Stronghold of Light

By Phillipa Wade

This book continues the saga of the people living in the System of Light and each character gets more involved in the challenges and mysteries of this sector of the galaxy. The arrival of one individual changes the destiny of the entire System of Light. Challenges continue with the plotting of the takeover of the SOL by the war faring leader of the Kashada on the planet, Orb, Garkullen. The mystery of the island Karnu looms strongly and is destined to be uncovered, exposing a history of unscrupulous actions of one condemned traitor.
Access to the Stones of Torain and the life within them further reveal answers to many questions and the history of the System. The families of Mica and Aarne are once again entwined in the fight for the survival of the System in which they live. The introduction of a new force for good, combined with the courageous people of the SOL make daunting opponents to the enemy.
A source of wonder is revealed in this tale which carries you through adventure, romance and catastrophes, giving hope and recognition of the fantastic nature of this System of Light and its people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Phillipa Wade
• Release date: Jul 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781649456748

Phillipa Wade

Phillipa Wade is the author of the Science fiction novel The Linking moons as the first in the System of Light trilogy.The second book in the trilogy is now available - The Stones of Torain. Available as an eBook here.A big fan of Science fiction and poetry she has launched the final novel in the trilogy - Stronghold of Light, incorporating both genres.Born in Pretoria, South Africa she spent much of her life in the coastal city of Durban.She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Life begins again for Mica and Aarne once the drama of her expulsion from the System of Light is brought to an end through the use of the ancient Rod, a relic from the System’s founder Tor.

The remarkable Stones of Torain retain memories of the history of the System of Light which are presented as living images attended by the vibrant wraiths who inhabit them. This quality is discovered to form the essence of the incredible Enduring Screens, a memory retention method used by all in the System to record their activities and messages.

The mystery and almost magical composition of the unique Light Barrier, which protects the entire System of Light, is uncovered. The extent of this barrier is found to be a ‘safety-net,’ giving the SOL an advantage over all possible aggressors.

The antagonist’s planet Orb is plagued with mudstorms and lizard attacks making life desperately hard. Garkullen, the Kashash, the obsessed leader of the militant Orbanian Kashada, battling with his failed attempts to capture energy in the SOL, takes strides to form an invading force potent enough to overwhelm the System of Light. Failure by anyone to produce what he demands results in violent and instant death. Interference from these militants continued to be endured by the inhabitants of the SOL.

Mica’s initial revelatory discoveries in the Ancient caves are revisited and an intriguing history is exposed. Understanding of their planetary System grows with each discovery and the brilliance of their ancestor Tor is fully recognized.

Shea, an individual of an utterly different race and physical structure to the Orbanians, the inhabitants of Orb, observes the horrific and ruthless cruelty of Garkullen for a long time. After learning of his own ancestor’s history through documents left to him by his deceased Father Denu, Shea decides to change his own future and carries out a plan to depart from Orb in a carefully organized way.

Space travel, challenges, celebration, romance and amazing discoveries stretch the imagination to new heights and depths, preparing you to find out more about the future of the System of Light, the Stronghold of Tor’s people.

CHAPTER 1

Eye of deceit

Preying on life

Waiting for contact

Waiting for life

Patience paid off

In a mood for strife

The mood was tense as Aarne made his move.

Jonna laughed aloud, his dark brown eyes sparkling. How long were you planning that jigging move? I forgot how good you are at this game. Didn’t even see it coming!

Aarne threw his head back, flicking his hair in a playfully haughty manner. Got you this time. Practice has paid off at last he chuckled. He leaned back to relax, stretching his arms above his head. Winning is such a good feeling; a passion. Nothing quite like that crazy challenge. Leaning forward onto the small table in front of him where the Thrust game board lay, his eye was attracted to a small light on the floor.

It was a tiny glint of purple. His forehead crinkled into a quick frown and he looked up at Jonna sitting in the chair opposite him.

There’s something underneath your chair Jonna. I can see a light flickering on and off. Move a bit and let’s see what it is.

He reached down and saw a gold ring inset with a large purple stone lying there, partially covered in dust. He picked it up, examining it carefully as he blew the dust away.

By Tor, this is your Father’s missing ring Jonna. It must have been here all this time.

Well there’s a sign of how well the cleaning of this house is done! Jonna’s sarcastic comment faded as he looked closer. You’re right Aarne, here, let me see it. His reluctance was overcome by curiosity as he reached out his hand. He turned it over and over and finally looked at Aarne. Somehow I wish it had never been found. It gives me a strange feeling; perhaps a strong memory of my …. he hesitated, my Father. He frowned as he spoke, handing the ring back to Aarne.

