The Skyehawk Chronicles: Neo Skyehawk, #1

By Todd Matthews

Neo Skyehawk always hated his Monarch status, so when he's forced into engagement with the spoiled Princess of the World of Gaia's most powerful dictatorial nation, his situation is rendered hopeless.

However, upon a chance encounter with a girl of Untouchable status named Seneca LaSalle, Neo decides to make a run for it.

Taking Seneca with him, the two look to escape their dreary lives, however in the process, they unleash a force they're unable to control.

And that force will travel oceans, kicking off the events that occur 500 years later in Lord of Columbia.

In this five-part story-in-cycle prequel to the Lord of Columbia Series, discover the origins of the Southpoint Empire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Todd Matthews
• Release date: Aug 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393064374

Todd Matthews

Todd Matthews is a—okay, talking in the third-person is weird, so hi, I’m Todd! I’m a professional Thought Criminal who hides behind a screen and pens random thoughts regarding liberty. When I jumbled my thoughts together, I created Northern Knights, Episode I in the Lord of Columbia Series and my second work, Fighting Tyranny. Well, that’s about all there really is to know, so let’s embrace liberty!

Book preview

To all who strive to spread their views and ideas to the world. Persevere, you deserve to be heard.

One

The Girl in the Highest Turret

The law. The stupid law. Neo Skyehawk would’ve chosen to be anywhere but here, entering the Palace at Tamuria.

Irvin waved Neo forward along with the rest of their party. Come on, now, you all know the Tamurians don’t like to keep their Palace doors open forever.

Neo and the rest of the party followed Irvin, who strode past the doorkeepers before ascending a flight of stairs, where another guard stood in their path.

He saluted Irvin. His Majesty’s Throne awaits, Sire.

The King pushed by the guard and continued.

Neo slouched behind, his boots shuffling the stone floor. Today would’ve been another pickup game with the townspeople of Ddraigoch, the Kingdom that Irvin ruled. They took to his game, shotball, they called it, with great interest. But of course, as is life of an Heir to the Throne, Neo was, well, already treated like an adult, despite being only fifteen.

Irvin pushed open the next door, where an overweight King wearing scarlet robes leaped to his feet and opened his arms. Ah, Irvin, about time, now, I was starting to get worried they’d shut the gates. The Francos are again giving us a rough time. Their little trade alliance with the Madridians, I say.

Irvin held up a hand. Well, isn’t that the little subplot of our visit today, south of the Southlandic Strait, Sire?

Ruslan winked. Aye. And, for the great announcement. He turned to Neo. I expect you’re excited, Boy?

Neo cracked a grin. Can’t wait. He craned his neck, but the room was empty from all angles. Uh, where is she?

Ruslan clutched his ribs as he roared with laughter. Oh, My Boy, she’ll be ready within the hour. Wanting to look her best for what we have planned for tonight.

Neo narrowed his eyes and turned to Irvin. What’s he getting at?

Irvin clapped Neo on the shoulder. You, Son, are about to become an engaged man.

A rock dropped in Neo’s stomach. "An engaged—what?"

Standing behind Neo along with his mother, Queen Zina, Aunt Aggie clutched her chest. Oh, Neo, isn’t this just wonderful news?

For a second, Neo lost the ability to speak. I-I’m fifteen.

Irvin smiled and inclined his head. The right age, Son.

The dinner party that followed took a good three hours, but to Neo, it lagged on for an eternity. Princess Kia kept a hand interlocked in his the entire time, kissing him when he had his head turned, ruffling his already thick hair, something that drove him up the stone walls, and speaking of how Ddraigoch’s and Tamuria’s relations would provide a formidable force in all of Eura.

She grasped Neo’s shoulder. And we’ll give those Francos such a good beating they’ll be forced to pay us tribute every single time we meet with them. Kia clenched her pudgy hand into a fist. And Neo here will cripple their currency if they object. Right, Neo?

Finally, at long last, Neo climbed into his bedroom at the top of the highest turret. This spiral staircase leading to his room represented his own, personal prison, the window his jail bars. He collapsed onto his bed and leaned over, head in his hands.

