Author: Andrew Q. Gordon
Category: LGBT
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Table of Contents
Blurb
Maps
Dedicatin
Acknowledgments
What Came Before
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Epilogue
Glossary
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Copyright
When Heroes Fall
By Andrew Q. Gordon
Champion of the Gods: Book Five
It took the Seven to create the world, each to rule Their own, until Neldin sought to rule it all.
The Six defeated Neldin three millennia ago, but time has no meaning to a god. Before the dust settled from the first conflict, both sides set in motion plans for the next one. As Champion of the Six, Farrell, with Kel’s help, gathers those loyal to the Six to meet Meglar and his army.
But Neldin plotted as well, and like the Six, His plans all lead to the final confrontation between Champions.
Kel teaches Farrell that weapons and power will not be enough—victory requires something from within each Champion. But Neldin also knows this and unleashes a final surprise at a critical moment that claims some of those Farrell loves most.
With the fate of Nendor riding on his actions, Farrell must ignore the pain and find the will to win. If not, his world and everyone he loves will fall to Meglar’s darkness.
To Michael. For encouraging me to write, allowing me to pursue my dreams, and always being there when I needed you. This book and all the others are for you. Forever is not long enough.
Acknowledgments
CHAMPION OF the Gods began with a wizard, a warrior, and two unicorns thirteen years ago, and if not my husband Michael’s encouragement, it would be another file in my hard drive. Many great people have had a hand helping me realize my dream of seeing Champion of the Gods into print and audio. I can’t name them all, but a few need to be mentioned and thanked:
Elizabeth North—for taking a chance on me and always giving me more than I deserve. This book, and the entire series, owes its life in the world to you.
Anne Regan—editors get so little credit, but they deserve so much. I would be dreadful without you and your steady hand and your incredible patience.
Samantha—for the amazing covers and for knowing what my vision was before I knew it myself.
The entire DSP Publications staff—without you and your amazing work behind the scenes to make our dreams come true, there would be nothing. My eternal thanks.
And to the readers—for being part of the journey. Without you, the road would be a lonely place.
To read more about the Champion of the Gods universe, please visit my website. In addition to people, places, and things, there are videos, artwork, and free short stories you can download that add depth and texture to the series.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.andrewqgordon.com/champion-of-the-gods/
What Came Before
IT TOOK the Seven to make the world. Each agreed to only hold sway over Their own domain. Until One wanted to rule it all.
The Great War of ancient times began when Neldin sought to rule the world. Using others as pawns, He sought to overthrow His brother, Honorus, as Lord of the Gods and to subject the other gods to His will. When that failed, Neldin sought to turn the world into an extension of Neblor by flooding the world with His dark creatures. He almost succeeded, but Kel, the Champion of the Six, thwarted Him. Grand Master Kel destroyed Neldin’s bridge into the world, closed the Eight Gates of Neblor, and ended the war.
After His defeat, Neldin returned to Neblor. Followers of the Six destroyed His temples, and His followers abandoned Him or hid their devotion. Three thousand years passed, and the world forgot His evil and believed He’d been defeated for good.
Time, however, has no meaning to a god. While the world believed Him gone forever, Neldin spent the years plotting His next move. His followers worked in secret to set in motion His plans and to be ready to act when called upon.
Following the war, Kel founded Yar-del on the largely unsettled continent of Ardus. A few years later, rivals from Kel’s home of Kentar founded the Kingdom of Zargon to the south of Yar-del. In time, other kingdoms sprang up to occupy the rest of the unclaimed land of Ardus.
Zargon and Yar-del developed a rivalry that often led to war. To aid his kingdom and his descendants, Kel created a Source, a near limitless storage vessel for magical energy. Kel and his heirs used the power advantage of their Source to defeat Zargon’s ambitions time and again.
In an attempt to end three millennia of hostilities, King Falon of Zargon proposed that his son Prince Meglar would marry Princess Zenora of Yar-del. King Bren of Yar-del allowed Meglar to court his daughter, and in time the two joined. Soon thereafter, they had a son, Halloran.
Unknown to Zenora or King Bren, Meglar secretly worshipped Neldin. Meglar’s true intention in marrying Zenora had been to obtain Kel’s Source. He planned to use it to not only conquer Yar-del, but Ardus and the rest of Nendor as well.
Just before Halloran’s second birthday, Meglar attempted to wrest the Source for himself. With the aid of Grand Master Heminaltose, Bren and Zenora succeeded in driving Meglar from Yar-del, but not before he’d managed to steal almost all the energy in the Source. During the fight, Meglar’s face was scarred, and he swore revenge on his former wife and her ally.
With his newfound power, Meglar returned to Zargon, killed his father, and assumed the throne. Worship to Neldin returned openly for the first time in three thousand years, and Meglar began to implement his master’s plans. Neldin gave Meglar an evil spell to warp human subjects into mindless creatures that could be easily controlled. By accelerating the aging process, the victims gained increased strength and stamina. These soldiers were called Chamdon and formed the core of Meglar’s army.
