The Raven Collection Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Raven Collection novel. A total of 373 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : James Barclay.The Raven Collection.'Barclay writes with power, pace and a wonderful
James Barclay.The Raven Collection.'Barclay writes with power, pace and a wonderful sense of humour. Better than that, he creates novels you want to read again and again' David Gemmell.'A greathearted book written on a grand scale. An enthr
- 373 Speaking of which, come on, Raven, TaiGethen. Sol clapped his hands together. Time to sleep. Hanging around out here will only garner us unwanted attention. Hirad stood. Fitting, dont you think? The Raven? Guardians of the new world? Yes, said Ilkar. They
- 372 Around them, the TaiGethen were a blur of ruthless murder. Every time a Garonin soldier got inside the s.h.i.+eld, a TaiGethen was on him before he had gone five paces. Yet Ilkar could not relax. Surely the enemy were being snuffed out and indeed it did s
- 371 Duck low, jab up. Strike left, sword. Axe defence chest, Orn. Spin blade. Upper cut sword. Brother down. Body away. Fill. Drive axe forward, Pel. Pace up. Lower left flank block.The Garonin were wavering in front of them. There were no gaps in the Protect
- 370 'It's the same for your mana,' said Hirad. 'Believe you can cast. Expect to cast.'Ilkar shook his head. His mind remained a blank for constructing spells but there was something he could do. He hurried over to Erienne, dropped to
- 369 Densyr took them at a dead run on a circuitous route back towards the catacomb entrance. All around them the sounds of fighting echoed through the corridors, replacing the earlier bombardment. It was hard to hear. His guards and mages defended the Heart w
- 368 'Chandyr, we've got to-'A shattered timber slammed end first into Chandyr's head. His skull was crushed. His body jerked and was flung to the side. Suarav threw up his arms. Gore and splinters sprayed across his face. He breathed in ga
- 367 Blade in each hand, Rebraal moved into the s.p.a.ce.'Disengage!' Dila'heth's voice carried into the heart of the fight. 'Al-Arynaar. Scatter free!'The speed of their withdrawal was as exhilarating for Rebraal as it was confus
- 366 Chapter 42.Two figures lay on the ivory ground not five feet from where Ilkar was standing in The Raven's huddle. Their screams called out to his soul, burying themselves in the centre of his pain. He could feel theirs so cleanly it brought him, all
- 365 Their agitation had long since peaked and it seemed their energy had slipped away with the approach of what they a.s.sumed was oblivion. Even the sight of the quartet of Raven shadows departing had failed to lift their hopes.'Humans despair before al
- 364 'No? When you have the lives of so many in the palm of your hand. Lives we can snuff out on a whim.''I'm aware of my task.''But not perhaps of the risks you take. Watch and . . . believe.'The Garonin all lowered their he
- 363 And he was gone.Sol bowed his head. He hadn't thought to feel grief. Perhaps there was something in what Ilkar said about the path between life and death. If that was the case, he just wanted it to be done. He gazed back the way they had come and immedia
- 362 'Dear G.o.ds burning.'Lines of harsh white light appeared on the wall of the corridor. They spread quickly, looking like a lattice of ice across a window. The wall hardened around them. Flame beat down in the same place. Garonin soldiers cried out. The
- 361 'I'll explain later, if there's time,' said Suarav. 'For now I need to give you a situation report.''Do I want to hear it?'Suarav shook his head. 'You can learn most of it just by looking around you.'There were not enough survivors to clear away
- 360 And the next moment they were gone. All of them. The machines blinked out of existence, the detonation clouds dispersed and the foot soldiers simply ceased to be. Suarav turned a quick circle, looking for the counterpunch but there was no one to deliver i
- 359 Sol took her by the hand and they walked slowly towards the goblet that sat on the floor beneath the grey, static mist. They stood staring down at it.'That dust will seriously impair the flavour,' said Sol.Diera punched his shoulder. 'Don't.'Sol drew
