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Forgotten Paths: Book One of Transcension
Forgotten Paths: Book One of Transcension
Forgotten Paths: Book One of Transcension
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Forgotten Paths: Book One of Transcension

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Ten years have passed since the last human ascended into an elve. Now Balen; the last ascension has braved the violent oceans that divide the lands on the premise of searching for an answer.
Unknown to those he travelled with, his true motivations are to see his son Danion once more and work on his own solution.
Taking the young cleric from his teachings, Balen heads out in order to unite the paths and return
a peace to a land torn apart by their differences.
On their journey, they encounter allies to help with their cause and also reignite old hatreds within
the hearts of the humans.
With their lives threatened at every turn, the group heads for a community called Unity, that has
been a safe haven for Elven kind in the past.

Meanwhile, back on the elven islands. The dark brotherhood of elves, a sect that craves the magic known as essence; the power of the guardians, continue to work against the council and put into action their plans to rid the world of humans for good.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 22, 2016
ISBN9781310624469
Forgotten Paths: Book One of Transcension
Author

David S Croxford

I have been writing for many years ever since I was inspired by the first fantasy book I read which was Lord of The Rings. This grew a passion within me and the worlds began to grow within my mind.As I developed them on odd bits of paper and filled notepads with the sentences that grew into paragraphs and the books began to grow.My passion is writing and to share my mind with others.

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    Forgotten Paths - David S Croxford

    Prologue

    The guardians slumbered, hidden from the view of the mortals that lived upon the world. They had done so since the time of cataclysm, when the world had faced destruction. Essence produced by their bodies leaked into the land and created the balance of life where all plants, trees and animals emerged from.

    The guardians had been born from the creation, when all matter came together and worlds, stars and the space in between was born including the great beasts. The guardians flew the heavens in their thousands, slowly breaking off into smaller groups and settling upon the worlds they came to.

    Those that chose Terra lived a tranquil existence and the world flourished with plant and animal life. Soon the emergence of man came, quickly showing an intelligence and the two races lived in harmony.

    Man built great structures that they lived within and their population boomed, eventually expanding across one of the larger islands.

    Greed took hold of the humans hearts and conquest soon took the land as separate nations rose up and craved the lands of their neighbours. The violence and death awoke the three brother guardians who began to rampage and unleash their powers upon the land causing devastation.

    The humans sought shelter within the mountains that crowned the world and built a great city that was protected from the guardian’s wrath.

    The other guardians acted in order to stop the brothers. Agreeing that their power was too great to be used again and the temptation was too much for the human heart to withstand. They chose to bury themselves within the world and sleep, allowing their essence to continue to feed the world and maintain the balance.

    So man was left to fend for itself. The old civilizations no longer existed and what little numbers of humans left alive slowly left their caves to rebuild and the population began to grow once more.

    The humans separated into factions that devoted themselves to a study of the world and so the paths of knowledge were born.

    Little did the guardians know that their use of essence had, had an adverse effect on the humans. They were not aware that the essence released had been absorbed into the humans, granting some of them the ability to evolve past being human and giving them access to the essence that ran through the world.

    This new race of humans called themselves Elves and were soon distanced from the rest of man by choice and the prejudiced feelings of those who had not transformed. A great battle was fought until the elves won their freedom and left the land of the humans for a new one to build their civilisation

    This new ability to ascend into a higher being became integrated into the beliefs of the paths and overtime became the goal of all humans to ascend into elves gaining the knowledge and power their hearts desired.

    So the races of man and elve continued to live in a fragile peace as they rebuilt the world, centuries passed and the guardians fell out of history, only the elves remembered their place in the world and of those few who knew of the myths and legends; some still craved the power and planned a way to obtain it.

    Dark shapes passed over the rough cliff edge, the sun beat down upon a large group of cloaked figures as they made their way over and up the perilous terrain.

    Two of the figures lagged behind the rest and spoke in whispers.

    Here Cashe, how much further do you think we have to go? One asked.

    Who knows? I tell you what I do know though; I have never been so cold, Cashe replied with a shrug and a sigh.

    We could at least have been told where we are going?

    You know Aaron, maybe if you had listened then you would know that we are searching for something that will help us accomplish our goals.

    That answers nothing.

    Cashe fell into silence as they began to climb further up the cliff. Although the sun shone high in the sky, a bitter wind blew over them and made their footing unsure. The two slower figures had fallen further behind by the evening and once again resumed idle conversation when a low rumble sounded around them.

