Blake & Meisha: Ask a Character

 Hello riders and readers. Today I am going to do something a little different with this post. I'm giving things over to Blake and Meisha from "An Elf, a Dragon, and a God's Intervention." This way you get to know them and they plan to introduce you to my Kickstarter that is going live next week on Tuesday. I hope you have fun reading this post and enjoy reading it. Happy reading everyone :).

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The day is sunny on the hills of Tõrrin. Blake is looking out over the mountain cliffs for the first time in ages and wondering what the day will bring. Meisha and him have been working on finishing their mural for hundreds of years. But this is the first time they escape into the real world beyond the boarders of Zorron. It was hard to believe that they spent three centuries locked within Zorron miss out on the extraordinary view. He yawned looking towards the sky as a shadow passed over. It wouldn't be long now...she was coming. With a boom and scraping sound of claws on stone Blake turned to find his dragon Meisha crouching down to a more comfortable position.  

Blake: Where have you been? I've been standing here for a candle mark and the heat is a pain in the kisser. Do you have any idea what it is like sweating to death in this bloody armor?

Meisha glanced at him and laughed within their mind link. 

Meisha: Trust me, a little patience would go a long way for yourself.

He scowled at her then stepped toward her looking to see what she had in her maw.

Blake: What did you bring with your bounty this time my good friend?

She snorted.

Meisha: I am your good friend now, now am I. I should let you starve for the greeting you gave me.

Blake raised his hands in surrender.

Blake: Now there is now reason to lay blame. Yes, I no I am cracky but that is only because I am on edge here in the dwarven mountains. You know they don't like me that much.

Meisha snorted again.

Meisha: Wonder why? You think they got over you singeing their kings beard yet?

Blake flushed and put his hands on his hips. Then nonchalantly kicked a pebble over the ground towards Meisha's massive claws.

Meisha watched the rock land centimeters from her foot then rolled her eyes. Then she reached back and pulled three large rabbits from the side of her horn. She never did like flying with dead animals in her mouth. That is why she had Blake create a harness she could reach around her right horn without his help. She passed the rabbits to Blake who smiled with eagerness and snatched them from her with glee written over his face.

Blake: Now that's more like it!

He quickly made a fire pit on the rocky terrain then sat back on a wooden log he found and watched the meat cook. His hands were behind his head as Meisha slid over and wrapped her body around him and the flames. The warmth soothed her body and made her relax when she realized that Blake was talking again.

Blake: Are you excited Mesiha?

Meisha sniffed.

Meisha: Excited about what?

Blake: Next Tuesday KM Jenkins is launching our Kickstarter. Yes, the one featuring our story within its depths. I'm super excited to see what the readers think of our new story that has been updated and rewritten to better fit our readers wants and needs.

Meisha: Why did she rewrite our story?

Blake: Not sure, apparently the story can't end in a cliff hanger with it being so short. I guess we have to come up with a suitable ending. What do you think it should be?

Meisha laid her head down on the hard packed earth. She thought about his question then decided she didn't want to know.

Meisha: Let it remain a mystery. I don't want to be the spoil sport that ruins our new tale that readers had issues the first time with. Hopefully, KM Jenkins knows what she is doing...you can't appease everyone but you can make some happy.

Blake: True. But either way I am super exciting about this Kickstarter. DarkDeath and SnowFire are getting their own bookmarks. There are collectable character cards to earn and fun things to buy that will keep readers wanting more. And the special editions are so pretty...yes, shut it. I said pretty and ment it. It isn't a man's place to play favorites but the books are amazing and I'm even exciting to see the interior artwork of the hardcover. There is one that features us. Did you know that?

Meisha: Yes, I did. Now do you mind eating in peace and letting me take a nap. We will have to leave soon and get ready for this big celebration. But first we have to deal with our guest. 

Blake looked over his shoulder towards the rock face that opened out into the woods. He saw the black shadow dash across the opening too. 

Blake: Yeah, I guess we better deal with this. I hope everyone enjoyed this sideways conversation with me and my best friend Meisha. If you haven't headed over to the Kickstarter Page for Tales of Ferrês Special Anniversary Collection make sure to hit the NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH button so you get the launch announcement and access to all the authors updates. Until next time.

Meisha: Until next time?

He sighed.

Blake: Yes, you know when they read our story. Anyway hope you enjoy your week and the coming weekend. Meisha and I will keep treasure hunting while we wait for you to get your copy and enjoy the story that many loved but wanted some changes. 

NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH!

P.S. Want to read the original short story of "An Elf, a Dragon, and a God's Intervention?" Then CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of the first edition. It is still available on all online stores including my own store for 99¢. If you want to read and compare when the new edition comes out this is the best time to do so. 

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If you did and want to be notified when new content from the mind of KM Jenkins goes live or our bookish content on the weekends please subscribe. Head over to the sidebar menu and subscribe by either the RSS Feed Option or the Follow Me Option. Either way you will get updates when new content goes live. Until next time I hope you have a wonderful week.

~ Katie

Kortez: The God of Dwarves & Blacksmiths

Hello riders and readers. Today I am doing another God Spotlight from the world of Tarzinëa. I haven't done many male gods yet besides Thorso, so I thought I would do Kortez. He is the God of Dwarves and Blacksmiths. Check out the details below and I hope you enjoy this post. He is by far one of my favorite gods among the council. 

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Kortez

The God of Dwarves & Blacksmiths

Creation: Kortez was one of the main gods from the beginning of creation. He was born from the earth and tended the mountains. Later he became a god over his people and protects them and helps give them the ability to craft beautiful creations from jewelry to weapons. 

Companion: Kortez doesn't have a lover among the gods. He tends to keep to himself and dwell among his people mostly. Kortez is stubborn and believes the other races will be the downfall of his kind. 

Spirit Animal: His spirit animal are goats or rams. They frequent the mountain ranges and Dwarves tend to ride them into town regularly. The goats and rams also pull their trolleys and wagons full of supplies.

Dragons: They have a massive dislike for dragons. Dwarves have a firm belief that if they are so close to the ground they have know reason to be in the air. This is why they tend to avoid the flying beasts out of fear. They do like to work with the flames of the dragon though.

Elves: Dwarves and the elves have had a on again off again rivalry for centuries. They have been rivals in the smith trade and jewelry trade as well. Elves have been know of their blessed weapons while dwarves are more for balance and destruction with defense.

Council: Kortez does sit on the Council of the Gods. He tends to grumble a lot and tends to side with Bright Star the most. The uselessness of war irritates him but he understands when the time comes to fight that it must be done with the strength of heroes.

Blessed Hammer: The Hammer  of Kortez is one of the three blessed weapons from the gods that was given into the hands of heroes in the mortal world. As of right now know one knows where the Hammer of Kortez is, they must find it to help stave off the dark forces of Zorric and hopefully put an end to the War of Power. 

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I hope you enjoyed this post on Kortez the God of Dwarves and Blacksmiths. He is by far one of my favorite gods in the world of Tarzinëa. As I unfold different stories you will see more of him especially as I reveal more about Argoth. If you haven't met Argoth yet, you can in "Nightmare of Ferrês." He makes an appearance with Prince Ïstan when the forest seeks to swallow them whole. 

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If you did head over to the sidebar menu and check out how to subscribe to get updates sent directly to you. You can subscribe through the RSS Feed Option or through the Follow Me Button. Either way updates you when posts go live. And I hope you all have a wonderful week. Until next time.

~ Katie

Mazu's Hatchling Adventure Part 4

 Hello riders and readers. If you haven't started my short story "Mazu's Hatchling Adventure," with me yet you can click HERE to read the first portion of the story. Right now I am onto the fourth portion of the story and the final part of Mazu's POV for this short story. When part five comes I will be in Blake's POV and I will be excited to see how he handles a furious dragon mama that things the humans from the village over have stolen her egg. But lets get through part four first. Hope you enjoy.

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Mazu's Hatchling Adventure

Part Four

Out of the shadows of the wheat, he went. Slowly he crawled down the road towards the trees north bound from the village. His heart beat raced in anticipation of what he would find. The closer he came to the trees the strong the pull felt on his body. It felt like a magical lasso egging him on to the unknown. 

Before he knew it, he found himself at the entrance to another forest. This one had more trees and seemed piled more with noises he never heard before. But what caught his attention was the small shelter that sat back from the road. He took it in. The building was compiled of wooden beams that stacked into tall walls with a roof like the village houses had. Sparkly pieces of stone hung from strings in the corner of the ceiling that created beams of rainbows skittering across the ground towards him. The urge to jump on the lights over took him as the wind swayed the beautiful stones and made a metallic music that made him smile. 

