Rune of the Apprentice (The Rune Chronicles) Read online

  PRAISE FOR

  RUNE OF THE APPRENTICE

  “Within just a few moments of reading Rune, I was drawn into the adventurous, magical world Jamison Stone has created—my heartbeat pulsed, my breath grew shallow, my fingers trembled as I leapt from page to page—and this was all in merely the first chapter! Stone has hit it out of the ballpark with this book, and you will not want to put it down. An epic read.” —Ben Greenfield, New York Times bestselling author of Beyond Training

  “Rune is an epic journey about transforming the darkness within so that we can achieve true peace in the world around us.” —Chade-Meng Tan, New York Times bestselling author of Joy on Demand and Search Inside Yourself

  “Stone presents us with a fresh, superbly crafted fantasy epic that conquers both world and character building. Rune is tantalizing to the imagination, and invigorating for the soul.” —Tal M. Klein, author of The Punch Escrow

  “An engaging story filled with magic, swordplay, and even pirates! The world that Stone has imagined is vast, the political webs complex, and the interaction between the gods, magic, and men is well thought out and well described. Easy five stars.” —Dave Barrett, author of It’s All Fun and Games

  “Through Stone’s eloquent prose, readers can feel Aleksi’s heart-pulsing race against time as we’re drawn into a world of rich history and magic. I was on the edge of my seat, across oceans and over land, until the last page.” —Zachary Tyler Linville, author of Welcome to Deadland

  “Stone has crafted an exciting fantasy epic set in a mysterious world of intrigue and adventure. Intricately written and populated with characters we not only root for but also deeply identify with, Rune is constructed with tangible enthusiasm that pours from every page. The flowing prose is experienced rather than read—and done with vivid clarity. I’m highly anticipating the next in the series!” —J-F. Dubeau, author of The Life Engineered and A God in the Shed

  “Stone writes beautifully. The characters of Rune are alive and vibrant, the world in which they dwell is both exciting and rich, and the story which propels it all is not only engaging, but profoundly deep.” —Stuart C. Lord, editor of Common Good—Common Ground

  “An epic blend of anticipation, magic, and adrenaline. Lovers of huge worlds and heroic characters will feel right at home. With a solid foundation of deep characters and mythic storytelling, Stone’s breakout debut novel is one you won’t want to miss. Rune of the Apprentice is fantasy at its finest!” —Chris Cole, author of The Body of Chris

  “Stone has created a world of fantasy that can be matched by few others. His characters vibrate with life, and the tension he creates is palpable. The story weaves its way through land and over sea, focusing on an ultimate adventure that is sure to be cataclysmic. I barnstormed through Rune of the Apprentice in a matter of hours, and I’m desperately wanting to read the next in the series. Put this book on your must-read list!” —Peter Ryan, author of Sync City

  “Stone has created a vivid world filled with rich detail unlike any I’ve ever seen. His diverse cast of engaging characters brings his vision to life so brightly that I cannot wait for the next installment.” —Terry Mixon, author of The Empire of Bones Saga and The Humanity Unlimited Saga

  “Through beautiful prose, Stone inspires the minds of our youth to choose a path which restores peace. Rune reminds us that we are not strangers, but instead, friends, peacemakers, and most importantly, need to dedicate our lives to protecting those who have lost so much due to cruelty and injustice.” —Ahm Mainuddin Ahmed, founder of Fatema Matin Women’s College and Char Fasson Orphanage and advocate lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh

  “Stone conjures a seafaring pursuit with the fate of nations under the sails of the Illusive Diamond that instantly pulls you in. It’s absolutely the perfect universe to geek out over, built to satiate the desires of any epic fantasy fan.” —Rick Heinz, author of The Seventh Age: Dawn

