Sonovar darted to his side, scooping up his pike in numbed, broken fingers that seemed three times their normal size.
"I am Sonovar!" he roared, and hurled the broken pike with all his might. The creature's eye opened, flickering darkness, and the broken pike penetrated the dark orb, shattering it.
The beast fell, its tentacles folding up into itself, its body becoming ethereal, as if it did not truly exist in this world. It slid to the floor and passed through it, returning to the dimension that had given it birth, returning now, in death.
Sonovar smiled, and slumped back to the floor. He had won, and such a victory! His ancestors would be proud. Now he was ready to die.
"You did well," said the voice of the spirit that had come to his aid, and his smile broadened. Then he started. He knew that voice.
"But then," Sinoval said, walking forward, "I never doubted it."
Sonovar began to laugh; hollow, mocking laughter. "Well.... you have won."
"Yes."
"It's over."
"Yes."
"It doesn't matter, anyway. It never did. Win or lose, I no longer care. The warriors of the future will hail my name, they will follow my legacy, they will remember my deeds.... and they will know me. Maybe they will accept me as a great man, maybe they never will.
"I know this, though. I have lost the war, yes.... but in my own way, I have won. And that is enough. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Sonovar. I understand you all too well."
"Ah.... I think you do. This is the way it should have been. A warrior's death, a death in battle. Not from Deathwalker's legacy, not from Forell's machinations. I go to join my ancestors now. You have won, the Minbari are yours."
"No. They are not mine, and no, you are not going to your ancestors."
"What do you mean?"
"I will be leaving them. While I am with them, there will always be war. They will not follow me, Takier and the others, and if they do, it will be from fear. I will be leaving now. I am done with this world for the time being.
"But I will be taking something with me. I want you to know, Sonovar. I am not doing this because I hate you, nor to punish you. I offered you a chance to talk, a chance for peace, and you refused me, twice. You will die now, yes.... and if you do, you will be reborn, and it will happen again. There is something in you, a spark. It may take you to greatness, or it may take you to damnation. I cannot let either happen, not to you."
"What are you saying? Do you plan on saving my life?"
"No.... preserving it."
Sonovar's eyes widened. He could feel his heart slowing, and at that singular realisation, it almost stopped. "No! You can't! You wouldn't!"
"We will talk again, once you have had a chance for redemption, as another did.... we will talk once more, Sonovar.... in a thousand years."
"NO! You can't.... Please.... you can't! How can you...? I am Minbari. I am a warrior.... I deserve to die.... I...."
Sinoval was humming, and a small globe had appeared in his hands, tiny whispers of mist forming around it, sheathing it, shrouding it.
"No! Damn you, Sinoval! Damn you! You wouldn't dare!" More and more of his blood was seeping free. No! He couldn't die, not like this, not knowing what was to happen....
"I'll curse you! I'll hate you forever! I'll curse you, Sinoval!"
Sonovar bowed his head, tears streaming from his eyes. "You can't...." he whispered, wishing he had just one last burst of strength. Just one more.
"Nooo...."
His body slumped, and his soul departed. Sinoval captured it easily, and held the globe up. He could feel the soul raging and thrashing within it, and his dark eyes revealed his grief.
Then he turned and made his way back to Cathedral.
It was done, at last. It was done. The chapter that had begun.... where? Perhaps when Sonovar led his ships to Tarolin 2? Perhaps when Sinoval had left Minbar on his pilgrimage and handed over power to Kalain? Perhaps when the Minbari came to Earth? Perhaps even further back, when Valen had first appeared before Marrain and Parlonn?
Anyway, it was done. This chapter was over.
Sinoval knew this as he walked to the meeting he had arranged. He was strangely calm, perfectly at peace. He knew now where his destiny lay, and there truly was no other way.
He could hear Sonovar's cries, even now. He could not accept what had happened to him. He would, though it took him a thousand years. Sinoval had broken an ancient law by returning Marrain to the flesh. A balance had been necessary, but more than that. To let Sonovar die would be to let his madness return, his chaos spread. Now there was a chance for him to learn, to seek and gain redemption. It would be a slow process, but it would happen.
And then, in a thousand years time, would there be another? Another traitor and oath–breaker who had turned to darkness, who needed to die and yet live on to maintain the balance that would be broken when Sonovar finally passed beyond?
Sinoval did not know, but he did know that he would be there when it happened, in one form or another.
They all rose when he entered the chamber, with varying degrees of respect. He cast dark eyes across the room, lingering on each one, noticing blackly just how segregated they were.
Takier was sitting beside Tirivail, his expression one of dark resignation. He was a true warrior, a man who would rather have fought to the death than surrendered, an option denied to him. Now he was expecting nothing less than execution, or worse....
Lanniel was some distance from them, although on occasion she and Tirivail exchanged glances. Sinoval had been told what had happened upon the delivery of her message, and he had smiled. One cycle broken there, although it would take time for all wounds to be truly healed.
Kozorr was also present, although he looked uncomfortable. He no longer wore his warrior's uniform, but a simple worker's smock. Kats was beside him, her eyes and bearing radiant, her hand gently in contact with Kozorr's.
Another worker was next to her. Lurna, daughter of the former Satai Durlan. She looked every bit as uncomfortable as Kozorr, but there was sternness in her eyes, a grim determination.
And sitting together, but clearly alone, were Gysiner and Chardhay. Both had all but disappeared after the fall of Minbar. Sinoval had expected them to be causing trouble, but had been pleasantly surprised to learn they had been working to repair the damage on Tarolin.
All of them reacted when he entered, from a gasp of shock from Lurna, to muttered prayers from Gysiner and Chardhay, to an understanding smile from Kats.
Sinoval, like Kozorr, had abandoned the garb of a warrior. Unlike Kozorr, he now wore the black and silver robe of the Primarch Majestus et Conclavus. A circlet rested on his forehead, within which was set a brilliant red stone. Stormbringer was at his side as ever, and it seemed to be shining softly, reflecting the silver of his robe.
"I thank you for coming here," he said, walking up to the table. "There is much to be decided, the future of our people to be arranged. And you will be the ones to do it."
Kats realised his meaning first, not surprisingly, and her eyes widened.
"I abdicate my position as your leader. I give up all rights to dominion over the Minbari. I, and Cathedral, and all Soul Hunters will leave Minbari space. The Minbari people can never be as one again while I am here, and so I depart.
"I have two final acts as leader. My first is the pardoning of all who allied themselves with Sonovar. He himself is gone, and there is no gain in pursuing those who followed him. Takier.... I believe you will do as you see fit for the good of our people. With my departure, there will be little left for you to fight over, correct?"
"As you say," he replied stiffly.
"My second and truly final command is that the Grey Council be reformed. I broke it two years ago for good reasons, but now those reasons have gone, and the Council is needed again. As before, there shall be three workers, three warriors and three religious, and as before, they shall rule our people together, nine voices as one. It was the war with the humans that began the beginning of the shattering, and that is now over. It is time for the Council to be reformed. How that is done, who sits upon it.... all those things I leave to you. That is no longer my role."