Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14: The Inner
Sanctum




Failon - The Arricsent Ruins:

Inside the Citadel, all that greeted them was stiff air, and a deathly silence.
They had to break down the front door, the wood had rotten away a long time ago, so the lads had used their boots to smash it down, and then the lasses insisted they go first.

Now they held torches of branches they had found lying around near the doors, above their heads as they stepped across the stone threshold.
   "So you say you have no clue where this Inner Sanctum is?" Dreyden asked Ellie as he stepped farther into the shadows, drawing his sword in his right hand so he could defend himself if something jumped him.
   "No. Sorry." Ellie answered, pulling her staff from it's sheath and following him closely. "I was just an apprentice, I wasn't old enough to be trusted with those secrets."
   "Don't worry about it El. We'll figure it out." Drey spoke up gently, giving her a reassuring half smile.
She returned it but not so reassuringly.
   "Can you see if you can find it?"
   "Well I'm not exactly sure but -"
   "Oh!" He turned and saw that she had been bending down next to her white tiger.
   "I - I wasn't talking to you." She said bluntly, but in such away that it sounded like an apology. He sighed and turned back to the Citadel.
   "Yep." He muttered. Getting a grin from Merek.
The tiger came up to him, gave him something that looked like a smirk and then trudged on into the room.
   "Stupid tiger." He whispered under his breath. Kicking a rock towards the beast. It missed by a few inches, which he regretted, yet knew it would probably hurt Elowen more then it would the beast if he had hit it.
   Dreyden and the rest of the boys held their swords, or daggers at the ready.
Elowen hung back and watched they're backs. Though she was sure she would never do much good seeing as she had never held a knife in her life, let alone actually fought someone.
Lorem was leading the line, careful to step over the stones that had fallen down from the roof and walls.
The room looked like it might have been the great hall at one point, but now light peaked through gapping holes in the roof. It gave little light to their path, but with the torches the boys held, lit things up enough to find the rocks they need to step over.

    "Ah!" Heads turned immediately towards the sound, Ysmay blushed deeply as everyone starred at her.
   "Sorry." She apologized in a whisper. "I tripped and my ankle got twisted. I didn't mean to scream."
She glanced down and realized her hand was squeezing Terryn's arm hard. Upon realizing that, she let go and backed off a step.
   "Sorry." She whispered again, taking another step back, bumping into Ellie as she did.
   "Careful Ysmay. Or you might just step on something important." She joked with a smile as she caught Ysmay by the arm.
Ysmay chuckled nervously and tugged a stray stranded of her dark hair behind her ear.
   "Are you sure you're alright?" Dreyden asked.
Ysmay nodded hastily.
   "Yep. All's good." She said again.
The boys nodded and moved on. Elowen squeezed her arm and led her forward.
   "Are you sure?" She asked again, pulling Ysmay back away from the boys.
   "Or...is someone got your knickers in a twist?" Sonera whispered on her other side.
Ysmay blushed deep red and let her hair fall into her eyes.
   "Ooh." Sonera said it a little too loudly and Terryn glanced back at them.
  "Shh! Please don't say anything! Don't even joke about!" She whispered so urgently that Elowen almost believed it was a matter of life or death.
   "I'm sorry." Sonera looked extremely sad she had said anything. "I don't want to embarrass you. Or...what ever. I'm sorry."
Ysmay smiled and shrugged.
   "It's alright. Like I said, just don't say anything."
   "So...is it...?" Elowen gestured to the boy walking ahead of them, his dirty blond swaying slightly as he walked with reassuring steps.
Elowen got her answer by the even deeper blush on Ysmay's pale cheeks.
She nodded slowly and grinned.
   "Good for you." Sonera gave her a squeeze, but then they all three jumped when an ear piercing howl broke the silence.

