Read an Excerpt
Aborinth: Tears of Ascension
The Beginning of the End
By Sharron Andrades Balboa Press
Copyright © 2015 Sharron Andrades
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5043-4748-8
CHAPTER 1
Bitter Beginnings
There are those which exist in this world that should never have been. And then, there are others which the light of day should never have kissed. This is the story of one such being that existed long ago and has since remained in a deep slumber. The precious breath of life snatched from its lungs, leaving it to rot and decay. A corpse never to awaken, bound with ancient tree roots and powerful magic. A slumber of deep solitude, placed within an awakened dream brewed to never end. Or so they say ...
After time began and kindred after its own kind began to spread across the land, there came an era of peace and tranquility. For as far as the light embraced, east and west, there had not been any sickness, nor disease, nor famine or heartache, no not even death. The wealth of the world was bountiful and plenty. Life as everyone knew it was paradise. But then as with all things, nothing really last forever as all good things must come to an end. Darkness was patient. Darkness waited. Then, it awakened! Out of the realm from which it was exiled, it scratched and clawed its way to the surface, tearing a rift between the two realms. And in the light, it found something, something that captivated it, life! Shadows began to pull themselves out and into existence. The world began to change. From the first taste of this sweet nectar, Darkness swore that it would never go back! In keeping its existence hidden, it would need diversions thus summoning its minions and disciples forth. A new era dawned, and the end came as quickly as the blink of an eye.
But as it stands, as everyone knew, Darkness would not dwell in the realm of shadows forever.
Soon after, chaos and evil and death introduced themselves to the world. Before, ever fearful of the day, they long grew bored and disgusted with their miniscule existence. Always thirsting for what is not theirs, for what they could not have. Soon after, ravenous, vicious creatures began to pour forth out of the dank depths devouring everything that they touched. The earth grew sour and its soil bitter. Harvests began producing rotten vegetation. Food would never be the same again. The animals were not the same, some having more limbs than usual, some viciously deformed far beyond recognition. New creatures, beasts and animals began to evolve out of the old. Some so poisonous, that even the slightest touch will cause instant paralysis.
Nightmares introduced themselves and began feeding not only off of sleeping dreams, but off of imaginations as well. Life changed, neither for the better nor for the worse. Death begot death, life begot life thus giving birth to a new creation never before seen and never to be reproduced within this world, or any other, ever again. An abomination was gifted to the world by the lord high God. For as long as the world exists, so shall it. Never whispered into any ears this truth, and never spoken from any tongue. Never revealed to any gifted mind, kept out of the world of dreams this truth until never is kind and reigns the day, it shall always be. And be it shall. This is its legend. This is how it all began; the beginning of the end, and the end of the beginning.
When dragons were new to the world, and unicorns were all thought to be creatures of myth and legend, there existed a tiny village south of Nu'ar, north of Ca'perkin and deep within the valley of Arkain next to the Red Bog. A different sort of creature existed, an ancient tribe long believed to have withered away, vanished if you will. During their existence, some say that they were able to take on different forms and shapes of various animals, even some creatures in complete rarity and some in parts.
The ruler of this village, the leader of this clan was young even by his people's standards and guidelines. And thus the story begins ...
"Unbelievable!" The voices of uncertainty rang throughout the cathedral-like hall. He stands between both worlds within the shadows, waiting. Watchful eyes ever surveying, they pierce the veil of reality unbelieving of what they see. Waiting for the proper moment to make his grand entrance, he relishes on what they, his kin, will say before it is even said! And within a matter of brief moments, time presented itself! Syris stepped out of the shadows wearing discontent upon his weary brow. He cannot believe what he is hearing, yet putting that aside, he notices that his people are in awe of his grand entrance! Careful as not to show his exuberance, he thirsts for a less ridiculous response. Growling loudly, rolling his head from shoulder to shoulder, displaying his less than average fangs, the elders, especially Taanis and Lady Razel, are in agreeance of their answer regardless of his fierce display. In Syris' eye, they are both being disrespectful, and should be punished for it! But he, even as young and insufferable as he is, is their prince, their future king. And thus being so, he has the right to deny any request even after the council has decided so, especially one such as this!
Bowing her head in respect of his royalty, she glances up undetected knowing that others are watching as well. Proudly he prances towards the wooden podium knowing that he is being watched. He loves it. As he treks onward, he listens in on the thoughts of his whispering crowd. They give him tribute, while Lady Razel gives him grief. She rolls her eyes and yet at the same time is thinking of how disgusting everyone is for openly displaying respect to the young punk. But they are playing the role taught to them by their ancestors, to always, no matter how they feel, put their feelings aside, and acknowledge whoever is deemed royal, and their ruler. He is the only one remaining among them whose birth right demands this. Syris acknowledges everyone in passing by first nodding his head to the woman on the right, then to the left and so on progressively. Everyone within the hall followed in her lead, except for the elders which he overhears speaking cautiously amongst themselves.
