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  WHERE THE SHADOWS STALK

  Book 1: PART II

  DAWN OF DARKNESS

  Adam Watson

  Website: www.adamwatsonauthor.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamwatsonauthor

  Twitter: @adam_wtss

  Email: [email protected]

  Copyright © Adam Watson 2017

  Cover Layout Design © Adam Watson 2017

  Adam Watson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this book.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are a work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferrable right to access and read the text if this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Adam Watson.

  Source ISBN: TBA

  EBook Edition © January 2018

  Version: 2018-01-01

  This novel, my first, is dedicated to my wife, Kylee, for all her help and support over the years with this book and our life together.

  To my daughter, Alyssa, for being a beautiful person inside and out, and giving me a reason to make the world a better place.

  To Glen Matthews for inspiring me to inspire him with his music and for giving me a reason to keep going.

  To Vaun Seeley for proof reading the manuscript and pointing out the hundred mistakes that everyone else missed.

  And lastly, but of course not least, Shane Ryles (The Rev) for his help and support on this and many other projects.

  To all the above, I would like to thank you for your honest and sometimes brutal feedback. Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it caused anger, but in te end the book is better because of your input. Thankyou.

  © 2017 Where the Shadows Stalk: Dawn of Darkness

  Adam Watson

  8. THE BROTHERS: AMALICIA CITY

  It had been two and a half months since that fateful night when the two brothers had found themselves reading King Aurien's 'Call to Arms' in Greegan's bedroom, but now they were finally on their way to Amalicia City.

  It had taken quite a while for the brothers to convince their parents to let them go. It had entailed many weeks of Aiden being exceptionally nice, sucking up and sometimes even begging. Greegan, on the other hand, had a different approach to the situation. It involved yelling, screaming and smashing up the place - that had led him to almost coming to blows with his father.

  In the end, it was only after they both simply told their parents that they were going to Amalicia City whether they liked it not, that their mother and father quite happily agreed and let them go - it was as if they had been waiting for the grown-up approach all along.

  That conversation had been weeks ago, now the brothers found themselves on a river boat on their way to Amalicia City. First, they had caught a small boat used for the transportation of goods from Thorngrove to Talem’s Bend on the Colgne River. At Talem’s Bend, they bartered their way onto the Scully Eagle - a medium sized riverboat used for transporting cargo and paying passengers between Talem’s Bend and Amalicia City.

  Refusing to pay for a ticket, Greegan made a deal with the Captain that the brothers would work as part of the crew in return for a free passage to Amalicia City. At first, the captain refused. To this Greegan simply sighed and placed one of his giant mitts on the Captain’s shoulder.

  “Really Captain,” said Greegan, slowly squeezing the captain's shoulder. “I implore you to please reconsider. I give you my word that we won’t be any trouble. We just need to get to Amalicia City as soon as possible.” Greegan was intent.

  Aiden was getting a little nervous as the crew had gathered, some of them had swords, big swords; big swords with a curve in them that could hack through their soft bodies like a scythe through wheat - and they had nothing. Somehow, somebody had forgotten to pack the weapons.

  Aiden was furious when he found out. His favourite sword, old faithful, and his bow, the one he made himself - gone. Both of them fucking missing! It was a basic concept, pack the fucking weapons - they had only just started their adventure, and already things were not going according to plan.

  Even his spear would have been better than nothing. But did that get packed? No, of course not! Nothing got packed! Nothing of use anyway. Not even the water bottle! Between them they had seven pairs of trousers and thirteen shirts, but what about the equipment they needed to survive? Where was that? What were they supposed to fight with? A rolled up pair of trousers?

  Still, what could they do? They were already at Talem’s bend when they realised. Greegan blamed Aiden, Aiden blamed Greegan, and the two brothers almost came to fisticuffs in the middle of the Talem’s Bend port. In the end, they decided to agree to disagree and buy new weapons when they arrived at the capital, and it was for this reason that they were skimping on travel tickets.

  The Captain glared at Greegan, it was clear that he was in pain as his eyes were slowly beginning to bulge. Greegan's grip was firm but hard. I will squash you like a fucking melon.

  “Everything all right Captain?” came a voice from behind Aiden. Greegan’s size seemed to be making everyone wary.

  “Fine, everything’s fine,” said the Captain, through gritted teeth. He seemed to be eyeballing Greegan’s bandana now. Greegan had taken to wearing a light blue bandana with an intricate black pattern of the royal emblem on the front ever since he read the pamphlet that Edward Dante had given Aiden - now he had become an almost fanatical royalist.

  “Well, seeing as how you support our good king, Aurien, I’ll let you board as part of our crew in return for a free passage to Amalicia City.” Greegan smiled and let the Captain go whilst Aiden breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Now on board with you, you have work to do.” That was one week ago, now there was only one more day of travel before they arrived in Amalicia City.

