The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series by J.G. Gatewood Read Free Book Online

With disgust written all over his face he said, “I will pay you enough your belongings won’t matter to you any longer. Now get up and let’s go.”
    Kos picked up his mug and finished his ale, realizing that arguments should never interfere with a chance at gold. “We be goin’ now, Tuk. Do as he says!”
    Sullenly, Tuk put down his mug and got up to leave the tavern. As they exited, the bartender came rushing over. “I knew ya would try and cheat me. I need money for those ales, or ya won’t be leaving!”
    Perturbed, the dark man brought out a gold coin from nowhere, and tossed it at the barkeep. “This should compensate you for those beverages. And speak no word of the three of us. You have never seen us before.”
    The barkeep looked as if he didn’t understand, but managed to mumble, “Right, never seen you before. I understand.” He bit down on the coin. Satisfied it was indeed gold, he turned and tended to the bar.
    With the barkeep taken care of, the man led the pair out of the door and into the street. He looked at the Goblins. “Stay close to me. I don’t wish to draw attention to ourselves.”
    The Goblins nodded their compliance. The two looked at each other, exchanging wary glances. The man led them to the end of the building where they reached an alley. The man reached into his cloak and pulled out a dagger when they were out of sight. It was the most polished and ornately designed dagger the pair had ever seen. Kos' eyes grew large as he hungered to get his hands on the weapon.
    With the dagger in hand, the man looked around to be certain no one watched them. He uttered words neither of them understood. “Dour pith cour mi!” The weapon began to glow, giving off a red hue. Aglow, he plunged the dagger into the brick stonework of the building.
    The Goblins looked at one another in astonishment as the man drew a giant rectangle that could pass for a glowing, white door.
    He looked at the Goblins and said, “One of you pass through the gate. When he’s through, it’s safe for the other to enter. Do you understand?”
    They both nodded and looked to one another to see who would pass through first. Tuk sighed when he realized he would have to go. He took two steps forward and put his left leg in the white glowing portal. His leg had a warming sensation and he could feel it spreading throughout his body. It became hotter as he inched further through, until it enveloped him. Kos looked on in wonder as he watched his nephew disappear. He looked to the man with hesitant feelings, but the man gave him an icy look, urging him forward. After he disappeared, the man followed the Goblins into nothingness. As he walked through the gateway winked out of existence.
     

Through the Portal
                 
    Tuk exited the doorway and found himself in a dark room that must have been a cathedral at one point in time. The stained glass windows depicted images of horror. One looked to be an old vampire draining the blood of a beautiful, young, blond woman. As he gazed at the images, Kos almost knocked him over as he suddenly appeared right behind him. Perturbed, he dragged Kos out of the way, so the cloaked man wouldn’t knock them both over with his entry. They continued to take in the large, vaulted room. The air felt very stale and smelled of decay, matching their surroundings. The light through the stained glass windows cast a very dark, red hue completing the ominous aura. It didn’t provide any more illumination than the hundreds of candles lit throughout.
    They stared at their surroundings when the cloaked joined them. He grabbed the pair and headed toward a large wooden altar sitting in the front of the room. He forced them to sit in a row of old and worn pews, the only remaining in the abandoned cathedral.
    “I shall return after I find my master.” He glared at the Goblins, “You cannot get up from the pews, so don’t even try to. You will harm yourselves.”
    His footsteps echoed