Phoenix Ascendant - eARC Read online

  Table of Contents

  Previously in The Balanced Sword series

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Gazetteer for Zarathan

  Phoenix Ascendant - eARC

  Ryk E. Spoor

  Advance Reader Copy

  Unproofed

  Baen

  ORIGINAL TRADE PAPERBACK! #3 in the Balanced Sword epic fantasy series, and series finale. Phoenix and her companions take on the King of All Hells in a final showdown with the fate of multiple worlds in the balance.

  The King of All Hells Awaits

  Kyri, Tobimar, and Poplock had managed—barely—to thwart the plans of the mad alchemist-mage Master Wieran, and defeat the monstrous Elderwyrm Sanamaveridion, saving the secret country of Kaizatenzei from the evil hidden at its core. Now they believe they have discovered the true architect of not just the fall of the Justiciars of Myrionar—god of Justice and Vengeance—but the unleashing of the forces of the Hells themselves against the other countries of Zarathan. They begin their journey back to Kyri's home, Evanwyl, to confront the being their new ally Miri calls Viedraverion, first son of the King of All Hells.

  But behind that name lies an even more terrible secret, and a plan centuries in the making, a plan that depends on Kyri being who and what she is. Even if the three adventurers can escape the spies and traps within their own adventuring party, their final adversary awaits them eagerly. For with them they carry the key to their enemy's victory—a victory which will destroy not only Kyri, her friends, and her country, but also the gods themselves!

  Yet Kyri and her allies have a hidden strength themselves. They are fighting for the right, and there are ancient gods and powers who may come to the aid of a true warrior's heart in the time of greatest need.

  Baen Books by Ryk E. Spoor

  Digital Knight

  Paradigms Lost

  Grand Central Arena Series

  Grand Central Arena

  Spheres of Influence

  The Balance Sword Series:

  Phoenix Rising

  Phoenix in Shadow

  Phoenix Ascendant

  Baen Books by Ryk E. Spoor and Eric Flint

  Boundary

  Threshold

  Portal

  Castaway Planet

  Castaway Odyssey (coming)

  PHOENIX ASCENDANT

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2016 by Ryk E. Spoor

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

  A Baen Books Original

  Baen Publishing Enterprises

  P.O. Box 1403

  Riverdale, NY 10471

  www.baen.com

  ISBN: 978-1-4767-8129-7

  Cover art by Todd Lockwood

  First Baen printing, March 2016

  Distributed by Simon & Schuster

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: TK

  Printed in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & THANKS

  As always to my wife Kathleen, for giving me the time

  To Toni Weisskopf, without whom Kyri would not have completed her quest

  To Tony Daniel, for guiding Kyri to her final destination

  And to my Beta-Readers, for invaluable support, feedback, and nitpicking.

  This novel is dedicated to my daughter Victoria and

  my son Gabriel, who have both been waiting

  to see the end of Phoenix Kyri’s quest.

  Previously in The Balanced Sword series

  Phoenix Rising

  Kyri Victoria Vantage lost her parents to unknown attackers some years before. Even the Justiciars of Myrionar, God of Justice and Vengeance, the patron deity of her country Evanwyl, were unable to discover the identity of the assailants. But she has moved on, and her brother Rion has become a Justiciar himself. Then tragedy strikes a second time, and during a sudden and monstrous attack on Evanwyl, something kills Rion, tearing his soul to shreds.

  Shocked and now worried that her whole family is in peril, Kyri leaves Evanwyl with her aunt Victoria and younger sister Urelle, travelling to far-distant Zarathanton to begin a new life. But a chance discovery there reveals the hideous truth: that it was the Justiciars who were responsible, the supposed holy warriors somehow betraying everything they stand for. In rage and shock, Kyri demands Myrionar explain itself--and the god answers. Something far worse is happening; Myrionar is weakened, perhaps dying, but It promises Kyri that if she will be true to Myrionar--will become the one true Justiciar--then she will one day have the justice and vengeance she seeks.

  Meanwhile, Tobimar Silverun, youngest prince of the country of Skysand, is forced to leave his country in search of the origins of his people--a quest that is thrust on his family once in a generation, and which amounts to exile for twenty years…unless he can discover their ancient homeland. The mysterious mage Khoros, once Tobimar’s teacher, also warns Tobimar that the next Chaoswar is about to begin, and that this is connected to his quest.

  Tobimar’s search leads him to Zarathanton, greatest city of the world, and to a startling meeting with Poplock Duckweed, a diminutive Toad adventurer who has already disrupted the plans of one of the Mazolishta demonlords, Voorith. The two seek an audience with the Sauran King, only to find that he has been assassinated moments before they enter the Throne Room!

