Thursday, September 27, 2018

Thelema: Mystic Will by Marushia Dark




YA Fantasy
Date Published:  March 2018
Publisher: Thelemic Arts

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What if you were born into a world where the gods once walked among men and women? Where you wake up every morning to find a mystical pendant around your neck and know, as everyone knows, that the gods had granted you this awesome gift, to house your will, allowing you to perform incredible feats. But what if that blessing was also a curse in that it tethered your soul to the world; and if you removed it, you would forfeit the will to live? What if your pendant was merely the missing half to someone else's pendant? Someone whom you've never met, and may never meet, for the gods were selfish and cruel in keeping you apart? Everytime you gaze down at your pendant, you feel the promise of great joy and despair simultaneously as every fiber of your being is drawn to your other half - your twin flame.

If only you could summon the will of a god yourself, perhaps you'd be united.

What if this same world was inhabited by legions of monsters known as juristic persons - living, breathing corporations with wills and minds of their own? What if such creatures had rights and powers that far exceeded those of humans?

Into such a world were born Dean Maynard and Jane Stewart - Justices of the Peace who use the Thelemic arts, along with their martial prowess and knowledge of the Law, to bring about order and justice in the land of Severa. When a routine trial by jury gets turned into a trial by combat, however, the balance of power between mankind and its creations shifts, leading some to question whether the course of history will be forever changed, and humanity’s future suddenly becomes uncertain.

As everyone tries to find peace and purpose in their lives, dark and sinister forces begin to emerge from the shadows thrusting the Department of Justice into a battle for the soul of Severa and the lives of its citizenry.

Journey now into that world in this fantastical tale of love, action, intrigue, and will.







Excerpt


Where could he be? Justice Jane Stewart adjusted her dorky black glasses

on her gentle face and brushed her bangs from her eyes as she reviewed

the file in her hand for a third time.

The seventeenth day of the month of the Lamb, near Samuel Forest, just

outside Fiber City, Belier. Sixth step of Rael. She looked around to see the sordid

remains of the heavily deforested region that had once been Samuel Forest. The

location was right. The presence of the adverse parties, as well as the jury,

confirmed it.

She looked at her watch. It was already half a step passed midday.

He’s late. Could he have gotten lost?

In high-profile cases such as this, a Justice of the Peace would sometimes

request the trial be held at the scene of the crime in order to help the jury

understand certain key factors about the case. Jane specifically chose this

location in order that they might see the devastation the defense’s actions had

wrought to the trees, the animals, and the land itself. She hoped they’d be moved

to side with her against the adverse party.

However, none of her careful tactics would work unless the judge arrived

soon to administer the proceedings.

And I can’t do it without you, Dean.

The advocates for the defense began whispering amongst themselves.

“Is everything set?” asked the one.

“Yes,” said the other, “It’s been arranged, just as we planned. All we have

to do is wait for the trial to finish before we make our move.”

“That may not be necessary,” said the first, in a sinister insinuation, “At

this rate, there might not even be a trial. The other judge isn’t even here yet.”

“It’s not like they need two Justices to try a case, right?”

“No, but that was the agreement and it’s at our discretion whether we

exercise our rights or not. We both know our clients are guilty as hell, so we’d

be fools not to press any advantage we can.”

“In that case, let’s hope he never shows. Then we won’t even have to get

our hands dirty. We can just stand on our right to a speedy trial, motion for

dismissal, and since he’s not here, we would enter into default judgment and

estoppel. If that happens, the Department of Justice won’t be able to try this case

again because of the provision against double jeopardy.”





“That would certainly be an embarrassment for one of Severa’s top

prosecutors.”

“Just think how disappointed she’ll be to see all her hard work wasted

because her partner couldn’t be bothered to show up on time.”

The two shady lawyers cackled and snickered amongst themselves.

“We’ll give him a few more minutes before we move to dismiss,” said the

one, “Just so we can say we were gracious and thereby avoid drawing any

suspicion to ourselves.”

