Spiral of Silence (The Unearthed Series Book 3) Read online

  Unearthed

  Spiral of Silence

  Volume 3

  By Marc Mulero

  © 2020 Marc Mulero. All rights reserved.

  …

  Contents

  Reprise

  Part I

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Part II

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Part III

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  A Note from the Author

  Reprise

  Blague Grenich (Ardian) – Leader of the Sin Rebellion. Long ago, he was once part of a noble cause led by his father – to rebuild the post-Quake world, to create order amid chaos. Thus, the hierarchy was born, with the Hiezers sitting atop it.

  They were tasked with reviving the spirit of civilization while simultaneously developing technologies necessary to foster humanity’s survival. No easy task. And what’s worse, somewhere down the line, a bad seed had infiltrated and betrayed Blague’s family… a man with no regard for morality - his half-brother, Mulderan. First on his agenda was the execution of their father. Next, the love of Blague’s life was ripped from him, murdered for her rare DNA.

  The cards quickly became stacked against Blague. He had lost everything. It almost seemed fitting that he would be next in line for execution. But for some reason, his brother spared him. He later learned that Mulderan saw potential, deeming him fit to inhabit the New World alongside his chosen. So instead of death, Blague was branded and banished. And in a twisted fate, the encapsulated DNA of his love was to be injected into him to extend his life and leave him to wander until his priorities realigned. But that could never be. Instead, he rose from the depths of the hierarchy young in body and old in mind – to fight.

  Ever since the injection, something had stood in his way, haunting him for decades. Memories that weren’t his own swirled through his head, testing his sanity, breaking his spirit. When he thought he’d lost his will to live, a calling long sought revealed itself… an underground society chased in his youth finally beckoned back.

  Through a journey into a Citadel hidden in Old Iceland, escorted by ancient beings called the Neraphis, he found the source of his troubles and learned the hidden fate of his partner. As it turned out, she wasn’t truly dead, and Blague had never truly lived. Society N stripped him of his knowing confidence and awakened him into a world known only by few. They taught him that the brand he bore, his Cryos mark, was actually a weapon, and the shot that he’d received with Elaina’s DNA was something so much more. It dawned a merger of souls, of paramours, an “Ardian” as they named it. And it was told that from extensive training, that her consciousness could be manifested again. Duality had to awaken within him. With suffering and time, a new man emerged, wielding the secrets of the Society.

  Mulderan Grenich (Exdian) – The Highest Lord of the Hiezers. Blague’s half-brother, attempted murderer of their father, and foreteller of the Global Quake. He and his bride, Eldra, subscribe unfailingly to the Darwinist hierarchy that they’ve molded, and have pledged their lives to the “greatest good.” Ayelan is his means, immortality is his end. But when the Highest Lord was captured, beaten by the very people that he’d denounced, everything he worked for was cast into doubt. Disarray followed. The Hiezers became conflicted in what to prioritize, how to proceed, when to act. Without the fear of this one man who had held them together for so long, all of the buried resentment burst through the once quiet defectors, while others remained loyal. His wife, who was among the latter, unleashed a weapon of her own, with the intent to free the world’s leader and enact revenge on those who dared question their reign.

  Mulderan eventually returned and had the non-believers quelled, leaving the population a little bit thinner. Now, he sits atop the Grand City of Nepsys, waiting out the second coming of the Quake in hopes to create a world filled only with those deemed worthy.

  Orin Grenich (Ardian) – Blague and Mulderan’s mysterious father. He was a powerful CEO in the pre-Quake world and the founding member of the Hiezers. Thought to be long dead, he resurfaced as a different man, with obvious signs of exposure to Cryos, Ayelan, the smoke of Vicissitude, and other unworldly experiences. Using the alias “Niro,” he watched over his sons until the time was right to unveil his identity and aid in the successful capture of Mulderan.