As he pounced on the lights like a ferocious cat with an over side back end that caused him to fall over without trying. He was in mid pounce when he heard the door to the house creak. Mazu froze sleeking back into the tall grass hoping he wasn’t spotted. A young teenage girl stepped out from the house. She wore trousers that were cut off at the knees, and a blouse that was bright blue like the sky. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders, blowing slightly in the wind. She glanced around with her dark auburn eyes as if she was disappointed.

Mazu found her to be the most gorgeous human he ever seen. Then he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the look on her face. She had this look like she was expecting someone to be there but they were long gone. Her eyes scanned the yard before her home with a look of trepidation. Then her eyes locked on him even though he was sure he was well hidden from her sight. 

Her eyes opened wide in surprise when she looked on him. Then to his surprise she glided down the stairs as if she was in a trance of some kind. He felt like he was being pulled towards her too. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself breaking from the grass and sitting at her feet. 

“Wow…you are beautiful,” she gasped.

He tilted his head wanted to say something smart back to her. But he only was able to make a gurgling growling burping noise when he opened his mouth. She giggled and knelt down to him. They were eye to eye as she let him stretch out his nose to take her sent. That was when it happened. The pull that kept him moving finally exploded inside him like light bursting into flame to consume him.

All he knew was his body was glowing and her fingers touched his snout and power passed between them. A blast of fire wrapped around her hand and slowly moved toward her shoulder to create a dragon insignia that wrapped around her bicep. Her auburn eyes glowed as did his then the light faded and he felt her for the first time in his mind, and knew they would be inseparable forever more. 

“Wow, I never dreamed…” she began. “I mean I was told I held potential but I never would have thought…thought that it would happen so soon.”

He cocked his head to the side in question. What is she talking about?

She blinked then sat on her knees placing her hands on the ground to make herself less like a giant that towered over him. “Sorry…your so little. I probably sound like a babbling idiot to you. What I’m trying to say is that some of the riders thought I held the potential to become one of their ranks. But I had to be chosen first before I could begin my training.”

His eyes widened in understanding. He remembers the elk talking about riders, but he didn’t know why she was talking about training as one. As far he knew they were just someone that hung out with his mother. Then it hit him. The connection to his mother was gone. He scooted back in alarm with fear filling him to the peak. His mother’s connection was gone. How could that be? The girl realized he was panicking but not why. 

“Don’t worry…I won’t hurt you.” 

Mazu reached out the only way he knew how, through his mind to communicated with the girl before him. 

“My link its gone. I can’t feel her. She was there now she isn’t where is she? How do I get back?”

Panic filled him as the girl picked him from the grass and held him to calm him. He thrashed in her grip not realizing he was clawing up her arms. But only a second passed before a blood curdling dragon scream ripped across the even sky as his mother realized he was gone. 

“Ah…I suppose your mother is Meisha?” the girl said holding him still with force. 

He blinked and nodded. 

“Great. And let me guess from the sound of things, she doesn’t know where you are?”

Mazu nodded his head again as fire blazed in the sky and yelling came from the village. The girl gulped, wrapped her arms around Mazu’s belly, and took off running towards the village. He didn’t know what was happening but something told him it was bad when he saw fire billowing up from the village in the distance. Oh, I am so in trouble…

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Stay tuned for Blake's POV in Part 5, coming soon at the end of September!

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I hope you enjoyed this installment into the short story "Mazu's Hatchling Adventure." This story is only available on KM Jenkins' Book Nook Blog. If you wish to receive update for stories K.M. Jenkins is writing or blog posts or bookish posts on the weekend. Then head over to the sidebar menu in the right corner. There you can subscribe to our blog by the RSS Feed Option or through the Follow Me Option. Until next time...

~ Katie

God of the Underworld & Darkness — Thorso

 Hello riders and readers. Today I am going to break down some details about one of my favorite evil gods that I have within my world of Tarzinëa. Now he is the God of the Underworld but also the God of Darkness. He tends to stick his nose into thing to stir the pot and find out how to disrupt things that could bring him more power in the end. If it ends up causing the end of the world and the balance of the gods, he doesn't care.

THORSO

God of the Underworld & Darkness

He is one of the big three gods that rules over the world. Thorso has a strong hate towards his older sister Bright Star because she is the Queen of the Gods. He has spend centuries trying to de-thrown her and take the crown for himself. But right now he rules of the underworld and anyone that favors the darkness within their own hearts.

His constellation is: an Ox with black horns

His purpose: is to disrupt the balance of the gods and take over the world. He has picked several of his key players in the war to come and hopes that it will tip the balance in his favor. 

