ã€ŠCor Series (All Chapters)ã€‹


 Hammer 1

    Corvan jolted awake, gasping as if he''d been trapped underwater. Cold sweat trickled past his ear. The nightmare had returned and each night the monster pursued him through the dark caves; the fierce hatred in its eyes was coming closer.

    Rolling onto his back, he studied the myriad of familiar cracks in the plaster overhead. He had no doubt the dream was directly connected to a time when this was his grandfather''s room. Although the man had mysteriously vanished on the day before Corvan''s second birthday, Corvan retained a distinct memory of sitting on the bed with his grandfather, looking out the window, and listening to stories of monsters and caves.

    Swinging his shaking legs out of bed, he crossed to the window, sat on the wide sill, and leaned against the jamb. A cool breeze, fresh with the scent of approaching rain, raised goose bumps on his skin. Beyond the golden sunrise on the green of the aspen trees that bordered his back yard, the gentle wind was stirring his family¡¯s crop of golden wheat into waves that swept in to run ashore against a massive mound of granite¡ªhis favorite place in the entire world. The rounded sides of the rock climbed thirty feet above the sea of grain in an unbroken curve until it reached Castle Rock, Corvan¡¯s name for the ring of boulders crowning the summit. From his bedroom window, the protective circle of stones looked like the beginnings of another Stonehenge or the ruins of an ancient island citadel.

    The fort he had built inside the rocks was his personal fortress of solitude, a refuge from the realities of his complicated life. Unfortunately, unlike his comic book hero, his hideaway was within earshot of his mother¡¯s call from the back porch.

    Leaning his forehead into a well-worn bulge in the metal window screen, Corvan searched the outline of each rock, but nothing moved. The creature he had caught a glimpse of the previous week had completely vanished. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near the size of the monster in his nightmares, but the timing of its appearance along with the secrecy surrounding his upcoming fifteenth birthday added to his growing apprehension.

    Sitting back, he tipped his head against the window frame and watched the slender cloud fingers caress the blue sky. His father believed that his coming of age in 1952 was of great importance. So far, the only part of the year that held any personal significance was when Mrs. Barron, the owner of the corner store, had given him a science fiction book her son had picked up in the city but didn¡¯t like.

    ¡°Consider it an early birthday present,¡± she had said, her eyes holding a sympathetic glint. ¡°Your mother tells me this is an important birthday for you, and I know things are a bit tight right now with the mine closed down and all.¡±

    The book was entitled, A Star Man¡¯s Son, and each time he read it, he found himself identifying more strongly with its mutant hero, Fors of the Puma Clan. Fors was also bullied and mocked for his appearance, but at least Fors was able to escape his situation with his loyal companion. Corvan could relate to living as an outcast on the great plains. He could only hope that one day he too would break free of the constraints that were holding him back.

    Getting out of bed, he stood before the mirror hanging on the short walls that supported the vaulted ceiling of his room. He was the only one short enough to stand up where the sloped ceiling met the wall. At school he had to look three grades below his own to find someone shorter. Some of the younger kids joked that he was the skinny ninety-eight pound weakling in the comic book ads. Corvan looked at his chest. It was true, for every one of his ribs was clearly visible.

    The whistle of the kettle in the kitchen below his room interrupted his thoughts. Corvan sighed. He would rather go back to bed and face the nightmare than get ready for another day of school. At least with the monster, he would eventually wake up and the fear would fade. In real life, at least for the past year, his problems at home and at school clung to him like burrs on his woolen socks.

    ¡°Corvan!¡±

    He jumped from the window ledge to find his mother standing in his doorway. Her blonde hair was pressed up against the unusually short door frame.

    ¡°I should have known you¡¯d be daydreaming again. Didn¡¯t you hear me call you down to breakfast?¡±

    ¡°I was sleeping.¡±

    ¡°I heard you holler,¡± she said with a frown.

    Corvan grinned. ¡°I must have been dreaming,¡± he said as he retreated behind his bed and pulled on his patched jeans.

    ¡°No doubt you were.¡± She stepped through the doorway, then she straightened to her full height. ¡°I met Miss Thompson at the store yesterday.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart dropped at the mention of his teacher.

    ¡°She says you¡¯ve been coming in after class has started this past week. I told her you must be dawdling on the way. You certainly leave home in plenty of time.¡±

    Corvan tugged his threadbare T-shirt over his head. He did not want her to see the guilt written across his face. The truth was, he wanted to be late for school¡ªfor the rest of the year if possible. His head poked out as the horn of their truck honked twice in the driveway.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later. Your father has been called to a meeting at the mine, and I¡¯m going along to sell my cider at the farmer¡¯s market.¡± She shot a warning look his way. ¡°Be on time today.¡±

    He nodded, and she retreated down the stairs.

    Corvan waited until their truck pulled up their driveway before making his way to the kitchen. Whisps of steam rose lazily from the kettle¡¯s spout. A pot of oatmeal sat on the counter next to the woodstove. With a heavy sigh, Corvan poked at the sticky lumps. He was used to oatmeal every weekday morning, but for the last few months there had been no brown sugar and often they were out of milk. Unless the coal mine reopened soon, there wouldn¡¯t be much of an improvement, at least not before his birthday came around.

    A dog barked in the lane. Corvan snatched up his lunchbox and ran to the front door. There was no one there, just a mangy stray slinking through the trees along the dirt track.

    Every morning since the start of grade eight, when Kate and her mom had moved to town, she had picked him up on her way to school. But last week she informed him she wouldn¡¯t be walking with him anymore. She wouldn¡¯t say why, and he didn¡¯t like that Kate could be so secretive and stubborn at times. Her distance made for a hard week.

    The morning breeze had died down, and the dust from the passing of his dad¡¯s truck hung over their tree-lined driveway. A red-tailed hawk perched on the weathered gate post at the end of the lane. Its dark eyes followed his every move. The intense gaze reminded him of the bullies at school, always watching for an opportunity to swoop in and pick him to pieces.

    Picking a stone from the road, he tossed it at the post to scare the hawk away. The large dark eyes blinked in disdain, then it rose into the air with its distinctive screech and soared along the road into town. Corvan ran his dusty hand over his crew-cut hair as he trudged on toward the school. If only he could fly above the world and go wherever he wanted.

    The sound of playing children grew louder as he poked his head around the final clump of saskatoon bushes. His one-room schoolhouse had seen better days. It was new when his father attended, but now its faded red paint hung from the rough boards in brittle strips.

    Corvan stepped into the gate and scanned the playground. Billy Fry, the biggest bully at school, was nowhere in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief. Billy¡¯s frequent truancy was one of the few things that made school days bearable. Whenever Billy showed up, Corvan could count on being harassed the entire day.

    Checking the perimeter of the playground, he spied Kate sitting against the picket fence by the ball diamond. The bangs of her red hair were flopped over her eyes. He didn¡¯t think she noticed him until she jerked a thumb toward the boys¡¯ outhouse. Billy must be inside. He looked across the playground to the school door. This time, rather than hiding out until after the bell rang, he could make a run for it. He would not only impress his teacher with his early arrival, but also be safe inside¡ªat least until lunch.

    Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and headed toward the school. Kate and the others would be watching. He couldn¡¯t let them think he was afraid.

    The outhouse door sprang open, and Billy stepped into the sunlight as he was looping the strap of his patched coveralls over his broad shoulder. He stood on the outhouse stoop and surveyed the playground like a wolf looking for the weakest member of the herd. His eyes locked on Corvan. A cruel grin spread over his face.

    Corvan froze and glanced at Kate. She remained sitting, biting her lower lip, and looking hard in the other direction. He didn¡¯t expect her to always fight Billy for him, but her presence usually curbed the bully¡¯s attacks. In fact, all the boys kept their distance from Kate¡¯s lightning fists. Her light frame hid a feisty fighter who could blacken an eye and get away before a larger opponent could even try to pin her down. If only he could be so brave.

    Not to be deprived of his prey, Billy lumbered over to Corvan, glanced at Kate, then dropped his voice to a menacing growl. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you on time cause I gots something to tell ya.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Corvan replied, attempting to disarm Billy with a grin.

    ¡°I can see that.¡± Billy flicked the lobes of Corvan¡¯s left ear until he winced in pain. ¡°The way these things stick out, you look like Dumbo.¡±

    Corvan tried to pull away, but Billy stepped hard on his toes, pinning him to the ground and forcing him to look directly into the boy¡¯s broad chest. He tried to squirm free from the humiliation, but his shoes might as well have been nailed down with the boy¡¯s weight crushing his toes.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Kate¡¯s voice cut through the tense air. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick on someone your own size?¡±

    Billy stepped away and turned to face her. Corvan was free to run away, but he couldn¡¯t let Kate face Billy alone, especially now that the other children were running over to see what might happen next.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t ya notice, Kate? There is no one my size in our school,¡± Billy said with a sneer.

    He laughed over the heads of the gathering crowd, then looked back at Corvan. ¡°Maybe Corvan¡¯s dad could fight me.¡± He spread out his hands out in pretend shock. ¡°Oh, yeah, I forgot. Corvan¡¯s dad is a shrimpy chicken too.¡± He took a measured step away from Kate. ¡°And you don¡¯t even have a dad.¡±

    The other children gave Kate room. She squinted through her bangs for a long moment. Her jaw was working as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Her eyes flickered to Corvan, lingered on his face, then she spun around and marched away.

    Billy watched her leave with a relieved smirk, then turned his attention to Corvan. ¡°My dad says your kind don¡¯t belong in our school. Everyone in town knows your dad¡¯s just a no-account half-breed that can¡¯t even keep a job.¡±

    Corvan stared at the ground and let his arms hang limply at his sides. This was not the first time someone had talked about his father this way. His dad said if Corvan ignored them, eventually people would move on. His father was wrong. Ignoring the comments had only intensified the attacks.

    The bell rang, and children scampered around Corvan and Billy to beat each other into the building. He tried to follow, but Billy slapped an open hand the size of a baseball glove on Corvan¡¯s forehead and shoved him to the ground. ¡°Best just stay away from school, Dumbo, ¡®cause you ain¡¯t gonna like this one as long as I¡¯m around.¡±

    Corvan got to his knees. Looking through Billy¡¯s legs, he could see Kate watching him from next to the school door, her fists tightly clenched.

    A plume of dust exploded in Corvan¡¯s eyes as Billy¡¯s heavy boot skimmed past his head. ¡°No use lookin¡¯ for Kate to save you.¡± He bent closer. ¡°My dad told her mom about Kate fighting at school, and now she ain¡¯t gonna let Kate help you no more.¡± The bell fell silent, and Billy¡¯s footsteps faded toward the school.

    Corvan knelt and blinked with his head down. He allowed his eyes to water and rinse the dust away. Gritty tears slid down his cheeks as his eyes cleared. Oh great! Now the other kids would think he¡¯d been crying. Grabbing the bottom edge of his t-shirt, he pulled it up to wipe his face clean. The hem tore open.

    Getting to his feet, he poked a dirty finger through the hole in his shirt, then slapped the dust off his pants. Now he really did look the part of Billy¡¯s taunts. He looked to the open gate. This would definitely be a good day to skip school. Then again, with his mother and teacher comparing notes, it would not be the best idea.

    His shoulders drooped as he trudged to the school building and slipped quietly through the door.

    Miss Thompson stood at the chalkboard with her back to the class; the words ¡°Oral Report¡± printed neatly over her head. He eased the heavy door closed.

    ¡°Corvan¡¯s here, ma¡¯am.¡± Billy Fry¡¯s voice broke the silence like the brash call of a raven. Corvan¡¯s jaw clenched as he headed toward his assigned seat.

    Miss Thompson did not turn around. ¡°You¡¯re late again, Corvan. This time you will stay after school to write lines.¡±

    Corvan headed toward his desk at the back of the room. Normally, the shorter kids sat closer to the front, but Miss Thompson had agreed to let him sit at the back with the older children, one row behind Billy. As he walked up the aisle between the desks, the bully shook his fist at him. One row over, Corvan caught a flicker of sympathy in Kate¡¯s eyes.

    Miss Thompson¡¯s voice pulled him up short. ¡°Since you¡¯re already standing, Corvan, you might as well be the first to give your oral report about what you did this past summer.¡±

    Oral report? She must have given that assignment on one of the days he came in late. Corvan racked his brain for a topic as he dragged himself to the front of the class. It had been a boring summer as there was not enough money for gas to go camping in the mountains. The weather had been unusually hot and dry, and his father had stayed in the cellar most days or had gone to the caves by the river.

    But ¡­ something significant had happened the past week, something the others would find interesting. Coming alongside Miss Thompson¡¯s desk, he turned to face the class and found everyone was looking intently at him. Straightening his shoulders, he cleared his throat. This was his time to impress them with a fantastic tale, and this one was completely true.

    ¡°This past summer,¡± Corvan said, pointing out the side window, ¡°I discovered strange tracks around the big rock in our field. The tracks were of three toes with claws and sometimes a tail dragging behind. The tracks would come and go at night from our rock into the fields and sometimes even lead into town. I had to find out what it was up to.¡±

    Kate frowned at him, and Corvan paused. He was going to tell Kate about the tracks when they were alone, not here in front of the whole class. The rest of class, however, were fully engaged and waiting for him to go on. A few of the younger children at the front began to fidget nervously, and the ones at the back were leaning forward to hear more. He¡¯d never had the entire school so intent on what he was saying. He took a step to the front of Miss Thompson¡¯s desk and lowered his voice.

    ¡°Last week, I finally saw it up close. I was hiding inside our outhouse and looking out a knothole when it crawled out of our woodpile. It was a lizard, this high!¡± He held a hand up past his waist. ¡°There were dark blue markings around its chest and face, and it walked like this, upright on its hind legs¡ª¡±

    Miss Thompson¡¯s ruler smacked her open hand, and Corvan whirled around. ¡°Corvan, the assignment was an oral report about your summer vacation, not another of your tall tales.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You know as well as I do, there are no three-foot-high blue dinosaur-like lizards around here. This is the 1950s, not the Mesozoic era. After school, you will write that out on the board one hundred times.¡±

    She continued talking to the class, reassuring the students that dinosaurs went extinct a long time ago and were not roaming through their town at night.

    Could she be wrong? Corvan thought. In a recent story in one of his favorite science fiction magazines, the Mad Scientists club had hatched a dinosaur egg. His own town was close to one of the largest deposits of dinosaur bones in the world. Was it possible for an egg to be preserved deep underground and then hatch when it was pushed to the surface by the spring thaw? Was that why the lizard was so large and walked on his hind legs?

    ¡°Corvan!¡± Miss Thompson¡¯s sharp voice pierced his mental fog. ¡°How many times do I need to tell you to sit down?¡±

    Corvan flinched as the words yanked him back to rows of laughing classmates. His face burned as he walked dejectedly past the younger children to the back of the class. True to form, Billy Fry stuck his foot out. Corvan jumped over it, stumbled against his own desk and scattered his pencils across the back of the room.

    Easing himself into the seat, he opened his desk and hunched down to hide behind the lid. At a touch on his shoulder, he looked up. Kate was leaning back to him from the next row, one of his pencils in her hand. Corvan smiled her and mouthed ¡°thanks.¡± Closing his desk, he took the pencil and unwound a narrow piece of paper wrapped around it.

    We need to talk. Meet me at the rock after supper.

    Corvan looked up and nodded eagerly to Kate. Now he could tell her all about the lizard and get her help in finding out where it might be hiding.

    He was about to write back when the thin strip of paper disappeared into Billy Fry¡¯s grimy hand.

    ¡°Billy, what are you up to now?¡± A weary Miss Thompson walked up the aisle.

    Billy grinned at Corvan, then he turned around. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, but Corvan¡¯s writin¡¯ notes in class.¡± He held the strip of foolscap up to the teacher.

    She took the paper from Billy. Corvan slouched further into his chair.

    Miss Thompson checked the handwriting and turned to Kate. ¡°Miss Poley, you will also stay after school today and write one hundred times on the blackboard, ¡®I will not pass notes in school.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Miss Thompson,¡± Kate pleaded, her voice trembling. ¡°I have to clean the house before my mom gets home.¡±

    Miss Thompson¡¯s posture softened, but Billy Fry twisted to face Kate and mouthed a few nasty words about Kate¡¯s mother behind the teacher¡¯s back. Kate¡¯s eyes blazed, and Miss Thompson¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°Then today you will eat your lunch inside with the younger children and write your lines.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank. Kate never ate lunch with anyone else, as she rarely brought any. He always made sure that the second sandwich his mother put in his lunch box found its way into Kate¡¯s hand.

    Pink crept up Kate¡¯s cheeks as she pushed her shoulders back.

    A smug grin spread over Billy¡¯s face. ¡°I bet her mom spent all her money for lunch at the bingo hall,¡± he snickered.

    Miss Thompson whirled about and the crack of wooden ruler breaking over Billy¡¯s head brought everyone to attention, except Kate. Kate was halfway up the aisle before the pieces hit the floor.

    ¡°Kate!¡± Miss Thompson¡¯s voice brought the girl up short at the classroom door. ¡°You do not have permission to leave class.¡± Her tone eased. ¡°Please take your seat. We can talk about this later.¡±

    Kate¡¯s lower lip quivered as she pulled the bangs even farther over her eyes. She had cried only once in front of Corvan. There was no way she would let the class see her tears.

    Kate put her hand on the doorknob. ¡°I don¡¯t need permission to leave because I¡¯m never coming back.¡± In a flash, she was gone, leaving the students in stunned silence.

    Corvan ground his teeth while staring at Billy as the boy rubbed his head. What right did Billy have to make fun of Kate¡¯s home life? It wasn¡¯t like living alone with his father on their run-down farm was any better. If he had the strength of one of his comic book heroes, he¡¯d make Billy pay for all the misery he caused others.

    But he was no hero. He hadn¡¯t even stood up for Kate and taken the blame for the note. He slumped deeper into his desk and put his hands on his knees. Once again, he had given in to his fears. Billy was right; he was a chicken, a runt, a pathetic excuse for a human being.

    A dark cloud hung over Corvan for the remainder of the day. Fortunately, Billy left at lunch, complaining of a headache. To avoid taunts about his ¡°blue lizard,¡± Corvan ate by himself in the dugout of the ball diamond and forced himself to listlessly eat both the sandwiches.

    After lunch, Miss Thompson announced that she would be gone the following day, so there would be no school that Friday. With Kate wanting to meet up again, the long weekend was looking much brighter.

    As soon as classes were over, Corvan wrote his assigned lines on the chalkboard with fervor. He did not want to waste precious moments of freedom. By the time he was finished, his fingers were cramped into a claw. On his way out, Miss Thompson called him to her desk.

    ¡°Corvan, I know some of the boys pick on you. I will do my best to see that it stops, but you add fuel to the fire when you tell the class an outlandish story about a giant lizard.¡± She leaned toward him. ¡°Honesty is a basic building block of a successful life. Think of your father, Corvan, and try to follow his example.¡±

    Corvan nodded but couldn¡¯t look her in the eyes. Mumbling an apology, he turned away and dragged his feet out the door.

    On the walk home, he turned her words over in his mind. If he were honest, he didn¡¯t believe it paid to be truthful. People took advantage of his father¡¯s integrity and mocked his dad behind his back. A surge of anger bubbled up in Corvan. His father was a good man, but some nicknamed him Tonto, referring to the Lone Ranger¡¯s sidekick. Others made jokes about his height; he was the shortest man in town, most likely the whole county.

    Unfortunately, Corvan had inherited his father¡¯s skin tone and stature. He was a good ten inches shorter than any of the other kids in his grade, and that gave the larger boys ample opportunity to make his life miserable. In the past, he had tried to win their respect by telling fantastic stories, but now that had earned him a reputation as a liar.

    He kicked a stone up from the gravel road. By tonight, the whole town would be laughing at his description of the lizard and talking about his lie.

    Stopping at the top of their lane, he put a hand on the fencepost and looked back toward the schoolyard. His parents had told him that turning fifteen was when he would leave boyhood behind. If telling the truth only brought more mockery, then it was time to stand up for himself and not back down from what he knew to be real.

    I¡¯m going to catch that lizard and prove I was right all along.

 Hammer 2

    Climbing over the gate at the end of their lane, Corvan spied his dad¡¯s rusty pickup slouched on its broken springs in front of the house. His heart dropped. Now his mom would want to know why he was late.

    There was nothing worse than getting in trouble at school and then again at home when his mom found out. If she grounded him, he wouldn¡¯t get a chance to meet Kate and ask her to help him search for the lizard. It would be best to sneak around to the back porch, climb the maple tree to his room, and pretend he had been napping.

    As he veered to the left side of the house, the front screen door squeaked open, and his mother stepped out. Here was living proof that opposites attract: unlike his father, she was tall, and her skin remained pale no matter how much time she spent outdoors.

    ¡°About time you got home,¡± she said wearily. ¡°You can help me carry the cider jars back to the pantry. I only sold three and traded a few more for some baking supplies.¡± She opened the tailgate and slung a half empty crate of jars at him with an ease that denied its weight. Grasping the wooden box, Corvan barely managed to stumble his way through the front door. If he had his mother¡¯s strength, he could knock Billy Fry clean across the school yard.

    Entering the kitchen, he found his father at the sink staring out over the field. A pair of sunglasses stuck out from his hand. As his deeply lined eyes scanned the horizon, there was a deep furrow across his brow.

    As Corvan scraped the crate onto the table, his father jammed his sunglasses onto his head and went out the back door without saying a word.

    Corvan desperately wanted to stop him and ask what was going on, but he knew it was no use. His father had become increasingly reclusive the past year. He missed his job at the mine and detested farming. The summer heat sapped his energy even though he covered up, wore a wide brimmed hat, and kept his sunglasses on whenever he was outside.

    Corvan gazed helplessly at the hunched figure walking across the yard. He missed happier days when his dad would come home from the mine and play games with him after supper. With the mine closed, his dad spent most of his days and nights down in the cellar, pounding away on his metalwork projects. He was glad his father didn¡¯t get drunk like Billy Fry¡¯s dad, but withdrawing to the cellar didn¡¯t seem like a great way to deal with problems either.

    His mother entered and slid two more full crates onto the kitchen table. She stared at her husband as he disappeared around the rock and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve no time to make supper tonight. Grab yourself some jerky and a piece of bread. I¡¯ll dig you a few carrots before I start weeding the garden.¡±

    His mother¡¯s response to problems was to spend more time in her garden, but Corvan didn¡¯t mind. He liked eating the fruit of her labors, and her obsession with gardening usually meant he would be left alone to pursue his own interests.

    After stuffing three long strips of dried meat from the stoneware crock into his pocket, he sauntered outside, where he found his mother on her knees in the dirt, the dilapidated scarecrow watching silently over her. Picking up the bunch of carrots by the water pump, he began working the long iron handle.

    The pump squeaked as he washed the dirt off, and his mother stretched her back and admired her handiwork. He avoided eye contact, hoping she wouldn¡¯t ask him to help weed. He hated that chore, and right now he needed to get out to the rock to meet Kate.

    The water ebbed to a trickle, and his mother went back to her weeding. Creeping from the yard, he headed out to the Castle Rock.

    It was a steeper climb behind the outhouse and up the southeast side of the rock, but Corvan knew every small foothold like the stairs to his bedroom. Reaching the top, he stepped into the widest gap between two stone crenelations and leaned onto one of the boulders, like a king surveying his domain.

    Their home was one of two farms that lay just outside the main streets of their small town. Corvan¡¯s home was directly north of town at the end of a long, tree-lined lane that thrust the house far out into an open field of grain. His father liked being separated from the town and always kept his gate closed and latched. A larger farm to the east side of town belonged to Mr. Fry.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Their yard and garden were bounded by twin rows of trees, a line of tall aspens and a shorter screen of spruce. In the center of this living wall of green was their home¡ªthe Guard Tower, as his grandfather had named it. It was a fitting name, for the house was a tall square structure, with a pointed roof over the second story. It was also the only home in town made of heavy stone blocks. The structure had been built long before the surrounding area was settled. A history professor from the college in the city asked to see it, but his dad wouldn¡¯t let him past the front gate.

    The rest of the homes were clustered along three wide gravel roads that ran parallel to the railway tracks. All in all, their dusty town had one grain elevator, one corner gas station, two vacant lots, and 76 houses of various sizes. The total population was 257 residents, but worked in the city of Fenwood, fifteen miles past the railway crossing, or in the river valley at the coal mine.

    Crunching the last bite of carrot, he tossed the green top over the side of the hill. He should be helping his mother in the garden instead of imagining himself as the king of the world, but Kate was coming. He eased the feelings of guilt by walking around to the north side of the ring of rocks and looked out over the fields.

    His father, now a stick figure in the distance, disappeared into the tangle of brush-filled coulees that marked the edge of their property. Beyond that boundary, the land dropped off steeply to the river and caves that laced the sides of the river valley. His father loved to explore the caverns and could be underground for days at a time.

    Corvan turned away and stepped into the depression in the midst of the ring of rocks that crowned the hill. The large rock that used to be in the gap facing his house was in the very center circle. At some point in the distant past, it had been broken off and relocated. He had learned not to ask why.

    On the eastern side of the Castle Rock, he and Kate had built a fort from old lumber they had pillaged around town. It wasn¡¯t much to look at, but it provided a bit of shade and protection from the prevailing winds. From here, they had explored the surrounding area all the way out to the caves at the river¡¯s edge.

    The area in front of the fort was normally a muddy pond. Rainwater would gather and then overflow into a channel cut into the western slope and rush out into the field. The past summer, however, had been far too hot and dry. The pond water had long since evaporated and left salt-crusted shards of mud behind.

    Corvan continued past the central boulder to the western side. The slope was gentler here, and the dry water channel was a comfortable resting spot. From here, he would have a clear view of Kate coming from her house.

    A smile spread across his face. It had been a relief to find out it wasn¡¯t Kate¡¯s idea to stop hanging out with him. Her mother was not well accepted in town, and Billy¡¯s father was a mean-tempered man known for pushing people around to get his way. Most likely, he was embarrassed that his son had been put in his place by a younger girl.

    The sun was setting and Corvan¡¯s hopes faltered. Kate usually followed through on her plans, but at times Kate¡¯s mother returned from work in a bad mood and would refuse to let Kate come over after supper. After a week of not seeing her and exciting news about the lizard, this would be the worst time for her to be grounded.

    The cradle of rock beneath him radiated its stored heat into his body. He lay back and closed his eyes to block out the setting sun.

    The bell on the back porch was ringing! He sat up to find the last sliver of sunlight behind a thin band of cloud on the horizon.

    Walking down the channel, he stopped in at the outhouse before going into the kitchen. His mother was drying the dishes and stacking them on the cupboard. A bowl with a few strawberries was waiting for him on the table.

    ¡°There¡¯s not many left, and they likely aren¡¯t the sweetest, but I thought you might enjoy them.¡± She stepped off to one side of the sink. ¡°You need to wash your hands first. I saw you come out of the outhouse.¡±

    Corvan stepped beside her, dipped his hands in the warm water, and looked out the window past the Castle Rock.

    ¡°Is dad coming back tonight?¡± He dropped his head. His mother had enough worries.

    She looked down at him. ¡°Your father needs some time to think things through, but don¡¯t let all this worry you.¡± She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve been through tough times before, and we¡¯ll make it through this one too.¡±

    Corvan wiped his hands on the towel that hung next to the sink, sat at the table, and finished off the berries.

    His mother picked up his empty bowl and pushed it into the soapy water. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and I¡¯ll be going to bed soon. You should do the same and get some rest.¡± She smiled at him over her shoulder, but the lines about her eyes remained sad and drawn. ¡°Hopefully you have better dreams and don¡¯t wake me up in the night.¡±

    He gave her a quick hug. ¡°Goodnight, Mom.¡±

    As he climbed the stairs, he muttered to himself, ¡°I sure won¡¯t have a good night if that stupid nightmare comes back.¡±

 Hammer 3

    The nightmare monster lurked in the darkness, waiting for him to move and betray his location. The shadows shifted to reveal a hulking shape swaying from side to side at the far end of the tunnel.

    His grandfather said to get out of the maze of tunnels, he only needed to climb a rope and find a blue light.

    Another passage opened beside him, and he inched forward to where a jagged fracture broke the cavern floor. Musky fear filled his mouth as he searched the darkness overhead. At least the dream was consistent, for once again a translucent green rope dangled over the void, just out of reach.

    The clicking of claws on rock set his heart pounding. A glance over his shoulder revealed the massive bear-like creature sweeping toward him with its red eyes piercing the dark.

    Corvan whirled about, leapt off the edge, grabbed the rope, and climbed furiously. A roar filled his ears as the creature''s fetid breath rolled past him, propelling him toward the rock shelf and a blue glow just overhead.

    His breath came in ragged gasps as his sweaty hands slipped on the rope. He heaved himself up higher, but the rope stretched and grew thinner.

    He gripped the rope even tighter, but it squished like jelly between his fingers. Once again, he plummeted toward the open jaws with a strangled scream trapped in his lungs.

    Corvan sat bolt upright in his bed and wiped the sweat from his brow. A shiver crawled up his spine. The green rope and the search for the blue light were connected to stories his grandfather used to tell before he vanished. No doubt those same stories were also connected to his upcoming birthday. He had overheard snippets of conversation about his grandfather in the hushed discussions and arguments his parents were having as the day grew closer. No wonder the nightmare was coming more frequently.

    Pulling his knees in close, he wrapped his arms around them and gazed out the window. An owl hooted in the trees. A shadowed figure running on its hind legs moved past the southern gap between the boulders of Castle Rock. It crossed back again.

    The lizard!

    Slipping quietly from his bed, he quickly pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. A nighttime hunt for the mysterious reptile would be far better than facing dreams of caves and monsters back in bed. Besides, there was no school tomorrow; he could sleep in.

    Creeping down the stairs and through the kitchen, he eased himself out the back door. Swirls of dust rose between his toes as he moved past the outhouse and onto the worn path leading to the rock. A lone coyote barked at a moon ringed by dark clouds.

    Cutting away from the outhouse path, Corvan circled the base of Castle Rock just inside the tall stalks of ripening grain. Approaching the water channel cut into the west side of the rock, he dropped to all fours and crawled forward inside the smooth walls. The lone coyote barked again, closer this time. Corvan flattened himself against the cool stone. He could handle a single coyote but had no wish to encounter a pack alone in the dark. He listened intently, but there was no answering call.

    Instead, he heard the scratching of claws heading directly toward him.

    Corvan lifted his head above the edge of the channel in time to see a shadow detach itself from the protection of the rocks and dart toward him. The lizard! It was trotting alongside the water channel on its hind legs. Its eyes were glinting in the moonlight as it looked out over the field.

    Very close now, the lizard ran alongside the worn channel leading down to Corvan¡¯s hiding place. It was almost upon him when it abruptly veered off and disappeared into the wheat. A swath of stocks swayed with its passage.

    He had nothing to catch it in. What was he thinking? Slipping out of his t-shirt, Corvan tied the neck shut with the sleeves. The improvised sack wasn¡¯t near big enough to catch the large reptile. He could wrap the shirt around its head so it couldn¡¯t see but what if it ripped the thin cloth to shreds? What if it ripped him to shreds?

    He wanted to run to the house to find something stronger, but this might be his only chance to prove he was not a liar. Flattening himself into the water channel, he peered into the darkness where the lizard had disappeared.

    Time crawled by. The dark shadows from the clouds overhead moved across the rock and then launched out into the sea of grain like an armada of pirate ships sailing away in the night. They all vanished momentarily as a single brilliant flash illuminated the open prairie. Thunder rumbled overhead, and in the deep silence that followed, Corvan heard a sharp hiss.

    Rolling on his side, he found the bright eyes of the lizard watching him intently from the lower edge of the channel. Dropping a small bundle, it moved intently up the slope toward him with its gaze fixed on his face.

    The lizard was close enough for him to see the blue marks on its chest and a black collar around its neck. He hadn¡¯t noticed that before. Was it someone¡¯s pet?

    Its claws scraped across the rock as it hissed and clicked in angry tones, but then it stopped, raised its nose, and sniffed the air.

    Out of the darkness, a coyote bounded up from the field. Corvan shouted a warning, and the reptile twisted and ducked to evade the attack. The coyote skidded to a halt in front of Corvan, whirled about, then pounced on the lizard. The lizard rolled to one side. Its front claws raked the coyote''s lean face. The wounded animal yelped and stopped to wipe a paw over its torn nose. The lizard sprinted up the slope and disappeared into the circle of rocks. Shaking its head, the coyote leapt after it.

    Corvan jumped to his feet and darted inside the ring of boulders while waving his arms over his head and yelling at the coyote, which was now digging furiously in the dirt next to the central stone. It turned to him, snarling and weaving its head from side to side. Bubbles of saliva dripped from its black lips. Rabies!The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Resisting the urge to run, Corvan waved his hands over his head to make himself appear larger. The angry growl gave way to a whimper, and fear shone in the animal¡¯s eyes. Rabid animals were more aggressive. The wounded animal put its tail between its legs and stumbled out of the ring of rocks to disappear in a brilliant flash of lightning. An blast of thunder rolled across the darkening prairie. The storm had arrived.

    Drops of warm rain fell on Corvan¡¯s bare torso as he walked back to where he¡¯d dropped his shirt. Lightning crackled again, illuminating a small bundle of wheat on the ground. When he picked it up, he discovered a dozen or so short stalks neatly tied with a leather thong.

    ¡°Animals can¡¯t tie knots,¡± he whispered. ¡°Where did it get this from?¡± To examine the strange bundle more closely, he made his way up to the rocks and set it down while he untied his sleeves and tugged his shirt over his head. A spatter of rain fell on his upturned face as black clouds boiled in the sky overhead. The storm might turn into hail, maybe even a tornado. It was time to get back to the house.

    He turned to pick up the strange bundle of wheat, but it was gone. Whipping around, he saw a shadow slip beneath the large boulder where the coyote had been digging. The lizard had returned for its prize, but why would it want a bundle of wheat so badly?

    Powerful gusts of cold wind rushed past him. A blast of freezing rain pummeled the back of his head and sent a shiver through his body as he made a dash past the central rock and into the fort he and Kate had built on the other side. He squinted out the doorway at the light bulb swaying on his back porch. He was about to make a run for it when the clouds burst. Sheets of driving rain obscured his view.

    The tattered tarp roof whipped up in the wind and water dripped water on his head. Corvan backed away from the door and hunkered down to watch. A prairie storm this hard never lasted long.

    The rain pounding on the roof of the fort began to mix with the intermittent patter of hailstones. The walls of the fort swayed in gales of wind that whipped the hail through the open doorway. Huddled in the corner, Corvan watched as the water falling inside the Castle Rock gathered around the central boulder.

    Before the water could reach the channel heading down the western side of rock, it began to leak into the hole the coyote had dug into the soft dirt. The mound collapsed, and the muddy water rushed in and dropped away. The drain opened even wider, and a whirlpool formed, sucking the water away under the Castle Rock. A column of bubbles shot up through the whirlpool, and something bobbed to the surface of the water, swirling amid the hailstones. Corvan jumped to his feet and peered out the door. It was the sheaf of wheat.

    Splashing into the pond, he tried to grab the wheat, but it shot past his fingers and disappeared down the water funnel. Dropping to his knees in the freezing water, Corvan thrust his hand in to get it back. It was gone, but below the surface, the water was flowing into an empty space between two slabs of rock. He was just about to pull his numb hand out when he came up against a slender rock with a series of angular edges. It had to be a large quartz crystal, the perfect addition to his rock collection.

    He tugged, but it did not come free. He tried pushing down on it, but his hand slipped off the crystal and he fell hard, painfully jamming his arm between two slabs of stone and trapping his face under the water. Freezing water rose over the back of his head. His lungs screamed for air. He twisted his arm frantically and pushed against the bottom with his free hand. Finally, his trapped arm came free. He scrambled to his feet and stood looking down the whirlpool, gasping, and shivering in the cold wind. Where was all the water going? Were his grandfather¡¯s stories about a tunnel under the rock real?

    Lightning crackled, and the entire mound of rock shuddered with him as the rumble of thunder echoed through the stone below his feet. The whirlpool vanished, replaced by a rapidly rising tide of freezing water around his legs that were tightening the muscles in his calves into excruciating knots. The water washed out into the western channel, and Corvan followed it down the slope and home. Another flash of lighting, and the lightbulb on his back porch and all the lights in town winked out. Repeated flashes and peals of thunder followed him up the stairs and into his room, where he stood by his bed, dripping and staring through the gray curtain of rain at the Castle Rock.

    The numbness in his injured arm gave way to a growing warmth. He looked down and realized that under a coating of sticky mud, he was clutching the crystal. It grew warmer, and an intense wave of heat made the muck between his fingers steam. His fingers prickled as if tiny spiders were crawling between them.

    Was this still part of the dream? The rock grew hotter, and he flung it into the corner, where it thumped off the wall and landed with a dull clank in his metal wastebasket. He pinched his sore arm and winced. This was not a dream. The lizard was real; the space beneath Castle Rock was real; and he had almost drowned to retrieve whatever was in the can.

    Pulling the wastebasket over to his bed, he sat on the floor and looked over the edge.

    Whatever it was, it now lay below the dirty crumpled papers. In the panic of being under the water, his mind must have been playing tricks on him. He¡¯d likely just picked up some old bone a dog had buried. Moving the papers aside, he peered into the wastebasket.

    This was no dog bone.

    The mud that had coated the angular object had dried to form a halo of gray crumbs around a small hammer that was so black it seemed to absorb the light around it.

    He pulled the wastebasket closer. Over the drum of rain on the metal roof, he could hear a low hum. The noise was emanating from the hammer and being amplified by the tin walls of the can. As he reached inside, it fell silent. Wrapping his hand around the polished handle, he lifted it out.

    It was so beautifully balanced; he could hardly believe it was in his hand. Smoothing out a spot on his bedspread, he laid the hammer down. It sank deeply into the quilt. Against the yellow and white triangles, it looked like a velvety black hole cut into the cloth.

    The hammer was all one piece of black stone, and the head had seven distinct sides¡ªa heptagon. Miss Thompson would be proud he remembered the name of the unusual geometric shape. He picked it up again and examined it carefully. There were faint markings on the bottom of the handle. He would need his magnifying glass.

    As Corvan stepped past the window toward his shelf, an odd sensation washed over him¡ªit was as if the hammer was tugging on his hand and turning his body like a magnet around to the north.

    ¡°I should put it back.¡± The sound of his own voice startled him, and a dizzying surge of fear overwhelmed him. Turning away from the window, he dropped the hammer onto his washstand and stumbled to his bed.

    The nausea passed, and Corvan stared at the ceiling overhead. A shiver ran the length of his body, and he pulled the side of his quilt over to get warm. The words he had just said were not his own¡ªit was something his grandfather had said to him before Corvan had even learned to walk.

    A final soft flash of lightning pulsed through the room. Corvan closed his eyes to allow the distant memory to surface. He had held the hammer before! He was on his grandfather¡¯s lap in this very room when the man had wrapped his small hands around the smooth handle and had told him that it needed to go back. Back to where? Inside the Castle Rock? Maybe his grandfather had already fulfilled the task, but then, where had the man gone and why had he left Corvan behind?

    The rain drumming on the roof overhead slowed his racing thoughts.

    In the morning, he would ask his father what this might all mean.

 Hammer 4

    A foggy dawn was swirling through the aspen trees when Corvan opened his eyes. The screen door banged, and he could hear his father singing as he washed up on the back porch over the hum of the rain. The song floated into Corvan¡¯s room and filled the misty air with images of ancient battles and long-lost civilizations. After his father went back into the house, the refrain, like the chant of prisoners in chains, continued to cycle through Corvan¡¯s mind.

    The smell of bacon wafted up the stairs. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed a real breakfast. ¡°Corvan,¡± his mother called from the foot of the stairs, ¡°food¡¯s getting cold. Make sure you wash your hands.¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡± Corvan called back as he was already throwing off the quilt and stepping over to the washbasin.

    The black hammer lay in the shallow water of the basin where he had dropped it as he stumbled back to bed. After the strange events of the night before, he had no desire to pick it up and see what it might do. He needed more time to figure things out. Dipping his fingers into the water, he wiped his hands on his jeans then shut his bedroom door firmly behind him.

    His father waited at the table with a mug of steaming coffee in his hands. He looked up at Corvan. ¡°You sure are getting hard of hearing these days. Must come from being outside in a thunderstorm.¡±

    ¡°That makes two of you,¡± his mother said as she brought a plate of pancakes to the table.

    His dad patted her arm as she sat down. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to stay inside on a night like that. I might even enjoy farming if I could do it in the dark.¡±

    He passed the pancakes to Corvan. ¡°Do you remember running past me last night by the outhouse?¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he tried to look nonchalant. For the time being, he wasn¡¯t going to share his discovery with anyone else. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°I was right by the path when you came bolting by.¡± His father¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You looked like you¡¯d been wrestling some poor creature out of a mud hole. What did you find this time?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just needed to get the mud off my hands.¡±

    Corvan shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth. Why was his father always so interested in everything that happened out at the rock? The Castle was his special place, and his father rarely went there. He looked intently at his plate and speared another piece of bacon onto his fork. ¡°It was just the mud. I didn¡¯t find anything this time.¡±

    Corvan kept eating, but it seemed like forever before his father spoke to Corvan¡¯s mother and suggested they go into the city to pick up a few things.

    ¡°Would you like to come along?¡± his mother asked. ¡°Maybe you could pick out something for your birthday. I¡¯ve saved a bit of money, and it¡¯s just over a week until your big day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d better stay here,¡± Corvan said. ¡°My fort fell apart in the storm, and I need to fix it up.¡± It was partly true, but what he really wanted was to be left alone to find out more about the hammer and where the water had been flowing under the central rock.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come along, but if you stay home, remember to stay out of the cellar,¡± his father said. ¡°It¡¯s not your birthday yet.¡±

    As soon as his parents began to discuss the trip to the city and what they could afford to pick up, Corvan took the opportunity to a mumble a quick, thanks for breakfast, grab his rain jacket off a peg, and exit out the back door.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    The rain had tapered off into a light mist. The dull sky mirrored his feelings as he passed under the dripping trees and skirted the mud puddles on the path. He cut out toward the steep side of the rock beyond the outhouse. He wanted to get to the top and out of sight as soon as possible.

    As Corvan stepped into the ring of stones, the screen door squeaked. He crouched down behind the nearest rock.

    ¡°Corvan,¡± his mother called out. ¡°We¡¯re ready to go if you want to change your mind.¡±

    He was sure she knew where he had gone, but he stayed low and still. A few minutes later, he heard the truck bumping down the lane. As soon as the sound faded away, he headed back toward the house and sprinted up the stairs to his room.

    He stood a long while at the washbasin, just admiring the hammer¡¯s cold beauty. His grandfather had intended to give it to him from an early age, and it contained some sort of power. If he learned how to use it, he could change how people viewed him. He leaned in closer, glad now that he had not told his father about it. Lately, his dad was only interested in him when he was pressing him for information about the Castle Rock. If he needed to lie to his father to keep the hammer a secret, so be it.

    He reached into the basin, and a blue glow lit up the markings on the bottom of the shaft as his fingers touched the handle. Mesmerized, he lifted the hammer from the water. A sense of power flowed up his arm and into his chest. He held it higher. Strong emotions surged, and he spoke fiercely. ¡°This hammer belongs to me now. I won¡¯t let my father or anyone else take it away.¡±

    A flash of electric blue light shot out from the end of the handle, twisted down his arm, over his shoulder, and toward his face. The crackling shaft of light shoved him away from the washstand. He fell hard against the wall next to his bed.

    Sagging to the floor, Corvan thought it sounded like a swarm of bees buzzing around his room. He shook his head and blinked his eyes until they cleared. The sound came from his washstand, where a column of steam was rising from the basin.

    Crawling along his bed he grasped the bedpost, pulled himself upright, and peered into the basin. The water was gone. The sides of the basin were scorched and warped. Small flakes of enamel had cracked from twisted edges to create a speckled ring on the washstand.

    The hammer must be radioactive. It was the only logical explanation. And now that he had brought it inside, his family would get sick and maybe even die!

    Corvan shook his head. That didn¡¯t add up. The hammer had been stuck under the boulder in the center of his fort for years, and it had not made him or Kate sick from playing over top of it. He moved closer. The water was gone, and the last wisp of steam melted away. The hammer lay inside the bowl, and there was no glow on its base.

    Where had his grandfather found it? Could it be from his grandmother¡¯s side, the native people of the area? His father had collected a lot of native artifacts by the river caves, but none of them looked like the small hammer or had any sort of internal power.

    Could it have been left on the rock by people from outer space? Some believed that Stonehenge was built by aliens, so maybe they had also created the Castle Rock and had left the hammer behind as a gift for mankind? When his grandfather said it needed to go back, he may have meant to its home world? Maybe the lizard was an alien who had been left behind to keep the hammer safe?

    There were so many possibilities, but regardless of where it came from, it had both warmed his hand when he was cold and then shocked him when he was angry with his dad. The hammer must be able to sense his emotions and was defending itself.

    He took a deep breath, and he moved squarely in front of the basin. ¡°I know the hammer is not mine,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I will put it back on the Castle Rock where it belongs.¡±

    The memory of the searing blue light made his heart flutter, but as his hand hovered over the handle, he sensed that it was not going to hurt him this time.

    As he closed his hand around the shaft, he first felt a tingling sensation and then only the warmth of the stone. Corvan carried it to his bed, lay on his back, and held it overhead. The warmth flowed down his sore arm. The pain melted away.

    He drew it down to his chest, and a sense of peace wrapped itself around him like a warm blanket. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, exhausted from the long night and everything that had happened.

    As he faded into sleep, the nightmare tunnels returned, but this time, as he wandered through the caves, he felt strangely at home in the darkness. The monster and green rope were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a rectangular opening appeared in the cavern wall up ahead. It was a wooden window frame, complete with a screen.

    As he drew closer, a shadow fell across the rusty metal mesh.

    A razor-thin claw thrust in near the top and shredded its way down to the bottom.

 Hammer 5

    The bang of the screen door startled Corvan out of a deep sleep. His parents had returned, and, judging from the light coming in his window, it was almost time for supper. At least there was no jagged rip in the window screen. The lizard was out there on the rock, maybe even waiting for him to return.

    Rolling out of bed, he grunted as the handle of the hammer jabbed his ribs. He pulled it from under the quilt and checked it over. There was no glow or warmth, just cold stone. Things had changed. It was time to talk to his father and find out where his grandfather was taking the hammer on the night he disappeared.

    He pushed it under his pillow. He would wait until he could talk to his dad in private. No use in alarming his mother with a story of being attacked by a wild animal out at the rock. She didn¡¯t like his special place much and might tell him not to go back. He closed the door quietly and head down the stairs.

    ¡°Did you play on your rock the whole day?¡± his mother asked as he entered the kitchen. ¡°You didn¡¯t fill the wood box, and I¡¯ll be baking bread tomorrow for the next farmer¡¯s market.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it in a bit. I need to ask Dad something.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just need¡ª¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s nothing, it can wait until you fill the wood box.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it later.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve heard that?¡± she asked.

    Corvan nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I really will do it as soon as I talk with Dad.¡±

    Mother stopped what she was doing, looked at him for a moment, then nodded. ¡°He¡¯s working out front.¡±

    His father was by the hood of his truck, where he was wiping off the dipstick. ¡°Hasn¡¯t lost a drop since the last oil change. I think the old girl will still be going when you take her over.¡± He smiled at Corvan.

    Corvan leaned on the fender. His father took the air filter apart and wiped the inside. He was seemingly oblivious to the tension his son was feeling.

    ¡°I lied to you.¡± His words hung in the air.

    ¡°I know.¡± His father straightened and looked at him. ¡°Would you like to talk about it?¡±

    Corvan nodded just as the dinner bell rang on the back porch.

    His dad pushed the hood shut. ¡°After supper then. I¡¯ll meet you at the firepit on the rock.¡± Their eyes met briefly, then they walked together in silence to the back porch to wash up.

    As soon as supper was over, Corvan filled the wood box while his father helped with the dishes. His dad nodded at him to go ahead without him. No doubt he wanted to talk to his mother about what was going on.

    The long shadows of the aspen trees were creeping across the yard. The North Star shone out in the darkening sky, but the warmth of the day still clung to the autumn air.

    Leaving the yard behind, he approached the rock. It appeared much more mysterious in the muted shadows of twilight, as if it were the grave of an ancient warrior king waiting to arise and lead his people into battle. His father said the rock was a sacred place to the people who once lived in the area. They believed the rock had the power to protect them from their enemies, but in the end, they had been defeated and vanished from the area.

    Corvan climbed to the top, entered the gap, and turned back to look across into his bedroom window. At one point, he heard that it was his grandfather who had cut the stone out of the circle and had rolled it into the center. Corvan¡¯s father said that the boulders around the rim had all been cut out of the crown of the hill. He asked Corvan to keep it a secret because he didn¡¯t want the people from the university poking around again.

    Corvan¡¯s fort had been reduced to a muddy pile of broken boards. The water had completely drained from the center of the rocks and left a soggy patch where he¡¯d found the hammer. The only water left was a muddy puddle inside the ring of stones they used for a firepit.

    His father¡¯s song rose strong and clear on the breeze as he strode up the western slope. He was carrying a box wrapped in an old blanket and an armful of firewood. He wasn¡¯t wearing his sunglasses, and he looked more like his old self. He smiled warmly at Corvan. ¡°How about getting a fire going up by your fort while I go get a bit more wood?¡±

    ¡°We might have enough if we use the broken boards from our fort,¡± Corvan said, pointing up the slope. ¡°It got knocked flat in the storm, but the firepit is full of water.¡±

    Setting the firewood and the strange long bundle down, his father climbed up to take a quick look. ¡°I see what you mean. Let¡¯s build our fire out here instead. I¡¯ll pick some of this up while you get the firewood ready.¡±

    Corvan arranged the kindling and firewood his father had brought. As his dad came through the gap in the castle rocks with a few short boards, the last golden rays of the day captured a noble look on his face, like a warrior king about to embark on an important quest.

    His father placed a few broken boards to one side and retrieved a pack of matches from his pocket. A moment later, flickering flames lit the craggy features of his face. The wood crackled and they sat watching the flames in silence for a long while before his father spoke.

    ¡°I am proud of you for letting me know you did not tell the truth. Your grandfather would be pleased as well, for it is a sign that you understand what it takes to be a leader.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s chest swelled with pride. He¡¯d done something right for a change. Perhaps there was hope for him after all.

    His father leaned back and looked into the sky. ¡°Can you imagine not seeing a single star in your lifetime? Never enjoying the vastness of a night sky or feeling the pull of a full moon?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Corvan shook his head as his father continued, ¡°There was a time when our people didn¡¯t see these things.¡± He leaned forward, put his palm flat against the rock beside him, and stared at it. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure where I should begin or how much I¡¯m supposed to tell you.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t know what to say. He had been expecting his father to ask him about what he¡¯d found out at the rock.

    His father stared into fire, deep in thought.

    Corvan moved closer to break the chill of the breeze that had flowed in on the heels of the setting sun.

    The nearby hooting of an owl broke the silence. His father reached beside him and pulled the blanket-wrapped object onto his lap. Pushing the coarse fabric aside, he revealed a long wooden box. Firelight flickered across the polished ebony surface as if the box itself were on fire. Was this an early birthday present his parents had picked up in town? He glanced up to find his father studying him.

    ¡°Your grandfather left this with me, and he made the case to keep it safe.¡± He tapped on the polished top. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not as good with wood as he was.¡±

    ¡°But you can make just about anything out of metal,¡± Corvan said. The forged ring around my lightbulb looks great and it sure is strong. If I stand on my bed, I can hang from it.¡±

    His father grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how your grandfather attached that ring to the beams so that might not be the best idea. I didn¡¯t make that piece. Your grandfather brought it back with him. I¡¯m not even sure what sort of metal that is. I had a hard time drilling the holes for him to hang it down in my shop.¡±

    Corvan nodded eagerly, glad to be chatting so freely. ¡°Sometimes, when I am in my fort, I can feel you pounding on stuff down in the cellar.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You can feel that out here?¡±

    Corvan nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± his father said, more to himself than to Corvan. ¡°The cellar is connected. It is the same rock.¡±

    ¡°I really felt it the night of the storm,¡± Corvan interjected. ¡°It was like you¡¯d set off an explosion underground.¡±

    A mischievous smile crinkled the corners of his father¡¯s eyes. He looked like a boy caught stealing apples. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on something down there at night. I¡¯ll show it to you after your birthday, and no using the dumbwaiter for a peek ahead of time.¡± His father smiled at him, and Corvan grinned back. The dumbwaiter was a small elevator that connected the kitchen to the cellar below. Exactly why his grandfather had built it was a mystery, but Corvan could easily crouch inside and move himself up and down without having to go outside.

    ¡°Your grandfather was supposed to be here on your fifteenth birthday to tell you everything you needed to know.¡± He looked up into the sky for a long moment. ¡°He and I never talked that much even when he was around. I failed to recognize the danger he was in, and that I might never see him again.¡±

    His father¡¯s eyes glinted softly in the firelight. ¡°All he told me was that you would need this someday.¡± He tapped a finger on the black case. ¡°¡®He must have it,¡¯ he told me, ¡®When he is ready, for this one is the Cor-Van.¡¯¡±

    The way his father said his name, pausing in the middle and stressing the last syllable, made Corvan¡¯s skin prickle. It seemed the shadows of the trees grew darker, and he put another board on the fire.

    ¡°It was he who named you,¡± his father said over the crackling of the wood. ¡°Your mother chose a different name, but he insisted on Corvan. If he was right, you will know soon, for your day is almost here.¡± He looked intently into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you remember the story of this rock?¡±

    ¡°The betrayal and final battle?¡±

    Father nodded. ¡°There are always those who want power over others. The old ways leave no room for that, but, in the end, our people were outnumbered and wiped out, except for one warrior.¡±

    ¡°The one who built the castle, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. That part of the legend is not true. The circle of rocks goes back much further than him or his tribe. It started eons ago, back with the lost people.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    His father frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure of that history.¡± He stared beyond the fire at the castle, and then he turned back to look intently into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°The one thing I have been told is that your future is tied to that circle of stones.¡±

    The dinner bell on the back porch rang urgently, and his father glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Something is up. Your mother must need to talk to me.¡± He wrapped the blanket back around the wooden case. ¡°I¡¯ll have to show you this another time. Your grandfather made me promise I would give it to you before your fifteenth year began. He said you would be old enough to choose between fear and duty by then.¡± He stood. ¡°You proved him right today.¡±

    His father was trying to make him feel better, but instead he found his stomach churning. The thought of becoming an adult held no attraction for him. The future held many more worries. The only positive part about turning fifteen was being allowed to grow out his hair. He hoped that without a crew cut he would look a little less like a child and some of the teasing would end.

    They left the dying fire and returned to the house. On the porch, Corvan looked back. The flickering embers and wisps of smoke gave the rock the appearance of a volcano teetering on the edge of an eruption.

    Inside the house, they paused at the foot of the stairs. His father put a hand on his shoulder as if he had more to say, but instead he just nodded, entered his own bedroom, and shut the door.

    Back upstairs, Corvan closed his door, sat on the bed, and pulled his pillow away to expose the hammer. ¡°So, how are you connected to what¡¯s in black box?¡± he whispered. ¡°My grandfather must have rolled the middle stone over to keep you safe.¡± He touched the handle and the soft glow from the strange markings on the base of the handle sprang to life. He leaned in closer. The light was from an insignia on the bottom of the handle, a ring within a ring, with strange figures between the two. He knew that design! The markings on the hammer were identical to those on the oak chest in the corner of his room!

    Hammer in hand, he rolled off the side of the bed just as the phone in the kitchen rang with their distinctive party line code. There was a short, muffled conversation before his father hung up. His mother spoke and chairs scraped across the floor. His parents were settling in at the table for a talk.

    The glow from the hammer filled the room with waves of blue light that washed over the large oak chest against the far wall. As his feet touched down, the floorboards groaned under his weight. He pulled back onto his bed. There was no way he could make it to the chest without his parents hearing him. He listened carefully. There was a pause in their conversation, and then the back screen door squeaked and banged.

    Jumping back into bed, Corvan pushed the hammer under his pillow. One of them must be heading for the outhouse, and he couldn¡¯t have them see his room full of blue light. He would need to wait for them to go to bed before checking out the chest.

    The moon crept out from behind a cloud and its light landed squarely on the oak chest. In the pale white light, the large chest looked like a stone coffin, or like the sarcophagus that King Arthur was buried in, with its thick lid hanging out over the edges.

    The rings and the strange markings from the hammer were highlighted on the front of the chest. The insignia was larger, and there was a hole in the center that appeared to be about the same size as the handle of the hammer. Since his grandfather had made the chest, the stone hammer was some sort of key that should reveal a secret compartment.

    Reaching under his pillow, he wrapped his hand around the hammer. Blue light leaked out the side, and he lay his head down to cover it up. Once again, the comforting warmth from the hammer ebbed up his arm along with a growing weariness. He tried to fight it off and to stay awake until his parents went to bed. He wanted to test out his theory with the chest, but the sleepy calm spreading through his body and mind could not be pushed away. He tried to let go of the hammer, but it was too late.

 Hammer 6

    When Corvan woke up, he was lying on his back. The hammer was on his chest with both hands folded over it. He had finally slept peacefully through a night without any bad dreams.

    Hammer in hand, he rolled out of bed and tiptoed across the floor to his grandfather¡¯s oak chest. It was over four feet wide and so heavy it had never been moved from the place where it rested. If his theory from the previous night was correct, when he inserted the hammer¡¯s handle into the hole in the front of the chest, a secret compartment should open inside the chest.

    Gently propping the thick lid against the wall, he checked inside. Each of the sliding trays was filled with treasures he had collected over the years: bottle caps, agates, arrowheads¡ªanything he could scavenge around town and the area around their farm.

    Kneeling in front of the chest, he examined the design his grandfather had carved into the front panel. It looked identical to what he¡¯d seen glowing on the end of the hammer¡¯s handle, only the carved version was twice the size. In its center, there was a shallow hole exactly the size of a half dollar. He knew this for a fact as a year ago he¡¯d pushed the fifty-cent piece he received for his fourteenth birthday into the hole. It got stuck, but since it seemed as good a place as any to save it, he had left it there.

    A board creaked on the stairs up to his room. Jumping to his feet, Corvan closed the chest, and dove back under the covers, thrusting the hammer under his pillow. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

    The door open, and his mother spoke. ¡°You won¡¯t get a proper rest if you stay up so late you need to sleep in.¡±

    Corvan pulled his head back under the covers like a shy turtle. He was hoping she would think he was too tired and let him be.

    ¡°You need to get up, eat your breakfast, then clean up the rest of the dishes. Your father was called to another meeting at the mine, and I¡¯ll be baking bread and canning peas. You¡¯ve got five minutes.¡± Her footsteps echoed down the stairs.

    Corvan hoped his father¡¯s meeting at the mine meant it would reopen and he could get back to work. Personally, he wouldn¡¯t like to be underground all day and only come up at night, but his dad thrived on it. He spent as much time underground as possible and was always reading about mines and caves. He repeatedly told Corvan that the continental crust of the earth was more than twenty-five miles thick, but most mines and caves were less than a mile deep. ¡°There¡¯s a whole world below us waiting to be discovered,¡± he would say.

    Under the covers, the hammer¡¯s blue insignia was glowing softly. He turned it around until the letters were in the same orientation as on the front of the chest. If the hammer was a key to open the chest, then whatever was hidden inside must be a special fifteenth birthday present.

    Throwing the covers off, Corvan dropped to his knees in front of the chest. He didn¡¯t have much time, and his hands trembled as he lifted the hammer toward the hole. A loud thump almost made him drop it. His mother banged again on the kitchen ceiling with her broom handle. Corvan groaned. If he didn¡¯t move fast, she would come up and make sure he was awake and washing up. Placing the hammer inside the chest, he covered it with his stamp collection book and closed the lid. He moved silently down the stairs as he was getting dressed.

    The scene in the kitchen caught him off guard. His mother was at the sink, and a dishcloth hung limply in her hand as she stared into the backyard. She was singing his special song in a quiet, broken voice.

    Backing out of the kitchen, he made his way back up to the landing. What was going on? His parents were both acting strange. After crouching at the top of the stairs for a few minutes, he heard his mother putting dishes away in the cupboards. Corvan bounded down the stairs, this time humming loudly. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, the screen door banged shut behind his mother.

    Two pancakes smeared with a thin coating of raspberry jam sat on the table. He rolled one up and slurped the jam that squeezed out the center. Maybe he should show the hammer to his mother. He shook his head. Not yet. First, he needed to see what was hidden in the chest. After finishing off the second pancake, he sunk his plate into the soapy water. He didn¡¯t mind washing dishes¡ªthe warm water from the tank on the side of the woodstove was comforting, and as he worked, he could look out the window toward the Castle Rock and let his imagination run wild.

    As he was drying the last plate, his mother came around the corner of the house to the back porch with a basket full of pea pods at her hip. She smiled at him through the window, and he hurried to the door and took the basket from her.

    ¡°Thanks for finishing the dishes.¡± She patted his back as he set the basket on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll need all the kitchen space to shell and process the peas.¡±

    Corvan detested shelling peas, but it seemed he should at least offer to help. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡±

    His mother laughed. ¡°Before your father left for his meeting, he said I should give you a break from your chores since it¡¯s almost your birthday. You could spend the day out at that rock of yours if you like.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you like the rock?¡± The question came out before he could stop himself, and he winced.

    She retrieved a blue ceramic bowl from under the cupboard and returned to the table. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± she asked. Her fingers flew with practiced ease as shelled peas rolled inside the chipped bowl.

    Corvan took a handful of pea pods and sat across from her. ¡°I never see you come near it, except on my birthday.¡±

    Mother¡¯s fingers slowed. ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t like to think about what might happen out there.¡± She dropped an empty pod into the pile at her side. ¡°It¡¯s not the rock or your fort, Corvan. It¡¯s . . . it¡¯s so much more. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m supposed to say to you ¡­¡±

    He hunched over the peas. ¡°That¡¯s what Father said last night.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Your father is trying to do what he thinks is best for you.¡± She stopped shelling and looked at him. ¡°If what your grandfather told us is true, then things will unfold in their own time. I don¡¯t even understand how it could open when the key piece is missing.¡±

    Corvan thoughts went to the hammer sitting in the chest. Was that the key?

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t true,¡± she said, ¡°or it¡¯s not the right time, why should we burden you with what might never affect you?¡±

    Corvan dropped a few peas into her bowl. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least tell me something about what might be coming?¡±

    His mother came around the table to hug him from behind. Corvan dropped his head and stared at the pods in his hand. She leaned in close and spoke quietly in his ear. ¡°If what your grandfather said is true, we will see you grow into a great leader.¡±

    Corvan frowned. A great leader? How could the shortest, skinniest, most picked-on kid in the school ever be a great leader?

    His mother smiled down at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure things will open up in due time. I¡¯m just not ready for those changes and saying good-bye to my only one.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart lifted. He liked it when she called him ¡°my only one.¡± It was a name she used only when no one else was around. The words were from the special song she had sung to him ever since he was little.

    ¡°So, are you going to shell peas all day or is there something else you want to do?¡± Her amused smile suggested she already knew the answer.

    ¡°You¡¯ll finish the peas faster if I am not here to distract you with my questions.¡±

    Mother laughed as he headed for the stairs. ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a choice.¡±

    Corvan climbed the stairs to the sound of peas hitting the growing pile.

    After he closed his bedroom door, Corvan retrieved the hammer from inside the chest and knelt on the floor. His mother¡¯s cryptic words about saying goodbye had startled him. What if this was like Pandora¡¯s box and bad things would start to happen? He cradled the hammer in his hands. It did not feel dangerous. He took a deep breath before he grasped the head of the hammer like an oversized key and fed it slowly into the hole.

    A loud humming filled his ears, and excitement rose in his chest. The sweet smell of burning oak filled his nostrils as wisps of smoke curled into the air. Sparks shot out from around the butt of the handle.

    The coin! He¡¯d forgotten the half dollar. He yanked the handle out of the hole and stuck his finger inside. With a yelp, he yanked it back out while wincing in pain at the sight of his blistered fingertip.

    He scrambled to the washstand before he remembered that the charred bowl was completely dry. He needed something cold to ease the pain! The smooth handle of the hammer in front of the chest beckoned to him, and he ran back to press his stinging finger against the cool stone. Instantly, the pain eased, and then it melted away.

    Corvan finally released his breath. He pulled his hand back and examined his finger. It was a little red, but there was no welt; the blister was gone. He looked in amazement at the hammer. First, it seemed intent on killing him. Now, it was healing him. It appeared to have a mind of its own.

    Turning his attention back to the chest, he found the wood around the hole charred and cracked. The blackened coin was still stuck inside. He opened the lid of the chest to dig out his grandfather¡¯s carving set. Choosing the smallest chisel, he pried gently on the edge of the coin.

    The blackened circle of warped metal flicked out of the hole and skittered across the wood floor along an erratic path toward the washstand. Corvan crawled after it as it wobbled to a halt and fell flat. When he touched it gingerly, he found it cool enough to pick up.

    One side still showed a man¡¯s head, but the other now carried the imprint from the design on the bottom of the hammer¡¯s handle. He sliding the coin into his pants¡¯ pocket and crawled quickly back to the chest. Holding his breath again, he inserted the handle. He thought he heard a whispering buzz, but it was only a bee at the window. He tried again and turned the head of the hammer as he held it in place. Nothing happened. He pushed harder, twisting it around in circles. Still nothing.

    That stupid coin had wrecked it! He would never know what the hammer was supposed to do. He stood up and let the heavy lid fall back into place. He was turning away when, as it banged down, a thin panel of wood on the very top of the lid flew up a few inches on a hidden hinge and then snapped back down into place.

    Corvan stared for a moment, and then he stooped to grasp the front lip of the lid. He pulled gently, but, as usual, the entire heavy lid rose from the chest. He let it drop again, but nothing happened.

    Falling to his knees, he fumbled to get the handle of the hammer back into the keyhole. This time, he was sure the faint hum was coming from inside the chest. Holding his breath again, he gripped only the topmost edge and a thin panel lifted away to reveal a gray cloth lining. He smiled. His grandfather would have laughed at all the times he lifted the heavy lid to look for a secret compartment somewhere inside the chest.

    He pulled the cloth. It stretched but didn¡¯t come free. Feeling along the edges, he discovered five black buttons holding the cloth in place. After he released them, he pulled the gray material onto his lap. The shallow compartment had been separated into niches of various shapes and sizes. His grandfather must have spent a lot of time on this part of the chest, but most of the indentations were empty, including a set of matching curved ones running along the top.

    A coil of green rope caught his eye. He poked at it: it was soft and pliable, more like a living vine than a piece of rope. This was the rope from his dreams and the stories his grandfather had told him.

    In a nearby compartment was a small metallic book. Finally, he''d get some answers.

    Bound in thin metal covers, the book¡¯s top was etched with the hammer¡¯s insignia, but when he tried to pick it up, he discovered that the book, like the other items in the lid, were held into their softly padded indentations with a set of silver metal clips. His attempts to twist one off to the side only resulted in a broken fingernail.

    Grabbing up the chisel from the carving set, he carefully slid it under the clip and pulled up. Nothing budged. He leaned in close to add more pressure, and the chisel snapped, leaving a thin scratch across the cover of the book.

    Annoyed, he whirled around, grabbed the hammer, and then spun back to the chest. ¡°When all else fails, give it a smack,¡± he said, rapping on the clip. All the clips holding the book in place popped up and swiveled 180 degrees.

    ¡°Now, that¡¯s cool,¡± Corvan said with a grin. He picked up the book and crawled over to lean back against the end of his bed. It was a small book, about five inches square and no thicker than his index finger. Despite its small size, it was heavy, as if he were holding the history of the entire world in his hands. Thick pages lay between the covers, but the covers would not open. There was no latch like the one on his mom¡¯s diary.

    He retrieved the hammer and placed the end of its handle in the center of the insignia etched into the front of the book. Without a sound, the covers separated to reveal pages that were soft and flexible, more like cloth than paper. The first page contained only the original insignia and what looked to be a signature at the bottom. Corvan¡¯s hands trembled. He turned the next page, and then another, and another. The entire book was full of pictograph figures, sketches of odd creatures, and a few detailed maps of locations that made no sense at all.

    As he fanned through the last pages, a yellowed paper fluttered to the floor. It was a folded section of a newspaper printed on September 19, 1939. Tucked inside was a scrap of lined note paper written on in English. The first words leaped from the page.

    My dear grandson, Corvan,

 Hammer 7

    The letter was written in a scrawling hand that slanted steeply across the page.

    I must return tonight, so I will miss your birthday.

    I don¡¯t know how I missed it, but it is clear to me now. The Cor-Van must be from both sides; it is the only way we will defeat him. I know he will never be content until he conquers everything.

    When I complete my task, I will return both to you. You are the Cor-Van, and they must come back to your hand.

    I am looking forward to the time we will have together as you grow. I will do a much better job of explaining this in person, and I can hardly wait to begin your training.

    Keep them close by at all times. Learn their differences and remember that all three must be used together.

    Three? Corvan looked down at the hammer on the floor. That had to be one of them, but what about the other two? One might be the book, but he couldn¡¯t read it. Was the third one in the long black box? How could he keep them close if he didn¡¯t even know what they were? He looked back to the letter.

    Do not trust the dark-eyed ones, and, whatever you do, never mention the hammer to anyone, not even those you think are with us. Do not use your title until all is ready. Use only the name your mother calls you.

    You will be in constant danger, so make sure that you also take along ¡­

    The letter ended with an inch of space left, and the back side was blank. Yet his grandfather had taken the time to fold the letter up inside the piece of newspaper.

    A sense of helplessness overwhelmed him. Something was about to happen to him, and he was entirely unprepared. His grandfather¡¯s letter was unclear, and it didn¡¯t sound like his father would be much help. The hammer was obviously the key to everything, but beyond that, the letter was nonsense. He folded it back inside the newspaper and tucked it back in the book. Maybe something else in the chest would provide a clue. He pressed the book into its niche, and the clips pivoted and snapped into place.

    He turned his attention to the coil of rope. His suspicion that it was the same one from his reoccurring nightmare was confirmed when he pinched it and the thin strand squished flat between his fingertips.

    His head came up quickly, and he stared at his bed. A clear memory of playing with this rope on what was then his grandfather¡¯s bed came to mind, and in it he was laughing hysterically. Why would he think a rope was funny? Picking up the hammer, he released the clips holding the coils in place, but before he could lift it out, the squeak of the landing stair outside his room threw him into a panic. He yanked the lid of the secret compartment down into place, jammed the hammer into his back pocket, and shoved the chisels under his bed.

    His mother stepped inside the door and shut it behind her. ¡°Kate is downstairs, and she¡¯s not happy,¡± she whispered. ¡°Did you promise to help pick berries this morning?¡±

    Corvan shrugged, and she shook her head at him.

    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t show up, she did it herself, but she wants to know if you will help clean them.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s face flushed. He had told Kate he would help her with that chore, but that was before she quit talking to him. How was he supposed to know she still expected him to show up? As he was getting to his feet, the gray cloth fell into a pile at his feet. He tried nonchalantly pushing it under the bed with his toe.

    ¡°You need to get downstairs and make things right with Kate.¡± She turned to leave and looked back at him. ¡°By the way, kicking that quilt under your bed does not constitute cleaning your room. Fold it and put it back into the chest.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Do it now, so I know it¡¯s been taken care of.¡±

    As Corvan collected the cloth, his mother stared at him with a frown on her face.

    ¡°It took me hours to sew those quilt pieces together. I don¡¯t like to see it tossed on your dirty floor.¡±

    Corvan looked from her face to the cloth. Was she joking? How could his mother mistake the gray cloth for his brightly colored winter quilt?

    ¡°Fold it neatly. And don¡¯t make Kate wait any longer, or you¡¯ll get an earful.¡± With that she left the room. The door clicked shut behind her.

    Corvan waited until he heard the squeak of the landing step before he pulled the hammer from his back pocket and unlocked the secret compartment. Spreading the gray cloth back over the inside of the lid, he buttoned it down, made sure the lid was locked, and then hurried downstairs.

    He found Kate sitting at the kitchen table, where she was finishing off a piece of bread with raspberry jelly. Two full pails of berries sat on the table, and, judging from the twigs and leaves stuck in her tangled red hair, Kate must have worked hard to pick them so quickly. As Corvan entered, she gave him a withering look from behind her bangs.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Sorry, Kate, I was ¡­ ¡±

    Kate waved him off. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me any of your excuses. I know how much you hate picking berries. Trust me, it¡¯s not my favorite chore either, but my mom needs these and all the pastry ready when she gets home tonight.¡±

    Kate¡¯s mother baked the best Saskatoon berry pies for miles around and made extra money selling them to the caf¨¦ where she worked. Unfortunately, she often lost it all playing bingo.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Kate,¡± Corvan¡¯s mother said while giving him a disapproving look. ¡°I¡¯ll mix up the pastry for you to take home.¡±

    Kate¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure my mom will appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°How many pies is she going to make, dear?¡±

    ¡°She said only six. They aren¡¯t selling as many now that summer vacation is over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix the pastry while you two clean the berries.¡± She smiled at Kate as she passed her a clean pail.

    Corvan picked up the other pail of berries and followed Kate out to the back steps. As he sat down next to her, the sweet aroma of lilacs rose about him. The lilac bush in the yard bristled with seed pods, however, and its flowers had long faded and blown away. Kate tossed her head and a fresh wave passed.

    He leaned closer and sniffed. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing perfume, are you?¡±

    Kate bent over her pail of berries, and a pink blush touching her freckled cheeks. ¡°My dad sent it for my birthday.¡±

    Shoot. He had forgotten her birthday. He caught another whiff of her perfume. It reminded him of their recent spring nights on the front porch swing looking at the stars together. ¡°I lick likelacs. I mean, I lake laclicks.¡± He stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°It smells nice.¡±

    She looked sideways at him from the berries with a smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Thanks, I like lilacs too.¡±

    Corvan face was getting warm. ¡°I found something out at the rock,¡± he blurted out. He was desperate to change the subject.

    Kate rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were trying to catch your imaginary lizard.¡±

    ¡°I have to prove¡ª¡±

    ¡°The kids will laugh you out of town if you don¡¯t drop that story. I couldn¡¯t believe you used it for your oral report. That was your tallest tale yet. My mom even heard about it at the caf¨¦.¡±

    Corvan focused on sorting the berries. He had expected Kate to be more supportive.

    ¡°So, what was it?¡± Kate looked at him.

    ¡°What was what?¡±

    ¡°The thing you found that you couldn¡¯t tear yourself away from to meet me on time.¡±

    His grandfather¡¯s letter came to mind. Whatever you do, never mention the hammer to anyone, not even those you think are with us. ¡°Nothing.¡± Corvan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡±

    ¡°Fine, keep it to yourself. It¡¯s better that way.¡±

    They cleaned quietly for a while. ¡°These are nice berries,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Where did you find them?¡±

    A sly smile stole over Kate¡¯s face. ¡°Fry¡¯s pond.¡±

    Corvan almost spilled his pail of berries. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to go on his property! Remember those two boys that tried fishing on that pond? He shot over their heads with his shotgun to scare them off.¡±

    Kate¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°The bushes aren¡¯t even on his land. His property stops at the edge of the pond.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but his shotgun doesn¡¯t stop at the edge of the pond. It¡¯s not very smart to go there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, if someone showed like they promised, I wouldn¡¯t have to take such ¡®stupid¡¯ chances.¡±

    Flustered, Corvan looked out across the yard, and then he stood to shake the twigs from his lap. He hated it when Kate was annoyed with him.

    There was a sharp tug on the back of his jeans. When he turned around, he found Kate holding the hammer with a puzzled expression on her face.

    ¡°Give me that,¡± Corvan whispered. ¡°It might hurt you.¡± He held out his hand, but Kate pulled the hammer close to her chest and stared vacantly past him. Corvan knelt on the bottom step. ¡°That¡¯s what I found. It was buried near our fort. It belonged to my grandfather.¡±

    Kate blinked, and her eyes focused his face. She nodded slowly and looked down at the hammer. ¡°Your grandfather must have been a great man.¡±

    ¡°My dad said he was descended from a mighty warrior.¡±

    ¡°It feels like something a king would own.¡±

    She slowly released the hammer into his opened hand, and Corvan slipped it back into his pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I walked to school without you.¡± Kate said, wiping a sleeve over her eyes. ¡°I get so mad when Billy Fry starts picking on you. I¡¯m not afraid of him, but my mom said if I were in one more fight, she¡¯d make us move away.¡± She blinked back tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move again, but I don¡¯t know how to help you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Corvan said, sitting back down. ¡°I hate being so short.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re a boy¡ªyour dad won¡¯t mind if you got in a fight once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if your dad was around, he wouldn¡¯t mind you fighting either.¡±

    She turned away, and Corvan chided himself for bringing up her father¡¯s absence.

    ¡°What happened when you held the hammer?¡± Corvan asked.

    She looked across at him. ¡°It¡¯s a bit silly, but I felt better about myself ¡­ like it¡¯s okay that I get mad at the bullies. But it was scary too, like I was the one in charge of making things right, like a judge or a ¡­ a queen.¡±

    Corvan nodded. The way she put it made sense. He had felt something similar.

    Corvan¡¯s mother came out the screen door. She was holding a cloth-covered bowl in her hands. ¡°Here¡¯s the pastry, dear. You¡¯d better get it home and put it in the fridge right away.¡± She shot an accusatory glance at her son. ¡°Corvan will carry it for you.¡±

    As he stood to take the bowl, his mother shook her head in disappointment. ¡°Did you have to smear berries all over your pants? As soon as you get back, throw them into the washing machine. Let¡¯s hope they aren¡¯t permanently stained.¡±

    Kate kept busy pouring the cleaned berries back into her pails, all the while hiding an amused grin.

    Corvan turned away to the side of the house to hide his own smile.

    It felt great to be back with Kate and to share the secret of the hammer with her. Together they would figure out the mystery of the lizard and the Castle Rock.

 Hammer 8

    Kate and Corvan walked down the back lane to her house with the late afternoon sun creating a canopy of light overhead. Placing the pastry bowl down in the grass, Corvan held the gate open for Kate.

    A voice drawled from the deepening shadows.

    ¡°Looks like you got yourself some real good berries there.¡± Billy Fry emerged from behind a stout maple tree and sauntered over with a shotgun cradled haphazardly in the crook of his arm.

    ¡°The berries are for my mom to make her pies,¡± Kate said as she stepped away from Bill¡¯s advance.

    ¡°I seen your footprints in the mud out by our pond, so those are my berries. You can have Corvan pick you some more.¡± He laughed. ¡°Maybe he can get his three-foot high lizard to pick the ones he cain¡¯t reach.¡± He grabbed the handle of one of the pails. Berries sprayed into the dirt as Kate hung on.

    Corvan let go of the gate, and it swung shut on its spring, slapping the hammer stuck in his back pocket and knocking it halfway out. Corvan shoved it back in, and as his hand touched the smooth stone, the back lane seemed to grow brighter. He looked at Bill, and for the first time, he wasn¡¯t afraid of him.

    ¡°Leave her alone, Bill.¡±

    The large boy jerked back in surprise. He stared at Corvan for a second. Then the wicked smirk returned to his face. Pushing Kate aside, he moved to stand toe to toe with Corvan with his bulk blocking out the light. ¡°Did I say you could speak? Mind your own business. I don¡¯t need any advice from no half-breed.¡±

    Corvan tightened his grip on the hammer and looked into Bill¡¯s narrowed eyes. ¡°When you bully Kate, it is my business. I¡¯m telling you to leave her alone.¡±

    Billy blinked, then laughed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t, what are you going to do about it?¡± He jabbed a thick finger at Corvan¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Whatever it takes.¡±

    Billy snorted as confusion flickered across his broad face. ¡°Well, looky here; Stumpy¡¯s got hisself a girlfriend, got to show how brave he is. Well, short stuff, you can have her. She¡¯s white trash, just like her mother.¡±

    Kate whirled to face Bill. Her cheeks were bright red. The boy stepped back.

    ¡°Why do you have to be so mean?¡±

    Bill¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gestured with the barrel of his gun. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ to be taking them berries, Kate Poley, so I suggest you hand ¡®em over.¡±

    The sun glinted off the barrel of the gun. Fear gripped Corvan¡¯s chest, but he took a deep breath and stepped between Billy and Kate.

    ¡°Leave us alone, or you¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble for pointing a gun at people.¡±

    Billy turned to look at Corvan. ¡°Yeah? Who¡¯s gonna tell?¡±

    Corvan steadily returned his gaze but didn¡¯t answer.

    Billy hesitated and then turned back to Kate. ¡°Go ahead, keep the berries. Everyone knows your mom¡¯s a rotten cook. I¡¯d rather eat a cow pie than the soggy mess she cooks up.¡± He turned and hollered over his shoulder as he swaggered off down the lane, ¡°When you two get married, your kids will be so short, people will mistake them for gophers and shoot ¡®em.¡± He gave a loud guffaw and continued on his way.

    Corvan let out a sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed, and he released his grip on the hammer. He turned to find Kate gazing at him with admiration. His face flushed as he picked up the pastry bowl from the grass.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± Kate said.

    She put the berry pails down on the other side of the picket fence and reached for the heavy stoneware bowl. For a moment, her hands wrapped around his, and the scent of lilacs filled the air as a breeze rippled between them and flicked a lock of hair across her eyes. She smiled at him. ¡°Thanks, Corvan. Thanks for standing up for me.¡±

    Stammering out a good-bye, Corvan stepped quickly through the gate and trotted up the alley. Over the years, he had endured a lot of teasing about Kate. If he had a dime for all the times he had heard that stupid rhyme about Corvan and Kate sitting in a tree and kissing, he would be rich.

    Kate, however, always stated emphatically that she would never have a boyfriend, that they weren¡¯t worth the trouble.

    He thought about it as he walked along, draping one hand loosely over the hammer sticking out of his back pocket. Truth was, he wouldn¡¯t mind kissing Kate. The problem was that she might punch his lights out if he tried.

    He smiled. Maybe someday he would give it a whirl anyway.

    Back at home, Corvan stopped at the outhouse and then washed up on the porch. The blue stains on his hands reminded him of his dirty pants, and he peeled them off and dropped them into the tub of the old washing machine. A pair of patched coveralls lay draped over the threadbare armchair. He pulled them on and stepped into the kitchen.

    His mother was carrying her sack of floor back into the pantry and turned to look at him. ¡°Those fit you pretty well considering they belonged to your grandfather.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Corvan ran his hands over the faded cotton. ¡°He was as short as me?¡±

    ¡°Shorter.¡± She laughed and pointed at his feet. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re expecting a flood.¡±

    He looked down to where the pant legs rode high over his ankles.

    A glass of water and a piece of bread waited at the table. Corvan sat and looked up at his mother. ¡°You¡¯ve never told me much about my grandfather and why he left.¡±

    She closed the panty door. ¡°We don¡¯t really know for sure. He left without saying a word to anyone.¡±

    ¡°So maybe he¡¯s still alive?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. There¡¯s nothing in this world that could have kept him away from you. You¡¯re what he lived for. I could never understand why he left the day before your birthday.¡± She shook her head gently. ¡°He was so looking forward to it.¡±

    As she turned to the stack of pots and pans by the sink, Corvan grabbed his slice of bread and slipped from the room.

    In seconds, he was sitting on his bed and unfolding the newspaper from around his grandfather¡¯s letter. His grandfather left the day before his second birthday. That would have been September 20, 1939, the next day after the newspaper clipping wrapped around the letter was printed.

    He scanned the front side of the paper. There was a long article about the beginning of the war in Europe. The other side was all advertisements except for one short article.

    New Evidence Comes to Light at IPC

    Representatives from the Industrial Power Company confirmed today that last Saturday¡¯s explosion, which resulted in the deaths of three miners, may have been intentional. The explosion took place during the boring of an experimental shaft.

    At first the mine operators claimed that the machinery overheated, igniting dust raised by the drilling. Investigators now report that footprints were discovered around the test bore. They claim someone was trying to tamper with the evidence, although it is unclear how anyone could have reached the site before the shaft was cleared.

    One member of the investigation team, who has asked not to be identified, says he saw a figure retreating down the borehole. This claim has been rejected by the mine officials as there are no levels below the test site.

    Corvan recalled his father talking about the disaster of ¡¯39. A few days after the shaft was cleared, another massive explosion had collapsed the main shaft and forced the closure of the mine. IPC went bankrupt. Only the smaller Red Creek Mine was still in operation.

    The thump of his mother¡¯s broomstick interrupted his thoughts. After stuffing the newspaper and letter under his pillow, he returned to the kitchen. His mind was whirling.

    ¡°I need you to run to the Barrons¡¯ and get some baking soda. Make sure you let Mrs. Barron know we¡¯ll pay our bill as soon as we can.¡±

    The Barrons owned the local corner gas station, and although it was long past closing time, they were always available to open the store and get something a neighbor needed. Corvan didn¡¯t mind going to the store. Mrs. Barron often gave him a chocolate bar or licorice cigar the mice had nibbled on. ¡°Can¡¯t go selling that to my customers,¡± she would say as she cut off the nibbled edge and handed him the treat.

    The sun had slipped over the horizon. The sky was painted in swaths of orange and pink above the low hills to the west. Corvan whistled as he walked down the center of the road and a few birds called in response.

    By the time Corvan returned home with the taste of a Cuban Lunch chocolate bar still lingering in his mouth, his father was sitting at the supper table. While they ate, mother tried chatting about her day, but father didn¡¯t respond. Normally on a Saturday night, they¡¯d sit at the table after supper and play games, but mother said since it was getting late, she¡¯d do the dishes and let Corvan get washed up for bed.

    Corvan went out to the washstand on the back porch. Looking in through the rusty screen door, he saw his father staring at his half-eaten supper.

    ¡°We¡¯ve managed through hard times before,¡± his mother said, ¡°and we can make it again. If he¡¯s old enough at fifteen for what your father was planning, he¡¯s old enough to understand that we¡¯ll have to celebrate his birthday another time.¡±

    His father¡¯s voice responded in tones too low to catch, and then he left the table and vanished into the bedroom. Corvan washed up and returned to the kitchen while wiping his hands on his shirt.

    His mother shook her spatula at him. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to dry your hands on a towel? What good does it do to scrub your hands and then wipe them on a dirty shirt?¡±

    ¡°But this one¡¯s clean.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not clean now that you¡¯ve wiped your dirty hands on it, is it?¡± She raised her eyebrows as if to dare him to respond.

    Corvan could see this would be one of those circular arguments he could never win. ¡°I¡¯d better head to bed.¡± He leaned forward to kiss his mother¡¯s cheek, but she pulled him in close and gave him a tight hug.

    ¡°Mom, are we going to lose our home?¡± Corvan asked.

    His mother¡¯s shoulders sagged as she released him. ¡°We¡¯ll lose everything if your dad doesn¡¯t get the call to go back to the mine. This crop of wheat will only pay off what we owe the bank this year, never mind our debt from the past.¡±

    ¡°Is that because Old Man Fry has been talking to the bank?¡± He couldn¡¯t hide the bitterness in his voice.

    His mother shook her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t refer to Mr. Fry that way.¡±

    ¡°But why is he always trying to make trouble for our family?¡±

    She looked out the kitchen window at the castle rock. ¡°Your father says Mr. Fry holds a grudge against your grandfather.¡± She turned back to him. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯s behind the letters from the bank.¡± She waved him on. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up all night reading. If I see a light under your door after ten o¡¯clock, I¡¯m going to take your lightbulb away for a week.¡±

    Corvan grinned. She couldn¡¯t put a book down herself and would often reading until all hours of the night.

    Back in his room, Corvan undressed and settled into bed. He wanted to get the rope out of the chest, but he couldn¡¯t take the chance of being discovered. He would wait until he was sure his mother was in bed.

    The crickets outside were tuning up for their nighttime symphony. The screen door banged as his mother went out on the back porch to set their ancient wringer washer into action. Soon its rhythmic swish and bump drowned out the crickets. Corvan closed his eyes and let his breathing fall into sync with the familiar sound.

    The cave dream returned, but this time he was in pursuit through the damp tunnels. Just when he caught up and was reaching out to grab them, the person ran away and called out to him. ¡°Who? Who are you?¡±

    He woke to the repetitive hooting of an owl on the maple tree outside his window. ¡°Whoo-hoo,¡± he called back, and it swept out across the yard on its nightly hunt.

    A gentle breeze wafted the scent of rich earth and moist wheat into his room. The house was silent. This would be a good time to check out the mysterious rope inside his grandfather¡¯s secret compartment. Picking his grandfather¡¯s pants off the floor, he tiptoed to the chest and searched through the pockets.

    The hammer was gone.

 Hammer 9

    Corvan searched frantically through the dirty clothes he had kicked under his bed, but the hammer was not there. The last time he held it was when it was in his back pocket at Kate¡¯s house and then up the back alley. It must have been in his pants when he changed clothes on the back porch.

    His mother was doing the wash when he fell asleep. If she put his pants through the wringer, the hammer would make a real mess of things. Two years ago, he¡¯d left some marbles in his pockets that had jammed the rollers and ruined the gears. His only hope was that she had gone to bed without wringing out the wash. Checking out the window, he saw his pants swaying gently on the line. ¡°Oh great,¡± he muttered.

    Making his way quickly down the stairs, he forgot about the step just below the landing and put his foot in the middle. The stair let out its customary low groan. Holding his breath, he waited for his mother¡¯s snoring to resume. Then he crept out to the back porch.

