by Kyle West
“I’m not sure it will be that simple...and if something goes wrong, it will ruin my chances of ever getting my parents back.”
“We have to take a risk sometime. And this is a better chance at getting them back than trusting Valance.”
“Do we even know of the Covenant’s finances? They were at war for nearly four years. They might not have a talent to spare. They were cutting rations and pensions pretty slim toward the end of the war.”
“A successful religion always makes money,” Shara said. “If you play your cards right, you can get a modest fortune for yourself. After all, aren’t you this Annara they profess to worship?”
“Your logic is airtight.”
Even if I said it sarcastically, I realized Shara was probably right.
“What do I need a modest fortune for, anyway?”
“Who doesn’t like money?” Shara asked. “If you’re really going to be recruiting an army in the future, you’re going to have to pay them and feed them.”
“Who said anything about an army?”
“The Army of the Dawn,” Isa said. “It’s supposed to be in the Prophecy of Annara. Shara’s right. If you are supposed to have an army, then you’ll need money for that most likely. We need to milk the Covenant for all its worth. If you proclaim yourself Anna reborn, do you think that’s enough to convince people? You’ll need power and you’ll need money. Lots of it. Gold, silver, ichorstone. Sure, some might be drawn to you because of who you are, but most people are practical. They go where they stand the biggest chance to get ahead in life. I suggest we bring this up with Isandru and Tellor tonight. With their blessing and their support, we can stand to take this even further.”
I could hardly believe all this was coming from a fifteen-year-old girl, but I couldn’t find a fault in it.
“I’ll have to think about this,” I said. “I just don’t like the idea of being a figurehead. But if it means we can rally people to our cause, to get them to stop fighting each other for once and face the true threat...”
“That’s exactly what it means,” Isa said. “You are Anna. You have more authority among the Elekai than any king or prince in the Red Wild. Even the Elders can’t argue against you. You just have to reach out and take it. Already, the Sphere Priests have sworn themselves to follow Anna when she returns. That’s the real reason you should be going there. Yes, you need to reveal yourself to the world, but you need to do it in the right way. You have to leave no room for doubt.”
“I thought that was the Elder Dragons’ job.”
“Their backing you up would prove everything,” Isa agreed, “but we can’t count on it right now. They’re busy with their own problems at the moment. They have to deal with their home being overrun with Mindless while moving their Aerie south to Dragonspire.”
Shara and Isa were basically wanting me to establish my own kingdom. Or queendom, rather. It seemed so radical.
Then again...Xenofall was coming, and it was coming in two years or less. Radical moves were necessary.
“If I do all this, the Annajen and Makai will not like it one bit,” I said. “Once they figure out what we’re up to.”
“You don’t have to tell King Taris about your intentions,” Shara said. “Of course, we let him know about Isaru and how he is here for healing, that way he doesn’t blame us for his absence.”
“Convincing him Isaru is safe might be tricky,” I said, looking at the prince. “Especially when he isn’t. From what Isaru has told me, Taris hasn’t hesitated to jump into war for lesser causes. This could backfire...drastically.”
“It is a risk,” Shara admitted. “But we aren’t going to get your parents back through Valance.”
Isa nodded. “I agree. We have to be very careful in how we approach this. As far as the Seekers themselves, it’s probably too early to reveal yourself.”
“The Elder Dragons will probably be enough to sway most of them. Once they have the chance to back me up.”
“I doubt even that,” Isa said. “Things are different since you left. More militant. The Elder Council has assumed more direct control of things.” She paused. “Haris is especially power-hungry. I think he’s the reason Sage Aurelius and Scholar Karu resigned.”
“You said Sage Alan took Aurelius’s place, right?”
Isa nodded.
“Maybe you’re right. It would be hard for the Seekers to stomach someone as their leader who was an Initiate just a few months ago.”
“There’s still a month for you to get back to Colonia by Valance’s count,” Shara said. “More than enough time.”
Even so, it still felt wrong to go after them, especially if my parents weren’t being taken care of.
“Something wrong?” Isa asked.
