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

field of vision.
    Mother!
    ***
    Carlowen Jace stood with a dagger to her throat and an arm pinned behind her back in the locked grip of her assailant. She would not allow her son to sacrifice himself for her. It was for a mother to sacrifice for the child not the other way around. She had to act quickly. Her gift to Safanar would be her beloved son. He will survive this and journey there. That is his destiny. Like a bright shining star he will drive the shadows from Shandara her long lost home.
    Carlowen tightened up as Aaron began to lower his swords not seeing the dark figure rise up behind him. Then with stunning force drove her elbow back breaking the locked grip that held her. Zeus snarling from the shadows charged tearing at the man. She turned swiftly twisting the hand that held the dagger and kicked out with her foot driving the man stumbling into the bushes. She turned, poised to throw the dagger at her son’s attacker, when a door of light sprang into being behind them.
    “Down!” she cried and without a moment’s hesitation Aaron dove to the ground.
    ***
    Something whirled passed him and Aaron bounced back up seeing his mother standing there, but it was a few moments before his mind allowed him register that there was a dagger protruding from her chest.
    He started towards her and turned to Tye who had a dagger lodged in his throat with a shocked look in his eyes, as he sank to the ground. Without a second glance Aaron ran toward his mother catching her as she fell. Anguish swelling his throat so that no words would come forth. He knelt before another family member who was dying in his arms. His mother looked up and smiled faintly struggling to say something so Aaron leaned in to hear her.
    “ Be…Strong ,” she said at last in a half whisper then laid still and breathed no more.
    Aaron knelt there holding his mother’s lifeless form silently rocking back and forth. Like a tempest gathering its strength to strike out at whomever was left, Aaron slowly stood. The blackness that entered his heart yearned to do unspeakable things. He wanted blood.
    The remaining members of the men in black gathered around Tye. Two of them hoisted Tye’s body up and a savage roar came from the door of light. The men hesitated and one turned to face Aaron. His face was bloodied from the tiny scrapes that covered his face. He called out and the rest of them turned to meet Aaron.
    “Out of the way you fools," a voice order from beyond the door of light. Then a ball of fiery blue came hurling towards Aaron. He brought up the Falcons and the crystals in the blades flared in a brilliant white light and shielded him. The fiery ball ricocheted from the shield and tore into his house leaving a gaping hole. The men in black stumbled through the door of light, which was rapidly becoming smaller. Growling, Aaron pulled the dagger from his mother’s chest and hurled it through the closing door to the sounds of screams and then all was silent.
    A small explosion came from within the house and Aaron could see the flames spread hungrily. Aaron carried his mothers body away from the burning house. He came up to his father who lay staring at the house through the eyes of a broken man. Aaron felt his strength slip away seeing his father like that, but when his father saw him the broken man disappeared, replaced with the unwavering force that was his father. He wasn’t a broken man, but one who would be facing a journey that will visit the doorsteps of all men who dare to live, and those who will die before their time.
    He tore off part of his shirt, rolled it up and pressed it firmly on the wound in his Father’s chest. “I have to move you," Aaron said lifting his father as much as he could then dragging him away from the burning house.
    “Your mother?” He asked.
    Aaron shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “I failed, I couldn’t protect any of you," Aaron said bitterly.
    “No,” his father coughed. “You had no control