by Ben Wolf
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” a firm voice said. A sword-wielding silhouette stood before the dead Gronyx’s body, between them and the path to Trader’s Pass, the way out of the tunnel.
Commander Anigo.
He must’ve been crazy to challenge five opponents in the near-darkness of the tunnel, one of whom could fly, and one of whom was the largest, strongest Saurian he’d ever seen, but Commander Anigo had a duty to perform.
He would bring as many of them to justice for their crimes as possible, even if it cost him his life in the process. He would die in the service of his King, as he’d intended for as long as he could remember, and he would receive his due reward from the Overlord in whatever afterlife awaited them.
“Come on, Commander,” Calum said, exasperated. “We don’t have to do this.”
“On the contrary,” Commander Anigo said, “we absolutely must.”
“You really expect to stop all five of us?” Axel stepped forward. His left arm still hung at his side at an awkward angle.
Commander Anigo shook his head. “I don’t. In fact, I expect to die in these tunnels with the rest of my men who perished if I face you in combat.”
“I beat you once. I can do it again.” Axel raised his sword. “Even with a dislocated arm.”
Not likely. Commander Anigo smirked. “Then I’ll be happy to kill you first.”
“There’s no need for this,” Calum stepped between them, but he was smart enough to keep his sword up as well. “Commander, you’d be dead if it weren’t for us.”
“And I may yet die because of you.”
The Wolf snarled at him, and the Saurian—Magnus—started forward.
“No.” Calum shook his head, and Magnus stopped his advance. “You of all people should know the Law of Debt, that when one person saves another—”
“Don’t presume to lecture me on the laws of this land, boy.” Commander Anigo pointed his sword at Calum. “I’ve been studying the law since before you were born.”
“Then you know you’re indebted to us for saving you from death in these tunnels, just as we’re indebted to you for your help in defeating these monsters,” Calum said.
“That’s—” Commander Anigo clenched his teeth and shifted his grip on his sword. The Gronyx’s green blood had made his hilt slick in his hands. “That’s not how it works.”
Calum glanced at Magnus, then he looked back at Commander Anigo. “If that’s not how it works, then explain where I’ve gone wrong?”
Commander Anigo’s eyes narrowed. If he capitulated to Calum, he’d live, but he’d have to allow them to go free.
They had violated the King’s laws, but the Law of Debt, which the Overlord had personally established millennia ago, superseded the King’s laws.
If he refused to uphold the Law of Debt, he’d be violating the oldest and most sacred law there was—the Law he was bound to uphold first and foremost, according to the oath of service he’d sworn upon entering the King’s service.
He couldn’t win either way. He either forfeited his life and his obedience to the Law of Debt, or he could live and uphold the most sacred of all laws, but they would go free.
“Choose life,” Lilly said from behind the others.
It was a compelling recommendation, not just because it came from someone of such beauty, but more so because she had an arrow trained on his face.
Needs, not wants, he reminded himself. He wanted to uphold the King’s laws, but he needed to uphold the most important Law. Needs, not wants.
Commander Anigo exhaled an angry sigh, and he lowered his sword. “Very well.”
Magnus huffed. “Wise decision.”
Lilly let the tension in her bow slacken, Calum lowered his sword, and the Wolf stopped snarling, but Axel continued to glare at Commander Anigo.
“But I must make two requests of you,” Commander Anigo said.
“Name them,” Calum said.
“First, I request that you allow me to accompany you to the surface, and then we can part ways.”
“Agreed. And the other?” Calum asked.
“I request that once we part ways, and I return to Kanarah City, that you consider me released from this debt, and I shall offer you the same courtesy,” Commander Anigo said. “I have sworn an oath to the King, and I must see his mandate through to completion.”
Calum glanced at Magnus, who nodded, then Calum turned back to Commander Anigo. “We would rather not have you as an enemy, but if we must agree, then we agree.”
“Thank you.”
“You should know, we plan to cross Trader’s Pass over to Western Kanarah,” Magnus said. “The King’s soldiers are not a welcome sight west of the Valley of the Tri-Lakes.”
“Then you should have little trouble avoiding coming into contact with me,” Commander Anigo replied. “Unless you return to Eastern Kanarah, that is. Then I will be forced to continue my pursuit of you.”
“Fair enough,” Magnus said.
Calum motioned toward the ground. “If someone can find a torch while there’s still a little light from the Gronyxes left, see if you can get it lit. Let’s grab our belongings and start walking. I don’t want to risk running into any more Gronyxes if we can help it.”
