He stood anxiously before a huge dull metal door with no visible lock or hinges. If you didn’t know, you would assume that the metal wasn’t a door at all, but a seal over an unfinished hall. He dug in his pocket with his free hand and pulled out the small marble. It looked otherwise normal, but was warm to the touch and so shiny that light bounced off it covering the walls with prisms. Ja’tar held it in his hand and pushed his hand into the metal wall. His arm gradually turned into the same material as the marble. The metallic liquid was quickly crawling up his arm. Even his robe was becoming shiny metal. The globe he was holding winked out as the marble’s spell took hold.
He clutched his fist tightly around the marble and pushed until he was completely through the wall. He took two steps into the pitch-black room. He put the marble back into his pocket and waited for his form to resume its traditional shape. He extended a hand and brought a small light globe to his palm.
The light flickered and Ja’tar was standing before an immense set of druid-carved wooden doors. He walked up to the doors and ran his free hand lovingly over the mottled burled wood. So simple, just an intricate continuous knot adorned the center of each door. Yet he could feel the powerful and dangerous magic warding the entry to the Cave of the Forbidden.
He searched the walls, found the twin sconces, and brought them to light with the flick of his hand. The small flame orb jumped from his palm to the nearest sconce and then to the far one. He sat down on the single small iron bench in front of the doors and thought. He tried to remember all that his Dad had told him. The process was slow, recalling conversations over a thousand years old. He wished he had paid closer attention, but … when you’re a child.
Ja’tar sighed. He knew he had better be careful and he wove a set of protective spells around himself. He wove every spell he could think of, protection from fire, water, crushing, tearing, impalement, disease and dismemberment. The list went on. The spells took him a long time. He checked his pocket for the time wards he had tied to the hourglasses in his room. He only had another two hours to work before he would have to return. He planned on being back in his room by four-thirty.
Ja’tar stood and walked to the door. Rolling up his sleeves, Ja’tar wove his first spell, a spell to reveal that which is hidden. He was hoping to be able to see the intricate set of weaves that barred his way. He finished his incantation and released it at the door.
The door shimmered and Ja’tar covered his face, expecting the worst. The door began to flow like a liquid and the face of an ancient druid appeared. The face, nearly four feet tall, projected from the door. The hollow eyes opened revealing pure black orbs that were filled with the stars.
The face spoke in a thundering voice, “Leave! None are allowed to enter this place.”
“But my need is great,” Ja’tar pleaded.
The druid just nodded and dissolved back into the door. Ja’tar paced for a while, pulling on his beard. He couldn’t recall what his Dad had told him, no matter how hard he tried to remember.
Ja’tar tried a spell of dispersal, hoping to release the spirit of the ancient druid protecting the door. Again, the face of an ancient druid appeared, but the face was different this time, more menacing. The hollow eyes opened and the face spoke in a thundering voice. “Leave! None are allowed to enter this place.”
Ja’tar was desperate to get a response — any response. “Can you talk? Please communicate with me?”
The face paused before beginning to fade back into the door. “I have nothing to say to you. You may not pass.”
Ja’tar was feeling defeated. He tried several more times to get the door to open, including a direct open spell, a spell of dissolution. None worked, and he got very little information from the druid. Eventually, he was forced to leave.
He stood at the bottom of the stairs holding his globe and looked up. The spirals went on forever, disappearing into the dark. It was going to be a long trip. He contemplated staying but changed his mind and hesitantly took his first step. By the time he had been climbing for fifteen minutes, he was panting and sweating profusely. His thighs burned and he used the wall to help him take his next step. He winced, but continued putting one foot in front of another. He sulked on his way back to his room, threw himself on his bed exhausted, and frustrated.
He woke near noon and made his way down to the banquet room. Zedd’aki was there eating lunch. Ja’tar sat down next to him.
Zedd’aki took another bit of chicken. “Where have you been? I thought you wanted to be at practice today. The team missed you.”
