Everyone who asked to read The Jericho Effect, this is your chance! Offer lasts from May - September 2011. Spread the word and don't miss out on this oportunity.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Limited Time Offer: Summer 2011
Coming to you as a limited special edition in Kindle and paperback this summer...
Everyone who asked to read The Jericho Effect, this is your chance! Offer lasts from May - September 2011. Spread the word and don't miss out on this oportunity.
Everyone who asked to read The Jericho Effect, this is your chance! Offer lasts from May - September 2011. Spread the word and don't miss out on this oportunity.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
ABNA 2011 Round 1
The lists are now up announcing the authors and novels which made the cut and will advance to the 2nd round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Sadly, my novel, The Jericho Effect, did not make the cut this year. I'm not too disappointed since I know I was up against some really great fellow aspiring authors. I intend to continue to follow the contest and support these other writers and I encourage my readers to do the same.
What does not making the cut mean for The Jericho Effect? Simple, it means it is time to look into other plans for moving this novel forward in the future. I was considering getting a few copies out to friends and family via print-on-demand and e-book over the summer. If you might be interested in obtaining a copy in this way please let me know and I'll be sure to keep you updated.
What does not making the cut mean for The Jericho Effect? Simple, it means it is time to look into other plans for moving this novel forward in the future. I was considering getting a few copies out to friends and family via print-on-demand and e-book over the summer. If you might be interested in obtaining a copy in this way please let me know and I'll be sure to keep you updated.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Fall of Sardi
Since the cruel Sardi Empire featured so prominently in a few previous posts such as Swan Warrior part 4 and Fairy Vault I felt I should explain what became of this country. So I present this retelling of an old "wrath of God" sort of legend.
The Fall of Sardi
Emperor Destarus, the man chosen by the gods to rule the mighty people of Sardi, stood in the palace gardens among the rare and exotic plants. Beyond the garden walls was Carmac, capital city and heart of the Sardi Empire. Destarus drank in the smells of spices, the cries of merchants from the market and the sight of the domes and spires rising from the rainforest. The jewels on his tunic glittered in the light of the setting sun. He ran a finger over the hilt of a long scimitar which hung at his side. It was made of a rare black metal only found in Sardi. For that reason it was the symbol of the empire. Closing his eyes for a moment Destarus ran the reports of his generals through his mind.
The king of the enemy country, Windola, had sent more soldiers to meet the warriors of Sardi in battle. Soon Sardi would destroy Windola and its poisonous religion of Light. Windola had made an alliance with Rovinien, which worried Destarus at first for the warriors of Rovinien were just as fierce as those of Sardi and probably the only army in the world who stood a chance against the nearly invincible forces of his empire. Still, the gods favored Sardi, for Destarus’ army was crushing those of Rovinien and Windola. This thought brought a smile to his lips.
His smile faded as he recalled the recent sea battle in which the coastal country, Caramyth had crippled his fleet and forced him to relinquish land along the eastern coast. Caramyth never had approved of Sardi’s slave trade. They had taken things too far by blockading the coast so that no Sardi ships could reach the islands where they usually rounded up slaves. Why the gods didn’t punish the people of Caramyth for their arrogance was beyond Destarus. When he had stormed into the temple and demanded this answer of the high priest, the priest had said, “I do not understand why we have suffered this terrible defeat but we must not blame it on the gods lest they become angry with us.”
Perhaps I should have him executed for his stupidity, Destarus thought.
A soft rustle of fabric cut through his thoughts. He frowned. How many times did he have to tell the palace slaves not to enter the garden when he was thinking? He opened his eyes ready to order the disrespectful slave beaten. The words died on his lips at the sight of a beautiful dark skinned woman clothed in a white dress with long silky black hair spilling down her back. A sword hung from a gold colored belt at her waist and there was more intensity in her rich brown eyes than Destarus had seen in any other person.
After a moment of staring Destarus composed himself and demanded, “Who are you? How did you get passed my guards? You are not supposed to be here!”
“I have been sent by the Lord of Light because the entire world cries out against the evil deeds of your empire,” she said. “The Lord of Light has looked into your heart and found it lacking. I have been sent to punish you for your wrongs and your arrogance.”
“I have the blessing of the gods,” Destarus laughed. “You and your Lord can never harm me.”
“Let us see what your gods’ protection really amounts to,” said the messenger and there was a sudden hardness in her eyes.
