Chapter 1: Prologue

Prologue 

Italian Villa, Greater Milan
//Earth

“Gwyn! It’s time to go. What are you doing?” Sloane yelled across the house for the second time. Nine-year-olds… 

She was watching the news as they discussed the first successful orbital launch of the rocket named Starship. The blasé attitude of the Italian news anchor belied the importance the vehicle would have on spaceflight—at least according to her. The fact that it would potentially take the first humans to another planet? That was important. But my opinion of the subject doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, she thought with a chuckle. 

Sloane’s focus was more on things within the world than outside of it. That said, she had always enjoyed hearing about the progress of SpaceX and its goal of putting humans on Mars.  Sloane wondered what it would be like to step foot on another planet for the first time. 

It was just a thought–a passing dream of a woman who had once lived for adventure. She’d had her fun and adventures traveling the world and seeing new things in her early twenties but that life was behind her–now Sloane experienced the feeling within the pages of a good novel.

Still, as her daughter’s footsteps finally pounded down the hall, she considered that maybe the adventure she craved had just taken on a new phase.

Dismissing her reverie, Sloane looked at the time as she waited for her daughter. Her patience had worn thin just as Gwyn rushed into the kitchen–sliding across the hardwood floor in her socks. She wore some black pants and a grey jacket, looking like she was ready to go hiking. Well, if she had shoes on that is… It was only early autumn, the gelato shops hadn’t even closed for the season yet.

“Gwyneth Reinhart, you are taking far too long this morning,” Sloane said, exasperated.

“I’m putting my boots on!” Gwyn protested.

“I told you to get your shoes on ten minutes ago. What were you doing?”

“I had to put my socks on, Mom.” Gwyn rolled her eyes. “Ugh,” she mumbled quietly.

And there’s the eye roll. This girl. “Well, we need to go if you want to go to the café before school.”

“I know, Mom,” she said while Sloane hurried her daughter out of the house. 

“Don’t forget, tonight we have to—”

 “I know…” Gwyn interrupted, cutting her off with exasperation before she could finish. Sloane closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  

“Gwyneth…” she began but stopped after opening her eyes and seeing her daughter standing there ready. “Ugh, fine. Let’s go,” she said.

Sloane collected her things as her daughter hefted her brightly colored backpack–a rainbow checkerboard patterned thing that she had begged and pleaded for–onto her shoulder and together they walked to the door. Sloane looked around one last time before leaving, certain that she was forgetting something.

“Mom, you forgot the watch,” Gwyn reminded her.

“Oh, yeah. Thanks, Gwynnie!”

“Of course, Mom. You’re welcome. Let’s go!”

Sloane went and grabbed the case that held one of the prototypes for a revolutionary smartwatch she had a key part in designing. Her team was nearing a crucial point in the last stages of its development and, currently, it was all hands on deck. She and several of her engineers had begun wearing them outside of the campus for real-world usability tests. Even though it was not that fashionable yet, she enjoyed it. The usability and software were far more important to her job than the experimental looks of an incomplete product still in development. That wouldn’t be a concern for long because the release candidate model was scheduled to be built soon in preparation for mass production. Life would get much easier for her after the team reached that point.

For the time being, Sloane was just so busy, but it wouldn’t be much longer until everything was calm again.  She just had to keep at it and not let the stress get to her. Perhaps things weren’t as bad as they seemed–Sloane just needed to ensure that the stress didn’t affect her relationship with Gwyn.

Sloane took the watch out of its charging case and fastened it onto her wrist. She glanced at her daughter, who smiled at her, then shut the door. Yes, everything was alright.

  

* * *

 

Sloane waited outside Gwyn’s school at the end of the day. Work had gone surprisingly well, and she managed to ensure a lot of tasks were completed. She was excited that she was able to leave and spend the evening with her daughter, instead of having to drop her off with the nanny before heading back. 

Her mind drifted back to work as she waited for school to release. Their new hardware required a radical redesign of the OS to make full use of the increased capabilities enabled by a radical breakthrough in her team’s custom chipset architecture. It was a painstaking process that required her to have her hardware team on-hand to assist with the software team's needs more than usual to test and fine-tune the integration.

Before the redesign, it had been years since she last dealt with any system coding, so thankfully she didn't have to worry about that. Luckily, they were still on track for release the following year. They just needed to work out how to mass-produce the new chip design with the manufacturer they contracted. It would require some improvements in their nanometer lithography process, but the factory had assured them that it could be done. She sighed. It’s only going to cost us millions of investment.

Sloane looked up at the school as she heard the unmistakable sound of a hundred kids streaming out, chatting and laughing, and excited to be free from their classrooms. She walked toward the gated entrance as she saw her daughter walking across the courtyard, and waved once Gwyn noticed her. 

“Hey, Gwynnie! You ready to go?”

