Return to Revein'sev, page 1
Return
To
Revein’sev
Brian K. Larson
Return to Revein’sev
Warlords Series Book 6
Brian K. Larson
Published by Slipstream Publishing
Copyright © 2022 Brian K. Larson
For Smashwords
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events in this novel that appear similar to persons living or dead are unintentional and are completely coincidental.
~ Map of Revein’sev ~
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all my dragon loving friends. I sincerely hope you all enjoy this work with all the fun dragons you’ll experience within these pages.
—Author Brian K. Larson
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Epilogue
More Works
Prologue
________________________
~ Realm of Revein’sev ~
In’gula
Heart of the Realm
________________________
With each beat from the Bron Vis’Ka blood-infused heart with the sword of Revein’sev firmly imbedded into the heart of the Realm, continued to send its healing force through the land. The life blood within the heart boiled with the Bron Vis’Ka healing power from Queen Danielle. Golden beams continued to feed the Bron Vis’Ka from the Sword. The red crystal pommel glowed, sending waves of power down the blade and into the pierced heart. The beating continued consuming the Bron Vis’Ka infused blood.
The pulsating vines continued flowing from the heart and into the once sickly grey appearance caused by the Kron’Shulooka, now changed into a golden glow teaming with life.
The new glow illuminated the under-dome and the vines that flowed from the Heart of Revein’sev. The glow traveled out from the In’gula, continuing to evaporate the Ela’voo from the Woods of Shavana’ka and across the entire land of the Realm.
The brilliance that emanated from the heart, held the shining Bron Vis’Ka, transforming into the new revitalizing blue color of a newly healed Realm.
The wisps of an old entity blew around the heart.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then it formed into a blind Antarian woman who reached out for the Sword of Revein’sev. E’nor’Ta’s wispy hand passed through the handle of the sword and then tried twice more with no success.
Another swirling wind carried another ancient Antarian who took shape and stood next to E’nor’Ta.
“Why do you continue to attempt this, my blind daughter?” Ma’Ruuk questioned.
“My Father,” answered E’nor’Ta, “Why do you continue to ask me this? You already know the answer.”
“You wish to remove the Sword of Revein’sev, but you cannot. You are not able to have physical form. Nor such as I, my blind daughter. The Vis’Ka has taken that ability away from us.”
“I believe that I will take physical form again—one day. That is why I choose to continue trying.”
“The Kron’Shulooka has been defeated. Queen Danielle subdued the Shabe’Tu.”
“Yes, my Father, she did subdue the Beast of Bragora. However, I know this Shabe’Tu will awaken, once again. It will overcome this Bron Vis’Ka and rule this Realm as it has for countless eons.”
“The Bron Vis’Ka will not yield, my daughter.”
“Even you know that the Bron Vis’Ka cannot last a multitude of Ma’Nuta’ah without the Kron’Shulooka. You know there must be—”
“—Balance!” Ma’Ruuk interrupted. “There must be balance between Vis’Ka and ‘Shulooka.”
“And where there is no balance in these blood spirit forces; one will defeat the other as it has always been. This time the Kron’Shulooka will prevail. I have seen it!”
“My blind daughter sees this? No, I do not think you see this at all. Only your wants and desires of power is all you know. When you finally lay down your physical desires, you will then understand that you cannot win in this.”
“We shall see, my father. There is a storm coming to this land.”
“A storm?” Ma’Ruuk balked, “Not as long as this sword is in this place. No storms will come to pass.”
“Then I will find a way to remove this Sword of Revein’sev, my father. I will find a way.”
“This Ma’Nuta’Dii, you will not succeed—”
“—Perhaps not, my father. But maybe on the next Ma’Nuta’Dii I will.”
E’nor’Ta’s apparition vanished, changing into the wisps of fog which flowed from the Heart of the Realm. Ma’Ruuk followed after returning to fog.
Chapter One
________________________
Betelgeuse Sector
The Rocinante
________________________
Race Jennings, looking more Antarian than Human, kneeled low before rolling to his back while reaching under the cross-way device. Grunting and groaning accompanied the man’s determination. His larger Antarian hands struggled to fit into the small sections of the machine as he worked on disassembly.
Jed entered the medical bay and rested his hands on his hips as he watched race contort on his back, reaching for a connection.
“You okay, Race?” Admiral Fitz asked. “How’s the Cross-way coming?”
Race looked up, bumping his forehead on the bottom of the device, “OW! Yeah, I’m just great, there, Admiral. Just friggin’ great! I’ll get it down to the transport soon enough, Admiral.”
“They leave for Antares in a couple hours,” Jed paused as he watched his Antarian-looking friend, “Do ya’ need some help with that? I thought you were training your new friend, Chipper, to reach those tight spots?”
