Staff of Shigmar: Chapter 18, Part 2

5 August 2026

In today’s installment from the second book of our epic fantasy, Staff of Shigmar, we follow Rokwolf and Tevvy as they return, with an unconscious Klare, to their sanctuary beneath Shigmar. (12 October 2015) 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 18, Part 2

When Rokwolf reached the gate, he paused to place Klare’s limp body onto Tevvy’s pony, and Tevvy took out the rusty key given to him by the Headmaster and unlocked the gate. Rokwolf led the pony through; Tevvy closed the gate again and tried to lock it and cursed.

“What’s wrong?” Rokwolf asked, wrapping a cloth around his mouth.

“The key won’t come out!” he exclaimed. He fiddled with the lock for a moment. “I can lock the gate, but the key will not come out, or I can leave the gate unlocked and take the key.”

“Will the gate stay closed when unlocked?” Rokwolf asked.

“Yes, but anyone could walk through,” Tevvy replied.

Rokwolf shook his head. “It is not very likely; how many people know about this entrance?”

“My sense from the Headmaster,” Tevvy said, “was that it was a secret known only to the Headmaster.”

Rokwolf thought for a moment. “Let me go and check that shelf again, just to be sure,” he said.

Tevvy nodded, opened the gate, and accepted the reins of his pony. Rokwolf stepped through and stopped at the end of the tunnel. After a moment of looking from the shadows, he slipped out of the tunnel and into the light of the sun nearing midday. He went first to the edge of the shelf looking down. He could see that climbing up would be difficult; he moved to where the shelf had fallen away and saw that Tevvy was correct in his assessment: the distance was too far to jump, and would have to be bridged somehow, which would require several people to climb first up to this side. He thought that one of the seklesem’s engineer companies could probably manage it, given time. He shaded his eyes and scanned the area. He turned to go, then turned back suddenly, looking again at a point far down the river, right at the edge of his vision. He frowned and re-entered the tunnel.

“Go out and take a look down the river,” Rokwolf said as he stepped through the gate. “I swear I caught a glimpse of something moving, and your eyes are sharper than mine.”

Tevvy nodded, handed him the reins, then stepped through the gate. He returned a few minutes later, shaking his head.

“Nothing,” Tevvy reported to Rokwolf. “Maybe you saw a stone fall, loosened by the heat of the sun.”

Rokwolf frowned again. “We need to get Klare to the sanctuary.”

“Will she be safe there?” Tevvy asked.

“What do you mean?” Rokwolf asked in turn. “I thought you said that only the chosen could enter there?”

Tevvy nodded. “That is true, but Thal was sure that Gar knows about it, and he believes that Gar could enter there, if the door were open.”

“What does the door have to do with it?” Rokwolf asked.

“I don’t really understand how it works,” Tevvy replied, “but when we close the door, while we are inside, time on the outside of the room stops; when we are on the outside of the room, time within the room stops, which is why we found things inside the room that were left by the founders, as new and fresh as if the founders put them there yesterday.”

Rokwolf nodded. “My brother mentioned it to me, and he seemed to think that if one of us were inside, while the others were outside, that the room would be sealed from intrusion, except for us, and time would move normally on either side of the door.”

Tevvy frowned. “As I’ve said, I have no idea how it works or what would happen; if he says so, I can only agree with him. What did you have in mind?”

“We need to put Klare in there, to keep her safe,” Rokwolf replied, “but I think that we should enter the city and find the Headmaster, to let him know what has happened.”

Tevvy thought for a moment. “Makes sense to me,” he agreed.

“We can come back by here,” Rokwolf added, “maybe you can figure out what’s wrong with the lock.”

“This way,” Tevvy said, leading his pony forward, her hooves echoing sharply on the stone. He stopped and rummaged through his saddle bags, pulling out several odd-shaped leather, cup-like objects. He bent and tapped his pony’s left fore-hoof, and she obediently lifted it. He slipped one of the leather objects over her hoof, tying it in place.

“Aah,” Rokwolf said, “those are useful.”

“More than useful,” Tevvy replied, moving around his pony and tying one on each hoof, “they protect her hooves from stone roads.”

“And,” Rokwolf interrupted, “mask the sounds of her hooves on the paving stones, particularly at night, when one desires to leave town in a hurry and without being noticed.”

Tevvy looked sheepish. “Well, yes, of course,” he stammered, “they also have that benefit.”

Rokwolf laughed softly. “Don’t let Blakstar see them,” he warned, smiling widely. “He’ll surely have a self-righteous fit.”

Tevvy frowned. “Don’t remind me,” the awemi snapped, “he is the reason I volunteered for this assignment: anything to get away from his eyes, always watching me, accusing me of thievery every chance he gets.”

“Don’t be too hard on him,” Rokwolf said, “he is a product of his order. And,” Rokwolf went on, stopping the awemi’s protest, “extremely valuable in a fight. Whenever you feel you cannot take him anymore, just think of what he did, by himself, to an entire company of purem.”

“With that sword,” Tevvy remarked, his eyes wide, “he could take on an entire legion. All he has to do is ride through their ranks, dragging that sword across any exposed skin–a scratch is enough–and the entire legion would surrender on the spot.”

“Is it really that powerful?” Rokwolf asked, his eyebrows rising.

“Have you forgotten what he just did?” Tevvy asked in surprise.

“Uh, no,” Rokwolf replied, “but we could attribute that to being berserk–I was talking about his sword.”

Tevvy nodded. “I saw it take the will from any creature it touched, like those mindless stone creatures that attacked us in the earth realm: one nick and the creature was prostrate on the ground, begging for mercy.” . . .

On Friday we will continue with these characters when they finally reach their sanctuary and discover the space has changed. . . . Until then, get a full ebook copy from Smashwords for free! If you prefer print, purchase your copy from the link provided. Good reading!