The Chronicle of Magica: The Beginning of the End

By Yannis Lignos

Growing up, Electra thought she would be an ordinary telepathic martial arts expert, dedicated to exacting revenge. However, fate does sometimes have a peculiar way of revealing itself!

Join Electra as she is thrust into a magical world where wonder and danger hide behind every corner, and experience an epic adventure filled with battle and energy.

Holding the fate of the universe in her hands, will she be able to put aside her tragic past and pull through, or will this be the beginning of the end?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Sep 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781398469426

Yannis Lignos

Yannis Lignos was born in 1993 in Athens, Greece. He grew up watching weekend morning cartoons and from a very young age developed a passion for diving into and creating fantasy worlds. As one of his greater adventures he moved to England where he currently resides. The Chronicle of Magica: the Beginning of the End is his first book, which he begun writing at the age of 13.

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About the Author

Yannis Lignos was born in 1993 in Athens, Greece. He grew up watching weekend morning cartoons and from a very young age developed a passion for diving into and creating fantasy worlds. As one of his greater adventures he moved to England where he currently resides. The Chronicle of Magica: the Beginning of the End is his first book, which he begun writing at the age of 13.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Elina, Nelly and everyone who where there during the darkness, during the light… and who will continue to be there till the end.

Copyright Information ©

Yannis Lignos 2023

The Copyright of Yannis Lignos to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398469419 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398469426 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank: All my family and friends for their love and support, I may not name you but you know who you are and what you did. Chrysa (gold) and Asimenia (silver), who just like their names, their presence was priceless in my life, and without whom this would be a children’s book. Sophia, my first fan who is wise beyond her years. That teacher at school who told me I could never write a book. Austin Macauley Publishers for giving me this opportunity and for supporting me throughout the publication process. You, the person holding this book right now, for letting me take you on this magical journey. May Faystar’s luck shine brightly on your endeavours.

Genesis

In the beginning, there was only darkness. Suddenly, a bulb of white light triggered a gigantic explosion that lit all the nothingness. As the blast-wave of the explosion spread, the entire universe was created. Through this, the galaxies, the nebulae, the solar systems, the planets, the stars and everything else, known and unknown, that exists in this world was born. The reason why I am referring to the creation of the universe is because in its centre, at the place where the bulb of light appeared, before it spread out to the entire cosmos, a semi-circular world was birthed, bathed by this eternal light; a world where life first began and where almost anything is possible. The name of this world is Magica.

Our story however, starts many millennia later at a distant solar system in the Tala galaxy, and in particular on a planet that was named Gaia. Gaia is a small spherical world without a moon, covered in its most part by water, while the two of its three extended oval continents join obliquely at their top. The third continent, Hneto, which is located to the right of the others, is encircled by sea and some scattered islands. It is an industrial area with quarries, factories, apartment blocks, cities and technology that in your world reaches the beginning of the twentieth century.

The second continent, Stephor, is an endless forest with some openings in places where people have created camps, or villages. While in the middle of it stands the enormous mountain Baldor. Finally there is Lagia, the diamond of Gaia. All its cities, consisting of detached houses and villas, are made of stelite, a kind of marble that absorbs the sunlight and illuminates at night. This continent houses the elite of Gaia that is ship owners, entrepreneurs and investors. There, in the city of Borleon, we will find a Ghiomo. (The translation of the word is white man but it is widely used as the word Kuomo for dark-skinned people and the word Skioro for those who, in your world, are of Asian origin.) Genesis Kar, a great businessman. He is sitting at a big wooden desk in a high-ceiling darklit room with wallpaper on the walls, and signing documents under the light of his lead-made lamp. The big thinning on his frayed brown hair, his strong cheekbones, as well as the many wrinkles on his face make him look older than his age; though he is not concerned with his looks, nor with his work, which he is frantically engaged with.

