Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach

by Jeff Inlo

Chapter 23

  Mappel led the group quickly up the stairs into the main chamber of the church. Godson followers nervously poked their heads around corners as they watched in trepidation of the cliff behemoth that now stood comfortably in the open space. They would have remained behind the security of those walls had Matthew not sought them out.

  He calmed them first, assured them, and reminded them what a cliff behemoth stood for. The emotional swing from alarm to awe was clearly evident in their expressions. Some walked away from the security of their hiding places to get closer to the giant. Their faces filled with joy. It appeared as if their faith was upheld simply by witnessing the existence of such a creature, as if seeing Godson.

  Matthew urged a handful to complete other tasks. Politely, diplomatically, he pressed upon them the need for urgency. He quickly set them upon errands as he himself disappeared down the hall which led to his personal chambers.

  The handful of church followers soon returned. Wide-eyed, joyous, they walked passed the cliff behemoth and began handing out water bags and food sacks. Algors, dwarves and elves alike thanked them as they stepped away from the group but remained closer than before, as if being next to the giant added blessings to their souls.

  Matthew returned with his Book of Godson in one hand and a rope in the other. Two more followers brought up the rear, also toting ropes.

  "I admit that I do not know what awaits you in Sanctum, but I do know that our journey will go faster if we already are supplied with food and water. I also know that when a mountain must be climbed or descended, rope comes in very handy. I would bring more supplies if I had them, but we are a poor church."

  Lief Woodson trotted forward to meet the reader and relieved him of the heavy rope. He ducked his head through the center of the coil and let it hang upon the shoulder opposite his bow. "It is more than we can ask for, good reader. Your forethought does you well."

  Holli and Ryson moved forward to take the remaining ropes, also placing them over their shoulders.

  "Is there anything else we might yet accomplish here?" Mappel asked of both those that would travel with him and the followers of the church they would leave behind. He was answered by silence and shaking heads. "Then it is time to ..."

  "Wait!" Lauren called out with a warning as Mappel was about to direct them out the front door. Her sight again focused beyond the walls, beyond the church and into the streets. More jagged lines of anguish etched themselves permanently in her face. "Spies watch this door. Men are coming this way now."

  The hush in the church magnified, but now it carried heavy apprehension with it.

  "They are coming for us," she added with certainty.

  Holli Brances took command with the authority of a trained elf guard. "Everyone move away from the door," she instructed firmly. She looked about the church, not for the first time, but with new intentions. She now viewed it as an obstacle to overcome. "This building would protect us well, but that is not our objective."

  With strength and grace, she leapt over benches to reach the west wall. She peered out a lone window and shook her head. "This building is isolated. It is in the open and the light of day will not afford us cover. Even now people are gathered at a distance but have their eyes upon us. It seems the cliff behemoth's entrance has brought great attention. Is there another exit?" she asked of Matthew.

  The reader pointed toward a hall to his left. "Down that corridor. There is a door which opens to a smaller set of stairs at the back corner of the building."

  "They watch there as well," Lauren warned as her eyes fixed upon the direction where Matthew pointed.

  Holli cursed but darted down the hall none the less.

  "It is best to stay put and let her assess what we face." Lief spoke out calmly. "We can do nothing but get in her way."

  She returned in mere moments. "It is worse than the front door. The passage is narrow and there are fewer paths for escape. We could be herded into an ambush. If we are to leave, we use this door and we must leave now. We will be seen but that can no longer be avoided. Follow me and move quickly. Ignore everyone and everything else around you. If humans call for you to stop, ignore that as well. Stop only on my command. Lief, take the rear and keep everyone together. Dzeb I will ask you to stay low and in the center of our group." This last command was spoken with greater diplomacy, as if acknowledging it was truly up to the cliff behemoth.

  "I will do as you ask," Dzeb said as if nothing could trouble him, as if their dilemma presented no true problem.

  Holli nodded graciously. "It will help us greatly. Ryson Acumen, your abilities are again needed. Lauren, I will request your help as well. Ryson you must move ahead of us, scout the forward ground, but move no further than three of these human roads ahead of me. Return often with all the information you can obtain. Lauren, I wish you to remain at my side. I do not know if you understand your powers, but you show great ability to cast sight spells. They will be of great service to us."