  Aiden’s spirits were finally starting to lift. Ever since he set foot on the ship he had been working like a dog; the crew giving him all the jobs they didn’t want to do. Menial tasks such as washing the dishes and scrubbing the deck or serving the slop they liked to call food. He couldn’t complain though, as the one time he had, the Captain simply asked what other skills he had - which of course were none; none that related to the running of a ship anyway, so he was stuck. Greegan fared no better, scraping seagull droppings from the crow nest wasn’t exactly Aiden’s idea of the high life, but he smiled anyway - he only had to endure it for one more day.

  In fact, Aiden was now the happiest he had been since they embarked on their journey. The sun was out, its golden rays beating down on him. The air was fresh and crisp. There was a breeze blowing off the calm waters of the river, overall there was a feeling of joy in the air.

  “All right, you landlubber!” screamed the Captain. “Just because we’re one day out from Amalicia City doesn’t mean you can slack off. Now scrub that deck!” Aiden went back to work. I’m going to scrub your face in a minute. “I want this deck shining! I want to see my face gleaming off its surface!” You’ll see your face in its surface all right; right after I plant it there. “That’s better! There are no free rides in life lubber! You remember that!” The Captain apparently finished with his berating, stormed off. Next time I’m just going to pay for a damned ticket! But nothing could damp
en Aiden’s spirits now, not even the grumpy old sea captain; for the sun was still out and still beating its golden rays upon him, and there was still a crisp breeze blowing, and most importantly of all - there was still only one day to go.

  ***

  That evening after the chores were finished, when sun had gone down and the moon had risen high into the night sky, and most of the crew had gone to sleep. Aiden and Greegan lay awake discussing what they were going to do when they got to Amalicia City.

  “Well, I say we go to the City Hall first and get the relevant information on the proclamations.” Greegan was laying in his hammock, one leg hanging over the edge. The crew had four makeshift hammocks in the cargo hold; these were often used by passengers such as Aiden and Greegan - temporary crew unable to afford a ticket. The other passengers, those able to afford a ticket lived in relative luxury, sectioned off on the other side of the vessel.

  "It makes sense Brother, but we will also have to visit the smith and the store to get new supplies." Greegan grimaced - the supplies were still a sore point.

  "That will be the last of our money gone, Aiden. We will have to make sure that the first job we get makes us money."

  "It will Brother." Aiden was certain of that. He didn't care what happened or what they had to face, he would rather die than go home and tell his father they failed on their first proclamation. Oh, wouldn't he just love that! Seeing his sons come running home with their tails between their legs. He could see the smarmy look on his father's face right now. "Don't worry about that. You just worry about what you are going to do with all the gold we're going to make." That made Greegan smile. He liked gold, he liked gold very much, and there were many things he could think of spending gold on - like a personal chef for one.

  "The food on this ship is shit," he remarked, as he had done every day since they left Talem's Bend. "I mean, yeah all right we're on the river ... I get that, but fish ... every fucking day? That’s just bullshit!" The food on the ship had been Greegan's main gripe the entire voyage. Even when he had to scrape seagull droppings off of the crow's nest, it hadn't caused as many problems in Greegan's world as the lack of variety in the menu. At one stage he had the chef bailed up in the kitchen, and Aiden had to go in and personally calm him down.

  "Soon we will be eating like kings. Just think Greegan, this time tomorrow we'll actually be in Amalicia City." Greegan couldn't wait. Gold ... everywhere. What would he do with it? What would he eat first? Truffles? Caviar? Caviar on truffles? If he had a choice of eating anything in the world, what would it be? He wasn't sure, there were so many options - he would surely be tossing and turning all night thinking about them.

  Aiden closed his eyes, the gentle sway of the ship in the river waters was slowly rocking him to sleep - despite his hatred of hammocks. It's not that bad. If they didn't have to work the whole time they were aboard, he might have even enjoyed the trip. This was the best part though - lying in the hammock and not having to do anything but relax. It was a good time to contemplate the future and imagine all the great things he could do. Soon we'll be in Amalicia City ... soon.

  ***

  The next day the Scully Eagle exited the river and sailed into the harbour of Amalicia City where the brothers said their goodbyes to the crew. Greegan was in such a good mood that he even thanked the chef and told him what a good job he had done with last night's flounder.

  The port itself was a large place, warehouses and stores were littered all across the docks. People were coming and going, business seemed to be thriving. Dockworkers were loading and unloading cargo on all manner of sea-going vessels; compared to some of the ships in the harbour, the Scully Eagle looked like a small row boat.

  Aiden noted that the harbour was divided, with the majority of the area devoted to the larger ocean-going vessels. On the east side, where the river entered into the harbour, was a smaller area that seemed to be allocated for local trade and river boats. In the centre of the docks themselves was a large fishing market with many fishmongers shouting their wares. The fish were of a high quality and freshly caught - they looked delicious.

