The Key of Ban by James Harshfield
Pacer, Coaldon and Brother Patrick departed the cabin an hour before daylight. They took a round-about route to the tunnel entrance to avoid being detected. When the team was within 20 strides of the entrance, Brother Patrick scouted the area to make sure they were alone. The rock slab covering the entrance was lifted from the opening and set aside. A steady flow of rank, unpleasant air blew out of the dark hole.
Pacer commented, “This flow of air means the tunnel is not blocked.” Pacer was the first to walk down the stairs leading into the tunnel. He removed burning coals from his tinderbox to light a torch. After entering the tunnel, Coaldon and Patrick carefully pulled the stone back over the entrance.
Coaldon felt an instant sense of entrapment. At first he wanted to rush back to the entry way and push the stone away. He craved to see the daylight and breathe fresh air. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He did not expect to feel so ensnared. To his relief, the desire to escape passed quickly. With lingering discomforts, he was ready to begin the adventure.
Pacer’s torch provided a flickering image of a rounded passageway, lined with stones and mortar. The floor was layered with many years of dirt and rocks. Over time stones had fallen from the roof creating an uneven walking surface. Water dripped from the ceiling forming puddles. A dull light emanated from the gray moss growing on the passage walls. No extra light was needed, so Pacer doused his torch.
A musty, foul odor filled the travelers’ minds with unpleasant mental images of its source. Pacer waited for his two companions to arrive before starting down the narrow passage. The explorers walked slowly to keep from tripping over large rocks and to listen for any unnatural sounds. After fifteen minutes the group arrived at a junction in the tunnel. Without having a good reason they decided to follow the passageway to the right. After several minutes, they found the tunnel blocked by a collapsed wall. Returning to the junction, they proceeded down the left passageway.
As the group advanced down the tunnel, Coaldon started to have odd sensations. He finally said, “Let’s take a break. I am experiencing something unpleasant. Are you feeling the same thing?”
Pacer commented, “No, I feel nothing. It has been rumored Crossmore placed evil creatures in these tunnels to protect against invasion. The last time I went through here I had no problems.”
Coaldon felt his sword vibrate in a slow steady rhythm. He responded, “I believe we will have visitors before we depart from the tunnel. If we are attacked, we must kill all the creatures. If one should escape, our mission would be jeopardized. Maybe we should set a trap for our hosts. By forcing them to come to us, we can control the attack.”
Brother Patrick said, “If we are going to set a trap, then we must find a location in the passageway that will fit our fighting style. Let’s continue walking until we find a place where we can launch a surprise assault.”
The group continued down the tunnel until they entered a section having a series of collapsed walls.
Pacer stated, “We can have a person hide behind the walls of dirt at three different locations. After the inhabitants of the tunnel enter the trap, we can attack simultaneously. The gray luminous moss on the tunnel walls will provide enough light for us to see our opponent.”
The three men placed themselves in protective positions along the passageway. As Coaldon waited in his hiding place, he grew impatient for the plan to unfold. He wanted to keep moving and get things done. After an hour, his mind drifted into lazy day dreams. He remembered the Outlast and the many hours he explored the wilderness. His usual state of alertness had been compromised by his youthful restlessness and the stale, foul air.
He was suddenly jerked back to reality when he heard raspy breathing and the crunching of rocks under padded feet. His sword was alive with a pulsing rage. To his shock and dread, the beast standing in front of him was a huge, black, hairy monster that nearly filled the tunnel. Pacer gave the command to attack. Coaldon held up the Gem of Watching to begin his assault. At Coaldon’s command the Gem released a blinding flash of light. The monster screamed in pain as the light burned into its sensitive eyes. In rage, the monster reached out for anything to release its anger. Before Coaldon could move he found himself being swept up by a giant hand. As he was yanked through the air, he lost the grip on his sword. The sword rattled to the floor as the beast wrapped its powerful arms around Coaldon’s body. The smell of the creature’s nauseating breath caused Coaldon to gag. With unbelievable strength the muscular beast squeezed Coaldon. Coaldon heard his bones begin to crack under the pressure of the squeezing arms.
His terror was compounded when he looked directly into the mouth of the beast. The large, scum coated teeth were dripping with a black, slimy saliva. The beast’s long, narrow tongue darted in and out of its mouth. Coaldon had to jerk his head back and forth to escape the slashing motions of the tongue. Luckily for Coaldon, the beast’s agony caused it to lose focus of Coaldon. As Coaldon started to lose consciousness, he made a desperate attempt with his free arm to reach for his knife. As the monster thrashed around, Coaldon could not find the blade. Finally, he determined it had shifted backward on his belt. With an exaggerated twist of his body, he was able to grab the knife with his finger tips. He held on to it with clawlike determination. He was relieved when the knife released from the scabbard and dangled from his fingers. With a quick upward flip of his wrist he was able to grasp the knife in his hand. Bearing unbelievable pain, he raised the knife over his head and plunged it forward into the beast’s hairy chest. The magical powers of Strong Edge discharged a searing burst of energy into the beast. The beast screamed as the power of the knife attacked its evil nature. The last thing Coaldon remembered was collapsing onto the floor.
