Ascendant Flames: A Sword & Sorcery Fantasy Short Story

By Jed Herne

A young magician joins a criminal gang in a desperate bid for respect. But what will she sacrifice to attain it?

 

Jess is a pyromancer: a sorcerer who draws energy from fires to make her own flames. When she leaves her family to join a gang, she soon grows intoxicated with her growing power - and her rapid ascent to notoriety.

 

But when she must decide between everything she wants and everything she used to be, will she let the past die, or will she reject her new life?

 

This Pyromancer stand-alone short story is a prequel to Fires of the Dead.

 

Perfect to read in one sitting - with a fast-paced, twisting plot - buy Ascendant Flames now to enter a dark, vividly imagined fantasy world. If you enjoy Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, or Mark Lawrence, you'll love Ascendant Flames.

 

 

Praise for Jed Herne:

 

"The perfect read for someone looking to be quickly immersed in a magic system unlike anything else." – Nikki Wallace on Fires of the Dead.

 

"I loved this book from start to finish. At no point was it slow, dull or unimaginative. The end had me shouting and yelling at my husband because it was surprising and I wasn't ready. I said "WHAT the F***?!" and many other things, but it was such a GOOD ending. So, don't let my expletives fool you." - Darian Seese, Goodreads review for Across the Broken Stars.

 

"A plot that finely balanced frenetic action with poignant moments, kept me on the edge of my seat." - Conor, Goodreads review for Across the Broken Stars.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Undergrove Press
• Release date: May 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393405931

Jed Herne

Jed Herne is an Australian architecture student, writer, and host of the Novel Analyst podcast. His stories have been published or are forthcoming in The Arcanist, Scarlet Leaf Review, Flintlock, and other magazines. He loves football, board games, and lists of threes. Go to jedherne.com to join his Reader Club and get free short stories, exclusive content, and updates on his writing projects.

Book preview

Preface

This story is a prequel to Fires of the Dead, set 12 years previously.

Chapter 1

Jess glared at the pieces on the board. Somehow, her little sister had fluked her way into a strong position. Damn it. Jess couldn’t let shy little Lucy beat her.

You’re doing well, Lucy, said their father.

Jess scowled. Her father chewed his lip as he watched them play, mopping his brow with a dirty handkerchief. Every few seconds, he glanced at the front door. He looked pale. Jess focused back on the board. Their father had been sickly for months, but it was still hard and shameful to see him so weak.

Your turn, Jess, said her father.

Jess clenched her jaw. I know.

Well, it’s been a whole minute, said Lucy.

Heat surged through Jess. Lucy never acted so lippy when they were playing anything involving strength. Mainly because she knew Jess would wrestle her until she cried. Jess glanced up. Lucy smirked. She didn’t beat her sister often.

And Jess would be damned if she let that change.

Jess stood and flipped the board and Lucy yelped and her father flinched. Pieces clattered onto the dirty floor. Their shadows flickered in the dim candlelight.

I was going to win! said Lucy.

Jess grinned. Not anymore.

You-

Girls! Their father stood. Please, there’s no need to argue-

Because no one will win but me, said Jess.

She glared at him and her father looked away. That made Jess angrier. How the hell was her father so spineless?

Jess scowled at her sister, and her father, and like usual, neither of them argued. Jess huffed. They’d always been cowards and they’d only got worse since their mother left.

Someone knocked on the door. Evening, Julius.

That was her father’s name. He swallowed and his face grew whiter.

Lucy froze, halfway through collecting the scattered pieces. Should we go to our room, father?

She sounded desperate for him to say yes. Jess smirked.

No, girls. He gulped. I want you to meet someone.

The man knocked again. Come on, Julius. I ain’t fond of the cold.

Jess, her father whispered. Whatever happens – don’t let them discover your gift.

Jess’ guts clenched. Out of instinct, she checked her Bonds to the fireplace and their Ancestral Flame in the basement. Both connections were strong. But the minds inside the Flame stirred with fear. The spirits of her ancestors echoed her father’s panic.

Her father rushed to the door. As he fumbled with the latch, his ears turned red, and his hands trembled so badly it

Reviews for Ascendant Flames

[zainabyaseen04 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's truly a page-turner story!! Loved every second of it!