Fate (Inner Space Adventures Book 1)

by J B Forest

  Fate

  (An Inner Space Adventure - Book 1)

  By J B Forest

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and

  incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used

  fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any

  resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons,

  living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 JB Forest

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in

  any manner whatsoever without written permission, except

  in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

  Cover Artwork and Design by: Jarmila Takac

  Table of Contents

  Fate (An Inner Space Adventure Book 1)

  Chapter 1 - Elven Lands – Svartar Realm

  Chapter 2 - Present Day – Southwest Louisiana

  Chapter 3 - Elven Lands -- Ljosar Realm

  Chapter 4 - Fae Dominion – Unseelie Domain

  Chapter 5 - Present Day – Southwest Louisiana

  Chapter 6 - Elven Lands – Ljosar Realm

  Chapter 7 - Fae Dominion – Unseelie Domain

  Chapter 8 – Fae Dominion – Seelie Domain

  Chapter 9 – Present Day – Southwest Louisiana

  Chapter 10 – Elven Lands – Ljosar Realm

  Chapter 12 – Fae Dominion – Seelie Domain

  Chapter 11 – 10th Century – Alba (Scotland)

  Chapter 13 - Present Day – Southeast Texas

  Chapter 14 – Present Day – Southwest Louisiana

  Chapter 15 - Eleven Lands – Ljosar Realm

  Chapter 16 – 10th Century – Alba (Scotland)

  Chapter 17 – Present Day Southwest Louisiana

  Chapter 18 - Elven Lands – Ljosar Realm

  Chapter 19 – 10th Century – Alba (Scotland)

  Chapter 20 – Fae Dominion

  Chapter 21 – Present Day Southwest Louisiana

  Cast of Characters

  Inner Space Worlds

  Inside Jacket Matter

  Chapter 1 - Elven Lands – Svartar Realm

  Connak was in the prime of his elven life. His tall, muscular stature and smooth facial features were typical for members of his race. Even so, he stood out from his contemporaries. He wore his hair just past shoulder length as did many of the men in the elven societies however; his was always bound with a leather thong. The thong was the last concrete tie to his mother, someone he had only heard stories about whispered in the halls of Drakar palace by the servants.

  Connak was of noble blood, his father and uncle sat on the High Council of the Svartan realm. Centuries before his birth, the Elven Domain consisted of the united realms of the Ljosar (light elves), the Svartar (dark elves), and the Dockar (grey elves). The names had more to do with where the different groups resided within the Elven Domain than the color of their skin or their demeanor. However, more often than not, Ljosar were fairer in complexion, Svartar were darker, typically ranging from dark tan to almost ebony and the Dockar fell somewhere in between.

  During the days of unity, the three groups intermarried freely and as a result, it was not always easy to differentiate between them based on looks alone. The Elven Domain was ruled by a Grand Council that consisted of representatives from the three realms. The three societies were locally managed by a High Council that consisted of members of the nobility. Members of the Grand Council were chosen from the respective High Councils. Stories vary regarding the actual cause of the rift in the Grand Council, but the result was a bloody power struggle between the Ljosar and the Svartar.

  Legends have it that the Dockar actually instigated the hostilities but then distanced themselves from the other two realms completely. A tenuous peace has existed between the Ljosar and the Svartar for the last four centuries living mutually exclusive of each other with only rare interaction. The Dockar have not been seen since the initial rift, it is rumored that they left the lush woodlands and plains of the Elven Domain and retreated into the underground caverns of the nearby Yarrus Mountains.

  The Svartan realm is located deep with the Reasuir forest. The forest was lush woodland so deep and thick with ancient trees that the sunlight rarely reached the ground. The Ljosar realm is located along the fringes of the Reasuir forest extending out into the plains of Vadrin. During the centuries since the rift, the co-mingling of the two societies has been very rare. In those rare instances, the relationships were usually politically motivated and involved a hostage taking situation.

  The union between Connak’s mother and father was the result of such an event. Connak’s mother was kidnapped along with others as a young girl during a raid on a Ljosar village ordered by the chief of the Svartan High Council. She lived for many years in the Svartan society and met, fell in love with, and married Connak’s father. Her father and brothers never gave up the search for their beloved daughter and sister. On the night that Connak was born, her relatives re-captured her just outside the palace walls during the cleansing ritual. It is the custom in the elven society for the midwives to bathe the new mothers in the deep pool just outside the palace walls for hygienic purposes but also as a symbol of renewal. While the mothers are undergoing the cleansing ritual, their newborn sons undergo a circumcision ceremony. As a result, Connak never saw his mother and has had to rely on the memory of servants and tutors to try to get an image of the woman he never knew. The leather hair thong a favorite of his mother’s, was left in her chambers when she went to the pool. Connak’s wet nurse kept it and gave it to him when he was a boy. He has never let it out of his sight since that time.