“Yup! Gelato?”

“You know what? Sure, let’s get some.”

Looking over Gwyn’s outfit, she asked, “So, why’d you end up getting all dressed up today? I didn’t see anything about your class going on a hike.”

"I knew we'd be out and about today. Wanted to make sure I'd be okay walking."

"So, you just knew we'd be walking to get gelato and I wouldn’t have to go back to work?"

"Yup!"

With a laugh, Sloane took her daughter’s backpack and put it in the car before heading towards the local gelateria, a little more than a block away.

Gwyn reached over and grabbed Sloane’s hand as they started to walk. 

Sloane smiled down at her and with a squeeze of her hand, she asked, “So, how was your day?”

“It was okay. I got hurt again, and Ms. Alberta asked why I’m always getting hurt so much. I told her that it’s just my life.”

Sloane laughed. “She really put you on blast, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, it was my knee this time. I fell kicking the soccer ball away from the boys. They were being mean.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just played with my friends after.”

They continued to talk about Gwyn’s day as they walked and crossed the bridge over the canal that surrounded the town’s center. Sloane glanced up and gasped as she did a double take of the blues, purples, and reds mixing in the afternoon sky. Gwyn immediately looked up as well.

Gwyn squealed lightly and brought her other hand to her chest. She started tugging at Sloane. “Mom! That’s so pretty! What is it?”

“That looks like an aurora, sweetie. It’s really weird, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but it’s cool! Look. Everyone’s looking at it.”

Sloane looked around and noticed crowds of people also staring and pointing up at the sky. She grabbed Gwyn’s hand and pulled her close. A loud burst of noise resounded everywhere, almost as if a jet had broken the sound barrier above them.

Sloane became concerned. Her head whipped around, trying to ascertain what was happening. People nearby, startled by the seeming sonic boom, screamed. An older couple nearby clutched at each other, shaking, and a young mother held her infant to her chest. Sloane gripped her daughter’s hand tighter. “Gwyn, stay close.”

“What’s wrong, Mom?”

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Sloane tensed, looking around trying to figure out what was going on. She saw panicked looks on everyone around them. Her heart raced as she pulled her daughter close, looking around for any other sign of danger. “I don’t know, sweetie. Just stay close to me.”

Gwyn quickly shoved closer to her just as the sky suddenly flashed blue.

“Mom!” 

“Gwyneth! St—”

Sloane was blinded by the flash and was hit by a huge gust of wind.  She felt Gwyn jerk her hand away in fear as she screamed. Sloane reached where she thought her daughter was, but then suddenly felt as if she were falling. Her last thought was of Gwyneth as everything turned black.

 

* * *

Onyxhallow
//Earth 

Alyce Maxwell stepped outside, definitely not to search for her sister, and looked around. A horse-drawn carriage was passing by on the cobbled streets. She was feeling especially anxious. It was the day that she had been waiting for. The day that years of hard work would reach the next crucial stage toward her dream. Alyce’s team had toiled away at building a fully functional airship—The Wanderlust—by hand, in a garage! 

It just wasn’t done nowadays. You needed an entire construction and support team along with a massive hanger filled to the brim with the machinery needed to maneuver all the parts into position, not a team of two sisters and a brother-in-law.

She loved her city. She could gaze at the towering skyline filled with the smokestacks of factories, skyscrapers, and steel all day. The sky was filled with balloons and airships of all designs. Sure, there may be a bit of fog, smoke, and pollution. It was maybe a bit damp and dirty, even run down in parts, but Onyxhallow was a bustling town filled with innovation and adventure. 

There was something for everyone. Even if it's a back-alley shiving and a shallow grave.  She chuckled. Yet, at the end of the day, Alyce knew that while she may travel the world soon, this was her home. A place to which she would always return.

She smiled wistfully at the thought and looked down her stoop, surprised to see her sister Katy transfixed on something above them, pointing up at the sky.

She looked down at her sister in confusion. “Katy?”

“Alyce, what’s that?”

Alyce peered at where her sistered pointed, seeing what looked like an aurora spreading… all across the sky.

“That’s strange. We’re nowhere near the poles. I wonder what—”

The entire sky flashed bright blue, and a huge gust of wind seemed to rush through her, chilling her to the bone. Her head began to spin as everything went black.

 

* * *

Boding Star System
//Terra Interstellar Union

The TMS Idryss, a reconnaissance frigate of the Terran Interstellar Union, rushed through space, its engines pushed to their limits. 

Lieutenant Aedan Solla was looking around, panic settling in. They had been called out by a beacon to investigate an anomaly. It seemed like a form of unknown substance coming from some… hole. Now it was spreading rapidly toward them–and everywhere.

“Communications, send the emergency sensor data to Command. Hurry!” the captain called out.

