Descent Into Chaos

By Brianna Hawthorne

Lumina survives for the time being, but the realm of Chaos is also under attack, and many blame Lumina and threaten to resume hostilities. Their Magni Dominar makes a surprising request, that Shi’ahn, a Spire avatar, visit their realm and a unique location that appears to be fading away.

One of the Dynasties that currently occupies Shiral also requests Shi’ahn’s presence, in secret. It would be extremely dangerous, but if she manages to help them she may gain their assistance in retaking Shiral. The Emperor orders Lucian to accompany her, even though Shi’ahn despises him. Worse yet, they must pose as lovers...

Meanwhile, Lumina’s victory against the Abominations is only temporary, and while Shi’ahn is in Chaos, the attack against Lumina progresses. Before the attackers break free, Lumina must either completely defeat them, or perish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brianna Hawthorne
• Release date: Apr 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370763481

Brianna Hawthorne

Many of us seek a purpose for our lives beyond our own well being, and mine is the preservation of forested lands. When I was four years old, my father bought 97 acres of land that was being used by its owner as a junk yard. Dad cleared out all the junk he could, and started planting 500 to 1,000 trees a year on it. He named it Ganderhawk Forest, and I worked on the land with him until I went to college. During our summers, we cared for my grandmother in a primitive summer camp on Lake Huron that our family has owned since 1908. It is also heavily forested. All my happy memories from my childhood occurred while living or working in forests. My intention is to use the bulk of the proceeds from selling my books to maintain the forested lands that I inherited from my father. He told me I would only be able to maintain one of them, but I wish to protect both from development. If possible, I hope to protect more forested lands in the future, either through donations or outright ownership. My life goal, beyond my family, is to be a guardian of the land.

Book preview

Prologue

The Child of Fire has come to us,

The time of doom draws near,

Alas for those who deny and hide,

Your souls feed the emptiness with fear.

---

Her wailing song heralds the end of time,

Bloody, ragged twilight befalls us,

To claim our lives, our intentions to rend,

Death of all things does call us.

---

The Child of Light, that deadly beauty,

Must kill and then must mend,

Dragon’s spawn and Order’s brood,

Long enmity for now must end.

---

Beware of fear and darkest dreams,

Of things beyond our Realms.

Can you not see?

Do you not hear?

Dance oblivious and the nightmare

Will surely take you,

Awake too late and gone

Will be all you hold dear.

---

Those with hope must bind together,

The Mighty must mix their blood,

The Keystone must be set in place,

And stopped be the unrighteous flood.

---

For lo, the Chosen One comes,

In Darkness the Light will be found,

Hope shall arise in a sea of despair,

Ye shall know her name by its sound.

1

Traveling Plans

Did Llywelyn actually say I’m going to Chaos? Just days ago he said I wasn’t to go anywhere, that I must stay in Lumina. Why would he want to send me away now? I sense a power surge from his ring and find myself standing by my Emperor’s side, facing Lucian. Next to us is a table laden with many of my favorite early morning foods. Once again my stomach betrays me, loudly .

Llywelyn’s smile is warm and indulgent. Please, eat, Shi’ahn. I wouldn’t want hunger to cloud your ability to think clearly.

It’s difficult to focus on the meal, given what he has hinted at, but I manage well enough. He knows exactly when I’m ready to discuss the matter.

Shi’ahn, I’ve asked you to join us because there have apparently been – odd as this may sound – unexplainable events in Chaos. Their recently crowned Magni Dominar, Ra Ab Anach-Lugh al Draconae, has requested that we send a representative familiar with our local attacks to their realm, to assess the possibility that the events may be related. He has asked – quite specifically – for you.

He has? Me? Why?

Lucian answers. Their Royal information network can be highly efficient, and your performance during the attack on us is hardly a secret. It isn’t the least bit surprising that they would attempt to gain access to you. What is surprising is that it seems they will succeed. He casts a disapproving glare at Llywelyn.

