Read Online Children of the Void: Book One of the Aionian Saga by Jack Halls - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jack Halls
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“Leave the suits and come with me.” The commander didn’t wait for them to respond before he marched out the door.
Gideon looked at Takomi, who was as wide-eyed and pale as he felt. He swallowed hard, then the two of them scrambled to catch up to Devereux.
C HAPTER S EVEN
Starry Cavern
W ITH EACH NEW barrage, the shield dome above the transportation hub sizzled and cracked. It wouldn’t be long before the shields would fail and a rain of metal and plasma would turn this part of the world into a sea of glass. Tloltan came to a portal with an archway ten times wider than any other along the alley. The words “Orbital Delivery” were written over it, and as she passed through, the air became hot and thick. The archway opened up into a vast cavern lit by thousands of points of light embedded in the granite ceiling. The effect had given the delivery area the nickname Starry Cavern generations ago. She was now deep below the mountains at the planet’s equator.
Monstrous machines stretched away from the portal in rows until they disappeared into the distance. They each gave off an electric hum due to the vast stores of energy they possessed, fed by the heat of the planet’s core. Dozens of tubes extended out from each machine at a steep angle up into the roof of the cavern.
Over the hum of the machines came the dull roar of thousands of voices — tens of thousands — coming from the Luzariai that had gathered here from each corner of the globe. Young and old, male and female, dozens of dialects, cultures, and customs. A cross-section of the entirety of the Luzariai race.
The voices closest to Tloltan went quiet as she entered, and like the ripples in the pond, the silence spread throughout the crowd until the only sound was the hum of the machines. The crowd parted around Tloltan as she moved through it, their eyes frightened. She had to put on a brave face for their sake, but it was all she could do to keep from breaking down. If only she could spend a little time getting to know each one of them, learn their names, learn about their family, and most of all, learn why they had volunteered.
A full legion of Koramoa Warriors formed a square in the center of the cavern. Though their golden armor was an imitation of true Koramoa Armor, it was still breathtaking to behold an entire legion of warriors in formation, each regiment with its own symbolic headdress depicting one of the ancient gods.
The crowd parted as Tloltan faced the rows of warriors. The Koramoa Warriors turned in unison to face her, then slammed their fists to their chests in salute. The sight of them lifted her spirits, and she returned the salute. Their arms came back down to their sides, and the cave was once again silent in anticipation.
A small platform sat on the ground in front of the formation, and Tloltan stepped onto it. The platform rose into the air above the crowd, and Tloltan rotated slowly, not only to look at them, but also to be seen.
You’re going to need my help if you want them to hear you.
Tloltan waited, allowing them to see her as one of them a moment longer. When she’d looked upon the entirety of the volunteers, her gaze fell again upon the rows of Koramoa below her. Each one looked up at her with anticipation, and with a thought, she gave the command.
Heat filled the golden bracer on her wrist, and it unfolded rapidly in a cascade of gold. The living metal ran up her arm, across her chest, then over the rest of her body. As it covered her head, it formed into the iconic headdress of Koramoa Tloltan, a terrifying mask with a demonic face baring its pointed teeth.
The Koramoa Warriors assembled before her shouted in salute to their leader. The masses cheered, their roar echoing through the chamber, and the atmosphere changed instantly from one of fear to that of defiance. Tloltan gave them a few more seconds, then raised her hands over her head. The cheers died away, replaced by a tense
“Leave the suits and come with me.” The commander didn’t wait for them to respond before he marched out the door.
Gideon looked at Takomi, who was as wide-eyed and pale as he felt. He swallowed hard, then the two of them scrambled to catch up to Devereux.
C HAPTER S EVEN
Starry Cavern
W ITH EACH NEW barrage, the shield dome above the transportation hub sizzled and cracked. It wouldn’t be long before the shields would fail and a rain of metal and plasma would turn this part of the world into a sea of glass. Tloltan came to a portal with an archway ten times wider than any other along the alley. The words “Orbital Delivery” were written over it, and as she passed through, the air became hot and thick. The archway opened up into a vast cavern lit by thousands of points of light embedded in the granite ceiling. The effect had given the delivery area the nickname Starry Cavern generations ago. She was now deep below the mountains at the planet’s equator.
Monstrous machines stretched away from the portal in rows until they disappeared into the distance. They each gave off an electric hum due to the vast stores of energy they possessed, fed by the heat of the planet’s core. Dozens of tubes extended out from each machine at a steep angle up into the roof of the cavern.
Over the hum of the machines came the dull roar of thousands of voices — tens of thousands — coming from the Luzariai that had gathered here from each corner of the globe. Young and old, male and female, dozens of dialects, cultures, and customs. A cross-section of the entirety of the Luzariai race.
The voices closest to Tloltan went quiet as she entered, and like the ripples in the pond, the silence spread throughout the crowd until the only sound was the hum of the machines. The crowd parted around Tloltan as she moved through it, their eyes frightened. She had to put on a brave face for their sake, but it was all she could do to keep from breaking down. If only she could spend a little time getting to know each one of them, learn their names, learn about their family, and most of all, learn why they had volunteered.
A full legion of Koramoa Warriors formed a square in the center of the cavern. Though their golden armor was an imitation of true Koramoa Armor, it was still breathtaking to behold an entire legion of warriors in formation, each regiment with its own symbolic headdress depicting one of the ancient gods.
The crowd parted as Tloltan faced the rows of warriors. The Koramoa Warriors turned in unison to face her, then slammed their fists to their chests in salute. The sight of them lifted her spirits, and she returned the salute. Their arms came back down to their sides, and the cave was once again silent in anticipation.
A small platform sat on the ground in front of the formation, and Tloltan stepped onto it. The platform rose into the air above the crowd, and Tloltan rotated slowly, not only to look at them, but also to be seen.
You’re going to need my help if you want them to hear you.
Tloltan waited, allowing them to see her as one of them a moment longer. When she’d looked upon the entirety of the volunteers, her gaze fell again upon the rows of Koramoa below her. Each one looked up at her with anticipation, and with a thought, she gave the command.
Heat filled the golden bracer on her wrist, and it unfolded rapidly in a cascade of gold. The living metal ran up her arm, across her chest, then over the rest of her body. As it covered her head, it formed into the iconic headdress of Koramoa Tloltan, a terrifying mask with a demonic face baring its pointed teeth.
The Koramoa Warriors assembled before her shouted in salute to their leader. The masses cheered, their roar echoing through the chamber, and the atmosphere changed instantly from one of fear to that of defiance. Tloltan gave them a few more seconds, then raised her hands over her head. The cheers died away, replaced by a tense
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