Byzantium, Book 2: Stone and Fire

By Pro Se Press

Award Winning Author I. A. Watson, one of the most prolific voices in New Pulp, returns readers to a world of history of fantasy, one marred with magic, monsters, and mystery in the second chapter his exclusive original Pro Se Single Shot Signatures Series Byzantium.

In a world where Christianity never arose to sweep away the old magics, where sorcerer-guilds and necromancer-kings rule amidst the Roman ruins, Kirkgrim the Wanderer joins a caravan train across war-torn wasteland to the world's most corrupt city. The reluctant hero finds himself trapped with travelers, refugee orphans, deserter soldiers, a beautiful hunted sorceress, and one mad viking, amidst civil war, religious zealots, brutal reavers, and a growing zombie army - guarding a secret that could bring the last vestiges of civilization crashing down in flames.

In Byzantium Book Two:Stone and Fire, the caravan encounters death and destruction at the hands of bandits and the undead, desperate and possibly traitorous Imperial soldiers, a decimated bridge, and a battle between two elemental giants that very well could spell the end of the caravan, even with the holy Kirkgrim the Wanderer as its protector.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pro Se Press
• Release date: Jan 18, 2015

Pro Se Press

Based in Batesville, Arkansas, Pro Se Productions has become a leader on the cutting edge of New Pulp Fiction in a very short time.Pulp Fiction, known by many names and identified as being action/adventure, fast paced, hero versus villain, over the top characters and tight, yet extravagant plots, is experiencing a resurgence like never before. And Pro Se Press is a major part of the revival, one of the reasons that New Pulp is growing by leaps and bounds.

Book preview

BYZANTIUM BOOK TWO: STONE AND FIRE

by I.A. Watson.

Published by Pro Se Press

Part of the SINGLE SHOTS SIGNATURE line

This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters in this publication are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. No part or whole of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing of the publisher.

Byzantium Book Two: Stone and Fire

Copyright © 2015 I.A. Watson

All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Previously, in BYZANTIUM: DEAD MEN’S ROAD

Significant Travellers in the Caravan of Padavas the Portly

I. On the Trail to the East

II. On Mages and Monsters

III. On Military Logistics

IV. On the Crossing of Bridges

V. On the Fortified House and Its Contents

VI. On Stone Versus Fire and Other Confrontations

One Version of the Tale of the Children of Danu

In which we report the journey of the last caravan to Byzantium as it is hunted by raiders and revenants, with a packed roster of merchants, mendicants, military, magicians, monks, mercenaries, and one formidable grandmother.

Previously, in BYZANTIUM: DEAD MEN’S ROAD:

Wandering Celtic priest Kirkgrim Carrionwake joined the caravan heading east to Byzantium mostly because he fancied Venetian mage Mirabelle de Castile. The collection of travellers seeking safe passage to the great city were an interesting selection of merchants, messengers, monks, and others ripe for meddling with. Of particular interest were the newly recruited Viking caravan guard Sigroth Sigrothson and the train’s lead scout Fitz, owner of a fighting war pig.

Kirkgrim also suspected growing trouble as the rebel forces of Baron Olderus shifted their attentions west of the fallen Roman Empire’s old capital, defying Duke Sebastio’s weakening rule and fomenting chaos across the region. The Wanderer couldn’t know that the beautiful Lady Mirabelle was tasked with delivering a sealed casket to the Invisible College’s Byzantine Chapter, or that this treasure would draw the attention of a one-eyed sorcerer and his band or raiders and of a Necromancer who would raise an undead horde.

If he had known, Kirkgrim would have gone anyway.

Significant Travellers in the Caravan of Padavas the Portly

At the start of our present chronicle

The Staff:

Padavas the Portly, Caravan Master, bringing his train on a new route hoping for less trouble

Santar Strongarm, his guard commander

Fitz the Scout, principal tracker, and his truffle pig companion Fred

Sigroth Sigrothson, out-of-place simple-minded axe loving Viking berserker

Vare the smith’s son, a neophyte wagon guard newly recruited to the job

Truder the Younger, experienced but antisocial wagon guard, now secretly an undead serving a sinister enemy

Jessup and Wardik, Santar’s cronies, caravan guards

Nine other bravos, some herdsmen, drovers, and wagon drivers, and a harried quartermaster cook

Principal Passengers:

Davidus of Tessera, a rich merchant with many wagons and his own private guard force

Margrave Rhodin dy Thermi, Imperial Courier of Byzantium, serving its ruler Duke Sebastio

Lady Mirabelle de Castile, Silver Adept Initiate of the Invisible College; a mage

Other Passengers:

Kirkgrim Carrionwake, the Wanderer, unconventional priest of the Tuatha de Danaan from the mystic isle of Albion

Alfosus of Tarsus, a slaver transporting a cargo of four captives

Brother Jastus and a column of pilgrim-monks of the Order of St Temensus

Hodis, his wife Katin, three children Yve, Hod Jr, and Frott, and his mother Matya, a displaced farmer family

Lessi, Ulas, Tuse, Aglina (Aggie) and thirteen other recent orphans from undead-ravaged Deara, under the protection of Lady Mirabelle

Many other travellers, bringing the total number in the caravan to 157 souls.

I. On the Trail to the East

It rained the next day, which made travelling slow. Wagons bogged down and needed a constant stream of men to pull them out of deep muddy ruts. The lonely road threaded along a ridge halfway up the side of the Agrianes river valley, with dripping evergreen trees to the left and a steep long-grassed slope to the right. The once paved track had long since been raided for building materials, but now even the roadside huts that dotted the route were roofless and abandoned.

As soon as the train got moving, Fitz the guide headed up the bank into the trees, leaving behind the swearing of the drovers and the snarls of the camp guards, vanishing into the dense wet greenery and peace.

The tracker smiled across at the huge truffle pig at his flank. Fred weighed more than the scout, even before the tough leather harness with its armoured rings and barding that protected the beast’s back, belly, neck, legs, and snout. A fighting hog might be an unusual choice of companion but Fitz and Fred were well pleased with each other and made a formidable team. Folks who laughed at the unlikely sight had never seen the pig tear apart a wolf or jackal with teeth and iron-shod trotters.

Twenty minutes brisk jog brought Fitz and Fred to the apex of the bank. The bottom of the valley was far below now, the meandering river a blur in the rain. The old caravan road was lost in the trees. The tracker paused to examine an old hilltop shrine, a mere pile of stones once dedicated to the old Roman gods – or maybe an emperor – but long since crumbled like the empire itself.

Fitz