Chapter Fourty – The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep by Kelly D. Tolman

Posted by admin on June 29, 2009

The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep is a fantasy novel describing the adventures of Colter Halfspear as he becomes a man and an initiate of magical powers.

The following day proved tiresome and cumbersome for me in too many ways.  Pascalli accompanied me through the city to gate at the highest level.  The lowest level of the city spans a great semi-circle out from the mountain with the back wall running straight as an arrow and cutting deep into the mountainside.  A wide highway opens from the main gate and takes a straight course up, through six wide tall gates to reach the palace proper.  At each level a terrace is cut into the mountain and a wall holds back the earth and gives a place for troops to watch the city.  The first four gates hung open wide.  The gentle archways, unchanged by time, invited me in.  The fifth gate, however, stood closed.

“That doesn’t look any different than the lower gates,” observed Dina.

“Of course not,” said Pascalli.  “You didn’t expect it to be on fire, did you?  I’ve not dared pass that portal yet, and that should be warning enough for both of you.  The lower levels bear no malice, for they were homes for common folk who largely fled during the breaking.  But the fifth level was home to many nobles.  They swore by their lives and souls, in a sacred vow, that no unclean thing would dwell in their homes or disturb their rest.  As a sworn enemy of this place once upon a time, I at least, will not be welcome until they are pacified.”

“And you expect me to make them happy,” I replied.

“I hope you can,” he said, though his tone did not reassure me.

“Exactly what am I to do?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” said Pascalli.  “I have a number of guesses, but I think you would be better off asking them than me.  There is no magic sealing the gate, but you can’t open it from the outside.  Take a rope and hook.  I brought it for a purpose.  You will end up scaling the wall I’m sure.  Now off you go.”
Scaling the wall proved immensely difficult.  There are no footholds in the polished stone and only a very few places where a steel hook has any hope of catching.  After nearly an hour of trying to lock the hook in place, my arms and back ached.  Finally it caught but I no longer had the energy to pull myself up using only my arms.  I sat to rest and chew on a piece of dried meat.  From somewhere inside I thought I heard dull laughter.

After a long rest I scrambled up the rope.  I pulled the rope up behind me thinking to find a more secure place to tie it off.  For a few minutes I wandered the top of the wall, looking for such a place but to no avail.  Then I realized all I needed to do was push open the gates.  From the inside, the inner city walls were really nothing more than a high stone fence reaching to about my chest.  From the outside, below they appeared to be both tall and thick because of the earth packed behind.  I followed the wall and found the guardhouse near the tunnel that led to the gate.

My hand had reached to pull the lever when I spotted a movement from the corner of my eye through the guardhouse window.  I turned to look but could see nothing.  Instantly my bow was at the ready.  I had cover from the guardhouse but only a limited view.  I could not cover both the window and the door while simultaneously attempting to manage the lever.  I decided to deal with whatever was out there before trying my luck with the gate.

Stalking a large animal through a dense mountain forest has both advantages and disadvantages.  I had become familiar after living off the land so much with how to be patient and how to use cover.  I noted the direction of the wind, and generally kept my eyes open.  Here in this desolate city, with no trees, only windswept stones and sunlight, I discovered a new sense of dread.  After emerging from the guardhouse I immediately felt exposed.  Whatever was out there could see me, though I saw nothing.

I paused to listen.  Nothing.  I crossed the street where I could keep my back to the wall of a tall house.  I glanced up briefly to see dark vacant windows staring like ancient faces down at me.  Again something moved.  But I heard nothing.  It moved very fast.  I thought it was white, perhaps the edge of a robe or dress.

I crept along the edge of the wall slowly and silently, watching both where I had been and where I was going.  I reached a point where I could clearly see the corner of the building opposite me where the movement had been.  I crossed the street and crept slowly to that corner.  I was not surprised to find nothing but an empty alley.  Whatever it was left no tracks, no sound, and no signs of any kind.  I dismissed all of this without thought for I also moved without much sound and I had been careful to leave no tracks, though it appeared that I moved considerably slower.

Whatever it was had only one way to go so I entered the alley and quietly picked my way to the end.  Again I saw nothing at first, but while studying the area my eye caught motion once more.  I played this game over and over throughout the morning until I knew well the lay of much of the inner circle.  My prey had taken me from the wall up to the palace gates and back again until I found myself just outside a temple to Tylos.

Tired, thirsty and hot from my long work I decided to give the chase a rest.  I tried the main door to the temple and found that the seasoned wood and iron opened as easily as if the hinges had been oiled and mended that morning.  I found a cool, shady corner and sipped water quietly.  I bit off a piece of meat and chewed it thoughtfully, planning my next move.  Whatever else might be out there I had not accomplished my goal.  I had neither discovered nor discussed my desires with this citadel’s former occupants.  The gate remained closed.

Quite suddenly the temple door slammed shut as a great gust of wind rushed past on the street.  Again the low laughter I thought I had heard before teased my ears, but this time much clearer, though still distant as if from within a vault.

At first I thought to open the door again and continue my earlier chase, or at least return to the gate and try the lever.  When I stood up I felt differently.  I had never been inside a real temple to Tylos before and I felt compelled to offer Her some prayer or oblation before leaving.  I did not know the proper ceremony, but I managed to find the offering pit at the top of a small dais.  Sunlight poured in through a high opening in the domed top.  I found a small pile of cedar left stacked from centuries before and lit it in the pit.  All I had with me were a few herbs for cooking and a bit of dried meat.  I put them on the fire and then knelt.  Raising my hands and staring into the sky, I offered a prayer to my goddess.

“Who are you to bring sacrifices to this house of holiness,” asked a sinister voice from behind me.  Hatred poured from the voice like acid.  My blood ran chill.  My bow lay beside me, out of reach.  My spear waited back at camp.  Even if I tried, I knew I would not have time to draw my father’s sword and bring it into play.  Very slowly I stood up and turned around.
Copyright 2008 Kelly David Tolman

On to The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep Fantasy Novel Chapter Forty One

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