by Tony Johnson
The wound was not mortal, but enough for the direfox to gingerly limp away, injured, with drips of blood coming from the small gash in his leg.
“I told you to go! This is my choice!” Grizz yelled, feeling horrible he had hurt his direfox friend. “Please leave me alone!”
With that, Grizz drank the canteen’s poisonous juice. It only took thirty seconds before he felt numbness in his stomach. It soon spread to his extremities, followed by his vision becoming blurry. He felt incredibly dizzy, and, with the forest spinning all around him, he lost his balance and fell backwards onto the ground. His heartbeat slowed to a crawl, and his breathing became deathly shallow.
Gazing into the clear blue sky, Grizz saw no smoke or destruction around him. He was surrounded by nature, the very element that gave him the ability to save the heroes of the siege from the attack of Sabertooth.
Mr. Sep said that after someone with an element dies, it gets passed on to someone else. I hope either Steve, Kari, or Willis receives it and can use it to go on and defeat the Phantom and Silas. My final, crowning achievement would be that I saved the lives of those who saved the kingdom.
Feeling comfortable, surrounded by earth, with each beat of his heart pulsing shallower than the last, the final effects of the poison took hold. Grizz closed his eyes, no longer physically able to keep them open.
Even though his body was failing and death was setting in, a smile of contentment crept over his face.
I’m going to be with my family now.
At the reveal that her father was the murderer of a group of warriors, Kari looked stunned and immediately voiced her disagreement. “That’s not right. He wouldn’t have done that. He wasn’t the killer.”
“He was,” Zeke stated flatly. It was clear he believed that her father was guilty. “I was in denial at first as well. I didn’t know Quintis well, but he seemed like a good guy in the few times I interacted with him while visiting Caesar. Caesar never had a bad thing to say about your father. After all, Quintis was one of his best friends.”
“This doesn’t make sense. If this is true, something must’ve happened to make him act out violently.”
“Something did,” Zeke explained. Although his breathing was becoming more and more shallow, he now seemed determined to tell Kari the important information that had been withheld from her, “The same night the warriors were killed was the same night that Queen Evalyn and Princess Kyra were murdered. I don’t think it was just a coincidence. I believe Quintis was the murderer and that King Zoran sent a group of warriors to find and arrest him. When they found your father, he killed them all. His arrows were in most of their bodies.”
Kari suddenly felt dizzy. She turned to Steve. “Mr. and Mrs. Sep said a lot of people believed the murderer of the queen and princess was the father of Silas, who we now know is the Hooded Phantom. You don’t think my father and Malorek could be one in the same--” she stopped talking, unable to continue.
Steve led her to the chair he had been sitting in. “Take deep breaths,” he cautioned as Kari was hyperventilating.
“I hate to ask this, but is it possible your father could’ve been cheating on your mom with Princess Kyra?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know,” Kari repeated. “This is a lot to take in at once. It’s hard to believe he would do that,” she continued to defend her father. “He was always smiling. He was always laughing with his archer friends and other warriors he occasionally invited over for dinner. He always did everything he could to make me happy. He was the nicest man I ever knew.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Zeke said softly, truly feeling sad for the girl. “What I’m telling you is true though. I followed the story closely. I heard your mother passed away in the months following that terrible night.”
Kari nodded her head, affirming what Zeke said was true.
“Why do you think your mother went into such a depression? It’s because, like you, she didn’t believe her husband was capable of what he did. She never thought he would have an affair. The news shocked her to the core. You were too young to be told what your father had done, so people told you a nicer tale of what had transpired. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you what really happened.”
There were many minutes of silence while Kari tried to process the information the baker revealed to her.
Zeke’s eyes were getting heavy, and he had trouble keeping them open, but it was apparent he was trying to force himself to hang on and stay alive as much as he could. “I’m sorry,” he apologized again.
“No, it was better you told me. Whether my father did this or not, at least now I have a better understanding of what might’ve happened.”
“I want you to know that very few people know your father was the one who murdered King Zoran’s family,” Zeke said, trying to encourage her. “It’s only the ones who knew him well that realized he disappeared the same night the queen and princess were murdered. Zoran kept the whole situation very hush-hush. I’m not sure if there is anyone else who knows the exact details as to what happened that night.”
“Hopefully I will find out the entire truth eventually.”
“I hope you do and can find peace of mind about this, but I’m afraid all this talking has made me weary. I don’t think I have much time left. I prefer to reflect on the happier times of my life in my remaining moments.”
“Certainly,” said Steve. “We’ll wait here with you, but we’ll leave you to your thoughts.”
Less than five minutes after finishing the conversation, Zeke fell asleep. Kari sat in complete silence for an hour, staring deep into the fire and feeling disheartened. Lost in thought, she continued trying to make sense of everything.
Meanwhile, Steve leaned against a half-crumbled wall next to the oven, listening to the crackling fire and Zeke’s dying breaths. Each one was growing fainter than the last. Finally, Zeke let out a deep sigh and didn’t inhale again.
