Brian Pratt - The mists of sorrow

“Fascinating,” the Slavemaster says after several seconds of digesting what James had told him. “As to how to make it work, I don’t know that part of it.” When James gets a disappointed look, he raises his hand and says, “That’s not to say what I do know won’t help.”

“Such as?” prompts James.

“You see, each of these keys is set to take you to two different places on their own,” he explains. “I’m sure there’s a way in which to have them take you to specific temples, but I have never been privy to that information.”

“Now, if you are in the home temple of the key, which in this case would be the temple near Kern where you found it, then the teleportation dais will take you automatically to Ith-Zirul. And if you are at Ith-Zirul it will return you to the key’s home temple.”

“But what if you are at another temple?” he asks.

“I believe it will take you automatically to Ith-Zirul,” he says. “And then from there would return you to the key’s home temple.”

James remains silent after the Slavemaster finishes speaking. He remembers the time under the sand at Baerustin when during their fight, he and Jiron had stumbled upon the teleportation dais there and ended up at another place. That other place was cold and had strange little creatures with claws sharper than razors. He recalls the voice in his head that said, ‘You have come, mage.’ They must have been in the High Temple! Only they didn’t realize it at the time. When he and Jiron had fled the place and returned to the dais, it had taken them to the temple near Kern. It all makes sense now.

“Now all there is to do is for us to reach the dais within the temple here in Zixtyn,” James says.

The Slavemaster nods. “That won’t be as easy as you think,” he says. “For one thing, the dais is in a secret room in the lowest level of the temple. None but those in the inner circle are allowed there. It’s unlikely you would reach it before being discovered.”

“Could you give me some idea the best way to get to it?” James asks. “Despite the risks we must make the attempt.”

“Yes,” he says. “I can have a diagram made for you that would show the quickest route to the room you have to reach.”

“That would be great,” James says.

“You might wish to make the attempt two nights from now however,” the Slavemaster says.

James looks at him curiously. “Why?”

“In two nights is the dark of the moon,” he explains. “Every temple performs special rites to Dmon-Li when the moon is black. It’s considered holy to them.”

“Killian’s shroud blinds the giant’s eye,” he murmurs.

The Slavemaster hears him and nods. “Yes that’s what some call that time of the month.” When he sees that James is lost in thought, he adds, “The priests will all be in attendance in the sanctum before the altar. However that’s not to say the halls of the temple will be empty. They have over a score of temple guards that will be roaming the grounds, even within the temple itself. You’ll have to somehow get through them without alerting the rest of the temple to your presence. I’ve heard stories of your prowess, but I doubt even you would prevail against a temple’s worth of priests all working in conjunction to kill you.”

“Probably not,” agrees James.

Just then, the young man enters through the archway and whispers something in the Slavemaster’s ear. Nodding the Slavemaster says something to the young man who then leaves the room. “Seems your friends have followed you,” he says.

“Did they?” James asks innocently.

The Slavemaster isn’t fooled. “Don’t worry,” he says. “They’ve been taken care of.”

“What does that mean?” asks James.

“They won’t be bothering us here,” replies the Slavemaster.

“What did you do to them?” demands James.

“Oh, nothing harmful I assure you,” he says.

James meets his gaze for a moment and then gets to his feet. “I should be going now,” he says.

“As you will,” says the Slavemaster. “I’ll have someone drop by sometime tomorrow with a diagram I’ll draw up to help you reach the teleportation dais.”

“Thank you,” he says. Now worried about what may have happened to his friends, James wants nothing more than to get out of there.

The young man makes his appearance and the Slavemaster says to him, “Escort him back out.”

Giving the Slavemaster a slight bow, the young man turns to James and says, “If you’ll follow me?”

James gives the Slavemaster a brief bow then turns to follow the young man from the room. They leave through the same doorway and are again in the darkened passage. They proceed for a ways then James feels the young man’s hand on his shoulder as he directs him to stop and enter a narrow opening. It’s on the opposite side of the passage than the one he trailed his hand along on the way in.

Moving through this new passage which is barely wide enough to accommodate them, they continue for a ways until the passage turns to the right. Then the young man takes him another hundred paces and brings him to a stop.

“Give me your hand,” the young man says.

James holds out his hand and feels the young man take it. Moving it to the side of the passage, he places James’ hand in a recess in the wall. “You must climb this until you get to the top,” the young man says. “There you’ll find a small wooden panel to your left. Push it open and crawl through.”

“What’s on the other side?” James asks.

“A chandler’s shop,” is the reply. “The shopkeeper has already left for the day. Do not touch anything and be careful when you leave not to let anyone see you.”

“Aren’t you coming with me?” he asks.

“No, you go by yourself from here,” he says. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” replies James. Then he hears the footsteps of the young man moving away in the dark.

Turning back to the wall, he feels around and finds a series of recesses moving from the floor up the wall. Putting his hands in the ones at eye and chest level, he then finds two for his feet. Then very carefully, he lifts one of his hands above his head and feels around until he finds the next one. One by one, he slowly makes his way up the wall in the dark.

After what seems like twenty or more different recesses have taken him over ten feet from the floor of the passage beneath him, his hand touches the stone ceiling above him. Feeling around he realizes that he’s come as far up the wall as he can. Searching to his left, he finds the small wooden panel of which the young man told him. Pressing it outward, he feels it give. Pushing harder, he swings it wide. A small amount of light comes through from the other side.

The light reveals that the opening is going to be a tight squeeze for him. He then moves toward it and reaches a hand in and begins working his body through to the other side. Though it’s small, he manages to wriggle through and comes out beneath a table and finds himself on the floor of the chandler’s shop.

Turning back to the opening, he discovers the outside of the wooden panel has stone attached to it. When he swings the panel closed, it blends in perfectly with the stone of the wall. He then comes out from under the table and scans the shop for the way out. The door opening onto the street is to his right and he makes his way to it. Looking out, he sees the street passing in front of the shop still has people upon it. With it still being an hour until sundown, he’s sure to be spotted quickly if he were to leave that way.

He makes his way through the shop and finds the back door. Opening it slowly, he discovers an alley running behind the shop. He peers out cautiously only to find there’s no one in the vicinity. James then exits the building quickly and shuts the door behind him.