She drew her sword revealing that it was made of flames. Raising it above her head she brought it down with a powerful thrust to stab the ground before the emperor’s feet. Destarus staggered backward in shock as all the plants touched by the sword’s flames withered and died leaving a patch of empty dirt. The messenger pulled her sword out of the earth and stepped toward the garden gate. Destarus stood still for a moment staring in wonder at the dry spot front of him.
At last he recovered and called to the guards, “Stop that woman!”
Several guards moved to block her path but she slipped passed them all and out the gate.
“After her!” Destarus yelled drawing his black scimitar. “She must not be allowed to escape.”
The guards moved to surround him and together they followed the messenger into the city. She was easy to spot in her pale dress as she wandered the streets. The flaming sword she held high shone like a torch in the gathering darkness. Yet no matter how fast Destarus and his guards moved, she was always a few steps ahead of them.
At last she reached the wide market square where she paused. When the emperor signaled his guards to rush forward to grab her, the sword flared up until it was hot enough to crack a few paving stones. They halted and raised their arms to shield their faces from the dry heat wave. Unhindered by her enemies, the messenger called out in a terrible commanding voice that cut straight through Destarus’ heart.
“All you who are enslaved come to me. Your masters can no longer harm you, so fear them no more. Follow me and I will lead you to the freedom you have been praying for.”
The first group of slaves appeared between the buildings at the edge of the square. As they passed the woman their eyes glowed with hope. She waved them to continue walking and soon what seemed like an endless stream of people walked away from Carmac.
“Get back to your work!” Destarus screamed. “Your masters will have you all beaten.”
None of them paid him any attention. He took a step forward to block their path but again the sword flared up, forcing him back. All the plants growing at the edges of the market dissolved into piles of sand but the slaves were not harmed.
As the procession continued the messenger cried out again, “People of Sardi, do not follow the example of your emperor for he has doomed your country. Come with me and be spared of the evil which is coming upon all who stay behind.”
Destarus felt a twinge of guilt at her words but he suppressed it before it could become remorse. Citizens of Sardi came out of their houses and joined the procession.
“Don’t listen to her, she is a deceiver,” called the emperor. When again no one listened to him he added, “You will bring the curse of the gods upon yourself!”
Still, none of the people stopped. Three of Destarus’ guards dropped their weapons and joined those walking out of the city. Destarus cursed at them but they too ignored him.
At last the procession moved out of sight. The Messenger of Light made one last mighty sweep at Destarus and his remaining guards before following the slaves and people of Sardi into the night. Destarus ground his teeth and sheathed his scimitar as he considered what to do next. There was a sudden rush of wind which gave a mighty whooshing sound and filled with him foreboding. A moment later the guards cried out in alarm and the few people remaining in the city screamed. A giant wave of sand swept over Carmac burying the city and those in it even as they ran in a vain attempt to escape.
***
It was daylight by the time Emperor Destarus dug his way out of a pile of sand and lay gasping on the dune. After catching his breath he got to his feet to better take in his surroundings. There was not another living being in sight, only miles of sand in every direction. Here and there the remains of towers poked out of the desert landscape. To his left rose the Emerald Mountains, as green as their name implied. In a daze Destarus staggered across the shifting sands without a clear destination.
He continued walking for the rest of the day as the sun beat down on his back and the dry winds parched his skin. When he was so hot and tired he could walk no more he sank to his knees and stared at the mirages shimmering in the desert air. An image of the Messenger of Light appeared in the haze. She pointed at something. When Destarus looked where she indicated more images appeared. The mirage showed him the slaves and refugees from Sardi. He saw them making homes in the wilderness. The wind whispered the name of the new country they would form: Algamar. Somehow he understood that this word meant freedom in the new dialect made of Sardi’s language combined with that of the islanders who had been enslaved.
Destarus glared at the messenger, enraged at the thought of Sardi’s proud bloodline being mixed with that of lowly slaves. He drew his black scimitar, raised it and stabbed at her. The blade passed through her image and smashed against a rock, shattering as if to show him that Sardi was truly no more. This show of passion drained the last of his strength. He fell to the ground, all the life leaving his body. The wind blew and sand covered him.
The Fall of Sardi
Emperor Destarus, the man chosen by the gods to rule the mighty people of Sardi, stood in the palace gardens among the rare and exotic plants. Beyond the garden walls was Carmac, capital city and heart of the Sardi Empire. Destarus drank in the smells of spices, the cries of merchants from the market and the sight of the domes and spires rising from the rainforest. The jewels on his tunic glittered in the light of the setting sun. He ran a finger over the hilt of a long scimitar which hung at his side. It was made of a rare black metal only found in Sardi. For that reason it was the symbol of the empire. Closing his eyes for a moment Destarus ran the reports of his generals through his mind.
The king of the enemy country, Windola, had sent more soldiers to meet the warriors of Sardi in battle. Soon Sardi would destroy Windola and its poisonous religion of Light. Windola had made an alliance with Rovinien, which worried Destarus at first for the warriors of Rovinien were just as fierce as those of Sardi and probably the only army in the world who stood a chance against the nearly invincible forces of his empire. Still, the gods favored Sardi, for Destarus’ army was crushing those of Rovinien and Windola. This thought brought a smile to his lips.
His smile faded as he recalled the recent sea battle in which the coastal country, Caramyth had crippled his fleet and forced him to relinquish land along the eastern coast. Caramyth never had approved of Sardi’s slave trade. They had taken things too far by blockading the coast so that no Sardi ships could reach the islands where they usually rounded up slaves. Why the gods didn’t punish the people of Caramyth for their arrogance was beyond Destarus. When he had stormed into the temple and demanded this answer of the high priest, the priest had said, “I do not understand why we have suffered this terrible defeat but we must not blame it on the gods lest they become angry with us.”
Perhaps I should have him executed for his stupidity, Destarus thought.
A soft rustle of fabric cut through his thoughts. He frowned. How many times did he have to tell the palace slaves not to enter the garden when he was thinking? He opened his eyes ready to order the disrespectful slave beaten. The words died on his lips at the sight of a beautiful dark skinned woman clothed in a white dress with long silky black hair spilling down her back. A sword hung from a gold colored belt at her waist and there was more intensity in her rich brown eyes than Destarus had seen in any other person.
After a moment of staring Destarus composed himself and demanded, “Who are you? How did you get passed my guards? You are not supposed to be here!”
“I have been sent by the Lord of Light because the entire world cries out against the evil deeds of your empire,” she said. “The Lord of Light has looked into your heart and found it lacking. I have been sent to punish you for your wrongs and your arrogance.”
“I have the blessing of the gods,” Destarus laughed. “You and your Lord can never harm me.”
“Let us see what your gods’ protection really amounts to,” said the messenger and there was a sudden hardness in her eyes.
She drew her sword revealing that it was made of flames. Raising it above her head she brought it down with a powerful thrust to stab the ground before the emperor’s feet. Destarus staggered backward in shock as all the plants touched by the sword’s flames withered and died leaving a patch of empty dirt. The messenger pulled her sword out of the earth and stepped toward the garden gate. Destarus stood still for a moment staring in wonder at the dry spot front of him.
At last he recovered and called to the guards, “Stop that woman!”
Several guards moved to block her path but she slipped passed them all and out the gate.
“After her!” Destarus yelled drawing his black scimitar. “She must not be allowed to escape.”
The guards moved to surround him and together they followed the messenger into the city. She was easy to spot in her pale dress as she wandered the streets. The flaming sword she held high shone like a torch in the gathering darkness. Yet no matter how fast Destarus and his guards moved, she was always a few steps ahead of them.
At last she reached the wide market square where she paused. When the emperor signaled his guards to rush forward to grab her, the sword flared up until it was hot enough to crack a few paving stones. They halted and raised their arms to shield their faces from the dry heat wave. Unhindered by her enemies, the messenger called out in a terrible commanding voice that cut straight through Destarus’ heart.
“All you who are enslaved come to me. Your masters can no longer harm you, so fear them no more. Follow me and I will lead you to the freedom you have been praying for.”
The first group of slaves appeared between the buildings at the edge of the square. As they passed the woman their eyes glowed with hope. She waved them to continue walking and soon what seemed like an endless stream of people walked away from Carmac.
“Get back to your work!” Destarus screamed. “Your masters will have you all beaten.”
None of them paid him any attention. He took a step forward to block their path but again the sword flared up, forcing him back. All the plants growing at the edges of the market dissolved into piles of sand but the slaves were not harmed.
As the procession continued the messenger cried out again, “People of Sardi, do not follow the example of your emperor for he has doomed your country. Come with me and be spared of the evil which is coming upon all who stay behind.”
Destarus felt a twinge of guilt at her words but he suppressed it before it could become remorse. Citizens of Sardi came out of their houses and joined the procession.
“Don’t listen to her, she is a deceiver,” called the emperor. When again no one listened to him he added, “You will bring the curse of the gods upon yourself!”
Still, none of the people stopped. Three of Destarus’ guards dropped their weapons and joined those walking out of the city. Destarus cursed at them but they too ignored him.
At last the procession moved out of sight. The Messenger of Light made one last mighty sweep at Destarus and his remaining guards before following the slaves and people of Sardi into the night. Destarus ground his teeth and sheathed his scimitar as he considered what to do next. There was a sudden rush of wind which gave a mighty whooshing sound and filled with him foreboding. A moment later the guards cried out in alarm and the few people remaining in the city screamed. A giant wave of sand swept over Carmac burying the city and those in it even as they ran in a vain attempt to escape.
***
It was daylight by the time Emperor Destarus dug his way out of a pile of sand and lay gasping on the dune. After catching his breath he got to his feet to better take in his surroundings. There was not another living being in sight, only miles of sand in every direction. Here and there the remains of towers poked out of the desert landscape. To his left rose the Emerald Mountains, as green as their name implied. In a daze Destarus staggered across the shifting sands without a clear destination.
He continued walking for the rest of the day as the sun beat down on his back and the dry winds parched his skin. When he was so hot and tired he could walk no more he sank to his knees and stared at the mirages shimmering in the desert air. An image of the Messenger of Light appeared in the haze. She pointed at something. When Destarus looked where she indicated more images appeared. The mirage showed him the slaves and refugees from Sardi. He saw them making homes in the wilderness. The wind whispered the name of the new country they would form: Algamar. Somehow he understood that this word meant freedom in the new dialect made of Sardi’s language combined with that of the islanders who had been enslaved.
Destarus glared at the messenger, enraged at the thought of Sardi’s proud bloodline being mixed with that of lowly slaves. He drew his black scimitar, raised it and stabbed at her. The blade passed through her image and smashed against a rock, shattering as if to show him that Sardi was truly no more. This show of passion drained the last of his strength. He fell to the ground, all the life leaving his body. The wind blew and sand covered him.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
January 2011 News
The New Year's here and with it new writing ideas. Yet what do I find myself doing? Editing an old project! Amazon has announced this year's breakthrough novel award and as I've never been one to pass up a good writing opportunity, I'm back to editing The Jericho Effect which made it to the quarterfinals last year. I've decided to give this novel one last shot at this contest before sending it out to agents. If you'd like to follow The Jericho Effect's progress in this year's contest please check out its new Facebook page.
Also, if any of you would like copies of my Irowasan novels, Quests: A Time of Training, or the Jericho Effect, please let me know. I still have Quests for sale online. Contact me for more details and stay tuned for news on future projects.
Also, if any of you would like copies of my Irowasan novels, Quests: A Time of Training, or the Jericho Effect, please let me know. I still have Quests for sale online. Contact me for more details and stay tuned for news on future projects.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Review of the 2010 Writing Year
This has been a really amazing and productive writing year! I'm proud to announce that by completing Magic War in November I have finished at least first drafts of my original fantasy ideas from 2006. For this reason I decided to post a quick review of my projects from this year so you can see what I'm talking about.
Here goes:
ABNA 2010:
There was a rumbling and the ground shook from the strength of their voices. She stopped yelling and opened her eyes as the walls of the Black Castle split and crashed into the waters of the lake. From The Jericho Effect quarterfinalist for the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
Silver Sword Saga:
The blessed metal now formed a human sized broadsword of pure silver. Balamus smiled for he knew that this weapon would be the most effective and deadly in all Irowasa. From Forging.
With an effort, Silvanus pulled the sword out of the table and examined it with gleaming blue eyes. This sword would make the Rovin clan invincible. From The First Unworthy.
A smile crossed Norin’s face and he lifted the Silver Sword to salute with it.
“Thank you. I will make sure it serves its purpose well.” From Swan Warrior: Part 1.
"I know you care about what happens to the clans. You could put an end to the soldiers’ raids.” From Swan Warrior: Part 2.
“Rovinien and Sardi want us both dead.” Tayad turned to grin at Norin as he added, “Unfortunately for them we met before they could kill one of us.” From Swan Warrior: Part 3.
"The gypsy said that the emperor of Sardi is offering a huge reward for the capture of the warrior with the sword of white fire, which I know is what the slavers call you." From Swan Warrior: Part 4.
“Look!” said Elena. She leaned closer to Norin and pointed to a magnificent bird with feathers the color of coal. “It is your sign. The Lord of Light has blessed you.” From Swan Warrior: Part 5.
A sudden anger filled Weston, fueling his actions. He turned, grabbed the Silver Sword off its stand and flung it through the gap at the fairy queen. From Fairy Vault.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. The sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil. From Riddle of the Stones.
National Novel Writng Month 2010
As members of this diverse army the Warriors of Light now marched into battle against the Dark Magicians. From Magic War, NaNoWriMo project 2010.
So what's in store for Irowasa in 2011? Stay tuned for updates!
Here goes:
ABNA 2010:
There was a rumbling and the ground shook from the strength of their voices. She stopped yelling and opened her eyes as the walls of the Black Castle split and crashed into the waters of the lake. From The Jericho Effect quarterfinalist for the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
Silver Sword Saga:
The blessed metal now formed a human sized broadsword of pure silver. Balamus smiled for he knew that this weapon would be the most effective and deadly in all Irowasa. From Forging.
With an effort, Silvanus pulled the sword out of the table and examined it with gleaming blue eyes. This sword would make the Rovin clan invincible. From The First Unworthy.
A smile crossed Norin’s face and he lifted the Silver Sword to salute with it.
“Thank you. I will make sure it serves its purpose well.” From Swan Warrior: Part 1.
"I know you care about what happens to the clans. You could put an end to the soldiers’ raids.” From Swan Warrior: Part 2.
“Rovinien and Sardi want us both dead.” Tayad turned to grin at Norin as he added, “Unfortunately for them we met before they could kill one of us.” From Swan Warrior: Part 3.
"The gypsy said that the emperor of Sardi is offering a huge reward for the capture of the warrior with the sword of white fire, which I know is what the slavers call you." From Swan Warrior: Part 4.
“Look!” said Elena. She leaned closer to Norin and pointed to a magnificent bird with feathers the color of coal. “It is your sign. The Lord of Light has blessed you.” From Swan Warrior: Part 5.
A sudden anger filled Weston, fueling his actions. He turned, grabbed the Silver Sword off its stand and flung it through the gap at the fairy queen. From Fairy Vault.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. The sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil. From Riddle of the Stones.
National Novel Writng Month 2010
As members of this diverse army the Warriors of Light now marched into battle against the Dark Magicians. From Magic War, NaNoWriMo project 2010.
So what's in store for Irowasa in 2011? Stay tuned for updates!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Preview of my 2010 National Novel Writing Month Story
Like so many other writers around the world, I've spent this November working on writing a novel in a month. This novel tells the epic saga of Irowasa's great magic war. Click here for a synopsis of Magic War. Check out this preview to get a taste of my NaNoWriMo novel and the beginning of the battle for magic dominance on Irowasa.
-Rebekah
-Rebekah
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Silver Sword Saga: Riddle of the Stones
This story takes place just before Irowasa's great magic war, whose story I wrote in full for National Novel Writing Month 2010. To find out more about the Silver Sword, refer to the post Fairy Vault which has back links to the rest of the Silver Sword Saga.
Riddle of the Stones
Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand, to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples.
Psalm 149: 6-7
Sunlight streamed through Fairy Wood’s eastern trees making the new fallen snow glitter like diamonds as Elmonrona, the fairy queen’s half-elvin monster hunter stepped out of a hut of tightly woven branches and into the icy morning. She squinted eyes as grey as the winter sky against the snow glare and pulled the hood of her forest green cloak over her ears, of which the right was pointed while the left was rounded giving her a lop-sided appearance. Walking with a sure step, she passed huts similar to her own as well as smaller fairy homes staggered up and down the larger trees, nestled in hollow spaces and holes made by woodpeckers.
After a few minutes she came to a place where the silvery trees opened to an expanse of flat ground covered in a sheet of snow broken here and there by blades of dead yellow grass. In the center of this meadow a group of fairies dressed in silver and white garments sat at a long table. Elmonrona glanced up and down the length of the table without seeing the person she sought. At one end of the table a tall fairy girl with locks of black hair held by a silvery net turned her intense blue eyes on Elmonrona. Smiling in recognition, she beckoned. Elmonrona stepped forward, stopped at her side and bowed.
“Light shine on you, Princess Vale,” Elmonrona greeted her.
“And on you, monster hunter,” replied Vale. Then she asked, “What brings you to the meadow so early in the day?”
“I am looking for the queen. I wish to report the details of the mission she sent me on yesterday.”
“The queen is attending to other business at the moment. I will tell her you were here when she returns.”
Elmonrona glanced at the other members of the fairy court watching her in silence from their seats at the table then asked, “May I speak with you privately?”
“Excuse me for just a minute,” said Vale, addressing the court.
She pushed back her chair and stood. Unfurling a pair of large gauzy wings she glided to the edge of the meadow and stopped below the first row of trees. Elmonrona followed on foot.
