Throne of the Gods: Desolace Series VII

By Lucian Barnes

The epic conclusion of the Desolace saga is here!

Frustrated by the inability of his minions to eliminate Edward the White and his companions, the Black Knight takes matters into his own hands. Traveling to the Throne of the Gods, he assembles a multi-dimensional army that no one can stand against ... including the King of the Gods.

Will Edward and his friends reach the throne in time to salvage his world, or will the Black Knight consume Desolace with a darkness it had no hope of recovering from?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lucian Barnes
• Release date: Apr 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310231285

Lucian Barnes

I spent most of my youth in rural Ohio and began writing stories at an early age. Many of these early attempts at story-telling were inspired by mysteries, such as those found in the old Hardy Boys books and the cartoon antics of Scooby Doo. As I entered my teenage years I began to drift away from writing stories, instead picking up my pencil to compose lyrics for heavy metal songs because my new dream was to become a musician. That vision remained hopeful for many years after my high school graduation, but like most dreams of this nature it died out as I became older.After working several menial jobs through the years that followed, my thoughts again began to turn toward writing books. Inspired by my favorite author, Stephen King, I took an online creative writing course and slowly began to develop my skills. In late 2010 I was given a violent shove, both by the job market (which was horrible to say the least, and still is) and by the persistent encouragement of close friends, to pick up my pen and begin writing again.In early 2012, I gave birth (that's almost what it felt like) to my very first published book, Desolace. Finally having a completed novel in my hand was the best feeling in the world for me, giving me a sense of accomplishment I had waited a lifetime for. Since then it has gotten easier for me with each book I have published. Since the initial release of Desolace, I have published four more novels in the series. My latest work is the fifth installment of the Desolace Series, Cemetery Hill.For more about Lucian Barnes and the Desolace series:Official website - http://lucianbarnes.wix.com/authorhttps://www.facebook.com/lucianbarnesauthorhttp://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Desolace/292242934166864https://www.facebook.com/groups/224805344323163/also on Twitter @LucianBarnes

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Throne of the Gods

By

Lucian Barnes

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Lucian Barnes

Smashwords Edition

Cover art copyright © 2016 by Katie Cowan

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is dedicated to my entire support staff. Each and every one of you are an integral part of the process which makes my job all the more fulfilling. It’s an honor to be surrounded by such a great group of people! Whether it be something as simple as showing your support of my writing, the hands-on dirty work of the editing process, or creating cover art that captures a reader’s attention, you are all amazing in my book! Thank you, Angela, Melissa, Claudine, Mindy, and Katie! Your tireless efforts to make my work shine are priceless to me, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough. I am honored to have you along for the ride!

Also by Lucian Barnes

Novels

Destined for Darkness

EL-204

Wasteland

Desolace Series

Desolace

Haven : Desolace II

Outpost 13 : Desolace III

City of the Dead : Desolace IV

Cemetery Hill : Desolace V

The Tree of Life : Desolace VI

Throne of the Gods

Introduction

Up until now, in the Desolace series, we have gotten our first look at the serial killer known as The Headhunter. He is likely the most terrifying individual you have ever encountered; a prime example of what true evil really is. He abducts, tortures, and maims his victims, keeping their heads as gruesome trophies. Then he taunts the police by leaving the headless corpses of his victims displayed for the entire world to see.

Two high school seniors find out about him after fooling around with an Ouija board one night, accidentally contacting a real spirit; the ghost of one of his victims. The apparition leads Katie and Julie through the woods to show them her killer and the girls make a startling discovery. They recognize the man as their school bus driver.

A strange entity enters the picture, introducing itself to the killer as the Black Knight. He enlists the aid of The Headhunter, bringing him through a portal into the parallel world of Desolace.

He awakens in this new world and is instructed by the Black Knight to abduct people to work in a place known as The Factory. Doing the Black Knight's bidding, his resentment grows every time he restrains himself from killing.

Back on Earth, Katie has what she believes to be a dream. In this vision, she meets a tall, pale sorcerer that calls himself Edward the White. He begs for her assistance, citing the fact that evil has gained entrance to his world from her own and he needs her help to vanquish it.

