Fractal Saga: Timeless Fracture

By Thaddaeus Alexander

Lummel and Jyotan used to lead normal lives nestled away in the forest city of Wenzolaf. Brothers in every sense but blood they had everything they could want: a wonderful home, great friends, beautiful scenery and peaceful lives.

The untimely arrival of a stranger threatens to upset those lives and awakens in them latent abilities that are connected to the very essence of the world around them. Rhaegro, an Officer of a rival nation, sets into motion a series of events that will rock the very foundation of Elzdiroche.

Having been exiled for helping their village avoid disaster, they set out on a journey of discovery. Hounded and enslaved by agents of The Order, a mysterious organization that has persisted since before recorded history, Lummel and Jyotan are pushed to their breaking point. With war looming on the horizon, how far will they go in order to find the answers they seek?

Deception and conflict abound as they fight to uncover the truth, for their freedom and their very survival. What roles will the unsuspecting duo play in the coming storm, and why? One thing is certain: they will need to find out before it's too late, not just for them, but for all of Elzdiroche.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thaddaeus Alexander
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310444968

Thaddaeus Alexander

Thaddaeus Alexander is a sci-fi/fantasy novelist and indie author. He grew up in Stephenville, Newfoundland where he learned to appreciate the art of story-telling and the fantastical adventures you could both create and experience. Although captivated at an early age by the written word, it wasn't until much later that he began to write those adventures and not simply read them. Involved in the Culinary Arts for a number of years, Thaddaeus traveled for some time, but it wasn't long before he returned to his childhood, and the joys of a well-crafted world between the bound pages of a good book. He then spent the next year working on the first installment of his debut fantasy series, Fractal Saga: Timeless Fracture. It all began with a run-away imagination and his desire to explore the unknown, the extraordinary and the ever-curious, 'What if?' He now lives in St. John's with his fiancée, where he writes full time, bringing new and exciting characters to life and sharing them with the world.

Book preview

TIMELESS FRACTURE

BOOK ONE OF

FRACTAL SAGA

THADDAEUS ALEXANDER

Forward all inquiries to: [e-mail]

Twitter: @ThaddaeusWrites

Website: https://thaddaeusalexander.com/

Artwork by Ana Grigoriu

https://www.books-design.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by Thaddaeus Alexander

This is for Kyla, whose continued support has made this adventure possible.

And for you, young Xythrowan. Keep your dreams in your heart, conviction in your mind and never will you be without happiness.

Chapter 1

Silence permeated the air. Torrents of rain beat down upon the blood-soaked battlefield under the light of a crimson moon. A sign of the events that had transpired, the skies themselves wept for the tragic loss of life.

A lone soldier tasked with infiltrating the once proud capital stumbled from Castle Vroldoon. His mission: to assassinate the King and the Generals of the Vroldoonian army. Success meant soldiers had no way of receiving new orders; and with no command structure, their ranks fell into chaos. Having accomplished his mission, he went to rejoin the battle raging outside. Soon, the war effort would come to a screeching halt. It's only a matter of time now.

A narrow river ran along the western wall. If he planned to rejoin his unit, he would have to cross it. Luckily, there were several small makeshift bridges along its length. Making his way across one, the horrified soldier couldn't believe what he saw.

There's...nothing left.

Just then, a nearby soldier regained consciousness, coughing and groaning. Having received a grave wound to his chest, the attackers must have mistaken him for dead and moved on.

You there! Front and center, soldier.

Surprised by a gruff commanding tone, he snapped to attention. Taking his eyes away from the scene laid out before him, he sprinted to the side of his wounded CO.

Sir, is that you?

Of course it is! You expectin' someone else, son?

No, sir. I just thought I was the only one left.

A point of pride for Garnz, he remembered all the soldiers under his command. The wounded commander recognized the stunned operative as Rick Trill and felt relieved that someone else had survived. When his subordinate approached, the commander noticed immediately that something wasn't right.

Trill's usual nervous demeanor had been replaced with a confidence Garnz hadn't seen before, a trait uncharacteristic of that particular recruit. The most noticeable differences were his eyes. Cold and sharp like they could see right into your soul. Though disturbing, he dismissed it as a product of a long campaign. War had that effect on people. Even still, he couldn't quite explain away the uneasiness. Shaking it off, he found Trill now leaning over him.

Sir! Commander Garnz, you still with me?

Yes soldier, it'll take more than this scratch to get rid of me.

All due respect sir that wound looks pretty serious.

Gah, enough of this nonsense. You've got a job to do, son. You're all that's left.

