A Poisoned Land (Book 1: Faith, Lies and Blue Eyes)

by Craig P Roberts

  Dedication

  This one is for the person

  who taught me that there are

  always positives, even when

  things seem at their worst.

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Londenia

  Owin

  Baskie

  Londenia

  Owin

  Stewart

  Londenia

  Baskie

  The Guard Who Watched

  Owin

  Stewart

  Londenia

  Baskie

  The Farmer’s Daughter

  The Blue Hunter

  Owin

  Londenia

  Baskie

  Londenia

  Baskie

  Owin

  Epilogue

  Appendix

  Copyright

  Author’s Note

  Wait! Before you enter my universe, I wanted a quick word—mainly because I don’t want you to get lost and confused. It’s not a nice place. Well, some parts are nice, but there are also some really fucked-up people. I guess there are fucked-up people everywhere, but they crop up quite often in this story.

  This is a totally different world to ours with its own history, cultures and morals. This means there are some differences in the way things work. Let’s start with kings, for example. Kings are kings but probably not quite like the kings from the histories that you or I would be familiar with. They have queens that serve under them but they are not the kings’ wives, and instead hold a purely political position. The kings have wives to be their wives. If you get stressed out by it all, there’s an appendix at the end of the book that details the current royal courts of all ten of the kingdoms and their religion of the Ten.

  But that’s just the Ten Kingdoms! You’ll have to find your own way with the other lands weaved in and around the kingdoms. Much like everywhere in our world, many have some kind of spirit or deity to worship—some because they actually have faith in it, others simply twist things and brainwash for their own personal gain and selfish desires. The kingdoms have the Ten, the Mister’s flock of young brothers have the Mother, Arland has its ‘one true god’, Jahanar—the list is quite extensive.

  The calendar of this land is based around a terrible event that happened nearly one thousand years previous to the storyline that you’re about to jump into. It’s referred to across the entire Known World as the Great Poison. It saw the vast majority of the population wiped out…or those with brown eyes at least. Those with blue eyes were unaffected. Now, the few brown-eyed males who survived the Great Poison are believed to be infertile. This makes blue-eyed males (at least in some parts of the Known World) very desirable. It’s not just that! Those people with blue eyes can run faster, jump higher, have more strength and, to top it all off, the buggers live longer too! In the Ten Kingdoms they believe they are direct descendants of the gods.

  Something as terrible as the Great Poison can influence a land and people even thousands of years later. It’s easy for a civilisation to forget what came before such a disaster: its past, its advancements and the truth. You are placed in the points of view of people uncovering the true nature of the poisoned land that they’ve inherited. And when I say you are placed in their point of view, it is very much the character’s point of view (although written in the third person). If the narrative refers to a woman as a ‘slut’, please feel free to dislike the point-of-view character for doing so! Same goes for when a man is referred to as a ‘rat’ and used by an alpha female simply to decorate her abode! It is not my opinion of that particular woman nor do I feel it is right for a man to be treated in such a way. And while reading these derogatory words please also bear in mind that there are far more disturbing things to be disgusted and shocked at than a simple word in the thoughts of a character.

  There are quite a few point-of-view characters—the main ones being Londenia, Baskie, Owin and Stewart (I’ve snuck their names in at the start of each chapter to keep things simple!). As well as the prologue and epilogue, ‘guest’ point-of-view characters pop up who I felt were necessary in the telling of the story but also because they are interesting weirdos in their own special way too! Go with it—I promise they are not simply random additions.

  I don’t want to give too much away but I felt you needed an introduction into this fucked-up place! The world is not as it seems. Expect anything. But know that everything is logical and will make sense. The world has the mystery of fantasy, with the logic of science fiction but all that goes out the window when you add in people and their desires.

  One last warning: There are graphic scenes of a sexual nature throughout! Many of these scenes are not necessarily meant to come across as ‘sexy’. The aim is to shock, show abuses of power, and even repulse (with the same objective as that of a cruel murder scene, for example). Some, however, you can feel free to enjoy!

  Welcome to ‘A Poisoned Land’.

  Prologue

  You are being lied to and you are in danger. Everybody in the Mortal Realm is in danger. The words from the message echoed through Leon’s mind.

  He had lived on the Mother’s Island for as long as he could remember. The Mister brought all the brothers here, away from the lies and corruption of the mainland, but Leon was about to go against the Mister’s teachings. He would surely join the ranks of the fallen brothers if he was caught.

  Leon weaved his way through the large trunks of the forest. Dim white light from the broken moon shone through the leaves above. Although the night was calm and warm, and he had run and walked this very track countless times, Leon still felt a shiver cut through him. The hairs on the back of his neck pricked up. The gloom on either side of him hid things conjured by his mind—things he knew couldn’t be there but every muscle in his body tightened nonetheless. His face twitched.

  The trunks creaked and the leaves rustled more than usual and there wasn’t a creature to be heard. He may have been alone physically but the strength of the Mother flowed through his body and protected him. But does She still care for me at this time if I am going against the Mister’s words? Doubt clouded his mind and with it came fear.

