One powerful artifact is all that is need to loosing dragons once more... After being corrupted during the Shattering, dragons were locked away for thousands of years. But some believe that it is time for their return. Two drakari priests embark on a quest to recover a long lost artifact that they believe has the power to do just that. As they hunt down the powerful Elder Stones, they must dig into its bloody past to unlock its secrets—and its power. This novella is a prequel to Dragon's Fire, Beating Back the Darkness, Book 1. Recommended Reading Order Dragon's Fire The Chronicles of Aurion The Halls of the Fallen King Tales from Darkness.

"It didn’t always feel like this. How? I can’t remember, but it wasn’t like this. No, not like this... It was cold and dank, and then there was the fear. To stand in his presence, in awe and reverence of his power, his might, it was intoxicating... but the fear never leaves." - Ekrin, High Priest of the Black Dragon A rising tide of violence is spreading across Darnisi, and it threatens to cast all of Aurion into war and chaos. A terror straight out of nightmares is at the heart of the corruption. Using the dark arts of seduction, the shadow drake bends and twists the will of those who would seek his power, to his own ends. Aurion’s remaining races forge unlikely alliances in order to survive the dragon’s scourge. As reality sets in, our survivors face a very grim future. Could their only hope of survival truly be found in the cryptic writings of ancient prophecy?

Unstable magical energy is building. Theros must find the source, or see his world torn apart... As the people of Aurion celebrate the defeat of the black dragon, magical energy continues to emanate from the dwarven ruins at Duroc's Refuge. And it is building... Orc Chieftain Theros is tormented by the loss of his brother, but his concern for his people pushes him to action. The mighty warrior is joined by four other brave warriors who descend into the depths of the mountain keep to stop the catastrophic buildup of energy. Their dark journey will uncover centuries-old secrets, and the deeper they penetrate the ruins, the more perilous the journey becomes. Their world—and others—will be changed forever… Recommend Reading Order Dragon's Fire The Chronicles of Aurion The Halls of the Fallen King Tales from Darkness

Pirates. Shape-shifters. Assassins. Demons. Let the mayhem begin... Tales from Darkness is a foray into the Beating Back the Darkness world, that takes readers on a wild ride through 10 different stories rife with espionage, betrayal, murder, and magical mayhem—each with lasting implications. The world of Aurion prepares for a new age in the aftermath of the Black Dragon's War. It is time for many things. Time for rebuilding. Time for prosperity. Time for peace. But ill-tidings are stirring... The bloodshed is increasing between the dwarven clans of Northern Antirri. The feared shapeshifting Vursa clans are thought to finally be uniting under one banner, a war banner. Warnings of a new conquering king are whispered upon the wind. Rumors of war spread throughout the Old World. It is a time for anything but peace... The world of Esaruul has been taken at sword-point by the Reichardt Empire. Their ranks of human legionnaires have spilled blood across a great deal of the northern and western reaches of the known world, but the Emperor demands more. Rival kingdoms are too divided to stand in opposition and find themselves at the mercy of the Empire. Rebellions have tried before and failed, but empire building comes with a heavy price—the price of blood. With new enemies being formed every day, the seedling of hope that is a new rebellion has begun to grow... Tales from Darkness is a collection of short stories set in the Beating Back the Darkness series. Recommended Reading Order _Dragon's Fire The Chronicles of Aurion The Halls of the Fallen King Tales from Darkness_

If they ever hope to return to their world, they must learn to survive here first… As the dwarven ruins crashed down around them, Theros and his friends were forced to step through a strange portal. Lost and perhaps trapped in this arid new world, Theros must find a way to keep his remaining companions from dying, but magic and water are nowhere to be found. And while the desert heat saps his strength, the growing number of deaths threatens to destroy his soul. Help and hope arrive, but Theros quickly comes to realize that such things can be mirages in this place. Seeking only a way home, the orc warrior finds himself caught-up in events far bigger than himself. With prophecies unfolding before his yes, Theros is forced to face his demons. And those demons want his blood. Recommended Reading Order _Dragon's Fire The Chronicles of Aurion The Halls of the Fallen King Tales from Darkness Keepers of the Flame_