  The brothers continued walking, taking in the sights and sounds, breathing in the crisp sea air and marvelling at the hive of activity which was so far from the sleepy little village that they had grown up in.

  The sun was out shining brightly, its rays glistening off the harbour waters, adding vibrant colours to an already beautiful view. Further out into the harbour was a large island that appeared to be serving as a base for the Royal Navy; many military vessels lined the docks.

  "So, which way do we go to get to the City Hall?" asked Greegan. The city was large, much larger than Thorngrove. The City Hall could be anywhere.

  ***

  Amalicia City, the capital of Amalicia, was one of the biggest and busiest cities on the continent. It was both a city and a nation undergoing rebirth. Twenty years prior, King Elias the Cruel ruled the nation under a reign of terror. The good Prince Aurien, nephew to the King, learnt in his youth of the past glory of Amalicia which his family had ruled since its inception.

  It had at one stage, long ago, been a much larger country, taking the entire eastern side of the continent; from the Cartagian Mountains in the south to North Ravona in the north. From Harlindon to the Quagmire Seas it spanned across - those were glory days for Amalicia.

  The peace did not last. A corruption seeped in, and the deterioration of Amalicia began. The great Lords of the nation began to rebel, war broke out, the land divided, and new nations were formed, eventually ending with the world of Mya as we know it today.

  It was this history that caused young Prince Aurien to question the king. The prince’s father, Prince Hemalar, had often told the young prince that Elias was not the same man he had grown up with and had called brother.

  As a man Elias had a madness in him, a madness he never had as a child. Most people thought it was hereditary, it seemed to run in the family, but Prince Aurien thought it no coincidence that this ‘madness’ running through his family started with King Urlic, just after the appearance of the mysterious dark cloud at Gorath's peak. He had always suspected that the evil in Gorath, somehow influenced his family and not in a good way.

  The young prince saw the cruelty his uncle was inflicting upon his people and vowed to bring him down. His dreams began to fuel him, he dreamed of restoring his nation to its former glory, of ridding the land of evil and destroying the corruption within the government - he wanted to bring justice to his people. Justice and peace would bring a new age - a golden age of prosperity.

  He started by rallying the good Lords to his cause and with their help, he raised an army. He plunged Amalicia into a civil war, tearing the country apart, but the common folk knew that he was fighting for them and became his greatest supporters; many pledging their lives to him. They called him the ‘Good Prince’. There was much bloodshed on both sides, and many houses of the nobility were destroyed. Eventually good triumphed over evil, he became the ‘Good King’ Aurien.

  The first act Aurien performed as king was to reform the government. He replaced many of the corrupt officials who governed under his uncle with new officials loyal to him and the Lords who sided with him during the war.

  With new nobility and government came new laws, making justice fairer for all. The Amalician army was rebuilt using many of the soldiers who fought for him during the civil war. Their operations and duties were reformed, their weapons and armour upgraded. Their numbers expanded, but still, the army was considered small on a global scale.

  Being so close to Gorath and the ‘Darkness’ had brought a corruption to the country; like a taint on the land. The wilderness was infested with creatures of evil, but the Good King was determined to cleanse his country.

  His army was stretched to the limit keeping the peace, it would take time for it to grow. He needed a quicker way to reclaim and cleanse the land. The treasury was rich and gold plentiful; a result of high taxes and the hoarding nature of t
he ‘mad kings’ that ruled before him. He decided he would use that gold to get his country back.

  A proclamation was sent to the four corners of the world. Through every country, across every sea, the messengers went; spreading the word of the Good King. It was a proclamation to all, based on the decrees of the king. It read as follows:

  ATTENTION WOULD BE HEROES!

  By decree of the King, the Amalician City Council is leading the fight for freedom. The City Council is looking for soldiers, mercenaries, warriors of all kinds. Mages, rogues, clerics, heroes willing to come to Amalicia and free its captive lands from the infestation of the evil hordes.

  RICHES UNTOLD!

  Fortunes will be made! Vast rewards are given to anyone who can fulfil the requirements of any of the King’s Proclamations. Any treasure found, fulfilling a proclamation, is yours to keep. The wealth of an ancient land awaits those who are willing to reach out and take it.

  FAME & GLORY!

  Tales will be told. Legends will be written. Songs will be sung about the heroic struggle to reclaim the lands of Amalicia. The glory and admiration of the people is waiting for you!

  MAKE YOUR FORTUNE IN AMALICIA!

  When you arrive, see the Amalician City Council at the Amalicia City Hall for the latest news, information and a list of current proclamations.

  That was one year ago, and people had been pouring in from all around the world. The word was out, quick fortunes were to be made in Amalicia. The adventurers and heroes started arriving en masse, and Amalicia City began to thrive once more. Trade was also picking up as a result of the influx of people into the city - it was a glorious time to be an adventurer.

  ***

  Two hours after they had been given directions, they finally made it into the city centre and were now standing outside of the City Hall.