    The wringer washer grinned at him from its corner. It always reminded him of a robot from a science-fiction story, with its wringer head hanging over its squat body and rollers like two rows of yellowed teeth in an oversized mouth. He inspected the rollers. Everything looked fine. Either his mother had found the hammer, or it was still down in the rinse water she always saved for her garden.

    After rolling up his sleeve, Corvan plunged his hand into the cool water and felt around the groove at the bottom of the round tub. All he found was the scorched half dollar from the chest, which he dropped into his pocket as he looked back through the screen door into the kitchen. If his mother had found the hammer, she might have put it in the secret hiding place where she kept the family cash.

    He remembered to pushing down firmly on the screen door handle to avoid any squeaks from the hinges. He went to the pantry and pressed on a knot in the wall, from which a small door popped open to reveal a shallow alcove. Grandfather had built the hiding spot for his mother, but Corvan had found it one day while searching for the chocolate chips. This time, it contained nothing: no chocolate, no cash, and no hammer. Corvan clicked the hidden door shut. Maybe it had slipped out of his pocket when he used the outhouse.

    The path was warm on his bare feet, and the moonlight illuminated his footprints from earlier that afternoon. The wooden latch on the outhouse had been left open, which meant he was the last one to use it. Corvan pulled the rough plank door wide on its leather hinges, and that familiar rank odor wafted out. He crouched to search around the wooden platform and behind the stack of old newspapers.

    The hammer wasn¡¯t there, but then where could it possibly be? He shut and latched the door.

    As he was retracing his steps, Corvan glanced up the path that led to the steep side of the rock. A set of marks were outlined by the moonlight. He bent low. These were animal tracks that had been partially wiped out, as if the animal had been dragging something along. Maybe a predator¡¯s successful kill? But there was no blood on the ground.

    The tracks led out to the edge of the rock, and Corvan heard pebbles rolling and clinking together overhead. Hugging the rock, he climbed on all fours until he reached the crown of rocks silhouetted against the night sky.

    Crawling quietly forward, Corvan peered around one of the boulders. A shadowy figure was crouched near the solitary rock in the center. Then dirt and pebbles sprayed out as the animal dug furiously at the base of the lone boulder. When the creature stopped digging, it stood up on its hind feet.

    The lizard!

    Corvan watched in fascination as the reptile picked up two strips of cloth from the ground and wrapped them carefully around its front claws. It held them up to inspected them, and in the soft light, it looked as if it were wearing mittens. Corvan stared, transfixed by the bizarre sight as it then stooped to drag something back to where it had been digging. The hole in the ground appeared to be too small for the large creature, but its body seemed to melt and flow down inside until only its cloth-wrapped claws remained in view holding up a black object.

    The hammer! The lizard had taken it from the outhouse.

    The cloth-wrapped claws abruptly disappeared into the hole. The hammer stood upright for a moment before it toppled to the ground.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Corvan rushed forward and was reaching for the hammer as an explosion of dirt shot out of the hole into his face. Blinded, he sat back to shake his head and clear the grit from his eyes.

    A guttural screech snapped his head up, and a dark blur hit him so squarely in the chest that he was knocked onto his back. The lizard jumped on him while raking its cloth-bound claws across his face as it screeched in frustration. Corvan yelled and knocked it off his chest.

    Rolling onto his knees, Corvan tensed for another attack, but now the lizard was unwinding the cloth from its claws. Its keen eyes burned with hatred. Corvan frantically felt around him for a weapon, but there were no rocks or sticks within reach.

    The lizard leapt toward him and landed with its front claws outstretched and its back legs straddling the hammer. It hissed, but it didn¡¯t try to pick up the hammer. It couldn¡¯t touch the hammer with its bare claws? If he could grab it, he could use the hammer to keep the creature at bay.

    It inched forward, staying between Corvan and the hammer, with its pointed front claws extended to drive him back. Its hind feet scraped on the muddy piece of tarp Corvan had ripped off the fort. If he yanked the tarp out from under its feet, he¡¯d have a chance to grab the hammer.

    The lizard pulled its thin lips back to expose pointed teeth. Its hate-filled eyes bore into his as it took another step toward him.

    Corvan inched his hand toward the loose end of the large canvas sheet. The lizard¡¯s eyes darted down, and Corvan yanked as hard as he could. The lizard¡¯s tumbled back past the hammer. Corvan jumped forward, threw the heavy canvas over the creature, and scooped up the hammer. He retreated to the ring of boulders as a flurry of claws tore the old tarp to shreds.

    The lizard emerged with eyes blazing. It took two quick steps toward him, but when it saw the hammer in his hand, it stopped.

    Glaring through narrow slits, it snarled in a low, hoarse voice. ¡°You will never be the Cor-Van. You could not survive the wrath of my master.¡±

    Corvan blinked. It could talk?

    ¡°You are only a child,¡± the lizard rasped. ¡°Return the hammer to me, and I will spare your life.¡±

    Fear constricted Corvan¡¯s throat. All he managed to croak out was, ¡°Go away.¡±

    The lizard fell back as if it had been kicked, and its eyes widened in fear. Corvan held the hammer higher and took a step forward.

    The creature retreated before him. Its eyes were flickering from one side to the other. With a hiss, it gave him one last angry glance, and then melted into the dark hole it had dug.

    Grabbing the biggest rock he could lift with one hand from the firepit, Corvan dropped it over the hole. He stuffed the hammer into his back pocket, and then he piled on more rocks until he couldn¡¯t lift any more. His sides heaved. He fell to his knees and retched. Shaking uncontrollably, he crawled to the western side and collapsed against one of the outer rocks. Never in his life had he been so afraid. People like Billy Fry were mean, but this thing was so ¡­ evil.

    Corvan shook his head. The lizard said it had a master. That must be why it wore a collar, but his couldn¡¯t be happening. Animals didn¡¯t talk. Was the hammer messing with his mind?

    When he pulled it out, an overwhelming awareness of great danger flowed through him, but something much more powerful was holding it at bay. He felt a unseen force that was flowing around and through him.

    A shadow flickered past his feet, and Corvan scrambled through the western gap and stood by the drainage channel. An owl hunting for prey on silent wings swept past him. He let out a long breath, but then recalled that gophers always had a second entrance to their holes. The lizard could be watching him even now. Or maybe it had left to bring back more of its kind.

    Cold sweat broke on his forehead as he scanned the circle of rocks. The shadows could easily conceal the vicious creature. He backed out of the rocks, bolted down the water channel, and headed for home. As he ran, he thought he heard an entire pack of lizards bearing down on him. With a final burst of speed, he reached the safety of the porch and turned to look back. The owl hooted again, but the backyard was still.

    The lizard had retrieved the hammer from the outhouse, so it obviously knew where he lived. If it came back with reinforcements, or even worse, its master, the only thing that could save his family would be the power of the hammer.

    Corvan stared out the porch door at the outline of the Castle Rock and held up the hammer. The lizard was afraid to touch it and had wrapped its claws. He put his other hand to his face. It felt sore, but at least there were no bloody scratches.

    Corvan moved deeper into the shadows of the porch and sank into the moth-eaten armchair. Tonight, he would keep guard over his home. With the hammer firmly in his right hand, he stretched his arm out on the armrest, like a king with his scepter on a royal throne. The hammer gave him a sense of authority, and he envisioned himself holding an entire legion of lizards at bay.

    A rooster crowed, and Corvan shook off the sleep that had been dodging him all night long. The gentle light of early dawn was in the east. His home was safe. Every muscle in his body ached as he pushed himself out of the armchair. Creeping back up to his room, he slipped the hammer under his pillow.

    As he undressed, the blackened half dollar fell out of his pocket and rolled under the bed. Too tired to chase it, Corvan crawled under the sheets and fell asleep.

 Hammer 10

    By the time Corvan woke up, the sun was directly over the house. His parents never let him sleep this late. Bees buzzed past his window, but the house below him was silent.

    ¡°Mom,¡± he called out, ¡°what¡¯s for lunch?¡± There was no answer. Had the lizard attacked while he slept? Leaping out of bed, he tugged on his pants, then moved cautiously down the stairs with the hammer held out before him.

    The bed in his parents¡¯ room was not made, and a few of the dresser drawers hung askew. Corvan ran to the front door. The truck was gone. Retreating to the kitchen, he searched for a note. Nothing.

    Kate called into the house from the back porch, and Corvan crossed his arms over his bony chest. He hated being seen without a shirt.

    She shook her head in disgust as she was entering the kitchen. ¡°Are you just getting up? Must be nice to sleep in half the day. My mom had me up at six to take the pies out to the station wagon.¡± She placed her hands on her hips. ¡°You should get a shirt on.¡± She nodded to the laundry basket by the back door.

    ¡°Have you seen my parents this morning?¡± Corvan asked, grabbing a T-shirt.

    ¡°I saw them drive past our place earlier. They were headed out of town.¡± She looked out the window as he pulled his shirt on. ¡°So, what are you doing today?¡±

    Corvan was relieved that his parents were okay. They must have needed something from the city, maybe a surprise for his birthday.

    ¡°I went out to the rock,¡± Kate said. ¡°What a mess! Our fort¡¯s ruined.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the storm flattened the fort.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the pile of rocks from the firepit? How did that happen?¡± Kate asked, looking intently at his face.

    ¡°That was me.¡± Corvan looked out the back door to escape her steady gaze. ¡°I was making a¡­ monument. Like a pyramid.¡±

    Kate scowled. ¡°When are you going to start telling people the truth instead of making up silly stories? If you don¡¯t want to say what you were doing just say, ¡®Kate, I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯¡±

    Corvan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think anyone will believe me if I tell the truth. This one sounds crazier than any story I ever made up. I¡¯m not sure I even believe it yet.¡±

    ¡°Try me,¡± Kate replied as she sat on top of the kitchen table.

    His grandfather¡¯s note had said not to trust anyone, but this was Kate. Besides, she¡¯d already seen the hammer.

    Pulling the stone hammer from his back pocket, Corvan placed it on the table in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s all connected to this.¡±

    Kate stared at it as if she were seeing the hammer for the first time. She touched the handle with one finger and then pulled her hand back. ¡°You never did tell me where it came from.¡±

    ¡°I thought my grandfather made it for me, but now I¡¯m not sure. Last night, the hammer was stolen.¡±

    Kate hopped off the table. ¡°Bill Fry took it?¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t Bill. It was ¡­¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Aw, forget it. I get enough mocking from the kids at school.¡± Snatching up the hammer, he swept around her, pushed out the screen door, and slouched on the porch steps.

    Kate followed and stood behind him. ¡°You¡¯re talking about that lizard again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Corvan checked to see if she was teasing, but her face was serious.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I made fun of you about that story,¡± Kate said, sitting next to him. ¡°It sounded a bit far-fetched, and besides, no one but you has seen it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But I guess not seeing something doesn¡¯t mean you should doubt someone who says he has.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Corvan stared at the rock. He had definitely seen it. His stomach churned at the memory.

    ¡°Why would a lizard need a hammer?¡± Kate asked.

    Corvan dropped his gaze to the ground.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Kate nudged his shoulder. ¡°I said I was sorry.¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll tell you what happened. But if you start to laugh, I¡¯m not telling you anymore.¡±

    ¡°If the story gets funny, it¡¯s not my fault if I laugh,¡± she teased.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of story. Just do me a favor¡ªlet me get to the end before you ask questions.¡±

    Kate nodded, and Corvan told her about the lizard taking the hammer and the fight to get it back.

    Kate listened intently, but her frown deepened as the story progressed. When he got to the part where the lizard spoke, she interrupted him.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I could imagine a wild animal trying to bury your hammer, thinking it was a bone or something, but everyone knows animals don¡¯t talk. That¡¯s just crazy.¡±

    Corvan jumped to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re right. I am crazy. Crazy for thinking I could share this story with someone like you.¡± He stomped off.

    ¡°What do you mean, like me?¡± Kate hollered after him. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me?¡±

    Corvan rounded the corner of the house and broke into a run. He should have known she wouldn¡¯t believe him either. Bounding up the front stairs, he shut the door behind him and peeked out the living-room window. Kate hadn¡¯t followed. Hopefully she¡¯d go home, and he¡¯d have a chance to look through his grandfather¡¯s chest in peace.

    He waited a bit longer then went up in his room and unlocked the secret panel. Draping the soft cloth over the footboard of his bed, he checked out the various items, but his attention kept returning to the green rope. Plucking it from its shallow depression, he examined it carefully. One end was squashed flat and wrapped securely around the coils. Small flaps were keeping the rope fastened in tight loops. Corvan tugged at the flaps, but they wouldn¡¯t budge. He pulled as hard as he could on the free end, but the rope only stretched slightly.

    A low whistle escaped his lips. How could something this light be so strong? It wasn¡¯t even woven like a braided rope; it was all one thin strand except that the free end was a thicker, like a short handle. On the end of the handle was a round button¡ªlike an eyeball with a black knobby pupil staring out from the center. Corvan pressed on the dark bump: the flat flaps holding the coils opened, and the loops fell to the ground.

    Letting the soft rope play through his hands, he picked up the flat end that had been wrapped around the coils. It was a wider disk shaped like the head of a cobra. He held it flat in the palm of his left hand and then pressed his thumb against the dark eye on the end of the handle with his other hand.

    An intense prickling sensation snapped his left hand tightly closed around the flat disk. In a panic, Corvan tried to open his fist, but it was as if the green disk was suddenly coated in thick glue. He tried harder, and the prickling increased. His fingers were shifting about of their own accord. Dropping the eyeball handle to pry his hand free, it bounced off the open chest and his left hand sprang open. The flat disk spilled to the floor.

    Red dots of blood blossomed across the surface of his palm where tiny needles had punctured his skin. Wiping his hand on his pants, Corvan picked up the disk by its tail, like a dead mouse, and set it on his bed. Retrieving the handle end, he ran a thumb over the black knob. The flat disk came alive and began twitching and burrowing into his blanket. He leaned closer and watched a thousand miniscule fingers thrusting out from the disk, grasping, and bunching up the cloth. With trembling hands, he flicked the black button again, and they vanished. The disk lay still once more.

    Corvan turned the disk over and pressed the button. The tiny tentacles leapt out, waving and seeking something to grasp. The rope itself grew thicker and recoiled on itself like an angry snake, slithering toward his forearm. Letting out a yelp, Corvan dropped it to the floor, where it spread out wide on the wooden planks.

    He pulled, but the flat disk wouldn¡¯t budge. He tried harder, and the floorboards flexed and creaked. Working the small button, Corvan released the disk from the floor and picked it up. Activating the fingers, he instead tossed the flat disk at the wall. It stuck fast, and tiny flecks of paint fell as the tentacles found the tiniest cracks.

    Corvan examined the black knob and then tried pushing it to one side. In front of him, the disk crawled in the same direction like a round centipede across the wall. He released the sideways pressure, and it froze in its place. While sitting on his bed, Corvan discovered he could control not only the direction but also the speed of the disk end of the rope. The farther over he bent the knob, the faster it moved.

    A grin spread across his face as he directed the flat head up to where the ceiling met the wall. It made the transition smoothly and slipped across his ceiling. The dislodged plaster rained onto the bed around him. He laughed as he sent it in circles around his light bulb. Letting his thumb off the controls, it fell onto his legs and sent him scrambling back with a startled yell.

    Leaning back against his headboard he laughed again as the memory of the rope and his grandfather came clear. He had been allowed to play with this rope when he was very young, and he remembered laughing as his grandfather ran it around him on the bed.

    He picked up the disk. How would it work on something smooth? He went to the window, held it up to the glass, and activated the button. The disk spread out even flatter and was like a small lily pad floating on the water. He worked the controls, and it moved slowly across the smooth surface.

    A desperate scream from outside tore his gaze past the windowpane.

    Out on the rock ,someone was madly swinging a long stick. The person shouted, the stick rose high, and then they vanished behind the central boulder.

    Kate was being attacked by the lizard!

 Hammer 11

    Corvan scrambled into the castle to find Kate sitting in the dirt. The thick body of a large garter snake was stretched out toward her. A long stick from the ruined fort lay next to its crushed head. Relief flowed over Corvan as he knelt beside her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°You know I hate snakes,¡± Kate said, shaking her head.

    Corvan grabbed the dead snake by the tail and carried it over to the edge of the castle rocks. It was a real beauty, one of the largest he¡¯d ever seen. He tossed its long body into the field down below. A coyote or owl would soon make a meal of it.

    Turning back, he found Kate already on her feet and brushing the dust off her jeans.

    ¡°I thought the lizard was attacking you,¡± Corvan said, instantly wishing he hadn¡¯t mentioned it again.

    Kate nodded. ¡°I came here to prove that the lizard was just in your imagination, but ¡­¡± She pointed to where his pile of rocks had been. Kate had moved them to one side, and the dark hole through which the lizard had disappeared gaped at him.

    Corvan tugged the hammer from his back pocket and held it out. ¡°Did you see it?¡± he asked without taking his eyes off the spot.

    ¡°No. You said the lizard only comes out at night.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± Corvan muttered as he was edging closer. ¡°Did the snake come out of the hole?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kate replied, pointing at the rock. ¡°The snake was on the other side. I was following the lines, so I could see the rest.¡±

    ¡°The rest of what?¡±

    ¡°The door. See how flat the stone is in front? That lone hole is just a gap between the rocks that are holding two slabs apart. It¡¯s like the two sides of an elevator door, except its flat on the ground.¡±

    Corvan crouched by the large rock with the hammer in hand. Where Kate had scraped away the dirt, he could make out two parallel lines about 6 inches apart. Between them were the bumpy outlines of rocks under the mud. The two lines vanished under the large rock.

    ¡°It¡¯s likely just a big crack the rain has washed stuff into,¡± Corvan said while glancing up at Kate.

    Kate pointed with a grubby hand. ¡°You need to look on the other side.¡±

    Corvan crawled around the large rock and found the lines continued a short distance before each bent out at precisely ninety degrees.

    Corvan traced the lines with a finger. ¡°This must be something the first people carved,¡± he said. ¡°Like the rock paintings in the caves by the river. My father says this hill was a sacred place to them.¡±

    Kate knelt beside him. ¡°You could be right. I had just found some strange carved symbols when that snake slithered out.¡± She brushed a pile of dirt away from the base of the boulder. ¡°I think we need to move this big rock to see the rest. I hope there¡¯s no more snakes under it.¡±

    Kate moved back as Corvan inspected the cleared area. The marks cut deeply into the stone weren¡¯t strange at all, they were like the glowing marks on the hammer and carved into his chest. If Kate was right and this was a door, the hammer might open up a cave under Castle Rock. He stood up to push with all his might against the boulder. Kate joined him, and it rocked slightly.

    ¡°We need a pry bar,¡± Corvan said. ¡°My father has some long pipes in the cellar.¡±

    Retreating down the rock, Kate spoke over her shoulder. ¡°I saw some tracks when I was moving the dirt.¡±

    Corvan caught up to her. ¡°Three toes with claws?¡±

    Kate nodded. ¡°Are they from your lizard?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Those are the tracks I saw this summer.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s three feet tall?¡± Kate asked.

    ¡°Maybe not quite that high, but it¡¯s almost up to your waist when it¡¯s next to you.¡±

    Kate stopped in the field at the bottom of the water channel and looked up at the rock. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see it that close.¡± She looked closely at his face. ¡°What happened after ¡­ after it talked to you?¡±

    ¡°I told it to go away and held the hammer up in front of me. It¡¯s really scared of the hammer. It won¡¯t even touch it without cloth wrapped around its paws, so I think we¡¯re safe if we have the hammer with us.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    As they were approaching the house, Corvan heard gravel crunching in the driveway out front and the slam of the truck door. ¡°Sounds like my parents are home. Do you think we should show my father the cracks and carving in the rock?¡±

    ¡°It might be best. He knows a lot about the history of this place,¡± Kate said.

    Corvan stopped and touched Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°For now, maybe we should keep the hammer a secret. Just between us.¡±

    Kate nodded silently.

    They met Corvan¡¯s mother at the corner of the house. She was walking slowly with her head down. Once she saw them, she wiped tears from her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mom? Where¡¯s dad?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the house,¡± she replied. ¡°I need to sit a minute.¡±

    They followed her in, and mother sat at the kitchen table. ¡°Kate, can you get me a cup of cold water.¡±

    Kate filled a glass and joined them at the table.

    Corvan¡¯s mother lifted the cup but didn¡¯t take a drink.

    ¡°We got a call from Fred Simpson this morning. He arranged for your dad to start a job up north at the Langdon mine, but he had to go right away, so I took him into the Fenwood bus station.¡± She stared into her cup for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s a long way from here. We won¡¯t see him for a least a month, but we need the money if we¡¯re going to make it through the winter.¡±

    Corvan frowned. ¡°Why can¡¯t he keep working here at the Red Creek mine?¡±

    ¡°At the meeting, the owners told the miners they are shutting that mine down for a while. They breached an underground river, and the lower shafts are filling up with water. The owners are telling the men the ground is too unstable around here and they have lost too much money. They might close the Red Creek mine for good.¡±

    Kate slid her chair away from the table and quietly made her way toward the door.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave, dear,¡± Corvan¡¯s mother said. ¡°Fred gave us a fresh chicken for supper. You¡¯re welcome to join us.¡±

    ¡°That would be great,¡± Kate said with a nod. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mother stood. ¡°I¡¯ll get it ready. You two go ahead and enjoy the outdoors while we still have nice weather.¡±

    Kate left quickly. Corvan rose slowly to his feet, and his mother gave him a hug.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my only one,¡± she said, pulling away and putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Things will work out. We¡¯ll miss your father, but we¡¯re fortunate that he found work so quickly.¡± With a gentle push, she directed him toward the back door. ¡°Supper will be done in about an hour. I¡¯ll ring the bell when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    Kate sat on the porch steps looking up at the Castle Rock. Corvan jumped past her. ¡°Wait here a minute. I¡¯ll grab a pipe.¡± He headed around the house to the steep ramp that ran down to their cellar. It would take a pretty strong pipe to move the heavy rock, but there was bound to be something on the rack in his dad¡¯s shop. At times, his dad would back his truck down the ramp and unload heavier pieces of metal.

    Descending the stone ramp, he pushed one of the cellar doors open. A shaft of light pierced the dusty air and fell on the pipe racks against the far wall. He took a step inside, then remembered his dad saying he was not to go into the workshop until after his birthday. But if he went straight ahead to the far wall and grabbed a pipe without looking around, surely his dad wouldn¡¯t mind. He wouldn¡¯t even turn on the light. Besides, they wouldn¡¯t be celebrating his birthday for a long time with his dad gone.

    Walking between the slender columns and arches that supported the cellar ceiling, he was reminded again of a small cathedral he had seen in a travel magazine. When his grandfather had built their home, he had cut the stone blocks for the walls of the house from below it. He even cut the workbench from the bedrock, complete with storage spaces and tool racks. Corvan went straight ahead and lifted a long, heavy pipe from the rack. Gripping it with both hands, he intentionally turned away from the workbench to avoid seeing his father¡¯s work.

    Instead, he saw a door.

    Ever since he could remember, the north wall of the cellar had been completely covered with a set of high wooden shelves. Now, the center section had been pulled aside to reveal a metal door. It was at least four feet wide and reached almost to the ceiling. Was this something new or had it always been behind the shelves? Three sturdy metal bolts locked it from this side. What could his father be locking in ¡­ or out?

    As he stepped forward to check it out, the end of his pipe banged on the door. He jumped back. From the sound of it, the door hid a large room. He could hear it echo a long way inside.

    ¡°Did you find one?¡± Kate¡¯s voice floated down from above.

    Corvan gave the door one last glance and climbed up the ramp. Dropping the pipe into the grass, he ran back and eased the cellar door closed. ¡°Don¡¯t let my mother know I was in there.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°My dad said I was supposed to stay out of there until after my birthday.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have gone in.¡±

    ¡°I forgot.¡±

    Kate shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re very good at making up excuses.¡±

    Corvan grunted and picked up the pipe. She was right, but why did the truth hit so hard the last few days?

    By the time they reached the top of the hill, the evening shadows from the rocks were halfway across. The last wedge of sunlight was highlighting the dark hole next to the central boulder. It would probably be a good idea to block it up, but he was anxious to see what was under the boulder. Slipping the pipe under it, he used a small rock to create a fulcrum and then leaned on the end of pipe.

    The rock began to tip back. Kate stepped in beside him to add her weight. The rock slowly lifted, then suddenly rolled back and dumped them onto the ground. Kate scrambled to where the rock had been sitting and swept away the dirt.

    ¡°If this is a door, then this must be the keyhole.¡±

    Corvan crawled up beside her and stared in amazement. The shallow hole had two circles around it just like the keyhole in his grandfather¡¯s oak chest.

    Kate picked up a rock and tapped on the symbols. A dull knock sounded from inside. ¡°It¡¯s hollow down there.¡±

    Kate knocked again, and Corvan clearly heard the rustling of scales on rock in the silence that followed.

    A shadow flitted across the hole below them.

 Hammer 12

    Corvan¡¯s blood ran cold. Without a second thought, he yanked Kate to her feet and away from the hole. Eyes wide, she dropped her rock and stumbled along to crouch with him by the ring of outer boulders.

    ¡°Was that the lizard?¡± Kate asked.

    ¡°Yes, I need to block up that hole.¡± Pulling the hammer from his pocket, he crept forward.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Kate whispered.

    He chose a good-sized rock from the pile and pulled it to his chest with one hand. It slipped free, and he jumped back to save his toes from being crushed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± Kate bent to pick up the rock, but Corvan stopped her.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, holding the hammer out to her. ¡°If the lizard comes out, point this toward it and tell it to go away.¡±

    Kate hesitated before reluctantly taking the hammer from his hand. Her face was tight with fear.

    Corvan heaved the rock to his chest, stepped cautiously forward, and held the rock out as far as he could directly over the hole.

    A claw appeared. Kate screamed. Corvan lost his grip, and the rock dropped. A screech of pain erupted at his feet as the rock bounced and rolled away. From below the hole, there was a scrabbling of claws and then silence.

    He had to find something else to push over the entrance to the lizard¡¯s den and fast.

    Corvan looked to the ruined fort. If he could cover the hole with a large board, he could stand on it while Kate found rocks to pile on top. Keeping his eyes on the hole, he picked up a wide plank, but it was too heavy and dipped down toward the hole. Corvan fell to his knees to stop its descent, but it kept falling and rapped sharply on the door.

    The lizard shot out of the hole and sank one of its long claws deep into the wood. It glared at him. Its mouth, flecked with foam, muttered something. Corvan couldn¡¯t understand what it said, but a gasp from Kate told him that she heard it clearly.

    The angry creature yanked its claw from the wood, took a step forward, and locked its fiery eyes on Corvan. One foreleg and claw were extended toward him, the other hung at its side. Blood was dripping from the end of a crushed paw.

    It stopped and stared at him through narrow slits before the dinner bell on the back porch shattered the silence.

    The lizard turned toward the house, and its eyes fell on Kate. It moved toward her. With a shaking hand, Kate lifted the hammer toward it. ¡°Stop!¡± she commanded.

    The creature collapsed to the ground as if she¡¯d shot it. Covering its head with its good claw, it whined and writhed before her. Its wounded claw was dragging about in the dust. Hammer held out before her, Kate moved in closer.

    ¡°Stay away, Kate. It¡¯s a trap!¡± Corvan shouted.

    Ignoring his warning, Kate kept her eyes focused on the lizard as she continued her advance on the injured creature. Corvan had seen animals feign death and then attack. Kate needed to back away.

    The lizard stretched out prone. Kate stood directly over it and was raising the hammer high above her head. The creature lay perfectly still, as if waiting for the fatal blow. Corvan watched in horrified silence as Kate brought the hammer swiftly down and then gently touched the lizard on the back of its neck. With a low metallic groan, the black collar around its neck quivered and fell into the dirt.

    The lizard rose slowly, bowed its head to Kate, and backed away. Kate bent to examine the black band, and the lizard shook its head while rattling off a string of clicks and hisses. Kate sank to her knees, and, as she picked the band up, the lizard, hissing and gesturing toward Kate with its healthy claw, ran toward Corvan. What was it saying?

    Kate glared at the lizard and thumped the hammer on the ground. The rock shivered beneath them. ¡°Be quiet and go away.¡±

    The lizard glanced at Corvan with a helpless expression on its narrow face.

    ¡°Now!¡± Kate commanded.

    The lizard scuttled away and retreated down the hole.

    Kate picked up the lizard¡¯s black band and stood with it draped limply over her palm like a glistening black leech. She looked between it and the hammer as if weighing both objects in her hands.

    The dinner bell rang again, louder and longer. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go,¡± Corvan croaked. ¡°I¡¯ll put a rock over the hole.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Kate said. ¡°It won¡¯t come back now that I¡¯m holding the hammer.¡±

    Corvan stepped toward her. ¡°How did you know what to do to get its collar off?¡± He held out his hand. ¡°Let me see it.¡±

    Kate shook her head and stuffed the black band into the front pocket of her jeans. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Hammer in hand, she strode down the western trail.

    Corvan sprinted to catch up to her. ¡°Kate, the hammer.¡±

    Kate shoved the hammer into her back pocket and sped up. Now she was slipping and skidding down the incline.

    ¡°I need that back.¡± Corvan shouted as he raced after her and grabbed at the back of her shirt, but she was too fast. The fabric slipped from his fingers.

    As soon as Kate reached level ground, she broke into a run toward the house hollering, ¡°Race ya!¡± over her shoulder.

    Corvan didn¡¯t even try. Kate always beat him in a foot race. Why was she acting so strange? He watched her disappear into the back porch.

    She was already washed up and inside the house when he arrived. His mother came out to pour the potato water into the washing machine and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. ¡°What was all the hollering up there?¡±

    His face and neck were hot and prickling, so Corvan concentrated on his soapy hands. ¡°We were cleaning up the mess from when the old fort blew down. Didn¡¯t want that old tarp blowing out into the field.¡± It was another lie, but his mother would never believe the truth. Right now, he wasn¡¯t so sure he even knew what it was.

    Kate met them at the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was so late. My mom will be home in half an hour, and I haven¡¯t finished the dishes. She¡¯ll be furious.¡± She went to move past them, but Corvan¡¯s mother put a hand on the door frame.

    ¡°You can take along some of the chicken dinner for your supper. That will make her happy.¡± She hurried into the kitchen and dished hot food into a tin pie plate.Stolen novel; please report.

    Corvan tried to catch Kate¡¯s eye, but she just stared at the floor. There was no way he would let her leave without getting his hammer back and getting a look at the black band.

    Mother wrapped the plate in a tea towel and held it out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry it for her.¡± Corvan took the dish from his mother¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Then come right back,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll wait to eat with you.¡±

    Kate slipped out the door and Corvan followed.

    As soon as they were out of earshot, he caught up to her. ¡°What happened with the lizard?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It was frightened,¡± Kate said. Her face was tight¡ªalmost angry. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you see that?¡±

    ¡°But what did it say?¡±

    Kate walked faster and did not answer.

    ¡°You did hear it talk, didn¡¯t you?¡± Corvan said, his irritation rising.

    Kate stopped but did not turn to face him. Instead, she looked straight ahead. Her voice was low and mysterious, ¡°It said it could not stand against me. That I had the power to destroy everything. Then it begged me to let it live. It said I was the only one who could set it free from the band. All I needed to do was touch it with ¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to see the black band,¡± Corvan insisted.

    ¡°Not now. I¡¯m too tired,¡± Kate snapped back.

    ¡°It¡¯ll just take a second.¡± He stepped around her and blocked her way into the back alley behind her house.

    Kate snatched the plate from his hands. ¡°I said I¡¯m tired,¡± she huffed. ¡°And I¡¯m not a child who needs to be walked home in the dark. I can take care of myself.¡± She pushed past and left Corvan alone in the alley.

    He watched her go through her gate before he turned for home. Not only did he not get to see the black band, but also Kate still had his hammer. Why was she acting so strange? One minute she was his best friend, and the next she was chewing his head off.

    The screen door banged shut behind him, and he slumped down at the table. Mother¡¯s eyebrows arched as she retrieved their supper from the oven. Corvan began to eat as she filled him in on the details of his father¡¯s new job. He was one of the fortunate. There were ten or more families affected by the mine closure, and few of the men would be able to find a job. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a difficult winter,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to help as many people as we can.¡±

    Corvan barely caught what she was saying. His mind was still trying to sort out what had happened with Kate and the lizard.

    After supper, they washed the dishes together. His mother suggested they play Scrabble. He agreed, but he found it hard to concentrate. Finally, his mother said they should get to bed, although she seemed pleased that for once she was winning the game. Corvan returned the game to the pantry.

    As he turned for the stairs, his mother looked up. ¡°Did you see the letter your father left?¡±

    Corvan looked blankly at her.

    ¡°He left it on your washstand when he went up to say good-bye. He didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡±

    Corvan tore up the stairs and burst into his room. Sure enough, a folded piece of paper with his name printed across the front was propped against the water pitcher. He nearly ripped it in his haste to get it opened.

    There was only a short note.

    Corvan,

    I¡¯m sorry I must leave without saying good-bye. I will come home just as soon as I can.

    The next four words were crossed out. Contact me if anything. Below the scribbled-out words, he had written,

    You will turn 15 and be a man by the time I get back. If anything out of the ordinary happens, use your judgment, and do what you know is right.

    Take care of your mom while I am gone.

    Love, Dad.

    Corvan sat on the edge of his bed. He wasn¡¯t ready to be a man, and his mom was a whole lot stronger than he was. Still, it felt good that his dad trusted him to look after things.

    There was a knock at the front door and then an agitated woman¡¯s voice. It must be one of the wives of the men at the mine.

    As the voices moved into the living room, his mother called from the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Corvan, can you please come down here for a moment?¡±

    Corvan went slowly down the stairs wondering what could possibly be going on. As he entered the living room, Corvan stopped and stared. Kate¡¯s mother was on the couch, and her cheeks were streaked with tears and mascara. He had never seen her look so sloppy. She took great pride in her looks and that she once had a small part in a movie.

    Corvan¡¯s mother entered from the kitchen with her teapot and two cups on a wooden tray. She nodded at the armchair, and he sat on the edge while his mother poured.

    ¡°Mrs. Poley believes you might know where Kate has gone.¡± She fired a warning glance at him from beneath her eyebrows. ¡°When you were walking her home, did she say anything to you about going somewhere?¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Did she say anything about me?¡± Mrs. Poley asked.

    Corvan¡¯s jaw tightened. Every time he met Kate¡¯s mom, the conversation was about her. ¡°She only said she was worried that you¡¯d be mad about the dishes not being done.¡±

    Mrs. Poley shook her head. ¡°I was only a little annoyed with her.¡± She turned to Corvan¡¯s mother. ¡°I get so tired from working those long shifts, you know, and it¡¯s not easy to raise a child on your own.¡± She paused and dabbed at her eyes. ¡°She told me she had been busy too and had made me a chicken dinner. But as soon as I saw the plate, I knew she was lying because the towel matched the one on the bowl of pastry you sent over.¡±

    She blinked her long lashes, but no more tears fell despite her efforts. ¡°Kate¡¯s never lied to me before, but before I could say anything, she ran to her room and slammed the door. I left her alone while I watched my TV.¡± She paused, probably expecting them to be impressed that she owned the only TV set in town¡ªit had been an extravagant present from the movie director. ¡°When I checked on her, she was gone. Just took the blanket from her bed and left out the window. She didn¡¯t even take her shoes from the front door, so now she¡¯s running around out there in her bare feet!¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mother patted her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kate will come back soon. She just needs time to cool off.¡±

    ¡°She had better do it quickly.¡± Mrs. Poley pouted. ¡°I¡¯m tired of phone calls about her fighting and her bad attitude. I¡¯ve always been there for her, but now she keeps saying she is old enough to take care of herself.¡± She stood up and looked out the living room window. ¡°Dave wants me to move to Las Vegas with him. If Kate is so sure she can make it on her own, I have half a mind to just leave her here and go.¡±

    Corvan found himself wondering if there even was half a mind under the dyed blond hair. She could be quite mean to Kate, and Kate had run away twice in the past and spent the night in the fort.

    Kate¡¯s mom turned around. ¡°She even took my outhouse flashlight from beside the back door,¡± she complained. ¡°She knows I hate going out there in the dark.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mom gestured for him to leave, and he headed for the stairway. He wouldn¡¯t go to sleep though. As soon as Mrs. Poley was gone, he was going to slip out and see if Kate was at the Castle Rock.

    Mrs. Poley called after him. ¡°Corvan, do you know who gave Kate that lovely black bracelet?¡±

    He froze. His blood ran cold.

    ¡°She was wearing a shiny bracelet, but she wouldn¡¯t let me look at it. You didn¡¯t give it to her, did you?¡± She studied his face intently as if she would be able to read his mind.

    Corvan shook his head.

    ¡°She said that even though I didn¡¯t want her, there was someone who did, and I thought ¡­¡± She cocked her head to one side. ¡°Did she say anything about hearing from her father?¡±

    Corvan stared blankly at Mrs. Poley and shook his head again. His mind was racing. Why would Kate put that black band on after the lizard wanted so badly to be set free from it?

    Mrs. Poley crossed the room and went down on one knee, so her eyes were level with his. ¡°Corvan, I know I haven¡¯t been keen on you and Kate playing together. It¡¯s just that I know all too well what can come of a boy and a girl spending too much time together.¡±

    Corvan felt his face flush. Mrs. Poley took his hands in hers. ¡°If she goes to find her father, her feelings will be hurt much worse than if you break her heart. Please don¡¯t let her go to him.¡± The way she said the words and tossed her hair made it sound like Mrs. Poley was acting in another movie.

    His mother ushered the woman back to the couch and then turned to Corvan. ¡°Run along to bed, son. We¡¯ll sort this out in the morning.¡±

    Corvan looked at Mrs. Poley¡¯s tear-stained face. Despite the way she treated Kate, he felt sorry for her. ¡°I¡¯ll find Kate and bring her home,¡± he blurted out. ¡°I promise.¡±

    Mrs. Poley smiled at him, and Corvan left the living room to slowly climb the stairs. That bracelet must be doing something strange to Kate. He should never have let her hold the hammer in the first place.

    After lacing up his tennis shoes, he sat and waited by his window. As soon as his mother was in bed, he would find Kate and roll the boulder back over the door. He would wait for his father to return and help him figure out what to do next.

    A beam of light from the rock played past his bedroom window, and Corvan pressed his face against the screen. The shadows shifted as a flashlight flickered around inside the Castle Rock, shot straight into the air, then went out.

    A chill raced up his spine.

    The hammer was the key to the door in the rocks, and Kate had gone to open it.

 Hammer 13

    Corvan pushed up the window screen and slipped over his windowsill onto the porch roof. Tiptoeing to one side, he grabbed the overhanging branch of the maple tree and was on the ground in seconds. Crouching low, he cut wide around the back porch and through the trees. The light in the porch went out and plunged the backyard into darkness. Glancing back through the kitchen window, he saw his mother turn toward her room.

    Running full tilt past the outhouse path, he leapt onto the rock and stumbled as the stone beneath his feet shuddered and knocked him to his knees. Before he could get to his feet, an abrupt scream pierced the night air.

    Corvan scrambled to the top and was bolting into the circle just as the two stone slabs crashed together. Splinters of shattered rock exploded into the air and rained around him as he fell to his knees and pounded on the stone. ¡°Kate. It¡¯s me, Corvan. Open the door!¡± He shouted at the ground.

    He hammered on the stone slab with a loose stone, but the only answer was faint echoes from below. He reached for a larger rock and bashed on the door until it fell from his scraped and bleeding hands.

    Sitting back, he noticed a piece of cloth caught in the top corner where the slabs met. Corvan tugged, and it came loose, neatly snipped off. It was the edge of Kate¡¯s flannel blanket.

    Kate was gone. And without the hammer to open the doors, there was no way he could get her back. He sank to his knees. Tears of frustration shrouded the cloth in his hand.

    The clouds shifted. Moonlight poured into the circle of rocks to reveal footprints in the long piles of dirt pushed up by the opening doors. Some were from Kate¡¯s borrowed runners; the rest were made by the lizard. Corvan traced the progression of the tracks. The lizard must have been hiding behind the large rock because he could see deeper prints where it had jumped out when the door opened. After that, the prints left in a hasty retreat toward the north side of the hill. That must mean the lizard was still out there, and it might know a different way to get inside. Slowly making his way to the bottom, Corvan searched the soil around the base of the rock until he located tracks heading toward the loose pile of dead tree limbs and firewood behind the outhouse.

    A bank of clouds enveloped the moon, and the tracks vanished in the dark. Corvan looked up. There were only a few small breaks in the sky overhead. It was going to be a long, black night.

    A singular patch of moonlight slipped toward the woodpile and moved over the jumbled logs. He caught his breath as the silhouette of the lizard appeared briefly at the very top of the pile.

    Easing himself lower among the stalks of wheat, Corvan crouched onto the soft, warm soil. He needed a weapon to defend himself. The lizard was too quick and vicious.

    He crawled through the wheat until he reached the outhouse path. As soon as he was hidden from the log pile, Corvan scurried up the path to the house. Creeping up and into his room, he left the light off and retrieved his slingshot and pouch of marbles from inside the chest. The Wham-O slingshot had been a tenth birthday present from his dad, and it was a beauty with a solid ash handle. As its name implied it made a great sound when it hit its mark. Corvan could hit the knot on the outhouse door from his bedroom window, but his mother was not as impressed when it turned out she was inside.

    From his bedroom, Corvan studied the deep shadows of the back yard. If he stayed downwind and came in from the front side of the outhouse, he should be able to catch the lizard unaware. If he pulled back on the slingshot only halfway, the marble should stun the creature long enough for him to capture it.

    Using his maple tree escape route again, Corvan dropped to the ground and searched around the base of the tree for a forked stick. He needed one like those he used for catching snakes, but there was nothing large enough. He was making his way toward the cellar to find something there when he saw his mother¡¯s garden scarecrow standing like a mute watchman with a broken pitchfork in its hand. That would work perfectly as it only had the two outer tines remaining.

    After picking his way through the rows of plants, he pulled the pitchfork from the scarecrow¡¯s hand. He jumped back nervously when its head flopped sideways. He was turning away when he noticed bare footprints in the soft soil hilled up around his mother¡¯s potato plants. Kate had just been here, and she had taken the worn out sneakers that had been placed at the bottom of the scarecrow¡¯s empty pant legs.

    Leaving the footless scarecrow watching with its cockeyed stare, he crept across the yard and crouched down behind the outhouse. Overhead and to the west was a large open patch in the clouds; the moonlight would arrive any minute.

    Moving deeper into the shelter of the trees, he tucked in close to the darkness around their weathered trunks. The plowed soil muffled his approach to his vantage point. Leaning into one of the outer spruce trees, Corvan pulled three marbles from the pouch. Two went into his mouth and one into the slingshot.

    The moonlight swept towards him, lighting the prairie in a silver arc. Corvan focused on the woodpile and waited. As the light passed over the ragged pile, there was a flicker of movement before a familiar shape leaned out.

    Corvan quickly pulled the leather pouch back to his elbow, felt the tension build in the rubber bands, then let the marble fly. It struck the lizard high on the side of its head, and the creature slumped forward. Its body was now draped over a log.

    Busted pitchfork in hand, Corvan scrambled over the loose wood toward the reptile. It rolled over, and its eyes sprung wide with fear as the points of the pitchfork dropped past its face. Adrenaline surged through Corvan, and he pushed the two tines firmly around the lizard¡¯s neck to pin it against the tree bark.

    It gurgled and coughed as its eyes were begging for mercy, and he eased up on the handle to let it breathe. ¡°Where¡¯s Kate!?¡± Corvan demanded while choking on the marbles still in his mouth.

    The lizard blinked and hissed out what seemed to be words.

    Spitting the marbles away, Corvan leaned in closer to the reptile¡¯s lean face. ¡°Where¡¯s my hammer? Does Kate have it?¡±

    The lizard shook its head as much as the pitchfork tines would allow.

    ¡°Do you know where the hammer is?¡± Corvan asked, this time speaking slower, so it could understand him.

    The lizard tried to talk and its healthy claw was pushing on the shaft of the pitchfork.

    Corvan returned the creature¡¯s gaze. Its dark eyes had lost the venomous anger of their previous encounter. It appeared more frightened than vicious.

    Corvan eased up on the pressure. ¡°Can you open the door, so I can find her?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The lizard slowly nodded. Corvan tugged the points free of the wood and held the pitchfork ready at his side. What choice did he have but to trust it?

    The lizard sat forward, rubbed its neck as it looked around the jumble of logs, and then slipped down to disappear into a gap between the chunks of wood.

    Corvan groaned, dropped the pitchfork, and plopped down on the end of a thick log that jutted out from the pile. The lizard had tricked him, and now he might never find a way past the doors. He buried his face in his hands. His stomach churned at each thought of Kate trapped inside the rock.

    At the sound of movement on the pile of logs behind him, Corvan turned to find the lizard struggling to pull something over a log. The creature gave a yank with its good claw, and a pink pencil case bumped down over the logs and fell into a pile of dead leaves at Corvan¡¯s feet. The lizard followed it down and crouched. Its sides were heaving from exertion.

    Picking up the soft case, Corvan realized he had seen this pencil case on Kate¡¯s desk last year, but only for a day. She had told him her father had sent it to her in the mail. At lunch, two boys grabbed it and tossed it back and forth over her head until she had given one a bloody nose. She had never brought it back to school.

    At his feet, the lizard¡¯s head was bobbing as it gestured with its good claw towards the case. Corvan tugged the zipper open and stared inside. Nestled inside the pink vinyl was the missing hammer. When he touched it, the insignia glowed brightly and turned the entire case a pastel purple. As he lifted it out, the handle grew warm, and a sense of calm flowed through him.

    ¡°She was going to take the hammer to the master of the black band,¡± the lizard stated. ¡°That would not have been good.¡±

    Corvan stared at the creature.

    ¡°When you possess the hammer,¡± the lizard said, ¡°you are able to understand my speaking. That is why I could warn your counterpart about the black band. But she did not listen to me and has willingly accepted the rule of the master.¡±

    ¡°Her name is Kate. What master are you talking about? Did she see someone down below?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, but she will in time. It is the command of the band that compels her to seek him,¡± the lizard said.

    ¡°The band?¡±

    ¡°The black collar that was around my neck. I begged her not to touch it, but she wanted it for herself. I saw that she was wearing it when she went through the doors. She is now under its command. That is why she put the hammer in the pink case. When I had the band on, I could not touch the hammer.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t she take the band off?

    The lizard solemnly shook its head. ¡°She has accepted the band of her own free will. Now it will call her to him, to serve him.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind whirled. ¡°Can I use the hammer to set her free?¡± He gripped the handle tightly.

    The lizard thought for a moment. ¡°Only if she desires to be set free, and only if we find her before she gets back to him. Once he sees her, he will not allow her to go free lest she destroy all his plans.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s words were confusing and frightening. ¡°Then I¡¯ve got to go after her.¡± Corvan jumped to his feet and scrambled down off the pile onto the soft dirt. As he ran toward the rock, the lizard caught up to him on its swift hind legs and ran alongside like a well-trained dog.

    ¡°She will be inside the labyrinth by now, and you will not be able to follow without a guide.¡±

    Corvan slackened his pace, and then he stopped at the base of the rock. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    The lizard stopped too. ¡°Below the door is an intricate maze. Only those who are called from within can find their way through. The band on the girl will guide her, but you will most certainly be lost.¡±

    ¡°Will you guide me?¡±

    The lizard firmly shook its head. ¡°I no longer have the band, so I cannot make my way through the labyrinth. We would be lost together and trapped inside until we perished.¡±

    Corvan held out the hammer. ¡°What about this? Can it guide me through?¡±

    The lizard stepped back. ¡°Perhaps ¡­ if you have been trained in its use? Have you studied the writings?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about writings,¡± Corvan said, ¡°unless you mean my grandfather¡¯s book. It¡¯s metal, and the hammer unlocks it.¡±

    The dark eyes of the lizard widened as it drew in a hissing breath. ¡°Have you discovered what it says?¡±

    The urgency in the lizard¡¯s voice caught Corvan off guard. Maybe all this was just a trick to get the book. His grandfather had said not to trust the dark eyes. Was he referring to this lizard?

    ¡°Put your hand on the hammer,¡± Corvan said. His gaze fixed intently on the lizard.

    ¡°My hand?¡± the lizard asked.

    ¡°I mean your paw. Place it on the hammer.¡±

    The lizards stepped away. ¡°Oh no, I cannot touch it. I tried once when I wanted to take it to him, but it hurt me badly. I had to wrap cloth around my paws.¡±

    ¡°But that was before Kate released you from the black band,¡± Corvan said.

    The lizard nodded as its good paw caressed the welts around its neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the hammer will hurt you now unless you are not telling the truth. It seems to know when you¡¯re lying.¡± Corvan extended the hammer.

    The creature shrank back. ¡°I fear it will hurt me again.¡±

    ¡°I need to know if I can trust you. You need to decide if you¡¯re willing to trust me.¡±

    The lizard closed its eyes and edged its paw toward the head of the hammer. There was a moment of silence as it made contact, then a long sigh. ¡°It is not angry with me now.¡±

    ¡°Try the other paw, the injured one,¡± Corvan suggested with sudden inspiration.

    The lizard attempted to lift its bloody paw and let out a low, painful hiss. Crouching lower, Corvan touched the hammer to the damaged paw. A look of astonishment crossed the lizard¡¯s face.

    ¡°Does it feel better?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Look, I can lift it now, and the pain is almost gone. Oh, thank you, sir, thank you.¡±

    Watching the creature bobbing and bowing before him reminded Corvan of the old man who used to be the caretaker at the mine. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; it was the hammer. If you lie, it hurts you, but when you tell the truth, it heals you. I don¡¯t know how it knows, but it does.¡± He pointed the handle at the lizard. ¡°So be sure you always tell me the truth.¡±

    The lizard nodded vigorously. ¡°I will, sir. But we must hurry if we hope to get through the door before daylight.¡±

    Corvan looked to the eastern sky. ¡°Is there anything else I should bring? Will I need a flashlight?¡±

    The lizard squinted at him. ¡°I do not know the word flashlight.¡±

    ¡°You touch a switch and light comes out.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s face wrinkled in thought.

    ¡°Kate had one at the rock.¡±

    The lizard nodded eagerly. ¡°Oh, yes, the short fire stick. No need. I have much larger ones in the entry.¡±

    Corvan wanted more information, but time was passing quickly. ¡°Is there anything else I should get?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you think you will need for a long journey,¡± it replied with a shrug.

    ¡°A long journey?¡± Corvan¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°How long will it take?¡±

    ¡°Many of your days, sir.¡±

    ¡°Days? How far down does your cave go?¡±

    ¡°It will take days just to get through the labyrinth, after which there is another long descent before we will arrive in the Cor.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind reeled. How could he go into this maze of tunnels unprepared? He needed more time, but there was no time. He would have to just step through the doors and see what happened, despite how crazy it seemed. But then, who am I to say what¡¯s crazy when I¡¯m having a conversation with a lizard?

    ¡°Looking on the bright side,¡± he said with a wry smile, ¡°it will mean missing a few days of school.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, sir. I¡¯m afraid you do not understand. The cycles of your moon affect the passages.¡± It scanned the predawn skies. ¡°Once we have passed through the labyrinth, the opportunity to return to this sphere will not come again for at least one of your months.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be gone for a month,¡± Corvan exclaimed. ¡°My dad is away, and my mother needs me here to help her.¡±

    The lizard looked up at Castle Rock. ¡°The first passage into the labyrinth will be sealed at sunrise. If you do not wish to go, that is your choice. We can wait.¡±

    The inside of Corvan¡¯s mouth felt like sandpaper. ¡°But what will happen to Kate?¡±

    ¡°Once she meets the master, she will never return.¡±

 Hammer 14

    The matter-of-fact tone of the lizard¡¯s voice shocked Corvan. There was no way he would leave Kate under the control of the black band and lost in the caves underneath the Castle Rock.

    ¡°We must help her, no matter what it takes.¡± Now his own voice gave him pause; it sounded more like his father was speaking.

    ¡°If we do not try,¡± the lizard stated, ¡°all will be lost. If you stay here to protect your world, you may lose it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going to happen to my world?¡±

    The lizard studiously scratched at the dirt with one of his claws. ¡°It will depend on our success in rescuing the Kate. It is best now to focus on that task.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to bring food, but I could never carry enough for a month.¡±

    ¡°There will be food once we reach the boundaries of the Cor, but there is none in the labyrinth. I think you will only need enough for six of your days.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the Cor?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°That is where the Kate is going, but we must get inside the doors quickly to follow her. Will it take much time to pack your food?¡±

    ¡°Not long. Wait for me up on the rock.¡±

    The creature glanced to the east. ¡°You must hurry. I cannot be outside once the sun is in the sky, and we waste time talking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Corvan sprinted toward the house. Should he wake his mother to let her know what had happened? His pace slackened. She would never believe a story about a talking lizard. It would be best to leave a note telling her he¡¯d gone to find Kate. That would cause her the least amount of worry when he didn¡¯t return right away.

    Once he reached the familiar outline of his home, he paused with one foot on the porch steps and looked back at the rock. He was not ready to leave his home, but Kate was in great danger. He had to save her.

    The interior of the house was deathly silent; even his mother¡¯s snore was missing. He stood still, waiting until he heard faint measured breaths from her room. She never slept well when his father was away. He would need to be especially quiet.

    Retrieving the hunting packsack from the front entry, he shut himself inside the pantry, lit a candle, and dropped the pack of matches into the front pocket of his jeans. He filled one of the side pockets of the pack with jerky, and he stuffed tinned food, bread, and candles into the main section of the pack. Moving a box of Corn Flakes, he discovered a reused plastic bread bag that was half-full of oatmeal raisin cookies. It fit neatly into one of the side pockets. An unexpected bonus was finding a package of chocolate chips inside an empty tin of baking soda. His mother knew better than to leave those out in the open.

    Sneaking up to his room, Corvan set the pack on the bed, opened the chest, and pulled the gray cloth off onto his lap. There was a longer empty cavity at the very back of the tray he had not noticed before. It was about the length of the wooden case his father had shown him on the rock. If that item was now inside the box, it was likely stashed under his parents¡¯ bed. He couldn¡¯t go looking and risk waking his mother. Hopefully it was not important.

    Corvan considered the metal book, but since he couldn¡¯t read it and the lizard was a bit too interested in it, he decided to leave it in the chest for safekeeping. He released the rope and tossed it into the packsack. In the next indentation, the slipper-like shoes were held in place with two stretchy cords. He pulled them out to find they were more like thick socks. Since his own socks were rather thin, he tossed them into the pack. Having warm feet was important, and it was likely cold under the rock.

    The gray cloth cover was warming his legs, and he rolled it up and added it to the pack. Closing the chest, he added three T-shirts into the pack and then jammed his slingshot on top. He tied the pack cover in place, and when he hoisted it onto his shoulders, he let out a groan. How would he ever manage to carry this much weight around in the caves? But how could he know what the journey would require? He would need the lizard¡¯s help to lighten the load as soon as possible.

    As he straightened up, the frame of the pack pushed hard against the hammer in his back pocket. He needed a better way to carry it, and he had the perfect solution.

    He set the pack on the bed and bent down to pull out his army ammo box. His mother insisted he keep anything that might cause a fire in the stout metal box. He dug past an unopened packet of Black Cat firecrackers, three stubby bottle rockets on short bamboo sticks, a roman candle, and a metal waterproof tube of matches before he found it: his Hubley Trooper cap pistol with the Texas star on its holster. He had quit wearing it years ago, after the other kids started calling him Tex and Billy mocked him by saying he should be carrying a bow and arrow instead.

    Putting the cap gun back in the box, he threaded the empty holster onto his belt. The hammer slid inside, handle down, as if it were made to order. Corvan snapped the top flap over the head of the hammer, stepped in front of the mirror, and in one fluid motion released the hammer and pointed it at his reflection. He had practiced that maneuver a thousand times with the pistol and was pleased it worked just as well with the hammer.

    He was going to put the explosives back in the ammo box, but you never knew when you might need a bright flash or a loud noise. He wrapped the gray cloth securely around the fireworks to make sure nothing went off accidentally.

    Tying the pack shut, he hoisted it onto his shoulder and glanced around his room. A strong sense that he might never return to his home struck him as he flipped the light switch and closed the door.

    This time, he remembered to avoid the noisy stair, but with the added weight of the pack, his evasive tactics still resulted in a muted squeak. His mother mumbled in her sleep, and the bed springs groaned as she rolled over. Seizing the moment, Corvan tiptoed down and scooted through the kitchen.

    After easing the back door open, he let it close softly behind him. As he turned, a voice spoke from the armchair.

    ¡°I watched you sit here through the night with the hammer in your hand, but I do not see the advantage of placing one¡¯s body in this.¡± The lizard pushed itself out of the chair. ¡°It seems designed merely to keep one awake. It hurts the tail.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Corvan frowned. ¡°I told you to wait for me on the rock.¡±

    ¡°I was worried you might be late. I was considering coming inside to find you,¡± the lizard said.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t. The sight of you would have been too much for my mother to handle.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± The lizard had a gravely wounded expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. She just doesn¡¯t like snakes.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not a¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, but she¡¯s not fond of lizards either.¡± He pointed out at the rock. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    ¡°Gladly, sir,¡± the lizard said in a huff. ¡°It is well past the time to leave.¡±

    ¡°Just a minute.¡± Corvan crept back inside the kitchen and found a pencil and paper by the telephone. He jotted a short note telling his mother he was going to look for Kate and not to worry. At the bottom, he wrote his name, Cor-Van, with a tiny hyphen. That way his father might understand where he¡¯d really gone.

    Once he set the note on the shelf under the phone, he had to blink back the tears and force down the emotions that threatened to engulf him. He squeezed out the back door and descended the porch stairs with the lizard following close behind.

    ¡°I believe your belongings will be too large to fit through the labyrinth. Some of the openings are quite small.¡±

    Corvan kept walking. ¡°I grabbed everything I thought I might need. It will get lighter as we travel and eat the food.¡±

    ¡°Is it heavy for you?¡± the lizard asked.

    Corvan straightened his back. ¡°I¡¯ve carried more than this before,¡± he replied, but he couldn¡¯t think of when that might have been.

    The dark bulge of the rock loomed ahead. Corvan attempted to leap onto its steep edge but misjudged the added weight of the pack and crashed back to the ground. The lizard¡¯s head appeared above him with an ¡°I told you so¡± look on its narrow face.

    Corvan rolled over onto his knees. ¡°I guess it might be a bit too heavy,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Maybe once we¡¯re inside, we can go through it and decide what to leave behind.¡±

    The lizard didn¡¯t answer, but Corvan thought it rolled its eyes before darting up the rock and into the circle. Heaving himself to his feet, he clambered up after it and reached the top, where the lizard was waiting for him at the door.

    ¡°Light is coming, sir. We must get inside.¡±

    ¡°We have a few minutes.¡± Corvan put his pack down by the stone door. The circle of rocks around him appeared as mute sentinels against the thin gray light of the approaching dawn. A brighter light came on in the kitchen below him, and through the window, he saw his mother go to the sink. He lifted his hand to wave goodbye. She couldn¡¯t see him, but it made him feel a bit better. She turned away, and the kitchen light went out.

    He turned back to the lizard and found a questioning look on its face.

    ¡°Why do you raise your hand and shake it back and forth?¡± the lizard asked. ¡°I have seen others do this. What is the meaning?¡±

    ¡°We are saying good-bye.¡± The lizard looked at him, expecting more. ¡°When we are leaving someone, and we don¡¯t know how long it will be before we see them again, we wave.¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°It means that we love them and hope we¡¯ll see them again soon.¡±

    The lizard nodded. ¡°We do not wave.¡± It shook its head sadly. ¡°Love is not permitted when you serve the master.¡± The lizard studied him for a moment before he jumped over to the pack. ¡°We must go now. Once the light comes up, the first door into the labyrinth cannot be opened until the next phase of the moon.¡± It wrapped its claws around the strap of the packsack and tried to move it closer to the door, but the heavy pack refused to budge.

    Corvan stooped and slung it onto his back. It seemed significantly heavier this time.

    ¡°Sir,¡± a voice spoke at his back.

    Corvan turned around, but the lizard was gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, sir.¡± The voice came again and something poked Corvan¡¯s side. Twisting sharply, he found the lizard hanging above his waist.

    ¡°My claw appears to be caught in your belongings, sir,¡± the creature stated flatly.

    Corvan chuckled as he set the pack down and unhooked the lizard.

    Free from the pack, the lizard frowned at him. ¡°I do not understand that noise you just made. I heard it before when you and the Kate were together.¡±

    ¡°I was laughing,¡± Corvan said. ¡°You looked funny hanging there.¡±

    The lizard shook its head and looked over its shoulder at the growing light. ¡°Is the hammer ready?¡±

    Corvan slipped it from the holster. ¡°It should work when I put the handle in that keyhole between the rings.¡± He pointed the handle forward.

    ¡°Stop!¡± The lizard darted in front of him to bar his way to the door. ¡°The power of the hammer flows through your body. The door will open even if your feet touch the stone. That is what happened when the Kate stepped on the doors¡ªthey opened, and she fell, throwing her arms up, like this.¡± The lizard mimicked the motion. ¡°The small case with the hammer inside flew from her hand, bounced off the big rock to the doors, and they closed very fast. I grabbed the case and carried it away as you approached.¡±

    No wonder Kate¡¯s scream had been cut short. ¡°How long does it stay open once you touch it?¡±

    The lizard briefly pondered the question. ¡°I think until you touch it again. It shut when the hammer dropped on it from this side. The Kate was fortunate to not get hit. It closes swiftly.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it and see.¡±

    Corvan set his pack down before he tentatively touched the stone. A low rumble echoed below him, but nothing moved. ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work.¡± As he leaned forward to test it again, the door sprang apart. The lizard pulled him back from the open hole.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible. Does it work the same to close it?¡±

    Corvan leaned forward and touched one finger to the exposed edge of the door. All was silent.

    The lizard was hissing and clicking. Corvan looked at him. He was pointing at the ground where the hammer lay dangerously close to the edge of the door in the dirt. Corvan¡¯s face flushed, and, as he picked it up, his free hand brushed the frame. The doors slammed back together with the ferocity of a massive stone mousetrap. He looked up into the wide eyes of the lizard. ¡°How can I possibly get inside without being crushed?¡± Corvan stammered.

    ¡°If you open the door and then drop the hammer inside, you will be able to climb in safely. I will go first, and you can follow. I suggest you toss your belongings in after me to avoid them getting caught on the door.¡± The lizard gave the eastern sky another quick glance.

    Pulling the pack in close beside him, Corvan exhaled slowly. He then placed his hand on the stone.

    The doors rumbled open, and the lizard leapt into the blackness.

    Corvan called, ¡°Heads up,¡± and threw the pack. It hit the ground below with a thud. Edging forward, Corvan held the hammer out over the hole. ¡°I¡¯m going to drop the hammer in now.¡± No response. ¡°Here comes the hammer.¡± Silence.

    Was this a trick to get the hammer inside with him still locked outside? Maybe if he held the hammer and jumped in without touching the sides, he could shut it from below. He brought his feet together with his toes just inches from the doorway, and it reminded him of the time he jumped off the high diving board at summer camp. That time he¡¯d ended up in the infirmary.

    Ignoring the warning thoughts, Corvan jumped forward and landed amid a pile of jumbled rocks. He stumbled, and his fingers touched the inside of the door frame. The massive slabs came back together with a resounding thunder that grazed the back of his head.

    Falling to the ground in the choking dust, his head came to rest against the coarse canvas of his packsack. It was so dark that he couldn¡¯t even see his empty hands in front of his face. Empty! Once again, he had dropped the hammer. He felt around on the floor with panic rising in his throat. What if the lizard was waiting in the darkness? Were its razor-sharp claws ready to tear out his eyes?

    ¡°Are you down there ¡­ lizard?¡± Again, there was no reply.

    He crawled, fumbling around the ground until his groping hand encountered a round handle, but it was just a short, thick stick. He needed light. He pulled the box of matches from his pocket and struck one. It sputtered to life.

    He tilted it down and waited for it to catch.

    As he held it aloft, he came face-to-face with the empty eye sockets of a human skull.

 Hammer 15

    The match sputtered and singed Corvan¡¯s fingers as it died out.

    In the darkness, the rhythmic click of claws on rock approached. A spark of light expanded to a dome of brilliant white flame. As Corvan¡¯s eyes adjusted to the harsh light, he saw it came from the end of a longer stick that the lizard carried. The creature cocked his head to one side and pointed a claw past Corvan.

    Corvan turned back to find the hammer lying amid the ribs of a human skeleton. The skull was looking directly at it in what seemed like wide-eyed disbelief. His first thought was that he was seeing the remains of his long-lost grandfather. Is this where his grandfather had died? Had the door closed on the hammer and trapped him under the rock?

    Corvan gingerly plucked the hammer from amid the bones and rotting garments. He had never been this close to death, and it unnerved him. A piece of mildewed cloth fell from the ribs to reveal the letters IPC embroidered in red thread. IPC was the bankrupt mine with deep bore problems in his grandfather¡¯s newspaper clipping. His grandfather had never worked at that mine, only for the Red Creek Mine. Who was this person? And how had they come to be trapped here? Was there a connection between the caves the lizard was talking about and the now abandoned IPC mine further down the river valley?

    A shiver ran up his spine. It must have been terrible to die so close to being free.

    ¡°How long has he been here?¡± Corvan asked in a shaky voice.

    The lizard tilted its head to study the skeleton as if seeing it for the first time. ¡°From since I have been guarding the door.¡±

    Corvan slipped the hammer back into the holster and fastened the snap. ¡°How long have you been guarding the door?¡±

    ¡°Before you were born. I have lost count. It has been a long assignment, and a tedious one.¡±

    Corvan looked back at the skeleton. It sounded like this person had died long before his grandfather had gone missing, but how would an IPC miner ever get all the way over to the Castle Rock?

    ¡°What was your assignment?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I am a Watcher.¡±

    ¡°What are you watching for?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes darted about. ¡°For those who might try to enter our world ¡­ or leave it. I am to report anything I see back to him.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s him?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°No more asking,¡± the lizard snapped, but then immediately it bowed to the ground. ¡°I am sorry, sir, but my service is a painful memory.¡± He paused. ¡°I would prefer not to speak of it anymore. Please, come now, we must prepare to make our way through the labyrinth.¡± The lizard turned away and moved off down the low passage.

    Corvan followed, crawling over the rough floor and dragging the packsack. ¡°Are all the caves this small?¡±

    ¡°Most are larger, but sometimes the passages between them are smaller.¡±

    The ground slanted steeply down, and Corvan took to sliding after the lizard. If his sense of direction was correct, they were descending below the western slope of the Castle Rock. Soon the tunnel became less steep, turned back on itself, then opened up such that Corvan could stand upright. They had to be directly under the Castle Rock. With this much solid granite down below the field, it was no wonder their soil was so poor and rocky.

    The light from the lizard¡¯s stick bobbed away In front of him. Loose stones rolled under Corvan¡¯s feet, and he stumbled, cracking his shoulder against the craggy wall. ¡°Hey, slow down, I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going.¡±

    The light stopped and came back. ¡°Sorry, sir. After all the times running through here in the dark, I forget there are obstacles in the way. Please, take my fire stick. I do not need it, but be careful not to touch the light. It will burn through anything, even the rocks.¡± He thrust the stick at Corvan and moved on. Corvan held the strange torch out in front of him hoping it would not drip and set his shoes on fire.

    The tunnel descended rapidly for a few hundred yards and then branched in two directions. A clear trail cut to the left, but a single set of shoe prints went right. He peered down the right-hand tunnel.

    ¡°It is no use to look for the Kate now,¡± the lizard said from behind him. ¡°The first shifting of the labyrinth openings has already occurred, and she is in the next room. We have some time before we can follow her. Come with me, and I will show you a place where you can rest.¡±

    Corvan turned to follow the lizard down a short corridor and into a small room.

    ¡°You can cover the fire stick, sir.¡± The lizard gestured to the torch. ¡°There is enough light here when your eyes adjust. Just put the cover back on top.¡±

    Corvan examined the stick he held. A small black cap hung from a silver thong just below the glowing end. He held his hand over the fire. It was not as hot as he expected.

    ¡°Do not touch it, sir. If it gets on your skin, it will burn right through to the other side.¡±

    Corvan recalled dripped burning plastic on his arm when melting one of his green army men. It had burned deep into his flesh before it cooled and solidified. This sounded infinitely more painful. He carefully slipped the black cap over the flame, and it went out.

    As his eyes adjusted, he found the cave was bathed in a blue glow from overhead.

    ¡°Not enough light for you, sir? Just a moment.¡± The lizard ran onto a low shelf and pushed a claw toward the light, which in turn became stronger and more pinkish in hue as it spread across the room. ¡°I heard that the lumiens would not grow so far from their source, but I kept tending them and they survived.¡±

    Corvan looked at the ceiling where long, silky threads hung in clusters around knobby globes that were the source of the mysterious light. Near his head was the largest, about the size of a small pumpkin. He gently brushed the soft tentacles that hung around it, and the bulb dimmed to a deep blue that fanned out like ripples in a pool to the other smaller bulbs scattered about the room. Corvan detected an electric smell, as if lightning had struck close by.

    The lizard grinned. ¡°Touch it again.¡±

    Corvan reached up, and waves of light spread from bulb to bulb becoming brighter until they were all the color and intensity of the brightest full moon.

    ¡°Be careful, sir. Mine are not as strong as those in the Cor.¡± The lizard raised a claw, and the globes dimmed back to a soft blue. ¡°They can expend themselves and never recover. We are not permitted to let that happen.¡± He pointed above Corvan¡¯s head. ¡°That is my best one. Not as splendid as those in the Cor, but a beautiful specimen nonetheless.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Corvan inspected the large bulb and discovered that it was lower than the rest because it hung from metal holder that arched out from the cavern wall. The fixture ended in a metal ring, just like the one in his room but instead of an electrical cord, a gnarled stem was wrapped along the metal until it spread its roots out onto the rock.

    ¡°Are they plants?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Yes, like your vegetables, but much better tasting. Here, try one of these.¡± The lizard plucked a small globe the size of a cherry tomato from a patch that hung down the wall. ¡°Quick, eat the flesh while it is still blue; that is the nicest flavor, I think.¡±

    Corvan nibbled on the strange fruit. It tasted sweet¡ªlike a peach but tangier. The texture was smooth, and warmth flowed down his throat and into his stomach. He popped the rest into his mouth.

    ¡°Careful, sir.¡± The lizard approached him. ¡°Do not bite the seed. It is never permitted for us to consume the life of a lumien.¡±

    Corvan worked his tongue around the hard pit of the fruit. There was a tiny buzz of electric current as his tongue touched the pointy end of the seed, like touching his tongue against the terminals of a nine-volt battery. The tingle in his tongue spread through his head. It was much more pleasant than the shock from the battery.

    He spit the seed into his hand. It was teardrop shaped and had veins that pulsed as if a tiny heart were beating inside.

    ¡°Touch the pointed end to the ceiling, sir.¡±

    Corvan reached up and felt a small tug as the seed reattached itself to the rock. A translucent skin formed that obscured the patchwork of veins.

    ¡°You must plant it any time you eat the fruit. It is forbidden to eat the center of the lumiens. The penalty is death, for they are our source of light and life.¡±

    ¡°Do they only have one seed?¡±

    The lizard tilted its head. ¡°I have been told that there is a special mother plant that produces clusters of seeds, but I have never seen it. It belongs to the priests, but I think it must not produce many of the seeds because the Cor is darker each time I return.¡±

    A pale blue skin now covered the seed. It twitched and stretched as the fruit expanded.

    ¡°They grow quickly at first, but they won¡¯t glow until they are larger. If you pick them when they are brighter, they become too spicy for my taste. Would you like to try a brighter one?¡± He raised a claw toward the globes.

    ¡°I feel full. Maybe later.¡± The pleasant feeling from the seed had passed and left behind a heightened awareness of his body, as if the electricity was trapped inside him. Corvan looked around the chamber until his gaze settled on an intricate sculpture created from bits of metal that hung on one wall. Looking closer, he could see pieces he recognized: a circular saw blade, lids from tin cans, a tie rod from a truck, and a rusty hand-cranked eggbeater. ¡°Did you make that?¡±

    A proud smile spread across the lizard¡¯s face. ¡°The hole into your world permitted me freedom that a Watcher normally does not receive. I did not have to go back to the Cor for supplies and was able to learn much about you and your world. This is something I made to help me pass the time. I use small fire sticks I grow to melt the pieces together. Do you like it?¡±

    Corvan nodded. He didn¡¯t know much about art, but it certainly looked as good as anything he had seen on his field trip to the art gallery in the city.

    Below the sculpture, a row of tall quartz crystals sprouted from the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen rock crystals that big.¡±

    The lizard nodded. ¡°I have practiced a little over the years. It is one of the things that kept me from losing myself. Would you like to hear them?¡±

    ¡°Sure?¡± Corvan said, although he was uncertain how you would listen to rocks.

    The lizard stepped into the center of the tall crystals. After a moment of intense concentration, the creature caressed the angular shapes with the tips of his claws. A faint sound, like tiny glass wind chimes, filled the room. The sound felt like a liquid flowing around his head and into his ears. Corvan closed his eyes as the tempo of the music increased. He imagined a group of small creatures moving in a circle, bobbing rhythmically up and down. Abruptly the music stopped.

    The lizard looked up with glistening eyes. ¡°I have not played that one since before I accepted the black band.¡± He scurried up to Corvan. ¡°That was a song about my kind in the days before we became Watchers. Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°It was very nice.¡± Corvan¡¯s ears still rang with the tune, and his head felt fuzzy. ¡°I think I¡¯d better sit down,¡± he mumbled, dropping the pack from his shoulder and sitting beside it.

    ¡°Yes, you should rest. We have a short time until the first portal door opens into the labyrinth, and I need to pack. I am not sure what to take. I have more collected than I could ever carry.¡± He moved to the cave wall and pulled back a coarse curtain to reveal a small room carved into the rock. Hanging on the back wall were row upon row of skinned and dried gopher carcasses. No wonder their field was the only one in the area not full of gopher holes.

    Small sheaves of wheat were piled high in a roughly hewn stone bin. Shelves cut into the rock above it held a variety of glass jars full of dried fruits, nuts, and strange things that Corvan didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°So, that¡¯s where my mother¡¯s canning jars went. She always blamed me for taking them outside and losing them.¡±

    ¡°You did bring them outside, sir. So, in a way, she was correct,¡± the lizard replied.

    ¡°Why do you keep calling me ¡®sir¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Out of respect. Now that I am free, I am pleased to become your servant.¡±

    ¡°How can you be free and also be a servant?¡± Corvan asked.

    The lizard stopped picking items from his shelves and turned to Corvan. ¡°That is the best freedom of all. To know I can serve by my own choice and not from fear of pain. I was born to serve, but I only truly enjoy it when I freely choose my own master.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you freely choose to accept the black band?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s face wrinkled, and he caressed his neck. ¡°Yes. I made the choice of my own will, but once the bond was on me, I was not free to leave. My choice placed me under his control. But that is not how Tsarek was created to serve.¡±

    ¡°Is that your name, Tsah-reck?¡±

    ¡°It is the name I was given at emergence, but I have not used it for many years. He forbade us personal recognition. We were referred to only by the location of the portal we guarded.¡±

    ¡°What does your name mean?¡±

    Tsarek looked down at the ground. ¡°It means pretty face .. on account of these blue markings.¡± He pointed to the side of his face.

    The three lines of deep blue scales that swept off Tsarek¡¯s face and onto his neck seemed more visible than before, as if the lizard were blushing. Corvan felt a bit sorry for him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me ¡®sir.¡¯ You can use my name and call me Corvan if you want.¡±

    The lizard shook his head vigorously. ¡°Oh no! Were I to use your title when others may hear, that would be the end of us both.¡± His tone softened. ¡°Perhaps I may be permitted to use your personal name?¡±

    ¡°Corvan is the only name I have.¡±

    ¡°I refer to the name your mother used: Kalian.¡±

    ¡°My mother never called me that.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°But she sang it to you often in her song. Kalian means my only one.¡±

    Kalian. Was that the name Grandfather¡¯s letter referred to? He liked the sound of it. ¡°That will be fine. From now on, you can call me Kalian.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes shone with honor. He crossed to Corvan, placed a slender paw on his knee, and looked into his eyes. ¡°Tsarek promises to serve Kalian and ¡­ Oh, sir, I am sorry.¡± His voice faltered, and his paw dropped from Corvan¡¯s knee.

    Tsarek, pulled back across the cavern floor. He leaned heavily against the crystals, and a discordant jangling filled the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I cannot serve you for you must kill me. You must take the right of family blood.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Corvan said.

    The lizard pulled something from a niche in the wall. He placed the object into Corvan¡¯s hand and then stepped away while bowing deeply.

    An old pocket watch with crudely scratched symbols over its back lay in his palm. He turned it over. The front cover was carefully inscribed with the same insignia as the hammer. He flicked the catch, and the watch popped open. The bezel was cracked, and the hands were frozen together at the top position. Tiny words had been engraved on the inside cover. Lifting it toward the largest globe, Corvan read aloud, ¡°To Grandfather, on the birth of Corvan, September 21, 1937.¡±

    His mother had told him about this watch. It had been a present from her. He wrapped his hand tightly around it. ¡°Where did you get my grandfather¡¯s watch?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I did not know who it was,¡± Tsarek said. ¡°It was dark, and I was afraid.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Did you meet my grandfather? Where? When?¡±

    ¡°The bones up above in the entry. I took it from the skeleton after ¡­¡± Tsarek fell prostrate on the floor. ¡°Oh, sir, my life is forfeit to you. You must now kill me; I am the one who took the life of your past-father.¡±

 Hammer 16

    Tsarek¡¯s words hung in the dense air of the small cave. Past-father could only refer to Corvan¡¯s grandfather. The lizard had lied about how long he watched the doors. He had murdered his grandfather to stop him from returning home!

    Anger blazed in Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why? Why did you kill my grandfather?¡±

    The lizard fell on its face on the floor. ¡°It was the task I was given by my master. I was under the band and had to obey.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse! You said you chose the band; you were responsible for your actions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it is true and that is why you must take my life for his.¡± Tsarek spoke into the dirt. ¡°It is the law of the Cor.¡±

    The scaly creature groveling at his feet only increased Corvan¡¯s frustration and anger. He wanted to punish it for what it had done, but he did not want to kill it. Corvan released the hammer from its holster and held it over the lizard¡¯s head. ¡°I am not your judge. The hammer will decide your punishment.¡±

    Tsarek rolled onto its back, and a guttural scream escaped its lips. Startled, Corvan stepped back, and the hammer smacked into the large globe. Warm blobs of blue light rained down around him. The room was plunged into darkness as they fizzled out on the floor.

    There was a rustle of movement, then a quiet voice spoke. ¡°Please, sir, do not use the hammer. I am afraid of what it might do to me.¡±

    The glow in the remaining smaller globes flickered back to life to reveal the pathetic form cowering against the far wall of the storage room. Corvan lowered the hammer. Tsarek had killed his grandfather, but the creature before him was different now that it no longer had the band around its neck.

    ¡°I will not take your life, Tsarek.¡± He slid the hammer back into the holster. ¡°I am not bound by your laws. You are free to go.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sir, please do not send me away.¡± Tsarek crawled back to Corvan. ¡°To send me away is to send me back to him.¡± He rested a paw on Corvan¡¯s right sneaker. ¡°Please, sir, I wish to stay with you. You will need me to get through the labyrinth. I freely desire to serve the Cor-Van and to help him rescue his counterpart and remove the black band. It makes you do terrible things.¡±

    Could Kate end up as angry and violent as Tsarek when he had worn the band? She was being drawn deeper into the darkness, and he needed Tsarek¡¯s help to find her whether he could trust him or not.

    ¡°I will let you be my guide until we find Kate and return.¡±

    Tsarek sat up and nodded vigorously. ¡°We cannot reach her now, and she can go no farther until the next shift of the labyrinth. That is also when the first portal will flow open. I must finish packing, and you need to rest. You can lie there.¡± He pointed to a low mound on the floor. ¡°It is my special sleeping place.¡±

    Corvan dragged the pack over and sat down. The weariness of the long day and night settled in as he leaned back against his pack. As he relaxed, the mound beneath him grew softer and conformed to his body. He desperately wanted to close his eyes but not with Tsarek nearby.

    Tsarek watched him with keen interest. ¡°There is a long journey ahead of us. I will wake you in time to repack your things. Although the first opening is quite large, the others may be too tight for all your belongings.¡±

    Tsarek turned away and began to pick through the alcoves cut into his storage room walls. Each hole contained something from the world above: a battered transistor radio with a piece of barbed wire stuck into the broken antenna, a carefully polished bent fork perched on a rock like a thin metal bird, a rusty adjustable wrench with only one jaw, and a scruffy baseball with Corvan¡¯s early attempts at a signature scrawled across it. The lizard was an organized packrat.

    Tsarek appeared to ignore Corvan, but from time to time the lizard¡¯s eyes would flicker in his direction. Was he waiting for him to fall asleep, so he could attack him and steal the hammer?

    He sat up and forced his eyes to stay open. He had to find out more about this creature.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°Tsarek.¡±

    The lizard jumped. ¡°You must sleep, sir. Our journey begins soon, and it will not be an easy one. You will not find a soft sleeping place like that once we are inside the labyrinth, only cold rocks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. Too much has happened in the last day. Or has it even been a day? I guess there¡¯s no way to know down here.¡±

    ¡°We know the passing of time, sir, for the glow of the lumiens ebbs and flows in a regular pattern.¡±

    ¡°Like the tide of the ocean?¡±

    ¡°I do not know the word ¡®ocean,¡¯ but just like in your world, we rest in the dark and work during the light¡ªalthough I have heard that the settlement workers must work longer if the production of fire sticks can keep up with their progress.¡±

    ¡°What do the workers do?¡± Corvan asked. There was something not right with people being forced to work in the dark.

    ¡°Each group has different tasks to perform. The lowest class are the gleaners. They tend the lumien clusters and the other plants people need for food.¡±

    Corvan pushed his pack away and stretched out. ¡°The people eat only plants?¡±

    Tsarek emerged from his pantry with his paws full of wheat sheaves. A dried gopher carcass hung by one leg from his teeth. He scurried over to drop his load by the growing pile. ¡°It is against the law, but some have taken to eating other creatures.¡±

    ¡°Like what, cows?¡±

    Tsarek grinned, exposing his pointed teeth. ¡°Oh, no, nothing like cows. Just a few small animals, like those.¡± He gestured to the gopher carcass. ¡°Just as in your world, there are those who take advantage of their position higher up in the eating order.¡±

    Was the lizard saying that the high-ranking people ate those in classes lower than themselves? He thought of his grandfather¡¯s bones in the entry above and decided he didn¡¯t really want to know.

    Tsarek watched him intently, but when Corvan met his gaze, he bustled over to the cubby holes and began selecting more items. At times, he would hold something up to the light of the remaining lumiens, give a heavy sigh, and place it back in its cubbyhole. ¡°Such a wonderful collection,¡± he muttered. ¡°Some he has never seen before. There would have been a great privilege for bringing back such things.¡±

    Corvan stiffened. Tsarek must be referring to his former master. Was there also a reward for bringing him back?

    Tsarek chose three smaller items, wrapped each one in a scrap of cloth, and placed them by his row of supplies. He turned, and his eyes met Corvan¡¯s. ¡°Sir, you must sleep.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I have so many questions.¡±

    ¡°Then ask. I will try to help. I have been observing your world a long time.¡±

    ¡°You said above that you were guarding it before I was born?¡±

    ¡°Long before that. I was young myself when I was first sent here.¡±

    ¡°Were you expected to guard this portal all your life?¡±

    ¡°There is no returning unless the band calls you to report or another Watcher takes your place. We must keep the portal safe from all intruders. No one must be allowed to come into the Cor or to ¡­¡± Tsarek¡¯s voice trailed off, and he turned back to his packing.

    Corvan flicked the pocket watch open and reread the inscription. ¡°Did my grandfather say anything to you before he died?¡±

    Tsarek turned around. ¡°He did not have time.¡± A look of remorse crossed his face. ¡°When my kind are in a fight and kill, it is very swift.¡± The lizard lifted one claw and glared at it with the angry expression Corvan remembered vividly from the first encounter on the rock. Tsarek frowned at his claw, then the angry look returned. His dark eyes were smoldering with hatred.

    Corvan sat up and fumbled for the hammer.

    Tsarek¡¯s face relaxed, and the lizard moved his claw closer to Corvan¡¯s face. In the dim light of the small globes, he could make out a drop of yellow fluid forming at the tip of the longest claw.

    ¡°It just takes a scratch.¡± The lizard shook his claw, and the drip fell to the ground. ¡°It was much easier to produce with the band on because you need to get very angry to make it come out.¡± He pointed the claw at Corvan. ¡°Catching the rodents was simple. I would wait until they stuck their foolish heads out of their holes.¡± He made a slashing motion with his claw. ¡°They were dead before they could even pull their bodies back into their burrows. It is a little slower with larger animals, like that dog creature that attacked me. And I can make it even slower if I want them to live until I ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tsarek,¡± Corvan said, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s all I need to know.¡±

    Tsarek nodded politely. ¡°I am glad to be of service. Are you able to sleep now?¡±

    Any hope of sleep had abandoned Corvan. He would need to keep an eye on Tsarek day and night.

    Tsarek stepped up to the crystals. ¡°I know what will help you rest. My mentor used to play a tune for me when I could not sleep. I am not sure I can remember it after all this time, but I will try.¡±

    Tsarek ran his claws over the angular rocks, and soft music swirled around the cavern to surround Corvan like a warm blanket, like his mother¡¯s song.

    Leaning back against the pack, he closed his eyes. Small lizards danced in his imagination. Their claws were clicking on the rocks. He forced his eyes open to watch Tsarek¡¯s poisonous claws caressing the crystals. Sleeping with this dangerous creature so close was not a good idea.

    Corvan¡¯s eyes grew heavier. Just before they closed, he thought he saw a line of yellow venom dripping down the luminescent surface of the largest crystal.

 Hammer 17

    A shadow fell across Corvan¡¯s closed eyes. Something sharp brushed his cheek. He rolled away, and pain shot up his elbow before his arm went numb. The lizard had scratched him with his poisonous claw!

    Tsarek stood over him with his head cocked to one side. ¡°I am so sorry to have to wake you, Kalian, sir, but it is time for us to go.¡±

    Corvan moved his arm tentatively. The numbness ebbed away, though his elbow ached fiercely. He had hit his funny bone on the rock.

    A faint tremor ran through the cavern walls.

    ¡°The first portal is about to open,¡± Tsarek said, jumping towards the entrance into his cave. ¡°I let you sleep too long. We will need to sort through your pack between the chambers of the labyrinth.¡±

    Corvan sat up and rubbed his sore elbow.

    The lizard gestured over his shoulder to a small bundle tied to the end of a few long sticks. ¡°I did not have enough room, so while you slept, I added a few of my belongings to your pack. I hope that is all right.¡±

    Corvan got to his feet and hefted the pack. It was much heavier. ¡°What did you put in here, rocks?¡±

    Tsarek grinned. ¡°Just one,¡± he said, pointing to the musical crystals.

    Corvan looked around. All that remained of the largest crystal was a broken stump.

    ¡°If it is too much for you, I can try to carry it in my bundle,¡± Tsarek said, shaking the slender sticks balanced on his shoulder.

    Corvan shook his head as he pulled on the pack. ¡°It¡¯s okay. When we go through my stuff later, we¡¯ll decide what we really need.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir. I have grown attached to my music. I believe it will keep our spirits up during the long walk to the lower levels, especially if we get lost.¡±

    Another tremor went through the rock.

    ¡°The first door is opening.¡± Tsarek tugged on Corvan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I am not sure how long we will have to get through.¡± The lizard hurried from the room with Corvan stumbling along at his heels.

    Tsarek was quickly lost to sight in the dark tunnel. ¡°Wait for me! I can¡¯t see anything. Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Right in front of you, sir. No time to stop. Follow my voice; the entry is not far. Watch out for the stones on the floor.¡±

    Watch? In complete darkness? Most likely the lizard could see in the dark.

    The lizard cried out in pain. ¡°There is a big stone in the middle of the path. Please be careful.¡±

    Nope, the lizard couldn¡¯t see in the dark either. Corvan shuffled his feet along to avoid stubbing his toes or twisting his ankle.

    An abrupt shift in air pressure caused Corvan¡¯s ears to pop. A moist breeze blew past that was heavy with the sulfuric odor of burning matches.

    ¡°It¡¯s just ahead, sir, and still open. The other entries all open at the same time, so the air from the Cor pushes toward the surface.¡± The lizard was fumbling with his bundle of sticks and presently a brilliant glow fluttered in the breeze.

    They were standing at the end of a roughly hewn tunnel. The source of the sour wind was before them: a hole in the wall about a foot off the ground and three feet in diameter. The rock around the edges rippled like melted blue glass. Wisps of smoke trailed from its edges. Corvan stepped closer and looked through, but there was only a black void on the other side.

    ¡°Do not touch it, sir. We must wait until it is fully formed, or it will close quickly and cut whatever is partway through to pieces.¡± The lizard shuddered. ¡°It is not a pretty sight.¡±

    ¡°Will Kate know not to touch them?¡±

    ¡°She will be moving forward, sir, as the black band calls her on. The next portal in the next cavern of the labyrinth will be formed by the time she gets there. See, now this one is ready.¡±

    Corvan noticed that the blue glass had turned a creamy tan color, and the smoke was gone.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The lizard leaped up through the hole. His head popped back through. ¡°You can touch the side now.¡± His claws clicked on the glossy surface as he jumped back through the hole to Corvan¡¯s side. ¡°It will be easier if you throw your pack in first. I will stay here and hold the light for you.¡±

    Corvan tossed the heavy pack to the other side of the hole, put one foot over the threshold, and stood straddling the gap in the wall. He gingerly touched the surface. It pulsed warmly against his fingers. Blue light rippled out from around each fingertip.

