Middle-Grade Fantasy Mystery
Date Published: 12-01-2023
Publisher: Rise Publishers
A STRATEGIC PLAN WAS IN PLACE…
POWERFUL ALLIANCES WERE FORMED…
BUT NOTHING COULD STOP THE GREAT WAR.
After Tim Charnal was captured by Allen Chan and the ruthless iron-masked guards, Sophia Freeman has no choice but to follow their orders and meet them in the Forbidden Land to free their Master, Tombermon, an ancient tree giant. The release of great evil leads to broken promises, countless sacrifices, and an inevitable war. As the islanders face a losing battle, an unexpected machine army comes to their rescue. But is it enough to stop the enemy and their threatening new era of darkness once and for all?
With
most islanders in the water, a menacing laugh halted them.
“Going
somewhere?” said Arbiter Scarlon, standing next to Bolrock, the monstrous
boulder creature and dark guardian leader who almost killed Sophia when she
first came to Pandilone Island. Iron-masked guards stood behind them.
“Scarlon,
after what the island has given you—how could you betray us?” Arbiter Nulon
snapped telepathically.
“In
order for all of us to have a better future, we must make a change to this
place,” Arbiter Scarlon pointed out. “I am just … speeding up the process.”
Tim
clenched his fists and barked, “You just want more power for yourself!”
“We
are such fools for trusting you.” Arbiter Nulon lowered her head.
“You
are not the only fools here,” said Arbiter Scarlon, glaring at Allen. “Boy, I
thought you were smarter than this. You could’ve had so much more, but instead
you decided to leave with these pathetic weaklings.”
“I
never wanted anything to do with you or the new era,” Allen revealed. “I only
got close to you guys to destroy Tombermon.”
“He
was just pretending this whole time?” Tim whispered, staring at Sophia.
She
nodded with a grin.
Arbiter
Nulon stepped past her guards. “Scarlon, you can have the island. We just want
to leave in peace.”
“Ah,
that is very generous of you,” he said sarcastically, waving his hand to
command his army to surround them. “Unfortunately, no one is leaving this
place.”
“Why
not?” Sophia demanded, shifting into her attack position. “You already got what
you were after.”
“The
reason is very simple: to ensure a long-lasting new era, there must not
be any kind of rebellion,” Arbiter Scarlon explained.
“You
think we will return one day and take everything back?” Allen guessed.
“The
risk is far too great,” Arbiter Scarlon continued. “But if you remain here, the
chance of that happening is extremely low.”
“So,
what you’re telling us is staying on the island is our only option?” Allen
asked.
He
sneered. “Well, it’s your only living option.”
“Enough
with your nonsense!” Arbiter Nulon thrust out her hand and shards of ice
appeared from her palm, forming an oversized sword. “BLIZZARD BLADE!” She flung
her sword over fifteen feet, snow flying everywhere.
About the Author
Thuan Doan is an award-winning author of the Sophia Freeman series. He conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet.
Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents' names.
“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs!
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