Xenosaber: Fury of the Stars © 2017 Jedaiah Ramnarine (Jedi Reach)
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in Trinidad by Psi Raise Creative Studios. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from Psi Raise.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover Art by Jedaiah Ramnarine and Monosero
Edited by Jedaiah Ramnarine, Ian Makarov, Daniel Perusko
First Edition – 4/21/2017
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Dedication
To you
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Attack on Stargate
Chapter Two: The Princess of Eira
Chapter Three: The Moon Elf
Chapter Four: The Void-Star Blade
Chapter Five: A Gathering of Truth
Chapter Six: The Sun Guardianess
Chapter Seven: The Fairy, The Monster, and The Twilight
Chapter Eight: Arrival at Eira
Chapter Nine: Ring of Valor
Chapter Ten: Crux of The Matter
Chapter Eleven: The Order of the Void
Chapter Twelve: Life in The Phoenix Knight Academy
Chapter Thirteen: An Overdue Second Meeting
Chapter Fourteen: Temple of Light
Chapter Fifteen: Return of The Prince
Chapter Sixteen: Setback
Chapter Seventeen: Unexpected
Chapter Eighteen: Dragon’s Fall
Chapter Nineteen: The World Breaker
Chapter Twenty: A Grim Disturbance
Chapter Twenty-One: A Kingdom in Peril
Chapter Twenty-Two: Driven Back
Chapter Twenty-Three: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Ancient Witch
Chapter Twenty-Five: Veria
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Son and The Shrine
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Shrine of Wisdom
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Memories
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Kingdom in Void
Chapter Thirty: Test of the Twilight
Chapter Thirty-One: Mapped
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Hero Returns
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Death Camp
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Resistance
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Citadel
Chapter Thirty-Six: Clash of Heroes
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Final Showdown
Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Result
Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Fate of Star World
Chapter Forty: The Queen and her Heroes
Chapter Forty-One: Promise
PRELUDE
60,000 Years Ago, An Ancient Advent
WAR PLAGUED THE ANCIENT LANDS of Star World and her Moon, instigated by The Dark Lord, a spectre, reigning from the shadows as the master puppeteer. Noble men had lost their fair forms, becoming monsters, hell-bent on bloodshed and chaos. Battles raged night and day without end. Sword clashed against sword amidst a tide of dark spells cast left and right. Nations that were once peaceful allies were now mortal enemies, sworn to eradicate each other by the break of dawn. Their technology had evolved to carry out a singular purpose – death.
Flying mechanical birds rained blasts of infernal fire on their enemies, and in time, those flying machines would also suffer terrible fates at the hands of other technological terrors. Rogue foot soldiers infiltrated enemy ranks, using invisibility to slip by their foes who were too busy destroying each other. Humanoid siege machines, some as tall as mountains, stomped on their opposition with metal feet like they were squashing insects.
The blood and energy residue of this great war painted the sky an insidious hue as it crackled with lightning. The Dark Lord smiled in the shadows, watching the anarchy unfold over the world he conquered. He knew his time was coming. If it was to be his last stand – his last chance before his own inevitable doom, he was prepared to take everything to the grave with him.
A shooting star raced across the horizon, crashing into a distant part of the battlefield. The impact of the crash sent a shockwave across the land that shook the very world itself. Warriors, poised to deliver the killing blow, paused, and looked towards the origin of the disturbance. Out of the smoldering crater, a god walked out, dwarfing everyone else as he strode effortlessly over the battlefield. His long, glowing white hair flowed over his back where he carried an alien-looking greatsword, made up of twin blades, coiled around each other. He wore an advanced armor, painted in intricate patterns of alternating black and white, foreign to this world. His eyes glowed bright and his dark skin absorbed light, like a black hole.
This Great Titan looked over the land of chaos with nothing but apathy. He unleashed his mighty sword – Xenosaber, Fury of the Stars. Blue flames engulfed his hand as he slid his fingers across the blade, empowering the weapon with unnerving brilliance. Streams of ethereal energies shot out of his back, transforming into six, enormous spectral wings, made of pure light. He stooped to the ground for a moment, leaped into the air, and flew across the battlefield – his wings disintegrating everything in their path.
Nothing was safe from his wrath.
All the warriors, and even their siege machines and weapons of mass destruction, posed no threat to him. He sailed across the sky as his wings continued expanding, turning everything and everyone into dust. He had nothing to say. No hostilities or pleasantries to exchange. Nothing to trade and no mercy to give. For this god, it was no war. It was an extermination.
He was here to wipe the slate clean.
Lightning followed the star god as he soared over land and sea, disrupting the fabric of space and time. Power surged in his claymore. He swung the mighty weapon at the sea, unleashing a lightning attack that tore into the world and began shaking the planet to its core. Seismic shockwaves rippled forth, working to uproot all manmade monuments to their own fallacy.