    Tsarek shouted and shoved him through the hole to land in a heap on the other side. The opening snapped shut. Its light vanished as if someone had switched off the lights. The smell of burning matches infused the still air.

    Corvan heard the lizard grunt. ¡°Sir, I need your help, please. You will find more fire sticks attached to my bundle on the floor. The one in my claws is no longer useful.¡±

    Fumbling around the floor, Corvan located the sticks. He untied them and then exposed the capped end on one. White light flared to reveal Tsarek hanging from the end of a stick that stuck straight out of a solid cave wall. He looked so funny with his short, thick legs dangling in midair that Corvan had to choke back a laugh. ¡°Was the portal supposed to close that fast?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t in the past, but I believe that Kate found the next door very quickly. There is no other way to explain it.¡± The lizard shrugged, bobbing on the end of the stick like a jackfish on a willow pole. ¡°Could you help me down, sir?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not far. Just let go.¡±

    ¡°I would, sir, but when I get frightened my claws lock up on me.¡± Tsarek ducked his head and dropped his gaze to the ground. ¡°You will need to rub the spines on my back for me to relax enough to let go.¡±

    Corvan stepped closer. ¡°These little spikes?¡± He ran his hand up the lizard¡¯s prickly spine.

    ¡°The other way, please. That only makes me more tense.¡±

    Corvan ran his hand downward as if petting a cat.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s much better.¡± Tsarek dropped from the pole, and the stick twanged in the still air. Muttering a stiff ¡°thank you, sir,¡± the lizard scurried over to his belongings and bundled them back together.

    ¡°Will the next door be nearby?¡±

    ¡°Not always. The portals move each time they open and close. That is why we will need your hammer to guide us from here. It will be many hours until the next shifting. Let us find a comfortable spot to sort through your belongings.¡±

    Corvan hoisted his pack and grabbed the stick in the wall. ¡°I suppose we should break this off in case we need it later.¡± He pulled down and the stick shuddered in his hand. A dull boom thumped through the walls of the cavern.

    ¡°Oh, my, so fortunate it did not break on this side,¡± Tsarek exclaimed. ¡°To break a fire stick is to release all its energy at one time. Very dangerous. It is fortunate that the Cor shield is unbreakable.¡±

    Corvan stepped away from the stick. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°No harm done, sir. Though good for us that we are not deep enough for buraks. A vibration in their area would have them eating us before we could call out for help. One bite and you die even faster than my claws!¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t recall the lizard mentioning man-eating creatures lurking below. He peered over his shoulder into the blackness. Were buraks the monster from his recurring nightmare? A shiver ran through his body. Was it a burak he would have to escape from in the labyrinth?

    ¡°Not to worry, sir. The buraks cannot enter the labyrinth. They are much farther down. Let¡¯s move along the tunnel in case that fire stick breaks on this side. Sometimes, when they get as old as these, they can shatter on their own. Very messy if you happen to be holding one.¡±

    Corvan thrust the fire stick at Tsarek. Tsarek¡¯s short legs churned as he moved off, and Corvan followed closely. Were Tsarek wrong about the buraks, he didn¡¯t want to meet one alone in the dark.

    The tunnel opened into a cavernous room with a low ceiling. The sound of water echoed in the far corner, and Corvan¡¯s parched throat reminded him he¡¯d had nothing to drink since leaving his home.

    Tsarek ran to the pool and crouched down to lap at the water like a scaly dog. The pool was a good twenty yards across to where the water tumbling in from a fissure in the wall. No water ran out of the pool, so the drain had to be somewhere below the surface.

    Corvan stretched out on the ground and drank. The water was cool and refreshing but tasted somewhat of fish. He glanced to one side. Tsarek had waded into the pool beside him and was washing his scales. ¡°Do you mind, Tsarek? I was still drinking.¡±

    ¡°No problem, sir,¡± Tsarek chirped in response. ¡°You do not bother me. Please continue.¡±

    Corvan shook his head and got to his feet. He waded in until the water was below his knees, stooped over, and splashed water onto his dirty face. He should have taken off his running shoes first. They would take a long time to dry in the damp air.

    The water was cool, but Tsarek didn¡¯t seem to mind. His energetic splashes were sending ripples dancing across the pool in all directions. The small waves bounced off the rock wall on the far side and crisscrossed on their way back like many thin snakes swimming just below the surface. The ripples moved toward Tsarek and then suddenly changed direction to undulate directly toward Corvan.

    He pointed at them. ¡°Hey, Tsarek, why are the ripples¡ª¡±

    He was yanked underwater by his legs. Corvan grabbed at a thin rope wrapped around his ankles, but even more ropes whipped around to bind his arms and legs together. Panic raged through him as he was dragged like a hogtied calf deep into the dark water.

    A bright light bubbled past, and he caught a glimpse of a fire stick in Tsarek¡¯s claws. The water foamed angrily around him, and his ears thundered in pain as the light faded to a narrow point.

    The ropes pulled him down even faster, and his lungs screamed for air. He had to breathe. His head throbbed. Sparks swam before his eyes. He tried to hang on, but before he could stop himself, his lips parted. Water swept into his lungs.

    A peaceful calm unexpectedly settled over him. His body relaxed, and his arms drifted limply past his face. A bright light approached, and in that moment he knew he was about to die and Kate would be forever lost in tunnels of the Cor.

 Hammer 18

    ¡°Breathe, sir, please breathe. You are the Cor-Van, and you must live to set the Cor free.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s voice was hollow and distant. His body was heavy and unresponsive.

    ¡°Without you, the Kate will die.¡± The lizard rocked Corvan¡¯s body harder and pushed him onto his side.

    Water gurgled from the side of his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t pull in a breath. His heart fluttered, his body arched, and he coughed out streams of brackish water. Corvan managed to push up off the ground while gasping for air between bouts of retching and gagging.

    ¡°Thank you, sir, thank you.¡± Tsarek was patting his head.

    Finally, Corvan managed to raise to a sitting position and choke out a few words between coughs. ¡°What ¡­ happened? What ¡­ was that?¡±

    ¡°I think it is an offspring from the great water creature in the Cor, the Volisk. This one¡¯s arms were very long but smaller and easy to burn through. Even a fire stick is no match for the body of a large one.¡± He pointed to where a floating fire stick was casting its bubbling glow through the water.

    ¡°Was it your stick that I saw under the water?¡± Corvan fell into another fit of coughing.

    ¡°Yes. They burn well under water.¡± He dropped the pair of unlit ones and waded out to retrieve the glowing one in the water.

    A long, white tentacle rose to the surface. Tsarek gave it a poke with the burning end of the fire stick. The arm of the creature twitched horribly, and the lizard sprinted for the shore.

    Corvan heaved up water until his ribs and stomach ached.

    ¡°I burned through many of its arms, but they just kept coming,¡± Tsarek said as he was pushing the glowing fire stick in a crack in the floor. ¡°It was not until we came to this pool that I finally burned through that last one and it let you go.¡± Tsarek looked over his shoulder. ¡°I just wish I knew where we are now.¡±

    Corvan hunched over and was suppressing a new coughing fit as he checked out their surroundings. They were in a new cavern, one with a high ceiling and deep black walls. The pool was long and narrow, and there was no water coming in or going out. The surface was as smooth as a mirror. The limp arm of the water monster reflected in the shallows.

    Tsarek looked at him. ¡°I believe we are still in the labyrinth, but I am not sure how to locate the next opening or if the Kate is even nearby. I do not even know which level we are on or how many entries we skipped. This is not good, not good at all.¡±

    The air was much cooler, and Corvan shivered with cold, and fear. Would the rest of this adventure be this dangerous? They had just started out, and already he had nearly drowned.

    ¡°Oh, sir, I forgot you humans cannot tolerate the cold. I heard your mother say you might catch your death of cold.¡± He pressed his smooth, chilly nose up against Corvan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Are you dying?¡±

    Corvan tried to answer, but his teeth chattered too much to talk.

    ¡°You must not die. I shall get you warm.¡± He jumped over to Corvan¡¯s pack and yanked the top open. A clump of soggy clothes came free along with the slingshot. Tsarek tossed them to one side and dug deeper into the pack. ¡°Here is something that is still dry.¡± He shook out the gray cloth from the chest and the fireworks tumbled to the ground.

    Tsarek let out a long hiss as he lifted the cloth and stared at it with wide eyes. ¡°Only the master had one of these. He used it, so he could walk undetected through the Cor.¡± He turned to Corvan. ¡°When you wear it, others see it for whatever is in their mind or whatever surrounds you. Did it belong to your past-father?¡±

    ¡°Wear it?¡± Corvan leaned closer and touched the fabric.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tsarek stated. ¡°That is why it has a hood and buttons, like the yellow rain jacket you sometimes wore.¡±

    ¡°If it belongs to your master,¡± Corvan doubled over and coughed up more water, ¡°is it an evil thing?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, not evil, but highly valuable. He will surely want to find it and take it away from you.¡± He draped it over Corvan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You must wear it at all times, so he cannot find you.¡±

    Despite the cold fear in his heart, Corvan¡¯s body was immediately infused with warmth. Tsarek flipped the hood over his head, and Corvan breathed deeply.

    ¡°If you do not like it, I will look for other dry things.¡± Tsarek stuck his head inside the pack, and Corvan heard a muffled expression of surprise. The lizard emerged, holding the strange coil of rope in his claws. ¡°Most incredible. I have never seen one so long and thin. There are tales of such that used to grow in the farthest regions, but I did not think them true. Where did you acquire a krypin such as this?¡±

    ¡°It was my grandfather¡¯s. He left it for me in case he did not return.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s face fell. ¡°Most sorry, sir. I should not be touching such things.¡± Tsarek dropped the rope at Corvan¡¯s feet and moved over to the clothes. ¡°The air is drier here. We must be closer to the Cor. Perhaps I should lay your things on the rocks to dry?¡±

    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Corvan grabbed the rope. Pushing on the dark button, he ran the sticky disk out to a wall and tied the other end off at a short pillar of rock near his pack. ¡°There, a clothesline. Just like at home. You can hang up the clothes while I empty out the pack. I need to check on my food.¡±

    Tsarek grimaced, and Corvan realized that the lizard¡¯s food supplies had been left behind at the upper pool.

    ¡°I should have enough food for both of us,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Do you like canned beans? We can lighten the pack at the same time.¡±

    ¡°I have never tried beans from a can. I could not make the thing you use to open it work with my paws, but I am grateful for your concern.¡± He began to hang up the wet clothes.

    A low stone slab the size of his kitchen table lay just beyond his clothesline. Grabbing his pack, he carried it to the stone table, set it down, and began to unpack the soggy contents. The beef jerky in the side pocket was a little soft, but it would dry out. Amazingly, the knot on the bread bag filled with cookies had kept the water out. He set it aside for later.

    He found Tsarek¡¯s wrapped bundles in one of the larger side pockets. Hopefully none of them would turn out to be a slimy gopher carcass. As he piled them by the pack, a small red Swiss Army knife tumbled out. His ninth birthday present that had gone missing when he left it out at the fort.

    He glanced at Tsarek smoothing out his clothes on the line. Finders keepers; losers, weepers. Wrapping the knife up, he placed it on top of Tsarek¡¯s pile. At the bottom of the compartment, he found Tsarek¡¯s musical crystal. Corvan stood it on the rock, stroked it lightly, and was startled by a soft, clear note.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Tsarek¡¯s head jerked up, and he rushed over. ¡°Thank you, sir, but please do not attach it to the rock. I do not want to break it off again or the tone will grow too faint to hear.¡±

    Corvan tipped the stone down, and the soft glow died away. Tsarek tried to gather all his bundles in his paws, but there were too many to carry. ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± Corvan offered.

    ¡°No, no, I am fine,¡± Tsarek stammered, ¡°I will move my things over by the wall and dry them there. You do not need to help me, sir. I will come right back.¡± Tsarek hurried to the far wall but kept glancing over his shoulder. He sprinted back to the table, loaded up the rest, then ran them back to the wall. With his back to Corvan, he pawed through his possessions. A sharp hiss escaped his teeth, and he ran back. ¡°One is missing.¡±

    ¡°Did you put something in another pocket?¡± Corvan said, turning to the pack.

    ¡°No. Please look again.¡± Tsarek leaped onto the table and poked at the pack.

    Corvan felt in the pocket. Sure enough, a flat circle of cloth lay on the bottom. It was warm to the touch. He pulled it out and the cloth unraveled slightly to reveal a silver disk with lines etched across its center.

    Tsarek snatched the object from his hands and tied it back up. ¡°Thank you, sir. That is the one I was missing.¡± He bounded off the table with the bundle clutched to his chest. With his back to Corvan, he unwrapped and carefully rewrapped all his things.

    Corvan shrugged. Crows and packrats carefully guarded their treasures, no matter how worthless they were.

    Tsarek finished fussing with his belongings and joined Corvan at the stone table. His eyes scanned the food laid out on the rock. Corvan picked out a small piece of jerky and held it out to him. ¡°Try this; you might like it.¡±

    Tsarek nibbled, nodded enthusiastically, then took a larger bite. ¡°That is very good. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Beef jerky. Dried strips of beef.¡±

    ¡°Much better than the small rodents. What is beef?¡±

    ¡°It comes from the large black-and-white animals in the field next to ours, the cows.¡±

    Tsarek bit off another piece of jerky, chewing and nodding. ¡°Do all cows taste this good or just the black-and-white ones?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty much the same.¡±

    ¡°Had I realized, I would have eaten one of those instead of the small rodents.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve obviously never been chased by a bull.¡±

    ¡°Bull, sir?¡±

    ¡°A male cow. It¡¯s big and dangerous.¡±

    Tsarek raised a claw. ¡°One does not need to be big to be dangerous.¡±

    There was a drop of yellow on the end of the claw. Was Tsarek that upset about his missing silver disk? He leaned in closer to look.

    Tsarek dropped his claw and took another bite of the jerky. ¡°Thank you, sir, for sharing your provisions with me.¡±

    ¡°We could try some beans if you like.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. We need to be careful with the food. We do not know how long we will be here, where here is, or if there is a way out of here.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re trapped?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, sir. Permit me to see if there are any passages out of here. It will not take long.¡± Tsarek scrambled away and disappeared into the dim recesses of the cavern.

    Corvan nibbled at his jerky and opened one button of his cloak to get more comfortable. The clothes under the cloak were almost dry. Somehow, the special cloak was able to pull the moisture away from his body, although his feet were still cramped and cold.

    The soft slippers from his grandfather¡¯s chest lay beside the pack. Unlacing his sneakers, Corvan struggled to remove his wet socks, but he was glad he made the effort. Pulling on the slippers was like stepping into a warm bath after playing all day in the snow. The lightweight fabric contracted around his feet like a second skin, each toe showing distinctly through the soft material.

    Swinging his legs off the table, he walked about on the rough floor. He could feel every ridge through the smooth soles, yet the small pebbles and sharp rocks felt no different than going barefoot in the warm summer sand at Buffalo Lake.

    He followed over to where Tsarek had gone. The slippers gripped tightly on the rocky surface, and he ran ahead. He turned a corner, and the light from the torch behind him vanished. It was so silent he could hear water dripping off to one side. Something was rustling toward him. He slowed his pace as his knees plowed into something that sent him toppling to the ground, scraping his hands along the rocks, and slamming the air out of his lungs.

    ¡°Do not move,¡± a hoarse voice croaked in his ear and a sharp point pressed into his throat. ¡°In the name of the Chief Watcher, who are you and what are you doing here?¡±

    Corvan tried to speak, but no sound came out. The fall had knocked the wind out of him.

    ¡°Answer me,¡± the voice rasped, ¡°or I will kill you now.¡±

    Corvan managed to pull in a small bit of air, ¡°Cor ¡­ Cor ¡­ Kalian.¡±

    ¡°Kalian?¡± The voice changed as Tsarek¡¯s glittering eyes appeared over his shoulder. ¡°It is you! Oh sir, I am so sorry. I did not hear you coming. I thought I was being attacked by someone lying in wait for me.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s breath returned in a painful gasp.

    ¡°Are you injured? Can you stand?¡±

    Corvan croaked out a weak, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay.¡±

    The lizard helped him to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to the light and make sure.¡±

    Corvan followed Tsarek back to the burning fire stick next to the stone table.

    As they retraced their steps, Tsarek kept looking at Corvan¡¯s feet. ¡°Where did you get those shoes?¡±

    ¡°They were with my grandfather¡¯s things.¡±

    ¡°Have you listened to them?¡±

    Corvan held his breath, but all he could hear was the drip of water from the clothesline and the click of Tsarek¡¯s claws on the floor.

    They arrived at the table, and Corvan sat down wearily. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Tsarek crouched and examined Corvan¡¯s feet while shaking his head in amazement. ¡°Your shoes make no noise at all. I have keen hearing and would have heard you coming, but I heard nothing until you bumped into me. These are very special shoes, sir. I have never heard of such a thing, but they must be a companion to your grandfather¡¯s cloak.¡±

    Corvan pulled one foot onto the table. As he reached to touch one of the shoes, a drop of blood fell from his fingertip to the table.

    ¡°You are hurt, sir. Please let me see.¡±

    Tsarek gently turned Corvan¡¯s palm up. A thick flap of skin had been torn back when a sharp stone had broken his fall. Bloody sand oozed out around the edges.

    ¡°We must clean it and bind it up. I will get a rag.¡± The lizard darted towards the far wall and unraveled a cloth from one of his objects. Running to the pool, he stooped to dampen it and then bounded back to Corvan. ¡°Let me see your hand, sir.¡±

    Corvan held out the bleeding hand. Tsarek dabbed tenderly at the loose piece of flesh. Corvan wanted to jerk his hand away but forced himself to remain steady as the lizard pushed his skin and tissue back into position.

    ¡°Please hold this in place while I get more cloth,¡± Tsarek said.

    Corvan¡¯s hand throbbed as he pressed it against the cloth. He winced. This hurt much more than burning his finger on the half dollar.

    Of course! Why didn¡¯t he think of that sooner? Freeing the hammer from its holster, he gingerly wrapped his wounded hand around the shaft. The end glowed and his palm stretched and pulled, as if ants were crawling out of the handle and using their pincers to close the wound.

    The pain eased. Pulling the hammer and rags away to discover only a faint line remained. Clenching his fist and opening it he discovered that although the skin felt a little tight in the center, the pain was gone.

    The lizard returned. ¡°Here you are, sir. I have enough now to wrap your¡ª¡± Tsarek stared at Corvan then looked at the hammer.

    ¡°It is very powerful, sir.¡±

    Corvan stood, but a dizzy rush caused him to sway and sit back down.

    ¡°You must rest while I keep looking for a way out. I shall awaken you if I find a path to follow.¡±

    Corvan nodded, pushed the pack to the floor, and curled up on the stone. Using the hammer had left him incredibly tired.

    In his dreams, Corvan found himself back at his home. He was lighting a fire in his backyard and could smell the matches. A pale white moon flickered behind him, bobbed along, and came to rest over the clothesline where his dripping T-shirts rippled in a cool breeze. The moon swung closer, but when he lifted his head to see it more clearly, it bounced away and disappeared. The smell of matches came again, the moon reappeared, turned blue, then oozed out of sight over the horizon.

    Corvan smiled dreamily to himself.

    How strange that the moon should have Kate¡¯s face.

 Hammer 19

    Corvan opened his eyes, blinked, then blinked again to make sure they were open. Absolute dark was an unsettling sensation. It felt like he was breathing the black into his head and it was seeping out his eyes.

    A faint glimmer appeared on the other side of the pool, and then a growing light pushed the shadows away. Tsarek walked toward him with the stub of a fire stick hanging limply at his side. Giving the pool a wide berth, he shuffled up to the stone table.

    ¡°Did you find a way out?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°No, I did not.¡± The lizard wedged the short fire stick into a crack on the table. ¡°I found one thin, twisting tunnel and followed it for a long way. It kept getting lower until it reached a narrow crack you cannot fit through.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a dead end?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tsarek scowled at him. ¡°There is a larger cavern after the narrow place, but as I just said, you can¡¯t fit through.¡±

    ¡°But it is the only way out of here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then we have no choice but to try.¡±

    Tsarek pulled himself wearily onto the rock. ¡°You are the master, but I will need to rest first. If you could let me eat one of your cows, I would be grateful.¡±

    Corvan handed a piece of jerky to the lizard. ¡°My fire stick must have burned out. It was pitch black in here before you came back.¡±

    Tsarek talked past a chunk of meat. ¡°You must have put it out before sleeping. It should have at least two full times of burning left.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I did.¡± Corvan said, leaving the table to check where it had been stuck in the rock. ¡°You must have come back for it.¡±

    The lizard stopped chewing and shot him a withering glance. ¡°And how could I do that and be far away down that very long tunnel at the same time?¡±

    Corvan pointed to the ground. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not here.¡±

    Tsarek was beside him and searching the spot in a flash. Dropping to all fours, he sniffed at the rocks and scampered from side to side. He groaned as he stood up. ¡°Not lost. It was stolen. The Kate has come through here while you slept. Her flower scent still lingers.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s head snapped up, and he searched around the cavern. ¡°Kate was here? Why didn¡¯t she wake me?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s short arms shot up over his head. ¡°Wake you? Be glad she did not kill you! The Kate is under the control of the band, but she must have sensed the hammer about you and dared not come close to you.¡±

    Tsarek bounded to the wall where he had carefully stored his possessions. ¡°Nooo! The thief! She has taken it from me.¡± The lizard stamped back to the rock table while hissing and muttering.

    ¡°What did she take?¡±

    ¡°She took the one I value most.¡±

    ¡°The silver disc?¡±

    The lizard¡¯s eyes blazed as it leapt onto the table. ¡°Who said you could look at my things?¡± He pointed a sharp claw at Corvan¡¯s face. ¡°Is that why you hid it in your pack? Because you wanted it for yourself?¡±

    Corvan took a step back. ¡°No. I saw the middle of it when I took it out for you. It was ¡­ warm.¡±

    Tsarek sank down onto the rock. ¡°Yes, it feels nice. All those years I would hold it to ease the weight of the black band.¡± His body sagged lower. ¡°Without it, I would have been completely lost to the darkness. When I held it close, the band would burn me, but I did not care.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Is that why you got so angry when I touched it?¡±

    ¡°I knew you would want to take it for yourself,¡± Tsarek pouted.

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±

    Tsarek squirmed. ¡°Because it belongs to the hammer. It is the counterpart.¡±

    Corvan sat bewildered. Kate was a counterpart and now the hammer had a counterpart? ¡°How do you know it belongs with the hammer?¡±

    ¡°I saw the markings on the bottom of the hammer when you were going to punish me with it.¡± Tsarek said, then looked away. ¡°They are the same as the ones on the disc.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Tsarek stared at the ground and then nodded. ¡°I know it belongs with the hammer because,¡± he drew in a long breath, ¡°because it was in your past-father¡¯s hand when he died.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s mind reeled. The disk had to be the third piece his grandfather had spoken of, the one he¡¯d said he would need to take with him. Instead, Kate was taking it to the lizard¡¯s evil master.

    Tsarek put a paw on his shoulder. ¡°I am sorry to bring up your past-father¡¯s death.¡± He spoke softly. ¡°I see it has hurt you greatly.¡±

    Corvan focused on the lizard¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not only his dying. I just don¡¯t understand why the hammer needs the disc. If he were here, then he would help me figure it out.¡±

    ¡°All I know is that the hammer tells me what I am,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°but the disk always gave me hope that I could be better.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why a hammer would be paired with a disc. It seems a hammer should be with another tool, like a saw, or else a large spike or nail.¡±

    Tsarek shrugged and then left the table to pull clothes from the line.

    Corvan slipped the hammer free of the holster. It was too small to be any good for building things; the handle was too short. It was more like a model you¡¯d see on a shelf or on a desk. A memory formed. At home, he had seen a small wooden hammer that was lying next to a round disk. Closing his eyes, he pulled the faint recollection forward.

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s it!¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± Tsarek scurried back to the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a hammer, Tsarek, it¡¯s a gavel, and the disk is what it pounds on.¡±

    ¡°Gravel, sir?¡± Tsarek came closer to the table. ¡°I thought that was your word for small rocks?¡±

    ¡°Not gravel, gavel. It¡¯s a ceremonial hammer that a judge bangs on a wooden disk to stop an argument. I saw one at the town council meeting when they tried to take our field away. Old Man Fry was shouting at my dad, and the mayor banged his gavel on a disk to get everyone to be quiet.¡± Corvan held out the hammer, and Tsarek backed away.

    ¡°With the band gone, you don¡¯t need to fear this anymore.¡±

    Tsarek slowly shook his head and then turned back to pulling the clothes from the line.

    Balancing the hammer in his hand, Corvan thought back to the council meeting and the injustice his father had suffered. He had been angry to see how prejudiced people were against his father. It was good to seek the truth, but there also needs to be some kindness. He nodded to himself and held the hammer higher. Maybe that¡¯s why the hammer needed a counterpart. The disk could ensure the truth was balanced with compassion.

    Tsarek called over his shoulder from where he was picking through his things. ¡°You will need to pack up your belongings. If it is permissible, I need to put a few things in your pack. I no longer have a way to carry them.¡±

    Corvan slid off the rock and pulled the pack closer. One of the side pockets hung open. The bag of cookies was gone. For a moment, he was angry at Kate for stealing them, but then he thought of her wandering alone in the darkness with nothing to eat. He wouldn¡¯t even mention it to Tsarek¡ªno use getting him more upset.

    The lizard approached as if he were in a funerary procession. His tail dragged limply on the rocks, and his crystal was cradled against his chest. ¡°There is nothing else I will need, except this.¡±

    Corvan wanted to say no, that the pack was too heavy, but the sadness in Tsarek¡¯s eyes would not let him. Adding the crystal to his pack, he retrieved the krypin and his clothes. The fireworks lay on the ground where they had tumbled out of the cloak. It was a good thing he had wrapped them inside it; they were still dry. He tucked them in along one side of the pack before he realized that his wet sneakers were missing. The old sneakers Kate had taken from the scarecrow were likely too big for her feet, so she had stolen his. At least he had the new slipper shoes.

    Tsarek pointed at the krypin. ¡°I have seen where people use the opening end to make a coil and attach it to their waist in case it is needed quickly.¡±

    Corvan nodded and did as he suggested. With his hammer and holster on one side and the coiled rope on the other, a renewed sense of confidence settled over him.

    ¡°Since the Kate has already gone through this level,¡± Tsarek intoned, ¡°the door will not open here again. I fear this cave will be our tomb.¡±

    Corvan pulled on his pack, ¡°Then we must take everything along with us and try the small tunnel that you found.¡±

    Tsarek did not respond and shuffled away around the pool.

    Corvan followed. He did not want to think of what would happen if Tsarek was right.

 Hammer 20

    A suffocating darkness pressed in on Corvan. Tsarek insisted they travel in darkness to conserve their last fire stick. He claimed there were no rocks on the sandy floor, at least none that he could remember.

    Corvan was glad that the insignia on the hammer gave off a feeble blue light¡ªlike a flashlight with the batteries almost depleted. It was enough to keep him from stubbing his toes on the occasional rock that did show up. Tsarek stayed ahead of the pool of light as if he were afraid it would bite his heels.

    ¡°Is it much farther, Tsarek? We¡¯ve been walking for hours.¡± Corvan made no attempt to curb his growing frustration.

    ¡°Just a bit more. The roof is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Corvan exclaimed as his head scraped the ceiling.

    ¡°It is even lower up ahead,¡± Tsarek said. ¡°You might want to crawl.¡±

    Corvan got down on all fours on the sandy floor. ¡°How much farther to the tight spot?¡±

    ¡°Not far.¡±

    Corvan soon realized that not far likely meant something different to Tsarek than it did to him. After jamming the hammer under the strap of the pack, he rolled up the cloak under his belt to free up his legs. He was about to ask Tsarek if they could take a break when the lizard twisted around in the narrow confines of the passage and pointed ahead.

    ¡°This is the place where you will need to take off your pack and push it through.¡±

    Corvan pulled out the hammer and unbuckled the straps. He had to roll onto his side to remove the pack. ¡°If I push it in front of me. It might get stuck.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps if you tied it to your leg with the krypin and pulled it along behind you?¡± Tsarek said, but then he shook his head. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work,¡± he muttered. ¡°If the pack gets stuck, I could not get past you to release it from your leg. Then we would both be trapped.¡±

    Corvan shivered at the thought. His father told a story about a caver named Floyd Collins. In a tight crawl, a rock fell behind him and trapped his legs. His rescuers could see him, but they couldn¡¯t pull him free. They tried to tunnel around him, but he lost too much body heat and died from hypothermia.

    ¡°Then I guess there is no choice but to leave the pack here,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rope here as well. If I get through, you can bring me one end and I can pull the pack through from the other side. Is there enough space to turn around after the tight spot?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it comes out in a larger cavern. I believe it might be the outer limits of the Cor. The band of rock we call the Cor shield transmits light from deep inside the Cor. I saw a bit of dim light inside the crack. Either we are a long way out, or the Cor was in a dark phase.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t understand all that Tsarek was saying, but there was at least some hope of getting through.

    Tsarek scrambled into the darkness, and Corvan followed with the soft glow from the hammer lighting the way. Soon the tunnel became so low that he had to wiggle snakelike along the floor.

    The sleeve of the cloak snagged on a rock. Corvan pulled on it, but he was unable to move forward or back. Panic welled up at the thought of the millions of tons of rock above him. The passage seemed to squeeze in even tighter. Everything in him clamored to thrash about to get free of the constricted space. Musky-smelling dust clogged his nose. He gasped and tried to pull in a breath, but the intense pressure on his chest cut off his breath. It was as if he were drowning once more, but this time in solid rock.

    The hammer cast the light of its circular words on the wall by his face. The script seemed more natural that way. He couldn¡¯t read them, but somehow the words reassured him that things would be okay. The soft glow calmed his mind, and he breathed slowly until his pulse returned to normal.

    Imagining his cloak and the jagged rock that had hooked it, he rotated his shoulder until the trapped sleeve slid free. Keeping the light of the hammer out in front, he wiggled on.

    ¡°Look this way, sir.¡± Tsarek¡¯s muffled voice came from Corvan¡¯s left, where two gleaming eyes looked at him through a narrow crack in the wall. ¡°This is the spot, sir. You must get through this hole to make it into the cavern I am standing in.¡±

    Corvan inspected the crack. The passage he was crawling through ran horizontally, but the crack ran vertically. Where the two met, a small trapezoidal opening had formed, but it was far too small. He lowered his forehead to the cold rock. ¡°My shoulders won¡¯t fit through there.¡±

    ¡°You must try, sir. There is no other way out. If you do not make it through, you will most certainly die in there.¡±

    Most certainly die ¡­ his stomach clenched at the thought of wriggling backwards through the tunnel to die of starvation and cold in that last cave. Kate would also die if he didn¡¯t find her. The memory of her face when she had passed through the last cavern had been haunting him. He was certain her eyes had been begging for his help, despite what Tsarek had said about her and the black band.

    Summoning his courage, he breathed in and out a few times to steady himself and then wiggled in closer to the small opening. ¡°There¡¯s more than one way to skin a cat,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°It is not worth the effort, sir. I have tried the creature called cat. They are tough and not at all tasty.¡±

    Corvan looked at the unblinking eyes. His mother had wondered what had become of her favorite tabby.

    ¡°It¡¯s just an expression,¡± Corvan said. ¡°It means there are always other solutions if you look hard enough and take the time to think things through. I¡¯m not going to die of hunger in the next ten minutes, so let¡¯s examine the problem carefully. My shoulders won¡¯t get any smaller, but maybe there¡¯s a way to make the hole larger. How about the hammer?¡±

    ¡°I do not think this hole is very stable, and there is a large overhang of rock above it on my side. It could crack off and collapse at any time. It may not be the best skinning of a cat to try the hammer. The risk is great and¡ª¡±

    ¡°All right, I get the picture. How about a fire stick? You said it could burn through rock.¡±

    ¡°Not this rock. This is the Cor shield. A fire stick will not burn it, and if we try, the stick will explode.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Corvan held the hammer closer to the vertical crack. The rock around it was shiny and black, like the piece of obsidian he had in his collection at home.

    ¡°This is the main wall around the Cor?¡±

    ¡°I believe it is. At least this side smells like the Cor.¡±

    Corvan sniffed at the of air coming through the hole. It was damp and smelled of rotting compost. ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell very good.¡±

    The eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°It smells like home.¡±

    ¡°Then I must make it through. If I twist diagonally in the opening, that might give me a bit more room, but I need to take the cloak off first. It could bunch up and trap me.¡±

    As he squirmed out of the cloak, Corvan realized just how cold the cave walls were. Pulling his legs up behind him, he dug his toes into the soft sand and rotated his body around until he was heading toward Tsarek. He pushed into the crack and stopped. ¡°If this is a shield wall, will it close and squish me like the blue wall around your fire stick?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sir. This one is black, so it is a very old crack. It¡¯s the new ones that can close up on you. Those ones are a lighter color with more light inside them.¡±

    Corvan gingerly touched the hard crystalline surface. Nothing changed. ¡°All right, then. Here goes nothing.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, sir? Where is the nothing and where will it be going?¡±

    Ignoring Tsarek¡¯s questions, Corvan extended his arms into the opening and pushed forward.

    Tsarek backed away from the hammer¡¯s glow. ¡°You are doing it, sir. Keep coming¡ªnot far now.¡±

    Corvan pushed until his feet no longer gripped in the sand behind him. Wriggling and squirming, his body moved into the crack.

    ¡°Your hands are through, sir. It¡¯s working!¡±

    The rock surface tore at Corvan¡¯s shoulders as if the Cor shield was doing its best to keep him out of the Cor. Panicked, he jerked erratically in the tiny space, banging his knees against the rocks behind him. He gained a few precious inches and his face emerged from the other side of the crack with the hammer held out awkwardly in front of him.

    ¡°You are here, sir. I am so happy,¡± Tsarek exclaimed.

    Tsarek¡¯s face was level with his and by the hammer¡¯s glow he could see lizard was standing on a narrow rock shelf. Below Tsarek, a scree slope of broken shards stretched away into the darkness.

    ¡°My head may be through, but my shoulders are stuck. I need to get one shoulder out and my body will follow.¡±

    Corvan wiggled his left hand. The lizard held out both claws and intertwined them so Corvan could wrap his fingers around them.

    ¡°Okay, Tsarek, lean back and pull.¡±

    The lizard leaned back. Corvan¡¯s shoulder moved an inch, then jammed tight. The folds of his shirt bunched and pinched at his flesh.

    ¡°I think my shirt is part of the problem. Can you climb up by my shoulder and pull some of the cloth through the opening?¡±

    The lizard scrambled up the wall and got in close to the trapped shoulder. A sharp yank was followed by the sound of tearing cloth.

    ¡°So sorry, sir. I have ruined your garment.¡±

    Cool air flowed over his arm as Tsarek reappeared with a piece of Corvan¡¯s shirt sleeve draped over a claw.

    ¡°I think we must remove the skin from a different cat, sir.¡±

    Corvan managed a wry smile. ¡°We¡¯ve got to free my shoulder. Take the hammer and carefully chip away at the rock lip that has it trapped.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head so vigorously his scales rattled. ¡°I cannot touch the hammer. It may kill me, and you will be stuck forever.¡±

    ¡°Then wrap my shirtsleeve around the handle, like you did on the Castle Rock.¡±

    ¡°That may work. Just a moment.¡± Tsarek bent to the ground, and Corvan heard the soft hiss of a fire stick. Brilliant light stabbed his eyes. ¡°Put out the light! Corvan cried out. ¡°It¡¯s too bright!¡± He clamped his eyes shut to push away the pain.

    ¡°Sorry, sir. There, is that better?¡±

    Corvan opened his gritty eyes. All he could see was milky white orbs. ¡°Is it still on?¡±

    ¡°No, sir, it is out.¡±

    Corvan recalled this happening when his father was welding metal and his goggles had fell off. His dad couldn¡¯t see much for almost a week.

    His cramped body tightened with fresh fear, and he forced himself to calm down. His eyesight should eventually return. For now, he had to find a way out of the crack.

    ¡°Move the fire stick farther away from me on the other side, then light it again. I will drop the hammer and you try to chip away the rock by my shoulder.¡±

    Tsarek scrambled out of the way as Corvan relaxed his fingers and let the hammer go. As it fell from his hand, a fresh wave of nausea coursed through him. Forcing himself to relax, Corvan focused on the white lights floating before his eyes. They had already faded slightly. That was a good sign.

    ¡°I am ready, sir. Please hold still.¡±

    A sharp crack was followed immediately by a deep gong and a rumbling whoosh past Corvan¡¯s ears. The air filled with dust. He choked and coughed, and his chest squeezed painfully against the rocks.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Corvan asked.

    The only reply was sliding rock and crashing boulders on the slope below.

    ¡°Tsarek?¡±

    Distant thudding echoes were mixed with the clatter of small rocks peppering down from above. The acrid taste of fear mingled with the dusty talc in his mouth.

    ¡°That was a close one, sir,¡± Tsarek said quietly in the dense air. ¡°I barely touched the black rock and the whole wall shook. A piece of the slab above you came down and just missed your head. The rest of the boulder hangs above and may come down at any moment.¡±

    A small rock clattered down, glancing with a sharp blow off Corvan¡¯s head and bouncing down the slope. A low grinding followed.

    ¡°The rock is sliding. Pull your head back!¡± Tsarek pushed frantically on Corvan¡¯s head, then stopped. The cavern was silent.

    ¡°Sir,¡± the lizard¡¯s tense voice whispered in his ear, ¡°we must push you back or pull you out now. That huge rock balances just over your head and soon we will both be crushed. We must make your shoulders smaller.¡±

    As soon as Tsarek said those words Corvan recalled a diagram in one of his dad¡¯s caving books. To release a trapped person, the rescuers would break one of the trapped person¡¯s collarbones and then push the shoulder in toward the body.

    He shuddered.

    The rock grumbled.

    Tsarek tensed.

    Pain would be better than death. ¡°Tsarek, you must use the hammer again.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if I touch the wall, the rock will surely come down on us.¡±

    ¡°Not the rock, Tsarek. This time you must hit me.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sir?¡±

    It took a while to convince the lizard of the necessity of the operation and the method by which it had to be accomplished. At first, Tsarek argued vehemently against striking Corvan, but slowly he began to understand. In the end, Tsarek refused to use the hammer and went to find a smooth rock.

    Corvan was starting to have second thoughts by the time Tsarek came back. ¡°I am ready, sir.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you hit me hard enough. I don¡¯t want to do this more than once.¡±

    The lizard¡¯s claws caressed Corvan¡¯s skin, making sure of the placement of the long, thin bone. Corvan closed his eyes and waited.

    There was a long pause. Corvan was just about to ask Tsarek what he was doing when an intense jolt of pain ripped through his body. In a haze, he heard Tsarek talking in his ear, begging him to push with his legs. The lizard was tugging at his torn shirt and pushing in on his broken collarbone.

    Corvan tried to yell at him to stop, that it hurt too much, but no words came out. He thrust with his feet and a ragged cry escaped his throat as his body slid free of the crack. He tumbled painfully down the rocky slope until he came to rest against a large boulder.

    Tsarek was beside him. ¡°Are you still alive?¡± he whispered.

    Corvan groaned.

    Tsarek put a paw over Corvan¡¯s mouth. ¡°I know you are in much pain, sir, but you must wait here quietly while I get your pack,¡± Tsarek whispered. ¡°There are buraks in the outer reaches of the Cor, and they feed on anything or anyone they can find. They have the most excellent hearing and with all our noise they will come to investigate.¡±

 Hammer 21

    Tsarek was only gone a moment before he was back and laying something heavy on Corvan¡¯s stomach. ¡°Here is your hammer and piece of your shirt. I have put out the light to hide you from the buraks while I am gone. Try to watch for them,¡± he said before scampering off.

    Watch? Corvan could see only the white orbs. If the man-eating creatures arrived while Tsarek was gone, he would be defenseless.

    A rock rolled down the slope, and Corvan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He bit his lip and forced back a coughing fit. The boulder was still balanced overhead. He had to move out of the way, but when he tried to sit up, the searing pain from his broken collarbone pushed him back down.

    Raising his good arm, he wrapped his hand around the smooth handle of the hammer. His mind cleared with a renewed sense of hope. The hammer could heal cuts; would its power fix a broken bone? He had to try.

    Drawing the injured arm over his stomach, he winced as bone grated against bone. Gingerly, he traced the path of the collarbone with his finger. Yes, there was the broken spot. The bones were back in alignment.

    As he stroked the handle along his shoulder, the pain eased. He lifted his arm, and the ugly sound of bone on bone washed over him in waves of pain. Tears welled up. The hammer could not heal him. He wiped his eyes until the handle was slick with his tears.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± he whispered. ¡°Crying will solve nothing. You must take care of your arm a different way.¡± Blinking away the tears, he focused on flow of the hammer¡¯s words in his hands. It had not fixed his arm, but it had healed his eyes. The white orbs were gone. He could see clearly again.

    A pebble rolled down the slope. Slowly turning his head, he saw Tsarek picking his way down, the bulky pack balanced on his back. Corvan waited for the lizard to join him.

    Tsarek stopped a foot away and leaned forward as if listening intently.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The lizard jumped straight up, and the weight of the pack dropped him onto his back against the slope. He looked like an upside-down turtle, legs and head churning in circles, trying to grab an advantage from the air. When he managed to get back to his feet he whispered, ¡°I could not see you in the dark, and with the pack on I could not smell you, so I did not know you were there.¡±

    ¡°But can¡¯t you see me now?¡±

    The lizard seemed to look right past him. ¡°Are you making one of your jokes?¡±

    Corvan looked down the cavern. Even without the fire stick on, he could still see, in a murky sort of way. The far end of the tunnel faded to blackness, but he could make out the end, where it turned the corner. He squinted into the gloom. Something was moving slowly in the shadows down there.

    ¡°Tsarek, what does a burak look like?¡±

    ¡°They are hard to see. They take on the appearance of the rocks in which they live.¡±

    ¡°What do they do?¡±

    ¡°They guard the far reaches of the Cor. Sometimes settlement workers try to escape to the outer edges of the Cor. The buraks prevent them.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°They are meat eaters, Kalian.¡±

    ¡°How big are they?¡±

    ¡°They are very large. They have a poor sense of sight, but they hear quite well.¡±

    Corvan swallowed. ¡°I think one is guarding the way into this cavern.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? With the fire stick out, I can¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°I can see it,¡± Corvan whispered. ¡°The hammer healed my eyes.¡± He gripped the handle tightly. ¡°There¡¯s a large creature down by the far end.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Tsarek stepped in the general direction of the entrance and stood in silence. ¡°You are correct, sir,¡± he said softly. ¡°I can hear something, and there is a faint rotten smell of burak in the air. Can you see only one?¡±

    A strong odor coming up from below reminded Corvan of when his father butchered chickens. ¡°Yes. Just one moving back and forth.¡±

    ¡°It is waiting for its partner. They hunt in pairs. They have heard our noise and have come to satisfy their hunger.¡±

    ¡°Can we get past this one before the other one arrives?¡±

    ¡°We could try. But when they sense a wounded animal, they move very fast.¡± He stepped back to Corvan. ¡°Let¡¯s get a little closer and see if we can find a way around it.¡±

    Corvan bent forward and groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t carry the pack with my broken collarbone.¡±

    ¡°I could drag it for you, sir, but we need to move quickly and quietly if we are to escape.¡±

    A low, rumbling grew to a grating shriek that echoed through the chamber.

    ¡°It is too late now,¡± Tsarek whispered. ¡°Its partner has arrived, and the hunt will soon begin. I think you must wait here and be very still while I draw them away.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t see them,¡± Corvan said quietly.

    ¡°No, but I can smell them and hear them. You cannot move fast enough to get away, but if I can sneak past them, they will pursue me instead. They do not know there are two of us here and they will not let a sure meal run away.¡± Tsarek touched Corvan¡¯s leg. ¡°As soon as they are gone, get away as quickly as you can.¡±

    ¡°What if you get caught? I need you to guide me,¡± Corvan urged. ¡°I will wait for you here instead.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head. ¡°If you wait here they will find you. You must leave and if I do catch up to you right away, just keep going down, always down. When you reach Kadir City, head for the large courtyard full of steps but do not go to the palace on the right side. You don¡¯t want to meet the chief of the watchers. You must go to the temple on the other side.¡±

    ¡°How do I know which one is the temple?¡± Corvan said. ¡°And who do I ask for?¡±

    ¡°The temple is the only dwelling in the entire city with a pointed roof.¡± Tsarek made his claws into a sharp point over his head. ¡°Ask for the High Priest or one of his children, Tyreth and Tarran. If you can¡¯t find them look for anyone in the green cloaks that only the priests wear. Never talk to the red cloaks, they are from the palace.

    A shriek shattered the air and Corvan grabbed Tsarek¡¯s paw. ¡°What if they catch you?¡±

    Tsarek pulled his paw free. ¡°It does not matter what happens to me. You must escape and save the Kate.¡± He touched Corvan¡¯s hand. ¡°I did not want to worry you, sir, but the Kate is not of the Cor.¡±

    Anxiety knotted Corvan¡¯s stomach. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    The lizard ducked his head. ¡°She cannot live long under the light of the lumiens. If you do not find her soon, she will fall into a deep sleep.¡±

    ¡°And . . .?¡±

    ¡°She will never wake up. But if he finds her while she is still alive, her fate will be worse than death.¡±

    Corvan wanted to ask what could be worse than death, but rumbling growl echoed off the walls. Tearing his gaze away from Tsarek, he peered back down to the floor of the cavern below.

    Movement caught the corner of his eye. One burak stood high on the slope to his right. He looked back down. The other one must be hiding among the boulders on the floor.

    A small form darted between a gap in the boulders, and then Tsarek, crying out in pain as he fell, tumbled down into an open space on the floor.

    Corvan sat up straighter, and a deep grunt pulled his gaze to the right. The hunting burak was close enough that he could make out the bulbous eyes on its flat, angular head. It stared at the cavern floor; its head cocked to one side. A series of clicks came from its partner below, and its head bobbed up and down. A wide mouth opened to reveal twin rows of jagged teeth.

    The creature¡¯s throat bulged out like a bullfrog¡¯s as it emitted a series of gulps and clicks. Corvan looked to the floor of the cavern. Tsarek was on his feet, moving slowly but dragging one leg.

    As Corvan watched in horror, a huge rock behind the lizard shifted slightly. It was not a rock. It was the other burak. Tsarek was heading directly into a trap.

    Corvan took a step forward. A pebble broke free under his foot. The burak to his right turned to face him, its flat face swinging from side to side.

    Corvan froze. If he moved, the burak would know he was there, but if he didn¡¯t, Tsarek would die. The beast stared sightlessly into the dark until a cry from the cavern below grabbed its attention.

    Tsarek was dragging an injured leg behind him as he floundered about on the rocky floor. He stopped and held both paws over his mouth as if trying not to cry out in pain. Turning his head in Corvan¡¯s direction and raised his claws over his head, touching them together.

    A dark shape loomed up behind him. For a fleeting second Corvan saw the outline of the lizard, and then he was gone.

    A moment passed in eerie silence. Then a slow, rhythmic throbbing sounded out. The large shadow on the floor rose on its hind legs and danced in a slow circle, pounding its feet on the ground.

    The burak on the slope rumbled a response and slid through the gravel toward the floor, responding to its partner with loud grating shrieks. The dancing creature below turned toward Corvan.

    From its clenched jaws hung Tsarek¡¯s lifeless body.

 Hammer 22

    Corvan cowered behind a boulder as the buraks left the cavern. One was still celebrating the successful hunt with more shrieks.

    Corvan slumped against the broad rock. The pain in his shoulder was overwhelmed by an intense ache in his heart. In the few short days he had known Tsarek, they had become more than just traveling companions. A soft sob shook his body and fresh pain shot through his chest. Tsarek had been his only connection to the grandfather he had never known and he could not believe his friend was gone. How could he possibly go on to rescue Kate without Tsarek¡¯s help?

    As the sound of the buraks faded away, the enormity of his situation sank in. He was far below the surface of the earth. No one knew where he had gone, so no one would come looking for him. Ever. He couldn''t go back through the labyrinth. He needed to go after Kate, but how would he find her? For the first time in his life, Corvan was on his own.

    Tsarek''s final words filled him with dread. Kate didn''t have long to live. If he was to save her, he had to forget about his fears and keep moving down to the Cor. His only hope was to locate the pointed roof of the temple priests.

    That must have been what Tsarek meant when he pointed his arms over his head. He knew he was about to be captured and was giving Corvan one last instruction. No, two, for the paws over the mouth was telling Corvan to be quiet, so he could escape the buraks. Tsarek had given his life to save him.

    A biting cold was penetrating his sweat-drenched clothes. If he didn''t get dry ones on and start moving, hypothermia would set in. Trying not to move his damaged shoulder, he managed to move his pack closer with his slippered feet. At least they were still warm. His cloak, however, was back in the tight crawl.

    The leather thongs that had tied the top of the pack down were cut. Why would Tsarek have done that? Pulling the cover open, he discovered that Tsarek had also retrieved the cloak and had stuffed it back into the pack. Slipping the cloak over his head, he carefully lifted the hood over his head. It was wonderful to be warm again.

    It took a while to fashion a crude sling for his arm with only one hand, but once it was in place, the pain began to subside. Pulling himself up against the boulder, he noticed that faint patches of purple light were showing up around the cavern. Tsarek must have been right; they had found a way past the labyrinth.

    Dragging the heavy pack down the slope, he entered the clearing where Tsarek had been caught. He needed to lighten his load, or he wouldn''t get much farther. He was able to lift the pack onto a flat stone with his good arm. As he pulled the rest of his clothes from the pack, the smell of wood smoke and beef jerky wafted out. His stomach growled. In this timeless world, there was no way of knowing when he¡¯d last eaten.

    The soggy labels had fallen off the tins, but he discovered it did not matter¡ªhe had left the can opener at home. If only Kate had not taken Tsarek''s Swiss Army knife. He picked up a familiar rectangular tin. A can of Spam, the kind with an attached key to open it. He flipped it over. The key had broken off.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Why was everything going wrong? Anger welled up, and he threw the can away. Pain shot across his chest as the can bounced off a rock, cracked, and landed in the dirt at his feet, neatly split open along the seam.

    Sitting on a rock, he held the tin firmly between his knees and peeled the top back with his good hand. Cold, gritty Spam. It never tasted so good.

    Even with the tins out, the pack was still too heavy to carry with one arm. Reluctantly, he pulled out Tsarek''s crystal and set it on the floor between his legs. There would be no more music from Tsarek. His tears fell on the tapered crystal, skidding down its length and leaving phosphorescent lines behind them.

    He reached out to the crystal, and a tiny spark leaped out to meet his hand. A sound like miniature wind chimes in a summer breeze. As he placed a hand on the crystal, an incredible weariness settled over him. He closed his eyes. "Please help me find a way out of here," he whispered. "I want to go home."

    In his mind, he was suddenly surround by a dense fog. Two figures emerged out of the mist. His mother and father. He called out, but they did not hear. Following them through the murky air, he found himself climbing the Castle Rock. His parents passed through the western gap. The fog parted to reveal a figure sitting on a black throne.

    It was Kate. A blood red cape draped over her shoulders and a sparkling ring of gems was on her head. Thick black bands encircled both of her wrists.

    Corvan''s parents knelt before her, begging her to open the door, so their son could come home. Kate raised both hands and pointed to his home. Lightning arced from the bands, and his house dissolved into a pool of molten stone that set the fields alight. The fire roared away to incinerate every house in town in its path. The flames swirled back around his parents. They cried out in pain, and then they too were gone.

    "No-o-o-o!" The cavern walls echoed with his cry as he forced his eyes open. How could Kate become an evil queen capable of destroying the whole world? Is this what would happen if he failed to rescue her?

    A rumbling crash interrupted his thoughts. The rock face where he and Tsarek had entered had finally collapsed onto the slope. The rocks gained momentum, smashing against each other and sending tremendous shudders through the ground as the slide roared downward and then ground to a halt. He needed to get out of there, and quickly. The avalanche was sure to bring the buraks back. A dense cloud of rock dust closed in about him as if the cave was trying to bury him alive.

    Fine dust filled his lungs. He pulled the hood across his face and found he could breathe easily through its fabric. Keeping his head low he waited for the dust to clear.

    It was difficult to see through the murky air. He pulled the hammer out. The circles from the hammer''s handle were clearly reflected in a tiny round pool at the base of Tsarek''s crystal.

    His tears had flowed down the crystal and collected in a small depression at its base. Touching the shiny surface, he discovered it was as solid as the crystal itself. When he pressed on the edge a thin circle, like the small round mirror his mother kept in her purse, popped out.

    Sitting back, he traced a finger across the surface. The glass rippled and became dark blue with small points of light, like a starry sky.

    Hope. He felt it grow in his heart as he looked at the tiny stars. He had made it this far. He was past the Cor shield, and now if he could find Kate, they could find a way out and would see the stars together yet again.

    After he slipped the glass into his pocket, Corvan picked up the pack by one of its severed straps and headed toward the exit through which the buraks had gone.

 Hammer 23

    With the labyrinth behind him, the journey through the passages was easier than Corvan expected. Just as Tsarek said, he only needed to keep moving down, always down, ignoring any tunnels that branched off or climbed upward. At first, he picked his way past large stone formations, but after a time he saw tracks in the dust created by animals he could not identify. The tracks eventually became a path winding through caverns and tunnels headed ever downward.

    He walked as far as he could while there was a bit of light from occasional patches of purple moss. Whatever the hammer had done to heal his eyes, it had also sharpened his night vision such that it was relatively easy to navigate. When the moss faded, he would try to rest. There was still some light from the hammer¡¯s insignia, but it also appeared to be fading. He decided it would be best to leave in in the holster in case he really needed it. His father was right. It was terrible not seeing the moon and stars. Without their light, the darkness was overwhelming, crushing Corvan with its vacant weight.

    Lying on the stone floor would have been unbearable except for the warmth of his grandfather¡¯s cloak. He thought often of his grandfather and wondered what he was planning to tell him about this underground world. What exactly was a Cor-Van? And why was Tsarek so afraid of having anyone hear his name with a pause in the middle?

    There were so many thoughts and worries that it was almost impossible to rest. He lay in the darkness, listening to the sounds of dripping water and the pattering feet of what could either be small animals or incredibly large insects. He hoped they were not spiders. He hated spiders.

    When he rested, he gnawed on one piece of the beef jerky and allowed himself a few chocolate chips. He was continually hungry, but at least there was a steady supply of water. It dripped from the roof and pooled in small depressions that ran in small streams alongside the path.

    The vision from Tsarek¡¯s crystal often haunted his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t escape the image of Kate murdering his parents. Was it possible for someone to change that much? Kate sometimes got very mad, but how could that grow to wanting to kill everyone around her? Was the vision warning him that she would soon meet Tsarek¡¯s master and become just as evil?

    His only comfort in the dark times was the ice disk from the base of Tsarek¡¯s crystal. The patterns in the tiny pinpoints of light reminded him of the constellations he¡¯d studied while lying out on the rock on warm summer nights. It almost seemed he could make out Orion and the Big Dipper. At the last resting place, he had noticed a brighter glow over the handle of the Big Dipper. Now that glow had become a tiny full moon that was making its way along the edge of the glass.

    He puzzled over this for a while, and then it came to him. Tsarek¡¯s crystal had showed him the future¡ªat least a possible future. In a similar way, the round crystal must reflect what was on his mind in the present or possibly even what was really happening now. It showed the stars because he was thinking of a starry sky. Maybe it could also reveal his home.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Cupping it in his palm, he concentrated and imagined himself walking up to the gap in the rock that faced his house. The stars in the ice glass spun, and the outline of his home came into view. A tiny yellow square flickered, and his mother appeared in his bedroom window. He focused on her. The window rushed closer in the glass until he could clearly see her face. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she was singing. Her hand rose toward him as if she knew he was watching.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Mom,¡± Corvan said. A tear slipped down his cheek and splashed on the glass.

    His mother stopped singing and stared out the window. A puzzled smile flickered across her face. She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and then turned away from the window. The light went out.

    Lonely isolation welled up inside him. He was trapped deep inside the Earth, far away from his home. Even if he could find the temple building that Tsarek had mentioned, how could he ever find Kate in time?

    Kate. Would the glass reveal her whereabouts?

    He turned his thoughts to her, and memories flooded back. Days of building forts and riding bikes and hiking through the coulees. He smiled. Kate was his best friend in the world. At least in the world above. Down here, he wasn¡¯t sure he knew who she was anymore. Pushing that thought aside, he concentrated on the Kate he once knew.

    A fond memory stole into his heart. He and Kate were lying on the rock and watching for falling stars. A coyote barked in the field, Kate jumped and reached for his hand. It barked again, then all was silent. They lay there a long time, hand in hand, looking up at the stars, until his mother called him in. Neither of them had ever talked about it.

    As he thought about this memory, the glass grew warm and caught a glimpse of Kate¡¯s face in the darkness. Tears were trickling down her cheeks.

    ¡°Hang on, Kate, I¡¯m coming for you.¡±

    The image of her in the mirror looked at him in shock, then it called his name so clearly that he almost dropped the glass. He tried refocusing his thoughts on Kate, but now the glass remained black. After putting the glass away, Corvan lay back and pulled the cape over him. A sharp rock poked into his ribs as if to remind him that he was not asleep. He wondered if it were possible for things to get any worse than this. His father used to say, ¡°Cheer up, Son, the worst is yet to come.¡± His dad wanted him to be thankful for what he had in the present instead of focusing on what could go wrong in the future.

    Lying on the rocky floor, with the rhythmic drip of water falling around him in the darkness, Corvan tried to come up with something good. The only thing that came to mind was that his collarbone had healed rapidly, and he didn¡¯t need the sling anymore. It didn¡¯t hurt at all to move his shoulder. It seemed the hammer healed bones after all; it just took a bit longer.

    With a heavy sigh, he sat up. It was no use. He might as well walk a little farther. Pulling his pack onto his shoulder, he unclipped the hammer and followed its feeble glow around a corner to where another cavern joined the main trail. He pointed his light up the steep slope.

    A pair of running shoes stuck out from behind a rock.

 Hammer 24

    Corvan ran up the passage, but Kate was nowhere to be seen.

    The toes of the scarecrow¡¯s shoes had separated from the soles, and they gaped at him as if they had something important to say. Just behind the runners was an empty bread bag. He picked it up, and the aroma of oatmeal cookies wafted out, along with a trace of lilac perfume.

    His head came up, and he looked intently down the passage. Kate must have just been here. It had been her voice calling out to him when he saw her in the glass.

    ¡°Kate!¡± he shouted, but the only answer was his echo reverberating from the tunnel leading down. Covering the end of the hammer, he stared into the darkness. The rocks along the right side of the passage were reflecting a glow from around the next corner. His first thought was Kate¡¯s flashlight, but the light was a cold, blue color.

    Corvan holstered the hammer and crept along the side of the tunnel to keep the larger boulders between himself and the growing light. Feeling his way along the inside wall, he moved slowly past the corner and then approached a lighted gap between two columns of rock. He snuck up behind the right pillar and peered around it. A short distance ahead, a shaft of pale blue light was streaming into the tunnel. Moonlight! He had found another way back to the surface. He had escaped the labyrinth into the buraks cave and had now emerged at the bottom of the river valley.

    Corvan¡¯s heart soared as he ran down the path toward the light. Kate was out as well, and they were both safe.

    Through the opening, he caught sight of a full moon and a few bright stars. He blinked. What had the fire stick done to his eyes? The moon was completely blue, and the stars in the sky pierced the black night with a pink light.

    His pace slowed as he approached the exit. His feet dragged on the sandy floor. This was not an entry to a natural river bottom cave. Just ahead, a uniform arch had been cut into a rock wall. A thick stone door, supported by heavy hinges, hung open to one side.

    His eyes fixed passed the opening, Corvan tripped on the threshold of the doorway, caught himself on the door, and pushed it wider. A wave of despair crashed down upon Corvan. Two rows of the strange script from his grandfather¡¯s book were carved across the middle of the door. The vast cave in front of him was more of Tsarek¡¯s Cor. He would have to go through yet another door and follow Kate deeper into the darkness ahead.

    He was about to move on when angry voices approached. Somewhere in the darkness, two men were arguing about who had last checked the door. Ducking in behind the thick slab, Corvan wedged his body along the wall. His pack caught on the curved ceiling, crowding his head forward and pushing his face in below the upper hinge. He was looking directly through wide crack. It would be easy for anyone who came close to see him hiding in the shadows.

    A short, wiry man entered his field of vision, his face hidden in the hood of his green cloak. Clutched in the man¡¯s hand was a shoulder high staff. At its top was a carved globe with a dark center. He stopped before the door, his head shaking in amazement. ¡°You¡¯re right. The door is open.¡±

    An even shorter, stocky man appeared. A deep voice responded from the depths of his red hood. ¡°I can see that, Tarran, but why is it open? The priests hold the only key, and you are the only priest I know who bothers to come up here.¡± He folded his arms over his chest.

    Tarran threw back his hood revealing the sharp features of a young man with thick black hair and keen gray eyes. ¡°What are you insinuating, Harmon?¡±

    The heavyset man didn¡¯t reply.

    Corvan held his breath as Tarran turned away and examined the far side of the door. The very person he was to meet was just a foot away but so was the palace guard Tsarek had warned him about.

    Pulling a notched cylinder on a red cord from around his neck, Tarran inserted it into a hole next to the door frame and twisted. Three sturdy bolts clicked out from the doorjamb. When he twisted the key and removed it, the bolts sank back into the rock.

    The green cloak swished as Tarran crossed over to inspect the hinge side of the door.

    Corvan twisted away to hide his face. His hand touched the hammer and its blue symbols glowed from the bottom of the holster. He yanked his hand away, and the light faded. He looked up into Tarran¡¯s wide eyes.

    ¡°Find something?¡± Harmon asked.

    ¡°Just checking the hinges,¡± Tarran said without breaking eye contact with Corvan. ¡°The door was not forced open.¡± He gestured with his left hand off to the side. ¡°I have seen all I need to see here. Let¡¯s head back down. You can file a report tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Too late for that,¡± Harmon sneered. ¡°I already reported it to the Chief Watcher.¡±

    Tarran¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he whirled about to face the stocky man. ¡°You did what?¡±

    Harmon pointed into the void behind him. ¡°The Chief Watcher is to be informed any time this door is opened. Since it could only be a priest who opened it, I suspected that you wouldn¡¯t tell him and put your friends or your family in jeopardy.¡±

    Tarran pounded his staff on the ground, and the globe was filled with red light. ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Harmon. You know little of what is happening. All you care about is trying to advance your own career.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Harmon snorted. ¡°With the bad blood between the Watchers, the priests, and the rebels, this is the perfect time to get on the good side of those who have the most power.¡±

    Tarran pointed the staff at him. ¡°Power is not a toy. Play with power¡ªpay the powerful.¡±

    Harmon shrugged. ¡°You priests and your proverbs. The way you talk, you¡¯d think you were part of the rebels and not for our own city. Don¡¯t think for a moment that the Palace doesn¡¯t know what you and your father are planning.¡±

    Tarran stared at the stocky man. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°I know that Morgan uncovered a plot to overthrow the Palace, and I know that the sources all point to the High Priest.¡± Harmon turned his back on Tarran and swaggered away.

    Tarran gripped his staff in both hands and took a step toward him.

    Harmon whirled around and looked down the narrow path beyond the door. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± he whispered in a hoarse voice.

    Tarran joined him, and both men stood frozen at attention. Tarran fumbled with the staff, and its light faded away.

    In the thick silence, Corvan caught a series of rhythmic chirps that sounded like a quartet of wounded crickets limping in his direction. The soft slap of bare feet on rock soon overpowered the eerie sound, and four incredibly thin men appeared on the path. A palanquin tent with red curtains was slung below poles on their shoulders.

    The men¡¯s bare arms seemed too long and slender to be human. Blue veins pulsed under transparent glistening skin, and it reminded Corvan of pictures he¡¯d seen of cave salamanders that live all their lives in total darkness. Deep red robes accentuated their milky white faces.

    The tallest one, who was at the front of the poles, turned toward Corvan. Its translucent eyelids were twitching over its seemingly closed eyes. Thin white lips pursed, and a blue tongue worked to produce high-pitched chirps as its head scanned from side to side. The manlike creatures must navigate like bats and find their way using only echoes.

    Corvan held his breath, hoping the crack would shield him.

    The palanquin¡¯s embroidered red curtains parted, and a dark body oozed to the ground. Corvan stifled a gasp. It was a lizard like Tsarek, but much larger¡ªalmost Corvan¡¯s own height. Its head bobbed as a thin tongue whipped in and out, tasting the air that flowed from the cavern¡¯s open door. Powerful biceps strained against twisted silver bracers wrapped around each arm. It moved with measured steps into the doorway. The muscles in its thick legs were bulging and rippling under its scaly black skin, and then it passed from Corvan¡¯s line of sight.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    It spoke, and Corvan¡¯s blood ran cold. The voice was high and thin. It pierced through the stone door between them. He did not catch what it said, but Tarran responded affirmatively.

    Harmon muttered something, but a command from the lizard silenced him.

    Corvan held his breath and heard the hiss of cold breath as the lizard¡¯s snout poked out over the threshold with its nostrils flaring to pull in the scents around it. If it came any closer, it was sure to smell him.

    Tarran coughed.

    The black creature turned toward him.

    ¡°Most honorable Chief Watcher,¡± Tarran said, ¡°I checked this door personally, and all the seals were intact. I do not know¡ª¡±

    Harmon pushed Tarran aside. ¡°I¡¯m the one who found the door open. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the priests for you, just as you ordered me. I¡¯m the one who deserves a reward for¡ª¡±

    A blur shot past the crack, and the black lizard was standing on Harmon¡¯s still body. He held his right paw up to the dim light, and Corvan could see it was badly deformed. There was only one long curved claw on a small, twisted stump. The lizard¡¯s tongue shot out to taste the blood dripping down the long claw. The black face wrinkled in distaste, and he stepped off the body and wiped his claw on the dead man¡¯s cloak. The lizard gave the body a contemptuous kick, then it twisted its sinuous neck to leer at Tarran.

    ¡°Some people don¡¯t know when to be quiet, do they? I do not trust those who cannot keep their lips shut.¡± The creature moved in closer to Tarran. ¡°I also don¡¯t trust a priest who cannot keep his door shut. It smells of treason. Perhaps trying to start a rumor that the Cor-Van has come to overthrow the palace?¡±

    Tarran pointed to the keyhole. ¡°The priest¡¯s key was not used. The door must have been opened from the other side by the Portal Watcher.¡±

    The black body flickered toward Tarran, words spitting past the forked tongue. ¡°If the Portal Watcher had been called, he would have told me. I am the Chief Watcher of the Cor.¡±

    The lizard circled around the man. ¡°Do not think I am unaware of why the High Priest assigned you to represent the temple in my palace guard. He tried the same tactic with Morgan and failed. Morgan was at least smart enough to know when to switch sides. It was not a good outcome for your sister, would you not agree?¡±

    Tarran stiffened but did not answer. The black form turned back to the door. ¡°Someone opened this door without informing me.¡± The lizard extended a claw toward Tarran. ¡°So, I will take the key.¡±

    Tarran took a step back. ¡°The key is the responsibility of the priests, not the palace.¡±

    ¡°Yessss.¡± The lizard¡¯s tongue darted in and out. ¡°But only as the guardians of the entry. Now the door has been opened without the palace being informed; therefore, your position as keeper of the key is forfeit to me.¡±

    Tarran gripped the staff in both hands and held it up like a great sword. The four pale men holding the palanquin dropped the canopied box to the ground and spread out behind the lizard. Tightly coiled krypin ropes appeared in their hands.

    The Chief Watcher extended his long claw and touched the end of the staff. ¡°Do not resist me, Tarran.¡± The lizard flicked the staff aside, then he turned his back on the man and walked toward the doorway. ¡°You cannot win.¡±

    Tarran took a step toward the four white creatures, who tensed in anticipation.

    ¡°You would be wise to consider joining me, as Morgan has done,¡± the lizard said without turning around. ¡°The priesthood is dying. My new religion is poised to take over. If you join with me, I will make you my captain instead of Morgan.¡±

    Tarran¡¯s staff sagged, and the tip hit the ground.

    The lizard held out his claw again. This time Tarran reached into his cowl and pulled out the cord and the notched cylinder. The Chief Watcher took it and looped it around his own neck.

    ¡°A wise choice. You are a perceptive young man. One who could play an important role in restoring the Cor to its former glory.¡±

    The tallest of the men with unseeing eyes approached and bent down to speak in the lizard¡¯s ear. His long fingers were brushing the ground.

    The lizard nodded. A tight smile parted his lips. ¡°A company of my men is on their way, Tarran. You have until tomorrow to give me your answer. Think it over carefully,¡± it hissed. ¡°Your sister¡¯s life depends on it.¡±

    The lizard slipped through the curtains into the palanquin. His voice cracked out a command, and the four men picked up the cabin and disappeared to the right. Their strange chirps soon faded into the distance.

    As Tarran watched the entourage leave, Corvan pushed away from the hinges. He had to get some answers from the man who had just saved him from the black lizard.

    Twisting around, he pushed on the heavy slab to get out from behind the door.

    An earsplitting screech filled the tunnel.

    Corvan looked up just in time to see a burak bounding toward Tarran in long loping strides. Its broad shoulder slammed into the door, knocking Corvan flat against the wall and throwing him onto the ground against the bottom hinge.

    Tarran cried out and through the crack Corvan saw the huge animal toss the man in the air and catch him in its jaws like a cat playing with a mouse. Tarran¡¯s body flew in a wild arc and landed in a crumpled heap near Corvan.

    Terror-filled eyes looked up through the crack. ¡°Help me,¡± he croaked.

    Corvan pushed his legs against the door, but the weight of the creature held the stone slab tight against the wall. He wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    Twisting on his side, he pulled the hammer free. Its blue light shot through the crack.

    The beast looked into the light, its eyes focused on Corvan, and then its sour breath blasted into his face with a deafening roar. The hinges creaked as the burak forced its snout into the crack. Its shrieks ripped at Corvan¡¯s eardrums. Dropping the hammer, he clenched both hands over his ears. The door banged again, and the horrible shrieks stopped.

    Tarran¡¯s bloody face was just beyond the crack.

    ¡°Help me, Cor-Van,¡± Tarran gasped before his pitiful face was dragged away.

    The great door boomed as the beast hammered into it. The stone slab bounced away from the wall revealing the burak retreating up the slope with the broken body of Tarran dragging in the dirt alongside it.

    Corvan fell to his knees and dropped his head into his hands. His stomach rolled, and he retched. The man who had saved him from being discovered by the black lizard had died because he was too afraid and too weak to help him.

    The muted shriek of the burak jerked Corvan¡¯s head up. Tsarek had said they always hunted in pairs, but he had not heard the second one during the attack. He held his breath and listened intently. The cavern was quiet, and nothing moved up the pathway.

    Feeling around the floor, he found the hammer lying in a pile of sand next to the wall. The handle was cold, and the light from the symbols was gone. He stuffed it into the holster. He¡¯d rather even have it around to remind him of how he had failed.

    After getting slowly to his feet, he found that the great stone door was jammed against Tarran¡¯s staff. Pulling the door back, he picked it up and tapped it on the floor to knock the dirt from the globe at the top. Red light shot out and threw a kaleidoscope of shadowed patterns around the tunnel. More of the same sort of words from the hammer and the door.

    A flurry of movement up the pathway caught Corvan¡¯s eye. The other burak had arrived! Leaping over the threshold, Corvan swirled about and yanked the door shut. Three sharp clicks were immediately followed by muffled blows on the other side of the door. Corvan slumped down against it and leaned his head against the cold stone.

    High above him, the blue moon shone brightly, but now he could clearly see it was a lumien that was much larger than the one in Tsarek¡¯s cave. Smaller ones were scattered around it were, the pink ¡°stars¡± he¡¯d seen earlier.

    As the blows against the door fell away, Corvan realized he had just locked his only exit out of this violent underground world, and the black lizard had the only key.

    Pushing to his feet, he was drawn forward by the sheer size of this new cavern. It was hard to judge distance in the dim light, but it had to be miles to the other side, where there was a brown haze over what appeared to be jagged mountains. He stepped forward for a better look, and his foot slipped. He recovered to find himself on the edge of a precipice that ended in a steep slope hundreds of feet below.

    Off to his right, at the bottom of a trail that wound down to the base of the cliff, he caught sight of the tiny figures of the pale men carrying the lizard over a narrow bridge. Beyond the ribbon of dark water was the strangest city he had ever seen. It was laid out in concentric circles from a central plaza. Each circle joined the next at periodic intervals to make the streets look like the web of an immense spider.

    A few larger buildings were grouped together near the center of the city, but nowhere could he see a building with a pointy roof. He scanned both sides of the widest street that ran toward the far wall. The left side of the city was in ruins, but the right side looked relatively undamaged. An irregular thick wall ran between them.

    The lizard¡¯s pale servants arrived in the central plaza, turned right, and proceeded through a gate in the dividing wall. They marched up a wide street through banks of fog that flowed down from a wide gate.

    Corvan looked ahead of the tiny travelers, and his eyes opened wide in amazement. A stone figure sitting on a massive throne rose above the larger buildings. Corvan inched closer to the edge of the cliff, and his eyes wandered over the colossally broad chest. It was a temple of some kind, like the ones for King Ramses and the other pharaohs in Egypt. On top of the wide shoulders was a rough block of stone. The face of the statue was not yet finished.

    Corvan¡¯s gaze swept down over a powerful stone bicep overlaid with writhing snakelike creatures. The arm lay on one of the wide armrests of the throne, and its hand was gripping a tall staff like the one Corvan now held.

    Below the statue, surrounding the huge stone feet, figures crawled like ants around a circular stone wall. Great stone blocks were being moved into position with cranes and rollers. Hundreds of fire sticks burned around the construction site. They cast their hazy heat waves into the air around the statue and made it look almost alive, like it might leave its throne and crush the buildings at its feet.

    Corvan peered into the shadows off to the left of the statue. Was that a pointy roof?

    A shove from behind pitched him over the edge.

    Before Corvan could scream, two powerful hands gripped his shoulders and held him dangling in thin air.

 Hammer 25

    ¡°So, Tarran,¡± a deep voice growled in Corvan¡¯s ear, ¡°you have not only proven yourself to be a bigger fool than your father, but this time he cannot save you from the Chief Watcher.¡±

    The grip on Corvan¡¯s shoulders relaxed. His body slipped, and his heart pounded.

    ¡°I think it would be best for everyone if you fell to your death,¡± the deep voice stated.

    ¡°Kharag,¡± a calm voice spoke. ¡°Our orders were to relieve Tarran and Harmon not kill them.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Rayu,¡± the man holding Corvan barked, ¡°or you will be next. It would be a great relief to not see any of the green priest¡¯s cloaks around our barracks.¡±

    Corvan was hurled back toward the door. He collapsed in a heap and looked out under the folds of his hood. His captors were expecting to meet Tarran at the door and his grandfather¡¯s special cloak was making them think that was who Corvan was. He pulled his hood lower.

    Men in black cloaks moved about while an older man in a green cloak smiled in his direction. That had to be one of the priests from the temple Tsarek had spoken of. If he could only talk to Rayu, the man could help him escape.

    A boot caught him in the leg. ¡°Get to your feet,¡± Kharag ordered.

    Using the staff, Corvan pushed himself upright. He was keeping his hood low and his eyes on the ground. As he leaned heavily on the staff, its glow came to life, and Kharag¡¯s boots jumped in front of him.

    ¡°Why did you light your staff?¡± Kharag demanded, snatching it from Corvan¡¯s hand. He examined the shaft. ¡°And why is there blood on it?¡±

    ¡°Kharag,¡± another voice called, ¡°look over here.¡±

    Corvan watch from under his hood as Kharag moved to where a knot of soldiers stood around Harmon¡¯s body. The older man in a green cloak pushed in to crouch over the corpse. ¡°This wound was not made by his staff,¡± he said, looking up at Kharag.

    Kharag shoved the man, who fell hard to the ground.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need your help, Rayu. This is not a temple affair. Harmon¡¯s body is proof of the murder, so Tarran is now a prisoner under the jurisdiction of the Chief Watcher.¡±

    The large boots stalked back to Corvan. The sharp point of the staff jabbed repeatedly into his shoulder with each sharp word. ¡°Tarran, you are under arrest for the murder of Harmon. You will now be taken before the Chief Watcher for judgment.¡± Someone shoved Corvan and was directing him onto the cliffside path leading down to the city.

    Hemmed in by soldiers on the narrow track, Corvan noticed there was something odd about his guards. At first, he couldn¡¯t figure it out, but as they entered the first set of switchbacks, leading to the bridge below, it finally struck him. Among these grown men, he was of average height. Either the guards were chosen for their short stature, or all the people of this place Tsarek called the Cor were not very tall.

    The light from the lumiens overhead was growing dimmer, and with his hood low over his eyes, Corvan felt safe from discovery, at least for the time being. Once he was taken to the Chief Watcher, he would be exposed as an impostor. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead at the thought of meeting the black lizard face-to-face.

    Seeking some reassurance, he reached under his tunic to rest his hand on the head of the hammer, but it was cold to the touch. Something had changed when Tarran died. The man¡¯s frightened face filled his thoughts. He pushed the image away, but the voice in his head kept pleading, ¡°Help me, Cor-Van.¡±

    Silently, he responded, I was too afraid and I¡¯m not strong enough. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t even know how to use the hammer.

    Tarran¡¯s voice continued to implore him. ¡°Please, Cor-Van, help me.¡±

    He tried forcing himself to think of something else, but the voice would not quit. It grew louder and more desperate.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    All the men around him jostled to a halt and turned to face him. Kharag pushed through their midst and grabbed him by the collar, almost knocking his hood off. ¡°Why should we stop? Are you too tired, Tarran? Did killing Harmon take too much out of you?¡± Kharag yanked him to the edge of the trail. ¡°If you are so tired, I will help you to the bottom faster.¡±

    Again, the old man named Rayu spoke up in his even tone. ¡°Kharag, don¡¯t forget that the Chief Watcher will not be happy with you if he does not have a chance to question your prisoner. There is no reward for a dead body. I suggest we keep moving and get across the water before it gets fully dark.¡±

    The soldiers behind Rayu muttered their agreement, and Kharag¡¯s face contorted into an ugly sneer. Shoving Corvan toward the guards, he pointed a thick finger at Rayu. ¡°Keep your thoughts to yourself, old man, or you will be the one taking a quick trip down.¡±

    Kharag stomped off down the trail as the soldiers formed a tight wall around Corvan and plodded downward. There was no way out of this new nightmare. Everything was going from bad to worse.

    Someone squeezed Corvan¡¯s hand. Rayu was walking beside him. He looked directly up into Corvan¡¯s hood and smiled. Corvan nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat. The man knew he was not Tarran and was still willing to help him. At least he had one friend in this place. A soldier behind them coughed, and Rayu let go as the guard pushed through between them.

    Weariness settled in, and Corvan fell into a trancelike state as he was stumbling down the winding path. The sound of rushing water brought him back to his senses and awakened his thirst. It had been a long time since he last ate or drank.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    There was no stopping for a drink. The guards pressed in even tighter as they approached the bridge and sped up. Although it was protected with a stone wall on either side, the soldiers crowded as close to the center as possible. A few glanced nervously at the water rushing below. Corvan looked for the source of their fear. Was one of the long-armed monsters hiding below it? Or were they simply afraid of falling in?

    They quickly reached the other side of the river, where the bank of the water channel rose up to join the outer wall of the city.

    The company passed through an open gate, spread out, and marched down the wide street Corvan had seen from above. All the buildings on the left were crumbling shells with their doors broken off and roofs falling in. On the right, a high wall had been hastily constructed of stone blocks of various sizes that didn¡¯t fit together well.

    The road itself was uneven, and the soldiers stumbled in the near darkness. The few people they met pressed against the high wall on the right side of the street until the soldiers passed and then scurried away. Corvan could not see their faces because everyone wore a hooded cloak¡ªlikely the only way to stay warm in the damp air or perhaps to avoid detection from the armed guard.

    Kharag led the procession through the city by the light of the staff¡¯s globe. It cast its twisting elongated shadows onto the wall alongside them.

    In a short while, the company reached the center of the city. The round plaza he had seen from the upper door had a round pool in the middle of which was a statue topped with the head of a man but with four arms sticking out of its body rising from the water. Something moved in the shadows beyond the statue, and he caught a quick glimpse of a shrouded figure heading into a street beyond the statue in the staff¡¯s garish light. The sweet scent of lilacs awakened a powerful longing. He bent lower to look through the legs of the statue, and the figure looked in his direction.

    It was Kate! She took a glance at the soldiers, and then she pulled the plaid blanket draped over her shoulders tightly around her neck and disappeared up the darkened street. Corvan stumbled into the soldier in front of him, and they both crashed to the ground. In a flash, Rayu was kneeling at his side and pulling Corvan¡¯s hood back over his head.

    Grabbing the old man¡¯s wrist, Corvan pulled him in close. ¡°There¡¯s a girl in the street behind the statue,¡± he whispered. ¡°You must go and help her. She¡¯s wearing a blanket with ¡­¡±

    ¡°Are we going to have to drag the two of you up to the palace?¡± Kharag¡¯s angry voice echoed in the confines of the walled plaza.

    Rayu leaned back and pulled Corvan to his feet. ¡°We are all right. Just tripped over the loose cobblestones.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again,¡± Kharag warned and turned away.

    With Rayu close at his side, the company moved along a circular wall that curved to the outside of the central plaza. They passed under what looked like metal trees, the branches terminating in metal rings. Rayu gave his hand a firm squeeze, and then he was gone. Corvan wanted desperately to confirm that Rayu was going after Kate, but he dared not stumble again.

    In front of them, a pair of sputtering fire sticks framed a narrow iron gate. Kharag strode up and shouted a command. The gate creaked open only enough to let the soldiers squeeze through in single file. Beyond the gate, a soldier stood yawning with his hand on the windlass that controlled the gate.

    Prodding Corvan to keep moving, the soldiers marched along the wide street toward the faceless statue brooding over the decaying city. The street became a wider stone stairway, and its balustrades were crumbling and broken off like twin rows of rotten teeth. At the top of the stairs, they passed beneath a great stone arch set into a thick wall before emerging into a large open space. Ahead of them, successive ranks of stairs, broken by wide landings, climbed toward the feet of the statue. At regular intervals across the landings were more of the fluted metal trees, which seemed to be sprouting from circular stone platforms.

    After two flights of stairs, it was all Corvan could do to force his feet to take the last step onto the next landing. Just when he feared he might collapse and be discovered, Kharag ordered the men to stand down. They all sank wearily onto the steps.

    Kharag left them and crossed the open area toward a large double gate set into the courtyard wall. Corvan peeked from under his hood and watched Kharag knock at a smaller door next to the large gate. He tried to keep watch to see what might happen, but his head sank to his knees. He dozed for a moment, then he was jolted awake when the soldiers beside him pulled him to his feet.

    Kharag swaggered toward them and called out. ¡°The Chief Watcher does not want to be disturbed tonight.¡± The small door slammed behind him, and Kharag jumped. His voice lowered. ¡°I have been ordered to leave the prisoner in one of the cells. The Chief Watcher will decide his fate in the morning.¡± He gestured for them to follow.

    One side of the larger gate opened, and Kharag led them inside and to the right along a high building. A light glowed in a window next to an archway. Two red-cloaked guards, armed with tall pikes, stepped out. Kharag approached them and held out the red staff while speaking in important tones.

    One of the red guards yanked the staff from Kharag¡¯s hand and pushed him aside. The soldiers beside Corvan fell back as the red cloaks swept in and ushered him through the arch and across a small courtyard toward a row of short, round towers up tight against the tall building. A door was opened, and Corvan was shoved inside. The door slid closed behind him. A key turned in a lock. All sound from outside the round room was cut off.

    Corvan¡¯s eyes adjusted quickly. The cell was about ten paces in diameter and other than the faint outline of the locked door, the walls were unmarked by cracks or lines indicating how it had been constructed. A bit of light leaked in through a round opening high overhead.

    Corvan crossed to a low stone bench jutting out from the wall and sat down. To his right was a shallow depression with a hole in the middle. Corvan wrinkled his nose at the smell. Obviously, this was his toilet. Above the depression, a short, round knob protruded from the wall. When he touched the tip, clear water gushed from the underside and ran into the hole. After drinking his fill of the cool water, he removed his cloak, pulled off the pack, and kicked it under the bench. At least the darkness had kept them from noticing the pack and searching it.

    Stretching out on the cold stone bench, he wrapped his grandfather¡¯s cloak tightly around him and tried to think through all that had just happened. It seemed obvious that the mysterious cloak had worked on the minds of the soldiers and had fooled them into thinking he was Tarran. Rayu, however, was not deceived. He had looked Corvan in the face and was still willing to help him.

    The older priest named Rayu was a kind-hearted man, and he had looked Corvan in the face. He knew he was not Tarran, but he had gone looking for Kate. If he found her, Rayu would likely take her to the priest¡¯s temple and help her out. All he needed to do was escape from the cell and make his way across to the other side of the wide plaza to join them, but how?

    Gazing up at the circle of light, the solution presented itself with stark simplicity. His krypin rope could crawl up walls. All he needed to do was to walk it up to the top and pull himself through the hole and onto the roof.

    Jumping off the bench, he was reaching for where the rope was clipped to his belt when a key rattled in the door. He dropped back onto the bench, turned his back to the door, and pretended to be asleep.

    The door opened, and someone stepped lightly into the room.

    ¡°I want to make sure my brother is all right,¡± a woman said. ¡°I am assuming the laws of Kadir City still allow an untried prisoner to have visitors?¡±

 Hammer 26

    A man¡¯s voice echoed softly off the walls of Corvan¡¯s prison cell. ¡°The law is unchanged, but you and I both know it is the Chief Watcher¡¯s interpretation of the law that matters. Both of us would be in a difficult position if he found out about your visit.¡±

    ¡°I will take that chance,¡± the woman replied, ¡°Unlike you, I am not afraid of what that creature might do.¡±

    There was a short pause before the man quietly continued. ¡°These are difficult days, Tyreth. We need to play this out carefully in a way that is good for all of us.¡±

    ¡°There is no ¡®us,¡¯ Morgan,¡± Tyreth responded crisply. ¡°Those days are over. You made your choice.¡±

    ¡°I had no choice at that point,¡± Morgan answered tensely. ¡°Now there are new decisions to be made.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Tyreth shot back.

    Morgan lowered his voice. ¡°Major changes are about to take place. I cannot say more right now, but I need you to consider what could be if things were resolved between the palace and the priests. If I were able to take over the palace and rule the Cor, I would need a wise and confident counterpart. Together, we could free Kadir and rebuild it.¡±

    ¡°Do you honestly believe I would join with you after what you¡¯ve done to the priests and my family? I would rather go to the Wasting before I would agree to be your counterpart.¡±

    ¡°Things are not as they seem.¡± Morgan spoke so quietly Corvan could barely hear him. ¡°Very soon I will be able to make it all clear to you. Promise me you will attend the Wasting ceremony, and I can assure you that you will see things differently.¡±

    ¡°The High Priest¡¯s daughter cannot be seen at that blasphemous event,¡± Tyreth retorted.

    ¡°She need not be seen there,¡± Morgan said, ¡°but she needs to be there if she would like to speak with her brother before he goes to trial.¡±

    There was a long pause. ¡°Fine. I will observe the ceremony from the back of the amphitheater. I need to see Tarran right away.¡±

    The man¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Thank you, Tyreth. You won¡¯t regret it. I will awaken him and then wait for you outside the open door. I must fulfill my duty as his guard.¡±

    Hard-heeled boots crossed the room, and a rough hand shook Corvan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Tarran, wake up. Your sister is here to see you.¡±

    Corvan rolled on his side and watched as Morgan strode back to the door. His broad shoulders were set like a matador going out to challenge a bull. The man touched the outside of the door jamb, and a band of amber light encircled the cell a few feet off the floor and illuminated the form of a woman just outside. ¡°You must be quick.¡± Morgan said to her. ¡°The change of guards will arrive shortly.¡±

    Corvan sat up as the woman entered the cell. She wore a pale blue cloak. Silver tassels hung from the drawstrings of the hood onto a white scarf. As she approached, she swept the hood back, revealing an intense face framed by shoulder length black hair that swayed with each step. To Corvan, it was as if she had stepped off the front cover of one of the science fiction magazines he had tucked away in his chest at home. A warrior princess, he thought to himself, but as she drew near, he noticed she wasn¡¯t much older than him¡ªalthough she was at least 6 inches taller.

    She smiled and his heart warmed until he reminded himself that she was under the impression he was her brother¡ªthe same brother he had let die. He dropped his head and looked to the floor.

    Tyreth pulled him from the bench into an embrace. ¡°Tarran, I am so glad to see you.¡± The words were full of concern, but the hug was loose and aloof. ¡°Have they been treating you well?¡± she said in a loud voice as she let him go and took a step back between him and the door.

    Before he could stop her, she pushed his hood back and looked directly into his face. He waited for an expression of surprise, but she looked resolutely at him without flinching. Her eyes were as blue as a prairie sky in winter, but they were full of cold sorrow.

    ¡°How can they accuse you of killing Harmon?¡± Tyreth said, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°This is a terrible mistake,¡± she said as she was turning back to him.

