THE DRAGON’S STONE

 

BOOK ONE OF THE DARK HEART CHRONICLES

 

CHAPTER 1 SAMPLE

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2018, 2019 Daniel Kuhnley

 

Edited by Ben Wolf - www.benwolf.com

 

Published by Drezhn Publishing LLC

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

 

 

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Chapter One

The shallow, fall sun warmed Nardus as he sat on the long wooden seat of the wagon, bouncing along with it as he and his family made their way down the dirt road. He turned his head to the right and eyed his wife, Vitara.

She sat atop their maple-brown steed, Rydar, keeping pace alongside the wagon. In her arms, their one-year-old daughter, Savannah, lay fast asleep against her breast. He beamed at them, only as a proud father and husband could.

Beauty, perfected.

He turned toward the back of the wagon and verified Shardan and Shanara, his three-year-old twins, were still fast asleep.

Whoosh!

Nardus knew the unmistakable sound of a flying arrow. He rose to his feet, still grasping the reins, his senses heightened.

Shick!

The familiar bite of an arrow ripped into his left bicep, twisted him around, and left him unbalanced. A burst of energy dulled his sense of pain, and the wound fleeted from his mind like a leaf in the wind.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two more arrows loosed. By the time he twisted back toward Vitara, it was too late. Words of warning caught in his throat, infused with bile. They burned with acid as he coughed and choked them back down.

Thunk!

He watched in horror as an arrow buried itself in the back of Savannah’s skull. Her head bounced off Vitara’s right breast for a brief moment, and then pushed against it, the arrow pinning her to Vitara’s chest like a brooch.

Vitara screamed, but the ear-piercing sound quickly morphed into a low gurgle as the third arrow burrowed itself into the center of her throat and pushed its way through the back of her neck, silencing her.

Ƨäʈūr, my God, don’t do this!

Tick.

Everything moved in slow motion. Vitara fell backward from her horse, still clutching Savannah in her arms.

Tick.

Nardus’s heart thundered in his ears. He leapt from atop the wagon, hoping to catch Vitara and Savannah before they collided with the ground.

Tick.

He stretched his arms out and willed himself to reach them in time, but he didn’t. Vitara landed firmly on her back. Savannah’s frail body flailed in her loosened arms like a rag doll. Vitara’s head snapped backward and slammed into the ground with a thud.

Tick.

Nardus grunted as he belly-flopped against the ground and scrambled to his feet. He raced to Vitara’s side, knelt beside her, and gently lifted her head in his hands. Savannah lie still against her chest; in his heart, he knew his precious little angel had died, but the thought of never hearing her sweet laughter again lingered beyond his comprehension.

No! No! NO!

The chaos of the moment rushed back into full motion around him. Behind him, the twins cried. Vitara, her head still cradled in his hands, coughed. Blood oozed from the corners of her mouth.

A few paces south, Rydar squealed and reared. Several arrows protruded from his massive chest and neck. He fell on his side with a thump, whimpered, and then lay still.

Nardus lay Vitara’s head on the ground and rose to his feet, exposed. His heart jumped in his chest like a wild bird trapped in a cage. Every muscle in his body bulged against his skin, full of adrenaline and begging to fulfill his need for vengeance.

At the edge of the forest stood three figures of average height, all dressed in dark leathers and furs. Black scarves covered their heads, leaving only their eyes exposed. Each had an arrow nocked and ready for flight, but they didn’t loose them.

What are they waiting for?

Whoosh!

Nardus bolted toward the wagon and dove for cover behind it just as an arrow sailed past his right leg. He rolled to a crouch behind the wagon. He gazed up at the wet faces of his twins. Terror filled their eyes as they trembled. He desperately wanted to comfort them and let them know everything would be okay, but the threat on their lives left him without time for it.

“Stay in the wagon and stay down.” He did his best to produce a smile for them.

Nardus peered over the top of the wagon’s bed, toward the forest’s edge. The three figures stood like statues, unmoving. Their strange behavior made his skin crawl.

Nardus knew what must be done, but the idea of leaving the twins behind tore at his soul. He looked at them again and smiled. “Shardan, take care of your sister. Stay hidden and stay quiet. Papa will be right back.”

The twins protested, but Nardus put his finger to his lips, quieting them. “I’ll be right back, I promise.”

Nardus kissed each of them on the forehead and then reached over them and grabbed his bow and quiver. He quickly lifted the quiver over his head and pulled his left arm through the strap.

