by P. G. Thomas
Sky Elf, Book Two
The Anti-Matter Chronicles
By P. G. Thomas
Written and Published by P.G. Thomas
Copyright 2016 P.G. Thomas
Dedicated to my Grand Mother, Evelyn Ruby Barber
The lighthouse that guided me for so long, your presence is missed.
Originally edited by Adam Steel, e-mail: [email protected]
Re-edited in 2016
Cover Art by Paul Santana, e-mail: [email protected]
You can follow me on twitter: @PGTtheauthor
You can contact me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/The-Matter-Chronicles-886040318206439/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any reference to historical persons, fictional characters (print, movies, or television), actual products, musical groups, song titles, or anything similar is used fictitiously, to add an element of realism to this story. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental
I would like to extend special thanks to my beta readers: Nancy Giberson, Chuck Lawrence, Shelley Myron, Dev Birbalsingh, David Shaw, Susan Karley, Alex Dimoski, and Peet Den. All who helped me to make this a better story.
A note to the readers: the old-fashioned coordinator ‘for’, has been replaced with ‘as’, which also has the classification of a subordinator. Too many times, ‘for’ fails to coordinate the clauses correctly, resulting in either extremely long or incorrectly punctuated sentences. Having found numerous references stating this practice has ‘generally been replaced in modern English,’ I have also adopted it. However, there are times when it does revert to being a marker for dependent clauses, but I have reserved those instances to the beginning of a sentence, attempting to decrease the effects of this transition. With so few words/clauses identified as ‘dependent marker words’ removing ‘as’ completely from this role increases the frequency of the remaining, making them appear overused. Other than that, I have also done my best to eliminate the appearance of ‘as.’
Books Written by P.G. Thomas
The Anti-Matter Chronicles
Book 1: Tranquil Fury [~265 pages, 100,000 words]
Book 2: Sky Elf [~300 pages, 107,000 words]
Book 3: Blood Bond [~343 pages, 125,000 words]
The Gray-Matter Chronicles
Book 1: Revenge [~270 pages, 111,000 words]
Book 2: Reset [~316 pages, 117,000 words]
Book 3: Residual [~400 pages, 154, 000 words]
Original Version
For a number of reasons, it was necessary to remove the original version, which contained the unique elf and dwarf speech patterns. If you were reading it in Kindle Unlimited, desiring to continue, please contact me on Facebook (listed above) or by email ([email protected]), and I will republish that version separately.
Index
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18
Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24
Chapter 25 Chapter 26
Prologue
In book one, Tranquil Fury, after their unexpected arrival in the lands of Calicon, the six bus mates: Lauren, Logan, Eric, Zack, Ryan, and John met the odd traveler Mirtza, the magic student. With two friends gravely injured, he offered to take the six to healers, but like the rest of the lands, the great elfin forest was also deserted. Stranger yet, a huge tarp covered the expansive forest and a deep ditch now surrounded it. It was there that Lauren not only found the tri-wood staff, but even more peculiar, she healed Zack and Ryan with gifts from the strange forest. Her brother, Logan, in his search for his sister, received two odd feather tattoos, which bestowed powers over water and fire to him.
On that journey, they eventually found elves, which led them to dwarves. At the dwarven Ironhouse Mine, the elfin Earth Mother proclaimed Lauren an Earth Daughter, and her brother to be Sister’s gift. As well, it was there that the Master Weapon Smith asked Lauren to name a six-foot long sword, crafted by the four-foot tall dwarves. During that ceremony, she had named the sword Tranquil Fury, and Eric its Champion. To add to the mystery, a set of armor also waited deep in the mines for Eric, being large enough to accommodate his hulking frame.
With strange stories blowing in the wind, a small group left to investigate the mysterious plague that had chased the populations from the lands. Even though it was determined to be a hoax, the invading forces were very real, and having now realized the truth, they rushed back to the Ironhouse mine. There they found the Earth Mother, their primary source of divine insight, was close to death. Arranging for the next stage in her life, she provided prophecies to all, except for Lauren.
