Crystal Wars 001: A New Darkness (Patreon)

In my downtime after completing book 2 (lol), I've been toying with a new story. What do you think of this?

SYNOPSIS

The start of a sweeping new epic progression fantasy saga...

A new darkness has seeped into the world of Anhelia, leaving turmoil in its wake. Strange living crystals and beings calling themselves Archons have invaded, upturning the existing order and bringing with them not only death and destruction but opportunity too.

Tarr is a defeated warrior in the hands of his enemies the day the cataclysm arrives and is given a second opportunity to decide his fate.

Does he fight on to overthrow the ancient Ryma Empire using the strange new gifts brought by the cataclysm? Or join with his old enemies to overthrow the invaders? Or does he forge an entirely different path for himself?

Start reading and find out!

CHAPTER 1: A NEW DARKNESS

Stavos square was packed. Although no one called it that. The famed piazza at the center of the imperial capital was known throughout the empire by another name: the executioner’s block.

It was where traitors went to be slaughtered.

It was where commoners flocked, crammed shoulder to shoulder, and hollering loudly to prove their loyalty to the emperor.

It was where I was destined to die.

Ignoring the screaming crowd, I raised my head to stare up at the sky of endless blue. Not a single cloud marred its pristine depths. Closing my eyes, I bathed in the sun’s warmth, letting the golden rays play on my rough, weatherbeaten skin. It felt like goodbye.

The sun and I were old friends. In spite of my upbringing and despite being a scion of one of the world’s foremost scholars, I had spent more days toiling—if battle could be called that—under the sun’s benevolence than I’d spent indoors reading the scholarly works I loved.

I had been destined to follow in my father’s footsteps at Telcan University. And in another life, I probably would have. But then the empire came, and the time for academia vanished. Like so many of my peers, I took up the sword, and for over twenty long years, I’d waged wars on the invaders.

And lost.

I bowed my head, full of regret for lost opportunities and mistakes made. I’m sorry, father. I should have listened. I’d thought I could change the world. I had believed I could’ve done what no other had managed. But I had failed. The empire was undefeatable. Millions had died in the war. And for what? Nothing. Telca was still under imperial rule. Shaking my head at my own hubris, I raised my eyes to look upon the sea of people filling the square.

At least, it is a beautiful day to die.

The entire square mile of open space at the capital’s center was packed to the brim with commoners and nobles alike. All had come to see the famed Telcan rebel die. Kneeling on the raised wooden dais with my hands tied behind my back, I looked down at the screaming faces. Arguably, I had the best seat in the house. A small smile stole on my face at the thought.

“What are you grinning at, wretch?”

I glanced over my shoulder at the figure looming behind me. The youth, clad in ostentatious black leathers and wielding a two-handed axe far too large for him, was shifting from foot to foot. I barely spared the weapon a glance. For over twenty years, I’d faced death daily and no longer feared its embrace. The boy wafting the axe didn’t scare me either.

I’d faced and overcome some of the empire’s finest blades, and the young axeman picked to be my executioner was certainly no match for any of them. His stance was all wrong, and he clenched his weapon too tightly. He was most likely a farmer’s son and, given his frequent nervous glances at the crowd, one new and still unused to the city. If I was a different man entirely, I would’ve felt insulted by being killed by the likes of him.

It’s all part of the emperor’s design, I suppose. Gregor was never one to miss an opportunity to belittle his enemies.

I let my smile widen. “Easy there, lad. Loosen your grip and widen your stance. And don’t let the people see your fear. It will only egg them on.” There was nothing worse than a botched execution—especially if it was going to be mine.

I felt the youth scowl at me from beneath his masked face. “I don’t need advice from the likes of you, traitor!” he spat. But despite his professed scorn, the boy did as told.

“Good. When you strike, make sure to power through the blow,” I said, ignoring the boy’s words. “Don’t jerk the axe, and for gods’ sake, don’t stop the blow at the point of impact. Remember: follow through.”

My would-be executioner said nothing, but the whites showing in his eyes lessened somewhat.

I nodded approvingly. “Better. You can do this.”

This last bit of encouragement appeared too much for the youth, and his gaze darted to the left and right. But for the two of us, the platform was empty. None of the imperial order’s blades—or worse yet, mages—were present on the dais. It was another one of Gregor’s exquisite touches designed to show his subjects how little he feared me. But despite the emperor’s show of indifference, I didn’t doubt that many of his people were disguised in the crowd. Gregor would not risk me escaping, not after I’d been a thorn in his side for so many years.

“When do I do it?” the boy whispered.

I returned my attention to him. I had barely caught the youth’s soft-spoken words, and truly there was no need for it. The crowd was chanting too loudly for anyone to overhear us. “Whenever you’re ready,” I replied.

The youth shifted his grip on the axe handle and raised the weapon high above.

I bowed my head, helpfully baring the nape of my neck. Finally, my long years of struggle were finished. And while I had regrets aplenty, I welcomed death. Telca’s rebellion was over. Truthfully, it had failed long before my capture, and Gregor was doing me a service by putting an end to my pitiful attempts at resistance. I closed my eyes.

The axe did not fall.

I waited patiently, my mind full of those I’d lost and the ones I’d failed. Soon it would all be over. Maria, my love, I’m coming.

Still, the axe did not fall.

The crowd’s screams grew louder and more frantic. What’s keeping the boy? Does he need more— My thoughts broke off as I recognized a different note in the crowd’s cries.

Panic.

My brows furrowed. What was going on? Despite my curiosity, I kept my eyes adamantly closed. Whatever it was, it did not concern me anymore. My time in this world was done.

But as the seconds drew out, the crowd’s cries only increased in timbre until eventually there could be no mistaking the fear in peoples’ voices anymore. Something heavy thudded next to me.

My executioner had dropped his axe.

I sighed and opened my eyes. “Lad—” I began.

I stopped short. The boy was not even looking at me. His mouth dropped open, he was staring upwards. As were most of the crowd, I realized. I followed their gazes and felt shock ripple through me.

Half the sky had disappeared, its serene blue surface covered by patches of glittering obsidian. What in the world is that? I wondered. Was it some sort of spell? But no magic I knew of could do this. Especially not in the emperor’s own city, warded and protected by some of the most powerful mages the world had known.

What then?

I had no idea.

Even as I watched, the black glass oozed across the sky, and more blotches appeared. My heart began to beat faster. Even though I had made my peace with death, the strangeness in the sky invoked a primal fear in me. “Lad, free me!” I gasped.

He ignored me, his gaze fixated on the sky.

Looking down over my shoulder, I wrenched on my hands, trying to pull them out of the iron cuffs that restrained me. They refused to squeeze through. My jailors had not slacked in their duties. I swore and strained harder.

“Mother of God,” I heard the boy whisper.

I jerked my head upward. The darkness had spread, covering nearly the entirety of the sky. Only one spot of resistance remained.

And then the sun went out as it, too, succumbed.