Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (5 page)

Dilintor bowed his head. “As you wish, my lord.”

Ansheth nodded and looked to Dreathous. “My lord, if I may, it could be hours, maybe even days before the gate is completely open.”

Dreathous smirked. “Just because you are far too weak to open the gate does not mean I am.” Dreathous raised his blade into the air and gripped it with his other hand.  He growled as the ominous red energy began to pulsate around the blade. “Do not doubt my power!” he screamed.

He swung the blade down, striking the ground.  Sounding like a large terrible crack of thunder, the energy shot from the blade.  It flew across the ground, causing it to crack and bulge.  The gate trembled as the energy struck it, pulsating across it.  The parted Eternal Sea began to spread even farther as the gate widened.  The red glow expanded past the monoliths, causing them crack and crumble.  Dreathous’ forces began to emerge.  An element of Enforcers and Battlemages, each wearing armor to match that of their General, emerged from the Exodus Gate.  Dreathous raised his sword and slung it across his back.  He knelt down and picked up his faceplate from the sand. 

Dreathous stood, clicking the faceplate into place. “Now, this world shall burn, and I shall bathe in the blood of the innocent!”  Dreathous let out a blood-curdling roar as the sun began to vanish behind the Telindell Mountains.

Eva sat in the room, seeming lost in meditation.  Suddenly, she opened her eyes.
“He comes,”
she thought.

Eva clutched her staff and stood up.  She looked around her home as if this were the last time she would ever lay eyes on it.  She opened the door and slowly walked outside.  The sky was beginning to darken as dusk quickly approached.  Her staff thumped along the ground as she drew near the rear gates where she had seen young Lian off.  Smoke could be seen rising into the air in the distance.  Villagers could be heard shouting to one another about it.  They were frightened of what could be in their forest.  The ground began to tremble.  The smoke drew closer as the villagers began to crowd behind Eva, who was standing twenty-five yards back from the gate amidst the huts and shacks of the village.

Eva turned her head back toward the villagers crowding behind her. “Summon the rest of the people here.  Now,” she commanded.

A frightened male villager nodded and ran off yelling for the few people that had not yet joined Eva to do so immediately.  The crackling of the flames burning the forest was quickly becoming audible to the villagers.  The fire was just outside the gates.

Eva’s bony fingers wrapped tighter around her staff,
“Any second…”
she thought.

Suddenly, the rear gates flew open, flying from their hinges and smashing against the ground.  Dreathous entered the village with ten battle sages marching behind him.  Each sage carried a long black staff in their left hand.  Eva glared directly at Dreathous.

Dreathous stopped.  He rose his hand commanding the sages to stop as well.  Dreathous looked at the villagers massed before him, “So, I see you have all lined up for your slaughter. How kind of you…”  Dreathous words turned into a maniacal laughter.

Eva smirked slightly at his laughter. “I assure you, no one will line up for you.”

Dreathous stepped toward the old woman. “Is that so, old woman?  I fail to see how any of you will stop it.  I will eat of your flesh and drink of your blood before the hour’s end.  There will be no mercy.”  Dreathous looked from left to right, peering at the villagers with Eva at their front and center. “You will not even have the mercy of death.  We shall consume you alive!  You will suffer to your dying breath, all of you filth!  You, old woman, will be saved for last, so you can watch them all die, slowly and in agony.”  Dreathous began to laugh once more.

Alrad emerged from the group of villagers and ran towards Dreathous, dropping to his knees before the tyrant. “My Lord, I beg of you,” pleaded Alrad, “please spare me and my son, and I shall deliver whatever it is you seek.”

Dreathous chuckled. “Seems one of you is wise.” Dreathous looked down to the pleading Alrad. “I offer you ascendance for your cooperation in finding what I seek.”

Alrad nodded quickly. “Yes, my lord, anything you ask,” said the cowering man.

Eva’s nose flared and her lips began to quiver.  “Alrad, you disgusting filth…” she muttered before trailing off to silence.

A gusting wind rose immediately.  Thick black clouds began to appear in the sky, effectively blocking the remaining sun light.  Green lightning began striking Eva’s staff repeatedly.  Her silver hair flying wildly in the gusts of wind.

