Newblood - A fantasy novel for NaNoWriMo 2018 PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE: Autumn, Year 2 of Koram, near Slatercape- Farside

Pinnet had to stop and gulp a few breaths of the dry Autumn air before he could do anything. The flight up the cliff had been pitifully slow considering that he was an Iron born- though he was mixed blood. But Pinnet had almost achieved the impossible. He had extracted princess Ellysia and her two children just a day old, from an Elf attack and one of the fiercest Elvens- Highmeadows. "Come Ellysia hurry! Here give me your hand." Pinnet shifted the slings holding the newborns to his left and extended his right hand towards Ellysia. He half dragged her onto the ledge. "Come. The boat is stashed just a fifty steps away."

Even as the pair stumbled towards the now visible promontory, they heard muted blasts; the high meadows would soon have the passage open. Pinnet checked the rope secured to the only tree there, a stout old pine four feet across. "Go on- climb down; the rope is knotted." Ellysia sat down panting, holding her hurting abdomen. "Pinnet please go first and mind the children. I need a few breaths to gather strength." A cold dread gripped Pinnet's heart but fiercely he clamped down on his emotion and began to climb down the sheer cliff face below which the boat was moored. Almost as soon as he stepped down onto the rocky bank the rope fell. Pinnet looked up to see Ellysia waving at him to go. Pinnet made a small bed in the well of the skiff, out of spare sailcloth and provision bags. Laying the two children side by side he united the mooring rope and sat down and took up the oars, steering the skiff into the current

Though he was expecting it, Ellysia's death crashed into his conscious like a lightning storm- for a few seconds Pinnet lost all control of his body. Though he recovered physically his bond to her had left a void in his heart which would take time to heal. Just about a minute after he recovered another powerful death blast echoed through his mind- Zarafar, Ellysia's husband.

Ellysia turned back and started back toward the ledge they had just climbed. She could hear the warriors struggling up the path. She stood on the ledge towering over the soldiers below, her bloody hands facing slightly outward and began chanting. The ledge started to tremble a grinding sound rising from the cliff itself. The warriors climbing toward her froze in fear of a magical attack. One of the Warriors who was a little bit away, Koner Bartel, took aim and threw a spear -hard and fast. It lodged in Ellysia's chest, where shoulder blades meet and she fell coughing blood, the chanting ceasing midway; the cliff stopped trembling and groaning but not before the ledge on which Ellysia was standing cracked. Half the ledge fell while the now pointed, jagged edged dripped Ellysia's blood onto the soldiers below.

At the stone villa where the Highmeadows had attacked at dawn a grim scene of death unfolded. A party of twenty warriors lead by Daryl Bartel, the warrior famous as the Tiger of Yillend, had broken in shattering the magical shield and killing the the few guards and servants who tried to stop them. Breaking the shield had taken all of Daryl's power plus a push from his son Koner. Now he stood chewing on a strip of meat recuperating. Senger - the second in command- approached Daryl to report. "Pinnet and the princess have escaped by a tunnel in the outer shed. I sent Koner in pursuit with six warriors. The house is secure except the first floor corner room sealed off with an iron door. Two soldiers are going through the house room by room. I have sent for a log to ram the door."

Daryl Bartel bunched his massive hands into fists. Ellysia has to die. The abomination has to end. he thought. Daryl was of the inner circle who had planned the end of Grendale, the day Elysia was born of a human mother. "I want to see the door. It may be magically sealed." Not waiting for a reply Daryl started up the wide curving staircase. The room was at the end of the hallway, the door was normal. Even though his second sight could not see any sign of magic, Daryl was sure some unusual power was stirring nearby.

Then a guttural voice called out "WAIT". It was Zarafar, Ellysia's husband and father to the triplets born yesterday. He was to follow Ellysia and Pinnet with the third child but before he could enter the tunnel he felt the shield break. He had collapsed the tunnel in front of him and retreated back to this room. And now Zarafar had just felt Ellysia die. His love. His life. Zarafar burned inside; his whole being was loath to exist without Ellysia. But the one day old son lying on the floor next to him, feebly crying out had kept Zarafar sane and alive. Zarafar opened the door and with the dagger in his left hand he cut his right forearm. Pointing with the bleeding arm to Daryl he announced. "Curse on you and all you love if you fail to protect him." and with the dagger he pointed at the child. Then a red nimbus surrounded him and in a burst of power which was felt by all souls for leagues around the villa he disintegrated into ash. The only remnant of the blast was a red spiked circle on Daryl's right forearm.