He forced air through his nostrils. Anger boiled his blood.

You’ve taken my wife and child without cause. I’ll destroy you all.

He looked at Shardan and Shanara one last time. The fear in their eyes left his heart aching with guilt, but he’d made his decision. No other choice existed.

“I love you both.”

“Papa—” Shanara sniffled.

He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “Just think of sandcastles, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Nardus strung the bow, pulled an arrow from the quiver, and nocked it. He moved toward the edge of the wagon and poked his head around its side. The three figures hadn’t moved. He looked over at Vitara and Savannah and his stomach roiled with grief.

A deep, dark fury welled up within him. It consumed him, changed him. He flew around the side of the wagon like a demon and charged the three figures, firing arrows as quickly as he could nock them. He opened his mouth and let out a guttural, bone-chilling howl.

His manic cry and the flurry of arrows sent the three attackers retreating into the cover of the forest. A white-hot, blinding rage separated him from his humanity, and drove him into the forest after them.

The shadows of the forest moved around him like spirits, driven by the wind. His pulse raced as he picked up on their trail. The three of them moved as one.

Easier to kill.

He raced through the brush like a lion after its prey, giving little care to the ruckus he stirred up. Ten paces ahead he saw a flash of movement and turned to the side just as an arrow whooshed by his shoulder. He loosed an arrow of his own and boldly pushed forward.

The thud of a body dropping to the ground registered in his mind just moments before he stepped over it.

One down. Two to go.

A twig snapped behind him. His beating heart echoed in his ears like a thunderous drum, banging out the final moments before his untimely death.

Thump-thump.

Nardus twisted on his left heel and brought himself around to face his attacker as he fell back toward the ground.

Thump-thump.

The glint of a steel blade flashed as it arced just above his face. Had he not been falling to the ground, he would’ve been headless.

Thump-thump.

He loosed his last arrow just as he hit the ground and watched it bury itself into his attacker’s chest. The attacker twisted and fell to the side.

Thump-thump.

The air rushed from his lungs and past his lips as the third attacker jumped on top of him.

Thump-thump.

Cold, hard hands wrapped around his throat and squeezed. Nardus fought against his attacker’s grip, but their strength seemed inhuman. He kicked his legs in the air to try and disrupt their leverage, but it did no good.

Thump-thump.

Nardus fought against the fire in his lungs and forced himself to stay alert despite his mind urging him to give up. He reached down and felt the hilt of the knife on his belt.

Thump-thump.

Nardus worked his fingers around the hilt of the knife and then down to the snap holding it in its sheath. The attacker let go of Nardus’s neck with one hand and backhanded him square in the jaw.

Thump-thump.

The attacker grabbed for Nardus’s arm, but Nardus freed the knife and plunged it into the attacker’s side. Nardus twisted the knife and the attacker grunted.

Thump-thump.

Nardus thrust the knife into the attacker’s side repeatedly. Their hand moved from Nardus’s throat and grabbed at their side. Nardus pushed them off himself and scrambled backward. He wheezed as he drew air into his lungs.

The sensation of wind rushing through an open canyon brought the world around him back to speed. He coughed as he stood to his feet and spat on the ground. A few feet away, the attacker huddled on the ground, moaning and clutching their side.

Nardus walked over to the attacker and kicked the side of their head with his boot. The attacker bellowed as their head snapped to the right. Even in the shadows, Nardus could tell the attacker neared death.

Nardus reached down and pulled the black scarf from around the attacker’s head. He staggered backward a few paces and fell to his knees, stunned by what he’d uncovered.

“Bradwr?”

Bradwr choked on his own blood as he spoke. “I’m so sorry, Nardus.”

Vomit swelled in Nardus’s throat, making it difficult to breathe or talk. “Why would you do this? You’re my best friend.”

Blood oozed from Bradwr’s graying lips. “I swear I had no choice. They took Izzy.”

Nardus could barely contain his rage. “And so you slaughter my family? Who put you up to this? Who told you to do this?”

Bradwr coughed and then grew still.

Nardus crawled over to Bradwr and shook him. “Answer me! Who put you up to this?”

Nardus pounded Bradwr’s chest with his fists. “Answer me!”

The dead man held no answers and Nardus snapped. He roared at the sky and gave in to his madness.

He tore the three men apart, limb by limb, with his bare hands. With his serrated blade, he removed their eyes so they couldn’t find their way to Ƨäʈūr and salvation in the next life.

