David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation T.C. Crawford (icecream ebook reader txt) 📖

sizeable antechamber filled with bustling Dwarves moving about every which way.

As they entered, all of their heads turned, watching the humans enter the chamber as they went on about their business. None of them said a word, and they weren’t rude about it, but it was clear they were surprised at what they were witnessing.  David realized this was the first time any of these Dwarves had ever had a human visitor within their city and it must have been a strange sight to see.

When the two Dwarves reached a large central marble counter behind which dozens of very old looking Dwarves were seated, some taking paperwork from Dwarves as they came from their shifts, while others handing out new forms for the ones leaving, one of the older looking Dwarves stopped looking over his paperwork and nearly fell out of his seat.

When he finally composed himself and remembered his manners, he quickly, but politely, asked what in the world these humans were doing in the city.

The Dwarves quickly took turns explaining the circumstances behind their encounter with the humans and what led them to bring them here, before the old Dwarf looked up at David and the others and waved his hand for them to approach the counter.

Tyrius was the first to speak.

“We are humbled by your kindness and hospitality, great sir. My name is Tyrius Vanderbolt. I am the last of the Elders of Eldergate, and I beg your assistance for myself and my companions in this troubling predicament we find ourselves in.” he said politely, bowing low, to which the others followed suit, not quite sure what the custom was in such situations.

“Tyrius Vanderbolt you say?” said the elderly Dwarf behind the counter, looking over Tyrius and the others. “What is it, I may ask, that brought you to our lands so far East of your own?” he said.

“Have you not heard?” asked Tyrius, surprised.

“Heard of what, dear fellow?” asked the Dwarf sincerely.

Tyrius turned back to look at the others, surprised that the news hadn’t traveled to the Dwarven city yet. The Dwarves had always been a reclusive bunch, but something as significant as the coup in Eldergate, followed by the breach of the Dark Abyss and the release of the Defiant One and his minions surely should have traveled to their city by now, he thought. They each shrugged before he turned back to the counter.

“The Defiant One has returned, and he has overtaken Eldergate along with all of the Outer Woods region.” said Tyrius, matter-of-factly.

It took a moment for the news to sink in, but David was quite sure that it hit home when the Dwarf’s expression changed from that of mixed curiosity and humor, to the pale horror one would expect to see on someone who had just seen a ghost.

The Dwarf’s expression quickly recovered and changed to one of utmost irritation as he dismissed the claim with the wave of his hands.

“That is impossible, Mr. Vanderbolt! The Defiant One has been locked away in the Dark Abyss for over a thousand years! The Mystics sealed him away, along with his dark army, at the end of the Battle of Salvation – I saw it with my own eyes! There is no way he could have escaped that place, not in a million years!” said the Dwarf loudly, to which all of the others quickly stopped their tasks to see what was causing all the ruckus.

The overall buzz in the air had dropped at this point to a deafening silence, so quiet it was that the drop of a pin could be heard from across the room.

David and the others looked around at their faces, uncomfortable at the sudden influx of attention now focused on them.

But Tyrius didn’t seem to notice, or at least to not mind. He continued his plea, now with even more vigor than before.

“I know the history, Master Dwarf, but you must believe me, it is the truth! General Krauss of the Royal Guard has been manipulated and twisted into doing the Defiant One’s bidding for some time now. Ever since he started secretly dabbling in the dark arts of the Order of the Abyss, hoping to gain the power needed to overthrow the kingdom, the Defiant One has had his grasp on the General – silently manipulating him, pulling his strings to lead him to do his bidding, until finally, just a few weeks ago, the unimaginable happened. He used one of the last remaining Mystic Crystals to harness enough power during the summer solstice to perform the ritual and unleash the Defiant One from his prison. I saw it for myself, we all did!” finished Tyrius, a look of horror in his eyes as he recalled the events from that day. Everyone nodded in agreement.

“But how did he gain such power? It would require an immense amount of Mystic energy to break the barrier.” replied the Dwarf, now starting to see this wasn’t some bad joke.

“It was my fault…” said David, chiming in and stepping forward to the counter.

At this point, the group was completely encircled with Dwarves, all listening in to what the humans had to say about the return of the Defiant One. Some of them seemed to not believe the words they were hearing, shaking their heads in disbelief, and whispering to one another, but others apparently did believe it. Their faces were white as snow as they were hanging on their every word.

“What do you mean, it was your fault?” asked the Dwarf, raising his white bushy eyebrows skeptically at the young man standing before him.

“My name is David Bishop – and I am the bearer of the Orb of Power.” he said, holding out his hand and getting to the point.

This drew audible gasps from everyone crowded around them, each trying to peak around those in front of them to get a clearer look at the boy who claimed to wield the orb of legends past.

“I was trying to stop him – we