  “Stone’s writing style is clear, engaging, and highly recommended! In just the first chapter alone, Rune of the Apprentice will provide immediate immersion into a mystical and mysterious world that will keep you coming back for more.” —Erik A. Lenderman, author of Principles of Practical Psychology: A Brief Review of Philosophy, Psychology, and Neuroscience for Self-Inquiry and Self-Regulation

  “Stone is a masterful world-builder, and I felt like I was truly stepping onto Terra from the moment I started reading. There is a depth and complexity to the world and characters that breathes life into the narrative itself. Reading Rune of the Apprentice is a fun and magical adventure that left me thinking about the world and its characters long after I put the book down.” —D. L. Wainright, author of The Hollow Sun and Fractured Masks

  “Stunning, engaging and epic . . . Rune takes larger-than-life immersive world spaces to the next level.” —Rob McNamara, author of The Elegant Self

  “As with all good fantasy, Rune of the Apprentice draws one into a world filled with compelling characters and ever-deepening mystery . . . Stone’s debut leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the next installment.” —Nataraja Kallio, author of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Teachers

  “I was immediately captivated by the world created by Stone—the world of a teenage boy, Aleksi, cast out of innocence into the machinations of adult politics and manipulation. Aleksi is forced into a life of danger and uncertainty and into the possibility for a hopeful, better future. He has the skills and the magic—does he have the courage?” —David Atekpatzin Young, Native American storyteller and healer, author of Chicansimo and A Magic Feather

  “Stone creates a striking, realistic world in Rune with alluring characters and exciting stakes, steeped with an original mythology that leaves you wanting more.” —Paul Inman, author of Ageless and cohost of the WriteBrain podcast

  “A detailed and beautifully crafted new world. The descriptions of Terra’s geography and its inhabitants are so vivid that I could easily imagine myself walking through the avenues, squares, and marketplaces of Mindra’s Haven. Probably one of Stone’s biggest achievements is his capacity to portrait his hero’s internal struggle. Aleksi is young, powerful, and good at heart but lost. Having the reader rooting for Aleksi from beginning to end requires the work of a skillful storyteller; Stone is definitely that person.” —Ricardo Henriquez, author of The Catcher’s Trap

  “An enthralling read. . . . This is high fantasy at its finest, and Stone follows in a tradition of storytellers who have taken fantasy to the high seas. Somewhere I imagine Abraham Merritt is smiling.” —Matthew Isaac Sobin, author of The Last Machine in the Solar System

  “A big, sweeping fantasy with a super-cool and unique mythology. Eagerly awaiting book two . . .” —Christopher Leone, author of Champions of the Third Planet

  “An intricate tale set in an even more intricate world that begs you to sip deeper on the hearty ale this story is. Stone weaves this tale like a master artist crafting the finest tapestry. Take your time, let the world and characters waft around you, drawing you in. You’ll be very glad you did.” —Brian Guthrie, author of Rise

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2016 Jamison Stone

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Inkshares, Inc., San Francisco, California

  www.inkshares.com

  Edited
and designed by Girl Friday Productions

  www.girlfridayproductions.com

  Cover design by M.S. Corley

  Map illustrated by M.S. Corley

  Cover photographs © Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock; © oriontrail/Shutterstock

  ISBN: 9781941758915

  e-ISBN: 9781941758922

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016930436

  First edition

  Printed in the United States of America

  This work is dedicated to the Hero and Heroine within us all.

  PROLOGUE

  There are moments in the history of people and planets when myth, legend, and inescapable destiny rule. Such times are bound by prophecy and, once begun, are impossible to halt—for the fates of all, unknowingly intertwined, move toward a numinous end that will not be denied.

  It was on such a night that destiny stirred, once again, on the planet of Terra. Hanging in the starry sky like great watching eyes, Terra’s two moons shone with a silvery-blue light which radiated from deep within their cores. Far below, on Terra’s surface, the orbs cast a soft glow into a small clearing in the woods nestled onto the side of the impossibly tall mountain of Devdan’s Zenith.

