King of the Realm
Page 14
A flash of dark purple energy hit against the blue shields which had been placed to stop the oncoming attack. A blinding white light flashed at the point of impact on the blue shield, illuminating the darkness of the night as if they were in a lightning storm.
Behind the king, Ceras saw Symania fall to the ground as her shield collapsed with a crash of energy, and the white light expanded to fill the whole blue shield like a sun. At Ceras’ side, he saw Qyndad’s face fill with fear as he rushed over to the fallen healer. Before Ceras could do anything to help, he suddenly felt the full force of the purple bolt of magical energy to his own shield.
This felt different from any attacking force he could remember feeling on any shields that he had ever produced. Ceras felt as though his mind was being invaded by a flood of fear, as if he was a child screaming from a nightmare after awakening in the early hours of the morning. The light around him started to fade as he felt the fear overwhelm him, as if it was all that was left in the world. From the side, he was aware of Rinaldo grabbing his arms to prevent Ceras from falling to the ground. Just then, the purple light on the shield blinked out and left the garden party darker than before, but Ceras’ shield fell as he lost his concentration on the spell he had been casting.
The energy backlash of the spell hit him as if he had been kicked in the stomach by a donkey hoof, or maybe even lower down. This made Ceras double over in pain, forcing him to close his eyes for a few seconds as the world spun around him. Through the mist of pain he heard shouts and clashes of swords as the two sides engaged in close combat. The comforting presence of Rinaldo’s hand could be felt on his shoulder, steadying him as he started to regain his senses.
By the time Ceras opened his eyes, the battle was at full ferocity and the combatants from each side were engaging each other with shouts and clashes of weaponry. Ceras noticed that the king's side of the conflict had managed to get organized, protected by the magical shield that he and Symania had placed between them and the enemy. The king was now surrounded by a cohort of the palace guard, forming a wall of shields that the duke's vassals were smashing against as they tried to get to the king.
Luckily for Ceras, the boys had positioned themselves off to one side of the main battle which meant that they were not in the midst of the fight, but now that his mind was clearing, he nodded to Rinaldo.
“I’m fine. Let's go and help the king,” he said as he got up, breathing heavily.
Rinaldo ran forward and attacked one of the duke’s men from the side, his sword swinging and striking him in the neck. He then blurred for a few seconds as he seemed to be dancing around the edges of the battle, killing at will and leaving dead bodies behind him on the dancefloor. At the same time as his attack, Ceras also advanced and started to cast white incandescent fireball after fireball from the ends of his staff, all hitting the back of the duke’s men who were pushed up against the king's guards’ shield wall. Each of the fireballs entered through the backs of their necks, burning their way into their bodies and then exploding, blowing the heads off the men.
Just as Ceras was readying another volley of fireballs, a loud alarm sounded across the battlefield and a magically-enhanced voice said, “The city is under attack! Everybody to their defense positions!”
The magical alert kept repeating for thirty seconds as the battle continued, with the duke’s men repeatedly clashing against the shields.
The king shouted, “Throw down your weapons or risk banishment, as we are now under attack from an enemy of all humanity!”
The men who were attacking the wall of shields only increased their ferocity as they strove forward trying to get to the king. Even the women of the duke’s party, who had stayed out of the battle up until now, had taken their weapons out and were attacking with abandon as if they had nothing to lose. The pressure on the king’s shield wall increased until it started to break, as the gravity of the attack continued to build.
The king shouted to all of the people who were staying out of the battle. “In this moment of attack on our city, you are either with me or against me!”
As he shouted, the king ran into the gap that had been created by the press of the enemy. With great thrusts of his long broadsword he started to push the duke’s men back, away from the breach as the bodies started to pile up. Ceras sent fireballs into the backs of the heads of as many attackers as possible, and he noticed that not everybody died when hit, as some had magical shields blocking the attack.
From the outskirts of the fight the neutral nobles rushed into the battle on the king’s side, attacking from the side and surprising the duke’s vassals. With attacks now coming from both sides the duke’s forces’ desperation increased, as it was only a matter of time until they were all killed.
A voice shouted, “On me! Kill the king!”
The duke’s vassals ignored all of the attacks from the side and rushed forward to the king, who was in the central position of the shield wall, stabbing and swinging with the great broadsword. The press of men pushed over the king, and their bodies began to pile on top of him as people with complete disregard for their own lives tried to kill him.
From Ceras’ vantage point he saw Qyndad jump over the king's soldiers and onto the pile of people. With great strength and a savage ferocity, he started to tear attackers from the king’s body. Ceras was amazed as he watched people being ripped in half as if they were nothing but straw men and thrown to the edges of the courtyard by the dragon boy. With the ripping and pulling of the men attacking the king by Qyndad and the guards killing anybody of the opposite side still standing, the king’s body was soon visible on the ground, surrounded by blood and with a dagger in his stomach that had pierced his heavy armor.
