Dismissing the young courier, Martin smiled. Selena scurried over, excited at the delivery.
“This must be the head of Donald of Goldstone that you promised to bring me,” said Selena, as she stroked the shoulders of the Prophet. “Quick, open it for me…open it for me at once!”
Taking a knife from the cheese platter, Martin loosened the wrapping around the box. Opening the lid, a gruesome sight awaited him…a bloodied neck and bulging eyes that had popped nearly out of their sockets.
It was none other than the head of Balek Brown!
The horrified shrieking of Selena and the enraged cries of the Prophet followed Isabella and the courier as they fled the palace grounds toward the safety of Stonegate.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…
Psalm 23:4a
†
Afterword
The tale of Stonegate takes place a bit more than a century in the future after the collapse of civilization in North America. After decades of recovery, the society is in some ways similar to the medieval period in Europe. There is a common language, related to English. Many of the crafts and trades found here would be familiar to our ancestors. But with the progress beyond subsistence existence, the old scourge of mankind, war, also makes a reappearance.
The affairs of humans have drastically changed, but the landscape, climate, flora, and fauna remain largely the same. Walled towns have taken the place of some of the old cities. Stonegate is the transformed town of Fort Collins. Hightower once was called “Denver.” Junction was formerly known as “Grand Junction.” The resort town of Steamboat Springs has had its name shortened to “Steamboat.” Bethuel and Ariel have no earlier counterpart. Lady Lilith’s keep is near the town once known as “Kremmling.”
Terrain features have also changed names. The Front Range of Colorado is now known as the “Western Wall.” The Colorado River has been corrupted to “Kolaroo.” Likewise, the Cache la Poudre River changed to “Cash River.” Vail Pass is called by people in Ariel “First Pass.” But the descriptions of these places is intended to faithfully represent what would be found on the ground.
The Prophet and his new religion are not intended to be typical of anything that existed before. They represent a corruption and perversion of some 21st Century beliefs, but that is all they are intended to represent.
A third volume in the Stonegate series is scheduled for release in 2017.
The False Prophet (Stonegate Book 2) Page 40