Dark Rises

By Seth Giolle

Glena and Ferth aren't common thieves, and their lives are far from ordinary. Orphaned at a young age, they've learned to survive. There are plans to save up for their place where they won't have to steal for living, but the world is changing, becoming dark. Dragons have started attacking humans, and a dark wizard is turning friend against friend. The True King is losing ground against his barbarian usurpers, and their master is fashioning three enchanted blades. Could their master be the same dark wizard everyone fears? Have they been seeding their own world's downfall? How do you outrun someone who knows no bounds? Glena and Ferth aren't the type to surrender, not even when the whole world's pitted against them! This is the first book in my Prequel Stories series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365352485

Seth Giolle

Seth Giolle was born on a small, rural farm in southeast Ontario. After Travelling throughout Canada in all its splendour, he once again makes Ontario his home.

Book preview

Dark Rises

Prequel Story 1

Part One

Fall from Grace

Part Two

The Rise of the Wolf

by Seth Giolle

0001

Prologue

History tells of an age when the world knew true calm. It was ruled by a good True King Ellor, and dragons filled the skies with all their colourful wonder. But darkness blossomed and flourished.

An evil wizard known as Auk Tria Yus is recorded as having spread potions and spells that turned friend against friend. The fiend crafted three magical blades and brought on the world’s first Darkening that burned the skies and spawned legions of dark wizard armies and bands of assassins that preyed on the innocent.

And Grio.dyness rose to power with his barbarian clan known as the Wolf. His barbarians met True King Ellor’s armies on the wasteland around what would later be his castle stronghold. They waged one final bloody battle, and he slew True King Ellor and took the throne to begin his equally dark rule.

There are other legends of those times: a man who could summon gold and built a city of wealth in the desert, what was then plains. There’s the tale of the fall of Sheava, a town and castle that equalled the True King’s castle. But fell nonetheless to unknown enemies.

These are the tales of those times.

These are the truths behind those tales.

Truth few have known before now.

Fall from Grace

Chapter One

Snakes

Glena gripped the rope firmly and spread her feet. Taking a deep breath, she nodded at Ferth, and he took off with a wry, trusting smile on his face. Being smaller and lighter, he always got the job of entering the castles, and he liked it that way.

Glena had looped the rope around an old post and through a bent metal grommet on their side of the moat for added support. The other end of that rope was extended over the moat and up to one of the two guard towers on the other side. It had taken a few throws for the sharpened hook to stick just right in the tower’s front window. The hook usually never slipped. Glena hoped this would be one of those times.

Ferth paid his fear no heed.

Under the broken, half-sunk drawbridge, something dark, long, and scaly moved through the murky water, watching their movements closely. Hence they’d opted for this more creative way across. Anyone using what remained of that drawbridge was unlikely to survive the trip.

Around them, a brisk wind tugged at the rope. Glena’s arms were already sore from their travel through the mountain pass to get there.

Of course, none of that slowed Ferth’s heels as he ran up to and along the rope. Glena’s body slid a little forward under Ferth’s added weight.

She could still remember teaching him to walk along ropes. Of course, he’d been five then and a lot lighter, but she’d manage now as she had then.

The wind added a sway to the rope as Ferth made a steady pace up. When he was halfway across, the wind made his brown vest blow open, causing it to flap. His white undershirt tried to balloon up. Knowing better than to stop, Ferth just kept going, wiping the clothing down from time to time in practised rhythm. He’d once rope-walked into King Ellor’s summer home in a steady downpour. This wind was nothing more than an annoyance.

Watching her little brother make his way ever up, Glena dug her leather boots further into the dirt to stop her slide. Most castles they broke into were current, active ones with good stone work. They’d never actually broken into an abandoned one with loose dirt and chipped rock for footing before. She was sure they could do it, but she wasn’t sure how they were getting out.

She usually switched her white top and brown pants for something one of the soldiers’ children would wear. Ferth, having done the same, would join her, and they’d just walk back out unnoticed, making sure they carried their own clothing in bundles under their arms. There was no one the wiser that they’d just stolen some jewels or gold or trinkets for Felluh.

