The Gathering Storm (The Storm Chronicles) Anne Marie Gazzolo Author

The first book in this fantasy series begins the epic struggle of mortals and immortals against an ancient evil as it rises again. It focuses on the immortals in the land of Afallon and the dark night that falls upon them as they struggle against the... Read more

The first book in this fantasy series begins the epic struggle of mortals and immortals against an ancient evil as it rises again. It focuses on the immortals in the land of Afallon and the dark night that falls upon them as they struggle against their old adversary, called once brother and friend, who seeks to continue his quest to dominate all the mortal worlds and ensnares some of his kin to join him.Notes the chronicler of this history:Grieved I grows my hand far more accustomed to holding a blade rather than a quill as delighted my heart in times of peace. But no more those days. Pray I to Athair, the One above all, come they again and walk I in the bright light of my homeland once more. For now, stand my brothers and sisters and I in the darkness of war. Reigns lament and stout-hearted purpose in our hearts, the clash of blades in the halls, the splash of blood on the stones. But now in a stretch of seeming calm before the next storm, begin I this tale, this history.The tremendous acts of love and sacrifice from the first War of Darkness, fought an age far before the long-fathers of those mortals guard we now first took breath, stand tall in their dreams, but only as fanciful tales told by the fireside to stir the blood and warm a long winter's night. But lived my kin and I the truth: the blood, the torment, the loss. Never knew we any foe or aught of suffering, darkness, and evil before drowned us in it one called we brother. Taught us much our enemy. Learned the deathless of death, from the one whose nature became death.Tell I now of what came an age after defeated we our enemy but destroyed him not. Argued some for this. Pled others for mercy. War the same arguments in our hearts in this present suffering, so great among kin and mortals caught once more in the web of war. Yet knew I then and know I now, chose we rightly as prevailed mercy.Doubt I not myth and legend again replace truth in the ages to come. Pen I the first volume of this testament now in this breathing space between one battle and the next. Continue I it if wills Athair, or mayhap carry on other hands, as encompasses the darkness worlds before the end, just as before.Write I this, and write I truth, by oil lamp and moonlight in a fortress far from our own. Less