“I was,” answered Race, who reached further inside, fishing for the connector.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know for sure, Jed. One minute I was showing Chipper some things and then she scurried off and disappeared.”
“Disappeared?!”
“Yeah, I’ve looked everywhere and I can’t find her.”
“Uh, well, you can’t leave your furry critter loose on the ship, Race. You need to keep an eye on your new friend. We talked about that.”
“I was, Jed,” Race stopped, pulled his hand from under the unit and slid away to sit upright. Then continued with arms resting on his thighs, “When Ruki and Darnash get back, we’ll find her.”
“How are they gonna find it—”
“—Chipper, sir, not an it.”
“Sorry, Race. How are they going ta’ help find Chipper?”
“Darnash has a keen sniffer and Ruki has Antarian intuition.”
“And you don’t?” Jed balked his eyes passing up and down Race, “You are part Antarian since you partook in that Bron Vis’Ka’ ritual, thing.”
“Yes, you’re right about that, sir, but I’m afraid my Antarian sniffer is all plugged up from the dander on my own fur.”
“Sounds like that could be problematic, Race, being, your mostly covered with that fur.”
“I know, right?” Race protested, “Just my luck that I’m allergic, isn’t it! And doc Lambert had trouble getting a needle in.”
“Needle?”
“I gave blood. But this fur, sir!”
“Now, Race,” Jed began, “I’m sure your nose will adjust over time.”
“Well, how much more time is it gonna take?” Race sneezed, shook his head and continued, “It’s already been three days of this,” Race pointed to himself as he sneezed twice more.”
“Can’t Doctor Lambert give you anything for it?”
“We’ve tried antihistamine therapy. I can’t take any kind of decongestants and I break out with terrible sinus pain when I tied the nasal sprays.”
“Wow, tough luck, Race.”
You’re tellin’ me!” Race returned to his back and began reaching up into the machine once more. Then, sneezing, he jerked his forehead into the bottom of the unit, “OW! Dang!”
“Well, if you need me to help—”
“—I got it, sir!”
Pulling his hand from the unit, he held his prize in the air as he rose to sitting, “I got it!”
“Wonderful, Race. Good job. So, how soon are you gonna get this all down to the landing bay?”
“As soon as Danielle returns with the cart, we can start wheelin’ it on down, sir.”
The medical bay doors slid open as Danielle wheeled in the cart, “You still workin’ on that, Race?”
“Well,” Race began, “I was having trouble with this last power connector, but I got it.”
“You just now got it, Race?” Danielle protested. “You started on that an hour ago!”
“Like I said, I was havin’ troubles and then I was looking for Chipper for part of that time.”
“Where’s Chipper?” Danielle asked.
“You tell me and we’ll both know,” said Race, standing to his feet.
He says he’ll find him when Darnash and Ruki return.”
“His nose, right,” Danielle snickered, “Sorry, but you just seem to have all the luck, Race.”
“Ha-ha-ha, your hilarious—” Race paused as he inhaled before sneezing three times.
Shaking his head, he then proceeded to recoil for another blast from his complaining sinuses when the medical bay doors slid open, causing his sneeze to misfire.
Exhaling, Race grew a smile seeing the two, “Ruki. Darnash! Good that your back!”
Ruki held her hands to her hips and shook her head, “You still working on this?”
“Enough of that already!” Race protested, “I’m doing the best I can, here.”
“Where’s Chipper?” Darnash asked, looking around the med bay.
“Yeah, about Chipper,” Race began, “The little furball ran off and I can’t find her anywhere. I was hoping you would be able to find her when you got back; you know, your super sniffer, big guy?”
Ruki snickered, “Well, Darnash does smell better than the rest of us.”
“And with your Antarian senses, Ruki, you both should narrow it all down.”
“And narrow down you should,” Jed protested, “I can’t have this alien squirl running loose around my ship.”
Darnash rose his head high and began sniffing the air about them. Then two more sniffs before he lowered his head and looked on Jed, “Chipper is near; I smell her.”
Race sneezed twice before continuing, “How near?”
Ruki closed her eyes and focused on the little creature, “I’m not feeling really good about this, Race.”
“Why, What’s wrong, my Ruki?”
“It’s Chipper. I’m sensing—she is the one not feeling well.”
“We have to find her,” Race urged.
Darnash knelt down to his hands and knees and began sniffing close to the deck. Then, began inching forward when the Cross-way blipped and popped twice, it’s lights illuminating before fading with a lowering whir.
“What the heck is that all about,” Race said, his eyebrows raising up, “I know I disconnected all power to this thing!”
“Well, there’s one connector on this side,” Ruki pointed, “it’s still connected. It’s giving the Cross-ways a slight bit of power.”
