Logan Marsh: A Thrilling Fantasy Novel (Action Adventure,Mystery, Y/A Book 1)

by Jonathan Casif

  "The huge wave carried them and they crashed on the wall," explained De-Stik. "We saw them right before the eagles changed and all. It could be a day so black. But the other eagle was resilient, look to the back."

  Logan looked backward and saw the silver eagle and her two friends lying on it. Suddenly she saw a dark shape flying behind them. It was a black bat with a black-robed figure on it. The bat flew quickly toward her friends. Logan felt that something evil was approaching.

  "Achtisanor," she called, "behind you."

  Achtisanor and Krunch, not understanding her words, waved gladly to her.

  "Achtisanor, watch out!" Logan pointed again to the same black bat.

  Achtisanor turned his head and it was too late. An arrow pierced his shoulder. Logan took the bow from her shoulder, drew an arrow from De-Stik’s quiver and turned her aim to the dark creature. The creature's eyes shone from inside the hood and looked at her. Logan was dazed and her pull on the string lessened.

  "Come on, Logan, shoot the damn thing," called De-Stik. "What are you waiting for, for him to jump on our wing?"

  Logan shook herself, pulled the string again and shot it quickly. The arrow hit one of the bat's wings. After a few seconds, Krunch shot a fireball and also hit the bat.

  "Someone want fried bat wings?!" called the De-Stik and Logan's eagle. The bat fell into the sea to the sound of the eagles' laughter.

  "We have to stop and take care of Achtisanor," screamed Krunch. "Land on the beach."

  Chapter 30 - Van-Sniff's Secret

  The eagles landed on the beach not far from the camp. The dying sun peeked above the trees at their back and coloured the treetops with warm dyes. A cold breeze blew from the sea.

  Logan and De-Stik leaped from the eagle's back and ran to the wounded Achtisanor.

  "Are you okay?" asked Logan.

  "It's just the shoulder," Achtisanor touched tentatively at the head of the arrow protruding from his flesh.

  "Ready?" asked Krunch, holding the back of the arrow.

  Achtisanor nodded.

  Krunch quickly pulled the arrow from Achtisanor and immediately started to dress the wound.

  "Good hit, Krunch my friend," De-Stik turned to Krunch. "You helped this bat meet his end."

  "Yes," called the eagle that carried Krunch and Achtisanor, "you really made some serious damage."

  "What are your names?" Logan approached the eagles.

  "Dor and Con," said one of them.

  "Or Con and Dor," said the other.

  "It depends on your point of view," said the first eagle again and they both burst into laughter.

  "Well, Dor," Logan turned to the eagle that saved her.

  "Con," he said. "I am Con."

  "Well, Con, and Dor," said Logan in confusion, "we owe you a big thank you."

  "Sorry?!" called Con.

  "Thank you?!" called Dor.

  "Please!" both of them called and burst into laughter.

  "Did we forget the three magic words?" asked Dor.

  "No, all three," answered Con.

  "Well, my dear sylvan fighter," said Dor.

  "Logan," said Logan.

  "Well, Logan," said Dor, "your bald friend told us how you saved the feathers from an elephant crushing and fire breathing monster." He waved the single silver feather on his bald head.

  "And the trials and tribulations that you needed to pass in order to do so," Con also waved his single feather.

  "Yes, the drowning water and the invisible dragons," said Dor.

  "And you, Logan, thank us?!" rebuked Con.

  Logan looked at De-Stik, who smiled abashedly.

  "Tens of thousands of years we have waited for this moment," rebuked Dor.

  "To fly again with honour," called Con.

  "We will not forgive you until you take back your thanks!!!" screamed Dor.

  Logan looked around in confusion. "Okay… I am sorry," she whispered in hesitation.

  "And take back this sorry too," screamed con.

  "Hey, hey, hey," De-Stik interrupted, "leave her alone, she had a rough day. We all cannot dally here, no we cannot stay."

  "What?" both eagles asked as one.

  "Our mission is not over, we need you to fly us to Broncolina on the double," said De-Stik. "Spread your wings, and eat heartily my friends, because there is no end to trouble."

