2
(Terraday, cont.)
Irola – Balan Center
A few moments later, Zilan released a big exhale. “I think we can breathe again,” he said to Iyva who also sighed a breath of relief. “Anyway, we need to leave. Good thing we’d already worked out another place to live so we don’t have that headache ahead of us.”
“Is it safe?” she asked. “Why are you afraid of them? Aren’t they on our side, working for the Curator?”
“We will talk about that later,” Zilan promised. “Right now, we need to get out of here.”
They hesitantly came out of the sparring room. Zilan felt around through the leya. “I think it’s safe.” He stopped at the locker. “We will need real shazes, not just training ones,” he said opening a special compartment and taking two of the velvety scabbards. He grabbed smaller ones too. “I don’t know when or how we will be able to have access to them again.”
He closed up the locker. “Pull the leya around you again, we need to leave undetected.”
They walked quickly down another corridor that sloped downhill away from the sparring room. At the bottom, Zilan turned and used the leya to silently open a hidden door. He slipped through followed quickly by Iyva. The door closed behind them.
Down the next corridor they hurried silently. Finally, another hidden door opened to reveal a stairwell.
“Why not take the zip-lift?” Iyva asked.
“And alert everyone to our presence?” he asked. They descended the stairs, quickly and quietly. About ten floors down, they left the stairwell to another corridor, except this was a skywalk. Pulling the leya around them again, they hurried along. Three more blocks and they were in familiar territory again - suddenly in their own building.
“Okay, we can take the zip-lift now,” he said. They went another 5 levels deeper into the Understory to the apartment they had been sharing ever since they’d heard that Zarkonn had been arrested and they had admitted their love for each other. Made it easier to study together, they had reasoned.
Stowing the shazes safely, they sat to rest, Zilan turning on the holonews.
“So, why were we in danger?” Iyva asked.
“Well, Belmara obviously didn’t know about us. If the Curator knew about us being here, then clearly he would have told the people he sent to replace Zarkonn. So, I’m not sure now. Unless the Curator already knows…,” Zilan said, not saying the unspeakable.
“Who is the Curator?” Iyva asked.
“No one knows. I don’t even know if it’s a man or a woman or something else...”
“How could it be something else?”
“If the Curator was actually an alien...”
“That’s silly!” Iyva exclaimed.
“Anyway, no one knows who he … or she… is,” Zilan replied.
“So, who are you? Really? I thought you were part of the Balan – that’s who I thought I was with,” Iyva asked. “Was Zarkonn actually Balan himself?”
“Actually, I have reason to believe that Zarkonn and the Curator are Yerdua.”
“Who?”
“An evil group who want to disrupt our world to gain for themselves. It has been said that those at the top of the Balan are Yerdua, but no one really knows because you can’t find out until you are invited… or have the misfortune to battle one – at which point, you’re probably dead.”
“So, who are you? How can I trust you if I don’t know who you are?” Iyva asked.
“You trusted Nameless One before you knew anything about him,” Zilan reasoned.
“I turned out to be both right and wrong with him.”
“And so you are with me,” Zilan said.
“Are you Balan?” she asked more pointedly.
“I was trained A’mara first. I was trained Balan second. Now? I am no one’s pawn,” Zilan replied. “That’s all you need to know for now. We needed to get out of that building because if Belmara and Fashi don’t know about us, then it’s just about possible that the Curator knows I wasn’t actually Balan. In that case, we could be in a lot of danger.”
“Might we have to leave?”
“Possibly. I’ll know soon.”
Irola – A’mara Complex, Conference Chamber
“It has been suggested in the Council of Elders that it might be time to name the Neví as an illegal organization,” Ja’tel Krijo said to the group of A’mara in the conference chamber.
“Surely, that’s a matter for the Council of Sages when it comes to legality,” Yewan Avicent suggested.
“There is worry that there may be Neví amongst the Council of Sages,” Ja’tel replied.
“That doesn’t seem very reasonable,” Yewan challenged. “It takes a huge majority to become a Sage Councilor. Surely, it would take decades to get even one Neví into the Council of Sages!”
“It’s been two decades already,” Ja’tel reminded grimly. “It’s entirely possible for Neví members to have built enough local trust to get them into our judiciary now.”
“That would be grim, indeed,” Yewan replied quietly.
“Has there been chatter to add credence to the Elders’ concern?” Betel Seagle asked.
“You and Lataya would probably know more about that,” Ja’tel replied. “But the Elder who talked to us was definitely concerned that there are Neví in the top Council.”
“If the Council of Elders were able to pass a resolution recommending the Neví be made illegal, what next?” Betel asked.
“It would have a strong weight in the Council of Peers, requiring them to pass the same resolution with a simple majority, rather than their normal 70% to pass. The Council of Sages would require a unanimous vote to overcome such a bill,” Ja’tel explained.
“A lot of ifs,” Betel said.
“Yes. I don’t think it has enough momentum at this time, but the fact that it’s being discussed is somewhat historic,” Ja’tel replied.
“Since we’re here,” Saraca said. “I am going to need some more volunteers for working on the database project. Betel and Lataya are working full out on it and really need some relief from time to time – not to mention the possibility of them being called to another assignment for a time.”
“What is the database project?” a tall, dark-skinned young man asked.
“Ajabo, this database is to help us keep better track of where all our ex-students have gone. Most of them are good citizens, but some have become threats – even to kill other A’mara. Others have become targets for one reason or another. It is clear that we can be a greater service to everyone in our organization if we keep better records,” Saraca explained.
“Count me in,” Ajabo Zurike replied.
“Thank you. Any others, please talk to me privately. This meeting is adjourned.”
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. |
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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
| Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
A verified Goodreads author.
now also on: Whaleshares, WeKu, Bearshares
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