Keeper of the Eye (The Eye of the Sword Book 1)

  KEEPER OF THE EYE

  MARK SHANE

  Keeper of the Eye

  Copyright © 2016 by Mark Shane

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the eBook from one of its distributors.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Published by Shane Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1533329240

  ISBN-10: 1533329249

  Cover design by Howard David Johnson

  To my readers, words cannot express my gratitude that you chose to read my work. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  To Anne, Margie, Holly, Pat, and Gerald for reading, re-reading, editing and shaping my writing. Words cannot express my gratitude. And to my family for encouraging me along the way.

  Contents

  Map

  PROLOGUE: Endings and Beginnings

  1. Paths and Propositions

  2. Strangers and Familiar Faces

  3. House Calls

  4. Nightmares Come Alive

  5. Secrets

  6. Destinies

  7. Leaving Home

  8. Dark Plans

  9. Defining Moments

  10. A Warm Bed

  11. Life is a Gamble

  12. Treasures Found

  13. From the Shadows

  14. Running from the Night

  15. Last Ditch Effort

  16. Desperate Measures

  17. Rhalmadia

  18. Chance Encounters

  19. And One Makes Five

  20. Trust Broken

  21. The Comfort of Dreams

  22. Vorn Eyre Forest

  23. The Witches of the Forest

  24. Valiant Efforts

  25. On Their Own

  26. Lyndham

  27. Breakthrough

  28. Finery’s Way

  29. The Price of Love

  30. The Mason’s Daughter

  31. Blacksmith’s Puzzle

  32. To Heed a Calling

  33. A Fit of Rage

  34. Directions

  35. Extra Muscle

  36. Reunions and Pardons

  37. No Alternatives

  38. Great Bear

  39. Living Headstone

  40. Between Worlds

  41. Thunder and Lightning

  42. Moving Up the Ranks

  43. The Ruins of Desid

  44. The Perfect Number

  45. A New Direction

  46. A Lone Journey

  47. In the Heart

  48. The Perfect Job

  49. The Keep at Mistenthar

  50. To Have Meaning

  51. Dalarhan

  52. Justice is Mercy

  EPILOGUE: Change in Plans

  With thunder and lightning, he will reign down destruction on his enemies. He will betray the hope of his people and rend the very ground they stand on. Yet, in his wake of pain and suffering, he will become the champion of mankind. For the greatest power is not magic that can level mountains, but love willing to lay down its life for others.

  Johanas Alexander Francesco,

  First Wizard of Shaladon

  Prophecy rendered 190 CE

  KEEPER OF THE EYE

  MARK SHANE

  PROLOGUE

  Endings and Beginnings

  A rabbit scampered across the wide path that snaked its way through the forest, his fur blending well with the snowy background. Halfway across he stopped, ears perked, nose twitching. Instinct propelled him back toward the safety of his burrow as a black horse broke through the trees.

  Encased in armor black as his mount, breath freezing to clouds of vapor, Commander Aldar Von Luz was the sight of death waiting to be unleashed. Running a thumb along the head of his half-moon axe, he scanned the area, noting every detail.

  Trees grew thick along the path, almost like walls, but the crest of the hill provided an excellent vantage point to the valley below. Blanketed white with snow, the evergreens of the Al’ Shar Dan Forest presented a scene of undisturbed tranquility. But something felt wrong, something intangible, resting on the edge of the senses. He could neither pin it down nor explain it, but it was there.

  A gust of wind whipped at his blonde hair, stinging his face. Turning from the wind, he looked back the way he had come and watched the long, serpentine procession of the Lion’s Fist, gold lions on maroon banners glinting in the midday sun. One thousand strong, men and horses specially trained as the king’s personal guard, they were the greatest fighting unit in the Rang Shalan. They were his men.

