A Coursing Passage (A Life of Magic Book 3) Read Free Page A

Finally the night arrived. The moon darkened again, like it had for all of time. Yet this time it seemed to hide it's face from the people leaving their homes. Families sneaking across the fields and through the forest. Whole communities emptied into the countryside and raced for the kingdom's borders. All but one community. They rested in their beds, secure in their knowledge that they were right.
    When the sun arose that next day no workers arrived at the mines or fields. When sought out by the king's men no one was found in the homes. Homes were stripped down to bare buildings, furniture had been used to make more carts so the rooms stood bare. As the news became known the king's men raced through the communities trying to find anybody still there. Occasionally some souls were found, those who had refused to leave their homes. Few had stayed, yet they also refused to betray those who had run ahead of the king's men.
    Messengers started to arrive from all over the kingdom, bringing the news that the people had abandoned their homes. That the villages were empty of all life. The king was brought to an anger beyond anything he had ever known. He was furious that his people, his slaves had dared to leave, to seek freedom. He ordered his men to scour the countrysides for the people. He ordered them to find the man who had caused this mass exodus.
    At that very moment the man walked into the court, his beautiful robes flowing around him like a flower. He walked right up to the king and stopped. The court was shocked at the brazen man. The king ordered the man seized. The solders tried yet failed. He escaped every effort with ease. Finally he stood alone before the king, as he had killed all who tried to capture him.
    "I come for your kingdom. You will not last the day. You have till dark to try to escape your fate." The man turned around and walked over the bodies laid to waste.
    The king stood still and watched the man walk out. He then rushed to the stables and saddled the fastest horse. He grabbed no water, no food, nor clothes. He raced for the border, knowing that he faced an enemy who would destroy him. His only option was to escape.
    When the sun set the king was in sight of the border, mere moments from escaping. Suddenly a bright flash occurred on the road and the man appeared. The horse reared and threw the king to the dirt. He looked up and tears ran down his face. He knew he faced his destruction.
    The man walked forward and placed his hand upon the king's forehead. "Even after all this you still do not realize who I am. I am the son that your father denied every siring. My mother was a slave who could not refuse the king. He cast her aside and she escaped from his power. I was born of royal blood yet lived a paupers life until I learned I had magic. My father took everything from my mother. Her family, her home, even her life as she died from giving birth to me. I learned what kind of man my father was and decided to seek my revenge upon him. But he died before I could kill him. I hoped his other son would be a better man, yet you are worse than anything your father could have imagined. I came to avenge my mother, yet I learned that I was meant to free this kingdom and also you my brother." The man started to glow. "This land will die. I am going to kill it. Not a single stone will stand upon another. Not a single plant will flourish for generations. And I am destroying the very people whom followed your orders, those who carried out your commands in ways that even you do not yet understand. You, however, will not die. Neither will you live. I am going to make you an example to all other rulers. If they rule like you and your family did then they can also be destroyed."
    The man's magic wrapped around the king and transformed him. His body twisted and grew. His limbs stretched towards the sky and his feet sank into the ground. His body transformed into a massive gray tree, growing up in the road. The tree stood