Politically, it is a very wise move. Our peace negotiations are far from complete – there are those who believe that we are the source of the new attacks in their realm. Sending exactly whom they have requested would be considered a sign of good faith, He turns his gaze to me. And your truthful, forthright nature will do more to convince them of our innocence in this matter than anyone else could. Beyond all that, you seem to be closer to this issue than anyone else. You are who they need to meet with.

Again Lucian counters, "Be that as it may, is it worth the potential price? You will be sending an Avatar of Order, our Avatar, into Chaos!"

Llywelyn’s tone turns resolute. With you. You are the greatest of all spies and one of the most dangerous and feared individuals in all existence. With you at her side, she should be quite safe.

As you say I am only one of the most dangerous, why not send another?

You know that isn’t feasible. I cannot go, Maximus does not have the right temperament for the task, Novanus despises her, and of course, the Cailliach is completely out of the question. Sending you – apparently besotted with her – is the perfect cover. It is quite plausible that after a lifetime of spurning love, you would finally surrender your heart to Shi’ahn. You were created to serve Lumina; even more so than any of Augustus’ other creations. How could you not have deep feelings for our Avatar? It will also be obvious to any who can reason that harming her would evoke a response from you which would make all your previous encounters within their realm seem almost friendly.

I sense something passing between them, as though they are conversing mentally. Lucian’s expression falls in resignation.

"Very well. I would have to be at her side at all times."

"Which should pose no problem, given that you are believed to be her lover."

I finally break in, rather shrilly, "You mean… I’ll have to sleep with him???"

Llywelyn pauses before responding, Technically, yes. But as it will be a given that they will be monitoring you, it will make perfect sense that you refrain from intimacy.

I can’t believe my ears! How could he ask such a thing of me? He couldn’t, if he truly cared for me. I feel betrayed.

His voice fills my mind, as though he wills the words to lodge within my soul, yet he speaks to us both. Shi’ahn, I do not wish to send you to Chaos, I do not wish to have you pretend to be Lucian’s lover – in truth, I detest the thought. I despise every moment that he pretends to be the man who has claimed you. Even before I understood my father’s error, when you collapsed after our second battle with Chaos, I did not like seeing you in Lucian’s arms.

The glare he directs toward Lucian is filled with repressed anger and something else. Regret? It is both chilling and reassuring at the same time.

Please understand that I do not care for our deception, but there is too much at stake here. If you don’t go, the war between us and Chaos is unlikely to be resolved. Meanwhile, we would also be fighting these terrible creatures from without. We cannot fight both wars at once – it would destroy us. We need those of Chaos to understand that, in this, we are not the enemy. Yet while you must go into their realm, it is extremely dangerous for you. You need the best protection I can send with you, and that would be Lucian. Another point to consider - anyone who sees through the deception of your relationship with Lucian would realize I’m the only one who could order him into this masquerade; you would become a target for yet another reason. They would hope that taking control of you would ultimately gain control of me. That cannot be allowed. He takes my hands in his and looks deeply into my eyes. You are too valuable to our realm to be placed in such risk. However, if you were unquestioningly believed to be Lucian’s lover, you would not be considered nearly so great a prize; in fact, given his openly dangerous nature, harming you would seem the epitome of poor judgement.

Lucian gazes at Llywelyn intently. Indeed, such an act would be suicidal.

Llywelyn, I understand your reasoning, but I don’t think I can do it. It’s one thing to pretend a relationship occasionally here, when I know you are nearby and it’s never all that long until we can slip away together, but to go into Chaos and live such a lie every moment? I can’t. I let go of his hands and pull away. Quite honestly, I don’t understand how you could ask such a thing of me.