  Aldar’s eyes narrowed, following the red carriage as it rolled along in the middle of the procession. Hoping to reach Kirvin by nightfall, they had left the wagon train to its sluggish trek at daybreak. All except the red one. And a huge source of angst it was. King Tobias and Queen Magdalene rode next to it occasionally peeking in on their son.

  Their visit to Cintaur had been productive yet nerve-racking. Never had a foreign king been invited to participate in Cintaur’s Festival of the Brave, celebrating their independence from Sur Valtan. Five hundred years past and the embers of animosity still burned between those two nations. It was a high honor King Tobias could not refuse, but why bring the family? Traveling outside Shaladon’s borders, even to an allied country, could be rife with dangers. True, Queen Magdalene was one of his best advisors and had proven instrumental in trade negotiations with the queen of Cintaur, but they could have at least left the prince safe at home in Dalarhan. Scanning the terrain one more time–still clear as the blue sky–he spurred his horse back toward the procession.

  “Captain Tersh,” he said, reigning in at the front of the procession, “report.”

  “Third scout team left a short while ago, sir. Second team should be at their furthest scout range now.”

  “Good. Team One have anything to report?”

  “They haven’t returned, sir.”

  Aldar clenched his jaw. Missing scouts was the last thing he wanted to hear.

  Nervousness swept across Captain Tersh’s face. “Lars said his team wanted to take down a stag for the king, sir. I granted them permission to hunt once they checked in with Team Two. Probably had a bit of luck, and they’re dressing a fine kill now.” A grin slid across the captain’s face. “I’m sure the size of the stag will grow with each telling of the story.”

  Aldar smiled. Lars was well known for his exaggerations. “Perhaps you’re right, captain.”

  He debated sending men to search for the missing scouts, but without any horns sounding an alarm he decided against it. Lars would find the Fist much easier than scouts would find him. Besides, they were a full day within their own border. An attack on the king was quite unlikely. Still, that sense of foreboding pestered him. He made a note to discuss protocol with Lars when the man reported in.

  As the Fist traversed the snow-laden road, the silence grew palpable as though the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting. Aldar peered into the shadowy forest, willing it to give up its secrets. The trees offered none. He clenched his jaw. They were
a day’s travel from the safety of the Kirvin garrison. Might as well be a hundred. “Captain, have the men stand ready.”

  It took a moment for Captain Tersh to quit staring at the forest and reply, “Yes, sir,” striking fist to chest in a salute. He sensed it too. Aldar could see it in his eyes.

  Hand signals from Captain Tersh conveyed the order and others quickly passed the command along. Sword catches released, hands moved to rest over quivers, eyes scanned trees they had already searched. The Fist bristled with silent awareness as they entered the Heart of the forest, a perfectly circular expanse, a mile wide and void of any trees. Some said the Creator Himself had reached down and laid the area bare. Legend told of a great wizard who had made his last stand here. Ambushed by an army, he gave his entire being to one final spell, a death spell, killing his attackers to a man and scouring the earth clean. An old campfire tale to be sure but a creative one nonetheless.

  “Is everything all right, Commander?” King Tobias asked as Aldar reigned in beside him.

  “It may be nothing, sir—”

  “You don’t look like it’s nothing,” Queen Magdalene stated, her son snug in the fur-lined sling, cooing in her arms. Aldar wished for the hundredth time they had left him in Dalarhan.

  “Three of my best scouts are missing. They wanted to return with a stag for you, but something’s not right. I can’t explain it exactly. We’re a full day within our own bord...” Aldar’s voice trailed off confused. The sense of danger had vanished. It had not diminished or grown weak. One moment it was there and the next it was not. He stood up in his stirrups, eyes darting in every direction.

  “Commander, what is it?” Tobias demanded, scanning the open area.

  “My deepest apologies Sire.” Aldar sat back in his saddle. “I must be jumping at ghosts. One moment I felt like a battle was about to pour down on us and the next it...it just vanished.”

