The Premortals (The Premortals Series Book 1)

by Jacqueline Wrenley

  THE PREMORTALS

  JACQUELINE WRENLEY

  Copyright © 2020 JACQUELINE WRENLEY YAP

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Ebook by Jacqueline Wrenley Yap

  Tagbilaran City, Bohol

  Philippines

  wrenley007@gmail.com

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  CHAPTER 1: Fortis

  CHAPTER 2: Coastal City

  CHAPTER 3: Homecoming

  CHAPTER 4: The Pledge

  CHAPTER 5: Lost Souls

  CHAPTER 6: First Village

  CHAPTER 7: Revelations

  CHAPTER 8: Wild Horses

  CHAPTER 9: The Game

  CHAPTER 10: Blackard

  CHAPTER 11: Impulse

  CHAPTER 12: Consequences

  CHAPTER 13: Homeward

  CHAPTER 14: Gelhem

  About The Author

  “OUR LAWS MADE LOVE A GAMBLE, YOU WERE ONE OF THE FORTUNATE IF YOU FOUND LOVE AFTER MARRIAGE.”

  CHAPTER 1: Fortis

  CURTIS

  Staying in this room was my routine for the last twelve years but this would be my last day of learning and training befitting my station and then we would finally be released back to society. Before all that though, I have to be here one more time early in the morning while Professor Hughes starts the day by discussing the subject we already knew.

  “Well my Lords, I’m sure you are all excited to go back home tomorrow.”

  “More excited of our grand party tonight!” Lord Stephen interrupted with a chuckle while the class cheered on.

  “Alright, quiet down my Lords, in the meantime, you are all stuck here with me,” Professor Hughes replied with a grin,” Let’s begin.”

  A few of us started to get uncomfortable on our chairs, bracing for another boring lecture.

  “I’ll make this quick since all of you are already familiar with the subject matter. I am here to refresh your memory since this is required by the law before you all rejoin society. Do not hesitate to ask questions along the way,” stated Professor Hughes in his serious tone. “First, the stations,” Professor Hughes continued, “There are seven, what are they?”

  Everybody knew the answer to this question but no one was willing to raise their hand to answer.

  “Lord Stephen?” Professor Hughes looked at the direction where Stephen was seated. He gave a look of what seems to be boredom but answered the question anyway, “The Sovereigns, The Elites, Alphas, Betas, The Corps, Deltas and The Omegas,” then straightened his black blazer uniform proud of himself.

  “Good, it seems that you’ve been paying attention to your classes after all,” the Professor remarked which made the class laugh.

  “The Sovereigns are our Emperor, the Empress, and the crowned Prince. The Elites are the Dukes and Duchesses, Prince and Princesses, the Ladies and Lords which are all of you until some of you will become Dukes one day.” The class gave another cheer. “The Alphas,” the Professor continued, “are the very wealthy businessmen and successful professionals, or owners of large firms and enterprises, political leaders, and high ranking military officers. The Betas are the average earning professionals, in skills or in talents and small business owners, while the Deltas… who would like to continue?” the Professor scanned the room to see who would be willing to volunteer, “Lord Timothy?”

  Timothy was reluctant to answer but he cleared his throat and spoke,” The Deltas are the servants of the Sovereigns and the Elites; and the Omegas are for the labor and services. The Corps are the military and the Protectors.”

  The Professor nodded in approval, “Well done my Lord, now on to the tricky part,” he was pacing in front of the class, “Marriage, what age are we all eligible?”

  Someone shouted twenty at the back of the room.

  “Good,” the Professor complimented to no one in particular.

  “But that age does not apply to us right Professor?” Stephen asked, “Sovereigns, Elites and sometimes the Alphas may wish to marry as early as eighteen or in other words, as soon as we get out of here,” Stephen declared with a sneer.

  “True,” the Professor responded, “As soon as you turn eighteen and you have graduated from this institute, you may be eligible for marriage after you rejoin society. The law has a few exceptions to the higher stations who can afford to create a family. But for the Betas, the Corps, Deltas, and Omegas, they have to wait until they are twenty to be eligible to marry for reasons that they are given two years after they graduate to search for an occupation. All citizens of the Empire regardless of station are eligible to marry; it’s just a matter of time and compatibility.”

  “Now, who chooses who will marry who?” the Professor was looking at my direction, I held my breath for my name to be called, “Lord Curtis?”

  “The Numen System,” I answered as quickly as I could to get it over with.

  “That’s right. This computer system was created to choose the most compatible mates physically and genetically that are not blood related to create order and to put an end to genetically passed diseases and abnormalities. The mates are chosen at random depending on their station of course. Every station is subject to the Numen System except for the Sovereigns who have the freewill to choose.”

  “Yeah right!” Stephen interjected but the Professor just briefly looked at him and ignored his reaction.

