The Silver Portal (Weapons of Power Book 1)

by David J Normoyle

  The move took Twig by surprise. She was slightly behind Ull Axilium as she took off after him. She focused on drawing every last speck of speed from the sword and just managed to get her right arm around him and diverted him to one side and away from the staffbearer. Ull Axilium backhanded her with his free hand. Her stomach lurched as she sailed high then tumbled to the ground. She managed to hit the ground with a roll, keeping the impact from doing too much damage.

  She jumped back to her feet, racing over to put herself between Ull Axilium and the staffbearer once more.

  Ull Axilium charged again. That time, though, he stuttered, and his speed disappeared. He frowned and stepped back, his hand diving into the pocket of his cloak.

  He must be going for his color-changing crystal, Twig realized. When they had been tied up together, Simeon had talked to Twig about the weapons and about magic. He’d told her how mages, unless exceptionally powerful, needed to store crystals when they were in their darkened color in order to use that magic when light changed the color.

  Hoping Ull Axilium wasn’t faking, she dashed at him, abandoning all caution. Her sword sliced through his forearm just as Ull Axilium lifted it from his pocket, and two crystals fell and bounced along the floor.

  Ull Axilium looked down at the crystals, looked at Twig, then ran in the opposite direction.

  Chapter 49

  As the dragon retreated, the portal changed, becoming not weak but no longer fixed in place. On the other end of the portal, shouts were exchanged, some in foreign languages, as the creatures and humans argued over what to do. The black dragon roared in anger. Simeon had to get the portal closed before another attempt to cross was made.

  Distract Zubrios. He made the thought loud inside his head, not wanting to break his concentration by speaking, relying on Lukin to read his mind.

  A moment later came a shout from Lukin. “Suma, attack Zubrios!”

  With the bearers having picked up their weapons, the magic from them no longer flowed through Simeon’s staff. Also, the magic stored in the crystals had diminished. That didn’t matter, because although the creation of the portal had required enormous amounts of magic, holding it open needed hardly any. Simeon kept grasping for the strands of magic that kept the portal in place, but he couldn’t manipulate them, while Zubrios maintained full control.

  Simeon, who had only just sensed magic for the first time, realized he shouldn’t have been able to challenge the most powerful mage in Soirbuz, but the staff had been designed especially for portals and seemed to give Simeon enough of an edge to gain parity. Physically, he had barely moved, yet Simeon was tiring quickly. Each time he reached for control of the portal, he did so with a little less strength and energy.

  He sensed danger and focused on what was happening in the tomb. Ull Axilium charged at him, using his speed. Simeon froze, unable to do anything to avoid him. Ull Axilium didn’t reach Simeon, instead turning to the side and away. Simeon took a moment to realize that the swordbearer had saved him, moving so quickly that he barely saw her.

  Ull Axilium caught Twig with a backhanded blow that sent her spinning through the air. Simeon’s breath caught in his throat, but she was up as soon as she fell, dashing across to stand between Ull Axilium and Simeon once more. That gave Simeon renewed energy. If the half-starved street girl could stand up to the strength- and speed-mage, Simeon could surely do better than he was. He wasn’t going to be the weak link.

  He turned at a roar from Suma and saw her toss a giant slab of rock high into the air, straight toward Zubrios. A pace in front of the Lord Protector, the boulder smashed into a barrier that flared blue at contact. Werac had to jump out of the way as the boulder rebounded in his direction.

  Now, Simeon decided. It has to be now. If I can’t break control from Zubrios while he is maintaining that shield, I’ll never do it. Simeon closed his eyes. He felt the magic flowing through his staff and concentrated on the strands of magic that connected the two sides of the portal.

  Along with all his energy, he summoned all the emotion he could. Desire to achieve something with his life. Anger at his instructors in Pizarr. Love for his birth mother. Grief at Xelinder’s death. The last was the strongest, and tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he let himself feel it.

  A ripple oscillated through the portal on the other side. Something happened. Simeon concentrated on the connecting magic and realized it wasn't a single flow but rather a multitude of narrow strands. And one of the strands had broken. He focused on the narrowest thread and imagined it tearing, and it did. Another strand sprang into being to replace the broken one, but the portal was wavering, unstable. Simeon summoned all his willpower and emotion and focused on slashing through the strands of portal magic, breaking them faster than they could be renewed. Once over half of them had separated, the remaining strands ripped open, and the other side of the portal magic sprang back across the Grell Barrier. Simeon got a single last look at the dragons and demons and angels, then they were gone.

