by Jeff Inlo
Chapter 6
"You're Shayed of the elflore legend?" the delver finally spoke up. Facing the spirit, Ryson had completely forgotten that Lief was just behind him. The unmoving elf could not make a sound and became a forgotten statue. Ryson's attention thus remained unbroken and focused upon the form of Shayed.
"I am." The apparition's mouth moved as she spoke, but her voice resounded from her core, as if it were the center of her soul which generated the sound for her words.
Even as untold questions haunted the delver, one could not be ignored. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"My body died long ago, if that's what you ask."
"So you're a ghost?"
"I am Shayed," the spirit replied as if it were a simple explanation.
Ryson rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He had hoped for affirmation of her status, but she seemed to decline. If she had simply admitted to being a ghost, his confusion might have ebbed. As it remained with him, he fought valiantly for at least partial comprehension. "You were dead, but now you're back. If I hadn't been through so much in the last day, I would have never believed this. But you are here and you are speaking to me. I can't help but accept that much." He took his hand from his head and glanced back at Shayed. "Now, just because I say I accept it doesn't mean that I understand it. If you're dead, you shouldn't be here. I mean, I've never heard of anyone talking to ghosts before, if you even are a ghost. Sure, I've heard ghost stories, but this isn't right."
"Do you believe in ghosts?" Shayed asked with a genuine desire to help him through his confusion.
At that moment, it was difficult, if not impossible, for the delver to explain what he believed.
"I don't know," he stammered. He made every attempt to answer the question, as if he knew it might hold the key to final understanding. "I believe in souls, but I don't know if I believed something like this was possible."
"It was not before now."
Ryson shook his head. "I don't understand." He sighed as if giving up.
"The sphere is again radiating its captured energies into the world," the elf sorceress said with a smile, reassuring the delver. "That is why your beliefs are no longer as you would have them. Even in its corrupted form, the return of magic means the return of many things. The ghosts in the stories you spoke of might have indeed been souls trying to return to this land, yet without magic they could not make the transition complete. That is no longer a problem."
"So what's that mean? Now, along with everything else, ghosts are going to start roaming around just like everybody else! You know, this is really getting ridiculous. Did you know that yesterday I was attacked by a corpse?" His words emphasized his growing strain. Ryson's entire life became unraveled before him. He faced a delver's nightmare. Nothing was certain; nothing held absolute answers, whether simple or complex. Facts were no longer facts as this cursed magic changed the rules he spent his life learning.
Shayed took compassion upon the delver. Her hazy eyes warmed with a loving glow. "An unfortunate result of the corruption caused by the sphere. I sense the confusion within you. I can give no remedy for that. The strain bears upon you because of what you are. You are delver, that I am sure."
"Yes, I'm a delver. I'm Ryson Acumen. But right now that's about all I know. I wonder now if even that's true."
The spirit laughed lightly, an open-hearted laugh. "That will always remain true. You will always seek answers, even if they might change. View this as an opportunity, Ryson Acumen. See this as a chance to relearn all that you believed you knew. Could a true delver ask for more?"
"I guess not," Ryson admitted. His tensions eased, but only slightly. He still faced the seemingly impossible. He attempted to face it with the delver spirit she strove to bring out of him. "Does your appearance mean that other ghosts, or spirits, or whatever, will start appearing all over the place?"
"Spirits will not simply return to this land at will. They are either summoned and controlled by dark magic, or they must have some higher purpose."
Ryson quickly caught the underlying possibilities of such a reply. "Since I assume you are not controlled by dark magic, I guess you have some higher purpose?"
"I do. It is a purpose of the highest order. Do not, however, misinterpret me. I am not a savior, not a heroine who comes with the power to end the threat which exists. I play the mere role of messenger. My ability to alter the current course may only be negligible, but it is a purpose which allows for my presence here. It is your presence upon Sanctum which is of greater importance. I am limited to this spot. I would not be able to travel to find you. Your presence here signifies greater powers at work."
Ryson cast a doubtful look upon the sorceress apparition. "That's the second time I've heard that, and I'm not sure I accept it. You talk as if some force is guiding me along. I don't think so. I was just doing a job and things just happened. It's hard to imagine that something else might be responsible for me being here."
Shayed cast aside his doubts. She turned the attention to Ryson's motionless associate. "I assume it was your speechless companion that spoke of it first."
Ryson suddenly remembered that Lief was at his side. He turned to see the flustered elf still and quiet. The delver placed a hand on the elf's shoulder as Lief's eyes stared unblinkingly at Shayed.
"Hey, Lief." Ryson shook him lightly. "Are you alright?"
Lief regained his voice, but his skin remained gray. "It is Shayed!"
"I know." Ryson could not help but chuckle at Lief's disposition. The stunned expression and the gray pallor of his companion lightened the delver's mood considerably. For the first time since they met, it was Lief who showed greater surprise at the stirring events which had passed over them.
"Do not make light of this," the elf clamored. His rising emotions finally chased away the gray pallor and restored a flush red to his cheeks.
