The Path Of Peace (The Cremelino Prophecy Book 3) Read online

  The Path Of Peace

  The Cremelino Prophecy Book III

  By Mike Shelton

  The Path Of Peace

  Copyright © 2016 by Michael Shelton

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations included in critical articles and reviews. For information, please contact the author.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  ISBN: 0-9971900-6-X

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9971900-6-9

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016911269

  Greenville, North Carolina

  Cover Illustration by Brooke Gillette

  http://brookegillette.weebly.com

  Map by Robert Altbauer

  www.fantasy-map.net

  Author Website

  www.MichaelSheltonBooks.com

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank my wife Melissa, and our children for always being supportive of me throughout this process. My wife is the sounding board for all my ideas and keeps me in check. As I finish off this trilogy I would also like to thank all of my readers so far. I have received great feedback and appreciate all the reviews.

  This book would not have been accomplished without the work and help of Heather Moore and others at Precision Editing Group, as well as my beta readers. I really appreciate all the feedback and support they have given me in developing this story and helping to keep things consistent.

  Brooke Gillette has done such an awesome job on all my book covers. Her ability to take my basic ideas and expand it into a rich, colorful, detail oriented cover is truly amazing to me. Robert Altbauer also did an incredible job on the map that is used for the entire trilogy.

  The Path of Decisions is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of my imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. I alone take full responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. - Mike

  Books by Mike Shelton

  The Cremelino Prophecy:

  The Path of Destiny

  The Path of Decisions

  The Path of Peace

  Table of Contents

  Map

  PROLOGUE

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  EPILOGUE

  Thanks for Reading

  About the Author

  Map

  PROLOGUE

  (One year earlier in the Kingdom of Arc)

  After riding for three days, High Wizard Olan Sallir rode into the Herro on his large black horse. The wizard, dressed in his usual green robes—a color he had discovered brought out the fierceness of his eyes while slimming down his large frame, was hungry and thirsty. The color of his robes was a contrast to the predominate brown drab of most of the Kingdom of Arc.

  He strode into the small castle estate to visit the King of Arc. He was glad he had chosen a city at the edge of the mountains at this time of year. The temperature being much more mild helped Olan enjoy the green grass and trees. These were made possible by the storms from the Blue Sea that carried themselves over the countryside of the Realm and spilled over the tops of the Superstition Mountains. Rainfall, while not as plentiful as on the eastern side of the mountain, was much more abundant than further west.

  The King of Arc met once a month with the leader of the Wizards’ Conclave, always in a different place and always at the choosing of the High Wizard. Today they met in Herro, a medium-sized walled city in the northeastern reaches of the Kingdom of Arc, just west of the Superstition Mountains. It was one of the few places in the Kingdom of Arc that was not desert.

  Upon entering the chamber room of the local governor’s mansion, High Wizard Sallir saw the King busily passing missives to some attendants. The man was middle-aged and at least forty years younger than the High Wizard himself, but his lighter-colored hair, customary in the kingdom, made him look even younger.

  Olan ran his hand over his thinning head of hair, not quite as light or full as it once was. He chuckled to himself, though it was loud enough for the King to hear.

  “High Wizard Sallir, good to see you again,” King Anwar greeted, standing up from his working desk to shake hands. “I think I might make this my summer home. So much cooler than the blasted desert around Arc.”

  “But it’s the desert that made us the strong kingdom we are,” the High Wizard responded.

  “Or the desert serves to keep others away. It isn’t worth their while.” The King laughed.

  Olan liked King Anwar. He was much more relaxed and humorous than the last two kings Olan had advised. King Anwar didn’t take himself too seriously or put himself above others. He was, however, a meticulous administrator. The kingdom’s coffers and financial books had never been better. Trade was at an all-time high with the neighboring kingdoms of the Realm and the Gildanian Empire, and the people in Arc seemed happy under his reign.

  The Kingdom of Arc, the western neighbor of the Realm, had been organized approximately two hundred years earlier by King Sinwian Arc, a man who unified dozens of warring tribes into one loosely held confederation. Since then, large cities had sprung up in the desert nation, in which local governors were given large amounts of control. A national government still existed under the current King, Samuel Anwar, but it was highly controlled by the Conclave of Wizards, headed by High Wizard Sallir.

  “And how is your lovely wife?” Olan asked.

  “As beautiful as ever!” Samuel replied. “She is off touring the southern states with my two oldest boys, letting them learn about the kingdom for themselves. They are at the age of manhood now and should see their glorious kingdom. One of them may succeed me some day.”

