James R Dale

Path of Kings James R Dale

Convicted of war crimes, disgraced Special Operations sergeant Jack Braedan was living a solitary life under a false identity. Only a secret plea bargain saved him from prison, confinement in a military psychiatric hospital, or worse. When the nightmare that had drove him insane somehow steps into the waking world, Braedan pursues the monster from his dreams into the wilds of the Appalachian Mountains, where he is lead to a magic portal and transported to the land of Aralon. Befriended by pirates and accepted into the Free Brothers of the sea, Braedan has no way of knowing it is but the first step in the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, guiding him on a path to confront a long dormant evil rising again in the east. Surviving demons, dark sorcerers and crucifixion at the hands a scheming duke, Braeden learns he is the exiled descendant of Aralon's last High King, heir to the vacant Throne of Immer and the Highsword Yhswyndyr, a divine weapon meant for his hands alone and the only weapon capable of defeating the dark-King Graith, who will soon awaken from his long sleep. Now his friend Tarsus Aernin, the uncrowned king of Amar, has been captured and taken to Aghash Thugar, the seat of the dark-King's power. Jack must face the horrors of the Bergaweld and the gathering forces of the east to rescue Tarsus, or die trying. It is a decision that with either help him along the path to claim his birthright, or plunge Aralon into slavery and death. In the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert Howard, Path of Kings is the second installment of the Heir of Sword and Stone trilogy.