Here, you take it and give it to whoever is supposed to have it now. Jonna said, his voice taking on a resentful and critical tone. It belongs to the Council as far as I know. He used to boast about that thing. He said it was an honor that he been given it and that he was the only member who owned one and he had his initial embossed in gold on it. He sneered a little, his mouth drawn tightly as he muttered. That sort of thing was important to him, more than people were.

Aarne felt sympathetic and kept silent as he took the ring from Jonna. He felt the weight of it and put it on the finger of his right hand, keeping it there for a while. It felt uncomfortable and after removing it he put it in his pocket.

I’ll see it gets to the right place Jonna. He said softly, patting his friend on the shoulder. How about another game? That will distract us.

Jonna forced a smile, On one condition – you don’t ‘let me win’… play hard – I feel like a good fight.

That’s it man – let’s do it. Aarne reset the board game ready for the next round.

The two of them settled down in silence.

Unbeknown to them, nestled in the folds of Aarne’s pocket a yellow eye within the purple stone blinked. It was the eye of a reptile. With the dust cleared it could once again make out the details of its surroundings. Compared to the silence and stillness in which it had been forgotten, the change to its new location felt abruptly harsh, like a raw nerve exposed, as it was jostled around in the pocket. All the same, its purpose had been reignited and a green glow emanated from it momentarily.

Patience had paid off.

Outside, rain had started falling; another good reason to stay indoors and enjoy their game. Clouds had gathered in the east and Aarne’s mind wandered to where Mica would be, probably sitting with her mother on her regular visit to Fortin, her old home. The two of them could talk the hours away and Aarne was content knowing she was safe with the people she loved. She would meet him tomorrow at their home in Saltor, north-east of Sarsa where he had spent the day with Jonna.

Turning back to the Thrust board Aarne made a move which once again had Jonna staring at him, puzzled and impressed. He waited patiently for his friend to take a moment to gather himself and take his turn, then was pleasantly surprised that he had a challenge on his hands.

The clouds rolled closer with lightning trickling through the darkening sky at intervals. The rain was welcome and the people of Torain had anticipated its arrival.

Another day on Torain had passed without drama.

CHAPTER 2

The viewpoint of others

Impedes not my sight

Although they intrude

through the day and the night

I stay safe and unmarked

Quite sure of my plight

The planet Zenra paced itself in its rotation. The small black spacecraft approaching was noted only by creatures living in the deserted area to the west of the populated industrial section. The craft tumbled and turned drastically as it moved through the atmosphere and finally ended its approach by landing and sliding awkwardly into a place between large rocks with a resounding thud. For a time there was silence and the black object, looking extremely foreign in this new landscape, remained motionless.

A light rain moved in from a distance and the drops of water sizzled on the outer casing of the craft, hissing as it evaporated into the air. Without warning a side panel opened and a body crawled, then fell out onto the sand below. It lay there unmoving.

The planet welcomed the body and held it close with its gravity.

Shea was semi-conscious and very still. The tension in his body seemed to spill out of it onto the sand and consciousness escaped him. He lay there like a soft folded cloth for some time.

The rattle of metal and a soft buzzing sound pulled Shea out of his heavy dream and after slowly opening his eyes, all he could see were two large, round, startlingly blue eyes extending out from an extremely small head. The only other part visible to him were rather long transparent wings. He counted them, four pairs, delicate and shiny, shimmering and rattling in a strange incessant rhythm. He sat up, leaning on one elbow and studied the creature in front of him. Trailing from its head, was a long thin body to which the vibrating wings were attached. It remained there; its eyes fixed on him. Shea felt as if he was undergoing an examination. The creature’s eyes did not move when he did, it appeared unafraid and curious.

After a while he decided to stretch his body, finding it difficult at first; his muscles stiff from being so stationary during his long journey. He gave a long sigh as his body finally relaxed. The sound caused the creature to be still but continued staring fixedly at him.

Sitting up slowly he looked around. The craft he had travelled in was lodged between two sheets of a bluish-grey rock to the side of him. It did not look too damaged, although he now recalled a rather tumultuous landing, coming to a firm halt as the craft was caught in its current position. He remembered crawling out in darkness feeling drained and exhausted, hoping he would be able to breathe in this unknown atmosphere. Collapsing in a heap, he had glimpsed a profusely starlit sky above him before he dropped into a semi-conscious sleep, relief and hope flooding through him and weaving into his dreams.

