Knights: Book 01 - The Eye of Divinity (19 page)

When it saw the Squires, it went insane, hurling itself against the bars of Glaetherin and trying to rip them apart. Its mouth opened wide and pressed against the bars, its fangs seeking fruitlessly to dig into the metal. Its stench was unbearable--not its physical stench (which was quite bad in its own right) but the stench of evil and despair that radiated from it. The monster had no eyes, just leathery skin where the eyes should have been.

The four Squires shrank back. The other Knight, Saferus, ran over and helped hold them in place.

"Get a good look!" muttered Garndon. "And be thankful you met a starving Ogre and not one of these Bloodfangs. They'd tear the flesh from your bones before you knew what hit you, and leave you drained of blood. It took five Knights to get a net over this thing and hold it, and one lost his arm in the process!"

Garndon and Saferus yanked the Squires away and herded them to the last cell on the left. Inside this one was dark shape with sickly yellow eyes. It was a black serpent-like thing that slithered around inside the cell and hissed, yet its head was disturbingly humanoid in shape. It pressed that head against the bars, trying to squeeze through, revealing two stark-white fangs and a pink, forked tongue.

"A Pit Crawler," said Garndon, shaking his head. "If it were up to me, I'd put my sword to its skull and be done with it. These horrors lurk in the dark places, and their bite is deadly poison. I've seen good men--stout Knights of Dremlock--die in unbelievable agony from a single bite because they blundered into the wrong places. We're trying to find an antidote to that poison, but we're not having much luck."

Tears rolled down Timlin's cheeks. "Get us out of here, Garndon. We've learned our lesson. I promise!"

"And have you learned yours?" said Garndon, gazing sternly at Vorden from beneath his helm. "I can tell you're a hard one--like I was at your age."

"I have," said Vorden. "But tell me one thing--where is the Divine Essence? That's the only reason we came down here. I have to see it!"

"I suspected as much," said Garndon. "But the Divine Essence can't be reached from here anymore. It's been sealed off permanently. There is another way to get to it, but I won't tell you how. Now it's time to be going."

Garndon led them back through the tunnels to the door with the wheel lock. "Do your thing, boy," he said to Lannon.

With his nerves so badly on edge and the Knight looking on, it took Lannon a lot of effort to summon the Eye of Divinity, but with the help of his friends he finally managed it. Once Lannon had unlocked the door, Garndon motioned them onward. "Now get going and don't come back here--ever. And keep your mouths shut about what you saw down here. If word gets out--and goodness knows there are enough rumors floating around up there from what I hear--I'll have you all banished from Dremlock forever."

The Squires nodded and hurried through.

"And that especially goes for you!" He pointed a finger at Timlin. "I know your kind. Keep your mouth shut, or it will be the worse for you!"

Meekly, Timlin avoided the Knight's gaze, keeping his sight fixed on the floor. "I promise I'll never say a word to anyone."

Garndon slammed the bars shut behind them. "Good riddance!"

Lannon licked his fingers and cleaned dried blood from his forehead. Surely they were going to get caught, he thought to himself. They'd been gone too long, and they still had to sneak back to their quarters without being seen. Yet if they could just make it out of Old Keep and lock the door, no one might ever suspect they'd gone this way. That, at least, could save them from being banished.

The horror of what they'd experienced clung to them like icy fingers. It seemed to reach forth from the mines beneath Old Keep, desiring to yank them back into the dark places below. They trembled--even Vorden--as they raced ahead, determined never to return here as long as they lived.

They locked the door to Old Keep again, and placed the Birlote torch back in its holder on the wall. Then they crept upstairs.

Aldreya assured the boys that she often returned this late from her training and the other girls she bunked with would think nothing of it. "Grey Squires have lots of freedom," she whispered. "And we train at odd hours. Sometimes I stay up later than this in the Library or the Dark Rooms."

"What are the Dark Rooms?" the boys questioned.

"Never mind," she said. "There are many secrets in this tower--like the Watcher. Even now I wonder if he saw us. It seems unlikely he could have missed us--or at least missed
you three.
 
Actually, I guess I shouldn't have mentioned him, either. But what's done is done, I suppose."

"Who is the Watcher?" the boys asked.

"Goodnight!" said Aldreya. "That was wretched, and I hope I never go anywhere with you three again." With that, she entered her quarters.

Chapter 10:
 
Child of Winter

On the following day, the Squires said little to each other, with Lannon and Vorden spending most of their time meditating on healing their minor injuries inflicted by the Ogre. By using that Knightly healing technique, which was drawn from the power locked within their own minds rather than from any type of sorcery, they were able to make the injuries fade very quickly.

Later, Garrin joined them for dinner in the Hall, and they had to struggle to act natural around him--something Vorden excelled at, while Lannon and Timlin seemed rigid and quiet. But Garrin appeared to take little notice of them, as he was busy chatting with some of the other Squires--except at one point when he looked up, gave them a strange, piercing stare that made their hearts lurch, and then resumed his conversations. They gulped down dinner and headed back to their room.

