Delver Magic I: Sanctum's Breach by Jeff Inlo (read novels website .TXT) 📕

position and remain there for extended periods of time. Since we do not move, it is much easier for us to spot an intruder. On patrol, we must move about a designated area. Since we are moving, it makes it easier for an intruder to spot us first. That would give the intruder an advantage. An escort is by far the most difficult. It covers a wide scope of the land. There is usually no designated area, and there is little time for the guard to become acquainted with the territory. It is what I do now.”

“That’s the most difficult?” Ryson wondered allowed, trying to compare the differences in his mind.

“Absolutely. Consider what we now face. We travel in an ever-expanding path, we have no idea what lies ahead. It is next to impossible to maintain continuous points of reference. Our surroundings change with every step.”

“I see. And you’ve never been ambushed while escorting?”

“No, it is what I excel at.” Holli showed no sign of pride. She stated it as a simple fact.

Ryson hungered for more information about this elf. He wished to know what might propel someone to remain ever so vigil. “Can you tell me what happened when you were ambushed on patrol?”

Holli frowned. It was obviously a topic she did not like to remember, but again, she did not hesitate in replying.

“It was early after my final training. I was patrolling the eastern edge of our camp. I chose a path too high in the trees. I mistakenly believed it would give me the best vantage point. It did not provide sufficient cover. I was spotted by a raiding party as I made my rounds.”

“What kind of raiding party?” Ryson asked with obvious curiosity.

“A group of elves from another camp.”

“Really, other elves? You’ll attack each other.”

“Just a humans and delvers will,” Holli responded, this time with a tone of indignation. “Elves compete much the same way as other races. In harsh winters, there is always a struggle for food.”

“So that explains why you need guards. I was wondering about that. From what Lief said, I gathered that the threats to the elves disappeared when the goblins and the other dark creatures disappeared. I couldn’t understand why the camp needed guards.”

For the first time, Holli spoke with a passion as she quickly came to defense of her accepted role. “There are many reasons for guards. We can warn of wild animals, secretly turn away curious humans and delvers without them knowing we are even there, and also fight off an angry tribe of dwarves out looking for trouble.”

“You can turn away a delver?” Ryson responded with disbelief.

Holli answered as if reading from an elf guard’s manual. “A delver will often follow that which most calls to his curiosity. If a delver is moving toward an elfin camp, the delver can be led away by creating diversions, or offering a mysterious sound or smell in an opposite direction.”

Ryson nodded. He could not argue the point but he did make a mental note. “I’ll have to remember that. Anyway, what happened with the raid?”

Holli’s voice repossessed its heaviness. “Two of an opposing camp’s party came from below me using the thick branches as cover. I was lucky to escape their capture. I fled back to the inner camp and warned of the raiders. It was my greatest failure.”

“If you weren’t captured, and you warned your camp, how can you consider that a failure?”

“A guard’s responsibility is to find the raiders before they find you. I was located and ambushed. I was forced from my position without discovering the party’s size. It was not what I was trained for.”

“I see.” Ryson saw the signs of discouragement on Holli’s face. He felt the need to console her. “But that sounds like a long time ago. You must have done much to make up for that mistake.”

“Perhaps.”

Ryson did not allow the near defeated response to stand. “No, not perhaps. You must have. I consider that a fact and let me tell you why. This is no small affair we’re on now. Mappel must trust you greatly. He knows what this is all about. Ever since I met you elves, all I’ve heard is how things will never be the same and how crucial this whole affair is. Do you think he would send just anybody in the desert with me? Besides that, he’s letting you carry that sword. You must know what kind of honor that is.”

“It is indeed an honor, but also a great responsibility.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is.”

Ryson smiled as he noted the disappointment fading from his companion’s expression. He let silence overcome them, hoping the encouragement would drive any further misgivings away from his escort. As they moved, now in quiet, he took an opportunity to check things out for himself. Not only did he look off into the distance, he sniffed the air and listened to the wind. He considered those things Mappel told him of the algors and what he might sense in order to find them. Unfortunately, at this moment, he remained unsure of where to travel when they reached the sand.

Thinking of the sand, it was at that moment that Ryson closely examined the ground. Something troubled him. He watched as he stepped down into the mix of sand and rock. He could not pinpoint his alarm, but he did not like how the ground reacted to his step. He was about to say something to Holli, but suddenly, she dropped nearly out of sight.

The elf guard made no sound as her step took her through a camouflaged hole in the ground. When her foot penetrated the veil of sand and rock, her momentum carried her downward through a sizeable gap which measured two arm-lengths across. She showed no sign of panic. She remained in control and used her forward momentum to propel herself to the far side of the opening. Her right hand found solid ground, and she managed to stop her fall. By that time, her entire body, up to her neck, remained submerged under the surface of the ground. Only her head and her right arm remained within the delver’s sight.