The titan didn’t stop there. Each second that passed, his power grew exponentially. He flew into orbit and charged the Xenosaber with energy so great, he himself could barely contain it. Once the blade was empowered, he unleashed a devastating blast at Star World. The attack enveloped the entire planet’s surface, scarring it at great depth, like some sort of cosmic plow, in a supernova burst – disintegrating every living thing and rendering the planet dead in seconds.
Yet the god’s work was incomplete. The Moon of Star World was equally corrupted. He flew toward it, where planetary guardians waited for him in their starships orbiting their world. They greeted the alien with all-consuming nuclear fire, seemingly destroying him with the fury of a thousand suns. Seconds later, the titan flew out of the blaze at full speed, unharmed and undeterred – his wings stretching as far as the eye could see. The planetary guardians felt their hearts sink as the god flew past them, ignoring them as if they were termites. His wings sliced through their ships disintegrating them into dust.
He charged the Xenosaber again, pointed it at Star Moon and fired. A monstrous stream of energy hurled into the moon and engulfed it, sending shockwaves across the world – annihilating every living thing and turning the thriving moon into a rock as dead as its neighboring planet.
The alien then split his mighty weapon int
o two blades. He tossed one of the swords into the newly destroyed moon. The blade parted the ghastly swirling clouds and pierced the ground, sending mighty gusts in all directions that worked to temper the destruction. As the moon began healing from his weapon’s presence, the titan flew back to the orbit of Star World and tossed the remaining sword into the planet – mimicking the same effect the other blade had on the moon.
With both worlds now healing, the star god’s task was complete. He flew between the planets, wrapped his wings around him, and imploded into white light, twisting the fabric of space as he disappeared.
CHAPTER ONE
Attack on Stargate
AN EERIE SILENCE CREPT INTO the Temple of Gates, an ancient stone temple where Stargates, ancient doorways to other dimensions, were used eons ago. The temple’s guardians patrolled the hallways and corridors but were unable to sense any disturbance. Only Mikael, the temple’s head guardian, could feel it. Something was coming. A familiar presence he knew all too well.
It cannot be, he thought to himself.
Mikael sprinted to meet his second in command, only to find one of his newer apprentices instead.
“Do you feel that?” he asked the armor-clad knight.
“No, my lord. What is it you sense?” The young guardian tensed.
He tried to identify what would cause his superior such concern. It was rare to see Lord Mikael bothered. He usually kept calm and for the most part, Mikael was never truly troubled – not outwardly, anyway. This was a man who had seen it all. Though you wouldn’t know by looking at his handsome, ash blonde baby face which hadn’t aged one bit over the past seven centuries of his long life. Mikael was known to all as The Ancient Hero of The Land. He had defeated Nidhogg, The World Breaker – a ruthless dragon-shifter who almost destroyed the entire world. Using the Star Blades, together with the ancient sages and the ancient witch, of whom any mention was forbidden, Mikael had defeated Nidhogg and prevented the return of the dragon’s master – The Dark Lord. He was the only hero to wield the Star Blades since the Ancient Titan himself.
“Dark forces are coming.” Mikael said, sotto voce.
“What? Dark forces?”
A deafening explosion silenced the two guardians, followed by the clashing of swords and thundering of spells in the distance. Mikael and his apprentice raced to the scene, only to find the dead bodies of their comrades, scattered across the sacred hallways.
“What is this!” The young couldn’t believe his eyes. Star World was in a time of peace, they hadn’t seen war in years. No one would dare attack the Temple of Gates while Mikael was there. It was practically suicide to face the one who defeated The World Breaker.
“Keep your voice down!” Mikael hissed.
He unsheathed his signature weapon. The thin, one-handed blade glowed with plasma as Mikael followed the trail of blood, his apprentice close behind. The trail led them to the temple’s central chamber where another surprise awaited. Mikael gloomed when he saw what was in front of him. A tall, fair, blonde, long-haired man encased in black armor, accentuated by a red cape. The rogue was surrounded by half a dozen similarly dressed elves. They were operating the main stargate.
“Say it isn’t so,” Mikael didn’t care if they heard him. “Baldr!” he yelled.
The leader halted what he was doing and turned to meet Mikael’s unrelenting gaze. It was years since Mikael had last seen him. The child that was promised to be his successor. The one who was known as the modern hero to Mikael’s ancient heroic lineage. The boy whom Mikael trained himself. His name was Baldr, the exiled prince of Eira. His graceful elvish features hadn’t changed one bit, only the intent on his well-cut face, that spelled betrayal.
“It is good to see you again, my old master.” he snarled.
“Don’t do this Baldr. It will only end in darkness.” Mikael pleaded.
Baldr sighed, unsheathed his sword, and pointed the thin, glowing plasma blade at the ancient hero.
“There was a time I believed in you,” The exiled prince gnashed his teeth as he recalled his past naiveté. “Never again.”
Both men glared at one another, exchanging silent curses stemming from their disappointment in each other.
“You leave me no choice.” Light coiled around Mikael’s blade.
