Failed Future (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles Book 3)
Page 31
“Hopefully an end to this war,” the man murmured in reply.
War. Vi’s whole body continued to tremble. She ran her hands over her arms, trying to comfort herself. But her palms smoothed over fabrics she hadn’t ever owned in a style she didn’t recognize.
Dragging one foot forward, then the next, Vi began to march with the rest of them. Ahead was a castle. Her gaze drifted over familiar spires, working to make sense of them. She’d read enough to know the architecture of the castle of Norin anywhere. But seeing it now was impossible.
She had just been in Risen. Her head ached as her head tipped back and her eyes lifted. She squinted at the sun, wondering if Yargen was watching her right now—watching her attempt to complete the task she’d been given.
Watching her attempt to make sense of what on the Goddess’s earth had just happened.
A crowd collected in an open area at the end of a long bridge that connected the castle and city over a dry moat. Guards were gathered in a semi-circle, blocking entry to the bridge. None of the populous seemed interested in fighting them. The people were harrowed and gaunt. Every man, woman, and child had the haunted eyes of a soldier who had seen far too much.
Without warning, a woman stepped up onto a tall box that had no doubt been carried out expressly for this purpose. She was just high enough to see over the people. Vi stared, slack-jawed, at an oddly familiar face. It was not identical to hers. But it was so close that it was like looking into a mirror.
Even from Vi’s distance, she could see the woman had angular black eyes, jutting cheekbones, and a sharp chin. Her skin, a deep tan darker than Vi’s own, paired with straight black hair. Hair identical to Vi’s.
Vi opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t form words. Not that she knew what she would have said, anyway.
“People of the West,” the woman began, “this siege has gone on for nearly ten long years. But I am Fiera, Princess of Mhashan, youngest daughter to King Rocham, and head of the Knights of Jadar, and I have received a vision from the Mother above. The end is near, and we must be ready for it.”
Vi’s journey takes her to an impossible place. The stakes have never been higher. And there’s a chance to reclaim a love she thought she’d lost.
All in book four:
Sovereign Sacrifice
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But… before you continue on Vi’s epic journey, please consider leaving a review on this book. Even just one or two sentences helps greatly!
Now is the perfect time to read the original Air Awakens series!
If you haven’t already, I recommend reading the original Air Awakens series as you continue on Vi’s journey.
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Binge readers rejoice, the original Air Awakens series is complete!
Get book one here: http://getbook.at/AAGG
Or, if you like getting great deals on your books (and have faith in my writing). Save almost 50% by buying the digital boxed set: http://mybook.to/AirAwakensBoxedSet
Want even more Air Awakens?
Read the Golden Guard Trilogy—a series of prequels that take place before the original Air Awakens series.
Start with The Crown’s Dog: http://viewbook.at/TheCrownsDog
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Or, get the complete trilogy at a discount by grabbing the boxed set: http://viewbook.at/GoldenGuardBox
Want to explore my other worlds?
Keep reading or turn to “Also by Elise Kova” to learn more about my fantasy series that don’t take place in the Air Awakens universe.
Also by Elise Kova
LOOM SAGA
Recently listed by Bustle as one of 15 new fantasy for Game of Thrones fans! Dark fantasy, grit, enemies to lovers, in an epic new world.
Series complete!
READ NOW: http://mybook.to/TAOL
WISH QUARTET
A hacker who can’t handle her magic. A demigod who can’t handle her. Perfect for readers who enjoy time travel, alternate histories, romance, and twisty slow-burn stories.
Series complete!
READ NOW: http://getbook.at/sow
Appendix
Want even more about the world of Air Awakens than what’s in this book?
Visit Elise’s website at:
http://elisekova.com/the-world-of-air-awakens/
Pronounciation
There is no “wrong way” to pronounce any words in this book. However, if you would like to know how Elise Kova pronounces some of the trickier words and names…
Taavin: T-ah-v-in
Vi: V-eye
Jax: Jacks
Ellene: Uh-lil-een
Meru: Muh-rew
Durroe: Duh-row
Halleth: Hall-eh-th
Ruta: Roota
Toff: Tough
Maph: Maff
Curo: Cure-oh
Radia: Rah-de-ah
Ivin: eh-V-in
Tempre: Te-m-pray
Larrk: Lark
Xieh: Zay
Common Terms
Definitions to common terms found in the Air Awakens world. Presented alphabetically.
Affinity - term used to describe the type of magic a sorcerer has
Affinities of the Self - secondary powers attuned with each elemental affinity
Aires - term for the world, used outside of the Solaris Empire
Awoken - when a sorcerer’s magic is opened in full, giving them access to their channel
Broken Moon - the symbol of the Tower of Sorcerers, stylized as a dragon curled in on itself and split in two, each side off-set
Channel - the source of a sorcerer’s magic that can be “opened” to give them better/easier access to their magic
Commons - a person without magic
Firebearer - a sorcerer with fire magic
Groundbreaker - a sorcerer with earth magic
Manifest - when a sorcerer’s magic first shows itself, usually in a small way
Sorcerer - a person with magic
Tower of Sorcerers, aka, “The Tower” - a school of magic in Solarin, capital of the Solaris Empire, attached to the Imperial Castle
Waterrunner - a sorcerer with water magic
White Death - a plague that causes the diseased’s skin to turn hard, pale, white eyes, madness, and ultimately death
Windwalker - a sorcerer with wind magic
Elemental Affinities
In the Solaris Empire, there are four elemental affinities among sorcerers. Every sorcerer can only perform magic within their affinity.
