Series: Guardian Trilogy #1
Publication date: August 2nd, 2020
Synopsis:
Ultimate edition. Includes map of Seventh-Realm Earth, character and creature list.
"Not darkness, not light, perhaps something in between, and is claimed by the darkness... as theirs. Though being saved by the light, that which is saved must in turn save the world..."
Darshun Luthais has never experienced the Nasharin Frenzy--the unbending will to challenge a stronger opponent, no matter the cost. He doesn't know what he will transform into, has never bonded with an elemental crystal and has never seen any of the unearthly creatures his father talks about. Even though he's an infant in Nasharin years, his life consists of nothing but constant training, striving to unlock the sleeping power his so-called accursed race is born with.
But all that changes when he is pursued by a Dream Assassin in the dead of night. What he witnesses will forever change his outlook on life and lead him on a quest only the strongest can complete.
Series: Guardian Trilogy #2
Publication date: April 30th, 2021
Synopsis:
The Wizard Crystals of the Elements have fallen into the hands of the Demon Lord Abaddon, reshaped to evil and forever corrupted they no longer can serve the Light. Abaddon now patiently waits in his northern kingdom for the coming of Saruinkai--the evening when the greatest spirits of Darkness rule the skies, and when he will unleash the power of the crystals against their own elements, sweeping destruction across the earth.
The Light's hope now lies in the young Nasharin warrior Darshun Luthais--the chosen Guardian, for he is the key to stopping Abaddon's black magic and end the war once and for all. But to do so he must cross over into Abaddon's kingdom, and that means destroying the one who guards the border, a fallen angelic Throne--the secret to Asgoth's three-hundred-year Rule and invincibility.
Led by the elvish lord Caelestias, Darshun and his companions must seek out and destroy the Throne, encounter a witch, and a horde of other vile creatures, only to stir up the entirety of Asgoth, coming face to face with them, a battle that will determine the fate of the world.
"...a sign to tell this overruling darkness that the Light is coming. Let them be the ones to try and pass through us for once. Their ungodly Rule and ways of cruelty has gone on far too long. Let them feel the terror they love to inflict in others... just this once..." ~Darshun Luthias~
Series: Guardian Trilogy #3
Publication date: December 16th, 2021
Synopsis:
While the Demon Lord Abaddon prepares to cast the Spell of Destruction and wipe out the glories of the earth for his own void of evil, Darshun Luthais, after a long oppressive journey, attempts to eradicate the source of his dark magic, the sacrificial Unholy Altar. But when the Dragon Gods unleash their barricade of fire the Delibious--a mystic realm of darkness, flames and witchery--Darshun must find a way through without tearing his soul from existence and save the earth from the coming annihilation.
Excerpt from Prophecy of the Guardian
A clutter of loud noises outside Darshun's window awakened him. It sounded like colossal boulders rolling across the ground and hitting the side of the house. He lay in bed, trembling, not daring to see what it could be and remembering the same business earlier in the night.
Then the noises stopped, and he heard heavy footsteps trotting away over the fallen leaves. "Someone's out there." He climbed out of bed and walked to the window, peeped outside and saw nothing. It looked pitch black. "That's strange, a few hours ago there was a full moon." There came another unpleasant noise in the distance, but this time it sounded like the crumbling of a stone wall, or perhaps the castle itself collapsing. Darshun leapt away from the window, sinking to the floor in darkness. "What is going on?!" He panted with fear. "I better wake up Father."
Stepping across the room in shadow, he grabbed a candle off a stand and set it ablaze, then made his way down the short hall to Mirabel's room. But when he got there the bed was empty, the blankets lying on the floor. "Ah, Father. Where did you venture off to now?"
Not wanting to be alone, he decided to go outside and look for him. Darshun hoped he would find his father before whatever else lurking within the city found him. He grabbed his sheathe and sword along with a dagger, slipped into his brown leather ankle boots and cloak, then ventured outside. The darkness seemed so thick he couldn't see two feet in front of him. "Where in the world could he be? Perhaps at Uncle Seth's?"
Unexpectedly, a scream sounded, a horrible sounding scream like that of a frightened young girl. It echoed from every direction of the city. Then there were crackling noises and a rustling of leaves in the woods, like someone or something running through the brush.
Darshun stopped and pulled out the sword. Seconds later, the noises went silent and a wet wind came. Lightning flashed, followed by bangs of thunder. "Father!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the night-shaded city. "Where are you?" A second flash of lightning lit up the sky for a few moments revealing much of Loreladia. During this time, he saw something about a hundred feet away. It sent chills down his back.
A creature stood there, and it looked to be at least eight feet tall. A set of horns rose off its skull like a bull. It had unnaturally long arms, dagger-sized claws, three wide legs--the third extended down where the groin would naturally be behind it. He swung a swaying tail while possessing dark red skin and yellow eyes. Its eyes were terrifying, glaring at Darshun with hatred. The stench it emitted was indescribable.
