Arigale: Spite in the Spirit a Dark Epic Fantasy by Denise O. Eaton ➱ Book Tour with Giveaway

Arigale: Spite in the Spirit

by Denise O. Eaton

Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy

Judith and Chit are called to the lonely tower outside their city with little explanation. The one who summoned them is an old Elven wizard named Maleth, who will send them on a quest to lower their floating city of Arigale to where it once resided. Maleth is intrigued by Judith's strange form of necromantic magic, yet he is also certain of the anxious young man training to be a spearman and scholar.

Judith, a bubbly yet mysterious young woman, is eager to accept. Chit remains withdrawn and cautious, a remnant of being raised by the Order that presides over their land. Soon, both discover their meeting with the wizard carried dire consequences. Can they accomplish what has been asked of them and save Arigale by exploring the land below, no matter the lengths they must go to?

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Excerpt One:

“Ugh!” He grunted and coughed as he lay in the dry earth he was knocked against. His spear lay within reach, but though he grasped it, he couldn’t find the strength to raise it again as his arm shook. His forehead felt warm, and his free hand dabbed at it and came back red at the fingertips. Vision was blurry at best, but he could make out the glinting sword his opponent was wielding and hear his quiet chuckle. The gray, weathered brick walls that surrounded them were so high that it only seemed to focus the rays of the sun down on him.

“Up! Now, Chit!” A whip cracked the stones that their teacher stood upon at the edges of the training area.

Chit struggled to raise himself as he watched a few drops of blood spoil the sand. He managed to get back on his feet, but his knees were buckling as his head swam. His loose, deep blue curls stuck to his forehead where he’d been injured. A foot slid back in the sand and raised a cloud of dust as he settled back into a low stance and rushed toward his opponent. The other boy was shorter but stockier. Chit’s spear strike was deflected as his sparring partner held up a shield, then bashed him in the head with it again on a downward swing that rang his ears and left him in the sand again with his eyes squinted at the row of weapons along the wall of the church.

“You’re never going to get anywhere that way. You’re fast, but you don’t try to dig into someone, you know? Use that beast-like strength you got there.” The other student looked at their teacher, who just groaned and wound up his weapon to place at his side. They both gave up on waiting and walked off together into the shady archway while Chit found his way back up again. When he could finally stumble into it, the wall of the entryway was a blessing, as the cool stone soothed his bruises and bumps while he turned his body against them wherever it hurt worst. He touched his head again and sucked the air in through his teeth in a sharp hiss.

“I’m not going to be able to deal with this on my own this time, am I?” He sighed as he walked back inside, one hand pressed against the wall the whole way just in case. The halls were dimly lit with torches, and not a single window cast any light from the sunny day most were enjoying just over their walls in the city square. He took slow and careful steps in his state on the uneven stone floor. These floors were also likely laid out in darkness. The thought made his mouth twitch to a near smile. He passed many men and a few older women in the halls, but not a soul saw him, not really.

Not until he crossed the threshold of the other side of the Order did the sun finally find the interior of the church. Bright yellow rays intermingled with the silks of the same shade strung around the grand circular room. The windows stretched from the floor to halfway up the walls and were tinted with cheerful and warm shades of color. The room was large enough to house an army and held a kaleidoscopic array of couches, cushions, daybeds, and glittering tables of gold dispersed between them. It was like being inside a noble’s goblet, the way the glass windows shone all around flaked with gold reflections in this high rising and circular room. This space was crafted to hold such lavish and, dare he think upon it, perverse events on a daily basis.

Chit thanked Yani that today seemed to be a slow one, as only the priestesses of the Order’s Light side were present. They flitted about in their bright yellow and orange robes of various fashions, each suited to their body in ways that made heat rise to his cheeks as he walked by them. They chittered at him with fleeting looks ranging from passive to concerned. One of the older women waved him down and tsked at his wounds.

“You know you aren’t to bring blood here.” She took off her sheer scarf and wrapped it quickly over his head after cleaning off his fingers. “Come on. Chinea is in the back.”

“I’m s-sorry F-Freena,” he mumbled and bowed his head forward until he stared at the ground as she led him by his hand through the pillows and hanging veils.

“What in the world…” He felt a tender touch at his temple. The blood must have stained through the wrapping. There was no way he could afford to replace that cloth, and the realization made him wince as much as the sting from the air as his makeshift bandage was removed. He heard the veils ripple again as Freena went back to work.

