Ares Sword

by L L Vickery

  REIN TREASURE HUNTER FOR THE GODS

  Ares Sword

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Copywrite by Lisa L Vickery (2018) all rights reserved.

  No portion of this book can be copied without the written permission of the author.

  Ares Sword is the second in a series of books that follows our reluctant hero on a journey to find and return all of the weapons lost during the war in heaven.

  The sword has been broken into three pieces. Rein must find all of the pieces and return the sword to the isle of the gods. The journey will take him to the ice giant’s cave where he will have to battle ice giants and monstrous worm for the blade.

  The dark elves have the tip of the blade and will only relinquish it if Rein does something for them. His mother has the hilt and doesn’t want to give up its power.

  Other books by L L Vickery

  Rein Treasure Hunter for the Gods (Novella Series)

  Pan’s Flute

  Ares sword

  Coming Soon in the series

  The Ankh of Ra

  Dark Fantasy Novels by Lisa Vickery

  Sarah’s Wishing Box

  Amelia’s Magic Mirror

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 1

  The brisk air of that autumn morning nipped at Rein’s fingers as he stood over his father’s sarcophagus. He grunted and pushed open the cold, heavy stone lid. The scraping sound of the stone rubbing stabbed at his ears.

  He stood there for a moment with his eyes closed, unsure what to expect after nearly twenty years of decay. He’d seen dead bodies before but they were either fresh kills or ones that had been left to the elements so long only parts of their skeletons remained.

  Would there still be flesh covering these bones? Would there be gaping festering wounds with maggots and beetles feasting on the carcass? Would the lids still cover his father’s eyes or would they be bulging and looking back at him? He shook the childish notion from his mind and looked in the casket.

  No smell of rotting flesh came from the tomb. The body inside was nothing more than bone with some fragments of the clothes. He was buried in and a gold, ruby encrusted crown that once sat atop the proud man’s head. Now, it lay cockeyed to the side of his skull with no human meat to hold it in place.

  His skeletal arms were bent at the elbow and his hands were still gripping an invisible sword. The sword that his mother had pried from the bony fingers. The sword that was rightfully his. The sword that was in part a weapon of the Gods. He’d have to get it back if he meant to keep Alya safe.

  Rein took in a long deep breath through his nose. The air was as thick as dense fog with the scent of burning wood. It made his lungs feel heavy as he took each breath of the polluted air. If it was already this cold he abhorred the thought of what the winter was sure to bring.

  “If only you were here to help me celebrate my twenty-fifth birthday. I pray you are resting well, father.” He whispered.

  Rein heaved the lid back in place scowling at an enormous, hairy spider that crawled from behind Leopold’s teeth, across his cheekbone and back in through the hole where his nose once was.

  The stone lid scraping against its lower half was loud, so loud that Rein couldn’t hear Thomas coming down the stairs. Although if he wanted to Thomas could move without so much as stirring the air.

  “I thought I might find you down here,” Thomas said from the stairs. “Visiting your father for your birthday?”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen his body.” Rein cleared his throat.

  “Your father was a good and trusting man,” Thomas said.

  “Being a good and trusting man might be what got him killed.” Rein shuffled past Thomas and ascended the stairs.

  “I’m not sure I follow. Your father died of a flu virus, There was nothing to indicate foul play.” Thomas reassured him.

  “I don’t buy it.” Rein hissed. “My father was a healthy young man. A simple cold wouldn’t have killed him.”

  “The doctors could have been wrong and it could be as you say. Who am I but an old butler anyway.” Thomas shrugged.

  “You are much more than that and we both know it.” Rein reached the top of the stairs and turned to face Thomas.

  His grinning face gave Rein all the reason he needed to justify pushing the old man down the stairs. Of course, then he would have his mother’s wrath to contend with and he wasn’t entirely sure that would kill the man anyway.

  “I’m not exactly sure who or what you are, but I hope for your sake, you didn’t have anything to do with my father’s death.” He poked his finger in the older man’s hard chest. “And if you did, you should pray that I never find out.”

  Thomas didn’t flinch, he stood face to face with Rein and bared his teeth. “It’s been a week. I took the liberty of packing you a bag. I know you’ll want to get back out there and rob a few more graves.” Thomas pushed Rein’s hand away.

  “Thomas, Lady Lillian is waiting for you in the map room.” A soldier said as he watched the intense interaction.

  “Your mother would like for you to come too, sir.” He continued.

  Rein stomped down the corridor to the room his father dubbed the map room. This is where he planned out every aspect of their settlement. And looked to the future of more settlements even if he had to fight his way across the lands to achieve his goal.

  There was a map of the charted world hanging on the wall behind an oak desk that was gifted to him by Gwen’s father. Another world map was carved into a pine table, a gift from the dwarven king, where Rein spent his childhood moving horses and soldier around. And this is where his father’s body was found.

