Techromancy Scrolls: Westlands

By Erik Schubach

Almost three thousand years after an extinction level event on Earth, mankind seeks to regain its former glory, in a new world where magic and technology collide.

Laney and Celeste, Templars of Sparo, embark upon a mission of mercy to a far off land to aid a people thought lost to time before the Altii even found the Lower Ten.

The Westlands are found along with a new enemy that Sparo may not be able to stand against... Avalon.

Can this new threat be the Great Wizards of the Before Times? New alliances will be forged, hearts will be held and broken as Laney faces her biggest challenge yet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erik Schubach
• Release date: Oct 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9780999374016

Erik Schubach

I got my start writing romance novels by accident. I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books, like Honor Harrington. And I also believe that there is a lack of LGBT characters in media. So one day I came up with a story idea that combines the two... two days later I completed the manuscript for Music of the Soul.My writing style may not be the most professional nor grammatically correct, but I never profess to be an English major, just a person that wants to share a story. I maintain that my primary language is sarcasm.Each of my books features strong likeable female characters that are flawed. I think that flaws and emotional or physical scars make us human and give us more character than simply conforming to some "social norm".I have also started a SciFi series, The Valkyrie Chronicles which features a Valkyrie, Kara, who was left behind on Earth five thousand years ago to help the Asgard race escape the onslaught of the Ragnarok horde. With the aid of a human, Kate, she holds the line in battle to herald the return of the Asgard!If you like magic, paranormal romance and witches, then my new series Fracture might tickle your fancy. In the first book Fracture: Divergence, Alex King must stop magic from destroying reality. The problem is that Alex must solve the case in parallel universes where in one Alex is male and female in the other.There is even a modern shapeshifter paranormal series, Drakon. Featuring a fiery Irish woman with a sharp wit and sharper temper who finds out she is a dragon of legend.

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Copyright © 2017 by Erik Schubach

Published by Erik Schubach on Smashwords

P.O. Box 523

Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026

Cover Photo © 2017 CristiYor / Pixabay.com license

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author

/ publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, blog, or broadcast.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Manufactured in the United States of America

FIRST EDITION

ISBN 978-0-9993740-1-6

Map of SparoMap of Wexbury Keep

Prologue

I walked quickly through the Penny Library like a woman on a mission, my swords clanked lightly on my leather armor at my hips.

Mother Luna, I still can't believe that Prince George had rechristened the restored Cedar Ridge Public Library, Main Branch, here at the Dig, as the Penny Library, in honor of the endearment the people of Wexbury had given me. They had taken to calling me the Penny Lady, soon after I was raised from commoner to noble when my Lady Celeste took me on as her squire, and I had become Knight Ascendant.

I had earned the title because of my tradition of handing out penny vouchers to the commoners and serfs of our realm to ease the burden of providing for their families, if just for a day. Some nobles, who believe there should be a clear division between commoners and nobility, use the name as a slight to me. Pointing out that I have commoner blood myself. I, however, choose to wear the name with pride, for I remember from whence I came.

I was simply Laney Herder, a passable Techno-Knight and now a reluctant Templar of Sparo –

another of Prince George's cruel jokes which he had perpetrated against my wife and me. I feel our lives have become but a comedy with all the titles foisted upon us.

I spent as much time in the library as I was afforded, now that the restored tomes and scrolls had started pouring back in from Wexbury Keep, from the designated restoration building in the Warehouse District. In just over a year, almost a full quarter of the tomes which had been in the best shape have been restored by Techromancers, scholars, and Mountain Gypsy historians from all over the Lower Ten.

It would still be years before the tens of thousands of tomes were returned to their rightful place in the library here. I glanced around the building in pride, knowing that when that happened, it would eclipse the Great Library of the Techromancy Scrolls of Wexbury, and even the Hall of Scrolls in the Capitol up in Highland Reach.

The Penny Library would be the single largest repository of knowledge from the Wizards of the Before Times in existence. And it was open to all who wished to partake of that knowledge. All realms and all gypsy tribes were welcome. Even unsavory individuals like Marauders were granted free passage to use the library if they surrendered their weapons and caused no problems. It didn't matter if you were serf or noble, I welcomed all here.

Part of the lands of the Dig, which I had gifted to the people of Wexbury as a Treasure of the Realm, had been deemed neutral territory, where the Templars of Sparo now resided so that no one

realm could claim us.

As Templars, we were beholden to no one, not even Prince George. We answered only to our own moral judgments in that aspect of our lives. But I was a woman of many worlds, and none of them fit me. They were like different masks which I wore depending upon circumstances, when really at my core, I was still just a simple chicken herder who was on the most amazing of adventures she never could have imagined a few short years ago.