While magic is not in the blood, many families share the same affinity and the magic between family members of the same affinity is usually similar. However, two sorcerers can give birth to a commons and the reverse is also true.
Affinity: Firebearer
Element: Fire
Most Common Region: The West/Mhashan
Affinity of the Self: Future Sight
Affinity: Groundbreaker
Element: Earth
Most Common Region: The North/Shaldan
Affinity of the Self: Healing
Affinity: Waterrunner
Element: Water
Most Common Region: The South/Lyndum
Affinity of the Self: Listening to the Whispers of the Past
Affinity: Windwalker
Element: Wind
Most Common Region: The East/Cyven
Affinity of the Self: Out of Body Projection
Lightspinning
Lightspinning is a form of magic found beyond the Solaris Empire/Dark Isle. This magic can be utilized in any number of ways based on intent and the words its caster uses. The words are said to have been given from the Goddess Yargen.
The chants Lightspinners use have a structure of: [High level Discipline] [Secondary to the Discipline] [Clarification] [Any Personal Words of Power fr
om the Goddess]
Words of Power Mentioned in the Story so Far:
General Words
High Level Discipline: Halleth (Heal)
Secondary Word(s): Ruta (Mending of Flesh), Maph (Stint Pain)
Clarification Word(s): Sot (Inner), Toff (Outer)
High Level Discipline: Juth (Destruction)
Secondary Word(s): Calt (Shatter), Starys (Incinerate), Mariy (Destroy Magic)
Clarification Word(s): —
High Level Discipline: Durroe (Deceive)
Secondary Word(s): Sallvas (Sound), Watt (Eyes)
Clarification Word(s): Curo (Create a New Sound), Tempre (Mask a Sound), Radia (Hide/Conceal - Eyes), Ivin (Create an Illusion)
High Level Discipline: Mysst (Craft)
Secondary Word(s): Xieh (Shield), Soto (Weapons)
Clarification Word(s): Larrk (Sword), Gotha (Bow), Tonc (Spear), Sut (Axe)
High Level Discipline: Narro (Acts of the Mind)
Secondary Word(s): Hath (Activate Communication Mark),
Samasha (Awaken the Words)
Clarification Word(s): Loreth (Imprint a Communication Mark)
Raspian’s Words
High Level Discipline: Narro (Acts of the Mind)
Secondary Word(s): Vah’deh (Control)
Personal Words
Taavin
Chronot (Slow Progression)
Dupot (Enhance)
Uncose (Expose Truth)
Vi
Hoolo (Stabilize and Strengthen)
Map of Solaris
Sehra’s Map of the World
Detailed Map of Meru
The Story of Dia
The Forest Star
Dia was born when a falling star was caught in the boughs of the tallest tree in Soricum. As she fell, the branches swayed and shook, bestowing life and a mortal form on her. Her skin was made of the bark of the tree, and her hair shone with the godly stardust still captured within it.
She healed the sick and taught the first clerics in Soricium how to use the earth to make salves, potions, and poisons with the knowledge the gods blessed her with. She showed how to craft the first sky cities, cutting through the branches with a magic axe bestowed on her by the Goddess Yargen and rebuilding them effortlessly. She carved Lake Io, the reservoir for all of the North’s fresh water.
However, as time went on, Dia began to feel distanced from the changing people.
Their magic was far less potent than hers, and some were born without it at all. Dia vowed to find a way to ensure the magic of her people remained. Before she wandered into the jungles of Shaldan in search of the wisdom of the gods, she left behind two things to her people.
The first was her daughter, the first Chieftain, born from a seed of what was now known as the Mother Tree.
The second was her axe. When Dia departed, her daughter sealed the axe away, vowing that none were of pure enough body and mind to use it other than Dia herself.
Some say that Dia truly found the wisdom of the gods in the jungles and she continues to wander them to this day. That her power was so great she found the antidote to life’s greatest poison: death.
The last time someone claimed to see the woman, Dia looked no older than any prior time. The stars still shone in her hair, her skin remained firm and weathered like the bark of the tree she came from.
About the Author: Elise Kova
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In her past lives, she has graduated from an MBA program, lived in Japan for a bit, and worked for a Fortune 500 technology company. However, she finds herself much happier in her current reincarnation as full-time author. When not writing, she can usually be found playing video games, drawing, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She’s happy to call Saint Petersburg, Florida, her home, but is always looking forward to her next trip.
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