Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach

by Jeff Ianniello

"The increase in consumption led to an increase in growth rate as well as reproduction. One tree might have eaten another, but nearly instantly it would drop a dozen more seeds that would germinate that same day. The trees were also reaching maturity in days.

  "The only known weakness of the shadow trees was direct light. Not manufactured light, not firelight, but natural light from the sun and stars. The underground cities, however, lacked such light. There was some. Sunlight was reflected through air holes and tunnels through the use of gemstones such as those used this night by Jon, but it was not enough. The city was too far underground, the light too weak. The reflected beams would only spare small areas from the onslaught of the shadow trees. The rest of the city could not be saved.

  "Unable to stop the growth of the shadow trees, the dwarves sealed all points of entry to Kendren, including the smallest of air holes. Apparently many dwarves were buried alive, but there was no way to get to them to save them."

  Lief's voice turned colder, revealing he found no pride in the war's conclusion.

  "The dwarves were forced to sue for peace. They could not fight the trees, and continued use of them would end their existence. The elves won the war, but even today we realize there was no honor in that victory."

  Lief stared into the hole before them, into the shifting shadows that waited below. "To this day, we still have seeds remaining from that war. We argue constantly over what to do with them. Most say they are too dangerous to hold onto. Others argue they maintain peace between the dwarves and the elves. Without them, they say the dwarves would consider renewing their attacks. Even as elves and dwarves continue to trade, make treaties, and share resources this day, I doubt either will ever truly trust the other.

  "In any event, it has been revealed to me this night that the elves placed shadow trees as their defense of the elfin tier. This is the secret which Mappel held to, the secret he revealed to me and Holli on this night. I can only explain as it was explained to me.

  "When Sanctum was constructed and the elves were asked to put the first barrier about the sphere, the shadow trees seemed to be the perfect solution." Lief stuck out a long thin finger and pointed into the heart of the opening, into the depths of the darkness. "That is not only the last tier, it is the resting place of the sphere. There are no more levels below. The elves were given the greatest responsibility of Sanctum, the last line of defense.

  "The elves in charge, however, were concerned with one other concern. They had to consider the threat of tunneling to get to the sphere. Only the dwarves had the power to tunnel through the granite rock beneath Sanctum and break through the diamond sheets that protect the floor and walls. Though the dwarves appeared most enthusiastic over entombing the sphere, the mistrust between elf and dwarf again resurfaced. The shadow trees would be used as a guarantee that no dwarf would ever enter the final tier. As I said, it seemed the perfect solution."

  Ryson peered long and hard into the reaches of the shadows in the tier below. He let his eyes adjust slowly to the shifting blackness. He let his ears tune to the nearly inaudible shuffling. As his senses bore down upon the shadows, he began to see the nightmare as it was explained to him.

  The attributes of individual trees slowly became distinguishable. The deviant shades of the darkness were but the opposing distances between different trees. He could isolate thick black trunks as well as discern stunted jagged branches. The branches were filled at their tips by what appeared to be thick, dark sludge. It dripped off as the trees shifted. There appeared to be constant movement directly below. The trees closest to the opening, the ones now bathed in Ryson's light, seemed determined to escape the illumination.

  The delver witnessed more than one being seized upon by another tree waiting further off in the darkness. Thick but pliable branches of the attacker wrapped around the intended victim. Expanding as they encircled about the trunk of the captured tree, the branches exhibited a consistency more like that of soft rubber than of natural wood. The attacking tree pulled the ensnared tree closer and closer to its center. As the two trunks met, they merged into one. The remaining tree stood somewhat taller and slightly thicker as it dropped a clump of seeds from its outer most branches to the ground.

  The sight did little to encourage Ryson of their chances. "How are we supposed to get through that?"

