The Cave Part 29

"For the vast part of my life I have sought out truth, and the rise and fall of nations has taught me one very important fact. When all is said and done, most people do not want to know the truth at all, but cherish a lie that allows them sleep at night."

-Raith Kan

There he was among a throng of admiring goblin people, more a celebrity than I. Elder Mona was already speaking with Tharkin, who looked not at all dissimilar to myself, dressed in silver gray cloak with light brown tunic and leggings. The old man was troubled. I did not need to be near to see it, his stooped posture as he sat with the elder said as much. At first I had been overjoyed to hear that he had arrived, but now that seemed selfishness on my part. A second look at Tharkin spoke of great weariness upon his shoulders, as if he had aged even more in one single day since my departure from the secret hermitage. His eyes met mine while I was staring, and I knew he wished to speak with me immediately. There was that look of utter seriousness.

"Garthax sends us a warning," said the old man as soon as we were alone with Elder Mona in her private dwelling. She offered us both cups of steaming hot tea, which tasted remarkably like dandelions and mint. It was not bad I decided, with a little honey.

"The Crack of Shadow is as I thought, a harbinger of further breaks between this realm and that of shadows, and not only by influence. There are creatures that wish to break through the barrier to find a new realm to rule, but they are as yet too big to do so. They need heralds, scouts to make their way possible, and that is what we are facing now."

"I need to tell you of my dream last night," I replied, feeling my heart sink recalling the revelation made by Tytiana regarding the lack of control over the Shadow Realm after her death.

"Very important that was to know," said Elder Mona after I had related the dream conversation, sitting back in her carven wood chair, made from a single piece of a tree trunk. I guessed it was a hardwood by the dark color. "If escape from their realm these great ones do, destroyed will be my people and our home."

"We cannot allow that, Cairandawyn," said Tharkin quietly, though his eyes were blazing with intensity. "Garthax and I are responsible for the safety of these mountains and the people who seek protection here. Our duty is clear. If necessary, the dragon will come himself, drawing upon his final powers to do so. I hope that we can rely on your help in this moment of great danger, untrained though you may be."

"But of course," I replied, never seriously having considered abandoning the goblins.

"He is the hero, the warrior that shall smite down the creature of shadows," added Elder Mona with complete certainty in her voice. She had clearly never doubted me, and I found greater appreciation and respect for the elderly woman, for clearly Tharkin was greater than I in power, yet she believe in me.

It was then that we felt it. A shuddering in the earth that began to grow with intensity. Jars and instruments clattered softly on the shelves of the cave. I looked to my instructor, and he fairly flew from his seat and out the door. Elder Mona was not as fast, and I lent her my arm to get up and follow after Tharkin. We could hear the wail of many voices in the central chamber that connected all of Dropdrip. The goblins were panicking.

Tharkin was already down the long stairway from the meeting chamber and facing the great pile of rubble that covered the entrance to the iron mines. Other elders were with him, the goblins whom I guessed now must have used their powers of earth magic to lock away the shadow creature beyond. The old man like they, reached his hands out to contend with the forces bent on removing the earth barrier, the earth shaking even more violently as the power between both sides increased in desperation.

"What to do?" asked Glip, my friend having pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered to see what would take place. "Elder, what shall we do?"

"Form up the arrow and slinger ones, the healers and crafts defend in front," instructed Elder Mona, her reference to goblins by their professions clear enough.

I felt very useless as goblin archers and stone slingers lined up in rows to defend their cavern home, with warriors bearing swords joining as fast as possible with shields to defend their artillery brethren. A chanting began to rise as the earth mages among them raised their powers over stone, the shaking becoming a full earthquake as the struggle continued. It was then that cracks in the cavern ceiling started to release small pieces of rock down upon our heads.

"Look out there!" bellowed Bjardon, the orc having followed after Glip. His face was a picture of horror, as a large chunk of stone had come loose from the ceiling, and was falling straight down towards the goblin elder and myself. Instinctively, I raised my staff above me, wishing I could protect the both of us from the fast moving projectile. We could not escape harm, and the merchant orc was still too far away to protect us even if he could knock us aside in time.

A flash of bright blue light erupted from the Staff of Aquinian, surrounding us in a shimmering dome, a shell of protection as the dropping rock came crashing down upon it. I felt the blow of the projectile smashing not so much into my body, as into my will to stand and defy the shadow realm power which was now causing the earthquake. I flinched as I felt that non physical blow, but stood anyway. Opening my eyes, I watched in wonder as the remnant of the rock projectile slid away off of the blue dome of light, falling into a pile beyond the shielding force. Had I done this? Had I called on hidden powers within the staff?

"Ya be the hero sure!" cried Glip with a gasp and huge grin. "Ya saved the elder!"

"No credit to me," I managed to reply, shaken but standing. "It was the staff."

"We need to move under cover," said Bjardon, his towering bulk reassuring now that he had made it to where we stood. In one quick move, he had picked up Elder Mona and led our little group to a blacksmith shop. The primary attraction of this location was the huge sheet of metal awning that swung out from the cave entrance, mimicking an attractive feature that the owner must have seen first hand in a human settlement, for there was no other reason to have an awning in the underground great cavern. We found shelter under it while many of the other goblin folk fled for other locations of safety.

"What shall we do, warrior?" asked Elder Mona, looking to me as if she actually expected a smart answer to come from my lips. I hated to disappoint her.

"Please stay here while I try to help my mentor," was all I could safely utter, though I wanted to tell them all to run for the outside like sensible people.

Tharkin and the elder goblins were continuing to use the power granted to them to hold back the creature or energy that was trying to remove the earth barrier. I saw that my mentor was using the same kind of barrier to shield the elders from the falling rocks from above, his left hand raised to create a dome of light, while his right aimed at a location upon the mound that was beginning to glow with a purplish hue. That I guessed must be the center of the attack from the other side.

I did not know what I was doing or accomplishing rushing out into the group of magic wielding folk. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that two of the goblin elders had been struck by falling stones and lay on the ground covered with blood. They must have been struck before Tharkin could protect them. If they would get up again, I did not know. All I did understand was that the enemy, whatever shape it was taking, was coming through that one area of illumination despite the attempts of the mages around me.

Earth and stone were vibrating away from the spot I had identified, and something dark was scratching at the earth, sprouting like black worms from the ground. They were fingers, or more correctly, long dark talons like knives working through the barrier. These same talons had slain goblins, killing family and friends of the very community that looked to me to deliver them. How was I to do that? I had but staff and sword. The sword! It came to me in a moment what any other person would have thought at this point. Did not Garthax say the blade would never be broken? In that case, skill or not, now was the moment.

I leapt forward and climbed the slight rise of earth and stone that were trembling under the onslaught of whatever was beyond. The seal over the entrance to the mine would not last long, and now was the moment to strike with little danger. Drawing the glittering blade at my side, I tottered for a moment on the hill with risk of losing my balance, but in front of me was the now revealed grasping and clawing hand of the creature. I did think or hesitate, but drove the point of the sword straight through the giant palm of the creature trying to get through with all the strength I could muster, watching the blade sink deep and right on through to the other side.