Return of the Wizard King

by Chad Corrie

  Dugan was impressed. “How did you find that?”

  “I saw the different patterns in the rock.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s easy to see if you have the eye for it.”

  “Cadrissa?” Alara watched her, obviously eager for some more insight.

  She closed her eyes again, focusing her will and tapping deeper into the spell. “I don’t know. I can’t discern anything about it.”

  “It’s as safe as it is going to be!” Vinder pushed ahead of the others. “Standing around isn’t going to accomplish much, and I bet those dogs can sniff out anything.”

  As if to emphasize his point, the barking grew louder, forcing them into the passage. Dugan protected their rear until they all passed through before moving into the hidden passage himself. The narrow walls forced them to snake in single file. They continued like that until they arrived at a massive crater in the floor. Here the hallway curved east. She surmised they were right where the building’s corner had crumbled into the hole they’d seen from the outside.

  “How do we get across?” Rowan peered into the hole. The chasm would definitely hinder their progress, if it didn’t stop them completely.

  “There.” Dugan pointed out a shadowy ridge of rock hugging the wall like dried flesh clinging to aged bone.

  “Oh no!” Cadrissa’s eyes grew wide. “You’ve already got me crawling around this tunnel like a rat. I don’t want to die like one.”

  “We don’t have time for this.” Alara was curt.

  “I’m not going across that,” she repeated.

  “Oh yes, you are.” Dugan picked her up over his shoulder and proceeded to carry her toward the ridge like a sack of wheat. She kicked and slapped his chest in protest, but he wouldn’t relent.

  “Do you want the whole city to know we’re here?” He grunted under her weight. “And the less you struggle, the better my grip.”

  Instantly, she grasped the logic and limply complied. After she relaxed, Dugan skimmed over the ridge. Once across, he set her down carefully on the other side. No longer in a panic, she gave the gladiator a hard stare. Dugan couldn’t suppress a grin. Cadrissa sheepishly discovered her own lips mimicking the expression as she watched the others join them. Gilban was the slowest of all, Alara leading him every inch of the way.

  After they left the ridge, they came to a spot where the hallway ended again with a set of doors to the north. They were very old but still solid, carved with strange faces she couldn’t easily place. While she might have enjoyed a closer study, they needed to keep moving. Dugan pushed his shoulder into one of the doors.

  It didn’t give.

  He tried again.

  “Stand back,” he grunted. With muscles tensed, he ran straight into where the doors met, colliding in a thunderous echo of destruction. The point of impact exploded into splinters, chunks, and dust, while what remained of the doors flew open. After a fine cloud of dust settled, the interior came fully into view.

  “I think they know we’re here now.” Vinder entered the room, coughing.

  “All the more reason to hurry.” Alara, with Gilban at her side, joined him. As they did, polished stone globes scattered across the walls began radiating a soft white light. The rest of the group followed.

  “It’s empty.” Vinder busied himself trying to find anything of worth on the dusty floor or in the cobweb-filled corners. “What kind of a secret door leads to an empty room?”

  “Maybe the elves got here first,” said Rowan.

  “No,” said Gilban. “What we seek is still here.”

  “Well, I don’t see anything.” Vinder’s aggravation was rising. “And now we brought down who knows how many hobgoblins on us.”

  “I wouldn’t touch those,” Cadrissa advised Dugan. He was about to tap one of the glowing globes with his sword. Each was cradled between a pair of brass wings affixed about eight feet from the ground. “They might be a bit unstable after all these years.” He instantly thought better of the idea even as she became more fascinated with them. “Still, it’s an amazing feat they’ve lasted this long. I could spend days studying them.” She took a few steps toward the globe nearest the door.

  “Well, I don’t think we have an hour, let alone days.” Vinder kept watching the doorway. The barking had stopped, but that didn’t mean they were free from danger.

