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    Greater Than The Gods Intended: The Last Waltz
    Greater Than The Gods Intended: The Last Waltz
    Greater Than The Gods Intended: The Last Waltz
    Ebook75 pages1 hour

    Greater Than The Gods Intended: The Last Waltz

    By Blaze Ward

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Youngest Brother holds the greatest treasure of his clan: an icon cast of unknown material, bearing words none can read.

    His quest? Seeking vengeance on those who massacred his family.

    But for that, he needs a wizard. Even if those with magic have no scales and come from that strangest of races: humans.

    "Greater Than The Gods Intended" follows Youngest Brother on his quest across a strangely alien world with even stranger bedfellows.

    An emotional tale, part of The Last Waltz series. Unification Era date: 4753

    Be sure to read the other Doyle stories in, "The Librarian" and "Demigod".

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKnotted Road Press
    Release dateMar 9, 2015
    ISBN9781507000076
    Greater Than The Gods Intended: The Last Waltz
    Author

    Blaze Ward

    Blaze Ward writes science fiction in the Alexandria Station universe (Jessica Keller, The Science Officer,  The Story Road, etc.) as well as several other science fiction universes, such as Star Dragon, the Dominion, and more. He also writes odd bits of high fantasy with swords and orcs. In addition, he is the Editor and Publisher of Boundary Shock Quarterly Magazine. You can find out more at his website www.blazeward.com, as well as Facebook, Goodreads, and other places. Blaze's works are available as ebooks, paper, and audio, and can be found at a variety of online vendors. His newsletter comes out regularly, and you can also follow his blog on his website. He really enjoys interacting with fans, and looks forward to any and all questions—even ones about his books!

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      Book preview

      Greater Than The Gods Intended - Blaze Ward

      Prologue: The Sky

      Marasem soared on the morning thermals, stretching his cobalt–blue wings to their utmost. He turned his head a little and snapped his great, spiked tail at an imaginary foe, practicing for the mating flight he knew was due within months.

      So many competitors to breed the Empress.

      He would need to be strong, as well as crafty. Only the best dragons succeeded. It was finally his time to show the Great Mother his size and power, to become first among equals.

      Below, the rugged landscape unfolded slowly like a piece of cloth pushed together, a land only dragons could master. Wyverns, still retaining the original humanoid form of lizardkind, but with wings added, served well to administer for their masters, but could not soar above these mountains. Even the cursed Malakh, simple elves granted feathered wings by the false god, Mustafa, were only pale competition.

      Only the dragons were meant to rule.

      He banked to his right, a wide circle meant to take in the core of his demesne, lest any invaders think to sneak up on him. Dragons could rule, but they needed armies to conquer. Marasem was alone as far as the tremendous eye could see.

      Well enough. The mouth of Marasem’s aerie gaped before him.

      Below, he could see his soldiers. A team of well–trained troglodyte warriors protected the opening, tracking Marasem across the sky with the ancient siege weapon as he closed. He bellowed a challenge at them, watched the weapon turn and lift to cover the sky again behind him. Paranoia was only prudence in a truly immortal being.

      Marasem banked into a lazy downward spiral and flattened out a few hundred feet above the sharp rocks. He dropped his tail and back–winged to a near stop, and then settled on the ledge gracefully. He took a moment to inspect his troops, and the afternoon sky, before he sauntered into the first entrance and turned sharply around the tight double–corner hidden just inside.

      Someday, one of his enemies would think to rush the entrance and swoop into his cave system before the defenders could respond. He smiled at the sound a dragon would make, flying face–first into solid stone at full speed. He even had a recipe prepared for the feast he would throw, keeping the heart for himself while his warriors gorged on his foe.

      Chapter 1: The Icon

      Youngest Brother held the icon with the utmost reverence. He couldn’t resist it when his inner eyelid flickered, once, with pure excitement. Closed. Open. The world went slightly fuzzy for a moment through the membrane. His heart fluttered.

      He considered the thing he held. None in the village could understand the words it showed nor the sounds it made, cast so long ago in the ancient tongue. The casing tasted of no material recognized, even among the Yoon clan, respected among all lizardkind, throughout the valley, for the delicacy of their tasting senses.

      Eldest Brother stood before him and watched as the spasm of religious excitement and doubts rippled down his body, flaring his scales as though a tremendous heat had passed, and twitching the little stub of tail suddenly against the back of his thigh.

      Was he truly worthy to undertake this quest?

      But doubt was good. Hadn’t the Great Mother taught them that there was always room for doubt, lest one err into arrogance?

      And yet…

      He could not doubt the surety of this task. For too long, the great lizards, from the Empress Dragon down, had ruled his kind with an iron claw. The troglodytes, at six feet tall, more than twice his own size, practically owned the valley and all the workers and farmers in it. Worse still the Wyverns, for how to make a troglodyte overlord more menacing and arrogant than to give her wings, that she might emulate the Great Mother?

      Youngest Brother took a deep breath to settle his nerves. His malachite–colored scales slowly flattened back down. Even the sky grew brighter as his eyes unslitted.

      Eldest Brother stared down at him with concern, but also with pride. Two extra inches meant he was the tallest Isaurian in the village, a leader, reinforced by his great cunning. Eldest Brother was very well respected.

      He leaned close now to bump snouts with Youngest Brother. The elders have chosen wisely, Youngest Brother. But always remember that you cannot trust the tall races, nor the scale–less ones. Use them. Abandon them if necessary. Never let them know your true name, lest the evil ones track you here and hurt your family, your village.

      Youngest Brother wrapped the icon into a soft leather chamois, and then a rough scrap of cloth. He tucked it into his satchel with care, hidden, and perhaps ignored by a stranger. He smiled a harsh smile, feral. "I would ask the Great Mother to watch over you, Eldest Brother. But that would be wrong, since I seek

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