Awakening: The Prince of Nabalar: The Awakened, #1

By Diana Flame

One prophecy. One girl. One Galaxy.

When a human becomes the most important thing to a planet that is light years away from earth, then there must be something seriously wrong. As fate would have it, one such human exists. 

In a sector where the evil thrive and the innocent is punished for deeds they have not committed, enters one woman from earth who threatens the plot of the evil forces. Her coming was foretold by a prophecy. 

The Oracles declared that one would arrive to awaken the Z'raschein. It was determined that the one to arrive would fulfill the prophecy; "When moon embraces sun it emits new light."

She has arrived and has fallen for the prince, but the threat of the evil Overlord is immense. What will Ariella do when her marriage to the prince is threatened? Will she return to earth or stand to fight?

WARNING! This novel contains explicit sexual content that is suitable for 18+ adults.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yorkside Press
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9789769605954

Book preview

PROLOGUE

A CHILD HAS BEEN BORN that will bring new light to our world, Oracle L declares.

Oracle X gives a slow nod of the head and muses, The awakening will begin with Nabalar. She will awaken the Z’raschein.

Then Uvieroein will be restored, Oracle A adds.

The Oracles beam, their pure white eyes gleaming as the future flashes before them, revealing the events to unfold. The past also unfolds, exposing the plans of the evil that is destroying their world.

Declare this only to the people of Nabalar so they can prepare for her arrival, Chief Oracle instructs.

Oracles of Uvieroein galaxy are the spiritual guides who reside on the planet of Axrylore. A planet protected from entry by a force field that no one has even been able to break through.

The galaxy has thirteen planets, many of which are in ruins. With the execution of the kings of Oxilian and Maxzoliokz, 11 of the princes missing or imprisoned, the onus remains on the two princes left standing to restore their world.

The Oracles have been watching the destruction and mayhem in the sector. Although they are powerful beings with many powers that could possibly save Uvieroein and destroy the evil forces, their own rules prevent them from interfering.

They simply will wait until the day of the first awakening. That day draws near and when it finally shall arrive, the battle between the princes and the evil will finally begin.

CHAPTER 1

Something was not right. Ariella Vega’s fingers skittled across the smooth surface of the navigation monitor, trying to get a lock on their location. They should have been closer to Fopra by now, but it seemed the vessel was stalling in space. Her eyes widened at the reading on the monitor, noticing the ship’s main source of power had declined. Without delay, she engaged the reserve.

Even with the emergency reserve employed, the reading on the navigation panel continued its odd behavior. The reserve power percentages reduced from 100% to 92% within seconds of her touching the button.

Captain, we’re losing power! she announced.

Her usually smooth, silky tone lifted a decibel. Checking herself, her space cadet training kicked in, almost totally masking the fear and urgency in her voice as she fought to maintain a semblance of composure.

Their small cargo spaceship, the Demac-109, supplied the OM-696 galaxy with Commodities from Earth. Ariella Vega was the second in command. Its owner and captain was Delvin McTaggart. In the five years she served under his command, he never broke protocol and was always astute and responsive. Not this day. Captain McTaggart stared blankly into space, barely aware of her calls of warning.

There was one other crewmember, Marlon, who served as the engineer. He was on the lower level trying to fix whatever had gone wrong. For half an hour, the power supply had been steadily failing. Something was draining the craft’s energy and they had no clue what it was. He should have already returned with a report and his tardiness caused her concern.

What about the reserve? The captain’s voice was barren.

Her eyes widened as she gazed down at the monitor. The emergency power icon was now flashing, Emergency Power Running Low. The power indicator percentages were steadily declining...35%...28%...23%. Without a sustainable power source, the craft, as well as their lives would be lost.

She noticed an object off the ship’s port. When she peered up, it was no longer there. She squinted her eyes, scrutinizing the area again. Whatever it was, it had disappeared from the spectrometer before she could get a fix on it. She shook her head and turned toward the captain.

"Sir, we are using our reserve."

He nodded. We’ll have to complete our mission in the shuttle. Have Marlon load the supplies.

His expression continued to be vacant and his demeanor distant. She didn’t wish to overstep her position, but she wasn’t certain he understood the severity of their situation.

"Captain Delvin McTaggart, Sir." Addressing him by his full name and rank got his attention. The captain’s head whipped around, meeting the eyes of his sub-commander.

We don’t have time for that, Sir.

She touched the Rem-Com on her wrist. The multi-function device looked like a standard-issue military watch, only it served as a map, thermometer, locator, and tele communicator as well.

The indicator light for Marlon was not registering. Her emerald eyes widened as she met the slate-colored eyes of the captain. He appeared disconnected from the perils surrounding them. Something was wrong. The Captain was there, yet he wasn’t. Ariella approached, stopping but an arm’s breadth away. She examined his countenance, searching his face for answers. When he did not respond, she addressed him firmly.

