by Daniel Fife
Light & Dark: The Awakening of the Mageknight
By Daniel M. Fife
Published by Daniel M. Fife at Smashwords
Edited by Dennis De Rose
Copyright 2011 Daniel M. Fife
ISBN: 978-0-9853247-1-1
ISBN - 13: 978-0-9853247-1-1
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or Humans, Dragonics, Elves, Dwarves, Bondeds, or Shadows, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Print editions of Light & Dark: The Awakening of the Mageknight are available in an easy reader large print here and a smaller print here
Table of Contents
Cover
Purchase a print copy of this book
Light & Dark Series
Chapter 1 - A New Face
Chapter 2 - Trigger of Power
Chapter 3 - A Date with the Dark
Chapter 4 - Becoming Friends with a Drake
Chapter 5 - Into the Light
Chapter 6 - The Gift of Sight
Chapter 7 - The Trials of a Knight
Chapter 8 - Departing on the Wings of a Dragon
Chapter 9 - Arrival
Chapter 10 - The Forces of the Grey
Chapter 11 - Casting Off on the Radiance
Chapter 12 - The Turbulence before the Storm
Chapter 13 - The White Rock Academy of Illumination
Chapter 14 - Looking the Part of a Squire
Chapter 15 - A Banquet with the King
Chapter 16 - The First Day of Training
Chapter 17 - The Way of the Sword
Chapter 18 - Mastering the Power Within
Chapter 19 - A Test of Strategy
Chapter 20 - A Well-Deserved Rest
Chapter 21 - A Bonded Named Rose
Chapter 22 - Preparations before Battle
Chapter 23 - A Duel of Squires
Chapter 24 - A Night with Calador
Chapter 25 - The Truth among Friends
Chapter 26 - Problem Solved
Chapter 27 - Spying on Sir Syndil
Chapter 28 - Putting the Pieces Together
Chapter 29 - Research
Chapter 30 - Describing a Dark Object
Chapter 31 - Alamber Ordvack Halfelvin
Chapter 32 - Sir Syndil's Final Lesson
Chapter 33 - Betrayal
Chapter 34 - The Awakening of the Mageknight
Chapter 35 - The Tale of the Black Bonded
Chapter 36 - Preparing for the Journey Home
Light & Dark: The Black Bonded
About the Author
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Chapter 1 - A New Face
ake up!" Danny's mother yelled, opening the creaking door of his room. "You're going to be late for your first day of school."
"Alright… alright, I'm up… I'm up," Danny said, more out of instinct than waking thought. He heard his mother's footfalls stop at the side of his bed. Reaching over him, she turned on the lamp that rested on top of the nightstand near his pillow. The bulb hummed with power, the soft light it produced compelled him to pull the blanket over his head.
"Come on!" Danny heard his mother call as she retreated down the hall. Her voice sounded muffled from the distance, yet, still able to force his eyes open.
Grumbling, Danny drove himself from the warm comfort of his soft bed. Throwing the covers off, he put both feet on the floor. Yawning, he stood up and walked to the front of the closet. Examining each colorful piece of clothing that hung, pressed and wrinkle-free, on a series of plastic hangers, he forced his mind to the task of getting ready. He—or, rather, his mother—had already selected the outfit he was supposed to wear on this particular day. She'd made up her mind the night before after what had felt like hours of indecisiveness. A pair of new khaki shorts and a blue T-shirt lay folded on a rocking chair to his left. However, now faced with the uncertain importance of a first impression, he was not quite sure what to wear.
"Danny, come on!" his mother yelled once again.
"I'm coming!" Danny yelled back, his frustration getting the better of him.
He yanked his favorite white printed T-shirt from the hamper and grabbed the new pair of khaki shorts, leaving the blue T to fall in a heap on the floor. Putting on the shorts, slipping on the T, he sighed with satisfaction as he looked down to admire the black dragon printed on the front of the shirt. It was still summer, after all, and although jeans were preferable, he refused to sweat just by the simple act of walking to the bus. He grabbed a black sweatshirt on the off-chance that he might get cold in the climate controlled school, then he threw on his socks, his shoes, and walked down the hall; his mother was waiting for him in the kitchen.
The smell of bacon and toast invaded his nostrils as his stomach made a low, rumbling growl. He was hungrier than he originally thought.
"Danny!" his mother yelled, just as he rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. "Oh," she said, lowering her tone of voice after seeing him standing in front of her. "I guess you are awake, then, aren't you?"
"…If you consider this awake," his tone thick with sarcasm as he stretched out stiff limbs.
Used to the morning cynicism, she ignored his tone. "Your breakfast is on the table. You should hurry. The bus will be here in about fifteen minutes and I want a picture of you on your first day of school."
Danny let out a long sigh, retrieving a plastic cup from the cupboard.
"Don't you sigh at me," she said, smiling, "besides, you look so cute in your new shorts." Doing a double-take, she added, "Where's the blue T-shirt I picked out for you?"
Danny shrugged innocently.
