These are the first seven chapters of "The Warriors Return" the first book in the "Quest of the Seal Bearers" series. This is just a sneak preview of the published book. To find out more about the series, or to buy the book online, visit my website (mendala. com)

I am hosting a fan-fiction and fan-art contest on my website. There are 2 fan-fiction categories, and 2 fan-art categories all based on my published works and the world of Mendala that I've created. The winners in each category will win $100, plus there are cool runner-up prizes as well. Because of this contest, I am allowing people to download this entire book for free from my website.

The contest ends July 15th so there is plenty of time to enter.

Chapter 7

Uncharted Island

“I have a terrible suspicion that your mentant friend is sensing Davron’s approach,” Fantasma said gravely.

“What!” Tabatha jumped back to get a firm grip on Ace’s arm. “But you said he was a madman.”

“You also said he was on Mendala,” Ben added. “How can he be here?”

Jandor hushed them both. “Fantasma, how dangerous is he?”

“With the Book of War, even I can’t stop him. By now he’s figured out that he can’t control the jewels. He’s probably come to kill the Daughter of the Sun.”

“Wait… he’s coming to kill me?” Ashley felt faint.

“This is serious.” Jandor turned to Mrs. Guardman. “I think we should just get outta here now.”

Mrs. Guardman nodded. “We can hide in the forest.”

“No one is going anywhere!” A thunderous voice echoed around the chamber.

Everyone was frozen, but not in fear. Some powerful force held them in place. Suddenly, two dark figures appeared in their midst. One held a glowing gold scepter and wore a blue robe. The second wore a gray robe and held a wooden staff that was curved at the top, like Henry’s. The one in blue stepped forward. He seemed amused by their dilemma, and with a wave of his hand they were all forced to the ground, all but Allen. Nothing he did seemed to have an effect on him. He crouched on the ground to play along.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Davron, current ruler of the planet Mendala.” Davron put his foot on Jandor’s head. “A party--and I wasn’t invited.” He laughed insanely at his own joke. “Now, which one of you lovely creatures is the Daughter of the Sun?” No one responded. “No volunteers? Oh well.” He turned to the other one. “Gamdon, what’s that legend about the Daughters of the Sun? They all look the same, don’t they?”

The scrawny, grey-haired man behind Davron nodded. “Relatively speaking, yes. The Daughter of the Sun always has blonde hair and blue eyes.”

Davron laughed again. “What a highly amusing stereotype to have to live with.” He scanned the room. There were only two blonde females to select from, Ashley and Alyson. With a wave of his scepter the two girls were lifted from the ground and forced to stand in front of him.

Allen crawled over to Fantasma while Davron was occupied. “Fantasma, sir, I don’t know about you, but I can move. Whatever he’s doing has no effect on me.”

“You’re an anti-mentant; praise Elohim! His mentus can’t directly affect you.” Fantasma whispered to him. “I know this is terrifying for you, but I need you to do something for me.”

Davron looked the two girls up and down. “Hmm, both blonde and blue eyed. I guess I’m just going to have to kill you both, starting with you.” He aimed his scepter at Alyson. She looked spitefully back at him but said nothing.

“Wait,” Ashley said quickly. “I’m the Daughter of the Sun. Don’t hurt her. It's me you’re after.”

Alyson stared at her in horror. “Ashley, no!”

“It’s okay.” Ashley was trying to remain calm, but her voice was shaking. “If he kills me, then at least he’ll leave the others alone.”

Davron grinned as he pointed his scepter at Ashley. “How noble, but not exactly true. As it turns out I’m going to kill all of you, but thanks for making things easy on me.” The scepter began to take on a purple glow. Then a wave of energy shot out from the crystal at the tip. But before it could hit Ashley, she was snatched out of the way.

“What the…” Davron looked around. Ashley was 5 feet away behind Allen. “How did you escape my power?” He aimed another blast from his scepter at Allen but it fizzled out before it even reached him. “What are you, some sort of mandant? A guardian, perhaps?”

“Mittius Mandamus Dispel.” Everyone in the room was released from Davron’s power.

Fantasma stepped into the light. “So this is all you have to offer me, Davron. I would have thought that the man able to find the Book of War would at least have some sort of power as a mind mage.” He walked directly towards him.

Davron’s jaw dropped for a moment. “You’re the Fantasma.”