Sir!

He blinked and then stared at her, unmoving. Before she could address him further, the craft tilted, knocking him against the navigation monitor. She instinctively grabbed one of the anchored seats.

Abort, now! he shouted. He seemed to now be fully engaged by their current peril. We need to get aboard the shuttle!

The craft tilted precariously again and started spinning as if on an axel. She immediately assumed a low crouch. When the vessel steadied, Delvin motioned towards the bridge doors.

As they neared the shuttle, she skidded to a stop. Marlon, she breathed. When she attempted to turn, the captain grabbed her arm.

Where are you going, Sub-commander?

Marlon, Sir. He hasn’t responded to my calls.

He gazed down the narrow corridor. I’ll check on the engineer. You ready the shuttle.

Ariella stepped into his path. With all due respect sir, this duty falls to me.

Very well. Be careful, he said, relenting to standard protocol.

As she ran down the corridor, the vessel tilted, throwing her against the wall. She struggled against the constant pull of the ship’s sporadic motions, making her way toward the engine room with great difficulty. Thoughts of Marlon and his lack of response to her calls caused her much foreboding. She had to get to him to make sure he was all right. She gritted her teeth, fighting to keep her footing.

The ship lurched hard, sending her crashing against the opposite wall. Her body slid to the floor with the jarring impact. She moaned, pressing her hand into her bruised hip.

Marlon! she shrieked, hopelessly gazing down the passage leading to the engine room.

Inhaling deeply, she grasped the rail, pulling herself upright. She tried her Rem-Com again, but it failed to pick up his signal. The craft made another violent jolt. She held tight to the rail, hearing what sounded like an explosion.

Marlon! she called. Marlon! she shouted again as a sick feeling settled into her gut. No, no. Shaking her head, she stumbled backwards, trying to deny what she knew to be true. Marl—

Before the words escaped her, an eruption of flames consumed the passageway. She screamed, clumsily scrambling backwards. The flames rolled towards her, licking at her feet. She screamed out again, leaping to her feet and running in the opposite direction. Her heart pounded with fear as well as regret.

Marlon, she inwardly groaned, forcing back her emotions as a sob tried to escape.

The fire hungrily consumed the sound of her voice as she screamed his name one last time, and then scrambled in retreat. Delvin was coming towards her. The reflections of the flames were easily seen in his wide eyes. She tried to rush past him, to return to the bridge, anything to be free of the flames and the destruction they had caused.

Delvin grabbed her and pulled her against him. He gazed down at the fear etched into her features and back to the flames advancing wickedly forward. His eyes narrowed as he pulled her into the shuttle-bay.

She could hardly breathe. Her heart felt as if something sharp and scorching was wedged within, stabbing and sucking the life from her. All she could think about was her friend, Marlon. Dread and denial overcame her as she slumped against the wall.

We’ve got to find Marlon, she muttered. When she moved towards the bay doors, the captain grasped her elbow.

Ariella! His tone was even and commanding. Listen to me.

No—no, we need to save him.

Dazed, she glanced back towards the passageway. Her legs would not support her as she attempted to get up to find her friend. 

She gasped as another explosion echoed through the corridor. Marlon’s face flashed before her. She thought of their last conversation and their plans to explore Fopra. She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears, no longer caring if she maintained her composure.

The heat and smoke of the quickly advancing flames burned their lungs. The captain moved towards the wall, slamming his palm against the red knob, securing the blast doors. A blaring alarm sounded as they hurried towards the shuttle. He wasted no time releasing the docking clamps and initiating the launch sequence. All protocol was abandoned as the blast doors gave way to another explosion.

Once they cleared the bay, Ariella engaged the aft monitor.

No, she moaned. As she watched the spikes of the flames illuminating the darkness, she repeatedly muttered Marlon’s name. Marlon.

Marlon was more than a friend. The three of them were like family. They relied on each other for support, for strength, for survival. Now he was gone. He was gone and she could not save him. Taking a deep breath, she secured her harness. Processing her feelings about Marlon had to take backseat to the necessities at hand. They needed to distance themselves from the exploding spaceship. She also wanted to know what caused the craft to fail.

What coordinates, Sir? her voice cracked.

He cleared his throat, Set coordinates for OM-696.

Her brow knitted. OM-696?

Look behind you, he said, thumbing over his shoulder.

Glancing behind them, she saw the area piled high with boxes. How—how did you? she asked, perplexed.

Shrugging, he shook his head. Marlon must have realized more than he reported. He was trying to salvage the cargo.

She didn’t know what to say. She lowered her head as her thoughts returned to Marlon. None of this felt real to her, none of it. Unable to maintain her cool, she glanced back, looking at the boxes. He knew, she thought, wiping away her tears. He knew. And selflessly, he had worked to take care of their interests. She realized once again just how much she was going to miss him.

