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Sword of Blackfire

by D. J. Addley

504 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-1864; ISBN 1-4120-1486-7; US$36.00, C$41.00, EUR30.00, £21.00

The prophesied Godchilde trains with Elfin priests to master the martial art Kayata and the life force, Kiy to prepare her to battle Deschardon, the Deathlord

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts or table of contents      catalogue info

About the Book On a world known as Guiya, the Elfin kingdom of Valkhara is theatened by a dark and evil force. Deschardon, the deathlord, unleashes his army of Gorg upon the lands of Guiya in hope to make the world his sole empire. His force is led by his five inspirited generals, the Shaynelords and is followed by a dark and menacing cloud that stretches over the conquered nations, signifying the deathlord's rule over them. One being has the strength to stand against him; prophesied to be exiled from Valkhara, only to return and save it. Known as the Godchilde, this champion trains with the Elfin priests to master the martial art, Kayata and to command the empowering life force, called the Kiy. With these skills and the mightly blade, Godspel, she may succeed in destroying Deschardon and bringing peace to Valkhara once again.

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About the Author D. J. Addley, originally from the Bronx of NYC, now calls Hatfield, PA home with his wife and three sons. He practices cardiology in West Philidelpia. This is his first publication, of which he is also the illustrator.

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Sample Excerpts or Table of Contents

Introduction

In a time unknown, possibly years ago or years yet to come, there was, or is yet to be, a world far away known as Guiya.

It is a world full of legends unknown to us, but not impalpable to our minds, for if one dares to delve into the pages of her history, or future yet to be told, one could embark on adventures filled with a wealth of wisdom and powers untouched.

Listen with the ears of children and understand with a mind ignorant of technologies and philosophies, for you are about to be introduced to a new people, a new culture... a whole new world.

Guiya is a world that is alive-breathing with every roll of the tides and crying with every rainfall; so one race believes. They are the Elfin folk; proclaimed to be the chosen children of the gods.

The Elfin folk are of many types, yet their culture and beliefs are common to the entire race and have remained unchanged and constant despite the distances that separate their kind. They are black, brown, yellow, pale, but this is of no consequence, for they live in harmony with each other, but more importantly, with Guiya. Their kind values the individual, for their anthem is "The nation is weaker without the one." They are a people that possess a great love of nature and the arts. Believed to be the oldest race upon Guiya, their architecture, music, philosophies and crafts have influenced nearly every corner of the world. This has not always been to their advantage, for they have found enemies in other races.

The humans have always sought the wealth of the Elfin folk's wisdom and artistic gifts. Repeatedly, over several eons, the humans have enslaved the Elfin folk, to spoil their artistry, science and benevolence. The Elfin folk have been forced to deny their culture in the past and forbidden to express their arts freely. From the violent contact between the Elfin folk and humans came the half-Elfin folk. This race struggled for generations to find an honored place beside its parenting races.

The half-Elfin folk have been despised by the chosen ones, for all that was recognized as Elfin has been tainted with human blood. They are despised by the humans, for they are deemed the weakest race and unworthy of a moment's thought.

Still, there is yet another race, preferred to be forgotten; the Gorg. Considered the cursed scourge of the land, these sub-human beasts roam Guiya with no true land to call home. They invade their neighboring homesteads to feed on livestock, harvests and even innocent children that manage to wander off beyond the watchful eyes of mother and father. The Gorg are a common enemy to the three races, but not strong enough an enemy to unite them...at least, not yet.

Guiya is a land that hosts creatures familiar to our myths and legends. This world nurtures the likes of dragons and unicorns. It holds an intimate relationship with the spirit world. And when one calls upon the ancestors they can be trusted to lend counsel.

Chapter 1 - The Birth of Kym

It was the twentieth day of the Month of Winds, and the Hour of the Horse, the twenty-fifth hour of the day. The Empress' screams chilled the air of the Temple of Life, sending news that her labor had taken a turn for the worse. This was not like the other times. This time, there was much more pain. Strange things were happening behind the closed doors of the birth chamber, and stranger things were yet to come.

