The Key of Ban
Starhood stood in a detached mood as Coaldon, Pacer and Earthkin left on their journey to find Topple. To him, this was just another uneventful expedition. It was common for people to journey around the Empire.
On the day of the departure, Starhood sat in front of the fireplace for many hours. His thoughts drifted in a sea of free flowing ideas and images. The memories of many centuries churned in his mind. He realized success in defeating Wastelow depended on understanding the long history of the Empire. Human nature had not changed over time. The struggle was still between the quest to gain power and the pursuit of goodness.
During the early afternoon he drifted into an eerie trance. The events of the cabin were pushed aside as the flames of the fire captivated his full attention. He found himself floating in the tongues of the blaze. At first, he felt pleasure at this unique interlude, yet soon the intensity of the heat grew uncomfortable. Pleasure was replaced by growing turbulence. Within the flames he saw a peaceful meadow transformed into a battlefield. The flickering images, within the blaze, revealed a landslide of human events rushing toward unavoidable conflict. The impending collision was depicted by a hand crushing a gentle flower. Out of the hand flowed wicked beasts trampling and corrupting the beauty of nature. Then a group of ants immerged from the flames. These insects stood as insignificant obstacles to a towering giant. Yet, he sensed that success or failure was not a matter of size but an aspect of faith. Out of the flame burst a shower of blue and red sparks. These embers dusted the ants with hope, wisdom and courage. The irrelevant insects were changed into creatures of power and determination.
Starhood awoke from the trance with a warring contrast of dread and hope. The images of the dream disclosed prophetic illuminations of the future. He decided to keep this revelation to himself for the time being.
By late afternoon Starhood was ready for a break. Ingrid had prepared a light evening meal. The conversation at the table was limited to the weather and farm. Nobody wanted to talk about their impending destiny. The three adults knew the Age of Change would require them to confront the ugly face of violence and war.
After dinner, Brad and Ingrid joined Starhood by the fireplace. With the heat of the roaring fire warming their spirits, Starhood sang a song about the elfin Queen Lolia. His voice filled the cabin with mystery and wonderment. The magic of his words transformed the plain and simple cabin into a world of majesty and grace. As Starhood sang, Ingrid and Brad could visualize Queen Lolia as she conquered evil. The strength of her character extended into the fiber of the room. Brad and Ingrid found themselves absorbing the essence of Lolia’s courage and conviction.
Starhood ended the song by singing these words:
“Queen Lolia held the rod of hope
with the courage of a lion,
and strength of a river;
She reached forth with the touch of her power,
Not to destroy, but to offer healing;
Her love gave presence to The Mantel of Wisdom.
She revealed,
evil manifests destruction;
love prompts forgiveness;
mercy empowers justice,
freedom sanctions choice.
She declared,
Blessed are the brave of heart who carry
the banner of righteousness.
Blessed is the glory of freedom
granting strength through choice.”
The song ended, as it started, in the silence of the room. The depth of their friendship added determination to the goal of returning justice to the empire. Tomorrow would provide a path they could either accept or reject. Only by the courage of choice could they fulfill their destiny. The peace of the night invited restful sleep.
On the morning of the fourth day after the departure of the three men, Ingrid and Brad were busy packing for the move to the Monastery. Starhood decided to go for a walk along the river. As he strolled in the forest, he heard the excited voices of wood elves. Out of the brush a noble wood elf hastily greeted him.
The elf stated, “My name is Treeshine. There is great danger approaching this valley. You have until noon to leave or face death. The long arm of evil is reaching for you. We will help you escape across the river. A raft has been prepared for you. Remember, you must hurry.”
Starhood bowed to his distinguished cousins and left without saying a word. He jogged back to the cabin to sound the alarm. Ingrid and Brad accepted the news with composure. Although their hearts were in anguish, their souls grasped the challenge. They packed their essentials in several large bags. With heavy hearts, they walked to the river.
The wood elves greeted the Emperor and Queen with dignity. Yet, formalities were limited to only a few words in order to make a quick retreat. A hastily constructed raft waited for them. Five wood elves stood ready to navigate the raft across the river. Sid, the dog, did not arrive at the bank of the river with Brad and Ingrid. Brad called for Sid several times but to no avail. The alarm of urgency was sounded when they heard a distant rumble.
Treeshine said, “I am sorry but we must go! The dog will need to fend for himself. They are upon us!”
