The goal for 2025 is to self-publish a book. How’s that for an introduction? I started this one up in the pre-covid times, and for some reason got distracted by the whole world-wide pandemic thing and never made it past the first draft. But I’m back now, and have a plan.
To that end, I thought I’d share the first draft of that first chapter. Let me know what you think!
Inkeri shifted in a vain attempt to subdue the itch around the holy symbol burned into her chest. She’d worn her most comfortable tunic, but a second tunic and her heavy cloak dragged across the small metal rose and aggravated her further.
She inhaled the sharp cold air of the Vasti docks and tried to ignore the stench of fish as it crawled down her throat. The bright early morning was not the ideal time for a Dark One to appear or for Harbingers to attack, but her hand settled on the hilt of her sword and her eyes scanned the growing crowd above her again. She wouldn’t be their next victim.
Gravel filled indentations in the eroded stone ground, providing traction on the slick rock for the newcomers. Their ship, Our Sister’s Glory, bumped into the quay to Inkeri’s right as the waves of the northern sea rolled into Vasti’s small harbor. Sailors unloaded cargo as the ten passengers shuffled forward in line to register with a soldier posted at the entrance to Vasti.
A rock wall to her left blocked their immediate access to the town. The slimy stones, unmaintained and falling apart, offered little in the way of defense. Dingy wooden buildings rose behind, each one or two stories tall, meeting the lead-gray sky above them.
Eight townspeople in drab but warm clothing lined the wall and looked down on the new arrivals, silently evaluating them. A few stopped at Inkeri’s sword peeking out under her cloak, but they moved on.
“I don’t think he came,” a man said as he walked back into town.
“What will we do, then?” A woman stopped before the retaining wall. “Its been three months.”
“Four,” another man said. “Four months.”
More people arrived and many left disappointed. A woman in plain brown garb and dark fur coat could not possibly be their savior, even if she did carry a sword.
The wall opened several feet ahead of Inkeri, leaving an eroded incline for new arrivals to climb to enter Vasti. Weeds lay on either side; an offering in lieu of actual flowers to appease the Goddess or scare off the Dark Ones. A soldier in tan trousers and a blue tunic stood at the gap, taking names. The morning sun reflected off the well-shined daisy pin holding the dark cloak at his neck.
A young woman in the flat green robes of an acolyte waited behind the soldier. The acolyte’s black hair lifted behind her in the breeze. She rose on her toes and examined the remaining passengers.
Her eyes met Inkeri’s. Fog from her breath appeared in shorter bursts. She rocked back on her heels and turned her eyes to the sea.
Not what she expected.
Three people remained in line ahead of Inkeri. Bile rose in her throat, though she didn’t know if it was due to stepping off the ship, the terrible stench of fish, or Rosemary’s perfume wafting forward. The refined woman from Pan stood silently behind the mage. Inkeri had told no one on board she was a Venandi, though Rosemary placed her name. Rosemary’s son served as a mage. Inkeri did not admit to knowing him, and Rosemary had kept Inkeri’s secret on the ship.
Inkeri turned her head over her shoulder. “You could go ahead.”
“I don’t think it’d be polite.” Rosemary touched her neck where a fake Thelven necklace lay under the neck of her stiff high collar. “Besides, I look forward to your introduction.”
They wouldn’t have stopped the rich lady in the fancy red dress and lavish fur cloak. But even wealthy women from Pan got nervous about finding their wayward husbands, and Rosemary hid behind the only other woman on board. She’d done her graying hair up in an elegant arrangement of twists and curls for the day.
Inkeri shuffled forward as she glanced behind, then to the side, and again ahead. The sailors continued to secure the ship, the passengers continued to check-in, the dog continued to stare, and the acolyte continued to pretend not to see her. Odd, given the girl had likely been involved in requesting Inkeri’s presence. The acolyte could do nothing about a Dark One, and the shrine’s Cleric only had power if the thing appeared on holy ground.
The request indicated there were no Harbingers involved. Clerics had been wrong about this before, with deadly consequences.
