David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation

by T. C. Crawford

  When he arrived, he could see they were still vastly outnumbered, but all of them were still alive and seemingly unharmed.

  “David! You okay mate?” asked Reingard through the chaos as he felled another man with his battle axe.

  “Yeah, how’re we looking?” David asked over the roar of the battle. He could tell they still had a lot of work ahead of them.

  “Not good mate, not good. There’s too many of them!” he screamed, ducking under another blow, and sending his attacker flying with a powerful kick to his chest.

  “We have to run!” yelled Tyrius, still sending showers of fire into the endless stream of attackers. It was enough to keep some of the men at bay, but others would simply just run around the patches of fire and join the conflict from a different angle. Eventually, they would become surrounded and their chance of escape would drop to zero.

  Knowing this, the companions decided to cut their losses and make a run for it.

  Tyrius gathered his energy and unleashed a great torrent of wind towards the flames, enraging them and causing them to rise high into the sky, creating a wall of flame to escape behind.

  When the flames finally subsided enough for their pursuers to see they had escaped, they jumped over the line of fire and followed hot in pursuit.

  David and the others knew they couldn’t outrun them. They were still worn out from the previous day’s journey and the lack of sleep the night before. It wouldn’t be long before their reserves were depleted, and they would be too exhausted to go on.

  They only had a few hundred yards between them and their pursuers and the gap was closing with each passing moment.

  Just as they felt they could go on no longer, the unimaginable happened – the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them whole into the darkness.

  They fell into the ground and landed hard on a smooth rocky bottom several feet below the surface where they just stood. The barbarians were the first to gather their wits and jumped up, looking around for their pursuers.

  They found themselves in a dark tunnel several feet beneath the surface, a narrow shaft of moonlight pouring in from the hole above where they had fallen through. Apparently, the tunnel was close to the surface and had eroded too much to support their weight, causing the ground to cave in.

  They brushed off the dirt and dust from their clothes before checking to make sure the others were okay.

  David had suffered a slight blow to the head and was slowing getting up, rubbing his head, and cursing under his breath.

  Erin was now up and was working on getting Tyrius on his feet – he seemed to be struggling the most out of the group, but given his old age, that seemed reasonable enough.

  When they had all brushed off the fall, they heard the yelling of their pursuers and the thumping of dozens of feet approaching the area above them. The earth shook and dirt and debris fell from the ceiling of the tunnel as they approached.

  They each hid in the shadows away from the shaft of moonlight, hoping they would pass on by.

  Erin held her breath as the men neared. She knew if they found the hole that they would follow them inside. They would probably follow them to the ends of the earth if they could.

  As she listened intently, the footsteps began to slow before suddenly speeding up again, eventually fading away into the distance.

  They hadn’t seen the hole!

  They each let out an audible sigh of relief, happy to finally be free from the pursuit of the blood-thirsty bandits.

  They looked around to assess their new surroundings. They had fallen too far from the surface to be able to climb back up the way they came. The walls were too slick and smooth, and the opening was too high above their heads to try to lift each other out. Their only option was to try to find a way out of the dark tunnel they now found themselves in.

  With no maps, and no earthly idea of where it would take them, Tyrius lit the orb on the crest of his staff with a simple wave of his hand and began leading them into the darkness.

  Chapter XII

  David and the others walked in near total darkness for what felt like hours. Without an end in sight and completely exhausted from the constant pursuit and threat of danger over the past couple of days, the party finally stopped to rest.

  They had no wood for a fire and in the rocky tunnels there were no other fuel sources, so the companions had to make do with the light from Tyrius’ staff to set up their bedrolls before enduring the cool dampness of the cave as they rested their weary limbs.

  Each took a watch throughout the night while the others slept, but nothing eventful occurred in any of their shifts. It seemed as if they were alone in the vast underground cave system, each silently wondering whether they would ever find an end to the seemingly infinite network of tunnels.

  When they had all finally rested and had a bite to eat from what remained of their supplies, they continued on their miserable journey through the dark.

  They went on like this for what seemed like an eternity until they came to an area where the rough stone floor and walls had changed. They changed from a natural, rocky look into an obvious man-made texture that showed evidence of weathering on the floor from years of foot traffic and countless chisel marks on the walls and ceiling. Eventually the tunnel led them to an intersection that was unmistakably a mineshaft.

  The ceiling and walls were supported by great timber beams that were spaced evenly in both directions and stretching as far as they could see into the darkness. The companions looked at each other with expressions of relief, overjoyed to have finally reached an area of the tunnels that showed signs of life after such a long, dark expanse of endless trekking through the uncharted caves.

  “Now the question is, which way do we go?” said David, speaking aloud the question they had all been silently wondering themselves.

  “Good question…” replied Tyrius, examining the passageways and clearly deep in thought.

  David started to mindlessly rub his hands along the wall, feeling the carefully cut stone. He felt a warm breeze gently caress his neck and his eyes shot open.

