Read Online Into The Dark Flame (Book 4) by Martin Ash - Free Book Online
Authors: Martin Ash
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you wish of me.'
'There you have it!' exclaimed Urch-Malmain. 'I knew from the first that you were a perspicacious fellow. Though I have already said it, there is a task for you to perform. You will be of great service to me, and to yourself also.'
'How so?'
'Your success will enable me to open the way back to our world. You, and I, will be free once more.' Grabbing a last fistful of almonds, he pushed himself up from his seat. 'Now, enough! I can bear you no longer!'
He began to limp towards the upper stairway. 'I go to dally with Hellia. The machine will awaken in due course. In the meantime I suggest you entertain yourself in whatever fashion you prefer. Eat and drink, and rest. A sleep will do you good. Alternatively, my guards are available should you wish a game of cards or chequers. However, I fear you will find them dreary company and witless opponents. Their skills are generally limited to slaying unwelcome intruders. Make of it what you will. I shall come for you at the appropriate time.'
THREE
I
'Urch-Malmain, my patience is sorely tried!'
'As is mine!'
'And mine also!'
The voices issued from within the semi-sentient machine in the musty lowest level of Urch-Malmain's Tower of Glancing Memory. They were querulous and imploring, reproachful and splenetic.
'You have used us!'
'This is not part of our arrangement!'
'We demand an end to this! We demand that you release us!'
'It is past time you let us go!'
Urch-Malmain twitched his bent body indignantly. 'Oh hssst! Cease your squabbling, all of you! It does no good! You cannot leave until I release you, and I will not release you until your function is fulfilled!' Over his shoulder he spoke sharply to Leth. 'Pay these petulant entities no heed, Swordbearer. They have entered into a compact of business, yet are bearing their travails with poor grace. The facts are simple, whatever they may claim: I employed them to a specific end, and that end is not yet achieved. Hence, they remain in my service.'
'That is not so!' came a voice from beneath the circular troughs, where a coruscating blue-green fume now curled and billowed.
'Yes it is. You simply have a predilection for argument. Were I not here you would find fault with each other and squabble until your vapours dissipated, the plasmas were expelled and your voices became less than whispers between the stars. You do it because it is in your natures. You can do nothing else.'
'Our grievances are genuine! Your principles are called to question!'
'Ah, pah!' Urch-Malmain waved his stiff withered arm in irritation.
Leth stood by, bemused. He had entered the chamber moments earlier to find, as his dark-minded host had stated, that the machine had awoken. It hummed and burred lightly; strange lights glowed and shivered on various of its parts; fluids bubbled and spat and streamed through pipes and tubes, mingled in clear glass bulbs, became something other and coursed brightly into the machine's innards. The little beads rolled in their troughs, back and forth, and passed through gates, dropped through traps; and the whole thing gave off a disconcerting gaseous stench.
Urch-Malmain had lurched forward and taken a pinch of plum-coloured powder from with a little onyx box. This he tossed onto the coloured pattern on the floor within the frame. There was a flash, a silent explosion and a great puff of vapour. And then the voices had begun.
Their babbling became an annoyance, even to Leth who was not best equipped to judge whether they had justifiable cause for complaint. None of the entities were visible; their sound issued from within the coloured vapour that sparkled in the space within the metallic arch.
'We can’t be blamed for what is happening here! Together we have merged to create a magnificent portal, perfect in every respect!'
'But it
'There you have it!' exclaimed Urch-Malmain. 'I knew from the first that you were a perspicacious fellow. Though I have already said it, there is a task for you to perform. You will be of great service to me, and to yourself also.'
'How so?'
'Your success will enable me to open the way back to our world. You, and I, will be free once more.' Grabbing a last fistful of almonds, he pushed himself up from his seat. 'Now, enough! I can bear you no longer!'
He began to limp towards the upper stairway. 'I go to dally with Hellia. The machine will awaken in due course. In the meantime I suggest you entertain yourself in whatever fashion you prefer. Eat and drink, and rest. A sleep will do you good. Alternatively, my guards are available should you wish a game of cards or chequers. However, I fear you will find them dreary company and witless opponents. Their skills are generally limited to slaying unwelcome intruders. Make of it what you will. I shall come for you at the appropriate time.'
THREE
I
'Urch-Malmain, my patience is sorely tried!'
'As is mine!'
'And mine also!'
The voices issued from within the semi-sentient machine in the musty lowest level of Urch-Malmain's Tower of Glancing Memory. They were querulous and imploring, reproachful and splenetic.
'You have used us!'
'This is not part of our arrangement!'
'We demand an end to this! We demand that you release us!'
'It is past time you let us go!'
Urch-Malmain twitched his bent body indignantly. 'Oh hssst! Cease your squabbling, all of you! It does no good! You cannot leave until I release you, and I will not release you until your function is fulfilled!' Over his shoulder he spoke sharply to Leth. 'Pay these petulant entities no heed, Swordbearer. They have entered into a compact of business, yet are bearing their travails with poor grace. The facts are simple, whatever they may claim: I employed them to a specific end, and that end is not yet achieved. Hence, they remain in my service.'
'That is not so!' came a voice from beneath the circular troughs, where a coruscating blue-green fume now curled and billowed.
'Yes it is. You simply have a predilection for argument. Were I not here you would find fault with each other and squabble until your vapours dissipated, the plasmas were expelled and your voices became less than whispers between the stars. You do it because it is in your natures. You can do nothing else.'
'Our grievances are genuine! Your principles are called to question!'
'Ah, pah!' Urch-Malmain waved his stiff withered arm in irritation.
Leth stood by, bemused. He had entered the chamber moments earlier to find, as his dark-minded host had stated, that the machine had awoken. It hummed and burred lightly; strange lights glowed and shivered on various of its parts; fluids bubbled and spat and streamed through pipes and tubes, mingled in clear glass bulbs, became something other and coursed brightly into the machine's innards. The little beads rolled in their troughs, back and forth, and passed through gates, dropped through traps; and the whole thing gave off a disconcerting gaseous stench.
Urch-Malmain had lurched forward and taken a pinch of plum-coloured powder from with a little onyx box. This he tossed onto the coloured pattern on the floor within the frame. There was a flash, a silent explosion and a great puff of vapour. And then the voices had begun.
Their babbling became an annoyance, even to Leth who was not best equipped to judge whether they had justifiable cause for complaint. None of the entities were visible; their sound issued from within the coloured vapour that sparkled in the space within the metallic arch.
'We can’t be blamed for what is happening here! Together we have merged to create a magnificent portal, perfect in every respect!'
'But it
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