Extracts

1) Extracts from 'Steel, Magick and Faith: Book 1 of The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles':

'You know, where I come from, farmers and peasants have to eke out a hardscrabble existence, day in and day out', said Perfidian unexpectedly. Remus and Elaina looked at him as he went on. 'There wasn't the luxury of helping a neighbour, or sharing with a neighbour, when a man had to struggle to feed his own. When I left my house and my father, mother, and siblings; my father was not worried for my safety. As I told him I wanted to go out and experience the world outside of my hometown, he simply gave me his old suit of chain from his army days, what coin he could spare, and told me to be on my way. I cannot blame him, and am grateful for what he gave. But, one thing that I have discovered to be exceedingly rare in this world is true friendship; true willingness to sacrifice to keep a loved one safe. Both of you have that.

Perfidian sat silent for a few moments, sipping his tea and letting his words sink in. 'You two are too stubborn to admit it, or appreciate it, but you have that most rare of things'. Although he criticized them both, he predominantly glanced in Remus' direction when he used the word 'stubborn'. 'I have had an experience travelling with you two, that I will never forget. This was my first foray out into the wider world, my first adventure as an amateur bard. I couldn't have asked for a better group to travel in; as where else could I find two individuals who were dedicated enough to risk all to stop a war!' 

'The dwarves were a blur, torchlight briefly illuminating bestial snarls on their faces as they rushed the humans from of the darkness of the forest. The creatures would rush, impossibly fast, towards the men and women, only to be deflected or parried by a weapon. They would scurry forward into the foliage on the other side of the road, with a few jumping back to cover or seemingly disappearing into the darkness. Tense moments later, they would launch another strike, the beleaguered humans beset on both sides by sporadic terror. One man lay dead, caked in blood'.

'Bah, he still saw the same stupidity. The image of the hanged man in the farming community of Yondern flashed through his mind. Now there was a war brewing between the Steelwielders and some foreign religion. More mindless loss over beliefs and mythology. But.. he could not deny the noble features in his companions. Although Perfidian was too blithe and Elaina too didactic, they had risked their life to do what was right. He did owe them his life. He could not deny the nobility he saw in many different people, bits and pieces of nobility that shined through under pressure. The guards who risked their lives to protect the villagers, Markham who flew at the dangerous dwarf, swords flashing; even an Eruthian merchant who stopped in his journey to share tales with complete strangers'. 

2) Extracts from 'The Shard of Palrinah: Book 2 of The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles':

‘Now, it seemed that there was no option but to kill the humans that had ventured to this mountainous realm, and take their artefact, to see if it could be used for the good of Fey. Most likely it would be destroyed, to prevent any human faction from gaining power or prominence with it. Elves disdained using any human invention or magick, although the time of humans bearing the ability to create artefacts was long gone, and even during that time, only very few artefacts were created, and at great cost’.

 'In The Aerie Of The Long-Dead Eagle, Lies The Nest Of Gold.
Atop The Shrouded Plateau, Rests The Warrior Of Old.

Between The Two Lies A Gully Deep, Locked Away In The Icy Reaches.

Within Lies Treasure Of Virtue Untold, Waiting For A Worthy Hand.

To Bring Its Thunder Upon The World,
And Rally The Hopes Of Man'.

'Perfidian was truly content as he walked the main road alongside Remus and Elaina, more content than he had been for a long time. He glanced at his compatriots, who were typically deep in thought. Smirking, he concentrated on the sounds of his boots impacting on the road, the time-worn travelers’ method of dealing with the monotony of travel.

When Remus and Elaina had shown up at the Yondern Church, Perfidian had been handling clerical work in his room, the door open as it usually was. The bard liked having fresh air in his room while he worked. Feeling the presence of visitors at his doorway, he expected to see a fellow Brother or Sister of the Church, here to consult with him on some trivial matter. Instead it was an aloof brown-haired man with an axe and an arquebus, and a tall, graceful woman with flaxen-blue hair and a staff and bow hitched on her back.

Although he had tried not to show it too openly, he had felt incredibly relieved and warm upon seeing his friends, and knowing that they would accompany him on this journey. Perfidian mused that though friendship gave you an insight into the foibles and flaws of your chosen friends, and despite the complications and arguments that ensued from that; during times of tumult it was almost necessary to have at your side people who you knew and with whom you had a shared history'. 

3) Extracts from 'Though Darkness Comes: Book 3 of The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles':

'Remus felt a new surge of power, urging him to unleash more terrible magick at the surviving bandits, who had threatened his friends so. He struggled to resist unleashing lethal magick against the two men who had surrendered, who were being disarmed of their packs and tied up by his allies.

The battle was won, and he was no murderer of unarmed foes. But, the promise of unleashing power to finish off the vagabonds, to lick against their flesh and bone, continued to surge. Lightning and sparks began to emanate from the gem-like shard at the artefact’s tip, which glowed hungrily.

Grunting, Remus jerked his arm back, holstering the artefact under his cloak once again. He felt the tingling fade. Looking up, he saw Elaina and Queluth staring concernedly at him.

What had he almost done?'