Part One
Chapter 1 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 2 – The Twisted Tower
Chapter 3 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 4 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 5 – Elcho Falling and the Twisted Tower
Chapter 6 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 7 – Elcho Falling and Sakkuth
Chapter 8 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 9 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 10 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 11 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 12 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 13 – Lake Juit and Aqhat
Chapter 14 – The Outlands
Chapter 15 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 16 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 17 – Darkglass Mountain
Chapter 18 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 19 – The Outlands
Chapter 20 – Isembaard
Chapter 21 – Darkglass Mountain
Chapter 22 – The Brunelle House, Margalit
Chapter 23 – The Brunelle House, Margalit, and Darkglass Mountain
Chapter 24 – Darkglass Mountain
Part Two
Chapter 1 – The Outlands
Chapter 2 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 3 – Aqhat
Chapter 4 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 5 – The Outlands
Chapter 6 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 7 – The Outlands
Chapter 8 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 9 – The Outlands and Isembaard
Chapter 10 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 11 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 12 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 13 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 14 – The Outlands
Chapter 15 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 16 – The River Lhyl, Isembaard
Chapter 17 – The Outlands
Chapter 18 – The Outlands
Chapter 19 – The Outlands
Chapter 20 – The Twisted Tower
Chapter 21 – The Outlands
Chapter 22 – The Outlands
Chapter 23 – The Outlands
Chapter 24 – The Outlands
Chapter 25 – The Outlands
Chapter 26 – Isembaard
Part Three
Chapter 1 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 2 – Hairekeep
Chapter 3 – Hairekeep
Chapter 4 – Isembaard, and the Outlands
Chapter 5 – The Outlands
Chapter 6 – Elcho Falling and Isembaard
Chapter 7 – Isembaard
Chapter 8 – The Central Outlands
Chapter 9 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 10 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 11 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 12 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 13 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 14 – The Central Outlands
Chapter 15 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 16 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 17 – The Twisted Tower
Chapter 18 – The Ice Hex
Chapter 19 – The Sky Peaks
Chapter 20 – The Ice Hex
Chapter 21 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 22 – Isembaard
Chapter 23 – The Ice Hex
Chapter 24 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 25 – Elcho Falling and Surrounds
Chapter 26 – The Central Outlands
Chapter 27 – Elcho Falling and Surrounds
Chapter 28 – Elcho Falling
Part Four
Chapter 1 – The Twisted Tower, and the Coast of the Outlands
Chapter 2 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 3 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 4 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 5 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 6 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 7 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 8 – The Outlands
Chapter 9 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 10 – The Outlands
Chapter 11 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 12 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 13 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 14 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 15 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 16 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 17 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 18 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 19 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 20 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 21 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 22 – Elcho Falling
Chapter 23 – The Salamaan Pass
Epilogue
The Land of Nightmares
Glossary
About the Author
Copyright
About the Publisher
Prologue
My name is Veldmr. I understand that in your language it is not a beautiful name, but in my ancient language, now sadly lost, it had a particular musicality. Many parents were pleased to bestow it upon their sons.
I find it difficult to speak of my people. Their name cannot be translated out of our lost language, but the concept, perhaps, can. It comes close to ’river angel‘ . . . We once were the River Angels.
A long, long time ago.
We danced and sprang through the rivers and lakes of this world. Not the oceans — they were too tumultuous for us, and liked us not — but every body of water cradled within the landmass contained a number of our people. We were part spirit, part joy, part wraith, part flesh. We were formed in mystery and existed in enchantment.
We were truly astounding.
No other race who has come after can compare, although the Icarii now like to think they take the honours in mystery and musicality. Ha!
Ah, hark to my pride. I should learn to better subdue it.
For aeons we danced amid the waters, largely lost within ourselves, minding none of the other creatures which inhabited this world. Races like the Icarii or humans did not exist then. I speak of a time at the very beginning of the world, when mystery ruled triumphant and flesh and its continuance did not matter as it does now.
We danced, we sang, we explored countless secrets. We came to understand creation itself. We knew about Infinity. We knew of it, but we did not care. Even Infinity was of no matter to us.
We were the River Angels.
Nothing mattered but ourselves and the waters which cradled us.
One day, another among our number decided that there was no other race or creature