by Ben Hale
“We were defeated,” Fire said.
“We survived and we learned more about our adversary,” Mind said. “That is our victory. And now Wylyn knows that even the dragons fear us.”
“Wylyn also fears Elenyr,” Lira said.
“Me?” Elenyr asked in surprise.
“You brought her to silence,” Lira said. “I’ve never seen anyone do that—not even another krey.”
“We’ve put her on the defensive,” Water agreed. “Now we must press the attack.”
“She’s going to be harder to find,” Mind said. “She knows who we are and that we can track her.”
“She mentioned a tower,” Water said, looking to Elenyr. “Did you understand that part?”
Elenyr shook her head. “I would assume it’s an ancient structure, but I don’t know what she intends.” She raised an eyebrow to Lira, but the woman shook her head.
“They raised many towers, and I didn’t live on Lumineia for long.”
“Perhaps we could ask Ero?” Water asked.
“He is unavailable,” Lira said.
“Why?” Water asked. “What could be more important?”
“The day before we arrived here, two Eternals were caught attempting to steal the plans for a new warship, one that could scan for life across the galaxy.”
“They would find Lumineia,” Mind said.
Lira nodded. “Ero is using his influence among the houses and sending another team of Eternals to aid in their escape.”
The truth that they were on their own settled into the group, and silence persisted for several moments. Since Lira’s arrival, Water had assumed that if their situation proved dire, Ero would send more Eternals. Now he understood that what they struggled to thwart was just one of the threats against Lumineia.
“Perhaps if we cannot find answers in the past, we can find answers in the future,” Mind said.
“The oracle,” Fire said, nodding. “Senia will help us, and now that we know about the rising of a tower, she can look for that in our future.”
“A wise strategy,” Elenyr said, nodding in approval.
A thought occurred to Water and he frowned. “Would Wylyn seek to harm Senia?”
“I doubt it,” Lira said. “The krey have sought to find a way to see the future for millennia. I believe she will fear what Senia can do. I suspect Wylyn will want a larger army before going up against an oracle.”
“Nevertheless,” Fire said. “It would be best to warn Senia of the current threat.”
“Then it’s time we part ways again,” Elenyr said. “I will travel with Mind and Fire to the oracle’s refuge. And since Wylyn has her dakorians, we need our own strength. Water and Lira can go north, to the rock trolls.”
Water met Elenyr’s gaze, and realized she was sending him to the rock troll kingdom for a secondary reason. He was the only fragment to never visit Astaroth, and even facing such a conflict, she thought of her sons. He gave a tiny nod of gratitude, and she smiled in turn.
“Traveling with Mind will be slow,” Fire said.
Mind scowled. “I am well.”
“You will be,” Elenyr said.
Mind’s scowl deepened, and Water felt a twinge of guilt that his healing took so long. Then Mind pointed to Fire. “Perhaps he is right, and there is another assignment he could pursue before meeting with Senia.”
“What are you thinking?” Elenyr asked.
Before he could finish, a low snarl came from the darkness, and all were brought to their feet, weapons in their hands. Then a sleek black cat padded from the shadows, its cough sounding a like a laugh as the dark flesh faded in the firelight.
“Shadow,” Fire spat. “I hate his messengers.”
The cat padded to Elenyr and deposited a small note in her hands before dissipating. Elenyr read the note, her expression darkening until she nodded to herself. Then she looked to Fire and motioned east.
“It appears your path has been given to us. Shadow is in trouble.”
“When is he not in trouble?” Fire asked.
“When has he asked for aid?” Mind countered.
Water was nodding. “It’s true. Shadow does not often ask for help.”
“Then it’s decided,” Elenyr said. “Fire will join Shadow.”
“Doing what?” Fire asked.
Elenyr flashed a faint smile and showed the letter. “Shadow claims he has Relgor cornered. He just needs someone who can do some damage.”
“Then count me in,” Fire said with a smile.
Water looked around the campfire, pleased to feel a sense of hope. Wylyn may have escaped, but the battle was just beginning. In the last few months they had been fighting ignorance, reeling from each new group of foes. But now they knew where to fight, and Wylyn had witnessed what the fragments possessed.
Wylyn had lost dakorians, and her Order was no longer secret. In revealing themselves, they’d sought to gain the advantage, but doing so had stripped their anonymity, giving the fragments what they most wanted. Someone to fight.
The hunt was about to begin.
Epilogue: Light and Shadow
“I sent your message,” Shadow said, wiping blood from his mouth. “Will you let her go?”
Serak inclined his head. “I will spare her life as agreed. But I admit I’m surprised. I did not think you would feel compassion for another’s pain.”
“I’m surprised as well,” Shadow said. “Surprised that anyone thought you attractive enough to love. Tell me, was she blind? Or just desperate?”
Serak reached to the rune on the bars, and the illumination in the cell brightened. Shadow cringed away from the brilliance and raised a hand, but the effort was futile. The bars, the floor, even the walls and ceiling were all imbued with light, burning away every patch of shadow, and burning his flesh.
Stripped to his waist, the light scorched his chest and face, splitting lines and causing blood to drip to the floor. Shadow grimaced and began to laugh, the sound low and mocking, daring him to brighten the room further.
“I like long walks on the beach.”
“You won’t like this one,” Relgor said, stepping into view.
The krey stood as tall as Serak, his body lean, his black eyes turning with a trace of gold. His smile suggested the coloring meant he found pleasure in Shadow’s pain, and Shadow managed to make a rude gesture to the krey, and then laughed again.
