The Black Pagoda, An Archer Adventure, Book 7

By Katharine Giles

A battle is brewing in the South China Sea as mermaids and dragons prepare to fight over the white Kingdom of Shusin.
An evil oracle named Kimo is seeking revenge against King Ichos and plans to take the white kingdom for her white-tailed daughter.

Not only is King Ichos’ most beautiful kingdom on the Earth Star in danger, Archer and Aradia must stop Kimo’s plan and eliminate the weapon she plans to use to destroy all of King Ichos’ earth kingdoms. Can Archer and Aradia save King Ichos’ favorite Earth Star kingdom from the evil in Kimo's black pagoda?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katharine Giles
• Release date: Nov 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370320615

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.

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THE BLACK PAGODA

An Archer Adventure

Book VII

Katharine Giles

Copyright © 2017 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, decompiled, 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 publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

The author has no control over, and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

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

Cover design: Copyright © 2017 by Katharine Giles

Cover image: Copyright © 2017 Shutterstock #218146255

Distributed by Smashwords

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Visit the author website: www.thearcheradventures.com

Version SL.2017.12.13

For Jacob, Nathan & Nicholas Shanks

and

Taylor, Hunter & McKenzie Barton

Table of Contents

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One: Danger Approaches Shusin

Chapter Two: The White Oracle

Chapter Three: The Black-Tailed Queen

Chapter Four: Secure The Kingdom!

Chapter Five: Surprise Attack

Chapter Six: The Garden of Tears

Chapter Seven: The Great Black Dragon

Chapter Eight: Dragon Kits Unleashed!

Chapter Nine: The Red Oracle

Chapter Ten: Dragon Against Dragon

Preview of Book VIII: Knights of Glass

An Archer Adventure

More Books by this Author

About the Author

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Amethina (Am-eth-ee-nuh): Archer’s Mother, King Zirco’s Daughter

Aradia (Uh-ray-dee-uh): Archer’s Teacher, Damani’s Daughter

Archer (Are-chur): Prince of Water, Heir to Skye

Ichonaut (Eye-koh-not): Merman follower of King Ichos

Ichos (Eye-kohs): King of Water, Archer’s Father

Japhron (Jaf-rawn): Balycon’s Crystal Master

Kimo (Kee-mow): White Oracle

Lee Su (Lee Sue): Mermaid, Shusin

Ling Sup (Ling Sup): Great Black Dragon

Mandaree (Man-dar-ee): Black Kingdom in South China Sea

Marcoli (Mar-kohl-ee): Water’s Crystal Master

Mei Ying (May Ying): Red Oracle

Mei San (May Sawn): Sun Toi’s Mother

Scurapin (Skur-uh-pin): Giant Squid in South China Sea

Shusin (Shoe-sin): King Ichos’ Eighth Earth Kingdom

Soo Chow (Sue Chow): Trident’s Keeper, Shusin

Sun Ho (Sun Hoe): Ruler of Shusin

Sun Ling (Sun Ling): Sun Ho & Kimo’s Daughter

Sun Toi (Sun Toy): Sun Ho & Mei San’s Daughter

Ton Shu (Tawn Shoe): Captain of the Sea Guard, Shusin

Zirco (Zer-koh): King of Skye, Archer’s Grandfather

Archer's Adventures Recorded by Korina, Story Teller of Skye

Chapter One

Danger Approaches Shusin

Inside a mountain on the ocean floor of the South China Sea, Sun Ho relaxed on a soft coral bed in the Blue Garden, his favorite sanctuary. He came here often to enjoy the sun shining through the skylight while he watched the fish create a panorama of moving shadows against the white pearl walls.

As former Captain of Water's Enforcers, he'd served his king well and been rewarded with this new kingdom on the Earth Star. Although thrilled with the recognition for his loyalty and service, it had come at a difficult time. His beautiful mate, San, was expecting their first child and he didn't want to leave her. But after San assured him she’d be fine and insisted he accept the honor bestowed on him. Sun Ho bid her goodbye and accompanied Water’s builders to his new home. But before the builders had finished their work, Sun Ho received an urgent request to return to Water. Terrified something had happened to San, he expressed his alarm to Water’s crystal master the instant he arrived.

Why has my king called me away from my work? Has something happened to San and the child?

Marcoli's reply deepened Sun Ho's distress.

It’s not my place to announce the reason for your summons, Marcoli told him. An Ichonaut is waiting to escort you to the Sea Lace Garden to meet with King Ichos. He’ll tell you the reason for the summons.

