BLACKOUT

Author: Al Stone
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Centrinian
Publication Date: 12 August 2020 (first published 19 March 2014)
ISBN: 978-0995494138
Pages: 502

WHAT WAS SHALL NO LONGER BE.

WHAT WAS NOT SHALL NOW BECOME.

Despite having the protection of the talisman and the Legion, a reforming force of warrior angels and elementals, guarding his every move, things are not looking good for Charlie Blake. Tasked with the responsibility of saving mankind, finding the four diamonds to restore the talisman is all he can think of, but when his prophetic visions start to invade his reality and he suddenly can’t distinguish the dream world from the real world, the pending extinction of mankind becomes the least of his problems. Everyone assumes Charlie’s dormant powers are activating, until he starts showing symptoms of a deadly disease.

With his nemesis, Gaddis, threatening the lives of his loved ones, he faces a race against time to locate the Stone of Raphael, the air diamond, before an imminent pandemic destroys civilization. As he ventures into dangerous lands once again, he unearths shocking revelations about his past life that forces him to question his allegiance. With no one to turn to for answers, he can’t help but wonder if his purpose is truly to save mankind.

‘Help me.’

Charlie’s eyes flashed open, and he whirled around, the rifles and mask falling from his grasp. He saw nothing out of the ordinary. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the other players were playing mind tricks.

‘It’s coming.’

Charlie shuddered. He stood in one spot, searching for any sudden movements. Although he could not locate the source of the voice, his accelerating heartbeat and his instinct to run was all the incentive he needed. ‘We have to go,’ he muttered under his breath as he took a few steps backwards. ‘Something’s wrong. Guys’ – he turned back around – ‘we have to go –’

Charlie caught his breath in his throat. He was staring at a company of strangers.

Tripping over his feet, he stumbled and fell onto his back into a bed of high yellow grass. Panicked, he scrambled to his feet. His jaw dropped when he saw the sight before him. He looked up – no canopy – left and right but saw no trees. He was no longer in the forest. He was in a field in the middle of nowhere … and he wasn’t alone.

He spun in a circle. Whichever way he looked, he saw people. Charlie scanned the crowd around him – their pale, half-decomposed faces, dark circles under their lifeless, bloodshot eyes as they stared unblinking at him.

‘Alex.’ Charlie’s voice trembled. The crowd drew closer to him, and he shifted uneasily, turning in all directions. ‘Stay back,’ he cried, clenching his fists.

Taken from Chapter One