The Darkness reclaimed Terra and Luna. Auron had no other choice other than to abandon their mission and return to Sonos, as ordered by the Protector. With the destruction of Terra and Luna, it seems the fate of the Omans is sealed. The pain upon Auron’s mind of losing fifteen of his original twenty-four brave Omans was nearly unbearable. They spent hundreds of thousands cycles away from their home and finally returned to Sonos but came to understand something isn’t adding up. Auron will not allow the existence of his people to come to an end and wishes to try and repeat the life cycle. Relix makes known particular information to Auron and with this he decides the only choice is to return to Terra in order to create new light. What will wait for Auron and others’ return?
The Darkness reclaimed Terra and Luna. Auron had no other choice other than to abandon their mission and return to Sonos, as ordered by the Protector. With the destruction of Terra and Luna, it seems the fate of the Omans is sealed. The pain upon Auron’s mind of losing fifteen of his original twenty-four brave Omans was nearly unbearable. They spent hundreds of thousands cycles away from their home and finally returned to Sonos but came to understand something isn’t adding up. Auron will not allow the existence of his people to come to an end and wishes to try and repeat the life cycle. Relix makes known particular information to Auron and with this he decides the only choice is to return to Terra in order to create new light. What will wait for Auron and others’ return?
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Overview
The Darkness reclaimed Terra and Luna. Auron had no other choice other than to abandon their mission and return to Sonos, as ordered by the Protector. With the destruction of Terra and Luna, it seems the fate of the Omans is sealed. The pain upon Auron’s mind of losing fifteen of his original twenty-four brave Omans was nearly unbearable. They spent hundreds of thousands cycles away from their home and finally returned to Sonos but came to understand something isn’t adding up. Auron will not allow the existence of his people to come to an end and wishes to try and repeat the life cycle. Relix makes known particular information to Auron and with this he decides the only choice is to return to Terra in order to create new light. What will wait for Auron and others’ return?
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781524645106 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 10/17/2016 |
| Pages: | 256 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d) |
About the Author
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Darkness and Light
Return to Terra Book II
By Kyle Hoy
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2016 Kyle HoyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5246-4509-0
CHAPTER 1
More than a cycle had passed by since Auron gave his order to return to Sonos after the pieces of the heart of Sonos were driven from the cores of Luna and Terra. Fifteen brave Oman lights were taken by the Darkness and the Hollowed Minions; the guilt Auron felt weighing upon his mind was excruciating and nearly unbearable. It was the love he felt from his lightmate, Akina, stretching out into the depths of the darkness of space that allowed him to stay the course. The future of his people hung in the balance. He believed the Humans could possibly carry the keys to unlock the ability to create new light, but all had been lost when the Darkness infiltrated Terra, thanks to the betrayal of Raja, which occurred just before he gave himself to the Darkness.
Bathed in the pale blue light, Jace's thin face hovered over the sensors. "Sonos is just ahead."
Auron was hunched over in his place but rose as he heard Jace's voice call out. For a moment, the agony he felt from the loss of his fallen Omans was masked by the thought of being reunited with Akina, Afero, and Afena. Jace piloted Skye near the fiery defensive barrier around Sonos.
Auron gave orders to Rayl, who was at his place at the light cannon aboard the ship. "Fire a beam of light into the barrier to notify the Protector we have returned and must be granted safe passage."
Rayl did as he was commanded and fired a beam through the light canon. The beam created a small opening in the barrier through which Jace piloted Skye. The breach closed immediately behind the ship so the Darkness wouldn't slip through.
Auron heard the crew rejoice and embrace one another as they looked upon the surface of Sonos. He stood separated from the others, emotionless and defeated. Through his armor, he felt a hand come to rest upon his shoulder, and he turned to find Merek with his eyes filled with relief.
Merek bowed to Auron and said, "My king, the Light has guided us within the safety of Sonos."
Auron bowed slightly out of respect but turned back without saying a word, for he could only think of his fallen Omans and his failure to ensure the future of his people. He heard the sound of light footsteps behind him as Merek turned and walked away.