The three girls ran over to where the boys were standing near the far left wall.
   "Did you find something?" Ysmay called.
Running up to the boys, the girls saw that they were staring right at a brick wall.
   "Oh...yes...maybe that slab of stone will move if we stare at it long enough." Kade mumbled as he sauntered up to the group.
   "Oh shut your gop already." Terryn snapped. "And your sulking while your at it."
The girls snickered quietly as they tried to hide it behind their hands.
Kade made a mean face at him, which earned him a nasty look from Merek.
He sighed, crossing his arms and stepping away.
   Merek stepped up to the wall and looked down at the tiger that was as still as the stone around it. He glanced up at Elowen with a questioning look.
   "Is this beast of yours reliable?"
   "Has he let you down yet?" She shot back, feeling defensive for Lorem.
Merek nodded then walked up to the wall. He ran his gloved hands across the stones, pressing down every so often.
But it seemed that he couldn't find anything. He finally threw his hands up in defeat and groaned.
   "There's nothing here. No seam, no scrapes on the ground. Nothing! I hate to say it Elowen, but I think your beast has let us down this time."
Her face hardened, but not at him, at the wall. She could just see it, a faint glimmer around it. She smiled.
Squeezing past the boys, she ran her own hands across the walls. Feeling for anything that would be out of the ordinary.
Finally she found it.
   "Aha! Yes here we go." She muttered.
   "What is it?" Terryn asked. "Magic?"
She smiled at him and pulled out her staff.
   "Yes Terryn. Very good. Now were you guessing?" She had only asked it half heartedly, not really thinking he'd answer.
   "No. I saw shiny stuff."
That made her falter.
   "W-what?" She turned to him in a whirl of red hair. Her face holding pure shock.
   "Well, there's light around here." he made a large rectangle with his finger, outlining the door Elowen only knew was there, because of the lingering hint of magic.
   "It kind of forms a door. Cant you see it?"
She nodded numbly, still shocked by the fact that he could see the magic.
   "Yes. Yes I can see it. But you..." She turned to Dreyden. "He's never shown signs of being a Magi has he?"
Dreyden shook his head slowly.
   "If you mean by 'showing signs' that he blew up into a fire ball. No. Not that I'm aware of."
She nodded again.
   "No of course not." She muttered. "That would be silly."
   "What's wrong with me?" Terryn asked. Not fully understanding what they were talking about. "Can't everyone see the light?"
Elowen shrugged. Her mind suddenly wondering if any of the others were aware of magic.
    "I don't know. Ask them yourself."
He turned to Dreyden, who shook his head with a sad look. Then Merek, who did the same. Ysmay looked long and hard at where he had pointed out the light should be. But she couldn't see anything either.
   "I don't see any light Terryn." She answered quietly.
His face fell, and he turned back desperately to Elowen.
   "Don't be so scared Terryn. It's not the end of the world. But it is unusual." She said reassuringly.
   "Why? Why is it unusual?" He asked, panic setting in.
   "You are not a Magi, and yet you are aware of the magic around you. Not many people in history were this gifted...Hmm..."
   "What does this mean? For me?"
   "Oh! It doesn't mean much. Only that you'll be able to detect when magic has been in used, that's all."
   "That's it? I'll just see, light or what ever?"
   "M-hmm." Elowen agreed. "That's right. Nothing about you will change. You wont wield magic, or anything. Don't worry about it."
   "Can we just get on with it? Obviously there's nothing here, so we need to keep looking." Kade snapped. Turning around and stalking off. Sonera sighed and gave an apologizing smile to the rest of the gang.
   "Yes, sorry. I was opening the door." Elowen moved her attention back to the wall.
   "Vik'oura...." Her voice faltered as she suddenly realized that the last time she used this particular spell was with her dear Master. Her throat choked up, as tears threatened to spill.
   "El?" Drey's voice broke through her melancholy state. She swallowed her tears and shook her head.
   "Are you alright lass?" Merek asked.
   "Yes, sorry. I'm fine." She renewed her concentration on the wall.
   "Vik'oura loctinya." The spell took it's toll on her energy source, but she found that, despite the fact that she was light headed, at least she was still on her feet. It was a sign that she was getting better.
   "Praise be to Eleyos." She whispered.
   "So it really was magic." Kade muttered. He observed that the rectangle that the youngster had pointed out earlier was now gone, in it's place was a gapping hole and only a sliver of the first step to a stair case could be seen.
A cool draft flowed past her, playing with her hair and dress. She moved aside and gestured to Dreyden, only because he was the closest.
   "You first."
He grinned and moved past her.
   "I thought it was ladies first."
   "And men just before when it comes to dark places. Everyone knows that." She answered immediately with out even thinking about her response.
   "Well aren't you two cozy." Merek declared. "But shall we leave the flirting for else where and get on with this quest of yours dearie?"
Dreyden grunted something close to a 'yes' and turned back to the darkness.
   "Stick close behind me. Terryn, bring up the rear."
   "Don't you think someone more experienced should bring up the rear?" Kade spoke up.
Merek sighed and turned to him.
   "And how is one to learn, pray tell, if we don't give him a chance to do so?"
Kade mumbled his agreement and the party ventured down into the dark abyss.

