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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12

Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 … be continued

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The eyes of the Seer do not always see the way. The mouth of the Oracle does not always speak the truth.
Gaal Hu, 1st Prophet

Chapter 11 (7th of Taru-Des)

“All hands! On deck!” the voice from the crow’s nest of the Oracle called out. “Captain Matir on board!” 

Reane was helped over the deck by one of her crew in the warming mid-afternoon air.  Several of other crew members scampered onto the deck at the call of the watchman and stood at attention. Reane waved them off and dismissed them. 

It was now unusually warm for winter and Reane’s heavy winter cloak had become a bit uncomfortable. As she nearly tripped over a stray board of lumber, her eyes couldn’t help but notice the scattered debris still about on the deck. 

“Brentai!”  She called as she braced herself against the railing.  “Brentai!”  (more…)

I dreamt of the forming of clouds.  Like a coming storm.  I watched as on one horizon clouds of white gathered and on the other clouds of black.  They moved towards each other and clashed, producing a thunderous roar.  Legends speak of the coming of The Storm.  But I do not understand the meaning of two. 

-Journal of Reane Matir 

Chapter 10 (7th of Taru-Des 6198)

As the wind howled outside, inside the Red Moose Tavern a few patrons wondered in from the streets of Catersburg.  The fire raging in the central hearth warmed the air and provided a haven from the winter weather that had become slightly less harsh in the past couple days. 

In the corner, Sheala sat with two others.  Drumming her finger on the table, she looked about the tavern. 

“C’mon Civn,” she moaned, watching an ominous looking man as he held five playing cards in his left hand close to his face.  His right arm was covered with a long sleeve and his gloved right hand balled into a fist rested heavily and unmoving on the table.  His face was like chiseled stone. “This is Bahnar, not sorcery.  Either raise the pot or call. Or Fold.”  (more…)

Restless soul. Tired soul. Baren soul. Troubled soul .

-Earoni’s Prayer verse 2 

Chapter 9 (36th of Elgatan 6198)

Cassandra had awoken in the middle of the night and decided to make her rebel prisoner suffer some more.  She never fell back to sleep after returning to her chambers from The Vault.  She rarely ever did.  Just being there and dealing with the scum she kept locked away within caused her mind to race.  

Frustrated that he was holding out, her mind was already thinking of what torture to inflict upon him next. 

So, she was already wide awake when the shadow entered her room early the next morning.    (more…)

Even in defeat, the nation of Hitithe lives on. Even in darkness, its light shines brightly.  Can you doubt the will of the Greater Goddess even  as her children fight on?  They await the day when The Storm will come to cleanse the world. 

-Cronicles of Marthi

Chapter 8 (36^th of Elgatan 6198) 

The warmth of the fire melted the snow that had fallen earlier in the day. But it could not melt away the humiliation of failure.  As Anthony stood in the glowing firelight, he could still feel the stinging wounds left by the claw of sub-General Nightwing.  To hide his shame, he wore a thick patch of hide bound in place by a leather strap about his head.     

A voice shot at him from the other side of the flames.  “I can’t believe you disobeyed my orders!”  A tall man, nearly twice his age, paced.  “For three years we’ve been working on getting our people in The Palace.  Marcus and Erick were there for a reason!  We wanted to strike a decisive blow against Lord Hedric by assassinating as many of his military leaders as possible!  And you just endangered the lives of far too many people for my taste!  What do you have to say for yourself?”   

Anthony turned his vision up from the flames and onto the leader of the Hitithe Rebellion.  “Your tactics are far too passive to win this war,” he accused.    (more…)

Evil lurks within even the good.  Good sprouts from even the most evil. None are so pure as to not have two sides. 

-Ran Hardwick, Blood Lord

Chapter 7 (33rd of  Elgatan 6198)

“So,” Cassandra’s voice cut, just as surely as the knife she pressed to her prisoner’s neck.  Chained to the dungeon wall, he hung there.  “I understand that you and your comrades are rebels?”  There was unimaginable malice in the young woman’s eyes as she put force on the blade. 

Her prisoner winced, unwilling to talk.  

This was getting her nowhere.  She turned away, gritting her teeth in frustration.    