His heart raced. But when another wave of lightning split the sky, the creature disappeared. "Did I... imagine it?" Swiftly, the storm elements struck a tree, bursting it to flames. The fire lit up the surrounding area. When Darshun turned back around he witnessed the creature again, this time standing about ten feet away. Its eyes flashed. He screamed and ran.
The creature chased after him. It moved like a large puppet, unsteady and off balance, probably due to its additional leg which made the thing all the creepier.
"Help me!" Darshun shouted, but no one came to his aid. He continued to run through the dark city until he reached Uncle Seth's house, staggering into the yard. He banged on all the doors and all the windows. There came no answer. Everyone seemed to have vanished. Kicking open the back door, he ran into the house and looked around for a candle, blindly touching the small round table in the living room. Instead, he discovered an oil lamp, recently put out, its smell spreading through the house. He ignited it and searched for Seth and Mirabel, scurrying through every room and still, they were nowhere to be found.
Darshun blew out the wick and stood still, listening to the rain beating down on the house, praying the creature wouldn't find him. Then he felt a warm liquid hit his face and drip down his cheeks. Curious, he relit the lamp and looked above, witnessing fresh blood splattered completely across the ceiling, along with intestines driven into cracks, dangling to and fro. Darshun screamed, then put a hand over his mouth, realizing his stupidity. "Oh no..."
As though it'd been waiting for this precise moment, the creature crashed through the front door, kicking the wood apart tightly grabbing his arm and tossing him across the room like a doll.
He hit the wall and fell to the floor.
The creature walked over, its stench unbearable, like a rotten corpse.
Adrenaline rushing, Darshun quickly stood, drew his sword and struck the creature in its left leg, hacking off a chunk of flesh. It let out a blood curdling scream. Darshun ran to the nearest window and jumped through it. He tumbled onto the muddy ground, smashing his jaw and dropping the sword. The creature reached through, grabbing his leg and begun to pull him back in. Its claws dug into his skin, piercing to the bone and he screamed in agony. Punching the thing in its face didn't see to faze it either, it only hurt Darshun's hands. Then, he remembered the dagger he'd brought. He took it off his girdle and stabbed the creature's hand.
It roared terribly, saliva shooting out its mouth. It released him.
Darshun picked up his sword and ran into the woods as fast as his little legs would take him. He ran and ran until he ended up being a long way off and found a thicket of bushes to hide under. He was soaking wet, and the temperature had dropped so much his breath began to show--even within the darkness. Trying to calm down, he rubbed his sweaty face and wounded leg, which began to swell with severe pain. Soon, he would need medical attention. But these thoughts vanished when he heard a crackling of sticks. Something was coming toward him. Darshun gripped his sword and remained still. The noises stopped... nothing sounded now except the rain. Perhaps it was an animal? he thought.
Lightning struck a tree near-by and in fear, he hurriedly climbed out of the thicket. The fire burned high, giving off much light, and he knew he needed to abandon the area fast. Then, as if things weren't bad enough, he felt a cold breath on the back of his neck. Shivers of fear ran down his spine. Slowly, he turned around and there the creature stood, face-to-face with him. It grabbed his throat, lifted him off his feet and slammed him against a tree.
Its face was hideous, slashed and mangled as if it'd been mutilated while decaying with disease.
Darshun vomited onto it, the vomit dripping down its bloody cheeks. "My father?" he asked tired and weary. "Where's my father?"
Grinning, the creature pointed up at the trees.
Darshun's eyes widened. Hanging by two ropes tied to their legs were Mirabel and Seth. Their bellies had been torn open and their throats cut, blood oozing like a river.
Hideously, the creature laughed and rose up its other hand, protracting its blood-stained claws.
After the loss of his loved ones, nothing else mattered--nothing except justice or perhaps revenge. An uncontrollable desire began to overtake Darshun. Dramatic emotions of hate, love, desperation and madness surged within while a sleeping beast began to awaken. "Father--Uncle Seth..." Suddenly, it happened. "No!" he screamed in rage and fury as a red fire exploded around him, singeing the creature's hand and blowing it off its feet. The fire surrounded Darshun's entire body. Even his pupils consisted of flame.
At first, he didn't understand what could be happening. His anger ignited, awakened or unleashed something inside of him, perhaps lying dormant and the energy magnified. He felt a bodily change in every pore, a sensation within his eyes, a tingling throughout his hair. His body became different--he seemed different, transformed.
The creature, now terrified, desperately ran for its life.
Darshun raised both hands, naturally understanding what to do and shot two streaks of thick, blistering red flames out of them. Burning through every tree in their path, the flames struck the creature and disintegrated it.
