Wraynas of Orlondir (Ray-ness): Feorn. Son of Falnir of Amersil, lives in Hawklin, Orlondir, Isle of Avristar.
Falnir of Orlondir (Fall-near): Feorn. Wraynas’s Father, former Champion in the Armies of Avristar.
Kiirar of the Shee: Nameless, lives in the Village of the Shee, speaks on behalf of Avred the Male Spirit of the Land. (see Creatures)
The Gatekeeper: Nameless, lives at the peak of Mount Tirion, speaks on behalf of Avristar, the Female Spirit of the Land.
Avristar: Has been around since before the First Era, a living, breathing island. She is often known as the Female Spirit of the Land. In Celtic lore she is called the Dan, Bredan, or Dana.
Avred: Has been around since before the First Era, a living, breathing land mass. He is often known as the Male Spirit of the Land. In Celtic lore he is called the Dan, Bredan, or Dana.
The Great Oak: located at the border of Amersil and Evennses, this tree provides guidance to all kinfolk from Evennses and Amersil. Could be considered a Spirit of the Land but it’s actually an Ent (tree people, it’s Tolkien.)
Inhabitants of Terra, Lands of Men:
Tulsen Tavesin: King of part of Terra, Watcher to the Ferryman / Valkyries. He trains them.
Talina Tavesin: wife of Tulsen Tavesin. Elven heritage, from Nazole, considered noble rank.
Bethula: human, works in the barns with the animals.
Hyatt: Bethula’s husband, works in the barns with the animals.
Jack: Bethula and Hyatt’s son, Pux’s love interest.
Rand: Shaman of the people living in the village near the cove.
Inhabitants of Amaltheia, Lands of Men:
King Telper: King of part of Amaltheia, Watcher to the Ferryman / Valkyries.
Havelir: Child of Avristar, Ambassador to the Lands of Men, King Telper’s advisor.
Aulises: Theif’s daughter,
Ambrose Telper: Ferryman for Amaltheia.
Klavotesi, The Obsidian Flame of Justice:
Inhabitants of Nimphalls, Lands of Men:
Clamose, The Azurite Flame of Knowledge: (see, The Flames)
Inhabitants of Nazole, Lands of Immortals:
Queen Satarine:
Lotesse, The Emerald Flame of Innocence: (see, The Flames)
Inhabitants of Zanandir, Lands of Immortals:
Cossisea, The Ruby Flame of War: (see, The Flames)
Shezeel, The Quartz Flame of Magic: (see, The Flames)
King Orneshon: lives on one of Zanandir’s moons in the City of the Moon.
Inhabitants of Cam-Wethrin, Lands of Beasts:
Lorac: formerly from Nazole, Lands of Immortals. Leader of one of the factions of Daed, responsible for resurrecting Crestaos.
Valtor: formerly of Veldemar, Lands of Beasts. Second in command of the same Daed faction, has tattoos that crawl across his face.
Delotha: formerly from Hadwen, Lands of Beasts. Considered the brute force.
Turon: formerly of Metaphis, Lands of Immortals. Considered the scientist.
Azdrach: formerly of Talanisdir, Lands of Immortals. Considered the psychic.
Hortis: formerly of Nazole, Lands of Immortals. Considered the apprentice.
Narwa: formerly of Zanandia, Lands of Immortals. Considered the languages expert.
Villains:
The Valtanyana (a.k.a. The Powers That Be): A brethren of eleven powerful kings and queens whose only goal is to gain absolute power over the Lands Across the Stars.
Crestaos (cress-tae-oss): Elven. Former ruler of Nazole, Lands of Immortals.
Rahedra (rah-hee-drah): Elven. Former ruler of Talanisdir, Lands of Immortals.
Morgana (more-ganne-ah): Human. Former ruler of Terra, Lands of Men. Dead.
Cassareece (cass-ah-rees): Elven. Former ruler of Lands of Immortals. Dead.
Darkesh (dark-esh): Dragon-like, Beast. Former ruler of Cryzole.
Grimassi (grimm-ass-ee): Human. Former ruler of Nimphalls.
Pendalyn (pen-dah-lin): Human. Former ruler of Seventia.
