chapter TWENTY-TWO
As they passed through the shadow of the Keep's main gate into the courtyard beyond, Jake was immediately struck by the spectacular garden that rose in the center. Tall trees ringed the garden, green grass filled the center and throughout, beautifully shaped bushes and hedges, many filled with bright flowers. There were people wandering through the garden, some who turned to look their way.
The garden was an oasis of color in an otherwise stark stone courtyard. The pale granite walls and cliff face bracketed the courtyard, while low stone buildings, also of the same pale granite, were built next to the walls and cliff. Jake could see that some of the buildings were craftsmen shops, with the now-familiar smoke and faint ringing of metal of a blacksmith coming out of one. Some of the shops had people standing out front, gazing curiously in their direction. Looking around, Jake was struck by the large number of people in the courtyard.
"Excuse me, but where do all of these people live?" He asked Deepwood. "There does not seem to be enough room in the buildings for all of them."
"Most live within the Keep itself." Deepwood replied, gesturing towards the cliff. "There are many rooms and halls within the mountain."
"Oh, I see." Jake said.
"Some live in Numaria, a small city back along the road near the base of the foothills, and come here to do business or visit relatives." Deepwood continued. "There is an inn among the buildings, as well as guest quarters in the keep."
"Is this all of your Guard, Moshanna?" Dominic asked, frowning and looking at the soldiers along the wall and around the courtyard. "Forgive me for saying, but it seems inadequate to defend the Keep, even with the walls."
"Do not worry, Dominic." Deepwood said with a smile. "We have additional forces within the Keep. We also send patrols out and have sent some forces into Numaria to assist the local authorities. If the need arises, we have enough forces to hold the Keep against any attack."
Dominic nodded at that, though he continued to study the defenses as they rode around the garden and approached the Keep's main entrance, an archway carved into the cliff face. The top of the large archway was at least twenty feet high. On either side of the arch hung another set of large metal gates that could close and seal the Keep if needed. A large and wide abutment of stone thrust out of the cliff another twenty of so feet above the archway, shading it in its shadow. Jake saw several soldiers look down from that abutment at them as Deepwood led them past the gates and into the Keep.
As they rode in, Jake could see that the arch was actually a tunnel that stretched some thirty to forty feet, solid rock all around them. The tunnel was lit with torches, hanging in metal brackets that lined the walls. Along the roof of the tunnel, Jake saw several openings carved at regular intervals.
"What are those for?" He asked Deepwood as he pointed, his voice echoing in the tunnel.
"Those are vents to allow us to pour burning pitch from inside the Keep onto any attackers that breach the outer gate." Deepwood replied mater-of-factly, Dominic nodding appreciatively as he looked at them with a professional eye. Jake shuddered at the thought as he imagined being trapped in the space with fire all around.
At the end of the tunnel, there was another set of metal gates to close it off. Past the gates, the space suddenly expanded into a brightly lit domed area, at least two hundred yards wide with the ceiling at least eighty to one hundred feet above them. All around the dome, there were passages that ran deeper into the mountain. Jake noticed several stairways that led to at least two upper levels.
Most of the light was coming from several large glowing balls of light, shining with a slight golden hue, hanging in the air near the ceiling. Jake was stupefied on how they worked. He studied them and could not see how they were suspended. He could only tell that they were not made with regular fire.
Deepwood noticed his confused stare and chuckled. "I do not know how it is done either, Jake." He said. "Tomaris has studied many things and he is the one who created them."
They halted near the far end of the dome and several soldiers came out of a large opening. Deepwood dismounted and motioned them to do the same. "Please take your saddlebags and my soldiers will see to the horses. They will given food and water and your saddles will be stored."
After the horses were led away, Deepwood took them up a flight of stairs onto the second level. They made their way down several brightly lit tunnels and through a set of ornate wooden doors into a large hall. In the wall to the left, there was an opening with stained glass that led to a stone patio that jutted out from the cliff wall. Its stone walls were decorated with colorful tapestries and paintings. There was a large fireplace built into the far wall and long wooden table that took up the center of the room. Sitting in the large wooden chair at the head of the table, facing the doors, was an old man, who gestured for them to come closer.
