Ascension (Unbound Prophecy Book 1) Read online

  Ascension

  Unbound Prophecy Book One

  J. L. Jackola

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2018 by J. L. Jackola

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Library of Congress Control Number 2018958431

  Paperback ISBN 978-1-7345995-0-3

  Second Printing Edition 2020

  Distributed by Tivshe Publishing

  Printed in the United States of America

  Cover design by Dark Queen Designs

  Map Design by D. B. Litteral

  www.tivshepublishing.com

  For my family for always believing in me.

  Map of the Realms

  Table of Contents

  Map of the Realms

  Prologue

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven

  Thirty-Eight

  Thirty-Nine

  Forty

  Forty-One

  Forty-Two

  Forty-Three

  Forty-Four

  Forty-Five

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  In the early days of their world, the Fates created the two realms, Cirillia home to the purity and gentleness of the Lightbearers and Tenebron home to the Darkbearers, those who were driven by the darkness within them. To a rare few within each realm, the Fates bestowed the gifts of magic and immortality with which to lead their people, and to one man in each realm, they gave even greater power to rule as king. These gifts the king would pass down to his heirs for the remainder of time. Upon completion of the world, the Fates realized they had created two opposite halves of great power that would one day require balance, and so they spoke the words that would shape the destiny of those two races through prophecy. With those words, the Fates bound the heart and soul of a chosen ruler from both realms long before they were even born. Two halves born with no say and no power over the decision already made for them. Both would be left with a feeling of weakness that would rule them and cause them to resent those words written so long before. This is the story of how those words were tested and how both rulers came to realize that sometimes prophecies are more powerful than even the Fates who write them.

  Prologue

  Aradisa was angry. Angry at the Fates, her gods. Angry at what she was being forced to do. Angry at so many things but mostly she was angry at the source of her ire, the man who had just blasted his way through the gates of the city. Plagued by greed and selfishness, he was forcing her hand. She looked down at the once fair place she had called home since she and her husband Viliren had wed. She watched as the inevitable unfolded before her eyes. There was no way they could win this war, no way to stop his fury. They just weren’t prepared, and he was possessed with an obsession that was unstoppable.

  Aradisa closed her eyes and thought about all she was about to lose. While the anger grew within her, the vines surrounding the balcony where she stood spread inward in response. They stretched forth, slowly spreading into the room behind her. She opened her eyes and upon seeing the vines, raised her palms, allowing her power to push the wayward strands of growth back out to where they belonged. The vibrant green of her eyes lessened to a crystal green hue as she forced herself to calm. She took a deep breath and looked out over their land one last time. This time, however, she looked beyond the gates of the city and out into the countryside. From where she stood, she could see far across the fair lands of the realm of Cirillia, the realm her husband and his family had ruled since the beginning of time. Endless green caressed the rolling hills that lay beyond with patches of dense forest overlapping the green like a sporadically made patchwork quilt. It was breathtaking to look upon, and today would be the last she would ever see of it. She closed her eyes again and breathed deep, trying to calm herself once more. It wouldn’t do for Viliren to see her this way, or it would make what they had to do that much harder.

  I’m too late, she thought as she felt his hand curve around her waist and lay gently upon her stomach. He kissed the top of her head.

  “It’s almost time,” he said, thankfully not mentioning the vines that now layered their balcony. She turned and looked up at him, her hand touching his cheek. Such a strong but gentle face, his bright blue eyes looked back at her with concern. Her resolve broke, the anger melting away with it. Her hand shook slightly as she brought it back down and he took hold of it, kissing it as he did.

  “I don’t think I can do this, Viliren.”

  “We don’t have a choice, Aradisa. This is the only way to protect our child and the prophecy. It must be done.”

  Aradisa rested her hand on her stomach. Too early. That’s what the Fates had told her. Her child was too early in the timeline. Their child was too early. Violissa. That was the name Aradisa had chosen for her, but she would never have the chance to gently whisper that name as she cradled her child. One of the Fates had come to her, revealing that Aradisa carried the chosen Light child of the prophecy. She should have been elated to learn of how special Violissa would be, but the news was received with sadness. The child had been conceived out of the expected timeline; even the Fates didn’t understand how or why, but it had happened. The two children had to be born on the same day for the full power of the prophecy to be felt. The Dark child would not be born for another generation; the time had not yet come for their arrival. The birth must be delayed and knowledge of the quickening had to be kept from all so the reigning Dark King Theonelle would never find out. The prophecy was already in danger of being redirected. The Dark King hunted for it, determined that his son was the long prophesized chosen one from their realm. He hunted for the written words, knowing the Elvin had long ago given it to Cirillia for safekeeping. He couldn’t get his hands on that scroll, for if he did, he would realize just how wrong he was. Worse yet, if he found out that Aradisa carried one of the chosen and that his son was not the child’s mate, he would stop at nothing to kill her and the child, thus erasing the words the Fates had written eons ago.

