Spin of Fate, page 37
“I betrayed my kingdom,” Aranel said, pained. “I betrayed my realm, and Aina…and you.” His voice quivered. “I suppose I’ve made you hate me even more than you did before.”
“I never hated you.” Meizan met his eyes for a brief moment, then lowered his gaze. “And you didn’t betray me. We were never on the same side to begin with.”
“We could be now,” Aranel implored. “What happened in the Void can’t be reversed, but we can fight for what comes next. If Zenyra can overthrow the Preservation, everything will change. We could rebuild the chitronic shields and make them more balanced. Make them so innocent children don’t have to suffer or be born to violence and hunger.”
Can you really?
Aranel talked as if he knew all about how the shields worked. Meizan doubted that was the case. It was all hypothetical and theoretical and far in the future. Their present reality was the war. A war that Zenyra herself had sparked.
“I know her methods are extreme, but so is the system the Preservation are trying to protect,” Aranel said. “You could fight with us and help topple them.” He reached toward Meizan but seemed too afraid to touch him. “You and your clan. Zenyra will need all the help she can get if she’s to mitigate the violence in the upcoming war. Kanjallen can help keep discipline amongst the soldiers, and I had this idea about coating all the weapons with kapizer venom to—”
“There are a couple hundred thousand soldiers in that army,” Meizan cut him off. “Even with Kanjallen on her side, Zenyra has no chance of controlling them all.”
“What if some of the Mayani kingdoms were to ally with us? We could start by convincing Kirnos and Tahamur. If they agree, the others are likely to follow.”
“You think you and Zenyra can convince a bunch of uppers to join a Malini army and rebel against their precious Preservation? I don’t know about your realm’s politics, Aranel, but what you’re saying sounds delusional.”
“But it’s our only chance!” Aranel withdrew his hand. “To change things. To make them right. You’re going to be embroiled in the war, whether you like it or not, so you may as well—”
He clamped his mouth shut as Aina stirred. She stood with a groan and pressed a hand to her waist, then tore off the strip of cloth Aranel had wrapped it with.
“Where are you going?” Meizan asked as Aina tossed the bloodied cloth aside.
“To find the Preservation,” Aina grunted. “There’s nothing stopping me from entering Mayana, and they’re the only ones with the power to stand against Zenyra.”
“Why would you—” Aranel fell silent at Aina’s glare.
“I’m going to erase her,” she whispered harshly. “I’m going to obliterate every chitron of her being from this universe, no matter what it takes. And I’ll do the same to you, Aranel, if you dare cross paths with me again.”
She opened her palm to display a syringe containing a single drop of dark blood. Aranel stumbled back, stricken.
“What about the war?” Meizan asked. “And the chitronic shields?”
“To hell with the war and the shields,” Aina spat. “None of it matters anymore.”
Meizan watched her go and felt half compelled to follow. He had promised his chief he’d protect her. In her current state of mind, Aina was bound to do something foolish.
“So she’s aligning with the Preservation.” Aranel shook his head. “Never would I have imagined…”
“She’s aligning with the Preservation,” Meizan repeated. “And you’re aligning with Zenyra.”
“What about you?” Aranel asked. “Will you…go with Aina?”
Meizan glanced down at his scabbard. Despite his promise to Kanna, there wasn’t much he could do if Aina chose to seek out the Preservation. Zenyra was the greater threat, but there wasn’t much he could do about her, either, given she was surrounded by an army and headed for war.
Meizan’s life had been miserable living under the chitronic system, but he couldn’t see how Zenyra would make things better. She would overthrow the Preservation, and then what? Seat herself upon their throne in Paramos? The woman was cunning and vile and ready to erase souls. In Meizan’s book, she was worse than Kaldrav, who at least had made no false pretenses about his morality.
There was no point overthrowing a system if there was nothing to replace it with. Meizan wasn’t convinced by Zenyra’s methods or Aranel’s naive plan.
And the Narakhi, Meizan thought with a chill. The chitronic shields around Narakh seemed to have remained intact for the time being. But there was no telling what Zenyra would do next. For both sides of the war, releasing the demons of Narakh from their realm would be the worst outcome.
“I’m returning to Kanjallen,” Meizan said. He had to tell them about the chief, along with everything else that had transpired. Whatever decision he made next would be contingent on his clan.
Meizan spared Aranel a final glance, then turned on his heel and strode from the clearing.
The splintering sky above was split in an eerie dichotomy, half golden sunset and half murky red. Sparks lined the edges where the two realms opened into one another.
When he looked over his shoulder, Aranel had disappeared. Fingers curling around his empty scabbard, Meizan trudged through the woods in search of his clan.
EPILOGUE
A Sliver of Flame
It began with a groan. Then a great rumbling that split the ground asunder and ripped through the sky, crumbling mountains to dust and stirring up waves that swallowed entire villages.
It came from the deepest, darkest crevice of Malin—a realm near emptied as its armies marched upon Mayana. But those Malini who remained shuddered at the sound. At the promise of an inescapable doom yet to come.
