Staff of Shigmar: Chapter 2, Part 3

14 March 2026

We return with the conclusion of Chapter 2 of Staff of Shigmar: Book 2 of The Redemption, and follow the chosen as they discover what happened in the dungeon of Shigmar after they left. . . .(1 September 2014) We remind all readers that this book, Staff of Shigmar, as also the first book, is free for download from Smashwords! Glossary links: Book 2, Book 1

Chapter 2, Part 3

Blakstar zoomed after the thicker, and still visible, white string, which was unraveling and fading. They flew again through the walls of Shigmar, through the city, and straight under the school, into the dungeon level. The string winked out as they entered the hallway leading to the cells, but they could see little, as the hallway was filled with dust and smoke. Blakstar moved them forward slowly.

Wait, came Klare’s voice, there is someone on the floor in front of the door.

Blakstar stopped and turned to see what Klare had noticed.

On the floor in front of the door out of the dungeon area, a figure lay just short of the door, coughing in the dusty air. Klare reached out with green-glowing mental hands to examine the fallen figure. The dust cleared slightly, and Klaybear identified him.

It is Ghreis Prokarts, his voice said, Master of Soldiers, and member of the Council. How is he?

Nothing serious, came Klare’s voice. What happened here?

Ghreis’s eyes widened, but then Blakstar heard his mental voice. Is that you, Klarissa?

Yes, she replied.

We used aneksaro to question the dead captain, Ghelvon, and his apprentice. When we enacted the orthek on Malkonik, something happened: a red globe of power came into being in his dead hands and exploded.

Who? Klare thought.

The Headmaster, Avril, Storga, and Wegex. They must be on the other side of the blast, although I fear for them. I think Avril dragged Myron into that strange side room, where you were. Who put you there? Ghreis thought to Klare.

Malkonik, she replied. Ghelvon was controlled by a kwalu.

Yes, Ghreis replied, we saw it hovering above the bodies, and thought it was responsible for the blast.

No, came Thal’s voice, I think it was a morgle who possesses the rod of Melbarth.

Who are you? came Ghreis’s voice.

Thal, son of Kalamar, white maghi, replied Thal. The kortexi, Blakstar, just severed a power link between the morgle and Ghelvon’s apprentice.

That must be why I, at least, am still alive, came Ghreis’s voice.

The morgle held open a door, Thal thought, that was allowing an army to pass through.

I notice your use of the past tense, Ghreis thought, are you implying that you stopped the army? How many got through?

It looked like only the vanguard, Blakstar thought, hiding behind the hill north and west of the city.

And you must be the kortexi, Sir Blakstar, Ghreis thought.

Yes.

And I suppose Klaybear is also with you? Ghreis thought.

Yes, Klare replied.

I would not let Storga or Wegex know that, Ghreis thought, they remain convinced of your guilt. You should move on and see to the others. I’ll send a detail here to begin clearing the rubble, and a company to attack the forces you saw.

Ghreis got slowly to his feet, leaning heavily on his staff, and went through the door. Blakstar moved them forward toward the rubble blocked passageway and into it, passing through to the other side. They passed the door to the guard chamber and saw a figure lying on the floor in front of guard room and entrance to the cells. Klare moved toward the body, mental hands glowing green.

It is Storga, she thought. She is alive, although badly injured and will need help soon.

Blakstar moved them into the guard room where they saw a second body on the floor near the grate through which they had escaped. Again, Klare moved forward with green-glowing mental hands.

Wegex is dead, she thought. We must go back and find Avril and Myron in the side room.

Blakstar moved them back to the rubble blocking the passageway, turning when all three of the others sent the thought to him. He moved to the right and into the small space that was Klare’s prison. They heard coughing.

Avril? thought Klare.

Avril is dead, Myron’s mental voice replied, filled with sorrow. He pulled me into this room, and he was between me and the wall when the blast struck us.

No! Klare’s mental voice sobbed.

Master? Klaybear thought, are you injured?

My right arm is broken in several places, his mental voice sighed, probably Avril getting back at me for breaking his arm when we were boys. How did you find us?

We have no time for that now, Headmaster, Thal thought, we found Master Ghreis near the door out of the dungeon; he was relatively unhurt. He left to send soldiers to begin clearing the rubble, and also, he went to repel the vanguard of an army north of the city, an army that appeared through a door opened by a morgle who possesses Melbarth’s rod.

Are you certain? the Headmaster thought.

Yes, Thal continued, we were all four awakened by the kortexi’s sword, humming. It appears that the three keys are connected to each other, so we followed the active thread and found the morgle holding a door open with a rod that can only be Melbarth’s. On the other side of the rubble, we found Mistress Storga still alive, but in need of immediate care; Master Wegex is also there but dead. I think we can get to her through the sewers, the same way we escaped the dungeon.

Where are you? Myron asked.

We are hidden in a secret chamber beneath the sewers, Thal replied, one that can only be entered using the kortexi’s sword as a key.

Is the awemi, Tevvy, there? Myron asked.

