Believe: Champion of Light

by C. J. Krüger

  Contents

  Copyright

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Links

  Book Three on Pre-order

  Champion of Light

  Book Two: Believe

  Copyright © 2016 C.J. Krüger

  Cover design by

  Authenticity Press

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author.

  I hope you enjoy Believe, Book Two of the Champion of Light! Writing this series so far has been a great privilege. Every step of the way, my characters surprise me and I’m so glad to be able to share them with all of you.

  If you want updates on new releases or special offers, events, etc, follow me on one of the links below.

  Happy reading!

  — C.J. Krüger

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  Chapter One

  Aydamaris Sunleaf

  (Year 3761)

  I lift my shield over my head as a hideous demon tries to crush me with heavy blows. Deadly claws extend from its hand and it makes a massive swipe at me. It connects with my shield and I am sent reeling back. Huge gashes are left in the metal and I discard the now useless defense.

  “Just die!” it howls in rage and it charges me.

  Narrowing my eyes, I wait for the right moment to strike. As it attempts to impale me, I dance to the side and summon my soulblade, and in the same motion I easily sever the demon’s outstretched arm. Do they never learn? I think to myself, recalling the Nightmare Lord’s same mistake.

  With a heavy thump, the arm hits the ground and the flesh begins to melt away, leaving only a gnarled bone. The demon screams in pain and its vile energy surges.

  “Disgusting,” I mutter as I slide my blade into its heart.

  It releases a bloodcurdling gurgle as it slides limply off my blade. The foul body disintegrates into ash, just as its severed arm did a moment before. I look around me and see my brothers and sisters fighting against the endless horde of demon warriors raining down from dark portals in the sky.

  The world screams in agony.

  “Phalanx formation!” Diarmuid shouts over the chaos. His bright, golden armor gleams in the sunlight as he battles several demons at once. He easily lops the head off a charging demon and then sends his energy out like a beacon for all to gather around him. “Defend the cave!”

  Legions of Elven warriors rush to his side, I among them. We form a wall of steel and magic against the charging line of demons. We all summon our soulshields, each one unique, and raise them to our shoulders, our King at the front. Our host unleashes a battlecry before the demons crash into us. It’s a mass of blood and death. Elves and Demons howl in rage and pain as we slaughter one another. As I fell one of the monsters, my eyes drift to the cave entrance.

  It’s been a year since he went down into the blackness. Please come back to us, I pray quietly. Come back to me.

  “High Priestess Sunleaf!” someone shouts.

  I look up and see one of the demons raising an arm to strike me. I’ve hesitated, and even if I try to move now it won’t matter. I’m dead.

  The demon falls before me, a saber sticking out of its chest. Sivandar is standing behind it, his cool grey eyes devoid of emotion. “Watch yourself, little sister. I love you too much for you to die here.”

  “Thank you,” I say, my lips pulling up into a small smile. “But I’m the older one. By a whole two minutes.”

  He shrugs. “You’ll always be my baby sister. I’m taller.”

  “If you two are done chatting,” an irritated Diarmuid snaps at us, “we have a war to fight.”

  “Yes sir,” I say quickly and get back into formation. The majority of the demons have been killed, and the rest are fleeing now. I look around us and see many of my kin lying in the surrounding forest. “So many dead,” I say quietly, and I shudder in disbelief.

  “We will avenge them,” Diarmuid tells me firmly. “But to do that we must hold this cave. If the demons reach Duncan now, while he’s still vulnerable, all will be lost.”

  Sivandar snorts. “How can one half-breed brat be so important?”

  “He’s my grandson, first of all,” the King says pointedly. “And he is the Lights’ Chosen One. Take it up with Them if you have a problem. If not, keep your mouth shut and kill demons.”

  “Yes sir,” Sivandar replies coldly. “Whatever my King demands.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Why would the demons retreat?” I ask, peering up into the sky. The portals are closing now, and the foul energy of the demons recedes. Even so, I can’t shake the overwhelming sense of dread.

  Sivandar looks worried as well. His eyes dart around, and I see that his muscles are still flexed and ready for war.

  “They will come back,” he says ominously. “I’m not sure how much longer we can hold them off.”

  I look to my King, hoping he has some kind of insight. Surely he must. “Are we fighting a losing battle?” I ask, unable to clear my doubts.

  Diarmuid’s eyes narrow darkly. “No,” he says firmly. “But we will lose if our hearts are weighed down by doubts. The Lights fight with us… as They always have. Of course we’re going to win.”

  His words reverberate among all of us and several begin to chuckle. Even Sivandar cracks a smile. I don’t laugh, but I do have a sense of relief and hope. King Diarmuid is right, we can win. We have to win.

  “He should have been here by now,” I hear Diarmuid mutter to himself. “Just like his father: always late.”

  “He’s nearly ready,” I say, surprised at my own confidence. “But not completely. He hasn’t quite accepted who he is yet.”

  My ancient King lifts his brow. “Can you feel him?” he asks, his tone indicating no surprise.

