Revelation, page 21
As Aaron unsheathed the weapon, the green gem radiated the same, mystical glow. Mari took the weapon from Aaron and the gem’s light faded until only the illumine stone lighted their small enclosure. Holding it up, she turned it over and traced out the markings on the blade with her fingers. She looked closely at the green gem in the pommel and again traced out the markings. She gazed intently at Aaron with wonder. “How did you come by this weapon?”
“We found it in an ancient tower near the Hoppe River,” Aaron replied.
“This is a weapon of royal ancestry,” Mari said. “It is called Etyrounai, or Sword of the Protector. It belongs to the Protector of Celedon, the captain of the host of men who served the great King. The ancient captain defended the King while the forces of darkness rampaged and ravaged the nation of Celedon. Our history speaks of the Protector as he stood against overwhelming odds, fighting the onslaught of attackers, until the usurper himself struck him down.
“It was said that among mortal man there was no one who could defeat the Protector and no sword that could compare with his weapon. When in the Protector’s hand, the gemstone radiates a halo of emerald light so that the one who wields it cannot be taken by surprise, even in dark places. All efforts to recover the sword failed and history records that the ancient weapon was lost.” Mari looked deeply at Aaron who sat uncomfortable in the light of such a revelation. “Aaron,” Mari continued, “it is your hand that brings forth the light of the sword.”
“I’m not sure what I should say to such a thing,” Aaron said.
“Captain,” Braden interjected. “The old tales say only the Protector of Celedon can bring forth the light of the sword. No other hand can wield its power.”
Aaron shook his head. “I don’t know about all that. But what I do know is that I believe this Book of Aleth will untie these mysteries.” He took the sword from Mari and replaced it in its sheath, then nestled down against the stone wall. However, the revelation from Mari did little to settle his thoughts. He wondered about the sword, and about his connection to it. Despite his apprehension, a yearning began to grow in his heart like a spark that starts a fire, a yearning to free Celedon from the tyranny of deception. If providence truly selected him, he would embrace it.
Braden rummaged through the satchel again and passed out some of the food they carried. Aaron stood, stamping his feet and rubbing his arms to try and keep warm. He wished Garam was still with them, for his skill would have been most useful.
Aaron turned to Lorik. “Sergeant, let’s see if we can find some useful wood. We might be able to build a makeshift shelter to help us keep warm.” Braden handed Lorik the illumine stone and the two soldiers went to the center of the tower, searching through the piles of old wood. They found a few large pieces, enough to prop up as walls under the stairs, and they found that, with their collective body heat, they could endure the cold mountain climate for the night. Too tired to try and keep watch, Aaron hoped that the ancient tower would hide them from prying eyes. Huddled together, he and the others fell fast asleep.
In the early morning, before the sun had climbed high enough to wash the glacier in its brilliant light, Aaron peered from their makeshift shelter and saw their small tower was dusted with about three inches of snow. Being under the stone staircase, they were readily protected from any of the snowfall but it only served to remind him of their location. He woke Braden, who stretched and yawned. Lorik and Mari still slept, pleasantly peaceful in their repose.
Aaron looked to Braden. “How much farther do we have to go?”
“Not much farther, Captain,” Braden said. “I think we’ll arrive at the old passage before midday.” Braden paused, looking up through the tower roof into the sky. “What about that flying beast?”
“I don’t know. If they are fearful of our arrival, we might have a chance of hope.” Aaron shook his head, frowning. “I just don’t understand why it passed us right by. We hadn’t reached this tower yet and there was no way it could have failed to see us on the open glacier.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me either,” Braden said. “I guess we will find out soon enough. I would rather not have to face these creatures, if at all possible. If we can sneak in and take the book without being detected, that would be best.”
“And where will these creatures be holding the book?” Aaron asked.
“I imagine they would have taken it to the central chamber, the ancient throne room. It is not the most easily defended room, as there are several passages that enter into it.” Braden stroked his beard. “If we could find an unused hallway, we might be able to get into the chamber without being noticed.”
“What about the gremellak?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t know,” said Braden. “They live all across these mountains… though not at this altitude. And they are sure to be in the ancient realm. I think, however, that if we don’t meet too many at once we should be able to fight our way through them.”
“I agree, but think… once we start fighting all our hope of secrecy is lost.” Aaron tried to consider all possible contingencies, but could not reconcile how to recover the book without confronting the deladrin. And then, he wondered, if I actually do succeed at rescuing the book, what will I do with it once I have it?
Behind Braden and Aaron, Lorik woke up and stepped out of the shelter. Stretching and yawning in the cold morning air the sergeant asked, “Trying to figure out a plan, Captain?”
“Yes, but I can think of no way that we are going to go in and come out again… not without a fight.” Aaron’s voice carried a strong sense of frustration. He paced across the tower chamber, slowly deliberating in his mind what their plan of action would be.
“Captain,” Lorik said, “you may have to play this one by chance.”
