“They wouldn’t move just because we’re way up here. Something far below disturbed them.”
Gradually, the dim light turned to blackness and they lit the lanterns. Curious things scuttled at their feet: huge centipedes a foot long or more, and roaches as big as their hands. The air was musty and rancid; everything smelled of fungus and corruption. Once, Sai made the mistake of running her hand along the stone wall, and it came away sticky with a gooey red slime.
They continued downward until they were an island of light in a black sea of infinity. The stairs and tunnel had curved, and they were soon in a vast underground chamber connected to the sinkhole above. Stalactites and stalagmites pointed up and down like the teeth of giants. Drops of cold water hit their necks every now and again, and Sai had to continually check that it wasn’t the saliva of some foul beast. Odd, repugnant sounds echoed softly from somewhere in the unseen gulfs, and Sai didn’t want to imagine what could be making those noises.
Ruins of armor and the skeletons of fallen adventurers littered the floor of the cavern and left little doubt as to what happened to the unlucky travelers.
“Still think this is the answer we seek?” asked Sai.
“I know of no other way, but if we find no sign of the wizard, I suggest we go back and fulfill the mission regardless of poor Hatch.”
“Agreed,” said Marie, taking Von Wilding’s hand.
Sai ground her teeth together, but she held her tongue for the moment. It seemed to her that they had only just begun in seeking out the wizard. It has only been a few hours hasn’t it? But as they searched the cavern, she was forced to admit there was no sign that anything but monsters dwelled there.
At times Sai thought she heard footsteps following them, but she never saw anything. A wailing and moaning echoed from somewhere deep in the cave. It sounded like a person in agony.
“Wind?” asked Marie.
“I doubt it,” answered Von Wilding.
“I feel like we are being watched,” said Sai.
“Likely as not,” agreed Von Wilding, “but we must continue a little longer until I can feel we have done our best.”
“Just a little longer?” jabbed Sai. She opened her satchel to look at Hatch again.
“Ribbit,” he answered.
After another hour of fruitless searching, they found themselves on the edge of a precipice with a channel of water running swiftly below. “I think we should head back. It will take us the rest of the day just to reach the others,” said Von Wilding.
Sai could see that Marie agreed with him. “I don’t want to give up.”
“This was my best suggestion, but we have not found the wizard and must continue.”
Sai shook her head. “If we have already lost Hatch to this curse, how can we overcome Von Drakk himself?”
“The Moor is getting to you—it causes despair. We must rise above it. Someday we shall overcome his darkness. Only by continually striving can we reach that place. Please, let’s head back and find another way to restore Hatch.”
Sai reluctantly agreed, and they turned about to start back the way they had come. They all felt eyes watching them, and soon enough the terrible chittering and squeaking they had heard earlier became louder.
“Bats?”
“I hope so.”
The chittering came closer, echoing off the cavern walls in disorienting waves.
A patch of darkness appeared to be moving. They drew their weapons, but realized the futility of it in half a heartbeat. Their lanterns revealed hundreds of gleaming red eyes. A horde of greedy rats was swarming toward them. There was no way they could possibly cut down such a tiny yet endless throng. The chiseled teeth of the tiny monsters snapped furiously.
“Run! Back the other way!” ordered Von Wilding.
They ran as fast as they could in the uneven darkness, but the river of rodents flowed on behind them with snapping teeth and starving squeals. Here and there one of the rats would falter and the mass would flow over them like eddies in a torrent. The very air now stank with the fetid odor of the rats.
A sheer cliff ended their flight. They were trapped with a river of black water rushing far below.
“I always thought I would die in a glorious fight against some magnificent infernal monster, but now we are doomed by lowly rats,” snarled Von Wilding.
Like stars in some infernal night, the eyes of the horde glimmered against their lanterns.
Sai pondered porting, but she couldn’t see anything beyond the rats. She couldn’t go beyond them and there was nowhere else in sight; she risked porting into stone if she blindly went.
“There is one chance,” said Marie.
“What?” both Sai and Von Wilding asked.
Marie gripped them both and fell backward off the cliff just as the surge of rats charged them.
Cold water slapped them and stole their breath. Sai struggled and could only just make out the features of the cavern as they were carried along. Being a Riftling, she knew she could see better in the dark than her two companions, but even she was hard-pressed to gain equilibrium in the turbulent waters. She was worried for Hatch in her satchel, but daren’t look for him lest he be swept away. Von Wilding and Marie looked to be nearby, holding onto each other for support as the water made all of them careen through the narrow abyss.
Then a rock dashed her in the head and all went completely black.
Chapter 12: The Wizard
Sai’s eyes blinked open in delirium. A figure with a horned helm was standing over her. All she could see was the dark shape of the man outlined by the glowing orb in his hand and then eternal blackness behind.
“Greetings, little Riftling. Welcome to my abode,” he said, sounding friendly enough. He extended a hand and helped Sai up from the cold, lapping waters. “I trust you know these other two as well.” He gestured to Von Wilding and Marie. “They have already introduced themselves.”
