Protectors of Transmiel: Rebirth

By Phoenix Dartwell

Anister, a hero from the order of the Protectors of Transmiel is reborn again. His mission is to bring balance to the land, and put a stop to the powerful Archmage Vandimir. Still a darkness lingers, and many trials lay ahead of Anister. He will once again need to master his powers, and learn to control t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dartwell Publishing
• Release date: Jul 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9798868918551

Book preview

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Chapter 1

My eyes flew open, startled by the sound of rocks collapsing nearby. As I awakened, a crisp breeze made me shiver. The air was damp and heavy, making it difficult for me to breathe. Absolute darkness encircled me, suffocating me with its weight. Slowly, I got to my feet, my senses heightened by the unfamiliar surroundings. The ground beneath my feet was cold and rough, with jagged edges digging into my skin. The sound of dripping water echoed through the cavern, accompanied by the occasional scurrying of small animals. The air was thick with the musty smell of damp earth, and I could taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. Panic set in as I struggled to remember how I had gotten here, but my mind was blank. I couldn’t even remember my name. As I tried to push the troubling thoughts away, I realized I needed to get out of this mysterious and gloomy place. Rubbing my eyes, they burned from the thickness of the air, but gradually adjusted to the engulfing darkness. Unfortunately, I could only see in momentary glimpses, making it even more difficult to navigate my way out.

I caught glimpses of what appeared to be a subterrane, filled with green fluffed moss lining the walls, emitting a subtle glow. The damp smell of the cave permeated my nostrils as I took a step forward. Jagged rocks hung from the top of the cavern, dripping moisture that landed on my face with a cold splash. They had a bluish glow, allowing me to see a little better. The cave was eerily quiet, except for the sound of my footsteps echoing off the walls. The moss and heavy moisture in the air made me believe water had to be nearby. My heart pounded in my chest, and a feeling of dread crept up my spine. Terror filled my mind as I continued to look around, wondering if I would ever find my way out. Or worse, if I would die in this grotto, without even knowing why I was there. Pushing the terror aside, I began to listen to the sounds in the cave, hoping to hear something that would give me a clue to my location. The sound of crickets and trickling water reverberated off the cave walls, occasionally interrupted by the startlingly loud footsteps of something unknown.

My racing heart was matched only by the racing thoughts in my mind, both symptoms of my nervousness. My lungs burned as I tried to inhale, but the air felt thin and inadequate. I knew I had to find a way to quiet my mind. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of my breathing, feeling my chest rise and fall with each inhale and exhale. I took a moment to assess myself, searching for anything that I might have forgotten. I needed something to take my mind off the horror racing through it like a wildfire, so I focused on the objects I had with me.

Glancing down, I can see the intricate stitching on my brown leather shirt. Its worn appearance immediately catches my eye, with visible tears and frayed edges. Along with my other clothing, I’m donning darker brown leather pants that have multiple pockets. These heavily worn pants have several tears, giving them a well-loved and comfortable look. The heavy material of my clothes weighs on me, and I feel my mind slow down as I take it all in. An aged leather belt is wrapped around my waist, and on the right side, a sheath is attached to it. As I unsheathe the knife, I notice the intricate etchings on the blade. I’m impressed by the knife’s handle, crafted from a beautiful piece of redwood, and the blade itself is sharp and polished.

Remaining stationary in the same location where I had awoken, I found that my eyes gradually started to adapt and acclimate to the surroundings, which enabled me to perceive my surroundings in greater detail. The clarity of the cave walls was becoming more apparent to me now. The area I found myself in was extremely narrow, with grey, jagged walls that seemed to close in on me. Slowly but surely, I advanced through the narrow cistern until the sound of water rippling became audible to me. Upon hearing the sound, I halted to listen more intently and then started walking towards it. As the rippling sound grew louder, I realized there must be a stream running through the cave, yet despite my efforts, I couldn’t locate its source. The sound of water rippling was all around me as I followed it, my heart beating in anticipation of what lay ahead. My hope was solely pinned on the idea that the water I found would somehow be the key to leading me out of this treacherous cave.

As I continued to follow the sound of the stream, I suddenly found myself stopped in my tracks by a bright and blinding light. The cave was suddenly awash in bright light, illuminating everything and causing a sudden hush to fall over the previously noisy space. Despite its peculiarity, the light seemed to bring me some kind of comfort, and I could recall a sense of familiarity with it. The burning bright light emanated a loud whispering voice that grew in intensity with each passing word.

The fate of Transmiel rests solely on your shoulders, as you are the only hope they have. As the last hope for our world, we urge you to take action and help us save it from its impending doom. Proceed, Anister, and embark on your journey to become a hero, prophesied the luminous glow.

After the light had conveyed its message to me, it suddenly dissipated into thin air, leaving me standing there in the dark, bewildered and unsure of what to do next. As my eyes adjusted once more to the darkness within the cave, I became able to perceive the water flowing through it. The water’s hue was that of a dark red, appearing as if it had been contaminated with blood. I shifted my gaze towards the source of the water and noticed a small beam of light just ahead of me. Despite the possibility that the light was not from outside, I determined to persist in following the water.

