by F. P. Spirit
A purple projectile lanced out from his fingertips and sliced through the water toward the bottom of the pool. Time seemed to slow as the missile approached its target. The projectile finally reached the pulsing crystal.
Sloosh! The waters shuddered from the impact, and the dark crystal shattered. A dark green light fanned out in all directions from the now-empty space.
Glo heard an eerie high-pitched scream. It was not in his ears, but in his mind! The sound faded away, receding as if sucked to a faraway place. The dark green light abruptly vanished. The water was now clear, the sickly green color completely gone; there was no trace left of the crystal.
Glo noticed Aksel hurrying down to the edge of the pool. “What was that?”
“I am not completely sure.”
Aksel had a haunted look in his eyes. “I thought I heard a scream, but there was no sound. It was as if it was in my mind.”
Lloyd and Titan came up behind the little cleric. “We heard it too.”
Glo paused a moment as he thought it over. “I have read of things like this in my father’s journals. There are ancient artifacts that can act as receptacles of magical energies. The energy contained by such a relic can be positive or negative—good or evil, as we would term it.”
He paused and took a deep breath, still feeling the after-effects of the strange encounter.
“Some of these items accumulate so much energy, they almost take on a life of their own. I believe that this crystal was one of those relics.”
Aksel’s voice was soft and there was a faraway look in his eyes. “My family used to research such things. In fact, the last time I saw them, my parents were leaving on an expedition looking for such an artifact.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over them. Glo had always wondered what became of Aksel’s family. He had never really talked about it. All he knew was that Aksel had been taken in by the clerics at the Temple of Caprizon in his early teens.
Titan placed a hand on Aksel’s shoulder. Her voice was very soft as she spoke. “I lost my mother when I was two. The only recollections I have of her are vague flashes of her face and smile.”
The tall warrior and little cleric gazed at each other, a shared expression of sympathy passing between them. Glo was deeply moved; both had experienced so much loss. Perhaps he had been too quick to judge his own parents. Maybe he was lucky just to have them. The silence that fell over them was interrupted by a shout from across the room. It was Seth.
“Hey, look what I found!”
Glo almost jumped. He could have sworn the halfling was right next to him a few moments ago. He spun around and saw Seth standing next to an open doorway in the wall behind the altar. The door had not been there a few moments ago.
Aksel appeared astonished. “Another secret door? Who built this place?”
Lloyd and Titan grabbed torches as they walked over to join Seth. When they reached the door, they held the lights aloft.
Glo peered through the doorway; it opened to a small room. A thick layer of dust covered the floor as if it had been undisturbed for a long time. A round table stood in the center with a skeleton seated at it. Glo, momentarily startled, noticed the skeleton was covered with cobwebs. He peered closer and spotted some objects on the table, a dagger and a book. The dagger had a jet black handle with an inky sheen to it. The book was thick and leather bound, its cover blank.
Glo cast the identification spell and the dagger began to glow. A vision formed in his mind of the dagger superimposed on a snake’s head, its mouth wide open and fangs protruding. The vision then changed. The dagger remained, but now there was a large spider crawling over it. It opened it jaws displaying two black fangs. The visions faded. Glo opened his eyes. He reached down, picked up the knife by the handle, and held it hilt-out toward Seth.
Seth glanced at him curiously. “It’s a dagger of venom. Stab your target and say ‘Venenum’ to invoke the spell.”
A broad smile spread across Seth’s face. “Nice.” He took the dagger and hefted it gently. “Good balance, too.”
“And now he is twice as deadly.”
They spun around and saw Lloyd grinning from ear to ear.
Titan wore a thin smirk. “Deadly, and on our side. I can live with that.”
Seth’s face twisted into a half smile. “You know it.”
The halfling removed one of his other knives from its sheath, and slid the new dagger into it. Meanwhile, Aksel had opened the book and was leafing through the pages. A low whistle escaped his lips.
“What is it?” Glo asked.
Aksel motioned him over and pointed to the page he had been reading. Glo raised an eyebrow when he saw the contents.
“Well?” Seth said impatiently.
Glo glanced up and saw Seth standing with his arms crossed, glaring at them. “Oh, sorry. It’s a manual of golem creation. Stone golems, specifically.”
It was Seth’s turn to whistle. “What’s something like that doing here?”
Aksel glanced around them. “It does make you wonder who built this place.”
Could this be one of Larketh’s hidden lairs? Glo wondered.
Lloyd and Titan were having a side discussion. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”
Titan shook her head. “Aside from golems, no, not really.”
Glo let out a short laugh. “I’m sorry. I forgot not everyone knows about this stuff.”
Seth folded his arms across his chest. “Speak for yourself.”
Glo just shook his head. He turned back to Lloyd and Titan. “Well, you know that golems are magical constructs…”
“…created by wizards,” Lloyd finished for him.
“Yes. And there are four types, the first three made from clay, stone, and iron.”
Titan eyed him curiously. “What’s the fourth?”
Glo hesitated a moment. “They’re called flesh golems and they’re made from the remains of living creatures.”
“Eww.” Titan grimaced.
