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

“We have to do something,” Matt said. “There must be a way to free ourselves…”

“Of course there is,” the Scavenger said. “It’s quite easy to escape. But we won’t. Let the Black Hunters take us into their lair.” The Scavenger surprised them.

“What?” Archer asked. “This is so stupid of us. Should we not escape while we still have the chance?”

The Scavenger shook his head. “The Black Hunters terrorize and torture people on behalf of the Death Lord. Many Clans have tried to defeat them, but have failed. They can’t find their hidden lair.”

“Once we know their lair, we can inform the other Clans!” James finished. “Yes, it’s a brilliant idea.”

The Scavenger smiled. “Exactly.”

“But how will we escape the lair?” Archer queried.

“Don’t worry about that,” the Scavenger said, and turned silent. It looked like he was already planning something.

After a few hours, they reached the lair. Triton raised both hands and chanted something. The lid of the cave started sliding to reveal the darkness inside.

They trudged on.

The lair was a vast fortress, surrounded by dangerous fences.

They reached a magnificent gate that swung open at Triton’s command, and the group marched in.

Guards surrounded the courtyard and they all bowed to Triton. He commanded, “Take the prisoners in.”

The guards took the children and the Scavenger into the prison cells and slammed the door shut.

The children turned to the Scavenger. “Now what?”

The Scavenger, rubbing his hands, gleefully responded, “Now we escape!”

7

“Somebody needs to get out of here and share the location of the lair with the nearest clans. The attack on the lair should be organized within three hours,” the Scavenger said.

“Why only three hours?” Matt asked.

“Here in the Dark World, execution of captives is done only at noon. It’s only three hours left to noon. So, who’s up for it?”

“Someone who is the most experienced,” James said, “and who knows how to fight.”

James looked at his friends, and they said in unison, looking at the Scavenger, “You, of course.”

The Scavenger nodded while examining the prison bars. “I knew that. As it is, I would not have risked any of you in this.”

“Serpentine steel,” he muttered. “Its main component is drone bee wax. I can use fire, but there’s the risk that it could burn us alive. The Root of Menea, however…”

He turned to Daniel. “I need your help. You have the Magic of the Earth. Can you find me the Root of Menea?”

The others didn’t understand what he meant, but Daniel nodded and closed his eyes. He ventured mentally from tree to tree, branch to branch, root to root…

He opened his eyes and there in his hands was the Root of Menea.

The Scavenger nodded. “Now I will just need a little water in the root to…” Before he could finish, James raised his hand and water poured on the Root.

The Scavenger touched the root on the bars. The bars softened. The Scavenger parted the bars and came out.

He turned and pressed the bars back into position.

The Scavenger rushed towards the door and noticed two guards outside with their backs to him.

With a sudden move, he hit the two guards on the heads, and they fell on the floor unconscious. He changed into the guard’s uniform and ran towards the front gate. The front gate was heavily guarded. Creeping into the shadows, the Scavenger stealthily made his way to the back gate.

He was surprised to see that there was no one guarding the entrance. Perhaps Triton had too much faith in his prison wardens.

Just as the Scavenger was about to cross the gate, several guards darted out from the bushes and ambushed him.

One of them laughed. “You think we are fools. We know you hit our guard. Surrender.”

Thoughts went lightning fast through the Scavenger’s mind. He needed to neutralize all these guards before the other guards got to know of it. In a split second, he threw the guard’s uniform off, revealing the steel armour he had originally worn.

Assuming a battle stance, he readied himself. The guards surrounded him.

The Scavenger could feel the rush of adrenaline inside him. Leaping upward, he twirled and planted two kicks on two guards, making them fly away. As he landed on the ground, he swiped his leg, making more guards fall.

The Scavenger punched a guard on his stomach, making him bend in pain. He put his leg on the guard’s head and kicked forward. The momentum was enough to propel him through the air, making him land behind the group of guards.

Before the guards could turn, the Scavenger kicked their head with lightning speed. Within moments, all the guards were thrown on the ground, beaten.

Hiding them under the bushes, the Scavenger realized an hour had passed already.

The Scavenger knew the area. The nearest place was the Clan of Red Pythons led by King Avocado, which was about fifty miles away. The Clan of Daggers and the Clan of Tigers were close by too. Although the Scavenger had never met King Avocado, he had heard many stories about his helpful nature. He decided to approach the King. But the distance was long and there was no way he could reach to the King in time, unless…

He stole a chariot, rendering five guards unconscious.

He whipped the horses as they neighed and shot towards his destination.

The chariot moved fast, at a speed of about fifty miles per hour, trampling over the obstacles that came in its way.

In an hour, the Scavenger entered the village of the Clan of Red Pythons. He zipped past the guards as they tried to stop him and stopped the chariot in the presence of King Avocado.

“What… Guards… who is he...?” the King began.

“No time!” the Scavenger said, jumping down from the chariot. “My friends are in danger! The Black Hunters have captured them. Help me!”

“Why should we trust you?” King Avocado shot back. “We don’t even know you!”

The Scavenger removed his headgear and revealed his face. King Avocado’s eyes beamed. “The Scavenger, the servant of Lord Arcane. What