The Scepter of Namiss (The Books of Braenyn 1) Read online

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  He rode for hours until it was obvious both he and Windstar were growing exhausted. Braenyn rode through all of the hillsides from the Speckled hills to the Fire Rock hills by moonlight. They glowed in milky white curtains. Grassy knolls and valleys, tranquil rivers and lakes all shimmered like fool’s gold. Finally he reached the outskirts of Redfern Forest. A mist hung in the trees there and rumors of danger whirled in his memories. It was the only forest he was forbidden to enter as a child. His people avoided it.

  Braenyn grew up scaling the treetops of all the forests except Redfern. His mother warned him of its treachery, of its cursed nature. It grew vast and monstrous like a plague across the land. Claws, teeth, steel, iron. Tribes of ogres were known to camp there, the carnivorous Netherling sometimes strung the skins of their victims in the treetops and Black Hearts patrolled the trails. To cross through it was madness, groups of warriors were known to vanish within its confines, it was so large one could get lost in it for months. Indeed, it was rumored to be extremely dangerous.

  Braenyn picked the lone pine tree that grew outside the thick of the forest. He dismounted, took a drink from his water bottle and sat down under the tree, resting his back against the great trunk.

  In the dead of night, a great rumble woke the elf. He had barely closed his eyes when the ground began to shake. Windstar whinnied beside him with terror. Braenyn jumped to his feet and drew his sword as a Coil worm burst from underneath the tree.

  The tree tumbled to the ground as the segmented worm, larger than Windstar, its skin the color of mud, squirmed towards Braenyn’s horse and crushed it in a powerful, twisting constriction.

  Braenyn was knocked off his feet with all the commotion, his sword sailing from his hand.

  Their was an ear piercing screech as Windstar died and the worm unwrapped itself from the horse and darted quickly towards Braenyn.

  The elf’s eyes widened with shock and he rolled to his knees. He crawled after his sword as the worm closed in. It was on a rampage and most likely hungry but it could not devour until it crushed all of the bones of its prey and sucked out the marrow, leaving the body easier to swallow.

  The hilt of the sword was at his fingertips but he was a moment too late. The worm slung him into the air by his feet and worked quickly to ensnare the rest of his body. It began coiling, first squeezing the air from Braenyn’s body.

  It was then that the elf remembered the dagger tucked into his leather belt. He managed to get hold of it with one arm. Pulling against his body, he jerked the blade up deep into the worm’s flesh again and again with all of his might. The worm squealed as he felt thick fluid coat his hand and then his arms.

  Braenyn jerked the dagger up one last time, and pulled it clean through the worm’s body. It roared and dropped the elf to the ground. The worm flailed and buckled as Braenyn ran for his sword. With both arms he swung and cut the beast in half. Thick mud-colored blood splattered everywhere as the two halves jumped, the elf was soaked. He walked over to the two halves and drove his sword into them until they stopped squirming. Wiping the sweat and blood from his brow, he dropped to his knees to rest, taking a gulp of water from his bottle.

  “Windstar…” he glanced over at his poor steed and gritted his teeth. He was sad to lose such a grand horse. They’d been through many adventures together.

  He tried to shake the loss off as he rose to his feet. It was still night but the moon had gone down and it would not be long until the sun came up. He thought now would be a good time to enter Redfern forest.