Yes, Commander. I'll make them pay for what they've done.

That's the spirit soldier; now get going. You know what you need to do.

It's been an honour, sir.

After a moment's hesitation, Trill leaned forward over commander Garnz's body. With one quick motion, he slid his razor-sharp dagger between his third and fourth ribs piercing his heart and ending the commander's suffering.

Trill stood and looked down at his former commander, one more corpse added to the countless others. Before he turned his back, an almost imperceptible smirk formed across his lips.

In the distance, the distinct sounds of battle pierced the silence; the crushing blows of a blunt force weapon and the unmistakable sound of gunfire. He rushed towards the source of the commotion, hoping his comrades had survived but instead found their bodies strewn about the charred ground. Amidst all this carnage stood two strange warriors.

They were completely surrounded, and they still took out my entire squad!

A feeling of stark determination washed over him as he looked out upon the battlefield and found some weapons that could be useful. Not five feet away lay an unused mortar; the unfortunate owner not having the chance to deploy it. Rushing over, Trill found a spot to set the mortar down behind a rocky outcropping. With careful positioning from years of experience, he aimed for the two warriors. An easy task since they stood so still admiring their handiwork. He fired three rounds in rapid succession, hoping his aim was true. As Trill looked on with anticipation, he soon found he would be quite disappointed with the outcome. With incredible reflexes, both warriors dodged each of his shots. Having only those three rounds, he had no choice but to retreat. Trill knew those two murderers would hunt him down, so he headed north towards Calcion Falls, his next opportunity close at hand.

Chapter 2

The war drew to a close and all that remained were two lone warriors surrounded by the last remnants of The Order.

One of them, Victor, had short cropped blue hair. He stood six feet tall and looked like a living shadow, completely at home in the surrounding darkness, under the pale light of the moon. The effect came from the odd material used in creating his armour - a rare jet black metal - that had a sheen rivaled by the most precious of gems. During the forging, a master Blacksmith folded into the metal a midnight blue inlay of ancient tribal markings intermixed with a strange script. The result had been a suit of armour that shifted and changed when struck by any form of light.

Victor wore a perfect form-fitting cuirass along with a set of spaulders that covered his shoulders and upper arms. As much for defense as for dexterity, they were segmented for a full range of motion. Attached to the bottom were matching tassets, not so much for protection as they were for hiding a few extra weapons. Covering Victor's legs were a pair of cuisses and knee-high greaves. On his arms, he wore bracers and a tight-fitting pair of leather gloves, which he made from the hide of a wild Vloskeen. They seemed ordinary enough, except they had a fine coarse palm. He designed them that way to provide a better grip for his dual Vulzore class pistols and kept them holstered at his right hip and the left side of his lower back. They never left his possession.

His companion, Tobias, had broad shoulders and thick muscles, a giant of a man, never hard to miss with his disheveled, blood-red dreadlocks. Nothing more adorned his massive frame than a custom made light plate mail. A fully protected left arm consisted of a sturdy pauldron tipped with a set of three short spikes that extended as far as his elbow and curved up off the shoulder. A single gauntlet created from overlapping ruby scales with sharpened claws at the ends of each finger completed the set. All of it matched the color of his dreadlocks, which flowed down to the middle of his back. He did this to compliment his fierce, chaotic fighting style, a flurry of motion masking his every move behind a whirling red blur. His weapons of choice were two Labrys he kept strapped to his back, which had collapsible shafts. This provided him with any extra leverage he might need.

Although adept at the ways of war, Tobias had an air of reluctance about him; and he wanted it all to be over. That didn't stop him from doing what needed to be done. Unclasping a single Labrys from his back, he braced himself for the battle to come. He took an offensive stance, ready for the inevitable.

Victor, on the other hand, thrived on conflict. As calm and deceptive as the eye of a storm, he stood in place without moving a muscle, not worried in the least that he and Tobias were surrounded on all sides. Facing opposite directions, they stood side-by-side. The look in Victor's eyes said it all, mirroring his thoughts. This is where I belong. This is what I live for. The challenge is all that matters.

Tension building, Tobias waited for a signal from Victor indicating when they would make their move. A slight shift of Victor's eyes, that's all Tobias needed - an inconspicuous movement that would go unnoticed by anyone else.