The ancient hero slashed at the betrayer and his followers, unleashing a beam attack that separated the pack. Baldr quickly regained his balance and sprinted toward his former master, sword drawn. The two engaged in an even sword fight, as sparks flew from the clashing of their blades. This was not just a duel. It was two halves of a warrior, both knowing the other’s style to the core – fighting over duplicity each accused the other of.
Mikael’s new apprentice raced to stall the rest of Baldr’s men, using his knowledge of the temple to outplay their ranged spell attacks. Despite his best efforts, he soon found himself overwhelmed by their numbers. A dark bolt of void energy smashed into his chest, sinking beneath his armor, and knocking him out cold.
Baldr and Mikael continued their fight while the betrayer’s men disassembled the stargate and prepared to move it. Mikael figured their plot and discerned Baldr was there to keep him occupied while the minions carried out the task at hand. He waited for the right time to counter his former student, outpacing him with superior footwork, and elbowing the prince in the nose. Instead of delivering a deathblow, Mikael used the chance to pursue Baldr’s men, unleashing another beam attack at them. The barrage managed to down two of the thieves but their leader was quick to return to the unsettled skirmish.
Mikael felt him approaching from behind. He spun around and slashed horizontally, only to miss the prince who leapt overhead and fired an energy attack of his own, in midair. The blast forced Mikael to defend against the explosive burst that engulfed the whole room. Once Mikael shrugged off the energy residue and the smoke cleared, he looked around to find the thieves. They were gone. Worst part of it all? The Stargate was gone too. He failed to prevent them from stealing it.
Mikael collapsed to his knees, enraged by his own weakness. He could’ve killed Baldr. But he didn’t. Why? All the dead guardians around him and the missing stargate piled up into a mountain of guilt. Why didn’t I do it? He questioned himself repeatedly. His new apprentice woke up and limped over to him. The young trainee’s armor was roasted from his own fight and his helmet was gone, revealing a spikey, black-haired elf with a determined face that sought justice.
“I’m sorry, my lord. I have failed you.” The young student bowed his head with shame.
“No,” Mikael stopped him. “I have failed you. I’ve failed my guardians. I didn’t have the strength to do what I should’ve.” his voice ached with regret.
A moment of silence overcame both guardians.
Mikael looked over to his junior, curious why he didn’t know more of him.
He must be one of the new recruits.
“What’s your name young one?” Mikael asked.
“Danzul, sir.” The young one replied.
“You did well Danzul,” a stout look came to Mikael’s face. “Now prepare yourself. We must ride to Eira. A grim fate is set to unfold.”
CHAPTER TWO
The Princess of Eira
“Aaayaahhh!” ARYA AWAKENED FROM A vivid nightmare inside her royal suite. She clutched her chest, struggling to control her breath as flashes of Baldr’s attack on the Temple of Gates flooded her mind mere minutes after the actual event.
Baldr? Is it really you? What is that darkness that surrounds you?
Thousands of questions plagued the young princess’ mind. She had grown to trust her visions since childhood. Kings and wise men across the world journeyed far and wide just to seek her guidance. She was an Oracle to most – one with unnatural wisdom for a young woman her age. Arya peered outside her window in denial. The thought of her brother falling to the influence of the void was too much to bear. She fetched her regal night robes and moved for the outside balcony atop the royal family’s castle
.
A full moon greeted the princess as she gazed over the kingdom of Eira with a sigh. Eira Citadel or simply The Citadel, was an eons old fortress with well-groomed gardens and neatly cut trees, sitting in the middle of Eira’s capital city. Around it, bustling markets lined the gold paved streets. The town squares were often filled with nobles, dueling for their honor. Statues of legends and heroes of old were engraved into every street in the kingdom.
Worry clouded Arya’s mind. As a well-versed historian and scholar, she knew much of Eira’s history – from the wars they fought to the peace they sought. It troubled her that her kingdom might one day suffer such a terrible fate, and in that moment, she feared such worry would be her undoing – that somehow, it would bring her beautiful features to an end and she’d die an old hag. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Arya was breathtakingly gorgeous. She was a fair elf with long, platinum-blonde hair that flowed all the way down to her backside. She had the body of a night dancer with a face so exquisite, it commanded immediate attention. According to folk legend, her otherworldly, cyan eyes could peer right into your soul. It may have been true. No one could hide anything from her.
Yet none of that brought comfort to the princess’ mind. She’d seen everything that happened between Mikael and Baldr in her dream. A mixture of horror and excitement overtook her. She knew she had to act, but she was uncertain who she could turn to. The King hadn’t paid heed to his daughter’s visions. Not since his son had left them. Arya closed her eyes and focused on the only one she knew would listen.
‘Cyrus’, she called the Paladin using her mind. ‘Come to me, there is something I need you to do.’ The holy knight wasted no time upon hearing his princess’ call. He dropped his rounds securing the perimeter with the rest of his comrades and bolted to meet her. He had become accustomed to the princess calling him through telepathy. Whenever she did, he knew the matter was serious. As her royal bodyguard, Cyrus was obliged by law, and personal commitment to keep Eira’s heir safe.
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