Yesterday, I tried updating but I was banned and my post hidden by the anti-spam bot. Let me give this another trial.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

An expertly executed gambade over a large log of wood obstructing the meandering pathway at the edge of the Euschires forest brought the horse and its rider closer still to their destination. They were now a few leagues away from the Southern gate of Casville. The horse was a thin, brown coated, two year old filly which the rider had paid twenty five Ciblis to get. The rider was Marcus, donning Sir Maxime's armour. Although the horse was not close to being as fleet footed as the good old Tramps, it had still pulled off a decent mileage and at their current pace, they would reach Casville before sun down. Marcus would then concern himself with looking for Elliott and the other Red Knights in Casville.

In the middle of pondering on where he and the others would convene since they had never discussed a meeting place in Casville before, Marcus saw something that shocked his wit away. Right before his own eyes, the front half of a giant cedar not far from him was sliding sideways, in the manner of a door and beyond the opening was a dark passageway that went as deep as eyes could see. Marcus looked away with some difficulty as he began to feel enchanted by the things he was seeing. He concentrated his efforts on getting as far away as possible from there.

"Come here!"

That command, delivered in a crisp feminine voice, seemed to come from everywhere. The drooping leaves and gnarled branches on trees, the little rocks that littered the path and the shrubs that lined it; everything seemed to resonate this sound. Marcus let go of the rein and closed his palms against his ears in an attempt to block out this dreadful voice that was threatening to drive him crazy.

"Bring him here!"

Blocking his ears didn't stop him from hearing the orders dished out by the peculiar voice, because now the order came from inside his own head, like a thought or a prick of conscience. It was terrible, aye terrifying. And there was worse to come.

This is not happening. I am dreaming!

A big tendril, as thick as a nautical rope, shot out of the yawning, black aperture in the tree and wound its thick self around Marcus' neck. The sinister tendril began pulling him with great viciousness towards that wide dark hole in the tree. Marcus gasped for breath as the accursed tendril drove the wind away from his windpipe. He had to wedge a hand between his neck and the knot formed by the tendril in order to prevent being smothered, while his other hand worked the horse. He couldn't maintain that balance for long. A sharp tug from the other end of the tendril yanked him off the horse and heightened the strain against his neck.

Not one to give in, Marcus reached for the sword on him. He unsheathed the blade, getting a firm grip on the hilt despite the clamminess of his hand. Surely, this would end it. With all of his might, he struck the tendril a blow that was powerful enough to snap a chain, but it was useless. The sword bounced back with a curious clang, failing to do any damage. The tendril, as if in retaliation, now pulled him towards the tree with more fierceness and before long, Marcus was lying supine, gasping for breath in the pitch blackness he had been trying to get away from earlier.

"Come to the great hall."

Marcus scrambled to his feet without hesitation. It was difficult, nay impossible, to disobey the voice. He didn't know where the great hall was, he couldn't even see anything but he submitted himself to a force — similar in a way to the one which filled him with superhuman strength in time of combat — which now led him through the darkness till he got to a threshold where there was dazzling light beyond. He was now in the great hall.

"I'm here," Marcus said. "What do you want from me?"

There was no response, not even the echo of his voice. Marcus found the eerie silence in the lit hall more disconcerting than the gloominess outside. He looked around, trying to figure where the light came from — there were no brands, candles or torches. He was still looking for the source of the room's lighting when he heard behind him the thumping footsteps of someone of monstrous avoirdupois. He turned in time to see a massively built, three eyed being with trunk-like limbs and a hanging forked tongue charging at him. Such monstrosity!

"You. . . You were the one who called me?"

The monster's response was a bellicose jab to Marcus' head with one of his behemoth fists. Marcus evaded that punch and twisted his way away from a knee aimed at his midriff. He wasn't as lucky with the third attack, the monster's elbow catching him on the nose. Still reeling from the impact of the blow, Marcus was treated to a kick so vicious that he collapsed to the ground, howling.

The monster smiled, apparently pleased with the havoc he was wreaking. "Hear, O hear the chosen mortal. How he howls!"