- 358 'Shh, Hirad,' whispered Jonas. 'Just watch.'Ilkar thought he saw the tiniest of smiles flicker across Densyr's expression. The mist expanded, like corn seeds scattered over water separating and spreading. It was set about five feet above Densyr's fa
- 357 A heavy sound struck through the catacombs. Like a giant fist had been slammed against the upper level. Dust was dislodged.'That doesn't sound so good,' said Ilkar.'We're as safe as we can be,' said Sharyr, spreading out texts on a bench and beginni
- 356 They looked up.Five machines descended through the cloud to ring the college. The flat blare of their horns s.h.i.+vered broken gla.s.s to splinters. Densyr's mouth hung open but his lower jaw moved a little as he tried to form the word 'no'. Sol almos
- 355 Blue flame encased the tower. Denser and Dystran screamed and clutched at their heads. Defence spells failed. Enemies dropped into their midst, followed by the feet and blades of the TaiGethen. A wind howled through the tower, threatening to pluck them al
- 354 On his way past, Suarav grabbed Brynar by the shoulder.'I won't forget this, you little b.a.s.t.a.r.d. You had better prove yourself one f.u.c.king big hero today, do you understand me?''I will die protecting those who protect the people of Balaia,'
- 353 'I have no idea.''Smas.h.i.+ng,' said Densyr. 'Septern. How long can you survive like this?''Approaching . . . near. Survival no. Change. Have seee nn . . . Nottt harm we.''Septern, you are making no sense. Can
- 352 Fires still raged in hundreds of places. The yellow flame of burning wood mixed with the harsh dark blue flame of mana gorging itself on any material with which it came into contact. Those flailing strands of the grid, easily identifiable now, spewing out
- 351 'Not helpless,' gasped Septern. 'Hero.'Into Densyr's eyes sprang unforeseen tears. He closed them and entered Septern's failing construct.Sol, with Hirad slipping ever nearer towards death in his arms, ran headlong at the nex
- 350 'G.o.ds drowning, yes, take him inside the walls. All right, Hirad? You go with Brynar to the college and he'll keep you safe.''Yes, Mama.''I'll be there very soon.''Go, Brynar,' said Sol. 'And thank
- 349 'I'm not sure why I bothered,' said Ilkar. 'I completely forgot that all you have to do is open your big fat mouth and the FlameOrbs will get sucked right in. Idiot. And yes, I'm ready.'Ilkar nailed his concentration back dow
- 348 Auum led his Tai back across the rooftops, across a fifteen-foot gap to the next line of houses, along five pitched roofs and into the lee of a huge chimney stack at the east end of the square. Here the smoke from the cook fires of every dwelling in the t
- 347 Diera crouched by her son. 'Hang on to Auum, darling. I'll be right behind you.''No, Mama. I want to stay with you.'Diera kissed Hirad's cheek and wiped away a tear. 'It'll be all right. Fun. Auum is going to teach
- 346 'When all the mages return to the college, as I said. But not necessarily at that instant. Don't get your hopes up, though. Any of us over an hour late will be a.s.sumed lost, probably to you as it happens, and therefore the grid will not be del
- 345 'Two problems.'Chapter 24.The awful truth about the fate of Julatsa had dampened hope three days before. The fleet had been sailing out of sight of the north Balaian coast and there had been no encounters nor indeed any sightings whatever of the
- 344 'I'm too old for all this racing about,' he said.'Well you should die and pick yourself a younger body,' said Hirad. 'It does wonders, you know. Anyway. Where are we, exactly?''South-east corner of the city. Not too
- 343 The Klene was being buffeted again by the void of inter-dimensional s.p.a.ce. The dead had been left outside the walls of the city, no more than a mile distant, and asked to trust that The Raven could deliver their loved ones to them soon. The Raven, retu
- 342 'Yes, my friend.''I will find your wife and son. I will see them to safety. Don't go back to the inn. Come east. Seek me.'Sol nodded, wincing as Ilkar probed his injury a little roughly.'I am in your debt.'Auum bowed. &#
