VAN LAVEN CHRONICLES
SHADOW REIGN
by
TYLER CHASE
Published by Tyler Chase
Amazon Edition
Copyright © 2015 Tyler Chase
All rights reserved
First Edition March 2015
Dedication
I dedicate this novel to the wonderful Throne of Novoxos fans who drove and inspired me to complete Shadow Reign.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
About the Author
Chapter 1
Two weeks into her reign, Her Royal Highness, Empress Vaush Hrollaugr, found herself dashing through the dark, dingy, gray corridors of the tanker vessel, her boots clanging loudly against the metal floor grates as she moved along. She cradled the military-grade blast rifle in one arm as if she weren’t already weighed down enough in the suit of full-body armor Comron had insisted she wear. Sparing a quick glance at the monitor mounted on the rifle, she noted that the main engine room was four floors down and there was a small band of unfriendlies between her and the lift ahead.
“Darn it!” she said. Her breath was hot against the face shield of her helmet and her breathing was raspy in her ears. With no other choice, she turned left at the junction, away from the lift and toward the stairwell. She picked up speed as she glimpsed the monitor and saw the pack of red dots break in her direction, and closing fast.
With an essence-induced burst of speed, she flew down the corridor, her legs and arms pumping like pistons in a well-oiled machine. She took great pride in knowing no man could catch her in a foot race. But, up ahead, about five meters from the stairway, two assailants jumped out in front of her, their blast rifles trained on her. Instinctively, she activated her partial body shield, protecting her torso and head. Without breaking stride, Vaush darted to the side to deflect their blast shots, propelled herself off the wall and flew at them like a deadly projectile. She hit them hard. They all tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs, but Vaush sprang to her feet with a knife in hand, two quick stabs at the neck dispensed with her attackers.
The pounding footfalls of the pursuing aggressors filled her ears as she reached the stairs and looked down over the railing. There were two more armed men rising from one floor below. This isn’t fair! She snatched her suspensor cable from her utility belt, hooked one end to the rail as a blast from one of the rifles hit her shoulder. Ignoring the pain dulled by the body shield, she turned just as the first assailant reached her. He swung at her, Vaush perceived it as if time had slowed, she ducked easily, and landed a powerful counter-punch to his gut, her wrist-blade sunk deep in his side. As he fell away, another one charged. She leapt into the air and kicked him in the chest, and used the force of it to propel herself backwards over the railing. As she fell down the stairwell, the suspensor cable slowed her descent, allowing her to continue firing at her attackers with astonishing accuracy.
The second she hit the ground, she unhooked the cable and made for the engine room guarded by two more guards. She sprang at them before they could turn their weapons on her. She kicked the blast rifle out of the first one’s hands and hit him hard in the face with the butt of hers. As he went down, she planted her foot in the crook of his lap and used it to propel higher at the second man. She landed, straddling his shoulders, and she quickly wrapped her gun strap around his neck and then yanked off to the side, using gravity and her body weight to pull him to the ground even as she twisted the strap like a garrote until he stopped moving.
After a quick visual sweep, Vaush satisfied herself that she was alone and could finally claim her prize. She let her blast rifle fall at her side as she approached the engine room door. She gripped the wheel handle firmly and started to turn it.
“Did you really think it would be that easy, Empress?”
Vaush froze in place. She’d know that voice anywhere. It was about damned time.
She spun around with alarming speed, her leg swung out high, her foot caught him square in the chest. He stumbled back and pulled out two bromjar rods sheathed at his back and came at her, swinging hard.
Vaush ducked from side to side, each swing of the bromjar coming within a breath of her. The heavy clang reverberated throughout the tanker every time the rods landed. Going on the offensive, Vaush darted inside his reach and delivered two fast blows to his chest. Her punch packed enough power to knock a rhino on its ass, but it barely fazed her new attacker.
As if irritated by her feeble attempts, he swung the bromjar rod at her head. She ducked and it hit a steel girder, denting it. While down, she kicked her leg out hard enough to send him flying into the wall. Elation filled her as she reached for the wheel handle again.
“Ahh!” she screamed in pain and clutched her hand to her chest. The bromjar rod clanged loudly to the floor. The attacker sprang at her and tackled her to the floor, she rolled away out of his grasp and struggled to maintain discipline as her survival instincts threatened to override reason.
She jumped to her feet just as he got to his and swung his fist at her. Vaush saw it coming and lifted her arm in plenty of time to block it. I’m faster than he is! This dance continued for several more blows, but Vaush quickly realized that each of his blows was packing greater power. She was faster, but he was stronger, and she wouldn’t be able to keep absorbing the force for much longer. She landed a few more blows of her own, but it was as effective as punching a concrete wall.
His patience finally wore out and he hit her with enough force to send her hurtling against the wall, knocking the breath out of her. As she struggled to draw in air, the attacker hurried to her side and whipped his helmet off.