  "I'm not sure I'm casting any spells," Lauren revealed with great emotion latching upon her words. "I just see things. I don't know if I can control it."

  "Then do not try," Holli said firmly. "Simply tell me what you see as you see it." She lifted her head to the rest of the group. "We shall waste no more time. We go now."

  With those words, Ryson Acumen bolted from the front door and down the front stone steps. Caring little for the gawking stares of the onlookers that gathered after the arrival of the cliff behemoth, he set about searching for true threats to their advance. His darting eyes flashed upon one road, then another. His ears perked to the wind, he garnered the rhythmic beat of horse hooves in several directions. While the crowd remained scattered about, a collection of men appearing more angry than curious formed across the street. Ryson knew the sight of the cliff behemoth would keep them at bay for a while, but one troublemaker might goad the rest into an assault with rocks from a distance. It would be best to steer the party in another direction.

  His first reconnaissance complete, he returned to the front door of the church.

  "People are gathering," he stated plainly to Holli. "I would recommend passage away from the group across the way. I think you should move quickly. We'll startle them at first, and we can probably take advantage of that."

  "I fully intend to," Holli stated flatly.

  "There are also horses moving in on our position. I can't tell how many."

  Holli's expression went grim. "Which way are they coming from? Can we avoid them?"

  "They're as scattered as the crowd. It sounds as if they're being called in from all over town."

  "It must be Consprite," Matthew interjected. "He's the one who suggested he put guards on horseback to help with the escorts. He probably had others on call to prevent us from leaving as well."

  "Fire upon the fool!" Lief spat. He pulled the bow from over his shoulder and took firm grasp with a taut left hand. "Let me go ahead. I will handle Consprite."

  "No," Ryson and Dzeb responded in unison, although in different tones. Dzeb's voice was calm, yet forceful, as if such a ploy could not even be considered. Ryson allowed emotion to paint his words, but it was Holli that ended any debate.

  "No, Lief. We must stay together. It would be to their advantage to separate us. We will fight only if necessary, but we fight together. Let us first try to outmaneuver them. Ryson, scout passage to the right, away from those you deem most dangerous. Everyone else, follow me."

  Ryson accepted the task with a nod. Without a moment's more hesitation, he was again down the steps, but now moved quickly out of sight.

  Holli took the lead, Lauren at her side. Both trotted quickly down the stairs to the open road. Five algors with the hoods of their cloaks drawn tightly over their heads followed. The cliff behemoth, flanked on each side by Matthew and Stephen, bent his head as he stepped past the door and into the clearing of the open steps.

  Gasps of surprise and fright filled the growing crowd.
Not a single onlooker stood his ground. Even the angry men shied away from the sight of the giant. Each quickly glimpsed about for a sure path of escape in case the creature decided to turn in their direction. To their relief, Holli guided the group in the opposite direction.

  The remaining five algors kept close in behind Dzeb with Jon and Tun following in their wake. The elder dwarf did not appear happy walking so far back in the line. He kept his right hand on his axe and glared with menace at the crowd. He would be more than willing to take out his frustrations upon any human that might try to lay a hand on his royal person. Lief concluded the line with his bow returned to his shoulder. He allowed a slight gap to form between him and the rest of the party, a buffer in case the crowd regained their courage. They never did.

  Ryson returned to their ranks and spoke briefly to Holli. He kept his voice to a whisper as they now walked in the open. After another quick report, the delver again raced off to scout on ahead.

  Word spread through the streets via shouts and cries. With every passing moment of their travel, more and more townspeople became aware of their presence. Shutters banged open, and then closed with a shiver of anguish. Children ran towards them, gawking, before being herded up and whisked away by cringing parents. The clamor revealed their position as well as if they carried a streaming red banner high over Dzeb's head.

  "This will not do," Holli muttered. She searched for a quick solution and appeared to find one in the growing cluster of buildings before them.

  As they moved away from the church, they found themselves closer to the heart of the town. Homes, taverns and shops were built closer together. Narrow alleys offered passage away from the growing host of prying eyes. With quick instructions to Ryson, Holli took every advantage of such offerings. She led them with twists and turns, mostly down narrow back alleys and away from busy intersections. The din of those that had gathered soon faded in the distance as Holli's winding path lost any that tried to pursue.