Glena had never understood how come no one ever suspected children of serious theft. Candy and food, yes. They were always suspect for stealing those items, but gold and jewels? The children were usually passed up for the slicker-looking adults.

Glena was almost fourteen. With her green eyes and a naive expression, she could still look eleven and innocent, so it always worked. Luckily, for Ferth’s sake, she had the strength of a fourteen year old.

As her grip was becoming strained, Ferth’s slim figure grabbed a hold of the opposite window frame and lifted up into the guard tower, vanishing from view. One part down, another to go. Now, they had to get her across.

Normally, there was a bar connecting the two front towers in these old castles. She’d never actually seen the point in it. It was likely just some kind of tradition the architects had used in those days.

Ferth would simply balance his way across, tie his rope lead onto the bar, and Glena would swing over. She could then climb the wall and get in herself. It was tiring, but it was only way to get across a moat when the draw bridge was up.

As long as no one was watching.

This time, the bar was snapped on one side and waved badly, so they were improvising another way to get Glena over.

A long moment after he’d disappeared inside, Ferth’s blue eyes and dirty brown hair reappeared. He started to climb with the hook tied around his waist. He gripped each rock and window ledge carefully that he came across, testing each one before putting his weight fully in any one step. Soon, he was at the top of the worn guard tower. The whole castle was crawling with vines and green stained rock. A few of the walls looked fallen through. Where rock had once made a solid defence, the leaves had taken over making one wonder if any one wall was rock or weed.

Ferth tied his end around a metal spire that had once held firm to the tower roof. The wind made that spire rock from side to side, but it wasn’t able to push it over. That would be Ferth’s job. Climbing the bent post, Glena pulled the rope tight and hoped their plan would work. Of course, if it didn’t, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a way out anymore.

Here we go, she breathed.

On the signal, a dropped arm, Ferth pushed the spire over. It took some work, but the spire fell, and it fell fast. As the iron fell, Glena was lifted up into the air, swinging across the moat and towards the yawning castle gates. Luckily, it lifted her faster than she swung, and only the rope’s end knot scraped the water’s surface.

Something snapped at it from underwater!

All Glena could see was a long, green, leathery jaw and a lot of teeth.

And then she focused on the rushing wall. When the time was right, she let go, dropping through the open gate and landing into a practised roll, bruising her left hip and right knee in the process. Iron rang out and rock crumbled in a loud tumult. She passed through between the old stone walls of the front gate and into the courtyard to see what damage they’d done.

The courtyard had seen better days. Lifted stone showed where wild grass had taken over, pushing other stones sideways. Thistles were growing near the wall where, even on the inside, vines and leaves had taken hold. The main part of the castle stood before her. It was a squat building with four towers and what looked like four floors.

Glancing upwards, she saw Ferth poke his head over. He draped their rope down from the roof, having tied the other end to something up top. Ferth slid down the rope and landed on top of the shattered fountain and dented spire. He looked around triumphantly before running to join his sister.

So where to now? he asked.

I don’t know, Glena admitted. Felluh never said where it would be – simply that it would be here.

Well, Ferth mumbled, walking forward, his hands on his hips, if I were a snake, I’d want to be somewhere dark and damp.

It’s not a real snake, Glena groaned, rolling her eyes and slapping her brother on the head as she walked past him. She was heading for the cracked, open castle doors.

Running past Glena, Ferth hit her back, and they raced on into the gaping building. Gargoyles and carven faces on the outside became soldiers and people inside. The statues were everywhere, along with shattered vases and weak leaning tables.

In some places, banners still hung, and shields still covered the walls with fancy emblems, but in most cases, the walls had been burned or stripped bare. Their contents had been strewn about on the floor with empty goblets and discarded parchment. Even the carpets were uneven, twisted against walls or ripped and stained a deep red.

Whatever had ended the castle’s use, it had been a violent affair. Rusty swords and axes could be seen spread randomly throughout the Entrance Hall, Central Hall, and down the thin corridors. When they rounded the corner that took them up to the second floor, Ferth avoided a rat that came barrelling down the stairs and stepped out into a common room.