The raft was loaded and pushed into the current. With long poles the elves guided the raft across the river. As they reached the opposite shore, the noise of screaming voices filled the valley. The passengers quickly unloaded the raft and hurried into the underbrush. It was necessary to find a hiding place before they were seen by the approaching mob.
Steep mountains blocked their escape to the north, while cliffs bordered the river to the east and west. This made it impossible to follow the river either up or down stream. The only escape route was to go over North Ridge. Brad led the group to the base of a tall cliff, allowing a view of the valley. He was angry with himself for not leaving earlier. Now, escape had become a life and death situation.
He asked himself, “How do we get out of here? We may have to hike over the pass.”
The boom of a loud drum echoed in the valley. The beat of a war drum increased in tempo as a large number of ugly beasts swarmed over the farm. The cabin was set afire; the farm animals were killed and all the outbuildings were torn down. Shouts and screams fed the mass frenzy of the monsters. Many beasts feed on the raw flesh of the dead farm animals. Some used knives to cut large pieces of meat from the bodies. Others ripped and tore the flesh with their teeth. These evil creatures showed pleasure in destroying the farm.
The beasts carefully searched the area for any humans. Scouting parties were sent in different directions to find the escapees.
Starhood commented, “These are trogs. They have been released from the Chamber of Oblivion. This is a sign of great sorrow.”
In disbelief and disgust, Ingrid and Brad watched the work of many years disappear in a matter of minutes. Tears ran down their sad faces. Ingrid quickly composed herself.
In angry words she responded, “I will never forget this moment. The enemy is real. The enemy will kill and destroy without conscience or caring. Our course has been set for us. We must do what is right and necessary.”
A sudden silence interrupted the roar of violence. The trogs stood in fear as they watched a black cloud approaching from the west. A rumble of thunder rocked the valley as the cloud descended onto the farm. The trogs fell to the ground in dread and trembling. The cloud aimlessly drifted over the ground in search of something. It then paused over the remains of the cabin. After several minutes it moved in the direction of the river. At that moment Brad, Ingrid and Starhood knew the evil being was after them.
Treeshine yelled, “We must hurry! Follow me!” He ran along the base of the cliff. The underbrush, fallen trees and large rocks provided obstacles to the group’s progress. The hasty retreat over the rugged terrain caused many bruises, bumps and scratches. The black cloud slowly floated to the river’s edge while emitting deep rumbling sounds. It crossed over the river and settled on the ground where the party had landed.
Treeshine quickly entered a small crevice in the cliff wall. He then crawle
d into a hidden entrance like a rodent entering its burrow. The remaining elves crawled into the hole with grace and agility. The humans, because of their larger bodies, found the small opening a challenge to squeeze through. Ingrid wiggled through after a brief struggle. Brad got stuck half way into the entrance. With grunts, groans and moans he labored to squeeze into the cave. The dark cloud hovered over the side of the cliff in search of its prey. It gave a robust laugh when it spotted two legs protruding from the base of the cliff.
In a booming voice it declared, “Death is upon you!”
When Brad heard the message, he found renewed strength to push himself into the cave. He burst into the cave with clawing hands and digging feet.
A powerful force slammed against the side of the cliff. At the impact, rocks and dust fell from the tunnel ceiling. Again, the ground shook as the black cloud pounded the mountain side. Over and over the creature tried to reach the escapees by crushing the side of the cliff.
The dull witted monster proclaimed, “I will get you!”
A bolt of lighting struck the entrance to the cave. The blinding flash of light caused the escapees to turn their heads. Then, to their despair, a vaporous hand reached through the entrance to the cave. Its groping fingers nearly grabbed Brad before he escaped deeper into the tunnel. A repulsive feeling of evil began to over power them.
Treeshine said, “Elfin legend tells that this is an entrance to a massive tunnel system. I believe it is more dangerous to face the dark cloud than to confront the uncertainty of the cave. I suggest we follow the passage wherever it may take us.” With a nod of heads, they plunged into the darkness of the tunnel. The howl of anger slowly disappeared as the escapees trudged deeper into the bowels of the earth.
Starhood removed a blue elfin gem from his travel bag. After speaking several words in an ancient elf language, a light radiated from the stone. The gem provided adequate light to see where they were going. As they walked down the main passage, many openings appeared out of the darkness on both sides of the tunnel.
Starhood suggested, “We need to stop. I do not want to proceed until we make plans. I am not comfortable in this dark and damp world.”
