The Middle Realm
Charmaine Theron
Copyright © Charmaine Theron, 2019
All Rights Reserved.
This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, locales and persons living or dead are coincidental.
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Edited by Catherine Eberle of WordWeavers
Cover designed by Wendy Bow of Apple Pie Graphics
Visit the author’s website at www.charmainetheron.com
Dedication
For my son, Teag Theron,
who is my North Star.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1 The Spellbook
Chapter 2 Secret Engravings
Chapter 3 Shapeshifters
Chapter 4 The Infernal Phantom
Chapter 5 Freedom for a Life
Chapter 6 A Witch’s Trick
Chapter 7 Rekindled Love
Chapter 8 The Western Tunnel
Chapter 9 The Hecate
Chapter 10 A Secret Rendezvous
Chapter 11 A Gamble
Chapter 12 Clueless Riddles
Chapter 13 The Exchange
Chapter 14 A Deadly Storm
Chapter 15 Elemental Magic
Chapter 16 An Unlikely Saviour
Chapter 17 The Healer
Chapter 18 The Execution
Chapter 19 The Onyx and the Emerald
Chapter 20 A Patriotic Irishman
Chapter 21 The Element Spells
Chapter 22 Prophecies of the Past
Chapter 23 Woodlands of the Dead
Chapter 24 The Wolves of Dodona
Chapter 25 Fallen Heroes
Chapter 26 Over the Wall
Chapter 27 A Dangerous Undercurrent
Chapter 28 Mumbo Jumbo
Chapter 29 The Keeper of the Keys
Chapter 30 Scars of Betrayal
Chapter 31 Alive and Kicking
Chapter 32 The Nyx
Chapter 33 The City of Darkness
Chapter 34 Elektra’s Capture
Chapter 35 The Dark Guardian’s Curse
Chapter 36 The Third Portal
Chapter 37 The Vanishing Book
Chapter 38 A Bestowing of Blood
Chapter 39 The Guardian of Aer
Chapter 40 Drakon’s Gift
Chapter 41 The Sound of the Bells
Chapter 42 The Revolt
Chapter 43 The Elements Collide
Chapter 44 Oblivion
Epilogue
About the Author
Acknowledgements
After I had written The Third Realm, my son, Teag, gave me a great plot twist for the second novel. This plot became an intricate puzzle that I had to piece together, and even though it proved to be difficult at times as I became frustrated trying to make all the pieces fall into place, I still thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of writing this book.
When writing a book, there are always people behind the scenes who make the journey with one and I should like to thank each of them personally for their support and help.
To my beta readers, Elaine Fike, Kimberley Gavio and Teag Theron, thank you for taking the time to read my manuscript and give me valuable feedback.
To my editor, Catherine Eberle from WordWeavers, your professional editing has produced a polished manuscript at the end, so I thank you for this.
Wendy Bow from Apple Pie Graphics designed the cover for The Middle Realm. It is both intriguing and eye-catching. I love it and I’m sure my readers will feel the same.
To Jeremy King, my other half, thank you for supporting my passion for writing and accepting that there will be sacrifices that we have to make so that I can realise my dream. Don’t think I have forgotten that you wanted a book dedicated to you, however The Trinity Chronicles’ dedications belong to Teag!
And last, but not least, to all my readers, both young and old, I hope that you love the second book as much as the first. And remember… never stop believing in magic.
Look out for the final release in The Trinity Chronicles:
Book III – The Under Realm
Prologue
The Third Realm
Inside the cavern, in the Region of Aether, the Sphere pulsed and its magnificent light illuminated the stone walls. Thanos, the Guardian of Gaia, and Galene, the Guardian of Hydor, stood in front of the huge stone door that sealed the entrance to the cavern.
“Surrender yourselves,” Drakon bellowed from outside. “There’s no one to help you.”
“We’ll never surrender to you,” spat Thanos.
Galene touched Thanos’s arm.
Thanos glanced around despairingly, focusing on the injured soldiers and Seraphians. They lay on makeshift beds on the stone floor.
“They won’t survive in here, not even for a few days. If we surrender we’d at least have a chance of living,” suggested Galene.
Thanos clenched his jaw. “We don’t know that.”
“We’ve lost the war,” said Galene.
“What if Ash and Kyros still have a chance?”
“Not against Drakon. And if they escape through the vortex they’ll only end up in one of the other uninhabitable Realms. Then what’s the chance of them returning?”
“They’d never abandon our people,” replied Thanos certainly. “They’ve taken the oath like us.”
The stone door shook.
Thanos tugged at his grey beard.
“He won’t stop until he breaks it,” said Galene.
“It’s unbreakable for a reason.” Thanos spun around, facing the Sphere behind them. “I’m going to see how much food and water we have. Some of the Seraphians brought supplies with them.”
