Dark Solus An Assassin�s Tale<br/>
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Author: David Andrew Crawford
Publisher: Assassins Inc.
Published: 2011-11-15
ISBN(s) 978-0-9876773-0-3
Language(s): English
Category: Fiction
Audience: Adult
Genre(s): Fantasy, Action, Action Read Excerpt >

Let me tell you a story, but not your typical story where the prince saves the princess or even the one about the knight who slays the dragon and becomes king.  No…this is not even a story at all, but rather a tale.  This is an assassin’s tale.

The sun had set and nighttime fell upon the City of Duergar, so named for the dwarven King that had built and once ruled here many years ago.  The moon was full and the stars were shining brightly, lighted by Nyx, the goddess of the night sky.  Usually a time of mischief and thievery, eventide in the City of Duergar was a time for the creatures from the dark to venture forth performing ungodly acts of evil.  Duergar had a reputation for being the greatest city in the world, full of wonder, magic and mystery, as well as being the wickedest, filled with villainous and powerful entities.

With the onset of darkness, the once bustling and hectic streets became silent, shops closed as most of the citizens retired to the safety of their homes.  The coming of the night tide opened the taverns, brothels and gambling dens with numerous merchants and innkeepers willing to relieve a traveller of his cumbersome load of treasure.

 City constables are common during the hours of daylight, but to keep the peace during the witching hour, the Night Watch, an elite group of guards were required.  Maintenance of law and order fell to them to incarcerate any individuals who committed any offence against the Code of Justice in Duergar.  Silence reigned in the city this night as people tended to desert the streets, seeing only those with dishonest intent venturing out into the capital after nightfall.  The members of the night watchmen are thus a common sight on the boulevards of the city after dark, but on this night there were no patrols, no citizens…no one.

The city was indeed quiet, uncommonly quiet, but a creature did stir this night…two in fact.  Scurrying along the rooftops were two dark cloaked figures clinging to the shadows so as not to be seen.  Bounding from one building to another, hastily making their retreat, they passed the high market in the garden quarters, a residence for the rich and wealthy.  They made their way to the Grand Bazaar, both stopping, coming to rest atop the great library of Duergar, quickly ducking behind two sizeable gargoyles for cover.  The Grand Bazaar, located in the center of the city, was a huge open area with numerous stalls, tents and a plethora of little booths.  Large two story shops surrounded the grandiose market and located at the core was the Ring of Champions. The City Bazaar is known for its many different shops, galleries, and specialty shops that you can't find anywhere else, with cobblestone streets teeming with skilled craftspeople selling their unique wares, numerous elegant taverns and a monument to the city’s greatest heroes.

The monument was comprised of five, forty-foot tall statues resembling the brave martyrs that sacrificed their lives to save the city from almost certain destruction.  Among the stone goliaths was the female priestess from the Holy Cross Order, mace in hand.  Next, Dwaric the dwarf fighter clad in chainmail, his oversized axe held high above his head ready to cleave a man in two.  The third was the thief Baal, named after the demon lord, and Haffaer the wild mage with his famed crimson crystal staff.  Finally, the most widely known and celebrated champion of Duergar, Sir Tristram Aeronenbras, the Knight of the Red Branch, his great shield and sword in hand ready for battle.

 The silence was finally broken when the larger of the two cloaked figures turned to his smaller companion and began to speak. 

 “Leynorr…” His voice trailed off as the second cloaked figure held her hand up, cutting his sentence short, her eyes darting left and right searching the night sky.  Drawing back the cowl exposed small pointed ears and an elven heritage.  Upon removing the veil, revealed the slender beautiful face of a half-elven woman with a slim nose and chin, with thick red lips that quivered slightly as she looked back at her confrere. 

“The Arch Mage has found us,” she spoke fearfully, her face showing grave concern.

 

Dark Solus An Assassin�s Tale   by   David Andrew Crawford   |   See Bio >
This is the first novel in the Dark Saga Series. This dark fantasy is set in a world ruled by magic, in a time before solid boundaries formed between the mystical kingdoms of Faerie and the mortal world of man.

This is the first novel in the Dark Saga Series.  This dark fantasy is set in a world ruled by magic, in a time before solid boundaries formed between the mystical kingdoms of Faerie and the mortal world of man.  This is a tale of one of the deadliest assassins on the planet Eorth, Dark Solus. Haunted by the merciless execution of his parents when he was a child, he now waits and prepares to exact his revenge on all those responsible for their demise.  Dark searches for powerful magical items that he knows he must possess in order to carry out his revenge.  He is transformed and trained by the Styg, the warden of the Stygian depths, and his grandfather Mephistopheles, an ancient silver dragon.  Now years later he is ready to travel to the City of Duergar, the home of his enemies. Trained in the skills of assassination, and armed with lethal devices and knowledge of the dark arts, he has set himself only one mission.....to kill them all!

 

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