The words fell hard on Aaron. He hated the idea of leaving anything to chance when he could influence the outcome. But this was beyond him. His quest was leading him into catacombs completely unfamiliar, with an enemy completely foreign. As captain of the guard, he would have sent in scouts to carefully spy out the situation, and then he would have assembled the best possible team to overcome all contingencies. He would have brought all the necessary weaponry and supplies to support the effort and would have even contemplated the possible casualties and losses versus the gain that would be won.
Aaron continued in his thoughtful pacing. From the shelter, Mari appeared and stretched. She tucked her two knives into her belt, and ran her fingers through her hair to untangle it. Quickly twisting her hair into a braid, she walked over to Lorik and Braden who stood discussing the final leg of their mountain journey. “Do we have anything for breakfast?” she asked.
“Yes, milady,” said Braden who quickly fetched the satchel and pulled out some dried beef and vegetables. He then handed some to Lorik and Aaron.
They all ate in silence, watching Aaron and waiting for his next move. Finally, and with reluctance, Aaron tightened the strap on his sword belt and stepped out the door. Braden was right on his heels, with Mari and Lorik close behind.
Aaron set out east across the high, rugged pass, meandering through the upper peaks of the Kanton Mountains. The path kept to the southern face of the range and took on a noticeable descent. The crystal blue sky stood in stark contrast to the world below. Hovering over Celedon, as far as the eye could see, rested a blanket of white clouds that looked as if someone shrouded the world in cotton. The high mountain passage boasted no vegetation, just grey stones and piled snow, in the bleak terrain.
“What an amazing road,” Lorik observed. “To have this pathway carved out at the top of the world is astounding.”
Though littered with broken, jagged rocks, the wide trail allowed room enough to safely walk abreast. Glad for the momentary peace, Aaron feared they would soon face dangers far more severe than a hike across the mountains.
Behind Aaron, Braden and Lorik walked together. “I wonder if it’s raining down there,” he pondered as he looked down at the layer of clouds.
“I’m sure it is,” said Lorik. “In the south it must be early spring by now and this is the time when most of the region suffers heavy rains. In fact, if those clouds are any indication, the entire world below us is currently being drenched.” Lorik gazed at the clouds below. “This is the first time I’ve ever walked above the clouds,” he said. “It’s as if we have escaped the world completely.”
“Now you see why dwarves love the mountains,” Braden said. “We stand atop the world and think that the troubles below cannot reach us.” He looked out over the vast expanse of clouds hundreds of feet below them, a wistful expression on his weathered face. “I just wish that were actually true.”
“So do I,” Lorik replied. “So do I.”
They had walked for several miles, following the trail that wound its way around the peaks, when Mari stopped. “We are near the place where my brother and I escaped.” She pointed to a rock formation of two towering peaks with sheer faces and jagged cliffs. “It is near those peaks; we came out somewhere between those two massive columns.”
“She’s right, Captain,” said Braden. “When I was held prisoner here we were locked up near the summit of the mountain so that any who tried to escape had to contend with the terrain. It was a strong deterrent for those held there.” He paused for a moment. “When the city was overrun, I was in the upper level and all the prisoners were ushered out of a small portal near the base of those two spires.”
Aaron stared up at the rock formations which looked like massive, clawed fingers reaching into the heavens. “All right… Braden and Mari, you lead the way.”
Braden, side by side with the elf maiden, took the lead as Lorik and Aaron followed close behind, keeping the twin peaks always in their sights. Another mile up the trail the path divided, with the main road continuing east and a new path winding its way north, deeper into the mountains. It was this northern path that Braden and Mari followed, a dark, narrow ravine.
The path snaked through the gorge, hemmed in by mighty walls of solid stone. Cautiously they navigated, drawing ever closer to the towering twin monoliths that marked the entrance to the dwarf stronghold. At the end of the canyon the twin peaks met, looking as if some great hand split a single granite pillar with a cleaver. The spires reached skyward, towering above the narrow canyon which remained in constant shadows.
They arrived at the end of the passage, and with nowhere else to go, they stopped and waited as Braden examined the rock face. The expressive dwarf searched and checked every crack and indentation on the stone wall, looking for anything that might reveal the secret door. An hour passed and Lorik joined in, hoping to unlock the mystery and leave behind the cold, frozen mountain pass.
“Does your history speak of what happened after the Great War?” Mari came to sit at Aaron’s side.
“No, not in any sense that you are referring to,” Aaron answered. “What you call the Great War is known among my people as the time when we fought for and won our freedom. The history I learned speaks of liberation not deception.”
“Indeed,” Mari said thoughtfully, “but are your people truly free?”
“What do you mean?” Aaron asked.
“Think about what has happened in Celedon since your great revolution. Since the people of this nation cast off the King’s rule there have been wars, famines, uprisings, hatred, violence, and suffering. Since the time of the uprising against the true King you have forgotten the peace that once ruled Celedon, filling your history with those that are power-minded and ambitious, those who strive for supremacy and dominance over others.” Mari’s words fell hard on Aaron, and he fought the desire to try and defend against her accusations.
