***
Even before Lannon awoke the next morning, he knew he had his answer. Neither the risk of losing his Knighthood nor even the risk of losing his very life could keep him from going in the dark and forbidden mines below. The Divine Essence had apparently commanded it, and Lannon could not refuse. A dream of the Essence was no ordinary dream. One only had to read the first chapter of Tales of Kuran Darkender to learn that. It had promised to share its secrets with Lannon. How could he ignore that?
When Lannon revealed his decision, Vorden was overcome with excitement, and seemed quite forgiving. He apologized several times for his attitude of the night before, swearing that Lannon would be his friend forever. The ease with which Vorden forgave him startled Lannon, yet he couldn't deny that a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders, leaving him feeling relieved but uncertain.
The day drifted by slowly. He could not seem to focus on his training and did poorly. All he wanted was for the day to end so they could get their plan moving before the anxiety wore his nerves down. Vorden, however, seemed to train with extra vigor and couldn't hide the delight he felt over something that terrified Lannon.
When at last all their training was done, the Blue Squires sat in their quarters talking it over. Vorden laid out a specific plan he had thought up during the day, and then Lannon knew beyond a doubt they were actually going to go through with this--something he hadn't quite believed until now.
"The plan is simple," said Vorden. "We'll all go down to the first floor together. While one of us picks the lock of the door to Old Keep, the other two will watch the stairs and listen at the front door for anyone approaching. Once it's unlocked, I'll swipe one of those Birlote torches off the wall and we'll head on in, closing the door behind us. No one will even know we went that way."
"What if someone notices the torch is missing?" said Lannon.
"Not likely," said Vorden. "And even if they do, how can they prove we took it? The fact is--they can't. Anyone could have stolen it for any reason."
"But what if someone sees us when we go down to the first floor?" said Lannon. "What should we tell them?"
"We say we heard a noise and came down to investigate," said Vorden. "And then we stick with that story no matter what. Look, don't worry about it. Most everyone's in bed by now, anyway."
"But what if someone checks on us?" said Lannon.
"We won't be gone that long," said Vorden. "But if someone checks on us and finds we're missing, we'll just tell them the noise story."
"It's not a strong plan," said Lannon. "There are a lot of holes in it, Vorden."
Vorden shrugged. "Well, then make up your mind. Do we go or not?"
Lannon nodded, remembering his dream. "I have to go."
"I think it's worth it," said Timlin. "To see the Divine Essence would be better than anything! Can I pick the lock? I'm good at that."
Vorden grinned, nodding. "You're the best at it, Timlin. Once we're past that door, you can also check the walls and floor for traps, while Lannon and me keep alert for danger. You'll act as Passage Man. I'll be Arms Man, and Lannon will be Scout Man. We go together as Blue Squires!"
"I wish I had more training," said Lannon. "But let's get on with it."
Suddenly there was a startled gasp. Shadows by the window took shape and a girl seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was Aldreya Silverhawk.
Her green eyes were wide. She wore a hooded grey cloak, and the hood had slid back to reveal her curly silver hair, pointed ears, and bronze-colored skin. In one hand she held a stone dagger, pulled tight against her chest.
"I can't believe what I've just heard," she whispered.
The boys jumped up, their hearts racing.
"What are you doing here?" Vorden said. "Were you spying on us?"
"No!" Aldreya insisted. "I wasn't spying. I was...just doing some of my training. I was hiding myself, blending in with the shadows."
"You were spying," Vorden said coldly.
"I heard everything," she said. "I know what you're planning, and you're not going to get away with it. I'm going to see Taris at once. I'll tell him what you're up to."
Lannon and Timlin glanced at each other, and then back at Vorden, waiting for him to find a way out of this situation. They had no clue what to do and were on the verge of panic, their faces pale.
But Vorden remained calm. "Go ahead," he said. "Tell on us--and then I'll tell on you. You're not supposed to be in our room. It's forbidden for boys and girls to be in the same quarters together."
She hesitated for a moment, and then spoke. "Okay, if that's the way it must be. I'll just forget what I heard, and you forget I was ever here."
Lannon and Timlin breathed sighs of relief.
But Vorden wasn't finished. "It's not that easy," he said. "All we did was talk about breaking the rules. You actually broke them. I think I should give a little yell and alert someone right now."
Aldreya glanced towards the door. "Wait--don't do that! I could be thrown out of Dremlock. I'm sorry I was spy...uh...training in here."
"Why don't you come with us?" said Vorden. "You're a good sorceress, from what I hear. We could use your help."
"Break the Sacred Laws?" the Birlote girl said. "Go beneath Old Keep?" She frowned. "Cordus said that monsters lurk down there."
Patiently, Vorden explained his theory about how the Knights were just trying to scare people away from the Divine Essence.
"At the first sign of trouble, we'll turn back," he said.
Lannon didn't believe even the slightest chance existed that Aldreya Silverhawk would agree to such a mad scheme. He was wrong.
"When should we go," she said, stepping forward eagerly. "I can't deny that I would love to see the Divine Essence. Who wouldn't? But when the task is done, no one must tell Taris anything. Understood?"
