Knights: Book 03 - The Heart of Shadows

by Robert E. Keller

  "We're going up," Taris said, pointing at the hole above them.

  Lannon flung the grapple hook up through the hole, but it snagged nothing and fell back down. He tried again and got the same result. He glanced at Taris. "I'm not sure there is anything I can hook up there."

  "You could levitate yourself up," said Taris, shrugging.

  Lannon considered it. He'd tried levitation before with the power of the Eye, but it quickly wore him out. It took a lot of energy to move objects even briefly--let alone lift himself thirty feet into the air. And using the Eye on himself seemed especially tiring for some reason, as if he were struggling against himself somehow. "I think I'll pass on that," he said. "Any other ideas?"

  Taris frowned. "Where is your imagination, Squire? A Dark Watchman could get up there easily. Remember, this tower was designed for Blue Knights who possess the Eye of Divinity."

  An idea occurred to Lannon, and he hurled the grapple hook again. This time he reached out with the Eye and searched for a place to hook it. The distance was significant, but the hook was light and easy to move. He found a small metal ring on the floor above, and he forced the hook to snag it.

  "And there you have it," said Taris. "You combined the power of the Eye with your skills as a Blue Squire. That's what it's all about."

  Lannon started to slowly climb up, but Taris chastised him. "You're climbing like a fool. Use the Eye to help you climb faster. Don't be afraid of wearing yourself out, for that is how you increase your capacity."

  Lannon focused on scampering up the rope. The Eye did indeed help him climb faster, and he soon stood on the next floor, gazing down through the hole and feeling pride in his accomplishment. He was standing in snow that had blown in through the tower windows (as their shutters were long gone).

  Taris took off his boots and put them in his pack, exposing his large, muscular Birlote feet that had claw-like toenails. He went up the rope like a spider, moving even faster than Lannon had. When he reached the top, he grabbed the edge of the hole and pulled himself up with ease, as if he were completely weightless.

  Lannon sensed the chamber they stood in used to be a library, and he would have loved to see the books it contained--but the books and even the shelves they once rested on were long gone. A few gargoyle statues with claws outstretched and long, hooked beaks still protruded from the walls, and a large stone fireplace was still intact. Sadness filled Lannon as he looked around, and he longed to see the tower as it had once been--to glimpse it with his own eyes and not the Eye of Divinity. He wanted the keep exactly as it used to be and would have gladly done the work to restore it. But the corruption of the Deep Shadow permeated everything, making restoration of the tower out of the question. And, Lannon reminded himself, there was no point to restoring it anyway. He was a Squire of Dremlock, and Dremlock was his home until he retired from Knighthood--if he ever chose to retire. Still, the longing in his heart remained.

  They took a stairway up to the next floor and found stone tables and chairs still intact. This was either a dining hall or meeting hall--or both. There were no windows here, and no snow. Just frosty stone walls. Lannon took a seat in one of the chairs and found it comfortable enough. The smooth stone was sculpted to the shape of his body and, in spite of the freezing air, felt strangely warm beneath him. He relaxed for a moment, lost in his ponderings of the tower.

  Taris smiled and pointed at another stairway. "This is no time for rest, my young friend. Our journey must take us to the very peak of this tower."

  They went up three more floors and found storage rooms, bedchambers, and barren rooms with no discernable purpose. Lannon wanted to carefully examine each room with the Eye, but Taris kept him moving. At last they stood in a chamber where a hole in the ceiling was sixty feet above them and just barely visible in the light of the Birlote torch--a hole that was ten feet beyond the length of Lannon's rope. The walls were smooth marble and looked impossible to climb, curving inward toward the top. Clearly, the Dark Watchman had wanted it to be very difficult for anyone to reach the chamber above.

  "I am greatly intrigued by that chamber up there," said Taris. "When I was last here, I was able to withstand the dark sorcery that guards it and ascend through the hole. But then I was confronted by a cube of Glaetherin--like a huge safe--protected by a wheel lock which no one today would know how to open. Completely impenetrable."

  Not completely impenetrable, Lannon thought, remembering how Vannas had cut through a slab of Glaetherin with the White Flamestone.

