Mitchell Graham - [Fifth Ring 01] - The Fifth Ring (v1.0)

by Mitchell Graham

  39

  EPLOGUE

  Sennia, The Abbey at Bacora

  Mathew Lewin stood on the ramparts high atop the sanctuary of Barcora, looking out across the plain at four riders who were moving steadily closer. Lara put an arm around his shoulders and pulled her cloak tighter against the late autumn chill. It was almost six months since the battle at Ardon Field. Akin and Fergus had left to return to Devondale, taking Daniel with them to recu­perate. Before they went, they promised to stop in Elber-ton and deliver Father Thomas's letter to Ceta Woodall. Lara had helped the priest compose it, but refused to say anything about its contents. Somewhere below in the main courtyard, Mathew could hear the sound of blades striking each other. Collin was taking a fencing lesson from Father Thomas.

  With official duties to perform and a country to run, Gawl had returned to his palace in Barcora. Though he came to visit several times in the past few months to see how they were getting on, he only remained a short while. The king was not on the best of terms with the clergy.

  For their part, the priests were content to leave Mathew alone to study in their library. He passed the majority of his days poring through the books they had preserved down through the centuries. Most ancient texts were dust-covered and musty, almost illegible. Fortunately, there were copies and translations available. After weeks and weeks of work, he began to make sense of what he was reading. It often required consulting several versions of the same book. Learning the old language was a painstaking and laborious process. Wherever possible, he avoided translations as well as the copies, electing to read the original version because what had been reproduced often contained the interpretations of others, which col­ored the facts.

  He knew for a certainty now that his was one of the last of the eight rose gold rings the Ancients had created, con­firming what Teanna had told him. He read of the terrible war his ancestors had fought, virtually destroying all of mankind. Several of the texts contained references to something called the "horror." And he knew that toward the end there had been a desperate search to find and de­stroy all of the rose gold rings, with the exception of the last eight. Though Mathew had been unable to learn ex­actly what the books spoke of, a vague suspicion had be­gun to form in his mind. In recent months he had stopped wearing the ring altogether. It was back on the leather cord around his neck. The answers were out there.

  Somewhere beneath the earth in a vast underground cavern was a town called Henderson. He didn't know where it was or how to get there. He had found several references to an entrance located a thousand miles to the west across the wasted lands, but for now that would have to wait.

  In the speech to his men after the battle, Delain prom­ised to rebuild their country, making it a nation of just and honorable laws. Mathew hoped with all his heart that would be so as he watched Constable Quinn ride up to the gate.

  MITCHELL GRAHAM

  was born in New York City and is an attorney in the State of

  Florida. A former member of the U.S. National Fencing Squad, he represented the U.S. in a number of competitions around the world and won more than thirty-five individual titles in the sport, placing in the top five more than one hundred times over the course of his career. In addition, he holds a doctorate in neuropsychology from the University of Miami. Mr. Graham lives in Miami with his fiancee and is currently at work on his second fantasy novel.