Empress Aurora Trilogy Quest For the Kingdom Parts I, II, and III Revised With Index (Quest For the Kingdom Set)

Empress Aurora
Trilogy

Quest For the
Kingdom Parts I, II, and III

By L. M. Roth

Text Copyright
© 2014 L. M. Roth

All Rights
Reserved

Characters:

Alexandros
– the champion of mankind whose heroism saves many from destruction

Arvid,
son of Arne – the open-minded yet uncompromising Thene of Jytte's Land      

Ashkani
- the greedy and deceptive ruler of Khoohyaram      

Aurora
– the Empress of the Valeriun Empire, a woman as cruel and ruthless as she is
beautiful

Berit
– a priestess of the goddess Jytte     

Bimo
– an adventurous yet lonely former slave who finds his life forever changed
after his captivity

Brenus
- son of Judoc – a fiery and mischievous boy who strikes first and asks
questions later

Cadeyrn
– the master of Marcus Maximus, a primitive, down to earth man who is
continually puzzled by the aloof and haughty behavior of his young slave

Callistus
Maximus – the younger brother of Marcus, whose untimely death leaves a void in
the heart of his older brother that few can fill

Ceniah-
a woman loved by Lysandros, who builds a city to win her hand

Cort
Bjorn – a stowaway with a friendly and loving nature who makes friends with all
that he meets

Dag
Adalbart – a wild man of Trekur Lende whose savagery is surpassed only by his
gentle heart

Decimus
Hadrianus – a spoiled yet dashing bully who is the rival of Marcus Maximus

Dominio
- the all-powerful who is sovereign above all

Drusilla
Octavius – the social climbing mother of Tullia Maximus whose ambition
continually causes problems for her family

Elena
– a beautiful slave girl with a manner both sly and demure

Emilio
– the rash and wild brother of Elena whose foolishness brings destruction on
his family

Fanchon
– a light-hearted and pleasure-loving beauty infatuated with the wild yet
gentle Dag Adalbart

Felix
Lucius – the witty and intelligent best friend of Marcus Maximus who becomes a
rival for the woman they both love

Garth
– a legendary hunter who is saved by a Bear      

Gunnar,
son of Gunvor – a friendly guard in hostile Jytte's Land   

Halvor,
son of Holger – the ruthless lover of Ylva  who is determined to destroy the
Alexandrians

Harto
– the first male Flame Thrower of Cahyala, and the first to wear the Sacred
Stones

Honoria
Maximus – the modest and emotionally frail mother of Marcus and wife of Valerius

Intami
– a female Flame Thrower of Cahyala with an unfriendly disposition

Judoc
– a young widow of Eirinia whose feisty and lively nature wins the heart of a
wounded man

Justus
Lucius – the father of Felix, he wields great influence in the Empire of Valerium

Kunchena
– a female Yeshui of Khalaman whose wary hostility poses a threat to the
Alexandrians

Kyrene
Nicandros – a mystical young seer who can read the secrets of other’s hearts,
while longing to lose her own

Liberius
- the wicked husband of Aurora who is scandalously unmourned by his widow

Lothair
- a bard whose gift for weaving tales sends a group of young people on an
adventure

Lysandros
– the founder of Lycenium, a bold adventurer whose love for a woman created a
city of marvels

Marcus Maximus
– the proud and snobbish son of the Commander of the Imperial Army of Valerium.
He is forced by the cruel Empress Aurora to perform impossible tasks as the
price for his own life and the freedom of his imprisoned parents.

Silvia
Lucius – the wise and loving mother of Felix and wife of Justus who longs to
see her only son happily settled in life

Sinti
– the first female Flame Thrower of Cahyala and one of the first to wear the
Sacred Stones

Tullia
Octavius – a fair maiden whose beauty imperils friendships and whose strength
of purpose breaks hearts

Urbanus
– the warm and gossipy Governor of Guadereaux who plays an instrumental hand in
the lives of the young people in whom he takes an interest

Valerianus
– the bloodthirsty founder of the Valeriun Empire        

Valerius
Maximus - the  brave and headstrong Commander of the Imperial Army of Valerium
and father of Marcus. He and his wife are imprisoned for a crime he did not
commit.