Unknown to all but one; Syris has the ability to hear thoughts. He keeps this a secret for such a time as this. He is the only of their kin with this talent where others have either more pronounced and or simple gifts. There are those who can sense another's presence for miles away, while a handful of others are able to shift and morph their bodies into various creatures. Some with gifts so profound that they must maintain the thought, at all times, of who he or she is in order to transform back to themselves. A handful is able to disguise their voices whereas the remainder has the uncanny ability to more than triple their height and body size at will. All differ in one way or another pertaining to their abilities, but never having more than one gift each. And then there are the few who cannot change at all. Or so it is thought.
As Syris steps upon the podium, Lady Razel, the only woman permitted amongst the elders of men, prepares to speak. With her head held high amidst a glorious elongated neck, she stands up proudly looking down upon him, "You were not summoned! Why do you approach?" Her voice carries authority, dignity and with it wisdom. She demands that which is not freely given to her as a woman among men of high authority and council, respect. Holding in his temper, biting his pride, Syris merely glances over at the so call lady ignoring her. She did not take his response lightly! Angrily deepening her voice, she shouts, "I asked you ..." Taanis, the eldest and wisest among them, leaps up from his seat stepping forwards, wrapped his arm across her chest and whispers, "I would advise you NOT to speak to him in such a demanding demeanor, Lady Razel. You, my dear, forget your place." But her will is as strong as she is bitter. Anxious to prove that she deserves a place among them as much any other there, not by default, she became blindsided by rage. Using her spirited will, she shoves Taanis' arm away. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Eyes enlarging as quickly as his mouth drops, Taanis realizes that he isn't alone in his mind! "But how can this be?", he wonders. "WHO?", he asks! Taanis veers all about and around himself! He asks, "Who's here?" His frantic notions quickly began being noticed. "You are being watched, old man. Tsk, tsk, tsk." A heart wrenching laugh swallows his pride, drowning his mind in a deserted sea. And as quickly as the voice appeared, it dissipated! His heart begun racing as he knows not who was speaking to him. But what he is most frantic about is that whoever it is has an unsettling and unparalleled volume of power! To break through his mind's barrier, undetected, is no easy feat! Now, the only thoughts in his mind are of who and why? Taanis' mind wonders aimlessly as he searches through all the many possible creatures he's faced throughout the countless eras of his third life. There exists one such being with a will equal to his own, but it hasn't been seen or sought after in countless ages! A puzzle missing a piece, a quandary with no resolution, this poses a dilemma!
Faint murmurs race through his mind like a whispering brook. He hears broken segments of a conversation not yet spoken; however he is still engaged with the current disturbance and does not realize that Lady Razel is in trouble. Luckily for her, he decides to reach out to his old friend providing assistance and quickly snaps out of his daze. Taanis realizes what is about to take place and extends out to extinguish her impending defeat before it happens. Nonetheless when a woman is riled up, she becomes an unstoppable force. Silently, the wizard cries out squinting his eyes as she unleashes upon him a brilliant whip of bright blinding light. He surrenders. "Very well played Lady." He bends over saluting her, "As you wish." Giving Taanis' words no further thought, as if she did before, she takes a step towards their prince expressing her intentions with hardened lips, "I asked you a QUESTION!"
Without warning, a heart wrenching scream shatters the silence resonating throughout the hall! Everyone immediately turned facing the direction of which it came. There, upon the stage, lays Lady Razel face down within a minute pool of her own blood. Taanis hurries, struggling to get back afoot, but as he does one word ripples through his mind, "DON'T!" He looks up into the curt eyes of his prince and eases himself back down into his seat. After that, no one dared assist her.