    What was that? Aaron asked.

    They looked around but saw nothing, the sun had begun to set behind the mountain they slowly climbed and darkness was quickly falling.

    Nothing but the wind, replied Cashe. Let's get back to the group quickly, they will be making camp soon

    The two finally reached the camp as night fell, both received a stern lecture about keeping up with the rest. Accepting their reprimand, they grabbed a bowl of food and chose a spot to sit down. The others had chosen a small indent carved into the cliff. The wind blew over them, negating any warmth that the campfire tried to provide. Shivering; the two friends ate their meal in silence and settled down for the night. Little sleep was achieved by either.

    Clouds covered the sky, like the ash of the burnt out campfire, dark streaks laced the clouds threatening rain. It was a grim morning. The two friends helped pack up the camp and continue their journey.

    Throughout the day the rumble noise seemed to increase in volume, unnerving the group and conversation kept to a minimum. It was midday when they found a cave that gave them entrance to the mountain, after a brief discussion they decided to follow it. Torches were lit and they began into the mountain. The cave was slick and damp with a strange warmth that came through the very rock causing small puffs of steam to swirl as they walked by and the rumbling grew louder and became a steady pattern.

    The leader of their group stopped and gasped loudly, causing the rest to suddenly halt and try to see past. They all took a few steps forward and entered a large cavern. Steady rumbles sounded in front of them and they each held their breaths.

    The leader cleared her throat and in an excited voice that echoed through the cave.

    We have found them.

    Chapter One

    After a long day harvesting vegetables from the fields surrounding a monastery, Danion; a cleric acolyte had finished his punishment. He often found himself in this position as his mind would stray far from study and become lost within imagination much to the chagrin of his masters.

    In the distance the cold stone walls that protected the old monastery loomed high and Danion decided to prolong his return for as long as he could without getting into further trouble. He walked from the fields and into the long untended grass. He looked around the area, all other clerics had returned to the monastery and he was alone with just his thoughts, that soon turned to Ascension and he sat down.

    The mission of life some called it, the eternal goal and God's gift. Danion sat in the long swaying grass pondering the meaning of these terms.

    Ascension was the goal of all people that lived upon Terra, the process of evolving into an elve. Early on it was an ambition that was drilled into their minds and most worked endlessly to achieve it.

    Danion thought about the histories that he had been taught as a child, that to become an elve; one needed to follow a path of destiny. Hundreds of years had brought with it many ideas upon the best way of obtaining the goal and this had brought about much disagreement and conflict.

    The paths of God, Nature, Strength and philosophy each followed their own teachings and routes to becoming an elve. The origins of these teachings were unclear but followed without question.

    Danion followed the path of the God, a holy order that looked to God and his teachings to reach Ascension to what many called their second life. It was a path that demanded obedience discipline and much meditation, the very things that Danion often found hard to commit to.

    Ascension was not a guaranteed process though, even the most devout upon their path would never ascend to their next life, and then others would ascend barely past the day they chose their path to follow.

    Although Danion had never seen an ascension, he knew someone who had moved on. This thought brought back the memory of a conversation that he had unwittingly overheard a few days ago. He had been rushing as quickly and quietly as he could down the corridors of the monastery in which he lived and prayed. It was well past curfew and he had managed again to lose track of time whilst immersing himself within the books held in the library.

    Realising the time and mistake he had left in a hurry. As his soft leather shoes had slapped against the cold stone floor he could hear voices travelling through the empty corridors causing him to stop in his tracks.

    Curiosity won over thoughts of the reprimand he would suffer had he been caught. He followed the voices and as he neared they turned out to be a number of the masters that belonged to the order, they were in one of the lecture rooms used for lessons in history and theology.

    Danion had then crept up to the open door and listened to what was being said.

    But all paths have reported the same thing, it is undeniable. The number of ascensions have been dropping severely in the last fifty years, said the first voice. Danion had recognised it to be that of Fahru; one of the grand master and second in command of their monastery. Some rumours claim that they have stopped entirely

    A second voice replied, it was Fanin; another of the grand masters and one of the few women that had ever risen to such a high station.

    I have read the reports myself and cannot dismiss the claims, our own order along with many of the others have not seen an ascension nor any elves in almost ten years; when Balen had ascended and they came to collect him.

    Danion had caught his breath upon hearing his father's name. A third voice had then spoken, a voice rarely heard in the halls of the monastery but one that all followers of God's path would know and recognise.

