Rein Treasure hunter For the Gods

  Pan’s Flute

  By L L Vickery

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Copywrite by Lisa L Vickery (2018) all rights reserved.

  No portion of this book can be copied without the written permission of the author.

  Pan’s Flute is the first in a series of books that follows our reluctant hero on a journey to find and return all of the weapons lost during the war in heaven.

  Pan’s flute is no ordinary flute, it holds the soul of Syrnix, Pan’s one true love. Lost to the world for generations of man, the flute has found its way into the hands of a young satyr that cannot control its power.

  Rein must find the flute and take it to the Isle of the Gods where he must pass three trials, each more harrowing than the last and learn of his destiny.

  Contents

  War of the Gods

  Chapter 1

  A human an elf and a dwarf walk into a bar

  Chapter 2

  The misty rose

  Chapter 3

  The flute and the wailing witch

  Chapter 4

  Miranda the fiery nymph

  Chapter 5

  Cures of the flute

  Chapter 6

  The wayward son returns

  Chapter 7

  The room of lost treasures

  Chapter 8

  Tears for Khila

  Chapter 9

  The centaur prince

  Chapter 10

  Mount Karag

  Chapter 11

  A night in the dungeon

  Chapter 12

  Tariel Lord of the Dark Elves

  Chapter 13

  The Kraken

  Chapter 14

  The icy breath of death

  Chapter 15

  Cave of deception

  Chapter 16

  Sands of time

  Chapter 17

  Burning Bridges

  Chapter 18

  The portal

  Chapter 19

  The Misty Rose

  Chapter 20

  Thomas

  Chapter 21

  His father’s sword

  War of the Gods

  Before there was light there was darkness. A vast emptiness that no light could find. And yet out of the dark loneliness came a creature, a wisp of smoke. With it came despair and sorrow for it was aware and it was alone.

  The creature was cursed to spend eternity with its thoughts, having no one to share them. Bored and lonely the creature began to tear itself apart. More smoke creatures flew through the darkness wailing as they passed each other.

  They were not alone but still full of sorrow. The sorrow soon turned to rage and the new creatures ripped and gnashed at one another, their creator not knowing what to do, horrified with what he had done began to cry.

  That first teardrop brought the first pinprick of light and it was that light that created the first of all the Gods. The smoke creatures feared the light and hid in the shadowy corners of the nothingness.

  When the creature saw that the light was warm and it felt the sorrow dissipate. No longer alone it cried many more tears, these ones of joy, creating more Gods.

  The smoke creatures saw the new creations and envied them. Still hidden in the shadows their anger and rage grew as they watched their creator give names to the light creatures.

  The creator told these Gods to go forth and create lightness and dark, planets and stars, land and water, trees and flowers.

  When the gods saw what they created it made them happy. They began to show each other their creations,

  “I am Ra and I have created this ball of fire that brings warmth and light to the planets, I call it a sun.”

  “I am Odin I have created the earth and all of the animals on it.”

  “I am Pisidian I have created the water and all of the creatures within,”

  “I am Zeus and I have made the lightning, the clouds, and I bring the rain.”

  The Gods continued to show off their skills to each other. After eons of admiring their creations, the Gods made humans.

  Pisidian tried his hand and created merfolk. Aphrodite tried and created nymphs. Odin created centaurs, satyrs, and all the creatures of the forest. When they stopped trying to do it alone and worked together they created the first of the humans.

  Once they got it right each of the Gods created different humans in different parts of the land that would worship and love only them.

  The Gods demanded that their people love and praise only them and would strike down those who would dare question their existence.

  The early humans feared the Gods and would build great temples in their honor where they would sacrifice the creatures of the land to appease the Gods.

  This pleased the Gods for the people showed that they truly loved them. Time passed and the smoke creatures came from the shadows and whispered lies into the ears of the Gods.

  They told them that the human’s they created worshiped their brothers. The planted seeds of doubt into the still young Gods’ minds. They began to bicker and argue amongst themselves. It wasn’t long before a great fight was underway. The smoke creatures were pleased with the mess they created and slithered back into the shadows to watch.

  The creator the Gods had not been seen in a very long time. It was forgotten, hiding in the darkness watching as its children bickered and fought. Sorrow grew once more in the heart of the creature and it would intervene, moving among the Gods unseen like a whisper on the wind.

  As it moved in and out of the battle it stole the weapons the Gods used on each other and sent them hurling to earth never to be seen again.

  The first was Pan’s flute. The flute of the Gods. So much music and celebration the flute saw, now a weapon used to burn the heavens.

  Ares the God of war, used his mighty sword meant to protect humankind against Zeus breaking it into three pieces. When the creature saw the pieces laying on the floor it picked them up and tossed them in different directions to the earth.

  As the Goddess’ joined the fight a box of terrible things fell from the heavens along with Hades helmet of invisibility. The creature could feel the magnitude of what was happening but could not stop it.

  Moving to the edge of the battle, the creature saw the tapestry of time was left unguarded. It plucked a single strand from the distant future weaves and sent it flying into the emptiness that was left without creation, it fluttered through the great void then through the stars, drifting slowly to earth.

