Rise of the Red Harbinger Read Online Free PDF Page B

about where to go?”
    Baltaszar had hoped he wouldn’t have to explain the whole story, but realized it was only fair to tell him. Maybe it would convince Bo’az to leave now, too. “The man was at our father’s body, searching for us. He knows who we are and he’s not from Haedon. He spoke of things that he shouldn’t have known about, things about us. And he said we have to find a ‘House of Darian,’ that the name Darian would guide us. We have to find Darian.”
    “So you want to leave to find something you’ve never heard of, just because a random stranger told you a story?”
    “It’s something. I can’t explain why, but I know he’s right. He even told me that this thing on my face isn’t a scar, it’s a special mark. Something about me being a descendant of someone.”
    “So you and I are twins, but you have a mark on your face and I don’t. And that means you're a descendant of someone but I am not? You’re a bloody stupid bastard, Tasz. I’m not going. You can go without me. When you wake up, let me sleep, I’m staying here.” Bo’az stretched out, turned away, and closed his eyes. It was clear now he would not give in. He’d always been stubborn as a goat.
    Baltaszar decided that when he woke up, he would gather both of their clothes, food, and supplies. Once he was finished, he would wake Bo’az up and threaten to leave with everything, unless he agreed to come along. He gave in to his eyelids, which had been fighting to close for hours now. As he submitted to sleep, he prayed that his dreams would be kind to him. He’d been afraid of what might plague his mind once he drifted off.
    ***
    Baltaszar heard a deafening roar in the forest and began to run. He could not tell whether he was running toward or away from something, but he felt compelled to run. Around him, the blackness conquered his vision. The trees and shrubs clawed, scratched, and ripped the skin from his arms and legs.
    Red lights floated in the distance, menacing and welcoming at the same time. Despite his unending flight through the forest, the lights neither grew closer nor diminished. Racing through the jungle, Baltaszar collided into trees, tripped over roots and rocks, and suffered cuts to his limbs, until finally an enormous root caught his foot and sent him hurtling down a slope of dirt and stones. He lay on the ground; face up, his body tangled with the forest floor, his eyes fighting off cloudiness.
    Once his eyes triumphed, the dark red spots grew larger until the forest disappeared and he could see nothing but red. The color filled the air. Made it cloudy. Then invaded his eyes, nose, mouth, lungs. The redness burned him from the inside out. Blood oozed from him, black with char. The deafening roar erupted again, louder and louder until it seemed as it was right in front of him. So close that he wasn’t sure if the roar came from him.
    Baltaszar awoke in a panic, drenched in sweat, unsure of his surroundings. The multi-colored sky approached dusk, darkness not far off. The dream made no sense, but he remained content to let it stay that way, for now.
    Baltaszar arose from the ground, ready to pack the sparse clothes, food, and supplies he and Bo’az had remaining. He turned to Bo’az, only to see that his brother was no longer there. All of his belongings remained, yet Bo’az was nowhere in sight. Baltaszar packed both of their things and waited for Bo’az to return.
    Baltaszar organized his pack: clothes at the bottom, then supplies, and then food at the top. He did the same for Bo’az. His only weapon was the curved blade he’d taken from the farm. But it would be enough to scare away anyone trying to steal from them. He hooked the blade to his belt.
    Baltaszar sat back under the tree, awaiting Bo’az’s return, and wondering whether any logic existed in anything Bo’az had said. He waited for more than an hour, nothing on his mind except that the sun was more courageous than he, because at least it was