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Chapter 52
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Shay had been back at her cabin for a few days before she decided to cross back to her home in San Diego. She felt the need to go back as if there was unfinished business. She was curious too, to see how the man who had given her father the bookmarks looked. Shay had a suspicion and wanted it confirmed.
Shay also needed to go back because she was still in two minds as to whether she should stay in Ethlerry or if she should go back.
On the morning before Shay would return to San Diego, Fiere arrived. Shay had sent word to Fiere of what had happened on the mountain. They shared breakfast and caught up on events.
“Is there any news of Algwad?”
“None as yet but I have no doubt he will reappear soon. We will not stop searching for him until he is caught and sentenced for his treason.”
“I wish you luck with that,” Shay said. “I do not doubt that I would have killed him if I had not been wounded. I had the power t
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The officer’s eyes flicked uncertainly from Shay to the portal that seemed to float in the air behind her. His brow furrowed in confusion and perhaps fear or uncertainty.“Who are you?”Shay looked back at the officer uncertainly. “Please officer. I am not armed. What happened here?”“I am not at liberty to say,” he replied still watching her warily although he lowered his gun when he saw she was not armed.“This is my parents’ home,” Shay said.“It may be but it’s a crime scene. Are you Shay Dobson?” The policeman was looking curiously at the image behind Shay.Shay nodded trying to think what to do.“Mike,” the officer called to his partner. “I found the daughter.”In a few moments, the officer’s partner stood at the entrance to the study. He looked confused but wary. Then the portal behind Shay caught his attention and
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Rhian landed as light as a feather on her feet. The ease with which she landed, belied more than just her age of thirty-eight years. Her repeated travels to this place had made her an expert in soft landings. The rough landings she experienced with her first few arrivals through the portal were now nothing but distant memories.Rhian closed the book in her hands. She slid a bookmark out from between the book’s pages and the portal through which she had come, closed abruptly. She was always fascinated by the sight of the portal closing and the “pop” that followed.Placing the book in the bag she carried with her, she looked around her at the place which was by now, as familiar as home. Before her, a lake of rainbow colors stretched away as far as she could see. Rhian had been told that it was pointless to try and walk around the lake. For mortals its shore
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She awoke with a start the next morning. Rhian was briefly disoriented before she remembered where she was and the events that had brought her here. Algwad stood over her. He had woken her. He untied her from the bench and motioned for her to take a seat at the table. She rose slowly, every muscle in her body aching from sleeping on the bench and the horse ride the night before. Rhian stumbled to the table and sat down. Before her was a bowl of hot soup with what looked like vegetables. It was a mixture of green and orange. It smelled like brussel sprouts which she was not partial to at all. But she was too hungry to object and gulped it down hungrily.Algwad watched her with a smirk on his face. Rhian supposed he was taking pleasure at the power he realized he now held over her and tried not to look at him.“What’s the plan for today?” Rhian asked.
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A few days later, Alg moved her to the keep. They entered the keep after dark but he was taking no chances and covered her head with a sack for the journey. Rhian believed it was so she could not see her surroundings or memorize landmarks from the journey in the event of an escape.The rustle of the sack over her head prevented her from hearing anything clearly throughout the journey so she could not try to remember any specific sounds if she escaped and wanted to retrace her journey for any reason.They entered the keep and the horse stopped. Rhian was helped to dismount. She was guided down stairs and felt cold laying its hands on her the further down she went. She could only assume they were going underground. Rhian recalled visits to castles in Europe with Andy and the dungeons they had seen. She suspected she was being led down into a dungeon now. The difference was th
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Rhian had no idea how long she was kept in the cell. She lost all track of time in the dark of the dungeons. Then one day, Rhian heard Alg’s voice as he approached. He was speaking to someone. The darkness of the dungeon grew lighter as he approached holding a torch. Shadows flickered to life then receded as he approached. Rhian closed her eyes against the bright light of the torch. Her eyes were unaccustomed to the light after being in the dark for so long.Algwad stopped before the cell and unlocked the door. He was accompanied by someone who wore a hooded robe. Rhian watched the person through her narrowed eyes. Their gait was slower and more elegant than Alg’s. Rhian could not see the face of the person beneath the hood but she believed it was a woman. Judging by the robe and hood she wore, Rhian believed she was from an order of priests or monks. The robe was a regal purple made from material that loo
