Scion's Gambit

By Andrew Austin

Senior year has come and gone, and now Daniel is concerned about what the rest of his life is going to be like. Combine the stress of choosing what to do with college, leaving home, and deciding what to do about the girl he cares for, it seems like Daniel’s world is crumbling down all around him. Yet, there is so much going on that he may not even understand.

In the darkness around the world lie in wait unnatural forces that threaten humanity. For centuries they have stalked the wilds, but something else is coming. An ancient power that most have forgotten about is returning, and with it the world might be torn asunder. Forces from beyond vie for the future of Daniel’s world, and soon everything he knows about reality will be changed by teeth and claw.

The world is changing, and this is just the first act.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrew Austin
• Release date: Dec 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310616242

Andrew Austin

Andrew Austin was born in 1965 in western upstate New York. After a two-year tour in the Army he attended State University of New York at Albany and then the state College at New Paltz, finally getting a B.A. in journalism in 1990. He has worked a wide variety of low-paying service jobs to survive, and also been a reporter, stand up comic, and assistant kayaking instructor/guide. He has also taught fencing, done a little acting, and performed sword play and quasi-comedy in a Renaissance fair. His dream is to make a full-time living writing books and screenplays and appearing occasionally in movies and commercials.

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Scion’s Gambit

Copyright 2015 Andrew Austin

Published by Andrew Austin at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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 recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Chapter I - Broken

Chapter II - Hunted

Chapter III - Inferno

Chapter IV - Revelations

Chapter V - Ultimatum

Chapter VI - Shadows

Chapter VII - Homecoming

Chapter VIII - Demons

Chapter IX - Truth

Chapter X - Duty

Chapter XI - Midnight

Chapter XII - Dawn

Epilogue

About the Author

Foreword

Stories have always been an important part of my life. I'm eternally thankful to my family who provided me with an upbringing where my brothers and I were more likely to be reading than out choosing bad life choices. From an early age this mindset caused me to daydream and make my own stories up in my mind, often based on the stories I was reading or the video games I was playing. When times got rough I would go to these stories for a retreat, and they never let me down.

As I got older I decided to try to form these stories into a singular narrative, and over the past several years I have started to do just that. A lot of the ideas for different story elements are not the most original, but coming up with something 100% unique is almost impossible when the works of other have had so much of an effect on you. The tales spun by Robert Jordan, Andrzej Sapkowski, Jim Butcher, Larry Correia, and many others have influenced me in some way or another.

This story, Scion's Gambit, was originally started for a project in a college English class. I had to write the first 50 pages of a narrative, so I did just that. After the end of that fall semester I decided to keep working on it, but after a few more chapters that didn't meet my desires I more or less gave up. When fall came back around I had another class which spurred me to action. With the final assignment to self-publish something on the internet I decided to finish this project. After going back and erasing almost half of what I had I came back and finished a story which, I believe, is more interesting that what I already had planned.

Hopefully you, the reader, will be able to see the inspirations that I pulled from. This story is a platform for a grander tale which, in time, I hope to complete. Scion's Gambit is a single glimpse into this world as it begins its trek down a fated path. This is a story of how a normal person can still have an effect on their world, even if I wasn't able to go as in depth into his life as I would have liked.

Stories are meant to be told, at least that's what I've always believed. This is the beginning of me telling the world my story. I hope that it inspires a few more storytellers to take the plunge and craft their own.

(Back to Table of Contents)

- I -

Broken

What the hell am I going to do? There was a moment of silence in the old farm truck as the question hung in the air. Daniel looked over at Gustavo, his best friend, waiting for a chunk of advice to cling onto.

Do about what? Gustavo replied. Daniel rolled his eyes with annoyance. His friend was a great guy but he could be incredibly dense sometimes. He looked out into the dark night around them while he figured out the right way to explain his problem. This wasn’t the first time that he had to explain something again to his friend, but this time there wasn't a really clear way to do it.

You know, Lily, was all Daniel could think up. He was almost never the best with words, especially when it came to girls. He could kind of talk about it around his friend, but put him in front of one and he had a good chance at shutting down completely.

