The Arclight Saga

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The Arclight Saga Page 105

by C. M. Hayden


  “You should know this is far from over, Taro. And what makes you think I haven’t been around? You think you got out of the Eventide’s crash unscathed by mere chance?” He tapped the side of his nose knowingly. “Think about it.”

  “Still, some advice now and again would be helpful.”

  “I admit I’ve been preoccupied elsewhere. Travelling, you might say. But you’ve proven yourself remarkably resilient. It looks like my faith was well-placed.”

  Aris listened to Kurian’s heartbeat.

  “Can you do anything for him?” Taro asked.

  Aris lifted his ear, and replaced it with his hand. The dragon stirred slightly, and when Aris took his hand away, Kurian drew a long, painless breath.

  “He’ll live,” Aris said, clapping his hands together. “Honestly, that’s a miracle in itself: facing the All-Seer and living to tell the tale. Remarkable.” A frown creased Aris’ cheek, and he glanced sideways at Nima. “But some wounds go deeper than the flesh.”

  Taro knew what he meant. There were hard days ahead for Nima.

  Aris started for the door. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Wait,” Taro said, reaching out. “How do I get a hold of you if I need you?”

  Aris smiled. “I already told you, Taro. I’m always with you.”

  With that, Aris left, and all was quiet again. Taro leaned back, smiling the first truly carefree smile he could remember. Somehow, through all the hardships he’d suffered, through all the pain and doubt, he’d come out on top. His friends were alive. His sister would soon be home safe.

  There were hard times ahead, no doubt, but for now, in the crisp stillness of night, everything was all right. The challenges didn’t seem insurmountable. The way forward was clear.

  Outside, the vast Endran landscape rolled past like a wheel of ice, and in the distance, peeking over the horizon, the bright glow of the Arclight shone against the snow.

  Don’t worry, Taro’s adventure isn’t over.

  Book 4, KINGDOM OF LIGHT, is coming soon.

  Visit https://www.arclightsaga.com for more information.

  Also check out CONCORDANCE, Book 1 of the Corelight Expedition, also from the Arkos universe.

  Please take a moment to leave a review of these novels on Amazon.

  As an indie author, they help me tremendously.

  Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cameronmhayden to be one of the first to get updates on future books. Or, consider subscribing to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month.

  Appendices

  I - SUN KINGS

  CONCURRENT TITLES:

  King of Endra Edûn

  Right Hand of Amín

  High Lord of Solis Enor

  Warden of the Sunken City

  THE LINE OF SUN KINGS

  A note on dates: 0 N.E. is the year of Arkos’ creation. Endra (“The Kingdom of the Sun”) replaced the Children of Aldor and the ethnic Ciridin circa 1890. Many lords of the Old Kingdoms went south to Solis Enor, and would later be conquered by Sun King Agim. Others travelled west to Craetos (the continent), south to Kadrek, and southeast to Serra.

  1 Aldor the Divine (1890ne - 1910ne)

  2 Silos (1910ne - 1921ne) *

  3 Thoros the Builder (1921ne - 1930ne)

  4 Ranos (1930ne - 1941 ne)

  5 Loren the Blind (1974ne - 2001ne)

  6 Saethiria (2001ne - 2011ne)†

  7 Aennon the Bastard (2011ne – 2050ne)

  8 Agim the Conqueror (2050ne - 2101ne)

  9 Lannis I the Ancient (2101ne - 2260ne)

  10 Lannis II (2260ne - 2290ne)

  11 Simros the Cruel (2290ne - 2325ne)

  12 Aeyn the Great (2325ne - 2399ne)†

  13 Renethon (2399ne - 2452ne)

  14 Casterius I (2452ne - 2510ne)

  15 Casterius II (2510ne - 2595ne)

  16 Garan (2595ne - 2634ne)

  17 Mordris I the Hammer (2634ne - 2694ne)

  18 Mordris II (2694ne - 2699ne)

  19 Mordris III (2699ne - 2788ne)

  20 Baelon (2788ne - 2852ne)

  21 Felyria (2852ne - 2899ne)†

  22 Rastor (2899ne - 2931ne)

  23 Demetros I (2931ne - 2998ne)

  24 Demetros II (2998ne - 3041ne)

  25 Nuramoth the Mad (3041ne - 3044ne)

  26 Godric the Great (3044ne - 3101ne)

  27 Godrin (3101ne - present)

  † Female. Properly referred to as Sun Queen.

  * The year of the final Old God’s departure from Arkos.

