Epic Fantasy Short

Richard of Tenneth, after witnessing his father murdered over mounting debt, flees to the city of Loridium to be taken in by the Holy Order. Protected and educated, the lecter grooms young Richard to lead the faithful, to sit atop the Order and follow the bidding of the Almighty without question, without mercy, and with absolute devotion. This is the second of three short stories from the world of the forthcoming series, Kingdom of Ash, to be released in autumn of 2012.

Here are the moments that our fairy tales forgot or deliberately concealed, reimagined by one of the most gifted storytellers of his generation, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Hours. Rarely have our bedtime stories been this dark, this perverse, or this true. The beast stands ahead of you in line at the convenience store, buying smokes and a Slim Jim, his devouring smile aimed at the cashier. A malformed little man with a knack for minor acts of wizardry goes to disastrous lengths to procure a child.

Dreams of Unity: Michael's Extraordinary Journey is a captivating tale that explores the remarkable odyssey of Michael, a paraplegic man, who embarks on an extraordinary adventure beyond the confines of his wheelchair. Through the power of lucid dreaming, he discovers a hidden world, where dreams hold the key to transcending limitations and reshaping reality. With the support of a mysterious dream-world companion, he faces challenges, confronts prejudice, and ultimately strives to bridge the gap between two interconnected realms—the waking world and the dream world.

At the edge of fatigue on the last vestiges of sight he sees it. Carrying the purest blade ever forged he pursues it. Filth. Vile and wretched creature. He spits. Born out of corruption and slavery. Grass blackening. Uncertainty. Who is he? Does he have what it takes?

While escorting a princess out of a war zone, a group of knights find a fortress. However, as they rest for the night, something strange happens, and they are stalked by something of a local legend. As they seek shelter, will the party survive the Legend of Fort Blood?

A gift of power was once handed down to one of the earliest inhabitants of the planet Kaliya, and through countless lifetimes the gift has altered the patterns of fate for all beings who live there. Though the power of the violet fire is inherently good, it was indeed an inconceivably dark force that first brought it there. The Star Gazer, a primitive and wooly beast who was not wholly unlike the Khurran of Wild Mountain, must bear the frightening responsibility of keeping the power safe, lest it forever be cast into oblivion!

In A New Kind, Brian Shinomiya once again takes listeners on another suspenseful journey in this fictional apocalyptic short story. Our main character, Anatu, is a talented fighter who searches with ambition and drive, continuing the journey of finding her kind. Throughout the fall of society, Anatu faces terrifying cannibalistic creatures with spider-like legs and strength like an army. She fights and yearns for significance, a place to live in a world of destruction and distrust. When Anatu finally reaches a human settlement, she's interrogated and put to the test.

Across the Azkhantian steppe, warrior women ride to battle against foes both human and supernatural. From the world of The Seven-Petaled Shield come four fantasy tales, originally published in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword & Sorceress. Prophecy links a mother and daughter in an unbreakable bond. A young woman defies tradition to become a shaman. When twins are magically divided, the survivor searches for the other half of her soul. A warrior woman discovers that to wield a magical blade dishonorably carries a heavy price.

Sea serpents and demons and trolls, oh my. Even before Shadowhelm became embroiled in the fight of his life against the demon emperor Allarun in Prophecy of Swords, Shadowhelm was fighting on the side of good. Join in his adventures as he battles slavers, sea serpents, trolls, shape-shifters, pirates, and a very nasty demon in these three stories sure to entertain and delight all who love epic fantasy and sword and sorcery.

In the dungeon diving business and life, things haven't been going Amabel's way. Passed up in progressing up the tiers of power by friends and former teammates she finds herself at the end of her rope and purse adventuring wise. In that tight spot, she finds herself making choices and agreements she wouldn't usually make.

