The Metalist's Journey Series

Irwin had always disappointed his father, but this will be the last time.   Kobiton is a city that welcomes most. But people with Talents, secret powers, must watch their step.   After descending the mountain with their monthly cache of coal, Samuel 'Irwin' Miner and his father, Albert, have come to deliver their goods and purchase a night to remember at the Hairy Yak Saloon. They enjoy whiskey and meals, and select their women, but Irwin cannot commit to this expectation his father has placed on him. Saryh understands this and acknowledges Irwin's true identity. She supports his courage and his decision. A decision his father refuses to accept.   As Irwin embraces his true self, he grapples with his father's inner demons and confronts societal norms.   This LGBTQ Free Fantasy novella explores acceptance, self-discovery, and the bonds that transcend difference.   Tropes: Noblebright Fantasy, Found Family, High Action, High Stakes, High Fantasy, Morally Grey Characters, Diverse Story, Queer MC, Coming Out, Coming of Age, LGBTQ+ Fantasy, No Romance, Magical Fantasy, Gay Fantasy, Queer Fantasy, Shifter Fantasy, New Adult, Hero's Quest, Hero's Journey, Fast Paced, Non-Romantic, Single POV, Sword and Sorcery, Thrilling Triggers: mentions of abuse, neglect, sodomy, rape, murder

A world in peril. A power revealed. Irwin's secret will either bring salvation or destruction.   Samuel IRWIN Miner grew up on a lonely mountain top, his small and ordinary life ruled by his father and grandfather. Over the years they mistreat the boy who has special talents and certain feminine ways. Now the nineteen-year-old has seen his father do the unspeakable, and now he has been left bloodied and alone to die deep in the forest by that same man. Irwin pulls himself out of the mud and escapes, but from that day on he will never be the same.   Irwin sets off to explore the planet of Urthis where he slowly realizes his Ferro-kinetic powers help him do more than mint coins, they heal him from death knells and keep those around him grounded. He must learn to survive the wrath of frightening specters that live in the shadows and darkness, avoid creatures who harness the elements, and fight beings who can shapeshift into anything. Only after meeting a beautiful Telepath and a ruggedly handsome shapeshifter does Irwin begin to uncover the secrets of Urthis.  

Their friend Yace has vanished like a whisper on the breeze. Had Irwin touched her while she lay unconscious from the fright endured, he could have ground out the old entity, Lord and Master Dephen Ishik, from her body—from her mind. He hated regretting things he had not done. But worse, he hated hearing the maddening sounds from the metal that rang everywhere, like a terrible bout of vertigo followed by a throbbing headache. Bad things could happen if he didn't keep his Metalist powers in check, if they didn't stay out of PCP hands. But they must find Yace. With the chase begun, there are few breadcrumbs to follow; it seems that Clan-Duin birds have picked them up and scattered them to the winds.   In their frantic search for Yace, Kipp brings up past events, finding fault with Irwin's volatile actions. Doubt in one other will arise if they cannot come together with decisions, if they cannot trust each other. They cannot have doubt. If they do, then Lord and Master Dephen Ishik wins. And if the elderly Telepath wins, Irwin and Kipp will surely die.   Yet Irwin is resourceful, even when he feels overwhelmed by it all. He must be, or everything could crumble—or worse, they will be captured and locked away, taken to the worse place imaginable and killed. He knows to keep himself in check, but with soldiers surrounding, finding Yace's trail is a challenge. And the deeper into PCP territory they travel, the worse their odds of survival are. But if they don't save Yace from her mentally manipulative father, her odds of survival drop to zero. Will they be able to save her before that happens?

Trapped in a sultry landscape brimming with Telepaths, Irwin and Kipp attempt to outsmart creatures that can read minds, plant seeds of doubt, and reap mental blows. Without Yace there to keep them safe, they are at the whim of merciless men, men who enjoy corrupting, who relish killing the innocent and guilty alike. This is what Yace's father, Lord and Master Dephen Ishik wanted—Irwin now knows this.   Fortunately, Irwin befriends an Empath named Jorge, who says he will help them escape the Telepathic clutches—only if he can journey with them. He is wary of  extra companionship until the unthinkable happens to Kipp, and they are setback in their pursuit of Yace. Jorge has ulterior motives. Irwin's attention wanders. Kipp becomes jealous. Yace's future is more uncertain now than ever. But first they must travel through inhospitable land, hoping that fate doesn't intervene.   When Jorge goes missing, Irwin is forced to make a choice; save a man who loves and accepts him or continue to search for Yace. Time is ticking and telepaths enjoy controlling. Irwin must conjure the strength to destroy and rescue, and without prejudice. Can he do that without hurting Kipp and Yace? Can he maintain a relationship with a man who wants to stay in a place that will set his Metalistic powers off?