Wangdakene
– the courteous head of the Khalaman who thirsts for enlightenment

Xenon
– the wise mentor of the Alexandrians who bestows a priceless gift

Ylva
– the evil persecutor of the Alexandrians in  Jytte's Land who takes a cruel
delight in the executions of the innocent

Yudo
– a male Flame Thrower of Cahyala. He is confident in his spiritual blindness.

Deities
and idols:

Leon
– the evil head of the Astra, bent on the destruction of mankind

Yeshui
– the Star-gazers who forsook their own lands in pursuit of the heavens and a
higher knowledge

Diono
– a fire deity of Cahyala

Jytte
– the cruelly benevolent goddess of Jytte's Land

Lopponios
– a god of light in the Isles of Solon

Regat
– the patron god of war in the Empire of Valerium

Tuadan
- the rulers of the wild places. The Eirini were warned to stay to the path in
the woods for fear of incurring their wrath if they entered their domain.

Sybillia
- the priestess of Lopponios the god of light. This oracle was famous worldwide
for her prophecies both accurate and garbled.

Places:

Annick
– a fishing village in Eirinia  

Argyros
Pontos, or, the Silver Sea – an area that was deceptively calm before the storm

Belt
of Dracomache – located in the Silver Sea, it was reputed to be the Dragon's
Lair

Cahyala
- Land of the Flame Throwers, an island nation that revered fire as the origin
of life

Desert
of Dubar - a desert wasteland that had to be endured as part of the journey   

Eirinia
– a wild rural country of legendary beauty, magical enchantments, and savage
inhabitants

Esperanza
– an old and proud culture on the plains that was brought under the yoke of the
Valeriun Empire

Guadereaux
– a land where pleasure was prized above all else

Hittitam
– an ancient kingdom where many languages originated

Isles
of Solone – a land renowned for its pursuit of knowledge

Jytte's
Land – a land that kept itself separate from all others, lest its secret be
discovered

Khalaman
– a country of star gazers who sought revelation from the heavens

Koohyaram
– a kingdom where wealth was treasured and greed abounded

Leith
– a farming village of Eirinia    

Lycenium
– the city where East meets West. The jewel of the Valeriun Empire, it was the
crossroads of culture, commerce, wisdom and wealth.

Moldiva
– a mountainous country with Lycenium its capital

Mountains
of Moogotypan – a country landlocked by steep mountains that rose high above
the clouds

Potentus
– the capital city of Valerium

Terra
Diuferrum – the Valeriun name for Land of the Long Spears, called Trekur Lende
by its natives

Trekur
Lende – a wild northern country also known as the Land of the Long Day      

Valerium
– an empire of invincible military power that ruled a vast domain

Quest For the Kingdom Part
I The Legend of the Great Pearl

“I heard of a
legend, one I have never forgotten. It was said that there is a great Pearl, a
gem of marvelous and terrible beauty. It was said that it is more costly than
gold, more precious than silver, more glorious than any other jewel to be found
in all the world. And it was said that any one could buy it, but the price of
it cost all that one possessed. Have you ever heard of this Pearl, Marcus?”

“No, Your
Grace, I have never heard of it.”

“I have been
obsessed with the thought of possessing that Pearl since first I heard of it. I
sent messengers far and wide for further news of it, of where it might be
found. But no one could tell me more. Yet I know it exists; of that I am
certain.”

Aurora leaned
toward Marcus, gripping tightly the arms of her throne. Her jade eyes glittered
with a greedy light in their green depths.

“I want that
Pearl, Marcus. I will never rest until I possess it. And I want you to find it
and bring it back to me.”

 “What of my
parents? My journey may be a long one. What of them? How long must they be your
prisoners?”

Aurora lifted
her head slightly and shot Marcus a dazzling smile. Then she laughed a tinkling
laugh like the jingle of silver bells.

“Oh, did I not
make it clear to you? The release of your parents depends upon the success of
your quest. No Pearl, no parents.”

Marcus
struggled for breath. He stared at Aurora blindly, the room spinning around him
once more.

“I want that
Pearl. You go and get it for me. Then we will talk about releasing your
parents. But, Marcus, you bring me that Pearl.”

"All may
seek, and all may buy, the Great Pearl of price so rare, But it costs all you
possess, So let the buyer beware."

