Ryson lacked the strength of the dwarf and could not break the stone as Tun had accomplished. More disturbing, however, was the lack of the flame from this magical sword. Ryson expected the blade to light with the same fire which destroyed the spider-crab. It did not. Each time it struck the sentinel, it impacted with no more power than an ordinary blade.
The lack of effect brought an end to the delver's attack. He broke off the encounter, ran to Holli's side for an explanation. Just as he reached her, a soul wrenching wail exploded over the droning hum. It tore his attention away from the elf, away from the sword, and placed it upon the cry's origin.
Jon knelt beside his brother, Tun's head in his lap. Jon was still wailing as the algors rose and turned away. The scene struck at Ryson, tore at his soul.
#
Outside Sanctum, at its peak, Ingar laughed to himself. He kept his glee hidden from Matthew and Mappel but he drank in the desperation, the anguish which now rose from the inner depths.
The party within Sanctum now knew despair. They knew failure, and they knew death.
#
Only Holli managed to force the image from her mind. With a watchful eye upon the sand giant, she moved clear of the delver and began leading the sentinel away. She would not allow the sand giant the opportunity to catch any of them unaware. She even ignored the entrance of the cliff behemoth.
A loud thud announced Dzeb's arrival. He leapt to the algor tier the instant after Jon released his cry of sorrow. The ground shook as he landed, but he took no notice. He scanned the scene before him and his eyes set upon Tun and Jon. All that could see him saw the grief in his face.
Strange, so very strange for all to witness. The cliff behemoth held such indistinguishing features. Everything about the face was so simple, as if a clay model constructed by a child of three. The nearly invisible mouth, the small pudgy nose, the simple roundness of his head; a perfect rendering could have been drawn by the most novice of artists. There was such simplicity it seemed as if powerful expression was nearly impossible. Yet, that was so far from the truth, a truth that became undeniable, for to look in that face was to see true pain, true sorrow.
Dzeb turned that look of sorrow into a look of unyielding vengeance as he turned his gaze upon the sentinel that caused the dwarf's death. Like a crusader filled with resolve to smite the heretics, Dzeb marched forcibly forward. His eyes held the sand giant with indignity. This thing was an abomination to Dzeb, a cheap replication of life, an insult to Godson. He set upon it with but one purpose of his own.
The sand giant met Dzeb with its own single-mindedness. It did not care that this new intruder was larger than it. It stepped up to block and intercept just as it had done with all the others. It reached out with the same intention as when it grabbed Tun, but not with the same result.
Dzeb brushed away the arms of the sand giant as if they were made of nothing more than tissue paper. The cliff behemoth's own powerful fingers thrust into the fissure left behind by Tun's axe. Dzeb forced both of his hands deeper and deeper into the crevice. Suddenly, furiously, Dzeb pulled his hands apart, ripping the sentinel in two.
Pieces of sandstone exploded into the air as the sand giant broke first into two separate distinct pieces and then crumbled. An orange glow of magical residue fizzled in the rubble, and then disappeared.
Dzeb paid no mind to the magic or the fragments. His angry stare shot further down the tier and seized upon the second sentinel. He marched forward with the same fitful determination. His thunderous steps could still be heard over the rankled hum.
Ryson followed, giving a wide berth and maintaining a large buffer of space. The light of his sword filled the chamber where the second sentinel stood. This guardian also moved up to halt the progress of the cliff behemoth, as if the destruction of its partner meant nothing.
Again, Dzeb handled the sand giant as if it were nothing more than a rag doll. He pushed aside all advances and took hold of the sentinel at the waist. He picked it up clear off the ground and held it high over his head. Dzeb threw the sand giant down with enough force to shake the very walls of this tier. As it hit, much of it broke apart, but enough of its form remained to hold the magic. That was ended with one mighty stomp of Dzeb's foot. The sandstone became dust and again orange magic fizzled away into the air.
In the same instant, the wild drone which eclipsed the algors' music ceased, ending as abruptly as it began. The only sound to fill the cavern was Jon's moans of despair.
Dzeb turned away from the dust, stepped back toward Ryson as if the sand giant never existed. The two moved with care towards the two dwarves. Holli and Lief also gathered around. None need ask, for Tun's fatal wounds were as obvious as Jon's grief, but Ryson posed a question to the algors.
"You can't help him?"
"We can heal great wounds," they answered in unison, "but we can not revive the dead."
The statement brought a wince of pain to more than one. They stood uneasily, searching for words of comfort, searching for wisdom to explain the mysteries of life and death.
Lief mumbled something. He appeared uncomfortable with his thoughts, not sure of how to word a proposal growing in his own mind. He spoke guardedly.
"Maybe Shayed can help." He paused, attempted to organize his proposal into its simplest terms. He continued quickly, almost babbling. "Shayed has returned from the dead. I know she's only a spirit, but we have Tun's body. Do you think it may be possible that she might know of a way to revive him?"
The algors responded first. "Healing is difficult enough. The replenishing of life seems impossible."
"We've already accomplished much of what was thought impossible," Holli countered.