  "I suspect that safe contains items that were of great importance to the Dark Watchmen," said Taris. "Items that should pass to you, Lannon--if, that is, you can manage to open the wheel lock."

  "I have opened them before," said Lannon, eager to learn what treasures the safe contained.

  "This one is very complex," said Taris, "designed only for someone with full command of the Eye."

  "Then we should have brought Prince Vannas," said Lannon. "It would take some time, but he could cut through it."

  "No," said Taris. "The safe should only be opened by one who is worthy--one who is ready to possess what lies within. If you can't do it yourself, then you have no right to lay claim to what it holds."

  "How are we even going to get up there?" said Lannon.

  "I can climb walls," said Taris, smiling.

  "But I'm not a Birlote," said Lannon, "so I can't."

  "It has nothing to do with being a Birlote," said Taris. "A Birlote only climbs trees or rugged surfaces, but I can climb any surface. It has taken decades, but I've mastered the sorcery that allows me to bind myself to smooth walls. However, you'll have to use your rope and the power of the Eye. I'll meet you up there. Beware of the dark sorcery that will seek to turn you away."

  Taris handed Lannon the torch and proceeded to climb slowly up the marble wall. Taris grunted with strain as he moved upward. Clearly, it took immense energy to bind the sorcerer to the stone. Lannon found himself amazed yet again at Taris Warhawk's abilities. The Tower Master was truly on a skill level that few had ever reached. Birlotes by nature had extreme talent for sorcery, yet Taris was exceptional even amongst them.

  Lannon seized his grapple hook with the Eye and hurled it at the hole, letting go of the rope. He guided it upward and found a stone ring to snag on the chamber floor. But now the rope's end was nearly fifteen feet above him.

  "I can't reach it," he called to Taris.

  "Levitate," was Taris' reply.

  Lannon sighed, hating the prospect of levitation. As he used the Eye to try to lift himself into the air, the unpleasant feeling of his power battling his own body made him nauseous. Instantly, he felt drained. He realized he was never going to enjoy levitation--which explained why the Dark Watchmen had favored rope and grapple hooks. Slowly he lifted himself high enough to grab the rope. He hung there for a moment, feeling exhausted and dizzy, the slender Birlote torch clenched in his teeth. Then he started upward. As he climbed, an overwhelming fear gripped him--dark sorcery, radiating from sources hidden in the marble walls, making him want to flee from the keep. He fought back with the Eye, pushing the fear from his mind, and managed to keep climbing.

  At last the two of them stood in the chamber with the oversized safe. This was little more than a small room at the very peak of the tower, with the safe taking up most of the space. Lannon went right to work, pressing his hands against the wheel lock and using the Eye to guide his movements. He was confident he would open it easily, but his first attempt failed. His confidence shaken, he tried several more times and finally gave up in frustration.

  Taris nodded. "You don't yet have the skill to open it. I'm not surprised. You can try again another time."

  Lannon was disgusted with himself for failing. Using the Eye, he gazed into the safe. He found six fancy swords--all made of Glaetherin--and one huge book that held writings about the affairs of the Dark Watchmen and Silverland. The book, which was titled Shadows of Ollanhar also contained the deepest secrets of the
Watchmen and their skills. Lannon could have stood there and read the book without turning a page (and would have loved to do so, had he more time), for the Eye could glimpse everything inside it. The safe also contained a large silver chalice with an inscription on it that read The Essence Cup, and a detailed map of Silverland that revealed portals to Tharnin--one of which was marked right where the Watchmen's Keep stood. And finally, there was a scroll that revealed six hidden chambers in the tower.

  Lannon reported his findings to Taris.

  "Are the items cursed by Tharnin?" Taris asked.

  Lannon peered into the safe again, but couldn't answer Taris' question. The swords, the chalice, and the huge book held the presence of sorcery, but the Eye couldn't reveal whether or not it was of Tharnin.

  "The Deep Shadow is indeed tricky," said Taris. "But if you had full mastery of the Eye, it would not be able to conceal itself from you so easily. My guess is that those swords used to belong to the six Dark Watchmen who are buried below this keep. The remains of the other sixteen Watchmen reside in Dremlock Cemetery. These six were the last to perish, but it appears they were hoping someone would restore the order someday. Someone like you, Lannon. These items were left here for a reason, impervious to time and theft."

