Clonfert House Chronicles Part 2

A Pitts Russell

Description

A movie unreels in your imagination as you enter the fantasy world Russell A. Pitts has created. In this fantasy world you will encounter a cast of characters you will long remember. Four teenagers with extraordinary powers together with their spirit world colleagues are once again called upon to defeat evil and keep the world in balance. One of them emerges as especially powerful, even in the face of a terrible loss. Engaging, sophisticated, and beautiful, the world of the Clonfort House Chronicles is a world of fantasy, magic, tragedy, and triumph. A tale of Enchanters that truly enchants.

Sujets

• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers LLC
• Date de parution: 30 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781638293828
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

T he C lonfert H ouse C hronicles P art 2
Affey and the Green Maiden
Russell A. Pitts
Austin Macauley Publishers
2022-11-30
The Clonfert House Chronicles Part 2 About the Author Dedication Copyright Information © Acknowledgment Prelude Time: The Present Chapter 1: The Eo Mugna Tree Affey’s Secret Chapter 2: The Eo Mugna Tree Affey’s Secret Revealed Chapter 3: The Eo Mugna Tree Terrible News Chapter 4: The Western Quarter the Sorcerer Corradhu’s Encampment Chapter 5: The Doon Well Major Lisette’s Encampment Chapter 6: Clonfert House, The Headmaster’s Study Minda, Michael, and Kevin Summoned Chapter 7: The Eo Mugna Tree Affey’s Transformation Begins The Oracle of the Dar Lantern Visits Chapter 8: The Western Quarter The Sorcerer Corradhu’s Discovery Chapter 9: The Eo Mugna Tree The Oracle’s Predictions Chapter 10: Clonfert House New Assignments Chapter 11: The Eo Mugna Tree Affey’s Initiation as the Eighth Green Maiden Chapter 12: Clonfert House The Secret Library Chapter 13: Clonfert House, The Headmaster’s Study Minda’s Discoveries Chapter 14: The Eo Mugna Tree Affey Shares Her Dream Chapter 15: On the Way to Clonfert House Affey Shares Her Doubts Chapter 16: Clonfert House, The Headmaster’s Study Affey Takes Control Chapter 17: Clonfert House Deep into the Eastern Forest Kevin Meets the Ancient Man Chapter 18: The Sorcerer Corradhu’s Ritual Clearing Ground The Sisters of the Coven Return Chapter 19: Clonfert House, The Headmaster’s Study Affey’s Plan Chapter 20: South of Clonfert House The Assault Begins Chapter 21: Throughout the Realms Pursuit of the Witches Chapter 22: The Sorcerer Corradhu’s Private Encampment The Fight for the Sapphire Staff Chapter 23: The Sorcerer Corradhu Chapter 24: Clonfert House Funeral Rites Epilogue
About the Author
Russell A. Pitts is a former naval officer, teacher, professor, actor, and Buddhist monk. He is also a father and grandfather. Currently, he owns and operates a bed and breakfast in Upstate New York. The Clonfert House Chronicles is his first young adult fantasy series. Part One: The Enchanters was published in April 2020.
Dedication
To Logan, Jarrad, Lilian, Sophia, Kaitlyn, Kendall, Bennett, Trae, Kiernan, Regan, Ayla, Gwenna, and Colin.
Copyright Information ©
Russell A. Pitts 2022
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Ordering Information
Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.
Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data
Pitts, Russell A.
The Clonfert House Chronicles Part 2
ISBN 9781638293804 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781638293811 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781638293828 (ePub e-book)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022919164
www.austinmacauley.com/us
First Published 2022
Austin Macauley Publishers LLC
40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302
New York, NY 10005
USA
[e-mail]
[phone]
Acknowledgment
To Jill Eggers, who has been a sounding board and good friend, and who was first to describe the Clonfert House Chronicles as ‘spiritual fantasy’.
Prelude
The Far, Far, Distant Past
Mount Annapurna, Central Tibet
Winter
The Shaman, Jangchup Dawa, of the Bon Village at the foot of Mount Annapurna, was halfway up the treacherous path up the mountain when, without warning, a severe storm blew in over the mountain top. The snow whipped fiercely around him. The rapid snowfall and dropping temperature would only make his pilgrimage up the mountain to the Goddess Khandiravani’s temple all the more hazardous. His bones rattled from the cold. His feet were almost frost bitten. The path to Khandiravani’s temple was so steep and narrow that, should the Shaman slip and fall, he would plummet over the edge never to be seen again. He cried out for help to Khandiravani, the Goddess of his devotion.
“ Khandiravani, I am your devoted disciple, Janchup Dawa, the Bon Shaman
You are the Goddess who protects pilgrims like me.
It is you who removes all obstacles from their way,
Have pity on me.
Rescue me.
Without your aid I will surely perish here, on your mountain.”
