Cherished: A Christian fantasy novel.

By Artzenin Eklektós

Lithium Dime and Nickel Dime are happily married, in love and preparing to be parents. One day the couple was informed about a mandatory tribe conference the Rhizomes were conducting. Instantly Lithium knew what the tribe conference was about and why the Rhizomes were demanding their descendants attend. Neither Lithium or Nickel liked enjoined seeing the division among their kin. The more tribe conference held over racial disputes, the more they considered leaving Belrion and starting over fresh on another planet, from away from the Goreos Solar System. Such forbidden thoughts were suggested by their mutual friend, Potassium Fertilizer. Potassium is the youngest son of the 12th generation of children born to Nadrak Fertilizer and Briash Fertilizer and didn’t want to remain on Belrion anymore. Potassium knew he couldn’t convince his parents to leave Belrion, but he could influence his friends and his followers to leave.

Lithium and Nickel were very open to Potassium’s idea to leave Belrion and were convinced his methods were worth fighting for, even if it the ultimate consequence was leaving what was familiar and their Yeti Rhizome behind. Lithium had always caught Potassium’s attention since childhood for personal reasons. He wanted to marry her and run away to Rowdickah at one point, but sadly, Lithium chose his Zen, Nickel, to be her sahe and did not want to leave Yuing, the continent of their kin’s origin. Seeing the woman he loved and desired for himself with Nickel left Potassium hollow inside. He had mixed feelings about the situation, but one thing he knew for certain he wasn’t confused about, was his ambition to rally the Minotaurs and Centaurs to follow him to a new solar system and found a new colony.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359832811

Book preview

CHAPTER 1: BROKEN EXPECTATIONS

E500 A.D.O.T.

Etos | 30

W

AY UP PAST THE warmer plains of Yuing was a frosty, chilling region called Mt. Sinai. This area is home to the Azures, also formally known as the Ser’Roth Azures. Ser’Roth Azures are Azures who chose to remain on the surface with the other races after the Tower Of Flyaría incident. Ser’Roth Azures preferred living on authentic soil and land and among the other races of Humanity instead of dwelling in a sky kingdom that is covered by a dome, who’s surface is artificial that is supported by a mechanical structure that keeps the sky kingdom aloft 24/7. The Azures who choose to separate themselves from the rest of Humanity after the Tower Of Flyaría incent and live in the sky kingdom are formally known as the Mer’Roth Azures and only represent themselves and do not acknowledge their kin on the surface.

The Ser’Roth Azures on the other hand, represent twelve tribes of their race, all of which are scattered across the continent of Yuing and go by different tribe names. Those names are: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Isachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasse.

A couple centuries ago the Ser’Roth Azures would come up to Mt. Sinai to worship the Trigonous and would present their finest treasures, the first fruits of their labors and bury them in the ground. The Ser’Roth Azures knew they could not take their valuables or food stock with them when they died, but they still wanted to present what that they made their own hands out of obedience to the Holy Scriptures and as a symbolize of tithing. If anyone in their villages or other neighboring races throughout the kingdom of Yuing needed something, the Ser’Roth Azures would journey back up to Mt. Sinai, dig up the items of value and give it to the person who needed them. Whether or not those individuals used those treasures to better their situations or came in the act of deceptive to simply steal an Azure handmade item was not a concern to the Ser’Roth Azures.

Today, their current Chieftain, Renegade, rules over the 12 tribes. Renegade is a kind man. His tribe, Judah, is a fruitful, blessed community that upholds the way of the Trigonous. From what I can see, they never thought poorly of someone who asked them for treasures. Renegade helped those in need. He gave travelers and other Azure clans who stumbled across his village shelter, hospitality and money. Renegade used the treasures that they buried in the ground on Mt. Sinai as a form of currency.

No one went up to Mt. Sinai without permission from Renegade and no one could live up there without permission. It was and still is to this day, a very scared and personal landmark for Azures of every branch. Mt. Sinai is more than just a burial ground for treasure, it is also powerful symbol between the Yetis and Azures. When Rhizome Nadrak and Rhizome Briash first approached the Azures, long ago, they were desperate to find a safe haven for themselves and all their decadents. Renegade was very understanding and prior to fasting and praying with my Rhizomes, the leaders were happy to form an alliance. This agreement allowed us to live anywhere on Mt. Sinai, excluding the worship grounds of the Trigonous. Yetis were also allowed to roam around freely, reproduce offspring and build our structures on Mt. Sinai. We literally could go anywhere our hearts desired, but we were forbidden to enter the worship grounds where the Ser’Roth Azures honored the Trigonous.

If anyone of either race was caught stealing treasures from the worship grounds, they were reprimanded and banished from the region as punishment for their crime. I and many of my Centaur kin were born after this alliance was sealed between the Ser’Roth Azures and Yetis. We understood the laws of the land quite well and were satisfied there was no conflict among our ranks. I feared that was going to change soon, but not because of the Azures. Rhizome Nadrak was currently in a political dispute with the Genie’s Rhizome, Yaso Fe’ Lawn. Rhizome Yaso was not one to trust. All Genies had a bad reputation and none of the neighboring races on Belrion liked them. They were nothing but trouble and often had hidden motives. As much as I hate to say it, I could see why the Genies were pushing for support from our kind. Other races took advantage of Genies, as their flaw was weak physique and they had no special gifts to make them stand out. All they had was their intellect and that was why people took advantage of their minds. Clearly, Rhizome Yaso was no longer satisfied living under the soles of everyone else, but that did not give him the right to start a revolution.

I did not want to come to this tribe conference no more than anyone else. Where it was a family gathering of the Yeti cousin branches, we had to have it below the mountain. It was such a big deal, that Nadrak issued every cousin branch come. Yetis were present and so were our cousin branches, Centaur and Minotaur. There were other races present too and their cousin branches as well. There were so many people, in such a big field on one of the hottest days of the etos. Us hairy folk were not uncomfortable by the warmer climates of the region, but our bodies still perspired under the harsh heatwaves every now and then.

We said no! Nadrak boomed, throwing his thick, hairy arms up in anger. "How dare you come and ask us to leave our home and demand this foolish plan to my pack!"

Briash, Nadrak’s sahah, stood up from her pillow and walked up to stand beside him. Can I just say, Briash always looked so… moody? Her intense stares and muscular frame was intimidating to gaze upon and the grey highlights in her faded, raven