“Thanos…”
“Yes, Galene?”
“It’s best to stockpile it over there.” Galene indicated to the side of the cavern away from the door. “That way we can ration it out as needed.”
Thanos strode over to a group of city dwellers. He nodded his head while he listened to their stories. His brow creased into a worried frown and at one point, tears brimmed in his solemn brown eyes. Nearby, a group of children gathered around a small girl who plucked at the strings of her lyre. The melancholy tune floated around the cavern. After Thanos had spoken to them they relinquished their meagre supplies but the amount collected would only be enough to last them a few days.
Meanwhile Galene knelt alongside an injured soldier. Beneath his ripped armour was a deep gash. Galene pressed a linen bandage against his wound but she was unable to stem the bleeding. Crimson blood pooled at his side. The soldier shivered uncontrollably and all that Galene could do was make him comfortable. She covered his body with a blanket but the soldier let out one last shuddering breath and then his body lay, lifeless. Seconds later he combusted and only white ashes remained beneath the blanket.
Later that night the Sphere’s light dimmed, bringing comfort to the Seraphians. Exhausted, they settled down to t
heir first night inside the cavern.
Thanos awoke when the door vibrated. Once again he had propped himself against it, so he’d be alerted if Drakon attempted to break the door whilst they slept. Five days had passed and, much to Thanos’s dismay he knew that the time had come for them to surrender. Their supplies were depleted and the handful of injured soldiers who were alive needed further medical care.
“Are you listening Thanos?” Drakon asked through the stone door. “Do you want the bad news or the good news first?”
Thanos remained silent.
“The bad news first,” Drakon decided. “Your fellow Guardians have left the Realm through the vortex and who knows where they’ll end up.”
Galene overheard their discussion and she made her way over to the stone door.
“Either way, Kyros is with them. He’ll figure out how to survive,” responded Thanos.
“Unless the vortex takes them to the Under Realm,” replied Drakon.
“You survived there for two centuries,” snapped Thanos.
Drakon tapped on the stone door. “That was before the tremors and the lava came.”
“It’s a pity it wasn’t Maksimos who lived instead of you.”
“Now you’re bringing up the past?”
As Thanos responded his voice broke slightly, “H-how could I ever forget? You murdered Maksimos… you stabbed him.”
“It was necessary.”
“Do you believe it’s necessary to murder innocent people? The Seraphians have never done anything to you. This, this war should have been between the Guardians. Too many people have lost their lives.”
“The Dark War is over, Thanos. And your beloved Guardian of Aether, Ash has left. He closed the vortex so no one can reach them.”
“So what’s the good news?”
“Should you surrender, I’ll let you and Galene live. A life in the dungeons is far better than no life at all.”
Galene placed her hand reassuringly on Thanos’s shoulder and nodded her head.
“What about our people?” Thanos pressed his hands against the stone door.
“I’ll let them live too.”
Thanos didn’t look around at the Seraphians’ distraught faces for fear he’d change his mind. His hands shimmered and his energy flowed into the stone door. The door groaned as it slid open, reluctant to let the enemy inside.
Drakon strode triumphantly through the open doorway. Thanos stood his ground, refusing to bow to the Dark Guardian. Behind him, the Seraphians surrendered by falling to their knees with their hands above their bowed heads.
Drakon smirked at Thanos and Galene.
Aether had finally fallen.
Chapter 1
The Spellbook
The Middle Realm
The early morning light shadowed the splendour of the City of Hajar. An hour ago, Ash and Elektra had hiked the switchback footpath to the highest ridge of the mountains that overlooked the rock city below. They sat in companionable silence on a rock that jutted out like a jagged, broken tooth – their feet swinging freely over the ledge.
But their hearts weren’t free.
“I made a mistake,” Ash admitted remorsefully. “Alyssa would still be alive if I hadn’t been so rash.”
“Raven would’ve killed her anyway. She’d no intention of letting her live.”
Ash shook his head venomously. “I wish I could go back and—”
Elektra touched his arm as Ash choked back his words. She placed her small hand gently over his.
“The other Guardians… do you think they’re alive?” Elektra asked hesitantly. She gave a melancholy sigh.
Twenty days had passed since they had journeyed through the vortex and escaped to the Middle Realm.
“They are.” Ash furrowed his brow. “If I were Drakon, I wouldn’t have killed them.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“He wants us to return… so he’d let them live to lure us back and then kill us all.”
“So he believes we’d fall right into his trap?”
“Ha… but we won’t – not with the spells! If all goes according to plan, our soldiers and the desert warriors will control the elements.”
“I’ve been training with Rania,” Elektra announced.
“Rania?” Ash brushed his blond hair away from his eyes.
“Yes… you know her – the pretty desert warrior.”