Inkeri took a step forward, damp gravel sinking under her boots. Two more people. At least the ground wasn’t rolling as much as when she’d first disembarked, but she still wanted to sit down and have a drink. Something with honey.
She could teleport herself beyond the line. She could vanish from sight and appear in town, or at the shrine. That would be easier and would relieve the itch on her chest. It would also incite panic, which was probably more annoying than the line.
Inkeri took a step forward, damp gravel sinking under her boots. Did Inkeri’s knee make a creaking noise, or did it only feel like it should? She shook her head; it was almost time to retire.
The spectators on the wall drifted away, uninterested in the rest of the line. No mage had ever visited Vasti, and many assumed they’d wear green. The Clerics wore standard green or white robes. The Venandi wore whatever was available.
One remaining man stood between her and the soldier. He announced himself as a miner, like everyone else who had been in line. Not everyone could be a miner as the town needed other services, but people didn’t sail for the mountains of the north thinking they’d do something different than hunt silver.
The acolyte’s eyes finally darted to Inkeri once more. She fiddled with the clasp of her cloak, then smoothed the garment and pulled it closer around her chest. Most young acolytes hated mages, and Inkeri was probably the first the girl would meet. Perhaps also the last, if the girl never left Vasti. How stressful for the poor dear. She could quickly call Inkeri out of line but wanted the mage to wait.
The new miner stepped past the soldier and acolyte. Inkeri moved into his place. The soldier was young, but tidy and stern. He glanced at her sword. “Name?”
Inkeri turned to the acolyte instead and spoke loudly enough for the whole area to hear her. “I am Inkeri, of Sissa and Tavi, from Mir. The Venandi have received Cleric Kennet’s request, and I am the response.” After an appropriate pause, she added, “For the Goddess.”
The young acolyte’s eyes widened, but she replied stiffly, “For the Goddess. For Dedire.”
“For the Goddess,” the soldier repeated as he stepped back and eyed the mage. His eyes found her sword again, then switched to the other side where her bone knife lay hidden under her cloak.
Some nearby sailors repeated the phrase but paled as they considered why a mage would visit Vasti.
“Praised be the our sister.” The soldier grinned at the acolyte, and then turned to Inkeri. “Evil has visited our town.”
Inkeri nodded. “I am here now.”
The acolyte smiled, the disgustingly perfect skin of her cheeks flush with pride. “I am Nala, of Ella and Mathias, from Vasti. This is Liam of Hetti, Sergeant.”
A rich family’s son, then. Liam nodded. “Ma’am.”
Nala said, “Cleric Kennet sent me to bring you to the shrine.”
Inkeri grunted and passed Liam with a nod. The miner remained transfixed in place.
“Yes,” Inkeri said, “let’s go see Cleric Kennet. How is the old man?”
“He hoped it might be you.” Nala trotted to catch up with Inkeri. “He said you had long, dark hair. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.”
Inkeri smirked. She’d dyed her hair white and chopped it almost all the way off three months earlier.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Nala said.
Inkeri strode around the corner at the top of the hill. The dock area was backwards; it should have opened on the other side to allow new arrivals to enter the main road in town directly. Instead, they had to wind around a long, two-story building, which was oddly quiet for the time of day. “This the brothel?”
“What?” Nala asked.
“I’m guessing the owner here paid to build the dock area to make sure everyone who steps off a ship after more than a month at sea is greeted properly,” Inkeri said. “They’re probably out of business today on account of you being down here.”
The girl pushed hair behind her ear. “I don’t know anything about closing for today, but yes, that is the brothel.”
The two women turned right onto Vasti’s central road, which headed straight south into a large hill at the other end of town. The bell tower of the shrine peeked out above the evergreen trees on the tall incline. Shrines were always placed on a town’s high point. Inkeri grunted at the thought of stairs, but found her mood improved as the road emptied of most people. Someone had shared news of her arrival.