Dreathous looked upon the old woman.  “That power… you are--”

Eva interrupted the tyrant’s words by pecked her staff on the ground.  Green lightning lit up the sky in a flash.  A bolt shot from the heavens for each of the villagers.  They died instantly as they were struck.  Their bodies fell on the ground, charred and seared black. 

Eva spoke, her voice far deeper and more youthful, echoing through the skies accompanied by thunder.  “You dare trespass on this hallowed ground?  This is my dominion. You have no place here!  Turn back or face my wrath!”  Eva looked upon Dreathous as her eyes began emitting a glowing green light.  Circulating green energy could be seen traveling across her body and staff.

Dreathous was silent for a moment, looking at the dead Alrad at his feet.  Dreathous kicked the corpse to the side and began laughing.  “Tell me bitch, how weak have you become in mortal form?”  Dreathous glared at Eva.  “Do you think this light show strikes fear in me?  You are a trivial opponent at best.”

Dreathous reached for the hilt of the blade that was slung across his back with his right hand.

Eva spoke, her voice once again echoing through the thunder of the heavens.  “You and ten pathetic sages will not stand against my might alone.”

Dreathous drew his blade, gripping it with both hands.  He held it to the sky, red energy beginning to circulate across it, then across his body.  The glow from his eyes intensified as he let out a thunderous roar. “You greatly underestimate my power or foolishly overestimate yours!”

Eva smirked and raised her staff, clutching it with both hands spread apart.  She slid her left foot back, hunching over slightly into a battle stance, holding her staff diagonally across her body. “We shall see.”

Dreathous snorted and stepped back with his left foot.  He leaned forward, lowering his large blade to his left side.  The tip pierced the ground, and he tightened his grip.  Dreathous glanced back to the complement of sages standing at his rear.  “Stay out of this. I wish to teach this bitch a lesson in humility personally.”  He looked back to Eva in her battle ready stance.  “Indeed, we shall see.”

Dreathous began sprinting toward Eva, his blade slicing the ground as he dragged it behind him.  Dreathous leapt forward, seemingly soaring across the ground in flight.  He raised his blade, his tattered cape flapping behind him.  Red energy pulsated around the blade, and he swung it down toward Eva as he neared her.  Eva quickly stepped back and pushed her staff forward to meet Dreathous’ blade.  Weapons clashed as a mixture of red and green lightning shot from them with cracks of thunder.  Dreathous grunted, forcing his blade forward against Eva’s staff.  Eva glared and leapt backwards.  She raised her staff, green lightning striking it.  Eva extended her right hand, green magical energy circulating around it.  A green glowing orb appeared.

Eva smiled. “Now, you will feel the eternal power of death.” 

Green light pulsated from the orb as it launched towards Dreathous leaving a trail of light behind it.  Dreathous saw the magical attack closing in on him quickly and raised his blade to block it.  The orb clashed against the blade with great force.  Dreathous growled under the weight of the attack as he struggled to hold it back. He dropped to one knee, roaring as green light began to overtake his blade, then him.  A mighty boom sounded as Dreathous flew backward through the air.  He gripped his blade tightly as he crashed into the village wall.  Wreckage from the wall collapsed upon him, covering him.

Eva leaned against her staff panting heavily, trying to catch her breath as the glow faded from her eyes.
“Maybe he was right,”
she thought.

The ground began to tremble.  Sages stared silently toward Eva while standing perfectly still in their formation.  Thunder cracked through the valley, followed by a mighty roar.  Dreathous burst forth from the rubble with a roar, infuriated at being bested by Eva.

Dreathous stabbed his blade into the ground, leaving it behind as he approached Eva again. “I will squeeze the life from that body with my own hands!” he screamed.

Dreathous roared once more, continuing his approach toward Eva.  Eva began to laugh.  Dreathous closed in on the old woman and reached forward, grasping her neck.

Dreathous raised Eva into the air. “Why are you laughing, bitch?” he demanded.  “You are moments away from death.”

