Five paces in and Auum knew he had lost his quarry. The sounds of the sea were already eclipsed and the scent of the ocean had been submerged under the rich strong smells of earth and leaf. Takaar was the most light-footed elf Auum had ever seen. There was no trace of where he had gone.
Auum stopped, choosing to listen instead. This was an alien part of the forest to him. It was quieter than the deeps around Aryndeneth. Few of the larger predators patrolled this close and the warning buzz of reptile and rodent was muted. As for the sounds of a TaiGethen master moving through the forest, there was nothing at all.
‘We think your motives to be impure.’
Takaar’s voice came from the right and high. Auum moved softly, scanning the trees for any sign.
‘We think you would serve us up for slaughter.’
From the right and low. Impossible. No one moved that fast. Auum paused. He had his back to a tree and was facing thick undergrowth that grew head high. To his left, a slope ran down back towards the sand. To his right, the land rose gently, the vegetation thinning slightly.
‘I am TaiGethen,’ said Auum. ‘Incapable of betraying my own.’
‘But I am not your own any more, am I?’ Takaar’s voice echoed from rock and tree. ‘I am a thorn in the side of progress by dint of my survival.’
‘Only a very few know you’re still alive.’
Auum turned at a rustling just to his right. Tapir.
‘Idiot. A few is all you need when they are traitor priests. And the TaiGethen are the bodyguard of the priesthood, are they not?’
‘Some.’
‘Like you. And those must die.’
Auum frowned. Even for Takaar this was not a logical direction.
‘Without a hearing? That is not the elven way.’
‘The elven way is gone. Swept away by the few who wish all power for themselves.’
Takaar was closer now. Auum prepared himself, mouthing a silent prayer to Yniss.
‘I am not among them,’ said Auum. ‘I desire what every TaiGethen desires.’
‘And that is?’
Left. He was coming from the left. Did he really mean to attack?
‘The harmony enduring. Faith unwavering.’
‘Serve up Takaar and all will be well, won’t it?’
And that was barely the voice of Takaar. It was lower, malicious.
‘No,’ said Auum. ‘All will be in ruins.’
Auum didn’t draw a blade.
‘I thought you said you were not here to pander to my ego.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Good.’
Takaar’s foot caught Auum squarely on the right side of his head. Auum knew it was coming less than a heartbeat before and managed to balance himself enough not to be knocked unconscious. He landed on one shoulder, rolled with legs tucked to absorb the force of the blow and came up facing the direction of the attack.
Takaar was already on him. The heel of the master’s palm slammed into Auum’s sternum, knocking the wind from his body and sending him sprawling down a short slope and into a brackish stream. The chill of the water was revitalising, clearing his head. Auum moved up the opposite slope, looking to put a little distance between himself and Takaar. He scrambled up the bank, rolled right and came up to his haunches, his right-hand side nestling against the trunk of a balsa tree.
Takaar leapt the stream and ran around to his left. He was soundless, his feet the merest kiss on the forest floor.
‘Only a coward refuses to let his opponent stand and fight.’
‘Only a fool allows his enemy a sight of victory,’ said Takaar. ‘Though I am glad you remember my words.’
Auum pushed himself upright. He was groggy from the head kick and his breath was pained. Takaar had bruised a rib or two.
‘I am not your enemy,’ said Auum. ‘You are my Arch, my general.’
‘Was, Auum. Was.’ Takaar paced in, his stride easy, his body relaxed. ‘We were talking, on the swim to shore.’
‘I’m sure it was a fascinating conversation.’
Takaar ignored the jibe.
‘And we decided that no one comes to take a fallen hero to glory, only to his doom.’
‘That can be one and the same thing,’ said Auum.
Takaar glanced left. ‘I told you he’d say something like that. Tell me, Auum, are you afraid to die?’
‘Only a fool is not when life is blessed by Yniss himself.’
Takaar clapped his hands slowly, four times. ‘It appears you have ingested my every word.’
‘Only the ones that made any sort of sense.’
Takaar was close. Within ten feet. Close enough to strike without warning. Auum tried to remain relaxed. He was clinging to the belief that Takaar did not actually want to kill him. If he had wanted to, a jaqrui would have done the job before he planted his first kick.
The trouble was, of course, that Takaar was several places removed from sanity most of the time. His perception of the situation was not knowable. Another of Takaar’s maxims came to mind.
To know the enemy mind is to beat him before he stands before you.
To know Takaar’s mind was to know crushing guilt, a decade of solitude and an unhealthy focus on how to die in the rainforest while being extremely careful not to actually do so. Incomprehensible.
Takaar struck.
Auum was ready because he had studied under the master.
Takaar ran straight at him, planted his left leg and kicked out with his right. First kick a feint to the gut, second full force to the throat. Blocked with crossed wrists. Foot deflected left. Follow up left punch, straight and full. Sway right. Riposte. Forearm smash blocked easily. Foot sweep. Jump. Crouch. Left leg to right kneecap. Target gone. Blow to the head. Unblocked.
Auum went down flat on his back. He rolled right. He heard the sound of a punch striking the earth. Auum was on his haunches. Very quickly. Takaar came again. Two feet, head high.
Sway left. Elbow into side ribs. Strike connected.
Takaar tumbled sideways, rolling against a thick stand of bamboo at the stream’s edge. Auum ran at him. Takaar pushed off the ground with his hands. His feet whipped into Auum’s body left then right. Takaar’s momentum carried him to a crouch. Auum steadied. Both elves moved to a standing position. Takaar’s words rolled around Auum’s head.
Instinct gets you through the first blow. Anticipation gets you through the rest.
Auum smiled. Takaar glared. He didn’t mean to but he felt his ribs where Auum had struck the only blow he’d landed so far. Auum sprang forward, unleashing a multiple strike. Straight punch, head. Triple jab, body. Straight finger jab, neck. Straight kick, gut. Roundhouse, left temple.
He didn’t land a single one of them. Takaar’s defence was quicker than Auum could follow. His ripostes just predictable enough to evade. The two TaiGethen bounced away from each other, sizing up the space around them and each other’s weaknesses.
‘Takaar. I am not here to kill you or lead you to your death. As Yniss is my witness and Shorth owns my soul. I am TaiGethen. You can believe me without fear of betrayal.’
Takaar was staring to his right.
‘He is who he says he is. I never forget a face.’
‘I shouldn’t have come, you’re right. Best on the cliff top, rocking over the drop. Perhaps tomorrow I will tumble.’
‘I am not here to prove myself to you. I do not have to prove myself to anyone. I am Takaar. I-’
Takaar’s expression darkened.
‘I did. I killed them. All of them. Blood is on my hands. But I can wash it.’
Takaar scrambled back down to the stream and plunged his hands into it, scraping at his palms with his nails.
‘See? It fades. It fades. And one day it will all be gone.’
Takaar stood up and jabbed a finger at Auum.
‘You are a spy. You would steal all my secrets.’ Takaar ran up the slope towards him. ‘I want them back. Where is all my work?’
‘It’s in the boat,’ said Auum. ‘Completely safe and completely untouched.’
Takaar planted his left foot on level ground and leapt at Auum. His right leg outstretched, fists balled and covering his face. Auum swivelled his torso, putting his weight into a two-handed block. Takaar tumbled in the air, came down and rolled to his haunches, springing up in the next movement.