Illustrations by IkaZilla
Xavier Mosaic: Portrait of Asyrias was conceived as a 3D action-adventure hack & slash that followed the adventures of a dragon-possessed warrior named Silas. The narrative was crafted around the events of my novel, The Xavier Mosaic: Prince Asyrias, and integrated combat with levels designed around conveying story.
Synopsis
Silas has no memories of his childhood. It's a mystery why his canines come to points, his blue eyes turned violet, his pale skin darkened golden brown, or why his rage can summon fire from his flesh. What he does know, however, is that these traits once drew admiration from others in the village, admiration that turned to fear and scorn--even hatred. He must flee, choosing to live as a beast in the forest, if he is to avoid being hanged. But now, three years later, he is wanted for the hangman's noose again, and even the forest is no longer safe. He will have to leave--forever--to survive. This time, however, Silas is determined to find the truth at all costs.
Things in Silas' homeland of Larasca have gone from bad to worse in those three years. The evil Queen has held true to her vow of wiping the members of the ruling family from the planet--and begins phase two of her selfish scheme, one that would spell doom for their country. But all is not lost. As Silas continues his journey to piece together the last wishes of his beloved father, the reason behind his unnatural traits, and to learn his own name, his life is complicated by a beauty named Rina, an orphan from a superstitious city. Together, their quest for truth and the Queen's course of destruction move inexorably toward one another--and the fate of Larasca hangs in the balance.
Things in Silas' homeland of Larasca have gone from bad to worse in those three years. The evil Queen has held true to her vow of wiping the members of the ruling family from the planet--and begins phase two of her selfish scheme, one that would spell doom for their country. But all is not lost. As Silas continues his journey to piece together the last wishes of his beloved father, the reason behind his unnatural traits, and to learn his own name, his life is complicated by a beauty named Rina, an orphan from a superstitious city. Together, their quest for truth and the Queen's course of destruction move inexorably toward one another--and the fate of Larasca hangs in the balance.
Music created for The Xavier Mosaic
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"They haunt me, now. The shadows. They remind me of something I've seen before, but I can't remember it. And when I try to remember, the voices come. I hear them down there, in the cellar. They whisper to me—some woman, or some girl. It makes me sick to hear them, or maybe I hear them because I'm sick." ~Silas' Journal, 1st month, 650 I.R.
Music by Tino Jones Picture by nagy.pite |
Characters
Silas Wolfslayer
A peasant of the fishing town of Alore, Silas grew up in the care of ex-Commander Giovanni Wolfslayer, self-proclaimed Hero of Larasca. Silas has no memories before his eighth birthday, the day he awoke in Giovanni's company. His guardian gives no hint as to what his true identity might be, but forces him to master an assortment of unusual skills, such as horseback riding, sword fighting, knowledge of national and foreign history, languages, logic, and for some reason, chess. Stranger yet, failure in any one of these categories results in a temporary exile from his caretaker's home, forcing Silas to learn how to survive on the streets. His natural gruffness is a result of this curious sort of neglect.
His step-father's cruelty is not the only difficulty in his life. Since childhood, his physical characteristics have unnerved the people of Alore. Exposure to the elements darkened his fair skin to olive brown, while the passing years changed his sapphire eyes first to red, then to violet. Instead of the natural brown hair of the Larascan people, his is pitch black, and unusually straight. Stranger than all of these are his teeth, as his incisors are as sharp as a wolf's fangs. Silas has no explanation for any of these features; however, he expects they are linked to his other curse -- the fire that leaps from his body.
Silas himself fears this terrifying phenomenon, the result of his natural tendency towards anger. When rage overcomes him, his unnaturally-warm skin becomes untouchably hot, sometimes producing physical flames from his flesh. He manages to hide this from the townspeople only until he's fifteen years old, when a lapse in judgment turns their admiration of him into scorn. Their fear of him drives him away from the village, forcing him to survive amongst the beasts of the forest. There, his feral nature comes forth, overcoming his humanity.
His step-father's cruelty is not the only difficulty in his life. Since childhood, his physical characteristics have unnerved the people of Alore. Exposure to the elements darkened his fair skin to olive brown, while the passing years changed his sapphire eyes first to red, then to violet. Instead of the natural brown hair of the Larascan people, his is pitch black, and unusually straight. Stranger than all of these are his teeth, as his incisors are as sharp as a wolf's fangs. Silas has no explanation for any of these features; however, he expects they are linked to his other curse -- the fire that leaps from his body.
Silas himself fears this terrifying phenomenon, the result of his natural tendency towards anger. When rage overcomes him, his unnaturally-warm skin becomes untouchably hot, sometimes producing physical flames from his flesh. He manages to hide this from the townspeople only until he's fifteen years old, when a lapse in judgment turns their admiration of him into scorn. Their fear of him drives him away from the village, forcing him to survive amongst the beasts of the forest. There, his feral nature comes forth, overcoming his humanity.
Rina
A simple girl from the city of Lucadia, a place shaped by the superstitions of its Duke, Baldric Alexander. She grew up in an orphanage, where she shared a room with a boy named Alastor, who she believed was her dearest friend. Others are fascinated by her eyes, which are a deep blue, completely unlike the Larascan green of the people around her. Although she believes herself unremarkable, she is naturally brave, and sincerely kind. Unfortunately, her good-hearted nature allows her to be easily manipulated by others, making it difficult for her to survive on her own.
Giovanni Wolfslayer
Giovanni Wolfslayer is well-known in the country of Larasca. He became a subject of legends when at just fourteen years old, he was judged worthy of being a soldier of Rank 1, the Princes' rank. His unusual intelligence influenced their General's strategies, even helping to bring an end to the forty-year conflict. This brilliance earned the admiration of the Crown Prince. When Cedric was crowned King, he was willing to trust Giovanni and another soldier of the Rank, his friend Baldric Alexander, with the task of subduing the rebels in West Larasca. The two Commanders managed to successfully conquer these lands, restoring unity to the land of Larasca. With this completed, he shocked his superiors by simply resigning from his position, preferring an uninspiring life in the capital to the power of a Commander, or even the crown of a Duke.
