Rise of Keitus (Kilenya Series, 4) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One: Wurbies

  Chapter Two: Tunnel Map

  Chapter Three: Bugs and Gardens

  Chapter Four: Village Bells

  Chapter Five: Odd Contraption

  Chapter Six: Dreget the Molg

  Chapter Seven: Services

  Chapter Eight: Contact Lenses

  Chapter Nine: Hand Warming

  Chapter Ten: Research and Revelations

  Chapter Eleven: Dungeon Visits

  Chapter Twelve: Horse and Cow

  Chapter Thirteen: First Mission

  Chapter Fourteen: A Green Cloak

  Chapter Fifteen: A Way In

  Chapter Sixteen: First Assignments

  Chapter Seventeen: White Box

  Chapter Eighteen: Perfect Opportunity

  Chapter Nineteen: The Workroom

  Chapter Twenty: Is It Possible?

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Rise of Keitus

  Kilenya Series Book Four

  Andrea Pearson

  Copyright 2013 Andrea Pearson

  Book design and layout copyright 2013 Andrea Pearson

  Cover design copyright 2013 James E. Curwen

  Books by Andrea Pearson:

  The Kilenya Series:

  The Key of Kilenya

  The Ember Gods, Kilenya Series Book Two

  August Fortress, Kilenya Series Book Three

  Rise of Keitus, Kilenya Series Book Four

  Eyes of the Sun, Kilenya Series Book Five

  The Golden Symbol, Kilenya Series Book Six

  The Key of Kilenya: Special Edition with Illustrations

  Grail Bestiary Volume I: Creatures of Grail and Kilenya

  Kilenya Romances:

  Samara, A Kilenya Romance

  Midian, A Kilenya Romance

  Katon University:

  Discern, Katon University Book One

  The Focus (A Katon University First Year Novella)

  The Manor (A Katon University First Year Novella)

  The Angel (A Katon University First Year Novella)

  Praxis Bundle One: The Focus, The Manor, The Angel

  Perceive, Katon University Book Two (coming early 2015)

  Ranch City Academy:

  Bezza’s Book of Enchantments (coming mid 2015)

  For information on the above books, click here. (http://www.andreapearsonbooks.com/p/my-books.html)

  This book is available in print at most online retailers.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are represented fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Summary: Jacob Clark's fantasy adventure has reached its most dangerous phase yet. A swarm of blood-ridden insects overwhelms Taga Village—threatening the existence of the Makalos—and the secret regarding Akeno’s strengths is about to be revealed. Not only that, but Jacob’s newly honed abilities allow him to discover the origin of the evil Lorkon. But finding out may be his deadliest mission yet.

  Join Jacob and his friends in this fourth installment in the Kilenya Series as they strive to prevent the Lorkon disease from destroying Eklaron and Earth.

  Dedication

  To Tristi Pinkston and Jenni James

  Thank you for your friendship and for always motivating and uplifting me. May the words freely flow as you write your next masterpiece! :-)

  Chapter One: Wurbies

  Jacob pulled the Key of Kilenya out of his pocket and looked at his dad and then his brother, Matt. “You guys ready?”

  “Yeah! Let’s go save some Wurbies!” Matt’s characteristic color of bright green for excitement flooded the air around him. He grinned at Jacob.

  “Calm down,” Dad said, laying his hand on Matt’s shoulder. “You need to understand the seriousness of what we’re about to do. Gallus said the only reason the Wurbies are ready so soon—”

  “Like, three weeks after Jacob met with them? Yeah, that’s soon.”

  Dad glowered at Matt. “Shhh. They’re only ready because the Ashay Hills have become overrun with Lorkon spies. Wurbies are getting murdered, and all of them are moving to Taga Village.”

  “Wow. Things must be really insane out there,” Jacob said. Especially since Dad—Dmitri, King of Gevkan—was going. This was the first time he would be appearing as the leader of the war-ravaged and suppressed people.

  Dad waited a moment longer, making sure Matt was sufficiently calmed, then motioned for Jacob to go ahead. Jacob lifted the Key, which was attached to his belt loop with an extra-thick chain so it couldn’t get lost again, and put it in the lock of their front door.

  “Gallus’s shop in Macaria,” Jacob said, turning the Key to the left and creating a link between his home on Earth and Eklaron. He pushed the door open and peered into the shop. It was dark inside. The sun had already set, and there were no lights lit.

  “Hello?” he called softly before entering the room.

  “Jacob?” Gallus’s deep voice responded. “Come in. Sorry it’s so dark—it’s an extra precaution.”

  Dad strode around Jacob into the room, seemingly following Gallus’s voice. “So you do expect trouble, then?”

  Gallus sighed. “Yes. It’s been a stressful few days since returning from August Fortress. The Lorkon have placed spies everywhere, and we’ve all felt the pressure.”

  He lit a candle, showing he was totally decked out in hardened leather armor with aggressive-looking decorations and designs imprinted in it. Jacob raised his eyebrow. The black man really wasn’t kidding. Too bad Jacob, Dad, and Matt wouldn’t be wearing something like that. Jacob looked down at his black hoodie and dark jeans. He’d just have to rely on his powers to protect him.