Everything was a full circle right now. Getting engaged to a girl whose father had taught her it was always Tamuria and any of their allies first. Anyone questioning or even outright refusing relations on Tamuria’s terms was labeled a bad guy and within hours Tamurians would be marching to fight a war that was based on lies and did nothing to improve its national security. Instead, the opposite would prove to be true; raise animosity toward Tamuria.

The ruse?

Oh, this Kingdom is making trade wars with an enemy; let’s sanction and go after them. They’ll see our might and we’ll force them into doing bidding on our terms, while further crippling enemies who’d done nothing but commit a crime, if one could call it that, of competing with one of the cornerstones to our economy.

Neo tore off his cloak and chucked it at the opposite wall. "Stupid life. Why did I have to be born into a stupid royal family that only cares about power, power, and more power? Ugh! If I could trade places with any of my friends down home, I’d swap in two seconds."

Ironically, all of Neo’s friends wished the opposite. What commoner wouldn’t want to be an Heir to a powerful Throne?

Well, just take twenty-four hours in his shoes. Swap places for twenty-four hours.

A wooden desk stood on the left-hand side and Neo slipped behind it into the wooden chair. He pulled a piece of parchment and dipped the quill into the ink. Perhaps getting some thoughts down and presenting them to Dad would be the best way to go about this.

Neo pushed his chair in and his knee struck something, which gasped. "What in Gaia?" He stuck out his hand and grabbed a fistful of cotton before crashing to the floor, the impact echoing off the walls.

It was a girl around his age, her blue eyes wide with a look of shock on her face. She raised an arm and waved.

Kneeling, Neo pulled out the chair. Who are you?

The girl’s eyes darted left and right, as if looking for a way out before locking them into Neo’s. I’m...Seneca.

What are you doing here?

I...I... she pulled a pamphlet from her pocket and handed it to Neo. It’s this stupid game we’re playing in the huts.

Neo skimmed through the pamphlet and turned it over. Your father’s a cranberry farmer?

Yeah. She slid out from under the desk. Didn’t realize I wrote my tasks on the back of one of his papers.

Neo climbed to his feet and strode to the bed. Come on, you can have a seat here.

She cast him a sideways glance. You’re not going to run to King Ruslan, huh?

Neo shook his head. I’d like to run as far away from this palace as I can, to be honest. I can trust a girl whose...fortunes aren’t as good as—

I’m a poor girl. She planted herself next to him. Rich Monarch like yourself can tell it like it is, I suppose.

Neo scoffed.

She turned to him. What? You all love your privileges, don’t you?

Neo handed her the pamphlet. No, as a matter of fact I don’t. I mean, think of it for a minute. I have to wear proper clothes all day long which are the most uncomfortable things imaginable, I’m forced to make appearances and travel all over the place, I have to be formally educated in every last subject, and to top it all off, I’m getting married to a girl I don’t even like.

Why?

Neo crossed his arms and stretched out on the bed. Because of these stupid laws where—

You can only marry within your caste. Yeah, I get it. I already have farmers’ sons asking my father for a courtship.

And?

Seneca smiled. Well, my dad’s a little more liberal than most, so the final say rests with me. Says it’s the least he can do for bringing me into a world where my only functions are to help him on the farm and breed like an animal.

To create more taxpayers. Yeah, I get it. It’s the same as in Ddraigoch. It’s so stupid. All I want to do is commission a league for this game I invented.

Seneca perked up. I like games.

Neo raised an eyebrow. Has shotball traveled to Tamuria?

Seneca tightened her lips. Not that I can recall.

Well, I invented shotball. See, you have eleven players on both sides of a field—

I’d feel better if I can actually see a game and play it over hearing about it.

Neo leaped to his feet and grabbed his cloak off the floor. Let’s go then.

Seneca sat frozen to the bed. What do you mean?

Look, I’m an engaged man and I feel like a prisoner. I’m not about to live my whole life this way. I just want to be like—you, to be perfectly honest.

The lowest of castes?

Neo threw his cloak on and fastened it, as the winds would be whipping tonight. He strode to a wooden wardrobe and seized a black cloak decorated with emeralds. Here. The lowest of castes is getting royal clothing.