- 341 'Jonas . . .'A thin white line had appeared in the air above Jonas's chair. It described a horizontal about eight feet long before beginning to draw down both sides to form an opening into Sha-Kaan's Klene, his corridor and resting pla
- 340 'I beg your pardon?' asked Septern.'Nothing. Let's look at your plan.'The three men leaned over the map and its overlay. The city was picked out building by building, street by street. On top Septern had indicated the position of
- 339 'Don't push your luck, my King,' slurred the man.Sol turned his head to stare at Denser. The Lord of the Mount was soaked through.'And you.' Sol spat on the ground. 'You have betrayed me, Xetesk, Balaia and most of all The Ra
- 338 'I see what you mean,' said Ilkar. 'What do you intend to do? What's down here?''Allies. Many of the dead too.' Auum began walking again, sheathing his blades as he went. 'We need to get them away from here. Out of
- 337 'Because it's me!' Hirad spread his arms and smiled.'It certainly was b.l.o.o.d.y you. Mayhem from beyond the grave. Who else could it be?'Sol slumped into an armchair. His body felt strange, like he was in the grip of a fever. He
- 336 'Who I visit and what I ask and listen to is my business and not yours, all right? And yes, I do listen to him because he is smart despite his unfortunate views in some areas. And one thing we do agree on is that we don't know what more good you
- 335 Sha-Kaan opened his mouth and felt the flame ducts swell. He swept through the line of Garonin soldiers. His jaws beheaded one, his claws dropped and tore up four more, breaking them and casting them aside. Around him his Kaan exulted. Sha-Kaan tasted blo
- 334 The merest hints of light appeared in the eyes of the Garonin. A transitory tightening of their faces.'People come to you. Trust you,' said one. 'Your living . . . and your dead.''How do you know that?''We see all that p
- 333 The old Lord of the Mount chose not to stand, and instead remained seated on one of the leather-upholstered chairs in Denser's dining chamber.'I see you've already helped yourself to most of my lunch. Don't they feed you down in the ca
- 332 'Keep it steady, Raven!' called Hirad.Sol could see the eye slit of his target's helmet. The armour was beguiling. Cool light swam through the runes and symbols. But inside the helmet the eyes were shadowed and dark. The enemy brought his w
- 331 The enemy had reached the city boundaries and not even paused for breath. Terrified people ran before them. The few who stood up to them had been trampled underfoot, rendered to dust. A swathe of destruction two hundred yards wide and expanding angled dir
- 330 'I don't see this lot as being too much of a problem,' said Denser.'No indeed,' said Sol. 'Hard to remember a time when I could count an enemy invasion force on the fingers of one hand. A well-placed Jalyr's Sun should d
- 329 Dystran raised his eyebrows. 'Only a fool would truly believe that. And only a fool would see what is happening here and now as a serious threat.''Then I am a fool,' said Denser. 'I have dead souls reanimating fresh corpses all ov
- 328 Ilkar pushed himself to his feet and walked back to the balcony window. The library caught his eye again and he felt a coldness enter his soul.'You cannot have regained the power you had before the demons came,' he said. 'How much of the ar
- 327 He turned back to the crowd and walked all the way to the barrier.'And now I take my Tai and we will face the Garonin once more. That is how I serve my race, giving you more time to face your fate like elves, not frightened humans.'I am prepared
- 326 'I am sorry for your loss and I will not claim to understand it,' he said, his voice gentle. The crowd fell quickly silent. 'How can a mother react when the son she knows is dead is seen to walk but it not be him? Your desire to want his bo
- 325 Lysael raised her hands to quell the growing hubbub.'Please, my friends, please. It is impossible to comprehend, I know, but we must or we will perish. There is little time but there will be questions. If you wish to speak, come forward to the stage.