“There must be a ghost in the machine, then,” Race pointed at more lights flickering.
“No,” Darnash answered, “I don’t think it’s a ghost.”
“It’s Chipper!” Ruki exclaimed as the little critter came out from inside the machine.
“What are you doin’ in there, little one?” Race asked, kneeling down to the floor at Chipper’s level.
The bright orange and brown colored alien creature looked greyer as its color faded. Chipper lowered its head and then weakly pointed at the Cross-ways.
Ruki joined Race on her knees, “I think it was tryin’ to turn the Cross-ways back on.”
“What makes you think that?” Race balked.
“My Antarian intuition, my Race,” Ruki answered, then continued, “She looks sick.”
Carefully, Ruki knelt down and scooped the little creature into her palm. Then stood with it, “Ahh,” she said, stroking Chipper’s back, the little creature laid down and curled into a ball, then purred softly in her hand.
“Where’s Doc Lambert, anyway?” Race asked, “I haven’t seen him in hours.”
“He’s off ship giving Zetaal a physical onboard the Antarian flag.”
“Physical?” Darnash protested.
“He should be executed!” Jed exclaimed, “Executed for his attacking the Antarians after they claimed their ceasefire.”
“Zetaal is still alive, yes,” Darnash added, “He should not be killed. We are trying to gain any intel he might have.”
“Well, I seriously doubt Zetaal will cooperate,” Jed added, “But, that’s what the Antarians want, so, we can’t interfere.”
“From what I know, he won’t eat, either,” Ruki added.
“That’s why the Doctor was called,” Jed said, “He’s going to force feed him.”
“Why can’t we just ask the Eridonians to read his mind?”
“They left again,” Jed nodded, “As soon as you all returned from the Realm, they packed up and left.”
“Sure, leave when we need them to intervene,” Race protested, “But no—they’re off to some obscure location to let us figure this all out on our own. We don’t need ‘em, anyway. Not at all!”
“What do you suppose Chipper was doing inside the machine?” Ruki asked.
“Keeping warm?” Danielle offered as she rolled the cart in front of the machine. “Well, the Admiral needs this loaded. C’mon, let’s get to it.”
“She does look sick to me,” Ruki said, examining Chipper in the palm of her hand.
Jed’s earpiece rang a tone in his ear, signaling the ship’s comm officer was calling. Tapping his earpiece, he answered, “This is the Admiral; go ahead.”
Nodding with the man’s voice in his ear, Jed held a finger up, “Hold one. Look, I’ll clear Doc Lambert to check her out when he returns. I’ve got to get back to the CSC. Seems Chancellor Relegon is calling me. Just get this machine to the hanger bay.”
“Aye-aye, Jed— ‘err, sir,” Race acknowledged.
Jed nodded and then turned his attention back to his earpiece as he walked out of the medical bay, “Tell the Chancellor that I understand his concerns and that I’ll appeal his request to transfer Zetaal to his ship.”
“You can tell him yourself, sir,” Lieutenant Henderson answered.
“Excuse me, Lieutenant?”
“Sorry sir, I meant to say, the Chancellor is here, waiting for you in the CSC.”
“The Chancellor is here?”
“Yes sir, that’s correct,” Lieutenant Henderson confirmed.
“Tell the Chancellor that I’ll be there in a couple minutes; I’m on my way from the med bay.”
“Understood, sir,” Henderson out.
Jed stepped up his pace as he made his way to the control center of the Rock. Entering the CSC, he paused as the Sergeant of the Guard announced, “Admiral on deck!”
“As you were,” Admiral Fitz quickly responded and then extended his hand and grew a wide smile as he trotted down the three steps to the CSC pit and approached the Theta Centaurian, “Chancellor Relegon; so good to see you!”
The Chancellor shook Jed’s hand as he answered, “Yesss, Admiral Fitzsss, it is good to sssee you assss well. Where is my former Captain? He ssshould have been transssferred to my ssship hoursss ago!”
“Well, there seems there are a few bureaucratic obstacles that need resolving first,” answered Jed.
“Bureaucratic obssstaclesss?! That isss outrageoussss! I want Zetaal transssferred, and transssferred now!”
“The Antarian government is unwilling to release him just yet?”
“What obssstaclesss are there in hisss transssfer?”
“First of all, our doctor is examining him to ensure he’s fit for travel.”
“Why would he not be fit?”
“He is refusing to eat and in his weakened state—”
“—He isss being executed! Zetaal hasss already been found guilty of treasssson and hasss attempted to take over as Chancssellor. He freely admitted hisss guilt, therefore, he isss sssubject to our punissshment, which, asss you know, isss quite sssevere.”
“Death is severe, Chancellor and that’s the other obstacle.”
