The Return of the Ancient Ones

By Gary Caplan

The Return of the Ancient Ones was awarded WINNER status for the Fantasy Category in the 2011 National Indie Excellence Awards.

The 2011 International Book Awards have been announced and The Return of The Ancient Ones has been honored as a "Finalist" in the "Fiction:Fantasy/Sci-Fi" category.

Extended Description:
Second in The Chronicles of Illúmaril series, author Gary Caplan's The Return of the Ancient Ones is a distinct tale that illustrates how one's fiercest enemy can become one's most aggressive ally. As dramatic as it is playful and sublime, Caplan has a knack at weaving the enchanted world of fantasy into the tension of a good old-fashioned cloak and dagger thriller. His incredible instinct for action rests on a spellbinding prose, yet what distinguishes his work in this genre is his ability to consider an otherworld culture as it reaches its pinnacle, rather than upon its downfall. In thirty-one chapters with titles like "Tyl University and the Academy of Spellweaving Arts," "Back to the Order of the Platinum Griffon and Duty," and "End Game," readers are reintroduced to Illúmaril, a land that patiently awaits its heir apparent. Once hidden on Earth, Gideon Finelen, as a birthright, holds the legacy that he and his ancestors are the only ones who can use the Sword of Order. Gideon's advisors, Tauri Ragan and Lord Talmor, hold great hope in Gideon and his Companions of the Sword of Order, but it is their enemy's enemy that first instigates a bold move. And while the Darkspawn have no intention of giving up their power, the return of Thatos and his twelve evil sorceror generals from their ancient, watery graves disperses Darkspawn's allegiance to temporarily help the armies of the Free Peoples against Thatos, his mercenaries, and other chaos warriors. For Gideon, the quixotic irony in all of this is that Darkspawn leadership is just as fixed on revenge as it is with maintaining its stronghold over Illúmaril. As he pits foe against foe to claim Illúmaril, the Sword of Order has a chance to triumph over Chaos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456604868

Book preview

artwork.

WORLD MAP

Chapter One

THE TWELVE STIR

The sky was dark with lightning crackling, as the waves rolled across the great Tharn Sea, which was actually a vast brackish lake. One of the Twelve was moving from the seabed where, for millennia, he had lain buried. Galvarex, who had once been a king and a powerful sorcerer and warrior, felt a tingling and then a rush of energy. His head moved, and he felt trapped in something. He had been commanding naval forces when enemy forces under several Alor lords, including the lords of Lindorien and Andrim, defeated his armada. By using a discharge of chaotic energy, he released himself and moved up through the lake floor muck and began his ascent out of the wreckage of his ship. He realized he should be cautious; as time had passed, none of his troops had come to dig him out, so more than the battle had been lost. Lord Galvarex was a powerful undead and, although not sure how much time had passed, he did not care to present himself as an easy target to the Alor or their allies.

I need to look for the others, Galvarex said aloud, after he reached the surface near the shore. He moved out of the lake waters and sensed that the level of the Unlife was higher than he remembered. Something must have happened, he thought. He had felt a surge of energy. It had been enough for him to awaken and extricate himself from the wreckage of his ship. Rising out of the waters of the Tharn Sea, he looked like a demon of darkness wearing a branil and zetheric alloy plate armor that appeared only well worn, since it was enchanted and had not rusted. Galvarex’s eyes radiated a green unearthly light. He still wore his magical crown attached to his specter-like visage. His robes had not been as highly enchanted and had been damaged and soiled by the sea muck. Once he got to the beach, the boots that matched his armor clanked, since the support leather had mostly disintegrated long ago, and only his immersion in the muddy bottom prevented total loss.

Galvarex thought back to when he lost the battle supporting naval forces of Lord Dormas. He had already participated in preparing his master’s seclusion with most of the other members of the Twelve. The Alor used dampening spells and weakened me, then defeated the crew and sank my flagship, he said aloud. He recalled that he was supposed to have met with a few of the other members of the Twelve to obtain a construct army for Lord Thatos. My memories are sluggish. I am still weak, he thought. I must undergo a ritual of imbuement if I am to continue with our plans. Then he wondered how much time had passed.

