The Sabatini Prophecy by Thomas L. Blair i Set out on a thrilling adventure with an unlikely trio as they encounter an ancient magic. Just before Davey Boehm turns thirteen, animals begin to show a strange affinity for him. Is it some kind of inherited trait? Is it why no one will tell him about his ancestors, he wonders. When questioned, his mom is evasive and provides no answers. Then she sends him to live with his aunt... and the mystery deepens! His aunt lives in an old mountain town ruled by a malicious family. They have dark plans... maybe even dark powers.. .and give Davey an ominous warning: Leave before you get hurt! Davey is- distraught, but hope arrives when a strangely-marked squirrel leads him to an ancient tree. The aura of the tree captivates him, and he feels at home in its presence. Moreover, he finds a magic necklace there, a clue to his birthright. And so, a journey of discovery begins. Joined by an older boy of Cherokee descent and a- brash girl, Davey strives to learn about his heritage. Before long, magic permeates every aspect of his life. Meanwhile, - his enemies unleash one evil scheme after another, and he faces constant danger. ii AXIOM HOUSE Virginia iii PUBLISHED BY AXIOM HOUSE PO Box 2901, Fairfax, Virginia 22031 http://www.axiomhouse.com The depiction "@xiom" is a logo for Axiom House. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, organizations, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Library of Congress Control Number: 2006920405 ISBN 0-9760237-1-7 Copyright ?2006 by Thomas L. Blair All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America iv For My Wife Kathy, And My Children, Steven, Michelle, Jennifer, and David v 1 Wherefore springs the source of magick? Neither the written word nor the talk of men can interpret this mysterie. The answer cometh from within thy selfe! - Translated from Storia Di Incanto; circa 1456 Thy Watcher In ThR cShadow TliC 1,I6'iT Of 11 R.I?INC MOON cast ghostly shadows along the branches of an ancient oak. For centuries, the majestic tree had thrived in a small clearing, a symbol of prosperity and good fortune. The tree had overcome weather, pestilence, and the ravages of time, but now it faced a more sinister challenge. Death lurked below its branches, brought there by an evil force. The tree's leaves shivered in the breeze, whispering of the wickedness that had come to harm it. Brandishing lit torches, eighteen hooded men moved beneath the tree. Their bodies swayed with a growing fervor as the torchlight flickered across their black hoods. They formed a circle around a securely tied man, a blindfold covering his eyes. In morbid fascination, they taunted him with long sticks and shouts of derision. Moments earlier, the men had piled branches around the trunk of the tree and poured gasoline over the wood. The fumes lingered in the air, foretelling of their dark plan. "Hang the witch; burn the 2 tree!" they cried, their words slurring with the false bravado that came from drinking whiskey. A figure emerged from their ranks and raised his torch in rhythm to their chants. Leaning his head back, he emitted a beastly howl. He was their leader, a huge hulk of a man with a heart as black as night. His hooded minions called him the Minotaur, a special name within their secret brotherhood. He relished the image of fear the name invoked, but he was not a mystical creature - just a man with an evil soul. The Minotaur pointed at two of his followers and motioned them forward. "Take him to the tree," he commanded, indicating the bound man. The two men dragged their hapless victim towards the massive oak. One carried a long rope with a noose on its end; he threw the rope over a high branch, letting the noose hang freely. The other placed the noose over their victim's head. Then they awaited their leader's signal to pull him up. The rest of the hooded men roared their approval. "Hang the witch," they screamed, their voices rising as one. A watcher stood among the trees at the edge of the clearing, viewing the scene with tearful eyes. No one could see him in the dark shadows or knew he was there. He held a bow and quiver of arrows, fighting the impulse to shoot at the hooded men. If only I could help him, he thought, wanting to do something, anything, to stop them from harming his friend, Tsusga Gineli. Regretting his promise not to interfere, he muttered bitterly to himself. "Tsusga Gineli doesn't deserve this." The Minotaur raised his hand for silence as he pulled the blindfold from the bound man's head. "Witch, behold those who have judged you," he bellowed, gesturing grandly towards the hooded men. Tsusga Gineli stood tall and straight, seemingly unaffected by the Minotaur's words or the shouts of his minions. No trace of fear showed in his