Fantasma didn’t wait for further introductions. “Mittius Maximus Lunar.”

Davron fell to the ground in pain. “Not that blasted lunar command again. I really hate that.” He managed to pull the Book of War from his robe.

Allen snatched the book from Davron’s hand. “This must be very interesting reading material for you to be carrying it around with you.”

Davron growled. “Give that back to me, you little…”

From behind them came a scream. Gamdon had Tabatha trapped using his own mentant powers. He had her suspended in mid air against the cave wall. “I could easily smash your little friend into this wall.” He demonstrated by waving his hand. In response, Tabatha was thrown hard against the wall.

Davron was already recovering from the lunar command, and he joined his quickener comrade. “You see, Fantasma. I will always have the upper hand because I, unlike you, have no regard for these pitiful children--or anyone else. Did you really think that coming here and finding the Daughter of the Sun would actually help? You will have to face the fact that I rule Mendala now, and soon I’ll have control of all of the dimensions. Now hand me the Book of War, or your friend dies.”

Ace rushed forward. “No! Allen, give him the book.”

Allen looked at the book, and then at Tabatha. “Here…” He let the book fall to the ground and kicked it at Davron. “I don’t see why I even bother. I know you’re going to kill us all anyway.”

Davron nodded. “I know, but at least you can feel like you did something to delay the inevitable.” Tabatha was slowly lowered back to the ground. “I’ll tell you what. If it’s any consolation, you did the moral, decent, and right thing. Doesn’t that make you feel all good inside?” He turned to Tabatha and was completely shocked at what he saw. She was the same redheaded maiden he had fought only minutes ago. He grabbed her by the collar. “It can’t be! How could you be here? Who are you?”

Tears were streaming down her face. “My name is Tabatha. I didn’t do anything to you.”

Davron took a closer look at Tabatha’s hand. It had the same symbol he had seen before. “You have that accursed mark. You destroyed my creatures!”

Tabatha looked down at her hand. “I’ve never seen that before in my life.”

Davron looked around the room and saw the mark on other hands. Everyone in the group had it, except Fantasma and Mrs. Guardman. “What’s going on?”

Fantasma looked down at Jandor’s hand. “This looks familiar.” He pulled a golden medallion from an inner robe pocket. It had been handed down from Fantasma to Fantasma over the centuries, but he didn’t know what it was, only that it was something from the Great War. On the front of the medallion, in one of the corners, was the same symbol of a cross in a circle. What did it mean?

Davron raised the scepter to Tabatha’s face, and it began to radiate with power again. “No matter, I’ll take care of you once and for all.”

Before anyone else could react, Ace jumped him. The mentus blast from the scepter hit Ace in the side as the two tumbled to the ground.

Tabatha screamed in fright and tried to run to where Ace fell, but Gamdon held her back. “Let go of me!” She fought against his grip.

Davron managed to raise himself before Ace could recover. “I’ve had enough of this.” He aimed the scepter at Ace, and a paralyzing jolt of electric-like energy surged through his body.

Tabatha sent her elbow flying back into Gamdon’s ribs. “I said let me go!”

Fantasma saw his chance now that Tabatha was free. “Mittius Mandamus Sand,” Nothing seemed to happen.

“Sand?” Jandor repeated skeptically.

“He won’t be able to use his mentus… for a while at least.” Fantasma explained.

“I don’t need mentus when I have this.” Davron had the Book of War open.

Two giant green creatures appeared in the threshold of the only exit. They were 9-foot tall bulls with long white horns on their heads.

“Can’t you do something?” Derrick whispered to Fantasma.

“Unfortunately, nothing I do can destroy those things.”

Four more creatures appeared in front of the group. “You don’t have a choice, Fantasma.” Davron said as he stepped between the four pig-faced creatures he had just created. “Give me the Daughter of the Sun and I just might spare the rest of you. All I want is the girl.”

Ashley gripped Allen’s arm tight. “Please don’t let him take me. I don’t want to die.”

Allen shoved the brim of his hat down. “He’ll have to kill me first.”

“I have no problems with that,” Davron said coolly.

Unseen by his enemies, Ace had managed to sneak up behind Gamdon and strike him on the side of the head. He then tackled Davron, knocking him to the ground.

