The Crystal Trident, An Archer Adventure, Book 1, Second Edition

By Katharine Giles

After his parents are lost at sea, 14-year old Archer takes the family trimaran and heads for Australia. Second thoughts make him abandon the trip but before he can head back, he’s thrown through a portal into the parallel world of the immortals. Archer arrives at the bottom of the sea with a bad case of amnesia and a mermaid at his side.

The Crystal Trident, the first book of the Archer Adventures, plunges its reader into the ocean depths and a kingdom filled with danger at every turn. With no memory of his past, Archer begins a quest for a crystal trident on a journey that challenges his new-found skills. While he helps those who saved his life, he struggles to adapt to this alien world.

Through the long and dangerous journey, will Archer develop the needed skills that will let him find and return the trident? More importantly, will he discover his identity so he can go home or is he trapped forever in the land of the immortals?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katharine Giles
• Release date: May 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370822096

Katharine Giles

Her many adventures gave Katharine an advantage when she wrote The Archer Adventure Series. Born in Wyoming, her family moved to the West Coast so early in her life that she barely remembered days on the dude ranch where her grandfather worked as foreman and her cowboy father sang Western songs to the dudes around evening campfires.Katharine's parents loved to travel America's highways and always explored side roads when an interesting sign coaxed them off the Interstate. This is how she discovered getting lost could be an adventure. She learned to fly and toured the Western states with her pilot husband to attend small airport Fly-Ins that hosted everything from Barbecues to Pancake Breakfasts.She's been salmon fishing over the Columbia River Bar in Oregon, deep sea fishing at San Pedro, California, and Mazatlan, Mexico. She's traveled East to West across Mexico on the famous Copper Canyon train, visited the dolphins in Topolobampo Bay and toured Santa Catalina Island (the Channel Islands West of Los Angeles) by boat, seaplane and twin-engine plane that landed at the airport in the sky.She later took scuba lessons and became a PADI Certified Diver. A passion for cooking prompted her to write three cookbooks and compete in a Pace Picante Sauce cooking contest where she won $1,000 First Place prize with a creative soup recipe. After obtaining a Diamond Certificate from The Gemological Institute of America and completing their Colored Stone Course, she became a silver smith so she could design and create custom jewelry for family and friends. Along the way, Katharine added roller skating, bowling, sailing, ballroom dancing, and competition shooting to her list of interests.A few memorable adventures as a solo long-haul driver across America include picking up a load of Christmas trees on a mountain top, dropping a load of tires in a cow pasture where the cattle surrounded her truck before she made it through the gate because they were expecting a hay delivery, and frantically searching for a police escort when she got her big truck lost in the middle of New York City. Getting lost in the big city turned out to be more traumatic than the time she drove her 18-wheeler, with its 53-foot trailer, to the end of a dead-end road.Katharine's many travels by air, land and sea took her down America's Interstates from Victoria, B.C., to Key West, Florida, and from Montreal, Canada, to Tijuana, Mexico, and she's visited every state except Alaska. While she continues her passion for writing, she enjoys painting acrylics on canvas and daily walks with her dog, Jasper.

Book preview

THE CRYSTAL TRIDENT

An Archer Adventure

Book I

Second Edition

Katharine Giles

The Crystal Trident, An Archer Adventure Book I, Second Edition

Copyright ©2016, 2020 by Katharine Giles

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only electronic authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

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

Distributed by Smashwords

Cover design: Copyright 2020 Katharine Giles

Cover Image: Copyright Shutterstock_347178443

Author Website:

www.thearcheradventures.com

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

ISBN: 978-1-939181-89-3 (eBook)

Version: 2020.04.13

Created in the United States of America

In remembrance

of Rich and Grace Williams,

who taught the course in Adventuring.

Table of Contents

Glossary and Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One: WHERE AM I?

