Twenty-one days later, we find Rutherford's lair.
It can't be coincidence that the new Apex has chosen the same lair as the old; Rutherford must have known it to be the first place we would look. The signs are clear: the trail of bones, the claw-marked ancient masonry powdered all over the canyon, the sulphuric stink, and that suffocating weight sinking into your head like the coming of a summer storm.
At the end of the canyon stands a great statue the size of a hundred giants, carved from the sandstone cliffs. Its head, with a crown of obsidian, lays shattered in the dirt. No sign of its arms; the stone shoulders from which they were rend look smooth and unmarked, the wounds long healed by the winds of time.
Peeking around the statue's feet, Kathanhiel signals to stop.
'We make camp here,' she says. 'Come nightfall, we leave the horse and the gear and proceed on foot.'
Beyond the statue, beyond the wide canyon in which we hiked for five days, is a city of giants. Massive rectangular-shaped buildings sprout from the granite earth in obsessively straight rows, stretching to the far horizon, some slim and towering, others larger and wider than all of Iborus combined. All are hewn from the same black-red rock as the roads between them, as are the crumbling statues that can be found on every conceivable structure. Little giants seem to really love sculptures of themselves.
Nine out of ten buildings are rubble. Someone – something – had put effort into grinding these hard granite structures to fist-sized chunks, yet a notable few are still intact. About two hundred paces from the canyon, striding over a debris-covered street, is a massive crystalline arch that glows blue-white in the pale sunlight.
In the distance, in perfect alignment with the arch, is a great citadel set upon a mound of what appears to be black diamonds. Of course there's no such thing as a magical castle, but the way it's glittering in the sun, the way brilliant rainbow colours bounce from its forest of spires...
'Last I was here, many of these were still standing,' said Kathanhiel, pointing to the rubble. 'Rutherford must've had them torn down...for what, I cannot say.' She indicates the crystalline arch. 'The Gate of Kalarinth, one of the seven entrances to the Exposition, the city in which the little giants displayed all their creations.'
'Display...so they didn't live here?'
'Some did I suppose. But little giants don't congregate like we humans do. This place was built to satisfy their pride, not any desire for society.' She grins. 'There would've only been jealousy here. And vicious competition.'
'Sounds exhausting.'
'Doesn't it?' She points to the mound in the distance. 'The Kalarinth Citadel, the Seat of the Wardens, the residence of those who had been charged to guard this lifeless sprawl. I slew Elisaad in its halls ten years ago. All signs are showing that –'
She yanks me to the ground; I hear it too, the beating of wings.
Five seconds later, a bronze-scaled dragon flies overhead, its wraith-like shadow combing over the earth. No way could it have spotted us from that angle, even if it wasn't so burdened with...with...
The dragon's belly is round and protruding, out of proportion with the rest of its body three times over.
'The mule,' Kathanhiel whispers in my ear, 'delivers sustenance to the Apex.'
Toward the black mound it flies, wings beating sluggishly. Globules of brown stuff is leaking out of its backside along the way, splattering and sizzling as they splash onto the granite rubble.
That is absurd. The dragon is...taking a...while its delivering...
Oh Maker the giggles are coming and they cannot be stopped. 'It's pooping because it ate – did you see its – I'm – I'm sorry my lady I can't –' Turning purple. Turning purple!
At first I figured she would straighten me up; that hope died when she started rolling on the ground. 'Retention of – of waste –' Kathanhiel manages between shivering fits. '– impedes flight when carrying a hefty load –'
Haylis will kick herself for missing out on this; I could almost see the glitter in her eyes.
Nightfall.
Has my heart ever beaten this fast before? It's hammering against my ribcage like some cornered animal, tearing and thumping because it's terrified. There is no helping it. The head can be as calm as it wants, but the body does its own thing.
Snow is falling again, hard and fast this time. The wind howling through the canyon stabs needles of ice into the nape of my neck. In this blizzard, a regular person would be freezing solid no matter how many layers he wore...but surviving a slit throat isn't quite normal. Kaishen, unsheathed and faintly glowing, stings my hand with pulses of warmth; whenever you're ready – that's what it's telling me.
Soon.
In the pitch black, the great constructions of the little giants are but solid shadows, looming just out of sight. It's easy to tell whether we're surrounded by building or rubble; the bitter wind ebbs and flows in between them, taunting us little humans with their impetuous strength. How dare you come here? It asks. How dare you defy my power?!
Kathanhiel has looped her arm through mine, dragging me forward whenever my feet feel like giving up. There's a single point of light in the impenetrable darkness, and it's getting closer: the Kalarith Citadel, glowing upon its black mound – none of that kaleidoscopic stuff like during the day, just orange and red, the colours of dragon fire. Just another reptile trying to keep warm.
Before us, the Apex. Around us, the blizzard. And as much as I'd like to say that these ruins are empty...
As we come upon the biggest building yet – a perfect cube propped up from underneath by what seems to be thousands of stout pillars – Kathanhiel pulls me close. 'We go around,' she says.
Squinting hard makes no difference; I couldn't make out what's hidden in those shadows no matter how hard I look. But if she says so...
Walking. Walking.
Snow has piled up. Each step more difficult than the one before. The cube-building seems to be infinitely wide. We walk and walk and walk and there is no end to it. The light upon that black mound, so distinct a moment ago, has disappeared; of course it did, it's on the other side this stupid building.
Which way are we going? Blinded by night, deafened by the blizzard, sense of smell nullified by the freezing cold...the only tangible reality that remains is the warmth of Kathanhiel's grip around my elbow. If she lets go...
Walking. Walking.
So cold. The snow is ankle-deep now. This was a bad idea, trying to walk these streets in the dark; sure, no living thing could possibly detect us in these conditions, but...
Has my head been buzzing all this time? There is a...a presence here, watching us. No, watching me. I feel it: a clawed hand, prying apart the grey stuff in my head to get at...what? It's getting worse with every step I take, the itch of its invasion; my hands are shaking – of course they're shaking you're literally freezing! – but it's not the cold. Not the cold. Worse.
This building is going on forever.
My foot catches onto something. Falling. My face plants squarely into the snow. Cold. It's alright Kathanhiel will pull me back up don't worry about it –
Her hand is gone.
The world is spinning. It has to be. How else am I glued onto the ground like a kid stuck in a carousal that's going way, way too fast? My hands slap around in the dark but they hit nothing but snow and cold earth. She was just there! Where did – where did –
Wait.
Kaishen. My hands are empty.
Oh Maker don't tell me you lost it did you let go when you fell over you did didn't you how are you supposed to find it in the dark like this oh Maker why did you have to be so USELESS –
No. Stop. We are way past panicking like a little kid. You just fell over. You only need to get up again. Up. Hurry. Another minute and the snow will bury you for good.
But I am standing. My feet are planted firm on solid ground, and this weird wall of snow I've just walked into is falling away. The ground that was covered in snow has turned into a snow-covered wall, and it is falling falling away...and revealing a path behind it.
A warm breeze. Pleasant sunlight.
Oh...
This place again.