Shi’ahn, come here. He reaches out, capturing my hands, and draws me to him, pulling me down to sit on his lap. I’ve never sat in a man’s lap before, not consciously, at least. It feels nice. Warm and safe. He smiles knowingly before his expression turns sad. "I ask this of you because I must. We cannot afford to lose you; this is the only way I can think of to keep you safe while allowing you to do what must be done. But do not think that it is easy for me. Do you realize what I am giving up? I should be the first man to spend the entire night in your bed, I should be the first to watch you wake in the morning, but I won’t be. That honor – that joy – will be Lucian’s. I hate that. I truly do, but I have no choice."

I can tell from his tone that my cause is lost, yet there is one more issue I must mention. Llywelyn… I glance nervously toward Lucian, almost afraid to speak of it.

A nearly tragic look of concern crosses Lucian’s face. What is it, Shi’ahn?

I look up into Llywelyn’s eyes and see simple curiosity, joined by a raised eyebrow. In the past, Lucian hasn’t exactly proved himself trustworthy, in my bedchamber.

Anger leaps up like flames in Llywelyn’s eyes, but Lucian’s expression shows nothing but confusion. I continue, My very first night here, he thoroughly ‘examined’ me after rendering me unconscious. He even verified… a condition of mine that only recently changed.

Understanding illuminates Lucian’s eyes, Shi’ahn, I was ordered to examine you, and I used a medical scanner for the otherwise most invasive procedures.

That’s not what you made it sound like the next day!

True. I was trying to put you on guard. At the family dinner, you had proven to be dangerously open to all around you. Already one vulture was circling, you needed to be put on alert.

And the translucent nightgown I woke up in – what’s your excuse for that?

Instead of answering me, he looks to Llywelyn. You never saw her back in her early days here, but let me assure you, she was the epitome of sweet innocence, a vision before unknown here. And yet she was fully ripe and anxious for the picking. She was nearly irresistible. He pauses, looking down at the floor before continuing. I’ll admit, I was probably out of line with the nightgown, but you should have seen her; she was stunning.

For some reason, Llywelyn also looks guilty. I did see her once in her early days here, through her own eyes just after she was given my ring. She stood fully unclothed before a wonderful, full length mirror. It was the first image I received from my ring since I was taken from Lumina, I was held captive by the vision. Even then she was astoundingly beautiful, and so I suppose I cannot reasonably hold your small extravagance against you. Only a dead man could have been unaffected by her. And of course now, the situation is far worse.

Indeed it is.

I can’t believe it! Wait a breath, are you saying that you could see everything I saw?

Not all, no. While I slept, your life often came to me as if a dream. While I was awake I had to concentrate to pick up any details. That is why I missed the attack that injured you so. I did sense your pain and shut down the connection to the creature as quickly as I could. If I had realized beforehand what was happening, I would not have allowed you to be harmed. He draws my head against his chest and strokes my hair, keeping thoughts of that painful incident from overwhelming me.

Lucian remains silent for a while, then clears his throat, Excuse me, Llywelyn, but while you have provided seemingly sufficient justification for sending our Avatar to Chaos, I sense that you know things about our current situation that you have not shared with me. I need to fully understand the dangers we are facing.

Llywelyn nods in understanding, I found a collection of our father’s personal prophecies of doom, which indicated not only his own death, but that a great darkness was to come. He pauses, considering his words, He knew that both Shi’ahn and I would be critical to our survival.

I found no such prophecies, and I searched quite thoroughly.

Yes, I know you did. He gives Lucian a displeased frown, but the expression quickly turns benign. You would not have been able to find these; they were attainable only by the Emperor, and even then not easily. It appears as though he tried to shield them even from himself. One alluded to his demise at the hand of a son that he would not truly know. He assumed that it referred to me, and as his doom was to be preceded by the arrival of the innocent herald, he apparently assumed that Shi’ahn would be involved. Other prophecies stated that I would be returned to Lumina by an Avatar, which explains why his distrust later turned to hatred. What I still do not understand is why he obsessed over the clues to his own end, while completely ignoring that these same prophecies stated that Shi’ahn would be vital to our surviving an approaching time of great darkness. He came to care more for himself than he did for Lumina, and that I cannot forgive.