As they got close, the man rose and came over to meet them. Jake could see that the man was dressed in a plain grey robe. He appeared to be around six feet tall, thin but robust. He was clean shaven and had dusky skin that made his short snow-white hair seem to glow. His face was lined and wrinkled, but his eyes, wise and full of knowledge, were the most striking and unusual, wide with the irises dark purple in color. He moved slowly, with a slight hunch in his shoulders. He smiled as they halted in front of him, his white teeth gleaming, and made a gesture of welcome.
"Tomaris, this is Dominic from Sanduas and his charge, Jake Thomas." Deepwood said with a bow. "They bring a letter from the Chief Cleric of Sanduas for your attention."
"Greetings, friends." He said, a slight rhumeny quality to his voice. "Be welcome to the Keep. How is Jonas doing? I enjoyed our talks when he was here."
"He is fine, Master Tomaris." Dominic replied, giving him a courtly bow. "He is hopeful that you can assist us. I am sure that his letter explains it better that I can." He handed Tomaris Jonas' letter.
"No need to be so formal, young Dominic." Tomaris said kindly, taking the parchment. "I have long heard of your exploits, so you honor me with your presence." Dominic gave him a nod and a slight smile at being called young.
"I know that you are familiar with the boy and his tale." Dominic continued, gesturing towards Jake. "This matter concerns him."
"Ah, this is the child Jonas wrote about." Tomaris said. He held out his hand to Jake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Jake."
"Thank you." Jake replied as he shook Tomaris' hand. "I'm glad to meet you."
Tomaris did not release Jake's hand immediately, but his eyes took on a slightly unfocused look. Jake could feel a tingling sensation run up his arm and spread throughout his body. It was not unpleasant, just very odd. Thankfully, it only lasted a few moments and Tomaris let his hand go.
Tomaris smiled at Jake, a warm and friendly smile. He gestured at the table and said. "Why don't we sit down and you can tell me your story while we have some food brought up."
Jake took a seat next to Tomaris, Dominic sitting on the other side of Jake and Deepwood on Tomaris' other side. After a quick glance at Dominic, who nodded, he started from that day at school. Tomaris would stop him from time to time with questions. He seemed most curious about the light that brought Jake here, tapping his chin as he had Jake describe it several times. As Jake finished, Tomaris sat there in silence, clearly thinking about what he just heard.
In that silence, the doors opened and servants came in with food and drinks. They quickly served the food to each of them, the remainder of the food placed on the table, and left. Tomaris gestured to the food, as he broke the seal on the letter and began to read. "Please eat while I read Jonas' letter, then we can talk."
Jake found the food to be delicious, especially after a few days on travel rations. They ate in silence, waiting for Tomaris. Jake finished his plate quickly and looked longingly at the extra food, which Deepwood pushed over to him with a smile. "There is plenty. Eat until you are content."
Jake was finishing his second plate when Tomaris set the letter down. He looked over at Jake, eyes kind. "First, child, since my letter to Jonas, I have not found any new information on how you were brought here or how to send you home. I am continuing to study the issue, but so far the answer eludes me." Jake nodded, not really expecting anything different.
"Since we do not yet know how to send you home, we need to address this power you demonstrated." Tomaris continued. "It is not dangerous to you, so you can rest easy about that. Jonas was correct; I can teach you to access and control it, but it will take some time." He leaned over to Deepwood. "Please go and have quarters set up for Jake and Dominic here in the Keep." Deepwood nodded and left the hall.
"This power can be a very potent defense against the demons, Jake." Tomaris said, turning back. "Once you master it, it will give you the ability, like the clerics, to face the demons and survive."
"Do you know why the demons want me?" Jake asked hesitantly, not sure he really wanted the answer.
"I have a theory, but first, how much do you know about them?" Tomaris replied.
"Just what Jonas told me." Jake stated.