When training began the next day, Lannon and Timlin felt fine, but Vorden was still a bit sore in the ribs--indicating the damage had been more severe than he'd thought. But he was able to compensate for it and give a fair effort. At one point Cartlan asked about the small bump and cut on Lannon's head (barely noticeable though it was) and Lannon replied that he'd suffered an accident and left it at that. Cartlan didn't press the issue, and by the end of the day, things looked like they would turn out fine.

But Lannon had another issue to deal with. He'd unlocked the Eye of Divinity and was supposed to tell Garrin immediately. Yet because their ordeal in Old Keep was so fresh in his mind, he decided to wait until he was sure he could trust himself to look Garrin in the eye and not blurt out what had happened in the mines. Also, it had taken him this long to accomplish the task, and so what would another few days matter? Besides, he hadn't actually done it on his own. He thought maybe he should wait until he could call it forth by himself before telling Garrin.

But after only a week, to Lannon's disbelief, Vorden again began pressuring him to break the rules. It was evening, their training done for the day, and they were in the Library seated at a table. The Library was a round chamber that was modeled, according to a plaque on the wall, after the famous Round Library of the North Tower. The bookshelves completely covered the walls, all the way up to the ceiling. Statues of Knights, Dragons, and Goblins stood within, big and small--with some holding books or leering down from the shelves. There was a stone fireplace with wood stacked next to it, and four Birlote torches on the walls. The only other door (besides the main entrance) bore a wooden sign that said:

OLD EAST LIBRARY.

NO ONE MAY ENTER WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM

THE EAST TOWER MASTER

Timlin was humming to himself in his annoying fashion, and looking at a book of artwork depicting Lord Knights throughout the ages. Lannon was reading a book from the library called
Fairy Goblins--Do They Exist?
written by a former Lord Knight named Eldrich Hawkshield. Vorden had an ancient, leather-bound book in front of him called
The Dragons of Tharnin
, which he had not yet opened.

"I have an idea," Vorden said suddenly. He looked around, making sure the library was empty of eavesdroppers, and then continued. "I think I know how we could see the Divine Essence." He spoke casually, as if talking about the day's weather.

Lannon's mouth hung open for a moment. Then he shook his head, his face flushing crimson with anger. "Vorden, what are you talking about? After what I went through in those mines, you think I'd be stupid enough to follow you anywhere again?" He closed his book and laid it on the table.

"I'm sorry about that," said Vorden. "And I take all the blame, Lannon. I could have gotten us killed, or ruined our chance at Knighthood. It was a really stupid thing to do. And do you know why it was stupid? Because I should have asked around first, researched the issue a bit. Well, I've done that, and guess what? I think I know an easy way to get to the Divine Essence."

"I don't care!" Lannon said. "Whatever you have in mind, forget it. After what I saw in those mines..."

"We don't have to go into the mines," said Vorden. "I've learned that the way to the Essence is through the Temple itself. There's a passage right under the altar that leads down to a wheel lock. Beyond that locked door is the crystal chamber."

"Well, go ahead and find out," said Lannon. "But I'm not going." He stared back at Vorden with determination. This was a moment he had dreaded--having to say no to his friend. But he'd decided never to back down from anyone again if his future Knighthood was at stake. He imagined Cordus Landsaver nodding with approval at his decision, and he held fast to that image, drawing strength from it.

Vorden sighed. "You know I can't open a wheel lock, Lannon. If you don't go with me, I have to give up."

"Maybe you should give up," said Lannon. "You're good at a lot of things, Vorden. You could be a great Knight. Don't waste it chasing a foolish dream."

Vorden's face burned with anger. "So the Divine Essence is just a foolish dream? Maybe to you it is. But to me it means everything."

Lannon gulped, and glanced towards the door. "Don't talk so loud. Someone might be coming. Anyways, I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that there's a reason we're not allowed to see the Essence. Even Master Garrin has never seen it. We shouldn't break rules we don't understand."

"But others besides Lord Knights have seen it," said Vorden. "And I can prove it right here and now."

"It's getting late," said Lannon. "We should head to our quarters. I'm supposed to be doing my Eye of Divinity training."

"Hold on" Vorden said. "This will just take a moment. Timlin, go stand by the doorway and watch for anyone in the hall."

Timlin rose and did as he was told, peeking around the doorway. "It's all clear, Vorden," he said.

Vorden opened the book in front of him and leafed through the pages. Then he began to read aloud.

So it was that I, Logan Firehand, broke the Sacred Laws and ventured forth to that chamber that holds the Divine One. I bear the Eye of Dreams, and I have become the seeker of lost relics. In one shining moment, I solved the wheel lock below the Temple's altar and made it to the chamber of crystal.

The Divine One was more beautiful than the light that warms our world each morning, and my heart was seemingly cleansed of all shadow--save for my deep desire to obtain the ultimate source of power that lies within those cursed hills. I was shown how to use my gift, how to reach my true potential. And I was warned to make use of that gift for noble purposes or pay a dreadful price.

Am I then a selfish man? An ignorer of gods? Will I eventually pay dearly for
my folly? I cannot truly say if I am on the proper path. It is said that to meddle with the Deep Shadow is to invite doom into the heart and madness into the mind. Yet I have done so, and my sanity appears to remain intact.

