Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,62

a set of double doors framed by a vast arch. The doors stood four times as tall as any of the crew and looked as though they had been carved from bone. Into the yellowing material had been worked the story of Morat.

At the centre - and overlapping the two doors - was Kerberos, the clouds that covered its surface picked out in delicate folds and arches of bone. Below this, dozens of humans were depicted falling away from Kerberos, expressions of anguish and remorse on their faces. A great stone rode in their midst and linking them together were lines from the holy text. These travellers through the void were heading towards the city of Morat, which rode its great wave at the base of the doors.

Win put his right hand on the fresco and, with a click, the doors swung open.

The song increased in volume, rolling out of the chamber on a breath of warm, perfumed air. The room into which Win now led them was dominated by a vast stone sphere, its summit almost touching the ceiling. But for its size, it was identical to the Llothriall's stone. Veins of magical energy played across its surface and out across the walls, where it illuminated the lines of the holy text that had been worked into the stone. Around the circumference of the cradle supporting the stone was a ring of eight lecterns. At these stood more robed figures, their voices raised in the ethereal song that filled the room with its powerful resonance. Around the edges of the room stood more of the Stone Seers, waiting to take over from any of the singers who tired. Maintaining the song clearly involved considerable exertion, for those who were led away from their lecterns to be replaced with others of their kind were often pale and drenched in sweat.

"It is crucial that the song never falters," Win said. "For if that happens, Morat would be truly lost. It is the power of the stone that leads us on the path the Allfather laid down for us, and shapes the sea to carry us."

"And are all your stone seers eunuchs?" Kelos asked.

"Well no, why would they be?"

"Emuel, our seer, was emasculated in order that he would be able to attain the correct pitch in which the song is to be sung."

"How can somebody be so cruel? It is the rhythm, the cadence that is essential to maintaining the song. Pitch has nothing to do with it."

"I notice also that your Seers are not tattooed like Emuel."

"I must admit that I was wondering why the holy text had been needled into his flesh."

"It is a magical mnemonic," Kelos said. "The tattoos allow the song to flow through Emuel. It is this that enables him to unlock the power of the stone on the Llothriall. As you have seen, however, his flesh has been marred and the songlines broken."

"But the song can be learnt. Anybody can, theoretically, be taught how to become a Stone Seer."

"You mean," Emuel said, "that none of what I have been through was necessary?"

Silus noticed that the eunuch had his fists clenched and his shoulders were shaking. He had never seen Emuel so gripped by anger and he took a step back, putting himself between Katya and Zac and the eunuch.

"I'm afraid not," Win said. "Who was it who did these dreadful things to you?"

"My faith did this to me. Those who taught me the lessons of the Lord of All and who nurtured me from acolyte to Enlightened One, did this to me. I gave them my soul and my flesh and they used me. And to what end?"

Emuel's voice had risen to a shout. Some of the seers at their lecterns turned towards the disruption. Noticing the look of concern on their faces, Win began to usher the crew towards the doors.

"Emuel, I think that perhaps any arguments are best saved for outside. We don't want to disturb the Stone Seers."

"Yes, come on Emuel. It's not all bad news." Kelos said. "Win has said that the song can be taught. That means you can learn it again. They can fix you."

"Fix me? Fix me!"

"I - I mean heal, obviously."

"You don't care, do you Kelos? None of you really care what happens to me. I'm just a useful object to you people. You know, I was happy in my Drakengrat parish. My congregation loved me and we all shared in the glory of the Lord of All.