eyes, despite the rope around his neck. His long black hair waved in the night air as he stared at his tormentors. Then an 3 expression of sadness crossed his face. The Minotaur glared triumphantly at the bound man. For seven long years, this man, the so-called Tsusga Gineli, had thwarted his efforts to destroy the ancient oak. The Minotaur had waited, cleverly fabricating a string of lies that convinced his followers the man was a witch. They were a slow-moving and cowardly bunch, yet the Minotaur had prevailed, almost believing the deceit himself. Now, on this very night, he would eliminate both the man and the tree. Only one small victory was missing; he wanted to hear the man beg for his life. The Minotaur circled his enemy, jabbing at him with his torch. "Your hour of judgment has come. You have bewitched this tree and turned it against us; the prosperity we once enjoyed has left our valley. Tonight, the tree will accompany you into the depths of hell. Admit your foul deeds and plead for our mercy!" Tsusga Gineli managed a step forward, unhindered by the ropes binding him. He glanced briefly at the sky and a sudden shadow fell over the clearing. The hooded men failed to notice the clouds forming overhead or the waning of the moonlight. Their eyes stayed upon their victim, anticipating his supplication. Tsusga Gineli spoke in melodious and forceful tones, denying the accusations against him. No pleas for mercy came from his mouth. Instead, he delivered a poetic message -- a rhyming prophecy full of dire warnings and predictions. When he finished speaking, he studied the men confronting him. He saw confusion and a trace of fear on their faces. Perhaps they will heed my words and leave while they can, he thought with a flicker of hope. A stunned silence fell over the clearing as the hooded men considered Tsusga Gineli's words. All of them were thinking the same thing: What kind of man said such things while facing death? As they pondered this question, their concerns grew. They wondered if the bound man spoke truthfully and looked towards their leader for reassurance. The Minotaur did not disappoint them. He emitted a laugh so 4 horrible it sent shivers along their spines. Anger bubbled up from the dark pit of his soul, filling his voice with scorn. "So...the witch threatens us instead of showing remorse. Can he not feel the rope around his neck? Will we cower at his lies while he stands helpless before us? No, we will not!" The Minotaur's fierce determination convinced his minions. Their doubts disappeared as the strength of his malice took control of their minds. "Hang the witch; burn the tree," they chanted in response. The Minotaur nodded his approval. "We shall wait no longer." Beneath his black hood, a contemptuous smile spread across his face. He signaled to the men holding the rope and threw his torch towards the wood stacked around the tree. The hooded men followed his example, filling the air with their own torches. Suddenly, the torches halted in mid-air as if frozen in time. One by one, the fires went out and the smoldering stubs dropped to the earth. The men holding the rope gave it a forceful jerk, intending to haul Tsusga Gineli upward. To their surprise, the rope fell away from his neck and wriggled in their hands like a vicious serpent. With cries of alarm, they dropped the rope and fled towards their comrades. Then an amber glow began to spread along the branches of the tree. Awestruck, the hooded men tried to back away, but their feet seemed glued to the ground. They gave each other baffled looks, a sense of dismay forming in their minds. Thankful the ropes binding his victim's arms and legs were still in place, the Minotaur reached for the revolver in his waistband. I'll put a stop to this with a bullet, he thought. At that moment, the ropes around Tsusga Gineli separated from his body and flew towards the Minotaur. The pieces turned into snake-like creatures that knocked the revolver askew and swarmed over his huge bulk. The Minotaur screamed in terror as the ropes bore him to the ground. Freed at last, Tsusga Gineli stared grimly at the dark clouds overhead. A vision of this night had come to him several months ago. Despite his efforts, he could not change what fate had decreed. With resolve, he focused his mind and summoned his magic power. Then 5 he raised a hand towards the sky and the clouds swooped lower. The hooded men watched with disbelief as Tsusga Gineli moved freely while their leader screamed under the onslaught of the ropes. Realizing their folly, they began to tremble. When they saw Tsusga Gineli's eyes turn into white-hot coals of fire, they sank to their knees and begged for his forgiveness. Ignoring their pleas, Tsusga Gineli po...
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