  I nod. “I couldn’t before, but now that you ask, yes. It’s as if my heartbeat is his. I think he can sense what’s happening out here, but They don’t think he is ready yet.”

  “I see,” he says and lifts his hand to stroke at his long beard. “If you can sense him, then he can sense you. You must help him get ready. We need him.”

  “How could she feel him?” Sivandar asks, disgust in his voice. “Only mates have that kind of…” Realization dawns on his face and his head snaps towards me. “Aydamaris! How could you?”

  My nose wrinkles and my lips pull up into a sneer. “Don’t you even start,” I say coldly. “We don’t decide who our mates are and you know it.”

  “The Lights have always had a sense of humor I never understood,” the King says mildly. “First my daughter and now you.”

  “I’m glad I’m not the only one to disapprove,” Sivandar says through clenched teeth. “This can’t be possible.”

  Diarmuid laughs, his tone on the verge of mocking. “Don’t mistake what I said, young one. I said I didn’t understand. That has nothing to do with my approval. I’m happy.”

  As my brother and my King argue with one another, I keep my eyes out on the horizon. Every trace of the demons is gone, and the rest of my kin are gathering themselves up. Many are dead and even more are w
ounded, and my heart aches to see the devastation.

  Ayda.

  The voice in my mind is soft but so striking that it takes my breath away. I look back toward the cave and feel that my love is back from where They took him. Back in my world.

  “He’s here!” I cry.

  The sky cracks open suddenly and black fire rains down upon us. I watch a group of my men consumed by the flames. They don’t even have time to scream before their bodies turn to ash. Darkness spreads above us, blotting out the sun completely.

  “To me!” Diarmuid shouts and I feel a massive barrier engulf me.

  As fast as their feet can carry them, my kin rush into the presence of our King. The demonic fire strikes the bright blue light and splashes away harmlessly.

  Harmlessly for us, at least.

  The fire begins spreading through the forest but the trees aren’t burned away. Instead, they come alive; their branches are aflame and they howl in fury.

  “What madness is this?” Sivandar asks, his face pale. “The very trees rise up against us.”

  “An old trick,” Diarmuid replies, his voice strained. “I know this demon.”

  I draw my soulblade and shield and raise them for battle. The strain on Diarmuid’s face concerns me and I worry his barrier cannot hold for long. “We can’t fight with all that fire raining on us,” I say, my brows furrowing. “Is there a way to stop it, King Silverblade?”

  “Yes,” he says through clenched teeth. “Kill him.”

  “That presents a problem,” Sivandar replies dryly. “How are we supposed to find him?”

  Without warning, Diarmuid Silverblade shouts out a mighty battlecry. His blue barrier grows and grows, swallowing up the flaming trees and cleansing them. The sun above brightens and pierces the darkness. There is a howl of agony and the black fire retreats.

  The flames gather in a single spot and then a demon appears before us. It looks nothing like the other demons I have seen. This one looks like an Elf, except its eyes are maroon and its skin is deathly white, with black veins running across its face.

  “The Abyssal Lord, Kargon,” Diarmuid says, slightly relaxing his shield. “Haven’t I killed you already?”

  “You’ve never been able to finish a job,” the demon replies mockingly. “The Lights make you soft, Ancient One.”

  The King sighs. “Your tongue is still too fast for your own good, Evron.”

  “Silence, Old Man!” the demon spits. “Don’t call me by that name.”

  “You don’t deserve it anyway,” Diarmuid replies coolly.

  Choking energy emits from the demon, and its lips curl up into a sneer. “I’ll kill you all. But you, Ancient One, I will kill last, and you will watch their suffering.”

  My blood runs cold and my knees buckle. Even behind the barrier that Diarmuid has made, the demon’s cruel aura saps the life from me. I look toward my King and I see that his eyes are hard and filled with fury. There is a sureness about him that calms my mind. He will protect us.

  Holy Lights, watch over us.

  The demon summons a wicked blade to his hand and charges at Diarmuid’s barrier. He lashes out against it but the magical shield holds strong.

  “Is this all you can do, Old Man? Hide?” the demon asks, sneering in contempt.

  “You all must flee this place,” the King orders. “Now.”

  “Never,” Sivandar and I say at the same time. “We won’t leave you.”

  The others voice their agreement, but we are silenced by a sharp look from Diarmuid.

  “I love you all like my own children,” he says gravely, “but you will only get in the way. If you are too close while we fight, you will turn to ash.” The King surges with magic, and the barrier around us grows and grows. “Go! Now!”

  We grudgingly follow his command and start fleeing into the woods as fast as our feet can carry us. A moment later the sounds of battle begin to ring out. The energy I feel emanating from the pair is incredible. Never in my life have I felt such potent strength. I turn back to look as an explosion of magic erupts. The trees are destroyed by the blast and the shockwave knocks me off my feet.

  The breath is pushed out of my lungs and I am left gasping for air. I feel a hand gripping mine and pulling me up. It’s Sivandar and his face is hardened as he looks at our King doing battle.

  “We should help,” he says firmly.