Sending data packets through FTL was power intensive, and thus why small ships like the Idyrss were fitted with the ability only for emergencies. Aedan lifted the panel and turned the key for what would inevitably burn out their relays as the strong emergency message system drew excessive power from the reactor.

Aedan took a deep breath and slammed down on the transmit switch. Instantly, all sensor data and internal communications were compiled together and sent to Command. 

The sensor operator suddenly looked even more alarmed. “Whatever the anomaly is, it’s moving fast! We can’t outrun it while the FTL drive is recharging. Sir! It’s almost on us!” 

The captain immediately hit the shipwide intercom.

“All hands! Anti-radiation procedures! Brace for impact!”

Aedan rushed to get his helmet, but before he could, the wave was upon them. He looked at the forward viewscreen and saw a massive glittering bubble of light that looked like a nebula rushing toward them. He held his breath right as the ship violently shook, the sparkling membrane passing in the span of a heartbeat, right through their shields, the hull, and the crew. Everything went black.

 

* * *

 

West Ikios
//Eona 

“Boss, how much longer until we reach Larton?” Asked the sun elf guard in Onas’ employ.

The guard had a hint of a smirk on his face as if he knew exactly what he was doing. There was a rugged look about him, one that hinted that this was a person who was used to a fight. Which he undoubtedly was. He had close-braided, dark brown hair, and his dark skin, which was common amongst the sun elves, was contrasted by his bright yellow-orange eyes. 

He was a recent addition to his merchant company, but the ability to switch between humor and calm professionalism when required was well worth the additional expense. The presence of additional guards also helped deter any would-be bandits.

Onas’ head guard, on the other hand, looked unamused, “Raafe, do you insist upon asking so many times? You know it’s a week. Same as five hours ago when you asked. You should pay more attention to your surroundings. We’ll be reaching Hilshen village soon, where we’ll be staying for the night. Watch for any bandits.”

 Taenya Shavyre had been working for Onas for eight years now and at twenty-nine, was well used to the route the merchant traveled, and its dangers. The telv sat atop her horse with a steely set to her violet eyes, constantly scanning the distance for any threats. Her blonde hair which normally fell to her shoulder blades was pulled up into a bun that complemented her face. Her race looked similar to Onas’, the high elves, and the only differences were the much shorter points on their ears and softer jawlines. The telv were native to the continent, unlike the Loreni which consisted of the high, sun, and moon elves. 

“Oh, come on boss, give him a break. You know he’s always been a bit bad with math. We've all seen him need to use his fingers to add. Actually, come to think of it, that might go for you too, boss. Obviously, it’s not quite a week if five hours have passed.” Keston interjected from the wagon’s driving bench, clearly not thinking very hard for his weak attempt at getting a jab in on her as well.

Onas looked at his guards and smiled as they continued bickering. His route passed through six villages, three towns, and his home city of Strathmore. The town of Larton would be the last stop before returning home. He couldn’t wait to get back and be with his family. His wife and children were managing the storefront they maintained to both stock and sell any surplus he made from his travels. 

 The trip this time had been quite lucrative so far, and he was interested in reinvesting some of the profits in upgrades to his company’s caravans.

He sold various odds and ends, basically anything of sufficient resale value. Sometimes, he simply sold anything in need by the people on the route. It always paid to make positive connections, even if the profit margins were smaller in trades meant to build relations. Right now, he had various goods from the previous towns and villages he thought would sell well in Strathmore. He was also delivering a shipment of swords ordered for Larton. They were growing their town guard and needed to supplement the meager stock that their one blacksmith was capable of producing. It seemed they were wary of the recent actions of the nearby Duchy of Edimiss. This, he thought, was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction that might even further encourage the Duchy. However, it didn't really affect him directly, and he wasn’t going to argue against making good money.

 He started thinking about what he would do when he got home as they followed the road toward Larton at a steady pace.

He looked up and noticed the sky was filled with what looked like the sky lights seen around the coastal regions. They weren’t common this time of year, during the day...or in this region. It was a beautiful sight though, especially the way they hung in front of the sister moons and he considered it a boon. Perhaps he would be able to use this to his advantage in Hilshen.

He turned to say something to Keston when he was pulled from his thoughts by Taenya as she called for a halt of the caravan.

“Mr. Fenren, look at the sky. Perhaps we should stop here for a bit? I have a bad feeling about this, boss.” Taenya spoke with a hint of concern in her tone.

“It’s just some sky lights, Taenya,” Onas said, however, as he looked up again, he noticed the sky was starting to turn an unnatural shade of blue as the lights grew in size. Obscuring the Sister Moons that shared the sky with their Father, who should have been lovingly gazing down at the Mother from their celestial home.

“Actually, Taenya, you may be right. Let’s take a second and rest. Maybe—” There was a bright blue flash in the sky, and Onas, in surprise, almost toppled from his seat. He opened his mouth to speak just as everything turned black.