A Story Of Sword And Shield, Book one. by Chance c Barrett (thriller books to read .TXT) 📕

anger.
“I kill for the money because I need it… I have no other way to earn it……how did you know anyway?” I said.
The figure stayed silent for a moment then said “…what is your name…?”
“My name?” I asked, slightly confused by the question.
“Yes, your name…I thought maybe if I knew your name we could know each other as more than strangers…” the figure said blue eyes shining.
“Well if you must know, my name is blade…”
“You never answered me, who was ‘him’?” I said, with curiosity in my voice.
“…your own brother…I saw you…” the stranger said, and then ran off.
“Wait!” I said, but it was too late…
I sighed and looked at where the stranger was sitting; there was a piece of paper left there.
I picked it up and looked at it; it was some sort of map…maybe it could help me get out of this place.
As I walked out of the church, holding the map in my hands, I stared at it and then out into the town, I saw that the map had some kind of directions to get out.
I followed the path outlined on the map and soon arrived back into the forest. “Finally” I thought as I walked further into the trees.
Then as I looked around I saw that my vision seemed to turn into static, it was strange…almost like a dream…
None the less I carried on, soon reaching a strange building, silhouetted in the darkness.
This is where the map led me, or at least, so it seemed.
I walked inside and felt a strange sense of dread…this place felt even more eerie than the town did.
“Hello?” I said as I walked further into this mysterious place.
“Someone new has arrived, how wonderful” a strange voice said, laughing.
“That voice… it’s you!” I remembered the figure that I had tried to get answers from a while ago.
“Ah so you remember me” the voice said as I heard footsteps come toward me.
“My ‘assistants’ will escort you.” The voice said, the footsteps now becoming three strangers in front and to the left and right of me.
I stood silent for a moment and stared at the strangers.
They then said something to me, which I could not hear; quickly I fell into some sort of trance.
All I could do was listen to their directions “follow this path, move here, twenty paces to the right” it was as if I was a pawn in some sort of chess board…
When I finally arrived at the place the strangers saw fit, they said more words and I broke out of the trance.
“What….where?” was all I could manage to say.
I saw a strange person walk toward me, shrouded in darkness.
“We finally meet, face to face.” The person said.
“So it seems…” I said.
“Let me start by introducing myself, my name is Darkflame, and yours?”
“…my name is Blade…” I said quietly.
“Well now that the formalities are out of the way, let us get to business; I wanted to ask you to join our cause, the New order.”
“New order?...” I said questioningly.
“Yes, we will be the new government of all the clans, the rebels, the Golden-wolves, even the demons of the depths” Darkflame said.
“I see…well why would I join your cause?” I asked.
“Imagine a checkmate in chess, which side would you rather be on, the rook who outwits the king, or the foolish king who dies because he had not listened to his pawns?” Darkflame asked.
“Well if you mention it that way…it would be the most logical option to be on the winning side…” I said.
“Good, now think of this, we are going to take over ALL of the government on this land, so would you rather be in one of the ones under our control, or our side, the ones who are IN control?” Darkflame asked.
“Yours…” I said, realizing what I would now have to do.
“So does that mean I can count on your support?” Was Darkflames last question.
“Yes…I will do all that is needed of me and help in any way I can…sir.” I said.
“Great! now let us begin by giving you your first assignment.” Darkflame said, putting a letter in my hand.
I did not look at the letter yet; instead I smiled and said “I will do my best sir!” then finished with a quick salute before making my departure.
As I walked into the main room of the building, where there was just enough light to read by, I took out the letter and opened it.
The letter said as follows, “Dear assignee - This mission requires your upmost stealth and cunning, for what I need you to do must NOT be found out by ANYONE, now onto the mission. I need you to find intelligence on the clans, tribes, and settlers of this land, find samples of their culture, government structure etc. then once you do this, the last part of your assignment is to find a low ranking member from each group and capture him or her and bring them back to the new order headquarters, they must be low rank so that their absence is not noticed. Once you do all these things your assignment is complete. – Best of luck, Shining star.”
I closed the letter, “shining star? But that was one of the golden wolf soldiers… does this mean there are traitors at the temple?” I thought to myself.
As I looked at the envelope of the letter I thought about the temple, then I remembered my mission was still not over, the New Order did not know it, but they had a double agent on their hands.
