Chosen of the One: Chapter 15, Part 2

13 February 2026

In today’s installment of the first book of The Redemption series, Chosen of the One, we return to Tevvy; having put the dungeon guards to sleep, the awemi scout begins searching the cells to release his fellows, imprisoned for treason and under the sentence of death. . . . (19 May 2014) We again remind our readers to right-click on the Glossary link, open in a new tab or window, thus enabling the reader to learn what each of these new terms mean.

Chapter 15, Part 2

Tevvy’s short awemi stature made it difficult to look into each cell, but his awemi vision made it easy to see inside without a light. The first cell was empty, he could see this after climbing the door and looking through the grate. Then he remembered the slot for food. He stooped to look through the slot on the second cell, seeing a wethi-shaped heat-source. He separated two keys from the others, the most worn, which likely opened the door the second guard sat by, and the one he had used to enter this hallway. He tried three keys before he found the right one, and the sounds he made brought whoever was in the cell to the door.

“Who are you?” the voice of the kortexi asked.

“Shh! You’ll wake the guard,” Tevvy whispered. “The Headmaster sent me to rescue you.”

“What?” Blakstar’s voice behind the door asked.

“Quiet!” Tevvy hissed. “The guard is nearby.”

Tevvy turned the key and opened the door. The slight noise caused the guard to twitch.

The tall, well-built kortexi stepped out, saw him, and began glaring at him.

“Quickly,” Tevvy whispered, ignoring his look, closing and locking the door after Blakstar slipped out. He looked back at the guard, then pulled on Blakstar’s arm, pulling the much taller wethi down. Blakstar lowered his head, knowing that the awemi wanted to whisper in his ear. “Do you know where the others are?”

“Further down,” Blakstar whispered and gestured irritably.

“Grab one of those torches,” Tevvy said softly, “you check on the left, while I check on the right.”

Having the kortexi made Tevvy’s job easier, he had to admit, as Blakstar could whisper through the door and see who was inside. In this way, they quickly located Thal, then Delgart, Marilee, and finally Klaybear in the last cell.

“We’ve got to get out of here, quickly,” Tevvy whispered, “we have, maybe, fifteen minutes before the guards wake.”

“I cannot leave without my sword and the Waters,” Blakstar noted.

Tevvy’s mouth fell open. “Are you insane?” he hissed. “If we’re here when the guards wake, we’ll all go to the block in the morning!”

“Blakstar is right,” Thal said. “His sword is a key to our future success and survival, and I need my rod and orthek components.”

“I need my staff,” Klaybear added.

“And we need weapons and armor,” Marilee said, “but we can take the guards’ equipment for now.”

With each addition, Tevvy got more angry. “Do you people have any notion of where we are? Or our current position, should we be found, and what they’ll do to us?”

“If they had taken all your equipment,” Thal said, “would you be any less eager to recover it, despite the bleak circumstances?” He paused before going on. “And yes, we are quite aware of our desperate situation, and the consequences, should we be caught.”

Tevvy closed his mouth, looking from one face to another, then his eyes rested on Klaybear. “Surely, as one who follows the path of wisdom,” he paused, “surely, you see that the way to safety, the wisest path, is to leave quickly before we are caught?”

“I’m not going back into that cell,” Marilee noted, “so let’s go get some weapons so we have a fighting chance.”

Thal smiled, an action that looked out of place on his grief-lined face. “Besides, when we put Blakstar’s sword back into his hand, he can open an archway that will take us instantly to a haven of safety.”

Blakstar nodded. “That, at least, is true.”

Tevvy threw up his hands in exasperation, and as a sign of surrender, turned on his heel, and stalked back the way he had come, mumbling the while.

“I have not had the chance to greet you, brother,” Delgart whispered behind Tevvy, and the awemi ground his teeth as the whisper sounded loud in his ears. He turned to look back, glaring, and saw Klaybear embrace Delgart, patting him on the back.

“Nor I you,” Klaybear said. “We thought you dead, or worse.”

“The ‘or worse’ is true,” Delgart replied, “but with the One’s help, I managed to survive.”

Klaybear smiled. “You and Rokwolf look more like twins than he and I, who are twins, do.”

“Yes,” Delgart replied, “and you favor mother. How is Rokwolf?”

