The Blue Moon by Madeline Gottlieb (top ten books to read txt) 📕

“You’re not dead, are you?”

Zach shook his head. “No, but I need you to come back with me.”

He stared at Zach for a moment and shook his head, looking back out the window. “But this realm here is so peaceful. I’ve no pain or emotions.”

Zach stepped up and gazed out the window, raising his eyebrows at the site. There was land that went for miles, covered with trees. Below them, there was a large fountain in the middle circled by hundreds of beautiful flowers. On the side, there was a creek that flowed with clear blue water and had rocks that shined in the sun. Chris laughed. “Now you see why I want to stay?”

Shaking his head, Zach tore his gaze from outside. “Chris, we need you. The war is beginning to take place in our realm, and Eiko is back in her realm.”

He raised his eyebrows. “So Renin has reached our realm…” Chris’ green eyes stared into Zach's as his voice broke. “Then everything we’ve ever known is lost.”

The Truth

Zach stared at Chris, trying to figure out what he meant. “Chris, please come back with me. We need you.”

Chris laughed. “You think you need me, when in reality, you can do this all on your own, but you’d rather not.” His face got serious. “I will come back though, if it means trying to at least save our realm from Renin.” Letting out a breath, Zach nodded and opened his mouth to say something, but Chris interrupted him. “You know Eiko has a sister, right?”

Zach shook his head. “Do you know her?” When Chris nodded, he sat down. “What’s she like?”

Zach could see Chris' eyes shine as he mentioned her and Zach soon understood why he’d mentioned it. “She’s beautiful, Zach, as beautiful as Eiko. She has long light red hair, lighter than Carla’s, and her eyes are a blue and green, with black specks.” He turned to stare back out the window. “For the last four months, I’ve been hoping that I’d be able to see her again.”

Smiling, Zach grabbed his arm. “You will see her again, Chris, very soon.” With that, he cleared his mind and thought of Christian and John. Within seconds, Chris and Zach were standing next to the two other boys.

Zach stepped aside as Chris stared at their two friends dumbfounded, like it actually hadn’t hit him that he was alive, back in the real world. As Zach watched, John was the first to move towards Chris, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Once he realized his hand didn’t go through him, he pulled him into a tight hug. “You’re back, oh my god, you’re back.” He mumbled, a few tears falling down his face. Chris hesitated but finally returned the hug.

“It must be hard for both of them,” Christian murmured, standing beside Zach and watching the scene, “especially Chris.”

Chris and John separated and Chris turned to Christian. “It’s great to see you again, brother.”

Smiling, Christian nodded. “Same to you, man. It’s more than great.”

After they were done saying their hellos, they all turned to face Zach, wondering what was going to happen now. He looked around the graveyard as rain started to pour, the setting sun becoming covered with dark clouds. As thunder cackled and lightning lit up the sky, Zach turned to them, water dripping onto his face. “I think we should head back to my house; it’s protected by the Light.” He explained.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and John grabbed Chris while Christian grabbed Zach, and then they were on his porch, safe. “I see that you returned him to reality.” They all jumped at Cara’s voice as she walked up the stairs and stood next to Christian, who wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She turned her gaze to Zach. “It seems that Renin is aware that Chris has returned and the last Warrior is figuring out how to use his powers. He knows that soon, one side will fall.”

“What about our realm?” Chris spoke up. Instantly, Zach knew he was asking about Aulinaber. Chris had never cared for the human things here, and now he knew why.
Cara looked at him for a moment and smiled. “Seyren is fine, I kept her safe.” Christian kissed her cheek and smiled, his eyes showing that he was more than proud.

“Cara, do you know anymore about Stephen and Garret?” Zach asked, opening his front door and stepping in.

“I know everything about it, Warrior.” She replied, sitting on the couch next to Christian. “But the tale includes Eiko and Seyren.”

Raising his eyebrows, Zach wondered why they’d never mentioned Seyren. But he didn’t bother to ask, as it wasn’t his business. “Well, tell us.”

She nodded and leaned into Christian, getting comfortable. “It started the day Renin turned against their father, King Darius. He used his wizard magic and injured his father and threatened his sister, Seyren. After he fled, King Darius was never the same again. He always had this distant look in his old eyes. But Renin left a threat. He said that he would return and the throne would be his. One day, Stephen and Garret decided to go look for their brother and convince him to stop, but Renin offered them the title of king, so the two agreed, but they had one task: kill Eiko and Seyren.”

When she finished, Chris was staring at her, disbelief written all over his face. “So Stephen and Garret plan to kill Seyren and Eiko?” When Cara nodded, Chris’ eyes got wide. “We need to get to them, now.”

