Clues of Chaos
by
Gary Caplan
Copyright 2015 Gary Caplan,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-5005-1528-7
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Foreword
I have written some books, each with a minor connection to the others in the universe/multiverse. Sometimes I look at different viewpoints—for example, from a less technologically advanced and more fantasy-type world in my Advent of Darkness and Return of the Ancient Ones stories, and from a more futuristic viewpoint in my Alliance of Worlds science fiction stories, such as The Phoenix Rising and Talcon Starcity. In this book, set on the world of Archaeus, I employ a few different viewpoints, depending on the characters involved. All my books have an interwoven connection to some degree, as it was my intention to make occasional connections, either directly or indirectly, within the stories. Events will lead to a final conclusion of a background epic story arc where some of the characters from other storylines will cross over to work together. My eventual intent is for there to be a future crossover story and that some characters in this particular story arc will have a part in continuing that process.
I dedicate this book to all the great authors who have written in the science fiction and fantasy genres that inspired my imagination and interest to write. I have carried many of these ideas since I was young. I just had to find the time to write.
I also dedicate this to my parents, Martin and Merri Caplan, who inspired me to learn, and to some friends who helped me work through some of my ideas—my brother, Mark Caplan, and my old friends Basil Varian, Bob Fedic, David St John, and Brian Godshall. I would like to add special thanks to Basil Varian, who mapped and helped create Eidelon, the continent where most of this story takes place.
Chapter 1
Murder Most Foul
Lady Seneca moved to her window in the upper balcony. In the dark, she couldn’t see what had made the sound. The breeze fluttered her nightgown partly open. She thought she saw movement but wasn’t sure.
Again, something scraped briefly along the outer wall of the villa estate where she lived. Moments later, several small thuds sounded, like an objects being dropped.
She opened the hardwood chamber doors leading to her suite’s entry chamber. Her serving girl stood, listening. She had recently brought Lady Seneca her night clothes after Seneca had left her bathing chamber minutes ago. Seneca motioned her over and whispered, “Go ask the guards to investigate what is making those scraping sounds.”
A short time ago, she had been preparing to go to sleep when she had become uneasy. She had inherited an ability a danger sense of sorts from her father. The uneasy feeling started first, followed by pressure on her head toward the direction the danger was strongest. To control the anxiety that usually occurred, she took deep breaths. The danger might be directed not at her, but at someone nearby. Her father, an alchemist who worked for the First Legion of the Praetor, had taught her how to be receptive to her senses. He said he learned it from one of the mystic knights.
Seneca sat on the bed briefly and recalled a short meditation her father taught her that helped her focus. Afterward she felt calmer, but the danger still seemed to be all around her and growing stronger.
Her family’s centurion, a capable old legionnaire named Nartis, knocked and then entered the waiting room area. As Lady Seneca went forward to greet him, a shadowy form on the other end of the waiting room moved behind him. Her danger sensation pulsed sharply, stronger than before.
Her husband had been the victim of an attack two years ago, and she was still sad about his loss. Sometimes she worried, as the circumstances of his death were unclear. He did not officially die in service to the legion, yet he was provided a proper military ceremony for a high-ranking officer. Those who investigated the prefect’s death said it was likely a military enemy.
As she looked at her centurion walk toward her, she saw a dark shadow and a pale hand grab Nartis’s shoulder from behind. She heard the sound of metal pushing through leather and a gasp escape her centurion’s mouth. Pain seared across his features and his greeting smile transformed into a grimace of pain as a dagger tip pushed through his shirt, welling blood. As he fell forward, eyes glowed in the hooded cowl of the attacker. She had a feminine face and visibly long incisor teeth. She swept across the intervening distance in a blur of speed, and Lady Seneca screamed.
Chapter 2
Senator’s Quandary
A relaxing, cool breeze blew as a house servant led Master Leozanthicus into the large, light-gray stone villa of Senator Barricus of Tosca. It was part of a compound of several villas and other buildings on the outskirts of the capital city of Megalos. Leo looked around the room with his piercing blue-gray eyes, noticing his surroundings while he waited for one of the senator’s aides. He wore the formal robes and tunic of a master guildsman that showed the symbols of his rank. His dark hair was combed back and set in a Roman style. Earlier a personal messenger had brought him a letter from Senator Barricus, asking for his help in a family matter.
Barricus’s villa in the capital had several large rooms, some partly open to the sky, as this region had warmer and calm weather for a good portion of the year. The cooling breeze was reduced as Barricus’s security chief centurion, Tabula, met Master Leozanthicus at the first room. Tabula was the chief captain for Barricus personal guards in Megalos. He was dressed for the most part as a centurion would in a garrison. As he was now inside the villa he carried the transverse horse-hair crested helmet in his right hand his metal greaves had been buffed and were shining and his scabbarded sword worn on the left, like the Roman officers. Although he wore sandals instead of armored boots in the villa. He had curly silver hair, and his brown eyes always seemed to be looking for potential enemies. He led Leo further into the great villa. A young man and woman in bereavement robes were down the hallway. Leo noticed the woman had reddened eyes and tears lingered on her cheeks.
Tabula lead Leo down a different hall and into a private office to wait. Leo glanced around the room as he waited. Several minor Rumallian relics of varying value from the previous culture Megalos had once been a part of were on display. Barricus was somewhat of a historian. He collected objects to display in his halls. Tosca was a northwestern province that represented an old Rumallian house that was allied to the house of Megalos during the formation of the republic. Barricus’s estate in Tosca was full of such odd items and historical relics.
Leo became restless and sat in one of the chairs. He looked at the relic trophies that included a barbarian animal-totem headdress and waited for Senator Barricus to finish with an earlier meeting. It had been many years since his last visit to Tosca. Leo originally hailed from lands near the border of the country of Adjios in the southeast. Barricus and Leo’s father often talked about the history of the region. Leo was somewhat interested in history, but it was not his strength.
Leo smiled as he looked at the marble replica of the head of Hotan