One man against the world
The Quest for Freedom (The Conquest Trilogy Book 1)
by Matthew Devitt
Oct 17, 2025
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Affer was once a peaceful planet, until a war broke out between its six inhabiting species. The humans, who were once the mightiest force on Affer, were massacred in droves, and the ones who survived the onslaught were reduced to mere slaves. The five other species divided the humans amongst themselves and returned to their respective kingdoms.
by Matthew Devitt
Oct 17, 2025
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Affer was once a peaceful planet, until a war broke out between its six inhabiting species. The humans, who were once the mightiest force on Affer, were massacred in droves, and the ones who survived the onslaught were reduced to mere slaves. The five other species divided the humans amongst themselves and returned to their respective kingdoms.
The years passed, turning into decades and centuries, without any change. Eventually, the humans had accepted their fate as slaves. All except one. Four hundred and seventy-three years later, Fletcher Rush starts his journey to free his kind...and conquer the planet.
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Excerpt:
"Death is a part of freedom. Blood will be spilled whether we fight this war or stand down and stay as slaves. I'm trying to put humans back at the top where we belong. It's all I've ever thought about…freedom and victory. My only purpose in life is to rectify the disposition of this damn world, and I'll do whatever it takes to do that." - Fletcher Rush
“They should be here any minute,” Fletcher muttered.
They’d managed to take care of all the preparations Fletcher had planned, and now he was standing on the city wall by the main gate along with Ji.
“I’m surprised we finished everything,” Ji said, glancing across the field in front of them.
“Me too,” Fletcher admitted. “I think we have a good chance to win this fight.”
“We either win or we die,” Ji said, shuddering after he said it out loud.
“Or they capture us and enslave or torture us.”
“Not helping.”
“Just fight like your life depends on it, because it kind of does,” Fletcher said, casting his gaze out to the path.
“What if they don’t come?” Ji asked.
“Trust me, they’ll come. I might not have confirmation, but based off what that elf said, and Light’s temper, I would bet my life on them attacking.”
The two didn't say anything after that; instead, they just kept watch. The light breeze swayed the leaves and small branches of the many trees that dotted their vision. It had grown quite dark and was hard to see, but Fletcher and Ji still saw the dirt kicking up from the large convoy of vehicles headed toward them.
“Looks like that’s the elves,” Ji said, pulling out an arrow and notching it in his crossbow.
“This should be fun,” Fletcher said, taking the remote control from his pocket and getting ready to use it.
The vehicles got closer and the two saw truck after truck approach, stretching out as far as they could see, each of them packed with bloodthirsty elves.
“Hey, Ji, no matter the outcome of the battle, I just want to say thanks. I wouldn’t be here today without your help,” Fletcher said, turning to his friend.
“Don’t be getting sappy on me now, man,” Ji said, giving Fletcher a light shove. “But seriously, I feel the same… Thanks, Fletcher.”
The car in the lead started closing in and the two of them saw it had a large metal ram built on the front of it.
"Fuck, I think they're going to ram into the gate," Fletcher said, turning to the inside of the city where two dozen soldiers were waiting. "GET READY FOR THE FIRST TRUCK, AND DON'T LIGHT THE OIL UNTIL I GIVE THE ORDER!"
Fletcher turned back to look at the approaching army just before the truck slammed into the main gate. The gate exploded, sending splinters of wood flying in every direction and shaking the strong stone walls.
“Damn—” Fletcher said, getting thrown to the ground by the impact. He got up and looked at the inside of the city. Elves were already rushing out of the vehicle, drawing their weapons before advancing forward.
"I'LL HEAD DOWN!" Ji shouted, shooting off an arrow before he dropped the crossbow and ran down the stairs.
Fletcher turned his attention back toward the convoy that was approaching very fast.
“Wait…” Fletcher softly muttered to himself, his finger resting on the trigger to the makeshift bombs.
The sound of the engines grew louder as the cars neared the city, none of them slowing down in the slightest.
Just a bit more…
“SEE YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS!” Fletcher shouted as he pressed the button, causing the bombs to go off.
The ground ripped apart as the explosions detonated, making contact with the trucks milliseconds later and blowing them to hell.
A fire quickly took over the front lawn of the city as the explosions mixed with the gasoline in the vehicles’ fuel tanks. Over two dozen trucks were obliterated, another five had caught on fire, and the pathway had been completely destroyed. The cars that weren't affected by the blast stopped in their tracks, and the one in the front got rear-ended after stopping so fast, making Fletcher smile.