Closing her eyes, she took another deep steadying breath. When we arrive on Fopra, we need to perform Marlon’s last rites. He—he was Catholic.

Delvin’s expression was forlorn. Are there Catholic priests on that planet?

"We’ll do the rites, Sir."

He sighed. Ariella, I need to tell you something. Delvin rubbed his calloused hands over his face. There was—

The shuttle jerked, cutting his words short. Ariella gasped, grabbing for the console in front of her. When she gazed over at Delvin, the grief on his face was evident.

Can it wait until we get to Fopra? she asked, still clutching the console. The turbulence was increasing.

He nodded and then peered at the navigation panel. What is that?

It’s a worm hole, Sir. Hold tight... we’ll pass through soon.

They gripped the sides of their seats as the turbulence became more profound. Helplessly, they braced themselves as the shuttle jerked and bumped, taking their stomachs with it. The strong pull of gravity caused by the spatial anomaly made for an uncomfortable and blinding passage. The heavy darkness surrounding them was pierced only by emergency lights and the navigation panel. By the panel’s readout, it would take eight minutes before they exited the worm hole.

A minute passed. How... long? he asked, his voice distorted by the jerking of the craft.

Seven more minutes, Sir.

Those seven minutes were the longest she had ever encountered. As they exited the wormhole, the captain steadied the shuttle. The lights on the navigation panel began to blink. He pressed a series of commands and all the numbers became disjointed. She fidgeted with her panel, but could not get the system back up.

Sir, all systems are down.

I can see that, he said. Without the navigation system, we’re flying blind. Engage the forward view screen.

She did as commanded and tried to compensate for the distorted view. The damage they sustained in the wormhole was affecting multiple systems. Twenty minutes later they felt the craft dip. The shuttle sputtered, beginning to jerk. All the lights went out on the panel and the shuttle started losing altitude. Clenching his teeth, the Captain gripped the lever, trying to gain control and lessen their descent.

She could hear him swearing under his breath. They were fast approaching what looked to be a planet. However, there was nothing noted on their star charts. She looked to the captain and back to the distorted view. The front of the shuttle tilted upwards as it met resistance.

We’re entering the atmosphere! Delvin called out, straining under the pull of the lever and attempting to reengage the manual navigation.

She screamed, a shrill penetrating cry emanating from deep within her. Her mind raced. Images, words, and places assaulted her; regret consumed her. The loss of her mother, the love of her father, so many emotions and memories, came colliding through her mind like an asteroid destroying a planet. She screamed again, seeing the distorted image of a mother she’d never seen, beckoning her, reaching out to her.

No, she barely managed, forcing the image of her mother from her mind, pushing the reminder of her mother’s death from her thoughts. No!

The shuttle banked again, lifting even higher into the air. Ariella choked back a scream as the blood drained from her face. Her eyes widened and she tried to scream again, but nothing came forth. She felt her belly wrenched as the craft spun and began to lose altitude.

Then something happened to her in the moment she felt the craft dip. A myriad of emotions assailed her, more so than ever before in her life. It was as if something sparked within her, causing her to feel more than she would have thought possible before this moment. It was so much so that she swore she witnessed a bright orb before darkness consumed her.

ARE YOU OKAY? THE voice was muddled.

Ariella’s brow furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes. Delvin’s voice reverberated as he repeated the question. She blinked, attempting to clear the haze from not only her eyes, but her mind as well. She clasped her brow, fighting the excruciating pain assailing her. She felt disoriented and upside down.

Ugh, she groaned, closing her eyes again.

You’re bleeding, he observed.

The small crack in Delvin’s voice was the only thing that betrayed how shaken he was. He seemed otherwise calm as he examined her wound. She opened her eyes and tried to focus. Her vision was still blurred and she felt dizzy. Had it not been for the seat belts, the crash landing would have been much worse. She fumbled with the harness, but it wouldn’t budge.

We need something sharp, he said, searching for anything with an edge.

I think we can wiggle ourselves out, she suggested. When she made the attempt, the harness tightened. Crap, that’s not going to work.

The captain peered around and then regarded her. Don’t panic, he whispered. But I think we’re not alone.

She glanced about the shuttle as far as her limited vantage allowed. Are you sure, Sir?

Over there, he jutted his chin. Something moved.

She followed his gaze, seeing nothing but plants. She craned her neck, straining to take in more from her precarious position.

Sir, do you think there’s any power left in the shuttle?

Let’s see, he replied, testing the buttons.

The engine sputtered and then died.

There might be something we can try, he said, gazing over at her. When I engage the engine, you release your harness before the power fails again.

