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

He thought for a moment, considering Erin’s idea. “That could actually work.” he said, finally. “What do you think Anita?” he asked.

“I think that we should go see her and find out.” she said bluntly.

She led them back down the street and a couple minutes later they were entering a small building roughly the size of a two-bedroom house. As they looked around while Anita spoke to the owner, David realized the back of the shop was actually shared by the wall separating the two districts, meaning as soon as they tunneled just a few feet into the wall, they would already be into the inner district and would only need to tunnel roughly fifty feet or so before they reached the compound. It was a perfect location for Erin’s plan.

The walls on the main floor were lined with shelves filled with hundreds of little vials of glass, each containing a variety of different colored liquids that when opened released a pleasant aroma.

Erin was walking down the aisles, smelling each of the bottles before finally deciding on one she liked. She put a dash of the liquid on her neck and wrists.

When David walked past her, her scent was intoxicating and made him wish they were in a more private location, but he knew that was a far-off fantasy and they probably wouldn’t have a chance for such intimacies until the Defiant One was defeated – if ever.

Instead, he just sighed and shrugged off the thoughts, replacing them with the more pressing concern of the rebellion and, ultimately, heading back north to the Crystal Caverns and stopping the Defiant One.

Eventually, Anita returned with an elderly woman with gray, frizzy hair wrapped up in a tight bun and a nice looking, flowing dress that stopped mid-calf. Despite her old age and countless lines etched in the corner of her eyes and around her mouth from years of smiling, her skin was still otherwise smooth and flawless, and her eyes twinkled brightly.

“David, Erin, this is Francesca, but we all call her Frannie. She’s agreed to help us. We can start digging tonight” said Anita, smiling.

Chapter XXVII

When David and Erin finally got back to the rebel headquarters, the sun was almost completely set, and the warm air was beginning to rapidly cool. The streets were all lined with torches protruded out from the walls of the buildings, giving a nice warmth to the encroaching night.

Tyrius and Natan were sitting at the table with Ty and Kal, eating a small meal of bread and chunky soup filled with local vegetables while going over the final plans for the operations when David and Erin walked through the door.

“How did it go? Did you find a way into the Guild compound?” asked Tyrius, getting up from the table to greet his friends.

“Yes, we think so.” said Erin.

She explained to Tyrius, Natan, and the others around the room of their idea to tunnel from Fannie’s cellar into the ground beneath the compound, giving them a way to quickly enter the Guild after the fighting begins without the risk of being shut out at the gates.

“If we can get in there quickly and surprise them, that would give us an even bigger advantage. They would never expect us to come from beneath the ground like that!” said Natan, excitement beaming on his face.

“Exactly what we were thinking.” said David, “The chances of us being able to get through the main gate into the inner district and through the Guild’s gate are pretty slim. We would have to really move fast, and even then, the odds aren’t in our favor.”

“Agreed, I think this is our best shot at taking the compound. We will have to dedicate a separate force from the main attack to make this happen. How far is the distance from the shop to the compound?” asked Tyrius.

“Roughly a stone’s throw” said Anita, after mentally gauging the distance. “The material of the bedrock is the same grainy stone used throughout the city” she replied. “It gives way easily under a minor amount of force. Pickaxes and chisels will easily cut through it. With a small group of men cutting away and another handful actively clearing the debris, it shouldn’t take too long to prepare the tunnel.”

“That’s great news” said Natan, “Anita, go and gather some of the men and get them started on this at once. We can’t afford to delay any further. We must get this tunnel ready for when we are ready to strike.”

Anita nodded and quickly exited the room to recruit the force needed for the operation, while David and Erin stayed behind to get a bite to eat and finish catching up with Tyrius and Natan.

After eating, Erin pulled out her pack and grabbed a long object that was wrapped in a blanket and twine.

“David, I forgot to tell you about this earlier, but this is for you.” she said, holding out the long, wrapped object for David to take and open.

Seeing the look of confusion on his face, she said “It’s a gift, from Gilric Ellisar.”

David took the object from her hands and from the size and the feel of it in his hands, he immediately knew what it must be. He quickly unwrapped it, excited to see what lay beneath the thick cloth.

When the hilt of the sword was revealed, he placed his fingers around it and slid the rest of the blade out of the scabbard beneath the blanket.

The sound of steel being drawn rang throughout the room, turning heads of everyone in attendance.

David held up the blade and inspected the intricate carvings in its side, running his fingers along the edge of the ancient ruins.

“It says ‘Here lies the sword of legend, forged for the bearer of the orb’” said David in awe, to which Erin and Tyrius both looked at each other in wonder.

“When did you learn how to read ancient Elvish script?” asked Tyrius, bewildered and double checking the