Ryson's eye's widened at the suggestion. A loose description from the legends of an algor filled his mind. It left much to his imagination, and even more to disbelieve. "I've never even seen an algor before. Even if you tell me what to look for, it's not going to be easy. The desert is a tricky place. The wind and the sand can play tricks. Even if I do find them, what then? I don't even know what language they speak."
"They speak the same as ours," Mappel answered simply.
"But what will I say to them?"
"What you must, what you have already said. You have convinced me that the time of change is at hand. Use the same emotion. Tell them all you have seen and heard, and I mean everything. Do not leave out a single item because you might fear it is too outlandish. The truth is that the algors may agree to meet us if your story is curious enough. Do not ask me to explain it. As I said before, they are a strange group. The more eccentric the story, the more inclined they are to look into it. It is how elflore describes them."
"You also said this might be dangerous. Are you talking about the algors?"
"No, the algors will not harm you. They will either hide from you or simply ignore you. That is not where the danger lies. In reaching the desert, you must cross territory which is now certainly inhabited by mountain shags and river rogues. That is the danger you face."
"I see." Ryson rubbed his chin as he considered the proposal.
"Do not feel forced into this matter, Ryson Acumen," Mappel counseled. "Look deeply into yourself. Let your own feelings dictate you answer."
And he did address his feelings. This day he walked within the camp of elves, spoke with an elfin leader. Now, the exquisite opportunity of chasing another legend opened before him, something previously beyond his imagination. As a delver, he simply could not turn away.
"My own feelings tell me to go," Ryson admitted, answering not only Mappel's request, but the doubts in his own mind. "Not because I don't fear the danger, because I do. It's because as a delver I wish to find an algor. If I reject this, I would regret it. That much I'm sure of. Maybe this is my chance to finally prove that I'm not really mad, that this really is happening."
"He should not face it alone," Lief insisted. "He will not know how to deal with what he might encounter. Let me go with him. You do not need me in your travel. A guard will suffice."
Mappel shook his head sternly. "Your lot is cast, Lief Woodson. But I agree he should not face the dangers alone. I will send a guard with him. I will send Holli Brances." The elder elf paused. He considered a gnawing thought echoing through his own mind. He spoke of it almost as if the thought defied logic. "I also realize that a short sword taken from a goblin will not help him. He shall take the Sword of Decree. It will be needed in times yet to come, and perhaps it is foolish of me to give it to him. Risking its loss when it is truly needed seems more than foolish. For some reason, though, I sense it is necessary."
"The Sword of Decree?" Ryson looked confused.
"A powerful weapon," Mappel responded. "A weapon that’s purpose was forged at the time of Sanctum. A weapon which will be needed again if we are to succeed. However, I sense an intertwining of events, and I believe it must go with you now."
"It is a great honor he bestows upon you," Lief added. "The sword has not been carried in battle or in defense as long as I have lived."
"The truth is that it was created just after the Wizard War," Mappel emphasized. "The sword is enchanted. It has been held in reserve for an occasion of dire need. Its time of service has come, and it will be needed for us to reach our objective."
"I thought the sphere held all the magic?" Ryson remained confused. "How can the sword still be enchanted?"
Mappel offered a simple explanation. "The sphere took that energy which was free. It could not pull the power from items which held it inertly. That is why the sword remained unused for so long. It can hold its power for an eternity. As it is used, however, the power will dwindle. The enchantment can not be recharged as long as the magic in the air remains tainted. Each time the sword is used it will lose a portion of its enchantment."
Another hundred questions erupted in the delver's mind. He blurted out the first, his curiosity apparent. "How do you use this sword?"
"Like any other sword, but with greater energy. When it touches your foe, it will do far more than cut or stab. It will unleash power that will burn the very soul."
Here, Ryson's curiosity faded into aversion.
"I don't know if I want such a sword," Ryson stated seriously.
It was Mappel's turn to reveal confusion. To bestow the sword was to bestow honor. He could not imagine why someone would refuse. "I do not understand."
"I don't want to use anything that's going to burn someone's soul," Ryson admitted without shame. He did not wish to insult the elder or the honor, but the sword was simply beyond his desires. "I wasn't happy with carrying the short sword."
Lief spoke up, now with greater authority. "You're mind might change when you face a river rouge. It would not show you the same kind of mercy. There are simply times when you must act with force."
Ryson stood firm to his principles. The thought of holding such a sword left him ill at ease. As a delver, it was always easy to identify danger before stumbling upon it, or to dodge threats as he dodged the arrow of the elf guard earlier that day. He understood defensive procedures, but shied away from any offensive undertaking.
"I can understand people protecting themselves," he explained, "but I don't agree with going out with the intention of killing. I can't believe you would want me to go out with that attitude."
Lief spoke coldly. "I realize that you may not understand this, but yes we would. Right now, you are still looking at things as if the world you knew was still intact. It is not."
"If you're talking about indiscriminate killing," Ryson responded quickly, "I doubt my feelings on that will ever change. I was taught to respect life, all life. Even if I have to except the existence of goblins, river rouges and even elves, you can't expect me to give up my values."