Seneca caught the cloak. "Who are you?"

Neo slammed the wardrobe door. I’m so worked up I never even introduced myself. Name’s Neo Skyehawk. They call me Prince Neo, but I don’t like being called Prince, so just call me Neo.

Seneca stood. Okay. Um, how do we get out of here without being caught?

Neo nodded to the window. Okay, I guess there is a perk to being a Prince after all. I’m a Fire Master. He held out a hand.

Seneca shuddered. And I’m an Untouchable.

You can’t choose which family you’re born into. Come on.

Seneca glowered and grabbed his hand with her fingertips.

Neo locked his fingers in hers. Seneca, stop it. You’re rebel enough for breaking into this palace and saving me from a stupid wedding and meaningless life.

Seneca drew a breath. You’re a Monarch, I’m an Untouchable.

No, you’re human. You ready for this?

Seneca shot him a reproachful look, but nodded.

Two

The Forest

Neo erupted with Seneca a few yards within the tree-line.

Right, I think we’re good to go. He pulled Seneca ahead, but she dug her worn boots into the ground. He turned back. What?

Seneca tore her hand away. Do you know what’s in this forest?

I’m sure we can take whatever it is. He reached into his sheath and retrieved a Sword. Ever hear of the Stoicheions?

Seneca rolled her eyes. Only the most prominent get awarded those Swords. She kicked into a windsurf, spun, and directed a gust into the forest.

Not bad.

Seneca nodded to the Palace, just visible through the trees. And if Ruslan saw that he’d conscript me into the Tamurian Army in two seconds where I’d be used as fodder against whomever they try to attack next. They only have military stationed all over and around Eura, Lemuria, Atlantis, and Asa.

Trust me, I’ve heard it all at our stupid dinner party where I was forced to kneel and put a ring on Princess Kia’s finger. Stupid thing barely fit.

Seneca paced around him. Tragic.

Neo turned, where the forest’s darkness awaited. Let’s go.

We’d be much better off taking the main roads.

No, we wouldn’t. I’d be scolded for walking the streets at night by my father and you’d be—

I’m more than willing to take my chances of being hung than facing a garou or something sinister. She turned back toward the Palace.

Neo returned his Sword and hurried after her. There are guard towers all over the place, are you crazy?

You already saw the damage I can do with wind and I wasn’t even trying hard.

Neo pointed to the guard towers situated every few feet. These snipers are deadly. And they know how to control all the elements. Some are Stoicheions, others are Philosophics, and others can invade minds and whatnot. Trust me, you’d be better off in the forest.

Seneca looked over his shoulder.

Neo turned, again to darkness. What?

Which way’s north?

Neo turned in all four directions.

After thirty seconds, Seneca crossed her arms and tilted her head to one side. You have an answer yet, or are you just going to stand there? Didn’t you say something about formal education?

Neo pointed toward the Palace. That way. I know it is.

Okay, how?

He nodded to the sky. Venus rises in the south.

Seneca furrowed her eyebrows. "No, it doesn’t. Gee, I thought you Monarchs had the best tools there were to learning. Venus rises in the west."

So much for being Untouchable. I thought you didn’t have access to education.

We don’t. I learned everything by mere curiosity. Look, we’re wasting time. Do you want to go my route, or go—what’s that?

A cry came from the Palace.

Neo rubbed his temples. Oh, Lord of Gaia, help us please. It’s Kia, and she’s whining.

Seneca grimaced at Kia’s ever-increasing wails. Aren’t you going to do something about your fiancée?

Neo turned on his heel. Nope.

Where are you going?

Away from here. Neo turned back to Seneca. They’re going to have a search team out in about five minutes. Are you coming with me or are you going to risk being sentenced to death for invading Royal property?

Seneca looked to the Palace as lit torches poured from the entrances and she bolted for Neo.

He took her hand again. Come on and stay beside me.

Wasn’t planning on going anywhere else.

Good, because you’re going to have to redirect us north. You know that, right?

Had you just listened to me rather than debate me—

We’d be on the main road and destined to get caught. At least in here we have some shelter.

