Rainbow's End - Wizard (51 page)

‘An old goat and a weakling...’ Turned his attention to Thomas
and said, ‘You should be dead, by rights, but maybe it’s good that you are not.’ Then back to Orson. ‘I... we,’ waving a hand towards his back, his
soldiers
, ‘get to kill two flies with one swat this way.’

Orson’s face had turned puce, and Thomas could see a terrible rage brewing there, about to erupt. He put a calming hand on his grandfather’s arm, said, firmly, ‘Let me handle this, Orson.’ Looked into the older Traveller
’s grey eyes and added, ‘I need to. Please.’

A bulgy glare at Bryan Stone, and a questioning one at Thomas. ‘You’re sure?’ Seeking assurance from the young
er Traveller, and receiving it - a nod - then stepping back, and keeping Harun in the crook of one arm.

Bryan Stone’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and he stood nonplussed for a moment. Then, enraged by this...
demeaning
gesture, rushed in.

*

Thomas saw him coming as if in slow motion; from a mile away, it might as well have been... and screamed and stamped his foot, and pointed his arm with the Red Crystal at Bryan Stone and his charging cohorts.

A rumble then, like far-off thunder, and suddenly the earth of the dirt road leading into the village came alive
: It heaved and humped and jumped, tossing the Night Walkers into the air like rag dolls, to fall and crash in a pile of milling arms and kicking legs...; heaved again and split, and opened up a huge crack, and then a chasm, two metres wide and three deep, gaping in the road between the two groups. Its sides tapered and then fell away, and the black-clad figures - now covered in the brown of floating dust - slid and rolled, clawing and scratching at the angry earth, trying to find some kind of anchor, some stability in or on the heaving soil, but in vain. One by one they lost their fight and tumbled to the bottom of the three metre deep split, to land - with screams and shouts - on top of their friends already there.

Bryan Stone was able to vault the split; and incongruously, Eamon, together with Gerick and one other, were able to stop - just in time and teetering on the hole’s edge. From inside the pit, almost three metres down, came wails and screams of pain, and curses of rage and fear...

And Bryan charged -
again, wildly swinging his cosh and with an animal-screech of his own, rage and outrage in his eyes, and in his heart - desperation... Desperation and the terrible knowledge that he’d been bested... Not just him, but eleven of his soldiers as well; by a boy two or more years his junior; a boy who by rights should be dead, but wasn’t...

The earth reached up, and grabbed at his pumping legs, and he stumbled first and then - like wading into mud - sank into it up to his waist, into a hole of his own. It closed off tight, and he was suddenly just a torso: just an upper body ineffectually swinging a lead-laden sap and screaming rage to the heavens above.

Everything went still then; a pall of dust hung over the road, the sun beat down on the scene and groans and moans seemed to come from somewhere far away.

And Thomas went to Bryan; knelt beside and spoke to him, ‘I will not stoop to your level, Bryan Stone,’ he said. ‘Nobody here will die today.’ He leaned forward from the waist up, adding, softer: ‘But heed me well; if I ever see you again, I will kill you.’

Very green eyes clashed with strange blue, and the blue went somewhere else first.

The young Traveller stood, and part of the split closed, and he said to Gerick, ‘Let him go.’

The boys released Eamon, who didn’t hesitate but came running
, and embraced Thomas’ waist, as if he would never let go.

They walked some metres o
ff then, the Travellers and Eamon, but not before Orson had peered into the split in the ground holding the rest of the black-clad gang, and said to Rudi, ‘Goodbye you little mongrel,’
and
- ‘give my regards to your boss.’ Cackled and sniffed and snorted.

And they Travelled...

43

Earth:

The Penthouse: Izzy sat in his sunken lounge, long legs crossed at the ankles and resting on an ottoman; sipping at his one-a-night scotch and reading a report on Edith Carter jewellers...

