Forever Crimson

By Stephen D. Sullivan

For the heroic & sassy Crimson, death is merely the start of the adventure - though it may be the end of the world.

"Forever Crimson" combines sword & sorcery action with a wry sense of humor as Crimson battles across time and space to end the evil Cult of Orlak. This tale relates the origin of Crimson, who also appears in "Crash of the Titans," Tournament of Death, the FREE online novel, & more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen D. Sullivan
• Release date: Sep 25, 2010
• ISBN: 9781466032002

Stephen D. Sullivan

Stephen D. Sullivan has written more than 50 books across many genres: fantasy, SF, horror, detective, movie adaptations, and more. Readers the world over enjoy his fast-moving prose style and hard-hitting action sequences. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the 2016 Scribe Award for his horror-comedy novel, Manos: The Hands of Fate.Not sure where to start? Try these:NEW! Manos: Talons of FateBEST SELLER: Manos: The Hands of Fate (2016 Scribe Award Winner)HORROR & MONSTERS: Daikaiju AttackFANTASY: Tournament of Death novelsSCIENCE FICTION: Heart of Steam & RustADULT: Elf Erotica (Elf Princess on Mars)OVERVIEW: Martian Knights & Other TalesThere are plenty of others to choose from, too. (Including some books from other authors published by Steve's Company, Walkabout Publishing.)Browse! Buy! Enjoy!

Book preview

FOREVER CRIMSON

~ The First Crimson Story ~

Stephen D. Sullivan

• Walkabout Publishing •

Smashwords edition.

© 2010 Stephen D. Sullivan

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to the vendor of your choice and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Walkabout Publishing

S.D.Studios

P.O.Box 151

Kansasville, WI 53139

www.walkaboutpublishing.com

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, scanning, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the author.

Cover art & design © 2010 Stephen D. Sullivan.

Get a free wallpaper of this story at www.stephendsullivan.com!

CONTENTS

FOREVER CRIMSON

Samples of Other Crimson Stories

The Gates of Paradise

Crash of the Titans

Time War

Crimson & Dragons

About the Story

About the Author

Original Cover

FOREVER CRIMSON

~ The First Crimson Story ~

Stephen D. Sullivan

I lay in the flower-spotted field watching my lifeblood leak away and thought, "Not again!"

I’d enjoyed this life and was not ready to see it end.

The manticore had a different idea. It stood over me, licking its blood-stained face and swishing its long scorpion tail back and forth like an angry cat.

I tried to reach for my sword, but the monster’s poison had already worked its way down my limbs. I couldn’t feel my fingertips. At least, I thought, I’m dying alone.

I hated when my little adventures got people killed. It’s bad enough when I die myself; no sense causing anyone else’s untimely demise. I guess that’s why I’m a lifelong loner.

I made one last try for the sword, but it was no use. That feeling of serene warmth had already set in—the torpor of death. My body was not my own any longer; a feeling I’d grown used to in recent years.

I didn’t have time to review my life—which was okay. It wasn’t really my life anyway, but I’d been glad to take part in it.

By the time the manticore finished preening and ripped my throat out, I hardly felt it.

*

My first thought as I woke up was: Where am I?

That’s usually my first thought. I suppose I could use these initial waking moments to reflect on my past mistakes—but I’ve found that doing so is often a good way to get killed . . . again.

I opened my eyes and gazed at the sky of a different world. Sunset painted the clouds yellow and gold, but the stars hadn’t yet come out. I saw two moons hanging in the firmament, one bluish white, the other green and red. I recognized them.

This was a world I was familiar with—Illion—one of the first worlds I’d lived and died on. I had good memories of this place. It was a pleasant world, far nicer than the dimension ruled by super-intelligent slime molds, or the planet where humans were slaves to giant maggots. And let’s not even talk about the faerie realms. There’s nothing more annoying than a place where everyone walks around with delusions of godhood. Nothing. No wonder faeries treat everyone else so badly; no wonder everyone I’ve ever met—aside from the faeries themselves—thinks that faeries are the biggest assholes in the known universes.

Illion was a world dominated largely by humans and their near-human kin—which was just fine with me. It had magic, but not an overabundance of it. It also had technology,