"Ahhh!" she called once more. The doors to the birth chamber were shut, but they seemed to reverberate with every spine-chilling shout of the Empress. His Highness, Emperor Gorobada, paced the hallway like a nervous cat. He strained to make sense of the voices of the birth-maids behind the closed doors of the chamber. They all seemed to be speaking at once, and in frantic tones.

He was desperate to know everything. He wanted to be by his wife's side, but such a thing was unheard of. Elfin men, especially one of the Emperor's authority, were not to concern themselves with the acts and duties of the female race.

The Empress screamed again, and his Highness' eyes darted toward the tall, mahogany-stained doors, hoping he would receive some sign of his wife's progress. He prayed silently, pleading to the Sages to watch over his loved one.

This pregnancy was foreseen to be a difficult one for her Highness. The Imperial Counsel of Priestesses had advised the Empress not to attempt another pregnancy. She had given birth five times previously. Five times in ten years, she had gone through the horror of watching her frail, young infants perish before her eyes.

Each infant was a boy; a possible heir to the throne. Each labor was worse than the last, draining more and more of the Empress' essence. After her third delivery, she was warned that any other attempts could be fatal. However, she desperately wanted to deliver an heir for her husband and country. She knew many thought her essence was too weak to carry a child into this world, but no one would dare let those words escape his lips.

"Aahhh!" she shrieked again.

Afterwards, a door to the chamber opened. The Emperor gazed down the hall to see if it was news of the birth. For a brief moment, he smiled as he watched one of the birth maids exit the chamber. However, his smile quickly faded, for the maid rushed past him, her face soaked with tears. She did not stop to address him. Ordinarily, such an act would be punishable, but Gorobada was not concerned with formalities at this point.

"What is it?" he asked the passing woman. "What is happening in there?" Gorobada turned to the doors again, debating if he should ignore tradition and march into the chamber to render whatever aid he could. His stomach ached as he thought of his wife's agony. He wished he could order it all to end at this moment.

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Just miles away, in the forest of Kay-jun, an old man traveled toward the Imperial City of Valkhara. His gait was hastened, for he knew the Empress was in need of his help. The birth of the royal infant was an important event, one that was crucial to Valkhara's survival as a powerful nation. The man was a priest, the High Brother of the Kay-jun sect and the most trusted advisor to the Imperial family. He was dressed in a long rust-colored robe that draped down to his ankles. Tied around his waist was a rope of multicolored beads, representing the number of years he had served the Following. This girdle was so long that it wrapped around his waist twice and the redundant tails hung to his knees.

It was the Month of the Winds and the cold air chilled his frail skin despite the thick woven cape draped over his shoulders. He carried an intricately carved staff that stood as tall as his head. The staff was made of oak and was as thick as a young man's leg, yet he carried it effortlessly despite his 157 years.

His old body ached. He had taken his sandals off miles back because he kept losing them in his hastened pace. His eyes filled with tears, for he could hear the cries of the Empress within his mind as he concentrated on the events in the Temple of Life.

He had aided many women of the royal family in their labor there. Many, but not all, were successful. But none worried him as much as this one occurring tonight. Tonight, he felt a disturbance in the Kiy, the driving force of life and energy. Tonight, something spectacular was going to happen.

The wind began to blow harder and the trees swayed wildly above his head. This child is a powerful one, thought the old man. Its Kiy is strong. The old priest's concern turned toward the Emperor, for he could feel his Highness contemplating entering the birthing chamber with a sword, ready to sever the head of his child if he felt that the Empress could stand no more. The priest needed to find a faster way to move.