  It was not part of the topic or open for discussion but most of us knew that the Elites and sometimes the very wealthy Alphas use their connections and wealth to bribe a Numen Chief Programmer to manually override a match and they can choose who their sons or daughters can marry. They make deals to other families to match their children to gain more wealth and expand their enterprises for the Alphas; and to have more lands, prestige, and alliances for the Elites. This kind of practice was against the law but most of the Elites and some of the Alphas were peers to the Emperor, if they get caught, the Protectors just turned a blind eye. The Chief Programmer was more than willing to break a few laws for them just to receive a very large amount of money.

  Professor Hughes went over to his desk and sat down on the chair and looked over a couple of his notes before proceeding, “We’re done with how mates are chosen, now, let’s continue with the marriage station limitations.”

  Some of us were starting to fall asleep with the morning lecture, all of this was taught to us on our first year in the institute and the proceeding years as if they feared we might forget.

  “The Sovereigns can marry whoever they want regardless of station,” he continued.

  It was funny if you think about it, the Emperor or the Crowned Prince have the power to marry whoever they want regardless of station but they only chose from the Sovereigns of other Empires or from the Elites, and on rare occasions the Alphas. They might as well place some limitations on their station as well.

  “The Elites,” continued the Professor, “are matched with the Elites and the Alphas.”

  “Is it true Professor that there came a time when an Elite was matched with a Beta?” the interruption made us looked at the Lord with a blond hair and gray eyes seated next to me.

  “Yes Lord Ambrose I believed so, it had only happened twice in recorded history. The Chief Program
mer once explained that the Numen System will generate a match for an Elite with the Beta station when no other match is possibly found on the Elite and Alpha pool since there are only a few of them. The system will automatically choose a Beta with identical or almost the same genetic characteristics of an Alpha or Elite.”

  “That will never happen to first born Elites, heir to a Duke,” Stephen sneered.

  Ambrose glared at him with disgust for his lack of sensitivity. His tactless behavior made him forget that Professor Hughes is a Beta, or maybe he just didn’t care.

  “Do not worry my Lords. This almost never happens,” the professor reassured us while continuing to ignore Stephen’s side remark.

  I was contemplating on Professor Hughes’ words, this never happens but it did. Only the Elites were rich and powerful enough to reverse the match if it did happen by paying the Chief Programmer to change the result especially when the match was a Duke or heir to a Duke. But when it did happen, the Elites considered it as a joke, a laughing spectacle from what I had heard. They say that this was the most expensive bribe an Elite had to pay.

  “Let us move on, the Alphas are matched with the Elites and other Alphas.”

  “The Betas as matched with other Betas and the Corps,” the Professor went on, “The Corps who are drafted according to their physical attributes and strength are matched with the Betas. The Deltas are matched with other Deltas and Omegas. Lastly, the Omegas are matched with Deltas and other Omegas. These matches with the stations were designed to improve and preserve the skills and talents for the future generations to come and to create order.”

  “Professor?” Nigel who was sitting in front of the class was raising his hand.

  “Yes Lord Nigel?”

  Nigel pushed the rim of his glasses to his nose before answering, “What about promotion to a higher station? Could we run it again?”

  “There are three ways to be promoted; it is by the Emperor’s choice, or being drafted for the Corps, or by marriage. An example would be in the military Corps, when a soldier exhibits qualities deserving of a high ranking officer or a political leader, the Emperor may promote him making him an Alpha, this is the only way for someone in the Corps to be promoted. Or when an Omega enlists or was drafted for the Corps and passed the test then they would be promoted to the Corps. The promotion through marriage is understandable by itself. The Deltas are of higher rank than the Omegas. If an Omega is matched by a Delta, he or she would be promoted and leave his or her previous occupation and would render their life in servitude to the Emperor and his royal household, or the Elites. The child from a Beta and Corps parents would be tested first whether he or she would belong to the Beta or the Corps. Is this clear to you Lord Nigel?” the Professor explained glancing at Nigel with a smile.

  “Yes Professor,” was his shy reply.

  “What happens Professor if the Numen System does not have a match for someone?” it was Timothy’s turned to ask.

  Professor Hughes took his time to answer, “There are instances that the Numen System will take a long time to find a match, or will never find one at all.”

  “You mean some may never marry?” Timothy inquired further.

  “Yes Lord Timothy, the Numen System is a very complicated program that we will never understand why for some they will never find a match, and when you are over fifty, you lose that eligibility.”

  “Could it be just a glitch or a mistake?” Leonas interrupted who was seated at the back row.

  “I highly doubt it Lord Leonas, the System is flawless and has been even before you and I were born. Some may never find a match because as you remember, the main purpose of the Numen System is to make matches with men and women who are genetically compatible. Maybe some do not have someone they are compatible with out there. We are all eligible but it does not mean all will find a match.” Professor Hughes explained.

  The topic was getting interesting that some of the Lords were obviously having more questions in their minds as well.

  “So what can they do?” Ambrose asked.