    Corvan opened his mouth to talk, but she gave her head a slight shake and touched his lips. Her fingers smelled of sweet spice.

    ¡°Tarran, you look terrible,¡± she said. ¡°These cells are so cold. Here, take my scarf.¡± She unwound the white cloth from around her neck, looped it around his, and tucked it down the front of his cloak.

    The kindness of her gesture brought a tear to Corvan¡¯s eye, and he lowered his head again.

    Tyreth put her fingertips under his chin and raised it. ¡°Don¡¯t give in to fear,¡± she whispered. ¡°Be brave and do exactly as you will be told.¡± She tugged on the side of his hood and then spoke loudly again. ¡°Keep your hood on and stay warm.¡± She stepped back and nodded to him. ¡°I will try to come back to see you before your trial begins.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    She stood looking at him, and her eyes filled with tears. ¡°I loved you ¡­ Tarran.¡± Her voice faltered. Clenching her jaw and giving her head a tense shake, she flipped up her hood and turned for the door.

    When she reached the cell door, she said something to Morgan about her brother being very ill and that he should be left to rest before it slid closed.

    Corvan sank down on the bench. Tyreth knew he was not Tarran, and she appeared to know her brother was dead. How could she know that since Harmon was dead as well?

    Corvan untucked her scarf, and the soothing scent of her spiced perfume swirled about the cell. Her last words were to keep his head covered, so she must want him to keep up the ruse that he was Tarran. Yet she had left his face uncovered when she went out, which didn¡¯t fit. Morgan might have noticed he wasn¡¯t Tarran were he not so preoccupied with his own plans for her. He didn¡¯t know anything about the man but found himself strongly disliking him.

    Annoyed and not really knowing why, Corvan flipped his hood back over his head. A small packet dropped out and fell into his lap. He picked up a cloth pouch tied onto a stick that looked like a short thick pencil with a brown eraser. Untying the cloth, he discovered a small knobby pebble inside. He held both items up to the band of light on the wall. He pressed the eraser bump on top of the stick, and a tiny voice spoke. He held the stick closer to his ear.

    ¡°We must get you, away from the guards, before the morning comes.¡± A man was speaking in clipped phrases as if he was on a scratched record. ¡°Your only chance is for the guards to think you have died of a sickness. You must immediately swallow the pill we have given you. It will cause you to appear as if you are dead. We will come get you before the Chief Watcher calls for your trial. Make sure you drop this message stick and the cloth down the waste hole. We shall speak with you after we give you the antidote and bring you back to life.¡±

    Corvan pushed the knob again, but the stick remained silent. Tyreth was a part of this plan, and he wanted to trust her, but how could she know this pill wouldn¡¯t accidentally kill him? Placing the pill in a small indentation on the stone bench, he tossed the stick and pouch down the hole. After returning to the bench, he stood looking at the pill. Even if he were to swallow it, his mother always said never to take medicine on an empty stomach. He dug to the bottom of the pack and found a tin can he¡¯d missed when he¡¯d lightened the load. He was about to throw it down the hole but changed his mind. Kate still had the Swiss Army knife to open the cans, and she would be hungry if he could find her and Rayu.

    Opening the side pocket of the pack, Corvan pulled out the last piece of beef jerky. It was a bit soggy and the salt had risen to the surface in a white crust, but it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. He washed it down with a long drink from the stone tap.

    He looked back at the pill. Most medicine was bitter, and his mother would give him a teaspoon of honey to help get it down. Pulling out the last of the chocolate chips, he poured half of them into a small pile next to the pill, then rolled down the top of the bag and stuffed it back into the pack. He would save some for Kate. She loved chocolate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Morgan¡¯s deep voice growled in his ear, and a sharp point pressed into his back. How long had the man been standing there?

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been holding out on us? In these difficult times, with so little food, the Chief Watcher has decried hoarding food a crime punishable by death.¡± The knife pushed harder. ¡°Move to the wall.¡±

    Corvan slid along the bench and tight against the wall. Morgan moved around and sat at the far end. He kept the point of a black bladed knife hovering between them. His intense face was framed with thick curly hair, and his gray eyes studied Corvan¡¯s every movement.

    ¡°I regret that it has come to this. You and I should have been brothers, not enemies.¡± Morgan peered into the recesses of Corvan¡¯s hood. ¡°I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer me truthfully. Is it true that you¡¯ve defected to the palace, or is your presence here just another one of the High Priest¡¯s insane plans?¡±

    Corvan lowered his head, and the piercing eyes disappeared under the edge of his hood.

    ¡°Your silence says it all. He may be your father, but the High Priest is a fool. You will be destroyed by his schemes. The Chief Watcher does not tolerate treachery. He will not let you live long after the trial.¡±

    Corvan remained mute.

    ¡°So, what are these?¡± Morgan poked at the chocolate chips with the tip of his knife. ¡°Something your sister brought you? Tyreth is as clever as she is beautiful.¡± He picked one up and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.

    Corvan shifted his weight, and Morgan instantly raised the knife to Corvan¡¯s chest. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything, Tarran. I don¡¯t believe you are ill. You¡¯ve never been sick a day in your life.¡±

    Morgan sniffed at one of the chocolate chips, then he nibbled at it. ¡°Sweet, just like your sister,¡± he said, poking his knife toward Corvan.

    Morgan cocked his head to one side, then reached out and pulled the white scarf from Corvan¡¯s neck. ¡°You won¡¯t need this in your crypt. Nothing will keep you warm there.¡± Laying his knife next to the chocolate chips, he looped the scarf around his own neck before picking up the chips one-by-one and dropping them into the palm of his hand.

    Corvan glanced at the knife. Should he try to grab it? Morgan seemed intent on the chocolate. Corvan raised his eyes and found a smirk twisting at the corners of Morgan¡¯s mouth. The man was baiting him into a fight.

    Morgan plucked up the last of the chips along with the small pebble. As Morgan added Tyreth¡¯s pill to his handful of chips, Corvan twitched. In an instant, Morgan swept the knife off the bench and pointed it at Corvan¡¯s heart. ¡°A little too slow, Tarran. Perhaps you are actually sick.¡± Leaning back, he tossed the chocolate chips and pill into his mouth.

    ¡°The night guard will be here shortly. If you will not answer my questions ¡­¡± Something crunched in his mouth, and he grimaced. Jabbing his tongue into his upper molars, he pulled out half of the pebble pill and held it up between his fingers. A cold sweat broke out on his face. ¡°What have you¡ª¡± He lifted the knife to Corvan¡¯s throat, and his hand shaking as the tip touched Corvan¡¯s skin.

    Corvan jerked back, tossing his head and sending his hood flying off his head.

    Morgan¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Corvan¡¯s face, and he jumped off the bench, stumbling then tripping as his heel caught in the toilet hole. He crashed to the floor, and the black knife skittered toward the open door. Corvan stood to help him, but Morgan crawled away, clawing his way toward his knife and the door. As he collapsed face down, his hand reached out and brushed the door frame.

    The door slid shut with a soft click. The room was silent.

 Hammer 27

    Corvan struggled to roll Morgan over. The man¡¯s eyes were closed, and it didn¡¯t appear he was breathing. Corvan placed his hand on Morgan¡¯s chest, but that didn¡¯t yield anything conclusive. The intent of the pill Tyreth left behind was to make a person appear to be dead, but Morgan had spit part of it out. He might come back around soon, or he might die without the antidote. Either way, Corvan needed to get out of the cell, find Tyreth, and let her know what had happened. Despite their argument, it seemed she still cared about Morgan.

    Dragging the man a bit closer to the door, Corvan tried touching his hand to the frame, but it didn¡¯t open. Searching his clothes and pockets for a key, he found only a leather scabbard strapped to his leg. Untying it, he picked up the black knife. Like the hammer, it appeared to be made of one piece of black polished stone. He slipped it back in the sheath, went to the bench, and dropped the blade into his pack.

    A rustling noise in the cell caught him off-guard, and he jumped around the bench expecting to see Morgan coming after him. Instead, two tentacles were poking from the toilet hole. Long, thin legs appeared and were followed by the largest spider Corvan had ever seen. Its slime-covered bulbous body was bigger than his fist. A shiver ran through Corvan¡¯s shoulders as the spider pulled itself from the hole and walked stiltedly to the wall. He watched it climb, somehow finding minute footholds in the smooth surface, until its silhouette disappeared through the hole in the center of the ceiling.

    That was the answer! The end of his grandfather¡¯s special rope could scale the walls, and he could use it to climb out of the cell. Buckling on his pack, he released the krypin rope from his side and stepped to the middle of the room. Releasing the soft strands, he set the disk on the floor and manipulated the control end to move it onto the wall. It climbed slowly up the smooth surface and disappeared into the deep shadow where the walls met the ceiling.

    It seemed it might be a bit too short to reach the hole, but then the rope stretched toward the middle of the room and became thinner. Just when he thought it was getting close, the end fell back, glanced off his head, and landed in his hood. The hole in the roof was just out of reach.

    He stood a moment with his hand on the rope before he realized it was still suspended in midair. His hood suddenly twitched like a thing possessed. The spider! Corvan flailed around the room, shaking his head and jumping over Morgan¡¯s body to dislodge the creature. Scrambling onto his head, it rummaged frantically through his hair. He shouted and jerked until its fat body flipped past his face and dropped to the floor with a plop like a deflated rubber ball. Pushing up on its twiggy legs, it staggered back to the toilet hole and dropped in.

    A shudder ran through his body, but there was no time to waste. No doubt someone had heard him call out. He had to move fast.

    The krypin rope hung near the middle of the room, so it had to be anchored somewhere close to the opening in the ceiling. Images from his nightmare of the rope slipping through his hands played out in his mind. Instead, he tied the knob end around his waist, gripped the rope tight, and pulled himself off the ground. The rope only stretched and gently lowered him back down.

    Was it coming loose? Reaching up, he gave the rope a quick jerk. It instantly tightened like a rubber band and yanked him off his feet. Air whipped past his ears and the circle of light shot past him as he rocketed out of the opening into cooler air. His ascent peaked, and he tumbled down to sprawl across the roof of his prison cell.

    He lay there for a minute, catching his breath, coiling up the rope, and listening for anyone entering the cell below. It was quiet. Using the flat disk, he secured the loops back together and clipped it back on his belt. No wonder Tsarek had been so impressed with it.

    He crawled forward to peer over the short parapet that curled around the top edge of the cell tower. Below him, the guardroom was empty and two red cloaks were searching the courtyard. There was no going down that way. He would need to climb onto the main building that towered over the cells behind him.

    He crossed to the back wall and sent the green disk up to the top of the building. This time, after gently stretching the rope out, he gave it only a small tug. He found himself dragged and bumped upward like a sack of potatoes. Swiveling about, he managed to get his feet against the wall. The special slippers gripped the stone, and Corvan climbed effortlessly to the roof just like the spider in the cell.

    Up top, the flat roof was much larger than he¡¯d expected. This had to be the palace of the Chief Watcher. Corvan tiptoed across the roof to the left side and looked down into the stepped courtyard he had entered as Kharag¡¯s captive. To his right, the dark statue loomed high over the city. Even without a face, it seemed to be watching him.

    At the feet of the statue, thick fog rolled about behind the circular stone wall he had seen from then cliff when Tarran had died. It rose in waves and was sending tendrils out an arched gate. A larger eruption of white vapor overflowed the wall, creating waves of luminescent fog that swept down into the plaza and surrounded the round pots with their bare metal trees. From here, he could see that the metal rings were the same as Tsarek¡¯s lumien holder under the Castle Rock. At some point in the past, each of the curved posts below must have had a lumien attached to each ring on its branches like a complex living streetlamp. He scanned the courtyard for a broken one and wondered if this was where his grandfather had found the one now at home in his bedroom.

    Across the open area, a peaked roof rose high above the courtyard walls¡ªthe priest¡¯s building that Tsarek had told him to locate. Now he just needed to get out of the Chief Watcher¡¯s complex and over to the other side. He searched the ground below. If he used the green rope to drop down on this side of the palace courtyard wall, he would still need to get past the guard at the palace gates.

    The guard at the small door below coughed. Above the man¡¯s head, an iron girder had been bolted onto the wall to reinforce the main gate. If he crossed that beam over to the courtyard wall, he could walk on top of it around the perimeter, cross the main arch, and gain access to the priest¡¯s buildings. He¡¯d often walked along the fence rails on his way to school. He and Kate competed to see who could go the farthest without falling. It was the only contest that he occasionally won. The fence rails back home weren¡¯t forty feet off the ground, but the courtyard wall itself was wide enough and the slipper shoes gripped well.

    Easing himself over the lip of the roof, his feet touched down on the narrow iron rail. He stepped forward and worked his way into the center. The guard coughed again, and Corvan stumbled. A shower of dust floated down toward the guard¡¯s head.

    Corvan tensed to leap forward when a shout came from around the corner of the palace building in the direction of the cells. As the guard ran off, Corvan scurried over to the main courtyard wall.

    He was just past the guard house below when he discovered a flaw in his plan. Soldiers were now rushing about in the prison compound below, and he would be easily seen against the dim blue glow of the lumiens overhead. Now the shouts below were being answered by lights in the windows of the palace directly across from him. If anyone looked his way, he would be caught.

    Forcing himself to look straight ahead, Corvan concentrated on walking the wall as quickly as possible. Wisps of fog were climbing up the side of the courtyard wall and floating around him to partially hide him from view. By the time he rounded the corner near the main arch, the thick cotton of rolling mist had risen to the full height of the wall and was squeezing like toothpaste through the arched gate at his feet. The back eddy swirled higher, making it tough to see where to put his feet as he climbed up and over the main entry into the courtyard.

    Drawing near to the priest¡¯s side of the terraced courtyard, he discovered that the pointed roof was set back from the main courtyard wall. He was about to get out the rope to climb down when he made out a thinner wall surrounding an enclosed area in front of the priests¡¯ building. Corvan lowered himself onto the narrow stone and picked his way over to the peaked roof. Overhead, light shone from triangular skylights. His slippers gripped the slate tiles, and he tiptoed up to the light. The glass was crusted with droppings that must have come from some sort of birds or bats¡ªenormous ones.

    Corvan tried wiping the glass with the edge of his cloak, and the skylight swiveled silently open. Inside the room, a large lumien hung from a thick metal ring suspended from the center of the high peak. Its thick vines twisted over out to the corners of the walls.

    An angry voice spoke from the floor below. Corvan slipped over the sill onto the wide ledge that encircled the room. Removing his pack, he crawled to the edge and looked below.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    A bearded old man in an embroidered green robe stood alone at the far side of a large table in the center of the room. The angry voice came from under the same pale blue cloak Corvan had seen earlier that night in the prison cell.

    ¡°I had no choice, Father,¡± Tyreth said bitterly. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t given my word, Morgan would not have let me see him.¡±

    The old man slapped both hands down on the table. ¡°That ceremony is an abomination¡ªthe opposite of everything we believe.¡±

    Tyreth tossed her head. ¡°What other choice did I have? You told me that we must play this out carefully. Besides, Morgan hinted at an alliance.¡±

    The bearded man glowered at her from under thick eyebrows. ¡°Morgan can no longer be trusted. Why are you even listening to that man? That relationship¡ª¡±

    ¡°Is over, Father. Do not be concerned. I had to listen to Morgan to pass on the message to that ¡­ that boy.¡±

    ¡°You are speaking of the Cor-Van.¡±

    ¡°All I saw was a boy, a child not yet of the age to even grow out his hair!¡± There was no denying the irritation in her rising voice.

    The old man pointed out the door at the far end of the hall. ¡°Rayu told us he came from the passages. How could anyone come from the outside unless he is the Cor-Van?¡±

    Tyreth shook her head. ¡°If this one is the Cor-Van, it will be a long time before he is mature enough to lead anyone.¡± She threw up her hands. ¡°He was so afraid he was almost crying.¡± She dropped her hands to sides. ¡°I feel sorry for that boy if the Chief Watcher gets hold of him.¡±

    Corvan slumped lower on the ledge. She was right about his fears but wrong about him being a leader. He didn¡¯t even want to be here anymore. He wanted to find Kate and get as far away from this awful place as possible.

    ¡°We must give him a chance,¡± the old man said. ¡°With Tarran dead, my plan to take over the palace has failed. The Chief Watcher is onto us. All of the priests are in grave danger, and Rayu says this boy is our only hope. I need your support in this.¡±

    Tyreth slowly shook her head. ¡°If he is the Cor-Van for whom you have been looking, then why did he allow Tarran to die?¡±

    ¡°What makes you so sure he was there when Tarran died?¡±

    ¡°I felt my brother die.¡± Tyreth said softly as she was twisting the tassels that hung from her hood. She looked up at the man. ¡°But where is Tarran¡¯s body? You know what those creatures do to the dead.¡± She dropped into an ornate chair. A tear slipped down her face.

    Tyreth¡¯s father studied her for a long moment. ¡°We will need to ask the boy once he is here. Are you certain he understood the message? Does he have it with him?¡±

    Tyreth fiercely wiped the tear away with the sleeve of her cloak. ¡°I did my best. Morgan was near the doorway, and I¡¯m sure he listened to every word. We can be glad they thought he was Tarran and didn¡¯t bother to search him. I could see he was wearing some sort of pack on his back even in the dim light.¡± A frown creased her brow. ¡°Even if that boy has the hammer, as Rayu claims, it is obvious he doesn¡¯t know how to use it. We should rally the priests and follow through with Tarran¡¯s plan to take over the palace. We can rescue the boy and use the hammer ourselves.¡±

    ¡°And risk alerting the dark powers to the return of the Cor-Van?¡± Tyreth¡¯s father asked. ¡°Risk putting the hammer into his hands instead? If the death of your brother did nothing else, it gave us the opportunity to get the boy out of the cell without anyone discovering who he is.¡± He looked toward the door. ¡°Why is this taking so long? We¡¯ve already heard the signal for the changing of the guards.¡±

    The old man strode over to the main doors and peered into the hallway. A few wisps of fog coiled around his ankles. He shook them off and shut the door. Returning to the table, he looked hard at Tyreth. ¡°Why was a man of Morgan¡¯s rank on guard duty?¡±

    She looked up and rolled her eyes. ¡°Because he knew I would be coming. He believes you have misjudged him. He wants you to give him another chance.¡±

    The old man grunted and stepped in front of a large tapestry hanging on the wall. His gnarled fingers traced the markings in its center.

    Both jumped when the door burst open and a young man with shoulder-length brown hair and sharp features ran into the room to bend one knee before the old man.

    ¡°Something has gone wrong, sir,¡± the young man said through heavy breathing. ¡°They have found a guard dead in a cell, and the one they believe is Tarran has disappeared.¡±

    Tyreth stood and smoothed out her cloak. ¡°You see, Father? Your new Cor-Van has no sense whatsoever. He can¡¯t even follow simple instructions.¡±

    The old man pointed at Tyreth. ¡°He eliminated his guard and was able to escape. He sounds more promising than your description of a mere boy. If we can locate him, I can prepare him for leadership along with his counterpart.¡±

    Tyreth glared at him. ¡°Do not think I am unaware of your schemes, Father. You can dismiss any thoughts that I would become the counterpart to your young Cor-Van. I am not willing to let you set me up for yet another marriage.¡± She flicked the silver tassels on her hood. ¡°When these are gone, I will be making my own choice. I will not be your pawn.¡±

    The young man stood to face her. ¡°Tyreth, the Chief Watcher has issued a warrant for your arrest and is on his way to personally carry it out.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the old man exclaimed.

    ¡°Tyreth¡¯s scarf was found on the body of the dead guard.¡±

    Corvan groaned to himself. How could he have been so careless?

    The old priest grabbed the young man¡¯s shoulder and spun him around. ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was in the barracks when the orders came through.¡±

    ¡°Then you must take Tyreth and hide her in the settlements.¡± The old man walked to the tapestry and pulled on a looped cord. The wide cloth rolled up tight against the wall.

    Tyreth stepped forward. ¡°That won¡¯t work, Father. If I¡¯m gone, the Chief Watcher will tear the compound apart looking for me. Many more of our priests will die.¡±

    Her father tied the tapestry in place and pressed his palm against the wall. A section slid back to reveal a narrow passage. ¡°The Watcher knows the law prohibits civilians from entering the priest¡¯s area. This hall is as far as they may go.¡±

    Tyreth shook her head firmly. ¡°The Chief Watcher decides which laws must be obeyed and by whom. He has plotted to break your power for some time, and this is the perfect opportunity. He will not let an old tradition stand in his way.¡± She turned to the young man. ¡°Tell him, Jorad.¡±

    The young man faced the High Priest. ¡°Tyreth is correct, sir. We have reports of the Chief Watcher¡¯s men coming inside our compound during the night.¡± His jaw clenched as he turned back to Tyreth. ¡°But I will die before I let them take you to the palace. I vowed I would never let that happen again to someone I¡ª¡± He pulled a long knife from within his robe. ¡°If it¡¯s a fight they want, they shall get one. Let us quickly gather all the priests we can find. Even with all his power, the Chief Watcher won¡¯t be able to get the soldiers to move across the courtyard until the fog lifts.¡±

    Tyreth touched the young man¡¯s hand and pushed the knife back down. ¡°No, Jorad. You have told me many times to choose my battles wisely. Now you must do the same.¡± She stepped past him and approached her father. ¡°The Watcher will not dare sentence me without a trial. This young Cor-Van must be somewhere in the city. You need to find him and ask him to help us. Now he truly is our only hope.¡±

    Corvan wiped a hand over his brow. He should do something, at least show his face so they wouldn¡¯t need to look for him.

    As he pushed himself up on the ledge, Rayu appeared in the open doorway. ¡°Sir, the Chief Watcher and a group of soldiers approach our gate.¡±

    ¡°Soldiers? Out in the fog?¡± Jorad asked.

    Rayu nodded. ¡°The Rakash drive them forward.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Rakash? He brings those hideous creatures to the temple?¡±

    A heavy pounding rocked the room. The old man pointed to the secret passage. ¡°Jorad, get inside before they break the gate down. Find this young Cor-Van and do whatever he asks of you.¡±

    Jorad did not move. ¡°Instead, let me hide behind the door and kill the Chief Watcher when he enters.¡± He waved his knife in the air. ¡°It is the only way Kadir will ever have peace again.¡±

    The High Priest pointed again to the passage. ¡°Priests do not take lives Jorad. If you were to murder the Chief Watcher, you would forfeit all your rights in Kadir, including the right to marry.¡±

    The pounding grew louder.

    ¡°That law applies only to killing other humans,¡± Jorad snapped back as he glanced over at Tyreth.

    Tyreth¡¯s father shook his head. ¡°It applies to all sentient beings. It was through our own devices that the Watchers have become like us, so now our laws apply to them as well.¡±

    Tyreth put her hand on Jorad¡¯s back. ¡°I understand how hard this must be for you, but we cannot change the past. Now you must look to our future.¡±

    The knife dropped to his side. ¡°You are the only future I have left.¡±

    A splintering crash shattered the air, and the old man seized Jorad¡¯s arm. ¡°Swear to me you will teach the boy to be a Cor-Van, even if it means leaving Tyreth to face the palace alone.¡±

    Jorad wrenched his arm free and stepped back. Tyreth moved in close and put both hands on Jorad¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Do as he tells you,¡± she said softly. ¡°If you help this young Cor-Van, we may yet see each other again.¡±

    The walls shook with another round of blows. The old man pulled Tyreth away. ¡°Swear to me, Jorad. Fulfill your vow to me and the priesthood or relinquish your priest¡¯s cloak.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed as he growled out the words, ¡°I so swear,¡± and stalked into the secret passage. The door slid shut behind him, and the old man dropped the tapestry back into place.

    Rayu gasped. ¡°Sir, you have brought out the great tapestry. Why?¡±

    The old man waved him off. ¡°I thought the Cor-Van would be here tonight. I hoped he could tell us what it means. Besides, I doubt a Watcher can read the Old Language.¡± He straightened his robes. ¡°I am ready. Go open the gate.¡±

    Rayu nodded and retreated. A moment later, the pounding ceased.

 Hammer 28

    Corvan expected to see a squad of red-cloaked soldiers march into the hall. Instead, the large black lizard that had taken the key from Tarran slipped through the door with a rustle of scales and keen eyes searching the room. Corvan pushed back on the ledge.

    Tyreth¡¯s father stepped away from the tapestry. ¡°Chief Watcher, we are honored to have your presence in our quarters. May you find the truth you seek.¡±

    A chortling hiss of a laugh slithered across the room. ¡°High Priessst of the Cor, this time your pious religious greeting is most appropriate for what I seek is standing right before me.¡± It gestured with its damaged paw, the long, polished claw glinting in the light of the overhead lumien. ¡°The mossst lovely Tyreth.¡±

    ¡°Why would you seek me, mossst honorable Watcher?¡± Tyreth replied, her voice thick with sarcasm.

    The black spines on the lizard¡¯s neck stiffened. ¡°I think you know my purpose here. I believe your spies have already announced my arrival.¡± The hissing words were now clipped and suppressed.

    The High Priest folded his arms. ¡°If you have business in our quarters, then you are required to state it clearly, Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. You and your precious laws. Of course, we all must keep the laws and obey the priests. If we do, then the light will come back to the Cor and truth and justice will flow from the temple, just as it shows in your beautiful tapestry.¡±

    The black lizard approached the wall hanging. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful thing, this religion of yours. False hope is so useful in keeping you humans in line.¡±

    As the Chief Watcher examined the tapestry, the High Priest stepped in behind it. ¡°Hope is all the people have these days. Everything else has been taken by the palace.¡±

    The lizard whirled about, its thick tail slapping the wall.

    ¡°Do not abuse your position by insulting me, High Priest. It is only by my permission that your religion survives. Most people find my Wasting Ceremonies much more satisfying than your tired old practices, perhaps even more hopeful.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tyreth said coldly. ¡°First you take away their food, then you have them worship gods who will give it back so long as they sacrifice the best and brightest of their youth¡ªthe only ones who might eventually stand up to you.¡±

    The reptile¡¯s face contorted, and the sharp spines around its neck pushed out like an angry porcupine. It studied Tyreth through narrowed eyes. ¡°You are the brightest I have seen for a long time, Tyreth. Now I understand why Morgan was so determined to acquire you for himself.¡± He sneered. ¡°But I do not have the same use for you as he did. Instead, the next Wasting Ceremony will be your punishment for defying me.¡±

    The old man shook his finger at the Chief Watcher. ¡°I demand a trial by the city council. She is the High Priest¡¯s daughter.¡±

    The black lizard leaped forward and shoved the elderly man to his knees. ¡°Do not demand anything from me, priest.¡± It grabbed the old man¡¯s hair and yanked his head back. The long lone claw was dragged across the High Priest¡¯s wrinkled neck. ¡°I hold your life in my hands and will do as I wish.¡±

    The claw pointed to the door. ¡°Does it not seem strange to you that I am here without any of my men? Without my Rakash? They all know I am here to arrest your daughter, so if I say you attacked me and I had to kill you, then that is what they will believe.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t deceive everyone.¡± The High Priest tried to pull away, but his hair was held fast. ¡°The truth will eventually be known. You can¡¯t kill the truth.¡±

    The lizard pulled the old man¡¯s head closer and stared into his eyes. ¡°The only truth that matters is that I rule Kadir.¡± It gestured toward the tapestry. ¡°Even your precious religion and your Cor-Van could not¡ª¡± A long, hiss filled the chamber, as if a writhing nest of snakes had awakened from hibernation.

    The lizard dragged the High Priest toward the wall. ¡°Where did you get this tapestry? This is not from Kadir.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s father raised his head. ¡°It has always been kept at the temple. The legends say that only the Cor-Van can say what it means.¡±

    ¡°Legends!¡± The lizard spat the word in the old man¡¯s face. ¡°When I am finished, that¡¯s all you priests will be, legends.¡± It pressed the point of his claw into the taut skin of the old man¡¯s neck. Drops of blood welled up and trickled down into the folds of the priest¡¯s robe. ¡°Your foolish plans to overthrow me have failed.¡± The Chief Watcher pushed the old man¡¯s head back even farther, and the High Priest¡¯s gaze fell directly on Corvan¡¯s face. His eyes grew wide.

    The chair shattering over the lizard¡¯s back toppled its scaly body into a heap under the tapestry. Tyreth rushed into stand over her father. Her shoulders heaving as she clutched two legs of a broken chair in her fists.

    The scaley reptile uncoiled like a snake rising from a basket, then it leapt toward the young woman. Brushing the chair legs aside, it lifted her struggling body over its head, strode to the huge table, and slammed her on top of it.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Spinning her body to bring her face closer to the edge, it pushed its nose against her cheek. ¡°If you were not so useful to me in destroying this foolish religion, I would kill you now. Fearless ones like you are most dangerous, especially beautiful ones the men will follow.¡± The lizard pulled back and studied her face for a long moment before its claw flicked out and ripped a jagged gash across her right cheek. Tyreth cried out and clasped her hand over the wound. Blood squeezed past her fingers and dripped off her wrist onto the table.

    The thin, forked tongue of the Chief Watcher whipped out and licked its claw clean. It looked down at Tyreth writhing in pain and clicked its teeth. ¡°Sssuch a waste.¡±

    It turned back to the High Priest. ¡°I believe your daughter just saved your life, old man, for I did not use enough of my poison to kill you. Instead, you will live to see her sacrificed to the Cor¡¯s new gods at the next water ceremony.¡± It looked back to Tyreth. The sinews in its neck were twisting and jumping. ¡°Yessss, this will be a special event. I will have all the priests summoned from the settlements to join us for the trial of Tyreth, daughter of the former temple. I do hope you live long enough to see this, High Priest. Once Tarran is hunted down, it will be a fitting end to your family line and your hopeless faith.¡±

    The lizard sauntered away from the table and shouted a command. In an instant, the hall was filled with soldiers.

    ¡°Take these two to the cells,¡± the Chief Watcher commanded. ¡°When I questioned them on the whereabouts of Tarran, they attacked me.¡± It pointed to the pieces of chair scattered across the floor. ¡°The punishment for such treason is death.¡±

    The soldiers stood still, staring at the High Priest and the scene before them.

    ¡°I said take them!¡±

    The men scurried to help Tyreth from the table and her father to his feet and ushered them toward the door as if something terrible might happen to them at any moment. Tyreth pushed the men away with her free hand and walked before them with her head held high. Blood ran from the hand on her cheek and dripped from her wrist to mark her path as she exited the hall.

    When he reached the doorway, the High Priest wrenched himself free and turned around. His face was toward the lizard, but his eyes were firmly fixed on Corvan. He put his hands together as if he were praying and pointed the tips of his fingers at Corvan. ¡°This is not over, Chief Watcher. The Cor-Van will soon be here and put an end to your tyranny.¡±

    The black lizard dismissed the old man with a contemptuous wave of his arm.

    Corvan watched transfixed as the High Priest backed slowly from the room with the soldiers following him. Why had the man point his fingers in that way? They were already inside the peaked roof of the priest¡¯s temple.

    As the footsteps of the soldiers faded away, the Chief Watcher remained motionless, studying the tapestry for what seemed an eternity. Finally, it extended its long claw and crudely cut a large circle from the fabric. The sound was like fingernails on a chalkboard and sent shivers down Corvan¡¯s spine.

    The jagged piece of tapestry fell to the floor. The lizard picked it up and folded it into a neat packet.

    ¡°Now, it is over, High Priest,¡± it muttered.

    The black creature turned on its heel and strode toward the door, and then it whirled about and looked past the glow of the large lumien directly at Corvan¡¯s hiding place. ¡°I almost forgot about you.¡±

    Corvan could only watch helplessly as the lizard dropped the folded tapestry on the other, unbroken chair. Pulling a short, curved blade from a scabbard at its waist, it gave it a twist. The blad opened to a circle of four hooked blades. With practiced ease, it pulled back and released the weapon.

    Corvan had no time to move. A flash of silver whirred past his face and then turned back to its owner. The lizard caught his weapon in midair and stepped back. Its cruel face was full of anticipation.

    In the stillness, drops of shimmering fluid splashed on the table beneath the lumien. The large globe shuddered and fell a few inches. Its main cord was almost severed by the lizard¡¯s flying blade. A growing stream of luminescent drips trickled onto the table as long tendrils reached out from the vines to keep the heavy globe from falling.

    It was too late. The stem snapped, dropping the lumien with a sickening splat on the stone table. The globe convulsed and burst, sending pieces raining down over the stone floor.

    The lizard leaped into the quivering mass, flicked his weapon back to a single blade, and slashed away at the center of the smashed globe. Shards of light flickered amid the flesh of the shattered lumien until he finally drew out a pulsing red core. Clutching it to his chest, he poked about greedily in the pulpy flesh while sloshing his way about on top of the table. Finally, he jumped down, slipped his knife away, and kicked aside a chunk of the lumien¡¯s thick skin. ¡°Just like everything else in this foolish religion. The mother plant was also a lie. Only one heart.¡±

    As it held up the glistening red pod, its face wrinkled with worry, then its eyes narrowed in anger. ¡°I won¡¯t become an animal again.¡± It spat the words out. ¡°You,¡± it pointed at the ruined tapestry. ¡°You fed the power to me.¡± The lizard lifted the red core before the hole in the cloth. ¡°You wanted me to understand, but soon I will make you pay for what you have done to me.¡±

    Tipping its head back, it dropped the lumien heart into it mouth, chewing and exhaling in ecstasy. Blood red juice trickled out between its pointed teeth and dripped off its chin. The creature¡¯s dark eyes closed in intense satisfaction¡ªthen bugged open as if they would pop out of its head. Every vein in its neck twisted and jerked as the lizard, writhing and gurgling, fell to the floor.

    A pool of shadows spread out from around the contorted body as if the creature were bleeding darkness. The light falling from the skylight dimmed, and the temperature of the air dropped. The Chief Watcher lay whimpering on the floor, its breath shooting from its nostrils in spasmodic jets of vapor.

    The lizard gave one last agonizing cry, then it lay still. The light from the lumiens outside pushed in through the skylights and flowed down to spotlight the dark creature.

    The lizard groaned, rolled onto its knees, and looked into the light. A thin smile spread across its face. ¡°Such amazing power in only one seed, but now I clearly see what I must do to defeat you.¡±

    The Chief Watcher struggled to its feet before sticking its good claw under a thick collar around its neck. ¡°And then I will finally free,¡± it snarled.

    The words had no sooner left its lips than the black lizard hunched low, glancing nervously into the hallway.

    Satisfied that no one was listening, the Chief Watcher raised its head, strode out the door, and slammed it shut behind him.

 Hammer 29

    Corvan waited until he was certain the lizard would not return, then pushed back from the edge, pulled his pack close and lay against it.

    Tsarek was gone, Tarran was dead, Kate was missing, and Tyreth was on her way to the prison cells that he had just escaped. Could things get any worse?

    Pulling out the hammer, Corvan held it up to the skylight. "Please, help me find a way out of here," he whispered.

    The hammer hung cold and lifeless in his hand. The sense of power and the blue glow had faded when Tarran had died, abandoning him in a dark and brutal world.

    He gazed through the skylight at the ceiling of the cavern far overhead. The Chief Watcher had the key to the door leading home, but there had to be some other way to get the door opened or to find another route back to the surface.

    His father would know what to do. At that thought, he put the hammer away, pulled out the round crystal, and watched the curtain of stars swirl around the outline of Castle Rock. His father''s face did not appear, but the memory of what he said that night on the rock came back clearly.

    ¡°Your grandfather made me promise I would give it to you before your birthday. He said you should be old enough to choose between fear and duty by then.¡±

    Why would his grandfather think he would be ready to choose between fear and duty by the time he was fifteen? That same night his father had said a leader must do right by others, no matter what it cost, but he wasn''t a leader and didn''t want to become one. He just wanted to go home and have things back the way they were before he found the hammer. If the people here wanted it so badly, he would gladly give it to them in return for showing him the way home.

    The creak of an opening door startled him, and the ice glass slipped from his hand and rolled toward the edge. Corvan lunged for it, but he was too late. There was a sharp click from below. Hopefully it was not broken.

    Corvan turned his attention across the upper reaches of the temple building. Where was the door and who had opened it?

    ¡°I''m over here,¡± a hollow voice called from the other side of the room. ¡°You need to make your way around the ledge. There is a door here that leads into the passages.¡±

    Corvan tried to look past the curtain of twisted vines from the fallen lumien. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am Jorad,¡± the man stated flatly. ¡°The High Priest pointed you out when he was being taken away. He made me promise I would help you.¡±

    Corvan stood, pulled on his pack, and moved around the ledge. That explained the High Priest¡¯s signal with his praying hands. He was showing Jorad where to find him.

    The green-robed priest was waiting in front of a short door set into the short side wall that supported the pointed roof.

    Jorad squinted at him as he drew near. ¡°How old are you?¡± the man asked in a tone that suggested it was not just idle curiosity.

    Corvan reached to pull his hood further over his face and discovered it had fallen back when he lay on his pack. ¡°Fourteen. No, fifteen now, I guess,¡± Corvan said. He studied the young man¡¯s face for a reaction, but all that registered was a look similar to that of the bigger boys at school.

    Jorad pointed to the main door down below. ¡°The Chief Watcher will be sending the palace guard to find the one he thinks is Tarran. I suspect the soldiers will be back as soon as it is light to search the priest¡¯s quarters out behind the temple gardens. We must leave here immediately ¡­ Cor-Van.¡± He jerked his head to the door behind him where a circular staircase wound downward.

    Corvan looked away from the man¡¯s searching gaze. ¡°I''m not the one you are looking for. I don''t¡ª"

    Jorad cut him off. ¡°I need your help to get Tyreth out of the Watcher¡¯s prison.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Corvan shook his head. ¡°I need find Kate and get her home before she dies.¡±

    "Kate? Who''s that?" Jordan asked with a note of suspicion in his voice.

    ¡°The girl I followed down here. She is from my world. She has red hair and¡ª"

    ¡°Yes, I have seen her,¡± Jorad said.

    Corvan took a step back, and Jorad had to grab his arm to keep him from falling off the ledge. ¡°Kate is here at the temple?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad said, releasing his arm and stepping into the doorway. ¡°Rayu found her on the broken side of the city. She is very ill.¡±

    ¡°I need to see her,¡± Corvan said as he was trying to push past Jorad.

    Jorad held out his hand and frowned. ¡°Tyreth and her father will die if we do not help them.¡±

    ¡°Can''t your priests rescue them?¡± Corvan asked impatiently.

    ¡°There are few of us left and most are old, like Rayu. The priest¡¯s compound is empty. The Chief Watcher ordered them to the outlying settlements to inspire the workers who are harvesting food. Tarran was working to bring us together but now ¡­"

    ¡°Don''t we have some time before that water ceremony the Chief Watcher talked about?¡± Corvan interjected.

    Jorad sighed heavily. ¡°Yes, but the High Priest was poisoned by that lizard¡¯s claw and might not have long to live.¡±

    ¡°I promised I would get Kate home. She can''t survive down here.¡±

    Jorad looked across the room. ¡°I understand what it means to lose someone you love.¡± He turned and stared into Corvan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Also, if you do not fulfill your vow to take Kate to safety, you will forfeit all rights to be the Cor-Van.¡± He gestured to the door. ¡°Come, I will take you to Kate.¡±

    Jorad descended the tight circular staircase and Corvan followed him. ¡°I can''t be your Cor-Van.¡± His voice echoed in the confined space. and the man shot him a warning look. Corvan dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°I''m just a kid who fell into your world. I want to find Kate and go home.¡±

    Below his feet, Corvan could see Jorad shaking his head, but the man did not respond.

    At the bottom of the stairs, they followed a narrow passage around a few corners and up an incline. Jorad opened a door, and they emerged through the hole the Chief Watcher had cut into the tapestry. As Jorad examined the torn fabric, Corvan walked around the smashed lumien to where his glass had hit the marble floor.

    Instead of shattered bits, he discovered that the crystal disc had broken neatly in half along a curving line. One side was midnight blue and the other a brilliant white, sparkling like a newborn star. When he touched them together, they stuck to each other with a magnetic charge. He pulled them apart and then let them connect again. They looked a bit like the necklace Kate¡¯s mother wore, the black and white one she claimed kept her life in balance. He could only hope this two-tone disc would have a better result.

    Dropping the connected pieces into his pocket, Corvan walked back to find Jorad sitting on the unbroken chair and gazing at the pulpy mess on the table.

    ¡°The mother plant was our only hope against the growing darkness. Now we will never be able to replace those the greedy beasts have consumed.¡± Anger flashed in his eyes as he looked up at Corvan. ¡°If you are to be a leader, you must learn that if your pleasure causes others pain, then your pleasure is wrong. Selfishness is the source of all evil.¡±

    Jorad stood and thrust the chair away so hard it toppled on its side. ¡°Come,¡± he said, heading to the secret door behind the tapestry. ¡°There is enough light for us to move freely in the streets. It is a good thing you are wearing Tarran¡¯s cloak. The Broken may have lost their minds to the lumien seeds, but at least they do not yet attack the priests.¡±

    Corvan didn¡¯t understand everything Jorad said but was amazed at how differently everyone saw the cloak he wore. It was as if they decided what it was when they first saw it, then afterward they could not change their minds. He could only hope it would fool the broken ones too. They sounded dangerous.

    As he turned to follow Jorad, a flash of light from the table caught his eye. Stooping over, he peeled back a piece of lumien skin to reveal three bright red gems sparkling on the table. ¡°What are these?¡± he asked.

    Jorad rushed to his side. ¡°They look like tiny lumien seeds, but those don¡¯t glow like that.¡±

    Corvan touched the wet spot surrounding the gems. ¡°I saw drops from the severed stem of the lumien fall into Tyreth''s blood. Maybe that''s why they''re red.¡±

    Jorad''s face brightened as he carefully gathered the small objects. ¡°It could be that each of these is a seed that will become a new mother plant.¡± He stared at them sparkling on his open palm, then he turned his eyes to the torn tapestry. ¡°Could they be red because Tyreth ¡­¡± His voice trailed off, then he retrieved a small cloth pouch from inside his cloak. Jorad dropped the seeds inside and pulled the drawstring shut. It seemed he was about to tuck it away in his own cloak, but then he paused before placing the pouch in Corvan¡¯s hand instead.

    ¡°The Cor-Van is the guardian of light,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not me,¡± Corvan replied, letting the pouch dangle from his fingertips as he held it out to Jorad. ¡°You should hold onto them.¡±

    Jorad folded his arms. His face was tense.

    ¡°If you do not accept this responsibility as the Cor-van, the only future for Kadir is eternal darkness.¡±

 Hammer 30

    Jorad led Corvan through a maze of low passages and out a concealed door into an empty alleyway. Off to the left, he caught a glimpse of the high-arched gate leading back to the courtyard between the palace and the temple.

    ¡°Where are all the people?¡± Corvan whispered.

    ¡°I already told you,¡± Jorad replied over his shoulder. ¡°The palace has sent most of the population out to harvest food in the settlements. That¡¯s the only place left where we can grow our crops.¡±

    Wisps of fog snaked across the cobblestones, and Jorad went out of his way to avoid touching them.

    ¡°Is the fog poisonous?¡± Corvan asked the priest.

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad replied as he skirted another patch. ¡°But when you live in the Cor, you learn to avoid the water at all costs. It is the harbinger of all things evil.¡±

    ¡°I used to be afraid of the water, but then I learned to swim,¡± Corvan bragged, hoping the young man would think more highly of him.

    ¡°Swim?¡± Jorad stopped and turned to him. ¡°You went into the water on purpose?¡±

    Corvan was glad for the hood to hide his blushing face. ¡°Well, I really sort of dog paddle, but I can jump into water that¡¯s over my head.¡±

    Jorad grabbed Corvan¡¯s forearm, then he shoved him away. ¡°Never joke about the water. The only ones who jump into the water are those who wish to die.¡± He squinted into the recesses of Corvan¡¯s hood as if he was going to say more, but turned away.

    Corvan followed in silence down a flight of stairs toward the central plaza of the city. As they neared the gatehouse, Jorad motioned for him to stay quiet and in the shadows. A red-cloaked guard saw them coming and opened the gate.

    ¡°Priests,¡± he snarled as they passed by. ¡°What a waste of lumien light.¡±

    Jorad ignored the man and marched straight ahead. The gate clanged shut on Corvan¡¯s heels.

    As they crossed to the right side of the plaza, Corvan discovered that the statue in the middle was comprised of three people: a man, a woman, and a young child. In the darkness, it had looked like a solitary figure with many arms because the woman¡¯s head was broken off. He looked down and found her hollow eyes staring at him from the muddy water of what was once a pool.

    Leaving the statue behind, they turned up the street that he had seen Kate go up the night before. He was glad for the news that Rayu had found her and hidden her away.

    ¡°Tyreth is the only girl I¡¯ve seen so far,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Are all the women working in the settlements?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jorad put a lot of anger into one small word. ¡°Since the rise of the Watchers, many females who come of age have gone missing. Some are lost at the Wasting to appease the new gods. We don¡¯t know what happens to the rest of them.¡±

    His pace slowed. ¡°It is a curse to bear a child these days. They force the young boys into service as soldiers for the palace.¡± He looked overhead. ¡°It may be a blessing that as the lumiens have faded, fewer children have been born.¡±

    Corvan wanted to ask more questions, but the young priest squared his shoulders and walked away so quickly that Corvan had to jog to keep up with him.

    They took to narrow back alleys clogged with rubble from the crumbling buildings. In the early light, it was even clearer that this other side of the once-great city was now an expansive ruin. The thick stench of decay floated in the air, and the cobblestones of the alley were slimy with green mold.

    Jorad stopped where the alley came out onto another wide road. He listened for a moment, then turned right.

    ¡°Jorad,¡± Corvan whispered as he followed into the open street, ¡°does anyone live on this side of the city?¡±

    Jorad shook his head and slackened his pace. ¡°The remaining productive citizens of Kadir live inside the dividing wall and close to the palace for protection.¡± He glanced down a side street. ¡°There are others who manage to live in these ruins. We call them the Broken.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    He stopped and faced Corvan. ¡°They lost their minds in the anarchy following the rise of the Watchers. Now they run about on this side like wild animals.¡±

    Corvan cast a quick glance over the ruins. The deep shadows and rubble could provide ample hiding places for an ambush. ¡°Are they dangerous?¡±

    ¡°There is a rumor they practice abomination and eat flesh, but I believe that the Chief Watcher uses that story as an excuse to hunt them down. Recently the Broken have fought back and killed some of his soldiers. Now, none of the palace guards come to this side except under direct orders.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    A rock tumbled off a heap of stones behind them. Corvan looked nervously over his shoulder.

    Jorad frowned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid. A Cor-Van does not give in to fear.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you should use my name like that? Someone might hear you.¡±

    ¡°Is there another name I should use?¡±

    ¡°My mother called me Kalian.¡±

    Jorad snorted. ¡°If you wish to use a child¡¯s name, that¡¯s fine with me. Kalian you shall be until such time as you earn the title of Cor-van.¡± He turned on his heel and headed up the wide street.

    Corvan lowered his gaze to the ground and followed behind the priest as he navigated the debris-clogged street. Corvan was glancing nervously up a side street when Jorad stopped short and Corvan banged into him.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going,¡± the priest snapped and turned to one side, leaving Corvan standing before an ornate iron gate set into a stone wall. The lock was rusted shut, but Jorad was already looking into a smaller opening off to the side, its metal door twisted off its hinges and lying on the ground.

    Corvan looked back through bars of the main gate. Beyond the corroded metal was a miniature replica of the city buildings they had just walked through; each of the buildings was meticulously recreated in white stone. A wide boulevard of cobblestones headed up the center. In behind and towering over it all were the gray cliffs he had seen from the entry.

    ¡°What is this place?¡±

    Jorad was crouched down and examining the broken door. ¡°It is the City of the Dead, and the Broken won¡¯t come in here. The priests and the palace guards have a key, but someone has broken off the door we use.¡±

    As Jorad stepped over the threshold, a commanding voice called out, ¡°You there, stop in the name of the Palace Guard.¡±

    Jorad pulled his hood low over his eyes. ¡°Keep your head down and let me do the talking.¡±

    Corvan stole a quick glance as he turned around. Three soldiers were heading toward the gate. The one in front was an older officer in a hoodless black tunic. Behind him, two soldiers were carrying a body on a litter. Their hoods were thrown back and sweat glistened on their flushed faces.

    ¡°What are you doing out here, priest?¡± the older man asked. ¡°The palace was not informed of a burial party.¡±

    Jorad spoke in a deeper voice that did not sound at all like him. ¡°This young man has a loved one who is kept here. It is important for him to pay a vow to come and see her on this particular day.¡±

    The older man grunted and looked at Corvan. ¡°Love, eh? Precious little of that these days.¡± He stepped into the smaller entry. ¡°Was this door torn off when you were here last?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jorad replied. ¡°This has been done recently.¡±

    ¡°I thought as much.¡± He gestured to the cliffs. ¡°The rebels have a new leader and have been raiding our tombs for weapons and anything of value. The palace will need to be on high alert.¡± He waved them toward the open door. ¡°Carry on.¡±

    Jorad nodded, but as he turned to guide Corvan through the doorway, the younger of the two soldiers spoke. ¡°Captain, this body is heavy. Can you order these two to help us get it stowed away?¡±

    The captain nodded and turned to Jorad. ¡°Before you fulfill your vow, you will carry this body to its final resting place.¡±

    The soldiers placed the litter on the ground, and the younger one was groaning as he straightened. ¡°Could we rest for a minute? My back is killing me.¡±

    The captain shrugged, and the young soldier sank wearily to the ground. The captain stood over him. ¡°You young ones just don¡¯t have what it takes.¡±

    The young soldier curled his upper lip. ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing about the glory days of old. I don¡¯t care that you had food to eat, a home to live in, and a woman who loved you. We have none of those things, so I think we are the ones who are tough.¡±

    ¡°Would you like me to lodge a complaint about conditions in the barracks, soldier?¡± the officer asked briskly.

    The frown left the soldier¡¯s face. ¡°No, sir. I don¡¯t blame the palace for what has happened to our world. If anything, it is the fault of the priests.¡± He spat the final word in Jorad¡¯s direction.

    The captain looked to Jorad for a response. He gave none.

    The young soldier pointed a grubby finger at Jorad. ¡°The rebellion wouldn¡¯t have happened if it wasn¡¯t for all the rules you priests heaped on us. If you had allowed the people to eat a bit of a lumien seed or enjoy other pleasures, their anger would not have spilled over to where they consumed every seed they could get their hands on. With all the men fighting over food and women, the palace had no choice but to take over. Things may not be great now, but at least we are alive.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯re alive,¡± Jorad said, his disguised voice thick with disgust. ¡°But how many die at the Wasting and in the settlements?¡±

    The soldier jumped to his feet and stood toe to toe with Jorad. ¡°If the Chief Watcher and the city council believe a person is a threat to our society, why not let the water judge him?¡±

    Jorad stepped away. ¡°What about the women and children who are taken to the palace? Are they all threats to Kadir?¡±

    The soldier shrugged. ¡°All I know is that the palace keeps the rebels in check and that makes all our lives easier.¡±

    The captain pointed at the young man. ¡°Therein lies the problem. Everyone is out to get what they can for themselves. At times I wonder how long a civilization this self-centered can survive.¡±

    The older of the two soldiers, who had been silent during the exchange, spoke up. ¡°I remember the days when our city was full of light and lumiens hung over every doorway. Now our lumien light grows dimmer each day.¡± He looked at Jorad. ¡°But if we abandon hope, what reason is there to keep living? Tell us, priest. Is there still hope for a brighter future?¡±

    The young man pointed at Jorad. ¡°Why ask him? All the priests do is offer false hope to control people for their own advantage. I say we should test the priests in the new karst. Maybe we should drown them all at the dedication of the new water temple.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the captain barked. ¡°We have a job to do.¡± He pointed to Jorad and Corvan. ¡°You two bring the body and follow along.¡±

    The soldiers moved through the broken door.

    As Corvan stooped to grab the poles, his finger snagged the burial shroud and tugged it off to one side.

    As he tugged it back into place, he found himself looking into the ashen face of Morgan.

 Hammer 31

    Corvan flipped the shroud back over Morgan¡¯s face. Without the antidote, the poison pill had killed the man.

    ¡°Hurry up, Kalian,¡± Jorad hissed from his position up front between the poles. Corvan grunted as he lifted Morgan¡¯s litter. No wonder the soldiers had complained; Morgan was all muscle.

    Jorad pulled him quickly through the smaller broken gate but had a hard time keeping up with the soldiers. Corvan fell into a trot, mesmerized by the scene around him. If the city of the dead was any indication, the city it was modeled after must have been amazing in its day. Each miniature structure was ornately carved in white stone and augmented by tarnished metal trims. For the first time in his life, Corvan was a giant, walking the streets of a city seemingly built for people a quarter his size.

    ¡°Jorad,¡± Corvan whispered, ¡°is each one of these little buildings a grave?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jorad replied over his shoulder as he slowed down. He was also breathing harder. ¡°Our people will not be buried in a hole that could fill with water, so we build crypts above the ground.¡± Jorad¡¯s subdued tone made his words difficult to hear. ¡°The top of each crypt lifts off. The dead are placed inside, and then the airtight lid is fastened back down to keep the smell of decay inside. When the next person in the family dies, the bones of the first person are moved to the bottom compartment with their ancestors. Some of the wealthy families construct a separate crypt for each family member, and there are very large ones for our rulers.¡±

    Corvan looked up a path that curved away from the main boulevard. ¡°Why did they copy the layout of the main city?¡±

    ¡°Your crypt in the City of the Dead is in the same place here as your home was in our city streets,¡± Jorad said. ¡°To some it is an indication of your status while you were alive.¡±

    ¡°So, each one looks the same as their home in the city?¡±

    Jorad shook his head. ¡°Many people put more energy into the creation of their tombs than into the houses they lived in. A lot of the crypts here are much more elaborate than the corresponding house in the city, but they give you an idea of what Kadir looked like before the great destruction, when you could clearly see her beauty.¡±

    ¡°Kadir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have other small settlements in the outlying areas where the workers live, but Kadir is our only city.¡±

    They were approaching the small circular plaza that marked the center of the crypt city, but here, instead of a statue, an ancient tree stretched its gnarled branches toward the roof of the cavern. The tree trunk was split to the ground, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Pale leaves decorated the closest half of the shattered tree, but the other side was blackened and dead. Jorad stopped, and Corvan caught his balance against Morgan¡¯s head.

    Pushing himself upright, he noticed they were alone. ¡°Where are the soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening?¡± Jorad asked in an irritated tone. ¡°They said to wait here while they checked out a crypt.¡± He pulled the litter and Corvan to one side of the rounded plaza. ¡°Let¡¯s set the body on this bench while we wait.¡±

    It was a relief to be free of Morgan¡¯s dead weight. Shaking the cramps from his hands, Corvan crossed the tiles of the open area toward the half-dead tree.

    Jorad joined him at the slender stone railing encircling the tree.

    ¡°Legend says it was here long before our people entered the Cor,¡± the priest said. ¡°The living side was much greener before our light began to fade.¡±

    ¡°In the real city, is this where circular plaza with the fountain statue is located? Corvan asked. ¡°The one with the woman¡¯s head broken off?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this marks the same spot. I¡¯m not sure if our forefathers built the city of the dead around the tree or if they planted it here afterwards. Either way, it¡¯s the only one of its kind in the Cor. As priests, we tell the people the half-dead tree symbolizes the choices we make in our lives before we come here.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Did the living side ever bear fruit?¡±

    ¡°No. But in the center of the great tapestry, there was a picture of a living tree with many fruits on it. Maybe it was this one before it was injured.¡±

    ¡°Are the statues here a part of the legend?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Statues?¡±

    Corvan pointed to the other side of the tree. ¡°The two gray statues of men watching the tree.¡±

    Jorad peered past the split trunk. ¡°It¡¯s not the tree they¡¯re looking at.¡± He stepped quickly back from the railing. ¡°I hear the soldiers returning. Let¡¯s pick up the litter so we¡¯re ready to go. We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡±

    Corvan paused and was struck by something odd about the dirt around the living side of the tree. He leaned over the fence for a closer look. Radiating from the shattered tree trunk were neat lines of footprints made by a child¡¯s bare feet.

    ¡°Kalian,¡± Jorad hissed, ¡°quickly!¡±

    They had no sooner picked up Morgan¡¯s body than the captain and the two soldiers emerged from a street off to the left.

    ¡°But all the rest of his family is there,¡± the older soldier was saying. ¡°Perhaps he was to be placed in his father¡¯s crypt.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The captain replied. ¡°My orders said to look for a large crypt with Morgan¡¯s name on it. I bet he decided to build his own crypt in the plaza of the rulers.¡±

    They marched away around the tree.

    Jorad abruptly dropped his end of the litter back on the bench and shoved Corvan away from the body. With trembling hands, the priest uncovered the dead man¡¯s face. The shock on Jorad¡¯s face was instantly replaced with such intense anger that Corvan stepped back even farther. Jorad¡¯s whole body trembled. His fists clenched tightly, and his arm cocked as if he was about to punch the dead body.

    A sharp whistle from the captain broke the tension. The man in black was waiting on the other side of the half-dead tree.

    Shaking his head vigorously, Jorad returned to the front of the stretcher and yanked it off the bench with such force that Corvan had to dive to grab the poles. He stumbled along after Jorad as the priest towed him toward the soldiers.

    The captain led them around the tree and directly up a wide street across from where they had entered. They passed between the two gray statues on either side of the entrance. The unblinking gray eyes appeared to follow Corvan¡¯s every move.

    The street was now lined with larger tombs. It seemed to Corvan that in this replica city they were heading directly toward the location of the stepped plaza in front of the palace. Sure enough, a few streets later, a walled area appeared before them, and beyond its gate, an open courtyard filled with grand tombs. Pointed roofs to the left and flat roofs to the right.

    Jorad stopped beside the soldiers and looked up in silence. Corvan followed his gaze to the largest crypt he had seen. It was built against the outer wall of the city in the very place where a replica of the huge statue should have been located. The door on the crypt was large enough for a man to walk into without stooping. Ornate letters were carved into the stone above the entrance.

    ¡°Typical Morgan,¡± the younger soldier said dryly.

    ¡°There used to be two or three crypts here belonging to the ruling families,¡± the captain exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes, and they have all been destroyed to make room for Morgan¡¯s tomb,¡± the older soldier replied. ¡°Look, you can see how they used the stones from the previous crypts to build his new one. There¡¯s a stone in the corner that still has part of someone¡¯s name cut into it.¡±

    The captain stomped over to the litter and spoke to the shrouded face. ¡°You were always working your way closer to the Chief Watcher. I suppose you thought you would someday become the ruler of all the Cor.¡±

    The captain raised a hand, and Corvan wondered if he too wished to strike the dead man. Instead, he shoved the body away, almost knocking Corvan to the ground. ¡°I refuse to dignify the memory of this man by putting his remains in this tomb.¡±

    ¡°Then let us use one of the pauper¡¯s crypts,¡± Jorad suggested in his disguised voice. ¡°A tomb without a name for one who erased the names of others.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡± The captain turned from the ornate mausoleum and marched toward the courtyard gate. The soldiers and litter bearers had to run to keep up with him. Soon Corvan was so out of breath he thought he was going to drop in his tracks.

    At the tree, the captain turned down another street and then took a narrow track strewn with rocks. ¡°Put him in there.¡± He pointed to a large, plain box that rose sloppily from the ground. ¡°A pauper¡¯s burial for the man who would be our king.¡±

    He turned to his soldiers. ¡°Seal him up and then get yourselves back to the palace. I have no more time for this nonsense.¡± He pushed past them in the narrow passage, hitting into the litter and knocking Corvan off his feet.

    Corvan fell backward against a low crypt, and the body slid out from under the shroud and thumped softly up against his chest.

    As Corvan stared down at Morgan¡¯s face, the man¡¯s eyes twitched and slowly opened. The pupils tilted back to focus on Corvan¡¯s face.

 Hammer 32

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you.¡± The younger soldier reached over Corvan¡¯s shoulder and brushed Morgan¡¯s eyelids shut. ¡°Sometimes that happens.¡± Bending in close to Corvan¡¯s ear, his voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Get far away from this priest. Bad things are about to happen to all the priests. You will soon be free and won¡¯t have to be a slave to the green cloaks anymore.¡±

    The young man straightened, patted Corvan¡¯s shoulder, and spoke out loud. ¡°Rest a moment while we get this thing opened.¡± He stared hard at Jorad. ¡°No doubt the priests are overworking their servants.¡± Pushing past the priest, he joined his partner in freeing the two rusty latches holding the lid of the crypt in place.

    Jorad dropped his side of the litter and crouched next to Corvan. ¡°Put your hood back on,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Corvan whispered urgently. ¡°Morgan is still alive. His eyes opened!¡±

    Jorad yanked Corvan¡¯s hood into place over his head and glared in at him. ¡°Don¡¯t fall apart on me. That soldier is right. Sometimes the eyes pop open if you give the body a jolt.¡±

    Corvan shook his head. ¡°Morgan was my guard at the Palace prison. He ate part of that pill the High Priest sent with Tyreth, but it didn¡¯t kill him. His eyes didn¡¯t just open, they focused on my face! He¡¯s not dead!¡± he whispered hoarsely.

    Jorad moved over to Morgan and made a show of straightening the shroud and wrapping it more tightly around the man¡¯s neck. Corvan got to his feet, and Jorad joined him, muttering under his breath. ¡°You¡¯re right. He still has a bit of life in him. He was always the strong one. His father called him ¡®the burak boy.¡¯¡±

    They were both startled by the squeal of seized metal as the thick lid of the crypt eased up and out of the way on its hinges. The older soldier peered inside. ¡°What luck, it¡¯s empty. No wonder the clasps were so rusty.¡± He turned to Jorad. ¡°Let¡¯s get the body inside.¡±

    Jorad straightened Morgan¡¯s body on the litter, then the soldiers each grabbed a pole. Together they lowered Morgan into the crypt. The people of the city must have expected the poor to die in groups; there was ample room for two more bodies inside.

    An eerie wail, like a rabbit in its death throes, floated over the cemetery walls from the broken side of the city.

    The younger soldier looked anxiously in the direction of the noise then turned abruptly to Jorad. ¡°You are the priest, so you can finish your ceremonies and seal the crypt. I want to be out of the broken city before its fully dark.¡± He turned on his heel and walked briskly away.

    The older man nodded and then followed the younger man.

    Jorad bent down and was scooping up pebbles and dirt. ¡°Are they gone?¡± he whispered.

    Corvan occupied himself adjusting one of the clasps. ¡°Just another minute.¡± The strangling sound came again, and the soldiers quickened their pace.

    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± Corvan asked.

    Jorad continued picking up pebbles. ¡°That is the sound of the Broken. They are beginning to move about and hunt for food.¡±

    ¡°They hunt people?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°It appears the soldiers believe they do,¡± Jorad said derisively. ¡°Are they gone?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jorad tossed the pebbles away, dusted off his hands, then dropped the lid of the crypt in a percussive cloud of dust. Placing both hands on the stone lid, he looked down at the stone slab. ¡°Farewell, Morgan. This is not how it should have ended, but everyone must live, and die, by the choices they make.¡± He lifted the first of the clasps and twisted down the large turnbuckle.

    Corvan watched in shock before taking hold of the second clasp. ¡°You can¡¯t seal a living man inside a tomb.¡±

    Jorad finished the first clasp and turned fiercely toward him. ¡°I know things about him that you do not. It is best if we seal his tomb and make certain it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not right,¡± Corvan said.

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I am a priest of the Cor, and I know what¡¯s right for my world. If you want my help to find the girl and get back to your own world, you¡¯ll mind your business.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He stared at Corvan through narrowed eyes as he finished cranking down the second turnbuckle, and then he stomped off, leaving Corvan staring at the sealed crypt.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Jorad said over his shoulder. ¡°If he survives the poison, he may yet escape death once again, though I doubt he will ever learn his lesson.¡± He pointed up a narrow street. ¡°We must hurry if we are to catch up to your counterpart before its fully dark.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly turned away from the tomb. A shiver was running up his spine as he hurried to catch up to the priest. ¡°Jorad,¡± he said quietly, ¡°Is Kate here in the cemetery?¡±

    Jorad slackened his pace. ¡°Yes. This has always been a secure place for the priests to keep our affairs hidden from the prying eyes of the Watcher and his guards. We are expected to come and go regularly, and we can arrange meetings with other priests and our allies from the settlements.¡±

    ¡°What about the rebels the captain spoke about? Are they your allies?¡± Corvan asked.

    Jorad¡¯s steps faltered. ¡°Some of the rebels were palace guards who lost family in the anarchy that followed the rise of the Watcher. In those days, everyone was betraying friends and even their own family.¡± His voice sagged with the memory, and he pointed to the jagged spires that climbed behind the city wall to the far side of the cavern. ¡°The rebels are based in those crags up behind the graveyard, but as a rule the priests don¡¯t contact them. At one time, I thought they might be a good ally against the Chief Watcher, but then a new leader came into power who claimed to be both Rantellic and the promised Cor-Van. They began raiding our settlements for food and recruits. He wants to take over Kadir, but his foolish plans are going to get a lot of people killed.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a Rantellic?¡±

    ¡°Rantellics were an ancient order of wise sages from a city that fell into darkness during the destruction. Everyone knows the Rantellic order died off, so this new leader of the rebels is a fraud in every way.¡± Jorad sped back up. The conversation was over.

    Corvan lost all sense of direction as he followed through the maze of narrow streets and alleys. Finally, they clambered over a pile of rubble and bones from a crypt that had been broken apart and stepped down onto a curved roadway. The crypts along the inside of the curve had been built tight up against each other and were taller with full height doors.

    Jorad stopped and motioned for Corvan to stand watch. He checked into another alley just ahead, and he returned with a short cylinder that he inserted into a round hole in the front of a crypt. The entire wall pivoted inward to reveal a narrow passage and an open space beyond.

    Jorad gave a shrill whistle. He waited, and then he whistled again. ¡°Our guard is not responding. Follow closely and keep a sharp eye out for anyone coming up from behind.¡± A long knife appeared in Jorad¡¯s left hand as he led Corvan through the narrow channel.

    The secret passage emerged into a clearing walled by the backs of even more of the connected tall crypts. The pavements across the open area were in a pattern suggesting more crypts had originally filled the space. Jorad scanned the roofs around the perimeter and pointed to one of the crypts directly across from them. ¡°Kate is inside that one. Take this rod, push it into the hole, and the door will open for you. I will remain here and keep watch. Bring Kate and Rayu back here, and we will return to the temple together.¡± Thrusting the notched cylinder into Corvan¡¯s hand, he shoved him into the open.

    Corvan stumbled across the pavements to the cracked and weathered crypt Jorad had pointed out. He almost dropped the cylinder in his haste to get it inside the hole.

    Nothing happened. He twisted it from side to side. Still nothing. As he turned to look over his shoulder at Jorad, his weight on the rod pushed a narrow section of the wall slightly inwards and off to one side. It flipped him around and dumped him inside the crypt. The round key rolling away across the floor.

    His heart sank as he got to his knees. The stone benches on either side of the musty room were empty. Kate and Rayu were gone¡ªif they had even been here in the first place. He turned around just in time to see the door slide back into position.

    In the darkness, a round light flickered in front of Corvan. Crawling forward, he peered through the keyhole.

    Across the courtyard, Jorad was talking with two armed men. Someone dressed in a dark tunic walked in front of the tomb and blocked his view. When the dark cloak moved on, Jorad and the two men had vanished.

    Now a man in a torn cloak marched into view and stood in the middle of the clearing with his back to the door. His long hair hung in two braids down his back. He carried a staff with a long, curved blade on top, and a short sword was at his waist. These had to be the rebel fighters Jorad mentioned, but it seemed the priest was working with them.

    A loud bang overhead made him jump. The man outside turned and shouted in Corvan¡¯s direction, and then he heard footsteps cross the roof and fade away.

    Pulling back from the door, Corvan sat on the bench and watched the circle of light, but there was no more sign of movement outside. And all was quiet overhead. If they knew he was inside the crypt, it didn¡¯t appear they were coming to get him, at least not right away.

    He pulled off and dug through his pack for something to eat but found only a tin can. After putting it back in the pack, he stretched out on the stone bench. It was cold and hard, but it was a relief to finally rest. When he thought about how the last time he had slept was in the tunnels after the buraks had killed Tsarek, an intense loneliness enveloped him. With Tsarek gone, Kate still missing, and Jorad seemingly betraying him, it was hard to find much hope.

    He was dozing off when his fingers brushed against a smooth object jammed into the crack where the bench met the wall. Clutching its familiar shape, he sighed with relief.

    At least Jorad had told the truth about Kate being here. The Swiss Army knife she had taken from Tsarek in the labyrinth was in his hand.

 Hammer 33

    A loud thump woke Corvan, and he fell clumsily to the stone floor.

    Red light flickered at the keyhole. Crawling over, he put one eye to the keyhole and discovered it was from a fire in an enormous metal brazier on the far side of the courtyard. He could see the outlines of men sitting on the ground facing the fire. Others were patrolling the tops of the crypts.

    A horn sounded somewhere in the distance, and the men on the roofs began pounding rhythmically with their bladed staffs.

    Ignoring the incredible racket inside the crypt, Corvan felt his way across the floor until he located the round key. Jumping back to the flickering light, he unlocked the sliding door and eased it open a crack. He wasn¡¯t going to wait around to see if Jorad would be telling the rebels where he was hiding.

    The pounding abruptly ended as three older men in hoodless tunics entered through the alley across the way. They walked in unison onto a low mound behind the brazier, then they turned to wait at attention until another man finally strode into view.

    The man that joined the three at the brazier was the tallest person Corvan had seen in the Cor. He was dressed in a long, flowing brown coat that looked like leather or oilskin. His head was covered with an animal skin that had the head still attached. The dead creature perched looked out over his forehead, and its glistening skin wrapped tightly around the man¡¯s skull with its clawed legs hanging down by his ears.

    The man stepped closer to the firelight and some in the crowd chanted, ¡°Cor-Van, Cor-Van, Cor-Van!¡±

    Keen eyes shone from the shadows beneath his prominent eyebrows as the man surveyed his subjects and soaked up their praise. Throwing out his chest, he motioned discreetly to the three men behind him. One picked up a container shaped like a pointed Greek vase and poured a shiny black fluid into a hole at the edge of the metal brazier. The flames leaped higher along with clouds of sticky black smoke and more cheers.

    The tall man raised his arms, and the crowd grew quiet.

    Corvan eased the door open a bit wider.

    The man swept his hand over his audience then clenched it into a fist and struck his own chest three times. ¡°Our time has finally arrived! For too long we have been reduced to living in holes, our days growing darker as the rulers of Kadir consume the remaining light for their own pleasure. But the end of these evil days is in sight.¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°As your Cor-Van ¡­¡± He waited for cheers, but when the crowd did not immediately respond, he dropped his arms to his sides. ¡°As your Cor-Van, I am pleased to tell you that the final sign of our victory against the palace has been confirmed.¡± He turned toward the city where the upper edges of the courtyard gate were visible and raised a clenched fist in the air. At his back, the firelight revealed a wide, forked tail hanging from the animal skin on his head.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Corvan felt a growing fear in his belly. During the war years, he had seen movie reels featuring leaders like this at the theater in Fenwood. Terrible things had happened all over the world when the masses followed a leader who spoke like this man.

    Fist high in the air, the brown coat whirled about to face the men on the ground. ¡°To defeat the palace and rule as your Cor-Van, I must have a worthy counterpart.¡± A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. ¡°But since the rule of the Watchers, all possible counterparts, including your wives and daughters, have been taken to the palace!¡±

    All the men jumped to their feet, shouting in anger and pressing forward. Unchecked, they would have overrun their Cor-Van and attacked the palace immediately. It took a while for the leader and his three men to calm them down and get them seated again.

    ¡°When all is ready and I take my place as the rightful Cor-Van, we will overthrow the palace.¡± He took a step back from the crowd, glanced up the alley, nodded, and turned back to his followers. ¡°Things are moving forward. The priests of Kadir have finally seen the light and have acknowledged that I am to lead the Cor. They wish to join our cause.¡±

    A murmur of questions rose from the crowd, but the leader pressed on.

    ¡°The Priests of Kadir have suffered greatly. The Chief Watcher has poisoned the High Priest. His son Tarran is dead, and Tyreth has been charged with the murder of Morgan.¡±

    Anger rippled through the crowd at Tyreth¡¯s name, but the leader forged on.

    ¡°These are desperate days, and the priests of Kadir have come to me in their hour of need.¡±

    The crowd was silent. The man turned to the alleyway behind him, and Jorad walked out of the shadows to join him at the fire with his hood thrown back.

    Corvan studied the priest¡¯s face. He could not tell whether Jorad was pleased to be helping the rebel leader. The leader stepped to one side and waited for Jorad to speak, but the young priest only looked directly over the crowd in Corvan¡¯s direction.

    A long silence was finally broken by a few catcalls. The leader raised one hand to silence them. ¡°Tonight, Jorad joins our cause as the High Priest of Kadir. He is the only one left who can lawfully join your Cor-Van and his counterpart in everlasting union.¡± He gestured to the alley where two men appeared, carrying a chair bearing a veiled woman in a long white cloak. ¡°A counterpart worthy to be joined to your Cor-Van has been brought to us by the priests!¡±

    The bearers stopped. Jorad took the woman by the hand and helped her down.

    The leader stood beside her. ¡°With the blessings of the High Priest, and to fulfill the office of your Cor-Van, tonight, in your presence, I will take as my counterpart a prominent woman of Kadir.¡±

    The flames leapt higher.

    The leader pulled away the veil.

    Kate stared blankly over the silent crowd.

 Hammer 34

    Corvan almost fell through the door in shock. Kate was leaning heavily on Jorad¡¯s arm. Her face was pale and her eyes dull. She looked like she had been drugged. He had to get her away from this place, but how could he possibly get to her with a sea of armed warriors between them?

    A man in the crowd whistled at Kate, and a few others joined in. The leader¡¯s head snapped around to squint his disapproval, and the beady eyes of the stuffed animal head glinted in the red light. The whistles immediately died off.

    Dressed in the brilliant white cloak and with her red hair tucked under a tiara that sparkled in the firelight, Kate looked like a queen. She wavered on her feet, and Jorad had to pull her closer to hold her up. Corvan pushed the door open a bit wider.

    The leader shouted something about his new counterpart, becoming the Cor-Van, and the upcoming victory over Kadir. All of the men rose to their feet, chanting one phrase of a song over and over as they jumped about and worked themselves into a frenzy.

    Corvan stepped back from the door. Tsarek had said Kate would die under the light of the lumiens, and she already looked barely alive. If he didn¡¯t do something right away, Kate would be gone forever.

    ¡°Come on, Corvan,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°there has to be something you can do.¡±

    He pulled the hammer from the holster. ¡°I know I was too afraid to help Tarran. But I won¡¯t do the same thing to Kate.¡±

    He held the handle in front of him and looked at the end, but there was light and no sense of power or direction. He snapped it back into the holster. Morgan¡¯s black knife would be more useful than a dead hammer. He dug into his pack and pulled out the blade. A bright red cylinder on a stick, one of his bottle rocket fireworks from home, tumbled out.

    That could work! With the fireworks to create a diversion, he might be able to get close enough to help Kate escape. Digging frantically through the pack, he retrieved the rest of the fireworks, a pack of firecrackers, the waterproof tube of matches, and a stubby candle.

    He poked three holes around the leading edge of his last tin can with the Swiss Army knife. After sticking the three bottle rockets into the holes, he placed the can just inside the door. With the smallest blade, he drilled three holes just below the top of the candle, placed it on the top of the can, and inserted one rocket fuse into each hole. If his crude calculations were correct, by the time the candle burned down to the fuses, he could work his way around the perimeter to Kate and Jorad. If the man was any sort of priest at all, he would help him get Kate to safety.

    Corvan took the can to the door and slid it halfway open. The scene outside had grown more intense, and men were slamming into each other. The noise of the crowd was deafening in the enclosed space.

    A shower of dust fell past the open door. He had forgotten about the men on the roofs. Those off to the sides could easily see him if they were to look back this way. He stepped back inside, battling the rising fear. How could he ever get over to Kate?

    He glanced back to the tube of matches that lay next to Morgan¡¯s black knife, the long tube of a Roman candle, and the pack of firecrackers. It was time to act, not think about everything that could go wrong.

    He lashed the knife to his forearm, stuck the Roman candle under the sheath, stuffed the firecrackers into the back pocket of his jeans, and grabbed the matches. Dropping on his knees by his bottle rocket contraption, he opened the waterproof tube of matches.

    Only three were left.

    He struck one, but the head broke off and fizzled on the ground.

    His hands shook as he pulled out the second. It sputtered, and he touched it to the wick. A flame sprang to life, but as he dropped the match to the ground, the candle wavered and died to a smoking ember.

    One match left. He held his breath. It caught, and he held it to the candle until the match singed his fingers. This time the flame grew stronger. Sliding the can closer to the edge of the door, he pushed dirt under and around the bottom so that the three rockets pointed out into the darkness.

    Stepping over the rockets and out the door, Corvan headed to the right and kept his back tight to the walls of the crypts. At first, he had room to maneuver, but soon he discovered the celebration had spread to the edges and men were blocking his way. A fight broke out beside him, and he backed into a crevice between two crypts.

    Something was missing. He felt for the knife; still there along with the Roman Candle. The krypin rope was also attached to his belt. The pack! He had forgotten his pack in the crypt. He glanced back but was no time; the rockets would be flying any second.

    The crowd swirled in front of him, and he caught a glimpse of Jorad and Kate just twenty feet ahead through the thrashing tangle of bodies. The alley behind them was empty, but armed guards stood watch on the two crypt roofs that flanked the narrow channel. One guard peered out over the crowd, then he jumped across the gap to his companion while pointing toward Corvan¡¯s flickering candle and shouting into his ear. The other man nodded, and together they moved out over the tops of the crypts toward the light.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Thrusting himself out of the crack, Corvan entered the mass of bodies, bouncing with them in their frenzy but making sure he was moving steadily in Jorad¡¯s direction. He fell hard against a stout man, who responded by shoving him into someone else. Corvan evaded another body check, then he stepped in close to Jorad. The priest was staring at the fire in the brazier, and his face was smoldering in anger. Corvan grabbed his shoulder, and Jorad looked over. His mouth dropped open.

    Corvan leaned to his ear and shouted over the din. ¡°Soon there will be a bright light in the sky and then loud noises. When that happens, take Kate and meet me by Morgan¡¯s grave.¡±

    Jorad hesitated, glanced over at the rebel leader, then nodded. Corvan moved away and dropped down at the wall next to three older men who stood watching the crowd in disdain.

    The rebel leader moved close to the fire and was hollering and motioning for silence. Over his head and across the crowd, Corvan saw the two guards peering down at his flickering candle. ¡°Come on, come on, do something,¡± Corvan urged aloud as the din began to die down.

    Someone kicked his side. He looked up to see one of the older men standing over him and shaking his head in disgust. Not wanting another kick, he slid away, bumping against two full jars of fuel leaning against the wall. The jars scraped slowly along the wall, tipped over on their pointy bottoms, and the contents began oozing into the alley.

    The energy of the crowd was dissipating. Those closest to the fire stood silently staring at Kate.

    ¡°Come, High Priest,¡± the rebel leader cried out. ¡°Come and bless our union.¡±

    The crowd fell silent as Jorad raised both hands. ¡°Gods of the Cor, we seek your will tonight. We ask you to give us a sign if you are unhappy with us. Show us if we have moved forward without understanding your will.¡±

    The men in front shifted uncomfortably. The false Cor-Van motioned his three older comrades forward. Jorad continued to pray, asking in more fervent terms for the gods to demonstrate their displeasure if this were not the right time for the Cor-Van to unite with this counterpart.

    As the three men closed in on Jorad, Corvan crawled along the wall behind them to get a clear shot at the fire. The rockets in the crypt door must have failed. He dug into his pocket. The firecrackers would have to provide the diversion. Taking aim, he lobbed the entire packet of firecrackers toward the brazier.

    As the packet tumbled through the air, a shaft of light tore through the darkness, followed by a blast that shook the ground. One of the guards cried out as he fell off the crypt just down from Corvan. The entire company of men threw themselves on the ground and covered their heads.

    Two more bright lights screamed into the sky. Corvan glanced over to see Jorad leading a docile Kate out through the passage.

    Bang! Bang! A pair of explosions cracked the night air, then darkness dropped back over the crowd. The rebel leader called out for more light. One of his men poured more oil into the brazier, and as the flames leaped up, the firecrackers began to go off in rapid succession, spitting balls of flaming oil in all directions.

    The man with the oil jar jumped back, sloshing oil on his robes. In a flash, he was also on fire. Screaming, he ran into the crowd. Men clambered over one another to get away from him.

    Jumping up, Corvan put his back to the wall and slipped toward the opening into the alley. The crowd was milling about and confused. He needed to follow Jorad and Kate and get away.

    Corvan looked up to find the leader shouting to his two remaining helpers and pointing directly at Corvan. Intense hatred was twisting his face into a snarl as fierce as the animal face on his head. Corvan¡¯s special cloak had failed him, and whatever the rebel leader saw in him, it wasn¡¯t good. His two henchmen turned toward Corvan.

    The last of the firecrackers spit a round blob of flaming tar at Corvan¡¯s feet. He had one last trick up his sleeve. Whipping the Roman candle out from under the lashed knife, he bent and lit the fuse from the bubbling flames.

    The two men stopped short at the sight of the firework sparking in Corvan¡¯s hand like a magician¡¯s wand. Their leader shouted a command, but before they could move, a flaming ball shot from the cardboard barrel with a soft fwoopand hit one in the shoulder. The man turned quickly away and disappeared into the crowd.

    Corvan shuffled sideways, keeping his back against the wall and his eyes focused on the next man.

    Fwoop, fwoop. Two green balls whizzed past the man¡¯s head, then he also vanished.

    Corvan moved to enter the alley, but now the rebel leader moved into place and was blocking his retreat. Corvan could now see that the animal skin the man wore on his head was from some sort of large bat, its wings and body clinging to the man¡¯s head like a leathery skullcap. Its small bony claws were now curled around the man¡¯s ears. Corvan pointed the candle at the tall man, but all that came out was a small blue dud that rolled up to his feet. He crushed it under his boot before he pulled out a long sword.

    Corvan backed away, slipped in the black oil, and fell against the wall. His hood fell back from his head, and the leader¡¯s eyes grew wide just as a thick cloud of smoke from the brazier billowed around him. Corvan scooted tight against the wall and squeezed past the man into the narrow channel and freedom.

    As he stood to run, a sword pierced the curtain of swirling smoke to reveal the angry face of the rebel Cor-Van.

    ¡°Die, you evil sorcerer, you servant of the darkness.¡± The man raised his sword high over his head, and Corvan found himself looking directly into the black eyes of the bat-like creature as it pushed itself high up on its bony wings and hissed at him past pointed teeth.

    Corvan yelled and desperately shoved the sputtering Roman candle toward the man¡¯s head.

    A blazing red ball shot out and exploded in the rebel leader¡¯s right eye.

    The creature on his head leaped up into the air and flapped off into the darkness.

    The man¡¯s sword fell with a splash into the pool of oil as another dazzling red ball hit the man square in the chest, rolled down his robe, and dropped into the gleaming pool of oil. The fire leapt up, and the leader disappeared behind a tower of flames that roared toward Corvan.

    Corvan ran ahead of the fire, slipping his way through the black goo and out into the maze of streets and leaving a trail of flaming footprints in his wake.

    Another ball from his Roman candle arched off into the darkness and gave him a quick look at his surroundings. Was this the right way? He aimed the cardboard tube higher as he ran.

    A final yellow ball sailed through the sky.

    Just ahead was the half-dead tree.

 Hammer 35

    The commotion from the rebels faded away as Corvan raced toward the half-dead tree. He figured he could get his bearings from where the statues stood, but the stone figures were nowhere to be found. His ability to see in the dark was waning.

    He ran to the other side of the tree and found what looked like the right pathway back to Morgan¡¯s crypt. At the end of the path he found what appeared to be the same large sloppy crypt, but there was no one to be seen. Jorad must still be finding his way in the darkness. Corvan sat against the wall of another low crypt to catch his breath.

    The creak of rusty metal turned his head as a faint green line appeared along the lid of the larger crypt next to him. Corvan shrank back. The light grew brighter, and a hand pushed the lid higher. A face rose in the ghostly green light. It was Jorad.

    Corvan jumped to his feet, startling Jorad so badly he dropped the lid and knocked himself back into the closed tomb. Corvan quickly pushed the heavy lid up and out of the way on its creaky hinges.

    Jorad was rubbing his head and sprawled on top of Morgan¡¯s body, while Kate lay curled up at their feet, pale and still. Her chest rose only a fraction of an inch with each breath. Corvan leaned in and put a hand on her cheek.

    ¡°Kate, can you hear me?¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but the green glow increased.

    Resting in her limp fingers was the source of the green light; the disk she had taken from Tsarek. It was smaller than he expected and obviously not the match to a gavel like he had imagined, but its markings were clear and bright: a star-shaped medallion with multiple star points around the outer edges.

    Jorad sat up and groaned. ¡°Next time, warn me before you jump out of the darkness,¡± he said in a low voice.

    ¡°Is Kate all right?¡±

    ¡°We barely made it in here before she collapsed.¡± Jorad moved in close to Corvan and pointed to the glow. ¡°We were fortunate she had that light along. There¡¯s not a speck of lumien light tonight.¡± Jorad looked at him closely. ¡°How did you find your way here in the dark?¡±

    Corvan shrugged. He did not want to mention the hammer and how it had affected his sight.

    Jorad peered into the darkness. ¡°Their leader will send his men out to find us. He believes that he is the promised Cor-Van and that he only he needs a counterpart to make his insane dreams come true. He won¡¯t stop until he finds one. We need to get Kate out of here.¡±

    Corvan reached into the crypt and touched Kate¡¯s hand. It was cool and clammy. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s me, Corvan. Wake up.¡± He lifted her hand and grimaced as the black band slipped down her arm and revealed a ring of crusty red blisters around her wrist.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to carry her, Kalian,¡± Jorad said quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s lift her out, and I will get Morgan¡¯s litter out for us to put her on.¡±

    They gently extracted Kate from the crypt and laid her limp body on the rocky ground. She had lost a lot of weight since leaving home, her cheeks sunken and pale. He hoped the bag of cookies wasn¡¯t all she¡¯d had to eat since then. Kneeling beside her, he squeezed her hand and felt a faint squeeze in return. He let himself breathe again.

    Jorad was back inside the crypt and muttering to himself as he worked at wrestling the litter out from under Morgan¡¯s body.

    Shielding Kate from Jorad with his body, Corvan reach under his cloak, released the hammer from the holster, and brought it down on the black band, just as Kate had done for Tsarek on the Castle Rock. ¡°Release her,¡± he whispered but nothing happened. He gripped it tighter and looked at the base of the handle. ¡°Please, I ¡­ I love her. Please don¡¯t let her die.¡±

    The hammer grew warmer, but there was no glow. Corvan pressed his face next to Kate¡¯s. ¡°Let it go, Kate. You need to leave that bracelet behind.¡± Her head shook ever so slightly, her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids, and a faint sigh escaped her cracked lips.

    ¡°If you let it go, I promise I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Corvan urged. ¡°I want to see the stars again, don¡¯t you?¡±

    There was a long pause before Kate nodded faintly.

    Corvan¡¯s heart leapt and immediately the glow from the hammer¡¯s handle spread over Kate¡¯s body. Touching the head of the hammer to the black band, he held his breath, watching and waiting. The band quivered, a small crack appeared, then it relaxed and fell to the ground.

    The litter hit Corvan in the shoulder as Jorad pushed it out of the crypt.

    Holstering the hammer, Corvan scooped up the black band and held it in his fist. He didn¡¯t want Jorad to see that Kate had been wearing the evil thing.

    Jorad climbed out of the crypt, grabbed the litter, and set it alongside Kate. ¡°The light she carried is still in there, underneath Morgan,¡± Jorad said. ¡°We¡¯ll need it to see where we¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Corvan said, ¡°while you get her on the litter. Then we can leave.¡±

    Jorad looked up at him, but Corvan was already turning away to get inside the crypt and out of sight. A powerful urge was growing in him. He needed to examine the black band without Jorad knowing about it.

    Crouching down inside the crypt, he pushed Morgan¡¯s cloak aside. The glow from Kate¡¯s medallion leapt out at him. He quickly scooped it up with his free hand to hide its light, and as he did, an overwhelming warmth and peace enveloped him. Opening his fingers slightly, he discovered the symbols glowing on it were the same as those on the hammer.

    A sudden intense pain cut into his other hand as if the black band had bit him. He raised the band for a closer look and stifled a cry for the hand holding the bracelet appeared withered and wrinkled, just skin on bones like a dead man¡¯s hand.

    He tried to drop the black band, but his hand refused to open, and a thought forced itself into his mind: accept it and you will live; refuse it and you will die.

    Intense cold crept up the dead hand holding the bracelet, but it was immediately answered with heat moving up from the medallion. The two met at his shoulders, and snippets of thoughts ratchetted through his mind¡ªtruth or lies, love or control. He had to choose now, or he would be split in two, just like the tree. He looked at both of his hands and found he could not let either go.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    He focused on a memory of Kate¡¯s smiling face, and his one hand closed tightly around the medallion as the one with the black band opened slowly. The black links lay cupped in his hand.

    A harsh thump on his shoulder sent the black band tumbling across the crypt. Jorad¡¯s anxious voice broke the silence. ¡°Hurry up, Kalian. Did you find it?¡±

    Corvan held up the medallion with its light leaking past his clenched fingers. He inhaled deeply, allowing the medallion¡¯s warmth to spread down into his chest as he clambered out over the crypt wall.

