Contents
Prologue: A Vision in the Night
Chapter 1: Four Years Later
Chapter 2: An Insane Quest
Chapter 3: Money Trouble
Chapter 4: A Lack of Evidence
Chapter 5: Into the Ruins
Chapter 6: A Daring Plan
Chapter 7: New Information
Chapter 8: The Smuggler
Chapter 9: A New Life
Chapter 10: At the Gathering
Chapter 11: To the Mountains
Chapter 12: The Warning
Chapter 13: The Escape Attempt
Chapter 14: Captured
Chapter 15: The Raid
Chapter 16: The First Battle
Chapter 17: A Bittersweet Return
Chapter 18: Prisoner
Chapter 19: The Suitor
Chapter 20: Seeking Refuge
Chapter 21: The Search Party
Chapter 22: The Dagger in the Forest
Chapter 23: Dangerous Plans
Chapter 24: The Attack
Chapter 25: The Inferno
Chapter 26: The Fire Approaches
Chapter 27: The Aftermath
Chapter 28: Preparations
Chapter 29: The Ruins of Woodsville
Chapter 30: The Search for the Scroll
Chapter 31: Death Speaker
Chapter 32: The Journey Begins
Chapter 33: On the Road
Chapter 34: The Black Swamp
Chapter 35: Searching for a Miracle
Chapter 36: A Strange New Beginning
Chapter 37: The Swamp's Dangers
Chapter 38: Empire of Chains
Chapter 39: The Swamp's Price
Chapter 40: The Plain of Storms
Chapter 41: The Hunters
Chapter 42: The Red Plateau
Chapter 43: A Desperate Effort
Chapter 44: Outsiders
Chapter 45: Secrets from the Past
Chapter 46: Prisoners
Chapter 47: The Desert
Chapter 48: Sandstorm
Chapter 49: The River
Chapter 50: The Cave of Many Paths
Chapter 51: The Underground City
Chapter 52: The Forest of Darkness
Chapter 53: The Monster
Chapter 54: The Battle in Bradenton
Chapter 55: A Time for Difficult Choices
Chapter 56: Imperia
Chapter 57: The Point of No Return
Chapter 58: The Power of the Scroll
Chapter 59: Passage to Freedom
Chapter 60: Regret
Chapter 61: Flight from Danger
Chapter 62: The Way Things Should Have Been
Chapter 1: The Shadowed Land
Chapter 2: A Dangerous New World
Chapter 3: The Perils of Freedom
Chapter 4: The Sunset Army
Chapter 5: Dwindling Hopes
Chapter 6: Clan Mountain Eagle
Chapter 7: The Battle of Millersville
Chapter 8: The Mountain Passage
Chapter 9: Tales of a Cure
Chapter 10: The Clan War
Chapter 11: The New Mission
Chapter 12: A Strange Revelation
Chapter 13: Back into the Empire
Chapter 14: Unfamiliar Paths
Chapter 16: The Right Decision
Chapter 17: Lure of the Wisp
Chapter 18: The Path Out
Chapter 19: The Fire Mountains
Chapter 20: The Dragon's Lair
Chapter 21: Separate Paths
Chapter 22: The Dragon
Chapter 23: Prisoners
Chapter 24: Eyes of the Serpent
Chapter 25: Danger in the Mountains
Chapter 26: The Secret Passage
Chapter 27: Creatures of the Forest
Chapter 28: The Wanderer
Chapter 29: The Battle of Sierra City
Chapter 30: The Sorcerer
Chapter 31: An Attempted Rescue
Chapter 32: The Goblin Lair
Chapter 33: Flight from Danger
Chapter 34: No Rest
Chapter 35: Flight to the Land of Storms
Chapter 36: Not the Same
Chapter 37: Into the Ruins
Chapter 38: The Great Challenge
Chapter 39: New Companions
Chapter 40: Beneath the Ruins
Chapter 41: The Journey to Taylorville
Chapter 42: The Prison City
Chapter 43: Faces from the Past
Chapter 44: Prison Break
Chapter 45: The Cure
Chapter 46: The Coming War
Chapter 47: The End of a Quest
Chapter 48: In the Tunnels
Chapter 49: The Journey Begins
Chapter 50: Clan Blue Fish
Chapter 51: A Dangerous New Companion
Chapter 52: Where the Road Leads
Chapter 53: On the Open Sea
Chapter 54: The Pirates
Chapter 55: A Deadly Path