  “Nothing Lord Ambrose, they continue to live their lives alone. It is against the law to have any form of intimate relations with anyone without being married first. If caught, they will be sentenced to ten years in prison if they are unmarried, but adultery is punishable by death just like murderers and traitors.”

  The Professor paused then finally said, “Anymore questions before I proceed?” he was searching the room for more raised hands but there was only silence.

  “Okay, if there are no more questions, let us proceed then to our last topic of the day which is the child allocation,” the Professor started pacing again.

  “Each station is allocated with a certain number for children they are allowed to have. This law has been approved since the beginning of our Empire to solve the overpopulation problem back then. All of us men and women, with no exceptions, are to be born sterile and thanks to the medical breakthrough of our forefathers, we are born not from our mothers but from a Womb Simulated Environment Chamber or the WSEC or simply called the Birth Chamber. We are not conceived by the union of two reproductive cells like the barbaric age but with the fusion of two compatible blood and a few basic genetic modifications to prevent birth defects and ensure healthy offspring. This is where the child allocation law comes into place, each station is allowed how many children? Anyone? Yes Lord Marcus?”

  “The Sovereigns are allowed four children, the Elites three, and the Alphas can have two, while the rest are only allowed one child,” responded Marcus seemingly sure of himself.

  “Correct Lord Marcus, there are more Beta, Deltas, Corps and Omegas that is why they are allowed only one child.”

  “My father once told me that the Sterility Serum was also needed for the infant to grow in a Birth Chamber,” Stephen blurted out.

  We were all looking at Professor Hughes waiting for a respond, “Yes Lord Stephen, without the Serum an embryo will not survive the early stage of development,” the Professor calmly replied.

  The Professor looked at Stephen then said, “Your father is a great man, he knows more than I do”.

  Stephen’s face was beaming with pride.

  “Well then,” Professor Hughes was leaning on his desk changing the topic, “What age are the children sent to the Institutions?”

  He was looking at the raised hand at the back corner of the room.

  “Yes Lord Chaste?”

  “Six years old.”

  “Indeed Lord Chaste, at six years old, all female children are sent to the Yuvaika Institute to learn and train according to their station while all six year old male children are sent here at Fortis Institute where all of you would spend the next twelve years of your life. All parents regardless of station, must comply to this law and send their children to these institutes until they graduate at eighteen and be ready to go back to society,” the Professor paused and crossed his arms, “Now who could recall where the names of the Institutes came from?” he continued.

  Hands were raised simultaneously this time, probably because it was an easy question. The professor chose the Lord seated behind me this time.

  “Yes?”

  “Yuvaika was named after our very first Empress and Fortis from our first Emperor.”

  “You’re absolutely right my Lord,” the Professor nodded in agreement.

  “Emperor Fortis and Empress Yuvaika were our very first Sovereigns,” he resumed, “The Institutes were created after the Great War to promote peace and to make sure that the war will never happen again.” He paused for a moment then began pacing the room, “Now who could tell me what the Great War was about? Lord Curtis?”

  I hesitated for a bit then answered the best I could, “The Great War was about men versus the women.”

  Professor Hughes smiled, “Continue my Lord.”

  I shifted on my seat, “It was about who was the better gender, and disputes on equality and rights, and among others. The war lasted for more than a century.
Emperor Fortis was the leader of the men faction while Empress Yuvaika was for the women. When the two finally settled for peace, they formed an alliance through marriage to erase any hostility from their loyal subjects, and to seal the bond, they had children who continued to become Sovereigns and Elites. They created the laws and the stations with the help of their appointed councils made up mostly of their loyal followers who later became Elites and given the titles Dukes and Duchesses, and were given lands to establish their Dukedom. The new laws and way of life was set up to create order among the citizens. The Institutes were built to separate the boys and the girls at a crucial age to prevent any discrimination and to discourage any thoughts of gender dominance or partial treatment or misplaced affections making sure not to make the same mistakes we once did before,” I let out a sigh of relief hoping that I answered it right.

  Professor Hughes gave a huge grin which made me feel contented of my answer.

  “I couldn’t have said it better, you’d make an excellent Lord,” he declared directly at me. He went over to his desk again and shuffle some papers, “It seems that we are at the end of our discussion my Lords,” while still looking down at his papers.

  The class started to move in their seats with enthusiasm.

  “Before we go, any last questions?”

  There were none.

  “None? Then congratulations my Lords, we have reached the end of our time together. I hope none of you grew tired of me.”

  The class laughed with the Professor.

  “After twelve years, which I am sure is a lifetime for some of you, make you feel unsure of what you are going to do outside these walls but fear not, once you leave this place tomorrow, your new life as Lords awaits you and I am sure you will all be successful in whatever you do,” Professor Hughes spoke with confidence and reassurance. He paused briefly and took one final look at us, “I hereby proclaim this as the end of our session, you are all dismissed.”