[Mkguild] Echoes of the Dead Wood Part 2

[Stealth]

Part 2

“And here we are!” Edmund said as he dismounted.

	Stealth said naught. Why did Edmund always have to be so bloody
cheery? “Ed, let me take the horses in, you go ahead.”

	“The stable hands will take them, I would like you to accompany me.”

	“Ed...” He sighed, “...okay, I’ll head in with you.” The young
cheetah had had enough of verbal jousts for the day and Edmund was
probably at the end of his tether too.

	And so it was they approached the front doors to the manor together,
albeit one with his head down.

	The doors into the manor... Stealth could just picture it,

	‘You again what do you want, peasant?!’ the woman would croak.

	‘Shut up, granny’ the cheetah would command, ‘get out of my way and
die. I’ll piss on your grave, you old bitch.’ He’d shout.

	Stealth shook his head and cringed, alright; he’d never say that but
oh, did he want to...

	“Listen, Ed.” The cheetah said.

	“Yes?” Edmund answered.

	Stealth was about to reply but just then the door opened.

    The door opened quickly and silently revealing the bright face of
a young girl, her blonde hair done in long braids.

    "Hello! Welcome back!" she said cheerfully. “Lord Nestorius and
Lady Amelia will be here shortly.”

   Stealth visibly relaxed. Where was the old woman? Dead hopefully.

   "Thank you my child, may we come in from the cold?" Edmund asked.

   She turned and beckoned them inside. A moment later they were
standing in the hallway. "Please follow me to the solar."

       A short walk down the hall took them to a small room brightly
lit by the windows along one wall. A fire burned in the fireplace and
pictures hung from the walls. Comfortable looking chairs were
scattered about the room.

   "Listen Ed." Stealth said, after the girl had left.

   "Yes?" Edmund asked slowly.

       A boy entered the room with a small platter of cheese and
slices of baked chicken as well as a bottle of red wine.

    "Some refreshments for you while you wait," the boy said  "The
chicken is fresh from the oven."

    "Thank you son but neither of us drink, could you fetch us some
cider?" Edmund asked.

    "Of course!" he said and smiled. After putting down the platter he
turned and quickly left the room.

   In moments the two were alone again in the room with only the
portraits hanging above them for company.

   "What did you want to tell me?" Edmund asked.

   The cheetah opened his mouth to speak and then a large explosion
rocked the room sending the portraits falling from the walls.

    "What?!" Edmund shouted as he picked himself up off the floor.
"Are you all right?" he asked.

   Stealth sighed and nodded, a chicken leg resting on his nose.

    In a few moments the girl returned with a big smile on her face,
"Lord Nestorius will see you momentarily, please make yourselves
comfortable" She said and ran off at full tilt.

    "I think," Edmund started slowly. "That Nest has been experimenting again."

   "Can we leave now please?" Stealth asked with a meaningful glare.

---------

   It was tense to say the least, however only for Stealth. Much to
his frustration Nestorius seemed as blissfully, ignorantly cheerful as
Edmund. Stealth hated Edmund for the nudges and encouragement... he
was courteous, polite... but he wasn’t the slightest bit comfortable
doing more than that. And if it weren’t good enough for the other
cats, Nest would have to work for it.

   The three felines found themselves walking slowly down the same
steps Amelia had used a few hours before to find her husband. The lion
was in the lead with Edmund next and Stealth following behind.

   Nestorius stopped at the place where the circular stairs ended.
"Since coming to Hareford I have spent much time and effort trying to
uncover all its secrets. Five years ago I uncovered the existence of a
series of chambers buried deep under the town itself. It was then I
had these stairs installed. Only in this last month was I finally able
to get past the wards and access the corridor and chambers beyond.
They are definitely Seuilman in construction as was the spells
protecting them."

  He stepped out of the stairway and into a small, circular room with
niches lining the walls and three doorways. Nest pointed to a door way
off to the left. Edmund could see that the corridor beyond the opening
led only a few feet before ending in a pile of debris that blocked it
completely."I believe that originally led to the Principia. The legion
fortress headquarters."

   "Was there anything in the niches?" Stealth asked as he examined
one. "It looks like they were meant to hold something."

   "They were empty when I arrived. But I believe they held statues or
treasure of some sort."

Edmund noticed another opening opposite the one the lion had pointed
out. He peered through the doorway and into the darkness beyond. All
he saw was an empty corridor leading off into the darkness. He had
more sense than to actually go down the passageway. "Where does this
lead?"

   "I do not know," Nestorius answered. "It leads at least forty feet
but there are several powerful spells blocking access. I believe it
might lead to some sort of special treasure vault or if I'm lucky a
library."