Steve considered resuscitating his uncle, but he knew even if he did, the baker would still die. Realizing there was nothing more he could do, he slammed his fist against the wall. His uncle’s death was the final straw for the warrior.
Steve yelled as loudly as he could. Just as Prince Silas had yelled when they entered the sewers, Steve’s shout was also full of frustration, defeat, and unfulfilled revenge.
“What was the point in even making it this far?” he yelled the rhetorical question out loud. “What was the point in Ty’s death? He gave his life so we could make it to a city that was already destroyed!”
He threw his shield as far away from him as he could and then did the same with Brightflame. Since that wasn’t enough to quench his anger, he ransacked the bakery. He ripped a heavy bookcase off the wall and slammed it on the ground. Then he flipped over tables, sending their contents flying everywhere.
Kari closed her eyes and started crying in fear that Steve was having another mental breakdown while he continued yelling in anger. Every word he spoke grew louder and angrier than the last.
“Three cities are lost and we don’t even know what to do next! We can’t stay here in this destroyed town, we can’t go back to our homes in Celestial, and we can’t head to Almiria! Whatever option we choose, we’ll die! There’s nowhere to go! Death and pain and destruction: that’s all we’ve encountered so far and nothing is changing for the better!”
In an extreme bout of post-traumatic stress, a rush of memories of all the horrible things he had heard, felt, and seen in the past five days flooded his mind.
Every explosion and scream burst in his ears. The sounds were as deafening as if he were reliving them again. All the pains in his body seemed to flare up, making him close his eyes and wince in pain. His heart felt broken as all the deaths culminated in his mind. Not only was it the people he watched die in Celestial, he was also hit with the images his mind envisioned when he heard Uncle Zeke’s details about the attack on Serendale. His imagination didn’t stop there either. Steve als
o thought about the attack currently happening in Almiria. So many people were dying, and, just like Celestial, they had no warning of their doom. More than anything else, his heart was plagued by the deaths of those close to him and those he looked up to. Sir Lambert. Wildwing. Uncle Zeke. Clyx. King Zoran. Darren. Thatcher. Ty.
Ty. It finally hit Steve that Ty was dead. Tired from his angry outburst, Steve fell to his knees on the floor and began weeping. He started muttering and mumbling to himself, half thinking his thoughts and half saying them out loud.
My brother is dead! Ty! I never wanted you to go before me. How am I supposed to go on without you? For our entire lives, we’ve been side-by-side. It’s always been you and me, the two of us. I thought it’d be that way forever! Life will be so empty without you. You were such an incredible person, and I’m so sad you’re gone. You were my best friend. I’ll never forget you!
With Steve’s heart crushed, he remained kneeling on the floor. He sobbed like he had never done before in his life. Kari got up and crouched down next to the broken warrior.
“He was the only family I had left,” Steve said. “He was all I had.”
“I know,” Kari hugged Steve in a caring embrace, “I know.”
“It’s my fault, it’s my fault,” Steve whispered to himself again and again like a crazed lunatic. He was shaking his head back and forth. “He was the one who didn’t want to go into the cavern. If anyone should be dead, it’s me. I should have listened to him. Why does he have to pay for my mistake?”
“It’s not your fault. It was our only option,” Kari said softly, trying to calm him down. “He knew that. He knew our mission was to get to Serendale, no matter what. You can’t blame yourself for this.”
Kari knew Steve’s behavior was uncharacteristic of him. For the short amount of time I’ve gotten to know him, I’ve learned he tries to act strong and tough in front of everyone. He doesn’t want to be thought of as weak, but he’s just experienced the most traumatic days he’ll ever live through. Not only did he almost reach the point of death physically with all the injuries he sustained, he’s also suffered emotionally and mentally, more than ever before. I can’t imagine the pain he’s endured and continues to suffer from. This has to be the lowest point of his life. I can see he’s giving up. He’s lost all willpower and hope.
With tears uncontrollably pouring from his eyes, Steve cried out, “I can’t do this. I can’t go on anymore.” He had finally reached his breaking point and was defeated.
Kari had no answer to give. She put her arms around him, refusing to leave Steve’s side as she knelt beside him in the soot and ash of Serendale’s destruction.
The Story of Evil will continue in...
THE STORY OF EVIL
Volume III: Three Visions
After escaping Celestial, the heroes of the siege traveled north to Serendale. Along the way, they were joined by two warriors and a Dwarf named Grizz. During a battle against Sabertooth, Grizz gained control over the element of earth. In addition to the element, he, Steve, Ty, and Kari saw a vision of the Hooded Phantom’s past.
As the group continued their journey, they were attacked in the lair of the Spider Queen, where Ty sacrificed his life so the others could escape. With broken hearts, the heroes arrived in Serendale, only to find that it had been destroyed and all its civilians killed. Finding his family dead, Grizz ingested a lethal number of poisonous berries.
