by W. D. Newman
CHAPTER 13
SPUD
Spud had been the librarian of the archives for most of his life and was very much at home in the dim corridors and hallways. However, since the lighting was better in the lobby and the chairs were quite comfortable too, he led his guests there to view the maps. “Let’s start with this one,” he said, unrolling a scroll across a table while the others scooted their chairs up close to see.
“Which one is this?” asked Gabriel.
“This is the upper level of Haven. It shows the Great Cathedral and the four main halls.”
“Wow,” Ben exclaimed, marveling at the exquisitely detailed map and its colorful illustrations. “No offense, Gabriel, but these dwarven maps are much better than the elfin maps I’ve seen.”
Spud and Hob beamed at Ben. Gabriel smiled and nodded his agreement. The dwarven maps were of superior quality and beauty, but by pointing it out proclaiming it out loud, Ben had just softened another spot in Spud’s stony heart and elevated his admiration in Hob’s eyes to a whole new level.
“The Great Cathedral,” Spud continued, “is the center of Haven. There are four main hallways that branch out from the Cathedral to each of the four points of the compass; North, South, East and West. If you are able to get to the Cathedral, you will go down the West Hall and then navigate your way to the door at the base of Fire Mountain.”
“How will we know which one is the West Hall?” asked Gabriel.
“It will be written over the entrance way.” Spud turned to Hob. “It’s written in the primary runes. Can you read it?”
Hob yanked on his beard and stammered.
“Don’t be embarrassed, there are very few remaining today that can decipher any of the old runes. Look here.” Spud pointed to a round structure in the center of the map. “There are only four entrances into the Cathedral and they are labeled on this map. This one here is the way into the West Hall. Remember this rune.”
While the others studied the rune, Ben took Casey’s cell phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture.
“What is that?” Spud asked.
Ben thought about taking a picture of the Librarian, but the phone’s battery was down to sixty-five percent and he wasn’t sure how Spud would react to seeing an image of his homely mug. Hob must have had the same thought, for he spoke up and turned the subject back to the map.
“It’s a bit of magic that will help him remember what the rune looks like,” Hob replied. “Where do we go once we enter the West Hall?”
Spud’s curiosity instantly evaporated at the mention of the word magic and, after casting a wary glance at Ben, he turned his attention back to the map. “At the end of each of the four main hallways, there should be a grand staircase. These stairs spiral downwards to the next level and the halls will get longer as you descend deeper. Each time you get off the stairs, turn left and follow the hall to the next set of stairs. When you get to the fourteenth level, take the twenty-third passage on your left.”
“Twenty-third,” Amos exclaimed! “How long are these hallways?”
“The upper halls are not very long and the West Hall is the shortest of the four. The Great Cathedral is in the uppermost level, but the hall at the fourteenth level is quite long indeed.”
“This map only shows the top level,” Gabriel pointed out. “What about the fourteenth level? Do you have a map for those halls as well?”
“I only brought this map so that you could see how Haven is laid out and to show you the rune that marks the West Hall. From there, no map is needed. Go to the end of the hall and down a level. Do this fourteen times and then take the twenty-third passageway on your left. That passage will lead you straight to one of the gates at the base of Fire Mountain. Can you remember that?”
“Are you kidding?” said Hob, yanking on his beard again.
“Don’t worry,” said Ben, “I’ve got it.” While Spud was giving directions, Ben was hastily taking notes on Casey’s cell phone. He saved the note and clicked the phone off to save the battery.
Spud rolled the map up and carefully slid it back into its case. “I’d let you take this with you, but it would be of no use to you once hit the staircase.”
“That’s fine,” said Gabriel. “Let’s see the other map.”
The other map was a topographical map of the terrain surrounding Fire Mountain. Fire Mountain, where the Great Cathedral was located, was the largest mountain on the map. A red female dragon was perched atop the mountain and two drakes were locked in combat above her. The dragons were drawn and painted with such precise attention to detail that they looked as if they would fly off the parchment at any moment. Ben felt the gooseflesh rise along his arms and swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat; his terrifying encounter with Zoltan was still very fresh in his memory.