The air was still, dank, and foul in the palace dungeon.  It never changed down here.  Cassandra cast looks at the assortment of devices collected by Lord Hedric, all for the purpose of inflicting pain.  She returned her gaze to the man strung up on the wall.  His wound was dressed, but the bandage was saturated red with fresh blood. 

When there are two, there cannot be one. When there are two, they will be mirrors. Where there are two, the world will be at war. Only when there is one, will all be calm.

-Seer Dolastati, A Vision on Water 13e

Chapter 6 (33  Elgatan 6198)

Hedric’s palace was growing as cold as the grave.  The staff in the furnace room had apparently fallen asleep at their post for the fifth time in as many days.  

Cassandra rubbed her temples, peeling a pair of wire-framed reading glasses from her eyes.  She stretched her neck and pushed strands of her shoulder-length red hair back over her ear.  She yawned.  

A knock thudded on her chamber door. 

“Enter.”  She turned away from the papers that littered the top of the desk.  A teenaged boy cracked open the door and peered in.  “What is it?” she snapped.  It was late, and Cassandra was tired from the many hours of work she had put in today.  

“Sorry to disturb you, sub-general Nightwing,” the attendant spoke hesitantly.  “But Lord Hedric requests your presence in council immediately.”  

And Sarina tore asunder a dove, handing to each of her sisters a half.  The half that Sashna held did grow into a healthy bird.  The half that laid in Octeava’s hands did wither and die.  And Sarina spoke to her sisters, “Now see and understand your roles in the cosmos.” 

-Book of Fates 1:5 

Chapter 5 (33^rd of Elgatan 6198) 

Stiff and frigid, the wind ran through hollow streets and alleyways.  Signs hanging on storefronts creaked and strained. They banged against the fronts of shops closed more often than open these days.  A fresh blanket of thick snow covered the rooftops and cobblestones. 

The low winter’s sun cast almost everything in bone-chilling shadows.  

Sounds of a horse’s quick pace echoed through the streets, seeking someone’s ears – anyone’s ears.  Unfortunately, there were few that dared venture out in this hostile cold.  Most remained indoors huddled around small fires.  Even the wealthier, usually able to afford any luxury, found this winter harsher than most.  

The supply wagons from the north had stopped coming weeks ago.  Food was low.  Morale was not much better.  

Most suspected the weather was to blame.  But there were more nefarious rumors.  Bands of thieves, possibly even rebels, had been hijacking the convoys.  Even more prevalent was the fear that Lord Hedric himself had ordered a halt to the supplies to the south.  Punishment for the actions of two governors who had aided and abetted the rebellion against his rule.  (more…)

And from beyond the Sea of Storms, from the sheltered land, shall come the Child of the Storm. And with this child, the power to return the Tear of Earoni unto the world and defeat the darkness.
-Book of Earoni 1234:90

Chapter 4 (18th of Alshu 6192)

“It has come to my attention,” Lord Hedric growled, “that you’ve ignored my orders. Noranda, Is this true?”

In the late hour, the great council room was dark. Save for the silver light of the great moon Earoni as it hung high in the night sky. The moonlight fell in elongated streaks across the floor.

A woman in red robes was half in and half out of one of these as she stood before him.

Hedric shifted impatiently. From his twisted, metal throne, he glowered at her from the shadows. Blonde hair draped around his pale face. Equally pale fingers held fast to the warped armrests.

The dark-haired woman was not intimidated. Some would say that she was just as foul and unnatural as he was. Others would say more so. (more…)

This review contains no spoilers…

By: Mathias Cavanaugh

There are stories that just beg to be made into cinematic experiences. Alita: Battle Angel is one of them. And it really could not be done correctly and with all due reverence to the source material before now.

It really did take every special effects trick and talent in existence today to make this move what it had to be. And what it had to be was great. (more…)

Chapter 4 of Daughters of Fate back from the editor with comments. Minor stuff. Two paragraphs I want to work on before release.

Have a little taste:

“The dark-haired woman was not intimidated. Some would say that she was just as foul and unnatural as he was. Some would say more so.”

#writting#fantasy#novel#editing Daughters of Fate on #wattpadhttps://w.tt/2DATzgN  on http://MathiasCavanaugh.com https://bit.ly/2U268Ze @MathiasCav