When Katie awakens, the shimmering spirit that led her to discover the identity of The Headhunter is in her room, beckoning for Katie to follow her once more. She follows, stepping through a portal into what she thought was a dream world.

As she meets the sorcerer who appeared in her dream for the first time, he informs Katie that they must form a group of people, comprised solely of individuals from Earth. The only catch? They must all have talents which are unique within the group. This group will consist of: a magician, hunter, warrior, healer, and some type of religious person.

After speaking with Edward at length, Katie soon realizes there is a possibility that her friend, Julie, has been brought to this world. She agrees to help him for the time being; in return she asks for his help finding her friend.

Edward agrees to help Katie and they soon set off on their quest. During their travels, they encounter many strange creatures, the likes of which Katie had before considered myth. They also come across more portals that lead to Earth, each seemingly associated with different points in time. They discover that each portal leads them to a specific individual, one whom they will need to form the rest of their group.

After entering a strange telephone booth, the group finds themselves transported to a future version of Earth; one decimated by an unknown virus which has turned nearly every living soul into a zombie. When Katie realizes they have come out of the portal and landed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she suggests the group head south, hoping to find a way out of this new hell back at her childhood home in Misty Hollows, Ohio.

Along their journey, the group is forced to fight for their very lives against the never-ending tide of the undead. However, near Detroit they find the final piece of their group, a red-haired former priest studying the ways of the shaman. Shortly thereafter the group encounters a Southern man, fleeing to the North to escape the stench of death and the zombie hordes, hoping to find Canada more hospitable.

The group convinces this man, Chris, to give them a ride to Ohio, and after a terrifying ordeal they finally locate an active portal—hidden in the Headhunter's old dumping grounds—back to Desolace. They fight their way through the zombie hordes to get to the portal, only to find themselves in yet another dilemma—Edward’s home-town of Elysia has come under attack. As he and his ragged team of adventurers race against time to thwart the invasion, the city’s lone surviving elder, Jonas, sends them on a mission to the South to locate the Throne of the Gods in hopes of enlisting the aid of the immortal beings.

Stumbling across a deserted town, which seemed to be forgotten by time, the group was ambushed by a legion of the Black Knight’s demonic minions and narrowly manage to survive the attack. After Brian and Katie scout the area to make sure the impish creatures were not preparing for a second assault, they return to the inn with an emaciated woman they’d discovered in a cave near the peak of the mountain.

When Edward realizes that their troubles have merely just begun, the group flees to the south. While they search for the Throne of the Gods, an enormous tree stands in their path and creates a diversion that Katie finds hard to resist … and pays the price for her curiosity. The guardians of the ancient topiary place a curse upon the young woman for her temerity, which begins to rapidly age her.

The only hope Edward has of saving Katie’s life before she dies of old age is to reach the Throne of the Gods and pray that the entities who reside there are willing and able to reverse the effects. This is one mission which absolutely cannot end in failure. At this late stage of his quest, even the smallest setback could mean the end of Desolace. Losing any of his comrades at this juncture would be devastating, and almost certainly throw his world into eternal darkness …

Chapter 1

As the Black Knight flew southward upon the three-headed monstrosity he had reclaimed from his servant—the younger version of his wayward disciple, George Mancini, who he’d gone back in time to acquire—the wind ruffled his black cloak, the fabric making crisp, snapping sounds in the chilly air just below the clouds. His yellow eyes narrowed, a sinister grin forming on his hideous face. In the distance, a lone spire rose, penetrating the fluffy underbelly of the sky like an enormous erection.

The gargantuan stone structure was home to the gods, most of which had long since fled to more hospitable planes of existence. For that matter, he wasn’t even sure his father still sat on the throne at the summit of the needle, hidden amongst the billowing clouds that always surrounded the spire. It was something the Black Knight would soon find out. As the metallic beast glided effortlessly toward the massive building, he calculated that he would reach it within the next hour. He couldn’t help but wonder, as he sped through the sky, how much progress his army was making. With the length of time his flight had taken, he figured it would be another day or two before they were at the castle walls below. It wasn’t an ideal timeline, but he supposed it would have to work. At the very least, the Black Knight could implement the rest of his plan while he waited; a scenario he had kept to himself because he didn’t trust any of his lackeys with the information.

