Prologue

“How is that they were able to find us again?” a scared woman asked her husband as they ran through a dark park.
“I am not sure but I will not allow them to catch us. If it comes down to it, I want you to take our son and escape. I will do my best to hold them off if it comes to it,” the man replied determinately.
She reluctantly nodded in agreement to her husband‘s request, even though she was unsure she could truly honor the request. Torrents of rain fell as the woman ran holding her infant son to her bosom, tight with solid determination, like her husband. The husband ran by her side shielding her and the child. They kept running trying to keep a foothold in the slipper grasses. They were running up hill with difficulty. Even in the rain, it was easy to see that tears were streaming down the woman’s beautiful face. When they reached the hilltop, the two stopped for a moment to rest.
“I wish that we had another option but you know that it’s for the best,” the man said as he pulled her and the child close.
Just as the words left his mouth, a bolt of lightning came down from the sky, striking the ground before them, and blew them off their feet. They tumbled down the hill on their backs. She was sure to hold the child carefully as they slid down hill. They became disoriented immediately from the tumble. The man jumped and ran to his wife’s side. She sat up slowly and nodded letting him know that she and the child were both all right. The man pulled back the blanket to check on their child. Their enemies was getting closer and aiming better. That strike barely missed them on the hilltop. He pulled her to her feet quickly and took off running again. As they took off running, more bolts of lightning crashed where they were lying.
“Run!” the man shouted.
They ran closely by the few trees hoping to hold off the attacks. The man hoped that the trees would intercept the lightning. Thankfully, for them the trees did work like lightning rods protecting them. The couple came to the bank an old river, as they got nearer to their destination. It was not far now, the woman thought. They both knew they had very little time left. The man concentrated on the bank and watched, as his thoughts became reality. A bridge began to form made from the earth. From the solid ground jutted a thick piece of earth across the water and connected with the opposite bank. He caught a glimpse of figures coming toward them from the brush behind them. He ushered his wife across the bridge quickly. Then another bolt hit the bank behind them shaking the ground and destroying the bridge. She made it across safely but her husband was still trapped with their pursuers.
“Keep going, I’ll catch up,” he shouted to her.
She started running worried for her husband. He turned back to their pursuers preparing for a battle. Almost close enough for him to get them out of here. Suddenly someone jumped out of a thicket to his right side, knocking the man to the ground. The mysterious assailant immediately jump on top of him and tried to drive a dagger into his chest. Reacting instantly, he stopped the dagger from making contact. The man knocked the dagger from his attackers hand and into the river. Then focusing his mind he quickly summoned a gale blowing his attacker away and back into a tree. The man jumped to his feet quickly as another one came running up from behind. He collected and froze the rain than poured over his hands into blades of ice. With a unionized turning slash, he stopped the second attacker cold in his attempt. The blades caught the man’s chest and he fell back flailing.
“Stay away from my family!” the man shouted as he sliced.
No other pursuers were in the area. The man took the chance to freeze a bridge across the river to the other side. He ran as fast as he could to catch up to his wife. The weather was beginning to clear up now, making it much easier for him to catch up to his wife. He caught up to her moving stealthily between the thickening trees. She was moving slowly trying to avoid attention. When she saw that, he was her husband she ran to him.
“Honey, are you okay?” she asked franticly.
“Yes, we need to get going,” he replied.
If there was another pursuer left in the brush, he was too afraid to attack them now. He would have no doubt seen what had become of his comrades. Besides, they were almost to the point of the park that he needed to reach to tap into a nexus. They continued through the low brush that his wife had been scurrying through before he rejoined her. The site he needed to reach was in view. Ahead was a small cave in a cliff side. They only need to reach the opening of the cave. Once there, he would be able to take them away from here and to a haven for their son. It was goodbye home for the family but hopefully hello freedom.
“Were almost there honey,” he said keeping a watch behind them for any attackers.