  "The way is in your hand," Lief said nodding to the sword. "The sword's ability to reflect natural light allows the carrier to fend off the advance of any shadow tree. Apparently, the Sword of Decree was created when the decision was made to place the seeds of shadow trees into Sanctum. Though not every elf is a magic caster, every elf has the ability to store magical energies. Even when the sphere sucked pure magic from the world, it could not take that which each elf stored in his body. This stored energy, the last vestige of magic for the elves that worked in Sanctum, was used to create the Sword of Decree.

  "The sword was given the power to reflect the light no matter how meager, to magnify natural light in such a way as to keep the shadow trees at bay. In the process, it carried the power to be more than a sword, but a flaming weapon with the power to burn truly living creatures.

  "That is how I have known it, a weapon with no equal in its power to defend. That is why Mappel wished you to take it with you in your search for the algors."

  "That's also why he wanted me to safeguard it," Ryson added. "He wanted to protect me in the hills and the desert, but he knew the sword would be needed for the final assault on Sanctum. No wonder he made me vow to take such care of it."

  "Indeed, its purpose was clear to him at the time," Lief admitted. "I can only assume he balanced the need of you reaching the algors safely with the need of the sword for this moment."

  Ryson examined the length of his sword as he asked yet another question. "How was it that your camp came in possession of the sword?"

  "That I cannot answer. Again, until this night, I lacked the knowledge of what was in Sanctum and the sword's true origin. If I had to guess, I might reply that it has much to do with my camp's proximity to Sanctum."

  "You know, a lot of this doesn't make sense," Ryson questioned as he attempted to place an order upon this sequence of events. "Why would the elves create something which could defeat the shadow trees if they were using them to protect the sphere? I mean, the sphere was a great threat to the elves. Why would they create an object which might one day be used to overcome their own obstacle?"

  Lief revealed his own confusion over the matter. "It is difficult for me to understand. I knew of the swords' power, but I did not know its true origin because I did not know the secret of Sanctum."

  Dzeb strangely announced a thought in the form of a parable. "If a man locks a jewel in a vault, does he do so without memorizing the combination?"

  Lief seemed to struggle with the near whimsical assertion.

  Ryson verbalized his own questions over the cliff behemoth's statement. "You think the elves wanted to have a key to get back in, even back then?"

  "We are in need of that key now," Dzeb replied simply.

  Lief responded with conviction. "I must disagree with that thought. I can't believe any of the elves wanted to see the sphere removed."

  "You wish to see the sphere removed now, do you not?" Dzeb looked to Lief expectantly, knowingly.

  "But now we have no choice."

  "You find it so impossible that the power of Godson could not foresee this eventual need."

  "I don't know," Lief conceded. "I no longer know what to make of any of this. There were no prophecies of the sphere's return, not in the Book of Godson and not in elflore, yet here I stand in Sanctum near the end of our quest. I don't even wish to try and consider what might be guiding us. I only know we have but one tier left."

  "Then let us be finished with that one as well," Dzeb remarked evenly. "How is it you recommend we proceed?"

  Lief exhaled as he swallowed the memories of the elf-dwarf war. He focused upon the rent in the floor. "We can descend from here into
the tier. The trees will give way to the light as even now they struggle to move back into the darkness. As long as the light remains with us, they will not attack. Ryson can climb down first. I will follow. Then, Dzeb can jump down to join us.

  "The true burden must be carried by the one who holds the sword," Lief said as he placed his eyes squarely upon the delver. "Your weapon is the only thing that will keep us alive down there. It is the only thing which will force the trees to part from our path. I must ask you to keep your attention upon one most important task. You must always keep the point of the sword toward the opening where the light enters. You must never slip in your concentration of this single duty. The sword was forged so that the light reflected from the point would fashion a tightly concentrated beam. This beam is the life-line between the sword and the light source. If it is broken by a careless swing or a drop in concentration, the shadow trees will have the opportunity to block out the light. As you now know, the sword does not create light, it simply reflects it. If the trees are successful in completely surrounding us, sealing us off from the light, the illumination from the sword will end. We will have no defense against the trees. They will eventually over power us all, even Dzeb."