She nodded, placing her hand near the button. Her fingers trembled, as they stood ready on the small square release. When he engaged the engine, her fingers froze. She tried to press the button, but the engine sputtered and died before she managed to make contact.

Delvin instructed her to take a deep breath before he made another attempt. This time, Ariella gained control over her movements. She grunted, grasping the sides of the seat as she fell free. After dangling in the air, she released her hold, landing on the roof of the inverted shuttle.

Now, let me unclasp yours, she told him. She leaned close and placed her hand on the release. Now go!

With a loud snap, the harness gave way.

Her smile faded. She felt the hairs on her neck prick up and immediately assumed a defensive posture.

Are you okay? Delvin’s voice was etched with concern.

She feigned a smile and nodded. Her eyes intently studied their surroundings before focusing once again on Delvin. The captain was more than twenty years her senior but his features gave no hint of that age difference. They had worked together for five years, and in that time, never had he lost his composure or strayed from his training. She had not realized how much that affected her. She drew from that strength and appreciated it even more so now.

Let’s see if we can salvage the shuttle, he suggested.

He clapped her on the shoulder, moving towards the piles of debris. He opened a hatch on the wall labeled Weapons Storage. Choosing a Laz-Dar gun, he tried adjusting the settings on the weapon. It would not engage. He squeezed the trigger and tried again.

Dammit!

He replaced the weapon and opted for the lightning whip. When he pressed the red button on the handle and uncoiled it into the air, nothing happened. He continued to lash out with the whip several more times to no avail.

Son of a—, he stopped, releasing a deep sigh. We have no power and no weapons. He gazed over to her and tossed a field knife to her. Pray we will have no need of it, he said, moving towards the hatch.

The hatch snapped open and the whine of the hydraulics echoed about them. He crawled free of the cabin, motioning for her to proceed. She took a sobering breath as she analyzed the damage to the shuttle. Despite her throbbing head, she felt herself blessed. The cabin had sustained significant damage during the impact. She was amazed they had survived.

What the hell just happened? she whispered under her breath, as she crawled free.

Her mind struggled to figure it out. She remembered thinking of her mother as the shuttle crash-landed on God knows where. She missed having her mother and even more so now. All she had was her work. She was an only child and her mother had passed when she was two years old. Whether it was memory or imagination, Ariella often saw flashes of her.

Her eyes closed, as she was once again overwhelmed with the memories. She had enlisted for her father, however, he had been lost on a mission and her sole purpose was to find him. That was the reason she took this job with Delvin. Now, it seemed for naught. How could she save her father when she herself needed saving?

In the past seven years, she had travelled extensively throughout the solar system but had found no trace of her father. Logically, she understood the universe was vast and the odds of finding him were remote. However, logic did not find her heart and that is what drove her, that and her determination. Though they had traveled many galaxies in their missions, there were many more they had not yet visited.  It was possible that he was somewhere she had not yet been. She was never going to give up on him nor herself.

Ariella! Delvin’s voice snapped her back to the present.

As she pushed the hair from her face, her mouth gaped at the beauty of the landscape. Never had they seen such a place. Her gaze was drawn to the crystal roses. Those she had heard; however, their description paled to the reality. The giant rose tree with transparent petals held her gaze. The tree’s purple leaves were overshadowed by the crystal-like rose petals. She took a step forward, almost entranced by the beautiful sparkling flower. As goose prickles sent a chill through her, found herself mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of colors cast by the rose. 

Delvin surveyed the damage to the shuttle and the devastation left in its wake. A ragged furrow plowed through the dense shrubbery and dirt patches was further than the eye could see. He was standing akimbo with his head tilted to one side. She followed his gaze, noticing some significant damage to the hull as well.

He walked over and smiled wistfully, reaching out and caressing the shuttle. His fingers traced the deep dents and gashes. He was not usually an emotional person, always standing resolute and commanding. This was different. His ship was lost and the shuttle was in near disrepair. These were his children and he would mend what wounds he could.

We’ll be fine, he said, trying to convince himself almost as much as Ariella.

No sooner than the words left his mouth when a jarring screech coming from the craft caused him to fall back a step.

What—what was that? she whispered. And where are we?

I don’t know, he answered, scrutinizing their surroundings.

Captain McTaggart moved closer to the shuttle, tapping on the hull. They knew then where the screech had come from when the outer shell of the shuttle split apart and crumbled into pieces at their feet.

Step back! He said, wrenching her away from the shuttle as the pieces fell. She could see how distraught he was as he stared at the mangled pieces.

Does this mean we’re stuck here? Ariella asked, halting him in place. Her voice sounded calm, but panic consumed her.

No, he said, but she knew he answered too quickly.

She nodded and then looked around at the flora, her gaze once again drawn to the crystal roses. This place reminded her of Earth, except that the colors of the plants were different. There were patches of dry and barren land that appeared more