Tag Archives: Sempervians

The Ultras who were banished to Sempervia, and ultimately exiled from there.

What little remained of his heart… #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

In this scene from Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas, the hero is performing a ritual to prepare for war. He’s asked his twin sister to assist him. The one woman who held the tattered remnants of his trust and what little remained of his heart. Yet no one had ever betrayed him as cruelly.

What little remained of his heart…

Dessy twirled the dagger. “You should let our people know you still do this ceremony. They’d be impressed by your devotion.”

“I don’t do it to impress anyone. I do it to ready myself for– Stop!” She had been sliding one fingertip along the edge of the dagger. Pietas removed it from her grasp, and examined the blade.

“Honestly, Pietas! I was just testing the sharpness.”

“I didn’t want you to cut yourself.”

“I’m as adept with blades as you. More so, if you ask me.”

“Not the point. If you’d cut yourself, I’d have to consecrate it again. It can only have my blood or my enemy’s.”

“You think I’m witless? As if I haven’t performed this ceremony with you a hundred times. And here I thought you were concerned for my well-being.”

“Stop playing. I told you, I’m busy.”

She let out a harsh sigh. “Fine. Let’s complete the ritual.”

Dagger in hand, Pietas unfastened the clip in his hair, and let it fall. The wet tail slapped the middle of his back. He tossed the clip aside, placed the dagger on his palms, and offered it.

She poised her hand above it. “Who offers this weapon?”

“First Conqueror, War Leader of the Ultras.”

She took it from him. “For whom are you willing to suffer?”

“I suffer for my people.” Pietas turned his cheek.

Dessy slid the knife tip along his face, from cheekbone to chin, drawing a thin trail of blood. “For whom do you bleed?”

“I bleed for my people.” By the time the first drop of blood had risen, the cut had healed, leaving no scar.

“What sacrifice do you offer as proof of devotion?”

He went to his knees, and lowered his head. Here was the true reason he no longer performed this ritual before his people. Pietas abased himself before no one.

Except the one woman who held the tattered remnants of his trust, and what little remained of his heart.

“I surrender my pride.”

Pietas abased himself before no one. #SciFi #MFRWhooks Click To Tweet

—

Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas
by Kayelle Allen
Pietas is an Ultra, an all-but-immortal warrior who leads the fight against the oppressive human race that created his people. But when he’s captured and exiled to an alien world, his only ally is Six, a human who’s been as betrayed as he was. To cross the continent and find other Ultras, Pietas must overcome his centuries-long distrust of humans, and rely on Six. This mortal will either become his closest living friend or the human whose betrayal triggers all-out vengeance by the most powerful immortal ever born.
—
Read the first chapter https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-origin/
Available free on KindleUnlimited and in print
Amazon https://amzn.to/28QOTpb

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Posted in Character Insights, Fallen Empires | Tagged Bringer of Chaos, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Pietas, Sci Fi Fantasy, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels, Sempervians |

Do you love dragons? @Nano_Core #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooks #SpaceOpera

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

Do You Love Dragons?

I love dragons. Funny thing, several of my characters love dragons too. Gee, how about that? *wink* How about you?

In the Bringer of Chaos series, the character Six has a dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. Pietas keeps dragon statues in his quarters, everything from small egg-sized ones to larger pieces. His sister wears a pendant with a blood-red dragon that has gold wings. The dragon symbol is throughout the story. After all, who wouldn’t love dragons?

The Drachensturm Dagger (dragon-storm) on the left belongs to Pietas. In the first Bringer of Chaos book, he performs a ritual with it. I wrote only that the dagger was new and that it had turquise stones the same color as his own eyes. I decided to commission Nano-Core (aka Livius) on DeviantArt to create the dagger. He listened to my description, then spent nearly a day playing with designs. He would show me dragon pictures and get my feedback. Because he’s in Germany and I live in Georgia in the US, we had a time difference. Livius is a night owl, so it worked out well for us.

If you want something unique for your scifi world, from dragons to ships, I recommend him. He is super easy to work with. You can find him on this page: Nano-Core on DeviantArt. While you’re there, check out other art Livius has done. This is the sixth sci fi weapon he’s created for me that show on his page. Do follow him on Twitter. He’s new there! He’s creating a special weapon series for the Kin that will be revealed in my next newsletter. You won’t find them anywhere else until then. And wait till you hear the origin story of this dagger! Meanwhile… here’s a snippet for you.

Excerpt from Bringer of Chaos: Origin of Pietas
Pietas and his sister, Dessy, are about to complete a ritual using the dragon dagger pictured.

I’ve been dreaming about dragons.” His sister unzipped her leathers down to her rounded bosom, and pulled out a fine chain dangling a dragon charm. “In the dreams, yours are teal and silver. Mine are ruby and gold.”

He took the pendant in hand. The golden creature sparkled, its eyes glistening as if wet with blood. “Beautiful.” He rubbed a thumb over it, and the dragon warmed to his touch. He smiled into Dessy’s pale eyes. “How often do you dream them?”

