Legacy of Dragonwand: Book 2 (Legacy of Dragonwand Trilogy) Read online

  Legacy of Dragonwand

  Book II

  Legacy of Dragonwand

  Book II

  By Daniel Peyton

  Copyright © 2016 by Daniel Peyton.

  All rights reserved.

  Legacy of Dragonwand: Book II

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

  The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of Cosby Media Productions.

  Published by Cosby Media Productions.

  www.cosbymediaproductions.com

  Cover art: Cosby Media Productions

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1: TRYING TO ESCAPE

  CHAPTER 2: NEW RULE

  CHAPTER 3: DARKENED DAYS

  CHAPTER 4: EVADING GUARDS AND IMPS

  CHAPTER 5: UNLOCKING SECRETS

  CHAPTER 6: DESCENT INTO DARKNESS

  CHAPTER 7: GNOMES

  CHAPTER 8: THE DARKNESS WITHIN

  CHAPTER 9: ANCIENT HISTORY

  CHAPTER 10: ENCOUNTER AT THE CITADEL

  CHAPTER 11: DRAGONWAND

  CHAPTER 12: CHANGING THE PLANS

  CHAPTER 13: ECHOES OF THE PAST

  CHAPTER 14: OLD ENEMIES

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  MORE BOOKS BY DANIEL

  Chapter 1: Trying to escape

  Captain Morris slid his personal sensing stone into his sack after scanning for a few more people. Convinced it was safe, he and his five men pressed through the streets carefully inspecting the remaining occupants. He couldn’t allow this boy to fool him again, knowing all too well his talent for using his magic to masquerade as someone else.

  Guards walked up and down the wall and most of the streets, combing the inns, shops, and restaurants. Time was on his side, and sooner or later the boy’s luck would run out and Morris would return to Thendor triumphant.

  Looking up, he saw there was a young woman tending Donna’s booth. This caught his attention beckoning him to leave his Guards behind and approach.

  “C…Can I help you?” Tasha muttered, holding back her fear as best as she could.

  Morris narrowed his eyes, amused by the fear flooding her face. He pulled out the stone, held it up to her and observed her in silence. Her face flattened, lips quivering. Satisfied, he put it away and smiled. The redness in her cheeks made him smile, flattered that she admired his good looks. She wasn’t the first to appreciate him so. Charm was a power he wielded well. Finally, he spoke. “Where is Donna?”

  “She…she isn’t well. I'm afraid she took sick last night.” Tasha did her best to sound honest.

  “Funny,” he replied, observing his well-kept fingernails, “she seemed very healthy yesterday when we spoke.”

  Tasha cleared her throat, “She suddenly got sick last night.”

  He feigned a look of concern. “Sorry to hear that. I would like to pay her a visit. She and I are such good friends and all.” His attention shifted to the back of the main shop as he stepped forward.

  Tasha slid in front of him. “Oh, she…uh…she isn’t here.”

  “I see. Then where is she? So that I might go and do what I can to help her get better.”

  “Donna went to stay with a friend who could help.”

  “Oh, how nice to have such friends. Where?”

  Tasha’s eyes danced. He knew she was drumming up a story, but played along anyway. “She went to a friend’s place over in the Green Light District. West side of town,” she said, pointing Northward.

  Morris smiled at her. Her best effort was a pathetic one at best, but humoring her for the moment seemed like a good option; figuring he was in no hurry for the truth. “Thanks, I'll tell her you sent me.” He strolled away, anticipating finding Donna but equally pleased by his effect on Tasha.

  Just then his men caught up with him, “Sir, did you check this shop already?” They looked at the apothecary shop.

  “Why yes.” Morris spoke loud enough for Tasha to hear. “But, the owner is ill and I wish to visit her in the Green Light District.”

  “Sir?” His men were confused, “That district is being covered by the City Commander. I am sure…”

  Morris peered over his shoulder at Tasha. “Oh, it is a personal visit. Now, let’s go.” His men dutifully followed.

  ***

  “Hurry!” Treb trekked through the village with Crystal and the others at a fast clip. Save for a dashing run, the haste in their movement was palpable.

  They had already bypassed two patrols – ducking into and behind buildings and around booths – steadily slipping past curious onlookers. Donna led them between two old buildings covered in trees and shrubs. Breaking through the sea of green, they came to a vine covered wall.

  “Here, quickly.” Donna pulled aside the vines to reveal a large crack in the stones, barely wide enough for any of them to slip through; impossible for those wearing backpacks.

  Treb noted the width and immediately went to work pulling Markus’ pack off his shoulders and shoving it into the crack. “Markus, go in. Push the bag through. Hurry!” He would normally send his daughter in first, but he wanted to be certain it was safe. It wasn’t a slight against Markus, just Treb’s nature to think of Crystal's safety first.

  Markus got down to the ground and started pushing. He got the bag through without much resistance, but getting himself through was another story altogether. He held his breath and squeezed through.

  “Markus did it,” Treb declared with relief.

  “Treb, I don’t know if everyone can make it,” Markus said from the other side.