While his accomplishments bring him admiration, those who have met him only know him for being insufferable. His only response to any situation is amusement, no matter how tragic. In fact, he seems to find pleasure in others' discomfort, made worse by his talent for determining and exploiting the weaknesses in the people around him. It's impossible to determine his motives, as he seems willing to help either side of a conflict, so long as it entertains him.
While his accomplishments bring him admiration, those who have met him only know him for being insufferable. His only response to any situation is amusement, no matter how tragic. In fact, he seems to find pleasure in others' discomfort, made worse by his talent for determining and exploiting the weaknesses in the people around him. It's impossible to determine his motives, as he seems willing to help either side of a conflict, so long as it entertains him.
Queen Morana
Morana was born Miyuki Shioya, the eldest Princess of the land of Storm. During her childhood, her mother was exiled, allowing the Emperor to marry a younger woman. Her younger sister Arisa, born of Miyuki's step-mother, was always their father's favored child, while Miyuki endured a life of neglect. Naturally sharp-tongued, the elder Princess drove away all would-be suitors, until she is seduced by a sorcerer named Dayu Mazaki.
An agreement her father made with the tyrant King of Larasca, Raphael Xavier forced Miyuki and her younger sister to leave their home country and venture into that isolated land, where both were to become wives for the Xavier Princes. However, unbeknownst to her new family, the Princess' lover followed her into her marital home. Even after changing her name and marrying Prince Cedric, she continued her relationship with Dayu, who sought to use her position to further his own power.
When Cedric catches her with her lover, his fury leads him to throw Dayu on a pyre, indifferent to Morana's despair. In response, she poisons herself, causing their child, Asyrias, to be born too early. Even after Cedric saves Asyrias from death, she scorns her son, refusing to give him affection or notice. Asyrias' premature passing seems to have no effect on his cold-hearted mother.
An agreement her father made with the tyrant King of Larasca, Raphael Xavier forced Miyuki and her younger sister to leave their home country and venture into that isolated land, where both were to become wives for the Xavier Princes. However, unbeknownst to her new family, the Princess' lover followed her into her marital home. Even after changing her name and marrying Prince Cedric, she continued her relationship with Dayu, who sought to use her position to further his own power.
When Cedric catches her with her lover, his fury leads him to throw Dayu on a pyre, indifferent to Morana's despair. In response, she poisons herself, causing their child, Asyrias, to be born too early. Even after Cedric saves Asyrias from death, she scorns her son, refusing to give him affection or notice. Asyrias' premature passing seems to have no effect on his cold-hearted mother.
Cedric Xavier
Although Cedric Xavier was born a Prince, he has never known an easy life. He and his identical twin brother, Caden, were scorned by their cruel father, who blamed them for their mother's death. During their youth, their only support was each other and their only friends, peasant twins named Clarke and Creed. The Princes shared a supernatural bond, both twins able to read the thoughts of the other; in addition, both experienced otherworldly visions -- Cedric, of the past, and Caden, of the future. Unable to explain these visions to anyone, the twins preserved them on paper, both learning to draw the things they had seen.
Their father's hatred never lessens, eventually leading him to send both his heirs to fight in the Kyron War, risking the fate of his Kingdom. Cedric's time as a soldier changes him, adding a harsher side to his innately gentle nature. No matter how he tries to bury this, it remains a part of him, overcoming him in times of anger.
After Caden's untimely death, a casualty of their father's war, Cedric decides to share their revelations in a more permanent way. He turns his sketches into mosaics that cover the palace windows, filling Joanissia Castle with depictions of magnificent dragons, the beings that most populate his strange dreams. To honor his brother's memory, King Cedric uses Caden's three surviving sketches to construct the three mosaics in the boarded tower, the place that houses the secrets of the Xavier family.
When his only son, Asyrias, is born too weak to live, Cedric makes a desperate decision. His deal with his ancestor's unearthly master does save the child, but it changes him, rendering him less than human. His guilt leads him to shelter the boy excessively, refusing even to let him set foot outside the castle. However, despite his shame, Cedric loves his child. He does all he can to reconcile with Morana, in hopes that Asyrias might know the care of both his parents, to no avail. After Asyrias' untimely death, Cedric will wear only black garments, unable to accept the loss of his beloved son.
Their father's hatred never lessens, eventually leading him to send both his heirs to fight in the Kyron War, risking the fate of his Kingdom. Cedric's time as a soldier changes him, adding a harsher side to his innately gentle nature. No matter how he tries to bury this, it remains a part of him, overcoming him in times of anger.
After Caden's untimely death, a casualty of their father's war, Cedric decides to share their revelations in a more permanent way. He turns his sketches into mosaics that cover the palace windows, filling Joanissia Castle with depictions of magnificent dragons, the beings that most populate his strange dreams. To honor his brother's memory, King Cedric uses Caden's three surviving sketches to construct the three mosaics in the boarded tower, the place that houses the secrets of the Xavier family.
When his only son, Asyrias, is born too weak to live, Cedric makes a desperate decision. His deal with his ancestor's unearthly master does save the child, but it changes him, rendering him less than human. His guilt leads him to shelter the boy excessively, refusing even to let him set foot outside the castle. However, despite his shame, Cedric loves his child. He does all he can to reconcile with Morana, in hopes that Asyrias might know the care of both his parents, to no avail. After Asyrias' untimely death, Cedric will wear only black garments, unable to accept the loss of his beloved son.