The Shadow King by Matthew R. Davis (little red riding hood ebook free TXT) 📕

Chapter One:
Memories

The trees overhead only made it more difficult for him to see as he made his way through the forest. The smell of pine was heavy in the air as walked carefully over the twisted knots of tree roots sticking up through the ground beneath him. “Remara.” He said aloud. The life force of a nearby rabbit fueled the spell he wove with the Language of Elders. A small red ball of light appeared above his hand. He looked at his surroundings, still unable to see clearly. Unsatisfied with the spells results, he increased the flow of energy, bringing the rabbit within seconds of death. The ball grew in size in its response to the increased energy.
The area around the man was then painted in a reddish glow. This time, he was fully satisfied. He bent over and examined the earth in front of him. His dark eyes fixated on it, with an intent the soldier behind him didn’t understand.
“They were here some time ago. One of them were mortally wounded, but was healed with magic.” He said with a smirk. The soldier stiffened as the man stood and turned to look at him. The man’s eyes bore into the soldier, their deadly gaze gleaming in the moon light. The evil inside the man pulsated with a vibrancy that frightened the soldier. The very force of his brutality caused him to shiver with unease.
“What do you purpose we do Hamlock?” The man said in his raspy voice.
“I suppose we should, continue onward sire...” He replied. At first the man didn’t reply. He only stood and glared at Hamlock. “Sire?”
“Right you are Hamlock. We shall continue forward. I say we are but a week behind them. With that dragon with them, it’s easy enough for me to locate them.” The man said.
“How so sire?” The man chuckled under his breath.
“All in due time Hamlock.”

“Rise and shine Pen!” Elva yelled out as she splashed cold water on Pen’s face. He bolted upright and yelled “Damn you Elva!” She frowned and brushed aside a strand of her dark hair.
“There is no reason for you to be snippy. I was only having a bit of fun. After the last few weeks i think we need to enjoy ourselves at least a little...” She said.
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve really been on edge since our battle with Granite. And i still have a difficult time believing that he was your uncle.”
She nodded and looked to the cloudless sky. “Yes, well at least it seems we will have a safe and easy flight today. After all, you are going to continue training with Rien and Urie right?”
“Aye, i believe i need all the training i can get if i am to join the resistance’s army.”
Pen stood and stretched his aching muscles. He examined the area around them. There were no trees in sight, but the morning light casted magnificent glows about the Valley of Green, giving him the feeling of complete serenity. On either side of Pen, towering mountains rocketed to the heavens, making him feel small. Rien was on the furthest corner of their camp, busy conversing with Urie, his ice dragon, about matters unknown to Pen. Elva was collecting her things and placing them into her pack. It surprised Pen at how fast she worked. It was obvious that she had traveled many times before.
Pacco was lying on the ground, surrounded by rocks that he used to outline his body. Pen didn’t fully understand Pacco. He was a strange and very unusual individual.
“Pen, i would also like to get some more training with Lethian in before we get to the resistance. You’re still not very skilled with a blade.” Elva said without taking her eyes off of her work.
“If you wish.” He replied.
Pen then grabbed his pack and proceeded to gather his things from the camp around them. He picked up extra slabs of meat that they didn’t finish the night before. He picked up clothes, water skins and what little bit of money he still had left from his room. The last thing he retrieved from the soft, grass coated ground was Lethian. The sword he had been given to him by Elva in Teiram. The sword was unique in every aspect. Even the metal was not of this earth. It was had special qualities that allowed it to retrieve and store energy from around it.
A quality that Pen found most useful in battling a sorcerer. He attached Lethian’s holster to his belt and sheathed it. It clicked into place and hung from his side, making him appear as a nobleman. Even the holster was of great make. Its detailed and complex design was of the highest standards. Elva clasped Pen’s hand and kissed his cheek.
“I think it’s time we leave. Apophis should be back before long.”
Pen nodded and gestured at Rien that it was time. The two of them nodded in return and together they strode over to Pen and followed him and Elva down the long path heading towards the western mountains of Valley Green.