    As Jorad pulled the lid back over the crypt, Corvan caught a glimpse of the black band slithering toward Morgan¡¯s leg, like a glistening snake looking for fresh prey.

    The door eased quietly down, and Jorad lifted the first latch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lock him in,¡± Corvan said. ¡°If he¡¯s already dead, it won¡¯t matter, but if he¡¯s not ¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you before: this is not your business,¡± Jorad said firmly.

    Corvan pointed the medallion hand at him. ¡°I¡¯m part of this, and I can¡¯t walk away again and leave him to die.¡±

    ¡°Not even if he is a murderer?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°I heard the High Priest say if you kill someone, you can¡¯t be a priest and you can¡¯t get married. Is making sure Morgan is dead worth it?¡±

    He opened his hand a bit, and the light of the medallion cast a glow on Jorad¡¯s tense features. The man stared into the light for a moment, then he let the latch drop with a soft clank.

    Corvan turned away and crouched next to Kate. Jorad had placed her arms alongside her body, and Corvan picked up one hand and put it over the medallion in his own. Kate took a deep breath, and her other hand moved slowly up until both were wrapped around the light. Her body seemed to absorb its light and her face relaxed. Corvan pulled his hand out from under hers and touched her cheek. ¡°It will be okay, Kate. I¡¯m taking you home now.¡±

    He stood to find Jorad standing at Kate¡¯s feet between the poles of the litter with a puzzled look on his face as he stared at Kate¡¯s hands.

    Corvan turned around, crouched, and grasped the poles of the litter. Together they lifted Kate up, then moved down the alley and along the wall that separated the City of the Dead from Kadir.

    Once they reached the cemetery gates, they crossed over into the dark streets of the city.

    A thin, wailing voice from a building off to the right interrupted their shuffling walk. It warbled and settled down to a low cackling laugh.

    The tension on the litter poles increased as Jorad urged Corvan on from behind. ¡°Keep in the middle of the street,¡± he whispered. ¡°Even if they come out, keep moving. I don¡¯t believe the Broken will attack a priest.¡±

    Another wail came from up the street, and it was answered by two more behind them. The voices were close, but even with his keen night vision, Corvan could not detect any movement.

    ¡°Turn right,¡± Jorad urged as he pushed harder on the poles. They began to jog as if the haunting voices were pushing them forward. Jorad was directing him from behind, but it seemed to Corvan that the unseen cries were herding them on through the narrow streets.

    Rounding a corner, Corvan found the way ahead of them blocked by a massive pile of rubble. Long ago, the cavern wall had collapsed and smashed the front portico of a great building. Tall, fluted columns of rock were piled like a giant¡¯s game of pick-up sticks. There was no choice but to turn into a square tunnel cut into the stone wall.

    It was a dead end.

    Jorad swiveled them around just as a metal gate rumbled across the opening and cut off any chance of escape.

    ¡°I am a priest of the Cor,¡± Jorad shouted as the gate clanged shut. ¡°I bring no harm and seek only your peace.¡±

    As his echo faded away, a small door in the side wall next to Corvan opened inward. A gentle push from behind signaled Jorad¡¯s intentions, and they walked inside. Corvan heard the door slam shut behind then.

    Jorad stopped pushing, and Corvan listened to the reverberations of an immense space before them. As silence fell, Jorad pushed on. They walked out of the darkness into a dimly lit great hall dwarfed by massive pillars that soared high above them. The air was dense with mold and a familiar outhouse stench.

    Ahead, in the center of the circular room, a steady light shone. They moved toward it, past heavy stone tables piled high with stacks of rotting scrolls. Each table was presided over by small versions of the lumien lamp stands Corvan had seen in the square. The rings at the ends leaned over the scrolls like empty eyes.

    The glow ahead turned out to be from four statues on short pedestals, each holding a fire stick out in front of it. In the area bounded by their lights, a heavy round table squatted on a single carved column.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put her down on the table.¡± The thick air of the huge room swallowed Jorad¡¯s words.

    After sliding the litter onto the stone surface, Corvan turned around to look down into Kate¡¯s face. Holding his fingertips near her lips, he felt a faint wisp of breath.

    The band of gems she had been wearing in the clearing with the rebel soldiers had fallen from her hair onto the stretcher. Corvan put it into his pocket. Kate liked pretty things, and it would cheer her up later. He pushed away the thought that she might not live to see it again while brushing a few strands of hair from over Kate¡¯s eyes and swallowing his fear. It would be his fault if she died in this terrible place. He never should have let her use the hammer.

    At that thought, he unclipped the cover of the holster. Jorad was occupied with looking about the room. Was this a good time to try using the hammer to heal Kate? He shook his head. Since Kate had chosen the black band, the hammer might hurt her, like it did in his room when he had chosen to lie to his dad. She was far too weak to risk it. He snapped the cover back into place.

    A shallow breath rattled from Kate¡¯s lungs. The power of the hammer might be too much, but the comfort of the medallion seemed to help her. Opening her limp hands, he laid its glowing face down in the open neck of her tunic and waited.

    Kate took a deeper breath, and her hands moved up to cover the medallion. In that pose, she appeared more dead than alive. ¡°Please let Kate live,¡± he whispered, raising his eyes and looking overhead.

    His words floated up to the vaulted ceiling, where large painted faces gazed down in rapt attention. Although blackened by smoke, their eyes were focused on the center of the room. All around the faces were smaller paintings of people and animals. Most were obscured by the dark smudge, but off to the sides, some of the murals were clearer. Was that a blue sky and a golden sun? Corvan stepped back to get a better view, stumbled on a loose brick, and fell backward onto a pile of damp scrolls piled against a statue¡¯s pedestal. Getting to his feet, he came closer to the stone face. It gazed back at him in unblinking silence.

    A hand grabbed his arm and pulled him to one side. Jorad looked fiercely into his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything. They are watching every move we make.¡± The man turned away, and Corvan could clearly see that he was not taking his own advice. He had cleared off a nearby table and spread out a large scroll, which he now studied intently.

    Corvan stared at it. The markings looked like the tracks chickens left in the mud.

    Jorad traced a finger backward along a line of characters. ¡°Incredible. And this is only one scroll of hundreds still legible.¡± He gestured around the room, and Corvan saw that the walls around them were covered in cubicles of various sizes, many of which contained one or more scrolls.

    Jorad pointed above the cubicles, where a balcony ran around the room to meet at a set of curved stairs. ¡°I have heard stories of the remains of a great library in the broken half of the city, but I never believed it could be this vast. It would take a lifetime to read all of these.¡± From the tone of his voice, Corvan knew Jorad wanted to start immediately and would not be easily distracted from the task.

    The priest moved along the wall, tugging out scrolls, reading the identifying marks, and reluctantly pushing them back into place. ¡°You can see where the water rose up.¡± He pointed to the wall where a line of black mold encircled the room about three feet from the floor. ¡°All the documents below are hopelessly ruined, and the dampness in the room will eventually destroy even those the water did not touch. And look here.¡± His voice choked in anger as he kicked at the remains of a campfire made from the scrolls. ¡°They used scrolls for a fire! Fires are not even permitted in the Cor. Our air is much too precious. And there!¡± His hand shook in wrath, pointing to where strips of scrolls had been used for toilet paper. ¡°Animals. The Broken have become nothing but animals!¡±

    ¡°Who are you to judge our people?¡± a woman called out from behind them.

 Hammer 36

    Jorad and Corvan whirled about.

    An older woman with a cane stalked out toward them from between the four statues. She wore an orange shawl, brown leggings, and large black boots. Her frizzy red hair was tied back in a checkered scarf, and wide silver hoops hung from her ears.

    Jorad stepped back. ¡°Madam Toreg, I did not know you were still¡ª¡±

    The woman silenced him by waving the point of her carved staff in the priest¡¯s face. ¡°I wonder what you do know, Jorad. What do you know of those who have lived in the broken half of the city longer than you and your fathers have lived in the priest¡¯s compound? Of those who are filling your bellies with food supplied by the palace, food bought with the lives of those who die of hard labor out in the settlements? What gives you the right to look down on those who refuse to serve the palace and choose to live off what little they can find out here?¡±

    Jorad bowed low. ¡°I am sorry, Madam Toreg. I was overcome by the loss of this great library and such wonderful treasures. I had no right to lay the blame for this on those who live here now.¡±

    The old woman¡¯s face softened. ¡°I understand how you feel; my mother was once curator of this library.¡± She leaned on her staff. ¡°It is a great evil that is willing to destroy such a precious heritage in its rampant pursuit of power.¡±

    Jorad pointed to the walls. ¡°How could they get the water to flow so high?¡±

    ¡°We do not know,¡± Madam Toreg said, ¡°but given all the recent work at the temple karst, I have no doubt they will try again. Come, I will show you.¡± The woman stepped past Jorad, shot a quizzical look Corvan¡¯s way, and motioned for them to follow.

    She moved farther away from the torchlight in the hands of the statues and into the deep shadows under the balcony. The floor became more uneven. She held out her staff for them to stop and pointed below. At their feet, the floor of the building ended in a jagged hole above the shimmer of dark water far below.

    ¡°The reflecting pool under our library had been still since the founding of Kadir,¡± Madam Toreg said in a somber voice. ¡°It was a place of peace and contemplation for those who wished only to learn and grow. One day, it began to bubble and froth, foul-smelling and undrinkable. Finally, it erupted in a great geyser that shot all the way to the ceiling. Everyone fled up here as the geyser hammered the ceiling below and water in the room rose higher.¡±

    She tapped a broken pillar on the rim of the fractured hole. ¡°The geyser weakened the floor on this level until it collapsed and stopped the geyser,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°But the water kept rising into the library proper and then flowing out into the streets. The entry of the library collapsed and sealed it away from the approaching palace soldiers. The collapse saved our community from being discovered, but the water found its way into the refuge we had created to hide ourselves from the Watcher and his soldiers. The water receded from inside the library, but many of our people were trapped inside and drowned.¡±

    Her voice cracked as she extended her hands, palm up, then brought them sharply together, slowly lowering her hands until her fingers pointed straight down.

    Jorad made the same sign back to her. His face was a mask of deep sorrow.

    Corvan gripped the stump of a broken pillar and leaned out over the edge. Below, an island of broken stones rose from the center of a lake that extended from wall to wall. The water swirled slowly around the island in dark eddies.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He was turning away when a small shadow slipped across the lake, just beneath the surface of the water. Something or someone was down there. He leaned out further to see where it was going, but Jorad yanked him back from the edge and was beckoning for him to follow.

    Up ahead, Madam Toreg was stumping along with her cane back to the table where Kate lay. Corvan ran to catch up.

    Kate¡¯s hands were now clasped tightly around the disk on her chest. A peaceful look on her face made her appear as if she had been laid out for her own funeral.

    Madam Toreg gently caressed Kate¡¯s cheek with the back of her fingers, and Corvan glanced at the tears slipping down the older woman¡¯s face. Looking back to Kate, he watched as Madam Toreg put her hand under the girl¡¯s wrist to feel for her pulse. Then her hand cupped Kate¡¯s, probing the girl¡¯s fingers and allowing the light of the medallion to leak out into the room.

    The woman turned sharply toward him. ¡°Where did you find it?¡± she demanded.

    Corvan stepped away as she advanced with her cane extended and jabbing at him. His back pressed up against one of the stone pillars as her cane thrust hard against his chest.

    ¡°The medallion you placed on her body,¡± Madam Toreg said sharply. ¡°Where did you get it? Answer me truthfully, for your life depends on it.¡±

    Corvan put his hands on the shaft of the cane, but she only pushed the tip harder against his chest. She was much stronger than she looked, and it felt like the metal tip of the cane was about to pierce through him.

    Struggling to push the cane away, his forearm tightened against the lashes that held Morgan¡¯s knife in place. In desperation, he slipped the knife out with one hand. He wanted only to defend himself and push the cane away, but a flash of sparks arced through the air. Madam Toreg¡¯s carved staff fell to the ground. It was cut cleanly in two.

    The old woman gasped and stumbled back to fall under the edge of the round table.

    Corvan held the black blade limply in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    He never got a chance to finish. In but an instant, all the statues came to life. Four men jumped from their pedestals like lightening from the sky. One struck the knife from Corvan¡¯s feeble grip, two pulled the old woman to her feet,and the fourth on the pillar behind Corvan dropped his torch and yanked Corvan¡¯s arms up behind him in an iron grip.

    Jorad moved in close and held his hand out to assist Madam Toreg. The old woman shook off the protection of her gray guardians, stepped up to Jorad, and slapped his face. ¡°You have betrayed us by bringing a servant of the Rakash into our presence. You have put those in our refuge in great danger. You are a priest of Kadir. You, of all people, know better than this!¡±

    Jorad licked at a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and shook his head. ¡°As a priest of Kadir, I swear that I tell you the truth. I do not know where he came upon the black knife, but I am certain this boy is not of the Rakash, nor is he connected to the palace and the Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± the old woman commanded. With her gray men close behind, she moved in on Corvan and pointed to the knife on the floor. ¡°If I dared touch that foul thing, you would die now by your own blade.¡±

    Jorad raised his hand. ¡°Madam Toreg, you warned me not to judge people too quickly. Do not make the same mistake.¡±

    The tallest of her gray men touched the woman¡¯s shoulder. She turned to him as he stooped to whisper in her ear.

    ¡°You are certain, Garek?¡± she asked quietly.

    The man straightened, looked with compassion into Corvan¡¯s face, and nodded.

    Madam Toreg turned and gestured to the man behind Corvan. His arms were released, but the former statute remained close behind him.

    Madam Toreg studied Corvan¡¯s face a long moment, stepped to one side, and pointed at Kate. ¡°Garek tells me that your treatment of this young woman is definitely not what the Rakash would do.¡± She sighed wearily. ¡°I have seen far too much deception and betrayal in my life. What can you offer as a pledge that will remove any doubt as to your intentions?¡±

    It took Corvan only a second to decide.

    ¡°I promise that I will not betray you to the palace.¡±

    He slipped the hammer from its holster.

    ¡°I tell you the truth. I swear to you on this.¡±

    As he extended the hammer toward her, its insignia was sending pulsing waves of blue light around the room.

 Hammer 37

    Madam Toreg reeled and Garek barely managed to catch her before she hit the floor. The woman brushed Garek back, stepped forward and extended an open hand, her eyes locked on the hammer.

    Corvan reluctantly released it into her grasp. He wanted to tell her that it had belonged to his grandfather but that might only cause more problems.

    Cradling the hammer in her hands, Madam Toreg examined it carefully, the glow highlighting the excitement on her face. ¡°So, the old stories were true,¡± she said in a hushed tone. ¡°The hammer exists, it¡¯s not just a concept.¡± Lifting it overhead with one hand, she pointed the handle at the ceiling, throwing its light onto the paintings. As she rotated the projected symbols into position, Corvan could see the same marks running between two golden bands that surrounded the faces above them. ¡°The words above were painted from memory long after the hammer was lost to us,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°I often wondered if they were correct.¡±

    Corvan stared up at the words. ¡°What do they say?¡±

    ¡°Three words flow between the circles: Truth, Mercy, and Justice. Those are the attributes that a true Cor-Van must possess to lead the Cor back to the light.¡± She looked at him from under thick eyebrows. ¡°The legends say those are the qualities of the one who will return the hammer to us.¡±

    Corvan avoided her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how it works. At times it heals me and other times it hurts me. Sometimes it does what I want and then it does nothing at all.¡±

    Madam Toreg directed the blue glow onto Corvan¡¯s chest. The blue words were fully absorbed into the gray cloth of his cloak. She frowned, then directed the light onto the floor between them. ¡°The hammer only has power when held by those who have integrity, those who stand against injustice. It helps people know what is right and supports them as they seek to find the truth, and to speak the truth, but it cannot be used as a weapon.¡±

    ¡°And yet the Chief Watcher seeks it,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°The Chief Watcher knows the hammer is here in Kadir?¡± Madam Toreg asked, turning quickly to Jorad.

    ¡°I cannot say for certain, but Rayu was the one to report it, and now he¡¯s gone missing. The Chief of the Watchers is an ancient creature and no doubt aware of the stories of how the hammer was taken from the Cor. I believe that is why he took the portal key from Tarran. He intends to go looking for it.¡± Jorad glanced over at Corvan then pointed at the blue words on the ground. ¡°Why would he even want the hammer if it judges truth. That creature is the epitome of lies and deceit.¡±

    Madam Toreg sighed heavily. ¡°When people are in dire circumstances, they want to believe someone is telling them the truth and will help things improve. If the Chief Watcher can convince the people of Kadir he possesses the truth, he can easily manipulate them to follow his new religion and give him whatever he asks.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s head swam. There were too many bits of information being tossed about that he didn¡¯t understand and couldn¡¯t fit together. If the hammer was truth, what was the medallion? Earlier, he¡¯d thought it was compassion, which was similar to mercy, but where did justice fit in?

    ¡°How could the Chief Watcher even hold the hammer?¡± Corvan asked. ¡°I have experienced how it punishes those who lie.¡±

    Jorad raised his eyebrows at Corvan¡¯s confession but said nothing.

    Madam Toreg gave Corvan a look that reminded him of Mrs. Thompson repeating a basic math problem he couldn¡¯t grasp. ¡°If an evil person shields himself from the truth in some manner, he will appear to others as if he¡¯s touching it, but that is just another deception. You must examine people closely to see if the hammer is freely held in their hands. Deceivers never let others get that close to them.¡±

    ¡°That evil creature will use the hammer to destroy hope,¡± Jorad said. ¡°Hope gives people ideas, and they search for the truth. If he can destroy hope, the people will willingly follow his plan for Kadir and then the whole Cor.¡±

    Madam Toreg nodded. ¡°I have seen changes lately that suggest larger plans and forces are at work. Older and deeper things are rising to the surface. Who in Kadir ever thought the Rakash would walk freely through our city?¡±

    A chill went through Corvan. ¡°Who are the Rakash?¡±

    Madam Toreg turned to him. ¡°Some call them the Sightless. Others call them Seekers. Not many use their true name, Rakash, for we all avoid the reality that an even greater evil seeks to control our world.¡±

    ¡°I think I saw them,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Are they the four blind creatures who serve the Chief Watcher and carry him in the red curtained box?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called a palanquin,¡± Jorad stated, ¡°and those four are not his servants. I believe they were sent here to keep an eye on the Chief Watcher, and they have their own ways of seeing. Their senses have been heightened to the point where they can even sense the heat from our bodies. It¡¯s impossible to hide from them.¡±

    A young woman ran in from the shadows under the circular balcony. She was the youngest girl Corvan had seen so far, maybe a year or two younger than him, but she moved confidently into the room and up to the table. Her shoulder-length red hair swayed around an intense face and mirrored how the hem of her blue tunic swished above the floor. A short sword hung at her waist.

    ¡°Garek,¡± the girl said breathlessly, leaning on the edge across from Kate, ¡°a company of palace guards is scouring the ruins out front.¡±

    ¡°In the darkness?¡± Jorad asked incredulously. ¡°On the broken side of the city?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°The soldiers are being guided by one of the Seekers,¡± she replied, a strong note of fear in her voice. ¡°They are trying to find a way inside the library.¡±

    ¡°They must have followed us from the temple,¡± Jorad said. ¡°I should have been more careful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°The Seeker can track anyone as long as they have something the person has held closely,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°I do not see how it could be any of us in this room, unless ¡­¡±

    They all turned to Corvan, and the old woman¡¯s eyes bored into him.

    The red-haired girl spoke up. ¡°The Seeker carries a white scarf.¡±

    Corvan nodded and swallowed hard. ¡°I, I left it behind when I escaped from the prison. I didn¡¯t have time to go back and get it.¡±

    ¡°You were wearing a white scarf?¡± the girl asked with raised eyebrows.

    ¡°It was a gift,¡± Corvan replied, avoiding her eyes.

    ¡°I am told that if you are able to banish the item from your mind,¡± Madam Toreg said, ¡°and deny any connection to the giver, the Seeker may be unable to find you. Can you do this?¡± She studied his face.

    Corvan turned his thoughts to Tyreth. He saw her pain when the lizard slashed her cheek, and his heart ached for her. He remembered how she had touched his face and the scent of her scarf. Tyreth was courageous and determined to help others, how could he possibly pretend he¡¯d never met her?

    Madam Toreg came close and patted his cheek. ¡°I see you cannot deny this person. It is a good thing to care for others.¡± Madam Toreg turned to the girl. ¡°Go wake the mayor and have him come to meet me at the front gate. We will have to fight the soldiers in the streets of Kadir and draw them away from the refuge.¡±

    The young girl ran from the room as Madam Toreg turned to Garek. ¡°How long before the lumiens brighten?¡±

    ¡°One more segment,¡± Garek said.

    ¡°You must act quickly. We need the soldiers¡¯ fear of the Broken working for us.¡±

    Garek shook his head. ¡°Our tricks and false voices will not fool the Seeker.¡±

    ¡°Then we have to kill him,¡± one of the other gray men said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Garek replied. ¡°Nothing can kill the Rakash.¡±

    ¡°That can.¡± Madam Toreg pointed to the black knife on the floor. ¡°It was done in the past, when the five became the four and the cloak of deception that allowed their leader to move undetected among us vanished. Our City of Refuge was saved from discovery and devastation at that time by a great man.¡± She wagged a finger at Corvan. ¡°I have been informed the remaining four Rakash have chosen a new leader. If he is the one coming our way, then what he truly seeks is the return of the cloak.¡±

    Corvan resisted the urge to twist the buttons on his grandfather¡¯s garment. Breaking Madam Toreg¡¯s steady gaze, he instead bent to pick up the knife.

    As he straightened, everyone took a step back.

    Corvan unbound the sheath from his forearm and put the blade back inside. Madam Toreg looked on in admiration until he stepped forward and laid it on the table. She frowned, and he stepped away in embarrassment. Surely, she didn¡¯t think he would use the knife to fight the Rakash?

    ¡°There is another way.¡± Jorad stepped up to the table and gazed down at the knife. ¡°The Seeker believes he follows Tarran, but to capture him, he will need the help of the palace guard. Send your gray men to frighten the soldiers, throw them into disarray, and buy us some time. I will lead Corvan out to the settlements along the river road. We can go beyond where the Seeker can sense him.¡±

    ¡°Then we must send this with him.¡± Madam Toreg held out the hammer to Corvan, and her brown eyes searched his face. ¡°None of us here can protect it. Since you brought it to us, you must carry it on from here. In time, it will reveal your true purpose.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly took the hammer and snapped it back into the holster. Ever since he¡¯d found the hammer, it had taken him farther from his family and from safety. He and Kate would never escape from this nightmare unless someone else would take it from him. Besides, he had no desire to find a purposed beyond getting Kate home.

    ¡°Jorad¡¯s plan has merit,¡± Garek said, the gray coating on his face wrinkling as he spoke. ¡°But let us make use of our preparations at the lower bridge. We weakened it to collapse it in the event of an attack from across the river by the rebels. Instead, if the seeker and the soldiers find where we have gone, we can pull it out from under the them. Perhaps the river will sweep the Rakash back to his master.¡±

    Madam Toreg looked to Corvan. ¡°Is it permitted to do such a thing to defeat evil?¡± Everyone else turned to stare at him.

    Corvan looked at their faces. Was he expected to decide just because he held the hammer? He waited, but no one spoke. ¡°I would think that ¡­ since these people sent the water to kill your families and children ¡­ maybe falling into the water themselves might teach them a lesson?¡± It was more a question than an answer, but the expressions on their faces indicated it was the affirmation they required.

    ¡°So let it be,¡± Madam Toreg said as she turned to Garek. ¡°You and the others frighten the soldiers away. I will take these two through the new city to the water outlet under the bridge. Signal us when the Rakash senses him and begins moving in that direction.¡±

    Three of the gray men turned toward the small door. The melded into the darkness and vanished from sight against the stone wall of the library. The door appeared to open and close of its own accord.

    The remaining gray man, Garek, lightly touched the old woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Madam, although you are the founder of the City of Refuge, if you bring untested strangers through, the mayor and the elders will rightly accuse you of breaking the community commitments.¡±

    ¡°I will bear that responsibility.¡± She smiled and patted his hand. ¡°But I thank you for your concern.¡±

    He bowed low and slipped away toward the exit.

    The old woman touched Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s have you two carry the girl to the city below. Our healer will attend to her while you are gone across the river.¡±

    Corvan shook his head. ¡°No. I won¡¯t leave Kate behind and risk losing her again. She comes with me.¡±

    The old woman searched his face, and Corvan steadily returned her gaze.

    ¡°I will allow this,¡± she said, ¡°for I understand that this girl does not belong in this world.¡± She looked at Kate lying on the table. ¡°I can see that if she does not soon return to her sphere, she will most certainly die.¡± Her eyes narrowed, and she came closer. ¡°You, on the other hand, may yet belong to this world, or perhaps this world will belong to you, as our Cor-Van.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    She jabbed a thick finger into his chest. ¡°Do not think for a moment that I do not understand what is possible for you to become, either for our good or for our destruction. That is a choice you have yet to make.¡± She patted the hammer at his side and gave him a wry smile. ¡°May your desire for the truth be guided by compassion.¡±

    She picked up the broken pieces of her staff, and, as she headed for the door, Corvan noticed she walked just fine without it. There was more to Madam Toreg than what met the eye.

    He picked up the front of Kate¡¯s litter and pulled it toward the front edge of the table. There was a short pause before Jorad picked up his end and they followed Madam Toreg.

    Corvan glanced back.

    The black knife was gone from the table.

    Jorad was obviously not afraid of touching it.

 Hammer 38

    Corvan and Jorad followed Madam Toreg past the staircase leading to the upper level of the library, under the balcony, and through an arch into a darkened lobby. Dried lumien vines twisted around rusty lamp stands that sprouted from mounds of broken tiles. Shattered statues and pieces of fluted columns lay scattered over the floor. The front of the building had completely collapsed.

    Moving through the maze of broken stones, they encountered a stairwell that swept downward in a wide arc. At the bottom, a passage ran a short distance in either direction, only to dead end in ceiling high piles of rubble.

    Madam Toreg marched straight ahead and inserted the tip of her broken cane into a hole in the smooth rock wall. Concealed doors sprang open, revealing armed guards waiting within. A stocky, bald man rushed out and proceeded to engage Madam Toreg in a heated conversation with furious gestures toward Corvan and Jorad. His face grew redder. He pursed his lips, stepped back, nodded to Madam Toreg in a cursory manner, then scurried back inside the guarded passage.

    Madam Toreg looked at Corvan with a deep frown and gestured for them to follow. Edging past the guards, they all moved into a crevice so narrow only one person could go through at a time. It twisted back and forth on itself like a snake. The corners were so sharp they had to tilt Kate¡¯s litter at a steep angle to get her around them. As he negotiated a tight corner, Corvan glanced up and noticed there were openings in the ceiling. He could see they were being watched. At two places, they had to wait for doors to open and then shut behind them.

    The channel finally opened into a wider chamber, where Madam Toreg waited for them before an arched double door. As Corvan stepped beside her, she pushed firmly on the doors and swung them wide.

    After what felt like weeks in near darkness, the scene completely overwhelmed Corvan. He squinted against the light at a domed ceiling so crowded with lumien globes it was almost impossible to distinguish one from the others. Jorad shoved the litter forward, which thrust Corvan tight against a low stone wall. The doors banged shut behind him, and the echo came back from the far side of the rounded cavern.

    ¡°Welcome to our City of Refuge,¡± Madam Toreg said proudly as she came up beside him. ¡°All who seek the truth and live with compassion are welcome here.¡±

    Corvan leaned over the ledge. Small, whitewashed dwellings were evenly spaced along terraces cut into the floor of the cavern. The scene looked more like a painting than something real. The circular pattern was like the streets of Kadir except the tracks were narrow and stacked downward like a funnel along the sides of the bowl. Narrower lanes connected the circular roads, like snakes slithering toward a central plaza surrounded by larger buildings at the bottom.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Jorad spoke quietly from behind Corvan. ¡°Seeing all these healthy lumiens gives me hope that Kadir may again shine in all its glory.¡±

    Madam Toreg glanced back at the priest with a question on her face and pointed to the left, where a creek rushed along the bottom of a deep channel next to the cavern wall. ¡°That is what currently remains of the water that flows from under the library.¡± Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Jorad. ¡°The water that was sent by the palace in Kadir. They are the ones who tried to fill our City of Refuge with water. Many of our people drowned in that attempt.¡± She made the special sign with her hands and sighed heavily. ¡°We are ready if they try it again. Next time, our water channel will carry the water back to the lower river outlet.¡±

    ¡°How many people remain?¡± Jorad asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°The day has not yet begun, and those along our path were instructed to stay indoors, for your safety as well as theirs. It is best if you pass unseen. Come, we will follow the water channel.¡±

    They moved to the left along the upper edge of the cavern and behind the outer ring of dwellings. Each home had a small patch of vegetation in the back. Some had vines with clusters of yellow fruit trailing over their walls.

    A baby¡¯s cry rose above the burble of the water running alongside the road, and a woman sang a lullaby. ¡°Those are sounds I have not heard for a very long time.¡± Jorad¡¯s voice was choked with emotion.

    Madam Toreg stopped and looked back. Her face softened. ¡°I have heard of your great loss, Jorad, and I offer my sympathy. Perhaps you should consider staying here with us instead of returning to Kadir.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s response was cut off by strains of flute music drifting in from around the corner. Madam Toreg whipped about and moved quickly around the bend by the river wall. Up ahead, a small boy in ragged clothing sat on the water channel wall. His bare feet and grubby legs kept time to the music as he blew across a set of graduated pipes. The mournful sound of its melancholy strains wrapped around them.

    ¡°Gavyn!¡± Madam Toreg barked. ¡°Come here!¡± Madam Toreg looked stern, but Corvan sensed the motherly love in her voice.

    The boy, all the while playing his pipes without missing a note, jumped off the wall and landed lightly in front of the old woman. Madam Toreg gently pushed the flute down from his lips. He smiled at her, but his deep blue eyes betrayed an abiding sadness.

    ¡°Gavyn, did you not hear that everyone was to remain out of sight?¡± she asked.

    The boy shrugged, looked at the ground, and ran a hand through his damp, matted hair.

    Jorad swiveled the pallet around and came into view alongside Corvan. He gave a soft whistle and smiled at the young boy. Gavyn¡¯s eyes brightened, and he ran to hug Jorad around the waist. Jorad bent his knees slightly, and Gavyn reached into the priest¡¯s cloak to fish out a small object wrapped in yellow paper. Jorad straightened and looked at Madam Toreg. ¡°As priests, we allow the little children that suffer to come to us for comfort.¡±

    Madam Toreg nodded slightly but shot Gavyn a warning look that suggested he be on his way. The boy ignored her and approached Corvan. He ran his hands along the side of Corvan¡¯s cloak. Corvan tried to pull away from his probing fingers, but Jorad¡¯s grip on the pallet restricted his movements.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Gavyn.¡± Madam Toreg stepped toward them. ¡°I have warned you about taking things that do not belong to you.¡±

    The boy¡¯s hand ran over the hammer in its holster. He stopped and looked up at Corvan with a puzzled expression. He said nothing, but Corvan knew the boy completely understood that the hammer was now back in the Cor and that meant trouble was coming.

    Madam Toreg stamped her foot, and the child whirled and grabbed a yellow fruit off a vine on his way over a stone wall.

    ¡°He means no harm,¡± Madam Toreg said. ¡°He lives wild, up in the ruins surrounding the library. Somehow, he has found a way to come and go in our new city as he pleases. I was told he lost his family in the flood, but no one knows for sure. He has never spoken.¡± She turned and headed down the road. ¡°We need to keep moving or the mayor might show up again.¡±

    The road grew steeper ahead, where the wall alongside was lower. The sound of the creek on the other side of it grew louder. Rounding a corner, Corvan found himself at the top of a steep flight of stairs that were slick with the spray from a series of waterfalls that plunged to a turbulent pool below.

    ¡°We have more work to do to complete the outlet channel, so these steps can get slippery. You¡¯d best turn sideways and carry her down together.¡± She took two steps down and pointed ahead. ¡°Let me go first and caress the light.¡±

    Madam Toreg descended the stairs and pushed a long pole up into the shadows. A large lumien hanging from a ring glowed as Madam Toreg gently stroked the tendrils that hung around the globe with the soft flaps at the end of the pole. Satisfied with the level of light, she leaned the pole back against the wall and motioned for them to join her.

    Corvan and Jorad held the litter awkwardly between them and made their way to the bottom level, where large stone blocks were stacked in loose piles. A deep lagoon swirled behind a circular wall. Madam Toreg led them around to where a sluice gate allowed water from the lagoon to rush under a low opening in the cavern wall.

    Madam Toreg pointed at the tunnel while speaking, but Corvan couldn¡¯t catch what she was saying over the sound of the rushing water. She motioned to them to wait and disappeared around the side of the lagoon. A low rumble, as if a train were passing, coursed through the rock. The water ebbed to a trickle.

    Madam Toreg reappeared. ¡°There is not much time before I must release the water again. You can get inside the channel just ahead of the gate and follow the tunnel along. You will come out directly under the lower bridge. A stairway will take you up to the roadway onto the bridge. Jorad, you will know where to go from there.¡±

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°Thank you, Madam Toreg. Your kindness will not be forgotten. We will protect your secrets and hold your well-being in good faith.¡±

    ¡°I know you will, Jorad, and I thank you.¡± She turned to Corvan, placed a hand on either side of his face, and pulled him close. ¡°I understand that you must fulfill your vow to this girl, but I also ask you to do whatever is in your power to rescue the owner of the white scarf. It is important to the Cor.¡± She glanced over his shoulder at Jorad then whispered in his ear, ¡°It is very important to me as well.¡± She pulled back. Her eyes were full of tears.

    Corvan nodded quickly. ¡°I promise, Madam Toreg. I promise on the hammer.¡±

    Her bushy eyebrows shot up, then she smiled. ¡°Thank you ¡­ Cor-Van.¡±

    She looked again to Jorad. ¡°Take the girl to Jokten in the Molakar settlement; his counterpart is gifted in healing, and he is the only one left with an understanding of the outer passages.¡± She gestured toward the empty watercourse, and then she touched Corvan¡¯s arm. ¡°Do not lose the medallion the girl holds. When you become the Cor-Van, you will need all three.¡±

    Corvan tried to respond, but she waved them on. ¡°Move quickly now. The lagoon walls are not completed, and the water will soon overflow the gate.¡±

    Holding tight to the front of the litter, Corvan stepped over a gap in the wall and into a roughhewn channel. He could feel Jorad¡¯s reluctance through the poles as the priest did the same and joined him in the tunnel. Water dripped from a ceiling that drew lower as they progressed. Corvan crouched to avoid hitting his head.

    ¡°How much farther?¡± Jorad¡¯s anxious voice reverberated in the tight space.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell,¡± Corvan responded. ¡°But we need to keep moving before the water comes back and drowns us in here.¡±

    It was the wrong thing to say, and Jorad pushed so hard on the poles that Corvan had to stumble along in his awkward stance to avoid being driven to his knees.

    Jorad¡¯s haste was a good thing. As they cleared the tunnel¡¯s end and climbed out of the channel, water roared from the hole they had just left and gushed out into the main river. Overhead a narrow span crossed the river.

    Corvan glanced back and found Jorad¡¯s white face dripping with both water and sweat.

    ¡°To the left,¡± the priest gasped, ¡°up the stairs¡ªbut watch your step, I don¡¯t want to fall in.¡±

    A long flight of narrow steps along the riverbank brought them up behind the low wall that kept the travelers on the main road safely away from the water. Setting Kate¡¯s litter on the wall, they climbed onto the road. Corvan had just grabbed the poles when they heard a familiar warbling cry from the edge of the city.

    ¡°They are close,¡± Jorad hissed. ¡°To the bridge, quickly!¡±

    Kate¡¯s body bounced on the litter as they ran forward. Ahead, the entrance to the bridge was flanked by two large stone pillars supporting the main bridge cables that reached out to the far side.

    A shadow moved out to meet them, and Garek waved them on.

    There was urgency in the gray man¡¯s voice. ¡°Quickly, run across. The bridge will shake, but I promise you it will not fall. Do not stop.¡± He pushed Corvan past him onto a metal suspension bridge that curved gently upward toward the center. The metal panels of its floor snapped and sprang as they ran. They were nearly to the middle when a trumpet blast rolled out over the water.

    ¡°Stop in the name of the Chief Watcher!¡± A deep voice boomed out.

    They kept running over the center of the bridge, its panels slipping beneath their feet and pitching them toward the chain railings.

    ¡°Stop, Kalian. Stop in the name of the Rakash.¡± The rasping voice crawled up Corvan¡¯s spine and into his head. How did the seeker know his name?

    Something moved in the shadows ahead. The bridge pitched and rolled beneath their feet as they staggered off the end. Another of the gray men stepped out to steady them.

    Corvan looked back. Two red-cloaked guards had reached the crest of the bridge, and the ghostly form of the Seeker was just behind them. The guards slowed as the shifting panels below their feet threw them from side to side. The Seeker staggered against the chains.

    The gray man threw his weight out to the side of the supporting pillar and in and instant the soldier and the seeker disappeared along with the center section of the bridge.

    The screams from the soldiers lasted only a second before being silenced by the rushing water.

    Jorad spoke into the heavy silence. ¡°Did they all . . . ?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the gray man replied.

    ¡°Including the Seeker?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°Gone into the water. May it sweep him into the abyss.¡± The gray man slipped away into the gloom.

    A light push on the poles of the litter was all Corvan needed to get him moving again. They walked in silence along the river wall. The rasping voice echoed in Corvan¡¯s head, and he glanced down into the dark water repeatedly.

    For a brief moment, he was certain he saw a pair of white eyes moving along just under the surface of the water and staring back at him.

 Hammer 39

    Corvan stumbled on the uneven pathway. As soon as he recovered, he glanced down at the water slipping by. To his relief, there were only a few patches of white foam floating along beside him.

    Corvan¡¯s stomach churned at the memory of the Rakash calling out his name. The Rakash obviously knew it was not looking for Tarran but how did it know who he was? Turning his attention back to the riverside road, he plodded forward on shaking legs.

    Jorad pushed firmly on the poles to direct them away from the water to the outer edge of the road. The man did like being this close to the water, but Corvan didn¡¯t appreciate being pushed along by Jorad, especially since the man had secretly taken the black knife. Corvan put his head down. He didn¡¯t know much about Jorad, yet his own life and Kate¡¯s fate were firmly in the man¡¯s hands.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Madam Toreg was the one behind this plan to leave the city, he would be even more nervous about this trip out to the settlements. Maybe he should have left Kate with their healer in the City of Refuge. He shook his head and muttered to himself, ¡°No point in second guessing. We can¡¯t go back because the bridge is broken.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Jorad asked sharply.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Corvan replied.

    Jorad grunted and pushed even harder on the poles.

    The wall rose high over the water and the high crags against the cavern wall on the other side drew closer before the path turned to the left and swept downward to meet the farthest point of the cavern. Where it ended, a dense mist hung in the air, along with the faint roar of a waterfall.

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°This levee guides the river to the falls by the edge of the Cor. We can¡¯t go that way. We need to leave the wall up ahead, go down into the fields, then climb up to the settlement passages.¡± The tone of Jorad¡¯s words was that of a man resigned to something he dreaded.

    Corvan looked down to the left at a scene he immediately recognized: fields of dirt in carefully ploughed rows. The main aqueduct branched out to even smaller channels, separating the fields below into a patchwork of irrigation lines that fanned out like the veins on a fallen leaf. Neat rows marked the ploughed fields between them, where small plants lay withered in the dusty earth. Beyond the fields was a steep slope with a switchback trail.

    ¡°Is there another way?¡± he asked Jorad.

    ¡°Not to save your Kate.¡± The words were bitter. ¡°But each step we take away from Kadir decreases our chances of rescuing Tyreth.¡±

    Corvan walked on in silence. Although he had promised Madam Toreg he would help save Tyreth, how could they possibly take Kate up to the settlements and rescue Tyreth at the same time? He pushed the thought aside. Once they got to the settlement and found their healer, they could try to figure it out.

    Just ahead, a low building stuck out over the river on sturdy pylons. Between the columns of rock, water rushed over a submerged dam. On the other side of the building, an aqueduct led down into the fields. The poles in his hands twisted as Jorad directed him away from the water toward an opening in the wall on the field side of the levee road. Corvan stepped through the gap onto a narrow stair that zigzagged its way down to the fields.

    They went down two flights of stairs, then Jorad abruptly stopped.

    ¡°Taking the stairs down to the fields will take too long. Step up inside the main aqueduct and we will go straight ahead to the settlement path. My brother and I used to do this all the time when we were younger when the aqueduct was dry, like it is now.¡±

    Corvan lifted his end of the litter over the raised side of the aqueduct. The sides were quite low, with the fields a good twenty feet below them. Jorad was afraid of water, but for Corvan, it was the height that made him nervous. He focused on walking along its smooth bottom, noting the sluice gates that would have allowed water to flow into the secondary channels that fanned out over the valley floor.

    ¡°What happened to the crops?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough light anymore to grow our food.¡± Jorad sighed and tipped the litter dangerously close to the edge of the aqueduct. ¡°At first, nobody noticed that lumiens were going missing and our light was fading. Once people realized the seeds of our lumiens were being eaten, everyone tried to get a share for themselves. Lumiens need a critical mass to sustain themselves and now there are not enough of them left. Unless there is a miracle, Kadir will also fall into darkness.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°Maybe the people who face the water ceremony are the fortunate ones.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart sank along with the hopelessness in the man¡¯s voice. ¡°Jorad, I really don¡¯t know how to use this hammer or what I can do to help, but if the healer at the settlement can make Kate better, keep her alive longer... then I would leave her with the healer to help you go back to the city and rescue Tyreth.¡±

    Jorad did not answer and as they walked on, Corvan wondered if Jorad¡¯s silence meant he didn¡¯t think Corvan would be much help... or that he thought it was already too late to help Tyreth.

    The aqueduct descended to a dry pool at the base of the steep hill that climbed up the side of the cavern. Stone walls separated the incline into terraces of dead vegetation, the path snaking its way up and over short sets of stairs at each switchback.

    Corvan¡¯s arms were aching from carrying Kate¡¯s litter and the steep face that loomed ahead of them tired him out just looking at it. He was hoping for a brief rest, but Jorad led them through the dry pool, up the other side and onto the path. Reaching the first corner, Corvan turned up the set of stairs that rose through an enclosed opening in the retaining wall. Corvan put his head down and struggled up the steps.

    Reaching the top stair, he raised his eyes to find an incredibly tall man armed with a bow waiting for him. Corvan tried to push back, but Jorad didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± Jorad said dryly. Corvan looked closer. It was only a mannequin, a haphazard face painted onto a cloth bag stuffed with dried vines that stuck out the top like a tuft of wiry hair. Its mouth twisted to one side in a sloppy grin, and it seemed to laugh at Corvan as he slowly passed.

    ¡°He was placed there to keep the rantels away from our crops,¡± Jorad said.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Are rantels the same as birds?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I do not know this word, birds,¡± Jorad said. ¡°Rantels were fierce creatures with boney arms covered in skin that could soar in the air. They would destroy our crops, so we had marksmen trained to shoot them out of the air. That is how the ones we now call the broken first discovered they could use arrows to cut down the lumiens within range. All that¡¯s left is that last patch high in the center.¡±

    ¡°How big do rantels get?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I have heard tales from beyond Kadir that in days gone by, they could be larger than a man, but I have only seen one as big as my forearm when I was much younger. All the rantels died out along with the crops.¡±

    ¡°Do rantels have long forked tails and beady black eyes?¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°The rebel leader had one on his head.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Jorad said. ¡°I saw that. It was a fake or a stuffed dead one from long ago. He uses it to back up the claims that his is the last Rantellic. It seems to impress his dimwitted followers.¡±

    ¡°Why would that impress them?¡±

    Jorad sighed. ¡°I already told you. The legend is that the Rantellics were a race of men who could communicate with the rantels. Their creatures would spy on our land and then reporting what they saw by connecting to their Rantellic masters. Personally, I think it was superstitious nonsense. It doesn¡¯t matter much now that the rantels are all dead.¡±

    He sounded so sure that as they walked on, Corvan doubted what he had seen back at the crypts. Maybe the rebel leader¡¯s headpiece had fallen off when the Roman candle hit his eye. There was a lot of smoke, and he might have just imagined it hissing at him and flying away. He decided he would not risk Jorad¡¯s scorn by talking any more about what happened.

    After a few more corners and stairways, they left the terraces behind, carrying Kate over rocky ground that sloped gently up toward a series of dark entrances cut into the cavern wall.

    ¡°Those are the tunnels to the settlements,¡± Jorad said. ¡°The rantels used to roost in those caves, so the ground is fertile with their guano. Lately the palace has moved some of our remaining lumiens to where the ceiling is low enough to grow food. Now our people work in the rantel caverns, tending the plants under armed guard.¡±

    ¡°Why do the workers need guards?¡±

    ¡°To make sure the lumiens do not go missing,¡± Jorad said bitterly, ¡°and because the penalty for eating palace food without permission is death.¡±

    The journey to the tunnel entrances took much longer than Corvan expected. Distances were deceiving, with no landmarks by which to judge the size of things. Small rocks in the distance turned out to be huge boulders. Even with his grandfather¡¯s slippers, his feet were killing him by the time they arrived at the entrances into the former rantel caves.

    ¡°We will take the one farthest to the right,¡± Jorad said. ¡°First, let¡¯s put the girl down on that flat slab and take a rest. It¡¯s still a long walk to the Molakar settlement.¡±

    Although it was a great relief to set the litter down and shake the cramps out of his hands, Corvan immediately crouched at Kate¡¯s side. Her face seemed to have a bit more color, as if the light from the medallion clutched under her hands was infusing her skin from her neck up. Touching her cheek, he was relieved to find it warmer this time.

    A muscle cramp shot through Corvan¡¯s calf, and he got to his feet and walked it out. Without the weight of the litter, his step was so light he thought he might jump right over the short wall alongside the path. As he drew close, he realized it would not be a good idea, for on the other side was a cliff that dropped off to the fields far below. He leaned out and put his hands on the wall.

    At the base of the precipice, a stream rushed out to join the main river just above the falls. Through the mist, he could make out a horseshoe shape of rushing water descending into a dark hole.

    Turning around, he found Jorad staring down the path.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Something is moving down by the stuffed man.¡± He pointed down the slope. ¡°There, behind the wall on the tier, just below it.¡±

    Corvan squinted at the place Jorad pointed out. The top of a red hood bobbed above the wall toward the stairs where they¡¯d passed the scarecrow.

    ¡°We need to get inside the tunnel right away.¡± Jorad ran back and bent down to Kate¡¯s litter. ¡°If they are following us, at least they won¡¯t know which entry we took.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s skin prickled as he stepped into place and stooped to grab the poles. Jorad¡¯s plan wouldn¡¯t work if the red hood belonged to someone who did not need to see them to follow. Wasn¡¯t it Jorad who said the seeker could follow the heat of their bodies?

    Rushing towards the farthest cave, they hurried through the entrance, then ran up a steep incline. The air inside was moist and smelled like a barn long overdue for a cleaning. Luminescent purple moss hung in thick swatches from the roof, providing enough light for them to avoid tripping on the uneven floor.

    The tunnel finally leveled out, then ran straight ahead for what seemed like miles. Jorad urged him on, but Corvan could tell by the tugs on the poles that the priest was continually looking over his shoulder.

    Jorad finally fell back into a steady, plodding pace, and after walking in silence around many corners, Jorad spoke up.

    ¡°I am grateful for your offer to help me rescue Tyreth. I don¡¯t think I can do it alone.¡± They turned a corner. ¡°As soon as we get your Kate to the healer, we must make haste to go right back to Kadir. At first, I didn¡¯t see it clearly, but now I am certain that Tyreth¡¯s fate intertwines with the future of the Cor. Her blood has permeated the seeds from the mother plant.¡± Jorad¡¯s pace faltered. ¡°I think that if she dies, the little red seeds also die.¡± He paused. ¡°We will all die.¡±

    A heavy weight pressed down on Corvan. The fate of the Cor was resting on his shoulders, but what did he have to offer? He had meant what he said about helping Jorad, but now he was so tired he could hardly think.

    The tunnel descended, spiraling through a series of tight corners before emerging into a low cavern. There were no lumiens, just a few fire sticks around the perimeter and a bright spot far off to the right.

    Jorad slowed his pace. ¡°All the soldiers will be out by the lumiens guarding the workers. Take that path to your left, past all the other worker¡¯s dwellings. Let¡¯s hope Jokten still lives in the same place.¡±

    They passed by entrances that had been carved into the side wall of the cavern. Between the dark doorways, narrow steps climbed up to dwellings on higher levels. The topmost stairs were cut at impossible angles where the wall jutted outward to join the ceiling.

    The poles of the litter were almost yanked from his hands, sending Corvan sprawling backwards to the ground beside Kate. Corvan jumped to his feet and glared at Jorad. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    The priest placed his end of the litter on the ground, turned Corvan around, and pointed down.

    At his feet, a deep pit revealed water flowing past jagged rocks far below.

    ¡°Sorry, Jorad. I was too busy looking about.¡± Muscles trembling with exhaustion, he leaned in for a closer look. He had read about formations like these. An underground river would weaken the ceiling of its channel until it collapsed. In this case, the roof had fallen in to form a low, rocky island surrounded by fast-flowing water.

    ¡°In my world, these are called cenotes,¡± he told Jorad. ¡°Ancient people thought they were doors to the world of the gods, and they¡¯d sacrifice young women by throwing them in.¡±

    Jorad nodded. ¡°Then our worlds have something in common, for that is what is done at the Wasting, when the water threatens to rise and flood the city. Here we call them the pits, karst. The soldiers use this one to execute workers who try to escape or who eat food without permission. They use that to lower them in.¡± He pointed across to a platform where a crude metal cage hung from a crane. ¡°They force the rest of the people to gather around and watch them die.¡±

    ¡°They drown them?¡±

    ¡°No, no. Look, there, by the largest rock.¡±

    At first Corvan saw only a dark shadow on the ripples of the water, but as he watched, it turned toward him and took shape.

    Red eyes pierced the darkness and stared up at him.

    It was the monster from his nightmares.

 Hammer 40

    Corvan took a step closer to the edge of the pit and Jorad¡¯s hand came down over his eyes, blocking the sight of the smoldering orbs.

    ¡°Do not look into its eyes,¡± the priest commanded. ¡°It will draw you closer and kill you.¡±

    Corvan pressed his hands over his eyes, trying to force away the memory of the monster¡¯s fie eyes. Blinking, he backed away from the edge, his breath coming in ragged gasps. ¡°What is that thing?¡± he asked, looking away from the pit towards the cliff dwellings.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Jorad said. ¡°It was here long before the Watcher came into power.¡± Jorad tapped his shoulder. ¡°Lights are coming this way. We need to find the healer¡¯s dwelling. I¡¯ll take the lead, but don¡¯t look down.¡±

    Jorad stepped to the front of the litter and waited for Corvan to step in behind and lift Kate. As they skirted the edge of the karst, Corvan was certain his every movement was being followed. He wanted desperately to look back and the only thing that stopped him was the sight of Kate¡¯s face. She appeared more at peace now, but her hands still tightly clasped the medallion, hiding its light. He watched her for any sign of movement. She was lying far too still for him to believe she was just resting. Was this the deep sleep Tsarek warned would come before she died?

    Jorad turned to the left and Corvan looked up as the priest guided them through an area where a section of the ceiling had collapsed into the half-buried entrances of the cliff dwellings below. High overhead, where the rock had fallen away, Corvan could see patches of the amber glow of the Cor shield.

    They walked through a forest of larger boulders and into the farthest corner of the cavern. Jorad stopped. He appeared uncertain of where to go next and quietly whistled a stanza from the song Corvan¡¯s father used to sing.

    A lump rose in Corvan¡¯s throat as his thoughts turned to home. With the Cor shield so close, surely there must be another portal nearby. Madam Toreg said that the healer¡¯s husband knew about the outer passages. He must know of some way to get back to the Castle Rock.

    A voice whispered from a shadowed doorway and Jorad quickly pulled the litter and Corvan up a short stair and into an entry room. He bent to whisper urgently to a hunched form, who beckoned for them to follow, then pushed past a thick curtain. As Corvan entered the next room, a light flared and a small, twisted fire stick was inserted into a holder on the wall.

    The feeble light revealed a woman so bent with age she had to twist her head sideways and peer up at him through a swatch of thin white hair. Her skin hung on her face and neck in wrinkled folds. She looked like she was on the edge of dying, but her eyes shone with vitality.

    ¡°I apologize for the lack of light. The palace has forbidden the use of fire sticks unless they are only twigs smaller than a person¡¯s thumb.¡± She held up her right hand where only the four fingers remained. ¡°They make sure you do not forget.¡±

    She nodded through an opening into another larger room. ¡°Put her down and let me have a look at her.¡±

    Jorad and Corvan lowered Kate onto a low stone table that had been carved into an alcove set into the wall. The old woman knelt by Kate, then ran her gnarled fingers over the girl¡¯s body, clucking and muttering. When she came to Kate¡¯s wrist, she gently caressed the ugly red welts from the black band. ¡°Ah, the young. So easily tempted by empty promises.¡±

    She put her other hand over Kate¡¯s cupped hands, paused a long moment, then pried Kate¡¯s hands apart and pulled out the medallion. She held it up, the green glow lighting her wrinkled face. ¡°So, you have finally been found, have you?¡±

    Kate moved restlessly, her hands grasping at the air.

    The old woman twisted around and looked up at Corvan. ¡°I think I could help her better if I had the counterpart to this.¡±

    Corvan glanced at Jorad for his approval but found the man staring intently at the medallion as it spun on its chain. Slipping the hammer free of the holster, he held it out to the woman.

    The old woman took it from him as if it were made of glass, then hugged it to her chest. Blue light flowed over her face, swirling together with the green from the spinning medallion. She inhaled deeply, as if breathing in the light, then stood to her feet and straightened until her eyes almost came level with Corvan¡¯s. A huge smile spread across her face. ¡°Only our Cor-Van could have these in his possession. With your return, I have hope for our people once more.¡±

    Before Corvan could respond, she bent down to Kate and held the hammer and medallion on either side of the girl¡¯s head. The lights grew stronger. Kate¡¯s arms and legs stiffened, and her body convulsed.

    Kate¡¯s eyes flew open, her hands flailing as if she were trying to push the light away. The old woman moved in closer and allowed Kate¡¯s hands to wrap around her own hands. The intense light from hammer and the medallion eased. The woman released the medallion into Kate¡¯s hand, and they watched as the girl once again cradled the medallion on her chest and wrapped both hands tightly around it.

    Kate looked up, focused on Corvan¡¯s face and smiled thinly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took your shoes,¡± she said. ¡°It was cold in that cave.¡±

    Corvan dropped to his knees on the side of the table. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kate. I found another pair. I¡¯m glad you took mine.¡±

    ¡°I want to go home, Corvan.¡± Kate whispered.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home, Kate. I promise,¡± Corvan¡¯s said and put his hand over hers. Kate

    Kate nodded. Her eyes closed and her face relaxed.

    Hammer in hand, the old woman stood to face him. ¡°So, it is true. The Cor-Van has finally come to help us.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not your leader. Corvan is the name my grandfather gave me. I can¡¯t stay here to help you; I need to take Kate home.¡±

    The old woman looked at him long and hard before she released the hammer into his hand. The blue glow faded as she let out a deep sigh and sank back to her stooped over form. Pulling a coarse blanket from a basket at the foot of the table, she covered Kate.

    ¡°You are correct that you must take this girl back. Although her mind is now purged of the darkness, she will not survive if she does not return to her own light. She does not belong here.¡± She twisted about and look up at Corvan. ¡°But that does not mean you are not our Cor-Van. You, my boy, are a part of us. You and I must talk.¡±

    ¡°Is the girl able to travel?¡± Jorad asked.

    ¡°No. She is very weak. I need to get some nourishment in her. Perhaps Jokten can find something for her to eat without getting caught.¡±

    Jorad turned to Corvan. ¡°There is very little food here in the settlements. You and I should go back to the city. There is plenty of food in the storage rooms of the priest¡¯s compound. While we are there getting food for Kate, we can find out when the next water ceremony is to take place and plan a way to rescue Tyreth.¡±

    Corvan looked down. There was no doubt Kate needed to eat. Her cheeks were sunken, and her hands gaunt and dry. Going with Jorad to get food sounded dangerous.

    Pebbles clattered outside the door. The old woman put a crooked finger to her lips, took the sputtering fire stick from its niche, and slipped into the entry room. The tattered dark curtain fell behind her, casting shimmers of light through its threadbare folds.

    A man¡¯s tense voice penetrated the cloth. ¡°I was right; they are trying to break through the Cor shield. This clearing of new tunnels to grow food is just a ruse. They have been seeking a weak spot in the shield, and today they found it.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± the old woman asked.

    ¡°The soldiers brought the entire tunneling crew back early, all in chains. I crept close and listened. They have found a crack in the Cor shield wide enough for a person to crawl through. A report is being sent to the palace at first light to bring the Rakash. This can only bode ill for both spheres. All our work will be for naught.¡±

    ¡°There is always hope, my dear,¡± the old woman said softly. ¡°Come and see.¡±

    Her damaged hand pushed aside the tapestry and an old man stepped into the room. His keen eyes fell on Corvan¡¯s face, and he drew a sharp breath. The man raised a calloused hand as if to touch him, then pulled it back. ¡°What is your name, son?¡±

    Corvan stared at him. Other than the white ring of thick hair around his balding head, this man could have easily passed for his father. ¡°Kalian, sir,¡± he stammered.

    The old man frowned. ¡°What settlement are you from?¡±

    The old woman pushed around the man. ¡°He came to us from the world above. He carries the hammer.¡± She poked at the man¡¯s ribs. ¡°And the girl called him Cor-Van.¡±

    A huge smile spread across the man¡¯s wrinkled face, and his blue eyes sparkled. ¡°We have been waiting a long time for you. With your help, we will bring healing back to the Cor and stop the evil from breaking out into your world.¡± He placed his hands on Corvan¡¯s shoulders, his eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I always believed you would make it back. You have arrived just in time.¡±

    Corvan opened his mouth to protest, but a shout from outside the dwelling broke the silence. ¡°Jokten,¡± an angry voice called out, ¡°you are under arrest for treason against the palace. Come out and face your judgment.¡±

    Jorad pulled the black knife from under his cloak, but the old man motioned for him to stand down. ¡°Stay here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do not interfere, no matter what happens.¡± He smiled at Corvan. ¡°Now that the Cor-Van has returned, my purpose is fulfilled. It does not matter what they do to me!¡±

    He turned back to the entry with the old woman close behind. As the curtain fell, a bright light entered the porch and the old cloth blazed with dusty color. It was another piece of old tapestry flowing with angular symbols around a green tree.

    ¡°Jokten,¡± a gruff voice rumbled, ¡°you have been found guilty of unlawfully consuming the food set aside for all the people.¡±

    Jokten¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°I have done nothing of the sort.¡±

    ¡°Your fellow conspirators have testified against you. You and the entire tunneling crew are guilty. You will all be tested in the karst.¡±

    Jokten snorted. ¡°Tested? Don¡¯t you mean executed?¡±

    ¡°You will be given a weapon to defend yourself. If you win against the beast, you shall be proclaimed innocent.¡±

    A shadow fell across the curtain, and another man spoke in a shrill voice. ¡°Look here, Sergeant, another proof of his treason. This tapestry must have been stolen from the priests.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s irrelevant now,¡± the gruff voice responded. ¡°Old scrolls and the priest¡¯s legends are meaningless. The High Priest is dying, and the Chief Watcher has announced that his daughter will face the Wasting at first light tomorrow. The priesthood is over.¡±

    A dirty hand slipped through the curtain. ¡°But who knows what else Jokten might have in here? Perhaps he has been storing his stolen food. I have not eaten for three segments.¡±

    ¡°I understand your need, soldier. It is mine as well. But I have been told that what we found today will bring us more food than we could ever imagine. The Watcher has promised that finding a way through the wall will fulfill all our desires.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry now.¡± A booted foot appeared at the bottom of the curtain.

    A high shriek filled the air. ¡°Do not take my husband from me. How will I survive? Please spare us. We are old; we will not cause you any trouble.¡±

    At the sound of a loud slap, the hand and foot pulled back.

    ¡°Never lay your grubby hands on a palace sargeant, old woman,¡± the gruff voice said. ¡°Soldier, bring Jokten along. We have a trial to conduct.¡±

    As the sounds of the soldiers faded away, Corvan heard soft sobs from the entry room.

    Jorad brushed the curtain aside and bent over the old woman, dabbing blood away from her mouth. She pushed Jorad¡¯s hand firmly aside and leveled an unwavering stare at Corvan. ¡°You must rescue him.¡±

    Corvan lifted his hands helplessly. How could he possibly save Jokten from the soldiers?

    ¡°Not for my sake,¡± the healer said, ¡°but for hers.¡± She pointed through the curtain to where Kate lay in the other room. ¡°My husband is the only one who can guide you through the hidden passages back to the surface.¡± Her voice shook. ¡°He would not tell me where the door is... for my own safety.¡±

    Clutching Jorad¡¯s shoulder, she pulled herself toward Corvan.

    ¡°If Jokten dies in the pit, you will be sealed in the Cor. The girl will die.¡±

 Hammer 41

    A dizzying rush of panic swept over Corvan.

    Kate would die if he couldn¡¯t find the passage to get her home, but what could he possibly do to rescue Jokten from the nightmare monster? His voice shook as he looked to Jorad. ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone else who knows where the entrance to the passage is?¡±

    Jorad only shrugged as the old woman reached out, took Corvan¡¯s hand and squeezed it, her eyes imploring him.

    Corvan looked away, the selfishness of his request seemed to hang visibly in the confines of the small entry. Everyone else was taking risks to help him. Jorad had carried Kate to the healer even though it put Tyreth¡¯s life in jeopardy. The old woman had just risked arrest or even death to keep the soldier from discovering him and Jokten had allowed the soldiers to drag him off be executed because the old man believed he was the leader they were looking for.

    Jorad spoke up. ¡°We must save Jokten from the karst. I will go with you.¡±

    Corvan clenched his jaw and blinked back tears. In his nightmares he had never escaped from the beast. The image of the monster bearing down on him in his dreams overwhelmed his thoughts and he clenched his eyes tight to force it away. What good would it do Kate if he died in the pit?

    Someone cupped his hands, and a sense of peace flowed up through arms and into his body. In his mind, the fierce red eyes faded into white stars that multiplied across a night sky. Calmness came over him with a new realization: Death was not the worst thing that could happen. Far worse would be to let other people suffer while he ran away.

    He opened his eyes to discover the hammer was wrapped in his hands, which in turn were cradled in the hands of the old woman.

    She studied his face. ¡°Death eventually comes to us all, but before it does, we have many opportunities to choose life.¡±

    Corvan nodded and took the hammer from her. ¡°I will try,¡± he said and instantly a blue glow filled the cave.

    She smiled and patted his cheek. ¡°I believe you will succeed.¡±

    Outside the entry, a lone drum began pounding out a deep, steady beat.

    Jorad glanced out the entrance. ¡°They are calling all the workers in to witness the execution.¡±

    Corvan frowned. ¡°They will come to watch? I thought those oppressed by the palace would help each other.¡±

    ¡°Evil runs through all mankind, rich or poor, slaves or free,¡± the woman said. ¡°You will always find those who take pleasure in the misfortunes of others.¡±

    Corvan clenched the hammer tighter and looked to Jorad. ¡°What will they do to him?¡±

    ¡°They lower the prisoners into the pit one at a time to fight the beast,¡± the priest said. ¡°None will win, for its hide cannot be pierced by the crude weapons they are given to defend themselves. Most will not even try. The beast will immobilize them with its gaze and then crush them.¡±

    ¡°If it can¡¯t go into the water, why don¡¯t they swim away from it?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°There is no way out of the pit as the water flows in and out underground. None of the prisoners have sought to drown themselves to escape.¡±

    Corvan held out the hammer. ¡°Can this be used against it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the old woman said. ¡°The hammer judges a soul and gives its holder strength; this is but a brute beast. It will not have any effect on it.¡±

    Corvan swallowed the rising fear. ¡°Then what can I do?¡±

    Jorad stepped closer. ¡°The only thing we can do. Step out this door and try our best.¡± He held out Morgan¡¯s scabbard and knife. ¡°Take this. I have my own. If we hurry, we can get there before they lower him in. They usually put the oldest ones in last.¡±

    Corvan extended his arm and Jorad lashed the knife into position. The man stepped back to the door and nodded to him.

    The old woman tugged on Corvan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Jokten says he is old and ready to die, but I love him dearly, I want him to live.¡± She tried to smile but it immediately vanished before she shuffled back into her dwelling.

    Corvan followed Jorad outside. Just ahead light blazed from fire sticks scattered around the rim of the karst and clustered on the platform. The pounding of a massive drum shook the ground. Above the crowd, the crane clattered into position over the center of the pit. Inside the cage, a man stood in readiness, a crude wooden spear in his hand.

    The crane groaned, the rope slipped through the pulley at its tip and the cage dropped a foot, then stopped with a jerk. The crowd roared its approval as the man in the cage staggered and fell against the metal slats.

    ¡°It¡¯s Jokten,¡± Jorad hollered over his shoulder. ¡°They are putting him in first.¡± The man shoved his way into the crowd and although Corvan pulled in tight behind him, but in the madness, he quickly lost sight of the priest¡¯s green cloak. Crouching low he forced himself past the tangle of legs, emerging at the very edge of the pit.

    Across the chasm, a row of shackled men stood on the crane platform, eyes downcast. At the end of the line, a young boy, his hair closely cropped, sat tugging on his leg irons, his bony shoulders shuddering with terrified sobs. The boy looked through his tears around the ring of spectators until his eyes met Corvan¡¯s. They stared at each other for a long moment, before the boy mouthed two words. ¡°Help me!¡±

    As Corvan looked into the young boy¡¯s eyes, everything inside him began to pound with rage along with each beat of the drum. How could people be so cruel? If he ruled the Cor . . .

    The metal gears clattered. The cage dropped another foot, and the crowd cheered, their voices energized with the anticipation of suffering and death.

    A guttural roar from the confines of the karst silenced the people. The immense black beast was pacing within a cleared circle of tall boulders below the swaying cage, its clawed feet crunching through bones and broken spears.

    Up on the platform the sergeant who had arrested Jokten strode into position next to the prisoners. ¡°You are all here today to witness the testing of these workers¡ªmen who took food that belonged to all of us here in the settlement.¡± Mutters of anger rippled through the crowd. ¡°They have eaten what was to be shared by all and now they shall pay the price for their greed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± one of the shackled men cried out. ¡°We were making a tunnel for the palace.¡± He pointed down the line of prisoners. ¡°They brought the boy to crawl inside the crack and he found¡ª¡± A blow from the sergeant caught him on the side of the head, and he crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°For speaking out against the rulers,¡± the sergeant announced, ¡°this man shall go next.¡± The crowd roared their approval as the guards unlocked the prisoner¡¯s chains and pulled the dazed man to the front of the platform. The beast roared up at them. Startled, the guards dropped the groaning victim and retreated. The stunned man tried to get to his feet but misjudged the edge, falling without a sound until he splashed into the water below and disappeared.

    The crowd collectively held its breath until the body bobbed to the surface, then slowly slid around the island and out of view under a ledge.

    ¡°In the name of the High Priest, this must stop!¡±

    Everyone turned to find Jorad standing at the far end of the platform, his hand pointing into the pit. ¡°The gods are not pleased with this testing, especially of a mere boy. That is why the god¡¯s have returned the man¡¯s body from the water.¡±

    Some of the audience shrank back from the edge of the pit and Corvan heard someone say, ¡°He¡¯s right about the boy. It¡¯s against the law. Look how afraid he is.¡±

    ¡°Since when does the priesthood have jurisdiction in matters of treason?¡± The sergeant strutted to the front of the stage and stood by the base of the crane. ¡°Why should we obey a priest who enjoys the comforts of the priest¡¯s quarters and all the food he desires?¡±

    The sergeant grasped the underside of the crane with one hand and leaned out over the pit.

    The audience gasped.

    ¡°When was the last time you saw a green cloak working in the fields?¡± The sergeant called out.

    Angry shouts rang out around the karst.

    The sergeant pushed himself back from the crane and looked at Jorad through narrowed eyes. ¡°And why are you even here? Were you not told that all the priests have been commanded to attend the trial of the High Priest and his daughter?¡± He spread his arms wide to the audience. ¡°Why should these people, who work all the segments in the fields, listen to a priest who refuses to even follow the orders of the palace?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Jorad stepped forward to reply, but the angry shouts of the crowd drowned him out.

    The sergeant grabbed the crane again and balanced himself on the edge of the pit. As the crowd hushed, he called out. ¡°Since this renegade priest speaks on behalf of the gods, perhaps we should see if his god will proclaim him innocent in the karst.¡±

    The crowd cheered their approval and the sergeant nodded to his men. Before Jorad could pull out his knife to defend himself, the guards grabbed him and shackled him into the place formerly held by the drowned man. One tied a gag over Jorad¡¯s mouth.

    Corvan looked along the row of men. The young boy was now on his feet, staring at him with desperate hope in his eyes.

    Down in the karst, the monster from his nightmares was hunched at the lower end of the island, staring over the water to where the drowned man¡¯s body had disappeared.

    The gears chattered, the pulley creaked, and the cage resumed its descent. Jokten braced himself against the iron slats as the creature below lazily turned its head in his direction. An archer guarding the crane shouted at it, then loosed an arrow, the point sticking fast in the creature¡¯s scaly shoulder. Leaping to its feet it bellowed at the archer, then, pulling the arrow out with its teeth, it stalked toward the descending cage.

    Fresh cheers from the crowd mixed with the bellows of the furious beast as it arrived in the killing circle below the swaying cage.

    If he was to help Jokten fight the creature he had to get down there¡ªand fast. Corvan leaned over the edge. Could he dive into the water? No. At this place, the rocky island was directly below the lip of the karst.

    Corvan lost his footing, and someone pulled him back and hollered in his ear, ¡°The beast will get enough to eat today without you climbing in. We don¡¯t have a rope long enough to pull you out.¡±

    That was the answer! Releasing the krypin rope from his belt loop, he anchored the disk just over the edge. Taking a deep breath, he spun around, stepped off the edge and dropped into the void. With the krypin tight in his hands, he let it stretch out to slow his descent and just as the island came up to meet him, he let go, tumbling up in behind the high rocks that surrounded the killing circle.

    As he crept forward, the metal gears went silent, immediately followed by the animal¡¯s howls of frustration. Corvan peered over the top of the rocks. The beast had hooked one claw into the bottom of the cage and was pulling back with all its might. On the platform overhead, the craned buckled and twisted. The beast yanked furiously, and the sergeant lost his balance, twisted about, then leapt off the platform to grasp the rope. He tried desperately to climb back up to the tip of the crane but lost his grip and slid down until he was standing on the large hook attached to the top of the cage.

    Corvan moved closer between two rocks and slid the black blade from its sheath. As he drew closer behind the creature, the sheer size of it filled him with cold dread. Stretched up on its hind feet and yanking on the cage, it towered over him, easily twice his height.

    The screech of tearing metal rent the air and the cage tore free of the hook, crashing to the ground and spilling Jokten out its broken door. At that moment the sergeant shouted for help as he wedged his feet into the metal hook that dangled from the rope. On the deck soldiers tried to turn the windlass and pull him back up but the mechanism was hopelessly jammed.

    Again the sergeant tried to climb the rope but he only succeeded in making himself swing back and forth over the killing circle. Crouching on the hook he stopped moving and waited.

    In the dead silence that followed, the monster sat back on its haunches to watch the pendulum swings of the sergeant.

    The sergeant let go with one hand and gestured to where Jokten was struggling to his feet, the wooden spear hanging limply at his side. The old man stumbled on the broken bones and the beast turned its attention toward him. Leaving the broken cage, it moved slowly around the outer edge of the rocks to where Corvan was hiding. It stopped just in front of him and crouched low, the muscles in its shoulders tensing for the kill.

    Raising the knife high, Corvan jumped up on a sloped rock and leapt onto the animal¡¯s back, plunging the knife with all his strength into its thick neck. With a deafening roar, it rose up on its hind feet, carrying Corvan astride its back, his hands firmly clutched around the handle. The animal twisted and bucked, its body writhing like bands of steel beneath him. Corvan flew through the air, slamming into a boulder with a bone-jarring thud, then tumbled to the ground behind two tall boulders.

    Dazed, he lay in a heap listening to the furious bellows. Forcing his trembling limbs into motion he pulled himself forward to peer out between two rocks.

    Jokten was nowhere to be seen and the creature was leaning on the empty cage, blood running from its wound as it roared at the sergeant swinging above him on the hook. It must be thinking Corvan¡¯s surprise attack had come from above.

    The sergeant shouted something about firesticks to his men on the platform. His garbled cries were finally understood and flaming sticks of all sizes fell to the ground around the broken cage. A small one landed by Corvan¡¯s knee and when he brushed it aside, he discovered his numb hand still clutched the black knife.

    The beast stepped on a hot stick and howled in pain. Angrily tossing the cage off to one side, it limped away from the ring of fire sticks burning below the sergeant. The scent of scorched fur stung Corvan¡¯s nose.

    As the wounded creature sat down to lick its burnt paw, an eerie silence settled into the arena. Nothing moved except the sergeant struggling to stay balanced on the hook. He tried once more to climb but lost his grip and tipped away, barely managing to lock his legs into the hook, like an upside-down trapeze artist. The frantic movements made his body swung even farther outside from the protective circle of fire sticks that hissed like petrified snakes on the rocky floor below.

    The beast grunted, watched the swing out and back, waited until he drew close, then batted him off the hook. The sergeant hit the ground, scrambling on his hands and knees to pick up a fire stick but as he turned around, the massive animal pounced, crushing him onto the rocks.

    Slowly the black form rose from the ground and stood over the broken body, then shattered the air with a victorious roar that reverberated off the walls of the karst.

    The echoes faded but now the beast was staring beyond the broken cage to where the point of a spear moved in slow circles behind a loose pile of rocks. It had discovered Jokten¡¯s hiding place.

    The huge creature moved cautiously through the scattered fire sticks, all the while keeping its eyes on the jerky movements of the spear tip. It passed by his hiding place, muscles rippling beneath its hide.

    Although the old woman said the hammer didn¡¯t work on animals, Corvan drew it out anyways. The blue words shone out and he slipped silently out behind the creature, hammer in one hand and the black knife in the other.

    As he readied himself for another charge, an arrow flew over his shoulder and dug into the calf of the beast. Bellowing, it spun around to see where the arrow came from.

    Angry red eyes locked onto his and a dark fear devoured his will to move. The hammer slipped from his grasp and the black knife slumped to hung limply at his side. The creature crouched low, ready to spring but Corvan could not make his body respond, its eyes held him fast.

    A sharp jab of pain in his shin pulled his eyes away from the creature¡¯s gaze. A long firestick lay dripping at his feet.

    ¡°Point it at the beast!¡± someone shouted. Corvan swept up the fire stick, directing its flaming end at the animal¡¯s broad chest as it circled around him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at its eyes,¡± the voice commanded.

    The crowd cheered as Corvan backed away. Over the beast¡¯s shoulder, Corvan caught sight of Jokten shouting and waving his spear. He couldn¡¯t understand what the man was saying until the butt end of the fire stick bit into the high rocks behind him.

    The monster had cornered him.

    With a blast of its rancid breath, it sprang. The fire stick was twisted from Corvan¡¯s grasp as the weight of the massive beast pressed down, squeezing the breath from his body.

    The creature¡¯s intense roar engulfed him in the darkness until it seemed his head would burst, but then suddenly it pulled away. Corvan blinked past the pain, expecting to see sharp teeth ready to devour him. Instead, he found the animal clutching furiously at Corvan¡¯s fire stick protruding from its chest. Roaring, it swiveled around to reveal that the fire stick had gone clear through its body and was still burning out its back.

    As it spun about, Corvan himself up against the rocks behind him then stumbled off to the side. The beast stopped twisting and faced him, its lips pulled back in a snarl. Corvan stepped back and his feet splashed in the water as the cheers of the spectators above penetrated his deafened ears.

    Another arrow rattled off the stones at his feet and he finally understood.

    The arrows were meant for him. The crowd was cheering for their monster.

    The beast tipped its head back and roared up at the ring of eager faces, its energy renewed. Corvan took another step deeper into the water. If it would follow him, he could swim away, it would drown and Jokten could be saved.

    Slipped the knife into its sheath to free us his hand, his heart sank at the realization that he had dropped the hammer somewhere in the rocks.

    Two more arrows whipped past him on either side.

    The wounded creature was close enough to spring when behind it, a man rose from the ground, a spear in hand and a triumphant smile on his face.

    Jokten nodded to Corvan, raised the spear¡¯s haft high over his head and brought it swiftly down to shatter the fire stick protruding from the creature¡¯s back.

    A blast of air and chunks of burning flesh hurled Corvan backward to fall with a splash into the deep water.

    As he sank the cold water cleared his head. Arrows were darting into the water around him. Rolling over he dived down, swimming below the surface in closer the edge of the karst, where the archers could not locate him.

    Fire sticks fell gurgling around him. Dodging their bubbling flames, he dug fingers into cracks along the rocky wall, but the current grabbed him and dragged him away. Breaking the surface for fresh air, Corvan swam desperately to beat the current but it was too strong and he was quickly pulled past the lower tip of the island.

    Just ahead a wide ledge swept down to meet the river and he dove under the surface swimming along with the current as fast as he could. Somewhere up ahead the underground river would emerge into the open air near the falls, but could he hold his breath that long? Panic grabbed him and he swam even faster.

    By the light of the fire sticks bubbling along beside him he could see the roof pulling away and he followed it upward, his lungs crying out for air. He pulled himself along the roof, gouging his hands on the rough surface. Panic gave way to desperation as his final breath began slipped past his lips.

    A fire stick shot toward him in a cloud of bubbles that rose up to a silver pocket of air.

    Just when he was about to give in and let the water fill his lungs, Corvan¡¯s face broke through the silver circle. He took a deep breath and gagged. The air was stale and putrid. His breath came in fractured gasps, but the trapped air gave little satisfaction to his lungs.

    ¡°You have to go on, there is not enough good air here.¡± The voice was murky, as if it was his own thoughts, but he followed through and ducked back into the current, his body twisting along in the bubbling froth.

    The dark shadow of a rocky outcrop loomed ahead, he tried to dodge to one side, but a flash of light filled his head before darkness closed in.

 Hammer 42

    A deep roar pummeled Corvan¡¯s ears. His eyes flew open, and he searched for the source of the sound, but there was nothing to be seen except for a dense curtain of mist that rolled toward him from a patch of ghostly light. The roar must be coming from the waterfall on the edge of the Cor. Somehow, after hitting his head on the rock in the underwater tunnel, he had managed to get through to the open air.

    Gently probing the lump on his forehead, he found it wet, hopefully just from the damp air and not because it was bleeding. His arm and shoulder were almost too stiff and sore to get his hood back over his head but once it was back in position, his shivering eased.

    As he peered out under his hood, a shadow stepped into the pool of light and took shape in the swirling fog. A large lizard walked towards him; a short sword clutched in its claws. The Chief Watcher had found him.

    Corvan struggled to get to his feet, but his body flatly refused. He fell back against a boulder, pain shooting down his neck and left arm then right down to the soles of his feet.

    He closed his eyes and dropped his head onto his chest. There was nothing he could do to escape from the black lizard.

    The gravel crunched in front of him, and a shadow fell across his eyelids.

    ¡°Oh, sir, I am so glad you have awakened, sir. I was beginning to think the death of cold had finally caught you.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s eyes popped open. Tsarek stood before him, a short unlit fire stick in his paw.

    ¡°Tsarek?¡± Corvan exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡±

    ¡°Oh ues, sir, I am very much alive.¡±

    ¡°But how? I was certain you were dead,¡± Corvan said. ¡°The burak had you in its teeth.¡±

    Tsarek chuckled. ¡°Yes, it did, but buraks like to keep their prey alive until they get you back to their lair so they can eat you later. If you let your body go limp, they think you are too injured to move and don¡¯t bite down hard. They are lazy creatures and like to sleep after a hunt.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you come back and help me get to Kadir?¡± Corvan said. ¡°Did you get lost in the tunnels? Where have you been this whole time?¡±

    Tsarek hung his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean I got away immediately. They take a while to fall asleep and it seemed one of them was more hungry and would look at me if I moved even a tiny bit. Then it got tired of waiting and came to eat me while its mate slept.¡± He lifted his poison claw. ¡°I had no choice, but it will likely never wake up again.¡±

    Corvan managed a small nod, but it made his head swim and his stomach roll, so he closed his eyes and relaxed back against the boulder. That was why only one burak had attacked Tarran at the portal door. If he had known there was only one left, maybe he would¡¯ve fought it and saved the man. He resisted shaking his aching head. He knew that was not the truth. One or two buraks would not have made any difference. At the time he had simply been too afraid to help Tarran.

    ¡°Is your pain great?¡± Tsarek asked as he gently rearranged Corvan¡¯s cloak close around his neck. ¡°I am so glad you have this garment. Without it you would have died from the cold water.¡±

    Corvan looked up as Tsarek stepped away, a look of consternation on his narrow face. ¡°But why did you close the door on me?¡±

    ¡°What door?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°Just after the last burak attacked your friend and dragged him away, I ran to you, but you shut the portal door on me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was you,¡± Corvan replied. ¡°I thought there was still two of the buraks and the other one was coming to eat me.¡±

    ¡°But I called and knocked on the door, and you still didn¡¯t open it.¡± Tsarek¡¯s wounded expression became even more pronounced, and he waved his short arms around. ¡°It took me a long time to find another way in. I had to swim through much dark water and try many small passages. I only made it through the water to the settlement just when you used your krypin to drop into the karst to fight the cave creature.¡±

    ¡°So, it was you who threw the fire stick at my leg?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I could see you were captured by its eyes, so I threw the stick and shouted. I did not want to see it kill you.¡± Tsarek leaned in and wrapped his short arms awkwardly around him. ¡°I missed you, Kalian.¡±

    ¡°I missed you, too, Tsarek.¡± Corvan ran his hand down the lizard¡¯s spiny back and Tsarek snuggled in closer to his neck, rumbling in his throat like a contented cat before suddenly pulling away.

    ¡°I have something you left behind in the karst,¡± Tsarek said, then scampered away.

    Relief flowed over Corvan. Tsarek had retrieved the hammer. He would need its guidance and light to get back to Kate and find a way home.

    The fog lit up as if a car with one headlamp was coming through the fog. Tsarek emerged with a huge smile on his face and a neatly coiled rope draped over his arm. Corvan¡¯s heart dropped as he took the krypin from him. He was glad to get his it back, but without the hammer, he was going to have a hard time getting back to the surface.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Corvan lifted the side of the cloak and wearily clipped the rope back onto his belt loop. ¡°Thanks, Tsarek.¡±

    Tsarek touched his shoulder. ¡°I am so glad we found a spot of air in the tunnel. I know it does not help much to breathe those fire stick bubbles, but it was the only way to keep you from drowning.¡±

    ¡°Was that the silver circle I saw up by the ceiling under the water?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Pockets of air look shiny from below. That is how you can find places to breathe instead of drowning, but there were so many fire sticks in the water, it was hard to see them. That is also why I did not see the rock that hit your head. Does it hurt greatly?¡±

    Corvan put a hand to his head and brought it back to examine his fingers by the light of Tsarek¡¯s firestick. There was no blood. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. I¡¯m glad to be alive.¡±

    ¡°I am glad too. Is your counterpart also still alive? The one called Kate? Does she still wear the black band?¡±

    ¡°No. The hammer set her free just like it did for you. She at the settlement by the karst but she is very sick. I need to get her back to our home.¡±

    Tsarek looked out into the mist. ¡°That will be difficult. When you locked me out you also closed the only door that leads to the labyrinth and your home.¡±

    ¡°Jokten knows a way out.¡±

    ¡°Jokten?¡±

    ¡°The old man who helped me fight that monster and broke the firestick that pieced its body.¡±

    ¡°I did not see that man after the fire stick exploded,¡± Tsarek said.

    Corvan struggled to his feet, his head swam and his legs crumpled. As he slid along the boulder back to the ground, an arrow struck the rock where his head had just been, sparking and shattering into splinters.

    Tsarek yanked him off to one side and he landed with a painful crunch in the gravel. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± his friend whispered, extinguishing his firestick, and running away.

    Another arrow whistled through the darkness overhead and one more struck the rocks to his right. Somewhere in the darkness, muffled voices argued.

    Corvan listened anxiously but the heavy mist muffled the sounds like a woolen blanket. A minute went by, then two. He sat up and pulled the knife from its sheath.

    A fire stick sparked to life. Corvan pushed himself upright into a cleft between the rocks. The light approached, casting a myriad of shifting shadows in the dense fog. At the last moment, Corvan stepped stiffly forward, his blade extended.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Tsarek¡¯s irritated voice hissed.

    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know for sure if it was you. Are they gone?¡±

    The lizard came close and held out the light. ¡°Now my claws are locked again. Please assist to release them.¡±

    Corvan crouched and petted Tsarek¡¯s back until the fire stick clattered to the ground.

    The lizard picked it back up. ¡°They were shooting at our light from the other side of the smaller river that flows from the karst. It was the Sightless one and four soldiers.¡±

    ¡°The leader of the Rakash?¡±

    The lizard nodded.

    ¡°I thought he drowned in the river.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tsarek said, shaking his head until his spines rattled. ¡°You cannot kill them by water. I do not think you can kill them by fire either. They feel no pain nor do they¡ª¡±

    ¡°Does it still carry a white scarf?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Seeker was angry they were shooting at our light. It told the soldiers someone name Tarran was on the other side, and they needed to cross the water to find him but the soldiers refused.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t it cross alone if it¡¯s not afraid of the water?¡±

    ¡°I think it needs the soldiers to help it surround and capture you. Their master wants you taken alive.¡± Tsarek pointed into the mist. ¡°It has taken the soldiers up along the other side. They are going to circle over the water where it comes out of the cliff, but I have a plan to trick them. I will go up and see where they cross. When they come down to this side, we will attract them with the lit firestick, wait until they are close, then cross the water and leave them behind on this side while we go back to the settlement. They will think we went back to Kadir. It is a great plan, yes?¡±

    The lizard was obviously pleased with himself, and although allowing the Rakash and the soldiers to get so close sounded risky, Corvan could not think of any other way to escape and get back to Kate.

    Tsarek helped him down to the edge of the creek where it joined the main river just before it plunged over the falls. Pushing the fire stick into the gravel, and with a final pat on Corvan¡¯s shoulder, Tsarek waded into the creek and disappeared into the darkness on the other side.

    Alone in the pool of light reflecting off the water, Corvan thought through the situation. There was a sense of relief that the hammer was out of his hands. He had returned it to the Cor and now his job was done. It was no longer his responsibility. He only needed to find Jokten, locate the other passage, and together they could carry Kate to the surface.

    Was Jokten was too old to carry Kate that far? Maybe Jorad would help. Then again, even if he could find the priest, Jorad would ask him to go to the city and rescue Tyreth. Without the hammer they didn¡¯t have a chance of defeating the Chief Watcher. Surely Jorad would understand if he took Kate and left the Cor?

    The fog was lifting and hung just above the fire stick in a bright sheet of rolling cotton. Corvan peered upstream to where Tsarek had disappeared. If the fog lifted much higher the soldiers would see them cross back over the stream and know exactly where they had gone.

    In the shifting shadows thrown by the fire stick, a dark form spun in slow circles in a back eddy of the stream. Getting to his feet, he made his way along the shore.

    The body of a man was floating face down in a shallow pool, the first prisoner who had fallen in and drowned in the karst.

    A sharp movement across the water caught his attention. A rantel was perched on the top of a pointed rock, its long, forked tail spread out wide behind it; gray wings folded at its sides, its eyes glinting in the flickering light of the firestick. Jorad was wrong. The rantels were definitely real and this was likely the one that was on the rebel leader¡¯s head. It was spying on him.

    Corvan stooped, pretending to check his shoelace while slipping a round stone into his hand. Taking note of the rantel¡¯s position, he stretched as he stood up, then fired the stone directly at it. Pain shot up his arm as the stone smacked the front of the pointed rock and ricocheted into the belly of the rantel. The creature sprang from its perch and sliced through the air toward him, hissing and clicking in anger. Its forked tail whipped down below its body as if it would spear him with the points. Corvan ducked as it swooped overhead and vanished into the fog.

    It was likely on its way to show the rebel leader what it had seen. That was all he needed. Now both the rebels and the Rakash would be on his trail.

    Moving to the water¡¯s edge he watched the man¡¯s body spin around until the one hand was close to the shore. He should at least pull the body out so it would not get washed over the falls. Wading into the shallow bay Corvan pulled on the stiff hand. The corpse flipped over and turned face up.

    It was Jokten.

 Hammer 43

    A low cry escaped Corvan¡¯s lips and tears streamed down his cheeks at the sight of the old man in the water. Jokten¡¯s hand still firmly clutched the shattered end of the wooden spear he had used to save Corvan from the monster, yet his face was peaceful, as if he were only dreaming.

    Groaning and slipping on the slick stones, Corvan managed to pull the body onto the shore, then collapsed on the gravel. His father had often told him that if he would do what was right, the answers would come in their own time. He tried his best to save Jokten, but the man had died anyway. Now there were no answers and no way out of this terrible place. Kate would die and be buried far from her home. Buried? They were in a dark world far underground. They were as good as dead and buried already.

