Pietas Archives - Page 25 of 37

Bellicose: (adj) Ready to fight. Said of Pietas #AmWriting #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 02/26/2020 Character Insights 13 Comments

The best way to describe Pietas as a fighter is to let you "see" him in action. Bellicose also means assertive, aggressive, pugnacious, militant, scrappy and in-your-face. The scene below from The Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos, shows him at his fighting best. Come to think of it, bellicose could use a picture of Pietas next to it in the dictionary.

The scene below begins with him trapped in a room with multiple cryogenic pods (life pods) and no air whatsoever. He can hold his breath ten times longer than a human, and they have sent in unarmed fighters because the humans know he will commandeer their weapons in a heartbeat. Pietas is on his side at the back of the room. The "ghosts" are members of Ghost Corps, special ops soldiers who have been resurrected using the blood of Pietas's people.

Listen while you read

On YouTube, the music video Queen's Breach by Critical Mass is listed as "epic action aggressive driving rock powerful". One listen and you'll agree. If that song isn't the bellicose Pietas in action as a fighter, I don't know what is. Read the excerpt below while you listen, and you'll see him in action. I listened to it repeatedly while I choreographed and wrote the fight of his immortal life.

Queen's Breach - The Critical Mass

Song: Queen's Breach
Artist: The Critical Mass
Album: Out of the Ashes: The Critical Mass Collection
Copyright: 2014 Josh Mobley

Bellicose

Remaining on his side, Pietas let them get all the way inside the room.

Crowded as the space was between his pod and the wall, two ghosts crept into it. Six spots of light showed on the other side. Eight ghosts then. That would be a much better fight. One nudged him with a foot.

Suppressing a smile, he continued to play dead.

Ghost One bent down, turned him onto his back.

Pietas let his body flop.

The guy came in closer, checked for a pulse.

He opened his eyes.

The ghost's alarm fed Pietas energy.

He yanked him down, hard, while jamming the heel of his hand up. The ghost's head snapped back, and Pietas felt his bones crack. He shoved him aside and went after Ghost Two.

Pietas gripped his leg and tripped him. He jammed an elbow down onto the man's neck. Bones broke. The ghost's stab of dying fear spiked the energy from the first, and Pietas mixed it with his gift of chaos. He flung the vortex of emotions outward, broadcasting confusion and terror.

He activated his ability called zip. The pseudo speed meant he could move at a regular pace, but humans perceived him as a blur. They could not focus on him long enough to get close. To him, everyone moved in slow motion.

He flipped onto his feet, braced both hands on his pod, and kicked Three and Four square in the chest.

He pushed off the pod, and the momentum carried him straight into the arms of Five and Six. They stumbled backward, tumbling Seven and Eight onto the floor.

Pietas rolled, grabbing Seven. One quick twist of the neck, and another down. Five to go.

Six and Eight flipped themselves to their feet. Three and Four struggled to rise.

Pietas took a running leap and crushed Three's neck. Four raised his hands to shield his face. A swift kick to the head--gone.

Pietas dropped, rolled, came up behind Eight. Broke his neck.

The burning need for air hurt, but there were two to go.

He turned, and a fist caught him in the mouth. Thrown off balance, he danced sideways. Pietas touched his lip, and frowned at the spot of blood. He met the gaze of Ghost Six, who'd punched him.

No human had ever hit him before. Pietas gave a nod.

Five and Six rushed him.

Turning into Five's momentum, Pietas hurled him into the wall, jamming the ghost's head down onto his spine.

He whirled back to find Six standing beside the pod holding Pietas's mother, working the code on a control panel. The ghost held up a warning hand, and poised his other over a bar with flashing red letters: Immolate.

He could kill the ghost without killing his mother. Pietas darted toward him.

Read more →

Condescending? But of course. Writing a patronizing character. Pietas Insults #AmWriting #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 02/04/2020 Fallen Empires 12 Comments

How do you know when to dial back a haughty character's arrogance?