Eva struggled to keep laughing, feeling his cold icy grip tighten around her throat, “Because you can’t kill me, you can only free me…”  Eva’s words faded into laughter. 

Dreathous tightened his grip, finally stopping her laughter. “The only thing I’m going to free is that old withered head from the rest of your body,” he screamed.

Dreathous squeezed tighter, feeling her bones beginning to crack.  Eva felt the life beginning to leave her body.  She started to close her eyes and welcome death’s cold embrace.

Lian and Elder Marrow ran down the mountain path as quickly as they could.  They reached the end of the path, seeing fires raging throughout the forest, along with monstrous armored soldiers tearing trees from the ground.

Marrow looked to a horrified Lian. “We have to stay hidden from them and get to the village before it is too late.  Maybe the walls can keep them at bay.”

Lian slowly nodded at Marrow’s words.
“The walls won’t stop them,”
he thought.

Marrow looked ahead into the forest. “Now follow me and stay close.”

They began their journey into the smoky forest, taking care not to be seen, and made their away around various fires and toppled trees blocking their path.

Marrow glanced back to Lian. “Come, Lian. We’re almost there.”

Lian followed the elder closely.  Suddenly, they heard a nearby tree splinter and crash against the ground.  Marrow grabbed Lian and took cover in a nearby thicket.  Peering from inside the brush, Marrow watched as an Enforcer made his way through the forest seemingly starting fires by waving his hand.

Marrow’s eyes widened. “What kind of demonic creatures are these?” he said to himself.

The Enforcer stopped at the edge of the thicket concealing Lian and Marrow. He looked around slowly and then continued through the forest past Lian and Marrow.  A crack of thunder echoed through the valley.  They looked up through the smoke and broken canopy to see black clouds forming and beginning to blanket the valley sky.

Lian observed the clouds emitting a green hue.  Flashes of green lightning struck down into the village.  Lian’s eyes widened.
“What is going on?”
he thought.

Thunder continued to crack loudly as gusts of wind violently shook the burning forest.  Leaves and cinders riddled the air, accompanied by the choking scent of smoke.

Marrow looked to Lian. “Now, boy, you stay in this thicket.  I am going to make sure that thing is gone before we proceed.  The village is just over there.”

Lian nodded to the elder.  Marrow slowly crept out of the thicket, being as quiet as he could.  Twigs snapped under his feet as he cautiously stepped farther away from Lian.  Sweat born of nervousness and fear began to creep down Marrow’s face.  Lian watched tentatively as Marrow took each step.  Marrow traveled fifteen slow, lightly placed paces from the thicket that concealed the nervous, fearful boy.  Tree branches creaked in the wind as the sound of the leaves flapping pierced his ears.  Marrow looked around, searching for any traces of nearby danger.  Feeling that the danger had passed for the time being, he turned back toward the thicket.

Lian’s eyes widened as he saw a dark figure approaching Marrow from behind.  He opened his mouth to warn Marrow, but no words came.  Fear had paralyzed the boy.

Marrow opened his mouth and began to speak, “Lia--” Before he could finish calling to Lian, he was violently interrupted.

Lian watched as the dark figure’s hand pierced through Marrow’s chest.  Marrow looked down to see the black armored hand dripping with his blood.  Unable to speak or cry out in agony, he simply looked back toward Lian.  Tears seeped from the boy’s eyes, knowing that he was witnessing the brutal murder of Elder Marrow.  With an agonizingly slow motion, the hand retreated back through the wound.  With blood gushing from the hole, he staggered forward before turning around to face his killer, the monstrous Enforcer they had witnessed moments before.  Then, a crash of thunder carried a strange voice throughout the valley.  Marrow looked up, seeing the green hue amongst the clouds and knowing his time had come.  Laughing in a deep, devilish tone, the Enforcer reached forth and grabbed the elder through his wound.  The remaining color in the elder’s skin were quickly fading to the pale shade of death.  Continuing to laugh, the Enforcer raised him into the air.  With a violent stroke, the Enforcer’s second hand pierced into Marrow’s body.

