Iron Clash (Legend of the Iron Flower Book 7)
Page 26
The Red Rider - After killing the werewolf that took her grandmother's life, a young girl is outcast from her village over the perceived taint from contact with the lycanthrope. A decade later she is the famous Red Rider, slayer of hundreds of werewolves. When she learns of a new breed of more intelligent lupines, her skills are put to the ultimate test, and even the help of other warriors such as overweight knight Herbert and cage fighting champion Evie may not be enough to overcome the rising threat. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JBTNXUA/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Fists Against Fear - When financially struggling mixed martial arts fighter Jason accepts an illegal underground bout out of desperation, he meets his match in a mysterious iron-fisted young woman named Cheryl. They find each other to be kindred souls, and strike up a fast friendship. But after Jason learns of Cheryl's history of battling dark creatures and it comes back to haunt her, the two of them must stand together against supernatural evil. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KK41O2O/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Raiders of the Dry Coast - Julius knows nobody wants to be friends with the bodyguard of an insane wizard. Having served Zog all his life, he wonders if there can be more for him than being the lonely companion to someone who views him as little more than a helpful pet. He finally quits after his master drags him off to hellish worlds full of slimy tentacles in search of power over life and death. Julius comes home alone, only to discover Zog's magic has dried up the sea on which the surrounding countries depend. Outlawed by the world, he cuts a deal with a king to help restore stability to the realm in exchange for amnesty. He hires brawling adventurers Claudia and Leon, and the three endure blistering dust storms and desert heat while battling monsters and displaced pirates to bring peace to the coast. After one of them pushes themselves beyond reasonable limits to save his life, Julius learns to open his heart to the carefree young wanderers who become his first real friends. But when a spectre of his past comes back to haunt him, Julius' new friendships and conscience will be tested against that which even he fears. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OW7MXB6/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
GLORIOUS - Ever since she glimpsed Virgil the Champion as a little girl, Gloria knew he was the only one for her. She spends her life dreaming of him, drawing his adventures and trying to teach others to "walk the path of champions." When she gets a chance to watch him fight in a tournament, she eagerly does so only to see him lose to the best warrior in the kingdom. Unable to accept this, Gloria vows to avenge his honor by learning his style in order to defeat his opponent. And so the delusional fangirl begins an unpredictable journey that will change her life, and the world... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TXE253Y/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
The Blackbird's Song - Henry and Andrew are members of the Society for Conserving Artifacts, which seeks to save the relics of ancient civilization from the Last Church which deems them evil. When their efforts anger the church and they find themselves in over their heads, they are saved by Blackbird, a feral girl with superhuman fighting prowess. As the SCA's conflict with the church explodes into all-out war, her abilities become their only hope of breaking the tyrannical institution's hold over the continent. But when the truth behind the church's actions comes out, Blackbird and her new friends' resolve will face its toughest test. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XXEJKCO/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
The Brazen Blade - When her sickly brother is unable to attend military school as planned, young noblewoman Kathryn goes in his place. She impresses instructors and peers alike with her sword skills, and gains notoriety among them along with the nickname Kath the Blade. When one of her new friends is targeted by mysterious assassins and flees the school, she decides to follow in order to protect him. But even confident Kath is little prepared for the monsters, mercenaries, assassins, and scheming masterminds who stand in their way. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0172VJZT6/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Hammer Out A Future - In a world devastated by magical war, mercenaries Lars and Allen search for a way to heal the head injury Allen suffered during the conflict that destroyed most of civilization. On a job they meet Cart-Dragger, a warrior with a giant hammer whose deeds have made her a living legend. After she saves them from one of the God Soldiers, elemental giants once used as living weapons, they join forces with her to help rebuild her city. When the remnants of the empire that started the war attempt to rise again and take back control of the monstrous legions they once commanded, it falls to Cart-Dragger and friends to stop them. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018Q5MAAI/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Hammer Out A Path - After stopping the remnants of the Red Empire from reclaiming the world, legendary warrior duchess Cart-Dragger and her new allies finally make significant progress in the restoration of her city. When she expands her horizons and tries to mediate a conflict between two neighboring cities, she arrives just in time for one of them to be attacked by a sea monster army of unknown origin. Amidst ominous whispers of "the race of evil," Cart-Dragger must figure out whether old enemies are at it again or if the world faces a frightening new threat. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4EVQZP/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