At that moment his blue-green eyes looked at the large gilded balcony door facing his office. The only entrance of natural light in the room, since all the other windows on the left wall were covered with silky scarlet curtains. Outside the closed balcony door, the cloudy bright sky and the huge yard of the Kars two-storey manor house were visible. There was Electra, his fourteen-year-old daughter. She was wearing a black sleeveless tracksuit with long pants, while her brown-red hair was caught in a bun so not to hinder her as she trained in a martial art. Genesis was saddened to push her to train continuously but he wanted her to be strong, and above all ready. She had her father’s eyes and lips, though in everything else she was identical to her mother.

At that moment Genesis drew his gaze from his daughter, opened a drawer in his office, pulled out a cigar and lit it. He sucked the smoke and then gently let it get out of his fleshy lips. He tried to repel his memories though they were stronger, and besides, he wanted to let them take him over, since they took him to happier times. Seventeen years ago, at the age of twenty one, he was finally ready to take over the reins of the business from his parents, since he was the only heir of the Kar family. As a reward his parents offered him a one-week trip to the Loouf forest in Stephor. In his youth he wanted to travel the world, but the many hours of training to learn to run his father’s business prevented him from doing so. So this trip was the perfect opportunity to live his dream, but he did not know that he would never be the same again.

Whilst he was in the Loouf forest, he was constantly exploring the wonderful natural landscapes trying to imprint them, but unfortunately now everything is a green blur. Everything except the memories from the Iagoua waterfall; a spectacular waterfall with crystal waters falling from at least thirty meters high, while a series of irregular rocks prevented the running waters from expanding. Trees had sprouted on its left and right, on the vertical ground, which served as nests of the predatory birds’ lao aguai. Some fantastic birds, that in your world I would say they look more like eagles, but the males have blue eyes, beaks and feet while their feathers are black. Also the lao aguai, which in the common tongue means the birds of the voice, have the ability to articulate words and communicate telepathically with each other, and with the people with whom they bond.

Due to that, Genesis was dying to see a lao aguai up close, so he crossed illegally the permissible approach limit and got closer to the rushing waters of the waterfall. Then for some unexplained reason, he began to feel vertigo, while at the same time he could hear thousands of voices talking to him simultaneously, without being able to decipher what they were saying. He felt terror, like he was a worm in a nest of hungry predators. And then everything went black.

He woke up after a powerful explosion that made the rough stones beneath him shake. His head was spinning so he stayed there. Lying face down on the bank of some river, where the sound of its running waters pierced his ears. From the bitter taste in his mouth he realised that he had puked, whilst from his wet clothes and his location he suspected that, after he blacked out, he fell into the rushing waters of the river Gouenia, which then lead him wherever he was. He concluded that the blackout must have been caused to him by the lao aguais, because he went too close to their nest. He felt foolish since despite the warning from the tour guide, he crossed the wooden fence to get closer to the most dangerous predatory birds of Gaia.

He opened his eyes and tried to get up but a sharp pain on the left side of his head just allowed him to sit up. He touched that spot and when he looked at his hand, there was blood. I must have hit my head whilst falling in the river. He thought as the pain stopped. This would explain why I feel dizzy. It doesn’t look serious, but it would be good to have someone look at it. He tried to get up for a second time and he succeeded. He looked around and realised that he was at a delta of a river. He searched the back pocket of his wet pump beige pants and found the map of Loouf forest he always carried with him. It was wet and the folded pages had glued together, which lead him to tear them apart in his attempt to unfold it. He got irritated but due to his situation he had to find exactly where he was. So he sat patiently and matched the torn pieces of the map like a jigsaw puzzle.

