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Discover a dark fantasy world where 15th century knights come in conflict with the twilight underworld.  Only the Seaton brothers are brave enough to stand against the evil of Makoor and his advocate Tyrus Clore.  A single seed of a vampire secretly brought into the city of Koriston is in means of multiplying, infesting all of Koriston and all of Alamptria.

The undead are eager to dominate the lands of Alamptria and the devil worshipers to fulfill the dark lords quest.  The Seatons stand to rise with the help of Grongone and his trusted Muskatas creatures, who know the powers of Petoshine.  The vim of the mighty claymores are out to confront these menacing vampires and their legion of doom.

Welcome to the literary world of

Richard A Valicek

A compelling world of dark fantasy, murder

and paranormal activity.

Agent Cody Brookes of the FBI is thrust

into a brutal world of serial killers, dark

forces and other phenomenon.  Cody Brookes and Kristen Bones are pitted against the crimes of brutal killings.  Investigations has them uncovering the deceased remains found in the most bazaar places you can imagine.  Whether under cover in Oklahoma, under direct authority to uncover a plot by a serial killer in Chicago, under strict orders to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a missing youth, or a rampaging mad man in the medical facility in northern Alaska,  Brookes and Bones have their work cut out for them.  There’s no telling what bazaar artifacts they might unearth.

If your looking to read a chilling tale of the paranormal, emerse your self in the stories of Cody Brookes FBI.

CODY BROOKES FBI EPISODE 2.pdf

CODY BROOKES FBI EPISODE 1.pdf

ALAMPTRIA - RED MOON RISING

          Chapter 1

The Dark Night

1. •By 1434, the Cranopleton treaty, shakily forged between the Elysians and the Bramonians, had fallen.  Armored swordsmen clashed their steel weapons amid the dusty sand storms on Shillian’s Plateau.  There were many brave soldiers, yet among them, none could match the power and skill of the proudest Elysians, the Seaton brothers.  They were the commanders of three legions.  Each set out to lead his army to victory.  It was due to their leadership that the land was soon covered in thousands of the slain.  But the Bramonians were tenacious, and war between the two was far from over. 
   

            On one particular night, after darkness had fallen, inside a burlap tent pitched on the battlefield among the sea of dead soldiers, a woman sat in deep thought, considering the next days’ attack strategy. She was not a warrior but someone of great importance to the high king and commander of the Bromonians. 

            Lurking in the dark night was a soldier dressed in the combat uniform of a Bramonian. He entered the tent.  “Who are you, Soldier?” she asked.

1. •“My lady, I am Commander Agnon’s First in Command,” said the knight.
   

2. •The woman widened her eyes and said carefully, “I thought you died on the battlefield.”
   

3. •“Yes, so I almost did.  Those retched Elysians almost had me.  If it were not for my quick reflexes, I would not be standing here.”
   

4. •“I was told you and I were never to meet,” she said.
   

5. •“Perhaps I’ve been too resentful, perhaps hasty.”
   

6. •“I can understand your pain, Brutus.  It is terrible for you to have lost your cousin in war.”
   

7. •“He was my mentor.  He was a great fighter.  He will be missed,” the knight said stoically.
   

8. •“Would you care for a drink?” She began to pour herself a cup of water.
   

9. •“That would be splendid.  I can use a swallow at a time like this.” 
   

She handed him a cup.  “To your health.”  He clanked cups with her.  He sat and they slowly, quietly got to know each other.  To see if she could trust him, the woman attempted to extract false remarks from the man, but he spoke with great sincerity and gave all the right answers.  In time, she held no misgivings that this man was indeed Brutus. 

            Her guard down, she began to take a strong liking to him.  And as their talk turned to flirting, the woman found herself making sexual overtures to the handsome knight.  She picked up the lantern before her and set it down on a nearby table.

1. •“Do not worry, Brutus,” she said consolingly.  “The Elysians will pay.”
   

2. •“There is a great force that stands in our way.”
   

3. •“Yes, you talk of the Seaton brothers.”
   

4. •“They are a menace.”
   

5. •“You talk as if you know them well,” she gazed at him curiously.
   

