Chapter Four, Part OneChapter Four: The Way of the Bell"Time flies, death urges, knells call, Heaven invites, Hell threatens." —Edward YoungAh, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for? —Robert Browning7:34 PM, MONDAY, MAY 31, 6118 AD, RODERIS, FOREST OF HOURS, NORTH RHEANIA, SATURNThe wind twined through the square, whispering a silent lament. Ander could only stare at the shell of Lethya, feeling empty—feeling like the connection between reality as it was and as he knew it had broken. He knew he was in shock. He knew that soon the numbness was going to fade, and the pain would be unbearable at best. And he knew Lethya was dead.Bu
Chapter 3: Gods and MonstersChapter Three: Gods and Monsters"The end comes sometime: Does it matter when?"—Albert EinsteinThe hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows.—Socrates2:23 AM, SUNDAY, MAY 30, 6118 AD, KAMALI BUILDING, NEO TOKYO, JAPANIt was far too early for Lady Iaren to be awake. In fact, it was far too early for someone to be calling her. But she was indeed being called, and pretending the ringing didn't exist wasn't making it go away."This better be important," she muttered sullenly as she sat up, calling a bathrobe over from its hook to wrap around her. "Who's calling?""V.E.O.,
Chapter Two: Crash and BurnChapter Two: Crash and Burn"If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."—Chinese proverb"It is said an eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him with the words, 'And this, too, shall pass away.'"—Abraham Lincoln1:51 AM, SUNDAY, MAY 30, 6118 AD, FOREST OF HOURS, NORTH RHEANIA, SATURNFrom the Forest of Hours rose a great column of smoke, rippling and undulating as it poured into the night sky, like a giant worm halfway between dissipation and solidity.The source was th