Light Of The Mortal God: Galaxy Overload, #1

By Lucas DeAndreis

When Planet Earth faces breaking point, society is forced to divide into different planets. The rich are allowed to remain on Earth, the middle class is moved to Mars, while everyone else has to go to their designated planet based on social class. Pluto is chosen to be where all the convicts go. However, on evacuation day a convict manages to trick a little boy, Roy, a middle class-citizen bound for Mars, and steals his ticket. Roy, ripped from his mothers arms, finds himself forced onto Pluto with no means of escape and struggles to survive. But, one day everything changed, he meets a friend. A creature of mystery who's feared by everyone except Roy, who finds the goodness in him. As they settle into their lives they are suddenly propelled into a new adventure which causes Roy to question everything he thought he knew about himself. With unexpected magic, his life is going to change forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lucas DeAndreis
• Release date: Oct 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201997137

Lucas DeAndreis

Lucas DeAndreis was born in San Mateo, California in 1996. He's a financial analyst by profession and an avid reader and writer by heart. Ever since going to this astronomy camp as a little kid, he's long harbored a passion for astrophysics and the wonders of the universe, which helped shape this story. He's been writing stories since he was little and now he gets to share his third novel in the Galaxy Overload series, Battle For Alara, as an author. When he's not writing he loves playing with his dog who was the inspiration behind the creature Roary in the first novel.

Book preview

Prologue

One shining ball of blinding light permeates its influence across an infinite universe of dark nothingness. Nothing seems to be going on. Or nothing at least wants to. There are no galaxies, planets, stars, asteroids, comets. Nothing. All that seems to be present is one hovering, glowing entity. And that entity isn’t quite what is usually expected to be sitting around in the vacuum of space. It could almost be mistaken as a star based on its shimmering glow, but its own unique abstractness takes away that notion. On both sides of the entity sit two depthless jagged holes, way too elaborate and precise to be random. They must have a purpose. Key holes perhaps, from the configuration, but that’s only judging from one human’s limited perspective.

After years and years of sitting and pondering from the glowing entity, it finally decides to act. Why it feels now is the perfect time remains to be seen. But something gives it the confidence, the certainty, that all things will play better this go around.

The gleaming light from the entity begins to fade into a bleak, gloomy gray. Suddenly, luminous fluorescent walls converge all around the sphere. The lighted walls justly connect with one another, taking the form of a deeply vast room with the entity majestically hovering in the center. After, sparks of light begin to crackle near the glowing sphere, and one large flat circle sits below. The circle is then split in half, making two sides—one dark and the other light. More  sparks begin to crackle, and the dark half of the circle is split into three sections. Colors begin to blossom within the sections. On the left shines a dark, moody, red color, in the middle, pure blackness, and on its right radiates a sickly molding brown.

On the light half of the circle, on the right, opposite of the moody red, shines a healthy green. Next to it, at the middle, opposite of the black, shines the brightest glowing white you could ever see. Even more bright than the glowing entity. And finally, on the white’s left, opposite of the rotten brown color, is a light luscious pink. With this entire colored wheel forming, the glowing entity infuses its light across all the sections, as if somehow its color is mutually connected within the circle.

All of a sudden, something new begins to form. Two beings on opposite sides of the circle begin to emerge. One stands on the side of the light colors, and the other stands on the side of the looming darkness. On the light stands Lustia, a dazzling light gray majestic being. Her size towers inside of the room. She holds an enormous staff in her hands. The end of the staff holds a highly complex jagged configuration, as if the staff isn’t for combat or an old walking stick, but for something else. Niton, Lustia’s counterpart, equally towering and imposing, if not more, stands on his end of the circle. The color of Niton, instead of the stunning dazzling gray of Lustia, is darker and grim. He also holds a colossal staff in hand.

Lustia and Niton look to each other across the way. They nod nervously, knowing what needs to be done. Niton hovers toward the sickly brown section and sticks his staff down into the depths of the color. A new being begins to rise and form. The being rises from the bottomless color, like a zombie arising from his grave. Niton has conceived Sarma. And Sarma is someone that is absolutely revolting; many would vomit at first site. It’s as if he has the flu and millions of other different diseases at once. He looks as if he wants to collapse, but Niton knows Sarma is an incredibly valuable asset in his plan. Sarma must endure.

Opposite of Sarma, Lustia begins to conceive a being of her own. She sticks her staff into the pink, and up rises Tamera. Now Tamera is someone that one could gaze upon for hours. She’s nothing like the decrepit Sarma. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her figure is pudgy and rounded, but her incredibly sweet smile and warm gentle presence induce a desire to embrace. Rounded seats form underneath the two beings. Both Tamera and Sarma bow before Niton and Lustia and then take their seats.

