The Ruinous Curse: The Hunt for Alesta by Mark K. McClain
The ancient sorceress, Alesta, has condemned humanity to an endless cycle of violence. The only hope of breaking her Ruinous Curse comes from the prophesized Helserian. Rumors say Barrett, the prince of Westmore, is the chosen one, but he despises that notion.
Being a normal teenager and spending time with his friends exploring their city—a haven for fairies, cyclops, talking doors, and other magical beings—is his only concern. However, the upcoming war may dash his hopes. Besides, he is a fighter, not a magic user. That is, until the day his power awakens.
Now, aided by his friends, Barrett must face ancient dragons and cave-dwelling Trowkens to acquire the tools to master his magic and confront Alesta. Ultimately, he must force the sorceress to lift the curse or destroy her if she refuses. For if he fails, he will watch helplessly as his world tears itself apart.
Excerpt from the Book
It was a dragon.
With folded wings, the scaled behemoth came onward. Its intense yellow eyes bore into the tiny figures before it. Raising its head, its mouth opened to reveal a flicker of dancing flame. The beast stretched its wings and bellowed a roar that shook the mountain.
Abandoning their weapons and torches, the friends collapsed their circle, huddled together to cover their ears, and cowered in terror.
“I thought they were extinct,” shouted Unger. “Run!” He tried to rise but a strong grip grabbed his tunic.
With surprising strength, Gaia kept him in place. She shook her head. “Too late!”
The hot breath was nothing like Barrett had ever felt. It was smothering and sucked the air from his lungs. As his brow beaded with sweat, he held Zanora in hopes of protecting her from the sweltering heat.
Finally, it stopped. The dragon refolded its wings, lowered its head, and pushed its muzzle forward.
“So come more humans to steal from my family and me,” said the dragon.
Barrett rose, trying to appear proud and tall, hoping his knocking knees would not give way and make him collapse in a heap.
The dragon rose quickly and pointed a clawed limb at the friends. “We shall see how well your pilfering adventure turns out.”
The prince retrieved his sword and slid away. He grabbed up his torch. Pushing his chest out, he advanced, then bowed low. Tales he had read said dragons appreciated politeness. It kept them calm. So Barrett used the formal speech his father had taught him in preparation to be king. After all, if he was going to be a ruler, he needed to speak as one. In a moment, he would see if his lessons paid off.
“We mean no harm. We have come to find a great weapon.”
“Indeed,” said the beast. “Find, you say. Thieve, I say.”
The dragon tilted its head. With suddenness, it moved its massive blue body across the stone floor, stopping in the light shining between the pillars. Its powerful, thick legs thudded with each step as its tail curled around the column. Great stones broke loose as a section of wall collapsed to their right. A choking wave of thick dust spread across the floor and through the air.
All but Barrett remained huddled together, covering themselves while the prince held his ground despite growing terror. His eyes squeezed shut until the cloud passed. Wiping his face on his sleeve, he remained still.
“The sword belongs to me. It is mine and mine alone,” said the dragon. In that moment, a slow dawning came to Barrett. He realized the voice was feminine.
She raised up, her thick horns reflecting the yellow rays still shining from the ceiling. The beast pointed with a long, clawed arm to indicate the bones. “They all thought the same thing, too.” She laughed lightly. “Still, it always ends poorly, for humans are not the most intelligent things alive. I have eaten dwarves, elves, men, cyclops, and more. Those lying before you were deceivers, too.”
Another hard swallow became stuck in Barrett’s throat. He hoped the gods would spare him the embarrassment of blacking out. Yet, his fear was difficult to control.
“We’re not misleading you in any way,” said Graile, rising from the huddle. “We’ve come to prevent war.”
Another laugh echoed from the walls. “That’s all your kind knows. Death, violence, and hate. You seek them out. Those are your worst shortcomings. Ones you will never admit.” She aimed a burst of flame skyward, making Barrett recoil as bits of ceiling collapsed to his left.
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