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about
the author
Nicolle Dinn
was born in 1987 and raised on the Gold Coast of Australia. She currently lives
in the beautiful Graduating
from Her passion
for sport includes karate, in which she holds a blue belt. She entered the new year of 2006 with the news that her dream book was to be published. Chapter 1
The Warning
Day 16: Month of the Spirit The
sun began to slowly rise in the east, flushing pink hues across the sky. Tulen
rose from his bed and sleepily walked over to his desk. Taking a piece of
parchment he began to write down the duties for yet another day. Tulen scratched
his head trying to wake himself up. He lit a candle on the desk from an overhead
lantern. The light bounced off his golden hair as he lowered his dark brown eyes
to concentrate on the task at hand. He
reached for the quill, a coucal tail feather, dipping the tip into a small pot
of ink. He began to scribble down his duties, involving topics on issues to tell
the council and festivity preparations for his kingdom the next day. There was a
knock on the door. “Come in,” Tulen granted, still facing the piece of
parchment. Tulen had been brought up in the proper way, speaking and writing in
a way that depicted his classical upbringing of race and position in the royal
family. “Good
morning Your Highness. Your father wishes to speak with you,” said the
servant, dressed in his own bed robes, as if he too had just been woken. “Alright
I’ll be there soon. Tell him to stay put. Thank you.” Tulen waved his hand
dismissing the servant. He began to scribble down a short life story about
himself; he had been distracted by the servant and wanted to stall for time
before he had to see his father. In
two days, my kingdom will hold celebrations in honour of the Spirit of the blue
moon. I am glad to see that my father, King Galaxys, the post king of the My
father handed me the ruling chair and neck garment two years ago when I was just
one deca and four moon cycles. My twin brothers, Tyrynx and Tai-Ki-Ti-Chi are
younger than I, and have taken up the prince chairs beside me. The distance
between our ages is about one deca. Unfortunately, my father was only able to
see them for three years … King Galaxys is now blind. How it happened so
suddenly and without any physical cause, I do not know. But some say that with
his blindness came a gift … He had spoken of a dream where he saw a girl
falling off a cliff, caught by an angel created from the dust of the earth and
not that of the sky, for his wings were a golden brown. He never explained it
fully, only to say that in a battle with the Gargorse creatures – our
kingdom’s greatest enemy –- he was struck across the eyes by the chief
creature, using their devilish enchanted staff. Since then he’s been blind.
Father has sent word for me to see him in his chambers... Another
knock came from the door, “Alright, I’m coming!” said Tulen, standing up
quickly, pushing his chair over onto the floor. Tulen put a silk robe around his
shoulders and followed the servant up the spiralling staircase. They reached the
floor only to find the entrance guarded by the last of his father’s loyal men.
Tulen stood in front of them and cleared his throat. Stepping aside they opened
the large carved door, their faces expressionless. Inside
King Galaxys awaited his son, imprisoned in his silk and Kakachi pelt bed.
Hearing Tulen’s entrance into the room, the old king ceased conversation with
his good friend and wizard Nilrem. With the slightest gesture of his hand, the
young king bowed and stepped forward to sit on the bedside, the way he used to
before his father abdicated his role of king, giving it and all responsibilities
to his oldest son. In these days of weakening, Tulen’s father had light grey
hair kept short on the fringe; his once strong, blue eyes, speckled with gold,
were reduced to a faint milky blur of white. He
wished to talk to his eldest son, but now his once proud and brave words were
reduced to whispers from the back of his throat. The young king leant forward to
hear the first part of the old king’s message. “This may be the last time
you get to see and talk to me in this form.” Ill-sounded coughs followed.
Tulen blinked away the possibilities of the meaning to his father’s words, but
in his heart Tulen knew the meaning was a warning. The young king felt his blood
beginning to run cold with fear. When
Galaxys calmed down, Tulen leant down, and ever so quietly his father whispered,
“He’s coming. He will return.” Galaxys raised his weary hands feeling the
gentle touch of his son’s golden hair, most likely trying to remember the
brown eyes that made him smile every time he looked down at his son when he was
just a lad. However, the two ‘he’s’ Galaxys mentioned, were two different
sources of life, the king always spoke in riddle-like phrases. Tulen
looked at Nilrem searching for an answer, the wizard nodded with a stern
expression on his face. Tulen bowed as he backed away to the closed door.
Turning at the door, Tulen reached to open it. An eerie feeling filled the room
as he reached out for the handle. Hearing something stir behind him, Tulen
looked over his shoulder. To
his surprise, he saw his father standing on his bed, glowing, whilst looking down and
across at his son. Tulen saw poor Nilrem lying fallen on his rump, his hands
covering his mouth with an astonished look of disbelief in his eyes. Instantly Tulen knew that
this was no magic of Nilrem’s. His father levitated towards him in the air,
like a puppet on a string. At face-to-face distance he said, “Watch your
shadow.” “I
can assure you Father that my shadow remains stitched to my feet,” assured
Tulen winking an eye at Nilrem. Tulen smiled approvingly trying to hide his fear
for the sudden event. The young king bowed and turned again. “Don’t
go out, Tulen King of the Phoenix Crater. Or else you’ll meet your end!”
Galaxys shouted, and in that brief moment, his once young and powerful voice had
returned. Tulen did not turn around. Instead he went for the handle. Moments
before touching the cool brass, Tulen felt the impact of his father’s
once-reigning hand strike the back of his neck. Tulen’s
vision was blacking out as he fell. With the last shimmer of light, Tulen saw
Nilrem scrambling quickly over to assist. The last thing the young king heard
was his heart beating in his ears and the scream of a girl somewhere off in the
distance. Click on the cart below to purchase this book:
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