A fierce yellow light shined all around him as Darshun awoke. He screamed, crashing his head back and forth, confused, disoriented, unaware of his surroundings until the light vanished and he saw Mirabel. "Fa--father?"
"Yes son, it is I. Everything is going to be all right."
"It was a dream--only a dream." He sighed and collapsed, out of energy. Within moments, he fell back to sleep.
----------------------------------------
Upon seeing the flames, many Loreladians rushed over speedily, standing in the middle of the street, gazing upon Mirabel's house--nearly ash. Seth Caelen stood there too, having sensed the disturbance within Darshun.
"Good heavens," Mythaen greeted, running up to Mirabel. "Are you and Dar all right?"
Mirabel glanced over, then fixed his eyes back on Darshun. "Fine," he answered.
"What happened?"
"A candle fell."
"A--candle?" he asked, confused. For not only was it highly unlikely for Mirabel to make a mistake like that, but candle fire, or normal fire burns an orange-yellow, where this fire seemed to be a blistering cherry red. "Are you positive?"
"Yes! It was a candle, a molding of wax!" Mirabel's tone sounded fierce, his words sounding more like a growl. He sighed, and then finished in a calmer tone, "Just an accident started from an old Wizard's candle. Everything is fine now."
All right, that made a little more sense to the small crowd. After all, Mirabel was a keeper of magical souvenirs.
"Well, if you like, you and Dar can stay at my place tonight," Mythaen offered. "Or perhaps in the castle?"
"You can stay with me!" Elwin blurted out, wishing to be with Darshun. "Mother won't mind."
"I appreciate the offer, but I will pass." He picked up Darshun and held him in his arms. "The danger has passed, and the fire is out. You can all return home now." He turned to Seth, speaking almost in a whisper, "Accompany me for a short time?"
"Of course."
They walked out of the city and into the woods, abandoning the perplexed crowd. Mirabel ventured only a short distance then stopped, setting Darshun down on some soft leaves. He then swiftly made a fire.
"That was no candle accident, was it?" Seth asked, though he knew the answer.
"No, it was Darshun. Come here, look! They're still visible."
Seth gazed and saw claw marks around Darshun's neck with trickles of fresh blood. He also saw the wound on Darshun's leg and shadow-like markings across his face, arms, and chest. They were now beginning to fade, like ghostly hands releasing their grasp. "Is it possible?"
"Yes. A Dream Assassin attacked him."
"Sorcerer Dream Assassin spells are difficult to achieve. Besides, the spellcaster must have the blood of the one he intends to kill. Darshun has either lived in Loreladia since we rescued him or been with you."
"I know, I know. It doesn't make sense. But whoever cast the spell must possess a bit of his blood. Someone wants him dead."
"The Northern Cullach?"
"I was thinking the evil ones in command of them. Remember what Deloth spoke of? About Darshun having to be sacrificed because he was a creature of the Light, and if he lived disaster could fall upon them."
"I remember, but what does it mean?"
"Seth, tonight I felt a power within Darshun that even I fear. It's what awoke me earlier. The very house trembled. I heard him scream and fire shot out everywhere. He unlocked his element in his dream, his element of Fire and at only age twelve, something no Nasharin has ever achieved. His inner power is so strong--I could barely contain him. Then I carried him into the street and shielded his fire. Everything within the house was gone, everything except that--golden ball. Somehow, it rolled into the street and stopped at Darshun's side and once again--it was glowing!"
"What are you saying?"
"The Prophecy of the Guardian and the Second Great War could be upon us."
Seth stared at Darshun in amazement, thinking about the signs, the golden ball and the extraordinary power of this boy. Along with the threat of the Dark, Darshun's dreams and the presence of the Archangel. "Yes, the pieces do add up. Incredible!"
"I'm not certain of it. Nevertheless, for now I will remain in the forest and continue to train him. He needs to learn how to control his element and strengthen his mind, lest another attack come."
"All right. Don't fret about your house. I'll construct another."
"Thank you, my friend. And please, until I understand for certain what's going on, do not tell anyone about this."
Seth nodded, and his eyes darkened. "Mirabel, if the prophecy is at hand, then you know what kind of evil shall threaten not only us, but all of the earth!"
Mirabel sighed. "I know. Our only hope shall be this little Nasharin."
Guest Post
Q: What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
A: As for favorite authors, it goes back and forth. My thoughts always change a bit. But for books, here you go:
- "The Return of the King," by J.R.R. Tolkien
- "Wild Seed," by Octavia E. Butler
- "The Horse and His Boy," by C.S. Lewis
- "Perelandra," by C.S. Lewis
- "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien
- "The Dark is Rising," by Susan Cooper
- "Vampire Mistress," by Joey W. Hill
- "A Dark Sacrifice," by Madeline Howard
- "Blood of the Fold," by Terry Goodkind
- "The Sword of Shannara," by Terry Brooks
Q: What book do you think everyone should read?
