Chronicles of Acadoria. Drek the Rogue.

By Justin Lamothe and Stéphane Jalbert

Our hero faced certain death. He had to rely on his friends and colleagues more than once to get out of his enemies’ grasp, which became more dangerous and came in greater numbers.

At least, he could enjoy life with his status as he quickly became one of Kirka’s lieutenants. It’s when his master went away that the young man learned that the craft of rogue was even more dangerous than he could have thought.

Rivalries with other criminal organizations and even within his own group, threats coming from far away lands or even those from the city were only a few of the tests Drek had to face only to survive another day.

Live this second chapter in the saga of this young adventurer on his way to becoming Acadoria’s greatest hero: Drek the rogue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Productions Three Lives
• Release date: May 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005193652

Book preview

Prologue

The Guide of Great Knowledge

by the Illustrious Taradussa the Wise

The continent of Karen’der consists of a place where conflicts and peace have coexisted in a precarious balance since its creation. Many reckless travellers have found their end terribly because of their ignorance or because they weren’t cautious enough. It’s extremely risky for any adventurer to go there without knowing about the customs of the different people they could encounter.

An exceptional man, the illustrious Taradussa the Wise, succeeded in exploring this dangerous place from top to bottom. He listed and identified most of the minerals, plants, animals, and intelligent species that inhabit this vast land and its spiritual and religious beliefs.

His goal was to offer a guide which would include all the necessary knowledge to the strongest and brightest explorers to allow them to survive longer in Karen’der. The legend says that he could have hidden scrolls at the four corners of the continent for those who prove themselves curious and insightful enough to find them. To this day, nobody knows what they contain.

Among the intelligent species, there are the Kalweiris. These people thrive in the great ancestral forests that are all over the continent. At the south of Karen’der, it’s possible to encounter the mighty warriors of the Ikuan race, although it’s mostly recommended to avoid them. Then, there are the Magmiques. They’re experts at working on minerals and gems. They have lived for centuries in the deep caves under the magnificent mountains.

As for the great divine beings, the Dee, there are three of them that are followed by a religious organization on this continent. They’re the most powerful to exist in the Acadoria universe. They’re the creators and destroyers of those worlds. They represent the virtues and vices, life, and death. They’re the only revered entities of this universe. They are.

Dee Vispa, Supreme Master of Light.

Dee Draken’nor, Great Lord of Chaos.

Dee Mariela, Mother of the World, Spirit of Life. She’s the progenitor of Mana.

The Dee, in their great wisdom, have allowed some intelligent beings to possess a tiny part of their power. They’re called Kentras. According to Taradussa the Wise teaching, there are two ways one can become a Kentra.

Either you’re born in the bloodline of a Dee, which automatically makes you a Kentra, or you gain this power.

Since this capacity is almost useless at its raw state, it’s necessary for a Kentra to learn how to use it in a Kentric school. This is where he or she will be taught to manipulate the physical energy, the mana, the spiritual or mental energy.

Two forces fight to control the northern part of the continent. There are at the east the armies devoted to Dee Vispa, and at the west, the armed forces that have sworn fidelity to Lord Drokanor, who worships Dee Draken’nor.

Rescue

Drek could hear the drum roll, the guard’s breath close by and mostly, the dead silence that weighed on the place. Silence … does that mean that the drummer stopped playing? The soldier next to me is breathing faster. It must be because of the excitement he’s feeling… He probably received his position as a reward for his loyal services towards his master… Vicka, we’ll meet again in another world, you hypocrite.

Then he heard the instrument and the sticks hitting the ground. At the same time, the drummer collapsed on the pavement.

Pepe appeared from behind a bush. He had silenced the musician for ever. Another rogue came out of the same spot and attacked a guard. Meanwhile, someone was fighting with the executioner on the platform where Drek was tied up. The soldier received a solid hit and stepped back. He stopped when he bumped into the man he had to hang.

Drek, unable to keep his balance, was falling face down when he suddenly stopped, leaning forward on the tip of his toes. The rope he had attached to his neck prevented him from crashing on the ground. Instead, it slowly strangled him. It was as if a clumsy friend was trying to save his life by choking him.

The executioner violently punched the rogue who was on the platform with his huge fist. Brohm, twice as small as his enemy, died instantly. Down on the ground, Vicka was barking orders at his guards. He wanted them to kill those insolent men who dared attack him in his magnificent palace’s grounds while he ran inside his residence.

Pepe was at the centre of the action. Three soldiers were targeting him with their spears.

—So, old wreck, you came here to end your miserable existence? One of them said.

—Don’t be too arrogant. You’re the one who’ll die, he replied as he kicked the weapon’s long pole.

The spear slightly moved to Three-toot’s right, which allowed him to get to his victim surprisingly fast. He stuck the blade in the guard’s throat and turned it while he looked in the man’s eyes.

—So long, idiot, he said, drooling with satisfaction.

Then he turned to his right to attack the other soldier who didn’t have time yet to react and threw his dagger in his left temple. The man died instantly. Pepe took a knife he kept hidden in one of his boots. He looked at the third guard and smiled, showing his gums shining from the abundant spit in his mouth.

—You should have stayed in your bed this morning. It would have kept your wife from mourning, he said.

Next to the gallows, a soldier was trying to hit one of the rogues with his spear. However, the weapon, great for a longer reach, showed inefficient at close range. Vicka’s man couldn’t touch the one he was fighting. As he swung his spear from left to right, he hit the cube on which Drek was standing on the tip of his toes. Drek hung completely in the air. He moved his feet frantically, unsuccessfully trying to reach something on which he could stand. The rope was getting tighter around his neck. He couldn’t get out of this situation and he was becoming more and more desperate. I can’t believe that I’m going to die in the middle of an attack that was supposed to save me. It’s totally absurd!

It was getting harder to breathe. If not for the sac over his head, he would have noticed that his vision was getting blurry. The blood was going to his head with difficulty, and the air could only go to his lungs slowly. The rope was strangling him, the pressure in his head from the lack of blood circulation made him suffer terribly. That’s it! Death is coming for me, he realized, as he lost consciousness.

Everybody who was fighting heard the high pitch of a whistle. Immediately, the soldiers pulled back towards the palace’s door, positioning themselves in a half-circle. The rogues mocked them for a few seconds before noticing that the enemy had solidified their defensive position. Archers came out behind the lancers. Pepe shouted to his men:

—WATCH OUT! They’re going to draw arrows on us! Everybody, find shelter!! Damn, we have to save Drek! The twins, go, and untie him!

The two brothers climbed the stairs to the platform where their friend was. Drek suddenly felt firm hands holding him.

—Hello boss. You still there? Emrick asked while Elrick was cutting the rope with his dagger.

Drek was regaining consciousness and felt reassured. He had just lost hope, and his companion saved him at the last moment. He couldn’t say that he could breathe better yet, but soon, very soon… I’m going to leave this place … alive! Thank you, my friends!

Emrick saw arrows coming in Drek’s direction. By reflex, he put both his arms around his friend and threw himself in the air, holding on to the hanging man. The movement made them turn just enough. He received the volley of projectiles in the back. The pain made him lose his grip, and he fell on the ground, breaking his legs from the impact. Drek didn’t know what just happened. Elrick finally cut the rope that strangled him and Drek fell on Emrick, who absorbed the shock.

Elrick, who had witnessed the entire scene, jumped on the ground just in time to avoid another volley of arrows coming his way. He took the noose off Drek’s neck, took off the sac covering his head and made sure that he was still breathing. His brother