“Moira!” Wiz called “Moira!” But ringing echoes and the distant sound of dripping water were the only replies. Donal and Kenneth quickly moved up and down the corridor, checking the cells.
“They are empty, Lord,” Donal said, as they returned to where Wiz stood fidgeting. He forbore to mention that some of the cells were merely empty of life.
“Damn! She’s got to be here someplace. The Emac said they had her located to within cubits.”
The two guardsmen exchanged looks. They knew how unreliable magic could be, how susceptible to counterspells or the blurring effects of other magics, and how magicians could use the magic to trap other magicians. What better place for a threat to the League than the dungeons under the League’s own stronghold? As unobstrusively as they could they shifted their stances and loosened their weapons.
Unheeding, Wiz reached into his pouch and pulled out a shiny silver sphere. He cupped it in his palm. “backslash cd slash grep moira” he said to the marble. It pulsed with a golden glow, flashing brighter and fainter to acknowledge the order. “exe” Wiz said and the light from the sphere steadied into a warm yellow illumination that highlighted his face. The marble grew into a ball of light the size of his fist and floated to the top of the tunnel.
“She’s above us,” Wiz told the other two. “We’ll have to go up to the next level.”
“Carefully, Lord,” Donal said in a near whisper. “These tunnels are chancy at best and there are enemies about.”
Wiz nodded and stepped under the glowing ball bobbing against the ceiling. “backslash” he said softly. “in here Moira” Again the warm light pulsated. “exe” Wiz whispered and the ball drifted off to the left, glowing steadily as it traveled up the tunnel. Wiz moved to follow it and Donal stepped in front of him, his great sword at the ready. Kenneth fell in behind with his bow in hand and the flap open on his belt quiver.
There was no need to renew the light spell. The golden ball suffused the tunnel with an even glow, warmer and more natural than the weird blue light of the staff.
Donal and Kenneth were not comforted. The light would be a beacon to anyone or anything guarding the tunnels. Wiz didn’t notice. His eyes were fixed on the glowing ball.
They saw no one as they moved up the tunnel, but twice they heard movement behind one of the stout, low doors set in the wall at irregular intervals. In neither case was the sound the sort that made them want to stop and investigate even if they had the time. Once there was an explosion that shook dirt down on them. Donal and Kenneth looked apprehensive, as if the passage might collapse, but Wiz only smiled and pressed forward.
The tunnel twisted and turned, it wandered and wobbled, it branched and joined, it doubled back and redoubled on itself and it dipped and it rose. But it rose more than it dipped and always the sphere of light led them on.
Kenneth and Donal kept swivelling their heads, their eyes scanning everywhere for signs of danger. Wiz kept his attention on the sphere, with just enough on his surroundings so he didn’t trip on the miserable footing. Thus when Donal stopped dead at a corner, Wiz walked into him.
“Oh shit,” Donal breathed silently.
“Oh shit!” Wiz whispered, peering over his shoulder.
“Oh shit?” mouthed Kenneth, bringing up the rear.
Around the corner the tunnel widened into a room, its stone floor worn smoother and more even than the corridor. The seeking ball was not the main source of light, for on one side of the room logs burned brightly in a cavernous fireplace. Along the other walls rush torches flared in wrought iron holders. Sturdy tables and benches were scattered about. And in the center, clustered around the glowing golden intruder, were twenty goblins, all armored, armed and very much on the alert.
They were staring up at the light and muttering among themselves in their coarse goblin speech. A very large goblin poked at the seeker with a halberd.
One of the goblins turned from the light to look back the way it had come. His piggy little eyes widened at the sight of the three human heads peeking around the corner and he opened his tusked mouth to yell to his comrades.