Staff of Shigmar: Chapter 8, Part 1

24 April 2026

In today’s installment from the serialization of the second book of our epic fantasy, Staff of Shigmar, we begin the eighth chapter as the chosen enter the strange building that is supposed to be Shigmar’s tomb. . . . (29 December 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 8, Part 1

There are many possible dimensions beyond that which we currently inhabit, many of them nearly identical to ours. Further, we believe it possible to create slices of a single dimensional reality, slices dominated by a single elemental force, giving us the opportunity to study the inner workings of each elemental force. Besides study, it seems to me highly likely that we can find other uses for such dimensional slices. . . .

from Annals of Melbarth, Eighth Series, Early Lectures of the Hierarchs
Lecture by Sedra Melbarth

The square interior of the white marble building was lit by magluku floating in the four corners of the room. At the center of the room was an altar, also of white marble, square and ornately carved; in front of the back wall they saw the same statue as they had seen in the square of Kalbant, the twelve foot high figure of Shigmar. As they moved forward, following Tevvy as he searched the floor for traps, they saw words carved into the flat surface of the square marble altar:

“What does it say?” Blakstar asked.

“Shigmar, kailu of the One,” Klaybear replied and pointed to the first word, “that is how his name looks in ancient.” His voice was hushed.

Blakstar pointed to the surface of the altar, over Shigmar’s name. “That looks like the place in the wall of the sewers, where I put my sword to open the door. Do you think it opens a door in here?”

“It must,” Thal said, “since I do not see a staff anywhere.”

“Or any other way to enter the tomb,” Klaybear said.

“I thought this was his tomb,” Blakstar said.

Klaybear shook his head. “No, this is only the entrance to the tomb,” he replied. “The tomb is somewhere below, after we pass through whatever protects the tomb and staff.”

Thal pointed at the altar. “There are two other holes in the surface,” he said, “one next to Kailu, and a smaller one next to Eli. The larger one looks about the size of a staff, and the smaller, the size of a rod.” He looked at Klaybear, face wrinkled in surprise. “How can we enter the tomb to retrieve that staff, if we need sword, staff, and rod to open the door?”

“We don’t,” Tevvy said from the floor behind the altar, “there is a catch here, at the base of the altar that, when released, allows the entire altar to slide back. There is probably a ladder descending into the tomb beneath the altar.”

“Then,” Thal said, “what function do these openings serve?”

Blakstar reversed his sword. “Let’s find out,” he said, sliding the sword into the slot above the first kailu’s name.

When the sword slid into place, both the altar and will-giver’s pommel stone glowed brightly with an unearthly light. Pieces of light gathered over the surface of the altar, forming into the head of the figure whose statue looked down upon the altar. The head constructed of light opened its eyes and spoke:

“Chosen of the One, although the words I speak sound strange in my ears, I know, by the power of the One, that you will understand me, speaking out of what will be your distant past. I greet you, knowing that you are well-prepared for what lies ahead, and that you have come here seeking one of the three keys, my staff. It lies below, and I’m sure your klitodweri has already told you how to move the altar and open the door. As you have been told, to succeed in passing through the elemental realms below and to retrieve my staff, you must be inexperienced in your orders, as opposition to test you is placed below according to your experience. Melbarth created the ‘proportion,’ as he called it, so that the more experienced one is, the opposition is that many times more experienced than the one who entered, so in your case, inexperienced, opposition will be equal, or also, inexperienced. It does not make any sense to Karble or I, but Melbarth assures us it will prevent Gar from entering the tomb, or sending anyone into the tomb to steal the staff. Perhaps your maghi can understand what Melbarth has done, but I wander.”

They looked at Thal, who only smiled and nodded.

“Only the three key holders, along with your klitodweri should enter my tomb. The Fereghen and Feragwen, and the bane of the Fire Queen, three of the younger order, and the beloved opener, the second chosen of my own order, would not survive the test, dooming your quest before it begins. If any have insisted on coming with you, he, or she, can safely remain here until your return. However, knowing, as I do, the workings of the One, I’m nearly certain that only four of the chosen are here listening to me.”

Again, they exchanged glances, but no one spoke.

