Rainbow's SHADOWand the Covenant of Wisdom Rainbow's Shadow and the Covenant of Wisdom picks up where Rainbow's Shadow and the Tablets of Fate leaves off. Will, Jimmy and Bryan are back to their normal lives until Will is rushed to the hospital with a bizarre case of vertigo. With his head spinning like a top and dreams of his grandfather back in full force, Will is convinced he is being called back to Rainbow Alley for something big. He has secretly tried to gain access back into the portal for months, and his failed attempts to open the vortex have frustrated him beyond belief. Convinced the portal is permanently closed, Will sits in his hospital room confused. It was temptation which lured Bryan to take the shiny black stone as a souvenir from Rainbow Alley. Little did he know he had provided a way for evil to rejuvenate. As he admires the shiny black stone he finishes reading yet another Sorcerer's Shadow novel entitled The Pirate's Revenge. With the book resting up against the stone and another novel entitled The Island Where Magic Began, it only takes a few seconds for the evil forces of the Sorcerer's Shadow to emanate from the stone and open the portal. As the two novels meld together and the portal opens, Will finds himself confronted by an eccentric messenger who instructs him to return the stone. Once the stone is returned the Covenant of Wisdom will be revealed and provide the necessary knowledge to open the path to true paradise. Will and Jimmy find themselves on a new journey into a surreal world as they find access into the portal and into a new adventure. Their mission at first is to save Bryan but quickly transforms into a quest for all mankind.

Rainbow's Shadow and the Covenant of Wisdom

By John Cicero

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 John Cicero
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-7781-5

Contents

Chapter 1 THE NOVELS...............................................1Chapter 2 THE CAVE.................................................6Chapter 3 GRACE MEMORIAL...........................................11Chapter 4 BLIND MANS BLUFF.........................................17Chapter 5 RAINBOW'S CHILDREN.......................................22Chapter 6 THE ORIGIN OF THE STONE..................................31Chapter 7 BLIND FAITH..............................................41Chapter 8 THE LINK.................................................49Chapter 9 REKINDLING THE PAST......................................56Chapter 10 THE STONE, THE BOOKS, THE BEGINNING.....................59Chapter 11 HE'S ALIVE ... WITHIN...................................63Chapter 12 THE PORTAL..............................................66Chapter 13 THE DUNES...............................................77Chapter 14 THE FOREST OF SHADOWS...................................81Chapter 15 THE CULTIVATION.........................................88Chapter 16 ALL WRAPPED UP..........................................90Chapter 17 THE LUPA'S..............................................93Chapter 18 LAND O'HOY..............................................96Chapter 19 WINGING IT..............................................98Chapter 20 LOGDON SQUARE...........................................105Chapter 21 THE WINDS THAT FOLLOW...................................110Chapter 22 THE CHAMBER.............................................114Chapter 23 BATTLE WITHIN THE WINDS.................................118Chapter 24 FEAST YOUR EYES.........................................121Chapter 25 UNEXPECTED STOWAWAY.....................................126Chapter 26 THE STATIONS BENEATH....................................129Chapter 27 LOGDEN'S SECRET.........................................134Chapter 28 INTO THE TUNNELS........................................143Chapter 29 THE SECOND STONE........................................145Chapter 30 THE SPRINGS.............................................154Chapter 31 VOLKOFF'S FURY..........................................160Chapter 32 A SLITHERING ESCAPE.....................................162Chapter 33 IMPERIAL GUARDS OF GOTHINIA.............................166Chapter 34 ANTHONY'S JOURNEY.......................................179Chapter 35 VORTEX TO GOTHINIA......................................181Chapter 36 THE NEST................................................185Chapter 37 GOTHINIA................................................193Chapter 38 SEND THEM ALL...........................................198Chapter 39 SUMBERGED...............................................201Chapter 40 THE RELEASE.............................................209Chapter 41 REJUVENATING AN OLD FRIEND..............................214Chapter 42 RETREAT.................................................217Chapter 43 THE CULTIVATION.........................................219Chapter 44 DIRECTION...............................................224Chapter 45 THE PROCEDURE...........................................231Chapter 46 ALL ABOARD..............................................233Chapter 47 THE HOST................................................235Chapter 48 SAILING TO GOTHINIA.....................................240Chapter 49 CARRIAGE THROUGH EVIL...................................245Chapter 50 JEROBOAM'S RETURN.......................................247Chapter 51 THE RAPIDS..............................................253Chapter 52 VILLAGE OF TEMPTARO.....................................257Chapter 53 EXCORSIZING THE SPIRIT..................................259Chapter 54 TO THE EDGE.............................................265Chapter 55 THE BATTLE OF GOTHNINIA.................................267Chapter 56 A BROTHER'S RETURN......................................270Chapter 57 OTHER SIDE..............................................273Chapter 58 OPENING THE PATH........................................277Chapter 59 THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE..............................283

Chapter One

THE NOVELS

Rust colored clouds blanketed the horizon as streaks of lighting flashed through the dawn of a new day. As the sun peaked through cloud ridden skies darkness overcame light as the red hue of morning lost its illumination.

