{"id":164,"date":"2012-08-17T09:45:57","date_gmt":"2012-08-17T13:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=164"},"modified":"2012-08-17T09:45:57","modified_gmt":"2012-08-17T13:45:57","slug":"zervakan-free-fantasy-novel-chapter-36","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=164","title":{"rendered":"ZERVAKAN – Free Fantasy Novel – Chapter 36"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\"\"<\/a>
Cover by TJ Lomas.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\nI’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan<\/a> above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me at robsteiner01 [at] gmail [dot] com.<\/p>\n

If you’re uncomfortable getting something for nothing, you can hit the PayPal Donate<\/a> button in the Tip Jar section to the right. If you donate more than $3, I’ll send you a non-DRM ebook once the book is published (summer 2012). If you donate more than $20, I’ll send you a printed copy.<\/p>\n

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy it!<\/em>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ZERVAKAN<\/h1>\n

by Rob Steiner<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 36<\/h2>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hold your fire!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan shouted to the thirty Shadarlak around him.<\/p>\n

In uncharacteristic panic, the Shadarlak had begun firing at the Tainted creatures that were slamming themselves into the Tuathan shield a few paces away.\u00c2\u00a0 But the creatures only destroyed themselves in a grisly explosion of yellow blood and tissue whenever they simply touched the shield.\u00c2\u00a0 No use wasting valuable ammunition when the shield was doing all the work.<\/p>\n

The musket-fire tapered off as each sergeant restrained his men.\u00c2\u00a0 Dylan went to Captain Laesh, Myndehr\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s second in command.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Captain, no firing unless those things get through the shield,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan shouted above the rain, thunder, and shrieks of the Tainted.<\/p>\n

The wide-eyed captain nodded.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, sir.\u00c2\u00a0 Sorry, sir.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 Laesh nodded toward the shield.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not used to fighting…those…behind one of…these…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know, Captain.\u00c2\u00a0 This is new to all of us.\u00c2\u00a0 We have to trust the Tuathans.\u00c2\u00a0 If this shield falls, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll need our ammunition.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, sir,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Laesh said.\u00c2\u00a0 He turned and started passing the order on to his subordinates.<\/p>\n

Dylan made his way through the agitated Tuathans toward the front of the column, his four Shadarlak bodyguards surrounding him.\u00c2\u00a0 He saw Fatimah with her arm raised and continuing to walk at a brisk pace, her face twisted in concentration and effort.\u00c2\u00a0 Taran Abraeu was nowhere in sight.<\/p>\n

Dylan saw Melahara talking to Eblin, who rode in the front seat of a single horse-drawn wagon with a canopy over the rear, but nothing above the driver and Eblin.\u00c2\u00a0 Her white hair was plastered to her head, and her gray woolen cloak was soaked.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Where is Abraeu?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan asked.<\/p>\n

Both Melahara and Eblin frowned, and Melahara said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He ran off into the woods.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The woods?\u00c2\u00a0 Why?\u00c2\u00a0 When?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Eblin said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Seems he saw something that interested him more than maintaining the shield.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What did he see?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Melahara said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pomar said he told Fatimah that he saw a girl in the road.\u00c2\u00a0 Then he ran off.\u00c2\u00a0 But Fatimah never saw a girl.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We have to find him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan shouted over a fresh lightning strike, and the howls of Tainted exploding themselves against the shield.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just leave him behind.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

It was more than his duty as Speaker of the Compact talking.\u00c2\u00a0 It was his loyalty to Tobias Abreau that would refuse to let Dylan abandon his former commander\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s son to certain death in these woods.\u00c2\u00a0 Tobias Abraeu had seen Dylan and the rest of his men through the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153hopeless\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Battle of Growan Pass during the First Mazumdahri War.\u00c2\u00a0 Dylan would be damned if he left the man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s only son behind without trying to find him.<\/p>\n

Melahara said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No one is going into those woods to find Abraeu.\u00c2\u00a0 If you have not noticed, Speaker, we are under attack.\u00c2\u00a0 It would be suicide for whoever went.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I thought Taran was this \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcZervakan,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 your savior,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan growled.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How can you leave him behind?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He left us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Melahara shot back.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe he is not what we thought he was.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Whatever he is,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153he is one of my men.\u00c2\u00a0 And I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know about Tuatha, but the Compact does not abandon its citizens.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going after him.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