They were pulling themselves from the dark river. Sai could see bruises on their faces as well as lightly bleeding gashes. Her own skull was throbbing, and she guessed that had the same bumps and bruises. “I am Sai.”
“I can take care of those hurts, though it seems none are too serious,” said the strange man.
“Who are you?” she asked. “Are you the wizard I’ve heard that lives here?”
“Me? No, I’m no wizard, just a healer who became trapped in a gloomy dungeon.”
“This is a dungeon?”
“I think so,” said the man. “I haven’t been able to find a way out.”
“What is your name?” Sai asked.
He pondered a moment and scratched his beard. “I don’t know.”
As she moved and caught the light shining on his face, she realized he wasn’t a man but a Riftling like herself. He hadn’t been wearing a horned helmet, but they were his own horns sprouting from his head, although they were far longer than hers and curled like ram’s horns. He must be very old.
“Are you sure you don’t know your own name?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I have trouble remembering lots of things these days.”
“How long have you been down here?” asked Von Wilding.
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe a few days. But why so many questions, let me get you folks fixed right up.” He rubbed his hands together rapidly and a blue light sparked into existence and grew to the size of a grapefruit. It was a brilliant turquoise that sparkled like diamonds. It flew from his hands and touched Marie first. She was startled and jerked back, but then the worry and fear fled from her face.
“I feel much better,” she said with a bright smile.
The glowing orb touched Von Wilding and his cuts vanished too. Then it spun about and examined Sai. She was wary but allowed it to brush up against her forehead; a warm sensation surrounded her, and all the little aches and pains were gone.
“Thank you. I wish I knew your name.”
“I wish I d
id too,” he said, with a chuckle.
They moved up and away from the river to a small enclave. There were many furs draped here and there for comfort, a pile of cooking implements, and a scattered array of books. The old Riftling had clearly been here for more than a few days, perhaps years.
“You all must be hungry, let me get you something to eat,” he said as he rummaged through some sacks. “I have rice, some tasty fungus stew.” He swung around abruptly, “None of you are opposed to eating cave snake, are you? I’m afraid they are the best meat I can catch down here.”
Sai looked to Von Wilding who shrugged. “What’s it like?”
“Well, it’s like a snake but bigger and blind.”
“I guess that’s all right,” answered Sai as she looked to the others for reassurance.
“Have you helped many travelers down here?” Marie asked.
“A few. Mostly I have monsters to keep off, but once in a while folk come down and I do what I can. I like to be helpful.”
Sai wondered aloud, “Why do you call this a dungeon? Are you sure there is no way out? After all, there is a way in.”
“By the goddess, you’re right,” he proclaimed loudly. “Why didn’t I think of that. If there is a way in, there must be a way out. But I can’t find it you see, because every time I start something, I forget what I thought I was doing and then, here we are. What are your names again?”
“I am Von Wilding, this is Marie of Stilt Town.”
“And I am Sai.”
“You’ll have to excuse me, I forget everything in a very short span of time. I just remember some sporadic things from before the Drowning, don’t you know?”
“The Drowning?” asked Von Wilding, very interested now.
“Yes, the Drowning. I seem to remember trying to work out a method and then everything went crashing down. I nearly drowned.”
“He is quite mad,” said Von Wilding. “It was too much to hope for that we could find Ikalos.”
“Ikalos!” shouted the old Riftling. “That’s it! That was my name!”
Sai was dubious and tested her hypothesis, “Are you sure you’re not Landros the Magnificent?”
“That’s it! I’m Landros the magnificent! Now I remember.”
Sai snorted, “Well, you’re right, he is mad. At least he was able to heal us of our bumps and bruises but now we ought to get going.” She paused, suddenly remembering Hatch in her satchel, yanking it open and fearing the worst. But there he was, rather unharmed.
“Ribbit.”
“What’s that?” asked the crazy old Riftling. “A frog? Can we put him in a stew?” He licked his lips in anticipation.
“Absolutely not!” shouted Sai. “This is my friend who was cursed by a witch and turned into a miserable toad.”
The old Riftling jolted backward and fell over a pile of his collection.
“Wait,” said Sai. “You have healing powers, maybe you can restore him?”
He shook his head. “I know how to heal, but I’m not a wizard, not anymore, not since the Drowning.”
“What if,” said Marie, “What if he is Ikalos but during the Drowning, he was hurt, and it has affected his mind?”
Von Wilding shook his head. “He would be thousands of years old by now. No one lives that long.”
“No one knows how long Riftlings live,” said Sai. “I don’t even know how old I am.”
“But you’re young,” said Von Wilding.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Sorry,” mumbled Von Wilding.
She nodded in thanks and then turned toward the old Riftling. “Will you try and heal my friend?” asked Sai, holding Hatch in her cupped hands out to him.
The old man nodded, slapped his hands together, and started rubbing them swiftly. The blue glow returned, and the ball of light rose up and kissed the toad. Suddenly the toad looked very healthy and strong but still a toad. “I’m sorry.”
“Ribbit,” Hatch croaked.
“If he can’t restore him, we should get back to the others. They’re probably worried sick by now,” said Marie.
