Spirit of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 2)

by A. J. Martinez

  Spirit of Mages

  Rift of Chaos: Book 2

  By: A.J. Martinez

  Copyright © 2017

  A.J. Martinez

  All rights reserved.

  License Notes

  This novel is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or; if real, used fictitiously. This novel may not be re-sold or given away to other people. This novel may not be reproduced or transmitted into any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.

  If you would like to share this book with another person, then please purchase an additional copy for this purpose. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  http://ajmartinezauthor.com/

  ISBN:978-1-64008-303-5

  Map of Odealeous

  To view the map in full detail go to http://ajmartinezauthor.com/world-of-odealeous/

  Tablet and contents

  Ganicus

  Auron

  Akielas

  Caim

  Rey Ling

  Akielas

  Ember

  Caim

  Auron

  Akielas

  Eckxio

  Auron

  Akielas

  Rey Ling

  Caim

  Auron

  Akielas

  Eckxio

  Willow

  Rey Ling

  Eckxio

  Willow

  Ember

  Akielas

  Caim

  Rey Ling

  Eckxio

  Willow

  Caim

  Auron

  Akielas

  Caim

  Eckxio

  Akielas

  Ember

  Ganicus

  In Oba Oasis the prince walked through the market district with Auron by his side and four scorpion soldiers guarding him. The sun blazed, his forehead sweated and his dreadlocks rubbed against his cheeks. People bowed to the prince as he walked by. Women yelled trying to get his attention, but he paid them no mind. He was rushing to the palace where his father, King Oba Mahamuth, waited. Little did his father know that Ganicus was returning home so soon. Just two days ago he had joined Akielas on a quest to defeat the Specters, the white masked nemeses who had been causing havoc throughout Odealeous.

  Ganicus stared at the palace solemnly; it dwarfed all other buildings in the capital city. Domed buildings made of cement, clay, adobe, granite and marble stones. Palm trees lined the cobbled streets. Children ran around playing with a knitted ball. Peddlers shouted selling their merchandise. Married women walked fully covered, only revealing their eyes. The people of Zolan looked like their prince with dreadlocks and tanned skin; some wore turbans and had walrus mustaches. Most of the city was of an ivory color. Its streets white, and its people covered in colorful garments and full of life.

  Today Ganicus had many things storming his mind. After hearing Akielas’s story he had decided to return to his country and visit his father. Just a day ago he was in Donkor Village which was turned to ruins by Hertha, a member of the Specters. Now he was in the capital city to confront his father. He would finally squeeze the truth out of the king. I have the right to know, the prince thought.

  Akielas, the man who created the monsters called the Specters, the masked group of four villains trying to rid the world of magic. Akielas, the man who had helped him improve his magical abilities two years ago and the man who had brainwashed his father. Ever since Akielas had told the truth about his past, Ganicus felt apprehensive being part of the fellowship that would defeat the masked fiends. If he is the one who started this, if he is the one responsible, then how can I be so sure that he has truly changed his ways? I have a feeling that he is the one who gave my father the idea of using kaminyte, but for what?

  “What is bothering you boy?” Auron asked. “You have not spoken much since we left Akielas’s sanctum. Why don’t you tell me what is on your mind? Why don’t you share your thoughts about Master Akielas?”

  Ganicus always felt uncomfortable around Auron. The man was just too forward and always felt like he was mentally spying on him. “Do you honestly want to hear what I really think about Akielas?” The prince replied.

  “I am waiting,” Auron responded.

  They both stopped and the scorpion guards did as well. The four masked soldiers faced away from the prince as he spoke with Auron.

  “Think about it. Akielas is responsible for the Specters. Does it not bother you that it was his original plan to rid the world of magic? The very reason why those masked ghouls attacked my city was because of him. What he had planned ten or twenty years ago, these masked monsters are still following it. I am sure Akielas regrets what he did in the past, however, I feel like I can’t fully trust him. He is still hiding something. Maybe I am just pondering too much, yet it is hard to trust a man who keeps too many secrets.” Gazing up at the clear blue sky, the sun stung his eyes causing a tear to stream down his cheek. He looked back at Auron. The red haired man frowned with his eyes closed. “Don’t you have anything to say?” Ganicus asked.

  “Yes,” Auron replied with a smile and rubbed his ruby mustache. “You remind me of myself when I was a little younger than you. I once thought of Akielas the same way. It is no doubt that he keeps many secrets. Yes he is still fighting his inner fiends and dealing with the past in his mind, however, his intentions are good.” They continued walking towards the palace; people waved and tried to get between the guards to touch the prince. Women tried to get the prince’s attention but Ganicus ignored them and Auron continued. “I agree that it is because of Akielas that the Specters exist. They are his monsters but the Specters have minds of their own. Akielas genuinely changed his ways a decade ago, yet his apprentices decided to follow a path of destruction for their own reasons. We cannot blame Akielas for the actions of the Specters. It is no longer his problem alone. These masked villains are now attacking our precious cities all over the world. Ember cursed the king of my country, silencing him into a long slumber. Blaming Akielas will not solve my problem. Akielas has been doing everything that he can to help and, trust me, he feels great guilt. Perhaps you were not paying close attention when he spoke about his past with his old apprentices.”

