Chronicles of Ancient Darkness

Updated: 2024-4-18

Status: Completed

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Novel Chapters

List of most recent chapters published for the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness novel. A total of 162 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024

Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.Mich.e.l.le Paver.Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.Wolf Bro
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.Mich.e.l.le Paver.Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.Wolf Brother.Spirit Walker.Soul Eater.Outcast.Oath Breaker.Ghost Hunter.Wolf Brother.ONE.Torak woke with a jolt from a sleep he'd never meant to have.The fire had burned low.

162 It was a calm, sunny day in the Willow Grouse Moon, and although spring had not yet come, the Forest was beginning to stir. A woodp.e.c.k.e.r drummed in the distance. A tough little bullfinch perched in an ash tree, cracking seeds in its bill. A white har 2024-4-23
161 Fin-Kedinn paused. Then he told the story which Torak's father had told him the night after it happened.'Narik was eight summers old when Narrander joined the Healers. Narrander soon wanted to leave. They wouldn't let him. He was stubborn. To make him 2024-4-23
160 Suddenly, he stopped whimpering. In the distance he heard the deep, echoing croaks of ravens. He swivelled his ears. Those were his ravens!He yowled.They didn't come.Well, then, he would go to them.Eagerly, he bounded through the Bright Soft Cold. It 2024-4-23
159 Renn had no more arrows. Frantically, she searched for stones.'None left,' panted Dark. Grabbing her axe, he flung it with all his might. It struck short of the rockpile.Torak was on his knees fighting the dog, his hands in its scruff, battling 2024-4-23
158 'Feel what?''Down there in the smoke. Something terrible.''I can't see anything.''Neither can I. But I feel them.'Renn felt them too. There was more in the Whispering Cave than Eostra and her minions.'It&# 2024-4-23
157 'I don't know.'Renn jammed her knuckles in her mouth. Somewhere in this terrible Mountain, Torak was facing Eostra alone.A cold hand touched her wrist.'Is that you?' she whispered.'What?' said Dark, some paces away.A chi 2024-4-23
156 Slipping off his mittens, he drew his knife and followed. The tunnel was cold; he felt his way through a dank cloud of breath. Shadows scuttled. His hand moved over rock as ridged and slimy as guts. In a crack, something scaly withdrew from his touch.Arou 2024-4-23
155 The thought of leaving Wolf was unbearable; but so was the thought of taking him into the Whispering Cave and seeing him die.With an irritable growl, Wolf wriggled free and shot out of the cave, followed by Ark and Dark. Torak crawled after them into the 2024-4-23
154 Its wingbeats faded. Renn hid behind a rock. The wingbeats were coming back. Too noisy for an owl, she thought.Rip lit onto the rock and rattled an excited kek-kek-kek!Renn gave an edgy laugh. Rip hitched himself into the air and flew off. Quork!When Renn 2024-4-23
153 The pale lashes flickered. 'I'm Dark.'Torak snorted. 'Why'd they call you that?''They didn't. They threw me out before I got a name, so I chose Dark. I thought it might help.'Torak felt a flicker of pity, which 2024-4-23
152 The cleft was the height of four tall men, but narrow enough for him to climb by bracing one foot on either side. The fissured granite provided many hand and footholds, and on a summer's day, Torak would have scrambled up it like a squirrel. But the rock 2024-4-23
151 'No it's not,' panted Torak as he and Wolf started to climb. The spur was made of knives. Some malign force had s.h.i.+vered its rocks into thousands of blades standing on edge. Even through his boots, Torak's feet were soon bruised. He hadn't gone f 2024-4-23
150 Something in his manner made her look at him, really look. What she saw in his face made her catch her breath. There would be no need to tell him of Saeunn's prophecy.'You know,' she said.He nodded.'How?''When I saw the Mountain.' He touched his br 2024-4-23
149 After a time, something howled back.It wasn't Wolf.Juksakai ran to him, his pale eyes bulging with fear. 'What was that?''I don't know,' said Torak. He scanned the darkening campsite. 'Juksakai,' he said sharply. 'Where's Renn?'TWENTY-TWO.What 2024-4-23
