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  The Bad Seed

  Battle for the Heavens, Volume 1

  Michael Lackey

  Published by Seven Crows Publications, 2020.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  THE BAD SEED

  First edition. June 2, 2020.

  Copyright © 2020 Michael Lackey.

  Written by Michael Lackey.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  1 | Seed Planted

  2 | The Old Man

  3 | The King’s New Bride

  4 | Sapling No More

  5 | Evil Has a Name

  6 | Mother of the Champion

  7 | Wizard of Weelinn

  8 | Friends in Need

  9 | New Family Found

  10 | Dori'naur Keeps His Word

  11 | A Visit from Beyond

  12 | Next Stop: A New World

  13 | The Queen Has Fallen

  14 | Celebration at Castle Whitehold

  15 | Benzoete Helped to Rewrite the Ancients

  16 | A Strange Yet Familiar New World

  17 | Reunion of Brothers

  18 | Two Are Worse Than One

  19 | Clash at Casterton

  20 | Antoine Seeks Answers

  21 | Brothers Grim

  22 | Zachery Feels A Jolt

  23 | The Journey To Doochary

  24 | Rauko’ Sends A Message

  25 | Tradan Feels The Power

  26 | Enter The Path of a Thousand Eyes

  27 | The Brethren Unleashed

  28 | They Find the Miscreant

  29 | Time of the Champion

  30 | Place of Reckoning

  31 | Truth

  32 | Valley of Ice Shadows

  33 | Hell Comes To Whitehold

  34 | Confession

  35 | Tomb Of the Elders

  36 | Coming Together

  37 | Orc Rising

  38 | Training Ends

  39 | The Refugees Fight Back

  40 | New Weelinn

  41 | Nightfall Begins

  42 | The Light’s Crusades

  43 | The Shattering

  44 | Redemption Comes

  45 | New Day For Tomorrow

  46 | The Champion’s Reign

  47 | Shadows

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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  Also By Michael Lackey

  About the Author

  About the Publisher

  This book is dedicated to my wife, April, and daughter, Christian. Without your support, love, and understanding, I could not have done this. You have always been and always will be my reason.

  Also, to my dog, Maddie. She always helps me write by laying behind my chair and snoring. Good dog, Maddie. Good girl!

  1

  Seed Planted

  Whitehold was the center of the commonwealth in Cyreus, a realm ruled by King Gabriel, filled with lush farmlands surrounding a large castle that housed a city within itself. As the morning dew burned off the leaves and birds sang the arrival of a new day, we find a house in the corner of a little farm, just outside the city of Whitehold. A quiet homestead brimming with crops and livestock to be delivered to the people. This particular farm is home to the Morelys.

  As the warm sun peeked over the treetops, the Morely family started their morning routine.

  "Zachery, will you please gather me some of the herbs from the garden?” Elizabeth asked. “Your father is bringing me the eggs."

  Zachery, the eldest child to George and Elizabeth Morely, walked from the house, bag in hand, to do as his mother asked. He was a young man on the brink of adulthood with broad shoulders carrying a head full of dark hair that shimmered in the morning light. His eyes full of wonder and expectation of a life he longed to live. After celebrating his fifteenth season day, he stood nearly as tall as his father. As he made his way to the garden, he grabbed his wooden sword and wrapped his dirt stained cloak his mother had made him around his neck.

  "I understand, sire. A mission to the garden sounds like you need a King's Guard!" He then pretended he was a member of the King's Guard, protecting the King and going on adventures. Zachery could always be found carrying that wooden sword, and his makeshift cloak with the King's colors on it. Zachery always knew he was not destined to be a poor farmer. He longed for the time he could leave his humdrum days behind.

  This was no usual day for him as it turned out. As he rounded the hedges to the open garden plot, there in the back he caught the sight of a dark figure. Zachery ducked behind the hedges, hoping not to be seen. He watched the gloomy silhouette fade in and out of the shadows.

  "Was father expecting someone? That doesn't look like anyone I know," Zachery whispered to himself.

  He held his breath, listening to the pounding beat of his heart as it tried to escape his chest. With every second, it grew louder until Zachery thought for sure the dark one would hear him. The skies dimmed, the wind picked up and started to swirl around the shadowy individual.

  "I see you, boy,” the stranger spoke. “No one can hide from my sight."

  Startled, Zachery asked, "Who are you? Wha... what do you want?"

  An echoing, unnatural voice, that resonated through Zachery's very bones answered, "Today, the seed is planted. All shall kneel before him. He is the bringer of death. Spread his warning and prepare for doom. Your people will suffer in his wake. The light will shine no more. Our time has come. Darkness will grow. Night has fallen." Then in a puff of black and purple smoke, the dark figure vanished into thin air.

  Horrified, Zachery ran back to retrieve his father, skidding to a sudden stop. George was busy with the chickens in the coop when Zachery came rushing in nearly out of breath.

  "F-Father! Come quickly! A demon is in the garden!" he yelled pointing out. "His voice sounded as if it would force itself into my mind. It was as if he was standing right next to me, but I could see him in the shadows of the garden. You will not believe what he told me. He said a seed was planted, and we were all going to suffer. He called this seed the bringer of death that we should prepare for doom! Do you think we are in danger?"