Lauren reluctantly agreed to lead the small group that included: Mirtza, Gingaar, the six dwarven Ironhouse brothers, her five bus mates, and the six elf Earth Guards. Her hopes were to find the fleeing population, exposing the plague hoax, and to help them take back the eastern lands. While that was the plan, plans sometimes go wrong. On that journey south, Lauren began to develop into the Earth Daughter, and with the help of her staff and brother, they threaded their way through the occupied lands, looking for a pass through the mountains, and following them, a strange creature that seemed to be helping them.
Traveling fast and hard for so long, fatigue waited for them one night at camp. However, a second unexpected guest also arrived, as black-clad soldiers rushed their camp. When we last left the small group, Eric the Champion of Tranquil Fury, Logan her brother, Zack, Mirtza, and last but not least, John had all been captured, and the whereabouts of Ryan were unknown.
Chapter 1
Alron cursed under his breath as Lauren bit into his hand again. Even though she was only trying to get his attention, she already had it, and he was painfully aware of her forced silent protests. It had been two hours since the Earth Guard stags had burst into the camp, waking them from their dreams, and then the silent horses ridden by black-clad soldiers woke his worst nightmare: capture. His Earth Guard training had instinctively kicked in when he grabbed her, leaping into the darkest shadows. From there the two watched the silent horses crash into the campsite, seeing the riders dismount, who savagely beat Lauren’s friends and brother into submission. When a jail wagon pulled into the camp, the motionless bodies of her brother, John, Eric, Zack, and Mirtza were tossed inside like bags of potatoes. Then a second wagon arrived, which the ponies and horses were tied to. She watched horrified when black-clad soldiers began gathering up their assorted possessions. In the middle of the occupied camp, she stared at her tri-wood staff. While she never realized it, the soldiers never saw it, but she still feared that it would be taken away. When a second wagon appeared, they loaded the assorted possessions into it, which included Mirtza’s cloak. Most likely a worthless garment, except tucked into one pocket was his wagon, which held the armor gifted to Eric.
Even though the black-clad soldiers searched the area for an hour, looking for anything, they found nothing. While capturing fourteen mounts, finding seventeen bedrolls, the number tied up only equaled five. They failed to understand that they searched for elves: more specifically, Earth Guards. As such, their efforts would be like trying to find shadows at noon in a desert. Elf, forest; it was hard to determine where one began and the other ended. The elves: no sounds would they make nor tracks leave, as they would dance with the moving shadows, blending in
with the moonlight. Their coats and pants were gifted with elfin magic, being chameleon-like, changing colors and hues as necessary: black, green, gray. Their boots, gifted with elfin magic also, would never embrace the ground. If you were good, you might spot an oddity about the deer tracks, but you would never know elves had passed.
In those dark shadows, six dwarves watched the black-clad men search their camp, stealing their well-trained war ponies, taking great delight when one of the ponies bit a soldier, but cringed when he struck back. If it had just been the Ironhouse brothers, they would have attacked. Twenty-four against six; hardly a fair test; it would never have lasted long enough for the soldiers to call for reinforcements. However, they knew this was not their fight so they could wait. Being dwarf, patience flowed through their blood, as it took generations for a dwarf clan to claim a mountain to be their home. Revenge, it could wait a few days.
Alron, holding his breath, realized that not all was right, aside from the pain from Lauren’s teeth. His deer-like ears heard the shuffling feet: dried leaves and branches crunching under them. When she clamped down on his outer hand, his eyes rolled back, as he fought to hold in his pain. It took an hour for the hidden soldiers to grow bored, emerging from their hiding places and calling for their mounts. He remained motionless, his lip now sharing the same pain as his hand. He knew if the threats were gone the stags would have returned, but they had not. After another hour, the last two dozen black-clad soldiers stumbled out of the shadows, rubbing their cramped legs before heading out to the road. After hearing nothing for an hour, he softly whistled into the night. Lauren, still held tightly by him, never heard the quiet sound that called to the Dawnfalcons. After their deer-like ears had swiveled, locating him, they appeared several minutes later. He sent them to do a perimeter search, warning that the dwarves were also hiding, whom they should not surprise. As he waited, the Earth Guard stags began to wander back into the camp, as the air was now free of the black-clad scent. It took over an hour for the Dawnfalcons to work their way around the large clearing, ensuring their own safety. Advising the elves and dwarves of the location of Alron and the Earth Daughter, when they were confident that no threats remained, the Dawnfalcons signaled the all clear.
