The Shrine of Avooblis
The Shrine of Avooblis
By
Charles Streams
Copyright © 2013 Charles Streams
All rights reserved by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
The Shrine of Avooblis is book 2 in The Adventurers’ Academy Series.
To Jackson,
young warrior
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: A Not-so-Welcome to Cliffmount
Chapter 2: Jinxy’s Bauble Emporium
Chapter 3: Central Crossing
Chapter 4: Wendahl
Chapter 5: The Solloughbys
Chapter 6: Seeds of Betrayal
Chapter 7: The Unexpected Adventurer
Chapter 8: The Quest Tree
Chapter 9: Hidden Impressions
Chapter 10: The Shrine of Avooblis
Chapter 11: Mandrake Root Powder
Chapter 12: Before the Academy
Chapter 13: Spumasaur Spittle
Chapter 14: Ignoble News
Chapter 15: Spore Sport
Chapter 16: Fetching Performance
Chapter 17: Trial of Nobility
Chapter 18: Cross-over Classes
Chapter 19: Cave Hoard
Chapter 20: Fuzzfiest Fur
Chapter 21: Thaw Transaction
Chapter 22: Moogrout Challenge
Chapter 23: Clingy Claws
Chapter 24: The Mixing
Chapter 25: Wispy Race
Chapter 26: Coincidence in Coastdale
Chapter 27: Dagdron’s Dad’s Wife
Chapter 1: A Not-so-Welcome to Cliffmount
Dagdron Obor jumped off a boulder, threw his dagger and, as he landed, watched his knife slip directly into the hole he had aimed for. He sprinted to his target, retrieving his dagger. Although it was summertime, Dagdron was wearing his black rogue’s cloak, but with the hood off. Normally the rogue didn’t go around with his black hair and dark eyes exposed but, since he was on the crags above his home cave in Cliffmount, his worries were at a minimum. Other people rarely explored the cliffs.
Dagdron, like most rogues, strove to keep his emotions and expressions under control at all times but, still grateful to be home, he took a moment to take in the light brown cliffs. The backdrop of the blue sky created a beautiful scene. A month earlier, the rogue had finished his first year at the Adventurers’ Academy, a school where warriors, magic users, and rogues learned skills to fulfill quests so they could venture out to help kingdoms and villages throughout the land, becoming heroes in the process.
Although Dagdron was still furious that his father had made him attend the academy, he did have to admit to himself that it had been more exciting than he had expected. The headmaster of the academy, Gwydion Gwauldron, had purposely accused Dagdron of stealing the Arch of Avooblis. The rogue, along with his roommate, Earl Valorington, had been forced to recover the arch crystal or the headmaster would have expelled Earl, the young warrior’s worst nightmare. With the help of Earl’s lady warrior friend, Lita Valk, and Elloriana Loftloomburg, the rich princess of Lordavia, who was training to become an enchantress adventurer, they had fulfilled their quest. Sort of. In the end, with the guidance of Dagdron’s father, Dagdron and Earl had discovered that Headmaster Gwauldron had lied about the arch being stolen in order to retrieve a second arch crystal from three evil enchanters.
As Dagdron reflected back on the events, he felt the annoyance increase in his chest. After everything he had been through, he still knew very little about what the Arches of Avooblis were or did. The last day of the academy, Earl had insisted that Dagdron accompany him in the safety of the caravan to take him home, but the rogue had slipped out in the middle of the night, traveling alone all the way back to Cliffmount. Dagdron had been anxious to get home, not only to enjoy the cliffs he was now on, but to force his father to answer his questions. Unfortunately, when he reached the cave, his father wasn’t there. Dagdron had spent all of June with no news, and he was upset that his father hadn’t even told him where he was traveling.
Catching the sound of a falling rock, Dagdron was shaken from his memories. He whipped his hood on and dashed behind the nearest boulder, listening intently. Wind and erosion caused rocks to fall in the crags but, as he focused his hearing, he could tell that there were definitely foreign movements close by. As the noises got closer, the rogue tried to distinguish if it could be an animal, but then the sound became clearer.
Squish-clink, squish-clink, squish-clink.
“No way,” Dagdron seethed. He drew his dagger and climbed up on the boulder in front of him.
Squish-clink, squish-clink, squish-clink.
Dagdron’s eyes moved until they located the direction of the sound. The rogue nimbly jumped from boulder to boulder, stopping on top of a large rock when he saw the blond hair of the intruder.
“Dagdron!” The warrior boy raised both arms in excitement and cheered as he saw his friend standing above him.
“Get you and your new boots out of here!” Dagdron yelled.
“How did you know I got new boots?” Earl asked. He ignored the command portion of the comment and climbed up the rocks, his traveling pack throwing him off balance, until he was on the same boulder as Dagdron.
“Because they sound different,” the rogue explained. “And they look just as uncomfortable as your old ones.”
“No, they’re not.” Earl extended one leg, showing off the longer boots that laced up past his ankles. “My old boots were so bulky.”
“How the heck did you find out I lived in Cliffmount?” Dagdron said, pointing his dagger toward Earl.