    It was of God's right hand, leader of their monastery and a man that sat amongst the highest leaders of the human race. He was only ever seen by his personal disciples and on special occasions such as the changing of season, new year blessings and upon days of ascension.

    This is troubling news, I too admit the numbers have been steadily declining over the past century and encounters with the Elves have been sporadic at best.

    What shall we do? asked Fanin, her voice had been uncharacteristically nervous.

    I must send a message to the Elves, hopefully they will be able to answer our questions and relieve our concerns, said God's hand, his voice now frail with age. God's right hand was an honoured title to be blessed with; often bestowed upon those who had long been on the path of God but had reached a grand age without ascending.

    Danion had walked away when the conversation sounded like it was coming to a close; quickly he had headed to his room, snuck in and sat upon his bed going over the conversation he had heard. It was troubling that the masters themselves were worried about it and confirmed some of the wilder rumours that had bounced between clerics for years.

    His mind returned to the present and he noticed that the wind had picked up; the long grass now swayed like waves upon the ocean. His thoughts still turned over the conversation, the mention of his father stuck fresh in his mind. His family was full of ascenders, rolling back through generations as far back as records survived.

    Danion remembered the day he heard of his father’s ascension, Danion had missed it, like the majority of women; his mother followed the path of nature and was often far from civilisation. Danion had been visiting her before the ceremony and upon his return he learned of his father's ascension and the arrival of Elves to take him to the Elven islands.

    It was said the Elven Islands were a paradise where the Elves could live in luxury. Most stories spoke of powers granted to them and the Elves throwing huge parties every night, celebrating their ascensions and leading a brand new life.

    Others said that the Elves had the command of magical powers, known as essence now available to them to tend to the world and ensure that God's will was done. Danion was not sure what to believe, no humans travelled over the endless ocean that separated the lands and since his father's ascension he had cared little of the wonder and mystery surrounding it.

    It had been an upsetting time, Danion had almost refused his path when his day of choosing came but generations of tradition and a lot of thought about his future had won through and he had become a cleric. It was also on that day that Danion decided he had little interest in ascending.

    His mother had been overjoyed at his chosen path and had travelled to the monastery to be with him. She never mentioned his father after the news reached them that he had gone, they had only co-habited for the nine months of her pregnancy and then he had returned to the Monastery till Danion had been old enough to join him there.

    There was another way of life some people followed that devoted all to a complete unit, a 'family' they called it with the union of parents and the life committal to raising their offspring and future descendants.

    That path had sounded strange to Danion the first time that his father had spoken about it. The thought of living with both parents and not devoting oneself to a path. From the books that Danion had read on the subject, there was no recorded ascensions from following Unity and it was often scorned by those who followed the true paths.

    He stood up and wrapped his cloak tighter to his body, the sun was lowering and it would almost be time for the evening meal. If he missed it, then he would go the night hungry. Turning towards the monastery his eyes were drawn to a group travelling up the main road towards his home. As Danion walked up to the road he saw a banner that was being carried by several of the travellers.

    He recognised the Elven symbols on the banner. Immediately he turned and began running for the monastery, an Elven group could only mean one thing; an ascension and he had missed it again. Scolding himself he arrived at the front gate just as the late afternoon bell began ringing.

    Two guards stood at the gate and looked surprised at his swift arrival.

    Sound the call, he shouted at one of them as he ran by.

    Why, what's wrong? The guard asked, his hand immediately fell to the sword at his belt. The guards were a chosen few clerics trained in martial art and sword play, they defended the monastery against any that meant them harm. Danion himself had once began training as a guard but quickly found it was not to his liking.

    What do you mean, 'what's wrong?

    He stopped running and turned back to the guards just as confused as they looked.

    Elves approach us, who’s ascended?

    The guard looked to his companion who shrugged his shoulders.

    No ascensions have happened here in a decade lad, the guard told him.

    Danion was even more confused at the approaching party.

    Sound the call anyway, they're almost here, he said and took off again before they could say another word heading towards the main building.

    As soon as he set foot into the building the horn sounded, bells began to toll furiously and instant chaos fell upon the inhabitants of the monastery. Acolytes, juniors and masters began to run around in preparation.

    As Danion ran through the hallway he was almost knocked to the ground by someone leaving a side room. He glared up at the person and paled instantly. Stood before him was grand master Fahru.

    What is going on around here? The grand master shouted. A day in the fields not enough for you?

    Apologies master, Danion gave Fahru a bow There is an ascension party heading this way.

