by Adam Watson
WHERE THE SHADOWS STALK
Book 1
DAWN OF DARKNESS
Adam Watson
Website: www.adamwatsonauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamwatsonauthor
Twitter: @adam_wtss
Email: [email protected]
Copyright © Adam Watson 2017
Cover Layout Design © Adam Watson 2017
Adam Watson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this book.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are a work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferrable right to access and read the text if this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Adam Watson.
Source ISBN: TBA
EBook Edition © January 2018
Version: 2018-01-01
This novel, my first, is dedicated to my wife, Kylee, for all her help and support over the years with this book and our life together.
To my daughter, Alyssa, for being a beautiful person inside and out, and giving me a reason to make the world a better place.
To Glen Matthews for inspiring me to inspire him with his music and for giving me a reason to keep going.
To Vaun Seeley for proof reading the manuscript and pointing out the hundred mistakes that everyone else missed.
And last, but of course not least, Shane Ryles (The Rev) for his help and support on this and many other projects.
To all the above, I would like to thank you for your honest and sometimes brutal feedback. Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it caused anger, but in the end the book is better because of your input. Thankyou.
© 2017 Where the Shadows Stalk: Dawn of Darkness
Adam Watson
1. THE TORAC: FAVOURED BY A GOD
Dray opened his eyes. What in the Seventh Hell is that noise? He was laying with his head on his desk having fallen asleep whilst brushing up on Greevs Leet's 'War Tactics.' He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. If those doglovers are play-fighting in the corridor again ...
It had happened many times before - his fellow soldier’s mucking around in the corridor and waking him from his sleep. If they were at it again, there was going to be trouble.
Dray turned his head towards the door, he could hear banging and yelling. What the fuck are they doing out there? More banging and yelling. He stood up irritated, and the stool sprawled to the floor - his muscles rippled in the moonlight as his rage built. By the gods, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind, he thought and quickly strode towards the door.
The room was small. In it was a bed, some shelves, a desk and a chair - nothing special. It was basic, but he didn’t care. His great deeds in battle had given him a privilege few other soldiers had - a room of his own.
A veteran soldier in the Amalician Royal Army, Dray had achieved the rank of Lieutenant. His skill and strength in arms were unrivalled, his prowess in battle unsurpassed. He had gone to great lengths to ensure that he was the best of the best, and now no other soldier in the army could match his ability.
Years of intense training and decades of experience may have placed him amongst the elite of the army, but it was his own conviction that pushed him to ever greater heights. If the other soldiers worked hard, then he would work harder. If they trained for ten hours, then he would train for twelve. No matter what they did, he made sure that he could do it better. It was his obsession … and he didn't need a soft mattress for that.
Dray was just about to open the door and give his fellow soldiers a good blasting when a force smashed into it with such power that it made him jump back in fright. What the fuck was that?! His heart racing, he immediately looked down to his hip; the sword was still there, and the very sight made him feel safer.
He eyed his bedroom door, daring not to move and listened intently. It sounded like there was a war going on out there, but that would have been impossible. He had entered the room only a few hours ago, and this was the heart of Castle Candelier - one of the greatest strongholds ever built. Dray sniggered. It's the soldiers mucking around ... it has to be. He relaxed and shook his head. Bastards! You scared the shit out of me. He quickly strode to the door and swung it wildly open.
"What the bloody hell's going on out here?" he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. Grey-skinned creatures turned towards the sound of his shouting.
Dray stood paralysed, his mind unable to fathom the scene before him. The hall was full of demonic beasts, and the floor was littered with the bodies of dead soldiers. The fiends looked to be demons, but these beasts were no ordinary creatures.
They were twisted mutations, grey-skinned abominations, repulsive to the eye. Some looked burnt and blackened like they had been set on fire, others looked decayed and rotted, like they had been buried and brought back to life again. Their eyes were as black as night, and their gaze was like death upon him. Their voices hissed and groaned, and their horns were as warped and repulsive as their bodies.
One of them charged, and within seconds a blackened fiend was upon him. Dray lashed out and his punch crushed the creature’s throat, it fell to the ground gasping for air. As quickly as he had downed the first, another one was running toward him. He drew his sword with a sweep and sliced the fiend in two.
He looked down the corridor and could see more of the demonic creatures charging. He hacked and sliced, and two more fell. What is this? It was as if spawn from the Seven Hells had risen up and filled the halls with their madness.
Resolute, he took on all comers. He stalked down the passageway, spinning the sword with his hand. He didn’t know from where the enemy had come nor did he care. Three decades of battle had turned him into a human weapon.
The blade whirled around him in a blur, hacking and slicing everything in its path. Limbs dropped to the ground, blood splattered the walls, heads flew and rolled - when he had finished only stillness and death remained.