In a nightmarish state, Coaldon kept seeing an angry beast reaching for him with long arms. He felt the terrifying slow movement of his hand reaching for his knife. He saw a large mouth, with black teeth, trying to bite him. Out of the monster’s mouth, he beheld the presence of death looking at him. With a shimmering glow, death assumed a human form. Its body, covered with a radiant white robe, filled Coaldon with a sense of peace. Its quiet face glowed with warmth and understanding. He heard death’s gentle voice extend a pleasant greeting. It offered a hand, inviting Coaldon to follow it into lasting peace. Coaldon found himself drifting toward eternal happiness. Then with a burst of awareness, he remembered Crossmore, his grandparents, friends, the empire and Noel. Death reentered his awareness offering him a choice. He could join death or return to his former life. Coaldon was offered a hazy glimpse of his future life filled with trials and pain, happiness and fulfillment. Over and over the choice demanded a response.
With a sudden jerk, he forced himself to awaken. Pain enveloped him as he regained consciousness. He did not know which was worse, his encounter with the monster or his aching body. As he opened his eyes, he saw the light from a torch. Pacer and Brother Patrick were rubbing a healing lotion all over his body. Coaldon tried to speak, but only a dull groan passed through his lips. He felt his pain slowly diminish as the ointment soothed his sore muscles. After several moments he was able to move slowly and say a few words.
He asked, “Did we destroy the beasts?”
Pacer answered, “Those two cute, fuzz balls wanted to play with us. You destroyed one, and we put the other beast out of its misery. I have never seen so much strength bundled into one package. I was hoping we could get by without another fight. No such luck. After the beasts’ death, it was fascinating to watch their bodies melt into piles of slime. I never imagined evil could be reduced to such a small, meaningless residue.”
Coaldon slowly forced himself to sit up and stretch his arms over his head. As he reached into the air, his back realigned itself with a series of popping sounds.
He commented, “I think I can walk, but not too fast.” Pacer said, “We will go as long as you can keep up.”
After a short distance, the tunnel split into three different passageways.
Pacer said, “I remember Brad telling us
about this junction. We are to take the one on the right. We can explore the others if we have time.”
The tunnel to the right ended with a manmade stone wall. The wall was a combination of old and new construction. The ancient mortar on the left side of the wall was crumbling into a powdery dust.
Pacer commented, “The reconstruction on the right side of the wall must be where Brad concealed his escape seventeen years ago.”
The three warriors started to dig at the old mortar and rocks with sharp metal tools brought by Brother Patrick. After a short time, Pacer broke through the wall. A dim light could be seen penetrating through the hole.
With great care Pacer removed the stones from the edge of the hole. When the gap was several hands wide, Pacer looked inside with hesitation.
He commented, “Brad was correct when he told us the wall was hidden behind a wine vat.”
He reached through the hole and touched the old vat. It was about one arm’s length away from the wall. The explorers decided to remove the stones below the hole in order to keep it hidden from view. The warriors were delighted to smell the cool, fresh air flowing into the tunnel from the old winery. When the hole was large enough, Pacer pushed his way into the space between the vat and the stone wall.
He crawled around the vat and into the room. The large room looked as if it was a storage area that had been forgotten over the ages. Many boxes, pieces of furniture and piles of rubbish were randomly stacked and covered with a thick layer of dust. Several small windows with iron bars were located high on the wall straight ahead of him. A large door on their left had been boarded shut. On their right, a small, solid wooden door entered into the palace. He signaled the others to follow him into the old winery.
As they gathered next to the vat, Pacer stated in a soft voice, “I am concerned about disturbing the dust and debris. When we move through this room in preparation for the rescue, we could be detected. What can we do?”
Everybody stood silently observing the room for any clues to solve the dilemma. Finally Brother Patrick said, “We can create the impression somebody is once again storing things in the room. Every time we enter we can bring something into the room and pile it in front of where we are now standing. This will give the impression that the disturbed dust is a normal activity of palace life.”
Coaldon looked at Patrick saying, “Patrick, I am happy you are on our side. I believe you would be a dangerous enemy.”
Pacer nodded in approval as he walked across the room to the door. He put his ear to the door to listen for sounds in the hallway. After several minutes of concentrated listening, he decided it was safe to take the next step. He reached down and tried to open the door by pulling on the handle. The door did not open. He assumed the dead bolt was in the locked position.
Brother Patrick stepped forward to examine the lock.
He commented, “This will be easy unless the mechanism is rusted together. One of my jobs at the monastery is being a locksmith. I have worked on all kinds of locks.”
Brother Patrick pulled out a small kit from an inside pocket. He carefully looked at the lock, then selected a specially designed tool to manipulate the latch. After several minutes they heard the loud click of the bolt retracting into the lock. Brother Patrick stood back as he allowed Pacer to approach the door. Pacer opened the door with extreme caution. The dark hallway was covered with litter and waste. A pathway down the middle of the floor indicated people were still using the hallway on a regular basis. To his left, Pacer noticed light filtering from the end of the hallway. As he looked to his right, the hallway disappeared into the darkness.
Closing the door behind them, he said, “Coaldon, how are we to get to the plugged shaft?”
