*
As Hal reached the top of the Tower, Braxin Balinvain was lying facedown in a small puddle of blood. His mousey frame was huddled up and shaking spasmodically.
Note. Don't make Tasha angry enough to melt your brain.
On the altar was the plain wooden stand and atop that was an equally plain leather bound tome. Across the brown leather cover was inscribed: The Book of Korum.
"I guess this' what we came for," Hal muttered as he reached for the Book.
As his hand neared the tome, he felt a slight tingling sensation through his fingers that passed up his arm all the way to his chest. There was then a faint resistance before a flash of blue-white light sparked around the Book. The resistance fell away and was gone.
Hal blinked, checking to make sure that the Book was still there. It was. So Hal reached out and picked it up. It was rather large, about two handspans in length and one and a half in width. Not too heavy though. Hal smirked. Thicker than any book I've ever read.
Turning from the altar, Hal felt something grab at his leg. Looking down, Hal saw Braxin Balinvain's hand was clutching at his pants and was refusing to let go. The wizard's eyes were wide open in amazement as blood continued to trickle out of his ears.
"The Book..." he whispered in abject amazement. "You've got... the Book." Hal tried to jerk his leg free, but he was disturbed by the horrified look the wizard threw at him. "Give it to me," he pleaded. "Give... it..."
Hal shook his head. "I don't think so."
Balinvain's expression didn't change. "Then die.”
Hal's body was launched up onto the stone altar by a greenish bolt that rocketed from the wizard's hand. Hal wheezed in pain, clutching at his chest with his free hand while making sure that he still had a firm grip on the Book. In the background, Hal heard Tasha scream his name.
Balinvain was on him in an instant. Despite being the obvious inferior in size and strength the ferocity with which he attacked Hal was almost beyond belief. Both little fists slammed into the big man's face repeatedly, drawing blood from his nose and temporarily blinding him.
Feeling the wizard reach for the Book, Hal tried to shove him off but found that there was no getting rid him. Balinvain hung on with more determination than a piranha as he scrabbled for the Book. Scratching and clawing all along Hal's arm as he did so.
Both men were laying across the altar. Hal on his back, holding onto the Book with both hands while Balinvain was practically straddled on top, also with both hands on the Book. They struggled back and forth, pulling this way and that like two angry children squabbling over a toy.
"Give me the Book!" Balinvain screamed. "Give it to me!"
Out of the corner of his blurry eye, Hal saw that Skarlett had recovered and was slowly making his way to the staircase.
"Give me the Book!"
"Skarlett!" Hal shouted. The wemic looked up in surprise.
Gripping the Book as tightly as possible, Hal pulled back and slammed it into Balinvain's face as hard as he could. The wizard cried out and tumbled back, releasing his hold and flailing. Hal then blindly pitched the Book of Korum off the tower into open air.
"NOOOO!!" Balinvain screeched, starting to leap after the tome. But Hal grabbed a hold of his robe and hauled the smaller man back, flinging him down onto the altar. Balinvain began to punch and kick at the big man once again, laying into him with everything he had.
Quite irate, Hal climbed to one knee and caught one of Balinvain's erratic punches in his meaty hand. The wizard's expression rapidly changed from insane anger to intense agony as Hal closed his fist.
Running his free hand across his nose to wipe away the blood, Hal sniffed. "That's enough of that," he muttered angrily.
"You broke my hand," Balinvain whimpered.
Hal grunted, trying to get a better footing on the altar.
Balinvain curled in on himself. "You'll pay for this!" he cried out. "You'll all pay dearly!" And with that, he shoved against Hal as hard as he could.
Shocked by the motion, Hal lost his grip on Balinvain's crushed hand and teetered on the edge of the altar for a moment, wobbling back and forth before he finally tumbled back and fell free.
Spinning a full circle in the air, Hal howled in fright the whole way, landing with a resounding, painful splash in the pool at the base of the tower. He spluttered under the water for a few seconds as he tried to regain his senses. But then a hand grabbed forcefully at his hair and hauled him out to dry.
It was Skarlett.
"Are you all right, Hal?" the wemic asked carefully.
Gracefully, Hal hacked and wheezed over the pool's edge for at least half a minute. That done, he looked up at the tower and searched for some sight of Balinvain. He was nowhere to be seen. "Balinvain... " he spluttered. "Where ..?"
"Gone. In a big flash of light," Skarlett explained.
"The Book?"
Skarlett produced it from under his arm and pat it once. "Right here."
Hal sighed once, deeply relieved. And then he heaved himself out of the pool.
Skarlett padded over to where Ambori was slowly recovering while Hal looked at the mass carnage that had taken place in the last few minutes.
Then he saw Tasha trying to get to her feet once again.
Obediently, Hal limped over to her, ignoring the squishing sounds his sodden boots made whenever he took a step, and took both of her hands in one of his. "Please, milady. You've had a rough day."
She chuckled ruefully, accepting his assistance without complaint. "I guess you could say that, yes."
Hal sighed heavily. "I wish I could have done more to assist you all."
"You did more than enough, Hal. More than enough."
"Perhaps, but I ended up the way I started this trip," Hal said softly but with a slight twinkle in his eye.
"And how's that?"