At one time, the hall would have hosted parties or special announcements. Now, it hosted a display of broken statues and dinnerware. Vines crept in from a crack in the ceiling, its fragrant flowers adding a pleasant smell to the room. There were numerous insects flying around, making nests in the many corners.

So where did they hide their golden snake? Ferth asked, scratching his head.

I don’t know, but they wouldn’t have hidden it. It would be golden, so they’d show it off, right?

But it being golden, they’d have it under guard.

To protect it, Glena reasoned, nodding. The only place that’s well guarded and open for display would be the throne room. That way, the master of this castle could control who had access to it but still show it off when he wanted.

That should be through those doors, Ferth noted, pointing across the room at a pair of wooden doors with half broken hinges and handles. It looked like the vines had already wormed their way through the top hinges and were working on the bottom set.

Be careful, Glena warned. The floor doesn’t look all that solid.

I know, Ferth joked, smiling. Another place where being light comes in handy.

Ferth almost danced across the floor revealing four holes where the floor fell down after his step. Each time, he was heavy enough to trip the loose stone work – yet light enough to escape without being pulled down. Glena followed carefully. Though she knew her brother didn’t need a larger ego, she had to admit that he was doing good work.

Keeping along the safer path, she met him at the doors, and they pushed them in. One of them fell forward off of both hinges and to the floor in a cloud of green and grey dust!

After the air had cleared, they peered down the corridor beyond. Torch brackets were mounted every two feet along both walls with a small red and green shield between each.

Taking it slower, wiping the dust and dirt from their tunics and hair, they walked on. Ferth tested the flooring again. This time, the flooring held, and ten minutes and two smaller rooms later, they stood at the open doors to the throne room.

And there it was.

Their prize, the golden snake was coiled upon a green pillow. That pillow rested atop a low pedestal in the centre of the room. Around it, the throne room wall was still intact.

At the far end of the room was the throne itself, a low and wide wooden chair with a red cushion and studded arm rests. To its left and right were two, lower chairs made of simple wood. The walls boasted faded paintings of men and women on horseback. The floor itself of the throne room was bare rock. There was no red carpet or decorative stones to mark a path down the middle.

It’s not right, Glena pointed out. If I valued it this much, I’d set a trap for anyone who tried to take it. And I’d have built it a more elaborate room.

So would I. Ferth looked up, then left and right. Smiling he pointed to the ceiling. Glena followed his finger and nodded.

There were two grooves carved into the ceiling, one before the pedestal, one on the other side of it. Something dark sat up inside half of each groove. Glena noted eight holes along each wall, one on top of the other. Again, they were in a line before and after where the pedestal sat.

Too easy, she murmured.

Ferth glared at his sister unbelieving. Too easy, he mocked. Before you get there, eight spears and a large blade come down. If you get the snake, eight more and a second blade come at you, and they look nicely spaced, so something is likely to get whoever goes after it.

I know, but the master of this place had to get past it, so that much has to be easily undone. Therefore, I’m not worried about the obvious.

Ferth shrugged and started looking for a switch, something that could deactivate the traps. All he found was mouldy food and dusty furniture. Not everything in the room had held up to the test of time.

What else would you put around it? Glena asked, stepping up nearer the pedestal and looking around again.

A moat, Ferth mused, laughing and looking at his sister. When she shot back a contemptuous glare, he sighed and shook his head. I don’t know. I’d build a moat, actually.

Glena stared back at the golden snake, coiled in a rising arc until its head pointed up, tongue out. Then something occurred to her. Glancing past the pedestal, to the end of the room again, she smiled.

You’re right, she mused. Ferth furrowed his brow. Shrugging, he walked up beside Glena and waited for her to explain. They built a moat, she added. Look at that throne, those banners. What do you notice?

They look comfortable.

And clean, Glena pointed out. Ferth looked around and added in the state of the rest of the castle, starting to understand what Glena was suggesting. No one uses this room, she continued, or ever used it, or it would have been overturned like the rest, and there is no way a lady would accept that seating arrangement. The reason it’s not more decorative?

The room itself is a trap.

