The Dominion Pulse Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue - Chess

  Chapter 1 Camulos

  Chapter 2 Arawn

  Chapter 3 Bonds

  Chapter 4 Ruthless Enemies

  Chapter 5 Tokens

  Chapter 6 The Thief of Mag Mell

  Chapter 7 The Hunt Begins

  Chapter 8 Behind Enemy Lines

  Chapter 9 Giant Challenges

  Chapter 10 The Past is the Future

  Chapter 11 Answers

  Chapter 12 Mirror Image

  Chapter 13 Hidden Thoughts

  Chapter 14 Warnings

  Chapter 15 Identified

  Chapter 16 Leverage

  Chapter 17 Acquiring Power

  Chapter 18 Intuition

  Chapter 19 Decisions

  Chapter 20 The Mother of Demons

  Epilogue - Partnerships

  About The Author

  Celtic Mythos Series

  Title Page

  Celtic Mythos

  The Dominion Pulse

  a fantasy novel

  Brad A. LaMar

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2014, by Brad LaMar

  The Dominion Pulse (Celtic Mythos, Book 3)

  Brad A. LaMar

  balamar.lightmessages.com

  [email protected]

  Published 2015, by Light Messages

  www.lightmessages.com

  Durham, NC 27713 USA

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61153-104-6

  Ebook ISBN: 978-1-61153-105-3

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 International Copyright Act, without the prior written permission except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Dedication

  Dedicated to the readers

  and those who have allowed me to tell my tales.

  Celtic Mythos is dedicated in loving memory

  of my father John A. LaMar.

  Acknowledgments

  Wow! It’s so hard to believe that I’m getting to live my dream yet again. It’s amazing to see that months of writing, editing, conferencing, and rewriting are paying off in the delivery of a story that I’m very proud of and happy to see as a part of the Celtic Mythos universe. There are many more stories to tell, and I can’t wait to put the proverbial pen to paper and deliver them to my readers.

  I need to begin by thanking the readers themselves for their support, reviews, and for the awesome feeling you give this middle-school-teacher-turned-author. Being accepted and read by you is an honor, and I can never thank you enough for that.

  My family, friends, students, and colleagues are also very supportive and hold a dear place in my heart. When you first begin sending out your manuscripts to agents and publishers and getting one rejection after another, you begin to think that your dream will never come true. It means the world to have such wonderful people who hold you up when you’re wobbly from the rejection beat down that some of us endure. To hear their words of encouragement makes you feel loved and believed in.

  Thank you to Igor Adasikov for his extreme artistic talent and to Laura Brown for her keen eye as my proofreader. Thanks to Light Messages Publishing for being that cherished partner in the creation of the Celtic Mythos series. I can’t believe we are already to book three in the series! Elizabeth, you have been fantastic to work with and your encouragement and creative mind have been invaluable throughout the entire process.

  My wife, Lori, and children, Evan and Paige, are among my greatest supporters, and I thank them for their love and massive encouragement. I would also like to thank my Mom, my brother, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, and parents-in-law.

  I would be remiss to neglect to thank all of those I’ve connected with on social media as an author in this era. So: #thankyou! Thanks to all of the book sellers (both independent and larger) for your support and opportunities to come and visit with many of your patrons.

  Join me online @bradalamar29, on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and at bradalamar.com. I love to connect with my readers and learn about their stories.

  Lastly, I want to thank the “Name a Character” contest winner, Raven Nivhaar, for the winning submission for a character in The Dominion Pulse. Raven, this little character is definitely a Della, so thank you for the name suggestion and your continued support.

  - Brad A. LaMar

  Prologue

  Chess

  Brugh, Otherworld Realm – 100,000 Years Ago

  “Murderer!” shouted Maddox. The ground was hard and rough on the Sidhe’s back as he pulled himself away from his attacker. One of his wings was torn and flimsy and the other was gone completely.

  Elathan stalked forward, stepping around the mounds of rubble and debris from a cave wall he destroyed when he entered the Sidhe’s territory in Brugh, the Otherworld Realm of Caverns. He ignored the injured Sidhe as he looked around the area, assessing his new property. Nuada had naively given the worthless Sidhes a prominent location in Brugh, thinking that there wouldn’t be any other suitors for a land as rich as this in resources. That was one of the many attributes that Elathan hated about Nuada. The silver god prized mercy and philanthropy, sure signs of weakness.

  Elathan took in the points of light that peppered the cavern walls, ceiling, and floors. There were so many minerals and viable metals to choose from, between what was in the rock and what lay at the bottom of the crystal blue lake in the center of the cave. The lake was fed by the River Boyne, a powerful river that ran from the Danti Mountains bringing massive amounts of minerals, crystals, and magic-enriched deposits. The little fools thought the lake was only good for recreation, missing the rich potential that surrounded them on a daily basis.

  Maddox began to sob uncontrollably. “We’ve done nothing to you!” The Sidhe laid his head against the body of one of his fallen kinsmen.