This is all very interesting, but aside from returning you to Lumina, what does it all have to do with Shi’ahn? Why must she be allowed to venture into Chaos?

It’s complicated. In the prophecy, The Sculptor revealed that Shi’ahn is the child of fire and light. Now of course she can’t truly be a child of fire, of Chaos, but if she were to become accepted by them, then the reference would make sense. The fact that it also referred to her as the peacemaker, as the weaver and binder, makes me believe she could indeed earn their trust.

Ahh… I didn’t mean to say anything, but they both snap their gazes onto me.

What is it, Shi’ahn?

Something Cailli said to me recently. I project her words in her voice.

‘You are the weaver, the binder. You must bring all the necessary threads together and weave them into what they are destined to be. You are the peacemaker, she who will link all together to create the mightiest weapon in all existence. You are the Universe Child.’

Llywelyn’s expression is very serious, When did this happen, Shi’ahn?

Shortly before Lucian came to my rooms to discuss our deception.

Why didn’t you say anything?

I was somewhat distracted, there were far more immediate issues to discuss at the time, if you will recall. Besides, just how does one bring up such a subject?

Llewellyn looks, not annoyed, but resigned and amused at the same time. Tell me, Shi’ahn, are there any other pertinent revelations that you haven’t thought to share with us for one reason or another?

Now that you mention it, William had an interesting conversation with Cailli a while back. Both turn intense gazes upon me. "She said,

‘When the blood spills it will run in rivers,

When the Universe comes to an end it will be

With neither a bang nor a whimper,

But a slight popping sound.

All things come full circle,

The new begets the old,

Perfection can be remade by doers

Of impossible deeds.’

Llywelyn looks almost steely-eyed at me, but it is Lucian who speaks. The Cailliach shared that with William?

Yes, soon after we arrived. She’s rather fond of him.

Llywelyn asks, And you shared this with no-one?

Who would I have told? The Emperor? Until recently no one cared what I had to say. Besides, everyone else has known Cailli far longer than we have, there was no reason to think we were the only ones she had said it to.

Llywelyn stares silently at me for a moment, then I see understanding dawning behind his eyes.

From now on, Shi’ahn, when you learn something potentially important regarding this situation, please let me know immediately. Day or night – no matter what else I may be doing at the time – contact me.

He turns toward Lucian. Learning about this recent incursion into Chaos will be vital; if we can prove that the attack there is the same type of attack that we have suffered, we may be able to end the war between our realms, and concentrate on this far more important and dangerous foe. That is the main reason it is so important to send Shi’ahn, and you, into Chaos to investigate the location in question.

Llywelyn glances between Lucian and I. It is time for us to meet with the Chaosian delegation. Remember this, Shi’ahn, do not promise anything to a Chaosian. Do not trust any of them, no matter how nice they may seem; they operate under a different code of honor than we follow. And above all else, do not do anything that might lead anyone to disbelieve our deception. Beginning… He pauses, takes me in his arms and gives me an impassioned kiss, then steps back, now.

Lucian takes my hand and places it on his arm, and covers it with a gentle yet possessive hand. Llywelyn leads us out. My mind is spinning, we are going to meet with a Chaosian delegation? Now?

Our entrance is very formal, befitting the room. It isn’t like any meeting room I’ve been in before. All the furniture is large and very old, and seemingly designed to intimidate.

We are surrounded by intricately carved wood and stone; even the stone walls bear carvings. Lucian holds out an almost throne-like chair for me, to Llywelyn’s left. As I sit down it adjusts, raising the sitting surface so I won’t look quite so dwarfed by everyone around me. Lucian takes his own seat on Llywelyn’s right, while Gwenllian sits on my left. She looks displeased, to say the least. To others, the source of her annoyance could be misconstrued as being the same as Lucian’s – the impending trip of Lumina’s Avatar into Chaos – but I hear the truth. I am being given an honor that belongs to her; sitting at her father’s side during an important negotiation. I suspect this is yet another thing for which she will never forgive me.

