Lya's Quest, Book 1: The Sanctuary.

By Tristan Valure

Impetuous and free-spirited, Lya cannot be tamed by the peace and tranquility of Salinar. After discovering traces of a community called "The Travelers", she will not rest until she learns more about her people: "the people of the stars".

While meeting new people and traveling through the provinces, her quest will lead her to find the unexpected in the world around her.

Setting out to learn more about her people's history, she could solve one of the greatest mysteries her people have ever known...

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Dec 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667463131

Book preview

Lya's Quest, Book 1: The Sanctuary.

Tristan Valure

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Translated by Ronnie J Rigdon 

Lya's Quest, Book 1: The Sanctuary.

Written By Tristan Valure

Copyright © 2023 Tristan Valure

All rights reserved

Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.

www.babelcube.com

Translated by Ronnie J Rigdon

Babelcube Books and Babelcube are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.

T r i s t a n  V a l u r e

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Lya's

Quest

Book 1: The Sanctuary

Cover Art: Guillaume Ducos

Translated by Ronnie J Rigdon

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 — Salinar.................................................................5

Chapter 2 – The Journey.............................................................17

Chapter 3 – The Carrots.............................................................24

Chapter 4 — Gyt...................................................................31

Chapter 5 – The Tower..............................................................43

Chapter 6 — Removing the Masks.....................................................56

Chapter 7 — The Return.............................................................62

Chapter 8 – The Savage Lands........................................................74

Chapter 9 — The Aegis.............................................................87

Chapter 10 – The Portal............................................................102

Chapter 11 – The Bottomless Chasm..................................................112

Chapter 12 – The Shacks...........................................................123

Chapter 13 — Sailing for Rama......................................................136

Chapter 14 — Orlan...............................................................143

Chapter 15 – The Khan.............................................................152

Chapter 16 – The Cursed Mountains..................................................161

Other books by Tristan Valure.......................................................170

By the same author

Fantasy

- L’Épée et l’Enclume, 2017.

- Il Était une Foi, 2017.

- Le Peuple des Étoiles, 2019.

- La Quête de Lya, Tome 2: La Reine de Salinar, 2019.

- La Légende du Vagabond, Tome 1, Le Vaurien, 2022.

- Le Légende du Vagabond, Tome 2, Le Souffle, 2022.

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Science-Fiction

- Neo Hominum, Book 1: Équations Anthropiques, 2020.

- Neo Hominum, Book 2: Révélations, 2021

Author's Note

I would like to sincerely thank:

-  Rodolphe, who created the imaginary world of Rayhana and who also drew the maps below.

-  Alain Bonet who had the patience to read and edit Lya's Quest.

Map of the Kingdom of Pergis and its provinces.

Map of the continent of Esteral and its seven kingdoms.

Chapter 1 — Salinar

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My mind is made up, Lya. I'm coming with you!

No, Rielin, we've discussed this. I want to go alone! Please understand, my dear; I'm not pushing you away. Your company would be most welcome, and your talents as a mage are known throughout the land but...

But what? What is it that stands between us? Lya, you know my feelings for you. I beg of you, let me go with you.

Absolutely not! I'm sorry, Rielin, but I have to make this journey alone.

Is there someone else? Is that it?

Oh, don't be an idiot! It's just something that I can't discuss with you. And besides, we're not betrothed, are we? So don't jump to conclusions, Rielin. I've told you: I just need time.

Rielin left the house crestfallen and Lya watched the door close with a touch of regret. She had been a little harsh with this varlan who had professed his love for her a very long time ago. It was not that she found him unattractive; besides being intelligent, Rielin was tall, rather slender, and had a handsome face. But his vision of the future, family, and love was much too conventional for the impetuous Lya. She never managed to find the right words to turn him down without hurting him and she was not certain she even wanted to. Rielin always went too far when he talked about his feelings; Lya was afraid of breaking his heart forever. She left her house soon after; her father was waiting for her at the Council.

The spring morning was absolutely perfect. The light breeze that passed through the forest caressed the young varlan's black hair. She took Salinar's main road that meandered between the trees. Also called the Green City, Salinar was a superb and skillful blend of sleek construction and the integration of nature in all its forms. Only beauty and harmony could be seen here. When the Salinar varlans decided to settle in this forest two thousand years before, they had already begun to master the magic that permeated the planet Rayhana. And now, it was this magic that allowed such a seamless blending of the Green City and its adoptive forest. From this supernatural symbiosis, mutual protection was born: the inhabitants of Salinar tended the forest that provided them with food and raw materials, and in return, the vegetation, as if endowed with intelligence, either grew or refrained from growing according to their mutual needs. As far as the eye could see, there were only flowers and lush greenery ranging from thick moss to tall trees, all of it pristine.