"Only Godson can give life," Dzeb said earnestly. He spoke not with hostility, but with the belief of his own convictions.
"It's only a thought," Lief offered nearly defensively.
"But it is a chance we should consider," Ryson added.
They stood about their fallen comrade uneasily, indecisively. Holli forced the issue forward. "The decision is Jon's to make. He is your brother, Jon. I can not tell you what is right. I can only state he died proudly, sacrificing himself to save others."
"He died foolishly," Jon erupted with bitterness edging his words. "If there is a chance to revive him, it should be attempted."
"Very well." Holli took complete command and issued the most practical solution. "If it is to be attempted, time may be critical. Jon you must take your brother back to the summit. I will accompany you, as will one of the algors and one of the humans. The rest will go on to recover the sphere."
"We will both go," the algors stated firmly. "If the dwarf can be revived, it will take both of our power to heal the injuries he sustained."
"If you wish. I only thought one of you might wish to see the mission to its conclusion."
"We are of no more use to you," the two replied. "The threat of the algor tier is passed."
"It may be a good idea to have both Stephen and Lauren leave now as well," Lief proposed. "You know what waits for us below, Holli. They are not suited with the strength or the speed to handle it."
"You are right, but it is their decision. I will speak with them of it."
"Wait a moment," Ryson interceded. "I'm not against giving Tun this chance, but we still have to bring the sphere out of here. How can we get back to the top if we don't have Lauren to protect us from the poison in the human tier or Jon to lead us through the traps in the dwarf level?"
"We no longer have to pass those tiers," Holli stated resolutely. "The tunnel carved through the side of Sanctum will provide our exit. It passes through at the tier overhead, the delver tier. As you have told us, there is no danger there."
"But the barrier at the end of the tunnel ..."
Lief interrupted the delver. "The barrier only serves to keep us out. It will not keep us in. Magical fields must be like that, otherwise they would trap those they were meant to protect. If wizards could not send their spells, whether
material or immaterial, through the field, they would serve no purpose."
"It is decided," Holli stated firmly. "Jon, do you need help in carrying your brother?"
The dwarf did not speak through his grief. He simply stood and pulled the corpse of his brother up on his shoulder.
Ryson, Dzeb and Lief first watched silently as the others took to the stone steps which led to the original entrance of this tier in order to climb back to the level above. As they disappeared through the door, the three moved back to the opening blasted by the sphere.
Ryson considered the recent events with the inherent analysis of a delver. He puzzled over Tun's attack upon the sand giant which led to the dwarf's death. He wondered why this doubting, disagreeable individual would take it upon himself to clear a path for others which he claimed to mistrust.
Another's actions also puzzled Ryson. He remembered the uncaring stare of the cliff behemoth as he marched upon the first sentinel. He recalled the ferocity in which Dzeb stamped out the life of the second sand giant, as well. The viciousness of both attacks seemed so out of character for this docile being and the following lack of remorse reinforced the mystery. The cliff behemoth's actions served to create questions in the delver's mind, questions he was compelled to ask.
"Dzeb? Why did you kill them, the sand giants I mean? I thought you would be against something like that?"
Dzeb's expression softened. He even found a smile as he looked into the inquisitive eyes of the delver. "I am against killing, but I did not take a life today. The sand giants are not a creation of Godson. They were given life falsely."
"But they moved they seemed to be aware of us. Doesn't that constitute some form of life?"
"It is nothing more than animation," Dzeb insisted. "The guardians were made of stone, nothing more, nothing less. Magic animated the rock, gave them the appearance of life, but they were never alive."
"Just like the corpse that attacked me when this all started," Ryson said.
Dzeb made no comment of the undead.
"Never alive," Ryson repeated introspectively. "That might explain why my sword failed to affect the creatures."
"I can give little explanation as to the workings of your sword. Magic is a difficult thing to explain. Is it a blessing of Godson, is it a force of its own? The debate will rage until Godson sees fit to give us the answer."
The conversation was brought to a halt by Holli's call from above. She squatted at the blast opening which broke through to the delver tier. She stuck her head out so as to be seen by those below.
"Both Lauren and Stephen have decided to exit now. I have told them of the obstacle of the last tier and they agree they would only serve to hamper your efforts. Stephen also believes it is time for the group to separate. It was not quite a vision, more of a feeling that only you three should proceed. I have inspected the tunnel that breaches Sanctum’s wall that from this tier. It will not be a difficult climb. The rest of us will exit that way and await your return at the summit. There we shall see if Shayed may assist Tun."
"Good luck," Ryson yelled out.
"To you, too. To all of you."
Her words carried more than a passing gesture of farewell. She spoke as if they needed the luck she wished upon them, as if only providence might see them through this last tier. The last visage of her expression held a mourning glance, as if she believed she might never seem them again.
Ryson turned to Lief for an explanation. "She sounded almost as if she doesn't expect us to make it."
"She expects us to succeed," Lief corrected. "Though she is aware that what we must pass will probably haunt us forever."
