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

Posted by admin on October 19, 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.

I didn’t realize how much our journey had taken out of me until I sat down on the chill stone floor in the darkness of that little room. The tension of constant vigilance and the repeated attacks had taken a toll of exhaustion. After only a few minutes I felt stiff, and I drifted into a dreamless sleep. Pascalli woke me after a time and asked me to heat some water with magic in an upturned helmet salvaged from one of our ambushers.

“We may well starve to death afterwards, but if we’re going to our doom I’d rather die with a full belly.” He chuckled as he added the last of our dried meat to a soup he was making.

“I’d rather not die either way,” I said, rubbing life back into my chilled limbs. The room felt more humid than I remembered. “I’ve forgotten what a real bed feels like,” I said. “I think I’ve almost forgotten what the stars look like. I can barely remember even the comfort of an honest tree root in my back all night.”

“Yes,” agreed Pascalli. “We’ve been down here too long.” His voice suddenly brightened. “Have no fear Scratch, my lad. We’ll be through it soon. We’ve found what we came looking for after all. Just one cranky demon and all will be better here.” He winked, and I felt no comfort. Though we had been through many tight spots already, my confidence wavered. “Eat. Everything will be better after a hot meal and some rest.”

I admit I hadn’t realized how much I missed hot food. When a body doesn’t get real cooking for so many markets the first taste is like eating for the first time all over again. I confess that the little stew we made with the last of our trail rations was no dish fit for the emperor, but at that moment I found it nothing short of miraculous. I ate, and then slept, warmed by the hot food, then ate the final bits.

“She will certainly be ready for us,” said Pascalli. “Golgaron will not be able to help you.” He seemed saddened and serious as he continued. “I won’t be much use either. I have no idea if she knows what we are planning. I don’t even know what she might know or guess about the Key to the Stars. Golgaron and I will handle any help she may have left, but you will essentially have to face her alone.”

“And do what?” I asked.

“Trust to your wits and luck,” winked the wizard. “Though, if I were you I’d trust my luck more than my wits. I’ve seen where your thinking gets you.”
The wizard’s jibe did little to raise my hopes, but still I could not help but feel that somehow we had the upper hand. We had entered her fortress, destroyed the guards, and now sat on the verge of victory. I felt only too deeply the delicate thread that held us from the brink of destruction.

“No point waiting here,” I suggested. “Food’s gone, and I’ve slept enough for both of us.”

“Good lad, Scratch, no time like the present to face your destiny,” responded Pascalli. “I’ve no idea what will happen when that door opens, but I think it will be best if you put on both of those rings, one on each hand.”

I fished out the rings and slipped them on as we headed down the corridor. Golgaron stood as impassive as ever a few meters from the door. He made no motion as we approached, but the old statue rarely moved, except when provoked to battle.

“Anything new,” I asked.

“Nothing, master,” he replied.

“Good,” I said. I wasn’t so sure what was good about the situation, but I felt in a much more positive mood. “On my signal, Golgaron hit the door and go left. Pascalli will follow and take the right. I’ll enter last.”

“Be sure to make a light first thing,” advised Pascalli. “The lanterns here in the hallway will probably go out instantly, and I will need the light to fight with. Whatever happens to Golgaron or me, ignore us. Things may not be as they appear in there. Find a way to activate the Key quickly, and then use the power of the Key to send her back. Unless I am mistaken, she has managed to open a gate to another world in there. We must close that.”

I nodded my understanding and we took our positions. Golgaron leveled a kick at the chamber door that shook the foundations of the walls. From inside the room we heard an angry cry, but the door held.

“She has sealed it with magic,” said Golgaron. I slumped back into the shadows.

“Can you break it?” I asked.

“With time,” he said. “She cannot hold it forever.”

I pointed to the door and Golgaron kicked it again. Once more the door trembled with the force of the impact, and we could hear something grunting as if fighting off a great pressure from inside, but the door held. Our careful planning seemed to lose weight with each blow on the wood. Golgaron beat the door at least a dozen times more before it finally gave way, the timbers shattering under the combined forces of his blows and the magic that held the door shut.
As the door flew apart, the lanterns in the hall immediately went dark. I heard Golgaron rush into the room. I hesitated only a split second to concentrate on the lights before following Pascalli inside.

The room measured no less than ten meters round, with only the one door. A large chandelier with dozens of candles dominated the mirrored ceiling. An enormous circular pattern of blue tile stretched across the center of the floor. A large golden copy of the triangular crest with a point toward the door adorned the middle of the circle. Asmordreda stood directly in the middle of the triangle.
Copyright 2008 Kelly David Tolman