“Her! She’s dangerous – looks can be deceiving. I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of her sword… not even during training!”
“I’m riding out with them this afternoon to check the perimeters.”
“On Pandora?”
Elektra’s laugh reverberated off the sandstone cliffs. Pandora, a placid palomino horse, had journeyed with them through the vortex.
“No, silly! Pandora wouldn’t survive the desert. Rania’s given me permission to use one of their horses – an Arabian stallion… I can’t wait.”
“Be careful – you know what happens after sunset.”
“There’s nothing to worry about, Ash… these are the desert warriors we’re talking about.”
Ash nodded wordlessly.
A familiar turmoil of emotions flooded him. Nostalgia. Worry. Fear. He longed to be back in the Third Realm with his family and the other Guardians – as life used to be. But everything had changed. He couldn’t even begin to make this Realm his home while he didn’t know how the others had fared. Here, the time ticked by slowly each day, but with each passing second he knew they were edging closer to their return.
Elektra rested her head against his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Silently they watched the fierce sun creep up behind the mountains, awakening the sleeping city below.
Once the sun had risen, Elektra went off to train while Ash headed to the rock temple chiselled into the side of the mountain. Inside, the Book of Elements lay open on a wooden pedestal. Maksimos and Kyros huddled over the book, studying it intently. Ash approached them.
Maksimos glanced up first, smiling. “You’re on time, Ash.” He straightened up, placing his hands on his lower back as if to ease himself into standing position. “My age is starting to show.” He laughed heartily.
“Master Maksimos.” Ash bowed to his predecessor and then nodded at his mentor, Kyros. “Have you figured out the spells as yet?”
“We both have lots to learn,” said Kyros pointing at the two of them.
“It’s simple,” said Maksimos. “The incantations are chanted aloud and, as you know, only the Guardians can read the ancient language in which the book is written. The more you practise, the easier it gets… like everything else.”
“Are there other spells in the book?” Ash questioned. “Beside the element spells?”
Maksimos raised his bushy eyebrows. “There are, but for now we only need the four element spells. Long ago a Guardian took it upon himself to conceal the other spells – he believed he was protecting the Guardians from each other.”
Curious, Ash shifted closer to the ancient book, staring at the spell on the open page. He shivered, recalling the time in the oak woodlands – the Groves of Dodona – when he had broken the code to read the ancient language. This apparently happened to all the Guardians, but he remembered distinctly how scared he had been. Now the words on the aged pages appeared crystalline to him.
“Master Maksimos… I’ve been wondering… if you don’t have the Onyx, then who does?”
“From what you’ve told me Ash of the way Drakon created the tornados during the Dark War, I’m certain that he has the magic stone.”
“And all this time we believed you had it.” Kyros ran his hand through his long, blond hair. “But… it all makes sense now – him winning the war.”
“You’ve probably been told already that the book and the stone work together. But in the wrong hands, I’m afraid to say, the Onyx is a dangerous object,” Maksimos pointed out.
“It’s powerful…” Kyros added, “… we can’t underestimate that.”
“But how did Drakon find a way to control the magic in the stone?” asked Ash.
“With his twisted evil magic, anything’s possible. Dark Magic is what we call it. And the possessor of the Onyx can control the weather-force… which is dangerous in itself.” Maksimos shook his head.
The thundering of horses’ hooves broke the tension and shouting drowned out their conversation. Ash bolted to the open doorway. The Hajaran desert warriors crossed over the wooden bridge and disappeared through the open stone door. The narrow gorge swallowed them and Ash caught a glimpse of Elektra’s strawberry-blonde plait flying out from underneath her shemagh.
“Elektra’s befriended the warriors,” Kyros remarked. “When we return to the Third Realm we must consider her as a successor to Alexis. She’s excellent with the bow and arrow and a great rider too. She’d make an outstanding horse-warrior.”
“That’s if we ever return,” Ash remarked dejectedly. “And if we do, there might be nothing left.”
Kyros strode over to Ash and placed his hand on his back. “We don’t want to rush it. The way I see it, Drakon won’t kill Thanos and Galene. He wants us to return so he can eliminate all of us. But… he doesn’t know that we have the book and an army of fearless desert warriors backing us up.”
Ash nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat. “Raven… she knows about the book. She was with us in the woods when I broke the code.”
“They’ll be searching for it in the Third Realm,” added Kyros. “The last thing they’d expect is that we have it. And I’m sure Thanos and Galene won’t tell them that we hid it in the casket. Even so, if they search in there, it won’t be there.”
“Let’s get back to training,” Maksimos suggested. “Ash, you’re up first.”
Kyros closed the wooden door. Ash crossed the room to the pedestal and stood in front of it. Kyros shifted into position behind Ash, while Maksimos walked around to the opposite side and faced them.
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