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    The Savage Lands 5
    The Savage Lands 5
    The Savage Lands 5
    Ebook380 pages6 hours

    The Savage Lands 5

    By Raymond Towers

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    About this ebook

    A new star shines in the heavens, and with it comes the new god of war Gladius. Through signs and visions, the High Priests have been directed to unite the rival city-states and create the nation of Atronia. Men like young Endrick are swept into the army, sent out to explore foreign lands and subdue them, and to record all they can of the ancient arcane wisdom. For the empire! Dunum Atronos!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRaymond Towers
    Release dateApr 15, 2019
    ISBN9780463136645
    The Savage Lands 5
    Author

    Raymond Towers

    Raymond Towers is an author of fantasy, horror and science fiction that strays away from the mainstream, plus a little in the way of true paranormal and other genres. He has written and independently published over forty titles, most of them full-length novels and collections, with several more on the way. The author has been a lifelong resident of warm and sunny southern California, a location that pops up frequently in his writing. At the moment, the author is looking for ways to reach new readers all over the world, in addition to pursuing his great love of writing and taking it to the next level.

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      Book preview

      The Savage Lands 5 - Raymond Towers

      Similar Titles And Series:

      The Savage Lands Series

      When the gods bicker, the world of Grond trembles. More and more, the barriers of this world are shaken, affecting reality, time and space. In this cosmic battlefield, gods will seek to walk the earth, while their rivals will seek to prevent it. Throughout the ages, this great war will persist. Only the greatest heroes of this world, and those drawn from other worlds, can hope to bring order out of chaos.

      The Savage Lands 1

      A land tainted by ancient sorcery, full of corruption and evil that spreads and infects whatever it grasps. What can be done when the very trees watch with sinister eyes, when all is not it seems? A sorcerer will cast his spells, while a scoundrel hunts for treasure and a knight holds his head high with honor. The greatest test of all is here, here in the Savage Lands. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 2

      Dobrynia the Valkyrie, hurled into an ancient and mysterious world, struggles to find her companions, who are trapped in a land of evil magic that shifts its reality without warning. Follow Dobrynia’s daring steps, and those of her friends, as they venture into this hostile land that refuses to give up its dark secrets. The greatest test of all is only beginning. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 3

      From humble origins rise the greatest heroes. Sir Hoppe, cursed to live among criminals, yearning above all else to become a knight. Herri, Brun, Cerny, escaping their poor village for adventure, taking a path that will lead to the emergence of the Red Lady. Here are their beginnings, trials and tribulations. Soon, the evil of the Savage Lands will shatter their lives! Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 4

      The tale of Ayel Constandour, a man of noble beginnings cheated by his sibling and fleeing under an assumed name. With his strong sense of chivalry and honor, as a squire he enters the real world in search of adventure. Full of ideals, he is soon running with outlaws, pirates and more, forcing him to adapt his worldview and earning him the title of the Wolf of Loxden. Rating: HIGH controversy.

      The Savage Lands 5

      Raymond Towers

      Copyright 2019 Raymond Towers

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Content Rating: All of the characters in this e-book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, whether living or dead, is purely coincidental. All characters depicted in sexual acts in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older. This e-book contains a HIGH amount of controversial subject matter.

      About the cover: The cover image is titled Roman Choreography. It was produced by Hans Splinter and is being used under a Creative Commons BY - ND License.

      About this title: A new star shines in the heavens. With it comes a god of war, Gladius. Through signs and visions, the High Priests are directed to unite the rival city-states and create the nation of Atronia. Men like young Endrick are swept into the army, sent out to foreign lands, to subdue them and record all they can of the ancient arcane wisdom. For the empire! Dunum Atronos! Rating: HIGH controversy.