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Alg returned the next day seeming cheerful. He greeted Rhian with her breakfast and sat next to her as she ate.“Did you think about what I said overnight?”Rhian nodded as she ate.“And?”Rhian had given much thought to what Alg was asking. “What is it that you really want? If you can be honest and clear with me I can be honest and clear with you.”Alg was silent. He considered his words carefully. “Very well Lady. Since you will not leave here without my permission, I shall be honest with you.” Alg paused letting the meaning of his words sink in before continuing, “As you well know, the lady you met yesterday is to become queen. Her name is Maica. She does not love the king. In fact she
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Six months later.Andy crouched next to a tree. His legs ached. He was tired. He had no idea how long he had been running. He breathed hard. He breathed fast. He breathed into his hands, trying to dissipate the fog of his breath. His breath would give him away in the cold night if he wasn’t careful.“SShhsssst!” He heard the arrow in the instant before it struck the tree where he crouched. Snow rained down from the vibration caused by the arrow’s impact. His pursuer had found him. He dragged himself to his feet. His pursuer was playing with him.Andy cursed the black night. Cursed his pursuer, the snow, the cold, the wind and this
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Shay kissed her boyfriend Josh goodnight and watched him walk back to his car. He started the engine and was soon out of sight. Shay opened the door and stepped inside the house. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it.In a moment she would go upstairs to bed, but for now she just wanted to be still in the world and wanted the world to be still too. There were so many thoughts in her mind and she desperately longed for her mother. She had always been able to talk freely with her mother who had always been there for her. Shay sat down on the stairs and sighed, deep in thought.Shay’s mother, Rhian, had always seemed to know the answers to her problems. She had always had time to listen and seemed to have an unfathomable depth of knowledge when it came to her questions and perceived problems.She glanced to her
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The officer’s eyes flicked uncertainly from Shay to the portal that seemed to float in the air behind her. His brow furrowed in confusion and perhaps fear or uncertainty.“Who are you?”Shay looked back at the officer uncertainly. “Please officer. I am not armed. What happened here?”“I am not at liberty to say,” he replied still watching her warily although he lowered his gun when he saw she was not armed.“This is my parents’ home,” Shay said.“It may be but it’s a crime scene. Are you Shay Dobson?” The policeman was looking curiously at the image behind Shay.Shay nodded trying to think what to do.“Mike,” the officer called to his partner. “I found the daughter.”In a few moments, the officer’s partner stood at the entrance to the study. He looked confused but wary. Then the portal behind Shay caught his attention and
WordRealm (Complete) Chapter 52
Shay had been back at her cabin for a few days before she decided to cross back to her home in San Diego. She felt the need to go back as if there was unfinished business. She was curious too, to see how the man who had given her father the bookmarks looked. Shay had a suspicion and wanted it confirmed.Shay also needed to go back because she was still in two minds as to whether she should stay in Ethlerry or if she should go back.On the morning before Shay would return to San Diego, Fiere arrived. Shay had sent word to Fiere of what had happened on the mountain. They shared breakfast and caught up on events.“Is there any news of Algwad?”“None as yet but I have no doubt he will reappear soon. We will not stop searching for him until he is caught and sentenced for his treason.”“I wish you luck with that,” Shay said. “I do not doubt that I would have killed him if I had not been wounded. I had the power t
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Algwad saw Shay break and start to circle the statue. His face became a mask of disbelief. He could not believe that at this critical juncture Shay chose to attack. Algwad hesitated a moment glancing at the drop as it ran down the thread. It now seemed to be gaining momentum as it was drawn downwards by gravity. He made a decision. The drop would fall on the jewel in any event. All he needed to do was make sure that he got the jewel and to do so he had to kill this bothersome girl. He turned from the statue then and advanced in the direction that Shay was taking. He would meet her attack squarely and finish her now. But again, he was fooled. As soon as Shay realized he was committed to moving she spun around and lunged for the statue. She grabbed the back of the statue and hooked her arm around it long enough to swing her body around to reach between the statues where the drop was falling. But Algwad was quick and he realized Shay had feigned her attack. He s
