Variants of Adlin: Pursued

By E. L. Jensen

"You're not healing her quickly enough!” Raphael yelled, “Dad, she’s dying!”

Anaya and her friends continue their dangerous journey to find the cruel dictator who has taken control over the people in Adlin. Despite Anaya being incredibly powerful, her abilities cause complications. Will she be enough to protect her friends and free Adlin?

• Language: English
• Publisher: E. L. Jensen
• Release date: Jun 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463073124

Book preview

Variants of Adlin

Pursued

E. L. Jensen

Acknowledgements

Hayden.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © E. L. Jensen

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Excerpt From: Mark Coker. Smashwords Style Guide. Apple Books.

Jensen, E. L.

Variants of Adlin: Pursued

ISBN 9780463073124

Table of Contents

1. Nerak

2. Drawing Fire

3. The Train

4. Queen Carolyn’s City

5. Mind Games

6. Jiun

7. The Sanctuary

8. Taken

9. Hunted

10. Homecoming

11. Returning

12. Into The Depths

13. Darkness

14. Damage

15. The Throne Room

16. Terryn

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Nerak

Deep within darkness Anaya became aware of a slow pulsating light inside her. Then… it was ripped away from her.

Gone.

The darkness quickly swallowed her up again and she was alone… drifting.

Again, a connection! Followed by the slow, pulsing light in her mind.

David!

She sensed him connecting his mind with hers, his healing Variant Energy trickling through her mind and eradicating the poison in her body…

A jolt disconnected David stopping the healing stopped, the poison surged back through her ripping her insides apart and she felt herself drifting.

She tried to fight it and reach out for him with her mind but he had gone. Instead, she heard him vomit and garbled voices around her. She tried to focus on them and make put what was happening.

Anaya tried to breathe but her lungs ached, they were heavy and tired, she could feel them filling with fluid.

Dad, let me try! Raphael.

No.

You can’t heal the both of you at once. Look at your condition. Tiras.

No. Raph can’t! She heard David as he vomited again.

A spear of pain shuddered through her heart. The darkness enveloped her.

David connected again and she felt her heart sluggishly beat once, then a second time, she tried to gasp for air, but her lungs just couldn’t do it.

It’s not working quickly enough! Raphael yelled, Dad, she’s dying!

No, she won’t. She can’t…

The voices faded. Time disappeared as the darkness claimed her again.

A huge jolt and this time the pulsating light within her surged, this time stronger.

Her heart grew stronger and thumped in her chest and her mind cleared. Her breathing was still shallow but she managed some small breaths one after another. She rested as the healing tricked through her body.

David?

I’m here. Just rest.

David voice inside her mind sounded stressed…distracted.

Whoa! That’s the weirdest thing!

Tiras?

Tiras, concentrate!

David barked loudly enough for it to echo in her head.

She forced her eyes open. David and Tiras were above her both gripping a bare wrist each, their eyes scrunched closed, concentrating. Their foreheads pressed against hers on either side.

Heal, she heard David mutter, then Tiras copied.

David again let go of her wrist, disconnecting from her mind with a jolt and the healing Variant Energy decreased. He leaned away from her and she heard him vomit again. He looked awful, David wasn’t taking the goaulder poisoning very well.

Tiras remained and his healing Energy continued fighting the poison and sustaining her, saving her.

A hand squeezed hers and she saw Raphael behind Tiras, gripping tightly to her gloved hand. He looked relieved.

David returned, grabbing her bare wrist, he positioned himself and connected again and she felt the healing ability. Anaya felt her head clear and the poison start to dissolve in her bloodstream. She breathed deeper as her lungs slowly relieved the pain and pressure.

After a time David disconnected from her and reached out to Tiras, gently separating his hand from Anaya’s wrist and disconnecting him from her. Tiras, take a break and let your body heal itself, she’s safe, David instructed.

David and Tiras lay either side of her and there was silence which was occasionally broken by David leaning away to dry wretch. She felt woozy and realised the poison was still in her system, but they had bought her precious time. David would sort the poison out when he was able to.

Where are we? She asked Raphael.

Raphael gave her hand a squeeze and then let it go, We’re safe, rest.

She closed her eyes and drifted off.

She didn’t know how much time passed but a yelp in the distance snapped her into sitting bolt upright as she remembered they were being followed, hunted!

Her chest slammed into something solid. She reached out and felt Raphael almost above her. Raphael turned and looked over his shoulder and placed a finger to his lips, then returned watching something. She stared where he was watching but could not make it out with blurry vision.

They’ve decided to follow us into the goaulder, it's not going well for them. It doesn’t look like they have any healers, he muttered. She blinked again and saw some hazy light in the distance but couldn’t remain focused.

I can’t see that far, I’m not completely healed. She whispered.

I’ll watch over you, rest until they can heal you.

No, I’ll help.

Perimeter check

She stretched her Variant Ability out around them and assessed their surroundings. He was right. The empty void that they used to hide from her was clearly making its way back out of the guilder field in the opposite direction. The void was large, there had to be stragglers so she told him this.