Then he noticed a man running behind them at full speed. Unlike any of the others he was unafraid to be seen coming by the family. The attacker had an amethyst glow around him. The husband knew that this was their pursuers’ leader. The man began to chant as he pulled his wife and son close. He was not yet close enough to tap into the energy of the nexus, though. The sky thundered overhead suddenly and more bolt of lightning rained down around the family. Fortunately, the surrounding trees protected them again by drawing the strikes into their branches. They were not far now from the target, just beyond the small field ahead. The only problem was that now they would be in the open. The man stopped for a second to turn and face the leader of their pursuers. He then smashed at the earth making a small quake to off balance their pursuer. The quake worked well and the man lost his footing as a small fissure caused him to trip and fall into the muddy grass. The pursuer screamed after the family. More bolts began to rain from the sky erratically around the. Charred chunks of earth and grass flew wildly through the air as they ran. They looked up to see a massive bolt direct straight for them. The bolt was far too large for them to dodge. It would consume almost the entire field upon its deadly impact. The man pulled his family close as he continued to try the chant. Before the bolt could connect, a flash of blinding light consumed the family. The bolt struck the earth fiercely making the spot brighter as it penetrated deep into the little field. When the light faded there was nothing there, just broken and scorched earth. A massive hole was all that was left behind where the family had once stood.

Chapter 1 The Discovery

Just by looking around Colton knew he was here again. Colton stood alone at a stone altar. A strange symbol was carved into the altar. It was a circle with a dot in its center. Three lines stretched out from the dot connecting to three semicircles that where connected to the main circle. Their open sides stretched outward. He stood looking at the familiar symbol as a chilled breeze blew threw the surrounding trees. It carried with it the scent of the dying foliage. Colton heard shouting coming from behind him, within the trees. He turned to see horses carrying men clad in armor riding toward him. The eclipsed sun was hanging behind them. Its mutated rays gleamed off their raised weapons.
“Get him now, don’t let him escape or it’s your ass,” someone shouted and the horse galloped faster.
Colton took off running at full speed with no sense of where to go. He only knew that he must get away from this place. It would be his only chance. Through the trees and brush he ran, as he heard the riders grow closer. No matter which way he tried to turn it seemed they had him surrounded. With no knowledge of why or how he had gotten here Colton was disadvantaged. However, he knew how it would end. The same way it always did before. As he tried to put more and more space between the pursuers and himself, he ran through barbs and felt the sting of as his flesh was torn and snagged.
As the trees ended, he arrived at a wall of stone and found the passage that lay in its middle. Colton looked through it knowing it was the only choice, even if, it was not much of a choice. Run or be caught he thought, that was all this truly was now. So he ran through the stone passage. He moved as fast as he could through the narrow way. Colton came out onto a landing. He reached the cliff’s edge and caught his balance just in time not to plummet off to his death. Colton turned around to retrace his steps through the passage, but he knew it was useless as he saw the light of his pursuers’ torches coming. With him cornered, it was over. His pursuers would catch him for sure.
“He went into this passage,” Colton heard a woman shout from beyond the passage.
Now Colton knew it was surely over for him this time. The ledge only extended over into the abyss. The only way for him to go was down. He was surrounding and forced back toward the cliff’s edge. As he stepped back, he felt a bit of the earth crumble under his heel and stepped forward again. Three of the armor-clad warriors came through the opening in the rock onto the narrow ledge. The men and one woman cleared the middle to allow another warrior to step into view. It was evident that this warrior was their leader, with armor that glinted reflecting the torch light making him even more ominous. The grand warrior reached to his side and unsheathed his great sword embedded with amethyst bound my metal knots to the hilt. He raised the amethyst blade high preparing to strike when everything changed. There was a small explosion accompanied by a great blinding light. Colton felt the ground fall to pieces under his feet. Backward off the cliff he fell thinking is this how it was all to end……………





Colton jerked up with a start and a slight scream. He could hear the birds chirping outside his window. Colton looked around quickly trying to make sure he was safe. He blinked twice to adjust his eyes to the dim sunlight that half illuminated his bedroom, the other half was still held by the shadows of the night. It was just that dream again Colton thought to himself as wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was the same dream that had come to him repeatedly every since he could remember. Colton hated how it always was the exact same.
“Was it the dream again, Colton?” asked Dorian as he put a hand on Colton’s shoulder trying to comfort him.
“Yeah,” Colton said looking into the beautiful face half covered by messy blonde hair, “You’d think I could get a descent nights rest on my birthday at least.” He smiled and chuckled a little.
