Europe is set ablaze in the fire of war as brother turns against brother, stirred to violence by their corrupt governments and churches. In this time of upheaval, free bands such as the honorable(?) Talbot Company make their name by selling their swords to the highest bidders. The company is a family bound by coin and blood. When a Swedish castle falls to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Talbot Company must venture to the wild lands beyond the Oder River to stop war from breaking out over the ambitions of a rogue Polish colonel. The company attracts all manner of characters, among them an English peasant archer, an impoverished conquistador, and a cross-dressing Italian girl who thinks she has what it takes to hold her own amidst the rigors of war. Read on and find out if they have what it takes to survive this time of war and suffering. ----- If you like what you're reading, please consider buying the complete book. That is the only place where the final chapters will be available. Click here to buy on Amazon Click here to view on Goodreads Click here to buy on Smashwords
-
The Oresteia (Modernized)
All three of the great Greek Tragedians have written plays about the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Argos. Yet theirs is in fact not a story of tragedy, but rather one of redemption. As they move from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution, their spirit of struggle and regeneration becomes an everlasting song of celebration to be heard throughout the ages. Forming a discourse set against the emergence of Athenian democracy out of a period of chaos and destruction, the Orestian plays are compelling stories of the tensions between our obligations to our families and the laws that bind us together as a society. In the beginning, we witness how a king's decision to sacrifice his daughter and turn the tide of war inflicts lasting damage on his family, culminating in a terrible act of retribution. In the aftermath of regicide, we behold how a son must set out to avenge his father's death by committing a most egregious sin. In the end, the sinner is tormented by supernatural powers that can never be appeased, but ultimately finds redemption and ends the curse on his house once and for all. Woven through all of this is the story of a friendship so close that it elevates itself to brotherhood - Where the blood of the covenant is shown to be indeed thicker than the water of the womb. In this very brief twelve-chapter modern rendition of the Orestian plays, I have chosen to place my focus mainly on the lives of the characters Orestes and his best friend Pylades. The chapters, each around 2000-2500 words, are split up evenly between them in first-person narrative. I hope that you will come to enjoy reading this heartwarming story, but more importantly, that you see how the conflicts portrayed in the story, whether human or institutional, are still much very relevant to our societies today. Note on Sources: The details of this story is very loosely based on The Oresteia by Aeschylus. And I mean very loosely. Other sources that I referenced for detail and inspiration are Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Electra by Sophocles, and Iphigenia in Tauris by Euripides. You may also find that I have quoted some of these works, and others (such as Shelley's Ozymondaeus), without citations (average of 1-2 such quotes per chapter). I did this because I do not have the ability to describe certain scenes nearly as well as some of those writers. If you read a particularly beautiful piece of prose here, chances are it's probably stolen lol. Also, I wrote this during the summer between my high school senior year and my college freshmen year. It was the summer of 2020, and being quarantined apparently gets my creative side out lol.
-
Love Among the Gifted
Pride & Prejudice & Superpowers! In this England the gifted have ruled since the Norman's invaded. How will a series of unexpected attacks in Meryton shortly after the Assembly impact Elizabeth and Darcy? This is a different look at canon with the addition of powers, politics, adventure, and espionage. But the heart of our story is still the rough road to romance for our dear couple. The story is complete.
-
KINGDOM RISE, CASTING CROWNS: Your Way Called Peace (ACT I)
***THANK YOU TO MY FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EDITS AND ACT I IS COMPLETED AT THIS TIME. ACT II DOES NOT HAVE A DATE OF RELEASE YET BUT IT IS BEING WORKED ON WITH LOVE!!!*** Check out the book trailer with the original soundtrack I composed for the story HERE!!! QUOTE FROM TRAILER: "A tale that was hushed and concealed by the heavens during the final days of the seven warring states of China. Here, in plain words, resonates a love with such fleeting beauty like that of a plum blossom, and fellowship with such force in grace and perseverance like that of a heron." The novel is written in third person in the views of Ying-tai and Xiu Juan who are lovers. Both descendants of Qin, they are separated by the unfortunate events that take place during the 7 Warring States of China and they fight from opposite ends of the world to reunite. In their trials, they are tested against all that they know and the fine line that once divided mankind disintegrates as camaraderie is found amongst the known enemy. OST Track 1: Prayer *PLEASE NOTE: The illustrations in the story do not belong to me. They were artworks done by other amazing artists that inspired me to write what I wrote and to create the characters in the story. Most of the photos shown in the chapters were done by one of my favorite illustrators, Ibuki Satsuki (CHECK OUT THIS PERSON'S WORK! THEY'RE ALL AMAZING!!!) I greatly appreciate and enjoy all of their beautiful pieces of work!*
-
Journeys in the Fairworld: The Gatekeeper
Lindsey Fluger was only slightly past eighteen. There was nothing particularly special about her, save that she happened to be the right person at the right time. When Lindsey is asked to join an expedition to another world she makes the mistake of saying yes, plunging herself into a sea of perilous adventure and dark intrigue. Journeys in the Fairworld is a fantasy anthology series set in The Fairworld, a magical realm existing in parallel with our own world which is governed by a group elfin beings known only as “The Good Folk”. These mysterious entities work in secret to keep the peace between the myriad of peoples and nations which dwell in The Fairworld. Complex relationships and bitter rivalries emerge against a backdrop of constrained resources and conflicting values to produce a world of high adventure and tangled mysteries. This novel is technically already completed, and I am currently in the final stages of proofing or editing. As such, there may be a few typos and errors here and there. The final version should be about 130,000 words long, which I will be releasing in stages as I continue editing. I'd love to hear your feedback and comments! If you want to read more stories from Journeys in the Fairworld, please checkout “Journeys in the Fairworld: The Brigand of Potham”, which is also available here on Royal Road Legends. https://www.royalroadl.com/fiction/19369/journeys-in-the-fairworld-the-brigand-of-potham
-
I Married Muzan Kibutsuji (Demon Slayer Fanfiction)
Time travelled to Taishou Period of Japan, Teru felt very lucky that he got married to such a gorgeous wife. She was perfect, except thatshe couldn't be exposed to sunlight due to a mysterious illness. Her name was Kibutsuji Muzan. Tonight at the street, they bumped into a young, gentle swordsman with unique earrings.