148 The Masked One never moved, but Renn felt icy fingers on her throat, choking off the spell.'None may hinder Eostra.''You're not real!' gasped Renn. 'I'm not afraid of you!''All fear Eostra.' Slowly, the feathered arms rose, and their shadows too 2024-4-23
147 Krukoslik did not speak again, and they went on in silence.The shadows were darkening to violet as they reached camp. From a distance, it looked tiny, nestled beside a grey lake in the immensity of the fells. As they drew closer, Renn saw many shelters ho 2024-4-23
146 She was right. Forget about people. The only thing that mattered now was meat.And they'd have to get close. Success in a reindeer hunt depends on making a swift kill which fells the prey quietly, without alerting the herd. If you miss, they'll be off, a 2024-4-23
145 By now, Torak was giddy with hunger. All that awaited him at camp was his share of the hazelnuts. The sky was a deep, cold blue, strewn with stars. The moon was not yet up, but he made out the fanged blackness of the Mountains and above them, faint and fa 2024-4-23
144 Torak shut his eyes. That brought the blackness back, so he opened them again. 'Why would she?' he mumbled.'I think,' said Renn, 'she wanted to make you go beyond the earthblood I'd laid down, so that her tokoroth could get you. But why?' she said 2024-4-23
143 'His mother was Seal Clan, he always wore it.' He swallowed. 'He left it as a sign. He's been begging me for help. And I turned my back on him to find Wolf.''You had to,' said Renn. 'Wolf needs you.''I turned my back on Fa. That's why he left m 2024-4-23
142 A flash of lightning showed him the wattle door weighted shut with a stone. Thrusting it open, he threw Rip inside and crawled after him.With the door closed behind them, the wind's screams lessened a little, but the ice hammering the walls was deafe 2024-4-23
141 'Bad weather on the way,' said one. 'Dangerous to be in the Forest alone.' Out of respect, he didn't ask what the Leader of the Ravens was doing so far from his clan.Fin-Kedinn declined the offer and ignored the unspoken question. 2024-4-23
140 If that were true, he couldn't do it without his pack-brother. And yet how could Wolf go with him, when he had to look after the cubs?As Wolf was trying to get his jaws around this, a bad scent hit his nose. He caught the smells of the Stone-Faced On 2024-4-23
139 Aki's fingers were bleeding as he clawed the mat. Renn tried to stop him, but he was too strong. She called for help. Aki's father ran in and clasped his son in his arms. A second man, haggard from fever, raised a spiral amulet and made the sign 2024-4-23
138 The logs had collapsed. The ravens were back in their tree.He hadn't dreamt that voice. He had heard it. It was familiar unbearably so. It was also impossible.Rising to his feet, Torak drew his knife. When he reached the ring of juniper brands that p 2024-4-23
137 That night, as they camped by the Blackwater, Bale came to him for the last time.Torak knows that he is dreaming, but he also knows that what's happening is true. He stands on the pebbly sh.o.r.e of the Bay of Seals, watching Bale carry his skinboat 2024-4-23
136 'You did the right thing,' she said.'They don't know that,' he said in disgust. 'They'll let her live because I told them to. Not because it's right.''That won't matter to her.''Well it matt 2024-4-23
135 Sounds from outside were m.u.f.fled and remote. Was that a wolf's yelp? A raven's caw? Through her rasping breath, she caught Thiazzi's mocking tones, but nothing from Torak.She went on sawing at the rope.The ravens wheeled and cawed, and f 2024-4-23
134 Wolf didn't know what to do. He is not wolf, he told her.Darkfur's gaze turned stern. You were pack-brothers. A wolf does not abandon his pack-brother.Wolf stood miserably on the trail, listening to the howling in his head, while the Great Brigh 2024-4-23
133 The Blackwater was implacable. His muscles burned. He deserved it.Through the trees, he glimpsed the glow of the Deep Forest camp. But the river was barred. A wovenbark net stretched from bank to bank.Jamming in his paddle, Torak drove the dugout back. Wh 2024-4-23