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Shay had a sense of drifting or being carried. Savar was with her and spoke to her. She did not have enough time to reach the point of the Jewelling in time and so Savar would deliver her there ahead of Algwad. Beyond that, he could do no more. She would have time to study the jewel, the statues, their crossed weapons known as “The Crossing” and all that she possibly could before Algwad arrived. Savar reiterated that she needed to believe in herself and believe that the impossible was possible. When Shay awoke, she was alone. The effects of her sleep dissipated quickly but her dream remained crystal clear in her mind and she remembered everything that Savar had said to her. She drew her sword and held it ready at her side as she moved around and explored. She wondered briefly how Savar had taken her from the soldiers who were with her but then she suspected he had used the power which none of them were aware of. She was on the top of a mountain which was circled by r
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The man had spoken from next to her. She had not seen him move from his place on the other side of the cabin and there was no displacement of air to warn of his approach, as fast as it had to have been. The man placed his hand gently on her arm, calming her and encouraging her to sit again. Shay sat hesitantly. “How do you know my name? Who are you?” “Those questions are of little consequence Lady Shay. There is little I do not know. I knew your father too. I was guided to him and rightly so. Sometimes you simply need to trust your instincts. But your mind will demand an answer to your questions so I will tell you this. I am your servant. I am here to serve you. I will offer you guidance and share what I may with you in the hope that you can defeat the man who passed this way yesterday. You must defeat him. This universe depends on it. I serve everyone and all that is and right now I serve Ethlerry and seek its survival.” “That does not answer my question, go
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Shay was troubled by the fact that they might be outnumbered. Try as she could, she could not shake the feeling that she would be the one who would face Algwad in the end. She believed that she would be the one to face Algwad alone. While the team’s objective was to catch Algwad and his men and stop them, Shay suspected that Algwad would leave his men as a rearguard while he went on alone to get the jewel. Shay had to try to get close enough to Algwad and his men so that she could catch Algwad when he was alone. She also had no idea what it was that Algwad was looking for. What it looked like. She wished she did. It could make the difference between her getting the jewel before Algwad as she doubted that he even knew what it looked like. She had heard of statues and so was keeping an eye out for statues. Shay and her men thus needed to follow Algwad’s group undetected if possible until they arrived at the point where whatever he sought was. The trail became rockier and harde
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Fiere hardened his voice then. “Shay we can argue about this all we like. Nothing will change their thinking. Are you willing to pursue Algwad and try to stop him from getting the power of Dwarveln?” Shay was quiet a moment. “Very well Fiere. But this is the last I want of anything. After this, I am to be left alone. Forever. Grant me that as future king.” Fiere was quiet. “Do it!” Shay shouted but Fiere maintained his silence. “Why can’t you do it Fiere? What? What is the problem? Can I not be free?” “There would be no more reason to need your service after this Shay. It stands to reason that you will be free and left alone.” “Then say it. Decree it. Right here. Right now!” “I can’t do it now! I am not king yet!” Fiere argued. “Then say you will do it when you are king! Give me that much Fiere!” Fiere was silent again. Damn you Fiere. Go to hell!” Shay had had enough. She had done all that she could in
WordRealm (Complete) Chapter 46
When Shay arrived back at her cabin after spending time at her mother’s grave, Fiere was waiting for her. His horse was tethered nearby. He had about twenty soldiers with him. Shay ran to greet Fiere and they embraced for a long time. Then finally she held him at arm’s length. “Is it over? I had no idea you came back.” “Part of it is over. Algwad’s army has surrendered. But Algwad is still free. We believe he is headed into the Ischlo Mountains seeking the jewel that will grant him almost unlimited power. He must be stopped.” “If he has the jewel he may not need an army,” Shay commented feeling unease in her stomach at the thought. “Tell me first, how is your mother? I heard all about the fact that your mother was in the dungeon. I can only imagine how relieved you are that your mother was not Maica after all. I hope you can forgive me for the judgment I made of you believing that your mother was Maica.” Shay looked away trying unsuccessfully
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Galwin watched as the army gathered outside the gates. Overnight Algwad’s army had disappeared. How they had done so was beyond Galwin. It was as if they had disappeared by magic. If the army had marched away his men would surely have heard it yet none of the guards had reported hearing anything. Nevertheless, if they were marching he was sure they would be tracked by the army that now stood just beyond the reach of the catapults. A lone rider had approached on horseback bearing a white flag. He rested within range of the archers on the walls and waited for someone from the castle to meet him. Galwin studied him for a while trying to ascertain whether this man was a ruse to get them to open the gates and make an attack or not. The man waited patiently saying nothing. Finally, Galwin decided he was there under a genuine flag of peace. He turned to his second in command, Jolyph. “You’re in charge. I am going to meet the soldier.” Jolyph looked s
