A World Apart The Jake Thomas Trilogy - By Steven A. Tolle Page 0,77

take him, Jake lay with his eyes closed. When nothing happened, he slowly opened his eyes.

He saw that he was lying on a stone floor. Raising his head, he looked around carefully. The stone floor extended in front of him for a great distance, bracketed on both sides by stone walls. He stood, looking up to see a dark sky, roiling with black clouds, winds whistling amongst the stones. Spinning around slowly, he realized that he was on one of the walls of Sanduas. He became aware that he was wearing his armor and sword.

As he came to a stop, a sudden movement above caught his eye. Disbelieving, he saw a dark figure separate and descend from the clouds above. It landed silently on the wall, about twenty feet away, facing Jake. It did not have any features other than a vaguely human-shaped form, seemingly made up only of the swirling black clouds.

The figure stood there, still as death. Death was what Jake's mind told him was in front of him. His terror rose, all of his instincts telling him to flee, but he seemed rooted to the spot. His blood seemed to have gone cold and his body frozen. Then the figure started to move towards him. His fear rose up and overwhelmed all other thoughts. Run, his mind screamed.

"Be not afraid, child." A gentle voice unexpectedly sounded in his mind, warm and comforting. The warmth of the voice seemed to melt the ice in his veins, freeing Jake from his stasis.

Suddenly, he found himself able to move, rapidly backing away as the figure got closer. Desperate, he drew his sword, unable to tear his eyes from the figure, which was continuing its silent stalking.

Knowing escape was hopeless, he surprised himself by realizing his main emotion was not fear, but anger. He stopped, deciding that he would not run, determining at the last to stand and fight.

"You do not fight alone." The voice came again, smooth and soothing.

Suddenly, Jonas and Hailyn appeared to Jake's left, glowing brightly in the yellow fire of the clerics. Dominic appeared on his right, sword in hand; solid, hard and indomitable. Their presence comforted him and steeled his courage and resolve.

The dark figure halted, seemingly startled by his friends' appearance. For a moment, everything was still, the only movement the roiling clouds overhead. Without warning, large waves of darkness rolled out from the figure, sweeping over his friends, seeming to wash them out while leaving Jake alone to face the figure. Two lines of power, like black ropes, sprang out towards Jake.

He moved to evade them and instinctively cut at them with his sword. He was able to avoid them, but one brushed his arm as they were pulled back to the figure. Jake knew at that touch that these lines were not to harm him, but to capture him. The thought of being captured by this creature terrified Jake, his whole body suddenly shaking. Despair rose up in his mind again.

The faint sounds of Dominic battling in the darkness to his right slipped past his fear into his mind. That made him aware of faint flashes of yellow fire that pulsed from the darkness on his left. His friends were still fighting and he needed to fight as well.

As he made that decision, he felt a sudden burning sensation springing from his chest. He glanced down to see a bluish glow spread from the center of his chest out to cover his body in a glowing nimbus, bright against the darkness.

Sensing its advantage slipping, the figure launched multiple lines of darkness at Jake. Surrounded by his power, Jake was able to deflect and cut the lines, the blue fire infusing his sword. More sprang forth, coming with greater frequency, as the figure seemed to grow more desperate. Jake continued to move and leap about, dodging and cutting, trying to stay clear of the darkness. His muscles started to burn from his exertions as the lines came more rapidly, seemingly endless. He could feel his frustration building, forced to constantly defend against the darkness, never having an opportunity to attack.

Suddenly, a line of the dark power slipped past Jake's guard, wrapping around him. Jake cut at it, severing its hold, but that allowed more lines to wrap around him. He twisted and turned, desperately cutting, the lines wrapping and tangling more around him, restricting his movements, covering him...

Jake started awake, sprawled across his bed, blankets twisted around his body. He was sweaty and it