Druan Episode 15: Druan

By Mark Robson

arkness consumed the world for centuries, under thick black clouds that blocked the sun. Without light, the plants withered and died, and the animals starved. Few survived in this wasteland of night. With a final, desperate effort, the shamans gathered together to form a great chant. They gave their lives to open the clouds and let sunlight shine back on the world.

When the scattered remnants of humanity step from the dark, with nothing but their wits and the waning power of an old shaman to protect them, they are faced with a cracked, lifeless desert. Led by a child, guided by the spirits, their deeds will become myth.

To survive, they must train a new generation of shamans to face the coming dangers. Thirteen students to guide the people into a new age. And, of those students, two young sisters will grow to stand at the heart of a legend.

Start Druan today with Episode 1. Each episode is written as a short story, to be read in a few hours, but together they tell the story of two sisters growing up in a new world and facing responsibilities and dangers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Robson
• Release date: May 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370315611

Book preview

Druan Episode 15: Druan

By Mark Robson

Copyright 2017 Mark Robson

Smashwords Edition

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Cover Art by Alan Mence

Cover Text by James Eden

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Spring

The Age of the Sun, Year Seven

Spears of sunlight lit the undergrowth in patterns of gold and shadow. Vines draped over wide branches and trailed down gnarled trunks to disappear into thick bushes adorned with bright flowers.

A squirrel bounded under wide low leaves, its bushy tail bouncing. It stopped and scrabbled at the earth, snout low to the soil. Tiny claws lifted a seed to its nose. It sniffed, then nibbled at the seed with sharp front teeth. The seed eaten, the squirrel scurried forward through the undergrowth, seeking more food.

Suddenly it stopped. The squirrel sat back on its hind legs and lifted its head. Its nose twitched and it turned to look to its right. Something felt wrong. Curious, the squirrel dropped to all fours and ran, weaving past stalks and through long grass.

A tangle of wood barred its way. Logs, branches, sticks and twigs all meshed together, all intertwined with no way past. The squirrel stopped and studied the wall. This was wrong. This should not be here.

It scampered up to the wood and began nibbling at the closest branch, its mind consumed by one thought. The wall did not belong, and it should be removed. The squirrel scratched at the branch, slowly chipping away at the wood.

The undergrowth rustled, and a brown rat emerged from the bushes. It ignored the squirrel and ran to the barrier, climbing up the wood to perch on a branch. It was joined by two others, and together they gnawed at the wood.

More and more animals pushed through the undergrowth. Squirrels and rats, mice and voles, even a few small monkeys joined the growing throng. None of them so much as looked at each other, too consumed as they were by the overriding feeling; this wall should not be here.

They found space on the wooden wall and began to chew.

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Peaks piled on peaks, sloping ever upwards into the sky. Clouds wreathed the highest mountains in tenuous white mist, and glimmering snow shone in the afternoon sun. Crags jutted from steep slopes, topped with hard grass and thorny bushes. Stones clattered down windswept screes, startling birds to flight. Distantly, a wyvern’s call echoed out over the mountains.

A narrow canyon weaved through the range, cracked walls of jagged rock bordering a slender river of clear, ice-cold water. The river bubbled over stones and poured down short waterfalls. It gathered in pools with perfectly flat crystal surfaces. It led down into greener lands beyond the mountains, and disappeared into a dense jungle.

Jayenna walked. Sandalled feet slipped on stone. Her left hand gripped the tall walking stick, the other trailed on the wall to her right. Each step was automatic, made without conscious thought, nothing more than inertia.

She had walked since she left them, pausing only when the pain became too much. She could not say how long it had been. The ache in her calf turned to pain, and then fire, before she became numb to it. At least one night had passed. She vaguely remembered walking in the dark.

Jayenna hoped distance would help, but it only hollowed her further. Stained tracks of old tears marked her face. Dry blood caked her temple from the knock to her head.

There you are. Keili’s voice, circling her head.

Jayenna limped on.

Jayenna. You need to rest. It has been two days. You can’t face Enkar in this state.

I’m fine, she mumbled, as her foot slipped and her palm slapped the rock.

No, you’re not. This will not do at all, Jayenna. There are caves all along this cliff, and it is going to be dark soon. Get inside and start a fire.

Jayenna stopped and rubbed at her face with a dirty palm. Her eyelids weighed her down.

If you carry on like this, you will not make it across the mountains and Tobian’s death will have been for nothing. Is that what you want?

Alright, she growled.

She hobbled forward a few more steps to the next narrow cave opening and peered inside. A brief chant illuminated the sloping rock walls, and then she limped inside. Jayenna worked clumsily, her fingers numb from grief more than cold. While the chant lit the small cave, she opened her bag and pulled out the last of the wood. She moved the burning light to the wood pile and held it until flames stirred. As soon as the fire was burning brightly, Jayenna stopped the chant.

Jayenna sat back and waited for the cave to warm. Her eyes closed and she lay down on the stone floor. Sleep did not come. Instead, her mind filled with images. Govanon snatched from the rock face. Ularic beneath the wyvern’s talons. Tobian toppling from the ledge, and Urseyal reaching for him.

All gone.

As the fire warmed her skin, feeling returned. Her leg spasmed as a bolt of fire ran through it and she sat up, cursing. Fingers rubbed the flesh, probing the twisted muscle, and the pain subsided a little.

Jayenna grabbed her bag and tipped its contents out on the floor. A few vegetables. The last of the cooked meat. Some ingredients to mix one or two doses of gara powder.

The empty bag went onto the fire.

Good. Now eat. Then you need to join us in the dream.

She scowled at the commands, but reached for the food. Jayenna was not hungry, regardless of how much her stomach growled. The meat was hard and she had to tear at it with her teeth. She chewed mechanically, forcing unwanted food down.

Jayenna swallowed the last bite. Happy now?

Keili’s voice came from above the fire. No, but it’s a start. Seal the cave and then join us.

Seal the cave?

Do you want your body to be eaten by wolves while you’re spirit walking?

Jayenna dragged her head up and looked at the cave mouth. Outside, the sky was growing dark and would soon fade to black. She knew what she had to do, but her emotions were a leaden cowl around her mind. Keili’s instructions gave her just enough impetus to keep going.

A brief chant, and the rocks cracked. She could channel enough dark emotion into the more destructive chants to force the power to flow, but a shield was currently beyond her. A large shard of stone split from the cave wall and fell across the entrance, stirring up dust and dirt.

Once the dust settled, she cleared a space on the floor and brushed it clean with her hand. Her bowl was long since lost, along with her spare clothing when the wild tribe captured them. Antoran’s walking stick was back there too, lying in the jungle somewhere, likely overgrown with vines by now.

Jayenna used a stone to grind the ingredients against the rock floor. It was messy, and there would barely be enough for one use once she mixed the remaining ingredients. Soon, familiar smoke rose from the mixture and she sat back.

Breathe it, came the command.

She sighed and leaned forward. Jayenna was so tired, emotionally and physically, that the powder took effect instantly. Her spirit floated at the top of the cave before her body slumped beside her small fire.

Jayenna looked down at herself. Her dirt-covered skin and worried face made her seem far older than her fifteen years. Dried blood matted her hair on one side, and her faded purple dress was frayed and mud-stained.

Before she had chance to think, she felt the familiar pull into a dream. Jayenna could not find the motivation to resist, and everything blinked white.

She stood barefoot on fresh grass. A warm breeze ruffled her clean face and hair. Trees bordered a small clearing dotted with bright, soft-scented flowers. Tani sat on the grass beside a basket of food as Keili stood to greet her, a sad smile on