The Apprentices (The Crimson Guard Trilogy Book 1) Read Free Page B

Humans, Shlocks are a species which only appear in legend and song.  Usually the songs end with devastation and death followed by an evil unlike any other.  They are thought to be beings of extreme intelligence and ruthlessness.  Their arrival may have been unknown, but their savagery is still well remembered.  The town was nearly destroyed; all of the pearl white houses and grand markets were burned.  
    The city had only known peace so there never was a need for soldiers.  Peasants were nothing compared to even a child Shlock warrior.  The last desperate stand was held at the great library’s doors.  A lone mage led this defense; he worked to place enchantments upon the old building. A seal that evil and those with evil in their heart could never survive, passing to steal the unimaginable knowledge.  Sadly, the mage never got to see his magic work.  A stray arrow pierced his heart, releasing his life blood on the stone steps.  As the mage died, the surviving caretakers made for the library hoping the solid oak doors would provide refuge.  Very few survived the retreat, but all realized the mage’s last selfless act.  The mage’s blood enacted the spell.  Hundreds of Shlock warriors died in their attempt to enter the building, as their dark souls were stolen away. 
    The Shlock people had always been very superstitious.  In a last desperate attempt to destroy the blasphemous pinnacle of hope, the Shlock Witch King set the library ablaze, hoping to kill all those inside.  The building did not fall or even blacken; it remained a blazing splendor of white. 
    It took decades before settlers dared to return.  The first settlers named the forgotten city.  The town was renamed the Burning City after the library ablaze.  Still to this day in the center of town, now surrounded by ale and pleasure houses, a building stands apart, burning with a great white flame.   
     
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    I looked down at the rolled parchment that the stranger had given me.  Should I open it and embrace my role in this drama or should I leave and find my own life.  Ha! What a life, as if I could go on and leave all the questions unanswered in my head.  Finally, I decided to at least look at the scroll, what could it hurt?
    To my surprise there were no assassins or monsters, only a few words.  It reads; ‘Go to the place that the fire never smolders.  That is where all knowledge can be obtained.’  There were many more symbols and words; all gibberish. 
    Great!  Riddles and Gibberish!  How was I supposed to find a place that does not have a name?  By reading the wrinkled paper I had dedicated myself to leave. I could not stay or run away, not this time, I told myself. 
    I finally made it back to my house a little after midnight.  So many things were racing through my head that I did not think I was going to be able to sleep.  I had just passed through my front gate when an old friend of mine yelled from across the street. 
    “Hey Lyndon, what are you doing out so late?  Did your training go a little long?”
    “Jes, do you really want to know? Because if you do, I would love to get some strong ale right now,” I was tired, but I was right when I said that ale would do me good.
    “Sure, I think the ale house is still open,” said Jes.
    “Isn’t it always open for you?” I said with a smirk.
    “Do you want to go or not?” Jes sneered back. 
    “Sounds good to me, let’s go” I slowly walked across the street.
    I had known Jes for most of my life, but still I did not know him well.  There was an air of mystery about him that always found a way to elude me.  During the year he would disappear for about a month, and then return with meat and furs, of which I have never seen.
    As we walked, I continued to think about this.  Jes was not a very big man.  He was 16 like me, but he had dark black hair, while mine was strawberry blond, and