Inkeri scanned the buildings on either side, getting a feel for the town’s layout. A drunk man in furs barged through a door on their right, a song whispered between unsteady steps. He stopped mid-tune when he saw Nala, and took a step back when he saw Inkeri. He nodded and mumbled something, then turned back inside. Inkeri made a note of the tavern; she’d need to return there later. Hopefully, they had good drink.
A sign on a two-story building on their left identified an inn. There’s only be one or two in a town this size, not that Inkeri intended to lodge there. She’d need to check in though, see if anyone remembered a tall, pale man with bright green eyes. A woman inside looked out through one of the windows, but ducked back as Inkeri passed.
“It isn’t normally so empty this time of day,” Nala said. “The Dark Ones have scared people off.”
“I’ve scared people off.” Inkeri didn’t mind. It was normal. Dark Ones usually didn’t do any actual damage themselves, no matter how terrifying people found them, or how much chaos those terrified people caused. Mages were another matter.
Nala nodded, as if she knew this. “Cleric Kennet said you knew each other when you were training?”
The mage rolled her shoulders back. “He was there.”
Inkeri’s steps faltered as the itchy skin around her holy symbol settled, and the rose turned cold. She stopped. The dog started barking behind them at the dock.
Nala cleared her throat. “Cleric Kennet—”
“Wait.” A familiar tug at the edge of Inkeri’s consciousness pulled her attention behind her.
“What?”
The tug turned to a tingle as Inkeri spun. An empty gravel road met her inspection, but the pull came from beyond the wall, below, where the ship had docked. The buried seed of hatred exploded in her chest.
“Get to the shrine.” Inkeri spoke evenly, even as her heart jumped to her throat. Unhooking the clasp at her throat, she swept off her cloak and tossed it at the acolyte.
“Why?” Nala looked down at the heavy garment and then back toward where the road dropped back down onto the shore. “What is there?”
A blood-red dot, soon to be a violent tear, right where I was standing a few minutes ago. Inkeri focused on the spot, somehow clear in her mind though she couldn’t see it with her eyes. “A Dark One. Get to the shrine.”
Although the temperature was already cold enough to freeze water, it dropped suddenly, and Inkeri’s exposed skin stung like the air had slapped her.
“A Dark One?” Nala said. “You have to go then!”
Inkeri closed her eyes and ignored the acolyte. Once someone spotted the tear, chaos would ensue. She could run there, but this would allow her some surprise. She visualized the rocky shore line and the waves, the barrels and crates, and the ground in front of the rift. The air grew tense as she mentally invoked the Goddess.
The first scream came from the quay. “A Dark One!”
Inkeri imagined the sailors spotting the growing tear between the planes, running in fear. Black tendrils of smoke would come through the rip, grab the edges, and expand it further. The sailors would scramble away, possible crushing each other in the rush.
A man rounded the corner, running toward them. “A Dark One!”
“Demons!” The call rushed through the city, carried through the terrified screams, and the expected tremor of panic flew through the air. It was what Dark Ones did best. Doors slammed open as people ran into the street and turned toward the hill and shrine.
The woman who had ducked behind the window ran out, looked toward the dock, and then bolted south toward the shrine. “Goddess save us!”
The Goddess wouldn’t save them. But Inkeri could.
It took only a second, but it always felt as though time slowed. Her holy symbol switched from stinging cold to rapid warming. Nala screamed something about teleportation, but Inkeri was already gone.
For a second before her arrival, she could see her new location as if through hazy clouds. A sailor remained, frozen in fear, where she was to emerge. Inkeri shifted to the right and materialized mere feet from the Dark One as it clawed into the world. Her arrival placed her between the demon and the helpless people of Vasti; a mage their only defense against this evil.
Searing pain sprung from her chest as the holy symbol burned and sent flashes of hot electricity down her arms and up to behind her eyeballs. She gasped, breathing in the scent of burnt roses emanating from her chest. The gift from the Goddess had a price, and it smelled like flowers.
“Run,” she said through gritted teeth to the sailor, his face a blur in her pain. She spit blood onto the ground.