And considering that we seem to be in a part of the castle that hasn’t fallen apart yet, Glena prompted, nodding as she spoke.

They must have built this part up stronger. There has to be something built under this room, Ferth agreed, but there wasn’t anything downstairs, just a walled-off area.

If I’m right, this room collapses into a tunnel that takes the thief down into the moat.

Thinking about the creature they’d seen patrolling the moat and reasoning there had to be more than one of them, Ferth shivered slightly and bit his lower lip.

Do you think it happens as soon as the spears and blades are activated, or only if the snake if taken? he asked.

Glena thought for a moment before shrugging. Why?

Well, if it’s after, and we could trigger the spears on either side, her brother suggested. They would shoot out and pierce the wall, right?

Yes.

That would give us something to hold onto for when the floor gives way.

We’d still need to miss the swinging blades, Glena noted. And get to the snake with all our fingers, heads, and toes. I guess that’s my job.

Setting off the spears wasn’t a problem. It was a matter of stepping on the right stones. The eight nearest spears flew from the wall and stuck into the other. Grabbing another statue piece, Glena tossed it across. The jagged chunk of granite rolled over the far trigger stone just right, and the second set was triggered. The second eight spears shot out sticking into their opposite wall in turn.

Now, they just had to figure out how to trigger the blades without getting killed.

That was when Glena heard the sounds of metal grinding. Glancing up, she noticed the grooves trembling. She waved Ferth to his set of spears on the right of the room and raced across to the ones on the left.

Looking up, brother and sister watched the blade arms finally dislodge and swing freely, back and forth. Their sweeping motions cut into the floor and weakened the rocks. The pedestal shook but held, and for the moment, so did the floor.

Realizing that it was blades that would plunge the room into the moat, Glena had to put her plan into action sooner than she liked. When the blade arms had slowed down enough so they weren’t disappearing into wall each time, she leapt onto the nearest one and got a good grip with her legs.

The arm complained with the added weight, but it held, and Glena swung back and forth, preparing to grab at the snake. Each time, she was pulled away too soon. There was no time to lose. Glena flexed her fingers. The final swing felt as if it was done in slow motion as she swung back down.

With the floor weakening and beginning to crumble, she made another grab - and took hold. Moments later, the floor collapsed, and the pedestal and anything not attached to the walls plunged down a large, black tunnel! There were sounds of rocks hitting water, and something moaned upwards at them.

Grimacing, Glena stuck the snake in her shoulder bag and moved over to the next arm, then jumping to the spears beside her brother. What now? he asked, glancing down anxiously. Glena thought for a moment. She looked around the room, then, back to the spears.

I have an idea.

The hallway was still standing, so Glena loosened the top spear and stabbed it in again a few feet over. The walls were weakened when the floor fell, she explained, so the stones are far enough apart for us to build a bridge. We’ll just have to make it a quick trip in case the stones get too weak and the spears drop out. Ferth smiled.

One by one, Glena dug the last spear in line to a point further ahead where they wanted to be, carefully shifting and balancing herself between those foot and hand holds as she worked. Finally, a good jump left for each of them, they bridged the gap and landed on the solid rock hallway.

Looking back, they smiled. They both gathered their breaths before taking off down the hallway in case it finally decided to fall too.

Their trip back to the courtyard and outside was uneventful. Running back to the main gate for the wall, they stopped and stared across the moat. There was no sign of the creature, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

Glancing at Glena, Ferth smiled.

Glena looked at him warily.

I have an idea, he announced, running to where the rope was still anchored and untying its base.

That’s what I’m worried about, Glena noted.

Ferth ignored her comment and climbed up the rope, slowly making it to the top and lifting himself up over the edge. Back on top of the guard tower, Ferth dropped the rope down. While Glena rolled it up, he made his way down two levels and across to the second, right tower, then back up to its roof.

With the rope coiled up and resting over her right shoulder, Glena looked up where Ferth leaned against the second spire.

I’ll push this one over, into the moat.

It’ll sink, Glena called back, shaking her head.

"No, it won’t. The draw bridge is still half there. It’ll catch