Darkness Rising
Book One- Chained
Ross M Kitson
Copyright © 2012 Ross M Kitson
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the US Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the author or publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or deceased, is entirely coincidental.
This book is available in print at most on-line retailers.
The Prism Series
Darkness Rising
Book One- Chained
Book Two- Quest
Book Three- Secrets
Book Four- Loss
Book Five- Broken
Book Six- Redemption
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Editor: Danielle Raver
Cover: Ceri Clark
Find more about the world of Nurolia at https://sites.google.com/site/worldofnurolia/home
Acknowledgements
Firstly I would like to thank my family for all their support in the creation of this trilogy. Amanda, Charlie, Evelyn and Henry—I love you loads.
Secondly a big cheers to Nik, Giles and Dan for reading the drafts. It wouldn’t be half the book without your input
Prism Volume 1Darkness Rising
Book One - Chained
Table of contents
Map of North-Western Nurolia. c 1920
Map of South-Western Nurolia. c1920.
Map of North-eastern Nurolia c1920.
Map of South-Eastern Nurolia c1920.
Map of South Goldoria and North Thetoria c1920
Dramatis personae
IThe City of Mists
Prologue The House of Preparation
Chapter 1 The Air Mage
Chapter 2 Kirit’s Eye
Chapter 3 The Carnival
Chapter 4 Dark Intentions
Chapter 5 The Lamb
Chapter 6 Funerals and Forts
Chapter 7 Cutting the Cord
IIChained
Chapter 1 The Dead City
Chapter 2 Trial by Fire
Chapter 3 An Unexpected Reunion
Chapter 4 The Half-Ogre
Chapter 5 Defiance
Chapter 6 The Crypt
Chapter 7 Escape into the Mist
Chapter 8 Darkness Rising
Chapter 9 The Necromancer
Chapter 10 The Feast of Blood
Chapter 11 Blackstone Bridge
Epilogue Dreams of Darkness
Glossary
i. Map of North-Western Nurolia. c 1920
ii. Map of South-Western Nurolia. c1920.
iii. Map of North-eastern Nurolia c1920.
iv. Map of South-Eastern Nurolia c1920.
v. Map of South Goldoria and North Thetoria c1920
Prism: dramatis personae
The house staff of the Keep.
Emelia—kitchenmaid
Sandila—her close friend. Housemaid. Azaguntan.
Abila—another friend from the Isles. Scullerymaid
Gelia—maid at the Keep
Annre—maid at the Keep
Tarn—maid at the Keep
Gedre—maid at the Keep
Quellik—maid at the Keep
Mother Gresham—housekeeper at the Keep
Halgar—maid at the Keep
Torm—footman at the Keep
Captain Ris—Captain in the Garrison of Coonor
Sarik—a guard in the Keep
The inhabitants of Eeria
Herfen—chief valet & butler to Lord Ebon-Farr
Tremen—head of Greypeak preparatory house
Talis Ebon-Farr—Lower Lord of the Eerian council and Warden of the Garrisons
Heler Ebon-Farr—his wife (born of the Farvous house)
Jular Farvous—nephew to Talis and son of the Farvouses (by Heler’s brother)
Elik Farvous—head of the Farvous family and Orla’s father
Hulgor Farvous—eldest son of Elik Farvous
Karak Ebon-Farr—eldest son of the Ebon-Farrs
Geldir Ebon-Farr—second eldest son, to join the Priesthood
Uthor Ebon-Farr—third son. To join the Knights
Erica Ebon-Farr—daughter to the Ebon-Farrs
Inkas-Tarr—Arch-mage of Air (gold sash)
Ekra-Hurr—Air-mage (brown sash)
Bardit-Urr—Air-mage (silver)
Lady Orla Farvous—Knight of the Air (captain: 3rd lance. Silver wing)
Highlord Cranston—Highlord of the Eerian council
High Cmmdr Taros—Commander of the Knights of Air
Sir Risstan Helminth—Knight of the Air (sergeant: 4th Lance. Silver wing)
Lord Hinteron—Lower lord on the council and mining magnate
Shkris—Netreptan envoy on the council
The Denizens of Kir
Jurges Innsman—proprietor of the Rose Tavern in Kir
Alfra’Te—merchant from Kâlastan
Olix—an Azaguntan assassin from Kir
Jelbettio—a Feldorian mercenary
Malik—apprentice assassin in Kir
Hunor—a thief and adventurer. Thetorian
Jem—his friend. Goldorian. A Wild-mage
Linkon Arikson—Guildmaster of thieves in Kir
Scarseye—thief and enforcer in the Kirian guild (West Avenue Boys)
Thintor Lemon-bite—Wild-mage in the employ of the West Avenue boys
The Denizens of Bulia
Igred—Northridge Guildmaster in Bulia, Azagunta
Hegris Grach—Azaguntan merchant and criminal
Olthik Slanteye—Inn keeper of the Lamb Inn
Varix Aol—East side guild master in Bulia
Vrhin—a guard at Grach’s villa
The Knights of the Air
Sir Ronen Unhert
Sir Robert
Sir Iyri Minrik
In Artoria
Marthir—a druid hailing from Artoria
Kervin—a tracker also from Artoria
Ygris—Fire-mage from Pyrios
Sir Tinkek—a former Artorian Knight
Ograk—a Feldorian warrior
Master Hü-Jen—deceased Shorvorian mentor to Hunor
Ebfir—acolyte druid to Marthir
Iogar—an Artorian warrior
Darklord Jüt—commander of the Knights of Ebony Heart
Darklord Klir—sub-commander of the Knights of Ebony Heart
Xirik—a dark wizard
Garin—a dark wizard
Vildor—The Darkmaster. The master of the Ghasts
In Thetoria
Aldred Enfarson—son of Baron Enfarson
Argon Enfarson—Baron of Thetoria
Livor Korianson—Aldred’s friend.