Seneca sneered. Yeah, like that’ll hold for long.

Look, just stop being difficult. I’m trying to save you from dying as much as I’m trying to save myself from leading Ddraigoch behind the Tamurians in battle.

Seneca broke into a windsurf. Well, if you weren’t so dim—

Neo mimicked Seneca’s windsurf. Just shut up and let’s get out of here.

For two hours, they surfed before coming upon a stream. It must’ve been well past midnight now, as Neo collapsed to his knees. My goodness, I’m beat.

Seneca lay on the ground, sucking air. You think they’ll come in this far?

I doubt they would at this hour. He crawled over. You okay?

She flashed a double thumbs-up. Just out of breath.

You know, I’m glad you snuck into the Palace. As strange as it sounds.

Seneca closed her eyes for a moment before sitting. You must really hate that girl.

Neo cocked his head. Ah, hate’s a strong word. I wouldn’t go that far.

Seneca tucked her knees in. I’ve yet to hear one good thing about her.

Well, she’s not interested in my game, she loves power, she’s a glutton, she treats her servants like animals getting ready for slaughter, she demands being carried through town on a litter, and man, she hates her father’s enemies more than he does. She’s a self-centered brat who’s never had to lift a finger in life. I swear, she’s going to end up confined to a bed because she’ll be too fat to walk.

Anything good?

Neo snickered. Alright, fine, I’m busted. What about you?

I already told you I’ve turned down every guy who’s wanted me.

Why?

Because I don’t feel like breeding every year-and-a-half only to put another soul in debt so Tamuria can print more money on their stupid little printing presses and tax its people all into obscurity while forcing us to raise our prices to the point no one can afford our goods and we all go hungry.

You can eat what you grow.

Cranberries for the rest of my days will only take one so far.

Well, it doesn’t seem like you’d be much use to any society, so wouldn’t you just—

And it’s a dream come true. I’m quite glad I hid up in that room earlier, myself. Had you not been in there, who knows what kind of monotony awaited me after the little thrill of sneaking past the King’s guards and into his Palace ended. Whether it ended good or bad. She removed the cloak and her top layer, revealing a sleeveless top.

Well, I can definitely tell you’re a rebel. Most women wouldn’t dare show their arms.

Seneca shrugged. What’s the point? I’m Untouchable.

Neo nodded to her upper arm. Why do you have a snake drawn on your arm?

It’s not drawn, it’s tattooed on. Means it won’t come off.

May I ask why you’re covering yourself in something that won’t come off?

She ran her finger down her tattoo. Because I can. What’s it to the King and Queen how I look so long as I can make kids who grow into grunts?

Seneca, I’ll be honest, if you hate us Monarchs so much why not just duel me the second you saw me?

She wrapped her hands around her knees and rested her chin on them. I honestly wasn’t thinking or else I’d have belted you across the room in two seconds with a gust. It would’ve made my day.

And now?

I don’t like Monarchs, but since you dragged me into this mess, I’m stuck. Should’ve just left you to fend for yourself.

Well, why didn’t you?

Seneca stared across the stream.

"Well?"

Seneca twisted her jaw and shook her head.

Neo lay back on the ground. Whatever.

After a minute, she turned to him. Well, you’re all I got, and at least you’re not one of those brash, I’m better than everyone kind of Monarch you say your girlfriend is.

Neo hoisted himself onto his elbows. Will you stop calling her my girlfriend? Heck I’d date anyone before I’d date her, let alone marry her, because I’m next to a stream by a girl I’m not sure likes me or not.

I just told you, I don’t like Monarchs.

Three

Eastern Sunrise

Something drilled his shoulder. He whacked at whatever it was. " Ugh, stop it. "

Are you going to get up, or what?

Neo opened his eyes, where Seneca towered over him.

He smiled. Hey.

Get up, you said last night they might come for us once the sun’s out. Well, take a good look.

Neo climbed to his feet. Which way’s north?

Seneca pointed. Sun rises in the east, so that way’s north. Come on, we need to put as much distance between them as we can.

You’re a reckless one, you know?