The hidden dwarves and elves slowly made their way to Alron, and once all had gathered, he addressed them, “Were you asleep at your post? You could not warn us with an alarm whistle?”
“Sounds they did not make.” Erust Huntinghawk answered, “Magic shields their noise. If not for the moonlight, see them we would not. Too close they were, so we sent our stags to warn you.”
“You know they speak the truth,” advised Panry, “as hear them you did not, yet see them we did.”
“I know both are right,” Alron replied before calling to the Dawnfalcons. “Get your mounts and follow the wagon. You shall mark the trail, so our journey is swift. Be safe Dawnfalcons but find that wagon. You shall not stop until it dose. Leave now!” Taking to their unsaddled stags, they headed into the night, following the still-fresh wagon tracks.
[Threat expired. Disengage Cloak.] Ryan wandered over to the group, wiping the sleep from his eyes, “What’s going on?”
“Where did you hide?” demanded Alron.
Ryan was puzzled, “Hide? Hide from what?”
“Did you not see what happened?”
“Look, I heard you barking orders, rolled over, and saw everybody standing here. Now, what’s happening?”
“No, I do not believe you. What trickery is this?”
He pointed to his bedroll, “Look! I was sleeping over there. I woke up and came over here.”
As they all looked at the lone bedroll on the ground, Alron turned to his Earth Guard.
“It was not there a minute ago,” protested Panry. “Not any bedrolls were there. The black-clad gathered all.”
Lauren, with her staff in hand, grabbed Alron by the shoulder, “He isn’t the problem. What’re we going to do?”
“The Dawnfalcons will follow the wagon tracks,” he replied, “They shall find it wherever it is. We shall acquire new mounts and follow them. Earth Daughter, soon we will reunite you with your friends.”
Bor’s thick voice growled in the night, “The game now changes. Time for action is now”
He saw the moonlit smile appear on his face, “Bor, we shall see what happens, but I think actions that provides the greatest speed we shall embrace.”
Ryan, still confused, went over to Gingaar who quickly explained the soldiers that had rushed their camp, capturing the five, and throwing them unconscious into the back of a wagon.
After Alron had mounted his stag, he helped Lauren up. “Panry, mounts we need, so please find suitable donations.” Turning to the rest, he advised them, “Until we can arrange new transportation, you will have to walk. Let us move.” Elves mounted on stags led the path back to the road, as Gingaar, Ryan, and the dwarves jogged in double time to keep up, knowing it would only be a short time before somebody would unwillingly donate new mounts to them.
As they rode along in the dark, Lauren whispered, “What happened? How did this happen?”
“Earth Daughter, months of five we travelled, three or more in black-clad country. Last month was night travel only, and we should have rested. I think Mirtza did not deploy his magic guard bats, and camp tighter we should have, but all were weary and mistakes were made.” Mother, please forgive me, words you thought I would not ever speak. “A terrible price we paid. How they silenced their mounts, I do not know.”
“Are we going to be able to find them? They left a long time ago. Will the Dawnfalcons be able to follow the wagon in the dark?”
“Earth Daughter, I know that you worry. Dawnfalcons can track with blindfolds on. When the black-clad donate new mounts, we shall decrease their lead. Your friends will soon be by your side. Now, please, be quiet, as I need to listen for threats.”
She sat on the back of the stag in silence, thinking about the horrific attack on her brother and friends.
It had taken less than an hour before Panry returned with his report, “Sentry station, half mile ahead.”