Zion (zie-on): Spider-like, Beast. Former ruler of Cam-Wethrin.
Syx (six): Griffon-like, Beast. Former ruler of Sallas.
Quinna (quinn-ah): Human. Former ruler of Amaltheia. Dead.
Joviasson (joe-vie-ass-on): Kraken-like, Beast. Former ruler of Lakemnia.
High King Tor of the Lands of Peace: twelfth member of the Valtanyana, defeated them in the First Era
The Daed: anarchists from the Lands of Men, Lands of Immortals and Lands of Beasts. The loyal followers of the Valtanyana.
Notable Daed Warriors: Lorac, Valtor, Delotha, Azdrach, Hortis, Turon, Narwa
The Grindamars: bounty hunters from the Lands of Immortals
The Zephyrs: bounty hunters from the Lands of Beasts
The Horsemen: (a.k.a. the Horsemen of the Apocalypse) assassins from the Lands of Men
Notable Horsemen: Mythos, Zanthose, Pronose, Cronose
The Flames: A collection of weapons created to defeat the Valtanyana. Also known as the hand-crafted jewels of the universe, each of them is one of a kind.
Emerald Flame of Innocence
Name: Lotesse (low-tess)
Land: Nazole, Lands of Immortals
Weapon: Seashell (Alarm)
Abilities: Speaks all languages, Healing
Ruby Flame of War
Name: Cossisea (caws-iss-ea)
Land: Zanandir, Lands of Immortals
Weapon: Sword (Battle)
Abilities: Telekinesis, Combat Skills
Quartz Flame of Magic
Name: Shezeel (sheh-zeel)
Land: Zanandir, Lands of Immortals
Weapon: Wand (Magic)
Abilities: Mind Control, Possession
Carnelian Flame of Healing
Name: Tiki (tee-kee)
Land: Terra (Earth), Lands of Men
Weapon: Lantern (Imprison)
Abilities: Absorb Darkness, Healing
Iolite Flame of Death
Name: Isadora (eesah-door-ah)
Land: Avrigost, Land of the Dead
Weapon: Staff (Battle)
Abilities: Touch of Death
Azurite Flame of Knowledge
Name: Clamose (clam-ohss)
Land: Nimphalls, Lands of Men
Weapon: Crown (Knowledge)
Abilities: Absorbs knowledge through touch, Empathy
Citrine Flame of Hope
Name: Laurelin (law-rell-lynn)
Land: Sallas, Lands of Immortals
Weapon: Shield (Shield)
Abilities: Alter Memories, Healing
Obsidian Flame of Justice
Name: Klavotesi (claw-voe-tess-ee)
Land: Amaltheia (am-al-thee-ah), Lands of Men
Weapon: Scythe (Judgment)
Abilities: Psychic, Lie Detection, Sees worst crimes
Amethyst Flame of the Apocalypse
Name: Kaliel (cal-ee-elle)
Land: Evennses, Avristar
Weapon: Unknown (Apocalypse)
Abilities: Psychic, Healing, Transmutation
The Ferrymen / Valkyries:
Children from twelve chosen families, appointed to keep the Vultures/Wraiths at bay, and send souls to the Great Hall. All chosen boys are Ferryman, all chosen girls are Valkyries. They generally serve for approximately 10,000 years.
Lands of Men:
Terra: Davlin Tavesin, Krishani Mekallow Mekelle Tavesin
Amaltheia: Ambrose Telper, Aknar Telper
Nimphalls: Jenima Markesh, Kazazar Markesh
Matakasha: Noella Yessenia, Gemma Yessenia
Lands of Immortals:
Nazole: Orli Oroshole, Owlen Oroshole
Azaroth: Anna Etanna, Keiran Etanna
Remnia: Kammal Felspar, Kelly Felspar
Sallas: Corlawn Ganglin, Malix Ganglin
Lands of Beasts:
Angrenoth: Braggoloch Zebner, Sarquind Zebner
Dacnad: Adela Ankalia, Sri Ankalia
Lakemnia: Rama Uthman, Marius Uthman
/> Veldemar: Damaris Vinemar, Nerissa Vinemar
SETTINGS GUIDE:
Isle of Avristar (see map):
Orlondir (Oar-lawn-deer): Royal City, located in the center of the Island.
