Quil Carter - The Ghost and the Darkness Volume 1 (Fallocaust # 2).pdf

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THE FALLOCAUST SERIES
Book Two
The Ghost and the Darkness
Volume 1 of 2
By Quil Carter
© 2014 Quil Carter
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in
any means – by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior written permission.
This book is dedicated to Friskie, Jockster, and Daisy.
A note from Quil regarding Book 2 and the best way to read The Fallocaust
Series.
Ideally, I would love for my readers to see the companion books as a vital part of The
Fallocaust Series. I decided to write companion books for The Fallocaust Series because I wanted
the reader to see all sides of the story, and also see what motivates certain characters. The
characters in Fallocaust are complex, and each of them have their own motivations and reasons
for doing what they do, and being who they are. Some have enough motivation and reasons to fill
a book... and so, I wrote them one. Though a companion book can stand on its own and has its
own storylines that steer away from The Fallocaust Series, there is still that underlining
connection to the main series. And the main series is written from the standpoint that the reader
has read the companion book(s).
Though I realize there are people who will jump straight from Book 1 to Book 2 (I left you at
a horrible cliff-hanger, I know). You’re not going to get the full story if you do that. There will be
references you won’t get, plot spoilers that will be ruined once you do read Breaking Jade. And
important characters that appear Book 2 that you should’ve already known about by reading
Breaking Jade (like Sanguine and Jack for example).
So, think of Breaking Jade as The Fallocaust Series Book 1.5. If a certain site let me list it as
Book 1.5 in the series I would have, but nooo numerical only apparently. Lookin’ at you popular
site that starts with A.
I would also like to explain how The Ghost and the Darkness is structured. Because of the size
of this monster book, I have had to split it into volume 1 and volume 2. The book as a whole is
over 400,000 words and because of that I won’t be able to print the book in its entirety. Volume 2
is going to be released November 15
th
2014.
Enjoy, and thank you for continuing this fucked up journey with me ;)
Sincerely,
Quil Carter
“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” – Stephen King.
Prologue
Twenty Years Previous
The ash was blinding, burning hot and mixed with embers that fell on the pacing shadow
below like raining brimstone. It fell to the ground and thickened like fresh snow, leaving boot prints
that framed every erratic footstep.
Greyson tried to inhale but his lungs filled with fire instead of fresh air, searing the soft tissue like
he had opened an oven door. There was no air, he would have to find shelter soon or else he was
going to pass out right there in front of the door.
Though the fear of his own demise didn’t make him move. He looked up at the tall, grey brick
building and swallowed a sob.
No... no, I can’t leave him.
“Lycos!” Greyson cried. He continued to pace not knowing what else to do. He knew he was
walking in circles but staying still was not an option.
“Lycos!” He felt his fists hit the brick building as if this desperate display of emotions would
bring him back, but it was useless. Lycos would burn inside. This would be his tomb.
They had been so close.
Another explosion sounded from inside, bringing fresh tears to Greyson’s already swollen, red
eyes. A strangled sob rimmed his lips and fell unabashed from his mouth, though with the next inhale
he doubled over in hacking coughs.
So much smoke, as thick and black as oil. All Greyson could see were his own hands gripping the
exterior. Hands that were so burned the skin had curled back like old paint, revealing red inflamed
flesh underneath.
Greyson’s head raised and he leaned his forehead hopelessly against the door frame. He closed
his eyes and sobbed before sliding down to his knees.
Lycos was dead, Lycos was dead.
Greyson’s ears rang as another explosion rocked the entire structure; he could feel the hot brick
shake under his hands. The entire lab below his feet was probably collapsing in on itself; he wouldn’t
be surprised if the entire building fell under the hellfire.
“Greyson? Where is he?” a cold voice asked behind him.
How was he so fucking calm! Greyson whirled around to face the towering blond man. The young
greywaster looked up at him with tears streaming freely down his face.
“He’s inside! Where the hell do you think he is?” Greyson cried. He put his hands onto his head
and closed his eyes, his teeth clenching so hard he could hear them creak in his head.
Elish looked past him, his purple eyes incandescent amethyst against his white skin.
“Go to the plane.” With the grace only Elish could carry he removed his cloak and handed it to
Greyson, before disappearing into the thick black smoke.
“Elish?” Greyson hollered after him. His red, flayed hands gripped the cloak like a security
blanket; his mind jumping from one possibility to the other.
Greyson swallowed a frustrated scream before he turned and went towards the plane; his shaking
footsteps threatening to spill him onto the hot ground.
The plane was a quarter mile away but it was still cloaked in a thin coat of grey ash. Greyson
looked behind him to the burning building, wondering if this fire would melt the entire city. Kreig
held many broken buildings, with this heat...
Greyson took in a deep breath, ignoring the relief his lungs felt at the cooling air.
There was nothing to see, the building was in ruins. Black smoke was spilling from the door and
through the vents. There was no way they would survive, not even Elish. He might be immortal but he
had to breathe like the rest of them. His flesh would burn like any human’s and it would take months
for his carbonized body to regenerate.
And the baby – what would happen to the baby?
Greyson’s entire body was trembling, his hands shaking with such a ferocity he could see pieces
of skin fall from them and onto the ground below.
What now, what now? My heart... my heart is in there.
Greyson’s father was right; he shouldn’t have gotten tangled up with these people. They were not
greywasters; they were not his kind.
I’m just a mayor’s son, hoping to do a little bit more for this world than simply live in it and die in
it. I just wanted to make things better for everyone, and look where it got me? Dad was right, care
about Aras and nothing else.
But that’s not me... I can do good, we can do good. Chance is just that... he’s our chance. It might
be a long shot, but if we do things right... he can put an end to King Silas’s dictatorship.
What a foolish dream for a foolish greywaster.
Greyson’s heart froze inside his chest as he saw a tall figure through the smoke. His face twisted
in a relieved sob as he ran towards them.
As Greyson got closer the heart wrenching sound of a baby in incomprehensible agony reached
his ears. The newborn was screaming so loudly every pause to gather breath made him choke.
“Lycos!” Greyson screamed. He ran until their silhouettes took shape before, in spite of himself,
he took a step back.
Elish’s blond hair was black with soot and ash; his milky face scorched and patched in inflamed
burns. He was injured and badly, blisters already appearing on his swollen raw arms and chest.
But he was carrying...
Greyson took another step back as Elish swept past him. Elish was carrying Lycos in his arms and
in Lycos’s own arms: the horribly burned baby Chance.
Greyson’s boyfriend had his eyes half-closed. He could see his beloved boy’s blond hair burnt to
cinders, falling over his face like scorched grass.
The young scientist’s clothing had been almost entirely burnt off too, but where the shreds of his
lab coat ended and his peeling skin began Greyson couldn’t tell, but he was alive and so was the baby.
When Lycos saw him his face twisted in agony. “The baby, the baby’s burned. Greyson take the
baby! Help him!” he begged. Lycos tried to lift his head but it fell back onto Elish’s shoulder blade
with a stifled moan of pain.
Elish jumped onto the plane and set Lycos down on the cargo hold. As Lycos’s body shifted

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