Shadow Mage (Blacklight Chronicles) by John Forrester Page B

“Whatever is down here was probably only accessible by Master Viridian, and maybe only one other wizard as backup.”
    “Why do you say that?” Nikulo said.
    “Who are the two wizards in the Order that possess the only knowledge that none other in Naru have? Master Viridian knew Light Magic, and Mistress Cavares knows Rune Magic. May I?” Talis gestured towards the dead end. Palarian and Mara moved aside, allowing him to pass.
    “I doubt we’ve activated any magical ward.” There was still magic resonating along these walls, perhaps some kind of ward that was permanent? He closed his eyes, imagining Master Viridian and Mistress Cavares sneaking down to the dark part of the archives. He pictured Master Viridian illuminating the way with Light Magic, and coming here, to this very spot, and having the way magically open for him. That was it. Light Magic.  
    He stepped back and cast a spell summoning a small amount of Light Magic. With the golden light burning knife-edge shadows across the stone wall, Talis heard a rumbling sound as the end of the stone corridor opened before them. Mara beamed and flung her arms around him. They did it, the spell had worked.  
    Talis stepped down into the dark chamber, allowing the orb of light to illuminate the massive room. The door scraped closed behind them. The ceiling was made of stone blocks held up by enormous pillars, but parts of the walls were exposed earth mottled with rocks and crystals. The center area contained hundreds of wooden cabinets stacked atop broad stone tables. A thick layer of dirt and dust covered the surfaces, as if no one had ever cleaned in the last hundred years.  
    “We’ve found it…the Dark Archives.” Palarian sauntered over to a cabinet, and ran a finger across the thick dust. “Unused, perhaps? Kept and stored, but not taught or practiced. I wonder if any of the masters have even learned Shadow Magic?”
    “I think at least one. I suspect Mistress Cavares has spent time down here learning a few of the spells. At least what she taught me seemed infused with dark magic.”
    “But wouldn’t she have been required to come with Master Viridian?” Mara said.
    Talis scratched the back of his head. “Not necessarily. Either she also knows Light Magic, or she set a different opening ward on the door to allow entry using another spell or possibly a spoken password.”
    “It’s likely that she came on her own,” Nikulo said. “Master Viridian hated dark magic, I doubt he would have allowed any wizard of the Order to study it unless there was a pressing reason to do so.”
    “Like an invasion from the Jiserian Empire? Whose sorcerers have mastered Shadow Magic?”
    “They’re just as bad.” Palarian searched for a way to open a cabinet. “They practice dark arts but fail to master the light. They go mad as well. The Jiserians exploit that madness to their advantage. Driving them to even more ruthless acts of war. No sane person could ever be compelled to do that.”
    “Can’t open it?” Mara said, and inspected the cabinet the old man was trying to open.
    “Doesn’t seem to want to let me open it.” Palarian stepped back and thrust his hands on his hips.
    “More locked doors down here,” Nikulo said, and poked his head around a stone block. “I’ve found six other stairwells.”
    “So this is the main chamber?” Talis glanced around the huge, shadow-infested room.
    Mara shrugged. “Let’s explore. We can always come back later.”
    “Keep together, you never know what’s lurking down there.” Talis pictured the shadow creatures from the Underworld.
    “You’re telling me the archives have some kind of shadow guards?” Mara said.
    “Who knows what your Order placed down here.” Palarian sniffed the air like he caught a hint of some secret. “Could be magical wards with all manner of spells behind them, or perhaps the young master is correct, there might be shadow creatures farther down, guarding their secrets.”
    Talis