The Wolf, Riley, nudged his leg, and Calum looked down and took the torch he held in his mouth. Commander Anigo sheathed his sword and pulled a flint from his belt. Like the other soldiers, he’d brought one of his own along.
He approached Calum, but stopped just beyond the tip of Axel’s sword. He extended the flint in his hand. “Here. Use this.”
“Easy, Axel.” Calum pushed Axel’s sword aside and took the flint from Commander Anigo. “Thank you.”
With the torch lit, Lilly darted around in search of spent arrows to refill her empty quiver, and Riley roamed the tunnel looking for more torches and to identify any leftover sinkholes they might not be able to see in the darkness.
Commander Anigo stood by and watched them all. Despite his orders, he couldn’t help but admit that the only reason he was still alive was because of the very people he’d been tasked to capture and bring to justice.
He rightfully had to let them go this time, but if they should happen to return to Eastern Kanarah, he would be there.
And he would be ready for them.
When they finished rounding up what supplies they could, Commander Anigo led them out of the tunnel with Riley and Axel close behind.
Finally free of the tunnel’s darkness, Calum stretched his sore limbs and sucked in his first breath of fresh air in hours.
On the horizon, the morning sun dawned over the Valley of the Tri-Lakes. In the distance, the waters of two of the Lakes glistened with golden sunlight, one to the north of Trader’s Pass and one to the south.
Axel moaned and rubbed his arm. “I think it’s dislocated.”
Magnus beckoned him over with a wave of his hand and set down the armful of Blood Ore armor he’d carried out of the tunnels. “Let me see it.”
A loud pop sounded, followed by a scream almost reminiscent of the Gronyxes’ shrieks, and then a slew of curses.
“Another scream like a weak, whiny girl.” Magnus shook his head. “And I thought you were supposed to be the strong one.”
Axel rubbed his left shoulder and scowled up at Magnus. “A little warning would have been nice, Scales.”
Magnus shrugged. “You asked me to help you, so I helped you.”
Riley just snickered.
“This is where I leave you.” Commander Anigo stood facing the five of them with his back to Kanarah City, which amounted to little more than a dark blot against the horizon. “I do not wish you ill will, but I hope that you will remain far away from the scope of my influence.”
“I understand.” Calum nodded. He gave Commander Anigo a slight nod, then he faced his companions. “Are we ready to go?”
They nodded and turned west.
“Calum?”
He turned back to Commander Anigo.
“Thank you, all of you, for your help in the tunnels,” Commander Anigo said. “What you said is true: I’d be dead without you. Regardless of our differences, I am grateful to be alive.”
Calum smirked. “You know, if you want, you could come with us.”
A long sigh sounded behind him. Axel asked, “Why do you insist on inviting every straggler we find to join us?”
Calum shrugged. “Look, I just figured he needed somewhere to—”
“No, thank you.” Commander Anigo held up his hand. “My place is in the King’s service. There is much I have left unfinished back in Solace. It is my life’s work to see it done.”
Calum felt exactly the same way about finding and freeing Lumen. “I understand.”
As Commander Anigo turned and walked away, an invisible burden lifted from Calum’s shoulders. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He was actually here, on Trader’s Pass, on his way to the Blood Mountains to uncover the secret to setting Lumen free.
He didn’t know what would happen next, but whatever challenge rose to meet them, whatever threatened their lives, he knew they would overcome it together, glowing green blood or otherwise.
Together, Calum, Axel, Magnus, Lilly, and Riley took their first steps along Trader’s Pass, their first steps toward their own bright futures and for all of Kanarah.
Epilogue
Lumen’s eyes opened in the darkness.
He could see them, feel them. Especially the boy.
Especially Calum.
There was something special about him.
A determination, a drive, a hunger.
Those qualities had brought him and his friends much closer now.
Much closer to Lumen, to release.
As the King had proclaimed nearly a thousand years earlier, Lumen would soon be set free.
And when he was set free, he would save Kanarah.
SHAMELESS COMMERCIAL
Magnus set down the book he was reading and looked up at Calum. “This is a truly fascinating work of fiction.”
“What’s it called?” Calum asked as he took a seat next to Lilly against a large boulder just off Trader’s Pass. To his surprise, she didn’t shift away but instead fixed her curiosity on Magnus along with Calum.
“It is called The Ghost Mine, written by a legendary author known as Ben Wolf. It tells the thrilling story of an energy mine that reopens three years after a horrific accident, but even now, much of what happens there goes terribly awry—often at the cost of the characters’ lives.”
Calum shook his head. “Oh, that one? Isn’t that the one you were reading at Stavian and Reginia’s house?”
“The very same,” Magnus replied.
“What, did you steal it, Scales?” Axel said with a scoff.
