From a familiar time, one so ancient it lies deep within all our bones, surfaces a glimpse into the endless age old struggle between life and death, light and darkness, good and evil. This struggle festers throughout our blood, drives our choices, our quests, and our wars. During the Times Before the first battle between these forces of light and darkness clashed resulting in the Shadow Years marking the beginning of The Middle Times. Evil is defeated and The Years of Plenty follow, yet again, giving way to another time of war, The Indigo Years. During this transitional peaceful time, a charming Grenelvin family excursion of exploration leads down a dangerous mystifying path of hidden secrets and treachery inevitably uncovering evil during the Rise of the Goblin King. This Orlok goblin seeks independence from his unending servitude to the Lord of Darkness and Shadow and will destroy the Wolde to achieve nothing less. The new determined spirit of youth engages the old sinister evil in this beginning mystifying tale of intrigue known as the Middle Times.

The Middle Times

Rise of the Goblin KingBy D.S. MacLeod

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 D.S. MacLeod
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-7848-5

Contents

Chapter 1 In the Times Before......................1Chapter 2 Out of the Ashes.........................21Chapter 3 Friendships..............................41Chapter 4 Deceptions...............................55Chapter 5 Family Values............................69Chapter 6 Master of Crafting.......................75Chapter 7 The Mighty River.........................85Chapter 8 Lessons of Life..........................91Chapter 9 Ambush...................................97Chapter 10 The River Dragon........................111Chapter 11 Sacrifice & Secrets.....................121Chapter 12 The Great Falls.........................131Chapter 13 The Flower Children.....................147Chapter 14 Reunions................................169Chapter 15 The Wise & the Bold.....................191Chapter 16 Dark Omens..............................203Chapter 17 My Moltah Darcos........................217Chapter 18 Flying Saviors..........................235Chapter 19 Elvolution..............................245Chapter 20 The Haven Woods.........................267Chapter 21 The Emissary............................301Chapter 22 United We Stand.........................311Chapter 23 The Short Pass..........................317Chapter 24 The Demon Within........................345Chapter 25 Friendly Departures.....................351Chapter 26 The Passage.............................359Chapter 27 Guile and Pursuit.......................385

Chapter One

In the Times Before

Amidst the aroma of pine and greenery during a time before humans and machines, the wind calmly blows amongst the canopy of a grand dense forest. Winds, the eternal gatherer of story and history, blow endlessly around the globe during this simpler time. Here at the base of a lush green mountain chain around a campfire within a clearing of the piney woods an elvin orator of lore spins his yarn ...

"Long ago in a far away time known now as the Times Before, two entities within the vast nothingness of the heavens one of light and one of darkness fought agelessly throughout eternity for existence and domination. With no true defining power amongst either for ending the battle, a truce developed between them ending years of turmoil in the vast darkness of nothingness. The truce between the divine entities becomes permanent and years of peace follow. Amidst the black nothing of endless night, twinkles suddenly appear lighting the path across the dark blackness of nothing marking the beginning of time. These heavenly bodies of gases plentiful throughout the heavens shine brightly and brilliantly becoming stars. These stars adorn the new nothingness creating an existence of light as well as shadow. The stars as with their creators include their counterparts, namely horrid deep pits of true and utter darkness which devour the brightest of stars bringing a sense of balance amongst the vast heavens."

"Why is this so?" A solemn young voice inquires. Two little blue eyes sparkle and squint anxiously in the glow of the campfire. His long elvin ears twitch in delight.