- 324 'Stand, Auum; you and your TaiGethen have no need to kneel before anyone, least of all the mere mouthpiece of a G.o.d.'Auum stood and the two embraced. From the crowd he could hear cheering, and the chanting in the name of Yniss grew louder. Lys
- 323 'Catch those, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds,' he said.Blackthorne saw the trio tracking the skull-sized orbs of mana fire. They made no attempt to run and he got the impression they were merely curious about what was coming at them. They didn't break
- 322 'So,' he said to Sol eventually, 'you got a promotion too, did you?''It's not how it sounds,' said Sol. 'I'm just an occasional spokesperson for the ordinary Balaian. People come to me with problems; I try and
- 321 Gresse wrinkled his nose yet again.'Stinks like old magic,' he said.His voice, gruff for as long as Blackthorne could remember, was further deepened to a painful phlegmy rattle .'You should have someone check out that throat of yours.'
- 320 Chapter 4.The heat intensified still further. Steam billowed under the canopy. The orange glow of fire stretched in a broad arc east to west. Thick dust blew on a scorching wind. The flat clang of the Garonin harvesters thudded across the sky and under th
- 319 'They're just the sad cases.' Sol rubbed his nose. 'It's the ones that trade on my memories for profit. They make me angry.'The merchant reached out and patted Sol's hand.'Well you hide it very well.'Sol burst
- 318 The place where The Raven would live forever.But now, walking towards the heavy, bound oak door that let out on to the street, he wondered if this shrine to his past really was poisoning his mind. Diera thought so. Sol walked slowly past the portraits of
- 317 The High Priest of Shorth raised his face to the TaiGethen leader. The rims of his eyes were bright red, bloodshot in the whites. His pupils were tiny despite the gloom.'What I have seen,' he whispered. 'She is dead but she is returning. Th
- 316 'Sol, no one is asking you to. Suarav and that Wesman with the long and involved name are doing what's necessary. We've not had a raid in Xetesk for, what . . . a season and a half? Like I said, hear me out.'Sol shrugged. 'All rig
- 315 'We'll take you.'But he looked around and it was clear that he could not hope to fulfil that promise. Denser was trying his best to keep the demons away left and right but he could do nothing about the ma.s.s that packed in behind, out of t
- 310 'Hirad, you are no comfort whatsoever.'Auum and his Tai led the way, clearly ill at ease. The stagnant water continued for over a quarter of a mile before they began to travel up slope. The drier ground beneath their feet was a welcome change an
- 309 'We all here?' His voice sounded m.u.f.fled but at least he could speak.He heard murmurs and presumed they were a.s.sent. He tightened his grip on The Unknown and felt the rea.s.suring tug on his belt that meant Erienne was behind him still. It
- 308 Chapter 41.The attack halted so abruptly that it was far too long before anyone spoke. The pressure was so intense in defence that it was hard to break out of the mind-set.'Stand down, stand down,' said Heryst.He lowered his own dripping sword a
- 307 Chapter 40.The Raven followed the Al-Arynaar out of the dome complex while the Xeteskians were still organising themselves. The elven warriors and mages split, heading for the ColdRoom casters. The Unknown brought The Raven to a halt on the steps to take
- 306 The Unknown tensed but didn't speak.'We have fought our way in here to do what has to be done to save our country from the problems you have caused it. And not just our country but probably countless other dimensions in addition to those we know
- 305 But that noise of thunder was getting louder. Something was happening. If it was cursyrd, they would be washed away. If it was help, they had to hold out. Whichever it turned out to be, there was nothing to be gained by pulling himself out.'I'll
- 314 His axe swung, taking the head from an enemy. He used the purity of the cut to set up an unstoppable rhythm of pace and strike. Spells erupted outside of the college, mages taking advantage of the moment.The Wesmen roared, sensing the change. They advance
