Kara’s reign was short, as might be expected from a woman who didn’t gain the title of Empress until the age of sixty-five. She was succeeded by her eldest son after ruling for only seven years. The new emperor, named Azarak after his purported grandfather, developed a fascination for Ferguson’s writings about heredity and genealogy. He knew from secret papers left by his grandmother that Sorial’s blood ran through his veins. Although his wife didn’t have an exceptional bloodline where magic was concerned, royal mistresses were selected not on the basis of comeliness but on their viability to produce “gifted” offspring. One child of the various couplings possessed the aptitude necessary to hear the portal’s call. Azarak’s efforts to ensure that the boy was expedited into the federation of wizards sparked a civil war that pitted wizard against wizard and nearly destroyed the Empire. Yet it survived this struggle as it would survive others.
Through it all, the Otherverse remained quiescent. The Lord of Order made appearances when requested by members of the “line of Azarak” or by whoever filled the position of Magus Prime. After Myselene’s death, however, those interactions were ceremonial in nature. The Emperors and Empresses often approached the portal with great pomp, accompanied by a veritable army of important “observers” who could testify to the truth of their liege’s claims regarding a “connection” with The Supreme Magus.
Over time, a religious cult developed around the veneration of Sorial and Alicia. Its catechism decreed that, in the wake of the passing of the “old” gods, those two had been chosen to head the new order. Although no official places of worship were erected, the circle of belief grew until it was a broadly accepted sect. Eventually, the Temple formally adopted devotion to Sorial and Alicia as “acceptable and proper.” The Emperor at the time, who was the de facto Grand Prelate, made a public speech acknowledging his acceptance of “the two immortal wizards as the successors to the previous gods.” Although it was questionable whether he truly believed this statement, the popular sentiment was politically expedient.
The Lord of Order, displeased with this turn of events, resolved to withdraw from involvement with his descendants and cease making future manifestations. Since his continued appearances would legitimatize the fledgling religion whose existence he opposed, he ended communication with the material world. He withdrew entirely into the Otherverse and concentrated on working with The Lord of Chaos to maintain balance while Once-Alicia and Once-Altemiak, both fully entrenched, sparred with one another.
Thus, under the stewardship of men and wizards, the world moved into the future, transitioning from The Age of Wonders to The Age of Contention and proving the faith of the gods that their creations could thrive without their involvement. Although men created new deities to replace the old ones, they weathered the evolution and proved able to develop a culture of self-reliance. And while magic and wizards eventually disappeared, men continued as the gods had envisioned when they had uttered their Last Whisper and faded from existence. Through it all, The Lords of Chaos and Order continued to watch until they, like the Otherverse they inhabited, disappeared from memory with the birth of yet another age: The Age of Technology.
* * *
This concludes Shadow of the Otherverse and, with it, The Last Whisper of the Gods Saga
If you’re interested in spending more time with the characters from this series, be on the lookout for The Last Whisper of the Gods Saga: Stories from Ayberia, which will be published later in 2016. A collection of related stories and “deleted scenes,” this volume will also feature a new sequel novella called “The Prelate’s Legacy.”
Thank you for taking the time to read Shadow of the Otherverse. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
Shadow of the Otherverse (The Last Whisper of the Gods Saga Book 3) Page 60