The torches' light showed chipped stone, and water that trickled down the steps, causing everyone to occasionally grasp either the person in front of them or the wall near by to catch their footing. Elowen lost her footing once halfway down the stairs and crashed into the Dreyden's back.
   "Sorry. I can't see a blasted thing, and the water doesn't do any good." She apologized. Pulling away from the lad.
  "It's alright. Here, I'll help you down the rest."
Ellie smiled but shook her head.
  "No that's alright. I'll be fine. Just don't freak out if I fall against you again." She muttered under her breath, not loud enough for any of the others to hear her.
Drey caste her a last glance before moving forward, not sure if she was actually fine, or lying. She was, however, lying. She didn't want him to put away his sword just to hold her hand for comfort, she could do with out. She wasn't some porcelain doll that could break by a single hit. She'd have to toughen up on this quest, she was no longer in her safe monastery, she no longer had the protection of her Master. She'd have to make it on her own.

Dreyden wasn't sure what to think when she said no. Then again he had to remind himself that not every girl always wanted to be treated like a lady every single minute of everyday. Some wanted to be strong on their own. Others needed to be.
But he kept his tongue quiet and continued on down the wide staircase.
They passed many old torches, and with each one they passed, Drey lit it, letting the ones behind him have light to see the steps below them.
   Finally, he stepped off the last stair and his foot came to land on soft moss.
   "Oh thank Eleyos we're at the bottom!" Sonera stated with a sigh as her feet met the moss.
   "M-hmm. But it's still pitch black. I can't see a thing!" He said.
   "Well, well. You're awfully good at pointing out the obvious. Thanks for that." No one was surprised to hear Kade's gloomy voice ring out from the dark somewhere behind them.
   "Alright, roll call." Merek shouted. Snatching the torch from Dreyden.
   "Ysmay?" He called.
   "Here." Her ever calm and quiet voice came from behind him, causing him to turn on his heel and nod as he saw her pale face framed by her long dark hair.
   "Terryn?"
  "Over here." There was a flash of silver as Terryn raised his hand, the light glinting off the two blades he held in his one hand.
   "Alright good. Um,...Elowen?"
   "Right in front of you Merek." She answered.
   "Oh! Yes of course. There you are dearie. Alright. The silver haired lass is here. What was your name again?"
   "Sonera." She answered from Kade's side. "And Kade's here too, though he wont answer your call."
   "Well it seems everyone's here then."
   "You didn't call my name." Drey pointed out, more for the sake of arguing then anything else.
   "Yes but I took the torch from you! I know your here so why call you out if I know you're standing right next to me?"
   "He has a point Drey," Ysmay cut in, ending the argument. "But shall we move on? this place gives me the creeps and I'd rather be out sooner then later, if you don't mind."
Merek sighed and turned around, taking the lead. But after a few more steps he cried out in pain.
   "What is it? Did something jump you? Bite you? Did you sprain your ankle?" Ysmay asked, taking up the motherly position and rushing up to him.
   "How about the bloody wall smashed in my nose?" He said, his voice muffled by his hand covering his bleeding nose.
   "Oh, did I mention that there was probably another door down here?" Elowen muttered. Dreyden chuckled, but quickly stifled it when he caught the death glare.
Ysmay suddenly stopped tending to Merek's bloody nose, and took the torch out of his hand.
   "Oi! What are you doing -"
   "Shh!" She snapped.
   "Ysmay? What is it?" Sonera asked, coming up next to the small girl.
   "Look at these writings." Ysmay's torch illuminated the stone wall, but at a closer look, the two girls noticed that there was a dial in the middle of it. There was a needle that moved in middle of the dial, but around it was markings of some sort. Sonera didn't recognize them, but apparently Ysmay did.
   "They're letters."
   "From what alphabet? I've never seen them before." Merek asked, his voice still muffled.
   "It's an ancient language, used when the worlds were one." Ysmay explained.
   "Oh I heard about that!" Elowen jumped in, scooting past Drey to see the markings properly.
   "Okay so it's some ancient writing, but what is the dial suppose to do?" Kade asked. Cutting strait to the chase.
   "I'm not sure exactly." She admitted.
   "Look there! At the top of the door." Sonera pointed out.
Ysmay's gaze turned to the inscription at the top of the arch way.
After several minutes had passed of silence, Terryn couldn't take it anymore.
   "What does it say?" He asked.
   "Well it's a riddle of sorts."
   "What's new?" Kade muttered.
   "The inscription says: "To pass through this golden gate, a price must be paid. Lay your weapon to your flesh, a score of blood from your chest.'"
Everyone was silent.
   "Th-that's it?" Terryn asked. "We - we have to cut ourselves and, then what?"
   "Wait there is more." Ysmay continued. "'Tell the dial what you gave, and then the price shall be paid.'"
   "So...what do we do with the dial then?" Drey asked. Completely lost.
   "We just have to type in the word 'blood'. Right?" Sonera asked.
   "Well if that's all! Get over with it!" Kade urged.
Ysmay looked at the dial and started turning it.
   "Something's not right about this." Terryn muttered under his breath. Elowen couldn't agree more. Something was off and she wasn't sure what.