            “My lady, I have had my share of battles on the field, and I have experienced much.  The Seatons are a great threat to us.  But if they were to be eliminated-” He trailed off, raising an eyebrow.

1. •“Yes, but can it be done?” she whispered, her face sharp with excitement.
   

2. •“They are just three men.  We are many.  With the right tactics, we can disguise a band of our warriors.”
   

3. •“What do you have in mind?” she asked, her voice devilish.  “Hold that thought, Brutus.  I have a bottle of very old grog.  Shall I open it?”
   

4. •“Indeed.  It will make for a fine lubricant as we plan our attack.” 
   

She brought the bottle over to a pile of blankets.  “Come, Brutus, sit with me.”  He sat down beside her and she poured.  She smiled at him and winked.  He caressed her arm. “Brutus, now that we have gotten to know each other, you may call me Salina.”  They drank, and she poured them another.  “Now then, we were discussing the elimination of the Seatons.”

1. •“By sending a band of warriors disguised as Elysian peace keepers, men who know the ways of the church of Christ, we can get close to the Seaton brothers and enlist them into the council’s peace initiatives.  When the moment is right, and we have our men just where we want them….”
   

2. •Salina immediately cut in.  “Brutus, this is an inspiring plan. We get political chaos and the Seatons will be no more.”  She smirked.
   

3. •“Indeed.  A carefully created plot can be quite fatal,” said the knight.
   

4. •“Still, what if one were to walk in and witness the extermination of the Seatons?” she asked.
   

5. •“We’ll make no mistakes.”
   

6. •“No,” Salina’s face was dark.  “We’ll have to give this more thought.  I don’t mean to offend you, but we can’t afford any mistakes.  The slightest mishap could lead to terrible repercussions for those carrying out this political assassination.”
   

7. •“Salina, I assure you; this will work.  The Seatons will fall into this trap.  It is like a dog caught in a snare,” he smirked.  “Once the trap has you, it never lets go.”
   

8. •“Brutus, you’re a paragon of the sinister, and you are turning me on.” Salina leaned in close to his face.  “Tell me more.”
   

9. •“Yes, of course.  But,” the knight backed up.  “I really would like it if the two of us discussed it together with Agnon himself.  Ah, by the way, where would Agnon be sleeping these days?”  Salina gulped down her drink and smiled at the intoxicant’s warm glow. 
   

10. •“I will take you to him in the morning.  But now, how do you bring warmth to a cold body?”  She dropped her clothing and stood naked in front of him.  “Any ideas, Brutus?”
    

11. •“Indeed, all work and no play makes Brutus a very dull boy,” he said and reached for her.  They were soon both naked on the blankets, making love like minks.  At a pause, he took the bottle, which lay between them, and poured her another drink.  In the next two hours Salina took six more drinks.  Meanwhile, the knight only sipped at his and tossed them aside when she was not looking. 
    

            Salina struggled to stay awake.  Her head bowed and swayed.  “Tell me, dear Salina, in which tent can I find Agnon?”  Her eyes were half closed, and she didn’t appear to hear him.  He gently held her chin.  “Salina, I need you to focus.  Where can I find Agnon?”

1. •She peered into the knight’s face trying to understand the question.  Finally she said, “He, he is in the third tent.  Third tent from the left.”  With that, her head listed to the side, and the knight gently put her down. 
   

2. •“There, now go to sleep.  Sleep it off.”  He gave her a long lasting kiss on her lips and patted her face gently.  “Not bad for a Bramonian woman,” he said, smiling with  satisfaction.  “You’ve been very helpful, Salina.  It’s unfortunate you are on the wrong side.”  He quickly dressed in a stolen combat uniform and took one last look at her naked body before covering her up.  “All in a good night’s work,” he said to himself. 
   

            At a nearby table, the knight poured a toxin into a glass of grog.  “I truly am sorry about this, Salina, but you leave me no choice.”  He opened her mouth and poured the drink down her throat.  She coughed and gagged, but soon settled down into permanent sleep.  “I am sorry.  But you would have done the same to me.  Goodbye.”

            He emerged from Salina’s tent, coming face to face with a soldier.  “My lad,” he said brusquely, “Salina is quite tired.  Make sure she is not disturbed.”

