Four Southwind soldiers marched down the corridor at a pace shy of a run. Their boots echoed in unison like the beat of drums preparing an audience for the arrival of the protagonist in a play. Their steps continued to increase in speed until they stopped abruptly at two large wooden doors.
They waited in silence for the doors to be opened from the inside. Once they did, the four soldiers advanced to the center of the large room and tossed their cargo onto the floor.
A groan came from within the large sack, which they had deposited. Moving slowly, a man from within kicked his way free and shed the cloth’s confines. His hands and legs were tied with rope. He struggled to speak, for his tongue and lips had been severely burnt. His eyes had been damaged so extensively from a fire that he could only see shadows with one eye. Hearing was the only sense that still functioned properly.
“Welcome back, Lucian,” the Matriarch said. “Did you kill Santorray?”
Lucian lowered his head. “He still lives,” he slurred out with great pain in his throat.
“Ah.” She rested on the back of her chair as she crossed her ankles. “And Santorray was able to burn your face with a troop of Southwind’s finest at your side?”
“He had help. A Num named Thorik Dain helped him escape from the mines. It was this same Num that did this to me.” He coughed several times as he tried to answer.
Amused, she asked him to elaborate, knowing the pain he received each time he talked. “Your squad could not fight a Blothrud and a Num?”
“We were attacked by an army of Del’Unday. Corrock is on the move again.”
“What happened to Santorray and Thorik?”
He lifted himself up onto his knees. “Escaped.”
“How could you let them escape?”
“They had help. Other Nums as well as Ericc.”
“Ericc? You saw Ambrosius’ son and didn’t die trying to bring him back to me?”
“Santorray and Thorik are protecting him.”
Stepping down from her throne, she exclaimed, “You fool. You’ve cost me my youth!” Grabbing one of the copper plates of food from her servant, she swung it hard, hitting him in the head and knocking him to the ground. “Ericc was my gift to present to Darkmere. I need Ericc!”
Furious, she pounded his head with the plate several more times before tossing it onto the ground.
Waiting for her to end the assault, Lucian kept his hands over his head to protect himself, while everyone else in the room waited for her tantrum to be over.
Snatching a lantern from the nearest column, she began pouring out the oil onto his legs. “It saddens me, for I ask for so little,” she reasoned with herself. “I give simple orders and priorities so you can understand them. You just don’t listen.”
Lucian could smell the oil and began to rise to prevent her from lighting him on fire, but was stopped short as she stomped down hard onto his leg, breaking it with a loud snap.
With the oil now soaked into his pants, she lit his feet on fire. “Don’t you dare move.” She ordered.
Others in the chamber looked on, fearful of appearing as a sympathizer if they would turn their heads from the torture.
The flames lapped at his lower legs as he began to feel the singe from the heat. “Please, no. I promise I’ll do whatever you want.”
She was cold in her response. “I want you to stay still. Stop moving.”
He continued to try to appease her. Perhaps she would put out the flames if he did as she asked. But the heat was unbearable and his skin was starting to catch on fire. The smell of burning flesh filled the hall as the flame engulfed his feet up to his knees.
Trembling to prevent any movement, he asked forgiveness. Not receiving it, he screamed and began trying to put the flames out with his hands.
“You just don’t listen.” She cracked the bent up metal plate against his head one more time. “You don’t trust me enough to do as I tell you. I take care of your family. Is your trust too much to ask in return?”
“I trust you!” he screamed, stiffening his body to prevent himself from moving.
“Do you?”
“Yes!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“Then don’t move and don’t speak.”
The fire spread up his thighs and waist. The smell became repulsive and the sight revolting. The man stayed straight as an arrow, trusting that the Matriarch would put out the flames any second. The pain had past the threshold of understanding as he shook and convulsed from the trauma.
The Matriarch glanced at her audience of guards, servants, and advisers. Many couldn’t take the sight any longer and had closed their eyes or turned their heads. The smell of burning flesh added to the horrifying scene. She had proven her point as to what it meant to fail her.
“Put him out,” she ordered and waited for her men to fetch buckets of water before finishing her sentence, “…on my command.”
