The Rise of the Wrym Lord Read online

  To the one true King,

  you are my sword and my shield.

  I enter the battle, and I am not afraid.

  For I am not alone.

  Text © 2006 Wayne Thomas Batson

  Second in a series of three novels.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

  Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Batson, Wayne Thomas

  The rise of the wrym lord / by Wayne Thomas Batson

  p. cm.

  Sequel to: The door within

  Summary: Aidan’s new friend Antoinette is called to the Realm, but when she arrives to rescue Robby through his Glimpse-twin, the place is in turmoil and she must decide whether to stay loyal to the one true king or join the evil side.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4003-0737-1 (hardback)

  1. Space and time—Fiction. 2. Christian life—Fiction. 3. Fantasy.

  I. Title

  PZ7.B3238 Ri 2006

  [Fic] 22

  2005030039

  Printed in the United States of America

  06 07 08 09 10 QW 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  CONTENTS

  PRINCIPAL CAST

  PRINCIPAL SETTINGS

  MAPS

  CHAPTER 1 THE SPECTRAL WINDOW

  CHAPTER 2 RED FOR THE EYES?

  CHAPTER 3 GRAMPIN’S DIARY

  CHAPTER 4 THE BLUE-EYED MICROSCOPE

  CHAPTER 5 LIVING ART

  CHAPTER 6 STORIES TO TELL

  CHAPTER 7 A GHOST AND A MONSTER

  CHAPTER 8 THE WAY OF THE SWORD

  CHAPTER 9 TRAVEL PLANS

  CHAPTER 10 THE DOOR WITHIN

  CHAPTER 11 A SORT OF HOMECOMING

  CHAPTER 12 OF SWORD AND STEED

  CHAPTER 13 A WALK AND A WHOOSEL

  CHAPTER 14 THE THIRD TEST

  CHAPTER 15 WOUNDS THAT DO NOT HEAL

  CHAPTER 16 DREAMS AND DREAMERS

  CHAPTER 17 THE GOOD CONFESSION

  CHAPTER 18 ON RAVEN’S WINGS

  CHAPTER 19 FINDING A PATH IN THE DARK

  CHAPTER 20 MIDNIGHT RIDE

  CHAPTER 21 TORIN’S VALE

  CHAPTER 22 THE EYE OF THE ARCHER

  CHAPTER 23 RIDDLE AT THE FOREST ROAD

  CHAPTER 24 THE BLACKWOOD

  CHAPTER 25 THE SEPULCHER OF THE SEVEN SLEEPERS

  CHAPTER 26 THE FIRSTBORN

  CHAPTER 27 YEWLAND

  CHAPTER 28 QUEEN ILLARIA

  CHAPTER 29 TREETOP HOPPING

  CHAPTER 30 TO HONOR OLD ALLIANCES

  CHAPTER 31 CAUGHT IN THE ACT

  CHAPTER 32 BAEN-EDGE

  CHAPTER 33 ONE GOOD TURN

  CHAPTER 34 THE REDEMPTION OF TRENNA

  CHAPTER 35 LEGEND OF THE WYRM

  CHAPTER 36 CAPTURED

  CHAPTER 37 ACACIA

  CHAPTER 38 THE SHATTERED LANDS

  CHAPTER 39 FLIGHT TO CLARION

  CHAPTER 40 THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

  CHAPTER 41 THE BATTLE AT YEWLAND

  CHAPTER 42 THE WYRM LORD

  CHAPTER 43 ONSLAUGHT OF THE SLEEPERS

  CHAPTER 44 THE AFTERMATH

  CHAPTER 45 BEYOND THE GATES OF DESPAIR

  CHAPTER 46 TURBULENCE

  CHAPTER 47 NEVER ALONE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  EXCERPT FROM THE FINAL STORM

  PRINCIPAL CAST

  AIDAN (AY-DEN) THOMAS

  When Aidan’s parents move the family to Colorado to take care of his wheelchair-bound grandfather (Grampin), the teenager discovers the Scrolls, which start him on an adventure of a lifetime.

  ANTOINETTE (AN-TWA-NET) LYNN REED

  Aidan’s new friend at school, also a believer in King Eliam

  and The Realm of Glimpses.

  FAETHON (FAY-EH-THUN)

  The last living son of Falon the Mortiwraith; guards King Eliam’s treasuries.

