In the savage realm of Auropia, lurks a ghost in the form of a man. Valengetrix, exiled from his mysterious homeland, seeks redemption in the eyes of his people as he sets out to retrieve lost relics of the once renowned empire of Aratania. Accompanied by a sentient blade, forged from the soul of an ancient warrior of his race, Valengetrix begins to understand that the price for returning home must be paid in blood and treasure.
Along his travels, the young Aratanian soon learns that though he shares no affinity to the gods of this realm, he is instead guided by his desire to live up to those who came before him. With the aid of his ancestral blade, and the various peoples of this world he encounters along the way, the name of Valengetrix becomes a name widely revered by his allies, and feared by his many adversaries.
Exotic lands, dreadful foes and untold secrets abound in the world of Auropia. Explore them all in this short story series set nearly two millennia before the events in the Legends of Atlameria: Harbinger of World’s End novel.
Excerpt from “Blood in the Snow”
The burly, pillar of a man by the name of Kaleva, towered head and shoulders above the Aratanian, though he himself stood taller than most men. A broad, two-handed hammer he wore upon his back, and snow coated his fiery beard in white as he turned to observe his guest’s arrival. The look on his face indicated he had his doubts on whether the Aratanian would show, considering his apparent lack of accustomedness to the cold and the knowledge that he’d spent the night in the warm embrace of the lovely barmaid from the local tavern. Turns out the stranger was serious after all.
“Morning to you,” said the Fyrstian with a powerful voice befitting his hulking frame. “Sure you’re up for this, Aratanian? Gets a lot colder than this where we’re going.”
Val nodded in return before taking a deep breath of the frigid northern air and looking about. “I’ve been everywhere from the impassible mountains of Aratania to the snake-riddled jungles of Oskhari and the burning deserts of Mar-Es-Hai in between. I think I’ll manage.”
“Ha, I like your attitude stranger. However, I suggest you prepare yourself before we leave. There are creatures here in the north, known to take more than just a man’s life.”