Galvarex looked about and saw some fishing ships heading toward a town on the great lake’s coastline; they were Urshkaar fishing ships. He would follow them and seek answers. Hours passed as his energy slowly increased and, as he walked, he briefly sensed several lesser undead skulking in the woods. Wood wights. They will not bother me. After traveling for a time, he came upon some Urshkaar children who ran away at his approach. He continued toward the town, able to hear music from a tavern that carried on the wind. Then he received a telepathic communication from another one of the Twelve known as Neston, once a living Eldren.

‘My brother in arms, much time has passed. I may have reawakened before you and, perhaps, since I was not stuck in the depths of the Tharn Sea, I have had more time to be about. We need to gather with our brothers and sisters. I sense Lord Thatos stirs as well,’ Neston intoned in mind speech.

‘I was stuck in the muck at the bottom of the Tharn Sea,’ Galvarex responded in mind speech. ‘Last I remember I was fighting Alor naval ships.’

‘I have been awake for many months as one of the Ancient Ones. Lord Nossus-Thoth was on Illúmaril,’ Neston said. ‘However, only a few weeks ago there was a recent passage of dark energies across most of the continent of Ascalon, released by a master wizard known as Mordru. I felt mildly invigorated by it.’

‘Yes that is what I felt and its boost helped me to dig myself out of the muck of the sea bottom,’ sent Galvarex.

‘Yes, once you restored yourself some I sensed you,’ sent Neston.

‘Do you know about the source of the energies?’ Galvarex asked.

‘I heard that the energies traveled across Khanuur, Ilmarien, and Dagornan provinces and across the eastern and southern borders of Morthaurnan; those energies trickled into areas that had, up until then, been relatively free of the presence of Unlife.’

So, that is how the Tharn Sea was affected,’ Galvarex responded, as he continued to walk toward the town. ‘But how could, as you say, a master wizard, not even an archmage, do such a thing?’

‘I learned that those energies released by the wizard Mordru were from a fragment of a source crystal. Somehow he acquired a Quellien crystal,’ sent Neston ‘That and other strange and powerful energies released by Nossus-Thoth in the battle in the Greenway region several weeks before had a side effect that affected creatures of Chaos as well as those of the Unlife.’

‘We and those like us are descended partly from lesser lords of Chaos and Entropy as the Alor call them’, remarked Galvarex. ‘Yet, because of our dual parentage, we’re anchored to Illúmaril. Our leader Thatos is more powerful than several of us combined; surely he is now awakened by the previous entrance of Nossus-Thoth.’

‘I have not yet been in contact with Great Thatos and, Galvarex, it seems you are one of the last of the Twelve to return. I have already communicated with Delvos and Markuz, and they with most of the others,’ sent Neston.

Good, the time is nigh for us to make our enemies pay for daring to strike at us, Galvarex spoke aloud. He sensed that some greenish-skinned Urshkaar and a few dark Alor had finally noticed him or his aura and were heading toward him. ‘Neston, I will meet you in Urundi Province in what will probably be the remains of your citadel. First, I must converse with these allies and gain my own answers.’ Neston’s mental presence faded, and Lord Galvarex, still looking more like a shambling undead than a dreaded member of the Twelve, moved toward the Urshkaar leader to get some answers.

Chapter Two

GIDEONS JOURNAL

Gideon glanced over his journal after he finished writing another entry. He had been thinking about many things, about his heritage, his mixed lineage, and why he had been hidden on another world, even made to blend into that society. Ragan, one of his mentors, had called the world Kara, but which he called Earth. Gideon was working in one of several of the Order of the Platinum Griffon citadels in Calendor Province, where he shared an office with another squadron wing officer. The units here were completing joint training with the Order of the Horn, Order of the Owl, The Grey Legion, and the Order of the Shield. Over the year, such joint training with different orders or militant groups was part of the normal training for the more regular members of most orders.

For just a moment, Gideon shuddered, recalling relatively recent events when he and some of his companions had confronted an extremely powerful dark entity called Nossus-Thoth, during the battle in the Greenway region. It had been several weeks since the Lord of Chaos and Entropy Nossus-Thoth had been summoned by the Darkspawn leaders and had succeeded in breaching on to Illúmaril. During the battle, great releases of energy had then been sent in a wave across the land to stir anew the Unlife. Gideon learned that, originally, the negative energy force, referred to as the Unlife, had seeped across during the second age, which had started the presence of the undead. Earlier, the leaders of the dark lord’s forces that had arranged for the arrival of Lord Nossus-Thoth had succeeded in gaining new territory by using the ruse of attacking uprisings of undead and other forms of the Unlife that at first appeared to be enemies of all the peoples of Illúmaril.

