Monday, May 25, 2015

MESSARII’S BLOOD HUNT 

Ketsae is a Messarii warrior, a warrior bound to the service of a liege lord and her emperor. After her father and liege is killed in an attack my rebels, Ketsae is tasked with hunting them down and avenging her father’s death.  When she finds them, she’s forced to confront the truth about her brother’s exile.  Her loyalties will be put to the test and her destiny decided.

Excerpt:
Ketsae barely had time to notice the third warrior before his dart struck her in the shoulder. The impact was like being hit with a hammer and she staggered slightly under it, her sword dropped from a suddenly nerveless hand. How had she not seen him? She dropped down to retrieve it with her other hand when small, grey flowers bloomed across her vision. As a messarii, she was well versed in many weapons and there was no mistaking the nature of the dart or the toxin that was coursing through her bloodstream. There was a soft buzzing in her ears coupled a cold sensation that was quickly spreading out from the dart. She tried to stand but her legs were like water and she collapsed.
Something heavy dropped over her from behind and she was suddenly plunged into darkness. Ketsae tried to get out from under the suffocating weight but nothing worked. All she could do was lie helplessly as hands bundled her up and hoisted her off the ground. Until a few minutes ago, everything had gone as she had planned, but somehow she had missed something. As the mental darkness closed in around her, her last thoughts were as disjointed and uncoordinated as her movements.

I have a project that refuses to let me put it aside, one of those projects that won’ t let you forget it.  It was inspired by my love of Asian history, and one of my favorite authors, James Clavel.  Messarii about a warrior class and their world.  Blood Hunt is a look into that world and the values that define the warriors.


Artistic Reflections