The Mantle of Darkness: Whill of Agora Book 7: Legends of Agora
Page 23
Gretzen nodded knowingly and slapped his cheek softly. She turned from him as she began to fade.
“Will I see you again?” said Whill.
“Perhaps,” she said with a grin as she glanced over her shoulder and disappeared. “Perhaps.”
Whill returned to the palace and went straight to his quarters. He had made plans with Avriel to bring the children to the base of the Thousand Falls for a picnic. Hearing a melodic song coming from the bedroom, he slowed and crept to the door. He looked in and saw Avriel sitting by the window in a rocking chair of twisted vine, nursing the children. Whill stood there listening and taking in the beautiful sight. The sun shone in on his family, illuminating Arra’s curly blonde hair with such golden light as to make a dwarf jealous. Avriel glowed as well, her sun-browned skin seemed as smooth as a tumbled tiger’s eye stone. His tears refracted the colors like diamond light, and magic sparked in that image, one that he wanted to remember forever.
Avriel’s song continued, filling the room with warmth and echoing off the stone walls, giving her angelic voice a dreamlike quality. Whill waited until the last word rang out and stepped through the threshold. Avriel glanced over at him, smiling at him the way no one ever had, save Lunara. There was such a deep love in her eyes as to leave Whill awestruck and staring, caught up in the moment as he was.
His mind flashed back to the moment when the long journey had begun, and he smiled to himself to think of Abram again. He thought of the wolf attack, and the match in the Fendale arena against Rhunis nearly two years ago. So much had happened to him in such a short time, and he felt a pang of sorrow to know that the young man who had set out on this adventure was gone forever. Whill had been broken, beaten. His mind had been shattered and had nearly destroyed itself. He thought of the Other, knowing that he was still in there somewhere. The Other had never truly left, and Whill had never really won; they had found a truce, and had melded together in harmony, creating a better version of himself than any one side would have been.
He had found peace as well, and love. The first time he laid eyes upon Avriel, he knew that he had been ruined for all women for all time. Now she sat before him, gently rocking their twins and humming an elven nursing song.
Avriel had given him the family that he never had, and Lunara had given him the time to enjoy them.
He vowed then to name his second daughter in her honor.
“I love you,” Avriel mouthed, as not to wake the sleeping children.
Whill smiled, knowing that he was the luckiest man in Agora.
I love you too.
The story continues in Whill of Agora 8
Coming in 2017
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read the Whill of Agora series this far. I cannot thank you enough for believing in me during the early years, when I was just beginning to find my voice as an author.
I began writing Whill of Agora in 2004 for my then eight- and five-year-old children. I intended the book to be something that they could pass down to their children, even perhaps add to the story. Being that I never intended to publish the book, as the Kindle had yet to be invented for another three years, I filled the book with just about every fantasy trope I could think of. Some reviewers have complained that it seemed at first a children’s book, and that is because indeed, it was. But as the children grew, so did Whill, and so did I as a writer. The story got more complex; it came alive, took on a life of its own, and soon began to write itself.
Roakore marched into the picture one day on the side of a mountain. I was delighted to meet him, and he is still my favorite character to write. I don’t “make up” his dialogue, but rather hear what Roakore might say in any given situation. He often makes me laugh out loud, which might sound strange to some, including my dog.
After Roakore came another of my favorite characters, Dirk Blackthorn. I think that Dirk was subconsciously created as a result of reviewers who said that all the heroes were just too “good.” Now, I like the idea of clear-cut heroes, but hey, I listen to my readers, and above all else, try to give them a reading experience to remember. So I created Dirk in book two, and with him came Krentz and the spirit wolf Chief, whose origin story became the Talon Windwalker Trilogy. I would like to thank those readers who pushed me to create them. Their adventures have been a joy to write.
Next came Philo and Helzendar, Holdagozz, Aurora, Azzeal, Zorriaz, General Marshall, Justice Walker, Gretzen, Kellallea, Reshikk, Raene, Zander, the Watcher, and a plethora of other characters. It seemed like everyone wanted to join the party (even Whill’s alter ego).
At times the story felt like it was getting too big to tell, but I have tried my best. Right when I think that the story is over, something else happens that opens up new paths to venture. And from those paths come others. I have now completed the seventh book in a series that I thought would go three books, and then four, and then seven, but now Drindellia begs to be settled by our heroes, and I cannot bring myself to ignore their calls to join them. (Roakore is quite insistent, and I think he might be a little drunk.)
So I will continue the story for at least another three books, and if after that our heroes still have roads to travel and trouble to get out of, I’ll be right there with them.
I hope that you join us, for grand adventure awaits!
With humble appreciation,
Michael James Ploof
Table of Contents
Whill of Agora
Book 7
The Mantle of Darkness
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Table of Contents
Other Books
Map of Agora
Chapter 1
Eldarian’s Prison
Chapter 2
A Mother’s Fears
Chapter 3
A Pleasant Surprise
Chapter 4
The Battle of the Valley of Bones
Chapter 5
Raene’s Decree
Chapter 6
A Warning from the Gods
Chapter 7
A Bittersweet Reunion
Chapter 8
Trouble on Drakkar
Chapter 9
The Wolf
Chapter 10
Arrianna
Chapter 11
Soaringsong
Chapter 12
A Test of Virtue
Chapter 13
A Proposal
Chapter 14
The Hells Hath no Fury like a Dwarf Queen Scorned
Chapter 15
The First of the Guests
Chapter 16
A Hero’s Welcome
Chapter 17
Raining Gold
Chapter 18
Ragnar
Chapter 19
White Wedding
Chapter 20
Avriel’s Announcement
Chapter 21
United We Stand
Chapter 22
All Whispers Ride Upon the Wind
Chapter 23
The Queen of Dragons
Chapter 24
Branding the Nobles
Chapter 25
The Migration Begins
Chapter 26
The People’s Choice
Part 2
Chapter27
Abe and Arra
Chapter 28
The Tenth King of Ro’Sar
Chapter 29
The Dreaded Day
Chapter 30
The Quest Begins
Chapter 31
Council o’ Dwarves
Chapter 32
Violent Seas
Chapter 33
Many Reunions
Chapter 34
Eastward!
Chapter 35
The Ruins of Thyn’Lorallon
Chapter 36
The Lost King of Drindellia
Chapter 37
Velk’Har
Chapter 38
A Dwarf yet Breathes in Velk’Har!
Chapter
39
The Forest of Spears
Chapter 40
Into the Lair of the Dark One
Chapter 41
The Mantle of Darkness
Chapter 42
Fear Thyself
Chapter 43
The Birth of an Age
Chapter 44
Queen’s Landing
Chapter 45
The Gift of Life
The story continues in Whill of Agora 8
Coming in 2017