Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) Christopher Mitchell (classic reads .txt) 📖

Gates of Ruin

Christopher Mitchell is the author of the epic fantasy series The Magelands. He studied in Edinburgh before living for several years in the Middle East and Greece, where he taught English. He returned to study classics and Greek tragedy and lives in Fife, Scotland with his wife and their four children.

By Christopher Mitchell

The Magelands Origins

Retreat of the Kell

The Trials of Daphne Holdfast

From the Ashes

* * *

The Magelands Epic

The Queen’s Executioner

The Severed City

Needs of the Empire

Sacrifice

Fragile Empire

Storm Mage

Soulwitch Rises

Renegade Gods

* * *

The Magelands Eternal Siege

The Mortal Blade

The Dragon’s Blade

The Prince’s Blade

Falls of Iron

Paths of Fire

Gates of Ruin

City of Salve

* * *

Copyright © Christopher Mitchell 2021

Cover by Miblart

Map by Irina French

Cover Copyright © Brigdomin Books Ltd 2021

Christopher Mitchell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems (except for the use of brief quotations in a book review), if you would like permission to use material from the book please contact support@brigdominbooks.com

Brigdomin Books Ltd

First Edition, April 2021

Ebook Edition © April 2021

ISBN 978-1-912879-55-7

For the Magelanders

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following for all their support during the writing of the Magelands Eternal Siege - my wife, Lisa Mitchell, who read every chapter as soon as it was drafted and kept me going in the right direction; my parents for their unstinting support; Vicky Williams for reading the books in their early stages; James Aitken for his encouragement; and Grant and Gordon of the Film Club for their support.

Thanks also to my Advance Reader team, for all your help during the last few weeks before publication.

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Dramatis Personae

The Forted Shore

Kelsey Holdfast, Blocker of Powers

Aila, Demigod & Shape-shifter

Amalia , Former God-Queen of the City

Alea Tanton

Belinda, The Third Ascendant

Leksandr, The Sixth Ascendant

Arete, The Seventh Ascendant

Silva, Belinda’s Aide

Felice, God; Governor of Lostwell

Latude, God; Former Governor of Lostwell

Kin Dai

Corthie Holdfast, Champion

Naxor, Demigod; Cousin of Vana & Aila

Vana, Sister of Aila; cousin of Naxor

Van Logos, Former Banner Captain

Sohul, Former Banner Lieutenant

Catacombs

Sable Holdfast, Dream Mage

Maddie Jackdaw, Dragon Rider

Sanguino, Former Bloodflies Dragon

Millen, Torduan Fugitive

Deathfang, Lord of the Catacombs

Ashfall, Deathfang’s Elder Daughter

Broadwing, Discontented Dragon

Deepblue, Discontented Dragon

Burntskull, Deathfang’s Advisor

Darksky, Deathfang’s Mate

Halfclaw, Green & Blue Dragon

Grimsleep, Sanguino’s Father

Implacatus

Edmond, The Second Ascendant

Bastion, Edmond’s Enforcer

Others

Blackrose, Captured Dragon

Frostback, Deathfang’s Daughter

Contents

Printable Maps

1. The Back-up Plan

2. The Noose

3. Low

4. Back to the Skies

5. Exhibition

6. Playing Along

7. Going Nowhere

8. The Son Rises

9. The Vow

10. A Glimmer of Silver

11. No Fixed Abode

12. Home to Roost

13. Plan, Interrupted

14. Making Allowances

15. Without a Cause

16. Apology

17. The Eastern Tower

18. Gratitude

19. Cabin Fever

20. The True Enemy

21. An End to Suffering

22. Homeward

23. Deep Water

24. Pig Iron

25. The Missing Piece

26. Lord of the Catacombs

27. The Broken City

28. The Gates of Old Alea

29. The Key

30. The Last Dawn

31. Dislocation

Note on the Calendar

Author’s Notes

The Magelands Series

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Printable Maps

For printable maps, please visit:

www. christophermitchellbooks. com/ printable- maps- eternal- siege

Chapter 1

The Back-up Plan

S toneship, Forted Shore – 13th Lexinch 5252

The shimmering air materialised, and a stone chamber appeared, lit by a series of narrow slit windows. Aila dropped to the cold floor, Amalia writhing and struggling beneath her. A few feet away, Kelsey landed awkwardly, her ankle buckling under her as she fell onto the stone flagstones.

‘Get off me!’ cried Amalia, pushing at Aila with her good hand.

‘What did you do?’ yelled Aila. ‘Where are we?’

Amalia raked her fingernails across Aila’s cheek and lashed out with her boots, catching the demigod with a painful blow down her shin. Aila let go of the former God-Queen, and Amalia rolled away, the Quadrant clattering onto the floor beside her.

‘Get her!’ shouted Kelsey, as she clasped her ankle. ‘She has no power over you. Punch her teeth in.’

Amalia’s glance darted from the Quadrant to her granddaughter, a glimmer of fear in her eyes.

‘She’s right,’ said Aila, tensing herself to spring. ‘For the first time in my life, I’m not scared of you, grandmother.’

‘You should be,’ said Amalia, pulling a knife from her robes.

The two immortals stared at each other in silence for a moment, and Aila heard the cry of a gull through the slit windows, as a waft of salty ocean air drifted into the chamber. Outside, the sky was a deep blue, dazzling compared to the dim light within the stone room.

‘You can’t beat us,’ said Aila, ‘not with one good arm and no powers. Step back from the Quadrant.’

Amalia laughed as she brandished the knife. ‘Try to take it. Do you have any idea how much I would enjoy cutting you to ribbons, granddaughter?’

Kelsey pulled herself to a standing position, though she was putting no weight onto her left ankle. ‘I’ll get round behind her.’

‘No,’ said Aila; ‘stay where you are. If she wounds you, you won’t be able to self-heal. I can take her on my own.’

Amalia lashed out with the knife as Aila launched herself at her. The blade sliced through the thin layer of clothes around the demigod’s waist, sending pain shooting through her body. She shoved Amalia back, pushing her to the ground, and scooped up the Quadrant in her right hand as the wound began to heal. Aila took a few paces back, her eyes scanning the blood across the front of her clothes.

The former God-Queen laughed from the stone floor. ‘And what are you going to do now, little Aila?’

The demigod glanced down at the copper-coloured device clutched in her hand. Her eyes caught Kelsey,