Patronizing

A patronizing attitude reveals a character flaw, but it can be entertaining as well. How do you keep from going overboard? Here are 3 ways I found to temper my temperamental immortal king.

1 Do not use a patronizing attitude for no reason. Nothing alienates a reader faster than a character who is nasty to others just for the sake of being nasty. Make insults in the scene spring from an obvious need or cause. In the opening of Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos, Pietas offers a direct insult to his father, but it's in response to his father's callous treatment.

2 Do not substitute a patronizing attitude when a scene calls for action. An action scene such as a fight or physical action can do much to advance the story. If you have your character just be snarky instead of dealing with danger, it comes off as negativity, or worse, as cowardice. Nothing says that you can't have your character mouth off during a fight. The fact that they can deal with physical action and still be able to think of something snarky to say says a lot about a person.

3 Do not allow the character to be verbally vicious unless the scene demands it. There is a big difference between disdain and cruelty. If your character insults someone viciously, ask yourself how that will move the story forward. Will it fuel the plot? Or do you intend the scene to show a major character flaw? If so, show the consequences as early as possible. Your character gets fired, or loses a friend, or someone takes it out on a person they love.

10 patronizing quips by Pietas

Oh, how exciting. (delivered deadpan) One can scarcely articulate the excitement.
I trust people, except for two types: those I know, and those I don't.
You don't wrestle your demons, do you? You cuddle them.
My father does indeed have a heart. It's shaped like a fist.
Am I going to be arrogant my entire life? I think we both know the answer to that question.
I see you're spoiling for a fight. Don't let me stop you. I'm ready to defeat you anytime.
He states the obvious with such an astonishing sense of discovery.
It's not that she's insane. It's that she's a high-functioning basket case.
I won't be there. I don't attend irredeemably boring events.
His life is a pedestrian and lamentable melodrama.

Just as in real life, actions and words have consequences. It's great to show the flaw, but remember to show the result as well.

Pietas inhabits many books in my story universe, including the Bringer of Chaos series, the Antonello Brothers, and Tales of the Chosen. Download a printable PDF list of my books: Booklist

Read more →

10 Snarky Ways to Say No: Pietas #SpaceOpera #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 01/22/2020 Fallen Empires 14 Comments

When I started writing about Pietas, he'd been a villain in other books, or at least a bad guy with serious issues. But after writing a couple of stories where he's the actual hero, I know him so much better. One thing I was surprised by is how snarky he is. I thought the immortal king would be much more dignified, but it turns out that around those he trusts, he can more than snarky.

Snarky is as Snarky Does

In fact, I started writing the Bringer of Chaos series so I could understand him. I was working on a book in the Antonello Brothers series and could not get Pietas to do what I wanted him to do. He wouldn't be the villain, no matter how much I tried to write him that way.

In exasperation, I told a friend about my problem and she suggested interviewing him. She'd call me on Skype and I would answer as Pietas. I would role play the character and free associate his answers. It opened my eyes to an entirely new aspect of my immortal king.

The Bringer of Chaos series was born from that interview.

An anti-hero is a protagonist but one who doesn't have the usual characteristics that would make them heroes (or heroines). Batman is a perfect example. He's a vigilante. He works outside the law. But we all root for him.

Here's what I've learned about writing anti-heroes in a nutshell. They have:

Character flaws
Complex motives
Internal conflicts
Issues with intimacy
Generally a realist

Character Flaws

With Pietas, I started listing his flaws and decided which two or three would be the ones I'd focus on. What are they? His are many, but I'll start with one that I showed on the first page of Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos.

Perfectionism

He hates it when people mispronounce his name. I could have written "He hated it when people mispronounced his name." But where's the fun in that? It tells. I prefer to show. So I wrote a scene where he sees a video in which the media accuses him of a misdeed. I wrote:

At her mispronunciation of his name, he gritted his teeth. "My name is pronounced Pee-ah-toss, thank you. Not Pie-ah-toss. Pee-ah-toss. It's six letters. How hard is that to get right?" He stormed away from the podium.

