Eternal Dusk: Dawnguard
by
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Chapter 1
1006 YoV, Season of Fire, 3rd day
Valreth looked out over his throne room. Attendants bustled about, hurrying to fulfill his latest request. He didn’t like to think of himself as commanding. He was, after all, a benevolent god. He simply had to ask, and his subjects fell over themselves trying to complete his request. It was good to be loved.
He was enthroned in the capital of his empire, Radiance. He preferred simple names that reminded his subjects of his divinity.
A wine glass drifted up to him, levitated by delicate patterns of Wind. Valreth smiled. A dignified way to serve god, fitting. He felt a faint pang—like hunger—but deeper, vaster. Valreth looked over at his head priest.
“I am feeling a tad peckish, Yalv,” Valreth said. “Would you mind fetching my mid-day meal? I would like something...” Valreth took a sip of his wine, “spicy.”
Yalv bowed deeply. “I live and die by your will, my god.” He turned and gestured sullenly to one of his sub-priests. The man scurried out of the room, exiting through one of the oversized doors.
Valreth’s throne room was a grand thing. Enormous, it was floored by perfectly polished marble. Row upon row of marble pillars ran up and down the room, perfectly aligned, all reflecting Valreth’s glory. Spread throughout the room were enormous fountains fashioned from crystal. Polished five times daily, they glistened with absolute perfection. Four burning braziers were positioned around his throne, a flawless masterwork of diamond. A bit uncomfortable, but Valreth preferred visual perfection to petty comfort.
He glanced at Yalv. Has there been a time when he has not been sullen? Valreth searched his memory. It was a struggle; he had accumulated countless memories in his thousand year lifetime. After some effort he recalled two times when Yalv had been visibly happy: shortly after Valreth had risen to power, and just after the extermination of the Sprites. Is there some connection between those two events? The rest of the time he has been dour. Why is he so unenthusiastic now?
Valreth put off trying to discern the reason; his meal had arrived.
A young woman floated into the room, suspended by patterns of Wind, like the wine glass to Valreth’s right. He judged her to be in her twenty-fifth year. She had shoulder-length red hair, a sign that she might be strong in Fire. Most striking were her brilliant blue eyes. They were bloodshot, but even marred, they seemed to illuminate the room. She looked healthy.
Valreth was pleased. She would serve him well.
She finished floating towards him and stopped a short distance away, still suspended above the ground. Her body was limp with apparent resignation.
“Tell, me, sweet one,” Valreth said, “what is your name?”
“Seya’toreth, my god.” A single tear rolled down her cheek.
She must be overwhelmed with joy at meeting me. Valreth rose and gently wiped the tear from her face. Valreth smiled.
Valreth stood tall, easily six or seven handspans taller than the average Alnasae man. He had a pale, flawless complexion and pitch-black hair and eyes. His hair reached down to the small of his back. His posture and build radiated power. He was the perfect being.
“Thank you, Seya’toreth. Your service brings honor and glory to my empire.”
“I live and die by your will, my god,” Seya’toreth sobbed, reciting the ceremonial statement.
Valreth nodded solemnly.
Focusing, he formed elemental patterns of Wind and Water, drawing upon the moisture in the air for Water. He pulled at the burning braziers to form Fire, and he drew upon the Earth beneath his feet. The threads connecting him to each of the Elements fanned out. The four Elements rotated around his body. Nothing visible to the naked eye formed, but anyone sensitive to the Elements could perceive what he was doing. And, as Valreth refused to tolerate Element-deaf beings in his presence, this included everyone present. Those who had not witnessed their god draw upon the Elements before stared in awe.
Valreth pulled the threads towards himself, stitching the four elemental patterns together in a way no mortal mind could comprehend. The four Elements combined to create Ether. Then he raised his arms and a sharp crack rang through the room; several attendants collapsed to the floor.
Blackness bubbled out of his chest. It churned, swirled, and encompassed him, translucent and virulent. Pleasure coursed through him, affirming his godhood. He smiled. The darkness burst forth and stabbed through the young woman.
Her eyes bulged. She screamed.
Valreth grimaced. Tch, I hate it when they scream.
The darkness enveloped the woman, a tether of black connecting her to him. The scream cut off as the darkness ripped a globe of elemental energy from her. The light vanished from her eyes. The globe drifted to Valreth. He drank it in, quivering with pleasure. The woman collapsed to the floor, lifeless.
Valreth was overwhelmed. Such rich Fire...with a hint of Water...delicious! It coursed through his body. When he finished, he knelt down next to the corpse.
“Now you live forever in your god,” said Valreth. “Thank you...” He turned towards his high priest, his brow furrowed. “What was her name again?”
Yalv looked up, his eyes weary. “Seya’toreth, my god.”
“Ah, yes,” he said. “Thank you, Seya’toreth.”
Valreth drew upon the Elements again. He immolated her body with Fire, cremating her on the spot. Then he summoned Wind to gather the ashes, placed them in a ceramic jar, and then levitated the jar to the far wall. Valreth’s massive Wall of Honor was lined with row upon row of similar jars—thousands upon thousands of them. Valreth felt it was appropriate to honor those who sustained him.
He was, after all, a benevolent god.
Sighing, the last bits of rampant pleasure fading, Valreth seated himself. He took another sip of his wine. Such a lovely morsel, that...tch, I forgot her name. He shrugged, letting the irritation pass. She was not important. Or was she?
Suddenly curious, he turned towards Yalv. “Who was she?”
Yalv blinked, perplexed. “Who, my god?”
“The woman.”
Yalv seemed to grow sad. “She was the mother of three young children. Her husband had died last season.” Valreth nodded. No one important then.
Check out Richards website at richardisaak.com to read the first three chapters of Eternal Dusk: Dawnguard.
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About the Book
"Dawnguard grabbed me from the beginning and had me rapidly turning pages at the end. Full of strong, appealing characters both male and female. A great adventure with 'delicious' twists." - Kathy Dickinson
“I thoroughly enjoyed Eternal Dusk: Dawnguard - a clever novel with a thrilling plot. It is a rich and engaging read, a real page turner that has me begging for more!” - Robert Dyck
Taelien is a cripple. His magic is powerful, but he cannot project it beyond his own body. He must overcome this limitation.
Dae'shana is special: she possesses the element of Spirit. She wishes she did not have it. She must learn to control her rare power.
They are of the Pavardi, the proud followers of Anya. The Pavardi are cursed. A millenia ago they sinned and were blighted to hide eternally from the sun.
Taelien and Dae'shana must be vigilant. The dark forces of the god-emperor, Valreth, gather to strike at them and their people.
Go to richardisaak.com to read a preview of the first three chapters.
About the Author
Richard Isaak lives in British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and the cutest hamster alive. He has a bachelor degree in journalism but much prefers writing about fantastical worlds to writing about the mundanity of reality. He enjoys reading, playing video games, and playing tabletop games.
Check out his website at richardisaak.com