"Let me tell you what I know." Tomaris said, his face taking on a distant look. "As Jonas told you, I have an extensive library. I have availed myself over these long years to study our enemies. The ancient writings confirm that the demons were once servants of the Creator, or the One as most know Him."
"In the time before time, the Creator decided to make all that we now know. Before He began, with His thought, He created servants and helpers, those spirits that would help with His creation. Understand, these creatures were created and existed in the spiritual realm with Him since the physical plane did not yet exist. He explained their role in His creation to them. To this purpose, all were given powers, some vast while others less."
"He then stretched forth His hand and created the universe. As space and time came into existence, He dispatched His servants to accomplish His purpose. With the powers given, they spread out and brought order to the creation. They labored mightily and long to bring this about. Once they completed their tasks, they returned to the Light of His heavenly realm. The Creator was pleased with their labors and glorified them."
"After the universe was brought into order, He then shared His thought with them about His second creation. He would bring humans into His creation, populating the worlds that He had made for them. Humans would be unique, creatures of both the physical and spiritual realms, and be given dominion over the worlds they lived on. The Creator told them that they were to be the guides and guardians of mankind, younger children of the same Father."
"When this was explained to them, a large minority complained about the favored place that man was to be given. Were they not the first and most powerful of His creations? Had they not worked mightily in the creation, yet their reward was to serve these lesser beings? They told the Creator that they would not help man and see their rightful place in His heart taken from them."
"As the Creator sat silent in thought, this host of heavenly creatures began to argue, something that had never occurred before. The rebels berated their brothers, calling them slaves and the arguments turned heated and blows were struck. Strife and chaos overtook the heavens as the creatures, immortal all, fought."
"In the midst of this turmoil, the Creator stood and, with a gesture, quieted the hosts. He was displeased and saddened by the disobedience of the rebels. He told them if they would not serve Him as He commanded, they would be cast out of His Light and creation forever. Some repented, but others openly defied Him. For their rebellion, He cast them out of the Light and into the Darkness."
"In this Darkness, their rage and hatred over their punishment further twisted their spirits. They became the demons we know now." Tomaris paused, taking a sip of his cup.
"So, how come they are here?" Jake asked. "How did they escape?"
"That is the question that I have given my life to answer." Tomaris replied. "What some texts indicate is that, after being cast out, the demons could still move about in the spiritual realm, seeking to influence men to rebellion and hatred of the Creator. While they could not touch the physical realm, they still had the powers given to them. Somehow, on this world, that prohibition was skirted. Some of the writings talk of a 'rift' or 'tear' between the realms that allowed the demons to escape."
"How come this place isn't overrun with demons?" Jake asked, perplexed. "If they had a way out, shouldn't they be everywhere?"
"A large number came over, Jake." Tomaris said gently. "However, understand that there are factions amongst the demons. The fact that some crossed over caused others to stay. The rebellious spirit that they took with them into the Darkness did not change. If anything, it became more pronounced."
"Also, something happened that they did not expect." He continued. "Several references in the histories were made of a 'blending' when the demons crossed over. From what I have gathered, this meant that their spirits became 'blended' with the physical bodies. They could no longer enter the spiritual realm, only sense it, and they became subject to the limitations of a physical body. They retain their power and immortality, but can die if the body is damaged enough. Unlike humans, they were not created to have a spirit separate from the body, so when they are killed here, they are destroyed utterly. Facing that oblivion, many chose to remain in the Darkness."
Jake sat there in silence, trying to absorb what he just heard. The room was quiet, only the faint sounds from the courtyard coming from the patio, Tomaris and Dominic waiting on him. Finally, he asked again. "So what do they want with me?"
Tomaris reached over to pat Jake's hand. "I believe that they seek to turn you to their side." He said gently. "This power you wield is unique. There is something about you that allows you to access it. My theory is that this uniqueness makes it possible that if you turned, unlike their half-men, you can use their dark power. That would make you a very powerful and dangerous tool." He paused as if to say something else, then shook his head slightly.
"However, do not be troubled." He continued, a reassuring smile appearing on his weathered face. "You are beyond their reach here and I will teach you to use your power. Once you control that, you will be able to stand against them and their followers."
