A Warrior's Legacy

by Guy Stanton III

  A Warrior’s

  Legacy

  Book Three

  of

  The Warrior Kind

  Guy S. Stanton, III

  Words of Action

  Copyright © 2013 by Guy S. Stanton, III.

  Published by Guy S. Stanton III at Smashwords

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Book Layout ©2013 BookDesignTemplates.com

  Ordering Information:

  A Warrior’s Legacy is commonly available for sale everywhere eBooks are sold.

  Author Website

  A Warrior’s Legacy/ Guy S. Stanton, III. -- 1st ed.

  ISBN 978-0-9910565-2-1

  Dedicated to all the boys who’ve made

  the right decisions through the years

  and have become men of righteous

  action that have made the path of

  their families secure in the faith.

  ―The Map of the Continent of Assoria

  Chapter One

  Nightmare

  It was three o’clock in the morning and the pleasant dream of walking by the seashore had changed abruptly from a scene of tranquility to one of a tumultuous tempest.

  He was now on the bucking deck of a ship caught in a gale force wind as it plowed up and down the giant troughs between the walls of water. Sea spray lashed the deck and it was impossible to stand unless one held onto something.

  The ship felt like it was about to be torn apart and just when it couldn’t take any more abuse a sudden calm happened and when he looked down he saw that he had been holding a Bible all through the storm.

  Suddenly everything went oppressively black and devoid of light. A single candle’s flame punched its way into the darkness. From its light he could see a woman bent over on her knees with her face to the floor.

  She appeared to be praying and crying, her body shaking from the force of her emotion. In the castoff glow of the candle sitting on the floor in front of the woman, darker shadows in the background seemed to be twirling sinuously closer to the woman’s bent over form.

  He wanted to reach out and warn the woman somehow, but he was helpless to do so. The menacing presence of the darker shadows crept closer and encroached on the single flickering candle flame, with all manner of dark mutterings, growling, and wicked glee.

  The candle’s light flickered once and the cacophony of dark voices grew louder and more eager. As the candle light flickered and sputtered, and looked to be on the point of going out the woman looked up.

  She was looking directly at him, as her face streaming with tears and anguish testified to the fact that she was without hope. Her features were different than any person he had ever seen before.

  Her shouted plea wrenched his heart as she screamed, “Please help us!” The candle went out and darkness closed in on the woman. He heard screams of horror and pain, as she was consumed by the dark horde gathered all around her!

  Her screams echoed out into the darkness so loudly that he thought his head was going to explode! He couldn’t take it anymore he just couldn’t and screamed his own wail of pain, as he clutched at his head and tried to shut out the sound of the woman’s tormented scream, but he couldn’t!

  Gavin almost bolted completely out of his bed, as he clutched at his head with his hands. The woman’s screams faded from his consciousness until all he heard was the pleasant good morning chirps of the summer’s symphony of insects outside his window.

  He dropped his hands away from his head and tried to regain control of his breathing. He was covered in sweat and his heart felt like what a deer’s must feel like after having been chased by wolves for hours.

  He sat down heavily on the side of his bed and wiped the sweat from his face and then held his head in his hands again. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

  This was the fifth time in seven nights that he’d had this hellish dream and to say that it was beginning to affect him was to put it mildly.

  The dream was so intense and the woman’s agony so acute that he stayed awake at night for fear of having to experience the dream over again. The dream, nightmare, vision whatever you wanted to call it haunted him throughout the day.

  He had prayed to the Creator over and over about it. If it was of the enemy that it would depart from him and if it was of the Creator that he would be shown the meaning of the dream. He couldn’t keep this to himself any longer. Maybe father would know what to do.

  Roric looked through his cracked open door at the last person he would have ever have expected to see pounding on his door in the early hours of the morning.

  Gavin stood there illuminated in the hall lantern waiting for his father to say something like, “What in the world are you waking me up right now for?” or something else like that, but Roric said nothing and just continued to study Gavin.

  Roric had noticed how beat Gavin had appeared all this last week and had wondered what had been up with his usually indomitable son, who never showed much emotion unless he was busy in his blacksmithing work or preaching the word of God.

  This early morning visit by his 22-year-old son must have something to do with what had been stealing his peace and rest the whole of this past week.

  “Give me a moment son okay?” Roric said and Gavin nodded.

  Roric closed the door and Krista asked, “Who is it?”

  “Gavin!” Roric said and saw the answering surprise on her face.

  They both quickly got dressed and Roric opened the door for his son. Gavin stepped into the room looking awkward, but determined to be there. Before he could say anything Krista hugged her big son tightly and he relaxed feeling her love for him coming through the hug to soothe his tired nerves like a balm on an open burn.

  Krista drew back, “Now how about we all have a seat and you tell us what’s been bothering you Gavin.”

