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

at secrecy. His secret was out, and it was no good trying to hide it any longer.

“Eldergate? What for?” asked Riyan, curious.

“They are taking me to the Defiant One, probably to be executed.” said David somberly.

“Woah, woah, hold on there, kid. The Defiant One? As in the Mystic of Destruction? The powerful being who was imprisoned long ago at the end of the Mystic Wars?” asked Riyan, suddenly far more alert than he had been.

“Yup, that’s the one…” said David.

“What would he want with – unless…you were the warrior from the legends who bears the Orb of Power?” said Riyan.

David heard the clinking of the bars from the cell to his left and he got up and walked to the bars to see Riyan’s hand stretched out from between his bars as far as he could reach towards David’s cell.

David pushed his orb-hand through the bars for Riyan to see the orb pulsing faintly in his skin.

“Well I’ll be…you are the warrior of legend! What are you doing all locked up in here then? Can’t you just…I don’t know…blast your way out of here or something?” asked Riyan in awe and confused why David was locked up in the first place. He had heard of the legends all his life, like most people in Hurea had, and he was confused at how such a powerful warrior could be taken prisoner like David had been.

“Once, yes…I could have. But since the Defiant One has been released from his prison, my powers feel so distant. I can’t access them. Believe me, I’ve tried many times.” said David, slumping his shoulders and sliding down the wall into a sitting position. He didn’t know what he would do now. Without his powers, he would never get away.

Sensing his new friend’s dilemma, Riyan sat down on the wall opposite from David, with his back up against the same wall.

“I tell you what. You coming here – this changes everything…” said Riyan.

“What do you mean?” asked David through the wall.

“Nothing. You just focus on getting some rest. Come morning, you’ll see.” he said, then he grew silent.

“What do you mean, Riyan?” asked David again more forcefully, trying to get an answer, but all he would say was to get some rest.

Finally, David gave up on his interrogation and decided it was best to get some rest. After all, there was nothing else he could do but sit around and wait for the Wolf Guard to come and get him in the morning. They would then take him north a few days before turning west through Draco’s Pass on the final stretch to Eldergate, where the Defiant One would be eagerly awaiting his arrival. It seemed that his fate was sealed now unless some miracle happened to break him free.

David lay down on his straw covered cot, trying to ignore the itchy hay as his mind wandered off. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and was no longer shining directly into his cell. Instead, a gentle orange glow took its place and covered his cell walls in its light, indicating the day was almost spent and would soon be replaced by the cool darkness of the night.

As he lay in his bed, all he could think about was Erin and the others, hoping they were safe wherever they were now. Eventually, too tired to continue brooding, sleep overcame his worry and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

***

Sometime in the early morning David woke to the sound of his cell door being opened. In walked two wolves of the Guard before slapping shackles on his wrist. They quickly grabbed David’s arms and hauled him out of his cell and into the hallway before leading him through the large chamber from the day before.

They took him out into the open air where he caught his first site of the city of Brineport. He found himself standing before a great pyramid structure to his rear from which he had just exited, its great stone steps leading down into the courtyard below. Before him sat a great open square that was surrounded by a high limestone wall.

Within the wall was a group of similarly built structures, each large and ornate, but not nearly as big as the pyramid and not so oddly shaped. Instead, they were all rectangular and had great balconies with highly decorative pillars supporting their load that created a highly sought out space beneath their cover that was cool and in the shade. A valuable addition to any building within the desert environment such as Brineport.

This was definitely the wealthy district of the city, David figured, as just outside the walls he could see the buildings were not so grand or elaborate, and with their positions being outside of the walls it was clear their owners were not of the same elite class as the wolves and surrounding people.

The people themselves were all clothed in loose garments that were colorful and festive looking. They all had dark, brown skin and equally dark hair, many of which was curly and shiny with the women mostly having their hair put up in some elaborate fashion while the men all covered their short cropped heads in cloth to protect them from the intense heat of the sun.

Inside the busy courtyard a group of Wolf Guard stood waiting in a long line of roughly a dozen or so warriors. In the middle, waiting for David, was Bloodvayne seated on a great cart being pulled by a few members of the Guild. The citizens of the city all crowded around watching and gossiping about what was going on and who this strange prisoner was that warranted such an escort.

Bloodvayne’s lips curled up in a smile as David approached. He was eager to get David to his master so he could reap his reward. David found himself wondering what reward would merit bringing the warrior of legend to the Defiant One. Whatever it was, it was clear that it was valuable