《Explorer's Guide to the Megaverse》 THE LOBBY (BY THE NARRATOR) Welcome! We do hope you have enjoyed your travels. Do you need rest? A room for the night, perhaps? A drink? Food? We get all sorts here. I''m sure you''ll fit in just fine. Though do watch out for the woman in the corner. She and hers have a bit of a reputation and are best to avoid. Same for the man on the far side of the room. Don''t make eye contact. Or look at him. You know what? Don''t even acknowledge his existenceand things will be fine. Oh, don''t worry! This is neutral territory. The wards around this place prevent any sort of violence from any species taking place. The worst you''ll get is lip from some of our braver costumers. Perhaps the occasionalwithering glare . . . Anyway, you''re a long way from home. You''re not alone.Everyonehere is a long way from anywhere. Hmm? Where are you? Oh, how rude of me! I thought you knew. You''re nowhere. Oh. A first timer, huh. My apologies. Let me explain. You are currently standing outside of anywhere. Not the Void, exactly, but close enough. This building is what I suppose you would call a hotel. That door you came through was a portal leading here. This place can be accessed from any world in the entire megaverse. You just have to find the right portal, which you did. From here you can travel to any world, or back home. Whatever you please. The only place you can''t go is the Void. Completely off-limits. Trust me, there''s a reason for this. And it''s not just because of the Void Beasts. But perhaps this will help. You see that shelf over there? To the left? Yeah, that''s the one. First timers to this place are able to purchase a copy free of charge! Put simply, it''s a guide book. It''ll tell you more about the megaverse, what''s within it, and what lies beyond. It also has information on certain . . . characters it would be best to avoid on your travels, as well as some of the more popular locations beings go to.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Feel free to pick up a copy on your way through. And don''t worry about languages. We have that sorted. The book is psychic. It''s always written in the languageyouunderstand. But if you''re still worried about language barriers, we do give away this pendant free of charge with the book. It''s a technomagic translator. Translates what everyone else is saying into your first language. It''s harmless. Just a mix of technology and ancient magic. No damage will be done to your brain--wherever that may be--in the process. All you have to do is wear it. That''s enough from me. I''m sure you''re tired of listening to me yap. Customers, the ones less inclinedto polite conversation, tell me I''ve got quite the gob! So, please, take a copy of that book and this pendant, and find somewhere to sit and wait for your room to be prepared. Or wait until you reach your room! Whatever pleases you. Rooms are on the house for first timers but we do ask you keep them in decent condition throughout your stay. There will be a small fee should you decide to stay more than three days, but we''ll get to that later. Rooms include a bed, lounge, desk, television, clock, bathroom, mini-bar, and balcony overlooking the nothingness surrounding us. Please, no jumping. You won''t get anywhere by doing that. The only way to leave this place is through the portal you entered. Bar is down the hallway to the left, as is the main eating area and a few cafes. To the right are the clothing and jewelry stories, not to mention the souvenirshop. Entertainment is down the hall directly behind you. If you are a fire elemental, we recommend you use the lava pools instead of the water ones, and vise versa for water elementals. Know your limits! The gym and games room are also found there. On the level above is the library. Just follow those stairs over there. In a medical emergency, press the mauve button beside the gold one, or head to the hospital found in the right wing beside the shops. Oh, would you look at that. I''m yapping again. Sorry about that! Don''t hesitate to come back and ask questions should you have anymore during your stay. You can do this by coming back here, to the Lobby, or by pressing the gold button beside your bed in your room. It will provide a direct link to this monitor here and I will get back to you as soon as possible. We do hope you enjoy your stay and, please, remember to follow the rules and treat all your fellow beings with respect. After all, the no violence rule doesn''t apply outside the portal. Remember, any injuries caused by yourself will be on your own head. THE EXPLORERS GUIDE TO THE MEGAVERSE A complete guide to locations, species deities, individuals, and terms one may encounter throughout the megaverse. Also includes information on important artifacts and key events, as well as some other useless--sorry, useful--information you may require throughout your travels.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Remember to heed all warnings. Damage to yourself or this book is your own problem. It¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t warn you.
P.s. Watch out for cursed pages. The publisher thought they were being funny THE MULTIVERSE . . . MEGAVERSE . . . WHATEVER (BY THE NARRATOR) ¡°Space is big. You won¡¯t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you might think it¡¯s a long way down the road to the chemist¡¯s, but that¡¯s just peanuts to space.¡± - Douglas Adams I always liked that description. It doesn¡¯t just apply to space, oh no, it applies to the entire multiverse! Megaverse! Whatever you wish to call this wonderous space we live in called Creation (that¡¯s Yenari for those of you from the God Worlds). There are many words, universes, and multiverses we explore, not that the inhabitants who can only enter one world would know that. Us higher beings are a myth. Guess what? If you¡¯re here, that makes you a myth, too! How exciting! To start of, I thought I¡¯d give a general description of a few of our more popular locations. Please remember not all of these will be accessible to you, or are only accessible under certain circumstances, and that not all these worlds will be as friendly as I make them sound. LYRIUMIA One of the first two worlds created back at The Beginning. Home to the Goddess of Light, and the Lyriumians who keep the balance of Good throughout Creation. Lyriumia is home to many different species and famous locations including: The Six Elemental Cities, The Academy, and the mythological Dark Continent. It¡¯s currently ruled by the Photon Queen Amneris Topanga. TERPOLA One of the first two worlds created back at the Beginning. Home to the God of Darkness, and the Terpolites who keep the balance of Evil throughout Creation. Terpola is slowly becoming a more peaceful place under the rule of the new Silent Queen Xix Acheron. It¡¯s home to may famous locations including: Crita, Abaddon, and the Ruins of Ilsbrook. EARTH Everyone knows about Earth and why to avoid it, not to mention the constant noise coming from the planet. Home to the Human Race, as well as a few others depending on which universe you decide to visit. It was home to the mythological cities of Lemuria and Atlantis, but now has places like the United States of America, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. Be cautious when visiting this world. Humans are the type to shoot first and ask later. TYLWAERDREATH The new homeworld of the Dreama people after their ancestral home was destroyed. Summers are chilly compared to other worlds so remember to wrap up warm, no matter the time of year. Be sure to visit the Fields of Dreams, though perhaps avoid the Chasm on Nightmares. The Dreama people are kind, but do not let that fool you. Breaking Dreama law may just be the last thing to do. AYLESBURY Alyesbury is home to the Water-Weaver people, some of the best Healers in Creation. The Frozen Lake is a prime location with views overlooking it best from the hilltops surrounding the area. Try your best to break the ice. According to legend, it¡¯s indestructible. Don¡¯t forget to visit the famous town of Bleakburn, home to the first Healer Water-Weaver. Definitely a prime tourist top. Make sure everything you take is waterproof!Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ERSTONIA Homeworld of the Light-Benders, Erstonia is in a state of constant winter. While crystals and precious stones are the norm, do your best to not steal any. You might just find yourself blinded by a Light-Bender¡¯s power. The most famous location on this world is the Gate to the Underworld, though most people avoid it. Many spirits linger in the area, waiting for the gateway to open. DRAGMIRE If you¡¯re looking for a prime location to mine the rare Red Crystal, Dragmire is your stop! Home to the Dragonoid people, there are many volcanoes, molten rivers and lava lakes. Also, watch out for the dragons (they don¡¯t like visitors). Have your future read by the rare Dragonoids with The Sight or attempt to steal gold from the nest of a dragon (advise strongly against this). ZIEVIS A world of Human and Fae alike, Zievis is thought to have a strong connection to the Norse Realms. The world is mostly forests and rivers with the occasional city sticking out here and there. Transport across the planet often involves long boat or plane rides which have no guarantee of reaching their destination. Beware the sea and sky monsters who don¡¯t like having visitors! KEPRAIRLIA The water world home to the Zer species, Keprairlia is not the sort of place fire elementals and those without the ability to breath underwater would want to visit. There are very few landforms, majority of the planet being made of water. The main city of Atlantria is a bit of swim, but worth the effort to see the amazing architecture and magics of this world. UNITED FAE WORLDS The United Fae Worlds is not a single planet, rather a planetary system inhabited by the Fae. There are many worlds within this realm, each having their own issues--I mean unique areas and magics. From forests to fire to ice, the UFW has a little bit of everything. EMBER Ember is the planet closest to this system¡¯s central Star (or Sun, if you prefer). Be sure to prepare yourself for the heat, lava, toxic atmosphere, and all the other things that come with being a small, hot planet. Home to the Firebringer people, you will not find a drop of water anywhere. Be sure to watch out for ash rain and the occasional fire tornado. Non-fire elementals and species, and those not accustomed to temperatures well in the thousands are advised to stay away from Ember. MALAIE Throughout Creation, you will find many worlds home to Shape Shifters. This is but one of them, Malaie is by far the most famous of the Shifter worlds (not including Earth, but that¡¯s a story for another time). Here you will find a bit of everything--cold, hot, water, air, and underground caverns--with all the regions home to different types of Shifters. It would be best to avoid the Wolflands and Caves unless you wish to be torn limb from limb. Even so, there are many other exiting locations to visit during your trip! GLACIREM A famous world, Glacirem is a prime location for tourist with an interest in history and how the environment can destroy worlds (just be sure to bring a snack for the Kraken so it doesn¡¯t mistake you for one!). Glacirem is home to many ruined cities and towns, all there for your historical underwater tour. Wrap up warm, though! Temperatures can plummet well into the minuses. Watch out for land creatures rumoured to be re-emerging from their slumber, or newly created beings. They¡¯re only babies. This is but a small list of locations. There are far more than this, and many different versions of several of these worlds for you to visit throughout the many different universes and their respective dimensions. Once again, the staff will not take responsibility for any injuries, comments, wars started, and other bad things that may happen to you on these worlds. It¡¯s all on your own head. Enjoy your trip! WHAT COMES NEXT (BY THE NARRATOR) Me again! Sorry, you must be getting sick of listening to me by now. But don¡¯t worry! This will be the last one for a while because I FINALLY managed to talk some of our regular visitors into writing down some of their own stories. This way, you can have a taste of what you may encounter on your travels, be it people, worlds, creatures, magics, anything! It sure took some convincing. Hopefully none of them have worked any traps into the book . . . Hmm. Perhaps I should¡¯ve thought of that first . . . Oh well!Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Here¡¯s how things will go: 1. THE GODS 2. THE DEMI-GODS 3. THE IMMORTALS 4. THE HIGHER BEINGS 5. THE MORTALS So, please, sit back and enjoy the ride! 1. THE GODS Ah, so it would appear I¡¯m not quite done yet. No one else has been willing to join so it looks like it¡¯s up to me to provide explanation! First on our list: The Gods. The Gods have their own hierarchy within the Higher Beings (in this case, specifically the Megaversal Beings within that hierarchy). It goes something like this (from most to least powerful): - The Eternal Beings with the highest Megaversal Power. Can only be destroyed in the End-Fires of Krobocix*, though no one knows for sure. There is only one per megaverse. Current known Eternal is the Naiu¡¯Idis.** - The First Beings The first living creations within a megaverse. Some say they are ¡°offspring¡± of the Omniversal Being, though that in itself is a myth. They have a power level on par with the Eternal. Current First Beings are Naiu*** and Naka.****If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. - Primordials The Beings created by the First Beings. They are the embodiment of Primordial forces and assisted in the Creation of, well, Yenari.***** - Gods Mostly created from the minds of Mortals. Others are created by/are offspring of the Primordials. They have their own realms and mostly keep to themselves. These beings are the most popular to worship among the lower planes. It is important to note that, due to their powers, the Guardians also fall under the ¡°Gods¡± category, despite the fact that both of them are quite different, and only one is immortal.
