The Green Dagger: The BlackMyst Trilogy, #2

By Kelly Hess

Tensions rise between Delvengard and Sorak as the Sorak queen demands the return of the Blade of Torrill. As Delvengard scrambles to locate the mythical weapon, many fear war is inevitable. 

Fritz, who secretly possesses the dagger, is tormented by its evil. Eager to take control of its power, he journeys in search of a mysterious being who may be able to help. 

The Green Dagger, Book Two of the BlackMyst Trilogy, continues the adventure, five years after the events of Book One, Eyes of the Enemy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
• Release date: Jun 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9781988256030

Kelly Hess

Kelly Hess grew up with a love of reading science fiction and fantasy that inspired him to write his own fantasy trilogy. He lives in Vacaville, California with his wife and son, and continues writing great adventures.

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By

Kelly Hess

Dragon Moon Press

Copyright 2012 © KELLY HESS

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Cover Design by Greg Simanson

Edited by Jessica Reyes

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

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www.dragonmoonpress.com

Thank you to my son, Benny,

who helped develop many of

the characters in this book.

The Story so far...

From Book One:

Eyes of the Enemy

Twelve-year-old Beynn Firehand lives in the peaceful village of Veiled Gorge, where he has lived with his father Gerran his entire life. His mother, Beynn is told, died giving birth to him. His best friends are Fritz Daggard, a smaller boy from the village, and Rani Mosler, a village girl on whom Beynn and Fritz both have secret crushes.

On the night of the Summer Solstice celebration, the outcast General Akkrid and his rogue band of the white-eyed Sorak attack Veiled Gorge, burning homes and killing many. Sent by his father, Beynn escapes into BlackMyst forest with his friend Fritz Daggard on a quest to seek help for his village. His father’s instructions to Beynn are clear: bring help to the village and deliver a message to your uncle: It’s time to talk. Along their journey, Beynn begins to realize a power is growing inside of him: the power to do magic.

When Fritz is attacked by a robed Sorak in the forest, Beynn’s magic flares and he defeats the enemy, yet fails to kill him. But with this powerful release of magic, Beynn’s eyes turn white. He fears that he is somehow becoming a Sorak. With some practice, and using Fritz’s eyes as a template, Beynn learns to use his new magic abilities to disguise his white eyes to look human.

They soon encounter Dorvina, a strange old witch who lives in the forest. Dorvina reveals herself to be a Sorak who grew up in a human orphanage, only to run away when her own eyes changed. She warns Beynn that he must abandon his old life; that he will never be accepted as he is by his human village. Beynn dismisses her warning, refusing to believe that he could be a Sorak.

When Beynn and Fritz reach his uncle’s home, they explain all that has happened. When Beynn delivers his father’s cryptic message, his uncle tells them that Beynn is, and always has been, a Sorak. Sorak children, it seems, look like human children until they reach puberty when their eyes change and their potential for magic is revealed.

Beynn’s doubts are erased when the Sorak, Raldon, a friend of his uncle’s, arrives and confirms his uncle’s story. Beynn is a psilokk: a sorak with magic abilities. Raldon is a member of the Sorzen, the Sorak Order of psilokks. Beynn learns that he is the child of two Sorzen, and that his true name is DanShal, which means Hand of Fire. Beynn’s mother, Serraif, gave him up to a human man she had fallen in love with, so that her son might be raised peacefully as a human child, and also to protect him from his true father, an over-ambitious Sorzen with desires to raise Beynn as a warrior. Since his birth, Beynn has become a sort of legend to the Sorak: The lost child, stolen from Sorak, one day to return a hero.

Beynn, in shock to learn that he is not the true son of the man who raised him from infancy, refuses to go to Sornnia, the Sorak capital, with Raldon, who wants to help Beynn begin a new life there.

They agree to seek help for Beynn’s village at the Imperial outpost in Tarrine, a town not far from his uncle’s home. But before they can leave, a group of Sorak, sent by Akkrid, attacks, killing Beynn’s uncle in their escape. Beynn and Fritz ride with Raldon to Tarrine, where they find the town decimated, destroyed by Akkrid’s squad.

Raldon finally convinces Beynn to accompany him to Sornnia, where he can plead for the only chance his village may have of rescue: help from the Sorak themselves.

Beynn and Raldon set off together while Fritz remains behind, determined to return to his village and help in whatever way he can. Before leaving Tarrine however, Fritz meets a young woman named Tabitha, the lone survivor of the devastating attack on Tarrine. Fritz helps Tabitha and tells her his plans to return to his village. Tabitha tries to change his mind but he is undeterred.

