The Battle of Ebulon by Shane Porteous Read Free Book Online Page B

two equal parts before the
whole body slipped, dead, back down into the dark masses from which
it had crawled.
    “By the time the night's
over, I expect we'll have lost about eighty percent of our forces,
but we'll emerge victorious. More importantly, I'm confident I'll
be able to survive this.”
    “Doesn't that bother you?”
Jenner replied. “Doesn't it bother you that so many are going to
die?”
    Malik shrugged. “I didn't
pick the fight.”
    “And what will you do when
it's over?” Jenner continued, an acid tone entering his voice.
“What will you do when Ebulon still stands but all its brave
defenders lie dead in the courtyard to the gate?”
    At this, Malik
smiled.
    “I'll stick
around for a while and help repopulate the city. I'm assuming there
will be plenty of widows who seek comfort. I intend to put on a
display of heroic swordsmanship the likes of which Ebulon has never
seen. My headache is gone after all.”

Entry Point 3-
by Vanna Smythe

    Kae and fifty other
Protectors waited by the doors of the Priests’ Palace. The tops of
the three triangular towers of the palace disappeared in the thick
storm clouds. Kae had the hood of his black Protector cloak pulled
low over his eyes against the rain. This was no day to ride, but
the five corps of Protectors gathered were assembled and ready for
battle. If the pleas echoing in Kae’s mind were anything to go by,
they were to assist the Kingdom of Ebulon.
    Fasten the
scarf over your mouth, Kae! First Captain
Entan ordered on the air. Kae obeyed immediately. He hadn’t spoken
to Entan since the First Captain told him to obey the priests in
all things. Kae had refused. The way he had argued with the captain
shamed Kae now. Yet what was done was done. Entan should not have
asked him to be a coward.
    The Kingdom
of Ebulon needs your help, heroes of the lands! Please come
swiftly!
    The strange voice drifted
through Kae’s mind again, as it had countless times that morning,
the desperation in the plea hard to ignore. Yet this was fifty
Protectors answering the call, assembled to offer aid. Ebulon only
needed to wait a little longer and all would be well.
    Kae’d only been made a
Protector three days ago, and this was already the second mission
they sent him on. If the First Captain led them, it had to be
important.
    Ryon, another recently
pledged Protector, nudged Kae and whispered. “If we are to leave
for Ebulon, why must we enter the palace first?”
    Kae shared his friend’s
reluctance to enter the palace He had begun to doubt Ebulon was a
real place, feared it was just another test performed by the
priests.
    “ Who
understands all the dealings of priests?” Kae said, loudly enough
for all the gathered Protectors to hear. Some grumbled their
agreement, spitting on the ground to better make their point. Entan
looked at him sharply.
    A grizzled Protector with
a scar running down his left cheek laughed. “What does a pledge
know of the dealings of priests?”
    “ I know
enough!” Kae replied, keeping his voice steady and firm, mimicking
a commanding tone Entan might have used. He was a Protector now,
and would not stand for anyone’s mockery. “I know they like their
secrets and demand absolute obedience.”
    The priests wanted to
take away Kae’s ability to use the Life Force, because they deemed
him too powerful. Wanted him to obey and never question, desired to
control him completely. Even the First Captain urged Kae to submit
to the priests’ control. But Kae could use his Life Force in ways
others could not. He had more to lose if he obeyed that
command.
    Enough of
this talk, Kae! Entan ordered on the air.
Kae cast the captain a glance, but Entan was looking straight ahead
and not meeting his gaze.
    The doors of the palace
creaked as they slid open. A jittery priest beckoned them all
inside.
    Only a handful of the
torches lining the cavernous entrance hall of the palace were lit,
giving off more smoke than light. An ancient priest stood by