Champion Of The Gods - Box Set
Books 1-5
Andrew Q. Gordon
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Champion of the Gods®
Books 1-5
© 2020 Andrew Q. Gordon.
Cover Art
© 2020 AngstyG.
www.angstyg.com
Map Artwork
© 2020 Catherine Dair
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
Champion of the Gods is a registered trademark® and may not be used without the written permission of the owner – Andrew Q. Gordon.
To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Andrew Q. Gordon, P.O. Box 1654, College Park, MD 20741, USA, visit www.andrewqgordon.com, or send an email to [email protected].
Contents
The Last Grand Master
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
The Eye And The Arm
Dedication
Acknowledgments
What Came Before
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kings Of Lore & Legend
Acknowledgments
What Came Before
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Child of Night and Day
Acknowledgments
What Came Before
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Forty
Forty-One
Forty-Two
Forty-Three
Forty-Four
Forty-Five
When Heroes Fall
Maps of Nendor
Dedication
Acknowledgments
What Came Before
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapte Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Epilogue
Appendix
About the Author
Where To Find Me
The Last Grand Master
Dedication
To Michael, for twenty years and counting and for encouraging me to write; and to Isobel, because you steal my heart every day.
Acknowledgments
There are several people without whose help this never would have been published. E.J. at Gay Authors for taking a chance on me when no one else had. Cia for helping me get this down to size. Amber, for being the best damn beta reader on the planet. Lorraine, for teaching me how to write better and for the “family discount.” Elizabeth and everyone at Dreamspinner for taking a chance on me. And Michael for pushing me to write again and for putting up with me every day for the past eighteen years. A very special thank-you to Augusta Li for the map. Despite a short deadline, low-quality rough draft, and some unclear directions from me, you did an amazing job.
Author’s Note
Author’s Note
This story was originally titled Chosen of Honorus and commissioned by the Gay Authors website for their premium content section.
Chapter One
PRINCE FARRELL of Haven sat cross-legged, hovering three feet above the ground, dwarfed by the stone pillars on either side of him. A gentle spring breeze swept softly over his skin and lifted his long brown hair as he faced the mountains. The morning sun had just crept over the horizon to begin its westward journey.
Stifling a yawn, he shook his head, remembering how his mentors had talked him into getting up this early. Next time they offered to make him dinner, he needed to find an excuse to eat elsewhere.
He closed his eyes and felt the area around him, from the dips and curves in the land forming a shallow bowl before him to the hoof-hardened Plains of Gharaha at his back.
The nape of his neck tickled as a droplet of sweat ran down, but he tuned it out, feeling instead for flaws in the rock in front of him. He needed the dimensions to be perfect. Anything less threatened his chances of defeating Meglar, the greatest and darkest wizard of their time.
Balance and symmetry, that’s how this weapon would work. He blinked, satisfied. The twin stone monoliths were six hundred feet apart and fifty feet tall. A section of the mountains had been smoothed and polished to a height of exactly three hundred feet. From tip to tip, his work extended one mile on either side of the gates directly in front of him. When closed, the gates would be entirely undetectable. Even by a great wizard. Even by the greatest wizard.
Yes, the left side felt perfect; now for the right.
As he closed his eyes and refocused on the right side, an eagle screeched in the distance. Another screech cut through the air, and with it came a tingle. No matter how he tried to ignore the piercing sound, he couldn’t. No ordinary bird called to him.
Reaching out with his senses, he tried and failed to locate what his ears told him he should find. Startled and annoyed, he roused himself and looked up. A pair of brilliant blue eyes, mere inches from his face, greeted him.
Discipline and training couldn’t stop him from pulling back. Mouth agape, he stared at the enormous white eagle hanging motionless before him. An avatar.
“Most Holy Sky Father,” Farrell said, slowly lowering one leg and then the other to kneel before the image of Honorus, first of the gods. “How may I serve you?”
“Rise, favored son. Your labors in My service have earned you the right to stand tall before Me.”
Farrell stood and took a quick breath. The force of an avatar’s voice in his mind always unnerved him. He sought some measure of calm in the pale blue eyes of his god.
“My Sister, Lenore, has need of you. She will send Her servant, who will explain what is required. Her need is great, and, loath though I am to ask you to suspend your work here, I believe this will ultimately aid you in the fight with Meglar. I ask that you accompany Her servant and render such aid as you may.”
Farrell bowed his head once in acknowledgment. “Master, whatever assistance I may give, I shall. Can I know the nature of the aid they require? And how will I know Her messenger?”
Did he see amusement in the avatar’s eyes? Could an avatar even be amused? “You will be told of your task by Her servant, and you will know Her servant on sight.”
“I hear Your words, Lord, and will serve Your Sister to the best of my abilities.”
“I expect no less of you, my son.” The white eagle began to fade, adding, “Know this, Farrell. On this quest you will find your mate among those who serve Lenore. Be not afraid to embrace love even in these trying times. Strength can be found in the love of another. Do not maintain the walls you built to shelter yourself from hurt. The union between you and My Sister’s servant will grant you strength in the difficult tasks that await you both. Consider it My gift for your unswerving devotion to Me and the arduous path I set you on. My blessings on you and your labors.” With that, Honorus vanished, leaving Farrell to mull His words.
Before he could digest what had happened, detection spells warned him that someone approached. Thoughts of avatars and a life partner vanished as years of training spurred him to action. Peering across the almost-empty prairie, Farrell instinctively gathered power.
Still some distance away, a mount galloped hard toward his position. Flat, treeless, and magically kept free of tall grass and scrub, Gharaha offered little cover for any who made their way through the hidden, guarded pass. Yet the rider had made it more than halfway across the plains already. Why hadn’t the spells worked properly?
Farrell scanned the prairie, using magic to be sure only one horse rode toward him. He focused on the solitary figure. Closer—impossibly closer, he realized.
“Could it be?” he whispered to the cold stones beside him. Enhancing his sight again, he confirmed his suspicions—no rider. He smiled. Beyond any doubt, Lenore’s messenger had arrived.
Having fought Meglar his whole adult life, he readied a defensive spell out of habit. Exhaling, he let the power drain away. One did not greet Lenore’s messenger with aggression unless he fancied the wrath of the goddess. He shook his head. Not particularly. And Honorus had been clear: Lenore wanted—no, required—his help to fight Meglar.
Ignoring how naked he felt, he breathed deeply, noting how fast the mount closed the still-considerable distance between them. Surely he had time to go inside to alert his staff?
Checking again, he decided he might not. No, better to wait.
A unicorn. He studied it as it galloped toward him. Brilliant green eyes and pink, flaring nostrils with a pure white coat shining softly, as if the unicorn had just completed a light morning run. How incredible.
He lost track of how long he stared, but when he blinked, the messenger had nearly reached him. Definitely a good thing I stayed, he decided.
With a grace belying its speed, the unicorn charged up to him. For a moment he wondered if it would race past him in a whizzing blur, but it halted an arm’s length from him.
“Wizard.” The voice in his mind was definitely feminine and less overpowering than the avatar’s. “Blessings from Her holiness, Lenore. The Blessed Mother sends Her regards to the Prince of Haven and seeks your assistance.”
Champion of the Gods Box Set Page 1