TRANSLATION *Krobocix = Destruction **Naiu¡¯Idis = Photon Guardian ***Naiu = Good/Light ****Naka = Evil/Darkness *****Yenari = Creation. ITS GOOD TO BE THE QUEEN (BY AMNERIS TOPANGA) It¡¯s all work. Everything is work. I swear all I do is work. It doesn¡¯t matter how many times I try to have a vacation, even a small one, something always happens to stop me from doing so. A megaversal catastrophe. Someone trying to murder me. My Court getting captured. Rescue missions. Rebels. Is a break so much to ask for? Apparently the answer is ¡°yes¡±. So, I¡¯ve long since given up on trying to have one and have decided to dive properly into my work. It¡¯s only taken five thousand years! My half-sister Xix was more than happy when she found out. Mainly because she was still trying to get her feet as the new Queen of Terpola and Naka¡¯Idis*. As the expert on all things Royal (yeah, right) and Core related, I took it upon myself to set an example for my little sister. Obviously something was wrong with me. First item on the day¡¯s menu: Pick an outfit. This was the most important for an obvious reason. Like my Second Nikki likes to say, ¡°Girl, if it don¡¯t scare them, you ain¡¯t trying hard enough.¡± It¡¯s important I maintain not only favour among my people, but the fear I strike into enemies. Normally this would lead me back to my usual leather jacket, crop top, jeans and high-heeled boots, but today was more meetings less action. So, the dress it was. While I hate wearing dresses on a regular basis, I must admit how much I love this one. It was a gift from my adoptive father on my one-thousandth birthday. It was an sleeveless high-low dress. The fabric was dark blue, turning to black as the skirts went on. The bodice was lined with silver star-like patterns. Together with my black stilettos, my long curly hair hanging below my waist, and usual diadem (silver with the Lyriumian sigil carved into a blue crystal, and several smaller diamonds), I was a force to be reckoned with. Second item on the day¡¯s menu: The meeting agenda. One word: Gross. I swear its the worst part of my job. Going in an out of meetings with mainly grumpy old people, people who are jealous of my power, people who think they know better than me, people who don¡¯t understand the concept of Black Women¡¯s Rights. Basically, there are fuckers wherever you go. There¡¯s no way to escape them. Even mass murder doesn¡¯t work. There will always be another fucker to take the place of a fallen fucker. Today I had a meeting with a man named Olysseus - one of the leaders of the U.F.W. after Tes-Pyroc joined. He is the definition of fucker. The guy doesn¡¯t understand the whole ¡°I¡¯m in charge¡± concept nor the ¡°women are also people¡± thing. What¡¯s the word, again? He¡¯s misogynistic. If you looked up the definition of ¡°misogynistic¡±, his image would be underneath it. Gods, I hate the guy. It¡¯s a mutual hatred. As I sat in my throne made of silver stone which was strangely comfortable, I contemplated ways to humiliate him - I mean ways to put him in his place. Yep. That¡¯s what I meant. My personal Guards must¡¯ve been able to sense my sour mood. All of them were more on guard than usual. Even Jay and Carmin--my two main Advisors standing on each side of my throne--appeared ready for a fight.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Try to keep your cool,¡± Jay murmured. ¡°I always keep my cool,¡± I said. He didn¡¯t look convinced. My P.A. Ryan opened the large doors to the throne room. He led Olysseus and his small party of Fae into the room. Once Olysseus had passed, Ryan gave me an encouraging smile and thumbs up before scurrying out of the room as fast as he could. I didn¡¯t know whether to hug him or curse him. Olysseus made to enter some grand opening speech. I cut him off. ¡°If this is about asking for my daughter¡¯s hand in marriage again, I¡¯ve been telling you for almost three-hundred years now that the answer is no. Nothing you say will change my mind.¡± His mouth snapped shut. Clearly that was exactly what the meeting was about. Again. Seriously, what is it with some men and not accepting ¡°no¡± as an answer and just dropping things? It¡¯s very frustrating. ¡°Of course not,¡± Olysseus said, having--unfortunately--recovered. ¡°This meeting is about your treaty with the United Fae Worlds.¡± Bullshit. ¡°Oh, is it now?¡± I asked sweetly. ¡°That is strange considering you have nothing to do with the treaty. As the newest member of the U.F.W.--Car, correct me if I¡¯m wrong--you have to wait at least one cycle before having a say in the treaty.¡± ¡°You are correct,¡± Carmin said, visibly struggling to hold back a smile. I gestured to my Advisor before turning back to Olysseus who was turning red with anger. I¡¯m honestly shocked there was no steam coming from his ears at this point. ¡°In short, you can¡¯t be here about something you have no say in as of yet. Try again.¡± Olyesseus stuttered a few times, no doubt trying to come up with some other bullshit excuse to remain in my presence. As he struggled, I sat back, crossing one leg over the other and resting my hands on the arms of my throne. I was the portrait of calm. Ironic, right? Meanwhile, Olyessus had completely lost his temper. ¡°You are making me look bad on purpose!¡± he screamed. ¡°You are trying to discredit me!¡± I snorted. ¡°You¡¯re doing that all by yourself.¡± That did it. Olyessus stepped forward, raising his hands in anger. Flames burst to life in his palms. My Guards, Carmin and Jay all stepped toward, summoning their own various powers. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s sweet to know they take their jobs seriously, but I am the Queen for a reason. I waved a hand. They all stood down. ¡°Do you really want to fight me?¡± I asked Olyessus. ¡°I think it is well past time you were put in your place, woman,¡± he growled. I merely shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± Olyessus stood is ground as I made my way down from the dais. I stopped when we were face to face--me looking up at him ¡¯cause the guy is a giant. I smiled and flicked his chest. Olyessus went flying across the room with the wimpiest scream I¡¯ve ever heard. He slammed into the doors and slid to the ground. As he--slowly--recovered, I turned to my Guards. ¡°Would someone please be so kind as to escort Olyessus to the outskirts of my city and make sure he leaves?¡± Two Guards grabbed the man and roughly pulled him to his feet, dragging him quite literally kicking and screaming from the throne room. I returned to my throne, sitting with a satisfied sigh. ¡°You might want to speak with the leaders of U.F.W,¡± Jay said. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± I said. Olyesseus was gone, I was happy, pretty much everyone in the Palace was relieved and things were good. I really did love to be the Queen sometimes.
TRANSLATION *Naka¡¯Idis = Silent Guardian I AM NOT EVIL (BY XIX ACHERON) This is something I have had to constantly explain to people throughout my life. I am not evil. Sure, my father was. Sure, I am the Naka¡¯Idis. I may hold the power of darkness and I may have been born out of hatred, but that does not make me evil. Whether it be my power of my appearance, something always seems to scare people off. Until recently, no one dared stay around me long enough to find out who I really am. I was often cast out of places and found myself moving on a regular basis. It is no way for someone to live. I did eventually find some people, but they were captured. After breaking free from the Terpolite mines and leading my people to freedom, I soon found some had begun conspiring against me. As the daughter of the man who¡¯d first commanded them to be hunted down and captured thousands of years ago, they thought I was the one to rat them out. Never mind I¡¯d also been trapped in the mines along side them . . . I left soon after, taking what little possessions I had. As news of my father¡¯s coming reappearance spread, I found it harder and harder to stay in one place for too long. Very few people let me stay a few nights. After months of being alone, I was very happy to make my first friend of the time.
Shortly after my father¡¯s defeat, I found myself wondering the streets of a world whose name I did not bother to learn. I had my hood up against the rain, my travel pack slung over a shoulder, my head down, and my hands shoved into my pockets. A small portion of my power had created a shield around me, keeping me dry. At the time, I was looking for somewhere to stay the night. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I looked around at the voice, seeing I had been about to walk straight into a Fae Female. She was pale-skinned, silver-eyed and had long braided burgundy-coloured hair. I couldn¡¯t help but stare. The Female smiled. ¡°Nice to see I got your attention.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Sorry. I guess I was lost in thought.¡± ¡°Must¡¯ve been some thought,¡± she said, twisting an umbrella and holding it over my head. ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed its raining.¡± I looked down. At some point, my shield had vanished and I was very quickly becoming soaked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Nowhere in particular.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The Female looked me over. Her eyes landed on my bag. ¡°Got anywhere to stay.¡± I didn¡¯t want to, but I shook my head. She nodded slightly then came to stand beside me, linking our arms and holding the umbrella over both our heads. ¡°Come on,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m staying in a hotel just up the road. You¡¯re welcome to stay with me.¡± I was at a loss for words. This random stranger, who no doubt had noticed my face by now, was offering me a place to stay! That had never happened before. ¡°I¡¯m Ema, by the way.¡± I smiled. ¡°Xix.¡±
Ema convinced the man at reception to let one more person stay in her room. After paying a fairly decent amount of money to keep him happy--honestly, the nerve of some people!--she led me to an elevator. We went up in silence to the floor second to the top. Ema led me down the carpeted hallway to a door. She swiped a keycard and let us in. The room was incredible. Cozy. Warm. There was a small kitchenette slightly inside from the doorway which split into a living room with a dining table, large lounge, TV, coffee table and amazing view of the city below. To the left was a bedroom--I didn¡¯t look inside there to respect her privacy--and a bathroom was to the right. Ema shrugged off her overcoat, tossing it over a chair at the dining table before beginning to undo her braid. I cautiously put down my travel back and took off my jacket. I pulled my still-black hair from its long ponytail and let it fall to my waist. Now, Ema was staring. ¡°You were in the Terpolite mines,¡± she said, nodding at the marking on my brow. ¡°Yes,¡± I said, grasping my jacket tightly. ¡°That must¡¯ve been rough.¡± Ema cocked her head. ¡°I heard there was an escape there almost a year ago.¡± I looked away. ¡°Might¡¯ve had something to do with it.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± She placed a kettle on the stove. ¡°Never would have thought Enliatu¡¯s daughter would be in the mines. I guess the rumours were right.¡± I sighed. ¡°So you did figure that out.¡± She smiled. ¡°The eyes. Very pretty but only come from the Acheron bloodline. You can sit down, you know. I won¡¯t kick you out.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°Well, unless you¡¯re planning on doing something that proves the rumours of your ¡®evilness¡¯¡±--she put that in quotation marks--¡°to me, I think we¡¯ll get along just fine. You like tea?¡±
We sat up half the night just talking about anything and everything. It wasn¡¯t until I was about to fall over from exhaustion that Ema insist we both get some rest. She pulled an extra quilt, blankets and pillows from the cupboard, and helped me set up the pull-out lounge-bed. Ever the gracious hostess, Ema made sure I had everything I needed before turning in for the night. As I lay beneath fluffy blankets and atop the most comfortable pillows ever, I couldn¡¯t help my amazement. It had been months since anyone had shown me even a scrap of kindness and now here was someone letting me stay with them. I was warm, dry, had a full stomach and felt safe. I had almost forgotten the feeling.