"Understood," said Vorden. "And now is the perfect time. We're all here, and we have tomorrow off from training."
"I don't have tomorrow off," she said. "I have to be... Actually, I'm not supposed to tell you that. Let's just say I need to be up fairly early. But I can handle it. I'm used to staying up late."
Aldreya smiled excitedly. "This is a good opportunity to test my skills. Truthfully, I've been doing a lot of sneaking around ever since I learned to blend with the shadows. I just haven't tried anything this daring yet. Besides, even if we get caught, I don't think Taris would let me be punished. I just can't imagine it!"
"Of course," Vorden agreed, with an amused, sideways glance at Lannon. "If anyone would be spared punishment, it would be you."
"Then I have your word on it?" Vorden said, stepping close to her. He extended his hand. "You'll go with us, and not tell anyone about this?"
"Yes, you have my word," she said. She glanced at his hand, and then gave it a quick shake. "I'll keep it secret, Vorden Flameblade."
"I hope your word is good, Aldreya Snoot..." Vorden cleared his throat, his face reddening. "Aldreya Silverhawk."
She smiled again, and for the first time, the Blue Squires realized how truly beautiful she was. But it was a cold and dangerous sort of beauty--one that could not be trusted. Lannon pondered how quickly and easily she had agreed to this, and a warning flashed through his mind. Surely she was planning to betray them. Or maybe she was spying for Taris. Was Vorden blind to this? It seemed unlikely someone as intelligent as Vorden would fail to realize Aldreya cared little or nothing about them. She was a Birlote, and the Tree Dwellers were not known for their rule breaking. From what Lannon had seen, they obeyed even the smallest laws. She probably realized she lacked enough evidence to get them in trouble at this point, and was playing along with their plan in order gather a stronger case against them.
"I don't know about this," Lannon said. "Maybe we should talk things over first, Vorden, just between us three boys."
"Don't worry about it," said Vorden. "Aldreya's word is good."
"My word is very good!" said Aldreya, glaring at Lannon. "Why would you think otherwis
e? Birlotes do not lie."
Lannon stared back, unfazed. "I guess I don't trust you."
"I don't trust her at all!" said Timlin.
A hurt look appeared on Aldreya's face and she turned away for a moment. When she turned back, her face was impassive. "Think whatever you want, Lannon. If you don't want me to go with you, I'll leave."
"We want you to go," said Vorden. "Don't we, Lannon?"
Lannon shrugged. "I guess so."
"Then let's get going!" Aldreya snapped. "We don't have all night."
The boys grabbed their weapons and donned light armor (which had been specially crafted for stealth and ease of movement), blue cloaks (of the thick winter variety), and soft leather boots. Vorden peered out into the hall, and then motioned to the others to follow. As they made their way down from floor to floor, they stayed in the shadows as much as possible. The Blue Squires knew how to move stealthily through the dimly lit areas, but they could not hide themselves nearly as well as Aldreya, who seemed to all but vanish completely at times.
Chills crept along Lannon's flesh. This was Taris Warhawk's tower, and he was a great sorcerer. Would he somehow know what they were up to? Lannon felt like he was betraying Taris, and for a moment he hesitated, until Vorden turned and gave him a hard, questioning stare that got him moving again.
They met no one, and at last they reached the tower's first floor. Timlin moved towards the door marked Old Keep, and then turned back to Vorden with a puzzled look on his face. "What do I use to pick the lock?" he whispered. "Master Garrin keeps all our tools and stuff."
Vorden smiled and removed a set of lock picks from his cloak. He tossed them to Timlin. "Don't ask where I got them," he said.
Aldreya gave Vorden a cold stare.
Timlin grinned, gazing triumphantly at Aldreya--daring her to speak in protest of Vorden's thievery. Then he hurried over to work on the door.
Vorden listened at the front entrance, while Lannon--his body trembling and his heart pounding--kept watch at the stairs.
Several moments passed by in silence. "Hurry up, Timlin!" Vorden whispered. "You're taking way too long."
Finally Timlin turned and nodded. Vorden grabbed a Birlote torch from the wall, and they gathered before the door. Without hesitation, Vorden yanked it open and stepped inside. The others quickly followed, pulling the door shut behind them.
Before the Squires, a stone stairway descended into the darkness. A musty smell arose from below, and even here at the very gateway to Old Keep the gloom had a sinister feel to it. The dark was deep and heavy over the cold stone that had lain undisturbed for centuries. The Birlote torch could not shine far enough down the steps to penetrate the blackness below.
"Let's not do this!" Timlin whispered shakily. The boy was trembling from head to foot. "I don't want to go down there, Vorden."
Vorden turned and glared at him. "We're still in Taris' keep, Timlin. We haven't even entered Old Keep yet, let alone the mines! What's left of the Old Keep is pretty much underground, from what I've heard, and so we have to go down a ways. Do you really think something lurks right down there? If so, it must be pretty weak, or a simple wooden door wouldn't stop it. Now quit being a coward. We've come this far, and we have to finish this!"