Gideon had taken a shower earlier in the nearby officer’s quarters. Now using a mirror behind the office door, Gideon looked at himself, wearing the blue trimmed silvery grey uniform of the Order of the Platinum Griffon. He had allowed his blond hair to grow neck length and had used a cord to bind it back. His blue eyes looked down over his clothes at the wrinkles. Gideon was tall and muscular; he was lean and fit, every inch an officer. He had earlier taken off his imbued chain-mail shirt and now wore one of the shirts he had purchased in the city of Mindon more than a year and a half ago.

Gideon had developed strong muscles and other enhanced traits after his plunge into the Pool of Tetherin and later the nexus or source water of that pool. Even before that, however, he was strong and healthy; he had practiced martial arts and had been working on a doctoral degree in archaeology before he returned to Illúmaril. He noticed after his bath in the mystical pool’s waters that he had been augmented in many ways. The nexus of the Pool of Tetherin even triggered hidden memories and a transformation of sorts. He had developed some Alor traits, or what he liked to call his Elven side. His ears seemed to retain more of a human quality outwardly, but his face, nose, and eyes had been altered. The waters of the pool had caused a transformation internally as well. His many-times-removed noble aunt, the Herendal Faiella, whom he had met in the city of Andrim, did the final alteration. She removed a spellweave that she used many years ago to allow him to blend in when he was originally placed on Earth and hidden for his safety.

Gideon had recently returned from a trip to the seacoast. He had needed to relax after the small war he had found himself involved in. So he went to a beach that had been recommended and swam and even wave-surfed using a board he had designed and constructed by an Alor shipwright in the city of Andrim. Gideon thought back and recalled when he was joined by two of his Elven friends or, as they called themselves, Alor. The Alor reminded him of the elves of the old Norse legends he had learned about while in school. One of his closer friends, actually more of a girlfriend, Laurelin Leaflock, had earlier given him an Alor-style name; she called him Finelen and he eventually adopted it and added it to his own name. Alor customs were different and courting relationships moved very slowly. Gideon was still learning the norms involved with the virtually immortal Alor society.

He recalled a few short visits during his relaxation time on the seacoast of Lindorien from, among others, some of his mentors, including Ragan the Red, one of the senior Tauri, and Lord Talmor, one of the greater Guardians. They wanted to make sure he was safe and feeling in better spirits. Others came to visit cautiously and inform him that it appeared that the Valharri now knew there was a scion of the ancient high king or aharonthal, Lith-Gilad, but few of the enemy had evidently gotten more than a glimpse of him, as his armor and helm obscured his features easily enough for a partial view at best.

If any enemy forces were after him, it seemed he was a lower priority than they originally believed. Few of the enemy still alive saw him, and reports indicated that the Urshkaar soldiers who might have seen him had not long afterward died fighting undead, which had turned on them. Probably no one other than the Darkspawn Valharri, Lady Vasha, and Nossus-Thoth, the Lord of Chaos, even had an idea what he looked like or even what his mystical aura might be. And Vasha had not gotten up from the battle, and Nossus-Thoth had been banished by the Sword of Order Gideon had wielded during the battle.

Once Gideon got to the Order of the Platinum Griffon’s Citadel in northern Silmir Province near the border with Calendor Province, he was presented with encouraging private messages from those individuals and other powerful people who wanted to help guide him to a recovery of his heritage. The Alor, the most ancient and wisest people of Illúmaril of course would cautiously approach Gideon, being who he was, a direct descendant (albeit a distant one) of the ancient high king Arel Lith-Gilad.

In the office with him was Kol-sphenate Lorien. Lorien was a senior captain and leader of one of the Griffon regiments. Lorien was an Alor with platinum-blond hair and blue eyes. He was not wearing his armor. Since they were in garrison, he wore the Order’s uniform, emblazoned with an embroidered Griffon with wings spread on the shirt, and platinum colored trousers. Gideon was presently in command of a squadron wing under Lorien in the Order of the Platinum Griffon. Gideon heard he was up for a promotion and would be the same rank as his friend Lorien soon enough.

Lorien walked into the office as Gideon was finishing reading some reports and reading equipment and supply requisitions. Have you heard? Lorien asked. A Quellien crystal fragment was found by the White Council; it now appears that the Valharri and their allies obtained some of the source crystal.