Coaldon pulled out Brad’s hand-drawn map from his pouch. He said, “First, the map shows we are to turn right after we leave this room. The hallway will then come to a staircase going down into the basement of the palace. At the bottom of the stairs we are to follow the hallway until we reach a junction. We are to go down the hall to the left. This passageway will open into a large room. The plugged shaft should be in the far left hand corner. Shall we give it a try?”
Pacer chuckled as he responded, “I guess that is why we are here. We could wait, but what would that accomplish. Let’s go!”
As the warriors walked down the hallway, Coaldon noticed rooms lined both sides of the passageway. He saw signs where several of the doors had been opened recently. Footprints in the dust led into the rooms. Pacer waited until they were walking down the stairs before he opened his tinderbox and lit a torch. The deteriorated stairs descended down steep steps. Each step brought the possibility of falling. The men were surprised at the length of the staircase. Coaldon never imagined the palace could house such a deep and forbidding place. At the bottom of the stairs, a small room opened into a hallway bordered by empty cells on each side. The rusted iron doors hung open in a state of corrosion. As the group passed down the hallway, Coaldon was shocked to see human bones scattered on the floor.
He thought to himself, “These bones should not surprise me. People are only objects to Crossmore. These people were killed to satisfy his greed for more.”
The rusted remains of a large metal gate lay on the floor at a three-way junction. Pacer carefully examined the floor for signs of anybody walking through the area. He commented, “I see no signs of people entering this area in many weeks or months. We are now to take the passage to the left. We should be careful because it was the practice to construct traps to discourage anyone from entering certain areas. These traps can be pits, falling gates, or collapsing floors. Brad told me this hallway might still have a concealed trap. We have come too far to make a silly mistake now.”
Pacer held the torch high in the air as he probed ahead of himself with a pole. The hall narrowed to a small doorway opening into a large room. Pacer stopped in front of the door to examine the door frame. He carefully studied the area. He started to move forward when Coaldon commanded, “Stop! I have a strange feeling.” Pacer stopped in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Coaldon to gain some idea what he should do.
Coaldon continued, “Pacer, back up and let me check things out. I have never felt this tingling sensation before. It feels like something is reaching out to me.”
He stared into the room with curiosity. A strange vibration began pulsing in the pouch where he kept the Gem of Watching. Out of curiosity, he reached into his pouch and removed the Gem. As he held it in his hand, it released a peculiar light. The bright light reached through the empty doorway. In the area illuminated by the light, a shimmering image took form. At first it was a round shapeless accumulation of particles. The transparent mass started swirling faster and faster in a circular motion. The three warriors could actually feel a breeze from the rotating particle cloud. In a burst of light, the nebulous mist assumed the proportions of a human body.
A yell of happiness suddenly sprang from the wavering shape standing before the three men. The transparent image drifted loosely in the doorway. A big smile and excited eyes radiated from the face of this most unique presence. It proclaimed, “Hello! Hello! Helloooo! I am so happy to meet you! I have been so lonely for the past few centuries. Do you have time to talk? It has been a long, long, long time since I have talked to anybody. Where should I start? I am just delighted you would stop by to visit with me. Well, tell me all about the weather, news about the Empire and the Emperor. Wait just a minute; I do not know you gentlemen. Before you arrived, I was thinking about going for a walk, but I forgot that I couldn’t walk. Silly me! I know that I can only float along. You stand there looking at me as if you are seeing a ghost. Wow! Wow! That is what you are seeing! Were you surprised when I appeared? Oh, I heard you coming down the hallway, but I did not expect to talk with you. By the way, what are you doing down here? The only people I get to see are the weak, wicked and miserable. You do not look and feel evil. That must mean you are good. That is excellent! Have you ever met my good friend Topple? He
is such a special person. I miss him.”
Coaldon finally injected, “Stop talking!” The spirit stood in shock at actually hearing a voice. Normally he could only hear a soft muddled mixture of gibberish when people talked.
The ghost responded, “You mean you can hear what I say? Well, that is such a treat. Now what do I do? I think I only know how to talk and not listen.”
Coaldon continued, “I will try to answer several of your questions. We are the three who have come to find the way. Our names only provide a vague hint to the hidden nature of our being. We step into the battle between that which consumes and that which gives. The villain feeds on the pain and agony. In answer to this infection, we are called to action. The wind blows with passing opportunities. The lofty eagle beholds the presence of choice. Our journey will offer substance to the lasting power of justice and mercy. It will be fulfilled as we drink from the cup of faith and eat the food of truth.”
The spirit was obviously confused by Coaldon’s words. It shifted back and forth in discomfort. His facial features twisted and contorted as he struggled to understand Coaldon’s statement. The waving figure slowly disappeared, then reappeared in a different location. Groans of uncertainty poured from the apparition. Finally, it looked directly at the three warriors, saying, “My brain is lazy and my will power has lived in an empty land. It is easy to become undisciplined in a place with no choices or challenges. I believe I am being called to become something more than I was yesterday. Yes! Yes! Yes! I accept your summons. Anyway, it will be my honor to join you on this worthy endeavor. My word is my bond. Oh, this has been such fun. Thank you for visiting me! Before I go, do you have any questions?”
Without thinking Pacer asked, “Is it safe to enter the room?”