Ja’tar tore off a piece of dried sausage and took a big bit of goat cheese. His eyes were but thin slits. “I had a restless night —”
“Well, the team is coming along nicely. They maintained coverage from the spells for almost ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes? That is great news. Maybe we have made a breakthrough!” Ja’tar exclaimed between bites,
Zedd’aki wiped his plate with a torn off section of rye bread. “Will we see you this afternoon at the testing?”
“Not likely. I have a few things to take care of. I’m way behind from my oversleeping.”
“Hmmm,” nodded Zedd’aki as he stood up.
Ja’tar raised his head from his meal. “I’ll see you at dinner?”
“Right, I’ll catch you up on what practice was like this afternoon!” Zedd’aki agreed. “Enjoy your meal.”
“Thanks. Sorry I’m such lousy company, I’ve a lot on my mind lately — we’ll catch up at dinner.”
Ja’tar watched his friend exit the dining room. He quickly finished his light meal and hurried off to his room to do more research.
Later in the day, he met with his friend at dinner. He made a special point to see the team and congratulate them on their achievement. Most of the dining hour was spent with pleasantries. Later, he excused himself and turned in early. He knew he was in for another exhausting night.
In a repeat of the previous night, Ja’tar set out again, only to return hours later battered and defeated. He staggered back to his room. He had been caught off balance when a spell had been reflected and hit him square, lifting him off the floor and slamming him against the crude rock wall. He slowly peeled his robe off of the bruises and lacerations on his shoulders and back. He gently patted them with a healing balm, as best he could. Unfortunately, he no longer had the energy to heal himself. His reserves had been drained.
All in all, he counted himself lucky that he had prepared beforehand and erected protections. Unfortunately, his protections had deteriorated by the end of the evening and in a moment of stupidity; he threw a desperate explosive spell at the door in frustration. He raised his hand to his face and rubbed his temple. Exhausted, he fell back on the bed and fell straight to sleep.
Morning came quickly and having woken late, Ja’tar had to hurry to make it for breakfast. He dared not miss another day in a row lest he raise suspicion. He favored his right side, which was injured the night before. He limped and hobbled in a half run down the long hallway away from his chambers. He straightened up and strained to enter the dining room relaxed. Zedd’aki watched as his friend sauntered across the room. His eagle eyes noticed the limp and the favoring of his right side and saw the slight grimace on Ja’tar’s face as he came down the stairs.
“Morning!” Ja’tar put out the greeting with as carefree a demeanor as he could muster.
“For me it is!” said Zedd’aki sarcastically, “— but you look like you’ve been jousting and lost miserably.”
Ja’tar frowned, “Noticeable?”
“A little, why don’t you heal yourself?”
“Can’t … I drained my reserves too low. I’ll have to try later,” he whispered.
Zedd’aki took a long quaff off his mug and stared at his friend over the rim, “Care to elaborate?”
“Not here. Let’s take a stroll after breakfast —”
“It doesn’t look like you are up to ‘strolling.’ Should I be concerned?”
“Probably not, but I know you’re going to be furious anyway, so I’ll tell you later so as to not ruin your meal.” Ja’tar said, hinting that he wanted to change the subject.
Zedd’aki furrowed his brow, “Furious, huh?”
Ja’tar looked up from his meal and tried to smile. “That about sums up how I think you’ll react when we talk — later!”
They ate in silence, nether having much to say with whatever it was hanging above their heads. Zedd’aki kept staring at Ja’tar, trying to measure his demeanor. He supposed he could wait for another twenty minutes to hear him out. His friend was right. He probably would be furious.
After breakfast, Ja’tar and Zedd’aki left the dining room and after crossing the courtyard, past the formal hall, they headed out of the Keep. They ended up in the somewhat secluded center atrium garden and chose a long bench to sit on. The sun was high and warmed them on this spring day. After checking for others and setting a simple privacy ward, Ja’tar confessed.
“I’m not sure there is a good way to say this, so I’m just going to come straight out with it. A couple nights ago I went down and tried to open the cave”
Zedd’aki’s jaw fell open. “The cave?”
