Facets of Color, a Zyearth Anthology

By R. A. Meenan

Tymon Azure is a Golden Guardian taking one last mission before passing the torch into his son's hands. And it's a doozy of mission too - visit Erdoglyan, a planet of vicious, magical dinosaurs and find out why their magic focus jewels are causing them to rampage. Luckily Tymon is good friends with King Shir, Born of Stardust, the ruler of the planet. He's also a vicious, two meter tall raptor with fire magic and an attitude to match. Tymon can only hope he made the right decision in keeping his son away from this dangerous place.
Jaden Azure, son of Tymon, and newly minted Golden Guardian finds himself on Erdoglyan with his partner Dyne to complete an unpleasant task - retrieve his father's body. But immediately things aren't right. The body doesn't match Tymon's. His Gem is nowhere to be found. And Tymon's reports were clear - there's a liar in the King's Court - and Jaden is determined to find out who. And, if his luck holds out, find his father alive as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. A. Meenan
• Release date: Aug 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215804056

R. A. Meenan

R. A. Meenan was born in London during the golden age of science fiction, but somehow time traveled to the Modern Era (some say a mad man with a blue box was involved). She was dropped on the doorstep of a house owned by anthropomorphic cats and though they were disappointed she didn’t have furry ears and a tail, they took her in to teach her the ways of elemental magic. After setting fire to her furry cat friends’ tails one too many times (final score – fire: 2612, cat’s tails: 0) they called an exterminator and sent her out on her way.Now an adult (physically, not mentally), she ride-hops intergalactic military spacecraft, combing the outer reaches of space and time, writing science fiction and urban fantasy stories based on her experiences. She’s also hoping to find the perfect cup of coffee and a better way to grow dinosaurs. Humans kind of look at her funny, but she’s managed to make herself an honorary ambassador for furry and anthropomorphic aliens and space dragons.She carefully feeds and brushes her wonderful husband Joe and the pair have four furry children (which are really cats, but don’t tell them that) and one small child named after a video game. She also spends her spare time teaching essay-writing haters, molding them into people resembling Actual Students and Lovers of English.She may not win the hearts of stiff military men or students who want good grades for no effort, but she certainly captures the spirit and imagination of time travelers, magic users, nerds, Students-In-Training, and fantasy lovers. Welcome to her nonsensical world. We hope you like it here.

Book preview

Facets of Color

Volume 1

R. A. Meenan

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Starcrest Fox Press

Contents

Copyright

Discover more titles by R. A. Meenan

Content Warning

Dedication

Black Bound, Book One

1.One

2.Two

3.Three

4.Four

5.Five

6.Six

7.Seven

8.Eight

9.Nine

Golden Guardian, Book Two

10.One

11.Two

12.Three

13.Four

14.Five

15.Six

16.Seven

White Assassin, Book Three

17.One

18.Two

19.Three

20.Four

21.Five

22.Six

23.Seven

24.Eight

Tanned Hide, Book Four

25.One

26.Two

27.Three

28.Four

29.Five

30.Six

31.Seven

32.Eight

33.Nine

34.Ten

Facets, Bonus Story

35.Tymon

36.Jaden

37.Tymon

38.Jaden

39.Tymon

40.Jaden

41.Tymon

42.Jaden

43.Tymon

44.Jaden

45.Tymon

46.Jaden

47.Tymon

48.Cedria

49.Vox

50.Cedria

51.Jaden

52.The Black Cloak

About the Author

Enter the World of Zyearth

Glossary

Copyright © 2023 by R. A. Meenan

All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator at the email address below.

[e-mail]

www.zyearth.com

Cover art by R. A. Meenan. See her art on Instagram

@artoferbest

Logo and Chapter Headings by Omni Jacala. See his art on Twitter

@artsyomni

This book was lovingly created by a human, not generated by A.I.

The scanning, uploading, copying, or distribution of this book without permission, as well as the processing of this contents to train A.I., is strictly prohibited and considered theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for the support of the author’s rights.

Discover more titles by R. A. Meenan

Black Bound

Golden Guardian

Shadow Cast

White Assassin

Brothers at Arms

Umber Sky

Gray Matter

Mage

Angel

Facets of Color: Vol 1

The Drover’s Tale: Academy

Outlander Sky: Summoner’s Fellowship

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Content Warning

This is a work of fiction, but the following events and descriptions appear in one or more of these short stories: Violent death, assassination, violent wounds, mild swearing, child endangerment, physical and mental abuse, and several forms of trauma. Please be cautious while reading and seek help if you find yourself in danger.