No, Thal replied. He went back into the sewers about an hour and a half ago to spy on some soldiers that we reasoned should not have been in the sewers.

He should have come back by now, Klaybear thought.

You let him go out by himself? Klare thought, after what happened to me?

Those were the instructions given by the One, Klaybear replied.

We cannot trust him Blakstar thought, he is a thief.

A thief? Myron thought. No, he is a scout, and he was simply doing his job.

No, he admitted stealing things from people in the market of Shigmar, Blakstar thought, he must be punished. He has probably abandoned us.

I do not think so, Myron replied. His father and mother were both loyal to us; it is more likely that he has been captured by whoever is skulking around the sewers, which, I think, must be related to the attack on the city. The Headmaster paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. There is no hint of evil in the awemi, if there were, I would have noticed it. You have to learn to trust him, Sir Blakstar. I can tell you from personal experience with his father and mother that he will save your life, using the skills for which you feel he should be punished.

But it is wrong! Blakstar protested.

Only in your world of absolutes, Myron replied. Is it wrong for the kortexem to murder people?

We do not murder! the kortexi exclaimed, appalled.

Do you not, as part of your job, deprive people of their lives? Myron thought.

Only those who deserve to die, for being evil and fighting against the good.

And how do you make that determination? Myron thought. How do you determine who deserves to die? Do you pause in the middle of the fight, asking a series of questions, carefully weighing the answers to decide if your opponent is evil and deserves to die?

There followed a mental snort. Of course not, Blakstar replied, we must fight and survive, in order for the good to survive.

So it is a case of kill, or be killed? Myron asked.

I suppose in battle it is.

So I ask again, is it not your job to deprive people of their lives?

Yes, he answered slowly, reluctantly.

And does the person want to lose his life?

Not usually.

So you are taking his life against his will, which is the definition of murder.

Yes . . . I mean, no. You are confusing me, Headmaster. I am not an intellectual.

I’m sorry to confuse you, but it is necessary that you understand why you must not punish Tevvy. Let me ask a different question. If you returned to Karble and showed your masters what is inscribed on your chest, what do you suppose would happen?

I don’t know.

What happened here, in Shigmar, where we are not so absolute as the kortexem, when the Council saw the marks more visible?

We were condemned to death.

So what would happen in the city of absolutes, the home of your order?

They would kill me.

The kortexi deflated; Myron reached out to Blakstar with his mental hands, surrounded by green light. The others followed the Headmaster’s example, reaching out to comfort him.

Are you suggesting, Headmaster, Blakstar thought, that there is no absolute good or absolute evil?

No, Myron replied, but it is dangerous to think only in absolutes. Look at what happened here in Shigmar. The Council, and many kailum, saw the marks on all of you and concluded you were all evil and should be destroyed. And yet, you fulfill all the signs of the prophecy: why else would Gar be expending so much energy and so many resources to destroy you? It is because he recognizes who you truly are, and he also recognizes the power of words and signs. What most fail to realize is that signs and words only have power to harm us if we give to the signs and words the power to harm us.

Huh? Blakstar thought, confused.

If we empower the word or sign, we attach significance to the sign; if the significance we attach is negative, then the sign becomes negative to us. However, it is not the sign itself that is negative, but the significance we attach to it. So, we harm ourselves by choosing to see a sign as negative, or evil, and so ultimately, we are harming ourselves; no one does it to us.

Yes, I see, master, Klaybear put in. I saw that happen in Klare’s mind, after we severed the compulsion placed there by Gar, himself. As I, with the help of the One and others, knit the pattern of her mind back together, I saw that the pattern had been subtly altered, and so no longer appeared to be the sign we associate with Gar, and evil.

What compulsion? Klare’s voice asked.

Nevermind, Klare, Myron thought. You have to go and help both Storga and Tevvy; I do not know how you will get past the soldiers that I am sure Ghreis has sent into the sewers looking for you.

Thal interrupted. I do not think he will send any. Before he left, he warned us against Mistress Storga and Master Wegex, saying he did not think they were convinced of our innocence, but that he was.

That may be true, Myron thought back, but do not trust anyone you meet, for I fear that very few, if any, will be convinced that you are anything other than evil. Send Klare, or Tevvy, if you run into anyone. We still have to get you out of Shigmar and on your way to collect the second key, and we have to do it before we are surrounded by hostile forces.

I need my horse, Blakstar thought, and the rest of my equipment.

We all need horses, Thal added.

When I get out of here, Myron replied, I will see if I can get them somewhere outside the city, near the waterfall.

We cannot get out that way, Headmaster, Thal said, the path has fallen away.

Then I’ll get them out and near our private entrance to Shigmar.

It shall be as you say, master, Klaybear thought.

Take us back to our sanctuary, Sir Blakstar, Thal thought, we have work to do.

Come back Tuesday for another installment from our tale; we will return with the chosen to their sanctuary where they realize that they must search for Tevvy and help the injured in the dungeon. Get a full ebook copy from Smashwords for free! If you prefer print, purchase your copy from the link provided. Good reading!