  Treb surveyed the crack and was confident it was safe enough for Crystal to pass through. “Honey, go on now. You can make it.” His welfare was another story; desiring only to ensure her safety.

  “But, Daddy, how will you –”

  Treb shushed her with his hand, cupping over her mouth. He took her hands and kissed them, looking deeply into her eyes as only a father could. “You have to go through. Kiin can make it even if I can’t, and she'll keep you safe. Go, now.” He nudged her to the wall.

  Crystal’s lips quivered as she knelt to the ground and scooted through. Her tail curled between her legs as she crawled and Markus helped her to her feet, free of Stillwater.

  Kiin followed, bag on the ground. She shoved it into the hole and pushed it through. Being smaller than Markus, she slipped through with ease.

  Donna held their cover, bending some tree limbs over them so no one could see. “Treb, you can’t possibly make it through there and I refuse to leave without you.”

  “Don’t be silly Donna,” Treb lied. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Save it,” Donna replied, shaking her head.

  Just the branch was yanked right out of Donna’s hand. Morris was now held the branch over her head. He approached Donna and Treb with force. “So, you thought you could get passed all my Guards!”

  Treb eyed the ten or so guards behind him; some City, some Royal. He snatched a bow from his pack and pulled out an arrow from the quiver in one smooth motion, lining Morris in his sights. “Let us go or I will split your skull.” Treb demanded, ready to defend his family to the death.

  Morris fearlessly held his ground. “So, the dogs again. Where is that human boy and his wand!?”

  Treb didn’t flinc
h either. “I'll give you one last warning, let us go or you die.”

  On the other side of the wall Crystal was flustered with the anticipation of what would happen next. “No, no, no, please don’t. It can’t happen!” The thought of Treb being captured, or worse, killed, sent a flood of fear through her veins. If Treb killed Morris, every Guard in Stillwater would be on the attack.

  Markus held her hand, pulling her close to his side. “Crystal, calm down, we have to get out of here before he finds us.”

  “Don’t let them kill him, please, Markus,” she pleaded. “Do something. Mother, do something!”

  “Page seventy!” Someone cried out from under the crack in the wall.

  Markus knelt down and noticed that Donna was squatting to get their attention. “Donna?” he whispered.

  “Page seventy of my spell book!” Donna replied.

  Markus scrambled over to his pack and pulled out the book she had given him. Flipping through it he found the pages, elated by the list of destructive spells in the chapter. “Wand!” he screamed. In a flash, Markus’ wand appeared in his hand. He pointed at the wall. “STEINN FLYTJA!” The wall around the crack vaporized into a fine dust, revealing his two allies and the enemies behind them.

  Morris’ eyes widened. “What?”

  Treb was amazed. A whole section of the massive wall around Stillwater seemed to evaporate right in front of his eyes. There on the other side of the wall was the rest of his party, including Markus with his wand extended.

  Donna grabbed Treb’s tail. “Go! Get out of here! Flee with them!”

  Enraged, Morris yelled, “How dare you! Stop them! Now!” He, along with his other Guards charged after them.

  Donna raised her hands and yelled out, “HRINDA!” and an invisible shockwave sprang forth, bowling over the first wave of Guards into the back row. Morris took the full brunt of the blast and was tossed a good distance.

  Treb looked back, his eyes widened. He lowered his arrow and burst into a mad dash and grabbed his bag. “Run! Run!” Treb yelled at the others.

  Crystal and Kiin ran as Treb followed. Markus waited for Donna. “Aren't you coming?”

  She shook her head. “No, I guess this is not my journey. It's yours. Now, go!”

  Markus grab his gear and ran for his life as Morris yelling obscenities, while trying his best to writhe free from the pile of bodies on top of him. His shining armor prevented a quick return to his feet without help. “Get off me! Get me up!” he bellowed. Finally two of his loyal men pulled him to his feet, only to find their targets gone, save Donna.

  ***

  Donna approached observing the many baffled faces before her with pride. “You know, I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not. I'm Donna the Potion Master, the head of potion making at the College, and a wizard. Yes, that's right a wizard. And you're a skunk.”

  “I’m ready to put you in chains,” Morris warned. “You will suffer for aiding them. Men, arrest her!” he commanded to the now fifty Guards gathered around.

  Donna chuckled. “I’d like to see you try!” She pulled out two vials of potion from her robe. She smashed them into the ground and a dense cloud of thick green smoke swirled into the air. Her boisterous laugh echoed louder and louder as the green cloud began to cover Stillwater. At once there were thousands of unnatural creatures of magic swarming about the city, all attacking only the Guards. She gazed at Morris. “Behold my fear potion. It's a special blend used to conjure magical illusionary demons for war.”

  She watched with glee while the Guards panicked and swung their swords at the images in their minds. She could see demons and monsters all around her, but knew the truth and had no fear.

  The green fog was thick and as Donna tried to run, she was confronted by another Guard furiously swinging into nothingness. No matter which direction she turned, there was another Guard occupied with an illusion. Finally, an avenue of escape appeared between two Guards with their backs turned.

