The Young

By Nicholas John Powter

A father and his son home has been attacked by a mysterious man, an omen a sinister presence has come about the lands of “The Deluge”, the great sun gods know as the Phrazon mur guide and protect the inhabitants who are awake during the day while the evil creatures and man alike come to fruition during the night. For that where the great evil moon gods come up out of hiding. A Religious cult known as the “Spawn” and their most prestigious leader Roland seek to extract the power of the moon gods and destroy the sun gods and plummet the world into but darkness and sorrow. Out two unlikely protagonist must go on a journey to stop them and free their lands from both the gods and the cults grasp. As somewhat reluctant they may be, they will set out on a task of many dangers and one most foreign to them. A journey of family,love loss violence and devastation, divinity and faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: May 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781504321655

Nicholas John Powter

I think I have a unique and interesting stories to tell and likewise a storyteller in general, I think have a lot to say about life in general and I think I could even quite possibly teach the reader a thing or two.

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Copyright © 2020 Nicholas John Powter.

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ISBN: 978-1-5043-2164-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-2165-5 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 05/08/2020

CONTENTS

Chapter 1    Intruders of Peace

Chapter 2    The Larkas

Chapter 3    The Forests

Chapter 4    A Night of Ember

Chapter 5    The Wanderer of the Plains

Chapter 6    The Mountain

Chapter 7    Trials of Roland

Chapter 8    The City of Fiend

Chapter 9    The Ritual

Chapter 10    Father vs Son

Chapter 11    A Home for All

1

INTRUDERS OF PEACE

F ather, stop it! Please! shrieks a child’s voice as the sound of wood splintering across the floor echoes throughout the barn, followed by the banging sound of ground metal smashing against hard surfaces, colliding with cupboards and pieces of farming equipment.

Come out please, Son. It’s over now; it’s dead. I killed the wretched fiend. No more will they disturb us—no more, Sven says angrily as he stands over the beast.

I’ve never seen such a beast. What is that thing? replies Fren nervously.

A parasite; a foul creature. Please do not fear that which is dead, for I need you to stop stalling and open up the door. Speak to me, Son. I need to teach you what I did today, for you must learn and see for yourself, says Sven sternly. I can only pray that you will not have to do or see this until you are old enough. Just please, don’t hide—come out and talk to me!

I’ve seen you mad, but never enough to kill, Fren says nervously.

A pest is what I killed, my son. A pest—nothing more, replies Sven as he sheathes his long silver blade. Please, it’s okay. You’re in good hands. As always, I am one who rarely ever falters in such a thing as this, nor will I ever tolerate such loathsome creatures.

A creaky, chipped wooden door in the centre of the stall slowly swings open. The shed is no bigger than a prison cell.

In the centre of the doorway stands an adolescent boy with short, bouffant black hair, tanned skin and blue eyes as clear as the morning sky. His appearance is harsh from the great suns which have shone upon him for many years.

Fren walks hesitantly towards Sven, a man who towers over most. Sven can cause much trembling and fear in those who do not know him, for his arms and legs are as thick and durable as stone and his shoulders are broader than most. He has a short, bristly black beard which is as thick as a shrub and has large, clear blue eyes just like his son. Sven’s eyes are like sharp spears, for they can stare past the pupils of one’s sockets and into one’s mind. His short black hair is almost identical to his son’s, though he brushes his fringe to the right rather than the left.

Sven’s armour is made from a combination of many creatures, but mostly ghastly and grotesque beasts. Finely crafted and made just for him, it covers his body from his neck to his ankles. The boy slowly looks up from Sven’s large, thick wool boots and peers at his tanned body, which is smeared with many dashes of white blood.

Dad, you promised there was nothing around in these parts which could harm us. You said these lands were purged and free from all evil, says Fren angrily. "You specifically said only the folk from the mountain to the north, who barely leave even once a season, could cause harm and were the only ones we should see as a real threat. This is what you said, remember?

You also spoke to me about how they never once stepped foot on the premises, that never once did you see or hear them try to advance on our home. You said we were fortunate to live such a distance from them. You also spoke of how there is a kingdom deep within the mountain where many people dwell, a place where there is a great leader who demands total submission and will slay all those who did not obey or follow him. You said this ‘king’ makes all who oppose him bow and swear their allegiance to him in any way possible, that he makes them kiss the knuckle of his hand.

Do not worry about those folk, for we offer little to them. We should look out for these creatures and the nest they dwell in. I’m sorry, my boy, but I was just as distressed as you were some moments ago. You see, I have not seen one of these savage beasts since you were just an infant, a newborn, over forty seasons ago, says Sven.

You mean the blights? replies Fren.