The varlans had built their houses to be unique. No two houses looked the same and their clean, curved architecture allowed them to blend in with the greenery. Some buildings had become almost invisible as if swallowed up by the surrounding trees and rampant plant life. The main road, one of the few paved roads in the city, occasionally crossed the Saline River that flowed through the forest. Small springs and brooks flowed throughout the city, babbling over stones or varlan structures before rejoining the river. Large weeping willow trees dotted Salinar, offering cool shade during the summer and shelter during the rainy season; their large branches full of palm-shaped leaves were covered with light pink flowers in the springtime. The Saline River flowed a few dozen leagues south to the Port of Salinar, a small annex town on the seashore.

The varlans' technology was much more advanced than that of any other people on the planet and the Green City was no exception. Despite being so far removed from their original level of technology, the varlans made extensive use of hydraulic power, for example, to drive all kinds of machinery. Houses had window panes and indoor plumbing.

The Forest of Salinar, the Saline River, and the Port of Salinar were the only places in the province reserved exclusively for the varlans. This was the decision made by the Senate of the Pergis Republic, strongly influenced by varlan representatives who were very active in human politics. So, the Green City prospered as a sanctuary, sheltered from all outside political turmoil. Though they were few in number compared to humans, the varlans were well-known for their technology and especially for their powerful magic, which the humans found frightening. This art of channeling invisible energy, allowing them to perform astounding feats, meant that the varlans never worried about famine or war.

Finally, Lya could see the Council. Situated at the center of the city, this large stone building shaped like a dome had twelve arched entryways at its base. These twelve arches represented the twelve Aegis, sages elected to govern the city and to vote on issues that affected Salinar's future. The center of the Council dome held one of the large weeping willow trees. Its trunk protruded from a large opening and its branches almost touched the ground around the entire building. Surrounding the dome was a large, circular plaza, dotted with statues of famous varlans as well as benches and fountains. They were all exquisitely made and decorated with intricate designs that highlighted the connection between Salinar and its forest and with nature in general.

Lya's father was sitting on a bench next to a fountain near the dome, watching the birds play among the branches of the immense tree.

I'm here, Father! Lya said excitedly.

Lya! My daughter, we must cease these visits. People are beginning to talk and ask questions.

But you're an Aegis! If you allow me to come, there has to be a good reason. People are too involved in what doesn't concern them, Lya responded, annoyed.

Lya, it is the other Aegis that are asking me questions and they have every right to. You know that our library is not open to the public. And even though you are my daughter, you are still a citizen like any other and ordinarily do not have access to this place. Why do you not go to the People's Library? There are many books on nearly every subject there.

Father, you know very well why! There is nothing about what I'm researching there! Let me go into the Council's library one more time? Please?

Then this will be your last visit. Agreed?

Agreed! Lya said cheerfully before lowering her voice. Do you think that for my last visit, I could go into the Chamber of Memory? Just for an hour or two? Please?

Enough, Lya! Thalras said sharply, exasperated by his daughter's audacity. You must stop pursuing this research. It is not your place, nor your right, to investigate this subject. There are many other occupations in this world for someone your age.

I'm forty-five years old, Father.

What of it? You are still young and you have more than a century of life ahead of you! You will have time to take an interest in our history later. So enjoy these last years of your youth. By the way, has Rielin come to see you?

Yes, Lya said flatly.

Did he not say anything to you?

You were the one who sent him to talk me out of leaving?!

Lya, he has been pining for you for such a long time and you admitted that you liked him too. Do you not think that you could spend a little more time together?

No! I don't have the time! And now, because you sent him to deter me yet again, he has decided to leave with me! Lya said indignantly.

Thalras put his head in his hands, frustrated by his daughter's relentless perseverance. Just one more time in the Council's library and perhaps she will decide to pursue something else.

Very well, follow me. I will take you but this is absolutely the last time! Thalras said as he stood up.

I promise, Father.

At just over one hundred and three years old, Thalras was the youngest of the Aegis. Varlans could very easily live up to a hundred and fifty years, if not more. They grow much the same as humans but their youth lasted around fifty years and were only considered elderly at around one hundred and twenty years old. This extended lifetime allowed them to acquire more experience and knowledge. This, along with their natural aptitude for magic, made varlans the most powerful mages on Rayhana.