  He knew that his father searched in vain for his lost wife for many months only because his amah told him the story as a child. His father never spoke of it and Connak could not imagine the amount of pain he endured. He never remarried and to this day Connak would find his father with a faraway look in his eyes when he thought he was alone. He knew that his father loved his mother very much and always enjoyed the rare occasions when he would share stories of the good times that they had together. Unfortunately, the stories always brought on a solemn mood in his father so Connak did not encourage his father too often. He heard more about his parents’ life together from others in the palace. It was always a story filled with love and happiness. Connak wondered if his mother tried to return to her adopted home and if she felt the intense loss that his father did.

  Connak was in a pensive mood as he moved through the Reasuir forest. He was nearing the boundaries of the Svartan realm where it began to shift into the Ljosar realm. He was tasked as an emissary to approach the Ljosan High Council to find out if they were experiencing problems with distortions in the astral plane. Many of the Svartan elders had approached the High Council with reports of unusual occurrences. Several were experiencing periods of imbalance and the loss of the natural elven inner calm. These occurrences were becoming more frequent and two of the oldest were taken severely ill.

  It was thought that these events were caused by something amiss within the astral plane. The astral plane separates the Elven Domain from the Fae Dominion, the human universe and the realms of the many other races that share the Inner Space. Most races keep to themselves and do not seek to enter other realms. The Fae or Faerie as some referred to them are more adventurous and in the past breached the boundaries of other races.

  A reinforced boundary was established around the Fae Dominion centuries ago to avoid such encroachment after a Fae Unseelie king almost succeeded in collapsing the entire astral plane and destroying Inner Space by exerting his evil influence over all the races throu
gh the use of the darkest of magic. The boundary to the human world is more pliable although typically only elves, fae and a few other races can travel between the boundaries unharmed. It is very rare for humans to have the ability to travel outside of their world into the plane and other realms.

  The concern that the Fae were again trying to breach the boundary was the reason the Svartan High Council sent Connak on this unprecedented mission. They acknowledged the fact that if the threat was real, the Svartar alone would not be able to successfully defend the realm. Thus, Connak’s mission was not only to judge the depth of the problem with the distortions in the Elven Domain but also to try to forge some type of alliance with the Ljosar so that they could unite against a common enemy. He was accompanied on this journey by his lifelong friend, Laosx. Laosx’s talent was his extensive knowledge of the Ljosar history and customs. He was as fine a scholar, serving as head master of the Universtat – the highest level academic institution within the Svartan society, as he was a swordsman. He won many contests throughout their training years and most people thought that that he would go on to serve in the elite guard. Laosx surprised everyone when he opted to follow the path to academia.

  Laosx possessed another quality that the High Council hoped would be useful on this mission. His physical appearance betrayed the fact that somewhere in his ancestry resided a very strong Ljosan influence. The Svartar hoped to use Laosx’s physical resemblance to the Ljosar as an asset during this mission.

  His skin was almost opaque and his hair white as snow in sharp contrast to the dark tones of his parents, siblings, and grandparents. The predominant skin tone of the Svartan people was on the darker end of the spectrum although many possessed lighter shades. Laosx however, was an anomaly. As a child, he was forced to defend himself from spiteful classmates who ridiculed him for the stark difference. Connak rescued him from one such incident during their first year of sword training as young boys. A bond was formed and they have been the best of friends ever since.

  Their journey thus far was fairly easy. They travelled several days through the woodland by horseback from Drakar palace at the center of the Svartan realm. Elves have the natural ability to travel extremely fast on foot, almost seeming to glide above the ground, however for this important mission, Connak and Laosx thought it was more prudent to use horses to preserve energy and carry supplies for the long journey. The food supply was plentiful since the Reasuir forest provided a wide assortment of fruit, vegetables, and assorted nuts which supplemented the items that they brought from Drakar palace. The elven race lived as one with nature and adhered to a strictly vegan diet except in dire circumstances.

  “We will probably reach the Ljosan realm by sunset tomorrow,” commented Connak. “Then I suggest we camp overnight and get an early start in the morning. No need to enter their lands in darkness,” replied Laosx. His friend chuckled, “You are right about that, we would not want to give the impression that we have anything to hide.” The two elves settled down for the night, reminisced about their youth and turned to sleep.

  Connak did not immediately drift off to sleep. His thoughts kept him awake as he heard Laosx’s gentle snores. He smiled and thought that his friend could sleep through the thick of battle when he was tired. They both knew the gravity of their mission. The welfare of the elders and potentially the entire Svartan people was at stake if they did not find the source and a solution to these distortions. The High Council had merely patronized the elder delegation when they first spoke of the distortions over a year ago. The elders were well respected in the Svartan society for the roles they played in the past, but many of the councilors perceived them as men and women wrapped in the past and superstition. It was not until the imbalances caused by the distortions became more noticeable, that the High Council took the situation seriously. Connak sincerely hoped that they had not waited too late.

