Read Online Ghosts of Lyarra by Damian Shishkin - Free Book Online
Authors: Damian Shishkin
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lopsided fight. Wiping her eyes and cheeks, she made her way to the entrance, to the political citadel. She took a moment to gather her breath and calm her beating heart before letting the door open and walked, as majestically as always, into the den of lions.
—
Lyarran Throne World Havyiin;
Grand Council Chamber
It was a startling sight; the Goddess of Light without her ever present shadow. To most in the room it was a shock, but to her it was a sign. For ages she had waited for the day when it was her upon the Throne of Light; ages that seemed to be never ending until now. For her whole life she was told of how this creature took her family’s place on the throne; for her whole life she schemed and lied to get to the position to take it back. Through the years she had watched and waited and then a child’s tale came true and everything changed.
In this very room he had appeared - Aen, the Harbinger of the prophecies - and the entire vision that was the Lyarran Empire was shaken to the core. She saw what he was; not the weapon the others believed him to be, but like Iana she saw a ‘one of a kind’ creature with more power than can be controlled. But unlike her Empress, she saw that he could be used and manipulated to reach her goal or at least he could have been until he died in a flash! She was angry; everything she thought was coming together, looked to crumble before her eyes, but before she could get depressed it happened!
There was a backlash over Iana’s involvement in the Terra Sol matter, and even more so in her lack of securing the Harbinger for Imperial means. From the Guild, to Fleet Com, to the Council and the everyday citizen, Iana’s luster diminished and cracks began to show in her previously flawless image. She had been waiting for something to happen; and while this wasn’t what she had planned, this was easily used for her benefit. In the shadows she had lurked for so long, she nurtured the seeds of decent and helped them grow a voice. What was once a whisper - so quiet and rarely heard - began to be spoken aloud for any and all to listen.
Then she had to pull the trigger to turn the zealot assassins of the Guild against their master. What was thought to be the hardest part of her plan turned out to be one of the easiest. The Forgotten were the social outcasts of the Imperial ranks; those whose skills were unmatched in the art of war and stealth, but were unable to adhere to the strict rules and codes of the mighty Ifierin. Once she thought them to be undying in their loyalty to the Empress, with a few prods and pokes she found them anything but. The cult of the Forgotten turned out to be easily swayed by thoughts of change and the ability to carry out their culling of the herd at their leisure. Once turned on their master, there was only one obstacle remaining; Bryx.
J`Karin`s were fierce warriors, but Bryx was off the charts when it came to skill in battle and defence of the Empress. She had seen with her own eyes him training with the Forgotten and besting more than ten of them at a time. There was little doubt that by Iana`s side he would never fail in keeping her safe from any and all threats. So despite being as ready as ever, she was still stuck with getting around the greatest threat there was.
But now Iana was alone; standing before the Grand Council with no one by her side. No longer did she look mighty and unbeatable; now she was vulnerable and weak. Her heart raced in excitement, but she kept her mind closed and made her outward appearance unchanged. It was too soon to step from the shadows and reveal herself, no matter how tempting it was. No, she had to see the plan through to fruition. Getting ahead of schedule would mean mistakes and mistakes would lead to her failure and failure meant death. With no children and no other relatives, the family line to the throne ended with her if she screwed up now; and to be this close to not succeed would be the greatest failure of
—
Lyarran Throne World Havyiin;
Grand Council Chamber
It was a startling sight; the Goddess of Light without her ever present shadow. To most in the room it was a shock, but to her it was a sign. For ages she had waited for the day when it was her upon the Throne of Light; ages that seemed to be never ending until now. For her whole life she was told of how this creature took her family’s place on the throne; for her whole life she schemed and lied to get to the position to take it back. Through the years she had watched and waited and then a child’s tale came true and everything changed.
In this very room he had appeared - Aen, the Harbinger of the prophecies - and the entire vision that was the Lyarran Empire was shaken to the core. She saw what he was; not the weapon the others believed him to be, but like Iana she saw a ‘one of a kind’ creature with more power than can be controlled. But unlike her Empress, she saw that he could be used and manipulated to reach her goal or at least he could have been until he died in a flash! She was angry; everything she thought was coming together, looked to crumble before her eyes, but before she could get depressed it happened!
There was a backlash over Iana’s involvement in the Terra Sol matter, and even more so in her lack of securing the Harbinger for Imperial means. From the Guild, to Fleet Com, to the Council and the everyday citizen, Iana’s luster diminished and cracks began to show in her previously flawless image. She had been waiting for something to happen; and while this wasn’t what she had planned, this was easily used for her benefit. In the shadows she had lurked for so long, she nurtured the seeds of decent and helped them grow a voice. What was once a whisper - so quiet and rarely heard - began to be spoken aloud for any and all to listen.
Then she had to pull the trigger to turn the zealot assassins of the Guild against their master. What was thought to be the hardest part of her plan turned out to be one of the easiest. The Forgotten were the social outcasts of the Imperial ranks; those whose skills were unmatched in the art of war and stealth, but were unable to adhere to the strict rules and codes of the mighty Ifierin. Once she thought them to be undying in their loyalty to the Empress, with a few prods and pokes she found them anything but. The cult of the Forgotten turned out to be easily swayed by thoughts of change and the ability to carry out their culling of the herd at their leisure. Once turned on their master, there was only one obstacle remaining; Bryx.
J`Karin`s were fierce warriors, but Bryx was off the charts when it came to skill in battle and defence of the Empress. She had seen with her own eyes him training with the Forgotten and besting more than ten of them at a time. There was little doubt that by Iana`s side he would never fail in keeping her safe from any and all threats. So despite being as ready as ever, she was still stuck with getting around the greatest threat there was.
But now Iana was alone; standing before the Grand Council with no one by her side. No longer did she look mighty and unbeatable; now she was vulnerable and weak. Her heart raced in excitement, but she kept her mind closed and made her outward appearance unchanged. It was too soon to step from the shadows and reveal herself, no matter how tempting it was. No, she had to see the plan through to fruition. Getting ahead of schedule would mean mistakes and mistakes would lead to her failure and failure meant death. With no children and no other relatives, the family line to the throne ended with her if she screwed up now; and to be this close to not succeed would be the greatest failure of
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