From what I have learned from Tauri Ragan and others, that’s not good, Gideon replied. Although from what I heard and from rumors, I am not sure, but Mordru may have split his crystal and given a piece to one of the Valharri or one of the other Darkspawn leaders.

I’ve been wondering myself and have heard similar things, Lorien said. Some wonder if one of the Valharri retrieved a portion of the Quellien crystal that the wizard Mordru was using, and they also wonder how many or what size crystal he had access to. But that’s enough speculation. Let’s leave that up to the White Council, or the Lords Assembly, or the Leaders of the Orders.

Gideon nodded. He was still worried, at least to a degree, that someone or something may have located him. What do you think the odds are of someone coming after me, since I’m a scion of Lith-Gilad?

From the eyewitness reports I’ve read and those with whom I’ve talked, Lorien replied, few if any actually got a good look at you. After all, your face was partially covered by your armor and it was not traditional Order of the Platinum Griffon-style armor. If others are looking for you, they have taken their time and have probably not traced you here, or some attack against you would have transpired by now.

You’re probably right, Gideon said. Ragan eventually told me he and the other Tauri took care to disperse my aura and anything else they could think of to limit my exposure. For the most part, even the Chaos beasts that saw me ended up dead by the end of the battle.

Yes, if the Valharri planned your death, you would have been directly attacked by now. That means they have poor or limited information about you, Lorien replied.

Gideon had a faraway look on his face as if he was remembering. Only the Valharri Vasha recognized me in the end, and she is still in a state between life and death, according to Lord Nimmeral, Gideon said. The few Urshkaar warriors or wizards with her who did see me to a degree probably did not recognize the significance of the Sword of Order and probably thought me just some Elven lord, as she had just been battling Ragan the Red. Gideon recalled his friend and mentor fondly. He was a Tauri, an archmaster, and a senior council member of the Red Lodge. As an honorarium for being one of the senior council members of one of the Great Lodges, he was called the Red.

You know we have just finished strategy meetings for the Order, Lorien said. I think it’s about time for the evening meal. Let’s go. Your time here will be cut short, as you will be heading back to Tyl University to continue your studies.

Go ahead, Lorien. I’ll join you in a few minutes, Gideon replied. I just want to finish this report. Lorien got his evening cloak and headed out toward the closest of the citadel’s two officer’s mess halls. As Gideon finished his report, he continued to ponder things and wondered what he had really gotten himself into. He even felt for a moment as if someone might be watching him.

Each day, a few individuals were always watching Gideon, scrying or remotely observing him. He was watched to make sure he was safe. Individuals in the White Council took turns observing. Now, one of the Tauri, Jondar the White, was observing Gideon, dressed in his traditional teaching robes, indicating he was an archmaster. Like all the Tauri, he was strongly built and appeared like a typical Alor. Jondar thought he sensed another scrying him, but he knew members of Herendal Faiella’s family also took time to scry on him as well for his security. Jondar leaned back and entered a meditative state for the duration of his watch. He also wondered about the anger he had recently seen Ragan the Red display about interference with his Lodge business. It was not normal for a Tauri to display that level of anger.

Another was observing Gideon in a scry-proof sanctum as he watched many other things and prepared his projects. Dressed in a dark gray robe, the Tauri Grandmaster Lugion of the Black Lodge was completing one of his quellium alloy devices. He appeared as one of mixed lineage between an Alor and an Eldren and had a short-trimmed, black beard. So, it seems they all wonder still where the Quellien crystals came from, Lugion said, as he continued to manipulate and spellweave and merge the energies of the Quellien fragments into the metal. The rumors that Mordru had split his crystal or that he might even have had more than one are quite prevalent. Why, there is even some evidence I planted to support such rumors, at least partially. After all, I obtained the Quellien crystal cluster and will soon be completely finished my crafting with the portions I kept.

There are members of the White Council who seem very sure that the Valharri have obtained a crystal as well, Lugion said, as he laughed softly. He was by himself in one of his sequestered and spy-proof crafting facilities. The White Council also received a crystal to essentially balance out the one given to the Valharri. They could use it to clean up the remaining undead or directly decrease or even halt the seepage of the Unlife; however, they probably will discuss and debate what to do until it’s past the optimum usage point.

