Rage of the Diamond's Eye (The Guildsmen Series Book 1) Read online

  Rage of the Diamond’s Eye

  The Guildsmen Series Vol I

  Written by Shawn M. Becker

  Copyright © 2014 by Shawn M Becker

  Cover design by Ravven

  All Rights Reserved

  For Tara – My greatest inspiration

  For Riley – My biggest fan

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter TwentyOne

  Chapter TwentyTwo

  Chapter TwentyThree

  Chapter TwentyFour

  Chapter TwentyFive

  Chapter TwentySix

  Chapter TwentySeven

  Chapter TwentyEight

  Chapter TwentyNine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter ThirtyOne

  Chapter ThirtyTwo

  Chapter ThirtyThree

  Chapter ThirtyFour

  Chapter ThirtyFive

  1

  Sajiix Mirhan, Magi of the Amethyst Order, gazed upon the treetops of the forested realm of Emeryvale, oblivious to the autumn splendor before him. It was a testament to his adult life – ignoring any natural wonder or fascinating conversation due to the detailed scheming within his own mind. Immersed in his own contemplations, the Magi ignored the blazing sea of reds, burnt oranges, and deep violets that danced with the cool afternoon breeze. His hands rested upon the cold stone of the thick balustrade that lined his personal balcony, his shoulders set, his green eyes locked beyond the horizon. Even the sharp cry of a hunting valehawk did little to bring him from his thoughts.

  The Magi stood on a balcony near the top of the Amethyst Tower within the fortress known as the Arcanum. Its seven towers and various out buildings had been constructed along a line of cliffs on the northern ridge of Vhaalia. This offered the fortress protection on the west by the roiling waters of the Stormrage Sea and by the thick forests of Emeryvale to the north and east. The Amethyst Tower stood close to the northern cliffs, giving Sajiix a constant view of the changing seasons within the temperate climate of Vhaalia. He may have noticed the shifting wonder of nature when he first arrived at the Arcanum, but back then, he was a mere student. Now, he was a Master Magi with expectations and demands that invaded most of his thoughts. He had no time for such twaddle as sunsets or the color of leaves. Only one color concerned him – the color of the Amethyst, the color that represented his Order.

  The valehawk cried out again, its shadow skimming the tower as its massive form passed close by. Its passing stirred the cooler air, causing it to gust along the balcony. Sajiix’s purple, mauve, and black layered robes protected him from the cold winds that gusted so far up the tower. A deep hood that hid his face blew back, revealing a stern, clean-shaven visage that was now showing the deep lines of one reaching middle-age. His green and amethyst eyes sparkled as he stared eastward, away from the setting sun.

  Sajiix felt comfortable here high along the tower, away from the mundane aspects that lay below him. Beyond the balcony was his personal five-chambered suite that took up a quarter of the tower this far up. His living arrangements consisted of a sitting room, two bed chambers, a personal bath, and even a laboratory for him to use at his leisure. Sajiix had every amenity given to him by his status in the Arcanum. He was free to come and go as he pleased. Sajiix was no longer required to teach students unless he wanted to. It was all any Magi could hope for.

  And yet, it was not enough.

  It was never enough, he thought with a smirk. He ran a pale hand along the smooth surface of the balustrade, subconsciously admiring the steelstone. On his index finger sat a ring of pure silver, capped with a large, eloquently cut amethyst. Sajiix examined it for a moment, captured by the facets reflecting the dying sunlight. The ring had cost him a small fortune. The silver was next to nothing, but the size and cut of the gem drained his personal coffer. It was well worth the price for such a rare prize. The size of this particular amethyst was rarer, still. Sajiix had caught more than one Magi in the Arcanum staring at the immense stone, many admiring, others dismissing it as vanity. But, the jewelry was more than a narcissistic statement – it was a matter of survival.