"I'm not making light of this," Ryson said trying to bite back his smile. "But you should see your face. It's getting red now, but before it was almost as white as hers."
Lief clenched his teeth but said nothing further.
Shayed beckoned for their attention once more.
"Both of your reactions are quite understandable," she said calmly. "I assure you, I am glad to see both a representative of the delvers and the elves." She looked squarely at Lief as if trying to recall his face. "What is your name?"
"I am Lief Woodson." The elf bowed slightly.
"I am pleased to meet you." Her voice lost some of its inherent warmth as she pressed the elf for his knowledge. "Do you know what is happening here?"
"I know much less than I would like. We have found a breach in the wall of Sanctum. It must break to the hollow for I can feel the magic flowing through the rift. That also tells me that the sphere remains in Sanctum. As for why the breach exists or as to who might have caused it, I can not say."
"No one is responsible for the breach," Shayed stated firmly. "The sphere itself has broken through."
"That can not be!" the elf blurted out, but he caught his tongue quickly. "Forgive me, I meant no disrespect. I just could not believe that that was possible. But if you say so, then so it must be."
"You need not apologize, Lief Woodson. I understand your surprise, but rest assured it is true. The sphere has used the power within it to break from its prison. It created the quake to shift the mountain. At the same time, it discharged a powerful blast of energy which created the opening in Sanctum."
"That would explain what I saw in the crevice," Ryson acknowledged. He placed a hand to his chin as he recalled the sight of the cavern. As delver's are capable of doing, a clear image came into his mind and he could see the inside of the tunnel with great detail. "It wasn't man-made and the force came from within."
"Your senses are keen, delver," the apparition said with an even warmer expression. "They will be needed, that is why I believe there are greater powers at work here."
"You talked about a
higher purpose before," Ryson responded. His voice revealed his skepticism about these greater powers, but for the moment, he turned upon his curiosities of Shayed's appearance. "Before you start talking about how I'm needed, can you tell me why you're here?"
Shayed answered without hesitancy. Her words held the conviction that made it clear to Ryson of how she was able to lead the alliance of different races long ago. She spoke with neither pride nor arrogance over her own importance. "I was responsible for encasing the sphere within this mountain. I have come to understand that my decision was neither right nor wrong. It simply delayed the inevitable. Perhaps, it allowed for a time where the participants were better prepared for what they must face. Only time can judge that matter.
"Regardless, the time has come. The sphere can no longer be entombed. There is nothing which might hold it. With each day it becomes more aware of its surroundings. It is slow to think, slower to react. That is why it took so many cycles of the seasons to break free. It will not take as long if the same approach is taken. There is but one thing that must be done. The sphere must be destroyed."
The mere mention of the destruction of the sphere extracted an animated response from Lief. His own mind raced over the legends of elflore and how Shayed herself gave her very life to prevent the wizards from doing what she now suggested. "Are you sure?" Lief questioned with eyes nearly bulging. "I mean not to question you, but... the Wizard War? Was it not fought to prevent that very thing? What of the elves? Will they be safe if the tainted magic is freed?"
"They are not safe now," Shayed replied with the first hint of sadness. The mention of the war brought a flood of memories, of decisions long ago, actions when she was of mortal body. She continued. "Nor is anyone safe. If it reassures you, it is my belief, no, my acceptance that the destruction of the sphere will not mean the end of the elves. It is the sphere which corrupts the magic, the sphere which creates the poison. If the sphere is destroyed, so will be the poison."
"Your word is more than enough for me," Lief stated firmly. Any shred of doubt evaporated with the conviction of Shayed's words. Lief now stood boldly willing to take up the weight of any endeavor at the simple command of the spirit sorceress. "If you command the sphere to be destroyed, then so it will."
"Now, wait a minute!" Ryson passed a glance at Lief. The issue of the sphere, the momentary debate, and the final decision all seemed to pass him by. It was his own question of Shayed's higher purpose that led to each, yet he remained as ill-informed as a newborn. Sentence was past, and he remained uncertain of the very issue at hand. He became almost as demanding in tone as Lief had displayed during their journey to Sanctum. "Maybe all you need is the word of a spirit and you're off, but I still need to know more about what in the name of Godson is going on here."
Shayed spoke patiently to the delver. "Your service is needed delver. The services of all races, in fact. The sphere can no longer be held within this mountain or any other mountain. It has gained enough awareness to realize it wishes to break free. There is danger for everyone and everything. The sphere holds the power to destroy all life, to decimate all races and end the eternal conflict."
"What conflict?" The delver grew frustrated. With every explanation, Shayed created only more questions.
"The conflict between right and wrong, good and evil, happiness and sorrow; that is the conflict I speak of. You must understand that the sphere works for neither side. In effect, it has chosen the only other alternative between these struggles; oblivion. It works for but one purpose, annihilation of everything."
"The sphere? In this mountain, the sphere wants to destroy everything?" Ryson's disbelief was obvious.
