xenohollow Xeno

Five years after an enigmatic, parasitic alien force brought human civilization to its knees, the remnants of our species cling to existence in the cracks and crevices of a ravaged planet. Among them is Alec Sumner, a man haunted by the ghosts of a world lost and burdened by a fate that could tip the scales of humanity's fate, a secret nobody can know... As Alec navigates the treacherous terrain of this new regime, he grapples not only with the alien threat but also with the darkness that lurks within the hearts of survivors pushed to their limits. Each day brings new challenges, and each choice carries the weight of unforeseen consequences, and the line between ally and enemy blurs in the face of desperation. "Ashes of the Earth" is a gripping exploration of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. It delves into the depths of human nature, questioning what truly defines us when everything we once knew has been stripped away. As Alec's journey unfolds, readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats, pondering the price of survival and how far you would go to protect the ones you love.


#1 in Post-apocalyptic Not for children under 13.

#horror #parasite #drama #alien #gore #demons #romance #sciencefiction #paranormal #zombieapocalypse #death #body-horror #mindcontrol #apocalypse #slowburn #alien-invasion #sibling #dystopian #terror #dystopiansurvival #grimdark #bonding #scifithriller #monster #invasion #survival #post-apocalypse #post-apocalyptic #possession #zombie #shifter #scifihorror
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Prologue

A tremor ripples through my consciousness, a once-familiar sensation that freezes the bone clenched between my jaws. The probing touch repeats, insistent, reaching.

No... They're coming.

I'd dared to hope, after all these millennia, that the Abbrakor had slain them, or that this insignificant planet I call home had slipped from memory. For nearly six thousand years I've kept watch. But my long vigil nears its end.

I sense them, our bond alerting me to the fringes of their presence—a roiling mass of millions of minds, clawing and shrieking over each other in bloodthirsty frenzy, ravenous for another world to consume. And as I perceive them, they too perceive me.

My name drifts across the void. "Where are your siblings? What have you done?"

Shuddering, I resist as my queen, my mother, tries to wrench my mind open, screaming defiance as I strive to sever the link. "I've readied them for you!" My rebellion sears her intrusion, tearing an agonized howl from my throat as I convulse, the connection scorching away. Then... silence. The eye of the storm.

Clicking claws echo through the shadowed caverns I've carved from these majestic peaks over eons, fashioning my sanctuary as I pad to the edge of my aerie and settle, surveying the glimmering jewel of humanity nestled at the foot of my roost. They remain unaware of the doom bearing down upon them, ignorant of their distant guardian. Without thought, I give a wistful sway of my tail as I etch this final day into memory—the apex of their potential.

I witnessed them evolve from primitive savages into a vast, labyrinthine civilization, by turns kind, gentle, nurturing. Not without flaws, though I'm ill-positioned to judge.

I yearned to reveal myself, to guide them. But they weren't prepared. Soon, perhaps, they might've been ready to embrace my nature and steel themselves for my people's arrival. To fight. To endure. That day had felt so close... Had I misjudged?

Yet as my mind's fringes tingle with their seeking, digging and searching for their wayward son, I know time has run out. My choices are now set in stone, and there is little else to be done except to wait, once again.

Instead of revelation, I had gone about a different path, hoping to instill a cultural memory into them. I wove tales of my kind into their myths and legends and warned them of the nightmares in wait. I visited the addled, the mad, and the receptive in night's depths, seeding survival's roots. I breathed secrets of bloodshed and creation into the ears of the promising, conjured visions of ruin and ramparts, weapons of unfathomable destruction, in the dreams of those who might forge them.

I can only pray they remember. But to whom does a god pray?

I've done what I can to preserve you. Not enough to save all, but maybe... some will live on.

My children... forgive me for what I've wrought.

Aug. 7, 2024, 3:54 a.m. 7 Report Embed Follow story
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Real Wendyy Wolfe Real Wendyy Wolfe
Xeno Congratulations on ranking #1 in Apocalyptic! This book well deserves it! WW. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
October 05, 2024, 17:50
Martin Petioni Martin Petioni
OMG - I have to bow to your awesomeness! This first chapter grabs you by the throat, shakes you and makes you beg for more! So many hints of the nature of the speaker and yet they still remain shrouded in mystery waiting to step into the light - the reader is caught in a spell of hypnotic curiousity wondering about the one speaking. Fantastic!
September 23, 2024, 12:50
Real Wendyy Wolfe Real Wendyy Wolfe
Oh yes it pops! It more than pops actually its badass!
September 01, 2024, 00:46
Real Wendyy Wolfe Real Wendyy Wolfe
Is it my imagination or is that a new cover on Ashes! It looks different and I haven't been on here for a minute with work and all but for some reason your book cover just pops and it's featured in science fiction!!
August 30, 2024, 00:32

  • Xeno Xeno
    Haha, yeah, I created a new cover for it about a month ago. That's the only one it's had on here, though. Definitely pops, doesn't it? September 01, 2024, 00:29
Real Wendyy Wolfe Real Wendyy Wolfe
85 reads alreadyyyy! OMG! 😃😃😃 That is wonderful Xeno! Congratulations! You have really been working here! You must have stayed up all night 😬 everything looks so dang good! Love that universe!
August 08, 2024, 03:23
Real Wendyy Wolfe Real Wendyy Wolfe
Did you see where to apply for verification? And have you submitted for it? You Universe Glossary already has 54 reads!!!!!!! Wow wow wow! I love it you have done a great job on it! I hope you enjoy your time here Xeno! It's so nice to have you! ヽ⁠(⁠。⁠◕⁠o⁠◕⁠。⁠)⁠ノ⁠.
August 08, 2024, 02:55

  • Xeno Xeno
    I did not, how do you do that? And thank you! August 08, 2024, 20:03
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