80AD - The Jewel of Asgard (Book 1) Read online

80AD

  The Jewel of Asgard

  by Aiki Flinthart

  Copyright Aiki Flinthart 2011

  Discover other titles by Aiki Flinthart at: https://aikiflinthart.weebly.com/

  Cover Art by : Jason Seabaugh

  Review:

  “This story is very unique. The premise is immensely entertaining. It’s a great story!”.......Chilli Tween Reads October 31st 2011

  NOTE: this series is written with the young adult agegroup in mind. Having said that, thousands of adults have read and enjoyed them as well. Please bear this in mind when reading and leaving feedback.

   

  Contents

  80AD Level One

  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

  A Taste of Things to Come: 80AD Book Two

  80AD

  Level One

  The Jewel of Asgard.

   

  LONG BAIYU

   

  Cold held the chamber in its bitter grasp: an intense, unrelenting chill that soaked through skin and muscle and invaded aching bones.   Bound in icy darkness, surrounded by stone and shadow, Long Baiyu crouched in a corner of his miserable cell and waited.  What choice did he have?  This place sucked warmth and hope from him; until all he could do was hurt and wait.

  Sharp footsteps sounded outside his door.  The heavy wood flew open.  Long Baiyu  raised an arm to shield his eyes from the overbright candle carried by his visitor.  It had been too long since he’d seen the sun.  He was weakened by darkness; too drained to even attempt an escape.

  “Have you changed your mind?” his visitor demanded.  The man was tall and arrogant with high, sharp cheekbones and narrow, dark eyes.  He held heavy silken robes off the stone floor in visible disgust, looking down his long nose at the prisoner.  Thin hands, blackened by chemical stains, raised the candle as he peered at his wretched hostage. 

  “Have you?” With an impatient sneer, he added, “If not then you can continue rot down here.  I don’t care.  I’ll take what I need without your help.  I only offer you the chance to live out of respect for our former friendship.”

  “Respect,” his captive smiled regretfully, his words a mere, painful whisper.  “You show no respect for anyone – not even yourself.  Look what you have become.  You intend to use me for your own ends.  Release me before your treachery is discovered and you may avoid the wrath of the Emperor.  If I die here the Emperor will have you executed and you will never join your ancestors with honour.”

  The man laughed softly.  “Your threats are empty.  The boy-Emperor is in Luoyang.  He’s no obstacle to me and I don’t intend to join my ancestors.  I intend to live forever - unlike you, my old friend.” 

  The menace in his voice sent a shiver down the spine of his prisoner.  

  Baiyu shook his head.  “When the mantis hunts the locust, he forgets the shrike that is hunting him.”

  His captor raised a scornful eyebrow.  “Don’t give me that wiseman rubbish. You forget how long I’ve known you.”  When it was obvious Baiyu intended to say no more, his captor laughed again and left. 

  In darkness once more, Baiyu pulled in what little remaining strength he possessed and called on the power of the Ancestors.  He had to escape – yet he could not do it alone.  Around him, a faint purple-blue glow glimmered.   Picking up a small, round pebble from underfoot, he held it in his narrow hand and blew gently on it twice.  In a singsong voice, he chanted nonsense words over and over above the stone.  Slowly, the light around him gathered into a thin, white-purple streak of lighting.  It zipped around his head until he spoke to it sternly.  Then it hovered above the stone for a second before spearing straight into it.

  Baiyu whispered, trembling with the effort.  The stone split neatly in two in his hand.  Each half then twisted and merged back together before pulling apart again.  Abruptly, the glow dimmed and Baiyu smiled in weary satisfaction.  He raised his hand and blew again, murmuring more words of power.  Lifting his hand higher, he drew on everything he had left and whispered,

  “Bring those that can free me.”

  The glow and the stone vanished with a crack! Plunged back into night, Long Baiyu collapsed.

   

  ****