132 'How could you know? You're not a Mage!''I know that the spirit walker has escaped,' she said, feeding on his unease. 'I know that your plans have gone awry. What's gone wrong? Who's turned against you?'He thre 2024-4-23
131 'What?' he said impatiently.'We can't go after Thiazzi. Not now.'He stared at her.'If you killed him now,' she whispered, 'you'd be confirming every lie he's told them about the Open Forest.''But 2024-4-23
130 'Many winters ago,' he began, 'the clans turned their backs on the True Way.'People hung their heads. Some of the Aurochs scratched their faces to reopen their wounds.'They were punished,' said the Mage. 'Whole clans die 2024-4-23
129 'The Soul-Eater didn't,' said Renn. 'Take me to your Mage and I'll give him proof.''Our Mage keeps to his prayer shelter,' said the Auroch Leader, 'he doesn't see outsiders.''If you were really a 2024-4-23
128 The eyes opened. Bark limbs detached themselves from the trunk. Bark hands reached to grab her.Whimpering, she fled.To her left, another bark creature separated from a trunk. Then another and another. Bark people moved to surround her, reaching for her wi 2024-4-23
127 Like a fish on a hook, Torak dangled from the tree, while the sky darkened to an angry orange twilight which had nothing to do with the sun. 'You can't leave me here to burn!' he cried.'You are an unbeliever,' said the woman. 2024-4-23
126 Torak's head reeled. If not even fire could harm him . . . He couldn't do this. He couldn't do it.He watched the Mage raise a fallen spruce tree as if it were a twig, and set it against the trunk of the Great Oak. The spruce was notched to 2024-4-23
125 'Yes, Mage,' the woman said humbly.Torak caught Renn's eye. The horses.To give him a chance to tackle the woman, she asked Durrain to explain how the Red Deer went into a trance. The Mage gave her a look, and took her into the shelter.' 2024-4-23
124 She pointed to the man with the bark-bound head, who was walking in front. 'Why doesn't he like me?'The young man sighed. 'We fostered a Raven once. He helped the Soul-Eater make the demon bear.'Renn bridled. 'That was my bro 2024-4-23
123 Bison.He watched the creature lean against the yew's trunk and give itself a luxuriant scratching that made the whole tree s.h.i.+ver. Then, with a deep, satisfied grunt, it ambled off.Soon afterwards, Torak caught the familiar tail-swish of horses. 2024-4-23
122 'Well it wasn't.'He grabbed her hand. 'Yours is cold, the other was hot.''Of course I'm cold, I'm soaking wet! Where did you go?'From the Auroch camp came shouts, a scream of pain.'Tell you later,' sa 2024-4-23
121 'What is it?''Not sure. Don't move.'That twig could not have speared the leaf by chance. It pierced the leaf blade like a needle, straight down its length, to the right of the midrib. It had to be a signal.To the right of the midr 2024-4-23
120 Food steadied her a bit. She made a stew of chickweed, bittercress and bramble shoots, with meaty spring mushrooms, and woodpigeon eggs and snails baked in the embers. The snails were particularly delicious, as they'd been feeding on crow garlic.Whil 2024-4-23
119 Out loud, Torak said, 'When you were in the Deep Forest, did you see a man in a dugout? A big man, very strong.''What do I care about that?' snapped Gaup. 'I was looking for my child! Four summers old, and they took her!'Tora 2024-4-23
118 'Don't talk,' warned Renn.'Hurts less than breathing,' said her uncle. 'Where are we?'Torak told him.He groaned. 'Ah, not here! Not the hill!''We can't move you, not tonight,' said Renn.'Thi 2024-4-23
117 He opened his mouth, and for a moment she thought he would. Then his eyes widened and he grabbed her hood, yanking her down so hard that she bashed her temple on the rim of the canoe.'Ow!' she yelled. 'What are you ''Fin-Kedinn, g 2024-4-23
116 'One thing more the bones revealed, and this is certain. Fin-Kedinn, you will not reach the Deep Forest.'Renn's heart clenched. 'Then we'll go without him. Just Torak and me.'But her uncle wore the expression she dreaded: the 2024-4-23
115 When they were out of sight of land, Bale's father would take his spear and gash the funeral boat, sending his son down to the Sea Mother. The fishes would eat Bale's flesh, as in life he had eaten theirs; and when his shelter was ashes and the 2024-4-23