Heminaltose and Bren determined that Halloran could not be allowed to join his father and sent the toddler to Haven, Heminaltose’s hidden school for wizards. Word spread that Bren, fearful of what Halloran might become if Meglar captured his son, had ordered the child killed.
Once at Haven, Halloran’s name was changed to Farrell, and he was not told of his true birthright until after his thirteenth birthday. Heminaltose undertook the job of training Farrell while keeping an eye out for signs he might follow in his father’s footsteps. In the years after the theft of Yar-del’s Source, Heminaltose led a small army of wizards and clerics in converting Haven from a sm
all school into a vast hidden sanctuary for refugees against the day Meglar launched his attack.
A few months after Halloran’s seventeenth birthday, Meglar began his war to conquer the world. Despite the efforts of Zenora, Heminaltose, and all of Yar-del’s allies, Meglar laid siege to Yar-del City. Zenora, now queen following the untimely death of her father, along with Heminaltose, put up a vigorous defense. During the fight, Farrell tried to slip away and kill Meglar but failed in his attempt.
When it was clear they could not defeat Meglar, Heminaltose and Zenora gathered all their energy and as much of their Source’s power as they could contain and launched a final spell. The enchantment blinded Meglar and decimated his army. When Meglar could see again, Zenora, Heminaltose, the remains of the Yar-del Source, and everyone left in Yar-del City had disappeared. By removing all the survivors to a hidden location, Zenora denied Meglar a source of human hosts to create a new army of Chamdon.
Not privy to what his mother and former master had planned, Farrell found himself sent to Haven with the rest of the survivors. Grand Master Sanduval spread the word that Farrell was a distant relative of the House of Hevnor, Kel’s brother, and would henceforth be the Prince of Haven. Masters Erstad, Wesfazial, and later Cylinda continued Farrell’s magical training.
After rebuilding his armies, Meglar resumed his attacks against the kingdoms of Ardus, First Endor, then Arvendia and Respital fell, leaving Farrell the last grand master other than Meglar. Despite the losses, Honorus refused to let Farrell engage his father, commanding he wait until Meglar came to Haven.
Sometime after the fall of Respital, while Farrell worked on the weapon he planned to use against Meglar, Honorus instructed Farrell to meet a messenger from Lenore and render what aid he could to His sister’s servants. Honorus also told Farrell that on this mission, he would meet his mate.
Nerti, queen of the unicorns and Lenore’s messenger, brought Farrell to Northhelm, already besieged by Meglar’s army. During the battle, Farrell met Miceral, a Muchari fighter. The attraction between the two was immediate, but time was short as Farrell deflected a direct attack from Meglar and erected a shield to protect Northhelm long enough to evacuate its populace. In the process he saved Takala, an injured peregrine, leading Grohl, Takala’s brother, to name Farrell their brother.
Safely at Haven, Farrell’s bond with Miceral grew stronger. Six months later, a delegation from Honal arrived at Haven, seeking aid in the coming war. During the meeting with Prince Kerstand of Honal and his cousin, Baron Glaus, Farrell inadvertently proposed to Miceral. Miceral accepted and their union ceremony was set for the Winter Festival.
Despite Farrell wanting a small private affair, Miceral’s father Horgon prevailed on him to accept that as Prince of Haven, his union ceremony needed to be public. At the ceremony, the avatars of Honorus and Lenore appeared and blessed the union.
The next day, Farrell surprised Miceral by taking him to Belsport for the traditional postunion trip. While they stayed at an inn under false names, two of Meglar’s wizards accosted them. The fight drew the attention of Belsport’s chief wizard, who recognized Farrell and arranged a meeting with Prince Wilhelm, the ruler of Belsport.
As part of negotiating an alliance, Farrell offered to create a protective shield around Belsport, using skills he’d developed working on Haven’s defenses. No sooner was the shield in place than Meglar, alerted by the death of his wizard spies, attacked. After fierce fighting, Farrell was able to repulse Meglar but was injured and rescued by his peregrine brothers. Farrell returned to Haven to recover, vowing that those lost opposing Meglar would not have died in vain.
His victory over Meglar at Belsport proved physically and emotionally costly to Farrell. Spending time with Miceral was part of his recovery, and Farrell used the opportunity to take his life partner to the ancient dwarf city of Trellham. Long believed lost, the dwarf realm had been a casualty of the first war between the gods. During his years as a trainee at Heminaltose’s school, Farrell had discovered the city and helped map it for his master.
Their visit was interrupted by the arrival of the God of War. Khron gave Farrell a new task—free the lost dwarves of Trellham. Khron offered no assistance in how to accomplish the task. He instructed Farrell to go to his temple for answers.
Inside Khron’s temple they found Father Aswick, high priest of Khron. Father Aswick explained the fall of Trellham and detailed the great war that nearly allowed Neldin to overrun the world. He explained that Kel ended the war, using a spell devised by Seritia, the Goddess of Love, that no other wizard had been able to cast. The spell trapped dwarves in the void, and they were awaiting Farrell to free them. Given the infinite nature of the void, Farrell had no idea how to find the dwarves. Father Aswick gave Farrell a book written by Kel suggesting he might find his answers on those pages.