  Ganicus held the Golden Sun, a medallion that hung from his neck. If Akielas had never asked him to join the alliance he was now part of, then Ganicus would have never unlocked the power of the Golden Sun. A relic passed down through generations in his family. Ganicus was the first one to unlock its power. Akielas was the one who taught him how to control his maju as well as aeromancy. Auron is right. Maybe I am just aiming the anger I have for my father at Akielas.

  Soon they arrived at a small port where the water of the city flowed and divided into many channels. They got in a small boat and the scorpion soldiers followed separately. A topless servant of the palace, wearing a turban, paddled them to their destination. Silently they cruised for a few minutes until they arrived.

  Ganicus impatiently ran up a set of ivory stairs leading into the palace, quickly leaving Auron behind. He sprinted through golden halls. Silk curtains ruffled as the wind blew from outside. Servants bowed to him and he kissed a maid before he entered his father’s throne room.

  A tile pattern in white and gold decorated the door. His heart hammered in his chest as he stared at the door feeling hesitant and somewhat afraid. He inhaled, then exhal
ed as he pushed the doors open and saw his father speaking with a high ranking soldier. He spotted the king giving the soldier a gilded scroll. The soldier spun around and marched out of the throne room with the scroll in his hand. Ganicus felt tempted to command the soldier to stop but refrained since his father was watching.

  “Ganicus? You are back so soon,” his father said and rose from the throne. He was topless, over six feet tall and his dark hair was a Mohawk braided into three tails. His skin bronzed, his body ripped with lean muscles. He dwarfed Ganicus making the boy seem like a toddler. “What happened?” Mahamuth approached his son. “Where is Akielas?”

  “I need to speak with you, father,” Ganicus glared at his father fiercely. The prince balled his right hand into a fist and clenched his teeth. Many times he felt weak around his father but today he would finally stand up to him.

  Auron entered the throne room looking around the luxurious chamber, especially at the harem behind the king’s throne. “There you are,” he said and raised his red eyebrows, bowing when he saw Mahamuth standing with Ganicus.

  “Auron Fox of Burnahdujf. It is a pleasure seeing you again,” the king said. “What brings you two back so soon after your departure just a few days ago? Any information on the masked villains who attacked my city?”

  “We are still fighting these masked foes, and as to why we are here…well…ask your son. I simply followed him.” Auron crossed his arms and waited for Ganicus to answer.

  “Speak my prince.” The king encouraged.

  Ganicus cleared his throat and finally spoke his mind.

  “While fighting the Specters, I discovered why they were collecting so much kaminyte. I am not sure how but they intend to use the dark steel to rid the world of magic. They plan to strip everyone in Odealeous of their magical abilities. If this is what they are planning on doing with the kaminyte, then I wonder what you were planning, father. It is time that you tell me the truth. I have grown tired of your lies and secrets. I am the prince of Zolan and, one day I am to take the throne after you, so I demand that you tell me what you plan to do with the kaminyte. I am sure whatever you have plotted will be useful information for Akielas to be able to stop the Specters. So speak, father.”

  King Mahamuth stood silent staring down at his son. For so long the king had been collecting the dark steel and, whatever he had to say, was sure to assist Ganicus in his quest. Mahamuth could no longer hide it from his son.

  “Very well then,” the king said unpleasantly. He sat back down on his throne. Two maidens served him wine in a silver cup. They were half naked with transparent garments and Auron could not help but gaze at their nudity.

  “You know that Zolan has been at war with Verday since the time of my great grandfather,” the king began.

  Ganicus simply nodded his head.

  “My great grandfather believed that he could make a weapon to fight against the green queen’s army. The green bitch of the north, as I like to call her, nearly defeated us and conquered our desert lands but my great grandfather created a weapon that was said to be as powerful as the Golden Sun. He had failed in awakening the power of the relic that was forged by Hettakus Kollos and so he forged his own weapon. Do you remember the day that I sent you to the pyramids near Donkor Village?”

  “Yes, I remember. Your men were digging for that giant piece of kaminyte but then one of the Specters took it,” the prince answered.

  “Yes, but my men were not just searching for your grandfather’s kaminyte, they were searching for the weapon that his army had used. Had that masked fiend not toppled my pyramid I would most likely have found it by now, however, Majithus has shown me something unexpected,” the king paused.

  “And what is that?” Ganicus asked.

  “You…my son,” Mahamuth replied.

  Ganicus placed a hand on his chest and looked at his own body in confusion. “Me? What about me?”

  The king stood up from his throne once more and placed both hands on his son’s shoulders, looking into his eyes. “You are the first person in the family to awaken the power of the Golden Sun. Only one other man in the history of Zolan was able to do that and that man was said to be related to Bracka Mahamuth the great summoner.” The king raised a fist with passion. “I am proud of you and, once these masked villains have been stopped, the northern countries will be willing to cease their wars and sign a peace treaty. This journey could save our country so much bloodshed, which is why I am counting on you. I did not want you to know what I was planning on doing with all the kaminyte I collected because I don’t want you to be like me. I want you to be greater than me.”

