Blood Of Gods (Book 3) Read online

  BY DAVID DALGLISH AND ROBERT J. DUPERRE

  The Breaking World Series

  Dawn of Swords

  Wrath of Lions

  Blood of Gods

  ALSO BY DAVID DALGLISH

  The Shadowdance Series

  A Dance of Cloaks

  A Dance of Blades

  A Dance of Mirrors

  A Dance of Shadows

  A Dance of Ghosts

  The Half-Orcs

  The Weight of Blood

  The Cost of Betrayal

  The Death of Promises

  The Shadows of Grace

  A Sliver of Redemption

  The Prison of Angels

  The Paladins

  Night of Wolves

  Clash of Faiths

  The Old Ways

  The Broken Pieces

  Others

  A Land of Ash (compilation)

  ALSO BY ROBERT J. DUPERRE

  The Rift

  Volume 1: The Fall & Dead of Winter

  Volume 2: Death Springs Eternal & The Summer Son

  Others

  Silas

  The Gate: 13 Dark and Odd Tales (compilation)

  The Gate 2: 13 Tales of Isolation and Despair (compilation)

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Text copyright © 2014 by David Dalglish and Robert J. Duperre

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by 47North, Seattle

  www.apub.com

  Amazon, the Amazon logo, and 47North are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

  ISBN-13: 9781477824986

  ISBN-10: 1477824987

  Cover design by Kerrie Robertson Illustration, Inc.

  Illustrated by Alejandro Colucci

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2014936354

  To all our dear readers, this book is for you.

  CONTENTS

  ASHHUR’S PARADISE

  NELDAR

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  PROLOGUE

  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

  CHAPTER 45

  CHAPTER 46

  CHAPTER 47

  CHAPTER 48

  CHAPTER 49

  CHAPTER 50

  CHAPTER 51

  CHAPTER 52

  CHAPTER 53

  EPILOGUE

  AFTERWORD

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  ASHHUR’S PARADISE

  NELDAR

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  ASHHUR’S PARADISE

  ASHHUR, God of Justice, creator of ASHHUR’S PARADISE

  —AHAESARUS, Master Warden of the west

  —JUDARIUS, a Warden of the west

  —AZARIAH, a Warden of the west, brother of JUDARIUS

  —ROLAND NORSMAN, his confidant, deceased

  —JUDAH, a Warden of the west

  —GRENDEL, a Warden of the west

  MORDEINA

  BENJAMIN MARYLL, first king of ASHHUR’S PARADISE, 16 years old

  HOUSE DUTAUREAU

  ISABEL DUTAUREAU, first child of ASHHUR

  —RICHARD, her created husband

  —ABIGAIL ESCHETON, their first daughter, 72 years old

  —TUROCK ESCHETON, her husband, 40 years old

  —their children:

  LAURIA DAGEESH, daughter, 25 years old, wife of UULON

  CETHLYNN, daughter, 23 years old

  DOREK, son, 20 years old

  BYRON, son, 19 years old

  JARAK, son, 17 years old

  PENDET, son, 9 years old

  —PATRICK, their only son, 67 years old

  —BRIGID FRONIN, their second daughter, 64 years old, wife of BAYEN

  —CARA, their third daughter, 63 years old

  —KEELA NEFRAM, their fourth daughter, 60 years old, wife of DANIEL

  —NESSA, their fifth daughter, deceased

  —HOWARD PHILIP BAEDAN, master steward of the house

  THE TURNCLOAKS

  —PRESTON ENDER, brother of CORTON, leader of the TURNCLOAKS

  —EDWARD, his son, 18 years old

  —RAGNAR, his son, 17 years old

  —BRICK MULLIN, a boy from NELDAR, deceased

  —TRISTAN VALESON, a boy from NELDAR, 15 years old

  —JOFFREY GOLDENROD, a boy from NELDAR, 14 years old

  —RYANN MATHESON, a boy from NELDAR, 17 years old

  —BIG FLICK, a boy from NELDAR, 18 years old

  —LITTLE FLICK, a boy from NELDAR, 16 years old

  KER

  HOUSE GOROGOROS

  BESSUS GORGOROS, second child of ASHHUR, deceased

  —DAMASPIA, his created wife, deceased

  —BARDIYA, their only son, 88 years old

  —KI-NAN RENALD, his friend and confidante

  —GORDO HEMPSMAN, a man of KER

  —TULANI, his wife

  —KEISHA, their daughter, 8 years old

  —ONNA LENSBROUGH, a man of KER

  NELDAR

  KARAK, God of Order, Divinity of the East, creator of NELDAR

  VELIXAR (formerly JACOB EVENINGSTAR), first man of DEZREL, High Prophet of KARAK

  —MALCOLM GREGORIAN, Lord Commander of THE ARMY OF KARAK

  HOUSE CRESTWELL

  CLOVIS CRESTWELL, first child of KARAK

  —LANIKE, his created wife, deceased

  —LORD COMMANDER AVILA, their first daughter, deceased

  —JOSEPH, their first son, deceased

  —THESSALY, their second daughter, deceased

  —MOIRA ELREN, their exiled third daughter, 54 years old

  —UTHER, their second son, deceased

  —CRIAN, their third son, deceased

  HOUSE MORI

  SOLEH MORI, second child of KARAK, deceased

  —IBIS, her created husband, deceased

  —VULFRAM, their first son, deceased

  —YENGE, his wife, 35 years old

  —their children:

  ALEXANDER, son, 20 years old

  LYANA, daughter, 18 years old

  CALEIGH, daughter, 14 years old

  —ORIS, their second son, 68 years old

  —EBBE, his wife, 28 years old

  —their children:

  CONATA, daughter, 11 years old

  ZEPPA, da
ughter, 9 years old

  —ADELINE PALING, their first daughter, deceased

  —ULRIC, their third son, deceased

  —DIMONA, his wife, 43 years old

  —their children:

  TITON, son, 22 years old

  APHREDES, son, 21 years old

  JULIAN, son, 18 years old

  —RACHIDA GEMCROFT, wife of PEYTR, 53 years old

  VELDAREN

  KING ELDRICH VAELOR THE FIRST, second king of NELDAR, 39 years old

  —KARL DOGON, the king’s bodyguard

  —PULO JENATT, captain of the Palace Guard

  —JONN TREMMEN, Palace Guard

  —RODDALIN HARLAN, Palace Guard

  —JOBEN TUSTLEWHITE, priest of KARAK

  —LAUREL LAWRENCE, councilwoman, 23 years old

  —GUSTER HALFHORN, elder councilman, deceased

  —ZEBEDIAH ZANE, councilman

  —DIRK COLDMINE, councilman, deceased

  —WALTER OLLERAY, councilman

  —MARIUS TRUFONT, elder councilman

  —LENROY MOTT, councilman

  THE MERCHANTS

  —ROMEO CONNINGTON, high merchant of RIVERRUN

  —CLEO CONNINGTON, high merchant of RIVERRUN

  —QUESTER BILLINGS, Crimson Sword of RIVERRUN

  —MATTHEW BRENNAN, high merchant of PORT LANCASTER, deceased

  —CATHERINE, his widow, regent of PORT LANCASTER

  —their children:

  MARGERY, daughter, 15 years old

  ELLA, daughter, 13 years old

  RHODA, daughter, 10 years old

  CATTIA, daughter, 5 years old

  RYAN, son, 3 years old

  —BREN TORRANT, bodyguard of CATHERINE

  —URSULA, housemaid

  —PENETTA, housemaid

  —LORI, housemaid

  —PEYTR GEMCROFT, high merchant of HAVEN, husband of RACHIDA

  —TRENTON BLACKBARD, high merchant of BRENT

  —TOD GARLAND, high merchant of THETTLETOWN

  —TOMAS MUDRAKER, high merchant of GRONSWIK

  THE ELVES

  THE DEZREN

  STONEWOOD

  —CLEOTIS MELN, former Lord of STONEWOOD, deceased

  —AUDRIANNA, his wife

  —their children:

  CARSKEL, their banished son, 183 years old

  AUBRIENNA, daughter, deceased

  AULLIENNA, daughter, 14 years old, betrothed to KINDREN THYNE

  —AAROMAR KULN, protector of LADY AUDRIANNA

  —NONI CLANSHAW, nursemaid of AULLIENNA

  —DETRICK MELN, brother of CLEOTIS, acting Lord of STONEWOOD

  —ETHIR AYERS, confidante of DETRICK

  —DAVISHON HINSBREW, confidante of DETRICK

  DEZEREA

  —ORDEN THYNE, Lord of DEZEREA

  —PHYRRA, his wife

  —KINDREN, son, 18 years old, betrothed to AULLIENNA MELN

  THE QUELLAN

  —RUVEN SINISTEL, Neyvar (King) of QUELLASAR

  —JEADRA, his wife

  —CEREDON, their son, 97 years old

  —IOLAS SINISTEL, cousin of RUVEN, member of the TRIAD

  —CONALL SINISTEL, cousin of RUVEN, member of the TRIAD, deceased

  —AESON SINISTEL, cousin of RUVEN, member of the TRIAD, deceased

  —AERLAND SHEN, chief of the EKREISSAR

  PROLOGUE

  The skies burned red as men fell bleeding from above, and Ashhur watched it all with a shard of fear in his heart. His city of Allaketh was protected by a massive circular wall, the homes within dwarfed by a mountain of marble. Yet that mattered not when Thulos’s soldiers flew on crimson wings, their bronze armor glistening in the twilight of a fading sun as the light of a thousand fires consuming his beloved city.

