Read Online The Omega Children - The Return of the Marauders (A young adult fiction best seller): An Action Adventure Mystery by Shane Mason - Free Book Online
Authors: Shane Mason
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ripped through Argus. He writhed in convulsion as shock after shock surged through him. Argus gasped and struggled to breathe, feeling his brain freeze and his whole body scream in silence. And then it stopped. Vitality pumped through Argus and in an instant he felt refreshed, as if he had been asleep for hours.
‘What the...’ Argus said gathering himself enough to add, ‘Thanks. I think.’ God, I am glad this crazy mission is over.
‘A man of your discipline should have fought off sleep.’
‘What’s it matter now. Jobs done.’
He felt relieved saying those words. For twenty years this unknown mission had sat in the back of his thoughts. Now it was done. He could return home to his estate and live out the rest of his years in the luxury he had grown used to. He cast a look of satisfaction at Antavahni, yet despite the shimmering appearance of Antavahni’s face, there was no mistaking the confused look that crossed it.
‘Done,’ Antavahni said. ‘The cousins must be taken to Agorrah. They cannot stay here.’
‘What? Taken where? My deal was to get them out of harm’s way. Rescue them. There. There they are. Rescued. Finished. You take them from here.’ He stood up surprised at his nimbleness.
‘I can only travel as far as the border. It is you who must cross them over. You have to do this. You have to do this to remember.’
‘No.’
‘Remember.’
‘If I’d known this was the mission, twenty years ago, I would have said no.’
‘You took the gold. You gave your word.’
Argus chuckled and his demeanor changed to amusement.
‘Well Mac. Dunno what was up in your “age,” but welcome to the real world of this age. Gold’s gone. My word ain’t worth a thing now. I ain’t doing it.’
He curled his top lip up in a snarl.
‘Remember, you must remember.’
Argus shook his head disgusted. ‘I got paid for a job. I done the job. That’s all there is. Final.’
A sympathetic smile formed on Antavahni’s pallid face. ‘But you have nothing to go back to.’
‘Yes I do, I ─ ’
Antavahni held his arm out toward the forest and chanted and four trees slowly faded away.
‘Your laws of physics do not apply to me.’
The empty space where the trees were, spoke of a power that could take everything away from Argus.
‘Okay…okay…what’s involved?’ I should kill this freak first chance I get.
‘Good.’
‘What is involved?’
Antavahni spoke with great pronouncement.
‘Only one path ahead of you lies. No matter where you turn, it will now always lead you to it.’
‘Listen to the question freak. What do I have to do?’
‘There is land hidden in the southern reaches of what is now called the antipodes. Take the cousins there. I will help you transport them as far as the Long White Cloud Mountains, across which you must take them for it is the border I cannot cross. Or do you remember the way?’
Like a faint ember hidden in the cinders of a burnt-out fire, Antavahni’s words singed him, rekindling old smoldering memories.
‘What’s gone should be forgotten,’ Argus said.
‘I will escort you if you cannot remember the way.’
‘Are you nuts? Look at me!’ Argus pulled his top off and displayed his ageing body. ‘This mission nearly killed me.’ He grabbed the baggy skin under his arms and tugged it. ‘I don’t have the strength anymore. I am old now!’
‘Indeed.’
Antavahni held his hands over Argus and started chanting again, though this time clouds gathered, the land darkened and the earth trembled beneath Argus, his legs buckling under him. Electric-like energy tore through him again, and this time he felt his skin stretch and tear, and his bones and muscles twist, and wrench asunder from his body’s fabric. And then it stopped. Light flooded back and the earth became still.
As the pain subsided anger replaced it.
‘Enough,’ Argus cried out. ‘Stop this.’ He clenched his fists and leapt to his feet with the ease of a young
‘What the...’ Argus said gathering himself enough to add, ‘Thanks. I think.’ God, I am glad this crazy mission is over.
‘A man of your discipline should have fought off sleep.’
‘What’s it matter now. Jobs done.’
He felt relieved saying those words. For twenty years this unknown mission had sat in the back of his thoughts. Now it was done. He could return home to his estate and live out the rest of his years in the luxury he had grown used to. He cast a look of satisfaction at Antavahni, yet despite the shimmering appearance of Antavahni’s face, there was no mistaking the confused look that crossed it.
‘Done,’ Antavahni said. ‘The cousins must be taken to Agorrah. They cannot stay here.’
‘What? Taken where? My deal was to get them out of harm’s way. Rescue them. There. There they are. Rescued. Finished. You take them from here.’ He stood up surprised at his nimbleness.
‘I can only travel as far as the border. It is you who must cross them over. You have to do this. You have to do this to remember.’
‘No.’
‘Remember.’
‘If I’d known this was the mission, twenty years ago, I would have said no.’
‘You took the gold. You gave your word.’
Argus chuckled and his demeanor changed to amusement.
‘Well Mac. Dunno what was up in your “age,” but welcome to the real world of this age. Gold’s gone. My word ain’t worth a thing now. I ain’t doing it.’
He curled his top lip up in a snarl.
‘Remember, you must remember.’
Argus shook his head disgusted. ‘I got paid for a job. I done the job. That’s all there is. Final.’
A sympathetic smile formed on Antavahni’s pallid face. ‘But you have nothing to go back to.’
‘Yes I do, I ─ ’
Antavahni held his arm out toward the forest and chanted and four trees slowly faded away.
‘Your laws of physics do not apply to me.’
The empty space where the trees were, spoke of a power that could take everything away from Argus.
‘Okay…okay…what’s involved?’ I should kill this freak first chance I get.
‘Good.’
‘What is involved?’
Antavahni spoke with great pronouncement.
‘Only one path ahead of you lies. No matter where you turn, it will now always lead you to it.’
‘Listen to the question freak. What do I have to do?’
‘There is land hidden in the southern reaches of what is now called the antipodes. Take the cousins there. I will help you transport them as far as the Long White Cloud Mountains, across which you must take them for it is the border I cannot cross. Or do you remember the way?’
Like a faint ember hidden in the cinders of a burnt-out fire, Antavahni’s words singed him, rekindling old smoldering memories.
‘What’s gone should be forgotten,’ Argus said.
‘I will escort you if you cannot remember the way.’
‘Are you nuts? Look at me!’ Argus pulled his top off and displayed his ageing body. ‘This mission nearly killed me.’ He grabbed the baggy skin under his arms and tugged it. ‘I don’t have the strength anymore. I am old now!’
‘Indeed.’
Antavahni held his hands over Argus and started chanting again, though this time clouds gathered, the land darkened and the earth trembled beneath Argus, his legs buckling under him. Electric-like energy tore through him again, and this time he felt his skin stretch and tear, and his bones and muscles twist, and wrench asunder from his body’s fabric. And then it stopped. Light flooded back and the earth became still.
As the pain subsided anger replaced it.
‘Enough,’ Argus cried out. ‘Stop this.’ He clenched his fists and leapt to his feet with the ease of a young
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