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Tag: Origin of Pietas

Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas

Story: When the truth isn’t reality #SciFi #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos - #SciFi #SpaceOpera

You know that feeling when you think you know the whole story? You know the truth? So you make a decision and you run with it. When you careen into a wall you didn't see, you pick yourself up and take a second look at where you're headed. Or, if you're stubborn like me, you back up and run at it again. POW! Down you go one more time.

When I began writing my Tarthian Empire series books I knew who the villain was. His name was Pietas and his story was obvious. He was irredeemable, bad through and through. End of story.

About five books in, I hit a wall.

I couldn't make sense of this villain of mine. Pietas was clearly the bad guy, yet while his people feared him--with good reason--they were loyal to the death. He hated humans with such great passion that he wanted to destroy them all, yet he was taking his sweet time going about it. He could have wiped out humanity a thousand years ago.

He hadn't. Why not?

Secrets Behind the Story

I sensed a conspiracy. My characters were keeping a truth from me. How could I write a proper story if I didn't know what was going on?

After flipping through copious notes and rereading my own books, I realized I had a ton of material on Pietas. I began writing down impressions, verifying them against the canon of the books and making sure I had the real story.

The Story Iceberg

Pietas had revealed only ten percent of the story. Like an iceberg, only a small part of a story is visible. The rest comprises its true reality.

I needed to learn more.

It took me months of digging, talking with readers, talking with my beta readers and editors, inundating my critique group with multiple versions of the story's first chapters, but finally I figured out the true story.

My villain wasn't a villain.

I literally sat back in my chair and slapped my forehead. How could I have been so blind? I had allowed his actions to become my interpretation of the truth. In the story world, Pietas was playing a part. Making himself out to be the bad guy, while in reality, he was far from it.

Oh, I can hear you thinking. "You wrote the guy, Kayelle. How can he be any kind of mystery?" Well, that's because you just don't know him yet. Read one of the books about him and you'll see. He is not easy to know, but he's fascinating once you do.

After I wrote the first book about his real story, Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos, a reviewer said: "He's painted as a complete psycho in other books. It's really great to get some insight into who he truly is." I had a jump-up-and-down happy-shouting fit when I read that.

I had succeeded in revealing the truth. That was what I had wanted more than anything.

As soon as I finished the first book, I jumped in on the second.


Model for Pietas: Nik Nitsvetov

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.
Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality


Welcome to Book Hooks!

Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative blog hop hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by.

Links below lead to other sites also taking part. You can "hop" from mine to theirs with one click.

Feel free to say hello or leave a note in the comments.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


Pietas gains unwelcome attention from a telepath #SciFi #PietasFans

Forged in Fire: Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera

In this scene from Forged in Fire, Pietas and the search party sent to find him have stopped their upward mountain trek for a short break. Prior to their reunion the previous day, Pietas had spent a year in confinement, hands bound behind him. He'd been starved to the point of death, but because he's immortal, he could not die. Although he's healed since, the brutality left a lasting toll on his once robust physical body. As they prepare to get underway, he unwittingly reveals the impairment and becomes the focus of unwanted attention from a telepath.

Unwanted Attention

Wincing, Pietas stretched to ease cramps in his back.

"Tas!" His sister had started using her childhood name for him since they'd reconnected the day before. "Are you hurt?"

Before he could answer Dessy, a quick telepathic scan from Joss swept over him. Pietas had still been a teenager when she'd trained him to shield his mind from those with her gift. Not that he'd ever been able to block her. She was far too powerful, but today, she'd read him with no more difficulty than a hunter spying trail signs. He'd been near no Ultra telepaths for over a year.

His affinity with Six had made him careless and he'd neglected the basic lessons Joss had taught him.

It wasn't a lack of trust. Trust had never been an issue with Joss.

He treasured her, but he ought not to have been so unguarded and open. Vulnerable.

"Pietas." Joss stood. The waves of emotion he picked up from her held love and concern in equal measure. And a bit of disappointment. "You're injured."

He ducked his head like a schoolboy who'd forgotten his lessons. Admit mortals had damaged him? Never. Neither would he lie about it. He'd take better care to hide the pain.

"Don't worry about me." Whistling, he circled a finger in the air. "Let's go! Long climb ahead. Joss, you lead." Last thing he wanted was her behind him, using him as an object of focus. He loved her, but this was unwanted attention.

What telepaths focused upon, they controlled.