Jane’s slender calloused hands began to shake with anxiety.

Come on, Dean. Where are you?

She gripped the curved hilt of the two-handed hunting saber at her side in

an effort to calm her nerves. Her heart pounded. She closed her doe brown eyes

and took a deep breath. Judge or no judge, she could not stand idly by any longer.

It was still possible to stall for time by going over preliminaries.

“I guess we’ll get started,” Jane declared, the tinge of an Ionian accent still

lingered in her voice from her days in finishing school as a child abroad.

She turned to her clerk and said, “Hanji, summon Adaiah.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hanji replied.

The young black-haired clerk grabbed the pendant around his neck with

his left hand and drew his quillon dagger from its sheath with his right. He held

the blade out in front of him with the tip pointed down, like an ice pick. This

position would allow him to draw energy out from the weapon and, in this case,

summon Adaiah.

“Arcesso!” he shouted.

Sparks of electricity and light surrounded his short, frail body as a surge

of unseen energy traveled from the dagger, up his right arm, through his stomach,

down his left arm, into his Thelema, through his heart, along his spine, and out

the top of his head, before finally discharging into the sky.

The energy body’s meridian path, through which one’s chi flowed.

A creature the size of the blade emerged from the disc at the hilt and floated

in midair just above it. She looked like a short, slender black bear with white

tufts of fur on her elbows, knees, paws, and ears. She had a long, thin prehensile

tail that ended in a white ball of fluff, as well as a pair of velvet-covered wings.

Her name was Adaiah and she was a Notary. Every Justice had one by operation

of law, though it usually fell to the Justice’s clerk to manage them.

The Notary’s sole job was to take in everything that transpired around

them and retain it with perfect memory for later use. The testimony of a Notary

was held as self-evident, legally treated as indisputable fact; and for this reason,

they made excellent record keepers.

“Adaiah,” Jane commanded, “Begin recording.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adaiah replied in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. Her eyes

flashed white and a pale blue glow enveloped her. From that point onward, she

would remember everything that happened to Jane and Hanji until she exited the

trance.

Hanji returned his knife to its sheath. Beyond being the indenture that

bound Adaiah’s soul to the world, it could still serve as a weapon like any other.

“Clerk, call the roll,” Jane ordered.





“Yes, ma’am,” said Hanji. He cleared his throat and turned to the restless

crowd that had gathered in the clear-cut forest to watch the trial. “Are the

advocates for Bunyan Logging and Blue Ox Shipping here?”

“Here.” They said.

“Kindly step forward and present your indentures.”

They did as they were instructed. A man in a dark suit emerged from the

crowd and held up a small statue carved to look like a beaver wielding an axe

and wearing a flannel shirt with overalls and large boots. A lawyerly woman

also emerged from the crowd and held up a similar totem that looked like a

Minotaur with a ring piercing its nose and a yoke around its neck. These were

the indentures of the juristic persons of their respective companies.

Hanji squatted down in front of them. This time, he gripped his Thelema

with his right hand and placed his left hand on the ground in front of them.

“Infero!” he shouted.

The same light as before surrounded him. A surge of energy traveled from

the ground, up his legs, along his spine, through his heart, into his Thelema, along

his right arm, through his stomach, down his left arm, out his hand, and back into

the ground before discharging. A pair of glowing red seals, about the size of

Hanji’s hand, appeared. Each seal consisted of two squares offset by forty-five

degrees so as to form an eight-pointed star and inscribed in a circle, with a smaller

circle inscribed inside both of them. Centered within each of the triangles formed

by the overlapping squares was an elegant sigil depicting one of the eight

heavenly bodies.

Having completed the seals, Hanji withdrew his hand and stood up.

“Please place your indentures into the summoning circles,” he said.

The two advocates set their totems on the ground within the seals and then

stepped back. Hanji stretched out his arm towards them.

“Ligo!” he shouted.