 Thus begins
the riddle that leads young Marcus Maximus, the proud and snobbish son of the
Commander of the Imperial Army of Valerium, on the quest of a lifetime. In a
single day his world of wealth and privilege is destroyed when he is seized and
sold into slavery, his father's estate confiscated by the government, and his
parents thrown into prison. And he discovers that during his slavery his one
true love has turned to another: his closest friend, who is now a rival for her
hand.

Now a ruthless
Empress demands that Marcus find and bring to her a legendary and costly Pearl
as the price for his life and the freedom of his beloved parents. The quest
takes him to fantastic lands where he meets extraordinary people and is joined
by unusual companions, but he finds more questions than answers along his
journey. For he will learn of the mysterious and powerful Dominio, be haunted
and hunted by the evil Astra, and receive the gift of a fabulous sword that
must never be used in violence.

Quest
For the Kingdom Part II Conquering the Domain of Darkness

“He
then shared with her the strange visions he had seen in their travels: the evil
visage that peered out from the Tribal Chief’s face and the eerie figure he saw
at the edge of the woods at the home of Pascal and Gaelle during the banquet.

Kyrene
nodded her head eagerly as he related these visions.

“Very
good, Marcus, very good indeed,” she said with the air of a tutor commending an
exceptional pupil. “You are growing in discernment, and that is why you
perceived them.”

“Were
they the Astra?” he inquired as he lowered his voice.

“Yes,
indeed!” Kyrene exclaimed. “Or rather, two of the minor ones.”

“Minor?”
Marcus asked skeptically. “But they were hideous!”

“Oh
yes, I am certain they were!” the girl answered him. “But it is only the minor
Astra that are hideous. “It is the high ranking Astra who are more difficult to
detect, for they disguise themselves as beings of great beauty. Yes, they seem
beautiful, but make no mistake, Marcus; they are evil.”

Those
last words were pronounced with such finality that for a moment Marcus found
himself bereft of words. Yet, he had something niggling at him, that would not
leave him in peace…

“I
have one more question,” he finally ventured. “Why could not Dag make the
Tribal Chief see reason? Why do they persist in believing a lie?”

“They
believe because the lie is of long tradition, and it is entrenched in their
understanding. What you saw in the Tribal Chief’s face was a lower ranking
Astra, but over that one is a higher, more powerful general, if you will, who
exercises control of that territory in Trekur Lende and gives orders to those
of a lower rank. It is a hierarchy, Marcus, just as it is in a standing army.”

This
statement made sense to Marcus, who was raised in a military family, and whose
thoughts proceeded along such lines. And yet…

“Why
was Dag unable to break through that lie with the truth of Dominio, and
Alexandros Whom He sent?” Marcus persisted.

“Dag
could not prevail because he had not yet been tested,” Kyrene explained. “Do
you remember what Xenon taught us? ‘You will never defeat the kingdom of
darkness unless you conquer the chambers of your own heart.’ ”

“Who
really possessed Dag’s heart: that was the test.”

Kyrene
paused.

“For
Dag, it is Dominio who occupies the throne of his heart. One day he will see
it. And when he does, the kingdom of darkness will shudder when they hear the
approach of his steps.”

"You
will never defeat the kingdom of darkness unless you conquer the chambers of
your own heart."

Thus
had their mentor Xenon warned Marcus Maximus and his friends in Quest For the
Kingdom Part I The Legend of the Great Pearl. Now as they continue their
journey at the mercy of the will of the River Zoe, they are about to discover
just how true those words will prove to be. For each learns they must conquer
the darkest chambers of their hearts before they can confront the evil Astra
who haunt their steps, and are determined to hinder their quest.

For
Marcus the quest itself threatens his hopes of happiness as he discovers that
he has more than one rival for the fair Tullia, and each day away from her is
precious time lost from his pursuit of her hand. Nor is he alone, for each of
his companions are confronted with choices that will change their lives
forever.

In
Part II of the Quest For the Kingdom series, go where few venture to dare:
facing the frightening enemy lurking within, and the fearsome evil that
threatens to destroy one's destiny. As Marcus soon learns, only the fabulous
Sword Logos, which must never be used in violence, stands between him and
complete destruction.