lomax61

In terms of overt opulence, Brox cities had no comparison. Tree-lined avenues of regal evergreen arrow-pines resembled spearheads guarding austere palatial temples. Adorned externally with ornately carved walls of black onyx-like rock, each building had regimented rows of dark grey columns of slick marble, a material known to be imported from overseas. Sombre interiors contained gold inscriptions in the ancient language wrapping around immense pillars or along the base of walls, telling stories

My mistake. Apologies. You are correct. It should be Leonmarkh. I am working on the next chapter which features Duke Ervine. Too many people in my head.

As he crested the final steps to his rooms, breathing heavily from the night's exertions, excited young voices sounded from Barnabus' chambers. On such an appalling night, the noise brought him unexpected calm. “Exactly how many were you anticipating?" muttered Brother Forester from a few steps behind, as breathless as Barnabus. Bursts of activity such as the night had demanded were not part of their everyday routine. "I believe my guests may also have arrived." Barnabus stepped i

An extract from Ch15 - Aulderly Chaos: "Counsellor Lampen will know more. We should talk to him." Eleanor stopped walking suddenly, and Barnabus, who had walked on, halted and turned back to her. "Lampen was among the victims, my friend, caught in the open celebrations on lower ground when the ring of fire erupted."

Hi @Flip-Flop. Thanks for reading the story and your comments. @drpaladin has been reading my work for years and knows to question everything and assume nothing. Not everything is always as it seems, and small details should never be dismissed or overlooked. For example, Tad believes that Mirakel created the flip with her badly executed charm, but could there be another explanation?

During his early days of service at Aulderly, Tad had often been singled out to deliver evening meals to counsellors who preferred to remain in their quarters for the evening meal. One had been an ancient metamorphosis scholar, a man called Counsellor Lampen. On one such occasion, as Tad had laid out the dishes, he'd mistakenly enquired about the Sixth Science. "I can confide in you only because you are not a student. Every pupil seems to consider it their duty to report even the slightest

Late in the evening, the flame of a thick candle wavered as Ervine sat at his long desk of dark oak and black clack iron catching up on a pile of paperwork and D'Marish finally entered the room. Ervine's guards knew better than to challenge him. With only a murmured greeting, he began pacing the floor. Unkempt and agitated, he appeared tired as though from extreme physical exertion. Unusually for a man obsessed by his appearance, his sandals were muddied and his robe had grass stains or streaks

Detonations of power rocked the spine of the Tower of Interconnection. Clay wine cups and empty metal platters crashed onto the floor. Barnabus met the eyes of his two guests, a mix of shock and panic reflecting his own. Although not powerful enough to endanger the bones of the building, the force had been substantial and he sensed an innate wrongness. He knew intuitively that whatever had happened had been controlled, manufactured and wholly unnatural. Why would someone want to commit something

Thank you @Parker Owens, for a wonderful review. I’d even read this story based on what you wrote! I must admit that a lot of the fun was in trying to stay ahead of the curve and come up with something that the readers, those along for the ride and waiting for new chapters each week, would not guess. But I also enjoyed getting under the skin of Gabriel and giving him some closure on many aspects of his life. lomax61 aka Brian

Alone in the vast kitchen cellar, Tad let out a soft whoop. Despite the beginnings of a head cold, he allowed himself a simple rite of triumph, dancing in his stockinged feet on the cold flagstones in a full circle and punching the air with his forefingers, ignoring the disapproving glares from rows of haughty, long-neglected cookbooks. While scouring the racks of the cavernous kitchen basement, he had almost ignored the wooden crate wedged into the corner of a shelf. His search had concent

Thank you all for your encouraging comments and feedback for my story Inherited. This has been a challenging process for me, forcing me to keep writing while I moved my life from Hong Kong to the UK, and dealt with all the distractions that kind of transition brings. The development of the plot was organic and, if I’m going to be honest, needs a review at some stage once I’ve stepped away for a time. I would probably remove the introduction of Petey for example, which was a little random. But I have another story in the pipeline telling his story and called Melt. Watch this space. Still, I enjoyed creating the characters and writing in the 1st POV for a change and genuinely want to return to my chess team at some point. I would usually leave all those who provided a story feedback comment a response, but there is a glitch in the system right now that Myr is aware of and which prevents me from doing so.

Hi Beau. To solve the clue, take the first letter of each word. The answer is also in the chapter title. Brian

Thank you all for your encouraging comments and feedback for my story Inherited. This has been a challenging process for me, forcing me to keep writing while I moved my life from Hong Kong to the UK, and dealt with all the distractions that kind of transition brings. The development of the plot was organic and, if I’m going to be honest, needs a review at some stage once I’ve stepped away for a time. I would probably remove the introduction of Petey for example, which was a little random. But I have another story in the pipeline telling his story and called Melt. Watch this space. Still, I enjoyed creating the characters and writing in the 1st POV for a change and genuinely want to return to my chess team at some point. I would usually leave all those who provided a story feedback comment a response, but there is a glitch in the system right now that Myr is aware of and which prevents me from doing so.

When I surface into consciousness, night has fallen. I need a few moments to orientate myself to my surroundings, to my bedroom in Eagle House, where the patio doors have been propped open. There must have been rain because the gentle fragrance of lemon and rosemary pervades the antiseptic odours surrounding me. The room is lit by a standing lamp in the corner and by the dimmed displays of medical devices beeping softly to my right. But I am alive. When I see Lorenzo asleep on a s