by Brandon Barr
_____
ARENTISS
Arentiss peered over a small berm. Her feet stood in a foot of water used for irrigation. Hark crouched ahead, watching the mercenaries searching for them on foot.
Her eyes were on Aven. Far in the distance, she watched as two mercenaries tied him. He was such a caring person; his psychological state was easily read by the sag of his shoulders. He had wanted to intervene and save Daeymara, and now experienced sorrow and remorse at his failing.
Arentiss was pleased. Not that Daeymara was dead or maimed, but that Aven was alive. If he had reached Daeymara, he would have received the same devastating electrocution. Aven was…such an empathetic human. To the point of dying for another who was already as good as dead. She watched as the two riders secured him to the back of their vehicle.
“Lie low,” said Hark in a whisper. “They’re coming this way.” He had a sizable rock in his hand that he’d found in the irrigation canal.
Arentiss slid her head down, but stopped short of losing sight of Aven. The light was gone now but the vehicle lights illuminated Aven’s form. She could barely make out the two mercenaries working now on Daeymara’s body, securing her to one of their riders.
A static sound came from close by. Arentiss remained motionless. Someone was shouting in a voice that crackled. It was coming from one of the mercenaries. A communicator of some antiquated variety.
“Back to the ship!” shouted a male voice in a sputter of static. “There’s a ship approaching on our radar.”
Arentiss peered over the berm again. The two mercenaries were running to their riders. So, too, were the mercenaries that had captured Aven.
The only ship they could have detected was The Relic, the Guardians’ starship. Arentiss knew the mercenaries’ vessel was likely fully equipped with weaponry, both high and low tech. It was clearly a scavenger craft.
The VOKKs would make their employer a fortune.
A roar shook the ground. Light flared in the sky, brightening the entire valley as charges struck the mercenary vessel from directly overhead. The flare of explosives plumed into the air as the merc’s energy shields repelled most of the blast.
It was over before she realized it. The last rider disappeared up a ramp into the ship, and then the craft was airborne, the continuous volley of explosives pounding its hull was unrelenting.
The mercenary ship shot off in a deafening roar, then was gone from sight, pursued by their own Guardian starship.
Arentiss and Hark stood in the sudden silence.
“Just like our training vids,” said Hark. “Never dreamed it could happen.” He paused, pulling in a deep breath. “Did you count how many they took? I saw two. Aven and Daeymara.”
“I counted four,” said Arentiss. “Yours, plus Pike and Zoecara.”
The stars shone brightly now in the darkness.
Something wet touched Arentiss’s cheek, startling her. She captured it on the tip of her finger. It appeared to be water. Another drop rolled down her cheek.
She looked up again at the stars, grasping what was happening.
Tears.
She hadn’t felt such strong emotion since childhood. It was a strange, confusing sensation. She closed her eyes, but she couldn’t shut out the pain.
Aven
_____
WINTER
Winter watched in silence as Karience’s fingers danced over the ship’s controls.
“They’re heading for the tower,” shouted Karience. “Ship to Captain Hawth. This is your Empyrean. Has the tower been evacuated?”
“Yes Empyrean, except for Nephitus and I, and a handful of Shield Force members to man the weapons.”
“Get out, Captain! Now! A hostile starship is coming your way!”
Karience took a breath and then shouted again, “Ship to Nephitus. Warden! What are you doing in the Tower?!”
“We’re protecting our resources. As Warden, that is my duty.”
“You don’t have the fire power to match this ship. Abandon your post, Warden!”
“Sorry, Empyrean. It’s too late for that. I see the ship on the screen. It’s at our doors.”
Winter saw the mercenary ship far below them, racing forward into Anantium, toward the Guardian Tower. Blue pulses shot out from the tower, targeting the vessel. The ship weaved in and out, dodging most, but the ones that struck seemed to have no effect. Then a massive pulse of light shot from the vessel, toward the tower. A blinding glare lit the viewscreen and Winter thrust her arm out to block her eyes from the flare.
The flash faded, and Winter stared as plumes of smoke covered the place where the Guardian Tower had stood. What lay under the smoke and the pulsing orange glow beneath, she could only imagine.
Death and destruction.
It was too late. Karience had warned them, but no one inside could have taken more than a few steps.
Karience made a low, guttural noise in her throat, her face rigid with fury. Winter felt her entire body pressed into the chair as the ship pitched forward in a burst of speed. The mercenary vessel filled the viewscreen. Bursts of light shot from their own starship. Each looked like a blazing white star shooting through the dark sky, curving upwards, toward the mercenaries. The moment the first one reached it, the viewscreen glowed with a hot orange explosion, then another, and another. Karience was pummeling the rear of the mercenary ship with simple finger touches to the controls.
Red lights emerged from the enemy vessel, growing in size as they turned in the night sky, soaring toward The Relic.
“Hold on!” shouted Karience.
Their ship shook. The straps Winter had locked in place held her to the chair, but her head felt like it would be whipped off her body if not for the tall chair back.
“We can’t take much,” shouted Karience. “This ship isn’t designed for warfare.”
Winter felt a pull on her mind. The tug of Whisper, drawing her away.
An image slowly formed. A butterfly wing, torn. Whisper’s wing, shredded at the joint where it connected to the body. Its sole, eye-like dot, stared at her. Why she felt sadness, she didn’t understand. The mysterious eye drew her in, becoming real, soul-bearing and alive. And then her perspective grew larger, and she saw the wing was held, cupped in someone’s hand. It was her brother’s hand. And before him was the monster that had continuously hounded her visions. The creature was hungry for him. Hideous to look upon.