Lian watched in horror as the blood gushed from the elder.  The Enforcer let out a bone chilling roar.  Lian closed his eyes as the Enforcer ripped Marrow’s body to shreds.  His stomach churned at the sound of rending flesh and breaking bones.  Blood soaked the forest floor.  Lian heard a thud right outside the thicket.  He opened his eyes and peered out to see part of Marrow’s torso.  Lian was speechless.  Marrow’s head was still attached to that part of his body, his cold lifeless eyes stared right at Lian.

The Enforcer walked toward Marrow’s head, laughing. “Lesser human filth!” he shouted.

He let out another terrifying roar and crushed the elder’s head with a swift stomp.  Blood and brain splattered, coating the thicket and covering Lian’s face.  The Enforcer turned from the thicket and retreated deeper into the forest.

Lian sat in the thicket for what seemed an eternity.  His mind raced, struggling to comprehend what he had just seen.
“He… he… he’s gone…”
Lian thought.

Trembling with fear, Lian stepped forth, the elder’s blood dampening his new boots.  He quickly looked around.  In the distance, he could see the village walls.  Lian started off ferociously in the village’s direction.  He slipped on the blood soaked forest floor and crashed to the ground, soaking himself in Marrow’s blood.  Lian quickly stood, looking down at his blood soaked clothes before once again starting to run toward the walls.  He ran through the forest separating him from his destination quickly, weaving between trees and leaping across well-planted boulders.  As Lian drew near the village walls, he noticed a bright green light shining from within.  He slowed to a walk, then came to a halt, observing the light.  Then, a violent crash brought down the walls.  Lian’s eyes widened at the sight.  As quickly as the walls crashed down, a shockwave from the collapse lifted Lian from his feet and tossed him to his back.  Lian’s head smacked against the ground, causing his vision to blur and his ears to ring, filled with echoes.  In shock, Lian laid on the ground for a few moments.  When his vision began to clear and the ringing subsided, Lian climbed to his feet and staggered toward the rubble that was left of the wall.

The time to warn the villagers had passed. He had failed to get there in time.  Lian climbed on top of the rubble, peering into the village.

Lian looked toward the rear gates, seeing the Battle Sages standing still,
“What are they?”
he thought. 
“And what do they want?”

Lian looked farther into the village to see a terrifying being holding Eva by the throat.  As he watched, he could Dreathous’ grip tighten around her throat.

Lian’s eyes widened.
“No…”
he
thought.
“No, no, no, no! Not her!” 
Lian closed his eyes and clenched his fists.  Tears streamed down his face once again, and he screamed with all his might, “No! Miss Eva!”

Eva shifted her eyes to the terrified boy.  “He should have fled…” muttered Eva to herself.

Dreathous looked to the boy, then back to Eva. “That’s him, isn’t it?” he said in a low tone.  “The descendent of the bastard who matched my power?”

Eva smiled slowly, staring into the monsters glowing red eyes.

Dreathous snarled. “Answer me, you bitch!” he screamed.

Eva struggled to speak, his grip still hard on her throat. “He will kill you all!”

Dreathous roared in her face.  “Not this time!”

Eva’s neck cracked as her leathery skin tore.  Blood squirted from Dreathous’ hand as he squeezed it into a fist.  He had severed Eva’s head from her body.  Lian once again watched as someone who had cared for him was viciously murdered.  He watched her lifeless body and head fell toward the ground.  Before the body or head could touch the ground, they began emitting the same green light Lian had seen earlier.  In an instant, her body turned to dust.  A gust of wind carried the dust toward Lian, fluttering his hair as the dust moved past him.

Suddenly, Eva’s voice filled his mind.
“Run Lian,”
whispered the voice.
“Get the sword… Get to Shana’s Pass. You must escape…”

Thunder cracked heavily, shaking the valley itself.  Gusts of wind howled, bending the trees of the forest to its will.

Dreathous looked to Lian, his red glowing red eyes glaring with malice. “Get him!” he commanded.  “I want his head, and I want it now!”

Dreathous moved toward Lian. The Battle Sages broke their formation and ran toward the boy as well.  Nearly petrified with fear, Lian took a step back.  Lightning struck the ground within the village.  Magical energy spread across the ground and erupted into a transparent dome with the same green hue as the cloud covered sky.

