Happy Birthday Apollux. Wishing you many more years, good health, blessings and prosperity. More wisdom and inspiration to you. Once again HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Might be late but not forgetten... Happy Birthday Wish U Long Life and Prosperity, age with GRACE... @Apollux

First before I read, let me applaud you for your country.....very creative. We copy good things.

Now, make I............

Apollux:
Hi guys, here is me taking a shot at fantasy. Glad some of u liked my work on sci-fi, hope u will enjoy this one too.
There are some things I will like to say about this story.
Memoirs of Blood and Steel is a spin off from a much larger novel of mine titied THE GHEMMARIA CANTICLES. In that story there are several heroes but the character Jarrael interested me. Though he is not the lead protagonist but I just felt like doing a solo story for him. This is what led to Memoirs of Blood and Steel . So the consequences of that is just few things will be revealed about his past life in this story, most of it is told in the Ghemmaria Canticles.
My plan is to make this a short and fast paced story, but it seems I won't succeed considering the little I have done from the beginning. Pls just bear with me as the story unfolds.
Here is the book's cover page for those who haven't seen it.

Nice, am glad u got this far

Awesome story!

♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠

Jarrael felt his consciousness return but he didn’t open his eyes or allow any part of his body to twitch. He allowed his ears, skin and mind to access his surrounding first and mentally checked his body for pains. Though it had been slow in coming, the memory of what happened to him before he lost consciousness was fully settled on his mind. Noticing his body totally healed from his injuries and all his joints and muscles responding to his mental query, he opened his eyes slowly.
The room he was in had very poor lighting from a single huge candle, the windows of it were covered with heavy layers of embroidered curtains that effectively cutting out the sunlight. Yes, the room my be somewhat dark yet Jarrael know it is morning.
He noticed he was lying on a large bed, with rich silk covering. His clothes were no longer on him, he saw where they were dumped some where at a corner but his weapons were not with it. A pungent smell pervades the air in the enclosed room, his nose could detect several mixture of spices he knows and others beyond his knowledge. He suspected, the smell may have been in a way responsible for his well relaxed state.
Getting up from bed, he went through his clothes, most of it where charred beyond amendment, but his trousers and boots survived intact. Also his slim inner wear chain mail pulled through the brutal assault without a dent, this goes to prove the magical properties of it. He quickly wore the chain mail first, then his trousers and boots over it. Since none of his tunic survived the fire, and no other appropriate one in the room, he took a discarded cloth and wrapped it round his shoulders.
Inspecting the room, he saw a finely crafted silver chair with delicate looking foot and armrest but with rich fur brocade for the back. A silver table too, filled with different vials and boxes of precious ointment and spices, silver comb, intricately crafted, gold and silver brooch with gleaming green jewel in the middle of it, ornament and jewelries with hair cover and veil. Well none of what he is seeing surprised him, knowing who the owner of this place is.
“Now see who just came back from the world of the dead into the land of the living. “ a sing-song voice said behind him.
“Not really true”, Jarrael turned to face the speaker. “I wasn’t even close to dying. “
“Saying that to she whose hand nursed you during the period is a show of lack of gratitude. “ the speaker stepped into the room through a door completely hidden by the heavy layers of curtains. She was wearing a long body fitting emerald garment with twin slit by the side to the mid thigh showing glimpses of her well shaped legs. Her green eyes watched Jarrael with open amusement.
“Oh I’m grateful for your assistance and if you want, I’m ready to gave an equal recompense for your efforts. Well just that my purse seems to be missing. “ Jarrael appears to look round the room as he spoke.