  Lillian stood next to a sizable globe spinning it and letting her fingers drag across the surface, feeling every groove and bump of the valleys and rivers. The dwarves made this as well. Leopold won it during a card game he and Bram’s father played many years ago.

  “Please come in, son.” Lillian smiled at Rein. She really did look much younger, even younger than the day before. Rein wondered if she was somehow able to figure out how to use the magic from the lamp to regain her youth.

  A week had passed since he came to stay, a week since his mother said she wouldn’t give him the sword, and a week since he left the Isle of the Gods where he was told to get the weapons or Alya would suffer.

  “You sent for me?” Rein asked standing in the doorway his arms folded across his chest.

  “I was hoping you could do something for me.” Lillian stopped the spinning globe. “If you do this one thing for me, I’ll give you anything you want.”

  “Anything huh? Even my father’s sword?” Rein asked. He’d been trying all week to find a way to get her to part with it.

  “Even the sword.” She grinned. What she wanted would make her far more powerful than the sword and by the time he returned she’d be done with it anyway.

  Rein knew that there was no way she would give up the sword so easily. Whatever it was that she wanted, it must have had immense power or would be very dangerous to get, for her to give up the sword.

  “So, you�
��ll do it then?” Lillian couldn’t contain her ear to ear grin.

  He did need that sword. Rein shrugged and nodded without knowing what he’d have to do. “It’s really important to you, isn’t it?”

  “It really is.” Lillian stood a foot from Rein and locked his eyes with hers. “I need you to travel to a small island to the north. Do you know it?”

  “No, but I’m sure Jon will.” Rein shook his head and listened intently.

  “The island is inhabited by some… little people. They can be quite nasty to outsiders.” She warned

  “There is a man on this island, his name is Joseph Bailard he’ll have a package.” She blinked rapidly. “Pick up the package and bring it back to me.”

  “All I have to do pick up a package and you’re going to give me father’s sword?” Rein asked tilting his head to the side.

  “Yep.” His mother turned toward Thomas and nodded.

  “I’ll have to see when Jon will be heading that way but sure I’ll do it.” Rein said.

  Lillian threw her arms around her son. Something she hadn’t done since he was a little kid. “Thank you so much. I left a birthday present on your bed, a family heirloom.” She kissed his cheek.

  Thomas cleared his throat. “Captain Amaranth is here, my lady.”

  She let go of her son, “Do what you can and get back here, as quickly as you can. Hmm?” She raised her eyebrows. “I have to attend to some business now.” She pushed him gently toward the door.

  A tall dark-haired man entered the room dressed in shiny silver plate mail. He held his helmet in his hand at his side. He had a square jaw and bright green eyes.

  Rein left the room, Thomas closed the door behind him. Soldiers lined the hall, Captain Amaranth’s soldiers no doubt.

  Each one dressed in the same shiny silver armor as the Captain, the only difference was their helmet didn’t have a red plume of feathers sticking out of the top.

  On his bed Rein found a small bag with not much more than a change of clothes. He slipped on his jacket and plopped the hat on his head that sat atop the bag.

  A dagger and note lay beside the bag. The note was in his mother’s handwriting which read: “A gift for your birthday my sweet boy. This dagger is made of dwarven steel and belonged to your grandfather. Take it with you, you never know when you’ll find a need for it. Your grandfather carried it everywhere. He said it brought him good luck. I hope that it keeps you safe my son.”

  He flung the puck over his back and slid the dagger into the knife sheath on his belt. Making his way to the front door he caught a glimpse of his mother standing very stern as Captain Amaranth bowed before her.

  An annoyed voice whispered through the halls finding Rein’s perked ears, “You would really leave without making a wish? And on your birthday?”

  Rein shook his head. Must be some echo of a dream he thought. He left to meet Jon on the pier happy that the week was over. He might be leaving without the sword but he was optimistic that his mother would keep her word and he would have it soon enough.

  Chapter 2

  The pier was lively. Musicians played happy tunes, small children ran through the crowd like rats around food barrels, and vendors set up booths to sell their wares. Shiny bits laid out in the hopes of bringing young women, and smoked meats calling to the senses of men.

  It was a busy time of year for the people of Hope Falls. Winter was just around the corner and they needed to prepare for the long, cold, snowy nights that lie ahead.

  Gathering as much as they could to can and collecting enough coin to keep the tax man at bay. Or in their case the tax woman. Lillian raised taxes every year and this was the worst yet. She did have to find a way to pay the soldiers after all.

  Food is scarce in this region during the winter. The trees and bushes are barren of fruit. The animals head west for the warmth and the protection of the elven forest. Even the fish head for warmer waters.

  Perhaps that is why people have begun migrating and creating settlements in other areas of the mainland over the last year. Within those settlements, new dangers await without the protection of the city walls.

  Each region had its own race and the races had grown to coexist before the time on man. Many of the creatures throughout the world didn’t care much for the humans or their way and would attack any time a human got too close to their homes. This too was changing. The humans learned how to kill the creatures and bring them in line.