  This was the reason Aradisa stood looking out upon the kingdom one last time before they did the inevitable. Did what needed to be done to protect their child and the prophecy as well as their people’s
future.

  Viliren held Aradisa’s hand tightly, knowing he had no remedy for the pain and fear that were bombarding her, the same feelings that at this moment were pounding through his veins. He looked below to the source of their trauma. The emerald green of the forest and hillsides beyond ended at the gates of their fair city. Here the ground became muddied with earth and blood; bodies were strewn through walkways and pastures. All around them the once peaceful sounds of the warm season were violently trampled upon by the guttural sounds of war. He looked down at his own hands. He should have been able to prevent this, to stop it. He and his Council once had the magic to undo such wickedness, but they had been overcome by the constant torrent of evil seeping in from the neighboring realm of Tenebron. Cirillia had tolerated the realm that bordered their western lands, and Tenebron had done likewise for ages, though there had never been a friendship between the two realms as they were like water and oil. Cirillia was the land of Light. Viliren, its king, with his Council of Lightbearers, a group of immortal men blessed with magical powers matched only by Viliren himself, governed a peaceful, loving people. Theirs was a land where no one went hungry or sick; no one feared anything but the occasional wild animal from the forests. They were a people who upheld the Light and all the blessings the Fates bestowed upon them. They had nothing in common with their neighbors to the west.

  The people of Tenebron feared their ruler with an unnatural fear. They fought for their food and shelter. They were rewarded for greed and thievery. Many Cirillians had been stolen from their homes along the border of the two lands to be used as slaves, some beaten, raped or murdered just for pleasure. Viliren had tried to prevent such things, but he and his Council were not able to see everything. Many of the people of Tenebron, although very unlike those of Cirillia, had the same dreams and hopes as the Cirillians. They were simply raised with a different set of morals than those in Cirillia. At one time, Tenebron had been different, there were laws and morals that were upheld by the king and his Council of Darkbearers, but with Theonelle’s rule it had changed. This king was a breed of his own. Many thought he’d lost his mind shortly after coming to rule, and as a result his people had suffered. Any Dark King was one to be feared, but one whose powers had sent him over the edge into madness was one who invoked true terror. There was no moral compass left to soften his actions, no conscious with which to debate the true nature of those actions. He knew nothing but true evil and brought that down upon everyone around him. Torture and abuse abounded through his Council and guards, he himself participating in much of it. His madness spread among the most vulnerable of minds within his kingdom and easily influenced their actions. Not only did they prey upon their neighboring realm but among their own peoples. It was for this reason the people of Tenebron felt fear as an everyday emotion. And it was for this reason Aradisa and Viliren had no choice but to follow the advice of the Fates.

  Theonelle had waged war on Cirillia. It had been a long brutal fight that had left Cirillia on the defensive, and now, very weakened. Their Council was not trained in battle strategies; they used their powers to heal and strengthen their people, and the Darkbearers knew this, using it to their advantage. Theonelle wanted the words to the prophecy, believing Viliren was deliberately hiding it from him because he and his Lightbearers knew that Theonelle’s son was the chosen one and were keeping him from unleashing the boy’s true potential.

  Viliren shook his head as one of his Council was struck by a force of power that threw him through several buildings, their foundations now crumbling around him. He looked over at his wife, brought her hand to his mouth and kissing it said, “We must go, Aradisa.” He brought his finger up to catch the tear that slid down her porcelain cheek. He knew she was scared and had every right to be, but he had no way to make it better.

  “Come.” He led her down the long spiral of stairs that took them to the lower levels of the castle. On they walked for what seemed an eternity; down stair after stair and hall after hall until they reached their destination. They were in Aradisa’s favorite place, the inside gardens. She had often come here to clear her mind and be at one with nature. Flowers of all kinds bloomed throughout the room, and a crystal dome allowed the sun, at the peak of its rise, to stream through the room. A fountain sat in the center of the room, emerald water spilling down its three levels until it landed in a pool at the bottom only to be pulled back up to the top tier. Five of his Lightbearers were already in the room awaiting their arrival while the others fought outside. Their blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight but reflected only deep sadness and dread at what they were about to do. Viliren helped Aradisa over to the fountain as the sounds of violence outside the castle continued. Hopefully the other Council could hold them back long enough. This was their only chance to preserve their realm and the prophecy. Such a fragile thing prophecy was. Any slight deviation from the words could change its direction, and Cirillia couldn’t afford that change.