Brad agreed, saying, “I do not like this place. Worst of all, we are lost in the labyrinth of passages. It is best to stop and allow common sense to guide our way.”
The wood elves were starting to show signs of distress at being trapped in the narrow tunnel. These delicate creatures found joy in the freedom of open spaces, the glow of stars and the beauty of nature.
Treeshine responded, “Legend tells there are many entrances in the mountain. We could search for a tunnel with fresh air flowing from it. We could follow it to its origins.”
Feeling a flush of irritation, Ingrid stated, “Our mission will not be destroyed by this little detour. You can search for fresh air, but we will escape because it is our destiny. While you look for fresh air, I will claim the providence of my faith.”
Starhood was paying little attention to the conversation of the group. He felt a growing discomfort. He was less concerned about the escape than actually living through this experience. Something evil was lurking in these tunnels.
The tunnel continued on a downward slope into an unknown world. To the frustration of the travelers, none of the tunnels smelled of fresh air. Rather, as they walked deeper, the air became increasingly foul.
While the others were concerned about survival, Ingrid felt a sense of excitement. Her life on the farm had offered a narrow exposure to the world. She submitted to her life with gracious acceptance, but always had a secret dream to step beyond the ordinary. She found it stimulating to look at the details of the tunnel. She noticed the walls and floor were smooth and even. She tried to imagine skilled artisans carving the tunnel and the sound of happy voices.
She asked herself, “I wonder what drove these people from their home. This must have been a beautiful place to live.”
The tunnel abruptly opened into a large cavern. The light of Starhood’s gem only reached a short distance into the vast opening. He signaled the others to wait while he investigated. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the vast cavern. Starhood stopped to listen. To his dismay, he heard the sound of deep, raspy breathing.
A melodious voice spoke, “Who are you? Why do you disturb my rest? You are trespassing in my kingdom!”
Starhood answered, “We come in peace. We only seek to escape from the mountain.”
The voice laughed in response, “Nobody escapes from me. You are my prisoners. You will be my plaything.”
Starhood continued, “I do not know your name. You speak with eloquence. I would assume you are a great leader and warrior.”
The voice boomed in pride, “I am Gutrot the Great. This has been my kingdom for centuries. I possess great power. I have many slaves. You will soon be one of them!”
In a calm voice Starhood stated, “You should think carefully before attacking us.”
The noise of crushing rocks filled the cavern. Starhood signaled his companions to step deeper into the tunnel.
He whispered to them, “I will delay Gutrot’s attack. I will join you when I have given this creature something to remember our visit.”
In the light of the gemstone, Starhood could see the approaching monster. Gutrot had the shape of a slug with tentacles lining the front of his body. It was covered with long, shaggy hair. Two massive arms were attached to its sides. Each arm had three long, claw like fingers. The arms were used to push its massive body forward. Its face was located high on the front of its body. One large orange eye sat above a flat nose. Its enormous mouth covered the center of its face. A long tongue darted in and out of its mouth with nervous regularity. Mucus dribbled from its nose in long, slimy strings. The beast’s foul odor was overwhelming.
Gutrot’s bloated body slithered across the cavern floor with grace and speed. Gutrot’s waving tentacles indicated its excitement. It stopped in front of Starhood. Gutrot raised his fat, grotesque body in preparation for an attack on Starhood.
Starhood raised the blue gem into the air. He released a bolt of lighting into the beast’s single eye. Gutrot fell forward as it gave a piercing scream of pain. Starhood stepped back into the tunnel opening just before the beast fell to the ground. Starhood narrowly escaped being crushed by its massive weight. Gutrot’s tentacles reached into the tunnel. Starhood used his sword to attack the groping tentacles. With a wide swing, his sword cut several tentacles from the enormous body. The monster grunted in frustration as it continued to reach for its victim. Starhood leaped back several steps to remain beyond the reach of Gutrot. Starhood turned to face his companions.
Gutrot shrieked, “You have blinded me! I will get you! I will send my friends.”
Starhood yelled, “Follow me! We must hurry! We will have unwanted visitors very soon.”
Starhood led the way up the tunnel at a run. Brad fell back to guard the rear of the group. Ten minutes later, the group was forced to stop when the passageway forked into five different tunnels. Starhood looked at Ingrid with inquisitive eyes. It was time to use the intuitive power of this skilled lady.
He said, “Ingrid, which way do we go?”
Ingrid assumed the challenge with poise and assurance. She paused before the entrance to each tunnel before deciding. With decisiveness, she declared, “I select the center passage.”
