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

see the great flying beasts slowly circling the main army high above, keeping pace with them as they marched. Their sheer numbers seemed to block out the grey Autumn sky wherever they flew. They could also make out a group of larger demons that towered above the rest. They were large and bulky, several times taller than the main forces, and appeared to be carrying large timbers the size of trees as clubs.

These would certainly pose more of a threat to the barriers and walls and would need to be taken down quickly to prevent them from breaking through. Orin said these forces had been a major problem back in the Mystic War, but their hides, though strong, had a weak spot at the neck and armpits that could be exploited by skilled archers and warriors. He made sure to pass the information on to the officers to relay to their men. They would know what to do when the time came.

They knew it would only be a matter of a day or two before the first of the enemy lines reached their doorstep. They were prepared and ready. It would be a battle that would go down in history as did the last Great War between the forces of good and evil. That is if they survived to tell the story.

They were determined to make sure that they did, knowing the fate of the world rested squarely on their shoulders.

Chapter XVII

Darryn had been frantically searching the city for any clues as to who the scouts were and why they had given the King a false report, but he was unsuccessful no matter where he searched and who he asked for information.

No one seemed to know anything about this mission, not even the guards in the patrol office.

Knowing his time was running short, he decided to make a bold move – he quickly gathered what supplies he could, including a medium sized battle hammer that his great grandfather had passed down for generations from his time in the Mystic War, and began his long journey through the dark tunnels leading to the surface near Draco’s Pass.

The rails would take him to the beginning of the tunnel that would lead to the surface. Once there, he would be able to see for himself if his friends had been telling the truth or not. He suspected that they were, why else would they have fabricated such a story in light of the punishments? They had nothing to gain in lying, and his time spent with the humans, no matter how short it had been, led him to believe they were an honest bunch and had good intentions.

As he made his way through the dark tunnels, the wind rushing past him as he urged the cart onward beyond its normal safe speeds, he noticed the air began to cool and the dark seemed to be less intense between the areas lit by torchlight.

In just a couple of hours he reached his destination, and he quickly hurled himself out of the cart and began racing as fast as his legs would carry him to the end of the tunnel. The light began to change from the artificial glow of fire, flickering on and off as he rushed past the torches, to the brighter natural light of the surface world that Darryn’s eyes were not accustomed to seeing.

As he neared the exit, his eyes burned with the intensity of the light and his legs felt like giving up, but he pressed onward, knowing what was at stake if he should fail. The fate of the world depended on David’s mission. Should he fail in his, the world would be doomed.

When he finally breached the tunnel and entered for the first time in his life into the wide-open air of the surface world, he had to cover his eyes to slowly let them adjust a little at a time.

He could feel the cool mountain air rushing past him through the narrow mountain pass. Little speckles of cold gently brushed his skin. It was snowing!

When his eyes finally adjusted, he looked around and dropped his hammer to the ground in complete awe. The surface world was more beautiful than he had ever imagined!

The snow had covered the rocky landscape in a light blanket of white. It was cold and wet at the same time, and its fluffy texture left him delighted every time he brushed his hand through its powdery surface.

Suddenly remembering why he had come here in the first place, he shook off his amazement and quickly ran to the edge of the cliff that faced West towards the Great Plains and Eldergate. When he crested the ridge and looked out beyond the mountains to the great expanse Westward, his stomach dropped, and he nearly lost his breath.

The entire plains were filled with a vast army stretching as far as the eye could see – a large faction of it was heading to the West towards where he knew Ravenfell was located, the other half was heading directly towards his position – towards Draco’s Pass. There was a giant rocky outcrop rising from the Outer Woods where Eldergate was supposed to be according to the maps he had brought with him. Instead, what he saw was the great palace of Eldergate lifted high above the canopy of the forest, just as his friends had said.

They hadn’t been lying – it was true, the Defiant One had indeed returned, and war was coming to their doorstep.

***

The cart had finally reached the stop before the King’s palace and David and the others were instructed to exit the cart. They were led to the large, vaulted antechamber of the palace then up the stairs and into the large throne room.

King Tybrin Hammerclaw was seated atop his throne, but now before the steps leading to his throne stood a large wooden counter with several official looking Dwarves seated behind it. The Dwarf in the middle was