114 Death Marks. Yes. The souls must be kept together, or Bale might become a demon or a ghost.At least I can do this for you, thought Torak.With clumsy fingers, he untied his medicine pouch and shook it. Out fell the medicine horn which had been his mother&# 2024-4-23
113 Oath Breaker.ONE.Sometimes there's no warning. Nothing at all.Your skinboat is flying like a cormorant over the waves, your paddle sending silver capelin darting through the kelp, and everything's just right: the choppy Sea, the sun in your eyes 2024-4-23
112 'Something Renn said, a while back. She said the Seal Mage had a fragment of the fire-opal, and it went down with him in the Sea.' He shook his head. 'I don't think it did. He always kept what he needed for spells in a seal-hide pouch. 2024-4-23
111 Renn broke off a fern frond and tore it to bits.Why can't you just say it, she thought. Torak, I'm sorry I never told you. But it doesn't change anything, does it? Not really?But Torak mumbled something about helping Bale look for the wreck 2024-4-23
110 'No!' Aki pushed forwards. 'You can't do this! He saved my life!'The Boar Clan Leader turned on his son, and Aki quailed but stood his ground. 'He could have saved himself, but instead he helped me! Father, you can't kil 2024-4-23
109 'n.o.body's safe!' She clutched his arm. 'Listen to me! The flood is coming!'They stared at her.'The ice river,' she panted. 'All spring it's been keeping back the melt.w.a.ter! That's why the ice wall was 2024-4-23
108 Cowering at the bottom of the Lake, she felt its pain soughing through her, its unimaginable age.Now she was hovering above the healing spring, watching the hands of the Viper Mage clawing the sacred clay.Now she was bobbing on the water at the edge of th 2024-4-23
107 The other wolves had heard it too, but to his dismay, they'd hardly stirred. The cubs lay in an exhausted heap, and the full-growns tired from the journey sprawled, whiffling, in their sleeps. Tall Tailless was their friend, but he wasn't of the 2024-4-23
106 'They've gone,' he said in disbelief. 'The pack is gone.'Renn stood with her hands on her hips, looking about her. 'Where would they take the cubs?'Torak thought for a moment. 'When they get big enough, the pack tak 2024-4-23
105 It was a hot dawn, and with the wind at their backs they made good speed. Their islet turned out to have been much further west than they'd thought, and by mid-afternoon the Island of the Hidden People came into view.As they bobbed in the shallows, R 2024-4-23
104 Seshru sensed the change in him, and her features turned colder than wind-carved ice. 'Do not imagine you can hide from me.'Torak met her stare and held it.With the speed of a striking snake, she brought her face close to his. 'You cannot d 2024-4-23
103 To work off her frustration, Renn went hunting.Maybe it was the offerings she'd made to the Lake, or maybe it was the pair of ravens she saw overhead, but her luck was good. Another duck, this time a goosander. She cooked it the way her father had ta 2024-4-23
102 The cubs appeared at the jaws of the Den, whining, but they didn't come out. They were waiting to see what would happen.The hackles of the lead wolf went down, and he rubbed his flank against Tall Tailless' leg. Then he ran to greet the cubs.Pro 2024-4-23
101 Wolf sprang at them and they lifted into the Up, then swooped low, but just out of reach, taunting him.He waited till they came again he leapt snapped a tail feather, tore it to pieces. With furious caws the ravens soared into the Up. Down they came in a 2024-4-23
100 Torak shut his eyes tight.At last the storm blew over and the hail stopped. Shaking with fear, he grabbed his axe and crawled out.The ice had flattened undergrowth and ripped off branches; it had covered the beach in hard, translucent pebbles which crunch 2024-4-23
99 Renn didn't answer. The encounter with the twins had left her drained, and terrified of what they might have seen in her thoughts.She and Bale were back in the main shelter, where Ananda had left them. Yolun peered in, and jerked his head at Bale. &# 2024-4-23
98 'He has the waterskill,' Renn said quickly. 'And look at the reeds tattooed on his arms.'Bale's tattoos were of seaweed, but he had the sense to keep quiet.'None of this matters!' exclaimed Yolun. 'You all saw how t 2024-4-23