  Olan Sallir understood the last statement. Even though most of the time the son followed his father to the throne, in Arc it was not a foregone conclusion, as it was in the Realm and Gildan. Once a King of Arc died or was too sick to carry on his assignments, his sons came forward, and the people voted one of them as King. If they didn’t want any, they were free to choose another, and the vote would stand. More often than not, a son had been chosen. In times when it wasn’t that way, the vote was usually peaceful for another man of qualification. However, a few times in their two-hundred-year past, small skirmishes would ensue as one faction or tribe tried to promote their candidate over another. In Samuel Anwar’s case, he followed his father, and it was most probable his oldest son would follow him as the next King.

  “Speaking of kingdoms and successions, our neighbors in the Realm is one item to discuss today, your M
ajesty.” Olan motioned for a servant. “But first I need to replenish myself with some good food and drink.” He patted his growing stomach and laughed with a loud boom.

  “Get something to eat and refresh yourself from your trip. When you are ready, meet me on the western balcony. We will watch the sun set together as we talk.”

  The High Wizard turned toward the kitchen and stumbled, trying not to run over the young girl that came running up next to him. After catching his breath, he turned to see who it was. A broad smile filled his flushed face.

  “Danijela! How did you grow up so fast?” Olan reached for her hand and kissed it delicately. “My, only six months ago a child stood here, and now a young woman blossoms in her place.”

  Danijela Anwar smiled, obviously pleased with the praise. She twirled around, sending her dark blue riding cape flying around her slightly plump body. Her hair cut just above her shoulders, while not rare, was at least unique among the higher class in Arc. The nobility lately preferred the longer tresses on their women. The blonde color was very typical of the majority of the girls coming from the northern part of Arc.

  “I am fifteen now, Wizard Sallir.”

  “That is High Wizard Sallir, Danijela,” her father said, coming up to join them.

  “Oh, no need for such formalities here,” Olan said.

  “Father, why can’t I travel with Momma and the boys?” Danijela pursed her lips in a pout, her ample checks flushed.

  “We’ve been over this. The boys need to understand all of the land they may rule someday.”

  “Why can’t I rule?” she said in the tone of a proud teenager. “The Realm has had queens in the past. I have heard of other lands to the south and west with queens also. Why shouldn’t the people vote for me?”

  The King reddened. “Danijela! Don’t waste the High Wizard’s time with your thoughts of fancy. That is not how it is done in our kingdom. It’s just the way it is. Why don’t you escort our guest to the kitchens and help the cook get him something to eat.”

  “But—”

  “No more!” the King said with firm resolve, but then added “sweetheart” at the end. The King did love his daughter, but she was independent in her thinking. The dangerous part was she had more inclinations and talent to rule than her older brothers did.

  No more was said until they came to the kitchen. The seat creaked as Olan lowered himself onto a small wooden bench. The girl went to the cook to ask for meat and ale. He watched her absentmindedly as she talked to the cook and waited to satisfy his hunger. The young girl, though thinner than the last time he saw her, still seemed to hold on to some of her baby fat. However, her exuberance for life, feisty personality, and intelligent eyes were still the same they had always been.

  As he waited, he thought about the problems going on in the Realm, their neighbor to the east. King Edward had no heir and apparently was not interested in marrying again or in having any more children. An unstable Realm could bleed over into the Kingdom of Arc. The Emperor in Gildan was also very old, although as a wizard he would live longer than others. However, his son, the general of their armies, was not as patient and peaceful as the current Emperor. Rumors flowed he had designs on expanding his kingdom.

  All of a sudden, he heard a small squeak from Danijela. She had dropped a cutting board full of bread from her hands, the sharp knife dropping faster toward her leg. Somehow, however, the knife nor the board nor the bread made it to the floor. The High Wizard watched in fascination as Danijela brought the food and utensils through the air and back to her hands as if nothing had happened. Both of them looked back toward the cook, but she was involved in another conversation with two of her apprentices.

  The commotion over with, Danijela walked confidently toward the wizard’s table. He looked at her with interest and raised his eyebrows, not saying what was on his mind.

  She flashed her bright blue rounded eyes at him and in mock innocence said, “What? You think you’re the only one that can do magic?”

  The High Wizard had never experienced anyone so informal over magic before. Half-choking on the ale dribbling from his gray beard, he laughed and laughed until he couldn’t find any more breath. Finally, Danijela joined in.

  “Does your father know?” Olan asked after getting himself settled again.

  “I think he might suspect,” the King’s daughter said with a sparkle in her eye, “but he has never asked me directly. As much as he teases me, with my brothers gone most of the time, I don’t think he wants to let me go.”