Lloyd looked puzzled. “How’s that different from a zombie?”
Glo opened his mouth to respond, but Aksel cut him off. “Let’s not go into that.”
Titan’s expression was one of disgust. “I think I’m with Aksel on that.”
Lloyd still appeared puzzled. “So we’ve all heard of golems, but what’s a manual of golem creation?”
Glo took a deep breath. “It’s a complex process, the secrets of which were only known to a few. That’s why there are not that many golems. On top of that, not all golems are created equal. The most powerful were made by the Golem Thrall Master, Larketh, but that was well over one hundred years ago.”
“During the Thrall Wars?” Titan asked.
“Yes.”
Lloyd wore a thoughtful expression. “I’ve heard my mother mention Larketh. Wasn’t he killed at the end of that war?”
Aksel answered this time. “Yes. And all of his research was lost with him. That’s what makes this manual so valuable.” He leafed through some pages. “It contains step-by-step instructions on how to make a stone golem.”
Glo nodded in agreement. “Further, the detail in this book is astounding—only a great master like Larketh could have written it.”
Aksel closed the book with a resounding thud. “Unfortunately, we may never know exactly who wrote it, but for now let’s move on. We still have that wizard to deal with, not to mention finding Brundon.”
Unexpected Reunion
In the ceiling above him was a small rectangular hole
The small company retraced their steps, following the dimly lit corridor beyond the point where Seth had found it. The lights signified frequent use, and with any luck it would lead to a way out of the basement. Seth led the way through a maze of rooms and passages. It was a crazy mix
of hallways. Some ended in secret doors, others opened into rooms with yet more hidden doors and passages beyond. The only saving grace was that all these were illuminated by torches.
At one point, Lloyd halted, his frustration quite apparent. “Who built this crazy place? Couldn’t they have just built a single hall that leads to a staircase or something?”
Titan placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Lloyd. I’m sure we’ll find our way out of here.”
Glo gazed at him sympathetically. “I think that whoever built this place did so on purpose.”
“It’s actually a typical design for a thieves’ den,” Seth chimed in.
Aksel looked at the halfling. “How’s that?”
“Well…most thieves live in fear of discovery, so they design their hideouts to be mazelike. It makes it hard for newcomers to find their way through. It’s also a great design to fill with traps.”
Lloyd squinted at Seth. “You seem to know an awful lot about thieves.”
“Yeah, well there’s no denying ninjas, thieves and assassins have a lot in common. And no, I was never either of those things. I just…know too many people who went down the wrong path.”
It was quite evident how uncomfortable Seth was with this conversation. Glo swiftly changed the subject to avoid embarrassing him further. “Yes, well what you said before makes a lot of sense. Whoever designed this keep was definitely paranoid.”
Aksel caught on as well and played along. “I quite agree. You could be lost down here for days without finding the way out. Based on that, I suspect the actual path out of here is very well hidden.”
Glo glanced at Seth. The halfling merely nodded at him without as much as a smirk or sarcastic remark.
After another hour of traversing the seemingly endless maze of halls and chambers, they came upon a small room lined with shelves. It appeared to have been once filled with foodstuffs, the only remains of which were some nearly disintegrated bags and containers.
They were about to move on when Seth called out, “Hey, look at this.”
He stood in a corner staring upward. Glo followed his gaze. In the ceiling above him was a small rectangular hole with wood molding frames on all four sides. Glo judged it to be about a yard long and nearly as wide. By the light of his staff, he could see a few feet beyond the opening. It appeared to be a shaft with smooth stone walls on either side, but strain as he might, he could only see blackness beyond where the light faded.
Titan came up beside them. “Is that what I think it is?”
Seth was bent over sideways gazing up into the darkness. “Considering this room was used for food storage…”
“…then this could have been a dumbwaiter…” Glo continued for him.
“…which means it may lead to an upstairs pantry,” Titan said, sounding rather hopeful.
Lloyd’s voice rose in excitement. “So there might be a shortcut out of this crazy basement?”
Glo gave the young man an encouraging smile. “It may very well be.”
Titan hit Lloyd in the arm. “See, what did I tell you?”
Lloyd grinned back at her.
Aksel was also bent backwards, gazing up into the darkness. “Seth, do you think you could climb up it?”
Seth straightened and turned toward Aksel. “Not a problem. Just hand me your torch.”
Aksel did so. Seth took it from him and put it out. He then tucked the piece of wood behind his belt and turned to Lloyd. “Give me a boost.”
Lloyd stepped forward and positioned himself under the hole. He clasped his hands together and bent down, making a foothold for the halfling.
Seth lips twisted into a half smirk. “Here goes nothing.”
He stepped onto Lloyd’s interlocked hands and nimbly scrambled onto his shoulders. Lloyd stood up and then so did Seth, reaching as high as he could. He was just able to grab hold of the wood frame around the hole. Seth hoisted his body up and managed to wedge himself inside the chute.
Glo watched in amazement as he began slowly inching his way up the shaft. Seth had his hands pressed against one smooth stone wall while his feet were firmly planted on the opposite wall. He slowly moved one hand, then one foot, then the other hand followed by the other foot. It was an incredible feat of strength and agility, the likes of which Glo had never seen.
