they finally freed it, it took the two of them to lug it over to a bookstand. The boards of the cover had become warped, no doubt due to the damp atmosphere, and when Keldren threw open the book, a shower of dead silverfish drifted to the floor.

“Now, where were we? Rather interesting volume, this, you know. Found it in the remains of an ancient ship. Anyway... Ah yes, one of the twelve, but we only know the names of five of the pantheon. Kerberos you know. There are – or rather were – also Chazra-Ney, Rehastt, Faranoon, and Hel’ss. Of these, only Kerberos and Hel’ss remain.”

“What happened to the others? Were they consumed, just as Kerberos consumed the god of Illiun’s homeworld?”

“You’ve hit the nail on the head, my friend. You see, the beings of the pantheon are constantly at war. Academics have speculated, of course, but the origins of this antagonism are simply unknowable. What we do know, however, is that during the course of this conflict several of these beings have consumed each other. In doing so, they grow in power.

“These beings – gods, if you like – thrive on the life energies of the planets they shape. For instance, Kerberos feeds on the energy of the departing souls of this world. So, your Final Faith has something when they say our souls fly to the clouds of Kerberos when we die. Without us, Kerberos’s power would diminish and it would eventually perish, burning out like a dying star. And the conflict is far from over. The two remaining entities covet each other’s creations and the lives that enrich them, and it will only be a matter of time before Hel’ss shows its hand and launches an attack on Kerberos. When that happens, it could mean the end of everything.” Keldren noticed Kelos blanch. “Oh, there’s no need to be alarmed. Hel’ss won’t enter the orbit of our world for a good long while yet.”

“How long do we have?”

Keldren opened a drawer and took out a long vellum scroll, which he rolled out onto a table. Kelos saw star charts and calendars inked on the soft leather.

“Hel’ss will enter Twilight’s orbit on... well, see for yourself,” Keldren said, pointing to a date on the scroll.

“That’s... why, that’s next year. I mean... I mean it
will
be next year, in our time, as it were. There must be something we can do! It... we have to get back. Warn everybody.”

But even as he said the words, Kelos realised that there was genuinely nothing he
could
do. He just didn’t have the power to take them all home. Just as the god of Illiun’s world had been consumed by Kerberos, Kerberos would be consumed by Hel’ss. Their world would end.

“Take comfort in the fact that you are safe here,” Keldren said, laying a hand on Kelos’s shoulder. “You shall die long before the final battle between Hel’ss and Kerberos. Anyway, that is entirely by the bye, since you and your companions will not be allowed to leave the city.”

There was something Kelos didn’t like about Keldren’s tone, and he turned to see that the academic’s expression had darkened.

“You can’t keep us here, surely?”

“Oh, but we can. You are humans; you were created by the elves to serve. And, besides, as unusually evolved examples of your race you must be studied.”

“This is outrageous! We’re not subjects in some scientific experiment.”

“All I can promise is that I will supervise your treatment myself, Kelos, along with those companions of yours... Emuel and Silus, was it? As magic users, they too must be studied.”

“And what will happen to the rest?”

“They will go to the camps. They will be treated well.”

Having already seen the humans in the city, Kelos doubted this very much.

C
HAPTER
N
INETEEN

T
HE LAST THING
Katya could recall was eating the meal of thin, peppery gruel the servant brought them, some hours after Kelos had been taken away.

When she opened her eyes, it was obvious they were no longer in the palace dormitory. The ceiling here was much lower and the room considerably smaller. By the light of the weak fire that guttered in the centre of the room, she could just make out the mounds of bodies scattered across the earth floor. Several of them were groaning as they came to. A hand reached from the darkness and gripped her arm; she turned to see Dunsany struggling out of sleep.