Chapter 56: The Labyrinth
Chapter 57: The Bridge
Chapter 58: The Nexus
Chapter 59: City of Light
Chapter 60: Captive
Epilogue: Two More to the Shadowed Land
Prologue: A Long Road Ahead
Chapter 1: Departure
Chapter 2: A New Path
Chapter 3: Out to Sea
Chapter 4: The New Earth Empire
Chapter 5: The Border
Chapter 6: The President
Chapter 7: An Unexpected Visitor
Chapter 8: A Traveler in Time
Chapter 9: A Comfortable Prison
Chapter 10: The Secret Path
Chapter 11: The Defender
Chapter 12: A Potential Ally
Chapter 13: The Machine
Chapter 14: The Journey South
Chapter 15: Traveling with the Enemy
Chapter 16: The Sorcerer's Offer
Chapter 17: The Fortress
Chapter 18: Entering the Wastelands
Chapter 19: The Perils of Desertion
Chapter 20: The Dark God
Chapter 21: The Dark and the Light
Chapter 22: The Tunnels
Chapter 23: The Cold Wind
Chapter 24: The God's Demands
Chapter 25: The Lost Messages
Chapter 26: The Truth
Chapter 27: A Tyrant and a Healer
Chapter 28: The Sun Room
Chapter 29: A Cruel Test
Chapter 30: The Scroll's Secret
Chapter 31: The Battle of the Cavern
Chapter 32: The Price
Chapter 33: Dark Consequences
Chapter 34: A New World
Chapter 35: The Spread of Darkness
Chapter 36: The Clan War
Chapter 37: Clan Black Wolf
Chapter 38: Many Paths
Chapter 39: Captive
Chapter 40: The Underground City
Chapter 41: Breaking the Barrier
Chapter 42: The Meeting in the Tent
Chapter 43: The Gilded Empire
Chapter 44: The Chase
Chapter 45: What Lies Ahead
Chapter 46: Eastwatch
Chapter 47: To the Fortress
Chapter 48: Rebellion in the Sands
Chapter 49: The Earth Temple
Chapter 50: The Power of Magic
Chapter 51: The Way Home
Chapter 52: The Battle of Bradenton
Chapter 53: Path of Destruction
Chapter 54: The Machine
Chapter 55: The Coming Battle
Chapter 56: The Battle of Luminia
Chapter 57: The Library of Luminia
Epilogue: A Land of Ruin
Chapter 1: The New High Sorcerer
Chapter 2: An Old Acquaintance
Chapter 3: Healers of the Jungle
Chapter 4: The War Inside
Chapter 5: The Voyage North
Chapter 6: The Sea Monster
Chapter 7: The Island
Chapter 8: The Search
Chapter 9: The High Mystic
Chapter 10: Unlocking the Magic
Chapter 11: The Founders
Chapter 12: The Fire Kingdom
Chapter 13: The Resistance
Chapter 14: The Continent of Ice
Chapter 15: Through the Skies
Chapter 16: After the Battle
Chapter 17: The Fire Wastes
Chapter 18: What Lies Ahead
Chapter 19: The Breezelands
Chapter 20: The Fire Temple
Chapter 21: An Unexpected Quest
Chapter 22: Wind's Edge
Chapter 23: Deeper Secrets
Chapter 24: Where the Tunnels Lead
Chapter 25: Malavia
Chapter 26: The God Realm
Chapter 27: Windhaven
Chapter 28: Escape from Windhaven
Chapter 29: Flight
Chapter 30: The Winds of Time
Chapter 31: Prisoner
Chapter 32: The Future
Chapter 33: Through the Jungle
Chapter 34: The Cold Wastes
Chapter 35: The Restorers
Chapter 36: The Temple
Chapter 37: The Temple's Secrets
Chapter 38: The Journey to Crayden
Chapter 39: The Stone of Restoration
Chapter 40: Storming the Fortress
Chapter 41: The Battle of the Future
Chapter 42: The Floating Fortress
Chapter 43: The Decision
Chapter 44: Back in Time
Chapter 45: From Light to Darkness
Chapter 46: The Evil Beneath
Chapter 47: Caught in the Webs
Chapter 48: A Lack of Guidance
Chapter 49: Two Scrolls
Chapter 50: The Greater Evil
Chapter 51: The Gateway
Chapter 52: Reunion
Chapter 53: The Crucial Task
Chapter 55: A Time to Recover
Chapter 56: After the Severing