"Your values are based on a reality which will soon change greatly."
Mappel waved his hand making it clear he wanted the debate to end.
"I understand your values are important," the elder allowed. "They make you what you are. I doubt anyone will expect you to change them, but your perspective must change. You must accept what is about to happen."
Ryson spoke undeterred of his position. "There is still right and wrong, good and evil."
"Yes there is. Even more so now. The evil which lurks in the wilderness may strike at you horribly. I do not ask you to hunt this evil down. I ask you to carry the sword and use it to protect yourself. Use it to make sure your task succeeds. It might mean the end of everything if you fail."
"What about this Holli person. Can't you give her the sword?"
Mappel reflected upon the suggestion for long moments. "I can, if you insist, but then I will have to make a request of my own. I offer the sword for your protection not hers. If you wish her to carry it, you must always remain at her side. Do you agree to this?"
Ryson found the option acceptable. "Sure."
Mappel did not allow this reply to end the discussion until he made one more request. "You must also vow to protect the sword, as it will protect you. Use it when necessary, but not with disregard. If something should happen to Holli, you must take up the sword. It must then never leave your side. I can not speak further of this. You simply must accept that if the sword is lost, so are we all."
"If it's that important maybe you should hold onto it." Ryson offered.
"I believe it must go with you. Do you accept this responsibility?"
Ryson nodded.
"Very well," Mappel spoke as if the matter was concluded. "Lief, summon Holli Brances. She will receive the sword and guide our new friend toward the desert. It will be a difficult path through the forest. It remains thick in that direction."
"Do not fear for him on that," L
ief stated as he turned to fulfill Mappel's request. "He climbs as well, perhaps even better than I."
"That is high praise indeed. Come now, delver, it is time for me to tell you all I know of the algors."
"Before you do, I have one more question for you. It seems to me we're forgetting one piece of the puzzle."
"Which might that be?"
"The delvers," Ryson admitted. "Even if Reader Matthew can help us with the humans, and I can convince the algors, we still have no idea what my people put in Sanctum. I can't even tell you who to ask."
"I see." Mappel paused as he closed his eyes to think for long moments before continuing. "Let us not fret upon that now. I will see what the reader can tell me and we shall see how you fare with the algors. As for the delvers, you are here with us at this moment. That is enough for now. We will deal with the puzzles of Sanctum when we bring others together. Perhaps, Matthew will help us with this problem."
Ryson only shrugged.
Chapter 9
Holli Brances, moved alongside Ryson as they headed toward the Lacobian desert. She obviously took Mappel's request seriously for she remained ever within arms reach. The Sword of Decree remained sheathed at her side, but Ryson knew it would take her less than a second to wield it against any potential foe.
Ryson made a point of watching Holli closely when she was first introduced to him. If Ryson's life would be dependant upon this elf, he wished to know as much about her as possible. As only a delver would, he examined her movements, expressions and replies. He realized immediately that her personality was as diametrically opposed to Lief Woodson's as possible. Where Lief's emotions would burst forth, Holli remained stable and controlled. Lief had previously showed signs of humor, but Holli remained stoic and reserved. Ryson would never forget the look in Holli's face when Mappel presented her with the sword. She barely breathed as she took possession, and a smile dared not crack her lips. She held it with the care a mother holds a newborn, but not with the same emotion. She said not a word. She only nodded her head as if willingly accepting some Herculean task.
Holli Brances looked very much like an average human female, except of course for her pointed ears. She stood tall and slender, but no more than some of the appearance conscious girls from Connel. In truth, her most distinguishable characteristic was her darting eyes. Even when resting, her eyes flashed about constantly, drinking in every surrounding image. She took nothing for granted. She looked about, scanned the horizon, and watched for the slightest movement in all directions. One pass was evidently insufficient, for this surveillance continued unendingly.
Unable to ignore this trait, Ryson found the habit catchy. After but a few moments with the elf guard, he too, began to constantly scan his surroundings. Such diligence became strenuous as the two ventured further southward.
The forest increased in its density. Thick branches overwhelmed the travelers, limiting their movements and choice of paths. It also restricted their visibility which obviously discomforted the elf. She twisted and turned her neck with greater speed, hoping to offset the limited sight distance with a quicker review of everything around her.
Ryson considered making conversation to ease her discomfort, but he quickly realized such an action would only compound her difficulties. He knew that his questions or comments would be viewed as a distraction. He remained quiet, concentrated on finding the quickest and easiest path through the trees.
Holli did eventually speak, but only to request a slower pace. She could not keep up with him if he concentrated solely upon movement. That would mean she could not fulfill her obligation of protecting him. Every time he began to pull away, she rebuked him, almost ordering him to remain within her grasp.
The remainder of this long day ended as the final light of dusk disappeared. Holli requested they remain in the trees for the night and Ryson did not object.
