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

“What do you mean, entirely different?” asked David confused at the explanation Orin was giving him.

“David, your eyes were completely white, and they were glowing that same strange hue as the orb in your hand. The orb was glowing too. It was like you were lost within the orb, somewhere deep within its magical current. I tried to wake you, but you didn’t respond immediately like I expected you would, had you been in a normal trance.

“You weren’t asleep and dreaming and you weren’t in the trance I put you in either, or you would have responded to me. Your mind, your spirit, had gone somewhere entirely different.” he finished, still stricken by what he had witnessed.

David stood up and started walking slowly around the room. He didn’t understand what the orb meant when it told him to free his mind and give in to the power within. He didn’t feel like he was holding anything back.

He knew he desperately needed to gain control of the orb's power, but the message he got was too vague.

Frustrated, he asked Orin to put him in a trance again. Reluctantly, Orin agreed, curious to see what else might happen.

Despite their efforts, and after another hour with no success, David wasn’t able to repeat his connection with the orb. The most he got was a headache and a replay of random thoughts and memories as they passed in and out of his conscious thought. They finally decided to give it a rest and call it a night.

The next morning, they would be finishing their preparations for the coming battle and begin the long arduous march up the valley road and back down the mountainside on the path that would eventually lead them to Eldergate. They would both need their rest if they were to be of good use on the journey ahead.

Orin disappeared into his room first as it was closer to the grand study room they used for practice. David said goodnight to his friend and started down the hall towards his room. When he arrived, he quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers up close to his face. Frustrated by his lack of success and now completely exhausted, David drifted off quickly into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter XXIII

“The preparations are coming along just as you expected, my King” General Parker bowed respectfully low to King Krauss before continuing. “It seems that the boy has found a way through the plains and into the mountains beyond. He has two companions with him, an elderly man, the other a middle-aged man of considerable size and strength. Our scouts reported that they made it through our defensive ring and seem to have headed towards the city-kingdom of Ravenfell.”

He paused to gauge his king’s reaction before he was signaled to go on.

“The scouts in the forest reported a major defeat with our ambush of the rebel camp. They had a more formidable force than we had anticipated, however it is no major concern. Our scouts are scouring the area and will find their new camp just as they had before. This time, we will make sure to crush them with our mages.”

The man hesitated before revealing his next bit of news, “There is something else, your majesty. There were reports from the battle of a girl who matched your description. She’s found her way to the rebel camp and is fighting alongside them. We will find her, my lord, and we will bring her to you as promised.”

He bowed his head low, waiting for the backlash he was expecting, but it never came. He slowly looked up at his King. He was standing by a window, looking out at the city below, his arms placed lightly behind his back.

Eager to finish with a positive message, General Parker continued.

“Also, your majesty will be pleased to hear that the scouts have located and captured another one of the elves. They are holding her in the dungeons.” The general finished with his report, keeping his head down to avoid making eye contact with the King as he turned with mention of the elf-girl.

“Excellent! Thank you, General, for your detailed report. At this rate it won’t be long before my plan comes to fruition. If we can’t get our hands on the girl, we will soon have enough power stored up that we won’t need her or that meddlesome boy any longer. Then, when the time is right, we will unleash my master and begin our conquest.” General Krauss smiled as he imagined the moment of his victory.

He would have what he wanted one way or the other. Now that he nearly had enough energy stored up in the crystal to perform the ritual, he would only need a few more elves or dwarves to complete his harvesting and the crystal would be ready. But it was a difficult thing to get his hands on those pesky creatures.

The elves were a little easier to capture than the dwarves, since they had a tendency of wandering off in the forest alone or in small groups. But the dwarves, they rarely ventured from their deep chambers within the mountains – too absorbed in their endless mining and far less interested in the world above to care to venture there.

“There’s one more thing, your Majesty…” said General Parker in a low murmur, his head bowed low, hesitant to deliver his final briefing. “The soldiers in the dungeon have reported that the King and Elder have escaped.”

“WHAT?” spat General Krauss. “How did this happen? Send the Wolf Guard out immediately to search for the prisoners. In the meantime, I will deal with those useless fools in the dungeon.”

General Krauss quickly walked past his extravagant throne while waving off the plate of grapes being offered by this week’s slave girl. With the citizens who had been unfortunate enough to be captured, he had been having his fresh pick of slaves