From that day on, Ema and I were practically inseparable. When I became Queen of Lyriumia, she became my most trusted Advisor and Second in Command. We worked together, went on missions together, and travelled between Worlds together. She helped me create a new family and show the Worlds that I am not my father. I doubt I will ever be able to thank my dear friend enough in our lifetimes. THE PRIMORDIAL INTERVIEW The following is a transcript of an interview between the First Beings Naiu and Naka esteemed Lyriumian Historian Celestus Alim. It was found in the Ariuman Archives and dates back two million years. Only recently has it been confirmed to be a true work of History, not fiction. It has been translated from the Old Language for your convenience. - The Narrator
[recording begins] Celestus Alim: I am here with the First Beings Naiu and Naka. An honour to meet the both of you in person. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. Naiu: Of course, my child. We are happy to do so. Naka: If she says so, I suppose. C.A.: First question: Did you really share your powers with the Lyriumians and Terpolites. Naka: [laughs] No, of course not. Naiu: I did, as did he. In the beginning. Naka: Eternity is boring. I needed some excitement. Naiu: So you started a War. That is so you.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Naka: You¡¯re just jealous you didn¡¯t think of it first. C.A.: [clears throat] Next question. How do you chose your Guardians. Naka: Eh. I went for the family with the most potential. Naiu: Yes, and you enslaved them. Great job. [to C.A.] I select the person with the greatest potential to make a change for the better throughout Yenari. The one who will grow to have the strongest will and make the right choice. Naka: [coughs] Adria [coughs] Naiu: [sighs] Yes, that one was a mistake and we both suffered for it. C.A.: I suppose that leads us into our next question! Have either of you regretted choosing a Guardian. [silence, faint crackling noise] C.A.: I see. Okay, moving on. Did you really create Yenari. Naka: [sniggers] ¡°Did you really create Yenari?¡± he asked. [sound of fabric being hit] Naka: OW! Naiu: What he is trying to say is: Yes. We did create Yenari. C.A.: How? Naiu and Naka: Magic. Naka: JINX! HA! Naiu: [sighs] Please try to behave professionally for once . . . C.A.: A popular story on the God Worlds is the one where the both of you are husband and wife. Could you please confirm whether or not this is true. Naiu: It is true. Naka: Unfortunately. [faint crackling noise] C.A.: Ooooookay. Final question: Any warnings for the future you can give us? [silence] Naka: Well-- [static noise]
The recording ended here. No one knows what happened nor what was said, nor why the recording mysteriously ended. Many have wondered what was said. Celestus Alim remained silent on the matter, though did warn that something big would happen several million years in the future from the time of the recording. People were left to speculate. - The Narrator YENARI (BY ORURA - PRIMORDIAL GODDESS OF LIFE) In the Beginning, there was nothing. Empty blackness. An eternal Void of darkness. From the Eternal Darkness, Naka was born. Shortly after came Naiu, the First Light. From them, Yenari was made. They created the Primordials who assisted in the creation of the God Worlds. Once the mission was completed, the Primordials moved throughout Yenari and begun creating universes and multiverses. They put into place the Rules and Walls to make sure everything remained where it should be.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. From the Primordials came the Gods. The First Gods. From them and the powers bestowed upon them came the Mortals, Gods, Minor Deities and many other mythological creatures which can be found on the lower planes of Yenari. Once the final steps of Yenari were put into place, the Primordials retreated to their favourite places, the ones they called home or realms made specifically for them. They have been there ever since. The First Beings remained on the God Worlds where, with the help of their people, they and the Primordials watched over Yenari. Rarely have the Primordials been seen since. AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP (BY YINEPU - KEMETIC GOD OF THE DEAD) I cannot believe she talked me into this... Amneris and I have been friends for the last five thousand years. We met on the day she died. It was safe to say we Gods knew she was different from the beginning. Instead of passing through the Gates and Trials, Amneris appeared out of nowhere and fell into the River of Night. Here she was rescued by Ra and the Gods with him at the time who were completing their nightly journey through the Duat. Ra bought her to the Hall of Judgment where Auser and I waited. ¡°Watch over her,¡± he said to us. ¡°There is something different about this soul.¡± It was true. She had a more physical form than any spirit I¡¯d seen at the time. She glowed brighter and radiated power. It was a strange power we could all sense coming from her. Something more powerful than Ra himself. It was unheard of but Ra did not appear concerned. It was a while before the new spirit awoke. The demon Auser posted to watch over her led Amneris into the Hall where myself and Auser were working. ¡°Ah, I see you are awake,¡± Auser said cheerfully. Amneris looked around, taking in everything. ¡°Sorry, but where am I?¡± Auser and I exchanged confused glances. ¡°You are in the Hall of Judgement,¡± I said. ¡°The where?¡± It was safe to say this was the first and only time a spirit had arrived in the Hall with no knowledge of where they were. Then again, she had not gone through the Trials nor the Gates. It was clear something was wrong here. ¡°The Hall of Judgment. The place where souls of the newly dead make their way to reach A¡¯aru.¡± Auser explained. Amneris blinked. ¡°I¡¯m dead?¡± She raised a hand to her stomach. ¡°I thought it was a bad dream . . .¡± The poor girl was beyond confused. I felt sorry for her. Even Auser was concerned.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°You really have no idea where you are?¡± I asked. She shook her head. ¡°If this really is the Afterlife, then I am in the wrong one. Why would I end up here . . .¡± Her strange violet eyes widened. ¡°I died on an Earth inside a universe. That must be why I came here and not there . . .¡± Amneris looked up at us. ¡°This has been a mistake. I should not be here.¡± ¡°You must have come for a reason,¡± Auser said. ¡°Even us Gods do not have answers.¡± This made her smile, if only a little. ¡°Don¡¯t I know it.¡± She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°Okay, so I ended up here for some unknown reason. I¡¯m guessing this means I have to follow the rules I haven¡¯t already somehow broken?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Auser gestured toward the Scales. ¡°As you have skipped the other Trials, we will have to start with the Weighing of the Heart.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± I held up a large white-gold feather. ¡°This is a feature of the Bennu. It ways exactly the same as one Human soul--¡± Amneris held her hands up in a T shape. ¡°I¡¯m not Human.¡± I turned to Auser. ¡°This could be a problem.¡± ¡°Got anything that weighs the same as one Lyriumian soul?¡± she asked. Auser leaned forward. ¡°The Bennu feather weights the same as a soul. We say Human as we get Humans here.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Amneris clasped her hands behind her back. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I said, momentarily stunned. ¡°We weigh your heart against the feather. If the heart is lighter, you reach Paradise. If the heart is heavier, depending on the weight of your sins, it will be eaten by Ammit and you will be erased from this world.¡± Ammit raised her head and wagged her tail excitedly at the idea of being given a heart. She yapped happily, jumping forward to sit at the base of the scales, panting like a puppy wanting a treat. Amneris leaned down to scratch under her chin. ¡°This adorable little thing?¡± Auser sighed. ¡°Please do not call the Devourer of Souls ¡®adorable¡¯. She has duties.¡± ¡°I bet she does.¡± Amneris leaned down to cuddle Ammit. ¡°Whose an adorable little Devourer of Souls? You are! Yes you are!¡± Ammit licked her cheek. I crossed my arms. ¡°I have never seen Ammit so happy to see a spirit before judgement.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Auser agreed. ¡°This is unprecedented.¡± Amneris put down Ammit, turning to us suddenly. ¡°Wait, you said ¡®weighing the heart¡¯. How do you weight a heart when there¡¯s no heart to weight?¡± She looked at me, at Auser, then down at her chest. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You will not feel a thing,¡± I assured her. ¡°Right,¡± Amneris said. ¡°That¡¯s great. Just let me--¡± She fell to the ground. I gaped. ¡°Since when can spirits faint?¡± Auser¡¯s thoughtful expression returned. ¡°There is something very strange about this one. Perhaps it would be best to keep an eye on her.¡±
Safe to say we kept an eye on her. Once Amneris--surprisingly--passed her judgment, I took her to A¡¯aru myself. Every now and then, Auser would call her back to help with the occasional problem that arose. She soon became a regular worker in the Hall. I suppose that is how we became good friends, though you would never notice it with the way we argue. MEET THE PRIMORDIALS! (BY CELESTUS ALIM) Following is the list of Primordial Deities and the small amount of information about them I have managed to dig up on my travels. These include where they can be found, a bit about their powers, and their role in Yenari. Read on to learn more.
NAIU Age: UNKNOWN Title: The First Light. Goddess of Good and Light. The Photon Core (Naiu¡¯Ka) Type: First Being Naiu was one of the two First Beings. She, along with her husband Naka, created Yenari, the God Worlds, the first multiverse and the Primordial Gods. The Goddess of Good and Light is a Keeper of Balance. She now resides on Lyriumia and councils her chosen Guardian: The Naiu¡¯Idis Her personality is not what one would expect. As the embodiment of Good, one would expect Naiu to follow that fashion. However, she is more of a scolding but loving mother, if not also a bit ruthless. Naiu cares for people but is not afraid to give a piece of her mind if a situation calls for it. Never get on the bad side of this First Being.