Vorden seized Timlin's cloak. "Dremlock Kingdom is in trouble. We all know it. It might even fall to the Goblins, or worse--the Deep Shadow. I dreamt of the Divine Essence, and it has all the answers. This quest could be incredibly important. I may discover something to help save the kingdom."
Timlin nodded sheepishly.
Lannon said nothing about his dream, but secretly he wondered if Vorden was lying about his own.
With that, Vorden draped his battle axe over his shoulder and started down the stairs. Lannon held his sword ready, and Timlin unsheathed his preferred weapon--a long, curved dagger called a Flayer. Then they followed him below, struggling to keep pace so the shadows wouldn't engulf them.
The stairway led down to a circular chamber. The stone walls were made of uneven, crudely cut blocks that hadn't been fitted together well. Two iron doors stood here, and another stairway descended into darkness.
"Which way should we go?" said Lannon.
Vorden pointed to the stairs. "We need to keep going down. From what everyone seems to think, the Divine Essence dwells in the mines somewhere. This is just the keep the old Knights built above those mines, and hopefully the entrance leading down there isn't sealed off with bars of Glaetherin like Cordus Landsaver said. If it is, then I guess all this is going to be for nothing."
The stairs led them down to another round chamber--this one with four doors. Iron torch holders hung from the walls, and the broken remains of several tables and chairs lay scattered about the room, as well as chunks of pottery. The Squires checked behind all the doors, and found the remains of a kitchen, a forge with a blackened stone furnace, and a large room with wooden bunks lining the walls.
Behind the last door they checked, they found what they were looking for.
The square room behind this door was cut from the stone of the mountain. Steps led down from the doorway to the chamber floor. Directly opposite the stairs, on the other side of the room, was the dark mouth of a tunnel that was blocked by a gate of silver bars. A wheel lock stood at the center of the bars.
"No!" muttered Vorden, leaping down the steps. He lowered his axe in defeat. "Bars of Glaetherin, just like Cordus said. Indestructible." He turned back to the others, who were right behind him. "That's it. We can't go any farther."
Vorden gave the wheel a hard spin. It twirled for a couple moments and then slowly came to a stop. No click could be heard.
"Is there a way to pick it?" asked Timlin.
Vorden glared at him. "Are you stupid, Timlin? This is a wheel lock like those ones on the gates of Darkender Tunnel. Only a Wheel Master is able to open a lock like this--and only if he has been trained to open a specific one. And the pattern that opens this particular lock has probably been long forgotten. That means no one alive could open this, most likely. From what I've heard from Cartlan, wheel locks are so tough that you could spin one all day for the rest of your life and still never open it. It has to be spun at a certain speed, while an extremely precise amount of pressure is applied--and then the wheel must spin for a certain length of time. Trust me, it's practically impossible. It's an Olrog creation, and the Grey Dwarves are masters at making such devices."
"Then I guess we go back," said Lannon, feeling both tremendously relieved and somewhat disappointed. Maybe Lannon's dream had meant nothing after all. Now if only they could get back to their quarters without getting caught!
"Let's go," said Timlin. "I don't like it down here, anyway." The lad continued to shiver, his flesh covered in large goose bumps.
"Not even sorcerers can open a wheel lock," said Aldreya, "without knowing the process for a specific lock. It just cannot be done."
"But there has to be way!" said Vorden, turning back to the bars.
Lannon found Vorden's refusal to give up bizarre and a bit frightening. What was driving Vorden on like this? Clearly they weren't meant to go farther.
Suddenly Vorden turned back to them, his eyes blazing with excitement. "We can do this. We can use the Eye of Divinity to open the lock!"
"The Eye of what?" said Aldreya.
Lannon felt a surge of excitement at the prospect, but then it gave way to darker feelings. "Maybe we could, Vorden. But the bars were placed here for a reason--to keep something from coming through. And it must be something powerful, or they would have just used steel or iron. Glaetherin is probably pretty rare. "
"I don't believe those fairy tales," said Vorden. "They used Glaetherin because they wanted to keep people from seeing the Divine Essence. Look at it this way, Lannon. Something down here killed Kuran Darkender, right? Well, his armor was made of Glaetherin. So that metal couldn't stop the evil creatures, anyway. The Knights must have destroyed the beasts and put the bars here to keep people out!"
>
Lannon thought it over, and could not find fault with Vorden's logic. But at the moment his thinking wasn't perfectly clear, either. "Maybe you're right," he said. "I'll try the Eye. If it works, we'll keep going. But any sign of danger, Vorden--"
"And we turn back of course," Vorden finished. "I'm not a fool, Lannon. I don't want to die down here anymore than you do."
"Let's just leave," Timlin said again, peering into the stone cavern beyond the bars. "I don't like this at all."
Vorden glowered at him. "At least help Lannon call out the Eye. Then, if you want to be a coward, you can go back. But don't you dare get us caught, Timlin! Just wait in the shadows somewhere by the door."
"I can't go back in the dark!" said Timlin, shivering.
Vorden shrugged. "Looks like we go on together, then."
"How can we go on?" said Aldreya. "I just told you--no one can open a wheel lock without knowing the combination. It is impossible."