  Any person that experienced an affinity toward the elements – towards the magic – could summon the power within them. But to use it, to force the power to do the Magi’s will, one had to focus that buildup of energy into a gemstone that represented their Order, such as a diamond, sapphire, ruby, emerald, topaz, amethyst, or onyx. Many Magi fashion their own jewelry or accoutrements to create what is known as foci. Without their foci, a Magi is as helpless as a blind merchant in a sea of thieves. Many wrongly assume that the larger the gem, the greater the power that is focused; Sajiix, however, knew that one also had to have the skill to summon more power within, as well as the endurance to produce the continued arcane energy. If not carefully maintained, the magic can exhaust any Magi to the point of death.

  From the foci, Sajiix turned his attention to the slightly weathered hand that it sat against. They were smooth and strong hands, lacking only color from the sun. Sajiix saw them differently. He saw the creases, the wrinkles, the aging that was beginning to show between the fingers, along the curves. It was a constant reminder that he was running out of time.

  For too long, Sajiix believed himself to be impervious to anything thrown at him. His mind was sharp, his arcane focus was powerful, and he was fairly certain that women found him irresistible. He was close to reaching his fortieth autumn, and he was beginning to notice little moments that spoke volumes to him. Sajiix needed more sleep to get through the day, his garments needed taken out around the waist, and just a few days prior, he had lost control of the magic. His concentration had slipped for only a fraction of a second, but it was long enough to have caused serious damage had Sajiix been fighting for his life. He had no desire to grow any older; to become feeble, imperfect, and unwanted. But, the only way to reverse the effects of aging was to increase his power. And to do that, he needed the Shadowgem.

  The Shadowgem was a fist-sized amethyst of immense wealth and power - one of the seven famed Gemstones of Val’Cryys. Val’Cryys was a Magi of incredible strength and intelligence who, as legend has it, was able to control all the orders of magic. As he grew stronger, he fashioned seven large gemstones containing the elemental essence of those orders: An amethyst for shadow; a ruby for fire; an emerald for earth; a yellow topaz for air; a sapphire for water; an onyx for death; and a diamond for life. But, the wise Val’Cryys eventually realized that these gemstones would cause nothing but chaos for those coveting them. To stem the growing avarice of those around him, he and six of his students hid each gemstone away in places unknown, keeping their locations secret through death. The Gemstones of Val’Cryys eventually become a legend, a merchant’s rumor, a farmer’s tale told to fascinate his children.

  But they were not legend!

  Eighteen years before, Sajiix and a few companions were appointed to collect the Purestone – the Diamond of Val’Cryys – from a priest in a war-torn land. The priest was a scholar of the gemstones and his studies led them d
irectly to the diamond that sat at the base of a statue in a run-down chapel located in a run-down village. Sajiix recalled the moment he had cradled the large diamond in both of his still-young hands. It was cold to the touch, yet burned his skin as surely as molten steel. Sajiix could sense the power within the diamond, could sense it as close as a starving man can smell food amongst a passing farmer’s caravan, but Sajiix gained nothing from touching the gem, nor would he. He was a Shadow Magi – a Magi from the Amethyst Order. Only the amethyst Gemstone of Val’Cryys would allow him to tap into its vast potential; a gemstone not seen on any realm of Vasalius for over two-hundred years.

  Since that day, Sajiix searched Vasalius for any sign or clue of the Shadowgem. Every resource known to him was used; every favor was called in, every link to his past severed by the obsessive nature of his search. Eighteen years, he thought as he stared at his hands. How much have I lost just for the dream of gaining so much? He had lost friends, lovers, and a different life that could have led him to glory instead of infamy. Sajiix shook his head, tearing his vision away from his hands and the rapidly lengthening shadows of the Amethyst Tower as the sun began its descent into twilight. He had much work to do before he could rest and pining over his lost years would only lead to a foul mood.