  He nodded his assent and they all took their seats in a small sitting area that was dimly lit.

  “Can we have some more light in here please?” Gavin asked softly like he didn’t want to be heard saying it.

  Again Krista and Roric shared a look. This wasn’t at all like the son they knew. Gavin if asked for the right reason would have walked into a bear’s den and tackled the bear without a weapon in his hand.

  Soon the room was made lighter, but still somewhat private and subdued. Krista and Roric sat back down and waited as they stared at their quiet son at a complete loss, as to what had affected him so.

  Gavin began, “I’ve been having a recurrent dream lately. Actually it seems more of a nightmare rather than anything else. I’ve had it five times in seven nights and every time it’s the exact same dream. I’ve prayed about it and asked to be free of it, but I’ve had no clear answer from the Creator as to what’s going on and I keep having it. I’m beginning to think the Creator’s trying to tell me something and that the dream/nightmare I keep having is some kind of vision for something that pertains to the future. If it is I hope not! I thought maybe you two could help me figure it out or something.”

  “We’ll try son. Go ahead and start from the beginning and
leave nothing out.” Roric said softly and Gavin nodded.

  Krista drew her legs up under her as her son began the recital of the nightmare that had haunted him for days. It was a chilling nightmare for sure, but she was also equally sure that it had a deeper meaning to it than any nightmare could.

  But what?

  Looking at her son she analyzed why he’d been given the vision. That he was to take part in whatever quest that was to take place she had no doubt. The last half of the dream and parts of the beginning made a sort of sense to her, but the setting and connotation of other parts made no sense to her.

  They had been sitting in relative silence as they thought over the dream that could be a vision.

  Krista broke the silence. “If you prayed for this dream to part from you if it was not of God like you say you did and yet you’re still having it I believe it is safe to assume that the dream you keep having contains something that the Creator wants you know or act upon. Beyond that I can’t say anything for sure. What about you dear?” She asked her husband.

  Roric had been studying Gavin closely with his fingers crossed together in front of his nose.

  Roric spoke slowly and measurably, “The ship you were on, of what manner and nationality was it?”

  Gavin spoke as if the meaning of the words were only just coming into his consciousness, “It was an oceangoing craft by its build and sails. Nothing like what we have. It was more similar to what you would see of the Tranquil Islanders or perhaps the peoples of Kharta. I’ve heard that they have such ships.”

  Roric nodded and continued, “The water you said was splashing everywhere, did any of it hit you?”

  Gavin nodded.

  “Was it warm or cold?”

  Gavin thought about it for a long moment. “It wasn’t cold I’m sure of that, but whether the water was warm or not I’m not sure.”

  Roric nodded again that he understood and then he asked, “The woman you said she was different looking in some way. How was she different?”

  Gavin looked like he was staring at the image of the woman from his dream and not at his parents, “It’s hard to judge perspective right, but I would say that she was smaller overall in build than a typical Valley Lander woman. Like it was natural for her to be that way. She had jet black hair and her eyes were also darkish. Again I think those traits were indicative of the way her people look like in general. Kind of how the Khartians look different from us, but are still people. Her skin wasn’t dark brown or black like there’s though, it was more of a white with a light tan tint to it. Her face was very different, most notably in her eyes. They were like the eyes of the Tranquil Islanders, but even more so, more almond shaped. Her clothing was more like long bright fabric swatches arranged around her than the tailored dresses women wear here. That’s it I’m afraid.” Gavin said holding up his hands.

  Krista had been studying her son closely, “Was she pretty?”

  Gavin flushed slightly as he nodded yes.

  “You speak of her wails of torment as being unbearable to hear. Were they unbearable to hear physically or did the pain feel unbearable because she was someone close to you and you couldn’t bear to hear someone you cared for in pain?”

  Gavin thought about it for a moment and then responded, “Both I think.”

  Several silent moments went past and then Roric spoke, “I think I can help you out son, but I need a couple of hours. How about coming back for a late breakfast around 10 o’clock? I should have something by then and in the meantime I want you to try and get some rest. Frankly you look awful.”

  After Gavin had left Roric turned back from the door and saw that Krista was still seated in her chair and of all things she was smiling.

  “May I ask what has you in such a good mood?” Roric asked curiously.

  Personally he was rather disturbed about his son’s dream, probable dark vision of the future most likely.

  Krista just smiled some more and said, “I was thinking about my soon-to-be new daughter-in-law and wondering what she would be like. She appears to be a woman of prayer always a great plus in an individual don’t you think?”

  Roric simply shook his head in consternation at how the female half of the human kind worked, “You hear a nightmarish vision like that of the future and all you can think of is meeting a prospective new exotic daughter-in-law?”