“Didn’t your dad tell you? He dropped a note and map off for me in Lordavia.”
“You saw my dad?”
“No, but he broke into my house and left me the papers.”
“Let me see them!” Dagdron held his dagger in an even more threatening position.
“I will, right after I give you a welcome hug.” Before Dagdron could stop him, Earl grabbed him and squeezed him tightly, pulling off his hood in the process. “I know it’s only been a month, but I’ve missed you so much.”
“Let me see the note and map,” Dagdron repeated.
“Why are you so upset? I know you’re a rogue, but you could at least give your best friend a warmer welcome than that.”
Dagdron looked away momentarily. “Because I haven’t even talked to my dad. He hasn’t been here all summer.”
“I’m so sorry, Dagdron. I didn’t know. The note told me to meet both of you here, so I bet he’ll be here soon.”
“He’s going to get sliced when he does show up. Let’s go.”
Dagdron led Earl over the boulders, pausing every so often as the warrior stumbled on the terrain that was foreign to him. As they went, Earl talked all about the things he had done over the past month in Lordavia. Dagdron listened but didn’t reply.
“I can’t believe I didn’t figure out you lived in Cliffmount,” Earl said. “But I was right about the cave, wasn’t I?”
“Yes,” Dagdron said. “Are you sure no one followed you here?”
“Of course. Your dad gave me explicit instructions. I came northeast with a caravan from Lordavia, but then headed off on my own. My mom was worried when I wouldn’t tell her where you lived, but my dad was excited for me to visit you
. And it’s been a great experience traveling across the land on my own. That’s what the life a real adventurer will be like.”
“Stop,” Dagdron said. “During the summer, I don’t want to hear anything about being an adventurer.”
“Sorry, Dagdron, but once an adventurer, always an adventurer.”
“That may be the case but, since I’m not an adventurer, that doesn’t apply to me.”
“Nice try,” Earl said, patting Dagdron on the shoulder. “I know you haven’t been thinking about anything else except our quest to find out what the Arches of Avooblis really are.”
Dagdron didn’t reply and led Earl to a cluster of boulders that looked like a chimney. He went to one side, ducking into a hole and dropping himself down onto a ledge. Earl struggled to get in the opening, and groaned as he lowered himself.
“No wonder you’re so good at climbing,” Earl said. “Don’t you have a door into the cave?”
“Yes, but my father keeps it magically sealed. I can’t cast spells, so this is how I get in and out. Not that it matters. I’ve used it since I was a boy.”
“In a few months, I bet both of us will be learning a few spells,” Earl said excitedly. “Second year at the academy we get cross-over classes.”
“Seriously, Earl,” Dagdron said. “If you mention the academy one more time, I’m going to cut you.”
“Whatever. One of my personal quests last year was to find out where you lived, and nothing is going to break my spirits while I’m in your home, since I’ve now accomplished that quest.”
Dagdron kept his face expressionless as he saw the optimistic countenance of his friend and then, shaking his head, he climbed the rest of the way down into the cave. He lit the fire on the shelf outcropping so the warrior could see. Earl, unused to the footholds and ledges, took a while to reach the bottom. When his feet finally landed on the ground, he beamed radiantly as he took in the surroundings.
“Wow,” Earl said. “It’s almost exactly like I imagined it.”
“It’s a cave. There’s nothing to imagine.”
“It’s not just any cave. It’s your cave.”
“Doesn’t matter. We won’t be here long,” Dagdron said.
“What do you mean? We just got here.”
Dagdron went to the back of the cave where he slid his hand into a crevice between the wall and a rock, pulling out a book. He carried it close to the firelight so Earl could see.
“Because we’re going to Coastdale.”
Chapter 2: Jinxy’s Bauble Emporium
Dagdron had been ready to leave for Coastdale immediately, but Earl argued that they should wait for his father to arrive. After their quest to find the Arch of Avooblis was completed, Chesna, the magic shop owner in Bodaburg, had received a mysterious message that said the Arches of Avooblis had been created in Coastdale. Dagdron and Earl had also discovered Dagdron’s parents had lived there years before. Dagdron’s father had never told him the details, but Dagdron had pieced together that the Arches of Avooblis had caused his mother’s death and that his dad had left Coastdale to come to Cliffmount to start a new life. In their continued quest about the arches, both boys knew they needed to visit Coastdale, but they couldn’t agree on the timing.
“Where did you get that book about Coastdale anyway?” Earl asked.
“The headmaster gave it to me.”
“You had it before the school year ended and never showed it to me? I’m going to check under your bed when we get back to the academy.”
Dagdron handed the book to Earl, and the warrior flipped through it, reading passages here and there.
“Even I read that book, but nothing stuck out to me. Coastdale is like Grizzard told us. It sounds like the most boring village in the land.”
“Maybe your dad just left because your mom died,” Earl said. “He wanted a new start.”
“He did. But he also left Coastdale because of the Arches of Avooblis, which means his wife’s death had something to do with the arches. We need to go there. Now. My dad was supposed to be here to answer our questions, and he never showed.”
“He’ll be here.” Earl sat down on a rock near the fire shelf to read.