Eventually, he discovered that he had distanced himself miles away from the Iagoua waterfall, and that if he had not stopped at the delta of river Gouenia he would be in Krone forest, a forest adjacent to Loouf. Also he saw a road, parallel to the river, that lead to a village some miles away towards the waterfalls direction. His belly growled, as the last meal he had eaten was during the morning, in the canteen of the inn, and now the stelo (this is how the Gaians refer to the sun) had begun to hide behind the foliage of the tall trees. At least it is not cold. He thought to himself as he bent over to get the map piece showing the location of the road, and immediately began walking. If someone else was in his place he might have been frightened by the whole situation, but Genesis Kar felt as if he had gone to a party as an honorary guest. He was living an exciting adventure in his boring life that would continue to be boring until he died… or so he thought.

As he walked through the dense forest he saw an opening between the tree trunks. The road! I found it! Thinking this, he started running with a grin forming on his face. As he reached the opening he was surprised to see that there was a gigantic crater in front of him. Its depth was at least three meters and its diameter was more than four kilometres. His grin disappeared and he got hold of branches from the nearest trees, as fast as he could, so that he would not fall. His disappointment ripped his joy and his confidence like paper, though he refused to give up. So he turned right and started walking along the crater. As the light of the stelo disappeared, surrendering the world to twilight, Genesis’ worries grew, though he focused on one so he would not think of the rest. How was the crater created?

Help. He heard suddenly.

Genesis stretched his neck looking everywhere for the origin of this toneless voice without a trace of emotion. He heard it again, though this time it was coming from above. He tried to look beyond the dense foliage of the trees but to no avail. I hope I don’t have to climb, he thought as he had never climbed in his life. A bird swiftly passed over his head and landed on the lower branch of a nearby tree. Genesis, whilst bent over, heard again this choking word coming from the bird’s direction. He looked at it, and in his eyes there was a mixture of indescribable fear and marvel. In front of him, on that branch, was a lao aguai. It stared at him with its blue eyes that one would think were piercing your soul.

Suddenly, it opened its mouth and uttered the word help, with the same emotionless tone that it had done the three previous times. Genesis was left staring at it surprised, not knowing how to react. Then the lao aguai opened its wings and with a jump started circling over his head before disappearing in the foliage of some trees to his right. Once again, Genesis was left staring blankly at the spot where the lao aguai had disappeared, while thousands of things were going through his mind. A glimmer of hope appeared in his gaze, which, as it spread out, created a big smile. He followed the bird.

This is it! Of course! The fact that I went so close to their nest made this particular lao aguai like me. And now it puts me through a test to see if I’m worthy, in order to bond with me. Whilst thinking this, his brain conjured up various images, out of which the most outstanding one was the one where he was sitting at his father’s big wooden-leather office chair whilst the lao aguai was perched proudly on his shoulder. He stopped. Now everything was clear. The lao aguai had already bonded with someone, she was in danger and it was looking for help. A girl was lying in front of him. The lao aguai sat carefully on her upper arm pinching her and then staring at him.

The girl was wearing a blue cloth-like fitting uniform that was torn, burned and stained with soil and blood in many places. She didn’t look any better. Her slim fit body was full of bruises, burns and scars from which she was still bleeding. Her head was hidden under her brown-red hair while her head rested on a stone that had been stained with the red liquid. She must have lost a lot of blood, Genesis observed, aghast. He approached her. The lao aguai jumped on the dirt and stared as he grasped her carefully and raised her in his arms. As he did that, one of her breasts was revealed due to a burned hole near her armpit. He pretended he didn’t see it and shook it to hide under the cloth but his heart began to beat faster.

He looked at the lao aguai who had pierced him with its eyes; however, he decided to stay calm and started walking towards the village. Then he looked at her face for the first time. It was soiled with dirt and blood, yet they could not hide the beauty of her delicate features, that came in perfect harmony with her almond-shaped eyes. He stopped to take a better look at her, as her beauty enchanted him. But the bird’s cry, that came somewhere from above them, reminded him that he should carry on. All the while he was in the woods, he wondered what or who could have brought this girl into her current state, and if it has anything to do with the crater. Then he realised that the lao aguai had disappeared, but when he came out on the dirt road he saw it flying high above their heads.