  “The Wurbies have been arriving in trickles through the castle tunnels over the last couple of days. I’ve situated them throughout the city with friends. Once we leave the shop, we must hurry—the Lorkon will be sending someone to stop us.” He looked at Dad. “If things get sticky, Jacob will return you to Mendon immediately—we can’t risk your life. But you already know how I feel about that.”

  Dad nodded.

  “Where do I take the Wurbies?” Jacob asked, already knowing he’d be the one to do that since the Key only worked for him.

  “Brojan says they’ll be safest if you take them to the tree first—he and the others will make sure they get where they need to go after.” Gallus adjusted his armor, using the light of the candle to make sure the leather straps were tight. “I’ll lead you from home to home.” He then motioned to Matt and Dad. “You two follow behind.”

  “Wait a second,” Matt said. “Why don’t we just have Jacob Key us around?”

  Gallus stared at him for a moment before responding. The expression on his face showed he felt Matt should already know the answer. “Because you’re on my turf, and I’m not comfortable with walking blindly into situations. You never know what you’ll find, and a simple inspection of the exterior of a building may tell you a great deal about the interior. For
all we know, one of the places could be a trap for us.”

  He undid several latches then grabbed the knob. “Ready?” When the others nodded, he blew out the candle and pulled the door open. “Follow me. Quickly, quietly.”

  Jacob’s eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness. The sky was full of stars, illuminating the white buildings across the street. Gallus pointed to the left and raced that way, surprisingly quiet for a man his size. Jacob dashed after him, listening to the soft sound of footsteps behind him as Dad and Matt followed.

  Gallus paused at the building next to his shop and knocked softly. His wife, Bezza, opened, and the colors surrounding her changed quickly from fear—yellow-orange—to a green-blue, representing relief. Jacob never tired of watching this sort of transformation. It was amazing how quickly the colors altered.

  Bezza ushered everyone in, and as soon as Jacob stepped over the threshold, a small object in bright blue collided with his legs. It took him a second to recognize that the three-foot-tall creature was a Wurby.

  “Jacob!”

  Jacob grinned. “Fubble!”

  Fubble, leader of the Wurbies, stepped back, shaking his head. “No, no.” He put his hand on his chest. “Fubble the Wurby.”

  “Oh, yes. Fubble the Wurby!” Jacob laughed. “It’s great to see you.”

  “Eeep!” Fubble’s hands turned into a blanket and covered his head, causing the adults to chuckle—except for Gallus, who maintained a serious expression.

  “No time to get reacquainted,” he said. “Fubble the Wurby, we need to get you to safety as soon as possible.”

  Fubble dropped the blanket, his hands returning to normal, a serious expression on his face. “I go with Jacob. Tast and Pug,” he motioned to a female Wurby holding a baby, “go to Taga Village with rest. I take care of Wurbies.”

  Jacob was surprised that Fubble hadn’t reacted to Dad’s presence—Dad was the actual king of Gevkan. The way Fubble treated Jacob, who was only a prince, was way over the top.

  Gallus nodded. “Very well. Let’s send them now.”

  Fubble motioned for the woman to step forward. “You be safest with Makalos.”

  Tast kissed Fubble on the cheek. “We is fine. You is be okay, okay?”

  “I is be okay.” Fubble searched the room, then pointed at several other Wurbies huddled in a corner. “Come. Now.”

  Jacob opened a link to the tree in Taga Village and held the door open for Tast and the other Wurbies. He looked into the empty, dark interior of the tree and back at Gallus. “We’re okay to send them? No one is waiting.”

  “Yes. And either way, the Wurbies will be fine. With the entrance to Taga Village sealed, nothing can touch them.”

  Jacob glanced down, nodding. He nearly freaked out when he saw a bug that looked like a large earwig with wings on his hoodie. Disgusting—he hated earwigs. He flicked it off and tried to conceal the shudder of revulsion that ran over him.

  Bezza noticed, though. “Move aside.” She picked up a broom and started whacking the insect repeatedly. “I hate these things!”

  Gallus grabbed her arm, stopping her. “You already know that does no good—they don’t die.” He glanced at the others. “We’ve been seeing these bugs everywhere lately. Not sure where they come from. Their larvae are especially vicious. They ate all Bezza’s house plants.”

  Bezza swept the bug through the open doorway. “I won’t have them in my home!”

  Gallus shook his head. “Better not send them to Taga Village, though.” He grabbed a piece of cloth, picked up the bug from the floor of the tree, shut the door—closing the link—then reopened the door and threw the bug onto the street in Macaria.

  He pulled his wife close, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. Then he kissed her and bade her farewell. She picked up their youngest child and watched as Gallus stepped out and looked both ways, crouched over. The man nodded, then ran, waving for the others to follow.

  Jacob dashed through the door, rushing to catch up with Gallus. At the next building, Gallus knocked and was allowed to enter by a black man with a really long gray beard.

  Fubble took over once inside, surprising Jacob. He instructed one of the Wurbies to stay in Macaria to help, then told the rest to leave through the link Jacob created to Taga Village.