“I have not seen him in quite a while,” Klaybear remarked, “different orders, different paths. Marilee can tell you more, since they worked together.”

Tevvy shook his head and muttered about loud wethem, then he moved on. Blakstar and Thal had moved after Tevvy. Marilee was a step behind them. Klaybear, with one arm still around his older brother’s shoulders, followed, still whispering to each other.

“The headmaster said you are married,” Delgart said.

“Yes,” Klaybear replied, “but I’m worried about her; she wasn’t at the trial, and neither Myron nor Avril could tell me anything.”

“You’ll have to ask Tevvy,” Delgart said, “if he learned anything more.”

“I suppose,” Klaybear replied, “but now is not the time.” He paused a moment. “I found him lying wounded in the ditch the night I went to the glade, which was the day you were brought here, I was told.”

Delgart nodded. “Is Rokwolf also married?” he asked.

“No,” Klaybear answered, “but he fancies Marilee, although she is not interested in him, at least not as a spouse. Maybe now that she’s been,” he searched for a moment for the right word, “wounded, maybe he will leave her alone as there is someone else who has long fancied him.”

Tevvy stopped and turned back, looking daggers at them both. He saw a flicker of annoyance pass through Delgart’s face, and interrupted them before Delgart could reply.

Tevvy stood, glaring at them, fists on his hips. “I can hear you all the way down this hall; are you trying to start the fight before we get some weapons?”

“Have you seen Klare?” Klaybear asked, obviously trying to distract him.

Tevvy let his hands fall from his hips; his glare melted. He swallowed hard before speaking. “She came back to the house mid-morning the day after you found me, to check on me and give me breakfast. Someone came to the door, who I did not see,” he added quickly, to forestall Klaybear’s obvious question, “and she left with that person, telling me that she was called back to the school on an urgent matter. I discovered later that she had gone into the west guard tower, but we never managed to slip inside, or see her, although we watched for three days. I went to look for her, at her master’s behest, during your trial but found nothing. The Headmaster told me tonight that no one had seen her since the day she left your home on the supposedly urgent business.”

Klaybear, who had been smiling, let his arm fall from Delgart’s shoulders, his smile wrinkling into a look of concern. The blood left his face, leaving him pale. “I have a terrible feeling that she is in great danger,” he said. “We must find her!”

Tevvy spoke, although there was no evidence of anger in his whispered voice, more the hint of someone who was proceeding forward with great caution. “May I remind you that we are still in the dungeon; we cannot start looking here. We have to go back to the last place she was seen, then go from there, that guard tower. The Headmaster said there was a way in from the sewers, so that is where I will go once you all are safe.”

There were tears in the young kailu’s eyes. He nodded once, but Tevvy could tell exactly what he was thinking.

Tevvy went on. “I’ve given both guards another dose of medicine, so that they will sleep longer, but we still have to hurry; we have, maybe, an hour before the guard changes.” He looked up at his taller companions. “Do you have any idea where your stuff is?”

They nodded, and Blakstar spoke. “Just down the hall is a common room where the guards gather. They took our things there and carried them into the captain’s office, off the main room.”

“Are there any guards in the hallway?” Tevvy asked.

“At least one,” Blakstar replied, “standing guard at the door.”

“How many inside?”

“Maybe half-a-dozen,” Blakstar answered, “but I would think that they are sleeping now, since they appeared to live in that common area.”

“Maybe they keep their arms and armor in there,” Marilee put in, “as these two don’t really have anything worth taking.”

A door opened and shut, echoing down the hallway. Tevvy cursed. “Karasun! I should have dragged all of you into the sewer when I had the chance!”

Blakstar and Marilee moved instantly to the door, peeking out of the grate to see who was coming. “It’s Master Ghelvon and his apprentice,” Marilee whispered over her shoulder, “coming down the hall toward us. I think it’s time to go,” Marilee added and signaled the others that they should get into the sewer. Tevvy was already lifting the cover; Thal started to climb down. Marilee gestured again, and they all stopped, hearing the words of the conversation echoing down the long hallway and through the door.

“. . . equipment?” Ghelvon asked, his voice clear to Tevvy.

“No, my lord, not yet,” another voice replied.

“Idiot! I told you to do that first thing!” Ghelvon’s voice exclaimed.