  FALON

  The elder of all mortiwraiths, who are enormous,

  venomous underground serpentine creatures.

  FARIX (FAIR-IX)

  Glimpse warrior, who does not wear armor.

  KALIAM (KAL-EE-UM)

  Glimpse warrior, former pathfinder,

  now the fourth Sentinel of Alleble.

  KING ELIAM (EE-LEE-UM)

  The noble and wise monarch of Alleble, who invited Aidan to his kingdom.

  LADY MEREWEN

  Once a follower of Paragor, a capable silver-haired

  swordmaiden in the service of Alleble.

  LORD KEARN

  One of Paragor’s chief lieutenants, who leads the enemy through Yewland.

  LORD RUCIFEL (ROO-SI-FELL)

  Paragor’s Lieutenant, who wields two swords.

  MALLIK (MAL-ICK)

  Glimpse warrior, who wields a massive war hammer.

  MR. AND MRS. REED

  Antoinette’s father and mother.

  MR. AND MRS. THOMAS

  Aidan’s father and mother.

  NOCK

  A highly skilled Glimpse archer and warrior from Yewland.

  Twin of Bolt, who died in The Door Within #1.

  PARAGAL (PAIR-A-GALL) / PARAGOR (PAIR-AH-GORE)

  The first Sentinel of Alleble, who now rules over Paragory.

  QUEEN ILLARIA (ILL-AIR-EE-AH)

  Sovereign Queen of Yewland.

  ROBBY PIERSON (PEER-SON)

  Aidan’s best friend in Maryland.

  SIR AELIC

  Aidan’s Glimpse twin, prince of Mithegard. Grandfather was Captain Valithor, a hero of Alleble. His father is King Ravelle, ruler of Mithegard.His Glimpse twin in the Mirror Realm is Sir Aidan.

  SIR OSWYN

  Herb-meister, skilled with potions, cures, and salves.

  SIR ROGAN

  Tall blond warrior from Mithegard. He carries a broad-bladed battleaxe.

  SIR TOBIAS (TOE-BYE-AHS)

  Verbose pathfinder for the new Twelve Knights of Alleble’s journey to Yewland.

  SIR GABRIEL

  Diplomatic envoy for the Twelve to Yewland. Very wise in the lore of Alleble.

  TAL

  Glimpse warrior, who likes to compete.

  TRENNA SWIFTFOOT

  Yewland Glimpse held in bondage by criminals in Baen-Edge.

  PRINCIPAL SETTINGS

  ACACIA (UH-KAY-SHUH)

  Small kingdom to the south of Alleble. Once conquered by Paragory,

  it was liberated and rebuilt by King Eliam.

  ALLEBLE (AL-EH-BULL)

  The first Kingdom of The Realm. After The Schism,

  Alleble remained the center of The Realm.

  BAEN-EDGE (BANE-EDJ)

  Two cities divided by a river. It is a commerce center and a trading partner for Paragory.

  CLARION

  Proud kingdom of artisans south of the Shattered Lands.

  PARAGORY (PAIR-AH-GOR-EE)

  A kingdom built by Paragor and his army.

  MITHEGARD (MYTH-GUARD)

  A kingdom in the northwestern part of The Realm.

  SHATTERED LANDS

  Desolate volcanic region; location of the Wyrm Lord’s tomb.

  THE BLACKWOOD

  Forest of massive trees north of Yewland. Sinister things now dwell ther
e.

  THE REALM

  The world of Glimpses, once united with our world, was separated by The Schism.

  YEWLAND

  Forest city where Nock and Bolt were born.

  Adventures are

  funny things.

  Some streak down upon you

  like a storm.

  Others emerge only when many

  years have passed

  and something forgotten is

  revealed.

  They can be discovered upon a

  dusty bookshelf or

  even the yellowed pages of an

  ancient map.

  They promise great reward.

  But no adventure is without risk.

  1

  THE SPECTRAL

  WINDOW

  Thunder rolled, heavy and abrupt, shaking the windowpanes of Aidan’s room. Aidan put down the scrolls he had been reading and got up to look out at the approaching storm. He could smell the rain in the air, but it hadn’t actually started to fall. Aidan stood at the open window. A chill breeze swept in across his face and forearms. His skin tingled. The tiny hairs on his arms stood up.