  SUN KING GODRIN TERMANE

  his father, SUN KING GODRIC

  his wife, LADY LYRA, of House Tennrish

  his daughter, LADY KYRA, heiress apparent

  his brothers LORD CASSIN and LORD LANDEN

  his sister LADY ESERA

  QUEEN LYRA TERMANE (TENNRISH)

  her father, LORD AEGYN, ambassador to the Celosan Republic

  her daughter, LADY KYRA

  her mother, LADY KIRIS

  her brothers, SIR SILOS, SIR ANATAR, SIR JERAN, knight-warders of Castle Mardun and Castle White

  HIGH COURT

  Magister General LADY AMELIA ROSS, Imperator, chief officer of the Magisterium until her arrest for treason.

  Magister General LORD TORRAN BRIEGO, Imperator, chief officer of the Magisterium.

  Warder General SIR ORSET GAVIN, Supreme Commander of the Order of the White Sun, chief warder.

  Solicitor General LORD LUNIL FENRIS, master of finance, taxation, overseer of provincial matters within the kingdom.

  Ranger General LORD CASTOS ELAIN, Supreme Commander of Agim’s Eye, the primary ranger corps of the Endrans.

  High General LORD LANDEN TERMANE, younger brother of GODRIN, Lord Commander of the Sun King’s armies.

  II - THE OLD GODS

  The Old Gods (also called the “Old High Gods” or the “Illithari”) are the creators of Arkos and its inhabitants. Their existence is not a matter of debate within the world, though their nature, will, and the method of their worship is a point of great contention. Most are generally believed to be benevolent. Some cultures believe there to be thousands of Old Gods; however, only six are commonly named.

  LORENDAMU, who is called the Shipwright. The god of time and circumstance.

  IRENIM, who is called the Helmsman. The god of magic and the ever-changing cosmos.

  SARONA, who is called the Navigator. The goddess of life and nature.

  TERITHOTH, who is called the Cartographer. The god of death.

  AMÍN, who is called the Quartermaster. The god of fate and order.

  NURUTHIL, known also as ITH-HARUS, who is said weaves the darkness and churning chaos of the universe. The first and oldest of the Old Gods.

  His lieutenants CTHURHIL, SUBORGATH, ISAROTH, and SITH-NAROSA, whose thoughts and whispers drive mortal men mad.

  Spoken of separately is the force known as:

  AETHER, the churning chaos of the universe.

  III - THE ARKOS

  The Arkos (or simply “Arkos”) is the world-ship and the primary location for the events in the Arclight Saga. Designed and built by the Old High Gods (with the aid of the dragonkin and the First Ones) it is a massive superstructure that hosts continental landmasses, oceans, and thousands of species. The inhabitants of the Arkos are unaware that the planet is, in fact, a space-faring vessel.

  From a great distance it appears as a spherical disc with six equidistant pylons and a protruding bottom. The sun and moons are artif
icial satellites simulating night and day.

  The Arkos is composed mostly of aventium and is thought to be thousands of years old. The Old High Gods apparently abandoned it and all the inhabitants many hundreds of years ago. The reason for this is unknown, and many of the systems left behind have begun to malfunction.

  The Arkos runs on templuric energy, such as that given off by the Arclight of the Magisterium. This creation energy adheres to biological entities and is shaped by the thoughts and emotions of those it binds to.

  IV - DATING

  A year on Arkos typically consists of 365 days, and 12 months. The months are named below, and dates, for example, are typically rendered as “the fourth day in the month of the Navigator.”

  NAVIGATOR (30 days)

  NORTHSTAR (28 days, 29 days during leap years)

  CARTOGRAPHER (31 days)

  EASTWIND (30 days)

  QUARTERMASTER (31 days)

  MAIDEN (30 days)

  SHIPWRIGHT (31 days)

  HELMSMAN(31 days)

  SEAFAIR (31 days)

  CORSAIR (31 days)

  DAYBREAK (30 days)

  HORIZON (31 days)

  In most nations, years are measured starting at N.E., Numata Entara (“In the Year of Great Tide”). This is believed to be the year of Arkos’s creation.

  V - THE RED KINGS OF NURENGARD

  Seventy-one Red Kings have ruled over Caelis Enor. Since the Nuren do not have a birthright monarchy (the children of kings are not royalty, and do not inherit their father’s throne automatically) most Red Kings are unrelated.

  Furthermore, it is uncommon for a king to serve to the end of his life. Typically, a Red King will relinquish power when he feels that he either can no longer perform the duties required of him (due to old age or sickness), or he has attained the peak of his reign. Leaving the position on a ‘high note’ is considered very favorable, and coveting the throne is considered dishonorable.

  Who will become the next king is decided by a council of elders, called the Asjávegr. Petitioners to the throne must come before the council and proclaim their great deeds, strengths, and vision for the future of the Nuren. A vote is then held. If the vote is unanimous, the ascension proceeds unhindered. Otherwise, the elders put potential kings through a series of trials to test their valor and courage. It’s not uncommon for a royal ascension to last for months.

