Fiction

DrakenStone Castle Press has released a new novel: The Mask of Deception.

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-from Escape from Edeos:

Nor Gan whispered into his fist. His palm opened, revealing a flickering candlelight. He held it above his head and crept into the room.
The tiefling remained alert, moving in slow motion. He turn slightly to one side, thinking he must have heard a sound. It must have been nothing, so the warlock kept moving. With a breath, the flame lept out of his hand, touching the torch lying dormant on the wheel. It ignited immediately, revealing a gruesome scene.
A circular room flickered before the companions. Along the outer edges, huge beams of wood protruded from the wall. Chained to each log was the desiccated corpse of an oversized minotaur. Obviously once a slave, these rugged beast-men wore nothing but a putrid loincloth. Scars lined the poor beasts back. Nor Gan murmured, and the light grew brighter. Several more dormant minotaur carcasses revealed themselves from the darkness.
“It appears that these beasts were driven to push the beams, which then rotates the outer wall of the chamber” Nor Gan concluded aloud. Drex stepped forward into the room and wiped the dust from a beam, careful not to disturb the slumber of the nearby minotaur.
“Let’s give it a go.” The dwarf shouldered up to the beam, and dug his feet in to the hard packed dirt. The others moved into place, one to a beam. “One, two, THREE!” they mouthed together. The group groaned in unison as they heaved with all their might. Nothing budged. Not even a sound. “It’s stuck” the dwarf said with a sigh.
“Let’s try using the oil we found in the supply shed, to lubricate the bearings” Nor Gan said, pulling a flask from his pack. However, even with the added lubrication and several more tries, the thing was apparently stuck fast.
Exhasted, the companions sat on the floor to rest, and decide what to do next. Nor Gan took some chalk from a hidden pocket in his cloak and circled the room, scratching the chalk along the wall as he walked. He stepped in rhythm with his chanting, head bowed in deep concentration. Soon, the dust from the corpses rose in clouds, as the stiff limbs creaked to unlife. The minotaurs blinked their hollow eyes. The dwarf immediately drew his weapon. Brelia held out her hand, signaling him to be patient as the tiefling worked his magic.
When the spell was finally finished, Nor Gan looked up. The beast-men were standing at attention. “Now what?” asked the dwarf.
“Push!” said Nor Gan. Nothing happened. “Go!” he said. Still nothing.
“Try it in Undercommon” Brelia suggested. The tiefling nodded.
Selak” he spoke tentatively. The minotaurs began to move. There was a deafening screech, as if metal somewhere close was scraping against metal. After a loud crack, the room began to rotate.
Drex turned to Brelia. “Its a good thing we brought you along.”

 

 

All fiction written
by Andrew Thomas Schiller
©2014 DrakenStone Press. All Rights Reserved.