He glanced over at Dominic. "However, not all of the demons' followers are influenced by their power, so I would like to see you continue your combat training with Dominic. In facing those threats, you may find that your sword is the better weapon. Also, a boy your age needs to have regular physical exercise."
He addressed Dominic. "If that sounds agreeable, you can speak with Moshanna about setting up a training space for the mornings. I will work with Jake in the afternoons."
"That sounds fine, Tomaris." Dominic replied.
The doors opened and Deepwood entered. He came back over to Tomaris. "The rooms are prepared, Tomaris."
"Thank you, Moshanna." Tomaris said, slowly rising. He addressed Dominic and Jake. "You have had a long journey, so I will not keep you any longer. Please follow Moshanna to your rooms where you can rest. We will start Jake's training tomorrow."
Jake and Dominic made their thanks, grabbed their bags and followed Deepwood out of the hall and up another set of stairs. Dominic spoke with him about some training space as they walked. Deepwood responded that he would find some space and that they were welcome to join him and his men for the morning meal. He took them to a hallway with a row of doors on either side. There were a pair of doors set next to each other; Deepwood entered one.
Jake immediately noticed the large window and curtains against the far wall, with a set of doors out onto a small terrace. He could see that the terrace overlooked the courtyard and main walls. There was a small bathroom off to the side that had a small basin and what looked like a bath, full of water. In the room, there was a large bed, along with a wooden dresser and small desk. The room had some paintings decorating the walls. A door was in the wall on Jake's right, which Deepwood went to stand by.
"We have given you connecting rooms." He said, indicating the door. He pointed to a silken cord back near the entry door. "If you need anything, please ring the bell and a servant will come to assist you. Please rest and I will send someone to escort you to the barracks and training areas in the morning." With a slight nod of his head, he left, closing the door behind him.
"What are you thinking, boy?" Dominic asked Jake as the door closed, noticing the slightly pale and concerned look on his face.
"I'm a little freaked out by all of this." Jake admitted, throwing his bags on the bed and sitting down on its edge. "I mean, according to Tomaris, these demons are after me for some power I did not even know I had. As long as I am here, I will have to look over my shoulder for them." His voice dropped. "The one in the city scared me like I have never been scared before." Jake looked down at his hands, saw that they were slightly shaking.
"There is no shame in fear, boy." Dominic said, voice calm and even. "It is what you do with that fear that is important. You have to learn to master the fear, not let it master you."
He paused for a moment, then continued. "We are all afraid at times. One of the purposes of training hard is that it helps condition you to react, even when afraid. If you train well with Tomaris and learn this power, you will have the ability to defend yourself and others from the demons. Like a good sword and armor, it will allow you to feel more confident when you have to face that fear."
"You never seem afraid." Jake said, looking up at Dominic.
"I feel fear, boy." Dominic replied, eyes shining. "My fears just tend to be about things other than my own safety." He opened the connecting door. "Get some rest. We start training again tomorrow." He stepped into his room and closed the door.
Jake felt a little better after listening to Dominic. He unpacked his bags, took off his armor and stepped out onto the terrace. He could see that the terrace was built out from the cliff wall. He went over to the waist-high iron railing that bordered the terrace and looked over. Night had fallen, but he could see that the courtyard was at least one hundred feet below him. He could look down on the large abutment of stone over the gate and saw that it was a platform manned with soldiers. In the distance, the main gate and walls were lit with large torches.
Stepping back, in the light coming from his room, he noticed a small wooden table and two chairs near the rail. He went over and sat down, gazing up at the stars. The faint sounds of the courtyard slowly faded as he sat there, staring up and wondering again how he got into this whole mess.
He finally went back inside, cleaned up in the bathroom and crawled into bed. He sank into the comfort of a mattress and pillows, enjoying the feel after a couple of days sleeping on the ground, and was soon asleep.
...
