Reality's Lens: Write Team, #2

By WriteTeam

In War the struggle to survive will reveal the surrounding magic. A climb to the top, tempered by magic, will reinforce old powerful adages. Loss leads to truth being revealed in the worst way possible - to those on the wrong side of the battle. A dragon and kingdom come to blows as the family falls apart.

 

Watch as criminals take power and control all within their reach. Can one change his own world or will he relive the life designed by those before him?

For a family escaping the worst their world offers, they must accept the blessing placed before them, at a cost. Will transformation be the real escape from war and corruption?

A Goddess turned Mortal finds more than anyone conceived possible when she finds a home among the humans who should worship her. Is the price too high?

Being taken from war should provide relief. Named as champion is an honor. Facing a dragon is terrifying. After surviving the great war, will he die at the hands of a fearsome beast?

Become part of the magic today! 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: InExhaustible Media
• Release date: May 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781633100442

Book preview

Reality's Lens

WriteTeam

InExhaustible Media

Reality’s Lens

Written by Write Team

Alledria Hurt – Sylvian St-Pierre – David Payne – Miya Chisolm

Copyright © 2023

Cover by InExhaustible Media

License

This work of fiction can not be reproduced in part or whole through any means, digital or otherwise, without the expressed written consent of the copyright holder or their representative. Any similarities contained within these pages to events, people, and situations that have occurred elsewhere are coincidences. Thank you for not engaging in the act of piracy, and respecting the rights and hard work of the dedicated authors and their team.

InExhaustible Media

Amazon Distribution by Vraeyda Multimedia Incorporated

Thomasboro, Il

Print 978-1-63310-045-9

Digital 978-1-63310-044-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Epigraph

1. I am not the bad guy

2. Becoming Vengeance

3. Escape and Transform

4. An Army Guy in Andor

It’s all just a bit of fun ...

Mark Waters, The Enchantment of Abigail Brow

I am not the bad guy

Sylvain St-Pierre

P ay attention, Sebastian. The older man in the apron punched the man hanging from the ceiling by his hand in the side, and a bodyguard kept the target from swinging. Never let them grow too large. Another punch, the other bodyguard caught the unconscious man and stopped the motion. That’s when they start thinking they don’t need you anymore.

Sebastian forced himself to watch, and to not throw up. He didn’t want his grandfather to think he was weak and replace him with one of his siblings.

Another punch, and his grandfather paused, seemingly noticing the lack of reaction for the first time. He took a handful of the unconscious man’s hair and pulled his head up, then let it drop. The man had been in charge of one of the gangs his family allowed to exist in the city, in exchange for a cut of the money they made through their various illegal activities.

This gang ran some of the beggars, if Sebastian remembered correctly. He’d began familiarizing himself with all of them, now that he was next in line to rule this family after his grandfather. There were a lot of criminal groups in the city, and he needed to learn about all of them if he was going to do a good job.

You. The older man pointed to one of the many people at the periphery of the room, all of whom, except one, wore green and white over their leather armor. Drop him somewhere his kind will find him. Don’t hurt him. I need him able to explain to the others why I had no choice but to do this to him.

The woman nodded and cut the man down. She threw him over her shoulder and left, accompanied by half the others.

His grandfather removed the bloodied apron and dropped it. You need to understand, Sebastian, that this wasn’t because I enjoy it. It’s simply the only thing they will understand.

Sebastian nearly contradicted his grandfather. Everyone knew how much he enjoyed causing pain. It was what made him such a respected man within the city. Even the king left everything his grandfather controlled alone out of fear of retaliation.

You have something to say, the old man said, watching Sebastian. I can tell.

I— he stopped. It was dangerous to disagree with the head of the Wells family. Even his father, who had been next in line to run the family, before the sickness took him, hadn’t been immune.

Don’t waffle, Sebastian. It’s unbecoming of my successor. Either say what you have to say, or say I’m wrong and you have nothing you want to say.

He couldn’t call his grandfather on his delight of violence, but maybe this was an opening to bring up something else he’d been thinking about.

Is this really an efficient way to do things?

His grandfather didn’t dismiss him the way his siblings and cousins did when he questioned how things were done. It’s the way that works.

Wouldn’t it be simpler if they didn’t feel like they had to lie to you? Steal from the family by lying about how much money they’d brought in?

And how do you think that can be accomplished?

I don’t know, he said as he felt himself hesitate, sir. An admission he didn’t know had to be better than waffling about, hadn’t it? I read that many of the crimes are committed by people trying to get their fair share of the money the city has. Maybe that’s what’s happening here? If the beggars and other gangs could keep enough, they wouldn’t feel they had to take the rest from you.

