Quest for the Arcane Crown by Yajat Sharma (good inspirational books TXT) 📕

Aronicle addressed the children, “Dear prophesied boys, the Elemental Powers in you have been awakened. I request you to stay for a celebratory feast.”

The Scavenger refused the offer. “I am sorry, but we don’t have time. We have to embark on our quest.”

Aronicle said, “I understand. I would not hold you back. Bring peace upon us. May you be successful in your quest!”

The assembled people cheered and bowed before the children and the Scavenger as they started walking out of the village.

Archer remembered something. “Hey, you said that if we survived the awakening, there would be a surprise waiting for us. What is that?”

The Scavenger shook his head and laughed. “Oh nothing! I told you that just to motivate you!”

Archer frowned. “Aw! I really thought there was a surprise!”

“Isn’t the awakening of Elemental Powers a big surprise in itself?” the Scavenger asked, grinning. “I never thought all four of you would be such powerful Elementals. You all look so innocent.”

Daniel blushed and asked the Scavenger, “What are we to do next?”

The Scavenger rubbed his hands in excitement. “It’s time to take out the riddle.”

The children nodded.

James took out the box from his pocket and gave it to the Scavenger.

The Scavenger closed his eyes and concentrated.

The lid of the box opened.

Almost simultaneously, an arrow shot out from nowhere and hit a tree, just an inch away from Matt’s face.

“Someone is here!” the Scavenger whispered. He clicked his fingers and the box disappeared.

The children had already pulled out their swords.

“Put down your weapons,” a voice boomed. “Or the next arrow will be on your face!”

The children looked at the Scavenger. The Scavenger shook his head.

“I will count to three!” “One… two… thr -!”

Mid-sentence, the enemy attacked. An arrow shot out towards the Scavenger’s face. He was quick to bend down, and the arrow impaled the tree behind him.

The Scavenger gritted his teeth. If the arrow had been aimed at the children, they wouldn’t have been able to dodge.

He nodded at the children and they reluctantly dropped their weapons.

A man wearing a black hood stepped out from the bushes. He appeared majestic.

The Scavenger snarled, “Slither.”

The man smiled. “Hardly. I am his grandson, Python. I am surprised to see that you remember Slither. But on second thoughts, well, of course, you will. After all those days of torturing…”

The Scavenger winced.

It was a tale of a century ago. The Scavenger had been captured by a man named Slither, who was at that time a General of the Death Lord’s army. Tortured for days, the Scavenger somehow managed to escape his prison, but he could never erase Slither from his mind.

“Stay away, Python!” the Scavenger said. “These are not your grandfather’s times. I am much more powerful now. You will be crushed.”

Python pulled out his sword. “You don’t have your legendary weapon, the Lightning Sword. You are nothing without it.”

The Scavenger winced again. He never wanted anyone to mention the topic of the Lightning Sword at all.

“How about you, then?” The Scavenger said, stalling for time. He could see the children with their eyes closed. They were most probably concentrating their powers. “Still living on the streets?”

“Ha ha!” Python laughed. “I have joined the Clan of the Black Hunters! Our leader is the legendary Triton. And we are in service of the Death Lord!”

Python nocked an arrow on his bow and aimed at the children. He let the arrow fly.

“NO!” the Scavenger shouted. He lunged at the arrow but missed. The arrow hurtled through the air towards the children.

Just as it was about to hit them, it changed direction and retreated towards Python. Matt was focusing his power to control the wind.

Python’s eyes narrowed in surprise. He ducked quickly and narrowly escaped.

Those few moments gave the Scavenger enough time to recover. He lunged at Python.

The two of them crashed to the ground. Python flung the Scavenger aside, and put another arrow in his bow.

“Give me a sword!” the Scavenger shouted at the children.

Daniel threw a sword. The Scavenger caught it in mid-air and deflected the arrow that Python shot towards him.

The Scavenger brought his sword down. Sparks flew as the two swords clashed.

Python used a series of attack combinations that drove the Scavenger towards a tree.

Python was continuously swinging his sword at the Scavenger, trying to dominate him.

The Scavenger had an idea. He intentionally placed a strike on Python that missed the target and left his head area unguarded. The Hunter caught the bait and slashed his sword at the Scavenger’s head.

The Scavenger was waiting for this and ducked just in time. Python’s sword hit the tree. He tried to pull it out, but in vain.

The Scavenger pressed his sword against Python’s neck and looked at the children. “Will you do the honours?”

Archer shot fire at Python, who shrieked as he started burning. James put it out with chilled water that left Python shivering with cold. Daniel made roots that slapped against Python several times, and Matt shot him into the sky.

Their fun had just begun when several Black Hunters burst out of their hiding places. They soon surrounded the group.

Their leader Triton, wearing a grey hood, stepped out from the crowd of the Hunters. He shouted at Python, “Shame! These puny little boys scaring you.”

One of the Black Hunters piped up, “They are the prophesied children, Lord!”

Triton’s eyes widened. “And how do you know that?”

“I saw them fight, Lord!” the man said breathlessly. “They have control of the Elements. They blasted our brother into the sky!”

Triton grinned widely. “How wonderful! Our master will be pleased if we capture them. He will reward us with gold!”

Triton announced, “Bind them and take them to our lair.”

He shot an arrow towards the ground near the Scavenger.

A cage expanded around them.

The cage seemed magical. At once, the swords in the hands of the children and the Scavenger stuck to the wall and fell out. The cage was then attached to five horses. The Black Hunters – with Triton in the lead – proceeded to their