It began to rain. The old man stopped for a moment to catch his breath and noticed a male deer standing just twenty yards from him. The animal stood still as stone, for it had sensed the approach of the priest. As he leaned on his staff for support, the old man held his hand toward the buck. He closed his eyes, reached within the Kiy, and called to the animal with his mind. 'I need your help, friend. You will not be harmed.'

The buck's head turned to the old priest instantly and it approached him fearlessly. As soon as the buck was near enough, the old man mounted it and rode off toward Valkhara.

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Within the Temple of Life, there was chaos. The Emperor waited anxiously outside the birthing chamber straining to make sense of the cries of panic and fright coming from within. The cries were coming from the birth-maids, who were scattered about the floor on hands and knees to avoid being hit by the cups, vases, basins and chairs that seemed to take to life and were flying around the room.

"This is not right!" said one maid as she crawled to the chamber doors.

"This one is a demon!" said another.

The objects crashed upon the walls of the chamber as the Empress screamed in agony and pleaded to the Sages for help. Two of the four birth-maids were making their way out the chamber on hands and knees.

"There is evil in this room!" they said as they covered their heads and ran down the hall past the Emperor.

The maids still in the chamber could see the concern in her Highness' eyes as she held out her hands toward them. The labor was not going well, and she was losing too much blood. Her hands shook for lack of strength and her eyes filled with tears as she begged them to stay.

One young maid looked at her companion in desperation, for she too wanted to flee from the possessed chamber. It would be easier if her Highness commanded me to stay, she thought to herself. But both maids crawled to the side of the Empress and assured her that they would remain until the event was over.

Outside, the Emperor finally decided to go against tradition and run to the rescue of his beloved. But before he opened the chamber door, his eyes fell to the sword held by one of his guards.

"Give me your sword, Mikaido!" he demanded, as he held out his hand to receive it.

The guard was shocked to hear the command. "Sir?" he said, turning to the Emperor at attention.

"By the Sages, are you deaf? I said give me your sword!" The Emperor wanted to grab it, but it would be considered a deliberate insult to touch another man's blade without permission. Even the Emperor could not excuse himself from such a thing.

The guard realized that he was keeping his Highness waiting. He dropped to his right knee and presented the sword across both hands, with the hilt pointing to his left side as he bowed his head. The Emperor took the blade with his right hand and rushed forward, as a prince to the aid of a maiden in distress. At the moment he was about to pull the doors open, an announcement came from the hall behind him.

"Your Highness, the High Brother, Ghreyfounder, is approaching the temple." Gorobada turned and hurried back to the temple entrance. He was not surprised to see the old priest riding the back of buck. The old man was capable of more peculiar things than this. The old man dismounted and greeted the Emperor formally, with a bow onto his right knee.

"I am sorry to have taken so long, your Highness," said the priest in his deep coarse voice.

"No matter, old man. You are here now."

As the two approached the birthing chamber, a scream was heard through the temple's hall. Emperor Gorobada followed the old priest like an anxious child and told him how two of the birth-maids had already left the chamber in a panic. Ghreyfounder quietly listened to the demands of the Emperor to "end this agonizing event and bring peace to the palace again."

"Your Highness," said Ghreyfounder, pointing to the Emperor's chest.

"Peace is found within. Please, wait out here."

The old man then opened the door and stepped into the chamber, holding the Emperor back with one hand. In that brief moment, Gorobada could see objects flying about the room and his Empress in the birthing chair with a mask of fear upon her face.

"Brother Ghreyfounder, what is going on?" the Emperor demanded before the door was shut in his face.

In the chamber, Ghreyfounder wrapped his cape around the handles of the doors and tied it into a knot. He then turned to the Empress with a smile. "Do not worry, your Highness," he said with a bow. "I am here now."

The birth-maids ran to the old priest and threw themselves at his feet, tugging at his robe and begging him to save them from the possessed room.

"There is evil in this room, High Brother!" said one.