  He had slept soundly every single night for all nineteen of his years. However, last night, he woke with a start in his bedchamber in the pod. He felt a presence outside of the round window above his head as he lay under the covers. Saul (one of the elder brothers, same age as Leon), was snoring quietly in the bed opposite…quietly for him anyway. Leon wanted to look through the window but his body resisted. Part of him was convinced there would be a twisted face with black eyes staring back at him, separated only by the round sheet of glass.

  A quick glance. His heart skipped. A square of white parchment was tucked into the outside of the circular frame of the window, flickering in the gentle breeze. He flipped around on his bed and knelt to face the tempting fold of paper. Reaching for the latch, he paused with a shallow breath. Leon groped the cold metal handle before snapping the lock open. His hand slipped out into the cool breeze, snatched the fold of paper and was back in before some evil paw could grab him. Saul was still deep in sleep on the other side of the small wooden room. Leon carefully unfolded the crisp parchment to reveal neatly written words.

  Leon,

  I have searched for you ever since you were taken from me. I do not know if you are even aware of my existence but there are truths you must know. Truths I am sure others on this island will not want you to hear. You are being lied to and you are in danger. Everybody in the Mortal Realm is in danger. I will be in the forest, in the clearing with the water, fr
om when the broken moon starts to shine, until the sun rises. I beg you to meet with me there. Do not speak of my presence. I fear if you did and they were to find me, my life would be forfeit.

  The words on that page ran through his mind as he lay awake for the remainder of the night. They were there when he rose to eat breakfast in the House of the Mother and as he trained and sparred in the ring. They echoed in his head as he pretended to settle to sleep only hours ago.

  The message weighed heavier on his mind as he continued to stride through the dark woods. His blue eyes allowed him to see in the immediate area around him. His face still twitched at every crack of twigs coming from the looming dark between the trunks further ahead and either side of him. He didn’t dare turn around to look behind.

  As he neared the clearing where the pool was, his heart skipped. In his haste, he had left the message behind on his bed. It felt as if his body were split in two—one side willing him back to his pod to hide the note, the other pushing him ahead. I just hope Saul is as restful as he always is and doesn’t wake early to find it.

  The glow from the broken moon flooded his eyes as he entered the clearing to the small lake, barely more than thirty paces across. His jaw tightened when he spotted a ghostly figure standing at the opposite side of the water’s edge. A goddess…here? He had only ever seen goddesses depicted in the hangings in the House of the Mother and, of course, in the vision chamber too.

  As the elegant figure raised a slender hand, Leon panicked, this could be a false goddess. All of the goddesses were taken from the world by the Mother. All that was left were false goddesses who tempted the brothers inside them bringing sickness and death. Leon froze, but the gentle wave from the feminine arm made his balled-up hands relax. As she moved to walk around the pool, Leon sidestepped and backed off to keep the body of water between him and the fake.

  She stopped, tilted her head and her jaw quivered. “No, Leon,” she uttered in a soft shaking voice, “please, I beg you to listen to me.” Her open palms outstretched, trembling.

  He stayed as she rounded the pool’s edge, coming to within ten paces of him. “That’s close enough,” he warned, trying to steady his voice as his face gave another quick tick.

  “It really is you,” she whispered to herself with a sniff. “You still have the same nose, eyes and even that little twitch.” Her lips curled into a smile through another sniff. “Your brother has it too…well, he has more than a twitch.” She broke into a short nervous laugh mixed with the blubbering that she fought back. “My beautiful baby boy.” She reached out a hand. Leon recoiled from it. The fake’s eyes dropped to the ground. She fumbled with her hands and shuffled her feet. “What has that bastard done to you?” She sobbed, her jaw tightening and fists clenching. Her eyes met Leon’s again and her face softened.

  Leon’s face twitched. “Who are you?” he asked, feeling a lump forming in his throat. Her blubbering was infectious and tore at his heart.

  “I’m your M—” She swallowed hard. A point of metal appeared through her chest with a thud. Her eyes wandered down slowly to the arrowhead sprouting through her body. Swaying, her eyes widened. She gulped and began to fall forward. Without thinking, Leon sprang towards her and caught her body. He felt her warmth as he helped her onto her back. He knelt and cradled her. The thudding of her heart was felt on his thighs, through her back.

  Saul’s found the note and told the Mister.

  “None of it is true,” the poor, dying thing whispered as she lay there in his arms. The forest around them hid the brother who had shot the arrow. The broken moon reflected off her bright blue eyes and her long silky brown hair.

  “What isn’t true?” Leon asked, his ears locked onto her every word while still trying to scan the forest for approaching footsteps. A goddess surely can’t bleed, she must be a fake. She feels so much like one of us. She’s just flesh.

  She looked up at him and smiled. Small wrinkles appeared around her eyes. “My child…my beautiful—” She coughed, reaching up, touching his cheek. When her warm hand touched his skin, Leon felt something he had not felt before: a warmth and comfort like no other. It wasn’t what he expected to feel from the touch of a fake. It wasn’t what he had been told. She really is a goddess!

