Portals of Infinity Series by John Van Stry

William is just your typical engineer fresh out of college with a stressful job, a boring life, and not a lot of prospects of anything better in the future.Until one weekend while hiking in the woods he stumbles across a portal to another time, or perhaps another place. The more he investigates this new world the more he realizes that it may just be able to offer him a lot more than the one he's been living in... moreWilliam is just your typical engineer fresh out of college with a stressful job, a boring life, and not a lot of prospects of anything better in the future.Until one weekend while hiking in the woods he stumbles across a portal to another time, or perhaps another place. The more he investigates this new world the more he realizes that it may just be able to offer him a lot more than the one he's been living in.However, there are forces at work beyond anything that Will has ever come across before and the local Goddess seems to have taken a liking to him. Will may soon find himself getting an offer he cannot afford to refuse. less

Will’s life has definitely changed since that day he went hiking in the woods of Pennsylvania. He’s discovered that reality is a lot bigger and stranger than he had ever imagined. Learning about the portals that link the infinite number of worlds opened his eyes to that wider reality. Learning that he was being groomed to become the Champion of a God in one of those realities was an even more startling discovery. But now it’s time for him to pay the bill for his ‘recruitment’... moreWill’s life has definitely changed since that day he went hiking in the woods of Pennsylvania. He’s discovered that reality is a lot bigger and stranger than he had ever imagined. Learning about the portals that link the infinite number of worlds opened his eyes to that wider reality. Learning that he was being groomed to become the Champion of a God in one of those realities was an even more startling discovery. But now it’s time for him to pay the bill for his ‘recruitment’. Just as the Gods on a single world fight and jockey for power and position, the older Gods from the many different spheres of the infinite play a much larger and more complicated game. The Goddess Aryanna has a quest she needs completed, and William and four other Champions are the ones tasked to do it. What bothers Will however is what could a Goddess possibly need? And why would it take five Champions to retrieve it? less

With the first of what he suspects will be many favors completed, William finds himself busy with important tasks back at his home on Saladin. Queen Rachel has several jobs she needs him to do, and Feliogustus has similar tasks in mind for him as well. All in all, it seems easy enough to Will, it’s not like he’ll be fighting in any wars, or traveling across the infinite on a strange quest after all... moreWith the first of what he suspects will be many favors completed, William finds himself busy with important tasks back at his home on Saladin. Queen Rachel has several jobs she needs him to do, and Feliogustus has similar tasks in mind for him as well. All in all, it seems easy enough to Will, it’s not like he’ll be fighting in any wars, or traveling across the infinite on a strange quest after all. But things aren’t always as easy as they might seem, and both politics, as well as the other gods, aren’t going to ignore Will, or the tasks he’s been set to complete. And is if dealing with that isn’t problem enough, when the time comes to do some serious diplomacy between Hiland and a neighboring Kingdom, a deadly problem comes from a most unexpected quarter, forcing Will to take immediate action to payback both his, and his God’s foes. less

With no otherworld tasks to run for Fel, Will has spent the last year mainly helping Rachel consolidate her hold on her expanded kingdom. Barassa has been set back, for now, but Will knows it’s only a matter of time until they’re at odds once more and Barassa still has the bigger army. So taking the time to learn more about their enemy seems like a good place to start, and of course, Rachel has more things she expects him to do, even if he has no idea just how he’s going to do them... moreWith no otherworld tasks to run for Fel, Will has spent the last year mainly helping Rachel consolidate her hold on her expanded kingdom. Barassa has been set back, for now, but Will knows it’s only a matter of time until they’re at odds once more and Barassa still has the bigger army. So taking the time to learn more about their enemy seems like a good place to start, and of course, Rachel has more things she expects him to do, even if he has no idea just how he’s going to do them. Fel also has things for Will to do as well, even if they are the more mundane jobs that a Champion of the faith must perform. Escorting missionaries isn’t the most exciting or glamorous job, but its one Will must do. At least the people are different, interesting, and friendly, and some perhaps a little too friendly. But that’s never gotten him in trouble before, right? less

Life can be complicated for those who the gods pick as their champions, and for William, it's really no different. Between dealing with issues at home for his god Feliogustus, to helping Queen Rachel defend Hiland against the growing threat of Barassa, to being loaned out to other gods in other spheres, William has been kept busy. Many of these tasks have had consequences however... moreLife can be complicated for those who the gods pick as their champions, and for William, it's really no different. Between dealing with issues at home for his god Feliogustus, to helping Queen Rachel defend Hiland against the growing threat of Barassa, to being loaned out to other gods in other spheres, William has been kept busy. Many of these tasks have had consequences however. Some of those William expected, and for one of them the time has come to deal with it and a trip back to Sireen may soon be in order. Complicating that matter however are those who are holding a grudge against William for his thwarting of their actions. But when the followers of another god kidnap his youngest child, William's first question is, is this revenge, or is there something special about his child? With both his god, and the goddess Aryanna mostly mute on the issue, beyond their one command to keep the child 'hidden', William wonders what it is they won't say, and why. As always, there are things you need to take on faith when you work for a god, but sometimes their responses can be very frustrating. Especially when they order you not to ask questions, but the welfare of your own child is involved. Add to that some equally strange discoveries about his old foe Cenewyg back on Earth, which are also affecting his life and William is left with more questions than for which he has answers. less