Good news, replied David.

Tiras sat up, struggling a little, Whoa that was draining.

David looked just as tired, She doesn’t use the healing Energy as efficiently as we do, so it takes more.

Raphael moved from above them and tossed them some rations which Anaya immediately declined, they needed it more to recharge their Variant Abilities. Besides, her stomach was churning and ached and she didn’t think she could eat.

Where are we? She looked around at the blackness.

Safe in a ditch, it’s probably used for water storage. It looks like the goaulder is planted around the perimeter of the farms. They had an empty field then something growing in this one. It’s scratchy… feels like cotton. Raphael’s voice was calm.

She tried to recall what happened after she fell in the goaulder field but couldn’t remember.

David took several deep breaths of air, as if he was trying to settle his stomach.

Where’s Bion? she asked.

Passed out. Tiras answered her. He doesn’t heal as quickly as we do, but Raph’s keeping an eye on him…apparently. Seems his focus has been elsewhere. He teased, sounding more like himself.

Can you to finish healing Anaya? Asked Raphael, ignoring his teasing.

David and Tiras responded and each grabbed a wrist. David leaned in a pressed his forehead against hers and pulled Tiras in to do the same. She opened her mind to them and they both jolted in as they connected. The healing Energy trickled in, a little renewed with the food, but stronger as their bodies were healed. After a long time, David was satisfied and pulled away, and they disconnected.

Raphael was still watching away in the distance.

Perimeter check.

They haven’t moved. She told him.

I know, but I’m not taking any chances with you all injured, he replied.

Anaya pulled her sleeves down and tucked her gloves back into them. A short distance away she saw Bion lying on his chest on the ground, breathing heavily. Raphael pressed his hand against Bion’s cheek, Bion’s been waking up, slowly. Come on Bion, sit up, it’ll help.

Bion coughed and sat up moaning, That plant is fascinating but I don’t EVER want to experience it again. He groggily took off his bag and peered into it, moving the contents around he found something and handed out something to eat. Anaya declined it, they needed it more.

David was still breathing heavily, Raphael, Tiras, go on ahead and look out for other surprises. Raphael gave Tiras a hand up and they disappeared towards the glow as they crunched through plants until the sound faded away.

D, are you all right? Anaya rested her hand on his shoulder.

Yeah, just took a bit longer healing us both at once. I hate goaulder…bad memories. He shook his head.

David got to his feet Anaya followed, finding that her legs felt strong again.

Come on, ordered David. Anaya heard the rustling of plants as Bion scrambled to his feet and slung his bag back over his back. We need food, the supplies are all gone.

They walked through to the next field of cotton, through to a small orchard and as they walked they picked the fruit. She stuffed fruit into Bion’s bag whilst he and David ate what they could.

The town of Nerak was much larger than she had expected. They were unnoticed on the outskirts of town, the rundown houses were quiet and empty. But the noise coming from the centre of the town was loud.

Anaya heard a scream and all three stopped walking at once, standing still and listening.

Tiras and Raphael came jogging towards them.

Raphael said, The Hunters are whipping the townspeople, forcing them to work.

Tiras looked distressed, It’s the worst I’ve seen.

David said, Not the ones who are after us?

No… these ones seem intent on the townspeople, not us. Tiras replied.

Anaya glanced at David, Let’s take a look.

David frowned and spoke very slowly, As hard as it is, I think we need to keep going. The Hunters have been taking slaves all over Adlin for years and we need to stop the source. Causing trouble here will draw more attention to us.

Tiras and Raphael’s faces reflected what she was feeling. After years of saving innocents from Hunters, it was hard to ignore their cries.

David was right, their mission had to come first.

Tiras spoke, We can board a train undetected before it crosses a bridge over the river.

David nodded and ordered, Right, stay close to the houses and get to the river.

Anaya heard another scream of pain and she winced, D, I can’t ignore this!

David scowled at her, What if it’s a trap?

Then I have my team watching my back. Although they seem to have gotten it into their heads that I am a precious object that needs protecting.

David pulled a face at her, but it was half-hearted, she knew that he was having trouble walking away, just as she did.

You are safe with me, she assured David.

I trust her, Raphael grinned.

Me too, chorused Tiras.

Bion gave his father a half-hearted smile.

David grinned, Looks like I have no choice, or I will have a mutiny on my hands. Anaya, what’s plan?

Anaya replied, Let’s see it first.

David put on his bossy voice, Tiras you are with me. Bion stay with us but you need to source supplies, we need food. Raphael, you are with Anaya. Observation only. Anaya, mind link with me when you’ve had a look.

Anaya nodded eyeing Raphael, his attention was diverted, and his eyes were on the houses around them, alert. David, Tiras and Bion disappeared between some houses. Without a word to her, Raphael took off with a jog and she followed him between houses and around corners. Occasionally she completed a perimeter check but realised the streets and houses were empty, she could