Luke had always struggled with a sense of himself, fighting to reconcile feelings that threatened his relationships and his identity. After years of pushing those feelings deep down inside, and after losing his wife in a tragic accident, those feelings he thought consigned to the past begin to reemerge. When a night turns terrifying and traumatic, he is saved by the statuesque Helen, who recognises his struggle and supports Luke on a spiritual journey in search of his true self. But his search for meaning in the bittersweet emotions that are blossoming within threaten to destroy his friendships, his home life and his resolve to become the person he had always known himself to be. Or, rather, who she knew herself to be. A sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes heart-lifting, sometimes harrowing and sometimes touching tale about accepting who you truly are. 🏵Wattys 2023 Shortlist🏵 🏵Featured by FreeTheLGBT - Diverse Literature - July 2023🏵 🏵Featured by Stories Undiscovered - Jan 2023🏵 🏵Featured by @WackyWriters - Undiscovered Gems Under 1k - Feb 2023🏵 🥉3rd Place - General Fiction Category -Pretty In Punk 'Punk Rock Awards' Apr 2023🥉 Cover created in Canva, using an AI generated picture.

"...You are the Archon of This World. You are a living sign that Bizanth is a country chosen by God. Now, in the time of war, it is especially important to remind people of the blessing from above..." War, heresy, and one drunk too stubborn to die. The Empire of Bizanth is falling apart - caught between bloodthirsty priests, internal contradictions, and a never-ending war with the Arya, a bunch of mountain savages nobody can seem to beat. After the death of the Red Emperor, his iron-fisted reign gives way to uneasy politics and whispered betrayals. The new Empress wants peace. Maybe. To broker a truce, they send Lyn: Archon of This World, washed-up preacher, former brothel accountant, and possibly the worst diplomat alive. But not everyone wants the war to end. And Lyn - drunk, depressed, and haunted by secrets even he doesn't fully understand - might be walking straight into a trap. Is he a joke, a scapegoat... or something far more dangerous? *** The author had no intention of offending any existing religions or cultures. Bizanth can, with some effort, be loosely associated with Byzantium around the 6th-7th centuries, and Arya (with even more difficulty) with one of the pre-Islamic Iranian peoples, but for the most part, their culture and beliefs are fictional. This text has little to do with history; it contains elements of postmodernism and irony. And while I try not to take it brutally serious, it is a rather heavy work. Its central themes are the vicious cycle of violence, psychological trauma, and a sense of alienation. Oh, and humanism :) Feel free to point out any errors, typos, or stylistic flaws. Also, English is not my first language. (But the slang and overly modern expressions in Lyn's POV are intentional).