I walked to the temple, in front of the entrance was the crate I had been supposed to do deliver to the general…I walked to it and tried to pick it up “well, it’s still heavy, that’s for sure” I said to myself as I struggled to lift the crate, I managed to and walked slowly inside the temple.
Something did not feel right…it was quiet “What happened to all the sounds and all the people…” I walked past the main room and into the hall ways, I walked to where General Grey was supposed to be, but he was no-where to be seen. “General, I have the materials you request---“I was interrupted by a painful ringing in my ears, it was almost too strong to bear. “W-What is g-going on?!..” I said in pain.
“Why did you?...for money?...power?...” a familiar voice said.
“…Both…” I admitted regret and guilt filled my voice…and soon my whole mind.
I felt tears building up in my eyes “I am sorry…I thought it was just another contract…” I said the sadness in my voice showing.
“Your greed has already cost many innocent lives, there is no turning back” said the voice.
“I will! There has to be a way!” I exclaimed.
“Then find the way…” came the now almost emotionless reply.
“I will…at any cost…” I said softly
The ringing stopped, as I got back onto my feet I felt that something changed in my mind…even if only by a small amount.
I looked at the crate and decided the general would know that i brought it here, then quickly walked out of the temple “Well so much for examining anyone from the temple, there is no one to examine…” I said as I went out the entrance and toward the next group I could think of, the rebellion.
Chapter 4: The Shadows tale begins.
Date: January 1st 1471.
It had been 365 passes of the sun or in ‘normal’ terms, one year, since the new recruit was sent on his mission, Darkflame knew that he would not be back any time soon, so he decided he would have a talk with his second in command to discuss this issue.
“Star” Darkflame said an emotionless look in his eyes. “Can I have a word with you?”
Star nodded. “Yes sir,” then walked over to him, “What do you need of me?”
“I need some information.” Darkflame said, “On our recruit, you met him, so I thought you might have some details.” He continued.
“Right…well I could not gather much information, but judging on his psychology that I examined, he seems to be haunted by some memory, some detail of the past, if we can figure it out, he will be helpless to refuse our cause.” Star said. She knew this info because, as a child she was gifted with or as most say “cursed” with a rare ability to read peoples psychology by their words, actions, and body language. It was quite a talent, gained by blood, tears, and horrible, horrible memories, Darkflame did not care, in fact he took advantage of it.
Darkflame decided he would find out what this was, so he left for the temple.
Later he arrived, walking inside he found that the temple was… empty… odd, because usually there were many of those arrogant want-to-be soldiers around that usually checked him for clearance.
As the minutes went on, there were no signs of life, not even signs of death, it was all too odd, especially considering it was not his doing, but he did not have time to think about such trivial things, the point was that his informant was not here, and so he had wasted his time and would have to find out this secret on his own, he walked back to his “home” or what he called home any way.
Later that day he had heard reports of the nearby town, people have been disappearing there for a few weeks now, he wondered what, or who, this could be caused by, so he decided he would have a look himself, along with his second in command of course.
They managed to make it to the town within a matter of hours, the fog was thick in the air, mortals would find it extremely hard to see if not impossible in this, but he found it as not much of a challenge for his eyes, he walked into a small broken down church in the middle of the town.
“Hmph, pathetic mortal building of worship, it sickens me so.” Darkflame said, scoffing at the crosses strewn across the walls and ceiling in various paintings, stained glass and such.
“It looks nice, for a place of the false one anyway.” Star said, looking at some of the windows.
“We have no time for sight-seeing we have to find out what is going on here, and why.” Darkflame replied.
Chapter 5: Follow the light…
Date: January 2nd 1471.
Do not ask me how I managed to evade capture for a whole year, in-fact evading all sources of life, I had a moment of pride at my accomplishment, but that was cut short by the wave sorrow of remembering why it was that I was hiding. I stood up slowly to face the day, i was exhausted, that must have been why I fell asleep in the middle of a small clearing, which was not really the safest place to be, especially with soldiers after you like you were some kind of convict. Who was I kidding, I am a convict, it was worthless to deny it, I knew it and so did everyone else.
Deciding that it was best to start moving instead of standing here I started running, I thought of the past year and remembered that strange town I arrived in before, it was deserted last time I saw it, so does that mean it would be the perfect hide-out? I would have to find that out on my own.
It took almost a whole day to get out of the depths of the forest, I arrived at