Staff of Shigmar: Chapter 19, Part 3–The End

21 August 2026

We come at last to then end of this second book, Staff of Shigmar, with the last interaction of our heroes, followed by another “rant” by Gar, which gives us some hints of what will follow. Enjoy! (30 November 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 19, Part 3

Tevvy looked at them for a moment before following. He saw Marilee stagger toward the room where Rokwolf slept, but when she saw him lying there, sleeping peacefully, she turned and went to the other room, where she fell onto the bed next to Klare, sobbing into the pillow. Tevvy looked to Delgart who stood watching her. He lifted one arm feebly, as if he were reaching out to her, then he turned and went to his chair at the head of the table. He sat down, putting his head into his hands.

“Delgart,” Tevvy said, standing next to him and putting a hand on his arm, “what are you doing here? I thought you were at Holvar, with the seklesem?”

“I was,” Delgart replied without looking up, “and we came to help the kailum, but when we climbed up to the sewer gate, we found it open, and the sewers filled with purem and ghelem. They were so intent on entering the city that they never looked behind them. We were able to climb up the scaling ladders they brought, and enter the sewers after them. We fought our way forward and took the first bridge, then companies of the Third Legion went right and left; we were with those who came toward our sanctuary. We started to fight our way forward, when we heard a shout from behind. We looked up and saw a wave of total blackness coming toward us over the river; we saw purem and ghelem turned to bones when the wave touched them. So we fled this way, trying to get to our sanctuary before the wave hit us, but just before it reached us, it winked out, taking those squads, including our company captain, who were near the front. She was a good captain: Marilee served under her when she was a squad leader, when Marilee went out on her first squad assignment.” His voice trailed off, his head sinking onto the table.

“Where is the rest of your squad?” Tevvy asked.

Delgart’s voice was muffled as he did not raise his head. “Rellik took them to help the others; some of them must have escaped the wave.”

Tevvy let his hand fall from Delgart’s arm. Before he could decided whether or not he should wake Rokwolf, he heard a hum and saw a gray shimmering archway open next to the table near the door; Thal came through, leading the rest of their horses, all strung together in a line, and on the last horse, the kortexi’s warhorse, lay the limp form of Klaybear. Tevvy stepped forward and pointed.

“Over there, Thal,” Tevvy said, “there is a new room, a stable, where you can lead the horses.”

Blakstar stepped through the archway, lifting his sword and sliding it back into its sheath; the archway winked out.

“What happened to Klaybear?” Tevvy asked.

Delgart looked up, hearing the name of his brother.

“He used the staff to save the city,” Thal noted dully, “but we cannot determine if he lives, or if he is dead.”

“My lord,” a harsh voice stammered.

“I saw,” Gar replied, and he laughed. “Well done, chosen!” he spat. “You’ve done my work for me, and now the kailum of Shigmar have been destroyed!”

“But my lord,” the voice begged, “our losses have crippled us.”

“Yes,” Gar replied, “between those lost by Xythrax to the seklesem, and those lost by Motodu, this victory has been costly, but well worth the price.” He thought for a minute, and the servant waited nervously. “We will recoup our losses, much more quickly than our enemies, and our enemies will help us.” He looked down at his servant. “Take word to the breeding pits; tell the puram to take the breeders into the world above; have them find the strongest, the smartest, and the most cunning, and force them to copulate with our breeders. Return them to the breeding pits, and as soon as they spawn, take them back into the world above for more. We will rebuild our armies, from the kortexi’s offspring, and the offspring of the discredited seklesi, and they will be led by the kortexi’s son.”

“Yes, my lord,” the servant bowed and left.

Gar sat on his throne, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, hands together in front of his face, fingers tapping. “But you, Motodu, you I no longer trust,” he whispered to himself. “But then, neither can I trust Xythrax with such power; I must place it somewhere out of their reach, baiting a trap to catch those would-be heroes.” He laughed again, the cruel sound echoing off the walls around him; the servants in the room cowered.

THE END of The Staff of Shigmar. The story continues in The Morgle Unmasked: Book 3 of The Redemption.

We hope our readers have enjoyed this serialization of the second book of The Redemption series. Come back next week when we will begin serializing the third book in this series, The Morgle Unmasked. Until then, get a full ebook copy of both the Staff of Shigmar and Chosen of the One from Smashwords for free! If you prefer print, purchase your copy from the link provided. Good reading!