  "But I can't open the lock," said Lannon, his voice sounding bitter to his ears. "What if I can't ever open it?"

  Taris shrugged. "Your skills will grow over time, and I have no doubt that you will be able to claim these items. But the Dark Watchmen are long dead. You serve Dremlock now, and your place is with the Divine Knights. If you are never able to open the lock, so be it. You still have a duty to your kingdom. Regardless, you can always try again later."

  Lannon nodded. "What about the secret chambers?"

  "Yes," said Taris, "that is intriguing. However, we don't have time this night to explore all of them. I suggest you pick one."

  Lannon examined the scroll again. One of the hidden chambers was accessed from the floor below--from a balcony outside the keep. The scroll did not indicate what the chamber might contain.

  The two climbed back down and Lannon examined the marble walls. He found a hidden door in the stone and pushed it. It took all of his strength--enhanced by the eye--to push the slab, which swung open grudgingly with a screech of rusty hinges. As the thick section of the tower wall opened outward, a blast of freezing air hit Lannon's face.

  They stepped out onto a balcony that encircled the tower. They could look out over the treetops in the starlight, and had it been daytime, they would have been able to see for miles across the land. They followed the balcony around the tower. On the opposite side from the door, Lannon spotted a small, narrow ledge about ten feet below. The ledge seemed pointless, as there was no visible door or window near it and no stairs to access it. And it existed in a wide space between floors. The ledge appeared only half finished, with a rail on one side and jagged blocks on the other--as if the construction process had been abandoned. But Lannon knew that was merely an attempt to conceal its true purpose--a hidden door.

  Lannon snagged his grapple hook on the rail and the two of them climbed down to the ledge. He pushed on the hidden door. The stone slab grudgingly moved inward, revealing a short hallway that ended at an iron door.

  Taris motioned Lannon on. "I'll wait here for you. Whatever you find, you are free to take. But beware of dark sorcery."

  The iron door was sealed by a complex lock that required two movements to open. Lannon inserted two of his lock-picking tools and quickly unlocked it. The door had no handle and refused to move inward, so Lannon seized it with the Eye and pulled it open.

  Within the small chamber beyond, in an oaken chest, Lannon found a dark blue cloak with a silver, eye-shaped symbol on the back. The cloak was about his size, and made of some soft, silky material. He also found a throwing star made of Glaetherin, in a leather case, and a lightweight steel dagger with rubies embedded in the hilt. The throwing star was engraved with the same eye symbol as the cloak. There was a coil of thin, lightweight, Birlote rope--about eighty feet of it--and a fancy grapple hook. He also found a pouch full of ancient silver coins bearing the Crest of Dremlock. None of the items appeared to be cursed.

  Lannon gathered the treasures and stepped back out onto the ledge. He described what he'd found, as Taris pushed the door shut.

  "The silver will be given to Dremlock," said Taris. "You may keep the other items. This is a very interesting find. As the Dark Watchmen fell further into the embrace of the Deep Shadow, they hid items they no longer used. The star weapon was the primary throwing blade for the Watchmen. They would use the Eye to guide it to a foe and then return it back to their hands. A weapon made of Glaetherin is a very rare and excellent treasure."

  "But Jerret has a Glaetherin sword," said Lannon. "So do many of the Knights. Glaetherin seems quite common, actually."

  "Impure Glaetherin," said Taris, with a scowl, "mixed with other metals. Still very strong, but not flawless. That slab that Prince Vannas cut through below Elder Oak was impure Glaetherin, as is the safe at the top of this tower and the doors that block the tunnels below Dremlock. And I would guess that Jerret's sword--which is a fine blade, by the way--is at least thirty percent steel. Pure Glaetherin is very rare and reserved only for the most legendary arms."

  "How can you know the difference?" asked Lannon, gazing at the throwing star. Even with the Eye, he could only vaguely sense it was made of Glaetherin--but he couldn't tell if it was pure or mixed with something else.

