Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach

by Jeff Ianniello

  "These are but some of the consequences, but know this, the magic returns with the taint of destruction." The elf's tone grew with authority as he issued this warning. "It is beyond good, it is beyond evil. It returns with a purpose of obliteration, a purpose it can fulfill. It moves of its own desire. Uncontrolled and mutated energy alters the very fabric of the land. That can be already seen in the appearance of the undead. No current wizard cast a spell to raise the corpse which attacked your people. That is partially the taint of this uncontrolled power. The magic is not pure. Some of the very energies still maintain the direction of spells cast hundreds and hundreds of cycles ago. If allowed unfettered, it will wipe the land free of life, all life. Thus, we return to Connel, return to make yet another stand together to fight the magic just as we did long ago."

  The mayor allowed Mappel's pause to fill the room with silence for long moments. Finally, he pressed with what he believed to be a major point of interest. "This magic you speak of, it seems you're saying that this is what's causing all of the strange occurrences. That may or may not be true. I personally can't offer any other explanation, but I still have more questions that I would like answered. What has caused the magic to return, where does it come from?"

  The mayor thought the elf might hesitate, show weakness, but he did not.

  Mappel addressed the mayor with nobility as well as authority. "It comes from the land. It was buried long ago, but it has gained the awareness to free itself." Mappel saw no advantage to revealing all to the mayor. He was truthful in his response, though not complete. He judged it unwise to reveal the existence of such a powerful talisman as the sphere. "Humans played their part in the Wizard War, and even though most chose to forget this history, it is part of the legends of the land. The alliance of races defeated the magic casters, and the magic was buried in the land to prevent future misuse. The tremor which passed through your town was a signal the magic had been released. That is what is happening to your town. That is what is happening to the entire land. Now, elves, dwarves, algors, delvers and even humans must put aside their mistrust and again work together to end this threat. That is why I am here and why others will soon come."

  At first the mayor said nothing. He unfolded his hands and began lightly tapping his fingers upon his desk. He cast a glance over the papers strewn before him; he then looked up at the pointed ears of the two elves which stood in front of him. He noted the expectant look from the reader, then turned his chair slightly to his left. His gazed up at a portrait of his grandfather that hung proudly upon the wall. The face in the painting stared back blankly.

  "Hmmph," the mayor muttered and shook his head. He paused again, trying to tie the loose ends together. If the story was true, it meant he could do little to return the town back to its previous state of normalcy. No matter what he attempted, panic would most certainly reign. If it were not true, he would be left with no reasonable explanation for the wild events or even the pointed eared people that stood before him.

  Only one element offered him any sense of enthusiasm, and that was the existence of such powerful energy. If the bizarre story was true, then this magic was the basis for extraordinary power. That thought enticed him. He almost began salivating. This thought led him to speak.

  "I will accept your story, and I will do what I can to help you. I will, however, request that when it comes to dealing with the people of this town, you follow my advice. If you are hesitant about this, I will tell you this as a fact. If we go out and simply announce your story and what is happening, I can guarantee two things. There will be mass panic and they'll either throw us out of town as a bunch of loons or hang us for being responsible."

  Mappel immediately turned to Matthew for council on this point.

  "He's probably right," the reader conceded. "People will not simply accept what is happening. They will look right in the face of a monster and still refuse the truth. Very few will take this without causing a riot."

  "Mob rule is an ugly thing," the mayor added with dramatic accents. "Confused angry citizens can react in ways totally opposite their normal law abiding nature. We ourselves may get ripped apart, torn to pieces by crazed men unwilling to accept what you say."

  "That may be," Mappel noted, "but the truth can not be hidden from them forever."

  "No it can't, but we can ease them into it. I ask that you allow me to maintain a low profile on this. Let's keep things as quiet as possible and avoid raising any immediate hysteria."

  Mappel, while not sensing the true desire of the mayor, still foresaw difficulties. "How can we avoid that? Hopefully, representatives of the algors and the dwarves will be here within a day or two. The humans in your town can not simply ignore their arrival."

  "They don't have to see their arrival," Consprite pressed. "You came into town without raising a stir."

  "But we hid our arrival. And our appearance is more or less quite like your own. We simply place a hood upon our head, and any visual difference remains unseen. It is not the case for the others."

  "We can keep them from being seen at all," Consprite insisted. "I have men working for me that I trust; men that, to a degree, already now of what is happening. I can send them out to meet these guests. They can bring them into town quietly and unobserved."

  "I don't know."

  Consprite decided to throw one last ace. He played upon the fears he stirred earlier, and again mentioned the high likelihood of outward hostility. "Think of this alternative. One of these strangers walks into town unescorted in plain sight of everyone. Word starts getting out of monsters. What do you think will happen? I'll tell you. The people will grab clubs and spears and swords and attack the stranger with such viciousness that you will not believe what you see. That is what fear and confusion will do. Will it help your cause if the people you wish to speak to are killed upon entering the streets? Take my word for it; it is the safest way for all involved."

