Uncategorized

The supplies from the south dwindled over time, and no reinforcements came to Roc’s Nest. Nonetheless, Vorran doggedly defended the strategic post. The few messengers who did come brought little of import, but late in the second year of the siege of Roc’s Nest by the Light Knights, a ragged rider arrived with vellum, which he carried to Vorran Klarje Jhundi.
Vorran read the epistle and smiled. The High Captain of Koorlost summoned the grizzled veteran Addams.
“Take the men to the Lovills River, Addams. All have served well and have done their families, Koorlost, and me proud. It’s time for them to stand down,” Vorran answered.
“What word could have come from the south to lead you to abandon the fort?” Addams pleaded.
“Let’s just say I now know the fate of our glorious leader. A fitting end, indeed, I must say. But, I have unfinished business with our enemies from the Laurels,” Vorran answered.
“My Captain, please allow me to stand with you,” the old veteran asked.
“Addams, I thank you, but I have, in the end, always had to stand alone. If what this naysayer says is true, there should be one man with some backbone to aid the withdrawal of our men to defend their homes and families. You are that man. It’s my command that every man fend for himself once he crosses the Lovills River. Once you cross the river, how you end your days is your decision. Open the gates before you leave. I will say no more,” Vorran answered.
Addams saluted sharply, bowed, and exited the Captain’s quarters. Vorran placed the parchment to his chest, removed his jewelry, kissed a portrait of Amica, picked up two swords, left his quarters, and stood quietly for a moment in the battered quadrangle of the Roc’s Nest. Addams gathered the remaining soldiers and ushered them through the south gate. As their last act, the retreating Centurions drew open the gate facing the north.

Typically, dragons were named for the color of their scales, but some were named for other traits. Thus, the prismatic dragons were so called because of the character of their wondrous scales. Just as the beasts had variability in their scales, they had multiple breath weapons. These included red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet rays. The tinted breaths produced differing effects. The prismatic dragon also possessed the power of the lightning bolt, the dark acid common to black dragons, and the icy cone of cold typical of the frost dragons that lived only on the highest peaks. Because the prismatic dragons had the power of lightning in their repertoire, lizard men fancied their scales and created javelins of lightning from he creatures’ prismatic scales. But were these merely javelins of lightning? No one knew. Not even the lizard men fully understood their greatest masterpieces.
The prismatic species of dragon had never been common on Sagain. They had allied steadfastly with the order of Light Sorcerers and followed the idea of preservation of Magick and the lands of Sagain. Many prismatic dragons had fallen in defense of their beliefs, including powerful Zia, Eyerthrin’s first love and the mother of Taekora.
Eyerthrin enjoyed Lena’s light touch, looked into her eyes, sighed, and said, “My love, in my travels I found no others of my ilk.”
Sadness dripped from his words and red and blue tears poured from his eyes as the great dragon confided to his new love.

Elayne sat down and said, “Thank you. Maybe for just a moment. There’s nothing wrong with me that the passing of three seasons won’t cure.”
Lena remarked, “Then you are with child. I should have recognized the symptoms. That must have made leaving particularly difficult for Gwindor. His love for you is so apparent. He can’t hide the radiance in his eyes when he talks of you or looks at you. The glint in his eyes rivals the Great Tower. I’m a bit surprised that Alisskirin and Eyerthrin would allow him to leave you, given your gestation.”
“I…I didn’t tell Gwindor. He thinks I’ve had a ‘bug,’ and that I’m worried about him, which I am! He’s naïve at times and doesn’t expect that I might bewitch him. He never detected the Strength and Empathy Spells that I cast on him. I need no verbal or material components to cast them. I poured my love and attention upon him and gave him no opportunity to sense my…condition. His mind was on the task before him, where it should have been,” Elayne confessed.
Lena wiped the sweat from Elayne’s forehead, sat down, dabbed perspiration from her own brow, and said, “Likewise, I did not tell Eyerthrin.”
Elayne looked into Lena’s eyes and quizzically said, “So you are also…”
Lena quickly answered, “Yes.”
”How will you care for yourself? Do the midwives know what to expect? Do you carry a dragon?” Elayne asked. A very perplexed look covered her face.
Lena smiled and answered, “I wonder myself when I feel the queasiness and the little kicks. But no, I carry a child. When Eyerthrin transforms to his bipedal form the transformation is complete. Dragons, he tells me, are either a joint effort of Nature and Magick or else they are neither Nature nor Magick. It doesn’t make sense to me. Although, there has never been a union such as that of my beloved Eyerthrin and myself, I anticipate a normal gestation and confinement. In other words, I feel as much uncertainty as you, Elayne,” Lena summarized.