“Here’s the gate where you will come out,” Spud continued, pointing at a small door at the base of the mountain. The door, Spud informed them, was called Giant’s Gate and, just beyond the door, the map showed the beginning of a large forest that sprawled across a great expanse of hills and dells. “This forest,” said Spud, planting a fat warty finger on the map, “is called The Dwelling.”
“What dwells there?” asked Ben.
“Giants,” Spud replied, with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
“There are giants on Crag? Giants, dwarves, and dragons?”
“No,” said Hob, “only dragons. All dwarves evacuated with Merlin centuries ago. The only giants in the forest are the Dragon Spires.”
Ben looked as confused as ever.
“Trees!” Spud exclaimed. “The biggest trees you will ever see. They are three times higher than the tallest tower at Castle Twilight and they are so large at the base that two of them would completely fill the courtyard.”
“Wow,” said Ben. “I can’t wait to see them. They sound a lot like the giant redwoods we have back on earth. Why are they called Dragon Spires?”
“They are named such because, during the daytime, many dragons roost in the tops of these trees.”
“And we are going to have to travel through this forest, aren’t we?” asked Gabriel.
Spud nodded. “I’m afraid so. The Dragon’s Cradle is just west of the forest.” The Librarian drew his finger across the map to a circular structure located on the edge of the forest. Something about the structure looked strangely familiar to Ben, but he could not quite put his finger on it.
“How will we navigate such a large Forest?”
“Crag’s sun is much brighter than Camelot’s. That’s why dragons roost during the daylight hours and hunt at night. During the daytime they can see, but it’s very painful for them to keep their eyes open for extended periods of time. However, at nighttime they can spot a mouse moving in the grasses from a very great distance. Therefore, you will have to travel during the daylight hours, while they are sleeping, and at nightfall you will have to bed down tight and out of sight.”
“How many dragons are in the forest?” asked Ben. He was suddenly regretting having to go there.
“The forest is very large and dragons are very territorial. Their territories cover large areas, so there is a good chance you will not even encounter one. As long as you travel by day, and do so quietly, you should be fine.”
“To have never seen one, you sure seem to know a lot about dragons,” Hob remarked.
“I’ve had a lot of time to read about them.”
“Excuse me,” Gabriel interrupted, “but you still haven’t told us how to navigate the forest.”
“Ah, yes. Getting back to your question; when you reach the gate at the base of Fire Mountain, if it is early morning, you may continue on your way. Otherwise, wait until the following day to leave. It’s a two day journey from the gate to the Cradle and you will need to stop at the midway point to shelter for the night.”
“Very well,” said Gabriel, “but, HOW DO WE GET THERE?”
“I was just coming to that.
My, but you elves are an impatient lot! The midway point is Old Grand Sire; the oldest and tallest dragon spire in the forest. To get there, when you leave Fire Mountain, travel in a southwesterly direction. You will descend into a valley and when you climb out of the valley, there should be a ridgeline that is bare of trees. Here it is on the map. It’s called Dragon’s Perch. Barring any problems, you should arrive there around midday and, from there, you should be able to see Old Grand Sire.”
“When we get to Old Grand Sire, will there be a place to hide?”
“Oh yes! Old Grand Sire is hollow and there is a small crack at the base of the trunk where you may slip inside. It will be the safest place on Crag outside of Haven.”
“In the morning, do we continue southwest?”
“Actually, in the early morning hours Old Grand Sire’s shadow will point toward the Cradle. You will reach the cradle in the late evening and you will be in the open with no place to hide. I cannot advise you from there. If a female comes to the birthing stone while you are there, you will not escape her.” Spud rolled the map up and handed it to Hob. “If you’d like, you may take this one with you. It is a copy of the original.”
“I don’t think we need it,” said Gabriel, “but without a compass, how are we to know the precise direction of southwest.”
“There will be a compass star carved into the threshold of the gate, just like this one on this map. You only have to look at that to determine the direction in which you need to travel. However, if you take the map you may lay it upon the threshold and align the points of the compass star on the map with the points of the compass star on the threshold. That will show you the position of everything on the map in relation to the gate.”