Cracks of thunder filtered through the land as Bryan Collins lay in his bed oblivious to the outside elements entrenched into his latest novel, The Pirates Revenge ... a Sorcerers Shadow Series.

As thunder and lighting intensified the lights within the room flickered. Concerned the lights may go out he turned the pages in an effort to finish the novel before the electricity vanished.

With a page and a half left cracks of thunder shook the house as the redness of the sky turned to black. The lights flickered as he turned to the final page of the novel.

A loud crack of thunder rattled the house and the lights went out as Bryan said, "Aghh no ... not now!"

He put the book down and rushed over to his desk for his flashlight. He pulled out a variety of items from a shiny black stone, to a novel entitled The Island Were Magic Began to the flashlight. The cover of the novel featured a symbol of a sand dollar.

With the flashlight in one hand he threw the novel on his dresser next to his bed. It landed near the window as he dropped the black stone onto the floor. He rushed back into his covers.

The flashlight switched into its on position as a light beam generated enough illumination to read the final page of the novel. He settled in and experienced the last page of The Pirates Revenge ...

* * *

THE PASSAGE READ ...

With Cayla in charge of the rebellion and Eseph no where in site survival had become essential now that the path had vanished. Malkuth had survived and terror had once again reigned across the land. Pockets of terror rebels lead by his apprentice had been formed to blanket the land and reap havoc on the young at heart.

His sights would now be set on the youth. Their worlds would never be the same as terror headed for a crash course into the Island of ...

* * *

Moments away from the final paragraphs Bryan heard his mother scream, "Boys we need a flashlight. Does anyone have one in their room?"

Fearful he would not be able to finish the final page he avoided his mothers request and read on with anticipation. With only a few paragraphs to go he re-read the last sentence in an effort to keep his place as he continued on ...

* * *

Their worlds would never be the same as terror headed for a crash course into the Island of the Magi. It would be the young at heart who would have to lead the insurgent forces on a quest to re-open the path through the knowledge derived from the Covenant of Wisdom. Malkuth had indeed survived and sought revenge.

* * *

Bryan developed a concerned look on his face as the lighting and thunder intensified outside his window.

He heard his mother scream once more, "Boys, we need some light here."

He re-read the last few words of the novel and generated a sense of accomplishment. He looked up and stared out into his room in bewilderment and said, "HE'S ALIVE?"

A bit perplexed by the end he closed the book and read the title on the front cover to himself, "The Pirates Revenge ... a Sorcerers Shadow Series. Can't be? It's just fiction ... yeah it's just fiction!"

He swung his legs over his bed and placed the book on the dresser on top of the other novel The Island were Magic Began. He screamed to his mother, "Coming mom. I have a flashlight."

He stepped on top of the shiny black stone and grimaced as he shone the flashlight to the floor. The wetness of the stone made a tiny mark on the carpet.

He picked it up and felt a silky wetness. As he gazed at the stone it changed its color from shiny black to an intoxicating reddish hue. The stone drew him in for a moment and in a strange manner spoke to him. As he tilted his head and stared at the artifact he softly spoke to it in a trance-like state and said, "I understand."

As if being directed from the stone, he placed it on top of the two novels and rushed out of his room as another blast of thunder shook the house.

The door closed to his room as the storm outside intensified. A barrage of lightning illuminated the sky and suddenly stopped as a dark cloud emerged from the west.

The cloud appeared to have eyes as it filtered though the sky like a jet airliner. The thunder kicked up again as a lightning strike screeched toward the house.

The strike crashed through the window and hit the dresser which held the two novels and black stone. Nothing moved except for the stone which split in two.

In a mysterious manner the novels appeared to have absorbed the blast. The stone, now in two pieces, set on top of the books and generated a peculiar characteristic.

The surface of the black stone remained moist and shiny while the inside appeared dry as the desert. A tiny trickle of sweat from the surface dripped to the center and evaporated. The wetness of the surface would not penetrate the inner core of the stone.

The storm stopped as Bryan ran back into the room and waved his flashlight around. Broken glass scattered across his floor. As he surveyed the bedroom he shone his light on his dresser. The two pieces of stone lay on the books. He watched as the moist surface dripped into the inner core of the stone and evaporated.

Curious, he attempted to pick up one of the pieces but had to let it go as it sent an immediate burning sensation through the palm of his hand, "Aghhh." He screamed.