I still stood as Techno-Knight of Wexbury on occasion, or Sora of the Lupei clan of Mountain Gypsies at others. I was also in the unique position of being a noble of not only Wexbury, but of both Highland, and Solomon as well as a result of my misadventures. Not to mention the nebulous connection between Great Mother Ranelle of the Mountain Gypsies and my family, which she refuses to explain to us.

As I said, I was a woman of many worlds, none of them mine.

I passed dozens of library patrons in the colors of all the realms of Sparo as they moved around the great space with wide-eyed wonder. I smiled in acknowledgment of their greetings, and frowned at those who bowed as I passed by; I wish they would stop doing that.

I hesitated when I saw my mother-in-law, Emily, leading a group of wide-eyed children, along with the Instructor of the Keep, Jacklyn, through the main corridor toward the sea of bookcases. Emily's blonde hair shone brightly in the sunlight pouring in through the main doors, and the electric lights that had been installed throughout the cavernous space.

Emily, or as everyone in Wexbury calls her, the Queen of the Scrolls, since she is the Matron of the Library of the Techromancy Scrolls in Wexbury, was about the only person I knew who was shorter than myself, and she was one of the few blondes in Sparo. Fewer and fewer children are born each year with that hair color. Father... Prime Techromancer Donovan has explained to me that it is a recessive trait, and in time could disappear from the realms. I think I understand, though I feel a fool for not being sure about the things the man attempts to explain to me at times.

I'm glad that Emily had finally made an honest man out of Donovan. Celeste's father deserved this second chance at happiness after his first wife died of Wasting Syndrome so many years ago. Father felt he had to hide his feelings for the hyper woman because of what he felt Celeste would think of his affections toward a woman almost half his age and barely older than herself.

For the record, Celeste was ecstatic that his father had found love again, she's awesome like that.

Emily beamed a huge smile at me, with that glint of mischief only she could conjure. Oh, Mother Luna, I knew that look. The group stepped up to me, impeding any chance of a stealthy retreat. I squeaked as I found myself in a hug.

I noted the disheveled clothing on the children, their ages ranging from around five to fifteen and it was my turn to open my eyes wide at the realization of who they were. I giggled with a conspiratorial tone as Emily released me, What brings the Queen of the Scrolls to the Penny Library today... I had to add in a teasing, ...mother?

She was only my elder by five or six years. Well, that we know of that is. It seems my mother in law is quite a mystery. Everyone assumes she is noble but nobody has any information about her before she became the Matron of the Library, and she always gives nebulous answers when asked about her age. It isn't until after you leave her company that you realize she never really answered.

Then I looked over the children with a beaming smile. And who are these delightful children you have in tow?

She winked at me, knowing full well I had already deduced who they were, even if the variety of clothing color schemes and styles hadn't clued me in. These... She waved her hand airily at the group as Jacklyn beamed with pride. ...are the winners of the first annual Sparo Young Scholar lottery. Then she added, to throw my tease right back in my face, Daughter.

I told myself, I will not gush, I will not gush.

I gushed, and beamed at the group as I said, Welcome! And congratulations to all of you. All of the knowledge in this library is open to you all.

Prince George was so impressed with the programs we had in place in Wexbury, to educate every man, woman, and child as to not limit the benefits of education to nobles, that he had made a decree that all of the Realms were to adopt similar programs.

In the past, it had felt to me as if the nobles didn't want us, common serfs, to be educated. It kept another layer of separation between the classes and made them feel superior just because by happenstance they were lucky enough to be born into a noble family.

But in the few short years, we have been educating everyone in Wexbury, we have seen positive results, improving the quality of life and sense of self-worth of our populace.

So when the tomes started flowing back into the Penny Library, we petitioned Prince George's wife, Princess Everly to somehow make it possible for more than just scholars to travel from the other realms to make use of the endless amounts of knowledge contained within the library.

She commissioned a yearly lottery system which would draw the names of two commoner children who have not reached majority, the age of consent, from each realm to travel to Wexbury to witness the library themselves.

The travel and care of the children would be paid by the Crown, as well as a stipend of four iron pennies to the parents of the children, to offset any hardship they would experience by not having the

children at home to work with them.

I kept a smile on my face though I noted the disrepair some of the children's clothing were in, a small girl with skin as dark as a starless night, was holding the hand of an older boy with equally as dark skin. Their long robes with silver piping told they were from Hell's Gate. They had traveled so very far across the Burning Desert to be here, escorted by the Prince's royal guard, and the poor girl had no shoes.

