Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach

by Jeff Ianniello

  He gave the captain a glaring stare of defiance before walking away. As he did, he called out one more time to him. "By the way, I'm staying for the night, but I'm leaving for Connel tomorrow. Don't even think about stopping me. I'll make you look bad."

  As Ryson turned back toward the inn, he reigned in his open hostility. He tried to force the unpleasantness of the evening from his mind. For the moment, the guards let him be. This allowed him a respite to clear the anger from his thoughts.

  As he reflected upon his own actions, he realized how ill-tempered he himself was becoming. The captain did nothing beyond his own duty and nothing to truly solicit Ryson's ire, yet Ryson was more than willing to apply a tongue lashing. He had found it satisfying, and that in itself seemed out of place for his usually good-natured character. Maybe it was his first encounter with the guard that brought out his hostilities. Maybe it was the tension created by the drastic changes in the land. Or perhaps the taint of evil in the magic was now reshaping itself to infect other races as well as the elves.

  With this unpleasant thought, Ryson wondered how the taint would eventually destroy them. Would the poison simply lead to slow agonizing illness and death, or would it bring insanity? Was this the start of a violent madness which would turn them against each other? He cursed the sphere, cursed the changes.

  Chapter 20

  Open air. Whether it is in thick forests, tall mountains or the congestion of bustling human towns, this was not the place for dwarves. Tun and Jon Folarok were uncomfortable the moment they left the underground city of Dunop with their elfin escorts. They were as unhappy with the lush cover of Dark Spruce Forest as they were with the open roads built by the humans. The thickest cluster of intertwining leaves and branches was no substitute for solid rock.

  Dunop rested nearly a league under the surface, a city within the rock, and a home for countless dwarves. Tunnels served as alleys and streets, hollow caves as homes. Snaking channels supplied underground water for a myriad of purposes, just as tubular openings broke through to the surface to supply air and ventilation. A wide open cavern sat in the middle as the town center. Tunnels of varying heights and widths spiraled outward to the far edges of this underground city like a massive spider web and formed pathways for all travel.

  Some of the tunnels expanded beyond the borders of the city. Most of these were isolated byways to neighboring dwarf villages or cities. Only a handful branched beyond the crust of the land and into open air, and these were seldom used.

  There were but two reasons for a dwarf to venture outside the security of their tunnels. One, to scout the activity of humans digging mine shafts near their underground cities, and two, to obtain resources which were not available beneath the surface of Uton. They normally did not gather such necessities themselves, but depended upon trade with the elves.

  The dwarves continued an uneasy but mutually advantageous relationship with the elves throughout the ages, beyond the time of division. They traded stone for wood, as well as gems for food. As for the rest of the inhabitants of the outside world, the dwarves held little care.

  Tun and Jon had left Dunop with their elfin escorts after sunset to reduce the pain to the dwarves' eyes. Neither Jon nor Tun had spent any extended time in daylight and they were not accustomed for the onslaught of the bright rays into their naturally widened pupils.

  Centuries of cave dwelling, and tunnel travel brought the entire dwarf race the ability to see in limited illumination. They lived by the light of small fires, and the reflection of light from the outside world. Strategically placed gems and silver coated mirrors delivered adequate lighting through the smallest of tunnels and air holes, but it could not compare to the broad, direct rays of the sun. It would take time for their eyes to adjust.

  There were other adjustments to make as well. Their lungs were not used to the high oxygen content of free air. Taking small breaths and exhaling infrequently, the two dwarves reduced the lightheadedness that enveloped them as they closed upon Dunop's exit to the outside. The air of their caves might have seemed stale to the elves, but it was the air breathed by each Tun and Jon for all their lives.

  Their leaving was also not done under the best of circumstances. News brought by the elves was unsettling, bringing a wide array of curses and doubt. The Sphere of Ingar was never a topic which enthralled the dwarf people and the fact that it was now loose and endangering the land angered and clouded their thinking. When the elfin representatives declared that the dwarves were needed to destroy the Sphere of Ingar rather than re-entomb it, it simply added to the chaos.

  Magic was something the dwarves learned to live without with greater ease than any other race. They were the most resistant to its forces as well as the least capable of utilizing it for their own purposes. Even during the times of legend, when sorcerers were common, there were only a few dwarves with the power to make any true use of the energy which graced the land. To nearly every dwarf, magic was an aide to the other races, a detriment to theirs, and a central reason for their bloodiest battles, thus that the dwarves gladly accepted the task of entombing the sphere long ago at the elf Shayed's command. It was with such vigor, that Sanctum became the nearly impenetrable fortress it now was.

  Returning to Sanctum, however, now stirred an eruption of emotion. Those fearing the sphere argued that the sphere must be dealt with no matter what the cost. If it had to be destroyed, then so be it. They survived the times of legend when magic was free in the land, they would learn to do so again.

  The separatist dwarves, those fearing the outside world and especially the humans, insisted there were other things, more dangerous things, to worry about. They insisted the dwarf people remain out of all external dealings. Let the sphere spit out its tainted magic, they argued. Better than giving the humans a chance to show how they could use it to take over what was left of the surface, and perhaps even the underlands.