Apophis scanned the ground below for signs of life. This had been the first time he had had this much trouble finding a meal. He growled in frustration as he passed the cliff at the edge of Valley Green. He angled his wings and turned back towards Pen’s camp. He then reached forward with his mind.
“I am unsuccessful. The largest animal i located was a musk rat too small for even a hatchling.” He said
Pen’s voice filtered through their mental connection.
“We have plenty of meat left from last night. You could just eat that.” Apophis was unsure if the meat in Pen’s sack would even suffice as a snack, but decided that he was going to have no better luck searching around the valley. It was strange to Apophis. He had always known valleys to be filled with life. He shook his head and thrust himself into a swift flight. He quickened the pace of his wings and straightened his neck out.
“I take it you have already left camp?” He asked Pen.
“Aye, we are about a mile or two west of the camp. I doubt you will have much trouble finding us.”
“That i will not young one.” The Day Dream Dragon responded with a small chuckle.
He sniffed and let out a long breath of fresh morning air. It was crisp and cool, but felt good in his throat. He smiled and allowed himself to relax. He strained his wings to allow himself to fly faster. Joy seemed to be flowing through him.
“I see you.” Pen said suddenly.
“And I you little one.” Pen smiled as the great dragon folded his wings and dove into a steep decline. Just 100 feet from the ground did he open his wings. The sudden force of air put great strain on the membranes of Apophis’s wings. He landed with a solid thud. “Good of you to join us Apophis, i take it you have had your fill?” Rien asked as Apophis approached the group.
“No, this valley is clear of animals big enough for me to thoroughly enjoy. Though i prefer my food live, Pen has offered me the leftover meat from last night. So i should be fine until i can fly out of this accursed valley.” Apophis replied.
Pen reached into his pack and pulled out a cloth containing the deer meat. He placed it on the ground in front of Apophis, who looked at it with dismay.
“It’s not as much as i was hoping for.” Without another word, he gobbled it up in one scoop. The meat slid effortlessly down his gullet.
After Apophis finished his meager meal, they continued to walk in near silence. This aloud Pen time to reflect on the past two day’s events. He marveled at all he had accomplished.
He recalled the great battle that had taken place between himself, Rien, Urie, Pacco, Apophis, Granite, and his Night Stalk Dragon. It amazed him at how he was able to free Elva from the dragons clutches. And how he was able to save himself from the arms of death. Then he remembered learning about his Grandfather’s past. About how he was The Great Blodgaram. And how him and his dragon, Phoenix fought to stop Methias, but ultimately was unable to.
The dark king vanquished Phoenix and nearly killed Blodgaram. He also had learned about the ring on his finger, and the magical essence inside of it. Blodgaram had stored his own mind within the ring. Pen found this out by searching within the ring with his mind. Inside the ring, his grandfather had created a vast world that he lived in. It was an absolute paradise. He found himself lost within it for several hours, talking with his grandfather, learning about the capabilities of magic. And its limitations.
“You can do much with magic Pen. You can create touchable, feel-able, beings. You can heal wounds, inflict damage. You can even take a life if needed. You can do almost anything your heart desires. But you must always make sure you do not have a loophole in a spell. Having one could result in your death.”
“How?” Pen asked him.
“Say you wanted to do something as simple as move a rock from one spot to another. If you were to just say, move that rock, the rock very well might never stop, and if you were using your own life force to fuel the spell, you would be drained and killed by the spell. Or if you wanted to carry yourself over a canyon or river and you simply said, carry me across, you might get flung across at such speed that the impact would crush you. Magic is helpful, but use it to freely, and you will wined up dead,”
“What if i wanted to bring someone who’d died back? Could that be possible?”
“You must never attempt resurrection. That is of the darkest magic imaginable. It will un-doubtfully kill you. For such a spell cannot be fueled with another’s life force. You would have to relinquish your own to their body, and take their place where ever their spirit was sent. This means if they went to hell, you would be damned to burn for eternity.”
Pen didn’t ask any questions after that. He was still recovering from the initial shock of finding his dead grandfather alive and well.
He had hoped that resurrection could have been possible for him. With it, he had hoped to bring his mother back. She knew something about Blodgaram and the dark king. It didn’t make sense to him that Methias would just choose him out of thousands of people. There was a reason for Methias’s desire to kill Pen.
“Urie...do you know anything about my mother?”
The dragon shook her head in response. “Pacco knew about your grandfather. So maybe you answers lie with him.”
Pacco was hobbling in the back of the group chanting something under his breath as they walked. “I think I’ll wait till he is done with...whatever it is he is doing...” Pen said to Urie aloud.
Apophis let out a loud yawn, exposing his sharp white teeth. His black scales glittered in the light and at times, the light would blind Pen. He found it a nuisance. “At times, i wish your scales were not so mirror like Apophis. It could be a dangerous thing.”
“Must