Void - Chronicles of the Spirit Book One

Prologue

"He's gaining on you!" Selt could barely hear the warning over his frantic breathing. His breath hung heavy in the cold morning air as he struggled to keep up his mad dash in the treacherous wooded undergrowth. He barreled through a thicket, wincing as the sharp branches left small lacerations across his forearms before leaping over the log that suddenly appeared in front of him upon breaking through the curtain of leaves.

Coward! Are you afraid of a fair race? He cursed at Veneer in his head. It was clear the other boy would try to win this competition by whatever means necessary.

The race itself didn't hold any true significance, it had begun as a friendly tradition between overeager young clan members to see who could be the first to reach the ceremonial grounds. Those who won brought no more than bragging rights and pride to their family, but that in itself was important in the Ren clan.

Victory and honor above all else.

That creed was why although it was infuriating, Selt had no choice but to swallow his tongue as Veneer and a few other boys who were working together to undermine the rest of the competition. Short of crippling or killing a fellow clan member, the elder would turn his head from any trick that led to triumph. Such is the way of their clan.

The ground beneath his feet sloped upwards as the muscles in Selt's calves burned and protested from the miles he had already covered. He was on the last leg of the run and he saw a flash of the clan's green and violet attire as somebody slipped free of the woods ahead.

"Veneer!" he cried out ahead of him. The boy faltered and looked behind him, no doubt surprised that Selt had managed to break free of those set to slow him down. He felt a smug sense of glee at the brief look of panic that shone on the other boy's face. Straining his legs, he pushed himself for all he was worth to overtake Veneer. It was going to be close but as the faster runner he might just catch him.

Selt broke through the tree line, starting up the green grassy slope just seconds away from his rival as the goal of the competition came into view. Small orbs of colored light denoting lesser spirits floated lethargically around a wide variety of plants and trees that grew upon the hill's summit. The various flora marked the boundary to the chosen grounds and the home of their ceremonial overseer.

The ambient life essence the flora produced overflowed down the mountainside like a river, flourishing the ground and nearby forest with life. The energy naturally make its way into his overworked limbs, trying to soothe and mend his muscles even as he strained them even further.

Veneer was twenty feet away, then ten. The outer edges of the domain grew steadily closer as the other boy's ragged panting that so closely matched his own became audible. The mixed shouts of several boys and girls bounded up the hill behind them as more competitors broke through the forest only to realize the race was drawing towards a close.

Just as he made it within arm's reach of Veneer the other boy suddenly pivoted. Swinging his foot in a high arc meaning to take him in the jaw with a surprise spin kick. Selt had expected the sudden aggression, he ducked low determined to break ahead when the kick's lack of resistance threw Veneer off-balance.

The kick sailed over his head as planned but right as he went to slip past Veneer's right hand came around; a tightly closed fist that left behind a trail of purple dust that sparkled like diamonds. A feint! Selt closed his eyes and threw up his hands to cover his face just as the blinding powder burst apart on his palms.

The fine powder slipped between the cracks of his fingers irritating his skin and finding its way up his nostrils to burn the inside of his nose. He stumbled away from the substance trying desperately not to breathe it in when a hard blow slammed into his chest. He felt his body fly back with the punch and it was all he could do to tuck in his head and try to roll with the inevitable downhill fall.