  "That doesn't make me feel too comfortable," Ryson admitted. "Once we jump down into the tier, we have to move forward to reach the sphere. As we move, we'll be walking away from the hole."

  "It will not cause a problem as long as you keep the point of the sword directed toward the opening. No matter how far we stray, the beam will remain in tact. That in itself will guarantee a path, no matter how far, back to the opening."

  "One last question," Ryson required. "How will we exit? I can probably make it back up here, especially if Dzeb gives me a lift. I can throw down the rope to get you up, but what about Dzeb? I'm not really sure my rope will hold his weight. And, if I go first, the sword will go with me. What will be left to protect you from the trees?"

  Lief placed a hand to his chin in obvious discomfort with the thought. He gritted his teeth as he shook his head. The longer he stood silent, the more obvious his anger became. "Fire upon my own foolishness!" he exclaimed with disgust to his own short-sightedness. "I did not consider our exit."

  "What if we use the original entry?" Ryson proposed quickly, hoping to ease Lief's irritation and give them an immediate alternative.

  A spark of hope lit in Lief's eyes. "That might hold the answer," he allowed as he deeply considered the potential solution. He spoke as he mulled over the change in plans. "The sword would still have a light source once we break the seal and open the passageway. We would be able to use the stone steps, and would have an exit as well as an entry. It would, however, increase the distance of our travel within the tier. This opening leads very near to the center. We would have spent little time walking through the shadow trees. The original entrance is at the far end of this tier. We would have to cross a longer distance to reach the sphere."

  "But if it offers a way out, then it's our only choice." Ryson redirected his gaze back down the tier toward its far end. His eyes quickly grasped the outline of the last door. It waited near a hundred paces beyond the crumbled remains of the second sand giant, but it waited with no other obstacles before it.

  Just as he was about to step away from the hole, the cliff behemoth called for him to stand his ground.

  "We do not need to take such actions," Dzeb stated calmly. "This opening is still the fastest path to the sphere. We will use it."

  Ryson stared dumbfounded at the gentle giant. He saw no madness in Dzeb's eyes, but could not conclude why he would make such a statement. He found his voice to pose the question. "Didn't you hear what we were talking about? If we just jump down there, we won't be able to get back out, at least I can't see how you would. You're not talking about sacrificing yourself, are you?"

  "Do you so easily forget my height, Ryson Acumen?" Dzeb questioned with a light hearted laugh. "Do you think my arms so short I might not reach the ledge of this opening with but a short leap? Do you think them so weak I would not be able to pull myself up? No, delver, I will not need your rope. It will be a small accomplishment to make this climb. I have made similar ascents. I live in the cliffs, remember? And if you are worried about this floor holding my weight as I pull myself back up, I suggest you do not. This floor is of solid dwarf construction. It has held under the duress of my leaps down, it will hold as I pull myself back up."

  The good-natured laugh brought a welcome break in the tension. Lief lost the anger in himself as both he and Ryson stared up into the giant's beaming face. Even the dreary darkness of the shadow trees seemed somewhat less threatening.

  If ever Ryson comprehended the true blessing of having the cliff behemoth with them, it was at this moment. He nearly laughed himself, but questioned the giant to make certain of his claim. "You're sure you can get back up here without a rope?"

  Dzeb laughed again. He took no insult in the question, but instead, saw it for what it was, genuine concern. "I am certain. If you wish, I will demonstrate for you by leaping back up to the delver tier now. It is probably of the same distance."

  "No, no. That's alright." Ryson held up his hands with a broad smile. "I know I should believe you. I just wanted to make sure."

  "I understand, Ryson. Your concern for me, for all of us, is appreciated." The smile remained upon Dzeb's innocuous lips for but a moment. It fled as he turned his own attention back to the broken gorge in the floor. "I suggest we take no further time in accomplishing our task."