Dorian leaned over, kissed Colton, and said, “You know you should go to a therapist for those dream love. I’m sure that one of them could help you with it.” Then he smiled and pulled him into a hug.
Colton laughed lightly and said, “You’re probably right but you know how much I hate shrinks. Their useless; they sit, listen, and tell you things you already knew for a hundred dollars an hour, at least. I can the same thing here with you for free and get much better results.”
“True, I cannot argue with you there. Well more to the point of the day sir, happy birthday Colton.”
“Thank you, baby. I think I‘ll go ahead and get an early start on the day since I‘m already awake. There is no way I will be able to get back to sleep.”
“Okay, I’m getting breakfast ready for you. I was in the kitchen when I heard you scream. I hate to not sit and eat with you this morning, but I have to go drop some articles off at the office. I forgot to leave them last night before I left so I will not be gone long. And you sir still haven’t told me what you want to do today it is your twenty-seventh birthday and we must celebrate.”
“Yeah, yeah I know. I’ll think of something while you’re out,” Colton said rubbing his face.
Dorian pulled Colton‘s hands from his face and said, “Well get dressed while I make you a plate. I am heading out now so I won’t catch hell from Mr. Stark. You know how much of an ass he can be if anything is late. I love you.”
“I love you too be careful.”
Dorian got up and went back downstairs as Colton went into the bathroom. Colton looked hard at his reflection in the mirror. He splashed his face with the cool water, but the image in the mirror stayed the same as always. He still saw his short length brown hair, emerald green eyes and all the other features that were his own. Brushing his teeth, he thought how the features were familiar, but at the same time, they seemed so alien to him still. It was always like that when he looked at himself. Colton never knew where his features came from, what gestures or traits he inherited from his parents. Nevertheless, that is what happens when you grow up not knowing whom and where you came from. Colton stared at himself a moment longer. He pushed all those thoughts aside and headed to his closet. Colton grabbed his favorite jeans and put on a black shirt off the shelf at random. He was not concerned with his appearance today. Colton really just wanted to sleep the day away.
When Colton got in the kitchen, Dorian was fixing the plates. The smell was intoxicating. In addition, he was starving. Every time he dreamed that dream, he always woke up with the biggest appetite. It was just another one of his strange quirks.
“I’m about to leave baby, here is your breakfast. I have got to make it there in time, be back in an hour at the most.”
Dorian kissed Colton goodbye and handed him the plate. Then he left to go turn in his articles for The Jersey Journal. He had been working for them for about two years now, and they had both grown used to the fact that the paper was time consuming for him. Colton did not mind since he, himself, left for weeks, sometimes even months at a time to go on digs and expeditions. Their schedules were always in some type of weird conflict. Colton even turned one job down just to make sure he could be home for his birthday. He really did not like to celebrate his birthday but he was using it as an excuse to spend some time with Dorian.
As he sat at the table, eating breakfast, and reading the paper, his boyfriend had a hand in writing; Colton heard a knock at the door. When he got to the door, it was the last person that he expected to see. Standing in his doorway was Sister Nicole from the old orphanage. She was the one person that always looked after Colton and had been the closes thing to a mother he had ever known. Before him, she stood with her black and blonde hair pinned high on her head into a bun, clutching a large bag. Her sharp piercing eyes seemed softer in the early light.
“Sister Nicole it’s so great to see you. Honestly I had no idea that you would come all this way to see me on my birthday,” Colton managed to say in all his shock.
“Well, this year I knew that you needed more than just a phone call wishing you a happy birthday my child. May I come in I also have something that we need to discuss?” she said.
“Uh, yes of course come on in. I‘m sorry, how rude of me,” Colton stammered still in shock at her presence on the doorstep.
She came in and he took her straight into the kitchen. Colton offered her something to drink and eat. She refused and sat down at the breakfast table looking around the house. Colton was unsure about her presence and to be honest it more than shocked him.
“I’ve come for a very special reason Colton. It is your twenty-seventh birthday, a very special day in your life. I have held a secret that has kept you protected all your life now it is time for you to know the truth about your beginnings,” Sister Nicole said with a strange look on her face.