NAKA Age: UNKNOWN Title: The Eternal Darkness. God of Evil and Darkness. The Silent Core (Naka¡¯Ka) Type: First Being Naka was the first First Being created. He, along with his wife Naiu, created Yenari, the God Worlds, the first multiverse and the Primordial Gods. The God of Evil and Darkness is a Keeper of Balance. He now resides on Terpola where it is said he takes host of his chosen Guardian: The Naka¡¯Idis, though no one knows for sure. Naka certainly follows how people would expect him to act. He is ruthless, unforgiving, strikes fear into any and all who hear his name, and always ready to start a fight. However, the embodiment of Evil does have a softer side which very few get to see. Once he decides he likes someone, Naka becomes loyal as ever.
INIQ Age: UNKNOWN Title: Death Type: Primordial Iniq has many names throughout Yenari. Every culture has a concept of her and she is always there. However, not all the stories are true. Despite what many claim, Iniq is neither good nor evil. She just is. As the opposite of her sister Orura, she can be found more in the shadows of her sister¡¯s light. Iniq likes to keep to herself, only interacting as much as is necessary to perform her duties. She helps the souls of the deceased reach their respective Gods and Afterlives depending on their beliefs. There are times when Iniq will take a soul elsewhere. She never gives a specific reason as to why, however she claims to be guided by a power higher than that of the First Beings.
DISIS Age: UNKNOWN Title: Stone Type: Primordial Son of Iniq and workmate of Lutu, Disis is the God of Stone. He follows the path of his mother, Iniq, overtaking places where his cousins Juju and Ilus work. He is one of the eldest of the Primordial Children and his power can be difficult to defeat. Much like his mother, Disis prefers to keep to himself, only coming out as it is necessary to work, or to keep the balance between the living and dead. In this way, he is considered to be a partial worker for Vivus. His personality is much like that which he creates: hard, tough, and difficult to break. If one were to search for Disis, they would have to search dead worlds where stone has overtaken life.
ERA Age: UNKOWN Title: Earth/Planet Type: Primordial and Elemental Also known as Mother Earth, Era does not often show her face. She can be found on every world and is often highly worshiped in older religions. She is the embodiment of all planets and thought to be mother of the moons and daughter of the suns. Era¡¯s presence is a calming one. She cares much for her siblings, Orura and Iniq, and their children, all of whom can be found on her back. Despite her popularity, not much is known about Era. She has many features and her form changes depending on which world she is found on. The world on which she is easiest to find is a relatively new planet called Earth, though it is possible she will move on from here soon.
LUTU Age: UNKNOWN Title: Shadow. Worker of Iniq Type: Primordial Careful and quiet, Lutu is neither good nor evil. Much like the Shadows she creates, she has properties of both within her. Lutu was created by Naka and Iniq as a collector of souls and worker of Iniq. She can often be found lurking in the dark corners of bright places and, occasionally, in the darker recesses of one¡¯s soul. Lutu is one of the more mysterious Primordial deities. Not much is known about her, and she is not much of a talker.
ORURA Age: UNKNOWN Title: LifeThis tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Type: Primordial Orura has many names throughout Yenari. Much like her sister Iniq, every culture has a concept of her and she is always there. As well as this, like Iniq, Orura is neither good nor evil. She merely is. Her power can be seen everywhere where life thrives within Yenari, including within all forms of living beings. Her children are Juju and Ilus. They help her spread other forms of life throughout Yenari. Orura is a bright and colourful Primordial Goddess with a good and kind heart. She resides in a place called Orura¡¯s Spring, though very few people have been able to find it. The place is said to be filled with her power and thriving with life, no matter the time of year or current planetary shift. All who look upon her, should she decide she likes you, are blessed with a long, happy and fulfilling life.
JUJU Age: UNKNOWN Title: Plant Type: Primordial Daughter of Orura and Primordial of Plants, Juju can be found in luscious fields, forests and on thriving riversides. She is a calming presence though is not afraid to defend herself as it is necessary. Juju is not the type of Goddess you want on your bad side. She is an expert at deception, often creating beautiful but deadly plant life. However, despite this nature, Juju is one of the greatest natural healers in Yenari, as are many of the plants she creates. They can save lives just as easily as they can take them.
ILUS Age: UNKNOWN Title: Animal Type: Primordial Son of Orura and Primordial of Animals, Ilus has a hidden fierceness underneath his kind and trusting nature. This was passed onto the animals he created, many of which are loyal to a fault but deadly should they be threatened. Ilus is an expert fighter and knows much about the ¡°primitive¡± side within all living beings. Ilus is the one all beings call on when they return to a state of pure instinct. His essence is within all animal lifeforms. While Ilus can be found everywhere animals are found, he is more commonly found in savannahs and grasslands, and places untouched by beings who consider themselves to be above the animal kingdom.
VIVUS Age: UNKNOWN Title: Balance Type: Primordial Vivus is the Deity of Balance. They keep track of Naiu and Naka¡¯s power, and make sure everything is in its rightful place. Should the balance be tipped, Vivus is the one to tip it back, though there have been times where they called in help from lower beings to do this. It could be argued that, due to their influence over Naiu and Naka, Vivus is one of the most powerful Primordials. Created by Naiu and Naka as a sort of peace-treaty, Vivus has elements of both First Beings within them though are also quite different. Unlike their creators, Vivus is the one Deity who is truly neither good nor evil, even more so than Iniq and Orura. They are a hard worker and only visit the lower planes when necessary. Vivus can often be found in places where Balance is recorded.
IMUM Age: UNKNOWN Title: Calm Type: Primordial Imum is the embodiment of calm. While not much is known about her, it is said her power can be felt in places where beings find themselves in their calmest states of mind such as music, coastal areas, forests, water bodies and books. She is always happy to lend a hand to those who need her help, so long as she considers them to be worthy of it.
ELAN Age: UNKNOWN Title: Eternity. The Eternal Core (Elan¡¯Ka) Type: First Being/Primordial Elan is the form created when Naiu and Naka fuse together. They are the most powerful of all the Primordials and thought to answer to a power beyond Yenari. They have only been seen twice before: once during the time of the First Queen, and once during the reign of King Adria. It is impossible to know if they ever will be seen again.
HEKA Age: UNKNOWN Title: Magic. Power Type: Primordial Heka is one of the few Primordial deities created by the minds of lower beings. She was born as they learnt the earliest forms of natural magic, gifted by the oldest of the Primordials and First Beings. As the ability of the lower planes to create and use different types of magic grew, so did her power. However, as certain races grew ¡°beyond¡± magic and begun denying its existence, Heka became weaker, going as far as vanishing entirely from certain worlds. While she is always there in some form, it is rare for Heka to show her face, even more so as worlds continue to lean more toward the sciences. Heka can often be found in places where magic is strong, or in the ruins of places where old temples and practicers of magic once lived. Her presence is strong in ancient societies, as well as in places that still continue to practice magics.
THECURAS Age: UNKNOWN Title: Memory. Keeper of the Past Type: Primordial As long as there have been memories, there has been Thecuras. Also known as the Keeper of the Past, she is the one who beings in Yenari turn to when they need to remember or be reminded of something important, though her workers are often the ones to do this particular task. Some people have a closer connection to her than others. Other people have no connection to her at all. Thecuras is one of the few Primordial deities who do not have a fixed presence within Yenari. She can only be seen if one were to call on her. She prefers to drift in the ether and in the space between life and death. This is why people can see their life flash before their eyes upon their moment of death.
LUNIX Age: UNKNOWN Title: UNKNOWN Type: UNKNOWN Nothing is known about this deity. Their existence is a myth. There is no way to confirm or deny it as it is though they can only be found Beyond.
IXASIS Age: UNKNOWN Title: Time. Embodiment of Time. Timekeeper. Type: Primordial Ixasis is the Embodiment of Time. They have many names and much mystery surrounds them. They are difficult to find and rarely show their face to anyone. Even then, they are not much of one for talking.
SEQUA Age: UNKNOWN Title: Hope Type: Primordial One of the few Primordial deities created from the minds of the beings on the lower planes, Sequa is the embodiment of a strange concept called Hope. No one knows exactly why or how they were created, only that they are there when it is necessary. While they do not show their face, Sequa is always there in times of hardship and loss, when hope is the only thing that keeps one moving forward. Despite common belief, they never abandon anyone.
REISIA¡¯I Age: UNKNOWN Title: Destiny Type: Primordial The embodiment of Destiny, Reisia¡¯i is one of the strangest of all the Primordials. No one knows her origins nor exactly why she was created. She claims to answer to a higher power, though never says who or what that higher power is. She never explains how she works, nor how she chooses who she chooses, only that it is necessary for some higher purpose. Reisia¡¯i answers to no one but that mysterious higher power.
OTRIX Age: UNKNOWN Title: Luck Type: Primordial Created from the minds of lower beings much like their sibling Sequa, Otrix is the Primordial deity of Luck. They can be found in all manner of lucky charms and places considered to be good luck, as well as in the well-wishes of other lower beings. They do not often show their face, preferring to exist as a strange form of energy not found anywhere else.
KYRA Age: UNKNOWN Title: Fate Type: Primordial Sister to Reisia¡¯I, Kyra is the embodiment of Fate and all its strange power. Much like her sister, Kyra answers to a mysterious higher power. While she prefers to keep to herself, she will interfere in the lives of those on the Lower Planes when they need to be taken to their final destination, the place they were always meant to be. That¡¯s not to say she doesn¡¯t have her own trouble making side. Why else would something be a twist of Fate if Fate herself didn¡¯t get something out of it?
Author Note: Unable to upload actual images of pages. Can only be seen on the Wattpad Version of this book. Sorry! 2. THE DEMIGODS And shockingly no one else has stepped up in the time it took to get to this part, so once again it falls to yours truly. Demi-Gods, as most people are aware, are the offspring of Mortals and Gods. There are a lot more out there in Yenari than most people are aware of, though majority don¡¯t actually realise they are Demigods so there¡¯s that.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Celestials also sort of fall under this category. Well, technically they fall between Gods and Demigods as their power ranges between the two, but for the sake of argument, let¡¯s say most of them have a power closer to that of the Demigods than the Gods. Demigods come in all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of powers and lifespans. Never underestimate them! POWER DOESNT CORRUPT PEOPLE. PEOPLE CORRUPT POWER (BY HATHOR TOPANGA) We have this thing at the Academy. Every year, the members of my mother¡¯s Court and some other powerful beings come to the Academy and, for two weeks per semester, they teach specialized classes. More recently the Terpolites - specifically my aunt and her Court - have also begun to join in. So, I thought I¡¯d write out what happened during one of my mum¡¯s classes. I know for a fact none of us who were there will be forgetting it any time soon . . .