Feeling the rise of that raw energy that made him incomparable in combat, even against the finest knights around, Marcus spat some blood, grabbed his sword and scrambled to his feet. "Now let's hear you howl."

They glared at each other, eyes flashing, weapons readied for attack — Marcus' weapon being his sword; the monster's, his whole body. Marcus charged swiftly and wasted no time in striking the monster's neck with such a force that should cleave the head off, but for the second time that evening, his strength and skill with the sword amounted to naught. The monster, unharmed by Marcus' blow, grabbed at the young warrior's sword and once he was able to wrest it from him, twisted it out of shape with a single turn of his large, hairy hand. Not satisfied with the twisting he had done, he lunged again at Marcus and grabbed him by the arm, delivering a vicious twist to that appendage.

Hot white pain surged through Marcus' arm. The pain was as unbearable as the knowledge that the strange energy was useless against this beast. Marcus' adversary wasn't quite done. He rammed his bestial head against his dazed opponent's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground and coughing up some more blood.

"Enough, Wurst!"

That was the voice which brought Marcus into this recess in the tree.

"My lady," Wurst said, bowing slightly. "I see nothing in him. He can't be the chosen one."

"It is him."

Now, the lady was in Marcus' sight. She was a tall thin woman with massive black hair and prominent fingernails. She was clad in a glittering green robe. Her face was kind, yet firm. She walked over to where he lay, groaning in agony.

"Open your mouth."

Marcus obeyed through the maddening pain he felt. The lady placed a lozenge pill on his tongue.

"You are healed," she said with a kind smile.

As soon as the diamond shaped pill dissolved on his tongue, every bit of pain he felt melted away. It was surreal. He was even able to turn his arm, which had been hanging at an odd angle, back to the normal position without any pain.

"Thank you." Marcus said. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You were headed for Casville. It is dangerous for you to go there. Lady Suzannah and those phantoms would smell you out once you enter the city and you will be killed before you know what is happening."

"What phantoms? I can defend myself against anyone."

Wurst sniggered.

The lady shook her head. "Phantoms are not humans. They are awakened bodies of dead veteran warriors. Against them, you will fare as badly as you fared against Wurst here because they are beings of magic against which your powers have little effect. You will not survive if you go Casville."

"How do you know this?"

"Well, I see things."

Marcus sighed. "Haldrinne, who sees things too, said I must go to Casville to wait for my friends to bring a certain golden chest."

"Their going to Carzef was to fulfill a certain purpose. You being here fulfills another. Here you will be trained to harness your true power and no, I'm not talking about that strengthening wave that comes once in a while. I speak of something greater."

"I wonder why Haldrinne or Malzene never mentioned this."

"It wasn't for them to," she replied with a shrug.

"And how do I know I can trust you?"

The lady crouched before Marcus and ran a spindly finger down a side of his face. Marcus felt a bizarre sensation, a strange feeling of having been touched by this lady in this way before. How could that be when he had never met her before? Surely his mind was being messed with.

"You must trust me, Xyriel Hyle," The lady whispered in Marcus' ear. "Because I am your mother."

Now this just got better.

BishopZion:
Guy I have been refreshing the page for long hoping to read the next chapter. When are you doing that? don't let me take it personal with you bro.

You are the best.

Thanks bro. I have updated the story.

y the story end like this na

gtcoolboy:
y the story end like this na

Lol. The sequel will pick up from where this one stopped. Thanks for reading bro.

kudos Vantee20 This is a masterpiece

Aceed:
This guy needs to be applauded...


D9ty7

Divepen1

SheWrites

gaby

ghostwriter

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Redmosquito

kayemjay

Larrysun

Audreytimms

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and the entire Nairaland verse...




We have a miracle after four years of labour




Vantee20 kudos

Thank you sir. All these bosses you are calling, they are people I want to be like when I grow up.

RICKYMARIO:
kudos
Vantee20
This is a masterpiece

Thanks Ricky.

