The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series)

by Allen J Johnston

  He leaned down slowly and called on the Divine. He closed his eyes and let the power guide his site. The scroll did not appear to have any traps. Looking very closely, he saw that the paper had some type of calling on it but nothing that looked deadly. He reached out with his eyes still closed and gripped the scroll. The power pulsing in the paper did not change. Kade let out the breath he had been holding but continued to keep his eyes closed, watching. Slowly, ever so slowly, he pulled the ribbon from the scroll. The paper unrolled slightly, but still, nothing.

  Kade breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes. The scroll was not as old as he had first thought. The more he examined it, the more certain he was that it was actually very recently made. He handled it gently, feeling his nerves on edge again. He had had enough of this and would have loved nothing more than to throw the scroll away from himself, but he was absolutely certain that it was too important to ignore. He rolled his head around his shoulders to loosen some of the tension and refocused on the parchment. Carefully, he opened it and recognized it for what it was; a simple message of sorts. It had just one symbol on the page. Only Kade knew what it meant. It was Zayle’s true name.

  Kade saw a tear hit the paper and roll off the edge. He knew what this was, and at the same time, he was hesitant to proceed. He had had enough of sadness and danger for a lifetime, but something told him that it was just the beginning. Kade let his head sag against his chest as even more tears dropped onto the parchment. After several long moments, Kade took a deep breath, brought his head up and opened his eyes to take in the symbol again. This was one of the simplest callings to activate. It was a calling needing only the Divine Power to work. Kade had no doubt this was meant for him.

  Closing his eyes again, he felt for the Divine. He beckoned to it, and it came to him with just a little effort. He directed it down to his hand and infused the paper with it. The symbol shifted and faded to be replaced with the image of his beloved teacher.

  “I am sorry, Master. I am so sorry I failed you,” Kade said to the face that floated in front of him. Sadness threatened to crush his heart as he looked into the eyes of his cherished teacher. It was only more torture for him, as he looked on through his blurred vision.

  “If you have found this, then things have started sooner than I feared. I should have prepared you more adequately, but I believed I had time,” Zayle said as he appeared to be looking Kade in the eyes. “For the sake of our kind, you must discover what hunts us. There is a danger far worse than I could have ever imagined. You must discover what it is. I wish I could have prepared you better but time was not on my side. You need to seek out your parents. Your path leads there. I do not know why or how it matters but you must return to them.” Zayle said and then paused. He took a moment to compose what he wanted to say and then seemed to refocus on Kade. The apprentice waited with apprehension, sensing that his master was about to say something important. “I want you to know that I am very proud of you. What you should also know is, you are not just my apprentice, but you are my one and only grandson. We hid this from you because your life depended on it.”

  Kade’s eyes widened in shock and awe. His mind was reeling out of control. It was too much. Too much was happening too fast. He was just a simple man who was barely out of boyhood.

  Why me? he asked himself. Why me? Zayle’s voice brought him back to the image of his master.

  Kade did his best to take in everything his beloved teacher was saying, but his mind was assaulted with grief. He blinked the tears from his eyes as the figure continued to float in front of him. Kade knew he needed to hear everything his master was saying.

  “Our bloodline is strong in the Divine Power. Your ability to control the Divine along with your gift makes you our best hope. I have placed a medallion with this letter. Wear it at all times. It should keep you hidden. The more Divine Power you use, the more you shine like a beacon for those who hunt you and the more difficult it will be for the medallion to hide you. I do not know if it has limits, but be careful not to push it. I love you, Kade, and I always will. It is now up to you, my Grandson. Find what hunts us before our kind is extinct,” Zayle said as he started to fade, “I believe in you,” he added, and then the image was gone.

  Kade fought the tears and lost. He was tired of sadness and crying, but no matter how much he resisted, the tears came. He wanted to be done with the pain of loss. His sadness soon turned to fury and hatred. He needed to find something with which to focus his anger. He felt rage coursing through his veins and every part of his being. His fists were clenched so tightly that he could feel his nails digging into the palms of his hands. When he looked down, he saw that the page was now blank. He forced his hand open and the paper drifted to the floor, landing next to the medallion.