Where is everyone? he thought. Although he could hear the cries of battle all around him, echoing throughout the castle, there was no-one else in sight. Suddenly from behind him, he could hear sound; footsteps were coming up the stairwell at pace - he turned to face the new arrivals.
An ageing soldier, dressed in battered plate and wielding a heavy broadsword came running up the stairs at full pace. His name was Commander Galleon, and Dray knew him to be the commander of the castle's garrison; following behind him was an unknown woman - a young cleric judging from the look of her robe.
"Commander!" Dray yelled. "Over here!" He signalled the Commander to come with his hand. Commander Galleon's white moustache was stained red, his hair was drenched with sweat. His eyes were wide and wild, but when he realised it was Dray calling out to him, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Look Dray, I hate to do this to you," started the Commander, as he quickly walked towards him. "We haven't had time to test you or perform the proper rituals, but I'm certain that you're the one." Dray looked at the Commander perplexed.
"Commander, what are you talking about?" Instead of answering, the Commander grabbed Dray by the wrist.
"G
ive me your hand."
"But Commander ..."
"I SAID GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" Dray opened his hand for the Commander. "There's no time to explain," answered Commander Galleon, when he saw the questioning look in Dray's eyes. "Put this on," he continued, pulling out an ancient and unusual looking ring. "It's the only chance to save the Oracle." He motioned to the girl. "Pray to Tempus and if I'm wrong Dray ..." The Commander paused and stared deep into Dray’s eyes, contemplating the importance of his words. "... then I'm sorry." With those words the ring went onto Dray's finger.
Dray stared at the ring on his finger. He felt strange ... kind of odd, peculiar; then everything began to go dark. He grabbed his head in hands and screamed as a voice from the void spoke into the recesses of his mind. It was an unnatural voice; deep, loud and foreboding - as if the gods themselves were speaking to him … it was dialect he did not understand.
"WOTTAS! SCORAS! TORAC!" It was over in an instant, and Dray returned to normal. He looked ahead and could see the Commander fighting for his life on the stairwell.
"DRAY! DRAY!" Galleon was shouting. Dray shook his head trying to regain his senses. He could see the girl cowering behind the Commander. If he fails, she won't stand a chance.
"Commander, I'm here!" The Commander’s head turned, and in that moment Dray's heart sank … somehow he knew this would be the last time that he would see his old friend.
"Dray!" Dray swallowed hard as Commander Galleon gave what would be his final command. "Protect the Oracle." The words ingrained themselves into Dray’s mind like etchings into stone. The commander turned back to the horde - his last heroic act would be to give Dray enough time to save the girl.
Dray looked towards the young cleric, two of the hideous beasts had gotten around the Commander and were making their way straight for her.
“NO!” He knew that there was not enough time to get to her … but he had to.
Bright lights sizzled across the surface of Dray's eyes like azure lightning bolts, his right hand turned ice blue and burned like fire - somehow he had to close the gap. In his mind desperation grew, he knew that the distance was too great, but there was a power inside of him that came from the ring.
There was a flash of light. One moment he was standing by the door, the next he was in front of the Oracle - his sword shattering through the vile creatures like they were made from glass.
He stood there stunned, he didn't know how he had done that, but there was no time to think - he grabbed the girl by the arm.
"We have to get out of here, right now." The girl had tears in her eyes … maybe she had been close to the Commander, but there was no time to lament.
"Quick! Get into the room." Dray pushed the girl into his bedroom. He could see the demonic creatures making their way down the moonlit halls. They won't be satisfied until every living creature here is dead! The thought sent a chill down his spine.
Once inside the room, Dray immediately went to work barricading. He picked up the thick bracing plank and used it to bar the door. The brace was made from solid oak, and every room in the castle had one. They were only to be utilised as a last resort if an army ever breached the castle's defences.
As far as Dray was concerned, having the castle completely overrun with hellspawn was about as dire as circumstances could get, so he continued barricading; pushing the wardrobe, table and chairs in front of the secured door. The barricade was pathetic, but it was all he could do.
"Are we safe in here?" asked the Oracle. There was apprehension in her voice, she already knew the answer.
"Safer than out there." Dray held his sword out in front of him, he had bought them some time, but this wasn't going to end well. "You better stand behind me." The Oracle moved to stand behind her protector.
"Have faith, Tempus is with us," she whispered. Dray rolled his eyes. Great. One of the gods was with them. Fucking clerics. Any second now, spawn from the Seventh Hell was going to burst in and swamp the room … and she wanted him to have faith?
"All hail mighty Tempus!" he replied with great sarcasm, raising his hands in mocking praise. The Oracle went silent. Good. The last thing he wanted to hear before he died were the rantings of a religious zealot. He lowered his hands and held his sword before him once more. Let them come. There was a loud bang on the door, and it shook, knocking dust into the air. Dray braced himself.