Jake woke early, feeling surprising refreshed. He had slept deeply, dreamless. He got up, stretched and went over to the terrace. As he stood at the rail, taking in the early morning air, he saw that the sky was just starting to lighten in the east. He stood there for a while, then went in to dress for the day.
He came back out and sat down in one of the chairs, putting his feet up on the rail. He closed his eyes and just drifted for a bit.
"So, you are up already." Dominic's voice said quietly, intruding on his thoughts. Jake opened his eyes and saw Dominic leaning against the rail of the terrace of his own room, looking out over the Keep. "Since we are ready to go, rather than wait for the soldier, let's go see if we can find the barracks."
They left their rooms and headed back the way they had come last night. The Keep was quiet at this time; they only encountered the occasional servant. While Jake was slightly turned around, Dominic seemed to know where he was going. Before long, they had made their way back to the landing that overlooked the domed area.
There was more activity here, with people and soldiers moving about along the floor level. They went down the stairs and over to where they had left the horses. Dominic called a nearby soldier over and asked where the barracks were. The soldier offered to show them and led them through a nearby tall and wide passageway into another large natural cave.
The area was lighted with the same glowing balls of light as the main cavern. Around this cave, however, there were no landings, only twenty long, low stone buildings that were built along the walls. There were groups of soldiers forming up in front of several of the buildings, clearly starting their day. There were a couple of openings high on the cliff wall that let fresh air in, but no opening on the ground level to the courtyard.
What took Jake by surprise was a large opening near the back wall which led to a large grass-covered field, just visible in the early morning light. The soldier led them through the opening and to one of several medium-sized wooden buildings that were built next to it. Jake saw Deepwood standing on the porch of the building, speaking with a couple of his officers. They stopped a short distance away, waiting for him to finish.
Once he sent his officers away, Deepwood turned and approached them, dismissing the soldier. "Good morning. I hope that you had a restful night." He said politely.
"We did, thank you." Dominic replied urbanely. "I trust that we are able to come and go without an escort?"
"Of course. Tomaris has welcomed you as guests." Deepwood stated plainly.
"This is unexpected." Dominic said, gesturing out towards the large open field. The field stretched for several hundred yards and was at least one hundred yards wide, bordered on two sides by the cliff walls of the mountain. There seemed to be nothing but sky on the other two sides, even though there were large stacks of stones spread along the edge.
"It is our training area." Deepwood said. "The mountain shelters it and there is a sheer cliff on the other side. The stones are for any enemy stupid enough to try to scale the three hundred feet exposed."
He pointed to a large wooden building across the field. "We also stable the horses here. If you need your horses, simply speak with the stable master."
He took them inside the building and down a hall where Jake smelled bread and other food being cooked. They entered a mess hall with soldiers sitting and eating. They sat down at a table and food was brought out for them. They finished breakfast quickly, Jake eating in silence while Deepwood and Dominic talked about their training requirements.
After breakfast, they went out back outside and Deepwood took them over to a small training circle, surrounded by short posts and rope. "I hope that this will meet your needs?" He asked Dominic.
"This is fine, Moshanna." Dominic said.
Deepwood left and went into another building. After several minutes, he came back out with a couple of training swords and headgear. Dominic tested the practice swords, apparently satisfied, but dismissed the headgear. "I try not to bash him in the head too much." He said with a shrug.
"Do you mind if I observe, Dominic?" Deepwood asked.
"Of course not." Dominic replied. He unbelted his sword and turned to Jake. "Let's see what you remember since you have had several days off."
The morning flew by as Jake threw himself into the training. Before he knew it, Jake was following an older female servant to Tomaris' study. He rubbed his sore arms and hands as he climbed the stairs and followed the servant into the room. The round room was lined with wooden shelves filled with scrolls and books, except for a small stone fireplace set into the wall. There was a small table in the middle with a couple of chairs and a large window that opened out towards the courtyard. Tomaris was sitting at the table when Jake entered.
"Thank you, Learthe." He said to the servant. "Please have some food brought up for Jake." With a slight bow, the woman left.
"How was your morning training, Jake?" Tomaris asked, looking meaningfully at Jake's arms.