  The next several stops were similar to the first: A human opened the door, Jacob Keyed several Wurbies to the tree in Taga, and Fubble asked one Wurby to stay behind.

  Gallus objected at first, but Fubble looked at him sternly. “They is warriors. Prepared to fight. They protect.”

  Gallus rolled his eyes, but didn’t complain again.

  A while after they started Keying Wurbies to Taga, the stars and moon disappeared, covered with thick clouds. The wind picked up, and Jacob pulled his jacket tighter. The weather had been mild so far, but December was still chilly.

  Jacob didn’t think anything of the storm until he noticed Gallus staring up at the sky, fear flashing across his face, mirrored by the lightning streaking through the clouds.

  “Lirone. It’s apparent the Lorkon aren’t happy about what we’re doing—they haven’t sent their sky monster to Macaria in several years.” He ran forward. “We must hurry. It doesn’t take long for Lirone to ready himself. He’ll attack quickly.”

  They’d only gone twenty feet more when the first explosion hit the city a street away. Jacob cringed when he heard people scream, and the brightness from the explosion made lights dance across his vision.

  “How much farther?” he asked, praying no one had been seriously injured or killed in that attack. An acrid smell reached him, making his eyes sting. He hoped he wasn’t smelling death.

  “We have barely begun,” Gallus said. “There are hundreds of Wurbies around the city.”

  Jacob shook his head, rushing to keep up with Gallus. Would they be able to help everyone escape in time? He jumped when another fireball streaked across the sky and landed somewhere to the right.

  Then the bombs really started falling. Lirone wasn’t holding anything back. They struck with such force that Jacob was nearly knocked to the ground several times. How would Macaria, the beautiful white city, look when all this was over?

  Jacob and his friends rushed door-to-door, trying to gather as many people as quickly as possible. About an hour after the attack started, Gallus stopped at a run-down place that looked like an old saloon. The back and left side of it had been blown away by one of Lirone’s bombs.

  A gust of wind pushed hot air from the building past Jacob’s face, making his eyes sting again from the acrid smell of the wreckage. He watched the smoke curl and twist, then disappear into the night sky. The idea of innocent people being attacked, combined with the strong smell of burning wood, made his stomach turn.

  Gallus knocked, and a man with a close-cropped brown beard opened the door. “Good evening, Morton,” Gallus said.

  “Come in.” The man stepped back, allowing them all to enter.

  Somewhere a baby was bawling. Morton shut the door and then peeked out a window, barely moving the curtain. Jacob was about to ask if the baby was okay, but stopped when he noticed the colors swirling around the man—a mix of red, orange, and purple. Anger, nervousness, and distraction. That didn’t sit right with Jacob. Everyone else had exhibited fear, panic, and in some cases, excitement.

  Not only that, but Morton’s actions were jerky, abrupt. Jacob didn’t know why, but a feeling of distrust flowed through him. This man wasn’t being honest, but what did he have to lie about?

  Jacob’s silent question was answered when Morton grabbed him, yanking him away from the others. Something sharp pricked Jacob’s neck. The man’s breath came in fast, short bursts. He stank like something that had dragged itself out of the sewers.

  Gallus raised his hands and stepped carefully toward Jacob, but Morton growled at him to stop.

  “My wife is dead, Gallus. Lirone killed her. I’ve got a newborn and a two-year-old. How am I supposed to take care of them wit
hout her?” He paused for a moment. No one responded. “How am I to care for them?” Jacob felt Morton’s arms shake, and the blade poked him even deeper. “None of this would have happened if it weren’t for this boy. They’re looking for him. And I’m tired of standing by, doing nothing.”

  Gallus stepped forward, slower this time, his hands up, but the knife stung at Jacob’s throat, making him gasp.

  “Don’t come closer!” The man’s emotions must have changed because now panic—bright blue—added to the anger and flowed so thickly around Jacob and Morton, Jacob had to squint to see the others in the room. “I’m exhausted! I can’t do it anymore. We’re giving him over. They’ll make our lives easier. Better.”

  Gallus, Dad, and Matt all started speaking at once. Dad’s voice was the loudest.

  “Morton, as king of Gevkan, I promise you that no further harm will come to your family. Come stay with the Makalos and Wurbies in Taga Village. You’ll be safe there. I’ll do everything in my power to protect you, but please, please release my son.”

  Morton scoffed. “You? King? Where have you been the past fifteen years? Your people have needed you, and you went into hiding.” Morton shifted his hold on Jacob, but kept the knife in place. “No man of cowardice will lead me.”

  Jacob watched to see his dad’s response, but didn’t get the opportunity. Fubble screamed and ran forward, holding a rope which he flung at Morton. It landed a foot away and Morton laughed, kicking it. But the rope jerked into life. Being a Wurbie, Fubble had the ability to turn his hands into whatever he wanted.

  Morton stopped laughing, watching as the rope snaked across the ground and then grabbed him around the ankle and yanked his foot out from under him. Both he and Jacob dropped to the floor.

  The knife fell away with a clatter, and Fubble pounced on Morton. A brief scuffle ensued, and Dad, Gallus, and Matt quickly joined in. Morton kicked and screamed, trying to bite whoever got close to him.