“You know damn well which cave I’m talking about …,” Ja’tar mumbled back.
Zedd’aki’s jaw dropped and spittle spraying from his mouth, “Of all the stupid … asinine things ….”
“Before you start yelling, remember that I —”
Zedd’aki shot up and stepped away from the bench. He crunched up his face, hauled off and smacked Ja’tar in his sore shoulder.
“Ow! Damn it!” Ja’tar barked, grabbing his already aching shoulder and massaging it.
Zedd’aki paced back and forth his fists clutched at his sides. “You deserve that … and more. I should —” Zedd’aki raised his fist into the air in front of Ja’tar’s chin.
“Calm down, you’re making a scene. I-I-I —” Ja’tar stammered. His head shot side-to-side to see if anyone was watching.
“What the Ten were you thinking?” Zedd’aki blurted out, hands up with his face red and the veins on his neck pulsing. He got right up in Ja’tar’s face and shook his hands in a choking hold. “I’m so angry …”
“I know. I’m sorry …,” Ja’tar said, shaking his head. “… I should have asked you to join me.”
“Damn straight you should have!” snorted Zedd’aki.
Ja’tar hung his head low, “I just thought I would try to open the cave, that’s all. No sense both of us getting injured or killed.”
“Well, did you get in? I assume you didn’t or you would be here gloating!”
Head held low, a very quiet Ja’tar muttered, “No, not even close”
“Harrumph!” Zedd’aki growled. He waved his arm up and down Ja’tar’s frame. “And how’d you get all battered up?”
Ja’tar was very embarrassed. “It was quite stupid really — I got frustrated and threw an explosive spell at the door.”
“That’s it? Nothing else?”
Ja’tar rubbed his sore shoulder. “It was reflected and threw me against the cave wall.”
“Your protections failed?” Zedd’aki’s eyes got very round. He couldn’t believe his ears.
A humbled Ja’tar dipped his head and sheepishly admitted, “Not really, just weakened from all the hours of spell casting.”
“But they were ineffective?”
“— Ineffective,” he winced.
“And you haven’t healed yourself because …?”
“Another blunder. I already told you, I spent —”
A long pause followed.
“— all my reserves.”
“Of all the stupid …,” chided Zedd’aki. He fully understood how close his friend had come to being seriously injured. “All of your reserves depleted?”
“Nearly. I was barely able to walk back to my quarters. I actually had to crawl up the last few flights of stairs,” Ja’tar meekly confessed. “I really felt my age, I came so close …”
By now, Zedd’aki was starting to calm down. He was still furious, but he had regained control of his emotions. Nevertheless, he still let Ja’tar know how he felt.
He shook his finger close to Ja’tar’s nose. “Because you are so stupid, I think I will let you suffer your pain.”
“I deserve that …,” Ja’tar nodded to himself. A sheepish grin spread to his face.
Zedd’aki couldn’t resist one last dig. “Yes, you do. And you look older today. More wrinkled — not becoming at all ….”
“I feel older —” said Ja’tar, with a small tear in his eye, “foolish too.”
“So, talk to me,” Zedd’aki grunted gruffly.
Ja’tar broke down. “I feel defeated. Seriously, I tried for two full nights. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to get in. Most of the spells do nothing, some just irritate the Guardian.”
“What Guardian? You mean an ancient?”
An exhausted Ja’tar closed his eyes. “Not exactly — but yes. The door turns into this big ancient druid. We have to get past the druid to get in.”
Zedd’aki nodded his head in understanding. “Druid magic is … tough.”
“Strange, I don’t remember the druid from my youth. My father must have taken me to the Cave a dozen or more times and I have no memory of the druid,” an annoyed Ja’tar said, as he turned his face into the warm sun.
“Something your father could have set in place later, maybe?”
Ja’tar nodded his agreement, “Must be — but I cannot help wonder why father never mentioned it. That’s not … like him.”
“What do you think we should do next? Do you need me to do some research?”