1. •“Yes, sir,” the soldier saluted.  The knight walked away toward the third tent.  As he approached, he carefully peeped through the cloth flap over the entry way.  There, in the flicker of candlelight, sat the Bramonian commander, Agnon.  His back was toward the knight, and he was thinking so intently, he didn’t notice the shadowy figure creeping in behind him. 
   

The knight came closer and saw the side of Agnon’s face.  The dark hair, dark complexion and pointed beard told him that indeed this was Agnon.  Out of the corner of his eye, Agnon noticed a shadow, and he quickly turned his head.  Agnon peered into the knight’s face and immediately recognized him.

1. •“How did you get here!” Agnon’s eyes widened.  The knight quickly pulled out his dagger and grabbed hold of him before Agnon could utter another word.  The knight  held his hand tightly against Agnon’s mouth.  He was clearly the stronger of the two. 
   

            “With you out of the way, the Bramonians don’t stand a chance,” he whispered viciously to him.  “Take a good look at my face, for my face is the last your eyes shall see.”  Agnon trembled from the blade at his throat.  His eyes widened.  “The threat of your people will be no more,” said the knight.  Agnon gasped for air and tried to speak.  “Mercy?  Mercy you say?  No, no, my friend, there will be no mercy tonight.”  The knight then drove the blade into Agnon’s throat, jabbing him again and again.  When Agnon was motionless in the knight’s arms, the knight picked up his dead body and set him in his hammock.  His arm hung down low from where he lay. 

            The knight slowly backed away.  He carefully glanced out of the tent.  There was no Bramonian in sight.  The knight quietly headed for the hills.  The night had been success: a red death for the Bramonian General.  But poor Salina; she trusted the knight, revealing the whereabouts of Agnon, which brought her to her death.  Her casualty had not been part of the plan in eliminating Agnon.  She had just been a woman in the wrong place at the wrong time.  But political assassinations were part of this world; such a ploy had to be undertaken by the Elysians for the good of mankind.  The knight smiled at the thought of dawn bringing the Bramonians a day of great mourning.  “An army without a general,” clucked the knight in false sympathy.

           As the knight headed into the forest, unknown to him, he was followed by a Bramonian, who was slowly gaining on him.  He trekked into a cluster of trees and heard an eerie laughter.  The laughter was not from the Bramonian that followed, but from a Droge creature that followed the knight from a distance.  Though the moon’s glow glimmered a few rays of light into the dark forest, it was still far too dark to make out what the creature looked like on this night. 

The knight unearthed a nearby rock where he had hidden his Elysian combat uniform.  He quickly removed his stolen uniform and threw it on the ground.  The Bramonian watched him with anticipation from behind a small rise of earth, eager to find out why this soldier was not amongst the army.  After a while, he could contain himself no longer.  “Soldier! What are you up to?” cried out the Bramonian.  The knight quickly rushed to get his uniform on.  The Bramonian picked up his pace.  The knight now harnessed on his chest protection.  At last the Bramonian saw that he was looking at his enemy.  He began to run toward him and drew his sword.  As the Bramonian’s blade came at him, the knight quickly drew his claymore of power.  The two clashed swords and began fighting fiercely.  The Bramonian was a big man, well built with a slender frame; he was strong and vigorous, and his quick reflexes blocked the knight’s swift swings of his sword.  “I’m going to watch you bleed, Elysian!” the Bramonian growled.  The knight swung hard, but the Bramonian blocked it easily.  The Droge creature watched from a tree with excitement.  His jaws hung open, hungering for man flesh.  The Bramonian kicked the knight’s abdomen, which knocked him to the ground.  The knight quickly got up on all fours.  With the claymore of power in his hand, and a quick leap, the knight somersaulted into the air, landing on a tall rock.  The Bramonian looked astonished.  The knight laughed.  “Come on, fight me! I want to see what colour you bleed!”  He brandished his claymore of power at his enemy.  The Droge watched and laughed out loud. 