Clouse extended his green finger and pointed toward the fifth of the Thirttene Friends. The great green-leaved oak’s dark bark shimmered briefly. A blithe blue-green form emerged from the tree, turned about quickly, looked around, and determined only one older Drelve and his green likeness stood near her. The little feminine creature wrinkled her nose three times, sneezed, fixed her gaze on Yannuvia and Clouse, placed her thin green index finger to her full purple lips, and cooed, “Ooh…a plain Spellweaver and a green Spellweaver…green, like me! Gosh, green Drelve, you are gorgeous! The Teachers bring homely little Drelves to my forest and the blighters tramp all around the plants. The new Teacher is too lenient. Plain Drelve, you look familiar. Have you previously visited Green Vale? Not to matter…you cast such a pretty spell, green Spellweaver. Will you kiss me? Have you just one kiss for me?”
“Careful, Clouse! She’ll charm you. Behave, Lady of the Trees!” Yannuvia declared.
The Tree Sprite’s blue hair, mauve lips, and purple eyes contrasted with her bright green skin. Like Clouse, she seemed totally out of place in the World of the Three Suns but perfectly at home in the Green Vale. The sprite was about two-thirds the height of an average sized Drelve. Yannuvia, and therefore his green counterpart Clouse, was taller than most Drelves.
“You are rude, Spellweaver! Let me enjoy just one little buss!” the comely little sprite pleaded and drew near Clouse.
“I don’t see any harm in one kiss,” Clouse reasoned.
Before Yannuvia separated them, Clouse bent forward and kissed the sprite.
“Oh, no!” Yannuvia moaned. “He’s certainly charmed!”
The Spellweaver prepared a Dispel Magick Spell.
“Wait!” Clouse shouted. “What do you want to ask her?”
Yannuvia stopped Dispel Magick, extended his left forefinger and uttered instead the much simpler Detect Charm Spell. He studied first Clouse, then the Tree Sprite. Clouse was fine. The little sprite was charmed!
“Quickly, ask her name!” Yannuvia eagerly said.
“What is your name?” Clouse queried.
“Alexis. Lexie Glitch. I’m the Lady of the Trees,” the lovely little fairy answered.
“Amazing! Charming dweomers shouldn’t affect Tree Sprites, Water Sprites, and Dryads!” Yannuvia marveled.
“She’s not immune to her spells, Spellweaver. She’s a Dryad. Tree Sprites are a bit shorter, another bit more mischievous, and more rambling. Lexie’s quite a temptress. May I kiss her again?” Clouse queried.
“What…you did not cast the spell?” Yannuvia queried.
“No, Spellweaver. The little vixen fell victim to her own dweomer,” Clouse replied.
“Then you…you are…” Yannuvia stammered.
“Yes, I am a Reflector. Did Fisher not tell you, it’s a trait of most Menders?” Clouse answered.

Rhiann’s Affliction… an “Elf-nap” of Parallan

Caye Klarje gently urged her son, “You don’t want to be late for the first day of school. Your breakfast is ready. The blue blooter eggs are getting cold!”
Rhiann Klarje stretched, rubbed sleep from his eyes, and hopped out of his comfy bed. The six year old sorcerer hurried to the ornate looking glass that hung on his bedchamber wall. His heart sank. The little bloke sighed and moaned, “Oh, no, it’s still there. So much for wishing! I’m doomed.”
The child glowered at his reflection. The heart-shaped cherry-red birthmark remained on his chin.
A feminine voice soothingly flowed from the mirror, “Young Rhiann, what did you expect?” The boy grumbled, “I’d wished it’d be gone, but it’s still there.”
The voice from the mirror responded, “Rhiann, you are young, but even you should know that wishes are rare, and true wishes are rarest of all. Furthermore, idly wishing…”
Rhiann interrupted, “Who asked you? You haven’t had to put up with this birthmark! I hear about it every time I go to the playground. The three ‘sorcerer-teers’ give me constant grief. Now I’ll be starting school with them! The great wizards! Jethro, Bo, and Dean! They are never apart and always ready to hassle me!”
The mirror’s voice countered, “Don’t you have other friends?”
Rhiann rubbed his chin vigorously and answered, “Most stay clear of me for fear of incurring the attention of the terrific trio. It’s more than just the kids. Fingers point toward me everywhere I go in Thynna. I’m marked!”
Caye Klarje’s voice reiterated, “Rhiann! School! Come down!”
The mirror said compassionately, “Best get moving! We’ll talk when you get home.”
Rhiann slipped on his tunic and robe and grumbled, “If I get home!”