Thorso was the mastermind behind getting Mortez exiled among the gods and starts fights between the different gods throughout the world. 

He is the god that created all the dark gods in the world and tends to have them on his side during times of strife and war. 

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I hope you enjoyed getting to know the King of the Underworld: Thorso. If you enjoyed this post and want to be notified when more posts go live. Then head over to the sidebar menu in the right corner. There you can subscribe either by the RSS Feed Option or through the Follow Me Button. I hope you have a great day and enjoy the rest of your week. 

Mazu's Hatchling Adventure Part Three...

 Hello riders. Today I am featuring the third installment into "Mazu's Hatchling Adventure." This is a short story I have been working on for several weeks now or months give or take. I hope you enjoy this little snippet between the elk and Mazu as they chat and Mazu gets ready for the next step of his adventure. I should have a longer piece next time. And I look forward to bringing it to you again at the end of August. Happy reading everyone. :)

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Read Part 1 Here!

Read Part 2 Here!

Mazu's Hatchling Adventure

Part 3

by: K.M. Jenkins

Mazu gazed at the elk in astonishment. He never knew creatures existed. But he wasn’t exactly sure what creatures existed in the world because of a lack of knowledge. Slowly he slid forward as the elk lowered its head to let Mazu graze its nose against its.

A moment of connection happened between them. He could clearly see some images from the elk’s life dance across his vision. The elk didn’t seem frightened by this thought and slowly receded from his touch. 

“What was that?” Mazu asked bewildered.

The elk blinked and chewed on a piece of grass. He seemed deep in thought for a moment until he reached out with his own mind to Mazu will a smile flashing in his dark eyes.

“That my dear hatchling is memory gazing. I let you see some of my life here in the woods of the elder tree to help you find your way.”

He blinked in surprise. 

“I thought I could only see images from the bond I have with my mother?”

The elk chewed thoughtfully on its grass and nodded its head.

“Yes, that is true. But memory gazing is allowed between creatures that have similar magical attributes. It allows us to communicate on a deeper level. You will be more aware of this ability as time goes on and you strengthen your bond with your rider.”

The word rider felt odd to him. He didn’t know what a rider was, and he wasn’t sure the elk would give him more information than he already had. It seemed like the elk was itching to get away to head farther inland to get away from something. Mazu couldn’t help but feel sadness creep in. He wanted his new friend to stay at his side for a while longer. But even he knew that some things you can’t change with wild beasts.

“What’s a rider?” 

The elk looked at him, surprised. 

“Doesn’t your mother have a rider?”

He thought back to the images of the world she had shown him. And he realized that there were always two beings that stood out as important to her besides him. There was a large, male-looking bronze dragon that she called Katzu and a scrawny, elf-eared man with long black hair she called Blake.

“I know my father by memories but I'm not sure about the elven man that seems to keep company with my mother.”

“Aww…that would be her rider.”

He cocked his head to the side when a yell came from the north end of the forest. The elk’s ears shot back and his skittered in place. Mazu couldn’t help but feel curious about the noise; everything was so new to him. But the elk didn’t seem like it wanted to stick around anymore.

“I’m sorry hatchling but my time here is done. It is time to leave this place. If you were wise you would return to your mother’s side.”

“Why? What was that?”

“That would be the humans… you should avoid them until you are ready. Your mother wouldn’t want you among them so young.”

He snorted. His mother wouldn’t mind if he checked out the noise. She was sleeping after all. The elk was only a chicken and could face the fact that curiosity was far more interesting when you found the answers yourself. 

The elk stomped its hoof and turned. 

“Fare thee well, hatchling. I pray the gods will guide your path safely home. Please stay clear of the village encampment. Times have changed but even humans are still tricky folk to trust.”

Mazu bounced his body in confirmation of his request. The elk dashed into the trees westbound from the village, seeking to put distance between them. Mazu turned to head back towards his mother’s lair when heard footsteps nearby. He froze as a large man with a metal stick with a blunt blade stepped out in front of him. The man didn’t notice Mazu, so he remained still, waiting to see what the strange creature would do next. 

The man looked around with his hand towards his eyes to shade the sun from his eyesight. Then he turned back and yelled something over his shoulder. After a moment passed, he turned back towards the way he came and Mazu found himself curious enough to follow at a short distance. 

He knew he was breaking his word with the elk for not returning to his mother, but something told him to follow this man. There was a reason he was in the forest and brought to Mazu’s spot. And who was Mazu to deny his fate if it meant to follow this man to it. At least I hope I don’t get into too much trouble, or mother will have my hide.

