Tesla, Elizabeth A. Freeman [universal ebook reader .txt] 📗

Prologue

“Jadelash, get back here!” a voice rang out like thunder in the steel corridors of the factory ship. The Nox woman gasped for breath, the scenery flying by her as her feet pounded a staccato accompaniment to her escape. Her grayish skin shimmered with perspiration, her long snow colored hair in disarray and stained with blood. Rounding a corner her feet slid out from beneath her and she hit the ground with a thud. Scrambling to find her feet her blood froze in her veins as she glanced behind her to see a small unit of human soldiers marching toward her, pistols in hand. Regaining her balance she bolted down the corridor, her silver eyes searching her surroundings for an airlock. Rounding another corner she finally spotted one, rushing for the shelf beside it and practically ripping the parachute from the hook it rested on. Hands shaking she slipped the parachute on, frequently glancing down the corridor to see if her pursuers had caught up. Heavy footfalls grew nearer and she grasped the handle of the airlock, finding it stiff from lack of use.

“Liri Jadelash, halt now or we will shoot!” a voice barked and she glanced up to see that the patrol unit had caught up with her. Cursing in her native tongue she turned her back to the airlock as the soldiers moved closer.

“I refuse to be a part of this massacre any longer!” Liri screamed, her eyes wide with terror.

“You know if you don't stand down now you'll be a traitor, both to your own race and to the pact your kind made with us.” the commander standing at the front of the unit chided. The airlock wouldn't open, and if she was taken as a traitor then her fate would likely be the same of the rest of the factory ship's victims. Behind her back she placed her thumbs together, setting her fingers together like a steeple. The man who had spoken before tilted his head, he couldn't see her hands but the slight movement of her shoulders was enough for him to conclude what she was preparing to do.

“Take cover!” the commander shouted, dropping to the deck and covering his his head.

“Flamma...” Liri whispered, and fire burst forth from her fingers with explosive force. Suddenly the ground had disappeared beneath her feet and she was falling, falling away from the factory ship. The concussion of the explosion left her dazed and she watched in wonder as she could see the soldiers peering out from the hole she'd blown in the side of the ship. Her senses came back to her rapidly along with the agonizing pain of the shrapnel that had lodged into her back and thighs, only her upper back protected by the parachute pack. Reaching back she deployed the parachute, the cloth unfolding yet it failed to slow her fall. Looking up she realized the parachute hadn't fared much better than she had, the torn cloth whipping in the wind. Placing her hands together once more she pictured in her mind what the parachute should look like undamaged, her silver eyes glowing brightly.

“Resarcio!” she cried and the cloth shimmered, knitting itself together as it should be and beginning to slow her fall. With the immediate danger of falling to her death dealt with she turned her attention back to the factory ship. It was now far above her, a steel behemoth slowly creeping across the sky in search of more victims. As she floated downward her mind turned over everything that had happened. Her kind, the Nox or Shadow Elves, were a race disliked by most of the other cultures that resided in the continent of Tesla. Mysterious and nocturnal, with some practices shunned by others the Nox were hated and feared. It had been that way for as long as any living member of the Nox could recall, but things changed. The humans found Tesla, they came in search of magic with their strange machines, flying ships, and weapons. The humans made a deal with the Nox, in return for assistance in capturing Tesla the Nox would not only have revenge on those that shunned them but would rule Tesla alongside the humans. It had seemed like a dream come true, but Liri had realized that dream was little more than a nightmare in disguise.

The humans would capture any person or beast they could find with the help of the Nox. The armies returning to the factory ships with prisoners which were slaughtered, their bodies taken apart to be harvested for their magical properties. The factory and hunter ships would deal with assaults on larger targets such as dragons while the ground forces handled the smaller inhabitants. The brutality had set Liri on edge but she had gone along with the rest of her people, trying to hope for a better future for the Nox. It was only after overhearing one of the human scientists did she realize the same fate awaited her own people once the humans had dominated the rest of Tesla. It was then she knew she had to escape, had to seek help.

Turning her gaze away from the factory ship she peered at the horizon, grassy plains stretching out for miles below her. As she glided along Liri frowned, trying to figure out exactly where it was she would go for help.

“Who's going to help a Nox anyway, let alone believe my story...” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. Far beyond the plains lay the white forest where the Fey resided. She knew it was a long shot but the fey were the closest at hand.

Text: All cover photos taken from Morgue File royalty free photo bank. http://morguefile.com/
Publication Date: 12-01-2011

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