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

was able to feel the heartbeat of the world, its breath in the wind, and its comfort in the solitude of the desolate areas of the world. That is why he enjoyed the forest so much, and why he preferred living in isolation.

When he was younger, he had moved closer to the city at the behest of the First Elders. They had taken a keen interest in his abilities, and so he moved closer to the city so he could train them in the ways of their new gift of magic and prophecy. He had also helped them hide the orb and conceal it within what became known as the Forgotten Temple, although back then it was simply the Temple of the Orb.

He sat there silently recalling the events that led up to the moment the orb was created. The horrific battles between the armies of the Defiant One and the world of the living. His people had been on the right side, fighting for the sanctity of life itself, but their foe was great, and he was very powerful. One by one they died off, until only he was left in the end. He decided then to dedicate his life to protecting the world, to honor those who had fallen before him.

That is why he decided to help the Elders conceal the orb and keep it safe within the temple, deep within the Outer Woods near the base of the Mystic Mountain. Safe until the day when the destined warrior of prophecy would return to find the orb and unite with it, to one day restore his rightful place as a Mystic of Creation and bring balance back into the world.

Once he knew the Elders were sufficiently learned in the art of magic, that they could indeed protect the Kingdom, and therefore, the orb, from external threats, he decided to move back into seclusion. He packed up his things and moved to the outskirts of what eventually became West Post, far away from the bustling commerce of the growing capital, where he chose to live a life of solitude – living off the bounty of the land in peace so long as he could. But that was all over now, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it to end.

Orin looked over to see David and Erin carrying enough wood to last them the night. They set up the twigs and kindling beneath a good stack of thicker branches to prepare the fire. Just as they were finishing up stacking the rest of the wood into a neat pile nearby, Rex walked into the camp with a massive boar stretched across his back, grinning ear to ear.

“Think this’ll do?” he smugly asked.

Everyone nodded eagerly and he immediately got to work preparing the boar for roasting. Orin took the hint and, opening his hands toward the firewood, began slowly mumbling something under his breath.

The others looked intently to see what Orin was doing. Suddenly, little heat waves began to appear in the air between Orin and the fire pit, and then just as quickly the air ignited into a small ball of fire about the size of an apple. Orin pushed his hands forward and the fireball slowly flew into the gathered sticks and branches, igniting them instantly.

Amazed, they all gathered around the fire anticipating the upcoming meal.

As the meat sizzled and blackened over the dancing flames the group relaxed and quietly recounted the events of the day.

“So, what exactly is that thing?” Rex said, pointing at David’s orb-hand.

“It’s an ancient artifact that was in a way, created by the Mystics of Creation in ages past” answered Orin. “You see, after the Battle of the Mystics had come to an end and the Defiant One had been sealed away with his armies in the Dark Abyss, one of the Mystics had been killed in the fighting, and the others were mortally wounded.

“The remaining Mystics decided their only chance was to give up what life they had left and combine it into a single, powerful object that would preserve their collective power after they were gone. That power is in the Orb.”

“Wait…so, the Orb is the remaining life force of the Mystics of Creation?” asked Erin, completely absorbed in the fascinating history of her world that, until now, she had never been told in such detail. “I was always told it was an object of immense power, but I never knew how it was created” Her eyes were wide in wonder.

“Yes, that is correct.” replied Orin before continuing his story. “Before they died, the Mystics passed some of their powers into a group of men. They later became known as the Elders. They were the first men to ever be gifted the ability to use magic and were tasked with the sole purpose of keeping the orb safe and secret.

“They were told that one day the souls of the Mystics would be reincarnated into the world and could eventually reclaim their collective power and restore order back into the world. For they also knew that eventually their brother, the Defiant One, would one day break the spell that kept him trapped in the eternal prison of the Dark Abyss and once again wreak havoc on the land of the living.

“It was the destiny of this warrior to stop this from happening so that life could continue to flourish, and the world could go on in peace, free from external threat and influence.”

For a moment, the group sat in silence as they each thought about the newly expanded history of the world, watching the fire flickering as the fat of the boar dripped into the flames, igniting little showers that would sometimes land painfully on their skin.

They all looked at David as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to find the right words to say.

“So, you’re saying that this thing responded to me because it thinks I’m a reincarnated version of the Mystics of Creation?” David asked, making sure he