Thalras adored his daughter to no end: so full of life, so spirited...and so stubborn. However, he was concerned for her future. Lya did not seem to want to grow up. From her early childhood, she spent her time chasing after dreams without considering the responsibilities of a varlan's life. Lya was intelligent, beautiful, and gifted at nearly everything. She had all that she needed to flourish if her strong nature did not push her too far. Thalras sometimes had to raise his voice to try to contain her volcanic energy but in the end, Lya always had the last word.

Thalras' greatest fear was that his daughter would leave to validate her research into the Avens, or The Travelers. This group of varlans left Salinar more than five centuries before and no one has heard from them since. This community of Travelers was formed around one common goal: to return to their homeworld, somewhere out in the stars. To accomplish this, they wanted to use the magic energy that inundated the planet to psychically travel and contact someone out there. They hoped that a rescue mission would then be sent to Rayhana and they could finally return to a home that only their distant ancestors had known. Lya had discovered the Avens in the numerous works about the territory of Pergis. This human kingdom, actually a republic, was one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms and the Forest of Salinar, though independent, was in their territory. The last known trace of the Travelers' existence was in the neighboring province that was today called Gyt. Ever since then, Lya amassed all the information she could on that place to go and whether this community had succeeded or even survived. Like everyone else, Lya knew that her people originated from beyond the stars but unlike everyone else, she wanted to know more about their distant origins. From one simple discovery, she had built a passion and a cause. She devoured books describing the province of Gyt to prepare for a journey that was as dangerous as it was difficult.

Thalras and Lya entered the dome. Once they had passed through an outer chamber, they found themselves at the center of the building, where the massive tree stood. Beside the trunk hung three cast iron staircases that provided access to the upper floors and were moved by complex machinery powered by the river. Once the formalities with the sentinels were finished, they went up to the seventh story. Lya silently gazed at the staircase reserved only for the Aegis that allowed them access to the Chamber of Memory. Gathered there were all the secrets the varlans knew about this world and its inhabitants as well as their own history since their arrival on Rayhana. These books represented the accumulated memory of the varlans and allowed the Aegis to make rulings on almost any issue. The information contained within was mostly unknown to the average citizen because it was either too ancient or too sensitive. The twelve sages were forbidden from speaking of anything they saw or read in this chamber and Thalras had never revealed anything to his daughter despite her pleading. They arrived at the antechamber of the Council Library where Raen, Thalras' assistant, waited. Rather small for a varlan, the aide to the Aegis was known for his keen intelligence and his outgoing personality.

I am pleased to see you again, my dear Lya, Raen said bowing respectfully.

Hello, Raen. I'm afraid this will be the last time you'll see me here! Lya said resignedly.

Oh, really? Raen asked sadly, looking at Thalras for an explanation.

Yes, Lya has finished her research and this will be her last visit. Thank you for looking after her one last time, Raen.

Think nothing of it. It was my pleasure. Lya, if you will come with me, Raen said, extending his arm in invitation.

I'll see you later, Father! said the young varlan in a tone that he knew all too well, that tone she used when she had won and he had given in.

Raen and Lya entered the main chamber of the Council Library. There were books as far as the eye could see, arranged on large shelves that stretched all the way to the high ceiling. Ladders mounted on rails allowed access to volumes on the top shelves.

Are we going to the Room of Provinces? Raen asked.

Yes, Gyt again, Lya responded impatiently.

They went into a room that was smaller but also full of books. All the provinces of the Kingdom of Pergis were chronicled in the many books on the shelves: history, people, traditions, religion...Everything that the varlans of Salinar were able to gather on their adopted kingdom was stored here. (Or rather almost everything, since the most secret knowledge was in the Chamber of Memory.) As usual, Lya went to a small reading table near an opening that let in some natural light. Raen went back to the main reception desk and sat down. Lya selected a few volumes that she had not read yet and sat down to read the first one. It described the Taurs and in particular, their revolt twenty years before. Underestimated and largely used as slaves, the Taurs had plunged part of the Western Province into fire and blood in the wake of a general uprising. To avoid a pointless and bloody war, the consul Draman secured the restoration of order in exchange for a territory reserved solely for them. They were granted the Isles of Gyt which were semi-wild and possessed little strategic interest for the kingdom. The Taurs could lead a life apart from men and everyone would be safe. So Gyt became the eighth province of Pergis and much like the Isles of the Free Cities, had a special arrangement. In exchange for participation in the military when the need arose, Gyt would be independent of the Republic of Pergis. Other than official visits, any human found on Gyt became the property of the Taurs to do with as they pleased and vice-versa. Since these decrees, the Taurs have been quiet and it was extremely rare to encounter one in the kingdom. Although the consul could depend on their warriors when the time came, no one paid any attention to anything that happened in Gyt.

