Chapter 1: Prologue
409 Words
Cathexis-the concentration of psychic energy
Tomes-cutting/section
4000 B.C.Kingdom of the Old World, Earth
In desperate haste, he tied the stolen rope around his neck, pulled tight, and jumped.
Thirty seconds later, the spasmodic twitching halted as he died.
He was lucky.
He had left behind the soul-destroying screams from slaves being terrorized within the deep underground cavern walls.
Beaten and slowly worked to death.
Hearing a commotion, Leah came running up and gasped. With heavy heart, she took in the human pendulum, still swinging to its own morbid rhythm. She slipped behind a rock as two of the slave masters appeared.
They were always in control-ever watchful.
One spat at the freshly dead body. "Weak!"
A voice echoed behind her, "Salet-Leah?" They were never to let her out of their sight. Her sweat filled hands clutched at her pail of water.
She stared back in shock at the lifeless man-one less soul who would not need her life giving water now.
It all felt unreal. She had let him and all her people down. It was overwhelming.
Her leadership had fallen, her fate was in the hands of a new, evil ruler, and her people imprisoned in a perpetual nightmare. In her quiet desperation, she almost screamed. Instead, she forced herself to silence. Even to speak against her rulers would bring a punishment to her people worse than death.
Stay brave, she thought. Control the building, aching rage.
That moment, her frustrated, overworked mind caressed a small, joyful memory of happier times; that steadied her strength of will.
Poised on a priceless gold throne for all her loyal followers to gaze in awe at and with fine robes adorning her body, she ruled over the land with fairness and might. Together with Sidonio, her beloved consort, she brought sunlight to all and was destined to reign for years. It was the day of her birthday and a lavish party had been prepared.
They never saw, never imagined the darkness, until it was too late.
"LEAH!" The impatient voice broke her reverie.
Leah dropped her pail and collapsed to her knees as a vision took hold-probing red eyes stabbing into her brain, a swirling, choking mist encompassed her mind and body-complete helplessness coupled with a sickening release of freefall.
Then, an inexplicable shot of euphoria and omnipotent, godlike power surged through her. Something threw her down an endless tunnel with those piercing red eyes peering into her soul-
- Writer