The Shaman fought with each step to trudge up the mountain path, but the howling wind and blinding snow forced him back each time he tried to advance. He had been on the mountain path for six days and was only halfway to the temple. Every Shaman from the Bon village was required to make the journey to Khandiravani’s temple every five years. Once they reached the temple they remained there for a month in study, prayer, and meditation. This was Jangchup Dawa’s fifth pilgrimage. His previous pilgrimages, all made during the summer, were uneventful. He typically reached the temple three days after departing from his hermitage at the base of Mount Annapurna. He had never faced weather like this, though he knew two other shaman who attempted a winter ascent and perished. Would this pilgrimage be his last?
Jangchup Dawa, tried to take one more step up the steep grade of the path when he lost his footing and fell. Fortunately, he fell forward on his face and not sideways which would have seen him cast over the edge into the abyss below. He attempted to get up, but the snow was falling so hard that within minutes he was buried in it. He managed to keep his head just above the accumulating snow so that he could breathe. He said aloud in the howling wind, “I must get up and keep moving. If I stay here, the snow will suffocate me under a white drift on the mountain side. No one will find me until the spring thaw.” The fierce wind carried his words up the mountain to Khandiravani’s temple. He prayed to her one last time.
“ My Goddess, Khandiravani,
You see my plight.
I am about to die here on your mountain.
I pray that you will invite me to be with you in my next life.
I do not want to die like this, choking on the snow,
But I accept my fate.
Remember me, a lowly shaman,
Who sought with all my heart,
To serve you.
To honor you .”
Jangchup Dawa heard a tremendous roar above him. An avalanche. It raced down the mountain directly toward him. The avalanche was upon him in an instant. The snow began to fill the shaman’s mouth imprisoning the scream he tried to let loose. He began to lose consciousness. The white that was about to bury him alive suddenly turned black. He announced to the snow around him, “I am dead.” They were the last words he said before he passed out.
The avalanche continued to menace the path up Mount Annapurna to Khandiravani’s Temple. Despite the power of the avalanche, the shaman’s prayer reached Khandiravani. She swept down from her temple on the top of the mountain and pulled the shaman from near death. She whisked him up to the safety and warmth of her temple. There, the shaman recovered over the course of several days. When he regained consciousness, the Goddess Khandiravani was sitting there with him.
“Jangchup Dawa, I see you are recovering.”
The Shaman could not believe his eyes. There, at the foot of his straw cot, sat the Goddess Khandiravani. The shaman recalled what his guru taught him about the Goddess. He could almost hear his guru’s voice. “No one ever actually sees the Goddess. She is all myth and legend. Khandiravani dwells in a realm reserved for the gods and goddesses. The closest anyone gets to seeing her is in the paintings on temple walls or the statues displayed everywhere in the villages. The stories about Khandiravani tell of her intercession on the behalf of her followers, but those stories are from a time long, long ago.” Yet, despite what the shaman’s guru said, here she was, sitting a chair at the foot of Jangchup Dawa’s straw cot talking to him.
“I see you were not expecting me, shaman,” she said warmly.
The shaman wanted to get out of his bed and prostrate out of respect before her, but his legs failed him.
“Goddess, forgive me, I cannot move my legs to get out of this bed and pay my proper respects to you.”
Khandiravani smiled which put the shaman at ease. “My dear shaman, your whole life has been one of duty to me. As for your legs, give them another day and they will work fine. You know you almost died on the path?”
“Goddess, I surely would have perished if you had not rescued me. I am not worthy of your intercession.”
The Goddess Khandiravani got up from the chair and sat on the edge of the shaman’s straw cot. “I heard your prayer. It was carried up to me by the Wind Horse God. I would not leave you there alone on my mountain to die. A shaman such as yourself is needed in my world. There is more for you to do before you die.” The Goddess knew exactly what was in store for the shaman.
“Khandiravani, all I ask is that I may live long enough to repay you for your kindness,” the Shaman said humbly.
Khandiravani took the shaman’s hand in hers and told him, “You will live longer than that. You arrived just in time. I need a shaman.”
“You need a shaman?” Jangchup Dawa was stunned by the Goddess’s words. The Goddess was more powerful than any shaman. For what possible reason could she need a shaman?
“I do, Jangchup Dawa, choose you as my shaman.” Khandiravani got up from the st