The seals began to glow more intensely as a wall of light rose up to

surround the statues, binding them in place.

“All set,” said Hanji.

“Good,” Jane declared.

Such formal protocols as these aren’t strictly necessary, but they at least

help me buy time.

Jane grabbed her Thelema pendant with her right hand and held out her

left hand towards the two indentures. For anyone who was right-handed, this

position would have allowed them to emit energy from their left hand; but

because Jane was left-handed, the flow of chi through her meridians was

reversed, and so it would yield the opposite effect. Thus, she used it to draw

energy out of them the way Hanji had summoned Adaiah.

“All rise!” she commanded.

Her petite warrior body lit up in a bright aura much like Hanji’s did, only

more intensely. The seals around the statuettes erupted in a flash of electricity

and light. Two towering creatures slowly emerged from the indentures. Each

measured about eight to nine meters tall. Their appearance conformed to the

likenesses of their totems – an axe-wielding beaver and a burly, blue Minotaur.

These were the juristic persons of Bunyan Logging and Blue Ox Shipping in their

living, breathing forms.

They were also the principle defendants in this case.





Jane released her pendant, letting it fall against her chest.

Now we just need to wait for Dean to show up.

As if on cue, the rumbling of an engine crescendoed like rolling thunder

as Justice Dean Maynard came riding over the hill on his motorcycle. He parked

the vehicle under a tree away from the action and walked towards the group

without any sense of urgency at all. He marched with the confident poise of a

medieval knight having just dismounted from his trusted steed. His hooded black

cloak and the bastard sword hanging from his side only served to reinforce the

image. He wore his weapon with pride, like a badge of honor, for indeed a

Justice’s sword was a badge of their authority.

A modern rendition of the classic priestly robes, the uniform of a Justice

of the Peace consisted of a simple, yet elegant frock jacket and matching pants,

both black with elaborate gold trim around the edges. The jacket was designed

so that it could be worn over a judge’s regular shirt or blouse and provided a thin

layer of padded protection. A Justice’s duties to give chase and to engage in

combat were also taken into consideration, with most choosing to wear leather

boots of some kind as opposed to dress shoes.

Slight variations in the overall attire existed between male and female, and

also between members of the same sex, depending on season, climate, and the

need for mobility, with some parts being cut longer or shorter than others, but all

falling under the same general style. The idea, in the minds of the outfit’s

designers, was that anyone could look upon a Justice of the Peace and recognize

them instantly as such. This was not merely decorative, but practical as well in

that a Justice served as a symbol of authority among the people out in the real

world.

The uniform also came with a cloak, which had a variety of subtle features,



such as earbuds, a visor, and an inflatable pillow all sewn into the hood for long-

distance trips.



A Justice’s cloak was usually black with gold trim as well, though in more

recent times, some latitude was given to tailor its interior to the judge’s personal

preference and to help distinguish them from one another. The interior of Dean’s

cloak was a cobalt blue that matched his deep-set eyes, while Justice Stewart’s

was a deep red-violet that paired well with her long, chestnut brown hair.

Jane felt relieved to see Justice Maynard finally arrive. Her opponents

were less than thrilled.

“Sorry I’m late,” said Dean nonchalantly, “I’m afraid my clerk was

nowhere to be found this morning. We’ll just have to start without him.”

“We’ve already started, Your Honor,” Jane said curtly.

Dean sulked in disappointed. “Aw, man, really? Well, in that case ...”

He grabbed his Thelema with his right hand and knelt down on the ground,

touching the earth with his left hand.

“Saepio!” he shouted.

His body lit up even more intensely than Jane’s had. A thin wall of blue

light stretched out from behind him and carved a path in an enormous arc around

him. It continued outward, encircling Jane, Hanji, the jury, the juristic persons,

their agents, and the other officers and onlookers who were present for the trial, before eventually closing in on itself. All told, it formed a giant hemispherical dome, some fifty meters in diameter around them, isolating the group from the outside world. This was Dean’s Chambers. Its purpose was to prevent interference with the trial and all Justices were given discretion on when they could invoke such a power. Once erected, however, no one and nothing could enter or leave the area without the consent of its creator.

