Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Mystic Mansion book 1
    Mystic Mansion book 1
    Mystic Mansion book 1
    Ebook193 pages4 hours

    Mystic Mansion book 1

    By D.W. Jackson

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    In a world with a mixture of martial arts and magic a small child from a large clan is hidden away as his family is destroyed by its enemies. With his clan's inheritance the child escapes and leaves the central continent with hopes of hiding and growing stronger, so that one day he could take revenge for his family.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherD.W. Jackson
    Release dateJan 27, 2020
    ISBN9780463373750
    Mystic Mansion book 1

    Read more from D.W. Jackson

    Related to Mystic Mansion book 1

    Related ebooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Child Of Light

      Oct 6, 2021

      Child Of Light
      1 min read

    • Article

      Anthony Horowitz

      Mar 25, 2020

      HOW, AS A WRITER, DO YOU RETURN TO A character over multiple books without writing yourself into a corner? This was a problem that confronted Anthony Horowitz a few years back with one of his most famous creations: teenage secret agent Alex Rider. Wi

      3 min read

    • Article

      The God Is Not Willing

      Jun 16, 2021

      The God Is Not Willing
      1 min read

    • Article

      To Save Arrhinsal

      Sep 1, 2021

      TOLIN CRAWLED FORWARD, staying alert. All around, the dense, wiry thickets of the hedge were strangely silent. That usually meant danger, when the green tangle of thorns should be cheery with the songs of finches, the dusky clucking of hedge hens. On

      8 min read

    • Article

      secret Agent Cows

      Oct 1, 2019

      secret Agent Cows
      7 min read

    • Article

      To Save Arrhinsal

      Oct 1, 2021

      Tolin lives on Arrhinsal, an island that floats in the sky two miles above the land below. One day, while hunting in the maze of tunnels that run through the island’s thick hedges, he encounters a girl who, her sword raised, has turned to face a huge

      9 min read

    • Article

      Craters

      Oct 1, 2021

      Craters
      6 min read

    • Article

      Good Dog!

      Sep 1, 2019

      Good Dog!
      8 min read

    • Article

      Smrtss

      Apr 10, 2024

      In the dim, wet oven of the Huey’s troop compartment, the corporal sat on a flak jacket behind the sweat-stained backs of First Squad. Simms, the big machine gunner for Fire Team 2, leaned back against him, jamming the corporal’s knees right up to hi

      13 min read

    • Article

      Euthanasia

      Aug 10, 2023

      On a frigid December morning, Hank Sanders stomped the caked mud off his worn boots and entered Discount Hardware. He couldn’t shake his cousin’s remarks. Put her down, he’d said. The words had rolled so effortlessly off his lips, as if her life mean

      11 min read

    • Article

      Wayétu Moore

      Jun 15, 2018

      Lai was hidden in the middle of forests when the Vai people found it. There was evidence of earlier townsmen there, as ends of stoneware and crushed diamonds were found scattered on hilltops in the unexpected company of domestic cats. But when the Va

      29 min read

    • Article

      To Save Arrhinsal

      Nov 1, 2021

      Tolin lives on Arrhinsal, an island that floats in the sky two miles above the land below. One day, while hunting in the maze of tunnels that run through the island’s thick hedges, he encounters a girl who, her sword raised, has turned to face a huge

      6 min read

    • Article

      The PRIDE

      May 1, 2023

      The PRIDE
      5 min read

    • Article

      Elijah’s Last Hurrah

      Aug 17, 2022

      Elijah’s Last Hurrah
      4 min read

    • Article

      Part 1 WHEN FISH FLY: The Revolt on the Slave Ship Creole

      Jan 1, 2022

      Part 1 WHEN FISH FLY: The Revolt on the Slave Ship Creole
      6 min read

    • Article

      Campfire Tales…

      Nov 19, 2021

      Campfire Tales…
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Novelist Who Plays Battle Scenes In Her Head

      Oct 3, 2023

      Growing up in Yorkshire, England, Nicola Griffith felt the pull of the past: “Every horizon has a mark of history on it,” she says. A visit to Whitby Abbey first acquainted her with St. Hilda, the seventh-century noblewoman who founded the abbey. Lit