It stood there, low set eyes drooping behind a snout longer than any human body.
Whisper’s wing lay there, limp in Aven’s hand, and the vision faded.
A horrible certainty gripped Winter. Aven was onboard the mercenary ship. She looked up at the viewscreen and saw the ugly vessel racing away from them into the stars.
She knew it to be true. Aven was onboard.
And so was the monster.
HEARTH
The joy of the Aeraphim was to see suffering in humans, and then alleviate it.
…When some did what was forbidden them and entered an animal of flesh, their nature became fused with that of the animal.
That was how the first Beasts came to be.
-Author unknown, Turning of the Aeraphim,
(Takmuk’s collection of ancient writings, Verdlands)
EPILOGUE
SAVARAH
Warm energy whirled inside her right breast where she knew the arrow had torn through her chest. The healing sensation felt just like her master’s touch. A touch she hadn’t felt since the war games of her youth. But this couldn’t be Isolaug’s doing…
Unless Harcor had brought her back to the Star Garden Realm.
Horror seized her. Was she being resurrected? Was she back in Praelothia?!
The thought of what Isolaug might do to her. Images arose in her mind. Memories of tortures and mutilations she’d witnessed as a young girl.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Three faces hung above her. A young girl, a man not long from youth, and a boy child. The girl’s
hands appeared to be on her chest, just as the Divine King, who’s mind her master ruled, would do.
“She’s awake,” said the boy.
All eyes turned to her.
“Who are you?” asked Savarah.
“Diviners,” said the man. “This boy is a Tongue of the gods. If you listen to him, you won’t be directed wrong.”
“I have words for you!” said the boy excitedly. He dropped down from where he stood onto his hands and knees and put his face too close to her own. She wanted to slap away the boy’s stupid grin. “A ship from the stars is coming to our world! A scary, scary monster is inside the ship, with huge teeth and big claws. It has a tongue as long as a snake, and even its eyes are big. The monster’s so, so big! It’s almost as big as this whole house. And it has a friend. You are going to like the monster’s friend, if you listen to my words. He will protect you. The gods know what you want in your heart. They say they won’t give it to you, but they’ll give you something better if you trust my words.
“I think that’s it,” said the boy. “No…one more thing. You have to watch the sky. In two days, you’ll see the ship come down over there.”
Savarah was relieved when the boy backed his head away and pointed. His stubby arm and finger like a stunted wind vane teetering toward the east. It was the very direction she wanted to go. To Praelothia. She stared at the three for a moment. “Why are you healing me?”
“Because,” said the girl, “we were directed to you by the gods, the Makers.” The girl looked up at the man. “Are you going to tell her what you see?”
He stared at the girl for a moment, then looked down at Savarah. “You have a spirit creature attached to you. It has become a part of what drives you. I thought I was supposed to remove it, but I feel pressed not to. Just know that it is there. Perhaps it will be removed by some other means. I hope it is. It’s not a pretty little creature. Do you experience many emotions?”
Savarah glared at him. “Hardly.”
“The monster will help you with that!” said the boy, grinning happily. “You’ll see. Just wait and see.”
“This woman is a killer,” said the girl whose hands held the powerful healing. Her eyes were not on Savarah, but on the man. “You were not directed to remove the spirit. It has a purpose to play. One of them is plain to me…she still has much killing to do.”
End of Book Two
BOOK THREE
Her Father’s Fugitive Throne
Coming August 29th!
Reviews
Hello! I truly hope you enjoyed Book Two, The Bridge Beyond Her World. I’m an independent author, and that means reviews are precious! Would you consider rating it and giving a brief review? One word or one sentence will do!!
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Dedication
To Raymond Morehouse, Chris Fik, Jeff Harry, Daniel Meers, Steve Martinez, and Trevor Garton, my long time friends. And to my brother, Justin, who saved my life.
Thanks
I would like to thank the entire Restoration Writer’s Group: especially Delaney Walnofer, Aimee Walnofer, and Sarah Christison. And also a thank you to my beta reading team, as well as Amanda Barr, Mike Lynch, J.W. Wartick and Crista Herr. And last but not least, my excellent editor, Holly Lorincz.
About me
I began writing stories when I was twelve (1993), the same year I read my first thrilling Michael Crichton book, Jurassic Park.
Fast forward ten years (2003), I started to get serious about writing. In the beginning I wrote mostly short stories and published some of these in sci-fi and fantasy magazines. When I turned to novel writing, I started out working with a co-author, and over the years, I’ve been traditionally published, and have had an agent, but as of 2016, I’ve gone rogue, and turned to self-publishing because of the freedom it gives me as a writer.
I am thrilled to focus my attention on writing and interacting with readers (I love it!). I respond to every email I receive, and am humbled to be where I am at in life, having battled (AML) Leukemia 2015 thru 2016.
I live in Southern California with my wife, Amanda, and our three boys. When not writing, I love to garden, hike, fish, play softball and baseball, backpack the Sierra Mountains and play board games. I do most of these activities with my wife and three sons. My family and I attend a small church which just so happens to be absolutely infested with wonderfully artistic members, who cheer each other on.
The most influential authors in my life are Michael Crichton, Ray Bradbury, C.S. Lewis, and Orson Scott Card.