"It is just the way of things little one." The older yore teller anxiously clears his throat for continuing his tale. "The ever loving and wise entity of light bestows upon the entity of darkness a gift. This gift, a simply beautiful creation of solid earthly matter and water the light entity names the Wolde floats regally amongst the stars. The gracious entity of light offers his former rival an idea solidifying their alliance by placing incarnations of them upon this Wolde so they may interact in a physical form. The cunning and manipulative entity of the darkness and shadow considers the idea and agrees with one little exception. The incarnations shall be lords, sons named after their great powers of light and darkness. Solid incarnations made of them differing from their benevolent states. The entity of light trusting of his dark rival happily agrees. Therefore, the son of light is born unto the Wolde and named Lord Aros. Aros, full of curiosity and love for all things, excels in discovery of the dirt lands, the vast empty waters and wishes for more. In contrast, his twin Lord Darcos, son of darkness prefers the security of the underground darkest depths of the lands within the heat and fire. One day, Aros creates a special pond upon the land. A mirror of water he shall gaze upon and ponder things. Remarkably, a ray of sunlight reflects off the surface of the crystal-clear water creating the very first rainbow unlike any that ever followed, perfect in every way. It beautifully displays the most enchanting colors ever seen before. The wondrous sight of seven colors across the skies enchants Aros. He reaches up into the sky with his hand, takes a fragment of the rainbow and gently places it within waters of the clear pond enchanting the water with special powers. You do know the name of this pond of water?"

"Yes uncle, it is named the Eye of Aros far north of here."

"Indeed very good lad. Well next, amazingly from the depths of the crystal pond waters arise seven beings of color. Each being represents the colors of the perfect rainbow ... red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Aros, so truly captivated, names these colorful spirits Changelings of Wonder for their great wisdom and skills of great transforming abilities while shaping colorful landscapes for the Wolde. The seven Changeling spirits spread great colorful creations throughout the Wolde exhibiting their special abilities for Aros. Soon, a few of the Changelings return to the water's edge and reach into the clay mud surrounding the pond molding worldly protectors named Imps for protecting their beautiful creations throughout the Wolde. Through the years, Aros delights watching the lands and seas thrive with life of all forms from shore to sea as the Changelings transform the lands and vast waters creating great majestic trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers of all shapes, sizes and smells for filling the air with beautiful fragrances. Varying animal life spreads across the lands, skies and seas as well. The Changelings delight in landscaping the Wolde for their creator. Peace and tranquility encompasses the Wolde. However, deep within his realm below, Darcos hears of this joyful revelation above on the surface. He creeps up from the darkness of the depths spying on Aros' glee and jubilation. The enchanting landscape and frolicking life spreading across the Wolde makes Darcos jealous of his sibling's accomplishments. With treachery in mind, Darcos visits his brother during a clear dark night when he his brother is gazing into his mystical pond. Under the light of the stars Aros demonstrates his creative skills for Darcos by molding new beings from the clay mud of the enchanted pond."

The Grenelf orator of lore, the son of the late Lord Thurn, pauses and cleverly mimics the voices of the great Lords of the Wolde. "For enjoying my great green and lush forests of trees and bushes, I create you my little friend. I shall call you elf."

"Elf ... you say?" Darcos sarcastically questions laughing at the little thin creation. "It bears such long pointy ears and it is so skinny my brother."

"Keen senses ... it shall make them wise and caring." Aros admires his creation lovingly. "I shall enjoy enriching my elf creation with stories and knowledge."

Aros winks at his dark twin much to his disgust. Darcos jealously watches Aros create a second smaller being he names dwarf. "For you my brother so they may enjoy excavating the enchanting mammoth ranges of your dirt and rocky monolith mountains you so graciously bestow upon our lands of the Wolde."

Darcos attempts to foil his brother's glee. "Well I do try, dirt and rock is what I know dear brother." Darcos stares down at the little short scruffy being. "I believe my mountains add depth and perception to our otherwise flat and boring Wolde brother. What makes a small being like that good for my towering mountains? It appears just a short dumpier version of the elf kind complete with those silly pointy ears."

"Do not let their size fool you. The dwarf possesses great might for his size. Do you not always speak of the numerous pretty metal ores underground? Now someone else besides you may enjoy them too!" Darcos does not find his brother's foolishness impressing or flattering. He reaches down examining the scruffy little dwarf. Aros cleverly finishes creating a third being.

"What is that hideous thing?" Darcos expresses his displeasure at the appearance of his brother's newest creation.

"Hugheman ... that is what I shall call this one."

"What a terrible plain creature it be. At least the elf bears those amusing pointy ears and the dwarf a purpose."

"My little new creation serves a purpose dear brother. He shall live upon my seas and shorelines. They shall be the masters of building."

Darcos laughs aloud. "Live upon the seas? You fool me brother. They shall float like leaves upon the surface?"

