Revenge Of The Demon

Revenge Of The Demon - book excerpt

Chapter 1

A strong wind reached the crescent-shaped sails of the flying ship causing it to move further away from the portal to Mystovia. Etheria brushed a tear away. “I cannot see her anymore. They have entered the portal to Mystovia. I miss Kess so much already. To have found my daughter after all these years.” She shook her head slowly, “And to lose her again.”

“No. You haven’t lost her,” Jhondar patted her shoulder. “We shall see them soon. This has been a difficult time for all of us,” his voice faltered for a moment. “Mac, my son. Mac,” his voice softened.

“Stop it you two,” Saaz snapped.“You have not lost them. You will join them in Mystovia as quickly as you can. I mean, look at you two. You are covered in what did they call it?”

“Silvery stuff,” Etheria gave a short laugh.

“Yes, that was what they called it.” Saaz moved to the side of the ship and looked down at the passing landscape below. “There has to be a way to get there quickly. The Zetch willbecome extremely powerful by possessing the Skull of Semetter.”

“Yes,” Jhondar replied.“Enough power that he may destroy all of Mystovia.”

Etheria sighed. “We have to wait two weeks before the ectoplasm wears off.”

“Maybe the Plexias can help youwith your…,”Saazwas interrupted by a shout from one of the crew.

“Look there!” A warrior yelled and pointed to a massive swarm of huge insect-like creatures flying directly toward them. “Rukkhars!”

Jhondar grabbed his shield and sword that were on deck and ordered the sails furled. “They are coming in fast.”

Etheria and Saaz pulled arrows from their sheaf and waited until the dangerous creatures got close enough to hit.

The Rukkhars wings were beating so fast they could barely be seen againsttheir plump, dark purple and yellow bodies

“Their stingers are readied for fighting,” Etheria observed. “There so many this time.”

Jhondar signaled for the warriors to be ready to fight.

“Wait,” Etheria yelled. “It was something one of the teens mentioned.In their world to keep insects away, they would use smoke.” She thought for a moment, “Yes.The ship’s machines create a very foul and thick smoke.”

“We usually vent them out through the bottom vents. We can tryto open the top vents,” Jhondar shouted. “If it doesn’t work the smoke may work anyway to our advantage, because the Rukkhars will have to fly in low to try and find us.”

“I hope it works,” Saaz’s grimaced at the foul-smelling, smoke that quickly filled the deck.

They watched in stunned silence as the swarm of Rukkhars suddenly veered away from their ship and headed back toward the mountains.

“I don’t know if the smoke or the smell,” Etheria laughed and choked.

“Or, something else,” Jhondar said stoically.

*

Kess stood quietly near the open portal to Mystovia. Her heart was heavy, and her brown eyes filled with tears at having to leave her mother after just finding her in the Land Between. She waved one last time as her mother’s flying ship pulled away and headed back to their domed city of Kelador. “Well, I only hope the next two weeks go quickly,” Kess spoke solemnly.

“It will, cousin,” Mac said looking down at Kess. “But I’d like to go back to the Land Between and get to know more about what happens in there when technology mixes with magic. And to check up on our friends.”

“Yes, they were so excited to stay. They loved the Land Between.” Kess nodded slightly.

“And, add the fact they were each given their own apartments” Mac smiled.

Kess’s smiled faded. “But I am afraid they don’t know all the dangers that our roaming around in there.”

“They will be advised of any dangers,” Mac said trying to reassure Kess.

“Yes, Jhondar said we are not to worry about them. And as for Brody, heis still trying to accept all of the weird and strange things that had happened.” Doc chuckled.

“Okay, change of subject: What is taking them so long?” Mac asked staring hard at the open portal infront of him.

“Mac they are checking things out to make sure it is safe for us to enter Mystovia,” Kess reached over and touched his forearm. “Kybil and Sirel are seasoned warriors, and they have Maaleah one of the most powerful Sabbot witches with them. Not to mention Rakmor who is a clever and knowledgeable Sorcerer.”

“Mac is right,” Doc shook his head and crossed his arms. “They have been gone a long time.”

“You not worry.I stayed back because I am a powerful dragon.” Drago sent a telepathic message for everyone to hear. “I stay and protect my friends until we go through the portal.” His long, spiked, red tail switched about butdid not touch anyone.

“Dat’s right,” Yaneth agreed. The Dwarger patted the hilt of his sword with his hand. “We stayed back wid da little dragon. We tought dis be a good idea.” He wiped his large bulbous nose with the cuff of his sleeve. The yellow feather on his Peter Pan hat began to move from the wind filtering into the tunnel. His deep-set lavender eyes focused on Nordaal standing next to him, “Right?”