Whatever fear held the sailor in place for the demon released as he scrambled away from the sudden appearance of the mage. He bolted through the gap in the wall and up the gravel path, following the other sailors in their flight from the creature.
The hole to the Dark One’s plane widened and a man-sized demon sprang through, unfurled, and stood upright under its translucent black robes. A wraith, a thing of nightmares, a soldier of a false god, the physical manifestation of a soul who did not worship the Goddess. Evil. It was neither fully in this plane nor completely out of its own, but for now, was more here than there.
She took a step back and found loose gravel for footing. There would be no retreat with the rock wall behind her. Inkeri growled, drew her bone knife from her side, and dropped into a ready stance.
Its sick head twisted as it gazed up at the town and at the humans it came to terrorize.
She followed its stare to her left. Once she bound the Dark One to her plane, it would be able to interact physically with anyone nearby. And that was not ideal for anyone.
The sailors were all clear, but that stupid girl had run back to the wall. Nala dropped to her knees on the gravel at the gap leading into town. Brave soldier Liam stood in front of her, sword drawn. As if he might stop the Dark One.
Could he be a Harbinger? Was he there to disable Inkeri and leave her for the Dark One? The sunlight bounced off his sword erratically as he shook in place. No, he’s too terrified.
As long as the two remained there, the Dark One could kill them once Inkeri bound it. That’s what Dark Ones did, at least when mages failed. Inkeri gripped her knife more tightly.
“She has to bind it to here!” Nala yelled. “We must pray!”
An image of the acolyte dead on the gravel passed through Inkeri’s imagination, but this was no time to worry about the acolyte. The beast had appeared. Though she couldn’t see its eyes, Inkeri knew the thing now stared at Nala. It growled; a horrid sound somewhere between a mother’s scream and wailing dog.
Couldn’t she pray while running away?
The creature turned back to Inkeri and started to circle. It was dangerous, but she had no choice. If she left it alone, it would disappear and come back later to wreak havoc when she wasn’t nearby. She’d bind the Dark One, rescue it, and then beat the snot out of that girl for not going to the shrine. Inkeri thrust out her left hand toward the demon.
“In the name of the Goddess, our beloved Deidre!” Blistering heat spread across her chest, up her neck, down her torso, and into her left arm. Her right arm remained unaffected and was ready to strike.
It leaned forward, daring her to continue.
An angry chill fell on Inkeri. It knew she was a mage. It came here on purpose. It was here for her. Why was it just standing there? Were the Harbingers involved? Her eyes shifted left and right but found only Nala and the soldier.
If the Harbingers did attack, she needed to hurry. “I command you to remain!”
Its growl turned to something she’d not heard before as the black tendrils turned from smoke to decayed cloth. The floating robes took on a solid form as its decrepit soul materialized fully. Soft feet sank into the loose rock below with a sickening squish which made Inkeri’s teeth hurt. A misaligned nose and sunken face took shape. The sound it made became clear. It was laughing.
“Goddess!” Nala’s voice called out above the Dark One, announcing her defenseless presence once more, “Give your warrior strength!”
Inkeri was going to drag that girl to the sea and chuck her in once this was over. Didn’t Cleric Kennet train her on what to do? Had she stood outside praying every time the Dark One appeared before Inkeri’s arrival? Did she want to die?
A burst of pain from her holy symbol drew Inkeri’s full attention back to the combat before her. She strode toward the Dark One.
It should have darted up through the gap, or over the wall, or onto the ship. Away from the mage. It was stuck here on this plane, unable to leave and facing the only creature which could send it to the Goddess’ halls.
If it wasn’t going to run, it should have attacked. Now physically manifest, it could engage Inkeri in a fight. Instead, the thing took several steps back, slowly, while its laugh subsided.
The scent of rotting flesh replaced the air where it had been as she followed, knife prepared. It was the task of all mages to bind Dark Ones to this plane and then bring them a second death where they could enter eternity under the Goddess. This would be her fifteenth rescue. None of the fourteen had acted like this one. None had smelled, either.