  The glade’s thick pines swayed gently in the wind. Whispering through the branches and soft grasses, a breeze circled a solitary man, ruffling the dark robes that hung from his shoulders. Growing stronger, the gust pushed back his long hair, causing it to shine like black gossamer in the shafts of silver moonlight that fell through the shadowed canopy around him.

  Behind the man, the monolithic citadel of the Masters’ Academy rose proudly from the side of the colossal mountain. Like always, the Academy’s sanctified crystal towers were ablaze, tirelessly casting back the darkness of the night. Looming above the spires, the mountain’s Zenith reflected the light of the moons, caressing the heavens much as a lover would.

  With his back to the Academy and his hair strewn about him, the man sat nobly in the grass. His legs were crossed, feet resting on opposite knees. As the breeze blew across his face, he closed his eyes and cupped his hands as if clutching an invisible sphere. The man silently mouthed an ancient invocation, and his hands shook in the shadows. He intoned the Runic language of Numen—an occult burden that few in Terra knew the weight of.

  A translucent light appeared. Pulsing in time with his heartbeat, it slowly grew within the space between his palms. Forming itself into a small ball, the glow shone through his fingers, casting long shadows against the grass. As the light grew stronger, intricately flowing Runes coalesced on the ball’s surface. The cryptic glyphs danced across the sphere in a scrolling line, detailing the orb’s power and purpose. With his Runic casting complete, the man lowered his hands and let out a great sigh.

  The Runic ball expanded. Swirling like incandescent water, it cast an eerie glow within the clearing. As the sphere grew to a diameter of nearly two meters, the man felt its edges flow over his robed body like shimmering quicksilver. After it fully enclosed him, the Runes on the orb’s outer surface shone with a new, multicolored ferocity. The man felt himself grow buoyant as he was lifted several centimeters off the grass. As the sphere’s exterior took solid form, the outside world was completely blocked from view. The man was gently lowered onto the orb’s smooth inner surface.

  The man’s long hair shone dimly in the faint light of the sphere’s inner walls. He bowed his head and took a long apprehensive inhalation. Upon his face was a look of uneasiness, and his shoulders were tensed in anticipation of the conversation to come. Exhaling slowly, he forced his body to relax.

  Raising his palms to the curved walls, the man focused his mind and once again mouthed a silent command. With a sudden flash, the interior of the sphere sprang to life, revealing a full 360-degree panorama of a small stone room with a low-burning fire.

  Many kilometers away on Terra’s Northern Continent of Simn, a large, muscular man of dark presence sat alone in a stone room. Lit by a tepid fire, the room had a thin rug and only a single wooden door, bolted shut.

  The man wore a long cloak accented with deep greens that matched the bright emeralds of his eyes. Tailored in the style of the North, his clothes were intricately embroidered with the designs of the noble aristocracy. Upon both hands and forearms, however, he wore ornately crafted gauntlets of a much more sinister style and origin.

  He sat on a low cushion with his eyes half-closed until a glimmer of light arose before him. His eyes perked up as a holographic projection of a robed man with long dark hair slowly took form in the barren room. Imbued with a translucent Runic glow, the visitor’s visage cast faint shadows in the dim room.

  The long-haired man’s projection pressed his hands together before his heart and bowed his head low. The light of the fire seemed to pass through his luminescent body and eerily dance across the stone walls.

  The muscular man did not return the bow. “The hour grows late, Nataraja.” His voice was a deep rumble, akin to a massive boulder slowly rolling forward, with nothing to stop its inevitable movement.

  “I apologize, Lord Asura,” Nataraja answered. “Getting away from the Academy was difficult tonight.”

  “You know that was not my meaning.”

  “Aleksi has proven . . . challenging to shift, Master. His anger is growing as intended but now threatens to overtake him.” Nataraja forced his voice to remain calm. “Lord, I need more time. Please just grant me—”

  Asura raised his armored fist, cutting Nataraja’s words short. Blue fire raced across Asura’s gauntleted arm and flowed into his hand. No one else in known history had dared awaken a Runic tool of such ominous power, passed down from an age long forgotten.