The lecture hall was one of the biggest at the Academy. A large stage had a central desk - the only item on it - and was surrounded by a massive seating area. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to fit well over a thousand students in the lecture hall. While that wasn¡¯t the case today, I knew the reason why this particular hall was being used. It had everything to do with my mother who was currently sitting on the edge of the central desk, a brown book in hand. Taking my seat, I cleared my throat pointedly. My mum, Amneris, glanced up, looked around the hall, and grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you lot in a bit. We¡¯re still missing quite a dew and I am enjoying this book.¡± She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. ¡°They just found the missing Nazi U-Boat that vanished while searching for mythological items.¡± With a wave of the hand, she continued in her normal voice, ¡°Just do whatever it is you do while waiting for people to arrive.¡± I covered my face with my hands, shaking my head. Troy and Maddie, two of my friends, placed their hands on my shoulder. I smiled at them and the rest of my friends. Hopefully this class wouldn¡¯t be too embarrassing. Of course, knowing mum . . . Ten minutes later, the room was filled with light chatter. Everyone was excited and nervous. These classes didn¡¯t happen often and us students loved when they did. Well, most of us students. There¡¯s always a few who make things difficult. Mum shut her book shut. The room went silent. ¡°I do believe that¡¯s everyone,¡± she said, placing the book on the desk and jumping to her feet. ¡°Right, most of you should know the drill by now. For those who don¡¯t, pay attention. I¡¯m only going to explain once and then we¡¯ll being. If you still have questions, talk to me after class. Clear?¡± Nods filled the room. ¡°The purpose of these two weeks is to provide you with different tutors who have higher experiences than your teachers but who are unable to teach on a regular basis due to their own engagements. No offence to your teachers. All the offence to my totally not boring ¡®engagements¡¯.¡± Mum smiled, leaning against the deck. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you all know, my own experience lies in warfare, many different types of magic s and combat, and getting my arse kicked more times than I care to admit.¡± Sniggers echoed around the room. ¡°You laugh now,¡± she said, that smile growing, ¡°but even the best of us have had our fair share of losses. Not that any of us would willingly g into those embarrassing stories. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± Mum clapped her hands together, cyan sparks flying from them. ¡°Now, today we will be focusing on group combat. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve all had some experience working as individuals by now?¡± Varying responses all in the positive followed. ¡°Good. Okay, I¡¯m going to need six volunteers, one from each of the six base elements. Those of you who aren¡¯t Elementals, don¡¯t take offense. This is just the easiest way to provide an example. So, volunteers?¡± Several hands shot up around the room. My mum selected six at random, making sure they came from different parts of the classroom and that they all only had one of the six base elements. Once chosen, they stood beside her on the stage, facing the crowd. Mum returned to leaning against the desk. ¡°Introduce yourselves to the class. We have newbies. Name, species and element. Go.¡± ¡°Imogene. Firebringer. Fire¡± ¡°Tswa. Water-Weaver. Water.¡± ¡°Aaron. Zura. Earth.¡± ¡°Wayra. Desi. Air.¡± ¡°Nuri. Light-Bender. Light.¡± ¡°Layla. Fae. Darkness.¡± Mum spoke, ¡°Remember, these are only the six base elements. There are far more. Some of these include spirit, time, sound, mind, life and death. Elements can also mix together creating things like ice and storm--¡± She cut herself off, glancing at the students. ¡°You lot should be writing this down.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Everyone rushed to pull notepads, books and tablets from their bags. Once they had, mum continued. ¡°Today we¡¯re sticking with the bases: fire, water, earth, light, dark and air.¡± Mum waited a moment to let the rest of us catch up with our notes. ¡°Trivia,¡± she said. ¡°Does anyone here know what the original names of these elements are?¡± Very few hands went up this time. Mum chose one of the boys close to the front of the class. He had his back to me so I couldn¡¯t tell who it was. He stood and said, ¡°In the order you gave they are: Fye, Tswa, Era, Naiu, Naka and Azity.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± The boy sat. Mum hopped back onto her desk. ¡°Those are also the names of their respective deities. I can¡¯t tell you if someone was just saving time or being lazy because, quite frankly, I didn¡¯t pay attention in that class while I was here.¡± That time, the class really did laugh, myself and my friends included. Mum shook her head with a smile before clapping her hands. ¡°Alright. Alright. Pay attention. We¡¯re getting into the actual lesson now. Quiet down please! We¡¯re going start with examples from our six lovely sacrifices then move into groups and do some prac. Sound good?¡± Confirmations echoed. Mum nodded to herself before turning to the group on stage. ¡°You have to rely on yourselves and your own abilities, but you must also trust your teammates to have your back when you are unable to react fast enough in a situation.¡± Aaron asked, ¡°What if none of us react fast enough?¡± ¡°Because this is a class, I¡¯ll step in. You have nothing to worry about.¡± She turned to her desk, twisting the cap off a water bottle. ¡°Ready?¡± The group nodded. Mum took a mouthful from the bottle, making to twist the cap into place-- She tossed the open bottle toward Imogene. Wayra reacted first. They shot out a hand. A large gust of wind pushed the bottle and falling water away from my friend. Mum would have none of that. She circled a finger. The wind turned on the group, water and all. This time, however, Imogene was prepared. My friend blew out a lungful of fire, evaporating the water before it could touch anyone and melting the bottle. Tswa yelped at the fire spreading across the stage. A clap of her hands had water snuffing it out, preventing the would-be disaster. Mum smiled her approval at the group as she watched the show of power. Nuri went on the offensive. A snap of her fingers had lightning striking mum with a bright enough flash that everyone looked away. When we could see again, the faded light revealed mum was fine--of course. Her hands were wreathed in the lightning. She¡¯d caught it before it hit the stage! Mum channeled the lightning through her hands, aiming toward Layla. Aaron slammed his fist against the ground. A stone shield shot out of the stage, absorbing the impact. Layla sent him a shaky smile and thumbs up.
As we watched on in awe, Sky leaned closer to me. ¡°Is Amneris trying to kill them?¡± I shook my head. ¡°She¡¯s holding back. Like, really holding back.¡± Maddie clicked her tongue. ¡°Well, duh. But if Layla had been hit by fucking lightning--¡± ¡°If no move was made, mum would¡¯ve diverted the attack around her. She did the same thing to me when I started out.¡± Sky gaped. ¡°That . . . doesn¡¯t make me feel better.¡±
In the time we had that little conversation, the six had mum surrounded. They each summoned their respective elements and, together, attacked. The hall shook. People jumped on books and tablets to prevent them from flying away. Fire and water twisted and turned together. Light and darkness danced. Calm returned. The six slumped forward, panting. They¡¯d given it everything they had. Mum stood at the centre of the group, casually brushing dust from her shoulders and shaking it from her hair. ¡°Very impressive,¡± she said, bracing her hands on her hips. ¡°A little more practice and you six would be quite the team. That was stronger than I expected.¡± ¡°How are you not even hurt . . .¡± Aaron breathed. Mum gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°I am the Naiu¡¯Xela.*¡± She turned to the class. ¡°Let¡¯s thank our six volunteers for giving it their all!¡± The hall burst into applause and cheers as the six took their seats. Imogene flopped back into her spot beside me, only to be hugged from the sides and behind by Maddie, Isaiah and Troy. Mum raised a hand. The room quieted. People returned to attention. ¡°So, what was the point of that, you ask. As you can see, group magic is very powerful, even if you don¡¯t have experience working together. Strong enough to even make me put up a fight . . .¡± She shook ash from her hair with a frown. ¡°The stronger your personal power--the more control you have over it and the more experience you have--the stronger your power as a group will be. Enough people with strong powers would be able to take out someone with my power so long as they play their cards right. ¡°You all have strong power within you, even if you¡¯re yet to discover your true abilities. With that power, there are many things you will be capable of. The important thing--the most important thing--that comes with your power, no matter what it may be, is how you chose to use that power.¡± The room became tense with silence as mum continued. ¡°Yenari is not perfect. There will be times when you will be tempted to use your power to hurt others, just like how there will be times when other people will try to make you use your power o hurt others. Even here on Lyriumia it happens. This may be the God world holding the Balance of Good, but we¡¯re not perfect. Far from. ¡°If there¡¯s just one thing I hope you get from your time at the Academy, it¡¯s this: That you will not only learn how to control and develop your power, but that you will make the choice on how to use your power. Whether it be for good or evil. At the end of the day, what you do is your decision and you will be the one to deal with the consequences.¡± A moment of silence. Mum clapped her hands together, making everyone jump. She smiled. ¡°Enough of that. Now, let¡¯s break into groups, head outside and see how much shit we can break!¡±
TRANSLATION *Naiu¡¯Xela = Photon Queen CHILDREN OF THE GODS (BY CELESTUS ALIM) The Gods have visited the lower planes of Yenari many times throughout their long history. Demigods are everywhere. This includes on the God Worlds. Children of the Gods can be found everywhere. Those priests working at the temples? That Healer living next door with the strange ability to bring life despite the fatal nature of their sickness? That Shifter with a deeper understanding of the animal world than any other? A half-breed with incredible power not found within their bloodline? They are daughters and sons of the Gods. Who knows? Perhaps you have met some.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Unlike mythologies within the multiverses, Lyriumian stories do not always contain main characters who are Demigods. Yes, there are some famous ones but not many. Perhaps you have heard of some of them . . . FAMOUS LYRIUMIAN/TERPOLITE DEMIGODS - King Adria who attempted to control the power of the Elan¡¯Ka* - Demenous who has the power to bring death with but a glance - Astrana who sailed the oceans in search of the lost Library - Vin¡¯nyla who went beyond the Wall - Bellanaga who first travelled to the Sun and discovered the Beast within - Xocon who battled the Ouroboros - Crimyia who discovered the Spirit Sanctum - Des¡¯akha who was first recovered the Immortal Slayer from Iniq - Zuzja who discovered Orura¡¯s Spring
TRANSLATION *Elan¡¯Ka = Eternal Core 3. THE IMMORTALS Immortals can apply to several things: - They can be people with very long lifespans - They can be people who never ageSupport creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. - They can be people who only die under certain circumstances - They can be people who never die Many different species and peoples fall under this category, but not all of them are Higher Beings like we are. Some of them do become Higher Beings. Most of them merely live long lives or can survive all but a few things. It depends on who you asks for what the definition is, however this is the general list. DAY TRIP TO ASGARD (BY JAY WINSTON) It was a nice day to start off with. I had the day off from work, thank fuck, so was lazing in the morning sun with a nice cup of coffee and a few snacks when a shadow came over me suddenly. I cracked open an eye and sighed at the sight of Amneris smirking above me. ¡°What?¡± I demanded. ¡°Someone¡¯s grumpy,¡± she teased. I sat up, using my arms for support. ¡°It¡¯s my day off and you¡¯re interrupting it.¡± ¡°Was that today?¡± she asked way too innocently. I sighed. ¡°What do you want?¡± She sat cross-legged in front of me. ¡°I got a call. Thought you might be interested.¡± Queenie passed me her unlocked phone. I felt surprise seep onto my face as I read it. ¡°Again?¡± I asked. ¡°Yep.¡± She took the phone back. ¡°Amazing how often he looses it, huh?¡± ¡°Not that he¡¯d admit it . . .¡± ¡°Want to help?¡± I grinned.