Aros gleefully laughs aloud and holds his belly. Darcos, insulted by his brother's foolery, prepares to leave. Aros apologetically describes his new being. "No do not leave brother. These beings shall build my brother. They shall build great things for floating upon the seas." Aros busily makes another much taller stouter hugheman than the first. Aros stands the much taller being by the dwarf and chuckles. "Look brother, this hugheman is a giant compared to the others."

Examining his brother's giant creation, Darcos eagerly searches for more confrontation. He gazes down his nose at the tall creation. "I suppose you mock me brother?"

Aros confusingly defends his creation. "No brother I do not understand. I admire this tall one, stout and strong he is."

"You create a scrawny short being in my name and towering giants of strength in your name ... I am disgusted!" Darcos stomps away bitterly refusing to listen to Aros' pleas of innocence. Darcos returns underground into the depths of darkness and fire.

The Grenelvin orator transitions back into his own voice. "The little beings, Aros' children, rush into the tranquil pool, quickly multiply and spread as ants across a field. However, deep in his dark underground realm the son of darkness and shadow secretly wishes he too could create beings of his own. One early dark morning when Aros is nowhere around his special pond, the jealous shadow twin angrily discovers that only Aros and the colored Changelings can create from the clay mud of the pond. He fails several times at attempts of his own. Bitterly angered and enraged at his inability to create beings from the clay Darcos vows upon bestowing a new name upon the Wolde. A name close to his darkened underground realm ... the Wolde will become Earth. Darcos changes the Wolde by distorting the clear skies with menacing dark rain clouds that block the rays of the sun and create massive floods with harsh rains. The lands spared of the flooding rains become frozen icy tombs from frigidly cold winds blowing havoc near and far. Darcos raises great dirt monoliths toward the sky made of fire from deep within his domain for burning trees and vegetation from sea to sea. Darcos bequeaths grief amidst the children creations of Aros as they multiply and spread across the lands of the Wolde. Although dismayed at his twin's distortion of the Wolde's beauty, Aros ignores his dark twin's antics and happily fosters his Wolde and children. In time, the great brothers and lords of the Wolde become distant. Darcos' hatred for his brother grows and consumes him within the depths of dark shadow. One night the twisted wicked and evil twin secretly emerges from the depths of his fiery underwolde. Creeping out onto the surface lands, he travels through the shadows to the special pond of Aros and steals a grey stone from the bottom of the enchanted pond. Using his powers of shadow and darkness he curses the stone and promises revenge on his brother and his creations."

A long pause follows. "Then what happened uncle Lorinthr?" The little blond male elf voice inquires inquisitively in the glimmer of the fire's light.

Another voice, feminine and older hushes him so that their uncle may continue his tale. `Please, you heard this tale so many times before. Allow uncle a little courtesy please.

"Yes, but somehow it seems different sometimes than I remember."

