Kost: An archetypal antagonist found in the folklore of most spheres. Though the particular attributes and names ascribed to these creatures vary by locality, a kost (pronounced “kosht”) is commonly identified as an evil spirit inhabiting the body of a living or once living being.
Most sources relate the kost’s ability to indefinitely delay death by taking a succession of stolen forms. Extant accounts disagree as to the beings’ original nature. Some describe the kost as a pure spirit or demon, while others portray kosts as wicked Factors who attained a sort of cursed immortality. These latter accounts usually refer to a Worked object that houses the kost’s soul.
Midras: A god whose cult gained dominance in antiquity. The ancient dualistic faith associated Midras with the sun, life, fire, compassion, and virtue. The god of light’s priests were famous for traveling the countryside dispensing justice in lawless lands.
Mystery: One of the ancient liturgical rites of the Gen, whose shamans practiced the first known systematic tradition of fashioning prana.
Necromancer: A common derogatory term for a disciple of Teth, though in practice the term has been applied to social pariahs of varying backgrounds. The study, manipulation, and attempted reversal of death is but one branch on the Way of Teth.
Nexism: A cosmic mechanism for manipulating space, time, matter, and thought by will alone. Properly the domain of higher beings, nexism is rare among the Gen and all but unknown to humans.
Nine Circles, the: Hell; variously described as either a place or state of torment reserved for the wicked after death. Ancient peoples’ concepts of hell differed between religions and even among sects of the same faith. Few cults lacked such a notion entirely.
Prana: This primeval force is the basic building block of matter and the animating principle of all living things. Also called the light of the White Well.
Sphere: An inhabited world of the Middle Stratum, synonymous with “planet”.
Steersman: The pilot of an ether-runner (the term is gender neutral) who can control a ship through the Wheel. When describing an individual with Guild training, the term becomes a capitalized proper noun. Most Guild-trained Steersmen are powerful Factors.
Stratum: A discrete region of the cosmos. Except for the Middle Stratum, all Strata are defined by their uniform composition.
The Strata are arranged in descending order of potency, beginning with the Fire Stratum located just below the White Well, and ending at the Stone Stratum located just above the Void. The Middle Stratum is the balancing point of these forces and is synonymous with mundane space.
Teth: An esoteric concept describing the flow of prana from the White Well into the Void. The principle defies easy definition, since its followers claim that Teth encompasses all areas of cosmology, philosophy, morality, and natural science. One of the major tenets of Teth is the dominance that entropy exerts upon all things.
Thera: A primeval entity alternately worshiped and despised in a number of ancient faiths. Theological opinions on Thera’s nature vary, though most cults thought her a goddess. Necromancers consider her a personification of Teth. The Nesshin styled her the daughter of Zadok and queen of demons who brought evil into the world through her patricide.
Transessence: The process of exchanging the properties of substances through Workings and glamers.
Void, the: The lowest region of the cosmos, where prana flowing from the White Well settles once it has lost all of its potency. The Void is a nearly infinite abode of darkness and absolute cold where life cannot exist.
Wheel, the: A sympathetic control interface allowing a steersman to merge his awareness with an ether-runner.
White Well, the: A vast concentration of pure prana located in the ether above all of the Strata. The Well provides the raw material for all energy, matter, and life; as well as Workings, glamers, and Mysteries. Some religious traditions equate the Well with Zadok’s divine power, which was separated from the creator upon his death.
Working: A use of fashioned prana that primarily alters or affects inanimate matter.
Zadok: Nesshin creator deity worshiped by other faiths under different names. Killed at the beginning of time by Thera, his daughter and first creation, Zadok is prophesied to rise at the eschaton and judge every creature.
The following is a preview of:
SOULDANCER
Soul Cycle Book II
Brian Niemeier
Kairos
Almeth Elocine staggers across the narrow span. Though Kairos knows neither “was” nor “will be”, the newcomer’s footsteps echo with regret and herald woes to come.
The bridge—an alabaster beam suspended over a canyon of whirring cogs—traverses every epoch of history. Oblivious to the abyss yawning below, Almeth walks on, harried by defeat. Kairos is time as the gods know it, and the traveler’s memory of certain victory turned to rout seems only moments old.
