Haelo Rising


 Contents
 
 
 
 Ebook cover Copyright Dedication Pankyra Cross Secton Pankyra Map -->
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Edge of the World
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. All You Need Is Love
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. All Gathered In
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4. Easy Target
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Something Old, Something New
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. That We Will Be One
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Party Foul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Dressed to Kill
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9. Tunnel Vision
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. Ill At Ease
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11. Friendsgiving
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. Too Close For Comfort
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13. Paved With Good Intentions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14. The Library
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15. Don't Stop Me Now
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16. Burning Brimstone
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17. Ninety-Nine Problems
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18. Best Laid Plans
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19. And All The Devils Are Here
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20. Rise Against
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21. Control Freak
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22. Severed Ties
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23. Broken Promises
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24. Change On The Horizon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25. Goodbye, Goodbye
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26. The Blessing Of The Sea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thank You
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Books by T.M. Holladay
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 About the Author
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Copyright First published by Naniloa Books, 2020. Second edition print with cover by James T. Egan published in 2023. Copyright © 2023 by T.M. Holladay All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. ISBN: 978-0-9973759-5-4 Edited by Jana Miller at The-Writers-Assistant.com Cover design by James T. Egan Typeset by Naniloa Books Dedication To my sisters, Mekeli and Hailey. For being genuinely excited for Haelo’s story and making me feel like I’m still kinda cool. 1 Edge of the World I wasn’t the first person to entertain the idea of leveling a cathartic Screw you, I’m out to everything and everyone around me. To give up. The bliss in that idea tempted me more than it should. I stretched, trying not to yelp. Every muscle in my body begged not to go back down that cliff face. The wind coming up from the drop behind me sent plumes of dust twirling about in the rocky dirt up here at the top of Pankyra Island. “Again,” I huffed. “You’ve been at this since daybreak, Your Highness.” “Again, Hank.” “It’s time for a rest.” He glanced at my shaking fingers. My back tightened as I twisted once more in a stretch painful enough to distract me from the burdens on my mind. Because that was the understanding Pain and I had agreed upon: if I sought it out, it would always show up. I depended on it. I needed it. Sunlight reflected off the black, angular scale pattern on the shoulders of Hank’s military uniform as he gathered the rope. “You can come back tomorrow. Better yet, next week.” I dusted off my tattered hands to sweep the hair out of my eyes. The island’s white-flowered bushes and dark red weeds shivered again in the breeze, and beyond, the Mediterranean Sea gleamed. I shifted my weight, toes cramping. “Don’t put the rope away.” Captain Hank Abrams stepped closer, trying to use his size to intimidate me. He was a big man. His shoulders had shoulders. The dust on his dark skin highlighted that fact. I re-checked my harness. “Zeta will be back tomorrow. I told her I’d—” “You promised her too many things.” “Lower me down.” He didn’t budge. “I told Zeta I’d beat this cliff; I’m going to beat this cliff. Help me. Please.” I sighed. “War is coming. War is here. I have to prepare.” He tilted his jaw, a knowing look on his face. “This—” He looked around the dusty cliff top. “This is preparing?” Avoiding his gaze, I double-checked my harness again. Another gust shot up the cliff face behind me, throwing off my balance a bit. I steadied myself just as I sensed the familiar, shredded aura of my father approach from the west. He eyed the rope in Hank’s hand. “You heard the woman,” Jade said. “My daughter wants to climb. Quit being a creampuff and let her climb.” Hank ignored my father. They weren’t friends. “You’ve done