Rise of the Shadow
Thomas Rouxville
~~~
Copyright © 2017 Thomas Rouxville
First published in 2017 by Jonmac Limited.
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters and places, incidents are used entirely fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Table of Contents
Free Map of Galbar and Free Book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
The Enlightenment – Chapter 1
About The Author
Fantastic Fiction
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Chapter 1
“You look like a mess,” Faramond said, taking a swig of his drink. He stroked his goatee for a moment as if contemplating something.
Athena rolled her eyes. “I told you to talk.”
Faramond laughed heartily. Athena wanted to punch him. She wanted to rip his stupid goatee off his chin and slam him into the ground. This was not the time for laughing. Her life was falling to pieces, and she was going mad. The fact that Faramond was making light of everything she was going through was infuriating.
“Talk, or I’ll leave and never come back.” It was a lie, but Athena said it anyway, trying to get the man to stop laughing and look her in the eyes. She leaned in closer, invading his personal space, staring daggers at him.
“Athena, I'm sorry,” Faramond said, becoming serious. “I know how hard this is. I just thought that maybe you'd appreciate some levity. A break from the bad news.”
“You ruined my life, Faramond,” Athena cried, “It's your fault that I'm like this!”
“Don't blame me, Athena,” Faramond said sternly. “You've been falling apart for a long time now. I simply opened your eyes. You're not in the dark anymore.”
“I'm more in the dark than ever! You marched into my house and flipped my entire life upside down. You destroyed me. Do you know what it's like to find out your entire life has been a lie? To find out you've been raised like a pig for slaughter?”
“Slaughter?” Faramond shook his head. “No, you've been raised to be a hero, Athena. You're going to save this kingdom.”
“How do you know I won't be killed?” Athena was shaking. “You don't know.”
“I haven't let you die up to this point, and I'm never going to. I'm your protector.”
“You haven't protected me, you've hid me. Why wait this long? Why wait all these years to tell me about the most important thing in my life?”
“Could you have handled it when you were younger?” Faramond asked. Athena was silent.
“You were a scared little girl when you first came to live with your grandparents. Eventually, you pushed your fear into your subconscious, but it was still there, manifesting itself in your nightmares. If I’d told you of your destiny a long time ago, I don't think you would have survived it.”
“What happened to me being the strongest person you knew?”
“Even the strongest people are still mortal.” Faramond sighed. “Athena, whether you want to be the chosen one or not, fate has already decided it. If you reject your destiny, Galbar falls.”
A stinging pain pulsed through Athena's body. She flinched as if Faramond had hit her. “How can I possibly save the kingdom? I'm just one person. Just a scared, little girl.”
“You're a brave, strong woman,” Faramond tried to assure her. “The Guardian of the Kingdom. A true hero.”
“My best friend was summoned,” Athena whispered, ignoring Faramond's words. “He has less than four days left.”
Faramond gave her a sympathetic look. “You'll save him.”
“What if I can't? I'm afraid that I'll do everything I can, and it won't be enough, that he'll be killed right along with all of the other men. Even thinking of that possibility kills me inside, Faramond.”
“You'll save him,” Faramond said again.
Athena brushed it off, but she could see Faramond was being serious. He was genuine in everything he said. Looking at him, she still saw the town drunk, but there was something else as well. In his eyes, she could see knowledge, wisdom, kindness even. He cared for her, perhaps just as much as Jermyn and Tobin. He cared, despite never having interacted with her until a day ago. Faramond had spent his life watching over her, throwing away who he was in order to protect her. It all still seemed so impossible, but Athena was beginning to feel grateful. She was beginning to believe.
Pain pulled at her again, making her grimace. She stood up from Faramond's table, attempting to limp away. Exhaustion was finally catching up with her, and she felt lightheaded, on the verge of fainting.
Faramond put a steadying hand on Athena's shoulder. “Sleep,” he whispered.
When Athena woke up, it was dark outside. She'd slept the entire day away, without waking up once. No nightmares for the first time ever. Her first thought was relief, but that quickly vanished when she thought of everything that had taken place. She'd wasted a day. Tobin had three days left.
Athena stretched her arms and looked around. Somehow, she had ended up in her own bed, though she had no recollection of arriving there. She was still in her tattered clothing, although someone had cleaned and bandaged her wounds. Sharp pain had turned into a dull throb, and Athena's body was sore as if she'd spent a day hiking. Despite everything, she felt awake. Alert. Refreshed.
Someone knocked on her door softly. She tried to stand up to open it but found her legs practically paralyzed, too comfortable in the bed. “Come in,” she called, though her voice was strained.
Unexpectedly, Laguna was the one who walked in, holding a tray of food. She set it down on the bed and then reached under the nightstand, grabbing a roll of fresh cloth bandages.
“I have your permission to eat in my bedroom?” Athena asked, surprised.