  The battle, though some of the weapons have been lost for many generations of man, rages still.

  Chapter 1

  A human an elf and a dwarf walk into a bar

  Yellow sand from the desert island stung Rein’s face like a thousand tiny bee stings. Had he known he’d be on this sandpit for so long he might have thought to grow a beard for protection.

  It was his mother who sent him here, paid her only son to enter the cave of Jabal al-Nour to retrieve a tarnished old relic. A lamp that she claimed held a powerful Djinn named Mahatma, the giver of knowledge.

  He was sure the old woman had completely lost her mind this time. When he rubbed the lamp nothing happened, it didn’t even shine from the clean spot he made in the tarnish. What was she planning on doing with it anyway?

  Rein didn’t spend much time thinking about it. What Lillian wanted with it didn’t really matter anyway. All that mattered was the pay he would see on its return.

  “Let’s get to the bar.” Rein told his two companions, a dwarf, and an elf. “Looks like we might be in for one hell of a storm tonight.”

  No matter how many times Kraw wiped the bar, it was still covered with a thin layer of yellow sand. Grunting he looked around at the nearly empty tent and considered closing early.

  Late summer on the island meant a lot less riff-raff and empty seats. The sea was rough during this time of year and not as many mainlanders came to the island. Kraw enjoyed the quiet but not the lack of coins.

  The wind outside was strong, and still hot, even in this late hour. It blew the cloth flaps covering the doorway. The snaps of the material pierced his ears like the whip that was used on his hindquarters by his dwarven jailers when he was young.

  He threw the sand covered cloth at the hunched figure at the end of the bar. The old man snorted and continued snoring. Kraw shook his head at the deeply tanned man noticing his blackened fingers. Black all the way to the first knuckle. He shivered at the thought of what disease must have cursed the passed-out slump.

  Laughter came from a table in the middle of the sandy floor. Kraw groaned and turned his back to the human spilling mead from a wooden mug. Beside the brash human sat a stalky gnome, covered in warts, and dry gray skin cracked from the harsh desert climate.

  “More mead,” the gnome raised his mug above his head with his gnarled too long fingers.

  “It’s coming out of your next share,” Kraw poured the golden liquid into a clean mug.

  “At this rate, you’ll be waiting a while,” Oodyna said under his breath.

  Kraw slammed the mug on the small round table.

  Oodyna growled deep in his throat. “watch it, centaur”

  The human’s eyes widened as he watched Kraw’s tail flipping in anger.

  “You got something to say?” Kraw lower his face, bringing him within inches of Gar mal.

  “no, boss”

  The canvas door opened, and the smell of salty wet sand blew in.

  “A human, an elf, and a dwarf walk into a bar,” the old man laughed.

  The threesome walked to the bar and sat on the stools.

  The sound of coins jingling as the dwarf dropped a leather bag onto the bar, made Kraw’s head whip around. His long black hair fell across his medium brown shoulder.

  He walked over to the bar, picked up the rag and began wiping. As hard as he tried he couldn’t keep his eyes from focusing the small brown leather bag.

  Bramdorlin wrapped his husky tan hand around the bag and pulled it in front of himself.

  “Whatcha gonna have?” Kraw pulled out three mugs and started pouring mead.

  “Looks like we’re havin mead?” Almon turned his face toward Rein and scratched his pointy ear.

  “Mead for everyone,” Rein said.

  Cheers came from the old man and the small round table.

  Bram reached out for one of the cups. Kraw quickly placed his meaty hand on top, “You pay first,”

  Bram pulled the string holding the bag closed. He put his hand in and pulled out a couple of gold coins and tossed them onto the rough wooden bar, “A little something extra for ya,” he winked.

  Rein watched as Kraw reached for the coins, noticing the cracks in the centaur’s cuticles from the dry air.

  “Maybe you can pay someone to hose ya down,” Bram laughed.

  Kraw groaned as he picked up the coins. Was the little dwarf so oblivious to his own smell? If anyone could use a good hosing down, it was the threesome sitting at his bar. Their filth was only obscured by the stench coming from the old man.

  Gar laughed so hard mead shot from his nose. Kraw dropped two new cups on the table frowning down at Gar. Oodyna slapped Gar on the shoulder. He stopped laughing. Kraw made his way back around to the other side of the bar.

  “You got any food?” Rein asked.

  “No,” Kraw said as he brought his own cup to his lips to sip the sweet yellow liquid.

  Almon pulled a small brass lamp from the bag he was carrying. “Let me see that rag?” He motioned for Kraw’s dirty bar rag.

  Rein shifted on his stool and watched as Almon wiped the lamp clean. It glistened in the firelight from the candles placed strategically around the tent to give the illusion of dusk.

  “Whatcha got there?” The old man asked.

  “Nothing, old man” Almon opened the top of the lamp. He poured the sand on the bar and ran his fingers through it.

  “Anything?” Bram asked.

  “Nope,” Almon sneezed.

  “Let me see it,” Bram pulled the lamp from Almon’s hand.