He backed away from the stones and the novels and developed an eerie familiar sensation and said, "No ... no way."

He turned toward the window and then back to the books and said again, "What did I do?"

He backed away as if he had done something wrong and ran from the room.

Silence overcame as a slight illumination emanated from the two stones. The light appeared to be powered from within the stone and intensified with every second. As it strengthened, the stones transformed from black to shiny white and started to shake.

A few seconds passed and much like a volcanic eruption the stones produced enough energy to generate a powerful ray of light which shot out of its inner core and through the window.

The ray of light darted across town and lasted a few seconds before it shot back into the two stones. In an instant the stones morphed back to their original shiny black color.

The two halves fused together and formed one stone again as the rain pelted the exterior of the house.

Chapter Two

THE CAVE

Slices of sunlight burnt through an open inlet cave as violent waves collided up against its jagged walls. The rush of water filled the narrow cavern. As the waters receded shiny black stones blanket the floor of the narrow opening.

The uncontrollable waters crashed in and out of the inlet and blocked the view of the ocean as it filled the cavern. Submerged and helpless from the high tides fury the narrow cavern acted as one with the ocean as marine life darted in and out of the cave.

Tropical fish and eels floated in their temporary new playground as the angry waters within created massive undertows in an attempt to recede back into the ocean. The sea floor kicked up as the black stones beneath remained steadfast as its base.

Submerged, the inlet cave had succumbed to the fury of the tide. For a moment the inside steadied as water found its place in every nook and cranny of the cavern. The marine-life acted at home as a gentle calmness rushed through the cave.

They floated without effort as human skulls hovered up and around the cave. The fury of the tide shot the skulls to a corner as they became wedged between the black stones and jagged rocks. Next to the skulls a tiny chest made of acacia wood rested on the floor. The chest carried a symbol of a sand dollar near its key hole.

As the tide retreated the skulls remained steadfast on the floor next to the chest. The violent waters outside readied themselves for another blast into and out the tiny cavern. The slices of sunlight burnt through the cave as a gigantic pirate ship floated past.

The waters barreled in and filled it up once again as the skulls and marine life repeated their undertow dance routine. The rush repeated itself over and over as the ship in the distance coasted out of view.

The intense waters retreated as the skulls glided back toward the tiny chest. Shallow puddles of water remained in the cave as the black stones blanketed the floor. The ship in the distance had traveled past the cave when splashes of water became evident within the inlet.

The splashes increased as a barefoot man trudged through the puddles. His rolled up white pants displayed his muscular calves as he plodded through the shallow waters.

He made his way through the cave as the waters outside had calmed. He walked toward the skulls and stopped near the tiny chest. He stood in front of the chest for a moment and reached downward.

His palm rested on top of the sand dollar symbol next to the keyhole. Within seconds tiny droplets of blood fell from the center of his hand and plummeted toward the puddles.

He picked up a black stone and broke it in two. Even though the stone had been submerged within the waters the inside of the stone remained dry. The blood from the palm of his hand increased as the droplets covered the stone halves.

Joseph Collins (alias Eseph), Will and Bryan Collins grandfather stood inside the cave with the bloodied stones in hand. The waters intensity increased as the tide rushed inside the cave once again.

Eseph stood motionless as the waters filled the inlet cave. Within seconds the violent waters approached his head as he turned and said in a stern but strained tone, "The path. It's needs to be re-opened. You must return the stone!"

The waters rose as he remained in a serene state. He stared forward and said, "The only way to advance through is by joining all three. Find the remaining two. Join two and they will set you free. Join all three and the Covenant of Wisdom will grant you the knowledge to open the path. Return them! Return them all to the city that floats ... into the Islands of the Rainbow."

The waters crept closer to his head as he said, "Do this, and the Covenant will be realized! Will, do this, for the path must stay open. If not, his army will overcome them all and ..."

The waters submerged his head as the cave filled up. The skulls floated as he hung onto the blood soaked black stones. After a few seconds he dropped the stones as they glided toward the tiny chest. They hit the chest and rested at its base.

* * *

"HUH"! Will screamed out. He had dreamt it again. It had been the same dream the last three nights.

Shaken, Will Collins brushed the perspiration off his brow. He reached over to a pillow adjacent to his head. His blurred eyes attempted to adjust in the darken room as he ran his hand across his dampened sheet in an attempt to locate the light switch on his lamp.

He managed to flick the switch to illuminate his room. With his head still buried into the center of the pillow he attempted to lift it to look at the clock on his dresser. With one eye still shut he opened the other eye to adjust, when the room around him appeared to spin.