Sun Ho feared the worst. Because Marcoli didn't have the authority to ease his concern, he quickly joined the pink-tailed Ichonaut at the door of the communication chamber. The Ichonaut's hand signal invited Sun Ho to follow and darted ahead to lead him into the heart of the palace. When they arrived at the black coral arch at the entrance to the Sea Lace Garden, a nod of the Ichonaut’s head invited Sun Ho to enter. While the Ichonaut darted away, Sun Ho swam through the arch and found King Ichos sitting atop a purple cushion tucked inside a giant clam. A wall of cascading white sea lace tumbled to the pebbled floor behind him and a pink-tailed mermaid hovered at his side.

King Ichos greeted Sun Ho with a broad smile and told him, Come in. Come in. Your expression tells me that I've alarmed you with my urgent summons but I have good news. Your mate gave birth to a most unusual child and I called you home to meet your daughter.

Before Sun Ho could reply, the mermaid darted forward and placed a tiny baby in his hands. Sun Ho glanced down and his eyes widened in wonder at the sight of his first born. Unusual would not have been the word Sun Ho would have chosen to describe the tiny babe. Unlike Water's pink-tailed mermaids and Ichonauts, the black scales on his daughter's tail glowed like ebony pearls in Water's pink light. Long black hair floated around her face and she looked at him with trusting blue eyes.

San asked me to tell you that she likes the name Toi, King Ichos told him. She’d like you to consider it when you name her.

A moment passed before Sun Ho could speak. When he finally recovered from his shocked surprise at the sight of the baby's black tail, he looked up and met King Ichos’ eyes.

At Ichos' nod, he raised his baby daughter above his head and announced, This child will wear the name chosen by my mate. From this day on she'll be called Sun Toi.

Memories of that day always made Sun Ho smile. The child not only changed his life, she changed King Ichos’ image of the new kingdom on the Earth Star. Before her birth, he’d come to the earth sea to help the builders create a white kingdom that would be filled with white-tailed mermaids and Ichonauts. Sun Toi's birth changed that plan. When Water's pink-tailed mermaids and Ichonauts joined Sun Ho, they obeyed his order and arrived with black tails to honor his baby daughter. The white kingdom with white-tailed mermaids and Ichonauts had been King Ichos’ dream. Sun Toi's birth changed that dream and made it his own.

Memories of the early days on the Earth Star always intruded whenever Sun Ho relaxed in this particular garden. Since San’s untimely death, the garden had become his sanctuary where he relived his joy at Sun Toi's birth and remembered happier times. But sad memories also found him here for he'd created this garden for San. Because his duties as Captain of Water's Enforcers didn’t prepare him for the task, the work became a labor of love and the results of his efforts surprised him.

While King Ichos' builders finished the walls and gardens in the caves and tunnels inside Shusin’s undersea mountain, he spent hours working on this special gift for his mate. San loved the color blue and he included as many shades of blue as he could find in the outer sea. Selecting the shells, flowers and fish had been easy but he soon collected so many that he couldn’t picture the finished garden in his mind. He sought advice from the builders and they told him after he decided on a centerpiece, everything would fall into place.

Sun Ho traveled the kingdom to inspect the finished gardens hoping to find the perfect centerpiece for San’s garden. But none were suitable for his purposes and he despaired. The builders came to his aid when they reported an unusual colony of blue clams lived at the outer boundary of Shusin. One of the builders took Sun Ho to see them and as they neared their destination, Sun Ho was amazed and delighted at what he found. The clams opened and closed with the rhythm of the tide and filled the sea with a clicking sound.

They sing! He exclaimed. San will love them but, more than that, they’re a perfect gift for my baby daughter! They’re the perfect centerpiece for San’s garden.

His excitement was short lived when the builder reminded him, Without their song, they’re just blue clams. They can’t sing unless we can find a way to duplicate the tide.

If you can't make that happen, maybe Marcoli can help solve the problem, Sun Ho suggested.

While the builders studied that challenge, Sun Ho encountered one of his own. The clams had little visual appeal other than their unusual color and he needed a stunning centerpiece to display them properly. The solution came to him in a dream and he ordered the builders to create a statue of a baby mermaid with a black coral tail, blue pearl eyes and a blue shell bodice.

With the builders busy collecting clams and creating the statue, Sun Ho began to bring his collection of plants, corals and fish into the mountain. After the statue had been arranged in the garden’s center and singing clams filled the space around it, Sun Ho added his chosen items to the garden. He’d been more than pleased with the way the builders duplicated the motion of the tide and made the clams sing. They placed a giant clam behind the statue and partially hid it behind a garden of sea feathers. Every time the gentle current pushed the plants against it, it opened and closed, churned the water and made the clams sing.