  “I will avenge you, Grandfather. I will!” Kade vowed. He paused, sure he had heard a distant chuckle…or was it the wind? Either way, Kade knew where he was going to aim his fury and it felt good to have a goal. His revenge was going to taste sweet and he was eager to exact it.

  No more careless mistakes, he told himself as he formed his plans.

  Over the next few weeks, Kade studied the books while he continued to recover. Every day he would go to the edge of the barrier and pace, watching and sensing. After a while, he would nod his head in satisfaction and then return to his studies. He was driven and focused. He had a goal and nothing mattered more than that. Somewhere deep down, he knew that revenge should not be why he did what he did, but he did not care. He needed this.

  Every day he would stop at his Grandfather’s grave and sit in silence, meditating. When he felt sadness, he would turn it into hatred and focus on that. No more grieving for him until he had his revenge. None!

  The days melted from one to the next with his routine changing very little. He would wake up early, eat what the dragon had caught and then study. He practiced his callings over and over, cementing them firmly in his mind. He perfected the Silence Calling and practiced the Transparency Calling until he was sure he could do it in his sleep.

  Kade knew his faithful dragon was worried and confused, but he also knew that his friend would stay by his side for as long as he needed. He felt a bond form with this amazing companion. Rayden was the only thing that was able to disrupt Kade from his routine. There was a simple kind of communication that had developed. He could not say when it happened, or how, but he was able to sense Rayden, and the dragon could sense him. He was even able to communicate simple thoughts to the dragon and it always seemed to understand. This was the only ray of light that shined through the gloom.

  Several weeks passed with almost nothing but practice, study and more practice. Several weeks and a day, Kade awoke, but instead of his normal routine, he went out and sat by his master’s grave as he formulated his plans. His heart turned cold, and a deadly seriousness descended on him. Rayden could sense the change and came to lay by him, waiting. The time had come.

  After a while of sitting in silence, Kade stood, and with purpose, headed for the side of the barrier where Zayle had lost his life. He walked the boundary as he had done every day for the last two weeks, but this time, he stopped. He furrowed his brow in concern and listened closely. Something seemed wrong. Something was different. He could not put his finger on it but there was a change.

  There was a different presence. He could feel its eyes on him. There was danger in the woods, and it had come for him. Kade clenched his fist, welcoming it, eager to have another target to feel his wrath. He turned and marched back to the cabin. On the way, he stopped by the grave for one last time.

  “I will make you proud, Grandfather, but first, I must do this. I hope you can understand. I need this for me,” Kade said as a way of an apology. He was certain his grandfather would not approve of revenge, but he would not be swayed from this path. He turned and headed for his makeshift lean-to. He looked around for what he knew was going to be the last time. He gathered his materials and packed his few meager supplies. He had found
some sturdy straps with which to bind the books so he did not have to fear them opening. They also served as a harness, allowing him to attach the books to the dragon’s back, freeing his hands free.

  He moved around to Rayden’s front and looked him in the eye as he communicated his plans. Kade was not sure how much the dragon understood, but it had to be enough. The dragon sat very still while Kade did his best to explain. When he finished, Rayden became very eager to be on their way. Kade could feel a hunger building in his companion. It wanted to hunt and kill. No, not hunt…rend and devour. Kade could feel it growing through the link. To say it was contagious would be an understatement.

  He looked around one last time as his pulse started to quicken. His breathing increased as he sent the dragon the signal to kneel. Rayden bent a front leg for him to climb. Kade slung the books over his shoulder and bounded up to sit on the dragon. He turned in his seat and strapped the tomes of knowledge to the dragons back, making sure they were secure. The mood turned deadly. Rayden spun and headed for the barrier. Kade’s heart was pounding as he ran his callings through his mind. He practiced even when he was not practicing. He wanted to be ready to give death another life to carry away.