“Yep, we tought dis be a good idea,” Nordaal replied happily. He looked at his friend Yaneth for a moment then broke into a huge grin showing his large, unevenly spaced teeth.

Mac stopped and looked at the two Dwarger for a minute. He shrugged slightly. “I have to ask. Does everyone resemble you two where you come from?” His frame towered over the shorter Dwargers. “Just curious cause you two look so much alike.”

“Nope, da females, dey looks different,” Nordaal said.

“Good come back,” Doc’s dark-brown face broke into a grin.

Mac laughed and then his attention turned back to the portal that his friends had gone through. He narrowed his blue-gray eyes and leaned forward, straining to see any movement. “Why can’t we see clearly through the opening?”

After a couple more unnerving moments, Kybil appeared in front of the portal door and motioned for everyone to come through.

Kess was the first one through the portal and was immediately greeted by the cold biting winds. “Are we sure this is Mystovia?” She asked brushing her light-brown hair from her eyes.

Kybil smiled, “Yes. I am positive.” The hood to his cape blew down as the cold wind whipped his shoulder-length blond hair around his face.

Doc stepped through the portal joining Kess. “Say this is really cold. How long were we gone?What happened toSummer? Where are we?” Doc worked feverishlyto try and pull his cape from being blown around by the fierce winds.

“We are back in Mystovia,” Maaleah’s dark-blue face lit up asshe sighedwith relief.

Drago and Mac were the next ones through the portal.

“Well, we’re all here safe and sound,” Mac looked around him at the frozen terrain, as the sleet and cold wind beat at his face. “Whoa, did we cross over into Siberia?”

Nordaal and Yaneth came through last. They took a deep breath of air and broke into huge grins as they looked around them. “We be back,” Yaneth said happily.

The closing of the portal made a loud shushing sound before it snapped shut. They turned around just as the portal between the Land Between and Mystovia disappeared completely.

Kess grabbed the hood of her cape to keep it from blowing off. “Say, what’s up with this weather?”

“Yeah, no wonder we couldn’t see too clearly through the portal,” Mac hollered against the wind.

“Unfortunately, this is what the weather should be,” Kybil stood somberly next to Kess. “We have to go that way.” He pointed beyond the giant trees surrounding them. “I can just make out the faint outline of the mountains.”

“I can’t see my hands in front of my face, let alone the faint outline of a mountain,” Doc grumbled.

“Well, you can’t miss these trees; that’s for sure,” Mac said looking at the massive trees all around them.

“I’ll say. Those are the biggest, fattest trees I have ever seen,” Doc exclaimed.His short, thin frame struggled to walk against the high winds.

Kybil saw the difficulty Doc was having against the ferocious wind and nodded toward Nordaal and Yaneth. “Would you two, please help Doc?”

Without missing a step, the two muscular Dwargerstook Doc’s arms and began to walk with Doc safely between them. “We hold on ta ya little doctor,” Yaneth’s arm tightened around Doc’s thin arm.

“I’m getting squished with every step,” Doc mumbled.

Kybil linked his arm with Kess to keep her from being blown away as well, while Rakmor linked his arm with Maaleah. Each step was becoming more laborious as they traveled through the forest.

“I know somebody knows where we’re going, but how much longer?” Doc’s teeth chattered uncontrollably.

“We have quite a way to go. You can see the peak of the mountain where Castle Remat sits from here,” Rakmor’s hand came out from his cape and pointed toward the barely visible mountain range.

“I can’t see anything. I think my eyeballs are frozen.” Doc quipped as the two Dwargers guided him through the biting winds.

“Say, Rakmor. Can’t you just plop us in the castle with some of your magic?” Kess asked.

“No. I don’t have any of that potion left,” he shrugged.

“Darn it,” Kess’s head whipped around as she looked at the surrounding terrain. “Say, we’re not in Evoos territory, are we? I’d rather not run into thosehairy, cannibalistic creatures.”

“No. We are closer to the Xelrils Mountains,” Kybil said.

“That help ya any, Kess?” Mac laughed and smiled down at her. “Being that you’re so familiar with all of Mystovia,” he said sarcastically.

“You have no fear of being lost,” Sirel said matter of fact. “We are all familiar with this territory,”she stated, easily keeping in step with Mac’s long stride.