  Aradisa breathed deeply, feeling Violissa move below the hand she had placed on her stomach. It was as if even she knew what was about to happen. She let out the breath she’d been holding and looked at her husband. She was terrified at the fate of their people and lands, terrified for their child. She could only pray that what they were about to do would work. She turned to Cyric, the youngest of the Council. He stepped forward, a large sphere of green light in his hands; it pulsed and hummed as he moved. As he handed it to her, she looked once more at her husband and said in desperation, “I can’t do this, Viliren. I don’t have the strength. I don’t want to leave her. She’ll never know where she truly came from or who we are.”

  “Shhh. Aradisa, we’ll be right here guarding her until the time comes. I promise it will be all right. One day, when the time is right, she’ll learn all she needs to know.” The building shook as the fight drew closer. “Now we need to hurry.”

  Aradisa nodded. She pulled the sphere of light closer to her until it encompassed her entire midsection then she said the words the Fate had taught her.

  “Protect, provide, and nurture the child inside. Keep her safe until the time is nigh. With these words, I release the hold that ties mother to child.”

  On the last word, the sphere seemed to pulse around her, widening and shrinking as if it were breathing. She felt the pull within her as the magic began to work. The pull became greater until it was almost unbearable, then it was gone. The sphere collapsed in and darkened a rich, deep green as it detached itself from her. As it did, she wrapped her hands around it once again. This time she felt the heaviness from the tiny life it now carried. She raised it to her face and laid her cheek upon it.

  “You are our only hope now, child of the future,” she whispered through her tears. “May the Fates be with you and watch over you always.”

  Stepping to the fountain she called forth the water, watching as it flowed up high to meet her hands. She placed the ball in the water, allowing it to flow over it, caressing and encasing it, the green light pulsating as a ray of sun hit it sending sparkles of green throughout the room. Viliren and his Council raised their hands to the water, laying wards of protection over it with ancient spells. The ground shook below them as the water crested toward the crystal dome above, all the while holding the ball of light within it. Suddenly the water pulled back within the fountain in one quick whoosh that caused all in the room to look away with its force. When they looked back the water was gone, and with it the sphere. The fountain lay dry for the first time since they could remember.

  Viliren next chanted one final spell that would allow Violissa to return only when called upon by the Keeper, a Council who would hold the true secrets of the prophecy and knowledge of it within him until the time came in which the true Dark child was born. At that time, they would use their magic to release the prophecy and from the buried magic within that sphere Violissa would be brought forth to rule their people and unite with the Dark child.

  A boom of thunder broke
their silence. Aradisa grabbed her skirts and ran to the window.

  “We need to hurry. They’re almost to the castle,” she yelled. “If we don’t, all that we’ve just done will be for naught.”

  Viliren muttered a curse and grabbed her hand. “We all know what we must do?”

  They all nodded as he silently sent a warning with his mind to the remaining Council still fighting outside. Together, they united their powers. As they did so, the ground shook with fierce tremors, and the noise outside abated in response. He brought his hands out to pull the magic his Council was sending toward him, and power thundered through the room. Shards of glass fell around them as the dome collapsed. A sudden burst of wind whipped from him and swept through the town. It snared all Dark blood, both Council and soldiers, and flung them beyond the gates of the city and through the fields and pastures. They were smashed into the surrounding woods that lay far beyond the city’s entrance. There they remained temporarily stunned by the turn of events, allowing the remaining Lightbearer Council to shift, their way of moving from one place to another within seconds, to the courtyard.

  Viliren dropped his hands. “We’ve only a brief amount of time to finish this,” he said, a hurried tone in his voice.

  From the back entrance of the garden entered a handful of men with golden hair and brilliant green eyes, the Elvin. Viliren nodded in respect to them, then addressing their leader asked, “Is it done?”

  Faraname, Prince of the Elvin, stepped forward to answer. “Yes, it is as you’ve asked. All peoples from the city and surrounding land have been moved far beyond the eastern perimeter of the city.”

  “Good, then we need to move forward with the plan.”

  Viliren looked down as Faraname laid a hand on his arm. “Are you certain this is the only option?”