Chapter One: Wings Of Fate (The Dragon Prophecy, Book 3)

[merlinscribe]

Follow the link below to see the first chapter of the next Dragon Prophecy book. As always, the spoiler-averse should be aware--it may spoil both previous books and the current one.

The chapter is first draft, unedited, and still pretty rough. merlinscribe_library is a read only journal: comments should go here.

I hope you enjoy it. I will be posting more in the coming weeks.

https://merlinscribe-library.dreamwidth.org/590.html

Comments

[sanders1800]

Love it. Thank You for the post.

I wander what Runacar and the army with him will think the first time the Endarkened attack.

Can't wait to read more.

[merlinscribe]

Thank you! I imagine Rune will be much more alarmed by the Endarkened than the Otherfolk are, since they probably already have a good idea of what they are and what they look like.

What *I* want to know is what Vielle will think the first time she sees Runacar... ;)

[sanders1800]

I think it was mentioned a few times in Blade that when Melisha tries to get Leutric to give up the ‘Bones of the Earth’, Leurtic does not seem to see the Darkness as a great threat. The Other Races know what the Endarkened are intellectually, but if they come in force to fight them? The Endarkened may just stand on the side lines and let the light destroy itself. Either way they win, at least this battle.

If the Darkness is attacking Vieliessar mostly at night, but then Rune and the Other Races came an attack at other times. Then it could seem like the Other Races are in alliance with the Darkness. The Elves could be nicer then me and not think that, though.

Just wandering, but Vieliessar is well known in the later series, but is Rune as well known? I tend to ask questions that have no meaning and you can even make up an answer. The smallest thing makes me wander, and I really think you for having a place we can ask questions.

[merlinscribe]

Hello again! Leutric's objection to giving the Elves The Bones Of The Earth is that the Elves will use them to wipe out the Otherfolk--probably before they try to take on the Endarkened. His coalition of the Otherfolk is a very fragile thing, and since everybody has a different view of the peril represented by the Endarkened, it's hard to get all of them on the same page. Also--and I don't think this is very clear in the previous book--the Endarkened have never stopped raiding the Otherfolk. It's only the Elves who got to take a major break, mainly because the Endarkened were justly-fearful of the effect that Elven Magery would have.

The Endarkened would be smart to pit the Otherfolk against the Elves, but they just haven't thought of it. It's a piece of canon I haven't quite figured out how to showcase in the books: the Endarkened are really really stupid. But since they're also immortal (unless somebody kills them entirely dead), eventually they have enough "experience points" to make them cunning and clever. This is probably the only reason there is any life and Light left in the Brightworld at this point.

I don't know yet whether Rune will pass into legend the way Vieliessar has--or even will be remembered. Much of the time as I am writing, I am as surprised by new developments as you are when you read.

[(Anonymous)]

I love it! I can imagine why Thurian says none of them want to talk about the trip westward.. I am sure it will be brutal. I can't wait to see what happens when the two armies finally meet and the elves have to (hopefully) face their ingrained racism.

[merlinscribe]

Oh, the Elves are DEFINITELY going to face their ingrained racism. *G* And of course the Elves don't think this is the time to deal with that, because they really did have a hellish trip Westward. Including losing about 2/3 of their then-current population, and that on top of their losses, barely a Wheelturn previous, at the Battle of the Shieldwall Plain.

[(Anonymous)]

I like how you've caught us up with all but one of the main factions in the very first chapter, and at least now we know what Vielle has been doing for the last 10 years. Thanks for allowing us to dispense with that cliffhanger! I also thought this period was probably when/how the high-house elves learned to live in harmony with nature, and now that's been addressed.

Makes one wonder, though, why the Endarkened haven't bothered with the Astromancer and his crew, especially since they've apparently eliminated all the other isolated holdings. I'm thinking maybe Virulion is aware of the Astromancer in the same way he was aware of Ivrulion, and for reasons of his own is letting that play out and/or providing subtle encouragement. Or maybe he thinks it would be fun to see what those three factions do to eliminate themselves, and then he can just swoop in and pick off the leavings.

Looking forward to the rest of your first 100 pages!

Terry

[(Anonymous)]

I think the Endarkened are moving from west to east. So they haven't decided to go for the West yet.

It will be interesting.

[merlinscribe]

Thank you! I don't tend to write "in chapters", so after I've written a long section I tend to go back and look for natural breaks at appropriate interludes. This means I will probably be posting a slightly different version of Ch. 1 when I put up Chapter 2.

Right now I am working on a section about the Endarkened, which always makes me feel like I should shower afterward somehow. They are not nice people.

As for why the Endarkened are making such a dog's breakfast of this "Annihilation of all Life" stuff...

1. Yes, they are working East to West, and...

2. ...there is all kinds of internal factionalism going on within the Endarkened ranks, as the Born quite reasonably feel that when the Red Harvest is over some Endarkened may be more privileged than others. They don't object to that of course...they just want the privileged ones to be THEM.

[merlinscribe]

Dear Terry: I hope the pages did not disappoint.

The Endarkened would be a lot better at this stuff if (a) they weren't quite so s/t/u/p/i/d/ hidebound in their ways of thinking, and (b) if they weren't engaged in murderous infighting. It should be very interesting to see what happens...

Omg

[(Anonymous)]

I cried. Ivaloriel of Telthorelandor died? I was hoping that he'd make it to the Flower Forest. It's just so sad to see that the Elves have lost so much!

Otherwise, the draft might still be slightly unpolished, but I really love your style of writing enough that it still seemed natural to me.

Please keep posting! I'm so glad to see you're back! It fills me with JOY

Re: Omg

[merlinscribe]

Thank you!