"Isn't the shirt you're wearing dirty?"
Once again, Danny shrugged his shoulders. He refused to lie, but he also refused to give his mother the satisfaction of being right.
She sighed, but, was content to let the matter go.
With sullen shoulders, Danny opened the refrigerator and poured a glass of cold milk.
"Hurry up, you still need to brush your teeth."
Danny obeyed as he crossed the short distance to the table. He made quick work of his breakfast. The warm meal filled him with energy.
Finished, he made his way back down the short hallway, into the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirrored cabinet, he inspected his appearance. Not too scrawny, not exactly built of brawn, Danny was, perhaps, the picture of an average thirteen-year-old. His short brown hair didn't require much care, but he ran a comb through it anyway. He stared back at the dark-green eyes that regarded him in the reflection with interest, eventually deciding that his appearance was as good as it was likely to get. He sighed, splattered his toothbrush with paste, and began pushing and pulling the brush across his teeth.
"Danny, are you almost done?" his mother yelled from down the hall.
Refusing to respond with a mouthful of white foam, he rinsed and spat.
The floor rumbled with the sound of heavy footfalls. "Danny!" she said again, this time her voice coincided with the rhythmic approach of her feet. She stopped just outside the door. "Come on, Danny. The bus will be
here soon."
Throwing his toothbrush back into the small cup on the side of the sink, he finished, wiped his mouth and opened the door. His mother stood there, in her blue cloth nightgown and yellow slippers, with a camera in her hand. Her hair, unkempt and frayed, was a faded brown, the same color as her eyes. She was pleasantly plump; perfect for hugging, a fact Danny enjoyed taking advantage of—just not in public.
"Come on, get your bag."
Since he had little choice, he moved with purpose, picked up his book bag and his sweatshirt, and walked outside.
"Okay, um… stand over by the bushes," she said, gesturing with her hand.
The sun had just begun the long climb into the sky; the bright morning rays forced Danny to squint.
"Don't squint, hold still," said his mother, her tone stern and commanding.
In the distance, Danny could hear the hum of the bus engine, the unmistakable sound of a deep, rumbling roar. "Mom, the bus is coming!" he yelled through clenched teeth, still holding his pose.
"Alright, just hold still." There was a slight clicking sound as the camera snapped the picture. "Got it."
"Bye, Mom." He didn't wait for her response, just sprinted to the other side of the road where the bus would pick him up.
"Have a good day!" Danny heard his mother call out.
The large yellow bus turned the corner down the street and had to stop at a stop sign, giving Danny just enough time to reach the opposite side of the street. The bus hissed to a stop and the sliding door squeaked as it opened. Taking a deep breath, he climbed the three steps up and into the bus.
The bus driver smiled at him as he passed by, "Morning, Danny," she said.
"Morning," Danny said, making his way down the aisle, looking out of the side windows. He couldn't believe it; his mother hadn't gone back into the house. She was still in the same spot, vigorously waving at him in her nightgown and slippers.
At that moment, he was glad that he was one of the earlier pickups—sixth, when he counted the other kids on the bus. They all wore familiar faces, but they weren't friends of his. With a quickened step, he moved back toward the rear of the bus. The door behind him squeaked as it closed and the engine thrummed with power. The sudden movement forced Danny to grab onto one of the seatbacks to slow him down. Using the slight force of motion, he swung himself into the second to last seat.
Slumping down in the seat, he stared out of the window as houses, trees, and cars flashed by, causing the hypnotic spell of movement to force his eyes downward.
"Hey, Danny," said someone from behind him.
Danny felt the weight of an impact as someone sat down next to him. Looking out of the window, seeing the white and blue house, he already knew who it was.
"Hey, Alonso," he said, turning to see the familiar face of his friend.
The slender, black-haired boy smiled back, his usual smirk. Of Latino descent, Alonso had a darker complexion, accenting the blue of his eyes. On most days, Danny appreciated his straightforward way of talking, but not today.
"Hey, your backpack is kind of stupid-looking," he said, gesturing to the puke-green bag in Danny's lap.
"Yeah, my mom bought it without asking me first."
Alonso Martinez was the kind of person who could talk for hours upon end about any subject that he deemed important. He was one of those who simply liked to talk, whether anyone was actually listening or not. Worse still, he lacked a filter; he would often say whatever came to mind, no matter how socially awkward. However, he was also well-known for his athletic ability on the wrestling team; his wiry build made him the perfect choice for the lighter-weight classes. He had a reputation as one of the best wrestlers on the team, allowing his mouth to get him into trouble only with teachers, while deterring peers from picking on him.
The bus, now full of students, screeched to a stop on a slight incline and lined up at an angle to the sidewalk that ran the length of the school. Danny, along with Alonso—in the midst of discussing his summer—was one of the last ones off. Familiar faces walked past Danny as he followed the line toward the double glass doors that marked the entrance to the lower half of the school. He allowed Alonso to go through first, holding the door open for himself and one other, being polite.