  King Tobias’ face dropped. His head whipped in every direction, scanning the circular tree line. Queen Magdalene mirrored his alarm. “Rally, Commander! Rally the men to the center. Now!”

  Horns beckoned the Fist to action. The long serpentine procession compacted into a round mass as they raced to the center of the Heart.

  “I want three rings of lances!” Aldar commanded, reigning in. “Archers in the middle!” The Fist surrounded the king and his family in circle upon circle of lances and arms.

  The deep, bass of drums emanated from the north.

  Boom, boom, boom.

  Then more from the south.

  Boom, boom, boom.

  Sound erupted from the forest as the shrill of horns and yelling men added to the drums.

  The blood drained from Aldar’s face. If a wizard had been ambushed in this place long ago, then history was repeating itself.

  Men stepped out of the forest bellowing and rattling weapons on shields. A lone flag bearer carried a green banner with a golden falcon in flight on it. Aldar was certain it was a falcon though he could not tell from so far away.

  “Treylan,” Magdalene gasped.

  Tobias’ younger brother was a weasel. Lustful with a taste for cruelty, he cajoled, schemed and destroyed lives to gain what power he could. Publicly, Treylan was charming, winning people over with a well-practiced smile and a witty tongue. Privately he seethed with contempt for Tobias, conspiring against him though Treylan was far too skilled to leave a trail to himself. Anyone with a potentially wagging tongue met with an uncanny accident. He must have prepared the ambush while the Fist was in Cintaur. Had the invitation from Cintaur been a ploy? A dangerous course of thought.

  “My Lord,” Aldar said, “I don’t know how they were hidden to us.”

  “Spell of illusion,” Tobias growled, eyes burning with rage.

  “Impossible,” Magdalene said. “The enormity of such a spell...”

  “Apparently, my brother has aligned himself with warlocks.” Tobias twisted the last word like a curse. “Aldar sensed what was hidden to us. We have grown complacent, believing we were safe. We made it easy for such a spell to work. It’s the only explanation.”

  Reaching over his shoulder, Tobias drew the Sword. “Sing your song of death for me, my friend.” The Eye awoke changing from pitch black to a shimmering crimson red.

  A jewel imbued with incredible power and fused into the blade of a sword, few relics compared to the power of the Eye. To touch the Eye was to bear one’s soul. Created to safeguard Shaladon from oppression by an unjust ruler, the Eye named its own Keeper. When the Eye found one worthy to wield it, the marquise jewel glowed purple. To be named Keeper was to be named king. When called on, the Eye glowed red, infusing the Keeper with far more power than any magichae could wield alone.

  “I’m going to separate my brother’s head from his body like I should’ve years ago. Then I’m going to find his warlock friends and put an end to their illusions.” The last word came out close to a snarl.

  Magdalene’s gentle touch brought him back. “Tobias,” she said, glancing down at their son cradled in her arm. “He must survive.”

  Aldar eyed the army amassing at the edge of the Heart. “Whatever you’re going to do, you better do it quickly.”

  The sun glinted off their mismatched weapons and armor. Mercenaries. Aldar clenched his jaw. Ten thousand strong by his estimation. Facing ten to one odds a standard battalion would be decimated quickly, but the Lion’s Fist was no ordinary battalion. The odds were almost even. Almost.

  “Captain Tersh, the north is yours,” Aldar said. “Captain Lamond, nothing gets through from the south.”

  Tobias looked at the impending onslaught then back at his wife. For a moment, he looked lost in her eyes. She placed a hand on his cheek and kissed his lips. Raising their son to float between them, she placed her hand on his head. The air around the baby shimmered, creating a shield as she manipulated Air and Water, the elements at her command.

  The baby giggled when the shield took on alternating hues of red, green, and orange as Tobias’ elements of Fire and Earth coalesced with Magdalene’s magic.