A: J.W. Baccaro's Guardian Trilogy. Please? Pretty please? Haha!
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I'm 43, and I've been writing and learning about writing as I practice it since my early 20's.
Q: Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
A: I start with a few, then others to me as I write.
Q: What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?
A: That depends on the book. I had to do a lot of research when I wrote a book called "Blood Dreams." Takes place in upstate NY and involves lots of ideas and mysteries, like the mystery of consciousness, quantum mechanics, how the brain works, some religious studies as well. That is a trippy story, I will say.
Q: Do you see writing as a career?
A: That is my goal. Nonetheless, if not, I'll keep doing it forever because I love it.
Q: What do you think about the current publishing market?
It's flooded. However, I think every writer who completes a story, one she or he has worked hard on and put all their heart into, I think they should at least be given a chance by someone higher up. Just a chance to be heard and see if readers will go for it.
Q: Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
A: I read all the time, fiction and non-fiction. I love epic fantasy, paranormal thriller, urban fantasy, some sci-fi and even dark erotica. I can't say that I have a favorite.
For non-fiction I enjoy books about quantum physics, near death experiences, space, history of music, even religion, and pretty much anything that can get my brain wondering and thinking...
Q: Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
A: Silence! Because I can escape into my head much, much easier. When the family wakes up, it's chaos!! :)
Q: Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
A: One at a time.
Q: Pen or type writer or computer?
A: Computer. My handwriting is notorious.
Q: Do you have any advice to offer for new authors?
A: How would YOU like a story to start? What would inspire YOU to keep reading? One could say start off slow, build, or begin with a battle, or perhaps a death scene of some sort, or an apocalyptic visionary warning. All intriguing, but again, what would keep YOU reading this story of yours if someone else had written it? That's how I think an author should write.
Q: What makes a good story?
A: Stories where something catastrophic is soon to take place. An event that can get the attention of those divided over unnecessary, often pious differences, have them unite and stand together against a mightier threat. Stories where the readers feel like they have made friends with the characters. I also prefer a powerful, nearly unstoppable enemy where one might think "how in the heck is the protagonist going to defeat this?!"
I like writing about the emotional connection between certain male and female characters, watching them grow closer, even if one of them completely disagrees with her partner on just about everything. Yet in truth, she secretly admires him, finds him alluring, different. Something new to take in; perhaps she senses a powerful light within him that she feels she needs but will not admit.
Let's also talk about the first page, how some believe it is most important. When I first began reading J.R.R. Tolkien's classic Lord of the Rings trilogy I was bored to death! I knew I had to keep going through because fantasy readers consider it a classic. And I loved Tolkien's the Hobbit book so much. LOTR has to get better, right? About 6 or 7 chapters in I was hooked. The book became amazing to me. Likewise, I once read an urban fantasy series that I thought started well. Fast paced, good writing. However, there came a point in the series where it just began to drag. Chapter after chapter continued to drag. The action was predictable, and overall, it was plain old boring. My opinion, of course, but I never completed the series.
So you see my point here? I'd suggest go with your heart. How would YOU like a story to start? What would inspire YOU to keep reading? One could say start off slow, build or begin with a battle, or perhaps a death scene of some sort, or an apocalyptic visionary warning. All intriguing, but again, what would keep YOU reading this story of yours if someone else had written it?
Q: What are you currently reading?
A: "Fated," by Benedict Jaka
Q: What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?
A: It all begins inside my head. Little by little I write it down. That dopamine pleasure releases in your brain once you've finally witness the world you're now creating, the progress. And from there you keep going. That's how I've always written.
Q: What is your writing Krytonite?
A: When the family is up and everything is crazy and loud. Haha
Q: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A: I like to write what I'm inspired by. Create a story I myself would want to read. I mean, if a fan reached out to me and asked if I could maybe write a side story on one of my characters, with a simple idea in mind, I'd give it a go. But when I write I do it for the love of storytelling and creative writing.
Q: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
A: The Guardian Trilogy took nearly 10 years, another 3 to perfect. My other two books took about 2 years. I'm sure it would be different if writing was my full-time job, but for now it is not.
J.W. Baccaro is the author of Prophecy of the Guardian and Blood Dreams. Always a lover of creativity, from works of literature to writing music with his electric guitar; even baking and cooking. When not working on his next story or lost in a good book, J.W. enjoys kicking back with a couple of tasty craft beers and binging on Kaiju movies, 80's action flicks, Japanese animation and slasher films (particularly the one involving a hockey mask). Heck, he even enjoys a good romantic comedy. He lives in upstate NY with his wife Melissa, his son Alexander, his German Shepherd and his three cats.