"Well, they know we're in here," he said aloud. Another heavy bang and this time the oak brace creaked under the strain. That thing’s going to break any second ... and they thought that it hold back an army? "Idiots," he muttered under his breath.
Dray thought back to the writings of the great generals and warriors throughout history. In certain circumstances it had only taken a few men to hold back an entire army, it all relied on bottlenecking. Bottleneck the opposing army into a small pass, and they would be forced to funnel through only a small amount at a time.
Dray looked around, this room was like that. It had a doorway, which was a small pass and the thick, stone walls served as an impenetrable barricade. If he fought them at the doorway, he would only have to face one enemy at a time.
Theoretically, it was a good idea, but he was one man and they were many. It would be only a matter of time before fatigue overcame him, he let out a resigned sigh - they really were doomed.
The situation looked hopeless, but he couldn't give up, after all, he still had a mission to fulfil. 'Protect the Oracle.' It was the Commander's dying wish, and he wasn't about to fail it without giving it everything he had. I will fill this room with the carcasses from Seven Hells, if that's what it takes to protect her.
Another loud bang against the door and this time the oak brace visibly splintered. Sweat beaded down Dray's forehead, even though there was a war going on all around, the only sound he could hear was that of his own breath.
"One more hit and it's going to break!"
"Have faith Protector, you will see us live. Tempus ..." Dray turned his head back and cut in before the Oracle could say any more.
"Yes, yes, yes! Tempus protects us all ... HAIL!" Dray turned back and faced the door again. Was she smiling?
"You don't believe in Tempus?" She sounded both astounded and amused.
"No, I don't bloody believe in Tempus, but I'll tell you what, if we're both still alive this time tomorrow ... I might just change my mind."
"We will live, have faith." Dray wasn't so sure, in fact, he was very far from sure of even surviving the next minute.
"This one will break it," he said eyeing the brace, he could hear the Oracle breathing in his ear as she looked over his shoulder. Dray readied himself for impact. 'CRAAAACK!!!' The thick oak brace ripped apart as the door flew open. Dray only had a second to register the mass of bodies flooding through his doorway.
He managed two swings of his sword before he was completely overwhelmed, and even then he wasn't even sure if he had hit anything. He held his sword out before him like a ward, the flat of the steel against his hand. He pushed, just trying to keep the nearest of the beasts away. His entire body was tense, and he gritted his teeth as he fought hard to hold back the swarm.
"Aaaarghhh!" he screamed, pushing with all his might. He could feel himself sliding back across the floor at pace as the weight of the horde pushed against him. One wrong move, one mistake, one trip, one lapse in his concentration and he would surely be sucked under … but being trampled to death did not worry him as much as the fact that he could not keep them away from the Oracle.
"NOOOOOO!!!" he roared. Not the Oracle! The thought of dying and failing his mission so soon after receiving it, and the thought of failing his mentor who had sacrificed his life for him sent him into a rage. He pushed back with every last ounce of strength he had, but even with all that it was a futile effort. It was one man against many - he didn't stand a chance.
He could feel the Oracle right behind him, and in his peripheral he could sense the wall behind her. They had run out of room, it had only taken seconds, but they
had run out of room. This is it, he thought. This is the end.
"No! No! NOOOO!" he screamed in defiance. Desperation set in, he could only hold them a moment longer. "Tempus! Help us!" What drove him to plead with a god after a lifetime of atheism he did not know. He could have died happy a godless soul, but he had to save the Oracle, and right now, in this moment, he would do anything to see that happen.
"Torac! Use your powers!" screamed the Oracle. Bright lights sizzled across the surface of Dray's eyes like azure lightning bolts, his right hand turned ice blue and burned like fire. Dray closed his eyes, every ounce of rage, every bit of strength, every scrap of desperation he had and had ever had, all focused into one blinding moment. There was a brilliant flash of white, and then everything around him went still and quiet.
He looked ahead in awe, before and around him was a wall of ice. He could see movement on the other side, but all those near him had been encased, and for the moment were frozen in time.
There was no time to contemplate what had happened. Instead, he turned to the Oracle, wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She gave him an indignant, wide-eyed look, but before she could say anything, he leapt with all his might backwards through the window sending them both plummeting to the ground below.
In those seconds of freefall, time seemed to slow down. He could feel her in his arms, in his protective embrace … and she felt good. He would keep her safe, he would sacrifice his body to keep her safe and let no harm befall her.
He even had time to think back upon his life. He never imagined it would end this way. He remembered starting at the Royal Academy, how eager he was, how determined. He was unstoppable – some said the best of the best.
Now all that knowledge, all that studying, all those years of training would be gone, finished and wasted in the blink of an eye. Even after all he had achieved in his life, he felt like he never had fulfilled his full potential and that was what he regretted the most, but whatever regrets he had, flitted away the moment he hit the building below.