“Every night. Tas, what does it mean?”

At hearing her childhood name for him, he dropped the pendant. “Dragons are primal protectors. They symbolize defeat of the beast within and show selfless courage.”

She tucked the chain back inside her top. “How do you know that?”

“How do you not?”

Dessy called him a rude name, and shoved him.

I’d love for you to enter my contest this month!
Click to enter. You could win one of two Kindle Fires.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

Posted in Character Insights, Fallen Empires | Tagged Blog Hop, Bringer of Chaos, Forged in Fire, Kayelle Allen Characters, MFRW, Pietas, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels, Sempervians, Ultras |

Oh no. This is going to be trouble. Excerpt from Lights Out #SciFi #MFRWhooks #FreeBook

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

From across the bar, Ravenstongue sauntered toward him. "Why you here?"

Tornahdo kicked back in his chair. After stretching out his legs, he crossed his ankles. "Why do you care?"

"Big ops tomorrow. Lights out in ten. Time for you to go home and go to bed."

Behind the bar, the keeper closed up shelves and battened down doors.

"Yeah?" Tornahdo flicked a hand toward the door. "I'll follow you out."

"I'm not leavin'. Didn't you hear? We passed inspection with the highest scores. Got a free night out." Ravenstongue jabbed a finger toward Tornahdo. "But you gotta go home like a good boy."

In no kingdom in the galaxy would that happen.

Ravenstongue lifted two fingers, signaling his cohorts.

The keeper ducked behind the bar while the goons flanked their wannabe boss, imbecilic grins in place.

A pair of demons usually sat on Tornahdo's shoulders. The bad demon laid out strategy while the good demon discouraged action. Tonight, the good demon flipped a middle finger toward Ravenstongue with a not-so-subtle suggestion to kick his ass.

Tornahdo took his time rising, slid his chair under the table. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'You gotta go home like a good boy.'"

Hanging his thumbs in his belt, Tornahdo gave him a slow smile. "Go back to the bar, finish your drink and we'll pretend we're all friends and leave together. This is your last chance for a peaceful end."

"Peaceful." With a scoff, Ravenstongue jerked his head toward Short Goon. "You hear that?"

"Yeah. Maybe we oughta do what--"

Ravenstongue jabbed him with an elbow.

"I mean, yeah! I heard that." He leaned closer to his boss. "We gonna?"

"No, you idiot. Shut your face and back me up."

How did these hotheads enlist? Ghost Corps must have been desperate for bodies. Literally. A fighter's corpse they could reanimate. Which was a sobering thought.

Was that what the corps thought of him?

Lights Out by Kayelle Allen

He can save mankind. After he does one important thing. Die.
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...

Posted in Character Insights, Fallen Empires | Tagged Bringer of Chaos, Forged in Fire, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Lights Out, Origin of Pietas, Pietas, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels, Sempervians, Ultras |

Creating a Legend: Pietas #scifi #amwriting

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

The Legend of Pietas

Bringer of Chaos

The book, Bringer of Chaos, begins with the words: According to legend… No matter how horrific or grisly their wounds, the warriors called Ultras survived. Starvation did not stop them. Disease did not touch them. Only one thing slowed them down.

Death.

But even death didn’t hold them long.

The hyper-metabolism of Ultras made reproduction impossible, with one set of twins the sole exception. Enhanced by their warrior/scientist parents to protect them, the twins mastered every skill of science, art, and war.

The physical superiority of Ultras led to a revolt, and by the Terran year 4436 AD, they ruled the galaxy. Mankind served. Humans repented ever creating them, but there was no going back.

A million Ultras roamed the Terran Crescent and the Colonies of Man, and they ruled the starways, trade, and commerce. By the end of the First Cycle of Wars, the lowest of the subservient races was human.

However, pockets of rebellion persisted. A century of brutal resistance ended when the last beleaguered human rebels offered a treaty.

—
Pietas is one of the twins. He has been the villain in many of my books, has always fascinated me. I knew there was more to him than I could see, but like a shark swimming in the deepest waters, he was always moving, and always out of sight. As I began writing his book, he started coming into focus. The water grew less murky, and he came closer to the surface. Instead of the cold eyes I expected to see staring back at me, I found a person with heat, and passion, and an unstoppable hunger for not just revenge, but also for the truth.

He is bigger than life. Larger than a legend. One of the most complex characters I’ve ever written, Pietas is the key to every story in my universe. All of them hinge on his influence or presence. As I continue to write his story, I’ll share some of my insights here.

Join my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group and you’ll get inside info about the story as it unfolds, including access to areas of my website not available to anyone else. You’ll get a free book for joining, and another book the next day. As the book asks, “Will you dare to follow Pietas?”

