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

many caverns filled with crystal that the Mystics of old would have chosen to lay their brother to rest in, a part of him inside was still uncertain and hoped more than anything they were in fact the same caverns that David had read about in the library back in Ravenfell.

To David, that time spent in Ravenfell, in the safety and warmth of its halls among all of his friends, felt like a lifetime ago. He was eager now more than ever to finish his journey in the north where he hoped to restore his powers. Powers he needed in order to face off against the Defiant One and have a chance at stopping him. He was terrified of the prospect of fighting him, especially knowing he was a divine being made by the Creator God for the sole purpose of death and destruction, but he also knew what needed to be done to keep his friends and this new world safe – a world he had become quite fond of and was ready to experience without the constant threat of danger looming on the horizon.

He hoped, once his mission was complete, for a life with Erin by his side. Nothing made him happier than the thought of a future with her, one free from constant dangers and war, where they could spend their time together as they saw fit. Maybe even get married and have a family of their own. But right now, in that moment, even that prospect seemed far off – almost too far to imagine clearly. For now, David knew his focus must remain on his mission if he were to ever see it through to the other side.

After walking as far as they could bear, they chose to set up camp for the night before the sun had reached the point beyond the mountains when it would cast the land in a blanket of darkness. Once they finished setting up their tents provided to them by Natan, they ate a filling meal before calling it a night. In the south, the tents were used for protection against the sandstorms when traveling. Up here, it would serve to protect the travelers from the constant and bitter wind while they rested.

Despite the cold and the constant howl of the wind, the companions rested easily, knowing that they were in a land safe from any real dangers, as it was protected by the Elves to their south.

When the morning came, they broke camp and started again on their way.

This routine of hiking through the day and camping for the night continued for several days as they made their way across the desolate landscape, through the rolling foothills, and up the rising mountain range of the north.

Finally, they reached a valley between two great mountains with peaks higher than the mountains surrounding Ravenfell. They could see a long, almost imperceptible path that snaked through the valley and up the side and around one of the great mountains. Tyrius indicated that this was the old path that would lead them across the mountain to the other side where it would eventually wind down into the opposite valley and to the stone structure at its center.

They hiked the remainder of the day until they reached a stopping point just at the base of the mountain before the steep climb up and over its ragged side. They set up camp near a small stream fed by melting snow from the peaks of the mountain. It wouldn’t be much longer before these mountains were completely covered in snow, as the light, dancing snowflakes that now fell from the skies only to melt shortly after reaching the ground, would eventually be replaced by a torrent of heavy blizzards that would be settling in for the winter.

Tyrius said they were fortunate to be traveling this way when they were, or the pass would almost certainly be impossible to traverse in the coming months.

After getting the fire going and having a warm meal, they each got some sleep, too exhausted to stay up for any meaningful conversation. The following day would contain a rough journey up the side of the mountain and back down to the opposite valley, and each of them were ready to get it over with, knowing it would likely be the hardest part of their journey.

That night David had some strange dreams.

He was walking through a fog so thick he could barely see his hand in front of his face. The ground was smooth and free from obstruction, but he could feel the hard rock beneath his feet, so he knew he was somewhere rocky, or maybe underground in a tunnel.

As he walked, searching for something just out of sight, he heard a voice. It called to him, beckoning him onward into the fog, so he complied, curious to see who it was that was speaking to him.

After some time, David could see a light in the distance penetrating through the thick misty air. It was pulsing slowly like the orb had done long ago when he found it in the temple in the Outer Woods.

When he neared, he could see the shadows of a great circular structure surrounded by pillars of stone that rose high above his head. The light was coming from within the structure, somewhere in the middle.

David walked onward, ever toward the increasing bright light, entranced as it pulsed faster and faster with each step he took.

The voice rang out in his head, Welcome back, David.

“Who are you?” said David startled, “Where am I?” he asked the mysterious voice.

You are home, where you belong. Can’t you feel it? came the voice.

David did notice a strong sense of belonging deep within, but he couldn’t explain it. It was as if he were on the horizon of a profound discovery, one that he had been waiting to find his entire life.

He noticed his heartbeat was increasing and his breath was becoming more labored.

“What do you mean home?” asked David, suddenly