Luminary Novels & Stories

LUMINAIRE. The name was written in silver letters over the entrance. It looked like a tombstone for everyone who had ever failed to make it in this city.

The jump through the Void-Heart left the planet's atmosphere shimmering with a static, violet aurora. But as the "Planetary Engine" cycled down, the viewports of the Lumina Spire revealed a surprising sight-not a dark, jagged Hive-world, but a twin planet.

These were places of reverence, places of contemplation, where the Lumina connected with the very essence of their world. The Lumina's relationship with their environment was symbiotic, profound. They weren't just inhabitants of this subterranean world; they were inextricably bound to it, their lives intertwined with the cycles of the glowing plants and fungi, the rhythms of the subterranean wind. They revered the land, respecting its delicate balance, understanding the intricate web of interdependence that sustained their existence.

He hardly attends social events. So how the hell would I meet a man who doesn’t go out? “Hey, I’ve found something,” Jessica says, handing me her mobile phone. It’s the official I*******m page of the Luminary Foundation. They’re the biggest charity organization right now. Jessica is pointing at their recent I*******m post. “This dropped five minutes ago.” “What does it say?” “That’s the official announcement of the date for the next Luminary Gala. You know what that is, right?”

I raised my hand to shield my eyes, blinking away the brightness. "Mommy, let's have breakfast!" Alvin insisted again, his energy boundless. I forced myself to sit up, groaning slightly as I did. That’s when I noticed Orion standing at the doorway, smirking. His amused expression immediately made me self-conscious, and I quickly adjusted my disheveled nightgown. "Wow, I thought you’d never get up," he chuckled lightly. "Come on. There’s lava cake waiting." "Um, I’m on a diet," I replied, trying not to sound overly self-conscious. Orion’s grin only widened, teasingly.

The faint illumination becomes a lifeline, a guiding beacon amidst the encroaching darkness. I tighten my grip on the flashlight, feeling the coolness of its metal against my skin, anchoring me to the present moment. With determination in each step, I leave the storage room, the flashlight's beam casting a flickering glow on Lucian's figure. Wearing a black pants, but his bare chest reveals a stark contrast to his wounded state.

“Alert me if anything changes.” As I descended the stairs leading to my lab, I knew I didn't have much time. Lumina, based on what my informants told me, works by destabilising the normal biology of the body. And it wasn't something that could be countered easily. Lira's case was worse. She had barely taken her full form as a gamma. I didn't even know where to start. What rank would she wake up to? My hands shook as I scanned the labels, pulling bottles closer to inspect them. I hadn't admitted it since they arrived, but Lumina scared me. It had the power to potentially end our kind. And worse, in the hands of my brother, we were doomed.

Damon POV The hum lingered in the air long after it faded from her skin. I could still feel it - low, steady, like something alive was breathing through the room. Rayna was pale but composed, her jaw tight, eyes fixed on the box. That alone scared me more than if she’d screamed. I turned to Lira. “You said it’s inverted light. That it’s bound wrong. What does that mean?” Lira’s fingers hovered over an open book, its ink cracked with age. “It means it doesn’t draw power from the moon - it rejects it. Like… like a mirror that eats the reflection instead of casting it.”

He murmured, "She's just lying there anyway, like she's already gone, not using her eyes. Might as well give them to someone who really needs them." A shadow of pity passed over the doctor's face as he said, "But… What if Ms. Yocelyn Carden wakes up one day?" "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." In that instant, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Was Samuel planning to give my cornea to Amelia? Was he willing to leave me blind? I was rooted to the spot, my mind reeling, as I slowly backed away from Samuel. Watching them together, so lovey-dovey, a wave of icy dread spread through me.

He remains silent, his eyes not leaving mine until he starts to laugh. “You think I will make a deal with you, Zachary? My wife is Luna, one after the moon goddess’s heart. She can give me all the cure I want in the world and you think I will settle for you? Come on man, I thought you were smarter than that. Well” he gestures to my hand where a wound is still bleeding, “you might want to check that, it’s not going to heal. Ir is coated with silver” “What?” “Do not show up at my party uninvited Zachary, do not come in front of my wife and do not even think about her”