  The danger, though, was far from over as total avoidance of detection was nearly impossible in such a busy town. A merchant mindlessly sweeping dirt from his back door, or a townsperson passing behind his house witnessed the group with a start and a scream.

  Any dogs, however, remained quiet to their appearance. Those that were loose ran up to Dzeb, licked his hand, and let them pass without the slightest bark or growl. Those animals that stood behind windows of their homes simply watched as the group passed, tails wagging as if a royal welcome. Their stares set happily upon the cliff behemoth.

  In the maze of buildings in such a crowded section of town, even Matthew, who spent his entire life in Connel, became temporarily unaware of their exact position. They followed Holli almost blindly as she never lost her bearings. She kept them moving westward, though in round about fashion. To any that watched her, it was clear she never once lost her direction or sight of her ultimate objective. Her grasp over even this most unfamiliar of terrains was awe-inspiring. She moved as if she spent twenty seasons in this town, and spent that time in these very alleys avoiding detection.

  Ryson's ability to relocate them was equally as stunning. He used his speed to move ahead of the group and out of sight. After scouting many directions, he always managed to find them again without the slightest difficulty. With a brief report to Holli, he was on his way only to return even after Holli led them through more twists and turns around several buildings.

  In the narrow passages where they moved, his whispered words could now be heard by others in the party as they all clustered together.

  "More horses are arriving," he warned. "They're staying on the wide roads, but they're checking the alleys. They're mostly listening to calls from the townspeople. Most of them are false or confused. They haven't established a search pattern. They're simply wandering about recklessly, hoping to stumble over us. If they keep that up, we have a chance."

  On that note of optimism, he again ran off.

  As Holli continued to move them further toward the edge of town, she could now also hear the galloping hooves of horses. The most audible of shouts shifted from surprised screams to the barking of orders. The guards were indeed closing on them as their numbers increased. They came from every direction, but their efforts remained uncoordinated as individuals moved randomly toward their position.

  She turned her head to the party for a brief moment to issue a single warning. "With so many on horseback, it may be impossible to avoid them completely. Stand ready to defend, but only on my order." With her words ending in firm command, she turned back to her duty.

  Holli now relied as heavily upon her own training as she did upon the continuous reports from the delver. With savvy and skill, she zigzagged through the buildings which stood between them and the open fields to the west. She continuously altered the speed of the party, sometimes stopping them for long moments in a narrow alley as a horse-backed rider trotted past. Her skill was rewarded, the ancient wall was now in sight, but with the wall came greater risk.

  The guards were now close enough for them to spot several, but through the grace of benevolent forces and by the talents of Holli, the party remained unseen. When the road ahead was clear, they moved at their best possible speed. When Holli was in doubt about what might lie around the next corner, she slowed them and selected several alternate routes in case retreat was necessary.

  As they closed upon the outskirts of the town, movement became tense and laborious. Buildings were smattered about haphazardly. The cover of narrow, dark alleys disappeared into wide vacant lots. One or two elves or delvers might have escaped detection over such areas, but not a group which included ten algors, two dwarves and a cliff behemoth. Her concerns doubled as Lauren called out a warning of her own.

  "Their leader is with them now," she whispered into Holli's ear, but those around her heard as well. "He is directing their efforts. Many are being sent to the wall to cut off our escape. He is close by. I think he knows we want to head west."

  The elf guard shook her head with distress, but kept them moving. If men were being sent to the wall, they would have to beat them there, although she understood such prospects were dim. Holli actually surpassed her own expectations as they reached within a stone's throw of the wall before a rider twenty paces from them called out their position.

  The party stood beside a large storage facility for grain which came in from the fields. The building walls were tall, taller than Dzeb, and made of brick. Holli needed only scan the closest wall in the briefest of moments to know it would not behoove them to be trapped against it. She immediately sought other options.

  In front of them, only a few strides, a wide road drifted off to the west and up a ramp over the ancient wall. It was the main supply route for farmers to bring their crops to town. Holli's sharp eyes followed the direct passage out to the western horizon. While it would lie over open ground between the corn and wheat fields, it would eventually lead toward wooded areas of sanctuary. She harshly judged its merits with tactical implications.