Ryson leapt over the circular opening. He knelt in front of the elf and took hold of her hand. He also reached into the opening and grabbed the back of her shoulder.

“Hold on, I’ll pull you out.”

As he began to lift her up, he heard a distinct clicking noise echo up through the hole. The sound grew louder and quicker. The delver could not identify the noise, but he knew whatever was causing it was moving towards them. He continued to pull Holli free, but he leaned forward to look over her shoulder and into the hole. His eyes quickly penetrated the darkness. He made out the trace outlines of a far reaching tunnel. It was tubular in design, fairly tall and very wide.

His attention seized upon the source of the noise within this underground cavern. It moved towards them through the shadows. It skittered through the tunnel in awkward sideways movements, its many legs tapping over the sides and bottom of the tunnel. It crawled vigorously, its intent clear.

As the creature closed upon Holli’s vulnerable body, it bounded into the light that cascaded through the opening. Ryson felt nothing but pure aversion to this thing. A grotesque mix of spider and crab, grown to enormous proportions, it veered up with open claws. Bone-hard pinchers the size of tree limbs and two eyes extending out of its face brought similarities to the crab. The rest appeared like a giant spider with most of its round body covered in thick black hair. Its six legs were jointed high in the middle, and they propelled the creature directly towards Holli.

Ryson pulled with all his might. He tried to free Holli from the hole before the creature could get any closer. She was halfway into the open air when the first claw reached up and took her by the waist.

Again Holli made no sound. She attempted to twist free but could not break the grip. She turned her head to look down at whatever held her. If it brought fear to her, she made no sign of it. She quickly took her free left hand and brought it to her side. The other claw grasped it just as quickly. She hovered halfway out of the hole but fully in the grip of this monster.

Ryson continued to pull at her but the claws fought back. The delver held on with all his strength even as Holli sunk further out of his sight. His grip around her right armed tightened, and he dug his knees into the soft sand. He braced himself against the ground swearing not to give up.

“Let go of my arm!” Holli commanded.

“What?!” Ryson exclaimed with ever-widening eyes.

“Let go of my arm!” she shouted forcefully.

The strength of her voice was so resolute, he almost obeyed without thinking. He did not, however, release his hold.

“If I let go, it’ll take you in!” he managed to blurt out as he continued to struggle against the force which opposed him.

“Do it!” Her eyes blazed with such fury, her mouth formed a grimace out of pain and anger. “Do it now!”

Ryson let go. He watched in absolute shock as Holli was completely sucked into the hole. She was gone.

He knelt stunned for but a second. He darted his head back to the hole. They were not directly below him as he hoped. The creature had backed away from the opening. It would not allow its prey any chance of escape.

Ryson watched in horror as the two claws remained firmly attached to Holli’s waist and her left arm. It pulled her closer to its open mouth which included two large, white fangs. Ryson was about to leap into the hole in hopes of saving the elf when Holli’s quick movements held him in place.

The elf, even while in the clutches of such a fiendish creature, found the strength to use her right arm. Her hand flew to her waist in a blur. Her fingers gripped the hilt of the powerful and magical sword which remained at her side. As the blade flashed out of its sheath, it caught the drifting sunlight. The blade glowed like fire and it lit up the entire tunnel for as far as Ryson could see.

The creature reacted violently to the blast of light, seemingly more out of fear than pain. It did not drop Holli from its claws, but it pushed her further away from its face. The two eyes of the monster recoiled. As they did, Holli brought the sword crashing down between them. The light from the sword flashed with even greater brilliance. The blade burned as if immersed in flames, and it split the creature nearly in two. The monster collapsed to the ground with a crunch as dark liquid spilled from the huge gash.

Holli leapt clear and back towards the hole. She watched the dead creature for long moments before checking her own wounds. Her waist and arms were cut, but all wounds appeared merely superficial.

Ryson gracefully lowered himself into the tunnel beside the elf. He spoke with obvious concern.

“Are you alright?”

“I’ll live,” the elf responded with obvious disgust.

“How’s your waist?”

“Abrasions. Slightly bruised. They should be cleaned, but perhaps we should not waste the water.”

“Don’t worry about the water. I can always get us more, even in the desert. Just take care of yourself.”

“I should be dead for such carelessness.” Her voice was hollow, made even colder by the echoes of the long reaching tunnel.

Ryson was taken aback by Holli’s abruptness. Her response was more confusing