Viktor

by Francesco Leo

  “If Ania and Hul had not arrived, by this time Remenant ...”

  “We don’t know how things would have turned out. Yes, you could have died, but you could have even devised a ploy to get rid of him and defeat him. There’s only one thing I know: if fate wanted you to be here today to talk to me, it’s because you deserve to continue.” She came up to him and hugged him tightly. “You proved that I was wrong. You are similar to my brother, but not the same. You didn’t allow darkness to bend you; you defended me and fought to the end for what you believed in. I apologize for judging you from appearance.” Amir felt her shoulder get wet.

  Viktor’s tears had a thousand meanings.

  In that wailing there was abandonment due to the tensions he had experienced, an outburst because he missed Selene, a liberation from every thought that had gone through his mind.

  “The truth is that I would have preferred that the Star had not chosen me ... maybe I’m just too weak to bear all this. I miss the flavours of my village, the smells of the woods beyond Lezhen, the clearing behind the farm. I miss my life,” Viktor said, his voice trembling.

  Moved by emotion, even Amir let out a lonely tear. “Don’t even think about that. The Star can do nothing without you.”

  She smiled when she noticed that it was too late and she, too, without realizing it, was crying. She understood the boy’s feelings and could not blame him. She too had been forced to change her life, and then there had been no one to wipe away her tears.

  She realized only in that moment how much she needed someone who hugged her as strongly as she had hugged Viktor. “We’ll get through this ... we’ll get through this,” she whispered softly.

  Viktor sighed.

  Thus, they remained together to watch the sun fall over the scarlet dunes of the Radaj desert, while the Star of the Prophecy appeared to shine above the chosen one once again.

  The end of the first book of

  «THE CYCLE OF REBIRTH»

  The story will continue in the second book and will end in the third book.

  GLOSSARY OF THE RUNES

  Elements

  Sithra: runic word that stands for “Thunder.”

  Druira: runic word that stands for “Water.”

  Flama: runic word that stands for “Fire.”

  Gaedra: runic word that stands for “Earth.”

  Seida: runic word that stands for “Air.”

  Laina: runic word that stands for “Light.”

  Geera: runic word that stands for “Ice.”

  Nocturna: runic word that stands for “Darkness.”

  Commands

  Dinego: runic word that stands for “Cease,” referring to alterations or mystical activity.

  Espulgo: runic word that stands for “Reject,” referring to objects or living beings.

  Plamare: runic word that stands for “Plasma,” referring to elements that surround the caller.

  Ràsumi: runic word that stands for “Absorb,” referring to possible energy sources.

  Disendo: runic word that stands for “Descend,” referring to an element.

  Lènita: runic word that stands for “Soothe,” referring to wounds.

  Sfaci: runic word that stands for “Undo,” intended generically.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  It seems that I should thank many, and I will try to include all those who have contributed significantly to the writing of this novel.

  Well, I can say that the journey started as I expected it.

  I really imagined a long film while I wrote the novel and this helped me a lot in the details that I used to make the characters, places and events of my story “live” in a real way.

  I spent an exact year to write the book and I don’t regret a single minute of it. I didn’t waste a single moment, nor for what I wrote regarding the draft of the plot that elapses through the entire trilogy, nor for the characterization of each of the many personages in the book. Everything, each thing, has been described as well as possible with the most arduous representations.

  As I said before, however, I owe all this to some people who have been very close to me.

  First of all, I thank my mother for having endured all my phone calls and my speeches on the book, in search of opinions and criticism. She was the first to have read my novel and the first to be near me during all the phases of composition of the work, from the idea itself to the publication. For this and much more, thank you, mum.

  Immediately afterwards I thank my father, who, despite not being a fanatic reader, has immediately encouraged my initiative, both economically and morally.

  Thank you too, dad.

  Thanks also to my brother.