Chapter Two: DANGEROUS CHALLENGE

Chapter Three: PEARLS & RAINBOWS

Chapter Four: DINNER IS SERVED

Chapter Five: FASTEST ANIMAL IN THE SEA

Chapter Six: TURTLES TO THE RESCUE

Chapter Seven: MIND OVER MATTER

Chapter Eight: SEA DRAGON CAVES

Chapter Nine: GHOSTS OF THE DEEP

Chapter Ten: QUINTAR THE DRAGON

Chapter Eleven: PROPHETIC DREAM

Preview of Book II: A Perilous Quest

An Archer Adventure, Second Edition

About the Author

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Acura (Ac-her-uh): Tableland near the Sea Dragon Caves

Archer (Are-chur): Fourteen-year-old Runaway

Arcos (Are-kohs): Ichonaut Who Speaks with Animals

Atra (At-ruh): Ruler of Plants & Small Fishes

Balycon (B-owl-ee-kahn): White Stone City beneath the Sea

Banto (Ban-toh): Ichonaut Who Creates Armor

Boja (Boh-juh): Red Feather Snake

Carpin (Car-pin): Half Fish, Half Horse Steed

Chion (Ch-eye-on): Ruler of Palori in the Frozen Sea

Coriana (Core-ee-ann-uh): Distant Island

Doro (Door-oh): Ichonaut That Creates Illusions

Gypsy (Jip-see): Carpin Steed in Coriana’s Sea

Koros (Core-ohs): Ruler of Large Fishes

Lemandia (Leh-man-dee-uh): White Stone City Above the Sea

Loca (Low-kuh): Dragon Fish in Acura’s Sea

Manto (Man-toh): Carpin Steed in Balycon

Mino (Mine-oh): Ruler of Turtles & Sea Birds

Mintar (Min-tar): Ichonaut Guide

Myra (My-ruh): Mermaid

Orcan (Or-can): Captain of the Sea Guard, Healer

Oserra (Oh-sear-uh): Balycon's Outer Settlement

Pacion (Pass-ee-own): Keeper of Balycon’s Crystal Ball

Pindar (Pin-dar): Ichonaut That Animates Illusions

Quintar (Keen-tar): Green Sea Dragon

Scurapin (Scur-uh-pin): Giant Squid

Skoros (Score-ohs): Head of Balycon's Council

Tikra (Teek-ruh): Ruler of Coral & Mollusks

Toran (Tore-an): Ichonaut With Super Hearing

Zondo (Zahn-doh): Moray Eel

Chapter One

Where Am I?

A pulsing pain on the side of his head brought him awake but before he could open his eyes, a vision a killer wave and a red and white sailboat flashed through his mind. He jerked back, bumped his head against a rock and the pain in his head exploded. His eyes snapped open and exploring fingers found a bump below his left ear.

Everything's blurry? Why can't I see?

Something brushed against his shoulder and he pulled away. Blurry shapes swam in and out of his vision. He closed his eyes, slumped back and panicked when a hand grabbed his shoulder, shook him. A jab of pain shot through his head and he found a large bump when he reached up.

Ouch! That hurts!

He opened his eyes.

Why is everything out of focus?

He blinked, rubbed his eyes and his vision cleared. Off to his right a field of grass danced in the wind. His hand fell to his side and he grabbed a handful of sand.

Sand?

A touch on his shoulder made him turn and his eyes widened. A girl with large blue eyes and long black hair floating around her head sat next to him. Tiny fish darted through her hair and sparkled like gemstones beneath the sun.

Who is she? Why are there fish in her hair?

A motion made him look down. He stared in disbelief at sunlight reflecting off the scales on her green tail.

She’s a fish! That's silly. She can't be a fish! I'm dreaming.

He raised his head and scanned his surroundings. When he found nothing familiar, he lay back and basked in the sun before he realized something was terribly wrong.

Sand? Fish? I'm underwater! I'm drowning! I have to get air!

He reached back to push off the sand but the girl grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down. Panic rose in his eyes and he struggled to get free. She pushed harder.

She’s drowning me!

Don't be afraid, said the girl. I'm not trying to drown you.

The musical lilt of her voice floated through his head. He stopped struggling and stared at her.

What is she anyway, a girl or a fish? Why won’t she let me get air? If she's not trying to drown me, why is she holding me down?

I’m a mermaid and my name's Myra. I’m holding you down because you've been hurt. You need to rest until you feel better.

