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Okay, I'm getting in on this too! Here is the rough draft prologue from Dark Moon Seasons.
Prologue
Storm’s Fury
Crack!
Something shattered above her, the result of a lightning strike or a stray spell; she wasn’t sure which, and didn’t really care. Chaos swirled around her, and her pale lips pulled back in pleasure as the spirit reveled in her chosen environment. The room smelled of gunpowder, ozone and fear; Power and Blood spattered the combatants as they struggled with each other. It was all so exciting that she hardly knew where to watch.
It was the two in the center of the remains of the casting chamber that kept drawing her eyes back, though. One male, one female: the eternal struggle, and she knew where her vote was cast.
Another lightning bolt crashed into the roof, and she glanced up, irritated. The Storm was gaining strength, no doubt from the wild Magicks being thrown around, and if they lost all the breeders because of these interlopers and the weather, there would be hell to pay.
The spirit had waited too long to see this particular experiment come to completion to lose it all now.
She looked around the room. Besides the two in the center, there were several other knots of fighting, but they didn’t really interest her. Just side fights. The Shadow Lord could hold his own, of that she had no doubt, and the others were unnecessary to her plans. Except for the breeders, and really, she only needed one. She looked to the center of the room again – as fascinating as this was, they needed to leave before the building collapsed under the weight of the Storm.
-Tonio, we need to save them,- she sent, twining lying fingers coated in the voice of a woman dead fifteen years deep into the Mage’s brain. –We have to get at least one breeder out of here.-
-I’m working on it, Mother,- came Tony Ashcroft’s acid thought, and her lip curled. Yes, he thought he was responding to himself, but still…
-Don’t be too long, Tonio, or you’ll lose your chance,- she retorted, goading him. –The Storm is growing impatient.-
Impatient? Hungry was more like it: she could feel the need of the Storm Spirits spiraling above the secure wing of the GeneTech facility. Feel them reaching down for the arrogant Mages casting beneath them, wanting to suck that energy up and into the Storm’s maw. The facility, for all its solid construction, was already beginning to buckle.
Lightning flashed, and Power flashed with it, temporarily blinding her. When she could see again, the scene had shifted: Tony stood to one side, holding up the body of the young Shadow Mage he had just shoved his knife into. His lips moved, chanting words dark as his eyes, binding her into the Blood Gate as he cast it, but that was not what had drawn her attention.
“No,” the spirit whispered, and had she not been pale before, fear would have washed her white. “It cannot be.”
No one else noticed; no one would really know what to look for anyways, but the spirit recognized the Mark that blazed on the young woman as Tony released his physical hold on her, allowing her body to fall to the floor like forgotten laundry. A Mark that was echoed by a second Mark, shining brightly from the aura of her own chosen champion.
“Well, well, well, my Alex, it appears I chose well,” she murmured to herself, her panic beginning to subside. “You won’t betray me. Not my champion.”
But the girl…that was another issue. The spirit watched her life drain away into the Gate as Tony rolled a stretcher through. She wouldn’t die – her Mark would not allow her to, until she took her place in the Cleansing ceremony. Or the StarChild sent her on.
“And since the StarChild is currently…occupied, you’ll be waiting a long time, child,” the spirit murmured, watching the girl’s shade step up from her body, connected only by a slender silver cording. “Perhaps I should take you home with me.”
The girl turned; in her twilight state, she could hear and see what was happening in the room, but she couldn’t interact with them. She was within the World Between the Walls now. The spirit studied her as she turned slowly, her blue eyes confused.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice almost child-like. “Where am I?”
“Don’t worry, child,” the spirit said, moving towards her and enveloping her in mist. “I’ll protect you here.”
“But the children.” The Shadow Mage turned back to the chaos, looking at the three stretchers left. “I have to protect the children.” The Mark on her forehead pulsed, and the spirit winced.
“The children will be fine,” she soothed her, setting pale fingers on her shoulder and drawing her back. “I promise you. Let me take you away from here. What is your name?”
“Sylvia.” She barely resisted the pull on her shoulders. “I need…”
“Hush, Sylvia.” The spirit turned her around and laid a finger on her lips. “Let me protect you.”
Sylvia’s eyes started to glaze over as the mists swirled around her, mists that whispered soothing nothings into her ears as they draped themselves over her, lover’s kisses in webs of lies. The spirit began to relax, in spite of the Marks, and looked back over to check on Alex.
He was leaning over the dark-haired girl, and the spirit smiled in approval as a small knife flashed. He buried it in her chest; she arched up in shock…
And then the world exploded.
Power raced over her, a tsunami eclipsed only by the hammering of her heart as she felt other Powers flare in response. Powers that meant only one thing.
The Horsemen were coming. The Balance had been alerted.
-Tonio, we must leave!- she screamed, grabbing Sylvia by the arm. –They cannot find us! Take Alex and go!-
She didn’t wait to see if he obeyed. He would. He was a good boy. And the Horsemen were coming.
She fled.