Terryn had been studying the wall very carefully. Looking for a sign of any kind of magic. However, he was looking specifically for light. He didn't see the mirage effect until Ysmay was about to put in the last letter.
   "No wait!" He jumped at her and pulled her hand away from the dial. But it had already been set in motion. The needle pointed to what Terryn assumed must have been the 'd' in the word. However, his hand was still touching the stone.
There was a high pitched squeak that sent everyone's hands to their ears. Then it was followed by a low boom that shook the entire room.
   "Ah!!" Ysmay's scream was one of fright and terror. Everyone turned to look and gasps rippled through them all.
Terryn was leaning against the stone door, his face paler then usual, and his clothes were crimson. Ysmay was kneeling by his side, tears sliding down her cheeks as she set two fingers against his neck.
   "What happened?!" Merek cried.
   "Oh no..." Elowen whispered. Tears spilling down her cheeks as she choked back sobs. "I should have known! The door needed the sacrifice before the word could be put in." She ran her hand over the dark smear that ran down the door to where Terryn laid slumped up against it.
   "And now it has it."
There was a low rumble and they all took a step back, except for Ysmay, who instinctively pulled Terryn away from the door and close to her chest.
The door way opened, and light spilled into the dark hallway. They were all momentarily blinded by the light, but when their eyes got use to it, they marveled at the room before them.
One wall had large gapping holes in it where the moat leaked into the room, causing water falls to tumble down the rocks. When they reached the floor, they caused small creaks to form amongst the moss, grass, and vines that grew wild. covering as much rock as they possibly could.
The room was long, and wide. A grand stair case was at the end of the hall, they led to an alter that sat below crumbling archways and broken stain glass windows.
   "Does he have a plus at all?" Elowen asked, turning to Ysmay that was still clutching Terryn close.
   "Barely. I don't know what happened. I - I don't know what got to him."
   "Magic." She answered. "This magic was used by a dark user. Or one who wanted to preserve something very precious." She knelt down next to Terryn and unfastened his belt around his waist, and the one across this chest. Once they were off, she moved to his shirt.
   "I'll check the damage and see what I can do. - "
   "But your life energy! Are you strong enough to heal someone after that spell you just did at the top of the stairs?" Ysmay asked.
Elowen smiled.
   "A healing spell is the simplest there is. If I can't do that then I might as well give up my staff and robe."
She was careful to pull the shirt away gently, but couldn't help the moan that left her lips when she saw the wound.
   "Can you heal him?"
She looked up at Ysmay's earnest face.
   "That depends on how much you're willing to give." She answered.
Ysmay grasped her hand tightly, almost cutting off the circulation.
   "Anything to save his life." Her voice was deeper then usual. Her always kind eyes were now fierce and determined.
Elowen nodded. Ysmay already knew what she needed. So she wasted no time getting on with the spell.
Using Ysmay and her own energy, Elowen was able to heal the deep gash that had severed Terryn's lungs, she was also successful in patching up the lung it's self and healing the muscle around it.
But the cost was great, and the two girls lost energy very quickly.
   "Ellie?"
She managed to open her eyes and saw a set of deep blue eyes that seemed to hold the entire world's sadness in them. The rest of his face came into focus slowly, his growing hair hung down to his chin and his face was smudged with dirt.
   "Did it work?" Her eyes grew wide as she sat up. Dreyden let her, though he still stayed next to her, scared she'd faint again.
Elowen looked to Ysmay who was smiling down at Terryn. She was satisfied to see his chest rising and falling steadily. The blood was still there but when she checked, there was nothing but a scar left where the cut had been.
She let out a sigh of relief and took Dreyden's hand when he offered it.
   "Praise be to Eleyos." She breathed.
   "I believe that's the second time you've sacrificed your life to help others." Merek said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "I don't know how to thank you Elowen. We are all in your debt for saving our little brother."
Ellie smiled.
   "I'm just glad he's alright."
   "Alright indeed...For now."
Everyone froze. No one breathed, no one moved and no one dared to look.
   "You have passed the first test thieves. I will hear your reasons as to why you have broken into my home. But then you shall die."
Sonera gathered to courage to turn her gaze into the door way. The breath left her, and the blood drained from her face.
Hovering a few inches off the ground, with a broad sword lying lazily over his shoulder, his robes and long hair flowing in a non-existent wind, stood a ghost of a king long since dead.