“I’m sorry. I tried to do better this time. I know I can’t keep showing up each time I get knocked around, but there’s a demonstration tomorrow and I-”

“Shh.” Chinea pressed a cold, wet cloth to his head. “It’s alright, child. I was the one who told you to come if you needed help, so don’t you dare start apologizing to me for it now. You take the gifts people give you, alright? Yani knows you’re short on them.” She shook her head, and even with his eyes downcast, he saw the long, thin ponytail sway past her knees like the threads that made up those pricey silk curtains above. Her plump arms worked fast as he felt himself pushed back into a large cushion on the floor. The magic always made his muscles go limp in relief, and within minutes all that remained of his wounds was the bloody cloth in her hands. She tucked the fabric into a small bag at her side.

“Thank you so much.” He smiled earnestly at her from his reclined position as she handed him a glass of water.

“It’s the least I can do with how they treat you. It’s barbaric. If I hadn’t sworn an oath and could get my hands on that old moth bitten bag of bones, then I’d-”

“Chinea, please. No talk of the Dark here. I rarely have a chance to show up at all, but they just left me in the sandpit this time. Frees up my schedule some.” His sharp teeth flashed in a grin, belying a hint of vindictiveness.

“You’re right.” She sat on the edge of a velvet chair that looked like a cloud the way it ruffled and rumpled at its borders; her round form all puffed up like a mother hen as she drew in her arms. “I haven’t seen you but in the dining hall for the last month. What have they had you doing?”

Excerpt Two:

Judith let go of Jacob’s power and hit the ground hard. She grunted as she raised herself to her hands and knees and placed a hand on Chit’s back. He was breathing hard through his nostrils as they flared, and he gripped the sword he held. The echoes of more footfalls from the hall hit her ears and she grabbed Chit around the waist from behind. Blood soaked into her robes from how wet his own were.

Chit struggled as he heard them approach, but she held tight as her wings sprouted again, and they were both carried into the sky and over the wall of the church. He screamed as he fought against her, “Let me go!”

“No! I’m not letting you get yourself killed like that! Besides, Chinea begged you to leave! Do you really not care about how she wanted to help you?”

Her words struck him mute, and he hung there limp in her arms as she endeavored to carry them both as far as she could away from the church.

Then, as they crossed the barrier that led outside, she peered over at her house from far above and sighed, “Nothing worth keeping from my place anyways. Guess I’m really an outcast now, huh? We can’t head back.” Her words came with weight, but she tried to chuckle to ease up on things. No matter what she said over their flight, Chit remained limp.

Her strength began to give way over the forest at the Edgelands, and she carefully navigated the trees to descend in the thick of it. The sounds and smells here were familiar to her, but also pulled at distant memories. Enough that the darkness of the trees unnerved her. Life sprang back into her staff with her sister’s green glow. The light was helpful to check on Chit for wounds.

“I can’t see much with this heavy robe,” she muttered to him as she leaned him against a tree trunk. “I’m just going to remove the top layer, ok?” She waited a moment, but he didn’t even blink at her. As the long robe that swallowed him was lifted up over his head, she could see the wound to his shoulder more clearly. It was already crusted into his tunic, which she wasn’t even surprised was also black as night, as were his pants. Her hands traced him along his sides checking for broken bones or any sign of a pained reaction, until she hit his legs and he threw his head back into the bark with a sharp hiss.

“Dammit!” He hollered and drew his legs back closer to him.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Judith winced and stretched her legs out in front of her. When Chit saw the arrow still sticking out of her leg, he hunkered down and turned his head away. Judith pressed her lips into a firm line and gripped the shaft. The injury was only as deep as the head. She took a breath and ripped it out with a muffled scream into her sleeve that made him shrink even more.

“I-I… should have b-been looking out for you b-better.”

“You weren’t even looking out for yourself that well. I get it.” Her voice trailed off into the sounds of nature that surrounded them. Crickets, owls, and frogs were abundant, far more so than anyone in the city limits ever heard unless they worked the land in the daylight. With her sister’s help, she could even hear a stream not too far away from them under the chirping of insects.

“Still, I-I…” He folded in on himself as his tail wrapped around him and covered up to his waist.

“It’s alright. There’s water near. I can try and support you, but I’m limping myself. First, we should try and clean these wounds out.” She kept her voice soft as she hoisted his arm onto her shoulder. “Like you helped me before, ok?”