  The portal inside the tomb changed from silver to a swirling gray, but Simeon didn’t fully let go of the portal magic. His attention returned to the tomb. Zubrios had stumbled back a few steps, but his eyes were open. No longer needing to hold the portal open, he would be able to use the rest of his magic, and Simeon didn’t want to know what he was capable of. Mortlebee lay slumped on the ground with Lukin standing over him, fighting off three clerics. Over a dozen redbirds crowded the tomb entrance—the clerics who had been relieved must have returned. They would find no easy escape that way.

  Simeon turned his attention back to the portal magic. As Bylanter had explained, he sensed himself floating, a vast landscape arrayed below him, impossibly distant. He had no idea where he wanted to go, and even if he did, he didn’t have the time to figure it out. Something drew him, a light in the grayness, and he directed the other end of the portal toward that light.

  Twisted tree trunks knotted themselves above his head, and thick moss carpeted the ground. He knitted several strands of magic together, and a portal swirled into life in the forest. He added further threads of magic until it fully stabilized.

  The portal complete, his consciousness returned to the tomb. His arms, still holding the staff above his head, ached, and he let them fall to his waist. “Everyone,” he shouted, “we go through the portal!”

  Simeon ran to Mortlebee, who still lay slumped on the floor. He wedged an arm under Mortlebee’s armpit and wrenched him to his feet. “Work with me,” Simeon said.

  Mortlebee’s head rolled back. He managed to get his feet under himself, though, and gave enough support that Simeon was able to half drag, half carry him. Lukin ran over and gave his shoulder to help on the other side.

  Twig dashed ahead of them. She skidded to a stop in front of the portal. “In here. You sure?”

  Simeon understood her hesitation. Her only experience of the portal was having seen a dragon come out of it. She didn’t pause long, though. A determined look fell over her features, and she charged into the shimmering gray surface. It rippled as she disappeared.

  Simeon released Mortlebee and let Lukin carry him the last few steps into the portal. “Suma, where are you?”

  “Coming.”

  “What are you doing?” She ran toward him, the axe in one hand and Werac in the other. Werac’s feet floundered against the ground, trying to slow himself.

  “I’m bringing him. He’s not going to get away with what he did. I’ll make him answer for it.” She swung her left hand forward, throwing Werac. Simeon stepped back out of the way as Werac smashed into the portal and disappeared. Suma ran past Simeon, diving into the portal after him.

  As Simeon moved after her, something grabbed his foot, and he fell. The staff squirmed from his grasp. He looked down to see that the injured hawk-crest, still lying on the ground, had grabbed him. He kicked and managed to get his leg free. Without the staff, the portal magic leaked away from him.

  The surface of the portal swirled. S
imeon grabbed his staff and scrabbled forward. The portal was dissolving. Even holding his staff once more, he could no longer sense the magic. He had no idea what would happen if he attempted to cross with the portal in that state.

  He didn’t hesitate, though. He closed his eyes and charged headfirst into the fading gray shimmer...

  And landed face first on soft, mossy ground. He took deep breaths, savoring the silence and the forest smells, celebrating the fact that he was still alive. He tried to sense the magic in the staff but felt nothing. It would come back to him again, he was sure. It had to.

  He opened his eyes and looked around.

  What had happened to the other bearers?

  Werac lay shoved against a fallen tree on the far end of the clearing, groaning. Both the sword and axe of power lay strewn on the ground. Simeon stood up and turned about slowly.

  The other bearers had disappeared.

  Further Information

  Apologies for the abrupt ending. I’m sure some careful readers will know the location of Simeon and what happened to the rest of the bearers—for the rest, I hope to have the sequel out shortly. Book 2, The Black Bearer, is due to be published around December 2016.

  A prequel story, The Desert Palace, gives a peek into an era when magic was commonplace and magical creatures roamed. Zedane, sick of magical duels abroad, is determined to achieve high status in his father's court when a fatal misstep threatens a devastating war. The crisis leads to the formation of Mageles, and this novelette is available exclusively to fans who sign up to my mailing list. See below:

  ~

  Find out how to get The Desert Palace, plus prequels to two other series: http://davidjnormoyle.com/wop-readers-list/

  Author’s Note

  Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this story. Consider leaving a review on your favorite book site. I always love to hear from readers so send an email (david@davidjnormoyle.com) or message me on FACEBOOK if you want to get in contact.

  To discover more about me and my books, check out my WEBSITE

  COPYRIGHT

  THE SILVER PORTAL

  Copyright © 2016 by David J. Normoyle

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Art © 2016 by Rebecca Frank http://bookcovers.rebeccafrank.design/

  Edited by Red Adept Editing Services

  First eBook edition: August 2016

  Published by David J. Normoyle

  www.davidjnormoyle.com