The boy looked to have a keen interest at the two swords on my hips.

I started blushing when Emily turned to the group and said, "Everyone, this is Templar Laney.

Sora of the Lupei of the Mountain Gypsies, and the Penny Lady of Wexbury herself."

The kids all gasped, a few were visibly excited as they all started dropping to their knees in supplication. Some of the children looked around at the others than stared kneeling and bowing as well. I can't tell you how uncomfortable that always made me and how much it made my blood boil when people did that.

I started shooing them all up, frantically making hand motions. None of that children. Up with you. Then I looked around as if I were confiding a secret to the group. You all know I am of common stock myself, do you not? I am just Laney Herder under this armor.

A couple children gasped at that, and one adorable boy around ten called out, I'm a herder too!

I knelt in front of the little one from Hell's Gate. She reminded me so much of my own daughter, Misty, who was about her age the first time I met her. I rasped out, And what is your name?

She looked down bashfully, it rang all of my maternal bells, it was such an endearing action. Her tiny voice wavered, Shanicia Weaver, my Lady.

I smiled at her, tilting my head so that I could see her big brown eyes. Hers flicked over to the burn scars on my left cheek, which were glowing and spilling out the wispy white magik of the People, tinged amber with my Techromancer magics that freely mixed with it. What a lovely name. Then I looked around from where I knelt. You may all call me Laney.

Then I looked back at her, she raised her hand to touch the wispy trails of magic that blurred my form when I didn't keep a tight rein on it. She had a look of amazement at the magic, rather than repulsion to my scars. I almost pulled back when her fingers came to rest on my cheek, and she asked in a little voice, Does it hurt?

I blinked. Nobody but Misty had ever asked that particular question. Most people tend to pretend they don't see the scars, I don't mind if they do. I've earned every scar I have. They are the cost I gladly paid to keep peace in the realms. Doing what is right, always carries a cost. My scars were the reminder of that for both me and those around me.

I shook my head, she looked mesmerized by the mist that trailed behind. No.

This made her smile then I reached into a pouch on my sword belt as I said, There was another prize for winning the lottery that I don't think any of you were aware of. I pulled out a hand full of violet strips of paper and placed them in her little hands. At the end of your first day here in the Penny Library, Instructor Jacklyn will be bringing you to the Wexbury Market to buy new outfits for the Holy Day feast tomorrow at Castle Wexbury, with these penny vouchers.

I cocked an eyebrow up at Jacklyn, who was trying so hard to look officious but was failing as her cheeks dimpled trying to hold back a grin. She inclined her head to me, acknowledging my made up prize. Then I turned back to Shanicia. Can you, young weaver, make sure that each child here gets two penny vouchers?

She nodded emphatically, her eyes wide, marveling at how many vouchers she was holding. Sadly, it was likely it was more than any of these children had ever seen in one place. I felt inspired and stood, looking over all the eyes upon me. Now I need all of you to raise a hand.

I lifted my own, covered in the spell laden white silk glove which eased the pains that would never leave my magic burned hand. It was a 'gift' from the Rogue Adept, Raneth, which I received at the Battle of the Monolith, to stop another Great Mage War, where I was forced to send him to his maker.

The glove also hid the stump of the finger I lost to the Rogue Prime Techromancer of Solomon, Kennick, just before I dispatched him to whatever hell he deserved. Both men were links in the ever growing chain of sins that weighed heavily upon me in my nightmares. I paid for both victories with parts of myself.

It is no matter to me, as I was never going to be pretty anyway.

The children raised their hands, and I said, I need to swear you all in as members of the Junior Regiment to perform a solemn duty for me upon your return to your realms.

They all looked at me, eyes wide and sparkling as Emily turned her back on them. Covering her mouth to stop a chuckle. I dutifully ignored her, well, except for kicking her shin in chastisement.

Then I prompted, my voice raspy from the damage to my vocal cords in Solomon, Repeat after me.

Then I took on a serious tone, lending gravity to the fact I was adding them to Misty's imaginary Junior Regiment. Well not so imaginary since Prince George, just like a scatterbrained man, acknowledged it. I swear to uphold the virtues of the rank of Knight Ascendant of the Junior Regiment.

They repeated dutifully, causing me to smile. To help those in need and strive to do what is right and just. And always aid those less fortunate than myself. They spoke with more conviction this time. And to distribute a boon to those deserving in my realm upon my return.