Now, as for the boy Gideon Finelen, I don’t want anything bad to happen to him, as he will probably be needed to deal some sort of incapacitating blow to Lord Dormas with the Sword of Order that only a descendant of Lith-Gilad can wield. The problem is, I see in his mind that he is bent on finding out more of his heritage and exploring some dangerous ancestral lands, continued Lugion in soft tones, speaking to himself. Some are even encouraging him to do so. Lugion thought, Fortunately, I still have time to see how I may help my brother Nimmeral and the others prepare this scion of Lith-Gilad for his potential to aid Illúmaril. A glow globe began to hum with another warning as Lugion saw that yet another member of the Twelve had recently restored its power.

Now that most of the Twelve are awakened, that will only complicate matters, noted Lugion. I wonder if Lord Adon will be up to the challenge of dealing with the ramifications of this occurrence. He still seems as if his head is in the clouds at times. I will need to find a way to balance the Twelve. We cannot allow them to become too powerful, especially since Dormas is not here to keep them or their master in a more orderly line. They will, as in the past, autonomously seek power and lands for themselves. With no oversight, they will most probably attempt to call their lesser brethren or even the greater Ancient Ones. There are so many variables here, with the potential to increase the presence of Chaos, and none of us can allow any Ancient Ones or Lords of Chaos to return to power. However, I will find a way to use this unfortunate awakening of the Twelve to my advantage, thought Lugion. I must walk a fine line to further my ambition to gain a permanent place and be elevated to an Erradan Lord.

Gideon Finelen may have what is needed to deal with Dormas when the time comes. Assuming that the boy’s own temperamental attitude does not get in the way, Lugion said with a chuckle, as he began to concentrate on completing his crafting projects. Lugion too had Tauri, or teaching business, to attend to and those teaching tasks had kept him from completing his special projects sooner. I will have to finish later, but I can stop at this point. Such devices as I am now crafting could be used against the Ancient Ones if necessary. Grandmaster Lugion sealed his crafting projects and placed nondetections and sealing barrier spellweavings on them before he left.

Chapter Three

TYL UNIVERSITY AND THE ACADEMY OF SPELLWEAVING ARTS

Gideon had returned to Tyl Islands Province to continue his education in the spellweaving arts. It had been only a week ago when he was finishing his time in the Order of the Platinum Griffon and had been paid for his time as a sphenate or captain of a squadron wing.With his earnings, coupled with the monies his Elven Aunt Faiella sent to him on a regular basis, he was quite comfortable and could pay the tuition. His first accelerated semester was paid for entirely by Lady Faiella. Gideon wanted some independence, so he had joined one of the militant orders to help others and to gain some coin for his expenses. After the magical coin-containing bag Ragan had given him in Mindon had been mostly depleted, Gideon felt he had to earn some money.The magical coin-containing bag was an enchanted reddish cloth pouch, imbued to hold many more coins than its apparent size.

Ragan had given him that pouch almost full of coins as a gift, as he wanted Gideon to get some clothes and enchanted equipment. Gideon used the monies to purchase several changes of clothes including a suit fit for a lord. He eventually bought several multifunction enchanted or imbued items with various offensive or defensive properties, including a cloak, two swords, two rings, and a circlet for his head. He also obtained an Ithelrein mail shirt.

After arriving in the city of Tyl Haven on the island Province of Tyl by a series of travel gateways from the Order’s citadel on the continent of Ascalon, Gideon had purchased a Zedrul ticket in Tyl Haven and was now traveling onboard the train-like conveyance. This Zedrul ran on motivator engines, similar to the ones that powered the skyships he had been on. Ticket, sir. Oh I see you’re going all the way from Tyl Haven to the main university in the mountain region.

Yes, that’s right. I have to restart my lessons, Gideon replied, as he handed the paper pass to the Zedrul conductor with a year of travel time stamped on it. Gideon looked out the window and down at the port of Tyle Haven, as the Zedrul headed up, then inland. He thought about the last time he had been on a Zedrul with his Alor companions Gil Gallow and Glade Gilding who were now his superior officers in the Order of the Platinum Griffon. They each occasionally served in the Order, as it was for all of them more of a part-time job.

Gideon had also traveled with some Dwarro as well, Lord Sim Oakenbrand and Tain Ironfoot. He recalled that Tain had shown him where to shower on the underground Zedrul. Finally, the last companion who actually turned out to be very like an uncle was Pyne Calandon the retired Lord of Noordlinden. Gideon thought Pyne was more like what he would call a gnome; although his people called themselves Norgtor or, perhaps, that is what their creators the Erradans called them. Pyne had arranged for Gideon to stay at his citadel while he was training with the Order and taking classes at one of Noordlinden’s best spellweaving schools.