  Again Mappel looked towards Matthew, unable to discern how much truth existed in the words of the mayor. The reader could only whisper that such was possible.

  Mappel grudgingly accepted. "There is truth in what you say. It will not help to renew an alliance if any representative is attacked, but I remain wary of leaving the members of your town in the dark about the changes they must all someday face."

  "Let them face it gradually," Consprite said firmly. "Otherwise they will react violently. That's what people do when faced with sudden change. Let me deal with it. In the end, it is my responsibility. Would you have someone tell you how to handle the elves? I doubt it. You must allow me the same."

  "Very well," Mappel said with a heavy sigh. "I will accept you know how to deal with your people as I would expect you to accept my authority regarding the elves."

  "Very good. I will give the order to have guards posted at the outskirts of the towns and on watch for arriving strangers. I will issue them the fastest horses and they will scour the outer farms with diligence. Where should I have your guests brought?"

  "To my church," Matthew replied quickly.

  Lief stirred. He had moved away from the mayor, but he had remained observant of all that was said. "How will the elf guards or Ryson Acumen know what the human escorts have in mind? If an elf guard is approached by a human on horseback, it is likely the exchange will not begin pleasantly."

  Mappel took one hand from his staff and placed it upon his chin. "We will have to alert our camp of this," he said stoically. "Though I am adverse to such, you will have to leave my side to send word to our camp."

  Consprite seized an opportunity to offer a favor to the elves, a favor he hoped to collect upon in the immediate future. "I can have fresh horses prepared for him. If the trip is not far, and goes through nearby towns, I can see to it he's back quickly."

  Lief refused vehemently. "I will not need a horse when I reach the trees."

  "But you will not have to go far into the trees to do what must be done," Mappel interrupted. "You need only reach the outskirts of D
ark Spruce and call to a perimeter sentry. The elf guard can relay the message back to our camp. You can ride from here to Pinesway and then back. A horse will return you to my side quicker and so it should be done."

  The mayor smiled. "Fine. That makes things easy. I can have a fresh horse sent to the church right now, and have another waiting for you at Pinesway for your return trip." The mayor then spoke with a guarded yet questioning tone. "I have one more question for you. You spoke of representatives of other races. Who will be representing my people?"

  Uneasiness filled the room. Matthew looked about absently. He wished to make no comment

  Mappel shifted the grip on his staff. He looked back and forth from the mayor to the reader. "That has not really decided as of yet. For the moment, the reader Matthew is acting as an intermediary. His knowledge of the legends has allowed for an easier communication of the problems we face."

  "That's fine, but don't you think you should be consulting someone that understands all of the people? Reader Matthew represents the followers of the Church of Godson. I would think you should include me in any of your decisions which might affect this town. After all, I am the duly elected official of Connel, and it is Connel which has much at stake." The sentence was punctuated by Consprite's almost harsh, questioning stare.

  "I can not say whether that is wise or not," Mappel offered, hoping for an escape from this new dilemma. He fished for a quick response which might rationalize keeping the mayor at bay. "We need those that will understand the legends, those that will offer knowledge of the past beyond your recorded history."

  "Yet you also need someone who will assist you in how things are run in the present," the mayor nudged the elder elf. "If you expect assistance or even acceptance from the people of this town, you simply must gain the backing of someone in authority. At the present, I am that someone."

  Mappel grunted with dissatisfaction. "I do not know. There are other concerns. You must realize that this is not simply between the elves and the humans. Representatives of other races will also be involved. Others may question your presence. It is not only my decision. I would not want to insult the other leaders by simply accepting you. I would be stepping beyond my experience and knowledge."

  The mayor was not put off, not for a moment. "But its sounds as if it was your decision to meet at Connel. And it was your decision to speak with the reader. You seem to have more power over this than you're willing to admit. Now, I can't claim complete understanding, but I already know of what has been happening around this town. Even the reader can't say that. I also offered you assistance with the gathering of the strangers you wish to bring here. I expect that entitles me to be informed of what's going on, what other decisions you might make, and how Connel will be affected. For the last, I will demand that, no matter what your wishes are. I am still the mayor here."

  Mappel wished to speak of this no further. He might have found it difficult to read the intentions of Consprite, but he knew he did not like the mayor's insistence at being included within all their decisions. Uneasily, he made one more attempt to sway Consprite toward a lesser role.

  "You will be alerted to all things which might directly affect your people and this town. That seems to be more than a reasonable request. We will also defer to you as the authority in how to deal with all matters involving the general population of Connel. If any services are needed, such as horses, blacksmiths, forgers or craftsman, we will of course come to you. We will also alert you to any of our activities which might, even in the slightest way, gain the attention of any of the townspeople. As to your request for being a representative for our discussions, I must defer on that decision. You will simply have to accept that of all the races, the humans have gained the most distrust of the others. The dwarves, the algors, even the elves have lived to remain hidden from your people. The humans themselves have shown a desire to forsake the past and to ignore the legends. Indeed, for the past hundreds of seasons, the humans even refuse to accept the existence of other races. Even you can not deny that."

