Assault on the Spire Keep: A Story of Sword and Sorcery

By Lawrence Caldwell

Knight Captain Lowe of the Order of the Purging Flame with his faithful company and friend, Cuwin, set out to kill the leader of the Necrophiliad, a necromancer king whispered about by the title of Lord Summoner.

“For the world—and the Order of the Purging Flame!”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence Caldwell
• Release date: Nov 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005305376

Lawrence Caldwell

Lawrence Caldwell is believed by some to be a wandering samurai, or a vagrant, or possibly a ninja—though perhaps in his infinite mystery, he’s none of these things. Whichever the case, he wanders home as Odysseus did after the great Trojan War in some realm unbeknownst to our world. And—by direct theft of a quote from a certain dwarf named Varric Tethras—he "occasionally writes books."

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ASSAULT ON THE SPIRE KEEP

By

Lawrence Caldwell

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © Lawrence Caldwell, 2021

Look for These Other Titles by Lawrence Caldwell

AEVALIN AND THE AGE OF READVENTURE

Aevalin: Klause Schuar, the Grand Bastard

Aevalin: Trials on the Isle of Morr

Aevalin: Knight of Aevalin

Aevalin: Errant Adventurer

Aevalin: Kingdom of the Blue Dragon

THE JINNI AND THE ISEKAI

The Jinni and the Isekai

The Black Cobra of Mar’a Thul

Coil and Strike

The Sultan of Darshuun

Sultan’s Legacy

ANARCHO

Fracture Rating

Hussy

Landfill Lich

Rescue Operation

Dreams of Forever

THE PRINCESS AND THE MAGICIAN

The Wind Steppe Princess and the Amalfi Magician

OTHER TITLES

Wakiagau

Haven

Teisatsusha

Blackwood Company

Littlehand Hakuria

Attack on the Spire Keep

The Reconnoiters

Skydrift

Acheron

"Send your cousin over to ask me."—Dar

Chapter One—Mortem Tactu Serpens

Lowe, a Lord of the Purging Flame, sat behind the desk at the edge of the octagonal-shaped room, barely feeling the cool breeze as the black curtains fluttered in and out of the shattered windows.

Tell me, he said.

I can’t.

Lowe said, You will.

The Necrolord stood at the center of the room, the hem of his black cloak swaying as he eyed the men near the walls surrounding the center of the room. If the necromancer made so much as to begin uttering a curse, he would be dead before the words left his mouth.

Does he prefer that?

Lowe glanced at the hilt of his sword. The blade was sheathed, held in his left hand, his arm resting across the chair he sat in. It’s smooth, rune-etched gleam would not remain unseen if his interrogation continued down this same path much longer.

Lowe looked into the necromancer’s eyes, saw that his gaze had covered the sword as well. Then they stayed like that, watching each other, unblinking for a few more seconds. My patience wears thin, necromancer.

You’ll kill me if I—

Lowe bent forward, slammed his sword across the desk. Tell me—godsdamn you!

The necromancer jerked in what must have been surprise and took a step back. He glanced about, evidentially remembering that he was completely cornered and brought his gaze back to Lowe. He’s…

Yes?

He’ll kill me. You know that.

I’ll kill you, Lowe said, barely keeping himself from snarling. Gods, he hated necromancers. Tell me.

When the necromancer paused, Lowe ran out of patience and slid his body over the smooth, paper-strew desk, catching his feet deftly as he unsheathed his sword with a crisp metallic his. The edge of the tapering blade made a shrill noise as it passed through the air, coming to rest near the Necrolord’s exposed neck.

The man flinched.

After recovering, he bared his teeth. "The Lord Summoner is meeting Hurg representatives