  I know that, being small and having no attitudes to reading, he probably will never read this story, but who knows, maybe one day he will be able to meet Viktor, Selene, Gabriel and the other protagonists of this adventure too. To him, in any case, my special thanks.

  Even if he doesn’t read very much, he didn’t hesitate to tell all his friends and teachers about my book, looking pleased and proud: his pride in me is the greatest satisfaction on a human level and as a brother.

  Then I must thank my lifelong friend, Giuseppe Pinna, who, thanks to the countless common interests that bind us both to this genre, gave me precious advice and suggestions on some characters and vicissitudes.

  Thank you so much, Giuseppe.

  Now I must thank my dear Italian teacher, Anna Maria Romano, thanks to whom it was possible to give the novel the right review. Thank you so much for always being available and for the trouble that I have probably caused you.

  And thanks to Thorny Editing for the second review of the novel, impeccable.

  For the final rereading, with further editing and so much patience, I must thank Michele Citro, friend and publisher of the novel. His support was decisive for this story to have the right visibility. I owe him enormous hours of his precious time.

  I thank Vincenzo Masi, my cousin, as well as a person, thanks to whom it would have been very difficult to obtain sketches for the map of the Lands of Mirthya.

  Thanks to Florinda Zanetti, a fantastic girl that gave me her help as an illustrator, with her mastery giving the right touch of art to the novel.

  Thanks to Alessandro Calbini for the support he gave me for the jacket of the book, masterfully accomplished.

  I thank Samuele Giannicola, a friend and video maker who created the beautiful book trailer of the novel.

  I thank Simone Lari, a colleague who I bored to the very end with questions, seeking assistance and advice on publication, given his ample experience. Without his knowledge, I would certainly have been a step behind.

  At this point, I would like to thank the entire group of authors, translators, illustrators whom I could boast of having known during the writing of the last chapters of the novel.

  Finally, to conclude, I thank you, who have read the novel and that, moreover, have continued to live it up to these lines.

  With the hope of meeting you again soon with the second book of this saga, I offer my most sincere greetings.

  May the stars of the firmament also shine in the darkest night, and the morning sun radiate your souls, that you may have the strength never to bend to the harassment of darkness and always find the right way.

  Francesco Leo

  February 10th 2013

  Contacts

  For any report and / or comment, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

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  leofrancescoautore@gmail.comr />
  INDEX

  PREFACE

  THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY

  THE STAR OF THE PROPHECY

  CHILDREN’S STORIES

  SILENT SHADOWS

  THE WEIGHT OF THE PAST

  THE SHORTEST WAY

  AT THE KNELLING OF THE BELL

  THE GREAT TALENTS

  CHOSEN BY FATE

  UNBREAKABLE BOND

  DIARY OF MEMORIES

  THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

  THE WHISPERING OF THE STARS

  A NEW LIFE

  ABOVE THE WORLD

  A DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP

  THE MONASTERY OF THE ELDERS

  LEGENDS AND SCROLLS

  ON ALLERT

  AT THE SERVICE OF THE SEVEN

  LIKE OLD TIMES

  CHOICES

  HOMECOMING

  THE CALL OF DESTINY

  A WELL-KNOWN PATH

  DEPARTURE

  THE PINE FOREST

  BELETH

  THE CAROVAN

  THE TRAP

  THE VILLAGE ON THE WATER

  TOO MUCH TO LEARN

  ONE MORE STEP

  TURIN

  THE FAREWELL

  QUESTIONS, RUNES AND DIVINATION

  THE STONE TUNNEL

  WHAT’S TO COME

  THE VOYAGE

  THE REALITY OF DREAMS

  THE ESSENCE OF NATURE

  RUNNING BEYOND THE RIVER

  THE RED SEA

  THE DESERT CIVILIZATION

  THE NAME OF HOPE

  A PLACE IN MEMORIES

  FIRE IN THE SAND

  RED AND WHITE

  GLOSSARY OF THE RUNES

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS