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Therelin 1

A warm breeze, carrying ghostly drips of sea salt and foreshadowed rain, drifted through the forests of the Isle of Keth. It passed through the tallest trees quietly enough to hear them creak, and graced the low rivers so tranquilly so as to hear the buzz of dragonfly and the croak of bullfrog. In the remote villages of the Isle, the wise tribal men might tell of change on so still a breeze. They might tell their children the whispers of the spirits and the storm to come. Continue reading Therelin 1

Raya 45

When Raya came downstairs from her quarters in the Blue Evening Inn, her normal route toward the kitchen was interrupted by the inhabitants of the common room. There were newcomers—but most were familiar faces. Dondar had returned from Olston, she saw, and had brought eight men with him. She had only asked for a few!

“Welcome back!” she called as she approached. She was still happy to see him. But when she glanced from Dondar’s wave to the faces of the others, she realized one of them was not a warrior. One of them was Councillor Kama! “Councillor?” Raya gasped. Continue reading Raya 45

Renado 50

“What do you think it is?” asked Urro, pointing towards the top of the district wall. There were tendrils of smoke rising from the Norzeen District. There was not an overly concerning number, but more than normal.

Renado looked over his shoulder at Virn and Asar, trailing him side-by-side. Virn saw the look and patted the sword at his hip. The injured warrior was continuing his recovery, but he would be ready for what lay beyond. Ren glanced back at Captain Urro. “I think there has been some fighting,” he said. Continue reading Renado 50

Aralim 95

The day had come at last. Aralim had said all his farewells except for one, and it was time for him to leave the city of Tal’lashar. He climbed the Tenth Tower once more, to watch the sun rise on the Amirella Mountains. The dense row of peaks splintered the sunrise, casting rays like a crown upon the sky. Streaks of pink and orange faded as the day burned through their vibrancy. Continue reading Aralim 95

Farek 49

The rain pattered off Jannia’s window like a wave of ocean foam. Everything beyond was grey, blue, and distorted. The candles on the Mazaar’s desk flickered as though they could sense the strength of the storm. When the thunder rumbled outside, the light quivered. The subject of Farek’s visit to Jannia’s quarters was instilling a sense of agitation in him, and he longed for his evening walk. If the rainstorm didn’t let up, he would be forced to stay indoors. Continue reading Farek 49

Aralim 94

The armies of Yarik withdrew as sullenly as they had waited on the fringes of Tal’lashar. They dwindled away, stumbling and shambling up the slopes and into the foothills of the Amirella Mountains. The wagons, laden with the wealth the First Queb had surrendered, was brought away with them, trundling along the old highway toward the strange city out there. Continue reading Aralim 94

Renado 49

Renado and his alliance of mercenaries never did find Crollem’s body. After the chaotic fight in the streets of the Norzeen District, they had searched for their fallen man. King Turim—before his brutal extermination at Kazra’s hands—had tailed Crollem to the Verdant Drinkhouse, killed him, and then assumed his appearance with a twisted magic of which Ren had never before heard. Continue reading Renado 49

Raya 44

Raya’s group grew slowly from word-of-mouth. Primarily, their new recruits were friends of the survivors that Raya and her friends had rescued from the Massed Alley jail. Though there had been talk of what to do next—such as liberating another prison, which Axar insisted was the best strategy for their public relations—nothing had been agreed upon yet. Raya finished off a quick breakfast and readmitted herself to the common room of the Blue Evening Inn. Continue reading Raya 44

Farek 48

At Norrey’s Pub, Farek finally found his trustee guards and adventurers. They were a talkative bunch, though it could have been on account of already emptying a handful of white drinking horns. Matek spotted Farek first, and they all insisted on buying a drink for him before he arrived—that meant three drinks. Norrey chuckled and obliged, then gave them some space. Continue reading Farek 48

Aralim 93

The group home that Nill brought them to that day was a lot more rundown than the other places they had been in Tal’lashar. For Aralim, this was promising. He had spent several days during his time in the city with her and the ‘common folk.’ Today however, judging from the leaning wooden support beams and sand-bathed square roof, he would meet the true underlings. The people who saw Tal’lashar for what it really was lived here, free from the idealizations of structured life and the comforts of decorated bedrooms. Continue reading Aralim 93