Beyond The Sword Of Truth: The Restoration Of Elarion

The journey doesn’t stop when you find the truth. It keeps going when you live by it. The lands of Elarion are damaged, and what’s been lost needs to be restored—not with power or bravery, but through the gradual development of virtue.

Before the world of Elarion can truly thrive and become virtuous, something needs to be restored. That’s why we begin with “The Sword of Truth: An Allegory About Recovering Truth.”  

A Preview from The Sword Of Truth

Welcome to a glimpse into the future of my writing journey.

The Sword of Truth is an allegorical journey through a land that struggles with pride, greed, and the challenge of recognising truth in a world that has forgotten what is right and true.

Below is a short passage from Chapter Thirteen, The City of Ashbel.

Chapter Thirteen

The Division

The road they followed wound through dry hills until the land opened up and a city came into view. Its buildings were made of pale stone and black marble. Thin streams of smoke rose from between the streets.

Over the gate, chipped stone carried the words:

Ashbel — the city that remembers.

Albert and Charles stopped at the entrance. The air smelled of fire and burnt wood.

“That’s a strange name for a city,” Charles said.

Albert nodded. “A place that remembers… maybe it remembers what it has destroyed.”

They walked through quiet streets. The buildings were impressive but worn. Stone tablets with names carved into them lined many of the walls. People moved slowly, heads down, their clothes covered in a thin layer of ash.

In a small square, a woman held out a jug of water to them. Her hands shook.

A young man in long fine robes walked past and bumped into the woman as she moved toward Albert and Charles. Water splashed all over him.

“You stupid, slow woman! Are you too blind to see I’m walking here?” he snapped.

Before she could answer, he was already gone. As he walked away, they heard him mutter, “The uneducated shouldn’t be so presumptuous.”

The woman steadied herself and said in a rough, tired voice, “Looks like you haven’t had water in days. Everyone in this city is gasping for a drop.”

Albert took a sip and winced. The water tasted bitter, like mud and dust. He spat it onto the ground.

Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he asked, “What happened to this place?”

The woman glanced toward the tall towers deeper in the city.

“We tried to build a perfect city,” she said, shaking her head. “We were living with our heads in the clouds, so full of ourselves we couldn’t even see what was right in front of us. We called it ‘chasing purity.’ We pushed out every flaw, every man who failed, every heart that stumbled. We really thought we were the good ones, completely right and righteous.”

Charles frowned. “And what did all of it cost you?”

She looked up and met his eyes. “We’ve lost everything,” she said. “I used to be someone, you know. Now look at me—exhausted and only a shadow of who I was. I’ve got nothing left.”

She paused for a moment, choosing her words. “That man in white—he’s trouble. He shows up with big promises and smooth words, but you end up worse off than before. I wasn’t always like this. Once, I had more than ashes to my name.”

They thanked her and moved on. The further they walked, the quieter it became. The streets opened into a wide courtyard with a large monument in the centre—a marble figure with a cracked face and one broken arm reaching up toward the sky.

Albert stared. “It’s impressive… and full of pride,” he said.

Charles said nothing. He just watched in silence.

A loud, confident voice echoed across the square.

“Pilgrims! You stand where the worthy gather!”

A man in a white robe walked toward them. He wore a silver crown. His voice was smooth and controlled; his words sounded polished and rehearsed.

“In Ashbel, we honour strength,” he said. “Weakness must be removed. We cut it out. Weakness is a disease.”

He nodded toward the woman they had met earlier. “I saw you talking to that one,” he said with a laugh loud enough for others to hear. “She’s weak. Can’t even hold a proper conversation. People like her drag us down.”

Albert’s jaw tightened. “And who decides who is weak?” he asked. “Why judge people by how they sound or how quickly they speak?”

“I am a strong man,” the stranger replied calmly. “The King of Light rewards purity, and purity makes people soft. I reward strength. The slow and the blunt are weak.”

Albert frowned. “You sound cruel.”

The man’s smile thinned. “How is it cruel to honour strength?” he said. “You sound weak. I could crush you if I wished.”

Albert hesitated for a moment, then spoke firmly. “You might be stronger than me, but I trust the strength of the King.”

Charles leaned toward him. “Albert, he’s dangerous,” he whispered.

Albert stepped forward. “We’ve fought, bled, and stood for truth,” he said. “Together, we’ve carried the King’s word across Aralon. If endurance proves faith, then I’m not weak.”

The man in white smiled. “Then join us,” he said. “I already hear pride in what you say. You’ve basically declared, ‘I am strong’—and that is exactly the attitude we value. Leave the doubters behind. The path of the strong is only for the strong.”

Albert frowned. “I didn’t mean I’m strong on my own,” he said, more slowly now. “I meant the King gives strength.”

But inside, something in him stirred. I am strong, he thought. That part is true.

Charles watched him carefully. “Albert, he’s twisting your pride,” he said quietly.

But Albert’s pride was already rising under the man’s praise.

“Maybe you don’t understand, Charles,” Albert said. “I’ve led this whole journey. I’ve fought every battle.”

Charles’s face fell. “You’re forgetting who gave you the strength to fight,” he replied. “You’re not standing for truth anymore.”

Albert turned away. “You talk about faith,” he said, “but it’s easy to talk when you let someone else carry the weight.”

The man in white watched, a small smile on his face. “Pride shows who you really are,” he said.

Charles took a slow breath. “If you have to walk alone, I won’t stop you,” he said. “But remember, pride always comes before the fall.”

Publicationa details will be announced here.

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The Sword Of Truth Leads To A Bigger Series

This story does not end with one book. The Sword of Truth opens a much larger journey — one that moves beyond discovering truth into learning how to live it. The lands of Elarion are broken and divided, and what has been lost must be restored.

The Fruit Of Elarion Series

How the series will look:

1. Love – The cost of sacrificial devotion
2. Joy – Hope in a land of despair
3. Peace – Stillness amid chaos
4. Patience – Endurance in long suffering
5. Kindness – Mercy in a cruel world
6. Goodness – Integrity under pressure
7. Faithfulness – Standing when others fall
8. Gentleness – Strength under control
9. Self-Control – Mastery over inner darkness

The series will be known as The Fruit of Elarion.

Further updates, excerpts, and world-building insights can be found on the Bestiary and Blog pages.

A release date for Love Restored will be announced in due course.

In the meantime, The Sword of Truth is scheduled for release in 2026.