The spirit said, “No harm will befall you. Now I must go to my new home.” The spirit smiled, waved goodbye and closed its eyes. With a burst of light, it flowed from the top of its head into a narrow, pencil-like stream across the hallway and into the Gem of Watching.
With stunned disbelief Coaldon watched the spirit flow into the Gem. He put the Gem up to the torchlight and saw a cloud flowing in the center.
The young elf looked at his two companions saying, “What just happened?” Brother Patrick responded, “I have heard stories about wizards who had their bodies separated from their spirits by Doomage the wicked wizard. The spirit wanders in the world until it is reunited with its body. This might be the case. Anyway, it is now a part of our journey if we like it or not. I would recommend we do nothing until we talk with Topple. It might be dangerous to try to intervene without getting more information. Let’s go inside and look around.”
The large room had many piles of unused equipment and supplies. These remains were scattered across the room in a disorganized jumble. Pacer went directly to the left hand corner of the room to look for the abandoned shaft. Several times he tripped over the piles of litter as he struggled to wade through the giant mess. He cheered as he stood before a pile of rocks clogging an opening in the wall. He signaled the others to join him and help clear the area around the opening. The hole stood about two strides high and one stride wide. Most of the stones were about the size of summer melons.
Pacer commented, “This is better than I thought. The rocks will be easy to remove. Where can we hide them?”
Coaldon’s searching eyes detected a shadow in the wall next to the door. He found a small room containing cooking supplies. He said, “I think I have found the solution to the problem. We can pile the rocks in the room and then cover the entrance with rubbish when we are through.”
Pacer responded, “I like your suggestion. I am hungry, so let’s take a break to eat. I would like a few minutes to think before we make our next move.”
The room was quiet as each rescuer reflected on the events of the day. Coaldon vividly remembered seeing the spirit entering the gemstone. He pulled out the Gem and watched the cloud slowly float in a circular motion. He could almost hear excited laughter and see a smile glowing from the center of the stone.
After eating his meal Pacer said, “I suggest we go back to the junction. I would like to explore the left passageway before we return to the outside world. I need a better picture of our location.”
The group took every precaution to cover any sign of their intrusion into the underworld life of the palace. Upon returning to the winery, each man deposited several pieces of equipment and furniture next to the wine vat. They locked the door, scattered the dust and crawled into the passageway. They returned to the junction and began to investigate the tunnel to the left. After ten minutes of stumbling through the rocky passageway, the tunnel suddenly ended. A stonewall blocked the tunnel.
Pacer said, “What do we do now? We could go back to the original entrance, but I would like to find a second escape route. It looks as if the builders just quit work. I don’t understand; I thought this was a storm drain.”
While Coaldon and Pacer walked up and down the passageway looking for an exit, Brother Patrick sat and studied the wall. His eyes wandered over the inside of the tunnel with curiosity. It suddenly occurred to him that after each ending there is a new beginning.
He said to himself, “All the signs in the passageway indicate the tunnel continues. The way the rocks have been cut can only mean the tunnel extends beyond this point. Yes, I believe magic is at work. Magic can be understood as the distortion and manipulation of reality. Too often we think magic is something solid, rather than an idea viewed as reality. The solid curtain of magic can be walked through when we understand it is an idea made real in the mind of the beholder. To break through this magic it is necessary to accept the illusion as a projected thought. Yes, many years ago somebody found it necessary to block this tunnel with a curtain of magic. I can just walk through the illusion.”
Brother Patrick stood up, walked forward and passed through the magical curtain at the end of the passageway. Both Pacer and Coaldon stood in amazement as Brother Patrick disappeared into the stone wall.
Coaldon said, “I do not believe what I just saw. My mind can not comprehend Patrick walking through the wall.”
Pacer then laughed with embarrassment.
He responded, “Our good friend, Brother Patrick, did not rush around looking for the answer, but rather allowed the answer to come to him. Let’s go!”
Pacer stepped forward and also disappeared through the wall.
Coaldon looked around the tunnel with the desperation of a person trapped within his own limitations. Sweat rolled down his face even though the tunnel was cold and damp. His heart raced in fear of being left alone in the miserable tunnel. He was alone with no one to help him. No one was there to ask for guidance and assistance. He had to figure this out all by himself.
He finally said, “I need to gain control of my mind. I can do nothing in this state of panic. I need to get my thoughts in order. First, I saw my friends walk through that wall. Second, people cannot walk through a solid wall. Therefore, the wall is a product of magic. If the wall is only an illusion, then I can also walk through it. So why am I just standing here?”
Coaldon started to walk forward, but when he arrived at the wall he stopped. He put his hand on the wall and felt the surface of the stones. His mind reeled in panic as he faced the conflict between what seemed real and what was actually real. His eyes saw a wall and his hands felt the stones, but his mind knew it was an illusion. Coaldon was in a state of paralysis as he stood facing the wall. He needed to force his mind to look beyond the illusion and take control of his behavior. Several times he tried to step forward, but to no avail. He finally closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax. Slowly the panic of the moment retreated from his thoughts. He calmly reviewed the reality of his situation. He slowly opened his eyes, saw the illusion of the wall, and stepped forward. To his total delight he found himself standing in a passageway with Pacer and Brother Patrick looking at him.