“You called me, my lord, to take care of the wetha,” the other voice whined. “I did not have time to see that their equipment was taken from here.”

“I ought to flay your soul from your body for disobeying me!” Ghelvon growled. “But you are right, I did call you then.”

Marilee waved frantically to them, signaling that they should come and see. Klaybear stood at her shoulder while Delgart stood at Blakstar’s shoulder. “He just backhanded his apprentice, and threatened him: is that common practice here?” Marilee asked.

Klaybear shook his head, but did not continue, as Ghelvon was speaking again.

“I do not trust Myron: he might do something rash,” he paused. “Yes, the wetha, Klaybear’s kara, she must be further damaged.”

Klaybear gripped Marilee’s arm and exchanged glances with the others. “Further damaged?” he whispered.

“And I will take as much pleasure in damaging her as Rupansa and Demansa did in damaging the kortexi.” Ghelvon spoke relish.

“My lord,” the other said, “she has given me much pleasure, using the red kailu techniques you have taught me.”

“Yes, kerteradi,” Ghelvon replied, “and haven’t they been worth the price of your treachery?” he asked.

“That’s not Ghelvon,” Klaybear whispered, pointing, “no kailu can do that.”

“Do what?” Tevvy asked.

“Open a doorway where there was only wall,” Klaybear replied.

Tevvy saw Blakstar’s face had turned red, his eyes filled with anger. Only when a low growl escaped from his clenched teeth did the others notice, and only just in time to see him reach for the door handle, wrenching handle and lock from the door. He kicked the door open, breaking one of its hinges, and hurled himself at Ghelvon like an arrow loosed from a bow. Ghelvon looked up at the sound, but only had time to smile before Blakstar crashed into him, an odd smile coming from someone who was about to be torn apart by a berserk kortexi. The apprentice was knocked into the wall by the impact of the kortexi against his master. By the time the two hit the floor, Blakstar already had his hands around Ghelvon’s neck, squeezing with all the rage Tevvy has seen in his face. The crunching of bones echoed down the hall, and a strange red-tinged black mist lifted from Ghelvon’s now lifeless from. Its shape was vaguely like a wethi, staring at them from red-lit eyes. It picked up the kortexi, tossed him around, and hurled him into one of the stone walls, a strange disembodied laughter echoing from the misty form. Blakstar’s body slid down the wall and lay limp on the floor. The misty shape reached inside the apprentice, and he screamed horribly, as if in extreme pain. The apprentice’s chest ripped open and a misty hand emerged, clutching the still beating heart. The apprentice slumped, the scream changing to a groan as the last air escaped his lungs. The misty form held out the heart toward where they stood, dumbfounded, in the doorway, before dropping the now still heart and howling as it flew through the ceiling.

Delgart was the first to recover, rushing forward to check on Blakstar. Klaybear was close behind, but he did not stop at the kortexi, instead rushing into the hole in the wall to find Klare. The others followed more slowly, not sure what had happened. Tevvy mumbled to himself, thinking he had been foolish to agree to rescue these wethem–they were too much trouble.

“How is he?” Marilee asked.

“I think he was only knocked out, probably due to being berserk,” Delgart said, “he probably won’t remember what has happened.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” Marilee said, looking pale and sick.

“You realize that we have only moments,” Tevvy noted, somewhat drily, “before everyone above comes rushing down to investigate? I’m surprised the other guards haven’t come bursting out.”

Delgart looked up. “That is strange, but you are right, Tevvy, we have only moments. Do you still have those keys?”

Tevvy nodded, holding up his hand.

“Let’s see what happened to the guards,” Delgart said.

Tevvy opened the door, and they were greeted by another grisly scene. The room was a mess, as if something had exploded in the center of the room, hurling all contents and occupants against the walls. The guards were dead, looks of absolute horror on their faces. Their captain, at least that is who they assumed he was, lay at the center of the storm, the flesh of his right hand burned away, still trying to hold a sword.

“That’s Blakstar’s sword,” Thal noted. “You don’t suppose that is what happens when someone else tries to use it?”

“It looks that way,” Delgart replied. “Thal, you go with Tevvy into the Captain’s room and see if you can find the rest of your gear. Marilee, see what you can find for the rest of us–weapons and armor.”

