David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb T.C. Crawford (easy to read books for adults list .txt) 📖

error and left his right side open for an attack. Erin took advantage of the flaw in his defense perfectly and cut hard at his open flank, swinging with such force it lodged her blade deep into his side.

The soldier fell to the ground, clutching at Erin’s sword still stuck deep in his flesh. She pulled it free and wiped off the blood before sheathing it back in its scabbard on her hip, leaving the soldier down on his knees. He took a few laborious breaths before falling lifeless to the ground. After seeing that David was okay, they both turned to the old man and their final two opponents.

Orin was apparently handling the situation well, holding back both of the soldiers alone with just his staff. When one went to attack, he swiftly spun and dodged, slapping his stick on the back of the man’s head, knocking him to the ground. Then, the other would rush at him and Orin would side-step, duck under the blow, and trip his attacker with ease. He was toying with them, David noticed, and suddenly his sense of respect for this old man went far beyond just his impossible old age.

When the soldiers scrambled to their feet and looked around, they saw their companions lying dead on the ground and realized that they were now severely outnumbered. They quickly sheathed their weapons and ran into the forest back towards town, vowing they would return with even more soldiers.

“You do that!” yelled Orin after them, “Maybe then you’ll actually stand a chance!” he teased, bending over, and slapping his knee.

“You’re a crazy old man, you know that, right?” said David, chuckling and shaking his head in disbelief.

“I’ve been called that once or twice,” replied Orin with a mischievous grin.

Erin turned towards the large man with the axe.

“You’re the man from the bar. Why did you come help us?” she asked.

“The name’s Rex. I saw you talking to Elbert and knew he was up to no good. I decided to follow you and make sure everything went smoothly and thank the Heavens I did. It seemed my help was needed after all. Plus…I always enjoy a good fight.” he said, laughing.

“Well, your help was greatly appreciated, Rex.” said David. “My name is David Bishop, and this is Erin Alderan and Orin Nightingale.” he said, pointing to the others.

“Happy to meet you all.” said Rex. “If you don’t mind me asking, why were the soldiers after you?” he asked.

“That’s complicated….” replied David, looking over at Erin, gauging her response.

“There was a coup in Eldergate led by the General of the Royal Guard. He betrayed our King, and for some reason, he wants us dead. I’m not sure why, but he sent some soldiers to my home, and when my mother wouldn’t give them what they wanted, they murdered her to get it.

“When we fled the city, we were followed by a small group of soldiers from the Royal Guard. They confronted us and, in the skirmish, we killed two of them. After injuring the final one, we forced him to tell us everything he knew”

She continued to tell Rex and Orin of the information the soldier had revealed. How the King had apparently gone mad and was saying he intended to release the Defiant One from his prison, forcing the General to imprison him and take control of the Kingdom. How the General had been secretly working with the Wolf Guard to track down David’s whereabouts, and how he now was using them as his personal sentries, letting them wreak havoc on the citizens of the city and threatening to feed the men’s families to the wolves if they didn’t cooperate.

“That’s quite a load of information at once,” said Rex, considering everything they had just told him. “I wonder what the General could have wanted with your mother. She must have had something valuable to him or he wouldn’t have sent his soldiers to search your home.” he reasoned.

“That’s what I’ve been wondering too…I just don’t get it. All she had mentioned was my father…” replied Erin, thinking back on her mother’s last words.

“And was he close to the King?” asked Rex.

“Not that I know of. He was a traveling merchant. I never met the man…” said Erin.

“There is definitely a riddle here that needs to be solved,” chimed in Orin, “but for now, we must go. We are no longer safe here. Those men will eventually return, and this time, I fear they will bring a much greater force.”

“But where will we go?” asked Erin.

“For now? We must go deep within the forest. There we will have more time to consider our best course of action.” replied Orin, to which the party seemed to all agree on.

The four of them took one last look at the carnage that lay around them before taking off down a path into the forest, away from West Post and into the heart of the Outer Woods.

Chapter X

The Elders appeared in the palace courtyard merely seconds after their departure from their chamber. What lay before them nearly took their breath away.

  The palace had changed from the once beautifully decorated fortress to a now desolate and gloomy stronghold. The scattered bodies of dead soldiers lay everywhere, bloody and broken on the main steps.

The main entrance had evidence of an epic battle that took place only moments before. There were scorch marks and arrows deeply embedded into the walls, along with the mutilated bodies of palace servants who were mercilessly slaughtered and left for the birds.

The Elders knew the Royal Guards would have done everything they could to prevent this massacre, but they must have been overmatched. They hoped that the King was more fortunate, but they feared they were too late to save him.

The Master Elder rushed up the great stone steps to the palace entrance and cast the doors aside with a wave of his hand, throwing the doors open with such