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    Ruined City
    Ruined City
    Ruined City
    Ebook85 pages50 minutes

    Ruined City

    By A. F. Stewart

    ()

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    About this ebook

    In the Northern Pass stands the city of Elowen, the glittering guardian between the Empire of Aloquis and the Kingdoms of Immra. It exists proud and prosperous, never dreaming its dark past was coming to call...

    On a bright winter’s day a stranger arrives in Elowen, bearing a secret. From this man a dark blight of ruin descends over the great city and henceforth the day becomes known as Winter’s Bane.
    The day the world changed for the people of Elowen.
    The day their existence turned into a recurring nightmare.

    Read of the aftermath of revenge through the eyes of a shopkeeper, a child, ghosts, a blacksmith, a guardsman, an innkeeper, and even a King.

    Twelve Stories, One Evil.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherA. F. Stewart
    Release dateSep 4, 2011
    ISBN9781465892621
    Ruined City
    Author

    A. F. Stewart

    A steadfast and proud sci-fi and fantasy geek, A. F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada and still calls it home. The youngest in a family of seven children, she always had an overly creative mind and an active imagination. She favours the dark and deadly when writing—her genres of choice being dark fantasy and horror—but she has been known to venture into the light on occasion. As an indie author she’s published novellas and story collections, with a few side trips into poetry and non-fiction.

    Read more from A. F. Stewart

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      Book preview

      Ruined City - A. F. Stewart

      From the Archives of the Tombs of Karrul

      From the Elowen City Histories

      The First Years:

      Vengeance Unleashed

      (Story of Narwis the Wizard)

      Sapphire Shattered

      (Story of Eldren the Scribe)

      Broken Pieces

      (Story of Gellen the Shopkeeper)

      Fresh Blood

      (Story of Rjsh the Night Wraith)

      Trading Day

      (Story of Gailas the Trader)

      Starting Over

      (Story of Pax the Blacksmith)

      The Passing Years:

      Weeping Echoes

      (Story of Ashyr the King)

      Palace Ghosts

      (Story of Nisee the Ghost)

      Winter’s Bane

      (Story of Mordren the Innkeeper)

      One Day

      (Story of Bish the Child)

      Few Remains

      (Story of the Jair the Guardsman)

      Last Prayer

      (The End Story)

      From the Archives of The Wizard Council

      The Soldier’s Letter

      Timeline

      Glossary

      About the Author

      From the Archives of the Tombs of Karrul

      The Lament

      A vision of the city born

      to feed the lust and greed

      of a would-be king.

      Conjured by unholy desecration

      of long-dead bones disturbed.

      Blood rites on a cold winter wind

      Dark magic howls through

      the snow topped Northern Pass,

      shredding souls from their rest.

      Foundation laid in weeping,

      cornerstones stained in misery.

      Spirits bound to stone forever,

      so walls might never crumble.

      From the Elowen City Histories

      The sovereign city of Elowen safeguards the Northern Pass between the Empire of Aloquis and the Kingdoms of Immra. It was raised in the time of the Sorcerer’s War by the great wizard Thelphin who erected this wondrous city with his magic, stone by stone from the dust. He then declared himself King, ruler of the city he named Elowen, and all of the Northern Pass.

      The remarkable city survived the war, and many other such wars, to thrive and become rich on trade. Thelphin reigned many years and spawned an illustrious dynasty. His descendants ruled Elowen in the decades that followed his death, residing in a glittering bastion at the southern end of the city, the magnificent Sapphire Palace...

      The First Years

      Volume I

      Vengeance Unleashed

      I am free, free to extract my blood price, my vengeance...

      A light snow is falling as I wind through the cobblestone streets to the Palace. I look around, amazed at the size of this city, the extent of its structures and walls, the commotion of people. The scurry of their lives almost stirs pity in me, but I have set on a course and I will not stray. Not for these poor souls, nor to preserve this magnificence of Elowen. I will not be denied my revenge, no our revenge.

      There is a happy chatter amongst the people as I pass and a cheerfulness of spirit. I enquire once or twice to ensure I am not lost, and they are kind enough to keep me headed in the right direction. I come to the grand Sapphire Palace of Elowen without difficulty.

      The first glimpse of this magnificent structure leaves me in awe, for the splendour of the Sapphire Palace astounds. I thought its reputation to be illusion and fabrication, but I stand here to find myself mistaken.

      I take a moment to absorb its beauty, to marvel in the dazzling blue lazuli stone that gives the palace its hue and name. I crane my neck to stare at the tall curling spires reaching to touch the sky and glory. And everywhere the walls are sculpted in delicate whorls, leaves and lovely patterns.

      I bring my gaze about to the entrance, the massive carved doors of black saren wood, guarded by two large and solemn looking men. I take a breath and climb the slate grey stone steps to be challenged by one of the sentries.

      State your business with the Palace.

      I am Narwis, an emissary from Karrul and seek audience with the King. I hand him my letter of introduction and wait until he reads it.

      Your credentials seem in order, but you will have to be vetted. Please remain here until I return. I am left to stare at closed doors.

      I say a silent invocation as I wait, to speed my admission, but the entrance swings ajar before I finish.

      You have been granted right of entry. The guard stands

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