The ubiquitous machinery turns in a continual dance of shifting fractal patterns, and Almeth hears again the guardians’ voices. They hail him as Faerda made flesh; the last god. He suffers these titles; comes to embrace them and finally to believe.
Ahead, the towers of spinning gears part to reveal the terminus. It is the last place that Almeth wishes to be, yet he recognizes the heart of Kairos as the natural end of his pride. All other paths are shut to him. Now he sees the platform clearly. A tall stocky figure stands at the head of the bridge, waiting.
“Elocine! It’s not too late to turn back!”
If Almeth is surprised by the man’s presence, he gives no sign. Unhindered he answers, “the Guild rules the spheres now, Cleolin. Where would you have me turn back to?”
Cleolin’s brow is stern, but the hardness doesn’t reach his eyes. “I would ask you the same, Blackbow. Even a mortal such as I knows that one may reach any place or time from Kairos.”
Almeth sees the syndex’s muscles tense at his approach—a message clear as bared steel. “Everything’s gone wrong.” Almeth’s voice hardly exceeds a whisper. “I’m the last. Only I can mend it.”
The syndex of Midras frowns—an act which oft sets foes to flight. Cleolin Redbeard must see his former captain’s ashen face; the cold sweat that’s turned his hair into a mat of black lambswool. The priest knows that he is witnessing a marvel without precedent—Almeth Elocine is afraid.
“Turn aside, Almeth, whatever your intent. To rewrite fate’s decrees is folly, even for a god!”
Though faltering, Almeth’s pace doesn’t slow. “The resistance is lost,” he says without inflection. “Should I leave my people in thrall to an upstart fiend?”
“The remnant of Annon chose their lot. The guardians may yet survive in Strata untouched by the Brotherhood.”
The human priest and the godly Gen stand face to face below the broad stair. Cleolin’s visage is grim. His pores exude a sour smell.
Almeth smiles without mirth. “You speak without forethought, as is your race’s wont. Wheresoever I lead my broken following, the Void shall overtake us in time.”
“The Guild; not the Void, has conquered the spheres.”
“One is merely the consequence of the other,” Almeth says, pressing forward. A smooth motion of the priest’s hand sends an icy jolt through his torso and halts his progress.
Cleolin withdraws his red-tipped blade. “Forgive me this sacrilege.”
Almeth collapses. The priest’s firm embrace is all that keep him from folding to the floor.
“Failure is a gift,” speaks a voice from the past. Yet all times are present to Almeth here.
Have I not failed enough for one life, Ebrim—for a hundred?
Urgency beyond all self-concern drives Almeth back to his feet. He looks upon the syndex’s startled face a final time and exerts his will. Kairos itself propels Cleolin backward so rapidly that his imposing form instantly recedes to a distant mote. His scream reaches Almeth seconds after he vanishes beyond the terminus.
Almeth clutches his wound and staggers to the edge of
Kairos. Cleolin was the last tie binding him to life in this cosmos. Now emptied of all feeling, he sits down to wait.
Acknowledgements
This book wouldn’t exist without Jeff, Kris, Lee, Paul, and Sid. Every story needs an audience, and none is more important than the first.
Thanks to my alpha and beta readers, especially Ben, JJ, and Nick.
Thanks, Mom and Dad—you know what for.
Special thanks to Jagi and Marcelo, who showed me that God opens doors if we’re humble enough to knock.
About Brian Niemeier
Despite formal training in history and theology, Brian Niemeier has chosen to pursue a writing career. His journey toward publication began at the behest of his long-suffering D&D group, who tactfully pointed out that he seemed to enjoy telling stories more than planning and adjudicating games.
Besides writing novels, he has contributed short stories to Sci Phi Journal.
Copyright ©2015 by Brian Niemeier
Introduction copyright ©2015 by Brian Niemeier
Cover art copyright ©2015 by Marcelo Orsi Blanco
Formatting by Polgarus Studio
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either fictional or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, transmitted, or used in any form or manner whatsoever without permission in writing from Brian Niemeier, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Table of Contents
About Nethereal
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Epilogue
Glossary
Preview of SOULDANCER
Acknowledgements
About Brian Niemeier
Copyright
Nethereal (Soul Cycle Book 1) Page 47