“I may have been accused of a lot of things in the past, but being called a thief is not one of them unlike you. “ she sat down on the silver chair crossing her legs giving unhindered view to her well carved knees. Her green hair falling down her back with well formed luster. “Anyway I will be willing to accept adequate recompense if you are going to give. “
“Well I’ve never known you to collect payment from those you consider friends. “ Jarrael said, throwing aside the clothes he wrapped himself with.
“You have no friends, remember? “ Thorn said slowly tracing her green colored lips with hair green finger nail.
“I don’t. But you have tried convincing me in the past that you considered me a friend.”
“True, Jarrael. But you never reciprocated, so to you I’m not really a friend. Just someone to you at your convenience to achieve your goals. “ At this she paused and stared Jarrael in the face, her green eyes boring into his black ones. “Still surprised that after all this time, your demands from me never included the ravaging of my body. “
“You know Thorn, I cannot do that. “ Jarrael’s face took on a sad cast.
“And why not, my dear Jarrael? It’s not like you are celibate, are you? I have heard of your escapades, though very few, of your ways with tavern whores. Am I that detestable to you that you prefer the warmth from the bosom of a tavern wench to mine? “
“No. “ Jarrael screamed. “I cannot tell you why. So stopped bringing this up, my decision about this remains unchanged . Just state your desired compensation and I will gladly pay. “
“All I need is your love. My heart can feel no liking to another in all of Ghemmaria but you only. This you know is the truth. So that is the only thing I need from you. “
“I have no love to give. My love died when I was ten years old. You are such valued person to me that I will never bed you just to satisfy the cravings of my loins. “ Looking around once more, Jarrael stood up and head for the door.
“And where do you think you are going, my lord Jarrael? “ Thorn said with hints of mockery.
“To go retrieve my weapons, pouches and other things belonging to me, if they can be found within your dwellings. “
“You can’t go anywhere, Jarrael. Not at this time at least. “ Thorn’s voice seems to purr.
“Any why not, milady Thorn? “ Jarrael turned to her with a mockery tone of his own. “Will thou force thy noble self upon me? “
Thorn laughed at the his antics, an almost impossibility to see displayed by Jarrael. “Would do that if it will possibly work, but on you it’s a waste of effort. Well you can’t leave at the moment, not because I wanted to hold you here against your will, but the city have been under full lock down for two days after the night you stumbled through my door. “
“What? “
“No way you could have known, you have been asleep for two full days. The night you stumbled in here, the city was in uproar. The Grand Khardi soldiers arresting people indiscriminately, breaking into houses and conducting intense search. Trade have been brought to a standstill since then. The city gate has been locked. No one going out or in. Lots of merchants are outside the city gate, stranded and can’t bring in their merchandise, same with those in the city, they can’t go to trade outside the city. Citizens are silently grumbling but none dare speak up because now there are more soldiers on the streets than people. I have an uncanny feeling, this have something to do with you. “

I am usually a browser on Nairaland. I look at the messages and pass on.

Bros this is good writing. It should be published for the world to see.

If you are interested, do get in touch I am an author of 3 books.

Oiselenjakhian:
I am usually a browser on Nairaland. I look at the messages and pass on.

Bros this is good writing. It should be published for the world to see.

If you are interested, do get in touch I am an author of 3 books.

Ok, I'm interested. Get across to me through my email

Nice story

Hot!

Wouldn't miss this story for the world.....JohnGainsville,u dey cool me temper

Ghost mode deactivated thumbs up bro :B

Ghost mode deactivated thumbs up bro :B

abeg,ejor,please come and update...

my favourite writer both in sci-fi n adventure action. thanks for d mention

Jarrael came back in, sat down on the bed, after several minutes of silence he looked tiredly at Thorn. “Yes that may have resulted from my going after a target. “
A slow smile coiled up the green lips. “So you were in town for a job and would have sneaked out again without letting me know. How unfriendly you treat me each day that passes, it’s amazing I haven’t slit your throat. “
A grunt was all Jarrael gave to her as a reply.
“So who was the target this time? Oh a trade secret I guess. “ said Thorn smoothly, a voice that seems to drip with honey. A voice type that was the last thing some men have heard as their last words before leaving this world unwillingly. “Your target must have been pretty high up among the nobles of Aram to have generated such clot in the streets of this city. I would have assumed that your target was the Grand Khardi himself, if not that the fool is still alive. “
“My target was not a job this time. “ his voice was low almost cracking. “It was personal. “
“who would have been foolish enough to have offended one of the Black Robes brotherhood. “ she laughed daintily.
“You know I am no longer one of them, Thorn. “
“Of course I know. But you still dress like them, walk like them, do the same job you did when you were with them. You still rule your life by the codes and edicts that guides them. To me seems like you missed their company. Do you my love? “
Jarrael stared at her with a dark brooding look that warned her that she is stepping on very thin line.
“So who did you kill two nights ago that got all soldiers out of their beds and walking the streets.? “ Thorn try to keep the mood lighter.
“The baron from Hocklam. “ Jarrael said.
“Tarikh? Though it was kept as a secret in Aram, the visit of the baron from the far northern Kingdom of Dhremoria is known to very few people. That knowledge carries with it the threat of a death sentence. “ Thorn yawned covering her mouth with her palm, displaying a silver ring with a Jade colored jewel on her middle finger. “Well the death of that fat pig isn’t a great loss to the world in anyway. “