Posted in Character Insights, Fallen Empires | Tagged Bringer of Chaos, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Pietas, Sempervians, Writing |

Just Like Old Times: Everyone’s Angry #scifi #MFRWhooks

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

BookHooks is a blog hop where authors share only a small snippet of a story, an enticement to read more. Today’s snippet is from Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas.

In this scene from Bringer of Chaos, Pietas is returning from a meeting where he refused to accept the ten hostages offered by a group of humans. He insisted on thirty hostages instead. His parents, both former leaders and still on the council, argue.
—

His parents trailed him back toward private quarters. “Pietas,” his mother called. “Wait!”

For her, he stopped, and turned around.

Small compared to most Ultras, and delicate of face, Helia ap Lorectic was as tough as any soldier. Like him and his father, she possessed an eidetic memory, and a fine scientific mind. If anyone was the hope of their people, it was she.

“Pietas, you know this is wrong. We agreed to those terms before we arrived.”

“It is not wrong, Mother, and the terms were made by the previous council head, not by me.” He opened the door to his quarters, and turned back to Helia. “They’ll agree to my terms or they’ll die.”

Mahikos stepped in front of his wife. “You will destroy these talks, you inflexible, intractable narcissist!”

“Why, Father. I’m impressed you know words that big. Thank you.”

The man lurched toward him.

“Stop it!” Helia positioned herself between the two. “Pietas, please. It took–”

“No, Mother. I never negotiate with humans from a position of fear.”

Mahikos jabbed a finger toward him. “You never negotiate at all.”

“Your precious humans have five minutes.” He shut the door in the man’s face.

His father’s shout of anger followed, and then his mother’s calmer tones, soothing. The thud of a fist rattled the door before Mahikos gave way to whatever it was Helia was saying to him.

“Just like old times.” His message board lit up. Furious texts and outraged faces filled the screen. “It seems I made every council member angry at the same time. How efficient of me.”
—
Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas

The immortal Pietas leads the fight against his people’s oppressors: humans. To end the war and save his kind, he agrees to peace talks. But when he attends, he’s betrayed, trapped within an unpowered lifepod, and left to die. His unlikely ally is Six, a human. Though he captured Pietas, he had no part in his betrayal. Together, they must cross an alien world and find the other Ultras. That is, if they can overcome their desire to kill one another…
Genre Military Sci Fi, Soldiers, Bad Boys, Adventure, and Angst
Available free on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon https://amzn.to/28QOTpb
Amazon print https://amzn.to/1SSmueB
Romance Lives Forever Books (autographed copy) http://bit.ly/boc1-rlfb

Posted in Character Insights, Fallen Empires | Tagged Bringer of Chaos, Immortal Heroes, Kayelle Allen Characters, Pietas, Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels, Sempervians |

Humans! They All Die #ChaosIsComing #scifi #quote

Updated on 05/13/2024 by Kayelle Allen

In this scene between the immortal Pietas and his father, the two are arguing a familiar topic: humans. It opens with Pietas speaking.

30 Days of Chaos: Day 3

To celebrate the launch of Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas I’m sharing 30 Days of Chaos. Each day during April, I’ll post one excerpt from the book, along with a poster of a quote by Pietas. On the final day, members of my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group will receive a full color book containing all the quotes and posters. Unlike my website, the book posters will have only a quote and a beautiful image. Look for a giveaway at the end of this post.

They All Die

“You want us to treat humans as equals. They never treated us as such. Even now, we’re hated and reviled. Putting them on the council will make them haughtier. I want nothing to do with humans.”

“Then you want nothing to do with me, Son. Humans are all I care about.”

And wasn’t that the naked truth of his father’s betrayal? He had turned his back on their people. He had turned his back on his son.

“You’re right, Father. I want nothing to do with you. I care nothing for mortals.” He flipped his silver circlet into the air and caught it. “They all die.”
—

Bringer of Chaos: Two enemy warriors: one human, one immortal. Different in belief, alike in spirit, marooned together on an alien world.

Imprisoned and in isolation over a year without food or water, the immortal Pietas survives. Though broken in body, his intellect and will are intact, thanks to Six, the special ops warrior who captured him, but kept him sane. The warrior had no hand in his deprivation and, like Pietas, was betrayed by his own kind. When Pietas is abandoned on an alien world with nothing but his honor–and Six–he must find and rejoin other immortal exiles. After centuries of war, Pietas detests humans and kills them on sight, but he is too damaged to continue on his own. Though he despises needing help, he allows Six to nurture and restore him to full strength, and then accompany him. As they cross the planet together on foot, the immortal begins to wonder if he has found his first human friend, or if Six is loyal only because Pietas could keep the others from tearing him to shreds. This human will either be his closest living friend, or the one whose betrayal will trigger all-out vengeance by the most powerful immortal ever born.

Immortal. Warrior. Outcasts. Traitors took everything. Except their honor.
—
Read the first chapter https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-origin/
Preorder on Amazon http://amzn.to/1R8DAbb
Read now in print on CreateSpace http://bit.ly/boc-origin-csp