Aksel called up the chute, his voice thick with concern, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Piece…of…cake…” Seth replied through what must have been clenched teeth.
They watched the halfling disappear up the chute beyond the light of Glo’s staff. They waited in silence after that for some sign that their friend had made it to the top. Finally, a faint light appeared far up the shaft.
“He made it!” Aksel cried.
Lloyd, Titan, Glo and Aksel all cheered, clasping each other in congratulations. A brief image popped into Glo’s mind of Seth taking a deep bow. A minute later a rope dropped down from the hole in the ceiling, dangling a few inches from the floor.
A broad smile spread across Aksel’s face. “Guess he wants us to climb up. Who wants to go first?”
“I will,” Lloyd said perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.
Titan let out a short laugh. “Had enough of this basement maze?”
Lloyd grinned sheepishly at her. “Kind of.”
The young warrior grabbed the end of the rope and gave it a hard tug, but it held fast. Flashing a quick smile, Lloyd hoisted himself up and swiftly climbed into the shaft, disappearing into the darkness.
Glo watched the rope sway and jerk as Lloyd continued his climb. Up in the shaft, the dim light at the top was now blocked by a dark shadow. Finally, the cord stopped moving. Glo gazed upward and saw the light had reappeared at the top of the chute.
“Looks like he made it,” Titan said.
Aksel turned to Glo. “You go next.”
Glo nodded and grasped the waiting rope. He gave it a gentle tug, but realized it was unnecessary. If the line could hold Lloyd, it would certainly hold him. He smiled wanly, then pulled himself upwards. Thankfully he was in fair shape. Practitioners of the arcane arts tended to concentrate on their minds and neglect their bodies. Glo thought that foolish; it was one of the few things he and his father agreed on.
“A weak body leads to a weak mind,” Amrod would say.
As Glo shimmied up the rope, he heard Aksel talking with Titan.
“I’ll go next, then you follow.”
Her reply was rather skeptical. “It’s not exactly easy climbing in full plate.”
There was a momentary pause, then he heard Aksel’s voice again. “Not a problem. Tie the end of the rope around your belt, then wrap it under your arms like a harness. When you’re ready, give it a tug, and we’ll haul you up.”
That was smart. Secured like that, there was little chance of Titan falling.
Glo continued his ascent, his eyes fixed on the dim light above. The chute was fairly dark, but when he neared the top of it the shaft grew brighter. He was surprised to see that the chute was actually wider up here. The outline of two heads abruptly appeared above him, one smaller than the other.
“What’s taking you so long?” Seth asked.
“I’m moving as fast as I can!” Glo grumbled. “This isn’t as easy as it looks!”
“You should try it without a rope,” came the immediate retort.
Glo chuckled in spite of himself. Seth had a point. He redoubled his efforts and was just about to the top, when two red-clad arms reached down and grabbed his own. They hauled him up the rest of the way with little effort.
Glo landed with a thud against a tiled stone floor. Next to him stood Lloyd and Seth. However, behind them was a third figure.
“Brundon…” The word tumbled from his mouth. “How? Where?”<
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The lean man smirked back at him in the torchlight. “I don’t remember much. One minute I’m in that lab. This old man bursts in and there’s a flash of light. Next thing I know, I’m locked in this dark room. Then, about ten minutes ago, Seth pops his head out and says, ‘How you doing, Brundon?’ I tell you, my friend, life is full of surprises.”
Seth smirked. “Just wait until Titan sees you.”
Glo noted a slight flush in Brundon’s complexion at the mention of his partner. He silently agreed with Seth. It would be an interesting reunion. For the moment, he had an idea of what might have happened to the lean tracker. “Anyway, it sounds like you were charmed.”
Brundon’s eyes narrowed. “You mean a charm spell? So what you’re saying is my body continued to function but my mind was put to sleep?”
Glo nodded. “More or less.”
Seth snickered. “I know people who go through their whole lives like that.”
They all turned to stare at the halfling.
Seth put up his hands in defense. “No one here of course.”
Glo raised an eyebrow.
Lloyd turned to face Glo. “Anyway, we were just filling Brundon in on all the fun he missed.”
Brundon let out a short laugh. “Heh, with fun like that, I’m glad I missed it.”
Glo glanced around the room. It was a small space, the size of a single bedroom, lined with shelves. Some barrels stood against the wall with the rope he had climbed tied around one of them. There was a single door on the other side of the room.
Brundon noticed him looking around. “It’s a pantry. You definitely won’t starve in here.”
Sure enough, the shelves were filled with foodstuffs, and unlike the room below, these were fresh. He heard a noise back by the shaft. Lloyd reached down and pulled Aksel up into the room.
Aksel was as surprised as the others to see Brundon, but the dark-haired man was looking beyond the little cleric. Aksel explained that Titan was reluctant to climb the rope wearing full plate.
Brundon appeared amused. “Sounds just like her. Give her ten orcs to fight, and she’ll charge in without question. But ask her to scale a wall, and she’ll give a look that would melt iron.”
