This first excerpt is from the epilogue of my book. We are in the middle of the woods at night, watching from afar as a man circles a young elfin boy. As we approach, we begin to hear clips of conversation...
The man scoffed. “I should have known. Elves. Filthy little thieves. Well, no matter! I have the key now.”
The boy’s smile vanished. “No! I need that key! I need to escape! I’ll die if I stay here! Please! Let me go!” he bawled.
The man grimaced at his shrill tones. “Of course you're going. You can’t stay here to tell the world of me.”
“I’ll do anything! Just let me st-wait, you’re letting me go? To this new land? Why?”
“Because if you go back to civilization, you could turn me in, you dim-witted imbecile!”
“And why would I do that? What importance do you have in this world?” the boy groused.
“Let’s just say, I have my duties here in Mantania.” his nefarious smile returned.
Then, he reached up to his face, and made a gesture of pulling a cloth off of his head. The image in his face was made aberrant, as his features contorted and stretched. Only the atrocious smile remained untouched.
The elfin boy gasped. “Your...why...your...your ki-”
“Shut up boy!!” the man bellowed. The teenager lapsed back into silence.
The man retrieved the iron key from his pocket where he had earlier stowed it. The moonlight shone upon the key, it’s many grooves casting deformed shadows onto the blue grass.
He thrust the key into the air. A soft clink echoed through the forest. He slid it around, the key scraping against some invisible force, until finally, the three inches of grooves disappeared into the night sky. The man turned the key slowly, when all at once, it seemed as if all of the oxygen had been vacuumed out of the woods.
A door.
A bright red door manifested into the center of the clearing. The man walked forward, reached out, and grasped the handle. Turned it slowly. Opened it. All of the air flooded back as a beautiful birch forest came into view.
The man knew he didn't have much time.
“Souls against the Elements, bring forth your prisoners! Into the-aargh!” the man let out an ear-splitting scream.
The voices of the woods returned. Each in it’s own tongue, they chanted:
Six souls shall pass into worlds unknown
The light disappears as the darkness has grown
A death-like sleep limits the days
As a hungry beast waits in a desperate craze
A path of broken hearts, strewn ahead
As the Prince awaits the sign
Of the one who comes back dead
The man scoffed. “I should have known. Elves. Filthy little thieves. Well, no matter! I have the key now.”
The boy’s smile vanished. “No! I need that key! I need to escape! I’ll die if I stay here! Please! Let me go!” he bawled.
The man grimaced at his shrill tones. “Of course you're going. You can’t stay here to tell the world of me.”
“I’ll do anything! Just let me st-wait, you’re letting me go? To this new land? Why?”
“Because if you go back to civilization, you could turn me in, you dim-witted imbecile!”
“And why would I do that? What importance do you have in this world?” the boy groused.
“Let’s just say, I have my duties here in Mantania.” his nefarious smile returned.
Then, he reached up to his face, and made a gesture of pulling a cloth off of his head. The image in his face was made aberrant, as his features contorted and stretched. Only the atrocious smile remained untouched.
The elfin boy gasped. “Your...why...your...your ki-”
“Shut up boy!!” the man bellowed. The teenager lapsed back into silence.
The man retrieved the iron key from his pocket where he had earlier stowed it. The moonlight shone upon the key, it’s many grooves casting deformed shadows onto the blue grass.
He thrust the key into the air. A soft clink echoed through the forest. He slid it around, the key scraping against some invisible force, until finally, the three inches of grooves disappeared into the night sky. The man turned the key slowly, when all at once, it seemed as if all of the oxygen had been vacuumed out of the woods.
A door.
A bright red door manifested into the center of the clearing. The man walked forward, reached out, and grasped the handle. Turned it slowly. Opened it. All of the air flooded back as a beautiful birch forest came into view.
The man knew he didn't have much time.
“Souls against the Elements, bring forth your prisoners! Into the-aargh!” the man let out an ear-splitting scream.
The voices of the woods returned. Each in it’s own tongue, they chanted:
Six souls shall pass into worlds unknown
The light disappears as the darkness has grown
A death-like sleep limits the days
As a hungry beast waits in a desperate craze
A path of broken hearts, strewn ahead
As the Prince awaits the sign
Of the one who comes back dead
In this part of my novel, we have met the six main characters. Easton, Elsa, Harper, Jens, Jenna, and Clay. They have just recently discovered that their parents and guardians have been kidnapped. They have now realized that they their guardians are not even in their world-they are in a totally different one. Ours. In this scene, The six are taking off into the air, and have a couple...difficulties.
The attacks started that night. Jens had been lying on his bed, tossing and turning, feeling something was off all night. He couldn’t quite figure it out, but there was definitely something going on. So, when he heard rustling outside, his suspicions were confirmed.
Slipping out of the warm cocoon of bed sheets and lacing his converse, he slipped out of the tent. At first, he didn’t see anything, and was about to go back to bed. Then he saw it. The trail of withered grass, along with rotten fruit from the table. Puzzled, he did what every boy would do. He followed the trail.