      4 min read

    • Article

      LILLY Of The Field

      Feb 21, 2023

      LILLY Of The Field
      10 min read

    • Article

      Trick-or-treat

      Sep 7, 2023

      Trick-or-treat
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Lost Prayer

      Feb 2, 2023

      A Lost Prayer
      10 min read

    • Article

      Stay and Fight

      Jul 9, 2019

      Stay and Fight
      16 min read

    • Article

      Campfire Tales…

      Jan 21, 2022

      Campfire Tales…
      3 min read

    • Article

      Losing Larry

      Nov 25, 2022

      Losing Larry
      16 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Mystic Mansion book 1

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Mystic Mansion book 1 - D.W. Jackson

      Copyright © D.W. Jackson Smashwords Edition

      Names, characters, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual event, organizations, or persons, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.

      If you would like to be placed on a list to be notified of future works from this author or if you would like to comment on the book you may send an email to forversidiot@yahoo.com

      Your email address will not be sold or given to any third parties or used outside to promote other works.

      Prologue

      Honey, stay here and stay quiet, Lin’s mother said before forcing him into the hidden compartment under the floor. Before closing the door she gave him one more gentle smile. Lin rushed up the stone stairs and placed his hands against the hidden door and pushed hard but no matter how hard he pushed it wouldn’t budge. Tears streamed down his face as he heard loud noises coming from the other side accompanied by the sounds of his mother’s screams.

      Lin didn’t know how long he laid curled up on the stone steps crying before he had fallen asleep, nor did he know how long he had slept once his eyes had once again fluttered open. Even though he knew that it was futile Lin once again tried to push the hidden door open but it remained steadfast. Without any other choice Lin followed the hidden path downward until he reached a spilt path in front of a large stone door.

      It was not Lin’s first time to stand in front of this door. All members of the head house on their tenth birthday were brought here to register their blood. Lin’s tenth birthday had passed the year before and it was now nearing his eleventh birthday. Pulling a small knife from its sheath on his waist Lin made a small cut on his hand before placing it on a small circle in the center of the stone door. With a quiet clink the door swung open.

      On the other side of the door lay the Blackroot clan’s treasury that had been saved up for thousands of years. At one time the clan was one of the largest on the central continent but five hundred years ago a large war broke out with the demon race and all seven of the major clans had taken a great deal of damage but the Blackroot clan was hit the hardest as they were the clan closest to the forgotten forest. After the embers of the war died down the Blackroot clan only had twenty percent of their strength remaining. Thanks to the heroic actions of the Blackroot clan the emperor had granted them its protection but it wasn’t long before the other clans began to suppress the clan. That had all come to a head today when the clan had been attacked and destroyed. Lin didn’t know which clan or clans had been the attackers but he swore that one day he would find out.

      It didn’t take Lin long to find what he was looking for. In a small box on the lowest shelf in the southeast corner was space rings. To a small clan they were high class equipment but to a larger clan they were scrap. The Blackroot clan was now just a medium sized clan though even then they were on the smaller side but that didn’t mean they lacked wealth. The head family had kept their inheritance in hiding as they waited for the day that they would once again be able to stand at the top. Lin took out a green colored space ring from the box. There were four colors of stones that were fixed on the space rings. The black space rings could only hold 2 sq. feet, gray space rings could hold 4 sq. feet, blue space rings could hold 7 sq. feet, and the green space rings could hold 10 sq. feet. Of course that was only a rough estimate. The main factor was the skill of the artificer who made the ring which could make a difference from 1/2 sq. foot to 2 sq. feet. The green ring that Lin had picked up was only a medium quality lesser space ring with 11 sq. foot of space.

      Lin let a drop of his blood hit the space ring bonding it to him. Now unless he was dead or his link to the ring was severed by someone with a strong soul force it could only be opened by him. Looking around the room Lin saw a mountains of pills and gold, shelves full of jade slips, and numerous weapons. There was so many that even if Lin had a thousand green rings it wouldn’t all fit. Lin placed a number of pills, a good amount of gold, silver, and copper, along with a few of the weapons within the ring. When he was finished not much room was left. Walking over to the shelf filled with jade slips Lin let out a shallow breath. These were the highest quality cultivation techniques belonging to the clan. Most of the low and middle class techniques were in a large building at the center of the clan for all the members to use. Only those that showed great promise and unyielding loyalty were allowed to use the upper class skills of the clan. Lin had trained his body since he had been 8 years old but he had yet to start qi training since training qi before the age of twelve damaged the meridians.