“And if we discover that through the centuries the compass star has eroded away, then what are we to do?”
“Use the moss.”
“Moss?”
“Yes, moss. Moss grows on the northeast sides of the dragon spires. The southwest sides of the trees will be the cleanest sides. It’s not as accurate as a compass, but it will get you there.”
“Well, I think we have everything we need to know,” said Ben. “Let’s see that picture of the Cathedral.”
“Not yet,” said Spud. “I’ve been very patient with all of you and I have been very accommodating to your requests. I’ve held up my end of the bargain and provided you with the maps that you requested; now you must hold up your end of the bargain. I have questions and, before we go any further, I want answers.”
“You are quite right,” Gabriel agreed, with a bow. “You have been most helpful and we are very much in your debt. As a matter of fact, if things go as planned, all of Camelot will be very indebted to you. However, dwarves are known to get a little long winded and we have a great need for haste. You may ask us three questions and we will answer as we are able.”
While it was true that they had a great need for haste, the real reason Gabriel wanted to limit the questions was to keep Spud from wanting to tag along. The more questions the Librarian asked and the more time he had to think about it, the more likely he would be to ask to go with them. Dwarves did not move about quietly and they had an even greater need for stealth once they arrived on Crag. Moving about quietly with Hob would be difficult enough, but sneaking around with two dwarves would be impossible.
“Alright,” said Spud, “first question; how are you getting there?”
“This staff,” said Ben, holding out the twisted stick for Spud to see, “is Merlin’s staff. It was given to me by Venus. I have discovered that I can use the staff to open pathways to other places, just like Merlin once did.”
“Are you a wizard?”
“Goodness no! Using the staff to open a pathway is the only magic that I can do. The magic is actually in the staff, but for some reason it only works for me. We think it’s an enchantment Venus placed on the staff before he gave it to me.”
Spud mulled that bit of information over in his mind and stroked his beard while he pondered his next question. Hob was growing impatient and was just about ready to tell him to hurry along, when, finally, Spud thumped his fist into his palm and cried, “Second question.”
“Actually,” Hob interrupted, “this will be your third question.”
“Huh?” said Spud. “Nonsense, I’ve only asked one question!”
“You asked how we would get there, and then you asked if Ben was a wizard. That’s two questions and this will be your third.”
“We won’t count the second question,” said Ben. “Please continue.”
“Second question,” Spud repeated, glaring at Hob. “Why are you going to Crag?”
“I’ll answer this one,” said Gabriel. “Are you familiar with the Final Prophecy of Venus?”
“I knew it!” Spud shouted, thumping his fist upon the table. “Ben is the chosen one! This is so exciting! I have watched the prophecy literally unfolding and being fulfilled and now I am sitting at the same table with the chosen one!”
“Okay, NOW you only have one question left,” said Hob, with a quick yank on his beard. “Ask it and then show us the painting.”
“Hmmmm,” Spud mused. “Let me think. According to the Prophecy, you’d be going to the Dragon’s Cradle to meet the wisest one. Now, who that might be, I don’t know and I don’t think you know either or you would have told me, so I won’t use my question there.” The Librarian drummed his fingers on the table. “Think, Spud, Think! The chosen one is supposed to bring the mighty one down and since you are in a hurry to get to the Dragon’s Cradle, then you must know who this mighty one is. That’s it! Right there! That is my third and final question; who is the mighty one that is mentioned in the Final Prophecy? Is it the one that Ben is supposed to bring down? It’s an immortal, isn’t it? It’s Jupiter. Gods help us, Jupiter has come back. Please tell me I’m wrong.”
“It is Jupiter,” Gabriel confirmed. “Only, he goes by a new name now. He calls himself Bellator.”
“Bellator-Schmellator! We must begin evacuation of Dwarvenhall at once! Ben, can you anchor the pathway with a tree, like Merlin used to do?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never tried it before.”
“Hold on now, Spud,” said Gabriel. “Where in heavens name would you evacuate to?
“Why, to Crag, of course! Where else?”
*****