His grandfather took the cloth the bodyguard handed him and wiped the blood off his hands as he spoke. How much are those books saying is enough, Sebastian? again, unlike everyone else in his family, his grandfather didn’t ask to mock him.

They don’t say, sir. At least not those I’ve read pondering the question. But it makes sense that there is a point where they’d be motivated to work harder, instead of cheating.

This time his grandfather did sigh, but when he spoke, he sounded amused. That’s what I get for letting your father get you all those books, isn’t it?

I didn’t mean—

Don’t Waffle. The tone was hard, and Sebastian swallowed.

He took a breath. I think he indulged me because I was never going to be in the line to replace you.

Like I am going to pick one of those sniveling children of mine. You’re like your father in that you don’t think like me, and you’re fine telling me. Everyone else in my family’s too interested in staying on my good side to tell me when they think I’m wrong. The worlds changing. I know it, your father knew it, and, because of all that reading you do, you know it too. I’m too old to change, so while I will listen to your ideas, don’t expect much out of it. Once I’m gone though, you’re welcome to try all those things your books say to do.

Satisfied his hands were clean, he dropped the cloth on top of the apron. You, he told the woman in worker’s clothing. The only person here not wearing green and white. Clean this up. I don’t want the city guards and their abyss-cursed sorcerer to come knocking at my door again.

She nodded and moved to the center of the room as his grandfather headed for the exit.

Sebastian, he called as a bodyguard opened the door.

I— swallowed the hesitation. I’m staying. I want to watch her work.

Suit yourself, the older man replied. Stay by the door, he told one of his bodyguards, and make sure nothing happens to my grandson. Then he stepped outside.

The woman was unremarkable. Her visage was plain, her hair dirty brown, in a plaid going to the middle of her back. Her figure was obscured by the clothes, but there was no hint of appeal curves to her hips or chest. If not for her eyes, Sebastian would have no interest in her.

They were of such a vibrant blue they couldn’t be normal.

And they weren’t. They marked her as one of the adventurers who wielded magic. The color meant that she had the magic of water. He watched her move. Her fingers weaved patterns he couldn’t hope to understand. Magic was something reserved for the fortunate few who could withstand the trials that determined if one had the potential, then the perils of acquiring it.

Sebastian had read all he could about magic. The elements that made up the world, the essence they bestowed on those lucky few. He’d read about the etching of spells and weaving of enchantments. He couldn’t hope to wield magic. He knew himself well enough to know he didn’t have the courage to endure the trials to discover if he had the potential, let alone face a dungeon to unlock that potential.

So he read, and learned, and, when the chance presented itself, watched those who did wield it.

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The woman was resplendissant when she smiled at him. Her hair was black, in a bob lengthening to her shoulder at the back, and there was knowledge and mirth behind those golden eyes. And how gold they were. Pure gold, spun, and embroidered around those black points, and surrounded by white.

He stepped in her direction, and a servant bumped him. Before he realized what he’d done, he had slapped the man hard enough to send him to the floor.

I am so sorry. He helped him to his feet. I don’t know what happened. But you really should watch where you step.

Of course, sir. The man kept his gaze down as Sebastian dusted his shoulders.

There, it’s all better now. Go see about cleaning the mess you made. He put the man out of his mind as he looked for the beauty. And there she was. She hadn’t vanished while he was distracted, revealed to be a figment. She was real, and smiling at him again.

I really should have warned you, she said with a light giggle. I do apologize.

Bah, it’s meaningless. I’m Sebastian—

Wells? She said the name as if she was uncertain.

Have we met previously? I hope not, because I’d never forgive myself if I had met, and then forgotten, a beauty like yours. He lowered his voice. And you really shouldn’t forgive me, either.

Her giggle was like bells on the wind. We have not. I am Dania Of Mirania. She curtsied, and Sebastian gave her the best bow he was capable of. As we’ve established we haven’t met before, pray tell, what takes you to the Lord Archal’s manor? She offered him her arm and he delighted in taking it.

My grandfather has business with the lord, and he wanted me to come along to learn the business.

And yet, she teased, I do not see him here.

Sebastian laughed. The way my grandfather conducts business is so boring. I thought I’d wander the halls for a little excitement.

And have you found it? she asked coyly.

He looked into those golden eyes. I do believe I did.

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Sebastian had a grand time with the Lady of Mirania, so grand that it wouldn’t be until he was home, in his chamber, enjoying a goblet of mulled cider and considering how he might go about meeting the lady again, that the implication of golden eyes would register.

Magic.

The Lady of Mirania wielded magic.

And, he found, it was