He ripped their hearts from their chests and squished them in his hands like fists full of mud, and watched them ooze between the cracks of his fingers. He castrated them and cursed their children, signifying the death of their lineage. He set a blazing fire and burned every remnant of their existence within it.

With the deed done, Nardus shed the rage from his heart like a snake sheds its skin. Beneath the rage, only emptiness and sorrow remained. He hadn’t known two of the men, but Bradwr? The betrayal crushed him.

Nardus stumbled through the trees until he came upon a small brook. He bent down and scooped the fresh water into his mouth with his hands. The water tasted of iron—of blood—and he spat it out.

Beams of light shone through the canopy of trees and fell on his face. He looked down and saw that blood covered his clothes. His hands stained crimson. Kneeling, he plunged his hands into the cold water and scrubbed them with fervor. He cupped the water in his hands and bathed his face in it, desperate to cleanse himself of the blood.

Nardus pulled himself to his feet and stumbled back into the shadows, drunk with the guilt of failing to protect his family. Three losses in a single day. Sickness rumbled deep within. He doubled over and purged the contents of his stomach and then spat the rancid taste from his mouth.

How do I move on from this? I’ve lost the love of my life, my precious Savannah, and my best friend.

The fledgling protruding from the back of Savannah’s head flashed in his mind and knocked the wind from him like a punch to the gut. His knees buckled, and he grabbed the nearest tree to keep himself upright.

My precious little angel.

Nardus closed his eyes and relived the past few hours in his mind, scouring his memories for anything that could’ve altered the events. Everything had happened so fast. He’d reacted to the attack like a seasoned man of war, not as a father.

Something felt amiss. The precision of the three attackers’ shots were right on their mark, except the first shot that’d sunk into his bicep. Had they missed a kill-shot on purpose? In fact, every shot they’d taken at him had been off mark, as though intentional.

Was I drawn away on purpose?

A grapefruit-sized lump rose in his throat.

“The twins!”

He wiped his tear-filled eyes and then rushed through the maze of trees, desperate to get back to the wagon and his twins.

“Shardan! Shanara! It’s Papa.” He pushed his way through the last few trees.

No answer.

He burst into the clearing and his pulse quickened.

Vitara, Savannah, and Rydar lay on the ground, undisturbed.

Where’s the wagon?

Tracks led toward the east, along the road, but there were more than just the ones from the wagon and horses. Tracks like wolves—but significantly larger—littered the ground.

My God!

Fear slithered across his skin and seeped into his bones, and he shivered. He swallowed hard to stifle the vomit rising in his throat.

He sprinted down the road, but the feeling in his gut told him he’d be too late.

Don’t do this to me, Ƨäʈūr. You’ve already taken two from me. Don’t take them all.

A mile down the road he spotted the wagon, turned on its side and propped against a tree. His muscles tightened with anticipation, and he charged toward it.

Please, Ƨäʈūr, let them be alive.

“Shardan! Shanara!” he yelled, nearly upon the wagon.

No answer again.

Nardus rounded the side of the wagon and dropped to his knees, unable to stand or breathe. He grabbed at his chest. His heart slammed against his ribcage, trying desperately to separate itself from the searing pain racing through his bloodstream. He wrenched over and vomited.

Blood. So much blood.

Blood splattered across everything. Too much blood for two small children, wasn’t it? The sight of its crimson hue brought back memories of war—memories he’d fought to forget for more than two decades. Some of the things he’d seen and done during the war were horrific, but the scene before him would forever haunt him.

He crawled over to what remained of his precious twins, Shardan and Shanara. Their limbs were torn from their bodies and strewn along the forest line. Their torsos and faces were shredded with claw and teeth marks—mauled beyond recognition. He turned to the side and dry-heaved.

Emotions spun his head.

My fault. This is all my fault. How could I let this happen?

He sat there and wept for hours, unable to think or move as the last remnants of daylight gave way to nightfall.

I’m sorry, my children. I should’ve listened to your mother. I’ve let you down again. I’ve let you all down.

The night passed into day and back into night. The incomprehensible violence spread before him left him immobilized. He wanted to end his life right there and rid himself of the pain, but the idea of leaving them that way—exposed—was unthinkable, unacceptable, and intolerable.

I must bury you, and I know just the place, my loves.

