"You shall not have long to enjoy your triumph," whispered Grim Tuesday. "When the eastern buttress fails, Nothing will burst forth and destroy us all!"
Chapter Twenty-One
Arthur closed his eyes for a second and tried to summon up all his remaining strength. Grim Tuesday was defeated. He had the Second Key. But he felt no thrill of victory, because he still hadn't won. He couldn't rest, or go home, or do anything he really wanted. He had to take on yet another huge problem that he was quite unsuited for and totally unprepared to deal with.
"I'll fix the buttress," he said. "Will you tell me how to do it?"
Grim Tuesday snarled and spat at Arthur's feet.
"I have lost the Key, my domain, and all my treasures," he growled. "But I shall have the satisfaction of returning to the void with them around me, and my enemies in confusion!"
"That means no," said Suzy helpfully.
"I suppose I'll just have to work it out." Arthur looked out through the glass wall to the smog-shrouded Pit. "Only, how do I get down there quickly enough?"
"You can't," sneered Grim Tuesday. "The buttress can hold for less than an hour, yet even my train takes days to reach the face of the Pit!"
"But you were going to get there," said Arthur. "You said you would fix the buttress. So there has to be a way."
"You can't fly," said Suzy as she looked up towards the ceiling. "Not with all those gobbets floating around."
"Tom? Do you know a way to the bottom of the Pit?"
"Nay, save for the Improbable Stair," replied Tom. "But it would be very dangerous, so close to so much Nothing. The Stair skirts Nothing closely everywhere, but never so close as here. I doubt that Grim Tuesday would risk the Stair himself."
"You can compel Grim Tuesday to answer your questions with the Key," said the Will. "It will harm him, but that is of little account. You must not allow Nothing to break out. I suggest you move swiftly, milord Arthur."
"If you'd helped me in the first place, then we'd have more time," Arthur pointed out bitterly.
Something caught his eye over in the smog. A flicker of light, then another. It was not the red flare of the distress rockets, but steady beams of light coming down from the ceiling.
"Elevators!" Suzy exclaimed, following his look.
"Dame Primus, I guess," said Arthur. "Late and useless as usual."
He turned back to Grim Tuesday. The Denizen seemed shorter than he had been and less fierce. Diminished in all respects.
Arthur reluctantly raised his hands, then dropped them as a thought struck him.
"Elevators! There must be an elevator to the bottom of the Pit! Where is it?"
Grim Tuesday didn't answer.
"I don't want to do anything nasty to you," said Arthur. "But I will use the Key on you if I have to. Is there an elevator to the Pit?"
"Do your worst," said Grim Tuesday. "I care not."
Arthur shook his head, then raised his right hand and pointed his index finger at Grim Tuesday.
"By the power of the Second Key, I command you to answer my questions truthfully."
Once again Arthur felt the static electric shock. This time he saw sparkling ultrafine tendrils of light extend from his finger to Grim Tuesday's head, winding into his ears and nose.
Grim Tuesday grimaced and shook himself like a dog coming out of water, but did not speak.
"Is there an elevator from here to the bottom of the Pit?"
"Yes," growled the Grim through clenched teeth. "Emergency elevator. Small. Only for me."
"Where is it?"
Grim Tuesday clenched his teeth still tighter, but his right arm rose up and one finger uncurled. A bronze button appeared out of nowhere. The Grim tried not to press it, but his hand lunged forward. As the button depressed, an electric bell rang and a second later a narrow elevator, no larger than a phone box, erupted out of the ground.
Only Grim Tuesday was ready for it. He toppled forward, but the elevator door was not quite open. Rebounding from it, the Denizen was seized again by Tom and the Will. He did not struggle.
Arthur looked at the elevator. As well as being very narrow, it looked a lot worse for wear. There were many tiny holes like acid burns all over the plush leather interior, and the wooden paneling in the ceiling was blackened and burned.
"Let's go!" said Suzy. She stepped shakily inside, still partially stunned by her encounter with the palm tree. Once in, she took up more than half the space. The elevator was clearly made to just fit the lean body of Grim Tuesday.
"No," said Arthur. "I think I have to go alone."
"We'll fit," said Suzy. "I'll breathe in." Arthur shook his head and pulled her sleeve. His gauntlet tingled against his skin and a surprised Suzy found herself unable to resist. Before she could jump back in, Arthur jumped in himself and slid the door closed.
"Wait, Arthur! You might need my -" Her voice was cut off as Arthur pressed the button with the down arrow clearly marked upon it. The elevator lurched, knocking Arthur off his feet. He bounced off both walls, then managed to wedge himself into the corner.
"All the way down again?" asked a disembodied voice. "You know this elevator's only good for a few trips down there."
"All the way to the bottom," instructed Arthur. The elevator increased its downwards velocity, and Arthur felt himself rising up towards the ceiling, as if he were in free fall. While he was wedging himself even more firmly into the corner, he added, "What do you mean again? When was this elevator last used?"
"Half an hour ago," said the voice. "Fair gave me a turn. Haven't had to run this elevator for more than twenty years. Beautifully mothballed it was, everything sealed up, waxed, and greased. Look at it now!"
"Who was the passenger?" asked Arthur. Who could possibly have gone to the bottom of the Pit half an hour ago?
"Dunno," said the voice. "He had the proper authority, though. From on high." "You didn't ask me for any authority."
"You got the Second Key, haven't you, sir? Hold on, we're almost there."
The elevator slowed dramatically. Arthur slid down the wall and onto the floor, his stomach attempting to run out through his Immaterial Boots. Then after a series of frightening bangs and lurches, the elevator came to a stop and the door slid open.
"Bottom of the Pit, thank you!" said the voice. Arthur stepped out into darkness.
The door slid shut, and the elevator vanished. For a frightening second it seemed like Arthur was trapped in total darkness. But as his eyes adjusted, he saw lanterns some small distance away. Then his gauntlets began to glow with a cool green light that slowly spread up his arms and all over his brightcoat and boots.
One of the lanterns bobbed nearer. Arthur hurried to meet it. As he got closer, he saw that the bearer was very short and broad. One of Grim Tuesday's Grotesques.
"You're only just in time, sir!" called the Grotesque hoarsely. "It's fair oozing Nothing -"
The Grotesque stopped as he realized that Arthur was not Grim Tuesday. A peculiar expression crossed his face - one of relief, sorrow, and a twist of anger.
"You're not the Master!"
"I am the Master of the Far Reaches now," said Arthur, holding up one clenched fist.
"The Grim? that would explain the indentured workers? I thought it had to do with all the Nothing?" muttered the Grotesque. He appeared confused and kept shaking his head. Then he looked at Arthur and said plaintively, "I am Yan. Will you remake us as we were? As three, instead of seven?"
"I guess? I'll try," said Arthur. "Only first, you need to take me to this buttress that's about to break."
Yan shook his head again. "The buttress? We need not go anywhere. We are at its foot."