Skye hovered over the surface, which still had the same vibrant yellow-orange tint. Auron broke from his stare with a confused and peculiar look upon his face. He addressed the others, "We have been gone for an extended amount of time, yet Sonos remains unchanged."
Garathorn sarcastically added, "Of course. The Light wouldn't have allowed the Darkness or Hollowed Minions to enter Sonos in our absence."
Many of the others cheered at Garathorn's words, but Relix replied, "Millions of cycles have passed since we began our journey. Our people had the resources to flourish and reach new advancements in our absence that we could have only dreamt about." She turned to Auron and asked, "My king, why do you think Sonos has remained unchanged?"
Auron stood in silence for a moment and shook his head in disbelief. He had no answer for Relix's question. He saw the stronghold in the distance and gave orders to Jace and Lathan. "Land Skye within the safety of our walls."
As Jace and Lathan brought Skye near the stronghold, the Omans on the surface began to gather. Lathan lowered the landing gear, and Jace gently brought the ship to a rest.
"Today, we return to our homes," Auron said. "Each of you has gone above and beyond. I couldn't be prouder." He gazed at the eight surviving members of their ill-fated company. He couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt over the fifteen who had fallen back on Terra. Had they just succeeded, it might have been worth it. But they hadn't, and now they returned home to an uncertain future.
Merek cleared his throat, and Auron left his thoughts behind. "You have all done your duty without hesitation," Auron said. "The Light truly shines through you all."
"Attention," Merek called. The rest of the crew straightened and saluted.
Auron hesitated a moment and then returned the salute. He turned to Felcor. "Open the door."
Felcor pressed a button on the control panel, and the door crept open, giving out a high-pitched screech from the countless cycles of punishment it endured. A warm, gentle gust of wind entered the ship as though Sonos were welcoming them home. The bay door came to a stop, revealing a sea of Omans waiting to greet them. A deafening roar of cheers billowed up as they laid eyes upon their king and the others. Auron dreaded their reaction when he delivered the bad news. He tried to push his fears aside and found his thoughts escaping to Akina. He longed to feel her melt into his embrace and escape these matters of state. But duty called, and there was no one else to answer.
Auron's sapphire eyes were immediately fixed on Akina, who wore the purest of white garments. She was standing at the fore of the crowd to be the first to welcome him home. Auron stood motionless as the cheers from the crowd were drowned out by Akina's beauty; her radiant, bronzed skin glistened from the amber light above. Her blonde hair had grown beyond the small of her back. A gentle gust of wind blew her hair over her face, impairing her vision for the briefest moment until she used her fingers to secure the strands behind her right ear. Auron wanted nothing more than to run to his lightmate, but he had to continue to present himself as the king for all to see.
Auron took his first step from Skye, and the sound of the crowd returned to him as he continued his path directly to his queen. He stopped just before Akina, and she bowed low to the ground. The other Omans followed her lead. Auron and the eight survivors bowed out of respect, then Auron straightened to address the crowd.
"Raise your eyes and look upon your king," he said. Everyone's eyes focused upon Auron, and silence fell. All was still except for the light gusts of wind. "We have returned from the unknown, and the Light called us back to Sonos. We have suffered many losses at the twisted hands of our enemy, but their sacrifice shall live on for all eternity. We must continue to fight on, and we will find a way to create new light so our people will forever live on."
The crowd was completely motionless until Akina unsheathed her blade from her side, hoisted it above her head, and let out a vicious roar. The crowd followed their queen's example, and a combined fierce yell honored their king's words. Auron embraced his lightmate and softly whispered, "Are you really here? I have dreamt about this moment for many cycles." Akina backed away, and he noticed a confused look upon her face. "What is it my queen?"
Akina replied, "You couldn't have reached your destination in the short amount of time you have been gone."
A puzzled look appeared on Auron face. He put his hand upon brow as though it helped him grasp her words. "We have been separated for more than four million cycles."
Akina shook her head and replied, "My apologies, my lightmate, but the initial plotted journey through space set by Relix was supposed to have taken five hundred lights. You have returned to Sonos after only two cycles." The crowds had begun to whisper, wondering what had happened to the other crew members and the other ship, Aero.