  Both eagles were silent as they looked at each other.

  "Yes, baldie, by your command." The eagles saluted and leaped to the sky.

  Terrible screams were heard from the nearest trees. Achtisanor rose to his feet, placed his wounded left arm close to his body and took the sword with his healthy arm.

  "Come," he said to his friends.

  The four companions walked quietly to the forest. After a minute, they stood behind thick foliage and a strange sight appeared before them: Van-Sniff was kneeling at the centre; his hands and legs were bound. Four black-robed wizards surrounded him and placed a dagger to his throat. Van-Sniff's helmet and axe were thrown on the ground. Three large tigers walked around, roared and lashed at him.

  "Well," one of the wizards said angrily, "who took it?!"

  Van-sniff just looked at him with his red eyes and did not utter a word.

  "These are the wizards from the missing team," whispered Logan.

  "Magic's Might," said Krunch with a frown, "what are they doing?"

  "It seems that Van-Sniff has managed to get into trouble with some of his friends," said Achtisanor in derision.

  Logan reached her hand to silence him.

  "Who has the horn, you piece…" the wizard slapped Van-Sniff soundly.

  Van-Sniff continued to ignore him.

  "It seems that he does not know," said the wizard, who held the dagger to Van-Sniff's throat, "but maybe you know, Tigertief?" He turned toward Tigertief hideout and turned Van-Sniff toward them.

  "Get out of there," called one of the other wizards.

  The three tigers continued to walk restlessly.

  Tigertief members left their hideout from behind the big shrub and stood in front of the wizards.

  "Release him," called Achtisanor.

  "Not before you give us the horn," said the wizard with the dagger.

  "Never, you scum," called Krunch and lifted his arms, but froze when the dagger was pressed against Van-Sniff's throat.

  "It is nice to see you again, Mage Choop Krunch," the wizards smiled.

  "Just wait until Highmage Scroo hears of this," said Krunch.

  "Highmage Scroo?!" called one of the wizards and started to laugh. "Go on, or you'll see his blood watering the ground."

  "Okay," called Logan, "we will give you the horn. Just don't hurt him." She reached her hand into Achtisanor's pack and took out the conch horn.

  "Logan, no," called Achtisanor.

  Logan looked at her friends. "I am sorry," she said, "this is the right thing to do."

  Logan threw the horn to the wizards, while her friends looked with shock. Van-Sniff lowered his eyes.

  "There you go, now release him," she called.

  One of the wizards took the horn from the ground, closed his eyes and concentrated on the conch. "Yes, it is the horn itself," he assured his friends, "our master will be pleased." Their evil laughter still echoed when they lifted their arms and disappeared.

  Van-Sniff stumbled and fell on the ground, his hands still bound behind his back. The tigers leapt on him, licked his face and moaned.

  Logan approached Van-Sniff and cut the cords with her dagger.

  "I can't believe it, Logan, and in that I am certain," De-Stik said. "You jeopardized this entire mission for this cretin."

  "Why did you do this?" asked Krunch.

  The tigers approached Achtisanor and licked him as if they knew him.

  Logan kneeled and lowered her head to look at Van-Sniff's face.

  Van-Sniff lowered his head and sent his arms upwards, and to Achtisanor's surprise, he started to change his shape. After a few seconds, between the
tigers, rose Domarwink, their king. His helmet also changed and became a crown, and his axe morphed into a golden sceptre with a green diamond on its head.

  The three Tigertiefs looked with open mouths, and they also kneeled next to Logan.

  "Your highness," said Achtisanor, "please forgive me for not recognizing you. I owe you my life for saving mine in the castle."

  "My king, I am sorry too," said Logan. "I could not let them kill you, the price of your life is dearer than this horn."

  "Did you know?" asked Achtisanor. "All this time that Van-Sniff was king Domarwink?"

  "Yes," said Logan.