Nardus righted the wagon and unhitched the bloodied yokes. Virtually nothing remained of the two horses that’d pulled the wagon but bones, hide, and hooves. He carefully loaded the remains of his twins into the back of the wagon and then pulled the wagon back onto the road.

He took one of the breast collars, slipped it over his head, and attached it to the wagon shaft. The weight of the wagon fought against him as he struggled to get it moving, and it took every ounce of his strength to pull it down the road to where Vitara and Savannah lay.

Nardus pulled the breast collar over his head and dropped to the ground next to Vitara, exhausted. In the moonlight, her once beautiful, violet eyes were glazed over, their exquisite sparkle extinguished for eternity. He lifted her head in his hands, smoothed back her matted, blood-soaked hair, and kissed her soft, beautiful lips—only they were cold, dry, and cracked.

The pungent smell of her dead body lingered in his nostrils, but he didn’t care. He’d suffer anything just to be close to her.

He fought back a swarm of emotions as he spoke to her. “My anchor, my heart, and my everything. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be with us. We were supposed to grow old together.”

Holding her corpse through the night, he sang her favorite song to her repeatedly. His heart felt trapped in a tangled mess of pain, but he didn’t allow a single tear to fall from his eyes.

You’ll always be my everything.

At first light, Nardus rose to his feet and scooped Vitara and Savannah into his arms. He placed their bodies in the back of the wagon, alongside the remains of the twins. He swallowed hard as he fought to stay in control of his emotions. The four of them lying in the back of the wagon—dead to the world—tortured his soul.

I’ll find you again, my loves.

Three days he hauled the wagon—through the valley, across the river, and deep into the forest—until he reached a secluded grove of giant, sacred-heart trees.

He and Vitara had spent many a day there, enjoying the cool summer air and relaxing in the shade of the trees. They’d oft spoken of the day they’d build a house there and live out their lives, free of care.

In a way, he’d kept his promise to her. He placed the four of them in a single grave beneath the blossoming branches of their favorite tree. He took special care to wrap his children safely in Vitara’s arms.

She’ll take care of you now, as I’ve failed.

Each shovel-full of dirt he placed over them brought more tears with it until he could no longer see their bodies through his blurred vision. He buried his heart with them.

With trembling hands, he carved each of their names into the tree trunk as tears streaked down his cheeks. “I do this to honor your lives and memories forever.”

 

† † †

 

After burying his family, Nardus spent two weeks trying to track the beasts that’d killed his twins. The pawprints surrounding the wagon resembled those of wolves—only much larger. Tracks led in nearly every direction, and all of them ended in disappointment. Hope of closure withered and morphed into a deep despair, and he wanted to be done.

A week later, his failure extinguished his last thread of hope. Nardus sat in the woods on a log, covered in dried blood, sweat, and urine. He cared for nothing and deprived his body of sleep, food, and water for days, hoping death would come for him.

At the frayed ends of sanity, he wanted to carve out the darkness from within. His heart threatened to punch a hole through his chest just to escape the grasp of his marred and twisted soul.

Kill me, Ƨäʈūr. Strike me dead. I no longer have purpose. My life means nothing now. You’ve taken everything from me. Just let me die.

Desperate to end his life, Nardus held a blade to his throat. He could endure a lifetime of physical pain, but the mental pain tortured his soul relentlessly.

One deep slice. That’s all it takes.

The notion of never seeing his family again paralyzed him. No more hope existed for him, did it? If not, why did he allow the task to remain unfinished?

His whole body trembled, but his hand stayed firm. “Bah! Just do it.”

He knew what he’d done to those filthy animals. Seeking justice would’ve served him well, but he’d gone far beyond that. To complicate matters, he felt little remorse.

They deserved what they got.

Vengeance drove his thoughts that day, and with it had come his downfall. Because of his hotheaded, swift justice, he now carried with him not only the loss of his entire family, but also the mark of a lost man. It weighed on his heart like an anvil. Nothing—not even Ƨäʈūr—could bring back what he’d lost. He only regretted not dying with his family.

Nardus glared at the sky. “You’ve separated me from my family and damned my soul. You’ve left me with no choice. I now damn You, Ƨäʈūr!”

 

† † †

 

One year later…

Nardus staggered along the rutted, frozen road that split the small town of Diabolus Pes down its middle. Haggard, wooden structures lined the narrow road like lumps of rotted flesh, and people moved through and around them like maggots.

