Legends of Avalon (Season 1)

LEGENDS OF AVALON

ATLANTIS

(Season 1 of the Legends

of Avalon Series)

Estarosa Evans

About this book

Legends of Avalon: Atlantis is the first season of the Legends of Avalon series of short novels. It consists of the first three short novels in the Legends of Avalon series: Ice Palace, Labyrinth of Daedalus and Gardens of Atlantis.

Legends of Avalon is a series of short novels that follows the adventures of ‘Ray’ Raiton Etheria and his friends as they travel through the land of Avalon in their quest to stop the threat of the Demon Clan.

Copyright © 2016 Estarosa Evans. All rights reserved.

Cover design and all artworks related to the Legends of Avalon series by Aimanarts, Copyright © 2016 Aimanarts

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed, electronic or any other form without permission from the author.

For more information, contact:

estarosaevans@gmail.com

ISBN: 978-3-96142-560-0

Verlag GD Publishing Ltd. & Co KG, Berlin

E-Book Distribution: XinXii

www.xinxii.com

Legends of Avalon: Atlantis is the first season of the Legends of Avalon series of short novels. It consists of the first three short novels in the Legends of Avalon series: Ice Palace, Labyrinth of Daedalus and Gardens of Atlantis.

Follow the Legends of Avalon series on:

https://estarosaevans.wordpress.com/

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Table of Contents

Book 1: Ice Palace

Book 2: Labyrinth of Daedalus

Book 3: Gardens of Atlantis

Legends of Avalon: Babylon (Preview)

Book 1:

Ice Palace

About this book

'Ray' Raiton Etheria is the young hero of the Battle of Escanor who defeated the Shadow Wraith and brought an end to the Third Blight. Now three years after the war, Ray is regarded as a living legend and is the most prized Hero of the Academies.

When headmaster Ed asks him to carry out an unofficial mission to save a princess of Lyonesse from Shadow Assassins and requests that he keep it a secret, Ray is certain that it has something to do with the unease that he has been feeling. To make matters worse, the princess is trapped inside the Labyrinth of Daedalus, possibly the most dangerous Dungeon in Avalon.

Before he can save the princess, Ray will need to seek a treasure belonging to the Queen of the Ice Palace because not even the legendary Hero of Avalon can survive the Labyrinth of Daedalus without help.

Can Ray survive the challenges of the Ice Palace, an A-Class Dungeon that most Heroes avoid? Will he be able to obtain the item that he requires for his mission, and how will he fare against the Queen of the Ice Palace who controls both ice and time?

The Academies are centers of learning where those with the will and the ability come to train in order to become Heroes – those courageous man and woman who protect the peace of Avalon. In total there are five Academies, one in each of the big nations of Avalon: Atlantis, Alfheim, Escanor, Camelot, and Nysia. While the Academies are located in these nations, they are free from the influence of politics and are separate from the nation’s military. The mission of the Academies and their Heroes is to maintain peace in Avalon and protect it from the Demons of Tartarus.

Five years ago, the Shadow Wraith came to Avalon with his Demon army and all of the lands were plunged into a terrible war. We were on the verge of losing our world to the Demons when a young Hero appeared. He fought against the terrible Wraith Dragons and in the final battle of Escanor, defeated the Shadow Wraith. With that he ended the Fifth Demon War and Avalon was able to see peace once more.

A series of wow’s spread through the group of young children touring the halls of Atlantis Academy. There were twelve of them, aged between seven and nine years old. Young Hero apprentices newly accepted into the Academy.

Hestia, their tour guide knew that the awe wasn’t for her story telling which she was sure they didn’t really listen to and which she thought was rather bad. She was horrible at this tour guide business was the thought that dominated the mind of the newly graduated Hero who has an issue with low self-esteem.

The children’s awe grew to the point of agitation when they reached the center of the dome that made up the eastern wing of the Academy. Here, a silver blue lance was perched on a pedestal in the middle of the atrium.

Demon Slayer.

The lance with which The Hero defeated the Demon Shadow Wraith. The Hero. Hestia’s heart fluttered as she thought of him.

She and a few of the girls had secretly followed him on his morning exercise three days ago. Demeter had accidentally bumped into him one morning a few days before that when she accidentally set her alarm for five a.m. rather than six a.m. That was how they found out about his daily routine and then of course, all the other girls wanted to watch him. Suddenly everyone was able to wake up at five in the morning. They weren’t the only ones to watch him though. There were about half a dozen other groups of boys and girls, and even a few of the teachers that watched The Hero do his morning routine. It was obviously impossible that a person as powerful as he couldn’t detect all those people watching him, not even bothering to hide their thoughts and presence or even find a good hiding place. If he did know that people were watching him – which of course he did – he did a perfect job of hiding it. Hestia wasn’t as interested in his techniques and prowess as she was in his face. All the girls watching were the same – she would swear this on her honor.

Can I be like him one day? one of the younger boys said dreamily. This brought Hestia out of her own day dream.

Like the Hero Ray.

The boy put his right hand out to the lance, probably imagining himself holding the legendary weapon and being hailed as a Hero.

Then, a spark of lightning crackled in front of the boy’s palm.

Everyone in the atrium stopped and gaped as the spark grew into a torrent of lightning. The lightning coalesced and gradually took shape – into the real Demon Slayer, blue and silver lightning crackling around it.

Demon Slayer the boy breathed in awe.

Someone grabbed Demon Slayer. He wore blue and silver robes that billowed as lightning crackled around him. His hair was silvery blue like the moon, his eyes sparkled like the clearest lake and his face was white as snow.

The Hero Ray literally shone like the sun.

You can’t be like me kid Ray said to the boy.