Although he couldn’t make out any of the finer details as of yet, the stone façade of his father’s home began to dominate his vision. The Black Knight gently pushed the control lever—which was mounted to the base of the center neck of his mechanical steed—forward. The machine complied without hesitation, dropping steadily to the warmer, more humid air of the lesser altitude. As the castle walls grew closer and the ground rushed toward him, the Black Knight suddenly had the impression that someone was watching him. After a few seconds, he knew why.

What do you want, Ares? Your presence here is not welcomed!

His father’s voice rattled through his skull, its booming depth causing the Black Knight to wince. He closed his eyes in an attempt to endure the pain, which bounced through his mind like a pinball. The Black Knight exerted more pressure on the control lever, pushing his metallic mount into a steeper descent. It wouldn’t alleviate the agony of his father’s voice—there was no distance too great, no place to hide once he locked on to his target—but if he could get to the ground, at least he wouldn’t have to fret about falling through the sky like a rock dropped from an airplane. The thought would never have concerned him in the past, but after he’d been stripped of his godhood the Black Knight had no desire to find out if he could survive such a thing. He would feel much safer with his clawed feet firmly standing on solid ground.

I know you can hear me, the irate voice continued. I never wanted to banish you from your home, but your arrogance and lust for power forced my hand. There is only room for one supreme being on this world, and that is not something I am willing to give up.

The Black Knight opened his eyes, just in time to see the ground rushing up to meet him. Quickly adjusting the position of the control lever, he leveled off his descent and smoothly landed on the parched earth. Although he didn’t respond to his father’s tirade out loud, the Black Knight’s hate-filled reply echoed through his mind. If it weren’t for you, I would never have gone to the lengths I did, he seethed. I wouldn’t have sought out creatures you have no control over, and invited the greatest of them into my soul. You have no idea what I’m capable of now, old man, but you will find out shortly!

You should leave while you’re still able, and while I’m generous enough to extend you the opportunity!

His shriveled lips twisted into a hideous sneer. It is you who should entertain the notion of leaving, Father, the Black Knight answered defiantly, the menace in his voice making the very air around him shudder. Whether you think I’m capable or not, I promise you that the throne you sit upon will be mine before long.

The clouds surrounding the pinnacle of the stone tower grew dark, swirling around the tip of the spire like a developing tornado. The Black Knight waited, his eyes drawn to the sky in anticipation, knowing exactly what Zeus was up to. How dare you threaten me? I brought you into this world, and I can damn sure take you out of it!

Ares couldn’t help but chuckle. His father had no clue what, or whom, he was dealing with. He was still under the delusion that his son was the God of War, only without the mantle he’d been stripped of. Sure, that aspect was still part of him, but the demonic entity which was intertwined with his soul now made him an entirely different monster. Part god, and part devil. Zeus was limited in what he could do. He could force his will upon mortals with ease, and even control other gods, but he had no idea what his rejected son was capable of. When the Black Knight had still been known to his underlings as Ares, Zeus probably would have been able to thwart his efforts. That time was long gone now.

I think it would be a delightful surprise to see the look on your face as you fail. Your kingdom will fall, and I will watch the world crumble beneath your feet ... right before I claim your throne as my own, the Black Knight taunted.

Knowing his father would not take the jibe well, he sidestepped the lightning bolt that lashed toward him from the angry clouds overhead. Instead of striking its intended target, the massive electrical charge slammed into the three-headed machine, sending a shower of sparks cascading to the earth, and smaller streaks of lightning toward the dusty soil like the tentacles of a kraken.

His lips peeled back in a grin he couldn’t restrain, amused by the ineptitude of his father’s attack. He laughed ruthlessly, suddenly sure that this little game would quickly swing in his favor. This was going to be child’s play. Before Zeus could launch another attempt on his life, the Black Knight summoned three spherical voids, each positioned around him to form a triangle. From within each rift, sounds of battle could be heard. Emanating from one was the clashing of swords and the steady pounding of hooves. Erupting from the second black portal was the near deafening