To pass the time, Dagdron approached his friend’s backpack. He tested the weight with one hand, straining to lift it.
“What do you have in here?”
“All my adventurer’s equipment,” Earl said, not looking up.
“I can’t even lift it.”
“I have all my food rations, my fire starting kit, my canteens, everything an adventurer needs.”
“You could start a fire with your sword, drink water from streams, and eat food wherever you find it.”
“Warriors aren’t like rogues,” Earl said, looking up this time and casting Dagdron a suspicious look.
Dagdron smiled slightly as he rummaged in Earl’s pack to see everything he had carried with him from Lordavia. When he finished, the rogue was about to have another go at convincing Earl to leave for Coastdale, but the end of the cave glowed blue, the wall swung open, and Dagdron’s dad, Dugan, entered.
Dagdron drew his dagger and was across the cave in seconds, while Earl closed the book and slowly approached. Dagdron was about to make a threat but, seeing his father’s tired eyes and disheveled black hair that was so like his own, he stashed his dagger away.
“Where have you been?” Dagdron asked.
“Are you okay?” Earl asked at the same time.
“Yes,” Dugan answered. He shook Earl’s outstretched hand and then patted his son on the back. “I’m sorry I was gone so long. What is that book?”
“A book about Coastdale,” Earl replied.
“Where did you get it?”
“Forget about that stupid book,” Dagdron said. “Where have you been? Why were you in Lordavia?”
“I was tracking Rance, Kas, and Wally. They have a home in Lordavia, but unfortunately, they weren’t staying put. I’m sure they’re plotting how to get the Arches of Avooblis back. Dagdron, I know you have a lot of questions, but you can’t go to Coastdale. Read the book if you want, but don’t go there.”
“Tell us what the arches do,” Dagdron persisted, ignoring what his father had said about Coastdale.
“I invited Earl here so I could tell both of you what I know.”
“Then spill it!” Dagdron had no patience left because his father had promised to give him answers back in Bodaburg, but had left without doing so.
“Dagdron,” Earl finally cut in. “Your dad looks exhausted. At least give him time to rest.”
“We need to head into Cliffmount first,” Dugan said. He hurried to continue when he saw Dagdron about to protest. “It’s not safe to talk about the arches without magical shielding.”
“What does that mean?” Dagdron asked.
“It means I don’t have enough magical ability to shield us myself,” Dugan said, finally losing a little patience with his son. “How do you think Rance tracked us last year when we were traveling to the academy? As long as I had the Arch of Avooblis hidden safely in the cave, it was well shielded. But, as soon as it was moving, my magic wasn’t enough and the arch crystal Rance had allowed him to track us in the forest.”
“Then why didn’t Headmaster Gwauldron use the arch to find where Rance was?” Earl asked. He had wanted to give Dagdron’s dad a chance to relax, but his curiosity about the matter was too great now that they were talking about it.
“Like I said, unfortunately, my magic isn’t strong enough,” Dugan explained. “I have learned some magical skills but, first and foremost, I am still a rogue. Rance is a very powerful enchanter, and he had the ability to hide his from magical eyes. Even from the headmaster.”
“How do you know the headmaster? How did you get the arch in the first place?” Dagdron asked.
“Can we please go to the magic shop in Cliffmount? I will explain on the way.”
“Cliffmount doesn’t have a magic shop,” Dagdron said.
“Yes, it d
oes.” Dagdron’s dad saw his son’s hand go to his dagger again so he added, “Jinxy’s Bauble Emporium is just a cover for it. You know the people of Cliffmount don’t think kindly of magic users.”
“Jinxy?” Dagdron said, remembering the quirky man he and his father had talked to occasionally in the village.
“He’s more of a dabbler himself, but he does have a few skills in certain areas. He helped me with the spell to keep the Arch of Avooblis hidden.”
Dugan led the two boys out of the cave and concealed the door. They made their way along the rocky trail that ran down between the cliffs that towered above. The path curved to the left, arriving at a viewpoint over the village below.
“Wow, now I can understand why you wanted to come back here so much,” Earl said. “It’s beautiful.”
Dagdron didn’t reply as they took in the scene of the setting sun over Cliffmount. The rocky cliffs sheltered the village on the west side. Farm and crop areas inhabited the fertile land near the cliffs. The homes, mostly simple in size, extended eastward. On the opposite side, grasslands extended into the distance.
A steep rocky gully took them down the side of the cliff. Earl only stumbled twice, once catching his own balance quickly, the second time clutching Dagdron on both shoulders to steady himself.
Dagdron felt content passing through the crop fields at the base of the cliff. During his month alone at Cliffmount, this was as far as he had come, gathering food for dinner. He was looking forward to walking the streets of his home village in order to see what opportunities he might have with the increased rogue skills he had acquired during his first year at the Adventurers’ Academy.
Dugan walked a step ahead of the boys when they reached the town. Darkness was setting in, and the streets were vacant for the most part. Earl, as usual, commented on every house, shop, or other random scene he saw on the way, comparing and contrasting Cliffmount with Bodaburg and the other cities he had visited. Dagdron stayed at his side, listening but not replying.