“Okay.Fair enough,” Kess said.She peered around Kybil to speak with Rakmor walking next to him. “Why didn’t the portal open near the Evoos this time?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Rakmor said and shrugged.

The two Dwargers left Doc alone as they moved to stand next to Kybil. “Yep, dat be da way ta go.” Yaneth pointed to the mountain range.

“Yep,” Nordaal repeated, “Dat be da way ta go.”

Kess smiled at the two Dwargers, who were half-ogre and half-dwarf. The only way she could tell them apart when she first met them was the feather on top of their Peter Pan-type hats; Yaneth’s was yellow and Nordaal’s was red.

“Not that I’m complaining or anything,” Doc grabbed the edge of his cape and tried to yank it closed. “However, if I don’t get warm soon, my face is going to be blue instead of dark brown.” He looked at the little red dragon next to him. “Say, Drago, you wouldn’t happen to be able to control that fire-breathing of yours and get a fire going, could ya?”

“I could try,” Drago’s telepathic thoughts were sent to everyone.

Maaleah’s brow furrowed slightly. “Wait, Drago. Even if you started a regular fire the winds and rain would dampen it for sure. And it may even let those we do not want to find us, find us.”

Rakmor broke into a big smile as he pointed toward a group of trees. “Look! I believe we are in luck. It is aDak tree. Hurry.”

“Thattree?Which tree?” Kess wiped the sleet out of her eyes.

“Yep,” Nordaal.

“Yep, what?” She asked the Dwarger walking behind her.

“Dak be right dere,” Nordaal pointed to a huge tree off to their right.

“Everyone, quick to the Dak tree,” Kybil grabbed Kess’s arm and raced toward the tree.

“Now, I know how you feel, Nordaal,” Kess said being ushered toward a group of trees. “That tree? There are a whole bunch of them ahead.” She was grateful that Kybil was leading her to the tree in question.

Rakmor held Maaleah’s elbow as they followed behind. “Maaleah, do you have the Dak stones with you?”

“Are you serious? A Sabbot witch without a Dak stone is like an Evoos without hair.” She replied stopping in front of a large tree. “This Dak will do nicely.”

Rakmor called out to everyone in front of him, “We’re stopping here for a while to warm up.”

“What are we going to do - cuddle?” Kess asked looking at the open space with no shelter.

“Even this or that huge tree can’t stop the wind from finding us,” Mac stated confused.

Maaleah stopped in front of the massive tree. Quickly, she reached inside her cape and pulled out a pouch.Carefully, she dropped three little stones into the palm of her hand. After a few incantations, a thin golden line began to form on the tree.Swiftly, lines raced over the trunk of the tree to form the outline of a large door. A loud groan could be heard, as the doorbegan to open at the base of the tree.Inside the entrance was a small platform, and a set of steps leading downward.

“I’ll light the pathway down,” Rakmor said brandishing a small stone in his hand.He said a few words and then blew on the stone. Rays of light filtered out lighting the small lanterns lining the walls of the passageway. Rakmor motioned for everyone to follow Maaleah. “I will come last because the doorway must be erased of all magic.”

Wooden steps had been carved out that only one person at a time could traverse. The short steps twisted and turned down inside of the tree.

“No like steps,” Drago mumbled to no one in particular.

Mac was surprised that the steps ended abruptly into a large, enclosed space. A soft, golden glow lit up the room.

“Wow!” Kess marveled at the girth of the room. It was large with wooden benches carved out of the tree roots. There were chair-like fixtures next to a roughly hewn table off to the side of a small fireplace. “Well, I’m certainly glad it was this tree.”

“Nope.” Nordaal shook his head and smiled. “Dis not dis. Dis be Dak.”

“Huh?” Kess blinked several times as she stared at the Dwarger’s toothy grin. “Are you getting this, Mac?”

“Nope,” he shrugged. “They lost me with this and that a long time ago.” He stood with his hands on his hips. “But hey, this is some hideout.”

“How’s about getting a fire started.” Doc’s teeth chattered, as he looked longingly at the little fireplace. “And I don’t give a puppy’s puddle if it’s thistree or that tree.”

Kybil laughed as he pushed one side of his cape away, “It is spelled D-A-K. It is a Dak tree.”

“Ohh,” said Mac and Kess simultaneously as they nodded in understanding.

“Maaleah,” Rakmor eased toward her. “How about starting a warm fire?”

“Wait!” Mac looked anxiously toward Rakmor, “Won’t the tree catch fire?”

“No.” Maaleah’s blue face broke into a wide grin. She walked over to the open hearth and threw in a few crystals that immediately erupted into a glowing, warm fire.

