David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation

by T. C. Crawford

  The fighting ceased as they all stood in awe and watched as the intense winds of the vortex whipped around them, pulling enemy forces away and into the Dark Abyss beyond the rift. Their cries were followed by the haunting screams of the Defiant One as he was dramatically dragged across the ground before vanishing without a trace.

  David had done it! He had defeated the Defiant One along with his great army of demons.

  Shortly after the vortex disappeared, she could see a shining white figure high in the sky above. The figure was that of a man and appeared to be naked, hovering high in the air with great wings of light. He hovered there above the battlefield for a brief moment before collapsing midair. It was David – no, the Mystic of Creation. Her David was gone as she had known him, and he had grown into something more.

  Suddenly, the clouds parted, and a great shaft of light enveloped the Mystic of Creation, catching him in its track.

  He slowly rose with the beam of light until finally he disappeared beyond their vision and out of sight.

  When everyone shook off their awe and wonder and realized what had happened, that the battle was finally over and they had won, the entire army erupted into cheers, raising their hands into the air in defiance of the Mystic of Destruction that had threatened their world and lost.

  All but Erin, who fell to her knees and wept.

  She wept for David and his selfless sacrifice.

  She wept for their love that would never know what fruits it could have blossomed.

  And she wept for the thousands of brave men, Dwarves, and Elves who had given their lives for the righteous pursuit of freedom.

  But most of all, she wept because he was gone. He was gone, and she knew in her heart that she would never see him again.

  Epilogue

  In the several months after the battle in the Great Plains where David had defeated the Defiant One and his vast army of demons, a conflict that was now termed the “Battle for Hurea”, the people of Hurea were finally starting to recover from the war.

  The Elves and Dwarves had parted from their human allies shortly after the battle and returned back to their respective homes, and the men and women of Ravenfell, Eldergate, and Brineport were starting the incredible task of rebuilding their great civilizations.

  King Eldergate, having been gravely wounded in the battle after he had taken a demon’s claw to his chest, lay on his deathbed after the medical staff had determined there was nothing else they could do except to help ease his suffering until he passed. He had been in and out for weeks but was finally awake and, knowing his time was near, had beckoned for his men to get Erin and bring her to his side as quickly as possible.

  His room was in one of the great chambers of the pyramid located at the center of Brineport where they had set up a makeshift medical center to care for the wounded.

  When she entered his room, he waved for her to come closer.

  General Ryan and Tyrius were standing by his side and smiled slightly when they saw her.

  “You called, your highness?” asked Erin, confused at why the King would ask for her at such a time.

  “Your highness…” said the King slowly repeating her words between labored breaths, “That’s quite a name to call your father.” he said bluntly, no longer having the luxury of time on his side.

  Erin, completely caught off guard and eyes as wide as a doe, looked up at General Ryan and Tyrius for confirmation of what she thought she had just heard.

  “Yes, Erin. It’s true.” said Tyrius, smiling.

  She turned and looked again to the King, the man on his deathbed that was now claiming to be her father.

  “You’re…my father?” she asked, still in shock and having a hard time believing what she was hearing.

  The King laughed and then started coughing harshly, taking a few moments to regain control before he responded.

  “Yes, child…I’m so deeply sorry for keeping it from you all this time.” he said, sorrow etched across his face.

  “But a King must do as he sees fit to protect his people, especially his daughter.” he said, taking a brief pause to steady his breathing after another coughing fit.

  “When I found out your mother was pregnant with you, I had already been warned of the prophecy and the dire threat that would be growing within our kingdom. The only way I knew to keep you safe, was to keep you a secret.” he said.

  “That is when I asked General Ryan here to keep an eye on you,” he said, gesturing to his side where General Ryan stood.

  “I instructed him to help train you in combat so I knew you would remain safe and could protect yourself in the event the need arose. I also had Tyrius agree to make you his apprentice, so he could teach you the wisdom of a true leader, so that one day, when the time came and you were ready, and our kingdom no longer lived under the shadow of the threat from the Defiant One, you would be prepared to take my place, your rightful place, as ruler of the Northern Kingdom.” he finished, closing his eyes for a moment as a wave of pain rushed through his body. It was clear the effort of speaking was taking a toll on the already weakened man.