"Normal, by Dominic's standards." Jake replied with a short laugh.
"Well, you will find that the training here not as physically challenging as that." Tomaris said with a smile. He gestured to the other chair. "Please sit. I'm an old man and find it easier to talk while sitting. While we wait for your food, perhaps we can discuss what happened again when you first used the power."
Jake and Tomaris discussed the fight in the woods, going over it several times. While they were talking, Learthe returned with a plate of food, along with a pitcher of water and two cups. Tomaris had Jake eat while he sat there quietly, apparently mulling over what he heard.
When Jake was finished and the plate cleared away, Tomaris stood and came over to Jake. "I would like to touch your forehead for a moment, Jake." He said, then laid his hand on Jake, closing his eyes.
To Jake, his hand almost felt like it was made of dry paper, except that it was very warm. A tingling sensation spread out from his forehead to the rest of his body. They were like that, motionless, for several minutes. Finally, the tingling faded and Tomaris opened his eyes and sat back down.
"I felt what Jonas described, the change in you." Tomaris said. "That happened when you accessed the power for the first time. We just need to find out how you called it up." He shifted slightly. "I want to close your eyes, Jake, and think back to right before the power woke. Describe again what happened."
Jake complied, recalling the face of the half-man appearing as it had when they fought. He mentioned his anger and fear of what would happen to Cherise if he failed.
"Strong emotions can often be a trigger." Tomaris said. His voice took on a soothing and reassuring tone. "Recall the sensations just as the power came forth. Try to duplicate those in your mind. Act as if they are occurring again."
Jake recalled that burning sensation that started in his chest. He tried to imagine it happening again, striving to will it to happen.
"Just relax, Jake." Tomaris said, voice soft and almost hypnotic. "Let it come as it will."
Jake tried to follow those instructions. He took a deep breath, slowly releasing it, letting his body relax. He sat there quietly, focused on recreating what happened. He recalled Cherise and her battered face, the certain knowledge that if he fell, she would suffer a worse fate. As he drifted along those thoughts, he re-felt the anger of that night and was startled to feel a slight tingling spread across his body.
"Open your eyes, Jake." Tomaris said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "You have taken the first step."
Jake opened his eyes and saw a faint glimmering of blue surrounding him.
...
Later that evening, in the foothills to the southwest, the demon call Rigil waited impatiently for Martis' men to return from their mission. He had sent them ahead on horses to scout out this Numaria for any signs of the boy, while the wagon came after.
It had been the second day after the boy left Sanduas when they found out about it. Martis had come back to inform him that the boy and Dominic had left to the north. While Rigil rode in the wagon's secret compartment, Martis had driven his team hard, verifying that their quarry had spent the night at the waystation.
It took them another day heading north to realize that they were following a false trail. There had not been sightings of the boy or Dominic at any points north of the waystation. That had to mean they went off cross-country. The question had been to where. After looking at the map, Rigil was certain that they were headed to the Keep of Tomaris. There was no other place that could provide the protection they needed but there.
Rigil was strangely hesitant to pursue them there. There had long been whispers that this Tomaris was more powerful than any of the clerics that opposed them. The demon lord he served had sent some of his brothers and followers to determine who Tomaris was, if he was indeed powerful, and kill him if they had an opportunity. None had returned from that mission.
However much he was concerned about facing this Tomaris, he knew that his lord would never allow him to survive failure. So, he pressed Martis and his men to continue, not allowing them to stop.
He shook off those thoughts and hissed over his shoulder. "If those fools do not return shortly, you will pay the price, Martis."
"I know they will return, Master." Martis said rapidly, his nervous voice carrying his fear. "Please give them..." His voice cut off.
Rigil spun to see what had stopped Martis. Across the clearing, Martis was frozen, partway to his feet, a hand reaching beseechingly towards Rigil, locked in some stasis. Rigil reached for his power, but was already too late as everything exploded in light and he was taken.
"...more time!" Martis came to halt as he faced an empty clearing. He felt an icy cold stab of terror. One moment the demon was there, the next it was gone.