A Game of Blades
an excerpt

All life is touched by magic and is connected by it. When something disastrous happens all life is affected. Not all people can use magic, or if they can, they don’t know they can, but for those few, they can feel disturbances or looming apprehension of terrible things to come.

PROLOGUE

The silence was chilling. Not even the wind dared to breathe across the plains of Irone or through the giant ancient forests of Saranath. Environments normally teeming with life were now silent with trepidation, an ominous sign to those few who interpreted them.

‘Awaken’ breathed a chilling female voice into the mind of the decrepit old man. The cabin surrounding the man was dark, cold and lifeless.
‘Your time is not up yet old man. You may try to escape me century after century but you will not leave my services until you have fulfilled your oath, to right your wrong.’
‘Why won’t you let me die?’ came a husky plead from the shell of what was once a strong warrior.
‘A doom is fast approaching and I need you to train another Legion of Five’ echoed the voice.
‘That means…’ a racking cough interrupted.
‘Yes, you know as well as I Scribe that the darkness is fast approaching. Many years the five nations have stagnated and become weak. That I couldn’t interfere with, but as for her entering my world…that is a different matter.
‘She may have infiltrated my world with her “Swords”, but I assure you that will never happen again… Now as to the matter of you my little warrior-scribe…you are definitely no use to me in this enfeebled state.’
The old man sighed and looked across the cabin he had made his home for the last decade. It was sparsely furnished covered in grime. The only thing that was not remotely filthy was a scabbard containing two long swords draped across the back of his only chair, sitting at a table littered with scattered pieces of paper.
He closed his eyes and spoke. ‘I’d prefer not to be of use to anyone...especially you.’ ‘It’s a pity for you then that you don’t have that choice. You will do as I tell you and I won’t let you die until the blood oath is fulfilled, even if it takes centuries!’ she said harshly.
‘Centuries ago you said “Eternal life” Goddess, Til’rihannah!’ He stressed her title. ‘You neglected to mention that I would grow senile and vile to look at.’
‘Just one of the perks of betraying me I guess.’ She said harshly. ‘Now I have the power to make you young and handsome again, however I don’t know if I should. Maybe I should just send you out into the world to do as I command you as this feeble old man?’
The man just stared blankly out the window. It was as if he thought the question didn’t need a response.
‘However’ she continued. ‘I imagine that you would do a very poor and slow job, so I will give you back your youth. Just be warned Xavaan, I will not tolerate failure.’
Xavaan closed his eyes as he felt a warm tingling sensation slowly creeping over his skin. It started at his chest, right over his heart, and spread over the surface of his whole body.
Suddenly the sensation stopped. He opened his eyes and looked at his hands resting on his legs. They were young and creaseless again. The age spots that once adorned their surface were now gone.
He knew now that he must start right away. He walked over to the chest in the far corner of his home. Crouching he rested his hands on the lid. He remembered the final time the chest had been closed, the items inside shut away from the world, ten years ago. He had viewed the world differently to the way he did now. A decade in a remote place had changed him. After seemingly endless time he had to consider the world, he now had a bleaker view of it.
Xavaan gently blew the dust off the chest’s lid. A lightly shined surface was exposed. He lifted his hands, the dust under them had not been blown away, had clung. In disgust he wiped them briskly on his faded grey trousers.
Xavaan opened the lid and exposed the contence to fresh air once again. The rolls of parchment were exactly as he had left them. He started to rifle through them.
After several minutes he stopped, he had spied the exact document he was looking for. His eyes scanned it.
The easiest member to find first was the elven child.