"We only stayed for her Highness' sake. This spirit ..." started the other, but she was cut short as Ghreyfounder placed two fingers on her forehead and told her to rest. Instantly, she collapsed into a deep sleep. He then turned to the other maid and touched her; she too fell asleep upon the chamber floor.

Quickly, he went to the side of the Empress and placed his hand on her forehead, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Empress, listen to me," he said. "You must not waste any more energy on fear. Let all your love, strength and heart pour into this child."

The Empress nodded in agreement and held Ghreyfounder's hand tightly. The priest placed his other hand between the Empress' legs to examine the child's head within the vaginal vault. He had seen that she had lost a lot of blood and was not certain if she had the strength to continue. He then placed his hand on her abdomen and saw within his mind that the child would die if it was not born soon.

"All right, your Highness," he said encouragingly. "It is time to push."

The Empress took a deep breath and began to bear down. Ghreyfounder encouraged her not to scream, but to absorb the pain and use that energy to expel the child. The Empress' knuckles turned white from squeezing the priest's hand so tightly, but if Ghreyfounder was in any pain from her iron grip he did not show it.

The Empress could feel the pain shooting down her right leg like fire. Her heart began to race as though it would jump out of her chest. "One more push," Ghreyfounder said. He could see the head of the child coming into view.

"Ghreyfounder, please!" gasped the Empress. "I cannot go on."

"Your Highness, it is almost over. Please, be strong. This child must be born." Ghreyfounder placed himself between the Empress' legs and held his hands around the infant's head, ready to pull.

The Empress nodded. 'This child has to live,' she told herself. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and pushed again. This time, the shoulders of the infant were expelled and Ghreyfounder began to pull the child out. With the continued efforts of the Empress, the child was born. Ghreyfounder tied strings around the umbilical cord and began to clean the child. He saw that the Empress was extremely weak. Her skin had become pale and dusky and her fingertips, ears and lips were turning blue. The bleeding from her vagina had grown worse.

"Is it a boy, Brother?" she asked with a half smile. "They told me it was going to be a boy."

"No, your Highness. But she captures your beauty well."

The Empress' eyes glowed briefly, then dimmed in disappointment. "Please, tell his Highness... I am sorry I could not bring him a living son," she uttered with great effort.

Before Ghreyfounder could respond, the Empress collapsed in the birthing chair. She was dead.

At that instant, the infant let out a howl. The walls and floor of the chamber shook. The shutters to the windows crashed open and the glass shattered into tiny pieces. A great wind began to blow within the chamber and Ghreyfounder felt a powerful energy fill the room. Its force was so shocking that the old man fell to his hands and knees. He did all he could to keep the child safe in his arms. Soon, the floor and ceiling began to crack. What Ghreyfounder had suspected was now apparent. "This child has a greater Gift than I had first suspected," he said out loud, chuckling. He fought the forces in the room to make his way to a bassinet near the Empress' chair. The infant continued to cry with such intensity that Ghreyfounder could barely hear the Emperor calling from the hallway. "Brother Ghreyfounder, what is wrong?" asked the Emperor.

After placing the infant in the bassinet, the old priest placed two fingers upon her forehead and said, "Sleep, little one."

Instantly, the child fell into a slumber. The wind and quaking ceased. Seconds after the calm, the two birth-maids who had been sleeping upon the chamber floor awoke. The room was quiet, but in disarray. They were relieved to find the high priest still present.

"You have chased the spirits away, High Brother?" they asked.

Ghreyfounder smiled, amused by their ignorance. "There was no evil here tonight, my children," he assured them. Before the old priest could explain what had happened while they were asleep, the maids noticed the Empress, void of her usual bright, energetic spirit.

They ran toward the Empress and fell at her feet. Although their lamenting was appropriate, Ghreyfounder had hoped he could count on their help in making the Empress presentable for the Emperor. Before anything more could be done, the Emperor's Mikaido had forced the doors of the chamber open.

