Robert Keller - The Heart of Shadows

"So what is your opinion?" asked Aldreya, dreading the answer.

"I believe Lannon is in great peril," said Jace. "The Dark Watchmen were strong and wise and seemingly incorruptible. Yet look what became of them. Can Lannon overcome the snares that doomed his predecessors? I have my doubts."

"Then why did Dremlock recruit Lannon?" asked Vannas, "knowing what could result? It seems very foolish."

"Desperation, of course," Jace replied. "It was a grave risk, considering the Dark Watchmen almost brought down Dremlock Kingdom. The decision to recruit Lannon was not an easy one to make, but the Divine Essence was behind it and the Knights had to obey."

"Our god appears to be growing very desperate," said Lothrin. "Aside from surrendering a piece of itself to its followers, it also chose to recruit another potential Dark Watchman-in spite of what happened so long ago."

Aldreya prayed Lannon would be shielded from the darkness, that the Divine Light would protect him as he ventured into Old Hammer Hall. Lannon had a noble spirit, and it angered her to think of the Deep Shadow wanting to corrupt him as it had Vorden and Timlin. Because of the Eye, Tharnin wanted Lannon above all others.

"Has the Divine Essence actually grown desperate?" asked Galvia.

"I believe so," said Jace. "And it is because of Bellis-and perhaps Tenneth Bard, who may be behind all of this. Yes, there are definite signs of desperation, and make no mistake-the Divine Essence is uncertain of Dremlock's survival."

Aldreya wanted to pay Taris a visit and tell him she would partake in the Trial of Shades. It was a simple choice. According to Jace, if she failed the test then her ability to function as a sorcerer would be impaired. She would have nothing left at Dremlock and would return to Borenthia. And if she passed the test, Taris would extend his vast knowledge to her and she would be better equipped to fight the Deep Shadow. But it was too late to visit Taris, and they were scheduled to abandon Dorok's Hand in the early morning.

The Trial of Shades would have to wait.

As Lannon, Aldrek Windspear, and the Blue Knights drew close to Old Hammer Hall, their progress slowed. They left the horses and their Elder Hawk concealed amidst some boulders and proceeded on foot along the mountain path. Thanks to the expert skills of the Blue Knights-and some help from the Eye of Divinity-they were able to avoid being seen by spies along the trail. The spies were mainly watching for a larger invasion force, and that worked to the group's advantage.

Old Hammer Hall was at a higher elevation than Dorok's Hand, and Lannon found himself a bit short on breath as he trudged through the snow. They used boulders, bushes, and pines for concealment and hurried through the open spaces. Soon they could see the fortress in the moonlight-a huge stone drawbridge flanked by two guard towers carved from the mountain rock, along with some wooden stables near the towers.

"There will be Elder Hawks circling above," said Shennen. "Too high up even for Aldrek's power to reach. If they see us, they will screech out a warning and our mission will be ruined. We must move swiftly to the fortress gate and hide in one of the guard towers until the drawbridge opens. Then we will enter the keep."

"If we're spotted," said Lannon, "what should we do?"

"Flee," said Shennen, "for our mission will be a failure. But we will only be in the open for a few moments, so it's unlikely the Hawks will see us. Now is the time to become invisible. Prepare yourselves!"

The group broke into a run-shadows racing across the moonlit snow. Fortunately there were many tracks in the snow leading to the keep, so their footprints didn't stand out. The immense power of Aldrek Windspear kept the guards blinded to their presence, and no cries or warning horns sounded.

Moments later, the grey stone tower loomed over them and they entered into a storage room full of crates and barrels. They ducked down, then began the long wait for the guards to change shifts. They didn't speak.

At last the drawbridge was lowered, as new guards replaced the old. Lannon and the Blue Knights waited until the new guards had climbed the tower stairs, and then they rushed out into the moonlight-just as the exiting guards were crossing the drawbridge. The move had to be perfectly timed, and the group had to be invisible to potential observers from three places. And if an Elder Hawk had happened along at that moment, they would have been spotted. However, no Hawk appeared and no guards seemed to notice them. As much as it astounded Lannon, the invisibility plan worked and allowed them to slip unseen into the keep.

Clearly, the secret of invisibility was immensely powerful. Lannon was not surprised that only a few elite sorcerers and Blue Knights could manage it. If he could master the skill, it would elevate him to a new level of power. The ability to walk unseen by his foes held enormous potential.

Once inside, they found themselves in a large, torch-lit cavern with four thick pillars on either side. They hid behind the pillars, waiting for the Soldiers to exit the hall. Meanwhile, the drawbridge closed with a grinding of chains, leaving them trapped inside Old Hammer Hall. The entrance cavern was watched by ten guards who were playing dice games at tables and two Ogres who'd been turning a crank to raise the drawbridge. The guards glanced up and exchanged some words and laughter with the Soldiers, then went back to playing dice.

Old Hammer Hall was a monument to Olrog Fire, with the symbol of crossed torch and hammer found throughout the keep. A statue of the Fire God, Benezeta, the Lord of the Forge, stood in the middle of the hall. Benezeta was a Gnome, or a Dark Dwarf-a master of weaponsmithing from an ancient race. His beard was like a twisted root, his nose long and crooked, and his beady eyes were filled with cunning and malice. His spiked war hammer was raised high, as if ready to smash Lannon and the other intruders should they get too close. Crimson torches burned on either side of the statue, flickering shadows dancing upon Benezeta's face. While the Grey Dwarves no longer worshipped Benezeta, the statue remained as a tribute to the days when they had an alliance with Tharnin. This, however, was the Blood Legion's answer to the Divine Essence-a god of smoldering iron and dark sorcery, though Benezeta's spirit had not appeared to them in more than three-hundred years. The statue was breathtaking in its evil, and Lannon found he could not gaze upon it without feeling deeply unsettled.

Chills creeping along his spine, Lannon glanced up at the torch-lit stone ceiling-which was carved in the form of some sprawling monstrosity. Bulbous eyes gazed down on him, and here and there were curved teeth and claws. This depiction of some horrific beast of Tharnin seemed about to descend on Lannon, and with a shudder, he quickly lowered his gaze. This was the dark heart of the Blood Legion-deeper into enemy territory than Lannon had ever been. This was a keep fit for brutal barbarians, a lair of potential torment and death, and it was the last place Lannon wanted to be. He hoped they would quickly succeed in their mission.

Shennen signaled Lannon to scan the fortress with the Eye. Lannon swept his gaze out as far as he could, but his range was limited and he detected no sign of Timlin or the Black Flamestone. He shook his head.

They moved swiftly past the guards-who never so much as glanced their way. They entered a plain tunnel with some storage rooms on either side. Two Jackals were walking towards them on their crooked legs, and Shennen motioned everyone into a storage room where they hid behind some barrels.

Lannon probed the Jackals with the Eye as they approached, to see what their intent was. The Jackals paused outside the storage room and sniffed the air. They caught scent of the invaders and crept into the storage room, trying to sniff out the source of that scent. They stood before the barrels, their sour stench filling Lannon's nostrils. Muscles rippled over their grey, spotted fur, and drool dripped from their long muzzles. Their claws were raised, ready to shred flesh.