Stay tuned for Part 4 Coming in August!

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~ Katie

Goddess of the Elves — Salza

Hello riders. Today I am going to introduce you to one of my favorite Goddesses from the world of Tarzinëa. Her name is Salza. She is the Goddess of Elves and Forest. Her parents are Nütari, the Goddess of Beasts, and her father, Mortez, the God of Dragons. 

Salza has been running amok in the Forest of Ferrês since she was only a baby. This was her mother’s special land for the creatures she created and Salza enjoyed it so much she created the elves that would have a forest of their own over in Vladïmir. Her abilities range from healing, light magic, and some magic of beasts in nature. 

Her constellation in the sky above Vladïmir is a little blossom, but when times of war happen she becomes a mountain lion. She is also the goddess that created the Purity Bow one of four magical artifacts that were blessed by the gods to help mortals with wars and protect the innocent. 

At the time of Tales of Ferrês, Salza appears several times in different stories. She helps fate by bringing the forest to the heroes and pushing them within the barriers to face the fate of the world. Her power is limited and sometimes she takes the form of a full grown elven maiden. But she remains in her child form because of respect for her father Mortez that was exiled when she was little. She doesn’t want him coming back to the world only to find her and everyone else changed without him.

Her favorite elf is Ïstan, the Prince of Exiles. He turned his back on his people and Salza left her people behind to follow him and bless him. The Dark Ages have fallen on Vladïmir and many within the elven kingdom don’t know why the goddess has forsaken them. 

But that is a story for my novels to reveal. Right now, though, you get to see how involved she is with her heroes since her father can’t be. Many dragon riders were born from the union of magic with Mortez and Serena the Goddess of the Blue Moon. They are also siblings. Probably why Salza is so close to Serena and helps her take over the Forest of Ferrês. 

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If you enjoyed learning about Salza and want to see more about her in the Tales of Ferrês check out my special anniversary editions that I plan to release through Kickstarter HERE. Click the NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH button to get updates and the launch announcement. 

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Hope you all have a great rest of your week. 

~Katie

Mazu's Hatchling Adventure — Part 2!

 Greetings riders. Today I have the second part of Mazu's Hatchling Adventure. He meets a new friend in the woods and discovers a few knew things that he never seen before. I ended up having part 2 to long so I had to split it into 2 parts again. I hope you don't mind and enjoy this snippet inside this story. 

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Read Part 1 Here!

Mazu's Hatchling Adventure

Part Two

by: K.M. Jenkins

Darkness. All he saw was darkness. There was a presence, though. A female voice. It called to him occasionally. It was warm and bright. Her voice calmed him when panic set in and all he thought about was breaking free. 

Time meant nothing to him. His days blurred into weeks within the small sphere that held him prisoner. He did not know how time worked; everything seemed the same, no matter what he did. But that voice was always talking and giving him pictures into the world. Colors would take root in his mind and images appeared. The voice would tell him what each thing was and how excited they were about him one day seeing it for himself. He longed for the day the female spoke of, but it seemed to never come. 

As the days grew longer and summer came upon them the sights from the sky infiltrated his mind the most. She loved flying and showing him the world from the eyes of a dragon. Each day he grew stronger and the connection to the female amplified. However, something else tugged at his mind telling him it was almost time.

Almost time for what though? He thought. Dread would fill him all over again when the images of the world would disappear. He struggled to see on his own and all he saw was a stone wall filled with darkness. Why can’t I get free? His restlessness surrendered to his will and the day came when everything changed.

A crack chipped away on the outer wall of his prison. It grew with each movement he made. One claw slid across the surface, forcing the shell to scatter at his touch. He felt glee for the first time. Happiness filled him at the eagerness of finally being free. 

He raked his claws across the crack and it fell further away. Light broke through the darkness and blinded him for the first time. Mazu blinked away the tears. Then he plunged his head through the crack and rolled from his nest onto the earthen floor with a thud. He shook himself off and unraveled his flailing limbs. Took a moment to collect himself before he took in his surroundings. 

The first thing his eyes locked on was the boulders that surrounded the clearing that he called home. He remembered these trees from the female’s mind. She showed him everything in front of him to prepare the way. But he didn’t care, besides the fact that he could breathe fresh air for the first time in his life. “I’m free!” he yelled into the void. But his mouth only made a gurgling noise in his stead. He reached out to the female voice only to turn and freeze. There was another dragon lying near his nest. He crouched to the earthen floor and waited to see what the fellow dragon would do. But from the look of it, she was sleeping. Then he slid over to her to get a better look. 