“My beginnings? Do you mean about my parents? I have always been told that I was left on the step of the church with nothing but a blanket and basket,” Colton said sitting down across from her.
“Yes, that is what I always told you and everyone else for that matter. Sadly, I must apologize. I have been lying to you and everyone else about that to protect you. I never even told the priests how you truly arrived. Your parents came to me late that stormy night and told me everything about whom they were and why I must protect you from harm.”
“So you mean that you knew my parents? That I could have met them all this time and you never told me? Wait, what do you mean by protecting me? Why have you never told me this before now?” Colton nearly shouted in anger.
“Please do not be angry with me. I must explain so much. You will understand everything once I am done. Your real name is Colton Archrus not Sang. We wanted you to know your first name nut not your last. I had to make it impossible for you to find your parents. Michael and Serena Archrus, your parents, came to me in the middle of the night and told me that they were in danger but most of all that your life was in jeopardy. You were there greatest concern. They wanted you to be able to live and have a life. Our families have always been allies since The Middle Ages though I had never met any of your family before that night. Your heritage like mine is a magickal one. I mean that literally Colton. Your father was from a lineage of magick that has protected the Earth from destruction many times over the ages. Though unfortunately your father did not get the training he needed, his skills never reached their peek his father died before passing on his knowledge. Because of this, he was unable to properly protect you and your mother when the hunt for you began. So he and your mother made the decision to call on a favor in their family name so that you might be spared and protected. That‘s when they came to the church.”
Colton sat silently as he thought about what Nicole had just told him. His parents were the main thing that he took from the explanation. More than anything Colton just wanted to meet them. It was killing him to have to hear this from Nicole instead of them. He was still skeptical of the rest of the nonsense.
“Wow. Who was it that was hunting them? This is very unbelievable Sister. It all makes so little sense to me. Wait what about the magick you said.”
She ignored his question but went on to say, “It’s the truth and I can prove it. I have something from your parents to give to you that will help you to believe,” she said as she reached into her bag and pulled out a package wrapped in brown packing paper bound by a silver string.
“What is in the box?” Colton asked trying to process.
“I’m not sure. I cannot open it, only you can. I was never told and I never asked. It made it easier to keep the secret and you safe. The only thing he told me was that you would need this one day. I was to protect it and you at all costs. Your father put a spell on the parcel to keep anyone but you from opening it. They gave me instructions to give it to you on your twenty-seventh birthday. They said that the contents would explain anything I could not. Go ahead and open it.”
Sister Nicole sat the parcel on the table in front of Colton and waited quietly. She did not want to pressure him. Colton looked at the parcel wondering what proof this little box could hold for him. Skepticism still filled his mind; none of this could be true he thought. The thought of knowing more about his family overwhelm the skepticism finally. He lifted up the parcel and it began to glow shrouded by silver light. Colton looked at Sister Nicole and she only smiled at him and gestured for him to continue. He guessed this was proof enough to start for himself that there was something to this magick after all maybe. As Colton held the package, the glow covering it disintegrated the paper and string to reveal what was inside. They both turned to dust before they fell away.
“Whoa! Now that is just creepy,” Colton said to Sister Nicole nearly dropping the box from his hands.
“You’ll get used to things not always being as they seem soon enough once you open the box. I hope,” she said with a half worried look.
Colton lifted the lid off the box. Inside he saw something bundled up in a scarf sitting on top of a letter. The letter looked brand new tucked under the bundle. It all looked untouched by time. The scarf was even in mint condition. He guessed the spell also protected them from time along with keeping others out. Colton lifted up the bundle, unfolded the scarf, and discovered a bracelet inside. A silver toned bracelet that had to be an antique, older than anything he had ever found. The outside of the bracelet carved with same intricate symbol that was on the altar from Colton’s strange reoccurring dream. In each symbol’s center, point was a small stone. The stones in each place were different an emerald, a diamond, a ruby, and a sapphire. It was a beautiful and exquisite piece made of a very peculiar alloy. The alloy looked like silver without its purity. Black swirls gathered throughout the coloring. It all seemed so familiar, more than anything else had before in his life.
“Sister Nicole, do you remember the dream that I always had in the orphanage?” Colton asked examining the bracelet.
