Kyra & the Rise of The Philistine Clan, Book I -

Prologue

KYRA AND THE RISE OF THE PHILISTINE CLAN

the Prequel, the Kyra Series

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1st Law: ‘High élanocyte count utilisers can deflect any energetic attacks from anyone of a lower count or status.’

2nd Law: ‘Only those of same count or status can re-produce. Usually, determined prior by surnames and blood types.’

3rd Law: ‘All surnames reflect their abilities given to every descendent, with higher élanocyte counts.

4th Law: ‘Higher counts are more diverse and more powerful. Strong Excelians bare stronger Excelians.’

Prologue

Kyra Valdis regarded the humans beneath her feet, with an indifferent expression before her lips curled in disgust and her eyes narrowed in rage. They still behave as if they’re safe, she thought. “Fools,” she muttered.

“So you’ve made it.” Altair Augustus-Grimory declared, from behind her, leaning against the roof guard she sat upon. Her dark eyes never left the citizens below.

“You summoned me. It wasn’t by choice.” Kyra remarked, her eyes still on the humans.

Altair smiled at her comment. “You seem almost annoyed.”

Still, she didn’t look at him. “If you believe I am than it is so.”

“I’m not your master. You don’t need to say things like that.”

Kyra wanted to scoff but didn’t. No matter where she went or who she was with. They were all her masters and she was reminded frequently that she was beneath each and every one of them. Then, she spoke clearly within the evening night, her voice devoid of emotion yet detached as ever. “All I know is that . . . if it weren’t for those humans I wouldn’t be . . . ” she trailed off but Altair understood her meaning, “We need to retrieve every Fragment and every Codex. They don’t deserve their pitiful world.”

Altair smiled. “Of course but we have plenty of time. First, we must eliminate the Excelians and those who dare to rebel.”

Kyra’s gaze drifted to him. “And that’s why you need me.”

“Of course. Why else would you be here?” Altair declared, regarding his clean nails before rubbing them against his chest. “But first we need to find a certain someone . . .”

Kyra observed Altair considering his words. “You mean him. Don’t you?”

Altair tapped the side of his temple and smiled. “Nothing gets past you.”

“I’ve worked with you a while now. I know how you think,” Kyra remarked unimpressed, then turned her attention to the Humans below until Altair beckoned her to follow and without complaint she did. Half-an-hour later, they paused before a casual office within New York. Kyra didn’t say anything when Altair moved to the door and entered. Kyra glanced at the Xzandian battleships overhead, aware they monitored her, Altair and everyone else within the city.

Without a second thought, Kyra followed Altair into the building. It was quiet, she noted. Kyra hated the silence aware it was because they knew who she was even if not what but at the same time, she preferred it. It was in moments like this, she could not only sense their fear but hear the rapid beating of their hearts increase as her eyes lingered over every face in the room, and smelt the rising sweat as it lined their skin. A deadly smile curled at her lips as she took in the terrified brunette haired woman to her left and two other men on either side of her. Kyra observed the woman impassively once more before following Altair up the stairs and to the upper office, noticing the gradual return of their heart rate at her retreating form.

When Kyra entered the room, Altair watched the man opposite him behind the desk, with mild hostility. Kyra ignored the frustration lining Altair’s face and paused before the desk and the Excelian man. Kyra regarded the man before her, then greeted. “Betheous.”

Betheous stood tall and moved from the desk he leaned against and to her. “Kyra my dear, how lovely you’ve become,” Betheous praised, with a cunning smile, closing the distance. “Absolutely stunning.”

Kyra regarded him indifferently, even as he moved towards her and ran his hand over her shoulder. Before he could make it to her neck and her face, a sword shot from over Kyra’s shoulder pointed at Betheous’s neck, stopping him.

“We’re on a business meeting. If you want to waste our time. We have no real reason to keep you alive,” Altair remarked, pressing the sword further against Betheous’s neck drawing blood.

Betheous held up his hands and backed away. “As cold as I ever, and straight to the point, I see.” Then, moved back to the desk where he picked up a cloth and placed it against his neck to dab at the small specs of blood.

“Where are they?” Kyra asked, after Altair sheathed his sword before it disappeared, then regarded Betheous.

“The Codexes or the Fragments?” Betheous asked, almost exhausted. “Why not ask Numitora? She always has her nose in everyone’s business. I don’t see why you need me.”

“The map,” Altair declared. “Arthur was known to have a map.”

“Ah,” Betheous declared, with a knowing smile. “I get it. You have Arthur but no map. Even after you had secured it from Gothalia. Yet, somehow you lost it and her. Quite the predicament, no wonder he’s mad. Besides those maps will tell you where those permanently sealed relics are but not those on the move. You’d need a detector of some kind for those.”

Altair answered. “That’s why we’re here.”

“You expect me to know that kind of information?” Betheous asked, confused. “What do I look like a global Excelian database?”

Kyra ignored the question. “If you can’t give us what we need then like Altair had mentioned prior we have no real reason to keep you alive.”

Betheous regarded them for a moment, contemplating the threat, before sighing and agreeing to their terms. He moved past them and exited the room then paused when another Xzandian man entered the hall behind him.

Betheous regarded the fully armoured Xzandian with a raised brow then glanced at both Altair and Kyra but didn’t say anything. “This way my lady and gentlemen.”

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