Battleheart: A Symphony of War

This is the latest preview of my book coming out in August! I'm excited to share with you a section of a chapter of the upcoming Battleheart: A Symphony of War. Check it out!

**Excerpt from Battleheart: A Symphony of War***   

       “Battle on Baron Hill”

 

Treacherous�"it was the best way to describe the cold, bitter fields in the southwestern woods of Grenden. The woods were largely uninhabited by the cities of the east and south. While the republic dominated the eastern regions, the western lands were ruled by the Druids.

            For almost a century, the mysterious Druid tribes lived in a society of isolation for preferring the reclusive life of nature and serenity, but after recent attacks from the murderous goblins of the eastern hills, the chiefs of the Druid tribes finally put aside their pride and sought help from the capital of Adrakon.

Even at dawn, the skies were at its darkest. For hours, the field was rocked with cannon-fire and spilled with blood. Grenden was used to facing monsters, but the Goblin Brigade that roamed the west was a risk the nation couldn’t afford.

            On the far side in a bunker, General Goff Goff of the Goblin Brigade commanded his army of vermin and as they shot back with flaming arrows�"sending the frosty fields to a blaze. The fire was intense, but the Grendenians were not alone.

            Accompanying Grenden’s army was a force the entire world feared and admired. Their fighting style was hard and fierce and was more lethal with a sword. They were enriched in legend and lore, they were symbolic, and they were the Valienknights.

            The special forces of the Grendian Army fought alongside in the trenches�"firing massive shots from their rifles and bows. The goblin’s firepower was strong, but limited. Everyone in the trenches knew it was only a matter of time before surrender was in the air.

            In the distance, they could hear the shrieking laughter of the goblins and it was irritating to no end. The intense aroma of the burning sulfur sprayed across the field and nausea was beginning to sink in. If there was one thing the goblins loved to unleash was dynamite and they used it to every inch of their advantage.

            The Grendenian fort was built deep in the soil, providing well coverage from the flames. As the soldiers fired away, one general stood up from the trenches, armed in the finest attire of Valienknight leather.

            His presence was striking and honored as he approached the battlefield. What struck people most was that he was not of the race of men but of Gorcons�"body of a human and the head of a beast, and in the general’s case, a lion.

            General Arturo served proudly in the Grendenian Army and always brought in the Grendenian army and always brought his beastly intensity to the art of war. To his allies, he was a hero, a champion and a prophet. To his enemies, he was their utmost nightmare.

            “General!” Colonel Tillman called. “We can see their base is lit. No doubt, Goff Goff is inside.”

            “Never underestimate these goblins.” Arturo said.

            Arturo pulled out his telescope and surveyed the area. From miles apart, he could see the four prisoners shivered and shell-shocked in iron cages. Two goblins patrolled the area and Arturo couldn’t bear to see anymore.

            “A whole squad would just make more of a mess. I’m going alone.” As Arturo leaped up on his horse, the colonel turned to catch his breath.

            “General! You just can’t just ride over there alone.”

            “Colonel, the only death toll I wish to raise today is the enemies�"not ours. By sunrise, the goblins will kill the prisoners on sight. I won’t let that happen.”

            Arturo galloped away and stayed focused through the raining of cannon-fire and bullets. Neither he nor his horse was rocked and they just kept riding to the peak of the hills. Arturo sat on his horse and followed the guards with his sharp, predator eyes.

            In a swift, silent stroke of death, Arturo reached back for his bow and set his arrow’s sights on the goblin’s heads. Quickly, Arturo was trained to shoot and reload till the surrounding guards fell to the dirt with arrows crackling their skulls. Arturo noticed the prisoner’s face lighting up once the guards fell and knew somebody was not far along.

            With the goblin’s far from the cell corner, Arturo rode down the hill and arrived at the prison fences. The prisoners stood up with joy and suspense. Like a mirage, Arturo stole the guard’s keys and whispered the route back to the hills. Their bodies were timid and weak, but still carried the strength to climb into the early hours of the morning.

            The sky was still black and Arturo embraced hunting in the dark. With the prisoners now relieved and gone, Arturo searched about for General Goff Goff. As a Valienknight, he was trained to adapt to the land and embraced the frigid soil. He noticed three goblins spotting the empty cell and rushed over with their jagged swords sprung out to strike.

            The goblins searched about the premise�"hungry for human flesh. As they looked about, Arturo’s eyes pierced out through the hill of dirt and watched the enemy’s steps. He stood frozen for a few moments, and then in the spring of the moment, he leaped out and struck the goblins down.

            Their swords were raised, but their blades and rotten flesh shattered at the hand of Arturo’s sword. His sword cast a heavenly glow and it swiftly cracked into the goblins like lightning to the sky. The goblins all around heard the groans and shrieks delivered by this impressive piece of weaponry. They rushed over, but their defense fell once struck with the blade.

            Arturo’s sword was not wielded by man, but by the gods who descended him. Over the years and around the world, every creature and specter had seen contact with the sword�"always ending in death. The sword went by one name�"the Starsaber, due to its heavenly features and craft.

            Slice by slice, Arturo wielded his sword wildly into the goblins and Goff Goff watched the paranoia. Arturo noticed the short, stocky body of the goblin commander dashed over to the bunker.

            The goblins had sealed the doors tight and chuckled on the other side. Arturo was annoyed. Arturo was annoyed. He had always detested goblins for their rude and hostile behavior and he wished never to see goblin flesh again.

            The chuckling seemed to die down, but Arturo’s rage was far from over. As much as Arturo was known to storm a compound and slash his way through, he knew the element of being overpowered. He did not forget he was alone with his allies’ a couple miles across the field.

            Valienknights could be stealthy, as well as loud and for the moment, he took the former. Artruo crept along the wall and carefully peeked through the window. Inside, Goff Goff and the remains of his goblins sat around a battery of cannonballs and dynamite.

            Artruo watched them sit around the table pouring glasses of the cheap, bitter swill of goblin liquor. With Goff Goff and his vermin laughing and grinning their teeth�"believing in victory was a rude awakening. Arturo had been chasing the goblins for months for terrorizing the west lands and there was no space in him to take him alive.

            He didn’t shatter through to start swinging�"knowing the dynamite around him was live and loaded. Arturo stepped back into the dark, but kept his eyes on the goblins the entire walk.

            As the goblins continued to guzzle down their pathetic lives away with liquor, Arturo reached into his gear belt. He looked down at the grenade and gently bounced it in his hand. The grenade was loaded with dragon’s ashes and could ignite a room in seconds. The goblins were oblivious but Arturo stayed focused all along.

            He pulled back the pin and tossed the grenade perfectly through the window. The goblins took a moment to realize what rolled on the floor but it was far too late.

            Arturo strutted away as the fort blew to flames as the grenade ignited with into the dynamite. The hill erupted like an earthquake, yet Arturo didn’t stumble once in his step.

            He hopped back on his horse’s saddle and galloped back to base as the goblins incinerated the flames. The flames were like a choir to a swan song. In his old age, Arturo didn’t know if he’d ever taste battle again, but if so, it was the perfect last meal on the Battle on Baron Hill.