Chapter 57: The Ghost Forest
Chapter 58: People from the Past
Chapter 59: The Protectors
Chapter 60: The Darkness Temple
Chapter 61: The Challenge of Fire
Chapter 62: A Challenge Interrupted
Chapter 63: Fallen
Chapter 64: Warrick's Memories
Chapter 65: Attaining Godhood
Chapter 66: Immortality
Chapter 67: The Final Battle
Chapter 68: Beneath the Fortress
Chapter 69: The Power of the Source
Chapter 70: The End of Everything
Chapter 71: One Last Hope
Author's Note
Sunweaver Preview
Prologue: A Vision in the Night
The night Nadia lost her mother started like any other.
She and her mother were practicing their swordplay in the castle's courtyard, evening sunlight glinting off their blunted blades. Nadia tried to ignore the sweat dripping into her eyes, focus on her footwork, and follow her instincts.
Her mother scored a hit on her chest. "You aren't defending yourself well enough."
"The sword is starting to feel heavy. I need a chance to rest."
"Warrick isn't resting."
"I know, but—"
"I don't want to hear your arguments," her mother said. "If Warrick finds out what we're planning, he will not hesitate to kill us." She gripped Nadia's shoulders, her touch firm but loving. "Both of us."
Nadia had no response for that. She was only twelve, but she wasn't stupid. She understood the dangers involved in opposing the emperor. They all did.
She hid her anger, though. Her mother had taught her to conceal her emotions. As nobility, they often had to speak with Emperor Warrick, and Nadia couldn't let slip that she intended to kill the tyrant.
"I know I sound angry," her mother said, "but you've done well today. Perhaps we should wash up and join your father for dinner."
After bathing, they joined Nadia's father in the castle's dining chamber, at a long wooden table draped in a red tablecloth. Magical torches cast blue light upon him as he sat alone, poking thoughtfully at some chicken with his fork.
"Is everything all right?" asked Nadia's mother, taking a seat next to him.
"Oh, yes, everything's fine." He went back to his food, avoiding both their gazes.
"Father, are you sure nothing is wrong?"
He laid his silverware aside, leaving half his plate uneaten. His abrupt departure from the table caught Nadia by surprise. She tried to catch his attention, but he left the chamber, looking like a defeated man.
"What's bothering him?" Nadia asked her mother.
"I don't know. I've never seen him like this before. Perhaps Warrick is making his life difficult again."
"Warrick makes all our lives difficult."
Nadia finished the rest of her meal and retreated to her room, where she felt more at peace. It was a simple room, without the lavish decorations of the rest of the castle, leaving more space for weapons and for the many books scattered about the tables, the floor, and even the bed.
She settled down on her bed, not caring that she disturbed the sheets, and read from a historical text her mother had assigned her. Nadia enjoyed learning history, especially history from before Warrick rose to power five hundred years ago.
This book described the Great War, a time when the world was almost destroyed. Two great leaders had faced off in this war: Lionar and Krinir. In the end, Lionar had won and exiled Krinir to a place known as the Shadowed Land. The book spoke of these two as if they were gods, but Nadia wasn't sure about that, for she only knew of the one true God.