  Krista’s smile deepened as she got up and walked over to her husband and put her arms around his neck and looked up at him out of laughing eyes, “Yes!”

  Roric rolled his eyes dramatically and Krista laughed.

  “In all seriousness Roric I think everything’s going to be all right, call it woman’s intuition if you will. Things may get exciting, but I think they end well.”

  Roric didn’t shrug off her comments as he had come to respect your intuition; he drew some comfort from her words for the uncertain future.

  “You seem to have some idea of where such a place could exist. Where could there be a people living such as Gavin describes?” Krista asked.

  “I need to talk to Abby. I saw something briefly on a screen once in the lab. I had completely forgotten about it until now. I think there’s another continent on this world. But we both know we can’t send Gavin alone on such a mission to save a lost people.” Roric said softly.

  “No, he’ll need a warrior to lead the way and make the judgment calls that he’s not good at. We’ll have to send Zevin with him. Perhaps I’ll get two new daughter-in-laws!” Krista responded dead seriously, but Roric just shook his head at her matchmaking focus.

  “You’ve got plans to hook up your other son with one of these exotic women that exists somewhere I’m not sure where yet?”

  Krista looked up at Roric, “If that’s God’s plan for Zevin absolutely! I’m sure that the Creator has a special someone out there to make all of my children happy, content, and to have a lasting companionship with during this life. I’ve prayed for my future children’s spouses for years and I have no reason to believe that my Creator has let me down now. Especially not with the success I’ve already had. This unknown people may hold the key to both of our son’s happiness and fulfillment. We both know that neither of them is truly happy here.”

  Roric looked unsure so Krista pressed her point. “Content maybe, but happy they are not. Both yearn for something more. They were created for a greater purpose than just to be second sons in life destined to only serve an older brother that has not yet returned to take his place as your heir to Thunder Ridge.”

  Roric simply nodded. What she had said was true and he wondered at the road that lay ahead of his two twin sons. He wasn’t worried about Zevin, but Gavin’s success and safety would depend on how well he heeded his brother’s advice and leadership.

  Zevin would not be happy in having to accompany his brother on this quest. Although it would give him the chance to explore, which he knew his son craved. It would seem to him a betrayal of carrying on his father’s name and place in the Valley Lands.

  He like Roric had grave doubts as to how Talaric could ever manage to come back, but Krista’s faith on the matter of her oldest son’s return was unshakable.

  Roric as usual was greeted by Abby as he entered the underground labyrinth of rooms beneath Thunder Ridge, but her greeting wasn’t the only one.

  “Good morning father.” Ellanara said briefly looking up from the screen she was studying.

  Her eyes were bloodshot and Roric could tell that her head hadn’t yet graced a pillow, but in youthful energy she’d stayed up in hot pursuit of some concept of science or some other discipline.

  She was becoming so beautiful like her mother, with a little of him thrown in. He walked over to her and leaned over in front of her blocking access to her screen. She looked up at him somewhat bleary-eyed.

  “To bed! Now!” He said firmly.

  “Okay okay.” She said getting up.

  He smacked her on the bottom in mock reproof for staying up all night and she giggled slightly as s
he stepped away and hit a button that transported her instantaneously to her bedroom in the castle above. Roric turned back to Abby and Abby shrugged expressively.

  “I tried, but she just wouldn’t stop. She had to finish what she was working on, which led to another thing and another after that. She can be rather obstinate when she wants to be!”

  Roric nodded, “She gets it from her mother!”

  One of Abby’s eyebrows arched expressively, “Okay maybe she gets some of it from me too.”

  Abby smiled, “What can I help you with Roric? It must be important for you to come so early.”

  “It is! Abby I saw something on a map of our world when we were planning the mission to Earth, but I forgot to ask you about it. Abby is there another land mass other than the one we’re on?”

  “Why yes there is.”

  Abby brought up an image of Roric’s world. He recognized easily the familiar lands and definitions of his own continent from the birdseye view afforded him from Abby’s characterization.

  The point of focus shifted as the globe spun and the highlighted focus traced down through the settlements across the plains of Zoar into the Khartian Mountains further south. Then the focus began to travel across the open sea water towards the southwest, after a while a new land mass came into view.

  The land mass in general looked to be roughly half the size of Roric’s own continent and was sharply divided in the middle by a mountain range that looked to be equal, if not more so than his own familiar mountains of the Valley Lands.

  “I’ve never heard of this land’s existence before!” Roric said shocked at the discovery before him.

  “At the time of the colonization of this world it was well known of, but memory of it has passed out of conscious memory. After the edict was passed by your ancestors there was no reason to go there.”

  “Edict? By my ancestors?”

  Abby nodded her head, “I was not made aware to the reason why, but the continent was ruled off-limits by the First Council. After the technology was lost there was no easy way of reaching it anyway.