Soul of an Empire: Volume 1- Into The Fire

By Daniel Arnold

Norah Anam begins her career as a Roman Patrolwoman in Florida in the hunt for a mad bomber who has kidnapped one of the world's richest women and put the resort town of Empire City on edge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Arnold
• Release date: Jan 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463524329

Daniel Arnold

I am Daniel Arnold, an author out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who spends every winter wishing I lived in Florida instead. I have been writing and cultivating my fiction for quite some time, though I only joined Smashwords in 2020. My fiction isn't just a book or a comic or a series of art- it's an entire fictional project, where I have literally created an alternate world that I call Vicendum. It is my fantasy world where I re-imagine our world and craft it the way I want to craft it. Chief among that is that the Roman Empire never fell, but there are several other differences between our world and Vicendum. Vicendum doesn't have a central narrative or a central character, but it does have a central theme- what does it mean to do the right thing? You'll see, through this world, that there are many different ways of approaching this question- and there may not be any wrong way to do it. Or a right way, for that matter...

Book preview

Soul of an Empire: Volume 1- Into The Fire

Daniel Arnold

Copyright 2020 by Daniel Arnold

Smashwords Edition

Part of the Vicendum Project. For more information on the project, see vicendum.wikia.com.

Preamble

In an alternate world, the Roman Empire never fell, surviving to the modern day, while the Cold War caused the collapse of both the United States of America and the Soviet Union. The Romans tried to restore order in both territories, creating the North American Union in the USA's place, but they are opposed by the Virtue Federation, the replacement for the United Nations that claims to be anti-imperial but is anything but.

In the middle of it all is Norah Anam, a fiery, no-nonsense detective who is deeply proud of her Irish heritage. She considers no challenge too small, but little does she realize she's getting drawn into her greatest challenge yet.

Story

"Those who project strength do so to hide the greater weakness that lies within."- Byzantine proverb

July 28, 2019,

00:12 local time,

Pirate Port,

Pirate Harbour, Empire City, Florida

Big Cornelius, said a man in a business suit and a bowler hat as he approached Big Cornelius, who was indeed a big, beefy man who looked even tougher with his goatee, short hair and denim jacket/pants combo, both cut off at the shoulders and at the knees.

Are you the man they call 'Tyler'? said Big Cornelius, approaching the man in the bowler hat. The man in the bowler hat then outstretched his arm to reveal a tattoo that read 777, a sign that he was indeed Tyler, a member of the Soldiers of the Lord.

Good, said Big Cornelius, shaking Tyler's hand. What have you got for me today?

50, said Tyler. Split half and half...all between the ages of 18 and 20. Just as you asked.

Tyler then directed one of his men to open the trailer of the truck, where 25 men and 25 women- who were all chained together and were as young as advertised- were ushered out and down to the ground towards Big Cornelius, who was preparing to load them onto a shipping barge.

When the group stopped in front of Big Cornelius, he walked towards them. They were all naked, allowing for an easier inspection by Big Cornelius, one he gleefully conducted. He took his time touching, groping, fondling and caressing every slave as much as he could, even taking the time to deeply kiss some of the slaves.

When he was done, he was thoroughly impressed with the haul- they all were in great physical condition, great able bodies he knew he'd make a killing on- but when he turned his attention back to Tyler, his tone changed considerably.

They're all nice specimens, he said, but I was expecting a lot more.

Participation was low this week, explained Tyler. Either this city is in some kind of boom period or we just didn't get as many volunteers. This was the best I could do.

That's not good enough, Tyler, said Big Cornelius, as Tyler began to get nervous.

"Sir...sir...sir! said Tyler, cupping his hands together and beginning to plead. Please, you gotta believe me...it's the best I could do! If you want this trade to continue, we've got to follow along with the rules."

That's always the excuse, said Big Cornelius, let out a heavy huff. "Those stupid rules! When are you numbskulls going to realize we're criminals...we don't have to follow the rules!"

He then grabbed Tyler by the neck and began to squeeze. Tyler fought valiantly to free himself from Big Cornelius' grasp, but it was fruitless given Big Cornelius' far superior strength. As Big Cornelius slowly choked the life out of Tyler, several thoughts went through his head. Business was booming, so he desperately wanted to keep up with demand, but 50 slaves wouldn't be enough to do it. He could always raise his prices but then he'd be outsold by his competitors. Big Cornelius then thought that if he didn't have to follow along with the rules then he'd be able to secure a lot more slaves and more easily keep up with the market.

He then thought that Tyler was right, as the rules did a very good job of protecting him. Ten years he ran his business following along with the underworld's rules, and they always served him well. Next week, he'd do much better- this week was just a bump in the road.

Big Cornelius then released Tyler from his grip and dropped him to the ground, leaving Tyler a coughing, gagging heap on the ground. Eventually, after wheezing and panting for quite some time, Tyler was able to regain his breath, allowing him to get up.

You could have killed me, said Tyler, who was simply indignant. He then grabbed his neck where Big Cornelius clutched on to him the most.

Eh, said Big Cornelius. It's just a scratch. You'll be better in a few days.

Just then the two men were interrupted by the sounds of screams in the distance, screams that slowly got closer. They turned around to see two girls- both teens- fighting the men guarding the haul and making short work of them. Both girls were wearing helmets with small metallic wings at their sides and a large feather that draped over their heads, with an opening that allowed their hair to get through. They both wore large masks that covered their foreheads and their eyes, along with tiny string bikini tops and bottoms, as well as boots that went to their knees and gloves that extended to their elbows. One of them had red hair and thus had all her equipment coloured red, except her bikini which was pitch black, save for a wing-like design on her breasts, a large butterfly on the front of her panties and a heart on her butt, all coloured red. The other one was blonde, and she switched all the red parts with blue parts, except for a white-winged part on the top half of both cups on her breasts and a tiny blue microskirt with a black, frilly trim with a white felt flower serving as the skirt's buckle.

Big Cornelius and Tyler thought the two girls were downright beautiful, but they didn't have too much time to admire the pair. They tried to confront the pair themselves but the girls made quick work of all the guards and soon made quick work of Tyler as well.

This left them with Big Cornelius, whose size meant he did put up quite the fight, but in several quick moves, the two girls levelled Big Cornelius and left him writhing in pain on the ground.

As Big Cornelius lay on the ground, panting heavily and shocked that women so small could pack enough punch to get him to the ground, the girl in blue got on top of him and pressed her forearm into his windpipe, making it hard for him to breathe.

Who do you work for? shouted the blue girl. When Big Cornelius didn't respond, the blue girl pressed harder which