  The open road would give an advantage to those on horseback. It offered nothing in the way of cover, but it remained a clear path to the west and ultimately to Sanctum. There were trees in the distance, trees she and Lief, and Ryson could use to thwart any attack, but they stood out of reach. She knew the group could not outrun the horse-backed guards to safety. In her final assessment, the road afforded her little strategic value other than offering greater space for maneuverability and the slim hope of escape.

  Still, these small benefits surpassed that which existed in their current position. Unwilling to be trapped against the warehouse, Holli quickly ordered everyone to the middle of the road. They were in the open and away from cover, but free passage extended in several directions. With a decision made, she turned a critical eye upon her foes.

  As more and more riders rambled toward them, their weaknesses, as well as their ill-will, were easily visible to the eyes of a trained elf guard. The men appeared ready
for a skirmish, but not trained enough to use the open ground to their advantage. The circle they formed was loose and porous. If it became necessary, she and Lief could send enough arrows to send the lot into utter confusion and spook the horses into uncontrolled flight. For now, though, she waited with sharp eyes watching every significant move of those that surrounded her.

  Ryson had returned to their ranks, but instead of taking a place next to Holli, he moved to her far left. Lief noted his positioning and moved slowly to his right. The three formed the points of a triangle with the rest of the party in between. Ryson kept his sword sheathed as Holli and Lief kept their bows strapped about their shoulders.

  Tense silence gripped the scene until Matthew called out to any rider that would answer.

  "What's going on here? Why are you blocking our way?"

  None replied.

  "I insist you let us pass," he demanded. "We have done nothing wrong. You have no right to stop us."

  One of the guards, eyeing Dzeb with both fear and awe, called out the first reply. "You're walkin' around with a monster. After what we've seen, we've ..."

  His response was cut short by the slow beat of a horse's trot behind him, and a callous command. "That will be enough."

  Those surrounded by the guards turned their attention to the approaching rider; all except Holli, Lief and Ryson. Their focus remained upon the guards which stood closest to their points of protection.

  There were now at least two dozen riders that encircled them. Some had swords in hand, others had bows with arrows ready. They were surely not bound together by common training, as they did not allow their greater numbers to work to their advantage. Their positioning remained lax and disorganized, wide gaps remained in their ranks. They made no attempt to complement or coordinate their weaponry as those with bows found themselves clustered together. Those with long swords and best suited to block the escape routes were also far from optimal position.

  The threat, however, lay not in their ability to work together, but in the cold assumption of their task. Ryson judged them as nothing more than a collection of mercenaries, hired by the mayor to carry out his own bidding. Unable to recognize a man before him, he believed they would be willing to carry out any order, no matter how unjust. The guards looked upon most of the group as nothing more than cattle, and they would probably treat them all with less compassion. Only the cliff behemoth pulled a reaction from the men beyond indifference, and that was fear.

  The newcomer on horseback moved forward through the ranks of the circled men. He guided his horse with obvious difficulty, making it clear to all that he was uncomfortable sitting upon the animal. It was Consprite, and his appearance brought little surprise to all that had come to know him, especially Mappel.

  The elder elf remained quiet as Matthew confronted the mayor first.

  "Why have you ordered these men to stop us? You assured us they would assist us."

  Consprite shook his head, his slightly pudgy cheeks jiggled, accenting his expression of impatience. "I assured you they would escort your guests safely to the church, nothing more. Don't make it sound as if I have broken a promise. That deed has been done by you. I offered my help and you were to keep me advised of anything which might stir the people. This morning I hear shouts and screams and now I find you attempting to sneak out of town. Is that keeping your word? That just won't do. The people are up in arms. They'll expect an explanation. I now also would like an explanation."

  "There is nothing to explain," Mappel joined the debate. He kept his tone calm as he stepped towards Consprite. "We have done exactly what we told you we were going to do. We have brought many together at the Church of Godson, we have talked, and now we must leave."

  Consprite brushed his eyebrow with his forefinger. "I assume then you have reached some consensus. Were you not going to inform me of that decision?"

  Mappel responded placidly. His stance, however, was anything but relaxed. His weight remained evenly upon his feet, his staff balanced in his hands. "It no longer concerns you."