She is waking, they whispered, fear slicing through their hearts. The end has begun.
Miles below, the darkness parted to reveal a sliver of flame, wide as a lake. The eye blinked, then vanished.
Of Language
and
Nomenclature
The language spoken in the realms has remained largely unchanged since Kal Ekana and employs a logographic writing system where words and morphemes are designated with unique symbols. While each symbol carries a particular meaning, when combined into words—especially proper nouns—the overall meaning is oft subject to interpretation. Below is a list of key nouns and some common interpretations.
Agakor
Fiery ices
Combines aga (fire, fiery) with kora (ice, icy)
A vast network of caves in southern Malin, location of Kaldrav’s torture chambers[*1]; contain pools filled with ice so cold it burns
Aina
Girl of love, girl who is loved, girl who seeks to be loved
Combines the characters for ai (love, loved) with -na (common name ending meaning “girl of”)
Akanen
Of red eyes, red eyed
Combines aka (red) with nen (eyes)
The founder and first chief of clan Kanjallen
Amaleni
River of purity
Combines amala (pure, purity) with eni (river)
A river in eastern Mayana; drinking or bathing in its waters can heal weariness and uplift spirits
Amaratir
Isle of honey
Combines amarata (honey) with -ir (Amaratiri variant of place ending meaning “isle of” or “island of”)
An underwater[*2] kingdom in central Mayana, located in Mir Amaratis; sculpted entirely from a vast coral reef, it houses a thriving ecosystem of sea life
Andraken
King of darkness, darkened king
Combines andra (darkness, night) with ken (king)
The name given to the planetary vandraghor of Narakh
Aranel
Son of the forest
Combines aran (forest) with -el (Kirnosi variant of a name ending meaning “son of”)
Aran Kirenkar
Forest of broken tree light (colloquial: Dappled Forest)
Combines aran (forest) with ki (tree), ren (break, broken), and kara (beam or ray of light)
A forest at the heart of Kirnos, named for the way sunlight filters through the trees
Aro
Ascent
The head priest of the temple of Kirnos
Ashkator
Blessing of knowledge, blessed by knowledge
Combines ashka (blessing) with tora (knowledge, knowing)
A crater in Paramos, home of the Preservation headquarters; the chitronic flows pouring down its slope make it impossible to scale for any but the most proficient of channelers
Athanken
Eighth king
Combines athan (eighth) with ken (king)
The current king and elected ruler of Kirnos, father to Princess Himalia
Azyaka
Queen of torture, queen who tortures, tortured queen
Combines azya (pain, torture) with ka (queen)
The name given to the planetary nagamor of Malin
Chiren
Broken blood, breakers of blood, those who break and bleed
Combines chi (blood) with ren (break, broken)
A Malini clan, the first to declare their allegiance to Kaldrav; thus named for their mutilation rituals wherein members receive multiple cuts with the branch of a bloodreaper bush[*3]
Chitron
Conscious particle, particle of consciousness
Combines chita (consciousness) with ron (particle)
Subatomic spinning particles that make up human souls; created by thoughts, intentions, emotions, and actions, and accumulated throughout a soul’s lifetime; while individual chitrons are invisible to the human eye, they appear as colored light when channeled en masse
Einaz
Sharp spear
Combines ei (sharp, sharpness) with naza (spear)
A member of clan Kanjallen
Eniya
Son of the river
Combines eni (river) with -ya (Tahamuri variant of a name ending meaning “son of”)
A Balancer hailing from Tahamur
Fei
Loyalty
The name of a megarya that befriended Zenyra
Feragaz
Irongrass
Combines fera (iron) with gaza (grass)
A prairie in southern Malin, home to clan Kanjallen until they migrated north to Raitani; sharp enough to cut skin, the individual blades of grass are often harvested to make weaponry
Gazarou
Grass wolf
Combines gaza (grass) with rou (wolf)
Great beast native to Mayana; has the form of a wolf with grassy fur, which can be used to relieve pain and heal any nature of injury
Himalia
Moonflower
Combines hima (moon) with lia (flower)
The current princess of Kirnos, named after a species of lily native to the region
Hiraval
Of diamond hair, diamond haired
Combines hira (diamond) with vala (hair)
A Balancer hailing from Amaratir
Ibaran
Thorn Forest
Combines ibara (thorn) with aran (forest)
A forest in eastern Malin, location of clan Chiren’s villages; known for its distinct crimson soil and prickly, bone-white vegetation
Incaraz
Secret revolution, revolutionary secret
Combines incara (revolution) with raza (secret, clandestine)
Name of the main Balancer hideout in Malin
Ish’shai
Gloomstone
Combines ish (stone) with shai (gloom)
A towering rock formation in northern Malin; a nearby rift houses one of the Balancer villages
Kal Charana
Four Realm Era
Combines kala (era, age) with chara (four) and na (realm)
The age after the Great Toranic Separation with four realms segregated by soul-spin; at the onset of this period, humankind gained immortality, although other living beings remained mortal
Kaldrav
Warrior of the ages