  Posters hung on vendor stands to announce the return of the annual fall festival. There hadn’t been one since the passing of Rein’s father. He remembered going with his parents when he was about five years old, it was a good memory.

  There would be food, games, and eating contests. It was a great way for the mayor, Lady Lillian to show the villagers that she wasn’t so bad and to show where some of their tax money was going.

  Rein watched a small boy tug at his other’s dress. “Please mommy, can we go?” The boy pleaded, pointing at the poster, while his mother continued her conversation with the vendor.

  Rein laughed, imagining that must have been how he looked when he was small, excited about the festivities and desperately trying to get his mother’s attention. His smile faded as he wondered if he would ever know the joys of parenthood.

  Happy couples gathered on the sandy beach below to watch the dolphins play in the sea just beyond the pier. They darted in and out of the water, swimming fast toward the surface and propelling themselves into the air, then coming back down with a splash.

  Jon stood on the deck of the Misty Rose with a very round woman at his side. As they watched the dolphins, the woman clapped her hands and laughed at the sight of them.

  “Pretty amazing, huh?” Rein asked as he leaned his head in between them.

  “Rein,” Jon laughed heartily and wrapped his friend in a bear hug lifting his feet inches off the ground.

  Jon was in much better spirits than the week prior. He must have gotten things back to some sort of normalcy and Rein felt guilty for what he would need to ask of his friend.

  “Put me down,” Rein grunted barely able to breathe.

  “Who’s your friend?” The lovely dark-haired woman asked.

  “Forgive me, my love.” Jon set Rein back on his feet.

  “This is my oldest and dearest friend, Reinhard. And this beautiful creature carrying my child is Avanna, my wife.” Jon rubbed her large round belly.

  “Wife? And she’s carrying your child?” Rein asked, the words coming from his mouth slowly. “My condolences, My Lady.” He took her fingertips between his and kissed the back of her hand. “You’ve been busy.” He grinned at Jon.

  “You could say that. From what I hear you have been living quite the adventure yourself.” Avanna giggled.

  “A lot has changed in these few short days,” Jon said and kissed Avanna on top of the head.

  “It really has.” Rein sighed, keeping his eyes focused on the rippling waves. “Do you know that island to the north? The one with the little people?’ Rein asked.

  “Yeah,” Jon looked out at the water the strong breeze blew through his hair. The chill in the air let him know summer was indeed over and winter was close.

  “Do you ever get out there?” Rein asked.

  A seagull swooped down and plucked a fish from the water. Avanna gasped as a shark came up out of the darkness and chomped the air missing the lucky bird by mere inches.

  “I just got back from there. The plan is I’ll be heading out that way in a bit.” Jon said.

  “Not until the baby is born.” Avanna rubbed her belly. “You promised.”

  “Of course, my dear. Not until the baby comes.” Jon smiled down at her.

  “How long until the baby comes?” Rein asked.

  “Any day now, maybe a week or two,” Avanna said. She pulled a shawl across her shoulders and rubbed her chilly arms.

  “Can I go with you, when you do go?” Rein asked.

  “Long as you’re around and willing to work
for the ride.” Jon grinned. “What has you going to the Isle of little people?”

  “My mother. Speaking of the witch, where are you staying while you wait for the joyous day? I’m sure she’d love to have you stay at the palace.” Rein said.

  “Here, on the ship. We wouldn’t want to impose.” Jon winked at Avanna “Why don’t you stay on the ship for the night and celebrate with us?”

  Avanna winked at Rein, that wasn’t the kind of celebrating Rein wanted any part of.

  “Maybe next time.” Rein chuckled averting his eyes from the happy couple. “Think I’ll head to Kahila for a visit.”

  “Why don’t you take Lucos with ya?” Jon pointed to a boy about sixteen, with short blond hair. “He’s Avanna son and I think it’d do him some good to get off the ship for a while.” He nudged Rein’s side with his elbow.

  “You owe me one.” Rein raised his eyebrows.

  The boy was slender with broad shoulders and tonearms. When he turned around Rein saw the bluest eyes he’d ever seen on another human. The boy’s skin was bronze from the sun, his clothes could use a good washing and when he smiled Rein saw something familiar, like a forgotten friend from childhood.

  “Lucos,” Jon shouted. “Come here.”

  The boy made hast crossing the ship in a sprint.

  “What can I do for ya, captain?” He said slightly out of breath with a big smile on his face.

  “I’d like you to meet a very dear friend of mine, Rein.” Jon put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He’s headed to the elven village of Kahila to see how the rebuild is coming along. Your mother and I thought you might like to go with him.”

  “Why? There’s so much to do here, to prepare for the baby.” Luc said

  “I think it would be good for you to have a little adventure before the baby comes and we head back out to sea,” Avanna spoke up.

  “It’s settled then.” Jon ruffled Luc’s hair. “Have fun, but not too much fun. Eh?” He pointed from Luc to Rein laughing.

  “Take care of my boy?” Avanna said in more of a command than a question.