Tests of Blood

[dkstories]

I think Dalen sees Selenay from a son's perspective. It's kind of like my niece and her father. She knows he's a drunk and can't take care of her and her brother, but she STILL loves him and wants him around. It doesn't matter how bad he is to her, she still wants her father.

 

Dalen better be careful or he's going to learn some harsh lessons the hard way.

[TalonRider]

If I was Dalen. I'd trust her to an extent. As they say, 'actions speak louder than words'.

[Sir Galahad]

If I was Dalen. I'd trust her to an extent. As they say, 'actions speak louder than words'.

Mmmmm, I'm not so sure. The way she bowed & scraped to that priest, I don't trust her at all. I think if Dalen trusts her to much he's gonna be disappointed down the road.

[Rabble_Rouser]

I hope Dalen remembers how treacherous his mother can be and I don't exactly buy the whole "I was kinda duped but I'm really trying to save Valdemar" bit. I wonder if the priests confidence is because he assumes he's more powerful than Dalen and doesn't realize he's now taken control of the Heartstone.

 

After reading the comment on maybe Dalen's plan was to get put in with the other Heralds, I'm wondering where this is going to go. We've already seen other instances where Allen has introduced us to a situation where he leads the reader to believe that Dalen is stumbling along and later reveals the planning behind it.

 

Steve

[Sir Galahad]

Does anyone know when the next chapter is up?

[dkstories]

I heard it might be a day or two.

[Myr]

You heard correctly. My schedule is a little crazy this past week, so I didn't get a chance to post it until now:

http://allensmithee.gayauthors.org/tests/blood-25.php

[TalonRider]

Well, I'm certainly happy it's up. It gives me a break from my proof reading of corrected master copies of The Scrolls of Icaria.

 

I would say that Dalen is now exactly where he wanted to be from the very beginning. It will be interesting to see how he manages to pull this off.

[Sir Galahad]

Very clever of Dalen to route communications through the mage lights. I agree, I think he is exactly where he wants to be given the situation, I just wonder how he opens the gate without setting off any alarms!

[TalonRider]

I think that now that he's connected to the heartstone, he'll be using multiple gates to get around when the time comes. He'll have to gate to the Heralds, gate to Dell, gate to the Companions, gate to pick up his own Companion, and then perhaps gate to Prince's Retreat. I don't think he will be able to control multiple gates at once.

 

Sounds far fetched, I know.

[Rabble_Rouser]

I think you might onto something. If Dalen can recharge from the Heartstone, what's to stop him from gating everyone one after another back to Prince's Retreat and then back outside the palace? The troops and Heralds at Prince's Retreat would provide a distraction as the Black King's Mages can only respond to so many alarms at once, especially if they are responding to the sudden gating of Heralds and troops at the outskirts of Haven

 

Don't have a clue where we are going but that's part of what makes Allen's story so compelling. We know that Dalen's plan is going as he hoped and everything is all set but we don't have a clue as to what it is.

 

I also think he's cut his ties to his mother in this chapter.

 

Steve

[TalonRider]

I have to agree, Steve. He did end his time with her by telling her he loved her. I still think she's a willing puppet.

[Myr]

Chapter 26 is now up:

http://allensmithee.gayauthors.org/tests/blood-26.php

[TalonRider]

It looks like some of my prediction came true, but not the way I thought. Only one gate was used and that one to evacuate.

 

The last comments of the chapter have me a bit worried. It sounds like something has been done to the Heralds that no one knows about. I'd have to say that something was in the nature of, if a Herald was to leave Haven, they would die somehow. If this is the case, it doesn't bode well for Dell and Bart.

 

A bit of a cliffhanger, I'd say.

[Sir Galahad]

Wow, we're being spoiled, 2 chapters in a week.

Ummm, not sure about there being a problem with the Heralds leaving Haven, I just thought it was the first time since the reign of King Valdemar there had been no Heralds in the capitol. Will have to re-read that part I think. I just wonder if that has anything to do with the bells that were mentioned at the end of the chapter.

Great chapter though, seems our Dalen is very powerful, I just wonder what he's left behind for them when he activated that last spell on the Heartstone. Whatever it is won't be pleasant for the Haighlei.

I can see a long struggle ahead though to retake Valdemar & ultimately Haven; but really looking forward to the next chapter.

Edited April 1, 2009 by Sir_Galahad

[dkstories]

This was a really good fight scene. It seems Dalen has gotten a little harder when it comes to killing people than during his first encounter down south. What I didn't expect was the full-scale evacuation of all gifted from Haven, but I guess it makes sense given the Haileigh actions.

 

As for the tolling of the Death Bell, I think that was the 'last spell' that Dalen set into place. I bet he set it tolling to remind everyone in Haven that the Heralds are gone, and as a promise that they would be back.

[TalonRider]

This was a really good fight scene. It seems Dalen has gotten a little harder when it comes to killing people than during his first encounter down south. What I didn't expect was the full-scale evacuation of all gifted from Haven, but I guess it makes sense given the Haileigh actions.

 

As for the tolling of the Death Bell, I think that was the 'last spell' that Dalen set into place. I bet he set it tolling to remind everyone in Haven that the Heralds are gone, and as a promise that they would be back.

I didn't think of that, spelling the bell to toll. My statement was based on the knowledge that when a Herald died, the bell tolled, announcing it to all.

[Sir Galahad]

I didn't think of that, spelling the bell to toll. My statement was based on the knowledge that when a Herald died, the bell tolled, announcing it to all.

It could be a bit of both, tolling for the Heralds that have died, & it continuing could be letting it be known that the Heralds will be returning to Haven. It's driving the Mage priest nuts though! lol.

[Myr]

New Chapter is up:

http://allensmithee.gayauthors.org/tests/blood-27.php

[Sir Galahad]

Another excellent chapter. I just wonder if Dalen is pushing himself way to much without any sleep. I just hope it's not a mistake, with him going out to take out those mages!

That said, if he succeeds Burnham could be freed from the Haighlei.

[Conner]

Splice the main brace!

 

God save the King!

 

I'm really enjoying this story.

[dkstories]

I at least expected a 'down' chapter after all the action in the last one...but somehow Allan keeps us going with another action chapter...

 

 

Poor Dalen's going to have one bad massive reaction-headache when this is all done.

[TalonRider]

I at least expected a 'down' chapter after all the action in the last one...but somehow Allan keeps us going with another action chapter...

 

 

Poor Dalen's going to have one bad massive reaction-headache when this is all done.

You can say that again. And they are already planning sabotage tactic's by removing whole sections of rail.

 

I'm also guessing that one of the first things Dalen does when he finally gets to Prince's Retreat is to go see Bart.

[Rabble_Rouser]

I went and re-read the last couple of chapters after my pipe dream that Myr posted the next chapter early because of the long weekend and just forgot to send out the notification and I had an interesting thought.

 

I think that Bart really is Dell's King's Own Herald and that Blake will become Dalen's King's Own when he takes the thrown. What leads me to say that?

 

 

 

[TalonRider]

I'm still holding out for Dalen and Bart to be together. Since Dalen currently has control of the heart stone, I think he will be keeping it if and when they regain control of Haven. That would more or less keep him there were Bart will be most of the time, when he's not away on Kings business.

 

Blake has made his choice.