      Lin sighed as he looked at the large number of jade slips. He knew a little about cultivation but not enough to know which ones were the best to take with him. The jade slips didn’t take up much physical room but they were filled with powerful qi and if too many were placed within the space ring it would shatter from the strain. Lin was unsure how many slips the ring could hold so in the end he picked one from each shelf and placed with within the ring. With the ring filled Lin took off his boot and placed the ring on his big toe. The ring would expand or shirk to a certain degree, so he didn’t have to worry about it fitting. Replacing his boot Lin walked back over to the pile of gold and placed five gold coins, a handful of silver, and another handful of coper coin into the bag. Lin did the same thing to a second pouch that he placed in his clothes near his chest.

      Lin walked back to the entrance but before leaving he made another small cut on his hand and placed it in another small circle that was near the stone door activating the room’s defenses. The vault had been protected by a mystic symbols but most of them were not activated. They were the true defenses and could even make the strongest of warriors turn white in fear or at least that it is what his grandfather had told him. Once he activated theses runes not even he would be able to enter the vault once again unless he was much, much stronger. Giving the room one more look Lin left letting the stone door close behind him. As soon as the door closed the whole area began to shake. Lin ran as fast as he could down the corridor on the left. After a few seconds Lin could hear the tunnel collapsing behind him. Lin put everything into his legs as he ran as hard as he could. A few moments later Lin exited the tunnel finding himself in complete darkness. Pulling a small stone from his pocket and slamming it on the ground Lin lit up the room. On the wall to the far side he noticed a small runic circle like the one that had been on the vault door. Placing his still bleeding hand on the circle a hidden door opened.

      Lin exited the cave to find himself in a large wooded area. Looking around Lin guessed that it was the forgotten forest that bordered the south side of the clan. With a short ten to fifteen minutes of walking Lin exited to forest and found himself on a small hill with the walls of the Blackroot clan villa less than a hundred feet away or what was left of them. A large amount of smoke rose from the broken walls as waves of men rushed out from the inner area as the buildings collapsed. Lin couldn’t see the men clearly sue to the distance but he still did his best to memorize every detail he could.

      It was unknown how long Lin had stood in the distance and watched but after no one appeared he shook his head clear before turning and walking along the forests edge towards the east.

      Lin walked for day after day. Lin didn’t bring any food or water with him and could only eat what he could find. Luckily since he was following the edge of the forest the first few days he found an abundance of food but once the forest was left behind Lin started to get desperate. It wasn’t until the ninth day that Lin reached the first town. His clothes were dirty and torn and he hadn’t had a full stomach in days. The first thing he did upon entering the town was buy food. Once his stomach was full he found a low class inn and rented a room and quickly fell asleep.

      The next morning after buying supplies Lin continued moving towards the east. He didn’t know how long he traveled or how many towns he passed through until he reached the town of Port Rue. Lin was nervous as he walked toward the large ships that were settled in the harbor.

      What are you doing here boy? Why don’t you run back home, a gruff voice asked from behind Lin as he stood looking at one of the larger ships. Turning around Lin had o nearly take a step back to see that large man who was standing behind him.

      I need to rent passage on a ship, Lin said his voice shaking slightly as he clinched his hand so tightly that his nails dug into the flesh of his palms.

      The large man looked Lin over again as if just seeing his ragged appearance for the first time. Where are you trying to go?

      Any of the other continents, Lin replied without thinking, his voice still shaking.

      Can you even pay for a room?

      Lin knew the man was either a captain of a ship or held some sort of position on one thanks to the large emblem sown over the man’s heart. Three years ago when he took a trip with his father one of the old sea hands had explained it to him. Every member of a ship would get that ships emblem sewn on his clothes. Low level deck hands would get it sewn on his left sleeve while mid ranked would get it sewn on the right sleeve. Only those in the upper ranks would get it sewn over their heart. Lin pulled the pouch of coins from his belt and tossed it to the large man. It’s everything I have.