Lucian heard the words and continued to live the torture. His body started shutting down. He no longer could feel anything or smell his own flaming skin. Only his brain remained active as the Matriarch waited until his entire body was in a blaze.
But before his heart stopped, she had her men dowse Lucian’s body.
“Remove him from here. String him up on the street to send others a message about not obeying my orders,” she said calmly. “And clean up this filth.”
Her men removed Lucian immediately while other servants began to clean up the mess left on the floor.
“Hire a bounty hunter and two assassins,” she told her lead bodyguard. “I want Ericc captured, but I want Santorray and Thorik Dain killed.”
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Pronunciation Guide
*CHARACTERS*
Ambrosius: aeM-brO-zee-ahs
Asentar: as-en-Tar
Avanda: ah-Van-Dah
Bakalor: Bah-Kah-Lor
Bredgin: Brehd-gehn
Brimmelle: Brim-‘ell
Bryus: brI-us
Civej: si-vehj
Darkmere: Dark-Meer
Deleth: deL-‘eth
Draq: draK
Emilen: ehM-il-eN
Ericc: ehR-iK
Feshlan: FehSH-Lahn
Gluic: Glu-iK
Grewen: Gru-‘en
Hessik: HehS-ehK
Irluk: uhR-luhK
Lucian: Loo-sE-ehn
Ovlan: ahV-lahN
Rummon: Rum-mahN
Santorray: sahn-ToR-rAY
Thorik: Thor-iK
Varacon: Vahr-ah-Kahn
*LOCATIONS*
Corrock: koR-RahK
Cuev’Laru Mountains: Koo-ehV Lah-Roo
Cucurrian River: Koo-kuR-ee-uhn
Doven: dO-ven
Kiri: kE-rE
Lu’Tythis: Loo-Tith-is
Pelonthal: peL-ahn-THahl
Rumaldo: Roo-mahL-dO
Trewek: trU-ek
Pronunciation Guide
*SPECIES*
Blothrud (AKA Ruds): BlahTH-Ruhd / 7’ to 9’ tall; Bony hairless Dragon/Wolf-like head; Red muscular human torso and arms; Sharp spikes extend out across shoulder blades, back of arms, and back of hands; Red hair covered waist and over two thick strong wolf legs. Blothruds are typically the highest class of the Del’Undays.
Del’Unday: DeL-OOn-Day / The Del’Unday are a collection of Altered Creatures who live in structured communities with rules and strong leadership.
Fesh’Unday: FehSH-OOn-Day / The Fesh’Unday are all of the Altered Creatures that roam freely without societies.
Gathler: GahTH-ler / 6’ to 8’ tall; Hunched over giant sloth-like face and body; Gathlers are the spiritual leaders of the Ov’Undays.
Human: Hyoo-muhn / 5’ to 6’ tall; pale to dark complexion; weight varies from anorexic to obese. Most live within the Dovenar Kingdom.
Krupes: KrooP / 6’ to 8’ tall; Covered from head
to toe in black armor, these thick and heavy bipedal creatures move slow but are difficult to defeat. Few have seen what they look like under their armor. Krupes are the soldiers of the Del’Unday.
Mognin (AKA Mogs): MahG-Nen / 10’ to 12’ tall; Mognins are the tallest of the Ov’Unday.
Myth’Unday: Meeth-OOn-Day / The Myth’Unday are a collection of Creatures brought to life by altering nature’s plants and insects.
Ov’Unday: ahv-OOn-Day / The Ov’Unday are a collection of Altered Creatures who believe in living as equals in peaceful communities.
Polenum (AKA Nums): Pol-uhn-um / 4’ to 5’ tall; Human-like features; Very pale skin; Soul-markings cover their bodies in thin or thick lines as they mature. Exceptional Eyesight.
Altered Creatures Epic Adventures continues with the following books:
Thorik Dain Series (Young Adult and Adult)
Fate of Thorik
Sacrifice of Ericc
Essence of Gluic
Rise of Rummon
Prey of Ambrosius
Plea of Avanda
Nums of Shoreview Series (Pre-teen, Ages 7 to 12)
Stolen Orb
Unfair Trade
Slave Trade
Baka’s Curse
Haunted Secrets
Rodent Buttes
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