The Dark Empress Novel coming 2025

Catrina Joana Thornburg casting a spell

Enjoy this sneak peak at my new novel and enjoy the first Chapter of the story of Catrina Joana Thornburg a once renown game developer and manger for the largest virtual game in the world. Tragically she passes away and wakes up as her in game GM in a alternate world based on the game she created.

Chapter 1

The Wizard

A knock on the door of the Chancler of Magic at the Capital Academy of Learning woke Chancler Johnathon from his accidental nap.

"I'm Awake! One moment," Johnathon proclaimed as he stumbled over to the door and opened it.

"What is it?" He asked.

Three members of the King's Royal Guard stood in the hall. Facing the Chancler was the Captain of the Guard himself, David Vonshiften. The Captain looked at Johnathon and smirked.

"Hard at work, as usual, your highness." The Captain said.

Johnathon looked at the Captain and tilted his head." Okay, what did I do or did not do this time?" he asked.

"It is not like that, your highness. The King is requesting all his brothers join him for a meeting," the Captain explained.

"Alright, let's not keep the King waiting," Johnathon said as he grabbed his robe and locked the door to his office.

The Chancler and the Royal Guards walked down the main hallway of the Academy. The hall was massive, with twelve pillars running down the sides. It had an arced ceiling and walls entirely of stained glass. As they walked out, the hover carriage waited.

The carriage could hover and move independently. It was powered by a motor fueled by magically powdered crystals. The carriage looked like a royal carriage from the Victorian era. The Chancler stepped inside the carriage, and the guards took their posts as the carriage moved towards the royal castle. The Chancler sighed as he looked out of the carriage, wondering what his brother, the King, wanted this time. Every time his brother called him, it was something deadly serious, and Johnathon was getting tired of all this and, in fact, just wanted to go away and live quietly away from all this royal garbage. He was tired of it all.

The carriage arrived at the massive gated walls of the royal compound. Around the wall stood massive power armor built with magic stones, the main power supply for everything in the country. The power armor looked humid and held great magic weapons. Each was different and controlled by one pilot with mental control over the armor. More power armor units stood on top of the walls as they showed the country's power and also stood to protect the King and the Royal Family.

The gates opened, and the carriage went through into the courtyard. The courtyard of the royal compound was massive, with beautiful trees and statues of the late rulers. It was something to behold, and in the middle was a gigantic fountain with a statue of a roaring dragon on top and water coming out of its mouth. The carriage went on a circular path to the front of the castle. Ten members of the royal guards were waiting at the front of the castle to welcome the Chancellor. The carriage stopped at the front, and one guard opened the door.

The Chancellor stepped out of the carriage and was met by the Captain of the guards. The Captain motioned Johnathon to follow him. Johnathon nodded. The Captain turned and walked towards the main doors of the Royal Castle with Johnathon beside him.

"So, going to tell me what is going on?" Johnathon asked the Captain.

The Captain looked at Johnathon. " I am not really sure, but I do believe it has to do with trouble in the north," he replied.

Johnathon thought for a moment. "Wait, that is the land of the Dragon Queen. What the hell did my brothers do this time.?" he asked, seemingly upset.

The Captain and Johnathon entered the main doors, and Johnathon gave the maid his robe. The maid, who had black hair in a ponytail and brown eyes, smiled and bowed to Johnathon.

"Thank you, sir," she said.

The Captain motioned Johnathon to come on and keep walking." We don't have time for this. Sorry, Tammy, but it is the King's order." He said to the maid.

Tammy just bowed her head. "Of course, Captain."

The Captain leads Johnathon down the main hall to the stairs and then up them. As they get to the top, more guards are waiting for them. Then they walk straight ahead to two massive doors. Two Royal Guards open the doors, and the Captain motions for Johnathon to go on in.

Inside the room is a massive round table. Standing around the table is King Philip the Third, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a trim beard in a royal uniform. Around him are four men, each in uniform. The King looks to the door and sees Johnathon enter.

"Finally, you made it, little brother." The King says to Johnathon.

Johnathon looked to the King and his brothers. "Okay, what is going on?"

 The King laughed. "You're always like this little brother, but calm down. I will explain. So, since you're all here, I will explain everything. Two weeks ago, the Dragon Queen captured a group of foolish adventurers. Now she is mad and is thinking of declaring war on our kingdom," the King informed his brothers.

