5.Death of Chaos
XXXV
The Black Holding, Land's End [Recluce]
“DID YOU FEEL what happened in Hydlen?” Heldra steps onto the ancient terrace.
“Yes, and I didn't like the feel of it.” Talryn walks along the wall that edges the terrace.
“It felt ugly, but Candar's always been a mess.” Heldra glances from the black stones cut centuries earlier to the oak that spreads far above the terrace and then to Talryn, who nods.
“Why are we here?” asks Maris.
“Because this is the Founders' Shrine and because the rules of the Council say we have to meet here once a season.”
“It's creepy, like Creslin's looking over my shoulder.” Maris turns toward the ancient house, its stones still crisp and locked in order.
“That's the idea. What we do is supposed to reflect their ideals.”
“That was a thousand years ago. This is now.” Maris sniffs.
“As Heldra pointed out,” responds Talryn, “some things don't change. Candar is still a mess. There's a lot of chaos floating free. Lerris did something to Gerlis. There's no chaos focus left there. We've had order and chaos focuses for that whole time, and we still don't have a good way to deal with them.”
“Pretty spot. I can see why Megaera liked it.” Heldra turns from viewing the Eastern Ocean. “Lerris did a lot more than something. I can still sense the reverberations.”
“So what will happen?” Maris studies the window and peers into the old Council Room. He shivers.
Talryn shrugs. “I suspect that Berfir will cede the spring and some land to the autarch. At some time in the future, once he's trounced Colaris with his rocket carts, he'll repudiate the agreement and try to take it back.”
“You think the autarch will let him? And what if Colaris finds some new tricks of his own? They really want that Ohyde Valley back.” Maris still peers through the window at the old Council Room. “Is that blade Creslin's?”
“Yes. This is your first time here, isn't it?”
Maris nods.
“They say he never wore that blade after he destroyed the great white fleet. Probably just another old tale.” Heldra pauses. “I've held the blade, though. There's... something...there.”
“Maybe. You and your blades.” Maris fingers his beard. “You might be right. Truth is sometimes harder to believe than lies. What about Cassius? Who would believe a man from another-what does he call it?-another universe... coming through an order/chaos flaw? He's here, though. What if Lerris created something like that? What if the next visitor isn't so friendly?”
“Those things don't happen often.” Talryn half laughed.
“Then there's Sammel. Antonin, Gerlis, Sammel, Lerris, and that doesn't even include Justen and Tamra.”
“Sammel?” Heldra opens the door and holds it. “What about him? His problem is that he loves knowledge more than order. That's not exactly the same as Antonin or Gerlis, who were out to create chaos for their own power.”
“He's setting himself up as something.” Talryn follows Heldra inside the Black Holding. “Have you heard from the black squads?”
“No. That bothers me a bit.”
“A bit?” asks Maris. “How many did you send?”
“Just two, with the rocket guns. They didn't have to get close.”
Talryn frowns. “I can still sense Sammel. We may have a problem there.”
“He might be a bigger problem than young Lerris, a much bigger problem,” suggests Maris. “And what if this war between Berfir and Colaris drags on? And what if Sammel and Lerris and Justen and Tamra all get involved? Then what do we do?”
“Candar-always a mess. What else has happened there since the fall of Frven? Justen destroyed the old white empire, and melted it into slag, and it didn't affect us. We can certainly handle this one. We'll let Colaris and Berfir fight it out, and I'll take a squad after Sammel personally.” Heldra closes the outside door, and then leads the way to the black oak door to the old Council chamber. “I'm more worried about the growth of machines and all those new ships in Hamor... and that steel that's nearly as good as black iron.”
“You just don't want to admit you were wrong about Sammel,” says Maris.
Heldra's hand eases around the hilt of the blade.
“Just joking,” adds Maris quickly.