Read Online Into Oblivion (Book 4) by Shawn E. Crapo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shawn E. Crapo
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suddenly heard in the distance, and Farouk stood to peer out the ruined windows of the alcove.
“What was that?” he asked.
Faeraon stood, leading the Druid to the windows. Farouk followed his gaze to the island’s barren shelf. Before his eyes, sections began to collapse and fall into the darkness below. Trees along the cliff’s edges became uprooted with the rumbling and tumbled down as well. Everywhere, dust rose with the impacts.
“There is nothing holding the soil together anymore,” Faeraon lamented. “Soon, there will be nothing left but the bedrock.”
“Who was this Destroyer you say killed the Great Mother here?”
Faeraon shook his head. “His nature was unknown to us,” he said. “He simply appeared through a great vortex and took everything.”
“The sea as well?”
“I can only assume that the sea retreated into the depths of the world.”
“How did you survive?”
Faeraon turned to face him, his eyes red with sorrow. “I do not know, friend,” he said. “When my daughter was lost to me, my sorrow was enough to sap my strength enough to remain hidden. That is the only explanation I have. Once this world was destroyed, He moved on.”
Farouk nodded. “He is on my world now.”
“I am sorry, Farouk,” Faeraon said. “If I could have destroyed him completely, I would have.”
“I know. But he cannot be destroyed. There are things I have learned from the higher powers that tell me he is a part of everything. I do not fully understand it myself.”
“If he is on your world,” Faeraon said, “then I fear it will become as this one.”
Belo buzzed in through the window suddenly, frantically zipping around Farouk’s head. Faeraon watched the tiny creature excitedly, shocked at its presence.
“What is this?” he asked.
“This,” Farouk said, motioning for Belo to settle on his shoulder, “is Belo. He is a construct, and is also from my world.”
Faeraon smiled, reaching out to touch Belo’s wing. “He is fascinating.”
“He was created by my friend, Aeli,” Farouk replied. “She is a Druid, like me.”
Belo fluttered over to Faeraon’s shoulder, squeaking and flapping curiously. Faeraon allowed him to sniff and peck at him, showing only the slightest bit of annoyance.
“So these Druids of your world are capable creating life?”
“Aeli is a different kind of Druid,” Farouk explained. “Her powers are focused on creative energy. Druidism, from my understanding, is more about maintaining the balance. Our master believed that her innate powers would complement the discipline.”
“To create something new,” Faeraon finished.
Farouk nodded. “He chose well.”
“Where is your master now?”
Farouk turned back to the windows, gazing out over the wasted land. “He is no longer among the living,” he said. “Jodocus sacrificed his life to destroy a creature that The Lifegiver sent to destroy his lands.”
Faeraon frowned. “I am sorry, my friend.”
The two said nothing for a long moment, simply watching the last of the sun’s ray disappear behind the odd looking horizon. Faeraon began to appear distressed as the light dimmed, growing more visibly shaken with the spreading darkness.
The palace and its grounds appeared to be disappearing into the gloom. The shadows lengthened, almost climbing up the walls as if they were alive. Faeraon stepped away from the windows, returning to his throne, his right hand firmly grasping the hilt of his sword.
“What troubles you, my friend?” Farouk asked.
“With the darkness, comes sorrow.”
Farouk moved to Faeraon’s side, holding out his hand as Belo flapped over to him to land on his wrist. Around them, the shadows continued to deepen, swirling and churning as if attempting to escape.
“I need your eyes again, friend,” Farouk said, watching Belo as he flew off into the night.
“Tell me, Faeraon, what is it?”
As the king remained silent, a shrill cry was heard in the distance. It sent chills up
“What was that?” he asked.
Faeraon stood, leading the Druid to the windows. Farouk followed his gaze to the island’s barren shelf. Before his eyes, sections began to collapse and fall into the darkness below. Trees along the cliff’s edges became uprooted with the rumbling and tumbled down as well. Everywhere, dust rose with the impacts.
“There is nothing holding the soil together anymore,” Faeraon lamented. “Soon, there will be nothing left but the bedrock.”
“Who was this Destroyer you say killed the Great Mother here?”
Faeraon shook his head. “His nature was unknown to us,” he said. “He simply appeared through a great vortex and took everything.”
“The sea as well?”
“I can only assume that the sea retreated into the depths of the world.”
“How did you survive?”
Faeraon turned to face him, his eyes red with sorrow. “I do not know, friend,” he said. “When my daughter was lost to me, my sorrow was enough to sap my strength enough to remain hidden. That is the only explanation I have. Once this world was destroyed, He moved on.”
Farouk nodded. “He is on my world now.”
“I am sorry, Farouk,” Faeraon said. “If I could have destroyed him completely, I would have.”
“I know. But he cannot be destroyed. There are things I have learned from the higher powers that tell me he is a part of everything. I do not fully understand it myself.”
“If he is on your world,” Faeraon said, “then I fear it will become as this one.”
Belo buzzed in through the window suddenly, frantically zipping around Farouk’s head. Faeraon watched the tiny creature excitedly, shocked at its presence.
“What is this?” he asked.
“This,” Farouk said, motioning for Belo to settle on his shoulder, “is Belo. He is a construct, and is also from my world.”
Faeraon smiled, reaching out to touch Belo’s wing. “He is fascinating.”
“He was created by my friend, Aeli,” Farouk replied. “She is a Druid, like me.”
Belo fluttered over to Faeraon’s shoulder, squeaking and flapping curiously. Faeraon allowed him to sniff and peck at him, showing only the slightest bit of annoyance.
“So these Druids of your world are capable creating life?”
“Aeli is a different kind of Druid,” Farouk explained. “Her powers are focused on creative energy. Druidism, from my understanding, is more about maintaining the balance. Our master believed that her innate powers would complement the discipline.”
“To create something new,” Faeraon finished.
Farouk nodded. “He chose well.”
“Where is your master now?”
Farouk turned back to the windows, gazing out over the wasted land. “He is no longer among the living,” he said. “Jodocus sacrificed his life to destroy a creature that The Lifegiver sent to destroy his lands.”
Faeraon frowned. “I am sorry, my friend.”
The two said nothing for a long moment, simply watching the last of the sun’s ray disappear behind the odd looking horizon. Faeraon began to appear distressed as the light dimmed, growing more visibly shaken with the spreading darkness.
The palace and its grounds appeared to be disappearing into the gloom. The shadows lengthened, almost climbing up the walls as if they were alive. Faeraon stepped away from the windows, returning to his throne, his right hand firmly grasping the hilt of his sword.
“What troubles you, my friend?” Farouk asked.
“With the darkness, comes sorrow.”
Farouk moved to Faeraon’s side, holding out his hand as Belo flapped over to him to land on his wrist. Around them, the shadows continued to deepen, swirling and churning as if attempting to escape.
“I need your eyes again, friend,” Farouk said, watching Belo as he flew off into the night.
“Tell me, Faeraon, what is it?”
As the king remained silent, a shrill cry was heard in the distance. It sent chills up
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