System, Magic, Spirit

By T.D. Edge

Wizard Ambrose just wants to die; wimpish Prince Jestin wants to woo Princess Temaline. Trouble is, she's already betrothed. Jestin must fight a warrior to the death for her and stands no chance without Ambrose's magic.

'When I saw Prince Jestin rushing to join my carriage, nose carving the air like a tiny, snotty shark's fin, I actually wanted to die in the Spirit Ring tomorrow,' thinks Ambrose.

During the journey, he explains about the Ring to Jestin: "Fifteen old wizard farts are getting together in an underground cavern, and the one who wants to live the most takes all the remaining spirit left in the others. He or she is filled with youth again and the rest die."

"How frightfully harsh," says the Prince.

It's only when he's actually standing in the Ring, deep in a disused salt mine, ready to die that Ambrose realises there's hope for Jestin after all . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.D. Edge
• Release date: Mar 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465955258

T.D. Edge

T. D. Edge lives in London. He won a Cadbury's fiction competition at age 10 but only did it for the chocolate. When that ran out, he got writing again and published several children's/YA books (writing as Terry Edge) with Random House, Scholastic, Andre Deutsch and others. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies and magazines including Aeon, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Flash Fiction Online and Realms of Fantasy. In May 2012, his story "Big Dave's in Love" won the New Scientist/Arc Magazine SF short fiction contest.

Book preview

System, Magic, Spirit

(a short story)

by T.D. Edge

About System, Magic, Spirit

Wizard Ambrose just wants to die; wimpish Prince Jestin wants to woo Princess Temaline. Trouble is, she’s already betrothed. Jestin must fight a warrior to the death for her but stands no chance without Ambrose’s magic.

T.D. Edge’s short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines, including Arc, Penumbra, Realms of Fantasy, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Flash Fiction Online.

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System, Magic, Spirit

Copyright 2013 by T. D. Edge

All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law.

Cover Image Copyright 2013 by Ben Baldwin

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Table of Contents

System, Magic, Spirit a short story

Excerpt from Bloodjacker

About the Author

Stories by T.D. Edge

System, Magic, Spirit

When I saw Prince Jestin rushing to join my carriage, nose carving the air like a tiny, snotty shark’s fin, I actually wanted to die in the Spirit Ring tomorrow.

Half a dozen guards protected him, which was six too many by my reckoning. Fifth in line for the throne and about as smart as an earthworm with piles, no one would want to assassinate him anyway, except for maybe the King if he ever got round to anything as public-spirited as a cost-cutting initiative. Jestin dismounted clumsily, mainly on account of not wishing to lower his gaze to anything so common as the ground, then stood outside the carriage waiting for one of his men to open the door for him. Once inside, he took the seat in the corner diagonally opposite me then waved his men away to flank us.

A long silence followed. Being well past the age of caring what royalty thought, and doomed besides, I could easily have taken a little nap right then. But duty called, or rather tugged at the remains of my conscience, so I said, Would you like me to instruct the party to move off, sire?

He waited a moment then turned to face me. Wizard, he said, only it came out bearing the latest high society affectation, a lisp—withard, God help me. You may indeed issue such an instruction.

There’s nothing better than low-ranking, fad-following royalty