Being more aware of his surroundings in the daylight he turned to look at the creature again and realized it had moved further away. With the creature now distanced he could see there were a few more of them sitting on a nearby rock, all silently watching him. They were about the length of his forearm and he didn’t feel threatened by their presence. This was obviously their home ground and he was a stranger here. Two of them appeared to lose interest in this new arrival and flew off, their long bodies drooping slightly despite the rapid action of their wings.

The rocky terrain was unrelenting in its vastness. Shea wondered if there were other creatures in this environment; one so new to him.

The stones were soft in places inviting him to press his bony fingers into them leaving a pattern, even for a fleeting time. Most of them were hard however, uninviting to sit on especially in the warmth of the day. His direction was uncertain and the land unfamiliar. There was no sign of other life yet and the urge to start moving persisted. Going back to the craft he managed to extract the remaining food items and liquid he’d need until he found what was available in this place; the place he presumed and hoped was Zenra.

After drinking and eating a little Shea started walking, carefully choosing a path between the rocks and a direction towards the rising Sun. Admiring the terrain increased his sense of well-being. The metallic quality of many of the large rocks seemed to awaken a memory and he kept going on a walk of discovery with the hope that he would soon find some sort of identifiable life form.

He was grateful for the water sources he found, often underneath overhanging slabs of neutral colored stones which contrasted with the large slabs of bluish rocks around him. When the Sun began to recede from its lofty position in the sky, the light became quite enchanting, appealing to some aesthetic sense deep in his mind. Carefully choosing a spot to rest his weary body he sat and absorbed the scene in the light of the approaching night.

Tall and slim, his flat ears and oddly shaped head contrasted with his relatively humanoid physique. He felt that if anyone observed him they would think he was different for sure. His long slim fingers with pale blue nails were bony but strong. If he was really on Zenra he wondered if the inhabitants had similar features or if there had been a radical change in the physical structure of his people over the years. He hoped he would not be completely foreign or unacceptable, simply different.

The light dimmed completely and the sky was soon filled with stars forming a seemingly impenetrable canopy above him. Observing the horizon he was fascinated to see a beam of light from somewhere out in space approaching the planet from what he assumed was the east. It extended rapidly and stayed there for a while then disintegrated. Shortly after that a beam extended from this planet out into space in the direction from which the first beam had come.

‘Is that a signal system I wonder? It seemed friendly, not aggressive and the flow of light returning was of equal magnitude’ he thought. Then breaking the silence for the first time he heard himself say "Interesting." He smiled at the sound of his own voice and prepared a place to sleep beneath the stars, feeling relaxed for the first time.

The journey had been both fascinating and terrifying. Terrifying only because of his fear of being caught and taken back to Orb, to face Garkullen and an indescribably gruesome death; not even being lost in space could compare to that.

The loss of his father in a mining accident had been a shock, but the letter he left for Shea had led him to discover the documents explaining his family history. This had been a revelation which opened up new possibilities for him. He wanted more than what he was experiencing in his current life on Orb. There was more, there was beauty, there was a culture he felt was inherent to his being that he wanted to explore.

His decision had been made some time back on Orb when he observed Garkullen completely lose his mind after the failure by his fleet of war craft to enter the System of Light, known to all as the SOL. His killing, in cold blood, of two of his own men was the last straw. There was not a rational bone in his scarred and rugged Orbanian body. At that moment Shea had enough and had made a vow to change his life. The opportunity only arose once he gained the understanding of his history in the documents in his Father’s possessions in which he had explained why he had never spoken of their past. Denu had been too afraid that Shea would react impulsively and be killed with no mercy if he did so. This Shea understood because of his discovery of the horrifying imprinting that was taking place on their planet Orb. After witnessing the atrocities committed by the Kashada for far too long, he wanted desperately to abandon the place.

Discovering the truth about his family had only partially amazed him. An innate feeling of ‘another place’ had always haunted him, and now having the certainty of a home elsewhere he had set out to find it.

Having discovered that Zenra, or Zernu as he knew it, was part of the SOL, the first move he had made was to trace the previously ignored contact messages received from a person in that that System some time back. On locating it he had managed to connect the tracing apparatus, thus being able to calculate some of the co-ordinates he could use to reach the SOL.

After stealing one of the space craft in the dead of night, treating the cone of it with the mixture provided by Denu, he had directed the ship purely by the simple co-ordinates he had calculated and a gutful of instinct. He sensed this was where he had to go.