I had just said that going to the Sphere Priests should be our first priority, but just the thought of leaving my parents in the Red Bastion longer than they needed to stay was too much to bear.
I nodded. “I can’t let my parents spend another minute in Colonia. We need to take care of that first, and then go to the Priests. The Prophecy is important...but they are my parents.”
“Haven first, then?” Shara asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “Haven first.”
“There’s no reason not to go there first,” Isa said. “Whatever you think is best. The Priests will still be there by the time we get your parents back.”
“I have family in Colonia, too,” Shara said. “Once they find out I’m not with the Hunters anymore, they’ll be in danger as well.”
“Your family can come with us to Haven,” I said.
Assuming all this works out.
“Plenty of non-Elekai live in the Red Wild, so they won’t be alone.”
“The only question is, when do we go?” Shara asked.
Each of us looked at Isaru. Going meant leaving him behind, acknowledging that he would be out of commission for quite a while.
I couldn’t let myself think it would be indefinitely.
We had to move on. Time was running out and there was still so much to do. Isaru wouldn’t want us to stay here just for him. The dragons would take care of him better than we could.
“We go as soon as possible,” I said. “We could remain longer, but for what reason? As soon as we learn everything we need from Isandru...that is when we go. Tomorrow, if possible.
“So soon?” Shara asked.
“If you feel like you’re ready, Shara...then yes.”
Shara waited a moment before answering. “...It’s just...it’s felt like it’s been so long since I’ve had a rest. This place is peaceful. It’s so easy to forget the past...to forget about...”
She trailed off, but she didn’t need to finish that sentence. Here, it was easier to forget about Aether. Out there in the stresses of the world, it would be more difficult.
“The Xenofold is strong here,” I said. “If you think you need to stay longer because of...your condition...”
“No,” Shara said. “I’m going with you, wherever that leads.”
“Isaru stays here, then?” Isa asked.
“We can’t take him back,” I said. “He is too unbalanced as it is. Without the ichor treatments, it might be enough to...”
I couldn’t let myself finish. Even with ichor treatments, things weren’t entirely sure.
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GLOSSARY
A.R.: After Ragnarok. The date usually used by the Elekai to denote the year. It’s a bit of a misnomer, because it really means after the Ragnarok War, and not after the impact of Ragnarok itself. The Xenoworld Saga begins in 398 A.R.
F.C.: Founding of the Covenant. The date used by the Covenant to denote the year, and it signifies how many years have passed since the Covenant ousted the Elekai from Colonia. The Xenoworld Saga begins in the year 248 F.C.
P.Y. Precursor Year. Corresponds to the Gregorian Calendar. The Xenoworld Saga begins in the year 2458 P.Y. – or 2458 A.D. It’s rare to use Precursor Years to denote anything beyond
the year 2060, and even then is only used among academics and historians.
Annajen, The: One of the Three Tribes of the Elekai, the Annajen are the descendants of the gods Elekim and Annara. Their capital is Haven, a Great Silverwood growing in the Grand Canyon.
Annara: Annara is the matron goddess of both the Annajen Tribe and the Colonian Covenant; however, depending on the side, her character is entirely different. Among the Annajen, Annara is the wife of Elekim; she established Colonia and the Seekers and wrote the Prophecy of Annara, which has been lost, but predicts the eventual ascendency of the Elekai over its enemies – namely the Covenant. Among the Covenant, Annara is the goddess of pure-blooded humanity, and seeks to destroy all that is Elekai, promising her chosen people – the Annarans – that they will one day destroy the demon Elekai, who waged war against humanity during the First Darkness. According to prophecies on both sides, Annara is to lead her Army of the Dawn to destroy the other side.
Army of the Dawn: Annara’s army during the Second Darkness that is to destroy either the Elekai or the Annaran Covenant, depending on which version of the story one believes.
Askala: The Radaskim Xenomind that nearly enslaved the world using the xenovirus during the time of the Ragnarok War. These events have been almost forgotten in recent times, but the Covenant remembers Askala as the Elekai’s demon goddess. Among the Elekai, her true nature is better remembered as the Radaskim goddess who was imprisoned by Elekim in the Xenofold at the end of the Ragnarok War.
