The Adventures of Gastan

By Brian McComb

In The Mind Of An Insomniac, everyone got to read a part of The Adventures Of Gastan. Now for the first time ever, the complete adventures are here.

Imagine a land in a time long forgotten. In the sprawling land known as The Lower Lands lived a great warrior named Gastan. As he grew up he learned to wield a sword like no one else. At the age of twenty, he leaves his father, Artagen, to find his destiny. On his quest he saves the princess Ariana from certain death.

Gastan becomes the Kings personal knight. He is challenged against sorcerers, witches, dragons, trolls, corrupt clergymen and rivals from across The Forbidden Sea. The Adventures Of Gastan is the story of one mans journey striving to do right while surrounded by so much loss.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 10, 2008
• ISBN: 9781467839907

Brian McComb

Brian McComb and his wife, Jessica, are the proud parents of Whiskey, a golden retriever; Draco, a Great Dane; and Luna, a Russian blue. They reside in Orlando, Florida, where Brian is currently hard at work on his fourth book.

Book preview

The

Adventures

Of

Gastan

By Brian Mccomb

US%26UK%20Logo%20B%26W_new.ai

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2008 Brian McComb. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 7/15/2008

ISBN: 978-1-4343-4401-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4678-3990-7 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Contents

PART ONE

Birth Of A Legend

The Birth Of Evil

It Is Time

The Evil Grows

A Chance Meeting

Evil Finds Friends

The Kings Guard

First Glimpse

The Letter

Densmore

Final Battle

Catacomb

PART TWO

The Calm Before The Storm

Brannigan

Abduction

Awakening

Ariana Learns

The Past Is Told

Ariana’s Decision

Ariana Is Found

Rest In Peace/vengeance

Redemption

Catacomb

PART THREE

Lamont

So Much Grief

The Dragon’s Lair

Edwin’s Turmoil

Pinat

The Castle

The Battlefield

Letting Go

PART FOUR

The Covenent

Practice As Usual

The Brew Works Quick

Detour From The Castle

Esmerelda

So Many Affected

Wergin

The Blue Will Tell You What To Do

Confrontation

Full Of Hate

PART FIVE

Artagen’s Wish

Friendship

Terrible Timing?

The Body Revealed

The Road Home

The Spawn Waits

Burial

PART SIX

The Church

The Grave

The Plan

So It Begins

The Assassins

Attack!!!

Harteck Hears The News

The Wounded Heart

The Ultimate Deceit

A Hero Returns

Banishment

PART SEVEN

The Smell

Faith Tested

Man Or Animal?

The Sighting

The Worried And The Weary

The Creature’s Hunger Grows

The Wrong Decision

Practice Makes Perfect

PART EIGHT

Late Night Swim

The Serpent Legend

The Fishermen

A Warrior Summoned

The Serpent Surfaces

Into The Water

The Ship

PART NINE

Passing The Time

The Landing

Harteck Finds Comfort

Late Night Rendezvous

A Friend In Need

The Giant

The Thief

Father Clay

The Hangings

Catacomb

PART TEN

The Second Coming

The Coming Of The Storm

Dragen

Prayers

The Past Re-visited

The Figure Re-appears

Such A Quaint Little Village

The Battle In The Head

Densmore

The Ultimate Battle

Letting Go

Birth

PART ELEVEN

The Illness

A Warrior Summoned

The King And Gastan

The Grave

Acceptance

A Chance To See His Daughter

The Crowning Of A King

Abandoned

The Advisors Daughter

PART TWELVE

A Village Lurks Underneath

Across The Forbidden Sea

A King And His Court

Teron

Kerrgin

Pinat

Crossing The Forbidden Sea

The Kings Tales

Landing

PART THIRTEEN

The Battle Begins

Troubled Times Ahead

The Castle In The Distance

A King And His Advisor

Let There Be War!

Laxius Makes His Way

PART FOURTEEN

Darkness Clearing

King Laxius Takes His Throne

The Dungeon

Jasmine

Madness Creeping

The Future Of The Lower Lands

Escape

The Skies Began To Darken

PART FIFTEEN

Ready To Make Way

The Storm Grows

The Unforeseeable

The Skies Clear

Seeking To Understand

PART SIXTEEN

Time Heals All Wounds

In Plain Sight She Waits

The Rebuilding Of A King

The Villages

A Royal Welcome

A King And His Child

PART SEVENTEEN

Fifty Seven

A Discovery Of Dire Consequence

That Funny Little Feeling In The Gut

The Ceremony

Time With His Son

Father And Daughter

Nightmares

An Army Is Being Built

PART EIGHTEEN

THE SKIES TURN DARK

First Wave

Archers Prepare

Move Out

Inside The Castle Walls

So Much Pain

PART

NINETEEN

A

LIFE

COMPLETE

Sixty Years

The Lower Lands

Looking At His Land

A Life Complete

Gastan Timeline

I dedicate this book to my brother Mike, who was the first one to buy my first book. To all the Gastan fans who told me to continue the story. To my wife Jessica, for her undying faith and love. And my kids, Whiskey and Luna who literary sat by my side as I wrote it.

PART ONE

THE

FORCES

OF

EVIL

Birth Of A Legend

He was destined to be a king

To one day sit on his throne

He was to be the greatest warrior

This world had ever known

He was born on a little farm

To a family of little wealth

His mother died giving birth

She had always had poor health

His father had been a fighter

Yet, he gave his wife his word

He would settle down with her

Forever putting away his sword

The little baby was named Gastan

His father was fond of the name

The name would strike fear

Yet, also gain him his fame.

The Birth Of Evil

Deep in the darkest catacomb

You could hear the woman scream

She had been taken forcefully

While washing clothes in the stream

Now he was having his way

Laughing at his plunder

Suddenly, rain shot down

Bolts of lighting and thunder

She would never see the light

He had seen the sign in the sky

She now had his demon seed

She would give birth then die

Nine months later it was time

The evil sorcerer had his son

He held Quevor in his arms

Thanked the wench for a job well done

Then his henchmen dragged her away

What they did to her, one can not write

After that she was dead

Before the dawns first light

It Is Time

As Gastan grew he found the sword

He was amazed by it right away

He would spend three hours or more

Practicing with it each and every day

He became very skilled, very fast

Also becoming skilled with a bow

At twenty, he told his father

He had to live his life, he had to go

His father understood, for he did the same

He knew Gastan could handle himself

He told his son to always be brave

To find happiness, a woman and wealth

As he got up on his horse

He looked at his father and smiled

His father knew deep in his heart

This was the last time he would see his child

Gastan waved back to his father

Then rode off into the day

His father spoke," May god be with you,

Guide you and help you on your way."

The Evil Grows

He had learned sorcery

He had learned witchcraft

He had learned to take his women

As his father sat and laughed

Quevor was tired of where they dwelled

So he concocted an evil plan

He went to a nearby castle

Then killed every woman and man

His father was proud of his son

They had a place to call their own

Quevor sat in a giant chair

Pretending it was his throne

He asked his father," Why?

Why don’t we kill the king?"

His father simply replied,

Too much of a battle it would bring.

For the first time Quevor thought

That his father was weak

Late that night into his fathers’ room

He quietly did sneak

He woke him and asked him again

Why don’t we take the throne from the king?

His father answered the same reply

Too much of a battle it would bring.

Quevor screamed, You are a weak old man!

Then he produced a knife

He stabbed his father repeatedly

Until he was gone of all life

He stood there, bloody from head to toe

Looking down at the knife in his hand

Now father, he said, "you understand

I will not rest until I rule this land"

A Chance Meeting

Gastan had traveled all around

Two years had passed since he left home

He was doing alright for himself

Yet, he felt completely alone

Gastan was traveling down a road

When he heard a distant yell

He looked to the right and left

From where it came, he couldn’t tell

First, he saw an overturned carriage

Then he saw through the trees

Three bandits were carrying a woman

Whom they thought they’d take with ease

Without a second thought in his head

He pulled his sword from its sheath

He slowly snuck up on them

These no good worthless thieves

Let her go, he simply said

The thieves turned to this stranger

Three against one, not good odds

Yet, Gastan never felt any danger

The first thief lifted his sword

Their swords met with a crash

Gastan was too good for him

The fight was over in a flash

In one solid move, Gastan turned

His sword was quicker than the eye

The third thief watched in horror

As the second thief did die

The third pulled out his sword

Then ran the other way

He knew he would end up like them

If he decided he should stay

Gastan turned to the beautiful lady

My lady, are you hurt? Are you okay?

I am now, she said," thanks to you

I’m glad you came along, I must say."

She asked him to meet her father

Since Gastan saved her from slaughter

She knew her father would grateful

For the King only had one Daughter

Evil Finds Friends

Quevor had searched for the scum

The scum of the land

Those who would follow him

Help him carry out his plan

He found evil men in taverns

Men who were sick of the king

Knowing that joining with Quevor

The difference it would bring

He found legions of men

Who were ready and willing to die

To have a new set of order

Where they weren’t just getting by

Quevor’s army was beginning to grow

He certainly liked what he did see

"These men are willing to fight

More important, willing to worship me."

He looked out the window of his castle

Saw the men coming in herds

"I shall rule this land soon,

I am Quevor, and you can mark my words!"

The Kings Guard

What does one say to a king?

This was Gastan’s main thought

He knew he would be rewarded

For the fact that he had fought

Gastan walked into the king’s chamber

There the king sat on his royal seat

The man who had saved his daughter

He was very anxious to meet

Gastan knelt down in front of him

King Edwin said, rise my son.

Gastan stood up proudly

Thank you for what you have done.

"You saved my only daughter

From perhaps certain