Lustia and Niton hover toward the end section of their hemispheres, red and green respectively. Lustia, from her power, conceives Andora. She rises, tall and slim, almost reaching the heights of Lustia. There’s a powerful glare in her stare. She stands upright, bursting with supreme confidence. She then bows and takes her seat. Over on Niton’s end, amidst the red, rises the ferociously intimidating Khaldüm. His natural stare is already piercing and full of anger. But once he sees the color he’s been given, the section he’s been assigned, that stare turns even more frightening. He gazes at his red body and everything that comes with it, deeply hurt. He turns back to Niton, almost appearing as if he wants to fight him on the spot. But Niton gives an intense glare back, and Khaldüm then begins to submit. Khaldüm takes his seat but doesn’t bow.

Finally, Niton and Lustia hover over to white and black respectively, to conceive their last and final beings. Through the blinding whiteness Lesis arises. A giant decorative crown sits atop his head, but the crown is not fully on and tilts to the side. His cloaked robes aren't fully fitted as well. Lustia tries to help Lesis get himself in order.

Out from the darkness arises Drecarth. Unlike Lesis, Drecarth is incredibly imposing and has himself fully composed. He reaches eye level with Niton, he’s so big. Cloaked all in black, a dark royal crown sits over his head. Drecarth bows nobly and takes his seat. Lesis watches Drecarth bowing across the way as Lustia tries to help him get properly fitted. Once finished, Lesis tries to imitate Drecarth’s perfect bow form. He bends himself over but goes a little bit too far. The weight of his body causes him to tip over and lose balance. Lustia catches Lesis before he falls over. Lesis looks up at Lustia with a pure and innocent smile, like one of a young child. Lustia puts her hand on Lesis’ face, smiling back and encouraging the virtuous Lesis.

Niton and Lustia hover back to their ends of the circle, staring out at all their creations. The room is shaped as if in preparation for a big circular council meeting, as the bright glowing entity hovers in the center of all of it. Everything is ready. All that needs to be said now is the final order to set everything in motion.

‘’You may begin,’’ echoed Niton and Lustia.

We’ll see where this cycle takes us.

Chapter 1

Roy opened the door to his room with a bright smile on his face. His hair was ruffled with bed head and he had on his favorite pajamas of little green dinosaurs. It was Saturday morning and it was the one time of the week where joy actually fed into his soul. In the year 3,061 AD getting through a week was an accomplishment of its own. Roy was so young though only six. The harsh times he lived in hadn’t clicked yet. Where reality had so many problems with climate control, overpopulation, and practically no resources for anyone, the only thing he knew how to do was be a kid. All he knew was Saturday mornings was the time for pancakes, bacon and cartoons. For which he endeared so much of.

Upon arriving at the dining table, Roy noticed something though. His mother wasn’t in the kitchen. That was odd, she was always up early making noise and rummaging through things. Roy assumed she was still getting up from bed.

So, he waited at the table. And waited. And waited. Five minutes turned into ten minutes, and ten minutes turned into thirty. Roy thought, Wow, she really must be tired, but Roy’s stomach was rumbling mightily, and he wanted his weekly pancake fix. Not a boring dry piece of toast again like most days.

Roy then went up to his mother’s room after another few minutes. In his mind he wanted to jump on her bed and get her to wake up. Since it was Saturday she wouldn’t be too mad. The mounting excitement came to a halt when he made his way up to her door.  It was closed which was another odd thing because his mom always had it open. She did that just in case Roy had a bad dream or sleep walked into her room which happened a lot with him. Roy opened the door with an elevated level of caution that bubbled from his chest out of nowhere.

‘’Mom?’’ Roy whispered. ‘’Mommy?’’

To Roy’s surprise, she wasn’t there. The room was empty. There was an eerie quietness too. And a hollow feel like no one had been there awhile. Roy felt a dagger of fear pierce him so strongly that he didn't know what to think. Roy then headed to the bathroom door. It was the last place she could be. Perhaps she was getting out of the shower or just getting ready. Roy always had hope but not for the people he loved. He always feared for the worst in situations like this. Even as young as he was, he worried like an old soul.