Before anybody could do anything, Symania and her mother ran up to him and placed their hands beside the dagger. The air and metal around the dagger lit up with a bright blue pearlescent light as the queen pulled the dagger from her husband. Now that the fight had ended, everybody stood around to see what was happening to the king as the light of the healing started to fade.
The king opened his eyes and then smiled at his wife. “Yet again I’m in your debt, my love.”
Before she could reply he jumped up as if nothing had happened and shouted, “To the city defenses!”
The king’s call to arms was answered by every voice in the marquee, shouting, “Yes, sire!” as they started to run in all directions to their preassigned places of defense.
When Ceras looked back toward the king, he saw him shaking Qyndad’s hand with a smile on his face. He then shouted to Ceras, “Dungeon master! You and your two friends are to follow me!”
Additional book by Andrew Bardsley
The First Era: The History System Chronicles
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LDZSH9Y/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
A man is transported to a new world, given magical power, and left to survive. He has a bit of help, from a mysterious system with a none helpful personality. This book contains LitRPG based element as part of the magical system in the world.
Following is an extract from the Book:
They were both standing on the platform by the palisade, looking across the plains. As the light began to fade both of them could see a group of creatures walking up the hill in a disorganized crowd. It was the goblins. There seemed to be no organization and even some fighting. When the crowd was about fifty meters from the palisade, one larger goblin started to shouting and hitting others, forming them up into rough ranks. Ahava felt a cold sweat on his brow, but Olga was giving off an air of excitement.
The large goblin signaled to some goblins with drums. The drums started the beat. “Boom, Boom, Boom...”
The sound of the drums continued. The goblins were dressed in fur rags, each with a spear with a stone head or clubs. Some of the goblins had blood smeared across their faces in horizontal patterns. The drum sound continued to intensify. At a signal from the leader, the goblins roared and charged forward.
Ahava used his spear to stab the goblins while they were climbing up the wooden wall. Olga was moving around in a type of dance, chopping with her ax at any goblins that came over the wall. The speed of the ax was a blur of movement. Ahava saw severed heads flying in all directions from the axes Olga was wielding. There were bits of goblin all around the platform. One goblin managed to bite Ahava on the arm. Ahava pulled out his knife and stabbed the goblin in the eye. It screamed and fell back into the ditch.
The sheer numbers of the goblins were starting to overwhelm the two on the platform. At a prearranged signal from Olga, both of them withdrew. Navigating the route between small pit traps and through a hole in the thorn wall, they retreated toward the cliffs. Ahava blocked off the hole with thorns.
Their backs were against a large bonfire. The goblins started to run across the area with the pit traps. Many of the first ones fell into the traps and were skewered on the wooden spikes. The followers managed to avoid the pits. The goblins were now pressing against the barrier of thorns. Ahava and Olga started to throw burning wood at the goblins. This set some of the dry material that had been placed before the thorns alight. Some of the goblins burned from the fire. To Ahava’s amazement, the goblins started to climb over the thorn bushes. They seemed to be in such a rage to get at Ahava and Olga that it did not matter the pain they were in.
Olga had ordered Ahava to not get in her way if the goblins got to the open area past the thorns. He was told to only kill any that were on the edges. As some of the goblins finished climbing over the thorn bushes, Olga attacked with her ax. To watch this was like seeing a beautiful dance, full of grace and power. Heads and pieces of the goblin's bodies went flying everywhere. Ahava used his spear to stab any goblins that tried to make a getaway from Olga’s dance of death. Soon there were no goblins left except the large one, who was the leader. He had been pushing his goblins forward with kicks and punches.
The City god: The History System Chronicles
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PT716FY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
Second Book in the 'The History System Chronicles'
This book contains LitRPG based element as part of the magical system in the world.
Following is an extract from the Book:
Namzu spoke urgently to the now awoken group of adventurers putting on their armor, “We’ll have to defend the cave from mountain trolls and cyclops, Istar and Etel-Pisha, go now and harass the oncoming enemy while we prepare for the attack. Hurry, you need to buy us enough time to clear the ground for our stand.”
Istar indicated to Etel-Pisha to follow her to attack the column of monsters, before they reached the cave. They both ran for about ten minutes in the bright moon light, until they could hear the movement of the trolls and cyclops, moving along the path towards the cave. The two took up sheltered positions amongst different outcrops of rock, as soon as the first troll appeared Istar started to shoot her arrows. The first arrow flashed across the intervening distance like a bolt of light, shrieking and then thudding with the impact into the troll's chest, and out the other side. For a few seconds the large troll kept moving, as if nothing had happened, then it fell face first into the road. The troll behind it roared in anger, as moved it forward with no thought for protection. Now Etel-Pisha shot out fireballs, lighting up the area and revealing his position. The fireballs and arrows were hitting the trolls, causing damage as the trolls found themselves alight or with bloody gaping holes from where the arrow had hit. The onslaught of trolls caused the two adventures to retreat, as they could not kill enough to hold their position. Istar and Etel-Pisha ran until they could find another position to attack the oncoming column from. The process of attacking from positions along the trail continued until the two found themselves back the caves entrance. The trolls kept using the same tactic of charging at every attack, ignoring the casualties this caused in their rage. Istar had commented to Etel-Pisha that they were determined but not very bright. The slower cyclops were always behind at the back of the column, and so were not attacked by the arrows and fireball.