Just ahead on Nardus’s right, a large iron sign hung out over the road. The sign donned no words, but its emblem of a large, wolf-like head couldn’t be mistaken: Ferzh’s Head Inn. He trekked there daily and drank until Ferdi, the owner, kicked him out, or he ran out of coins.

Nardus stepped into the shallow alcove underneath the sign and grunted as he pushed his way through the heavy, wooden door. The door’s rusted hinges screeched. Every head in the room turned toward him, shook with disgust upon recognition, and turned away.

Ferdi glared at him from across the room. “Shut the door, ya clakker.” Her thick accent harshened her words further. “Feel the cold creeping upon me skin already.” She rubbed her arms with hands that resembled paws, the backs of them covered in thick, black hair.

More blubber hung on Ferdi’s bones than what one might find in a pod of whales. Her being cold is an impossibility. Nardus scowled at her and gestured with his middle and third fingers.

Ferdi’s large lips parted and curled upward into a crooked-toothed smile and she winked at Nardus. “Save it for later.”

A bitter-cold blast of air rushed through the open door and sent a flash of gooseflesh up the back of Nardus’s neck. He shrugged it away, but the cold bit.

A few swigs of ale will warm me right up. And dull my mind.

He shoved the door closed with his shoulder as he scanned the large room. Men and women laughed, shouted, and flirted at nearly every table. The only unoccupied table in the inn sat in the far corner, away from the crowd.

Perfect.

Nardus wove his way through the gauntlet of tables and people and sat down on one of the two long benches that flanked the table, his back to the room. He reached into his coin purse, withdrew three silver coins, and stacked them on the end of the table.

Moments later, Ferdi arrived with four frothy mugs of ale. “How long ya gonna keep this up?”

Nardus set his jaw. “Until it kills me.”

Ferdi frowned, and her cheeks drooped like a hound’s. “Listening tis me gift.”

Nardus scowled. “Is it now? You’ve yet to use it for what—a year now? Use your gift on someone who gives a care. Leave the ale, and leave me be.”

She snorted like a bull. “So be it.” She shoved the mugs in front of Nardus, scooped up the pile of coins, and stomped off.

Nardus closed his eyes and dove into the darkness of his mind. Every minute he continued to exist tortured him, and he only found solace in maintaining a constant state of drunkenness. Often, he couldn’t remember where he was, but no amount of spirits took away his memories.

He grabbed the first mug and downed its contents without pause. He slammed the mug down, grabbed the second one, and drained it too. The third met its fate as quickly as the first two, but with the fourth he took his time. The alcohol settled in his empty stomach and left him numb.

Is this all that’s left of me? My love, how will I ever find you again?

Hot tears wet his cheeks and he swatted at them like flies. “Damn you, Bradwr!” He picked up one of the empty mugs and slammed it down on the table. “Damn you.” The room rocked and tossed him about, so he leaned over the table to steady himself, but the storm raged on.

A tall man sat down on the bench on the opposite side of the table from him. Nardus straightened and eyed the man for several moments. The well-dressed man—more so than any other in the inn—looked out of place.

The man’s top hat sat back on his forehead and touched his rounded ears, but it didn’t sit on top of them. His dark-purple overcoat—likely made of silk—gleamed in the candlelight, and the look in his golden-brown eyes hinted at an air of superiority, but his demeanor spoke against it.

Nardus could give two flips. He spat on the floor and slurred, “Table’s taken. Find someone else to pester.”

The man leaned forward, his brow creased, and his jaw tensed. “I think you misunderstand, my friend. After all, I’ve traveled a great distance to see you… Nardus.”

“I don’t—” The sound of Nardus’s own name registered in his mind, giving him pause. His nostrils flared as he eyed the man further. “Do I know you?” He leaned forward and squinted at the man. “No, I think not. How is it you know my name? No one in these parts knows me. Who are you and what do you want?”

The man leaned back. “The name’s Pravus, but I’m certain that’s of no significance to you. The only item of pertinence is the business we must discuss.”

Nardus squinted as Pravus doubled in his vision. “We’ve no business. Leave me to my ale.” He blinked several times, but the two Pravuses lingered. He shook his head, but it only distorted his vision further. “On second thought, it doesn’t matter. I’m leaving.”

Pravus placed his hand over Nardus’s just as Nardus started to stand. Nardus glared at him.

You have the audacity to touch me?

Nardus gritted his teeth. “Remove your hand before I remove your face.”

Pravus smiled and made no attempt to comply.