From the wagon, Eblin said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You will die without a shield, Speaker.\u00c2\u00a0 The harrowers and the Tainted will be too much for your guns, even if all of your Shadarlak accompany you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dylan said.\u00c2\u00a0 Then he looked at Melahara.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But do you really want let Taran Abraeu be captured alive<\/em> by all those harrowers and Tainted?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Much to Dylan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s satisfaction, the implications of Taran’s capture by the Fomorians was not lost on Melahara.\u00c2\u00a0 Her frown deepened, and she glanced at Eblin.\u00c2\u00a0 Eblin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mouth curled in a smile, and she gave Melahara a look that seemed to concede Dylan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s point.<\/p>\n

Melahara turned around to the priests walking with Fatimah and shouted, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pomar!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The short, thin red-haired young woman turned and jogged over to Melahara, bowed her head, and said something in Tuathan.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I want you to Wield a shield for Speaker Edoss and his men, and then accompany them into the woods to find Taran Abraeu.\u00c2\u00a0 I choose you because, like Fatimah, you were the only one to see where he went into the woods.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Pomar\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes widened a moment, glanced once at Dylan, then said in heavily accented Recindian, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153As you say, Mother Seat.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Dylan said to Melahara, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He turned to gather the men he would lead into the woods after Abraeu.\u00c2\u00a0 He selected five men\u00e2\u20ac\u201dCaptain Laesh would allow no fewer\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand gathered them toward the rear of the long column of Tuathan civilians.\u00c2\u00a0 The sodden and terrified people gave him curious glances when they saw him, Pomar, and the Shadarlak jogging back toward Fedalan, but they continued forward without saying anything.\u00c2\u00a0 Most were too preoccupied with flinching as each screaming Tainted monster smashed itself against the shield, or with the lightning strikes exploding into the grounds outside the shield, or the sheets of rain soaking them through.<\/p>\n

Judging by Melahara\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s explanation alone, Dylan knew what Abraeu thought he saw.\u00c2\u00a0 Only a vision of his daughter could have made Taran abandon his promise to the Tuatha.\u00c2\u00a0 And that meant someone or something was targeting Taran.\u00c2\u00a0 Dylan had never left behind one of his men when he was a sergeant in the First Mazumdahri War, inspired by the examples set by Taran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own father.\u00c2\u00a0 He would<\/em> find Taran.<\/p>\n

They stopped at the end of the column.\u00c2\u00a0 Twenty paces ahead was the edge of the shield, which slowly moved toward them at the same speed as Fatimah\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s walk at the front of the column.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Pomar said, pointing to a break in the woods.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He enter there.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

There were no Tainted within the woods that Dylan could see.\u00c2\u00a0 The attacks seemed to concentrate on the middle of the column, from the left and right.<\/p>\n

Dylan looked at Pomar, who was only a couple of inches taller than him.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you for doing this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you, Edoss.\u00c2\u00a0 I love to Wield.\u00c2\u00a0 Especially against Tainted.\u00c2\u00a0 They kill my brother in first attack.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She said this in a matter of fact manner, which seemed to make it even sadder to Dylan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ears.\u00c2\u00a0 He nodded.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stay close me, please.\u00c2\u00a0 Ten paces, yes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

When Dylan and the Shadarlak did so, she raised her hand and said the incantation for the shield.\u00c2\u00a0 Dylan watched as the bubble of blue-white energy appeared where her open hand was raised, and expanded to engulf them all with a comfortable margin of five paces all around them.<\/p>\n

As the edge of the main shield advanced toward them, Dylan said to his men, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to remind you to stay within the shield perimeter.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Dylan heard their \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, sir\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and saw them all gripping their revolvers and sabers tightly.\u00c2\u00a0 To Pomar, Dylan said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re ready when you are.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

She nodded, and then walked forward.\u00c2\u00a0 They stepped out of the safety of the main shield and into the woods where Taran had disappeared.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cover by TJ Lomas. I’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,28,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-free-stuff","category-novels","category-zervakan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}