“This is more than th-that,” he whispered, and she patted his back. Then, before they could move an inch, new noises caught her off guard. The grass crumpled, a flicker of a small flame, and someone’s breath that wasn’t their own filled the night.

Excerpt Three:

None of them got very far. A wall of black sludge, seeping with a mauve glow at the edges, emerged all around them but for a narrow opening steered toward the strange voice. Footsteps echoed, but each time the heel would usually thud against the ground, there was a squelching noise that sickened them all. At last, a man appeared before them, at least something similar to a man. His stature was more than human, and his primarily emaciated body broadened at the shoulders and hips. White pants flowed over his bony form to provide a regal appearance, aided by his straight posture and fluid steps as he moved closer. There were gleaming golden buttons down both sides of his open jacket, with his shoulders adorned in more gold and tassels that swayed with each step. The source of the squelching noise was revealed in a trail of black footprints left in his wake. As he poked his head into the crack in the sludge, a whiff of putrid flesh and mold swarmed the group, but was then covered by spices and perfume as they coughed. His cheekbones were high and shallow underneath with a pointed and shapely jawline. Salt and pepper hair in streaks were all coiffed backward, with only a few strands hanging over his forehead and thick brows. Yellow eyes stared at them one by one. His smile crept up his sunken cheeks as he extended a hand toward Judith.

“I’m only here to take her with me. It is in your best interest to agree with my terms,” his rich voice smoothed over the request, but even his softened eyes bore venom behind them. His fingers were near skeletal, and if his face was focused upon, a flash of peeling, rotted skin appeared under one eye before the image changed. A grumble resounded as Judith felt her heels knock against each other when someone broke apart from the group.

“Over my dead body.” Jacob stepped up in front of her. His voice was firmer than she ever recalled it being. She turned her head in her father’s embrace to get a glimpse of his back as his shoulders rolled.

“Oh my, isn’t that precious?” The ghastly figure smiled wider and rubbed him on the head until Jacob tried to take a swing at him. His fist tore through the ribcage, yet he stumbled forward on the carry-through, surprised when only more black sludge was on his hand while the figure appeared untouched. The pallid, shining face glowered as he chuckled. Jacob stomped and spun around in a kick that was caught midair. The thin fingers encompassed his ankle and Jacob found himself lifted off the ground as he struggled to reach his leg and break free.

“Let him go!” Judith yelled, now semi-awake again from adrenaline.

“You would love that, wouldn’t you, thief?”

“So what? That has nothing to do with-”

“Oh, it has so much to do with you stealing from me. One after another, after another. You’ve been busy lately, yes?” The sunken face darkened a moment before the light came back in his eyes; though his smile had faded, his countenance was one of ease.

“Stealing your what?” Judith squinted in confusion until she saw a familiar symbol Chit had worn emblazoned on his breast pocket. “You’re Yani.”

“Quite astute of you, given how I’ve seen you act.” He threw Jacob down in front of them hard enough they all heard a crack as the boy groaned. Judith scrambled in her father’s arms, but he held her back. Soon his retreat ended, as his back hit the wall of sludge and had to be peeled off like wallpaper by Abigail. Yani moved inside the enclosure and kept his hand extended.

Excerpt Four:

“My legs are going to fall off,” Judith mumbled into her knees as she and Chit sat together in the back of the tiny wagon. After two days of travel, every bump in the road was felt. The tight space held little comfort, and Chit was the worst off of all, having been squished with his tail coiled around himself. He couldn’t help but lean on Judith as they were jostled. She hadn’t said a word about what happened that night. It made one wonder if she thought much about it at all. Chit’s mind overheated, trying to tie threads of their interactions together to make some sense of it all. Drake and Sheila were used to the travel and took turns giggling at the complaints and silence from the back.

“Almost at a good spot to rest up.” Drake chuckled. “You two don’t take trips much, do you?”

“Not m-much to travel around in Arigale.” Chit had to check if his voice was still working, and it came out so rusty he cleared his throat.

“Ah, so he does still speak.” Sheila turned around in her seat up front and peered back at him. The smirk that spread on her face was so very much like Drake, like a cat with a mouse. It turned his stomach. “Thought someone might have bit off your tongue.

“W-Wha? N-no. Nothing like…I-I…” Chit lost his words and went back to being silent while his face burned.

