The Lady of Light by Chance Gray (best books to read fiction txt) 📕

  Once, long ago, the Nekroyd race were peaceful. Their power derived from the earth and the skies and they lived alongside the Gods who had blessed them with everlasting life, barring death from physical means.

 The Ne;kroi sought knowledge above all else and it was eventually discovered that they could draw energies from death raising corpses as zombies and even from killing and 'feeding' from a life force. This fed an inner hunger within them, and allowed their powers to grow, but they also became corrupt. They wanted more.

  A family, BoudinNoir, devised the plan. They found a way to imprison the Gods of whom were their closest friends and trusted allies. The Gods were imprisoned and suspended in a state between death and life, which opened up a conduit between them and the Nekroi, allowing them to feed.

  Ilianna del Miora, The Lady of Light, was imprisoned in the heart of the Nekro Grand Citadel itself. With her power the Citadel rose into the sky and become the centre of the earth; a floating palace visible from all over. The Nekroi declared themselves the Gods of the new age, and their one time friends were imprisoned and scattered throughout the realm to be hidden where they would be undisturbed. Through The Lady of Light, the Nekroi were able to feed upon them.

  The Nekroi used their unique blend of science and magyck to genetically alter the DNA of humans, creating blood hungry slaves, imprisoned to the night, and human/beast hybrids. They enslaved them, and for thousand of years, were truly believed to be the Gods they proclaimed.

  But they grew lax.

  They had forgotten where their power truly came from, and death alone fueled them. Without consciously realising, they grew weaker, and relied on their slaves to enforce their leadership across the realm. After many thousand of years  of their reign rebellion was brewing, and the slaves rose up against the Nekroi in war that has been raging for nigh on a hundred years.

  Dorian, of the house BoudinNoir, discovered deep within the forbidden library a journal which described the Nekroi of the past, and wrote about the sins they have committed through the ages. Dorian made a personal vow to free the ancients Gods, intending to set the balance in the world right.

  Dorian woke to screams and explosions. Looking out the window from the Citadel, he could make out a battle in the distance. His heart sank.

Screams and shrieks echoed distantly in the night. Lightening struck from the skies above. An explosion of fire and smoke blew a crater in the ground, and sent bodies hurling into the distance.

Dorian had never agreed with the violence, but in the beginning he had felt it neccesary, even justified. These people were beneath his race; how dare they attack? He knew once, nearly a hundred years ago, they had lived within Nekroi; the city beneath the floating citadel. That was long before Dorian had been born, and before had declared war.

He had believed as he was told: that this was all their fault and his people were fighting to bring order and peace back to the world. Like everyone else Dorian had believed it. Why should he doubt it?

Until he found the journal.

Deep within the forbidden library, Dorian had found a book written by his own ancestor. It described the life his people led when they were one with nature and lived in peace. He learnt of his peoples evil experiments with the humans, creating the Lykoi and the Vampires and using them as slaves. He learned of the imrpisonment of the Gods, an unforgiveable crime, for the purpose of feeding from their energies.

Most importantly, Dorian discovered where to find the Goddess trapped within the very Citadel he lived. And he was certain he knew how to free the Lady of Light. More than anything, Dorian wanted peace. He wanted to retur the world tohow it had been described in his ancestors journal. He wanted the war to end.

It all sounded simple enough. The journal described a simple spell that would reveal a small portal if spoken in the heart of the Citadel, which would reveal Ilianna del Miora. This was the easy part. Dorian's was of the house BoudinNoir: the ruling family of Nekroi. They lived in the heart of the Citadel. To be specific: his fathers office led right into the heart.

So why hadn't Dorian done it yet? Simple. Dorian was scared.

The journal had made him yearn for the fighting to end. He had realised the evil of altering humans against their will, breeding them and enslaving them. And Dorian had felt sickened learning of the imprisonent of the Gods. But he was scared.

Who knew what would happen when the Ladyof Light was released. Would she seek revenge? Would she be insane from being trapped for thousands of years?

Dorian was jolted out of his thoughts as the earth below shook, and a piercing scream tore through his heart. It had sounded close, despite the battle raging outside the city boundaries where nobody could cross without the magyck of Nekro surrounding them.

Dorian felt his heart thumping in his chest.

It was time to make his move.

Dorian left his room taking care to tread gently and soundlessly, though he knew nobody was about. He was one of the few left in the Citadel aside from the old, with child or childrn themselves who would be in the lower levels. 

Despite there being no chance of entry to the Citadel it was always best to be cautious, especially where children were concerned. It was very rare for a Nekroyd to conceive, and at last count, there were only three children in all the city. 

Dorians heart thumped in his chest as he entered his fathers office. He glanced at a mirror and was shocked to see wide eyes staring back at him and his face flushed. Black hair grew to his shoulders and framed his pale face, contrasting with near cobalt blue eyes. He forced a smile at himself in an effort to calm his nerves.

Deep breaths. 

Thanks to the journal, Dorian exactly where the passage to the heart was hidden. Apparently, there was one in each of the ruling houses: seven in total. He walked to the far wall and held his hand against it, surprised to feel that it was warm. He could feel power pulsing. 

With a burst of his own power and a thought, a door was revealed seeming to appear from nowhere, though Dorian knew it had just been concealed with a simple spell. After only a slight hesitation, he grabbed at the steel handle and pulled the door open, walking into what looked and felt like a heavy fog. 

Dorian took a deep breath... and gagged! There was no oxygen. Fear coursed through his body and he nearly followed his first instinct; to flee. He mentally shook himself, though, and continued through the mist while his lungs ached and the blindness caused panic that threatened to overwhelm his best resovle. 

Head swimming and lights blinking in his vision, Dorian began to worry he somehow mad a mistake. Just as his legs threatened to collapse, the fog vanished as suddenly as it had appeared and Dorian was shocked to see the door only a few steps behind him. 

He gasped air into his lungs and fell gratefully to the ground. He sat with his head between his legs in an effort to dispel the headached and dizziness. Without warning, he felt something dart toward him and claws tore through his clothes and back. Dorian screamed.

Publication Date: 07-13-2013

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Dedication:
This is to myself. To prove to me that I can finish what I start, and write for me. If one person reads my stories and it brings some joy, happiness, or pleasure to them; I will be content.