Coaldon shouted, “I did it! I did it!” With a sense of pride both P
acer and Brother Patrick shook Coaldon’s hand. Coaldon faced and conquered a giant within himself.
~ ~
The Room of Magic
Pacer commented, “This flow of air means the tunnel is not blocked.” Pacer was the first to walk down the stairs leading into the tunnel. He removed burning coals from his tinderbox to light a torch. After entering the tunnel, Coaldon and Patrick carefully pulled the stone back over the entrance.
Coaldon felt an instant sense of entrapment. At first he wanted to rush back to the entry way and push the stone away. He craved to see the daylight and breathe fresh air. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He did not expect to feel so ensnared. To his relief, the desire to escape passed quickly. With lingering discomforts, he was ready to begin the adventure.
Pacer’s torch provided a flickering image of a rounded passageway, lined with stones and mortar. The floor was layered with many years of dirt and rocks. Over time stones had fallen from the roof creating an uneven walking surface. Water dripped from the ceiling forming puddles. A dull light emanated from the gray moss growing on the passage walls. No extra light was needed, so Pacer doused his torch.
A musty, foul odor filled the travelers’ minds with unpleasant mental images of its source. Pacer waited for his two companions to arrive before starting down the narrow passage. The explorers walked slowly to keep from tripping over large rocks and to listen for any unnatural sounds. After fifteen minutes the group arrived at a junction in the tunnel. Without having a good reason they decided to follow the passageway to the right. After several minutes, they found the tunnel blocked by a collapsed wall. Returning to the junction, they proceeded down the left passageway.
As the group advanced down the tunnel, Coaldon started to have odd sensations. He finally said, “Let’s take a break. I am experiencing something unpleasant. Are you feeling the same thing?”
Pacer commented, “No, I feel nothing. It has been rumored Crossmore placed evil creatures in these tunnels to protect against invasion. The last time I went through here I had no problems.”
Coaldon felt his sword vibrate in a slow steady rhythm. He responded, “I believe we will have visitors before we depart from the tunnel. If we are attacked, we must kill all the creatures. If one should escape, our mission would be jeopardized. Maybe we should set a trap for our hosts. By forcing them to come to us, we can control the attack.”
Brother Patrick said, “If we are going to set a trap, then we must find a location in the passageway that will fit our fighting style. Let’s continue walking until we find a place where we can launch a surprise assault.”
The group continued down the tunnel until they entered a section having a series of collapsed walls.
Pacer stated, “We can have a person hide behind the walls of dirt at three different locations. After the inhabitants of the tunnel enter the trap, we can attack simultaneously. The gray luminous moss on the tunnel walls will provide enough light for us to see our opponent.”
The three men placed themselves in protective positions along the passageway. As Coaldon waited in his hiding place, he grew impatient for the plan to unfold. He wanted to keep moving and get things done. After an hour, his mind drifted into lazy day dreams. He remembered the Outlast and the many hours he explored the wilderness. His usual state of alertness had been compromised by his youthful restlessness and the stale, foul air.
He was suddenly jerked back to reality when he heard raspy breathing and the crunching of rocks under padded feet. His sword was alive with a pulsing rage. To his shock and dread, the beast standing in front of him was a huge, black, hairy monster that nearly filled the tunnel. Pacer gave the command to attack. Coaldon held up the Gem of Watching to begin his assault. At Coaldon’s command the Gem released a blinding flash of light. The monster screamed in pain as the light burned into its sensitive eyes. In rage, the monster reached out for anything to release its anger. Before Coaldon could move he found himself being swept up by a giant hand. As he was yanked through the air, he lost the grip on his sword. The sword rattled to the floor as the beast wrapped its powerful arms around Coaldon’s body. The smell of the creature’s nauseating breath caused Coaldon to gag. With unbelievable strength the muscular beast squeezed Coaldon. Coaldon heard his bones begin to crack under the pressure of the squeezing arms.
His terror was compounded when he looked directly into the mouth of the beast. The large, scum coated teeth were dripping with a black, slimy saliva. The beast’s long, narrow tongue darted in and out of its mouth. Coaldon had to jerk his head back and forth to escape the slashing motions of the tongue. Luckily for Coaldon, the beast’s agony caused it to lose focus of Coaldon. As Coaldon started to lose consciousness, he made a desperate attempt with his free arm to reach for his knife. As the monster thrashed around, Coaldon could not find the blade. Finally, he determined it had shifted backward on his belt. With an exaggerated twist of his body, he was able to grab the knife with his finger tips. He held on to it with clawlike determination. He was relieved when the knife released from the scabbard and dangled from his fingers. With a quick upward flip of his wrist he was able to grasp the knife in his hand. Bearing unbelievable pain, he raised the knife over his head and plunged it forward into the beast’s hairy chest. The magical powers of Strong Edge discharged a searing burst of energy into the beast. The beast screamed as the power of the knife attacked its evil nature. The last thing Coaldon remembered was collapsing onto the floor.