      #####

      Table Of Contents

      The Old Hag’s Introduction

      A Brief Cosmology Of The Grondian Solar System

      A New God Of War

      The March To The South

      The Southern March 2

      The Southern March 3

      The Southern March 4

      The Southern March 5

      Delving Into The Unknown

      The March To The East

      The Eastern March 2

      The Eastern March 3

      The Eastern March 4

      Those Who Descend From Heaven

      The March To The North

      The Northern March 2

      The Northern March 3

      Heralds Of The Gods

      The Old Hag’s Tales 1

      About The Author

      #####

      The Savage Lands 5

      Dunum Atronos!

      The Old Hag’s Introduction

      Oh, how the time has gone, and how the world of Grond has changed because of it. They say there is nothing new under the sun, but I won’t believe that. I’ve seen so many new things with these old and tired eyes of mine, things you would never imagine are true. There are times when I hardly believe them myself, as much of it took place so long, long ago. The people in this ugly village, they say I think these things up inside of my head, that I’ve gone crazy, to make of me a spectacle, a nuisance to those who are younger than I am. I tell you, I was there. I saw the start and the middle of the end. I saw the end of the end, when there was no longer any turning back, no longer any way to return our world to the old ways. The old ways are dead now, buried. All that remain of the old world are my memories, but when I am dead, they will be gone as well.

      These new people, they hardly know how to write. They are worried about their sheep and their potatoes, and how much coin their goods will fetch at the markets. If it weren’t for their need to count and record their transactions, they wouldn’t write at all. These stupid people, they don’t write words, let alone sentences. They are content to scribble pictographs and count with pebbles. They don’t tell stories anymore, because they have no good stories to tell. All they talk about is their holy festivals and their bad romances and the trendy fashions of the day. If you ask anyone of them about their history, all they will do is look at you as if you are the insane one.

      This generation is a stupid generation. The blind lead the blind. The leaders take the rest over a cliff and the followers are content to follow. They use magic, all of them, because magic is there to be used freely by everyone, unlike during the ancient times of my generation. What they do not understand, or perhaps they do but they don’t care about it at all, is that much of humanity is corrupt and selfish. When fools are given free access to magic, what will they produce except foolish results? These selfish imbeciles are bringing a poison upon the land that they will not be able to rectify. They burn the holy incense until they are intoxicated and dumb, but they give no prophecies and see no visions as the diviners and shamans of the past did. They dance on their holy days, wearing their finest attire, but they do not comprehend the ritual significance of the dances they perform. They call to the gods, not for wisdom and strength, but for trivialities such as having a cow produce more milk, or to find their perfect partner, or to be given wealth when they have done absolutely nothing to deserve it. Give these blunder-heads a shiny trinket, and they will marvel upon it for hours and days. Give them a tome of esoteric knowledge, and they will frown and put the tome away where it will only gather dust.

      I will be dead soon, and I will be glad of it, as I will no longer have to bear witness to the degradation of the human soul, and to the loss of what once was; that beautiful and righteous world that I once lived in, that is no more. This world is named Grond. Such an ugly name, don’t you think? I would have chosen a name more eloquent to label this world. While I am ancient, I am not so ancient as to have been around when humanity first began to reason and think. That is when this world was named. The world Grond is from some ancient, forgotten language. It translates as Ground. I suppose those primitives that named this world were telling each other that they stood on dry land, as opposed to standing in the sea or floating up in the sky somehow. Grond, they said, as they scratched their hairy heads or their flea-bitten arses, is what is below our feet. It is dry and brown, and so Grond is a good name for it. There are other worlds, I have learned in recent times, with much prettier names such as Earth or Loam, or even Beyond. These people had a good creative energy running through their heads, when they named their worlds. Not like the incompetents here, who merely said Grond and were happy with it.

      Well, I have come here to tell a story, and I suppose you might be one of those who have the attention span of a goat. If that is the case, I will have to hurry it up, won’t I? There was a time when I was a little girl in that grand old town of Glaryafon, which lies twenty miles west of the city of Wavemeet, along the Boews River. My father would take me on the barge, when he had a good stock of goats or pigs or sheep to trade. That was before the conflicts with the Ovatrans, when the river wasn’t a dangerous place for a boat or barge to travel on.

