Concourse

The Concourse…Where the worlds of the multiverse are joined through transit points hidden in patches of dense fog, large rings of cold fire,  as well as sharply delineated continuity breaks. These openings can take those who know how to journey the complex web of paths into times and places of worlds and histories unknown; subject to only one rule: a traveler cannot return to a point in the past of a world and history that lies before any previous visit. Only from one place—the mythical Anchor World, which is also said to harbor a well with the elixir of life—is it said to be possible to circumvent this restriction.The League of Knights-Errant…An ancient fraternity, founded over a what are thought to be more than a thousand Earth-years ago in Scotland. Its aim: to prevent those who search for a path to the entry point of the Anchor World and—aided by their minions, known as Sta'h'k'ee—hunt for the two Bearers of a legendary Map, to help them find the labyrinthian way through the Concourse's maze of possible paths from ever succeeding. For then the adversaries could gain control of the Anchor World, which is the well of the Elixir and also provides access to point in time on every Concourse world. But the Map can only be followed if both of its Bearers are physically together and can be coerced to cooperate with their captors. Lore has it that the League was funded to prevent this from ever happening.Declan…A physicist living in Sydney, who became disillusioned with how his peers avoided asking the questions he thought they should be asking, finally abandoned his profession to focus on his other passion, traditional Japanese sword craft. It provided him with an outlet for his energy, as well as allowing him to spend time teaching it and rising in he ranks of his ryu. Still, here, too, he found himself ever more disenchanted with his sensei's and peers' aims and philosophy.Aydee…One of the Bearers of the mythical Map. Like Declan, her origins are shrouded in mystery. Both are orphans, left behind as infants in the care of foster parents; Aydee on a world named 'Hangh', Declan on Earth. Like her parents, Aydee had to leave her child behind on 'Hangh', in the care of someone she knew would keep it safe until she  met Declan.Aria and Cyrene…Sisters and two of the League's four Knights that accompany Declan on his journey to find Aydee. Both were Aslatreex, trained lethal assassins from a place called 'Land of The Ring Mountain' on a world called Tethys. After the events that freed  Aslatreex from their bonds to their Clan—part of the story in Aslam—they set out on a journey, during which they were trapped in a bank of dense fog; a transition point that sent them to the League of Knights-Errant's desmesnes. Ari and Trace…Two of the League's four Knights that accompany Declan on his journey to find Aydee. Ari is a former Sayeret Matkal operative, who chanced upon the League's compound in Scotland during a mission, and decided to remain with them. Trace was recruited by Franz, the Knight acting as the League's current Caretaker and head of the ruling committee; awaiting the arrival of the 'Knight of Knights' to take over the reins of the organization.—————————————NOTE 1: This is the first novel in the story of The League of Knights-Errant. It will continue in Sta'h'k'ee.NOTE 2: This novel contains love scenes with mildly explicit sexual elements.