  I shake my head. “Can you not sense how powerful the two of them are? We’d be flattened, brother.”

  “So we do nothing?” he asks, his tone filled with spite.

  “Not nothing,” I tell him, putting my hand on his shoulder. “We pray for him.”

  His face softens and he nods gravely. It’s heartbreaking to have to stand aside and not act, but also humbling. There are times when we have to accept that there is nothing we can do but put our fates into the hands of our Lights.

  * * *

  Sivandar and I run through the forest, stopping sometimes when we feel a surge of power. The other Elves are gathered further in the forest and look relieved when they see us approaching.

  “The King?” one asks, her face a mixture of fear and anger.

  I shake my head. “He still fights the abomination, sister. I don’t know how he is faring, but this is King Silverblade we are talking about. Nothing can defeat him.” I sound more sure than I feel and I turn around to look in the direction of the battle.

  Very suddenly, the pair of them appear above the trees, holding themselves by the power of their own will. It’s an incredible feat of strength, but the King and the demon make it appear easy. My sharp Elven eyes can see them clearly and I am pleased to see that our King appears uninjured. He has not even drawn his blade, while the demon looks scared and haggard.

  “Is this the best you can do, Evron?” Diarmuid shouts, his face looking triumphant. “This is just a repeat of history. You sold your soul for nothing, boy.”

  The demon’s face twists up in rage and I feel the wicked surge in his power. Blinding red light emits from the demon and takes the form of blood red wings. The rich-looking clothes he was wearing are now replaced by thick black armor, and his face is now obscured by a mighty, horned helm.

  “You should join with me, Diarmuid.” The demon’s voice is hollow and metallic and the sound of it makes my blood run cold. The Abyssal Lord holds out his long, thin blade and with another surge of power it transforms into a mighty claymore the size of the wielder. “My master has taught me secrets of Arkana you couldn’t dream of. The Lights are too afraid to use them.”

  “They fear nothing,” our King replies, looking very calm as he speaks. “There is no secret or power that can help you now, Evron. The Darkness might keep me from killing you once and for all, but there is another who will come and he will strike you down forever.”

  “You mean the child?” Kargon replies mockingly. “I have been within his heart since he was born. He is weak and will fall.”

  “All according to plan, boy,” Diarmuid replies, a deadly smirk on his face. “He resisted all of you and went to Them. I suggest that when I send you back to the Void you stay there this time.”

  The Abyssal Lord snarls and charges at the King, his armored body flying through the air effortlessly. As his massive blade nearly falls down on the King, Diarmuid easily floats out of range and counters with a massive beam of blue light that sends the demon hurtling.

  The two resume their deadly dance in the sky, their armor catching the sunlight as they clash. As their blades clash, so too does their magic, creating concussive explosions that destroy anything near them. The others watch in awe but my eyes are drawn toward the cave under the battling pair. What did the demon mean when he said he was within Duncan’s heart? Was he the one causing my mate so much pain? Rage surges within me and I gather my will in my hand.

  “No,” Sivandar says gently. “You cannot.”

  “He hurt Duncan,” I say through my teeth. “For months those demons were torturing his mind and making him think he w
as less than what he is.”

  I expect Sivandar’s eyes to grow cold, but instead he puts his arms around me. “I’m sure he would appreciate your instinct to avenge him, but right now the only person capable of that is Diarmuid. You will only get in the way.”

  A deep sigh escapes my chest and I relax my power. My brother is right and I bow my head in defeat. “You’d better kill him, King Silverblade!” I shout out.

  The demon swings his massive blade, attempting to cleave Diarmuid in half, but the King catches the sword in the palm of his hand.

  “I will,” Diarmuid says calmly. The blade evaporates in his hand and he coldly glares at the Abyssal.

  Kargon pulls back in fear. “How is this possible? How do you always have more strength? The Void is my master. He promised me the power to destroy you!”

  “Don’t you realize, you fool?” Diarmuid says angrily, shoving his will against the demon. “They made us and you betrayed Them! You took the gift They gave you and twisted it with lies and fear. You didn’t gain power when you murdered her. You just lost everything that made you good… you’re nothing but a shadow.”

  Kargon rages again and tries to slam his fist against Diarmuid, but the King absorbs the blow as if it were nothing. “She should have loved me!” Kargon howls. “They should have made her for me, not you! I was the one who was betrayed!”

  “Pathetic.” Diarmuid grabs the demon by the throat and the wicked black armor Kargon wears is shattered. “I actually feel sorry for you, Evron. She thought of you like a brother. I’m glad for her sake that you weren’t this abomination when you killed her. Nynaria loved you.”

  “But her heart and soul were yours,” Kargon replies bitterly. He shoves his energy back against Diarmuid, and frees himself from the King’s grasp. With another howl of rage, he forms within his hands a ball of pure blackness.

  “Stop!” Diarmuid shouts. “That is forbidden.”

  “I fear nothing,” Kargon replies and shoves the ball of energy into his own chest. With a painful cry, the demon implodes and then expands rapidly. “I will take you all into the Void with me.”