The boys took position on either side of Lannon. It took several tries to get their words and taps to synchronize, but eventually Lannon's mind split in two and the Eye of Divinity came out. He directed it on the lock and the answer was revealed--and much more. He glimpsed a mind-numbing process of mathematical calculations, trial and error, and sorcery behind it all. He knew exactly what to do.
Lannon stepped forward, applied a slight pressure to the wheel, and gave it a hard spin. When the wheel stopped, a click could be heard--very loud and intrusive in the stillness of the stone chamber. The gate split, coming partly open.
A moment of silence followed, interrupted only by tense breathing.
Then Vorden whispered, "You actually did it!"
"Goodness!" Aldreya gasped. "How did you do that?"
Lannon shrugged, unsure if he should tell her.
Vorden stepped through the open gate, leaving the others in the shadows. Hurriedly they swallowed their fears and followed. The Eye of Divinity probed the darkness of the cavern, revealing the echoes of centuries. It gave glimpses far into the past--of dark and bloody affairs in vague yet horrifying detail, mingling with the moans of the dying in the deep places of the mountain. Olrog pickaxes clanged fiercely against the stone, driven by powerful grey-skinned bodies, as dark things crept through the caverns and up the mineshafts in search of flesh.
It might have showed Lannon more, but he frantically drew it back inside himself and decided it was time to get out of here. The images had been too horrible to be ignored. He turned away, pushing Timlin and Aldreya aside, and started back towards the gate. But as he left the torchlight behind, the darkness closed around him, gripping him to the soul and leaving him helpless. Down here, the dark seemed alive and hostile.
With a violent shudder, Lannon turned and raced back to the torchlight.
"What was that all about?" Aldreya said.
"I was just checking behind us for danger," mumbled Lannon, blushing.
He lacked the courage to face the dark, and so there was no turning back now, until Vorden decided it.
The cavern widened some and then split into three tunnels. Vorden gazed at the tunnel mouths for several moments, scratching his head, while Lannon, Timlin, and Aldreya fidgeted about impatiently. Finally he shrugged helplessly.
"I guess we take the left one."
No one questioned his decision, and they found themselves moving down a long, sloping course that eventually leveled off again. They passed the remains of some mining tools, including a broken cart and a rusted pickaxe, and piles of rotten rope. They also encountered yellowed bones and even a couple of oddly shaped skulls with wide teeth.
"Olrog skulls, I'll bet," said Vorden, nodding towards them.
Furlus Goblincrusher's kinfolk, Lannon thought.
At the sight of the skulls, Timlin almost lost his nerve, and stood paralyzed for a time while Vorden chastised him.
"Quit being such a coward, Timlin!" Vorden whispered harshly, "and act like a Blue Squire for a change. Those skulls are obviously ancient, and who knows how they got here? And remember, if you go back--you do it in the dark."
But Vorden's words seemed hollow, and the lad from Gravendar suddenly didn't look so confident anymore. His eyes darted back and forth into the shadows, and his knuckles were white as he gripped the handle of his axe.
Suddenly the cavern widened into a chamber so large the torchlight could not reveal the walls or ceiling of it. The Squires instantly felt exposed in the open space around them that was swallowed in darkness. Anything could be watching them from the shadows beyond the torchlight--yet they would not be able to see it. Their own light source gave them away, making them easy targets.
And at this point Vorden halted, and Lannon could tell by the expression on his face he was considering turning back. But then that expression faded into one of determination, and he trudged forward into the unknown.
After about a hundred feet they came to a stone wall, and the torchlight revealed the very edge of a tunnel mouth to their left. Vorden led them into it. This was a crudely hewn tunnel, the walls and floor uneven. The Squires had to be careful not to trip. A gloomy, desolate feeling hung in this particular cavern--different somehow, more dreadful, than what they had encountered thus far. This tunnel seemed old and cramped, leading them into a place where only fools would dare go.
"Vorden, this is crazy!" Lannon whispered. "We can't go on anymore. It's too big down here, and the Divine Essence could be anywhere."
"But we must be close," said Vorden. "I think I can feel it somehow. Are we just going to leave now, with the Essence somewhere nearby? This might be our only chance to ever catch a glimpse of it."
Lannon sighed. "I really don't care anymore. I just want to get out of here. We can come back later, when we have more torches and we're better trained. Listen--we need to go back right now, before we get ourselves lost or killed! And maybe they've already discovered we're missing. We could lose our chance at Knighthood!"
Lannon felt sickened by the whole affair, his mind overridden with gloomy thoughts and terror. And yet Vorden seemed so foolishly stubborn. Lannon deeply regretted his decision to come down here, and if he could have taken it back and lost Vorden's friendship forever, he would have. None of this seemed worth it in the least--despite his dream of the Divine Essence. And still Vorden trudged onward, holding the only torch. Vaguely Lannon considered making a grab for that torch and running. But Vorden held it in a death grip, perhaps anticipating such a maneuver.
Timlin remained silent at this point, obviously overcome by fear. He pressed close to Lannon, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor, and he was trembling all over. Through all his dismay, Lannon felt extreme irritation over Vorden's selfishness. Timlin looked ready to fall apart at any moment, and still Vorden refused to give in.