First of Spears - Young prince Theo of Egrent longs for a way out of his impending arranged marriage with a boring earl's daughter. His life is changed by the arrival of Claire, a foreign diplomat and warrior known as the First of Spears who comes bearing demands from her liege. They swiftly fall for each other, but the power struggle between their kingdoms threatens to drive a wedge between them. As a third nation aided by a dark sorcerer seeks to invade Egrent and a mysterious new champion appears purporting to defend it, the pair must overcome all odds if they are to be together at last. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CKSBZOO/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Duskfall - After famously aloof general Eliza learns that Prince Milton plans to steal the crown, she leaves the battlefront to warn her king of his brother's treachery. When things don't go as planned and she loses her strongest allies, she must find new ones alongside young archer Charles who discovered the prince's plot. Along the way, she forges new friendships and learns to open her heart again. But Prince Milton's ambitions go beyond the throne, and all Eliza has may not be enough to stop him. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FB4OF3C/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Always Walk Forward - In a world wracked with eternal war between winged Anjeli and frightful Daimons, humans take shelter in magically shielded cities. Sam, the orphaned teenage daughter of a guard, lives and works happily with the other kids taken in by a playhouse director. Everything changes when her fellow young actor Eli is abducted without explanation by the secret police known as the Paladins. Calling upon the training from her late father, she sets out into the dangerous wilds alongside Eli's adoptive brother Vincent and Drea, a mysterious warriorlike older girl staying with them, to save their friend. But even as they make more allies and grow in resolve and strength, it remains to be seen if it will be enough against the Daimons and other perils that lie before them. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LG21OX2/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
The Unworthy and The Damned - When a revolutionary claiming to be a Nephilim descended from fallen angels plunged the land into civil war, it fell to the strongest of warriors, Princess Eleanor to stop him. Years later after the princess is thought to have grown complacent, young merchant's daughter Celia is attacked by assassins while out on routine business. With the help of sympathetic assassin Edge and healer-in-training Lina, Celia investigates while being hounded by hired killers including a powerful necromancer at every step. But when the motives behind her family being targeted go deeper into the kingdom's secrets than expected, she may find herself in way over her head. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XQGP77X/?tag=bilthestaarts-20
Also check out my short stories here! http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=n:133140011,k:billy+wong+short+story&keywords=billy+wong+short+story&ie=UTF8&qid=1424913116
Sample of next in the Iron Flower series, Iron Seeds
Briefly halting her slough through the wet, muddy cave, Amber looked back at her brother lagging behind and demanded, "Sheesh, Jacob,
what's up with you? You're moving like a tortoise."
"There could be traps in here. Or worse, monsters."
"If there are, we'll just kill them," she replied casually in a voice slightly higher than her frame would suggest.
Jacob stared at his sister, and wished again that he'd inherited the same heroic traits as her. A tall, well-built teenager with a meaty face and long, flowing dark hair, Amber looked very much her mother's daughter, while her confidence mirrored that of her father in his youth. Like both of them, she seemed a natural warrior, cool in the face of danger. Their parents of course being Rose and Finn, the two greatest warriors of Kayland who had brought spellcasting back to the world.
Though they were twins, Jacob often wondered just how he and his sister could be so different, both in mind and body. Though he dressed much like her in a tan leather vest and gloves over a black undershirts and sturdy breeches, and was nearly her equal as a fighter at least on the practice field, the similarities ended there. Shorter, doughty, shy, and easily frightened, he felt hardly suited to treasure hunting in the old lair of the Flying Vipers alongside his adventurous sister. They didn't need more money. But here he was, if only out of fear for what could happen to Amber alone, and hating the experience.
Walking deeper into the gang's former hideout, the twins saw big, rough wooden double doors with the words "No Trespassers" scrawled in red-brown letters across both of them. Jacob's first reaction was to ask, "Shouldn't we not go in there?"
"There's nobody inside. Mom killed the lot of these outlaws months ago, when they tried to kidnap the king at the Gustrone Great Fair."