Elmare Castle (elle-marr-ee): located in Orlondir, it’s where Fire Festivals happen, and where the Lord and Lady live.
Mount Tirion (tier-ee-on): located to the East of Elmare Castle, it is where the Gatekeeper lives and where Avristar herself can be summoned.
Hawklin (hawk-lynn): one of the towns in the province of Orlondir.
Amersil (am-er-sill): located in the West, this is where the handpicked Brothers of Amersil are trained.
Araraema (air-rah-ray-ma): located in the East, this is where the handpicked Sisters of Araraema are trained.
Evennses (evan-sess): located in the South, this is where the rest of the kinfolk are trained.
House of Kin: located in Evennses, it is where the kinfolk live while being trained.
Desaunius’s Cottage: located in Evennses, this is her home.
Nandaro: located in the North, it is host to villages of Centaurs, Kiirar, Shee, Feorns, and others who are considered permanent residents of Avristar. They often stay to their own affairs.
Mallorn’s Cabin: located in Nandaro, it is very close to the Northeast Shores.
Village of the Shee: located in Nandaro, it is very close to Avred.
Gargoyle’s Keep: located in Nandaro, these are the Northeast shores, where the boats go to and from Avristar. They are often manned by a gargoyle, and most travel at night when gargoyles aren’t stone.
The Waterfall: located at the border of Orlondir and Araraema, it’s an unnamed river that leads to the lake surrounding Avristar.
The Lake: less of a lake and more of a sea, it’s endless until someone activates the mists that allow the kinfolk to travel to other lands (like the Lands of Men)
The Lands of Men (Avristar Quadrant):
Terra (tara): Earth, circa 7000BCE. (see timeline)
Amaltheia (am-al-thee-ah): One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars. The Obsidian Flame lives here.
Nimphalls: One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars. Shimma, Kuruny and Kazza lived here.
Arathia: One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars. The Armies of Avristar have been here for years, fighting against factions of Daed Warriors.
Matakasha: One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars.
Ronannon: One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars.
Seventia: One of the seven Lands of Men in the Lands Across the Stars.
The Lands of Immortals (Avrigard Quadrant):
Nazole: home to Elvens, Shee, Centaurs, Dwarves, Queen Satarine, and Lotesse, the Emerald Flame of Innocence.
Zanandir: home to Elvens, Cossisea, the Ruby Flame of War and Shezeel, the Quartz Flame of Magic.
Talanisdir: home to Elvens, former home of Mallorn, attacked by Rahedra in the First Era.
Cryzole: home to Draconians and Dragons.
Windella: home to Fae and Shee.
Sallas: home to Griffons and Elvens, and Laurelin the Citrine Flame of Hope.
Metaphis: home to Elvens, former home of Turon, Daed Warrior. Technologically advanced.
Tempia: former home of Tempies, Desaunius and High King Tor. Destroyed by Kaliel The Amethyst Flame of the Apocalypse in the First Era.
Azaroth: home to Fae and Shee.
Remnia: home to Centaurs, Minotaurs, Unicorns and other magical creatures.
Draconis: home to Draconians and Dragons.
Perfias: home to Merfolk, Nymphs and other sea creatures.
Somtoma: home to Elvens, Fae, Shee, and Phoenixes.
The Lands of Beasts (Avristyr Quadrant):
Hadwen: Drow lands, former home of Delotha, Daed Warrior.
Veldemar: Elven lands, former home of Valtor, Daed Warrior.
Cam’Wethrin: home to every known Beast, Demon, and Creature. Generally a thief’s locale, trading post, marketplace. Home to Lorac’s faction of Daed Warriors.
Angrenoth: home to Mithronians, Goblins, and Crestaos, Lord of the Valtanyana.
Dacnad: Drow lands, the Daed stole a Drow army from the Queen.
Shezzick: home to demons, mostly Banshees and Vultures.
Arachnia: home to big Spiders and other creepy crawly things.
The Land of the Dead (Avrigost Quadrant):
Avrigost: the Land of the Dead. Former home to High King Tor, The Valtanyana. Current home to Isadora, The Iolite Flame of Death.
