Since boyhood, Shadrach Hartsky has dreamt of becoming one of the Magisters of Iron, the seven greatest gunslingers in the land serving Baron Marble. After enduring years of grueling training to join the ranks of the marshals, and receiving approval to marry his longtime girlfriend, Jerah, Shad is on the precipice of happily ever after.

Unfortunately, everything he's worked for is ripped away when he kills a noble's son after receiving his badge and buckle.

Though protected from physical retaliation, Shad is stripped of his rank and exiled to the lawless Wastes beyond the mountains. There, Shad expects to live out the rest of his life drinking booze and killing monsters, but Fate has other plans for him, and he meets Vincent Larkin.

An old and over-the-hill marshal, Larkin teaches Shad the difference between following the law and doing what's right as they work together to capture a devious outlaw and stop a plot to assassinate the Baron himself.

If he's going to survive and forge a new life for himself from the ashes of his old one, Shad will have to develop his gunslinging skills and learn what it really means to be a Magister of Iron.

[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]

Author's Note:

Magisters of Iron is a cowboy/spaghetti western-themed progression fantasy with cultivation elements. It's inspired by some of the space western anime of the 90s (Trigun, Outlaw Star), the Dark Tower series, and several of my favorite parts of martial arts/wuxia/xianxia stories. My goal is combine these influences together into something fresh and unique. Plus, I think the world could use more stories about spellslinging cowboys.

The main character isn't starting from zero, but he will definitely need to train and get stronger as he comes into contact with monsters and other gunslingers that are far more powerful than he is.

Cover by beyondbookcovers.com