Aldreya stopped. "I don't think I can go on," she said. "I feel horrible, like I'm being smothered down here. Lannon is right, Vorden. We need to get out of this place and never come back."
"Get going then," said Vorden, "or stand there and wait. But I'm moving on, and that's the way it is."
With a glance into the shadows, Aldreya started moving again. "You're being ridiculous, Vorden. What kind of Squire are you? You don't care about anyone but yourself. I knew it from the moment I saw you. You think you're superior to everyone else!"
Vorden stopped, turning towards her. His mouth hung agape in an exaggerated expression. "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Have you looked in the mirror lately? You're the biggest snob in Dremlock!" With that, he turned and started walking again.
"That's not true, Vorden," said Aldreya, in a hurt voice. " I've just been too busy to make friends. But what are we even talking about? We need to get out of these mines before we get killed!"
The tunnel finally gave way to another round chamber, this one much smaller than the last. Six cavern mouths were cut into the walls. Two of them had the remains of heavy iron bars across them, which had been bent and ripped in two, leaving large holes. Amidst some mini
ng tools, more skulls and bones lay scattered.
"We can't go any farther," Lannon whispered. "We'll get lost. There are too many tunnels, Vorden."
"We can't turn back now," Vorden muttered. "One of these tunnels has to lead to the Divine Essence. You need to use the Eye again."
Lannon shook his head. "There's no way I'm going to do that." His words could not express the horror he felt at that prospect.
"So you're a coward like Timlin," snapped Vorden, raising his voice. He turned and stepped close to Lannon, his eyes narrowed with an accusing glare.
"Quiet!" hissed Lannon, backing up a step. "You're being too loud. And I'm not a coward. You're just being selfish. I thought you were my friend. If you are, then take us back now."
"Look at the bars." Timlin's words were a choked whisper. "Something must have..."
"I thought you were brave," said Vorden, still talking above a whisper. He pushed closer to Lannon. "But now I know you're just a weakling. You and Timlin are both the same. Well, I'm going on with or without you two. And if you try to stop me or tell on me..."
Vorden glowered at them, his face red with rage. Then, from the tunnel mouth directly behind him something emerged. Lannon caught a glimpse of grey, bumpy skin, an enormous pumpkin-shaped head, and oversized hands and feet. Great claws scraped the stone floor, and a wide mouth hung open to reveal rows of lumpy teeth that looked like bone fragments. A chilling darkness filled the cavern, plunging their minds into despair.
Aldreya screamed, while Lannon and Timlin stood in stunned silence. Vorden whirled around.
Lannon managed to find his voice, and he cried, "It's an Ogre!" He remembered the monstrous breed of Goblin from his book, The Truth about Goblins. Ogres were intelligent by Goblin standards and had poisonous claws. They were night stalkers who preferred to strike quickly from the shadows. They could feed until they swelled up to twice their normal size.
The creature lunged towards Vorden. Vorden recovered from his surprise and tried to swing his axe, but the creature's shovel-sized hand batted the weapon aside and it clanged to the floor. Vorden was lifted into the air and wrapped in a bear hug, pulled fiercely against the giant’s barrel chest.
Vorden's bones started to crack and he screamed, dropping the torch--which continued to provide light for a scene Lannon didn’t want to view but couldn’t rip his gaze away from. Vorden would be crushed to death in a matter of seconds.
Lannon stood paralyzed, watching Vorden's life end in this those gnarled grey arms. He couldn't bring himself to even breathe--let alone fight or flee. Months of rigid training suddenly seemed meaningless. His sword dangled uselessly from his hand, and vaguely, somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought he wasn't Knightly material and should never have been chosen as a Squire.
But help for Vorden came from a most unlikely source. A swift shadow darted past Lannon and then a long, curved dagger sliced deep into the Ogre’s arm. It was Timlin--the smallest and (seemingly) least courageous of all the Squires.
"Let him go!" Timlin howled, ripping the Flayer along the Ogre’s arm and laying bare some of the flesh within.
With a roar, the Ogre dropped Vorden to the floor and swiped at Timlin. The Ogre's hand lashed out in a blur, and Lannon cringed, certain Timlin's head would be smashed from his shoulders. But the lad somehow managed to duck the blow and dove between the monster's legs. The Ogre turned to attack him, but Timlin scrambled up and ran around it towards Lannon. His eyes were blazing with a wild mix of terror and determination.
The Ogre ignored Timlin--save for a roar of irritation in his direction--and it knelt over Vorden, licking its lips hungrily. It bent down, its teeth ready to tear into Vorden's throat. Vorden tried to move, but the Ogre pinned him with one hand.
"It's going to kill him!" Aldreya screamed.
Timlin grabbed Lannon's cloak, nearly yanking him off balance. "He's going to eat him!" Timlin yelled. "Help me save him, Lannon!"
Timlin's words jarred Lannon into action, and he raised his sword, struggling to remember his training. Yet there was little time for recollections. In an instant, Vorden's throat would be ripped open by those fragmented teeth.