      The man opened the pouch and his face showed a hint of surprise. I don’t know what you are running from brat but you’re lucky you didn’t end up in a ditch carrying this much coin on you. Come with me, and I’ll get you settled in a room, the gruff man said as he pulled four gold coins from the pouch before throwing it back to Lin.

      Lin looked inside only to find twenty silver coins and a handful of copper left. He had spent the majority of the coins on food and supplies. He was sure that he had been cheated more than once or twice but without anyone to help him he was afraid to point it out and could only bit his lip and swallow it.

      Lin’s room in the ship was little more than a closet and the food was dull and tasteless, but that mattered little to Lin, he was just happy to leave the central continent behind. He had learned that the ship would be headed to the Southern Reach continent which was in the far south and was prized for their furs. It was a rough place but even if it was filled with demon hordes it would still be safer than the central continent to a member of a fallen clan. No one would leave a root to grow after cutting down the stalk to seek revenge.

      It took three months before they reached the Southern Reach continent. The harbor town looked like a shanty town compared to the central continent but Lin didn’t care.

      After leaving the ship Lin had no other real plans so he found a small inn and paid the rent for a year. The room was small and the bed uncomfortable but Lin could care less. His mind was focused on one thing, getting stronger. He swore one day he would return to the central continent and kill everyone who had taken part in the killing of his clan.

      Chapter I

      A year passed by quickly and Lin’s twelfth birthday came but he had no one to celebrate it with. There were only three birthdays that people celebrated the 10th when a young man was first introduced to the public as the member of the family, the reason for that is that many children died in early childhood. The second was the 12th birthday when a child would get tested for his talent and start cultivating. The last time was on the fifteenth birthday when one was considered an adult.

      Lin had no way to test his potential but there was four class four sects twenty-three class five sects and numerous class six sects. The sects held enrolment once a year in the central city of Roland. Lin had paid for a carriage to Roland and in two days it would leave. He was not the only one that would be traveling to Roland as many children wished to enter the ranks of cultivators through in the end only a few would be able to grant that wish in the end. Even in the large clans in the central continent only 1 out of 10 children could enter a large sect though even the weakest of the children could get into a class 6 sect with just the power of their family.

      Lin was happy that the assessment for the sects were so close to his birthday. He wasn’t sure if he could wait another half a year or longer. He had a few jade scrolls with him but without any Qi in his body they were only scraps of paper to him. If he was still at his clan his father or one of his uncles would train him in basic qi gathering but now he could only rely on the sects.

      Ten days later Lin along with twelve others reached Roland. He had to search four inns before he was able to find dilapidated room to rent and even then it still cost ten silver coins per night and there were still a little over a week before the sect assessment. Lin had nothing to do before the assessment but he was not foolish enough to walk around a town. He knew that with so many people coming in from every corner of Southern Reach that there would be more than a few who would be up no good.

      The days passed by slowly but Lin was soon standing in a long line waiting along with countless other youths ranging from 12 to 16 years of age. The test was simple enough, all one had to do was place their hand on a large stone set in the center of a large stage and it would tell the persons element and potential. One by one people walked up on the stage, middle grade 3 rank fire element with a sub element of wind, lower grade two rank element metal, soon it was Lin’s turn. Lin walked up on the stage his eyes barely noticing the old man who was calming stroking his beard as he looked down at the long list of names with a quill in his hand.

      Taking a deep breath Lin placed his hand on the large clear stone. A thin light started to grow from the base of the stone and traveled nearly to Lin’s chest in height which was only a quarter of the stones full height. The color of the light was green tinged with red. Lower fifth grade talent. Element wood with sub element of fire. When Lin heard the man’s words his shoulders slumped slightly. He was hoping that he would have at least a seventh grade talent so that he could get into one of the fourth grade sects but with a fifth he would be lucky to be one of the few to get into a fifth grade sect, but at least he would find it easy to enter one of the sixth grade sects as their requirements allowed anyone with a middle third grade talent to enter.

      Young man, A voice called as soon as Lin steeped down from the stage. Turning to look at the called Lin noticed a young man wearing a long robe.

      Yes, Lin replied promptly.

      Would you be willing to enter the Builder sect? The

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1