Ryson turned and faced the shattered hole in the floor. He peered into the opening for the first time, but saw nothing other than different shades of black. It was not like the void at the outset of the dwarf tier. This darkness was not whole or complete. It was not a single pure curtain of dark, but a mixture of shadow upon shadow. Nothing reflected the light of his sword, though the glow appeared to lighten the area closest to him. Still, even that which stood directly in the path of his sword's light remained hollow of illumination. His night vision was also useless. He could discern nothing within the darkness other than the shifting shades of black.
"What's down there?" He wondered aloud. "I don't see anything but shadows."
"That is what waits," Lief said with a cold chill running through his voice. "Shadow trees."
Chapter 29
Lief's voice, his expression, the emotion in his words carried the true dread of what lay in wait. His eyes drooped hollow, not from fatigue but from anticipation of the last leg of the journey. He peered through the rent upon the shifting shadows. He knew of the shadow trees, the horror connected with them. He, as most elves, knew his people still controlled the seeds, though he never believed they would ever use them again. They were beyond evil. They represented utter destruction, a weapon that's very existence bred fear as well as doom. He shook his head, as for the first time in his own lifetime, he witnessed the elves' most abominable legacy.
Shame filled him as he spoke of the shadow trees. "The elves have always viewed the trees with great respect, but I won't deny the truth when it comes to the history of our wars. We can be as cruel as any others. So cruel as to forcibly alter the trees themselves into the most horrible of weapons. It was a war with the dwarves that led to the creation of the shadow trees, a war my people were determined to win no matter what the consequence."
Lief's mind swelled with images of the legends, of what he knew from elflore. He thought of the ancient war with the dwarves. He found the need to explain it to both Dzeb and Ryson, a precursor to the confession of the sin of his race.
"Before the sphere, before Ingar, a conflict arose which even now will breed tension between allies. I am not aware of the cause of the conflict. That is apparently as much a secret as were the barriers placed within Sanctum. The actual war occurred so long ago that not even an elf remains alive that remembers the cause. The legend of the fighting, however, will live on forever.
"At the onset of the war, the dwarves were merciless. This by no means justifies the elves later actions, but it might help you understand them. The dwarves held a great advantage over the elves with their ability to use the ground in battle tactics. They would tunnel beneath elf camps and break through the surface at night, killing all. Elves would send war parties into the tunnels to extract revenge only to be trapped by cave-ins.
"It was this tunneling tactic which led to the elves making use of the trees in their daily lives. Traveling through the trees offered safety from the ground and from a dwarf warrior who might break through in a mere instant. The dwarves could not climb with any proficiency, so if the elves remained off the ground they remained relatively safe.
"Infuriated by this tactic, the dwarves began attacking the roots of the trees. They believed if they destroyed the forests around the elf camps, the elves would be forced back to the ground. Their scouts would locate camps, and their workers would immediately set upon destroying the roots of the trees. The elves watched in horror as the trees began to fall over with no root system to hold them in place. Elves began dying again, killed from terrible falls, crushed or impaled by breaking branches.
"This treachery stirred such hate in the elves it pressed them to devise a way to not only end the war, but to punish the dwarves. Elf generals would not be satisfied until they found a way to bring utter fear to every living dwarf. If the dwarves would attack elf homes, then the elf guard would find a way to destroy the dwarf underground cities. By no means do I wish to excuse or understate their actions. Every elf must accept the truth. It was the elf intention to create a weapon that would bring nightmares to the dwarves. Their anger pushed them to such lengths as to create the shadow trees.
"Remember, this war occurred before Ingar and his sphere. Magic still resided over the land. The magic was used with the elves' great knowledge of nature to produce the end result. Elf sorcerers and elf natu
ralists worked together on cross breeding and magically altering the seeds of different trees. Their efforts proved quite successful.
"They developed a tree which did not feed upon the light, but upon darkness. That is all it needed. It did not need water and did not produce roots. It stood upon a flat solid base, but not attached to the ground. Thus, it could move. It would grow like a weed, suffocating out all other life. The darker the surroundings, the faster it would grow. A single seed would grow to maturity in less than half a season within a dark cave. If it was chopped down, its remains would produce more trees. It would spread like wild ivy, filling all open space. It was this dreadful creation that the elves used upon the dwarves."
He stopped to consider the vast differences between the trees he loved, and the atrocities which waited below. He would have given near anything at that moment to see the streaming vines of a willow, or the proud leaves of an oak, but such a whim was not possible within the dark confines of Sanctum's core. He continued, speaking through tight lips.
"Hundreds of the seeds were dropped down air vents into the dwarf capital of Kendren. Reports from dwarves that were lucky enough to escape revealed the power of this new weapon. In the meager light of the underground city, the trees grew quickly. The dwarves attacked them with their axes, but as I said, that only brought them more trees. Other facets of the trees became clear as they seized the city. As they began to consume all of the available space, they began to consume living creatures around them as well. The thick dark limbs would wrap around the captured dwarves, turning and shifting until the dwarf disappeared into the depths of its shadows.
"The trees also began feeding upon themselves. Yes, apparently inherently cannibalistic, the trees would consume each other. Size meant nothing. Small trees would devour large trees, large trees would consume small. What it did mean was more food.
Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach Page 49