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Dedication

To my dear friend Aeryn who so enthusiastically encouraged the art and writing for this story at a time when I felt so very down as a creator. Thanks for lifting me up. <3

Inside, we're all a bunch of sadists. – Arin Hanson

Black Bound, Book One

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Fun fact: Despite being the first in the timeline, Black Bound was actually the last of these first four that I published, mainly because getting Matt's personality as a teenager was hard. In early drafts, Matt already had his wind magic and was using it in class to flip girl's skirts. That just didn't sit well with me, nor did it sit well with Matt, who has always kind of have a noble air about him, for better or worse. The book you see here is much more reflective of Matt's personality and desire to be a Guardian.

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One

There will always be those who try to justify their choices in the name of the greater good.

When I did that, I nearly killed my best friend.

Senior year of high school. It had been a sluggish day right before lunch. Winter’s pale light flooded my history classroom, casting shadows over the students and metal desks. The soft ruffle of fur, feathers, scales, and other assorted animal elements blended well with the myriad of voices. The smell of white board markers and the hum of an A.I. projector mingled with conversations. Student chatted about their plans for the upcoming winter break.

I ignored them and I headed to my desk in the back of the room. Since I was planning to dive snout first into the into the Defender Academy right after graduation, breaks were just an excuse for Lance Tox, the Master Guardian of the Defenders, to drag us high schoolers in the Young Defenders program into wargames and training. I spent most of my breaks during high school in war simulations and this one would be no exception.

I dropped my tail into my desk seat, my white, blue tipped quills shaking on the back of my head. Probably a hard wargame too, since this would be the last one before I graduated. And Lance already knew I was planning to apply for the Golden Guardian program, so my training reflected that. Admittedly, I wasn’t looking forward to it. But at least I wouldn’t be alone.

Hey, Matt. Izzy Gildspine walked up the aisle. My future Guardian partner and closest friend. She was practically my sister. Both our fathers had died as heroes when we were young, but my father’s close friend Jaymes Fogg adopted us and raised us as siblings. Golden brown with short quills and a pleasant smile, Izzy attracted a lot of attention on campus, but she spent most of her spare time with me. We were hopefully going to be Guardian partners in the future after all.

I grinned. Hey Iz. Ready for the wargames?

Ugh, don’t remind me. She settled herself in the desk next to mine. I’m glad it’s only a week. We’ll have a little time to relax before we come back to school.

A little. I picked at a loose quill on the back of my head. I can’t believe I’m graduating in a few months.

I can’t believe you’re turning twenty in a few months. She beamed. Just a little longer before you’re a full adult! At least legally. Not sure about mentally.

I eyed her with a smirk. Funny.

I thought so. Izzy giggled. So what are you gonna do to celebrate?

Enter boot camp and get my butt whupped, probably. I copied her grin. And hopefully have some cake.

Izzy raised one eyebrow. You hate cake.

It’s rite of passage. I shrugged. Dad’ll be devastated if I don’t let him make me a twentieth-birthday cake.

Ha! That’s the truth. She tilted one ear back, her smile fading a little. Still hoping for your Gem to break before the games?

I took a slow breath, bending one ear, then pulled out the Gem I held in a cloth pouch at my side. Fist-sized and weighty, the cut edges of the clear Gem sported the same blue I had on the tips of my quills, set against clear-white. It caught sunlight and danced rainbows on the walls.

Izzy and I were the only students in school with bound Gems. Probably the only Zyearthlings on the planet bound under the age of twenty, honestly. Gem binding was a rite of passage for legal adults. It bound the user’s lifeforce to the Gem. For most zyfaunos, it was performed by someone who was already bound.

But Izzy and I were different. We had been bound as children. On top of that, we had bound ourselves, in an emotional overload.

It was painful. Mentally scarring. I still had nightmares about it.

Black Binding.

The term stood most Zyearthling’s fur on end. The term came with all sorts of stigmas. Black Bound zyfaunos are dangerous. They’re uncontrollable. They’re mentally unstable. They shouldn’t be allowed to live.

At least, that’s what average Zyearthlings thought. The Defenders practically saw us as gods, since our Gems were supposed to be so powerful.

So far Izzy and I hadn’t seen either side of the Gems. They were just… normal.

Being Black Bound wasn’t special.