“Vaush!” he said anxiously and helped her remove her helmet. “Are you all right? Why didn’t you employ the proper countermove?”
Vaush looked up into Comron Van Laven’s piercing green eyes. “I tried …,” she said, sucking air into her lungs. “You just wore me down.”
The two assailants who’d fallen near the door climbed to their feet and removed their helmets. Laney Blanc and Sheldon Yaeger were shaking their heads in astonishment as they approached Vaush and Comron.
“Kriton of krill! Whatever the Murkudahl did to you two is amazing!” Laney said
in her excitement until she saw Vaush on the floor, holding her side. “Are you all right?”
Vaush accepted Comron’s hand and rose to her feet.
“Yes, I just got the wind knocked out of me. I’ll be fine.”
“Best training exercise yet, Your Highness,” Yaeger said, and then grinned. “Bizli’s on his way to the infirmary ... again.”
“Bizli and about half your praetorian guard,” Laney said, beaming with pride. “I never thought I’d see the day you could knock me flat on my ass. Damned impressive!”
Vaush nodded and managed a faint smile until she caught the look from Comron. Despite Laney and Yaeger’s exuberance, Comron’s furrowed brow and clenched jaw suggested he didn’t share the sentiment.
“You’re very fast, I’ll give you that,” Comron said in an even tone. “But you lack sufficient power in your attack.”
Laney scoffed and held up a com-pad. “I measured every blow she landed on you. Each one was hard enough to knock ten men clean into the next life.”
“We’re not preparing to do battle with ordinary men,” Comron replied curtly. “The Murkudahl Kurukaii will be like nothing you’ve ever encountered.” He fixed Vaush with a hard stare. “You must be able to put me down on first contact; you may not have a second or third chance. If you can’t defeat me in combat, you sure as hell won’t defeat a Kurukaii warrior.”
“It’s not as if they’ll be here tomorrow,” Vaush said frustrated with his constant disapproval. “We’ve ten years to prepare ourselves, and I’m pretty darn proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.” But she couldn’t be too angry with him; she knew that he trained this hard out of concern for her safety. For his own peace of mind, Comron needed to know that even if they were temporarily separated, she could more than handle herself.
“Your progress is remarkable,” Comron said in a conciliatory manner. “The patchwork of bruises all over my body bears witness to that. Nonetheless, we must work on developing your strength. Without that, your speed will prove to be of no advantage.”
Vaush groaned in resignation. It was pointless to argue with him on this subject. It mattered not that the Lion Palace, from which she’d evicted Supreme Prince Thalonius, was a virtual fortress with a vast tunnel system underneath or that it was protected by an army of the imperial elite forces. All of the key officers had been vetted by Supreme Bashar Richmonde Erlacher, the head of Her Majesties armed forces. And, in her innermost circle, Laney Blanc had been appointed as Captain of her Imperial Praetorian Guard, her bodyguards, while General Yaeger had been appointed as head of the Lion Palace security.
Still Comron worried incessantly for her welfare. He was certain that House Nostrom and the remnants of Hrollaugr, having not truly conceded to defeat, would attempt to remove her by violent means. Yes, he’d sharpen his claws on Nostrom, and the like, in preparation for the Murkudahl. But as Comron often reminded Vaush, there were much smarter ways to neutralize their political enemies.
“Alright then, on to weapons training,” Comron announced as he headed toward the weapons cache.
Vaush’s shoulders slumped. Not only must she learn the names, proper use, and full capabilities of all the weapons in the practice hall, Comron would have her master them as well.
“Your Highness,” Laney approached. “The Murkudahl, Chaiyse of Wyskelle, wishes an audience with you.”
Grateful for the reprieve, Vaush responded immediately. “Very good, let her know I’m on my way.” She shrugged under Comron’s heavy gaze. “I can’t keep her waiting, she’s just returned from their home world.”
“Agreed,” he said and tossed the bromjar rod to the nearest guard. “I’m just as eager to hear what the Murkudahl has to say. Let’s go.”
Chapter 2
Still wearing their matching body armor from the combat training exercise, Comron and Vaush sat side by side on the settee across from the pale blue-skinned Murkudahl ambassadors, Chaiyse and Bhedrus of Wyskelle.
“We were away seeking approval of the Central Collective to advance our plan to solidify your imperial reign,” Chaiyse said, she and Bhedrus were sitting as rigidly as the high-backed chairs upon which they sat. It was one of the more formal rooms of the Lion Palace, elegantly appointed in a modern decor, though meant solely for the private use of the sovereign.
Vaush shifted uncomfortably upon the cushions. “May I presume they’ve forgiven me for giving a portion of the essence to Comron?”
Chaiyse exchanged glances with Bhedrus. “There was some … difficulty concerning the gross infraction, but the overall objective of the Kait remains unchanged.”
