Parasite Games: Iron Dragon, #5

By Tim Niederriter

What exists beyond the world? Who seeks to hide it?

What Leoten saw within the vault won't let his mind rest.

After years of service with the agency, he's finally free to pursue the truth when he returns home.

Forces from beyond begin a dangerous game and Leoten becomes a piece in the middle of the action once again.

Every character and mystery encountered before has its role in the Parasite Games. Iron Dragon book 5 continues a quest for the nature of reality in the strange fantasy world introduced in Tenlyres, and concludes the arc begun in book one.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mental Cellar Publications
• Release date: Jun 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227620347

Tim Niederriter

Tim Niederriter loves writing fantasy blended with science fiction. He lives in the green valley of southern Minnesota where he plays some of the nerdiest tabletop games imaginable. If you meet him, remember, his name is pronounced “Need a writer.”

Book preview

What exists beyond the world? Who seeks to hide it?

What Leoten saw within the vault won’t let his mind rest.

After years of service with the agency, he’s finally free to pursue the truth when he returns home.

Forces from beyond begin a dangerous game and Leoten enters the heart of the action once again.

Everything encountered before has its role in the Parasite Games. Iron Dragon book 5 continues a quest for the nature of reality in the strange fantasy world introduced in Tenlyres.

Interlude One - Demon

Hargruss awakened to the cold, as he often did in this strange world. Even a refurbished palace on the edge of the Black Desert couldn’t warm him, especially not on a night like this one. He sat up and turned toward the source of the strongest chill.

He’d been born under a sky that looked nothing like the moon and stars that gleamed in the night, visible out the archway that led to the balcony. He slept alone, but his mind began to race as he noticed the glass door that led outside was open a crack.

Pain flashed behind his eyes, all-too familiar, but long-delayed. The sense of nearby souls provided by his knowledge of the Sulji Arts told him the headache was not pain from loss, but from restoration. His pact through the invisible strands of the touchwork had been repaired, both suddenly and without warning.

You’re here, at last. He blinked as he gazed at the ceiling. Show yourself, Alsikininaia.

Her mind brushed by his conscious thoughts and then the light of her spirit flowed out of him. The phantom form of a woman, clad in a long gown cinched at the waist with a band of scroll cases, appeared before him. She glowed a pale blue, and he knew his hand would pass through her if he reached out.

When we made our pact you swore, you’d never again call me by my full name.

And I haven’t. But forgive my rudeness. You still prefer Kini. Hargruss’ wide mouth would have displayed a genuine smile for once, if it could.

It has been almost three years. I thought you dead or worse for much of that time.

Did you notice the beacon?

I couldn’t miss it. Besides, your presence was close to by its presence for a few hours. That was enough for me to seek you here. On this world.

It’s been some time since the beacon.

I traversed a great many trials to reach this place, said Kini. But now that we’re together again, I expect you to uphold your side of our partnership.

I vowed to take you to see new skies. In one way, I’ve succeeded at that once again.

Kini’s form rippled. Don’t forget the other terms of our pact. She faded from sight, but he still sensed her presence, which both surrounded and filled him.

The moment Kini vanished, a knock drew Hargruss’ attention to the door to his palace chamber. The building was empty but for him and his people. Indeed, the presence he sensed beyond the door belonged to the only one besides Kini who aided him willingly.

Sarah Hanzioni didn’t wait for him to answer. She opened his unlocked door and stepped into the bed chamber that once belonged to some king or other.

Hargruss, she said.