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

He spoke quicker now. The sense of urgency heightened in his voice. “I tell you all, I tell you in the eyes of Godson, that I trust you. I know you shall all do your best to lead me safely through this mountain, as I will do my best. As to the delver, as to all of you, I invite, no I demand, that you remain alert and do all you can do to protect the safety of this group. Remember, one tier remains a mystery to us and that is not the fault of anyone here. We must combine our strengths, as well as use the knowledge that is ours. Most of all, we must come together. How can we possibly hope to overcome this place if we remain isolated and mistrustful of each other?”

The words rang with passion, with truth, a truth which cut quickly to the soul of the elf. Lief immediately responded, replied with both regret and sincerity directed at the lead dwarf. “I apologize Tun Folarok. The interpreter is correct. Since your arrival, I have been more than willing to remain in conflict with you. I have taken every opportunity to question your motives as well as decisions. The truth remains that I have not accepted your willingness to cooperate. That will no longer be the case. I am an elf of quick emotions. I offer that not as an excuse, but as an explanation. If I question you in the future, it will be out of my own quick temper and not from any mistrust directed toward you. As does the interpreter, I pledge my faith to you as well as every other member of this group.”

“As do we,” the algors responded in unison. Their concurring voices punctuated their willingness to cooperate. It brought a smile to Stephen.

“Is there any one here that remains doubtful to anyone’s intentions?” he asked with the smile still gracing his lips.

None responded, but the eyes of the party fell squarely upon Tun. Though the edges of conflict diminished from his chiseled features, the spark of opposition remained in his eyes as well as his voice. “As Lief is an elf of quick emotions, I am a dwarf with little faith in things I can not understand. It may sadden you, but I will speak the truth. What I know of the humans, I do not like. And I do not know the algors at all. I have had dealings with elves, both good and bad. The delver put his sword in my hand and I saw the need to destroy the sphere, but I saw no need to trust anyone but myself. If my words ring cold to any of you, there is nothing I can do. I barely put faith in my own brother, how can you expect me to put faith in strangers?”

Uneasiness filled the cavern. His glare made it clear that no words would cleanse him of his mistrust. He would hold to it as he would hold to his axe in battle.

The one most struck by the rebuke was Jon. His eyes dropped in obvious sorrow as grief painted his face. His beard seemed to grow grayer by the second. He did not turn his back on his brother, but he would not face him either.

Tun found no sadness in the cold response of those around him. He would, however, make one concession. He spoke it as if a peace offering to an ancient and bitter enemy. “I will make one promise to you all. While I may remain doubtful to your intentions, I have no misconceptions of what must be done with the sphere. It remains as clear to me as when I held the sword. It must be destroyed and I pledge everything within me for that cause.”

Lief found the words to respond first. There was no conflict in his voice, no anger towards Tun. He spoke as if his pledge of faith and loyalty sculpted his reply. “Then that is all we will ask of you. It is the true basis of why we we’re here. And no one should doubt the word of Prince Folarok.”

Stephen’s expression, however, remained colored with disappointment. He opened up to the dwarf, revealed his own sadness over Tun’s remarks. “I won’t doubt your word, Tun, but I would have hoped for more from you. If you wish to doubt the words of those that even now put the faith of their very lives in your hands, so be it. I wish there was something I could say or do to make you understand, but I see in your eyes there is nothing that will change your mind.”

Tun responded, not harshly, but firmly, brittle with his own stubbornness. “What you see in my eyes is the doubt created by years of witnessing human arrogance and frailties. Every season they astound me with their greed to steal more and more of the land, to take far more gems from the earth than they need. And it does not end with the humans. I have knowledge of the ancient times, when dwarves suffered at the whims of wizards and sorcerers, elf and human alike. While I can no longer argue with the need to destroy the sphere, you can not take from me the understanding of what will come. You have visions blessed by Godson, but I have visions based on my perceptions of what the return of magic will mean to the dwarves.”

“As I said,” Stephen concluded both apologetically and sadly, “I know you will hold firm to your beliefs, but I see no reason why I should hide my feelings from you. You don’t have to make explanations to anyone here, it is not my position to judge you. But I will not lie to you either. If you hold to your doubts, I’ll hold to my disappointment.”