Dreathous and his sages were sealed within.  Dreathous roared, then looked to his forces. “That fucking bitch!  This is her doing!  Get this damn barrier down before he gets away!”

Remaining silent, the Battle Sages spread out and held their staffs forward in unison.  They all grunted as red beams of light shot from their staffs.  Green and red light shimmered from the conflict of energies.

Lian stared in fearful awe.
“Go Lian, I can’t hold them for long,”
whispered Eva’s voice once again.
“The forest will guide you.”

Lian turned and ran from the village.  He jumped through thickets and weaved through the forest swiftly, making his way toward the mountain path.  He felt a tug at his right foot.  It had gotten stuck on a root protruding from the ground.  He crashed to the ground, letting out a grunt.  Lian turned and freed his foot promptly.  He stood amongst the smoke filled forest and took another step.  Before he could finish that step, a howl pierced his ears.  A black wolf stepped from behind the tree and approached Lian.  The wolf’s fur was black as coal, it’s piercing green eyes stared intently upon Lian.  Lian watched the wolf approach, baring its incredibly sharp fangs.  He could hear other snaps and growls around him as well.

Lian looked to his left and right, seeing numerous wolves closing in. 
“I’m surrounded,”
he thought.
“There must be twenty of them…”

Lian was petrified.  The wolf stopped close enough to be touched.  The green eyes of the four-legged terror met Lian’s.  Lian’s breath was coming in shallow gulps, and he attempted to take a step backward.  The wolf snapped and growled at him.

Lian stopped moving and looked to the other wolves that had surrounded him.
“Why aren’t they getting closer?”
he wondered. 
“Why hasn’t this one attacked me?” 
Lian looked closely at the black wolf.  “What… What do you want?”

The wolf answered with a snarl and growl but slowly looked towards the mountain path.  It stepped toward the path and raised a paw.  The wolf looked back, lowered its ears, and closed its mouth, motioning its head toward the path.

Lian looked around at the other wolves slowly walking toward him, all with their mouths closed.
“He must be the pack leader,”
thought Lian.  He looked at the wolf. “Do you… Do you want me to follow you?”

The leader nodded his head at Lian.

Lian nodded in return. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll follow you.”  The wolves around Lian began to howl as they surrounded him closely.
“Are they protecting me?”
he wondered, puzzled.

The pack leader trotted toward the mountain path. He snapped and let out a growl.  Lian followed, starting to run as the wolves ran all around him.  The pack escorted Lian through the burning forest, drawing closer to the mountain path.  The leader let out a growl followed by a brief bark.  Lian noticed five of the wolves break off from the pack and start running adjacent to it.  He watched them in the distance as they leapt into the air.  An Enforcer emerged from the forest and was immediately tackled by the attacking wolves.  The Enforcer let out a roar that echoed through the forest and grabbed one of the wolves by its bushy black tail. He slung the wolf into a tree with devastating force, and it let out a brief, high-pitched yip before falling to the forest floor, lifeless.

Lian closed his eyes tightly at the scene.
“They are dying for me…”
he thought. 

Lian’s steps began to slow.  Remorse for the wolves’ sacrifice gripped his heart.  The leader let out a growl, followed by a loud bark to urge Lian on.  He picked up his pace once again.

Lian and the wolves reached the mountain path.  The pack leader came to a stop and turned to the remaining wolves.  He let out a howl, followed by a snap and a growl.  The wolves snapped and growled in return.  All but five of the wolves dispersed and hid within the bushes and thickets next to the path.  The pack leader and his four followers all growled and barked at Lian. 

Lian looked to the pack leader. “Are they staying behind?” he asked.

The pack leader whimpered and nodded at Lian.

Lian stared at the pack leader.
“He must know they are going to die… for me.”

Lian tried to fight the tears back but was unsuccessful.  He walked to the pack leader and dropped to his knees as they streamed down his face.

Lian wrapped his arms around the wolf’s neck. “You don’t have to do this!” said Lian.  “You don’t have to die for me!  They don’t have to die for me!  I’m sorry!”