  George's eyes grew wide. For a moment, Zachery thought his father was as terrified as he was. Then, George burst out laughing, brushing tears from his eyes with the back of his hands. "A fine prank, my boy! A demon? Here? What does he want? Some milk and herbs for his travels?"

  Zachery's eyes showed the fear he felt inside. "It is not a joke! Please, we need to do something. Come, I'll show you where he was."

  He could tell his son was truly terrified of something. "All right, we will go see this demon." Playing along, he called for their dog. "Duke! Let's go see a demon, boy!"

  If only he knew that at that moment forward, his world would change forever. As he followed Zachery and Duke out of the coop, his eyes fell onto the spot where Zachery said the stranger stood. It was now a ring of smoldering ash, and in the center of the ring grew a small, single sapling.

  George approached the circle, confused; he tried to figure out what it was. "Well, would you look at that! This was not here yesterday. How did you do this?" he asked turning to his son.

  Zachery gave his father a wide-eyed look. "See, I told you. Someone or something was here. He stood right here."

  Duke, the family dog, went to investigate for himself. Sniffing as if he knew this was an unmarked tree, he crossed the circle of ash. Breaking the circle triggered the evil inside. Consumed by the tree, Duke's face slowly disappeared into the sapling as the trunk acted as if it was feeding on him. The animal howled in pain and struggled to break free. Although, the more he fought, the tighter it held on
to its' prey. As Duke sank into the tree's trunk, the bark seemed to contour and shift into the shape of the poor dog as the sapling swallowed him before their eyes. After the tree consumed the poor animal, they could see it grow in size.

  "Father, did you see that?” Zachery shouted.

  George grabbed his son in one hand and ran home frantically shouting, "We have to tell King Gabriel! He has to know!"

  My morning started off very dark that day. I had no idea how dark my world would get. I'm Zachery Morely, and the tale you are about to read changed our worlds forever. You will hear of heroes and kingdoms uniting to be stronger. I’ll be here to give you insight.

  Once they returned home, George tried to explain to Elizabeth what they had seen. "I know what I saw. That tree is not normal. It ate Duke! I don't know what it's able to do. I have to tell Gabriel."

  Despite believing her husband’s story, Elizabeth shook her head. She was too worried that people would blame them for the sapling and not believe they were trying to help. "George Morely, if you go around telling folks that story, they will surely lock you in the lowest part of the dungeons!"

  "Elizabeth, listen to me,” George pleaded. “We have to think of the others and protect them. I saw it, Elizabeth, I saw it. I know Gabriel will believe me and send help. I have to get the news to the King."

  AS THEY PREPARED THE horses for the trip, George told Elizabeth to keep their other child safe and inside the house.

  "No matter what, you and Launa must stay away from the garden. Do not let anyone near the spot where the tree is. I feel in my soul that it is shrouded in darkness, and is not of this world," he confessed.

  She kissed her husband softly on the lips. “I promise. And please, be safe. Take care of Zachery. You know he loves Gabriel and the castle. Do not allow him to wander and get lost. I need you both to come back to me. I mean it, George."

  She then hugged her men and sent them on their way. The journey to the castle was a day's ride. They could make it by nightfall. If they knew what was coming, they would have made it faster.

  What trouble could a tree cause? A paltry tree? I wish that's all we had to deal with from that garden.

  As the men rode to the castle, Elizabeth kept her daughter inside and warned her neighbors the best she could. Launa grumbled and complained but did as she was told. What they didn't realize was while they were holed up inside, animals were making their way to the circle, drawn by a strange curiosity to the sapling. As the animals crept closer to the circle, like the Morely's dog, they too were consumed. Every time one was taken, the sapling grew bigger. This was no ordinary tree sapling. Who was that vile man who left it here?

  I always enjoyed going to Castle Whitehold, seeing the knights in their shiny armor, Zachery thought. All the Lords and Ladies dressed in the finest clothes of the land. I was lucky to have what clothes I had on, and I did not understand why? As farmers, we did not have the finer things. Mother usually made our clothes and toys, but we knew the king! Father was his best childhood friend! That had to count for something.

  2

  The Old Man

  That evening, as George and Zachery made their way to the castle, they stopped to let the horses rest and to grab some supper at a local pub outside of Castle Whitehold. Being close to the castle, this was no filthy tavern run by scoundrels. It was well-respected by the people. They entered the large, blue doorway to see all the patrons turn their heads toward them.

  "Why are they looking at us that way, Father?" Zachery asked.

  George knew why. "We are not the type of people who frequent this tavern, Son. We are simple farmers, not wealthy Lords."

  "That old man isn't either." Zachery pointed to a strange old man walking from table to table.

  "End of days!" the old man cried. "Everyone will die! We need to protect the champion of light!"

  Most of the patrons ignored him and went about their meals and ale. After what Zachery had seen, he found this ragtag gentleman amusing, and decided to listen to him banter with himself closely.