Mazu was inches from her face and rested his nose against hers. Then he felt the connection that was in his mind grow. This was the female who gave him all the memories of the outside world. She was the one who kept him sane while he wanted to go mad. That is when he figured out who she was. She was his mother, and that is why they were bonded. He felt warmth form deep in his chest as he looked at her for the first time. She was beautiful. But she wasn’t the only thing he wanted to see now that freedom called. 

Mazu turned his head towards the massive trees that circled the clearing where he found his home. He crawled over to the trunk of one and sniffed it. It didn’t smell that wonderful, but it brought character to his home. Wonder why they are so big? Are they all this big? He wondered. 

Once his curiosity with the tree subsided, he looked around to see that there were large rock formations that surrounded the nest and held things in place. Mazu didn’t know if it was intentional to have the rocks locking him within as his shell was broken away at his feet. But he didn’t stick around to find out.

He slid across the ground, sniffing the dirt as he went. A gust of wind blew dirt in his face, and he turned his head to take in his mother sleeping soundly on a large rock formation that curved with her body. She was enormous. Mazu was tiny compared to her, and she was asleep with her eyes closed. Guess that is my cue to adventure, he thought.

Once he reached the far-off tree that looked different from the others, Mazu froze. He wondered to the base of the tree and sniffed it to take in its scent. However, it didn’t smell the same as the other ones nearby. This one was special. He could tell from the energy coming off it. Mazu contemplated what it could mean until he heard a noise farther off into the wooded area. 

“What was that?” 

His eyes peered around the tree but didn’t see anything. “Guess that means I have to check it out,” he chuckled to himself. Mazu scooted back on his hind legs and perched himself high enough to climb over the enormous roots at the base of the tree. They were as thick as his thighs as he jumped over the top and landed with a thud on the other side. 

Quickly, he looked around to make sure he didn’t wake or alert anyone to his presence. Then he moved forward into the brush, looking for any sign of life. It was a few yards in when he saw a bush bounce around. A small creature jumped out in front of him. When it locked eyes on him, it’s eyes grew wide as balls and it made a screeching sound. Then turned and ran away with a white cotton tail jumping up and down on his rear end. 

“What in hell-fire was that?” he pondered.

Mazu sniffed the ground where the creature stood moments before but he didn’t recognize the smell. Probably because he never seen one of them before. He wanted to see another one again one day. “I wonder why it was so scared? I did nothing threatening.”

Another noise came from far off in the distance drawing Mazu’s attention forward. He stuck his nose to the ground like a normal grey hound and started wondering what he would find. 

It came out of nowhere. A creature so big it made him feel tiny-tiny. It stood on long, thick legs with grey stone feet he assumed were hooves. The creature had wide white-brown sticks coming out of its head and a weird short tail that flicked up when it looked around. Mazu stayed in the underbrush, knowing his presence would alert the creature and send it fleeing into the woods. “For some reason, I scare these things in the woods.” 

Mazu lowered his belly to the dirt and peered through the long grass in wonder. The enormous nose of the creature lowered to eat the grass. It chopped away not realizing that Mazu was nearby. He wanted to know what kind of creature it was but kept himself quiet, hoping to get to watch it a moment longer. Then he remembered how his mother would send images and words to him when he was in his shell. 

Then Mazu reached out to the creature to see what kind of mind it possessed. As he connected with the creature its head shot straight and dashed around in all directions. It knew someone was watching him now and Mazu hated alerting the creature but he had to know what it was. But what surprised him the most was the intelligence the creature possessed. 

“Hello…is someone there?”

Mazu blinked back surprise. The creature responded to his tug on his mind faster than Mazu was expecting. Perhaps it is a magical creature such as myself, he pondered. The elk turned its head towards Mazu’s direction and its nostrils flared. He could smell danger faster than he could find it. The elk stopped its hoof in irritation and reached out with a blast of mind magic and slammed hard into Mazu’s inner thoughts.

“I know you are there! Show yourself!”

“Only if you promise not to run…” Mazu stated softly.

The elk snorted, stopped its right hind foot and tilted its head. 

“Fine. Come out and I won’t run.”

Mazu felt excitement as he slid forward from under the tall grass. The elk stepped back as it tilted its head to take him in. It didn’t run like it promised but it didn’t seem thrilled with his appearance. 