The two Squires charged the Ogre. It glanced up at them with its round black eyes and snarled. Timlin reached it first and tried to stab the beast in the chest, but the Ogre caught the lad with a lazy blow to his side that knocked him halfway across the room. Lannon drove his dragon-bone sword at the creature's head, but it was a poor thrust and the weapon merely glanced away from the thick skull, leaving only a small gash.
The force of his thrust threw Lannon forward--nearly into the Ogre's lap. The beast caught his shoulder with one hand and shoved him away. Lannon tumbled across the stone floor, striking his head and almost blacking out.
Again the Ogre bent down to feed. Then a searing ball of green fire struck its chest, knocking the beast over. Calmly Aldreya walked into the room. She was holding forth her stone dagger, which was engulfed in flames. She drew it back again and flung another green fireball at the Ogre--this time striking its shoulder where the beast lay. The Ogre growled in pain and clawed at its blackened wounds, but then it leapt up from the floor, preparing to crush the foolish Birlote girl who had dared burn its flesh so painfully.
Then a clanking sound arose. Something or someone was moving down one of the tunnels. The Ogre paused, listening. Then it lifted Vorden's axe from the floor. The double-bladed battle axe looked like a small hatchet in its hand. Due to the length of its claws, it grasped the weapon in a clumsy manner, and it held the axe more like a club than an edged weapon.
Out into the torchlight emerged a stocky Olrog in dark plate armor. A horned helm protected his head, with only a small portion of his bearded face, including two fierce grey eyes, visible. In one hand he held a broadsword, and slung across his other arm was a dark shield engraved with runes. He carried a burning torch, which he cast down upon entering. Like a walking fortress, this Dark Knight strode into the chamber and charged the Ogre.
With a roar, the monster met the Knight's charge with one of its own. It swung Vorden's axe at the Knight's head. But the Knight deflected the blow with his shield, and his broadsword caught the Ogre's shoulder, staggering the beast and finally taking it down. The Ogre tried to get up again, but the Knight drove the rune-covered shield into its chest, knocking it backwards. Then his broadsword hurtled down against the Ogre's skull, splitting it open. The Ogre still sought to regain its footing, while one long and crooked arm snaked out. The Ogre seized the Knight's leg and gave a yank. The Knight fell backwards to the floor with a clatter of plate mail.
Lannon and Timlin sat up and watched the battle, throbbing with pain from their blows, and from where he lay on the floor, Vorden was also watching. As they saw the Knight go down, their hopes sank.
The Ogre leapt towards the fallen Knight, swinging the axe. But again the Knight deflected the blow with his shield, lashing out with his broadsword at the same time and striking the monster's leg, ripping flesh from bone. The Ogre twisted sideways from the impact and then fell forward. The Knight just managed to roll out of the way as the monster slumped to the cavern floor. The Knight staggered up and drove his broadsword down against the Ogre's head again, and this time its skull was shattered. The beast stopped moving.
The Knight stood still for a moment, panting hard from exertion, watching the dead Ogre. At last he turned to the others and spoke in a gruff voice. "Well, look what trouble you've brought upon yourselves, young Squires."
The Knight bent over Vorden and studied him carefully. "You look somewhat pale. Take a good knock, did you? How's your breathing?"
"I'm okay," said Vorden. "My ribs hurt, and my back. I think I can walk, though. I just need to get back to my room."
The Knight turned to the others. "And what about you three?"
Timlin groaned and stood up shakily. "I don't care if we get in trouble. I just want to get out of here. Can you take us out of this place?"
The Knig
ht nodded. "I can and I will."
Blood ran down Lannon's forehead from the gash where he'd struck the floor, and he wiped it away before it got in his eyes. He stared at the fallen Ogre, his mind swallowed in dark thoughts. His soul seemed frozen within him.
"Take us out of here," he said quietly.
"In moment, I will," said the Knight. "But I want to make sure you've learned your lessons. I'm not going to report you to the High Council, because I think you're brave Squires--though certainly foolish--and that you're a credit to my kingdom in some ways. But before I let you go, I'm going to show you a few things about the Mines--and then you'll understand why you should never venture down here. First, though, we’ve got to close that gate you opened." He gave them a hard stare.
"We've seen enough," said Lannon. "We'll never come back here."
"We just want to leave!" said Timlin.
"Please take us to the East Tower," said Aldreya, and her soft green eyes made the Knight hesitate for a moment.
Vorden kept quiet, holding his ribs and watching the Knight.
The Knight shook his head. "You're not getting off that easily, Squires. Now get up and follow me, if you know what's good for you!"
After going back and closing the gate, the three Squires followed the Knight into the tunnel from which he'd first come. The Dark Knight strode along at a swift pace, and the others had to struggle to keep up. Vorden especially had difficulty due to his damaged ribs. But the Knight showed him no mercy and marched on through the stone cavern without slowing.
"My name is Garndon Steelbreaker," he said. "I am a Guardian of the East Tower, put here to defend it against the creatures that would rise against Dremlock."
"What Color are you?" said Vorden.
"I belong to no color class," said Garndon. "Once I was Red, but now I bear no color. I am a Guardian, and I seldom leave these tunnels to see the light of day. That's the way it will be until I retire from Knighthood. What are your names, by the way? Yes--I can read. But I want to hear you speak them."
