Legends of Marithia: Book 2 - Darkness Rising

Legends of
Marithia

Book 2

Darkness Rising

-by-

Peter Koevari

Peter Koevari

ISBN: 978-1-4658-9581-3

Published by Peter Koevari at
Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Peter Koevari

Smashwords Edition, License
Notes

This ebook is licensed for your
personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given
away to other people. If you would like to share this book with
another person, please purchase an additional copy for each
recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or
it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to
Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting
the hard work of this author.

Special thanks to my wife, my beta
readers David, Michelle, Ellie, and friends for their
support

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Cover art by Claudia Bartoli-McKinney –
www.phatpuppyart.com

Map of Marithia drawn by Holly J.
Fox

Chapter 1 : The Wheels Are
Turning

“
What do we do when we find
ourselves facing our destiny?

I have been waiting, no… longing for
the day when the boy of prophecy would finally seek me out; wake me
from my slumber and together, we would save Marithia from the
vice-like grip of oppression.

We met in the darkness of the spiritual
plane at a time when we were not meant to be together.

What a troublesome situation we are in,
and if I fail to rectify it… then we are all doomed.”

(Talonsphere – Weapon of the
ancients)

Leon paced impatiently near the body
of his fallen son. His emotions were torn between speaking his
thoughts aloud and reeling his feelings in to allow Trisa to
continue her work uninterrupted. The moist floor of the dragon
island caverns made a sticky sound as he walked; along with a
rhythmic beat resulting from the cavern’s droplets falling into the
puddles below. Leon limped from injuries he sustained at the battle
of the Elven Woods and was gripped with grief and frustration from
the waiting.

He stubbornly delayed his own healing
process with his inability to rest.

Stopping in his tracks, he turned to
Trisa to ask a question. “I cannot bear to see him like this, how
long is this going to take?”

The sight of the pacing father was all
too familiar for Trisa as it accompanied her daily routine. It was
his coping ritual. She sighed quietly, her foggy breath warming the
freezing air, and reminded herself to be patient with him. He had
just lost his wife, and the fear of losing his son was completely
understandable.

Vartan, the boy of the fabled
Talonsphere prophecy had been moments away from dying at the battle
of the Elven Woods. He lay alive, but could not be woken regardless
of all efforts made. His skin had grown as pale as the moon from a
lack of the sun’s warmth, and his body was thinning from a lack of
movement. Scars from his battle wounds were easy to spot as Trisa
bathed him.

What was once a cavern of celebration
and dragon worship in ancient times… was now overcome with a
sadness that affected them all.

Trisa stretched out her
arms behind her, tightening her shoulder blades before releasing
them as she focused on relaxing and softening her voice. “I promise
you that as soon as I have answers I will give them to you. He can
still drink my potions, but it is not his body that is preventing
him from returning to us. Something has a hold of his mind and I do
not know how to wake him. I
do
understand your pain Leon. I’m sure he will
appreciate all you are doing for him when he wakes.”

Leon stared at her with desperate
eyes. He remembered all the trips he had made to the Weeping Falls,
to retrieve the crystal clear water needed to mix with the ground
lotus pearls and the countless hours he spent searching for the
ingredients Trisa needed.

He nodded knowingly and
took in some deep breaths in an effort to calm his nerves. Grabbing
his backpack, he began to slowly walk away in resignation. “Yes, I
suppose you
are
right but I feel like I should be doing more to help. I guess
I should remember how much we have achieved thus far. I had better
get you some more lotus pearls. I promise that I will return by
nightfall.”

With his back turned to her, his eyes
flooded to relieve some of the pain inside his heart.

Trisa had proven her trust by
delivering the final blow to Kassina, the vampire queen, in the
battle of the Elven Woods. She had become privy to secrets of the
dragons which were revealed to her once she had reached the island
of Trahoterra.

She stared at Leon as he departed the
caverns and wondered silently what he would have been like in his
mighty dragon form. A flamed torch nearby flickered wildly and
acted as a timely reminder for her to return to her
duties.