Outcast of the Flame

By S. B. Sebrick

For Baden, surviving his exile in the Ravager-plagued deserts means always traveling alone. But to ease the torturous memories of his past and the nightmare's they bring, he must break that one rule.

In a desperate attempt to find peace of mind, he rushes to save captured travelers bound for a life of slavery. But will the calm he finds be the sweet sigh of success, or the sudden silence of a shallow grave?

• Language: English
• Publisher: XinXii
• Release date: Nov 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9783958306943

S. B. Sebrick

S. B. Sebrick was raised in Vancouver, Washington and currently attends college at Brigham Young University-Idaho. He recently published the first book in his Assassin’s Rising series, DECOY, and often posts updates and teasers about the rest of the series from his website at http://sbsebrick.wordpress.com.

Book preview

Outcast of the Flame

S. B. Sebrick

Copyright 2011 Golden Bullet Publishing

Cover Image By frentusha on istockphoto.com

XinXii Edition

ISBN: 978-3-95830-694-3

Verlag GD Publishing Ltd. & Co KG, Berlin

E-Book Distribution: XinXii

www.xinxii.com

All rights reserved. All similar appearance to other works or people are coincidental.

Also by S. B. Sebrick

www.sbsebrick.com

http,//www.goldenbulletpublishing

Assassin’s Rising Series

Decoy

Deluge

Defiant

Desolate

Deliverance

Dire

Related Short Stories

Fate of the Child

Betrayal

Author’s Forward

Special thanks to my friends and family for their constant support. I’d like to offer a special thanks to Dr. Rita Carey, who helped me to find my voice. Thanks to Randy, and DiAnne for challenging me to put Assassin’s Rising on the market.

I’d especially like to extend a special thanks to those of you reading this book. Without your support, stories like these would not see the light of day.

Thank you.

Outcast of the Flame

Why didn’t you save us? His mother’s maniacal voice echoed in his mind.

Baden jerked awake, his cry of shock bouncing off the cave walls. He leapt to his feet, spinning toward the entrance of his rocky shelter with his staff in hand, only to find it devoid of imagined intruders. The true threat lay within his mind, as always. Even time failed to heal those wounds. It did little more than further empower his nightmares.

The warm coals of his dying campfire slowly called him back to reality. He nervously stroked the brands on the inside of both wrists, an open book, wreathed in flame, depicted in his flesh warned all those he encountered of his crime against the Gods.

Nightmare or memory? he wondered. It’s hard to tell after so long away.

In the distance a horn echoed among the desert’s broken crags. A long, mournful call. Baden’s brow furrowed. I don’t recognize that signal, he thought. Could it be for aid or war? He sighed, kneeling in front of his small, makeshift camp as he prepared to move on.

He set his staff down and snapped his fingers. The heat in the fire leapt from the coals into his weapon, briefly illuminating the magical runes engraved upon it, hinting at its true nature. If only my clan didn’t consider this the ultimate form of blasphemy!

He took a quick sip from his canteen, the cool