Ghreyfounder turned toward the Emperor in surprise and tried to block his view of the dead Empress. "Your Highness," the old man started. "I must warn you that all was not well with your child's birth."

The priest could see that his efforts were in vain, for the Emperor seemed to stare right through him. The guards at the door had fallen to their knees and lowered their heads to the floor as they recited prayers to the Sages to keep the Empress' spirit safe from evil possession.

Gorobada's steps appeared heavy as he moved past Ghreyfounder. The Emperor's body shook as he held his hand toward his beloved. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no, no, no."

The often poised and controlled Emperor fell upon his knees and laid his head upon his wife's belly, emitting a loud, trembling moan. All else was silent as the Emperor had his private moment with the Empress.

"Why" he screamed. "Why this way?" No one spoke for several very long minutes. Ghreyfounder then walked to Gorobada's side.

"Your Highness," he said softly. "She wanted you to know that she was sorry she could not give you an heir."

Gorobada's head whipped toward Ghreyfounder. "The child is dead?" he asked, eyes filling with tears.

Ghreyfounder went to the bassinet and picked up the infant. "No your Highness," he said, showing the Emperor his new daughter. "She is just asleep."

Gorobada shuffled away from the child in disgust. "A girl?" he said. " My wife died giving birth to a girl?"

The Emperor stood and began pacing the room, running his hands through his hair several times. Ghreyfounder could no longer sense the Emperor's emotions. It was as if Gorobada's heart had gone numb. But then the Emperor stopped in his tracks and began to laugh hysterically. Everyone watched him with dazed confusion. "I... I cannot pass on my kingdom to that," he said between chuckles.

The Emperor looked toward the ceiling and shook his clenched fists above his head. "Is this your way of punishing me?" Hatred stirred within the Emperor as he gazed upon the infant once more. "She lives!" he started, shaking his finger at the infant. "At the expense of the Empress' life, this child lives. For ten years this land has awaited an heir. And five times ... five times he was robbed from us. For ten years my beloved was drained of her essence to bring me an heir, and this is what we are left with. Five sons were sacrificed for her? Why?"

The Emperor grabbed the lapel of his shirt and began to tear it. "No!" he yelled. "I will not settle for that! Remove this child from the palace. Remove it from this land. She has no place here!"

The birth-maids ran to the feet of the Emperor and begged for his mercy upon the child, but he would not listen to them. Ghreyfounder was shocked. "Your Highness, truly you do not expect this child to..."

"I have spoken, Ghreyfounder," interrupted the Emperor. "Remove the child through the tunnel. It will not leave through the palace gates. As far as Valkhara is concerned, the Empress and her child both died." Gorobada spoke to his guards.

"Prepare her Highness for the ceremonial and use a pup in the infant's stead," he left the chamber saying.

Everyone was in shock. The maids sobbed even more forcefully, for they could not believe the Emperor could disown his newborn infant so ruthlessly. Ghreyfounder looked upon the infant's face. He was just as bewildered as the birth-maids, and he was filled with disappointment in the Emperor, whom he had known since the Emperor's childhood.

He turned and walked pass the Mikaido guards, who remained on their knees. He sensed their pity for the child. As he walked to the cellar of the temple, to enter the tunnel of the city, he realized that this event modeled the prophecy of the Godchilde, taught to him by the Sages long ago.

The Sages spoke of a time of great darkness that was to overcome Valkhara. In this time there was to be turmoil within the Following and the nation. A champion would be born and would be exiled from the land, only to return later to save it.

This champion would be born with the great Gift; the ability to manipulate the Kiy. This champion's power would be great and the darkness would be vanquished from Valkhara for ages.

Although Ghreyfounder was sure that this child was filled with an unusual, powerful energy, he was not certain if it was the great Gift mentioned in the prophecy. "A champion needs a name, little one," said Ghreyfounder, with a smile. "I think yours will be ... Kym. In the old tongue it means 'essence.' I am sure yours will be great."

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Catalogue Information

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