When Blades Grow Sharp |The Primordium Archives|
  • Reads 29
  • Votes 0
  • Parts 3
  • Time 1h 2m
  • Reads 29
  • Votes 0
  • Parts 3
  • Time 1h 2m
Ongoing, First published Dec 05, 2020
Vayne has always been lucky. But luck only lasts so long. His luck got him out of the slums and into the fields. From the fields to the wars. And from the wars to his grave. But the dead never truly die in this world...after being left for the crows Vayne is given a second life. A life as a blade.

~~~

Blades mean nothing to Dante Lastra. He's been chased to the sea and back by sharp edges and gilded steel. Just like his father, and his father before him. But now the running is over. The chase will end in blood and iron.

~~~

Seph Lastra saw blood on the ground and iron in the sky, among other things. But the meanings never bothered her, because she is her mother's child. And her mother saw much, and knew many things unspoken. Now it is Seph's turn to read the signs in the sky and on the ground...and perhaps change history itself. But at the end of it all, at the last of the signs, she can see peace.

~~~

Omen thought the peace would last. But for him and his kind, peace never lasts long. Only war remains. Once a hunter always a hunter. The nobility is gone, the gold will flow, and the dead will walk again. For Omen, he wants to know how it will all end. Peace?...or War? But the choice was never his.