Nardus’s hand started tingling. He tried pulling it out from under Pravus’s hand but found he couldn’t move it. In fact, he couldn’t move anything below his neck.

Nardus’s eyes widened, and his pulse raced. “What’ve you done to me? Release me at once.”

The man’s thin lips curled at the corners. “Take a deep breath, friend. I’m here to offer you my help.”

Nardus snarled, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I don’t need help from your kind.”

“My kind?” Pravus leaned across the table and gazed intently at Nardus. “Even without mezhik, I see the lack of hope and purpose in your eyes. I’m here to offer you both and more.”

Nardus scowled. “I want no part of whatever you’re peddling, wizard. Leave me before I cause a scene.”

“You would’ve caused a scene long ago if you really wanted to. Besides, I doubt any of the peasants in this sordid establishment would rush to your aid.”

“Maybe not, but are you willing to find out? Ferdi’s quite fond of me.”

Pravus’s smile widened and his eyes narrowed. “Oh, she is, is she? So you’re unaware of what she and the others say about you behind your back then?”

Nardus glanced over his shoulder. “I’m not deaf, but none of their empty talk matters. They know nothing about me and neither do you.”

“The alcohol speaks for you, but I know what’s in your heart.”

Murder. Let me loose, and I’ll tear you apart.

Nardus forced air out his nose. “And what might that be?”

“First, let’s take care of business.” Pravus swept his free hand across the table, and six stacks of golden coins appeared.

Nardus eyed the coins. Are those all there, or is it just my eyes? He glared at Pravus. “You think you can entice me with your blood money?”

Pravus tapped the table with another coin. “There are thirty gold coins in total. You know as well as I that this amount of money in the Ancient Realm is hard to come by. You could add up a year’s worth of income for every person in this town, and it wouldn’t match a quarter of what’s on the table. All I’m asking is that you listen to my offer. Take it, and these coins are yours.”

Pravus lifted his hand from Nardus’s. The tingling sensation faded, and Nardus slumped over the table. Damned mezhik.

Nardus flexed his stiff hand. “What is it you’re playing at, wizard? What do you want from me?”

The man smoothed out the wrinkles in his dark-purple sleeves. “There’s something I need you to do.”

Nardus leaned back from the table. “And what makes you think I’d be willing to do anything for you?”

“You’re still sitting there.” Pravus’s perfect teeth gleamed in the candlelight as he smiled.

Why am I still here? Because I have nowhere else to be? A simple truth shone bright in the dimly lit inn, and he salivated. I could drink myself to death with those coins.

Nardus rubbed his left bicep. Does anything matter? Have I not lost you already, my love? Children? I’m damned to this world without you.

Nardus looked around. “I guess I am. So what is it that you want?”

Pravus rapped his knuckles against the table. “Complete one task for me, and I’ll give you back what you thought to be lost.”

Nardus frowned. “And what might that be?”

“Why, your family, Nardus.” A thin smile parted Pravus’s lips. He cracked his knuckles.

Nardus’s pulse quickened, and his palms moistened. “What do you know of my family?”

Pravus removed his top hat and sat it on the table. His raven locks caressed the table as he leaned over it. He stared at Nardus for a long moment.

“I’ve been watching you for several months. A lot can be surmised about a man just by observance. You wear a ring on your middle finger but return to an empty house every night. No man wears a ring like that for show.

“I also recognize the pain in your eyes, and it reminds me of the pain I once possessed. The excessive drinking you do brings you no closer to what you want, does it?” Pravus didn’t wait for an answer. “I’m no stranger to loss myself and have traveled the treacherous and lonely road you’re going down now.

“With mezhik, there are ways to accomplish the impossible. Trust me when I say that I can help you.”

Nardus slammed his fist on the table. “You think me a fool? They’re all dead. My whole family’s dead. How do you expect to help me with that? Do you believe yourself to be some sort of god?”

“A god?” Pravus’s eyes sparkled with energy. “Perhaps not, but what makes you believe only a god can raise the dead?”

Nardus’s heart stuttered and his breath caught in his throat. Madness spun through his mind.

Either he’s more delusional than I am, or he’s a liar.

“What you’re suggesting is impossible.”

In his mind’s eye, Nardus rose from the bench and walked out of the inn, but reality rooted him to the bench and to that moment. More than reality, something deep within himself rendered him motionless and speechless. A dormant feeling he’d forgotten existed. A power stronger than mezhik itself: hope.