  The mayor would not agree. He spoke with a near mocking tone. "I doubt that's the case. I would guess it concerns everyone. Isn't that what you told me when we had our discussion in my office? I was under the impression that whatever was happening was affecting the entire land. Has that changed?"

  "Many things have changed since our first meeting," Mappel said coolly.

  "But not that."

  "Be that as it may, our business now calls us away from Connel."

  "And that's it?" The mayor feigned surprise as he raised his eyebrows. He spoke as if he could not conceive of such a callous decision. "You would just leave... without acknowledging my role or my wishes? You are finished with Connel, so you walk away as if you were never here?" Consprite's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It is not that easy. There are debts to repay."

  "What kind of debts?"

  "Debts to me, of course. Your parade will certainly put me in an uncomfortable position. It may be discovered that I hid your presence from the town. That will not be looked upon kindly. There are also the escorts I have provided for you."

  "The same escorts which now block us?" Matthew asked with an intensity which loomed ever higher.

  Never at a loss for words, the mayor responded with a sharpened tongue. "These men confronted you because your giant friend there failed to follow the instructions we agreed upon. I was to help your guests reach the church and you would keep from causing a panic in the streets. I'm sure you saw the commotion you caused. What were my men supposed to do? Ignore it? No, I'm afraid not. If you are upset by what has occurred, it is your own fault. It also appears as if some of your other guests were unwilling to take advantage of my escorts." His eyes first washed over the giant, but they soon found the dwarves. Their hardened faces stared back at him as he noted their peculiar features. The hoods of the algors hid their faces from him, but their appearance was already reported to him. He nodded to Jon and Tun. "It seems there are other interesting things that you wish to keep hidden from me. These two I assume are dwarves. They've entered this town without my knowledge. Another breach of our agreement. Are they going to accompany you to Sanctum?"

  The question hung in the air even as Consprite waited with triumphant glee. He drank in their surprise, especially that of the elder elf.

  "What do you know of Sanctum?" Mappel asked, no longer hiding his contempt for the man.

  "I know a great many things you probably wish I didn't." He paused to pull an item from his pocket. He held it aloft for all to see the weather beaten cover of a book in which dust had actually become embedded. To Matthew and Stephen, the book was immediately recognizable. "It was hard to obtain a copy of a Book of Godson. Not many people have one. Luckily the library archived a copy. I doubt it has been looked at in years."

  At first Consprite smiled at the reactions of Matthew and Stephen. He reveled in his victory until he placed an icy stare upon the elder elf. "This book has revealed a great many things to me. I believe I know what you are after. It's this Sphere of Ingar, isn't it? It would explain a great many things to me. I imagine you're going to Sanctum Mountain to try and stop the magic which you believe is now free. Let me ask you this, does it still contain poison for the elves?"

  "It will contain poison for all," Mappel snarled.

  "I don't know about that, but it does contain great power. I want to know what you intend to do with it. What are your plans when you reach Sanctum?"

  "That does not concern you."

  "It does, if I don't let you leave."

  "Again I demand to know by what right you hold us." Matthew growled, his cheeks turning red with anger.

  Consprite nearly laughed at the reaction. "Do you think with all that is going on I have to answer such a question? You talk as if there's someone I have to answer to. That simply isn't the case. No one would fault me for throwing all of you in prison, especially if they found out who and what you are. The pe
ople of this town will be very upset to know that monsters were hiding in that church of yours. What do you think they will do when their courage grows? I bet they'll consider burning that church right down to the ground. If I'm not around to keep order, it will surely happen. Now, I can be persuaded to keep a guard over your church, and allow you to pass, but it will take much more of your cooperation."

  "More likely you mean that if we don't do as you say, you'll see that it's done," Matthew roared with anger. "I am not so blinded by my faith that I can't see a threat. If there is any burning to be done, I'm sure you'll be at the heart of it."

  Consprite snickered, then acted to appear hurt, as if wounded by the barb. "You do me injustice. I have been on your side all along. It is the townspeople that will take the action. Mobs are an angry and unmanageable lot."

  "What of the spies?"

  The mayor looked about to find the source of the question. His eyes narrowed upon Lauren, her face a mixture of uncertainty as well as challenge.

  "Do I know you?" the mayor wondered aloud.