“This building, now that you have entered and closed the door, will no longer appear in the material world, but any of the chosen may use one of the keys to enter here directly, the method learned from your kortexi. As your maghi has probably already surmised, there is more than one message stored here, information that will aid you in your labors at the appropriate time. Chosen, use your weapons well, sing your ortheks boldly to the One, and you will find what you seek. May you be cradled in the hands of the One.”

The light filling the altar winked out along with the pommel stone of will-giver; the pieces of light forming Shigmar’s head separated and faded from view. Blakstar withdrew his sword, re-sheathing it with a familiar steely hiss.

Klaybear turned to Thal. “So, do you understand what Melbarth meant?”

Thal nodded. “I think so,” he replied. “If we converted our level of experience to a number, say one, and you raised that number, one, to the same power, the answer would be one, making the opposition equal to us, or, as inexperienced as we are. If, however, the number equivalent of the person’s experience who entered was, say, five, then you raise five to the fifth power to determine the number, or experience level, equivalent of the opposition placed in the tomb, which would be,” Thal thought for a moment, “three thousand, one hundred and twenty-five.”

Blakstar and Tevvy were completely puzzled by Thal’s explanation; Klaybear was silent for a moment, thinking hard.

“So, what you’re saying,” Klaybear said slowly, “is that if Gar sent one of the ponkolu into the tomb, it would face opposition thousands of times more powerful?”

Thal shook his head. “More like a million, or maybe even a billion, times more powerful, depending on how you fixed the experience level of the ponkolu who entered.”

Blakstar was shocked. “Now I can understand why Rokwolf threatened to knock me out if I tried to fight.”

Thal nodded. “Even equal opposition will be difficult, for we have no idea how long the test will be.”

Klaybear shook his head but did not speak.

“What did he call me?” Tevvy asked, after a moment of stunned silence.

Thal looked at Tevvy. “It was, I think, klitodweri,” he replied.

“What is that?” Tevvy asked.

“Well,” Thal said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, “the last part of the word means ‘door,’ the first part is more difficult, as it has probably been contracted from something longer, probably the word that means ‘to listen to,’ so we might translate the word as ‘one who listens at doors.’”

Blakstar snorted. “A spy,” he noted.

“Not exactly,” Thal said. “In the prophecy we read, Shigmar called you the ‘cunning mouse,’ and what we have to understand about all language is that it is metaphoric,” he said, and seeing their confused faces, added, “symbolic, meaning that the words we use stand in place of the things we refer to. Let’s take a relevant example,” he said, pointing to Blakstar. “His order we name kortexi, which has been contracted from the original, koro-teks-na-eis, which means, literally, ‘the maker, or craft, of holy war,’ expressing something of what Blakstar does, and what he represents, a holy warrior in service of the One.”

“So,” Tevvy began, speaking slowly, “he did not mean that I am someone who simply listens at doors, but someone who gathers secrets and information, in the service of the One,” he finished, his face lighting with delight.

“A thief by any other name,” Blakstar mumbled to himself. He looked away, toward the statue. “Shouldn’t we be moving on,” he said in a louder voice, “since we know how to enter the tomb?”

“Right,” Tevvy said, smiling. “I’ll release the catch, if you will slide the altar that way,” he pointed toward the statue, then stooped. “Push now,” he said after a moment.

Blakstar bent over the altar and pushed it toward the statue. It slid smoothly over the floor, revealing an opening with steel rungs driven into the stone wall of the square shaft, on the side nearest the altar. Tevvy moved over to the side with the ladder and started to climb down.

“Do you need a light?” Klaybear asked.

Tevvy paused and looked up; he shook his head. “I can see better without the light,” he noted, and he started down again. “Give me a moment, then follow.” He disappeared into the darkness below.

Blakstar set his foot on the first rung.

“Hang on,” Thal protested, “he said to give him a moment.”

“I’m just getting ready,” Blakstar replied sheepishly.

They saw a flash of light, illuminating for a moment the passageway, which was about thirty feet deep, but they saw no sign of Tevvy. Blakstar started to climb down quickly; Klaybear followed, with Thal bringing up the rear. . . .

Stay tuned for the next installment of this tale, coming to you next week on Monday, as the chosen penetrate deeper into Shigmar’s tomb, in search of the first kailu’s elusive staff, the object that will save the kailu school. Get a full ebook copy from Smashwords for free! If you prefer print, purchase your copy from the link provided. Good reading!