Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)
    Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)
    Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)
    Ebook61 pages54 minutes

    Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)

    By Ty Johnston

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    In 643 A.D. the armies of Islam have spread across Persia, bringing faith and flame. Seeking vengeance for the betrayal of his king and his men, a Persian officer hunts after a treacherous sorcerer only to discover his target might hold the potential to thwart the much larger enemy.

    Sorcery and antiquity collide as warrior and mage seek aid from the far past of Persia's might.

    To draw upon that aid, however, first the game of kings must be played and won. The game is chogan, where the mallet holds sway and a goat carcass is in play.

    "Carcass and Mallet" is a novelette of 15,000 words. This and 15 other dark fantasy and horror tales involving the John Dee character are available in the collection, "Sands of Time."

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTy Johnston
    Release dateJun 29, 2012
    ISBN9781476032429
    Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)
    Author

    Ty Johnston

    Originally from Kentucky, Ty Johnston is a former newspaper journalist. He lives in North Carolina with loving memories of his late wife.Blog: tyjohnston.blogspot.com

    Read more from Ty Johnston

    Related to Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)

    Related ebooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      A Dragon’s Perspective

      Jun 10, 2022

      There once lived a dragon named Deathwing. Well, at least that’s what they called him. Deathwing was growing old, far too old for his liking. The joints of his claws ached and groaned under his ever-growing weight and his scales were beginning to los

      18 min read

    • Article

      Nomad Kingdoms A Fast Flowing History From Ancient Times To Tamerlane Through Gore And Civilisation On The Steppes

      Aug 18, 2023

      On the southern steppe of Ukraine in 512BC, the envoy of Scythian King Idanthyrsus delivered a frog, a mouse, a bird and several arrows to Darius, mighty king of Persia. Then, without saying a word, he departed. Darius was confident the nomadic Scyth

      2 min read

    • Article

      Herne: The Hidden Hero

      Mar 11, 2021

      Herne: The Hidden Hero
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Stiperstones

      Jan 26, 2024

      The Stiperstones
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Power And The Passion

      Sep 19, 2021

      The Power And The Passion
      4 min read

    • Article

      Ghost Cats...

      Jul 4, 2020

      Ghost Cats...
      9 min read

    • Article

      History Lesson

      Mar 5, 2020

      History Lesson
      1 min read

    • Article

      Heroes And Villains

      Nov 25, 2021

      Heroes And Villains
      1 min read

    • Article

      Running Dead

      Apr 30, 2021

      Running Dead
      3 min read

    • Article

      Hook, Line And Sinker

      Oct 18, 2018

      Hook, Line And Sinker
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Sporting Life In Africa

      Dec 7, 2022

      A Sporting Life In Africa
      2 min read

    • Article

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy

      Oct 6, 2022

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy
      2 min read

    • Article

      Ursula K. Le Guin

      Jun 15, 2018

      He was thinking of Lookfar, abandoned long ago, beached on the sands of Selidor. Little of her would be left by now, a plank or two down in the sand maybe, a bit of driftwood on the western sea. As he drifted near sleep he began to remember sailing t

      15 min read

    • Article

      Major Long Talks to His Horse

      Feb 20, 2019

      Major Long Talks to His Horse
      6 min read

    • Article

      Ghost Writer

      Jun 3, 2022

      Ghost Writer
      3 min read

    • Article

      Righting A Terrible Wrong

      Mar 18, 2020

      Righting A Terrible Wrong
      5 min read

    • Article

      Great Reads

      Aug 9, 2023

      By Stef Penney In Paris in 1870, three wandering souls find themselves in a city set to descend into war. Anne is a former patient from a women’s asylum trying to carve out a new life for herself in a world that doesn’t understand her. Newcomer Lawre

