Only week to go! Is your Christmas tree up? Have you finished your Christmas shopping? If you’re not in the festive mood, then here is another instalment from the diary of Caslo Morgan from the Chronicles of Celadmore.
Rescue
2650GL 47th Spregan
Keldrak and his crew dropped anchor not far from the coast and had us rowed ashore below the city of Ziya two days ago. Hisanda was ordered to scout ahead of us to the riverside village of Shourton, where the Donamecca river meets the Hocuna river. Jashobeam was sent to Ziya to speak to the royal guard over the disappearances and gleaned what information he could from them.
Shammah, Maharai and Helez made camp so that we could rest for a few hours before moving out for the Chesil Void. Tusala and I were sent to find food, water and wood for the fire. Tusala, though young, is far wiser than I would have expected any girl of her age to be. She also has a gentle spirit that almost makes her an unsuitable warrior, though I suspect her compassion will be an asset to any company that she serves with. Of all my current companions, she is the most friendly and easiest to talk with.
It didn’t take us long to collect water from the Hocuna, nor to find suitable food given the herds of caribou that roam close to the void. The weather was icy though the water had yet to freeze. No snow lay on the ground but there was a bite to the find as it blew from the west and the snow covered lands of Benadrocca. By the time we arrived back to the camp our comrades had assembled, Tusala was shivering uncontrollably.
Maharai took charge of the cooking and soon there was a great fire blazing for Tusala to huddle close to. Hisanda arrived back from Shourton a few hours after we had all eaten. All but Shammah were asleep when he arrived back in camp. The villages had seen no suspicious activity in the area and hadn’t seen any travellers for months.
If it were possible for Shammah to be plunged into a worse mood than the one he has ridden with since his brother’s death, this news seemed capable of doing so. He roared at us to wake and ordered the camp be struck. We were not to wait for Jashobeam and news from Ziya, he would track out trail and find us before too long.
For the last two days we have ridden almost without rest, even Helez and Marahai have struggled to keep up with Shammah. He is like a man possessed. Whether the thought of losing more lives that he feels he can prevent or it is the ghost of his brother driving him I do not know, but what I do know is that Jashobeam has yet to reach us and if we continue at this pace he will find us when our mounts have collapsed beneath us from exhaustion.
We reached the borders of the Chesil Void at nightfall and found a small camp set. No one was occupying it so Shammah ordered that Marahai and I remain to await the return of the inhabitant whilst the others rode onwards into the void to find signs of our quarry.
Shroud of Darkness Trilogy
A fantasy book trilogy that was 16 years in the making. The trilogy follows Venetia, a queen amongst her people in the fantasy realm of Celadmore. Strange occurrences in her home world have Venetia searching for answers as to whether an old evil has returned or if a new threat has arisen. Joined by a number of unlikely allies, who do not all get along with one another, Venetia has to fight against not only the darkness threatening to destroy her home world but the treachery of politicians, the fear in those around her, assassins that want to take her throne from her and those that would go to any lengths to try and prevent another war.
The Shroud of Darkness Trilogy contains the three volumes of the Shroud of Darkness trilogy in the Chronicles of Celadmore – Shroud of Darkness, Lady of Fire and End of Days
In the realm of Celadmore, evil is stirring. The war torn land has not recovered from the last conflict as evil rises and threatens to ensnare the world of light. Venetia, favourite daughter of Queen Annalia, must fight enemies and allies alike. She must uncover truth amidst deception to discover the source of this new threat to her world before the darkness engulfs it.
United they must stand for destruction is upon them. The realm of Celadmore faces it’s destruction as a war that none perceived is brought against them. Venetia, Queen of the Order of Anagura and Queteria, must forge a new alliance between the nations of Celadmore against the evil that Aksoth, Lord of Nether Roth, is set to unleash. The Allied Spirit of Celadmore must be raised and march once more.
The end is here. Aksoth’s forces roam unchecked across the plains of Celadmore; the people of Celadmore have been forced to retreat to the fallen city of Grashindorph. Revolution stirs amongst the poorest of the people; Venetia seeks to restore Gruagadon to his rightful place on the throne of Nesca and will sacrifice anything to get him there. In this final bastion, they must find victory.
The Chronicles of Celadmore (in chronological order)
The Rising Empire Trilogy
1. Rising Empire: Part 1
2. Rising Empire: Part 2
3. Rising Empire: Part 3
Shroud of Darkness Trilogy
4. Shroud of Darkness
5. Lady of Fire
6. End of Days
Fading Dawn Trilogy
7. When Darkness Falls
8. Torn Allegiance
9. Fading Dawn
Ailing Light Trilogy
10. Ailing Light
11. Ill Blowing Wind
12. Shadow of the South
Mightier Than the Sword UK Publications 
You must be logged in to post a comment.