    His tears gave way to sobs that shook his aching body. What was the point of even trying to do what was right? Pain and death were everywhere. He could never win.

    His father¡¯s voice came to him as if his dad were sitting beside him on the shore. ¡°Love and pain flow together though all of life. The more you choose to love in this broken world, the more you will need to endure pain.¡±

    Wiping his tears away with the back of his sleeve he looked down at Jokten. A wry smile was embedded in the corners of the man¡¯s mouth, the same smile that he wore while swinging the spear behind the beast. The old man had lived and died on his own terms. Perhaps that was the point. In the end, loving through the pain changed you for the better.

    A muted shout slipped through the fog and then another. The soldiers and the Seeker were on their way. There was no way he would let them take Jokten¡¯s body to the palace. The old man deserved a proper burial.

    At some time in the past the stream had changed direction, leaving a raised island between the dry gravel creek bed and the rushing water. Pulling the body onto the high spot, he laid it out.

    Prying the broken spear from Jokten¡¯s grasp, he set it aside and folded the cold hand onto Jokten¡¯s chest. Reaching over the man, he pulled the other arm into position and as he did, the soggy sleeve of Jokten¡¯s robe slipped back revealing the other hand wrapped tightly around the hammer¡¯s handle.

    Corvan looked in amazement at the angular stone head before placing his hand under it. The hammer slid easily from Jokten¡¯s grasp, as if the man was giving it back to him and the blue letters sprang to life on Jokten¡¯s face, highlighting the crinkles around his eyes and the happy lines etched around his mouth.

    Corvan struggled to his feet and held the hammer aloft in both hands. It pierced the fog overhead, the blue glow filling the area around him and reflecting on the water below. He breathed deeply then pulled its radiant comfort in against his chest. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back again,¡± he murmured, and the blue light ebbed strongly in response. He nodded down to Jokten, ¡°You gave your life to save me and the hammer. I promise I will do my best to honor what you lived and died for.¡±

    Placing the hammer back in his holster, he gathered flat stones from the dry creek bed to pile around and over the dead man. The work was painful at first, but as he moved, his joints loosened up and his movements became easier. When he was done, he took the broken spear and stuck it upright in the cracks of the pile.

    As he stepped back to inspect the cairn, he almost tripped over Tsarek.

    ¡°I did not want to interrupt you.¡± Tsarek said, jumping off the low rock he¡¯d been sitting on. ¡°I wanted to tell you earlier that I did not think your past-father survived the blast.¡±

    ¡°Jokten was not my past-father, Tsarek. That is my grandfather that died at the entry under the Castle Rock.¡±

    Tsarek nodded. ¡°I know about that one, but Jokten was also one of your family, from those left behind in the Cor.¡±

    Corvan looked back to the cairn. No wonder Jokten looked so much like his father. Tears began to fall again, and he shook his head firmly and tried to wipe them away. He¡¯d been so close to discovering more about his connection to the Cor and finding someone to help him.

    Tsarek came up beside him and tucked a soft cloth into his hand. As Corvan wiped his eyes with it, a tender scent permeated his mind and soothed his sorrows.

    ¡°Did I do well, Kalian? Does it make you happy to have it back?¡± his friend asked.

    Tyreth¡¯s white scarf was in his hand. ¡°How did you get this?¡± Corvan asked.

    Tsarek chortled. ¡°The Seeker was walking along the path in the fog with all the soldiers following in a line. He was holding the white cloth out in front of him like a flag. I was very still and when he walked by, I leaped across the path, snatched it from his hand, and fled before he could even move.¡± The lizard grimaced and Corvan saw the fear steal into his eyes. ¡°But I touched the Seeker¡¯s hand when I grabbed the cloth. Now it will know that I am back in the Cor and will report my presence to its master.¡± He pointed across the water. ¡°We must go quickly to Kate and find a way out of the settlement, for I also must leave the Cor forever and never return.¡±

    Corvan looped the scarf around his neck and tucked it into his cloak. How could he leave the Cor and betray Jokten¡¯s hope in him and the sacrifice he had made? Jorad had said that Tyreth¡¯s life was now connected to the life of the Cor, to the red seeds tucked away in Corvan¡¯s cloak. If he chose to run away now and abandon Tyreth, the darkness would close in on Kadir. Their food would run out and all the people of the Cor would starve to death in the black void, people like Rayu, Gavyn, Garek and Madam Toreg.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    His had went to the holster at his side. He had promised Madam Toreg on the hammer that he would do his best to save Tyreth. If there was any hope for her and the rest of the Cor, he had to put the needs of others above his own safety, even above the life of his best friend.

    ¡°We need to move quickly,¡± the lizard urged, touching his hand. ¡°Kate needs our help, and the seeker is coming.¡±

    ¡°No, Tsarek.¡± Corvan turned toward the river. ¡°I am going back to the city.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°The city? The palace and the Rakash are searching for you, and now they will be looking for me as well. No, Kalian, we must not go to the city. It is a terrible place and they have done cruel things to my kind in the city.¡±

    Corvan pulled out the hammer and pointed its circle of three words on the stones between them. ¡°Tsarek, I made a promise that I would help rescue Tyreth from the Palace prison. I have been there and I know the way, but I need your help. I can¡¯t do it alone.¡±

    The lizard took a step back from the blue words. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so in the first place?¡±

    Corvan looked intently at the hammer in his hand, then leaned forward to place it on top of a flat boulder. He took two steps away from it and turned to the lizard. ¡°Do you think I should leave the hammer here?¡±

    ¡°Oh no!¡± Tsarek hopped over to the hammer. ¡°You will need it to rescue the girl. Please pick it up and bring it along. I will try to be more brave when you hold it¡¯s light.¡±

    Corvan smiled. ¡°I just wanted to make sure I could still understand you even when I¡¯m not holding it.¡±

    Tsarek looked confused.

    ¡°Something has changed between us,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Even though I am not holding hammer, I still understood everything you said.¡±

    Tsarek let out a low hiss and looked between Corvan and the hammer. ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡ª¡± A wide smile spread across his face. ¡°But I am very glad.¡±

    They stood looking at each other for a moment before Tsarek turned away, entered the stream and dog paddled out into the middle. Grabbing the hammer, Corvan holstered it and waded in after him.

    Halfway across, the water was up to his waist, and the current threatened to sweep his feet off the slick rocks. The roar of the falls just beyond the bend sounded a constant warning in his ears. One misstep and he would be swept into the abyss. The swift flowing water was sweeping Tsarek farther downstream, but he was making some progress at getting across to the other side.

    Focusing on his goal Corvan struggled forward. The fog was thinner on the other side and he pulled himself out and up the steep bank. Tsarek was nowhere to be seen but there was enough pale blue light from above to make his way downstream. The roar of the falls grew louder.

    ¡°I would appreciate your help,¡± a voice called from below. Tsarek was chest deep in a rocky bay, a pile of smaller capped fire sticks gathered on the shore. ¡°I found these swirling around in here. We will need them.¡± Getting out of the water, he handed the sticks up to Corvan then scrambled on all fours to the top of bank. Pulling out some of the long grasses that grew in tufts between the rocks, Tsarek tied the sticks together and slung the bundle over his back.

    With a jerk of his head, Tsarek led the way along the edge of the creek to where it joined the main river. ¡°The river road is up there,¡± Tsarek said, pointing overhead. ¡°You should go first.¡±

    Picking his way up a slope of broken rocks and paving stones, Corvan emerged onto the high levee. The fields were on his right and far ahead he could see the water control structure where he and Jorad had climbed down into the dry aqueduct.

    There was a tug at his feet as Tsarek grabbed the cuff of Corvan¡¯s jeans and hauled himself up onto the road. He grinned. ¡°It is not a good idea to fall back onto a pile of fire sticks, even if they are small ones.¡±

    ¡°So why do we need them?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I discovered something that no one else knows.¡± Tsarek smiled proudly. ¡°You can breathe underwater by breathing air back through the stem.¡±

    ¡°How does that work?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Tsarek set the bundle down, pulled out a a short stick, and carefully trimmed the bark away from the butt end with his claw, as if he were sharpening a pencil. Uncapping it, he stuck the trimmed end into his mouth and walked along like a businessman with an expensive cigar that glowed with each breath. ¡°They don¡¯t last as long this way, but it works great for swimming under the water. Somehow the water you suck in becomes air you can breathe.¡±

    ¡°Let me try it.¡±

    Tsarek¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°I will make one for you.¡± He picked through his bundle and trimmed up the smallest of the sticks. He held it out to Corvan. ¡°Are you certain you want to try it?¡± He pulled it away again. ¡°It tastes bitter and hurts the lungs a bit. It might be too strong for someone as young as you.¡±

    Corvan plucked the stick from the lizard and flicked off the cap. He¡¯d tried smoking cigarettes a few times, this couldn¡¯t be any worse. He pulled softly on the stick. Other than a mild bitter taste, he could breathe the incoming air without difficulty. He pulled in a deep breath and swaggered along beside his friend.

    A loud bang sounded with a flash before his eyes. He squinted to find the smoking bark of his cigar stick peeled back toward his face.

    Tsarek made a hissing sound as he grinned. ¡°Oh yes. I forgot to tell you. You must trim them carefully and never make a nick on the bark with your claws.¡±

    Corvan tossed the ruined stick into the water rushing by. The lizard hadn¡¯t forgotten, he had just played a joke on him. ¡°I thought you told me that you don¡¯t laugh.¡±

    Tsarek scratched the side of his head. ¡°I cannot remember making that sound before. It must be because I am free from the band. You don¡¯t have time to laugh when you are always angry.¡± He looked up at Corvan. ¡°Would you like to try one of the larger sticks? They have a nicer flavor.¡±

    Corvan shook his head, and they walked on in silence until they arrived at the bend in the river road where the dam and sluice gates used to let water into the irrigation system for the fields. Corvan looked out along the aqueduct they had used to travel to the Molakar settlement. Should he go first and check on Kate?

    Tsarek suddenly pulled Corvan in tight against the small building that stuck out over the dam. The lizard jammed his scaly face up to Corvan¡¯s ear. ¡°Listen,¡± he whispered.

    Corvan listened but all he could hear was the water rolling over the dam on the other side of the building. He shook his head at Tsarek, who gestured for him to stay hidden against the wall. ¡°Stay here. I will be right back.¡± Tsarek got down on all fours and slipped around the corner of the building.

    Corvan leaned his head against the cool stone wall and closed his eyes. It seemed he was always tired in this dark world. There was no way to know how regularly he had been sleeping or how many days he had been gone so far. Tsarek had said the door in the castle rock only opened every month. Surely, they had not been gone that long.

    Tipping his head back, he opened his eyes to find an ugly stone gargoyle crouched above him on the corner of the roof. He was about to stand and get a better look at it when the head of the gargoyle swiveled around and beady eyes peered out over the fields.

    The rantel had returned to find him.

 Hammer 44

    The rantel scanned the valley and trail that lead up to the settlements. Corvan held his breath until the creature unfurled its wings and soared out over the fields.

    Someone grabbed his arm. Corvan¡¯s yell died on his lips as he twisted around to look into the face of Tsarek.

    ¡°So sorry, sir. I do hope I did not frighten you,¡± Tsarek said as a smirk curved across the lizard¡¯s face.

    Corvan wasn¡¯t so sure he liked Tsarek¡¯s newfound sense of humor. ¡°I had to wait for his rantel to leave,¡± Tsarek said, pointing towards the other side of the river. ¡°On the other side of the dam there is a very angry man with a bandage over one eye. He is leading a group of the rebel soldiers. He wants his rantel to find you.¡± Tsarek cocked his head to one side. ¡°You seem to have made a lot of enemies in the Cor since you locked me outside the door.¡±

    ¡°Does he know I¡¯m here?¡± Corvan whispered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. His connection to his flying guide is not working very well because of his great eye pain.¡± He cocked his head to one side. ¡°When did you learn to throw fire? I often heard your mother tell you not to play with it.¡±

    Corvan waved the question off. ¡°Where is the man with the eye patch now? We need to keep moving along the road to get to the city.¡±

    Tsarek held out a paw and helped Corvan to his feet. ¡°His men won¡¯t cross the flowing water on top of the dam, so they are all going to their home in the highest crags. He will not bother us for a while, but he will be sending out bounty hunters to circle around through Kadir to find you, so yes, we had better keep moving.¡± He began walking along the road toward the city then looked back with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°He is offering a great reward for your capture, one even a Watcher might enjoy.¡±

    Tsarek walked on and Corvan followed cautiously behind him, constantly looking across the river for any sign of the Rebel Leader and then across the fields to see if the Rantel was coming back. Reaching the top of the river bend, he found the city of Kadir shrouded in a thick bank of fog. The statue rising above it looked like a man with his feet stuck in a snowbank.

    Tsarek pointed. ¡°The palace must be making sure people stay indoors until the day begins. They must also suspect there could be trouble with the rebels. That is why the fog is so thick tonight.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°The palace controls the fog and the floods to keep people afraid of what might happen if they don¡¯t obey the Chief Watcher. It¡¯s done with large machines in the underground river below the karst in the palace courtyard. I saw them working on it after you shut the gate on me. I had to follow the cold water down into the Cor but then there is hot water too, in the place where they create the fog.¡±

    ¡°When I was on the courtyard wall, I saw the fog come out of door in the round wall at the feet of the great statue.¡±

    Tsarek looked puzzled. ¡°There used to be only a small karst between its feet. That¡¯s where they drown people at the water ceremony they call the Wasting. There has never been a wall around it.¡±

    ¡°I think the wall is new. I could see a lot of people working on it when I came out the portal door up on the cliff.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the one you shut on me?¡± Tsarek asked?

    Corvan nodded. Was Tsarek going to keep remining him of his mistake?

    Tsarek pointed toward the city. ¡°The statue karst is much like the one you were just in, except there is no island in the middle and no great beast. Instead, a water creature with long arms, much greater than the one we fought in the labyrinth, dwells in an underwater cave behind a gate that is opened whenever they throw someone in.¡± Tsarek looked up at him, his eyes full of pride. ¡°The gate was shut when I was there, but its arms almost caught me. I had to frighten it away with my fire stick.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where they control the floods?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I believe that is how it is done. They can send water running throughout the city. They have drowned people to make everyone believe the water sacrifice is required to make the gods happy.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Corvan looked across the river at the fog-shrouded city. At first light Tyreth would be thrown into the water as part of the Chief Watcher¡¯s evil plans. Somehow, he needed to stop him but how. He walked faster and passed Tsarek, the lizard¡¯s short legs working furiously to keep pace. He smiled. Surely things would work out better now that he had both Tsarek and the hammer back.

    As they approached the ruined bridge, Tsarek suddenly yanked Corvan down behind the cover of the stone walls. ¡°Rakash,¡± he hissed and pointed a claw toward the fields.

    Corvan peeked over the wall. Far below, across the narrow end of the fields, five people walked in a row along a retaining wall between the fields. One of carried a staff topped by a red globe.

    ¡°That¡¯s a palace staff,¡± the lizard said. ¡°One of the soldiers was carrying it when I took the cloth. The Rakash is returning with the soldiers to report your escape as they still believe you are Tarran.¡± Tsarek gripped Corvan¡¯s arm tighter. ¡°But he will also report my trespass in the Cor to the Chief of the Watchers. I fear there will be great troubles.¡±

    Corvan glanced over the wall. The group was close enough that any movement along the river road would be detected. ¡°The soldiers won¡¯t cross the broken bridge, will they?¡±

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t go near it. They are passing through the fields to take the high river road so they can cross at the upper bridge that leads up to the portal door, the one where you locked me out.¡±

    Corvan checked again and noted that the wall the soldiers were on ended at the edge of the fields then climbed a steep path to join up with the river road. He crouched back down. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll reach the city before the water ceremony?¡±

    ¡°I do not believe so. That trail is longer, and they will be moving slowly. It is very narrow and climbs up and down the cliffs near the river. Few people choose to travel that way, as they are afraid they might fall into the water.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll see us if we try to use the broken bridge,¡± Corvan said.

    Tsarek sat back against the wall. ¡°Then we must find another cat to skin. The dark cycle will end soon, and the Wasting always takes place at the first segment of light.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s stomach knotted. He couldn¡¯t be late getting to the Wasting at the temple karst. He had to get there before they threw Tyreth in and the water creature grabbed her. Crawling on all fours to the river side of the road, he looked across to where the outlet from Madam Toreg¡¯s secret city flowed out under the bridge. ¡°What if we jump into the river and use the fire sticks to go through that water outlet? Madam Toreg will send her gray men to help me save Tyreth.¡±

    Tsarek shook his head. ¡°I cannot let her or anyone else in Kadir see me. Those who serve the Chief Watcher will kill me on sight, and those who fight the Watcher will kill me for being of his kind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak to them on your behalf,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I won¡¯t let them hurt you.¡±

    The lizard laid his paw on Corvan¡¯s arm. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Corvan. If you are seen in Kadir with me, they will most certainly immediately kill you as well.¡±

    Corvan realized that he hadn¡¯t thought it through, but it was true. His best friend in this hostile underground world would always be seen by others as their enemy.

    He placed his hand on top of Tsarek¡¯s paw. ¡°It will be better once we get back to my world.¡±

    ¡°No, Corvan.¡± Tsarek¡¯s dark eyes clouded over. ¡°I have decided that I must stay here in the Cor. Your world is not my home. Your people will not accept me either. I have been shot at by that large boy who lives near the rock. You cannot protect me in your world any more than I can protect you in mine.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Tsarek swallowed. ¡°Our ways are parting, Kalian. You must go ask your friends for help to rescue your friend. I will stay in the river, swim up inside the karst, and hide under the edge where the palace guard cannot see me. If you get in trouble at the Wasting ceremony, you can jump into the water. I will have fire sticks for you, and you can swim away with me under the water.¡±

    ¡°What about Tyreth?¡±

    ¡°I will have enough fire sticks for her too.¡±

    ¡°But how will we escape from the water creature with the long arms?¡±

    Tsarek grimaced. ¡°I will do my best to keep it away.¡± He pulled two smaller fire sticks from his bundle and trimmed the ends. ¡°You will need these to make it through that water tunnel. The water is fast so it will be hard work. If you find it difficult to breathe, use both at the same time. It was the only way I could make it through the fast water to you in the settlements.¡±

    Corvan took the two sticks as Tsarek slipped over the low wall and hung by his claws. Corvan leaned down to him and touched his paw. ¡°Tsarek, you have not called me ¡®sir¡¯ much since you came back.¡±

    The lizard cocked his head to one side. ¡°I guess after all we have been through, I am thinking of you as my friend¡ªsir.¡± He grinned. ¡°Like the Lone Ranger and Tonto.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear those names?¡± Corvan asked.

    The blue streaks on Tsarek¡¯s face flushed. ¡°The Kate¡¯s mother watched it on her TV box, and I would peek in through the window.¡±

    Corvan shook his head, grinned at his friend, then gave him a quick wave. ¡°See you soon, Tonto.¡±

    ¡°If my claws were free, I would return the waving to you, for I too hope to see you soon¡ªKemosabe.¡± His eyes twinkled. ¡°And this time - don¡¯t shut the door on me.¡± He pushed off the wall, dropped into the water and his trail of bubbles worked its way upstream.

    Corvan leaned out over the low wall and looked down into the water. His heart beat faster. He¡¯d never jumped from anything this high.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± A hoarse voice whispered in his ear and a sharp point dug into his back.

 Hammer 45

    ¡°Place your hands on top of the wall,¡± the person behind Corvan commanded, shoving him tight against the rough stones.

    Corvan did as he was ordered. The point pushed in harder as the person leaned against him, pulled up his sleeve, and removed Morgan¡¯s black knife. ¡°Now turn around.¡±

    Corvan turned to face a man in a green robe, the hood pulled low over his eyes. Morgan¡¯s black knife was unsheathed, and it was pointed directly at Corvan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°So now you are working for the Chief Watcher.¡± The voice was harsh and strained. ¡°What did that lizard promise you? What was he saying and what were you telling him?¡± The hood swept back, revealing Jorad¡¯s angry face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not working for the Chief Watcher.¡± Corvan protested. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Jorad, this Watcher is my friend.¡±

    The priest snorted. ¡°The Watcher¡¯s don¡¯t have friends. They only use us. You have been deceived, Kalian.¡± The knife higher to Corvan¡¯s face. ¡°I promised the High Priest, I would train you to be a Cor-Van. Instead, you have used me to aid the Chief Watcher in his plans to wipe out all the priests . . . and to murder Tyreth.¡± He jabbed the knife at Corvan, backing him up and almost tumbling him backwards over the low stone wall and into the river below.

    Corvan sat on the wall to get his balance took a deep breath, and looked up at the man. ¡°Jorad. I¡¯m am going back to Kadir to help save Tyreth. I was planning to go through the water channel to find Madam Toreg and ask her to send Garek with me. I promised Madam Toreg I would help her. That¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s lips curled back in a snarl. ¡°The only truth I know is that I have taken an oath to protect Tyreth at all costs. I will do anything to save her from the Watchers . . . and from those working with them.¡±

    ¡°I said I would help you.¡± Corvan stood and Jorad took a step back. ¡°And I also promised Madam Toreg on the hammer,¡± Corvan stated, releasing it from the holster and holding it up between them.

    Jorad attempted to use his hand with the black knife to push the hammer away but a pulse of blue energy slapped the priest¡¯s hand and sent the knife skittering across the road.

    Corvan immediately put it back in the holster. ¡°Jorad, the hammer shows I speak the truth. I¡¯m going to save Tyreth, not kill her.¡±

    The priest¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was about to respond when a palace guard appeared on the slope up along the road. The man looked their way, raised his bow and drew back.

    ¡°Jorad, behind you!¡±

    ¡°No more tricks, Kalian. I am not¡ª¡±

    Corvan threw himself toward Jorad, spinning the man¡¯s body to the side. The arrow tore through the bunched-up hood at the priest¡¯s neck and clattered onto the road. Jorad whirled around to see who was shooting when two more soldiers jumped onto the road and drew their bows. Jorad dropped to the ground beside the inner wall. ¡°Do as you said!¡± the man hissed. ¡°Find Toreg and meet me at the Karst. I¡¯ll find a way to get into Kadir and meet you at the temple.¡± He gave Corvan a shove as another arrow whistled overhead.

    Corvan jumped up, leapt onto the outer wall, and dove into the river. He hit the water cleanly, surfaced and headed to the far side, swimming hard against the current to get past the pillars supporting the bridge. Breathless, he pulled himself out of the water in the rocky bay where the water from the City of Refuge gushed out.

    The chains above him rattled. Jorad was hanging onto the sides of the bridge to work himself around the missing floor panels. Above Jorad¡¯s labored breathing, Corvan could hear the soldiers shouting as they ran toward the trapped priest but there were no more arrows.

    Jorad called down to Corvan, his voice tight. ¡°Do as you have promised and find Tyreth, but I swear, if you are lying to me, you will never get out of the Cor alive.¡±

    ¡°I promise you, Jorad, I . . .¡±

    ¡°Get out of sight!¡± Jorad rasped. ¡°They¡¯re coming for me, not you.¡±

    Removing the cap from one of his small fire sticks, Corvan stuck it in his mouth, and waded into the water outlet. The current was stronger than he expected. Clamping the unlit fire stick into the opposite side of his mouth, he felt along the bottom for handholds to haul himself through the foaming water. His lungs labored to pull enough air through the slender stick to fuel his efforts. Jamming his toes into the rocks, he flicked the cap off the other stick. Now his breathing came easier, in through the mouth and out through the nose, just as Tsarek had instructed.

    The current slackened as the tunnel roof pulled away and soon shafts of flickering light shot through the silver surface of the water above. He had made it to the pool. Lifting his head cautiously above the surface he scanned the stairs leading down from the City of Refuge and the gates that would lead him back to the Kadir library.

    Crouching low, he waded toward the half-finished wall of the pool. There were voices on the other side. He drew in close and listened.

    He knew the tone and the caustic words all too well. On the other side of the wall, a group of bullies was teasing a child. Peering over the edge, Corvan discovered a circle of boys gathered around a child huddled on the ground, his back to one of the piles of blocks for the unfinished wall. One kicked at the child, then stepped back to reveal a small, bedraggled boy clutching a flute against his chest.

    It was Gavyn.

    A rush of anger propelled Corvan onto the wall with a great splash. He stood over the bullies, water pouring down his body, a smoking fire stick dangling from each corner of his mouth. The boys stared, their mouths gaping like dead fish.

    Corvan tried to say, ¡°Leave him alone!¡± but the smoking fire sticks scrambled his words and twisted down like glowing fangs. What came out sounded more like ¡°Eat them bones!¡±

    High-pitched screams erupted as a twisting mass of young boys scrambled over one another to get away from the flesh-eating monster. They tore up the stairs, their voices fading into the streets.

    Capping the firestick stubs and thrusting them into his pocket, Corvan jumped down from the wall. Gavyn rose to his feet, triumphantly holding the pan flute he¡¯d been protecting from the bullies. He hugged Corvan around his waist, then pulled back to stare at the water dripping from Corvan¡¯s cloak. His eyes followed the trail of puddles that led to the wall.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The blast of a trumpet rent the air. Gavyn glanced toward the stairs, then tugged Corvan¡¯s sleeve, pulling him down behind the stack of stone blocks.

    The horn blew again. Corvan shifted to the left and found a crack between the rocks that exposed a narrow strip of the stairs. A man with a curved horn and barbed staff strode into view. Another man with a carved staff appeared, the mayor Madam Toreg had met at the city gate. A noisy crowd quickly gathered behind him and he hammered his staff for silence.

    ¡°Yes, I can see that something came from the pool,¡± he droned wearily, ¡°but none of us has ever seen a man-eating creature with smoking fangs that swims in the water.¡± Loud retorts came from the audience and the mayor changed his tone. ¡°I agree. I have no reason to doubt any of your boys. If this monster is still in the city, we must all work together and find it.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we should consult Madam Toreg,¡± someone suggested.

    The mayor bristled. ¡°Madam Toreg stands accused of breaking faith with our people and bringing strangers into our city. Her staff is broken, and her authority has been removed.¡± He waved a hand toward the pool. ¡°It may even be her fault this creature found a way inside.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she also knows how to get rid of it,¡± another voice interjected.

    The mayor¡¯s face grew red. ¡°Madam Toreg will remain under house arrest until she is tried by the elders. We will not waste time asking her advice.¡± He gestured to the man with the trumpet. ¡°Tewbel, you stand guard here in case the creature comes back.¡± He turned around and faced the crowd. ¡°The rest of you divide into search parties and scour the city. Blow a horn if you see anything.¡± He pounded his staff again, and the people filed out.

    The mayor watched the crowd leave then shook his head and rolled his eyes at Tewbel, before sauntering off.

    The stocky man with the barbed staff stepped closer to the top of the stairs. He looked like the strong man Corvan had once seen at the circus. The man began to descend the steps as he surveyed the scene before him, his eyes shifting to the pool and then over to the pile of blocks.

    Corvan¡¯s stomach dropped. His trail of footprints led directly to his hiding place.

    The man put his horn to his lips, paused, then let it fall to his side. Raising his weapon, he descended the stairs.

    Corvan turned to tell Gavyn to run and find Madam Toreg, but the boy was gone, leaving smaller wet footprints from where he had been standing in Corvan¡¯s puddle Glancing back through the crack he saw Gavyn run up to Tewbel. The young boy held his hands up to his head made his fingers look as if horns were spouting from his hair. He loped about in circles, growling like a mad dog, then ran to the stairs and beckoned for Tewbel to follow. The man gave one last glance toward the stack of blocks and Gavyn¡¯s footprints before climbing up after him.

    There were a few short tunes on the pan flute that slowly faded away. Gavyn was making sure he knew that he and the strong man were leaving the area. Corvan climbed the stairs on all fours and raised his head over the top. The streets were empty. Getting to his feet, he trotted along the road beside the watercourse toward the city gates.

    The entry into the City of Refuge from the ruined library of Kadir drew near. The gates stood open, and just inside, a guard stood at attention. Staying low, Corvan eased himself onto the wall that separated the road from the waterway.

    The sound of running feet caught him off guard, but before he could get completely over the wall, Gavyn came into view from a side street. The boy motioned for Corvan to keep going over to the other side of the wall, hopped over it, and pulled Corvan down, putting a finger to his lips.

    A moment later Corvan heard marching feet on the road. The sound grew louder, passed them, the faded away. He stole a glance over the wall in time to see a squad of armed soldiers take up position near the city gates.

    Corvan leaned back against the wall. With the whole City of Refuge on high alert, there was no way he could get to Madam Toreg and her gray men to ask for their help. The light of the new day was getting stronger and unless he could come up with a new plan, Tyreth would soon be drowned at the water ceremony.

    Gavyn grabbed his sleeve and pointed along the wall to where the water rushed out of a small cave, swept down a spillway and then ran along the wall to the pool below. The boy nodded, crouched low, and took off along the inside of the wall.

    It was all Corvan could do to keep up with the agile boy. Gavyn ran like a spider monkey, his knuckles almost dragging on the ground, right inside the water cave.

    Following him in, Corvan understood why Gavyn adopted this strange manner of locomotion. There was no other way to make it through the tunnel. The water was not shallow enough to crawl in, and the roof was too low for him to stand.

    Gavyn was already out of sight, but Corvan could hear him splashing along. The tunnel turned to the right and the light from behind faded. It was darker here and when floor suddenly dropped away he slipped under the deeper water.

    Corvan surfaced, choking, and gasping for air. Treading water, he cleared his lungs. Here there was enough light from above to see that he was in yet another karst. This one was larger than the one at the Molakar settlement but it also had an island rising out of the center.

    A tendril grabbed his ankle and yanked him below the surface. Corvan kicked furiously, and the creature released him. Surfacing, he swam like mad toward the island, his heart pounding as he imagined the snakelike arms pursuing him.

    Bright laughter filled the cavern as Corvan pulled himself out of the water and scrambled up the rocks. Gavyn swam toward him, his mouth bubbling the water as he mimicked Corvan¡¯s panicked flight. Relief flowed with embarrassment and Corvan wanted to throw something at the little imp.

    The boy joined him on the pile of stone blocks, shook out his hair like a scrawny dog, cleared the water from his ears, and pointed upward. High overhead, past the circle of the karst rim, familiar painted faces looked down. He was underneath the great library where the floor had fallen into the reflecting pool. How long had it been since he stood up there on the edge with Madam Toreg and Jorad?

    Gavyn poked him in the side, his bony shoulders held up in an exaggerated shrug as if asking where they should go next.

    ¡°I need to get to the Wasting at the temple karst,¡± Corvan said.

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened as he vigorously shook his head. He made motions with his hands and fingers of things swimming and being captured. Corvan grabbed his hands and held them still. ¡°I know about the monster in the water. I don¡¯t want to go inside the water. I need to get to the top before they throw Tyreth in.¡±

    Gavyn nodded, gestured for Corvan to follow, and dove back into the water. The boy swam across to a set of broken stairs, climbed out and shook himself dry as he pointed upward.

    Wearily, Corvan dropped back into the water and followed.

    By the time he got across to the stairs, Gavyn was already gone, his footprints leading upward, two steps at a time. Reaching the roof, the steps moved upward in a narrow channel. Corvan pulled out the hammer, thankful that the blue glow was back to light his way.

    At times the way was almost impassable, but someone had removed just enough debris for a small person to squeeze through. His legs began to burn from all the climbing, and at times he choked on the residual water in his lungs. He called to Gavyn to wait for him, but when he eventually caught up to the boy, Gavyn put a finger to his lips to tell him to be quiet, turned away and climbed on.

    The boy obviously knew the ceremony would start any time but now Corvan was wondering what could they possibly do once they arrived? How could he take on the Chief Watcher and the palace guards by himself? He had no plan, and even if he did, every plan he¡¯d made so far had fallen apart before it even got off the ground.

    Just take the next step, he said softly to himself. ¡°Just keep moving forward.¡±

    The stairs leveled out into a narrow tunnel and then the rough stone walls were replaced by smooth blocks. Other passages joined in, and Corvan lost all sense of how many turns they¡¯d taken. He was falling behind and the boy¡¯s wet footprints had faded to periodic drips. If Gavyn lost him, he¡¯d never find his way out.

    Coming around a corner he looked up an empty corridor that climbed a final flight of steps to end in a circle of soft light. Trying to keep his labored breathing as quiet as possible, he ascended the stairs and stepped through a ragged hole.

    He was back in the hall of the High Priest.

 Hammer 46

    The room was empty, and Gavyn was nowhere to be seen, but off to one side a pair of bare feet stuck out beneath the ruined tapestry. When he gave the thick fabric a poke, Gavyn¡¯s smiling face appeared in the hole.

    ¡°Gavyn, I need your help to save Tyreth from the Chief Watcher,¡± Corvan said.

    The young boy backed away into the secret passage, fear etched across his innocent face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to come with me,¡± Corvan said, pointing out the door toward the courtyard and the palace. ¡°I will go to the temple karst, but I need you to run back to the City of Refuge, find Madam Toreg, and ask her to send Garek and the gray men right away. Tell her the Cor-Van needs her help at the water ceremony to save Tyreth from being drowned.¡±

    The boy pointed to his lips.

    Corvan nodded. Even if Gavyn could find Madam Toreg and somehow make her understand, she might not believe him . . . unless there could be no doubt Gavyn was telling the truth.

    Removing the Texas star holster from his belt, he held out, then hesitated. Was this a good idea? What if the young boy lost it?

    Gavyn wrapped his small hands around Corvan¡¯s and looked into his eyes, erasing all doubt that he could be trusted with the mission. ¡°¡¯Keep it hidden,¡± Corvan said. ¡°Don¡¯t show it to anyone other than Madam Toreg.¡±

    Gavyn nodded eagerly and pulled the holster to his chest. His smile broadened, then instantly vanished as a single drumbeat rumbled through the door. Gavyn pointed overhead to where soft light fell from the dirty skylights. A second drumbeat echoed through the room, then settled into a steady rhythm. The boy touched his arm, then whirled around, the door into the secret passage closing softly behind him.

    Running into the hallway, Corvan found the priest¡¯s gate into the main courtyard hanging askew, its great bolt laying in pieces on the ground. The empty plaza pulsed with the rolling drumbeats as Corvan sprinted up the sections of stairs two at a time, the throbbing drum matching his heart, beat for beat. The drum abruptly stopped as he sailed up the last set of stairs and headed toward a wide arched door in the circular wall. As he drew near the opening, he could see a white-robed man speaking from the front edge of a balcony.

    Just as he drew close to the doorway, a guard stepped from inside the arched door, barring his way. This one did not have a weapon in his hand, only a few short sticks with strips of colored cloth tied to the ends.

    Corvan skidded to a halt as a scarred face with bloodshot eyes thrust toward his hood along with the rank smell of a mouth full of rotten teeth.

    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been, boy?¡± The ugly face pulled back to squint at him, and for a brief second Corvan was certain the man would strike him. Instead, the guard bent down and picked up a long-necked clay jar sitting just outside the door. ¡°Lucky for you I saw this back at the barracks. If that new stone gets stuck again, it¡¯ll be your fault.¡± He thrust the neck of the jar into Corvan¡¯s hand and pushed him off to the side. ¡°Get along to the priest¡¯s entry before that old windbag finishes talking.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s heart was pounding as he turned away. The cloak had the man thinking he was someone else, but the priest¡¯s entry could be a faster way to get inside the wall to locate Tyreth.

    The clay vessel he¡¯d been given smelled like well-used engine oil and was almost too hot to carry. Juggling it¡¯s narrow neck from hand to hand, he worked his way along the outside of the newly constructed wall. A short distance ahead, a doorway jutted out and inside it, a shadowed stairway led down. Beyond the entry there was only a pile of scaffolding and the high wall surrounding the plaza. This had to be the priest¡¯s entry that guard had spoken about.

    As he descended the stairs the familiar odors of his father¡¯s workshop rose up to meet him; hot metal, grease and damp. At the bottom of the stairs, the narrow passage curved along down a steep ramp to stop before a partially open door that was even shorter than he was. The speakers voice seemed to be louder inside that space. He pushed on the door, and it creaked forward on dry hinges. Was that what the oil was for?

    A cheer from the audience swept in from another passage to his immediate left. He peered through that opening and found it led up a stairway toward a more brightly lit open space. Corvan was about to follow the new passage toward the noise of the crowd when heavy footsteps approached inside the room with the rusty hinges.

    ¡°I need that in here first,¡± a voice growled. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Corvan pushed the door wider. Thick legs and large boots were visible withing the room on the edge of a raised platform. ¡°I need a bit of oil on one of the gears and then the rest of it goes in them two new holes in the floor at the base of the amphitheater stairs. See ¡¯em?¡±

    Corvan stayed silent. Should he run away?

    ¡°Ya see ¡¯em or not? We don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    Corvan stepped back and looked into the passage on his left. Two holes had been bored into the floor on either side of the passage, just before the stairs leading up to the crowd.

    ¡°They say it¡¯ll work this time.¡± The man¡¯s voice drew him back to the short door. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t, I¡¯m going to blame you for being late, and ten he¡¯ll feed you to his pet instead of the priests. Now get up here.¡± The boots retreated and Corvan ducked into the room. He couldn¡¯t take the chance of being chased by this man or having him call the guards.

    The room beyond the squeaky door was lit by a narrow horizontal slit along the far wall. Something white fluttered past. Most likely that was the direction of the stage and the speaker.

    Up on a platform, the large man had squeezed his bulk into the middle of a complicated system of gears and levers. He reached a pudgy hand over his shoulder. ¡°Give me the oil. Those idiots didn¡¯t greased the main shaft either. How did they expect the sluice gate to lift into position.¡±

    Corvan stepped onto the raised area. A door at the back of the room was propped open and rippling reflections on the walls beyond revealed he was at the water level in the karst. This man and all his machinery must be the one who would release the octopus creature who would eat the victims thrown down from the balcony where the man was speaking to the crowd.

    ¡°Oil!¡± the man demanded, waving his hand in the air behind him. Corvan quickly handed it over and the man pushed his greasy bulk deeper into the machinery. ¡°If you ask me,¡± he grunted, ¡°and of course they never do, this plan of using Tyreth as bait to catch Tarran is a grand waste of time. If he¡¯s the brains behind the plot to overthrow the palace, he¡¯d have to know this is a trap.¡± He poured a thin stream of oil from the jar, and the burnt odor was added to the overpowering aroma of the man¡¯s sweat. ¡°Besides, Tyreth wouldn¡¯t even want him to try to save her. Most likely what she went tell him when she sprung him out of the cell and killed Morgan.¡± He grunted again. ¡°There, that should do it.¡±

    The man shoved the bottle back towards him and Corvan had to move in past two of the levers to grab it. From here, at the back edge of the long slit in the wall he caught sight of the gatekeeper with the scarred face, standing above at seating tier packed with spectators, flicking a red flag back and forth.

    ¡°What are you gawkin¡¯ at? Get going and dump the rest down them holes, equally mind you, and use all of it. Don¡¯t get in the way when it lifts. I¡¯ll get the signal to crank it into position any time now. Let me know when it¡¯s all the way to the top.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Corvan jumped off the platform, ran out the door and turned into the other passage. Up the stairs, he could hear the white robed man speaking passionately about the future of Kadir and the Cor. The enthusiastic response of the crowed filled the hallway as Corvan knelt to examine the holes in the floor. Brushing a cone of stone chips away from a freshly bored hole he poured the oil into one and then did the same to the other, alternating back and forth to let it seep down to wherever it was going.

    Setting empty bottle down, he turned back to the stairs just in time to see a slab of stone rise from the floor between the two holes in spasmodic jerks. Behind him, in the control room, energetic grunts matched each rise as the stone wall inched upward.

    The passage was halfway closed before Corvan came to his senses and leaped over the thick stone and onto the steps. He¡¯d barely cleared it when the slab reached the fresh oil and slammed up into a notch in the ceiling. There was no turning back now.

    The volume of the speaker¡¯s voice increased as Corvan crept up the stairs, edged around a corner and peered out an opening into the curved amphitheater. From his Geographic magazines he knew he was just inside a vomitorium, the internal entry into the lower level of the amphitheater, the bottom floor where dangerous beasts would be fought, and gladiators would die as the audience watched. In this amphitheater, however, a pool of water held a hidden monster lurking below the surface, with the large unfinished statue towering overhead.

    To his left, the first four tiers of seats at the edge of the karst were crammed with green-robed priests. Behind them, a curved wall the height of a man separated the priests from the rest of the crowd who were listening to the speaker on the raised balcony across the water in rapt attention. The white-robed man approached the front of a stage covering the space between the ankles of the huge stone statue that towered over the people below. It unfinished face still conveyed a smug satisfaction with the scene below.

    The white robed man stood between two short pillars on the stage and spread his arms wide. ¡°Today we celebrate the opening of our new water temple. We are thankful to the Chief Watcher for his work with the city council in building a place to honor the water gods.¡±

    The man moved to one side and gestured to the wall of high black curtains at the back of the stage. As he moved off the stage, the curtains parted in the center and concealed footlights came to life along the front edge of the stage.

    The Chief Watcher strode out from between the curtains, the lights glittering off silver bracers on his arms and from every scale of the lizard¡¯s meticulously polished hide. The crowd collectively caught their breath as the creature stopped between the two pillars.

    ¡°People of the Cor!¡± The Chief Watcher extended his arms towards the people. ¡°All of you remember when the water of the gods erupted and ran through the streets, killing your families and friends. It made us all deeply aware of the prophecy that our world could be filled to the top,¡± he gestured overhead, ¡°with water from this karst.¡±

    A silent fear settled over the crowd.

    ¡°Over time we have been making our sacrifices to keep the gods pleased at our water ceremonies.¡±

    He paused as a ripple of murmurs ran through the seating area. The priests sat stiffly on their benches, many of them looking at the floor instead of the creature on the stage.

    Corvan studied the lizards lean face. Unlike his visit to the hall of the High Priest, its tongue was not flickering out and it was not hissing its words. Something had changed with it had eaten the seed of the mother plant. It seemed almost more human now.

    ¡°I believe there is a better way to appease the anger of the gods, anger directed at those who lie to our people and take advantage of others. Why should the innocent continue to suffer while the guilty go free?¡±

    The black lizard pointed directly at the priests before his arm swept in a grand gesture over the water. ¡°This new pool of justice will allow the gods to show us who we can trust. Instead of throwing the young innocent ones into the water, we will put those who appear to be guilty in the place of judgment.¡± He pointed to a narrow stone pier that descended down a few steps from the audience side of the karst and out over the water towards him. ¡°If they are innocent, the water will remain calm and still beneath them, but if they are guilty, the water will rise and punish them for their lies.¡±

    He waited, arms outstretched, until the crowd responded with a hesitant cheer.

    The black lizard sauntered out to the front of the stage. ¡°Recently, Tarran, the son of the High Priest of the old temple was arrested on a charge of treason against the palace. He was brought to the prison to await trial, but he murdered our good friend, Morgan, and escaped. That same night, I went to speak with the High Priest and to ask for his help but instead I was attacked by Tyreth and her father. They were both arrested but now we must determine if the entire family of the High Priest is guilty of treason. In these days of perpetual lies, only the water gods know for certain.¡± He pointed to water below his clawed feet. ¡°Today we will call on them to judge the truth.¡±

    Corvan scanned the audience along the left side. The priests sat stiffly in their places. A few older ones shook their heads in response, but above them, many in the crowd nodded.

    A narrow door opened on the far side of the karst, below the level of the stage near the heel of the statue¡¯s right boot. There was a gasp from the crowd as the High Priest shuffled out around the pool. His mouth was gagged, and his hands bound behind his back, but he walked past the lower section full of priests with his head held high.

    Stepping purposefully onto the stone pier, he walked down the shallow steps until he was well below the lip of the karst, then turned to face the crowd.

    ¡°High Priest,¡± the lizard called out, taking a step back and bringing his thick arms to rest on the two stone pillars, ¡°you stand accused of treason. You are silenced before the people so that instead of hearing your arguments, we shall hear only the answer of the water gods upon whom we call to judge between truth and lies.¡±

    The Chief Watcher raised his long claw and pointed high overhead to the face of the unfinished statue. Corvan resisted the urge to follow his gesture and kept his eyes on the lizard. As the lizard¡¯s right arm went up, he saw the creature lean firmly on the pillar to his left. The pillar moved and dipped ever so slightly.

    A geyser of water shot up around the High Priest, and he was momentarily lost in the spray. Someone in the crowd cried out and ran up the stairs and out the upper gate. The tower of water fell back into the karst, and the surface began to bubble and rise.

    ¡°If the water takes the man, the gods have found him guilty,¡± the Chief Watcher shouted. ¡°If it subsides, we will know he is innocent.¡±

    All eyes were on the priest and the rapidly rising water. With a fierce look of determination, the High Priest¡¯s glanced down as the water rose to his ankles. The crowd leaned in closer, the High Priest looked slowly around the amphitheater, then he turned his gaze defiantly over his shoulder at the Chief Watcher above him on the balcony.

    With one deft movement, the man stepped back off the pier and slipped below the surface of the rolling water.

    The crowd sat frozen in stunned silence.

    The Chief Watcher yanked has arms away from his pillars and looked off to the left at a narrow slit in the side wall. That was where the man in the room with all the gears had worked to raise the stone to block off the priest¡¯s entry.

    The water grew still and as all eyes turned to the Chief Watcher, a smug expression settled across his dark face as he left his pillars and came forward.

    ¡°Our former High Priest has declared his own guilt by offering himself in an attempt to buy favor with the gods. It was futile, for he remains in the water. If he were an honorable man, the gods would return him to us, but they have not done so.¡±

    Corvan knew there would be no returning, for in the froth he¡¯d caught sight of tentacles much larger than those he and Tsarek had encountered in the labyrinth. His stomach knotted. That meant Tsarek had failed to chase the water creature away with his firesticks. There could be no last-minute escape that way.

    The black lizard spoke out. ¡°Our High Priest has sacrificed himself in an attempt to save his daughter from being tried for treason, but each one of you must be judged on their own merit.¡± He gestured again toward the left side of the karst.

    A figure in brilliant white emerged from the doorway across the pool at the statue¡¯s heel. Everyone¡¯s eyes followed Tyreth as she moved slowly around the perimeter of the karst, her hair flowing in dark waves with each measured step.

    As drew closer to the stone tier she nodded to the section of priests, then looked directly toward Corvan¡¯s hiding place. He stepped forward just enough for the light to touch his face and drew back his hood.

    Tyreth¡¯s eyes widened as she looked into his, then she shook her head slightly and looked quickly away. She wanted him to stay hidden and with the door sealed behind him down the stairs, there was nowhere to run.

    Tyreth turned to descend the stone pier, and Corvan caught sight of the jagged scar across her right cheek. She made her way slowly out to the end of the pier, wavered for a moment, recovered, and turned to face the audience. As she glanced down, her lower lip trembled. She caught it in her teeth, turned her head deliberately toward him, then slowly and firmly shook her head.

    Tyreth was telling him to let her drown.

 Hammer 47

    Corvan could only stare at Tyreth, frozen in place, as if in a trance.

    She did not want him to save her, but how could he let her drown? His hand moved slowly to his side. If only he had the hammer to help him to know what to do. No! He pulled his hand away. He didn¡¯t need to hold the hammer to know that he had promised to do whatever he could to save her. There was no way he would let her die just to save himself. Tyreth was the future of the Cor, not him. He had to do something, and now.

    The lizard spoke from the stone platform overlooking the karst amphitheater and Corvan raised his eyes to the scaley creature.

    ¡°The gods found the father guilty!¡± The Chief Watcher cried out as the lizard stepped back between the two pillars and pointed down at Tyreth. ¡°Now we shall see if his daughter shared in his treason.¡±

    All eyes focused on Tyreth and to Corvan¡¯s horror, she was slowly edging her feet back to the end of the pier.

    ¡°No!¡± Corvan shouted, as he tore of the enclosed space and past the shocked priests. ¡°You don¡¯t have to die to save me! I¡¯m not the Cor-Van!¡±

    He raced toward the pier. Instantly two palace guards ran in from the door at the statues boot to cut him off.

    ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± Tyreth shouted, jumping toward him. ¡°Run away!¡±

    Corvan did not slacken his pace. He easily beat guards to the pier and out to Tyreth. ¡°Don¡¯t jump,¡± he gasped, ¡°we can escape together through the water.¡± He whipped around to face the two red cloaked guards that had arrived at the far end of the pier and were looking up at the Chief Watcher for further instructions.

    There was no need for any directions to be given for neither of the two hooded men had any warning as slender tentacles snaked out of the water, wrapped around their ankles and then, in the blink of an eye, both of them disappeared below the surface with barely a ripple.

    The audience did not move or breathe. The amphitheater was silent a long moment before the Chief Watcher spoke into the electric air and pointed directly at Corvan. ¡°Tarran, you cannot save your sister so now the two of you shall be judged together.¡± The lizard lifted both arms over his head. ¡°I call upon the gods of the water to show us if these two are the source of the lies that have torn Kadir apart.¡± His claws dropped on the two posts, and he leaned forward.

    Corvan put his hands on Tyreth¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re going to fall together into the water, but you must not panic. Keep your mouth closed and don¡¯t let the air go out of your body. I won¡¯t let you drown; I promise.¡±

    Tyreth nodded, fear rising in her eyes. Reaching into his robe, Pulling out the stub of a fire stick, Corvan stuck it in his mouth just as a wall of spray exploded around them, obscuring everything and everyone in the amphitheater.

    Wrapping Tyreth tightly in his arms, he toppled them from the pier.

    Clouds of bubbles rose around them as they plunged into the pool. Corvan flicked the cap from the fire stick and filled his lungs with air. Pulling Tyreth closer he tried to move the bubbling stick into her mouth, but her lips were clamped shut.

    They were descending rapidly. He tried desperately to show her what to do, pushing the stick to her lips, but her mouth and eyes were squeezed tight. A stream of bubbles was flowing steadily from her nose. She needed fresh air right away.

    Pulling in another deep breath from the fire stick, Corvan placed his mouth firmly over hers, and pushed his air past her lips and into her lungs. Tyreth¡¯s eyes opened wide, as a burst of fresh bubbles shot out of her nostrils. This time she watched him Corvan take more air into his lungs through the firestick. He put his mouth to hers and Tyreth¡¯s mouth relaxed, as she allowed the air to flow freely into her body. As he took another breath through the stick, Tyreth¡¯s blue eyes locked on his, her lips lifted in slight smile as she pulled him close, and put her mouth over his.Stolen story; please report.

    Their intertwined bodies didn¡¯t have any chance to fight off tentacles that wrapped tightly around them. Corvan strained against the bands, but the tentacles squeezed tighter then swept them rapidly down and into a dark opening in the wall of the karst. His lungs cried out for more air, but the stub of the fire stick was lashed firmly to his side.

    The tentacles jerked, squeezed tighter and then they were gone. Corvan released a burst of stale air, then held up the fire stick and filled his lungs. Tyreth watched, took it from his hand and followed his example. Corvan glanced overhead to watched the bubbles soaring away from them towards a huge silvery moon. There was fresh air overhead. Pulling on Tyreth¡¯s hand, he kicked furiously, towing her upward.

    They broke the surface in a cavern lit by patches of phosphorus yellow slime floating on the surface of the water. Up ahead a shaft of light shone down a crumbling stone stair to a landing, then the stairs turned towards the water. Corvan towed Tyreth toward it and they crawled out of the water across a beach of small pebbles and collapsed on the steps.

    As his breathing returned to normal, Corvan turned his head to find Tyreth sitting on the step above him and looking out over the water in amazement.

    ¡°My father told me once that it was possible to survive the water, but I didn¡¯t believe him.¡± She looked down at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe him about you either.¡±

    As she studied his face, Corvan found himself wondering how someone so strong could also be so beautiful. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. ¡°So, what happened to the frightened boy I met in the prison?¡±

    Corvan moved up onto the step beside her. ¡°He found someone worth fighting for.¡±

    Tyreth¡¯s smile spread to her eyes, and Corvan¡¯s cheeks grew warm. In his mind he was referring to Kate, but was glad that Tyreth not only took it to mean herself, but that she also seemed to be pleased by it.

    She touched his shoulder. ¡°I am glad you came back for me and did not let me drown.¡± A mischievous sparkle shone in her eyes from the overhead light. ¡°Of course, do doubt you will have to go back to prison for kissing the High Priest¡¯s daughter without his permission.¡±

    The warm flush spread right up to Corvan¡¯s ears.

    Tyreth laughed and checked her shoulder into his. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. My father wouldn¡¯t . . .¡± Her voice trailed off and she turned away to look over the water.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save him,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would jump in like that.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°He warned me about what he was going to do. He said it was just a matter of time before the poison killed him anyway and he would not let that evil creature win. I admire him for exposing the Chief Watcher¡¯s lies, even with his death.¡±

    The surface of the water exploded as huge bubbles of air hit the surface, sending them both scrambling up the steps to escape the rising water.

    ¡°The water creature is back,¡± Tyreth shouted, climbing higher and pulling on his hand.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s the Chief Watcher. He intends to drown all the priests.¡±

    ¡°How can he¡ª¡±

    The water churned and belched another explosion of air.

    Corvan hollered over the rising noise. ¡°He controls the level of the water from the pillars where he stands. The low place where all the priests are sitting has been sealed off by a stone door and once the water rises into the priest¡¯s area, none of them will escape the water, or the creature below.¡±

    Tyreth tore up the stairs, with Corvan right behind her. Muted echoes of the Chief Watcher¡¯s voice reached them as they squeezed through a crack into a lighted corridor. The Chief Watcher¡¯s voice came from both directions.

    Tyreth grabbed his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going left toward the light. You go right. If you find the Chief Watcher, come back and find me.¡± She pushed him to go but then pulled him back. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything without me. I need you to stay alive.¡±

    Corvan nodded and turned away, but Tyreth pulled him back again. ¡°Do you have the hammer with you?¡±

    His heart sank and he shook his head.

    Her face dropped ¡°But I thought . . . Do you have a sword?¡±

    He shook his head again.

    Tyreth¡¯s voice rose in desperation. ¡°Anything at all?¡±

    Reaching under his cloak, Corvan unclipped the krypin rope and held it out to her. She hesitated, then took it and tore up the tunnel. Corvan watched her disappear around the corner, then sprinted in the other direction. What good would a rope be against the black lizard?

    The tunnel grew darker and jogged to the left, bumping Corvan off the wall and into something soft.

    ¡°Clumsy oaf,¡± a voice hissed in his ear. ¡°We aren¡¯t moving yet. Stay in your position.¡±

    A burst of light shot into the tunnel as someone opened a small window at the end. Squinting, Corvan found himself at the end of a row of red cloaked palace guards crammed into a short, wide passage.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your pike?¡± the man in front of him asked before reaching into the shadows. ¡°Take this. You¡¯ll need something to keep the priests from climbing over the wall. The idiots made it too short just so the spectators above them could see better.¡±

    ¡°Blue flag,¡± the man at the front of the line whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±

 Hammer 48

    A door at the front of the line of guards opened and the red cloaks marched out. Corvan brought up the rear as the troop spread out along the wall behind the priests, leaving him standing outside the door, directly beneath the toe of the statue¡¯s boot. Each of the guards ahead of him carried a long pike with a double barbed metal tip. Corvan¡¯s was only a lumien light pole with two flaps of leather attached to the end. The man standing next to him gestured for Corvan to close the door, showing him that he had the key on a cord around his neck. Corvan did as he was told and stood at attention with the rest of the guard. He could only hope the cloak worked as well with a full stadium of people and the keen eyes of the Chief Watcher.

    ¡°The palace guard is here to protect you,¡± the Chief Watcher announced. ¡°If the priests are part of this conspiracy, they may try to break over the wall and harm you. As we have seen with Tarran, what begins as lies and deceit will eventually turn to murder.¡±

    The black curtains behind the lizard parted, and the leader of the Rakash slipped in behind the Chief Watcher. The sightless face stooped low to whisper in the lizard¡¯s ear. The lizard nodded and the bony creature slipped away.

    The Chief Watcher left his control pillars and advanced to the front of the stage.

    ¡°People of the Cor, in the past it has always been the self-proclaimed Cor-Vans who have been the source of the problems that have plagued Kadir. Whether among the rebels or our own priests, these charlatans have led good people to destruction. Now, even our own High Priest and his family have succumbed to the wiles of one of these masters of deception.¡± The lizard pointed down that the pier. ¡°As you just heard Tarran shout, he was not the Cor-Van, there was someone else. Yesss, and we have finally caught the one he referred to¡ªthe priest, Jorad.¡±

    Corvan could hear the excitement as the Chief Watcher¡¯s pronounce lisp briefly returned. The curtain at the back parted, and the four Rakash appeared with Jorad between them. A gag was stuffed in his mouth, and he was bound with a long blue krypin rope. The rope was forked at the end, and the separate strands spiraled down each of his legs. The Rakash leader moved in behind the priest, manipulating the krypin to force Jorad to walk forward like a puppet on its strings.

    As the Rakash guided Jorad to the front lip of the platform, the Chief Watcher pointed at the priest. ¡°This deceiver was using Tarran to take control of the palace through his army of priests.¡± His dark eyes turned toward the lower stands full of green robes. ¡°So, we will first test the priests in this conspiracy. If they are guilty, then Jorad also stands judged.¡±

    The lizard lifted his arms. ¡°Answer us, gods of the water. Expose the liars and eliminate the lies so we might worship in truth.¡± Stepping back the Chief Watcher dropped its arms back onto the pillars. A surging waterspout momentarily obscured the pier, then thundered back into the rapidly rising water.

    As the swirling currents overflowed the edged of the karst, a few people in the crowd stood and chanted, ¡°Death to traitors. Death to the priests!¡±

    The crowd did not join them. They were intently watching the priests, the guards, and the swirling water, but Corvan¡¯s eyes went to the Chief Watcher. The lizard was pulling on his pillars with hooked claws and looking anxiously at the narrow window cut into the left boot of the statue. Inside that window Corvan caught a glimpse of the man floundering about the control room, frantically tugging on levers. The Chief Watcher¡¯s pillars shifted about of their own accord and the lizard struggled to keep his balance between them.

    The Chief Watcher pulled back hard and finally regained control. The water overflowed into the priest¡¯s section of seats, and they all scrambled higher to the dividing wall. From between the pillars the Chief Watcher looked on with the same bloodthirsty anticipation Corvan had seen when he devoured the lumien heart from the mother plant.

    Someone on the far side of the Chief Watcher turned to Corvan. Jorad was glaring at him, his face seething with anger. Corvan quickly lowered his head to hide his face within his hood, but he knew it was too late. Jorad was now certain he was in league with the Chief Watcher and the palace.

    Just over the wall at his feet, the speed of the circling water was increasing. A deep whirlpool was forming, sending waves of water even higher into the priest¡¯s section. A few tried to climb the wall behind them, but they were met by pointed barbs. One fell back, slipped on the wet seat and toppled headlong into the swirling water. His gurgling cries circled around with his body until he spun into the center of the vortex and disappeared.

    The chanting ceased as all the spectators stood and watched in mute amazement.

    ¡°They may call upon the gods,¡± shouted the lizard, ¡°but they will be answered only with judgment, for the priests are guilty of treason.¡±

    The water swirled higher and climbed over another step. One more rise and all the priests would be drowned or impaled by the guards.

    Corvan edged towards the door. Tyreth had be somewhere up by the stage unless she too had been captured along with Jorad. He stole a quick glance up at Jorad and found the man intently staring at the stage floor next to the control pillars.

    What appeared to be a green spider, trailing a long thin web from under the black curtains, was circling the feet of the Chief Watcher. Once, twice, and then it climbed up one of the pillars. Tyreth was sending in the krypin in to tie the Chief Watcher to his post.

    Along the wall beside him, the guards were jabbing at the defenseless priests but they would open the door under the boot and swarm and up the tunnel to rescue their leader from the rope.

    Pulling out his last piece of fire stick, he quickly uncapped it and jammed it into the keyhole. Molten rock flowed down, sealing the door shut as his heart sank. He had just locked himself outside with the guards.

    A hand thrust out of the sealed door¡¯s small window and flipped the hood off Corvan¡¯s head. Corvan jerked back as Gavyn¡¯s smiling face appeared in the opening.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam Toreg?¡± Corvan asked urgently.

    The boy shrugged.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Garek and the gray men?¡±

    The boy shook his head.

    Panic rose in Corvan¡¯s chest. ¡°Then where¡¯s the hammer?¡±

    Gavyn stuck his hand through the window and held the hammer out in plain view, its blue light throbbing like a lighthouse beacon. Corvan quickly pushed Gavyn¡¯s hand and the hammer back inside the window but as the light surged out the small opening, he was certain every eye was now focused on his back. He turned to check.

    There was only one pair of eyes bearing down on him.

    The eyes of the Chief Watcher.

    Corvan looked back into those murderous dark orbs and his blood ran cold. ¡°Gavyn,¡± he whispered hoarsely towards the window, ¡°go up the tunnel, find Tyreth and give her the hammer. Now! Run!¡± He heard the boy scamper away.

    Time slowed as if Corvan were in a trance. In slow motion the whirlpool churned one revolution as the Chief Watcher rotated in counterpoint to the face the leader of the Rakash and then its arm swung back in a measured beat, like the second hand of a clock, to point at directly at Corvan.

    Just as his long claw clicked onto Corvan¡¯s location, the green rope bulged, its coils tightened, and the black lizard was lashed tight against the stone post.

    The whirlpool resumed its frantic raced around its track.

    ¡°Treason,¡± shouted the lizard, its muscles twisting as it strained at the rope. ¡°The priests are all guilty and resort to trickery.¡± The lizard pulled against his bonds and the water began to slow down as it released the pressure on the pillars.

    ¡°Listen to me,¡± shouted the lizard. ¡°I speak the truth.¡±

    ¡°Then you shall be judged by the truth,¡± a woman called out.

    Tyreth stepped through the curtain, her white gown shimmering against its velvet blackness. Everyone below froze in place and stared up at her.

    ¡°Another deception,¡± cried the lizard. ¡°More lies!¡±

    Tyreth strode toward him. ¡°No one can lie when they are holding the hammer.¡± She lifted both hands over her head, the hammer clearly visible in her grasp. Blue light from the handle enveloped her as she towered over the Chief Watcher.

    ¡°You say you have told us the truth, Chief Watcher. So now you shall be judged by it.¡± She lowered the hammer toward the claw lashed to the top of the post. The lizard writhed and tried to pull away, but he was held fast. The water below grew still as Tyreth pushed the handle into the bound claw.

    In the silence, the lizard sagged down between the posts, a grimace on its face. Its head fell forward onto its chest as its breath was released in one long hiss.

    Tyreth reached for the hammer and the Chief Watchers head snapped up, a devious smile spreading across his face. His thick tail whipped at Tyreth, knocking the control end of the krypin from her hand. The lizard drew up to his full height, the ropes stretching out freely as his claw raised the hammer off the pedestal. ¡°Old superstitions do not work anymore. This hammer will not harm me, I am the only truth the Cor needs to hear!¡±

    His words echoed across the water just before a brilliant explosion of electricity erupted from the hammer, wrapping around the creature, and throwing Tyreth to the ground. Sparks shot out from around the base of the pillars as blue light blazed through the loops of the krypin. Lightning arced about the thick black band on the lizard¡¯s neck as the Chief Watcher¡¯s head reared back. The light in its eyes faded away, and the creature slumped forward within the tangles of blackened rope, leaving the hammer perfectly balanced on top of the pillar.

    The Rakash leader moved past Jorad, reaching for the hammer, but in its haste, it released the priest from the control of the blue krypin, and in that instant the black blade was in Jorad¡¯s hand, slicing through the air. The severed hand of the Rakash leader fell twitching to the floor, still holding the handle of the krypin rope. The handless Rakash leader staggered forward and slammed blindly into the pillar, knocking the hammer to the ground as the pale creature toppled off the balcony and vanished into the whirlpool.

    Jorad leapt forward to stand before Tyreth, his blade extended toward the three remaining Rakash.

    Short yellow krypins appeared in their hands and on the end of each rope, a glistening point emerged. The Rakash played the krypins like whips around Jorad¡¯s body until it seemed there were a dozen barbed heads seeking to get past his blade.

    Jorad slashed at one and sliced it almost in half, but another yellow whip sank its point into his forearm. The priest yanked it out and stepped back, but his hand shook and the black knife faltered.

    The three Rakash stood down and waited until Jorad¡¯s hand slid down to hang limply at his side. The knife clattered to the ground. Now the three fanned out wider, their whips closing in like venomous snakes. The yellow ropes flowed through the air, their poisonous stingers hovering near his head as the three Rakash drew closer to both Jorad and the hammer lying on the ground.

    ¡°Tyreth!¡± Corvan shouted. Her head twisted to look at him. ¡°The hammer!¡± He pointed to where it lay. Tyreth scooped it up, plucked the black knife from the ground and leapt in beside Jorad, the blade singing through the air and slashing the yellow ropes into pieces that fell twitching at Jorad¡¯s feet.

    The Rakash did not retreat. They spread out along the front of the stage to surround Tyreth and each pulled out its own long blade. Could they still see? Each one appeared to be fixated on the hammer in Tyreth¡¯s hand.

    Subtle movements at the far edge of the stage caught Corvan¡¯s eye. On that side of the platform, one of Madam Toreg¡¯s gray men was threading a fire stick into the stone floor. There was another gray man in the middle and one more close to the curtain on Corvan¡¯s side.

    The three simultaneously gave their sticks a sharp twist and a muted thump shot a fracture clean across the balcony, separating the three Rakash from Jorad and Tyreth. The crack widened as huge slab tipped forward and the three gangly creatures stumbled backward as Garek appeared, pulling Jorad and Tyreth back to safety.

    With a resounding crack, the two pillars snapped off the broken stage, taking the body of the Chief Watcher with them into the water below. The broken half of the stage tilted even farther. The Rakash slipped off but managed to cling to the front edge. The entire slab now hung only by the sturdy metal rods that had connected the pillars to the control room.

    The Rakash were pulling themselves upward onto the slab and for a movement it appeared they would succeed but thick tentacles shot from the water and wrapped around the legs of the three white creatures, stretching their already long bodies to an impossible length.

    An eerie, terrifying sound filled the amphitheater as the Rakash cried out. With two loud pops, the knuckles of the control rods split apart and the stone stage fell into the pool with a colossal splash.

    A towering wall of water slammed the priests against the wall and dropped them back into their section of seats.

    ¡°Save those men,¡± Jorad cried out.

    The palace guard looked about in confusion before some began to use their hooks to pull the priests to safety. Others from the stands jumped forward to help pull them out of the water.

    As the priests were being lifted over the wall, Corvan looked down into the karst. Through the ripples, he could make out the broken section of the balcony lying on the bottom of the pool. The only sign of the Rakash was a severed hand trailing a long blue double headed krypin, its ends swirling around the submerged body of the Chief Watcher.

    Corvan looked closer. The lizard below was small and green.

    That wasn¡¯t the Chief Watcher. It was Tsarek!

 Hammer 49

    Jamming his long lumien flap pole in behind the topmost tier of the priests seating, Corvan pushed off the wall and vaulted out over the water. Letting go he dropped in feet first, turned and swam toward Tsarek as fast as he could go. A severed tentacle floated up toward him, and he knocked it to one side.

    Grabbing Tsarek¡¯s paw, Corvan pulled him in towards the dark opening where the water creature had lived. Hopefully it had fled the battle or had been crushed when the stage collapsed. The dead weight of Tsarek¡¯s body dragged him back but he would not let go. His lungs were almost bursting as he surfaced in the small cave.

    Gasping for air and pulling the limp form behind him, Corvan swam to the closest shore and pulled Tsarek onto a slab of rock that hung into the water. Rolling Tsarek onto his side he rocked the small body gently. ¡°Don¡¯t die on me,¡± he groaned. From the cuts and gashes on Tsarek¡¯s body, Corvan had no doubt that Tsarek was the reason the water monster had released him and Tyreth. It must have been quite the battle for such a small creature.

    Water trickled from Tsarek¡¯s mouth, but his friend didn¡¯t cough or move. Tears began to fall as Corvan sat helplessly beside Tsarek and stroked the ridges on the back of Tsarek¡¯s neck.

    Across the pool, a shadow fell on the surface of the water from the light flowing down the stairs. Corvan glanced up, expecting to see a tentacle reaching his way. Instead, he found Jorad standing at the bottom of the steps, black knife in hand.

    ¡°When I saw you dive in,¡± the man said, ¡°I should have known it would be to try to save that evil creature¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°Tsarek helped me save Tyreth¡¯s life, Jorad. Besides, the Chief Watcher is dead.¡±

    Jorad picked his way around the pool toward Corvan, his eyes flickering over the dark water. ¡°I was the one who saved Tyreth. You were in the stands helping the palace guard drown our priests.¡± He drew closer. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what the Chief Watcher could have possibly offered you to help him destroy us. Surely you didn¡¯t hope he would give you Tyreth.¡±

    ¡°I have never talked to the Chief Watcher,¡± Corvan replied calmly, ¡°and you can ask Tyreth. She¡¯ll tell you that I saved her life today.¡±

    Jorad planted his foot on the front of the stone slab. ¡°I will ask her, but first I will make sure this creature is dead.¡± He pointed at Tsarek with the tip of his knife.

    Corvan leaned in over Tsarek¡¯s body. ¡°I won¡¯t let you touch him. He is a good friend and has saved my life more than once.¡±

    ¡°Then he has deceived you,¡± Jorad said. ¡°His kind can only serve their own selfish desires or the purpose of the one who commands them.¡±

    Corvan looked at Tsarek. ¡°You told Madam Toreg not to judge too quickly, yet you do the same thing. This creature has a good heart. If the hammer were here, I would swear on it that he is not evil.¡±

    ¡°What you swear makes no difference to me.¡± Jorad¡¯s eyebrows knit together. ¡°What you believe may feel true to you, but there are some things that do not change. The Watchers are evil and the only way to protect the Cor is to make sure they are all dead.¡±

    ¡°This one already is,¡± Corvan said, but even as he spoke he thought he felt Tsarek¡¯s spines tickle his palm.

    ¡°I will spare your life Kalian, in return for saving my life at the bridge, but I will not let you leave here until I know this lizard is dead.¡± Jorad bent lower over the slab of rock. ¡°Their kind are masters of deceit.¡±

    Corvan jumped to his feet and leaned in toward Jorad, standing the man back up. ¡°When you choose to judge someone before you know all the facts, you act more like the Chief Watcher than the new High Priest.¡±

    Anger flashed in Jorad¡¯s eyes. He grabbed the collar of Corvan¡¯s cloak and Corvan in turn wrapped both hands around the wrist that held the knife. Locked together, they stood over Tsarek¡¯s body. Jorad pushed in hard, and his added weight tipped the stone slab steeply toward the water.

    Locked together, Corvan held Jorad from falling in. They looked down together in time to see the lizard¡¯s body slide down the rock and slip beneath the surface.

    ¡°Jorad, are you down here?¡± Tyreth¡¯s words floated down the stairs. ¡°Did you find him?¡±

    Blue light danced on the ripples and overhead, from entry onto the stairwell landing, a shaft of blue light probed the shadows of the cave.

    Corvan pushed himself away from Jorad¡¯s blade and the rock tilted back up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her see you,¡± Jorad hissed. ¡°She believes in you. It would destroy her to know you were helping the Chief Watcher.¡±

    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t. . .¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Jorad whispered as he released his grip on Corvan¡¯s collar. ¡°Tyreth will lead Kadir now that her father is dead. Seeing you alive will only confuse the situation.¡± He put the black knife back into its scabbard. ¡°Hide behind the rocks until we leave. Do this for me and I will help you escape the Cor and return to your home where you and Kate belong. It¡¯s the only way to save Kate¡¯s life.¡±

    Corvan reluctantly nodded and Jorad whirled about to make his way back to the steps. Retreating into the shadows Corvan crouched behind a jumble of rocks.

    The blue glow flooded the cave as Tyreth descended the stairs, the hammer at her side. She smiled at Jorad, and the man took her free hand and helped her over the final broken steps.

    Leaving Jorad by the stairs, Tyreth moved to the water¡¯s edge and gazed out over the surface. ¡°That boy must have seen a priest fall in and jumped in to save him just as he saved me earlier.¡± Her fingertips brushed her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get a chance to thank him. I don¡¯t even know his real name.¡±

    ¡°His name was Kalian,¡± Jorad said.

    ¡°Kalian. . . precious one,¡± Tyreth said, nodding. ¡°That¡¯s a good name for him. I felt something for him I can¡¯t explain. It was like my connection with Tarran except I was sure I would see him again.¡±

    Behind her Jorad shook his head slowly while looking in Corvan¡¯s direction. ¡°He is gone, Tyreth. He was sent to bring the hammer back to us. That was his mission and thankfully he completed it before he left us.¡±

    ¡°Left us?¡± Tyreth said, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe he is gone. With Tarran I knew he was dead, but with Kalian . . .¡± Her voice trailed off as she searched the surface of the water. ¡°My father believed Kalian would be our Cor-Van.¡± She lifted the hammer and looked into its glowing words. Her face appeared much older in the blue light, and also more tired. ¡°Now they are saying I should lead the people. I don¡¯t think I am ready.¡±

    Jorad came forward to stand beside her. ¡°The burden of leadership is great, Tyreth, but I believe you will succeed. You are much stronger than you know.¡±

    Tyreth shook her head and raised the hammer. ¡°But am I wise enough on my own? All my life I have been pulled in different directions as people have used me, used my position as the High Priest¡¯s daughter, to their own advantage. Now that I have the hammer, the stakes are much higher, and the deceit will be more subtle.¡±

    Jorad moved in close to her side and cupped her chin in his hand. ¡°I can help you to know whom to trust. I will be at your side supporting you. You know I would do anything for you.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Tyreth smiled as she looked into his eyes for a long moment. Jorad leaned in closer as if he would kiss her.

    A sharp tug on the back of Corvan¡¯s hood almost made him call out. He whipped around to find Gavyn grinning at him. The boy motioned for Corvan to follow him and pulled on his sleeve. Corvan nodded, but as they moved into the shadows, he turned back for one last look at Tyreth.

    There was nothing but blue ripples on the water from a glow above the crumbled stair.

    Swallowing the lump in his throat, he spoke quietly. ¡°Gavyn. I need to go as quickly as possible back to Kate.¡±

    Gavyn looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°The girl on the litter that Jorad and I were carrying,¡± Corvan said. ¡°She¡¯s at the Molakar settlement.¡±

    Gavyn nodded eagerly and scampered away to disappear beneath a rough wedge of rock that was propped against the cavern wall.

    The crawl space beneath the rock turned into a low passage with tunnels branching off in all directions, but Gavyn obviously knew where he was going. He forged on ahead of Corvan, the glow of his fire stick, around the next corner often the only sign of his presence.

    Crawling after him through a low spot, Corvan discovered Gavyn¡¯s light stuck in the rocks, but the boy was nowhere in sight. Corvan sat down, leaned back against the tunnel wall and closed his eyes. An intense weariness swept over him as the exhaustion drained his will to move another inch. He tipped his head against a large boulder and closed his eyes.

    Before he knew it, Gavyn was back and tugging on his hand. The boy held out a cup of cool liquid that tasted like weak apple juice. Corvan drained it. ¡°That¡¯s good, Gavyn. I could drink a gallon of that.¡±

    Gavyn took the cup back, nodded enthusiastically and pulled Corvan to his feet.

    Corvan head swam, and he stood swaying on unsteady legs. He needed more rest and something to eat.

    The firestick sputtered and died so Gavyn began walking backwards, holding Corvan¡¯s hands and guiding him around corners and over ledges. Corvan stumbled along after him.

    The sound of a rushing waterfall pushed into his hazy thoughts, and a dense mist fell on his skin as if he were walking right through it. The sound faded, they turned a corner and were welcomed by soft light ahead.

    Gavyn let go of his hands as they walked under an arch into a larger round room with a high domed roof from which hundreds of lumiens hung. Lush green foliage covered most of the stone walls and vines ran up the walls, trailing strings of tiny globes like strings of Christmas lights. In the center of the room, hanging from a stout stem, was the largest lumien Corvan had seen so far, at least this close up. He gazed in wonder as he walked towards it, then tripped up against something hard, caught his balance and looke about.

    On the ground, raised garden beds divided the room, each growing a different variety of tree, shrub, or flower. The entire room throbbed with life and color.

    Up ahead, surrounded by a low stone wall, stood the oddest tree Corvan had ever seen. Its trunk was bulbous and as smooth as the baobab trees that grew in Australia, the thick branches fanning out horizontally on top, like a green table on a stout pedestal.

    Gavyn dragged him along the path toward the great tree. Passing through a short gate, the young boy pulled him down onto his knees in thick moss that surrounded the trunk. A spring bubbled up from between the gnarled roots, then flowed into a stone catch basin and out in channels that led to the sections of the garden. Gavyn filled a carved wooden cup from the spring, passed it to him, and scampered away.

    Corvan drank deeply, re-filled it from the basin. It was the same apple flavored water Gavyn had brought him in the tunnels. The young boy had misunderstood his desire for more of his spring water. This place was not where he needed to be. He had to get back to Kate with some food to strengthen her while he looked for a way back home.

    As he waited for Gavyn to return, he studied the cup in his hands. It was carved with symbols similar to the ones on the hammer. Corvan set it down and found a ledge over the pool crowded with many other intricately carved wooden objects. Some were of creatures he did not recognize, but in the middle of the carvings he saw a set that was similar to the central plaza statue in Kadir. It was a family of three people, but the woman¡¯s head wasn¡¯t broken off like the real one in Kadir. Also the mother in this small carved version had long flowing hair and a smiling face that reminded him of Gavyn.

    Gavyn ran in through the gate and placed a basket of strange fruits at his feet. A grubby hand picked up something dark blue, about the size and shape of a lemon, and held it up to Corvan¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Thanks, Gavyn, but I¡¯ll take this along to Kate. She¡¯s sick and needs it more than I do.¡± He tried to get his tired body up to his feet, but Gavyn pushed him firmly back onto the moss.

    The boy pointed at Corvan¡¯s chest and held the fruit up at him again. He would not be letting Corvan go until he ate something.

    Corvan took it from him and tried to bite the blue fruit and almost broke a tooth on the tough skin.

    Gavyn laughed, took it back and smacked its pointy end on a rock. It split into five sections. Poking his finger under a thick white membrane, the boy pulled out a squishy purple tube from one section and dropped it into Corvan¡¯s hand. Corvan went to nibble the end, but Gavyn stopped him, pulled out another of the tubes, and showed him to put it all in his mouth and bite down hard. Corvan followed his example, and sweetness exploded in his mouth as the nectar was released.

    Corvan grinned with pleasure, and purple juice squirted out between his two front teeth. Gavyn laughed again and Corvan chuckled with him. A fresh surge of energy flowed through him. Gavyn was right. Eating was a good idea. He would be no help to Kate if he was too weak to walk. He grinned at Gavyn and the sticky juice trickled down his own chin, sending the young boy into hysterics. It was amazing that someone who suffered so much could be so full of joy.

    Corvan ate another section of the fruit and felt his body respond with both a sense of rejuvenation but at the same time, a longing to close his eyes and lie down. It was a long walk back to the settlement. He would never make it if he didn¡¯t take a short rest. ¡°Gavyn, can you wake me up in twenty minutes?¡±

    The boy cocked his head and Corvan realized how little sense that would make to someone in the Cor. ¡°I need a short sleep, but don¡¯t let me sleep long, okay? I¡¯ve got to take some food to Kate, and I¡¯ve got to get back home to my mother.¡±

    Gavyn nodded seriously and then and sat next to the spring, pulled out a dark piece of wood from a cleft in the side of the large tree and began to carve something. It was slow going with his crude blade he was using and Corvan dug into his pocket, pulled out his Swiss Army knife, and tossed it to the boy. Gavyn pulled out every blade and examined every tool with focused curiosity before he resumed his whittling. a even larger smile of satisfaction on his innocent face.

    Corvan smiled, closed his eyes, and let the exhaustion overwhelm him.

    When he awoke, the lumien light was fading and Gavyn was nowhere to be seen. He¡¯d slept far too long. Scooping fresh water into the cup, he pushed himself up against the trunk of the tree, downing the sweet liquid and studying his surroundings for a sign of the boy or any clue of which way he should go to get out of Gavyn¡¯s tree room.

    It was hard to know. The cavern wasn¡¯t fully round; it also had seven sides, just like the hammer. Each section was divided by slender buttresses that soared overhead to meet in the center of the ceiling where the large lumien hung down. Only three of the sections had doors but which one had he come in? Corvan walked to the edge of the low central wall to get a better view and discovered that the paths in the room formed the same star shape he¡¯d seen on Kate¡¯s medallion.

    As he turned in circle, Gavyn appeared from behind the thick tree. He pantomimed eating things off a table, motioned for Corvan to follow, then ran back the way he had come. Corvan followed around the trunk to see the boy disappearing into yet another door on the far side of the room.

    ¡°This is like chasing the White Rabbit around Wonderland,¡± Corvan muttered as he loped after him.

    A short distance inside the doorway, the passage was blocked by fallen rock. A pebble bounced off Corvan¡¯s head and he looked up to see a rope slowly twisting in circles as Gavyn climbed. Using a boulder for a stepping stool, Corvan grabbed the rope and followed. He was halfway up before he realized that, for the first time in his life, he was climbing a rope with ease. If this was the result of the water from the base of Gavyn¡¯s tree, he was going to drink a lot more of it. He liked the newfound feeling of strength in his arms and chest.

    Reaching the top of the rope, he found Gavyn standing on a crude stone bench and peering through a small hole in the wall. The boy jumped down, pushed on a rocky knob and the wall swung open. He jumped through the opening and Corvan had to sprint inside to avoid being left in the hall before it closed again.

    They had entered a large pantry full of food. Cloth bags hung from pegs driven into the walls and clusters of fruit from hooks embedded into the low ceiling. Baskets were piled on the tables that ran down the center of the room, and a rack of pointed jars occupied the far wall where a stream of water in a trough appeared to be keeping them cool.

    Gavyn ran about, popping things into his mouth from the baskets on the table. He indicated that Corvan should try some as well.

    ¡°This is great, Gavyn. I¡¯ll take some to Kate and the healer.¡±

    Long loaves were piled in one of the baskets. Corvan picked out a small one and handed it to him. It smelled mildly of cinnamon. It was hard to chew, but it was the best bread he could remember eating in a long time. ¡°Do you know every secret passage in this place?¡± he asked between bites. ¡°Is there a faster way to get back to Kate?¡±

    A proud look on his face, Gavyn put his bread down, went to the far wall and pushed up on three pegs in succession.

    A low door next to the pegs swung open and light fell on a tight spiral staircase. Putting a finger to his lips, Gavyn tiptoed through and beckoned for Corvan to follow.

 Hammer 50

    Setting the bread on the table, Corvan climbed the circular stairs after Gavyn with a growing sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Reaching the top, he realized why. Gavyn was crouched beside the small door leading onto the ledge over the High Priest¡¯s Hall. It was right here where he had first met Jorad.

    ¡°Do you want me to go out there?¡± he whispered to Gavyn. The boy nodded but when Corvan put his hand on the latch, Gavyn shook his head, covering his ears and wincing. He was reminding Corvan that this was a creaky door. There must be people on the other side, but Corvan knew how to defeat a squeaky hinge. Leaning hard on the latch, he eased the door slowly and quietly open.

    A voice floated up from below. Gavyn nodded for him to go out but stayed close by the door as Corvan crawled onto the ledge.

    Where the mother plant had been, a chandelier with glowing orbs now hung from a tied off rope, low over the great table. Six men were visible below; three in white cloaks, two in the green cloaks of the priests, and one in a hoodless black tunic, mostly hidden by the hanging lights. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused the far wall beneath the ledge, towards the tapestry and the hidden entrance.

    ¡°No doubt the Chief Watcher had that piece destroyed,¡± said one of the priests. ¡°We will never know the message it contained.¡±

    ¡°It is for the best.¡± Jorad spoke from somewhere under the ledge. ¡°We have wasted far too much time and energy searching for the Cor-Van to come help us. I think we should use what resources we have at hand to work together and bring peace and prosperity back to Kadir.¡±

    An older man in white turned to Jorad. ¡°So, you no longer believe the Cor-Van exists, Jorad?¡±

    ¡°The scrolls and tapestries all describe the Cor-Van as a great leader,¡± Jorad replied, ¡°someone who speaks the truth and rules with authority. I no longer believe those sacred words point to a specific person, but rather to the office of the Cor-Van, a leader we can all follow. Tarran was such a leader. He was a great man.¡±

    ¡°Who brought us the lost hammer,¡± a thin man in a green robe interjected.

    ¡°And who saved Tyreth from the karst,¡± added another priest, ¡°paying for his brave deed with his life.¡±

    Jorad walked into view and leaned on the table. ¡°All of those are examples of a Cor-Van, a true leader. That is the point of the scrolls. Our leaders are already here among us, whether in the priests or among the people of the city. We have only to open our eyes and we will find the Cor-Van we require. Tarran was one and his sister Tyreth is another.¡±

    The oldest priest snorted and shook his head. ¡°Our people will never follow a young woman, even if she is the High Priest¡¯s daughter. With the Rozan rebels threatening to tear Kadir to pieces, rumors of more of the Rakash at large, and reports of Broken gathering in secret caverns, we need an older man to bring us through these troubled times.¡±

    The last man in a white robe finally spoke up. ¡°As the youngest member of the city council, I believe it is time to change our attitudes about who is allowed to be a leader in Kadir. After today, there is not a person in our city who does not believe Tyreth is capable of leading us.¡± He pointed at Jorad. ¡°She was certainly more courageous that all the priests who cowered in the stands.¡±

    ¡°It is not up to the people of the city,¡± the old priest retorted and the other two men in the white robes sat up straighter. ¡°It is up to this council to decide together.¡± Heads nodded. ¡°I consider Tyreth to be too headstrong, just like her father. He put his foolish plans with Morgan and Tarran into action without the knowledge of the city council. We lost good men from both the priests and from the city because of his foolishness.¡±

    Jorad folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Her father is dead and after today¡¯s events, I believe that if we do not appoint Tyreth to the palace, Kadir will rise up against us. This would tear the city apart and leave us open to attack from the rebels or the Broken or even from . . . Him.¡±

    The old man in white waved Jorad off. ¡°You have just said that the Cor-Van is not a specific person, why would you not believe that the evil ruler of all the Cor is now just a legend as well. Are you trying to frighten us into agreeing with you that Tyreth should lead us?¡±

    Jorad walked back under the ledge. His voice floated back into the room. ¡°If I were to be appointed the new High Priest and Tyreth were to govern from the palace, would a marriage between the two offices dispel your fears?¡±

    The old priest grunted and pursed his lips. ¡°Are you certain she will accept you?¡±

    ¡°Tyreth and I have been close since we were children. She has no one else in her life to consider. Everyone she loved is dead.¡±

    The man in the black tunic spoke out. ¡°Your plan has merit but perhaps this is not the right time.¡± Everyone around the table turned to look at him. Corvan recognized the voice. It was the captain they had met at the city of the dead. ¡°Many are still suspicious of the priests, but everyone trusts Tyreth. Now that she possesses the hammer, she will embody the truth. If she had someone at her side to manage the political sides of leadership, we may create the stability we all require, including the soldiers.¡± He stressed the final word as he leaned back in his chair, folded his arms and stared across the table to where Jorad stood out of sight below. There was a long moment of silence.

    ¡°Let us at least take the first steps,¡± declared the old priest. ¡°Jorad shall be appointed High Priest, and Tyreth will be ruler of the Cor. In a short time Tyreth will be of age and permitted to marry, then she can make her own choice. The we shall celebrate the first marriage between government and religion.¡±

    ¡°Or government and the military,¡± the captain said as Jorad came back to the table with a deep frown on his face.

    The old man in white clapped his hands together. ¡°This may yet prove to be a prosperous time for us all.¡±

    The men pushed back from the table. The man in black spoke again. ¡°There is one other matter we must discuss and that is what to do about the opening my men uncovered in the Cor shield at the Molakar settlement. It has been reported to me that there is an open passage beyond the break, leading upward.¡±

    ¡°It must be closed,¡± Jorad stated emphatically. ¡°No doubt the Chief Watcher was using it to bring the Rakash and other creatures like the one that died in the karst through to Kadir. We should not wait for more evil to enter; we must keep ourselves separated from whatever is out there if we hope to rebuild and survive.¡±

    There were nods of agreement around the table but not from the man in black. ¡°Take some of the priests with you tonight,¡± the old priest said to Jorad, ¡°Close it if you can and then destroy that cavern. Remove the lumiens and the people and then seal off the Molakar settlement. We shall pass a law banning anyone from going that way again. Now that we have the hammer back, our laws will be judged much more swiftly and severely.¡± He pounded his fist three times on the table.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The men stood and made their way to the front door, but Jorad and the old priest remained by the table.

    Corvan inched away from the ledge, keeping his eyes on the two men below. Without Jokten the passage beyond the crack in the Cor shield was his only hope of getting Kate home to safety. He had to beat Jorad and the priests back to the settlement.

    The old priest pointed at the tapestry. ¡°You must also destroy what is left of the great tapestry. Without the key in the center, it is useless anyway. Partial knowledge is more dangerous than you know.¡± The old priest left the room and as soon as door closed behind him, Jorad walked toward the tapestry, nodding to himself.

    ¡°It is useless, but not if you hold the key to where it leads,¡± he said to the empty room.

    Corvan slid back farther on the ledge. He could recall the Chief Watcher cutting out the center of the tapestry, but the creature had left it on the chair, the same chair that Jorad had been sitting on after the lizard left. Jorad was not telling anyone else that he was in possession of the piece of the tapestry.

    As he moved farther back where Jorad could not see him, Corvan¡¯s feet brushed the door and it let out a muted squeak. He looked back but Gavyn was nowhere around. Retreating through the small door, he left it open and quietly descended the stairs.