      I remember being in the city of Wavemeet, where hundreds of merchants would gather to trade. My father would always take the time to purchase honey and nut brittle for me. I would stand there and suck on that candy until it was gone, before I went to my father pleading for more of it. I also remember the soldiers in their gleaming iron helms and their long blue capes, striding through the streets with their short swords and their thick army sandals. Those men were quick to pull people from the stalls and stores, or to catch a thief, and to punish them quickly and without mercy.

      A boy stole an apple from a cart once. He ran off with the vendor shouting for the soldiers to do something about it. They caught that boy, and they lay him down on the stone street and had a wagon run over his hand. That boy screamed when he was left with little more than pulp at the end of his wrist. That was the last time I went to Wavemeet with my father, as I always refused to go when he asked, after I witnessed such tragedy. Things were so much simpler at Glaryafon than they were at Wavemeet.

      I remember the soldiers marching in groups of twenty or more, all shouting at the order of their commanders.

      Dunum Atronos! They would cry out. For the glory and honor of Dunum Atronos!

      Before then, we had no true kingdom. The people of Blackholm Crossing to the north had got it into their heads to gather a standing army. This army was to patrol that city at first, but as time went by, they patrolled other cities and ports along the coast of the Gaudrian Ocean. These other cities agreed to pay for additional patrols, you see. The people of Blackholm got a grander idea into their heads, and that is how the kingdom of Dunum Atronos was first established in our lands. The soldiers came and patrolled along the river, until they became a law unto themselves. If you did not respect the soldiers, you were labeled a traitor and dealt with. Even a small town such as Glaryafon was force to pay a tax to keep the army at readiness, despite that we had no real problem with piracy or raids so far west of the troubled places.

      That is how it started; with the advent of Dunum Atronos as our new country, and with the army they created to protect us, despite that we did not need it. That army went on to commit all manner of atrocities, both without our borders and within. That was the beginning of the end. They could have been stopped, if someone had enough foresight and might to stand up to them. Alas, the peoples of the other lands were as disorganized and divided as we had been at first. By the time the rest of our continent realized how big a threat our new kingdom had become, it was already a military juggernaut.

      I had a strong part to play in this, both before and after I met my lover Endrick the Great. I wasn’t known as the Old Hag back then, as I am now. I was young and pretty, and Endrick was so strong and handsome. He purchased me from a cloth dyer... But I am getting ahead of myself. Back then, my name was Ediva Foreman. Foreman was the surname for pig farmers, the same as the Woods are woodcutters and the Bakers bake bread. The people of today, they hardly know where the surnames of their families have come from, and they are too lazy to find out.

      There are many stories to tell regarding this grand tale I am recounting. You will hear about me and about Endrick when I get to us. Other stories involving other people must be taken into account, some great and some small. So many stories have already been lost to time, that I feel I must tell all that I recall, or all that I heard of, so that a full account might be conveyed.

      There is nothing new under the sun, they say. This might be true in the world today, but it was not always like this. I saw many new things under the sun, but to tell you the truth, I wish I hadn’t seen so many of them.

      #####

      A Brief Cosmology Of The Grondian Solar System

      As interpreted from the ancient texts:

      In the beginning, there was one god. His / her name was Aum. Aum sang an eternal song in the primordial waters, but as the time went by, Aum began to wonder if he / she could share his / her eternal song with another. Aum considered this for a very long time. He / she decided to separate into two entities, whom would be named The One and The Other. Aum went into the primordial waters and allowed his / her body to dissipate. As time went on, two entities were formed in evolutionary cycles as mist, then soup, and finally the cosmic substance from which all things are created.