“It’s true,” he said, “you’re right. Since before I can remember, Celedon has suffered one conflict after another. Our history teaches that it wasn’t long after what you call the Great War the Royal Guard was formed to quell any future dissension and promote the power of the emperor. Our charter as guardsmen is to defend the peace of Celedon, and we’ve had to throw down more uprisings than I want to remember.”
“It does not sound very peaceful to me,” Mari said.
“You’re right about that as well,” interjected Lorik as he walked back toward Mari and Aaron. “I’ve been in the guard for a long time, and I can tell you that there has never been a season when we did not have to put down another squabble between provinces.” Aaron could clearly hear the irritation in his friend’s words.
“I think I’ve found it!” Braden announced.
The dwarf stood peering over a small stone imbedded into the mountain wall. It looked fairly natural to Aaron; only Braden seemed to find any fascination with it. Then Braden twisted it clockwise. Where there was once solid stone, a panel opened about three feet wide and two feet high revealing a set of three levers attached to chains. The chains disappeared through holes at the top of the opened chamber.
“Well, which one is it?” Lorik questioned.
“That’s where this gets tricky,” Braden answered with a note of hesitation in his voice. “Pull the wrong one, or in the wrong sequence and you bring down a wall of rock upon your head.” He looked again at the device. “This was designed to prevent any intruder from gaining access to the old realm. Only certain dwarves were allowed to know the combination, and those dwarves are long gone.”
“How do we get in, then?” Aaron asked. “We can’t just attempt a guess… that could end our fortunes rather abruptly.”
“Give me a moment to try and decipher the code. Many times I would hear the guards talking, and sometimes, if I remember right, they would mention the activation sequence for the door.” He paused, and then started mumbling to himself. “Two hundred years ago…”
The other three stood and watched as Braden examined the three levers, looking for any sign that would give him a clue as to which one to pull. He shook his head, mumbled under his breath, and reached out to take hold of the center lever.
He pulled, nothing happened. Again he pulled and nothing happened. Once more he pulled on the lever and the sound of stones grinding against each other shattered the silence of the narrow canyon. At the junction of the two massive peaks the rock face lifted to reveal a small door, no more than three feet wide, which opened into a long, dark corridor.
11
Heartache and Hope
“Quickly!” Braden shouted. “We only have a few seconds before the door closes again… get inside!”
The four of them rushed into the corridor, banging against the walls and each other as they went. Just then the door crashed shut, echoing along the hall like thunder and leaving them in total darkness. Beyond the door, the four companions could hear an avalanche of rock block the exit. Lorik carried the satchel and rummaged through the bag to find the small illumine stone. Smooth white light emanated from it, piercing the gloom with its radiance.
Braden stood in the passage like one who belonged in the cramped hall, his eyes gleaming in the white light of the glowing stone. “Shall we continue?” he asked. “We can’t go back and the only way out is through there,” he said as he pointed toward the deep blackness of the tunnel. Narrow and unadorned, the passageway extended well beyond the reach of their small light and vanished into darkness.
Aaron stooped to keep from banging his head. “I only hope that the tunnels get larger as we go!” Aaron said after he struck his head on the low ceiling, frustrated at the cramped conditions.
“Dwarves don’t usually carve tunnels to fit anyone else’s specifications,” Braden added. “But we should find that everyone can walk freely in them after we leave this detention area.”
“If this is a detention area,” Lorik asked, “where are all the cells?”
“This passage takes us to the prison,” Braden answered. “It goes on for several hundred steps and we should find a gate at the end that opens into a guardroom.”
Lorik nodded. “Where do we go from there?”
Braden continued, “Once we reach the guardroom, the hall of lords is a two-day walk. It has been some time, but I still remember the way.”
Aaron remembered what happened with Garam and looked over his small band of companions. “Now,” he said, “we all stick together. No one ventures off on some stray pursuit. Our main purpose is to secure the Book of Aleth and to find our way out again.” He paused. “I don’t know what to expect… so be prepared for anything.”
“That’s a good caution,” Braden said. “These halls must be filled with trouble now.” He looked at Mari. “Before you left, how many deladrin were here?”
“I do not know.” Mari spoke slowly as she recalled her time under the deladrin’s control. “Daily I would be brought before the daemons—until the word was out that the book was found. After that, they seemed far more interested in the Book of Aleth than in their interrogations of me and my brother,” said Mari. “For days we were left to ourselves, and that is when my brother and I were able to escape… they did not seem to care too much about us.”
“That could be an advantage,” Lorik said. “If they have no prisoners to guard, we may not find any of the creatures in these upper halls.”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Aaron said. “Braden you know these passages…lead the way.”
The dwarf, taking the illumine-stone from Lorik, held it high over his head and, with his axe in hand, began walking down the long, straight corridor. The narrow tunnel forced the four of them to walk in single file, with Braden at the lead, followed by Aaron, Mari, and then Lorik at the last. They came to the end of the passage rather abruptly, stumbling upon a gate that was made of cast iron and fastened with locks. Upon closer inspection Braden found that the machinery securing the gates had suffered much decay over the centuries and, with only a slight effort, he thrust open the door. The snapping mechanism echoed within the old guardroom.