  The neighborhood lay in darkness. Few lights were on. That’s strange, Aidan thought. It’s just nine o’clock.

  The whispering breeze swayed the pines in the front yard, but little else moved. The sky, thick with storm clouds, swelled and seemed to press down upon the shadowy houses.

  Lightning flickered. In the brief blue flash, Aidan had seen eyes. He knew those eyes. Aidan blinked, and the eyes were gone. Thunder growled. The wind picked up. Aidan could not will himself to leave the window. Something is wrong, he thought.

  Another flash bathed the neighborhood in intense blue light. For a moment a pale being appeared, just outside the window.

  “Captain Valithor?” Aidan mouthed. Thunder cracked sharply and rolled away.

  The next time the lightning came, the image of the Glimpse Captain appeared in more detail. He seemed to be standing by a smooth wall of stone. And, wait! There was another knight standing near . . . a very familiar knight.

  Another bright flash, and the image grew wider still, a spectral window opening so that Aidan could see another time in another world. And this time, the vision did not fade. Aidan knew the scene. He had lived it—just weeks earlier in The Realm where the Glimpse twins of all humanity dwell.

  Aidan had been dubbed a knight in the service of King Eliam, noble ruler of Alleble. The scene had taken place before dawn. Aidan had found the Captain alone, staring out over the seventh fountain in the courtyard before the castle. That fountain was dry and had ceased to flow since it had been used to fulfill Paragor’s traitorous plan.

  It was then that Captain Valithor had shown Aidan how Paragor’s rebellion failed—how he and his horde of traitors had been cast out of the kingdom in disgrace.

  Lightning split the sky. The neighborhood faded, and suddenly, Aidan was there in The Realm again.

  “Captain, I’ve seen Paragor.”

  “What?” The Sentinel looked up, his eyes narrowed, posture tensed. “Where?”

  “It was in a dream I had before I entered The Realm.”

  Tension melted from Captain Valithor. He sighed with relief. “That is natural, Aidan. When you read the scrolls—it is bound to influence your dreams.”

  “But it was a dream I had before I found the scrolls.”

  Captain Valithor’s eyes widened.

  Aidan continued, “I had the same horrible dream over and over again. I was in the ruins of a kingdom. I was captured, and Paragor told me to deny my King. I refused, and . . . and he killed me.”

  Captain Valithor staggered backward and steadied himself on the wall of the fountain. “Aidan, I . . .”

  “What is it?” Aidan was alarmed.

  The Captain swallowed. Then he mastered himself. “Aidan, no matter what, tell no one else of this dream.”

  “But, why?”

  “No one! Do you understand? I must seek the King’s wisdom, for my own is found wanting in this. Remember, no one!”

  Aidan’s gut churned, and the hair stood up on the nape of his neck. “I won’t tell anyone, Captain,” he whispered. “I promise.”

  Thunder crashed. Aidan blinked until the disorientation passed. He was back in his room. The wind howled through the open window, and the rain began to fall in sheets. Aidan slammed the window shut and pulled the curtains. He looked at the scrolls on his bed and wondered: Why did Captain Valithor become so disturbed when he heard about my dream? Why didn’t he want me to tell anyone else about it? Aidan went to his parents’ bedroom. He knocked once.

  “Come on in, Aidan,” his mom said, and he entered. “All ready for your first day at your new school?” she asked, but then she stared at him. “Aidan, are you all right? You look pale.”

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” he replied. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He’s downstairs somewhere, I think,” she said. She got out of bed and put her hand on his forehead.

  “Mom, I’m fine.”

  She mussed the waves of his dark brown hair and smiled. “I can’t believe you’re getting so much older. Getting tall. You’ve lost those chubby cheeks you used to have. You look like your father when I met him—what with those bushy eyebrows and big ol’ puppy-dog brown eyes.”

  “Oh, Mom,” Aidan said, but he laughed and was pleased he was looking older. “So Dad’s in the kitchen?”

  “I’m not sure, honey. He went down about an hour ago. Haven’t seen him since.”

  “Thanks,” Aidan replied. Quickly Aidan went downstairs to look for his dad. Aidan spied him through the French doors of what was now the study. It had been Grampin’s room. Aidan felt a tug at the pit of his stomach. Grampin had died the very day Aidan returned from The Realm, and Aidan still missed him terribly. Grampin had, after all, helped Aidan understand the message and answer the invitation in the mysterious scrolls Aidan had discovered in the basement.