Roy slowly walked a few steps to the door, stalling for the potentially dreaded inevitable. The apartment was incredibly small and congested because of the government's aggressive efforts to conserve the most space possible, so there weren’t too many places she could be. And she definitely hadn’t gone for a morning Saturday run at the grocery store. That would be suicide. Everyone knows you shop at midnight. So Roy knew the bathroom was it, or she definitely wasn’t home.

Roy stood in front of the door, hesitating to knock, but curiosity finally won over fear.

‘’Mommy, you there?" No one answered. Roy knocked again. ‘’Mommy?’’

Roy started to become upset, fearing for the worst. He didn’t want to open the door because he feared she may not even be in there. Or nowhere for that matter. So denial kicked in.

‘’Um, Mommy, I know you're in there getting ready, but it’s Saturday and you always make pancakes on Saturday.’’

Again, no one answered. Roy hid his emotions by laughing off the troubling situation.

‘’You know what Mommy, it’s okay. I don’t need pancakes. You need a break. I’ll just go on down and make some toast. Or better yet, how ‘bout I make breakfast, would you like that Mommy?’’

Still, utter silence.  Roy then walked away to the kitchen. ‘’I-I’ll make breakfast. I-I’ll make breakfast,’’ he repeated to himself.

In the kitchen, he pulled out the pancake mix. At only six years old, he had no idea what he was doing. But he’d watched his mom cook a lot, so maybe he could muster something up in some miracle.

He got a big bowl and poured the bag of pancake mix. But It was too heavy so he spilled it all over the floor.

‘’Oh, jeesh.’’ The powder poofed up when it hit the floor and it caused Roy to cough. He had just ruined breakfast in a matter of seconds. But Roy improvised. ‘’I know! I know! The floor will be my bowl!’’ Roy filled a huge cup of milk and poured it all over the floor. He mashed the mix and milk together to get a dough. It was like a little kid playing in the mud. ‘’That's good! Good!’’ But after that Roy was confused. ‘’Hmm, what comes after this? I forget. Somehow they have to become pancakes but I can’t remember...’’ Roy’s brain hurt. He couldn’t figure it out. ‘’Aww dang it!’’ Roy tried his best to think but it was too hard so he accepted the inevitable. ‘’I gotta eat that yucky toast again!’’

Roy then made four slices of toast with jam.

‘’Mom! Your toast is ready!’’ Roy yelled up to his mom in the bathroom. ‘’If you don’t eat them, they’ll get cold, or I guess I’ll eat them!’’ He laughed nervously at his remark.

Roy ate his toast alone at the table. They’d never tasted this bad before. He didn’t even want them really, but he managed to swallow them down somehow. Toast never tasted so crappy.

After breakfast, he stood in front of the bathroom door and waited. He didn’t want to open it. He didn’t want to say anything more. He just hoped his mom would be ready at some point, and the door would swoosh open and she would come out. Then he’d give her a big hug and forget this whole thing was even worth getting upset over. But she didn’t come. Hours passed until night rolled around and still nothing. Until...

There were loud booms at the front door. It sounded like a robber, but it wasn’t. It was a woman. Roy’s mom, Emma. It was finally her.

‘’Mommy!’’ Roy yelled as he rushed her, ready to hug. ‘’Where were you? I messed up the kitchen!’’

Roy’s mom looked totally exhausted and miserable walking through the door. She paid no attention to Roy. Something was up and even the young six-year-old Roy could see it. She stormed right past Roy and went into the bedroom, grabbing suitcases from the closet. She moved in a frenzy like someone was trying to kill her. Rummaging through clothes and certain valuables, she began stuffing the suitcases. Roy stood in the doorway, petrified.

‘’Um, Mommy. I, uh, made you toast.’’

She didn’t answer. She was moving too quickly and was too chaotically enthralled with her packing to respond.

‘’They’re pretty cold now, but I can make you a new ones?’’ Still nothing. Roy then found the strength to speak up so she could hear. ‘’Mom!’’

She snapped out of it and finally looked at Roy.

‘’What’s wrong with you, Mom? I waited for you forever.’’

Roy’s mom knelt next to him, putting both of her hands on his face. ‘’Roy, don’t ask questions now. Later. I promise I will answer. But for now, I need you to go to your room and pack anything valuable you can find.’’

‘’But I don’t understand what’s happening. Why can’t we just watch cartoons?’’ Roy said.

‘’Roy!’’ Emma snapped in anger.

She never got this mad. Ever.

‘’Roy, please. I need you to do this. Don’t ask questions and please do what I say.’’

She gave Roy a little push to get him moving. Roy turned around slightly. His eyes began to water. Emma couldn’t stand the sight of her frightened child. Her eyes began to water as well, but she quickly focused on the task at hand and finished up her packing.

