Phoenix Rising: Chapter 21

  Kyri wasn't the sort to wait around after making a decision...     -----       Chapter 21      Kyri turned and looked back, finally unable to keep herself from doing so as the shadows of morning had shortened, shortened, and then begun to lengthen again as they passed to the afternoon. She had been walking all that time, forcing herself not to look.        But just once…        She had come a very long way; the Great Road here was as smooth as a ballroom floor, with just enough added [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 20

    And now we see a point of view we haven't since the  very beginning...       -----     Chapter 20.        The jungle below was thick and green, breathing with life in the brilliant sunshine. As he watched, a flock of brilliant birds burst from the canopy, pursued for a short distance by a bat-winged shape, a merinam or least dragon, before it grew bored and settled down onto the top of a tree like a giant crimson flower.        It's not working.        Usually Aran came here to … [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 19

  So Tobimar and Poplock had been looking to arrange a meeting...   ----       Chapter 19.        "Well?" Poplock asked. "Any luck?"        Tobimar grinned, accompanying the smile with a gesture as though handing something to Poplock that meant things had gone well. "We'll be talking to the Adjudicator and Marshal of Hosts T'Oroning'Oltharamnon hGHEK R'arshe Ness by the end of the day. And maybe, if we're lucky, the King himself."        Poplock bounced onto Tobimar's shoulder, which sported solid [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 18

  So, Kyri and Victoria knew what was going on, but they needed to figure out the next steps...     ----     Chapter 18.      "Victoria? Victoria Vantage, you hellsword, why didn't you tell me you were in the City?"        The booming voice was intimidating enough, but the fact that its owner – an immense Ancient Sauran – then stepped forward and picked up her usually-dignified aunt and swung her around like a child greeted by her favorite uncle left her standing there with her mouth open.        [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising Chapter 17

  Well, Kyri now had to deal with having learned the truth and being saddled with a terrible responsibility...       ----     Chapter 17. "Auntie Victoria…"   Victoria Vantage spun around at the voice. "Kyri! Good gods above and below, child, you've had us worried half to death!" In the darkness of the night, this far from the City, Aunt Victoria was barely visible as an arrow-straight figure of deeper black. Kyri let the older woman hug her. "Myrionar's Justice, girl, you're shaking! What [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 16

  And now for one of the crucial turning points of the story...   ---     Chapter 16.        "Oh… my," Kyri finally managed.        Aunt Victoria smiled, looking in the same direction. "I've seen it many times… and never quite gotten used to it." She smiled more widely as even Urelle leaned forward, eyes shining. "Behold the oldest city in the world, built before the Fall itself, in the language of its builders Fanalam' T' ameris' a' u' Zahr-a-Thana T'ikon, Zarathanton, home and throne of the Ancient Saurans [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 15

  Kyri was now bereaved a second time, though she hsd fought well...     ---     Chapter 15.        Watchland Velion was down off his horse almost before it stopped. "You are still here. Thank the Balance. I was afraid… I had missed you."        Kyri took a breath, watching the Justiciars hard at work loading the coach. They had refused to allow any others to help with that – it was their way of mourning her brother, who was also theirs, she knew. I must answer, she thought, and turned to face the [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 14

  Time to look back in on Kyri...   -----     Chapter 14.        Kyri stood, indecisive, at the front door. I really should be at the Temple. Still she stood there, unmoving. Something was wrong, and she didn't know what it was.        Rion knew, of course, but he simply wouldn't tell her. He had been strangely… erratic of late. One day he had come home in a grim mood, silent, almost brusque even with Urelle, and retired to his room without a word after dinner. He'd disappeared for three days after that – and [ Continue reading... ]

Just added…

  A link to the main Map of Zarathan (by Randy Asplund) has been added to the Phoenix Rising page! [ Continue reading... ]

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 13

  Okay, it's a new week. Let's start with a point of view we haven't seen in a while...   ----     Chapter 13.        Once more the gold-silver scroll was set on the desk in the shadowed room, and reflected in the central panel was something far away and terrible to behold. The man seated at the desk, however, found that more exhilarating than frightening, for the fact he was present at these councils – even mostly to observe – meant he was close to the heart of mighty doings indeed.   The glowing-dark figure [ Continue reading... ]