The harrying had brought the required time and as they reached the cave mouth, the rest of the adventurers had formed a shield wall with a killing ground in front of it. Each of the shield men had a bundle of spears taken from the dragon's horde. As the trolls started to charge into the killing ground Namzu ordered the three shield men and one shield minotaur, to throw all at once.
Co-ordinated, as if through years of long practice, each of them released the spears as one. The four-spears flew across the distance hitting the first four mountain trolls. Each spear impaled a troll and then rammed into the ground behind them keeping the troll bodies standing like grotesque marionettes. The process was repeated again and again as the remaining trolls charged forward. Soon the adventures could see the cyclops at the back moving towards the front. All of them stood taller than Asterion by several feet. On the side of the shield wall, Istar shot off arrows at the cyclops heads to take out their single eyes. Several cyclops were hit in the face, and the arrow ends protruded out of their cheeks, as the tough bone had prevented them entering the skull. Soon the cyclops were in range of the spear throwers, and as the spears hit their bodies, they pierced but did not stop them coming. The first slow-moving cyclops eventually reached the shield wall, spears sticking out of its body with arrows peppering its face. Using its massive club that looked to be a whole tree, the cyclops swept and crashed against Nasha’s shield. If the shield had not been strengthened and Nasha was not stronger, then he would have been thrown backwards from the strike into the cave wall. Gritting his teeth and strengthening his grip, he was able to hold his position, moving back less than a foot in total.
The Unknown god: The Dark Part of the Soul
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S7YJYCM
William faces death by execution for a murder he swears he did not commit, while Michael meets his end at the hands of a gang rival in a knife fight. Jane wins her latest legal battle but loses her life in the moments after, as the convicted murderer chokes her to death on the courtroom floor. And Evon? She wants to replace her rival for the affections of a crime boss but feels the sharp pain of death instead.
Now these four, departed from the world of men, find themselves at a climactic crossroads in a world that is stranger than any fiction, inhabited by armies of orcs and fire-breathing dragons; a world that is ruled by four Gods for their own pleasures.
But a new God is coming. And this one is intent on restoring the balance to the world and replacing the chaos with order. How will four travellers fare in a land that is beyond death and which holds terrors like nothing they have experienced before?
Into the Ether: The Ether World Series
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MQC26LX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
Chris Smith, a brilliant researcher, is the first person to discover an entirely new branch of magic inscriptions. The four elemental pillars have been used since mankind learned to scribe, but the world is about to change with the realization that space-time can also be affected.
Chris is ready to lead the charge in making the new world, operating out of a magical start-up with his closest friend. His ideas will be just the beginning. However, when Chris is betrayed, his life is sent spinning in a chaotic downward spiral, leaving him with nothing but his wits.
Engaging and fast-pa
ced ‘Into the Ether’ spins a story of magic, intrigue, and determination.
Following is an Extract from the book:
Chris delayed a few moments longer until he heard the sound of a group of charging footsteps. As Chris looked back, he saw about seven men from the Panther gang running towards the other thugs. The lead fighter of the Panther gang stopped at about two meters distance away from the five thugs and made a sudden movement with his gloved hand. Out of his hand, a bolt of electricity shot out and hit one of the five. The bolt at first, fizzed over some protective clothing without effect and then the thug who was the target started to spasm in pain. The man finally collapsed onto the ground, and the electricity stopped, as the gloved Panther made another hand gesture. With one down the four thugs were attacked using stun rods, two of the thugs that were left activated the inscriptions on their clothing to flare with the absorption of power but were eventually taken down by the sheer overwhelming force of all seven Panthers. All of the Panthers were well armed and protected by magical devices that glowed with use.
The conflict between the criminal gangs, was quickly over and the leader of the Panthers pulled out a farseeing device for instruction on what to do with the other gang members. Soon a magical hovering platform arrived, and the rival gang members were loaded on to it. A large sheet was then used to cover them as they were taken away.
The Inscribed Angle: The Ether World Series
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NHBP8TR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3
This is an extract from the book:
Ross whispered to Freya roughly, “Time for us, well me at least, to start earning the money. I know that Jack has gone through this briefing already but I’m going to repeat it once. Only hit the targets that are indicated in your farseeing goggles, those are connected to the combat net with the plan uploaded into them. It is most important that you limit the effects to the designated areas, as if you injure or kill any of our people it will not go well. I’ll be keeping an eye on you to make sure nothing goes wrong. If you just do what is in the command net, everything will be okay. Got it rookie?”