A creature of immense size and strength appeared out of nowhere, causing me to jump in terror. My heart raced as I gazed upon the monstrous creature. My eyes were fixed downward, unable to meet its gaze. I was surprised to see the creature’s striking red color from such a distance, estimating its length to be around six or seven feet. There was a noticeable orange stripe running along one side of its body. Its mouth was equipped with several rows of teeth resembling massive razor blades. The creature stood at least three feet tall, supported by four large, well-defined legs. Its large tail swung back and forth in front of me, adding to its impressive stature. Squinting, I could make out the scaly texture, assuming it was a lizard.

I was quick to react as the lizard approached, reaching for the sheath around my waist and unsheathing the small dagger to fend off the attack. The toothpick-sized blade in my hand made me hesitate as I considered whether it would even be worth trying to use it against the monstrous creature before me. I was surprised when the lizard’s tail unexpectedly whipped around and struck me with significant force, causing me to crash into a nearby wall. The impact of my body slamming into the wall was so strong that it left me feeling winded and gasping for air. After pushing myself up, I desperately searched for the lizard while my breaths came in ragged gasps. While struggling with the pain from the blow, I couldn’t help but notice the slow crawl of the lizard.

Clutching the dagger tightly, I observed as the lizard inched closer to me. I could see that it had made significant progress, and now it was just a couple of steps away from me. In an attempt to intimidate it, I forcefully swung the dagger towards its face, the blade glinting in the light. With each meticulous movement, the lizard had crawled the entire distance and now stood before me, its gaze penetrating deep into my soul, filling me with a primal fear. A genuine sense of impending doom washed over me, as if my life would be extinguished within the confines of this cave before I could even grasp my identity. The sensation of the lizard’s breath on my face filled me with overwhelming panic, and the nauseating smell emanating from its breath made it difficult for me to breathe, causing me to choke uncontrollably. As the lizard lifted its head and exposed its neck, I knew it was my time to react. Without hesitation, I jammed the dagger straight into its exposed neck.

The scent of iron lingered in the air as blood dripped onto my hand, reminding me to extract the dagger from the lizard’s neck. I yanked the dagger free and immediately bolted; the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I fled from the lizard. Recovering from the shock of the blow, the lizard swiftly chased after me, its furious hissing filling the air. I screamed out in pain as I felt the claws rip down my back. With a dizzying sensation, I turned to face the lizard as tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. As I stood there, eye to eye with the lizard, I could feel the intensity of my rage building. The lizard emitted a piercing hiss before lunging at me, slamming its head into my chest and sending me sprawling to the ground.

I hit the ground with a thud, my breath escaping me in ragged gasps. My chest was hit with the force of a freight train, but I recovered and regain my footing in an instant. The weight of the situation hit me, and a relentless panic washed over me, making it hard to think clearly. I knew the only way I would make it out of this cave was by killing this lizard. My mind raced as I tried to think of a way to kill this thing with such a small weapon. Distracted by my thinking, the lizard caught me off guard, slamming its tail into me again, sending me flying into the wall. I pushed myself back to my feet quickly, ignoring the pain, so I could react before the next strike.

The lizard lunged at me with enormous speed, but this time I was ready. I grabbed its neck, swung myself onto its back, and wrapped my arms around its neck tightly. Stunned, the lizard jumped around, trying to knock me off its back. Using one arm to let go of the lizard’s neck, I reached for my dagger. Taking the dagger, I gripped it tightly and drove it straight into the top of the lizard’s head. The lizard dropped to the ground lifeless, but my leg got trapped beneath its torso.

As I tried to wriggle free from under the mysterious creature, its weight bore down on me, and its blood started to soak through my pants. This time, as I pushed with all my might, I could feel the lizard’s weight shift, allowing me to release my trapped leg. I stood up as blood dripped down my pants onto the ground, and my back was warm from the blood oozing out of the cuts the lizard had put into my back. My body was weak, but I pushed myself to keep moving. I went back to following the water until I reached a wide opening and stepped out of it.

Letting out a sigh of relief once I saw the water indeed led me out of the cave. I emerged out and was blinded by the sun. I covered my eyes, giving them time to adjust. Once they adjusted, I looked out to the vast land before me. The sun was shining brightly in the clear sky, but it was a little chilly. The land all around me was filled with beauty, but also destruction. Colorful trees, and plants lined the area, with colors from the entire spectrum of color. Woven through the colors, you could see areas that had been charred by fire, as if a battle had taken place in those areas.

It looked like the world had been fighting a war for many years; As the entire area, as far as I could see, had charred trees intertwined with the beauty of the land. Seeing the destruction made me fearful on what I would encounter on my way to finding someone. Composing myself and making sure I was alert, I started to hike down from the hill that led up to the cave. It truly was a hike. I walked for several minutes; the cave had to be at least 150 feet from the ground. Finally, I reached the bottom, and stopped to catch my breath. I noticed I was even more weak, and my legs felt unsteady beneath me.