Askaleen: A male dragon. They are pink, with tiny scales, and a smooth, rounded frame. They are also rarer than Radaska, the female variety. Because they are the only kind of dragons that the Covenant can tame, they are jealously guarded by the Radaska.
Atlantea: An Eastern Kingdom situated in the southeast. Its capital is of the same name.
Augurs, The: One of the Seven Sects of the Seekers, who specialize in the art of diplomacy. They serve as advisers for kings and rulers, not only in the Red Wild, but in the Eastern Kingdoms. In times of old, they also interpreted signs given by the Xenofold, though this responsibility has fallen by the wayside in recent centuries. They also recruit new initiates for the Seekers’ Sanctum among the nobility of different lands.
Bloodless: The collective term Elekai use to describe all non-Elekai. It’s not pejorative, though it can be used in that way.
Brevia: A city on the western coast, in southern California. Once a colony of Colonia, it was conquered by the Shen in 348 A.R. It is the only Shen city that outsiders are allowed to enter, and even then, permission is granted only sparingly. A large collection of books has been gathered there, in what is known as the Brevian Archives – the main reason for which anyone would want to visit the city.
Clerics, The: One of the Seven Sects of the Seekers, who specialize in ministry to the local Elekai population, anthropology, and Xenohealing. They are also responsible for recruiting initiates for the Seekers’ Sanctum among the general population.
Champions, The: One of the Seven Sects of the Seekers, who specialize in the art of combat. In times of old, they fought in battles to defend the Elekai from Covenant encroachment, but in more recent times, they serve as bodyguards for other Seekers, such as Augurs, Scholars, or Sages, whose duties take them far afield in places that might be dangerous.
Colonia: The city of Colonia was founded shortly after the Ragnarok War, as a colony of the First Empire, known of old as the Nova Roman Empire. It was ruled by the gods, and over the years, grew into the seat of an Elekai empire by the same name. Colonia’s history is divided into two periods: Old Colonia, which lasted from roughly 1–150 A.R., and Covenant Colonia, which lasted from 151 A.R. until the present day.
Old Colonia was ruled by the Elekai, and was originally their capital city. The true descendants of the heroes of the Ragnarok War formed an aristocracy, called the Godsblood. Below them were Wilders, the descendants of those who became Elekai in the years following the Ragnarok War. On the bottom rung were the Bloodless, commoners without Elekai ancestry. However, by the fourth generation of the Godsblood, the government grew corrupt, favoring the Elekai nobility over the Bloodless masses. This, in time, led to the Annaran Uprising. The civil war lasted twenty years, ending with the Elekai being defeated and ousted from the city they had founded, their numbers greatly reduced. The Annarans took control of the city, founding the Annaran Covenant, which vowed to destroy all Elekai in accordance with Annara’s will.
The Covenant ruled in Colonia for the next two hundred and fifty years, and at its height around 320 A.R., the Covenant controlled most of what used to be the Southwestern United States.
Colorado River: The main river flowing through the Red Wild and Colonia. The river is much wider than it was during the Old World, and nurtures the growth of both Elekai and Covenant society. The Colorado flows not only through the city of Colonia, but under the roots of Haven, the main enclave of the Annajen tribe, along with Coloso, which is built on its mouth.
Coloso: A Novan city at the mouth of the Colorado River. Over the centuries, it is has changed hands between Nova and Colonia numerous times. It is strategically important, because it is the gateway to Nova and it also provides a means to enter Colonia by river.
Covenant, The: The Covenant, or the Annaran Covenant or the Colonian Covenant, began as a resistance against the corrupt Elekai aristocracy that ruled Colonia. The goddess Annara became its figurehead, but instead of an Annara that was the heroine of the Elekai, this Annara was a champion of the Bloodless and reviled all things Elekai. In time, the Annaran rebellion took place, and after a twenty-year-long war, the Elekai were nearly wiped out, and what was left of them fled into the Red Wild.