Ace grabbed the scepter that had fallen from Davron’s hand. “Let’s see how this thing works.” He aimed the jeweled end at one of the green beasts and a blast of energy shot out, obliterating one of the creatures. “Cool!” He aimed another blast at the second bull and it vanished as well. Fantasma’s mouth dropped. Ace had destroyed creatures from the Book of War… but how?

Gamdon advanced, but Ace was too quick for him. He turned on the quickener and shot a blast that knocked him backward into the cave wall.

Davron reached up and tried to grab the scepter. “You’re becoming an increasing annoyance.”

Ace kicked at Davron. “Everyone run!”

Jandor was quick to action. “Becky, get everyone out of here. I’m going to help Ace.”

“I’m going with you,” Derrick said.

Ace and Davron were struggling with the scepter, throwing hard punches at each other. The four remaining creatures tried to block Jandor and Derrick’s attempts to help.

Davron saw the others trying to escape through the adjacent cave. “None of you are going anywhere!” Suddenly the entire cave began to shake. He had used his mentus to start a cave-in. “I’ll bury you all alive!”

Before anyone could reach the entrance it had been sealed by falling rocks. Fantasma was in the lead. “I’ll take care of this. Mittius Mandamus Earth.” More rocks tumbled down. Fantasma sighed. “It’s no use, this cave is too unstable.” He turned to Henry, who still held his quickener staff. “It’s time to send you and your friends to Mendala.”

Henry gave him a startled look. “How in the world am I supposed to do that? Can’t you get us out of here?”

“This whole cave is pure traveler quartz which means only a quickener has a shot of getting you and your friends out of here. I can transport myself away, but if I were to take someone else with me, they’d die.”

Henry gulped.

“I’m sorry to put you on the spot, my young friend, but Davron will destroy all of us if we don’t leave now. Trust me, just concentrate on the staff and you’ll know what to do. We’ll try to hold Davron off until you’re ready.” Fantasma left to help the others.

Henry stood and stared at the staff. It was as tall as he was. He was still wondering what to do when he heard a faint voice call his name. It was the same voice he had heard when the staff was first given to him.

“Henry, it is I, Zechariah. Close your eyes and listen to me.”

Henry sighed. “Close my eyes while a battle’s raging around me. Sure, why not.” He closed his eyes.

“All of my knowledge and wisdom is in this staff. I can help you. Now concentrate, not on the battle, the cave, or the monsters but on the staff, and your friends. See your friends in your mind, Henry.”

“Okay,” Henry said to his invisible mentor as he began to focus.

Becky and Allen were still at the cave entrance. “There’s no way we’ll be able to move all of these heavy rocks, not before this cave collapses in on us.” Becky said in despair. “What’re we going to do?”

Allen wasn’t paying attention; he was watching his mother, who looked very shaken. “Mom, are you okay?”

Mrs. Guardman smiled weakly. “Yes I’m fine, I just suddenly feel so…” She passed out. Bernie was standing the closest. He caught her and lowered her slowly to the ground.

Allen almost screamed. “What happened?”

Becky was checking her pulse. “I don’t know… she seems fine.”

Allen got down on his knees beside his mother. “This is just great. I don’t know what to do.”

Veda Guardman found herself in a dark room. She had remem­bered being in the cave only moments ago, and wondered what had happened.

Suddenly there was a voice from behind her. “Listen to me, Veda.”

She spun around quickly but there was no one there. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Don’t be afraid, Veda,” the voice was behind her again.

She nodded. The voice seemed familiar, and she knew instinctively that she could trust its owner.

“Veda, my time with you is short. I just want you to know that God is watching over your children. You did a good thing in the cave today. I know you’re unsure of their fate, but if you have faith, everything will be fine.”

“How can I be sure this is the right thing? I don’t even know what’s going on. Why is this happening to us?”

“This is a blessing, not a curse. You must know that God has sent them on this quest, and it must be seen to its end.”

She resisted her urge to turn around. “Who are you?”

There was a short pause before the voice said, “I am someone sent to give you a message. You must go with Fantasma to the Waiting Room. All you have to do is tell him this. He will understand.”

“But…”

“Please listen to me. There is more, and I only have a few minutes. You must understand that your son and the others you consider to be your own will soon be faced with a quest filled with danger, and your only role will be to observe and give them support and encouragement. It’s their quest, not yours. Only they have the power. Rest assured; they’ll be protected.”

Her mind was racing with questions, but Mrs. Guardman could sense the urgency in his voice. She suppressed her worries and fears and listened intently to the voice behind her as he continued.