A small puddle of tears began to form beneath the right side of her bruised face. His left hands' fingers began their journey, searching through each and every wrinkle, steadily sinking deeper and deeper within the crevices of her face. An unbroken chain of continuous tears flows freely out the corners of her bloodshot hazel eyes, stinging in passing. Razel's hands rest alongside of her flushed face. Unable to lift them from the weight of his force, her fingers begin to crawl mimicking a spider. Her lips impersonate movement in an effort to speak, but it hurts too much. Seeing her struggle, gasping for life, hearing the bone crushing sound of her cheek kissing the hard ground as she slammed into it, and watching her scuffle about brings much desired happiness to Syris. Ego bruised, character humiliated, and her position disgraced, she peers out into the gawking eyes ofthe passive crowd. They all watch waiting her next move yet afraid to make one of their own. She hears their snickers; Razel feels their whispers. They are all well known to her. Unable to verbally defend herself, as best she can, Razel manages to express herself mentally screaming out, "COWARDS! You're all cowards!" Now angered, her cheeks begin to shake with intensity, "Each and every - one of you - cowards!" Each person and every eye watch in silence fearing retaliation, as he continues to punish her. Some feel pity for the old woman. Some feel sadness for her. But no one feels as if she deserves this brutal treatment. Well, almost everyone! Syris ignores the blatant disrespect that he is being served and is giving.
Taanis despises blatant displays of power and disrespect, that of which he can only speak amidst himself. Kneeling over her with his left hand now right above her face, as to maintain the force of his might, he whispers horrible and demeaning desires to her. She, being the witty witch that she has grown to become over the years, replies with cryptic wishes. With Syris being unaware of the crowd's displeasure, Taanis sees a window of opportunity to help his friend and brings it to his king's attention, mentally, as not to rouse him further. And as much as the corky wizard may try, his hands always give him away as they flutter about while he speaks, "Do you not see Syris?" The prince angrily replies, "Do I not see what - old man?" Taanis answers, "Your people, sire!" He knows that he must humble himself before his lord, or so he pretends, so he bows. His king squints at the wizard right before peering over the top of his quirky head noticing many displeased eyes staring at him. "It is best, Syris, for you to use this display of punishment to reassure your people that you will NOT, correction, NEVER accept any spectacles of disrespect while showing how kind and merciful their king is by issuing Lady Razel a smidgen of compassion and sympathy!" Taanis raises his wizard's finger straight up, "Just a smidgen, sire." Syris sighs, then looks away in order to roll his eyes peacefully! He then looks down at his toy and decides to offer his hand in aid, but has yet to lift his might from off of her. Taanis realizes what Syris is doing and stands taking the peoples' side. Mind to mind, Taanis stands his ground. The people see his face trembling and frowning, and his wizard's, wizard finger quivering knowing that he is having a mental discussion with their king. "Within this defining moment, your next move will either define you as a merciful king worthy of rule, or as a drowning child not yet deserving of such a prestige title." And having said that, he puffs! Without having to say another word, Syris realizes that a choice needs to be made and quickly!
"My name is SYRIS! AND I AM RULER HERE!" His roar is mighty, even mightier than his predecessor's. It is even mighty enough to catch the wondering mind's eye of one whom they all fear; this is where the beginning of the end began.
He leans over their Lady, as if to embed a soft kiss upon her cheek yet furiously whispers, "Remember your place old woman, beneath me! Who are you to demand anything, let alone me?" Leaning upright, he looks out at the crowd with a hard chin asking, "Am I so wrong to want respect?", he plays them for fools thinking that they are feeble minded. He continues with his plea, "The respect that I deserve, that I demand?" Suddenly, the weight lifts off of her, but not before he looks down upon her squinting an eye, "Old hag!" Syris then glances over at Taanis instructing him to fix his fiasco. Rolling his eyes yet again, not purposely wanting to be seen showing disrespect, Taanis stands speaking to the crowd of onlookers, "Your king is merciful, is he not?" Then he began to applaud and praise Syris' mercifulness. It took a minute, but then most of everyone joined in with him applauding.
Razel is being helped to her feet. And as she is, everyone can hear her moaning, grunting and groaning. Unlike her, she even frowned and grimaced. Lady Razel remains without speech until her healing ability mends her jaw bone but there is no denying it; she is in a world of pain.
The crowd began chatting amongst themselves, "Look at what has he done?", "She can't speak!", "I told you so, didn't I tell you. He isn't fit to be ..." Then a mighty roar erupts, quieting the room once more! "MY NAME IS SYRIS, AND I AM RULER HERE!" Once again, he forcefully claims his birth right, loudly in front of everyone! Taanis shakes his head smirking, "Foolish child."
"A child, he is, but one with a kingdom as well as something far more valuable!" A mind hidden within the void speaks out. Eyes peering through the rift watches him reveal his weaknesses. "He is not without flaws after all!" His secrets, captured! Within the misty veil watching undetected, a foreigner to their lands lurk about! And yet another voice, an angry voice snatches the moment!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Aborinth: Tears of Ascension by Sharron Andrades. Copyright © 2015 Sharron Andrades. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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