He knelt down and ruffled the boy’s hair.

One day, you’ll become a Hero even better than I am

The boy beamed, his eyes sparkling. I can really become a Hero like you Hero Ray?

It’s Ray. Everyone calls me Ray Ray corrected the boy. And like I said, you’re going to become better than me

Now then, who wants to have a go with Demon Slayer? Ray said playfully, an offer to which all the new apprentices jumped at with excitement.

Ray didn’t hold back with the children, summoning his lightning armor and resizing it for the children as they each took a turn at holding Demon Slayer and wearing his Lightning Armor.

Hestia bowed slightly and thanked Ray for his help as he took his leave after receiving a call on his Universe 7 Arm Band.

I’ll see you guys in Basic Aura Manipulation Ray said to the children. Don’t read about it before class. That would spoil the fun the children cheered at this announcement which most of them – especially the boys – took to be a declaration that they didn’t need to study for the class.

Ray gave Hestia a personal smile Sorry I can’t help out more, but you’re doing a great job. Thank you for your effort. Even though it was just a friendly smile to Ray, and Hestia knew that it was so, it still caused her to feel like her insides were melting.

Oh… and I will be doing physical training in the morning for the next two weeks. I’ll be using the S7 Mountains after for this so if any of your friends want to join they should inform me because it’s quite dangerous you know

So he did know, Hestia thought. Well of course he knows.

Ray pressed the ‘answer’ button on his arm band.

Hero Raiton, please report to the Headmasters office immediately a familiar male voice said.

Noted Mister Snart. I am on my way Ray answered in a formal tone. Mister Snart, the Headmasters personal assistant was not someone to be trifled with even if he wasn’t a Hero. Despite knowing him for many years – neither Ray nor any of the other Heroes or senior Apprentices would describe their relationship with him as ‘being acquainted with’’ him, even less so ‘being friends with’ him so ‘knowing’ him is the term most people use – Ray has never been very comfortable with the man so he always speaks in a formal tone with him. On a few occasions Ray and his friends had tried to tease him by procrastinating or telling him outright that they’ll be there after taking a half hours’ nap. In response to their prank, he called them using the Academy’s loud speaker where everybody heard him commenting rather scathingly about their lack of back bone and some other not very flattering things.

The Headmasters office is a glass dome at the top of the Administration Tower. Previous Headmasters were not very fond of heights so the room had been unused for some time. After Headmaster Ed took up the post though he was giddy with excitement at the prospect of having a room that could give him full view of the valley and school grounds so the unique room has been the place where people come to meet the Headmaster of Atlantis Academy.

You wanted to see me Headmaster? Ray greeted Headmaster Ed who had been bending over a small item on his desk with utmost concentration"

Ah... hello Ray headmaster Ed said in his cheery tone, though Ray noticed that it was a bit muffled.

Ray, having been apprenticed under 'Grandmaster Edward' for some years before the later Headmaster didn't fail to notice that his teacher was troubled.

I believe that you are not on a mission at the moment? Headmaster Ed asked. It was more of a statement rather than a question because the Headmaster is the one who gives out missions to the Heroes.

No sir, Ray answered.

Very good... very good. He walked to and forth in front of his table and occasionally looked out the window. His fingers drummed on the table, a mannerism that Ray recognizes as a sign that he is agitated.

Finally, he stopped and looked at Ray. He held his hands behind his back, left hand inside the right to stop the drumming and control his agitation.

If you are willing... I would like to ask you to do a certain mission. Only if are willing He stressed the last part.

Because this is not an official mission

An unofficial mission. This was so unusual of that it took even the usually composed Ray slightly off balance.

Unofficial mission sir? Ray asked sounding a bit confused.

Headmaster Ed explained. I have just received a personal letter from a certain acquaintance of mine informing me of a rather disturbing news

The headmaster resumed his drumming as he said this, but stopped himself when he became conscious of it.

He took the thing that he had been bending over so intently when Ray entered his room and showed it to him.

I am sure you know what this is? he asked Ray.

An Inscriber. Gene specific I believe Ray answered sounding intrigued. The item was not alien to him, or to any Hero. An inscriber is like a secret letter. An item in which one person enters a message and encrypts it for the person they want to read the letter. Only that person can access the information inside the Inscriber.

The information is not in the form of written words or a read aloud message that other people may overhear or read. Once the receiver activates the Inscriber, the message goes straight to their brain. So only that particular person can know the contents. It is a common tool for Heroes.

Gene Specific Inscribers take that encryption and secrecy to a whole new level. The writer must have the genetic information of the intended receiver either in the form of their genetic sequence which is very difficult to obtain, or a gene sample. Normal Inscribers differentiate people based on their Aura make up. A Gene Specific Inscriber will take the genetic component into account as well which requires a much more expensive piece of technology.

The Academies had used it during the war three years ago because the Demons had a way to fool the Inscribers' Aura detection. However, after the war there has not been much use for it. Considering the price of such an item and the rarity of its production, only a select few can have access to it.

Headmaster Ed did not immediately reveal the identity of the person who had given it to him but proceeded to tell Ray the content of the inscriber. If it had been a normal Inscriber, the receiver can choose to share the content with others but with a gene specific one, this was not possible.

Demons have taken over Lyonesse Headmaster Ed said in a flat tone that made the proclamation all the more dramatic.

Considering the nature of their profession, Ray had been ready to hear even the most unexpected of news. However this piece of news was such a surprise for him that it took some time for him to process it.

What... that's impossible Ray said but he knew that the headmaster was not joking, and neither is it likely that he is mistaken with something as big as this.

Ray rephrased himself by asking a more pertinent question How come we know nothing about this?

Headmaster Ed