Yannuvia created his second wand, the Wand of Lightning, I-two. The wand’s command was “grow veer cleave land.”
Construction of Vydaelia’s walls continued. Rotations of the Day Glass served as a record of passing light, amber, and dark periods. Fisher and Clouse confirmed the Dreamraider’s timekeeping device’s accuracy. The light in the expansive cavern did not change. Young translocated Drelves matured quickly.
On the first day of the next dark period Yannuvia created his third wand, a solid black artifact, the Wand of Masonry, I-three. The device had the power to change rock to mud. Its command was “wood row will son.” With the power of the Floating Stone, Yannuvia next created his fourth wand, the Wand of Levitation, I-four, with the command “rich herd nicks son.” The Stone of Speed facilitated the creation of the Haste Wand, I-five, with the command, “jar old ford.” The Stone of Flying helped create the Wand of Flight. I-six, with the command “run nailed ray gun.” With the creation of each wand, Yannuvia’s nodule increased by a factor of 1.6180339887498948482. The fabulous USA, the United Scepter of the Approximation with the command “Abe Linkin” was his seventh wand, I-seven.

The Spellweaver-Wandmaker studied the odd parchment and the seal on the vellum. The seal on the rolled parchment was made of a blue gooey substance that was quite hard. Lettering was etched or burned into the blue material. The increasingly familiar runes appeared above and below the four characters.
On either side of the four characters the runes were reversed.

Ǿ ∞ Ǿ
∞ Ǿ∞ XIII ∞Ǿ∞
Ǿ ∞ Ǿ

Yannuvia peered at the runes for a time. He touched Knock Wand to the seal and muttered “Cow vine cool ledge.” The seal crumbled. A hologram of the runes remained where the seal had been. The ghostly runes rose into the air and flickered an odd reddish color above the Spellweaver-Wandmaker. Yannuvia unrolled and touched the parchment with the red and blue tipped wand and said, “Hairy True Man.”
Piara, Clouse, Inyra, and Kirrie wore the amulets with Sibling Stones, four small purplish artifacts that mimicked the effects of Omega Stones. Yannuvia, four-armed Carcharian Bluuch, Mender Fisher, Duoth leader Mose14, and Ranger Jonna carried Omega Stones. The presence of the four siblings activated Read Magick and all effects of the Omega Stones.
Yannuvia then began, “The scroll is titled ‘the Gathering of the Thirttene Friends.’ It speaks of the Tree Shepherd of Green Vale and one referred to as the Nameless Enchanter of Thynna.”
“Spellweaver…I mean, Wandmaker, have you heard of such a person? We were taught the Thirttene Friends have always stood on the hillock in Green Vale. I’ve seen no changes in them in my thousand years,” the elder Dienas asked.
“Elder, I have not heard the name. As to the Thirttene Friends, I suppose that they had to have a beginning. Else the Tree Shepherd has provided us a bit of fiction,” Yannuvia replied.

Benjamin Towe practices family medicine in Augusta, Georgia. Ben was born in Carroll County, Virginia, and graduated from Mt.Airy, NC, High School in 1968, Davidson College in 1972, and the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1976. Dr. Towe served in the United States Army Medical Corps ffrom 1976-1981. Ben was an avid D&D Dungeon Master in the 80’s. The eight books of the Donothor and Parallan series are Dr. Towe’s prescriptions for sci-fi/fantasy. Magick should be more complicated than pointing a wand and saying shazam! Escape to an Elfdream!