- 313 He turned, his heart pumping painfully in his chest. His breath came in huge gasps and he felt like dropping to his knees. But instead, he dragged himself around to face the hordes coming after them. Desultory fire played outside the edifice, lighting the
- 312 'Maces everyone, we aren't going to have spell back-up on the run. Mages, do whatever you can, just don't risk yourselves.'The Unknown's words were bawled into the tumult from outside the ForceCone Eilaan still held. The Raven wer
- 311 Chapter 43.'I have your signature, my Dragonene. We are coming.'Sha-Kaan broke the contact with Hirad Coldheart and wheeled in the air. In the day since their last contact, he had probed the human's mind and found it stressed and active, de
- 304 'G.o.ds falling,' said Hirad. 'They're going to bring this place down on top of us.''The ForceCones will keep the roof up,' said Dila'heth.'Not for long,' said Pheone. 'That's a lot of weight and
- 303 'I've lost almost everyone. There's only ten left. Pathetic isn't it, but Geren and I are the only human Julatsan mages left. Everyone else is dead or a non-mage.''There'll be others, Pheone,' said Hirad. 'Hidd
- 302 'And another thing,' said Dystran. 'Will somebody please tell me what in all the h.e.l.ls has happened to our other new friends the Wesmen?'Auum knew every approach to the college of Xetesk but he felt lost for the first time in his li
- 301 Dagger in hand, the barbarian barrelled straight into the clutch of reavers, taking three of them to the ground with him. He landed on top of them, hearing Darrick join the attack and Thraun shout a warning.The reavers were strong. Hirad took a punch acro
- 300 He almost felt sorry for the demons they faced. After all, he couldn't follow every move they made himself. And they were so much in concert that it left no room for inroads into their attack or defence despite the fact that reavers had joined the fi
- 299 Now Darrick stood with The Raven, minus Erienne and Thraun, and the TaiGethen, just behind the line of mages. Hirad had won his battle as they all knew he would and had taken his place at The Unknown's right-hand side. He was plainly discomforted but
- 298 'Hmm.' Hiela nodded. 'But there is more, isn't there? The Raven are with them now. These are not men who come merely to extend their lifespans. These are men who expect victory and travel only to the places where they believe that chan
- 297 Darrick, flanked by elves, was calming the horses. Commands mixed with soft words in one's ears brought it back to its senses and it began to slow, bringing the other with it, suddenly aware of its peril and needing direction. Hirad provided it, turn
- 296 Rebraal straightened, sword whipping out in a wide arc. He felt it catch the wing of a cursyrd which squealed and twisted upwards, colour flaring a bright red. He took in the quick view. The roof of the wagon was threatened. The cursyrd's charge had
- 295 'Rebraal must have s.p.a.ced the ColdRooms,' said Erienne. 'Created mana-rich areas.''Fascinating,' said Denser. 'If you consider that mana is channelled over the outsides of the sh.e.l.ls, it'll create areas of rea
- 294 'The castle, the stable block, the back courtyard, the inner courtyard and the equipment sheds. That's about it.''Oh dear G.o.ds.' Blackthorne shook his head. 'How many have we lost?''I don't know,' said L
- 293 It took Dystran a while to work out what it was that had alerted his subconscious and caused him to look up and through his closed balcony windows.'What has just happened?' he asked, pus.h.i.+ng his chair back.'You were struggling to deciph
- 292 Auum nodded at the Al-Arynaar warrior beside him on the kicker board.'Clear the driver. I will watch.'A soul stealer landed heavily on the back of one horse which reared and threatened to bolt, kept in its traces only by the weight of the other
- 291 The cursyrd were waiting for them before the first wagon was. .h.i.tched to its nervous horse. Since they'd begun loading the fifteen wagons, some little more than makes.h.i.+ft covered trailers, in the dead of night the enemy had been preparing. Auu