  “Trust our archers,” Karak said beside him, the two overlooking the battle from the steps of the Golden Castle. Ashhur glanced to his brother, bedecked in fine dark steel plate and resting an enormous ethereal sword across his broad shoulders. He looked confident, but Ashhur knew it for the lie it was. They could hold no confidence in their creations, for they were weak compared to Thulos. The humans had trusted in Justice and Order to prevail, for their allies in Love and Creation to hold back the tide, but against the God of War, they were all inferior. Humankind sought power, and the easiest way to achieve it was through their vengeful brother.

  Giant balls of flaming pitch soared over the walls, accompanied by another wave of winged soldiers. The pitch smashed atop homes, setting them ablaze as Allaketh’s archers fired in vain from along the walls, downing foes with their deadly aim, yet unable to stem the tide. Ashhur drew his own sword as battle began atop those ramparts, their men quickly falling.

  “We have no choice,” Ashhur said. “The gates will soon fall, and the footmen of Thulos will make their charge. We must meet them head on.”

  Karak pulled the sword from his back and ran his other hand through his dark brown hair, for not a single strand would he allow to remain out of place.

  “So be it,” he said. “If our followers cannot find victory, let us give it to them.”

  The red haze blackened as the fire spread throughout the city. The two brother gods walked side by side down the road, leaving the castle behind them, listening to the screams of the dying. Every whisper, every groan was perfectly clear to their ears. For Ashhur, it was nearly overwhelming. There was no justice in what they witnessed, only betrayal and murder. He wished he could grant them comfort, even in their dying breaths, but there would be no time for that. The God of War came to their gates, and strength alone would defy him.

  Ashhur readied his blade, its fine edge shimmering white and gold. Thirty of the winged soldiers—war demons, as Thulos had named them—approached from above in a diamond formation. Letting out a cry to their god, the demons dove with near suicidal speed. They’d give their lives for Thulos, if only to bring him a drop of blood closer to victory. Such devotion. Such loyalty. Ashhur wondered where he and his brother had gone so very wrong.

  “Your very forms reek of chaos!” Karak shouted to them as they dove. “Come die and be cleansed.”

  Fire wreathed his sword, and he swung in wide arcs, unafraid of the charge. Ashhur stepped aside, giving himself room to fight, and he met the assault with his own twirling blade of light. With each swing they cut down several demons at once, blasting through their bronze armor, shattering their wings so that both blood and feathers rained down from above.

  Three demons flew past, slashing out with long halberds. Ashhur twisted, let his armor absorb the glancing hits, and then spun with sword raised high. As the third demon curved about, a great flash shone from the metal, blinding in its power. Unable to see, the three banked upward, failing to react in time. Into one of the tall marble homes they slammed. Ashhur heard every bone break, heard the drip of their blood, the crunch of their armor as the force of their impact bent its shape. A single step left, a pivot, and his sword swung through the air, the arc perfect, slicing in twain the first demon and removing the head of the second following behind. Their bodies crashed against Ashhur, but his feet remained planted, their weight bouncing off him as if he were made of stone.

  “Chaos!” Karak screamed, seemingly overwhelmed by fury. Fire blasted from his sword, lashing into the air in great waves. Those demons unfortunate enough to be in its way were pulverized, screaming and plummeting, their skin blackening to ash, their armor melting. Around and around danced Karak’s sword, filling the sky with fire, until the last of the demons fled toward the outer wall to rejoin their god.

  Their departure did little to calm Ashhur’s brother.

  “Everywhere, chaos!” Karak roared. “The fields, the rivers, our cities and forests! Only the graveyards know peace.”

  The ground rumbled, and from the far wall they both heard a loud crack.

  “Blame our brother,” Ashhur said. “And save your fury. The siege engines roll forth.”

  They ran faster, taking giant strides wit
h their long legs. At either side cowered the women and children of Allaketh, taking to the streets to cry out their fear and grief to their gods. Ashhur did his best to ignore them, to focus on the task at hand. It was they he sought to defend, those powerless before the war machines of Thulos, his demons ruling the air, his paladins overwhelming the ground. At least the archers had done much to whittle down the fliers so that they were but a nuisance to Allaketh’s ground troops as they massed before the great double doors protecting the city. But without men on the walls, there was nothing to slow the battering rams, and with another great tremble the doors shook.