  There he remained as the war of his blood took hold once again, and did what he could for the sake of his youngest. Riddles and hints gave Blague the tools to press on and find answers, for he knew that no one could teach duality better than the elusive Society N. As an Ardian like his son, Orin has always known of the trials to come.

  Eugene – The solemn sniper. Once a Remdon living with his girlfriend, Jen, Eugene had been demoted to a Sin after defending his love for a criminal act. He demanded to be taken in her place of exile, only to be hauled off alongside her. Branded and shipped away to the wasteland that was Senation, their ride was a cold welcome into the brutal life of a Sin. A riot had broken out. Defiler gangs nearly took over the transport and within the chaos, Jen was lost, murdered… or so he was told.

  Thinking that she’d met a violent end and leaving him with nothing else to live for, he offered himself to the rebellion. His oppositional mind proved to be exactly what Blague had sought, and so he was chosen as the right-hand commander of the Sins. Years passed. Companionship found him in his new life, and purpose renewed in righting injustices. All was slowly falling back into place, until the Aura showed up at his doorstep to flip his world upside down. After the Sins had rejected the strange group seeking an alliance, the Aura lured a valuable asset out of their home in retaliation: Eugene. Composure, rationality, and loyalty was all lost when it was revealed that a scarred and battered Jen was among them. He had to have her back. And when they reunited, seeing what she’d become proved that neither of them would ever be the same.

  After endless internal conflict, he chose the side of the Sins, his brothers and sisters of exile. But the Aura wouldn’t have it. They had plans of their own: to reawaken their slain leader, Jason, through the sniper’s body. And so it was done, turning Lito’s life into collateral damage along the way.

  Lesh – The Sin assassin. Scooped up as a child by The Spade, a Hiezer subsect of assassins, she trained under the Chief until the day her defiler brother was to be taught a lesson. The massacre of her family spurred the use of her talents in retaliation, and damned her into exile at the mercy of her mentor. Now, the hardened assassin follows Blague with undying loyalty, culling Hiezer numbers in the name of the rebellion.

  Though, her time in exile has worked to soften her heart - the admiration from her tyro, Milos, as she trains him into a young version of herself; the banter of a lowly jeweler turned fleet captain, Morn; the blind leap of faith by a stranger, Farah; and the affection of a blundering fool, Sabin, who dared to share a kiss – all things that helped to remind her what’s worth fighting for.

  But not everyone is meant to feel and to dream, because her veins are still frozen, and her heart, though maybe a shade of gray li
ghter, is still that of a killer’s.

  Sabin – The Templos hunter. A man with rare golden eyes had abandoned his fruitless life as a Templos to heed the call of his oldest (but not his best) friend, Blague. Kinless, his only family had become his beloved wolf, Mars. The duo traveled light of heart and full of spirit. His hopeless crush on Lesh and endless annoyance of Eugene poked life into their solemn days, but he, too, was to be tested.

  Hidden relatives ascended from the frontlines of the Templos Rogues as quickly as they fell. A young and ambitious niece and nephew, both full of the same lively blood as their uncle, met an untimely end before he could even meet them. His father, too, had emerged from the same cave, as the man pulling the strings in the Rogue shadows. Old, shriveled, and full of regret, Aldarian fell clutching his heart soon after reuniting with his son. Now, after losing all that he never knew he had, another brother passes on - Lito, and with him, the hunter’s time with the Sins. His journey is now to find a greater good of his own: to join the Rogues in place of his late father.

  Lito (deceased) – The crazed demolitionist. Native to the exiled land of Bulchevin, Lito once contentedly worked the mines in search of the precious Ayelan chemical. He’d spent his days in darkness and nights in blinding brightness, only to have his familia suffer a grim fate in his absence at the hands of the Hiezers. Shipped away to Senation and right into the rebellion’s arms, he grew fond of his new hermanos and was devoted to their protection. After proving his worth as a commander, he’d returned home with a decree to expand, destined to become the Sin that vengeance begged him to be.

