Descent Into Chaos

By Carol Hightshoe

Torliana is an elf who seeks the ways of order.

She enters the temple of Hellavar - Lord of Order and Fire to train as a monk in his service.

Despite four years of training, she still finds herself desperate for acceptance in the temple and when she fails in her testing to become a Flame Dancer she is seduced by Thynitic, The Lady of Chaos.

The Lady of Chaos uses the elf to call a chaos storm down on the temple destroying it and all those who are there. Torliana confronts the High Priest, Brular, whom she feels rejected her, and sends him to Thyntic's Citadel in the abyss to be a toy for the goddess' Chaos demons as she accepts her place and begins her own Descent into Chaos.

A Chaos Reigns Story

• Language: English
• Publisher: WolfSinger
• Release date: Aug 17, 2011
• ISBN: 9781936099405

Carol Hightshoe

A native Texan, Carol found her way to her current home in Colorado by way of a five-year detour in The Nederlands - courtesy of her husband Tim and the US Air Force.An avid reader at a young age, her strong desire to write came from her love of (her husband calls it her obsession with) Star Trek. It was this early love of Star Trek that led her to the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres.In addition to her writing she has worked as a receptionist/office manager for two veterinary clinics, a deputy sheriff in El Paso County Colorado and for the Professional Bull Riders.She has been published in various anthologies and magazines including "Creature Fantastic", "Illuminated Manuscripts", PanGaia Magazine, "Stories of Strength", "The Stygian Soul", Baen's Universe, Tales of the Talisman and Beyond Centauri.She is also a contributing author to Dragon Moon Press's "Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction".She is the editor and publisher of the online ezines: The Lorelei Signal and Sorcerous Signals. She also runs her own micro-press - WolfSinger Publications.

Book preview

Descent Into Chaos

Carol Hightshoe

Copyright © 2006 Carol Hightshoe

Originally published in Stygian Soul – July 2006

Published by WolfSinger Publications at Smashwords

www.wolfsingerpubs.com

ISBN 978-1-936099-40-5

All Rights Reserved

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook 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 are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the rights of this author.

eBook Edition distributed through Smashwords

Torliana stood with the other new acolytes; Kindling was the proper title, as the ranking members of the temple waited for the arrival of the new High Priest of Mount Veri. She chided herself again, he was the Keeper of the Flame, she had been here two days, she should at least be thinking with the proper titles. She forced herself to focus on the events she was to be a part of, despite wanting to enjoy the antics of a small purple fairy dragon that was flitting near the right wall. Dragons were rare in Shokar and considered a bad omen when they appeared. She, however, thought the creature was beautiful and worthy of admiration. Besides, she didn’t believe in omens—good or bad. Fate was what you made of it; not something preordained.

She had felt uneasy since coming to the temple of Hellavar, but she was determined to succeed. She knew the task she had set herself would be difficult, particularly as an elf, whose very nature rebelled against strict order. Yet, here she was seeking that order.

She watched as a man came riding into the courtyard, his horse held to a slow walk. His armor while emblazoned with the fires of Hellavar seemed loose as he slowly slid from the saddle. One of the Kindling dashed forward, bowed and took the reins of the horse and led the mount to the sables. So, this is the one everyone has whispered about since I got here. Torliana studied him beneath veiled lash. How can this man be the one they call the Great Bringer of Law, Hellavar’s Blazing Judge? She suppressed a smile when the man seemed to stumble a bit as he took a couple of steps. Saddle sore and yet he travels the length and breadth of Shokar, a respected judge even by Tormasus’ High General and Dh’Mark’s King. This cannot be the one who will be taking over leadership of the temple.

She fought the frown she knew was on her face as Rynalia, Mistress of the Brotherhood of the Flame, the order of monks Torliana had been accepted into,