Johnathon exploded and screamed at all of them. "What brain-dead idiots go and piss off the Dragon Queen!"

The King motioned Johnathon to calm down. "Calm down, little brother. We have to come up with something to fix this mess, " the King said.

Johnathon sighed and looked at the map and the reports on the table. "Oh boy, so let's see," he thought to himself.

The King looked at his baby brother. "What are you thinking, Johnathon?"

Johnathon looked to the King and his brothers. "This is not going well. Each of you thought about mobilizing troops to head to the north. You do realize we are talking about the Dragon Queen, right? She is the most powerful being in the world." Johnathon said.

Prince David, the oldest Prince, finally had enough of his little brother. David was like the King, who was just two years younger. He was a tall and handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes. He was known as the Prince who could melt a woman's heart with just a word.

"Exactly what would you do, little brother? You have not said anything so far; just saying we are doing everything wrong. So what do you suggest?" David screamed at Johnathon.

Johnathon scratched his chin, looking over everything, and smiled. " I will go deal with her personally," Johnathon said.

The King, David, and the other three brothers were all shocked when they saw Johnathon. The King walked over to his little brother.

"Are you insane? I know we don't see eye to eye, but come on, you don't mean you are going alone. You will die, you know that."The King said to Johnathon.

David screamed at Johnathon, " Damit, Johnathon, this is not what I mean. Are you crazy? You know you won't survive."

Mark, Mathew, and Patrick were all in shock and screamed at their brother. But Johnathon held up his hand to stop them all.

"Look, I will explain. I am the most powerful mage in the kingdom, and we all know that. You all have families and children. You are King, and the rest of you are Princes with land holdings, Barons, Dukes, and Counts who look to you to lead them. I am just the Chancler at the school; I have a second who can take over the school. You must understand that you are all the most valuable and important people to me; you are my Family. Mom and Dad are gone your are all I have. I am the only one who can do this and leave our family intact. Unlike the rest, You must understand I am the only one we can lose. Do not worry about me. I will deal with this, and If I die, I will take the Dragon Queen with me, I promise." Johnathon finishes the statement, looking at his brothers.

The King sighed and looked at everyone. "Some days, Johnathon, you can be a real pain. But you're right; you're the only one who can stop this mess from becoming a war. I will make what you're doing known, and you will always be remembered," the King said as his brothers hugged Johnathon. The King walked his youngest brother out of the room, with the other brothers following him. The Captain kneeled in front of the King.

The King looks at his Captain. "Captain, prepare one unit of power knights to escort Prince Johnathon to the northern border. Johnathon will give orders once they arrive," the king orders.

The Captain stands, bows, turns, and starts screaming orders. Many soldiers start running off in all directions. The King looks to his brother.

"Go home, little brother. Get some rest, and we will have everything ready tomorrow for you." He tells his brother.

Johnathon finally gets back home and locks his office door. Behind the back wall of his office is a door that opens to his private quarters; all he has is his. Johnathon signs and looks around, opens a pocket portal, and puts all his books and things into it. He erases everything that is his and keeps it in a magic bag. Johnathon then comes out into his office where his assistant Achmagus Patrich Magnus. Johnathon sighs and hands Patrich a letter.

"Patrich, that letter makes you the Chancellor of the Academy. I have to go away and deal with a matter that could destroy the kingdom if not stopped. I am most likely not returning." Johnathon tells Patrich.

Patrich, a short, chubby man, looks up at Johnathon. "Master, what is going on, and how can I help?" he asks.

Johnathon pats Patrich on the shoulder. "There is no time to explain. Please don't say anything until morning when the Royal Guards escort me. Let them know I left last night and am already at the northern border. No one needs to die with me," he tells Patrick.

Patrick nods in understanding. "I will always remember you, Master."

With that, Johnathon turns around and walks to the door leading to his private room. This time, the door opens, and you see the countryside. Johnathon steps through the door and closes it. The door vanishes behind Johnathon. He sighs, looks up at the sky, and then looks to the land of the Dragon Kingdom. Johnathon looks around, sees a dirt road, walks over to it, then looks north and starts walking. He knows he will encounter one of the Dragon Queen's soldiers sooner or later.