In gratitude of Fritz’s kindness, Tabitha gives Fritz a dagger that had belonged to her brother before he died. The strange dagger’s curved blade is green in color. Fritz accepts the gift and leaves Tarrine and Tabitha, who tells Fritz that she plans to return to her childhood home of Haverton.

Fritz returns to his village where he finds Sam Conley, who claims to have escaped capture and is now seeking a way to help the other villagers being held prisoners. Unknown to Fritz, it was Conley who betrayed the village to Akkrid and the Sorak in the first place.

Fritz is seriously wounded by the Sorak, but Conley reveals to him that the dagger that Tabitha gave him is magic and will save his life. Conley claims the dagger belonged to his father and was long ago stolen. He tells Fritz that the dagger rightfully belongs to him. Fritz dismisses his claim.

Meanwhile, Beynn arrives with Raldon in Sornnia, where he meets his true father, DanKorr, a Sorzen with ambition to become Overseer, the leader of the Sorzen. Beynn learns that Raldon is also a hopeful to become Overseer. The third hopeful for the seat, Beynn discovers, is none other than Khorslin, the white-haired sorak who attacked Fritz in BlackMyst forest; he is Akkrid’s right-hand, though he keeps this secret.

While in Sornnia, Beynn also meets Tarra, a Sorak girl who teaches him about her country, its language, and its culture. It is on Beynn’s thirteenth birthday that he realizes he is in love with Tarra.

Later, Khorslin, to keep his identity secret, kills Beynn’s father, DanKorr, and attempts to kill Beynn. However, Beynn is triumphant and Khorslin is killed instead.

Beynn and Raldon return to Veiled Gorge with a force of Sorak to liberate his village. There, they meet up with Fritz and Conley. Fritz still keeps the dagger close while he continues to recover from his wounds. Raldon recognizes the Green Dagger as an ancient weapon of evil, and tells Beynn of its history and the legend of its three powers: its power to defeat death, its dark curse, and its unknown third power. Raldon claims the dagger is the property of Sorak.

In the final battle to rescue his village, Beynn realizes that he has the unique ability to overcome the natural immunities to magic that all psilokks possess. He defeats Akkrid, and with the combined forces of Sorak and Delvengard troops, Veiled Gorge is liberated.

Shortly after, Beynn and his human father, Gerran, leave Veiled Gorge behind. As Book One ends, Beynn sets off alone to find his mother, who he learns is still alive, and begin a new life as a Sorak.

PROLOGUE

The people of Veiled Gorge slept peacefully. The small, shrouded village remained a quiet and tranquil community despite the chaotic events of five years ago. No longer did every conversation among villagers dwell on the attack of General Akkrid or the liberation of the village, with the help of the Sorak no less. The new Council Chamber, built taller and stronger, stood as a symbol of pride and resilience to those who had lived through the attack years ago. Life in Veiled Gorge had returned to normal.

Ave Wilkory, the village mayor for going on eleven years, was regarded by most as the guiding force that had helped the village to heal and rebuild. Only the new hot-tempered councilman opposed the mayor on most issues. Regardless, the village had recovered, and it had healed, and its people slept easy, feeling safe and secure in their homes again.

But, on this night, a dark presence lingered in the shadows. A mysterious intruder slipped through the quiet village, fracturing the fragile sense of security that was so difficult to embrace by many. While no physical harm was done, villagers were left with the painful feeling of being violated. Precious heirlooms were taken and family treasures stolen.

On this night, that which was forgotten was again remembered, and loose ends from long ago began to unravel, revealing a new and darker chapter to the story.

CHAPTER 1

The council chamber was filled. Every person in the village had come to see just how the Village Council would handle the situation. A rash of burglaries over the past weeks had put everyone on edge. Nearly every family in the village had been the victim of theft and tensions were high. Nightly patrols had been instated and people had taken to hiding their valuables, as merely locking their things away had proven useless. The thief, or thieves, always managed to get through any lock as if they had a key.

Not only was the thief resourceful at outmatching the locks in the village, but he or she also consistently left behind no evidence whatsoever. Never a footprint was found, nor had the slightest sound been heard by those on patrol or by those from whom the thief stole.