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.
Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


Humans underestimated them at their peril #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks

Humans underestimated them at their peril #SciFi #SpaceOpera #Military

In Origin of Pietas, the hero is not a sympathetic character -- at least at first. As I wrote, trying to understand him, I began to see my initial perception of Pietas was false. This man was no villain. Instead, he was an anti-hero with a nobility I never suspected. One thing I did know -- Pietas was a walking weapon. In this scene, the Council has agreed to meet on a neutral starport for peace talks with humans. No one will believe his warnings of a trap, so Pietas decides to push the humans into showing their hand.

Walking Weapon

At the appointed time, Pietas entered the elevator with the council, ignoring the warning "behave yourself" looks from his father. His mother tugged his father to the rear of the elevator, and cast a hopeful smile at her son. Seeing the two of them together, with his father newly reborn and his mother aged, reflected their differences. He had always been hot-tempered; she, wise.

Pietas turned away, wishing he did not have to disappoint her, but he could not in good conscience carry out the council's command. Lock his people into a treaty with these oath breakers? Never.

The entire council would be furious with him. As usual.

His sister arrived as the doors were closing, and slid into place on his right as second-in-command.

On her bosom sat an oval-shaped gold and black brooch, the glass front of which revealed a plait of his hair stolen after the ritual they'd performed. Dessy had interwoven it into a complex pattern. She said nothing, but he felt her empathic outpouring of assent. Yet despite her emotional support, she had voted against him.

Would he never understand this woman? Shoulder to shoulder they faced front, united.

The closed car meant the sting of emotions in the small space bombarded him from all angles. His skin twitched, and he rubbed his arms as if cold.

A cadre of humans waited in the assigned receiving chamber. Ten humans would be given in exchange for ten members of the Ultra Council, as Mahikos and the council had requested. While the Ultras were on board Enderium Six, the humans would act as hostages. If anything happened to the Ultras, the humans would die lingering deaths.

A crawling-ant sensation on his skin escalated to a sting. These creatures hid some secret he did not yet fathom. Pietas bit the inside of his cheek, fighting the urge to lash out, to rip away the life of these mortals.

As agreed, the council members had come unarmed. As if they had need of armaments. They were what humans had always called them: walking weapons.

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.
Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality


Welcome to Book Hooks!

Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative blog hop hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by.

Links below lead to other sites also taking part. You can "hop" from mine to theirs with one click.

Feel free to say hello or leave a note in the comments.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


Get some Free #SciFi Science Fiction to read this July #SpaceOpera #Speculative #BookFair

Get some Free #SciFi Science Fiction to read this July #SpaceOpera #Speculative #BookFair

Book Fair has ended

Try one on this page!

[bctt tweet="Get some Free #SciFi Science Fiction to read this July #SpaceOpera #Speculative #BookFair https://storyoriginapp.com/to/kQtDxuk?via=kayelle" username="KayelleAllen"]

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


#SciFi Awesome Outlaws: fantasy & science fiction books with rule breakers #Speculative

Book Fair for Free Books

A bundle of high-caliber authors just right for book lovers.

Need a new book to read at no cost? Want to read but short on change?

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Free Book Fair Event

[bctt tweet="#SciFi Awesome Outlaws: fantasy & science fiction books with rule breakers #Speculative https://bookfunnel.kayelleallen.com/freedomfantasy/3x7z6e79bu" username="KayelleAllen"]

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


Would he be a traitor to his people? Or their salvation… #SciFi Bringer of Chaos by Kayelle Allen

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 – Sci-Fi & Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


#SciFi Stellar Sci-Fi Reads from $0 to $.99 #BookFair #SpaceOpera

#SciFi Stellar Sci-Fi Reads from $0 to $.99 #BookFair #SpaceOpera

Book Fair has ended

Try one on this page!

[bctt tweet="#SciFi Stellar Sci-Fi Reads from $0 to $.99 #BookFair #SpaceOpera https://storyoriginapp.com/to/nIAnH2d?via=kayelle" username="KayelleAllen"]

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.


Fill the Universe with Science Fiction Stories #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Fill the Universe with Science Fiction Stories #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

A Book Fair for those who love to read

The books in this book fair might be in Kindle Unlimited, but they might also be on non-Amazon sites as well. Some are on sale.

Join us!

Fun Book Fair

[bctt tweet="Fill the Universe with Science Fiction Stories #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans https://storyoriginapp.com/to/KBsiPjU?via=kayelle" username="KayelleAllen"]

Bringer of Chaos

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #SpaceOpera

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team


~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.