**All words are ©2007, Valerie Griswold-Ford, all rights reserved.**
Prologue
Storm’s Fury
Crack!
Something shattered above her, the result of a lightning strike or a stray spell; she wasn’t sure which, and didn’t really care. Chaos swirled around her, and her pale lips pulled back in pleasure as the spirit reveled in her chosen environment. The room smelled of gunpowder, ozone and fear; Power and Blood spattered the combatants as they struggled with each other. It was all so exciting that she hardly knew where to watch.
It was the two in the center of the remains of the casting chamber that kept drawing her eyes back, though. One male, one female: the eternal struggle, and she knew where her vote was cast.
Another lightning bolt crashed into the roof, and she glanced up, irritated. The Storm was gaining strength, no doubt from the wild Magicks being thrown around, and if they lost all the breeders because of these interlopers and the weather, there would be hell to pay.
The spirit had waited too long to see this particular experiment come to completion to lose it all now.
She looked around the room. Besides the two in the center, there were several other knots of fighting, but they didn’t really interest her. Just side fights. The Shadow Lord could hold his own, of that she had no doubt, and the others were unnecessary to her plans. Except for the breeders, and really, she only needed one. She looked to the center of the room again – as fascinating as this was, they needed to leave before the building collapsed under the weight of the Storm.
-Tonio, we need to save them,- she sent, twining lying fingers coated in the voice of a woman dead fifteen years deep into the Mage’s brain. –We have to get at least one breeder out of here.-
-I’m working on it, Mother,- came Tony Ashcroft’s acid thought, and her lip curled. Yes, he thought he was responding to himself, but still…
-Don’t be too long, Tonio, or you’ll lose your chance,- she retorted, goading him. –The Storm is growing impatient.-
Impatient? Hungry was more like it: she could feel the need of the Storm Spirits spiraling above the secure wing of the GeneTech facility. Feel them reaching down for the arrogant Mages casting beneath them, wanting to suck that energy up and into the Storm’s maw. The facility, for all its solid construction, was already beginning to buckle.
Lightning flashed, and Power flashed with it, temporarily blinding her. When she could see again, the scene had shifted: Tony stood to one side, holding up the body of the young Shadow Mage he had just shoved his knife into. His lips moved, chanting words dark as his eyes, binding her into the Blood Gate as he cast it, but that was not what had drawn her attention.
“No,” the spirit whispered, and had she not been pale before, fear would have washed her white. “It cannot be.”
No one else noticed; no one would really know what to look for anyways, but the spirit recognized the Mark that blazed on the young woman as Tony released his physical hold on her, allowing her body to fall to the floor like forgotten laundry. A Mark that was echoed by a second Mark, shining brightly from the aura of her own chosen champion.
“Well, well, well, my Alex, it appears I chose well,” she murmured to herself, her panic beginning to subside. “You won’t betray me. Not my champion.”
But the girl…that was another issue. The spirit watched her life drain away into the Gate as Tony rolled a stretcher through. She wouldn’t die – her Mark would not allow her to, until she took her place in the Cleansing ceremony. Or the StarChild sent her on.
“And since the StarChild is currently…occupied, you’ll be waiting a long time, child,” the spirit murmured, watching the girl’s shade step up from her body, connected only by a slender silver cording. “Perhaps I should take you home with me.”
The girl turned; in her twilight state, she could hear and see what was happening in the room, but she couldn’t interact with them. She was within the World Between the Walls now. The spirit studied her as she turned slowly, her blue eyes confused.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice almost child-like. “Where am I?”
“Don’t worry, child,” the spirit said, moving towards her and enveloping her in mist. “I’ll protect you here.”
“But the children.” The Shadow Mage turned back to the chaos, looking at the three stretchers left. “I have to protect the children.” The Mark on her forehead pulsed, and the spirit winced.
“The children will be fine,” she soothed her, setting pale fingers on her shoulder and drawing her back. “I promise you. Let me take you away from here. What is your name?”
“Sylvia.” She barely resisted the pull on her shoulders. “I need…”
“Hush, Sylvia.” The spirit turned her around and laid a finger on her lips. “Let me protect you.”
Sylvia’s eyes started to glaze over as the mists swirled around her, mists that whispered soothing nothings into her ears as they draped themselves over her, lover’s kisses in webs of lies. The spirit began to relax, in spite of the Marks, and looked back over to check on Alex.
He was leaning over the dark-haired girl, and the spirit smiled in approval as a small knife flashed. He buried it in her chest; she arched up in shock…
And then the world exploded.
Power raced over her, a tsunami eclipsed only by the hammering of her heart as she felt other Powers flare in response. Powers that meant only one thing.
The Horsemen were coming. The Balance had been alerted.
-Tonio, we must leave!- she screamed, grabbing Sylvia by the arm. –They cannot find us! Take Alex and go!-
She didn’t wait to see if he obeyed. He would. He was a good boy. And the Horsemen were coming.
She fled.
**All words are ©2007, Valerie Griswold-Ford, all rights reserved.**