  The sun glinted off the barrier as they approached. Kade steeled his will as they came to the edge. For a brief moment, he wondered if he had trained enough, but it was just that…a brief moment. They did not slow. He felt the hairs on his arms prickle as he and the dragon passed through the protective shield. A twinge of doubt caused a slight bit of hesitation, but he knew it was too late to turn back. He did not know how to deactivate the barrier to let Rayden back in, and he was never going to leave his dragon.

  Kade listened for any sound, and soon, realized why something felt wrong. With a loud roar, his dragon leapt through the air, tossing him to the ground as it grappled with something monstrous. Kade was immensely grateful for his new strength, as it seemed to make it easier to be nimble. He landed smoothly and was up throwing a blazing blast of Divine Fire before he knew it. His training was enough. He paused momentarily as he took in what he was seeing.

  Another grimalkin! This is what felt different, Kade thought in a rush. I should have known. They know where I am. Why would they not send more? he thought, chastising himself.

  He hesitated only a moment and then renewed his assault. This time, the dragon had help, and Kade knew, as a team, they were going to destroy this foul creature. He only had one serious concern as he spared a glance every now and then, watching the forest.

  They worked well together, alternating using fire and the dragon’s deadly attack. Kade hit the creature in the face, blinding it, and when it turned on him, the dragon sank its teeth into the beast’s ankle and tore furiously, snapping tendons, sending it to the ground. It howled in fury but nothing was going to help it now, and it knew it’s time was up.

  Kade and the dragon were too much for it, and soon, Rayden had his teeth sunk deep into its neck and tore for all it was worth. The grimalkin screamed and seemed to be calling for…something. It was a call that it had sent out several times already. The beast tried one last time as it attempted to claw the dragon free, but it was futile. The grimalkin lost its life for picking a fight that it could not win.

  Kade was sweating and breathing heavily as he healed the wounds on the dragon. As soon as he was done, Rayden turned and charged into the woods, searching the area for anymore danger. Kade stood watching, waiting, and listening carefully. Nothing…yet. But, he was absolutely certain it would not stay that way.

  Just when he was starting to doubt his suspicions, the ground shook ever so slightly. Kade could picture his master holding his hand above the ground, using a calling that detected the coming creature. He did not need to perform that calling to know what was going to happen next. It was a familiar shake that Kade remembered easily. The last time he felt this, his master had waved him to silence.

  Kade ground his teeth and suppressed a moment of panic. He felt for the anger that had been festering over the last few weeks and gripped it tightly, fanning it into an inferno. He felt himself shake with rage and anticipation. Again, a small doubt tried to work its way into his heart, but he flung it away violently and called to his dragon. It was time.

  Rayden, Kade called with his mind, but the dragon was already coming at him at a full run. Kade could sense the dragon’s intentions, and he turned just as the dragon slowed enough to scrape the ground with its head as it shot through his legs. Kade slid along Rayden’s neck and bounced into the air several feet before he was able to reach down and grab its wing. He was laying the length of the dragon, barely hanging on as it exploded with speed.

  The thudding on the ground was too loud and too close. He needed distance, and he feared he was not going to get it. Settling firmly into place, he spurred the dragon on with his mind. Rayden’s muscles bunched and exploded with each burst of its powerful haunches, picking up just the slightest bit of speed. Kade smiled an evil smile, all doubt gone as the power and grace of the dragon made his pulse race. His heart pounded, keeping pace with the dragon’s great stride. Kade turned to look over his shoulder and saw the trees parting as the creature came through them. They were not pulling away from the targoth, but it was not closing, either. Clearly, the dragon being at its full potential made the difference.

  It would only be a matter of time before the targoth was able to wear the dragon out and catch them. But, for now, this was enough. The dragon ran, but it was the perfect pace. It was just enough to let the monster catch them slowly. Kade looked over his shoulder and saw the targoth closing in little by little. He called on the ancient power and started throwing the Divine Fire. The creature laughed as it batted it aside. For every three that Kade threw, one would hit its mark. The creature roared in frustration. After several successful hits, Kade smiled to himself.