  The royal family of Folarok was as well divided. King Bol and his wife quarreled for nearly an entire day without settling the matter. Bol sensed a need to assist the elves while Queen Yave belabored any task which might lead to dwarf involvement in the affairs of other races. The argument grew heated over the passing time and the elf escorts were forced to wait as the royal family bickered over what direction to take.

  The eldest son, Tun, and heir to the throne, agreed with his mother. The problems of the outside world, now almost completely manipulated by the humans, were no longer their concern. How many caverns were lost due to the endless mining operations of the humans? How many cites did they have to destroy themselves to keep the humans from uncovering them? All that work was done to keep the existence of the dwarves a secret from the humans. Now, Mappel of the elves simply expected them to come out of hiding and make their presence known to all? The idea was simply absurd. The great city of Morred was reduced to rubble only twelve seasons ago because the humans began to drill directly over the city center. Was that now done for nothing?

  King Bol rebuffed his eldest son. He reminded the brash prince of other considerations, of the elves, an important ally to the dwarves. Even if the dwarves could somehow escape the tainted magic, what of their friends? Could they simply allow the elves to perish? The relationship between the two peoples was as important as any relations with neighboring cities. Sending assistance was not only a moral obligation, it was necessary for their very survival. Or, he questioned, did Tun really believe the dwarves were ready to return to the outside in order to obtain wood for fires and food to eat?

  The younger of Bol's two sons, Jon, attempted to remain a casual observer of the argument. It was not his place to make such weighty decisions. The throne was not his, would not be his, and he did not want it.

  Unfortunately, Bol always managed to drag Jon into any conflict with Tun. Perhaps he only sought an ally, for Tun always seemed to take the queen's side and Bol found himself outnumbered and unable to get in more than two words at a time.

  Jon never appreciated his father dema
nding an opinion of him. He did not wish to be in conflict with any of them. Over the long years, however, he learned Bol would drive him incessantly until he spoke his mind. Recently, Jon stopped even trying to refuse. He no longer wished to deal with the constant prodding, thus he spoke out at the king's first request. But he also learned to speak with a guarded tongue, with a voice of caution yet guarded optimism. He would never say that one or the other option was correct. Instead, he would point to the validity of both arguments and pull a compromise solution out of his desire to remain as neutral as possible.

  Such was his reaction in this case. Based on what was told to them by the elves, he concluded that both options held little that was good for the dwarf people. Destroying the sphere meant a return of magic and all the evils that come with it. Ignoring the sphere meant leaving the elves to die; clearly two propositions where the dwarves would suffer under each scenario. He could only offer that someone should go speak to Mappel to see if there was yet a third option.

  Bol frowned and Tun glared but neither spoke outwardly against the calm logic of Jon's words. Bol decided that two dwarves would accompany the elves to see Mappel, Jon and Tun. The two dwarves grimaced and attempted to sway their father's decision. Bol would not budge. Such a weighty problem required the future leaders of Dunop's attention. They would depart immediately.

  Upon their leaving, Bol made a jarring quip toward Tun that he should take heed of his younger brother's wise advice; a common remark that managed to always drive Tun further from his brother.

  Jon groaned silently, hating being placed in such a tense situation. He had no quarrel with his brother, no desire to compete with him or steal his glory. In fact, his only wish was to take a position on the board of council for the constant renovation of Dunop's construction. He had no desire to lead or solve the problems of his people. He clung to the natural born tendencies of the dwarves, to dig and tunnel through the rock and earth, to design artful yet practical caverns for all to see and enjoy. For now, though, he accepted his role and followed the edicts of the king, his father.

  Tun and John followed the elves through a seldom used tunnel which led to a long overgrown section of Dark Spruce. The weeds were high around the opening and only one nearly invisible trail led deeper into the forest. The two dwarves would be taken directly to Connel to make up for lost time, but they would bypass the busy roads and all villages.

  They traveled at night through dark pastures and empty fields. Elfin escorts kept bows ready and watchful eyes for river rogues and shags. The dwarves moved sullenly at the direction of their escorts. Travel on the first evening stopped just before sunrise as the dwarves fashioned a trench in a field left to fallow. Both elf and dwarf remained out of sight during all of daylight.

  As the second night fell, they took to travel once more, reaching the outskirts of Connel almost exactly at midnight. They noted human guards on horseback taking position at odd places. It would be difficult to sneak around them but not impossible. They were unaware that these were the men sent out by Consprite to escort them to the Church of Godson. Through elf cunning, they avoided all contact and brought themselves to the steps of the church without being seen by a single human.

  One of the escort elves rapped on the door lightly to announce their arrival, but did not wait for anyone inside to answer. He opened the door himself and whisked the entire party inside.

  After brief introductions, the escorts were on their way back to Dark Spruce, and the newly arrived dwarf princes were directed to a meeting room in the basement of the church.

  The two dwarves found it quite comfortable in this room. A stone staircase led straight down to a vast chamber where walls were comprised of dark gray bricks. Small lamps on the walls gave enough light to read by, but little more. The air was slightly stale and musty, very much like the air of their home. The heels of their boots clicked against the granite floor. There was not a single window to be found. Accept for the large oak door at the top of the stairs, the room was completely enclosed. It gave the dwarves a sense of security they had longed for since leaving the tunnels of Dunop.