Just makes it easier.
She gagged as the smell intensified and joined the scent emanating from her holy symbol. Inkeri pushed the abnormal stench aside, like her questions. It might not do the normal things, but Inkeri had a duty. She charged.
The Dark One dropped its covered head, as if in prayer. It did not move out of her way or grab for her arms. The smell intensified, as if someone was burning dead bodies.
Inkeri drove the holy bone knife into the defenseless Dark One, under its left side where its brittle ribs crumbled under the force of her attack.
It grunted and hissed and finally looked up at her, its face inches from her nose. The stench was overwhelming.
She thrust her blade up into the lifeless heart. “I rescue you in the name of Deidre.”
The hiss turned to a wheeze, soon drowned out by the sound of a soul screaming. Fire emerged from within where Inkeri still held her blade, though it did not burn her. The flames expanded in an instant, consuming the bound creature, and silencing its call. Every part of the Dark One disappeared, though it left no ash.
Inkeri remained, untouched and shaking. The blistering sensation on her chest faded, replaced by a soothing peace she only ever experienced after a rescue. It was her reward from the Goddess, like a treat you give an obedient dog.
Warmth returned to the air, though it was still cold. She blinked down at where the creature had stood, not fleeing nor fighting. “Go forth to your Goddess, and learn the truth.”
The ship which had bought Inkeri to Vasti bumped against the dock gently as the sound of the sea lapping against the shore filled the air, now devoid of screams and growls and the wailing of evil. A single bell loudly clanged, calling the town to prayer and the comparable safety of the shrine; too late as the fight was already over. The mix of dead fish and saltwater joined the scent of death and decay from the Dark One.
Inkeri’s stomach roiled against the smell, the disembarking, her anger, and the energy she’d just expended. She bent forward and retched into the gravel.
“That was amazing! Thank the Goddess!” Nala ran down the incline and onto the path, a wild grin on her face, Inkeri’s cloak bouncing in her arms.
Liam, appropriately terrified, remained at the top of the hill. If the young man had wet his pants, Inkeri would not judge him for it. He was stupid but brave.
Nala should have known better, though. Inkeri spun to meet her. “What were you thinking? I told you to go to the shrine!”
The girl stopped, and the smile faded. Her eyes sought left and right for some explanation for her stupidity. “I wanted to pray for you.”
“You could have done that at the shrine!” Inkeri did not need prayers. She didn’t need the Cleric or the acolyte or anything other than her knife and her training. Venandi stood alone. The thundering of anger in her head drowned out the sea next to her. “The only safe place in this entire town is the shrine! That’s why everyone else was running there!”
Tears formed in Nala’s eyes as she struggled to sputter a response. Clerics always thought they knew best. This girl would make an excellent one.
“Don’t worry about it. Go comfort your man; you almost got him killed.” Inkeri pushed past the girl, almost knocking her to the ground as she grabbed her cloak. “I’ll find the shrine and Cleric Kennet. Should be easy enough, since that’s where everybody but you went.”
She marched up the hill and passed Liam. “Your sword couldn’t have hurt him. Run away next time like you’re told.”
He didn’t respond, but as she rounded the corner, the sniffling voice of Nala trailed after her. “He’s not my man.”
Inkeri continued past the abandoned tavern and empty inn. She turned to the left into an alley and retched again. Vertigo threatened to overwhelm her. She sank to her knees and rested her head against the wall, ignoring the muck and dung on the ground.
After a moment, she hauled herself to her feet. If she froze to death between buildings, covered in her own vomit, the people would blame the Dark Ones. That would not be very comforting. Mages shouldn’t fail. She stumbled out and turned toward the shrine as light snow started to fall.
There was something horribly wrong with the Dark One she’d just rescued. It didn’t run before she bound it and it didn’t fight when it could attack. Dark Ones always did the same thing. Predictability was the best weapon against them. And this one had changed the pattern.
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