Relgor did not take his gaze from the cell. “You have no idea how much you are worth,” he said softly. “With you and your fragment brothers, I will even be able to buy a marriage into the empirical line.”
“You cannot trap us all,” Shadow said.
“Actually I can,” Serak said.
He reduced the illumination in Shadow’s cell, not enough to create darkness, but enough so Shadow wasn’t bleeding. Then Serak stepped to the center of the circular chamber and touched a rune on the pedestal.
Four walls descended into the floor, revealing four additional cages. One crafted of bright blue flames, the other absent of all light. The third was built of water so cold that frost vapors curled off the aquaglass wall. The last was a traditional cell, with hardened steel and mithral walls. Serak smiled at Shadow’s expression.
“You see, I’ve been preparing to cage you for thousands of years, ever since I found the Gate chamber and sent a message to Relgor.”
“I thought you sent the beacon to Wylyn,” Shadow said.
“That’s what my mother thinks,” Relgor said, his smile turning smug.
“You lied to your mother?” Shadow feigned indignation. “How beastly of you.”
“I wonder if your buyer will cut out your tongue,” Relgor said. “Or maybe he will enjoy your crassness. Either way, it won’t matter to me. I will already have my reward.”
“You cannot cage what you do not understand,” Shadow said.
Serak swept a hand to him. “I’ve spent my entire existence studying you. And there is nothing you can do that would surprise me.”
/> “We shall see,” Shadow said.
Serak regarded him for several moments and then motioned to the only entrance into the cell. “Come, Relgor. We must prepare for Fire’s arrival.”
“Enjoy your final days of life,” Shadow called. “You won’t like how they end!”
Serak and Relgor departed, leaving Shadow in his glowing cell. He listened to their footfalls diminish. Then he stepped to the bars of his cage and leaned against them, examining the other cages.
He always appreciated how much men divulged when they thought themselves in power. Shadow had learned more in the last few minutes than he had in the last few months. Plus, Shadow would have the benefit of removing their smug expressions soon enough.
“Your plans are good,” he murmured, a faint smile spreading on his face. “But my plans are better . . .”
The Chronicles of Lumineia
By Ben Hale
—The Shattered Soul—
The Fragment of Water
The Fragment of Shadow
The Fragment of Light
The Fragment of Fire
The Fragment of Mind
The Fragment of Power
—The Master Thief—
Jack of Thieves
Thief in the Myst
The God Thief
—The Second Draeken War—
Elseerian
The Gathering
Seven Days
The List Unseen
—The Warsworn—
The Flesh of War
The Age of War
The Heart of War
—The Age of Oracles—
The Rogue Mage
The Lost Mage
The Battle Mage
—The White Mage Saga—
Assassin's Blade (Short story prequel)
The Last Oracle
The Sword of Elseerian
Descent Unto Dark
Impact of the Fallen
The Forge of Light
Author Bio
Originally from Utah, Ben has grown up with a passion for learning almost everything. Driven particularly to reading caused him to be caught reading by flashlight under the covers at an early age. While still young, he practiced various sports, became an Eagle Scout, and taught himself to play the piano. This thirst for knowledge gained him excellent grades and helped him graduate college with honors, as well as become fluent in three languages after doing volunteer work in Brazil. After school, he started and ran several successful businesses that gave him time to work on his numerous writing projects. His greatest support and inspiration comes from his wonderful wife and six beautiful children. Currently he resides in Missouri while working on his Masters in Professional Writing.
To contact the author, discover more about Lumineia, or find out about the upcoming sequels, check out his website at Lumineia.com. You can also follow the author on twitter @ BenHale8 or Facebook.
Table of Contents
The Chronicles of Lumineia
Map of Lumineia
Prologue: Shattered
Chapter 1: Dakorian
Chapter 2: Eternal
Chapter 3: A Troll’s Bounty
Chapter 4: Dangerous Prey
Chapter 5: A Mysterious Message
Chapter 6: Cloudy Vale
Chapter 7: Ancient Visitors
Chapter 8: Breached
Chapter 9: Heth
Chapter 10: The Cat’s Eye
Chapter 11: Outlanders
Chapter 12: The Lost Temple
Chapter 13: The Hidden Chamber
Chapter 14: The Invited
Chapter 15: The Titan Chamber
Chapter 16: Assassin Council
Chapter 17: The Bloodsworn
Chapter 18: Lost to the Deep
Chapter 19: Churning
Chapter 20: The Ear
Chapter 21: The Strange Master
Chapter 22: King Numen
Chapter 23: The Dark Dwarf
Chapter 24: Stormwall
Chapter 25: Beacons of Light
Chapter 26: The Broken Crown
Chapter 27: Burned
Chapter 28: Lira’s Gate
Chapter 29: Renara
Chapter 30: An Unexpected Ally
Chapter 31: The Fragment of Shadow
Chapter 32: Father of Guardians
Chapter 33: Brothers United
Chapter 34: Willow
Chapter 35: A Royal Request
Chapter 36: Seeking Wylyn
Chapter 37: A Daring Plan
Chapter 38: Draeken
Chapter 39: A Dragon King
Chapter 40: Adversaries
Chapter 41: Draeken’s Power
Chapter 42: Divided
Chapter 43: A Brother’s Request
Epilogue: Light and Shadow
The Chronicles of Lumineia
Author Bio