Mayor Wilkory stood in front of those attending the meeting and spoke loudly so as to be heard by the entire room. I’ve received news that similar thefts have been reported in New Glen and Upper Lornne. Certainly not as rampant as here in Veiled Gorge, but equally as mysterious: never a trace of evidence, and locks opened as if by magic—

I think that we can all agree, Fritz interrupted, that we are dealing with a master thief. But is it wise to start fanciful rumors of magic or other such nonsense? The folks of New Glen are good people, don’t get me wrong, but they do have a tendency toward the superstitious.

I think what Fritz... pardon me, Councilman Daggard is trying to say, the mayor continued, is that it may be premature to draw conclusions as to the nature of these crimes.

Fritz grew visibly irritated, and countered heatedly, "With all due respect, Ave, I believe I made myself quite clear. It is not only premature, but outright ridiculous to suggest that magic had anything to do with these crimes." A murmur of agreement rippled from the audience as Mayor Wilkory’s face turned flush.

The chamber’s front doors opened suddenly with a bang and everyone turned toward the disturbance. Through the doorway marched three Delvengard soldiers dressed in riding attire. The first one to enter the building walked directly to the bench, where the five council members sat. The other two stood menacingly at the door. Mayor Wilkory stood as the soldier approached and there was a quiet exchange of words. Then the mayor cleared his throat. Ladies and gentlemen, this soldier of Delvengard has an announcement to make. The mayor then nodded to the soldier as though granting him permission to speak. Fritz rolled his eyes.

The soldier turned to face the crowd. It is by order of King Weston of Delvengard that I bring this news. A reward of five hundred gold coins is being offered for the return of the Blade of Torrill, also known as the Blade of Life, also known as the Green Dagger. In addition, two hundred gold coins are offered for the whereabouts of Samuel Conley, the last known possessor of the Blade of Torrill.

There was a murmur among the crowd. Only a few from the village were aware that Conley had the dagger in his possession when he fled Veiled Gorge so many years ago.

Let it also be known, the soldier continued, that the queen of Sorak has issued a demand that the dagger be returned to Sorak. While the king does not take demands from Sorak with any great weight, I must warn you to be alert for possible Sorak activity in our territory. Sorak spies may be sent to seek the dagger themselves.

Good sir, Wilkory spoke up. You may rest assured that the people of Veiled Gorge are keenly alert to any signs of Sorak, especially after the attack on our village five years ago.

The soldier nodded curtly, Of course. The soldiers then left as abruptly as they had arrived.

The meeting continued on for another hour. Ultimately, little was decided upon regarding the recent burglaries, except to diligently carry on with the nightly patrols, even though they had so far been ineffective.

Fritz lingered in the Council Chamber for a short while after the meeting adjourned. He spoke to several of the villagers about his concern over the thefts and his dogged determination to get to the bottom of these crimes. Gladys Avery congratulated him on a job well done while Ben Hawley affirmed his happiness at Fritz being on the council. Even at only eighteen years old, you’re the brightest and strongest man on the council, he said. Fritz smiled and shook his hand, like a good councilman. Finally, he made his way out of the chamber and headed back to his house.

As he approached his front door, Fritz bent and picked up the lantern he had left outside his door. He glanced around the area. Nobody was within sight. Looking at the lantern in front of him, he said, light. He felt the familiar push of magic and then the lantern flared, casting a momentary flash of brightness against his house before dimming to a reasonable level. Fritz smiled. It was coming easier now.

He opened his door and stepped into his house. The lantern swayed in his hand, causing shadows to dance chaotically against the walls of the main room. As he closed the door behind him, a dark figure stepped from the shadows into the light. Fritz turned, startled, but quickly recognized the intruder to be Krigger, his business associate.

What the blazes are you doing in here? Fritz asked, angrily.

Krigger’s nose twitched and he cocked his head to one side, I got the information you sent me for. He held up a rolled parchment.

Fritz grabbed the parchment from Krigger's hand. So you show up now? You break into my house? Are you crazy? Do you realize that Delvengard soldiers were here in the village tonight? Krigger stared blankly at Fritz, the black fur on his face rippling slightly. Krigger was a Rodentian. He was humanoid in form, but his face was rat-like, including sleek black fur, beady red eyes, and a twitchy nose, with several long white whiskers. Rodentians’ prominent front teeth caused them to speak with a slight lisp. Krigger’s talents were great, but he lacked seriousness, and he was in desperate need of common sense. He was childlike and he approached danger as a game.

Krigger threw his arms in the air. "How do I know when and where? All you said was