We crossed Bifr?st after a brief detour to Midgard. We didn¡¯t have to worry about being burned up due to the whole both of us being Immortals and Queenie being a Goddess thing. Though we did have to talk with Heimdall and convince him to let us cross. Man did he have a laugh when we told him our mission. He didn¡¯t stop laughing for at least five minutes, and was still laughing as we crossed into Asgard (¨¢sgardr in my language). I won¡¯t lie to you guys, Asgard is beautiful. It is filled with plants and buildings and a variety of palaces of many different colours, each one a dwelling for a God. In the distance, hidden within a forest, lay the famous Valhalla (Valh?ll in my language). But that wasn¡¯t where we were headed. We were headed for Thrudheim (Tr¨²eheimr in my language), Thor¡¯s place of residence. He was the one who called Amneris. I¡¯ve never asked how she knows the Norse Deities, or any deities for that matter, but apparently they go back. I found Thrudheim strangely modern for a Norse society. It went well beyond my expectations. As Amneris and I sat on a leather lounge, Thor himself paced back and forth on a white-carpeted floor in front of a fucking massive TV. ¡°What is it with you and losing Mjollnir?¡± Amneris asked. The God stopped in his pacing and glared, lightning crackling in his eyes. ¡°It is not as though I did it on purpose.¡± ¡°Well, you must know where it is or you would¡¯ve have called me.¡± Amneris said, crossing her ankle over her knee. ¡°You would¡¯ve not-so-subtly asked that demigod in Valhalla. What¡¯s his name again? Magnus Something?¡± Thor waved a hand at us. ¡°Yes. Yes. I know. It¡¯s . . . complicated.¡± ¡°Complicated?¡± I asked. The God stopped in his pacing once again, looking straight at me. ¡°A stranger came here, challenged me, and--¡± Amneris burst into laughter. ¡°You lost a bet!¡± Thunder grumbled around the living room. ¡°Yes,¡± Thor said angrily. ¡°I do not know how they entered ¨¢sgardr, only that they did, took--¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Won,¡± Amneris corrected. I whacked her. "Took my Hammer, and fled,¡± he finished. ¡°Do you know where they went?¡± I asked. ¡°Into Yggdrasill, going down. I believe he said something about N¨ªeh?ggr.¡± Amneris raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡®He¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Thor said. ¡°Strange guy. Spoke the same language you do, only a few words were different.¡± ¡°He did, did he?¡± Amneris leaned forward. ¡°Tell me. Was he about my height, dark skin, black hair and brown eyes?¡± The God looked surprised. ¡°Yes. Exactly that. Do you know him?¡± Amneris grabbed my hand and stormed out of the room, dragging me along. ¡°We¡¯ll get the Hammer back,¡± she called after Thor. Once outside she muttered, ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill that idiot.¡±
Amneris and I travelled down the roots of Yggdrasill (M¨ªmameier in my language), slowly working our way to the three Wells at the roots of the tree. Ratatoskr watched us curiously, seeming to decide whether or not we were worth the effort of attacking. Amneris glared at the squirrel, her eyes flaring, and he ran off. ¡°So,¡± I said as I jumped down yet another branch, ¡°Someone you know?¡± ¡°Kek,¡± Amneris growled. ¡°That idiot has really gotten himself into trouble this time.¡± I helped lower her to the next branch beneath us. ¡°I thought you wanted him to die.¡± ¡°No. Yes?¡± Amneris sighed. ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s a hate-sort of like relationship. I want him to die but I don¡¯t want him to die.¡± ¡°Sounds complicated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡± Amneris held up a hand, signaling for silence. ¡°He¡¯s nearby.¡± She turned around, eyes closed, and stopped, looking down. I followed her line of sight. A man was jumping down the branches of Yggdrasill. He stopped suddenly and looked up. The man was exactly as Amneris had described. He grinned at us, sending a two fingered salute and raising Mjollnir. ¡°Stop being an idiot,¡± Amneris yelled down to him. ¡°Give me the Hammer before you do something even stupider than usual!¡± The man--Kek--raised a finger at her. You know the one. Amneris roared, her form shifting into her Goddess appearance. A flap of her wings and she was shooting toward Kek so fast I struggled to see her. ¡°Amneris!¡± I yelled as she slammed into Kek, the both of them falling through the branches. ¡°Shit!¡± I leapt after them.
I wasn¡¯t sure how far they¡¯d fallen but when I caught up to Amneris and Kek, they were at each other¡¯s throats. Kek was armed with Mjollnir and Amneris fought with her staff (don¡¯t ask me its name. She¡¯s never told me). Neither seemed to notice me watching, too focused on killing each other. It appeared Amneris had forgotten the mission. Typical. Classic Queenie. Though, perhaps, I could use this to my advantage . . . With Kek distracted fighting Amneris, I could use the opportunity to grab Mjollnir and, hopefully, make a run for it. Great plan in theory! Now I just had to enact it. I snuck forward, using leaves and branches as cover. I crawled along the branch just above where the two fought. Currently Amneris was beneath me so I moved back a little, until I was right above Kek. The man swung Mjollnir to attack her again. I ripped it from his grasp. Kek looked around in shock until his eyes landed on me. Shock became anger. I grasped Mjollnir tightly. ¡°Uh. Hi?¡± Kek leapt up, tackling me to the ground. I lost my grip on Mjollnir. It fell from the branch. Kek wrapped his arms around my throat, attempting to strangle me. I punched his stomach. He gasped but his grip remained strong. I cursed in Norse in my mind and kicked the man with my knee right in the balls. Kek¡¯s eyes widened and he cried out in pain, falling from me. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, gasping, rubbing my throat. ¡°Dudes can do that, too.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Amneris said, holding Mjollnir over her shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s usually my move.¡± Beside his, Kek groaned. Amneris stood over him. ¡°Now, now. Enough of that.¡± She wound back her arm and, much like a golfer, hit Kek in the side with it. He went flying into Ginnungagap, disappearing into the darkness. Amneris raised a hand above her eyes. ¡°Hmm. I may have overshot.¡± She shrugged, holding Mjollnir in her hands. ¡°Welp, I guess we should give this back.¡± And so we climbed back up Yggdrasill.
Thor was grateful to have his Hammer returned. The second it was in his hands, he kissed its head and cooed at it as though it were a child. It was fucking disturbing. Once the child - uh, Hammer - was given enough affection, Thor grinned, saying how he owed Amneris and I a favour. Queenie was not happy about that for some reason. I decided it was best not to ask. Anyway, we returned home where the others were waiting, and the nine of us (it was only us nine at the time) headed back to the Norse realms where we made a stop in F¨®lkvangr--with Freya¡¯s permission, of course--and had a nice family picnic in the sunny fields. All in all, a good end to a weird day. THE ETERNAL FLAME (BY CARMIN YZUKA) When us Dragonoids were children, before we were old enough to be sent to the mines, we reached the age where we were to look upon the Eternal Flame. It is sacred to my people, and has continued to be so after our liberation. I saw it once when I was a little girl, and once again before leaving Dragmire after joining Amneris'' Court. The Eternal Flame is more beautiful than any fire. Its colour is a mix of white, silver, gold, red, orange and yellow. When we look upon it, we get a small glimpse into our future, often an important turning point. Mine was something I had never expected - being a part of the liberation of my people. Honestly, at first, I thought it was some cruel joke. My husband saw his death during that liberation. He did not tell me until after the fact.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Looking upon the Flame is funny like that. It will show you an important turning point, but only a part of it. Neither of us were shown by the Flame that we would become immortals during that rebellion. Even my power to see into the future, a rare gift among Dragonoids thought to come from the Flame itself, never showed me becoming immortal. Should you ever look upon the Eternal Flame, know what you are being shown is important in your story. For better or for worse, it will become an important moment in your history, a key part of who you are. But know it cannot be changed nor avoided, only lived. PROTECTION GONE WRONG (BY ZOE ANIJU) At first I thought it was a great idea. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Lyriumia has a great defensive system, but it lacks the offensive part. This is where my great - no, brilliant idea came in. In my free time between jobs, I came up with a massive metal dragon filled to the brim with technomagic features. We¡¯re talking shields, blasters, guns, fire, acid, massive wings to create storms, the ability to absorb and redirect lightning, the works. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work as well as expected. And the others have NEVER let me forget it.