He moved faster than Zach had ever seen someone move, but Cara blocked his way from getting outside. “It’s not safe, Chris. You know that as well as I.” When Chris backed down, Cara placed a hand on his shoulder. “Seyren will be safe, I promise, as will Eiko. But until we can stop Stephen and Garret, Renin must be killed.”

Christian groaned. “We’ve tried for the last 80 years to kill him! Cara, what if Renin won’t die? What if he knows something we don’t?”

Cara stared at the floor and for once looked defeated. Sighing, she sat down next to Christian, and looked at Zach. “As a Protector of Eiko, I am sworn to some secrecy, but in these circumstances, there can be no secrets. Renin is aware that some of us in here love some in the Royal family, and he will use that against us.” Her eyes went from Chris to Christian, then to John and finally back to Christian. “Not only will that bring out the emotions that a Warrior needs, but in bringing out his powers with such emotions can kill anyone around him at the time.”

Zach stared at her. “So my emotions can kill people?”

“I’m aware that you spoke with Desdemona. She told you that you must tell Eiko that you don’t love her, but you do not love her anyway. Seyren lives with the torture of feeling others emotions, and only when she is with Chris, she feels nothing but her emotions. So if Chris was to be kidnapped by Renin, and your emotions got out of hand, Seyren could possibly die.” Her blue eyes were sad and Zach knew that she wished none of this was real. He also knew why Renin would choose Chris. Renin must have seen them when he died; silent and unable to do anything. Chris was still weak and vulnerable, something Renin didn’t need to know.

Standing up, Zach pointed at Chris. “Then take him back with you. Take him to Seyren and don’t let him leave her side, for nothing.”

Cara stood up and looked at the four of them. “I will take you all with me, but when we get there, Zach, you must begin your training with Christian as soon as possible. Renin will not stop, and neither will Stephen and Garret.”

Everyone nodded in sync and as she grabbed Christian’s hand, everyone grabbed each other, making sure one of them had Christian, and instantly, Zach felt as light as a feather. Opening his eyes, he gasped. They were no longer in his house, but in the most beautiful field he’d ever seen.

Cara smiled at Zach. “Welcome home, Darek.”

Dark Clouds and Beautiful Lightning

“Darek?” Zach muttered, staring at Cara, who smiled.

“You are Darek, the last Warrior of Light.” John replied, placing a hand on Zach's shoulder.

Chris rolled his eyes. “In case none of you noticed, he is Zachary, not Darek. Darek died hundreds of years ago in war.”

Zach watched as Cara shifted uncomfortably. “Chris, Darek is Zach, reincarnated. No matter what anyone says, Darek is somewhere within Zachary.”

He could feel the tension in the air and he cleared my throat. “Cara, I will not return to the castle with you and the others.” When everyone’s but Chris’ eyes widened, Zach went on. “I wish to look around and learn more about this realm.”

Chris smiled. “I’m glad you’ve got a mind of your own, brother. Everyone here just follows the law.” Zach watched as Chris closed his eyes and muttered something. Suddenly, a black cloak appeared in his hands and he opened his eyes, handing it to Zach. “Be careful down there, Zack. Some people will not take well to the last Warrior.”

Zach nodded and slipped the cloak on over his clothes and pulled the hood up. Smiling, he winked and walked away from the group, heading to the lower town. As Zach walked on, he could still hear Cara and Chris arguing. Trying his best to ignore it, he stared from atop the hill. “Beautiful,” he whispered, a small smile on his lips. As the sun began to set, Zach sped up, making his way through crowds of people, listening to them whisper about the one. Wanting to get away from everyone, he turned a sharp corner and hit someone, knocking them to the ground with him on top.

The person below him groaned and Zach pulled himself up, his hands on either side of the person’s head. When he opened his eyes, he scrambled off the girl quickly, his face flushed. She sat up, her blonde locks falling over her shoulders. She groaned again and Zach watched as she lifted her hand to her face. “You know, you could at least help the person you hit up, idiot.” She muttered with a slight edge to her voice, along with a small accent.

He stumbled to his feet and grabbed her hand and lifted her to her feet. The girl glared at him with emotionless silver eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was wearing a dress that stopped above her knees and she had on flat brown boots, separating her from anyone else he’d seen today. “Are you going to apologize or just stand there?”
“S-sorry, I, uh, I didn’t see you.” The words stumbled out and Zach wanted to hit himself for sounding so stupid. “Is your head okay?”

She rolled her silver eyes. “Oh yeah, hitting the concrete with my head doesn’t hurt at all.” There was no sarcasm in her voice but her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’ve never seen you around here before, who are you?”

When she asked the question, Zach realized the hood was no longer on his head. Staring