1214 Results in the "Fantasy" category


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      Twenty-Seven

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      by testsuphomeAdmin In this chapter of *The Priory of the Orange Tree*, Niclays Roos devises a perilous plan to secure his return to the West by creating an elixir from dragon blood, a substance forbidden by Eastern law. Despite his usual cowardice, Niclays resolves to take the risk, driven by desperation and ambition. He sends a secret letter to Lady Tané Miduchi, a dragonrider, requesting a meeting, ensuring the message is delivered discreetly. As he waits for her response, Niclays reflects on his past and the mysterious…
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      Twenty-Six

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter opens with Queen Sabran preparing for her first public appearance in fourteen years, a royal progress to Ascalon that has stirred excitement across Inys. Ead Duryan, one of her ladies-in-waiting, discreetly arms herself with hidden blades, hinting at underlying tensions. The queen’s attire—midnight velvet and a sword-shaped brooch—is carefully chosen to evoke her late mother, Queen Rosarian, and to project regal divinity. Sabran’s sleeplessness and quiet demeanor reveal her anxiety…
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      Twenty-Five

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Niclays Roos, an exiled scholar, finds temporary solace in Ginura as a guest of the Moyaka household. During the vibrant Summerfall festival, he immerses himself in Seiikinese culture, savoring local delicacies and marveling at the golden leaves transforming into red buds. Accompanied by his chaperons, Eizaru and Purumé, he explores the coastal landscape, including the striking Grieving Orphan volcanic stack. Despite his exile, Niclays begins to envision a future in Ginura, clinging to the fragile hope…
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      Twenty-Four

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter opens with Ead awaiting word from Chassar about her extended stay in Inys, while the court grows fond of Prince Aubrecht Lievelyn. Sabran, the queen, begins attending masques and plays with her consort, displaying rare moments of joy and affection. However, her frustration mounts when she fails to conceive an heir, leading to volatile outbursts. Ead remains a constant presence, observing Sabran's struggles with both the pressures of motherhood and the financial burdens of defending Mentendon…
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      Twenty-Three

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Lord Arteloth Beck endures a grueling journey through the icy Spindles, battling extreme cold and physical exhaustion. Haunted by grief for his lost companion Kit, he focuses on survival, skinning a mountain ewe and building a fire in a cave. Despite his fear of attracting wyrms, he finds solace in the routine of sustenance and shelter. His hands, raw and red, serve as a grim reminder of his deteriorating condition, while an unexplained rash fuels his anxiety about an uncertain fate. Loth follows the…
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      Twenty-Two

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter depicts the somber yet opulent marriage ceremony of Queen Sabran the Ninth of Inys and Aubrecht Lievelyn, High Prince of Mentendon, held at midnight in the Great Sanctuary of Briar House. The setting is rich with symbolism: red stained-glass windows memorialize past bloodshed, and scoundrel trees with golden leaves frame the space. Sabran, adorned in a crimson gown and gold crown, hesitates momentarily at the entrance, observed by her confidante Ead and the calculating Seyton Combe. The…
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      Twenty-One

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Loth prepares to leave the Palace of Salvation under the cover of night, aware that he is infected with the Draconic plague after touching the Flesh King. Carrying supplies and weapons, he is accompanied by his friend Kit, who reluctantly joins him despite the dangers. They descend into the hidden depths of Cárscaro, following directions from the Donmata Marosa, who awaits them at the base of a secret stair. She reveals a forgotten escape route through the mountains, warning them of the Draconic creatures…
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      Twenty

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      by testsuphomeAdmin The chapter opens with Tané recovering from her exhausting fight with Turosa during the sea guardians' trials. Isolated in her quarters, she nurses a painful shoulder wound while anxiously awaiting the next day's announcement about who will become dragon riders. To distract herself, she revisits *Recollections of the Great Sorrow*, a book filled with haunting illustrations of past battles and the red sickness that once plagued Seiiki. The vivid imagery of dragons and demons stirs her memories and fears,…
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      Nineteen

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Loth follows the Donmata Marosa through a labyrinth of torchlit tunnels beneath the palace, their walls slick with condensation. She leads him to a hidden chamber where they encounter a chained, emaciated figure—King Sigoso III of Yscalin, now a hollow shell of his former self. The Donmata reveals that her father is afflicted with a rare form of the Draconic plague, allowing the wyrm Fýredel to commune through him. Loth is stunned by the king’s grotesque transformation and the revelation that Sigoso…
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      Eighteen

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Niclays endures a grueling journey to Ginura, confined to a stifling palanquin with little comfort. The trade road winds through the foothills of the Bear’s Jaw mountain range, a path he once dreamed of traveling during his exile in Seiiki. His initial excitement is tempered by memories of his forced expulsion from Virtudom, a punishment he naively believed would be brief. As the years passed, he resigned himself to a life of isolation, but now, glimpses of the landscape rekindle his curiosity and a…
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