In one swift, fluid motion, Victor drew both of his pistols. Enemies came from all sides, charging in a desperate last stand. Spinning around three-hundred and sixty degrees, he ducked low to the ground firing off shot after shot in rapid succession; he took down seven soldiers in an instant. In the blink of an eye, he darted towards the three soldiers in front of him. Swords at the ready, they prepared to strike as he came into range. Dodging the first blow, Victor twisted to the right, gaining momentum. He holstered his left pistol, unsheathed a dagger and in mere moments buried it in the second soldier's chest. Seeing an opportunity the remaining two descended upon Victor hoping to catch him at a disadvantage; but those hopes were soon crushed.

Coming at him from the front and left flank, they slashed and thrust. Victor dislodged his dagger and parried the first strike. Landing a kick to the soldier's midsection, his hauberk caved in just before he flew backwards. The soldier landed hard against the scorched husk of a tree, putting distance between them. With the immediate threat neutralized, he turned his attention to the one behind him. With seconds to spare, Victor jumped back several feet, just in time to escape a broad sword aimed at his shoulder. Firing one shot to his opponent's side, the bullet passed through an unprotected space where the front and rear plates connected. Stopping dead in his tracks, the soldier collapsed and fell to the ground. Spinning around, Victor flung his dagger. The soldier attempted to dodge the incoming blade but instead got hit with five searing bullets landing centre mass, leaving him slumped over against the burnt stump. Now, as strange as it might seem, Victor made a point of firing several shots towards Tobias before renewing his assault.

With lightning fast reflexes, Tobias lifted his arm at just the right angle blocking the shots Victor had fired at him, each bullet bouncing off his gauntlet. Ricocheting in several directions three soldiers died instantaneously and two more were wounded. As soon as they fell, their comrades came up to take their place. Wielding a standard-issue claymore, the soldier in front came in for an overhand strike. Screaming as he rushed forward, he lifted his weapon high over his head. Tobias held his ground without flinching and remained perfectly calm. Waiting until the blade was an inch from his face, his hand shot upward catching the blade before it made contact and stopped the soldier in his tracks. Ripping the sword away, Tobias lifted his well-honed Labrys striking the soldier on the upswing and watched him topple to the ground lifeless.

The second soldier had a six-foot spear and came in for a thrust at Tobias's midsection. Sidestepping and deflecting the blow, he lifted his axe and brought it down on the spear, splitting it in half. He then punched him so hard the soldier flew back and fell among his former friends. Now, the third soldier kept his distance because he had a rifle, desperately trying to get a clear shot. His chance arrived too late. Tobias already took notice and began charging towards him. Surging forward, he struck another soldier in the process, impaling the poor hapless soul with the spiked pauldron that covered his shoulder. Without skipping a beat, Tobias twisted around the crumpled body of his defeated enemy and threw his axe. Propelling through the air with such astounding force, the axe reached its target before he could fire a single shot. The blood-stained blade buried itself in the soldier's breastplate, cleaving it in half. Not stopping, Tobias ran past, picking up his Labrys and collapsing the shaft. Leaping high into the air, he landed among several unsuspecting soldiers and slammed it down right in the centre, creating a shock-wave that paralyzed every last one.

Victor made his way over, and they dispatched their remaining aggressors. Think it's over? I was hoping there would be more.

It looks that way. So many lost. Such a shame it had to be this way.

We did what we had to, Tobias. It's too late to second guess ourselves now.

Even so, I hope you're right, old friend. I hope you're right.

Without warning, a deafening crash came from behind them. A wave of intense heat radiated from the explosions that landed just a few feet away. Jumping backward, they whirled around.

Damn it, we must have missed one. Do you see him anywhere?

With keen eyes, Victor scanned the battlefield and surrounding landscape. Noticing a slight shift in the shadows off to his right, he signaled Tobias.

Over there behind that small outcropping. He's heading for Calcion Falls. We'd better go after him before he gets away.

Never a moment's rest.

Victor, smirking, turned his head towards his companion. I wouldn't have it any other way.

With that they ran off. Keeping pace with one another, they headed north towards the treacherous Calcion Falls.

* * *

Staring down over the unforgiving waterfall, Rick Trill wasn't afraid. On the contrary, he had a certain respect for the natural beauty of the falls; yet he knew that one false step could mean the end for anyone. Viewing it as just another challenge (one he had overcome), Trill held that same determination for the task ahead.

Surveying his surroundings, he took one last look before heading out. Yes, this will do nicely.

Chapter 3

Victor and Tobias ran through the untamed wilderness for the better part of the day. After several hours, they finally came upon Calcion Falls. A cloud of vapor hung overhead while the rapids cascaded down the monstrous waterfall. Blanketing the ground, it set an eerie tone as the two warriors approached the basin. As far as anyone knew, no one had ever ventured so deep into the north. The entire area remained uncharted except, of course, for the falls; but only because its size made it visible for leagues in any direction. A natural monolith, both beautiful and terrifying, it struck fear into the hearts of those who would dare approach.