Ja’tar shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight and looked up at Zedd’aki. “Doubt it will help, but feel free to poke around in the library. Know much about druid magic?”
“Some. The magic is based on the earth, mostly invoked using songs and chants,” he reasoned, “… all based on living things, the energy of the planet. I had the same classes as you, why are you asking me?”
Ja’tar shrugged.
“What? We spent maybe ten years on druid magic, barely scratched the surface of what it’s about.” Zedd’aki continued rambling on. “Old professor Ollif left and went back to the wood before he taught us the advanced classes. Why’d he leave anyway?”
Ja’tar shrugged, “I heard rumors he was to be wed and wanted to go back to the Gywnlyr Grove.”
“You think he’s still alive?”
“It’s possible, I suppose,” he nodded. “Druids can live a very long time. Their magic is powerful.”
Zedd’aki’s mood brightened substantially. “We could see if we can locate him?”
“We could, but I don’t think we can afford the delay, besides, that would alert the rest of the Keep that we are up to something.
Zedd’aki nodded, “I could walk to the Grove in a couple days?”
“Maybe, but let’s try to figure this out on our own for now.”
“I’m just saying …”
“I know,” smiled Ja’tar. “Check the books up in the attic section, there are some good references there on the druids. I think this is ancient druid, so the older tomes might be more useful.”
“Couldn’t hurt …,” Zedd’aki offered up.
“Couldn’t. If we can’t figure this out in a day or so, you’ll be taking a walk. Trouble is trying to cover up that you’re gone.”
“You think I’d be missed?” Zedd’aki smirked.
“No, but someone might notice you are missing …”
Zedd’aki caught the cut and grunted, “So, the plan is?”
Ja’tar sat up and painfully stretched. “More mead to dull the pain!”
Zedd’aki rolled his eyes.
“Well, obviously we need to get past the druid. How? Well, that’s the question isn’t it?”
“We’re lucky it’s only druid …,” sighed Zedd’aki.
&n
bsp; Ja’tar grumbled, “I don’t know that it’s only druid, only that the druid is the first step.”
“Hmm. We might get ourselves killed yet!” Zedd’aki exclaimed with a huge smile on his face, rubbing his hands together in mock glee.
Ja’tar just bit his tongue and put up with his friend’s sarcasm. “Might, I suppose …”
“What’s past the door?”
“If I recall correctly, another room, but given this, I’m beginning to question my memories.”
Zedd’aki shook his head, “Another room — really. I couldn’t have guessed that.”
Ja’tar missed the sarcasm, “Sorry. That’s all I really remember. I’m hoping getting inside jogs my memory.”
Zedd’aki posed, “We go tonight?”
An exhausted Ja’tar stammered, “No. I’m still far too weak. I need a day or two to recover. Let’s plan on tomorrow night.”
“Agreed, I’m warning you Ja’tar, no more heroics!”
“No more heroics,” Ja’tar granted, smiling weakly.
“Now, let’s get you back to your room and get you healed.”
Before they could leave, Rua’tor came running up.
“Are you ready for the Solstice ceremony tonight?” he said excitedly. “I’ve prepared everything.”
Ja’tar had completely forgotten. He tried to hide his surprise. “Yes, I’ll meet you right after dinner — when sunset is near, at the main gate.”
Rua’tor clapped his hands together excitedly. “I’m glad, so glad that you feel better. It would be horrible to miss the rite. The realms need the rite for a fruitful summer.”
“I will be there,” said Ja’tar weakly.
Rua’tor nodded and ran off; not even noticing how run down Ja’tar had appeared.
“Looks like you are going to be very busy tonight,” Zedd’aki commented smugly.
Ja’tar shook his head and tried to stand, falling to the side. Zedd’aki reached down and grabbed him. “Let’s get you to your room.”
Totally exhausted and physically run down, Ja’tar barely nodded his concurrence. “Thank you. I hurt everywhere.”
The Legacy of the Ten: Book 01 - Eyes of the Keep Page 23