By having him react strongly to the error, it reveals one of his flaws and a bit of his character.

Snarky

Pietas often chooses insults over tact. One way that shows best is when he's asked to do something he'd rather not do. Here are ten snarky ways Pietas might tell someone "no."

No, but do you know who would love doing that? Someone with less intelligence.
Try asking someone else. I'm too smart.
I would love to, but I'm planning a much more interesting nap.
Has the netherworld frozen solid? If so, then by all means, yes.
That sounds like a job for someone incapable of thinking past point A.
I'm sure there are worse ways to do that, but I can't think of any.
I was going to suggest you stop acting stupid, but I realized you weren't acting.
My original misconceptions of your idea have proven true.
If you don't want a sarcastic answer, then don't ask a stupid question.
Would you like me to spell the word NO for you?

Lovable

Pietas is lovable despite his mistakes, and he forgives mistakes in others. Here's a quick excerpt from Forged in Fire: Bringer of Chaos for example. In this scene, Joss, one of the warriors with whom Pietas has had a long relationship, keeps taking them in circles on the way back to camp. His usual snarky attitude gives way to tenderness.

"Joss, you've been saying 'not far' for hours. Did I not teach you to mark trails?"

"I'm sorry, Pietas. It won't happen again."

Oh, but it would. She wouldn't mean for it to happen, but it would. He'd tried for centuries to teach her how to find her way, to no avail. He kissed her cheek and drew her into his arms, savoring her warmth.

"Joss." He placed his mouth near her ear. "You couldn't find your way out of a round room with one door."

She jerked up her head and looked at him, eyes wide.

"And I adore you for it."

Read more →

Free Books: Sci Fi, Space Opera, Cyberpunk, all the good stuff at no cost through Dec 2019 #FreeBooks #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 12/29/2019 Science Fiction Books

If you love reading free books — especially science fiction, space opera, cyberpunk, steampunk and more… join us through the end of December 2019 for a giveaway of multiple books in all these genres. Authors you know, and authors you don’t.

Check out the titles from C Gockel, GJ Ogden, PR Adams, Chris Ward, AA Warren, Suzanne V Reese, Paul Heingarten, Aurora Springer, and more, 43 authors in all. No, you won’t get bombarded by dozens of emails. If you like one author, you sign up for that author’s email alone.

Includes my book, Lights Out, in the Bringer of Chaos series.

Join the Ghost Corps, they said. You’ll live forever, they said. You’ll save mankind, they said. They didn’t say that to do it, first he had to die.

When Tornahdo signs on the dotted line, he puts his life into the steady hands of the mighty Ghost Corps. Three grisly deaths and three agonizing resurrections later, he’s assigned duty on the space station Enderium Six.

He’s facing his most dangerous mission yet, the very reason the corps exists.

Do they expect him to win? Fat chance. Tornahdo and his team are already dead and this mission is codenamed “Lights Out.” No, there’s more to this than he can see.

To discover the truth, he must face an unbeatable, unkillable enemy, and this time–somehow–find a way to keep himself alive…

Free Books

This is a great deal. Be sure to take advantage of this offer of free books while it lasts. It ends right before the ball drops on December 31, 2019! Click below to find the books.

StoryOrigin Event: Blast off with Sci-Fi

Read more →

If this is good news, why hide behind a fake face? #SpaceOpera #FreeBooks

Kayelle Allen 12/04/2019 Cosplay 10 Comments

Fake Face

We've spent the last few weeks talking about the cosplay for Pietas.

However, the single most important person in Pietas's life, other than his family, is a man called Six. Today's post is a scene from the story Lights Out, which chronicles how Six and Pietas met. I'll give you a hint. There was instant respect, but not instant friendship.

In Origin of Pietas, Tornahdo receives the name Six, and it's a direct result of what happens in Lights Out.

The Ghost Corps consists of special ops soldiers who have died, and have been resurrected with the blood of an immortal Ultra.

This scene begins with the delivery of a mission by a man wearing a "fake face" -- which the hero knows right away does not bode well.