    Gavyn was back in the storage room, nibbling his way around the table like a fussy mouse.

    Corvan quietly shut the secret door and secured it with the three wooden pegs. ¡°Gavyn,¡± he whispered, ¡°I need to get back to the Molakar settlement as soon as I can.¡± Gavyn did not seem to understand where Molakar was located, so Corvan drew out a map of the Kadir cavern in the dust on the table, pointing out Molakar and telling the boy why he desperately needed to get Kate home before she died. ¡°The only way out is through that crack in the wall the soldiers discovered.¡± He made an X on his dust map. ¡°But I have to get there before Jorad does.¡±

    Gavyn added some of his own markings to the map, drawing strange figures around the falls. A tear splashed into the dust as Gavyn touched his chest, shook his head, and pointed to the broken bridge, then the places beyond. More tears welled up into his eyes.

    ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t go with me past the bridge?¡±

    The boy nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gavyn, but I have to go. Kate needs me. Can you take me as far as the bridge?¡±

    Gavyn nodded and his eyes brightened. He moved around the room, filling a small cloth sack with his choice of the various items in the baskets on the table. Drawing the string tight, he handed it to Corvan and beckoned him to follow him back down to the garden room.

    As Corvan followed he wondered how long it would take Jorad to get his men together. If they shut the crack before he could take Kate through, she was as good as dead. Even if he could find someone to open the portal door leading to the labyrinth, he did now know how to get back that way and had no idea where Tsarek was, even if his friend were still alive.

    The journey beneath Kadir took them through various tunnels and what seemed to be dried out sewers. Gavyn did not seem to be in any great hurry to get to their destination, and Corvan kept urging him on.

    Finally, they emerged out onto the streets. There was no fog, but the darkness was almost complete and with his keen eyesight, he saw no one as they passed through the ruins. Eventually, they arrived at small gatehouse near the lower bridge.

    Gavyn tugged on his sleeve then pointed out over the river and shook his head. Corvan knelt down and Gavyn touched his forehead to Corvan¡¯s. The boy made a noise in the back of his throat as if he were trying to say something, then he threw his arms around Corvan¡¯s neck and cried silently on his shoulder.

    ¡°I will miss you, Gavyn,¡± Corvan whispered in his ear. ¡°You¡¯re like a little brother to me.¡±

    The young boy pulled back, a pleased smile on his tear-stained face. Reaching inside his tunic, he pulled out the star-studded holster and held it out to Corvan.

    ¡°No, Gavyn,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I want you to have it. I don¡¯t need it now that Tyreth has the hammer.¡±

    The boy pressed a familiar weight into Corvan¡¯s hand and when he snapped it open he found the black hammer inside. How could this be? He pulled it out. There was no glow, and it was a lighter than before and not quite as smooth. Gavyn had whittled a replica from a block of dark wood. Corvan put it back inside the holster and closed the snap. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Gavyn. I will always carry it with me to remind me of you.¡±

    He buckled the holster back in place at his side wishing that he had something to give Gavyn in return, something meaningful, valuable . . . he did have a gift like that. He fished out the pouch with the red seeds. The seeds from the mother plant and Tyreth belonged here in the Cor, not in his world above. Nobody would appreciate their worth more than Gavyn. ¡°I want you to have these, Gavyn, so you won¡¯t forget me.¡±

    The boy tugged on the cord and a red glow lit the tracks his tears had traced down his dusty face. He looked at Corvan in awe. Pointing to the roof of the cavern, he traced a wide arc with his hand, then took only one of the pulsing red tears from the bag and tucked its glow inside his tunic. Pulling the pouch closed, he handed it back to Corvan as if it contained all the wealth in the world.

    As Corvan reluctantly returned it to his pocket, his hand fell on the connected pieces of broken mirror glass. Pulling them out he held out the two halves to the young boy. Maybe Gavyn could find a use for them. Gavyn touched the circle the two curved sides split apart from each other. A smile broke over Gavyn¡¯s face as he touched the white side to his heart, then closed Corvan¡¯s hand around the blue one and pushed it up to Corvan¡¯s chest.

    ¡°For us to remember each other?¡± Corvan asked.

    The boy nodded, studied Corvan¡¯s face intently, then reached into his own robe and tugged a slender silver chain over his head. Pulling Corvan back to his knees, he pushed the chain under Corvan¡¯s hood and around Corvan¡¯s neck.

    Hanging from the end of the chain was another silver medallion, identical to the one that Kate carried except that it did not glow when he touched it. Gavyn must have carved this gift as well. ¡°Thank you, Gavyn, I will never. . .¡± He looked up but the boy was already gone. A mournful tune from the pan pipes floated from the ruined city.

    Corvan turned away. As he approached the bridge he was surprised to find the metal plates had been replaced and tightly bolted down. He crossed over, half expecting to see Garek and the gray men but there was no one nearby. Overhead the few remaining lumiens were getting lighter and the thought of Jorad rousing his men to get out to Molakar quickened Corvan¡¯s pace. Jogging around the bend in the river road he approached the dam and followed the aqueduct across the fields.

    One the far side he began to ascend the settlement trail. At the steps on the first corner of the switchbacks, Corvan looked back at the city. He had to get back to Kate, but strangely he was finding it hard to leave Kadir behind. He was saying good-bye to people who were now a part of him: Tsarek, Rayu, Madam Toreg, Gavyn, and especially Tyreth. He had not felt this lonely since his journey began. His father was right. To love others was to embrace pain, at times enough to break your heart.

    Climbing a set of stairs, he passed the scarecrow with its painted eyes and thought of the Rakash. He knew all too well, they could not drown so were they still on his trail? He looked back over the valley. Nothing moved on the ground, but high overhead a small shadow on dark wings swooped past the blue lumien moon.

    He crouched quickly behind the wall and waiting until the rebel leader¡¯s rantel headed back to the crags on the other side of the river. Had it seen him? He pushed the thought away. One thing he¡¯d learned on this journey was that he didn¡¯t need to focus on the fear of what might be around the next bend. He just needed to take the next step. He looked at his feet and moved one in front of the other. ¡°Okay, Corvan, that¡¯s one. How about another?¡± He moved his other foot forward. ¡°Good enough. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Where was he going? He was going to take Kate home. How would he get there? He wasn¡¯t sure but what mattered was taking the next step. His heart lifted and his head came up. He was not going to give in to fear. Stepping past the scarecrow, he whistled his father¡¯s tune and someone else began to whistle it with him.

    He was not alone after all.

    A ghostly gray figure was walking beside him.

 Hammer 51

    When Corvan emerged into the Molakar settlement, the only light in the cavern was the glow from patches of purple moss. The leader of the gray men had vanished at the entry into the tunnel just as silently as he¡¯d appeared, but Corvan hoped he might still be watching over him.

    Tentatively approaching the karst Corvan looked across at the broken crane hanging sloppily above the black water rushing around the island below. A row of unlocked empty shackles brought a sigh of relief. The young boy with the crew cut hair must have escaped with the others.

    He ran a hand over his head. His own hair had grown considerably longer during his time in the Cor and by his family traditions that meant he was now an adult. He nodded to himself. If being an adult meant saving innocent lives then he was willing to embrace that responsibility. Something had changed in him when he had gone into the karst. He had faced the fears of his childhood and had left them behind. He turned away from the karst. Now it was time to rescue Kate and give her a fighting chance to live again.

    The cliff dwellings were dark and Jokten¡¯s home was as lifeless as the rest. Corvan crept into the entry and set the sack of food on the floor. There was a cough from inside and a small fire stick sputtered to life. The tree on the tapestry covering the inner chamber glowed. Viewed from this side the branches of the tree were covered in pale blue blossoms. On the top left corner, a man dressed in a cloak faced a woman faced in a white dress on the other side. Arranged between them were the hammer, the medallion, and a carved staff with a purple glow.

    The scene split in two and flickers of light fell on his face.

    Jokten¡¯s wife gave him a halfhearted smile. ¡°I was hoping you would return soon.¡± She held the curtain open. ¡°She is fading quickly. Her strength is almost gone.¡± She motioned for him to follow her to the other room where she placed her small firestick into its wall sconce.

    Corvan was shocked by the sight of Kate¡¯s white face on the stone table. Had it not been for the old woman¡¯s words, he would¡¯ve been certain she was dead.

    ¡°She is being pulled deeper into darkness,¡± the old woman said. ¡°I thought the medallion might work to bring her back, but she continues to slip away.¡±

    Corvan squeezed Kate¡¯s limp hand but there was no response. ¡°There has to be something we can do for her,¡± he said urgently.

    The old woman caressed the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°It is hard to know what to do when the good of many people is weighed against our deep love for just one. We could cut into a lumien seed and squeeze its life into her mouth, but I do not think that would be enough, and in the end the Cor would be a darker place with one less lumien to sustain the community.¡±

    Corvan touched her shoulder. ¡°What about these?¡± Pulling the pouch from his pocket, he lifted one of her hands and dropped the last two seeds from the pouch into it. Instantly the room was infused with warmth and light.

    ¡°Where did you . . . It can¡¯t be. How is this possible?¡± She stared at the bright gems in disbelief.

    ¡°Can they help Kate?¡±

    The old woman¡¯s fingers closed tightly around the seeds and a pulsing red glow shone through her skin and outlined her bony fingers. Light twinkled at the top where her thumb would have been. She twisted her head to look into his eyes. ¡°These represent new life for the city of Kadir and perhaps the Cor. Would you deny an entire world their salvation to save one person?¡±

    Corvan wanted to say yes, but the word stuck in his throat, and he just stared at her.

    She slowly shook her head. ¡°We do not even know if it would work. If we allowed her to eat one of these, I think it would be more than her worn out body could handle. Just touching them, I can feel the power flowing through my hand.¡±

    Corvan wrestled with his thoughts. Gavyn had one seed, the healer could keep one, and the other could be used to save Kate. But what if all three were needed to bring light back to Kadir? He looked at Kate¡¯s pale face. Should he take the risk everyone else might die while he took her back home?

    ¡°Could we at least let her touch them and see if that helps?¡±

    There was no answer. Corvan turned to find a dumbfounded look of amazement on the wrinkled face. ¡°Would touching them help her?¡± he asked again.

    Ever so slowly, the old woman lifted her hand before him and opened it wide. The two seeds sparkled merrily on her smooth palm as she pushed her hand closer. ¡°Look, Cor-Van. Look! My hand!¡±

    Corvan looked closely at her hand. The soft skin looked like a teenager¡¯s hand attached to a gaunt arm. ¡°The seeds have a lot of power,¡± Corvan said. ¡°That must mean it would help Kate to hold them¡±.

    ¡°Corvan.¡± She said his name the way his mother did when he wasn¡¯t really listening to her. ¡°My thumb is back.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s eyes opened wide in amazement. Just as a salamander could regrow its tail, the power in the two seeds had regrown the old woman¡¯s thumb. Corvan was about to touch it, to make sure it was real, when the old woman pushed him aside and dropped onto her knees by Kate. Gently she pulled Kate¡¯s hands down to her sides with the palms facing up. ¡°Hold this for her,¡± she said, handing him the medallion. ¡°It is very powerful and opens doors, but it cannot stop death.¡±

    The woman dropped one of the seeds into Kate¡¯s right hand and waited. Nothing happened.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Put one in her other hand,¡± Corvan said, crouching next to the old woman and peering into her face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty,¡± she whispered. ¡°A darkened soul is very different from a severed thumb. This may take some time.¡±

    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t have much time.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing down.

    Kate¡¯s hand had closed over the red gem. Warm light ebbed through the tightly clenched fist, then crept up her arm. Color returned to her face and the healthy glow moved on down her left arm before stopped at the welts around her wrist. The pale hand clenched, and the glow receded away from the welts.

    ¡°She needs the other one,¡± Corvan urged.

    ¡°No,¡± the old woman said firmly. ¡°There is enough power in the one; she must make the choice to accept it. She must let go of the hate and accept the love she has already been given.¡±

    Corvan put his hand on Kate¡¯s forearm. The warmth within was being pushed back by a deathly cold. He put his face close to hers. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it win, Kate. I promise that I will take you away from here and back home.¡± He clenched her arm and the cold stopped beneath his fingers. ¡°Your mom misses you. She loves you.¡±

    There was no response. He touched his cheek to hers and whispered in her ear. ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    A surge of warmth flowed under his hand and the red welts around her wrist crumbled off like old scabs. Tears of relief slipped from Corvan¡¯s eyes and splashed on Kate¡¯s forehead. As he wiped them away, she took a long slow breath. Her body relaxed and her hands unclenched.

    The old woman inspected the seed in Kate¡¯s open hand. A pink glow flickered across its surface. ¡°She has absorbed enough of its power for now.¡± She plucked it out, and Kate¡¯s hands clutched frantically at the air. ¡°Let her hold the medallion now instead. It will comfort her.¡±

    Corvan placed the disk in Kate¡¯s palm, and her fingers wrapped tightly around it.

    ¡°Is the seed still alive?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes, but I will need to plant it very soon.¡± She held out her hand. ¡°May I have the bag? The other one may help this one rejuvenate. Just as with most living things, companionship is of the essence.¡±

    Corvan handed her the empty bag. Dropping both seeds inside, she tucked it away in her tunic, then sat wearily on the bench by Kate, probing the base of her regrown thumb and shaking her head in amazement.

    ¡°When do you think she¡¯ll be able to walk on her own?¡± Corvan asked. ¡°I need to get her into the gardens where they found that crack in the Cor wall.¡±

    ¡°The seed has done wonders for her, but I do not think she can walk just yet. If Jokten returns, he can help you carry her.¡±

    Corvan looked into her face. She deserved to hear the truth about her husband.

    Sitting beside her on the bench he told her of the fight in the pit, how bravely Jokten had faced the monster, and how he was the one who slew it.

    Tears rolled down her cheeks as he told her he¡¯d buried her husband by the falls. ¡°I wanted to put a sign there,¡± Corvan said, ¡°to tell everyone that beneath that pile of rocks was Jokten, slayer of the great beast.¡±

    She brushed the tears from her cheeks. ¡°You did right by him. In time you will take his place as a great leader.¡±

    Corvan¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be a leader; I fail more than I succeed.¡±

    She took his hand in both of hers¡ªone frail and wizened, the other pink and warm with renewed life. ¡°If you keep doing what is right, are merciful, and live with honor, you will eventually become a great Cor-Van.¡± She looked down at Kate. ¡°And now that the girl is well, you can both stay here and help us drive the evil from our world.¡±

    ¡°But she can¡¯t live under the light of your lumiens,¡± Corvan said.

    She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that now. That seed was powerful, it may have. . .¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stay here,¡± Corvan interjected. ¡°I promised I¡¯d bring her home.¡±

    The old woman patted his leg. ¡°Get some rest. I would offer you food, but the soldiers would not give me any because I could not work the fields.¡± Getting to her feet, she held up her healed hand. ¡°Jokten always regretted asking me to find him small fire sticks to explore the passages. I wish he was here to see this.¡±

    Removing the firestick from its holder in the wall she carried it into her kitchen area and hung it near the counter. ¡°I don¡¯t have much left in my pantry, but I should be able make you something to eat.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Corvan said. He retrieved the cloth bag from the entry, placed it on the counter and untied the top. ¡°I¡¯ve brought along some food from the priest¡¯s pantry. They have loads of stuff there.¡±

    She gasped in surprise as he pulled out the different foods and lined them up in a row on the counter.

    ¡°How wonderful!¡± she exclaimed, picking up the long loaf of bread. ¡°Let¡¯s slice some of this onto pieces.¡± Pulling two knives from hooks on the wall she handed him one and pointed something that looked like a yellow cucumber. ¡°You cut some thin slices of that to go with the bread. Not too thick, mind you.¡± Her face grew sad. ¡°You will need to take the rest with you for your long journey.¡±

    After eating their simple sandwiches in silence, Corvan placed half the food back into the bag and pushed the rest toward her.

    ¡°You take it all,¡± she said. ¡°I should be able to get some food from the community garden.¡± She tried to put it all back in his bag but he pulled the drawstring tight and held it high over her head where she could not reach it. She laughed and tears flowed down her face.

    In the other room, Kate groaned. The old woman looked over the counter at her. ¡°That¡¯s a good sign, she¡¯s coming around. Her body is growing stronger.¡±

    Corvan went into the next room and stood over Kate. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have much time before Jorad and his men get here to evacuate the Molakar settlement and seal it off.¡± Corvan, said as he flipped his hood back over his head. ¡°We need to leave as soon as we can.¡±

    The old woman brought the firestick, stuck in into the holder on the wall and joined him beside Kate. She looked up at him through a swatch of thin white hair. ¡°Why would they take everyone from Molakar?¡±

    ¡°They want to make sure no one can enter or leave through that crack the workers found. That¡¯s why I had to come back so quickly. That crack is the only way to get Kate back to the surface.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t leave now,¡± she said, tugging on his sleeve. ¡°There are many things you need to know about your family¡¯s history in the Cor¡ªwho they were and who you are.¡±

    ¡°My family was from the Cor?¡± Corvan asked.

    She threw her hands in the air. ¡°Not just from the Cor. Your family ruled the Cor before the rise of the Watchers.¡±

    Corvan put the bag down next to the bench. ¡°How can I be from the Cor when I live above?¡±

    Kate turned onto her side and the old woman sat down and put a hand on Kate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I must tell you about how that came to be and many other things. There is so much you need to know before you leave and go through the Cor shield to return Kate to your world.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s voice filtered in through the curtain.

    ¡°He will not be allowed to leave the Cor.¡±

 Hammer 52

    Jorad pushed through the curtain, the black knife drawn, and grim determination etched across his face by the flickering firestick. ¡°You will not leave the Cor until you give me the counterpart to the hammer, the medallion Kate was wearing. It belongs in the Cor. You, however, do not belong here and never will.¡±

    ¡°Those are strong words.¡± The old woman stood to her feet and stood next to Corvan. ¡°How did you come by this knowledge?¡±

    Jorad glared steadily at Corvan. ¡°What I have learned is that even the innocence of youth is false. I have decided to take matters into my own hands.¡±

    The old woman leaned forward and peered into Jorad¡¯s face. ¡°And what do you intend to do with a medallion?¡±

    Jorad turned his attention to her and stood up straighter. ¡°As the new High Priest, it is my job to ensure that there is a balance of power between the palace and the priests. A medallion will give me the leverage I require to ensure that the palace cooperates.¡±

    Corvan threw his hood back. ¡°You aren¡¯t talking about the palace.¡± He shook his head in disgust. ¡°You mean Tyreth, don¡¯t you? You don¡¯t even trust the woman you hope to convince to marry you.¡±

    Jorad pushed the tip of the knife directly at him. ¡°Not only were you spying on others, listening in on private conversations, but you also left a map in the dust. That¡¯s how I knew exactly where to find you. It proves again how young and foolish you are. You know nothing of how to handle power. That is why you will never be a leader of the Cor.¡±

    Corvan did not pull back from the blade. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your kind of leader. I don¡¯t want to control people; I want others to know that I care about them.¡±

    Jorad¡¯s gaze went to Corvan¡¯s neck before lifting the point of the knife to Corvan¡¯s throat. ¡°Since you are leaving the Cor, give me the medallion you are wearing on that chain. In return, I will permit you and Kate leave through the Cor shield before I close it and then seal off this settlement.¡±

    Corvan looked at the blade, then to Jorad¡¯s face. ¡°How do I know you are telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Because I am now the High Priest of the . . .¡± Jorad¡¯s voice trailed off. He stood blinking in the silence.

    Corvan withdrew Gavyn¡¯s medallion from within his cloak. For a brief moment, he regretted that this was only a replica and not the glowing one that soothed a person¡¯s fears. The real one might actually heal Jorad¡¯s hard heart.

    Keeping his knife extended, Jorad yanked the silver disk from Corvan, biting into his neck and snapping the thin chain. Intense satisfaction shone in his eyes as he tucked it away. ¡°My men will arrive any minute with enough fire sticks to seal off the tunnel to this settlement. If you wish to try and leave through the crack in the Cor shield, you must go immediately. I cannot allow them to see you.¡±

    Corvan turned away from Jorad, bent down to Kate and gently shook her shoulders. ¡°Wake up, Kate. It¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Her eyes fluttered and focused on his face. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°We are going home now. I¡¯ll take you to see the stars.¡±

    Kate nodded and Corvan helped her to her feet, covering the hand that still clutched the glowing medallion tightly. Pulling her close he whispered in her ear. ¡°May I carry this for you while we walk, Kate? It would be nice to feel its warmth close by, just for a bit.¡±

    To his surprise, Kate willingly released the medallion into his hand. He tucked it secretly away inside his tunic, glad for once it did not glow strongly for him.

    Taking Kate by the hand, he led her into the kitchen room.¡°Why is it so dark out?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nighttime,¡± Corvan said.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Where are all the stars?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re covered up right now,¡± Corvan replied, ¡°but we¡¯ll see them soon.¡±

    Jorad held aside the curtain into the entry. ¡°Quickly now. We have no time to loose.¡±

    Corvan helped Kate out of the dwelling and into the Molakar cavern. Jorad followed and once they were outside the door, he lit a long firestick and held it aloft to light their way.

    From the entry a thin voice called out, ¡°Farewell, Cor-Van. May you walk in the truth until we meet again.¡±

    ¡°Wait here a minute,¡± Corvan said to Kate, releasing her hand and running back to hug the hunched-over shoulders. He crouched low and looked into her eyes. ¡°How can I say good-bye? I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±

    ¡°My name is Saray.¡± She kissed his cheek and lowered her voice to a whisper. ¡°When you come back to us, you must be sure to find me. I can help you become a great Cor-Van.¡± Reaching into his cloak she unclipped Gavyn¡¯s carved hammer, turned it over in her hands, fumbled with the holster and then clipped it back into place. ¡°You must keep this as your pledge to return to us. Unless you return this to the Cor, our people will continue to suffer.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Corvan said softly, glancing back to make sure Jorad was not coming closer. ¡°The real hammer is with Tyreth. Gavyn made this one, and also that medallion I gave to Jorad.¡±

    Saray nodded and patted his arm and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand where all this is going and soon you will too.¡±

    ¡°The others are arriving.¡± Jorad called out, pointing at a faint glow coming from the entrance into Molakar from the Kadir cavern. ¡°The Captain informed me he was going to in bring his own guards along with my men to ensure we close off Molakar completely. We need to move quickly.¡±

    Saray gave him a tear-filled smile. ¡°Until we meet again, Cor-Van,¡± she said, then turned back to her dwelling.

    Corvan ran back, took Kate by the hand and moved along the path.

    Jorad fell in behind them. ¡°Do not think you were sent to be our Cor-Van,¡± Jorad said. ¡°A Cor-Van must know how to wield power and shape the world in which he lives. Instead, you have been used by others to accomplish their goals. That is not the destiny of a Cor-Van.¡±

    Corvan did not respond. There was no point arguing with Jorad. He tightened his grip on Kate¡¯s hand and pulled her faster down the path.

    On the far side of the karst, they entered a roughly hewn cavern full of plants and debris. A bit of light shone out from clusters of smaller lumiens overhead. Farther along, a new corridor ran straight ahead between crude stone support pillars cut out of the solid rock. At the end of the double row of ragged columns, a patch of the Cor shield was exposed against the cavern wall. A long crack ran up the center of the glossy rock, easily wide enough for a person to walk through.

    ¡°Do not touch the walls once you are inside,¡± Jorad urged. ¡°Legend says the cracks in the Cor shield will close on any who touch the walls. I intend to seal it once you are through and protect our people from more intruders from the outside.¡±

    As they stopped at the entrance into the crack, Kate turned back, left Corvan¡¯s side and kissed Jorad on the cheek. ¡°Thank you for helping us, Jorad,¡± she said, then returned to take Corvan¡¯s hand.

    The lines on Jorad¡¯s face softened and he looked at Corvan. ¡°I am sorry it turned out this way. I want to believe that you were deceived by the Watchers, that you did not know better.¡± He swallowed. ¡°You do not know what evil they brought on us. Many good men were deceived by them¡ªincluding my brother, Morgan. In turn, he betrayed my family . . . took my wife and child as prisoners to the palace and . . .¡± His forearm bulged as his fist clenched tight around the hilt of the black knife hanging at his side.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jorad,¡± Corvan said, ¡°but I promise you, I did not betray¡ª¡±

    Jorad¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°No one who has been in the company of the watchers can be trusted.¡± He gestured toward the crack with the blade. ¡°You must leave the Cor and never return.¡±

    Corvan looked into his eyes. ¡°I understand how much you must hate the Watchers. I only hope it does not blind you to the truth.¡±

    Jorad sheathed the knife. ¡°I no longer believe that truth exists.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I know it has changed me for the better.¡±

    ¡°Then you are more fortunate than most.¡± Jorad held out the fire stick. ¡°You may need this on the other side. Go quickly. I will stall them as long as I can.¡±

    Corvan took the fire stick and stuck out his other hand to shake Jorad¡¯s.

    Jorad looked at Corvan¡¯s hand, then back to his face. His jaw tensed, then he turned abruptly and strode out into the darkness between the pillars.

    As soon as Jorad was past the closest column, a shadow stepped out. Corvan¡¯s heart thumped in his chest. Was it the Rakash? One of the gray men?

    A tiny fire stick, like a lone votive candle in a huge cathedral, came to life in the high shadows, throwing its feeble light up the stone spire.

    Below the light, A small figure stood in the darkness.

    Tsarek was alive and he was waving good-bye. Corvan waved back, his eyes brimming with tears. When he blinked them away both the light and his friend were gone.

 Hammer 53

    Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his cloak, Corvan turned away and guided Kate cautiously into the crack. As he held the firestick out in front of them, flickers of light shot out into the rock and disappeared. At first, the crack was wide enough for the two of them to walk closely side by side, but it quickly narrowed. Moving through without touching the walls would be difficult¡ªor impossible. He shuddered at the thought of being entombed in the Cor shield, like two bees encased in amber.

    ¡°I need to go ahead of you and lead the way,¡± Corvan said stepping in front of Kate. ¡°But remember what Jorad said, we must not touch the walls.¡±

    Kate shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe in here. The walls are moving closer. I want to go back.¡±

    Kate¡¯s breath came in shallow gasps as her hand waved frantically in front of her face. She hated enclosed spaces. She tried to turn back, but with his free hand, Corvan pulled her in close against his chest.

    ¡°Look into my eyes,¡± he said softly.

    Kate raised her head and her eyes focused on his.

    ¡°Try taking a breath,¡± Corvan urged, all the while working to keep his own fears from overrunning him. He felt her take a shallow breath, her heart beating madly against him. ¡°I promise you Kate, there is enough air in here for both of us.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s my light?¡± Kate asked. ¡°Can I have it back now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Let me get it for you.¡± Fumbling inside his tunic, Corvan retrieved the glowing medallion and pressed it into her hand. Immediately she relaxed against him and breathed deeply.

    Tugging Tyreth¡¯s scarf from under his cloak he held it out. ¡°Remember how we used to play Blind Man¡¯s Bluff in the castle rock? If you tie this over your eyes, I¡¯ll hold your hands and lead you through the crack to the open space on other side. Is that okay?¡± Even as he said the words, he wondered if there actually was a passage back to their home on the other side. What if this was a dead end?

    Kate nodded faintly, then tied the scarf over her eyes. Taking her by the hand, he turned and thrust the firestick out far front of them. The back edges of the crack were visible just a short distance ahead. ¡°We are almost there,¡± he said calmly, but the way the crack shimmered and appeared to move closer choked back his words.

    A shout from out in the cavern jerked Corvan¡¯s head around. Beyond Kate, firesticks were moving toward them between the stone columns. Kate strained against his hand and tried to turn back, her free hand tugging at the scarf.

    Corvan pulled on her hand. ¡°We need to keep moving Kate. We¡¯ve got to get away from here.¡±

    Through the crack, Corvan caught sight of the tall captain from the council meeting leading a group of red cloaked guards were mixed in with the green cloaks of the priests.

    The voices from out in the cavern echoed around them as the company drew nearer.

    Something bounced off his foot and Kate twisted her hand free from his.

    ¡°I dropped my light,¡± she said, panic rising in her voice. Raising the scarf, Kate dropped to her knees, turning back to follow the medallion as it rolled along the floor, its glow fading as it bumped along on its points toward the approaching soldiers.

    The captain¡¯s deep voice called out, ¡°Something is coming through the Cor shield! Shoot it! Shoot at the firestick!¡±

    Tossing the firestick into the void behind him, Corvan dropped to the ground as an arrow whistled overhead. Grabbing Kate¡¯s ankle, he desperately dragged her backwards, but Kate shouted and tried to slap his hand away.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to attack!¡± a man shouted, and two more arrows clattered off the walls overhead.

    Reaching behind him, Corvan grabbed ahold of the rocky floor and yanked hard on Kate¡¯s leg, dragging her backwards, then tumbling them both out into the shadows on the far side of the crack.

    They lay in a heap, the fire stick hissing behind them in the rocks as it sputtered and burrowed its way into the rock, slowly plunging the open space around them into near darkness.

    The noise from the soldiers died away.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my light?¡± Kate asked loudly.

    Corvan leaned close and whispered in her ear. ¡°We must stay quiet, Kate. Don¡¯t move or talk and I will find your medallion.¡±

    She nodded and he pulled the scarf back down over her eyes, then crept closer to the crack. If Tsarek was correct, with one touch he could seal the crack in the Cor shield. They would be safe, but also stranded with no way to go back if this passage turned out to be a dead end. Besides, it would be hopeless to get Kate to leave without her medallion.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    He peered into the crack. The firesticks on the other side had been extinguished but the glow of the medallion was nowhere to be seen. A shadow shifted on the floor and in the soft glow of the Cor shield he could see someone crawling slowly toward him.

    Corvan moved his hand closer to the wall. If the people from the Cor made it through to his world, there was no telling what creatures like the Rakash might do. Medallion or not, he needed to close the crack.

    The man in the crack coughed and crept closer. Corvan¡¯s hand faltered. The soldier was just obeying orders. He should at least be given a chance to escape.

    ¡°You need to go back,¡± Corvan hissed. ¡°I¡¯m going to seal the crack now.¡±

    The man kept coming until he was just a few feet away, then he looked up.

    A grin spread across the wrinkled face of Rayu. ¡°You¡¯ve kept this old man running all over Kadir trying to catch up with you. I happened to be in the soldiers barracks when the call came to come out to Molakar and given all the excitement, I was certain it had to be you.¡±

    Rayu pointed back to the Molakar cavern. ¡°They are arguing about what to do,¡± he said quietly, ¡°and that usually takes quite a while. The captain wants the crack left open for the time being, but Jorad wants it sealed immediately. I was listening in to see if Jorad would mention you and then Saray found me. I haven¡¯t seen her or Jokten for a very long time.¡±

    Rayu came closer, his gaze on the darkness beyond the Cor shield. ¡°Saray told me where you are going and told me I had better come check to make sure you made it through. She said I must do whatever it takes to keep them from following you.¡±

    Rayu opened his hand and the medallions green glow lit up his kind face. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I did because you dropped this. It would be very bad for the Cor if Jorad or the captain were to get their hands on this one. Saray said you were to keep it safe until you return.¡±

    He held out the medallion. Corvan leaned forward and as he took it from Rayu, its light flowed through him, warming his hand and his heart.

    Rayu gestured to where Kate sat on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m glad you found your counterpart again.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but she is not doing well. That black band did something to her before she decided to choose the medallion instead.¡±

    ¡°I think she will recover,¡± Rayu said. ¡°She is strong, and you will need her beside you when you return to help us restore Kadir and the rest of the Cor.¡±

    Corvan shook his head and thrust the medallion back to the old man. ¡°I¡¯m not coming back. Tyreth has the hammer, and she can lead the Cor. You must take this medallion to her instead.¡±

    The old man protested, saying something about Tyreth, but shouts from the far side of the crack drowned him out. Fire sticks blazed to life, thrusting their light up through the crack. The clash of swords mingled with the cries of ¡°the Rakash! the Rakash!¡±

    Rayu pointed at Corvan¡¯s chest. ¡°As I expected, the now, one-handed leader of the Rakash, does not want you leave until he gets that cloak back.¡± Rayu patted Corvan¡¯s forearm. ¡°But do not be afraid. I will not permit the Rakash to follow you.¡±

    Pulling his hand back, Rayu shoved himself deeper inside the Cor shield. ¡°It is time to say good-bye, Cor-Van. May your love for others always be guided by the truth.¡±

    Before Corvan could say anything, Rayu smiled, then patted the exposed edge of the shield wall.

    A soft hiss of escaping air, like a pop bottle being opened, flowed past Corvan. He blinked and then he was looking at a perfectly smooth wall.

    He sat in the dead silence for a long moment, staring as the glossy rock faded to dark stone. Had Rayu sealed himself inside the rock or had only the leading edge closed off? He needed to hope it was the latter.

    ¡°Who were you talking to?¡± Kate asked from behind him. ¡°Did you find my medallion?¡±

    Crawling back to her, Corvan removed the scarf from her face and placed the glowing medallion in her outstretched hand. She studied it a moment, then wrapped her fingers around it and looked up at him. ¡°Can we go home now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Kate. Now we can go home.¡±

    The firestick was deeply embedded in the floor, but he managed to ease it free, then lead Kate away from the Cor shield and up a passage that was heading steeply upward. If it kept climbing this way, it had to eventually come out at the surface.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t see the stars,¡± Kate said.

    Corvan took her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll find them, but first we need to go on a long walk.¡±

    The corridor before them was shaped like a squashed tube and the floor was rippled from an ancient stream slowly carving its way through the rock. No water flowed in the channel now, and Corvan was keenly aware that they had none with them.

    Kate didn¡¯t have much strength and they had to stop often to rest. Corvan had no doubt that the journey out would take just as long as the days it took to reach the Cor. It would be best to let Kate rest whenever she was tired.

    When the fire stick finally died out, they moved on, ever upwards by the light of Kate¡¯s medallion.

    ¡°I need to sit for a few minutes,¡± Kate said quietly.

    ¡°Here¡¯s a good spot,¡± Corvan said and together they reclined against the sloped wall. Kate nestled in beside him and shivered. Pulling out Tyreth¡¯s scarf he draped it over her shoulders, then removed his cloak and spread it over her body. She snuggled in closer and fell into a deep sleep.

    The medallion had slipped from her hand, and this time, when he picked it up it kept glowing for him. Tsarek had said the medallion gave him a sense of calm, a feeling of hope for the future, and Corvan had to agree. Its light grew stronger as he studied the markings, turning the words around, flowing them from truth to compassion to justice and back to truth. It made sense that the medallion would be connected to the hammer. To be a good leader you had to hold all three attributes in tension. If any of them were missing, you would make a mess of things.

    His thoughts went above to the long black box his father has shown him on the Castle Rock. The hammer represented truth and the medallion was about compassion so whatever the third item was, it must bring justice to a situation. He would ask his father about that when they got back.

    Kate groaned in her sleep and Corvan brushed her long bangs away from her eyes. A faint smile fluttered across her face.

    Lifting the edge of the gray cloak, he lay down behind her and put his arm around her. Her hand reached for the medallion and closed about his own.

    Corvan took a deep breath, and drifted off to sleep.

 Hammer 54

    When Corvan awoke, the faint scent of lilacs hung in the cool night air and for a moment he thought he was stretched out on the front porch swing at home, his mother¡¯s tabby cat curled up against him. A tickle of hair brushed his cheek and he smiled. Kate was cuddled up against him, her head resting on his forearm.

    Kate stirred, then rolled toward him and snuggled into his chest, her hand coming back over his. He released the medallion into her hand and then lay perfectly still, waiting until her breathing fell into a steady rhythm. One thing he knew for certain was that he would never again be bothered by the boys teasing him that he liked Kate. He was no longer afraid to admit it and he hoped she felt the same way.

    He dozed again but woke up to cold air flowing over his back. He reached for the cloak, then jumped to his feet. Kate was gone!

    ¡°Kate!¡± he called out, but there was no answer. He stumbled up the passage, but it was too dark for his keen eyesight to pick out any movement. He stopped, glanced back down, and caught a glimpse of green a long way off down the passage from where they had slept. Stumbling toward it, he called again, and this time heard Kate respond in a low voice.

    When he reached her, he found Kate standing at the top of a steeper section, the cloak draped over her shoulders and the medallion outstretched in her hand, staring down a group of boulders below.

    ¡°What are you doing, Kate?¡± he asked, wondering if maybe she had been sleepwalking.

    She turned her head slowly to him, a quizzical look on her face. ¡°Did you hear him calling?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Who?¡± Corvan responded, looking below and half expecting the leader of the Rakash to appear from between the large rocks.

    ¡°The old man from the secret room,¡± Kate said. ¡°He wants me to come back.¡± She held the medallion up between them. ¡°Sometimes, when I hold this, I can hear his voice.¡±

    Corvan frowned. The only old man Kate could be referring was Rayu from when he hid her in the crypt. Somehow, his holding the medallion just before her and then dying entombed in the Cor Shield must be having an effect on her. There was no way to know for certain with all she had been through. ¡°You must have been dreaming,¡± he said. ¡°Are you ready to walk a bit farther?¡±

    Kate nodded slightly and shivered.

    ¡°Let me fasten the cloak for you,¡± Corvan said, as he buttoned up the front. This time Kate did not resist wearing it and taking her by the arm, he turned her about and guided her back up the slope.

    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± Kate mumbled.

    ¡°If we walk a bit more, we can look for some water,¡± Corvan replied, but he didn¡¯t have much hope. When they had first left the Cor shield, they had come across a few pools of water in deep pockets at the edges of the old watercourse, but lately there were none to be found. The last one had been more than four rests ago, and the effects of dehydration were setting in. Their food supplies in the cloth bag were running out, but without any water, neither of them wanted to try to choke down the dried-out bread that remained.

    As he led the way up the passage, a deep fear seeped into his soul along with the darkness that pressed in around them. He wrapped Tyreth¡¯s scarf closer around his neck. Earlier, when she would not wear the cloak, he had offered the scarf to Kate, but she gave it back saying, ¡°I don¡¯t like how it smells.¡±

    Now he took comfort by pressing Tyreth¡¯s scarf against his face and breathing in her lingering scent. He recalled her words in the prison cell, ¡°be brave and it will be all right.¡± Was that actually true? Was there any way out of this situation?

    Kate stopped, looked ahead, and whispered hoarsely past her cracked lips. ¡°Is it much farther? This night is too long. There are still no stars.¡±

    ¡°We are getting closer,¡± Corvan replied, giving her hand a squeeze. ¡°How about we count out a thousand steps and see where that takes us.¡±

    Kate nodded and he began to count. At the end of the thousand steps, they rested briefly, then did it again. It helped to have a goal to keep the fears at bay but as the counting wore on it fell to five hundred, then one hundred and finally to twenty-five. Kate collapsed in a heap. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t, sorry Corvan.¡± She looked like she would cry but her eyes remained dull and dry.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Corvan hardly had enough moisture in his mouth to get the words out. ¡°Rest here. I¡¯ll find water,¡± he croaked.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Covering her with the cloak, he waited until her eyes closed and her rasping breaths became regular. When he eased the medallion from her grasp, she did not resist. He did not want to leave her alone in the dark, but needed the light to explore ahead and find water.

    Around the next bend, the passage rose even more steeply over stair-like ridges. He started to climb but his strength gave out and he fell to his knees. Had they come all this way just to die of thirst? How was that fair?

    His father¡¯s words replied from the recesses of his weary mind. Don¡¯t be looking for this world to be fair to you. Fair is what you do for others, not what you expect to receive.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Dad, I just need to take the next step.¡± He crawled forward over the next ledge. ¡°Come on, Corvan,¡± he whispered, ¡°you can do it.¡±

    But he couldn¡¯t.

    In utter exhaustion he fell on his face, his last bit of energy seeping from his body into the cold stone.

    A green glow wavered before his eyes. He relaxed his hand and the medallion slipped away and landed with a soft metallic ring on the stone. For a moment it balanced on its points, then rolled slowly out of sight. It the stillness he listened to it drop down the stone steps, sounding like a small bell fading into the distance. The ringing ended with a soft plop.

    It took a long time for the last sound to register in his mind. It had to do with wishing or praying or something similar. He could remember having a handful of medallions when he was little, no, they were pennies¡ªand he was dropping them one at a time into a round hole; plop, plop, plop. He recalled wishing that one day he would grow up to be a great hero.

    Corvan raised his head. When he was a child, he had visited the wishing well at the park in Fenwood. The sound he had just heard had to be the medallion falling into water. He squinted down the slope to find a green light dancing off the ripples of a small pool.

    Crawling back down the stair-like ridges he followed the light to a trickle of water bubbling up into a shallow depression. Dropping on his stomach he drank deeply, then made his way back to kneel beside Kate.

    ¡°I found water,¡± he said.

    Kate¡¯s head rolled to one side, but her eyes did not open.

    Corvan pulled her toward his chest. He didn¡¯t have the strength to lift her, but if she helped . . . He shook her gently. ¡°Put your arms around my neck, Kate, and I¡¯ll carry you.¡±

    Her eyes remained shut, but her head dipped slightly, and she clasped her hands behind his head. Summoning all his energy, he pushed to his feet and staggered around the corner to the flickering green pool.

    They rested by the small spring. Kate revived as she drank and finished off the last of the bread. Corvan let her eat her fill before nibbling on the last small pieces in the cloth bag. Turning it inside out he brushed off the crumbs and rolled up the rim. ¡°Look Kate, it¡¯s a toque to keep your head warm.¡± Kate smiled as she took it from him and tugged it over her head, her eyes moist and alive again. She leaned in to him and he pulled her close to rest against his chest.

    He let Kate doze until she stirred again. ¡°Shall we try another thousand steps?¡± he asked.

    Kate nodded and he helped her to her feet but before long she was stumbling the steep steplike flow, barely able to lift her feet under the gray cloak.

    ¡°Your cape is too heavy for me,¡± she said, fumbling with the buttons. Corvan helped her take it off, then draped it back over his own shoulders. This time Kate took his hand and attempted to lead the way but she tripped on a rocky lip, fell and pulled him down with her to the ground, his knees smacking painfully against the rocks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Corvan, I can¡¯t make it,¡± she whispered, her shoulders convulsing with dry sobs.

    Fear swept over him along with a cool breeze that blew in sharply from around the next corner. Pushing away the feelings of dread away with fierce determination he got to his feet. They weren¡¯t beat yet. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave you, Kate, ever.¡± He reached down for the hand that held the medallion and fresh light flowed around their fingers. Taking her other hand, he pulled her to her feet. ¡°We¡¯re not quitting.¡± He took a step back. ¡°Keep looking in my eyes and follow me. We can do this one step at a time.¡± He stepped backward and she followed, her eyes looked on his.

    The wind grew stronger. Kate broke his gaze and looked past him. She spoke, but the wind whipped her words down the tunnel. Shaking her head she pulled feebly on his hands, but he leaned back and forced her to keep coming. If they quit now, they might never get up again. Just one more step!

    His back foot found nothing but empty air.

    Kate yanked on his hands; eyes wide with fear as together they toppled into a rushing river down below. Icy water cut through his cloak and the current tore Kate from his grasp. The green glow of the medallion slipped away from him on the darks surface of the water. Kicking furiously Corvan swam after her.

    The ceiling swept lower.

    The glow drew closer.

    His hand brushed Kate¡¯s face, then in a roar of foam, she disappeared as they tumbled over a waterfall.

    Coughing up water, Corvan surfaced off to one side of the falls in a shallow pool. He stood on the rocky bottom. ¡°Kate! Where are you?¡± He saw nothing. He splashed to one side, his hands outstretched. His hand jammed into a rock wall and heard his finger snap. Pain shot up his arm.

    ¡°Kate!¡± he screamed, his throat rasping with the panic that drove her name from his lungs.

    He listened carefully over the sound of the water and heard her moan. ¡°Kate? Where are you? Speak to me.¡± Another moan from the other side of the rock. Falling to his knees in the water, he moved around it until the glow of Kate¡¯s medallion came into view, lying in the water. He lifted the light to find her lying half submerged in a shallow pool, her eyes closed. A gash on her head and a deep cut on her face were turning the water around her pale face deep red. ¡°Are you okay? Say something, Kate.¡±

    Kate didn¡¯t open her eyes but a smile touched her lips.

    ¡°I saw the stars, Corvan. We¡¯re home.¡±

 Hammer 55

    Corvan stood at the Fenwood hospital window watching the remnants of a prairie sunset fade over the western hills. He was glad the day was finally over. The harsh sunlight glaring off the stark white walls Kate¡¯s hospital room had been unbearable.

    Footsteps approached, then retreated to answer the jangle of the nursing station phone. He hoped it was a long call. The nurses would not be happy to find him back in Kate¡¯s room again.

    Streetlamps began flickering to life around the empty parking lot below. His parents should be returning at any time to take him home, but it didn¡¯t¡¯ feel right to leave Kate here by herself. Kate¡¯s mother would certainly not be coming to see her. Just a week after he and Kate had disappeared, she had taken off with the man she had met at the roadside diner.

    Turning away from the darkening sky, he moved toward the clunky metal bed where Kate slept beneath a fuzzy white blanket. She looked somewhat comical with her hair sticking up in swatches through the bandage that had been wrapped around her head.

    He studied her for any sign of movement. He had heard the whispers of brain damage from the nurses¡ªhow Kate might never wake up again or, if she did, how she might not remember anything from before her injury. He refused to believe that would happen. They had come through so much together and he would not give up on her now.

    The steady drip of Kate¡¯s IV had been doing its work, and her face was no longer drawn and thin. The cut in her cheek had been carefully stitched back together and they said it was healing incredibly fast. She would likely end up with a scar similar to the one that Tyreth would have for the rest of her life down in the Cor.

    At the thought of Tyreth he turned back to the window. Up here, with the vast prairie sky overhead, the daughter of the High Priest seemed like a figment of his imagination, and the Cor as far away as another planet. He gazed above the trees to where a few stars struggled to outshine the city lights. A surge of pity for the people of Kadir tugged at his heart. It was like they were all locked away in a dark prison, paying eternally for some ancient crime.

    ¡°The stars are beautiful.¡±

    Corvan whirled about and went to the bed.

    Kate smiled faintly, then winced as the stitches tightened on her cheek. ¡°What happened to me?¡± She tried to sit up, but Corvan put a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°You need to lie still and rest. You fell and hurt your head. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    She stared blankly at him. ¡°I think so. Did I get hurt bad?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a cut on your head and on your cheek. You¡¯ll be okay but you need to rest for a while.¡±

    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have been climbing on the Castle Rocks in the dark,¡± Kate said.

    ¡°The Castle?¡± Corvan asked.

    ¡°I remember was going out there and falling down but I don¡¯t even remember what I was doing out there at night. I had my mother¡¯s outhouse flashlight with me.¡± Her eyes crinkled in a teasing smile. ¡°Maybe I was trying to catch your imaginary lizard so Billy wouldn¡¯t pick on you anymore.¡±

    Corvan nodded slowly but his mind was racing. Kate didn¡¯t appear to remember anything from their adventure, but it would be best to not say anything for now. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the lizard. I won¡¯t be talking about it anymore.¡±

    Her eyes drooped. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±

    ¡°Try to sleep. I¡¯ll sit with you until my parents come to take me back home, but I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, I promise.¡±

    She nodded and Corvan pulled a chair in close to the side of her bed.

    Kate reached her hand out from under the covers, exposing what the doctor referred to as ¡°that mysterious star shaped burn¡± in the center of the palm. How could they know that the small star was from where the red seed had sent its power coursing though her body. Corvan reached out and held her hand in his own.

    A peaceful smile settled over Kate¡¯s face. She gave his fingers a weak squeeze as she drifted off.

    The door opened a crack, then his mother stepped into the room. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the sight of their joined hands, then she gestured for him to follow her out.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Easing his hand from Kate¡¯s, he met her out in the hall.

    ¡°How is Kate doing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She woke up and talked a bit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I didn¡¯t think a bump in the head could slow our Kate down for long.¡± His mother frowned. ¡°Did she ask for her mother?¡±

    ¡°No. She seems a bit confused about what happened.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not the only one.¡± His mother shot him a questioning glance as she turned down the hall. ¡°We can leave right away. I¡¯ve already checked you out.¡± She held out his fall Mackinaw jacket. ¡°I hung the raincoat the nurses took from you on the hooks at home. This will be much warmer.¡±

    Corvan accepted the red and black wool jacket, marveling once again that his grandfather¡¯s cloak fooled people so easily. As soon as they got home, he would grab the cloak from the back porch and hide it away in the chest in his room.

    His mother helped him to get his Mackinaw on, then pointed to his bandaged hand. ¡°They say it was a clean break and will heal quickly. Does it hurt?¡±

    Corvan shook his head, but he was already turning back to Kate¡¯s door. It didn¡¯t feel right to leave her behind now that she was conscious. ¡°Will you bring me back first thing tomorrow morning?¡± He looked to his mother. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to be alone with her mom gone and all.¡±

    His mother nodded, a faint smile on her face.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Dad?¡± he asked.

    ¡°He had to go back to the Red Creek mine. Tomorrow they are sealing off that lower chamber. He¡¯s the only one who knows where to place all the charges to make sure the water drains away and does not rise up into the mine. He¡¯ll be most of the night.¡± She tried to smile but there was worry in her eyes. ¡°You are sure lucky he found you two. Nobody at the mine can figure out how you and Kate got past the locked gates and down to the bottom level.¡±

    It was more of a question than a statement, but Corvan didn¡¯t respond. His father had asked him not to say anything to his mother until they could talk in private when they got home.

    Walking out the front doors of the hospital, Corvan abruptly stopped. Up in Kate¡¯s hospital room the open sky had continually drawn him to the window but now, outside, the stars were pulling him right out of his tennis shoes. He breathed in the scents of early autumn, the drying leaves, the dust of harvest, and the crisp air. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to be back.¡±

    ¡°The way you¡¯re behaving,¡± his mother said, ¡°you¡¯d think you¡¯ve been underground in that mine for a year.¡±

    Ignoring the subtle inquiry, Corvan trotted down the stairs and headed for the truck.

    As they drove out of the city, the artificial glow from the streetlamps faded, and the prairie sky brightened into a star-encrusted canopy. It almost seemed the stars had multiplied since he left for the Cor.

    Resting his forehead against the cool glass, he stared up at them in wonder. Under their sparkling light, he felt both small and infinitely important at the same time.

    Entering his hometown, he watched the empty schoolyard slide past his window, surprised to find himself free of any fear of going back. It wasn¡¯t just that he was ready to grow up and move on, it felt more like he had already walked through that door and came out the other side.

    The gravel crunched as they turned into their driveway and rolled to a stop beside their home.

    Stepping from the truck he turned for the side of the house. ¡°I¡¯m going out to the rock for a few minutes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too long,¡± his mother said. ¡°The doctor said you also need to get lots of rest.¡± She came around the front of the truck and as Corvan passed by, she reached out and pulled him close. ¡°I¡¯m sure glad to have you home again.¡±

    He hugged her back with his good arm. ¡°Me too.¡±

    Walking toward the Castle Rock and past the outhouse woodpile brought a fresh pang of loneliness. He missed Tsarek. His friend should be here with him to help make sense of all that had happened and to figure out what to do next.

    The moon came into view over the horizon as he climbed the western trail of the rock. Within the confines of the stone circle, its soft light etched the faint outline of the stone doors leading down to the Cor. He approached, crouched, and tentatively touched the edge. Nothing moved except for a spider crawling out next to keyhole.

    Digging into his pocket he pulled out Kate¡¯s medallion and tried again but it was the same result. As expected, without the hammer he would not be able to open the doors.

    Getting to his feet, he put the medallion away and looked over the fields to the edge of the river valley. In a way he was glad he no longer had the hammer and could not return to the Cor. Tyreth could use it to lead Kadir and it would also help her to know when Jorad was telling her the truth.

    Truth. His parents had drummed the need for honesty into him since he was small and now he understood just how important it was. Everyone suffered when lies and deceit grew unchecked.

    Leaving the castle rocks behind he walked out onto the western slope and sat down to watch the crescent moon cast a web of thin shadows through the stubble of their field.

    Laying back on the rock, he breathed in the subtle scents of the prairie evening. A falling star arced across the sky and Corvan smiled. For the past few years, everyone at school kept talking about the dawn of space travel. Some of the other kids had great plans of one day becoming an astronaut, wearing a spacesuit, and traveling to the moon.

    Space was the new frontier, the place where fantastic adventures would happen¡ªnew worlds explored, and strange creatures discovered.

    Corvan placed his good hand flat against the cool rock beneath him and spoke to the night air, ¡°If only you knew what¡¯s going on just below your feet.¡±

    The words had no sooner left his lips when a faint tremor shivered through the tips of his fingers, as if a great stone door had opened far below.

 Medallion 1

    Kate stopped with her hand on the cellar doors. If Corvan caught her inside his workshop, he would be furious.

    But she couldn''t turn away.

    Ever since returning from the Fenwood hospital with no memory of how she was injured, or what had transpired since she fell up on the Castle Rocks, Kate had been drawn back to the cellar beneath Corvan¡¯s home. Whenever she passed by the outside ramp leading down to the workshop, the star-shaped scar in the center of her palm would throb.

    More than once Kate asked Corvan if she might have received the strange, seven-pointed mark from a hot piece of metal in the workshop, but he kept insisting that her injury was from being lost in the coal mine.

    Pushing one of the doors open, just enough to squeeze through, Kate took a deep breath, and slipped inside.

    The shaft of sunlight from behind her cut the room neatly in half and fell on the far wall and the doors of the dumbwaiter shaft that connected the cellar workshop to the kitchen above. Normally Corvan would use the small elevator to pull himself out of the cellar after securing the door from the inside with a heavy wooden bolt but this time his mother had sent him away on an errand.

    As soon as Kate¡¯s eyes adjusted to the dim light, she headed to the stone workbench. Corvan would shake the whole house whenever he was home, but she found only a few scattered tools, none of which were heavy enough to explain the deep thumps Kate and Corvan''s mother were hearing upstairs. She examined each of the screwdrivers hanging on a section of peg wall but none of the tips looked anything like her burn.

    Turning around, she looked past the folding card table in the center of the room to rows of shelves on the north side of the cellar. Assorted pieces of metalwork Corvan''s father had created were lined up on the shelves. Maybe her hand had been burnt by one of those.

    As she passed by the table, a momentary pulse warmed the scar in her hand. She stopped and checked out a miner''s headlamp sitting next to an old wooden crate. As she put it down, her hand brushed the side of the box. Her palm prickled in anticipation as she caressed the worn handle of the wooden box.

    An oilskin raincoat lay just inside and when Kate touched the smooth fabric, a memory came rushing back. Corvan''s father had been wearing this coat when he carried her out of the mine. Was the warmth she felt in her hand a connection to the person who had died saving her life?

    Slipping her hand under the folds of the coat, a rush of heat passed through the scar, up her arm and into her chest. The air around her drew close and hot. Her finger brushed something solid, a green glow pierced the thick cloth. A glow in the shape of a seven-sided star!

    The cellar door banged open, and sunlight poured into the room, washing away the glow as Corvan strode toward her. The fierce look on his face backed Kate away from the table.

    "What are you doing in here?" he demanded.

    "Neera asked me to bring her groceries up so she can be ready for the Halloween kids." He frowned and Kate bit her lip. Corvan did not like her using his mother''s first name, even though his mother asked her to use it whenever they chatted in the evenings.

    The death of Corvan''s father had affected all three of them but now Kate was caught between Neera''s desire to only talk about her husband and Corvan''s unwillingness to talk at all.

    Corvan dropped the paper bag on the table, removed his sunglasses and squinted against the dim light in the cellar.

    Kate pointed at the bag. "I can take those upstairs for you. Did Mrs. Barron give you any free Halloween chocolate?"

    "I never asked,¡± he said, ¡°I''m not a kid anymore."

    Her smile faded. "I never said you were."

    "And I told you before I don''t let anyone in my workshop. This is my room, yours is upstairs." Corvan circled the table as if to drive her away, but Kate stepped over in front of the bank of shelves. She didn''t want to leave the cellar until she could see what was under the raincoat.

    Picking a bent piece of metal off a shelf, she held it up to the light from the doors. "Are these what you are banging on down here all the time?"

    Corvan took the metal from her hand and stuck it back on the shelf. "Those belong to my dad. I don''t work with metal. I''m a coal miner now."

    Kate nodded. After the accident, the Red Creek mine helped Corvan''s mom out by giving Corvan a position at the mine, assuring her that the men would look out for him. At that same time, Corvan¡¯s mother also invited Kate to live at their house until Kate could find a place of her own. Kate hoped this might give her more time with Corvan, but instead, he decided to give up his room and move into the cellar.

    "Sometimes it sounds like you''re trying to dig a tunnel to China down here." Kate smiled at Corvan but only received an intense frown in return.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "What I do down here is my own business."

    "Since when did you start keeping secrets from me?" Kate glanced at the box on the table. "I thought we were friends."

    "Everyone has secrets, even you."

    "No, I don''t. At least none that I remember.¡±

    "How about the gifts your dad sent you? You told everyone at school that your pink pencil case was a birthday present from him, but your mom said she took you to the city when you bought it. You made up that story so everyone would think your dad is rich."

    Kate stared at him. It was true. She had bought things for herself whenever she saved enough money, but it was not to prove her father was rich. She just wanted others to believe someone actually cared about her. Tears filled her eyes and she let her gaze fall to the floor.

    Corvan drew close. "I''m sorry, Kate. I''m not feeling great today, and the sunlight makes my head hurt."

    Kate looked into his eyes. The kindness from when she woke up in the hospital shone briefly through, but he was working hard to keep his feelings in check. Back then he sat for hours by her hospital bed holding her scarred hand, so why was he having such a hard time liking her now?

    Corvan put a hand awkwardly on her shoulder. "Kate, I need to tell you . . . "

    Footsteps on the ramp leading into the cellar cut him off. Corvan quickly let go of her and turned away as a long shadow fell into the room and Corvan''s mother entered.

    "Kalian, I need those groceries right away, and I also . . . Oh, hello, Kate. I didn''t know you were down here."

    Kate saw the embarrassment rise on Corvan''s face. After moving into their home, Kate discovered Corvan''s mother would often call him Kalian, and she told Kate the name meant ''precious one''. Corvan didn''t want his mother to use that name when anyone else was around. He told his mother he was a mine worker now, not a child.

    Neera picked up the grocery bag with one hand, and Kate marveled again how someone so strong and tall had ended up with a son so short.

    "I forgot to tell you that I used up the last of the salt," Neera said.

    Corvan shoulders sagged, and his mother smiled. "I won''t send you back. I can pick some up on my way out of town, but I need to talk to you before I go."

    Kate caught the urgency in her voice and watched the irritation tighten across Corvan''s face. Another argument about Corvan''s job at the mine was inevitable and Kate did not want to be in the same room with them when it happened. The money Corvan brought home was paying the bills, but Neera spent every shift worrying about her son''s safety. Giving Corvan a sympathetic glance, Kate headed for the cellar doors.

    Neera stepped into her path and held out the paper bag. "Can you put this on the table upstairs? I finished baking the bread, so feel free to help yourself."

    Kate took the heavy bag and trotted up the ramp outside the cellar. Family arguments always brought the unhappiness of her childhood back. At least Corvan''s mom held their family together in a difficult time and didn''t just run away like Kate¡¯s mother had.

    Elbowing her way in through the back porch door, Kate slid the paper sack onto the kitchen table. The aroma of the fresh bread laid out in neat rows made her stomach rumble. Cutting herself a thick slice she took a bite.

    Neera''s voice rose through the open door of the dumbwaiter shaft.

    "There''s no future for you at the mine. You need to go back to school."

    "There''s no future for me at that school either, and besides, we need the money," Corvan replied, anger tinging his voice.

    "Then you should find a job in Fenwood," Neera shot back.

    "I won''t work in the city. I hate the lights. I belong underground, just like Dad."

    "I won''t let you throw your life away in a coal mine!" Neera stated.

    Corvan mumbled something Kate couldn''t catch but Neera¡¯s irritated voice came back clearly. "That¡¯s the way it has to be. I told you months ago that I need to be in the city this weekend and you would have to stay at the mine. I will not let the neighbors start talking about you and Kate being out here by yourselves."

    The irritation in Corvan''s voice came through clearly. "There are things I need to do here this weekend. Can''t you find someone else to take Kate while you are away? Why did you insist she live with us anyway?"

    "You already know why just like everyone else in town. Her mother ran off with her new boyfriend just after you and Kate went missing. Nobody knows where she went, so she has no family left."

    "Well, she''s not part of ours."

    The words cut into Kate''s heart and brought fresh tears to her eyes. Going to the dumbwaiter she quietly closed the door and finished her slice of bread.

    Neera¡¯s voice slipped past the closed door.

    "I hope you''re still not blaming Kate for your father''s death. He didn''t go back only because she got hurt in the mine. The boss at the mine had been telling him to finish sealing up that shaft, but he insisted he needed to wait until you and Kate were found."

    Kate winced. The nurses at the hospital told her Corvan and his father brought her in from Red Creek Mine after she was struck on her head by falling rock. That very night Corvan''s father went back to seal the section of the mine in which she had been found, and the mine shaft had collapsed on him.

    The cellar doors banged shut. As Corvan''s mother passed the kitchen window, she was wiping tears from her eyes. Kate sprinted up the stairs and quietly shut herself inside Corvan''s old bedroom.

    Outside the setting sun was lighting up the ring of rocks around the top of the hill with its soft autumn glow. The Castle Rock, as she and Corvan name it, was their favorite place to play when they were younger. Now their special place lay ignored as Corvan either worked at the mine or down in the cellar.

    A few times, when the cellar fell silent, Kate had seen him go out to the Castle Rock long after midnight, slowly unwinding a ball of twine he tied off to the porch below. He would head out to the western slope of the hill, counting knots in the string as he walked along.

    The last time, as he wound the knotted cord back up, she could see his discouragement as he shuffled along. She rapped on the window and waved, but he only sped up and vanished into the shadows at the base of the house to finish winding in his twine. Seeing the knotted line slipping out of sight was like watching a lifeline being pulled away to leave her drowning in solitude.

    A muted thump from the cellar shook the bed frame. Another series of tremors tickled the tips of her toes through the worn wooden planks. Corvan had returned to his project. Shortly before midnight his ride would arrive, and he would be leaving for the weekend and locking up the cellar.

    She had to find some way to see what was under that raincoat.

 Medallion 2

    Gagging on the stone dust that hung in the stagnant air, Corvan spat a thick gob of gritty phlegm on the floor. Stepping away from the scattered pile of rubble, he leaned his pickax against the tunnel wall and rubbed his hand. His broken finger had healed up quickly, but it still ached whenever he was working hard.

    Going to the store for his mother that afternoon had left him worn out and irritable. He couldn''t handle bright sunlight since coming back from the Cor, and his headaches were becoming more intense. Retreating underground into the cellar or working at the coal mine was the only way to get the pain to ease. Now he understood why his dad was so depressed in the summer months when the mine was shut down, and why he loved puttering away on his metalwork in the shadows of his workshop.

    The dust settled and Corvan inspected the wall of the channel he was chipping through the bedrock beneath their home. The smudged chalk marks revealed the bitter truth: in the past week he had gained only three precious inches. There had to be at least six feet of solid rock left to chip through, possibly more if his calculations with the string line were wrong.

    Turning away, he dragged himself back to the cellar. Even if he could break through into Tsarek''s dwelling under the castle rocks, could he find a way through the labyrinth without the real stone hammer? The medallion might possibly work or the silver book in the oak chest might help, but with no way to open the secret compartment, he couldn''t find out for sure.

    Corvan ran a hand through his gritty hair. Each day his desperation grew. He considered trying some of the explosives from the mine, but lately he had learned enough about dynamite to understand it was far easier to break out a wide seam of coal than to blast a narrow channel through solid granite.

    He might have no choice but to at least give it a try.

    Closing the section of shelves masking the hidden entrance to the secret tunnel he stepped back and admired the way the door fit seamlessly in with the other sections. His father made been careful to make sure no one would discover he was slowly but surely carving a tunnel out to the Castle Rock.

    He had just reached the table when the cellar doors creaked. Corvan looked up to find Kate silhouetted against the moonlight. His irritation with her rose back to the surface. All of this was her fault. She should never have put the black bracelet on in the first place. None of this would have happened if she had shared her discovery instead of keeping it for herself.

    Kate approached the table. "I wanted to say good-bye."

    "Good-bye?" Corvan asked. In spite of his annoyance with her, he did not like the sound of those words. "Are you leaving?"

    Kate hesitated. "You''ll be at the mine all weekend, so I won''t see you until next week when your mom gets back."

    "Oh yeah, right. Okay, I''ll see you then."

    "Corvan, I . . . I''m sorry about earlier today. I came down because I wanted to ask you something.¡± She pointed overhead. ¡°Can we turn a light on?"

    "They don''t work. I took the bulbs out."

    "Do you have a candle?" she asked.

    Corvan picked up his dad''s small acetylene mining headlamp sitting next to the wooden box. Twisting the knob, he waited for water to drip onto to the lumps of calcium carbide. Pulling a match from the waterproof metal tube attached to the lamp, he scraped it along the top of the table and held it close. The gas sputtered, then caught, flickering and smoking in the center of the polished reflector.

    "Isn''t that your dad''s raincoat?" Kate pointed into the box.

    "Yes. The one he always wore to work."

    "I thought so. When I touched it today, I had a memory of him carrying me out of the mine."

    Corvan turned the light toward her and studied Kate''s face.

    "Do you remember anything else that happened before your accident?¡± he asked.

    Kate shook her head. "All I remember is falling down at the castle rocks at night, I think that¡¯s where I got this." Kate touched the scar on her cheek. "After that I was waking up in the hospital after your father found me in the mine. There''s nothing in between."

    Corvan nodded. He didn¡¯t like to deceive Kate, but how could he tell her about a lizard named Tsarek or a black band drawing her into the underground world of the Cor? Until her memory returned, he couldn''t tell her anything. Her doctor said she could have mental breakdown if her memories came back too fast and then they would have to send her to the special hospital up north.

    Kate spoke softly over the hiss of the lamp. "Your father saved my life. I wish he were still here, so I could thank him."

    Corvan nodded. As he set the lamp on the table, his hand bumped the controls and the flame increased.

    "Someone said your dad died because I got lost in the mine, that it was my fault."

    Corvan''s anger flared with the rising flame. "Why would they say that?" he demanded.

    Kate bit her lip. "Do you think I am to blame for his death?"

    Corvan turned the flame down. "Forget about what people are saying. It doesn''t matter anymore."

    Kate''s face creased into shadowed lines. "Your dad died, but at least you had a home with parents who loved you. The way you act now, it''s like none of that counts for anything." She rubbed a finger over the scar in her palm. "Sometimes I want to hold on to my anger against my mom and how people treat me in this town, but I can''t anymore. Something changed for me at the hospital, or maybe before my accident, I don¡¯t know for sure."

    Corvan swallowed the lump in his throat. Kate could never accept the story of how she was saved from the effects of the black band by the red seed from the mother plant. The only reason she believed him about the hammer at the outset was because she actually met Tsarek face-to-face.

    As they stood in silence over the lamp and the box on the table, Corvan was struck again by how much her appearance had changed since she took the black band from Tsarek. The power of the red seed from the mother plant had done more than just heal her body, it had affected her looks as well. She was no longer the tom-boy with cropped red hair. Now her hair was longer and almost black. In fact, in the lamplight, with the scar on her cheek and the long dark hair, Kate and Tyreth looked a lot alike.

    At the thought of Tyreth, a pang of guilt washed over him. Breaking Kate''s gaze, he turned back to the workbench to tidy up his tools.

    A dull silence fell between them before Kate spoke again. "I''m glad things are going well for you at the mine. Everyone in town says you work well underground, just like your dad."

    Corvan continued hanging up tools. He didn¡¯t care what people in town thought and he was sick and tired of people trying to make him feel better about his dad. Not one of them could ever understand what really happened, never mind believe the truth about the complex world that lay directly beneath their feet.

    "I guess I''ll see you next week?" Kate asked.

    Corvan nodded, keeping his back to her. Maybe by then she would remember more, and they could finally talk.

    Kate walked away, and he glanced over his shoulder to find her wiping tears from her eyes as she closed the cellar door. Kate was no longer ashamed to let people see her cry. Since their time in the Cor, she had become more sensitive to the feelings of others and was being a good companion to his mother during his mother¡¯s grief.

    Unfortunately, he could not have that same relationship with her.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Slamming a wrench down on the workbench, Corvan went back to the table and twisted off the acetylene headlamp. This was all too confusing and there was nobody he could talk to. If Tsarek was around he would at least have someone that could help him figure out what to do next.

    Shoving the lamp back into the box, a green glow spread along the wooden slats. Peeling back the oilskin raincoat, the light of Kate''s medallion leapt out, projecting its three words onto the ceiling.

    Jorad must have been upset when he got the one that didn''t glow, but Corvan was glad. It served Jorad right to end up with a fake medallion. No doubt the new High Priest¡¯s desire for the glowing medallion also involved his plans to use Tyreth to take over Kadir. If he could ever get to see her again, Corvan was going to warn Tyreth about getting involved with that deceitful man. She could do much better.

    Picking up the medallion, he wrapped its slender chain wrapped around the points, then cupped it in his hand. Warmth flowed through his hand and the pain in his broken finger faded away. The healing sensation moved up his arm and into his chest, easing his anger and bitterness toward Jorad. He hadn''t held the medallion since he caught Billy Fry spying on him up on the Castle Rock. Corvan had taken it there to see if the medallion could open the door when Billy appeared. For once the bully said nothing, only stared at Corvan and the silver medallion before running off through the field toward his home. As it turned out, the medallion couldn''t open the door and Corvan had not returned to the Castle Rock since that evening.

    As Corvan studied the glowing symbols on the medallion, the pain behind his eyes subsided and his thoughts ran clearer. If he were honest, he would have to admit that he would be glad to return to the Cor alone because he wanted to see Tyreth on his own. Ever since saving Tyreth''s life at the temple karst and pressing his lips to hers, the beautiful daughter of the High Priest was almost constantly in his thoughts. He needed to find out if she liked him, and not only as the person who saved her from drowning.

    Between his thoughts about Tyreth and his inability to relate to Kate it was all too confusing At the Molakar settlement, when Saray put the seed in Kate¡¯s hand, he told Kate he loved her, and it seemed to turn things around for Kate. Earlier today he wanted to hug Kate and there were times when thought about kissing her.

    He squeezed the medallion until the points dug into his skin, the frustration building with the pain in his hand. The medallion could provide comfort but seemed only to increase his confusion over Tyreth and Kate.

    "Stupid thing," he muttered, tossing it away along the workbench. The metal disc ricocheted off the peg wall next to the screwdrivers and then bounced into the room, trailing its chain like a green comet racing away into the void. It flew straight into the dumbwaiter to lay flat on the floorboards. The silver chain began slipping through a crack between the boards, one link at a time, then faster, like a shimmering snake gliding away. Corvan lunged forward, but with a final tug, the weight of the chain tipped the medallion upright and tugged it down through the crack into the empty space at the bottom of the dumbwaiter shaft. The green glow died, and the cellar went dark.

    Corvan turned away. He might as well leave the medallion where it fell until he was able to break through the rock into Tsarek''s dwelling. Then he could come back for it and find out if its power could lead him through the labyrinth and back to the Cor.

    The cellar doors creaked, and he glanced up. There was only a wedge of moonlight floating through the crack between the cellar doors. For a normal person, the pale light wasn''t bright enough to see by, but Corvan''s journey to the Cor had permanently changed his vision and the sliver of light lit up the room like a morning sunrise.

    Retreating to the table, he crammed the raincoat into the box. His dad always wore it when he worked in a wet area of the mine but after the search for his father was called off, Corvan had found the raincoat still hanging on the hook at the back door. Immediately he knew what had happened. His mother had brought the cloak Corvan brought back from the Cor, the special camouflage cloak that once belonged to the leader of the Rakash, and hung it up in the back porch. When his father went to close up the mine, he had grabbed it by mistake and left his raincoat behind.

    Running his hand over his father''s raincoat he encountered a bulge in the front pocket. A while back, he had put his Texas Star holster in the coat for safekeeping. Pulling it from the pocket, he flipped the snap open, and looked in at the fake black hammer. Gavyn had done an incredibly good job of copying the stone one, but it couldn''t open the door up in the Castle Rock nor the secret compartment in the oak chest.

    As he removed the hammer from the holster, a small leather pouch tumbled onto the table. Picking it up, he realized that it was the same one with the two remaining red seeds he had given to Saray when he left the Cor. He rolled the fabric between his thumb and forefinger and discovered a small lump in the corner. Was there still a seed inside? He was sure Saray had kept the last two in Molakar.

    Untying the drawstring he dumped it on the table. Yes, it was the last of the seeds from the mother plant. It appeared to be dead and did not glow like when he had found three of them in Tyreth''s blood after the chief watcher cut her cheek.

    But how did the pouch get under the fake hammer? He thought back to when he and Kate had left from the Molakar settlement. Saray had taken the pouch from him, along with the last two seeds that remained inside. The only time she might have put it under the hammer was when she put it back into the holster as she was saying good-bye to him.

    At that time Saray said something about taking it along as his pledge that he would return. He thought the old woman was referring to the fake hammer but now he realized she had been asking him to return to the Cor. Saray had stuck that pouch and seed under the hammer to make sure he returned to her and to the Cor after Kate was safely home.

    Corvan poked at the seed, and a flutter of light crossed its surface. A spark of life remained but he needed to attach it to the bedrock right away, somewhere that the sunlight could not reach.

    Plucking the seed off the table he held it tightly in the palm of his hand to block out any natural light. There was no warmth or sense of power like when the other one had burned its heat into Kate¡¯s body and driven the darkness away. It was likely too far gone to come back to life.

    Walking to the wall, he worked the hidden catch to swing open the section of the that hid the entry to the passage out toward the Castle Rock. Once inside he pulled the shelving door shut opened his palm. In the complete darkness, soft flickers of light were twisting around inside the seed.

    Pinching it between his thumb and forefinger, he touched the pointy end of the small lumien seed to the bedrock overhead. It quivered and pulled away from his fingers as if it were relieved to be back on the rock ceiling. The seed swelled and flecks of color twirled across its surface, changing from red to purple before settling into a soft blue that swelled and pulsed within.

    A muted sound seemed to come from the small blue sphere, but Corvan couldn''t recall a seed making noise as it grew. Another thump. The sound was coming from further down the tunnel. He walked down the passage by the light of the small seed to where it narrowed into the shaft, he had been chipping toward Tsarek''s dwelling beneath the castle rock.

    The source of the noise was obvious. A large chunk of granite had fallen from the wall to reveal a finger-wide crack. Perhaps he was closer than his measurements led him to believe. Sweeping the pickax up, Corvan took aim and swung. The thud echoed through the rock walls as the pickax wedged deep into the crack. Corvan pushed on the handle until the wood creaked, but the rock refused to break away. Yanking back on the handle he found the head was stuck fast in the crack. He struggled until beads of dusty sweat formed on his forehead, but it was no use.

    Reluctantly, Corvan retreated to the light of the tiny lumien.

    The orb had already grown brighter, and small tendrils, like an ant''s antennae, were unfurling on the rock around it. He looked closer. If this mother pant seed could grow here it might create other lumiens and he''d be able to eat some lumien fruit. That might give him the strength he needed to get through to Tsarek¡¯s dwelling when he got back from working at the mine. His ride would be coming any minute and he needed to get ready for a weekend underground.

    Wearily, he pushed open the secret door into the cellar. A chair scraped across the floor in the kitchen above and something heavy dropped on the table. Kate must be making sure he knew she was still awake in case he wanted to come talk to her. The cover on the stove scraped open and Kate added wood to the fire. He should go upstairs, warm himself by the fire and apologize to Kate for getting so mad at her but the honk of a horn out front cut off his good intentions. His ride had arrived.

    As he gathered up his gear, another gust of wind rattled the cellar doors. At the store today, Mrs. Barron mentioned a nasty storm would be coming through this weekend. After chatting briefly about the incoming weather, she also tried to talk with him about his father''s accident. Most likely that was why his mother sent him in the first place and why there had been such pity in Mrs. Barron''s voice as she told him not to work so hard. The whole town was working to help comfort him about his father''s death, and that only annoyed him even more.

    Not one of them could ever understand what he was going through or what had really happened down at the mine. The morning after his father went missing, Corvan had been taken to the mine with a search party to show them the way to the underground river where his father had rescued he and Kate. He was up ahead of the men when he had turned a sharp corner and a face appeared in the steady beam of his headlamp.

    Across the fast-flowing water of the underground river was leader of the Rakash, a firestick in its good hand. Dangling from the stump of its other arm was the special cloak his father had been wearing when he went back to the mine.

    The Rakash looked steadily at him then jerked its head over a boney shoulder to where a body lay on the ground. Nodding at Corvan, the Rakash pushed his firestick into the rocks over its head. As Corvan watched by the light of his mining lamp the Rakash backed up, pulling on the exposed end of the firestick.

    There was a powerful thump, and large stones began to rain down from the ceiling into the river, obscuring the figure across the water. There were shouts behind Corvan as powerful arms pulled him to safety and rushed him from the mine.

    Upon reaching they reached the surface, he waved them off and they left him alone on a pile of broken slag, staring at the crescent moon overhead.

    They likely thought he was in shock from the reality that, with the collapse of the mine into the water, he could never find his father¡¯s body.

    That wasn''t why his stomach was churning and his jaw clenched in anger.

    It was because he knew for certain that the leader of the Rakash was challenging him to return to the Cor and rescue his father.

 Medallion 3

    Kate had waited patiently in the kitchen for Corvan to pull himself up in the dumbwaiter, but when he climbed out, he only mumbled, "my ride''s here, got to go," before rushing out the front door.

    As the sound of the truck taking Corvan to the coal mine faded away, the silence of the empty home amplified the ache in Kate''s heart.

    Despite it being Halloween night, Corvan¡¯s mother, Neera, had left for the city before the trick-or-treaters had even finished. The radio was saying that first storm of the winter was on its way, and it would be a nasty one. Neera said she didn¡¯t expect there would be many more children coming down their long lane, given the upcoming blizzard conditions.

    Kate looked out at the snow, then turned off the porch light. No use making kids walk all the way for nothing. Retreating upstairs, she leaned against the headboard of Corvan''s bed and gazed at the flakes of snow drifting past the window. Her reflection stared back from the icy glass, cold tears on each cheek. She wiped them away with the edge of the winter quilt and felt the pinch of tender skin around the scar on her cheek.

    She had never cried this much in her life, not even when her father left. She had imagined moving into Corvan¡¯s home would bring her a sense of belonging, but instead a raw loneliness was continually just below the surface. The fresh anger from Corvan that afternoon had pierced her heart again and now more of the tears she bottled up over the years were escaping.

    Kate scrubbed the tears away. It was time for her to move on. Her duffle bag was packed and down on the kitchen table. Staying any longer at Corvan''s house was only making the pain in her hand and the ache in her heart more acute. Tomorrow she would take the bus to the city, find a job and her own place to live.

    A puff of ice crystals blew in through the vent holes above the windowsill, and she tucked the quilt in tightly around her shoulders. The wind was getting stronger, the snow slanting steeply across the windowpanes. Snow hadn''t fallen on Halloween night for many years. It was a good thing the younger kids had finished with trick-or-treating early.

    A muted flash of light, followed by a loud bang, lit up the falling snow. It had to be the older kids shooting off fireworks. Another flash but this time it definitely came from right on top of the Castle Rock. That could only be Billy Fry. In the last weeks, whenever Corvan and his mother were away, Billy would appear on the rock with his gun in hand. Kate stayed in the house, away from the windows and she never told Corvan. She was sure there would be a fight. Corvan was definitely no longer afraid of Billy, in fact, it appeared to be the opposite now.

    The skeletal branches of the maple tree outside Corvan''s bedroom window scratched at the side of the house. With a blizzard on its way, getting to the city on the morning bus might not be possible if the roads were closed.

    The scratching turned to rapping but this time it was someone knocking at the front door. Likely it was the older kids from school pulling some stupid prank. If she ignored them, they would eventually get cold and leave.

    The knocking came again, louder, and more persistent. Pulling on her housecoat, Kate crept down the stairs to the living room. Easing a corner of the front window drapes aside, she peeked out. A small child in a mask and cape stood alone in the shadows of front porch.

    Kate quickly opened the door. The trick-or-treater swayed on unsteady legs, shivering beneath an old blanket tied over its head. An ugly mask with an alligator-like snout twisted upward and peered at her through dark eyeholes. "Help me, Kate," a muffled voice croaked.

    "Come inside and warm up. I''ll call your mom to pick you up." Kate said. ¡°What¡¯s your last name?¡±

    The shivering form stumbled over the threshold and collapsed on the floor in front of her.

    "Are you hurt?" Kate asked, kneeling, and attempting to pull the mask off. It wouldn¡¯t budge; the rubbery folds were slick with perspiration. The kid must be smothering in there. "Let''s get you out of that costume,¡± Kate said, jumping up and flicking on the living room light.

    Her hand was smeared with blood.

    Kate whirled about to stare wide-eyed at a large reptile stretched out across the living room floor, half covered with a blanket. She shrank back against the door, her heart pounding. Was this another one of her nightmares? She''d seen this lizard in her dreams more than once since coming back from the hospital.

    Pinching her arm hard, she winced.

    The lizard groaned.

    Her heart beat faster.

    Someone thumped on the door behind her, and the brash voice of Billy Fry boomed through the wood. "What''s goin'' on in there?"

    The lizard lifted its head and blood dripped off the end of its nose. "Don''t let him in. The large boy wants to kill me!"

    Billy pounded harder on the door. "You''d better open this door, Kate, or I''m gonna knock it down."

    The lizard tried to crawl away but got caught up on the blanket tied over its shoulders.

    Billy kicked the door and the wood cracked at the bottom.

    Grabbing the edge of the blanket, Kate skidded the lizard''s leathery body around the corner and into the kitchen. "Wait here until I get rid of Billy," she said.

    The bloody head nodded slightly as the front door creaked under heavy blows.

    Wiping her hand clean on the blanket, she ran back to the front door and turned on the porch light. The banging stopped. Opening the door a crack, she found Billy silhouetted in a wedge of brightly lit snow that swirled about his bulky frame. "

    What took ya so long?" the boy demanded.

    "I was upstairs in bed,¡± Kate said with a yawn. ¡°What do you want? You''re a little old for trick-or-treat."

    "This ain''t no trick. There''s a wild animal on the loose tonight. I winged it and followed its tracks through the snow to your door."

    "Well, there''s no wild animal here now--other than you."

    He scowled and thrust a tattered woolen mitten into her face. "Then whaddya scream for?"

    "I had a bad dream and woke myself up. I don''t need your help with that." Kate tried to shut the door, but Billy wedged his snow-covered boot in the opening.

    "I need to make sure it''s not hiding inside." He pushed past into the house, gun held high. "My Pa told me I needed to keep an eye on your place this weekend."

    Kate cut around in front of him. "There''s no lizard in here."

    Billy''s beady eyes narrowed. "Never said nothin'' ''bout a lizard."

    Kate''s face flushed. "Well, whatever you''re looking for, it''s not here."

    Billy pushed his broad face toward her. "Don''t you fool with me. You know all about that lizard. Corvan weren''t making it up. It''s real and my Pa said he''d give me ten bucks if I can catch it. Pa says that critter knows a way inside the rock where the treasure is hidden."

    Billy stepped back and rubbed a mitten over his worried face. "Don''t you go tell¡¯n anyone ''bout the treasure. My Pa would be real mad."

    "Tell them what? I don''t even know what you''re talking about." Kate pointed toward the front door. "Why don''t you go back to your hunting? You can take some fresh bread and jam along."

    Billy licked his lips.

    Kate gestured to the chair by the front door. "Stay here a minute and I''ll cut you some. Neera won''t be very happy if she comes in here and sees you tracking dirt and snow on her clean floors." She tried to sound nonchalant, as if Corvan''s mother were still at home, but Billy abruptly pushed past her and stalked into the kitchen with his gun ready.

    "No!" Kate shouted, leaping after him.

    Billy stood in the empty kitchen. "Whaddya mean, no?"

    Kate scanned the room and spied the tattered corner of the bloody blanket caught in the dumbwaiter door. "No, the bread isn''t sliced yet. I''ll get some for you." She put a hand on his arm and tried to move him back into the front room.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Billy''s brow furrowed and a sneer twisted his flabby lips. "Don''t you try them tricks on me. My dad warned me about them fem-a-nine charms. Says you''ll be using them on all the men now that you''re looking more like a real woman."

    Kate gave her head a small shake and turned away to retie her housecoat.

    "My dad says that''s how you managed to weasel yourself into Corvan¡¯s house and his bedroom. You got Corvan under your spell." Billy leaned in over her shoulder and spoke quietly in her ear. "My dad says since your momma took off, you''re gonna take her place as the town floozy."

    Kate whipped around and punched Billy hard in the stomach. The boy doubled over, the rifle slipped from his grasp, clattered to the floor, and went off with a deafening roar.

    In the silence that followed, Billy''s splintered gasps to refill his lungs were augmented by slivers of glass falling from the shattered kitchen window into the sink.

    A sudden whir of the pulley inside the dumbwaiter and the edge of the blanket disappeared. Kate looked back at Billy, but he was still getting his wind back. He drew a ragged breath and looked at the broken window. "Now look . . . what you made me do."

    "Get out," Kate said.

    Billy straightened slowly. "Who''s gonna . . . make me?"

    Kate grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back, shoving his arm up as high as she could reach between his shoulder blades.

    "You''re hurting me. Let me go," Billy whimpered.

    "I''ll let go when you''re out of our house."

    Billy stumbled toward the front door and wrenched it open. Kate shoved him out into the night.

    Stumbling off the porch into a snowbank he turned to face her just as a loud thump echoed up from under the house. Billy pointed through the door. "Something''s in there and I''m gonna tell my Pa. He''ll show you what for."

    Kate slammed the door and fumbled with the lock. She waited a moment, then peeked through the front window. Billy tracks headed off to the east, but he would not be gone for long if his dad were at home.

    Kate sprinted back to the kitchen. Her hands shook as she pulled up the sliding door of the dumbwaiter shaft. The lift box had fallen down into the cellar below and as Kate stared into the black hole, she sucked in her breath at a vivid memory. She had met this same lizard at an opening into a hole and there was a sliding door hidden on the top of Corvan''s rock. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Something terrible happened to her down inside the hole in the rocks.

    As she peered into the darkness an even stronger memory came flooding back. On top of the rock, this same lizard had promised to serve her as long as it lived, and now felt responsible for protecting it in return.

    "Lizard," she called softly, "are you down there?"

    She hauled on the rope from the overhead pulley system until the empty dumbwaiter box came into view. Only the lizard¡¯s blanket was inside.

    Another shard of glass from the broken kitchen window crashed into the sink. Snow was drifting through the jagged opening and settling on the hot stove in sizzling wisps of steam.

    Billy''s gun lay on the floor and the acrid odor of gunpowder swirled around the room. Kate looked from the gun to her duffle bag on the kitchen table. If Billy came back for his rifle, she didn''t want him going through her things. Grabbing the bag, she pushed it to the back of the dumbwaiter.

    She stood looking into the lifted She hated small spaces more than anything, but with the cellar door locked from the inside it was the only way down into the cellar to find the lizard. Swallowing her fear, she turned around and crouched backward into the box, sitting on her bag, bending her neck, and cramming her head into the corner. Gripping the rope, she released the catch but the weight of her bag and body whipped the rough hemp rope through her grasp and burned into her palms. Instinctively Kate let go and the box dropped down the shaft, then jerked to a stop.

    The dark air closed in around her. Desperately, she tugged at the rope, but the dumbwaiter wouldn''t budge. Her breathing came sharp and shallow. Dizziness overwhelmed her and her stomach heaved. Anxiously she tried pushing up against the walls and then down, but the box wouldn¡¯t move. Everything in her wanted to scream for help, but at the thought of Billy and his father, she clamped her mouth shut and forced herself to calm down.

    The dumbwaiter always worked in the past so why was it stuck now? Feeling above her head she found the lizard''s blanket jammed beside the top edge of the box and wedged in tight against the wall of the shaft. She gave it a quick yank and the box broke loose, plummeting down, smashing to a stop, and tossing her out on the cellar floor.

    The pulley in the kitchen overhead whined as the rope whirled and dropped all its coils with a resounding thump on the top of the dumbwaiter box. There would be no going back that way.

    Pushing to her feet, Kate turned toward a slice of moonlight spilling on the floor from the tall crack between the cellar doors. Moving towards it, she banged her thigh into something hard. It was Corvan''s cot, but what was it doing out into the middle of the room? The cellar doors rattled, and she glanced to her right to locate the sound. If that was where the cellar doors were located, what was this blue light coming from the wall beyond Corvan¡¯s cot? Tiptoeing forward she discovered one of the shelves had been pulled away from the wall and the strange light was coming from a room beyond. Kate poked her head around the edge and peeked inside.

    The lizard waved at her from beneath a blue light bulb that illuminated its grinning face.

    "Hello, Kate, is the horrible boy gone?"

    Kate opened the shelving door wider and stared at the creature as it dabbed at its head with a piece of thick cloth.

    "The skin of a lumien can be used to stop the flow of blood,¡± it said. ¡°I ate the fruit first and now I feel much better. I would have saved some for you, but unfortunately only one was ready to eat and it is forbidden to consume the fruit of the mother plant." He pointed to the blue light bulb. "It''s hard to believe she is growing so close to the surface."

    As the lizard''s narrow head twisted up, blue lines on its cheeks glowed bright in the strange light. In that pose, Kate had a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and she squinted to force the memory of what happened when she and the lizard first met.