- 290 He flew into the centre of the ring of Beshara's most powerful dragons and altered his att.i.tude, hanging vertically in the air and rotating slowly, displaying his belly scales to them all.'Which is it to be?'There was a long moment when S
- 289 'The TaiGethen examine every move a prey makes. They chart their strengths, learn their failings. We strike only when prepared. Only humans have a G.o.d of fortune; and he has turned against you.'Pheone felt she should apologise but stopped hers
- 288 Auum paused, listening to the ebb and flow of the wind. He could hear the diminis.h.i.+ng echoes of demon calls and sporadic cries from young, scared mouths. Dying away slowly. Like Balaia.He waved his Tai on towards a low barn set between two corn fields
- 287 The shapechanger was pulling on his s.h.i.+rt as he trotted over from the longboat. Hirad watched him kneel and touch the ground. He crumbled earth in his palm and rubbed gra.s.s between his fingers. He breathed deeply over the bloodstains and scorch mark
- 286 'Yes,' he confessed. 'For some reason, the stakes seem higher for Balaia. Stupid, I know, but they do. After all, destruction or domination have always been the cost of failure.''But not for the scattered dimensions too,' sai
- 285 In front of him, Hirad saw green vegetables, a sprinkling of chicken, and potatoes. Not exactly a Blackthorne feast of old but a step up from the broth he was a.s.sured they ate most other times. Still, they all had enough to satisfy them. And while they
- 284 Blackthorne put an arm around his shoulder and began to lead him back to the rest of The Raven who were standing or sitting in a group, drinks in hands, looking back at the demons cl.u.s.tered outside the ColdRooms.'Later, Hirad. First of all, you sh
- 283 The mist soaked into them, penetrating deep into their skins where it simply dissolved the linkage that bound the mana to them. Immediately, Erienne could see the mana sloughing from the demons. Tiny particles glimmering in the ma.s.s of energy trails. Un
- 282 Heryst swung by Arabelle and she could see the set of his face and the disappointment in his eyes.'Been comfortable in here, hasn't it?' he said. There was a ripple of laughter. 'Funny, is it? In here where the demons can't pluck
- 281 The demon started to struggle again when they lifted it from the ground, contorting its body, shaking its limbs and arching its neck. But these were strong and determined men Arabelle had selected and they moved with purpose.Pounding through the streets b
- 280 Hirad moved past her and yanked open the door. 'Ilkar. He moved straight through me. He was running. He was frightened.''That's not . . .'Hirad didn't stop to ease Erienne's confusion. He trotted along the short corridor
- 279 'Yes, Sha-Kaan. That your melde will soon be shattered, that the Kaan will dwindle. That I need not spill one more drop of Naik blood to beat you. Merely bide my time.'Sha-Kaan feathered his tongue in humour. 'All these things are true. But
- 278 The five remaining fanned out around him where he hovered, again beating his wings gently, displaying his scales, hanging perpendicular to the ground thousands of feet below.'Do you know nothing, or are you so full of anger you cannot read the signs
- 277 'Run!' Chandyr led the charge back to the doors, stopping by Dystran who had backed right to the edge of the ColdRoom.Soldiers and mages rushed past. Demons closed in from left, right and above. The corridor down which the Dordovans flew narrowe
- 276 They were a way distant, probably a couple of miles and maybe more, and the demons were clamouring to get at them, whoever they were. Dystran took a quick look down into the occupied parts of the college. It was all but deserted. He took a deep breath and
- 275 'Your son is beautiful,' he said, voice a ba.s.s rumble, his eyes a brilliant blue, s.h.i.+ning with affection.'Thank you,' she said. 'It is good to see you.''But the reason why breaks your heart.'She nodded. Darric
- 274 A murmur ran around the room. Heryst looked round. On the council table, the ColdRoom mages were lost in their casting. Two others sat next to them, monitoring the mana spectrum as best they could for any communication through the strands of mana that lin