      From the essence of the singular Aum were born two. Both of these new entities knew where they had come from. Because they were contrary to Aum, one took the name Mu. He would be the male half. The other entity was Mua, the female. Together, they sang a beautiful song of creation, and they created many different things. Some of these things were marvelous to consider and contemplate over, but some were not. The things that were deemed unworthy of keeping were destroyed, and their material was recycled and used in the creation of newer things.

      After a time, Mu and Mua began to wonder if they might create beings such as themselves; beings that could consider, contemplate and create such as they could. The two gods set about in creating diverse sorts of worlds, and diverse sorts of creatures to inhabit them. They created worlds of only air, only earth, only fire and only water. Each was world was distinct, and its peoples were distinct. What would happen, Mu wondered, if a being from a world of air were to travel to a world of earth? What would happen if a being from a world of fire would travel to a world of water?

      It was Mua who came up with a solution. She suggested a world that contained all four elements, as well as a new, fifth element. This new element would be called spirit, and spirit would be given to its peoples by the gods. Spirit would allow the created to think, to contemplate and to consider the creators. The two gods set about in creating this new world. They took their best efforts from their earlier creations: the worlds of air, earth, fire and water. They integrated them with spirit through song. That is, four past songs and one new song were sung together, or put another way, one new song was sung with five different melodies.

      The result were the five worlds, when before there had been four. The creatures of air, earth, fire and water could not travel to other worlds, but if they acquired spirit, any of them could enter the fifth world. Mu and Mua observed what the four types of beings did on the fifth world. The beings became elementals, and later, as the beings learned how to influence the fifth world, they learned to fashion bodies for themselves. They became the first Men; Men of Earth, Stone and Wood. Worship us, the gods said, and we will provide for you, and for a time, the new Men did.

      After a time, the gods observed as these men took to warring with one another. They had forgotten to worship the gods, and even how to worship. The gods began to regret these beings that they had created. They plotted to destroy their creations through fire, and they caused the primordial planet of Grond to come close to the sun and to be scorched by it. At first, the gods believed that the various beings, that through their spirits they had fled back to their original worlds. What they had not realized was that surviving Men of Earth, Stone and Wood had gone deep inside the mountains and the caverns of Grond, so far that the gods were unable to reach them without destroying the entire world, which they did not want to do.

      The gods created a new form of Men. These were Giants, Elves, Dwarfs, Faye and other creatures that could manipulate the cosmic substance of the universe, the magic or mana, in the same way the gods could. These new races of Men populated the planet, with the Giants keeping to their lands, and the other creatures to theirs. After a time, the beings traveled away from their lands and discovered there were other beings on Grond that were unlike them. They began to war with them, and they shook the earth so much that they brought up the Men of Earth, Stone and Wood to the surface.

      This was the second Great War, and again the gods thought to destroy all of their creation and begin anew. This time, they flooded Grond so that for a time the waters rose and covered the entire world. As before, the remnants survived. The Men of Earth, Stone and Wood went into the bowels of the mountains and caverns. The creatures of magic went into the deepest forests and climbed the highest mountains. Some creatures fled into the depths of the waters.

      Undeterred by their failures, Mu and Mua went on to create a new race of Men. These Men would be made of flesh. They would not have strengths inherent to other races, and they would not be able to harness magic as well as the others. These were soft creatures with no fur, horns, fangs or claws, who would have to work together to survive the many mortal perils found on that world. They would have to hunt together, or farm, and build shelters, and create communities for their protection. We will provide you will all that you need, Mu and Mua told them, if only you remember that we are your creators and that you give us your worship.

      At times, the Men of Flesh listen to the gods, and at times they become stubborn and take to warring among themselves. At times, Men of Earth, Stone and Wood will come to wage war on the Men of Flesh. At times, the magical creatures will come out of their hiding places in the forests, or climb down from the high mountains, or swim up from the depths of the waters, and they too will war with the Men of Flesh.

      From their highest perches in the heavens, the gods watch them.