  “He’s right,” Alara added. “If this isn’t the place—”

  “If this is where we were led,” Gilban interrupted, “then this is where we should be.”

  “But there’s nothing here,” said Dugan, walking the large room with measured steps.

  “Could there be another secret door?” Alara asked Vinder.

  “Worth a look, I guess.” He started searching the nearest wall. He didn’t get far before Cadrissa spoke a word that sent a crackling arc of violet lightning from the globe she was standing under to the one on its immediate right. This in turn sent the lightning on to the next globe and so on, until it returned to the same globe from which it started. This was all done in a matter of heartbeats, the lightning racing through the globes and the room they encircled before anyone could react.

  “What in Drued’s name—” Vinder stopped dead in his tracks. “You trying to bring the ceiling down on us?”

  “Cadrissa?” Alara was slightly more tactful but no less concerned.

  “It’s all right.” She couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. “I figured out what they did.”

  “Who did?” Dugan was just as lost as the rest.

  “The dranors,” she happily replied. “I had a couple theories, actually. I guess I just got lucky on my first try. They used the globes as axis points in a spatial distortion.”

  “What?” Rowan cocked his head.

  She composed herself, clearly needing a calmer mind and voice to explain. “They used the globes to hide what was in the room.”

  “Hide it where?” Vinder gave the area another look.

  “Right in front of us.”

  “There’s nothing here.” Dugan made a sweeping gesture with his hand across the open floor.

  “That’s because of the spatial distortion. It’s here, just not exactly here.” Seeing she wasn’t making any headway, she figured it was just as well to show them. “All I have to do is alter it just a tiny bit—”

  “You really think you should be messing with all these things?” Vinder eyed her with a generous mix of suspicion and worry. “You already said they might be unstable.”

  “That was if you didn’t know what you were doing,” she replied. “But now I do.”

  “You do?” Vinder wasn’t convinced.

  “It’ll be okay,” she reassured him and the others. “The dranors were the ones who first used magic. It’s just a matter of being able to match what they did to reverse the spell.”

  “And you can do that?” Alara was cautiously optimistic.

  “That’s what I was testing. If I couldn’t, it wouldn’t have arced like it did.”

  “All right.” Alara nodded. “What do we need to do?”

  “If you can clear out of the main area and stand behind me, that should be it.”

  “What’s the worst that can happen?” Rowan joined the others migrating her way.

  “Nothing. That’s the worst.”

  “And the best?” Rowan cautiously inquired.

  “We’ll find out soon enough.” Once all were safely behind her, Cadrissa focused her will, reached into her inner well, from which all mages cast their magic, and began working her spell.

  “Masra morabi dalia. Haloth ra-rin kalora . . .” As she spoke, the polished stone globes became a mixture of swirling violet and white. An eyeblink later a beam of bronze light shot out of each globe, one to the other. With the link, the beams grew fatter and flatter, eventually forming a solid wall of bronze light from floor to ceiling. Next came a sudden alteration in the air that made everyone’s ears pop. This was followed by a flash of bronze light, which returned the globes to their former g
lowing white state. But even though they’d returned to normal, the room was now quite different.

  “Drued’s sweet beard!”

  “Where did all this come from?” Rowan, like everyone else, was awestruck by a room filled with open iron chests glimmering with copper, silver, and gold coins. Nestled amid these ancient coins were gems of all sizes and shapes; amethysts, moss agates, black opals, and rubies were but a few immediately visible. Dominating the rest of the room—these on the wall to their right—were nine lifelike, jewel-encrusted golden statues. These statues possessed faces similar to those found on the door Dugan had burst open, but of higher quality and with curled strands of beard fashioned of pure onyx.

  Rowan dared a small step forward. “So where was all this before?”

  “It was here, just not exactly here.” Cadrissa attempted another explanation. “It’s a bit complicated but if you’re familiar with—”

  “That gold real?” Vinder’s eye had locked on a nearby chest.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s all I need to know.” He hurried for it like a drunk to the bottle.