  He’d accomplished his mission, taking a fortress for the famished natives and breathing life into a hopeless situation. He reunited with old friends, inspired new allies, and grew into a divisional leader that the rebellion needed. Just as he reached his peak, the wheels of fate turned against him. A man that he proudly called a brother had turned his rifle on Sabin, leaving the noble Bulchevin native no choice but to step in the way to meet his tragic end.

  Volaina – The spy commander. Constantly undercover, she swells with guilt for the lives she’s been forced to take, and finds her spot as the central source of intelligence for the Sins. Without her, the exiled would be blind to threats and deaf to opportunity. Laying her life on the line while the stakes continued to rise was where she reached her breaking point - a mission gone so horribly wrong that it broke her. At the risk of losing her cover, everything boiled down to a terrible choice: execute Sabin’s kin or abandon the mission and lose out on the intelligence needed to turn the war. Whether it was out of cowardice to protect her own life or a high mind to save many as opposed to a few, she will never know. When that gun went off, it blew out any flame left inside her.

  Drino – The militant commander. Trainer of new cadets and leader of all Sin squadrons, he rushes head on into battle with a wish for death. Scars tell his war stories, and munitions keep them coming. How he fell into Blague’s group is a mystery, but the rebellion is grateful to have him.

  Before the battle to defend Rogue headquarters, he told his squadrons a story about a monstrous Hiezer general who’d crushed the skulls of women and children to punish defilers. This man had stomped out rebellions without a second thought. This man was him. In his darkest of moments, a strange spark of conscience woke him to what he’d become. He froze in the middle of a mission, leaving him to fail at completing it. And for such a treasonous act as a war general, he was dropped into exile. Now, his fight is on the side of redemption, however hopeless he believes it to be.

  Biljin – The genius physicist and scout commander. Rarely seeing eye-to-eye with his rebellion leader, they do agree on one thing - tyrannical rule must be disbanded, no matter the cost. As arrogant as he is competent, Biljin has climbed the ranks of the hierarchy to disrupt order and gain entry into the Hiezer Elite as an undercover Sin.

  We followed his journey into the Dactuars – a class known for judicial merit and strategic Hiezer support, where he was judged by their Champion. Watchful eyes of the Tribunal accepted his application and went on to teach him about their prideful practices and great ambitions. He was both befriended and detested. But the Dactuars’ place within the hierarchy quickly counted for nothing. The Hiezers turned their backs on the citizens they’d once sworn to protect and instead locked themselves within the Grand City’s Gates of Eternity. It was only in this pivotal moment, when the Champion of the Dactuars had experienced the deepest of betrayal, that Biljin took his highest leap of faith. Knowing his life could be taken with the snap of her fingers, he confessed that he, too, had betrayed her, but for good cause. He begged her to see the way of the Hiezers’ madness, and that she did.

  Briggs (deceased) – The noblest of Sin commanders and kindest of hearts, he perished on the battlefield to save the rebellion’s only leverage, an Ayelan capsule, as well as his only son, Kentin. His giant body became the shield to enemy fire so that his friends could live. He will be remembered not only for his bravery, but for his humility.

  Jennifer Parinto/Asura – Eugene’s longtime girlfriend, thought to be murdered on the boat into exile. She was raped mercilessly by savages en route to Senation and rescued by Nemura. Emotionally destroyed, she became a catatonic shell of a person who was recruited by the Aura. Enveloped in Auront’s smoke, she was coated with red ichor that reinvigorated her past and gifted her with supernatural powers. After murdering Jason and proclaiming herself leader of the Aura, she chose the side of the Sins and her old love, saving them just when they needed it most.

  But all of this was in vain, for her motives were masked by her haze. Her pursuits transcended the physical, now focusing only on creating a singular mind and to expand her being. Jason’s thoughts swam through her head, feeding her the bits she needs to magnify her connection, to tap into her power. And now she heads back to her true home… to roost.

