title: Elisha Magus (The Dark Apostle)
author:  E.C. Ambrose 
description: Praise for The Dark Apostle series:<br /><br />"<i>Elisha Barber</i> is an<b> edgy, vivid story with engaging characters and a well-drawn setting </b>that's almost, but not quite, our own history. I was drawn right in, quick as a slash of a barber's razor." Kevin J. Anderson, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Clockwork Angels</i><br /><br />"<b>A vivid, violent, and marvelously detailed historical fantasy</b> set in the perilous world that is medieval England in the middle of a war. Elisha Barber wades through blood and battle in his pursuit of arcane knowledgeforbidden loveand dangerous magic." Sharon Shinn, author of <i>Troubled Waters</i><br /><br />"In a grim world of medieval warfare, witch-hunts and primitive surgery, E. C. Ambrose has crafted <b>a shining tale of one man's humanity and courage</b>. A gritty read for those who like realism as well as hope in their fantasy." Glenda Larke, author of <i>Stormlords Exile</i><br /><br />"<i>Elisha Barber</i> is a stunning debut from a gifted storyteller. It didn't just keep me up all night, it transported me to a vivid, gritty 14th-century England, and left me feeling like I'd been touched by the wing of that dark angel. <b>A magical first novel.</b>" Steven H. Savile, author of <i>Primeval: Shadow of the Jaguar</i><br /><br />"Ambroses fantasy debut depicts a 14th-century England in which magic and fledgling science exist side by side. Elishas struggle to bring relief to those in need is complicated by his own need for redemption and his innate fear of what he cannot understand. This <b>beautifully told, painfully elegant story</b> should appeal to fans of L.E. Modesitts realistic fantasies as well as of the period fantasy of Guy Gavriel Kay." <i>Library Journal</i> (starred review)
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  #  Chapter One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Who would have known that Evander Alestaer, the so-called Arch Magus, would
  die not on the battlefield but from a curse? Over a dozen disciples of Evander
  surrounded him on his deathbed, their eyes brimming with tears.
  
  
  “Teacher! You promised me that after I become a Royal Court Magician, you’ll
  tell me the secret of the Void History!” said a young girl wearing a white
  robe. “You can’t die! You promised!”
  
  
  Evander smiled and stroked the hair of the young girl. She was the youngest of
  all his disciples and also the brightest. Five years ago, he journeyed through
  the Endless Desert in the West. Along the way, he passed by a village
  devastated by a Ground Dragon. Although those creatures were weak before
  Evander’s eyes, they still possessed enough strength to lay waste to a village
  or two. The desert clans were unable to subdue the Ground Dragon, resulting to
  hundreds of casualties. And this girl was among those that survived.
  
  
  After killing 