      2 min read

    • Article

      Red Stags At Roar’s Height

      Mar 7, 2021

      Red Stags At Roar’s Height
      8 min read

    • Article

      A Sporting Life In Africa

      Sep 8, 2021

      A Sporting Life In Africa
      2 min read

    • Article

      A Sporting Life In Africa

      Jan 25, 2023

      A Sporting Life In Africa
      2 min read

    • Article

      Hell-Cauldron

      Feb 25, 2020

      If the Wilderness was a place of death akin to hell, then it is only natural that some postwar authors portrayed the region as a haunt of ghosts and spirits. One Federal, returning to the battlefield to look for his fallen brother, found partially ex

      1 min read

    • Article

      Slaying Monsters in Fiction

      Jan 23, 2018

      When a monstrous beast appears in a story, then it becomes, at least in part, what that story is about.  The post Slaying Monsters in Fiction appeared first on The Millions.

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale)

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Carcass and Mallet (a John Dee tale) - Ty Johnston

      Carcass and Mallet

      a John Dee tale

      by Ty Johnston

      a Monumental Works Group author

      Copyright 2012 by L. M. Press

      visit the author’s website: tyjohnston.blogspot.com

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      for Keith

      Persia

      643 A.D.

      The black creature sprang from the loose desert soil leaving a hole where it had risen, but Thuxra’s Persian reflexes were quick. He slashed out with his curved knife, slicing into the monster’s throat to splash hot blood the color of wine beneath the baking sun.

      Another monster clawed its way out of the dirt. Thuxra twisted the reins in his hand to turn his stallion to one side so he would have a straight blow at the new threat, but his horse was fearful in its steps. The latest terror, with skin the shade of starless night, jumped up and reached for the rider. Thuxra could do naught but pummel with the end of his blade’s hilt at the gnashing thing beneath him, dirty claws and pointed teeth finding a home in his leather saddle and his steed’s ribs.

      More blood splashed, this from the wounded horse. The animal screamed like a dying rabbit and skipped to one side in an attempt to free itself from its tormentor. Thuxra turned the knife in his hand and stabbed down to one side, the blade sinking to the hilt in one of his dark attacker’s eye sockets.

      The bronze-skinned warrior had only a moment to be thankful he was not wounded and still in his saddle when more of the desert floor erupted beneath his riding beast. Dirt and dust shot into the air followed by howls from two more of the black djinn. Muscled arms tipped with razor-like talons launched from below to grab at the legs of the stallion.

      Thuxra yanked on the reins once more in hopes of swerving his ride away, but it was little use. The demons’ claws raked across the legs and into the belly of the horse, causing the animal to shriek once more.

      Then the thrashing steed was going down, pulled into the depths of the sand by the mighty talons that had attached themselves to it.

      Thuxra knew he had little choice but to leave his animal companion behind. He grabbed the sword strapped behind him atop saddle bags and dove to one side, rolling away from the dying horse and its tormentors. He came up on one knee, the knife discarded but his lengthy sword now outstretched in both hands.

      The horse disappeared, pulled down into whatever netherworld waited below the ground. Along with the terrified beast went the arms and claws and scaly faces of the black demons.

      Thuxra waited, catching his breath while his sword was still outstretched. Would the monsters return?

      Long seconds passed. Thuxra jumped to his feet and retrieved his knife, returning it to its home on his belt. All the while he kept his sword in one hand and his eyes on the dimpled spot in the dirt road where he had lost his steed.

      Still the black fiends did not return. Perhaps they were satisfied with his horse. The Persian did not believe this. He had run across the demons, djinn, or whatever those terrors had been, not by accident.

      His prey had set them upon him.

      He pounced upon a sizable rock to one side of the road. Surely those brutes could not tear through solid stone to grab at him. He scanned the lands, specifically to the East, the direction he had been traveling. There was little to be seen West and South but the orange and brown of desert. Far to the North a line of azure stretched across the horizon. To the East, however, a strip of road blotted his view, the trail winding through and over the rough sands.

      But no sign of the man against whom he sought vengeance.

      Thuxra glanced down at himself. His only belongings in the world were now what he

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1