“You do, for today,” Laguna replied.
“Thank you, Grandmother,” Athena said sincerely.
Laguna just nodded. Suddenly, she yanked one of Athena's legs out from under the covers, causing Athena to yelp in pain. “I need to change your bandages,” Laguna said flatly. She began to unwrap the cloth on Athena's foot, thankfully taking care not to upset the wounds. It was as gentle as Laguna had ever been.
When Athena saw her unwrapped foot, she almost choked on her bread. It was completely red. One big open wound. And she had somehow managed to walk.
“You're a fool,” Laguna tutted, dabbing at the sore with hot water. “Only a fool would go around barefoot.”
“I'm sorry,” Athena said.
Laguna stared at her, and for the first time Athena could remember, there were tears in the woman's eyes.
“Such a fool,” Laguna repeated, and then she hugged her granddaughter, letting her tears
fall. Athena hugged her back, forgetting all of the trouble between them, only thinking of this moment, this tiny victory in the past few days of misery. “I love you, Grandmother,” she whispered, and she meant it. She'd always loved her strict, cold grandmother, and now she was finally admitting it. It only took a near-death experie
nce for her to finally say it.
“I love you too, Athena.” Laguna drew away, smiling for a second. Athena would never forget that smile. She'd never forget that moment.
Laguna cleared her throat and continued caring for Athena's wounds, working in silence. Athena knew she'd probably never hear her grandmother say those words again, so she cherished this, smiling, pushing all of her problems to the side. Hadn't she done enough worrying?
“My two favorite people,” Jermyn said, standing in the doorway. “Is this bonding I see?” He laughed.
Laguna rolled her eyes. “I'm tending to this fool's injuries. You sure raised a stupid girl, Jermyn.”
“We raised a wonderful girl,” Jermyn said.
“Wonderfully stupid,” Laguna mumbled. Both Athena and Jermyn laughed together. Athena realized that she actually felt good.
She felt happy. Life seemed to be back to normal. Of course, it wouldn't last, but Athena wanted to soak it in. She wanted to bask in this for as long as possible before things erupted again. Before she had to face the evil growing around her.
She spent the next few hours with her grandparents, helping them bake, acting like everything was okay. She didn't talk about Faramond or anything he'd said. Her grandparents already knew. They avoided the topic as well, purposely talking only of light, meaningless things. Athena welcomed the chatter, grateful for a distraction. But every time she looked out the window, she expected to see Tobin. Her time with him was growing short. She wanted to run to him right now, but she knew he was with his own family, spending what little time he had left with them.
Her grandparents were almost abnormally high-spirited. Jermyn was bouncier than usual, more energetic than he'd been in months. Laguna was refraining from saying anything particularly cruel. They were trying their best to make Athena happy, and it was obvious. They laughed and sang, even danced around the kitchen, but the distraction eventually began to wear off.
Athena excused herself, going to sit in her room for a few minutes. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, hardly recognizing herself. Though her hair was combed, falling into soft waves, and her face was clear, scraped of all dirt, she could see the change in her eyes. Her green eyes were usually bright, like summer leaves, but the color was drained, like a dying tree. There was sadness in them, mixed with fear.
If you reject your destiny, Galbar falls. Faramond's words began to echo. The fleeting happiness Athena had felt was already melting away. If she was truly the Guardian of the Kingdom, it was up to her to save Galbar. If she didn't, no one would. If she didn't, the kingdom fell. Everybody she loved would be lost. The Shadow would destroy them all.
I have to do something. Athena thought of all of the men walking to their deaths, and of Edgehill crumbling around her. She could see the crying faces of wives and daughters, their grief so clearly displayed. She could see Tobin, leaving and never coming back, gone forever. If she was the Guardian of the Kingdom, she had to fight. She had to stop the evil before it consumed the kingdom she loved so dearly.
I have to do something. “I'm going to do something,” Athena declared. She tucked her hair behind her ears and stood up. “I'm going to fight.”
Chapter 2
Athena walked to Faramond's house on her unsteady, aching feet. She tried to step lightly, applying as little pressure as possible on the ground. Her shoes protected her, but she was still highly aware of every step she took. It would be a while before her feet were fully healed, but the pain wasn't going to stop her.
Night had long since fallen, and the town was completely silent, but Athena suspected it wasn't silent because everyone was asleep. Rather, it was silent because too many of Edgehill's residents were gone. Athena held a lantern in front of her, none of the town's torches blazing. Long ago there were torches lining every street, lit by business owners and citizens, snuffed early each morning. Even the simple task of keeping the town lit was now neglected. It was pitch black save for the moonlight.
When Athena found herself on Faramond's doorstep, she didn't bother knocking. Instead, she opened the door widely as if she lived in the house. Faramond was dozing in the corner, on his cot. His home consisted of only one room, with a table, a cot, and a sooty fireplace. With his designated position as the town drunk, he couldn't afford more than a room.