The starry night sky was illuminated by what was known as the lagian aurora, a variety of colourful waves, mainly in the shades of light green. The waves were rocking serene in the night sky, like a veil moving with the soft air, but despite this magical phenomenon nostalgia began to take root in Genesis heart. It wasn’t the same as Lagia. Had he been there now, the sky would’ve been covered by a grey veil that would have prevented the citizens to see the stela (this is how the Gaians call the stars) creating a penumbra. A penumbra that inspired safety and security, as it lit his dark childhood nights, where then the dark was still something mysterious and scary. Thinking of this he continued walking towards the village which now seemed to be the only hope of salvation. His legs ached from hours of exhausting walking, and his hands were numb under the weight of the girl. Yet he did not let her down. On the contrary, he held her as tight as he could, as she warmed him. His clothes had dried on him, while a gentle breeze combined with moisture created an incredible cold. Yet he kept walking.

It was then he saw the distant lights of the village. His eyes teared up and the spark of hope in his heart flared into a fire that reawakened his moral. He couldn’t remember what had happened after he entered the village, though two days later the villagers had told him that he knelt down, let the girl down gently and then started crying for help. Not for him, but for her. His clothes had been dyed with the girl’s blood, so the villagers gave him a woollen sweatshirt, leather pants and fur boots. The spectacle was ridiculous in his opinion, but at least it kept him warm as the days got colder.

In the village Step, that was the name of the village he was at, there was no telephone. So he sent a telegram to his parents, not to worry because he would be staying there for a while. Of course he didn’t mention the incident at all. While waiting for the girl to wake up, he contacted the inn to send him his things, and managed to fit in a bit with the village community working at the farms. It was a long and tiring job, but he enjoyed spending the afternoons with the men of the village at the pub of the Lionhog. At nights he slept at the guesthouse of the village chief’s house. The lao aguai, which now followed him everywhere but rarely approached him, led the villagers to tease him using a nickname that ended up making him known to the whole village. Everyone was calling him Omogil, which means the man of silence. While the bird itself was called Gilo lao aguai, the silent bird of the voice.

Despite this, every time the bird approached him, he would talk to it about the girl’s condition. One afternoon when all the men had gathered in the pub, at the end of the second week he was there, Genesis remembered the huge crater he had seen in the forest, so he decided to ask Yozeph in confidence. Yozeph was a fat dark-haired man with curly hair and a beard that had been elected as the village chief.

He downed the remaining brown foam liquid which is known as amba (you know it as black beer) and while he touched down the large ceramic glass on the table he stared at him with his small, brown, experienced eyes, before addressing him with his heavy voice. Omogil, surely you know about the Epic War in the history of Gaia. It was more of an affirmation than a question.

Yes. Genesis nodded. That piece was the most important in Gaia’s history, similar to the World Wars in your own world that are well known. Also there was no way that Genesis would not be aware of it, as his grandparents had fought and died in this war.

Yozeph looked at him with a mocking smile. Will you tell me?

Genesis looked at him strangely, but with a sigh he began. In the past, the three continents coexisted peacefully, with little influence on each other. Things were very different then. Lagia was desperately trying to grow an industry beyond the export of marble, while Hneto was Gaia’s diamond as the most advanced and richest continent. The elected CEO of each enterprise constituted the Council, which made decisions for Hneto’s interest. Then Hugh Jin Saito appeared; a Skioro who was the president of a small company that made the best swords in all of Gaia. He started cooperating with several small businesses that he ended up owning, by legal or illegal means, thus growing his business which changed into a group and ended up being called the Organisation of the Sword.

As the group expanded, it began to assimilate larger companies, thus increasing its influence on the Council. At that time the inhabitants of Hneto were divided into two factions, those who supported the Organisation of the Sword and those who opposed it. Although the latter was declining very rapidly, because apart from his guile, Hugh Jin was an amazing orator and controlled the crowds in his own interest.

All the while, Yozeph listened carefully to Genesis, nodding his head and looking at his empty glass.