~~~

Peace never lasts. Luck always runs out. And the continent of Paradise has never had much of either. Those who rule are never as they seem, and their power tips in the balance. Blades will always grow sharp, and war is always on the horizon. And the shadows walk in daylight, never resting and always searching. Welcome to the world of the Primordium Archives and the first book "When Blades Grow Sharp".
All Rights Reserved
Sign up to add When Blades Grow Sharp |The Primordium Archives| to your library and receive updates
or
#331swordandsorcery
Content Guidelines
You may also like
The Chronicles of Elysium: The Shadow's Embrace  by Tyler6318
31 parts Complete
In the mystical land of Elysium, where magic weaves through every leaf and whispers secrets to the wind, a darkness begins to stir. For centuries, the balance between light and shadow has been maintained by the guardians of Elysium, a group of powerful sorcerers sworn to protect the realm from evil. But when a long-forgotten prophecy resurfaces, foretelling the rise of a malevolent force known only as the shadow, the fate of Elysium hangs in the balance. As whispers of dark omens spread like wildfire, a young orphan named Lyra finds herself thrust into a world of magic and danger. With nothing but a mysterious amulet and her wits to guide her, Lyra embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind the prophecy and stop the shadow from consuming the realm. Along the way, she allies herself with a ragtag group of misfits: a brooding warrior with a haunted past, a cunning thief with a heart of gold, and a wise old sage with secrets of his own. Together, they must navigate treacherous forests, ancient ruins, and deadly creatures as they race against time to thwart the shadow's sinister plans. But as the darkness closes in around them, Lyra discovers that the true power to save Elysium lies within herself - if only she can unlock it in time. Filled with breathtaking magic, epic battles, and unforgettable characters, "The Chronicles of Elysium: The Shadow's Embrace" is a spellbinding tale of courage, friendship, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of darkness.
Valley of Shadows and Roses by TatiaSamaelPetrova
30 parts Complete
*ONC 2024 Longlist* There was a princess Living carefree She wanted the world she wanted everything Diamonds and pearls Emeralds and gold She bathed in the riches only she could know Then the Shadow King came And asked for her hand But she said no and sent him away The Shadow King vowed to himself One day she'll be his He curses her until she pleads for mercy And so the princess has to die When the midnight strikes And comes back to life with the first rays of the sun Turn the pages Read so you know how it will end The story of the Shadow Lord and the cursed princess __________________________________________________________________________________ A classic story retold in a new, dark way. This is where the lines between hero and villain blur. Once upon a time, in a distant kingdom in the Rose Valley, there lived a young princess. Maybe a little proud. Maybe she was the sweetest princess. And maybe not. She had many suitors, but she did not accept a single proposal for her hand in marriage. She didn't want to become a king's wife, she wanted to be a queen and rule her country. But one day darkness crept into the happy kingdom. A thick fog crept through the forest. Shadows walked under the treetops. The Shadow Lord came to propose to Princess Luna. She rejected him like everyone else, despite the fact that he was the only one who managed to impress her. However, the Shadow Lord isn't about to give up so quickly. He presents a gift to the princess. For the rest of eternity, at the stroke of midnight, she will die and come back to life with the first rays of day. Again and again. Every night. An endless cycle. Because as the Shadow Lord said, "I will wait for you, even if it takes forever." Old wounds are being opened. The boundaries between worlds are blurring. Will a prince on a white horse arrive and bravely rescue a cursed princess or...?
Eternal Night (Part 1) by DanmeiMTL
200 parts Complete
【Edited MTL】 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙀𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚: Look for the previous chapters on novelupdates or click the external link in the first chapter here. Chapter 30-357 + 11 extras (extras are partially edited) Due to the limitation on the number of chapters, this novel is divided into two books. This is the first book. Notes: - This novel can get quite abstract and mind-bending. My brain was so busy trying to process certain parts of the story that I couldn't even notice consistency issues. Expect patchy editing whenever it gets mind-bendy. - I don't read ABO and I'm unfamiliar with its terms, so I had no idea what terms were glaringly obviously wrong. You will have to deal with that arc as is, corrected for names and pronouns only. - This novel is not purely world hopping. Many of the events, especially later, focus on the main world and main characters. This is NOT a formulaic unlimited flow novel, if that's what you're after. ************** 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Welcome to a world of endless warfare. "You're a blade. It's your destiny to kill and conquer for God. "You must win every battle. Regardless of whether you're a defender or trailblazer; whether you're an impassive weapon or impassioned ammunition; whether your identity is a commander, soldier, or prisoner. "Remember that your merit is his merit, and your glory is his glory. "Victory or defeat, fresh flowers or a tombstone, you only have one end. "Walk through that door, and you are war incarnate." "No." He said, "I am victory." - He stood before the door. "One last question." "Please, ask." "How will he reward me?" "..."
The Story of Midnight by Silverwynd
51 parts Complete
"Who's out there?" One of the men yelled. Of course only silence met them. I remained quiet and waited for the group to start moving again. "Maybe it was just an animal." Someone whispered. The person, who I assumed was the captain of the small squad, signaled for them to walk again. They clearly showed fear as they kept going; brandishing their weapons to guard themselves with. "Two are holding lanterns. I'll tell you when you're too close to them." I heard my friend whisper in my ear. I followed the men as I picked up another branch and waited for the right time to break it. They continued to walk through the forest, turning their heads in every direction as if an animal might lunge at them and rip their throats out. I guess in a way I was going to do that. "Go back a few feet." My friend whispered. I carefully distanced myself from the group and waited. "Where is she?" I quickly snapped the stick as soon as he finished asking the question. They stopped and two soldiers raised their lanterns to shine its light in the darkness. I quickly hid behind a tree before both of them turned where I was. A low frustrated growl came from one of the men, "The girl's playing with us. She's out here following our every move." How paranoia can cloud the mind. At nine years old, Silver decided to leave her village for the forest. Since then, she's been hunted; everyday is a fight for her life, every breath she takes could be her last, but she's determined to stay alive. Her life isn't the kind anyone would want to live but she's managed to survive this long so, what's a few more years?
Smoke and Iron-Legends of Silva-Book 1 by Talespinner56
26 parts Complete
⚔️This is an incomplete, unedited version of the story. I am in the process of finishing and editing this book that will be available on Amazon when it is complete. ✨ ⚠️Read at your own risk. Legends tell of fearsome beasts, dashing rouges, and hordes of gold. Stories that capture the imagination, of all who dare to read them. This one is no exception, but far more than what meets the eye. For deep within the streets and canals of the great trading city of Talvos. A prophecy will come to life, and change the fates of two young denizens of this fair city forever. While the nobles hide behind their walls and houses, while the merchants count their gold, and while the gangs of the city take refuge in their taverns, brothels, and boxing dens. All unaware of the chaos that shall ensue, in only a mere three days time. Their lives will lay on the shoulders of these two unlikely allies. Tara, a thief known for her cunning, grand escapes, and her reputation as a first rate mage. She has only one goal on her mind, survive the perils of the streets and keep from being tossed into a cell. Then there is Andreas, noble, sharp, a perfect weapon of the king as the tyrant's skilled assassin. A path he chose, to keep at bay the gilded cage that waits for him. Challenges that they will face, along with a pirate queen hunting for a nameless treasure, and a ghostly rouge stealing from the kingdom's elite. Look no further for a story where legends lurk in the shadows, and doors that lead to secrets untold. Where gods walk the earth while monsters haunt the seas. (🔥Please leave a like, or comment🥀) (🥇First place winner for fantasy in The Seasonal Contests 2021)