  A gust of autumn wind sprung up as he turned toward the wide opening that led to his suite’s main chamber. He paused to adjust his cloak, noting the darkness that had claimed his room, its numerous candles still unlit. He sensed the figure standing in the darkness before he actually saw it. It was well concealed, using knowledge and power only learned through shadow magic. Sajiix had channeled the power of his magic to his foci within two steps of first noticing the intruder. He held onto it, letting the buildup continue in his ring, letting the energy swirl and caress him. A piercing aura of violet light began to radiate from the Magi’s left hand, allowing Sajiix to see the black-cloaked intruder standing just inside the double doors. The figure stepped forward cautiously, its hands folded within the voluminous sleeves of its cloak.

  Sajiix pulled back on the power, letting it slip away. The glow of the amethyst on his foci faded to a deep purple, but the Magi kept it ready in case the intruder decided to attack. For the moment, the mysterious figure only stood there, its hands remained in its cloak (a good sign for a peaceful resolution). Sajiix stood guardedly, his right hand slightly extended at his side. He still could not see within the darkness of the stranger’s hood.

  “You have made a serious lapse in judgment by entering my quarters uninvited,” Sajiix told the intruder. “Show your face and tell me what it is you want.” The Magi gestured slightly with his foci, giving the hooded figure a clue as to what awaited if he failed to comply.

  The intruder remained standing and removed two thick hands from the sleeves of his cloak. They were covered with blue-black fur, the palms lined with leathery pads. The figure’s strange hands then pushed back its silk-hood and Sajiix released the arcane energy he had stored in one surprised gasp.

  “Lynth?”

  The creature that stood before Sajiix was slightly shorter than him. Its face was that of a panther, with large yellow eyes that studied Sajiix intelligently. The same blue-black fur that covered its hands covered its face as well. A soft snout was centered there, ending in a wide black nose. Long, thick whiskers drooped from the sides of the snout, ending well past the chin. Two gleaming fangs of white protruded from its mouth. Large, tufted ears capped the creatures head and swiveled from back to front as it carefully examined its surroundings.

  “Yes, it is I, Sajiix Mirhan,” the creature spoke with a fluid bass that seemed almost ethereal. “And it is you that has made a serious lapse in judgment.”

  Sajiix shook his head, trying to clear it of the shock from seeing the Zynnashan for the first time in nearly a decade. “I do not understand, Lynth. What lapse in judgment?”

  The beast took one step toward Sajiix, pointing a finger at the Magi. “The Purestone has been taken from us. It was stolen by an outsider. The light from the diamond is now extinguished from our lands. The Highguard have decided to allow the armies of Zynnasha to come for it.”

  Sajiix glared at the finger Lynth pointed at him, knowing that underneath was a dagger-tipped claw as sharp as any steel. The Magi quickly regained his wits and walked around the Zynnashan’s arm into his common room. He did not bother to look behind to see if the beast followed him inside, Sajiix just expected he would. As he moved amongst his lavish furnishings, Sajiix’s mind scrambled for coherency to what Lynth had told him.

  The Purestone was stolen; the same diamond that Sajiix had just moments ago been thinking of. Known by many names, the gem was coveted by not only the Diamond Order of Magi, but also the House of Diathanos – the church that worshipped the Diamond God of Light and Life. The diamond had been given to the Zynnashans after its use in the Theenian War. It seemed the only logical thing to do as the Arcanum and the church were ready to destroy each other over who was to keep it.

  “Stolen by whom?” Sajiix asked, striking flint against a steel rod and lighting a set of thick beeswax candles that lay grouped on top of the stone mantle that capped a massive fireplace in the center of the common room.

  Lynth’s yellow-gold eyes flared in the candlelight, his black pupils retracting to nearly nothing as he stared hard at Sajiix. “We do not know, but our injured claim it was a group of humans who fled south. They sailed their ship toward the shores of Kaalmoore.”

  Sajiix nodded, using one of the candles to light another group. He was still amazed at how well Lynth articulated his speech with such a mouthful of teeth. “They escaped?”

  “They did.”

  “And you came to me…?” Sajiix let the rest go unasked.