  High Wizard Sallir gave a deep sigh. “Bring the rest of the food over here, young one, and join me. I have some questions for you.”

  Danijela frowned, probably at being called young, but compared to Olan, everyone around him seemed young these days. His powers as a wizard had prolonged his life past the normal lifespan, but he was getting older, and he did need to take on an apprentice.

  The girl returned with the rest of the meal and sat down opposite the High Wizard. He could see excitement almost crackling in the air around her.

  “So, Danijela, when you do magic, do you think about it first?”

  “No, sir, it just happens almost by instinct.”

  “Do your feelings control it? Does it happen when you are happy or angry?”

  The girl thought a moment. Olan took the opportunity to bite into a piece of chicken.

  “Very good,” he mumbled in praise.

  “No, it doesn’t work better or worse when I have strong emotions either.”

  Olan smiled. “Tell me what it feels like.”

  “Oh, it is so wonderful.” Her face lit up, and her eyes opened wide. “It just happens, like it’s a part of me. Like the earth around me is coming to help me.”

  Olan took some bread and smothered butter on it. It was better than what he had eaten on his journey to see the King. He didn’t say anything for a moment as he collected his thoughts. He motioned for Danijela to eat something.

  Finally, he put his food down and put on his teaching tone. He remembered back to the days in the Wizards’ Conclave when he had been a teacher, so long ago. Three Kings ago, in fact.

  “There are three disciplines of magic that we know of, Danijela. Magic of the heart, magic of the mind, and magic of the earth. Each draws their strength from different sources. In a general sense, they all can do many of the same things, but each discipline allows the user various abilities or skills that another from a different discipline may not have as powerfully. There are tidbits in some of the ancient writings that allude to a fourth power, but no one in modern history has claimed any but those three.”

  Danijela smiled at him and, with excitement in her voice, leaped forward in the conversation. “So my power is earth?”

  “Yes, child, you are an earth wizard.” Olan was surprised that she caught on so quickly. “Most likely a weak one at this point with no formal training, but the power is in you.” He continued teaching: “The magic of the mind belongs to a wizard who thinks things through first. He may be slower at committing himself to a cause. He thinks of what he wants to do, visualizes it, and then his mind extends and makes it happen. The majority of wizards have this power. Emperor Alrishitar of Gildan is one of these. I am one of these, though after so many years of study, my powers between heart, mind, and earth have become more balanced.”

  The High Wizard shoveled in a few more bites of food, and Danijela filled the silence.

  “What about a wizard of the heart? Are there a lot of wizards?”

  Olan put up his hand. “Hold on, Danijela.” He chuckled. “All in good time. A wizard of the heart is much more rare. We don’t know why, but there have been relatively few in the last five hundred years from the records we have, at least in these lands west of the Blue Sea. They are ruled by their emotions. They react to what they feel—either anger, love, frustration, or excitement. They don’t seem to think about their consequences all the time. Their power is an extension of what they are feeling or experiencing at t
he moment. A wizard of the heart can be very dangerous and unpredictable if he follows the wrong path; however, one that is ruled by love and fairness and good feelings can make an extraordinary person and a great leader. There hasn’t been one in a long time, at least a powerful one. Old King Anikari of the Realm had been one of these. It was also rumored that King Sinwian Arc was one, though by the study of his deeds, I would tend to think of him as an earth wizard.”

  “Like me?” Danijela asked. “Oh, this is so exciting. I want to show you what I can do.” She jumped up and pulled the High Wizard’s hand.

  Olan shoved the last couple of bites of bread and meat in his mouth. He could tell there was no stopping the young girl. He pushed up on his large frame and followed behind her, still trying to teach.

  “Now, Danijela, an earth wizard is not as rare as a wizard of the heart but is rarer than a wizard of the mind. The magic of the earth is more solid, more real. An earth wizard draws power from outside of him, unlike the power of the heart or mind, which comes from within.”

  “I know that.”

  The High Wizard shook his head. “How do you know that? You have never learned about wizards before.”

  “I read books, and I practice my magic.” The young girl stopped and turned to look at her older companion. “It’s not that hard.”

  “It’s not that hard?” Olan’s eyes widened, and he stopped short. “What are you talking about? Wizards take years to perfect their powers. You must be careful, especially as an earth wizard. With so much of nature at your disposal, there is always the danger of taking in too much power and burning your magic out. There are records in the Conclave of this happening before when a wizard either wasn’t trained enough or was greedy for power.”

  At the last words, Danijela was more subdued, and her eyebrows furrowed as she listened to the High Wizard’s warning.