Whalestone Jail rose through the nighttime fog three-storey stone walls looming up from the shore of a narrow river. The veritable castle of imprisonment looked out over both the river and the sea, for the fog was rolling in from the coast—which lay just past the Jail from the pair of dark rowboats. Tirak had glimpsed the moon lighting the mist aglow before the other mercenaries had pulled the black blankets over the top of the rowboat. Continue reading East Storm Company 10
A little over a week later, Aralim and his friends stood aboard the deck of a ship out of Maykren. It was one of a dozen cargo vessels that made the journey at any given time, and served the Walkers just right. Continue reading Aralim 146
Therelin, Kren, and Lord Dakhu spent many, long, eye-straining hours in the Archives of Noress-That-Was. Sometimes, it felt as though the world was speeding up—while Therelin’s days had only slowed down. Dakhu reported their endeavors to Matriarch Valakono, and recounted her approval to Therelin—and so the work continued, treading ever-closer to its elusive destination. Continue reading Therelin 35
Master Kelren groaned. His discomfort was noticed by one of the guards that Sergeant Cardan had been kind enough to provide him, but he raised a hand to silence any remark from the warrior. He didn’t need to stop. But his feet were sore. Kelren walked along the road that ran through the East Radregar forests and remembered the chaotic night of the hurricane. Continue reading East Storm Company 9
Though the terms of allegiance with the Advisory of Ith were straightforward to sort out—with Ambassador Tolia demonstrating her expertise—it was a whole other matter to meet with anyone of importance from the Crimson Highway. Farek’s second objective on his ally-seeking mission was to ascertain if the Highwaymen would side with their brethren kin—should landfall ever be made—or would they provide their considerable resources to the growing alliance of civilized cities. Continue reading Farek 92
The weeks stretched by as Sergeant Adrix and the squad continued their motley tasks in and around the district of Councillor Cassiya. Tirak slowly earned their trust as he completed menial tasks of scouting and tracking the patrols of various soldiers in the Councillor’s employ; guarding select locations under Councillor Worlon’s control from counterstrikes of his adversary and peer; and the occasional “rough-‘em-up” beating to send a message or adjust standings. Continue reading East Storm Company 8
Beyond the black-stained houses with their caved-in roofs was the stone pillars and collapsed walls of the warehouse—the origin of the fire that had burned through the harbour that first night Aralim had arrived in Maykren. Aralim, Miresh, and Nill stood in front of it, surveying the damage. Narr and the Aura waited nearby, watching quietly as usual. Continue reading Aralim 145
Kren looked up from his bowl of broth. He glanced from the servant to Therelin and then back again.
“That’s me,” Therelin said, and waved the servant closer. The Lowtide Tavern was frequented by drunks, sailors, and mercenaries, and Therelin wasn’t keen on them all knowing his business. Keeping his business private was something new to Therelin, but he was beginning to see how secretive some of his peers were. Continue reading Therelin 34
“Arn?” asked the soft, feminine voice of a friendly moth. It flitted through the kaleidoscope dreamworld like an alien—a small, lost thread of reality.
Arn was busy climbing the cliff of bones. His face was bleeding freshly, as though this was the cliff of Scoa, but this cliff was populated by the bones and rotted faces of the populace of Razaad. Arn had betrayed them, according to the strong, stoic man—the one that had always been there in the dreamworld. Arn had sold them out to his captors in exchange for a brief respite from the pain. With his bloody face, Arn had told the strong man that it was worth it. Continue reading Arn 73
Insects buzzed overhead, chased by rainy breezes and the call of colourful forest birds. While the forests above the murky saltwater bog were nowhere near as dense or layered as the rainforest in High Raena—where the Boundless Star had set out on their ill-fated voyage—they were humid enough to coat all of Tali’s bare skin with sweat. Continue reading East Storm Company 7