Elyra: Legend Reborn by AoNoNgao
11 parts Ongoing
There is a force older than time itself, flowing unseen through the land, the skies, and the souls of those who walk this world. Some call it magic. Others, destiny. But in Elyra, power is not merely taken-it is earned, stolen, fought for, and sometimes... cursed upon the unworthy. The continent stretches endlessly, its lands carved by ancient wars and civilizations lost to history. Ruined cities stand as silent witnesses to battles long forgotten, their stone walls whispering secrets only the daring seek to uncover. Deep within the mountains, martial artists forge their bodies into weapons beyond human comprehension, their strikes capable of shattering steel. In the grand halls of scholars, mages bend the laws of reality, weaving spells that twist the very fabric of existence. Some claim magic is boundless, limitless in potential... but those who reach too far often find themselves consumed by forces they cannot control. But for every force that builds, another seeks to destroy. Beneath the surface, fire rages in an endless inferno, a realm where even the bravest fear to tread. High above, unseen hands pull at the strings of fate, shifting the balance of the world with every whisper. And hidden within sealed chambers, beings older than the stars slumber, their names long erased from mortal tongues. Legends speak of a kingdom that once ruled everything, a kingdom that no longer exists. Some say it was consumed by its own greed, others whisper of a power too great for the world to bear. Yet remnants remain-artifacts, symbols, fractured pieces of a puzzle scattered across the land, waiting for those foolish or ambitious enough to seek them. The air is shifting. The world stirs. Something is waking up. And when it does, Elyra will never be the same.
The Jack of Souls  (Multi-award winner!) by StephenMerlino
66 parts Complete
************************************************************************************** An outcast rogue must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. To survive, he'll need the sword of a maiden, the aid of an immortal, and the power of forbidden magic that could cost him the only girl he ever loved. ************************************************************************************ *** THE JACK OF SOULS won a Silver IPPY this year! *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the PNWA Competition in Fantasy! * *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the Southwest Writers competition! * *** A "Featured Book" on Wattpad! * *** Now a "Staff Pick" on Kickstarter! * *** Available on Amazon in paper, hardback, and ebook ! * *** My contract with Kindle Select won't allow me to post more than 3 chapters here, but... *** Sign up for my newsletter on stephenmerlino.com for alerts when it's free on Amazon! * MY INSPIRATION I wrote this out of pure love of trickster rogues; I love the wit over brawn motif -- Odysseus over Achilles, Raven over Eagle -- so I like to play with it in my stories. In JOS I set the rogue and con-artist Harric against a foil of warriors in a land threatened by magic and civil war. Whenever possible I turn familiar tropes on their heads: instead of a handsome young Lancelot, I cast a broken-down ex-champion addicted to pain-killing herbs; instead of a dashing Squire Brian, the old knight reluctantly takes an ambitious young woman as squire. Similarly, I re-imagine the standard medieval milieu by infusing aspects of two of my favorite historical periods, Elizabethan England, and The American Frontier. Both eras boast a kind of nationalistic arrogance that borders on hubris, and a magnificent spirit of resourcefulness and re-invention that is fun to play with. SERIES The Jack of Souls is first in a series. I am posting parts of the sequel here now (The Knave of Souls), to help me refine the story.
"Goodbye Curly Head" by NUmaker
40 parts Complete
Through thick and thin the Law shall prevail. A new sense of purpose awaits us, children of light, in the land where it all began. The darkness in which we once cowered in fear, now curbed by the might of our endless light. Come, brothers, come, sisters. Let there be peace among the wicked, just as the Law dictates. Peace and certainty is all that you have ever longed for, little angel. A bright, stable future. A roof without holes above thy head. Acknowledgement and recognition of thy existence, feverish dreams of grandeur. Greed born from yearning, treacherous vines of rapacity taint your innocent soul. You seek a future that does not exist. Let thy fingers hold the fragile line between dream and nightmare. Let thy light navigate the path. Shall thee give in and falter, O' land of old, envelop his body in thy unending flame of chaos. Spit out nothing but an empty husk, the remnants of a smile once so bright. Shall thee prevail, O', Great Kazdel, I ask of you, the impossible - take mercy on the innocent. Don't let the radiance dim and don't let the mind turn bleak. Wake, young traveler. Bid thy farewells and burn thy bridges. It's time to say goodbye, curly head. Cross post from AO3. For a shorter and more on-point description, look no further! I had something silly written up before throwing it out in exchange for that wall of text upstairs. It's a little story "about a young, dumb sankta who's been dealt a bad hand at life, looking for his place in all this mess. The pointless search for a better future leads him far, far away from home, to a country forever ravaged by war and misery - Kazdel, the promised land where devils roam free and peace feels out of place." Anyway, it's quite lengthy, but hopefully enjoyable? Slide a comment if you want, I'll give you a tiny kiss on the forehead. Man, do I love comments. (Lastly, to point out, English is not my native language, but I don't think it'll be much of an issue ;3)
Paragon - Book I by azimodo
51 parts Complete
*COMPLETE* There are whispers across the kingdoms that the Paragon, that strangely gifted person who can wield all four Skills, has been found. They're wrong, of course. No one has caught the Paragon. Allayria should know: she's it. But Allayria doesn't want to be the Paragon, and in her pursuit of freedom she finds herself enmeshed in a web of lies, caught in a group who might be even more dangerous than she could have imagined. Still, she's not the only one who has problems: bigger tides of change and danger are shifting across the world she has been assigned to protect. The Jarles, a kingdom in the east, has begun moving across its borders, and there are strange murmurings about what they have done, and where all the children they abducted have gone. Faced with responsibilities she never wanted, and a life she thought she could never have, Allayria must decide how she will help--and if she will be the Paragon at all. _____________________ WIP Cover art and written work by Azi. Highest ranking: #66 in Fantasy 2/3/2018 Hi everyone! Thanks a ton for taking the time to read Paragon. I'm so excited to share it with you, and to hear your feedback, theories, and insight. It's just me, myself, and I on this one (no beta) so if you catch any errors or inconsistencies, give me a shout--it will be much appreciated. The plan is to release a new chapter each weekend until we reach the end. - Azi Note: violence, sexual themes, and some coarse language will appear in Paragon.
You may also like
Slide 1 of 10
The Chronicles of Elysium: The Shadow's Embrace  cover
Valley of Shadows and Roses cover
Eternal Night (Part 1) cover
The Story of Midnight cover
A Hero With/Out Time cover
Smoke and Iron-Legends of Silva-Book 1 cover
Elyra: Legend Reborn cover
The Jack of Souls  (Multi-award winner!) cover
"Goodbye Curly Head" cover
Paragon - Book I cover

