by Elon Vidal
As they flew, something caught Lucy's eye. There was a huge building set in the middle of nowhere. Lucy had no idea what was in it, but she felt a strong pull in her spirit as they flew over.
“Do you feel that?” she asked the people sitting with her on Ivar's weredragon back.
“Feel what?” Molly asked.
Lucy shook her head. “Never mind.”
She wasn’t sure if it was the shadow dweller inside of her, or her Lightbringer nature, but something was drawing her there. Once Anwar was better, she would check out the building.
Reaching the border between the land of the wandering souls and the land of the dead, the travelers could see the foreboding waters of the Styx.
Ivar swooped down and landed a few ways from the banks. There was a huge white and gold ship tied to the shore, lit up with candles that made it look like something out of a fairytale. The water was clear and calm; it didn't look threatening at all.
“All souls on board! We're moving in the next five minutes. Hurry up!” a dark-skinned man called out to Lucy's group.
“That's Charon, ferryman of the dead,” Phoebe told the group.
“What’s his deal?” Lucy asked, her voice echoing across the water.
“He’ll bring us to the land of the dead. That's where we're headed,” Phoebe informed her.
“Okay, hold that boat!” Lucy yelled back to the man. She turned to her group. “Let's go.”
They hurried over to the entrance of the ship and made their way up the inclined plane leading into it.
“Hold up.” Charon was now at the top of the plane. Just an instant before he was standing on the second floor of the ship. His dreadlocks dangled below his waist. “You're not souls.”
“It's… kinda complicated,” Lucy tried to explain, but Charon held up a hand.
“My ship has to set sail in a few minutes,” he said. “What are you looking for at the Styx?”
Lucy gently held of Anwar's arm. “We came to heal our friend.”
Charon surveyed the group and seemed to understand the situation. He vanished into thin air and reappeared a second later holding a bottle wrapped in leather.
“You can do it at the banks right here. Make sure he drinks this first,” he said as he handed the bottle to Lucy. “Be careful.”
Lucy nodded. “We will. Thank you.”
The ship's deafening horn bellowed for miles, making the water ripple a bit.
Charon rubbed his palms together. “That's my call; I have to go now. I'll see you later.”
“Preferably centuries later,” Molly said after Charon had disappeared.
The ferryman waved at them from behind the rails on the first floor of the ship, and they returned the greeting. The ship set sail and slowly made its way down the river.
“What does this do?” Lucy opened the bottle Charon had given her and smelled the contents. It smelled like lemon.
“I don't know, but if he gave it to us, he knows what he's doing,” Phoebe said. “Give it to Anwar. Molly, disturb the waters.”
Molly grinned a fangy smile, then stretched his hands to the water. Large bubbles floated to the surface as if being boiled, and black spread from beneath like ink.
Lucy opened the bottle and gave it to Anwar. By the crumpled looks on Anwar's face as he drank, it wasn't sweet at all.
The formerly calm water grew to a raging storm. There was only one thing stuck in Lucy’s mind: getting her role right in this mission.
CHAPTER TEN
Hope is frail, hope is fragile
Hope is strong when the mind is agile
Excerpt from the Lumenary Prophetiae
Black waves rose and crashed, spraying the souls standing by the shore with ice cold water. Thunder rumbled and dark clouds floated in the sky, making ominous shapes. This was it, there was no turning back now. Anwar was going into the waters of the Styx.
“Lucy, grab his other arm and help me lower him into the water!” Phoebe raised her voice to be heard over the roaring waves.
Lucy nodded once and took Anwar's left arm while Phoebe took hold of his right.
“Don't let go,” Lucy told Anwar as they led him to the edge. When he didn't respond, Lucy remembered he would neither hear nor speak to her until he was healed.
“Don't let go, Anwar,” Lucy sent the thought to him.
A feeling of relief bloomed in her body when he telepathically replied with, “I won't. This will work out, don't worry, Luce.”
On the count of three, Lucy and Phoebe gently lowered Anwar leg first into the strong black water, while Ivar stood guard behind them in his dragon form.
The sprays of water made Lucy's grip gradually get slippery, and it took double the effort to hold on to Anwar. Her arm was starting to ache, too.
Slowly… slowly, Anwar's middle and lower body were fully in the water. Just a little more and his whole body would be submerged.
Just then, Phoebe summoned light over Anwar's head, and Lucy momentarily got lost in the rays, losing focus for a second too long. All she could think about was getting closer to the light, absorbing it, feeding on it like a plant needed sun and water.
Her grip on Anwar loosened, and he slipped out of her grasp.
The sudden pull had Phoebe unawares and Anwar's smooth brown skin slipped through her own fingers.
“No!” Lucy screamed.