Other than the fact that that meant we had our Gems long before anyone else on the planet, which really only gave us one possible edge. Extra time training with our Gem powers.

For average Gem users, Gems grant long life. For others, the Gem will break into a specialty, granting some kind of magic to the user. Izzy and I were hoping for a specialty. We needed specialties. It was the only way to become Guardians.

We hoped being bound early meant we’d get our specialties sooner. We’d be experts in our powers before we ever hit Academy.

Too bad it didn’t seem to be working that way.

I don’t know, I admitted.

"Draso’s wings, just when I thought you were already damaged beyond repair, now I’m hearing that your Gem still hasn’t broken? Pathetic."

I turned, not surprised to see a black lion with a shock of blue through his mane. Warren Li. He leaned against his desk, arms crossed, a sneer on his snout.

I narrowed my eyes. Hello to you, too.

Don’t remember saying hello, Warren said, glaring.

Are you seriously going to sit here and harass me again? I snapped. It’s getting really tiresome. One would think you’d have better things to do with your life.

Warren ignored me. Thirteen years and no powers. Kind of pitiful if you ask me. I thought your Gems were supposed to be powerful. Belonged to Golden Guardians after all. He brought a hand up to his snout, faking shock, as if he had said something he shouldn’t have. Oh wait, I forgot. Both of them died fighting some backwater quilar tribe on Earth. You know, the kind of people who fought wars with sticks and farm implements.

The insides of my ears flushed and I glared. Warren--

Do you even remember their faces? Their voices?

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. Honestly, no. I didn’t remember my father’s voice. His touch, the way he moved, his likes and dislikes. . . The only reason I remembered his face was because there were pictures of him everywhere. Warren, I swear to Draso, if you don’t stop, I’ll--

You’ll what? Fight me? Warren laughed. No, you won’t. You won’t do a damn thing, because you’re too busy being a perfect angel for the Master Guardian. He scoffed. His third set of martyrs. Damn pin cushion quilar. He glared. You’ll just be another head on a pike for him. Follow in your dad’s footsteps, just like you always wanted.

"That’s enough, Warren, Izzy snapped. Back up your words or shove it."

I waved Izzy off, trying to keep my voice steady. He’s not worth it anyway, Izzy.

"That’s right, ‘Guardian’, Warren said, sneering. Back off. You wouldn’t stand a chance against me anyway."

I glared. I had been training with the Young Defenders for nearly six years. Before that, I trained myself, determined to make sure I’d qualify for the program. Warren had never trained for anything, and while he wasn’t overweight, he certainly was in no condition to fight me. He’d never stand a chance. I’d win without hardly lifting a finger.

Not that I’d ever fight Warren. I was a Guardian. Going to be one. That meant I had to keep my cool. No fighting.

"Warren, enough." A black lioness with magenta and silver highlights stepped forward and pulled Warren back. His sister, if I remembered correctly. She glared at him. Don’t get into a fight or Dad’ll have your head.

Warren sat down. Just having a little fun, Mahri.

Being an ass is more like it, Mahri said, shaking her whiskers. Let it go.

Warren rolled his eyes, but he sat down and left me alone. Mahri sat next to him.

I sat down too and smiled at Mahri. Thanks.

She narrowed her eyes, flattening her ears. Don’t. I didn’t do it for you, Black Bound.

Before I could respond, the school bell rang and Mr. Sullivan walked hurriedly into the room, leaving a trail of papers and green fluorescent peacock feathers, his lion paws barely holding on to the pile in his arms. He bent his ears back and clicked his beak, frowning.

Sorry I’m late, class, he said. Let’s go ahead and get started. He activated the A.I. machine and a golden fae drake projected from the holobulbs.

I turned my attention to the front of the classroom, taking a deep breath. Warren would not get to me. I refused to let him.

But when I chanced a quick glimpse at him, he glared at me and ran a finger across his throat.

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Two

Y ou need to just pop Warren one and he’ll leave you alone, my friend and fellow Young Defender, Darvin Wendigo, told me at lunch. His silver antlers gleamed in the sunlight shining through the picture windows on the far wall. He pointed a salad-tipped fork at me from across the table, shaking his ears. You’d kick his sorry tail and you know it.

I poked at my pasta. Guardians don’t start fights.

You’re not a Guardian yet, Darvin’s brother Roscoe said. He shook his head, raining gray fur on the ground. His copper antlers complemented his brother’s silver ones. "He’ll never leave you alone if you don’t do something."