Fake Face

The unlit room where Tornahdo and his crew waited closed in as if the walls pulled together and the ceiling sank. The longer they waited, the thicker the air. Warm, heavy with sweat and the tart bite of fear, every breath choked the senses.

More than one ghost pulled at his collar. Tension arced through the room, lightning skating over a metal fence.

Was the anti-emo chip even working?

After half an hour of waiting, no one had spoken.

Probably another test.

Tornahdo, for one, wasn't failing it.

The door opened, bringing a shock of icy air.

They all knew they were being sent to die. They were ghosts. That's what ghosts did. They hammered at Ultras until they perma-killed them or they kept Ultras busy until others escaped. But at least they were getting to breathe first.

In walked a person close to seven Terran feet. Silhouette looked male. Tall enough to be an Ultra. He strode into the center of the room and beckoned everyone closer.

No clue who hid behind the full-body fake-face. It cycled through various images, too fast to keep up. Like trying to count air bubbles rising in a pool.

Remaining at the back, Tornahdo stood at ease.

"This is the best day in human recollection." Speaking through a voice changer, the voice took on genderless robotic tones. "Today, we make history."

If it was such a good day, why hide behind a fake-face and a voice changer?

The chip in Tornahdo's head pinged a stinging reminder to avoid such thoughts. He reined in his doubt and focused.

"This mission is called Lights Out. Your duty is simple. Chancellor Pietas is unconscious. You'll put him in a lifepod. That's it." The guy paused. "Questions?"

A tall ghost removed his helmet. "How can Ultras be unconscious?"

"The peace talks were a trap. When Pietas and the Council arrived, we told them we'd jettison their module unless they entered their lifepods, which they did. Except Pietas, of course, so we siphoned the air out of the room. Before you go in, you'll hyperventilate, store up oxygen. This room is being pumped full at a high rate. Your chip will aid you."

Ultras held their breath ten times longer than humans. Tornahdo had trained to hold his five times longer. Pietas probably managed fifteen or twenty times.

Twelve of them. In a vacuum. Against the Ultra called Bringer of Chaos. Whose motto was, "Pain is a warrior's ally."

No number of chips made that doable.

Read more →

Pietas was too proud to steal; too stubborn to beg @nitsvetov #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Kayelle Allen 11/30/2019 Character Insights 1 Comment

Proud to show you images from the Chaos is Coming cosplay featuring Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas, the immortal king. Members of my reader groups will receive a larger group of exclusive photos in the next newsletter. Info on how to sign up is at the end. Below is a quote from Elryk, the man Pietas considers his mentor and the father he never had. You’ll meet Elryk in a future series.

[bctt tweet=”When you’re proud, you must not only overcome adversity and obstacles, you must also overcome yourself. ~Elryk #SpaceOpera” username=”KayelleAllen”]

Chaos is Coming – Sci Fi Cosplay

On Nov 27th, Nik Nitsvetov wore the Pietas armor he hand made for the Chaos is Coming Cosplay, performed live on Instagram.

Last year Nik performed as Pietas from the Bringer of Chaos series doing the Ritual of Strength. You can see the video of him performing here. This cosplay he portrayed Pietas as a younger version of the immortal king. Before he led his people, Pietas was a plebe in the Discord. After all, even the mightiest river has a beginning.

The immortal king began life as a soldier when he was still a teenager. Imagine being abandoned on a new world where you have no idea about customs, no identification, no money, no food, and no friends. No one will hire you, and you are too proud to steal and too stubborn to beg. That was Pietas at age sixteen. Part of his story is revealed in the Bringer of Chaos series.

Read more →

Before the immortal king was a king @nitsvetov #cosplay #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 11/27/2019 Cosplay 8 Comments

Before the immortal king Pietas from the Bringer of Chaos series was king, he was a rookie a plebe in a group called the Discord. I'll be writing a series set in this period of Pietas's life, and these images will be used for covers, banners, and videos.