Both Tun and Stephen had nothing further to say. They stood quiet. The rest of the group seemed lost, standing about wondering what to say or do. The indecision mounted. They stood more like ten statues, as if they were made of the same stone which comprised the stairs that held them.

Holli found the condition intolerable. The inactivity, the indecision, and the clustered way they stood in the open; all of this left them vulnerable. Her mind, her well trained and honed instincts, screamed to her the reality of the situation. They were standing within the walls of Sanctum, perhaps the most dangerous place in all of Uton, standing there like sheep surrounded by ravenous wolves.

Each passing moment grated on her senses, forced her deeper into distress. Though her eyes darted about the cavern, the darkness kept her from piercing the mysteries of the first tier. The void forbade her from finding threats. She could not see beyond the stone steps, could not assess the size of the expanse that was the dwarf section of Sanctum. The surrounding void was as damaging to her nerves as it was to the delver’s.

Though she did not wish to usurp control of the group’s movements from the dwarves, she could no longer hold her tongue. “Tun? Are we in danger by simply standing here?”

His eyes washed over her, just as slight satisfaction appeared on his face. If the delver’s revelation had shaken his confidence in the sanctity of his secret, the elf’s question restored it. “Standing still may be the only thing which is truly safe in this place,” he said almost smugly. “It is movement that is dangerous. I bid you all to remember that.” He let the warning sink in before continuing. “I suppose it is time for us to pass this level, and pass it we will.”

“One moment please.” The uncertain voice of Lauren broke the attention upon the dwarf. The sorceress spoke meekly, as timid as a mouse with eyes upon circling owls. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I have to do something about the cold. My clothes are damp. I can feel the cold air on our backs. I won’t be able to concentrate on what we’re doing if I’m freezing to death.”

“It is cold,” Stephen stated as he also realized how damp his own clothes were. He noted his frosty breath. Until this moment, the excitement of the quest kept their minds from the cold wind of night shrilling in from the opening overhead. Without torches to exude heat, most would soon become numb. “What is it you suggest we do?”

“I think … I’m pretty sure I can dry our clothes for us.”

“A spell has come to your mind?” Holli asked perceptively.

Lauren could only nod. She did not wish to speak of how or why the knowledge became her own. She did not understand it herself. A moment before she only knew she was cold, uncomfortable in the damp clothes she wore. As if fulfilling a wish, a means of funneling the energy within in her burst into her mind. A moment of concentration and they would be warmed.

Most called for an immediate casting, especially the algors who were perhaps the most uncomfortable in the drafty dampness of the cavern. Lauren hesitated, torn by the desire to be warmed and the fear of unleashing yet another power which she could not comprehend. She began to shiver, the cold gnawed at her, and finally forced the fear from her mind. She closed her eyes and seized a distant thought.

The air around the entire group shuddered and then became colored with a light purple hue. The cold was ripped from about them as dry hot air engulfed them all. It swirled about, ever so slightly, like a hot but gentle breeze from the desert. Their clothes dried near instantaneously and soon became warm to the touch, a warmth which would stay with them. The cold damp from above was blocked and most of the party hummed in satisfaction. Even the great cliff behemoth basked in the comforting warmth.

Lauren opened her eyes, at first she was smiling. Her burden of cold released, no longer shivering, she embraced herself. She draped her arms about her shoulders to drink in the heat. Her delight was short lived. Her realization that she was the sole creation of this phenomenon pulled any further pleasure from her. She dropped her arms in near desperation.

Her plight, however, went unnoticed as Tun called for their attention. “With our thanks to the sorceress, we can now begin.” If he was truly thankful, his voice concealed it. He continued as if wanting to move beyond the use of magic as soon as possible. “It is time I reveal to you what waits for us beyond the darkness. The delver is correct, the cover of dark is an illusion. It is the first veil to discourage unwanted visitors into Sanctum. The dwarves were never able to use magic to create illusions, but we know how to use what the land gives us. Gems and crystals can bend the light, reshape it, create things which are not there and hide things which are. That is what awaits us.

“It took the preparation of hundreds of perfect gems to create the obstacles in this tier, but such was the importance of guarding the sphere. Any light, even the light of the delver’s sword, will be twisted to create numerous illusions. You will see walls were no walls exist, you will see clear paths that are nothing more than dead ends, and you will see solid ground which is truly waiting doom.

“As well as creating images which do not exist, the gems also hide those things which