Oh, right. Her, Gustavo said with a slight chuckle in his voice. You’re still worried about whether or not you should talk to her, aren’t you?

Well, yeah. I’ve never been good with showing people how I feel, I end up just sounding like a complete idiot. Daniel felt like their current interaction was a prime example.

When do you not? Gustavo shot back with startling speed. Daniel glared at him with disdain because it felt like his friend wasn’t taking this seriously. All joking aside, why are you having such a hard time with this?

Because not everyone has that Romeo quality like you seem to have. Hell, man, how do you get all the girl's attention anyways? Daniel asked. Gustavo was almost six feet tall and had the cappuccino skin that seemed to attract girls like moths to a flame. Daniel had always watched from the sidelines since his five-feet-four self was hardly worth noting. No defined muscles, no suave accent, just a typical American white dude. Prime specimen he was not.

Gustavo chuckled and the two rode on in silence for a few minutes. Hey, we’re here, Gustavo said as the truck slowed to a halt. The two got out of the truck and found themselves in almost complete darkness. Luckily they knew, more or less, exactly where they were going.

Seriously though, Daniel continued, ignoring his friend’s light-hearted insult, we’re about to graduate and I still haven’t said anything to Lily. I mean, we’re all really good friends and all but there’s a difference. I like her but I’ve been such a coward and haven’t said anything. He wasn't too afraid of someone overhearing them because the road was empty and it seemed like no one was around for miles. That, of course, had been the plan all along.

I wonder where everyone else is parked, Gustavo said before addressing his friend’s conundrum. But anyways. Yeah, you haven’t told her anything but you’ve been acting different towards her than to any other girl at school. I don’t know if she sees it, but I think everyone else does. Hell, man, she’s going to be at this party so why don’t you tell her?

I don’t know, maybe I will. Hey, here’s the path, Daniel said as the duo found where they were supposed to leave the road. They began to head down the old hunting path into the forest, and in an instant the bright full moon was blocked out by the canopy above them. Surely the end of year party for the seniors of Elkhorn, Wisconsin wouldn’t be too hidden that even they couldn’t find it.

There was a howl off in the distance. Daniel stopped in his tracks as the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight. What was that? he asked. Gustavo had stopped too and was staring in the same direction. The entire forest had gone completely silent. All that could be noticed was the deep and unnerving black.

I don’t know, Gustavo said. Probably just a dog or something. Who knows, there is a full moon out tonight so it could be a werewolf. We are on Bray Road, the Beast is supposed to live around here.

Oh shut up, asshole. Daniel replied. His friend was just trying to creep him out with the monster stories they had been told as kids. Everybody knew that the Beast of Bray Road was a story made up to make kids stay at home at night instead of going out drinking or doing other things that their parents wouldn't approve of. Monsters aren’t real, everyone knows that, he continued.

Yeah? Tell that to the people who won’t ever come down this road because they saw it. We don’t know everything, so who knows what’s out here? I do know one thing though, there is a party out here with our names on it and we're just wasting time standing here in the dark. Let’s keep going. They both started walking again down the path. Now, however, Daniel couldn’t get the feeling out of his mind that they were being watched. The feeling faded though as the two finally reached their destination.

They walked into the clearing and were welcomed by the noisy clamor of a successful party. About a hundred people were mingling with each other in small groups telling stories or spreading gossip. Alcohol was being passed around but since the night was only beginning no one seemed to be getting hammered just quite yet. Chairs and logs around the bonfire gave people a place to sit and stare at the captivating flames while others were more comfortable congregating in groups where the light met the darkness. Gustavo, like a guided missile, instantly located the drinks.

Hey, man, I'm gonna go get some beer. You want some?

Not right now, Daniel replied. I'm gonna go try to find Lily and attempt to not make a fool of myself. Drink mine for me, I need to be as sober as possible. Just don't go trying to prove to everyone that you have the most veteran liver in the county, he added with a bit of a joking tone.

Don't tempt me, man. Good luck with Lily. I'll drink to you! Gustavo said as he walked off.

Go forth and conquer, Pancho Villa, Daniel said under his breath. It was time to face his own doubts. A quick scan of the party didn't