She’s talking without moving her lips! How can she talk underwater and how can I hear her? Why don’t I need air? If I don’t need air I must be dead!

I don't need to move my lips, Myra told him. You hear my thoughts. And you're not dead.

She knows what I'm thinking! How can she do that?

I told you. We talk with our thoughts.

If you’re a mermaid that means I’m underwater, he said aloud, ignoring the bubbles that spewed out of his mouth, floated past his nose and garbled his words.

If I’m underwater without a SCUBA tank and talking to a mermaid when everyone knows mermaids don’t exist, then I'm dead.

Myra's eyes twinkled in amusement when she laughed and told him, You can stop making bubbles. Think of what you want to say and I’ll hear you. I hear your thoughts and you hear mine because the collar I put around your neck lets you talk to me.

His hand flew to his throat where he found a soft, smooth collar. He tried to pull it off but it was stuck to his skin.

I don't want this thing! Take it off! Take it off!

Another stream of bubbles floated past his nose. A wave of dizziness swept over him so he lowered his head to the sand and closed his eyes.

Why is there a bump on my head and why am I seeing a mermaid?

The collar won’t hurt you, said Myra. It lets you live beneath the sea and talk with your thoughts. It's part of you, like your beautiful violet eyes.

A picture of a young man with blonde hair and violet eyes appeared in the blackness beneath his lids and disappeared as rapidly as it came.

Why did I see a picture of a guy with odd-colored eyes? Who is he?

Before Myra could reply, he opened his eyes and found everything in focus.

I can see!

He glanced left where a row of marbled orange, black and white cone shells formed a border around a garden of pink sea feathers.

Man those shells are big! They must be three feet tall!

He looked through the water at a cloud drifting overhead. A blanket of peace washed over him. No longer afraid, he lay back in the sand and relaxed.

I've drowned. That's why I can see mermaids and giant sea shells that don't exist. I didn’t know mermaids lived in a heaven beneath the sea.

You didn’t drown and this isn’t heaven, Myra informed him.

How did she know what I was thinking?

I told you, she scolded. You can talk with your thoughts.

So I’m talking just by thinking and you can hear everything I think! he said and sent more bubbles to the surface. That’s weird.

I’ll have to be careful what I think, he thought.

What’s your name? Myra asked.

My name?… What's my name?…. I don’t know my name!… I don't know who I am!

He tried to think. Nothing came. He closed his eyes and shook his head. A strong hand clasped his shoulder. He opened his eyes, turned his head and found a man with black hair, blue eyes and bronzed skin hovering at his side. He glanced down. The man’s muscular torso ended at a green tail.

Where did he come from? He has a tail but he can’t be a mermaid! Only girls are mermaids!

The man laughed, his voice rich and deep like chocolate.

I’m an Ichonaut and my name is Orcan. Myra and I need to know your name. Since you can’t remember maybe there's something written on the band around your wrist.

He raised his arm and stared at his watch. Nothing about it looked familiar until the word 'Waterproof' jumped out at him. The word reminded him of something but he couldn't remember what. He removed the watch, turned it over and read an inscription on its back.

"Happy Birthday, Archer!"

Am I Archer?

It doesn't matter, Orcan replied. It gives us something to call you.

He heard me thinking!

Archer's hand flew to the collar.

This thing really works. Who is this guy and why does he have a tail? Does everyone around here have a tail?

I told you my name is Orcan and I'm an Ichonaut.

What's an Ichonaut?

Archer rubbed the bump behind his ear.

How did I get this bump on my head?

A wave brought you here, Orcan replied. You hurt your head when you fell into a coral garden. If you're well enough to travel, the council wants to see you.

I want to go home.

Where do you live?

Archer looked at Orcan with panic in his eyes.

I can't remember. Why can't I remember my name? Why can't I remember where I live?

You’ll remember everything in time, Orcan told him. Until you do, you’re safe and welcome to stay. I’ll take you to the council and let them answer your questions.

Orcan raised his head, whistled and a sharp pain shot through Archer's head.

Ouch! That hurt! Why did he do that?

I called Manto, Orcan told him. As long as you’re here, he’ll take you anywhere you want to go.