The Covenant rules with a firm fist, using religion to control its population. It was the strongest power in the late Third Century, but by the Fourth Century, incursions by both the Shen and Nova made it lose much of its former territory. The Covenant has a policy of exiling or outright killing anyone who disagrees with its theology, and openly hunts Elekai within its borders. The Covenant is ruled by a Grand Pontifex and a Grand Council of seven members, officials appointed by the Grand Pontifex from each of the seven kinds of priests.
Dome of Annara, The: Constructed during Old Colonia, the Dome of Annara is one of the wonders of the world. It is composed of a large, golden dome and has four turrets on each corner. In days of old, it served as a pantheon to all the gods, but over time, Annara became its chief deity. The Dome was constructed about eighty years following the founding of the city.
Dragonriders, The: The Dragonriders are the Covenant’s elite fighting force. It’s unknown how many dragons they number, but estimates range anywhere from twenty to forty. They ride Mindless Askaleen, the only kind of dragon that can be tamed by humans. They cannot breed new dragons, but so long as the dragons are fed with steady supplies of xen and not mortally injured, they will live indefinitely.
Dragons: The Dragons have had a long and troubled history since the Ragnarok War. The two varieties, Askaleen and Radaska, are male and female respectively. There are many generations, but only the first generation are part of a group known as the Elder Dragons, the only ones to have lived during the time of the Ragnarok War. The Elder Dragons were never born of other dragons, but instead were created during the process of Xenogenesis, the thirty-or-so-year period during the Ragnarok War that the Great Blight grew at a rapid rate. After the war and the victory of the Elekai, Xenogenesis was greatly reduced, and dragons that were born entered the world naturally.
Besides Elder Dragons, there are Generational Dragons, which are the progeny of the Elders, and Mindless Dragons, which have no connection to the Xenofold. Mindless Radaska are volatile and dangerous, while Mindless Askaleen are docile and tamable. These Askaleen, while uncommon, are still used by the Colonians and Elekai as mounts.
Eastern Kingdoms, The: The Eastern Kingdoms collectively refers to any of the countries that lie east of the Eastern Range, known in former times as the Rocky
Mountains (In the Eastern Kingdoms, the Eastern Range is called either the Western Range, or the Wild Range). There are dozens of kingdoms, most of them small, but a few are more powerful than others.
Eastern Pact: A Pact consisting of most of the nations in the Eastern Kingdoms. It was orchestrated by the Seekers as a way to prevent wars in the region.
Eastern Range: The Eastern Range, formerly known as the Rocky Mountains, makes up the eastern border of the Red Wild. Many wild Elekai tribes live here, and the mountains are dangerous to cross.
Elder Dragons: The first generation of dragons, who were created by Xenogenesis. They are the most powerful of the dragons, and following an unknown dispute, broke off their ties with human Elekai about one hundred and fifty years after the Ragnarok War. They have not been seen by a human since, though later generations of dragons still consort with human Elekai in a limited capacity.
Elekai, The: An Elekai is marked by their connection to the Xenofold, which is produced by the neural network of xen in the Red Wild. They are composed of humans and dragons, and an Elekai is marked by their possessing the xenovirus, though over the years, this began being attributed to having the blood of the gods. The virus changes the host’s genetics to grant them access to the Xenofold, the collective consciousness of the Elekai.
There are two kinds of Elekai among humans. Those of the Godsblood are direct descendants of the Six Gods, and form a ruling elite among the Elekai. Depending on their line of descent, they form one of Three Tribes: the Annajen, the Samalites, or the Makai. The Godsblood are the rarest kind of Elekai, and their abilities and connection to the Xenofold tend to be stronger than the other type, known as Wilders.
Wilders are Elekai that, for the first two generations following the Ragnarok War, were drawn to the Red Wild by dreams and visions, only to return as Elekai, albeit weaker versions than those descended directly from the gods. Many, in fact, remained in the Red Wild, forming tribes separate from the Three Tribes.