Epic Fantasy Short

In this second volume, the party reaches the sea, a vast and impassable entity. They encounter a reclusive clan of magicians, and the generous but reluctant Findadors, who produce music from their souls, and reveal how the quest may be carried on. The travelers depart, and on their way discover a place that takes them to the beginning of time.

Sea serpents and demons and trolls, oh my. Even before Shadowhelm became embroiled in the fight of his life against the demon emperor Allarun in Prophecy of Swords, Shadowhelm was fighting on the side of good. Join in his adventures as he battles slavers, sea serpents, trolls, shape-shifters, pirates, and a very nasty demon in these three stories sure to entertain and delight all who love epic fantasy and sword and sorcery.

Renowned and knighted for capturing the fearsome Dark Elf of Syron, Sir Fredric has nagging doubts about his victory. His brother Malgrid's drunken remark strengthens dire suspicions. Was it all some devious scheme? Fredric has enough enemies who would want to compromise his honor, especially with the prestigious Jewel Quest coming up. It seems that there is only one person who can possibly shed some light on the situation - the Dark Elf himself. But will the captured enemy speak? Will Fredric discover the truth before a plot far more elaborate and danger much greater than he realizes take his life?

King Gelleran is facing a dilemma. The dangerous dark elf he holds captive and uses as his protection from the neighboring country of Kerbia has drawn the attention of Welmar, a kingdom even more powerful. The Welmarians have offered a generous sum for the prisoner; refusing the offer could mean war. As the king tries to find a way to handle this, he learns a devastating news: Things are not as they appeared, and the prisoner he thought securely jailed is playing a game of his own, threatening vengeance if it's not played by his rules.

When Jarek steps into the alley to toss out the trash, he finds Erron and can't look away. Even when her father roughly jostles her out of sight, claiming she'd made a wrong turn. He should leave well enough alone, but those desperate eyes haunt him. And he's never been one to turn his back on someone in trouble, especially the most beautiful lass he's ever seen. He just never imagined it'd be his life in jeopardy, and his heart that needs saving.

Sex, greed, and of course money in the world of 2136, when seen through the eyes of a woman unjustly accused and fighting to remain an individual in her own right can take on somber overtones of high tragedy.

When Angli cattle thieves slaughter his wife and son, Dwras son of Gwyn vows revenge upon their murderers. But how can a mere farmer prevail against ruthless, trained warriors? For the answer Dwras must look not to his sword, but within his heart.

A time so very long ago decided the very fate of our race. Men and women once survived below the Earth's crust. Our faces, banished from the warmth of the sun, and left to the darkness and the cold stone. Our tale has been told so many times by so many different people. Yet, no one heeds the warnings, and the message of the tale is lost from generation to generation. The time is coming again, oh so very soon it will be upon us. Darkness will fall upon the Earth, and one of the five races will reign supreme.

Hyaryl Rainmaker was an ordinary young girl living the jungles of MesoAmerica on the Realm of the Light when an expected visitor changed the course the rest of her eternal existence. This is a short story from James Quinlan Meservy's Rai Saga.

A decade of blood stained his hands. None of his victims had ever weighed down his conscience. He was merely the tool, the living weapon wielded by his employers. His victims had begged for their lives, had cursed him with their dying breath, and stared in uncomprehending disbelief. But none had ever been calm in their final moments. None had ever stared up at him with such serenity.

Sergeant Jacob Knox leads the Head Knockers, a unit of scout-saboteurs in the war against the Dread Duke and his armies. They are the favorite squad among Captain Brighton's Stormwalkers, until an ambush by shapeshifters kills the Captain, half the company, and Knox's best men. Now the new Captain has new orders: he's sending the Head Knockers to investigate an abandoned village, the possible source of the attack.

Here are the moments that our fairy tales forgot or deliberately concealed, reimagined by one of the most gifted storytellers of his generation, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Hours. Rarely have our bedtime stories been this dark, this perverse, or this true. The beast stands ahead of you in line at the convenience store, buying smokes and a Slim Jim, his devouring smile aimed at the cashier. A malformed little man with a knack for minor acts of wizardry goes to disastrous lengths to procure a child.

Intelligence told the High Command that the Mar Tabban, arch enemies of the Citizens' Army, had moved into the territory garrisoned by Larian's Regiment. In response, the Regimental Commander sent the B company scouts, Larian's unit, out to investigate. On his first operational assignment, Larian has to overcome inexperience and his own fear and uncertainty if he wants to survive and get the information his Regiment needs to emerge victorious.

War has come to the human kingdoms of Parth! From the capital cities and castles to the most remote mountain villages, the Kingdoms of Man, the Elven Enclaves, and the Dwarven Dynasties are all under attack from the Dread Lord Vargo Duuk and his hordes of barbarians, demons and orcs.

Selene Gale was used to being alone. Her routine was the same every day. Her average job caused mild headaches and offered no excitement. Her drive home was painfully slow on most days. But at night, her dreams took her to an amazing place, full of magic, wonder, and happiness. Not to mention the golden Adonis that stole her breath away each time she encountered him. While on a nature hike on her 30th birthday, Selene comes face to face with her magical destiny.

Marlys, excited about being accepted as an apprentice sorceress, is astonished to find that the other apprentices bully her mercilessly. No matter how hard she tries, no matter what she does, she isn’t good enough. Worse, no one seems interested in teaching her sorcery. Can she become a sorceress despite this, and, if given the chance for revenge, will she take it?

The Formless are roving the land, unleashing untold havoc. But today, Alis must deal with a bigger problem. It's Cahan's birthday, and she's figured out the perfect gift for him. But it means breaking the rules. The things she does for her friends.... The School of Spells and War is an ongoing collection of old fashioned sword-and-sorcery adventure stories following a wizard and warrior duo as they galavant across the continent of Thillon.

Argentus fights for his life against Orryn Ghostblade in a heist gone wrong. But the treasure that he does find will change his destiny and the destiny of the world.

This short story follows Esporanzo, a young man who dreams of adventure. Armed with his trusty spoon he finds himself living a dream as he battles rat pirates, enters a living spider-like castle, and confronts an accordion dragon. The adventure is only surpassed by the whimsy of this tale.

Dareth battles another Arkyn (arcane-kind) across two planes of existence as he fights to protect his client - The High Priest of Faelon - from assassination.