  “So then the elves wouldn’t have found this even if they tried,” Rowan mused aloud, clearly pleased.

  “Not unless they had a wizard with them,” said Cadrissa.

  “Are those dranors?” Dugan asked, making for the nearest of the statues.

  “I think so,” she said. Two short swords, a broadsword, and a shield lay next to the statue’s base, along with a few small sacks of either gems or perhaps more coins.

  “Consider yourselves paid,” Alara informed the others. “Take what you wish, as long as you can carry it without slowing yourself down. But be quick about it.”

  “Aren’t you going to take anything for yourselves?” asked Dugan.

  “Just the information,” said Gilban. “That’s all we seek.”

  “But you lost everything in the marshes,” he continued.

  “Not everything,” replied the priest in his usual cryptic manner. Not interested in any further back-and-forth, Dugan fixed his focus on the treasure. But Cadrissa was still taking everything in while watching Alara and Gilban out of the corner of her eye.

  “So where is it?” Alara asked Gilban.

  “There.” His blind eyes found a small, dust-covered chest none had noticed before. It was made of simple oak and absent any visible lock. Between one and two feet in length—half that in width and height—it appeared fairly humble, tucked in a corner next to so many other interesting treasures. Indeed, amid such grandeur, Cadrissa thought it was practically invisible. And apparently its mundane appearance had turned away the others’ interest. Rowan now busied himself with the collection of weapons at the statue’s feet, Dugan joining him.

  “Isn’t this like grave robbery?” she heard Rowan inquire.

  “I don’t see any graves.” Dugan was matter of fact.

  A round medium-sized shield caught Rowan’s eye. It was decorated with a golden two-headed draconic wreath upon its black background. Bronze flames blasted out of the facing mouths, helping the continuous serpentine neck complete the circle.

  She observed Dugan pick up two short swords resting near Rowan’s shield. One was crafted with an emerald skull on the pommel. The other had a black opal set in the center of a cross hilt. He slashed the air, getting a feel for their weight, seemingly impressed with their balance and excellent craftsmanship. She also watched him scoop up a pouch of gems and tie it on his belt before continuing his exploration.

  “Careful now.” Gilban’s words brought her back to Alara and the seer. Alara had reached the chest and was cautiously lifting its lid. Cadrissa held her breath. She had just enough of a vantage point to see three tightly rolled scrolls and two leather-bound tomes no larger than her hand and no thicker than two fingers resting inside the ancient wooden box.

  Alara gently retrieved one of the tomes and opened it to a random page. “This is it, Gilban!” she exclaimed.

  “Then things go well, indeed.” A thin smile traced his lips.

  Creeping closer, Cadrissa tried reading what was written but was too far away. She almost hurried over but stopped herself from intruding. As impressive as they may have been, they weren’t for her. But anything else in this room was. And she only had so much time for searching. It was time she got to it.

  Alara carefully packed the book back in the chest, closed the lid, and placed it into Gilban’s waiting arms. “After all the trouble they took to hide everything else, I thought they would have hidden it better than this.”

  “Sometimes the most effective hiding spot is in plain sight.” He held the box against his chest. “It’s finished then. The Elyellium shall never rebuild their empire. Peace shall be preserved.”

  Cadrissa let everything else fade into the background while she searched. There was no shortage of things catching her interest, but there were also practical concerns, such as paying for more instruction at the academy. And for that the small mound of gems spilling out of a nearby half-ruined pouch caught her eye. When she retrieved it, a golden disk-shaped pendant attached to a thin gold chain spilled out with some stray gems.

  The pendant was covered with strange carvings and symbols. And if what she’d learned in her schooling was correct the item could very well be enchanted. To what degree and with what abilities—if any—she wasn’t certain, but it was a curiosity nonetheless. And it would certainly warrant further study. She quietly placed it into one of the secret compartments concealed in the folds of her robes and pocketed what she could of the gems in another.