Inside Roy’s room, which was incredibly small, Roy retrieved his miniature suitcase from the closet. There really wasn’t much to pack—a few items of clothing, some toys off the shelf, and a few comics. And he definitely couldn’t leave his favorite book of all, Drecarth and Nightmare. The story chronicled the universal reign of an unknown being long ago that nearly devastated the universe in death and darkness. The divine being was eventually captured, but his pet, known as Nightmare, still hadn’t been caught to this day. It roamed the universe, destroying planets, stars, asteroids, anything it came in contact with, as it pleased. Like a crazed satanic mad dog left off its leash.

The problem though was, whether out of fear or denial, many people over time began to label the whole ordeal as made up fantasy. A make-believe story intended for kids at bedtime. But how could something that once felt so real become unreal by only the effects of time itself? Roy wasn’t having any of it. He knew it was real. He knew it happened. He wasn’t going to join the crowd by brushing it off and accepting that it didn’t. Because it did. And it was something everyone had to deal with.

Could that be why Roy’s mom was so terrified beyond belief? No. Impossible. The universe was way too vast for them to ever encounter such a thing in their tiny solar system. Right? But there was always that looming threat. That feeling of, what if it’s us this time?

Roy grabbed the book and placed it on top above everything. But he wished he had the newer version, Mortal God. That book delved deeper into the hero that actually saved them from Drecarth. Like Drecarth, no one knew where the being came from or what happened to him, but every living being scattered across the universe recognized the name. Mortal God. And whether people wanted to realize it or not, they were all alive and present here today because of him. But what happened to him? He disappeared after the war, and no one ever saw him again. Oh, well. Roy needed to finish packing or else his mom would get even crazier.

Once finished, Roy inched out of the room only to find that his mother was already standing in the hall with two suitcases and a backpack. It startled Roy and he jumped a little in his skin.

‘’You ready, Roy?’’ his mom said sharply. ‘’We must leave now.’’

‘’Can you just give me a hint of what’s going on, ’’ he said. She ignored Roy as she grabbed all the suitcases, placing them near the door. ‘’Is it the beast, Nightmare? Are we gonna get to see the Mortal God!’’ Roy exclaimed.

‘’Not now, Roy!’’ Emma snapped at him again, not wanting to hear another word of his fairytales. It was all he talked about, really.  ‘’They’re gonna be here any second and we...’’

Boom! Boom! The front door was met with repeated pounding. Someone was at the door.

‘’Oh, god,’’ Roy’s mom whispered. She looked down at Roy, frightened for him. ‘’Stay behind me, and don’t say a word, you understand me, Roy?’’

Roy wasn’t going to ask any more questions and make the situation more difficult. He saw the panic in his mom’s eyes and understood that he would need to listen. He nodded and fully embraced his mom’s orders. Boom! Boom! Boom! The knocks got louder. Roy’s mom scurried to the front and opened the door. There stood two fully armed men, with highly technologically advanced plated armor, and long black batons.

‘’Why aren’t you at the docks?’’ Said one of the men. ‘’You knew today was the day of the operation. Cosmo clearly made it known around the world and yet still here you are.’’

‘’Please sir, I was just trying to get a grasp of the situation,’’ Emma quietly said. ‘’ I didn’t know we were late.’’ The man took an abrupt step forward. Emma shrunk fearfully beneath him. He took out a device. A datapad. He studied it for a few moments.

‘’It says here you’re assigned to Earth’s moon? I don’t believe it,’’ the guard said. ‘’This is a great opportunity and you’re gonna piss it away?’’ The guard looked down at Roy, who was peeking at the man from his mother’s thigh. ‘’That’s a cute little boy you got.’’

‘’Don’t you look at him!’’ Roy’s mom screamed into the man’s face. In an instant she was viciously met with a backhand to the head, sending her down to the ground. Roy horrifically watched the ordeal unfold. ‘’Roy! Run!’’ Roy was too petrified. ‘’I said run Roy!’’ Emma tried to get up but the second guard came in and smacked her down on the back.

‘’Stop it!’’ Roy yelled. He rushed over, kneeling next to his mom, but one of the guards suddenly came in and grabbed Roy by the arms. The other yanked Emma from the ground and carried her off as well. Roy squirmed and tried to fight back, but the man was too strong, especially in his solid suit of armor. There was nothing he could do.