“Right, let’s go, Tevvy,” Thal said, leading the awemi into the next room.

“What do we do about the sword?” Marilee asked, her voice following Tevvy and Thal into the other room.

“When they find its scabbard,” Delgart’s voice answered, “we’ll use the dead wethi’s hand and put it back.”

Tevvy heard the sounds of doors opening and closing as he and Thal found their things piled on the guard captain’s desk.

“There’s plenty here for all of us, in assorted sizes, so we should be able to leave well-equipped, if we hurry,” Marilee said as Tevvy and Thal grabbed their missing gear, then returned to the other room.

Delgart took Blakstar’s belt from Tevvy, and with Marilee’s help, he slipped the sword back into its scabbard. He handed the belt back to Thal.

“Anything missing?” Delgart asked.

Thal shook his head. “It was still lying on the desk,” he replied, “it appears they tried the sword before doing anything else, which is a good thing for us, otherwise we’d be in trouble.”

“We’re still in trouble,” Tevvy noted drily.

“Why don’t you go see how Klaybear is doing, while we get equipped,” Delgart said.

Tevvy nodded and left the room, finding Klaybear supporting Klare and moving toward him. When he led the two green kailum into the guards’ common room, he saw that Marilee had already found studded leather armor that fit and had buckled it on, along with studded leather leg and arm greaves. She belted on a sword and dagger, selected a bow and filled a quiver, and slung both over her shoulder. Delgart stood next to her, and she took similar armor out for him, helping him into it, then handing him the sword belt and dagger, bow and quiver. Thal had found some plain leather armor and buckled it on, turning in time to see Tevvy lead Klare and Klaybear into the room, clinging to each other.

“We have little time,” Delgart said. “Marilee, why don’t you help our two kailum get armed, while Thal and I go carry Blakstar back to the sewer entrance.”

The two kailum straightened up, going to the wall cabinet. They both selected suits of chain mail, helms, gauntlets, and greaves, along with weapons. Klaybear took a wicked-looking iron mace, and Klare a smaller, wooden-handled mace with finer spikes. Both slung shields over their shoulders. Marilee alternated between them, helping them into the armor and buckling it on.

Tevvy watched from the hallway, keeping his eyes on the progress of both groups, all the time feeling they should be running, especially when he heard pounding on the door leading up into the school; he went back into the room. “They’re ready,” he told Marilee, “although if one of you could wake up the kortexi, descent will be easier. Also, those two who came down must have bolted the door behind them: I can hear pounding coming from that direction.”

“Ready, dear?” Klaybear asked.

“I think so, although it has been a while since I wore this stuff,” she added, smiling.

“Let’s go see what we can do for Blakstar,” Klaybear said.

“How is he?” Thal asked.

Klare lowered her hands. “I don’t have time to probe very carefully, but he only seems bruised, with nothing broken, and no obvious internal injuries.” She nodded to her husband.

Klaybear laid his green-glowing hands on the kortexi’s head, whispering softly. After a few moments, Blakstar groaned and opened his eyes.

“What happened? Where are we?” Blakstar asked.

“What is the last thing you remember?” Klaybear asked.

“We were listening at the door to the pair who came down,” he replied. “Where are they?”

“Well, we don’t have time to explain,” Klaybear said, “but they are gone, we have our equipment back, and we need to escape into the sewers; how do you feel?”

“A little weak, maybe shaky, but I think I’m all right,” the kortexi replied.

“That is good,” Klaybear said.

Tevvy’s head appeared from below, out of the open sewer grate. “Things are getting worse,” he noted wryly.

“Why do you say that?” Klaybear asked. He and Klare were helping Blakstar to his feet. The others had already descended. They dropped the kortexi’s chain mail over his head, then helped him buckle on his belt.

“Someone is moving around in the sewer,” Tevvy answered, “and they are heading this way, coming from the direction the Headmaster told me we should go to escape.”

Next Monday, the chosen seek to find a way out of the sewers beneath Shigmar in an effort to leave the city and their death sentence behind; what they find is that the Lord of Evil, Gar, is not the only one who knew of them, and prepared for them, long before. For those who wish to read on, get the ebook version from Smashwords for free, or buy the print version from the link provided.