Hinkir—a stable boy at Blackstone Castle
Jirdin—Aldred’s servant
Quigor—advisor to Baron Enfarson. An Azaguntan
Kerdir Almsman—physician to Baron Enfarson
Holbek Gartson—a captain of the guard at Blackstone Castle
Arlana Gartson—his wife
Thrisk—a soldier of Baron Enfarson; Azaguntan in origin
Lord Jerstis—one of the Lords sworn to Baron Enfarson. Nr Greenford
Poris Longshanks—lordling from Enfarson’s Barony
Orlo Smithson—burghmaster of Eviksbur
g
Urgon Tannerson—Innkeeper of the Traveler’s Rest
Pastor Burker—priest of Mortis
Guntir Hawkskin—captain of the town guard in Eviksburg
Kindar Hawkskin—brother to Guntir. Soldier to Baron Benrich the Younger
Aargil Markson—(deceased) Lord to Baron Benrich the Elder
Inger Markson—widow to Lord Aargil
Hela Markson—daughter to Lord Markson
Orgar Markson—(deceased) son of Lord Markson
Uhurk Wangstane—a merchant from Kokis
Ekris—a mysterious troubadour and thespian
Urenst Enfarson—cousin to Baron Enfarson. Lord of Oldston
Argas Enfarson—cousin to Baron Enfarson. Called “the runt”
Ligor—dark wizard in Thetoria city
Ajacre—dark wizard in Nolir, South Thetoria
Jaan—a farmer in Nth Thetoria
Loral—his wife
Hinfer—their eldest son
Mek-ik-Ten—Galvorian monk and mentor to Jem
In Goldoria
Sir Krem Listerthwaite—a Goldorian knight of good standing
Gilert—a squire of mean disposition
Utrok—a dark wizard
Elbek-Trall—a Pyrian merchant docked in Goldoria
Darkness Rising
Book One
IThe City of Mists
Prologue The House of Preparation
Sunstide 1911
Emelia dreamt of dark things. She stumbled down the expansive beach, the sands sticky beneath her bare feet. The waves thundered and the trees bordering the sand bent like old men as the storm whipped up. Rain lashed against her as she saw the lone figure knelt ahead. His sobs ripped through her chest like a knife.
“Papa? Papa, why are you crying?” she asked.
Her gaunt father made no reply but rather turned and with horror Emelia saw his eyes were two gold coins. Terror gripped her heart as she staggered back. The gold began to run, pouring in molten tears down his cadaverous cheeks, steaming in the driving rain.
Emelia screamed but the sound was flattened under the crash of immense waves. Her father dug his fingers into his smoldering cheeks and wrenched, tearing the skin off as if breaking open a crab. No blood ran as he shredded the flaps of flesh away but rather Emelia saw a grey hue beneath, like rock.
With a final wrench her father ripped apart the skin and a man made of stone remained. He regarded Emelia and then slowly began moving towards her, his sockets gaping voids.
Emelia scrabbled backwards in the sand but her legs felt like lead. Then she looked down and she saw: saw the sand become stone; saw the stone become dark and saw the darkness harden across the pale sands of the beach like a giant shadow. All around her, the island surrendered its colour, slipping beneath the featureless dark. Then the stone came for her too, began spreading up her legs, closing tightly about her chest, sealing up her mouth, her nose, her eyes with cold, uncaring rock.