Could it be true? Is there really a way to get my family back? Does it matter? If there’s even a slim chance of bringing them back, how could I possibly turn the man down?

Nardus blinked. His thoughts flowed freely, clearly. The haze in his mind dissipated, and he felt more sober than he could remember.

How’s this possible?

Pravus leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “Is that what you believe? I’m incapable of such a feat?”

Nardus rubbed his left bicep again. The scars, a reminder even through his shirt, remained. Nothing could ever change the past, but the future felt more malleable than he remembered.

Nardus raised his hands. “Okay. As impossible as it is, let’s say you’ve found a way to raise the dead. Why do you need me? What’s in it for you?”

“My motives are of no concern to you. Focus on your family and what it would mean for you to reunite with them. And do not forget about the thirty pieces of gold.”

Nardus eyed the gold coins. “You’ve garnered my attention.” He met Pravus’s gaze. “I’d do anything for my family, so what’s the task?”

Pravus’s right eyebrow rose. “Anything? You’d risk death to bring them back?”

“Given the choice, I’d switch places with them. Nothing matters to me, except them.”

Pravus tented his fingers. “Good. No one’s ever returned from where I’m sending you. I hope you’ll be the first.”

Nardus stood. “Look at me. I’ve traveled through many cesspools throughout the Ancient Realm and met some of the foulest brutes and beasts around. I’ve been cursed by Ƨäʈūr to survive everything I’ve ever faced. Death eludes me.”

Pravus waved his hand. “Yes, I’m sure you have. However, I’m sending you to the lower world—Ef Demd Dhä.”

“Ha!” Nardus slapped his own thigh. “You’re sending me to the land of the dead? Do you think I’m mad? As though raising the dead weren’t impossible enough! Are you going to kill me to get me there?”

Pravus sighed heavily and pointed at the bench. “Sit down, and listen.”

Nardus shook his head but sat down. Forgive my madness, my love. I stay for you.

Pravus leaned in. “There’s an ancient gateway that leads into Ef Demd Dhä, and I know its location. The gateway—Zhäíʈfäí Fäíʈƨ—will transform you, but you must get past the gatekeeper to enter. Once you’ve gone through the gateway, you’ll face seven trials created by some of the most powerful wizards who ever lived.”

Nardus took one of the empty mugs and peered inside of it. “And why is it that I must go there?”

“Inside Ʈämbəll Dhef Däd Dhä, you’ll need to find Ƨʈōn Dhef Dädh—a stone so powerful that it can raise the dead. Ƨʈōn Dhef Dädh—the stone of death—is the reason Ef Demd Dhä exists. Do you understand now? The stone will change everything—your past and mine.”

Nardus turned the mug upside down and placed it in the middle of the table. “So why don’t you retrieve it yourself? After all, you’ve got mezhik.”

Pravus folded his hands together. “Even if I could get past the trials, I wouldn’t be able to take the stone. It’s protected by ancient mezhik. I intend on using the stone, and that fact would prevent me from taking it. I’d be trapped there forever. However, you have no such desire to use the stone yourself, so you’re the perfect choice. The only choice.”

Nardus shook his head and wrinkled his brow. “But why me? Of the millions of people in the Ancient Realm, why choose me?”

Pravus opened his hands. “Isn’t it obvious? You’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Nardus rubbed his left bicep. “You’re right, but how can I guarantee you won’t go back on your word as soon as I return and hand over the stone?”

“Relationships are based on trust. I’m giving you my word and my gold. What more would you have me do?”

Nardus eyed the coin stacks again. “Double the price, and I’m your man.”

Candle flames danced in Pravus’s eyes like demons, and the ends of his lips curled upward. “Greed is a dangerous trait, friend, but on this night, it benefits you.”

Pravus reached inside his overcoat, pulled out a large coin purse, and sat it on the table. The stacks of coins vibrated, then coins from each stack flipped into the air and into the open coin purse. The coin purse bulged by the time the last coin dropped into it.

Nardus reached for the coin purse, but Pravus grabbed his wrist. “There’s no turning back from this, Nardus. Once you open Zhäíʈfäí Fäíʈƨ, you’ll either succeed in retrieving Ƨʈōn Dhef Dädh, or you’ll be lost in Ef Demd Dhä forever. Can you live with that?”

Nardus shrugged, “I’ve got nothing left to live for.”

Pravus smiled, released Nardus’s wrist, and cracked his knuckles. “Then let’s get started.”