  Morris grabbed her by the arm and held tightly. “Not so fast! You're going to be executed for this!”

  “I've always wanted to see sparks between us,” Donna said calmly. “I guess this is as good a time as any. PRYMJA!” A bolt of lightning shot out from her hand and through Morris’s armor. He was thrown through the green mist and plowed into more of his confused men.

  ***

  Crystal, Kiin, Markus, and Treb slowed to a stop as they reached a pass in the mountains overlooking the ancient walled city of Stillwater. The whole town was covered in a billowing green fog and the sounds of swords clashing. People’s screams filled the sky. There was an enormous flash of lightning and thunder.

  Markus asked Treb, “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

  “I think Donna underestimates herself.” Treb replied.

  Kiin shook her head. “She sure was a strange woman.”

  Crystal sighed. “I liked her. I hope she’s safe.”

  Treb turned and started walking. “We don’t have time to wait and see. We need to get as much distance between us and Stillwater as we can before nightfall. Let’s move.”

  Crystal held his arm while Kiin kept a keen eye for anything that might get in their way.

  “Good luck, Donna,” Markus whispered, before pursuing the others.

  Chapter 2: A New Ruler

  Hallond stood at the gates of the Pale Labyrinth, glaring at all the wizards. To him, these people had little to no worth. They were the unfortunate offspring of the combination of true wizards and lesser races. In fact, the very body he inhabited now previously belonged to one of them; stolen decades ago to conceal his identity. His real body, his dragon form, was stolen long ago, leaving him a shadow of his former self.

  He was the only one of his comrades not completely sealed by the dreadful spell of the other dragons. For centuries he had maintained a presence in the Thendor province under one king or another. When the body he inhabited withered with age, he simply jumps into a new one. Even the inconvenience of someone discovering his true form urged his body jumps, sometimes conveniently placing him in the high courts of the King.

  Soon, though, this shifting would no longer be a problem. The Dragonwand would see to that, granting him the power to destroy Tolen’s statue, regain his dragon form of old and gain immortality to rule over all living things, including other true wizards.

  “Soon, my brothers and sisters… soon.” He gripped the stone wall as he watched the bastard wizards sleep in their enchanted slumber.

  The image of their sleeping faces forced a fierce snarl across his lips. He considered his efforts last night. He was close to finding both the boy and Tolen’s wand but the child turned out to be more elusive than he suspected. Last night, he had a vision. He recalled how just as he was about to destroy the child, another dragon appeared. To his amazement, it was none other than Tolen’s avatar; a thousand year old nightmare. “No, that dragon is a statue, it was all Tolen had left, sealed by his own foolishness,” he reassured himself.

  Shaking this off, Hallond studied the fine crop of fresh bodies awaiting their deaths and resurrections as the new legions of the ancients. No pitiful child, or pathetic lingering spell of an old fool would stop him. This world belonged to the ancient wizards and he would see to that victory himself.

  “Wizard Hallond, you are summoned to the King's presence!” a courier said, interrupting him.

  Hallond turned, fire bubbling in his throat. In seconds he could torch the little humankind to a pile of ash. But he controlled himself and nodded. “At once.” While he stood there contemplating his next play, he lost himself in the thoughts of what was to come. He would finally be ruler and no one would summon him to do anything without his permission. But the time was nigh and he still had a role to play.

  Hallond followed the messenger and walked into the court room. Oddly enough, all the court wizards were lined up on either side of the grand walk. There were only ten wizards left in Gallenor that were allo
wed to be outside of the Pale Labyrinth and they were all here. Hallond did not like the way they looked at him, with seething, curious eyes that screamed hatred and mistrust. “How dare them,” he murmured. He was the highest ranking wizard in all of Gallenor and they owed him their allegiance.

  He approached the throne, alarmed at the King’s absence. “Where is the King?”

  The messenger walked past the throne pointing toward the King's personal chambers. “He awaits you in there. A private meeting.”

  Hallond gave everyone a superior smile. “Thank you.” He entered the chambers and let the door close behind him. Few people outside of the royal family were ever summoned into the chambers, so this was a sign to the others of his higher rank.

  The King sat on a small throne in the chambers. An old throne from a time long ago, the gold and brass armrests dazzled as the light from the midday sun split through the window shades. King Anthony held a piece of paper in his hand gazing at Holland with narrowed eyes.

  “Your Majesty, how can I be of service?” Hallond asked with a bow, deciding to play respectful for the moment.

  “I have been made aware that there is a rogue wizard in Gallenor, and that he has evaded the Guard.”

  Hallond nodded, still bowing. “Yes, but I am taking care of that.”

  “I know.” The King opened the letter. “It seems I ordered his capture at any cost.”

  “What?” Hallond looked up at the sound of paper unfurling. This message matched the one he had sent in the King’s name.

  “Don’t act the fool, Hallond. This is treason!”

  Hallond realized how this made him look and quickly made haste to rectify it. “Sir, I was just taking care of this for you. I am sure you would order this yourself. The child is a problem to our plans.”