Auron shook his head. "I don't understand. We experienced nearly four million cycles outside the protective barrier of Sonos." He turned to look over his left shoulder and made eye contact with Relix. "We must gain a deeper understanding for the time discrepancies. I shall join you when the next light has reached its peak."
"As you wish, my king," replied Relix. She bowed and made her way to the laboratory to study this phenomenon.
Auron turned to the crowd. "All will know of what we encountered in the unknown, but for now everyone must return to his or her duties," he ordered.
The crowd began to disperse while Auron and Akina walked hand in hand toward the grand palace, not breaking eye contact for one moment. They made their way to their chambers high above the palace. Both had many questions, but they did not speak of these matters. Once in their chambers, they embraced and furiously kissed each other, for they could hardly contain themselves.
Auron softly whispered, "It has been too long, my beloved lightmate."
Akina unhooked Auron's thick leather belt, which carried his mighty sword, Meja, and carefully placed it on the ground. While on her knees, she loosened the armor around his lower legs and slid them from his feet. She rose to her feet, her piercing sapphire eyes burning with passion. Her sensually plush lips softly kissed him, and then she slowly circled around to Auron's back to remove the plates of armor that rested upon his shoulders. She his right arm with her hand and lifted it straight out so that she would have access to the bindings of his chest plate. She loosened the straps upon his side and removed the heavy armor, leaving him in just his undergarments.
She unsheathed Meja and held the mighty blade with both of her hands. She understood that the sword had been reforged with a lighter yet more durable unknown metal. She kissed Meja's cool blade and whispered, "Thank you for keeping Auron safe while he stood face to face with the Darkness."
Auron felt Akina position the tip of Meja on his right side, where his muscular neck and shoulder met. He smiled, not knowing exactly what she planned to do with it. With a quick flick of her wrist, she freed the tattered garment from his right shoulder, revealing his broad right pectoral. He watched as Akina set her left hand upon her lips and kissed the inside of her fingers. She reached out and placed her hand at the center of his chest directly over his internal light. She felt his internal light erupting as his body yearned to be one with hers. She pulled her hand back and freed the garment from his left shoulder, completely revealing his upper body.
Akina sheathed Meja, placing it back on the ground, and stood before her lightmate. She took ahold of the thin, worn cloth around his waist, tore it away from his lower body, and threw it to the ground. She pressed her body up against his. It was the first time she'd felt relief since Auron journeyed into the unknown.
She backed away and slowly turned her back to him. She removed the clips from her shoulders, and her white gown fell to the ground, revealing the perfectly bronzed skin of her bare back, which glowed radiantly in the light. She removed another clip from within her hair, and her beautiful, long, blonde hair cascaded down to the small of her back. She turned to face Auron with her hair covering her breasts.
Auron gazed at his beautiful lightmate and paused. He wanted to remember this moment forever. His eyes were full of fiery passion as he approached his queen. His hand made its way through the dense forest of her hair and gripped the back of her neck. He pulled her closer to him and intimately kissed as though it were for the first time ever.
As her warm, soft body pressed up against his, he could hardly contain himself. He picked her up, and she wrapped her long, slender legs around his muscular waist. He carried her to their bedchamber and gently laid her on her back, leaving no space between them, for even the slightest separation would feel like a limitless space they wouldn't be able to cross.
He looked deep into Akina's sapphire eyes and asked, "Do you accept me?"
Akina bit her lower lip slightly and replied, "Forever and for all eternity."
They became one, and their internal lights burst with uncontrollable emotions. Their Omas lit up automatically, for they were finally reunited.
CHAPTER 2Auron and Akina lay in bed holding one another. Auron kissed the top of Akina's head and asked, "Where are Afena and Afero?"
Akina smiled and replied, "Each light, Afero leads a group of highly skilled warriors across the barren plains of Sonos in search of any signs of the Hollowed Minions. Afena watches over Afero and the warriors from high above on the back of her griffin, Oryun. If they were to come into any contact with our enemy, she would report back to the stronghold immediately."