Thrilled with the finished garden, Sun Ho eagerly awaited San and Toi's arrival. Eager to see San’s reaction to everything he’d done, he took them to see the Blue Garden before anything else. He told San that he'd change anything she didn't like but he needn't have worried. She loved everything about the garden and was especially thrilled when baby Toi giggled and clapped when San showed her the singing clams.

Sadness rose in Sun Ho's eyes when he remembered the tragedy that struck soon after San’s arrival. It was his fault she perished for he’d neglected to warn her of the dangers in the earth sea before he let her explore her new home. He'd often seen the white serpents on the outskirts of Shusin while he gathered shells and plants for her garden but they never acted aggressive and he never considered them a threat. The guard heard San cry for help and raced to save her from the serpents. Sun Ho rushed to her side but arrived too late. He cried out for vengeance and made the worst mistake of his life. Why didn't he order the guard to destroy the serpents? Why did he call Kimo, the most powerful White Oracle Water had ever known?

Kimo answered his call and rid the earth sea of the serpents but when she demanded the white kingdom in payment, Sun Ho’s reply fueled her anger.

I can't give you a kingdom that doesn't belong to me, he told her. You'll have to ask for something else.

The day will come when you’ll regret your decision, Kimo told him. A White Oracle always gets what she wants.

Her angry words made Sun Ho fear for his safety and the safety of his black-tailed daughter. He reported his fears to Marcoli and asked for his help. Marcoli suggested several ways to protect Shusin but Sun Ho feared he hadn't done enough. While he relaxed in the Blue Garden and reflected on his preparations to shelter Sun Toi from harm, a singing doorway announced the arrival of the Captain of his guard.

Ton Shu! What is it? Why have you disturbed me here?

My news can't wait, Ton Shu told him.

What news?

An unknown creature approaches Shusin.

What do you mean? There are no unknown creatures on the Earth Star. It can’t be a dragon. King Ichos would have told me if dragons lived in this sea.

It isn’t a dragon, Ton Shu replied. It's an eight-legged one. But it’s larger than two Ichonauts, maybe larger than three. None of the guard has seen anything like it.

I've heard of a similar creature, Sun Ho replied. King Ichos once told me about a giant eight-legged one that lived in a remote area on Water that he called a scurapin. I'm sure he would have told me if one lived on the Earth Star.

Nevertheless, this creature found its way to Shusin, Ton Shu replied. Do you have orders for the guard?

The small eight-legged one lives in crevices and caves which suggests this creature might seek refuge inside the mountain, Sun Ho responded. The kingdom can withstand an attack by Ichonauts but provides no defense against a creature who could slip past the guard and hide in Shusin. Have you sealed the Entry Garden?

I came to you first. There are workers in the outer gardens and I didn’t want to seal the Entry Garden or call the workers in from their chores until I spoke with you.

Sun Ho’s eyes were thoughtful when he spoke. Where is this creature?

I left a guard to watch its movements, Ton Shu replied. It’s nearby and I fear for the safety of those in the outer gardens.

Gather the guard, Sun Ho ordered. There's much to learn about the creatures that live on the Earth Star. After we evaluate the danger, I'll contact King Ichos. Shusin may need new defenses.

Ton Shu’s nod acknowledged Sun Ho’s command and he turned to leave. Sun Ho rose and followed him into a tunnel that led out of the mountain and into the open sea. Ton Shu’s trilled whistle signaled the interior guard to join them at the Entry Garden and the every member of the guard was waiting when they arrived.

The muscular bodies of Shusin's guard reflected the demands of a life underwater. Unlike Sun Ho, who wore no adornments, the guard wore woven-grass headbands to hold their black hair away from their face. They carried ebony tridents mounted on a carved bone staffs and wore knives in braided-grass scabbards attached to their forearms.

These were Sun Ho's friends and he acknowledged them with a smile and a nod. Their blue eyes met his and twenty-one Ichonauts returned his greeting. As Captain of Water’s Enforcers, Sun Ho knew and trained every fighting Ichonaut on Water and had selected the best to accompany him to the Earth Star. Their presence provided safety for those who later joined him in the new settlement.

The guard’s look of anticipation told Sun Ho they'd heard about the creature approaching the kingdom. He saw their eagerness to meet and destroy the enemy, but Sun Ho didn't believe in destroying things that were unknown or little