I rolled my eyes. "I’m sure the Master Guardian would love that logic."

Lance would want you to stand up for yourself, Darvin said. Passive people don’t make good Guardians.

Neither do people controlled by their anger, I snapped. Refusing to let Warren get to me is not being passive. It’s being in control.

Darvin flipped his ears back, but didn’t say anything more.

I glanced at Izzy. She ate her pasta in peace, tossing occasional looks at Roscoe. We had known the Wendigo brothers since we were kids, and I suspected Izzy’s feelings toward Roscoe were evolving from just friends to more-than-friends. But I was too hung up on Warren to give it the proper teasing it deserved.

Wow, Matt. Warren’s words bounced across the room. I turned. He shook his blue mane as he made his way through the cafeteria toward me. "You actually have friends! Maybe someone will mourn you when the Defenders put you down."

Both Roscoe and Darvin stood, glaring at Warren. Darvin bared his teeth. Say that again.

The mighty stag facing the powerful lion, Warren said with a grin. The classic scenario. Too bad the stag never wins.

Darvin bellowed and stepped forward, but I slid off the bench and stood between them.

Go get a campus supervisor, I said, keeping my gaze on Warren.

Izzy stood now. Matt--

Stay out of it, Izzy, I said. Darvin, get a campo.

You can’t be serious, Matt, Darvin said sneering. This bastard--

So, I’m the bastard now? Warren crossed his arms and his tail twitched. "I’m not the letting anger control my actions, Defender."

Mahri pushed through the gathering students. She hurried up to Warren and tugged on his shirt. "What are you doing?"

Warren shook her off. Getting rid of this Black Bound.

I faced Warren, glaring. That so.

You’re dangerous, Warren said, baring his fangs. All you Black Bound are. Unnatural and uncontrolled. It’s only a matter of time before your Gem goes insane and kills someone. And I’m sick of everyone allowing you to walk around like there’s nothing wrong with you.

I took a slow, deliberate breath. I wouldn’t let him get to me. I was bigger than that. Go get a campo, Darvin.

Darvin glanced between us, frowning, but he turned and left the room.

Warren cracked his knuckles in the most cliché display of arrogance and power possible. So that’s it then? The powerful Guardian turns to some outside help instead of fighting his own battles?

I narrowed my eyes. I won’t fight you, Warren.

You won’t, huh? Warren lashed his tail. What if I don’t give you a choice? He threw a punch at my face.

Everything sped up and slowed down all at once. I sidestepped. My heartbeat accelerated, adrenaline rushed through me, the blood pumped in my ears, my body tensed.

I pushed it aside. I would not fight him.

Mahri snatched Warren’s arm and pulled back. "Warren, stop it! You’ll get hurt!"

He pushed her away. He can’t hurt me, Mahri. He sized me up. Warren was actually quite short for his species, just over a meter and a half, and totally out of condition. I, on the other hand, was tall for a quilar. Almost two meters, and I had been training my whole life for the Defender Academy. I could take him.

But I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t. I was destined for Guardianship. I wouldn’t sink to his level. I just had to hold him off until the campos got there. Just for a minute…

I held up my fists in defense, protecting my face. A part of me whispered a longing for my Gem to be active so I could at least shield against his attacks. I refuse to fight you.

We’ll see about that. Warren roared and leapt for me.

I evaded easily and he tripped, careening down the slippery tile floor. A chorus of fight, fight, fight! burst from the surrounding students. Warren dragged himself to his feet, wiping drool from his snout. Snarling, he unsheathed claws that would terrify most zyfaunos, then dove for me. I dashed right.

Too slow. He connected and dragged me to the ground, claws ripping at my shirt. I yelped, reeling back. Warren opened his mouth wide, moving to bite, like some feral spirit had possessed him.

I pressed my hands to his face, frantic to escape, trying to hold in a scream. My eyes widened and panic ripped through me.

The hell was wrong with him?

Desperate, I aimed a kick at his stomach. It connected and sent him sliding down the floor. His claws, still buried in my shirt and fur, pulled free hair and ribbons of cloth. Blood stained my white fur and jeans. I flipped on to my hands and knees, panting, trying to calm the panic. Pain ripped through my chest.

Warren gripped his stomach, coughing and gasping for breath. Mahri ran for him.

Matt! I caught a glimpse of Izzy behind the crowd, but no one would let her through.