“You’re a hatchling…”

Mazu snorted at him.

“Yes, I’m a hatchling, but what are you?” Mazu laughed.

The elk snorted and thrashed its head at his reply. Then he looked Mazu in the eye and seemed to smile in his own way.

“It’s been a long time since hatchlings have been seen in this world. Forgive me. You took me by surprise...”

“Yes…yes. But what are you?” Mazu pushed.

The elk tilted his head and snorted again.

“Aww…yes. I’m what humans call an elk.”

Continue on to Part Three!

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I hope you enjoyed this insight into Mazu's story and I look forward to bringing you the 3rd part this next month.

Until next time,

~ Katie

Goddess Nutari Spotlight: The Goddess of Beasts

 

Nutari

Goddess of Beasts

She is the creator of magical creatures throughout the realms of Tarzinëa since the dawn of time. Many hold true to her as their goddess but some have forsaken her over the years due to how she meddles in the affairs of mortals. 

Nutari created the Forest of Ferrês and made it a haven for all magical creatures. But she closed off the realm from the outside world and kept the mysterious power to herself. 

Things changed though, when Goddess Serena usurped her reign of the Forest and took it for herself. The twin-tailed foxes remained loyal to Nutari and ended up going into exile because of it. 

Nutari has held a grudge since Serena took her beautiful land from her. And she is also the mate to Serena’s brother Mortez, the god of dragons. This leads to strife in the family and drama beyond your wildest imagination. 

The form she usually takes is that of a twin-tailed fox with white on one side of her body and black on the other. She still walks in the forest till this day even though Serena never banned her from the forest. But she doesn’t show herself to anyone unless she seems fit to do so out of her own gain. 

I actually just wrote a short story for my Kickstarter backers over on my PreLaunch page that features Nutari. She gets involved with Thorso the God of the Underworld, and Filthas Dengotta. He is a forsaken rider who betrayed the entire kingdom. But you will have to head over to my pre - launch page and click the NOTIFY ME ON LAUNCH button to get access to the story. 

Watch the Forest of Ferrês come alive inside the Tales of Ferrês Kickstarter Campaign. A whole new cover, rewritten stories, and illustrated artwork are featured throughout this special edition anniversary collection. Click HERE to check it out.

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Mazu's Hatchling Adventure: Part One

Mazu’s Hatchling Adventure

Part: One

Mëisha

Leaves danced on the breeze as Mëisha nudged her large egg. She still didn’t realize the importance of being the first mama dragon since the exile ended. But over the last several months since Katzu and her created their egg things have changed. Dragons have been staying outside Zorron with their families. They have allowed humans near their dwellings and have fought to help strengthen humans along with the others in the world.

She still waited with bated breath for the day her egg would hatch. But that could be a long wait. Dragon hatchlings didn’t hatch for anyone. They would hatch only for their rider. It’s been this way since the Goddess Serena blessed the first dragon riders’ union. That changed the way dragons came into this world and left this world. She remembered when the elder dragons, at the time of exile, locked themselves away within their eggs. This way they wouldn’t age and could preserve their strength in order to be ready for when the next war came. They would only awaken for their chosen rider just like hatchling dragons. There eggs still live within the Mountains of Zorron to this day. Mëisha could only fathom what would cause them to stir after all these years.

Right now, it was midday and Katzu was hunting. These last several months he has provided for Mëisha’s every need. He found pleasure in providing for her and the youngling they had created. She found herself tired frequently because of the connection she had with the hatchling inside the egg. The little one would feed off her and be connected to her until he or she found her rider. Then they would become a united front. But until then Mëisha delt with lower energy levels and the constant urge to eat.

The lower energy led her to sleep more and enjoy the beauty of the world. Resting beneath the elven oak tree Blake planted by her nest made her heart soar with happiness. However, that didn’t mean she let her guard down any. She had to protect her egg from outsiders. She knew it was dangerous having her egg out in the world but she trusted the small village nearby.

The village has been there for years on the outskirts of Vladïmir, the elven kingdom. They never seemed to anger the elves or cause any harm so she found this place to nest priceless. Blake thought it was too exposed, and they needed to head back to Zorron. It was in the egg’s best interest. However, Mëisha couldn’t help but think he held onto the past too much. It was a new age for man and they needed to help bring them into the future. And what better way than with trusting a nearby village to be near her egg. Trust started only when it was given.