Molly immediately paused the chaos he had set loose upon the waters, letting only the momentum of his earlier disturbance to move the water.
Phoebe's mouth was agape, her blue eyes looked stunned at what just happened. There was no sign of Anwar anywhere. No bubbles, no part of his body was visible, nothing.
Lucy placed her hands on her head and paced with an insane look on her face, repeatedly muttering “No...”.
She couldn't let this happen. She couldn't lose Anwar. She was going to help him, for goodness sake! Lucy scanned the waters, searching for any sign of him, but there was nothing. He was just gone. Why was life tossing bad luck at her so much this period? She wasn't going to let this happen. Not anymore.
Without a second thought, she turned to the waters and dove in. Voices of panic rang out from above, but they were immediately shut out once she was submerged in the water. It was pitch black and the water felt heavy, eager to drag her deeper into the depths. Everything felt heavy; her feet, her eyelids, her head. It felt like she was made of concrete.
“Anwar?” she telepathically called. “Anwar, please answer!”
There was no response. Lucy swam forward, then stopped. It was too dark, she couldn't even see her own hands. Anwar could be in front of her, and she wouldn't see him.
What do I do? What do I do? Lucy thought. She wanted to cry from frustration, but she was slowly losing her breath and risking herself from drowning. She tried to swim to the surface, but only seemed to sink deeper.
Lucy struggled to pull herself up, but it was no use. Her lungs burned and her heartbeat sped up in an alarming rate as she began to panic. In the midst of the anxiety, she took a breath. It didn't feel uncomfortable at all, and the water hadn't gone into her body, only oxygen from the water had.
How could this be?
She inhaled again. She was breathing under water.
Was it because she was undead?
Whichever way she had it, she could search for Anwar without worrying about drowning. Now, if only she could see...
Tapping into her well of energy, she tried to track Anwar, using his Light magic signature. Far below her, she saw his outline glowing blue, and swam down to fetch him. Placing an arm under each of Anwar's underarms, Lucy grunted as she tried to pull him. It was like trying to uproot a concrete pillar.
Come on, Lucy.
Tapping into her well again, it was like turning on a tap and energy flowing to every bit of her body. With the new energy boost, Lucy slowly made her way to the surface. She raised her head out of the water, flicking her wet hair backwards, before continuing her journey towards the shore a
few feet away.
The rest of the crew were still waiting. When they saw her, their faces lit up with hope, but there was still a tinge of worry.
“Take him,” Lucy said, raising Anwar's arms up to Phoebe and Molly when she reached the bank.
They pulled Anwar out of the water first, then Lucy, who stooped and tried to catch her breath.
“Lucy,” Phoebe called, straightening up from where she had been checking for Anwar's pulse, “you have to gather healing energy right now. Anwar might not make it if we waste more time.”
“Of course,” Lucy slowly said. Her body shook, not just from the freezing cold, but from the stress and drained energy, but she was going to heal Anwar, no matter what. He didn't deserve all he had gone through since the shadow dweller attacked him.
Taking a deep breath, Lucy pulled her energy out of the well and separated it from her healing energy, just like Phoebe taught her. The green orb of healing energy appeared before her, and then reached up to take it.
It started floating away like other times. Her fingers closed around nothingness.
“No,” she grunted, leaning forward and on her tip-toes. Her fingers brushed the blob of energy, but it bounced off like a balloon.
“Please...” Tears of frustration welled behind Lucy's eyes. Why did her magic always taunt her like this when she needed it? Anwar was depending on her!
“Any time now, Lucy,” Phoebe's voice drifted into Lucy's psyche. Anwar's eyes had rolled back into his skull and his breathing was getting few and far between.
Lucy fell to her knees, arms outstretched. “Please...” Tears rolled down her cheeks. Everyone was counting on her. She was counting on herself, to save Anwar. Now she couldn't. She'd lose Anwar and it would all be her fault...
The light green sphere of energy slowly descended, finally resting in her hands. Her body immediately absorbed the energy, and she scampered to her feet. Laying her hands on either side of Anwar's temples, Lucy released the healing powers.
Anwar lit up with light green energy. Tears of green spilled out from the sides of his closed eyes, but he neither moved nor made a sound. His heart stopped beating, and Lucy's heart sunk.
Had she made a dreadful mistake?
“An-Anwar?” she whispered, placing her hand on his forehead. “Anwar, please respond.”
“What should I say?” Anwar asked as his eyes fluttered open to reveal the beautiful sapphires Lucy had missed dearly.
TO BE CONTINUED
ELON’S AUTHOR NOTES
JULY 15, 2021
With Shadowlight we’ve entered the next stage in Lucy’s quest and a symbolic area that inspires my own world.
Allow me to share it with you.