  "He's right," Lief accented. "If the sphere is now aware of our presence as shown by our recent tragedy, we must not give it a chance to establish another means with which to deal with us."

  "Alright."

  It was all Ryson could get from his mouth. He swallowed hard. His next step was as obvious as the sun at noon day in a clear sky. The abstract shadows, the teeming jungle of black branches and dark trunks now waited for his descent. He needed but take hold of his rope, turn and glide downward, simplicity to a delver of his abilities.

  Yet, descending into this abyss defied the elementary nature of the physical requirements. It was much more like willingly entering a nightmare of colossal horror, a nightmare that was reality and not dream. To look into this pit was to understand a child's inexplicable fear of the dark, for this was the dark come to life. Here, shadows were more than tricks of light. The darkness had the ability to do more than instill fear, but actually attack, actually kill.

  Ryson fought to suppress this comprehension of the shadow trees. His hand wrung the handle of his sword with all his might as if he hoped to coax some last inspiration of knowledge from the magical artifact. No such enlightenment manifested itself. He knew all there was to know of the trees, of the last obstacle to the sphere of Ingar. There were no other secrets to coax from the enchanted weapon. The simple truth was plainly clear, the light was his grace, the shadows held his death.

  Biting hard upon his lip, he grasped his rope as Dzeb took secure hold of one end. He flung the opposite end through the aperture. There was no sense in standing about, staring into the abyss of horrors. He nodded to Lief and took a long view of the cliff behemoth's simple compassionate eyes for strength. Holding the sword steady, he dropped his legs through the opening to the last tier.

  Fighting to block out the images that now swarmed about him, he kept his eyes as well as the sword's point locked upon the center of the hole which was now overhead. He could not, however, completely ignore the sights brought to him by his own keen peripheral vision. Branches darted out toward him, but retracted as they hit the glowing pulse of light from his sword. As this radiance filled more and more of the last tier, the shadow trees closest to him moved with desperation to escape the glow. Sludge covered sticks parted like breaking waves as he lowered himself down.

  He moved with less swiftness in this descent. He held to the rope as if it represented the life-line in which Lief referred. When he came to its end, he actually tasted his own reluct
ance to let go.

  He kept the sword point steady upward, but for the first time, he allowed himself a glance at the space below. He was still a full body's length from the floor, but it was now visible. The shadow trees in his path had either moved aside or had been consumed by those waiting clear of the light. A portion of the diamond crusted sheets which safeguarded the floor was now visible. It glistened from the sword's radiance and the reflected light helped to clear a path for his final leap.

  Holding his breath, he released his grip on the rope. He hit the floor with balance and precision. His knees bent to absorb the impact just as his arm held the sword true. The intense light from his sword continued to cleanse the immediate area of shadow trees. Free, unthreatening space formed four to five paces all about him and continued upward right to the break in the ceiling.

  Within this new formed tunnel among the breadth of the shadow trees, Ryson turned his attention to his immediate surroundings. With a twist of his neck, he made one quick reconnaissance. He scanned for landmarks of the tier. He attempted to gauge his position. He searched for the sphere.

  He saw nothing beyond the twisting, shifting darkness of the shadows that surrounded him. His vision was restricted to the tightly wound area which the trees allowed. Though the trees relinquished space in his immediate vicinity, they completely filled the rest of the expanse. There was nothing to see but an endless wake of dark trunks and black branches filled with thick sludge.

  Constant motion and upheaval surrounded the delver. Those trees closest to him, in the direct path of the light, struggled to pass back into the darkness of the swarm. Most were consumed before they could make their departure. The trees that replaced them, filled the space touched by the light, then faced the same dilemma.

  Though the trees constantly attacked each other, they would not venture within the modest area cleansed by the sword's light. Ryson could hear, and even sometimes see, branches further back reaching toward him, but they dared not pass beyond this border. Even with all the shifting and rustling of the closest trees, not a single one ventured close enough to represent a true threat, thus he motioned for Lief to follow.