  Mappel paused to let the mayor speak. He looked at Consprite, expecting him to reply.

  "I won't deny that your presence is new to me, but ..."

  Mappel spoke quickly to cut off further remarks. "But that is what I must focus upon. Can you even tell me of the legends which are now central to what we face?"

  "I do not know of ..."

  Again Mappel seized the opportunity to direct the conversation. "And you should not be blamed for not knowing. It was not your way, but it is of great importance at this moment. The trial we face is based upon legends contained in elflore, dwarf tales, and even the Book of Godson. You pointed out that I decided to meet with the Reader Matthew. That is because he is familiar with the legends I speak of."

  The mayor glared in frustration at being interrupted in both cases.

  Mappel continued with reverence. "Since humans have forgotten the past, it is not unreasonable for us to first meet with those that will have a better understanding of what we face."

  Consprite frowned sourly. He knew Mappel had seized a small victory in temporarily sealing him from the intended meetings. He was about to make one final attempt to reassert himself when the door to his office flung open.

  A woman not known to Consprite pushed forward and out of the reach of the mayor’s assistant, Kendal, who followed behind her with outstretched hands. The woman revealed an immediate sense of relief at finding the reader. She also maintained a look of bewildered excitement.

  "Thank Godson I found you," she spoke with heavy breaths.

  "Rachael?" Matthew turned to her and caught her arm.

  Kendal tried to move further into the room, but Lief stepped in front of him with a menacing scowl. His agility surprised the assistant, who almost turned and ran back out of the office. He gathered himself quickly as he caught the familiar and questioning face of the mayor. At first the assistant wished to question the presence of such strange men with pointed ears, but Kendal had already witnessed far stranger things these past few days. As the mayor's chief aide, he was privy to the reports of nearly every occurrence. He wrote most of them out himself.

  "I'm sorry, sir," Kendal said with a heavy breath, as he stepped slightly back and away from Lief. He tilted the upper half of his body to the left to gain a clear view of the mayor. "I tried to stop her, but she ran past me."

  Matthew ignored the assistant. "What is it Rachael?"

  "He's back!" she blurted out.

  Matthew was about to ask who she was referring to, but the excitement on her face made the answer clear. He held his tongue and spoke reassuringly to the wide-eyed woman. "It's alright, Rachael. We expected him."

  The reader then turned to the mayor. "You'll have to excuse her. Like you, I have also kept things from my people. Little surprises like this are bound to occur."

  The mayor said nothing. He sized up the words of the reader along with the continued excitement of the woman.

  Interesting, he thought to himself.

  Matthew wished to waste no further time with the mayor. He had questions himself. Although he could guess as whose arrival excited Rachael so, he could not fathom how he returned so quickly. He had sent word out only this morning. In truth, he had no idea where to send his messengers. He only pinpointed the closest churches of their faith hoping they might have an idea. He believed the hardest part would be trying to find him. It was unthinkable that any messenger could have located him so quickly. Perhaps, even the will of Godson was aiding them now.

  "Mayor," Matthew announced, "you must forgive us, but I must leave. I will keep you informed as to those things that will affect Connel. If you have your guards bring our newly arriving guests to our church, I will appreciate it. I'm sure we will meet with you again to discuss any questions that arise between now and then."

  He said nothing more as he turned his back on Consprite. He led Rachael and the two elves quickly out of the mayor's office.

  The mayor bit back an
order for them to stay. He watched dubiously as all but his assistant walked from his office.

  When they had left, he motioned for Kendal close the door.

  "I want someone placed on watch outside that church of theirs," Consprite growled. "I want it watched night and day without their knowledge, and I want someone we can trust. I also want you to get me a tracker, a human tracker. Get word to Evan Chase. I have a job for him. There's a delver I want tracked."

  The assistant nodded, he considered asking about the men with the pointed ears, but decided against it. He recognized the tone of the mayor. Silently, he went to open the door. As his hand hit the knob, Consprite gave one more order, a strange order to his ears at least.

  "And get me a copy of the Book of Godson."

  Chapter 13

  Reader Matthew walked briskly, nearly trotting, as Mappel, Lief and Rachael followed his direct and unerring path back to the church. He did not glimpse over his shoulder even once to check on them. He simply expected them all to follow. He ignored, as well, the growing number of eyes which fell upon them.

  The morning's mist had given way to a clear, bright day, and the number of town residents on the streets swelled with the growing warmth. The two elves had returned the caps to their heads to avoid attracting attention, but the reader and his faith were known to most. As he passed, flanked by strangers, his robust pace fanned more than one passer-by's curiosity.

  With the hoods of their cloaks pulled up over their hats, the elves appeared as nothing more than foresters wearing too much clothing for a gorgeous, clear day. They matched step with the reader, as only Rachael seemed to have difficulty in keeping stride, and neither elf questioned the reader, even when they exited Consprite's office with great haste. They followed obediently, especially as it pleased them both to again be outdoors and away from the sterile smell of the mayor's office.