  “This way! We have to go this way!” said David, rubbing the chills from the back of his neck.

  “What? How do you know?” asked Tyrius, confused how David had come to such a conclusion.

  “I felt a warm breeze on the back of my neck, and it came from this direction” said David, pointing down the dark corridor.

  “Are you sure? I didn’t feel anything” said Erin, the others each nodding in agreement.

  “Yes, I’m positive!” said David. “Come on, let’s go!” he said, and he started down the dark tunnel in the direction of the warm breeze with the others following in pursuit.

  It wasn’t long before they discovered David had been correct. They reached another intersection that branched off in two opposite directions with the ground having metal tracks running in both directions. Along the walls were old iron sconces that once held torches and countless years’ worth of soot still stained the ceiling and walls above them.

  Just as David was getting a feel for which direction to go, the sound of screeching metal and squeaking wheels came echoing off the walls, faint at first, but quickly getting louder with each passing moment. Whatever it was, it was heading their way, and quickly!

  The companions promptly jumped off the tracks and into the dark hallway they had just come from. In a matter of seconds, a minecart came crashing through the intersection at incredible speeds. It went by so fast they could hardly tell what it was, but they did notice one thing – the cart wasn’t empty. Inside had been two bearded Dwarves, each carrying a lantern and a pickaxe!

  “Hey!” shouted David as loud as he could after the passing cart.

  Suddenly, a horrendous high-pitched screeching filled the tunnels, forcing them all to cover their ears. Sparks flew wildly in the distance behind the cart as it screeched to a halt.

  Then, just as soon as the screeching stopped, they could hear a grunt and a series of heavy foots
teps quickly slapping against the ground – the lantern light growing brighter and brighter as the Dwarves ran quickly their way.

  The Dwarves finally reached the intersection and stopped a few feet from the companions, holding up their lanterns and pickaxes to see who had called out to them while making sure they weren’t a threat.

  “Oy! What’re you lot doing down here?” asked the Dwarf in the front when he finished sizing them up. He was short but stocky, with huge arms and legs that were built from a lifetime of mining and hauling away rock. His chest was as large as a barrel and his brown bushy beard had a few tinges of gray and flowed down to his shiny belt buckle.

  ***

  Once the Dwarves were sufficiently convinced that David and the others meant no harm and had in fact actually been lost for days in the tunnels, the Dwarves took them into the cart and said they would bring them along to the city.

  As they sped along the tunnels, wind flapping wildly through their hair as they raced along the tracks, the companions were excited for the first time since getting out of the Southern Tunnel. They were headed to a place no mortal man had ever been before – the great Dwarven city of Emerald Keep.

  The city was the stuff of legend and was the home that the Dwarves had been actively building and developing since the dawn of time. It was said to be filled with massive buildings and structures spanning miles beneath the Draconian Mountains in every direction and possessed an abundance of treasure so vast that it could fill the entire Mystic Mountain from top to bottom!

  It was common knowledge in Hurea that the Dwarves were masters of their craft – mining precious metals from the earth and forging them into masterfully crafted jewelry and splendid sets of armor, but they were also master builders and ingenious engineers.

  When the cart started to slow from that of a charging horse to a more comfortable speed for the companions, they came around a bend and for the first time caught sight of the city.

  Everyone in the cart was silent and awestruck as the tunnel opened up into a cavern so vast it could have fit all of Eldergate within it and still have plenty of room to spare. There was a network of crisscrossing, arched stone bridges that spanned taller than the highest towers, some simply serving as roads and walkways, while others serving as railways for mine carts and supplies to be loaded and transported throughout the city, each with dozens of little carts flying back and forth carrying an assortment of goods and supplies throughout the network.

  The bridges weaved in and out between massive buildings that varied in shape and size – the one commonality between them all is that their walls were made out of pure emerald crystal.

  “So that’s why they call it Emerald Keep” said David, completely dazzled by the brilliant green city.

  “Aye – she’s a beauty, ain’t she?” said one of the Dwarves, seeing the look of shock on their faces. “It never gets old, coming home” he said, and they could believe it.

  They traveled along the rails through the city, passing hundreds of Dwarves busy at work. Most were simply loading or unloading the carts before sending them back on their way into the mines, while others were getting on or off the carts to start or finish their shift, carrying pickaxes or shovels on their shoulders. The ones getting off were covered in sparkling dirt and were filthy, but despite their scowling faces, they seemed happy in their own way.

  At last they found themselves headed towards a large building in the center of the city. It stretched so high it strained their necks when they tried to see to the top. The closer they got, the more they realized how large it truly was – it was like a mountain within the mountain!

  When their cart finally came to a grinding halt before the large courtyard leading up the gigantic building, the Dwarves jumped out and helped their passengers disembark before the cart magically sped off on its own back down the tracks.

  “How does it do that?” asked Erin in awe.

  “Why, magic of course!” replied one of the Dwarves matter-of-factly, before leading the way towards the entrance to the building as if that were all that was needed to be said about it.

