David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation T.C. Crawford (icecream ebook reader txt) 📖

the citizens to safety rounded up the last of the group and began reluctantly leading them into the Southern Tunnel before disappearing behind the bend.

When the last of them had vanished from sight and the valley was once again silent, apart from the gentle rustling of the wind through the barren trees and the endless construction of the final fortifications in the distance, those soldiers who had been left behind got to work blocking the passageway once again.

When the final boulder was set in place and the entrance was completely obscured from the unknowing eye, the two kings and their soldiers solemnly made their way across the valley and back towards their respective positions. Each in their own way, solemnly wondering what fate awaited them in the coming days.

Chapter XI

Wake up!” whispered Reingard, shaking David roughly.

He slowly rolled over on his bedroll, trying to shake off the sudden intrusion. He had been in a deep sleep and was having a wonderful dream. But Reingard was persistent.

“David, you have to wake up, now! We think they’ve been tracking us and have found our camp!” said Reingard, a sense of urgency in his voice.

With this, David opened his eyes and looked around, trying to take in his surroundings.

It was still dark, sometime in the middle of the night he assumed, given the position of the moon still high in the starry sky. The air was cool and clear, and the bitterness of the cold left his limbs stiff and somewhat uncooperative as he tried to stand up.

He could see the others had already woken and were frantically moving about, gathering their things, and packing their bags as quickly as they could without making too much sound that would give away their position.

David’s mind began to clear, and he focused on Reingard who was holding his finger up to his mouth.

“Hush, lad. Gather your things quickly, we gotta get going before –” he was swiftly cut off when the unmistakable sound of a loud whistle shot out through the air.

It was the alarm Tyrius had set up, and it meant they were about to have company.

Immediately, David could see the outline of several dark figures creeping their way into the outskirts of the brush around their campsite. They were crouched down low, looking around at each other, trying to figure out which idiot had let out the loud whistle.

David quickly gathered his wits about him and began packing his things as quietly as he could. He watched as Erin silently moved across the camp toward his location and crouched by his side.

“I’ve counted at least a dozen. I think it’s the men from Ashmire, the ones we encountered outside of the inn,” she whispered. “They just don’t know when to give up, do they?” she asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Why do you think they’re following us?” David asked, confused why these men would take such a keen interest in them.

“I have no idea – but I don’t think we should sit around to find out.” whispered Erin. “Did you get all of your things?” she asked, looking at the pack by David’s side.

He nodded in confirmation.

“Good, let’s go!” she said, pulling his hand and, crouching low, swiftly crossed the campsite to where the others had gathered behind a small bundle of bushes.

They each greeted David and made sure they had gathered everything before creeping away into the night. They headed north along the foothills of the mountain and continued until the moon had set and the sun was high in the sky.

They rested for a brief meal before setting back out at a steady pace until night had fallen once again and the moon began to rise above the mountains on its journey across the deep dark sky.

When camp was made and Tyrius had once again set up his alarm system and spell of concealment, they lit a small fire, sitting around talking while Reingard prepared their supper.

“Do you think they’re still following us?” asked David, a hint of concern in his voice. They had been running nearly nonstop all day, and he was not sure how long he could go on this way without a decent night’s rest. He knew the other’s felt the same – they all looked just as exhausted as he felt.

“I’m not sure…” replied Tyrius, “but something tells me we should expect the worst.”

“Why are they so intent on following us?” asked Erin, “It’s not like we have stores of treasure enticing them to keep up their pursuit.”

“Yeah, seriously…they need to give it a rest now, so we can get some rest!” said Holzer, rubbing his bare feet. They were rough and calloused from a lifetime in the rough terrain of the mountains, but something told David he wasn’t accustomed to cross-country running. He sympathized with him – David wasn’t accustomed to it either and he just knew if he looked, his feet would be covered in blisters. This world had been extremely rough on his body – and he didn’t know if he would ever get used to the constant battering he had been taking since he arrived.

“We will have two people on watch tonight, just in case. I don’t think we should take any chances with the luck we’ve been having.” said Tyrius, looking into the fire.

He looked old and ragged, even more than he had before. The past few days on the run had been taking its toll on the Elder – he wasn’t nearly as old as the Master Elder was, or even the other Elders, having been the last apprentice chosen to take on the sacred responsibility of protecting the orb, but ever since the Defiant One had returned through the breach in the seal he had felt like his powers were wearing thin with each passing day. Those powers are what allowed the Elders to age beyond any normal man – the Mystic magic within them causing their bodies to remain preserved in a way, giving them