Welcome To The Age of Magic

by C M Raymond et al.

  When Chris and I first approached Michael about writing in the Kurtherian Universe, we were thinking it would be about vampires or werewolves or secret government operations. I even started rewatching my favorite vampire shows to prepare for it (everyone here watches True Blood, right?).

  But then Michael completely flipped the script on us by mentioning a new direction he wanted to try… How far can the etheric take us?

  Michael had this vision for a future world, where the Kurtherian nanocytes had taken over everyone but had also morphed in such a way as to give people access to magic. How would this influence culture? How would it influence our understanding of the world? Could it create an age of magic?

  Obviously, if you are going to have a magical world, you need magical schools to teach and train people in these dangerous arts (otherwise you’re gonna have kids running around turning their siblings into toads or bar fights that end with blowing up the town.) A magical world would require a magical university.

  But schools come with their own problems, political infighting and unequal access, just to name a couple. We figured that would hold true for magical schools too, right?

  In some ways, Chris and I were the perfect match to try and figure this all out. We’re both college educators, and our first series, The Steel City Heroes, focused on superheroes that work at universities in good old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

  But the Kurtherian world takes it to a whole new level. The stakes are higher, the world is more dangerous, and justice needs to be served with a large helping of whoopass.

  It also comes with added benefits. I’ve always wanted to write a high fantasy universe with dragons and wizards and knights. But the stories that do that stuff best tend to have a well thought out history, with thousands of pages of historical addendums. That would take years to create, and I wanted to write about some freaking wizards now!

  The Kurtherian world solves that problem.

  If you’ve been a fan of Michael’s works for years, then you know all about that backstory. Hopefully you saw in our book how Bethany Anne et al still have a strong influence on a world several hundred years later.

  And, if Restriction is your first book in the Kurtherian universe, you’re in luck! There’s a whole body of literature supporting the Age of Magic. Want to know more about the Bitch and the Bastard? Check out the Kurtherian Gambit or the Dark Messiah. Want to know more about the mysterious Oracle, Lilith? Check out The Boris Chronicles. Curious about how we got from our world to the age of Irth? Start with Justin Sloan’s Reclaiming Honor. We’ve got plenty more story to tell, but there’s an entire world that has also come before it.

  So thanks for reading. Tell your friends. Chat with me on Twittter (@lebarbant) or Facebook and get ready for book 2, Rebellion. Cause there are plenty of douche nuggets left to fight, and Hannah has a long way to go before she gets her vengeance. Magic has a lot farther left to rise.

  Want a free book from Chris and Lee? Sign up for their newsletter and get a copy of The Devil's Due:

  https://www.subscribepage.com/chris_and_lee

  Author Notes - Chris Raymond

  Written February 28, 2017

  Holy fireballs, that was fun!

  I actually started writing my first book a little over two years ago. My daughter is a voracious reader and had wrapped up the Harry Potter series by the end of the third grade (yeah, she’s wicked smart—pardon the dad brag). Then she read it again. And again.

  One of the challenges for Mrs. Raymond and I was trying to find stuff that she liked, was at her reading level, and that we were OK with her reading at her age (the second half of Harry’s adventures were VERY borderline).

  For fun, I decided I’d take a crack to write something for my little darling Simone. A short story turned into a book, which turned into a yet to be finished trilogy. Simone and her friends loved it, so I decided, what the hell, I’d post it on Amazon. (It’s pulled now, but sign up for our list to get announcements of when the new and improved Arcanum Island series will be rereleased!!)

  Little did I know that was the beginning of a writing career that I have fallen in love with!

  I can’t wait for Simone to read Hannah’s story, but she’ll need to wait a few more years.

  So, how did I get from Middle Grade mysteries to foul-mouthed wizards?

  Months ago, Lee and I started talking with Michael about the possibility of writing in the Kurtherian Gambit universe.

  If we could revise history, we’d say that he begged us to contribute because of our prowess as writers and creative genius (not to mention our boyish good looks).

  But… let’s stick with reality for a minute.

  We wanted in on TKG universe because Michael has shaped a kick-ass world with tons of possibilities and a fan base that is ravenous, engaged, and interactive. And we are so glad he has taken us in as co-authors. We’ve learned a lot from him and from you all about what makes a story great.

  I get to play a funny role in our triumvirate of authors. Lee and Michael sweat over the story arc and beats (detailed outline), shaping and reshaping the story into what it would become.

  Me? I’m the word monkey who gets to take the first crack at writing their story ideas into a narrative. This means I get the fun rollercoaster ride of watching their ideas unfold as I type away at my keyboard as fast as possible.

  The greatest thing about this work is that, like you, I get to hit all the twists and turns, the badass fight scenes, and the emotional highs and lows as I write them. And (hopefully) like you, I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here.

  As I write this author note, I’m actually about to finish up the words for Rise of Magic, Book 2. I’ll tell you this: If you liked book one, you’re going to love book two. It’s the second step of a long pathway that will explore the Rise of Magic and of our favorite 19-year-old…

  Thanks so much for reading! As this is our first book in the Kurtherian Universe, we would LOVE it if you took a minute to leave a review. These are really important for visibility and to help other readers find our work.