I, too, am sad at Ivaloriel's passing. He was such a fascinating character!

Re: Omg

[(Anonymous)]

Could you give us more on Ivaloriel? I'd really love to know more about Ivaloriel since he seems to be one of the more reasonable and enlightened War Princes.

What happened to Haldil and Thadan and their affiliated houses? Could you give us an idea? The erasing of the Houses of the Windsward and the Arzhana came as a shock, to be honest.

Re: Omg

[merlinscribe]

I would very much like to flesh out the stuff I've only gotten to mention over the course of the trilogy. I would like to do at least a novella about Serenthon's bid for the High Kingship, and of course Ivaloriel would be in that. I like him a lot, and I would like to write about a plain, normal, low-drama Soulbond. (Yes, there really are such things.)

What happened to the Less Houses of the Arzhana (another place I've been unable to write about as much as I wish) is actually covered in WINGS. I'll pull out the section and post it.

As for the Grand Windsward Less Houses, I'm afraid the Endarkened slaughtered all of them (except any who came west with Thurion, such as the Silver Swords). The Grand Windsward Houses should have paid attention when all the Otherfolk vanished. They didn't, alas.

Re: Omg

[(Anonymous)]

I would LOVE to see anything and everything that you can and are willing to give on the history of the Elven Houses!

Lore and worldbuilding is totally my jam, and I'm so sorry that Tor has cut down on the books so much you can't go into them with as much detail as you did for Obsidian.

Re: Omg

[merlinscribe]

I do too! I will see what pieces of just plain lore I can dig out and post, how's that?

I really wish Tor had been committed to the current trilogy and the one before it--these are the kind of books that need serious length to cover all the worldbuilding, and if I go and gut them because Tor wants a shorter book, there isn't much left--kind of like a book report instead of a book.

Re: Omg

[(Anonymous)]

That would be great!!! It doesn't have to be written in the same style as your books, I'd love to see whatever you have!

[iloverandomthings]

So many questions. I suppose I should be patient for the book to come out.

[merlinscribe]

Only then will you be sure that the answers are the canonical answers... ;)

[iloverandomthings]

lol. Tempting. But even non-canonical answers are good ones.

[merlinscribe]

Then ask away!

blood

[(Anonymous)]

I have an odd question, doesn't really have to do with the chapter you posted though. I am re-reading the first trilogy and during the fighting Kellen refers to the red blood of the elves frequently. However, when Vieliessar cuts her hand to put it on the altar and receives the vision of Idalia and Jermayan summoning the Starry Hunt she mentions it is odd the Idalia's blood is 'red like flowers' and like a beasts. Also, the bloody hand-prints on the altar are silvery, not red.

So, is elven blood silver or red? And was it silver in the past, pre-Endarkened wars, and then red after whatever the elves do that gives up their magic? Or is it silver in both times and I am just misreading the fight scenes?

It is one of those goofy things that just jars me out of the book because I can't stop wondering about it :)

Re: blood

[merlinscribe]

Elvish blood is slightly more purple than human blood, but different enough to make a BIG difference in looks, given that Elves can see a much broader spectrum of colors than Humans can. A human could detect the difference in color when the blood was fresh, but not after it had dried.

I think the scene with the handprints on the altar is the one when Vieliessar does her vigil in the Shrine of the Star. What I'd been going for there was not that Elven blood was silver, but that the handprints made a magical impression on the stone (like the handprints in Neolithic caves, only with magic instead of paint).

I like questions. And since I don't want to jar people out of the story, questions are very helpful.

release window

[(Anonymous)]

Hello, I have been wondering if we have a release window for Wings of Fate. The Enduring Flames series have been my favorite books of all time and when I finished them and learned of the Obsidian trilogy, I was overjoyed. Needless to say I was rather disheartened when I finished that trilogy and thought it was over. But I looked up the authors and found the dragon prophecy. Book 2 released almost on my birthday and so I had that first thing, after rereading the first one for a refresher I dove straight in. And now I am wondering when we might see the 3rd, I truly hope within the next few years as this is the one book I care to wait for.

_ferinine

Re: release window

[merlinscribe]

Dear Ferinine:

WINGS could be released as soon as the end of next year: it depends on where Tor has a hole in its schedule, really. I will certainly post any updates I get here.

Dragon Prophesy

[(Anonymous)]

I am elderly and getting more so with each passing day. I would sure like to read the final book of the trilogy, Wings of Fate, while I am still of this mortal world.

Re: Dragon Prophesy

[merlinscribe]

Dear Friend, if you promise not to die over the next 24 months, I promise you can read the last book in the trilogy. Deal?

Re: Dragon Prophesy

[(Anonymous)]

It is awfully difficult to find any updates on the publication of Wings of Fate! Glad I stumbled upon it here. So is it safe to say it'll be out by April-May, 2023? That's exciting. I hope our withering friend is still with us to see the conclusion.

I, myself, have yet to start the series as I am nervous about unfinished business. Once this trilogy is complete I plan on diving in and expect a wild ride, from what I've heard.

Thanks for keeping us entertained,
Michael

Re: Dragon Prophesy

[(Anonymous)]

Oops, just went back to your home page and saw post there. That really, really sucks. I'm sorry for all you must be going through right now. Hang tight. Hopefully this setback still allows for some joy in the creation process for you.

Best wishes,
Michael

Re: Dragon Prophesy

[merlinscribe]

I think it possible that M would be delighted if the book didn't exist. While I will be delivering the book in 2022, after that the entire matter lies in Tor's hands. I will keep you as posted as I am.