The real question is whether or not I am using my gift in a noble fashion.

I believe the seeking of facts is indeed a noble task, for all of humanity benefits from the results in one form or another. However, shadows of doubt remain.

Here, in the first of seven books, I shall attempt to reveal the workings of the Dark Realm of Tharnin (that hated place called the Deep Shadow) beginning with the Dragons, for they, widely considered the most powerful of all Goblins, represent the Hand of Tharnin, which crushes life...

Vorden stopped reading and closed the book. "Okay, so you get the point. This Knight broke the rules and visited the Essence. And it helped him. So it could probably help you, too, Lannon. It might even teach you about the Eye of Divinity."

Lannon sat in silence. Had the Divine Essence actually spoken to that Knight and given him assistance? Was it simply a matter of sneaking down through the Temple to the crystal chamber? He glanced about. The Goblin statues seemed to leer at him in accusation, as if they were judging him--as if the books they held were tomes of law. He suddenly felt like he was being watched, and goose bumps flooded his back. He quickly turned his attention back to Vorden.

"Where did you get that book?" Lannon asked. "It doesn't seem like the Knights would want anyone to know about that."

"I borrowed it from in there," said Vorden, pointing toward the door marked Old East Library. "I picked the lock yesterday and poked around in there. Its full of old, dusty books that look pretty boring. This one mentioned Dragons, so I glanced through it and found that part I just read to you."

Lannon glanced around nervously. "Put it back," he said. "If someone comes along and sees it..."

"That's what Timlin is watching for," said Vorden "But even if I'm caught with this, I'll just say I found it on the shelves in here. Who can prove otherwise? How would they know I'm the one that moved it from the Old Library?"

"What has happened to you?" said Lannon. "When I first got here, you talked about wanting to be like Kuran Darkender and live honorably. But now look at the things you're doing, Vorden. You're going to end up getting tossed out."

Vorden sighed. "It's the Divine Essence, Lannon. I just can't stop thinking about it. And I'm not the only one. Aldreya told me she dreamt of it too. She wanted to know when I was going to try to find it again, so she could come with me. She told me she believes the Essence is calling to her, that it will teach her to unlock her full potential. She practically begged me to accompany her on a quest to find it!"

Lannon's eyes widened. "You must be kidding."

Vorden shook his head. "I can't believe it either. I thought she'd never want to hang around with us again."

"But what if she's setting us up?" said Lannon.

"She isn't," said Vorden. "I'm certain of it. She might be a bit of a snob, but right now she's pretty desperate. You should have seen the look in her eyes! There's no way she would tell on us. I think she's afraid of what's happening here at Dremlock, Lannon."

"So am I," Lannon admitted. "Every day I hear something new about how bad off Dremlock is--usually from you."

"Sorry," said Vorden. "I just like to keep you informed."

"I know," said Lannon. "And I'm glad you do. I just never expected this. I grew up believing Dremlock was the best place in all the land. It's still kind of like that, but there are a lot of problems here, I guess. It's hard to explain."

"I know exactly what you're talking about," said Vorden. "I expected shining towers and honorable Knights--white horses and good deeds, that sort of thing. I visited Bellis when I was younger, before my parents died. We were passing through on our way to Silverland. And you know what? That's exactly how Bellis is--like the grand kingdom you would always imagine. So I thought Dremlock would be even better. But it has a dark side to it, and I can't help but wonder if this place has seen better days."

"Yeah, it's definitely going sour," said a boy.

Lannon and Vorden jumped up, looking around. Someone was hiding behind a Goblin statue, with just the edge of his brown cloak visible.

"Who's there?" Vorden said. The lad from Gravendar had gone pale.

Out from behind the statue stepped a tall boy with bright blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. It was Jerret Dragonsbane, the Red Squire Lannon and Timlin had met very briefly outside the Temple on the first day they'd visited there with Garrin.

From behind another statue stepped a big, dark-haired lad. He had a pointy chin and a hook nose, and also wore a red sash. They recognized him as Clayith Ironback, a quiet Squire who was usually somewhat of a loner.

"What are you two doing here?" Vorden said.
 
"Shouldn't you be in the West Tower this time of the evening?"

"We came to look at some books," said Jerret. "It was Clayith's idea, actually. He wanted to read about potions or poisons or something. Anyways, we heard you guys coming, so we ducked behind those statues to eavesdrop on you."

Clayith gave a crooked grin. "Yeah, we wanted to eavesdrop."

"Well, what of it?" said Vorden. "Now I guess you know we're up to something. So what are you going to do about it?"

Jerret shook his head and smiled. "Nothing, Vorden. I couldn't care less what you do--except that I'd like to get in on it. If you're actually going try to get a look at the Divine Essence, count me in."

"And me, too," said Clayith, still giving an odd grin.

Vorden was thoughtful for a moment. "You're a good friend, Jerret. And Clayith's alright, I guess."

"I wouldn't tell on you," said Clayith, with a chuckle. His grin broadened. "I like you, Vorden."