  Lauren hesitated only for a moment before her voice boomed with new found confidence. "I doubt it, but I know you, more now than ever, probably more than you would ever believe. I live in this town. I know that the people would not simply burn anything without prodding from the likes of you."

  She stepped toward him. Her eyes locked upon him, bore through his outward shell. Any hint of her trepidation evaporated as she saw into the caverns of his conniving, greedy soul. "I also know of the spies you placed around the church to watch us. I read you as easily as a tavern sign." Indeed, Lauren's eyes glowed with new found power and they uncovered the mayor's deepest thoughts and intentions. "The escorts, the spies, even your intentions now. I see them all. Tell them what you really want, mayor. End this charade. You want the sphere for yourself. You want to unravel its secrets and learn to tap into its power. You have a twisted soul, Consprite. You would kill us all, even these guards that now serve you if it meant truly grasping this power."

  "Nonsense,”

  Lauren cut him off before he could continue. Her words fiery hot, the power which was now hers to command coursing through her spirit. "Save your lie. I hear it ringing in your head before you say the words. You were going to say you only want to help, that you would accompany us to Sanctum with some of your men at our side. You would leave men here and at the church to keep peace."

  The mayor's eyes widened with surprise. "Who are you?" he asked again. "How did you know what I was going to say?"

  "Does it matter, because I also know you lie. You will use the guards to take the sphere when the time is right."

  At first, Consprite did not reply. He merely sat uncomfortably upon his horse, considering his options. Finally, he spoke with cold expression and bitter words. "Be that as it may, you have little choice. If you wish to proceed to Sanctum Mountain, you must allow me to accompany you. Otherwise I will not let you leave."

  Neither Mappel nor Matthew reacted first, nor did Lauren. Before they could say a single word in response, a reply came from an unexpected source within their very midst. It came in the form of the smallest action, without a word of bravado.

  Very placidly, very deliberately, the cliff behemoth took a step. His calm blue eyes gazed off down the road to the west. He spoke not a word. Gently, he placed a hand upon an algor's shoulder and made it clear he wished to pass. He took another step and his direction was now clear, he would leave Connel whether Consprite allowed it or not. In truth, he moved as if the guards and Consprite were no longer there. Every eye was now on him. Even Holli allowed a glance over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the giant's movements. None followed as all remained in place, yet Dzeb moved forward as if nothing mattered.

  "What's that thing doing?" Consprite demanded, but a hint of fear broke through his words.

  Mappel did not answer. No one did. They simply watched as Dzeb strode up to the horsebacked riders that blocked the western pass of the road. The horses reared back and the surprised, cautious guards allowed them to do so. With silent, peaceful grace, as if walking through an empty park at sunrise, Dzeb stepped past the circle of riders. Nothing now stood between him and the ramp which passed over the ancient wall.

  Consprite shook the confusion from his thoughts. Anger swelled in him as he watched the cliff behemoth walk past his guards as if they did not exist.

  "Stop him!" he ordered.

  Nearly every guard waited motionless for another to take up the task. Finally, one bowman at the edge of the road decided to act. He fired a single arrow at the back right shoulder of the giant. It sliced through the air with perfect precision and met its mark with pinpoint accuracy, though the result was most unanticipated by the bowman.

  The steel tip of the arrow, razor sharp, failed to penetrate Dzeb's body. A small fleck of his hide skipped away from his back, but that was the extent of his injury. The arrow fared much worse. The steel-tipped arrowhead flattened as the shaft shattered. Small splinters of wood rained everywhere as Dzeb stopped moving.

  He turned with patience, back towards the circle of men. His eyes betrayed the sorrow in his heart as he stood gazing at the guard with the empty bow still in his hand. For that man, all eternity passed in a single heartbeat.

  With his eyes growing sadder by the moment, Dzeb reversed his direction and stepped more forcibly towards the bowman. The other men clustered about this marked guard guided their horses back and away. The bowman stood alone and too frightened to direct his horse toward an escape.

  Dzeb mouthed a word loud and clear. Its meaning was lost on all that watched, except for the horses. At once they calmed, and not one animal let loose even a single whinny. Even the horse upon which the bowman sat, waited patiently for Dzeb as he stepped ever closer. If the bowman kicked the horse with all his might, it would not move the mare an inch.