"I understand your doubt." Her words rang with sincerity for such a thing seemed almost unthinkable. "What is happening was never foreseen or foretold. Even more disheartening, its final outcome remains unknown. Being of spirit form, I have had the privilege to speak with powers that in different means have passed the prophesies to earth. They all agree upon one thing, the sphere resists the influences of both sides. In truth, there is nothing which will indicate how any of this may turn out. This one event may yet be that which decides whether the struggle between good and evil continues or if oblivion will take both sides."
"You aren’t making this any clearer to me."
Shayed spread her transparent arms to her sides. "Think of this land as the great playing field where good and evil compete. It is an ongoing struggle. The prophecies talk of these struggles and their ultimate outcome. Now, however, this land faces something which might intervene, something which might end the struggle in the worst way. Oblivion threatens to run over this land. It threatens to end the struggle with neither side winning. It would mean the end of good, the end of evil, the end of everything. An endless void, no life, no struggle. An option that is unacceptable."
"Can this be possible?" the delver questioned.
"Unfortunately, yes," Shayed emphasized. "It has been made possible by the awareness which was created within the sphere. It is something I overlooked when I first probed the energies. The sphere is neither the pawn of evil nor of good. It serves its own purposes, and that is of oblivion. For some unknown reason, it wishes to end the struggle."
"Let's say I understand everything you're saying. What are we supposed to do? I know you said we had to destroy the sphere, but do you have any idea of just how we might do that? I just got through inspecting the tunnel. It's blocked. There's a barrier that's protecting the opening to the inside of this mountain. I don't think we're going to be able to break through it."
"You could not break through it," Shayed acknowledged. "The sphere absorbed powerful energies during the battle between the races and the magic casters. The force field would be impenetrable."
"Well, that doesn't leave us many options. According to my friend here, this mountain was designed so digging is out of the question. He said that even the dwarves couldn't reach it through tunneling."
"That is also true."
Ryson continued to press the spirit for answers. "You aren't leaving us with any choices here. And you still haven't answered my question. I'm not even sure how to destroy this sphere, but even getting to it is going to be a problem. It might be impossible."
"It is not impossible." Shayed spoke with certainty as she revealed the only true option available. "You must reach the sphere by using the path which was originally created to entomb it. You must travel down the five tiers. This is a path that the sphere will not be able to block."
"It's already blocked," Ryson exclaimed. "According to elflore, the people that buried this thing put in their own measures to prevent anyone from doing exactly what you want us to do. I don't even know what's down there."
"That is why you must prepare for this quest. You must gather representatives from the five races responsible for entombing the sphere." She took a moment to turn her spiritual presence toward the inspiring view of the land. Her words became musical in their conviction. "What has been broken must be mended. What has been forgotten must be remembered. What you need to know and what you must have, all awaits you. It is a time unequaled in history, a time when all powers can unite for a common goal. There is much at stake, for both sides."
Her form circled back to the elf and delver. "If this task frightens you, and well it should, there are other aspects which must bring you strength. You are not alone. Not you, Ryson Acumen as a delver, and not you, Lief Woodson, as an elf. Do not speak of the barriers in this mountain as unbreakable. What barrier is stronger than the line between life and death? I have crossed that barrier to seek you out, to alert you to what you face. If I can do that, can you not cross the barriers placed within this mountain? And what of your appearance here? You wish to overlook the guiding forces which have certainly had a hand in this, but these forces still exist. If it is their will that you succeed, then all of the magic in the sphere doubled, even tripled, could not stop you."
Ryson exhaled deeply. It did
not sit well with him, this concept of divine selection. It made him feel more like a pawn. He wished to believe he was here of his own choosing or of mere coincidence. He attempted to clear his mind. He looked about and again his senses seized that which was around him. He felt the warm sunshine on his face. He smelled the clean air. As he inhaled, he noted a slight charge, the presence of magic, and he realized the air was not as pure as he thought. Finally, he turned to his companion.
"It sounds as if we have no choice."
Lief looked deeply into the face of the delver. "Do you truly believe her words? Will you accept this task?"
Ryson spoke as if condemned. "I know she's not lying. I don't know why. But yes, I believe her and yes I'll accept this task, even though it seems impossible."
"That is good because I know she is Shayed. I knew it when I saw her. We must do as she asks."
"I'm not arguing." Ryson forced a smile, hoping to reassure the elf before turning back to the ghostly apparition. "I'll do whatever I can. It might help, though, if you give us an idea of what to do first."
"It gives me strength to hear that," she answered with a great smile. "You must leave me for now, you must realign the five races that once fought together to defeat Ingar and the magic casters. An alliance is needed once more, and that is where you must begin. You must seek the dwarves, the algors, and the humans. Once you have gathered what is necessary to begin the quest, return to this spot. I will be waiting for you. Go now, you have much to do."
"We shall go," Lief spoke with authority. He even bowed deeply. He spoke as if chosen for hero's quest. "And we shall return."
Fool's quest was perhaps how the delver saw it, but Ryson kept his thoughts to himself as Lief uttered a determined vow before they both descended Sanctum.
"We shall go first to my camp and I promise their assistance as well as all the elves. We shall destroy the sphere."