Once they were both shielded from view by the trees Vale whispered, “Did you find the thing that entered the forest?”
“I did,” Elmonrona replied. “I think the matter is far more complicated than we first realized.”
Vale narrowed her eyes then said, “Speak plainly.”
“Do you remember those notes I found when I was hunting the sorcerer Drazil?”
When Vale nodded she continued.
“I believe what entered the forest were two of his experiments, a shape-shifter and a human airwalker though how Drazil accomplished the later we may never know. It seems that the magic was fueling their abilities though it came from an external source and was not something they produced themselves.”
“Well that does sound like what we read in the notes but it in no way proves that Drazil was behind it,” said Vale. “How do you know it was him and not another magician using the same ideas?”
“I saw Drazil’s dragon flying over the forest just before I found the intruders. Also there was a group of mercenaries I questioned who confirmed they had been hired by Drazil. All these years after we thought the trail went cold, we have another chance at bringing Drazil to justice. When your mother returns would you please ask her to reassign me to that mission?”
“In my mind that mission will always be yours,” said Vale. Her eyes shone as she caught some of Elmonrona’s excitement. “Drazil never feared anyone like he feared you. I will carry your news to the queen. She will decide what must be done.”
“As is her right,” agreed Elmonrona bowing her head.
***
A couple hours later Elmonrona heard the smooth beat of large wings and sensed a powerful presence behind her. She turned as an elegant fairy with intense blue eyes wearing a silver gown tucked in her wings. Elmonrona stepped closer to her and bowed low. A tiara made of ice glinted atop the fairy’s silvery head as she turned her old yet unlined face toward Elmonrona.
“Vale told me of your discoveries and your request,” said the queen. “Though I think we should send someone after Drazil, unlike Vale I am not sure you would be my first choice for the job. You already failed me once.”
“I’m only asking that you give me a chance to redeem myself,” said Elmonrona. “The fact that I was once again the one to discover what he was after can’t be a coincident.”
“Vale has great faith in you and I trust her judgment. Plus you have been faithful in your duty of protecting the forest from monster attacks for several years. For those reasons I will give you one chance to prove yourself worthy.”
She produced a small pouch of red velvet and handed it to Elmonrona who opened it to reveal four small round colored stones.
“Take these to the source of the Farawad River,” said the queen. “If you can decipher the riddle of these stones and so unlock the secret of that place then you will be the one to go after Drazil. If you cannot, you must defer to another.”
Elmonrona pulled the drawstring closed and wrapped her fingers around the soft fabric.
“Understood.”
With an excited tingle lending her strength, Elmonrona bowed and set off in the direction of the river cutting through the center of the forest.
The water of the Farawad was covered by a thin layer of ice. The air beside the river was biting cold and even her constant movement couldn’t keep Elmonrona from feeling its chill. She pulled her cloak tighter around her body and pressed on, following the icy water upstream past bare branches and the dry darker patches beneath a few evergreens. By midday the ground grew steeper as it rose into the first row of foothills guarding the Emerald Mountains. During the afternoon she found herself climbing the slopes of the first mountain where the river was little more than a narrow stream. At last she reached the place where the spring feeding the mighty river flowed out of the side of the mountain.
Facing the stream, she poured the stones onto her right palm and examined them closer. The stones were smooth and unmarked. Each was a different color; one red, one blue, one green and one white. There was nothing very remarkable about them save that they were all solid colors without any streaks or patterns running through them. She rolled them around on her hand as she tried to understand their significance. Four stones each a different color. What did she know of with four parts each represented by a different color? An idea came to her and she smiled at the simplicity of it as she spoke the thought aloud.
“The stones represent the four major elements. Red is fire, blue is water, green is earth and white is air.”
She waited for some confirmation that she had found the answer but nothing happened. Frowning, she realized there must be more to the riddle. After all, why would she have to come all the way to the source of the Farawad just to find out the stones represented the elements?
Closing the stones in her fist she moved to look at the stream and the area surrounding it hoping it would reveal some clue. As she stepped onto a rise behind the spring, she slipped on a patch of ice. As she reached out to catch herself, her left hand landed on some long rocks whose shape felt like a cross. Kneeling beside the spot, she brushed away the snow, revealing a circle of tiny stones surrounding four longer rocks which formed a four pointed star. At the tip of each star point was a hollow about the size of the stones in her hand. The shape instantly reminded Elmonrona of a compass rose and she realized it was her job to figure out which color stood for which direction.