They gave them in full.
Garndon chuckled in amusement. "I like Flameblade, Sunshield, and Silverhawk, but Woodmaster is a little odd. Sounds more like someone who fells trees for a living instead of the last name of a Divine Squire!"
He stopped and turned to them, raising an eyebrow. "How were you able to get past the gate? No one should have been able to pass through, with that old wheel lock defending it. Even I can't open that gate."
"Lannon did it," Timlin said, pointing. "He used the Eye of Divinity to solve the lock. I just followed him."
Lannon glared at Timlin.
"The Eye of Divinity..." The Knight spoke the words slowly. "Then it is very fortunate indeed that I happened along and heard the sounds of battle. Few Knights in the long history of Dremlock have ever possessed that great gift. And yet you waste it on foolhardy pursuits!" He turned away and began walking again.
Lannon's face burned hot, so overcome with shame was he. He felt deep annoyance at Timlin for telling on him so quickly, and it led him to wonder if Timlin would tell Garrin about what they'd done.
Suddenly the tunnel widened and two more branched off--to the right and left, while up ahead stood a large iron door. The door had a small, barred window in it. Garndon produced a ring of keys and unlocked the door.
"We go now into the Dark Dungeon," he said grimly. "Prepare yourselves for the sights I will soon show you."
Timlin froze and would not move.
"Come on," Vorden said, pulling on Timlin's cloak.
"We need to follow him, Timlin," Lannon said. "It's for our own good."
"Just do as Garndon says," Aldreya whispered to him. "We'll be okay."
The Knight pointed at Timlin. "Show courage, little Squire. Follow me now, or face the loss of your future Knighthood." With that, he turned and passed through the doorway.
Lannon followed without looking back. All he cared about now was saving his career at Dremlock, of doing things the right way from now on and becoming a great Knight. Timlin would have to make his own choice.
But Timlin didn't get to choose, because Vorden--though he winced in pain from the effort--dragged Timlin through the doorway.
Garndon closed it behind them.
Dungeon cells lined a stone hall before them. Dark waves of despair washed over the Squires immediately, choking their minds. The presence of the Deep Shadow was strong here. Growls, hideous feasting sounds, and a quiet hiss like water sizzling on a hot stovetop could be head coming from the cells. Another Knight stood near a door at the far end, and like Garndon, he was a stout looking Grey Dwarf adorned in dark plate mail. He carried a battle axe and a round shield.
"Brought us a few sneaks, Garndon?" said the Knight at the hall's end. "I can't believe my eyes!"
Garndon nodded. "They solved the wheel lock. It’s the Eye of Divinity at work, believe it or not. Anyway, I'm going to show them a few things, Saferus. Teach them a lesson or two about why they need to stay out here."
"Smart lads to beat that old lock," said Saferus, shaking his head. "Even with the Eye of Divinity. I've never heard the like of it. But now we'll see what they're actually made of."
The Squires didn't like the sound of that, and they hesitated.
"One of the reasons you should never come here," said Garndon, "is because the Iracus Trees grow down here--Black Mothers in the mountain that spawn powerful Goblins like that Ogre. These mines are infested with them. But something else lurks down here as well--a thing that possesses the bodies of other creatures. It may have been what slew Kuran Darkender so long ago. Who can say? There are too many hidden caverns and deep places we cannot get to. There's an ongoing war down here. There has been ever since the Old Keep was built. And now I'm going to show you a few prisoners of that war, which we keep locked up to study their weaknesses."
With that, Garndon walked to the first of the cells on the right. "Come have a look, Squires, at my little friend that I named Graxnul."
Fearfully the Squires approached, with Vorden still dragging Timlin along. They stood well clear of the bars and peered through.
A huge Cave Troll--much bigger than the Ogre they had faced--sat within, gnawing a bone. It glanced up at them and growled, then went back to its feast. Like the Ogre, it had grey, bumpy skin and a massive round head, but its shoulders were much broader and its body far more heavily muscled. Unlike the more human-looking Ogre, the Troll had a nose like a pig snout and a mouth full of crooked fangs.
"Graxnul is a mighty Troll," said Garndon, with a touch of pride in his voice. "I keep him well fed. The more a Troll eats, the stronger he becomes, and the harder his flesh and bones grow, until they become almost impenetrable by ordinary weapons. You're lucky you ran into a half-starved Ogre. Graxnul here would've killed all four of you without blinking an eye--if Troll's had eyelids to blink!" He motioned to the Troll, calling him over.
Immediately the Troll stood up and walked forward, clutching the bone like a weapon. His arms and chest were massive, his skin deep grey in hue and almost scaly. He gazed at the Squires with his black eyes, and raised the bone menacingly. But Garndon stopped him with a motion of his hand.
"Not too close, Graxnul."
The Troll continued to stand there motionless. Then slowly he lifted the bone to his fang-filled mouth and started gnawing again.
"He's like your pet!" Timlin remarked. The skinny lad was still shaking, but he managed a smile.