  “Please tell me, what isn’t true?” As the words came out of Leon’s mouth, he saw life slip from the goddess’s eyes. The hand slid from his cheek and he wanted nothing more than to feel the same comforting warmth he just felt. Now her eyes, although looking straight at him, were staring through him. They were glassy and her jaw was stiff and awkward. He wanted her to come back to life. His chest throbbed and the air around him cooled. What did she mean, it’s not true?

  Footsteps in the distance! His stomach twisted. “What isn’t true?” he shouted at the lifeless goddess in his arms. As he shook her body, he realized she could no longer answer him. A sense of guilt coursed through him for shaking one of the divine, and shouting at somebody who made him feel such warmth in only a small touch. Tears trickled down his face. They were shed for the life he didn’t know. He took one last look at the lifeless body, wrenched himself away and ran.

  The brothers on the island spent most of their days running, sparring and training, so Leon bounded through the woods effortlessly. The land was so familiar to him. Like all the brothers on the island, he had blue eyes, allowing him to see comfortably in the dim moonlight. He’d run through the forest with his brothers ever since his legs would let him. But it was them chasing him. He knew what happened to fallen brothers—the ones poisoned by the lies from the mainland. It was obvious that Saul had shown the Mister the letter. Leon being in the forest would be seen as an act of doubt, betrayal and blasphemy.

  Back in the thick of the trees. He weaved. Hopped a fallen trunk. Landed. He used low-hanging branches to propel himself and change direction. Gliding over moss, mud and roots, he could feel blood pump through his neck and his teeth tingled. Shouts and voices echoed behind him. He pushed on into the thick forest. Before he knew it, he was on the ground. His foot caught under a log. The footsteps drew closer. It was just one set. They must have split up.

  Leon struggled to his feet. Just as he was about to start running, a voice pierced the quiet forest. “Leon, stop. You can’t keep running.” Before he turned around, he knew it was Saul.

  He could practically feel the arrow pointing right at his back without seeing it. Steadying his breath, Leon uttered, “Saul, listen. She spoke to me.”

  “Who spoke to you?”

  “The goddess!”

  Through gritted teeth, Saul answered, “She was a false goddess sent to test you. He said you would say things like this.” His voice was strained. “You’re infected now.”

  Leon turned to face his brother. The bow and arrow quivered as Saul’s arm shook. He was short and cuts were always on his face, along with bruises, but he still had youthful features. His brown hair was cut short but scruffy.

  Leon outstretched his hands. “Lower the bow. Let me explain.”

  “There’s nothing to explain.” Saul was sounding more stressed by the second. “You need to come back with me.”

  “You know I can’t now. She said it was all a lie.”

  “Where will you go? And what’s all a lie?” Saul’s fingers were turning white on the drawn bowstring. His face reddened and his voice shook.

  “I don’t know but we need to find out. She risked her life to warn me. She lost her life warning me.” Leon’s voice was rising. His chin shivered, bringing another twitch to his face. More footsteps were coming. Leon began to back away from his brother. “I know you won’t do it.” He turned and ran. A twang of a bow made his feet skip. Then, it was as if somebody had set fire to his left leg. Pain coursed through his body. All power went from the limb.

  Leon dove down a small hill and curled up at the bottom. From above, he could hear voices. “Did you see him?” It was the Mister’s old voice sounding more panicked than usual.

  “He ran off that
way,” Saul answered, shaken. “I hit him. He’s wounded.”

  Bastard, Leon thought, as he heard his brother sending him to death. His mouth went dry and his head began to itch—fear gripping him.

  A moment’s relief came—the footsteps were moving away. He’s sent them in the wrong direction!

  Having another chance at life shrank as blinding pain gripped his left thigh. The moonlight pierced through the trees into his eyes as he stared upwards, propped up against the small bank. He couldn’t bring himself to look down at the leg. The pain was starting to disappear but Leon knew the arrow hadn’t simply vanished. His head spun and his hands tingled. As he looked down, the pain took him again and there it was: an arrowhead stuck through his thigh. A ball of fear grew in his stomach. Leon threw his head back and let out a silent scream. It looked so unnatural. It was as if it wasn’t happening. His left foot still worked, but if he tried to straighten his leg, it was like stabbing himself with a knife. I’m going to die here. All hope drained from his thoughts and a cold sweat took him. He could call for help but would probably get an arrow through his chest instead of his leg. At least it would be quick and I could be with the goddesses. His faith was strong and if he ever transgressed, he had been cleansed straight away. He would have his bed with the goddesses.

  Emotions welled up inside him and crying flooded from within. Even in his head, this was more than a normal cry. This was a wail. It was a deep, painful, wrenching cry, not from the pain in his leg, but for the hopelessness he felt. Fingers of doom curled around him. All he wanted was the goddess at the pool to comfort him again and to make everything okay. He heard her voice in his head, stirring something inside him. He reached down to the arrowhead and pulled it out. Blood began to spill from the wound. A pulling, twisting pain throbbed, sending his eyes back in his head. He ripped off a cotton sleeve from his right arm and tightened it above the wound. The blood slowed.

  As the pain eased slightly, he rested his head and began to lose his thoughts. Doom edged away until he couldn’t remember what he was worried about.