Of course, Stephor and Lagia couldn’t help but get involved in the whole situation, especially after the expansion policy of Hugh Jin on the independent islands that surrounded Hneto; Though the residents of Stephor are simple, and as the world was rapidly changing around them they were trying to stay unaffected, or if this was not possible to remain neutral. Realising that what he said might offend Yozeph, he carried on hastily. "On the other hand, the residents of Lagia saw the whole event as a reason to take the lead in business. Something they have desired for at least three centuries. So they attacked the island of Grello of the Varia island group to free it. But they didn’t know that this was exactly what Hugh Jin wanted. As a result of the unlawful attack by Lagia, the Council gave him complete authority and thus began a war to destroy and conquer it."

Quite right, said Yozeph. The Organisation of the Sword had the upper hand in this war, as all warriors were trained in martial arts and provided with its famous swords. This is how the collection of new students began, that had to be done by force several times.

Genesis noticed Yozeph’s eyes fill with anger as he spoke.

Some of them had special gifts, and Hugh Jin Saito decided to assemble them in a team. The team was named Istigee, the gifted. As you understand, the people of Lagia had no hope of winning this war. His features calmed down as he snorted. But then something unexpected happened. As you mentioned Stephor remained neutral as it was under the impression that this particular war would not affect it, and that both sides fought for their own personal interests. This decision came from the Elders. By forest and region, Stephor was governed by priests. But not like in Lagia, where they chant for ten minutes and get a fortune.

In Stephor, priests must be wise to distinguish right from wrong and fair from unjust, while at the same time being strong enough to defend these values. That is why they train every day from a very young age in order to be ready when it is time to join a community and govern it. Also once a year all the priests gather in the forest where the oldest priest is to meet.

Now Genesis was at the edge of his seat listening carefully to Yozeph as he did not know all the details he had mentioned.

That year they had gathered in the Krone forest. Though as the priests consulted, a young girl invaded the meeting and convinced them to take part in the war, so as to stop the appalling events that were taking place, not just in Lagia, but in the forests of Stephor as well, as there were many times when the Organisation of the Sword tried to take one of the priest on their side. After that day the Brotherhood of the Hand was founded, in order to protect Gaia from any evil, which in this case was the Organisation of the Sword. Acting immediately, the Brotherhood attacked the parts of Lagia that had been conquered by the Sword.

Rumours say that the battles fought back then were legendary, and that a priest could defeat a thousand warriors of the Sword, interrupted Genesis, as this was his favourite part of the story.

But even the priests had their limits, resulting in many losing their lives, Yozeph reminded him seriously. Another legend says that one night the Lagian aurora was red from the blood that had spilled due to many battles.

Yes, but the girl amassed the remaining Lagian warriors and assisted the Brotherhood of the Hand in a final battle that was named the Battle of Dralion, as that was the name of the town it took place. Thus the war ended. He smiled.

Yozeph cleared his throat, shaking his head. "At the same time, Hugh Jin saw his only chance to conquer Stephor, since the priests were no longer there to protect it. He invaded with a massive attack like no other. But the inhabitants were prepared. Using the natural environment, the ignorance of their conquerors, and the help of animals, they stopped the invading army, which fled; thus ended the war in Lagia and Stephor in favour of the Brotherhood. But the losses were terrible." He sighed.

Among them was the unknown girl to whom they later made a full-body statue in the central square of Dralion, dedicated to the unknown heroine, chief of the Lagian warriors and an honorary member of the Brotherhood of the Hand. Genesis continued to narrate having learned the story by heart. The remaining members of the Brotherhood returned to Stephor. There they received a letter from Hugh Jin Saito, stating to meet him on the island of Grelo, the island where the war began, in order to negotiate to end it.

