Dawn of the Valiant (The Valerious Chronicles: Book One)

by Julian Saheed

Mystic forces, unfathomable to the small animals occupying the clearing, filled the forest with such intensity that the ground trembled. Innocent rabbits sprung into action and fled the vicinity as these primal forces formed into green and red light and shone throughout the trees. Then with a strangle sizzle Christill and Mandigal landed on the leaf strewn ground. Christill hunched his back and rested his hands on his knees, his breaths coming in abrupt gasps. "I was not ready for that. I need a moment to rest," he mumbled.

  Vrill similarly leant his body against a nearby trunk and struggled for air.

  Mandigal quickly took in the surroundings. They were extremely lucky to have made it this far from Duathnin. More so, Christill had been able to follow his path without any trouble, no easy task. It required a level of concentration beyond that of a normal person and an understanding of magic that few disciples held. The powers that had been passed to this young boy were unique. He could feel the magic emanating from Christill's body. It held a distinct aura of its own.

  "What now?" asked Friedrich, fearing they were still in danger. "We are still in the Misty Forest. It is not exactly the easiest place to escape from."

  "Nyrune's presence no longer haunts these woods," replied Mandigal. "We will not be stopped by any magic."

  "We shouldn't be worried about magic. I am worried about the entire Karmanian army charging after us," commented Vrill in a peevish tone.

  Mandigal ignored Vrill's remarks. Turning to Christill he asked, "Do you know what has happened?"

  Christill looked up at the Honour Guard and felt completely lost. How could he explain something that he did not fully understand? There was only one thing that he knew for certain. He needed to speak with Skiye. "I fear the warning given to me during my last moments on the Third Plane may have been Nyrune's last. I watched helplessly as she was attacked by an evil veil of shadow." Christill did not want to believe his own words, but knew them to be true. His voice trembled as he mouthed the dire words, "Nyrune is gone."

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  REALISATIONS