Derrick, Jandor, and Ace were fighting as hard as they could against Davron and his creatures. Jandor used the staff to fend off the swords of the pig-like creatures. Even without weapons, Derrick and Ace also fought fearlessly.

Derrick struck one creature with a heavy boulder and was relieved to see that it was enough to stun it. However, he did not see another one at his side. It jabbed him with a sword. Derrick fell to the ground as Fantasma, followed by others, reentered the second chamber again.

Fantasma was quick to react. “Mittius Mandamus Safe.” A green aura appeared around Derrick, which prevented blood from flowing from his wound. He was unconscious.

Becky screamed in horror at her fallen friend. “We’ve gotta get out of here,” she said to Fantasma as she dodged falling debris. “We don’t have much time.”

“That’s what he’s working on.” Fantasma looked back at Henry who was still in deep concentration. “I’ll try to buy you more time before this cave collapses.” Fantasma returned to the first chamber. “Mittius Mandor Quake.” The intensity of the tremors decreased. He started using several other commands to hold the cave together, but he knew that he couldn’t stop the inevitable events that Davron had started, only slow them for a while.

“I’ve focused on my friends… now what do I do?” Henry thought, speaking to the staff.

An image appeared in his mind. “This is where you must go. Focus on this place, and when it is locked in your mind, raise your staff high and you will be transported there.”

Davron finally succeeded in prying the scepter from Ace’s hands. “I’m going to get rid of you once and for all.” He sent another blast of energy towards him. This time Ace’s body was wrapped in a strange red glow, and he collapsed almost instantly. Rocks from the cave showered down, completely burying him. Jandor tried to advance but was pinned down by two monsters and unable to move.

Sam had to hold a frantic Tabatha back. “No! Ace! Let me go! He killed Ace!”

Davron grinned as he picked his fallen quickener off the ground. A small trickle of blood was flowing from a gash in his forehead, but other than that, he was unharmed. “It’s time to go, Gamdon.” Davron said. “I’ve done what I came to do.” Gamdon nodded and raised his staff in preparation for transport.

Tabatha was still screaming. “You creep! I’ll kill you! I will hunt you down and kill you! Do you hear me?”

Davron aimed the scepter at her. “Well now, we can’t have that happening, can we, my dear?” Tabatha felt herself lifting from the ground again. Using the power of his scepter, Davron slammed her hard against the wall. The force was so strong that several bones were shattered on impact. She fell to the ground in a heap.

“That should take care of her,” Davron said resolutely. “Now where’s the Daughter of the Sun?” He searched for Ashley, who was trying her best to hide behind Bernie.

Allen heard the comment and rushed from his mother to Ashley’s side. “Remember me?”

Davron lowered his scepter. “Well, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t have to kill you.” Davron issued another silent mentus command. The cave began to rumble with new life. “Let’s go, Gamdon.” The quickener raised his staff and they disappeared, along with the remaining creatures of the Book of War.

Jandor picked himself off the ground, dodging debris. “We have got to get out of here somehow or we’ll all be buried alive.”

Terri was in tears. “What about Ace, and Derrick, and Tabatha?”

Ashley ran to where Tabatha had fallen. “I think she may still be alive… barely.”

Henry opened his eyes. “They’re all fine. I can still sense their presence. I’m ready now. We can leave.”

Fantasma smiled. “You couldn’t have picked a better time. Listen, this one will take you all to Mendala. Davron will think you’ve died in this cave, and that may give you an advantage.”

“Wait.” Allen rushed back to his mother. “What about my mom?”

Veda Guardman awoke suddenly. “I’m fine.” She stood quickly as if nothing had happened. “Fantasma, you have to take me to the Waiting Room.”

“The Waiting Room? But that’s impossible. You’ll die if I take you there.”

“We trusted you, now you have to trust me. I need to go to the Waiting Room with you.”

“Where are you going, Mom?” Allen asked with a look of panic.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” She turned to Jandor. “Take care of my son and the others, Jandor. Promise me you’ll bring them back home safely.”

Jandor nodded. “You have my word, Mrs. Guardman.”

She fought back tears. “Now get out of here. I’m going with Fantasma.”

With that, Henry raised his staff and everyone, except Fantasma and Mrs. Guardman, disappeared. Fantasma took her by the hand and tapped his rod against the quartz wall and they, too, vanished from sight.