  Now, Kade thought to the dragon. Rayden made a sharp, right turn that almost sent Kade flying. He did not expect the dragon to react so precisely. He filed that information away for later.

  Kade looked back and tossed the Divine Fire every so often, but his focus was on the terrain. Now, Kade thought again, and again, the dragon made a sharp, right turn. It took effort, but this time, Kade was able to stay on firmly. He returned to the throwing of Divine Fire. Surprisingly, he scored a hit on what looked like the jaw of the creature. It roared in anger and hate so intense that fear was able to penetrate Kade for just a moment. He forced himself to remember his master, and then his focus returned.

  Now, Kade thought, and again, the dragon made a hard, right turn. Kade resumed throwing the fire, but it was not meant to cause any more damage than it had. It had done its job by showing Kade where the creature was.

  Now, Kade thought, and with the next hard, right turn, they were back on the path they had originally started on. The dragon was starting to wear down. It ran as hard as it could, but the giant’s stamina was helping it close the distance.

  Was it enough? Kade thought and then stopped that line of thinking instantly. There was no room for doubt. His plan was going to succeed! It just was!

  Kade commenced with the next part of his plan. He worked the next calling with intense focus and concentration. The dragon and rider disappeared from sight.

  NOW! Kade thought. The dragon slammed to a stop, sending Kade sprawling. He landed with a jarring impact that made his head swim.

  The dragon had stopped for only a moment, but even that was almost too much. As soon as Kade hit the ground and rolled to the side, the dragon put everything it had into racing for its life. The ground erupted next to Kade as the creature’s claws dug a deep trench. He held his breath, waiting, not moving an inch or making a sound.

  After just a moment, the heavy pounding continued after Rayden. As Kade hoped, the creature was focused on the dragon’s scent. So far so good, he thought.

  He was sure that without the boost of strength, he would not have fared well with how hard he had hit the ground. He ignored the pain in his s
ide and leapt to his feet. He moved to the center of the path and grinned evilly, eager to kill. He turned to face the way he had just come. His heart was pounding wildly now. He forced his mind to focus as he reached out for the dragon. The time for his revenge was at hand. He did not want to think of how his master might disapprove of such a dark thing. Zayle had always said, “When one embarks on a journey of revenge, do not plan on returning.”

  Wait until you see what I have for you, Kade thought viciously as he watched the smoke trailing after the creature. His lust for revenge was strong, but he hesitated, almost hearing his masters disapproving voice. It was only a second, and then he hardened his heart. Blackness covered his soul as his lip curled in a sneer. A primeval urge to kill enveloped his very being as the Divine begged to fill him. And then, it was as if a dam had burst. The Divine rushed in, as if it were a raging storm eager to be used. His special gift was glorious and it made him one of the most powerful Chosen to ever walk the land. Kade was staggered momentarily, as the onslaught of raw power almost overcame him. He steadied himself as he forced his mind to return to his task.

  He clenched his jaw, eager for what was to come. Again, he reached out with his mind for the dragon. Rayden was struggling to keep the speed. Kade’s eyes widened in fear, as the possibility of this not working crept into his thoughts.

  You can do this Rayden. Now run. Run for all your life is worth! RUN! Kade thought fiercely. The dragon responded, and Kade could feel its renewed effort. It had to be enough. There was no more time for planning.

  The dragon was coming, and it was coming fast. Kade could sense Rayden was about to turn the last corner. It was only moments away when the dragon would be coming directly at him. But, he did not need the sense from the dragon. The smoke coming off the targoth told Kade exactly where it was. Kade felt his heart pounding hard as his pulse raced wildly. The adrenaline mixed with the Divine Power was enough to burst his heart, but he did not care. He wanted this badly; needed this more than he ever needed anything ever in his life. His craving for the kill consumed him.