William is the champion of a god in the sphere that he now calls home. Being a champion comes with certain powers and advantages; however it can also come with fearful and powerful enemies. When William's oldest enemy attacked his family, Will chased him across several realities, until he caught up with him, and finally slew him.However, champions always come back... moreWilliam is the champion of a god in the sphere that he now calls home. Being a champion comes with certain powers and advantages; however it can also come with fearful and powerful enemies. When William's oldest enemy attacked his family, Will chased him across several realities, until he caught up with him, and finally slew him.However, champions always come back.Fortunately for William, his enemy was damaged years ago in one of their earlier fights, and it will be almost a year until he can come back, this time. Unfortunately for William his enemy is becoming a demigod, and if not stopped soon he may one day become too powerful for William to kill.William now finds himself in a race against time, needing to track down and destroy his enemy's hidden temples on Earth, before he can reincarnate once again. Complicating matters further, champions are unknown on Earth and Will's god holds no sway there, and Will has come under suspicion by at least one powerful government agency.And while William's god is sympathetic to his champion's plight, William must still put the needs of his god and his people before his own desires for vengeance. less

For years now the Kingdom of Barassa and the Kingdom of Hiland, have been at odds. Two years ago they engaged in a war, which Barassa lost. While Barassa still stands and is still too big a nut to crack for the Hiland army, the northern kingdoms see the weakened Barassa as a target ripe for the picking... moreFor years now the Kingdom of Barassa and the Kingdom of Hiland, have been at odds. Two years ago they engaged in a war, which Barassa lost. While Barassa still stands and is still too big a nut to crack for the Hiland army, the northern kingdoms see the weakened Barassa as a target ripe for the picking.Sent to keep any eye on the invading armies, William has a front row seat to the drama playing out across the river as Barassa finally finds itself on the defensive, facing an army that may very well be able to finally tear down its massive walls. Faced with what may be the end of their state religion, the priests of Tantrus panic and perform a final act of desperation, unleashing a horror unknown to the world.But one William finds eerily familiar.Suddenly the concern of every god and every kingdom in the world is the destruction of this new monster, before it destroys them all. Immune to the weapons of this world, William must join with the Champions of friend and foe alike in a race to defeat the monster before it can destroy his adopted home. less

After two long years in the void, Will is glad to be home, and so is his family. However he still has his job to do: Feliogustus has favors to pay back after being without Will for so long and some of those favors are coming due. So while having his homecoming interrupted isn't enjoyable, paying back those gods that Feliogustus owes is important... moreAfter two long years in the void, Will is glad to be home, and so is his family. However he still has his job to do: Feliogustus has favors to pay back after being without Will for so long and some of those favors are coming due. So while having his homecoming interrupted isn't enjoyable, paying back those gods that Feliogustus owes is important. When an opportunity to take on a task on one of the core worlds as a favor to another god comes along, Will must drop everything and deal with it immediately. Will's never been to a core world before, much less heard of them, but to Feliogustus it's important that he goes because invites to the core are few and far between. So while the task may seem to be mundane to Will, he knows from experience that there's more going on than Feliogustus has told him. And anything that's important to Fel, is important to Will. When Will gets there he finds that some of the 'rules' that the gods play by are different in the core, as well as some of the rules that govern the infinite and the portals that link it all together. Will finds that instead of one realm, the place he's now in is made up of multiple realms linked together by portals that not only most people can see, but which are in fact big enough to sail both trading vessels and warships through. less

Still recovering from his two years in the void, life has been good to William. There's no wars on the horizon, everyone seems happy with the current state of affairs and the only thing on Will's mind is the upcoming wedding of his son, the crown prince. Until an attempt on his son's life signals an end to any hopes of tranquility.One of the gods from the Seven Worlds has suddenly decided that they want to get revenge on Will and perhaps Feliogustus as well... moreStill recovering from his two years in the void, life has been good to William. There's no wars on the horizon, everyone seems happy with the current state of affairs and the only thing on Will's mind is the upcoming wedding of his son, the crown prince. Until an attempt on his son's life signals an end to any hopes of tranquility.One of the gods from the Seven Worlds has suddenly decided that they want to get revenge on Will and perhaps Feliogustus as well. Unaware that Feliogustus now has a presence in the Seven Worlds, they think that it will be an easy fight with a provincial god in some backwater reality. A god who has no way to strike back at them.And now it's up to Will to show them just how big of a mistake they've made. less

The things William was forced to do in order to win his god Feliogustus's war against Par of the Two Rivers pantheon are still weighing heavily on his mind. Being a Godslayer is by no means an easy job, though with time Will knows that the nightmares will pass and his own regrets will fade. However those problems do not even begin to come close to the remorse and regrets he's suffering over Dani's murder... moreThe things William was forced to do in order to win his god Feliogustus's war against Par of the Two Rivers pantheon are still weighing heavily on his mind. Being a Godslayer is by no means an easy job, though with time Will knows that the nightmares will pass and his own regrets will fade. However those problems do not even begin to come close to the remorse and regrets he's suffering over Dani's murder. Losing Dani has changed Will in ways he's not yet come to terms with, and perhaps never will.One cannot, however, hide from their responsibilities for long, especially when one has so many of them. Feliogustus now has a very time sensitive promise to keep, one that William himself made years ago. Added to this is another person in William's life, who is now hurting as deeply as he is, but for reasons — while different — he understands completely. Even without the goddess Aryanna's none too subtle urgings about how he needs to do this.All of this however is a distraction from the things that truly concern William the most: Dani's sister and the consequences of the actions he himself put in motion when he executed her husband, the king of Seuado. less