VanTee20:


Thank you sir. All these bosses you are calling, they are people I want to be like when I grow up.

Much thanks sir..humbly humbled..

Reading this wondrous piece of yours bring to mind the work of a fave writer 'Sarah J Maas' THRONE OF GLASS

Interesting Enjoy other interesting stories on Tushstories via

www.tushstories.com

#Read!

VanTee20:

Thanks Ricky.

Hey bro, is the second part out for sales yet??

holarbolu:
Reading this wondrous piece of yours bring to mind the work of a fave writer 'Sarah J Maas' THRONE OF GLASS

Sarah J. Maas is an household name in the YA fantasy category. I am humbled by this comparison. Thanks bro.

EmperorShizzy:

Hey bro, is the second part out for sales yet??

Not yet bro. I'm still working on it. I will announce here when it is ready.

VanTee20:


Sarah J. Maas is an household name in the YA fantasy category. I am humbled by this comparison. Thanks bro.

You're the bomb, napalm

holarbolu:
Reading this wondrous piece of yours bring to mind the work of a fave writer 'Sarah J Maas' THRONE OF GLASS

Now, I have people that read like me.
Read anything readable.
Did you read all the parts?
Coz I did.
The elf woman

VanTee20:


Not yet bro. I'm still working on it. I will announce here when it is ready.

Chaii, this one is a strong thing oo.
This is what I call a Cliffhanger.

Aceed:
This guy needs to be applauded...


D9ty7

Divepen1

SheWrites

gab
y

ghostwriter

ghostwritter

Redmosquito

kayemjay

Larrysun

Audreytimms

Ishilove

Royver


and the entire Nairaland verse...




We have a miracle after four years of labour




Vantee20 kudos

For knowing all these people, you deserve some accolades.

Jackossky:


Now, I have people that read like me.
Read anything readable.
Did you read all the parts?
Coz I did.
The elf woman

I sure do bruv! It was one wondrous work of fiction

holarbolu:


I sure do bruv! It was one wondrous work of fiction

Thumbs up.
You can recommend anything other book you fell in love with to me.

But try to read 'The mist'
Fiction, action, myth, magic and I know you will like it. Just that the third part will be out In 2020

Jackossky:

Thumbs up.
You can recommend anything other book you fell in love with to me.

But try to read 'The mist'
Fiction, action, myth, magic and I know you will like it. Just that the third part will be out In 2020

I'll sure do that... You can try the hunger games

holarbolu:

I'll sure do that... You can try the hunger games

Hunger games 'Mocking Jay' If its that one, watched the two part. Please share me another one

Jackossky:

Hunger games 'Mocking Jay'
If its that one, watched the two part.
Please share me another one

Hope you know the book is a trilogy series

holarbolu:



Hope you know the book is a trilogy series

I only watched the movie.
ND books that I have watched their movie don't get me excited.
Like when I was trying to read American gods, shadow hunter, i just got bored off half way even though there are little discrepancies in both.

When I read 50 shades of grey, watching the movie didn't make me have that 'wow' feeling.
So, prefer reading something I haven't watched atall and watching something I haven't read atall.

Jackossky:

I only watched the movie.
ND books that I have watched their movie don't get me excited.
Like when I was trying to read American gods, shadow hunter, i just got bored off half way even though there are little discrepancies in both.

When I read 50 shades of grey, watching the movie didn't make me have that 'wow' feeling.
So, prefer reading something I haven't watched atall and watching something I haven't read atall.

I can see you do exotic romance novels also, try and get your hands on the Crossfire series... Or better still hitch up with me on my work here on this platform

holarbolu:



I can see you do exotic romance novels also, try and get your hands on the Crossfire series... Or better still hitch up with me on my work here on this platform

Romance? No No No!! That's why one can hardly see me reading a romance novel. Vampires, wolves, elves are my thing.
Will go over your profile to see the nice piece you've got.
I'm sure it's gonna worth it.

Though, haven't been seeing enough vampires story lately, the ones I saw mainly centered on romance which is a turn off.

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