Blythe Boy’s Home: Gary had three of the other boys in his room; two on his bed and one in the desk chair. Talking adventure; of past exploits and future ones. School was good and the food was good and his room was good; the home was good and it felt as if he’s been there for ages... Hadn’t he?

Scotland: Maggie was sleeping in her old bed. On the farm. And of course she couldn’t remember a thing. Edith could, though. She had been “Opened” by Ariana, and in a week’s time, would be joining the Rainbow Group as its new Managing Director. Izzy would become Chairman. Frieda would be visiting in a month’s time, and Maggie would have to get to know her all over again... They - Edith and Maggie - would visit Rainbow’s End three times a year; maybe now and then for a weekend as well. Edith couldn’t wait...

Cork, Ireland: A bench in Fitzgerald Park: Bryan Stone also watched the night sky, from Cork, and also wistfully. Hoping and wishing his master would relent, and give him another chance. Desolation, after all, was home; but he had been sent away from there in disgrace, by a spiteful Kraylle, who knew it was the worst possible punishment for the headstrong boy. He hadn’t killed him, or worse: after all, he might have need for him in future... So the boy sat watching the night sky; and cursing the two Travellers called Thomas Ross and Orson...

Rainbow’s End:

A huge old fire burned on the bank of the Rainbow Pool, sputtering and crackling, its flames licking at the thick logs, reaching at least two metres into the sky. The children sat around it on blankets, some on the soft grass. Some owl-eyed from fighting sleep, some wide-eyed from listening to Big John’s stories... Thomas was not there, but Ea
mon was; as wide-eyed as the others, enchanted and totally happy in this magical place he suddenly found himself in...

Frieda and Arnold sat looking across the fire at each other with calves eyes, wishing they were alone...

Annie sat watching the children and the night sky with dreamy eyes, and for the ten thousandth time thought about how lucky she was...

Orson sat watching his friend Tessie with kindly eyes, and took small sips of his warm red wine, wondering what the puppies would look like...

Thomas slept, and dreamed; of gypsies and Crystals and magic, and a dark half-planet on the other side of the moon...

Ariana lay on the Talking Rock, a large pillow under her head and arms spread, listening to Big John’s faraway voice and the sounds of the night, wistfully looking at the criss-crossing comets, and constellations only she knew the names of... Wishing...

And the Dwarves drank and laughed and partied, and Jason danced; the fairies watched them from high-up branches in the massive old trees, playing and giggling and jostling one another...

All was well at Rainbow’s End...

Desolation:

Desolation has a new child; he’s just two feet tall and walks with a limp - his one leg is shorter than the other. He grunts and groans a lot, and has bumps and growths under his skin. He has yellow eyes and Kraylle calls him Rudy...

The Boys in Black are huddled in one of the smaller back rooms once again, too scared to show themselves, lest Kraylle has some more demented ideas up his sleeve...

But Kraylle sits on his icy throne; temporarily satisfied after dealing with Bryan and Rudy. His black eyes are closed, and he dreams and plans, and schemes and hates... And waits...

Rainbow’s

End

-Firestarter
-

Coming January 2014

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Corrie Mitchell lives in Pretoria, South Africa, and is in his late 40's. He has always been an avid reader of fantasy and sci-fi fiction, and started working on The Rainbow's End Saga a few years ago.

Growing up, he claims to have lived in a 'fantasy world', and as a child, always wished there was some magical place he could escape to. This is where the idea for Rainbow's End came from. The ideas for Travellers and Wizards, and gods and magic, stem from his incredible imagination, and his awareness of what people really want to read.

He tried his hand at writing many times in the past, and has a few short-stories and poems under his belt. He found his true passion though, when inventing and writing Rainbow's End, and catering for the young-adult market.

Corrie Mitchell is currently working on the second book for Rainbow's End, which will be released in January 2014.

CONNECT WITH CORRIE MITCHELL:

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http://rainbowsendsaga.wix.com/rainbowsend