The Chronicles of Elysium: The Shadow's Embrace

31 parts Complete

In the mystical land of Elysium, where magic weaves through every leaf and whispers secrets to the wind, a darkness begins to stir. For centuries, the balance between light and shadow has been maintained by the guardians of Elysium, a group of powerful sorcerers sworn to protect the realm from evil. But when a long-forgotten prophecy resurfaces, foretelling the rise of a malevolent force known only as the shadow, the fate of Elysium hangs in the balance. As whispers of dark omens spread like wildfire, a young orphan named Lyra finds herself thrust into a world of magic and danger. With nothing but a mysterious amulet and her wits to guide her, Lyra embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind the prophecy and stop the shadow from consuming the realm. Along the way, she allies herself with a ragtag group of misfits: a brooding warrior with a haunted past, a cunning thief with a heart of gold, and a wise old sage with secrets of his own. Together, they must navigate treacherous forests, ancient ruins, and deadly creatures as they race against time to thwart the shadow's sinister plans. But as the darkness closes in around them, Lyra discovers that the true power to save Elysium lies within herself - if only she can unlock it in time. Filled with breathtaking magic, epic battles, and unforgettable characters, "The Chronicles of Elysium: The Shadow's Embrace" is a spellbinding tale of courage, friendship, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of darkness.