I plan two more books for the Bringer of Chaos series and then two books in the Antonello Brothers series before moving to the Discord books. The series is so new I don't even have a working title for it yet! The hero will be a teenager, freshly out in the world and on his own for the first time in his life. I'm open to suggestions if you have ideas.

Read more →

Decompress from the Chaos Cosplay? How? @nitsvetov #PietasFans #Cosplay #SpaceOpera

Kayelle Allen 11/23/2019 Cosplay

Decompressing

I watched the live stream of the new Pietas cosplay on Instagram on November 23rd and now I'm trying to decompress. Relax. Take a chill pill. All that stuff.

Well... it's not working.

I just saw my immortal king (who is in how many books now?) come to life before my eyes. I know I'm going to get a link to the pictures from this 3 hour photo shoot. I'll have high resolution photos to enjoy and use for various purposes. Nik also promised to video part of it as well. And then there was the live version. Did I mention it was live? LOL Yeah. Decompress from that... how?

Not happening anytime soon.

Watch the video on this page to see Nik as Pietas the king, done last year. Pietas Ritual

I'll be sharing exclusive shots of both cosplays with members of my reader groups. Are you one of them? Join here. I'll release the link in my next newsletter, out Dec 7th. Sign up now so you don't miss it.

Read more →

Live Stream the Kings of Chaos and Cosplay with @nitsvetov Nov 23 #PietasFans #Cosplay #SpaceOpera

Kayelle Allen 11/21/2019 Cosplay

Creating Armor

Last year, Nik Nitsvetov performed as Pietas from the Bringer of Chaos series for the Ritual of Strength. Last year was a live stream also. But before Pietas was king, he was a rookie a plebe in the Discord. Even the mightiest river has a beginning. Playing the immortal king as a rookie teenager in training ought to be fun to watch.

I've enjoyed seeing Nik create the armor Nano-Core designed for this cosplay. The final style is somewhat different because taking a brand-new design and transforming it into wearable armor is a lot of work. Nik had free reign to alter as needed to suit the cosplay. Join us and see the difference during the live stream of his newest cosplay on Saturday, November 23rd at 8:00 am Eastern.

Read more →

Creating armor for an immortal king @nitsvetov #cosplay #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 11/20/2019 Cosplay 8 Comments

Creating Armor

Nik Nitsvetov will cosplay Pietas in armor hand-made for the Chaos is Coming Cosplay. Creating armor for a king - quite a feat to list on your cosplay resume. Nik has done an amazing job.

Last year Nik performed as Pietas from the Bringer of Chaos series for the Ritual of Strength. But before Pietas was king, he was a rookie a plebe in the Discord. Even the mightiest river has a beginning. Playing the immortal king as a rookie teenager in training ought to be fun to watch.

I've enjoyed watching Nik creating armor designed by Nano-Core specifically for this cosplay. The final style is somewhat different because taking a brand-new design and transforming it into wearable armor -- that's a lot of work. Nik had free reign to alter as needed to suit the cosplay. When you are creating armor, you need a bit of leeway!

Watch the live stream of this cosplay on Instagram November 23, 2019 at 8:00 am Eastern (4:00 pm Russia).

Enter your email below to get an email reminder.

Read more →

Tag: Pietas

Bellicose

Bellicose...

Listen while you read

Queen's Breach - The Critical Mass

Bellicose

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Patronizing

10 patronizing quips by Pietas

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Snarky is as Snarky Does

Character Flaws

Perfectionism

Snarky

Lovable

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Free Books

Fake Face

Fake Face

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Chaos is Coming – Sci Fi Cosplay

Soldier to King

Nik Nitsvetov

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Decompressing

Decompress? What...?!

Nik Nitsvetov

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Watch the Live Stream

Live Stream

Live Stream Cosplay Reservation

Creating Armor

Nik Nitsvetov

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Creating Armor

Chaos is Coming Cosplay Reservation

Pietas Cosplay Reservation Request

Thank you!

Nik Nitsvetov

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out