A good place for Day Bringer to begin.
With only 2 weeks left until Day Bringer is released on Amazon, WORLDWIDE, it's time to get a little sneak peek of what's to come.
Please enjoy the Prologue of Day Bringer.
Day Bringer Prologue
“Mystery. Small god and wielder of Secrets. Do you know why you are here?” The Ten asked in unison as one of their Celestials pulled the bag off his head.
He was in the Hall of Splendour, The main auditorium of Olympus, high in the Greek mountains, an hour’s walk above the tallest peak. The Hall of Splendour was a massive room with golden floors, golden walls and marble pillars. It was the audience room of The Ten. The leaders of the gods, made up of the Ten most prominent gods from all across the world. They sat before him in their high chairs at their high table, looking down at him.
Behind him and all around were the seats of the rest of the gods. The hundreds and thousands of Small gods. The god of winter, the god of the afternoon, the god of those little moments when you feel down for no reason. Almost Everything had a god, and each of those gods now stared down at him.
Between him and the gods were the Celestials, the gods’ servants and the embodiments of those things created by the gods’ existence.
He could see a handful of different Celestials guarding him. Celestials of Sunshine, who served under the God of the Sun, Celestials of starlight, who served under the God of the Cosmos. There were even a few Celestials of the trees, who served under the God of nature.
At the centre of all those gods and those Celestials was he; the God of Mystery. His hands were chained behind his back. He wore dark clothes and had long, black shaggy hair covering half his face. He took in a breath. It wasn’t long ago when he was sat in the stands of the Small Gods. Now though…
“Mystery!” the voice was one of The Ten. He looked up and found Zeus shouting at him from the high table. He was a tall man with too many muscles, a thick white beard and a full head of hair. His skin shone with a subtle gleam, and so he wore a toga that made it all the more visible. More importantly, though, he was a small, petty god, but the world’s current faith gave him the power to sit at the seat of The Ten.
It wasn’t so many aeons ago that Mystery sat up there. Back before science and the unravelling of the world’s secrets began eating away at his power.
All of the ten were transient. Those who were there today most likely would not be there tomorrow, so it wasn’t worth giving them your faith. Your respect.
Except for the big three. The Large Gods. Night, Day and Death. They were eternal, or at least as eternal as the world.
“Did you hear what we said?” Zeus called out. “Do you know why you are here?”
“It is no mystery to me. I know why I am here.” Mystery responded. “I know both the reasons I am here.”
“Both?” Zeus called down, contempt in his voice. “You are here for one reason and one alone; because you killed a human.”
“That is the reason I have shackles, yes, but it is not the reason that you look my way, gods large and small.” He almost laughed as he spoke. “I am here today because I am an inconvenience. A truth amongst the lies. I am Mystery, and I know all of Olympus’ secrets. I may have been brought forth to be sanctioned and punished for killing a man, but I am here so that you can get me out of your business. To protect you from me.”
Zeus scoffed. “What could a small god like you do to The Ten.”
“I could tell your wife that you’re screwing Princess Semele of Thebes,” Mystery replied, prompting gasps from the crowd. “Oh, but I already told her that. So perhaps about one of the others.”
Fury swept across Zeus’ features, and he reached for his lightning, but Day’s hand rested on his shoulder. The god of the day was shorter than Zeus, and yet he seemed to tower over him with his presence; his short stature belied an ancient and formidable strength.
He had skin that morphed and changed, sometimes the colour of the sun, other times cloudy and grey. Lightning ran across his cloud-covered skin as his emotions ran high, as if to remind Zeus that he was his superior. Though Zeus’s lighting was a god killer, he knew it would have no effect on Day.
Zeus stopped and returned to his seat as Day stood up. “Enough.” He said, looking to Mystery. “Regardless of your other… pursuits, it is strictly forbidden for a God to kill a human. So unless you have any defence, we will begin sentencing.”
“Let’s get on with this.”
“Very well-”
“Wait.” A gentle voice called from the other end of the high table. It was Night, who had been Mystery’s friend and collaborator for as long as the night had been dark and mysteries had been concealed.
Night was a beautiful god - there were few gods or Celestials who weren’t. Tall and thin, but curved where the god of such things wanted her to be. She had long hair that was coloured and flowed like the northern lights, a beauty to behold. Her skin, conversely, was so strange and different that many mortals saw her as a monster, though she was anything but. It was a mixture of blues, purples and blacks with shining bright marks of the constellations flowing over her in a beautiful ever-changing tapestry.
Mystery looked down at his knees; he just wanted this over with. “Mystery…” Night continued, looking down on him with compassion, a plea in her voice as she asked; “you have nothing to say in your defence? Truly?” He remained silent. “I am the god of the Night; I know what happens in my domain, and I know of this human’s death. There is truly nothing you wish to mention?”
Mystery looked up at Night, and they locked eyes. He shook his head. “He’s dead, and I killed him. The rest should remain a mystery; it is irrelevant.”
She watched him for a long moment before sitting back and waving for the sun to continue, concern, consideration and sadness on her features.
“We cannot kill you, Mystery, for you are a core of the universe. Not without someone who can take up your mantle. But we can confine you.” He explained. “From now on, you must remain put in one place that we choose for you, unable to leave and apart from all that you know. Confinement until the end of days. This is your punishment. Do you understand?”
Want More?
Thank you for reading the prologue of Day Bringer! If you want more, then, with only 2 weeks left until release day; it's time to pre-order the Kindle version of Day Bringer at your local Amazon! Or wait until the 31st to buy the paperback version!
James
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