  And I’ll see you back in Arcadia!

  Cheers,

  Chris

  PS:

  If you dug Lee and Chris’s work, you can also find them collaborating on:

  The Steel City Heroes Series

  When monsters, magic, and mayhem descend upon the steel city, it's hard to tell the difference between the heroes and the villains-especially when they don't know themselves.

  The Jack Carson Stories

  On the run from a fate worse than death, with secret powers too dangerous to reveal, Jack Carson is not your average hero.

  Sign up to make sure you don’t miss their new releases and giveaways!

  Want a free book from Chris and Lee? Sign up for their newsletter and get a copy of The Devil's Due:

  https://www.subscribepage.com/chris_and_lee

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  Written March 16, 2017

  SONOFABITCH!

  Holy crap… First, before I forget, THANK YOU for reading these notes! However, they are going to go by SUPER fast because…

  Well, I almost put the book up without writing them!

  I mean, I have the file open right before I upload. I’m doing a last sanity check myself to see if anything was forgotten and I’m reading Lee’s Author Notes, then Chris’s Author Notes and then my page…

  Completely blank.

  Not. A. Damned. Word. On. It.

  Yeah, that “blood drained from his face” description I write sometimes? Felt it happen to me just minutes ago and now I’m furiously writing down my Author Notes.

  Which sucks, because really this book deserves a kick ass Author Notes from me to go into the back story that these two guys from Pittsburgh (or, at least they live there now) conned my gullible ass into …

  Wait…wait…yeah, that isn’t the truth (damn my dad and his ‘never let the truth get in the way of a good story’ preaching).


  I have to fight the urge to lay it on thick.

  Chris approached me some time before / during the Christmas break, and we agreed to chat when everyone got back into their respective towns in the new year. Partially, this new effort might have happened because I said a few things on their Podcast (Part-Time Writers Podcast - One of my favorites even before they allowed me to speak on it).

  Those two guys are just so damned honest, and funny. The honesty is something I treasure until it got turned in my direction.

  Ouch…I say ‘ouch’ again ;-)

  It wasn’t bad, but man, I know that if they don’t like something, it will come out on their podcast, that’s for damned sure.

  Either way, they were looking at what to do in their second year of their Indie Publishing career, and I had recently challenged them to rethink their mountains. So, because of my stupidity (I mean, lucidity) of thought, they asked me and the rest is, now, history because we are in the ‘Now.’

  For those who have seen Spaceballs, you remember the scene when they are going through the Spaceballs - The VHS? “When are we? We are Now? When is Now? It’s gone!” (Or something like that, I’m trying like crazy to publish fast, here!)

  I’m both SUPER excited about this series and this age. It is (perhaps) the ultimate thought process to nanites. We have seen foreshadowing of this age all the way back in TKG 13 - My Ride is a Bitch.

  Michael Anderle

  Also by CM Raymond and LE Barbant

  Steel City Heroes Saga

  The Catalyst

  Buy The Catalyst

  The Crucible

  Buy The Crucible

  The Casting

  Buy The Catalyst

  Jack Carson Stories

  The Devil’s Due

  Buy The Devil’s Due

  The Devil’s Wager

  Buy The Devil’s Wager

  The Rise of Magic

  * With Michael Anderle *

  Restriction (01)

  Reawakening (02)

  Rebellion (03)

  Revolution (04)

  Unlawful Passage (05)

  Darkness Rises (06)

  The Gods Beneath (07)

  Reborn (08)

  Connect with CM Raymond and LE Barbant

  Email List:

  www.subscribepage.com/smokeandsteelnews

  Facebook:

  Come hang out on the Forgotten Gods Facebook page:

  www.facebook.com/ForgottenGodsSeries/

  Website:

  www.smokeandsteel.com

  Storm Raiders

  Prologue

  The future is not what we expected.

  After our greatest heroes left Earth to carry their justice to the stars, war broke out between those who remained behind. Eventually, the alien technology that once enhanced a select few began to change, infecting the blood of all humans, bringing about an Age of Madness.

  But that mutation allowed the survivors to access powers beyond their imaginations...

  As society began to rebuild, those who could tame the powers within started calling it by another name.

  Magic.

  Years passed, and the true history of our world turned to legend. Strange societies formed, each with their own myths and methods to control the power.

  But new abilities has led to new evil...and the need for new heroes.

  Welcome to the Age of Magic.

  1

  Abbey rarely went looking for a fight, but fights often came looking for her.

  Her father’s blacksmith shop was quiet that morning. She worked the bellows, stoking the fire hot enough to soften the iron so he could hammer it into shape. They silently performed their tasks, with the efficiency of a team that had been working together for many years. Abbey could instinctively tell what her father needed of her, and she did it before he even had a chance to ask.