It all seemed eons ago now

After a long sleep lying on the ground some distance and a long walk from his abandoned craft, Shea sat up and looked around. Awakening to this strangely familiar environment thrilled him on this second new day. The morning light altered the landscape. In the distance the land was tinged with a shade of blue and the mountains further away reflected a metallic glow. It did not surprise him but met an expectation he didn’t know he had.

He was ready to continue his exploration, setting off early in the direction where he had seen the light beams, his hopes high.

CHAPTER 3

Watching with delight

The rain during the night

Moonlight escaping

No longer in sight

And beyond my view

Fingering the fabric of her robe, Mica liked the roughness of the woven thread; rough surfaces were something she enjoyed the touch of like those in nature, the rocks, the sand and the cliffs she knew so well. Looking out of the window of her old bedroom in her parent’s home, she watched the rain flattening out the ocean, as if laying down a blanket of water from the sky to quell the wild motion of the waves. Hoping it would calm down eventually and the moon would soon be peering through the dark clouds again, she withdrew from the window closing the covering to shut off the scene. She sighed deeply, right now life seemed a little unreal. Aarne was in Sarsa visiting Jonna while she made her regular visit to see her parents in Fortin and spent the night there.

She combed her fair hair, trying to imagine it in different ways, up and down, tied back or in a twist. Wearing it long gave her different options, but she knew Aarne preferred it loose and flowing onto her back. She flicked her head and let her hair settle naturally, thinking. ‘That’s what he would like.’

Being without him felt a little disturbing. His presence always reassured her that all was well and she found comfort in that. Having his body next to hers during their sleep hours was her most favorite time; knowing she could reach out and touch him, his strong back there to move close to which gave her a sense of security. Sometimes the trauma she had experienced was not far from her mind but melted away when he was close.

Smiling at her reflection in the mirror, she reminded herself that the past was the past and that she had the future ahead of her. Their wedding had been everything she could have wished for and settling into Aarne’s home in Saltor had been a creative experience for both of them. They had worked together to arrange furniture, adding a few new pieces and expanding the views from the terrace by removing old shrubs that obscured it. At the end of a few days they’d sat back on the terrace to enjoy it all. Looking around her old room, Mica felt grateful that she now had her own home to share with Aarne and Murri, her furry friend, of course. Defin would take care of him while she was away.

‘I need to get back to work to my Reader duty again or at least help in the training of others,’ she thought as she turned to get into her bed.

‘A new adventure is due and I’ll talk to Voran as soon as possible. There must be something he would like me to do after all we experienced in the last moon phases.’ Mica reassured herself as darkness settled in.

When the Sun rose in the morning Deena was in the cooking area preparing breakfast for the three of them as Paxso was home to join them.

She smiled as he walked into the room. Mica will be with us in a moment. It’s good to have her home even for a little while and you happen to be home with me too which makes it perfect.

He wrapped his arms around her and smiled agreeably. So true and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. I feel she’s a little anxious to get busy again, never being one to hang around waiting for things to happen He kissed her on the cheek We’ll talk when she comes down.

What will we talk about? Mica’s voice questioned as she entered the room smiling broadly.

The three of them laughed.

Paxso hugged her. We’ll talk about you and what you’re going to get up to now that you’ve settled in your new home. But let’s eat first.

The meal was delicious and they chatted about numerous things; the weather, the coming Introball games, the possible changes to the Light Festival to include the commemoration.

Finally they agreed some exercise would be a good thing and went for a walk along the cliffside. Paxso led the way and Deena followed with Mica by her side.

This time Mica was aware of a change. Previously she hadn’t seen the wraiths appearing and disappearing into the cliff side or heard the murmurings that accompanied them. She hadn’t seen the memories as they played out in Stones, but this time was different. She didn’t draw her parent’s attention to what she could see now but appreciated the scenes as they appeared, knowing her fascination with the Stones of Torain would be never ending.

A little way down the path she saw the Stone which showed the memory of herself walking with her Father, Paxso, supporting her. Surprised at how weak she looked, she had to look away and wait for a new scene to arrive, which it did. This time it was of a little girl, not herself, standing and looking as if at her own reflection and holding her long robe in different positions, posing, like a dancer. The girl had dark hair and a fair complexion but Mica had no idea who she was. She did not linger or look at length at the scenes but kept moving along with Deena, glancing back over her shoulder every now and then. The wraiths were moving, softly and friendly in their motion and she had no fear of them.

Paxso turned around to face them and they stopped to chat for a while.

Voran and I have some plans for space exploration again, but I know he had other things in mind he may like to involve you in Mica, so talk to him when you’re ready. He loved working with you before and will do again I’m sure.