He shrugged and ran his fingers through his soaked hair. "All wet."
Tasha stared at the big man incredulously for a brief moment. Than she laughed softly and shook her head. "Yeah, I suppose you did at that." She ran her fingers through Hal's hair then, flicking droplets of water away. "You are definitely one of a kind, my friend."
"If you say so, milady."
Tasha laughed out loud then and wrapped both of her arms around his massive torso, leaning her head against his chest. "Oh, Hal." she sighed.
With an expression of sheer uncertainty on his face, Hal carefully wrapped his arms around Tasha as well and held her close.
Epilogue - Preparations
Xir was irate.
Floating in the grey mists of his prison, he was, for the most part, completely preoccupied with his efforts for escape. He held the staff out in front of his soulless form and continued his relentless assault.
All was going according to plan. Nothing would stop him now.
Then...
Someone removed the Book.
In the exact moment it happened, Xir was so astonished that he ceased his battering of the mists and stared out about him in wonder.
The child...
Xir created before him in the mists an image of the tall, exceptionally powerful warrior and studied it from all sides.
It was the child!
The simulacrum was obliterated in a blast of crimson and a shower of sparks.
How could this have have happened? he seethed. Precautions were to have been taken...
Knowing where to find answers, Xir levered the staff at the barrier once again. A bolt of crimson power erupted from it's tip with an intensity even greater than before. The mists visibly buckled and writhed under the assault. Off in the distance a man screamed out in agony.
ABALANOR!
Feeling the magus jump at the thunderous sound of his voice, Xir focused his rage upon his mortal vassal. The ancient arch-mage received the mental image of the dark elf staggering to his feet. Blood seeped from the elongated ears and the normally handsome elf's charcoal colored face was lined and worn, as if he wer
e intensely exhausted.
Yes my Lord? What can I do for...
HOW COULD YOU ALLOW THE BOOK OF KORUM TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN? I ORDERED YOU TO HAVE IT GUARDED FROM THOSE WHELPS DID I NOT?
You did my Lord. But you see...
THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR FAILURE OF THIS MAGNITUDE!
But my Lord...
SILENCE! YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME AGAIN UNTIL I GIVE YOU SPECIFIC PERMISSION.
Wisely, Abalanor kept his thoughts to himself.
NOW, SINCE YOU HAVE PROVEN TO ME THAT YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF DEALING WITH THESE CHILDREN, I WILL BE SENDING YOU SOME ASSISTANCE!
Abalanor blinked in surprise and anticipation but said nothing.
WITHIN THE RIFT YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE NETHER REGIONS. WITH MY AID, YOU WILL WITHDRAW FROM THERE AS MANY DAEMONS THAT YOU FEEL WILL BE NECESSARY TO ERASE THOSE CHILDREN FROM EXISTENCE. AND IF EVEN THAT PROVES TO BE INADEQUATE... WELL, THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER OPTIONS.
The dark elf meekly bowed his head in silent acquiescence.
*
Twilight.
Somewhere in the depths of the Forest of the Dead, Braxin Balinvain opened his eyes. He was buried under a literal pile of moss and filthy undergrowth. This allowed him to safely hide from the mortal world. With a slight surge of Power, the former Court Wizard soon made himself invisible from the immortal world as well.
He stared at the starry sky above angrily. Wearily. All that he could think of was revenge. Revenge on those whom had caused him to fall from grace. To fall from favor with his Master.
And revenge would be his.
Just not today.
First and foremost, Braxin Balinvain needed to hide from Abalanor until things settled down one way or the other. That was the reason for the wards and the disguise. But it could be quite some time before the dark elf decided to give up the chase.
With one last surge of Power, Braxin Balinvain cast himself into a deep, deathlike trance and waited.
Asleep.
Ten years pass... and he awakes...
For the people who knew I was writing this almost 20 years ago who encouraged me to finish it. I'm almost there, guys. I promise.
“The Book of Korum” was originally written by the author when he was 19 years old in honor of a seriously fun tabletop session. After an extensive edit, the author is aware that this book is somewhat incomplete, but he did not wish to completely alter the work of his younger self. However, he intends to continue writing the adventures of Tasha, Hal and Garn into 2014!
Author’s Note and Legal Disclaimer
The preceding work of fiction is intended for entertainment purposes only. Any reference to actual places is only to provide a sense of space and relevance for the reader, and is in no way meant to take advantage of or exploit other people’s properties or brands. In addition, any similarities between characters mentioned in this book and actual people is purely coincidental.
If you have enjoyed this book I invite you to follow my other works and join the OVERDRIVE Official Facebook Page HERE ( https://www.facebook.com/OverdriveSeries ) and start a conversation. I will be visiting as often as I can to provide insights and updates for future stories and answer any questions you might have about this or anything else I might have written or done.
You can also follow me on Twitter ( @OutlawAK) . Through this forum I will talk about the progress on my future books, upcoming pro wrestling dates, my workout routines and various other entertainments that make me laugh. Hopefully I'll make you laugh too!
Thank you very much for taking a chance on my work. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember and I am grateful that you took the time to read my work.
Regards,
Adam Knight – October 9, 2013
OVERDRIVE Book 2 “OUTLAW JUSTICE” Coming Spring 2014 !!
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