  The bell in the front of the shop chimed as the door opened. Abbey and her father exchanged an annoyed glance—being interrupted at the forge was a pet peeve for both of them, even if it was a paying customer. He took off his gloves and apron, setting them carefully on the workbench, then he sauntered to the front of the shop. Abbey stayed at the bellows so she could tend to the fire, but she had a good angle to see and hear what was going on up front. Her nose wrinkled in annoyance when she saw who it was: Lawrence and his son Olaf.

  Lawrence put his hands on the counter and leaned forward, glaring at Abbey’s father. “Morning, Benjamin. I assume it’s ready?”

  Benjamin grabbed a long object wrapped in oilcloth and set it down in front of Lawrence. “Indeed, it is. Made to your exact specifications.”

  Lawrence unrolled the cloth, his long, knobby fingers working with surprising deftness. Olaf excitedly peered over his father’s shoulder. Soon, the iron sword inside the cloth was exposed. It gleamed in the light as Lawrence picked it up and inspected it. He let out a displeased grumble.

  Abbey shook her head. She’d checked the sword herself the night before, and she knew it was perfect. It was well balanced, beautifully decorated with the symbols Lawrence had requested, and sharp enough that a man could shave with it. Granted, it wasn’t quite the equal of her father’s sword, which hung behind the counter, but few swords were.

  But this was the city of Holdgate. Grumbling about the product was an expected part of the negotiation process. As was what came next.

  “I suppose it will do.” Lawrence’s voice dripped with reluctance as if he was granting Benjamin a favor in accepting this subpar weapon. He reached for the coin purse at his belt. “Twenty iron, then?”

  Now Benjamin grimaced. He hated these games, Abbey knew, but after sixteen years in Holdgate, he’d learned to accept them as necessary to doing business here. “Lawrence, you know the agreed upon price was forty.”

  “Was it?” He made a show of inspecting the weapon again. “Perhaps for a well-made blade. But this…” His voice trailed off. He clearly couldn’t think of any specific complaint.

  Abbey wondered what would happen next. Often the customer would demand negotiation by combat at this stage, but a single glance at the two men on either side of the counter revealed that would not be a smart move on Lawrence’s part. Thick muscles stood out on her father’s arms, and his experience with swords went far beyond making them.

  Lawrence, on the other hand, looked like he’d have trouble battling a stiff wind. Like most men in Holdgate, he was a few inches taller than Benjamin, but he didn’t have the usual stocky build of most Holdgatesmen. Abbey knew Benjamin would break Lawrence in half if it came to combat.

  Lawrence didn’t take his eyes off the blade when he spoke again. “The sword is a gift to Olaf for his eighteenth birthday. I’ll tell you what. He’ll fight you for the blade. If you win, we’ll pay the ridiculous fee you quoted. But if he wins, twenty is the price.”

  From where Abbey stood, she could see Olaf grinning dumbly at Benjamin. Unlike his father, Olaf was sturdy Holdgate stock. He was a few inches taller than Lawrence and nearly as well-muscled as Benjamin. He’d have no shortage of offers of employment on the stormships in the coming months, Abbey knew.

  Benjamin looked the kid over. “I don’t think so.”

  Lawrence cackled in surprise. “I never thought I’d see the day Benjamin of Arcadia was afraid to face a Holdgate whelp. Getting old, are you?”

  Abbey gripped the bellows to keep herself from marching over there and teaching Lawrence some manners.

  The hint of a smile played on Benjamin’s lips. “Perhaps I am. Young Olaf deserves a real challenge. He doesn’t want to fight an old man like me.”

  Lawrence set the sword down on the oilcloth. “Excellent. We’ll be taking it for twenty iron, then.”

  “Sure. But you’ll have to earn it at that price. You can have it for twenty if Olaf can defeat my daughter.”

  Now, it was Abbey’s turn to smile.

  Abbey marched to the front of the shop, a dull-edged practice sword in each hand.

  Olaf sco
ffed when he saw them. “Practice swords? Is the girl afraid to face me in real combat?”

  “The girl is not,” Abbey said.

  Benjamin held up a hand. “I won’t have bloodshed in here. It’s practice swords or full price.”

  Olaf looked questioningly at his father.

  Lawrence shook his head, as if disgusted. “Do as they ask, son. They’re southerners. They don’t understand our ways.”

  Abbey ignored the comment. Even though she’d lived in Holdgate since she was three years old, she heard similar statements all the time. Her father had come from the city of Arcadia and set up shop here after his wife’s death, a young Abbey in tow. The topic of why Benjamin would have left the wealthy city of Arcadia and chosen a life in the harsh climate of the Kaldfell peninsula was fiercely debated in town. Benjamin wasn’t forthcoming with answers, even with Abbey. All he ever told her was that it was too painful to stay in Arcadia after Abbey’s mother died. He’d needed a change.

  So, Abbey had grown up here in Holdgate, an outsider from the time she was three. She’d spent most of her life in this blacksmith shop, playing with swords like other kids might play with blocks. Her father had schooled her himself, drilling her on reading and mathematics as they worked the iron together. Holdgate’s educational system seemed to be focused on throwing axes and navigating by the stars, and Benjamin said he wanted a daughter who could read.