"Yes. In fact, that beast which lays behind me is a familiar face, for I fought and slayed many during my service as a warrior of the Cradle long ago. It is was a legion of men both young and old who gathered up in arms together and went to fight for many days and nights in the Great War of the Plains. It was a barbaric and carnivorous war which left thousands of men dead. There were many with wounds which will never truly heal, for they are permanently scarred, both in the mind and the flesh. Unfortunately, there is no medicine or ointment which can treat the damage most have been afflicted with.

Their wounds have been left with traces of powerful venom which causes their flesh to rot away and crumble like burnt house rubble within hours after it has been infected Although there may be a few healers in the higher places of the world who can treat such illness, they were not at the faraway plains of Othwaite. That is why we always pray before the commencement of our nightly feast, not just for the food and the peaceful lands we’ve earned but also the privileges and treasures we’ve been granted from our masters above in the day sky. We pray to the gods to shield us from evil. We pray for our lands, that we may never again get attacked or invaded by any man or beast who seeks to destroy or tarnish our great lands.

I don’t want to know or hear about such things. Make all the promises you need, but I must ask you to actually keep them this time. Please, Father? asks Fren sternly.

"My dear boy, I believe you are destined not to even be a warrior. In fact, I hope no one really has to; I was given no real choice, unfortunately, for the blights came quickly. The men of the Cradle and I weren’t given much training or preparation for violence of any sort. I hadn’t experienced anything like what I saw during those times, and I’m sure most of the other men who served hadn’t either.

"They came from a mountain far from here. Legend has it that they dwelled in the great mountain of the north-west in the Alacath region. A seismic fissure had corrupted and split open the ancient, rumbling mountain, which had green lava and many creatures living underneath it. This fissure created overwhelming pressure down the centre of the precipice, causing a ginormous crack, and soon after that the mysterious creatures, who had never before been seen by the inhabitants of the Deluge, swarmed out.

"Most of the inhabitants of the nearby villages and towns believed that this was an infestation made by the all-powerful gods who came to fruition during the night. They could not stop the gods, nor the shifting tectonic plates that were causing the spewing of large quanitties of lava and the infestation of so many creatures into the world.

The great cataclysmic event resulted in the destruction and downfall of numerous villages and settlements all across the world, says Sven. They were always slumbering and feasting about, but we were ignorantof their numbers, for the people always thought that they were doing nothing more than eating livestock and crops, and for many aeons, the people had always managed, says Sven. "For they had always detained and kept these vicious species and kept track of their whereabouts and movements, but we were being deceived once again by more foul decadent creatures, but all those living—particularly those of peace that abide in similar lands—know who is behind such terror.

Father you always taught me never to flee, especially when the fight and the cause is worth fighting for, but you never wanted me to hurt or kill anything—please, I know it’s hard for you of late, but just for once please be honest with me, panders Fren. You taught me for years, Father—your fighting techniques, ways to escape evil—but you never taught me what is the best thing for me to do in grave situations, what to do up against the most intelligent and malevolent foes, replies Fren, agitated.

I know when the time comes, Son, you will know what to do, for it’s the essence of a man to know when to fight and when to stand down, says Sven. I will do what’s necessary to guide you to become a man, even when my time has passed, as I will protect you to the very day I am no longer able, says Sven.

I want to see you grow to your brother’s age, Son; though it is not in my power to dictate one’s life, especially one so bold, I would personally like you to stay—if I could convince you, of course, says Sven.

Father, I must leave one day, for I want to travel the world, explore the great highlands and traverse the majestic seas; I do not want to be kept in one home for the rest of my life, so I must journey on, says Fren.

It is your decision, Son, replies Sven as he places his right hand on his right shoulder. Your mother was right to leave me, for I thought what I was doing was right. She went mad—her soul became tarnished, damaged. A sickness, a terrible disease, came upon her, for her mind plummeted quickly, from being as sharp as the great weapons crafted and made from of the ‘Rama-cartren’ metal from the ‘Laquapura’ caves found to the east, to being as soft and frail as wet straw, says Sven.

I knew she would be better off in ‘Echelon’. The people there would help her, for I could not. Our time together, though passionate, crumbled; it is still hard believe after all this time and looking back at when we were together, that a time of great happiness and fulfilment would end like that, says Sven sorrowfully. I also find it hard to believe there was a time where I thought our companionship and love would be everlasting, says Sven.

"Now all we can hope for is that she is safe—her and Dason," replies Fren.

The mountain of ‘Bardon’. Your brother has taken an awful risk to venture up there. But a great reward awaits those who desire greed, those who are enriched with envy, says Sven. For those who are followers of such beliefs which I find so evil, those desperate to seek such things and make for the kingdom inside the mountain of Bardon will be given a great payment; it is a reward like no other. I could only warn him, for he is far beyond the age of me defending him; even though all members of the Welps owe their lives to each other, he has turned out to be a fine warrior, a fine young man that I am beyond proud of, despite whom he is choosing to give allegiance to, says Sven.

That creature—what is it, exactly? asks