“If they haven’t left us already,” growled Sai.
They stood and made their way toward a tunnel that forked in two directions.
“Wait!” cried the old Riftling. “Don’t go that way. It is a secret shortcut that will take you straight to Von Drakk’s Manor! And you don’t want to go sneaking into his back door, do you?”
They all looked to each other in wonder.
“Which way?” demanded Sai.
Chapter 13: Von Drakk Manor
The longer they walked through the tunnel system with the old Riftling, the more they began to believe he could be Ikalos. He knew arcane history from thousands of years ago but would forget what one of them said a minute ago and ask again and again.
“Are we getting closer to the surface?” asked Marie.
“We are, but because this leads to Von Drakk Manor, I never considered it an exit. That’s why I felt trapped here.”
“A wizard as powerful as yourself and yet you’re afraid of Von Drakk?”
Ikalos looked at them and said, “I may be old but I’m not daft. A vampire lord could sup upon my blood as easy anyone’s. My magic is for healing, not fighting.”
“How long have we been down here? It’s disorienting,” said Marie.
“It’s hard to tell,” said Von Wilding. “But I would guess more than a day.”
“Good,” said Sai, “that means that Chev and Esmerelda have gone back to Stilt Town where they can be safe.”
“That is, if nothing else got them,” muttered Von Wilding.
The old Riftling stopped short. “Why don’t we stop the whispering and just see what your friends are doing if you’re so concerned about them then?”
“How?”
Ikalos produced a crystal ball the size of an ostrich’s egg from beneath his ragged robes and it lit up like the full moon. Shadows twisted and swirled until scenes of Chev and Esmerelda came into focus. They were on the skiff, still waiting for their friends’ return. Chev was cooking eggs for breakfast.
“At least they’re all right. I wish we could talk to them,” said Marie.
“You can. Just tap the globe and direct your thoughts,” said Ikalos.
Sai took hold of the globe, tapped and spoke, “Chev, Esmerelda, can you hear me?”
Both of them, who had been eating their breakfast, suddenly looked up and around themselves trying to see where the voice had come from.
“I don’t think you can see me, but I see you and wanted to let you know that we are all right and are on our way to Von Drakk Manor. Please go back to Stilt Town.”
“No, you’re supposed to come back to us,” cried Esmerelda.
Chev interrupted, “Sorry, cap’n, there’s only so much I can do. I expect I’ll be sailing on down the Dragon Breath and see ye near the Manor then?”
“No, Chev. Go home.”
“Afraid I can’t be doing that; the little lady won’t let me. We’ll see ye there soon enough.”
With that the globe’s light faded away.
Sai snarled, “Why did it end?”
“Because they ended the communication. It is a two-way street you know,” said Ikalos.
“Why didn’t you let us know you had that before?”
“You didn’t ask. How am I to know all the little things you don’t know? Enough to fill a book I’m sure.”
They tramped on for some time until they stopped for a break. “We’re almost out of water,” said Marie.
Sai asked Ikalos. “How much of a short cut is this way you’re taking us?”
“I don’t know that,” said Ikalos. “I just know that this goes straight to the Manor.
“So it could be hundreds of miles of tunnel?”
“No,” said Ikalos, shaking his head. “Not much farther. Just around this next bend I think.”
S
ai furrowed her brow at him in disgust and walked around the short bend in the tunnel. Right there was a massive oaken door banded with iron. “We’re right here, and you stop for a break not fifty feet from the end?”
“You didn’t ask,” he retorted. “Besides I already told you I can’t open the door!”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I made it a long time ago!” he shouted. “By the goddess, I just remembered. I am Ikalos. I am.” He started feeling his own body with his hands. “How did I get so old?”
“You remember now?”
“Remember what?”
Sai raged.
Von Wilding came forward. “Let’s see about getting this open. I’ve had enough of the dark to last a lifetime.” He pushed at the door, but it did not budge. Sai and Marie helped push, but still the door did not move.
Sai stopped. “I know how this works. I just have to ask the right stupid question. Ikalos, how do I open this door?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Is it magical?” asked Marie.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Ikalos. “It is a door.”
“Then why won’t it open?”
“Because when I had it made I wanted to either keep something in or something out. And I know that Von Drakk Manor is on the other side, so maybe I wanted to keep him out.”
“So it doesn’t open either way?”
“That’s it!” he shrieked with joy.
“What’s it?”
“It has to be opened either way.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means someone has to be on the other side opening it while we open it on this side.”
Marie shook her head. “He is mad. That’s not how doors work, you lunatic.”
Ikalos was taken aback. “They don’t? Well, this one does.”
Sai rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. She tried to calculate how long of a walk it would be back to Ikalos’ home in the rocks where at least they could get some water. She was so thirsty now.
Ikalos thrummed his fingers through his beard, muttering to himself as much as to the others. “You don’t believe me, but I remember. Someone pushes from this side, someone pushes from the other side. It was the only way I could be sure that the door was secure because only friends could open it.”
The Glauerdoom Moor Page 9