Dean slowly stood back up and released





About the Author

Marushia Dark is a mysterious figure whose real identity is unknown.  Only to a select trusted few are privileged enough to be invited to know their secret.  Marushia can often be found on social media, writing from the shadows of a blog called "The Darkness Files."  Marushia self-identifies as your favorite dark transhumanist and has created a number of campaigns to help bring human beings together in an otherwise divided world.  As for why they choose to remain anonymous, you can learn more at: http://www.darknessfiles.com/



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The Wizard's Gift by Michael Waller Tour & Giveaway



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Fantasy
Date Published: 6/30/12

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The last of an ancient group of wizards leaves a gift to the newly arrived race of men. It is revered and cared for by a line of priests until it is stolen, and the high priest and his sovereign murdered by a king who believes himself destined to be a great wizard. But from ancient writings the high priest had discovered that the gift is not benevolent as was thought. This forces the son of the high priest, unexpectedly elevated to his father's position, and the young prince who is equally suddenly King, into a race to find the gift before it can be used as that may cause the destruction of the world. Accompanied by the retired captain of the palace guard they hope to speed their journey by crossing the Wasteland, a seeming desert, which is fabled to be populated by monsters, and from which no visitor has ever returned. In the course of their adventures they are hunted by dog faced men and captured by slavers, but the young prince truly becomes a king, and the priest discovers that he has a destiny that goes beyond the bounds of his world.



About the Author


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Michael Waller is British and was born in the industrial north of Yorkshire. After being asked to leave school by his Headmaster he began a varied work career. This went from Chemist to Dog Catcher with stints as a Bingo Caller and door-to-door Insurance Salesman in between. For twenty years he worked in the oil and chemical industry which took him to the Middle East and finally the USA where he is now retired and living in upstate New York.



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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Dagger’s Destiny by Linnea Tanner



Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 2
Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher
Release Date: September 26, 2018

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A Celtic warrior princess accused of treason for aiding her enemy lover must win back her father’s love and trust

In the rich and vibrant tale, Author Linnea Tanner continues the story of Catrin and Marcellus that began with the awarding-winning novel APOLLO’S RAVEN in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series. Book 2: DAGGER’S DESTINY sweeps you into an epic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia.

War looms over 24 AD Britannia where rival tribal rulers fight each other for power and the Romans threaten to invade to settle their political differences. King Amren accuses his daughter, Catrin, of treason for aiding the Roman enemy and her lover, Marcellus. The ultimate punishment is death unless she can redeem herself. She must prove loyalty to her father by forsaking Marcellus and defending their kingdom—even to the death. Forged into a warrior, she must overcome tribulations and make the right decisions on her quest to break the curse that foretells her banished half-brother and the Roman Empire will destroy their kingdom.

Yet, when Catrin again reunites with Marcellus, she is torn between her love for him and duty to King Amren. She must ultimately face her greatest challenger who could destroy her life, freedom, and humanity.

Will Catrin finally break the ancient prophecy that looms over her kingdom? Will she abandon her forbidden love for Marcellus to win back her father’s trust and love? Can King Amren balance his brutality to maintain power with the love he feels for Catrin?



Other Books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series:




Apollo's Raven
Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 1
Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher
Published: April 2017

A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people.

AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.

Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse. Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?









Excerpt



Treason

July, 24 AD, Southeast Britannia

The image of her father being wounded at the prisoner exchange haunted Princess Catrin as she entered the cave’s dank womb where warriors had secretly carried the casualties. Under the illumination of a flaming torch, she found several men hovering over the king’s motionless body. She feared the decision to use the dark forces of the Ancient Druids to alter the future could doom her father and people.

Catrin trembled as she knelt by her father and studied his bloodsmeared face. A chill of foreboding sliced down her spine. Just that morning, she had made love with Marcellus on what could be her father’s deathbed.