Tobias stood at the foot of the falls, letting his mind wander for a moment. This must be where the M'scaltsia River originates. Gazing up towards the top of the falls, Tobias remembered a story he heard many years ago.

According to legend, Calcion Falls got its name from a giant ice golem. Millennia past, the world was split into two halves leaving the Northern Hemisphere nothing but a frozen wasteland, com-pletely covered in ice. That is where the L'an Cou'liath came into being.

Standing eleven feet tall, the ice golems had sharp, elongated features. Abnormally long arms and legs sprouted from a broad torso creating a symmetrical form. The L'an Cou'liath, though quite capable of standing and walking upright on two legs, preferred the more common practice of extending their limbs to walk on all four. They had greatly exaggerated fingers and toes (six on each limb) that were spread apart. These claw-like appendages distributed their weight and enabled them to grip the frozen ground making it easier to navigate the icy tundra.

The Southern Hemisphere is where the Briz'niel, fire golems born of the magma and flames of a fledgling planet made their home. As a race, they were capable of controlling and manip-ulating the magma that made up their bodies; but as a whole, they usually stuck to one form unless necessary to change. The Briz'niel were smaller as far as golems went, they were only about nine feet tall but more well rounded. They had large oval-shaped torsos, thick round arms, and three short fingers on each hand and because they lived around an active volcano, feet weren't necessary most of the time. Rather, the Briz'niel would ride the lava pools surrounding the base by melding their lower half with the molten rock.

Eons past and the two ancient races came into contact many times. Each had been content keeping to themselves and avoiding any conflict, but there came a time when an ice golem by the name of Calcion met a female of the fire golems called Jourane. Calcion noticed her walking on unstable ground above a chasm of ice and snow. If Jourane were to fall, she would inevitably perish; but if he came near, his presence would also put her in danger. Bellowing as loud as he could, Calcion threw a giant ball of ice high into the air like a flare. He pointed to the area in front of her making gestures for her not to proceed.

Jourane had been taken back by the commotion, but something about Calcion told her that he wasn't a threat. She looked around and saw a fissure in the ground, a tiny spout of steam forcing its way through the crack. Jourane had come upon a hidden cove of Lan Cou'liath territory. Stepping back to avoid falling through the fissure, she turned toward Calcion and transformed into a rippling wave of lava, the natural state of her people. A sign of respect and gratitude among the Briz'niel.

Unfortunately, another of her kind stood nearby and misinterpreted the exchange. From his perspective, it looked like an unprovoked attack. The spectator summoned his kin, captured Calcion, and brought him before the elders. For his perceived crime, they sentenced him to death. Purification by fire. Already feeling the effects of the heat, Calcion wouldn't survive much longer. His captors took him to the top of the massive volcano, and once at the peak, threw him off the side without hesitation. Briz'niel justice, ever swift, had been carried out immediately.

Calcion, stricken with grief at the injustice, bellowed with rage, his dense, frozen body melting away as he fell toward the bottom of the volcano. Unable to sustain his form any longer, Calcion exploded creating a huge lake surrounding the Briz'niel's ancestral home. All that water cascaded down over the magma field, spreading out in all directions. How a disaster of that scale created such beauty no one could say, but the waterfall has remained since the dawn of history and stands as a testament to an ancient grievance.

Do you think the stories about this place are true?

Victor looked up at the waterfall and then towards his friend. Every region has its own creation myth. Who's to say this one isn't real?

After a few moments of silence, Tobias snapped out of his contemplative state. It looks as if we lost him.

Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be only one way he could have gone... up.

How the hell did he get up there so fast? We couldn't have been that far behind him.

With a slow step forward, concern washed over Victor's features. I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this. I'm not sure who this guy is, but there's no way he's regular infantry for the military.

Tobias dug the claws of his gauntlet into the rock face and pulled himself up to the closest ledge. Let's go ask him, shall we?

My thoughts exactly, Victor chuckled as he leaped up beside Tobias, the extended height no issue for the dexterous warrior.

As they scaled the cliff, they split up and took different paths. Tobias continued to climb from ledge to ledge, while Victor took to the right. He climbed the vines hanging from small rocks jutting out from the waterfall.

Stopping to wait for a moment, Tobias looked out over the falls. Get your ass up here Victor, we don't have-

Without warning the surrounding area quaked. Victor glanced upward with a look of apprehension, knowing what was coming. Tell me that's not what I think it is!

