The Last War (Book #9 of the Sage Saga) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Catherine asked, opening her eyes and raising an eyebrow. “You’re trying to lead up to something.”
    “I was thinking about Atianna, and how easily she was able to provoke me into absorbing her. I feel okay now, but I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t do it again if you were threatened by someone that powerful. Our enemies are on a level that we can’t compete with, and you’re thinking about us going right smack in the middle of their war. The Ancient Knights, Paragon, Cimmerian, Terra, the Delilah, and the Sorcerers. There are too many factions vying for the same thing. Even if one group is unaware of the machine, once they find out, all bets are off. They will slaughter each other to gain that kind of power because they can justify it. They know that once they use the machine, they’ll be able to bring back those that they killed and alter history to their liking.”
    “And if we do nothing?” Catherine asked in concern. “What happens to us?”
    “If the time machine gets used, then we won’t even remember making the decision to stay back.”
    “But what would we do in the mean time?”
    “Enjoy life,” he said, throwing up his hands. “To continue on this path, we’ll have to become something that we’re not, and I would much rather spend time with you. Paragon hasn’t been affected by the atmosphere that much in some areas. We could live in the countryside.”
    “I don’t know,” she sighed. “We would be at the mercy of whoever gains control.”
    “But are you willing to kill to get it in the right hands? And I don’t mean defensively either. Are you ready to kill someone outright because they’re closer to it than we are? Can we live with ourselves?”
    “Kyran does it.”
    “He did it out of necessity,” James retorted. “And not because he wanted to. Now, he’s stuck. He continues to kill for others because he’s used to the burden. But are we? Can we become that person?”
    “I would like to think I’d be okay, but I’m not sure.”
    “Then why don’t we give the simple life a try? Just for a couple of days?”
    Catherine sighed and looked at him. It was his smile that convinced her. It was warm, hopeful, and most of all—familiar. She smiled back and then reached over to give him a peck on the lips. His smile got wider and so did hers.
    “Sure,” she said. “Let’s give it a try.”
    “You’ll see,” James said. “We’ll be happy. You’ll be so happy that you won’t think about the world around you at all.”
    “Until the world comes calling to us,” she said under her breath.
    He didn’t hear a thing.
     

Chapter 4 – Family
    The grass upon which they walked began to brown and wither away. The sparse amount of trees that they encountered were dying, having given up on trying to produce the bright and verdant leaves that had once inhabited its branches. Grey and losing all of its color and luster, the trees acted as a sad signposts, signaling the end that was to come.
    The air was sporadic. Sometimes it was cold and unforgiving. Other times it was warm and inviting. Occasionally it rained and drenched James and Catherine, and periodically, it would send a volley of hail onto the crowns of their heads.
    It was as if the planet itself knew that it was dying, and unable to change that fact, it was throwing its final tantrum, hoping that someone would listen.
    James and Catherine ignored it as best they could.
    And the people as well.
    The people of Paragon that had fled the cities and taken to the countryside for comfort were weary and sorrowful. Many were simply lying in the dead grass with their heads slumped onto their chests, wondering what they were living for. James wanted to give them hope at times, and tell them that there was sunshine and food back from where they came, but he knew that it was futile. Even those luscious lands would soon be consumed. The three worlds couldn’t go on this way.
    “Look,” Catherine said, pointing in the distance and