“On the contrary, Reginia offered it to me freely,” Magnus said, unfazed by Axel’s jab. “It is an excellent story. Though I must confess, the sciences in this book seem more like magic. Perhaps that is why it is called ‘science fiction.’”
“Chalk it up to artistic license,” Riley muttered from his spot atop the boulder.
“I love a good book,” Lilly said. “Mind if I read it when you finish?”
“I just did.” Kent handed it to her. “I am starting the next book in the trilogy.”
As Lilly accepted the book and looked it over, Magnus pulled two other books out of his pack to show Calum.
“Wow. These look scary,” Calum said. “But also awesome.”
“Probably not any scarier than those Gronyxes we just faced down,” Axel said.
“Perhaps not, but they are worth a read for anyone who enjoys mystery, plenty of horror, combat, and action,” Magnus said. “In addition, Reginia was kind enough to lend me another series as well, one much closer to our own story, but set in a different world with vastly different rules and extraordinary magic.”
Riley’s ears perked up. “Alright… now you’ve got my attention. If I had opposable thumbs, I might ask to borrow that series from you.”
“Perhaps I could read them to you,” Magnus offered. “Take look.”
“Reginia said she contacted and ordered signed copies of these books from Ben Wolf directly, thanks to some sorcery known as ‘email.’ And apparently, the books are also available through a worldwide vendor known as ‘Amazon.’”
Lilly gave an enthusiastic nod. “I’m gonna start reading now!”
“I wouldn’t mind reading the first one of the Blood Mercenaries books if you’re willing to share,” Calum said. “I’ll read it to you, Riley.”
Riley smirked. “I’m up for that.”
Axel rolled his eyes and turned away from the group. “Let them read their books. I’m more concerned with something else. You—yeah, you, the person reading this—you should write a review of this book on Amazon. It’ll help Ben Wolf write more stories, and it might keep him from being as poor as we are.”
Axel paused for a long moment.
“Seriously, though—why are you still reading this? Go write the review while this story is fresh in your mind,” he insisted. “Do it now. And don’t forget to read the next book in our series as well so you can watch me save everyone’s butts a bunch more times.” Axel sighed. “What would these nimrods do without me?”
This book is over, but the adventure doesn’t stop here!
The story continues in The Way of Ancient Power
Book Two of The Call of Ancient Light Series
Need more books? Check out www.benwolf.com
or email me directly at [email protected] to place your orders.
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review on Amazon.com!
Acknowledgments
I first started this series twelve years ago (in Feb. of 2009) because of a map I saw in a dream, much like Calum did in this story. At the time, I was working in Brooks Brothers as a sales guy, and jotting this story helped me pass the time in an otherwise mindless and miserable job.
Like Calum, I felt I was meant for something more, but I didn’t know how to get out of my day-to-day rut. It wasn’t until seven months later that I would attend the first writers conference of my life—one that changed my life forever.
Now this book has not only been published, but someone—you—chose to pick it up and read it. So thank YOU for reading.
Thank you to Jesus Christ for changing my life (and the world) forever.
Second, thanks to my parents for believing in me from an early age and for helping to support my dreams and my growth. I love you both.
Thanks to my all-star beta readers, Daniel Kuhnley, Luke Messa, and Paige Guido, for your excellent feedback, encouragement, and for having my back.
Thanks also to my mastermind group. It’s a secret group, but you all know who you are. (insert evil laugh)
Thank you to Andrew Winch and Davis Bunn, who both critiqued early, horrible versions of this book for me. Your input helped me out so much.
Hannah Sternjakob, you are a genius. The cover is exactly what I had envisioned (only better). Thank you for your long-suffering patience with me.
Dirty Mike Hueser and the BJJ boys, thanks for keeping me frosty.
And thank you to all of my readers! Without you, I wouldn’t be doing this.
Last of all, thank you especially to my intelligent, beautiful, thoughtful, and ultra-supportive wife, Charis Crowe. Your flexibility with my weird writing schedule for this book made all the difference in me getting it done.
I love you.
About Ben Wolf
In 7th grade, I saw the movie Congo. It was so bad, I wrote a parody of it set in Australia that featured killer kangaroos. So began my writing career.
I’ve spoken at 50+ writers conferences and multiple comic cons nationwide. When not writing, I occasionally choke people in Brazilian jiujitsu. I live in the midwest with my gorgeous wife, our kids, and our cats Marco and Ivy.
Order more books from me directly at [email protected] or on Amazon.com.
Want updates on
future projects? Sign up for my author email newsletter now!
www.subscribepage.com/fantasy-readers