            The knight dove off the rock and threw a blast of energy from his claymore of power, which sent the Bramonian careening hard against a tree.  The knight landed neatly on the ground and quickly threw another blast from his claymore.  Once again, the Bramonian, who was trying to stand, was hit hard against the tree.  The man was dazed, yet when the knight came at him, the soldier quickly swung his sword.  It wasn’t a match for the knight’s quick reflexes however, and he swung from below, the blade coming up to sever the man’s hand.  The Bramonian’s sword flew into the air, and the knight caught it.  The Bramonian stood defenseless, trembling.  The knight swung the swords simultaneously, now severing both the Bramonian’s arms   The Bramonian screamed.  “Who are you, Elysian?”

1. •“My name is Andromin Seaton.”  The Bramonian’s eyes and mouth widened at the sound of the name.  Andromin drew his left sword, and with great force, lunged the sword into the man’s mouth.  The man fell back against a tree where he was pinned to the bark through his mouth, his eyes open wide.  “Now there’s a mouthfull,” said Andromin.  “Hang around much?” Andromin chuckled and walked away. 
   

            At a little gleeful animal noise, Andromin turned.  He watched the Droge approach the dead Bramonian with jaws wide enough to seem unhinged.  The Droge looked at the man’s bare ankles, and its eyes grew wide. 

1. •“Tasty – tasty!” said the Droge before it sank its teeth into the man’s ankle.  Andromin watched the gruesome sight: this little woodland creature chewing away on a man’s flesh, with glowing red eyes, before the Droge turned, blood in its sharp teeth, to stare at Andromin.  They held each other’s gaze in stalemate, neither turning away.  It appeared theirs was some sort of dark connection.  The Droge slowly licked its lips and walked on all fours toward Andromin.  The creature stood an arm’s length away from him, never breaking their stare. 
   

The creature spoke, “Missa Gammas.  You an I are one.  We are one.”  The creature held out his hand, palm up.  It was offering its friendship to him.  It held out its hand for a long time.  And though Andromin was afraid, he could not help but feel trust for the creature. Finally Andromin reached out to exchange friendship.  When their hands were about to touch, the creature turned his, and without warning, pricked Andromin’s finger with its sharp poisonous fingernail. 

Andromin immediately pulled his hand back and sucked his wounded finger.  The creature said again, “Isa finished. You an I are one. We are one.”  The Droge creature backed away.  Andromin continued to look into the darkness, mesmerized, following the Droge’s glowing red eyes until they faded into the dark. 

            The prick on Andromin’s finger was not poison.  But it would become an infection, one that would spread soon to affect the mind, causing confusion, irritation, irritability and irrationalism.  The calling card of the Droge.

1. •Andromin left and went to his stallion, whom he had tethered to a tree branch.  He quickly untied the reins and mounted.  He gave the horse a yank and galloped away to rendezvous with his Elysian army.  His pricked hand began to feel slightly numb. 
   

As he rode, he stumbled on another dead body lying on a flat rock, its head elevated by a chunk of rock.  Andromin peered into the man’s face and felt a sudden chill; the man’s face was identical to his own.  Andromin knew he was staring at himself.  The body was wearing strange dark clothing.  There was something evil about this man.  He continued to watch his twin. Andromin closed his eyes.  When he opened them, the dead body of his twin had vanished.  Andromin was relieved.  He did not know what to think about what he had seen.  Was this some sort of warning of things to come?  An omen perhaps?

            As Andromin rode off, upon the same flat rock stood another vision.  This was the figure of a golden female elf with skin of fleece.  Her name was Felicia.  She was wisdom, good itself, and it was she who watched over the land.  A tear fell down her face.  Her spirit roamed all of this land of Alamptria.  Soon, a red dawn would begin.

1. •When dawn arrived, and after Andromin awoke from just a mere hour’s sleep, he met with his brothers, Caprius and Dragus.  When the army learned of Andromin’s successful mission and that he had slain Agnon, the Elysians rejoiced and considered it a great victory.
   

            The war continued.  But the Bramonian’s army was weakening.  With so many of their men lost, they held little hope at triumph.  Their strategy of attack was weak, and with Agnon dead, the army lacked the leadership to implement a new one. 

            By the end of the fourth day, the Bramonians surrendered to the Elysians.  The enemy withdrew its forces and retreated .  Yet a few rebels who did not accept defeat remained and took cover as Elysians, some even managing to engage the most secure of positions, ones requiring ultimate trust and loyalty.  They would have their revenge.