That much was true, at least to the best of Jacob's knowledge. But what if all the thieves hadn't taken part and some thus survived, or they had left their pets behind? Instead of trying to talk Amber out of her dangerous intentions directly, though, he mused, "If the gang's been out of commission so long, shouldn't any treasure they kept here be long gone by now?"
She didn't have any trouble seeing through his attempt to discourage her, and smiled as she assured, "I'll protect you, Corn Cob." Stupid nickname! He did love the food, but certainly not the moniker his sister had assigned him thanks to it.
Amber fearlessly threw open the doors that led to their possible doom, and they found themselves gazing into a dry chamber elevated higher than the rest of the cave. A sizable amount of gold and diverse gems lay scattered over the floor, and forgetting his fears Jacob stepped forward to get a better look.
"Get back!" Amber cried as she grabbed him by the back of the collar and jerked him back, right before a large sword slashed through the air where he'd been standing. Falling on his butt after a stumble back, he felt momentarily embarrassed before fear of the tall, lean man who stepped into view before the portal took over. To think, he was supposed to be the cautious one... but now they both had a major problem.
The pointy-jawed man, who Jacob now noticed wore mail under his leather jerkin, snapped, "What, more intruders?! Young ones, I see. Go on, get out of here and I'll let you live another day."
Jacob breathed a great sigh of relief at their narrow escape. But then Amber did something that made his heart nearly leap out his throat. "I bet you're a member of the Flying Vipers, aren't you?" she said with a smile. "You better surrender before I have to take you in by force. I'm Rose Agen's daughter, you know."
What the hell was Amber doing, trying to arrest this surely hardened brigand by themselves?! Being no road watchman, Jacob now felt really scared. "She didn't mean it, sir, she was kidding! We're leaving now..."
But it proved too late. The annoyance in the man's face had been replaced by what looked to be pure hatred, and he bared his teeth as he snarled, "Rose's girl? You're going to pay for your mother did to my friends!"
Oh, no. The outlaw's blade flashed down, and Jacob fought not to panic while Amber jumped back and drew her own mighty bastard sword. What was he going to do? He knew he should do something, but was all but paralyzed by fear. Barely did he notice the glare Amber shot him, no doubt at his inaction.
He watched in horror while his sister and her taller, more experienced opponent battled frantically, the man apparently trying to overwhelm her before Jacob mustered enough courage to come to her aid, her just to survive. She might actually have been stronger than her foe, but he had more skill and greater reach, and rapidly pushed her back in a desperate retreat. A hard punch to the jaw knocked her off balance, and a bloody line appeared across her arms and chest. She gasped in pain. Slowing down, she began to take more wounds.
Amber ducked a vicious slash at her head enough that it only grazed her scalp and grappled her opponent as blood soaked her hair. He slammed his hilt into her forehead, opened up a cut over her eye and dropped her to the ground. Jacob knew he had to do something, and forced himself into action. But even as he finally drew the hand axe at his belt and started forward, the man turned and slashed into his forearm. Feeling a sudden burn, he shrieked and fell, dropping his weapon.
Torchlight glinted off the sword point streaking towards his throat and Jacob closed his eyes, not wanting to see his death. But he didn't feel the mortal pain he expected, and instead heard a feminine grunt, then a scream of male anguish followed by the sound of running footsteps. Slowly Jacob opened his eyes, ready to congratulate Amber on her victory. His words died in his throat as he sat up and saw what'd happened. His sister leaned sitting against the wall next to the double doors, her opponent's severed hand limp on the ground—and his sword buried in her middle.
Jacob's mouth went incredibly dry as he took in her terrible wound. The wide blade was stuck fully through her abdomen, its back half and the hilt jutting into the air in front of her body and the tip protruding from her lower back. Though her eyes were still alert and somehow calm, the gravity of her injury was clear, and Jacob's stomach rebelled at her dark red blood pouring out around the edges of the hole through her body. As he vomited, she stared at him and gasped, "Help me, Jacob. I'm in a lot of pain... maybe you could sew me up like mom taught us?"
The thought of removing the blade from her innards, let alone touching the hideous emissions that would come after, sent another wave of nausea through Jacob. He continued to retch onto the cave floor. "Wait, Amber. I h-have to catch my breath."