After catching my breath, I started to walk again, and walked toward the sun. It was starting to set, so I hoped I could find someone before it did. I stumbled for what seemed like miles, but it was getting darker by the minute now. I realized I wasn’t going to find anyone today, so I decided it was best to find somewhere safe to camp for the night. I searched around for somewhere that might be safe. The darkness slowly taking over the day made it harder for me to see, but I stumbled upon a large boulder. The boulder had a large hole in it and appeared to lead into a cistern inside the boulder. I walked slowly, but more steadily now over to the boulder. Seeing that the hole in it made an enclosed space and decided it may be safe to camp here.

Now I would need some warmth and light, so I searched the ground for twigs. It was much darker now, and it made it harder for me to see. I found an area that had several twigs laying on the ground. I gathered as many as I could carry and carried them back to the area I would be camping. I dropped them into a pile in the middle of the enclosed area of the boulder. I figured I should find something to defend myself if I had to, at least something better than the dagger. Back out of the safety of the small enclosure the boulder provided, I journeyed as it started to get even darker. Now it was even harder to see, and I scrambled around looking for a large branch. I finally found one after what seemed like hours, and now it was almost pitch black, so I ran back as quick as I could to my camp.

Eerie sounds echoed through the darkness, so I quickly lit a fire by taking one twig and rubbing it quickly against the other twigs in the pile. Now that I had lit the fire, it burned a bright orange and casted shadows on the wall of the rock. That was done, so I quickly scraped the dagger against the branch I found to sharpen it. After several minutes, I had sharpened the branch to a fine point. I touched the point with a finger to test the sharpness, and it cut through my finger easily. Blood dripped from my finger onto the tip of the branch. Satisfied with the larger weapon I had created, I laid back against the wall.

As I was relaxing against the wall, a howl ripped through the night. I stiffened in fear as the howl sounded very close and backed myself up against the wall, gripping the freshly sharpened branch tightly in my hands. Hearing twigs snapping, and large footsteps nearing, I gripped the branch even tighter. The sound got even closer, and in the entrance of my little camp stood an enormous wolf.

I couldn’t help but realize how careless I was with testing the sharpness of the branch. The wolf probably smelled the blood from my finger, but it couldn’t be a normal wolf. This wolf stood about six feet high, with large legs. You could see the upper portion of the wolfs legs were muscular as they pulsed like he was ready to pounce. The wolf had a large chest they puffed out as it stood confidently. It had a colossal head with orange glowing eyes, and large pointed ears that twitched at the slightest sound. The wolf pulled its snout back, revealing large teeth that appeared to be extremely sharp and were stained with blood. The wolf growled at me as it began to stalk toward me, ready for its next meal. Growing ever closer to me, I knew the wolf intended on me being its next meal.

Pushing myself tighter against the wall, I pointed the branch toward the wolf. It snarled again, moving even closer toward me, as I slowly slid myself up the wall to a standing position. I stood confidently, waiting for it to strike. Lunging at me and leaving me little time to react, I swatted the wolf with the branch. That seemed to infuriate it, and it lunged at me again, this time scratching me with its claws. I yelled out in pain as my arm started to drip blood onto the ground.

This seemed to put the wolf into a frenzy, as it yet again lunged for me, but I quickly reacted, swatting it to the side with the branch. I hit the wolf so hard it knocked us both to the ground, but it didn’t seem to faze the wolf, as it got up quickly. This left me weak, and on the ground. The wolf saw the opportunity to end it, and lunged again, but I mustered all my strength before lifting the branch. Luckily it was enough as the wolf landed onto the branch, letting out a whelp, and its glowing orange eyes started to dim. Using the branch, I shoved the wolf off to the side, and blood started to pool from its body.

I scrambled to my feet, and I was completely mortified. Branch in hand, I used it to slide the wolf out of my encampment and left it right at the entrance. I pulled the branch out of its chest and carried it back inside with me. I hoped that would deter anything else from trying to attack me. Leaning against the wall, I slid myself down it, completely exhausted at that point. Taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Feeling the warmth of the sunlight shining in, I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping. Using to wall to get myself to my feet, I stumbled out of my encampment. Stunned, I saw the wolf’s body was gone, and wondered to myself how that was even possible. Even more so how I was still alive since the body was no longer there. I walked back in to grab my branch, just in case I needed it. My legs still felt unsteady beneath me, but I pushed myself to continue.

Following the direction of the sun once again, I set out to see if I could come across someone. I continued hiking through the wooded area until I came upon a clearing, and up ahead I saw a small cottage. Running now, I made it up to the cottage and saw smoke rising from a chimney. The cottage looked to be in terrible shape; it leaned to the right, and the outside appeared to be rotting. Obviously, someone lived there as there was smoke rising from the chimney.

I treaded carefully up to