Don’t try to flirt with me.

Neo threw up his hands.

She faced the sunrise. I’m sure my dad’s worried sick, and my mom’s already getting a search team of her own. Should’ve left you alone last night.

Are you going to answer my question as to why you didn’t just go?

Seneca burst with laughter. Because your privileged butt wouldn’t last two hours out here. You can’t even tell me which way’s north. That’s twice you’ve failed.

He caught up to her. What do we do now?

She indicated bushes a few yards ahead. Finding wild berries so we don’t starve.

I thought you said last night—

I don’t plan on eating them forever. She picked a handful of berries and tasted one. Yup, these are okay. Little sour and dry, but they’ll do. You going to have any or are you just going to stand there like an idiot?

Neo tore a few berries. Seneca was right, they were rather sour but energizing all the same. Mind telling me where exactly we’re headed?

Seneca selected another berry. I don’t know, somewhere Ruslan and his little mind-traveling police force can’t find us.

Why not come with me to Ddraigoch and you can start a new life there? I’ll teach you shotball.

Seneca paused.

Why not?

She threw another berry into her mouth. I never said no.

Well?

I’ll think about it. She looked ahead before turning back to him. I have a snake tattooed on me. You really think those in Ddraigoch will take to me? They’re just like the Tamurians, the way you talk about them.

You’re forgetting who the Prince is.

And now you’re on the run. She waved him forward. Come on, let’s put some distance between them.

They hiked another three hours until the sun peaked.

Seneca shielded her eyes. Ah, just after Lughnasadh. Always forget how faster the days get. Shame, it’ll be winter soon enough. Summer’s death always comes too fast.

We finally found some common interest. I’m not a winter guy.

She glanced at him. What’s your season?

I’m not going to lie, I like them all but winter.

She nodded. Yeah, we do have something in common, I guess. Let’s park here and rest some. Maybe after an hour or so we’ll windsurf until we can’t see straight?

Neo sat with his back against a tree. Just wish I knew when this forest ends.

She took a seat next to him. Newsflash, they don’t. We just have to get some air and see if there are any towns. She looked over and bit her lip. I should say—thanks—for, uh, giving me this cloak. If we do have to stop in any towns, I’ll at least be able to pose as one of you.

Neo waved her off. Don’t mention it. You’ve been the hero so far.

Seneca looked off into the distance. It’s just being an Untouchable, you have to fend for yourself. Become self-taught, not fall for the ruse the Monarchs want to use you for, just working, breeding, and never living past fifty. We’re just pawns, Neo. And that’s—

Growls erupted all around.

Neo pulled his Sword and stood. What’s that?

That’s a mountain cat. They hunt in packs. Seneca climbed to her feet and edged around the tree. They’re hunting us. She nudged Neo and looked up. Not just that, we’ve company up top, too.

Neo swallowed, as no fewer than a dozen creatures with eight-foot wingspans and foot-long curled beaks eyed them from the sides of their faces. You know any other element than just wind?

Seneca shook her head as the growls around them grew.

"Okay, I’ll take the birds and send some fire-blasts, you windsurf and get the cats. One, two, three, go!" Neo kicked into a windsurf and swung, conjuring a fire-blast which forced the bird-like creatures back over the trees.

Neo surfed higher and was surrounded by a dozen more, all of whom set their sights on him and flew inward, but he dropped back to the treetops, where they nearly collided with one another in midair.

He raised his Sword and again conjured a blast, but this time morphed it into a fire-spin, trapping a bird and incinerating it. The others swooped in and he repeated the maneuver, killing another.

This time the remaining birds caught the hint but bolted for Seneca, forcing Neo to windsurf in front of them and fire two more rounds.

His feet found the ground, where Seneca stood a few yards away, emitting whirlwind after whirlwind, but the mountain cats continued their onslaught.

The birds again descended, Neo caught one with his Sword-blade, where it screeched and took flight as the other neared Seneca. He fired a blast right before it sunk its beak into her skin as the mountain cats multiplied and encircled them.

He surfed into Seneca, lifted her onto his windsurf, and took off for the trees.

The second she realized what was going