Logan abandons the Elves' system of beliefs, following his father's brutal slaying by Man. Logan's loss fuels a destructive hunger for vengeance. Caught slaughtering Men wandering near the Elf city of Sungnaught, he is banished from the only place he has ever called home. Soon he meets a mysterious character, not indigenous to Klilax, who wears the necklace of the gods and bares troubling news - the citizens of Klilax are on the brink of eradication. Logan accepts an unfathomable mission to save his world and aligns himself with a misunderstood Dwarf, a deserted Ronx, and his only friend and love from home. Together they embark on an incredible journey, taking them from the Forest of Sungnaught to each race's unique habitat and beyond. Filled with thieves, wizards, dragons and powerful ancient creatures, the journey will test the depths of Logan's fortitude and lead him to a terrible secret that may send everyone to their peril. As the bonds of friendship strengthen, Logan continues to struggle with his greatest conflict; an inner struggle of good and evil. Will Logan be able to suppress his hatred and find the courage to fight for a land that pushed him to the edge of society, or do some wounds go too deep? Every decision Logan makes, could be his last.

Logan

Rise of the Shadow ElfBy J.J. Ryeczek

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 J.J. Ryeczek
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-7451-7

Contents

Prologue......................................................viiChapter 1 Conviction........................................viiChapter 2 The Death of Zohar................................5Chapter 3 Rise of the Shadow Elf............................10Chapter 4 A Lonely Path.....................................18Chapter 5 Clygon............................................27Chapter 6 Reunion...........................................34Chapter 7 Nex and Ronzo.....................................41Chapter 8 Rumgar............................................54Chapter 9 The Red Knights...................................69Chapter 10 Underground Castle................................76Chapter 11 Crimson Blade.....................................86Chapter 12 Battle of Dublas..................................100Chapter 13 A Rogue Mission...................................115Chapter 14 A Time to Celebrate...............................134Chapter 15 A Friend's Plea...................................150Chapter 16 Shock Waves.......................................165Chapter 17 Zomba Mountains...................................172Chapter 18 An Epic Duel......................................193Chapter 19 Safe and Helpless.................................210Chapter 20 Three Days Ago....................................223Chapter 21 A New Ally........................................243Chapter 22 Voyage Across the Great Ocean.....................260Chapter 23 Isle of the Dragons...............................285Chapter 24 Xanzomith.........................................301Chapter 25 Magic is Might....................................321Chapter 26 A Powerful Alliance...............................335Chapter 27 Consequence of a Promise..........................343Chapter 28 A New Age Begins..................................374Chapter 29 End of Innocence..................................386Chapter 30 Fallen Warrior....................................398Chapter 31 Klilax............................................415

Chapter One

Conviction

Deep desire for vengeance raged within Logan; he shrouded himself in shadows, envisaging his next kill, five Man thieves who wandered too close to his Forest.

The five scruffy-looking bandits sat under the full moon, around a small fire they built using sticks and leaves gathered from the ground nearby. The bare carcass of a small animal hung above the fire, its meat plucked to the bone.

"They had a hefty bag of silver pieces for such a young couple," one of the Men boasted, lifting a bulky brown leather coin pouch. "Should have let them live to steal from again."

A black-bearded Man laughed obnoxiously. His annoying, high-pitched cackle halted abruptly as an arrow shot straight through his mouth, exiting the back of his head.

The other four Men jumped to their feet, looked into the dark Forest for their attacker and reached anxiously for their swords.

"Where did it come from?" shouted one of the Men before an arrow pierced his heart.

Only a moment passed before another Man fell, a long dagger between his eyes.

The two remaining Men trembled and begged for mercy from their unseen assailant.

"Please stop! We have silver we can pay you." The Man yelled in a cracked and horrified voice. He took out his own coin pouch and threw it towards the Forest.

Logan stepped out of the darkness, his bow on his back, hatred on his face. The Men stared at Logan in terror; he was only a dozen paces away.

Logan drew his sword, his eyes cold; he stepped closer to the thieves. Without saying a word, he advanced and callously slashed the neck of the Man to his right; Logan showed no hint of hesitation or remorse.

Logan turned to the last Man, who shivered in fear. The thick-boned Man thrust his sword forward. Logan side-stepped the attack and swung his blade down on the Man's wrist. The severed hand fell to the ground, squirming, the sword still in its grasp.

The Man, bent over in pain, holding his arm as he fell to his knees, crying.

"Stop! Please stop! Spare my life!"

Logan turned his back to the Man, retrieved his dagger and wiped the blood off on the dead Man's face.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The Elf answered in a low chilling voice. "My name is Logan, and I want you to die."

The Man cried hysterically, "Please make it quick."

Without pause, Logan decapitated the Man, silencing the cries and pleas that had disturbed the peaceful sound of the crackling fire burning away in the night.

The next morning, the sun glistened off the dewdrops on the Forest trees. Lord Lexhemius, ruler of Sungnaught, was in his usual morning spot-the middle of Alzavyn, speaking to ordinary Elves who had come to listen to him. Alzavyn was a small flat area surrounded by the enormous roots of six very old trees. The intertwined roots reached as high as eight feet above the ground; two small passages let the Elves enter and exit the nearly enclosed circle. Lord Lexhemius cautioned the many Elves surrounding him about the dangers outside of Sungnaught.

Lexhemius, a wise and gentle leader, loved all Elves as his own children. He took every opportunity he had to counsel Elves both young and old to pass on the wisdom he gained throughout his long life.

"Last night, right outside Sungnaught, five Men were brutally murdered. They were cut, stabbed and beheaded."

His audience gasped.

"What a terrible way to die. Such a tragedy," said Lexhemius, sorrow in his voice.

"A tragedy? Maybe it's a blessing!" A voice yelled out from the crowd.

Other voices in the crowd rumbled: "Logan! He's at it again! How much longer do we have to hear his evil?"

Lexhemius spotted Logan in the crowd and stated calmly, "That is enough. We are not going to do this again right now."

Logan continued, with great conviction: "Every day the Men take more and more land. They have no respect for the other races, no respect for nature, for Klilax. Every night I smell their stench get closer and closer to the city. Soon they will want to claim Sungnaught as their own. Do we wait idly by, do nothing? I say we force them to stick to the promise they made in the REDM Deal-if we even have the strength to stand up to them now."

"Logan, that is enough! People grow tired of your ill will and hateful intent." Lexhemius softened his voice. "Revenge is not our way. If you cannot find harmony in that dark heart of yours, I fear one day you will let it get the best of you."

"Lord Lexhemius, Men spread like maggots on a rotting animal carcass. If we don't start doing something about it, soon, it will be too late."

The rest of the Elf audience grumbled: "He speaks of open war ... he won't be happy until every last Man is dead ... how can he be one of us? You were right ... his heart is as dark as shadows ... the Shadow Elf is dangerous ... his father would be ashamed of him."

Lexhemius took a deep breath and searched his mind for the right words to alleviate Logan's distrust of Men.

"Logan, you know war hurts everyone. And we are protected by the Tiverus River that borders our Forest. Since we have learned to control the river's flow, no Man has ever been able to cross it unless an Elf slowed the current. We are safe here in our Forest. Negotiations and peace talks must...