“Ohhh, really? Because at the festival I happened to see you and Judith-”

“Oh, wow! Is th-that a lake? It’s h-huge, isn’t it?” Chit poked his head out next to Sheila and prodded his tail at her back as he changed to a whisper. “Some girls shouldn’t be speaking of such things so f-flippantly.”

“I’m no little girl. I can make my own calls now. I don’t need my powers to see that you and Judith are going to be all dopey soon.” Sheila brimmed with confidence as she grabbed onto Chit’s tail before he could tug it away.

“Settle down now. This thing is old, and if it breaks, we’re taking turns with the one horse and hoofing it ourselves.” Drake said, “That’s no lake either. It’s the ocean, Chit. Well, I guess neither of you has seen an ocean before, huh?”

“The ocean… I’ve r-read about it, but this is endless.” Chit stared out in awe and had forgotten about Sheila until her hand jerked away. He turned to face her as their eyes met again as her face went white as a sheet. “What’s the matter?”

“N-Nothing,” she could hardly raise her voice. “Nothing at all. I’m just a little tired of this wagon too.”

“We’ll stop over there then.” Drake pointed toward a small cluster of trees at the base of a hill. “Good enough timing. We can rest up with the last hours of sunlight and start at dawn all over. We’ll reach our destination before midday tomorrow. After that, it’s just a few days to reach our employer. You two can mention what you’re up to. See if she’s any help.”

“Days? In this thing?” Judith groaned and was the first to leap out once Drake pulled to a stop. “Yes! Ground!”

“Couldn’t you fly above us if it bothers you so much?” Chit asked as he stepped down off the wagon soon after.

“Not right now.” Judith’s shoulders dropped, and she stared at the distant water. “Jacob hasn’t spoken to me since I was unconscious. I guess he still feels bad about what happened with my back.”

The memory of her wounds was enough to make Chit swallow hard and nod. Jacob was very protective of Judith. He had to feel awful. Maybe the two of them weren’t so different. A rough hand knocked the thoughts from his head, and he turned to find Drake beaming. That was never a good sign.

“Come on. Want to chat with you for a bit. You two mind setting up camp?”

What inspired you to write this book?

I had inspiration from many past DnD games and fantasy roleplay scenarios I have written with friends over the years. Many of the characters are in their second or third iteration here in Arigale. I wanted to combine the best of all those past stories into one sprawling plot, and so it began with writing it in yet another roleplay with my husband years ago starting before we even dated.

I’ve also always been inspired by the themes of death and the afterlife, so making the main villain a god of life and death and putting him close to the whole cast, whether they know it or not, was a quick and easy decision. The plot flowed easily once the characters began to move, and I can’t wait to share the whole series.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Besides three or four more books in the Arigale series, I plan on writing a stand-alone novel with themes of dreaming, awake and asleep, as well as life and what choices we make in it. I don’t want to say much more in case of spoilers, but I am very excited to write that tale.

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

Yes, I actually publish side stories to my website under the header ‘Arigale Tales’. You can find the website at ArigaleFantasy.com.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Arigale?

That would be a long response for how many characters get the spotlight in my book, but I’ll try and condense it down. Judith is a peppy necromancer and thief who does what she needs to get by but never lets it get her down. Chit is an anxious mess who has been raised in a strict order that rules Arigale. Maleth is an enigmatic figure that not many people living have met and he likes to maintain this mystery. Pearl is resilient, but that often turns to obstinance and even obsession. Rahat is reclusive and quite cold to most people, but it seems to stem from something that haunts him. Yani is the charismatic god of life and death worshipped by Chit’s order, and he seems to have big plans in the making. These are only some of the most important characters in book one. There are more contained there, and even more to be introduced in book two.

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

Each of the names for characters was based on an aspect of their personality or a clue about their arc. The names for areas on the map, however, were made from meshing two main words that fit the place together. Arigale, the titular city of the series, was named when I thought the city would ‘arise on a gale’.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I enjoyed writing the ‘Dreaming’ and ‘Identity’ chapters a lot. Any chapter with a lot of drama between characters, whether it be fighting or love, is a lot of fun for me to write.

Who designed your book covers?

My cover artist is @fracturedfable and she has been absolutely incredible to work with. I could never pick another artist for this series. Not only is Fable adept at the exact sort of style I wanted these characters drawn in, but she is also the series biggest fan. She became a beta reader early on after taking interest in the character arts I kept requesting of her, and our partnership and relationship as great friends grew from there.