  As George and Zachery sat at a nearby table, the old man stopped in his tracks as if something grabbed his attention. He turned toward the boy and said, "The champion is not yet born to this world. He must be protected at all cost, until his eighteenth season. Till then, we are all at his mercy!"

  Stunned by the old man's words, Zachery glanced at his father for answers. George was busy trying to get the barmaid's attention, acting as if he didn't know the old man was even there.

  "If this so-called Champion is not born yet, then how will we know who he is?” Zachery asked. “And who will he protect us from?"

  In a blink of an eye, the old man stood inches away from him. Face-to-face, close enough for Zachery to see that under his nasty brown hood, his eyes were white as milk and he carried the stench of burning flesh that emanated from his skin, filling the air around them. His robes looked to be unwashed for weeks. Zachery couldn't tell if it was green or brown, or even dark gray.

  "The new mother that carries the child has hair of flames as the dragon's breath. Her skin is as the moon that hangs high at night and is protected by a fierce dire wolf that would lay down its own life for hers. Tread softly, for she does not know the gift she carries. This child is our only hope to stop the three. Save him, or we all lose. Seek the answers of the wise."

  As the old man spoke these final words, his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped over the table. Instantly, the old man burst into flames sending the patrons into a frenzy. Ale was spilled, food dropped. Some of the women ran for the doorway as others fainted to the floor. A short fellow, that had a little too much ale, pulled his sword and swung wildly. George grabbed his son away from their table as the barmaids splashed buckets of water on the corpse.

  "What kind of establishment is this? The king will hear of this!" one of the older patrons shouted.

  Zachery watched as they dragged the poor decrepit man's body outside, trying to let what he had just heard and seen sink in.

  He told his father what the old man had said before he burst into flames. Knowing his son to be truthful, especially after doubting him at the garden, he took his words as sincere, but feared King Gabriel's men would lock him up for witchcraft if spoken outside the two of them.

  "I know I doubted you at the garden, son, and I do believe you. Let's just keep quiet about it for now. We do not want a bunch of scared mothers trying to hide their babies now do we?"

  AS THEY STARTED FOR the castle again, Zachery turned to his father. "Are you scared of what we have seen? Are we in danger?"

  George thought for a minute, and then replied, "Fear is normal for every man. If he tells you he is unafraid, then he is a fool. Courage does not quench fear; it is the strength to overcome it. So yes, I am afraid, but I have faith in our King, he will have answers. All will be well." George gave his son a smile and disheveled his hair, just as he did when Zachery was a small child and the two made their way to Castle Whitehold, and King Gabriel himself.

  I hated when he would mess my hair. I was fifteen, not five! My father knew I was practically a man now. We would get ready soon for my sixteenth season day. I would be taking more responsibilities around the farm. I guess, since I was the first born, it may have been more difficult to let go of the notion I'm was longer a child.

  Soon they would find themselves in council with the king, not many people could command such a private meeting, but Gabriel felt a bond with George.

  The two had known each other since childhood, before Gabriel was king. At one point, close as brothers. Zachery had heard the story a thousand times; he could nearly tell it word for word just as his father did.

  AS A CHILD, GABRIEL was quite an adventurer, always running away from his royal nannies in search of danger. One morning, George and his father, Doron, were in the woods hunting.

  "An honest man will provide for his family with what the Gods provide for them, son." Doron would always tell him.

  Gabriel had
escaped his nanny’s clutches, again, and ran through the same patch of forest. The feeling of freedom was what Gabriel craved. He ran simply so he could feel the wind brush his face. He made the mistake of enjoying it too much. He closed his eyes and suddenly, a root caught his foot sending him flying over a small cliff, down into a ravine.

  Coming to an abrupt stop, the young prince found himself stuck to the ground. "EWW! What is this mess? I... I cannot move!"

  He had rolled into the web of a Highland ground spider, extremely sticky, and if you're alone, deadly.

  "Help! Someone, please help! Is anyone there?" Gabriel began to squirm to try to free himself and yell for help. The more he moved, the more tangled he became.

  George was close by and heard the screams.

  "Someone is in trouble," he said to himself.

  He followed the noise and with wide eyes, found the spider inching closer to its meal. He drew his bow and began to stream a volley of arrows into the creature. With each arrow, George took a step closer to Gabriel, making sure to keep his footing and not suffer the same fate. Reeling in pain, the spider made a quick jump in the boy’s direction, but George was ready.

  "We will not be a meal today!" He pulled a dagger from his boot, stabbing it deep into the eye of the spider. Slime and blood spewed everywhere. These woods were George's home and he knew the creatures who crept here. He had knowledge that the spider's brain was directly behind the eyes. He retracted the dagger and cut Gabriel free from the web. The spider lay slumped in a heap at their feet.

  Shocked from what he had seen right at his own eyes, Gabriel was in awe of George's bravery. "Thank you so much! Name your price, and it shall be yours! Thank you!"

  Before George could open his mouth to speak, Doron appeared on the scene and seeing the bloody spider, pulled his son towards him and held him tight.

  "How did you do that? How did you defeat the spider alone?" Doron asked.