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he Beatification was a great and
wondrous
miracle. When folk awoke on that blessed morning,
one hundred and seventy five years ago, they discovered
a completely different world to the one they had
known. The lands had been uplifted, taken up into
the great darkness and set amidst strange and
unfamiliar stars.
The people believed
they had been chosen to dwell nearer to the
Almighty and marvelled at his great new design
in which they were to live. Englandia now consisted
of ninety three different isles, each covered
by a protective firmament and connected by a
gigantic linking chain. Travel between the floating
islands was possible only by using the remarkable
night boats, astounding vessels capable of sailing
between the stars. At the beginning, many feared
these wonders but their terrors were dispelled
by the calm influence of the special ambassadors.
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This
strange race was unlike any ever encountered before
and many believed they were sent by the Lord Himself
to guide His people in the ways of His new kingdom.
The special ambassadors instructed them in the
art of night boat navigation and revealed the
secrets of the mechanicals to the first masters
of motive science.
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They appeared
to take great delight in everything they did
but most of all, they loved life at court.
Elizabeth, the Queen, held many banquets and
masques in their honour. For thirty years the
ambassadors visited the uplifted isles, until
one sorry day they departed and were never seen
again. No one knows what became
of them or when they might return.
Now
the people of Englandia and all the uplifted
lands are alone and without guidance.
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Many years pass before
a stranger chances upon the uplifted isles. His
name is Brindle, a balm trader from the unknown,
distant sphere of Iribia. |
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As
a blazing star his night boat thunders into the
firmament of an insignificant Suffolk island.
In the ensuing cataclysm he suffers terrible injury
but, snatched from the threshold of death, the
heavenly messenger vows to rid that isle of its
greatest torment. |
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Yet what is
the Iribian's true purpose and what is the significance
of his barbarous reaping hook? Is there an angel
or demon in their midst?
The people
of Englandia are beset by enemies. War is brewing.
The hatred and ignorance of the old world has
taken deep root within the blessed lands and
a terrible conflict between good and unparalleled
evil is about to commence. The wary peace will
soon be shattered forever.
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©
2016. Robin Jarvis. All rights reserved
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