Auron became worried as he heard Akina's response. "How could you allow our children to lead the patrol? Others could be sent in their place —"
Akina placed her soft hand upon Auron's lips. "Would you have allowed anyone else to go in your place if you were present?" Auron was frustrated with Akina for allowing their children to be beyond the safety of the walls of the stronghold, but he knew he would've led the patrols if he were present. "Put your mind at ease, my lightmate. Our children no longer resemble what you remember of them."
Auron's voice trembled. "What has happened to them?"
Akina took a moment to collect her thoughts. "When you and the other twenty-three Omans began your journey into the unknown, you ordered me to remain here to lead in your absence. As queen, I was presented with a difficult decision; I understood that whichever choice I made would change the course of Sonos for all eternity."
Auron guiltily shook his head for he was unsure of the weight Akina had to bare while in his absence.
Akina continued, "Children are no longer present on Sonos."
"What do you mean?" asked Auron.
Akina took a deep breath and answered. "I knew everyone needed to be able to properly defend themselves from our enemies, and at the same time we needed to strengthen our forces. The only way to do this was to allow each child to take the same journey Merek took within the Diamond Motion Sphere. We had an abundance of resources, and I ordered our engineers to construct many Diamond Motion Spheres. The children were gifted with additional strength from their Omas, which would allow them an advantage over our enemies. I ordered each Oman to enter the spheres and make his or her transition through training with the Protector. Children no longer have a place on Sonos, and the strength of the Oman people has exponentially increased."
With an unemotional look upon his face, Auron replied, "You are truly a wise queen, and I would have made the same decision."
Akina continued, "I have come to believe that the Darkness initially allowed Skye and Aero to pass through the unknown to make us weaker in your absence. The Darkness sent wave after wave of countless Hollowed Minions to Sonos, but we conquered our enemy and drove them back. Many lights were lost, but we prevailed."
Before Auron could reply, the door to their chambers burst open to reveal Afena and Afero. The agony within Auron's internal light melted into joy as he called out, "Afena ... Afero ..." The four came together and embraced each other. A feeling of wholeness came over Auron, and a single tear escaped from each of his eyes. He backed away and looked at the twins; they were nearly unrecognizable because the training with the Protector inside the Diamond Motion Sphere had critically strengthened and changed their bodies.
Before Auron left Sonos, Afero had been trapped in an eighteen-cycle-old body, not a scratch on him; he had been thin, scrawny, and weak but still quick and agile. Auron remembered watching Afero try to wield Meja; he had barely been able to lift the sword with both hands. The Protector had freed Afero from his imprisonment in that young, weak body, and Afero had emerged to reach his full potential both physically and mentally. Afero was now a few inches taller, and he had lean, strong muscle tissue on his bones. His hair had grown long, and had a few braids on the side. Auron could tell Afero had seen combat because his once-flawless body showed the trophies of battle — multiple minor scars from the dark blades of the Hollowed Minions. His eyes betrayed the burden he carried and told a story of battle with the Darkness. Auron had experienced a similar pain and agony, brought about by the loss of war.
Afena had blossomed into an even more beautiful Oman adult. Her once platinum-blonde hair was changed into a darker sandy blonde; it flowed through the wind as though the wind and her hair were partners in a hypnotizing dance. She carried a mighty bow with multiple arrows on her back along with a slender sword, worn on her side, for close combat. Her skin was golden and devoid of any imperfections. Before he had left for his journey, her body had been too weak to lift Meja off the ground, as she too had been trapped in the weak eighteen-cycle-old body.
A look of disbelief passed over Auron's face, and he said, "The two of you are nearly unrecognizable."
Afena replied, "The Protector trained each of us and unlocked the true potential within our internal lights. We are stronger than we ever could have imagined, and our internal lights continue to grow brighter."
As the outer protective layer of Sonos began to dim, the four gathered around a small table. The finest Omanian cuisine and fire ale were presented to them. Before Auron could even get settled, Afero asked, "What happened in the unknown?"
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Darkness and Light by Kyle Hoy. Copyright © 2016 Kyle Hoy. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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