Leaving the apartment, Roy noticed all the chaos brewing around the city. It was even more so than it usually was. There were bright tankerous shuttles zooming overhead. Screams from the people inside were heard as one shuttle zoomed by after another. Roy could see his neighbors doors being barged into by similar looking men who attacked his mother. Creaks, breaks and screams blared the atmosphere. Gunshot noises blasted its way all over the buildings with a repeated bang. It was a nightmarish melody that shouldn’t be played. Loud drops to the ground were heard with bodies dropping like flies. Roy literally saw people jump out of windows, glass dug into their face with blood drooping down their eyes. Why was everyone acting so desperate? Roy didn’t understand what was happening and it frustrated him. But the worst thing was the smell that Roy just couldn’t stomach. The air smelled of ashes and burned animals rotting to the bone. No buildings were burning except the world itself.  Roy closed his eyes, not wanting to glimpse another cruel sight. Was this happening everywhere around the world? Why? And just now, of all times.

Roy was dragged to the nearby shuttle a few steps from his apartment. Throughout the struggle, he was more focused on seeing if his mom was okay rather than escaping. He kept trying to look back but could barely see her. Roy was then shoved into the rear of the shuttle with about twenty or thirty other people. Each one of them looked just as petrified as the next. Some were curled up in shriveled balls, crying their eyes out. The overwhelming, gloomy sadness from the room hit Roy hard. He didn’t want to see people this way. The gruesome spectacle churned Roy’s blood and it began to boil in anger. Almost so much to the point where his skin seemed to glow. He knew he needed to be strong to protect his mom from whatever was going on. And hopefully he might even be able to protect the other suffering souls too. But what can a six-year-old boy really do? Nothing.

Soon after, Roy’s mom was thrown in as well. He rushed over to her, gently lifting her head onto his lap, comforting her.

‘’Mom?’’ Roy muttered. ‘’Mommy?’’ She was badly beaten. She didn’t quite have a firm grasp of her surroundings.

She slowly tilted her head, hoping to glimpse into her son's eyes. ‘’Are you okay, Roy? Did they hurt you?’’ Her voice was raspy. The suffering from her injuries had painfully affected her. She drifted back into unconsciousness.

‘’Oh, Mommy...’’ Roy held her head with both arms, tears spilling down onto her cheek. The shuttle took off and everyone in the room repressed further into a grim state, not knowing what lay waiting next.

Chapter 2

The shuttle ride was long and miserable. Since everyone was so cramped together it felt like there was no air to breathe. There was barely any light and the only thing heard was the roaring engine of the shuttle. And the unknown of everything only made it worse. Hours passed and still there wasn’t a clue to explain any of it. Roy had many questions, but at the same time he didn’t want to ask for fear of those answers. All he could do was hope sooner or later things would be brought to light, and everything would be okay. But it just didn’t seem to be the case.

‘’Roy,’’ Emma whispered. She was starting to regain her strength.

Roy quickly looked over.

‘’Mom! Are you okay? Why did those men hurt you?’’ Roy clenched her arm with his small hands and helped her up, propping her in a seat against the wall.

‘’Don’t you worry, Roy. Don’t you worry.’’ She patted his cheek, trying to give him calm reassurance.

‘’What? I should worry. Look at you,’’ Roy said, gazing at the bruises on her body.

‘’It’s nothing, Roy.’’ Emma quickly hid the marks, not wanting to frighten Roy any further. It didn’t work, though. It only caused his fear to worsen.

‘’Mom,’’ Roy said, his voice full of fear. ‘’Can you please just explain to me what’s happening? I just want to know.’’

Emma sighed nervously. She wanted to ease Roy’s pain by telling him, but also wanted to protect his spirits as well by not revealing. ‘’Roy, we have to go away. It’s time. We...’

The shuttle suddenly came to a halt. It jarred the passengers as they struggled to hang on. Soon after, the back door opened and two men, the same armed men who beat Emma, came and escorted the passengers out. Leaving the vehicle, no one made eye contact so as to not antagonize them. Everyone looked to the ground as they exited. Except for Roy. It was extremely hard to get Roy angry, but certain things just couldn’t go by without comment.

‘’You beat my mom,’’ Roy coldly said to one of the men. ‘’I won’t forget it.’’

They laughed, not even taking his words seriously or becoming angered because of it. Emma swiftly came in and pushed Roy along before he said another word.

Everywhere in the distance crowds of new people were being dropped off in shuttles. The armed men set up barriers and roamed the sides to make sure no one would flee. Emma and Roy followed the crowd into the long, narrow, congested pathway. Roy had to catch his breath so many times. People were so close