Athena pitied him. It was absolutely mad, but she did. He'd given up his life for her. He was better than a drunk. He could have built a prosperous, happy life, and instead he was here, playing pretend. Athena pitied him, but she was also grateful.
She watched him for a moment, wondering whether to wake him up. He was snoring loudly, fast asleep. What was Athena here for anyway? To tell Faramond she was ready to accept being the Guardian of the Kingdom? To tell him she wanted to fight? What good would it do in the middle of the night? No matter what, she'd have to wait until morning to actually do anything; whatever it was Faramond had in mind.
Suddenly, Faramond's eyes shot open, startling Athena. His arm reached into a pocket, a hand wrapping around a dagger. He sat up, dagger drawn, immediately finding Athena. He breathed a sigh of relief and swore softly. “You don't know how to knock.”
“I want to fight,” Athena stated.
Faramond raised an eyebrow. “Do you believe me, Athena?”
“Yes and no.”
“You're still struggling.”
Athena nodded. “Of course I'm still struggling. I don't think I'll ever completely come to terms with everything.”
“Do you believe you're the Guardian of the Kingdom?”
“The chosen one? Hardly. But I can't bear to look at Edgehill like this anymore. I can't bear to think about what could happen to Tobin.”
“Your friend?”
“My best friend,” Athena said. “I keep picturing him leaving, and it just tears me apart. Is it irrational of me to say I'd die without him?”
Faramond smiled. “No. It's what makes you human. People die of heartbreak, probably more than you'd think.”
“Who were you before, Faramond?”
“What do you mean?”
Athena looked at him. “How did you end up in Edgehill, throwing your life away to keep me alive?”
“I didn't throw my life away,” Faramond answered. “I made the decision to take care of you because my sacrifice would ensure you'd be alive to fulfill your destiny and save the entire kingdom. The lives of millions are more important than mine. And it hasn't been so bad, Athena, getting to do whatever I want. No one pays attention to drunken fools.”
“Hasn't it driven you mad? Having to pretend all this time?”
Faramond laughed. “I'm as mad as can be. I'll admit, sometimes I don't just drink water. A bit of alcohol keeps me from losing my sanity.”
“I bet it would keep me from losing mine,” Athena said, noticing the various bottles on the table.
“If you're going to fight, you can't have your judgment being impaired or your thoughts
clouded. You've got to have a clear, sober mind.”
Athena put a finger to her temple. “My mind has never been clear, Faramond. Especially not now.”
“I'm going to teach you,” Faramond replied. “I'm going to train you how to fight. I'm going to mold you into the greatest soldier in Galbar. The greatest soldier the kingdom has ever seen.”
“Funny,” Athena said. “The baker's granddaughter from Edgehill, becoming a soldier. It sounds like the stuff of fairy tales. Stories for children who would rather be entertained than informed.”
“You're not going to be a fairytale, Athena. You're going to be written into the history books. Children are going to learn about you, and you'll be considered their hero. Their role model. Little girls are going to grow up knowing they can do anything.”
“You're more optimistic than Tobin ever was.” Athena smiled a tiny bit; the thought of becoming a celebrity making her feel almost strong. But she wasn't the optimistic type; she was a realist.
“I'm not being optimistic, I'
m telling you what will happen.”
“If I accept my so-called destiny.”
Faramond sighed. “I know you'll accept it, Athena.” “How can you be so sure?”
“You wouldn't keep speaking with me if you weren't going to accept it. You wouldn't be here right now unless you believed me.”
He's right. “Maybe I just want to understand things better.”
“Athena, you may not have known me all of this time, but I've always known you. You would have stayed in the forest or ran away if you didn't believe this was real.”
“I wouldn't have run away,” Athena retorted. “I'm no coward.”
“All right,” Faramond amended, “You wouldn't have spoken to me again.”
“I would have written you off as a drunk idiot.”
“Yes,” Faramond laughed. “I know you don't believe fully, and I know how impossible everything still seems to you, but I'm glad you've made the decision to fight. You're going to save your best friend and everyone you love. I know it, Athena.”
“Train me then, maybe I can teach Tobin a thing or two before he has to go.” Athena tried to sound nonchalant, as if Tobin was going on a short trip and he'd be back after a few days. She was trying to fight the thought that she might never see him again.
“It's the middle of the night.” Faramond pointed at the darkness outside his window. “And you must learn to be patient.”
“I am patient,” Athena said.
“A patient person doesn't run off into the woods while someone is trying to have a conversation with them.”
“That wasn't a conversation,” Athena countered. “That was you telling me my life was a lie.”
“I apologize,” Faramond replied. “We also have to be careful when training. There are spies everywhere.”
Athena's eyes widened. “The soldiers begging for supplies?”
“Some of them. There are others as well, unrecognizable. Hidden.”
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