They barely spoke. She told the delver to sleep the entire night. She would take the whole watch. She made some reference about being trained to rest while remaining awake. Indeed, a highly trained elf guard could go unencumbered for several days without actual sleep. They only needed breaks from strenuous activity. Holli found such a break as she perched herself between two thick boughs of a large oak tree.
Ryson bent back the branches of a soft blue spruce, tying them together to create a make-shift hammock. He sprawled out without fear of falling and drifted into a deep sleep. When he woke, he could not recall a single dream.
Holli woke the delver at the first light of day. They both used the new light to inspect the surrounding area. Ryson even dropped to the ground to check for signs of intruders. Holli followed him unhappily. She did not wish to leave the trees, but she could not forget her duty to remain at his side. Nothing was found, and they decided to move forward. They were traveling again before the sun rose above the tree line.
Ryson kept them moving at the quickest pace Holli could follow. To his pleasure and surprise, she showed no signs of fatigue from the lack of sleep. They moved southwest and she made no complaints over his speed. If anything, she seemed more apt to follow the delver as if she spent the night preparing for the task, both mentally and physically.
Their diligence paid off as the trees became more diluted. The dire heaviness of the forest began to lift. Pines and deciduous trees spread themselves further apart. Their travel quickened, unencumbered by the stifling forest. Before them, thick branches formed long bridges in nearly every direction. As the number of trees dwindled, the space around them opened. Holli found it easier to survey the encompassing grounds, her eyes swept across the landscape with broad scans.
The heightened senses of the delver grasped the forest's weakening hold in the direction they set. The soil content below them was becoming rocky and dry. Moisture in both the air and the ground was fading. The trees showed signs of a greater struggle to reach the sky. Browning leaves and withering branches were a testament to the harsher environment of the desert that waited well ahead of them.
The Lacobian desert remained far off, they would still have to travel the sparsely vegetated and rocky hill regions which separated the forest from the desert, but by all accounts, they should reach the outskirts before late afternoon.
Before the sun was overhead, they were forced from the trees. To Holli's dismay, this form of travel was no longer possible. The trees grew too far apart for them to leap from branch to branch. They tried for a while and each showed the leaping ability of the nimblest of squirrels. The soil, however, became dryer with each passing step. The forest thinned to a cluster of trees and then a smattering. Soon, the landscape was nothing more than rocky terrain spotted with more sagebrush than healthy trees.
Holli reluctantly accepted the inevitable and they trotted upon open ground. Only the increased range of her vision gave her any solace. Without the thick forest to block her view, she could see far off to the horizon in each direction. She remained cautious and at her urging they shied away from the steeper of the hills or any large boulders. She directed them in a path that would keep them in areas of little cover.
Ryson questioned that tactic as he recalled the weapons of the goblins. Walking through the open ground left them vulnerable to crossbow fire. He asked if they might be safer keeping close to the hillsides. She disagreed flatly.
Holli knew the path she chose left them without protection, but it also reduced the chance of ambush. This was her greatest fear. She knew enough of elflore and listened well to Mappel's advice. The goblins did not pose a true threat in this area. They hated the dryness of the desert, perhaps almost as much as the elves. Thus, she did not fear an attack from crossbows. If they were to be assaulted now, it would be by creatures that cared little for using arrows.
She explained no further and they continued forward. They made excellent time and the scent of the dry desert air soon became clear even to Holli.
Upon a high clearing, Ryson squinted his eyes and peered across the horizon. In the far distance, the sparsely v
egetated hills and rocky terrain were replaced by sandy dunes. Tall cacti reached toward the sky. They numbered more in the distance, but a few jutted up from the land they now traversed. Ryson examined the ground and saw more signs of sand accumulating among the rocks and gravel.
"The hard ground is starting to give way to the desert," he exclaimed. "Pretty soon we'll be walking on pure sand. Can you see it in the distance?"
"Yes," Holli stated simply. "It will not take us long." She said nothing further.
Ryson, however, felt the need to talk. He saw the vast emptiness of the desert before them, and its far reaching desolation brought loneliness to his spirit.
"You know, when we get there, I'm not really going to know where to go." He offered this as much as a warning as an attempt to open a conversation. "So far, I've been traveling with a known objective. I mean, I knew how to get to the desert, but when I reach it, I won't know much after that. I don't know how to find algors. I might be leading us into nothing more than empty sand. Don't misunderstand, I'm not worrying about us getting in any trouble out there. We can get food and water if we need it. It's just that we may end up wandering around for weeks and I still might not find what we're looking for."
Holli's eyes remained focused on unseen threats. Her reply was short and to the point. "Trust your senses, delver. Mappel does and so do the forces that sent you to us."
Ryson grunted. It seemed every elf he met couldn't resist tying his meeting with Lief to some act of fate. Couldn't they understand the curiosity of a delver and how it led to his current predicament? It was the tremor which initiated his desire to renew explorations. It was his brush with the walking dead which commenced his meeting with Lief Woodson. Yet, every elf, from the spirit of Shayed to this elf guard, wished to act as if Godson himself placed him within their midst. Could they not understand coincidence?
Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach Page 14