So it happened, one month later the Grelo Treaty was signed between the Brotherhood of the Hand and Hugh Jin Saito, president of the Organisation of the Sword, which dictated that the continent of Hneto had to pay war sanctions against Lagia and Stephor in compensation for the terrible catastrophes caused. Furthermore, the Organisation of the Sword and the Brotherhood of the Hand had to cease to function and any attempt to rebuild them would be a violation of the Grelo Treaty. What is the history lesson for? He looked at Yozeph puzzled.

Yozeph looked at him thoughtfully. The Epic War led Gaia to its present state. But have you heard of the black pages?

Black pages? No, can’t say that I have. Genesis was surprised by his question, as this term was completely unknown to him.

An ironic laugh escaped Yozeph. You Lagians only care about yourselves and nothing else.

Wait a minute, exclaimed Genesis. Does that mean that you Stephorians always care about the good of others?

Yozeph seemed to be annoyed by his response but took a deep breath and responded calmly, At least we know the truth.

Genesis was dumbfounded. What do you mean?

Making a gesture for another glass of amba, Yozeph told him. Since you know about the Epic War, Omogil, you should know that it’s not over.

What? exclaimed Genesis, bulging his eyes.

What you heard, replied Yozeph, grabbing the full glass left by the bartender on the wooden bench and having a big sip. There are some black pages in the history you were taught. Blanks, let’s say, that were never revealed.

"If what you say is true, then how do you know the black pages?" He asked, looking at him ironically.

Yozeph laughed. It was a deep sound that showcased his many experiences as well as the many cigars he had smoked. Omogil, you are in the village Step on the edge of the Loouf forest. A few kilometres further, however, lays the Krone forest, the base of the Brotherhood of the Hand. He inspected him waiting for a response, but when none came he carried on. It is better to tell you so you understand. He had another big sip.

"It is true that after their victory in the city of Dralion the Brotherhood of the Hand returned to Stephor, but not alone. Along with the Brotherhood returned the anonymous girl; the heroine for whom the statue in the central square was built. And yes they did get a letter from Hugh Jin Saito. But when they went to Grelo Island, with the girl, they realised it was a trap. They must have fought bravely, but their opponents were the Istigee and Hugh Jin Saito himself. He led out a small burp and watched as Genesis stared astounded. Yozeph tried to hide a small smile by sipping more amba and then he carried on with a serious tone. Out of the one hundred and twenty members that formed the Brotherhood of the Hand at the start of the war only one survived, priest Iandris."

He pondered something, scratching his brow. "Basically the girl was also a member of the Brotherhood. Not from the beginning… but yeah. Only them two survived, him and the girl. Although don’t think that the other eleven priests who went to the island did nothing. They took all the members of the Istigee with them, and in the end only the girl and Hugh Jin were left to fight. The name of the girl was Darthlik Elektra, and as commander-in-chief of the remaining Lagian warriors as well as an honorary member of the Brotherhood of the Hand, ended that war by killing Hugh Jin Saito. She then forced the Council to sign the peace treaty you know as the Grelo Treaty, but nothing was over. Hugh Jin Kama, Saito’s son, took the reins of the Organisation and to this day he tries to restore it in its old glory, whilst hiding behind Hneto’s industries."

But of course, the Brotherhood of the Hand could not leave him unchecked. So, priest Iandris trained new members in the Krone forest, which was the starting point of the Brotherhood, and today its base. As you understand, the Brotherhood of the Hand has fought many times with the Organisation of the Sword, as one faction tries to destroy the other.

Just like an eternal battle between good and evil? Interrupted Genesis coming forward in his seat, with a gleeful face. Almost instantly, he sat back grabbing his drink and having a sip, while staring at the contemplating chief.

Yozeph’s gaze fell as he took a deep breath and exhaled melancholically. Yes, he replied gloomily, his stare fixed on the table. His mouth had become a thin line barely visible underneath the moustache of his beard. That’s what my son had also asked me.

Genesis was surprised, as he did not know that Yozeph had a son.

The Offer

She woke up! They heard a woman’s voice.

Genesis and Yozeph