  Having accepted Myrionar’s offer, Kyri realizes that if she is to be a Justiciar, she must obtain the magical and powerful Raiment--the armor of a Justiciar--that both symbolizes and protects a Justiciar, and sets out to find the half-legendary Spiritsmith who can forge the Raiment. After managing to discover him--and pass his lethal tests--she convinces him that she is indeed the first of the new Justiciars, and takes the name Phoenix as her new title (as all Justiciars have the names of birds).

  As refugees from the Forest Sea begin to pour into Zarathanton in massive numbers and word of revolutions or wars in distant lands begin to arrive, Tobimar and Poplock realize that they are seeing part of a vast, coordinated plan to destroy the State of the Dragon King and perhaps the peace of the world--certainly part of the Chaoswar that Khoros warned them of. />
  The small clues that Tobimar had for locating his country suddenly come into clear focus when he realizes that the god Myrionar’s symbolism and location fit everything he has heard, pointing him and Poplock to Evanwyl. In the company of a new ally, Xavier Ross of Earth, they head for Evanwyl, confronting demonic pursuers along the way.

  With her new Raiment and accompanying sword, Kyri begins her work of undermining the false Justiciars and preparing to confront them. She attempts to convince the first, Mist Owl, to change sides and help her, but he fears the force behind the false Justiciars too much to do this, and dies at her hand. A second Justiciar, Shrike, afraid that she will convince his adoptive son, the Justiciar Condor, to follow her, which might lead to Condor’s death, also fails to kill her. Realizing that her confrontational approach is making it almost certain that she must fight each one, she chooses to try another way: to approach them not as a Justiciar, but as their “little sister,” Kyri Vantage. For this, she selects Thornfalcon, the least martial of the Justiciars.

  At the same time, Tobimar and Poplock have arrived in Evanwyl, having parted ways temporarily with Xavier. They hear the rumor of a false Justiciar named “Phoenix” who has killed at least one of the real Justiciars, and as this fits with the sort of thing they’ve already encountered more than once, offer their services to help hunt down Phoenix. They come across Shrike’s body and deduce where Phoenix is headed next--although they do not realize the truth yet.

  Kyri makes contact with Thornfalcon, who seems open to her approach…until he reveals the trap he has set for her. He was the one who killed her brother, and who has directed most of the operations of the false Justiciars (although there is someone or something above him).

  Tobimar and Poplock arrive at Thornfalcon’s just in time to prevent him from murdering Kyri, and instead find themselves in a fight to the death. But Kyri escapes her imprisonment and joins them. Together the three kill Thornfalcon despite his nigh-demonic powers, but are then caught in a trap that is unleashing an apparently endless horde of monsters into the midst of Evanwyl. At the last minute Xavier shows up, and together they locate the source of the monstrosities. Kyri calls upon the power of Myrionar and destroys the gateway through which they are coming.

  Once all four have been introduced and understand each others’ stories, Kyri, Poplock, Tobimar, and Xavier make their way to the Temple of the Balanced Sword where they confront two more false Justiciars, Bolthawk and Skyharrier, and reveal them for what they are.

  The truth has been revealed, but they know that there are more mysteries--who was truly behind Thornfalcon, how a god’s chosen emissaries can be corrupted, and how this all connects to the rise of war throughout the world. With Xavier now gone on his own quest, it falls to the three of them to find the answers…

  Phoenix in Shadow

  In a prologue, the unnamed true enemy examines the aftermath of the battle against Thornfalcon, and realizes the identity of the Phoenix, as well as deducing more of the nature of her companions than she might suspect. It then returns to the corrupted Justiciar’s Retreat, just ahead of Aran Condor.

  Aran demands their patron find some way of giving him the power to confront and destroy the Phoenix. Their patron calls on Kerlamion, King of All Hells, greatest of demonlords. Addressing the patron as “Viedraverion”, Kerlamion agrees to provide the power Aran seeks…if Aran comes before his very throne to request it.

  Meanwhile, Kyri and her friends have done their best to help and restabilize Evanwyl after the terrible shock of discovering the other Justiciar’s corruption. Finding Tobimar’s weapons heavily damaged after the battle against Thornfalcon, Kyri leads them to the Spiritsmith’s forge. The Spiritsmith agrees to forge appropriate weapons and armor for Tobimar.

  As they are talking, something monstrously wrong happens, shaking the earth, darkening the sky, and in horrified shock the Spiritsmith points to a shadow that now stands on the horizon; the Black City of Kerlamion has somehow come to Zarathan, and the King of All Hells now walks the living world.

  The Spiritsmith completes the forging of Tobimar’s gear, and also contacts the legendary Wanderer to assist the travelers in determining their destination and understanding the forces arrayed against them. The Wanderer confirms--as they had guessed--that they must journey through corrupt and deadly Rivendream Pass to Moonshade Hollow, and that much of what is happening he knows, but cannot tell them. Kyri says: “A prophecy. You have a prophecy.”

  The Wanderer responds with a strange smile, and answers, “Not…precisely. Though, perhaps, close enough for your purposes.”