  Lynth watched the Magi light more candles and shifted uneasily. “It is well known that you covet the Purestone. You have been to our lands many times to see it and have traversed them in your effort to find the amethyst.

  “You alone have the power and the desire to take it.”

  Sajiix turned and laughed, the shadows from the candlelight flickering in a mad dance. “I shall take that as a compliment, old friend; however, even if I did have the power, I would not be so foolish as to take anything belonging to Zynnasha.” The Magi gazed intently at Lynth. “Besides, that was given to your people in good faith. I gave that to you in friendship.”

  “You have betrayed friends before.”

  The Zynnashan said it matter-of-factly, with no hint of scorn. Sajiix stepped closer to the panther-beast, his eyes blazing. “I did not steal it,” he snarled coldly. “Nor did I hire anyone to do so. You have come here on a false pretense, Lynth. I suggest you pursue these thieves elsewhere.”

  “I apologize if I have offended you, Sajiix Mirhan,” Lynth said with the same neutral tone. “But, you must be made to understand that my people are coming to Kaalmoore to find the Purestone. They are not coming to bargain, they will not parlay with the human king of that realm. They will sweep across the land until the thieves are found, and the diamond returned.”

  “The Highguard plans to invade Kaalmoore?” Sajiix asked incredulously. “Invade the most powerful realm of Vasalius because the thieves fled there? Do they not realize that King Jalled will see this as an act of war?”

  Lynth let out a sigh that ended in a deep growl. “I voiced my desire for a different option, but Highlord Bragas would not hear it. I even reminded him of the Oath which only seemed to anger him further.”

  Sajiix nodded, recalling the Zynnashan Oath made hundreds of years ago when the powerful creatures revealed themselves to the realms of Vasalius. The Zynnashans were rumored to have been created when the Sentinels walked the world. Few books exist that speak of the Age of Wonder – when the Seven Gods ruled the realms. According to the few texts that Sajiix had been able to find, the Zynnashans were created as guardians – a melding of magic and the animal life that thrived on the far side of the world. A variety of hybrids were created from bears, apes,
wolves, and great cats such as Lynth. Highly intelligent, the Zynnashans created their own society, their own laws.

  One such law was the Oath of Neutrality. With the great power these creatures had at their command, the Highguard (the ruling class) decreed that they were to stay out of the affairs of humans and would remain isolated in their far away land. The Zynnashans would subvert this oath only during the most dangerous of times – such as twenty years ago when Lynth offered his services to a group of adventurers who were trying to stop a priest of Maalithor – God of Darkness and Death - from rampaging Vasalius with his gathered army of creatures called Boorsliig.

  “This goes far beyond a few of you making a surprise visit every so often,” Sajiix said with an acerbic tone. “Your people will attack Kaalmoore and you will force Jalled to send not only his Knights, but he will ask the Arcanum and the House of Diathanos for aid. Do you believe the Zynnashans can defeat such numbers?”

  Lynth remained silent, his eyes shifting from the candle flames back to Sajiix as though he were trying to make a difficult decision. “Highlord Bragas is confident…”

  The pause afterward told Sajiix all he needed to know. “But, you have doubts?”

  Lynth’s intense scrutiny of the Magi returned as he bore his full gaze upon Sajiix. “I believe the Purestone has somehow infected the Highlord,” Lynth spat the words out as though they tasted of spoiled meat. “He is not thinking strategically, nor is he thinking rationally. Highlord Bragas is an honorable soul, Sajiix Mirhan, and it pains me to think of him so.”

  Sajiix recalled meeting the Highlord once during one of his quests to find the Shadowgem in Zynnasha. Like Lynth, he was a hybrid of man and beast, but the animal side of him was that of a massive brown bear. Bragas was fierce, his intelligence high enough to keep the land in control. He was, however, prone to fits of violence and would sometimes become so stubborn that he would listen to no one – not even the wisdom of the Highguard. Yet, never did Sajiix believe Bragas would go to war over the diamond.