  Tobias held the Eye to the shield. They were both powerful Elementals, but the Eye contained the Spirit needed to complete the complex barrier. His voice lowered, almost to a whisper, sounding close to a plea. “Guard my son.” The shield glowed brightly as a ripple of blue shimmered over the surface then turned invisible.

  Magdalene gazed into her son’s blue eyes–the same striking shade as her own–then floated him to the carriage where one of his bodyguards took him in her arms. The woman shared a knowing look with Magdalene then disappeared inside the red frame.

  The anguish on the queen’s face caused Aldar to shrink inside, but his resolve roared back stronger than before when her countenance turned to steel as she laid eyes on the battle approaching. She was a mother defending all she loved; she was the most dangerous woman he had ever seen.

  The sky darkened with arrows racing toward the Fist. Magdalene threw her hands and face toward the sky, causing the air above the Fist to shimmer then solidify. Men ducked their heads or raised shields as the shower of arrows bounced off the invisible dome mere feet above their heads.

  “That will protect us from arrows,” the queen said, resting on the pommel of her saddle, breathing like she had run a mile at a dead run. “For the moment.”

  The mercenary army paused.

  Aldar smirked. Bet they didn’t expect that.

  Few magichae rivaled Magdalene’s ability with Air. Aldar’s mirth faded. Judging from the exertion on her face, she could not maintain the shield for long. Expending all her power to delay the inevitable would prove a waste.

  Tossing bows aside, the mercenary army charged headlong yelling as they ran.

  “Protect the king!” Aldar bellowed.

  “Protect the king!” his men roared.

  “Archers, fire on my command!” Magdalene yelled.

  Releasing the shield, she cried, “Fire!”

  Six hundred arrows rained down on the charging
enemy. Men fell only to be trampled by others behind them. Arrows continued to fly, slowing the mercenaries, but not stopping them. How close were they now? A hundred paces. The Heart no longer seemed so large an expanse.

  “Hold!” Aldar bellowed.

  Fifty paces.

  “Lances ready!”

  Ten paces. Aldar’s hand tightened around the haft of his axe.

  “Now!”

  The first ring lunged forward, an expanding ring of steel-tipped lances. The forces collided with a crash; bodies impaled, lances shattered and the screams of war rang through the air. Men who dodged the first ring of lances realized too late they had been funneled to become easy fodder for the lances of the second ring.

  The Fist fought fiercely, but sheer numbers pushed them back, their formation breaking. Tossing bows and lances aside, the battle turned into a melee. Steel rang against steel; swords slashed, axes ripped, and the white snow turned red.

  Aldar and Tobias locked eyes, words unnecessary to convey their mutual respect and appreciation. Aldar raised his half-moon war axe and roared, “Protect the king!” Tobias and Magdalene unleashed their magic as he charged into the fray.

  Aldar beheaded his first opponent and cleaved his second as his destrier kicked a third man who tried to sneak up from behind.

  Magdalene raised her hands chest high. The space in front of her blurred slightly as she sent a razor-thin sheet of Air speeding toward four attackers, severing them in half. Aldar moved to dispatch a man charging her from behind when the man’s chest exploded. He gaped in disbelief. A twenty-year veteran yet he had never seen someone destroyed in such a way.

  “Protect Tobias,” she yelled above the melee.

  Aldar split a man’s head with his axe. “Someone has to watch your back.”

  Three more men fell to invisible blades. “Go!” she said.

  Aldar cut his way through the mercenaries, cursing the ebb of battle that had separated Tobias from them. He found the king creating his own wake of destruction. Not only was the Eye glowing red, but the Sword and Tobias were bathed in crimson light as well. With the Eye increasing his abilities, the Keeper countered every attack with blurring speed. Chills swept down Aldar’s spine as several men fell to the red aura extending out from the Sword in a single stroke. He had never seen the Eye reach out beyond the blade. Tobias stretched out his free hand and sent the ground rippling like waves to explode beneath another group of attackers. He was in a rage unlike any Aldar had ever seen.