She opened her hand and hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and reaching for the first stone. The color she lifted first was white. This she placed at the in the direction of north. White must stand for snow, she reasoned, and the ice lands of Imla lay in the far north. She place red in the position of south to represent the Sardi Desert which lay on the southern end of the main continent. Green she guessed was west because the Emerald Mountains lay west of all the human lands save a half-wild country called Algamar. That left blue to fill the eastern slot, which made sense since the ocean lay to the east past a kingdom called Caramyth.
As soon as she placed the last stone the rocks shifted apart and a long thin hole no more than a foot wide opened in the frozen ground. Sunlight glinted off a metallic object which lay hidden in that spot. Carefully Elmonrona pulled her newfound treasure out of the hole and looked it over. The object was a long broadsword which gleamed of polished silver in the sunlight. On the hilt and hand guard the metal twisted around itself forming a simple pattern. The sword was otherwise unadorned.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. It was said to be the most magical weapon on the world of Irowasa, forged by dwarves out of silver blessed the Lord of Light Himself and given to the fairies for safe keeping. Elmonrona knew that being given the opportunity to wield it was the highest honor she would ever receive from the fairy queen. Getting to her feet she gave the sword an experimental swing and felt its energy sing through her body, renewing her strength and returning warmth to her numb fingers. With a smile on her face she headed back into the forest. She knew that the sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil.
Silver Sword Saga continued in The Great Magic War.
Riddle of the Stones
Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand, to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples.
Psalm 149: 6-7
Sunlight streamed through Fairy Wood’s eastern trees making the new fallen snow glitter like diamonds as Elmonrona, the fairy queen’s half-elvin monster hunter stepped out of a hut of tightly woven branches and into the icy morning. She squinted eyes as grey as the winter sky against the snow glare and pulled the hood of her forest green cloak over her ears, of which the right was pointed while the left was rounded giving her a lop-sided appearance. Walking with a sure step, she passed huts similar to her own as well as smaller fairy homes staggered up and down the larger trees, nestled in hollow spaces and holes made by woodpeckers.
After a few minutes she came to a place where the silvery trees opened to an expanse of flat ground covered in a sheet of snow broken here and there by blades of dead yellow grass. In the center of this meadow a group of fairies dressed in silver and white garments sat at a long table. Elmonrona glanced up and down the length of the table without seeing the person she sought. At one end of the table a tall fairy girl with locks of black hair held by a silvery net turned her intense blue eyes on Elmonrona. Smiling in recognition, she beckoned. Elmonrona stepped forward, stopped at her side and bowed.
“Light shine on you, Princess Vale,” Elmonrona greeted her.
“And on you, monster hunter,” replied Vale. Then she asked, “What brings you to the meadow so early in the day?”
“I am looking for the queen. I wish to report the details of the mission she sent me on yesterday.”
“The queen is attending to other business at the moment. I will tell her you were here when she returns.”
Elmonrona glanced at the other members of the fairy court watching her in silence from their seats at the table then asked, “May I speak with you privately?”
“Excuse me for just a minute,” said Vale, addressing the court.
She pushed back her chair and stood. Unfurling a pair of large gauzy wings she glided to the edge of the meadow and stopped below the first row of trees. Elmonrona followed on foot.
Once they were both shielded from view by the trees Vale whispered, “Did you find the thing that entered the forest?”
“I did,” Elmonrona replied. “I think the matter is far more complicated than we first realized.”
Vale narrowed her eyes then said, “Speak plainly.”
“Do you remember those notes I found when I was hunting the sorcerer Drazil?”
When Vale nodded she continued.
“I believe what entered the forest were two of his experiments, a shape-shifter and a human airwalker though how Drazil accomplished the later we may never know. It seems that the magic was fueling their abilities though it came from an external source and was not something they produced themselves.”
“Well that does sound like what we read in the notes but it in no way proves that Drazil was behind it,” said Vale. “How do you know it was him and not another magician using the same ideas?”
“I saw Drazil’s dragon flying over the forest just before I found the intruders. Also there was a group of mercenaries I questioned who confirmed they had been hired by Drazil. All these years after we thought the trail went cold, we have another chance at bringing Drazil to justice. When your mother returns would you please ask her to reassign me to that mission?”
“In my mind that mission will always be yours,” said Vale. Her eyes shone as she caught some of Elmonrona’s excitement. “Drazil never feared anyone like he feared you. I will carry your news to the queen. She will decide what must be done.”
“As is her right,” agreed Elmonrona bowing her head.
