Tales: A Collection of Short Fantasy Fiction

From fantasy fiction writer Jason Varrone comes five stories about love, honor, vengeance, and bravery.

"Loyal" – Renowned knight Sir Dellan is reeling after a brutal attack leaves his king mortally wounded. Dellan seeks answers, and his world is thrown into chaos once he discovers the truth. Forced to confront the attacker, the knight holds the fate of the kingdom in his hands. This story tells the stirring tale of a knight's devotion as he faces the ultimate test of loyalty.

"Dragon's Vengeance" – A dragon still mourns the loss of his soulmate decades after her death at the hands of humans. While pursuing his vengeance, his fundamental assumptions about the world are shattered after an encounter with a village girl and her father. This story is a heartfelt yarn of undying love, wrath, and empathy.

"Courage" – Edwyn, an inferior soldier, is still haunted by the murder of his mother years earlier and his inability to protect her. He finds himself caught in a battle between acceptance by his peers and doing what is right. Now, as his demons threaten to overwhelm him, his courage and conscience will be tested against the sociopathic whims of his fellow soldiers. "Courage" is about a man's search for redemption.

"Knight's Oath" – Danthane has spent decades in service to his kingdom as commander of the army. When the newly crowned king orders the invasion of a peaceful kingdom, Danthane's loyalty clashes with his long-held oath. Soon, he will have to decide which is more important: loyalty or honor and his life. This story tells the tale of one knight's struggle against his values as he faces his life's greatest challenge.

"Second Son" – Jonah yearns to be king and to rule with honor and integrity the way his forebears ruled. But fate has cruelly delivered him as the second son of a king who rules with an iron fist. All Jonah can do is bide his time and wait for his father and older sibling to die. When fate hands Jonah an opportunity to rule, he'll have to decide which is more important: his ambition or his morality. This story is about a boy who struggles to become the leader he always wanted to be.