  THE LINE OF RED KINGS

  1. Asketill Hallgrimsson

  2. Kisping Thoraldrsson

  3. Iarund Vifilsson

  4. Botulf the Demon Slayer

  5. Iarund Sveinsson

  6. Thorkel

  7. Bergvid Ævarsson

  8. Hallkel Ulfarsson

  9. Hallmund

  10. Diaror of the Woodland Row

  11. Ulfrik the Wildhammer

  12. Gunnleif Æskilsson

  13. Bior

  14. Thorgaut

  15. Skapti

  16. Kori the White Wolf

  17. Marstymr

  18. Leidolf the Dragonheart

  19. Vandil the Stormbreaker

  20. Hjorleif the Red Bear

  21. Amundi Koigrimsson

  22. Beinir Saksisson

  23. Bodalf of Asmidr

  24. Thrain the Hunter

  25. Ospak the Gray

  26. Hermund

  27. Skapadr the Prophet

  28. Eindridi the Blue Dragon

  29. Eydis the North Wind

  30. Thorfinn

  31. Ulf the Longseer

  32. Engal the Valdyr

  33. Runolf Geirsson

  34. Sigemund

  35. Gudlaug Skjaldulfsson

  36. Brodir the Titan

  37. Hlenni Hedinsson

  38. Naddon the Green Dragon

  39. Finnvid

  40. Arnsild Ironfist

  41. Kætilfast Hafgrimsson

  42. Ingibjorg Korisson

  43. Orn Arngeirsson

  44. Ingimar One Eye

  45. Sigtrygg

  46. Ketbiorn Solmundsson

  47. Vebjorn

  48. Styr

  49. Hastein

  50. Skialg Whitewood

  51. Regin the Unburnt

  52. Finnvid Ornsson

  53. Kjotvi the Silver Dragon

  54. Vestein

  55. Hrodgeir the Elder

  56. Hrodgeir the Younger

  57. Thorgaut Nasisson

  58. Sibbi Toresson

  59. Ulfketil

  60. Irenmund

  61. Ulvkil Sighvatsson

  62. Eydis Øystæinsson

  63. Sigeræd Stormborn

  64. Styrmir

  65. Auðunar Hængsson

  66. Geitirgest Kolbeinsson

  67. Oddleif of the Forest Glen

  68. Bjalfi the Blackfist

  69. Renvald the Wanderer

  70. Thjostl Hrafnkelsson

  71. Mjolir

  VI - NUREN CULTURE

  HONORIFICS

  There are over twenty honorific titles used by the Nuren. They are used for a variety of reasons, and are typically placed at the end of the given name of a subject.

  -sin

  Used for a person of great respect. The highest non-royal, non-divine honorific possible.

  -ama

  One of the most common honorifics. Used for a respected peer.

  -ata

  The least common honorific. Reserved for deities, kings, and dragons.

  -saru

  Used for students, apprentices, or underlings. If used in the wrong context, this suffix can be very patronizing or insulting.

  -aru

  Used by students when addressing teachers or masters.

  NAMING CONVENTIONS

  Nuren names and titles can vary a great deal. If one’s father was significantly important, a man might choose to proudly proclaim it as his surname (i.e. Ulvkil Sighvatsson would be Ulvikil, son of Sighvat). If a man’s father is not of particular note, he might simply go by his given name (i.e. Vebjorn). One might also be referred to by a great deed or prominent feature they have (i.e. Eydis the North Wind). A title like this must be proclaimed by his peers, he may not claim it himself.

  Finally, a man might go by the place of his birth (i.e. Bodalf of Asmidr).

  VII - PRONOUNCIATIONS

  PEOPLE

  Kyra :: “Ky” rhymes with “eye”

  Kurian :: “Kur” is pronounced like “Cure”

  Craetos :: Cray Tos or Cree Tos (“tos” rhymes with “dose”)

  Taro :: “Tar” rhymes with “bar”

  Nima :: Nee-ma

  Lokír :: Low-keer

  Mjolir :: Mjo-leer

  Briego :: Bree-go

  Antherion :: An-ther-ee-on

  Nuruthil :: Nur-roo-thil

  Sethetrion :: Seth-et-tree-on

  Kadia :: Kay-dee-a

  PLACES

  Edûn :: Eh-doon

  Helia :: Heel-e-ah. “Hel” is pronounced like “heal”

  Celosa :: Sell-osa

  Syseril :: Sis-er-ill

  Caelis :: Say-lis

  Aedris :: A-dris

  Nir Daras :: Neer Dah-rahs

  Bórhiemdr :: Beor-high-m-deer

  OTHER

  Magister :: Maj-is-ter

  Magisterium :: Maj-is-tier-ee-um

  Endran :: Endrin

  Imperator :: Im-peer-e-tor

 

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