  Erin laughed and, grabbing David’s hand, walked with him and the others towards the building, following the two Dwarves.

  When they reached the steps leading up to the building, two large and elaborate shiny metal doors slowly opened revealing a sizeable antechamber filled with bustling Dwarves moving about every which way.

  As they entered, all of their heads turned, watching the humans enter the chamber as they went on about their business. None of them said a word, and they weren’t rude about it, but it was clear they were surprised at what they were witnessing. David realized this was the first time any of these Dwarves had ever had a human visitor within their city and it must have been a strange sight to see.

  When the two Dwarves reached a large central marble counter behind which dozens of very old looking Dwarves were seated, some taking paperwork from Dwarves as they came from their shifts, while others handing out new forms for the ones leaving, one of the older looking Dwarves stopped looking over his paperwork and nearly fell out of his seat.

  When he finally composed himself and remembered his manners, he quickly, but politely, asked what in the world these humans were doing in the city.

  The Dwarves quickly took turns explaining the circumstances behind their encounter with the humans and what led them to bring them here, before the old Dwarf looked up at David and the others and waved his hand for them to approach the counter.

  Tyrius was the first to speak.

  “We are humbled by your kindness and hospitality, great sir. My name is Tyrius Vanderbolt. I am the last of the Elders of Eldergate, and I beg your assistance for myself and my companions in this troubling predicament we find ourselves in.” he said politely, bowing low, to which the others followed suit, not quite sure what the custom was in such situations.

  “Tyrius Vanderbolt you say?” said the elderly Dwarf behind the counter, looking over Tyrius and the others. “What is it, I may ask, that brought you to our lands so far East of your own?” he said.

  “Have you not heard?” asked Tyrius, surprised.

  “Heard of what, dear fellow?” asked the Dwarf sincerely.

  Tyrius turned back to look at the others, surprised that the news hadn’t traveled to the Dwarven city yet. The Dwarves had always been a reclusive bunch, but something as significant as the coup in Eldergate, followed by the breach of the Dark Abyss and the release of the Defiant One and his minions surely should have traveled to their city by now, he thought. They each shrugged before he turned back to the counter.

  “The Defiant One has returned, and he has overtaken Eldergate along with all of the Outer Woods region.” said Tyrius, matter-of-factly.

  It took a moment for the news to sink in, but David was quite sure that it hit home when the Dwarf’s expression changed from that of mixed curiosity and humor, to the pale horror one would expect to see on someone who had just seen a ghost.

  The Dwarf’s expression quickly recovered and changed to one of utmost irritation as he dismissed the claim with the wave of his hands.

  “That is impossible, Mr. Vanderbolt! The Defiant One has been locked away in the Dark Abyss for over a thousand years! The Mystics sealed him away, along with his dark army, at the end of the Battle of Salvation – I saw it with my own eyes! There is no way he could have escaped that place, not in a million years!” said the Dwarf loudly, to which all of the others quickly stopped their tasks to see what was causing all the ruckus.

  The overall buzz in the air had dropped at this point to a deafening silence, so quiet it was that the drop of a pin could be heard from across the room.

  David and the others looked around at their faces, uncomfortable at the sudden influx of attention now focused on them.

  But Tyrius didn’t seem to notice, or at least to not mind. He continued his plea, now with even more vigor than before.

  “I know the history, Master Dwarf, but you must bel
ieve me, it is the truth! General Krauss of the Royal Guard has been manipulated and twisted into doing the Defiant One’s bidding for some time now. Ever since he started secretly dabbling in the dark arts of the Order of the Abyss, hoping to gain the power needed to overthrow the kingdom, the Defiant One has had his grasp on the General – silently manipulating him, pulling his strings to lead him to do his bidding, until finally, just a few weeks ago, the unimaginable happened. He used one of the last remaining Mystic Crystals to harness enough power during the summer solstice to perform the ritual and unleash the Defiant One from his prison. I saw it for myself, we all did!” finished Tyrius, a look of horror in his eyes as he recalled the events from that day. Everyone nodded in agreement.

  “But how did he gain such power? It would require an immense amount of Mystic energy to break the barrier.” replied the Dwarf, now starting to see this wasn’t some bad joke.

  “It was my fault…” said David, chiming in and stepping forward to the counter.

  At this point, the group was completely encircled with Dwarves, all listening in to what the humans had to say about the return of the Defiant One. Some of them seemed to not believe the words they were hearing, shaking their heads in disbelief, and whispering to one another, but others apparently did believe it. Their faces were white as snow as they were hanging on their every word.

  “What do you mean, it was your fault?” asked the Dwarf, raising his white bushy eyebrows skeptically at the young man standing before him.

  “My name is David Bishop – and I am the bearer of the Orb of Power.” he said, holding out his hand and getting to the point.

  This drew audible gasps from everyone crowded around them, each trying to peak around those in front of them to get a clearer look at the boy who claimed to wield the orb of legends past.