The Legend of Vanx Malic Books I-IV Bundle: To Kill a Witch
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As he made his way down the stairs he put all his concentration into reaching out to his familiar. It was surprisingly easy to open the link between Poops and him now. He greeted his friend warmly, with thoughts of camaraderie and love, but once the greeting was done, he conveyed to the dog what the goddess asked of him.
Poops was eager to help.
“What is this bargain?” Thorn asked as he finally caught up with Vanx.
“I’ve already decided that I will willingly sacrifice myself and lead Chel out of the Underland.”
“If you did that, though, you would never be able to go back in, ever.” Vanx was pleased to know such a being as this one, who would sacrifice all that he had ever known, and a few centuries of future living, just so another could leave the Underland for a few decades and die.
“It matters not,” said Thorn.
“I led her there without warning and only I can lead her out.”
“If the Heart Tree is spared, you must promise not to do that. You have to swear not to intervene. You have to let the next monarch of the Lurr come to power and release her, otherwise I cannot do what I am almost certain must be done to save the tree.
“You are asking me to not allow Chelda out of the Underland?”
“I am,” replied Vanx as they entered Aserica’s lookout one after the other.
“But you want her free of that binding, don’t you?” Thorn asked, his confusion showing plainly in his voice.
“I do, Thorn, but your duty dictates that you must do what is best for the Heart Tree, so swear you won’t release her and I will attempt this. If I fail here, and do not save the tree, you can always make your sacrifice. Our bargain only holds if this works.”
“It’s done, then,” Thorn said.
“I swear that if you manage to save the Heart Tree, I won’t lead Chelda Flar from the Underland, but know this, Vanx Saint Elm: I would rather that you didn’t ask this of me.”
Vanx smiled.
“I know, Thorn. I know.” Vanx found the bag of foul-tasting powder on the cluttered table and after sprinkling a bit of it into the pool, he touched a few grains to his tongue, and handed the bag to Thorn. He kept himself from laughing when the elf began to gag and hack at the horrid taste of the powder. Vanx then took the silva leaf from under his shirt, noticing that it was glowing a bright cherry color again. He pulled the thong over his head and then put the Hoar Witch’s crystal around his neck in its place.
He used the crystal to order a pair of eyes into the Shadowmane and was glad to see Sir Poopsalot sitting there waiting patiently for him. Beyond the dog, an irritated-looking pixie soldier waited impatiently by the opened doorway back into the Underland.
“What are you going to do?” Thorn asked.
“Just watch.” Vanx dropped the radiant silva leaf right over Poops’ image. It plopped into the water, sending ripples out in wavering circles. For a moment it was hard, but not impossible, to see.
“Babd be boondoogled!” the pixie in the doorway said.
Poops spotted the falling charm as it appeared in the sky and he leapt to catch it in his mouth. Then, as if trying frantically to bury a bone, he proceeded to dig a sizable hole at the base of the Heart Tree and dropped it in.
The excited pixie soldier had called some others up, and now a few brownies and gnomes and a half dozen sprites had come buzzing out of the Underland to see what the strange dog was about. They were the lucky ones, for they were able to witness the magic that happened next.
No sooner had Poops nosed most of the dirt back into the hole did a dull silver vine start up out of the ground. It was as thin as string and chased with sparkling flashes and flares. It slowly coiled up and around the Heart Tree’s substantial trunk and soon the vine was finger thick, with pulsing lavender blooms sprouting and unfurling along its length.
The vine forked, and forked again, and soon the Heart Tree was covered with swiftly snaking tendrils of magic.
The vine strangled off the flow of sap from wounds, and dark, infected bark began to rejuvenate across its surface.
“Amazing,”
Thorn whispered from beside Vanx.
“Wow,” Gallarael added from over his shoulder. The fae who had returned with Darl and Thorn began to babble and chirp as they joined the others in the lookout.
From all over the Deep the fairy folk crept out of their hiding holes to come see. And by nightfall, not only was the Heart Tree no longer waning, but new, heart-shaped leaves were beginning to sprout.
At the moon’s zenith, on that particular night, another curious thing happened among the fae. A child was born, a pixie boy, and if any had a doubt about who and what he was to become, the Heart Tree ended it when one of the silva tree vines encircled his head, making a crown for all to see.
Other titles by M. R. Mathias
The Saga of the Dragoneers
The First Dragoneer – Free for Kindle
The Royal Dragoneers – Nominated, Locus Poll 2011
Cold Hearted Son of a Witch
The Confliction
The Emerald Rider
Rise of the Dragon King
Blood and Royalty – Winner. 2015 Readers Favorite Award,
and 2015 Kindle Book Award Semifinalist
The Legend of Vanx Malic
Book One – Through the Wildwood
Book Two – Dragon Isle
Book Three – Saint Elm’s Deep
Book Four – That Frigid Fargin’ Witch
Book Five – Trigon Daze
Book Six – Paragon Dracus
Book Seven – 2016/17
Book Eight – 2016/17
Collection -To Kill a Witch – Books I-IV w/bonus content
And don’t miss the huge International Bestselling epic:
The Wardstone Trilogy
Book One - The Sword and the Dragon
Book Two - Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools
Book Three - The Wizard & the Warlord
Short Stories:
Crimzon & Clover I - Orphaned Dragon, Lucky Girl
Crimzon & Clover II - The Tricky Wizard
Crimzon & Clover III - The Grog
Crimzon & Clover IV - The Wrath of Crimzon
Crimzon & Clover V-Killer of Giants
Crimzon & Clover Collection One (stories 1-5)
Crimzon & Clover VI – One Bad Bitch
Crimzon &Clover VII – The Fortune’s Fortune
Master Zarvin’s Action and Adventure Series #1 Dingo the Dragon Slayer
Master Zarvin’s Action and Adventure Series #2 Oonzil the oathbreaker
Master Zarvin’s Action and Adventure Series #3 The Greatest Quest
Crimzon & Clover Collection Two (stories 6-10)
Crimzon and Clover I-X