7: Of Letters

Jeron arrived at the Mageguild Demesne to find a group of armored Valiants flanking the gate. “A guard detail?” He had never seen so many soldiers on the normally peaceful grounds. “Of a sort,” a familiar voice hailed him. Jeron turned to find Niamh’s commanding officer approaching. “Did you get my note?” “Captain Hawke,” Jeron […]

6: Of Sunlit Pain

*Content warning: severe injury, post-trauma and depression. “Niamh?” The voice sounded muffled and far away. It said nothing about keys. It made no threats. Was she finally safe from the nightmares? “Can you hear me, Niamh?” Niamh struggled until she could force her eyes open. The world was too bright, everything so blurry. “Easy. Take […]

5: Of Life’s Cost

An hour later—how was it only an hour?—Jeron perched on a crate in a Mageguild tent, recovering. Kate and Moya had joined him, hunkered on their own crates, one on each side of him. They looked as bleary-eyed and exhausted as he felt. “It was a miracle, Jeron. You said those words about healing, and […]

4: Of Blood and Light

*Content warning: severe injury, blood, fantasy violence. Jeron left Sage Belden and the few others he’d gathered along the way in the Mageguild tent, the safest place he could think of. He kept an eye out for threats, satisfied they were far enough away from melee. He pushed through the tent flaps, blinded for a […]

3: Of Spring and Regret

*Content warning: severe injury, blood, fantasy violence. Two Weeks Into the Northgate Expedition Surely her Ivory Order contacts had been wrong. Niamh peered out over fields of sun-dappled grass stirring in the wind. It was several weeks into the Northgate Expedition, and nothing was what she’d expected, especially compared to the cautionary tales her old […]

2: Of Exploration

Niamh awoke with a start. Sunlight filtered through the high glass windows set into the stone wall of her room at the Duskcat Inn. A knock rapped into the morning quiet, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating. Shivering, she threw off the soft quilt and quickly padded barefoot across the cold flagstones. An envelope […]

1. Of Snow and Pie

She was here, finally. Niamh stepped out of the caravan she’d taken from Bounty, crossing her arms over her chest as a rush of wintry air cut right through her cloak. They’d arrived at the northeast gates of the city right on schedule, and Niamh couldn’t wait to jump out of the swaying cart, get […]

0: Of Important Missions

It was a fine day for anything except goodbyes. Niamh Starsong gazed around the clearing and sighed. Sun shone through the spring leaves, dappling her friend Sariel’s face with splashes of gold. Source, she was going to miss that face. “Niamh, you look miserable.” Sari interrupted her gloomy thoughts with a wry laugh. “I’m not. […]

Intro to Season One: Valiant and Sage

A gentle leymage and a veteran soldier must work together to face down monsters from myth… Niamh Starsong is a distinguished soldier sworn to protect the Northgate Expedition, but as an Ivory Order spy, she is on a top-secret assignment for the safety of all Ahra. A Sylvan elf newly stationed near the Tanahr capital […]