He saw a flash of movement in the corner of his eye; his heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he gazed upon a new face. Her skin was the creamy color of the pale moon, dotted by a collection of soft freckles. Her hair was jet black, draped just past her shoulders, with a subtle indication of curling. Her almond-colored eyes, accented by the slightest pull of an oval shape, hinted at her Asian heritage; they seemed to glow with golden flecks in the morning sun.
"Thanks," she said in a delicate voice as she breezed past him, the scent of wild roses following in her wake.
Danny gulped down hard, struggling for something to say. However, time refused to wait forever; as the moment passed, she disappeared into the crowd of incoming students.
"Who was that?" he asked Alonso.
Alonso's blue eyes darted into the swell of students. Turning back to Danny, he shrugged in response. "Must be a new student," he said.
The ten-minute bell rang, forcing Danny out of his sudden reverie.
"Well, I'll see ya later," said Alonso, bounding off up the stairs.
Alone, in the middle of a sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces, Danny walked down the hall that paralleled the gym and looked for his locker number. He found it without difficulty, made a mental note of its location and then ascended the stairs to locate his first class.
The day progressed smoothly. His first class was music, his second was math. He had yet to acquire any homework, but since it was the first day, that was to be expected.
Looking down at his schedule, in the busy hallway after math class, he confirmed that gym was next. He walked through the double steel doors that marked the entrance to the gym, just before the five-minute bell. He was surprised to see Chris Greene standing over by the bleachers.
"Hey, Chris!" Danny yelled, waving.
Chris Greene was his best friend and his only popular acquaintance in school, other than Alonso. Known for his aptitude in the martial arts, as well as the wrestling ring and football field, Chris had broad shoulders, intimidating biceps and an ever-present look of confidence. Practicing the martial arts, specifically Bushi Ryu Jujitsu, was a family tradition—a tradition his father had insisted upon as soon as Chris had been capable of walking. He was, perhaps, in better shape than anyone else in school. He was the last person anyone would ever try to bully, which often worked out well for Danny. He kept his brown hair trimmed short and his green eyes always seemed to have an air of wisdom about them. He was, over-all, the typical jock—except for the fact that he was, above all, a nice person and a good friend.
"Hey, Danny, how were your first few classes?" Chris asked, after waving back, closing the distance between them.
"Alright, I guess. No homework."
"Same here, but we still have three more classes today."
"Oh, don't remind me," Danny said, jokingly.
The final bell sounded, echoing throughout the gym.
"Well, I guess that means it's time for P.E.," said Chris, looking around, running his right hand through his dark-brown hair.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" Mr. Ingram yelled. The gym teacher stood in the middle of the glossy wooden floor. "Over here please, so that we can take attendance," he said, pointing to a spot in the center of the gym floor. "Now, when I call your name, I want you to sit where I direct you."
While Mr. Ingram called out names and organized the group, Danny took the opportunity to investigate the other faces that made up his class.
The first person he recognized was Steven Rooney, the all-around jock and bully. Big and bulky for his age, Steven used his size to intimidate others and push them around. He had a bulbous nose and a rounded chin, giving him a comical look that might have made others laugh if he wasn't a middle school bully.
Standing beside him as he scratched a scalp of long, curly, brown hair stood Marie Topeland, a mean-spirited young girl who thought the world owed her everything and more. With cold grey eyes, accented by a heavy dose of eye shadow, she looked lazily around the gym while sighing at her own misfortune. Her clothes mimicked those of the most fashionable. The popular girl in school, she seemed to always have the same smug look on her face. Mean, vicious, and condescending, she could often be crueler with words than Steven could ever hope to be with brawn.
Danny sighed at his luck. Of all the classes, why did he have to end up in the same class with these two?
Continuing to search through the crowd, he stopped, noticing one familiar person, in particular.
Her black hair, now tied up in a ponytail, left her softly freckled face revealed for him to investigate further. She wore a white T-shirt and blue denim jeans. She was slender, yet commanded an aura of strength.
"Chris?" Danny asked, nudging his friend in the side.
"What?"
"Who's that?" Caught in his own trance, Danny neglected to point out the person he intended his friend to name.
Without questioning him, Chris followed his friend's gaze. "I don't know, man. I've never seen her before. She must be a new girl."
No matter how hard he tried, Danny couldn't take his eyes off her. He had suffered the curse of crushes before, yet nothing had ever felt this strong to him. For some reason, he had to get to know this girl.
Her head swiveled in his direction. Danny felt his heart skip a beat as he moved to avert his eyes, hoping she hadn't noticed him staring.
Someone said his name. "Danny! Danny Firoth!"
Danny searched the gym and found that all eyes were on him.
"Pay attention, Danny!" Mr. Ingram yelled, giving the other students an excuse to laugh. "Quiet!" he commanded, pushing a pair of black-rimmed glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. With slinky, black hair cut in the shape of a bowl and a bulky build, Mr. Ingram was a humorous, imposing sight, but no one ever laughed at him, openly. "You're in group B, Danny," he said, pointing to a spot on the gym floor.