  "I hold her oath of secrecy," defended Domarwink. "The plot to put the band together was a ploy of us both. When I told her that Scorpion Sting had disappeared and that Kiril, her brother, was among them, Logan demanded to search him. I have agreed, but only if she is accompanied by a professional team. She asked me to help her unite you, and so I did. I have impersonated Van-Sniff not only to make you, Achtisanor, come back and fight; I have used his presence to participate in the mission itself since it was so important. I could not have appeared as myself because then I would have become the focus of Klaxes's forces in the city of reflections."

  "I understand," said Achtisanor.

  "A terrible thing happened now, Achtisanor," said Domarwink, "and I know it is my fault. The question that everyone will ask now is if my presence caused us the terrible loss of the horn, or was I supposed to be there in order to save your lives at the castle, which could be a loss for the entire Nature kingdom. We cannot change the past. We are all alive and well: We live another day – to fight for tomorrow."

  A terrible disaster, a terrible deed

  Oh brothers, a disaster indeed.

  A betrayal from within, slithering like a snake,

  With so much on the balance, so much at stake.

  What happens now? It is not too late, I pray,

  We live today – to fight another day,

  De-Stik "Journeys"

  Chapter 31 - Sernin's Joy

  "Your evilness, Smord has arrived," Zed panted as he entered Hubris's room, "and he carries your wounded nephew on his shoulders."

  "Then bring them here, you stupid goblin," the grey elf admonished him and rose from his seat. A short time afterwards, Smord appeared at the door of Hubris's room.

  "Your wickedness and master of all monsters," Smord bowed, "Smord bring you two presents." He took from his back a young grey elf and a makeshift sack made of a green cloak.

  "Narook," Hubris looked at his wounded nephew.

  "Smord found him on beach and thought he was dead. But suddenly his young evilness started talking, so Smord takes him," said Smord.

  "And what is in the green sack?" asked Hubris in his serpentine tongue.

  "I bring you the horn, his evilness," Smord smiled and poured all the horns on the floor. "Smord did not know what is the correct horn, so I bring them all."

  A thin smile rose on Hubris's lips. He approached the horn mound and started searching them. He lifted each and examined them, threw aside and took another one, trying to find the real horn.

  "Maybe this one…" Smord tried to help and lifted a golden horn.

  "Don't touch this, you idiot," Hubris muttered and continued to examine each of the horns. His devilish smile turned slowly into a horrible frown.

  "You have brought me the horn, eh?" Hubris turned to Smord and examined the last remaining horns, "you have brought me nothing, you fat and stupid monster."

  "What, the horn is not here?" wondered Smord.

  "No," Hubris slapped Smord's frightened face, "this is what happens when I send stupid creatures on an important mission."

  Hubris walked from one corner of the room to another. His body shook in anger and he gnashed his teeth.

  "His wickedness," Zed appeared at the doorstep.

  "Not now," screamed Hubris to the horrified goblin. The goblin retreated and climbed down the stairs.

  "And you," Hubris turned to the wounded Narook, lying on the ground, where Smord left him, "I have sent you so that everything will go according to plan, and you return wounded and humiliated. Look at yourself, this is how a member of our family is supposed to look like? What will Klaxes say about that? What do you think he will do when you tell him that you returned without the horn?"

  "I tell him?" asked Narook in fear.

  "Yes, you," yelled Hubris. "Do I think I will tell him that little fact? Do you want me to explain to him your failure?"

  Narook lowered his head. "Do not anger so much, my young brother," a voice echoed from the other side of the room.

  "Father," Narook lifted his head.

  A tall and older grey elf stood at the door. He had a long white hair and coarse skin. A dark and long cloak covered him and a black cape rested on his shoulders. "I am horrified that you even thought that I will let the horn slip away from us. You know I am a sour loser."

  "Sernin." Hubris looked at the figure and a smile appeared on his face when he saw the conch in his brother's hand.

  "So, can we start the victory celebrations," Hubris smiled to Sernin.

  "Slow, brother," said Sernin, "we need to tie up some loose ends."

  Sernin muttered some words in a strange language: Narook's wounds closed and healed, and his bruises disappeared.

  "Rise, my son," Sernin said to Narook. "Go and tell our draconic master of your success."

  "Yes, father," said Narook in obedience.