I coughed too, trying to fight through the pain and get a feel for how bad the slashes were.

Deep.

Damn it all. How could he do that? I turned. Warren--

What’s going on here? I heard Mr. Sullivan’s voice. I took a shuddering breath. Thank Draso.

But as the crowd parted for the teacher, Warren let out a feral roar and threw himself at me, claws out, teeth bared.

Matt! Izzy shrieked.

The world slowed.

Shock ran through my body so strongly that my vision blurred and my ears rang. I threw up my hands in defense. A distant, high pitched whine sounded from my hip, the sound a Gem makes when active.

A Gem.

My Gem.

Then the world exploded.

A hurricane strength blast of wind whipped through the cafeteria, hurling chairs, tables, food, and students in all directions. Warren flew backwards with ridiculous speed and crashed into the far wall. I shouted and slid along the tile floor until I hit the other wall with a thud. The whine followed me and I managed to open my eyes against the wind just enough to see my Gem glowing brightly enough to blind. I pressed my eyes shut.

Matt! Izzy. I lifted my head, trying to find her, when a chair flew straight at my face. Then the world went black.

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Three

Asoft beeping echoed through my brain. Beeping. Not whining. Whatever had caused that horrible wind blast had died away and I was now in some place where beeping apparently reigned supreme.

My body ached. Every muscle, every limb, and some stinging pain ran through my chest... even thinking seemed to hurt.

Beeping. Beeping. Where would I be that had a bunch of beeping? My brain wouldn’t answer. I let out a sigh, then forced one tender eye open.

A hospital. From the legless, winged dragons on the walls, the Defender hospital, specifically.

And the Master Guardian, Lance Tox, was sitting next to my bed.

I scrambled to sit up, salute, acknowledge him, anything, but I was too sore to move quickly. All I managed was a quiet ow.

Lance looked up from the book he was reading. His long wolfish snout and white fur shone in the evening light. He glanced at me over a pair of glasses, his face flooded for a brief instant with relief before he regained the stoic expression of a leader of many.

You’re awake. Glad to see it.

I slid my arm vertically across my chest in a weak salute, trying to ignore the pain. I had an IV taped to my arm, a shaved patch of fur circling it, and if the feeling in my lower regions were any indication, a catheter as well. Along with the soreness, a ridiculous weakness kept me pinned to the bed, though at the same time, I felt some strange hidden strength. Like I could conquer the world at any moment or burst through a wall or fly or something. Such a strange thought.

How long had I been out?

Sir, I muttered. A mild breeze blew through the hospital room, though I didn’t see a window.

Congratulations are in order. He wore a frown, his shirt flying in the wind.

I pasted back an ear and tilted an eyebrow up. What?

Your Gem broke into a specialty, Lance said. You’re a wind manipulator.

I blinked at him, trying to process his words. My Gem broke? I had my specialty? Elation warred with a vague concern that I had a hard time putting into words. If I’d gotten wind powers then that meant…

The breeze around me grew stronger. So… that hurricane wind…

Was your magic, yes, Lance said, tilting an ear back.

My bones buzzed and my face grew hot. Oh, crap. Oh, hell. This had to happen now? I had been trying to stop the fighting, not escalate it! And here I had just been wondering when my powers would come through. Had been looking forward to it. Even worried that I hadn’t gotten them yet.

Did I hurt anyone? An image of Warren flying through the air at a sickening, unnatural speed flashed in my mind. Oh hell. Warren? Is he okay? Tell me he’s not hurt.

Lance held his hands up. Calm down, Matt.

But I blasted Warren into a brick wall! The wind around me grew stronger. Tell me he’s okay!

He’ll be fine, Lance said. Don’t get worked up.

But--

Something soft smashed into my face and I smacked it away in alarm.

A teddy bear. It bore a worried note written in Izzy’s unmistakable scrawl. I picked it up, bending an ear back, my confusion calming my panic. The wind in the room died away to a soft, nearly-unnoticeable breeze.

I blinked, a sudden realization overcoming me, and looked at the Master Guardian.

That was your wind, yes, Lance said, frowning. He shook his head. It’s… it’s been uncontrollable for days.

Days? I echoed. How long have I been out?

Three days, Lance said. I moved the start of the wargames. We have two more days to get you ready for them.

Three days! I pasted my ears back. Did my Gem do that to me? I had never heard of a Gem doing that before. I wrinkled my snout. What do you mean, ‘get me ready for them’?

"Your powers are completely out