After several hours traveling on the Zedrul, and a few stops later, Gideon noticed the spires of the university in the distance as the Zedrul came around a curve. Looking beyond the university’s many towers, he viewed through his Zedrul car’s glass window the majestic mountain peaks in the distance. There were other students from many races on their way to Tyl University, as the next semester was beginning in the next few days. Gideon had been enrolled in an accelerated class for the students who had the time and desire to learn quickly. He learned that on Illúmaril there was a very strong education ethic. If that were not enough, the Tauri were basically an order of a thousand exceptional traveling teachers who could teach nonstop if necessary. The commonplace presence of the universities and the education ethic, coupled with the Tauri teaching visits across the world, stimulated in the populace a desire for learning in many areas, especially in the spellweaving arts.

Upon arriving at the campus, he walked across one of the many courtyards, noticing there was minor snowfall across the ground. The season was moving toward winter and, in the higher altitudes of the Tyl Islands Province, it snowed on occasion.

Hello, Finelen, said one of the students he had met previously on his first long semester at the university. His name was Noril, and he was an Eldren from Calendor Province. He was not in all of Gideon’s classes. I was wondering if you were going to return to classes.

Good day to you, Noril, I had a busy time with the Order of the Platinum Griffon. I even took part in a few battles. Now, after a short rest, I’m ready to continue my studies, Gideon replied.

I’ll see you in a few classes. Until then, good day to you as well, Noril replied. Gideon nodded and continued on toward his room. He hoped that Noril did not use his natural abilities as a mind reader to try to eavesdrop on his mind. He did not sense any intrusion, so Noril was probably willing to wait for any interesting tales, and the ring Lord Talmor had given him would protect his mind from most

Reviews for The Return of the Ancient Ones

[kevin_peter-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rightful Heir – A review of the novel ‘The Return of the Ancient Ones’“Whatever most captures your mind controls your life.” – Kare AndersonIn author Gary Caplan’s book ‘The Return of the Ancient Ones’ we return back to the land of Illúmaril. It has become an area that resembles an extended battleground with various forces and foes battling each other to reign supreme. It’s also a land that is awaiting its destined leader Gideon to employ the Sword of Order and vanquish the dark forces known as Thatos and his army. Gideon and his gang get unexpected help from an enemy group called the Darkspawn after they are betrayed by Thatos. An under threat Illúmaril’s future rests on the skills of one man. The Return of the Ancient Ones (hereafter referred to as TROTAO) is a complex story involving multiple important heroic characters and numerous soldiers fighting on the side of both good and evil. Connoisseurs of topical popular culture will immediately make a connection between the storyline of TROTAO and that of Star Wars. But here’s where it one-ups the latter; this thought itself might be blasphemous to some, but if someone had wondered what would happen if full-on magic were introduced to the Star Wars empire – TROTAO would be the answer. The narrative introduces telepathy, spell-weaving, skyships, powerful crystals, swords, beasts & demons to an action packed story that’s full of combat and the revelation of the purpose behind the main hero’s life.Staying true to the genre, the narrative is highly descriptive and builds up the land of Illúmaril and its various inhabitants vividly in your mind. In fact Mr. Caplan must be appreciated for utilizing his imagination to the hilt and coming up with such diverse characters and then arming them with unique powers and accompaniments like special swords and amulets. You also get to experience the story from different perspectives as the author tells the story from multiple characters’ point of view. The novel gives equal weightage to both characters and story. The character of Gideon coming to grips with his destiny and forming an alliance to take on a much powerful enemy is explored nicely. And the plot moves along steadily leading to a big and expected clash at the end where the identity of the victor won’t leave anyone surprised. The characters, be it Draeborn, Almaren, Gil, Bernord and Gideon’s other friends grow and develop as the plot moves along. These characters appear honest because they aren’t afraid to portray fear & doubt. And it’s their honor, courage and camaraderie that make them heroic.There’s not a lot here that you could underscore as bad, especially if you’re into this genre. But for some, the sheer number of names of geographical locations, Knights, Lords and demons might be overwhelming; as might the battle scenes that run the risk of being slightly repetitive. In the end, the action in TROTAO keeps the story moving forward at a consistent pace and provides for an engrossing read. The novel has won the Indie excellence award for fantasy.