Prince of Kartoon

By Robert Marquiss

Kartoon is an island besieged by evil spells of a sorcerer. Can they be broken? The Old One knew that one day a prince would come and unite the land once again. turning it back into the lavish city and island it once was. But no one else believed in the prophecy anymore. An old wives tale, some said. It was a time of warring clans, there was to be no peace. Then one day a ship of peculiar design smashed up against the rocks offshore and sank. The Old One saw a boy, on a huge wave, wash up on shore. He helped the boy to his cave and wrapped him in blankets. Then it hit him with awe as he saw a strange aura about the boy. The prophecy! No ship or crew ever survived the power of the sea and those rocks. Could he be the prince?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Marquiss
• Release date: Nov 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005900250

Robert Marquiss

I have been a rock drummer, rifle instructor, civil air rescuer, US Navy sailor, fine art painter, movie producer-director-editor-actor, animator and script writer. I’ve even been a starship captain (in movies). Now that I’m officially retired, I have more time to pursue my creative endeavors.Why read my books? I write upbeat adventures with unique ideas, twists, humor and a touch of romance. While I’m just getting started you can check out my reviews on Amazon or the book pages in this site. Or read the sample pages on Amazon to decide for yourself. Digital copies are a great value at $4.95 or less. Paperbacks are available if you prefer books you can hold.My current most successful book, 'The Kingdoms of Magic Book 1: The King Is Dying And War Threatens. . . . ', is available FREE at Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and http://www.robertmarquiss.work/freebook.htmI’m currently working on several books and paintings.Email me at [e-mail] to request my latest updates.

Book preview

Prince of Kartoon

By Robert Marquiss

Acknowledgement

Patricia M. Burger

And

Terry Ray Hemphill

Are truly thanked for making this happen.

Cover Design by

Robert Marquiss & Jonathan Marquiss

Smashwords Edition

[e-mail]

© 2007, 2021 by Robert Marquiss All Rights Reserved.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 1

The wizard, Raspin De Fau, dressed in an old weathered robe shuffles along a beach. He carries a wooden staff on his back, endowed with magical powers by Rah, the sun god. The staff has a headpiece in the shape of a gleaming silver half moon that towers over his head. The half moon radiates a misty blue glow. The staff itself is carved with ornate figures from some strange forgotten world. His sandals indent the sand in quick succession, gliding him along as he moves across the shore line towards a large, flat rock. When he reaches it his old boney fingers, gloved in worn cloth, unroll an ancient papyrus map across the rock’s stony surface. In each corner of the map are highly detailed etchings of sea serpents crushing ships in their tentacles that look to have been inscribed by a great master. On the right side of the map, a bit in from the edge, an ancient ornate arrow-shaped rune inked in broad Latin markings designates the directions, North and South.

He holds the staff above his head. It begins to radiate a brilliant white glow. With one finger, he traces the inked water markings of a desolate looking stretch of sea that had been sketched on the map and as he touches the markings they come alive. The surface of the map leaps outwards and expands until the beach with the rock and the wizard disappears from view and is replaced by the foam crested, deep blue swells of a choppy sea. Dolphins and sea serpents swim in the waves. On the horizon, in the direction that the sea is flowing, is the island of Kartoon, and it is on this island that our story unfolds.

Our story began a thousand years ago when the island had five inhabited regions, naturally separated by the geography of the island’s terrain with one at each point of the compass and an ancient city at the island’s hub. Each of the four outer areas was dominated by a war-like tribe or clan.

To the north were the Cretans and Willow Becks of the mountains. On any given day, Cretans and Willow Becks could be seen scurrying about a village, bringing in fruits and vegetables from the forest. Some handled live stock.

To the south lived the Manchu and Mole people of the rain forest. They lived in tree forts and rough huts on the jungle floor that were made of pine boughs and logs. Some fished in the small rivers in boats made from hollowed-out logs.

To the east were the Long Ears and Thumpers of the lowlands. A large group of Long Ears might be found repairing straw huts in a village. Some Thumpers would carry a dead deer from a hunt to a large open fire pit.

To the west were the Radaks and Skimmers, nomads of the Low Desert, which was also known as the Devil's Harp. Radaks and Skimmers would move about their desert clay dwellings. A group of eight Radaks, wearing white robes, might have been riding strange four legged animals. Some Skimmers would glide along the surface of the sand catching lizards for their morning meal.

And in the center was the ancient city of Tomas, a world unto itself, where hideous creatures lived. The city was protected from intruders by Trolls and Wolflocks.

Tomas was encircled by a moat that was filled with foul black water and by huge high walls that were covered in thorny vines and topped by evil-looking gargoyles. In the city's interior, the dwellings, streets and walkways were overgrown with plant life. Weird creatures