Elves: Beyond the Mists of Katura Read Online Free PDF Page A

quietly or listen with my eyes closed. And I feel a great deal, Auum, and I am sorry that I agreed to this journey. It has caused such
sadness.’
    ‘Of all of us you have the least need to apologise. Katura has been your life. And your leaving is the passing of something into history that touches us all. Every elf living and every elf
yet to be born owes you a debt of gratitude they cannot hope to repay.’
    ‘I won’t be around long enough for a start. That’s a lot of gratitude.’
    Auum chuckled and a smile broke briefly on Nerille’s face.
    ‘Well, hang on until we get to Aryndeneth, at least, could you? I’d hate to think all this was a waste.’
    ‘I’ll remind myself to keep breathing.’
    ‘You know what I believe?’ said Ulysan.
    ‘Enlighten us,’ said Auum, glad the big TaiGethen had joined the conversation.
    ‘We built Katura in the Palm of Yniss. And Yniss favours those who fight to save his children. That’s what you did, Nerille, and so he blessed you with long life. Life enough to see
all your efforts bear fruit, enough to see your achievements gloried. Now you’ve left the palm, those energies will be withheld until you reach Aryndeneth. There you will live for
ever.’
    ‘Dear me, I do hope not,’ said Nerille and she reached out a hand to Ulysan. ‘But you say the most wonderful, uplifting things. Thank you.’
    ‘I’m right, you know,’ said Ulysan.
    Deep in the forest an ululating cry grew in volume. It was taken up by others from all points of the compass. The roars of panthers rose and fell in concert with the cries of the elves. The
sound shattered the ambience of the rainforest as every one of Tual’s creatures paused to listen. Auum felt a shiver pass through his body and a great weight settle on his shoulders.
    It had been seven centuries since this call had echoed beneath the canopy, and it brought back memories of invasion, war and extermination. Only in the bleakest times was the ClawBound call to
muster the TaiGethen sung in this way. It chilled Auum’s blood to hear it again.
    ‘We’re still six days from Ysundeneth,’ said Ulysan.
    ‘No,’ said Auum. ‘Eight. I will not fail in this, the happiest of tasks, in order to seek out the grimmest.’
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Auum,’ said Nerille. ‘Unless my ears have failed me, that was the call of mortal threat. You can’t delay answering it, not by a day, not even
by an hour. The Al-Arynaar will see me safe to Aryndeneth.’
    Auum shook his head. ‘After seven hundred years of unfailing service to the whole of elven kind, if their salvation cannot wait another two days it is already beyond us. But, if
you’ll forgive me, Nerille, we will increase our pace.’
    The disappointment Auum felt at their arrival in Aryndeneth would live with him for ever. All that he had planned had been ripped to shreds by the ClawBound call. There was no
honour guard of TaiGethen to see them to the doors of the temple. There was no feast of welcome. There would be no ceremonial prayers to dedicate the Palm of Yniss back to Tual’s
denizens.
    Nerille’s arrival, marking the end of one of the more glorious chapters of elven history, passed almost unnoticed.
    The grand old Gyalan elf was helped from her litter, determined to walk across the apron and into the temple to pray. Auum and Ulysan flanked her. Tulan and the Al-Arynaar walked behind them.
Early evening sunlight was warming the forest after a brief deluge. Steam rose into the canopy, shafts of sunlight sparkled against the multi-coloured glass tiles in the temple roof. Aryndeneth
should have been at peace.
    Auum looked around him. The usual TaiGethen guards were already gone to join the muster. Inside the temple the atmosphere was subdued and anxious. Prayers were being led by senior priests, and
the sounds of light and laughter that Auum associated with the temple were muted. Auum laid his hand on the shoulder of a young priest kneeling by the harmonic pool.