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

I learned not to accept too much advice. I have my own style, and that clashes with a lot of the more modern tastes going around now. I’m far from perfect, but changing my work too much would only make it blend in with every other type of writing out there. I want to retain my voice, as an author’s voice should be distinguishable. My voice may not be for everyone, and that is okay. I have heard people who haven’t read in years say my writing flows and is easy for them to imagine in their mind’s eye. I have also heard I can be confusing with how I jump about in perspectives. No writing will be for everyone, so you have to do what works for you and let it be.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Chloë Grace Moretz or Kiernan Shipka would play Judith. I don’t follow actors and actresses much, but I do know those names and think either one could take on the role. They are both pretty and can play a tougher, but still jubilant, female lead. As for Chit, it’s irresponsible to just claim Tom Holland, right? The man is busy, but I would look to no other to pull off Chit’s acrobatics and goofy awkwardness.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

If you are into flower language you may catch some hints of either irony or poetics throughout the series, at times foreshadowing even. Keep an eye out!

What is your favorite part of this book and why?

I love the bits of humor and hope shared in quieter moments between characters. Whether it be teasing someone to confess to their love interest, trying to lighten the mood at the worst time, or sharing a meal and chatting, I wanted to put plenty of light to shine through the bleaker parts of this dark fantasy. In the end, the theme is hope and carrying on to make your path forward.

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

Oh no, don’t make me choose! If I have to make only one choice, I’d spend the day with Pearl. She needs a day on the town more than most. I also adore her fashion sense, so we’d probably spend the whole day buying outfits and taking breaks to chat over lunch and dinner.

Are your characters based on real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

All of my characters are from imagination. I don’t like to base characters on real people. Something about having a person in particular in mind feels restrictive, sometimes even mocking depending on the archetype. I can’t deal with that. There are a million and one characters in my head already anyway.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must-read.

If you love characters that breathe and seem to walk off the page into your heart, then Arigale is for you. I have written a plethora of characters and they all hold my heart in some way. I like to say I have around twenty main characters because so much of my cast gets time on the page to develop and you get to see what makes them tick from their own perspective.

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

Funny you should ask since I recently ordered some Arigale custom candles with firewood and love spell scents. I’m not sure what the love spell scent is exactly, but I believe it was under the florals section of scents.

What did you edit out of this book?

There are always a few things that can’t make the cut. I shortened certain portions of dialogue even though I had to cut some decent jokes in the process. Other descriptions of some key moments were lengthened at the same time. I did cut out some character introductions and pushed them into book two to save space to develop the most necessary characters for the beginning. I also didn’t delve very deep into the spirit characters histories for book one, so it was also edited and pushed to book two.

Fun Facts about Arigale:

1) The ship name for Chit and Judith is Chudith. This is indisputable in my opinion. My husband and I came up with it before we even dated. Chu is a Japanese onomatopoeia for a kiss and it’s their names combined. Yes, I am a fangirl.

2) Pearl wears pink carnations in her hair near the end of book one. If you pay attention she was given some once before in the story as well, though she couldn’t receive them at the time. She wears them to communicate their meaning back to the one who left them for her, and that meaning is gratitude.

3 ) Judith’s staff is wrapped in a blue cloth that once belonged to her father.

4) Chit has a fondness for meat that rivals Judith’s, but he’ll still try and force her to eat a more rounded diet.

5) While Rahat mainly writes for the city paper with news, he is also a poet. All of his poetry is inspired by people from his extensive past.

6) Maleth has kept a diary for centuries all in hopes of one day recounting all his adventures and tedium with a person he had to leave behind.

7) Judith never learned how to read, but she’s smarter than she lets on. There is worldly wisdom in her.

8) Chit would love to have a pet one day but wants a more stable life first.

Denise O. Eaton grew up in a small town in southern Missouri, and from a young age, she chose fantasy literature as a means to broaden her horizons within her rural community. Following this passion and wishing to give back to others, she went on to earn a degree in Creative Writing from Webster University in December 2014. The Arigale series is her first foray into publishing, and she has been working on it since 2019. When she isn’t writing she enjoys meeting with her Dungeons and Dragons group, watching fantasy and anime shows, practicing tarot, or planning her next cosplay costume.

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