Among the Chaosian representatives sits Cas Abet Dion a Temenus. I give him a slight nod that he returns, although somewhat tight-lipped. All the details of the situation are repeated, and a highly detailed contract drawn up and signed.

Each set of investigators will be acting as hostages for the other. Prince Lucian and I being the Lumina representatives. There are two Chaos representatives who will be going to the outskirts of the Spire to investigate on our side, by means of mental projection. I carefully record it all in my mind, encapsulating the memory for William. He will have to take similar steps sometime in the near future if I am to attempt to aid Dion’s father.

As everyone is leaving, Dion approaches me.

Lady Shi’ahn, may I have a moment of your time?

Llywelyn has already left, Lucian gives me a concerned look as if to say, ‘Do you want me to throw him out?’

I’ll just be a minute, Lucian.

I will not leave your side, Shi’ahn. He takes my arm possessively.

I’m beginning to recognize arguments I’m unable to win. I smile and turn back to our guest. Cas Abet Dion.

He smiles, though somewhat nervously as he tries to keep his eyes from straying toward Lucian. Lady Shi’ahn. I hope you realize this could be the perfect opportunity for you to look in on my father.

Although in my heart I wish to tell him that I had already come to the same conclusion, I remind myself of Llywelyn’s words. William will be the one to make any arrangements to that effect, I will contact him regarding this recent development.

Dion seems disappointed, Will William be contacting me soon, as in this morning?

"Yes, I will speak with him very soon. Dion hesitates, as if he wishes that he had gotten more of a commitment from me, so I elaborate. Each moment we speak delays that contact."

He smiles tentatively as he realizes what I am saying without quite saying it, and takes his leave. I am glad that I had mentioned this possibility to Llywelyn earlier – otherwise, I would have instinctively agreed to the extra visit, and Lucian would have been angry with me. I do wish though, that I could have promised him I’d make that visit. There was something in his eyes as he spoke of his father, the situation causes him great pain and - even though it must be premature - grief.

As we leave, I see that Llywelyn and Gwenllian are in the outer room. I let go Lucian’s arm before my thoughts progress. I want to ask Llywelyn just how closely he wants me to work with Lucian, and how much he wants Lucian to understand, but I can’t really ask with Lucian beside me. Llywelyn looks questioningly toward me, then seemingly reads my mind.

Thank you, Gwenllian, for looking into that for me. Lucian, I’m sure you have many preparations to make, we’ll discuss the mission further in our next meeting. They each leave without hesitation as Llywelyn turns back to me, What is it you wish to ask?

I pause for a moment, formulating just how to answer him. Llywelyn, how exactly do you expect Lucian and I to work together; how much is he to understand?

Lucian need not comprehend much. As a Prince of Lumina, he will of course be the individual apparently in charge of the investigation, but your insights will be quite important. You will both report your findings back to me when you return.

"Ah, so no report will be due to the Chaosians until after our return. I had wondered how to have such information relayed through Lucian when he doesn’t understand what I hear. So he need not understand at all?"

I did not say that, but I will not dictate how much you should explain to him. That decision must come from you.

That doesn’t help much…

A look of concern crosses Llywelyn’s face, Shi’ahn, due to the nature of what I’ve asked of you, I doubt that the contacts we share through our crystals will be enough to maintain your safety while you are away. There are areas out near the Rim where crystal communications are unreliable, which could potentially leave you unacceptably vulnerable. I wish to create a direct link between us through my ring. Its method of operation is not at all common, and therefore far less likely to be blocked. But this time, unlike before, I would do so only with your permission.

Would I also be able to use the connection to contact you?

There are both benefits and drawbacks to that kind of link.

What are the drawbacks?