  He looked inside and saw an empty vessel. He turned it around in his hands, there was nothing special about it. It was just a regular brass lamp, like any other.

  “Where’d ya get that?” The old man licked the remaining foam from the side of his cup.

  No one answered. Gar leaned over Almon’s shoulder. “Can I see it?” he reached for the lamp.

  “No,” Bram smacked his hand away.

  Gar puffed out his chest, filling his lungs with hot dry air and balled his hand into a white-knuckled fist. He felt Oodyna’s cold grey hand grip his wrist and took a staggered step back.

  “Fine,” He threw his hands up and walked back to his seat.

  “I don’t want no trouble in my bar,” Kraw said. “If someone’s lookin for that, then perhaps you guys should go,”

  “Ya ain’t gotta worry bout that,” Rein drank the last of his mead. “We’re leavin,”

  “Where ya off to in such a hurry?” The old man asked.

  “Places to be, treasures to find,” Bram said finishing his mead and picking up his leather bag.

  “If it’s treasure ya want, I know where ya can find a lost treasure of the gods,” the old man cleared his throat.

  “Not this again, old man,” Kraw rolled his eyes.

  Bram shifted in his seat, straightening his back, groaning with each crack and pop.

  Audible moans could be heard from the forgotten table.

  Almon glanced over his shoulder, Gar’s scowl made his palms sweat.

  “Let the man speak,” Rein leaned close enough to the old man to smell the odor coming from beneath his arms.

  The old man smiled, revealing three decaying teeth. “Deep in the woods where the fairies roam, at the bottom of the lake where the banshee moans you’ll find a wooden flute. Don’t let its appearance fool ya though, for this is Pan’s flute and no one knows the magic it holds.” The old man cleared his throat, “I saw it once for myself, many years ago.”

  Bram huffed, “I don’t believe you. Why would Pan throw his magical flute in a lake?” he jumped down from his stool and took a few steps toward the door, with Rein close behind.

  “Hang on guys,” Almon spoke up. “I know this story. The legend says Pan was in love with the moon goddess Seleene. He brought her down from the sky with his beautiful music and tried to seduce her. When all his attempt failed he threw as hard as he could. It whizzed through the air and landed in the lake. As the flute flew, air passed through it playing a tune that called the banshees from far and near. No one has been able to get close enough to the lake to find the flute, though many have tried.”

  Rein stared intently at his friend. The wind whipped the flaps on the tent opening, the chilly air sent a shiver down his spine.

  The old man chuckled breaking the silence that followed.

  “Closing time,” Kraw announced as he picked the old man up from the stool and carried him to the open flap.

  “Know where we can find a room?” Almon asked as he walked behind Kraw.

  “Go to the red tent, ask for Damon, he’ll fix ya up.” Kraw dropped the old man in the dirt just outside the tent.

  Kraw watched as the three men made their way to Damon’s, his eyes never wavering from the leather bag the dwarf was carrying. A strong gust of wind brought the yellow sand flying through the air pelting his skin like a thousand tiny stingers.

  Stepping back through the door he realized Gar and Oodyna were still sitting at the small round table whispering to each other.

  “What’re ya thinkin, boss?” Gar asked.

  “I’ll tell ya what ee’s thinkin,” Oodyna stood next to his chair. “ya wanna get what’s in that bag, don’t ya, boss?”

  Kraw blew out the candles at the bar, “better give em’ a bit, ta fall good and asleep.”

  “How bout’ you give us another round whilst we wait?” Gar raised the cup sitting in front of him.

  Kraw blew out the last of the candles without saying a word.

  “Come on,” Oodyna tugged at Gar’s arm.

  The two walked over to the sleeping tent and waited. Listening for sounds that anyone was still awake. When they were sure the only sounds that remained were snores and heavy sighs, they crawled under the edge, digging into the loose sand.

  Rows of dust covered cots filled the tent leaving little walking space between them. Nearly every cot was filled by some wayward traveler, most likely here for the women and booze, now waiting for morning when they would pile onto ships, escaping the Hopeless Dessert for the lush green forests of Khila and the flatlands of Hope Falls.

  Bram’s grip was loosening on his bag as he fell into a deeper dreamless sleep making it easy for Gar to wiggle it free. Bram groaned and turned over without waking.

  Gar held the bag above his head in triumph. Oodyna dropped to the ground and began crawling back out the way they had come.

  “Let’s get this back to Kraw,” Oodyna snatched the bag from Gar. The coins inside jingling slightly.

  Kraw was waiting just outside the dark bar, “That was quick,”

  “maybe a little too easy too,” Oodyna pushed past and strode at the bar where he plopped the bag down with an unfamiliar thud.

  Using his long black fingernails Oodyna opened the leather bag. “Those motherfuckers” He slammed his fist on the bar.

  Kraw pushed him aside to have a look at the loot. “What is this?” His nostrils flared and his tail whipped at the air. “This isn’t what I sent you after,”

  Gar’s smile quickly changed as he looked at the pile of rubble on the bar. There were a few copper coins a silver bracelet but the rest was just small stone to make the bag heavy.

 

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