“Yes, I always thought it had something to do with your heritage but I have no idea what it means,” she replied.
“These knots and symbols, I have seen them before but without the stones in that dream carved on that altar. I have seen it so many times. I could never mistake them for anything else. For years I have searched every known culture for anything that even resembled them.”
“Yes, that symbol is the crest of your family. It represents the bond between your family and their magick. I always suspected that was the symbol that you saw in your dreams. Everyday I wished I could just tell you everything I knew. I remember when you were little and would draw this symbol continually.”
“If that is the case then the altar from my dream must have some special meaning to my heritage. It must hold some more clues to my life. I must be meant to find that place Sister Nicole.”
“That may be so, but there was nothing about an altar mentioned to me. Long ago, many of the records were destroyed for those ages. There is very little recorded of our first families. That is the main reason you could never find any information on the family crest. All I know is that a great war raged and your ancestors came out victorious over a great evil. By causing the evil empire to fall, your family saved my family’s line and we have eternally been in your debts. I think that you should read the letter left by your father so that maybe you will understand more. I must leave and you must prepare for you journey. The letter will fill you in on everything that I could not tell you. I wish that I could have been more help to you,” Nicole said staring out the kitchen window into the bright sky.
“A journey to where? Where do they want me to go?” Colton asked as he picked up the letter.
Colton was still eager for more answers. He was hungry for more information from Nicole. Anything that she could tell him was more than he ever thought that he could find out.
“All that I know I have told you. Your parents told me that you would need to read the letter alone and that it would start you on your path. I wish you well, my boy. May you stay safe and be victorious. Again, I want to apologize for deceiving you all these years. You must remember that I never wanted to and that it was always in your best interest Colton.”
“I know,” Colton replied.
Sister Nicole got up, said goodbye, and left giving me her blessings once more. She had gone as quickly as she had appeared in the doorway. Directness was always her approaching style of choice. She had never liked to waist time on any task. However, she never half did anything, just got it done efficiently.
As Colton sat back down at the table, he wondered what this letter would hold in store for him now. This was all so much to take in already. What other secrets could his father have to tell him? Well, Colton knew he would never know by just sitting here pondering, he had to open it and find out…





Dear Colton,

Hello son I wish that your mother and I could be there to see you now. We did what we had to do to protect you as I hope Sister Nicole Tolkien has already explained for you. We come from a long line of magick from as far back as our ancestry goes. Your magick has been dormant all these years and will awaken when you put on the bracelet. I used the bracelet to seal your magick as an infant with a spell that would make it grow exponentially. Upon doing this, I expended the last of my own. Your abilities are limited to controlling the four elements right now. Nevertheless, the power is not to be taken without consideration. The elements once properly tapped are very powerful and can be very dangerous. I know that Sister has no doubt helped to keep you safe and on the right path so I have no doubt that you will go forth with caution and nobility. You are now the soul heir of our legacy.
There are those that we fought to keep you and this world safe. They are the descendants of a great evil clan. They are the Grandfalls, their ancestors once held the world in darkness. Henceforth the world was plummeted into the Dark Ages. They have been lurking in the shadows every since. In recent years, they have gained a new foot old in the modern world and are hunting all those they view as a threat. You are their greatest threat of all. Once we have hidden you I plan to send your mother away to hide her also. Maybe one day you will be able to track her down if she has stayed safe.
Now I must tell you of one of the most coveted artifact of the magickal world known as the Sage Scroll. The scroll uses our crest to bind our family magick together. It will guide you to wherever they need you. It will also guide you to controlling your powers. Before I left you at the church, I made certain it remained in The Amalgamation, an ancient ruin, hidden high in the Himalayas, as an untouched marvel. Magick is the only way to travel to the temple. Though it can only be reached by magick, once inside no magick will work. Therefore, I have written the spell you need to get there on the last page along with some directions. The directions will guide you safely through the temple and to a passage that only the bracelet can open. Once inside keep following and it will lead you to the scroll.
If you decide to go after the scroll, you must do it today on your birthday. It is the only time the temple will grant you entrance. Other

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.01.2012

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Dedicated to my brother and the lost souls looking for themselves. May we all find what we are looking for in life.