Synopsis

“History isn’t just a reminder of where we came from. It’s a warning of who we should never again become. And the present doesn’t just demonstrate what we’ve learned, it sets the tone for who we aspire to be … ”

The people of Nephelus hail from Earth. In droves, men sailed through a portal to her pristine and uninhabited shores. Nephelus’ beauty was an inspiration, the landscape a beacon, and the planet's resources a prize to be won. It didn’t take long for blood to run through its rivers or drain into its soils. Lucky were the ancient societies whose wars were quick. Others spent lifetimes claiming the dirt under their feet. When men finally laid their weapons down, the portal long since closed, they were no longer people of Earth. They were Nephelians. Towns turned into civilizations, trade ensued, government formed, and society advanced. Peace was the common language. Sadly, some habits never break. The belligerent exploitation of the planet led to the Nephelian Apex. Resources spent, and half the planet’s life lost, a war again waged; this time not for claim, but for blame.

150 cycles post Apex, Nora awakes. Instinct keeps her calm, sharp, and prods her to evaluate her surroundings. The sounds are rhythmic and alarming. The room is sterile and foreign. She’s bruised, battered, and restraints bite at her wrists and ankles. Worse, she has no recollection of why she’s there, and her hold on rising panic begins to weaken when strangers arrive. A consolation–something courses through her veins. The pulsating under her skin craves a fight, demands blood … but whose blood will be spilled?

Book 1 Playlist

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Synopsis

“Some people get the privilege of taking a mask off. It’s a physical thing that disguises, and shields, and hides … But when your own skin has to be the mask, and there is no peeling it away, the line between reality and façade blurs.”

Right before the first ascension, Nephelians sent forth two leaders from each region to help usher in a new era of civility and prosperity. Those six were known as ‘The Council’. Nearly sixty cycles later, and urged by their sky-dwelling counterparts to participate in the Ether Republic, the group organized the first election for prime minister since the Apex. The success that followed the split civilizations' efforts to revitalize Nephelus was brief. Two jarring events caused the new foundations of society to crumble. With key people dead, and whispers of a dangerous power rising, The Council acted swiftly. The Compound Network was created to conduct both civilian governance and act as the Groundling military corps. To date, COMP is led by two Council members, Omegas, with each pair hailing from a major surface city. Its mission? Expose the Ethers responsible for their crimes against humanity.

151 cycles post-Apex, Nora’s forgotten past—but promising future—has left her standing on the threshold of history. No other zone, no other arm of the Compound Network, has completed its search for the intel in its respective region of the continent. Countless lives had been lost in pursuit of such a feat, and it seemed only moments ago Nora and her team would return from their mission having done just that. Now, a puzzling and unsettling truth is before her. It leaves her reaching desperately for conclusions ... but what will be left to grasp if everything she knows collapses?