    One of Fahru's thick eyebrows lifted.

    That is impossible, nobody has ascended.

    Maybe it is an answer to the letter that was sent, Danion realised too late what he was saying.

    What was that lad? Fahru asked him.

    Nothing master, Danion replied hoping that the noise in the hallways had masked some of what he had said.

    The grand master did not believe him; that much was clear by the look he gave, but mercifully he said no more about it.

    You'd best go and get ready, was all that he said.

    Yes grand master, said Danion with another bow and quickly made his way towards the living quarters, dodging acolytes and masters that ran around in a frenzy. He reached the door to his room, breathed a large sigh and then entered the room. Clothes flew as if a storm raged within the walls of the room trying to destroy anything within its path.

    Ah here it is, said a voice coming from a pair of legs that hung out of a large chest.

    You know that we are told to have them ready at all times, said Danion causing his friend to fall out of the chest pulling some crumbled robes with him. Danion walked over and pulled off a rogue shirt revealing the shock of red hair and freckled face of his friend Anton.

    Well how's I supposed to know someone would rudely ascend without warning, said Anton as he got to his feet and looked around in mock pride of the destruction caused to the room.

    It's your turn to tidy the room, he said with a cheeky smile.

    Nobody has ascended, Danion told his friend as he walked over to his own clothing chest and took out some neatly folded robes.

    So why do we have to dress up in these mouldy clothes? he asked.

    They are ceremonial robes and if you'd taken better care of them they would not be mouldy or creased

    Danion started to pull off his clothing and carefully folded it onto his bed.

    A party of Elves are approaching, said Danion to answer his question.

    Elves! Anton shouted excitedly "Coming here? Did you see them?

    What are they like?"

    I didn't wait around to find out, replied Danion, he knew his friend would be excited by the thought of elves. It was all he ever talked about. To Danion it seemed that meeting one was more important than becoming one. I ran back quickly to raise the alarm

    The large horn sounded again and quickly the two men finished dressing and left the room, heading for the main courtyard. People still ran around madly, most now dressed in their own robes or still in the process of dressing.

    Danion and Anton joined the line of clerics ready for the presentation. Nobody appeared to know what the proper procedure for this appearance of elves, some were still asking who had ascended only to be further confused by the answers they received. Out in the courtyard lines began to form either side of the path in accordance to rank within the order.

    The gates had been closed whilst the monastery prepared themselves, Danion and Anton joined the lines of senior acolytes. Sub and Junior acolytes stood in the rows behind them.

    He turned to look at them.

    'So few new acolytes' thought Danion. He looked again to the front where the journeymen stood and then to where the masters stood. 'So many masters now too'

    He sighed, the signs of the problem surrounding them was clearer since he had eavesdropped the conversation those few nights back. More and more clerics were reaching greater ages, the streaks of white hair now resembled a wave that seemed to break over the heads of those assembled in the yard.

    Even Danion knew that it had not been long since the mark of white hair was worn with shame to many. It was proof that a cleric had reached a great age without gaining God's gift.

    'How did we so easily miss the signs?' he wondered.

    Danion was accustomed to most books that dwelled in the library, to the extent that many masters had been heard to say that the path of philosophy would suit him better. He read the history of their path up until the formation of their order, though not much existed before that. In their history there had been no problems mentioned of Ascension's.

    The horn sounded once more and the courtyard fell silent, not even the sounds of breathing seemed able to pierce the nervous tension of the clerics.

    The large oak doors opened with an audible creak and everybody turned their heads in unison as a party of mounted riders entered and came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard. The banner depicting the ascended elve fluttered in the wind as the group dismounted.

    Danion watched their graceful movements as they parted from their horses to greet the grand masters that had assembled in front of them. Hoods that covered their heads were now taken off and a hushed gasp escaped the lips of many of the younger clerics that had never seen an Elve before. Anton was bouncing around and close to exploding where he stood in excitement.

    Calm down, he whispered.

    How can you not be excited? His friend asked and began tugging at Danion's shirt.

    He thought about it for a moment whilst pushing Anton away and smoothing the creases now present, a part of him was excited to see the elves, but this was outweighed by a sense of dread that had been building since he saw the them approaching the monastery.

    They watched as the elves were quietly conversing with the grand masters when one of them turned and looked directly at Danion. For a brief moment their eyes locked and Danion's heart clenched. He instantly knew those eyes, the stern but caring look he remembered from his childhood. The elve then turned away and followed as the group and grand masters walked into the main building.

