The Tellier Cockatrice: Arcana's Bestiary, #1

By Oliver Kerrigan

In the enchanting town of Licorne, terrified screams cry out for a saviour: 'Le Bateleur, there's a monster on the loose hunting man and unicorn … And you must be the one to kill the beast.'

The magician Batel confronts the menace that plunged this once peaceful heaven into chaos. As he embarks on his perilous quest with his steadfast companions, they must untangle the sinister origins of this abomination and bring an end to its gruesome rampage.

Failure is not an option; Licorne's fate hangs in the balance. Yet, amongst the twists and turns of their epic journey, a peculiar mystery unfolds. Why, amidst the chaos and danger, are the town's chickens mysteriously disappearing? And who are they following?

Step into a world of action and adventure, historical fantasy and magical creatures converge with a satirical twist. Join the ever-growing audience captivated by this Amazon Best Sellers featured epic novella series and witness Batel's relentless pursuit against engineered abominations and the misguided humans who unleash them upon the realm and immerse yourself in this captivating tale of magic and mayhem.

What other readers say?

★★★★★ - I really enjoyed this short story and would recommend it. It was well-written, with a fun cast of characters and an interesting, imaginative plot.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oliver Kerrigan
• Release date: Sep 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201556273

Book preview

Books by Oliver Kerrigan

The Zoharian Bladers

Volume 1: The Successor of Ramiel

Volume 2: The Taming of the Qliphoth

Short Story: The Calculus of Bifrons

The Arcana’s Bestiary

Volume 1: The Tellier Cockatrice

Volume 2: The Gulliver’s Gryphon

For more of my work, please use the link provided here to start your journey – Oliver Kerrigan

For updates, blogs and exclusive content, please subscribe to my mailing list here – Sign Up Here

All rights reserved. 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 an information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the author. This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental.

Copyright © Oliver Kerrigan 2021

Bestiary’s Scribblings

Main Group

Batel – A magician in purple robes who wields an enchanted halberd.

Marie – A cleric from the Church of Arcana who wields a magical staff.

Johan - A giant of a warrior who wields two enchanted blades.

Talitha – A young thief who writes down her adventures in a notebook with enchanted quill.

Matto – A young magician who knows Batel from his youth.

From Licorne

Lady Jeanne Tellier – Eldest daughter of the Tellier family.

Lord Henri Tellier – Eldest son and heir of the Tellier family.

Lady Odette Tellier – Youngest member of the Tellier family.

Cherie – A maid to the Tellier family.

Eric – A bodyguard to the Tellier family.

Monsters

Cockatrice – A horrifying beast that is a fusion of a rooster’s head and the body and legs of a dragon.

Magic flows through the world; a blessing from the goddess Arcana. Mankind has many names for this miraculous power – Sangterre, meaning blood of the earth, is the name that has survived the passage of time. Magic allows mankind to cast spells and enchantments. It also gives rise to monsters – the naturally occurring ones that dominate the planet’s food chain and the artificially engineered ones that were once set loose upon an unsuspecting land.

1 – Le Symbole Héraldique Mort

A dead unicorn? Batel knelt to avoid the silver-stained blades of grass; unicorn blood saturated the morning dew. His regal purple magician’s robe remained still despite the autumn breeze pushing against him. A frown furrowed his brow, although his youthful round face betrayed years of insightful experience. In one hand, a halberd rested; the shaft made from Sangterre-treated oak, the axe-head and spike made from steel enchanted whilst still molten in the mould. This isn’t good. His fingertips brushed the creature’s open wound taking great care to avoid any of his own chestnut-coloured hairs falling inside the flesh and contaminating the scene – he was forensic in his approach. Deep tears from claws. Penetration from what looks like a beak. Whatever killed this unicorn drained the magic from its blood.

‘Odd the attacker didn’t steal the horn,’ a voice said.

Marie stood behind Batel; a blond religious cleric wearing saintly white robes with ribbons flowing from her arms. White gloves prevented her hands becoming dirtied as she clung onto a staff carved from a rare genus of mahogany grown in magical soil for centuries. A jewel at the top of the staff glistened as Sangterre flowed through it as a viscous slivery liquid, reminiscent of mercury.

‘Correct,’ Batel continued. Odd the body is lying out here in open fields. Unicorns usually dwell in forests. The majestic white steeds were the proud property of nobility; adored for everything from their cloven hooves to lions’ tails. Some were even bearded, but most were shaved to maintain a perception of unambiguous beauty. The slender spiral horn was the envy of the world, a lightning rod for poachers. Money wasn’t the motivator behind this attack. The unicorn’s magic was more valuable than its horn. Batel looked behind them; a dense wood that stretched miles and miles towards the river valley stood proud in the distance. This creature was chased out of the forest.

‘Any clues?’

It was the giant Johan. He kept watch ready to draw out his swords in case of a secondary attack from bandits. His muscles bulged around segmented body armour. Proud of his scars and unkempt beard, Johan exuded a warrior’s confidence. On his back, two sheaths, secured tightly, housed swords blessed with various enchantments and designed to cut through magical defences. ‘What kind of monster are we dealing with here?’

‘I hope it’s a gryphon!’ Talitha announced.

She jumped up and down maddingly excited; she barely reached Johan’s shoulders. Her hazelnut hair swished like a horse’s tail. Her prize possession was a notebook detailing her adventures alongside a magical quill that secreted its own ink. On her belt, she had two daggers dipped in Sangterre ready to leave more than just a sting. A rough bag, falling apart at the seams, jumped in time with her leaps. ‘Oh! Oh! A dragon? No! Maybe a wyvern!’

‘Stop it!’ Marie screamed, hitting the top of Talitha’s head with her staff. ‘Stop getting excited about random monster attacks.’

‘Boring.’ Ignoring the light knock, Talitha rolled her eyes. ‘Besides, how many things can kill a unicorn so easily?’ She scribbled away creating a makeshift bestiary.

‘For a thief, you’re oddly scholarly.’ Marie lent on her preconceived notions before realising she had fallen for the bait.

‘For a cleric, you’re as uptight as I expected.’ Talitha fired back her premeditated barb as soon as Marie finished the last syllable. You’re making this too easy for me.

Marie growled incessantly. ‘How can you be so rude?’

‘I’ll go pray for forgiveness to your goddess Arcana,’ Talitha mocked whilst faking a tear with her finger. ‘But I’m sure she’ll agree with me.’

Johan placed his giant hand on Talitha’s shoulder causing her to shiver and her spine to straighten to attention. ‘Show some respect. There aren’t many unicorns left.’

‘Oh,’ Talitha remembered. ‘Should we eat it then?’

Marie furiously bonked Talitha on the head with her staff