As Alron was about to dispatch two elves, he heard Bor’s thick, deep voice, “No need for elf to dismount. Ironhouse will thank them for horses lent.”
Alron realized there was no sense in arguing, as the Ironhouse brothers would be extremely efficient, having the advantage of darkness. “Make sure the mounts are at the roadside upon our arrival.”
The dwarves silently ran down the road, arriving at the guard post where four laid around a fire. Bor signaled to Hakk, Gor, Fen, and Fodu, as this was their first opportunity to avenge their father’s death. Those dressed in black never saw the diminutive figures with the huge axes step out of the shadows. While the soldiers never felt anything, the four Ironhouse brothers finally felt satisfaction, wishing there were more, so they could feel even more satisfaction. Even though none would consider it a fair fight, they had more pressing matters on their minds.
Alron arrived with the others, as the Ironhouse brothers were adjusting the saddles and stirrups. The six Ironhouse brothers mounted three of the new horses, and Ryan with Gingaar shared the last one. Having increased their pace, after an hour of travel, they found Panry who was waiting for them. Before he could ask, the Ironhouse brothers had dismounted to extend dwarf hospitality to the guard station, and by the time the rest showed up, the brothers were adjusting the new saddles
As the group gathered speed, Cethail Highbreeze took the lead position, sniffing out the guard stations, but with two outposts missing, Lauren was hesitant to raise any more red flags. Much to the disappointment of the dwarves, she would sing them through the dark forest when another guard post threatened their journey south. The detours took longer than Alron would have liked, but he also agreed that the number of missing bodies would heighten the enemy’s curiosity. With dawn approaching, he instructed the front guard to find a camp, having no desires to travel the road in daylight. He was surprised t
hat they had failed to catch up to their captured friends, but he also realized the guard posts would provide little hindrance to the jail cart. Without food or bedrolls, they soon realized camp was the wrong name for the clearing where they stood.
When Ryan saw her looking for a comfortable place to sleep, he walked over, handing her his bedroll, “Here, you can have mine.” Accepting it, she instinctively twirled the faded purple strands of hair that caressed her cheek, and he turned to leave.
“Thank you. Wait!” Lauren thought about what Logan had said. About how she should start speaking to him and that there was no way to shun his presence here, “We should talk.”
Having avoided her for almost a year, he was uncertain of what to say, and the concern for the missing five friends was written on her face. “We’ll get them back, and they’ll be okay.”
Lauren was at odds with herself. Worrying about Logan and the others, and now talking to the one person she cared for the least. If they had only captured Ryan, would I have advised the elves and dwarves against saving him? “Was it my fault that they were captured? What happens if we can’t find them? What if we do find them,” then her voice went quiet, “but it’s too late?”
“You can’t think like that. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. Everybody voted to keep riding hard, and everybody was tired. Stuff—”
“If I’m supposed to be the leader, shouldn’t I’ve vetoed the vote, ordered us to rest? I knew everybody was tired.”
“From what John told me, you’re supposed to lead the search to find the people that fled, and then help lead them against the army that has invaded these lands. While you may be the main lead, the entire responsibility doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders, as other people have roles in this also. Gingaar told me the horses didn’t make any noise, as they most likely used some sort of magic. Even if we had rested, the same result would’ve happened. You can’t play the blame game, wondering ‘if you did something different, what would’ve happened?’ Right now, we could’ve done a million things differently, but not one of them can take us back. All it does is create doubt, making you re-live the past, making it worse. Place your faith in this Earth Guard of yours and the Ironhouse brothers. They aren’t worried about what has happened, as their concern is what to do next, moving forward, not backwards. I’m sure Eric will give them a run for their money, and Logan has done some funky stuff lately. Don’t give up on your friends. Don’t dwell in the past as it’ll trap you and never let you leave, but you already know that. Now get some sleep, as I’m sure that tomorrow is going to be a grueling day.” Ryan went off in search of a dark tree to crawl under, hoping that the image of Lauren’s face would not bring back the nightmares of Samantha.
