It was still dark when Peter awoke—or rather was woken up. In the middle of a confused dream of dragons, dungeons and Aunt Angela chasing the scattered remnants of the Obsidian Orb, during which he was both paralyzed and unable to speak, someone grabbed him by the shoulder, shouting, “Make a move! Break them up!” He stirred—to find his shoulder being shaken in reality by someone whispering, “It's time to move! Wake up!” Peter sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, it's you!” he said, recognizing Merlin. “What on earth's the matter?"
"Sshhh! You'll wake the others. Come on, get up. I want to show you something."
"Can't it wait till morning?"
"No, definitely not."
"What's the time?” Peter stretched, yawning widely.
"Nearly midnight. You've got five minutes to get dressed."
"Do I have to get dressed?"
"Yes! You'll need something a lot warmer than pajamas."
Peter scrambled out of bed and pulled on the clothes he had worn earlier that day. Like a pair of conspirators, they crept out of the house and into the fields where they had walked earlier in the evening. The waning moon cast an eerie light over everything, changing the whole landscape. What in daylight had been flat green-gold pasture, sweeping to the snow-capped blue and purple backdrop of the Southern Alps, looked mysterious and secretive under the moon.
"Take my hand,” Merlin instructed.
Peter did so, and instantly they started to rise until they were hovering over the peaks. Gently they descended to the nearest summit. Peter looked down at the dark landscape far below and wished himself back in his warm bed.
"Later. You'll have plenty of time for sleep later,” Merlin said tersely, making Peter start guiltily.
"I wish you wouldn't do that. It's unnerving,” he said wordlessly—involuntarily—pulling his jacket tightly around him.
"Stop arguing and look at what we came to see,” Merlin replied with a sweep of his arm to the south.
"Oh!” Peter was instantly entranced. “The aurora australis!” He stood watching for a few moments while the firework-like display grew and grew, covering more of the sky as it did so. “But it's only seen in the winter. And never as far north as this."
"It's the Southlight, one of the two great polar powers of the Earthlight. It will be seen all over the southern hemisphere as midnight strikes. Likewise the Northlight, which people call the aurora borealis, will be seen in the northern hemisphere when midnight strikes there."
Peter lifted his face and raised both hands in the direction of the southern lights. For the next few minutes he greedily drank in the power of the Southlight. And the Southlight gave generously. The ecstasy Peter had experienced with the Eastlight and the Westlight was repeated a hundredfold. It was with considerable regret that he let his arms fall as the flashing colored lights faded. The Southlight gave one last vigorous display before dying completely.
And Peter stood on the roof of the islands of New Zealand in the moonlight and grinned widely at Merlin. The dour sorcerer grinned back like a schoolboy.
"Happy Christmas, Peter,” he said.
End of Book One
The Lord of Obsidian
Book two of the Quest for Earthlight Trilogy
"I AM THE Power of Obsidian, the Essence of Obsidian,” the voice boomed at him. “I am the Omniscient All-seeing Eye of the Obsidian Orb..."
"Am I inside the Obsidian Orb?” Peter dared to ask.
"Oh indeed not,” the Power of Obsidian replied ... “You are within the Essence of Obsidian or, if you prefer it, inside the Book of Obsidian ... the most powerful book ever written about the most potent source of magic the world has ever known."
"Yes, I know,” Peter said. “But why can't I learn from the Book of Obsidian the same way that I learn from other books? Why do you have to—well ... swallow me?"
Sujad Cariotis has stolen the refashioned Obsidian Orb and made himself Lord of Obsidian—a very powerful enemy who is yet only a servant to the real Enemy. But, unknown to Sujad, Peter has made an unusual secret friend to help the Earthlight in its continuing fight against the evil that threatens to swamp the planet.
The Third Age of Obsidian
Book Three of the Quest for Earthlight Trilogy
THE INSCRIPTION was so large that Peter was able to make it out from a fair distance ... The words seemed to give off their own light. In a soft whisper, which echoed in strange sibilants around him, he read:
Commanders of Light and Darkness waged war within the womb.
Corruption and vicious treachery then led one on to doom.
But in the Great Halls of Draining Light, in a fortifying bower,
The Sleepers weave dreams while invoking the revival of their power.
The friend of the One through willow shower
With silver concord protects his power.
But the Commander of Darkness with vicious might
By false claims of kinship asserts unjust right.
When the Essence of Obsidian tries to explain this prophecy to Peter by describing the word “womb” as a poetic euphemism for the beginning, Peter's final quest for Earthlight only becomes more difficult and confusing. And in the meantime, his and the Earthlight's enemies continue to grow in both numbers and power—until Peter discovers the appalling truth and in his mind-numbing horror seems to be about to lose the final battle.
Laraine Anne Barker
On 3 November 2003 (at 7:42 am, to be precise) I celebrated sixteen years of writing. For more than eight of those years I've been trying to find a publisher and writing full-time—that is, I don't have what you would call a job. As far as I'm concerned writing is my job—and that's the way I treat it in spite of the fact that not only has it not earned me any money but it has also drained away all my savings. Sending work out to publishers is very expensive, especially if you have to send it overseas. Many other writers out there, incidentally, are in the same situation. But one of the good things about today is the Internet. And one of the best things about the Internet is that it's a great place to sell almost anything. It's certainly a great place to set up a publishing company. After just over a year of submitting work to electronic publishers I have managed to find one who likes my work.
I live with my husband and three long-haired miniature Dachshunds in a dairy-farming community just south of Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island.
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Visit www.hardshell.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
The Obsidian Quest [Search for Earthlight Trilogy Book 1] Page 21