Chaos Destiny Read online

  Chaos Destiny

  Sacrifice for peace or live a life in chaos

  Mussie Haile

  Copyright © Mussie Haile 2021

  1.Edition, digital edition published 2021

  Self-published through -

  Print on demand: Ingramspark, Amazon

  Mussie Haile, Ohmstr. 52, 60486 Frankfurt am Main

  ISBN Paperback 978-3-949553-00-4

  ISBN Hardcover 978-3-949553-01-1

  ISBN e-Book 978-3-949553-02-8

  A catalogue copy of this book is available from the German National Library. Details are available online under http://dnb.d-nb.de.

  Mussie Haile asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  Map by Rob Donovan

  Cover by Pantelis Politakos

  Interior Book Design by Ksenia Siziakova, Kevin Peake

  Editing John Gund, Ian O Reilly

  This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to people or institutions, whether living, deceased or otherwise still shambling is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems (except for the us of brief quotations in a book review), if you would like permission to use material from the book please contact [email protected].

  Imagination

  It makes all the difference in a human life. It decides whether you are going to fulfill your dreams or just sit on the sidelines and wait for something to happen. If you cannot imagine what you want, you cannot create.

  Imagination is the most powerful tool that humans have. And yet, despite it is also the most natural of our gifts, we deny it as unimportant, lose it on the way to adulthood, or do not take it seriously at all. We always start with imagination. Then we create.

  PREQUEL TOAS

  In the beginning, there was harmony

  In the beginning, in the realm of nothing, there was only vibration. For a million infinities the universe vibrated. Each particle for himself, in harmony with all others. Until one day, one particle missed for a millisecond the beat of the vibration. Everything changed. This one particle vibrated higher to catch up and to be in harmony again. And this unbalanced moment led to many unbalanced particles that all wanted to become back in sync again. And chaos began.

  Particles became bursting stars, one after another, in the pursuit to vibrate higher and higher. And still, to this day, they are only seeking balance and harmony. One of these particles, which became a star, is the Land of Toas today. The first particle that missed the beat of the vibration and brought chaos to all others. That’s why, the elderly says, the world is in balance today. Toas needed to vibrate so much more and higher than all other particles, that it found its rhythm, making Toas a place of gods, magic, and many races living together. So much beauty came out of his misery, that this little particle also learned that chaos does not always do bad. Chaos is not always the end but maybe the beginning.

  So, it created a test, a possibility that if the inhabitants of Toas are not careful, everything will fall into chaos, so the legend says. Therefore, every 100 years a child is born with the mark of chaos, a child-like the particles, a child of Balance and Chaos. Through their sacrifice, harmony will be restored. If not, chaos is on the way, and maybe with that, a new beginning.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The Forest Clearing

  Sacrifice for peace or live a life in chaos? Eldana was for a second, lost in her thoughts and struggled. Would you sacrifice yourself for the peace of the world? If you had no gain in it. That was the question after all, they expected her to answer with yes. It was not the time to think about this. She focused back on the threat in front of her.

  There were seven of them in a semicircle. Nobody moved. Swords drawn; faces grim. It seemed as if the world stood still for a breath. It was a cold, misty night. The fog surrounding them brought a chilling aura. The forest clearing seemed surreal; even animals seemed to be deliberately keeping quiet. Not a single bird was heard. The seven figures stood there as if in rigor mortis. The only indication they were alive was their breath, hot with anger.

  They held their swords upside down, a display of strength and determination in Toas. They needed to show strength. Nobody stood above the law. The gods of Toas had set the rules. And those who broke the rules would be punished.

  The seven figures were clad in robes – not ordinary robes – each mantle was decorated with a different pattern. Each pattern was a sign of the elements of this world.

  Their gazes were drawn to their target at the center of the forest clearing. There she stood, facing the seven warriors. Her life was about to change forever. Eldana’s brown hair shone. She had a sword in her hand, long and lethal, with the sign of the King of Toas inscribed on its hilt. She was wearing similar clothes, decorated like the robes of the seven warriors. On hers, only the symbol of light was present. Her taut body was that of a fighter. Her mind was sharp and focused on every move around her. She was ready to fight against all seven. She was a princess and a goddess, a servant of the crescent moon, a traitor; doomed to die. Around her stood her teachers, ready to punish her for treason.

  The forest clearing shimmered with a lustrous beauty and wonder. It felt odd to make such a beautiful place a battleground.

  But the place was not always beautiful. Once, the clearing had been a battlefield, one where thousands had seen their last light, when all creatures fought about the reign on Toas.

  Elsewhere, near the clearing and deep in the forest stood two creatures. They blended entirely with the forest around them, unnoticed, thanks to the potent protection spell.