    "Are you feeling ill, Kate?" the creature asked.

    Kate shook her head, sank down against the rock wall and closed her eyes. "How do you know my name?" she asked.

    "Do you not recall setting me free from the black band? It was not that long ago. Surely you have not forgotten already. You foolishly decided to wear the back band, so Corvan and I had to come and rescue you. Does that help your bell to ring?"

    Kate touched the circle of darker skin around her wrist. She had a vague memory of wearing a shimmering black bracelet, but she couldn''t remember where or why she put it on in the first place.

    The reptile sauntered over to stand before her, and Kate pressed herself back against the rock. The creature had sharp teeth, long claws, and a smudged line of what appeared to be bruises around its neck, almost as if someone had tried to strangle it. Kate glanced at her wrist and more of the memory came back. The black band she recalled had originally been around this creature''s neck and it had begged her to set it free. When that happened, she could understand the creature only when she held the hammer. The scar in her palm prickled. Understanding the lizard without holding the hammer must have something to do with the scar or perhaps having shared the black band.

    The lizard pulled its paw away from its head and tossed a the thick scrap to one side. "This is now the second time you have saved my life." He bowed low. "My promise from before remains and I will protect you on your journey back to the Cor."

    "My journey back? But I . . .

    The lizard put a damp paw over her mouth and hissed, "Someone is out there."

    Kate pushed its paw away, got to her feet and listened. Someone was walking in the snow outside the cellar doors. She slipped inside and pushed the section of shelves partly closed. "You wait here while I take a look."

    A shadow fell on the crack between the cellar doors, and a man''s voice spoke. "You sure that creature''s tracks led to the house?"

    "Yes, Pa. All we gotta do is catch it and we can find out where the rest of the treasure is hidden."

    "How many times do I need to tell you never to mention the treasure outside our house? Mr. Fry growled.

    The doors pushed towards Kate and as the crack between them widened she caught a glimpse of the ruddy face of Mr. Fry over Billy''s hatless head.

    "Maybe she took off, Pa. It scared her pretty good when I shot out the kitchen window."

    "You did what?" The door eased back into position, and the faces vanished. "Where''s your gun?"

    "In her kitchen."

    A sharp smack was followed by a cry of pain. "How can you be so stupid? Git up there and get it back."

    "But she locked the door," Billy whined.

    "Then crawl in through the broken window. Use your head for once."

    "What about the lizard?" Billy asked.

    "You afraid of a little ol¡¯ lizard, boy?"

    Billy muttered a halfhearted ¡°no¡±, then Kate heard him shuffle away. The cellar doors bulged, and Kate ducked below the long wooden bolt as Mr. Fry peered in through the crack. "Now we''ll find where the old man hid them pointy silver coins."

    Kate heard Billy scramble in through the kitchen window overhead. There was a pause and then the back door banged. Soon he was back at the cellar door. "She''s run off, Pa. Left a note on the kitchen table to tell Corvan''s mother she''s gone to live in the city."

    "Good! Maybe she''ll freeze to death in this blizzard. You stay here while I fetch my saw from the truck to cut this bolt. This is our best chance to search his workshop. She''ll take the blame and won''t never come back."

    Kate tiptoed back to the lizard, but the blue light was gone and the entire north wall of the cellar was obscured by the wooden shelves. The opening must be behind one of the sections, but which one? I might be something like the movies where you had to pull on something to make the secret door open. She put a hand on a twisted piece of metal, but it fell off the shelf. She barely caught it before it hit the floor.

    Putting it back on the shelf, Kate rapped lightly on the back of the section. The one next to her swung open and the lizard beckoned her inside.

    "Billy''s father will be back any minute to cut the cellar door open," Kate whispered. "We''ve got to get away from here."

    The lizard touched the shelving, then pointed a claw at the deep recesses of the tunnel behind it. "Unless they know the secret of this door, they will not find this tunnel from inside the cellar, and besides, I know another way out. A different cat to skin as Corvan liked to say." The lean face grinned at her.

    Kate shivered and pulled her housecoat closer. Whatever the creature was trying ot tell her, she couldn''t go anywhere like this. "My things are in the cellar,¡± she said and moved to the door.

    "Things?" the lizard said.

    "My bag, I packed my bag because I was leaving tonight."

    "A big bag? Corvan had many troubles with a big bag."

    "No, I don''t have that much stuff."

    The lizard rolled its eyes. "That''s what Corvan said, then he almost died when I had to break his bones." Shaking its head, it released the catch and eased the hidden door open.

    Slipping into the cellar, Kate¡¯s thoughts were fully occupied the lizard¡¯s offhand remark about breaking Corvan¡¯s bones. Was it a good idea to go anywhere with this strange creature?

    She was almost to her bag when a long saw thrust in between the doors, dropped onto the wooden bolt, and began cutting it apart.

 Medallion 4

    The saw bit deep into the wood, sending spurts of sawdust falling to the floor like amber snow. A blue light fell at Kate¡¯s feet and rapid movement caught the corner of her eye. The lizard had opened the shelving door wide and was frantically waving her on.

    Keeping one eye on the door, Kate stepped sideways and banged into the table. The wooden crate slid toward the edge and Kate wrestled it back into place, then rested her hand on the raincoat. The glow from earlier that day did not appear and her hand didn''t ache. Whatever had been in the box earlier had already been taken away, instead Corvan''s cap pistol holster lay on top of the raincoat. Billy would likely steal it if he had the chance and there was probably more of Corvan¡¯s stuff inside. At least he had appeared to be guarding it from her earlier in the day. Pulling the box from the table she hurried it back to the shelves where the lizard waited at the open door.

    "This is your bag?" the lizard asked incredulously.

    "No,¡± Kate whispered, ¡°and keep your voice down. This is Corvan''s stuff. We need to keep his things safe from Billy and his dad. Can you help me get the rest?"

    The lizard nodded and shot past her into the cellar. Kate set the crate down in the secret tunnel and when she turned around the lizard ran in to add a small wrench to the box.

    "Don''t bother with the tools," Kate hissed at him, ¡°Billy won¡¯t care about those.¡±

    The lizard frowned. "My paws are not good for carrying larger things.¡± He held up a claw. ¡°But I can do something that will stop that man from coming in." He moved towards the cellar. "I''ll stand guard. If he gets through, he will not be here for long."

    Kate nodded, but she wasn''t sure what the lizard was talking about. How could a small claw stop a grown man. Running back to the workbench she looked for anything else that might be worth hiding from Billy, but nothing caught her eye.

    The sawing stopped, the saw withdrew, and then the doors were given a hard push. The thick wooden bolt cracked along its length in both directions, allowing the gap between the doors to widen another few inches.

    "I think I can pull it off." Mr. Fry''s hand closed around the partially severed beam. He shook it vigorously, grunting and wrenching at the wood as it inched up in its metal brackets.

    The bolt was almost free when the lizard stepped forward, an intense expression on its lean face. Extending a single claw, it raked a red cut along the back of Mr. Fry''s hand. An explosion of curses erupted from beyond the door as the bloody hand was yanked back through the crack.

    More angry words came from outside, then the cellar doors buckled under three heavy blows. On the third, the bolt splintered farther apart, the saw emerged again, dropped into the notch and worked feverishly back and forth.

    The lizard yanked Kate toward the shelving door. ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry enough!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Its not working this time. We need to get out of here.¡±

    "My bag. It''s still in the dumbwaiter!" Kate cried out, running for the back side of the cellar just as the sawing stopped. A loud crack echoed through the cellar as the bolt broke completely in two, one side falling to floor and scraping along as the doors were forced wider.

    Kate dove into the dumbwaiter shaft and pulled the shutters closed behind her. The hinges had been bent by her tumbling out and it was all she could do to hold the small doors in place. Through the crack between them, she caught sight of two dark shapes blundering into the room.

    The larger one stopped and Kate heard the rattle of the light chain clicking off and on. Good thing Corvan had removed the bulbs. "Too cheap to buy hisself a light bulb,¡± Mr. Fry said. We should¡¯a brought a flashlight. Can''t see a thing in here."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The man moved closer to Kate''s hiding place then stumbled and clutched at the table in the center of the room.

    "What''s the matter, Pa?" Billy asked.

    "Don''t feel good. My arm is all numb where I got scratched by that nail." He breathed heavily. "Must have been rusty and I gots the tetanus."

    ¡°Maybe we should go home and put some iodine on it.¡± Billy said. ¡°We can come back later with our flashlights.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good thinking, boy.¡± Mr. Fry grunted.

    The two shadows headed towards the sheet of snow curling in from outside the cellar doors.

    Kate tensed and waited but she had crouched too long, and a muscle cramp grabbed at the calf muscle. She shifted her weight and one of boards in the bottom of the dumbwaiter box cracked.

    The shadows stopped and the man peered in her direction "Over there," he whispered to Billy. "Gimme your gun."

    Kate pulled the dumbwaiter doors tighter. A shadow fell across the gap between them.

    A crash of metal echoed across the cellar and Billy called out. "It''s over by the door!"

    The blast of a gun roared through the cellar.

    "It¡¯s the lizard! It¡¯s run outside!" Billy shouted.

    Another gunshot sounded outside the cellar, then the voices faded away.

    Kate waited in the musty silence. The lizard had lived up to its promise and saved her by leading Billy and his father away from her hiding spot. Stretching out her leg to ease the cramp, she knelt amid the broken boards, peered over the lip of the shaft and cautiously opened the dumbwaiter doors. The cellar was silent and dark, but a soft green light lit up the dumbwaiter shaft. At her feet, a glowing star-shaped disk on a silver chain lay half buried in the sand. Kate pulled the chain free and held the disk in her hand.

    The glow grew even brighter, and a familiar warmth flowed up her arm and through her body. A memory formed. At one point she had been lying in cold dark water and this same green star had appeared overhead. She took a sharp breath. Corvan had been holding this green light above her and was shouting for help. It had been in the mine, and it was when Corvan''s father had rescued them.

    Other snippets of memories of her holding this glowing shape tugged at the edges of her thoughts. There must be many things that Corvan not told her. Why was he keeping this medallion a secret from her?

    The cellar doors creaked. Kate shoved the disk into her back pocket to hide its light and crouched down. The soft pad of feet approached the lift.

    A long nose appeared in the broken door of the dumbwaiter. "You must be quick Kate. They will be back soon. I do not think that I am the best at making false tracks in the snow."

    Kate clambered out of the shaft, reached back in, and dragged out her duffle bag.

    The lizard held up its long claw with a satisfied grin. "At least the bigger one will not be able to follow my tracks very fast."

    Kate looked intently at the claw, and the lizard shrugged. "I was only able to give him a small bit of the poison. It won¡¯t be enough to kill him." The lizard turned toward the wall of shelves and used both paws to feel along the underside of one of the planks. The section of shelving moved, and the creature eased the door open and let her pass through.

    Kate gave the creature a wide berth. Was it capable of killing a grown man? Was that what it had planned to do?

    The blue light from the globe ebbed around them as Kate set her duffle bag on the ground. No matter what she thought of the lizard, she needed its help. "What do we do?" she asked. ¡°They could be back an minute.¡±

    "We must find the Cor-Van."

    "But he''s working at the mine all weekend," Kate said.

    "Then we must go to him. There is trouble in the Cor."

    "What kind of trouble? Another cave-in? Is the Cor a new shaft at the mine?¡±

    The lizard gave her a sideways glance. "It will be best if we wait until we find the Cor-Van before we . . ." The lizard jumped to the shelving door. A vehicle was approaching down the lane, its lights cutting across the cellar''s open doors. The motor stopped, a door opened, and boots crunched in the snow.

    The beam of a flashlight played over the cellar floor from outside, and a man''s voice called out. Kate pushed the lizard to one side and pulled the shelves shut, hiding the entrance to the tunnel. "That''s not Corvan," she whispered. They stood and listened to the muffled sound of voices moving about in the cellar. "We will have to wait for them to leave." Kate said.

    "Not to worry." The lizard pointed down into the gloom. "I have cut an entry into the labyrinth, but we must hurry. His time is running out and if we do not reach him soon, he will most certainly die."

 Medallion 5

    Water fell in steady drips from the seam of coal above Corvan''s head, rapping on his helmet and sparkling in the bright glow of his acetylene lamp. It felt good to be back in the dark passages of the mine and for once he was alone, although he kept expecting to see the face of the Rakash leader appear at any time. When something moved behind him, his heart leapt into his throat and he jumped to the wall, his pickax ready to strike.

    "Whoa, easy son." A huge hand reached out of the shadows to grip the head of Corvan''s pickax. "It''s just me." The wide, gentle face of Jake Olson appeared in the light of the headlamp strapped to Corvan''s hard hat. "Sorry I¡¯m late getting here,¡± the man said. ¡°My lamp''s gone out again. Was wondering if you could fix it for me."

    Jake held out an acetylene lamp in his coal-blackened hand. "You''re the only one I can trust with these things now that everyone''s using the ''lectric ones."

    Corvan nodded and took the lamp from Jake''s hand. His dad had also refused an electric lamp. He told Corvan an acetylene one could do many more things like marking tunnels with its soot or keeping you warm in an emergency.

    Turning the knob, he held Jake''s lamp up to his ear but couldn''t hear the hiss of escaping gas. Likely the drip tube was clogged. All it took was a small piece of grit to stop the water from flowing. He had to admit that acetylene was more finicky than a battery and a switch.

    "I''m sorry about your dad, boy." Jake patted his shoulder so hard, Corvan almost dropped the lamp. "It''s too bad he never got to see what he did for us by finding this new seam of coal above the waterline." Pulling a pouch of tobacco from his pocket he stuffed another wad up under his lip. "Your father saved our jobs by exploring these old shafts." A squirt of brown juice splashed on the wall. "We''ll always remember him for that."

    Corvan nodded, keeping his head bent over Jake¡¯s lamp. There was no way he could he tell this rugged man that he believed his father was still not only still alive but being held captive by cave-dwelling blind men who navigated in the dark like wingless albino bats. The crew boss would send him to the special hospital up north and they would strap him to a bed for the rest of his life.

    "You did your best, son. You showed our men the way back to that river to look for your dad before the rest of the shaft caved in. That was brave of you and I''m glad they gave you your dad''s job. It''s the least they could do to help support your mom."

    Corvan twisted the knurled knob on top of the lamp back and forth. The reason no-one could have rescued his father before the shaft collapsed was because the Rakash leader had already taken him. The signs of the struggle were plain as day: the hard hat and lamp lying on the ground, his father''s tools strewn across the mine floor, long, thin footprints in the dust. After the collapse he had gone back to that spot many times, but there was no way of getting past the tons of rocks to get to the former water tunnel that could lead him back to the Cor to rescue his father. Now his only hope was to get into the labyrinth by tunneling under the castle rocks.

    "I hear you''re staying in the worker barracks this weekend while your mom is gone." Jake gently punched Corvan''s shoulder. "Guess she doesn''t want to leave you alone with your new girlfriend?"

    "She''s not my girlfriend," Corvan muttered. "She''s just. . ."

    "It''s okay,¡± Jake said with a laugh. ¡°Don''t git all worked up. You''re best to keep ''em at bay for a while. They''ll catch you soon enough, and then it''s game over. You''ll be workin'' night and day just to keep the family fed."

    "That''s not going to happen to me,¡± Corvan said. ¡°I''ve got other things to do." He tried the lamp again, but the gas still wasn''t escaping. He hated it when mechanical things refused to cooperate. Pulling the lid off the water chamber, he dumped the liquid out. "Where did you get this water?"

    Jake chuckled uncomfortably. "Well, I forgot to fill up at the shack, so I used some water coming off a support timber. Looked pretty clean to me."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Corvan shook his head and blew on the filler tube. Clogged¡ªjust as he suspected. Feeling under his hard hat, Corvan drew out the fine piece of wire and cleaned out the tube.

    "Guess it weren''t as clean as I thought," Jake said, --crouching down. "Kinda funny that it''s now three generations of your family that have helped me with my lamp. Your grandpappy was a whiz with ''em too."

    Corvan glanced from the lamp at Jake''s brown-stained grin. "You knew my grandfather?"

    "Worked with him for a bit at the IPC mine before he . . . before the mine shut down. Pretty good worker for such an old guy. Wouldn''t listen though. I told him to stay away from the deep places. There was ghosts¡ªwhite creatures with long arms and no eyes."

    Corvan squinted at the older man. Was Jake talking about the Rakash?

    "Don''t look at me like that, boy. It sounds crazy but I saw ''em myself." He shivered and rubbed a hand over his forehead, adding another streak of coal dust to his face. "I tried to tell people and they said I was going crazy, but I knowed different. Saw one come out of that hole. All white and thin with a horrible face." Jake stared down the dark tunnel as if he was seeing the ghost approaching.

    Corvan shook his head. If the Rakash had come to the surface in the past, then that must be what his grandfather referred to in the letter Corvan found in the oak chest. "Did it see you?"

    Jake shook his head and lowered his voice. "That ghosts didn''t have no eyes. Must have been burned in an explosion when it died. Just stood a-listening and then, poof, it disappeared." He glanced over his shoulder and back at Corvan. "I''m only telling you this cause you''re his kin, and he was the only one that believed me. Nobody else knows, and you''ve got to swear to never tell another living soul."

    Corvan nodded.

    Jake swallowed and moved closer. "It was me and your grandpa that blew that tunnel closed at the IPC mine. Your grandpa said it was the only way to keep a whole army of them ghosts from coming up and killing us all."

    Corvan stared at Jake. An entire army of Rakash? Was that even possible? He had only seen four. And why would they want to come up to the surface anyway? The sun would most likely kill them.

    Jake grabbed Corvan''s shoulder. "We never meant to hurt anyone. Those men down there were still drunk from the night before and should never have been in the mine. That weren''t my fault. Honest, boy."

    Corvan nodded and Jake relaxed. It was no wonder Jake was so serious all the time.

    "The only reason I stay working down here is to feed the family,¡± Jake said quietly. ¡°Every day I think I''ll see one of them white faces around the next corner." Jake gave a halfhearted grin. ¡°Just letting my imagination run on me again, I guess." He patted Corvan¡¯s shoulder. "Thanks for not making me feel stupid. It''s good to finally tell someone what really happened so at least somebody knows I''m not goin'' nuts."

    "You''re not crazy.¡± Corvan said. ¡°There''s lots of things down here people on the surface don''t know about." Jake stared at him and Corvan bent back over the lamp. "Do you know what happened to my grandpa?"

    "It was his idea. Said I had to seal him inside the mine to fight the ghosts. Promised me he knew a secret way out of the mine, and I would see him again, but . . ." Jake lifted his hands helplessly.

    Corvan nodded. "I''m sure he knew what he was doing. It''s not your fault."

    A lone tear slid down Jake''s face. He wiped it away with the back of his sleeve, his voice hoarse. "Thanks, son. That means a lot to me."

    Corvan fought the lump in his own throat as he refilled the water tank from his canteen and the screwed the top back on the lamp. His grandfather died trying to stop the Rakash from getting to the surface, but he had failed. And now they had taken his father. He rolled the striker on Jake''s lamp and soon its light was added to the glow of his own. Jake strapped the lamp back on his hard hat.

    "Thanks, Corvan." He lowered his voice and looked over his shoulder, the path of his lantern cutting a bright swath through the dust. "Here, I got you them sticks of dynamite you was talking about." He drew an oilskin-wrapped package out from under his jacket. "You be careful with this stuff. If you get hurt, I''ll be in big trouble. The fuse isn¡¯t very long, so make sure you''re well out of the way and behind something solid."

    Corvan reached eagerly for the packet and Jake pulled it back towards himself. "This better not be for blowing up someone''s outhouse as a trick-or-treat prank."

    Corvan shook his head. "It''s for that rock in my backyard."

    Jake choked back a laugh. "You''d need a truckload of dynamite to blow up that thing." Digging into his coat, he brought out another packet. "These ones have longer fuses so maybe you should use them first to make sure you''re far enough away. And if you get caught, I don''t know nothin''." He passed the packets over, grinned at Corvan and walked off down the shaft.

    There were two sticks inside each packet. He would definitely start with only one. Even then the blast might blow back into the cellar and make a huge mess.

    One thing for certain, he had to make sure no one was home when he tried it out.

 Medallion 6

    Kate followed the lizard away from the cellars hidden door and down a narrow tunnel cut it the rock. The creature said that Corvan might die if they didn''t reach him on time. That could only mean there had been another accident at the mine but how would this passage get them there any quicker? The tunnel tapered down until her head touched the roof. She looked over the lizard''s shoulder and her stomach heaved. The lizard¡¯s exit from the tunnel turned out to be only a small oval hole at the base where Corvan¡¯s tunnel ended.

    "I could hear Corvan pounding on the walls on this side,¡± the lizard said, patting the rocks. ¡°I was sure he was trying to make it through to my dwelling, so I cut this hole with my small firesticks to meet him,¡± the lizard pointed at the hole. ¡°But when I made it through, he was already gone."

    "I can''t fit through there." Even as she said the words, Kate imagined herself trapped inside with the rock closing in around her. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. With the cellar door closed was there even enough air in this tunnel?

    At a sharp tug on the leg of her jeans, she opened her eyes. The lizard had already backed halfway into the hole. "Don¡¯t be worried,¡± it said with a grin. ¡°The Cor-Van fit through one much smaller than this. He told me we only need enough room for a human''s shoulders. I was running out of fire sticks, so it¡¯s not very high, but I made sure the opening was wide enough to fit his shoulders."

    He cocked his head to one side. "But you are different."

    Kate nodded. She hated that she had wide shoulders. Her mother never let her forget that a difficult cesarean birth had scarred her body and supposedly ruined her mother¡¯s chance as an actress.

    The lizard reached out one of its claws. "Let me pull your bag through first. The tunnel is not very long, so I can always push you back if you become stuck."

    Stuck? Kate''s throat tightened and her breathing grew shallow. The dusty air filled her chest. Dropping her bag, she sagged to the floor as a wave of nausea rolled over her. As she reached the floor, a sharp point dug into backside. Twisting to one side, she shoved her hand in her back pocket and pulled out the medallion.

    The green light from the star lit up the tunnel. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in closer to the small hole and cupped the light in her hands. A clear memory of holding it the same way in other dark places came to mind along with a comforting thought. She had made it through other places like this by the medallion¡¯s glow. She could do it again.

    A call from inside the small tunnel brought her attention back to the task at hand. Crawling forward she used the medallion''s light to examine the small opening. The sides of this tunnel were smooth, and her bag had gone through without getting stuck.

    A muffled banging echoed down the tunnel from the cellar. No doubt Billy and his father were ransacking the workshop. They might find the hidden door, so there was no choice but to keep moving forward.

    Holding tight to the medallion with one hand, she extended the other into the opening, dug in her toes in behind and pushed herself forward. Ignoring the rising panic, she wriggled and pushed until she felt her face move into a more open space. Her hand went past a rocky lip and touched the canvas of her duffle bag. Squeezing herself out of the hole in the darkness she dropped down on top of it.

    The lizard''s fishy breath drew close, and his eyes glinted in the dim light of the medallion that squeezed past her clenched hand.

    "That is good you made it through,¡± the creature said. ¡°I am glad I did not have to find a rock to break your bones."

    Kate sat up and pulled her bag close. How could she trust this creature with all the talk about killing people with its claw,  and breaking bones? Her memories of the lizard jumbled together and a vivid recollection of the angry face snarling at her in the Castle Rock came clearly to her mind.

    "Do you have Corvan''s light stick with you?" The lizard was pointing at her hand.

    Kate let the medallion drop free and it spun on its chain, lighting up a small room and the lizard''s narrow face in flashes of green.

    "That''s mine!" The lizard''s angry eyes reflected the flickers of light. "You stole it from me!"The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Kate pushed herself back from the advancing lizard, keeping her duffle bag between them. "I found it in the cellar," she said.

    "You lie!" the lizard snapped. "You stole it when Corvan and I were lost in the labyrinth, when you also took his shoes and my other things!"

    Kate retreated into the shadows. "I don''t know what you are talking about," she said in desperation. She had no memory of anything it was saying.

    The lizard stopped and its face softened. "Yes, that would be true. The black band was controlling you. I forget how powerful it was. Please forgive me, but my star medallion is very important to me." The lizard extended a long claw. "I would be most grateful if you would please return my possession."

    Kate looked at the lizard''s claw glistening in the medallion''s light. The creature had poisoned Billy''s father with that claw. She glanced behind her. The cave they were in led to another narrow tunnel that disappeared around a corner.

    "The first entry is not open yet," the lizard said, pointing to where she had been looking. "I am sorry I frightened you. Please sit and we can talk together. I will tell you how I came to find that glowing star and how it would always comfort me."

    Kate didn''t respond, and the lizard backed away. "Let me find more light. Perhaps you will feel better if my home is not in darkness." The shadowed figure disappeared behind a tattered curtain.

    Kate slipped away down the narrow tunnel. She had to get out in the open where she could get away if the lizard attacked her to get the medallion. Extending the light revealed another tunnel branching to the right and up toward the surface. She was about to go that way when she discovered a single set of human footprints in the dust, heading down. The lizard said she couldn''t go down, but it had to be the way out there were no footprints coming back her way.

    Hurrying down the tunnel she used the medallion''s light to dodge the boulders strewn on the floor, but as she turned a tight corner, she found herself in front of a blank wall. The lizard wasn''t lying. It really was a dead end.

    The dusty tracks, however, made no sense. Human footprints came down the tunnel, but only the lizard''s tracks went back up. There had to be a secret door or another way out. With the medallion''s light, Kate examined the stone walls. On her right, a patch of smooth black rock was inset into the rough stone. She reached out to touch the shiny surface and a blue spark leapt from her hand. The scar in the center of her palm burned, and Kate yanked her hand back. As she watched, the spark spread out in soft blue ripples on the stone, as if it were made of water and she had dropped a pebble in.

    A rock rolled in the tunnel behind her.

    "It is no use to wait down there,¡± the lizard said softly. ¡°The portal door will not open for a while because moon is not out." The lizard spoke from the darkness up around the corner. "We have time to talk about what we must do once we reach the Cor. Please come back to my dwelling where you can rest. You must be very tired."

    Kate closed her hand around the medallion to hide its light. The blue ripples spreading across the wall shimmered beside her like a large picture frame. Could this be the entry the lizard talked about?

    The lizard¡¯s voice drew closer around the corner. "I will not try to take the light away from you. You will need it to help us if we are to reach him in time."

    The lizard must be talking about Corvan. Could this tunnel be connected to the mine? Kate shifted her weight and her ankle twisted on a loose rock. Instinctively, she put out a hand to steady herself and her fingertips touched the circle of shimmering blue rock.

    Instantly the smooth stone melted away, leaving a large open hole framed with a ring of shiny molten rock. A moist wind blew past her face, heavy with the scent of Sulphur. Shining the light of the medallion through the opening she discovered a larger cave lay beyond. That must be way to get to the mine where Corvan was in trouble.

    The wind grew stronger.

    "Nooooo!" the voice of the lizard filled the tunnel along with the sounds of its claws clicking and scrambling toward her. "Do not touch the walls. They will hurt you!" She heard the lizard tumble and fall just beyond the corner.

    Kate examined the blue ring of rock. She didn''t have to touch the sides to go through. Bag in hand, she stepped over the edge of the ring to the other side then turned around. The lizard was framed in the blue circle, its eyes wide with amazement, blood oozing from its reopened wound.

    "How did you . . .?" The lizard extended a claw through the blue ring. "Did my glowing medallion make it open?"

    Kate clutched the silver disk. "It¡¯s mine now. You can''t have it. I''m going to take it to him."

    The lizard shook its head vigorously. "No, Kate. Please do not take it to Him. His black band is still calling you, but you must not . . ."

    Kate held up her hand to ward off the lizard''s words and another blue spark leapt from her palm to the molten ring of rock.

    Snap! The hole in the wall closed off like the shutter on a camera. The cave went dark, and something soft fell to the ground.

    The stillness was overpowering. An eerie sound filled the space, as if a small drum were beating out time¡ªit was her own heart.

    Green light flowed past her fingers, lighting the cavern with the medallion''s glow. The rock in front of her that had been molten a moment ago was now black and solid. Something glistened near the wall. Kate aimed the medallion like a flashlight and moved closer.

    The long claw of the lizard, still attached to a leathery piece of its paw, lay severed at the base of the wall.

 Medallion 7

    "Hey - are you deaf?"

    Startled from his daydream about using dynamite to get into Tsarek¡¯s dwelling, Corvan looked around to find the crew boss standing in the tunnel behind him.

    "There''s a phone call for you up at the site office,¡± the man said. ¡°It¡¯s the police. They need to talk to you." He turned on his heel and disappeared around the corner.

    Corvan leaned his pickax against the wall and ran to catch up with him. "Did they say what it''s about?"

    The man shook his head as he strode into the main corridor.

    Corvan had to jog to follow him to the metal lift cage. The crew boss slammed the gate shut, and the platform began its slow journey back to the surface. Corvan leaned back against the metal bars. Had something happened to his mother? To Kate?

    The rock walls slid slowly past until the cage shuddered to a stop in the large room at the top of the shaft. The doors of the building were standing open, and a brilliant light filled the sky, blinding him as a loud blast shattered the night air.

    Corvan shielded his eyes. "What''s going on?"

    The crew boss snorted. "Haven''t you ever seen fireworks? It''s Halloween and the kids are out celebrating." He slapped Corvan on the back. "You should join them. You''re about the right size. Bring us back some treats." He pointed toward the site office. "Hopefully they didn''t get tired of waiting and hang up."

    Corvan headed toward the small building, too worried about his mom and Kate to take offense at yet another joke about his height. Inside, the night shift supervisor nodded at the phone hanging on the wall. "You''ve got to talk loud. It''s not working very well."

    Corvan lifted the earpiece and leaned over the speaking horn. "Hello, this is Corvan." All he heard was the static on the line. He tried again and a tinny voice crackled in his ear.

    "Corvan? I''m glad I got a hold of you. This is Sam Green. Listen, there''s been some trouble out at your place."

    A series of firework blasts rattled the windows and Corvan pushed the earpiece tighter against his head. "What kind of trouble?"

    "Your mother asked us to keep an eye on things and check in on Kate, especially tonight with all the pranks. We drove out past your place, but it was too late. Someone has broken in and the back window is smashed."

    "What about Kate?" Corvan asked anxiously.

    "There wasn''t anyone around, but we found a trail of blood in the kitchen. Most likely from the people who broke in and got cut on the window glass. We did see a few large boot prints in the snow near the front door but everything else was wiped out by the blizzard."

    "I''ll come home right away," Corvan said.

    "Can you let your mother know?"

    "Sure." The word slipped out even as a plan formed in Corvan''s mind. He''d thumb a ride home and check out the house before he called his mother. Otherwise she might try to drive home in this weather.

    "Tell her not to worry," Sam said. "We boarded up the window to keep the snow out."

    Corvan hung up the phone without saying good-bye. Who would want to break into their house? And where was Kate? She had mentioned a few times in the past weeks about possibly going to live in the city, but Corvan¡¯s mother had always talked her out of it. Maybe that was what she meant when she said goodbye earlier.

    "Is everything okay?" The supervisor leaned over his desk.

    "Looks like I need to go home for the weekend," Corvan said, buttoning up his jacket. He was glad that he had brought Jake¡¯s packets along with him. If Kate had left for the city and with all the fireworks exploding in the sky, this would be the perfect time to test the dynamite in the passage under his home. This had worked out perfectly for his purposes.

    The man nodded. "No problem. You''re due for some shifts off. I''ll be in trouble with the union if you were injured down there."

    "I should be back soon. I''ve just got to go check on our house and the girl that''s staying with us."

    The man smiled. "Uh-huh. The girl."

    Corvan shrugged. He didn''t care what the man thought. Besides, now he actually was worried about Kate.

    "Bob Shepherd will be going past your place soon. You can catch a ride home with him. He''s over by the tipple greasing one of the conveyor motors. I''ll ring over and tell him to wait for you."

    Corvan always avoided the tipple. The noise and dust in the five-story building bothered him. He hated having to spend an entire shift picking rocks out of the crushed coal as the large chunks thundered along on the huge conveyor belts and dropped into the waiting rail cars.

    Corvan made his way down the lane that led up to the massive structure. Its long wooden arms hung out over the jumble of railway tracks and loading docks like the tentacles of the water creature down in the Cor. At least tonight the tipple was quiet but when coal was being moved out in steady black streams, the building shook so violently that he wondered whether the whole thing would collapse and swallow him up inside.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    A burst of light made him look back. More fireworks.

    "Good thing we have enough snow this year to make sure those idiots don''t set the hills on fire again."

    Corvan turned to find Bob Shepherd standing amidst the huge support timbers that held up the tipple. The man shook his head.

    "Last year one of those kids got his hand on a stick of dynamite and blew my outhouse to kingdom come. Real funny."

    Corvan resisted running a hand over the packets Jake had given him.

    "They called and said you needed a ride,¡± Bob said. ¡°I''ll bring the truck over to the washhouse, but you''d better be quick about it."

    Corvan nodded and jogged toward the high-peaked roof ringed with smoke from the coal-fired boilers. The hot air from the water heaters would be keeping his regular day clothes warm in a metal basket tied up high in the rafters.

    Stripping down, Corvan rinsed off in the shower, glad he was alone instead of with a full shift of grown men. Out in the change room, he lowered his basket, took his day clothes out and replaced them with his work clothes. Pulling the basket into the air, he hooked the chain on a well-worn nail below a metal plate stamped with the number 17: his dad''s tag number. Corvan caressed the tarnished surface and nodded to himself. With the dynamite, at least now he had a hope of getting back to the Cor and searching for his father. Although he was concerned about Kate and where she might have gone, this might be his best chance to blast a hole through to Tsarek''s dwelling under the castle rocks.

    He was pulling his coat back when a horn honked outside. Running out the door, he jumped into Bob''s old pickup.

    "Aren''t you forgetting something?" The man pointed to a small building next to the washhouse. "Or do you want everyone out searching the mine for you again?"

    Corvan''s ears burned as he jumped out of the truck and sprinted over to the lamp house. Each miner picked up a numbered brass tag on his way into the mine and hung it back up on the assigned peg on his way out. If a man''s tag was missing at the end of the shift, everyone would be called out to look for him. Corvan made that mistake once and it looked like they would never let him forget it.

    Back in the truck, he hunched down against the door and let the warmth from the heater at his feet wash up over his body. The curtain of snow swirling toward them in the glow of the headlights was blinding. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the cold window.

    The next thing he knew his head thumped on the glass as the truck went over two bumps. The railroad crossing near Barron''s store slide past the window. He must have been more tired than he thought; he''d slept the entire way home.

    The truck pulled up to the open gate at the end of the lane to Corvan''s house. "Hope things work out. Have a good night." Corvan pushed the door open and tugged his coat close around his neck as he stepped out into the snowy night.

    "Thanks, Mr. Shepherd."

    The man smiled. "You can call me Bob now that you¡¯re one of us."

    Corvan nodded and shut the door. The truck pulled away, leaving him behind in a swirl of snow.

    Snow drifts had crept like long fingers across the lane up to the house, but the vehicles that had recently come and gone had left a few ruts to walk in. A gust of wind blew up the legs of his trousers. Wherever Kate had gone he hoped she¡¯d dressed warmly. A person could freeze to death on a night like this.

    The front door was locked. Corvan felt around the top of the door frame until he found the spare key. Inside, the house was almost as cold as it was outside. "Kate?" He called her name, but even as he did, he was pretty sure she wasn''t in the house. Sprinting up the stairs, he checked her bedroom. Empty, and her clothes that were usually neatly folded on top of his grandfather''s wooden chest were gone. Corvan sat on the bed and looked out the ice crusted window. The fresh snow made the ring of stones at the top of the castle look like huge marshmallows on a satin tablecloth.

    Crossing to the oak chest, he lifted the lid. Nothing had been moved inside and the secret compartment was still fastened tight. When Gavyn''s fake hammer hadn''t worked on the Cor entry, he had considered breaking the lid of the chest to retrieve the book, but he couldn''t bring himself to ruin his grandfather''s masterpiece. Not much point since he couldn''t open the book without the hammer nor read its strange writing.

    Retreating to the kitchen he heard the screen door creaked out on the back deck. Flakes of snow blew through the crack below the kitchen door. A piece of paper fluttered in the miniature snowdrift forming on the floor. Picking it up, he recognized Kate''s tidy script. Most of the words were a blur of blue ink but two lines were clear.

    "I am going to the city to find a job. Thank you for your kindness and please tell Corvan good-bye from me."

    Kate had decided to take the bus to the city, but at least she had left before the house was broken into. He pushed aside the thought that he would miss having her around and consoled himself by deciding he would look her up after his father was safely back home.

    Corvan examined the boards nailed up over the kitchen window. Why would anyone bother to break in? Everyone in town knew they didn''t have anything worth stealing.

    Pieces of glass were scattered across the floor and drops of dried blood traced a path back to the dumbwaiter. Corvan raised the small door to find that lift had fallen down along with the rope. That could only mean that someone had used it to break into the workshop.

    Running out the back door, he pushed through the drifts that had gathered against the house. His heart sank at the sight of the open cellar doors, and the mess inside stopped him cold. Most of the metal pieces from the shelves had been thrown to the floor and everything was gone from the workbench. The table in the center of the room had been toppled and the box of things for his trip to the Cor was gone.

    Crossing the room, he found the dumbwaiter doors askew: the rope in a tangled heap on top of its broken shell. Climbing inside he used a broken board to dig about in the sand. The medallion was gone, but how could anyone know where he had tossed it in the first place? Was Billy spying on him through the cellar doors when he had thrown it into the dumbwaiter? He was definitely very interested in it when he saw it on the Castle Rock.

    Corvan skirted the overturned table and felt under the shelf to release the catch for the hidden shelving door. A wash of blue light cascaded through the opening and he entered to find the lumien seed he had planted earlier was now the size of a grapefruit. Leafy tendrils were winding their way over the rock and three smaller globes were playing peek-a-boo through the expanding mass of vines.

    This had to be a mother plant if it could reproduce itself so quickly. Corvan gently touched one of the small globes and it brightened to the color of the full moon. His stomach rumbled at the thought of the tangy juice.

    He pulled the lumien closer and caressed its fuzzy skin. His heart skipped a beat.

    Surely if the plant was reproducing that quickly, it would be okay to eat one of the little fruits.

 Medallion 8

    Plucking the round globe from its stem, Corvan nibbled a small hole in the skin and squeezed the juice into his mount. The instant kick was like that first sip of strong coffee after a long shift down in the mine. Popping the fruit into his mouth, he worked the flesh away from the seed.

    As the fruit of the lumien slid down his throat, a powerful sensation of well-being flooded his body. No wonder people in the Cor wanted lumien fruit so badly, there was nothing else that could satisfy your cravings in quite the same way.

    Corvan touched his tongue to the pointy end of the seed. A shiver of excitement coursed through his body, and he recalled of the intense sensation when he had bitten down on the seed in Tsarek''s dwelling. At that time Tsarek had stopped him from eating the seed, but ever since that time Corvan had thought about that powerful jolt of pleasure.

    Jorad claimed it was against the law to consume a lumien seed but that was down in Kadir where they had a limited supply. They had to make that a law before all their light had been lost. This mother plant was already producing multiple fruits, so eating one seed wouldn''t limit its life in any way. Besides, this particular plant was a gift from Saray, and it was his to use as he desired.

    Spitting the seed into the palm of his hand he examined it closely. There was no doubt that he would need extraordinary strength to defeat the Rakash. If eating one small seed could help him rescue his father, then that was more important than the rules down in Kadir. He had witnessed first-hand how consuming a seed had energized the Chief Watcher.

    The memory of the black lizard writhing in pain on the floor of the High Priest''s great hall knotted his stomach. The seed from the mother plant had given the Chief Watcher incredible strength, but at a terrible cost. The small red seeds appeared to be even more powerful. Kate had been brought back to life after one of the seeds from pouch had only burned her hand. Saray¡¯s thumb had been regrown just by holding the red seed¡¯s power. What would happen if he actually ate a seed that had grown from that same source?

    Holding the seed up he gripped it between his thumb and forefinger. This one was tiny--nothing at all like the huge seed the Chief Watcher had eaten. Placing the kernel back in his mouth, he again pressed his tongue to the pointy end, savoring the sensation. As fresh awareness flowed into his head, he knew without a doubt that the seed would make him stronger. Its power was his if he needed it, and right now he believed he did.

    Working the seed over to the side of his mouth, he applied a bit of pressure. It was tougher that he thought, like a pistachio nut that hadn''t been cracked enough to open by hand. He bit down harder, and it splintered apart, sending a jolt of raw energy rumbling through his chest like a freight train and then into his arms. He could feel it moving along, it''s light shining through his skin as it coursed through his veins. The sensation picked up speed and headed toward his fingers.

    The room spun around him. Corvan reached out to steady himself against the rock wall. Asurge of power rushed to his hand and shot from his palm like a jet of water from a fire hose. The force tossed him backwards into a heap on the floor.

    As his equilibrium slowly returned, he tried to move but could not muster enough strength to even raise his head. Something crackled above him. He managed to tip his head forward until a glowing red hole in the rock wall, the size of his fist, came into view.

    His forehead broke in a cold sweat. The power from that one little seed leaving his body was strong enough to melt granite. The red glow faded as the rock cooled. A soft gray ash drifted down over his body.

    He tried again to sit up, but his body refused to cooperate. The exiting jolt of lumien power had completely drained him. A shiver ran through to his core, as if he''d just fallen through the ice into a frozen pond. His heart was slowing down, was he going to die?Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    A splash of vivid light fell off to one side of his chest. Overhead, the stem of the plucked fruit was oozing clear blue liquid. Corvan inhaled deeply, absorbing the minute bits of energy suspended in the air. Summoning all his remaining strength, he pivoted his body around until his open mouth was beneath the forming droplet. It swelled, quivered, and fell, splashing on his cheek. He licked at it and his heart responded with three quick beats.

    Shifting to his right a few inches, he watched the stem closely. Finally, another drop formed. This time the juice fell directly into his mouth and ran down his throat, its energy flowing into his heart. It began to beat steadily faster.

    His chest grew warm, but his hands and legs grew colder. When he thought about moving some heat into his hands, the energy left his chest and surged toward his fingers. He let it rest a moment and then thought about warming his toes. At that thought, the heat radiated down his legs and into his feet. The ability to control the energy and make it go wherever he wished felt unbelievably good.

    Another drop formed and he waited for it to splash into his mouth. This time he moved its energy into his mind. Instantly the tunnel grew brighter and minute details in the rocks jumped out at him. In the stillness he was sure he could even hear the lumien plant pushing new vines out along the wall.

    One last drop fell. This time Corvan pushed it deep into the muscles of his arms. The power flowed and he catapulted himself off the ground and onto his feet in one swift move. He nodded to himself. If he could do all this with a few drops from the vine, being able to control the power from the seed itself would make him invincible. It would be easy to break through to Tsarek''s dwelling, return to the Cor and rescue his father.

    His confidence fades as his knees began to shake, his heart rapping in his chest like a toy drum. He needed more lumien power, but the other two small globes were nowhere to be seen. The mother lumien was hiding them from him like a hen hiding her chicks beneath her wings. Pushing his hand through the tendrils, he located one, but it was now solidly attached to the rock and the vines fought against him. Pulling out his pocketknife he flicked the blade open and cut through the stem.

    A gush of liquid light squirted out, ran down his arm and dripped on the cavern floor. Ignoring it, Corvan eagerly sucked the fruit from the seed but this time it didn¡¯t give the same satisfaction. His body was craving the seed, not the fruit, but he didn¡¯t dare eat another one.

    A wave of dizziness dropped him to his knees and a stabbing pain shot across his chest. There was no choice now. He needed the power from inside the seed. Taking a tiny nibble he allowed the rush of power to run straight into his throbbing heart. The hollow feeling subsided and the pain melted away.

    The rest of the seed lay twitching in his hand, bright liquid oozing from where he bit into it. Could he handle more? Already he felt stronger and more capable. A bit more should do it. Taking another tiny bite, he let the seed''s energy flow into his core along with the overwhelming assurance that he could easily handle more. Popping the rest of the seed into his mouth, he chewed fast.

    The energy filled his nostrils and shot up into his head. His eyes watered as the raw power throbbed in his chest. Wrapping his arms around himself he pulled away from the rock wall. If the energy got away on him, it might tear his heart in two.

    Fear set in as Corvan struggled to keep the power from jumping out of his chest. It was too much to hold and he let a tiny bit into his veins. It ran wild through his body and then settled down as he directed it into his right arm. The muscles in his forearm tensed and rippled, just like the forearms of the Chief Watcher.

    Could he become as evil as the black lizard? Was the power evil? Couldn¡¯t he use it to defend others. He could use it to set things right and make people like Billy stop hurting others. Just like Charles Atlas in his comic books, nobody would be able to push him around anymore. He could stand up for himself and for others.

    Getting to his feet, Corvan focused on keeping the power restrained inside his heart, then gingerly reached out and touched a finger to the rock wall. A twinge of pressure rose in his chest and shoulders, but the energy remained confined.

    Opening his hand, he grabbed the edge of the jagged rock where the first bolt of energy had blasted a hole. Placing the other hand next to the hole, he released a small amount of power into both his arms and his muscles bulged. Corvan tugged on the piece of rock and pushed away with his other arm. A wedge of granite broke away from the wall. The chunk must weigh a good fifty pounds but to his energy-rich muscles it felt like a baseball.

    Pulling his arm back like a pitcher on the mound, Corvan released more energy into his bicep and hurled the stone down the length of the cave.

    The rock shattered to bits in an explosive cloud of debris.

    A shadowed form took shape within the dust, then ran directly at him.

 Medallion 9

    Before Corvan could move, the shadow launched itself at his waist and knocked him to the ground.

    "Oh, Kalian, I am so happy to see you."

    "Tsarek?" Corvan exclaimed, sitting up.

    The lizard pushed himself upright. "It is I, Sir. I am so sorry to have pushed you down, but I am very full with joy."

    "But how did you get in here?"

    The familiar pleased-with-himself grin crept over the lizard''s face. "I made it back into the labyrinth using the long water tunnel. When I got to my dwelling, I could hear you knocking on the other side of the rocks, so I started cutting with my small fire sticks. Come, I will show you."

    The lizard gestured toward the end of the room with a paw wrapped in a bloody cloth.

    Corvan stood to his feet. "Did you burn your paw on a fire stick?"

    Tsarek''s face darkened. "No. She did it."

    "Who?"

    The lizard waved its bandaged paw overhead like a flag. "She tried to kill me and I lost my poison claw, but that left me with no defense against the bad men in the cellar, so was trapped here and then the Kate stole the . . ."

    Corvan grabbed hold of Tsarek¡¯s paw. "Kate was here? I thought she left."

    "Yes, she did. The Kate left through the labyrinth."

    "She what? Why would she . . .  How did Kate open the door?"

    "With the medallion," Tsarek said.

    "Kate took my medallion? From the dumbwaiter?"

    "Yes,¡± Tsarek stated emphatically. ¡°She stole it and now she is taking it back to Him."

    "Him? Do you mean the master of the black band?" Corvan¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Why would she do that? Are you sure?¡±

    The lizard nodded vigorously. "She said so herself. I heard her."

    An intense wave of anger engulfed Corvan and raged through his body. It was because of Kate that his father had been abducted by the Rakash. She was obviously still under the control of the black band.  No wonder she had wanted to stay at his house and was always hanging around the cellar. This whole time she had been waiting around to steal the medallion and take it back to the Cor. It was her spying on him when he threw it into the dumbwaiter.

    The rage intensified. Corvan screwed his eyes shut as is heart pumped the latent lumien power through his veins. If he could catch up to Kate, he would take his medallion back, rescue his father and leave her down in the Cor for good.

    "Sir, you are hurting me,¡± Tsarek squeaked. ¡°Please put me down."

    Corvan opened his eyes. Tsarek hung in midair from his hands clamped around the lizard¡¯s neck. Quickly directing the lumien power away from his arms, he unlocked his hands and dropped Tsarek to the ground.

    "I am sorry, Kalian." Tsarek whispered. "I did not mean to fail you. I should have stopped her."

    Corvan slumped to the floor beneath the blue light of the lumien and closed his eyes. His heart raced, and the power ran wildly through his arteries. Concentrating, he gathered the energy back into his heart, groaning as he squeezed the last shards of power into place. He had never been that angry in his life, not ever. The lumien seeds did far more than make him stronger; they exaggerated his emotions.

    The hatred filled face of the Chief Watcher in the temple hall loomed in his thoughts as the rivulets of sweat ran off his face and soaked into his T-shirt.

    Opening his eyes he found Tsarek studying him intently. The lizard''s gaze wandered up to the severed lumien stem hanging overhead.

    "Oh, Sir. You should not have done that. I warned you not to eat the seed. It is so dangerous for your kind. How many . . ."

    Corvan held up two fingers and the lizard gasped. "You have the power of two seeds inside you?"

    Corvan shook his head and pointed overhead to the hole melted in the rock.

    Tsarek clucked his tongue against his teeth. "It is good you let the power out, but also very bad to have so much inside. If you let that much out at once, your heart may never recover, and you will die."

    Corvan nodded. "That''s why I ate a second one right away. I had to do it, but now I''m done. I don¡¯t want any more."

    As soon as the words left his lips, he knew it wasn''t true. He wanted another lumien, and now. He stared up at the blue globe of the mother plant.

    Tsarek leapt up beside him and put his cloth bound paw over Corvan''s eyes. "Please turn your eyes away. Now that you have used its power you will always want more, but it will kill you in the end. Please, Sir, stop now before it is too late."

    Corvan slapped Tsarek''s bandaged paw away. "Leave me alone. I can handle this."

    Tsarek pulled away, clutching his injured paw. He crouched on his haunches against the far wall.

    "Don''t just stare at me," Corvan snapped.

    "I am leaving you alone," Tsarek said, his eyes brimming with what could only be tears.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Stop it.¡± Corvan said. ¡°I hate it when you do exactly what I tell you."

    Tsarek turned his head to look along the tunnel towards his dwelling.

    Corvan tipped his head back against the wall. Gathering the raw energy back into his heart had exhausted him. "What did Kate actually say to you?"

    "She said those very words, ''I must take it back to Him.''"

    "And what did she do to your claw?"

    "The Kate closed the labyrinth portal to snip it off when I reached in to take my medallion back,¡± Tsarek said in a wounded tone. ¡°But not to worry. A new claw will grow back, although it will be ugly and long. I will end up looking more like the Chief . . ."

    Corvan held up his hand for silence. He had originally believed that the Rakash leader had taken his father get the cloak back, but now it was clear the Rakash was trying to force Corvan use the medallion and return to the Cor. It was the medallion it wanted, not the cloak, but now Kate was taking the glowing medallion to the master of the black band, the one Tsarek called ¡®Him¡¯. Is that who the Rakash served?

    Corvan pushed himself upright against the tunnel wall. "We''ve got to stop her before she reaches the Cor. If the master of the black bands gets the medallion, he will no longer need my father as ransom and . . ."

    Tsarek jumped up. "We should leave immediately. Do you have the hammer?"

    "No, I left it with Tyreth in Kadir.¡± He looked down at Tsarek. ¡°If I had the hammer, I wouldn¡¯t have been cutting this tunnel to get inside the Castle Rock."

    Tsarek nodded. "But now we have no way to open the labyrinth doors. We cannot return to the Cor without the hammer or the medallion. What can we possibly do now?"

    Corvan tried to think things through, but his thoughts were jumbled and disconnected. Letting a little lumien energy flow into his head he found the exhaustion dissipating. The problem at hand came into sharp focus along with a myriad of solutions. His accelerated thinking rapidly explored each possibility, tossing the dead ends aside. It was true that the pathway to Kadir went through the labyrinth, but he and Tsarek had bypassed a portion of the maze of tunnels in the past.

    "Doesn''t the first door open with the phases of the moon?" Corvan asked.

    "Yes, it will open tonight but then we would be trapped in that first section and would wait another month, just to get back to my dwelling."

    "There is another way out of the first cave,¡± Corvan said.

    "Sir?"

    "The small fire sticks you used to weld the metal artwork in your cave. Do you have any left?"

    "Ten or more,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°but they are very dry."

    "Will they work for us to breath under the water?"

    Tsarek hesitated, then nodded.

    "Then we can go down through the pool of water in the first cavern, where the water creature with long arms pulled me in. You said that one was the smaller offspring of the large one at the temple karst. If the small one migrated up to that cavern through the water course, then we can use your fire sticks to breath under the water and follow the underground river all the way back to Kadir."

    Tsarek shook his head. "I do not have enough fire sticks for both of us to make the long journey. It was difficult work to travel through the water to get back here and our breathing will use them up before we get back."

    Corvan squinted at the lizard. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking this through logically. When you were moving up to the surface, you were fighting the current, but on the way down, it will sweep us along. We won''t be breathing hard."

    Tsarek shook his head. "But there will be rocks we might hit and tight places and many things to go wrong."

    Corvan''s jaw clenched as his irritation mounted. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "If Kate is taking the medallion back to the one you call ¡®Him¡¯, then my father is in greater danger."

    Tsarek nodded. "It is important for you to reach your father quickly. I will go with you."

    Corvan got to his feet and caught sight of a wooden box sitting by the hidden door into the cellar.

    "Is that my stuff?" he asked.

    Tsarek scurried over and tried to drag the box away from the wall. "I did not want to let the large boy have your things."

    "Billy Fry was here?" Corvan asked, moving over to the crate.

    "With the older one called ''Pa''. They were looking for a key to the rock to find a treasure, but he will think twice before coming back.¡± Tsarek held up his bandaged paw. ¡°I scratched the Pa, but that was before the Kate cut off my claw. I cannot help you if he returns, as I must wait for it to grow back. I¡¯m sure it will be fairly quick though."

    Corvan was only half-listening as he knelt to empty out the crate. Billy and his father were looking for treasure because Billy had seen the medallion and assumed there must be more of them. He should leave a note to warn his mother to watch out for them before he left but what would he write? Bye Mom, I''m going underground to rescue my father from an evil master who has enslaved Kate, but watch out for Billy because he wants my secret medallion? There was nothing for it. He would have to trust that his mother was smarter than Billy''s father, and likely stronger as well.

    Pulling the holster out of the crate he flicked open the flap to reveal Gavyn''s fake hammer. This one couldn¡¯t open the labyrinth doors, but it looked enough like the real one to be of some use in the Cor.

    Pulling his father''s raincoat from the crate, he stuck the holster into one of the pockets. Later he would try to exchange the raincoat for one of the hooded cloaks the people of Kadir wore, but for now it would keep him warmer than his light work jacket. Corvan tossed his work jacket into the corner and heard something bump against the wall. Good thing dynamite didn''t go off by dropping it. He pulled out one of the packets. Whatever happened down below, dynamite might prove to be useful. He slid the packet into one of the raincoat''s inner pockets.

    At the bottom of the box was faded pillowcase and the gray slippers he had worn on the last trip. The special slippers would keep his feet warm and also to make it easier to move around without being heard. Taking off his sneakers, he pulled the slippers on.

    Opening the pillowcase, Corvan drew out the white scarf, held it to his face and inhaled the familiar sweet scent of Tyreth''s perfume. With the bits of lumien power lingering in his head, the aroma was more potent, as if Tyreth were standing right beside him. The memory of her lips pressed to his at the temple karst made his heart skip a beat. At least there was one person he could trust in Kadir.

    Reaching into the pillowcase, he pulled out the jewels Kate had been wearing at Saray¡¯s home in the Molakar settlement. He had kept both items under his pillow on the cot for weeks and would often pull one or the other out at night. Initially he was planning to give the band of gems back to Kate when her memory returned, but now she''d stolen the medallion, she didn''t deserve them. He''d bring the tiara and give it to Tyreth instead.

    Shoving the jewels into his jeans pocket, he rolled up the scarf and pushed it deep into one of the coat''s inner pockets and buttoned the flap over. He didn''t want the water to wash away Tyreth''s perfume.

    "Do you want that as well?" Tsarek asked, pointing at the floor.

    Corvan picked up his father''s acetylene lamp. The lantern would come in handy as long as he had a supply of calcium carbide along. "I need some fuel from the cellar."

    Picking up his work jacket, Corvan pushed through the hidden door and crossed over to the workbench. The flat tin of fuel for the lamp had been knocked from its alcove but the seal was still in intact. If water seeped into the can when they were underwater, it could explode in his pocket. Leaving his work jacket on the counter, he placed the tin into one of the inner pockets of the raincoat and strapped the acetylene lamp to his head.

    Deep in an alcove cut into the wall at the back of the workbench was the rounded top of his Roy Roger''s metal lunchbox. For the past few weeks, he had been stashing a few food items for the trip to Kadir safe from the mice. Pulling it out, he turned towards the hidden door.

    "Let¡¯s go, Tsarek. I need to see how many firesticks you have left."

 Medallion 10

    They approached the hole Tsarek had cut in the base of the tunnel wall leading out of the cellar, and Tsarek slipped inside. Kate must have been pretty desperate to go inside such a small opening. That alone was proof she was still under the influence of the black band.

    Corvan easily squeezed inside. The panic he had experienced when he and Tsarek had first entered the Cor through the narrow crack where Tsarek broke his shoulder was completely gone. Working at the mine had cured him of those fears.

    Emerging into Tsarek''s dwelling, he found the lizard waiting with one paw behind his back.

    "I have a present for you,¡± Tsarek said past a happy smile. ¡°It was in the water after Tyreth killed the Chief Watcher and Jorad was arguing with you in the water creature''s cave. You might want this one since yours was burned up." Tsarek held out a coil of translucent blue rope. ¡°It belonged to the leader of the Rakash before Jorad cut his hand off. It¡¯s one is not as long as your green one, but it does have a double end."

    Corvan took the krypin rope from the lizard''s paw and examined the control end. This handle was T-shaped, with a control bump on either side. Holding it in one hand, he attempted to activate the controls with his thumb and baby finger but only succeeded in getting the ends of the rope completely snarled up around each other.

    "You need to use two hands," Tsarek said. ¡°That what the Rakash did.¡±

    Corvan tried holding the handle in a way that allowed him to use a thumb on each toggle. It was easier to control, and he sent the ends of the rope climbing the walls in opposite directions until the tension in the middle picked him off the floor. Letting a bit of the lumien strength into his arms. he used the krypin to swing himself around the room.

    "Do you like it?" Tsarek said. The familiar pleased with himself grin across his narrow face.

    Corvan lowered himself to the ground. "I''ll need to learn how to work the controls with only one hand, but I''m sure it will be useful." Coiling up the thin rope and he attempted to fit it into a pocket of the raincoat.

    "I don''t believe that coat will keep you warm, especially under the water. Where is your special cloak?" Tsarek asked.

    "My father wore it to the mine by mistake. The Rakash leader has it now."

    "Oh, that is much more dangerous, now you won''t see him coming."

    Corvan looked up at him, rope in hand. He hadn¡¯t thought a lot about having to fight the Rakash leader. Now that he was carrying the krypin rope it used to own, it might get even more angry.

    Tsarek looked him over. "You will need better clothes, especially to go through the cold water.¡± He pointed at the lunchbox, ¡°and to carry your things.¡± The lizard vanished into the pantry and reappeared with a flat butcher paper bundle tied up with hay bale twine. He laid the parcel at Corvan''s feet. "I found these in the entry beside to your past-father when he . . ." Tsarek stopped and pointed above him to where his grandfather¡¯s bones lay.

    Corvan untied the neat bows holding the package together, unfolded the paper and spread it open. Inside were a pair of pants, a short sleeve shirt and a dark gray cloak with a deeply cowled hood.

    "These are special clothes,¡± Tsarek said, holding up the shirt. ¡°And not only because they belonged to your past-father. This is the clothing worn in the Cor for keeping the body warm, but these ones are the finest quality, worn only by the rulers of Kadir." He pointed to a crest embroidered on the front of the shirt. "You might want to keep this symbol covered under your cloak. Some people in Kadir would not be happy to see it."

    Corvan took the shirt and traced his fingers over the embroidery. Did this mean his grandfather once ruled Kadir? Was the man going back to take his rightful place in the Cor when Tsarek killed him?

    ¡°Try them on,¡± Tsarek said. ¡°I think they will fit you.¡±

    Removing the raincoat and his clothes down to his underwear, he found Tsarek watching him closely. "What are you looking at?" he asked the lizard.

    "The lumiens are changing your body sir. Look over here." Tsarek stepped over in front of the metal artwork he had created on his wall. Pulling down a tattered cloth from the middle section, he revealed an old mirror with the glass cracked from corner to corner. "I covered this looking glass when I no longer wanted to see myself wearing the black band," Tsarek said.

    Corvan looked himself up and down. His head appeared to have stuck on a body taken from one of his comic book ads for Charles Atlas. Every muscle was clearly defined, a sight was both frightening and reassuring at the same time. He flexed his bicep, amazed at how powerful his muscles had become.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s from the lumien seeds,¡± Tsarek stated.

    Corvan nodded and watched the sinews moving in his neck and shoulders. At least now he might be able to hold his own in a fight with the leader of the Rakash.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He quickly pulled on his grandfather''s shirt and pants. They were a better fit than his own clothes, although the pants stopped just shy of the top of the slipper shoes. His mother had said that his grandfather was a bit shorter than he.

    "This is much better, Tsarek. That was a good idea."

    ¡®Yes, those clothes will keep you warmer under the water, but you should move your lamp and other things into the pack to keep them dry." He pointed back to the unwrapped brown paper at an odd-looking flat bag with straps secured across the front. Tsarek lifted it by the straps and handed the flat oblong bag to Corvan.

    Corvan held it up to the light. "Is this like the hunting rucksack I left in the crypts?"

    "You wear it the same way,¡± Tsarek said, ¡°but it was created for a different purpose in a place long forgotten in the Cor. If we put your things inside, they will stay dry even under the water."

    Tsarek ran a claw along a seam near the top and the pack spread open revealing an interior covered in soft tendrils. Tsarek touched them with the tip of a claw and the tendrils rippled away and the pack opened even wider. "You put your things inside and when you close it, all the air comes out. Water cannot enter and everything is held tight and secure." Tsarek handed him the lamp and the can of fuel. Corvan tucked them away inside. The tendrils tickled the back of his hands.

    "What about this?" Tsarek held up Jake¡¯s packet with the two sticks of dynamite inside.

    "Yes, I will bring those as well."

    Tsarek handed them to Corvan. "And your toy gun holder and jewels?" Tsarek was holding the holster with the fake hammer and Tyreth''s tiara.

    "I¡¯ll take the jewels, but I don''t have a belt for the holster." Corvan took the tiara from Tsarek and put it inside the pocket of the new pants.

    Tsarek laid the holster on the ground and moved toward his pantry. "Should I bring some of my food supplies?"

    Corvan glanced at the dried gopher carcasses hanging on the wall. "I think I have enough food for the trip. It won¡¯t take us long." He reached for the metal lunchbox and as Corvan flipped up the metal clasps, Tsarek leaned in closer. "I''ve been stocking up on a few things from the Barron''s store," Corvan said. ¡°I set aside a bit from my extra shifts at the mine.¡±

    Tsarek pulled out a bright packet. "These are good. They melt in your mouth, not in your paws."

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Tsarek shrugged. "I saw it on Kate¡¯s television box, but I don''t have hands, so I changed it." The lizard dropped the candy inside the strange backpack.

    "This one will definitely melt in your paws." Corvan handed Tsarek a red cellophane package. "It¡¯s called a Cuban Lunch and it¡¯s a bar of chocolate covered peanuts. Lots of energy in that one." Tsarek added in to the pack as Corvan held up five packages of Hot Rods. "You will like these. They taste like the beef jerky you liked but easier to chew." He added them to the pack. "And this is a Pez refill pack, little hard candies and these . . . "

    "Berries from a Lita bush!¡± Tsarek exclaimed. ¡°I love those! May I have one?"

    Corvan looked down and smiled to himself as he opened one of the small cellophane packets, then held a red ball of candy out on his palm. Atomic Fireballs were made from pure cinnamon and packed a lot of heat.

    Tsarek plucked the ball from his hand, tossed it into his mouth and began rolling it about in his cheek.

    Corvan continued to move the rest of the snacks into the pack and closed the sides of the flap. There was a faint hiss, and the pack went flat with only the outline of bumps to show where the items were. "That''s pretty neat. It would have been great to have this on our first trip. The jerky would have been dry and lasted . . . "

    An explosion of disgust erupted from Tsarek, and a red candy ball ricocheted off the ceiling of the cave just over Corvan''s head, then bounced over to land by Tsarek''s musical crystals. Tsarek tore into his pantry and came back with a small jar of brackish water that he kept sticking his snout into and rinsing out his mouth.

    "I take it you don''t like the taste of an Atomic Fireball?" Corvan said, trying hard not to laugh. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s too strong of a taste for someone your age?¡±

    Tsarek glared at Corvan¡¯s reference to when he had showed Corvan how to smoke a firestick, then shook his head. "Not at all like a Lita berry. You can keep those ones for yourself. Tsarek pointed to the pack. ¡°You should try it on and see how it works.¡±

    Corvan tugged the green, translucent straps over his shoulders. "This looks like a flatter piece of my first krypin rope."

    "Yes, this comes from the same place in the Cor. The people there invented these things¡ªvery clever. If it had the part for your face, it would have been even better." Tsarek pointed to the middle of the straps hanging over Corvan''s chest. "Now you touch the two circles together."

    Corvan ran his hands down the straps to the two flat circular pieces and joined them. As soon as they overlapped, all the straps tightened up and the pack snuggled in against his back.

    "Let¡¯s not forgot your new rope." Tsarek held up the blue krypin and threaded it onto one of the lower straps of the new pack. "Now you can reach it quickly if you need to." He picked up the holster. "this can clip on the side strap as well. You might be able to use it down in the Cor."

    Tsarek fastened the holster in place on the other side, then stepped back to inspect the overall effect. He nodded his approval. "Now you put the cloak over top to hide your belongings," Tsarek said.

    Corvan pulled on the cloak, threw the hood back and stepped in front of the mirror.  Now he could he walk the streets of Kadir and easily fit in with everyone else. He did up one more button to cover the crest of Kadir that was showing through.

    "Check in the glass at how your things are kept secret," Tsarek said.

    Corvan turned sideways to the mirror. "That¡¯s great. With my hood back, you can''t even tell its under there."

    Tsarek picked up the lunch box. "Should I put your special school case away in my pantry until we get back?" He shook it and something rattled against the tin sides.

    Taking it from him, Corvan popped the latches open. At the bottom was the blue piece of glass that matched the white one he had given to Gavyn before leaving Kadir. He slipped into the front pocket of his grandfather¡¯s pants and handed the case back to Tsarek. "You can keep the lunchbox Tsarek. I don''t need it anymore."

    Tsarek beamed and scuttled away with his prize swinging at his side like a proud first grader on his first day of school.

    A moist breeze blew over Corvan''s head along with the odor of matches being lit.

    Tsarek¡¯s voice came from inside the pantry. "Do you smell that, Sir? The first door is open. We can go now."

 Medallion 11

    Kate sat on the slab of stone and contemplated the glass-like pool of water. Her faint memories of this place were like fragments of a long-forgotten dream. The last time she was here, Corvan had been asleep on this slab of stone. If he was here with her, then why had he not even tried to tell her about these caves or medallion, or the lizard. He could have at least dropped some hints or tried to help her remember what happened before she hit her head.

    Shivering, she buttoned up the top of her coat. When she had watched Corvan sleeping, she had been so angry she wanted to throw a rock at him. Now, she couldn''t even remember what made her so mad in the first place.

    Kate raised the light of the medallion toward the wall where she had first found the pointed disk, wrapped up and hidden in a pile of rags. Was this the place the lizard was talking about? Did the medallion actually belong to him, or was she searching the cave to take it back after he stole it from her? All she could recalled was intense relief when she first picked up the glowing disc. Her anger at Corvan had quickly dissipated and she want to go back to the rock and talk to him, but then a great tension grew within her as the black band fought to take back control.

    That battle had raged for a long time before the medallion finally won the battle. Where that happened was a mystery but the relief of the black band falling away was a powerful reality. Corvan had been close to her at that time, leaning over her and telling her he would take her home. Kate focused on the memory but found Corvan''s face being replaced by a handsome man with dark hair. Jorad was his name but who was he and why did his memory give her a sense she had been special to him?

    The medallion pulsed in her hand, sending shafts of light past her fingers. Kate sighed and got to her feet. The last time she''d been here, the black band drew her through these caves but this time she followed the medallion. She turned in a slow circle, keeping an eye on the metallic surface.

    The points worked like a compass; a lighted symbol would glow brighter within the point that would lead her on to the next blue opening in the cave wall. She had stepped through at least five so far but the lizard said this tunnel would take her to Corvan so that had to be a long ways underground. The lizard also said Corvan didn''t have long to live. There was no way she would turn back now.

    Following the star''s direction, Kate stepped up to the wall and placed her palm against the stone. Blue ripples of light flowed out. The rock turned to jelly and then opened up to let her pass.

    Kate ducked through the portal and into a low tunnel stretching out in both directions. The medallion in her hand glowed brightly but none of the star points grew any stronger. The new tunnel slanted upward to the left and dropped off steeply to the right. She was too tired to go up the slope. Downward seemed a better choice if Corvan was working deep in the Red Creek mine.

    The long tunnel wound generally downward, even steeper at times, stretching on and on until Kate thought she couldn''t take another step. Kate paused in the middle of a steep incline. If this was a dead end then she would have to climb back up to try the other direction.

    Holding the medallion overhead, she peered down the slope and caught a flash of white in the boulders piled at the bottom of the slope. Stepping closer, she noticed a pair of tattered sneakers perched up on top of a column of rock.

    Clambering down over the rocks, Kate edged closer to the shoes. The laces were nibbled to tattered strands, and a cozy nest of fluff occupied one heel. A plastic bread bag lay between them, chewed full of holes. The shoes had once belonged to her, but why would she have left them here and gone on in her bare feet? Kate picked up one shoe and closed her eyes. The memory came back. She had stopped here because she had been putting on the sneakers she had taken from Corvan and eating the cookies she too as well. That¡¯s when a light had come on and a stone door had appeared in front of her.

    Kate opened her eyes and searched behind the boulders but couldn''t find a door.

    A whisper of a breeze blew up from the tunnel below her and in the silence that followed, she thought she heard a voice.

    "Corvan?" Kate walked along the main path to where a smaller tunnel branched off to the left. She stepped inside and called Corvan''s name again. Glancing at the medallion she the light on the points spinning around as if she were sitting on top of the North Pole. The new path inclined upward. It may be better to try it and if it didn¡¯t lead her back to the Red Creek mine it might at least take her to the surface, and she could hitch a ride to the mine.  It was worth a try.

    The new passage climbed straight ahead for a long while. Weariness set in as Kate trudged along. When the floor abruptly gave way to a steep slope, her feet flew out from under her, tumbling her down into a pile of broken sticks.

    Groaning, she stood and dusted off her bruised body. At least her duffle bag had broken her fall. Examining her surroundings by the light of the medallion she found herself in a smaller bowl-shaped cave with two other paths dropping down into it from the opposite side. Kate stumbled over the sticks piled up at the bottom of the bowl and pointed the light down at her feet. These weren''t sticks; they were bones¡ªa ring of broken and shattered bones!

    On top of the pile a human skull stared up at her. Just below its jaw, a tarnished silver chain was draped over the ribs. Kate bent down and pulled gingerly on the chain but the links were tangled up on the bones below. She tugged harder and it suddenly broke free, sending her stumbling backward against a rounded boulder in the very center of the ring of bones.

    Getting to her feet she raised both hands to give light to her discovery. Another medallion dangled from the end of a tarnished chain, identical to the one she held in her right hand except it didn''t glow.

    A bone snapped behind her.

    She was not alone in the cave; something was moving up to her back. As Kate turned slowly around, a putrid odor flowed past her, and she gagged. What she took for a huge boulder in the bone nest shifted to one side.  Kate scrambled back to the ring of bones as two huge eyes opened and focused on her face.

    A mouth of jagged teeth opened below the eyes. A blast of rancid air blew her hair back as the massive creature roared into her face.

    Kate stood still. There was no way to escape this creature¡¯s nest of bones and it obviously ate people. She raised the green light of her medallion up between them and the creature grew quiet. "You''re all right. I''m not going to hurt you." Kate laughed nervously. As if she could hurt this thing. It was as big as a horse.

    The wide face drew closer until its round eyes filled Kate''s vision. A low rumble sounded in the back of its throat as its moist breath flowed past her. Kate raised a hand and stroked a leathery cheek. A sharp prickle shot through the scar in her hand, and she sensed there was no threat here. This creature was also afraid and lonely. "I''m here. It''s okay."

    The huge eyes blinked and then pulled back as the beast sat back on its haunches like an enormous puppy and stared at her. Kate picked up her bag and inched her way backwards past the ring of bones to the path she had come in from. The creature rose to follow her. "You stay here. I have to go now." She climbed quickly up the bowl-like side of the cavern and turn around. The beast stood and watched her. Kate pointed to the ground. "Stay." It sat back. "Good boy."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Backing away until its face disappeared below the rim of the bone nest, Kate turned around and strode down the tunnel, glancing back from time to time to make sure the huge animal wasn''t following. Looping the new medallion around her neck, she cupped the glowing one in her hand and pointed its light ahead. It remained silent behind her but she still found herself half running down the long corridor.

    Upon reaching the main tunnel, Kate looked back up to where she had found her old sneakers. A quick check of the passage behind her revealed no movement nor the glint of large eyes in the darkness. She sat on a knob of rock jutting out from the wall and leaned her head back. She hadn¡¯t slept since leaving the lizard behind. For all she knew, that was days ago.

    Her eyes closed and she faded into a dreamlike haze. The light above grew stronger, and a door appeared ahead. Was this a dream? She had seen this place before but the memory of it filled her with fear. She reached out to the door, then stopped. Beyond that door she had met an old man dressed in white who led her into a small room full of even more doors. The recollection of that event filled her with overpowering fear, and she sat up on the knob of rock as the light and door vanished. She blinked against tears that filled her eyes and a sob caught in her throat. What happened to her in that dream? Whatever it was, she did not want to sit here and let it come back.

    Pushing to her feet she looked up the tunnel to where she found her sneakers. There was no way she had the strength to climb up that way. There was no choice but to keep going down.

    The trail led through a series of switchbacks between tall boulders. Once past them she could see a small circle of blue light in the distance. The tunnel leveled out and as she drew near, a distinct memory came back. She knew for certain the light was from a keyhole in a door that would open into a huge cavern. She put her eye to the spot, but the thick door did not afford a view of what lay on the other side.

    One thing was certain, this door was too tall and wide to be the door from her dreams. It should be safe to sleep here. Dropping her bag by the wall, Kate slumped down and leaned against it.

    The chain of the new medallion pinched her neck. Pulling it out, she compared the two side by side. The medallions touched and the star points on both disks sparked. A symbol glowed briefly on the new medallion where they joined, then faded away. Kate tried again and studied the mark on the new medallion. Perhaps the mark showed who once owned them and identified the skeleton in the bone nest.

    The soft pad of feet approached and the creature from the bone nest came into view from between the boulders. "I thought I told you to stay," Kate said. The angular head hung lower. "It''s okay. Come here." She patted the ground beside her, and the beast plodded over and dropped down. Kate leaned in close and stroked its leathery cheek. Nestling against the warm body reminded her of the golden retriever she had as a child. The dog had been her closest companion until her mother punished her for not doing the dishes by giving her dog away. That was when she first started to hang out with Corvan. Kate gave a wry smile. The way Corvan was treating her now, it would have been better to find a new dog.

    The steady rise and fall of the creature''s breathing fell in sync with her own. As she drifted off to sleep, a faint memory of using the medallion to open the stone door beside her flickered in her mind. She should try it out.

    Kate opened her eyes to find herself lying on the floor in a small round room carved out of solid rock. A soft white light shone down from the ceiling. A narrow door stood to one side. Her eyes drooped shut and for a brief moment she knew her body was still lying next to the large creature. She let herself drift away again and the round room reappeared. This wasn''t just a dream. The glowing medallion had brought her to this place when she was here the last time. The tight knot in her stomach reminded her it hadn''t been a good experience.

    As Kate rose to her feet, the outline of a medallion shaped star came to life in the center of the narrow stone door. Kate stepped forward and touched it. The door quivered then disappeared in a curtain of tiny lights, scattering like fireflies on a summer night.

    She stared into the dark void and strong memories washed over her. She knew, without a doubt, that in the space beyond she would find a seven-sided stone chamber. There would be a door set into each wall, and each one would have a star with a unique character carved into its surface.

    Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves Kate slid one foot over the threshold. A band of light sprang to life near the ceiling inside the chamber. She scanned the room. One of the seven doors was broken apart but was different the last time she was here. A black drape had covered that doorway and an old man dressed in white had come into the room. He had grabbed her arm, but then someone had pulled her free from his grasp. She tried to recall more but it was like a blackboard had been sloppily erased, leaving only faint outlines under dusty smears. A cold breeze wafted out of the open doorway and settled around her ankles.

    She was about to step back to the small anteroom when a light flickered across the chamber. The star on one of the doors was outlined with a thin ribbon of soft white light and a symbol like one she had seen before on her medallion was glowing. With one eye on the broken doorway, Kate crept across the chamber. She touched the light with her finger and the star slipped away to reveal a young man in a tattered green robe examining a medallion. He looked up. His eyes brightened in recognition, and he stepped toward the door. Kate quickly touched the edge of the star and the opening closed as he called out, "Kate!"

    Kate stood stock still in the small round room staring at the narrow door. She had seen the man¡¯s face before but who was he and how did he know her name? Kate raised her hand back to the star-shaped window but when her finger touched outside its border and the entire door dissolved in pinpricks of light. The young man stood just inside.

    "Kate. I''m so glad to see you again. Are you back in the Cor?"

    Kate looked into the young man''s eyes but dropped her gaze as her face grew hot. Why was she thinking of kissing him? Her mind flickered. At some point in the past, she had kissed him but only on his cheek when they had been saying goodbye.

    "Jorad?" Kate said tentatively.

    He nodded. "That''s right. You do remember me."

    "Not really. I . . ."

    "You were very sick,¡± he blurted out, ¡°and I helped Corvan take you back to your world."

    Kate nodded and a smile touched her lips. "Thank you."

    "How did you open my door?" Jorad drew closer. "You must have one of these." He lifted a silver medallion hanging on a chain around his neck. The symbol glowing inside one of the points matched the one on his door.

    Kate hesitated, then drew out the medallion she pulled from the bones. It¡¯s symbol glowed brightly and Jorad''s eyes widened.

    "Mine hasn''t done anything since I . . . since Cor. . . Kalian gave it to me when you left. Then tonight this symbol glowed." He pointed to the one on his medallion. "I waited until I fell asleep and now here I am. You must have brought me here with your medallion." He pushed toward the doorway, but something held him back from crossing the threshold into the main chamber.

    "Where are you?" Jorad asked.

    "I don''t know."

    "I''m not talking about this council chamber,¡± Jorad said. ¡°Where were you before you fell asleep and came here?"

    Kate looked over her shoulder. "I was in a tunnel by a door one with markings on it that leads into a large cavern. A blue light shone in through the keyhole, but I didn''t try to open it."

    Jorad nodded eagerly. "Yes. I know the place. And I have the key to that door. I''ll join you as soon as I can." He pointed across the room. "I think if you go back into your entry cell that when you wake up, you will find yourself back in the tunnel by that large door." He paused. "Wait for me, Kate. Don''t try to open the door. It may be dangerous. Promise me you''ll wait for me."

    Kate gave a slight nod.

    "I''m so glad you''re back." An anxious look crossed his face. "Is Kalian with you?"

    Kate shook her head and Jorad smiled as he backed away and the light in his room faded into darkness. The door to Jorad¡¯s small room became solid again.

    Turning away, Kate looked around the room. Jorad said this was the council chamber, so each door must lead to a cell where the people who had one of the medallions could come and go. This chamber must be a place for the council to gather and make decisions, like the town council room at home¡ªonly this room didn''t have a table to sit at. Or did it? She could recall lying on an angular stone table that dominated the center of the room, but it couldn''t be correct. The doors were too small to bring a large table through.

    Kate crossed toward the small room from which she had entered. The black void beyond the broken door to the right of her own narrow door frowned ominously as she went into her small cell. The door closed behind her.

    Laying on the cold stone floor Kate turned her thoughts to sleeping next to the warm body of the large animal. The overhead light in the small round anteroom faded away.

 Medallion 12

    Tsarek emerged from his storeroom with a bundle of small firesticks. "Are these satisfactory, Cor-Van?"

    For the first time, Corvan liked that Tsarek pronounced his name as the title for a leader. It fit with his newfound sense of power and purpose. "That should be fine. Let''s get going."

    The lizard hurried away down the tunnel and by the time Corvan arrived at the opening, Tsarek was already inside the first labyrinth cavern. He held up his bandaged paw.  " I would step through quickly if I were you. This portal appears to be changing and becoming more tricky.¡±

    Corvan stepped over the glowing rim of rock and glanced back into the passages under the castle rock. He was finally on his way back to the Cor to confront the Rakash leader and rescue his father. He took a deep breath and felt the muscles expanding in tight bands across his chest. He felt ready. With the lumien power in his veins, he had a chance to defeat all four of the thin white creatures¡ªsingle-handed.

    Flickers of light continued to roll around the circumference of the glassy blue rock.

    "No use to watch." Tsarek said. ¡°It will close after we leave." Lighting one of their small firesticks he passed it to Corvan and walked away. Corvan followed, deep in thought about the upcoming journey and all it might hold.

    The pool at the end of the cave wasn¡¯t flowing now that winter had frozen everything above ground. Corvan put his hand into the water. Ice cold. He pushed his hand up under the cloak, but it didn''t get warm. This new cloak would not be as effective as the one now in the possession of the Rakash leader. If he went under the water now, he''d get hypothermia in minutes.

    "The water is colder up here," Tsarek said as he waded into the pool, "but it will become warm as we go farther down."

    Corvan¡¯s heart thumped against his hand. It might be possible to use the power from the lumien to keep his body warm. Letting a bit of energy out of his heart, he focused on sending it to his cold hand. Immediately his fingers warmed.

    Sticking his hand back in the water he could feel the water''s pressure against his skin, but it was like he had a rubber glove on, insulating him from the cold. If the lumien power could keep his all his skin this warm, he could stay submerged in the cold water, but what if the power ran out while they were still underwater?

    Tsarek moved to the side of the pool. "It is good we have the larger fire sticks we left behind when the water creature grabbed you the last time.¡±

    Corvan nodded and Tsarek retrieved two of the long sticks. He didn''t like thinking of what had happened the last time they were here. The intense sensation of knowing without a doubt you were about to pull water into your lungs, and die, was horrible. He pushed the thought away.

    Tsarek returned and crouched beside him, trimming up the small fire sticks they would use to breath under the water. "I think you will need more of these than me," he said, handing a bundle to Corvan. "We will need to look for places where we can surface when the water slows down, so we don''t use them as quickly. You must keep your breathing slow and remember you can use air from the bubbles coming off a big firestick. Just look for a silver pocket when the water is still. It¡¯s enough to keep you alive for a little while."

    Corvan nodded, then stuck the bundle of small firesticks into the front pocket of his new hooded tunic. The pocket wasn¡¯t as deep as those in his dad¡¯s raincoat. It would be better to hold them in his hand in case one clogged and he needed another right away.

    Tsarek uncapped his large fire stick and the bright glow lit up the cavern. He lifted the long stick in a salute. "Here we go to nothing," he said cheerfully.

    Corvan snorted. "I hope not."

    Tsarek¡¯s face fell. "Did I say it wrong?"

    "No, I just hope you''re not right."

    Tsarek squinted and Corvan chuckled. "Never mind. It''s good to be back together again. I¡¯ve missed having you around."

    Tsarek beamed and the blue markings on his cheeks flushed.

    Corvan stepped to the water''s edge, concentrating on letting a measured amount of the lumien power into his bloodstream. His body grew warmer, and he tentatively stuck a foot into the pool. The water was cool on the band of bare skin between the tops of the slippers and the pants, but it was bearable. Wading in, he felt along the bottom with his toes until he reached the drop off leading to the underwater river that would take them down to the Cor. Uncapping the small fire stick in his mouth he sucked in and coughed. These ones were a little stronger tasting than he remembered.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "These are a little old," Tsarek said with a frown. "I hope they don''t clog up."

    Corvan stared at the lizard, his lumien-activated mind ticking through all the things that could go wrong with his plan. He was about to ask how to fix a clogged firestick when the lizard gave a quick nod and slipped away under the water. The cavern went dark as the water bloomed into a bubbling pool of light.

    Uncapping his own large stick, Corvan crouched low to ease himself below the surface. Blinking past the stream of bubbles coming off the end, he caught sight of the glow from Tsarek descending below him. Corvan followed, half swimming, half sinking downward, the water pressure popping in his ears. He was relieved that his beathing firestick was working well. In through the porous tube and out through his nose, just as he had learned on his last trip to the Cor.

    When he caught up with Tsarek, the lizard had wrapped his short legs around a knob of rock. He gestured to the rock and then to Corvan''s head. Corvan nodded. He remembered too well smacking his head on an underwater boulder when he escaped from Molakar.

    Tsarek pointed forward, then nodded for Corvan to go first. Corvan put his hand into the darker water, and it almost pulled the bundle of small fire sticks from his hand. The main underground river was moving much faster. Once inside the swift current, there would be no turning back.

    Tsarek moved into position beside him, the fire stick bubbling merrily between his lips, thin jets of air shooting out his nostrils. The lizard pointed downstream, the pushed off to vanish in the rush of black water.

    Ignoring the nagging fears that were jumping about in his mind, Corvan let go and pushed out, feet first. A strong current grabbed his legs and yanked him inside. The cavern walls spun and zipped past him as he dropped rapidly down a long shaft.

    There was no point in looking for rocks that might jut out from the walls. Everything was a blur. He would break his legs if there were any rocks in the way. His large firestick jerked in his hand, caught on the wall and was gone, a powerful surge of water shooting him along even faster. The stick had broken and exploded behind him. Tucking his arms in close to his body, he let the water carry him along in the darkness.

    After what seemed like an incredibly steep ride, the shaft leveled out and the speed of the water slowed as the tunnel walls around him opened up. Pockets of air shimmered overhead and trails of bubbles from Tsarek¡¯s stick up ahead streaked the water.

    Corvan raised his head above the water level and took a tentative breath. The air was good and just up ahead, Tsarek was sitting up on a ledge and dangling his feet in the water. The lizard''s face broke into a wide grin as Corvan heaved himself out onto the rock shelf.

    "That was the fastest ride ever," Tsarek said. "We must be well below the labyrinth and already getting close to the Cor." He raised his fire stick and cried out over the water, "The speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty ''Hi-ho Silver.''"

    Tsarek''s fixation with the Lone Ranger brought a smile to Corvan¡¯s face. Encouraged, the lizard pointed to himself. "With his faithful companion, Tsarek -" he paused and pointed at Corvan, "the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains will lead the fight for law and order. The Cor-Van rides again to save the Cor!"

    Tsarek''s voice echoed off the water in triumph, and Corvan turned his face away. He didn''t think the people of the Cor would welcome a leader who, even now, wanted to eat more of their precious lumien seeds.

    ¡°What happened to your long firestick?¡± Tsarek asked with an anxious note.

    ¡°It got caught on the wall and exploded. It was good we were moving so fast.¡±

    "Then we need to keep riding the current before this one burns out.¡± Tsarek pushed back into the water and grasped the ledge with one paw to keep from drifting away in the current.  ¡°It is better if we can see where we are going." He floated off down the cavern, his light throwing splintered shadows across the ceiling.

    Corvan dropped back into the water and the sudden cold drove the air from his lungs. Gasping, he rushed lumien power from his heart throughout his body. Too much. His heart cramped and he worked to push some of the energy back in place.

    Up ahead the ceiling slanted down to meet the water. Tsarek glanced back then disappeared in a fresh burst of bubbles.

    Corvan¡¯s body temperature came up just in time for him to duck under the water and avoid being struck by the low-hanging rocks. The water swirled around his face, and he reached for one of the small breathing fire sticks. Panic gripped him. He had had left his entire bundle back on the ledge!

    Twisting around, Corvan swam hard against the current, but it was too strong. Frantic, he rolled over and looked overhead, but the water was flowing too fast to allow bubbles from his large fire stick to gather. His heartbeat surged erratically as lumien power shot out into his veins and around his lungs.

    Immediately, his desire for fresh air dissipated. Could lumien energy create oxygen? He tried to sense what was happening in his body as he floated along and found the urge to breathe was slowly mounting again. When he let a bit more of the lumien energy flow around his lungs, the need for fresh air fell away.

    In his mind the began flicking through pages from his encyclopedias until he found the article he recalled. Pearl divers could hold their breath for up to twenty minutes. That must be what the energy from the seeds was doing for him, but would it be enough to make it through to the next pocket of air?  How much lumien power did he even have left?

    A wave of fear throttled up his heart rate. He needed to calm down. If he would relax and let the water move him toward the next place he could surface, he would use less energy and be able to hold his breath longer.

    Corvan thought about resting under the maple tree back home. He let his mind wander to his childhood exploring the coulees around the farm or pretending he was a superhero up on the Castle Rocks. His thoughts ran on ahead to the discovery of the hammer, the end of his childhood fantasies and his immersion into a complicated, grown-up world. The simple days of make believe were long gone.

    A circle of light shimmered overhead, and he swam toward it, his head breaking the water''s surface in a high open space.

    Gulping in air, he heard Tsarek calling to him from the far side of the pool.

    Corvan shook his head to clear his ears.

    "Get out of the water¡ªnow!" Tsarek shouted.