They finished, and I dropped my hand and said, You are now sworn members of the Junior Regiment. Before your week in Wexbury ends, the treasurer of the Junior Regiment will distribute twenty-five penny vouchers for you to carry to your people and give one to each of the families most in need. There were gasps and excited murmurs.

I added, Do not take this lightly. Remember you have given a solemn oath to help those in need and to strive to do good in this ever-growing world of ours.

They nodded enthusiastically. The elder children looking so serious about it.

Then I grinned as the children surrounded the little one as she started handing out the vouchers for their trip to the Market.

Emily's voice was full of mirth. Treasurer of the Junior Regiment? Just what you need to do to make Misty's head explode into glitter.

I grinned. Oh shush, you.

I cocked an eyebrow. I best remember to send a flash to Princess Everly, requesting her to make the additions to the prizes lottery program. I'll be hard-pressed to fund them myself once she hears of it and tries to have the crown pay for them herself.

I still found it amazing how fast all the realms had taken to sending messages using an invention from Wexbury's own Lord Bexington, and fellow Templar.

Wires were run between all the realms, allowing for messages to be sent instantly using bulbs with letters painted on them, powered by electricity from paddle wheels in the rivers, windmills being mounted on every castle keeps, or magic spark containment vessels. It made information sharing so much quicker than the hours or days that signal fires or horseback riders could relay.

Everyone has taken to calling the messages sent on the wondrous devices, flashes, due to the flashing lights. Wexbury has also started expanding the network and running flash wires to every town in the realm of Wexbury. Our scholars say that one day, they envision a network so complex that every citizen will have a flash device in their own home.

What could we not accomplish in these modern times?

I doubted I'd have time to speak with Everly about it at Templar Hall today. So it will have to be a flash when I return if the Wexbury Grapevine doesn't get word to her by the time I can sneeze twice.

After receiving his vouchers, the other child from Hell's Gate moved timidly to me. He was perhaps fourteen or so, and five or six inches taller than me. He opened his mouth, then shut it and started moving off.

I laid a hand on his shoulder to stop him. What is it...? I left a question in the air.

He turned back. With a shy look on his face. Oh lord, he had a lovestruck glint in his eye. I would

have been flattered had he not been staring intently at my hips at the time instead of me. "Galein.

Galein Miner," he said.

I sighed and placed my hands on the hilts of the swords he was coveting. He asked almost bashfully, making me wonder what it was with men and their fascination with weapons, "Is that...

Anadele and Hera? Then he added quickly, Is it true that small blade can cut through lightning?"

Ok, I was blushing. Anadele wasn't small, she was just right for me, thank you very much. I can't help it if she is the size of most knight's parrying blades. His words caught the other children's attention as they started gathering in front of me.

I shook my head. No, she cannot cut through lightning, though she has channeled magical lightning through her, which has changed her nature. She cannot be chipped nor dulled.

He actually licked his lips as he looked at her hilt. I asked innocently, Would you like to see her?

There was a chorus of yeses.

I glanced around and held an arm wide at the other patrons who had been slowly congregating.

Everyone backed off and gave me room when I dropped into one of the first Kanset forms, drawing both blades smoothly then bladed my body. Then I went through the Kanset form kata. I loved this one over the other forms the weapons masters have taught.

This was a Mountain Gypsy form which felt more like dancing to me than fighting. It was an almost forgotten form, as there are virtually no Gypsies who use two bladed combat, other than wielding a parrying blade. Great Mother Ranelle herself had been the one to instruct me in it.

When I had asked her how long it took to master the form, she had simply winked and told me that she would let me know if she ever mastered it fully herself.

My form blurred and ghosted, leaving misty afterimages of me in snapshots of time. It made the deadly dance I performed, blades flashing and gliding through the air, look almost ethereal. The people around me looked virtually enraptured by the display, so I smiled inwardly and thrust to each side with my blades, causing future versions of myself to burst from me as wispy white doppelgangers. Each of me performing the kata in staggered points in time. This caused ooing and clapping from the excited children.

I ended the kata with my own ghosts falling back into me as I caught up with them. It was something I had learned to control after using it to great success in Highland Reach, when I fought against the Marauders led by the wanted rogue, Aelwen, ex-Duchess of Solomon. Mother Udele believes it is a byproduct of the transference I can accomplish using my Gypsy Sight.

I ended with Hera sliding into her sheath, and Anadele offered across my arm, hilt first to Galein.

His eyes, wide from my display, widened even farther. He reached out hesitantly, May I?

I nodded, and he hefted my blade like it were a toy. He furrowed his brow. It is so light. He moved out to where I had performed my kata then the boy surprised me by performing a kata of his own, with large sweeps and lunges that were punctuated by huge leg sweeps that balanced the movements, as his robe fluttered behind him.

