Read Online Crystal Throne (Book 1) by D.W. Jackson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: D.W. Jackson
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roads serve no real purpose, my people kept them to remind of what happens when people reach too far past themselves.”
“Not every place in this world must be like this,” Thad said as he looked around and marveled at the crystalline beauty of the world around him.
“I wouldn’t know what the rest of the world looks like,” Humanius said looking off in the distance. “We live on an island, a large one, but ever since the war that nearly destroyed our world, it was taboo to leave our own land. It was believed that the rest of the world had perished and in all the years we flourished not once had an outsider ever arrived to our land, so it is more than possible that nothing lies beyond our own shores. Even if there had been people beyond they would be long gone thanks to the cancer that has turned everything to crystal.”
“Brother, I think we will soon have guests,” Belaroan called from the front of the group.
“I had expected them far sooner, but I can’t help but wishing that they left us alone until we had reached my father’s house,” Humanius said sighing deeply.
“How can you tell that anything is out there?” Thad asked slightly curious.
“I and my sister have been keeping our senses aware. We have not really been reaching out to the magic, only leaving ourselves open to it. However, even that is dangerous, so we have been taking turns.
Thad followed behind Humanius as they moved to join the rest of the group. “How long until they reach us?” Bren asked looking over his shoulder toward the large palace looming in the distance.
“It’s hard to say, but they don’t seem to be moving as fast as the last group,” Belaroan said. “I would suggest we find a good defensible position and wait for them.”
Thad remained silent and quietly followed Humanius and his sister’s lead. He would have preferred to push forward and try to move around the enemy, but these were not humans they were fighting, but some odd creatures and he doubted they could be as easily fooled. Belaroan picked a large building covered in windows for them to make their stand.
As the others began to take up positions within the building, Thad made his way over to where Humanius stood looking out one of the windows at the road outside. “Humanius, don’t you think all these windows will make it easier for the scions to attack us from multiple directions at once?” Thad asked.
“There is the chance of that, but there are few buildings that are large enough for us to move about without feeling crowded. If they had been noticed earlier, we would have had many choices, but we are now in the common district and most the houses are only meant for families of two or three people.”
Looking around, Thad noticed a number of shelves holding what he believed once were books. Knowing that nothing he could say would make the gods chance their mind he wandered off down the rows. After some time, he picked one of the crystal books at random and pulled it from its shelf. As soon as his gloved hand touched the book something flashed through his mind.
Thad was no longer standing in a world of crystal, but in a brightly lit place of books where numerous people gathered to read at their leisure. “I wish mother wouldn’t force me to read these boring books,” a voice echoed in Thad’s mind. Shortly after the voice had spoken, Thad found himself walking toward the door of the building and out into the daylight. What he saw was unlike what he expected. The landscape was no longer made of crystal, but brick, stone, and metal. The road was made of a dark black stone that seemed as if it was one piece instead of individual stones.
Thad tried to turn around to move in any direction, but nothing he did made a difference. Outside, he mounted a horse and after a short ride reached a small house. As the door to the house opened, Thad’s eyes began to cloud and as everything cleared, Thad found himself once again standing in the crystal
“Not every place in this world must be like this,” Thad said as he looked around and marveled at the crystalline beauty of the world around him.
“I wouldn’t know what the rest of the world looks like,” Humanius said looking off in the distance. “We live on an island, a large one, but ever since the war that nearly destroyed our world, it was taboo to leave our own land. It was believed that the rest of the world had perished and in all the years we flourished not once had an outsider ever arrived to our land, so it is more than possible that nothing lies beyond our own shores. Even if there had been people beyond they would be long gone thanks to the cancer that has turned everything to crystal.”
“Brother, I think we will soon have guests,” Belaroan called from the front of the group.
“I had expected them far sooner, but I can’t help but wishing that they left us alone until we had reached my father’s house,” Humanius said sighing deeply.
“How can you tell that anything is out there?” Thad asked slightly curious.
“I and my sister have been keeping our senses aware. We have not really been reaching out to the magic, only leaving ourselves open to it. However, even that is dangerous, so we have been taking turns.
Thad followed behind Humanius as they moved to join the rest of the group. “How long until they reach us?” Bren asked looking over his shoulder toward the large palace looming in the distance.
“It’s hard to say, but they don’t seem to be moving as fast as the last group,” Belaroan said. “I would suggest we find a good defensible position and wait for them.”
Thad remained silent and quietly followed Humanius and his sister’s lead. He would have preferred to push forward and try to move around the enemy, but these were not humans they were fighting, but some odd creatures and he doubted they could be as easily fooled. Belaroan picked a large building covered in windows for them to make their stand.
As the others began to take up positions within the building, Thad made his way over to where Humanius stood looking out one of the windows at the road outside. “Humanius, don’t you think all these windows will make it easier for the scions to attack us from multiple directions at once?” Thad asked.
“There is the chance of that, but there are few buildings that are large enough for us to move about without feeling crowded. If they had been noticed earlier, we would have had many choices, but we are now in the common district and most the houses are only meant for families of two or three people.”
Looking around, Thad noticed a number of shelves holding what he believed once were books. Knowing that nothing he could say would make the gods chance their mind he wandered off down the rows. After some time, he picked one of the crystal books at random and pulled it from its shelf. As soon as his gloved hand touched the book something flashed through his mind.
Thad was no longer standing in a world of crystal, but in a brightly lit place of books where numerous people gathered to read at their leisure. “I wish mother wouldn’t force me to read these boring books,” a voice echoed in Thad’s mind. Shortly after the voice had spoken, Thad found himself walking toward the door of the building and out into the daylight. What he saw was unlike what he expected. The landscape was no longer made of crystal, but brick, stone, and metal. The road was made of a dark black stone that seemed as if it was one piece instead of individual stones.
Thad tried to turn around to move in any direction, but nothing he did made a difference. Outside, he mounted a horse and after a short ride reached a small house. As the door to the house opened, Thad’s eyes began to cloud and as everything cleared, Thad found himself once again standing in the crystal
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