That bastard must have set off an earthquake, get out of there now!

No sooner than the words escaped his mouth, the top of the cliff began to collapse.

Victor, quick to adapt to any situation, knew he didn't have enough time to avoid the boulder hurtling toward him. Quicker than the eye could register, Victor unholstered a single pistol and switched to its secondary function an explosive burst-fire shot. He took aim, waiting until the last possible second before firing. Having trained himself to handle such a powerful weapon reduced the impact of the recoil. A ball of flame erupted from his pistol preceded by a brilliant muzzle flash, completely shattering the giant rock. Seconds away from crushing him, Victor escaped in the nick of time.

Too far away, Tobias could do nothing but look on helpless. He was about to lose his long-time friend to a rock of all things when Tobias saw the massive boulder explode into a cloud of dust and debris. I know Victor is fast but was he able to avoid the fallout from the explosion?

As if in answer to his question, a cold wind blew in from the South, clearing away the cloud of dust that hung in the air, like a leaf floating on the breeze.

A moment passed, and Tobias could finally pick out the dark silhouette of Victor as he came into view brushing off his armour.

He glanced up at Tobias, who wore a look of astonished relief. Can you believe this guy? Son of a bitch got my suit dirty.

Tobias could do nothing but shake his head and let out a bout of thunderous laughter. I should have known. You're too stubborn to die.

It's going to take more than a few pebbles to get rid of me. Now let's get out of here before we run into any more problems.

They made it the rest of the way up Calcion Falls without incident. Pulling themselves up over the last ledge, they finally made it to the peak and found something wholly unexpected. Looming before them lay a massive oasis, full with lush green grass and ancient trees reaching to the sky. At the centre stood what at first looked like a simple plateau. However, upon further inspection, it had the appearance of a settlement of some kind built right into the stone and beyond that an enormous lake of fresh, crystal clear, blue water. Impossible to deny its natural beauty, the lake stretched out as far as the eye could see. It appeared to be the source of the falls and the many outlying rivers. The longer they examined the area, the more an unsettling feeling began to creep up on them. Looking further to either side, they could make out the conical shape that surrounded the area. The lip that curved upward with jagged edges might initially be mistaken for mountains but was, in fact, the caldera of a long-dormant volcano.

After taking in the expansive scenery, Victor sauntered over next to Tobias. Hmm, looks like there might be some truth to those old tales of yours.

It certainly looks that way. It's unfortunate we can't stick around to investigate.

Well, how about we come back as soon as we track this guy. There's something quite curious about this whole thing.

Tobias slapped Victor on the back. You got yourself a deal, brother.

Chapter 4

Rick stood atop the giant plateau, looking down upon the verdant oasis. This is as good a place as any.

From outside, the mountain looked the same as any other. Standing tall against the horizon, it lacked any distinguishing attributes. The peak where Rick stood told a whole different story. The stone city had countless interconnecting streets, bridges, even cause-ways, and at the very top sat one point of intrigue that would give many pause to wonder... What is it? What is its purpose?

It had a large circular base with a diameter of about twenty-one feet. There were steep, sharp structures like stalactites all around it. Shooting up at various angles, it stood almost twice as tall as Rick. The smooth surface and golden-brown color reminded him of a Tiger's Eye gemstone. Countless interconnecting Magma Loti made up the design of the unusual device, each holding at its centre a brilliant, flawless diamond.

Hearing a disturbance far below, Rick walked over to the edge and saw something not altogether unexpected. The two warriors survived his trap, setting the stage for the next phase of his plan. Just as I'd hoped. They should be here soon.

Chapter 5

Victor and Tobias approached the side of the plateau towering above them. Walking towards the side of the stone wall, they noticed a small opening, thinking it to be the entrance to the fortress. As they got closer, it seemed to shift and shimmer, almost beckoning them to walk through it. On the other side, they made out the shape of a massive arch with a gate at its centre.

Sharing a look of uncertainty, they passed through seamlessly; the experience a lot less unsettling than they imagined. Once on the other side, they found themselves facing the giant granite doorway. They had just seen it on the other side of the swirling portal; but now that they stood right in front of it, it was much larger, more intimidating. Covering the arch from top to bottom were the etchings of a long-lost civilization, carved with magma spirals and embedded directly into the thick stone gate. Having been sculpted from a single slab of granite made it an oddity. That it had no visible point of entry begged the question: How does it open? Tobias wondered whether they should go back