Free Road To Shandara (Book One of The Safanarion Order) by Ken Lozito

to his prison, but he had been leashed so to speak. His stance betrayed a readiness for action and a hunger for Mactar’s destruction.
    “The time has come. Tye will be going through.” Mactar said narrowing his gaze.
      “Are you sure?” Tarimus taunted. “He is not like the others. Do not underestimate Reymius’s heir. He has grown strong. He is different...mindful.”
    Again it was there albeit the last of that statement was added grudgingly. An unspoken challenge and hope, an uncharacteristically human emotion seemed foreign on Tarimus’s now demonic face. The pieces were falling into place, but this was something of which he knew nothing. What could have given Tarimus cause to hope?
    “I trust you’ve done your part?” Mactar warned.
    “Of course,” Tarimus answered stoned face.
    “Then he will fall in line and perish when his usefulness is no longer apparent.” Mactar stated.
    “Tye, you say is making the journey…ahhh the youngest son. How clever of you Mactar.”
    “I’m glad you think so. He has the power to extract the keys to Shandara from Reymius’s heir.”
    Tarimus appeared to have been on the verge of saying something further when Tye entered the chamber with ten of his men, all dressed in black adorned with a silver dragon emblem on their chest. These were hard men. All of them battle tested and highly trained, but they were no Elitesman, with one exception. Darven, he was cast out of the Elite order and has been Mactar’s man ever since. Darven would be his eyes and ears on this journey.
    Mactar turned back to face Tarimus who now wore a sardonic smile. Disgusted with Tarimus’s taunting he gathered his will in crushing force and brought it to bear encompassing his essence. He was a hairs breath from severing his feeble line forever and Tarimus looked on waiting to be released, even hungered for it, but Mactar still needed him and Tarimus knew it.
    Mactar turned to address Tye and his men. “The crossroads of fate have brought us here and each of you have a chance to achieve a glorious remnant of the ages long passed. As Tye has no doubt told you the heir of Shandara of the house Alenzar’seth has been discovered on another plane. Reymius escaped the destruction of Shandara to a world quite different than ours, but its people are no different than you or I. In order for us to obtain the keys we must capture Reymius’s heir either in body or the essence of his soul. My lord prince, you know of what I speak. Let us begin. May Ferasdiam give her blessing to your journey. ” He almost stumbled on the last words after all Ferasdiam was not his god, but the fools who stood before him. He harbored no faith in anything but himself. Mysteries were meant to be solved and could not be explained away by folklore. He smiled inwardly to himself and began the nights work.

C HAPTER 11
    AMIDST THE ASHES
    THE IMAGES PLAYED through Aaron’s mind as he frantically weaved through cars, blowing stop signs and lights together.
    What would you do if you knew that those you loved were in danger? And the all consuming madness that will ensue when you learn that no matter what happens, you will never get there in time to stop it .
    Never get there in time! The words were branded in fire in his mind. His family was in danger. All his thoughts were fixed on getting home that he never once thought about what he would actually do when he got there. Would he see the horrifying visions that Tarimus has shown him? Could he even stop it? Clinging to a fleeting hope he pressed on.
    The tires of his Jeep CJ7 screeched around the corner of his street and to his surprise all was quiet and dark. Eerily normal, the flickering street lights betrayed nothing. He gunned the accelerator and skidded to a stop in front of his house. The medallion became like ice against his skin. Aaron grabbed the roll bar pulling himself up and stood there for a moment scanning the area searching. A flicker of movement betrayed itself on one