  “What difference does a drop of time make?” Asura asked roughly. The smoky-blue light in his fist then fractured, and pristine white sand seeped through his mailed fingers.

  “Lord, it does not have to be this way.” Nataraja strained to keep his voice controlled as he watched the grains fall to the floor. “Aleksi will turn and join our cause. I am so very close—”

  “After Rudra abandoned the boy, you had five years to complete your mission. Yet Aleksi’s Rune is now awakening and I refuse to allow his power to go unchecked—lest he seek out Rudra and aid his so-called Resistance.”

  “My Lord, I—”

  “You have failed!” Asura boomed, wiping the last of the sand from his palms. “I wanted him, but your charade as Aleksi’s Master ends tonight. Go now and collect your things. Your time in the East is done.”

  A look of confusion passed over Nataraja’s face. “Lord, Aleksi is still just a youth and has so much potential. I beg you—”

  Before Nataraja could utter another word, Asura clapped his hands. A wave of concussive energy swept through the room, striking Nataraja’s holographic projection in the chest and causing it to momentarily blur.

  When Nataraja spoke again there was desperation in his tone. “Master, please do not command me to kill the boy.”

  “No need,” Asura answered coldly. “I have sent a shadow to deal with him. I assume you know which one. A fitting end for the youth, don’t you agree?”

  Anger flashed across Nataraja’s face, but he quickly regained his composure.

  “Always remember,” Asura continued, eyeing Nataraja carefully, “it is your failure that has killed Aleksi. Although this boy’s blood does not warm your blade, just like the last one it will forever stain your hands.”

  Fury shone in Nataraja’s eyes as his projected image disintegrated into bits of light that sheared off into nothingness.

  “I will know you by your actions, Nataraja,” Asura said, as he once again tightened his gauntleted fists. “Choose your path carefully . . .”

  Back in the clearing on the Eastern Zenith, Nataraja’s Runic sphere once again returned to flowing light. The light soon disintegrated and dispersed into the shadows, leaving Nataraja alone in the darkness among the wind, trees, and grass.

  “No, not like La’vail,” Nataraja whispered
bitterly as a ripple of anger moved across his face. “Not Aleksi, too . . .”

  Nataraja was immediately on his feet and sprinting, long hair flowing behind him. Faster than any normal man should be able to move, his body became a flicker of light as he raced toward the massive citadel that protruded from the great mountainside above.

  Soon, Nataraja approached the fore-gates of the Masters’ Academy. Two guards stood facing the night. Each held a guttering torch that cast a halo of warmth into the cool evening mist. Nataraja swept past them in a flash. As he did, one of the guards called out.

  “Master, is everything . . . ?”

  Nataraja flew across the stable yard and up a back stairway that led to the students’ sleeping halls. He raced up a winding flight of stone stairs and came within sight of Aleksi’s door. Without losing speed, Nataraja raised a hand. The air around his outstretched arm rippled with light. Nataraja’s Runic power silently ripped the door off its thick metal hinges and cast it aside.

  Bursting into the darkness, Nataraja held out both palms and whispered under his breath. Answering his command, the wall lamps ignited, burning bright in the small room. Now that it was illuminated, Nataraja could see that the chamber was bare. Before him was a writing desk devoid of papers, an empty closet, and a wooden chest at the foot of a neatly made bed. The room’s only window stood open. Outside, there was a clear view of the moons shining down on the large island of Adhira just off the coast.

  Nataraja’s black hair shone in the lamplight. Nataraja was in his midyears, and when they saw him in profile, women still thought him tempting—but after they looked into his hardened green eyes and saw that fierce stare, any thought of seduction evaporated. That very gaze now swept the room with the unmistakable glare of violence.