¡°It¡¯s . . . big,¡± Amneris said, frowning at my creation, lacking all forms of enthusiasm. I felt my own deflate. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s all you have to say?¡± ¡°Look, Zo, it¡¯s a nice idea,¡± she continued, walking around the bronze-gold Dragon, ¡°but Lyriumia already has a defense system.¡± ¡°Lyriumia has shields," I countered, crossing my arms. Dan placed a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Effective shields. You helped improve them, remember?¡± ¡°Yeah, but shields only do so much against Void Beasts. Don¡¯t get me started on a possible Terpolite attack.¡± Jay snorted from where he sat at my workbench. ¡°Come on. Even they aren¡¯t that stupid.¡± ¡°But they could be.¡± I stepped forward, clapping my hand on the Dragon. ¡°And, this way, we have an early defensive system.¡± Nikki looked up from painting her nails deep purple. ¡°Girl, Iraliya is the early defensive system.¡± ¡°At least let me give it a go,¡± I pleaded. Amneris, Leo and Carmin glanced at each other. ¡°It might not be a terrible idea,¡± Carmin offered, ¡°to see what it can do. For future reference, of course.¡± Amneris sighed. ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m gonna regret this?¡± ¡°You say that about everything,¡± Jay deadpanned. ¡°Only since you showed up,¡± she shot back. He grinned. ¡°Your idea, not mine.¡±
Nikki, Carmin and Dan helped me set up the Dragon near Iraliya¡¯s orbit. I stood on the platform the three carried up this high making some final adjustment to the Dragon¡¯s standing orders. Defend Lyriumia. Simple as that. No need to make it complicated. I leaped from the platform onto Nikki¡¯s back. She was currently a massive deep purple wyvern dragon, the colour matching her recently-painted nails funnily enough. ¡°Let ¡¯im go!¡± Carmin and Dan dropped their chains. The platform slipped sideways. As I had designed it to do, the Dragon sensed unstable ground and took off into the morning twilight sky. I pumped my fist. It was working!If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Should we test it?¡± Dan asked, hovering beside me and Nikki. I shook my head. ¡°All simulations show it¡¯ll work fine.¡± He frowned, unconvinced. ¡°If you are sure . . .¡± My power flickered at my fingertips. ¡°I am sure.¡± ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± he said, backing away. Carmin rolled her eyes, pushing her husband out from behind her. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we went home.¡± Nikki roared her approval. We turned to leave. Naturally this was when things went wrong. The Dragon saw us leaving and rushed to stop us. A flap of its wings threw Carmin and Dan off course. The Dragon flew after them, blowing out its fire breath. Thank the Light the two are Dragonoids and immortal or that would have been bad! Safe to say the pair were pretty pissed off. Before they could counter attack, the Dragon turned on me and Nikki. Nikki tilted her head back, her emerald eyes giving me her ¡®I knew this was a bad idea¡¯ look. ¡°Well, how was I supposed to know it would deem everything a threat?¡± She huffed, smoke curling from her mouth and nostrils. Then it came to me. I¡¯d said ¡°defend Lyriumia¡± but I hadn¡¯t said from what. I swore under my breath in my mother tongue. ¡°Amneris is gonna kill me,¡± I muttered. Carmin came in first, letting loose with a mass amount of fire from her lungs. Oh, she was pissed. Everyone knew Carmin only used that move in extreme situations. Dan was racing toward it with a dragon-like roar. He punched the Dragon square in the chest, the force enough to send it into the higher atmosphere. ¡°Oi!¡± I called at them. ¡°Keep it in once piece so I can fix it!¡± ¡°Fuck no!¡± Dan yelled back, cracking his knuckles. ¡°I¡¯m destroying it!¡± ¡°Save some for me,¡± Carmin growled. The Dragon shot down from the higher atmosphere, flying straight past the four of us and toward the northern section of the Continent! I gaped. What was it doing? There was no sort of threat down there! Unless . . . ¡°Follow it!¡± I grasped Nikki¡¯s back to keep on board as we fell through the clouds. There was only one reason it could be going toward Lapide. I¡¯d built in sensors as one of its safety features. It can sense a build-up of strong power. And there¡¯s only one person whose power it would pick up from so high. I jumped from Nikki¡¯s back, using my power to teleport to the ground. I stood in the centre of Starlight Plaza, the Dragon coming straight toward us. The people had noticed, staring at the sky with a mix of awe and horror. The Dragon showed no sign of slowing. I charged my power in the light of the sun. ¡°Run!¡± I yelled at bystanders. Thankfully, this is Lyriumia and we¡¯re used to strange attacks out of nowhere. Everyone ran for cover, a few others coming to stand beside me, their power also charged to attack. Like I said, this is Lyriumia. ¡°Aim for the control crystal, the purple thing on its chest,¡± I said. ¡°On my mark. Mark!¡± We let loose with all we had, a explosion of light and fire appearing above the city. Windows shattered around us and we were blown off our feet by the shockwave. Carmin and Dan landed beside us, Nikki close behind. ¡°I think you got it,¡± Nikki said, having shifted back into her Fae form. The light cleared. The Dragon roared. Nikki sighed. ¡°Or not.¡± I groaned, jumping to my feet. ¡°I can¡¯t do another full blast yet! It¡¯s not bright enough for me--¡± The Dragon exploded, all of us being thrown to the ground. Chunks of infused metal fell on the city, falling atop buildings and stores, creating craters in the ground. The large purple control crystal fell on a nearby store and promptly exploded. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t open yet so no one was inside. Amneris landed in front of us in her Goddess form. She looked between the explosion and the damage, and stormed toward me. I scrambled back. I won¡¯t lie. She¡¯s terrifying like this. I was backed up against a half-standing building with no escape. Amneris stood face-to-face with me. If she had any, I would¡¯ve been able to feet her breath. She smiled darkly. ¡°You¡¯re on cleanup duty.¡± With that, she vanished. I slid to the floor, shaking slightly. ¡°Shit.¡± Nikki, Carmin and Dan stood over me looking as though they were trying to not laugh. ¡°I¡¯m dead, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± they said. ¡°And there¡¯s no way you¡¯re ever letting me forget this?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Nikki said cheerfully. Carmin laughed, ¡°No way. No how.¡± Dan stood straight with his arms crossed. ¡°Not a chance.¡± I flopped on the concrete with a groan, my hands covering my face. I was never going to hear the end of this. Ever. 4. THE HIGHER BEINGS Higher Beings are those who inhabit the higher planes. In short, anything above and including the Ascended are Higher Beings. They can travel between the planes, some even between the worlds, though most prefer to keep to their own dimension. The variety of people who fall under this category is very wide. All other categories mentioned so far (Gods, Demi-Gods and some Immortals) fall under Higher Beings, as do Celestials, Primordials, First Beings and The Eternal.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ............................................... SONG OF THE DARK CONTINENT - A LYRIUMIAN LULLABY Long ago there was A land so ancient and strong. Its people said to be The ancients of old. They came from so far away Escaping misery and pain To begin again in this new world. Oh, this land, it grew Every day something new The world explored, the stories they told. Until a day long ago Though no one really does know The land vanished from the new world.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Over time, it was lost Thought to be nothing but A legend passed on over time. But there were some who believed That one day they would need To find this lost land again. ¡°Travel north,¡± they would say. ¡°Through the wind and the rain. To where the fog is so thick, you know. It is here, in this place Where the barrier was made To keep the unwanted away. Past the rocks and the sand Through the unknown land To where the great Pillars once stood. Here you will find the shore Of the ancients once more And finally you will be home.¡± THE ACADEMY Location: Academy Island, Lyriumia How To Reach: Use the teleport crystal attached at the top of the document YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THE ACADEMY THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL FOR SUPERNATURALS, HIGHER BEINGS, GODLINGS AND POWERFUL BEINGS
Welcome new student! You have been selected to attend the Academy of Lyriumia! Those chosen have been hand-picked by the Database to attend. Your potential has been discovered to be great! Your power is strong. You can make a difference to the worlds.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. At the Academy, you will learn to control and use your power for the greater good, along with learning many things about Yenari. We have a wide variety of classes covering a wide selection of courses. If you want to study it, we have it! SENDER SIGNATURES CURRENT RULER: Anmerankh-Karareia SECONDARY PARTY: Lvaane Topanga HEADMASTER: Orion Author Note: Unable to upload actual images of pages. Can only be seen on the Wattpad Version of this book. Sorry! A HISTORY OF ELEMENTALS (BY CELESTUS ALIM) Elementals were born from Primordials and Gods. Their influence spreads far and wide, though is most observable on the mortal planes. While the term ¡°Elementals¡± referrers to species throughout Yenari with the power of the elements, the Elementals themselves are Higher Beings. They can be found everywhere and show themselves in different forms. They do, however, have preferred forms. Through the years, I have been lucky enough to track down their true forms and faces. It took some encouragement and a lot of trust, but I was able to gain permission to record their names and faces.
ERA - Both a Primordial Deity and Elemental - Higher Elemental - Planet and the Earth element FYEThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. - Higher Elemental - Fire AZITY - Higher Elemental - Air TSWA - Higher Elemental - Water NAIU - First Being and Higher Elemental - Light NAKA - First Being and Higher Elemental - Darkness KAYLEE - Higher Elemental - Spirit SEMORE - Lower Elemental - Ice ELECTRA - Lower Elemental - Electricity OBLIS - Lower Elemental - Storm IRATH - Lower Elemental - Lightning HEMA - Lower Elemental - Thunder COSH¡¯I - Lower Elemental - Snow ADAL - Lower Elemental - Crystal BLISPYRE - Higher Elemental - Stars
Author¡¯s note: Unable to upload images. See wattpad version 5. THE MORTALS Everyone knows what Mortals are! For the most part, these are the billions and billions of souls who inhabit the lower planes of existence. They may be aware of alternate dimensions, universes and multiverses, but it¡¯s all rhetorical for the most of them. Very few are actually capable of inter-universal and inter-dimensional travel. As far as we know, even fewer are capable of inter-multiversal travel.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ..................................................................................................................................... LIFE ON THE HIGHER PLANES (BY MADDIE/IMOGENE/SKY/TROY/ISAIAH/HATHOR) Hathor Topanga: Okay, so, none of us were born on the Higher Planes but we do live there. Out of all of us, I''m the only immortal. Blame mum. Anyway, as "mortals" who spend a lot of time in the Higher Planes, we''ve had our fair share of weirdness. Maddie Auge: Oof! Ain''t that the truth! Imogene Nura: Girl, "weirdness" is the BIGGEST understatement. H.T.: Yes, well, I was trying to not scare off any potential listeners. Troy Davis: Too late for that. H.T.: [sigh] Isaiah Kai: We have seen some strange things and had our fair share of adventures. Our lives have been in peril many times but we always find a way to survive. I.N.: Do you always have to be so dramatic?" [pause] I.K.: Yes. I.N: Ugh.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Sky Hawkins: Back on topic. Travel through the Higher Planes is dangerous at best, deadly at worst. You have to know how to defend yourself and survive under difficult circumstances. T.D.: Yes, survival is key. If you don''t know any self-defense, don''t travel in the Higher Realms. I.N.: If you can''t stand the heat, get out of the fire. M.A.: Said the Firebringer. I.N.: Ha ha. Very funny. H.T.: While some of the worlds on the Higher Planes, and throughout Yenari for that matter, are kind and happy places, there are always places where visitors are seen as a threat. It''s best to avoid those places. Seriously, you don''t want to be captured. Not everyone will let you leave. [pause] I.N.: So, what was that you were saying about not scaring off potential listeners? M.A.: Yeah, that got randomly dark. H.T.: It''s true, right? I.K.: That it is. S.H.: Living on the Higher Planes is pretty interesting, as well. Lyriumia and Terpola, the God Worlds, are very cool places and have areas that are nice to live on. Even Terpola these days. H.T.: Thank Xix for that! S.H.: However, everyone we''ve met on the Higher Planes has some sort of power or defense abilities. We know what we''re doing, so do a lot of people we''re know. T.D.: If you don''t know what you''re doing, don''t fucking do it. H.T.: That''s . . . one way of putting it. I.N.: Point is, if you have no idea what you''re doing, don''t even consider visiting the Higher Planes. Only do that once you''re certain of your abilities, capabilities and limits. ALL: Good luck! A WHOLE NEW WORLD (JOB) (BY RYAN CHALUT) Uh, so how does this work? I just speak into the--OH! Yes, got it. Thanks. Wait, is this already recording? Shit. Hang on. You can edit this out, right? Okay, cool. [static] So, when I moved into the Palace, I was NOT expecting to get a job. I mean, sure, I helped around a bit ¡¯cause I considered that to be a way of earning my keep--polishing and sharpening weapons, helping out in the library, cooking, cleaning dishes. That stuff. Chores. Whatever you wanna call them. Got to about a month into my stay when I was approached by Amneris. The Queen. The Queen of Lyriumia, the one who had offered to let me live in the Palace in the first place, actually approached me. Sure, I knew she talked to all the kids she ¡°adopted¡± but I didn¡¯t get why she was so interested in me.