97 'Then why?''I'll tell you when you're older.' He takes her hand in his warm, strong grip, and she clings on fiercely.Now she was back on the Hogback; but there was no Fin-Kedinn to cling to.By the time she had made her way do 2024-4-23
96 Saeunn turned to Renn. 'You were the last to have seen her. Tell him what she is.'Renn couldn't speak. She was back in the forest of stone, in the flickering torchlight and the stink of slaughter, watching the snake-haired mask of the Viper 2024-4-23
95 He began to nod.Red eyes came at him. He woke with a cry. The eyes were real. Not red, but yellow. Wolf eyes.Seizing a burning branch, he lashed out, etching the shadows with a glittering trail of sparks.The wolves drew back. Their eyes were blank and ter 2024-4-23
94 FOURTEEN.The walkway lurched, nearly tipping Torak into the Lake. He dropped to all fours and clung on with both hands.Behind him Wolf stood, his claws digging into the wood. He hated this.There was no room for Torak to turn, so he cast an encouraging gla 2024-4-23
93 The Up darkened, and the Wet began to fall.Wolf stood in the Wet and watched the Mountain pack trotting away into the trees.THIRTEEN.It was raining, and Torak was chilled to the bone, but he was too scared to wake up a fire. The rockfall had crushed his s 2024-4-23
92 The river turned rougher, cras.h.i.+ng over rocks and soaking him in spray. As he clambered past the rapids, he watched for his pursuers on the other side. From memory, he guessed he was nearing the place where on the opposite bank two gullies led off fro 2024-4-23
91 A Willow man sang of the salmon run to the music of deer-hoof rattles and duck-bone pipes.A Rowan woman created a prowling shadow bear by moving her hands behind a firelit hide.So it went on through the brief summer night. Torak found himself drawn into t 2024-4-23
90 So why had it attacked? Sickness? A wound gone bad? She'd seen no sign of either. Demons? No. It didn't feel like that. And yet there was something.More earth trickled onto her face, and she spat out gritty crumbs. With infinite care, she pushed 2024-4-23
89 'I do know the risks, but ''No. Coming here tonight was incredibly brave, but you cannot you must not do any more!'Renn stood up. 'What I do or don't do is not for you to decide.' She turned to untangle her bow from a br 2024-4-23
88 Like a badger, he dragged armfuls of leaves into the shelter and snuggled under them, relis.h.i.+ng the woody tang. After a prayer of thanks to the Forest, he shut his eyes. He was exhausted.He was also wide awake.Thoughts he'd been avoiding for a ni 2024-4-23
87 Thull took Torak's fis.h.i.+ng spear and buried it under the trees.Luta laid his cooking-skin on the fire.Dari did the same with his auroch-horn spoon.Etan stamped on his birch-bark drinking cup.Sialot and Poi took his arrows and snapped them in two. 2024-4-23
86 'Renn. You've got to.''No! You couldn't do it on your own, you don't know Magecraft.''I've got to try.''Yes, and I'll help you.''No. If you helped me, you'd be outcast too.'&# 2024-4-23
85 Hearing Wolf's voice lightened Torak's spirits. Wolf didn't seem to mind his tattoo. Nor did the Forest. It knew, but it hadn't cast him out.The jay flew up, scattering droplets, and for a moment, Torak followed its flight. Then he pus 2024-4-23
84 Wolf's sense of smell is much more sensitive than Torak's. It's not known for sure exactly how much, but judging from the number of smell receptors in his long nose, it's been estimated at between a thousand to a million times better.L 2024-4-23
83 A weasel in its white winter coat rose on its hind legs to snuff the wind. Wolf p.r.i.c.ked his ears, and shot off in pursuit.Fin-Kedinn watched him go. Then he turned to Torak and said, 'I told you once of the great fire that broke up the Soul-Eater 2024-4-23
82 Suddenly Torak wanted to bury his head in Wolf's scruff and cry till his heart broke: for the Bat Mage, for himself, and in a tangled way, for his father.'Here,' said Renn, holding out a sc.r.a.p of seal meat.He sniffed; took the meat, and 2024-4-23
81 You couldn't stop this now, she thought. Even if you wanted to.Snow fell thickly, chilling her palm, but the fire-opal remained untouched.Deep within the stone, a crimson spark flickered. The spark flared to a flame. Pure. Steady. Beautiful . . .Shut 2024-4-23