Lorinthr's soft blue eyes and short graying beard make him appear much older and greyer than the younger elf's father, Lord Torinthar. Patiently he resumes his tale. "Secretly the evil Darcos abducts hundreds of his brother's little being creations. Darcos uses the cursed grey stone and distorts the captured children of Aros into hideous corrupt foils. Evil shadowy counterparts of their former incarnations named goblins. Darcos decides against transforming the dwarves that serve him well mining his mountains for precious ores and forging metal weapons of death. Hiding underground for years, Darcos breeds and produces hordes of these shadowy goblin counterparts of the children of Aros. Sinisterly the Lord of Darkness and Shadow intends eliminating the creations of his brother. The grey and distorted former elf becomes the cursed Orlok filled with hatred for their elvin predecessors. Giant hughemen become hideous towering Trolls yielding massive strength. Ogres emerge from the smaller stout hughemen that existed along the green grassy plains and fields while scaly yellow-skinned Selkie goblins emerge from the captured sea faring hughemen. Using the great mining skills of his brother's gift ... the dwarves, Darcos secretly creates an army of death. During these years, he relentlessly wields the cursed stone mutating and distorting life of all kinds. Aros, befuddled by the strange new shadowy creatures appearing in the Wolde, happily accepts them as curious gifts from his Changelings. Nearing the end of his preparation for launch war Darcos uses his power of shadow for capturing the evasive colored Changelings for enslaving under his power and will. The Changelings become suspicious and arm themselves creating weapons in opposition to Darcos. Eventually and sinisterly, the dark twin succeeds hunting and finally capturing the indigo and red Changelings imprisoning them both deep below in his underground domain. Fortunately, the remaining Changelings hide themselves away from his reach and convince the children of Aros to arm themselves and prepare for war. However, the only sign of approaching war for Aros is the rising mammoth mountain of fire and ash in the lands far south of his great clear pond of creation. After many moons pass Aros grows wary of the fiery mammoth mountain eyesore upon the land and demands Darcos face him and explain his intentions with the fire mountain. Finally, after many days late one eve, Darcos creeps up from the depths of the underwolde and confronts his brother upon the Great Lawn near his massive volcano of doom. From the heavens above the volcano, Darcfire surely appeared as the largest object upon the face of the Wolde appearing as a large blemish upon a perfect face. The ash-spewing blemish simply cannot be ignorable in its magnitude. Aros respectfully demands knowing of his brothers' reasoning for bequeathing unto the Wolde such an eyesore while destroying his creations with horrid floods, winds, and fire. Sinisterly and hatefully, Darcos declares aloud his intentions upon his brother and a horrific battle ensues. Aros and his creations armed with simple rocks and clubs are no match for the horrific onslaught of the forged metal weapons of Darcos. However, Aros and his alliance fight valiantly for seven days upon the hills of the Mgeron ... the Dead Hills. On the seventh day Darcos takes his brother beaten and worn up to the top of his tremendous mountain volcano along the riverbanks of the Rala Madora and hurls him down toward the ground below."

A solemn lone gasp interrupts Lorinthr. "Shh Lanolee, you know how this ends."

Lorinthr clears his throat. "Yes, thank you Elya. So then, the quake and impact of Aros' body upon the ground causes the land to sink one hundred feet creating the Highlands and the massive peaks of Mounts Aros and Darcos. The great watery falls named the Madora Falls splits the two peaks. Sadly, after that dreadful day the Changelings lost their special creative and mimicking abilities and became mere wizards of wisdom secretly protecting their precious Imps. The plague of years of darkness and shadow encircles the Wolde and casts the light into shadow. During these Shadow Years, many free peoples remaining faithful to Aros chose leaders. The first Lords of Aros, rebel leaders and warriors of their peoples secretly raise a hidden resistance against Darcos and his legions of horrid goblins. These rebels with the help of the remaining Changeling wizards plot a secret revolt. These five remaining wizards educate and aid the free rebel leaders against Darcos and his dominions. The wizards dodging capture by Darcos persuade the dwarves to teach their forging skills of weaponry to the Elvin Lords and Hugheman Lords. Some of the hugheman peoples known commonly now as the Lavons adapt and learn carpentry building great ships for traveling the seas away from Darcos' wrath thus leaving the elves, dwarves and other hughemen peoples alone defending themselves against Darcos. Other hughemen such as the gla tribe of the western shore and descendants of the first hugheman lord known as Hazgal the Great of the Desurans join the struggle. Although unclear, most believe the followers of warriors such as Ildain himself devised the battle tactics. The elves become ingenious masters in the crafting metals learning the craft quickly from the dwarves. In gratitude, the elves bestow gifts of wine, berries and breads upon the mountain dwarves graciously. The friendship grows and soon the elves and dwarves join forces resisting the dark master. Darcos cleverly plants reverted goblin servants amongst elf metal master smiths for learning their amazing skills for his own utilization. Herein tales declare that Darcos secretly forged a powerful gavel of gold and special strength for forging his battle attire using the precious gold ore found in the mines of the Gladden Pikes. Later as all the stars align and the air smells right for war, the Elvin, Dwarven and Hugheman Lords gather in alliance for their rebellion against the Lord of Darkness. Greatly humored by the small pitiful intrusive rebellion, Darcos appears atop his mammoth volcano fortress in his shiny golden armor of power complete with a spiked crown helmet. The armor is impenetrable by any weapon forged by the children of Aros. Darcos boldly announces his rule over his Earth."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Middle Timesby D.S. MacLeod Copyright © 2010 by D.S. MacLeod. Excerpted by permission.
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