  There was another more personal issue keeping Connak awake. The closer he got to the Ljosan realm, the more he thought of the mother he never knew. “Is she still alive?” he thought. Elves were known for their longevity. But he wondered if his mother was able to survive the mental anguish of being ripped from first one family and then another including losing her newborn son. Everyone told him, including his father that his mother was a remarkable and strong woman. “But how much can one person bear,” he whispered aloud. Laosx turned and mumbled something ineligible in response and fell promptly into a snore that was a few decibels louder than before. Even if she were alive, he had no idea where to look for her or whether she would want to see him after all these years. He fell into a restless sleep dreaming about finally meeting this woman that he heard so much about.

  Connak awoke with a start from the noise made by Laosx as he went about his morning ablutions. “If you make any more noise you will wake the dead,” he shouted.

  “It is about time you wake up, dawn is nearly here and we need to hurry if we plan to stick to our schedule.” Laosx noticed the deep lines under Connak’s eyes. “You look terrible. Have some tea, I found a camphor bush over by the stream, thought a bit added to a strong brew would help fortify us for the day’s journey.” Connak shrugged and quickly readied himself for the journey. Laosx was right, the tea was fortifying and the camphor added just a hint of sweetener to it. He was always impressed with his friend’s natural ability to find the best combinations in nature.

  They settled into a steady pace to begin the day’s journey. The forest was not nearly so dense today, a sure sign that they were nearing the Ljosan lands. The sky was clearly visible and as the sun rose; its brightness produced a heat that the travelers rarely experienced closer to their home. The density of the Reasuir forest in the Svartan homelands kept the environment in perpetual shadow. Rarely did they experience direct sunlight and temperatures were always slightly moderate. Evenings were fairly cool and the rains brought intense humidity. The dry heat brought on by the sun was a new experience for the friends.

  Connak could tell that his friend was having difficulty adjusting to the sunlight. He knew that things would only get worse since their destination was the home of the Ljosan High Council, Cidrean palace. The palace was situated at the edge of Reasuir forest and bordered the Vadrin plains. That meant that their exposure to the sun would only become more pronounced as the journey continued. “You should put on the head covering that Shyilia gave you. It will help to protect you from the sun’s rays.”

  “We need to stop so that I can find it in my pack. I did not think the old woman knew what she was talking about. I only packed it to humor her. I guess she is more lucid than everyone thinks.”

  “People do not take her seriously because she is so old; some say that she is well past her 300th year, but I have always found that it pays to heed her words.”

  They took a short break and Laosx searched through his belongings to find the head covering as well as a pair of gloves to protect his hands. His skin really wasn’t made for this kind of direct exposure to the sun. He wondered to himself how the Ljosar dealt with this on a daily basis since they were so fair. Surely he could not be the only person on the verge of burning alive just for riding in direct sunlight. Maybe they had some type of ointment or other remedy to protect the skin. And his eyes, what he would give for something to shade his eyes. They resumed their journey once Laosx was adorned with his protective gear. “You make quite a sight,” Connak laughed. Laosx gave him a nasty look. “Well at least I do not have blisters forming on my skin anymore.”

  It was said that a human society once dwelled several days’ journey on the other side of the Vadrin plains, although neither Connak nor Laosx could remember any but the oldest of the elders speak of elven interactions with the humans. Most of the Svartar thought the stories were legends, because whenever a story was told regarding interactions with the humans, there was always a moral or lesson involved. The predominant theme was that past attempts at elven and human co-habitation was riddled with complications and it was better that the two r
aces remained separate. There was no written history that explained why the boundary with the humans was created. It was rumored that a portal still existed in those regions. However, most travel to the human world was done through the astral plane, but no known Svartan had made that journey in centuries.

  Not all elves had the ability to travel through Inner Space in the astral plane. The powers were passed down through blood lines or acquired with age and a strong command of the mystical arts. There was a loose alliance among the various races that inhabited Inner Space and from time to time, the alliance came together to discuss matters of strategic defense or to intervene in inter-race disputes to avoid major conflicts. The human race was probably the weakest and least powerful of the races and from time to time, some bad segment would prey upon them. The alliance would step in to admonish the perpetrators if the interference threatened the balance of the plane. Connak’s uncle and grandfather before him had represented the Svartar on the few times that the alliance was gathered during his lifespan.

  “I have been thinking about the elders’ words,” said Connak. “I wonder if someone has breached a boundary and is attempting to overrun another world.”

  “You may have a point, what else could cause the kind of impact that the elders are experiencing. It is more than likely some Unseelie rogue trying to overpower the humans.” Laosx had no idea how close to the truth he was with that comment.

  “But the boundary around the Fae dominion was especially fortified to prevent that kind of thing from happening again. I guess nothing is impossible to breach if someone is determined enough.”