“Well, that’s one way to do it.”
Vegard could feel the warmth of it as it spread throughout his chilled form. His rickety bones thawed as if taking a hot bath. His muscles smoothed themselves and the warlock just felt…fuller, complete. His cheek still radiated from the slap the goddess had delivered to him.
“You gods have an odd way of administering magic.” He griped.
“Oh, the slap, you mean?” Flaro asked. “That wasn’t part of any ceremony. I just had enough of your sarcastic tone, warlock.” She grinned.
Vegard grunted as he took a seat next to the goddess once more.
“So…if I am not Agaeti, what am I? When you had told me I was different from those around…it made sense.”
Flaro regarded the warlock quizzically. “You are an odd one, I will give you that. When I look into your past I see nothing. It is as if one day you just…appeared. There is a darkness to you I don’t understand, Vegard.” She shook her head of the thoughts. “But it doesn’t matter, now. You are the master of your own destiny. A free man. It is in your hands to decide what fate has in store for you. Feels good, does it not?”
“And what of this war? Is Abaniel no more? Have the other gods risen against him?”
“Not as of yet.” Flaro sighed. “But his hold is far less than it was. With the loss of his Agaeti, Pyris White, and that ridiculous merchant, it will be hard for him to maintain his grasp in the lands of Storrhale.” She clasped Vegard on the shoulder. “And, thanks to your accomplishments and that group of miscreants you gathered, my resources have soared to unprecedented heights!” She laughed. “I will chase that dog back to his hovel of a land. It’ll be long before he can muster the resources to stand against me again!”
Flaro Rei’Lind was all the bravado he expected from a warrior goddess. She stood triumphant like a great marble statue. The winds whisked her attire about accentuating her grand elevation.
“Fine. Fine.” Vegard said, pushing himself up from the bench and dusting his leathers of all the dirts they had gathered. “But next time you find yourself hard up for resources, please do me a favor and not steal my soul and send me on some fools errand. And, perhaps, if murdering needs doing, choose someone who lives a bit closer. I think my ocean faring days are almost all but exhausted.” He turned and left the goddess before she could disappear on him.
“Oh, the adventure is not done yet, boy!” Flaro roared jovially. “The gods of Storrhale are an excitable bunch! We will have more for you yet!”
Vegard ignored the crazed ramblings of the goddess. It was time for a warm drink and a warm bath and a warm bed, and anything else that he could do to celebrate his reunion with his soul.
“War, death, gold, and gods.” Vegard scoffed. “All I’m wanting is to be left the hells alone.” He pushed open the door to the inn and was immediately flattened by a dancing, drunk druid girl. They stumbled to the floor where Chenway rounded the two and pounced upon his face, then raced off with a heavy bone dragging close behind.
Wera and Rorak were shouting up a storm about some such social nonsense. Both were well into their cups and only the hver seemed to be taking the discussion remotely serious.
“Oh, gods…” Vegard shook his head as he pushed Fulvia off of him. “This is my destiny?”
Thank you so much for reading A Forgotten Soul. This was my first fantasy novel and I hope for many more to come. If you enjoyed it please leave a review on Amazon, it helps so much!
And if you perhaps want to know more about Vegard Orlo, please sign up to my mailing list! I’ll send you a free novella entitled A Warlock’s Awakening, a prequel novella to A Forgotten Soul, in which Vegard Orlo, working as a humble mercenary during the Ander Wars, stumbles across an ancient people and unlocks the dark powers that have allowed him to become a force that so many in the realm revile and fear. A warlock.
Although—he is not the only one.
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Again, thank you for your time!
Daniel D Sexton was born on a military base in Fort Riley, Kansas. Living a somewhat nomadic existence, Daniel and his family crossed the states, Atlantic Ocean, and back again during his early childhood, experiencing so many cultures and lives with each spontaneous move.
The process caused Daniel to stow himself away in imaginary worlds and created friends and allies that were always there and dependable.
Daniel now lives in Washington state, bidding his time between the indie film scene in Seattle and whisking himself off to write stories about worlds reminiscent of the books that were always there for him.
Daniel can be found at:
EMAIL: [email protected]
TWITTER: twitter.com/danieldsexton
Table of Contents
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
A Warlock’s Awakening
Chapter One - The Slave
Chapter Two - A Bath and a Visit
Chapter Three - A Godly Task
Chapter Four - The Lord Merchant
Chapter Five - The Arrival of the Festival
Chapter Six - Escape
Chapter Seven - Through the Rimewood
Chapter Eight - The Dark Forest
Chapter Nine - The Forge
Chapter Ten - Mrkyr Brodir
Chapter Eleven - To the South
Chapter Twelve - Dawns Fero
Chapter Thirteen - A Plan and a Visit
Chapter Fourteen - Perperations
Chapter Fifteen - Bandits are Born
Chapter Sixteen - Ember Foxes
Chapter Seventeen - Penance
Chapter Eighteen - New Foes
Chapter Nineteen - Fugitive
Chapter Twenty - Gather Your Things
Chapter Twenty-One - Stalking the Stalker
Chapter Twenty-Two - Off to the Graves
Chapter Twenty-Three - Dark Waters
Chapter Twenty-Four - Rescue Party?
Chapter Twenty-Five - Off to Temuria
Chapter Twenty-Six - KaHari
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Unlikely Ally
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Morbid Reminder
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Infiltrating the Grounds
Chapter Thirty - The Estate
Chapter Thirty-One - The Cleansing
A Warlock's Awakening
About the Author
A Forgotten Soul: The Vegard Orlo Saga Page 25