  Dzeb reached out. His mammoth hand extended slowly outward. First, it found the snout of the horse. He patted it gently. The mare closed its eyes as if calmed to sleep. The gray hand of the behemoth, with powerful fingers extended, moved onward and reached out toward the guard. Dzeb closed his palm around the bow and lifted it deliberately from the guard's grip. He held the weapon over empty ground as he tightened his fist. The center of the bow crumbled, the taut string went limp, the remnants dropped to the ground as harmless as dust.

  Consprite watched first the giant, but then the faces of all those around him. He saw the panic rise in his men and smiles of satisfaction appear upon Mappel and his followers. Anger swelled within him, and he growled though gritted teeth. "Use your swords you fools! Stop him!"

  Those men that found the strength to overcome their fear drew their weapons, but their horses would not move as they directed. They shouted and kicked, but the animals remained in place, as if the horses were nothing more than stone statues.

  In that moment of utter chaos, it was the algors that acted, and as was customary, they moved in unison. Ten slings appeared with ten rounded stones in place. The swinging bands cut the air and the stones fired simultaneously. Ten separate targets were selected, and ten guards fell to the ground.

  Ryson, Holli, and Lief moved with almost the same precision. With delver agility, Ryson leapt upon the closest rider. He knocked the guard from his perch on the saddle and sent him sprawling to the ground. He leapt off that horse and on to a second, again sending the rider flying. He dismounted four riders with ease, two remained unconscious upon the ground, and the other two ran swiftly to safety. The horses remained in place as if nothing had happened.

  Lief drew his sword. As guards tried to move their horses, he slapped them hard on the wrists with the blunt edge. Their swords or bows dropped harmlessly to the ground as he disarmed three before a fourth was prepared to duel with him from an unmoving horse. While the guard had the advantage of height from the saddle, he could not maneuver. Lief quickly moved in from behind and with a sword point at the man's neck, forced submission
.

  Holli took her bow from her shoulder but at first left the arrows in their quiver. She grasped one end of the bow with both hands as she heaved it back. With great force she swung at the nearest rider. The thick wooden bow struck the guard's chest. He flew backwards out of the saddle and landed upon the ground dazed, if not seriously hurt. Again, the horse remained unmoving. It showed no sign of distress as Holli jumped on its back.

  Firmly in the saddle, Holli finally drew an arrow. She readied it in the bow string and pulled back with steady force. She kept her grip on the string as she called for Consprite's attention.

  "Tell your men to disarm, now!" The arrow pointed unmistakably at the mayor's throat. "It will be a painful way to die," she urged.

  Consprite's face turned gray, then white. The female elf's resolve was not a matter of question. Had he hesitated, she would have let the arrow fly.

  "Do as she said!" he yelled, but the words blurted from his mouth in more of a yelp.

  "Now have them dismount!" Holli's hands remained steady upon her bow, the string remained taught.

  "Do it!" he instructed, and those that remained in their saddles dropped to the ground.

  "You too," she gave her last command.

  The mayor struggled to move as quickly as possible. He cursed, his face glowed red once more with both fear and embarrassment. At first, he could not decide how to remove himself from the perch of the saddle. He looked to his left, then his right. He pulled up his right leg, shook his head in alarm over falling, and changed to his left. Finally, he struggled and fumbled his way out of the saddle. His right foot would not clear the stirrup and he ended up on his backside. He cursed again, and went to lift himself out of the dirt covered road.

  "I think you should stay there," Holli advised. She lowered the tension on the bow string, but the arrow remained in place.

  Consprite bit back an angry retort, and remained on the seat of his pants. His horse stood placidly by him. It made no movements as Mappel stepped up to grab its reins.

  Mappel considered the horse before him, just as he swerved his head about to consider the many other animals within his grasp. An idea of their service leaped into his mind.

  "Dare I say, that again providence has intervened," he spoke gently, but all could hear him. "Is it luck or a turn of fate that we now have the means to reach Sanctum before nightfall?"

  Holli joined in immediately. "The horses would give us a great advantage. We would not have to make a single camp. We could stay on the roads along the farms and bypass the human towns between Connel and the mountain." Her mind calculated the entire journey which lay before them. She posed a question to herself as well as the entire group. "But what of the thickening forest? The horses will slow us when we reach Dark Spruce."