      Another ancient description from the esoteric texts:

      In the beginning was Aum, who was neither male nor female. In time, Aum separated and became two. The male Mu would rule over the heavens, while the female Mua would rule over the earth and all that was upon the face of it.

      The gods desired for the spirits of all men to live their lives on Grond, but also to give men the opportunity to ascend into the heavens and return to the gods that had created them. For this purpose, the gods created a ladder of five rungs for all men to ascend, but especially for the men of flesh, as they had more capacity for thought than the men who had come before them.

      The gods created the five worlds. The first and largest is named Aum, after the name of the original god from which all else was birthed. This world is made of fire and gives Grond its light during the day. It is well known that all life and all death come from Aum. The second world is the smallest and revolves around Grond during the night. This world also gives off energies that affect the men living on Grond, but to a lesser extent than Aum. The original name for the second world was Ma’an or Mond. It has evolved into the name Moon in recent times. Its revolutions have been charted by astronomers on Grond, and organized into periods known as Moonths, but that are now called Months. While Mond is not a world of water, it does affect all of the water on Grond, and the water found in all living things.

      The last two worlds are seen in the night sky, but no astronomer can say whether they are made of air or earth, or anything else. The little that is known about these worlds is that they are the brightest stars in the night sky, and they are seen to be equally distant from Grond. The first world is named Jove. It is associated with thunder and lightning, equating it with air. The second world is Cron. It is associated with agriculture, equating it with earth.

      It is believed by the practitioners who delve into hidden mysticism and astrology, that the closer or farther these worlds are from Grond affects the thoughts and actions of men. When the worlds are too close to one another, their irritation grows, and so does the impatience and warring of the men on Grond. In contrast, when the worlds are in certain conjunctions with one another, harmony can be found both in the heavens and on Grond. Whatever happens above, the sages say, also happens below.

      #####

      The New God Of War

      Several of the high-ranked priests of Jove stood together at the top of a high hill. This was a place where an astronomical and astrological observatory had been built, and at a great cost thanks to the expensive masons from the quarry at Amthill. Along with the priests had come a small platoon of twenty soldiers from Blackholm Crossing, wearing their standard helms of leather and their blue capes. The capes were also expensive and came from the more distant port at Newsham, where the best dyers of clothing worked. The soldiers were there to protect against any threats from the bands of wild men known to roam those very hills. Lastly, came eight young retinues that assisted the priests. Most priests had only a single assistant, while the most influential, Atronos and Engenof, could afford to pay two.

      This is the closest that Jove will come to Grond this year. Atronos said, for what might have been the tenth time.

      In my divination, I have seen no great occurrences due to the proximity of that world. Engenof said.

      But I have! Atronos insisted.

      What methods did you use?

      The priests of Blackholm were also mages and statesmen. Because their political beliefs varied, the men were sometimes allies and sometimes rivals. For this reason, one priest would keep his findings secret, or else risk being outmaneuvered or back-stabbed by any of the others. The times in Blackholm were hard enough that these influential and somewhat wealthy sorts were always looking for a leg up over the competition.

      Do my methods matter? Atronos asked. What is important is that I was told to expect a miraculous sign, and that is why I have come out here tonight. If I see the sign tonight, in the sky, I will move forward with my plans.

      What plans? Another priest wondered.

      If we see the sign, you will find out soon enough.

      What sign, then? The other man persisted. You brought us out here, and you keep babbling to us about some sign, but so far all we’ve come to is this chill from the wind pushing past us.

      What makes you think we will see it tonight, instead of on some other night? Another priest asked.

      As stubborn as ever, Atronos did not reply. His anxious face was seen staring up at the sky once again, as it had been for half of that night already. Several of their retinues held lanterns to light the top of that hill.

      There! Atronos pointed. Will you look?