Combines kala (era, age) with drava (warrior)
The tyrannical king of Malin
Kal Ekana
One Realm Era
Combines kala (era, age) with eka (one) and na (realm)
The age before the Great Toranic Separation with one realm for all soul-spins; during this period, humans, like other living beings, were mortal
Kamaltani
Lotus vale
Combines kamal (lotus) with tani (vale, valley)
A valley in western Mayana; lotuses of all sizes bloom in its ponds, some large enough to build a house on
Kanjallen
Eternal sad water (colloquial: eternal tears)
Combines kan (sad, sadness) and jalla (water) with en (eternity)
A Malini clan, the only one to successfully avoid absorption by Kaldrav; consists of an alliance wherein several smaller clans assimilated under Kanjallen’s banners and adopted their name; said to carry the ancient “blessing of the nagamor,” members of the original bloodline are both chitronically and physically gifted[*4]
Kanna
Girl of sadness, girl who is sad
Combines the characters for kan (sad, sadness) with -na (common name ending meaning “girl of”)
The current chief of clan Kanjallen
Kapizer
Poison monkey
Combines kapi (monkey) with zera (poison)
Beast native to Malin; has the form of a horned monkey, with needlelike spines containing a poison that induces sleep
Karaeni
River of light (colloquial: Aurora Rapids)
Combines kara (beam or ray of light) with eni (river)
A skybound river in Mayana known for the chitronic turbulence of its luminescent waters; when viewed from the ground at night, it resembles ribbons of dancing light
Kaufgar
Home of fear, fearful home
Combines kaufa (fear) with gara (home)
A fortress in northern Malin, location of Kaldrav’s stronghold and prisons
Kazegir
Windhill
Combines kaze (wind) with gir (hill)
A hill in eastern Mayana; known for the melody produced when the wind blows through the surrounding bamboo forest
Keiza
Seat of wisdom
Combines kei (wisdom) with za (seat)
A swirl of raised skin on the forehead and the most important of the nine spiritual receptors; stimulating it by swiping a finger allows a human to access their chitrons for channeling; while the keiza’s brightness and direction corresponds to an individual’s soul-spin, its color is thought to be random[*5] and unique to each individual
Kirnos
Provenance of enlightenment
Combines kirana (enlightenment) with -os (Kirnosi variant of place ending meaning “birthplace of” or “provenance of”)
Named shortened from Kiranos; a kingdom in Mayana contained within a giant lotus that floats freely across the realm and thus has no fixed location; its unique ambulatory nature has attracted settlers from across the realm, giving it a far more heterogenous population than other parts of Mayana
Kurogir
Blackhill
Combines kuro (black) with gir (hill)
A hill in Malin with woods that are prone to wildfires, giving it a charred appearance
Kyrian
Prince of glory, glorious prince
Combines kyra (glory) with -ian (name ending meaning “prince of”)
The leader of the Preservation
Malin
Filth
The lower realm between Narakh and Mayana
Manikai
Jewel shell
Combines mani (jewel) with kai (shell)
Beast native to Mayana; has the form of a sea tortoise; the gems encrusting its shell can be used to store and amplify chitronic energy
Martharan
Forest of death (colloquial: Dead Forest)
Combines martha (dead, death) with aran (forest)
A forest in Malin that encircles the volcano of Merumarth; named for its barren trees and toxic air, which make it unsuitable for most species, save the kapizer who are immune to the toxins
Mayana
Realm of illusions, magical realm
Combines maya (magic, illusion) with na (realm)
The upper realm between Malin and Paramos
Megarya
Master of the clouds
Combines mega (cloud) with arya (master, one who is skilled)
Great beast native to Paramos; has the form of a winged dolphin with a wide, round snout; the color of its fur varies, with most common hues being black, gray, and dark purple
Meizan
Unfortunate destiny, one destined to misfortune
Combines mei (destiny) with zan (unfortunate, misfortune)
Meruharis
Needle Mountains
Combines meru (mountain) with hari (needle)
A mountain range in eastern Malin; named after its unusually thin and pointed peaks
Meruhirs
Diamond Mountains
Combines meru (mountain) with hira (diamond)
A mountain range in western Mayana, composed entirely of diamond; it is believed that immense chitronic and geological pressure during the Great Toranic Separation transformed the rock
Merumarth
Dead Mountain
Combines meru (mountain) with marth (dead, death)
An active volcano in Malin whose fumes have made the surrounding forest of Martharan almost uninhabitable
Merunils
Blue Mountains
Combines meru (mountain) with nila (blue)
A mountain range in central Mayana, named for its high concentration of lazurite deposits
Meruten
Heavenly Mountain
Combines meru (mountain) with ten (heaven, heavenly)
A volcano in eastern Mayana, located in Nisharan; once a year, it erupts flowers that pour down its slopes and rain from the skies for three days; this is considered an auspicious period, during which surrounding villages host festivals that include feasting and dancing under the flowerfall