  Aidan’s father sat on the floor with an old photo album in his lap and stared at it so intensely that he didn’t even notice his son standing there. Aidan sighed. He’d talk to his dad later.

  He went to the kitchen, poured himself a soda, and looked around as if to say, “Now what?” Thunder rolled softly in the distance. Aidan glanced at the clock. He didn’t feel a bit sleepy. After this latest vision, he doubted very much that he could sleep anyway.

  “I know!” Aidan stood up; he grabbed his drink and headed to the basement.

  2

  RED FOR THE EYES?

  When he needed to think, Aidan often went to the basement to work on his latest art project. And after his last vision, he needed to think plenty. He looked up at the canvas. I should have finished this days ago. But he hadn’t finished it.

  Aidan frowned and then squeezed the tube of red acrylic paint until a small crimson pool formed in the bottom of his cup. Too much red, he thought. Just a drop would have been enough for the eyes.

  He daubed his fine brush in the paint, lifted it slowly to the canvas, and stopped. I don’t want his eyes to be red. I want them to be blue! Aidan put the paintbrush down and rubbed his temples. How am I ever going to get Robby to understand, if I can’t talk to him?

  Aidan shook his head and absently scanned the basement. Funny, he thought. It all started down here with the scrolls. He looked over toward the alcove beneath the stairs, now crammed full of cardboard boxes he and his dad had moved to make room for Aidan’s art studio. Aidan shook his head and laughed quietly.

  He glanced around the room at his finished paintings, all illuminated by the conical track lights he and his father had installed. The five paintings were a kind of visual history of Aidan’s adventures—the Castle of Alleble, Grimwalk, Falon’s Labyrinth, the Black Crescent, and the Glimpses of Paragor.

  On the first canvas sprawled the Castle of Alleble and its vast courtyard, where Captain Valithor, the Sentinel and chief knight of Alleble, had trained an inexperienced and timid Aidan, turnin
g him into a brave warrior and eventually a hero. “Stir your stumps, Aidan, thou lumpish tardy-gaited puttock!!” Aidan grinned, remembering the tongue-lashings the Captain used to give him. It had scared Aidan half to death at first, but it really did toughen him up. Aidan had much to thank his Captain for.

  Valithor had sacrificed his own mighty life for Aidan. It was a sacrifice that still hit home in many ways, for Captain Valithor was the Glimpse of Aidan’s grandfather. His death in The Realm had also meant Grampin’s death on earth. Aidan often wished that he could have spoken to Grampin one last time before he died. There was still so much more Aidan yearned to know about The Realm—and about the visions. Captain Valithor had seemed to know something . . . had Grampin known it too?

  The next painting was all stormy grays and wintry whites, depicting the cold and desolate Grimwalk. Paragor, the dark ruler of that inhospitable region, had conjured forth a devastating storm to waylay Aidan and his team of knights from Alleble. There, Aidan had saved the life of Gwenne, his closest Glimpse friend, and received a kiss on the cheek for his troubles. Not a bad deal, Aidan thought with a warm smile. He wondered what Gwenne had been doing in The Realm since he left. Probably out on an adventure—some mission for King Eliam, no doubt. He wondered if she thought of him as much as he thought of her. If only I could . . . but he shook the thought away. Aidan knew there was no going back . . . not until the end.

  The next painting was of the subterranean maze known as Falon’s Labyrinth. It was there that Aidan encountered a serpentine creature more fearsome than anything that lurked in his darkest nightmares. But in that fateful meeting, Aidan did not perish. Instead, he gained a powerful ally.

  The last of Aidan’s finished paintings was a panoramic view of the Black Crescent. It was there, under the inspiration of King Eliam, that Aidan had pulled off a victory so startling that it earned him the title Knight of the Dawn and saw his name added to a very select list of Alleble’s heroes. Aidan ran his fingers across the long raised scar on his right forearm. The scar was a very real reminder of his adventures, but to Aidan’s continuing frustration, his mother refused to believe that the sharp blade of a sword had caused that wound. Aidan wondered what it would take to convince her that King Eliam, The Scrolls of Alleble, The Realm, and her decision to believe were all very real. So real in fact that they were a matter of life and death.