The Awakening: Artifact of Creation Read Online Free PDF Page A

by extending his powers into the world.
But the risk was too great. He knew there were others that shared
the same powers as he, borne from the ancient bloodlines of the
Awakened. Those others, who were born of similar bloodlines, and
who possessed the power of the Awakening, would seek him out and
thwart his plans. It was a risk he could not afford, especially in
his current weakened state.
    In the darkness of his quarters,
he felt the power of the Awakening churn and swell inside of him,
it was as if it were a living cancer that was symbiotic to his
actual life force, preserving his body for a thousand years until
he was finally able to return to the world of the living. He felt
the coolness of its presence guide his thoughts and actions. The
Awakening began to form images in his mind. The images flashed,
showing portions of both the past, present and future mixed
together to reveal secrets that were never meant to be known among
the world of man.
    The churning inside of him
continued. It conjured shadowy images inside his mind of men who
had just emerged from the edge of the forest on the outskirts of
the town. There were a handful of them, each broke off and went
their separate ways save for one lone man. The mists of shadow
inside the masked man’s mind formed an image of the lone man’s
face. It was his captain, Captain Tankard. Within the shadowy mists
that formed inside of his mind, the masked man watched Tankard
slowly make his way through the village. Then Tankard stopped just
a handful of yards away from the canvas quarters. The masked man
could sense the fear that emitted from the Captain’s
soul.
     
    “ I know you are there Captain
Tankard. What news have you?”
     
    Captain Tankard timidly entered
the quarters. He was a round man with rosy cheeks and long hair
that partially hid a fearsome scar across his left eye. He was
dressed in furs about his neck with leather straps that covered his
grey traveling cloak. He stepped into the darkness of the canvas
quarters.
     
     
    “ Lord Elixir...the boy escaped.”
He said with his head bowed. His hands shook at his
side.
     
    Elixir could sense the Captain’s
fear growing, it was a sensation he relished and longed for. It was
exhilarating watching mortals cower before his presence. He stepped
out of the shadows and into the light of a nearby candle. His mask
was made of rustic black metal that formed tightly around his
skull, a type of breathing apparatus was strapped across his mouth
and nose. Black slits for eyes glistened in the waning light of the
candle.
     
    “ Unacceptable Captain!” Elixir
berated the captain, his words sounded mechanical due to his
breathing apparatus.
    “ We tried...we lost the boy in the
forest...” The Captain’s words were cut-short by a sudden
constricting of his lungs. He gasped as air was wrenched out of his
body. His vision began to blur.
     
    In the wake of his blurring
vision, the Captain watched black energy radiate from Elixir’s
outstretched hand. The radiating energy entered into Captain
Tankard’s body. The captain felt his lungs collapsing inward. His
consciousness began to slip. Desperately he fought against the
effects of the dark energy that pulsated in his body, which was
crushing his lungs. Then the Captain coughed blood and collapsed in
a lifeless heap at the feet of Elixir.
     
    Elixir stepped over the dead
Captain and made his way through the canvas door of his quarters.
The captive villagers cowered in fear as they saw his dark form
pass among them. Elixir signaled to a nearby soldier.
     
    “ You there, take charge of this
camp, no prisoners shall escape. If one leaves, they all die. Got
it?” The guard nodded. “I must leave to seek out the
artifact.”
     
    Elixir knelt upon the ground and
bowed his head. Again images flashed in his mind as the Awakening
stirred inside of him. A black and purple aura irradiated around
his being as he reached out into the world through the
Awakening.
     
    In his