Series: The Rusted Blade
- Swordmaiden
- Paladin
- Rust, Blood, and Flame
- Light, Faith, and Sacrament
- Feeding the Flame
- The Fire Consuming
- An Embrace Eternal
- Dancing with Death
- A Chosen Tool
- Silence after the Storm
- A True Beginning
- Distant Whispers
- In Presence Exalted
- Servants of Fire
- Of the Dark, Of the Light
- A Warm Glow
- An Introduction and a Challenge
- Flames of the Fire
- Blazing Sparks
- Burning Coals
- Rebirth by Flame
- Aspects of Divinity
- Burden’s Release
- Cold Fire – and Hot Fury
- Resolve and Passion
- Grim Purpose
- That Which Is Given
- Grim Focus
- Weight and Depth
- Grim Satisfaction
- Slaughter and Sacrifice
- Grim Determination
- Duty and Death
- Grim Destruction
- Grim Fury
Malika paced steadily deeper into the woods, sword out to the side. Pale blue flames, barely visible, licked along the blade’s length. Near the base, just above the hilt, the only space not utterly consumed by rust, was etched a single word. Truth. It was not, Malika knew, the name of the sword. Rather, it was what the sword most desired, a craving that mirrored her own insatiable hunger.
Around her the noises of the forest continued – the howls and roars of large predators and the heavy footfalls of unseen leviathans. Malika made no effort at concealment. Indeed, she wanted to be seen, to be noticed by the creatures around her.
“Come to me,” she breathed. “Attack me. I am weak. I am food for your jaws. Destroy me.”
As if in answer, a large feline face lunged out of the brush in front of her. Malika deftly stepped to one side, bringing the sword up swiftly as the cat shot past her. The smell of blood, seared flesh, and singed fur filled the air as the cat fell dead a dozen paces away, evenly cloven in two.