What's a Manto?

Instead of answering Archer’s question, Orcan reached down, grabbed Archer's hand and pulled him to a sitting position. A sharp pain shot behind Archer's ear and the dizziness returned. He closed his eyes and reached for the back of his head.

Ouch!

I should have taken care of all your injuries after Myra pulled you out of the coral, Orcan told him. It won’t take a moment to fix the bump on your head and mend the scratch on your cheek.

Orcan lightly stroked the back of Archer's neck. The warmth of his fingers eased Archer's pain and he relaxed.

Whatever you did worked, he said. It doesn't hurt anymore.

Archer reached up to rub the bump behind his ear and found it gone. Before he could comment on that discovery, another twinge of pain shot through his head.

There's another bump.

I’ll fix it, Orcan told him. He placed his fingers on the other side of Archer's head and the pain stopped. After I mend the scratch on your cheek you'll be as good as new.

How did you do that? Archer asked when Orcan removed his hand from his face. And how did I get hurt?

A wave brought you here, Orcan reminded him. Myra pulled you out of a coral garden and put the collar around your neck. I mended your bleeding wounds before you awoke.

Something white flashed in the distance. Archer looked up, watched an animal bound toward them and a memory tried to break through.

What an odd looking horse!

Archer closed his eyes and, in the blackness beneath his lids, saw a horse running on a beach. The horse looked familiar but Archer couldn't remember why. He opened his eyes to watch the unusual animal approach.

It's half horse and half fish! Is it a fish horse? Or a horse fish?

It isn't a horse, Orcan told him. Manto’s a carpin.

Manto stopped at Archer's side and nudged his hand with his nose.

I'm either dead or dreaming, Archer thought and stroked the carpin’s velvet skin. I may not know who I am, but I know I can't breathe underwater. And I’m pretty sure I've never seen an animal that looks like this.

Archer glanced up. Beyond the pink feather garden, a school of blue fish with white polka dotted fins swam through a coral forest.

What odd-looking fish!

Everywhere Archer looked, he found things that were not only strange, some of them were downright scary…like that plant over there with blinking eyes!

There’s lots of stuff here I'm sure I’ve never seen. I have to be dreaming.

This isn’t a dream and you're very much alive, said Orcan. Because we talk with our thoughts, you need to learn to speak our language properly.

Archer gave Orcan a blank stare. What is he talking about?

Think of what you want to say and don’t say anything, Orcan suggested. I’ll hear you because the verbal language is a thought language before it’s spoken.

Oh, Archer responded. I can do that.

Orcan's hand signal urged him to mount and Archer cautiously approached the carpin. Manto shoved his nose toward him and nudged his arm. His white mane floated around his face and enhanced his light blue eyes. If one could ignore Manto's webbed front feet and dolphin-like tail, he looked exactly like a horse.

Archer stroked Manto's neck and told him, Orcan said I have to ride you. I don't know how to do that. I hope I do it right.

He threw a leg over Manto’s back, sat up straight and pressed his knees into the carpin's sides.

You've ridden before, Orcan remarked with an approving nod.

I don't remember.

Hold on tight.

Before Archer could respond to Orcan’s warning, Manto lunged. A surge of water hit him in the chest and sent him tumbling over the carpin's back. He caught a brief glimpse of something coming at him before Orcan grabbed his wrist and jerked him away from the jagged teeth of a coral tree.

I've got you, Orcan told him when Manto spun in the water, came back and stopped at Archer’s side.

I should have waited until you had a better grip, Orcan said. Manto is always eager for a race. Are you okay?

I'm fine, Archer replied through clenched teeth. Upset that he let the carpin throw him, he grabbed Manto's mane, hesitated and looked at Orcan.

We need to go, Orcan reminded him.

Why don't I just swim?

Because you can’t keep up with me.

All right. I'll try.

Archer threw a leg over Manto's back, leaned forward and grabbed him around the neck. After he pressed his body tight against the carpin's mane, he looked at Orcan.

Are you ready? asked Orcan.

Archer nodded. With a flip of his tail, Orcan sped ahead and Manto lunged. The water surged over Archer's