Adventures of Jacko the Conjurer by Jamie Ott (drm ebook reader txt) š
- Author: Jamie Ott
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He couldnāt believe what just happened. Motionless, he stood, staring down as Julius plummeted to the ground, yet disappeared right as he was about to make impact. Then he reminded himself he didnāt have time to think; he needed to get to his uncle.
Back at the basin, the bats were standing by his head cooing.
Jacko fell to the ground.
āIām so sorry, Uncle. I should have known,ā he cried.
āHow were you to know when not even I could tell he was scum. Donāt blame yourself, he was good, before. Something happened to him when we got here; that something turned him. We suspected something was wrong, but we trusted him because he was our friend.ā
He coughed up a mass of blood.
Jacko couldnāt hold back the flood in his eyes.
āDonāt cry, now, itās time to be a man.ā
āI canāt help it. I keep losing everyone.ā
āLosing peopleās a part of war.ā
āIāll never trust anyone, never again.ā
āDonāt say that. You canāt shut people out; you canāt go it alone. No one can. Just be more careful, next time. But donāt think for one moment that you can do this alone. I donāt care what the gods tell you.ā
Then he had a flash back to when his mother visited him, back in Mariton.
āActually, I think I can save you. I just need a moment. Watch him,ā he said to the imps.
As fast as he could, he pounded the dirt back to where their camp used to be. But it was so messed up that he couldnāt find his bag. He needed to hurry!
He tossed up some fallen trees, and when he found nothing, began digging through the pile of dirt that was now where he used to sleep.
A few minutes later, he pulled the strap of his bag from out of the dirt. He tugged and tugged, slowly dragging it through the compounded earth.
Once he pulled it out, he opened the flap and dug through, tossing everything out.
There they were: the figs his mother gave him.
The figs, she told him, were a symbol of life. Commonly mistaken for fruit, the edible fig was really the female counterpart of the male fig tree, and its āfruitā was really an inverted flower.
In the old days, and even in heaven, the golden fig orchard was what kept the circle of energy that supported life, running like an engine. Not only did the orchard give blessings, but its golden fruit could preserve life.
Fast enough to give himself a stich, he pelted back to Uncle Bally, who had passed out.
No time to waste. He ripped one of the figs a part, pried open Uncle Ballyās mouth, smeared the flower inside and waited a minute.
Nothing happened. Uncle Bally remained still.
He shook him, but he didnāt respond.
Just as he was about to open another fig, Uncle Bally quivered and turned dark brown.
Suddenly, his body started to transform.
The bats flew back out of the way.
His body elongated, and then contorted skyward. Little brown striations, sort of like a prune, etched themselves in his skin.
As this went on, he looked more and more like the trunk of a tree.
Jacko thought heād be sick.
Branches extended outward with leaves, and heavily with figs.
The ground rumbled as roots grew out its side and jammed their way down into the ground.
Jacko cried.
The Sacrifice
Chapter 12
His spiritual father appeared behind him. Jacko felt his presence without having to look and see.
āCan you bring him back?ā
He struggled to get the words out because his throat was too tight.
āNo, sorry, Jacko.ā
āWhat about when this is over? I mean, he was killed by a demon, one of us, like Aurora said.ā
āIām afraid itās too late.ā
āI donāt get it; I thought the figs would preserve him.ā
āThe figs, your mother gave you, are from the same orchard that you and I visited. While they bestow power on the living, they plant the dead. This is your sacrifice.ā
āYou mean, he was already dead? And I missed him die?ā
He didnāt respond.
āIs he in the fountain?ā
āThatās where all souls go, but youāll see him again. Just not in this lifetime.ā
Jacko didnāt know how to respond, so his father continued, āIn the meantime, be happy that his life meant something.ā
āWhat does that mean, Lucem?!ā he asked through clenched teeth.
āThis is the sacrifice you were to make.ā
āWhy him? He has nothing to do with this war! He should have died an old man in a bomb shelter, not like this.ā
āOn the contrary, he has everything to do with this war. He always has.ā
Jacko turned to look at him.
āWe keep telling you; weāve all been here before. Your mother told you that when the martyrs cease to be reborn, the Earth is no longer saved. He must go on!ā
But Jacko shook his head, vigorously, because he didnāt care.
āHeās saved the world before. Heās right where heās supposed to be, right now. That part is over and now itās your turn.ā
āWhy is that?ā
But Lucem didnāt have time to answer because a succession of blasts came, ending in one so violent that the next thing he knew, he was falling.
~~~
He tried to open his eyes, but he couldnāt. Something painfully heavy pinned him down. He tried to lift his arms and his legs, but they didnāt obey.
Something painfully pressed into his gut and lungs. Though he tried to inhale, his chest only barely pushed up against something crushing his chest in.
Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. His heart sped out of control. He tried scream, but couldnāt because his lungs were crushed.
He blacked out.
~~~
The sound of shifting rock woke him.
Immediately, he felt relief of the impression on his chest.
Happiness filled him; he wasnāt dead. If only whoever was moving the rock would hurry. He couldnāt stand being buried another minute.