In a nightmarish state, Coaldon kept seeing an angry beast reaching for him with long arms. He felt the terrifying slow movement of his hand reaching for his knife. He saw a large mouth, with black teeth, trying to bite him. Out of the monster’s mouth, he beheld the presence of death looking at him. With a shimmering glow, death assumed a human form. Its body, covered with a radiant white robe, filled Coaldon with a sense of peace. Its quiet face glowed with warmth and understanding. He heard death’s gentle voice extend a pleasant greeting. It offered a hand, inviting Coaldon to follow it into lasting peace. Coaldon found himself drifting toward eternal happiness. Then with a burst of awareness, he remembered Crossmore, his grandparents, friends, the empire and Noel. Death reentered his awareness offering him a choice. He could join death or return to his former life. Coaldon was offered a hazy glimpse of his future life filled with trials and pain, happiness and fulfillment. Over and over the choice demanded a response.
With a sudden jerk, he forced himself to awaken. Pain enveloped him as he regained consciousness. He did not know which was worse, his encounter with the monster or his aching body. As he opened his eyes, he saw the light from a torch. Pacer and Brother Patrick were rubbing a healing lotion all over his body. Coaldon tried to speak, but only a dull groan passed through his lips. He felt his pain slowly diminish as the ointment soothed his sore muscles. After several moments he was able to move slowly and say a few words.
He asked, “Did we destroy the beasts?”
Pacer answered, “Those two cute, fuzz balls wanted to play with us. You destroyed one, and we put the other beast out of its misery. I have never seen so much strength bundled into one package. I was hoping we could get by without another fight. No such luck. After the beasts’ death, it was fascinating to watch their bodies melt into piles of slime. I never imagined evil could be reduced to such a small, meaningless residue.”
Coaldon slowly forced himself to sit up and stretch his arms over his head. As he reached into the air, his back realigned itself with a series of popping sounds.
He commented, “I think I can walk, but not too fast.” Pacer said, “We will go as long as you can keep up.”
After a short distance, the tunnel split into three different passageways.
Pacer said, “I remember Brad telling us
The tunnel to the right ended with a manmade stone wall. The wall was a combination of old and new construction. The ancient mortar on the left side of the wall was crumbling into a powdery dust.
Pacer commented, “The reconstruction on the right side of the wall must be where Brad concealed his escape seventeen years ago.”
The three warriors started to dig at the old mortar and rocks with sharp metal tools brought by Brother Patrick. After a short time, Pacer broke through the wall. A dim light could be seen penetrating through the hole.
With great care Pacer removed the stones from the edge of the hole. When the gap was several hands wide, Pacer looked inside with hesitation.
He commented, “Brad was correct when he told us the wall was hidden behind a wine vat.”
He reached through the hole and touched the old vat. It was about one arm’s length away from the wall. The explorers decided to remove the stones below the hole in order to keep it hidden from view. The warriors were delighted to smell the cool, fresh air flowing into the tunnel from the old winery. When the hole was large enough, Pacer pushed his way into the space between the vat and the stone wall.
He crawled around the vat and into the room. The large room looked as if it was a storage area that had been forgotten over the ages. Many boxes, pieces of furniture and piles of rubbish were randomly stacked and covered with a thick layer of dust. Several small windows with iron bars were located high on the wall straight ahead of him. A large door on their left had been boarded shut. On their right, a small, solid wooden door entered into the palace. He signaled the others to follow him into the old winery.
As they gathered next to the vat, Pacer stated in a soft voice, “I am concerned about disturbing the dust and debris. When we move through this room in preparation for the rescue, we could be detected. What can we do?”
Everybody stood silently observing the room for any clues to solve the dilemma. Finally Brother Patrick said, “We can create the impression somebody is once again storing things in the room. Every time we enter we can bring something into the room and pile it in front of where we are now standing. This will give the impression that the disturbed dust is a normal activity of palace life.”
Coaldon looked at Patrick saying, “Patrick, I am happy you are on our side. I believe you would be a dangerous enemy.”
Pacer nodded in approval as he walked across the room to the door. He put his ear to the door to listen for sounds in the hallway. After several minutes of concentrated listening, he decided it was safe to take the next step. He reached down and tried to open the door by pulling on the handle. The door did not open. He assumed the dead bolt was in the locked position.
Brother Patrick stepped forward to examine the lock.
He commented, “This will be easy unless the mechanism is rusted together. One of my jobs at the monastery is being a locksmith. I have worked on all kinds of locks.”
Brother Patrick pulled out a small kit from an inside pocket. He carefully looked at the lock, then selected a specially designed tool to manipulate the latch. After several minutes they heard the loud click of the bolt retracting into the lock. Brother Patrick stood back as he allowed Pacer to approach the door. Pacer opened the door with extreme caution. The dark hallway was covered with litter and waste. A pathway down the middle of the floor indicated people were still using the hallway on a regular basis. To his left, Pacer noticed light filtering from the end of the hallway. As he looked to his right, the hallway disappeared into the darkness.
Closing the door behind them, he said, “Coaldon, how are we to get to the plugged shaft?”
Coaldon pulled out Brad’s hand-drawn map from his pouch. He said, “First, the map shows we are to turn right after we leave this room. The hallway will then come to a staircase going down into the basement of the palace. At the bottom of the stairs we are to follow the hallway until we reach a junction. We are to go down the hall to the left. This passageway will open into a large room. The plugged shaft should be in the far left hand corner. Shall we give it a try?”