   The lion mage walked over to the doorway opposite the one they had
first entered. "The true treasure lies this way."

   The doorway gave way to a short hall that ended in a wooden door
that was bound with rusted bands of steel. Edmund was amazed that the
wood and metal had survived so long.

   Nestorius made several complex gestures and touched the door in
three places in rapid succession. The door started to glow with a deep
blue light that slowly subsided to a faint glow along the edges. The
lion gave the door a push and it swung open revealing a large chamber
lit by some unseen light source.

   "The room is as I found it," Nestorius explained. “But I have
reinforced the spells protecting and hiding the chamber."

   The trio walked through the door and Edmund got a good look at the
room. It was long and narrow with them at one end. Overhead the
ceiling was black but all the stars and constellations painted on it.
It was like looking up at the night sky. The only light in the room
came from a pair of glowing orbs hanging from stone brackets. He noted
a dozen similar orbs spaced evenly around the room but all of them
were dark or only glowing dimly. The walls were of finely cut stone
but plain and devoid of any decoration or embellishment. The floor of
the room was covered with an elaborate and highly complex map complete
with cities, towns and roads carefully done. Even after centuries of
neglect all the details were clearly visible.

   "It's a map of the valley!" Stealth said excitedly as he pointed at
various places on the map. "That's Metamor Keep and that line up there
is Giants dike." The cheetah’s tail whipped back and forth as animated
as his arms.

   Nestorius nodded. "It is! I call this the summoning chamber for
lack of more accurate title," The lion said. " I believe this chamber
was one of several scattered about the valley." He pointed to the
floor. "You'll notice eight spots on the map that are picked out with
gold and silver stars. Those were the locations of other similar
chambers. You will note that one is located in what's now the lower
ward of Metamor Keep. I believe this was a transport system of sorts.
Allowing them to travel between the various places instantly. I have
seen similar systems in the Sathmore kingdoms but nothing this large."

   "Well, they were in the valley for over five hundred years,"
Stealth said. He was slowly walking along the map looking at it
carefully. "Plenty of time to do all sorts of things."

   Nestorius nodded his head in agreement. "Indeed."

   "I've heard rumours of such things," Edmund added. "I know of a few
mages who have perfected the ability to move distances instantly but
never over such long distances."

   Stealth walked to one edge of the map and knelt down. "What's
here?" he asked. The feline was pointing to a star located in what
Edmund knew to be mountains at least a dozen miles from the valley.
The map itself showed mountains surrounding the star but no
structures.

   "I am not sure.”It might have been a hidden refuge. There is so
much to learn and understand." The lion walked over the map to and
pointed to the image of a large city that Edmund knew all too well. It
was Camulodum the capital of the Seuilman province and now the centre
of the Haunted woods.

   "I have confirmed at least one of my theories," Nestorius said. "I
have uncovered a powerful series of spells over this place that is
most certainly a Seuilman creation."

   "Could that be trapping the spirits?" Edmund asked.

   "It is a strong possibility. It is certainly a set of wards I have
never seen before. Very unique characteristics. Extremely power and
aggressive in its defences. I need to study this more closely.
Unfortunately I cannot do that from here. My last attempt almost
killed me and came close to destroying the whole town. I need to be in
the ruins themselves. That will allow me to study them from the
inside. I need to go here!" the lion said and pointed to a large gold
and silver star located on the edge of the city. "But the same magic
that I wish to study keeps me from going there directly."

   "So how do we get there?" Edmund asked.

   "The same way I got here, on foot. We have to go to the ruins and
make our way downwards," the mage answered.

---------------------------------

	“We had best start in the morning before dawn. That will give us the
maximum amount of daylight.” Nestorius commented.

	“We have to stay the night?” Stealth asked, he didn’t bother trying
to hide his shock.

	“We are most obliged.” Edmund bowed.

   The lion gave a wave of the hand and Cassandra reappeared. "My
friends will be staying tonight in the blue room."

    Stealth glared at Edmund, the paladin didn't see him though.

    "Please see that the bed is ready," he ordered calmly. The girl
took off down the hall at a run.

    "Cassie! Don't run!" the lion called after the speeding girl to no effect.

    "One bed?" Stealth cringed.

    Nest turned to Stealth. "There are two beds actually. But in the
same room. I hope you both do not mind?"

    "No! No, I don't mind at all..." Stealth mumbled.

    Nest gave a rumble of laughter. "Believe me it is a large room and
the warmest."

    "Now how about dinner? It's been too long since we've had guests
for supper."

    "We're honoured!" Edmund answered. "I am certainly hungry! How
about you Stealth?"

   Edmund gently nudged his friend.

    Stealth eyed Edmund, "Oh, yes, yes indeed..."


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