  After Narook had disappeared, Sernin took a newspaper from underneath his cloak. The name Tigertief was written in big and bold letters on the cover page.

  "I have told you that Achtisanor has returned," said Hubris.

  "Yes, you did – and that was nothing new," Sernin frowned suddenly. "And worse, you did not discover the rest of the news." He threw the newspaper to Hubris, who read the article from top to bottom.

  "Logan Marsh," whispered Hubris.

  "Logan Marsh," repeated Sernin. "I hope our prisoner is still alive."

  "Yes," said Hubris, "he is at Evildon camp."

  "What are you waiting for," asked Sernin, "fetch him at once and make sure that his whereabouts are known in Nivron Junction. I believe that Tigertief will arrive here soon enough, and then I will fulfil all my purpose." His evil laugh filled the room. "Gather them all at the dragon's lair."

  A terrible noise pounding my mind,

  But others hear only silence and echoes

  As if they were earless,

  And not one of them can listen to the fever raging within me,

  Eating everything, burning in my veins.

  There is no use for screaming, they are barren as the land,

  Like abandoned dogs scattering in the rain,

  Barking and yelping of their dears and pain,

  But suddenly savage, and useless and vain.

  No gate and no window will give me recourse,

  Black grates and bars obscuring my course,

  Cold steel enclosing, darkness enforced,

  Death approached without guilt or remorse.

  Kiril Marsh,

  Captivity Darkness

  The sounds of screams and metal scraping echoed all around him. A wave of fatigue shook the golden elf body. The pain in his muscles hurt like a thousand daggers stabbing him, and the blood in his veins boiled with hot fury, helplessness, and a fever.

  "Kiriliosmaris," the call echoed between the underground labyrinthine tunnels of Evildon camp. He heard this call many times before they took him to a painful interrogation or the arena to combat other prisoners to the laughter of his jailors.

  "No more," he murmured, "I rather die. This time I will bite them and try to escape, they will surely kill me then."

  "Kiriliosmaris," the call continued to torture him.

  Kiril walked restlessly in his cell. He reached the wall and fell, turned again, and another wall met him. His hair was filthy with mud. His eyes were swollen from torture and sleep deprivation, his legs sh
ook and his head hurt. The shadows of the jailors in front of his cell door were vague and blurry.

  "You are coming with us, sweety," the soldja said in a rough voice.

  "If you will just say it twice, I think I'll fall madly in love with you," said Kiril and sat at the cell's corner.

  A scraping of metal screeched in the room, and the cell door opened. Two soldjas entered, took his arms and lifted him. Kiril tried to fight with his meagre strength, jumped and managed to slip his arms free. He kicked the stomach of one soldja and hit the second one with his fist. Then a heavy sword hilt landed on Kiril's face and caused him to fall on the floor. A grey elf held the sword.

  "This was not polite…" said the stone.

  The two soldjas took Kiril again, who hovered at the edge of consciousness.

  "A message from below orders me to keep you alive, cousin," said the grey elf, "and you have been cordially invited to attend our master at Kolchis."

  Chapter 32 - The Bloodstone Prophecy

  Achtisanor's wounds were completely healed thanks to Broncolina's priests, who treated him with dedication during the ten days that passed since he returned with his friends to the city. Tigertief members were requested to stay in the city to attend the king's council session.

  De-Stik passed the days leading up to the council by writing new songs at the room he rented with Krunch in the inn. Krunch passed his time by shopping; too much time had passed since he had last done it. He bought several magic tomes and new tricks, and strange concoctions from the alchemist shop.

  Logan just sat most of the time in the three dimensions bar and pondered on the recent events.

  At the day of the council, the four were reunited and walked the corridors of the royal abode to the royal operations room. Logan was impressed by the wonder and beauty of the place. De-Stik and Krunch walked briskly after Achtisanor and nodded to each servant and guard that passed them.

  "How did we not recognize Domarwink?" Krunch hastened to follow his friends."I should have guessed when I saw his red eyes."

  "I would have never thought that the long nose was our king," added De-Stik. "Since you came to the city he tried to hamper everything."