  He gives them only a few cryptic hints, emphasizing that while he would very much like to tell them more, doing so could jeopardize everything they are all trying to accomplish--but that Myrionar’s promise that they can succeed is very much true.

  Aran Condor has made his way through the wastelands nicknamed “Hell”, and then finds himself confronted by the real thing--standing before the doors of the Black City itself. His anger and need for vengeance (barely) overcomes his more sensible fear, and he continues forward. Kerlamion gives him the Demonshard Blade, a piece of Kerlamion’s own sword, a weapon of tremendous demonic power which the Lord of All Hells says should be capable of destroying anything--even the Phoenix Justiciar.

  The three heroes make their way through Rivendream Pass, which is even worse than they had expected. During this trip, Kyri and Tobimar finally (with a bit of pushing by Poplock) admit their attraction for each other. Shortly after entering the corrupted forest in Moonshade Hollow, they come across a small figure about to be attacked by a monster.

  The diminutive, beautiful girl introduces herself as “Miri, Light of the Unity”, and leads them through a barrier wall into a land she calls “Kaizatenzei”, translated as “the Unity of the Seven Lights”.

  Impossibly, Kaizatenzei seems to be not only not corrupt, but in actuality a haven of purity, a supernaturally right place where it is almost impossible to imagine the existence of the evil that lies just outside of its walls. The people know nothing of the world beyond the corrupted forest and are astounded by the three new arrivals. Miri is the right-hand servant and troubleshooter for “Lady Shae”, the Lady of Seven Lights. Lady Shae bids the group travel to their capital, Sha Kaizatenzei Valatar.

  The three are joined in their travels by Hiriista, mazakh “magewright”--master of magical talents tied to more physical sources, such as alchemy and the discipline called “Gemcalling”. Despite his species, Hiriista appears to be very much on the side of good and develops an unexpectedly strong bond with Poplock.

  The group learns that Hiriista has noted some oddities concerning the “Unity Guard”--the combined police and military force of Kaizatenzei, a group that includes Lights, Colors, Shades, and Hues, with Lights such as Miri at the top. These oddities fit with a few unsettling feelings Phoenix has had around Unity Guards.

  Unbeknownst to the adventurers, Miri and Shae are the demonlords Emirinovas and Kalshae, and they have some plan which requires Tobimar Silverun, whom they refer to as “the Key”, and also the assistance of the cold and calculating researcher named Master Wieran.

  Aran Condor enters Kaizatenzei in pursuit of the Phoenix. The purity of Kaizatenzei breaks the corrupting hold that the Demonshard Blade had gained on Aran’s mind, and Condor successfully defeats the blade in a contest of wills. Miri, as asked by Viedraverion, meets Aran and sends him traveling around the central lake in the opposite direction from Phoenix and her companions.

  Miri is stunned when, during their travels, Phoenix manages to summon the power of her god to heal children who should be unsalvageable (infected by a soul-damaging parasite). She also fears that her constant contact with the magic that has made Kaizatenzei so pure is corrupting her demonic essence.

  The travelers reach Sha Kaizatenzei Valatar, and all seems perfect--except for a momentary flash of sensation by Phoenix, where she detects two dark presences, one filled with anger and hatred, the other co
ld and amused.

  Tobimar is allowed to approach “the Great Light” in the Valatar Tower, and its response to his approach proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that the Great Light is the Sun of Terian, one of the greatest artifacts of one of the most powerful gods of good, and because of that Tobimar now knows that Kaizatenzei is what is left of the true homeland of his people.

  Miri discovers that she is totally corrupt--or, more accurately, purified--when she finds herself drawn physically and romantically to Phoenix.

  As a celebration is prepared for them, the adventurers notice a much larger number of Unity Guard entering the city, and recognize that this whole setup could be a trap. Their attempt to escape fails, and they are captured and Tobimar placed on a sacrificial altar; Miri is also caught out and captured by Kalshae.

  As Wieran’s and Kalshae’s ritual is nearing completion, Tobimar connects the events with the last advice Khoros gave him, and realizes that an old childhood prayer is in fact the key to accessing the power of the Sun of Terian. For a moment, Terian himself manifests through the body of Tobimar, freeing and healing the Skysand Prince and his friends. Kyri and Hiriista leave the room to rescue Miri, while Tobimar--with more than mortal power--and Poplock confront Kalshae.

  Kalshae is defeated when Poplock tricks her into triggering a summons of herself, and Kyri reaches Miri in time to keep her from being locked away. The group confronts Master Wieran in his laboratory, but cannot fight him directly--his Great Array includes hundreds of tubes in which are still-living human beings. Poplock manages to play on Wieran’s ego and desire for an audience, distracting him long enough for Hiriista to notice a secondary magical array and damage it, releasing something which has been sealed up beneath the central lake for millennia.