She placed the palm of her hand on his forehead. His skin was cold and clammy, but he was still alive.

Feeling the bloody streaks on his tunic, she pulled her fingers away and turned to Cynwrig, the king’s most-trusted guard. “Help me remove the tunic. I need to stop the bleeding!”

Cynwrig supported the king as Catrin cut the fabric from his chest. The ghastly crisscross cuts and deep abdominal gash made her cringe. A stench like rotten eggs assaulted her nostrils.

King Amren fidgeted. “Fetch my Druidess.”

“No!” Catrin snapped. “Agrona is a traitor. We can’t risk letting anyone

know we’ve rescued and are tending you. There are herbs near the wall that will help reduce the swelling.”

Catrin clasped her father’s icy hands and noticed his sunken, bloodshot eyes. She looked to Cynwrig. “Heat a knife so I can seal his wounds. I also need water from the river.”

“Do what my daughter says,” rasped Amren.

Cynwrig pointed to the cave’s opening. “I’ll start a fire over there and get someone to fetch the water.”

While Cynwrig prepared the fire, Catrin rummaged through several pouches, searching for the proper herbs. After a warrior returned with a bucket of water, she soaked several strips of willow bark in the container, then crushed dried blackberry, borage, and sage stems in a ceramic mortar.

She finally added vinegar to the powder and stirred the contents with her finger into a green paste.

She looked at Cynwrig. “Is the knife ready?”

Cynwrig pulled the glowing red blade from the flames. “It looks hot enough.”

“Then bring it to me.”

Catrin took the knife from Cynwrig, who then restrained the king’s arms. She pressed the searing blade on the wounds, methodically moving downward. The king writhed in agony, his eyes as wild as a wounded animal’s as he fought Cynwrig’s restraint. Concentrating on her task, Catrin swallowed the bile in her mouth and handed the dagger to Cynwrig to reheat the blade. Light-headed and in a cold sweat, she leaned into the hard wall to brace herself, then applied the paste dressing over her father’s reddened wounds. Even with her gentle touch, his muscles flinched. Observing the anguish on his face, she placed a blanket under his head and gave him chamomile and poppy in water to ease his pain.

She continued the treatment by placing bark strips on the dressing until the king’s grip around her wrist stopped her.

“We need to speak about Marcellus,” Amren said with a growl from deep within his throat.

Catrin winced, apprehensive her father knew about her relationship with the Roman hostage placed under her charge. She warily studied the king as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He waved Trystan, his second- in-command, over and whispered to him. With a nod, Trystan ordered everyone away.


The hairs on Catrin’s neck prickled. The only reason her father would order warriors away would be to reprimand her. She wilted under the king’s burning glare as he began questioning. “Trystan told me when we were imprisoned together that Cynwrig found you unconscious in Marcellus’s arms. I want to know what happened between the two of you.”

Catrin hesitated, fearing her revelation would anger her father and cause his condition to deteriorate. “You should rest now. We can discuss this later.”

“No. Tell me now!” Amren snapped.

Catrin could feel the king’s eyes probing her like a sharp-edged scalpel for the truth. She bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering. “When I was stricken with the falling sickness, Marcellus came to my aid.”

“Trystan said the Roman was found naked with you, and Agrona accused him of bewitching you with an amulet!”

“Marcellus had just finished bathing,” Catrin answered, suddenly feeling queasy.

Amren cocked an eyebrow. “Bathing?”

“Yes.”

“And that is all that happened?”

Catrin froze under her father’s cold stare.

“Answer me!”

“You can’t trust what Agrona says,” Catrin replied.

“And why is that?”

“She is a druidic spirit from your past.”



About the Author

Since childhood, award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology that held women in higher esteem, particularly the enigmatic Celts reputed to be warriors and druids. She has extensively researched and traveled to sites described in the Curse of Clansmen and King series. A native of Colorado, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Windsor with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.



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