"Death is a part of freedom. Blood will be spilled whether we fight this war or stand down and stay as slaves. I'm trying to put humans back at the top where we belong. It's all I've ever thought about…freedom and victory. My only purpose in life is to rectify the disposition of this damn world, and I'll do whatever it takes to do that." - Fletcher Rush
“They should be here any minute,” Fletcher muttered.
They’d managed to take care of all the preparations Fletcher had planned, and now he was standing on the city wall by the main gate along with Ji.
“I’m surprised we finished everything,” Ji said, glancing across the field in front of them.
“Me too,” Fletcher admitted. “I think we have a good chance to win this fight.”
“We either win or we die,” Ji said, shuddering after he said it out loud.
“Or they capture us and enslave or torture us.”
“Not helping.”
“Just fight like your life depends on it, because it kind of does,” Fletcher said, casting his gaze out to the path.
“What if they don’t come?” Ji asked.
“Trust me, they’ll come. I might not have confirmation, but based off what that elf said, and Light’s temper, I would bet my life on them attacking.”
The two didn't say anything after that; instead, they just kept watch. The light breeze swayed the leaves and small branches of the many trees that dotted their vision. It had grown quite dark and was hard to see, but Fletcher and Ji still saw the dirt kicking up from the large convoy of vehicles headed toward them.
“Looks like that’s the elves,” Ji said, pulling out an arrow and notching it in his crossbow.
“This should be fun,” Fletcher said, taking the remote control from his pocket and getting ready to use it.
The vehicles got closer and the two saw truck after truck approach, stretching out as far as they could see, each of them packed with bloodthirsty elves.
“Hey, Ji, no matter the outcome of the battle, I just want to say thanks. I wouldn’t be here today without your help,” Fletcher said, turning to his friend.
“Don’t be getting sappy on me now, man,” Ji said, giving Fletcher a light shove. “But seriously, I feel the same… Thanks, Fletcher.”
The car in the lead started closing in and the two of them saw it had a large metal ram built on the front of it.
"Fuck, I think they're going to ram into the gate," Fletcher said, turning to the inside of the city where two dozen soldiers were waiting. "GET READY FOR THE FIRST TRUCK, AND DON'T LIGHT THE OIL UNTIL I GIVE THE ORDER!"
Fletcher turned back to look at the approaching army just before the truck slammed into the main gate. The gate exploded, sending splinters of wood flying in every direction and shaking the strong stone walls.
“Damn—” Fletcher said, getting thrown to the ground by the impact. He got up and looked at the inside of the city. Elves were already rushing out of the vehicle, drawing their weapons before advancing forward.
"I'LL HEAD DOWN!" Ji shouted, shooting off an arrow before he dropped the crossbow and ran down the stairs.
Fletcher turned his attention back toward the convoy that was approaching very fast.
“Wait…” Fletcher softly muttered to himself, his finger resting on the trigger to the makeshift bombs.
The sound of the engines grew louder as the cars neared the city, none of them slowing down in the slightest.
Just a bit more…
“SEE YOU, MOTHERFUCKERS!” Fletcher shouted as he pressed the button, causing the bombs to go off.
The ground ripped apart as the explosions detonated, making contact with the trucks milliseconds later and blowing them to hell.
A fire quickly took over the front lawn of the city as the explosions mixed with the gasoline in the vehicles’ fuel tanks. Over two dozen trucks were obliterated, another five had caught on fire, and the pathway had been completely destroyed. The cars that weren't affected by the blast stopped in their tracks, and the one in the front got rear-ended after stopping so fast, making Fletcher smile.
About the Author:
I've always had a love for fantasy, and to this day LOTR and The Inheritance Cycle remain some of my favorite books. There are limitless possibilities when you're writing, but with fantasy, it's different. You don't have to adhere to rules or logic; you can create whatever type of world you want. Characters can live in a dystopian society, a grand futuristic city, a picture-perfect world, or a medieval wasteland. Time, technology, and magic are all there for the taking, and as a writer, you get to choose what defines your story.
I've always had a love for fantasy, and to this day LOTR and The Inheritance Cycle remain some of my favorite books. There are limitless possibilities when you're writing, but with fantasy, it's different. You don't have to adhere to rules or logic; you can create whatever type of world you want. Characters can live in a dystopian society, a grand futuristic city, a picture-perfect world, or a medieval wasteland. Time, technology, and magic are all there for the taking, and as a writer, you get to choose what defines your story.
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