I was in the Library, putting away books that had been returned like I did at the end of every week when I rounded a corner and felt my heart skip a beat. Amneris laughed at my shock. ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, willing my heart to stop trying to leave my chest. ¡°Just, uh, what brings you here?¡± ¡°To my own personal Library in my own Palace?¡± she asked, amused. Right. Stupid question. ¡°I was looking for you, actually,¡± she continued, taking a handful of books and floating them up to the higher shelves. ¡°Me?¡± I asked, working on the lower shelves. (It¡¯s probably important to note that by this point I was pretty shocked at the idea of a Queen doing any sort of work. I was still working through all the shit my parents taught me about her. They were all wrong.) Amneris nodded. ¡°When you¡¯re done here, could you come by my office?¡± She clapped her hands together and smiled sweetly. ¡°Please?¡± I was too surprised to say anything other than yes.
When I knocked on the door to Amneris¡¯ office later that afternoon, I was met by her, Leo (one of her top ranked Generals) and Nikki (her Second). At the sight of three of the most powerful, feared and loved beings on the entire planet, I gulped. Was I in trouble? Had I done something wrong? ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing to worry about,¡± Nikki said, leading me to the empty chair across from Amneris. This was so weird. ¡°We just wanted to have a chat.¡± I asked with more confidence than I felt, ¡°What about?¡± ¡°Job opportunity,¡± Amneris said, leaning forward. ¡°These two losers won¡¯t get off my back about it. Apparently, I need to look into the whole Personal Assistant thing.¡± ¡°Apparently?¡± Leo glared at her and crossed his arms. ¡°You do need a P.A. You suck at the Queen thing. Always missing meetings, never finishing paperwork, scaring off potential allies. You need help and you know it.¡± Amneris gave me a helpless look. ¡°See what I mean?¡± ¡°I guess . . . But what can I do about it?¡± Nikki sat on the corner of the desk. ¡°Don¡¯t think we haven¡¯t noticed you helping out all around the Palace, and don¡¯t think no one has told us how great it is to have such a helpful teenager. So,¡± she continued, ¡°we were wondering if you would be interested in the job?¡± I blinked. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that hard, really,¡± Nikki said. Leo nodded. ¡°Most if it would be reminding Amneris of things she has to do.¡± ¡°Paperwork runs. Keeping track of the calendar.¡± ¡°Occasionally leading parties around the Palace - mainly to the Throne Room and lower floor Council Chambers and Meeting Rooms.¡± ¡°Basically just being helpful but, more specifically, helping her. And because this is an actual job, you¡¯d obviously be getting paid. We can discuss that later if you agree.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Seriously,¡± I asked, unable to hide my surprise. ¡°But - but why would you want me to--¡± ¡°Like Nikki said,¡± Amneris interrupted, ¡°we¡¯ve been getting a lot of positive feedback about you. And, as much as I hate to admit it, it probably wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing to have some help around this place.¡± I sat back. ¡°Please don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but this is . . . a lot.¡± The three exchanged glances. ¡°How about this,¡± Nikki said. ¡°Sleep on it and get back to us tomorrow. If you decide no, that¡¯s fine. If you say yes, we give it a week-long trial basis so you get a feel for it. If you decide it¡¯s not for you, it¡¯s all good. No pressure. The decision is completely yours.¡±
I barely slept that night. My head was running wild. The idea of having a job, and not just any job, a job helping the Queen, was insane. And the fact they offered it to me! Of course, I was interested. Of course, I wanted to give it a go. But what if I wasn¡¯t good enough? What if I screwed up? What if I made things worse? Then I remembered what Nikki said about a trial basis. It was the only way I would find out if I had it in me . . .
The first day of work a week later, I was seriously nervous. After a long winded pep-talk from the Old King¡¯s own P.A. Luna who was to be my trainer, I took a deep breath and readied myself for whatever the hell was going to happen. First thing first. I dropped by the ground-level office area. That¡¯s where people place enquiries and they get sorted between the different areas of the Court. One of the workers passed me a tablet and a small pile of papers. They gave me the short version of what was there, pointing at the list for me on the tablet. I thanked them and dashed to Amneris¡¯ office. I knocked on the door before letting myself in (despite being told I didn¡¯t have to do so). Amneris was already hard at work, typing something on a holographic screen. She looked up as I came in and smiled. I put the papers near her and held up the tablet. ¡°You have enquiries from a few traders about new goods being brought from Terpola, acceptance letters from a few others who are happy to ship goods there, a seamstress in touch with Lady Zoe who said to also inform you about a project, and--¡± I frowned at the tablet-- ¡°something about wai¡¯u theft?¡± Amneris sighed. ¡°Oh, not again. That¡¯s the third time this season.¡± She snapped her fingers and a pen appeared in hand. ¡°Anything else?¡± I looked at the tablet again, scrolling down a bit. ¡°Oh! Yes, there¡¯s a reminder about a meeting with the Lyriumian Council in two days.¡± She grimaced at that. ¡°Do I have to?¡± I handed her the tablet and pointed to a message below it. She read aloud: ¡°Yes, Queenie, you have to.¡± Amneris laughed. ¡°Okay, point taken. You could add that to the board, please?¡± I swiped a marker from her desk and added the meeting to the ¡°weekly calendar¡± section of the massive, almost wall-sized whiteboard. I turned back to her. ¡°Did you need anything else.¡± Amneris shook her head. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll call you if anything comes up.¡±
Seeing as there was nothing on my list of things to do until later that afternoon, I made my way to the Dining Room. It was empty at this time of day but, as per usual, there was a lineup of snack foods and a selection of both cold and hot drinks, a small spell used to keep them at the right temperature. I took a mug, filling it with coffee, and grabbed a small plate of biscuits before sitting. If I was to be running around the Palace all day, I was going to need my energy! ¡°How goes the new job?¡± I almost choked at a new voice. ¡°Going good so far.¡± Jay, one of Amneris¡¯ Advisors, nodded. ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± He grabbed a cup of tea and sprawled out in the chair across from me. ¡°She¡¯s not a hard boss, just forgetful and hateful her job.¡± Seeing how much paperwork she had to deal with today alone, and the amount of upcoming meetings I¡¯d seen on that whiteboard, I was beginning to understand why she loved going off world on missions so much. ¡°Hateful is a bit of an exaggeration,¡± Jay continued thoughtfully. ¡°More disliking, unwilling. Something like that.¡± He raised his mug in salute toward me. ¡°You¡¯ll do fine. Just get out as fast as you can if she¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± I gulped down a mouthful of coffee. ¡°You really believe she would--¡± ¡°Nah. You¡¯re mortal. And a kid. Although,¡± he said, ¡°if you really want to get on her good side, I know exactly what you need to do.¡±
It was safe to say I took Jay¡¯s advice. He¡¯d told me Amneris had a habit of skipping lunch whenever she was really into her work. When she didn¡¯t show up at all, I grabbed a tray, put a few items off the menu on it and, again following Jay¡¯s advice, a hot drink called sahlab. I knocked on the door to her office, pushing it open with a small strand of magic as my hands were full. Amneris was still at her desk, chewing a pen as she read something on the screen. She hadn¡¯t noticed me coming in. I cleared my throat. Amneris looked up, surprised. ¡°Oh! Sorry. Been there long?¡± ¡°Just got in.¡± I placed the tray on her desk. ¡°You missed lunch. Again.¡± Amneris looked at the time. ¡°Huh. Didn¡¯t even realise . . .¡± She turned to me. ¡°You bought me lunch?¡± I shrugged, pushing my hands into my pockets. ¡°Got told you might miss it so brought something up.¡± She smiled. ¡°Thank you, Ryan.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± I said, totally not blushing at the praise. ¡¯cause I¡¯m cool like that.
The first day went really well, as did the rest of the week. I ended up taking on the job full time. Amneris is a pretty cool boss. She¡¯s always willing to give me a day off and encourages me to take them if she thinks I look unwell or tired. If I ever have to leave a bit early to have a date with my boyfriend, she¡¯s usually the one to push me out the door an hour or so before I actually have to leave. Oh, sure, there¡¯s sometimes days that are hard or where I have to deal with some pretty dickish people (visitors) but, all things considered, I¡¯m glad I agreed to the job. THE END Well, that¡¯s all from me! I hope the stories and information within this book has helped give you an insight into the various worlds, culture, people and beings found within the many many MANY worlds of Yenari. I do hope you will enjoy your stay with us, as well as enjoy and stay safe on your travels through the worlds.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Make sure you stay out of dangerous locations and away from dangerous people. And never be afraid to ask for help. People are always willing to do so (well, excepting the occasional bad guy but that¡¯s not important). Once again, thank you for choosing to stay with us. Enjoy your adventures! --The Narrator