VULTURE
The Ferryman + The Flame
book three
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The Great Library
Nothing was ever really perfect.
Kemplan dangled from a rung on the ladder, high in the skies of the library. Stacks upon stacks of books stuffed into shelves in any manner lay around him. Spines rusted with old age decayed in front of him. He scanned the worn etchings of symbols in search of the book he needed.
The last book.
The one about the Ferryman and the Flame, their original disastrous end. Specifically it was named after her, the Flame, but the book chronicled the chaos, burning, suffering. Nothing from that time survived. All of it combusted, life splattered into stars and patterns of spilled milk on an endless black sky.
Kemplan was supposed to burn it.
Of all the methods of destroying information, the only way to cleanse anything from the Great Library for certain was to burn it. The parchment should have burned, but its vile message refused to be snuffed from existence. It was destined to live on, continually threatening the very miracle of life hanging by threads.
Kemplan moved his hand over the spines, some of them flapping and detaching from the covers. His fingers splayed across a damaged book and when he removed his hand the spine fell into the abyss below him. The fireplace was so far away. All he had were thin ribbons of light from an artificial sun hanging over him.
He glanced at the book with the missing spine and pulled it off the shelf. He would have to mend it. There was needle and thread in a box under his leather chair. That would do the trick, stitch it up and all would be fine.
He turned the book over in his hands carefully, trying not to drop the front or back cover. He ran a finger through the dust and gasped. His foot faltered, he tripped and fell into the shadows, the book falling above him. It quickened past him and slammed on the floor. He cursed under his breath and waited for the collision. The fall shook his feeble body hard. He blinked and waited for his nerves to begin firing.
He was used to this incessant immortality, no fear of death, but longing for it. Time had passed in sparks since Tor ordered him to destroy the books about the Flames.
And he had.
He found every single one of them save for the last. He coughed and rolled onto his side, the book beside him pristine, no further damaged. He rummaged for the spine and found it. Stretching across the creaky worn floorboards he pulled himself to his knees. Flickering light from somewhere unknown flashed across the cover of the book.
He recognized the title.
Cassareece.
It was another name he never wanted to hear again. Of the eleven Lords and Ladies of the Valtanyana, Cassareece was the one obsessed with the pursuit of perfection. He didn’t need to open the book to know the tale, it was still told to little elven children on Nazole and Talanisdir.
Cassareece was a vain woman with an obsessive heart. She wanted perfection, assassinated what was imperfect, and fought to perfect what was hopeless.
Sometimes an act of sainthood isn’t saintly at all, and soon Cassareece and her fetishes for pretty clothes, endless summers and beautiful architecture caught up with her. The people lashed out. No matter how much they slaved over her need for perfection, nothing was ever good enough.
Cassareece hunted them, ended their lives with her bare hands, silenced their cries
with her own. She left their rotting carcasses to bleed in the streets of her peaceful kingdom.
Kemplan waddled over to the end table next to the leather chair and set the book on it. He would have burned it, but it wasn’t about the Flames. He settled into the chair and glanced at the salamanders. Their shapes flashed fast and furious, like fish jumping out of water, their sheer glittery scales caught by the glint of sunlight for a second before they splashed back into the pond. He picked up the needle and thread from the box under his chair, and began stitching the book together.
Cassareece wasn’t the worst of the Valtanyana, but she was deadly in her own way. He glanced at the high ceiling of the library, his thoughts still circling around the last book about the Flames, about her, The Amethyst Flame.
Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She's married to a chef/comic book shop owner and has a fondness for architecture. She frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit her site: www.yafantasyauthor.com
If you like these stories, be sure to share them with your friends!
Also by Rhiannon Paille:
Death Sentence (Last City on Earth #1)
East Side Boy (Last City on Earth #2)
Carnival (Last City on Earth #3)
Last City on Earth Vol. 1
Surrender (The Ferryman + The Flame #1)
Lantern & Poison (The Ferryman + The Flame #1.5)
Integrated Intuition: A Comprehensive Guide to Psychic Development
JUSTICE (The Ferryman + The Flame #2) Page 30