A Dirge For Cascius: Part I of an Epic Space Opera Duology by Calum Lott

Author:Calum Lott [Lott, Calum]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Virtue Publishing
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

The world around them became a blur of colours until it settled, and Cascius realised he was back in Astril City in the Astiya cluster. He walked down a street through the eyes of another, one who was not Jarril.

Eloquent blue towers curved against a pale red sky dominated by the giant planet Illpyre. The Velutra of Valsollas knew not where to go next with their innovation. For centuries, things had remained the same. Stagnating. Degrading, even. Astril City was hardly different today than this sceluspace from over three hundred years ago—an entire century longer than Cascius had been alive. He knew plenty of others who believed the Velutra as a society was still at the pinnacle of civilisation and who questioned the need for innovating supposed perfection.

The city was settled seventeen hundred years ago, he thought, glancing around, still settling into the sceluspace. I wonder what Jarron dreamed this city would become? We may look far ahead, but alas, we become tangled in the present.

The eyes he inhabited continued through the bustling city streets, passing humans and illuavans. Two human children ran in front of him, laughing as they chased another. The faint singing of an illuasava breezed from behind. A human couple playfully danced with one another out the front of a hortulanist vendor. In the reflection of the tower, he caught a glimpse of his body. It was not the human form that Malaren had taken in Jarril’s vision but a different woman with a haggard countenance.

Cascius had not made it far when a sudden surge of grinding agony in his mind would have made him drop to the ground and convulse madly. But he was not the host of this memory that he had stolen from the draconic Mind Abyss. He was in the mind of another, reliving a torturous moment of cursed voices.

Rip their eyes out. Do you miss this world? Bathe your cryluns in their blood. Bring them into Malnetha. Sing them all a song of death. Chaos loves you. They don’t deserve to laugh. Do you miss Jarril? Share your torment with them. You deserve to laugh as you end their pathetic existence. Bring them into your fold.

Prove your fealty to Chaos.

The host of this memory did not yield to the voices. They silently continued until they reached a quieter place on the outskirts. There, between two small towers, was a lush garden. Several large lofemil trees combined into a dark green canopy. Below, a well-kept grass path wound through smaller colourful shrubs and flowers through. The same statue of Jarril and Malaren that Cascius saw at the Bastion of Light guarded the entrance, although of a lesser size so an illuavan could comfortably pass underneath. Their figures glowed a pure white, yet vines and flowers grew at their feet and around their neck and wrists, forming colourful crowns atop their heads.

Zai may take a different form, but this is unmistakably Malaren’s mind, Cascius thought.

The host of this memory fell to zais knees at the foot of Jarril’s statue.

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