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Merita King - Science Fiction Novelist
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Category:
Science Fiction
Publisher: Merita King
ISBN-10: 0957052030
Type: Fiction
Pages: 297
Copyright: July 7 2012
ISBN-13: 9780957052031
Price: $1.99 (eBook)
An ancient evil threatens to destroy the Drycenian's home world, and it is up to Vincent and his friends to find a way to end the threat.
How can a man be in two places at once?
An evil, ancient as time itself is inadvertently set free and begins to feed, threatening the Drycenian home world and all of her people with extinction.
A crime of unimaginable horror promises to destroy a bond of friendship that once transcended the gulf between two alien races. An unspeakable murder with just one obvious suspect.
As Vincent faces execution, his friends find a truth so terrifying that none wishes to believe it.
What was once just whispered tales around the firesides of drunken men, is now these friends’ horrifying reality, and one for which they must find a solution before it is too late for Vincent.
A cold and primitive world, half a galaxy away, proves to hold the only thread of hope for resolution, held within the memory of a mysterious spiritual leader.
As the Drycenians continue to die, the friends must find out how to kill an evil so ancient, it is thought to be nothing more than legend.
Excerpt
Lomas and Siska remained up late into the night talking about their little girl and how much they loved and missed her and how neither of them could ever have imagined that she would meet such an end, nor how unbearable the pain of it would be for them. They held each other as they sobbed for their violated little girl, they sobbed at the way this terrible crime had torn their close family bond apart and Lomas sobbed at the knowledge that the friend he had come to love and hold so close could have done this. This was the worse part for him; the knowledge that not only was his daughter lost in this way, but that Vincent was the one who caused it. He admitted to Siska that he doubted he would ever come to terms with the knowledge that the man he loved like a son; with whom he went through so much and whom he vowed to stand beside in his hour of need, should then do this awful thing.
“I share your feelings Lomas,” she said, “as do all those who know Vincent. Many of our friends have called to share our grief and all have expressed their shock and disbelief that Vincent is the one who did this.” She showed him the log of calls taken by the staff as they lay sedated since news of the tragedy got out. “Not one person who knew Vincent has reacted in any way similar to Toma.”
“But he and Vincent were friends and he held Farra like a sister and yet he has not even mentioned going to see her and Kyle. What has gotten into him?”
“I laced his drink with some of the sedative Jam gave us,” Siska admitted, “so he will sleep through the night. Let us hope that he recovers his composure in the morning.”
“I am worried about his anger,” Lomas said. “It is unheard of for any Drycenian to act in such a way and I’m ashamed to admit it but he is reminding me more and more of our neighbours on Drycenia 6.” He frowned as he remembered seeing the ancient Drycenians alive for the first time when they were battling with the Transmortal spirits a year ago. They went with Vincent to the planet Vinbuk to destroy the Oracle and he showed them the savage and primitive humanoids who were his neighbours during his five year stay on the planet as a fugitive from the law. “It is almost as if he is de-evolving. I am worried for his health.”
“I know you must be in turmoil Lomas,” Siska said. “Your natural love and loyalty to our son pulls you in one direction and your natural love and loyalty to Vincent, who has come to mean so much to all of Drycenia, is pulling you in the opposite direction. Whichever direction you go means one who deserves your loyalty will not get it. I know you will make the right decision my husband and I stand by your side whatever that decision may be.”
Lomas smiled at his wife and went to thank her, but then as the memory leapt to the front of his mind, his mouth opened and his eyes widened in shock, fear and at last, complete understanding of a short conversation that took place a year ago and which he allowed himself to forget. “Oh my god,” he exclaimed.
“What is it?” Siska asked.
“Oh my lord, what a terrible mistake,” he whispered in shock.
“What mistake,” Siska demanded. “Tell me Lomas.”
“My dear, your words have helped to remind me of something so terribly important to what is happening here that a great travesty of justice may now just be able to be avoided. Thank you so much my dear, I love you more with each moment that passes.”
“But what is it?” Siska was almost yelling in a fashion most unlike her.
“When we were battling with the Transmortal spirits a year ago in a bid to end the sleeping that had befallen Lilea, Leon instructed Byron to produce the headsets that most of us now wear each night while we sleep,” he told her and she nodded.
“Yes I know,” she replied with a frown.
“Well,” he continued, “they not only enabled us to remember our dreams at last, but they also enabled us to communicate with the Lilean spirit people in the hinterland while we slept.”
“Yes I know that too, please get to the point husband,” Siska encouraged.
“On my first journey into the hinterland I met Farra’s spirit guide Leon,” he said, “and he told me something extremely important that I didn’t fully understand at the time, but now I understand completely.”
“And that was what?”
“He said that there would come a time when my love and loyalty to my son would be at odds with my love and loyalty to Vincent, or words to that effect,” he told her. “He said that I was not to allow my love for Toma to cloud my judgement of Vincent, or something like that. I can’t remember the exact words he used but that’s the essence of it. He said if I did, before I realised what tragedy he had saved us from, Vincent would be dead.”
“Oh my,” Siska replied as she took in the significance of what Lomas told her. “That would seem to put a slightly different light onto things wouldn’t it?”
“Yes my dear,” he agreed as he put an arm around her and hugged her, “it would indeed. Now what do we do?”
“I don’t know but you’re obviously not meant to let Toma talk you into bringing Vincent’s execution forward,” she replied.
“Quite. That is the first thing we know. We can also assume that Vincent is to save us from a tragedy, which I feel sure must be these killings and Halma’s death.”
“And I believe also that our daughter’s death is probably connected with the other strange deaths,” Siska replied. “For none of the other victims has returned in the tank, and neither has Halma. That means they must be connected.”
“Yes I agree my dear,” he nodded. “What we need now I feel, is another brain on this, another clear objective opinion that we can trust. Jam is connected closely with Vincent right now and is bound to be dealing with the extremes of emotion that this situation must be bringing out for Vincent, Farra and Kyle. We cannot call upon him when they need his full attention. No, there is only one other I feel safe in trusting. I shall call him right now on the secure private channel.”
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