Lofty ideals are worthy, sure. I consider myself an idealist, a dreamer. But dreams remain ethereal, intangible, if we don’t take action to breathe life into them.
The Netherim represents a space to face our fears. In doing so, we stand a chance to overcome them.
In a way, going underground is being in touch with the earth. It helps keep us grounded. Immaterial magic is hard to see, so by using an element that we can actually see and touch, I remind myself of taking concrete steps. We take action.
Action to do what?
To bring about a better world. To fulfill our dreams. To put one foot in front of the other. To be stewards for those who come behind us.
They might sound big, unachievable words, but every journey begins with a step… and then another, and yet another.
Lucy is learning to rely on herself more, to look beyond herself and see how she can care for her friends and family. Let’s hope she finds the second witchpetal before Aeron’s twisted plan comes to be.
Big hug Light Riders!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ELON VIDAL
Writing a book is the result of many minds and interactions coming together. Inspiration, experience, and insight is gathered from everywhere, and this shows in how this all finally comes together.
I want to begin by thanking you, the readers, who become a part of these stories by reading, reviewing, recommending, and buying the books. It is thanks to you that people like me get a chance to keep tapping into the imagination and sharing new stories. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Thank you also to the team at Light Age Media. Without Erynn, Jordi, and several others, this would not have been possible. You have breathed life into these stories and made it so that they could engage with a wider audience.
I also wish to thank Ty, Marty, Ja, and Josh who have guided my way to publishing and have opened up my world of what was possible from my laptop and with determination. I now feel much more empowered to keep sharing these stories as a way of life.
A special thank you to my Advanced Reader Group who have offered valuable insights early on to improve the story. Stay tuned to know how you can become a part of it.
A note of gratitude also goes to my early teachers at writing school. I had always wanted to write novels. Always gathering ideas and thoughts for inspiration. We began with short two-page stories on Friday evenings and soon after I was hooked and moved onto novels. It still took many years to getting down to writing my first, but I never let go. I smile every time I walk past your school and remember the beginnings.
And thank you to my friends and family who want to see me continue to do what I love. I appreciate your support on this journey and for this craft.
OTHER BOOKS BY ELON
THE SWORD OF VAREN
DARING ALINA LUXERA, BOOK 1
I hope you’re enjoying Lucy’s quest. There’s so much more in stock for Lucy.
While I still write more books in her series, you can enjoy other series in the Light Rider Universe.
READ “THE SWORD OF VAREN” NOW!
SYNOPSIS
Alina Luxera wants to become a full-fledged witch, hoping her spells will one day be included in The Enclave of Magic’s Book of Shadows taught at all covens.
When the Sword of Varen is stolen, her world is exposed to humans and magical forces they were warded against since witches were last hunted centuries ago.
The peaceful safe-haven witches created among giants, trolls, and magical creatures is threatened.
Alongside her mimic dragon, Zuro, Alina joins her covenstead’s witches on a mission to restore their world and hopefully become a full-fledged witch.
Is she prepared to meet the forces that lurk behind the impending Prophecy?
The Sword of Varen is a fun YA fantasy adventure suitable for all ages. Fans of Sarah Noffke's Beaufont series should enjoy it.
ECLIPSE
DAWNBRINGER, BOOK 1
I hope you’ve enjoyed this book. Here’s a FREE story!
CLICK HERE TO START READING IT NOW
SYNOPSIS
Dawn's destiny is about to change.
She is a Halfling (half-Fae, half-human) who would much rather lead a normal life in botany helping plants flourish.
A strange eclipse and a recurring dream of a light-harnessing Pixie in a castle signal a threat that can end the magical balance and the mortal world.
The Council of The Enlightened and the gods themselves would much rather she perish.
Can she harness the light source within?
THE TIME WIELDER
THE INDOMITABLE ELLA LARISSE, BOOK 1
CLICK HERE TO READ NOW
SYNOPSIS
Ella’s search for the Crystals of Reality opens up an ancient universal power.
Underworlders twisted her hand when they trapped her mother, a keeper, in a parallel dimension.
Not cool. And they’ll pay dearly.
Hers is a race against time, facing devious entities and fearsome maven.
As if the odds were in her favor.
If the shadows were to get hold of the Crystals, they would unleash the power of the gods and end her world.
Will Ella find the Crystals and overcome evil to save her world?
THE ATTRACTION WIELDER
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JURO’S BACKSTORY in THE INDOMITABLE ELLA LARISSE
When you join Elon’s list, you will also receive this bonus novella.
The Attraction Wielder (Juro’s Backstory) novella bonus in The Indomitable Ella Larisse series.
Juro Carp gets himself entangled in a web of dark magic when he steals the Attraction chalice.
The Crystals of Reality are calling their wielders. Underworlders are already on the chase.