The Modern Fantasy: Tales From Aontech

By Cooper Klebba

Time always marches forward, even in a world of adventure and dragons. Enter a land where the mystical and technological walk side by side, a country known as Aontech. Despite living in a fantastical world, the people who inhabit it are just like you or me. They want justice to prevail, to be recognized for their talents, or to just be loved and

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cooper Klebba
• Release date: Apr 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798218181024

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The Modern Fantasy

Tales from Aontech

Cooper Klebba

The Modern Fantasy (Tales from Aontech, Book One)

Copyright © 2022 by Cooper Klebba

For more about this author, please visit [website link]

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

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Editing by The Pro Book Editor

Cover Design by IAPS.rocks

Interior by IAPS.rocks

eBook ISBN: 979-8-218-18102-4

Main category—Fiction

Other category—Short Stories

First Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Map of Aontech

Try a Little Kindness

Fired for Doing My Job

We’re Proving Them Wrong Here

It’s Not Like I Haven’t Tried

Something That Might Interest You

Map Description automatically generated

Try a Little Kindness

It’s not just a reptile’s duty to learn and change, but everyone’s duty. Our world is constantly changing. Not even the oldest and most stubborn of our order can deny that. The light bulb, modern medicine, the automotive vehicle, all capable of doing things we thought were impossible without magic. If we can create these amazing devices, things we now take for granted, why can we not see our own flaws and become better?

—Charles Dewey, pastor of the Scaled Guild

It was a cool summer night in Scalewood Forest. Very few sounds disturbed the forest during nights like this. A light wind stirred a brief rustle as it swept through the woods. The only wild animals awake were small moon rats running about and munching on berries, the full moonlight glistening off their silver hair. Their squeaks barely echoed through the trees and bushes.

The loudest noise that night was the crackling of a small campfire, the sizzling of sausage patties being cooked, and the hushed discussion between two reptilian travelers. The first reptile, a scarlet kingsnake wearing a mint-green camping vest over a casual red button-up shirt, made sure to pay close attention to his traveling partner as they talked. Sitting across from the young snake was a large crocodile wearing dark blue armor with massive gauntlets. Even sitting down, it was obvious that the croc was huge compared to the lithe snake.

I can’t thank you enough for doing this, Morrigan. Not many bodyguards of the Scaled Guild find these longer journeys all that enjoyable, said the scarlet kingsnake in a soft-spoken tone.

Morrigan Clatch held the frying pan over the flame in one hand and a spatula to flip the patties in the other. One shouldn’t decline a job just because they don’t want to do it, Declan. If I only ever did jobs I liked, I’d starve, the croc said, gruff and to the point.

It was true that she generally found these escort missions dull, but still, she couldn’t deny their necessity. Even with the slow yet steady decrease in crime, gangs and bandits looking to make a quick score at the expense of others were still prevalent. Kidnapping a member of the Scaled Guild and holding them for ransom was one such score.

Looking at the Guild member the croc was escorting, it wasn’t clear to her why Declan Derry needed protection. It couldn’t be that he was physically weak—he had the average build of most snakes. He brought more than enough supplies for the trip, so he clearly had experience with these long treks. He wore protective chainmail under his clothes that went from his chest to the tip of his tail. Even his occupation as a bard in the Scaled Guild, while not explicitly combat oriented, equipped him with spells that could disarm or defeat any potential threats.

But Morrigan wouldn’t question her assignment—although she would complain to the pastors about the lack of details later.

Declan flicked his forked tongue over the pan, smelling the aroma of finely cooked meat. Dinner’s ready! he said, putting the spatula away.

He put five sausages on his plate and the remaining ten on Morrigan’s. She took off her gauntlets and accepted the plate from Declan. One of the benefits of being a reptile was that they could last awhile after only a handful of meals, although crocodiles still enjoyed eating in large quantities. The two of them ate quietly, both courteous enough not to interrupt each other’s meal. Morrigan ate hers at a calm but rapid pace, seemingly just to get the nutrients. Declan, being a snake, ate the sausage patties whole but took his time tasting them before swallowing.

Near the end of their meal, Declan said, "I heard that