80 Torak lifted his chin. 'It was my father's,' he said proudly.A hush fell upon the Soul-Eaters. The eagle owl swivelled its head and stared.'Your father,' said Nef, aghast. 'He was the Wolf Mage?''Yes,' said Tor 2024-4-23
79 A sudden honking of geese overhead. Thrusting her arms into her sleeves, she drew her bow from its seal-hide carrier.Too late. They were out of range.'Stupid!' she berated herself. 'You should've been ready! You should always be ready! 2024-4-23
78 THIRTY-THREE.The ice gave another lurch, jolting Torak to his senses.He had to get away from the edge, or he'd be next.The fog was so thick that he could hardly see; or were his eyes getting worse? Even this weak light felt like hot needles drilling 2024-4-23
77 Saeunn was undaunted. 'You cannot lead us into the Far North.''Oh, I wouldn't lead you, Mage. I'd make sure that you stayed here, in the Forest ''I'm not thinking of myself, but of the clan, as you well know!'& 2024-4-23
76 Before she could stop him, he'd risen to his feet, and stepped out into the light.With startling speed the lynx and the ice bear spun round, and stared at him with dead gutskin eyes.'The ninth hunter is come,' said the Oak Mage in a voice a 2024-4-23
75 'Yes. We might be able to s.h.i.+ft it.''We'll have to. It's the only way out.''No it isn't.' Reluctantly, she told him about the weasel hole.Normally he would have wanted to know everything about it, including 2024-4-23
74 The badness in his tail wouldn't let him rest. He circled until his hind legs shook so much that he had to lie down. His pelt felt hot and tight, and there was a buzzing in his ears. The black fog was hurting his head.From above him came the yip-and- 2024-4-23
73 Renn froze.'Boy! Wake up!''So you found him,' said another woman a little further off. Her voice was low and musical, like water rippling over stones. Renn's skin p.r.i.c.kled.'I can't wake him up,' said the Bat Mag 2024-4-23
72 More cramps convulsed him. He retched . . .. . . and suddenly he was trapped in the pit, slitting his eyes against the painful blur of light. He was so hot, so terribly hot. Above him the frail body of a boy taunted him with the maddening scent of fresh m 2024-4-23
71 Torak looked from Nef to Seshru to Thiazzi. Their faces were alight with fervour. While he had been plotting to rescue Wolf, they had been hatching a plan to gain dominion over the Forest.'Soul-Eaters, they call us,' said Thiazzi. He spat out a 2024-4-23
70 The hood of her parka snagged on the roof, and she kicked forwards to unhook it but the tunnel was too low, she couldn't move far enough to free herself.Irritated, she tried again. And again. She tried wriggling from side to side. The tunnel was too 2024-4-23
69 Again Nef seemed to read his mind. 'He isn't here. We're keeping him apart from the others.''Why?'That earned him a sharp glance. 'You ask a lot of questions.''I want to learn.'The bat on Nef's should 2024-4-23
68 'Stop whining,' growled the Soul-Eater, 'and keep up! If you get lost down here, we'll never find you again.'More tunnels, until Torak's head whirled. He wondered if the Soul-Eater had chosen a winding route on purpose, to ma 2024-4-23
67 Nothing. Not a breath of wind stirred the dead air.'Try again,' said Torak.She tried. And again. And again.Still nothing. She couldn't meet his eyes.Then from deep inside the mountain the faintest of howls.Torak's face lit up. 'I 2024-4-23
66 'Watch out,' said Torak, 'you're splas.h.i.+ng me.''Sorry.'Her arms ached, and despite her owl-eyed visor, her head was pounding from the glare. They'd reached the open Sea shortly after dawn, and were now in an eer 2024-4-23
65 Akoomik didn't join in the laughter as she packed her needles in a little bone case. Renn noticed tiny toothmarks on it, and asked who'd made them.'My baby,' replied Akoomik. 'When he was teething.'Renn smiled. 'Is he ov 2024-4-23
64 He caught a flicker of movement. Renn pus.h.i.+ng up her visor to take aim. 'Don't,' he warned. 'You'll only make it worse.'She saw that he was right, and lowered her bow. But she kept the arrow nocked in readiness.The dogs w 2024-4-23
63 Inuktiluk snorted. 'Not one like this.''Then we'll go around it,' said Renn.Inuktiluk threw up his hands. Whistling to his lead dog, he started across the lake. 'We cross on foot,' he told them. 'Walk behind me, and 2024-4-23