The central passage remained level for a short distance. Then to everyone’s surprise they found a staircase. Without pausing, the group bound up the stairs. After an extended hike Ingrid demanded a rest. Her legs were burning with fatigue.
Starhood stopped at a wide landing. The landing was a large room extending back into the rock formation. He asked everybody to remain silent so he could listen. To their relief the passage remained quiet.
The climb continued uninterrupted until Ingrid again requested the group to stop.
She whispered, “I feel the presence of many creatures ahead of us. I expect an attack at the next
landing.”
Starhood did not question her insight. As they approached the room, he held a council of war.
He whispered, “I expect the landing to be a large room allowing space to fight. I will step into the space and release a burst of light from the gem. The light will cause confusion. Remember we are interested in defending ourselves. We only want to stop their attack, not maim and kill.”
In silence the company approached the landing. Starhood leaped onto the landing with his sword in one hand and the gem in the other. He forced the gem to give off a bright flash of light. With shouts of pain, fifteen cave dwellers stood blinded. The attackers had a human appearance with extra large eyes, short muscular bodies, baldheads and pasty white faces. Their naked bodies were covered with black grease. The cave dwellers stood gaping at the light.
As Brad and the wood elves ran onto the landing, the battle began. With swinging swords Starhood and Brad were first to wade into the group of cave dwellers. The dwellers were so stunned by the light that they offered little resistance. After eight dwellers were wounded, the remaining attackers ran in panic. They ran into walls, fell down the stairs and attacked each other. The landing was cleared of cave dwellers in short order. Not one received a major wound. Treeshine had a cut on the leg, which was quickly bandaged. Brad had to contend with a bump on his head.
Ingrid said, “There is more evil. I can feel its presence.”
Starhood responded, “I propose we continue climbing. I do not want to be caught by any more of Gutrot’s friends.”
The staircase continued its steady upward ascent. After a long climb, fatigue became an enemy.
The stairs finally ended on a platform with one tunnel entrance opening into darkness. Without hesitating, Starhood lead the group into the wide passageway. The tunnel twisted and turned in unusual patterns. At several locations it was constricted to small crawl spaces and narrow channels. The floor was uneven, with sections of steep inclines and declines.
Brad commented, “This tunnel was constructed to slow the advance of an invader. It was especially effective if a large army was trying to rush after the inhabitants. Somewhere in the area is a normal tunnel that was used by the defenders.” After an hour of struggling through the defensive barrier, a stream of light greeted the tired companions. Everybody gave a shout of conquest. The group entered a large cavern with a door on the opposite side. Bright sun light flowed through the opening, blinding their light sensitive eyes. Everybody sat on the floor with a sense of relief. Hope was a pleasant sensation.
In desperation, Ingrid leaped to her feet yelling, “We must go! It has arrived!”
As she spoke, a shudder throbbed throughout the mountain. A black, dense smoke poured out of the tunnel. The cloud moved across the floor with finger like probes. The outline of a face could be seen in the smoke. A whisper, as cold as ice, penetrated the cavern like a knife. It sliced through their souls, leaving a wound of fear. Each person heard a compelling voice command, “Do not move! Go to sleep!”
Before anybody could move the cloud surrounded them. With dazed eyes each adventurer was held prisoner by the commanding voice. The cold fingers of the smoke began to reach into their minds. The cavern became filled with coughing and gasping.
Breaking the trance, Brad yelled, “Hold on to each other’s hands and follow me.” With hesitant steps the group slowly moved across the room towards the fading light. Brad encouraged everyone to keep moving. A wood elf dropped to his knees in a deep sleep. Treeshine threw the limp body over his shoulder as he staggered forward. Starhood felt sleepiness creep into his mind. He had to fight to keep from slumping into unconsciousness. With heroic effort the companions pushed ever closer to the cave entrance.
Then, as so often happens in life, a miracle occurred. A sudden blast of air blew through the opening into the cavern. The dense smoke was pushed away from the struggling group by the burst of clean air. With a rush everybody staggered through the doorway to the outside. A cold wind washed over the adventurers as they fell to the ground. Several wood elves collapsed into a deep sleep. The other members lay gasping and wheezing. The smoke poured out of the cavern in pursuit of its victims. It did not move far before light of day attacked its presence. To everybody’s relief, the smoke was vulnerable to light. The light of day consumed its energy, causing the smoke to dissipate into the morning air.
~ ~
Journey to the Monastery