As the trail of withered grass continued, Jens found himself along a stream. The trail was getting thinner and thinner, so he quickened his pace. Discouraged that he hadn’t found anything, Jens was about to head back to the camp, and back to his bed. It was cold to be outside in only your underwear and a t-shirt.
Hisssssss.
Jens’ ears perked up. Snake? Jens was a bit alarmed. Looking around, he spotted it.
The snake was made of pure shadow. It didn’t even look solid. It’s red eyes were eyeing Jens hungrily. Jens’ eyes widened. He had never seen an animal, thing, like this, even in Mantania.
The two stared each other down. Jens decided that it was too cold to face off with a snake, and turned his back on the creature. That was when it pounced. With lightning speed, it launched itself into the air, aiming for Jens’ back.
“What the he-woah!” Jens yelled. He dodged to the side quickly. The snake turned, and hisses at him, venom visibly dripping from it’s mouth. Knowing this wasn’t some ordinary snake, Jens took off. He kept his eyes on the little death trail, hoping it would lead him back to the camp. Looking back, he ducked, narrowly avoiding a spray of venom from the snake.
He charged on, branches whipping against his face, his feet tangled in roots and vines. Of the six of the teens, he was the fastest runner, and knew that it was his best chance to lose the death-snake. Pumping his arms, he broke through the branches. There, his camp sat, still and peaceful.
“Clay! Easton! Get out here!” Jens hollered, breaking the calm. He heard a crash from the inside of the tent, and Clay and Easton sprinted out. If the situation didn’t involve a venom-spitting, demon shadow snake, Jens would have laughed. Easton was bleary eyed, shirtless and barefooted, with plaid pajama pants on. Clay’s golden ringlets were a mess, and he was in socks with a orange t-shirt and red athletic shorts.
Scanning the area, their eyes widened at the shadow snake. “We gotta get rid of it!” Jens called to them, urging them to action. Easton ran to the table, and grabbed anything he could hold. Mantanian fruits and vegetables, a boar roast, and a stack of silver platters. He started chucking them wildly at the snake.
Clay took the more logical approach. He disappeared into the tent, and returned with his satchel. From it he drew the lighter, and the piece of wood they had assumed was a torch. Lighting it, he charged the snake.
The attacks started that night. Jens had been lying on his bed, tossing and turning, feeling something was off all night. He couldn’t quite figure it out, but there was definitely something going on. So, when he heard rustling outside, his suspicions were confirmed.
Slipping out of the warm cocoon of bed sheets and lacing his converse, he slipped out of the tent. At first, he didn’t see anything, and was about to go back to bed. Then he saw it. The trail of withered grass, along with rotten fruit from the table. Puzzled, he did what every boy would do. He followed the trail.
As the trail of withered grass continued, Jens found himself along a stream. The trail was getting thinner and thinner, so he quickened his pace. Discouraged that he hadn’t found anything, Jens was about to head back to the camp, and back to his bed. It was cold to be outside in only your underwear and a t-shirt.
Hisssssss.
Jens’ ears perked up. Snake? Jens was a bit alarmed. Looking around, he spotted it.
The snake was made of pure shadow. It didn’t even look solid. It’s red eyes were eyeing Jens hungrily. Jens’ eyes widened. He had never seen an animal, thing, like this, even in Mantania.
The two stared each other down. Jens decided that it was too cold to face off with a snake, and turned his back on the creature. That was when it pounced. With lightning speed, it launched itself into the air, aiming for Jens’ back.
“What the he-woah!” Jens yelled. He dodged to the side quickly. The snake turned, and hisses at him, venom visibly dripping from it’s mouth. Knowing this wasn’t some ordinary snake, Jens took off. He kept his eyes on the little death trail, hoping it would lead him back to the camp. Looking back, he ducked, narrowly avoiding a spray of venom from the snake.
He charged on, branches whipping against his face, his feet tangled in roots and vines. Of the six of the teens, he was the fastest runner, and knew that it was his best chance to lose the death-snake. Pumping his arms, he broke through the branches. There, his camp sat, still and peaceful.
“Clay! Easton! Get out here!” Jens hollered, breaking the calm. He heard a crash from the inside of the tent, and Clay and Easton sprinted out. If the situation didn’t involve a venom-spitting, demon shadow snake, Jens would have laughed. Easton was bleary eyed, shirtless and barefooted, with plaid pajama pants on. Clay’s golden ringlets were a mess, and he was in socks with a orange t-shirt and red athletic shorts.
Scanning the area, their eyes widened at the shadow snake. “We gotta get rid of it!” Jens called to them, urging them to action. Easton ran to the table, and grabbed anything he could hold. Mantanian fruits and vegetables, a boar roast, and a stack of silver platters. He started chucking them wildly at the snake.
Clay took the more logical approach. He disappeared into the tent, and returned with his satchel. From it he drew the lighter, and the piece of wood they had assumed was a torch. Lighting it, he charged the snake.