Pacer chuckled as he responded, “I guess that is why we are here. We could wait, but what would that accomplish. Let’s go!”
As the warriors walked down the hallway, Coaldon noticed rooms lined both sides of the passageway. He saw signs where several of the doors had been opened recently. Footprints in the dust led into the rooms. Pacer waited until they were walking down the stairs before he opened his tinderbox and lit a torch. The deteriorated stairs descended down steep steps. Each step brought the possibility of falling. The men were surprised at the length of the staircase. Coaldon never imagined the palace could house such a deep and forbidding place. At the bottom of the stairs, a small room opened into a hallway bordered by empty cells on each side. The rusted iron doors hung open in a state of corrosion. As the group passed down the hallway, Coaldon was shocked to see human bones scattered on the floor.
He thought to himself, “These bones should not surprise me. People are only objects to Crossmore. These people were killed to satisfy his greed for more.”
The rusted remains of a large metal gate lay on the floor at a three-way junction. Pacer carefully examined the floor for signs of anybody walking through the area. He commented, “I see no signs of people entering this area in many weeks or months. We are now to take the passage to the left. We should be careful because it was the practice to construct traps to discourage anyone from entering certain areas. These traps can be pits, falling gates, or collapsing floors. Brad told me this hallway might still have a concealed trap. We have come too far to make a silly mistake now.”
Pacer held the torch high in the air as he probed ahead of himself with a pole. The hall narrowed to a small doorway opening into a large room. Pacer stopped in front of the door to examine the door frame. He carefully studied the area. He started to move forward when Coaldon commanded, “Stop! I have a strange feeling.” Pacer stopped in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder at Coaldon to gain some idea what he should do.
Coaldon continued, “Pacer, back up and let me check things out. I have never felt this tingling sensation before. It feels like something is reaching out to me.”
He stared into the room with curiosity. A strange vibration began pulsing in the pouch where he kept the Gem of Watching. Out of curiosity, he reached into his pouch and removed the Gem. As he held it in his hand, it released a peculiar light. The bright light reached through the empty doorway. In the area illuminated by the light, a shimmering image took form. At first it was a round shapeless accumulation of particles. The transparent mass started swirling faster and faster in a circular motion. The three warriors could actually feel a breeze from the rotating particle cloud. In a burst of light, the nebulous mist assumed the proportions of a human body.
A yell of happiness suddenly sprang from the wavering shape standing before the three men. The transparent image drifted loosely in the doorway. A big smile and excited eyes radiated from the face of this most unique presence. It proclaimed, “Hello! Hello! Helloooo! I am so happy to meet you! I have been so lonely for the past few centuries. Do you have time to talk? It has been a long, long, long time since I have talked to anybody. Where should I start? I am just delighted you would stop by to visit with me. Well, tell me all about the weather, news about the Empire and the Emperor. Wait just a minute; I do not know you gentlemen. Before you arrived, I was thinking about going for a walk, but I forgot that I couldn’t walk. Silly me! I know that I can only float along. You stand there looking at me as if you are seeing a ghost. Wow! Wow! That is what you are seeing! Were you surprised when I appeared? Oh, I heard you coming down the hallway, but I did not expect to talk with you. By the way, what are you doing down here? The only people I get to see are the weak, wicked and miserable. You do not look and feel evil. That must mean you are good. That is excellent! Have you ever met my good friend Topple? He
Coaldon finally injected, “Stop talking!” The spirit stood in shock at actually hearing a voice. Normally he could only hear a soft muddled mixture of gibberish when people talked.
The ghost responded, “You mean you can hear what I say? Well, that is such a treat. Now what do I do? I think I only know how to talk and not listen.”
Coaldon continued, “I will try to answer several of your questions. We are the three who have come to find the way. Our names only provide a vague hint to the hidden nature of our being. We step into the battle between that which consumes and that which gives. The villain feeds on the pain and agony. In answer to this infection, we are called to action. The wind blows with passing opportunities. The lofty eagle beholds the presence of choice. Our journey will offer substance to the lasting power of justice and mercy. It will be fulfilled as we drink from the cup of faith and eat the food of truth.”
The spirit was obviously confused by Coaldon’s words. It shifted back and forth in discomfort. His facial features twisted and contorted as he struggled to understand Coaldon’s statement. The waving figure slowly disappeared, then reappeared in a different location. Groans of uncertainty poured from the apparition. Finally, it looked directly at the three warriors, saying, “My brain is lazy and my will power has lived in an empty land. It is easy to become undisciplined in a place with no choices or challenges. I believe I am being called to become something more than I was yesterday. Yes! Yes! Yes! I accept your summons. Anyway, it will be my honor to join you on this worthy endeavor. My word is my bond. Oh, this has been such fun. Thank you for visiting me! Before I go, do you have any questions?”
Without thinking Pacer asked, “Is it safe to enter the room?”
The spirit said, “No harm will befall you. Now I must go to my new home.” The spirit smiled, waved goodbye and closed its eyes. With a burst of light, it flowed from the top of its head into a narrow, pencil-like stream across the hallway and into the Gem of Watching.