  Elathan glanced down at the critically injured Sidhe with contempt after having nearly forgotten that he was still breathing. “Nuada favors you, imp, therefore I hate you. You were given something so abundant and you took it for granted, therefore I hate you.” The Bringer of Death’s eyes flashed over with gold. “You exist, therefore I hate you.”

  Maddox looked at his murderer with pity. “Your black heart will be the death of you,” he declared with his last breath.

  Elathan walked towards the edge of the lake and looked at his own reflection in the mirror-like surface, seeing power and strength gazing back at him. His eyes began to glow, all of the dead bodies that littered the cavern floor instantly burst into flames, leaving greasy, charred spots in their place and the new keeper of the cave alone with his thoughts.

  …

  The Sidhe’s Cavern of Brugh was dimmer and cooler than it was when Camulos last entered it over an Earth millennia ago. The flecks of light that reflected from the minerals on the wall hadn’t changed, nor had the clarity of the lake, but there was a much different mood about the place. Camulos credited Elathan’s arrival for that change.

  Elathan was sitting in a smooth, black throne on the opposite side of the cavern. Camulos eyed the golden god wearily as he crossed the distance from the entrance. He was well aware of Elathan’s reputation. Camulos, being the god of war, admired such qualities in a fellow god—especially one of the more powerful gods—but that was precisely why he had a good hold on his sword’s hilt.

  “Lord Elathan,”
Camulos said, bowing slightly before the golden god. “You asked for me to come.”

  “I did,” Elathan said after a brief pause to breath in the singed smell of death on the air. “My enemy plots against me.”

  Camulos nodded. “Hence the reason he’s your enemy. What does that have to do with me?” he asked a little too impatiently.

  Elathan raised an eyebrow and stared at the youthful god. “Your peevishness aside, we could have a mutually beneficial partnership, Camulos.”

  Camulos folded his arms across his muscled chest, careful to keep his weapon at his fingertips. “Is that so?”

  Elathan stood up and walked towards the god of war. Camulos took a few steps back and began to draw his sword in defense. The golden god held up his hand and telekinetically pushed the sword back into Camulos’s sheath. “That won’t be necessary, nor would it help you.”

  Camulos was so stunned by the golden god’s power that he was speechless as Elathan strolled past him to the bank of the lake. The god of war followed him to the edge, fear and admiration pulling at his thoughts. The water was crystal clear and placid. Camulos couldn’t quite see down to the bottom since the lake was remarkably deep, but what he could see brought serene thoughts to his violent mind.

  “Are you familiar with Gioibniu the blacksmith?” Elathan asked the younger god. Camulos nodded. “He has crafted something that I desire.”

  The war god glanced curiously at Elathan before his attention was pulled to the water when the surface was breached by the massive forms of two niseags. The creatures rose into the air and filled the space above Camulos and Elathan, water rolling off their hides, raining down on everything below them. The beasts flew out of the cave through an expansive hole that was hundreds of feet off of the ground.

  “What does Gioibniu have, Lord Elathan?”

  Elathan waved his hand over the water and an image of a black dagger shimmered into view on the lake’s surface. “He has made an obsidian dagger that I need to possess. Gioibniu is a very talented craftsman and has melded the dagger with very precise magical qualities.”

  “There are many magical items crafted everyday in Otherworld. What makes this one special?” Camulos asked.

  Elathan pointed to the depths of the waters. “The conduit metal was obtained at the bottom of this lake, which I have laid claim to when I killed all of those flying pests.”

  “I don’t see how that helps you, Lord Elathan.”

  “When Nuada hired Gioibniu to craft the dagger these lands belonged to him, but now the metal that spawns the dagger’s magic belongs to me, giving me control.” Elathan’s lips twisted into a wicked grinned. “Nuada doesn’t know. He is ignorant of the simple laws of gods and magic.”

  “Why not take it yourself?” Camulos asked. “Gioibniu would never be able to stop you.”

  “True. I could kill Gioibniu easily and take the dagger, but I don’t want the blacksmith to know it’s gone nor do I want to engage Nuada who would surely come to the blacksmith’s aid.” Elathan recognized Camulos’s lack of understanding. “I want you to bring it to me so that I can make some adjustments, and then I want you to take it back.” Bright blue sparkles twinkled beneath the surface of the lake in response to the words.

  “You said that you could kill Gioibniu? How is that so—he’s a god?”

  “True, but I am much more than that,” Elathan replied. “And I can show you how to kill the lesser beings of Otherworld who so arrogantly place themselves in the company of gods.”

  Camulos raised his chin as he thought. Nuada was a very powerful god as well. Making an enemy of him would not be wise. “What am I to gain in this? Nuada is not to be crossed by the likes of me.”

  “A war is coming, Camulos,” Elathan began. “You will need to decide if you’re with me or Nuada. Every god will have to choose.” Elathan took on a golden glow as he stared at the younger god. “I suggest you decide quickly.”

  Camulos considered the immensity of the statement and perceived the power that Elathan was ready to display. Being the god of war didn’t guarantee victory but siding with a powerful and vicious god gave him better odds. Camulos bowed low to Elathan. “I am at your service.”