  The room contained several long wooden tables, not as sturdy as the oak door, but sufficient to hold the meals for many hungry men and women. Long benches rested at opposite sides. Most were empty accept for those about a table at the head of the room. There sat four; Mappel and Lief, the interpreter Stephen Clarin, and the Reader Matthew.

  They all watched the two newcomers approach. Mappel and Lief simply nodded. Stephen showed slightly greater interest, but the reader stared in wide-eyed wonder.

  The two men that approached their table would barely reach the top of Matthew's chest, but their shoulders were wider than any other here. Jon and Tun both wore long beards which hung from their chiseled features. The hair on their heads also draped long past their shoulders. Tun's was a dark as coal, while Jon's contained slivers of grey. Though younger than Tun, Jon allowed the tensions within his family to take their toll upon him, and thus, streak his hair with silver markers of his worry. Both pairs of eyes sat under bushy eyebrows and wrinkled foreheads, and each had fierce noses. They wore capes of dark purple and gem encrusted chest plates marked with the family crest. Tun carried a wide single-bladed maul upon his belt, sharpened by the hardest gems. Jon's weapon hung less conspicuous, nearly behind his back. It was a dull headed mace, much smaller than Tun's axe and with no sharp edge.

  The two approached slowly while gauging their surroundings as well as those that watched them. Jon's expression softened at the sight of the elves, but Tun continued to glare wearily at all.

  As the two dwarves stepped up to the table, the other four rose to greet them.

  Mappel smiled softly as he offered a greeting. "The presence of the two princes warms my aging heart. I could not have asked for more. It has been a long time since I have seen either of you. If I recall, Jon had still not grown his beard. I see now that he is graying before his brother," the elder elf chuckled warmly, for indeed the sight of the princes offered him great hope. He would not have to waste time speaking with an advisor or counselor. Their arrival meant the dwarves held no doubts of the severity of the situation. Time saved. Mappel made dignified introductions, presenting both dwarves to each at the table.

  Lief nodded and bowed slightly to the two brothers. He then returned to his seat upon the bench. He sat rigid, clearly less comfortable than the dwarves with being in this cave like atmosphere.

  Stephen Clarin smiled deeply at their introduction. A flicker of recognition appeared in the eye of the interpreter. He was indeed delighted to meet two of the dwarf people, happier still to find they belonged to the royal family of Folarok, as if that name meant something to him.

  As for Matthew, he gaped with an open mouth at the sight of the dwarves. Short, sturdy men with gray faces seemingly chiseled in stone. Their arms were scant in length but thick in muscle. Matthew would not have been surprised if they could dig through stone with nothing more than their powerful fingers. They spoke with deep but soft voices which barely echoed off the far corners of this hollow room. He would later learn that dwarves controlled the pitch of their voice to reduce all echo to a minimum, a quality absolutely necessary for people that lived in caves. If all the dwarves in Dunop let their voice echo from the roofs of their cave city, Dunop would crumble within a year upon its deaf inhabitants.

  With the introductions complete, Jon and Tun joined the others on a bench. Tun took the lead and placed himself down across from Mappel, then directed Jon to take a place by his left. They sat side by side, but subtly separated from the humans and elves. The space between the dwarves and the others at the long table was miniscule, but no less obvious. The underlying message of division was not lost upon Mappel, causing his smile to fade, but he quickly bit back his own anxieties and addressed the prince with ease of tongue.

  "I hope your travel was without burden," Mappel began but Tun cut him off.

  "Our travel is not the point of this meet
ing," he spoke with the authority of a king, as if his father had already passed on and it was now his word which was law. "Your messengers brought disquieting news to Dunop, news I would like explained immediately."

  "Very well," Mappel stated with an even voice. He quickly, but thoroughly, described the events which led to the calling of this meeting. He began with the quake and Lief's early suspicions. He noted the arrival of Ryson Acumen into the fold and the journey to Sanctum, including the meetings with goblins and undead alike. He told the dwarves of the return of the magic and all it had brought with it. He told them, with gravity edging his voice, of the appearance of Shayed's spirit at Sanctum. He allowed Lief to tell in exact words what was spoken. When the younger elf finished the verbatim description of the event, Mappel cast a cutting stare at the older dwarf.

  "It is why this gathering now takes place. In order to follow the instructions of Shayed every race which played a role in the Wizard War must again come together. To this end, I have sent word to all the races. Your arrival here is greatly appreciated, but it is also greatly necessary, as is the presence of everyone at this table. I can not help but feel we are all being guided by benevolent forces. Otherwise, I would have never dreamed of such a swift gathering of such needed elements. Sanctum must now be breached by our own forces. By those that are gathered here now, I believe we are well on our way of obtaining that goal. We must reach the sphere and destroy it. Otherwise, it will lay waste to the land."

  Tun, who during the dissertation listened intently, but appeared skeptical at many points, spoke with his heavy doubts dripping from every word.