“Won’t the smoke or magic send a signal to whoever might be out there? You know demons and such.” Kess moved closer to the fire, holding her hands out to catch its warmth.

“They would have to have extremely strong magic to find us down here.” Rakmor sat on one of the cutout chairs, “besides, I put a spell blocker on this place.” He folded his arms across his chest and smiled, lookingpleased with himself.

“I know you are a great sorcerer, but can’t they see and smell the smoke from the fireplace?” Mac sat down next to Sirel on one of the benches.

“Well, they could have, except this is the Fire of Night,” Maaleah said.

“Remember the cave?” Doc looked at Mac. “You know, where we met the Wereshadows.”

Mac nodded. “Yeah, now I remember.”

Maaleah squatted down next to the blazing fire. “No smoke, no smell, but lots of warmth. Having a Sabbot Witch traveling with you is a smart thing.Not to mentionhaving a great sorcerer like Rakmor,” she smiled smugly.The light from the fire cast shadows around the room, almost making Maaleah’s deep-blue skin appear black.

“Magic,” Kess and Mac said at the same time.

“Did you two speak the same thing at the same when you were partners as police officers, too,” Doc asked. “Yep,” they said. “Geesh,” Doc rolled his eyes, shook his head, and chuckled. The room quickly became warm and comfortable for the frozen group. They sat there quietly soaking up the heat.

Sirel broke the silence. “I wonder why we weren’t greeted by other warriors to escort us.” Sirel leaned around Mac to address Rakmor. “The sorcerers and the others would have sensed our coming through and sent us help, in case we would have need.”

“Oh, no!” Maaleah spoke solemnly. “I sense trouble heading our way.”

“Yes, I feel something, too,” Rakmor got up and walked to the fire.

“I dun’t feel someding,” Nordaal looked quizzically at Maaleah.

Rakmor pushed his hands nearer to the heat of the fire. Deep in thought, he turned to Maaleah. “I am going to need your help.” He walked back to the small table and stood in front of her. “Spell of View?”

“Yes. Do you have it?” Maaleah asked.

He nodded.

“Okay, you use the spell to see what is out there, and I will use a spell to make sure they do not sense your magic.”

Mac listened to Maaleah and Rakmor and shook his head. “Do you understand them, Kess?” Mac whispered to her.

“Are you kidding me? Even with our mind-meld with the sorcerers, I’m as lost as apigeon in a chicken coop,” she whispered back.

“We have to time this perfectly.” Rakmor pulled a pouch from under his cape and poured the silvery contents on the table. He closed his eyes and began the incantation.

Maaleah pulled out two glistening stones. She muttered a few words and squeezed the stones tightly in her hands before dropping them in the middle of the silvery sand on the table.

Slowly, a misty glow began to form on the table. It began to weave a kaleidoscope of colors until they blended to form images from above. “Well, it looks like the wind and sleet have let up,” Kybil said. He studied the images forming on the table. “And that may be the trouble you are sensing. It looks like there are people headed our way.”

“Who are they? Friend or foe?” Mac asked leaning closer to the blurry vision on the table.

“I can barely make out their forms,” Sirel stared intently at the images.

“Let’s go out and see,” Mac said.

“No, we must stay here and wait to see if they are human or demons. It could be a trap.” Sirel stated.

“Not just another pretty face, eh!” Mac glanced over at her. He thought the word pretty was such a gross understatement for this Ankhourian warrior. He never tired of looking at her beautiful face, her golden hair and blue eyes, and her lithe, well-proportioned body. It still amazed him that she was almost as tall as his six-foot-four frame.

Everyone at the table watched in fascination as the scene unfolded in front of them. Demons were chasing a small group of humans. The fleeing humans were headed straight toward them. The small group inside the tree watched helplesslyas the demons closed in.

“Anybody want to join the party outside?” Mac moved toward the steps of the Dak tree.

Rakmor called out to him. “Mac!Wait! I see horses.”

“Horses?” Mac questioned ambling back to the table.

“Yes. Horses that would have come up behind us,” Kess pointed to another vision coming into view on the tabletop.

“Well,” Mac asked restlessly. “Are they the good guys or the bad guys?”

“Ah,” Rakmor smiled. “Those on horseback are the good guys. Wait until they pass us, then we can join them. And, before you ask me …”

“Yep, go it.” Mac snapped his fingers toward Rakmor. “Don’t want to be trampled.”

“Yes,” Rakmor smile.