Stone Ram (Leopard King Saga)
Page 19
He eyed his new surroundings. Lights and controls blinked for various consoles where empty seats stood. In the center of the room was a reclining chair with a strange oblong object next to it. Lager strapped himself into the chair, his fingers dancing over a panel with strange inscriptions. “Let me activate the exterior view.” A window appeared; at least that’s what it looked like to Fabian. Through it he saw Bone Keep from above. Countless Xot Marauders fluttering around it and attacking Star Raven with energy weapons, while others fell under the firepower of the ship’s weapons.
“What about the Golden Door?” Fabian knew it was still down there. He could feel it.
“I’m Working on it Ram.” Lagers fingers pressed more keys and he exhaled. “Got it.” He looked at Fabian. “It should now be in cargo hold two.”
“How small Bone Keep looks from above,” Fabian said, watching Xot squadrons continuously pummel Star Raven with their weapons.
“It’s about to get a lot smaller,” Lager replied.
Star Raven launched its anti-matter torpedoes at Bone Keep. It exploded into chunks of rock and fire. Some of the debris smashed into various Xot Marauder units, destroying them on impact. Fabian took a seat and Lager set a course for Rek City, while behind them the Reeper’s rule had come to an abrupt end.
***
After the Golden Door had been entrusted to Tildon, Star Raven appeared above Rek City’s Gold Square. Citizens looked up at the ship as it slowed its approach while lowering its landing gear, before its bird-like wings retracted as it made its descent toward the square.
A gangplank extended itself from the ship’s underbelly and a trio of weary adventurers, one Earther, one Herder Dog and one Stone Ram disembarked. Fabian carried the Gold Mane in his hand as people stared at him in awe, a boy who had become a man, and that man a legend. When he held it up to the sky, for all of Rek to see the people cheered.
The next day the Gold King honored Fabian and Lager in his palace. Fabian’s reunion with his family was a tender one, consisting of welcome hugs and kisses. Apparently their son’s triumph had made them forget his disobedience and the theft of the late, great Starspeed.
Speeches were given, dedications were made in Fabian’s and Lager’s honor, and pardons were issued to Lager for past transgressions which remained anonymous. But it did not matter, this victory, however great in magnitude, was an empty one. And despite his newfound fame, he was back to being plain old Fabian, blind and ordinary. No longer the Stone Ram.
But he had earned his wish and this was something he had considered since the Reeper fell before him in Bone Keep. “What is it you desire, Hero Fabian?” asked Mumford Spark, sounding eerily like Marella.
Fabian turned toward Lager, who was wearing a white dress uniform of his rank, his face clean-shaven, and hair neatly-trimmed. No more an image of the idler he once was. “You once said that ‘the difficult times are when heroes are needed the most.’ Did you not?”
Lager nodded. “That’s right.”
Fabian turned back to face Spark, who stared at him through observant eyes. Next to him stood the Gold King and Queen, along with Fabian’s parents. “I would like to be a soldier, in first Century Earth.”
“Are you certain of this?” Spark asked.
Fabian nodded. He did not want to leave his family and friends behind, but with Marella gone, there was nothing left for him here, at least not for now.
“Very well,” Spark said.
He took one last look at Lager, Matilda and his family. “Take care of yourself where you’re going, Ram. Those were strange times.”
“And you take care of Matilda,” Fabian replied. Lager nodded.
Mumford Spark consulted Lager, and with the knowledge of the onboard library aboard Star Raven granted Fabian’s wish.
A Wish Granted
Teutoburg Forest, Germany
September, 9 A.D.
Fabian marched resolutely with his Legion, the 19th, under the command of Varus. They were part of a three Legion task force, along with the 17th and 18th, their mission, to quell a rebellion in northern Germany. Since his arrival to this time period he had acclimated well and gained the respect of his peers. He had also been given sight, and that wasn’t so bad. Even though it was not as sharp as the vision he possessed while wearing his Ram helm, it would suffice.
As the late morning turned into afternoon, he found himself thinking of his previous life back in Rek. Before he had been transported here, Mumford Spark had given him an enchanted gold pearl which could return him to Rek whenever he wanted. He kept it safe in his leather drawstring pouch just in case.
But he had no desire to return to his homeworld; at least not yet. Marella was dead and every moment spent there would remind him of her.
His column continued its trek as the sunlight filtered through the lush forest treetops. It was then he saw a Ram, standing proudly atop a jutting forest rock overlooking the trail. The sunlight glinted off its thick horns and highlighted its grey coat, and, for a moment, the creature resembled stone.
For the first time since Marella’s death, Fabian SilverSword, vanquisher of the Blood Reeper, and Hero of Rek, smiled.
Fabian SilverSword will return in The Leopard Stratagem
Final Thoughts
This completes the unofficial “intermediary trilogy” of novels that will introduce the three main antagonists in the second book of the Leopard King Saga, The Leopard Stratagem, the sequel to the debut Leopard King Saga book, The Leopard Vanguard. As I’ve stated before, readers can enjoy Stone Ram, The Bloody Ripper, or Kill Zombies as standalone novels in their respective genres, or as part of the growing Leopard King Saga universe. Although to fully grasp a better understanding of events it makes sense to read them in chronological order.
Now after a quick breather we’ll return to The Leopard Stratagem, the second part of the Leopard King Saga, which I hope to have out later this year.
T.A. Uner
Vienna, VA
March 29, 2014
Rekian Time Unit Conversion Chart
Cycle(s) =Year(s)
Clock(s) =Hour(s)
Tock(s) = Minute (s)
Tick(s) =Second(s)
Also by T.A.UNER
The Leopard Vanguard: Tome One of the Leopard King Saga
Kill Zombies
The Bloody Ripper
The Leopard Stratagem: Tome Two of the Leopard King Saga
Stone Ram
Copyright ©2014 by T.A. Uner
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or an other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the author.
Cover design by Keri Knutson & Deranged Doctor Design
Map design by Tatiana Villa
Formatting by Polgarus Studio
Table of Contents
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
A Wish Granted
Final Thoughts
Rekian Time Unit Conversion Chart
Also by T.A.UNER