Escaping Altetza: The Crystal of Life, #0

By Dartanyan Johnson

Every year, the Beztiqi royal family holds a festival honoring their ancestors. But while the family tree—golden and glorious—towers over the city, mixed-bloods like Lendelam, sullied by a people who once roamed the land, aren't allowed to attend.

Tenma, the oldest living ancestor of her tainted bloodline, has been imprisoned for nearly a millennium.

The Beztiqi queen, like her predecessors, is using his existence as fuel to continue ostracizing the mixed-bloods. But Lendelam has a plan—a scheme so insane that if she's caught, Queen Azella wouldn't hesitate to execute her.

On the last day of the festival, she's going to break into the prison...and set Tenma free.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dartanyan Johnson
• Release date: Aug 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9781952948145

Dartanyan Johnson

Tears will be shed.Hearts will be broken.The weak will not survive this journey.

Book preview

Pronunciations

Lendelam - (Len-del-ləm)

Beztiqi – (Bez-tē-kē)

Yoqnish – (Yōk-nēsh)

Felial – (Feh-lī-əl)

Ehrian – (Eh-rī-en)

Gravis – (Grah-vəs)

Oorlog – (Or-log)

Lenseshu – (Len-seh-shü)

Ina – (Ē-nə)

Helobaun – (Hē-lō-bahn)

Daku – (Dah-kü)

Markel – (Mar-kell)

Umaki – (Ü-muh-kī)

Coren – (Kō-ren)

CHAPTER 1

Festival of the Fallen

Lendelam flopped onto the black living room couch with a sigh. Her mother was grinning as she approached from the kitchen, humming and swaying to the music resonating from the holo-screen.

Volume up twenty-five percent, her mother said and sat next to her. The sound of the crowd’s joyous singing rose.

The Festival of the Fallen—a four-week-long event celebrating the Beztiqi’s ancestry, going all the way back to the gods who once roamed the land—was coming to an end.

On the holo-screen, Queen Azella and her two siblings, surrounded by the royal family’s personal guards—the Golden Shield—traversed the path that led to the vast forest behind the palace. The camera zoomed in on the queen. Wrapped in a flowing golden dress with her back straight and head held high, Azella looked like she could have been a deity of old reincarnated in flesh and bone.

The camera zoomed out just enough to include her siblings. Felial, her younger brother, held a black box, the sharp angles of his face fixed in a stern expression as he matched the queen’s footsteps. He was a handsome man with light brown skin and curly black hair that tumbled down his back. The queen’s younger sister, Ehrian, carried a purple box, held outstretched like an offering. Unlike her brother, she was smiling from ear to ear.

Hurry, Gravis, Lendelam’s mother called. You’re going to miss the introduction.

Almost done, Lendelam’s father said from the kitchen. I just need to add a few more spices. A loud crash sounded in the kitchen, followed by several seconds of silence. Her father cursed. Uh, Lenore? Can you come here real quick?

Glancing toward the kitchen, her mother loosed a long breath. I’ll be right back. I can’t leave him alone for a heartbeat without him breaking something.

When her mother disappeared into the kitchen, a thunderous cheer brought Lendelam’s attention back to the holo-screen.

Queen Azella climbed the steps to the high platform. Finally, the camera drone spun away from the royal figures, revealing thousands of Beztiqi surrounding several acres of flat stone etched with ancient symbols. Hands clasped with their neighbors, the members of the crowd sang in harmony.

Once again, the camera panned back to Queen Azella. She slowed as she reached the center of the platform and turned to face her people. Felial stood to her left, and Ehrian to her right. The Golden Shield remained at the bottom of the steps. Slowly, and with arms outspread, Queen Azella scanned the crowd.

Lenore poked her head from the kitchen doorway. Is the queen about to summon the family tree?

Not yet, Mother, Lendelam said, trying hard to keep the annoyance from her voice. She’s about to regale us with the tale she’s so fond of.

Ah, Lenore said, then retreated to the kitchen.

The queen lowered her arms, bringing the volume of the crowd down until all was quiet.

We are here, she said. Welcome to the festival’s finale. Once again, we have honored the deities with love and praise, and wherever they are, I know they are looking down at us with smiles on their lips and prideful gleams in their eyes.

Lendelam knew that wasn’t entirely true. According to the ancient stories, the deities were all dead. But many believed their essences remained and only their physical forms had perished.

The kitchen door opened and Lendelam’s parents entered the living room. Her mother held three plates, utensils, and drinks, while her father carried two large platters of steaming food.

On this night, the queen went on as Lenore handed Lendelam a plate, I will raise the family tree—a gift left to us by the Goddess.

Vessa Rel, better known as the Goddess, was said to have been the last living deity. Before perishing, she blessed one Beztiqi warrior with the ability to store and record the lineage of his people in the form of a family tree. That warrior became the ruler of the Beztiqi. To protect the tree, he could borrow energy from his ancestors, making him temporarily stronger and faster. The Beztiqi called this power the Ancestral Blaze.

Lendelam scooped food onto her plate. Dinner smells great, Father.

As always, he said, plucking a piece of meat from the platter and tossing it in his mouth.

I don’t know why I bothered bringing you a plate, Lenore said. Gravis chuckled, sucking the juices off his fingers.

Queen Azella glanced at her sister and dipped her chin in a silent command. Ehrian took three steps toward the crowd, turned, took three more, and turned again, halting in front of her sister. The queen opened the outstretched box, pulling out a purple mask with reverence. Ehrian smiled before taking her original place at her sister’s side.

Peering down at the mask, Azella rubbed the side of its face with her thumb. Slowly, her eyes lifted to meet the waiting crowd, and her expression grew cold.

While I’m happy this mask gives me the ability to summon the family tree, having to rely on it to draw upon the Goddess’s gifts displeases me.

Azella prompted her brother with a nod. Felial took two steps forward and opened the box he was holding. He lifted