"Old Graxnul isn't so bad," said Garndon. "He won't attack me, because I keep him fed and I'm good to him. I'd get him to fight for me if the Sacred Laws didn't forbid it. But come, now. I have other sights to show you."
Garndon moved down to the third cell on the right.
"See, Timlin, that wasn't so bad," whispered Vorden. "Now come on."
The Squires followed him to the cell, and what they saw within made their hearts freeze. Timlin tried to flee, but this time Garndon grabbed him.
"None of that, boy," the Dark
Knight said gruffly.
Inside the cell was vaguely humanoid shape. It had crooked arms twice as long as a man's legs that ended in clusters of barbed claws. Its flesh was brown and slimy, and wormy things seemed to crawl upon the surface of it. Its head was rodent-like in shape, with bat-like ears and two huge, curved yellow fangs that hung down from its mouth. Its nose was a wolf-like, wrinkled snout that dripped fluid. Hanging from its arms were folds of bony skin like half-developed bat wings.
When it saw the Squires, it went insane, hurling itself against the bars of Glaetherin and trying to rip them apart. Its mouth opened wide and pressed against the bars, its fangs seeking fruitlessly to dig into the metal. Its stench was unbearable--not its physical stench (which was quite bad in its own right) but the stench of evil and despair that radiated from it. The monster had no eyes, just leathery skin where the eyes should have been.
The four Squires shrank back. The other Knight, Saferus, ran over and helped hold them in place.
"Get a good look!" muttered Garndon. "And be thankful you met a starving Ogre and not one of these Bloodfangs. They'd tear the flesh from your bones before you knew what hit you, and leave you drained of blood. It took five Knights to get a net over this thing and hold it, and one lost his arm in the process!"
Garndon and Saferus yanked the Squires away and herded them to the last cell on the left. Inside this one was dark shape with sickly yellow eyes. It was a black serpent-like thing that slithered around inside the cell and hissed, yet its head was disturbingly humanoid in shape. It pressed that head against the bars, trying to squeeze through, revealing two stark-white fangs and a pink, forked tongue.
"A Pit Crawler," said Garndon, shaking his head. "If it were up to me, I'd put my sword to its skull and be done with it. These horrors lurk in the dark places, and their bite is deadly poison. I've seen good men--stout Knights of Dremlock--die in unbelievable agony from a single bite because they blundered into the wrong places. We're trying to find an antidote to that poison, but we're not having much luck."
Tears rolled down Timlin's cheeks. "Get us out of here, Garndon. We've learned our lesson. I promise!"
"And have you learned yours?" said Garndon, gazing sternly at Vorden from beneath his helm. "I can tell you're a hard one--like I was at your age."
"I have," said Vorden. "But tell me one thing--where is the Divine Essence? That's the only reason we came down here. I have to see it!"
"I suspected as much," said Garndon. "But the Divine Essence can't be reached from here anymore. It's been sealed off permanently. There is another way to get to it, but I won't tell you how. Now it's time to be going."
Garndon led them back through the tunnels to the door with the wheel lock. "Do your thing, boy," he said to Lannon.
With his nerves so badly on edge and the Knight looking on, it took Lannon a lot of effort to summon the Eye of Divinity, but with the help of his friends he finally managed it. Once Lannon had unlocked the door, Garndon motioned them onward. "Now get going and don't come back here--ever. And keep your mouths shut about what you saw down here. If word gets out--and goodness knows there are enough rumors floating around up there from what I hear--I'll have you all banished from Dremlock forever."
The Squires nodded and hurried through.
"And that especially goes for you!" He pointed a finger at Timlin. "I know your kind. Keep your mouth shut, or it will be the worse for you!"
Meekly, Timlin avoided the Knight's gaze, keeping his sight fixed on the floor. "I promise I'll never say a word to anyone."
Garndon slammed the bars shut behind them. "Good riddance!"
Lannon licked his fingers and cleaned dried blood from his forehead. Surely they were going to get caught, he thought to himself. They'd been gone too long, and they still had to sneak back to their quarters without being seen. Yet if they could just make it out of Old Keep and lock the door, no one might ever suspect they'd gone this way. That, at least, could save them from being banished.
The horror of what they'd experienced clung to them like icy fingers. It seemed to reach forth from the mines beneath Old Keep, desiring to yank them back into the dark places below. They trembled--even Vorden--as they raced ahead, determined never to return here as long as they lived.
They locked the door to Old Keep again, and placed the Birlote torch back in its holder on the wall. Then they crept upstairs.
Aldreya assured the boys that she often returned this late from her training and the other girls she bunked with would think nothing of it. "Grey Squires have lots of freedom," she whispered. "And we train at odd hours. Sometimes I stay up later than this in the Library or the Dark Rooms."
"What are the Dark Rooms?" the boys questioned.
"Never mind," she said. "There are many secrets in this tower--like the Watcher. Even now I wonder if he saw us. It seems unlikely he could have missed us--or at least missed you three. Actually, I guess I shouldn't have mentioned him, either. But what's done is done, I suppose."
"Who is the Watcher?" the boys asked.
"Goodnight!" said Aldreya. "That was wretched, and I hope I never go anywhere with you three again." With that, she entered her quarters.