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

As David lay in his bed, he tried to brush off the events of the past several weeks as he mindlessly counted the bricks in the ceiling above his bed. He had been in Hurea for nearly two months by now, and so much had happened in such a short time that even he had a hard time believing it. Eventually he became too tired to think straight and slowly drifted off into a deep and restful sleep.

***

David awoke to the sound of keys rattling and his cell door squeaking open.

“Oy, it’s time to see the King” said the guard. It was Gavin again.

David rubbed the sleep from his eyes before stretching and heading out of his cell as instructed.

When he exited, he could see that Erin, Tyrius, Reingard, and Holzer were all waiting for him at the exit near the cart that would take them back to the city.

The ride from the jail was more enjoyable now that he knew they weren’t in any real trouble. He felt like he was on a rollercoaster, speeding around the twists and turns in the track, watching the torches appear in the distance then quickly fly by just to disappear again behind them. It didn’t take them long to reach the opening into the vast chamber, once again bringing the emerald city into view.

David was amazed at how skilled the Dwarves were to have built such an incredible city out of crystal and stone. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.

As they raced past the central building from the day before, they continued onward through the heart of the city and into a long section of climbing spiral railways leading to the upper levels of the chamber. By the time they reached the top of the spiral, they were high above the majority of the city and could see across the entire cavern.

It was even bigger than he had first thought, this new perspective giving him the whole view of the city in one large panorama that left them all speechless.

They finally came to a stop in front of a long walkway that led to a great palace overlooking the city and were instructed to exit.

Two Dwarves decked out in magnificent gold-plated armor and carrying long gold-plated halberds waited by the front door of the palace. They looked straight ahead as the company approached as if they were statues, but David had no doubt that if a threat were to present itself, they would be more than ready and capable of handling it.

Once they entered through the palace doors, they came into a large, vaulted room with polished floors of sparkling white stone with silver veins running like rivers throughout. The ceiling was supported by massive columns of the same material that were several feet wide and hundreds of feet tall, towering above them like giant trees.

The room was adorned with colorful tapestries and banners hanging on the walls and was lined with soldiers all standing guard in the same decorative armor as the two sentries from before.

At the end of the room stood a massive staircase that rose several flights before tapering off at the top level where a large metal door opened up into a throne room where the King awaited their arrival.

David could see him, sitting on his elegant throne of crystal, the light reflecting off in thousands of refracted beams. He looked majestic and powerful.

The guards led them up the staircase and into the throne room, instructing them to stop several feet before the few carpeted steps leading up to the King.

King Tybrin Hammerclaw sat on his throne, waiting patiently for his audience as they took a knee and bowed respectfully before him. He was large for a Dwarf, and thick. David could see his bulging muscles even beneath his flowing robes.

His fingers were encrusted with lavish rings of various metals and gemstones, and the crown on his head was made of thick bands of gold and silver, skillfully twisted around each other in a spiral fashion that made it look as if it had grown together naturally, like a vine does with a tree, rather than crafted by hand. When he finally spoke, his voice boomed like thunder and echoed throughout the polished chamber.

“I hear ye caused quite a bit o’ trouble in me halls yesterday” said Tybrin, looking down at the group before him.

“So, ye claim the Defiant One has returned, is tha’ so?” he asked in his thick accent.

“It is, your majesty” replied Tyrius, taking the lead. “And it is also true”

“So, I hear…” replied Tybrin. “May I see the boy?” he asked, holding out his hand for David to come closer.

David looked over at Tyrius and the guards beside them, who each nodded in approval, before he started slowly up the stairs. When he reached the King, he slowly held out his hand for the King to inspect the image of the orb. It was glowing faintly as it always seemed to be, a former shadow of its once more vibrant self.

King Tybrin inspected his hand, turning it over as he carefully examined the markings.

“So, what ye say is true. At least the part about the orb bearer.” said Tybrin at last, releasing David’s hand and sitting back in his throne.

“But what proof do ye have of the return o’ the Defiant One?” he asked, looking down from his throne at each of them in turn.

“Proof? We have no proof that we can give right now, your majesty. But if it is proof that you seek, you can find it simply by sending scouts to the surface and looking towards Eldergate.” said Tyrius. “The city has all but fallen into the chasm of the Dark Abyss, and the Royal Palace has been lifted high into the sky on a black rock that rose from the depths from whence an army of Demons came, along with the Defiant One himself. There is no disputing it,