It was a bit unpolished and a little clumsy, but it was such a beautiful kata. I have never seen a Knight from Hell's Gate fight before, was this one of their katas? He finished then offered my sword back to me. She has beautiful balance for a noncurved blade.

I took her and absently sheathed her, my eyes on the boy as I asked, How did you learn that? It was exceedingly rare for a commoner to have any weapons training in any of the realms I had visited.

He shrugged. All children are taught the basics, to defend ourselves against sand marauders.

I arched an eyebrow. That was both amazing and a little frightening that they were all trained to defend themselves, and that there was so much marauder activity in the Burning Desert that such a thing was needed. I absently wondered if a similar program might not benefit other realms. Then maybe marauders wouldn't pose such a threat. And it would have the added benefit of freeing up knight patrols for more troubled areas. I'd have to discuss this with Celeste.

I clasped his shoulder. Well done. You would make a good knight one day.

He beamed at that, as it was exceedingly rare for a commoner to become a knight.

I looked around. "Please, I have taken enough of your valuable time children when there are so many wonders waiting for you in the tomes and scrolls of the library. I've a meeting to attend.

After a cute round of goodbyes, and thank you Penny Ladys, I hugged Emily and clasped Jacklyn's hand as she mouthed, Thank you. I inclined my head and scurried off to the main doors.

I would have loved to stay and watch the awe on the children's faces as they discovered wonder after wonder about the Great Wizards of the Before. I also knew I'd have to pay for calling Emily the Queen of the Scrolls, but right now, I was about to embark upon a rescue mission, a year in the making...

Chapter 1 – Cedar Ridge

I strode through the re-emerging town of Cedar Ridge, formerly Gus Davis Ford until we learned of its true name. Though the people of Wexbury refer to it affectionately as The Dig. More and more buildings have been excavated from the time prior to the Great Impact which brought down the civilization of the Great Wizards of the Before.

The town, like all the others, was buried in the great earth rumbles that followed the Impact.

A rogue astral body had collided with Mother Luna and tore her asunder over twenty-seven hundred years aforetime. The Earth was nearly destroyed, and most life and the great oceans which covered the planet surface were wiped out.

The Three Sisters emerged out of the debris field which ringed the Earth. Mother Luna dominated the night sky with her great red eye staring down at us from the center of her oblong egg shape. Her two smaller sisters, Athena and Freya, which formed afterward, now trail behind her in an endless chase. Our scholars say that one day they will catch her in their celestial dance, and once again Mother Luna will be whole.

I glanced around the improvised town square, amazed at how crowded Cedar Ridge had become.

People from all the realms of Sparo scurried about. They were drawn by the public library, the amazing wonders being unearthed daily, as more of the settlement was revealed. And some more enterprising individuals have come for the crowds, to strike their fortunes peddling their wares.

In just over a year, the improvised Templar's Market as the populace refers to it, has drawn vendors from everywhere. I'm continually amazed at the craftsmanship from the realms of the Lower Ten which I haven't had the pleasure of visiting yet. There wasn't a market anywhere with such diversity in offerings.

I was also heartbroken at the sheer amount of destitute commoners who arrive daily, on the rumors of work to be had to earn coin to feed their families. Some had traveled from as far away as Hell's Gate or Far Reach in the hope the rumors were true.

My Steward of the Dig, Yvette, put every man and woman seeking employment to work unearthing the multiple square miles of village indicated on the ancient maps of Cedar Ridge we had found in the library. Through my own funds and the Crown subsidizing, we paid an unheard of iron penny for each week of labor. I would see none go hungry when winter struck.

Any overflow of workers were sent north with the caravans, to work on Prince George's massive undertaking. The Great Bridging of the Gap was progressing at a phenomenal pace. Once thought a pie in the sky idea, it was now a reality.

The canal to bring irrigation across the forty mile crossing of the Uninhabitable Lands between Highland and the Lower Ten had already been completed. And the Ring, the cobbled highway that connected all realms, had been extended to Highland. All that remained now was to bring soil from both sides of the Gap to create a mile-wide grassland for the wildlife of both regions to migrate freely between the two lands.

Who would have thought I would have lived to witness the joining of the only known inhabitable lands on the planet. I smiled inwardly and corrected myself. The only known inhabitable lands, until now.

I hesitated when I saw a small group of people heading toward the library, looking nervous and out of place. Their clothing marked them as Outsiders. I smiled widely. I could tell they weren't sure if the rumors were true, that