David Bishop and the Legend of the Orb by T.C. Crawford (tools of titans ebook .txt) 📕

hand to demonstrate the act, and it nearly made David jump out of his seat.

“Your words do not make me afraid, Nephew. They only make me saddened to see you so eager to throw the lives of your people away, the same way you threw away yours when you abandoned us!” said the King, to which Rex visibly slumped in his chair, seemingly defeated.

“Now, if that is all, you will have to excuse me. I have important business to attend to” said the King. He signaled to Reginald, who had been waiting silently by the doorway, to usher his nephew and the others to leave.

“You may stay here for the night, if you wish, but by morning I want you to go.” called the King, and he walked swiftly out of the room.

Chapter XVII

That night after having another large, regal feast, David, Orin, and Rex decided to go to the pub to meet with his friends, Reingard and Holzer, for a few drinks before calling it a night and preparing for their journey back down the mountain the next morning.

As they walked down the hill toward the village, it was clear that Rex’s return had sparked a lot of attention in the townsfolk, as crowds of men, women, and children waited at the edge of the town, awaiting his arrival. Apparently Reingard and Holzer had went around telling everyone in town that Rex had really returned, as the rumors had suggested, and that he would be coming to the pub that night for a grand party.

Rex couldn’t help but smile in spite of the disheartening confrontation he had had with his uncle earlier that day.

Cheers erupted from the townsfolk as Rex and the others approached. It was almost like a hero had returned from a long, fought war, victorious over his enemies. Inside, Rex didn’t feel like a hero. Instead, he felt downtrodden and defeated for not being successful at enlisting the help of his uncle, the King.

As they made their way through the thronging crowd towards the pub, David and Orin had to push their way forcefully through in order to keep up with their friend or risk losing him to the masses.

When they finally reached the pub, they sat down at a table in the far end of the room prepared specifically for Rex and his companions and had some pints of honey ale brought to the table for them to drink. A seemingly endless procession of people approached the table to greet Rex and welcome him home, one by one, for what felt like hours, until finally the last one had greeted him and they had a much needed moment to relax.

David and Orin sat staring dumbfounded at their apparently very popular, and very royal, friend, seeing him in a completely different light than they previously had.

“I know, I know…It’s embarrassing, really.” replied Rex, noticing their looks and sheepishly smiling before taking a big gulp from his mug.

“I definitely was not expecting this kind of reception, but honestly…I’m kind of enjoying it. It’s nice to be back home…” he said after swallowing.

To his right sat David and Orin, and across the table from Rex sat Reingard and Holzer, already slightly buzzed and on their third pint each.

David was the first to bring up the real subject that was weighing on each of their minds, “Rex, if you have this much support from the people, why is it that you’re letting your uncle run the show?” he asked.

“It’s complicated, David,” replied Rex. “It’s true that I was in line to rule when my father died, but after my wife died, instead of owning up to my responsibilities, I ran from them, too cowardly to face the world on my own. My uncle stayed and looked after them, he earned their respect and the right to rule over them.”

“Yeah, I understand that, but that was before…this is now, and in case you’ve forgotten, the entire world is at stake if we don’t do something and stop General Krauss!” cried David.

“It is true,” piped in Orin, “the stakes are very high indeed. And despite what your uncle thinks about the defenses of this village, they wouldn’t be able to endure the endless stream of demons that would fall upon this place once they set their sights on it. It would be like a black tidal wave of death, and it would fall on your people as sure as it will fall on the rest of the world. Nothing will stand in its wake…nothing.” He finished, a grim look on his face, remembering the horrors from the War of the Mystics.

Reingard looked across the table at the old mage, no longer wearing his sheepish grin. “Did you say demons?” he asked suddenly, nudging Holzer who was working on chugging the remainder of his third pint of beer, but quickly spit it out at the mention of demons.

“Demons!” he shouted, wiping the foam from his beard, suddenly paying attention to the conversation.

“Rex is this true?” they asked, almost in unison.

“I’m afraid it is, mates…” he replied, and David and the others quickly filled them in on the recent events that led them up to that moment, each person taking turns to fill in the gaps involving their part of the story.

They told them of David’s mysterious transport into this world from his own and his bonding with the orb and the prophecy that surrounds him. Of the instructions he and Erin had received from the Elders shortly before they vanished to the palace. Of the coup led by General Krauss and how they learned he was holding the King and one of the Elders as captives in the palace dungeons.

They spoke of David’s visions and dire message from the Mystics that warned him of the pending doom that would ensue if they don’t stop General Krauss from opening a rift into the Dark Abyss. Finally, they reached the part of the story involving their flight from