Then again, Warrick had taken away many of the Empire's historical texts. Nadia was grateful to have any material in their library.
The first sign of trouble came to her while she was reading. At first, she thought her magical torch was dying. But, no, it was her eyes.
She was having another vision.
A dozen shadowy figures march up the cobblestone path leading toward the castle. They wear red surcoats marked with a black dragon emblem. Imperial Guards.
Night is a bleak shadow upon the grassy landscape. The men do not talk. They're here on business; that much is clear. When they reach the castle gate, they bark orders at the guards stationed there. Nadia can't make out the words. She never can in her visions.
The guards crank the gate open, and the Imperial Guards step through. Then the vision fades. Nadia expects to wake up, but instead she sees a dark tunnel.
Her mother walks through the passage, holding a magical torch aloft. Her face looks pale in the blue light. Her expression is anxious.
She reaches a place where moonlight filters into her surroundings. There are others with her, but Nadia can see only her mother. When her mother steps out into the moonlight, six men are waiting for her, brandishing their swords.
Imperial Guards, again.
The vision changes. Now Nadia sees the sundrenched city square. Thousands of people fill it, their gazes set on the center of the square, where an executioner's block has been set up. Two Imperial Guards march forward, leading Nadia's mother between them.
It seems only a moment later when the executioner's axe chops through her neck. Her head rolls on bloodstained cobblestones.
Nadia woke to a world that felt less real than what she'd seen in her vision. Heart pounding, she trembled on the soft mattress. She grabbed her sword from atop her dresser, raced out into the dark castle corridor, and darted past the guard at her
mother's door.
Within the room, her mother lay upon the elegant bed, reading by the light of oil lamps.
"What is it, Nadia?" She lowered the book. "Why do you have your sword? I told you not—"
"They know. They're coming. We have to leave."
"Who's coming? Slow down, Nadia."
Nadia took a deep breath, teetering on the verge of tears. "I-I had another vision. Imperial Guards are coming to arrest you. Please, we have—"
"I'm coming." Her mother bolted to her feet, took her own sword from a rack beside the bed, then put a hand on Nadia's shoulder. "How close?"
"I-I'm not sure. I think I saw them on the path leading up to the castle, but I don't know. I feel so confused. I hate this."
Now the tears did come, and with them her anger. She should have been past such things, but she couldn't banish the image of her mother's lifeless head.
Nadia's visions had never been wrong before.
As they rushed out of the room, she wiped away her tears, taking deep breath after deep breath. They could still survive this.
"Come with us," Nadia's mother said to the guard at the door, a young man who followed without question. Fear twisted Nadia's insides as they ran along the gray stone corridor, then down the spiraling steps to the bottom of the tower. Halfway down, Nadia heard the castle gate clunking open, and she froze, heart hammering.
"We can't stop, Nadia. We'll have to take the secret passage."
They reached the stone foyer, then pivoted to the left, entering the dining chamber as the gate continued clunking behind them. Once they entered the empty kitchen, Nadia's mother and the guard pushed a large wooden cabinet to the side, exposing a lever, which Nadia's mother pulled. The wall swung open like a door, revealing a dusty passage full of spider webs, a place that sent shivers down Nadia's spine.
"Get in, Nadia."
Nadia slipped into a passage wide enough for the three of them to stand side by side. Her mother followed, carrying a magical torch from the kitchen, moving with grim determination.
The clunking of the gate stopped, and Nadia's stomach clenched. Her mother pulled another lever, closing the passage and plunging them into darkness broken by eerie blue torchlight. Their shadows danced against the walls like black ghosts.
This passage looked too much like the second part of Nadia's vision.
God, please see us through this, she prayed, but she had little faith in the Old-World God, who'd abandoned the people of the Empire when they'd needed Him most.
Nadia hung close to her mother as they navigated the twisting passage. The air was cold and filled with the smells of dust and disuse. Nadia brushed away a spider crawling on her arm.
"We're going to make it through this," her mother said.
"Do you think they'll hurt me?" Nadia asked.