Free River Of Life (Book 3) by Paul Drewitz

outside
world.  On a single stand lay a book, its pages thick and heavy, dark with
age.  Dead mold was thick as at one time it had grown on the parchment when it
had been stored in a dungeon.  It was one of those artifacts that the wraiths
had claimed as they conquered countries in their quest to rule the world.
    A wraith now stood before it, its form dark but transparent with
eyes glowing red.  Slowly pages began to flip, one landing heavily upon the
next.  The binding was half worn out, and the cover was torn and scorched as if
someone had unsuccessfully tried to destroy the book.  Pages quit turning, and
the spirit turned towards the inside of the old wizards' fortress.  A goblin
strolled to the book and picked it up without closing it.
    The spirit and the goblin stood on the highest wall.  The goblin
held the book before the wraith while something that resembled an appendage
waved before the transparent warlock.  From the ground burst monsters of huge
proportions, varieties, and elements.  Monsters that were plants, beasts, and
any mix of them.
    Most roamed the floor of the earth, yet a few flew.  As they
broke the surface of the earth’s skin, chunks of hardened dirt flew, and
craters in which a troll could be buried were left in the ground.  Each knew
their mission, that mission was the same for each beast.  To destroy the
wizards, the few enemies that stood between the warlocks and total control over
the earth.
    The wizards, they were the only ones that could actually cause
trouble.  That trouble, the transparent warlocks planned to end now as their
army of monsters fell behind a natural leader, a four armed beast with the body
of a troll and the head of a giant bison.

Chapter 5
     
    ERELON walked below the broken ceiling that was made of the
foliage of the trees.  He easily stepped across a dry brown carpet.  The wizard
wore his black cloak with the insignia of his rank.  The hood was thrown back
which allowed the light to catch the waves within his hair which began to be
highlighted with white streaks.  He walked with his ice staff in hand.  Below
his cloak was an off white tunic with brown leather straps crossing his body
that were studded with knives.  He went nowhere without being armed.  His
magical elven sword hung low, its tip visible below the black cloak.
    Behind the wizard, giggling children followed.  They were young,
unaware of the true danger beyond the fortifications.  They knew something
hostile lay out beyond the stone barrier, but they did not understand its exact
nature.  They knew who the legendary hero Erelon was, and now following the one
they looked up to, the children tried their best not to alarm the wizard and so
cause Erelon to send them back to where they came from.
    This was adventurous for the little children.  They followed the
incredibly dangerous and powerful wizard Erelon.  Several had already turned
back; these who continued to follow were the bravest.  Erelon knew that they
trailed him.  The children thought they were quiet.  For a man who had been
hunted and had been the hunter, a warrior who had killed so that he could
continue to live, the noise they made was tremendous.
    Erelon’s path dipped into a shallow ravine.  Several logs
crossed it, and at the bottom ran a small stream of silver water.  Small brushy
areas clustered at its edge where a few leafy spindly trees grew.  Erelon
stooped down and began snapping twigs and choosing leaves, allowing those that
he discarded to slowly twist and turn on their way back to the floor of the
forest.
    With fibers of grass as string, Erelon wrapped and tied a
sculpture together in full view of the children.  Finally finished, he held up
a bird made of twigs and leaves.  Casting it into the air, the toy bird took
off with a flutter, calling out with its magical voice.  It circled the wizard
a couple rounds before taking flight into the tops of the trees and disappearing.
    Strong squeals of glee attested to