  Mappel shook his head serenely. "They might slow us, if you simply refer to the elves and perhaps the delver. You must now, however, think with greater scope. The horses will help those that can not walk within the trees, such as Matthew here, and Stephen, and our good friends the algors and dwarves."

  "I considered that from the start," Holli corrected him quickly but politely. "I wonder more about when the trees thicken and block most passages. What about paths in the forest that prove too narrow for the horses?"

  "We could head northwest," Ryson called out the suggestion. "We could pass through the edges of Dark Spruce and then cut south to approach Sanctum. We would lose a little time in the beginning by not heading due west, but we would make it up and more as we close in. Besides, if the path is too narrow for a horse, then I doubt it would be wide enough for Dzeb."

  Holli seized upon the last statement, still unsure if taking the horses would give them a true advantage. "That is another point. What horse here can carry the cliff behemoth without collapsing after a minute’s ride? Would it truly help us to leave a trail of exhausted animals?"

  "There's a cart at the front of that building," Lief asserted as he pointed to the warehouse. "If we hitch two of the horses to the cart, they could carry Dzeb with ease."

  Holli nodded in agreement. "That would solve most problems, though we would have to leave the cart at the base of Sanctum. Dzeb would have to climb on foot."

  "I expect all of us will at that point," Ryson acknowledged. "After a full day’s ride with little rest, none of these horses will be in any condition to take a slope as steep as Sanctum's. The important thing is that we will reach the mountain before night falls."

  Dzeb interrupted the discussion with a point seemingly overlooked by the elves. "If you are talking about taking these horses, I would have to decline for other reasons." His voice was melodic, but no less firm. "These horses do not belong to us. No matter what these men have done, it would not be right for us to take them. The cart also does not belong to us."

  "I'm sure this man won't object to giving us his horses, would you?" Holli's tone did not hide the edge of a threat. Her hand still held the bow as the tip of the arrow again bore down upon Consprite's throat.

  Dzeb maintained his serene yet unshakable tone. "I can not accept that, either. I can understand what we have done here to this point, for in truth we have done no harm. To threaten and steal is another matter. I can not, will not, be a part of that."

  Lief could not hold his tongue. "You would risk the land for the sake of these men that were willing to slaughter us all?! Fire upon you and your Book of Godson! There are times we must do what we have to in order to survive. Taking these horses would be no different than you crushing that guard’s bow."

  "I already regret that action," Dzeb replied with more than a twinge of sadness. "It was, however, necessary."

  "As taking the horses is necessary!"

  "We have other choices," the cliff behemoth reminded the elf with no hostility in his voice.

  "Fire upon you and your other choices."

  "Wait a minute, what if we pay for the horses?" Ryson quickly asked while walking up to the cliff behemoth. "What if we pay for the cart as well? We would simply be acquiring what we need for the trip by totally acceptable methods. Would that be alright with you?"

  Dzeb did not protest. "It is stealing I am against."

  "Very well, then." Ryson turned and trotted toward Consprite. He first looked about him to ensure the count of the party. "I will need twenty-one of these horses."

  "They're not for sale," Consprite snarled.

  Ryson was not shaken for a moment. "Oh but they are. You see I had a bargain with the town council, of which you belong. I'm sure you remember. I was to scout out towns to check the damage of the quake. I was paid only half when I started out. I was to be paid the other half when I returned. Well, here I am, and I want my payment."

  "The town council no longer exists," Consprite replied with irritation flooding his voice.

  "But you are here and acting as mayor. That makes you responsible. Do you have my money?"

  The mayor said nothing.

  "I didn't think so. Therefore you have broken your end of the bargain, but I am willing to make a deal. I will take twenty-one of these horses now. In return, I will forget your debt as well as return to you the entire portion of the initial payment." Ryson flipped a bag of gold coins in to the lap of the mayor. "That bag contains more than I was given when I took on your job, I expect you to give the difference to the owner of that cart. More than fair."

  The delver turned and looked toward Dzeb. "The horses are rightfully ours, do you agree?"

  Dzeb nodded and gave a warm smile. "It is the will of Godson."