  “Let’s go!” Alara’s order roused them from their scavenging.

  “It’s a shame we have to leave them here.” Vinder contemplated one of the statues. More than his fair share of the coins and gems were already bulging in his pockets, but his face clearly longed for a way to take the great statue back as well.

  “How would you carry it out of here, let alone through the jungle?” Rowan placed his new shield over his left arm, testing its weight.

  “I know.” Vinder sighed in resignation. “Still, what a waste.”

  “We have to hurry,” Alara continued. “We’ve already spent too much time as it is.”

  Cadrissa knew she was right, but this wasn’t the only place she’d felt the presence of strong magic, was it? And who knew when—if ever—she’d be so close to something like it again?

  “We need to go back to that other building,” she informed them.

  “Why?” Dugan sheathed his two new weapons behind his sword belt. “We got what we came for.”

  “I sensed a strong source of magic there; it might be important.”

  Vinder’s eye narrowed. “To us or to you?”

  “We should make sure we don’t leave anything behind that could be salvaged.” Rowan stepped in before she could reply. “It’s what the knighthood would want.”

  All eyes fell on Alara, who in turn sought Gilban. But the seer said nothing, keeping the chest tightly under his right arm.

  Alara sighed. “How much longer do we have with that spell?”

  “There should be enough to get us there safely,” said Cadrissa.

  “Should or will?” Vinder crossed his arms. “I don’t want to take any more risks than we have to—especially now when we’re nearly out of this.”

  “Well, we’re not gaining any more time standing around arguing about it.” Rowan made his way for the door.

  “Let’s get out of here first and then we can look at what to do next if the spell still holds.” Alara’s decision wasn’t what Cadrissa wanted to hear but did move them in the preferred direction.

  Chapter 29

  What is often overlooked tends to be

  more important than one first realizes.

  —Old Sarellian saying

  Cadrissa watched Alara help Gilban through the secret door Vinder had discovered earlier. They’d been making good time with their backtracking. Their progress had slowed when they encountered the large
hole again, but they made it through. She initially had some doubts with Gilban, especially after he insisted on keeping the chest in his possession. But he’d found his way safely across, chest under one arm and Alara helping guide him by the other. Rowan and Vinder had also managed well, but Cadrissa still wasn’t too keen on the idea of walking such a narrow ledge. Thankfully, Dugan had helped her across, carrying her once more over his shoulders. And while the second time wasn’t as nerve racking, she still kept her eyes closed for most of it.

  While their temporary invisibility gave them a sense of freedom, they still remained intent on their surroundings. She hadn’t heard any dogs since they left the cache and hadn’t seen any other signs of life either. Even so, everyone remained focused—ears and eyes constantly alert for anything.

  “Hey.” Vinder stopped and stared at his hand. It was fading in and out like a flickering candle. “What’s going on?” Cadrissa and the others observed a similar phenomenon.

  “I guess we didn’t have as long as I thought.” She tried making it sound better than what it was: them becoming visible in the middle of a tribe of hobgoblins after raiding a cache of treasure. Even as she spoke she and the others fully returned to their normal state.

  “We’ll manage,” said Alara. “From here on out, we rely on stealth and speed.” It was then the loud barking rose from the end of the hallway.

  “The dogs,” Dugan grunted and drew his new blades.

  “Hide!” Alara’s whisper scattered them into whatever pockets of shadow they could find. No sooner had they done so than two large hobgoblins dressed in chain mail and carrying short swords turned the corner. Each had five vicious dogs with them—all leashed to wrought iron chains. Each of the chains was attached to a thick steel ring held tightly by the sentries’ strong hands. The animals appeared to be a mixture of wild wolf and common hound. Their sleek brown and black bodies were covered in short hair, bristling around the muzzles and necks, their bared teeth shimmering a deathly white in the hall’s limited illumination.