    Once they had all disappeared from sight the rumble of talking began and the straight rows of clerics then broke off into smaller groups.

    Anton was feverishly talking to a group of journeymen as Danion continued to stare at the spot where the elve had been standing. His trance was broken by light droplets of water, he looked up and grey clouds had covered the sky, letting their waters flow free. The clerics began to move back into the main building, he and Anton walked back to their room, his friend was still talking about the encounter with Danion's quiet thoughts going unnoticed.

    They entered their room and Danion sat on his bed, unable to shift the thoughts swimming around his head.

    Elves rendered you speechless Dan? Anton asked, finally noticing his brooding.

    My father was there he said.

    Your father? Anton asked, his friend quickly jumped onto the bed next to him. Are you sure?

    I could never forget his eyes, he replied.

    The day was beginning to set and darkness had started to descend.

    I wonder what they are doing here and why your father would come said Anton.

    Danion revealed to his friend details of what he had overheard the other night. Anton was enraptured by the story and as soon as Danion had finished a wicked looking grin appeared on his friend’s face.

    What? He asked What is going through your mind?

    Well how about we go and find out what is going on, his friend said.

    We would be caught and punished, that's why we should just go to dinner like everyone else.

    You were not caught and even you cannot say that you are not curious.

    Danion did not want to admit it, even more so was the urge to know why his father was here.

    Come on, you know that you want to, urged his friend.

    It is almost dinner time, we would be missed, said Danion.

    You are on the verge of becoming a journeyman, you will be off traveling the monasteries. Do you not want a bit of fun before that?

    And if we are both caught we will be bumped straight down to juniors before the end of the night, said Danion firmly.

    Anton stood from the bed and changed into his regular clothing then walked towards the door.

    Where are you going? Danion asked him.

    Well, like you said, it is almost dinner time and I am starving, he replied.

    Danion sighed, he had been close to giving in, but his friend had decided what they would do. He also changed, noticing Anton's regular clothing was in as much mess as the ceremonial ones he had worn earlier. Hoping that nobody would mention it if the Elves were attending the dinner that evening he finished dressing then started to tidy the room until Anton was ready.

    They left the room just as the evening bell began to ring, announcing that it was time for the evening meal. They joined the lines of people marching towards the great hall.

    Excited whispering filled the hallways, Anton as expected jumped into several of the conversations, offering his thoughts and repeatedly trying to pull Danion in for his views.

    As they neared the hall Anton stopped walking and moved to the side of the line causing Danion to move over and join him.

    Why have you stopped? he asked.

    I heard that the grand masters are not attending the feast, replied Anton.

    So what?

    Well that means that they must still be talking, he replied.

    Danion saw instantly where this was going.

    Ant, we cannot go. We will be caught.

    Suit yourself, said Anton and quickly he darted down one of the side hallways.

    Cursing to himself Danion followed his friend, a mixture of curiosity and concern filling his mind.

    The hallway they walked down led towards the senior classrooms and meeting halls. He managed to catch up to his friend.

    Where are we going then? Danion asked.

    Word is that they are in one of the meeting halls, hush now. I think I hear voices.

    The hallway was silent and then Danion picked up voices of arguing. The wall lanterns had been lit making shadows jump across the wall causing Danion to sharply turn each time thinking that they had been caught. Adrenaline began pumping around his body and the silence was pounding within his ears. The arguing as they grew louder as they followed the hallway and he could now recognise the familiar voices of the grand masters. He followed Anton as they passed the door that the voices were emanating from.

    Now where are we going? Danion asked.

    You will see, replied Anton.

    Anton led them into the classroom that adjoined the meeting hall, the room was dark and he immediately walked into a bench and cursed.

    Be quiet, said Anton who then took his hand and pulled on it. They walked through the rows of desks and benches, Danion held his other hand out, feeling his way as Anton led them to the back wall.

    We won't hear anything through the wall, we would have been better off by the door, he said, thinking that he had worked out his friends’ plan.

    We would have been caught there, replied Anton. Just wait and see.

    The door that led into the store cupboard opened with a small creak and Anton grabbed his hand pulling him into the cupboard. He could just make out the voices now, but still not clearly enough to understand what they were saying. A match was struck and the sudden light caused his eyes to water and shut, when he had reopened them Anton was holding a candle, the flickering flame highlighting the freckles on his face.

    Follow me, said Anton.

    His friend crouched down and then disappeared from sight. Danion followed the light and discovered a small crawl

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