  “I would have expected nothing less,” Elathan said with a slight smirk of satisfaction. “Bring me the dagger, Camulos.”

  Camulos marched away from the golden god, his own plans turning over in his mind.

  …

  A raven cautiously peered around a pile of rubble created in the cleansing of Brugh by Elathan. She carefully exposed one large eye from the cover of the rocks and peered out at the cavernous lands. The place was vacant, but the raven dared not fly out into the open air of the cave. Since the Sidhes had been eradicated from these lands, insidious creatures had migrated to Brugh. It wasn’t safe anymore, even for a goddess.

  The megaliths near the opening of the cave glowed and Elathan emerged from the golden light, followed by a small group of primitive humans. The humans were hunched over and ape-like in their actions, but the raven doubted that evolution would keep them that way. There was too much potential to be lost if the humans weren’t free to progress. The golden god led them into the cavern and up to his obsidian throne.

  “Humans,” Elathan scoffed, looking out at the fumbling group.

  Elathan allowed the humans to explore the cavern for a short while. Some of the humans ventured near the water while others avoided it entirely. Some humans tried to climb up piles of rocks while others simply walked around them. The raven was intrigued by the differences in the choices the humans made. So was Elathan.

  “So weak, so stupid, so fragile—humans.” Elathan observed the brood for a short time in silence.

  Finally, Elathan stood and the temperature in the cave dropped drastically as the golden god took on a sullen glow. “You are my chosen bloodlines,” he declared. “I have already blessed some humans with size and strength, but I will make you and your children in my image. You will have power. You will have wisdom. You and your descendants will serve me and be given the ability to dominate the ignorant beings of the Earth.”

  Elathan chanted in low tones causing his body’s golden light to pulse. Streaks of golden energy shot off of his person like electric currents straight into the thirteen humans making them cry out in pain. They fell to the ground convulsing as if they were being electrocuted. One man flopped around while another man’s muscles turned rigid and a woman began to tear her hair out.

  The raven retreated back to her cover and was at a loss. She hated to see living things suffer, but she hated that Elathan was exploiting the humans even more. Even though Bibe was known as the wise, she didn’t know what to make of the scene. Was Elathan really granting these primitive humans powers?

  Bibe hopped into the air and flew as low to the ground as she could towards the cave entrance. She avoided mounds of rock and piles of bones all the way out of the cave. When she hit the open sky, Bibe increased to a speed that would rival any bird of prey. There was no time to waste. She needed to consult with Nuada.

  Chapter 1

  Camulos

  Brendan sat on a wooden bench in front of the newly renovated treasure building in Corways. He stared towards the center of town, lost in his own reflections. The statue that once stood there was gone and three obsidian megaliths had risen up from the ground erected in its place. They were covered in runes but remained cold, except when he and his group needed to travel. Brendan could feel them radiating power and that reminded him that it was a doorway into Corways as well as one out of the Leprechaun village. Anyone with the know-how to travel on the megalith tethers could come and go as they pleased and that concerned everyone. Dorian had ordered guards to be on shifts at the megaliths, each equipped with a vial of the rainbow’s magic and a bell to ring to sound the alarm. If only the Banshees hadn’t gotten away with Oscar, then Corways wouldn’t have been made so vulnerable.

  “Hey,” Dorian said as she approached from Brendan’s right.

>   “Hey,” he replied. He scooted over and made room for her to sit beside him. He smiled at her as she sat, her style unmistakably her own. Everything about her was perfect to Brendan. She had that thing about her that would make any guy cast a glance her way, but they would be selling her short if all they saw was just another pretty face. Dorian was Queen of the Leprechauns, endowed with power and responsibility, bravery and courage, and wisdom beyond her years. She was so much more than a pretty face.

  She took his hand in her own and leaned her head on his shoulder. Brendan grimaced but didn’t pull away. Every part of his body, including his shoulder, was still in recovery mode after his battle with Elathan more than a month ago. Brendan scoffed at the thought of actually calling it a battle. It was more like a one-sided beat down that he took at the hands of Elathan, the golden god. He wouldn’t have even been sitting there beside his girlfriend at that moment if Lizzie and the others hadn’t shown up.

  He had gone to the sacred Wampanoag site near Sam’s Creek in New York state thinking he was going to be able to waltz in, get his father, and maybe stop Elathan from completing the megalith union. He had never been more wrong in his life, and he had let Elathan open up a connection to Otherworld, steal his father, and destroy what little confidence he had built since he defeated the witch.

  “Frank, Lizzie, and Garnash still not back yet from New York?” Dorian asked her boyfriend. She absently adjusted her fingers to interlock with his.

  “Not yet,” he said. “It was really cool of you and the village to donate gold to Frank, Dorian.”

  Dorian smiled. “I was glad that the village agreed. Frank is important to our team and to Lizzie. It’s good of him to want to help. It would have been really hard for him to come back if he didn’t know that his grandmother was in good hands.”

  Brendan put his other hand on top of hers. “I’m not sure what Frank or you or anyone else can do right now. I’m still healing, and we haven’t even seen Bibe yet.”