Benjamin Towe Books on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/elfdreams

Follow on twitter
BenjaminTowe@bftowe

Deathquest to Parallan
The Orb of Chalar
The Death of Magick
The Chalice of Mystery
The Dawn of Magick
The Lost Spellweaver
The First Wandmaker
The Wandmaker’s Burden
Emerald Islands
The Mender’s Tomb

Links to my 10 fantasy novels:
Amazon:

Authorhouse:
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-001044655/The-Menders-Tomb.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000386454/Deathquest-to-Parallan.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000943185/Emerald-Islands.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000943185/Emerald-Islands.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000392594/The-Dawn-of-Magick.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000389014/The-Death-of-Magick.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000400398/The-First-Wandmaker.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000400030/The-Lost-Spellweaver.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000387720/The-Orb-of-Chalar.aspx
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000381429/The-Wandmakers-Burden.aspx
BN:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Benjamin+Towe?_requestid=262348
KOBO
KOBO
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=benjamin+towe

Rhiann Klarje suffered through a particularly difficult argument with his parents and the elders of Thynna. The young sorcerer retreated to his room and brooded for several days. The Siren Maranna silently flew over the walls of Thynna and stealthily entered his bedchamber.
Maranna queried, “What have you been doing? I… uh, we’ve missed you.”
The siren folded her wings behind her and stood by Rhiann’s open window.
Rhiann Klarje said, “You are beautiful in the starlight. I am weary but can’t find sleep.”
Maranna answered, “I can help you. Close your eyes.”
Rhiann said, “If you sing, I shan’t be able to resist you.””
Maranna cooed, “Would that be so bad?”
Rhiann answered, “I value our friendship more than a night of passion!”
Maranna replied, “I won’t seduce you. Your mind is troubled. You need rest. Reason has left the leaders of Thynna. We need you. Close your eyes.”
NET sighed and lay back onto his comfortable cot and stared at the beautiful winged siren. Maranna sang. Rhiann wanted to hold her more than take his next breath. Her soothing voice instead lured him to sleep.
Maranna sighed and said, “Perhaps one day, my love, I’ll share your bed.”
The siren left the sleeping sorcerer.
Rhiann dreamed of complex incantations. Then he dreamed of the depth of the siren’s eyes. Shapeless grayness entered his dreams.

Wisps…
Threads…
Threads of Magick…
Threads of fate…
Threads of time…
Threads connecting worlds …
Dreams connecting worlds …
Dreams of Magick…
The Magick of Dreams…
Magick connecting dreams…
Magick connecting worlds…
Grayness…

Grayness oft preceded the appearance of new spell incantations. For the first time the formless grayness spoke. Words formed in the young sorcerer’s mind. “Seek the source of Magick. Go to the point of impact in the Lonely Cliffs.”
Rhiann said, “How will I find it?”
The voice answered, “Head southeast from Wombat Mountain. Approach the tallest butte. Follow the red sand. Greatness awaits you.”
Rhiann managed, “Who are you?”
The voice answered, “I am the grayness of Andreas. You may call me Xenn.”
Grayness faded.

“Never mind!” Boton declared and lifted the mug to his lips. He quaffed the thick liquid in a single guzzle. The smoky liquid chilled him as it slid down his throat. When he opened his mouth to speak, little puffs of smoke escaped from Boton’s mouth. The taste was hard to describe and embroiled his taste buds in a mini-battle to determine whether or not the sensation was satisfying. Finally, he said, “On a scale of one to one hundred, where one hundred is the best tasting vintage I’ve tasted, that rates a minus ten!”
“Firewater is not brewed for taste, sorcerer. You’ll wonder at the benefits you have received when you reenter the desert. Would you like a room for the evening? This is, if I say so myself, the most comfortable inn in Low Gap,” FDA bragged.
“It’s the only inn in Low Gap,” the sorcerer answered derisively.
“Be fair now. Our beds have mattresses made of deerfoam, pillows stuffed with Phoenix down, and coverlets stuffed with dream spider webbings. My forefather FBI constructed this inn from timbers gathered in the ruins of Thynna by his son CIA. My father ATF ran the tavern before me. What’s in a name, Sorcerer? Mine serves me well. I prefer some animals to people I know. For example, the wood of the tables comes from the trees of Andalusia, but the lords of the Laurels won’t let us cut them now. If you ask me, the world would be better off with leaders from Koorlost,” FDA rambled.
“Flattery will get you everywhere. I can’t agree with you more. This is the only inn in Low Gap! Nonetheless, I’ll take you up on that room. I’ve not lain on deerfoam since I was a child. I guess you don’t have a Tuscon down pillow. Will you assure that I’m not disturbed?” Boton asked.