  Eldra (Exdian) – Labeled for her crystal blue eyes and stone-cold viciousness, the Ice Queen serves in a unique position at the top of the food chain beside her husband, Mulderan. A seasoned sniper and mastermind, she led the Hiezers to countless victories since she was just a pre-teen. In the Battle for Old New York, however, both her eye and husband had been stolen by the Sins. Thereafter she sat alone, charged with keeping Mulderan’s vision for prolonged life alive and well.

  When the true motives of the highlords surfaced upon her husband’s capture, she was taken aback. When his rescue lost precedence, vengeful thoughts began to manifest. And when the majority vote to protect the precious Ayelan had failed, she knew there would be hell to pay. It was time to act. And so she released one of the Hiezers’ deadliest weapons, Dendrid, to free Mulderan, restore order within her ranks, and to even the score with those she’d grown to loathe.

  Oscin – The drunken Sin pilot. Admonished for his sloppy behavior, but revered for his skills, he often finds himself fighting alongside leadership against the odds.

  Cherris – Caretaker for the Sin rebellion. She is the warmth in the winter, mother for orphans who have nowhere left to turn, and the spearhead of the civil side of the Sin community in Senation.

  Milos – The boy with no luck. A step too late from saving his mother’s life, and one too early from dying alongside her, he now exists alone, tormented by the image of his fallen mom. His hesitations in the past forced him to act in the present - to kill his friend, Felik, the Hiezer spy. But he was too young for any of what had befallen him, leaving him ripe for trauma. With Cherris’ love, Kentin’s friendship, and Lesh’s conditioning, he’s managed to carry on.

  Eager to find adventure of his own, he joined Lesh and Morn on a trade mission gone horribly wrong. Betrayal from their contact abroad led to the death of many and the destruction of their transport. Thought to be dead, he was flushed to shore on shipwreck carnage and was awoken by a poor girl, Oosnie. Through their days traveled in Death Valley, a little crush blossomed, and with their goodbye came a promise to return.

  Kentin – Sole offspring of the
late Briggs. His charisma and optimism were inherited from a great man, and his strained relationship with his best friend, Milos, is not without a brother’s love.

  Jason Brink (returned from death) – The discoverer of the bleeding island, Auront, and the founder of the Aura, Jason once thrived in the madness of Auront’s crimson smoke. Bestowed with enlightenment gifted from the island’s heart, he’d promised the same to his followers. But non-linear comprehension of time and whispers from the smolder had yielded a seemingly foretold end for him at the hand of Asura, his first chosen.

  Through an inflicted wound that contained Auront’s ichor, Jason returned via Eugene’s body. Taking the reins and forcing the sniper’s rifle on those he called brothers was the ultimate ‘message’ that Jason had promised. Lito’s death marked the beginning of a renewed enemy, and a new decree - that the Aura was whole once more.

  Aslock Orwell (Tesdian) – An Elder of the Neraphis Society. Bonded with the soul of his mentor, Soros, this ancient being is not only studious of the Neraphis arts, but a master of his craft. Wise, mysterious, and revered, he tasks himself with training the Sin Leader in a time of greatest need. Within the tranquil walls of the Citadel, Aslock requires his new adept to forego the burden of responsibility and instead turn inward, to address what it is that is causing him to fall from grace. Meditation to calm the spirit, and combat to awaken new gifts, these guided sanctions peel through the layers of hell built up in Blague’s mind to regain sanity and unlock dual consciousness within him.

  Valor Malbourne (Ohndian) – An Elder of the Neraphis Society. Bonded with the soul of his brother, Wildern, this merger of siblings, of warriors, accentuates their agility and coordination. He is called to bring Blague to his knees, to have him understand the earth’s gifts: Cryos, Ayelan, and what they could do for him in war. Now, he joins the fray on the side of the Sins.