The Faery Tales Series Volume 4-6: Faery Tales

By Ronel Janse van Vuuren

Raging fire.

Searing cold.

Magic running wild.

 

Humans with magic use their gifts to fight against the fae… While those without magic, only have their knowledge of folklore to protect them.

 

Seemingly disjoined, these tales come together to show how Realms collide – foreshadowing what's to come for Man, Fae and Nature.

 

Can they survive this onslaught?

 

And who is behind it all?

 

Scroll up now to buy and embroil yourself in danger and magic while figuring out who is staging this coup.

 

*Books 4 to 6 in the Faery Tales series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronel Janse van Vuuren
• Release date: Dec 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215276082

Book preview

The Faery Tales Series #4: Tattered Tales

Blurb:

Raging fire.

Searing cold.

Magic running wild.

Seemingly disjoined, these tales come together to show how Realms collide – foreshadowing what’s to come for Man, Fae and Nature.

Can they survive the onslaught?

Find out now!

*This is the fourth book in the Faery Tales series.

First Freeze

Fog swept through the forest, tendrils clinging to leaves as snow formed on the ground.

Mer watched as the leaves of the trees of dryads and other nymphs crumpled to the ground in a shower of orange and brown.

It was time.

The snowy owls swooped through the light, taking it with them as the Ice Queen froze everything.

Even knowing that the true Queen of Winter, the Cailleach, wouldn’t allow all of them to perish, Mer shivered as cold and dark engulfed her tree.

Squirrels and Grogochs fled. Imps did their best to protect saplings. Yet ice crept in everywhere.

Once the ice Fae left, silence became loud.

Mer watched, waited for others to stir. One by one her friends showed signs of life.

For once, Winter wouldn’t start out harsh.

The Battery

‘The truth.’

‘Oh. That...’ Max shrugged like it was nothing. Patrick breathed evenly in an effort to stay calm.

‘Well... What you have to understand is that this is all new to me. How was I supposed to know he’d believe it – no matter what?’

‘Didn’t they explain it to you?’

‘Maybe. But rules and laws and all that yawn-worthy stuff... I sorta clocked out.’

‘Dozed off, more likely.’

‘Potato, tomato.’

Patrick closed his eyes. ‘Just get on with it.’

‘As I was saying, the con was working. For the first time in quite a while I was able to con someone who at first glance seems too rational to fall for anything.’

‘And you didn’t find it suspicious?’

‘No. I’ve done it before.’

‘You sold an entire country before?’

‘Well, no. But I’ve sold buildings and islands I didn’t own before...’

Patrick sighed and sat down.

‘Max, here’s the thing: you have magical powers. Which means you have to be responsible.’

‘Yeah, yeah. With great power comes great responsibility.’

‘I wouldn’t call anything here great.’

‘I – ’

‘No. You took an oath when we found you, magic newly released. Now you will live up to that oath.’

‘You mean...’ Max gulped.

‘You broke most all of our laws. You will look lovely in the Garden.’

Patrick clenched his jaw as the shadows took Max away – to feed the magic he had so unthinkably used.

Wanweird

The fire whooshed past them, consuming the valley and creeping up the mountainside. Flames surrounded them: there was no way out.

Meara watched with gritted teeth as Imps popped in and out of existence, taking animals, insects and saplings with them. Only the tree nymphs were stuck. As was she.

Maniacal laughter came from the shore. Goblins and Ly Ergs danced, celebrating their success: when the forest dies, their master will win.

She worked on the chains binding her. With each struggle they tightened, shimmering in the light of the flames.

Screams rent the air as dryads caught fire. It tore into her very essence and she broke loose.

Her magic filled her being, and she did what she could to help the other Fae. Dryads were finally free from the land, their trees shrunk to a manageable size for them to flee.

The fire roared in rage as it consumed only trees and underbrush.

Meara grinned even as the strain to help the other Fae was taking its toll: she was sweating. Swallowing away the fear that she was going to sweat away her very existence, the water Fae pulled more magic from the ocean.

Ly Ergs and Goblins giggled and danced on the beach as they watched their handiwork. With a sniff in their direction, the ocean swallowed them up and kept them suspended above the flames. Their screams joined that of the animals and Fae that were still trapped.

The inferno moved steadily up the mountain, leaving nothing in its wake.

Meara closed her eyes, sweat pouring from her. She knew that her power was limited. Raising her head, she glared at the blaze.

With determination she did not know she possessed, she willed the ocean to flood the beach and the forest, to hunt down the flames.

Nothing can keep back the ocean, she thought as she smirked at the dark Fae on her beach.

‘Yeah. You saw that. Boom! Mic drop.’

Sizzling filled the air and all the screams disappeared as the Dark Fae were returned to their realm for punishment.

Meara disappeared with the water, not sure where her consciousness stopped and the ocean’s began.

The Muse

Performing in the club never got old. Though the rest of the band made plans for the big time, he was happy to just sing his songs. There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you can hear the music call and change as you sing. The others didn’t get it.

A fine drizzle was cleaning the alley of its usual heaps of ash, cigarette butts and oppressive smoke. It was almost easy to breathe.

Malcolm could hear a new song forming, another one involving his muse. Closing his eyes, he listened as it slowly played in his head.

Sounds untrue to his song interrupted his enjoyment of the moment and his eyes snapped open. The light had disappeared and the alley was dark. The drizzle had turned into a steady downpour, though getting soaked didn’t bother him – even his fans would think that it was just a stage-gimmick.

Everything turned purple as three men in leather jackets rushed past him, all carrying bags that didn’t match their look, and scaled the wall to whatever lay above the club.

As the pain spread from his abdomen, he was sure he could see Amy watching him where she stood in the purple rain before she disappeared. Malcolm sank to the ground, the music swelling within him before the door slammed open next to him and everything went black.

One Step Closer

His tie escaped its clip and slapped Michael in the face. The wind was picking up ferocity where he stood on the roof, watching his creation forlornly.

‘You can’t stop this.’

Michael didn’t need to turn his head: he recognised the speaker’s voice. It was the voice that had coerced him to design this monstrosity.

‘I’ve wished I could find a way to disappear...’ Michael shook his head. ‘Everything is now so clear.’

Swallowing, he turned to the crime boss in red. He was one step closer to the truth.

‘You never planned to keep the city hostage – you were planning to kill them all from the start. And I helped you by designing this awful tower on top of my beautiful skyscraper.’

‘Well, if we destroy one city’s populace, the rest of the world will be willing to pay anything to stay safe.’

‘Don’t come any closer,’ Michael held up his hands, still trying to summon the courage to push the detonator that would destroy the dispersion apparatus.

The crime boss lunged at him. Michael fell over his own feet as he tried to evade the reaching hands. A terrified scream rent the air.

‘No! Stephanie!’