I’ve had the same thoughts Father and I’ll contact him soon. I am ready to get back to work. She hugged her Mother. Training others is also my interest so I can do that too.

You’ll be welcome there, Mica. You had a great relationship with the younger girls and they would love to have you back I’m sure. You young women as Readers are of utmost value to our System; I know.

Feeling a little lighter and more certain, Mica continued walking and talking until they returned to the house and she got ready to take the Lightway back to Saltor and Aarne. Being there before him would be a nice surprise.

After saying goodbye to Jonna, with plans for future Introball games freshly laid in their minds, Aarne walked quickly to the Lightway. The purple stone in the ring in his pocket was showing signs of disturbance. The motion was strange, quick and strong as Aarne’s body took youthful steps. The reptilian eye was blinking furiously but not seen by anyone.

Aarne was keen to get home. The thought of seeing Mica and having an evening alone with her increased his pace. The rain had stopped and the evening would be clear and beautiful.

The stone in his pocket was trying to connect with the body in its vicinity but could not feel its wave-length or realistic proximity. The moment when it had been on his hand the contact had been strong and stirred up the transmitter. Frantically it started sending out signals, pings going in different directions, randomly and uncoordinated. Panic set in as it was thrown around by the motion of this young body and then the light-speed of the Lightway transporting him. The signals went out far and wide and totally unobserved by Aarne but causing a shudder to vibrate briefly through his body.

What was that? Aarne looked around him, trying to figure out why the sudden vibration had shaken him. He stepped off the Lightway and stood dead in his tracks. He felt a shadow pass through him – it was dark and heavy and caused him momentary discomfort. Looking around him, he could not see anything that could be affecting him, so he headed home to his house and Mica.

The signals from the stone beamed across space. First arriving in the Orbanian space craft belonging to Shea on Zenra and secondly arriving in the capsule in the rock face of Jemni. No response was received from either and the eye in the purple stone closed tight; confused messages and frustration regarding its own location echoing in its depths. A weak reflection of the signal waivered and wandered across space, hesitating at times then reenergized by some vague influence, continued until it reached the monitor on Dun in the System of Shadows. The ping tickled the receiver’s screen, not strong enough to be noted and was once again ignored.

Aarne took big strides from the Lightway towards his home. Seeing Mica waiting for him up on the terrace was exactly what he hoped for. She felt the beam he sent as it wrapped around her, causing the skin on her arms to tingle but wondered for a moment why it was not as warm as usual. Her beautiful body outlined in the soft evening moonlight was radiant and a strong desire filled him as he ran up the steps. Standing together and holding each other close they enjoyed the warmth of their bodies. The night ahead would be a romantic one satisfying their deep need for each other.

The two moons were crossing paths in the sky, not in the linking phase but still causing powerful shafts of light to meet and then move on away from each other; a sight some were watching from the distant hills far from the room where the two slept in each other’s arms.

During the early pre-dawn hours of the morning, Aarne’s body was soaked in sweat as he tossed and turned, shouting in his sleep - No! no! no! Experiencing being in the spacecraft with his friends Driw and Lior, his dream was of the attack in which they had been killed over four rotations ago. Aarne’s muscles tensed and his voice sounded strangled as he felt the strenuous effort of trying to stop the enemy craft’s explosive rays from reaching them.

The blast was agonizing and the heat he felt consumed his body. Seeing his friends bodies disintegrate in the heat as the craft fell apart around him, leaving him floating in space and drenched in despair had him groaning frantically in his sleep. I was supposed to protect them, I was supposed to protect them! repeating the phrase over and over.

Mica leaned over him and wiped his forehead. It’s okay, it’s just a dream. You are here with me, it’s just a dream.

Aarne opened his eyes and looked wildly around the room trying to orientate himself. Mica was stunned to see the fearful expression in his eyes; he looked as if he was seeing nothing. His eye balls darted from side to side as if searching for something to focus on. His dream had turned into a nightmare. Mica tried to calm him down, stroking his forehead, lying her body close to his and speaking in a soothing tone.

Murri, who had crept onto the bed sometime in the night, decided this warm bed was not the right place to be and sneaked out of the room.

It was some time before Aarne could speak. Sitting up slowly he leaned on his elbow and looked at her. I’ve never had a dream or nightmare about Driw and Lior like this. This time I was with them. I was there and experiencing the whole dreadful, terrifying scene with them. He wiped his forehead and looked around the room. "I’ve never felt guilty about what happened to Driw and Lior. Now I’m