After a long time, Raen came in to check on Lya. He stood behind the young varlan who was so absorbed in her book, she did not hear him approach.

That was very clever of Consul Draman, don't you think?

Pardon?! Lya asked, surprised.

Giving the Isles of Gyt to a people who don't know how to sail. That's a very clever way to avoid future problems.

Yes...These Taurs are puzzling and yet fascinating at the same time.

Fascinating? They're only mindless bulls on legs! If they didn't each have the strength of two men, they would have gone extinct a very long time ago.

"Why do you say that?

They are feeble-minded and they have no ambition other than learning how to fight. These primitive creatures will have no significance in our world.

That's possible...but as you just said, they are fierce and powerful warriors who were able to crush Pergis, however feeble-minded they may be, said Lya, slightly irritated by Raen's rash judgment.

Raen muttered something unintelligible, then returned to his desk after informing Lya that she would have to leave soon.

These enigmatic Taurs bewildered Lya. Although their origins were not well known, some books tried to explain their presence in this world but did not provide any precise or reliable information. The Taurs were few in number for as long as they have existed and seemed to live only in that part of the world. Their customs, as strange as they were unique, allowed no deviation. From a very early age, their education was centered around honor and respect for their traditions.  The Taurs also hated magic in all its forms and instead dedicated themselves to personal combat which created problems for them. Several books referred to the first Taur revolt as The War of One. While they had greater numbers and were certain to win against the army gathered by the Western Province, the Taurs agreed to let the outcome be decided by personal combat between the leaders of the two armies. The Taur leader lost the combat and so, all of his people were defeated and endured more suffering without the slightest resistance.

Ahem, said Raen.

Lya lifted her head from her book.

Yes?

I'm sorry, but we cannot stay any longer.

I know. Pity, I really would have liked to learn more about these Taurs.

They're not that interesting, believe me.

Perhaps, but they now inhabit the lands where the Avens once lived. At any rate, I'll have to uncover the rest there.

You're not still going to Taur territory, are you?

Do you see any other way?

But my dear Lya, at best you will be captured and enslaved! What do you think remains of the Avens there? Surely those beasts have destroyed everything.

I don't know but something tells me they haven't. You greatly underestimate these creatures; I think that respect for the past is one of their virtues. If the Avens have left any trace, it must still be there.

Does your father know about this? Raen asked worriedly.

Yes, but he wants to discourage me from going...

Wise decision!

Why do you think I've been studying all of this, Raen?

I...I do not know, Raen stammered. You are brilliant, curious...I tell myself that perhaps you have your reasons.

As a matter of fact, I do. I'm going there to find out what happened to them and then come back one day to prove that the Avens deserve to be remembered!

Lya stood up and Raen escorted her out of the dome.

Lya, it's been a pleasure. I do hope that you find what you're looking for, even if I hope even more that you do not make this journey.

Time will tell, Lya said in a tone that made it clear that her mind was made up.

I see. When do you plan on leaving?

Lya only smiled and bowed before leaving. Raen was too curious and he would tell Thalras everything; it was out of the question to trust him so implicitly. She returned to the home that she shared with her father. Lya had never wanted to live on her own; that would mean too many things to manage and she had other pursuits that were more to her tastes. She frowned in irritation when she saw Rielin and her father deep in conversation  on the doorstep. They had seen her, so it was too late to turn around.

Father, Rielin... Lya said flatly.

Lya, I was just about to propose something to your friend and I believe that for once, you will be happy about it, Thalras said enthusiastically.

Yes! It's an excellent idea and I am quite looking forward to it, Rielin put in.

Lya regarded the two varlans with a mixture of doubt and suspicion. When she did not respond, Thalras revealed his idea.

Well, I thought a trip would do you good: so, I propose a journey to Isisse next week. The City of a Thousand Temples is fascinating in so many ways and you told me yourself you would like to visit it someday. What do you think?

For a moment, Lya did not know how to respond.

Lya, we have an ambassador there and your father has graciously offered to arrange an official visit. That would allow us to travel in complete safety with an escort.

Indeed. It just so happens that I have instructions to send to our ambassador. You could take this message to him and then spend a few days in Isisse and enjoy the city, Thalras added.

Lya felt her eyes fill with tears. Her father's proposal severely hampered her plans. Issise lay in the opposite direction of Gyt and Rielin would be fawning over her for weeks. She could not allow that to happen, not when she was so close to her goal. Seeing her father and Rielin who were eagerly waiting for her answer, she took a deep breath before replying. Cornered, but not yet defeated, she thought to herself.

"Thank you, Father, for everything that you do for me. I would be delighted to