The Alyrisin have been gifted by the Gods; they are faster, stronger, and altogether more powerful than any of the other clans on the Crescent. This Battlelust makes them unable to feel pain, and they have used it to protect their homeland and the source of their power, the Bloodstone, for centuries.

But when madness begins to overtake the Warriors in their village, Selmas, the first in his family line to be rejected by the Bloodstone, is accused of stealing their precious gift and cursing his clan.

Selmas knows that he is innocent, but with all the clues pointing to him, he'll have to prove his innocence, and his worth. With the help of his cousin, the Chieftain's daughter, and some unexpected allies, Selmas must discover the truth behind what is happening to his people, and prepare to fight against those who wish to destroy Alyris—that is, if they don't destroy themselves first.

The Warriors' Bane is created by Brigid Martin, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

The Warriors' Bane

Gwynfor is, technically, correct. The creature that emerges from the webs is not a spider. For one thing, it’s too large, because spiders do not grow to be the size of buildings. For another, the thing looks as though it’s made of metal; it’s legs creak under the weight of its own body and its pincers grind together rustily, as though it needs oiling. It shrieks a warning, which sounds like the squeal of metal scraping against itself. 


Selmas freezes, and so do Byrin and Gwynfor. They’re directly in the line of sight of the monster, but it isn’t attacking them, not yet. Maybe it thinks that Byrin’s still caught in its web. Maybe it can only sense movement. Selmas doesn’t really want to stick around long enough to find out, but leaving requires moving, and he’s not sure if he can do that right now. 


The metal spider makes a sort of clicking sound, like it’s wondering where its meal went. 


“What do we do?” Byrin asks in a hushed voice. He’s eyeing the spider warily. 


Chapter 25: Spider-Chase