Besides, the humans don’t even know you exist, she thought as she looked down at the egg that could pass as a large oval stone. If you weren’t used to seeing a dragon egg you wouldn’t even know it was there. But that didn’t stop her rider, Blake, and her mate Katzu from worrying. They constantly complained and tried to get her to leave her new home. However, she was stubborn, and she didn’t want to leave yet. She enjoyed her freedom from the others always being in her business. The mountains were home too, but to close quarters. Everyone knew each other’s business. She was surprised that no one had found out about her cave and the secret within after all this time.

Mëisha gave the egg another nudge to settle it between a nice boulder and some bushels of grass. She sighed to herself, wondering what the future would bring. Then laid down and closed her eyes. Slowly the breeze tickled her nose and lulled her off to sleep. A single thought of how the youngly would look like her and Katzu drifted into her mind and darkness consumed her as her energy failed to keep her awake. 

Continue on to Part Two Here!

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Goddess Spotlight: Serena - Goddess of the Blue Moon

 Serena

Goddess of the Blue Moon

What does she control:

She is the main goddess of magic. Many of the mages throughout the world call on her to use magical spells and help them in times of crisis.

She also is the ruler presently over the Forest of Ferrês and has increased its powers since she took over the reigns by force from Nütari. 

What does she represent:

She is one of the gods created from the union of a elder god and a human warrior. They keep this hidden throughout the history and hope it never comes to light. But she tends to break the rules and change the way things are run on a daily basis. She is patent to a point and will wait eons to get her way.

Parents:

Bright Star (the queen of the gods) & a human warrior

Bright Star protects the identity of her lover slash husband from the others to protect him from being targeted. Also you will have to wait for him to be revealed throughout the stories I write, lol.

Siblings:

Mortez (the god of dragons)

Anything else important to share:

Serena has entered the world on many occasions through out the time of Tarzinëa's birth. But she has never outwardly challenged the gods until this day. Now she is on the war path and no one knows what is going to happen because they don't even know where she is. 

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Jeremy Barvis — The Assassin's Backstory

Ho there! Good travelers! Oh, what a story I've got for you.

Names Jeremy Barvis and I’m the son of a nobleman within the kingdom of Tarza that shall not be named. Yeah, it is mainly because I don’t wish to name him. Why, you ask? Because then you will know what to look out for with dealing with my family. The best thing is to go unnoticed among the slums of the streets.

Plus, I don’t want to give the old man a heads-up. He hasn’t been able to find me since I disappeared over five years ago when I was just a mere lad. Not, I was like 16 and now I’m 21 with a name for myself. Best not let the old man steal it like he always does.

Now you've probably heard of me from my journey in “The Assassin’s Prophecy.” Wait! You haven’t heard of me. Then why are you here? Oh, right not everyone reads books these days unless they like the people the pages are about.

Well, I’m probably not one of those people you will love and adore... I’m more of an annoyance that makes everyone’s head explode. But that is only what my superiors state, and a lot of my associates to boot. However, you got me off the topic of who I am.

I’m the new assassin at the Assassin’s Association that has been killing marks easy-peasy for the last several months. Before my time as an assassin I was a nobody. Just a wandering fool who didn’t know what to do from day to day. I wanted a way to get back at the old man. And when I say get back, I mean ruin, straight into the ground.

That is why I joined the Assassin’s Association....and know it has nothing to do with a spunky snarky female named Malone. She might have talked me into joining at first but it wasn’t to spend more time with her. And guess what? All my hard work paid off. I got the best assignment available that could mark me for the rest of my days. And if I revealed my name it would bring my old man from the head of the lords to the rubbish bin at an innkeeper’s pig stall.

What assignment did you say? Well, it is the one where I get to infiltrate Vladïmir, the land of the elves to kill their prissy king. But I won’t tell you how things go for me. Many times you would say I failed, but overall it was a splendid trip even if emotions got high.

But if you want to see what happened to me and how I escaped with the help of Esmé then check out my story “The Assassin’s Prophecy.” It is a short story inside the Tales of Ferrês Short Story Series. Or you can grab it in the bundle book Tales of Ferrês. Oh, and even to annoy you some more. Tales of Ferrês has a special edition anniversary coming up over on Kickstarter. Check out the details HERE if you want the fancy new cover and all the awesome stuff the author put together for the campaign.

Now, if you will excuse me I have to see what Malone is doing behind the barracks. I think she is up to something, but who better than to find out than me. Fare thee well, pleasant companions!