***
A couple hours later Elmonrona heard the smooth beat of large wings and sensed a powerful presence behind her. She turned as an elegant fairy with intense blue eyes wearing a silver gown tucked in her wings. Elmonrona stepped closer to her and bowed low. A tiara made of ice glinted atop the fairy’s silvery head as she turned her old yet unlined face toward Elmonrona.
“Vale told me of your discoveries and your request,” said the queen. “Though I think we should send someone after Drazil, unlike Vale I am not sure you would be my first choice for the job. You already failed me once.”
“I’m only asking that you give me a chance to redeem myself,” said Elmonrona. “The fact that I was once again the one to discover what he was after can’t be a coincident.”
“Vale has great faith in you and I trust her judgment. Plus you have been faithful in your duty of protecting the forest from monster attacks for several years. For those reasons I will give you one chance to prove yourself worthy.”
She produced a small pouch of red velvet and handed it to Elmonrona who opened it to reveal four small round colored stones.
“Take these to the source of the Farawad River,” said the queen. “If you can decipher the riddle of these stones and so unlock the secret of that place then you will be the one to go after Drazil. If you cannot, you must defer to another.”
Elmonrona pulled the drawstring closed and wrapped her fingers around the soft fabric.
“Understood.”
With an excited tingle lending her strength, Elmonrona bowed and set off in the direction of the river cutting through the center of the forest.
The water of the Farawad was covered by a thin layer of ice. The air beside the river was biting cold and even her constant movement couldn’t keep Elmonrona from feeling its chill. She pulled her cloak tighter around her body and pressed on, following the icy water upstream past bare branches and the dry darker patches beneath a few evergreens. By midday the ground grew steeper as it rose into the first row of foothills guarding the Emerald Mountains. During the afternoon she found herself climbing the slopes of the first mountain where the river was little more than a narrow stream. At last she reached the place where the spring feeding the mighty river flowed out of the side of the mountain.
Facing the stream, she poured the stones onto her right palm and examined them closer. The stones were smooth and unmarked. Each was a different color; one red, one blue, one green and one white. There was nothing very remarkable about them save that they were all solid colors without any streaks or patterns running through them. She rolled them around on her hand as she tried to understand their significance. Four stones each a different color. What did she know of with four parts each represented by a different color? An idea came to her and she smiled at the simplicity of it as she spoke the thought aloud.
“The stones represent the four major elements. Red is fire, blue is water, green is earth and white is air.”
She waited for some confirmation that she had found the answer but nothing happened. Frowning, she realized there must be more to the riddle. After all, why would she have to come all the way to the source of the Farawad just to find out the stones represented the elements?
Closing the stones in her fist she moved to look at the stream and the area surrounding it hoping it would reveal some clue. As she stepped onto a rise behind the spring, she slipped on a patch of ice. As she reached out to catch herself, her left hand landed on some long rocks whose shape felt like a cross. Kneeling beside the spot, she brushed away the snow, revealing a circle of tiny stones surrounding four longer rocks which formed a four pointed star. At the tip of each star point was a hollow about the size of the stones in her hand. The shape instantly reminded Elmonrona of a compass rose and she realized it was her job to figure out which color stood for which direction.
She opened her hand and hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and reaching for the first stone. The color she lifted first was white. This she placed at the in the direction of north. White must stand for snow, she reasoned, and the ice lands of Imla lay in the far north. She place red in the position of south to represent the Sardi Desert which lay on the southern end of the main continent. Green she guessed was west because the Emerald Mountains lay west of all the human lands save a half-wild country called Algamar. That left blue to fill the eastern slot, which made sense since the ocean lay to the east past a kingdom called Caramyth.
As soon as she placed the last stone the rocks shifted apart and a long thin hole no more than a foot wide opened in the frozen ground. Sunlight glinted off a metallic object which lay hidden in that spot. Carefully Elmonrona pulled her newfound treasure out of the hole and looked it over. The object was a long broadsword which gleamed of polished silver in the sunlight. On the hilt and hand guard the metal twisted around itself forming a simple pattern. The sword was otherwise unadorned.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. It was said to be the most magical weapon on the world of Irowasa, forged by dwarves out of silver blessed the Lord of Light Himself and given to the fairies for safe keeping. Elmonrona knew that being given the opportunity to wield it was the highest honor she would ever receive from the fairy queen. Getting to her feet she gave the sword an experimental swing and felt its energy sing through her body, renewing her strength and returning warmth to her numb fingers. With a smile on her face she headed back into the forest. She knew that the sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil.
Silver Sword Saga continued in The Great Magic War.
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