With stunned disbelief Coaldon watched the spirit flow into the Gem. He put the Gem up to the torchlight and saw a cloud flowing in the center.
The young elf looked at his two companions saying, “What just happened?” Brother Patrick responded, “I have heard stories about wizards who had their bodies separated from their spirits by Doomage the wicked wizard. The spirit wanders in the world until it is reunited with its body. This might be the case. Anyway, it is now a part of our journey if we like it or not. I would recommend we do nothing until we talk with Topple. It might be dangerous to try to intervene without getting more information. Let’s go inside and look around.”
The large room had many piles of unused equipment and supplies. These remains were scattered across the room in a disorganized jumble. Pacer went directly to the left hand corner of the room to look for the abandoned shaft. Several times he tripped over the piles of litter as he struggled to wade through the giant mess. He cheered as he stood before a pile of rocks clogging an opening in the wall. He signaled the others to join him and help clear the area around the opening. The hole stood about two strides high and one stride wide. Most of the stones were about the size of summer melons.
Pacer commented, “This is better than I thought. The rocks will be easy to remove. Where can we hide them?”
Coaldon’s searching eyes detected a shadow in the wall next to the door. He found a small room containing cooking supplies. He said, “I think I have found the solution to the problem. We can pile the rocks in the room and then cover the entrance with rubbish when we are through.”
Pacer responded, “I like your suggestion. I am hungry, so let’s take a break to eat. I would like a few minutes to think before we make our next move.”
The room was quiet as each rescuer reflected on the events of the day. Coaldon vividly remembered seeing the spirit entering the gemstone. He pulled out the Gem and watched the cloud slowly float in a circular motion. He could almost hear excited laughter and see a smile glowing from the center of the stone.
After eating his meal Pacer said, “I suggest we go back to the junction. I would like to explore the left passageway before we return to the outside world. I need a better picture of our location.”
The group took every precaution to cover any sign of their intrusion into the underworld life of the palace. Upon returning to the winery, each man deposited several pieces of equipment and furniture next to the wine vat. They locked the door, scattered the dust and crawled into the passageway. They returned to the junction and began to investigate the tunnel to the left. After ten minutes of stumbling through the rocky passageway, the tunnel suddenly ended. A stonewall blocked the tunnel.
Pacer said, “What do we do now? We could go back to the original entrance, but I would like to find a second escape route. It looks as if the builders just quit work. I don’t understand; I thought this was a storm drain.”
While Coaldon and Pacer walked up and down the passageway looking for an exit, Brother Patrick sat and studied the wall. His eyes wandered over the inside of the tunnel with curiosity. It suddenly occurred to him that after each ending there is a new beginning.
He said to himself, “All the signs in the passageway indicate the tunnel continues. The way the rocks have been cut can only mean the tunnel extends beyond this point. Yes, I believe magic is at work. Magic can be understood as the distortion and manipulation of reality. Too often we think magic is something solid, rather than an idea viewed as reality. The solid curtain of magic can be walked through when we understand it is an idea made real in the mind of the beholder. To break through this magic it is necessary to accept the illusion as a projected thought. Yes, many years ago somebody found it necessary to block this tunnel with a curtain of magic. I can just walk through the illusion.”
Brother Patrick stood up, walked forward and passed through the magical curtain at the end of the passageway. Both Pacer and Coaldon stood in amazement as Brother Patrick disappeared into the stone wall.
Coaldon said, “I do not believe what I just saw. My mind can not comprehend Patrick walking through the wall.”
Pacer then laughed with embarrassment.
He responded, “Our good friend, Brother Patrick, did not rush around looking for the answer, but rather allowed the answer to come to him. Let’s go!”
Pacer stepped forward and also disappeared through the wall.
Coaldon looked around the tunnel with the desperation of a person trapped within his own limitations. Sweat rolled down his face even though the tunnel was cold and damp. His heart raced in fear of being left alone in the miserable tunnel. He was alone with no one to help him. No one was there to ask for guidance and assistance. He had to figure this out all by himself.
He finally said, “I need to gain control of my mind. I can do nothing in this state of panic. I need to get my thoughts in order. First, I saw my friends walk through that wall. Second, people cannot walk through a solid wall. Therefore, the wall is a product of magic. If the wall is only an illusion, then I can also walk through it. So why am I just standing here?”
Coaldon started to walk forward, but when he arrived at the wall he stopped. He put his hand on the wall and felt the surface of the stones. His mind reeled in panic as he faced the conflict between what seemed real and what was actually real. His eyes saw a wall and his hands felt the stones, but his mind knew it was an illusion. Coaldon was in a state of paralysis as he stood facing the wall. He needed to force his mind to look beyond the illusion and take control of his behavior. Several times he tried to step forward, but to no avail. He finally closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax. Slowly the panic of the moment retreated from his thoughts. He calmly reviewed the reality of his situation. He slowly opened his eyes, saw the illusion of the wall, and stepped forward. To his total delight he found himself standing in a passageway with Pacer and Brother Patrick looking at him.
Coaldon shouted, “I did it! I did it!” With a sense of pride both P
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The Room of Magic