Read Online The Buried Symbol (The Ruins of Issalia Book 1) by Jeffrey L. Kohanek - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeffrey L. Kohanek
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before, but not told so effectively. Through the telling, he imagined a grand battle of men fighting some faceless, gruesome enemy. His mind raced with unanswered questions. Where did the Horde come from? Did the Armies of Issal completely wipe out them out? How did they win if the Horde was so fearsome and powerful? Questions kept spinning in his head as he stared into the flames.
“ That was great, Hank! ” Ren burst out, breaking the silence. “ Can you tell another? Maybe the one about Fallbrandt the Great? ” He waved his arms in excitement. “ Oh! I know! Tell us one about the time of legends! You know, when men could fly. How they had swords that could cut through stone! ”
Hank waved his hands to stop Ren ’ s torrent of words. “ Whoa. Slow down, boy. ” Ren stopped as Hank continued. “ We need to get to sleep. We have an early morning and still have many miles to cover to reach Fenrick ’ s by mid-day. A hot meal will be waiting for us. I certainly don ’ t want to miss it. ”
The disappointment in Ren ’ s eyes was obvious, but he didn ’ t object. He climbed under the wagon to lay down.
Hank turned toward Brock and Tipper. “ It was nice meeting you boys. We ’ ll be up and on the road at first light. I ’ m saying farewell now in case you ’ re still asleep when we ’ re gone. I ’ m exhausted and off to bed. ”
Tipper stood and stretched. “ I hear you. I ’ m beat too. In addition, my rear is sore and I just can ’ t sit anymore. We appreciate the ride, but sitting in the back of the wagon all day is like taking a switch to the rump for getting caught stealing. ” He rubbed his backside as he winced. “ I should know, since it happened to me more than once. ”
Brock laughed, stepping back from the fire. “ Stop complaining. My rear hurts as much as yours. ” He turned to Hank. “ It was great to meet you, Hank. Thanks for the ride and for the story. ”
Brock wrapped his cloak around himself and curled up on the ground, using his pack as a pillow.
“ Tip, get some sleep. We ’ ve a lot of walking to do tomorrow, ” Brock said.
Closing his eyes, he was soon fast asleep.
CHAPTER 14
Brock stood on the peak of an impossibly high mountain. He spun about to scan the horizon, drinking in the incredible vista. From this vantage point, it seemed as if he could see the whole continent.
He glanced down at his feet and the hard gray rock that was beneath them. Odd that he couldn ’ t feel it. The bare rock spread out around him in all directions, eventually giving way to drifts of white snow.
Having lived his whole life by the ocean, Brock had never seen snow this close. He felt a child-like desire to go jump in it, but his feet were immobile.
His body felt chilled, but not a sharp, biting cold. It was the kind of cold that slowly seeped in after long exposure. He searched the sky, but he couldn ’ t seem to locate the sun to determine the time of day. Why can ’ t I find the sun ?
The bright light of the sun suddenly burst into sight. He held his hand up to block it, squinting. The intensity receded as his eyes adjusted.
Before him was a man wearing an iridescent cloak, that was billowing in the breeze though Brock felt no wind. The glowing, shifting colors of the cloak were mesmerizing. Brock lowered his hand to see the man ’ s face. Where the man ’ s head should be, there was only a bright white light. Who is this? Is it God? Was Issal himself standing before a lowly Unchosen?
A powerful voice broke the tranquility of the mountaintop. “ The time has come for that which was sleeping to awaken. Seek the truth. Follow its path. The shadow lengthens. Mankind will soon fall to the shadow unless the light of the truth is set free. ”
Raising his arms high, the voice grew even more powerful. “ I command what is inside you to awaken! ”
The world began to shake, sending a high-pitched wail sounding throughout the land. As the wailing grew louder, the bright
“ That was great, Hank! ” Ren burst out, breaking the silence. “ Can you tell another? Maybe the one about Fallbrandt the Great? ” He waved his arms in excitement. “ Oh! I know! Tell us one about the time of legends! You know, when men could fly. How they had swords that could cut through stone! ”
Hank waved his hands to stop Ren ’ s torrent of words. “ Whoa. Slow down, boy. ” Ren stopped as Hank continued. “ We need to get to sleep. We have an early morning and still have many miles to cover to reach Fenrick ’ s by mid-day. A hot meal will be waiting for us. I certainly don ’ t want to miss it. ”
The disappointment in Ren ’ s eyes was obvious, but he didn ’ t object. He climbed under the wagon to lay down.
Hank turned toward Brock and Tipper. “ It was nice meeting you boys. We ’ ll be up and on the road at first light. I ’ m saying farewell now in case you ’ re still asleep when we ’ re gone. I ’ m exhausted and off to bed. ”
Tipper stood and stretched. “ I hear you. I ’ m beat too. In addition, my rear is sore and I just can ’ t sit anymore. We appreciate the ride, but sitting in the back of the wagon all day is like taking a switch to the rump for getting caught stealing. ” He rubbed his backside as he winced. “ I should know, since it happened to me more than once. ”
Brock laughed, stepping back from the fire. “ Stop complaining. My rear hurts as much as yours. ” He turned to Hank. “ It was great to meet you, Hank. Thanks for the ride and for the story. ”
Brock wrapped his cloak around himself and curled up on the ground, using his pack as a pillow.
“ Tip, get some sleep. We ’ ve a lot of walking to do tomorrow, ” Brock said.
Closing his eyes, he was soon fast asleep.
CHAPTER 14
Brock stood on the peak of an impossibly high mountain. He spun about to scan the horizon, drinking in the incredible vista. From this vantage point, it seemed as if he could see the whole continent.
He glanced down at his feet and the hard gray rock that was beneath them. Odd that he couldn ’ t feel it. The bare rock spread out around him in all directions, eventually giving way to drifts of white snow.
Having lived his whole life by the ocean, Brock had never seen snow this close. He felt a child-like desire to go jump in it, but his feet were immobile.
His body felt chilled, but not a sharp, biting cold. It was the kind of cold that slowly seeped in after long exposure. He searched the sky, but he couldn ’ t seem to locate the sun to determine the time of day. Why can ’ t I find the sun ?
The bright light of the sun suddenly burst into sight. He held his hand up to block it, squinting. The intensity receded as his eyes adjusted.
Before him was a man wearing an iridescent cloak, that was billowing in the breeze though Brock felt no wind. The glowing, shifting colors of the cloak were mesmerizing. Brock lowered his hand to see the man ’ s face. Where the man ’ s head should be, there was only a bright white light. Who is this? Is it God? Was Issal himself standing before a lowly Unchosen?
A powerful voice broke the tranquility of the mountaintop. “ The time has come for that which was sleeping to awaken. Seek the truth. Follow its path. The shadow lengthens. Mankind will soon fall to the shadow unless the light of the truth is set free. ”
Raising his arms high, the voice grew even more powerful. “ I command what is inside you to awaken! ”
The world began to shake, sending a high-pitched wail sounding throughout the land. As the wailing grew louder, the bright
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