The shifting continued; the sound of moving dirt and rock got louder until light reached through the mass that covered him, and bled through his eyelids.
He opened his eyes and saw, through a large partition of dirt and rock, the wine colored sky.
Come on! he said to himself, and pushed hard against the rubble.
Finally, he emerged and breathed a happy lungful of fresh air, only to go into hyperventilation upon looking around.
There, he knelt at the top of a pile of debris that was the size of a mountain. Realizing this, and wondering where all of it came from, he suddenly remembered that he was on the summit.
Gingerly, he walked to the edge of the rubble.
Down below, demons and gods fought, ferociously. Blood spattered the ground, as did bodies and detached limbs.
He turned 180 degrees, and behind him, saw the summit, only it wasnāt a full mountain anymore. Now, it was simply a rock pole, and on top, his uncleās tree; it was the only thing left.
END
Lost and want to play catch up?
Be sure to checkout Adventures of Jacko the Conjurer: Red Skies, Blue Skies.
Scheduled for release 2013 - 2014:
Adventures of Jacko the Conjurer: Red Lands
More information:
Adventures of Jacko the Conjurer is an epic fantasy series about a boy whoās been doomed to save the world for longer than he can remember. In this series of tales, follow Jacko as he struggles, once more, to commit to saving the world, but with one difference: this time will be the final and last sacrifice.
LYSSA
VAMPIN Book Series #13
By Jamie Ott
Copyright 2011 Jamie Ott. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used without written permission.
Publication Date: 7/21/2012
For all inquiries, please contact passionateprose@mail.com.
Warrior Princess
Chapter 1
The King walked down the line, saying his goodbyes to everyone. When he got to Lyssa, he reminded her, for the thousandth time, to stay out of the armory because it was no place for a young woman.
Everyone pretended not to know that she was his daughter. The King said it was for her protection, but she knew it was really because of Andrada.
She hated Lyssa.
Every chance she could, sheād hound the King about sending her away. But the King loved Lyssaās mother more than heād ever loved a mortal woman. Thatās why he honored his promise by making Lyssa a Lady of the house.
āBe good, Lyssa,ā the King said.
He embraced her, and then kissed her cheek. Leaning in just slightly, he whispered, āI love you, my goddess. Youāre more precious than gold.ā
He kissed her one more time.
Lyssa didnāt want to look at him. She was mad because he never listened to her. But she turned her eyes up from the gravel, anyway.
āI love you, too,ā she said.
He heaved up onto his horse.
They watched as he and his officers made their way down the palaceās windy mountain road.
Lyssa turned to go inside, but not before catching the gaze of her stepmother and her half brother, Celius.
Murderous.
They had no reason to look so. Every king in history had his concubines. Since illegitimate children had no claim to the kingdom, neither Lyssa nor her other half-brother, Dracus, was a threat.
He leaned his arm around her shoulder, and they walked back inside the palace.
āDid you talk to him?ā Dracus asked.
āYes, and he hardly believed me when I told him about the letter Andrada received from Imperator Trajan. He said he talked to her, but Iām sure she put on her sweet, fetching smile,ā she replied.
They walked over the threshold and down the hall to the library.
āFather was always blind to women, thinking theyāre unintelligent creatures. āBut what about Cleopatra?ā I asked. āA harlot queen,ā he says. She never couldāve ruled Egypt without Julius or Mark.ā
āDracus, do not call him Father,ā she said, sitting in her cathedra.
āWhy not? Weāre alone.ā
He walked across the room to the clay jug and poured himself some mead.
āBecause if you slip, like I did by calling him father in front of the senators, heāll have you put in the carceral.ā
Ignoring her, he said, āCome on, Lys,ā as he sometimes called her for short. āLetās practice making petards.ā
āThe King says if Iām caught in the armory once more, Iām to be barred in my room.ā
āYou mustnāt listen. The Romans will be coming for us, sooner or later.
You have to understand that though Father is a fairly good man, he has an extremely large ego.
Since he was born, heās been told that heās next to godliness. Because he canāt let go of these silly ideologies, the Romans will take him.
Now, maybe weāll be lucky because hardly anyone knows who we are, but we need to be prepared to fight our way out of the castle. Just in case something should happen to me, you need to be prepared to fight alone.ā
āWhat makes you think the Romans will come again?ā
āRome wants there to be no more kings. Now the only reason theyāve allowed our father to remain is because of Andradaās persuasion, and Fatherās promised new allegiance to Rome. Thatās soon to change, as pressure from Rome to take Dacia increases, and especially as Father wonāt renounce his title. Taking this rich land, and Andrada for his concubine, will be another honor for him.ā
āThe King will fight them off. Heās done it before, and heāll do it again.ā
āAll lies, Lyssa. I was there when we fought. He tells the people we won the battles to keep up morale, the support of the people and the army, but Rome could have taken us anytime.
Father, with his pride, rather than conform to the ways of Rome for the sake of his people, must show off, must be sovereign. He wonāt accept that he is no longer a king, and that is why they will come for him,ā he sighed. āOnce Imperator Trajan comes, all Andrada will have to do is point her finger, and weāre dead.ā
~~~
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