  “I…I don’t know what to say…” she said, overwhelmed with the sudden revelation of life-changing news. “I always knew my mother had been secretive about my father, but I never suspected…” she trailed off.

  “I realize this is a lot to take in,” said the King. “Please, take your time to let it digest. I don’t have much time left here, I’m afraid, but I have already drawn up the necessary documents revealing your true lineage to the world. When you are ready for it, the kingdom is yours.” he said, grabbing her hand and gently patting it with his other hand. His hands were cool and weak.

  It was the first time she could recall that he ever touched her, it would also prove to be the last.

  He looked at her longingly, like a man with many regrets and so much more to say but not enough time to say it properly, before he eventually closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.

  In the following days, King Eldergate peacefully passed from his wounds. That night they had a great funeral in his honor where it was revealed that Erin Alderan was in fact, Erin Eldergate, the living heir of King Eldergate and rightful successor to the throne of the Northern Kingdom.

  She was crowned the next day in a great pompous ceremony, where she vowed to unite the kingdoms of the north and south in an era of peace and prosperity and, with Rex’s blessing, reopen the Southern Tunnel so their kingdoms could openly travel and equally share in their great wealth and resources.

  King Reximus Kane of Ravenfell, Prince Gilric Ellisar of the Woodland Elves, and King Tybrin Hammerclaw of the Dwarven Kingdom were all present for the ceremony, along with her friends Orin, Darryn Faircloth of Emerald Keep, and Natan from Brineport. Each of the leaders of the free people of Hurea gave her their blessings and promise of continued trade among their respective kingdoms. The free trade would allow all the races to grow and prosper to heights they hadn’t seen since before the first Mystic War when trade had been more frequent between their lands.

  It was during this ceremony that Erin began to feel something wasn’t quite right. Her cycle hadn’t started yet, and she was beginning to wonder why when it had suddenly dawned on her. She was with child – David’s child.

  The rest of the evening she couldn’t help but smile, eventually spilling the news to Orin and the others, who were all immensely thrilled.

  Over the next several months, the plans began to be developed for the future city of Eldergate. It would be built back on the same plot of land as the former city, only in a grander fashion that would better reflect the combined might of the united kingdoms of Man, Elves, and Dwarves.

  Once Erin approved the plans, the building began immediately, and with their combined skill and resources the city was rebuilt within a few short years.

  A great gold-plated fountain was commissioned in the center of the new marketplace dedicated to David Bishop, the boy who had come to their world and become the final M
ystic of Creation. A boy who had saved not only the people of Brineport from their tyrannical overlords, but the entire world from the brink of destruction.

  For ages to come that fountain would serve as a symbol of hope for all who traveled from the far corners of Hurea to see it, knowing that because of David’s sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all those who lost their lives in the war, they were able to live their lives free from conflict and destruction.

  During Eldergate’s construction, while she was still living in Brineport, Erin gave birth to a healthy set of twins: one boy and one girl.

  The boy she named David, after his father. The girl, Elena, after her mother.

  They each grew to be strong, intelligent, and compassionate rulers and over time began to slowly take the reins from their mother, preparing for their eventual rule of the kingdom when she no longer could carry the burden of rule alone.

  Over the years, the various races of the world all gathered in the metropolis that became Eldergate, which once again was the crown-jewel of the Northern Kingdom. They shared in its wealth of natural resources and knowledge, bringing in a new era of prosperity that was enjoyed by all for ages to come.

  As for Erin, she never did find love again – that is, apart from the love she shared with her children. Instead, she dedicated her long life to her kingdom – ensuring its prosperity and security for decades to come. It was her pride and joy to watch her children grow into adulthood, ever safe from the threat of war, but she never forgot the price that was paid for that security – or the anguish that it left in her heart. Some wounds, she told young David and Elena, just never heal.

  One night, many years down the road when the cares of a lifetime were permanently etched on her once delicate face, and her dark hair had been completely overridden with grey, Erin lay in bed in her palatial tower.

