Death and Honor: Book 1 of 2 by James Wisher

through the forest, no idea how he would find the mysterious woman. He had almost decided someone was playing a prank on him when he saw a light through the trees. He turned toward it and a few steps later found himself in a small clearing, a fire burning in a stone circle, a round block of wood on either side. This had to be the place. Jeremiah sat on one of the stumps to wait.
    A few minutes passed and he had nothing but the chirping of crickets for company. He closed his eyes and yawned. When he opened them a beautiful red haired woman in a mottled gray and brown cloak sat on the second block.
    She smiled, revealing perfect pearly white teeth. “Hello, Jeremiah Kane.”

Chapter 6
    J eremiah blinked to assure himself the woman was really there. “I assume you’re the one who slipped that note under my door?”
    She nodded and he noted the hilt of a sword jutting up by her ear. “Yes, I knew you’d come. You have many questions and I will do my best to answer them. Bumbling around in the dark as you’ve been you will only get yourself killed.”
    “Alzado, was it my fault they killed him?”
    “The sage, yes, the guardian told me they killed him. That’s too bad. He was a kind old man. I suppose it was your fault in a way. If you hadn’t taken the scroll to him he would certainly still be alive.”
    Jeremiah nodded, his respect for this woman raising a notch. “From the way you spoke I take it you knew him.”
    “We met in passing. He was visiting the guardian and I passed him on his way out.”
    “Who is this guardian you keep mentioning and who are you for that matter? We’ve never met yet you seem to know me.”
    “How terribly rude of me,” the woman got to her feet and held out her hand. “I’m Kiera Oakshadow, Druid of the Winter Wood.”
    Jeremiah shook her hand. “You’re a long way from home. The Winter Wood must be five hundred miles north.”
    “You’re familiar with my home?”
    He shook his head. “Only its location on a map. The guardian?”
    She sighed. “Back to business. You know the Church of the Bright Shield?”
    “Of course, it was the first church consecrated when Lord’s Way was founded. They thought dedicating the city to a god of protection and vigilance would keep it safe.”
    “I’m impressed. I doubt one in a hundred living in your city would be aware of that. The guardian is the high priest of the Bright Shield in Lord’s Way.”
    Confused now Jeremiah said, “How does a Druid of the Winter Wood know the high priest of a city hundreds of miles from the forest?”
    “Perhaps I should begin at the beginning.”
    “Please, I’m drowning here.” Jeremiah tossed a piece of wood on the fire.
    “Hundreds of years ago,” she said. “A powerful sorcerer was sent to this world by demonic agents and charged with its conquest. This sorcerer began quietly, fomenting war and chaos where he could, finding allies among the wicked and greedy. He built a secret army and when the nations had exhausted themselves fighting each other he would lead them in a final battle to conquer the world. He was well on his way to succeeding when four warriors from four different nations came together to fight him.”
    “Wait,” Jeremiah said. “I’ve heard this story. You’re talking about the legend of the four paladins. I must have read it to my boys a dozen times. The four warriors come together to kill the sorcerer and bring peace to the world. It’s supposed to be about how people of different backgrounds can come together to solve big problems. Are you saying the legend is true?”
    “Not in every detail. All stories change over time, but there were four warriors from different nations, each the chosen of a different power, and they did oppose a half-demon sorcerer hundreds of years ago. Unfortunately, as powerful as they were, they didn’t have strength enough to kill him. Instead they were forced to imprison him, sacrificing themselves in the process. Like any prison this one