      Engenof could have been at home and sleeping on his comfortable bed of duck and goose feathers. He’d come out only because the rumors were that his rival Atronos was ready to make some bold move, but exactly what that move was remained unknown so far. What was known, and verified by the informants of Engenof, was that his rival had sold off a good number of his assets. This gave Atronos more fluid wealth in hand, to be used at a moment’s notice. Along with the rest, Engenof craned his neck up and stared into the black sky.

      I see nothing! A priest scoffed.

      Look at Jove! Atronos insisted. Keep looking!

      That man was fast becoming fanatical, Engenof felt. Among the highest social circles of Blackholm, it was said that Atronos had hired men to kill his most hated rival, but only after that man had hired another assassin to poison Atronos. Instead, the assassin had bungled the murder and killed the priest’s wife. That woman, the wife of Atronos, was one of the few people who had kept her ambitious husband at bay. With her removed from the portrait, there was no telling how zealous Atronos could now become.

      Engenof was so busy with his thoughts that he almost missed the flicker.

      There, did you see that? Atronos sounded more excited than anxious now. Did any of you see it?

      I saw it. One of his allies nodded. It was a streak of lightning from Jove. It was only seen for a glimpse of time.

      Engenof’s mouth slowly opened up. He had seen something, but he’d been too distracted to give the flash of light his full attention. If Atronos claimed they would see something in the sky, and it came to pass, his divination would be seen as a miracle. I believe I saw it as well, but I can’t be sure.

      Why weren’t the lot of you looking? Atronos demanded. I’ve been telling you all night this would happen, and most of you were staring off into any other direction than the one I’ve pointed out! How can I be sure it will happen again, to prove to all of you that I am in the right?

      Hardly had he finished speaking, when another bolt of lightning speared away from Jove. That star was one of the two largest worlds visible in the sky, besides Cron.

      I saw it this time! Another priest claimed.

      Yes, it happened again. Engenof confirmed. What does it mean, Atronos? What could Jove be lashing out against?

      Even the soldiers and retinues were murmuring about it, Engenof noticed.

      The god of thunder and lightning is striking out at a foe. Atronos elaborated. Who can that foe be other than a son? I tell you now, that my divination said it would happen! Jove now has a son, and that son is a warrior! Already, he is challenging his father for the right to rule the heavens!

      That’s a stretch, man. One of the other priests laughed. Even for you, Atronos. Are you telling me there is a new world out there, one we have never seen before?

      Not a world, but a moon! Jove now has a son in orbit around him! Do you remember how only nine months ago, Jove was hidden behind our moon? I tell you, Jove and our moon had congress during that conjunction, and now their child has been born! Jove is the father, and this new moon around him is his son!

      The other priests were no longer dismissing the remarks of Atronos. Studiously, they stared up at the skies and marveled at the new discovery. As if to emphasize the idea, Jove shot out several more bolts of light at the unseen target.

      Atronos, since you have found this moon, and if it does turn out to be a moon as you say it will, Engenof said. It is up to you to put a name on it.

      You want me to name it? I will! I will call it Gladius, the same as the swords these soldiers carry. Gladius, the god of war, born from Jove the god of thunder and lightning. The moment we return to Blackholm, I will consecrate my son to this new god. My son will be the warrior to lead an army in the name of this new god!

      What army? One of his opponents asked.

      Atronos spun around to face that man. Now that I have witnessed the sign, I will tell you the next step of my plan. The nobles of Amthill have thought to lord it over us far too long! Always, they charge us an exorbitant amount for their precious masons, and their precious stones they hew and carry about on their wooden carts! No longer! I tell you that nearly half of their nobles will side with me, once I organize an army to go and take that city!

      You want to sack Amthill? The same priest blurted. Are you insane, man?

      There is so much to be gained if I do! Atronos replied. If I can take Amthhill, I will have enough stone to build forts, and if I can build forts, what man and his army can come against me? You have a choice to make, all of you. Either you side with me or you side against me!

      You don’t have an army. Engenof said.

      "How

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