The Heretic of Sælonis ||A Sci-Fi Romance Novella||

"And what will you do if you have to destroy an entire planet to end this war? Are you really willing to become a monster?"

Nierhæ turned towards me, a sombre look on her face. She already had an answer to my question, and it was one I wouldn't like.

"I will become as monstrous as I must."

°•°•°

Take the Heretic to Sethes for public execution.

Make sure she doesn't touch the ground until she arrives at Sethes.

Keep her alive at all costs.

It should have been a simple job for Uhnros, but maybe he should have known better. The missions he got tasked with were never easy, and having to transport a Heretic while also keeping them alive is as difficult as it could come. But he would complete his mission, just as he'd done time and time before.

Allow the Regime to take her to Sethes.

Keep her custodian alive at all costs because she couldn't fly herself there.

Pray that the Aura will give her enough power to tear apart an entire planet.

As one of the Aura's Chosen, Nierhæ had one simple task - stay alive. As long as she stayed alive, she could fight against the Sethesian Regime; her destiny had always been to end the war - the Aura itself had told her so the day her gifts manifested.

Both Uhnros and Nierhæ want the same thing - for the war to be over. But when things go horribly wrong on their trip to Sethes, can they set aside their different beliefs to end it once and for all?

Or will Nierhæ have to kill Uhnros so she can fulfill her destiny?

||a science-fiction romance novella||
||open novella contest 2024 - longlist qualified||
||content warnings and notes inside||

notable rankings:
#176 in scifiromance