“He didn’t die. I wasn’t able to kill him. “ Jarrael’s eyes blazed with inwardly boiling anger.
“Now that is a surprise, you have never missed any of your target in the past. And going by what have been going on in this city for the past two days, it means you came within sight of your target. So what happened? “
“I was interrupted before the greed infested bastard could feel my wrath. “
“Who or what interrupted? “
“A priest of Nemphis. “ The room seems to go dead quiet as Jarrael said that.
“What is a priest of the dark god doing in Aram? Those anchorites shun society, they hate our civilization. They avoid our towns and cities like plague. “ She paused at this point to shrug her shoulders. “Well people don’t like them anyway. They are generally prejudiced by us with all the stories of dark sorceries and human sacrifices rumored to be performed by them in that their black towers. “
“None of the rumors you have heard about the priests of Nemphis are lies, they do much more than the rumors tell. “
“But what is a priest of Nemphis doing here? Does this have anything to do with the rumored secret alliance Aram wants to have with Hocklam? It is already rumored in tight secret circles that Shammir is not happy with his uncle, Bar-Shibiar, the overlord of all the city-states of Dayir. The Grand Khardi wants to break out from under the rule of his uncle, but knows he isn’t powerful enough. The overlord rules with firm hand the four city-states of Aram, Is-Salim, Nashiar and Funtiar. And the kingdom of Dayir already have very strong peace treaty with the powerful kingdoms of the north, Dhremoria, Krimlynn, Mortah, Nemontri’madech and Gondola. Also with the southern neighbors, Hathran and the free city-state of Zakir. This particular treaty have given us peace in this whole place that there have not been any major war or conflict here in decades.
“Is the fool Shammir trying to start a war? No blame should go to him, but his benevolent uncle, the overlord Bar-Shibiar, who gave him the city of Aram to rule instead of his more competent scribe. His uncle did that just to give his almost useless misfit nephew a sense of responsibility and relevance, I heard it was in fulfilment of a promise he made to his brother, Shammir’s father on his dying bed. Now the brain plagued idiot is creating secret alliances that threatened the peace we have enjoyed for more than a life time. He is paying his uncle back with treason and treachery. “

can u post a sketch of jarreal, it's hard for me to imagine him, all I can see is an assassin's creed type of person

Smiling but his face still hard and dark, Jarrael quipped. “Milady Thorn, I didn’t know you are this versed with palace intrigues and politics. “
“Don’t jest, Jarrael, this is much serious than you think. War is a serious disadvantage to everyone and should be prevented at all costs. “ at this stage allowing a little smile cross her lips. “Besides my business thrive on politics. You would be surprised at the amount of state secrets most nobles will spill out when under the careful ministrations of my girls. “
“Well my concern is just that I missed the best opportunity to take out my target. The politics of a priest of Nemphis been in Aram is no concern of mine. “
“Jarrael I wouldn’t believe you on that even if you are the grand prelate of the society of the eye, a man believed not to ever lie. “ Standing up, Thorn came to join Jarrael by the bed. “But I’m truly worried. When the stories came initially, I didn’t take them seriously, they were just rumors. But now this is an evidence that Shammir really wants to rebel. And a fool that he is, he went to form an alliance with an over ambitious, greedy and untrustworthy person, Tarikh. To further make matters worse, he is bringing in the priests of Nemphis? No wonder he is keeping it a secret. No noble of Aram will go along with him on this despite their petty differences. But his tactics are sound. Which I doubt it is his anyway, it feels more like something baron Tarikh will cook up. Neither Hocklam nor Aram are independent nor have a strong military might to challenge the kingdoms they are vassals to. And they can’t go to any other of the surrounding kingdoms because of the peace treaty binding them together. So the only option left is to go to the people not in league with the treaty. But involving the priests of Nemphis is the worst of errors. “

Cyberrex:
can u post a sketch of jarreal, it's hard for me to imagine him, all I can see is an assassin's creed type of person

Oh I wish I can. Well see it like dis. He is a slim well built but with lean muscles. Having black long hair with thin black eyelids and black eyes. A none descrit face normal for a member of the black robe. He have felixible athletes body. Well imagine Rambo in rambo 1 n 2 or Conan the latest movie, not the one by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is in his early 30s at this time

Feed me more!
Feed me more!!
Feed me more!!!

Apollux:

Oh I wish I can. Well see it like dis. He is a slim well built but with lean muscles. Having black long hair with thin black eyelids and black eyes. A none descrit face normal for a member of the black robe. He have felixible athletes body. Well imagine Rambo in rambo 1 n 2 or Conan the latest movie, not the one by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is in his early 30s at this time

'm grateful

I Hope Dis Guy Succeeds

I Hope Dis Guy Succeeds.Welldone Bro

guy u gud

u said memoir of blood and steel is a spin of of another series, so should we expect that one too

Keep the updates coming boss.God bless you!

sense trouble.....sweet trouble

More plzzz

Sorry guys for d lack of updates, Nairaland spam bot have imprisoned me. Hopefully later today, we will get some