The Sword of Aeschere: The Esfah Sagas, #5

By Christopher Schmitz and Joanna White

Lava elves are no strangers to death and destruction. For many, their connection to the god of Death and to Firiel, Goddess of Fire, practically demands it. For Aeschere, it comes with a high cost.

 

Aeschere is plagued with a special connection to Firiel that he doesn't understand—one that comes with conscience! His own people were responsible for bringing war and violence to Esfah, but more glory his troops heap upon him for his countless victories and the needless slaughter of neighboring dwarves only adds to his regret.

 

When he's forced to combat a dwarf child, barely able to lift his own axe, something breaks. Can Aeschere find redemption by turning his back on his own kin?

This exciting, new 12-story event in the Esfah Sagas begins the Godmaker story arc and is also known as Time of the Champions. Start this epic journey today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Schmitz
• Release date: May 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224666058

Christopher Schmitz

Christopher Schmitz (M.A.), geb. 1988, ist wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Göttinger Institut für Demokratieforschung.

Book preview

The Sword of Aeschere

The Godmaker Saga part 1: 5

Christopher D. Schmitz, Joanna White

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TreeShaker Books

Copyright © 2024 by Christopher D. Schmitz

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

Other Esfah Stories

The Sword of Aeschere

About Esfah

Appendices

About the authors

The Game

Other Esfah Stories

The Esfah Sagas is a large universe—here are other stories you might enjoy!

(stories with an *asterisk are novellas)

The Relic Quests

Ashes of Ailushurai

Rise of the Champions

Drakuwar

*The Clockwork Castle

The Cyrean Songs

Chill Wind

Eye of the Storm

Secrets of the Shadowlands

*Thunderfist and the Dragon

Tales of the First Age

Rise and Fall of the Obsidian Grotto

Cast of Fate

Army of the Dead

*Tome of the Tarvanehl

*Heart of Stone and Flame

The Godmaker Saga

Time of the Champions

The Magestorm Wars 1: Godmaker (coming soon)

The Magestorm Wars 2: Godbreaker (coming soon)

Special Invitation

Thank you so much for checking out my book! As a special bonus for you, you'll get a high rez edition of the Esfah worldmap plus a free book if you to follow my newsletter:

https://www.subscribepage.com/getfreedragondicenovels

I send about 2 emails per month after a few intro messages, (plus a few holiday/special event messages) and you can unsubscribe anytime—the newsletter and my Legends and Lorecraft group are the best ways to keep in touch, and the L&L group has a social component so can share what you like and chat with others fans about the stories.

The Godmaker Saga: Time of the Champions

Black Dragons and Blue Elves

The Pale Gunner

Strength of the Gwich'in

Bearer of the Shield

The Sword of Aeschere

Calling of the Champions

Slow Burn

Scales of Death

Under Siege

The Burning of Lurneville

Bastard of the Death God

The Pursuit of Madness

The Sword of Aeschere

Aeschere fired his flintlock once and reloaded before shooting again. Both bullets felled vaghan warriors, dwarves, before they could charge toward him and skirmish the front line of red-skinned morehl, sometimes called lava elves. He cursed and returned his flintlock to his belt as he’d used the last of his bullets. Pulling out an obsidian knife, he darted forward, rallying the other lava elves behind him. They followed his charge, and the morehl clashed against the vaghan forces defending their city.

Beside him, Aeschere’s oldest friend and companion, Thlain, laughed and pulled out his sword. He sliced it across one vaghan and used both hands and the leverage afforded by the high ground to shatter the dwarf’s shield. If you aren’t careful, my friend, I may outdo you this time.

The last several times they had fought together, Aeschere’s prowess in battle always managed to defeat a greater number of foes than Thlain—even though Aeschere didn’t care for such a competition, but Thlain did, and he always tried to outdo Aeschere. Their band of lava elves acted as marauders for the Emperor of Karakto and they were currently on loan to his ally in the northeast, Sshkkryyahr the Dread. He sent them to expand the reach of their band and their kingdom. All for the glory of Death, the drider they served, and the fire goddess.

Aeschere shook his head at his friend’s eagerness for fighting. Already, he felt weary; not from how long they’d marched to take this dwarven fortress or from the battle itself but of the fighting. His soul was weary. Unlike his other morehl comrades, fighting exhausted Aeschere, deep into his bones.

Still, he gritted his teeth and followed the orders of his commander. The blood of his vaghan enemies fell onto his skin and blended with it. There is nothing to outdo, Thlain, Aeschere said. The two pressed forward.

By now, the vaghan forces turned and fled back toward the fortress and the front gates. The vaghan war-chief had