Vaush gave a curt nod. “Understood.”
“What is the next phase?” Comron said eager to learn the true purpose of their visit.
Chaiyse’s gaze fell upon him and Comron returned it, unflinching. Her large dark eyes were impassive, her skin radiant and smooth over delicate features. The dark red hair was held back from her face with a bronze band; a long thick braid hung over her shoulder. “We have come with another gift to help level the playing field in relation to your enemies,” Chaiyse said.
“More essence?” Vaush asked, a slight hitch in her voice. Comron glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, while Vaush never regretted using the essence to save his life, he knew she’d wondered what she might have been had she taken the whole dose.
“There will be no more essence,” Chaiyse said rather sharply. “But we offer you access to the Chronicle Archives of our world.”
Comron immediately sensed that this was a great privilege rarely granted to off-worlders. He was most anxious to hear how it could be used to improve their position.
Vaush looked at Comron and hiked her brows in excitement. “We are extremely honored and grateful,” she said, “This Chronicle Archives, it’s a library of sorts?”
“It is a visual history of all the royal houses of the Sellusion Empire, not the history as they teach it to you in the classrooms, but a visual recording of history as it actually occurred. All of it.”
Comron considered the significance and scope of what they were being offered; it was tantamount to possessing a vast, sophisticated surveillance system—the ultimate spy network. “You’re offering the best surveillance intelligence known to man.”
“We are historians,” Bhedrus, the reformed warrior commander, spoke up. “We observe telepathically through the eyes of participants and record events as they actually occurred. We offer you access to learn the truth of the Great Houses to use this information wisely and discreetly to the good of the Empire.”
Comron looked at Vaush barely able to contain his elation at hearing this. “History as of what point in time? Last century, last decade, last week?”
“As recently as thirty days ago,” Chaiyse answered. “You will never be able to view history more recent than thirty days. The restriction has been established by the Central Collective.”
Vaush nodded, “So we won’t be able to observe what happened yesterday or what’s happening now in House Nostrom, for instance.”
“But, you can,” Comron said astutely looking directly at Chaiyse and Bhedrus.
“That is true, Lord Van Laven,” Chaiyse replied. “We reserve that privilege.”
“Nonetheless,” Vaush spoke quickly in the ensuing silence. “We are extremely grateful for the privileges you have seen fit to grant us. Thank you.”
Comron’s mind was already spinning as he contemplated the treasure trove of information at his fingertips—all the political and financial secrets that could be divined—all the foreknowledge that could be gleaned by simply listening in on the secret conversations of the masters of the Sellusion Empire, the Hrollaugr Hegemony. The anticipation made him restless and almost dizzy with the desire to begin.
Suddenly, he felt great distress emanating from Vaush. Her brows were pinched together and she bit her lip.
“Vaush?” he said, touching her shoulder with a gloved hand.
“Were the Great Houses of
the Old Empire the sole subject of your historical recordings,” Vaush said hesitantly. “Or did you record the Minor Houses as well?”
“For the most part, our recordings were limited to the Great Houses, however, some of the Minor Houses warranted inclusion,” Chaiyse said and looked directly at Vaush with those large dark eyes. “House Bastionli is among that number … as well as Van Laven.”
A spark of alarm shot through Comron. He forced his tone to remain unaffected. “Of what significance were our houses?”
“We took notice of Van Laven and Bastionli during the days of Emperor Sellusion’s Unification Campaign,” Chaiyse answered and then looked at Vaush. “Obviously, House Bastionli took on more significance when you were born.”
Comron suddenly realized this was a blade that would cut both ways. It was one thing to discover that a superior alien race had been spying on their every move, both intimate and public, but to know Vaush would have live access to all that transpired in his life unsettled him. The fact that she’d broached the subject implied her interest. The fact that Chaiyse mentioned them by name, suggested she wanted Vaush to look.
Comron’s guard was duly raised as the realization set in that the Murkudahl still hadn’t accepted him as a part of the empress’ future. Nonetheless, the advantages of this tool greatly outweighed the risk. After all, Vaush knew he had a past. The only thing that mattered was the man he became after she entered his life.
The distress in Vaush surged once more. “Will I … did you record the final moments of my mother’s life?” she asked tentatively.
“All was recorded,” Chaiyse replied evenly.
Vaush squeezed her eyes shut. “Then I will finally know the truth.”
Comron moved closer to her on the cushions and wrapped an armor-clad arm around. “Don’t worry, love,” he kissed her brow. “I won’t let you view it alone. I’ll be right there with you.” After all, Duke Larrs Bastionli was still alive and could potentially maneuver his way back into Vaush’s life, playing on old familial ties. But if she were to witness him murdering her mother or even ordering the execution, it would sever her ties to Bastionli once and for all.