Confused, he buried his head back into his pillow and closed his eyes. After a few seconds he opened them and the room spun again. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to escape the rotations.

He opened them once more and it intensified. Frightened, he said to himself, "What's going on ..." He closed his eyes again.

With his eyes shut he still felt the rotations in his head. "What is going on?" He said in a nervous tone as he tried to scream outward, "Mom!"

As he tried to lift his head the room started its revolutions once again, "Oh my God. What's happening?"

In an attempt to fight through it, he raised his torso and tried to sit up. He shook his head to clear any cobwebs. The room spun like a top in front of him. He could not stop it as he screamed, "Mom ... Mom!" He grabbed hold of his sheets and tried to swing his legs over the edge of the bed. The room spun out of control. So much so, he became nauseous and said, "Oh no."

He felt like he may throw up and sensed he must get to his bathroom outside his bedroom door. He tried to stand, but like a drunken sailor, wobbled toward the door. He screamed, "Mom, Dad ... Help!"

Somehow he made it to the frame of his bedroom door after he slammed into the side of the wall. The nausea intensified as he screamed again, "Mom ... Dad, Help!"

Bryan opened his bedroom door as Will wobbled into the hallway with his hand over his mouth. Bryan reacted and screamed to his parents, "Mom, Dad ... something's wrong with Will ... hurry!"

He grabbed hold of his brother and escorted him into the bathroom. Will grabbed hold of the base of the toilet and vomited as his parents rushed in.

"Oh God, stop this spinning, please, someone stop this spinning."

Bryan screamed to his parents from outside of the bathroom, "Is he okay?"

"Mom, please stop the spinning ... it won't stop." Screamed Will.

From inside the bathroom their mother said in a nervous tone, "We're taking him to the hospital. This is not normal. (She screamed through the door) Bryan get me the phone!"

Bryan rushed down the hallway and into his bedroom. His window had been boarded up from the storm the other night. He grabbed the phone on his dresser next to a book stand. The book stand held the two novels, The Pirate's Revenge ... a Sorcerers Shadow Series, and The Island Where Magic Began. Next to both books and nestled up against the corner of their bounded covers sat the shiny black stone.

Still a bit cautious with its presence Bryan turned away from the dresser and rushed back down to the bathroom.

Chapter Three

RACE MEMORIAL

A full day and a half passed with Will kept overnight for observation at Grace Memorial Hospital. Grace Memorial had the reputation of an institution that had been around forever. It had gone through four major face lifts since it burned to the ground by a disturbed psyche patient, Nikolai Volkoff, over thirty years ago.

An immense figure whose presence alone would scare many, Volkoff had a large scar on the left side of his face and wore a long black beard to conceal his abnormality. His clothes set him apart as he wore canvas waistcoats and breeches made of velvet. On most occasions he traveled barefoot.

He had a vendetta against the hospital for their failure to cure him from his disfigurement. On a cold and dark autumn night he terrorized a group of wealthy physicians and held them captive in the psyche ward for two days. He and his band of cult followers decided to torch the entire hospital and took over ten physicians with them to a fiery grave.

Although most of the bodies had been burnt beyond recognition, the coroner counted a total of eleven fatalities. Volkoff's body had never been found.

To this day, the hospital attempted to get past the horrific days of the Volkoff tragedies. But as with many catastrophes of the past the Volkoff event had become local legend.

Conspiracy theories to ghostly fables had become standard for this tiny community. Many of the rebellious teenagers still dressed up as Volkoff on Halloween and wore his signature bandanna and canvas waistcoat.

Although face lift after face lift attempted to erase the past, Grace Memorial had been known as Volkoff Memorial. The Volkoff fire had become a staple of the community and one that had been referred to every year whether the hospital liked it or not.

* * *

It was 7:45pm and the summer sun had begun its descent. Bryan, who had come fresh off of his successful drivers test, drove Will's best buddy Jimmy Foster to the hospital.

Jimmy, who had just turned thirteen, always followed Will in major milestones such as birthdays and attending high profile sporting events. Now, Will had made it to an overnight hospital stay before him. In odd fashion Jimmy kept track of these milestones in an effort to locate a major event he could precede his buddy.

As they passed the entrance to the emergency room Jimmy said, "Hey Bryan, I think you just missed the entrance."

"First lesson in drivers Ed is knowing your surroundings pal. I go in this entrance we'll never find a parking space." Said Bryan, in a cocky manner.

Jimmy nodded his head in a confused but agreeable gesture and said, "Oh ... okay."

As they passed the parking lot Jimmy noticed half of the spaces were empty in the front of the hospital. Confused he looked back at Bryan.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Rainbow's Shadow and the Covenant of Wisdomby John Cicero Copyright © 2010 by John Cicero. Excerpted by permission.
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