James is tossed into the flames, so to speak. He has a pair of masked assassins on his tail. After finding himself having been teleported to a different realm, James finds refuge in Grace’s willingness to rebel against the Shadow Clan - an oppressive regime. Thus, Grace will side with anyone that the Clan deems as a threat or an enemy. In truth, James discovers that Grace’s motivations are tied to the prophecy of the rise of the King Maker. Who was this King Maker? Does James ever get to go back home? Do the people of Tartra ever get their freedom?

Out of time and place, Wreaker walks into a coffee shop on Long Island. They do not take gold bullion for payment. They do not hand pluck their tea leaves from the tree of life. Their tables can't even support the weight of Öfugr, his sacred ancient weapon. So how will he ever get his coffee?

Instead of the wedding day she had planned, Alys awakens to a brutal massacre. The city of Goldereth straddles the mountain peaks standing watch over the black valley of Braganeth, keeping the evil of the Bragamahr contained. But no more. Once the jewel of Tathanar craftsmanship and learning, Goldereth is under siege by creatures from a nightmare. Alys is forced to flee the fallen city with her espoused husband, Galad, as they seek refuge in the wild lands beyond the Braganeth alone and unaided. Alys must face the possibility of her own death in a last desperate attempt to rescue the one ...

A name. All she needed was a name. The sign on the door read: Hot Yoga. Certainly that wasn’t the troll’s name. She’d have to knock. When the door opened, she saw a sight which she would never be able to unsee, even with the aid of a forgetting spell. Yet the mission must continue.

The sleeping gods have awakened before their time, disturbed from their slumber by a terrible force of corruption that has seeped into their resting bodies and twisted them into immortal beasts of madness and horror. A fallen cleric rises and takes arms against the tide of corruption, wielding the only weapon ever forged from the bones of an immortal, God Ender, a sword to rend the flesh of gods.

Angrok, a great warrior, is called many things: a terrible destroyer by his many enemies, and a powerful avenger by those he chooses to save. This collection brings together two of Angrok's adventures as told from the perspective of his assistant Marcellus. In "Angrok the Avenger", Marcellus and his master take revenge upon a dangerous city of spider worshippers. In "Angrok the Destroyer", they come to Bezakirah, a desert city controlled by two fanatical and increasingly warlike houses. Whether he is a destroyer or an avenger, you decide.

Serra has travelled 2,000 miles from home, all the way to the frozen country of Ephralia, on her quest to talk to a God. Legend has it that anybody who survives the treacherous climb up the Mountain can ask him for a boon - traditionally, a sack full of gold, though some are more creative in their requests. Serra's mission is urgent, but she's not the only one desperate enough to brave the Mountain trail. The thriving tourism industry the nearby village depends on foolhardy adventurers like her, men and women blinded by promises of riches and divine magic.

Renowned and knighted for capturing the fearsome Dark Elf of Syron, Sir Fredric has nagging doubts about his victory. His brother Malgrid's drunken remark strengthens dire suspicions. Was it all some devious scheme? Fredric has enough enemies who would want to compromise his honor, especially with the prestigious Jewel Quest coming up. It seems that there is only one person who can possibly shed some light on the situation - the Dark Elf himself. But will the captured enemy speak? Will Fredric discover the truth before a plot far more elaborate and danger much greater than he realizes take his life?

King Gelleran is facing a dilemma. The dangerous dark elf he holds captive and uses as his protection from the neighboring country of Kerbia has drawn the attention of Welmar, a kingdom even more powerful. The Welmarians have offered a generous sum for the prisoner; refusing the offer could mean war. As the king tries to find a way to handle this, he learns a devastating news: Things are not as they appeared, and the prisoner he thought securely jailed is playing a game of his own, threatening vengeance if it's not played by his rules.

The Lost Elf is a medieval fantasy series about an elf who struggles to understand his true identity. The elf wakes to find a strange environment for which he is ill prepared for. He must learn how to survive by learning about who he is and discovering his strange powers. Unable to remember anything about himself or how he arrived at the desert, the elf struggles to adapt to the reality he must face. His loneliness is quickly shattered after discovering the power to communicate with nature through his mind.