  She dreamed she was young again and was standing at her balcony in the quiet of the early morning, overlooking the newly built city of Eldergate. The first of the sun’s gentle rays stretched across the sky, blanketing the landscape in its golden light. The sky was clear and there wasn’t a cloud to be seen from horizon to horizon as the church bells far below sounded their first call of the morning.

  As a warm breeze gently brushed a fallen strand of hair from her face, she felt a familiar presence standing behind her. She wasn’t afraid, as there was something serene about this presence that made her heart flutter with excitement. She turned around slowly, holding her breath with anticipation.

  Behind her, just as she had hoped, stood David. He looked as he once was, young and vibrant with his shaggy brown hair brushed slightly over his brow and his boyish grin stretching wide across his face.

  His eyes were twinkling with such love and warmth that her heart was instantly filled to the brim, threatening to burst at the seams.

  Overwhelmed with the sudden emotion rising within, she erupted into chest heaving sobs as she ran to his arms. He quickly stepped toward her, enveloping her in a heartfelt embrace.

  They were together once again, as they had been in her dreams nearly every night since they had parted, only this time she wouldn’t be waking.

  At last, after all these years, Erin would have her peace - she was finally home.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for taking the time to read David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation, the second book and epic finale to the David Bishop series.

  I hope that you enjoyed reading David’s story and that it sparked a sense of adventure within your heart that will stay with you throughout your life, maybe even inspiring you to take an adventure of your own.

  If you enjoyed going on this journey with David and his friends, I hope that you would take the time to submit a review about your experience reading David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation. It not only will help other readers such as yourself to find David’s story, but will help my efforts in continuing my career as an author and my pursuit in writing the next great adventure.

  May the Creator God watch over you and all of your future travels.

  Sincerely,

  T.C. Crawford

  Acknowledgements

  A special shout out goes to my parents and wife – your input was extremely valuable, and I really appreciate the time you spent working with me to make this dream become a reality.

  A special thanks to my wonderful wife and children, who were very patient with me while I dedicated nearly all of my free time working on finishing David's story. Your patience and support mean the world to me, I love you so very much.

  Books By This Author

  David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb

  David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb recounts the adventures of David Bishop - a teenage orphan who gets pulled into an otherworldly conflict that revolves around him and a mysterious orb.

  David quickly discovers that his arrival has been foretold by prophecy and that his coming has marked the beginning of the end of an ancient war between the forces of good and evil - each side needing the incredible powers granted to him by his newfound connection to the Orb.

  As David watches the world around him fall into chaos, he finds himself in a race against time to stop the ambitious plans of an evil General who is intent on unleashing an ancient horror from its prison – a horror he hopes will help him on his quest for domination.

  Desperate and overwhelmed - David seeks the help of unlikely allies in an effort to unravel the mysteries of the Orb and save the world from the brink of destruction.

  Embark on this journey with David and his friends to discover a new world filled with adventure, magic, friendship, and discovery, that will surely pull you in and leave you on the edge of your seat, begging for more.

  David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation

  With the Defiant One unleashed from his eternal prison and David’s mystic powers suddenly out of reach, David and the others must face a harsh reality - fight for the survival of the world against the most powerful being in existence without the power of the Orb or face absolute annihilation.

  The demon army led by General Krauss is consuming what remains of the Outer Woods. When the destruction is complete, they will turn their attention to Ravenfell and begin the march South towards the last remaining stronghold of humanity.

  When the prospect of annihilation is all but certain, David and Orin discover a clue hidden in an ancient historical account that may hold the key to their survival and help unlock David’s powers once again. The only problem – it’s in an underground cavern far to the Northeast of Hurea, and the Defiant one and his army stand in the way.

  In a race against time, David, Erin, Tyrius, Reingard, and Holzer flee through the Southern Tunnel in an attempt to remain hidden from the Defiant One on their quest for the mysterious Crystal Caverns and its healing properties, while Rex, Orin, Captain Ryan, and the others make their final stand at Ravenfell against General Krauss and the vast demon army from the Dark Abyss.

  David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation brings the David Bishop series to a dramatic conclusion and reveals a story filled with hope and perseverance against insurmountable odds, friendship obtained in the most unlikely places, and love discovered in the midst of considerable fear and uncertainty.