  The first; a woman armed with a bow. The first arrow was notched, aimed at the closest enemy of Eldana. This archer was a magician. Siem, from the house of the Middle Kingdom. She belonged to Kajewll, the last magician class trained according to the old rules of magic. She knew all forms of magic, even the forbidden ones, and had mastery over the element particular to elves: fire. Next to her, a man. His head bowed, calmly focusing on Eldana. He was a Berserker with a battle-axe in his right hand. They were both dressed in robes, also with symbol of light on their back. Waiting for the slightest movement on the battlefield, they were real friends of Eldana. His name was Hermon, and he had the gift of exerting an uncontrollable, enormous power in battle. A curse he received from his father – Biniamin – the King of the Berserkers ruling over the mountains of Sinora.

  “Do you know why we’re here, Eldana?” asked Sinto, the unofficial leader of the group of seven.

  “Yes,” Eldana answered.

  “Then surrender yourself to the Council so that we can complete the prophecy. Do you understand this?”

  “Yes,” Eldana agreed with a whisper.

  “Very well, I will come to you now and take the weapon from you.” Sinto made the first kind gesture towards Eldana.

  When he took his first step, Eldana lifted the sword slightly into the air and pointed it in Sinto’s direction. There was a twitch of disbelief in the faces of the warriors.

  “Stop,” ordered Eldana. Her tone was harsh. Sinto stared at her in disbelief, same as the other warriors, but still stopped on her command. The warriors were able to pull themselves together, but now they hummed softly, a sign of focus. They were getting ready to fight.

  “Don’t fool around, child! We only want to help you,” said Sinto, in a slightly alarmed voice.

  He raised his hand and gave the other warriors the signal to stop humming. They stopped immediately but kept the grim look on their faces. Eldana stretched h
er hand forward and whispered three short words to herself. In response, a gust of wind swept through the clearing and transformed into a wall of energy bursting from her outstretched hands. A protective shield now covered the surrounded woman.

  But magic was exhausting. Eldana could not believe what had happened in such a short time. The last 10 hours had taken its toll. She had to run through the night, the tunnel of the castle, and the nearby woods, yet was still not safe. Nobody had controlled her chambers, and no guards had been close to her when she had made her escape. How did they find her so fast?

  Eldana flicked her hair and dismissed the thought, before digging her boots into the ground, as much for balance as for defiance. She recited the old verses of battle magic, whispering them slowly and quietly at first, then faster and faster as she focused. She knew the verses inside out, thanks to her time with her teachers. Those same teachers surrounded her with just one goal, to bring her home even though that would mean killing her. A tear rolled down her face as she looked in the direction of Sinto and quoted the centuries-old verses. She realized how important this moment in her life was; she was ready to fight to death against the man who was once like a father to her.

  Very long ago, Sinto and Eldana had laughed together. He was the first warrior of the Middle Kingdom to train Eldana.

  It had not been an easy task, a being of Balance and Chaos was not born every day. The saying went, the more powerful that sacrificed being, the more beautiful the next hundred years would be. Therefore, seven warriors trained this being in becoming the most powerful of all in everything that was there to know.

  His first task for her was to learn how to conjure an energy wall.

  “Ironic,” Eldana muttered as she stood before the Seven. The magic that these people had taught her might just save her life now. She was a little girl when she had first encountered it and had stumbled into her energy wall several times. She made all the mistakes anyone could make, first conjuring only small energy bubbles, a smaller version of a full protective shield. Sinto could hardly stay composed during training, always in fits of laughter. This memory of him, which once brought tears of mirth to her eyes, only hurt Eldana now. It was as if her entire history was playing out in front of her.

  “This will save your life one day!” Sinto had once said with a severe undertone several times in the years of training.

  Back then, she looked at him, eyes blazing; it was unclear why he had always been so serious. Although it upset her, she did what he asked anyway. And finally, after months of training, she had created her first protective shield in the form of an energy wall. It was her favourite memory.

  Eldana remembered him lifting a stick from the ground and hitting her on the cheek. It was just too quick for her to avoid it. She had been less annoyed by the pain than by his irrational behaviour. He had swung again and again. Her anger multiplied; no one would hit her like that. Sinto was just about to hit her again, but this time she built up an energy wall of protection. It almost failed, but it was enough to counter the strike of the stick. Eldana remembered looking at him with rage. He had smiled then, but today he did not.

  Eldana’s protective shield blazed around her. Her eyes were still wet with tears. She had regained her composure. She was tiny compared to the warriors around her, yet there was no trace of doubt or fear in her. She was as determined as them.

  “It is time,” she spoke, and her voice was commanding. All of the warriors gripped their swords tighter. She muttered the magic verses again. She stopped one last time for a second and breathed deeply. All the warriors hummed, this time loud and clear. There was no longer any doubt about where this situation was headed. The Seven turned their swords and slowly approached Eldana. The louder the humming, the brighter their swords shone. It was inevitable what had to follow now...

  “This is madness. Eldana is our daughter!” Sinto just shook his head and whispered, but his words drowned in the humming. He was angry that he had lost control of the situation. The warriors’ weapons were brightly lit, infused with the power of Toas. Sinto stood in front of everyone and lowered his eyes once more, shaking his head. As the leader of the warriors, his task was clear. He could not show any weakness.