  Ganicus squinted as his eyes moistened, trying to hold in his tears. All this time he was resenting his father only to discover the lovable truth. The prince wrapped his arms around his father and gave him a hug.

  “Thanks father, I am so glad that you told me the truth.” He wiped his tears. Ganicus felt relieved to know that leaving his comfort zone in the palace and going on a journey with Akielas had changed his father’s mind. He would gladly continue to fight alongside Akielas and rid the world of the Specters.

  Suddenly, something inside Auron’s chest plate began to vibrate. Ganicus and the king both stared at Auron. The red haired man pulled the object from inside his armor and it was a ruby necklace glowing red. “The fragment of the Crimson Cosmo Jewel,”Auron said. “Whenever it vibrates and glows like this it means that the jewel is near…which means…”

  “Ember,” Ganicus whispered. “She is here!”

  “That masked woman who summoned fiends upon my city?” the king asked.

  “Yes father,” Ganicus answered.

  Without hesitation Auron stormed out of the throne room with Ganicus close on his heels. As they ran down the halls they drew their swords. Once they reached the entrance of the palace they surveyed the skies and the city around them. There were no fiends or Specters in sight.

  “Where could she be?” Auron said and slashed the air with his falchion.

  “How close does she have to be for your necklace to alarm you?” Ganicus asked.

  “Not very far. She has to be fairly close to the palace for…” Auron swallowed his last words when he saw a church spire explode. They both gazed up at the sky and there she was. Clad in black, her mask white and ghoulish, her cloak billowing. Ember had shot a blast of fire at the church of Majithus that was before the channel of the palace. A ball of fire grew in her hands and she hurled it downward towards the city.

  “She is going to hurt my people!” Ganicus rushed towards her using aeromancy, gliding through the wind while calling upon the power of the Golden Sun. As he moved through the air, the medallion hanging from his neck shone. Ganicus flew like a sun moving over the city. When the light around him faded he was clad in gold. The Valiarmos. The gilded legendary cloth now gave him the incredible power of fire and light. It was round with spikes resembling the rays of the sun around the edges of the armor. With the cloth, the prince wielded a spear and shield.

  Before Ember’s blast could touch another edifice in the city, Ganicus deflected it back at her using his shield. The masked woman dodged her own attack and plummeted down towards Ganicus. The prince rushed skyward and, when they met, their weapons collided releasing sparks and flames.

  “Don’t you look pretty in gold.” Ember mocked as she swung her twin swords made of black steel.

  “Today I am going to break that mask of yours and stare at your dead corpse,” Ganicus threatened but it only made Ember laugh. Their weapons collided a second time and the golden spear broke her swords, the black shards went flying through the air. Ganicus thrust his spear aiming to kill, but she teleported leaving behind black smoke, covering his weapon. She reappeared dozens of feet away from him.

  "That trick won't work this time, Ember," he said and grunted. His entire armor shone bright like the sun itself and blinded her. While her eyes were shut, Ganicus took advantage and dashed through the air once more aiming to kill. She spun rapi
dly in the air and dodged the prince.

  "Stop running away from me, Ember." He called out to her but she was too quick. Black smoke billowed inside her cloak and she drew two more black swords from its darkness.

  "Come at me, prince of the desert. I assure you that today you will meet your end. This I promise you," Ember swore.

  Ganicus stared at her for a moment. She looked at him from that one eye opening on the left side of her mask. Something told him that she was serious. He knew that she had some trick, item or spell that she would use to end his life.

  "We shall see," Ganicus rasped and shot forward with his spear. He was confident in his victory. The Golden Sun gave him power and even if Auron didn't assist him he had no doubt of his victory today. As he foresaw himself already in triumph, he used the power of his Valiarmos and shot a yellow blast of energy from the emblem of his chest plate. Ember retaliated with her own blast of darkness. Screams of the dead echoed from the dark beam. When the beams connected, she was already losing. Ganicus pushed with all his might, his beam already dissolving her dark spell. Ember let go of her magic and Ganicus's beam of sunlight grazed her cloak of shadows.

  "Absolutely wonderful," Ember complimented. "This is the power that saved your city from my attack just a few days ago. Too bad you won't be here to see what this city will become once I am ruler of Odealeous."

  "You will do no such thing, "Ganicus replied. "What you are doing is impossible. No one has the right to rule the world. Odealeous belongs to no one."

  "No one has the right to rule the world yet we have so many monarchs fighting for land and trying to conquer one another," Ember said. "Why do you think your country has been at war with Verday for so long? We all want the right to rule and only a chosen few seize the title of king."

  "Don't listen to her!" Auron's voice chimed in. He was riding his Eedahlan, Garuda, an avian creature with black feathers. It had red and blue wings, massive human arms and legs, capable of carrying Auron's body. It thudded its large wings, stretching over thirty feet. It had the head of a dragon and the beak of an eagle. The red haired man sat in a saddle on the back of the creature. Garuda had been summoned from limbo, a colorless mid realm, to aid its master.