In Three Visions, what’s left of the group of companions who set out from Hunters’ Den head further north to Casanovia to make a stand against the Hooded Phantom’s advancing army. They will unlock the abilities of three more elements as well as the visions that come along with them. It is through these visions the heroes will finally learn the shocking answers to many of the mysteries from their pasts.
Tony Johnson
Thank you for reading The Story of Evil - Volume II: Escape from Celestial. If you liked this novel, please consider rating and reviewing on www.amazon.com. I love hearing readers’ predictions for what they think is to come and/or theories on the novel’s mysteries. Most of all, I appreciate getting feedback, whether positive or negative, because it helps me grow as a writer. Thank you for your support!
Now, here’s a special preview from the first chapter in the next volume in Tony Johnson’s The Story of Evil...
Chapter 60
Ty awoke in darkness. Fluorite crystals dimly pulsed nearby, but the neon colors did little to illuminate the Elf’s surroundings. With limited visibility, his primary sense was based on what he could feel.
I’m paralyzed, he thought, unable to move his legs. The entire top half of my body feels fine, but there is no feeling below my waist.
Taking one of the two swords still in his hands, he reached down and nervously pricked the tip into his thigh. Good! I felt that. That must mean something’s pinning me down.
Although his head felt like it was full of cobwebs from being knocked unconscious for the second time in less than a day, Ty tried to think back to what happened that led him to this dark, underground confinement. I was climbing up and out of the Spider Queen’s collapsing lair when she violently pulled me back into the tunnel.
Lifting one of his swords, Ty stabbed into the darkness above. His blade pierced through a hard surface and then sunk into softness. Thick blood dripped onto his hair and face.
I must be under her. And she must be dead because she’s no longer covered in ice and didn’t flinch at the impalement of my sword.
Using his abs, Ty pulled himself into a sitting position. Again and again, he stabbed his swords upwards, carving into the part of the dead spider lying on top of his legs. When his muscles couldn’t take anymore, he collapsed back onto the ground until he built up enough stamina to start again.
As hours and hours passed with him sawing into the beast, the smell that filled his nostrils was atrocious. At times, the stench became so unbearable, Ty’s stomach would heave, causing him to throw up on himself.
Eventually, he was able to pull himself free and slide out from under the monster. Standing up and wincing at the annoying pain of blood circulating through his lower extremities for the first time in hours, Ty was uncomfortable, but managed to put his swords in the cross sheaths behind his back.
Rocks, trees, and dirt, he realized, discouraged, feeling around with his hands. It’s all hard surfaces. I’m going to be trapped in this underground pocket until I die. Either lack of food and water will kill me or I’ll run out of oxygen.
After circling the limited space he was in and finding no path to escape, he repeated the search a second time. On the third try, he decided to climb onto the top of the Spider Queen. He felt two rocks above the monster, resting against each other and forming an upside down “V.”
This is yet another reason I’m still alive, he could tell. These rocks caught one another and prevented the space I’m in from being filled. And if the Queen didn’t pull me under herself, I would have been crushed by some of these smaller rocks that fell first.
Finding a tree root sticking down from the ceiling, Ty dug into the soft dirt around it. The soil is wet because of all the rain we’ve gotten over the past couple days, he remembered thankfully. He began digging into the cavern roof through worms, bugs, and dirt. Carving a hole upward is my only route of escape, but this roof is unsecure, and I’m scared it’s going to give way any second, burying me alive.
With bloody fingers and painfully-throbbing forearms and biceps, he knew he was making progress when he heard the rushing of the Fluorite River somewhere above. Revitalized, he dug faste.
Finally, Ty broke through the surface. Bright sunlight blinded him, and it took several minutes before he stopped seeing spots. I’ve been down there all night, although it feels like it’s been years.
Scaling a couple of fallen trees to get back to ground level, the warrior made it out of the massive pit in the forest floor. He looked down, amazed at the destruction he had been under.
Just like after he realized he had survived the fall on his gryphon, Wildwing, Ty couldn’t believe he wasn’t killed in the collapse of the Spider Queen’s lair.
Invigorated with energy, the blonde-haired Elf took a deep breath, sucking in the fresh forest air carried to him by a strong breeze.
“I’m alive!” he shouted at the top of his voice even though no one was around to hear him. Smiling wider than ever, Ty thanked Alazar for his life, thinking back to what Steve was telling Kari a couple days ago about everyone having a purpose and a reason to exist. I don’t know why you keep blessing me by allowing me to make it out of these close encounters with death, but the more it happens, the more I feel alive. The fact that I keep surviving makes me feel like you have something important for me to fulfill.
Whatever it is, I need to get to Serendale. I have to meet up with the others. I can’t imagine what Steve is going through, believing that I’m dead. If I were in his shoes and it was him who was killed in this lair, it would be soul-crushing for me. I know what it’s like and I wouldn’t put that on anyone, Ty thought, thinking of his older brother Darren.
Covered in dirt, mud, sweat, strands of webs, and reeking of spider’s blood and vomit, Ty walked down to the Fluorite and plunged his head into the water before rinsing off the rest of his body. He washed his swords and filled his canteen after drinking its fill.