  “Kill her,” he said in a clear, loud voice to the warriors.

  For a second, Eldana was shaking to the bones. Was this real? She forced herself to remain calm. Sinto is like your father, an enemy now, she thought. It felt strange. She needed to die, yes, in a proper ritual, not like this. Her thoughts were racing; her soul would be lost in darkness instead of bringing peace to Toas if they succeeded, at least this was what she thought...

  Inside, she was numbed by the words of Sinto, but on the outside, she knew what to do. She moved to the left, and the ground beneath her burned. The verses that she listed before could now be heard in the air, getting louder. The spell worked and was becoming stronger with every second. By the moonlight that still hung in the pre-dawn air, her power would increase, just as she had once been told that her power was always linked to the moon. Its power unfolded a unique energy wave in her, mentally and physically.

  Two of the warriors leapt into the air and attacked Eldana, their swords clashing against her protective shield. There was a spark, and the shield threw them back against their fellow warriors. They attacked again, bringing down their swords harder on the shield, and got the same result. Such blows from a warrior would have killed any normal being. The energy wall stood firm in the wake of the first attacks. The second wave came immediately. The warriors jumped, all of them now, thrusting and slashing. After each attack, they struck faster and harder, but the energy wall withstood it all.

  Eldana staggered from the exhaustion. She struggled to hold the wall, and they saw the effort it cost her. The voices of the verses were still in the air. Hermon and Siem watched her, worry etching deep lines across their faces.

  “Werhi haily,” Eldana called out, and, as if in response, the moon suddenly shone brighter and illuminated the entire clearing.

  The wind blew the trees around her as the earth under their feet moved, just lightly. Dark clouds formed in the sky. The warriors still jumped towards her, round after round. Eldana raised her hand and waited for the next one to attack her. The moment his sword hit the wall, Eldana initiated a strike from the air; a lightning bolt streaked through the sky and hit the warrior. He fell to the ground in front of her. The earth burned like hot lava where she stood, all the elements were now in motion and thunder rumbled through the sky. Another warrior jumped forward and pulled him back. They all looked at the wounded warrior, horrified with the severity of his injuries.

  It was the first time in such a long time that a warrior of the Middle Kingdom had been wounded. Through the sacrifices of the goddesses, there had been no violence for decades. The Middle Kingdom was known for their magic and fighting prowess, something that set them apart from the other human kingdom, Tonar, who had just a handful of magicians. It was clear that the seven had underestimated Eldana tremendously.

  “Watch out, warriors of the Middle Kingdom!” Sinto cried out. “The moonlight gives her incredible powers.”

  The warriors nodded and prepared for the next attack, grim but determined. But there was another emotion on their faces too, rage. This was supposed to be easy. The voices in the air brought Eldana into a trance-like state; she became faster. The runes on her coat glowed. Eldana now fought with unrestrained power. The waves of attacks started again, fiercer, and harder than before. But despite all her skills, Eldana knew that this game would not last much longer.

  The warriors smashed against the wall relentlessly, but it always bounced them back. Eldana threw down another bolt of lightning onto one of the warriors, but he was prepared now. He held his sword out to block the attack and felt only half the force of the lightning.

  Sinto was horrified; her powers were many times greater than he had expected. They were not able
to break through her wall. She had always been a special goddess. But this? No. All of the goddesses had been special every hundred years, but Eldana had something that the others did not. The fire burned in her more than in all the others put together!

  A thought grew in him that terrified him. What if she defeats us? He tried to shake it off quickly but could not. Their defeat would mean he would no longer be the respected teacher he was. A loud scream snapped him out of his dreams.

  The wall disappeared and Eldana shouted, “Now!”

  The warriors paused for a second, puzzled. And moving from behind Eldana, her two friends who had stood in the darkness now stepped into the light.

  “I guess it’s our turn now. Are you ready to do some damage, Hermon?” Siem looked at him out of the corner of her eye while still focusing on the closest of Eldana’s enemies.

  “Well, you know I’d love to avoid it, but I’m making an exception here!” he said. Siem looked a little confused but forgot about it quickly.

  “Run, my brother. Help your sister; she needs you.” Hermon’s face changed from a smile to anger, and the Berserker ritual began. He cried out; it was a sad, loud, painful cry. His bones snapped, his body expanded, and he started bleeding in lots of places on his back, legs, and arms. The sure signs of a Berserker. In a sick reversal, the pain invigorated him. It transformed him. Hermon leapt forward to battle.

  The warriors recognized that sound. They stopped again and could not believe their eyes as the Berserker raced towards them. The battle had turned.

  “Calm down!” Sinto cried out, standing amidst his warriors. “Use Protection Spells!” he said, knowing that the people known as the Berserkers were nearly invincible in their rage mode. Even if they expended all their magic, there was no guarantee that the Berserker would die.