The book raised more questions than it answered, but after reading it, Farrell was convinced of two things: Kel held the key to freeing the dwarves, and Kel was still alive. With Yar-del captured, Farrell decided the best place to begin the search would be Dumbarten—Kel’s birthplace.
Unable to open a Door to Dumbarten, Farrell asked Prince Wilhelm of Belsport for help. Wilhelm proposed that he “hire” them as mercenaries to guard his son, Prince Peter, on his coming-of-age journey. Farrell and Miceral agreed, and Wilhelm made arrangements for the trio to sail from Glaston, one of city-states on the northern coast of Ardus. On board the Seafoam Rose, the three departed for Dumbarten.
Several days into the journey, Farrell received a message from a dolphin—creatures dear to Arritisa, Goddess of the Sea. Arritisa directed Farrell to go with the dolphins and travel to the bottom of the ocean. To survive that long underwater, Farrell was told to look to his ancestor for answers. Searching Kel’s book, Farrell found spells that would allow him to follow the Goddess’s command. After completing a successful test of the spell, Farrell left with the dolphins the next day.
The dolphins took Farrell deep under the surface. They stopped before a floating guard box containing a manlike creature. Speaking mentally, the being told Farrell his name was Argus, Lord of the Western March of the Kingdom of Rastoria. He and his kind were Arlefors, and he had been sent to escort Farrell to the capital city to meet the king.
King Clayden, after greeting Farrell, turned him over to Teberus, the chief wizard of Rastoria. Teberus used their time to teach Farrell the different ways Arlefors use magic. Before Teberus could teach Farrell much, King Clayden interrupted them to tell Farrell that pirates were attacking the Seafoam Rose. Farrell declined any offers of help so that he could leave immediately. The king summoned dolphins to take Farrell back to the vessel and promised they would follow close behind.
Miceral and Peter remained on the Seafoam Rose after Farrell left. Not long after the dolphins had disappeared under the waves, the lookout spotted a pirate vessel bearing down on their position. Miceral, unable to reach Farrell, managed to contact Klissmor instead. Klissmor believed the ocean blocked their ability to reach Farrell, but using a dolphin, was able to get a message to him.
While Farrell hurried to get back, the Seafoam Rose took evasive actions in an effort to buy more time. Their efforts came up short, and the pirates boarded the merchant vessel. Despite Miceral’s superior skills, the pirates quickly subdued the ship. When they asked the crew to yield, Farrell appeared and ordered the pirates to surrender. Sensing no wizards, Farrell approached the leader and demanded he surrender or be killed.
The leader, a human, released a magical weapon at Farrell. Scoffing at the attack, Farrell was shocked when the spell penetrated his shield and knocked him unconscious. Miceral led a renewed push against the pirates in an effort to reach Farrell but was stopped when Teberus and other Arlefors arrived. Teberus, unable to determine friend from foe, froze everyone so he could get to Farrell’s side. Miceral, unable to stop the unknown creatures, let out a mental scream that alerted Klissmor to his plight.
With Klissmor’s help, Miceral c
onvinced Teberus to free him. Using Miceral as a conduit, Teberus was able to advise Klissmor and the other wizards at Haven of Farrell’s plight. Erstad, looking through Miceral’s eyes, opened a door to the Seafoam Rose and sent Cylinda to help. After examining Farrell, she directed the captain to take everyone to Dumbarten, where she hoped to find a book written by Kel that would explain what happened.
Once in Dumbarten, Cylinda enlisted the aid of Father Gedrin, High Priest of Honorus, and had Farrell taken to the main temple of Honorus. Miceral overheard a conversation between Cylinda and Father Gedrin and was shocked to learn that Cylinda was actually Zenora, Queen of Yar-del and Farrell’s mother. Cylinda explained that Honorus changed everything about her to keep Farrell from learning the truth, and Honorus would prevent Miceral from revealing the truth to Farrell.
After finding the book she hoped would be in Dumbarten, Cylinda recruited the unicorn queen Nerti and the peregrine king Rothdin to help revive Farrell. She explained that Farrell was trapped in his own mind and only Miceral could save him. Rothdin agreed to help get Miceral inside Farrell’s mind but made it clear only Miceral could convince Farrell to come back. Before Miceral and Rothdin began, Cylinda warned them that if they took too long, Farrell would burn through his energy and die.
Using Miceral’s amulet, Rothdin and Miceral forced their way into Farrell’s mind. They found Farrell locked in a battle with creatures Miceral had never seen before. Rothdin explained that Farrell was subconsciously creating these enemies because of Meglar’s spell. He further warned Miceral that while everything Farrell threw at them would be an illusion, if Miceral believed he was killed, his mind would shut down and he would in fact die.
As expected, Farrell lashed out at them, but Rothdin successfully dismissed the attacks. With each failed spell, Farrell grew more frustrated and desperate. Nerti intruded into Miceral’s thoughts and warned him that Farrell was dangerously low on energy and would die soon if they couldn’t convince him of the truth.