  "Simply by the color," said Taris. "Mixed Glaetherin is slightly more dull in hue than pure Glaetherin."

  Lannon held up the gleaming throwing star in the torchlight. He couldn't discern any difference between it and the mixed Glaetherin that the safe above supposedly consisted of. It just looked like silver to Lannon.

  Taris chuckled. "Don't concern yourself with it, Squire." He poked the throwing star with his finger. "I can tell you beyond a doubt that this blade consists of pure Glaetherin. It could be very useful to you--in ways you can't yet imagine. Don't lose it! And that Birlote rope is also an excellent find for a Blue Squire. It is light, yet immensely strong."

  "What about the cloak?" asked Lannon.

  "The cloak of a Blue Knight," said Taris, "and a Dark Watchman. It is made of Birlote silk, like the rope. Does it fit?"

  Lannon tried it on and found that it did. It smelled musty, and it didn't warm him like his fur cloak, but it was comfortable enough.

  "Obviously these items belonged to a Birlote," said Taris, pride in his voice. "That cloak is waterproof and very durable. The dagger is made of Birlote steel--very lightweight and strong, with a blade that will never dull."

  "Then maybe the Birlotes would want these items returned," said Lannon, though he was hoping Taris would disagree.

  "Because they belonged to a Dark Watchman," said Taris, "they rightfully pass to you. I hope they serve you well."

  "Are we done here?" asked Lannon. Shivering, he threw his fur cloak on over the other one.

  Taris' face was grim in the torchlight. "No. We didn't come here to find hidden items--though it's a welcome bonus. I brought you here to learn about the Dark Watchmen, and to do that, we must go below--to the tomb of the restless dead. This part of our adventure will be much more dangerous."

  "The restless dead?" Lannon asked, not liking the sound of that.

  "I'll explain when we get below," said Taris.

  ***

  They returned to the bottom floor of the tower, and Lannon lifted the trapdoor. Immediately, fierce terror gripped him that made him want to flee from the keep--just as it had when he was climbing the rope at the tower's peak. It was dark sorcery at work in his mind, striving to break his will. He fought it off with the Eye and peered below. A stone stairway led down into shadows.

  "Lead the way," said Taris.

  Lannon drew his sword and started down the steps, with Taris behind him. At the bottom was a thick, moldy, oaken door bound in iron and with h
oles rotted through the wood. Above the door hung a large, gleaming axe. Lannon gazed at the door with the Eye, and saw that it was thoroughly haunted. Six shades inhabited the door--the ghosts of the long-dead Dark Watchmen who'd dwelt in the tower. The shades were like writhing shadows that peered out from the wood, icy eyes fixed on Lannon. The door radiated an illusion of despair and insanity that tried to overwhelm Lannon, but he shielded himself with the Eye.

  "This is their tomb?" said Lannon. "An oaken door?"

  "Their bodies are buried below this floor," said Taris, "sealed away forever by stone. But their spirits haunt the door--perhaps for eternity."

  "Why?" said Lannon. And he found he was terrified of what the answer might be. But he had to know. "What happened to them?"

  "As you know," said Taris, "the Dark Watchmen all fell victim to the Deep Shadow. They peered into it too deeply with the Eye of Divinity, and it claimed them. They tried to gaze into the Eye of Tharnin itself--the great beast that rules over the Shadow Realm--and it consumed them. They turned against Dremlock and tried to destroy it. Sixteen of the Watchmen nearly succeeded. They slew many of the Knights, including the Lord Knight, Galbas Firmblade, and fought their way to the Divine Essence below the keep. Their goal was to destroy Dremlock's god and tear the heart from the kingdom. But they underestimated the Divine Essence and its ability to defend itself. It slew the Dark Watchmen with white fire."

  "And the other six?" asked Lannon.

  "They tried to redeem themselves," said Taris. "In an effort to atone for their sins, they sealed the second largest portal to Tharnin with the door you see here. This door is an illusion generated by the power of the spirits. Their flesh was stripped away by the Deep Shadow, but their souls fought back and now hold the darkness at bay. This illusion is so powerful that no one can pass beyond this door and live."