The Distant Kingdoms Volume Seven: Bourke's Raiders

THE IMPERIAL PALACE- The official residence of Ruler Jom Azzer and his wife from where they reign over the Azzil Territories with absolute impunity.

EMPRESS DEARER AZZER – The spouse of Ruler Jom Azzer and the second most powerful person in the entire Azzil Territories.

THE CITY OF REIGHLIE – The fortified city located west of the border and the staging area for the prior invasions of Porra.

Her Royal Majesty, Sinar Thellon the First has issued a decree to Lord Colin Bourke that he must raise an army in order to venture west to the Azzil Territories in order to rescue those persons captured in battle near the now destroyed city of Kerroway. In keeping with this task, his Lordship enlists the assistance of not only those persons who have been with him from the first day he arrived at Xerous, but the so-called ‘Beyonders’ who have gathered in the castle. These people not originally from the world of Perencore currently include, Lieutenant Gary Wyndham and his Iroquois crew, Captain Carl Buchanan and his Confederate army associates, sergeant major Walter Bradshaw and the members of his squad as well as Ernest Bonaparte. Together they form a bold plan that will be enacted once they reach the legendary and greatly feared city of Terrimorter.

Over in the city of Terrimorter, the people captured during a disastrous military encounter between a raiding army from the Azzil Territories and the company under the personal command of King Entell Thellon the Third; arrive to be incarcerated within the Imperial palace under the direct authority of Ruler Jom Azzer. These prisoners also include the king himself, and his two sons, Prince Entell Thellon and Prince Zarr Thellon. While the remaining prisoners-of-war are detained in cruel conditions in the palace dungeons, the three members of the Royal family are allotted meagre quartes within the guest wing of the Imperial palace as a reluctant gesture of good will by the Ruler.

A minor number of the near legendary Beyonders are also held as glorified prisoners in the palace. Some while away their time during this detainment though others are able to make the best of their dire situation. Connie York has overcome her debilitating illness after careful attention by her friend and tending physician, Victor Chan. He is also administering medical advice and treatment to the Empress Dearer Azzer and taking care of the prisoners to the best of his ability.

Sean Corrigin finds himself in great favour with Jom Azzer due to his direct involvement with the highly unusual demise of Blurican’s monarch, the Grand Duke Termer Bethnorack. At one stage he even takes control from Enrich Voltaire of the dreaded Internal Security Service. Naturally, Voltaire vows vengeance against the Irishman and will stop at nothing to regain his former authority within Terrimorter.

Dale Johnstone, Lorraine Montague and the Rider, Immir Hanis all have to deal with their seemingly endless incarceration and the isolation it inflicts on their lives. Immir Hanis’ means of dealing with his unseemly imprisonment is to try and escape from his locked room- much to everyone’s immense irritation.

And one day, Coin Bourke and his army arrives at the city of Terrimorter.