The .99 sale of “Quest for the Red Sapphire” ends Friday. Get yours here http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397581610&sr=1-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire before it’s over. Today I am going to treat you to another excerpt from “The Sapphire Crucible.” If you thought Hugon was intimidating, wait till you read about Necromancer. Enjoy the read.
Hovering just off the ground was a diminutive Human man, no bigger than Rander with his arms outstretched to the sides. He was adorned in a white silken robe with gold embroidery at every edge. Handcrafted sandals of the finest quality covered his feet. He lowered his arms and the light and wind dissipated. His face could be discerned.
His skin was white as snow. It was as though he had never been in the sun. A gray beard obscured much of his lower face and dipped down to his chest. As the breeze subsided, his hair fell back around his head. The short salt and pepper locks fell gracefully around his face. Even with that, the most notable feature was only just coming into view.
The man’s eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. There were no pupils or irises in the eyes. They glowed in a combination of red and orange hues. Their appearance in the darkened cavities of the skull was that of smoldering coals in a blacksmith’s forge. They gazed about the room as the man set down on the ground. The goblins shook with fear. Even the obstinate Hugon cowered on the floor.
The man spoke with a voice that was both amplified and at a screeching pitch. “Word has reached me that my prisoners have arrived. You did not inform me as I had ordered. WHY.” The walls shook from his voice.
Hugon crawled forward with his belly impeding his progress. “Great Necromancer, we received no orders telling us to inform you.”
Necromancer grew enraged at the statement. “Do not lie to me, Vile Vermin.” He held out his palm. A wind blew through the room and gathered the ashes from the scroll. Drawing together in a vortex, it deposited the remains in his hand. With the soot in his possession he closed his fingers. The ash changed back into the scroll. Opening the parchment he read it to himself. “I seem to have found the orders,” he said as he dropped them in front of Hugon. The Jailor did not move.
Without notice Necromancer reached out one hand and unleashed a plume of fire the like of which no one but a Lava Giant had ever seen. The flame poured over the quivering bodies on one side of the room. The entire area was enveloped in liquid flame. After a few short moments, he pulled his hand back and the fire withdrew back to his palm. All the goblins on that side of the room were gone. No trace was left to show they’d ever existed. The elves had been in that area as well, but they were unscathed. Their skin had not even risen in temperature.
Just by lifting one forefinger, Necromancer surrounded Hugon in a shell of magic, which was nearly invisible. It lifted him off the ground. With a shift of his finger Necromancer sent him flying across the room until he collided with the wall of the tower. Then he soared across to the far side and again struck the wall. The process was repeated several times before Necromancer deposited the massive goblin where he’d previously lain.
Necromancer walked forward and stopped just short of Hugon’s face. The Great Goblin immediately tried to kiss his feet. Repulsed by the action, Necromancer stepped back. Then he spoke. “Were my orders unclear?”
“No,” answered Hugon.
“Then I must assume you chose to ignore them. Is that right?”
“Yes,” answered the timid Hugon.
Necromancer placed his hands behind his back and paced before the goblin. “Did you know any of the goblins I just eradicated?”
“Yes”
“Were you friends with any of them?”
“Yes,” answered Hugon.
“Perhaps you wish to join them in the Hereafter?” Hugon simply shook his head. Necromancer stopped walking. “Then consider this your only warning. If you ever disobey me again there will not be enough dust left from your body to bury.” Then he turned his attention to the remaining goblins. “Just to make sure this refuse does not choose to test me, if he disobeys me you will all share in his fate. If he cannot follow orders for himself, perhaps he will for you.”
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