Chapter 1
Part I
The Reunion
1
A young man’s cry,
Of pain and fear,
Brings about the same,
In his overseer.
Keeping his distance, Raiden shadowed his target to a cave near the mountain’s crest. Its entrance lay hidden behind a thick veil of lichen, but his keen eye could spot it, just barely. At the cavern’s rear, a concealed shaft dropped through the holographic image of a stagnant cesspool nestled in the mud. He hesitated, reminding himself the illusion wasn’t real, then stepped through, falling six feet to the ground below.
He landed hard, skin prickling in the subterranean chill. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, a faint glow emerged ahead, a lone bulb casting just enough light to outline the jagged walls of a narrow passage. The cramped corridor was clearly built for a much smaller creature, forcing him to duck and squeeze forward. His chest tightened, breath hitching as claustrophobia clawed at his resolve, urging him to turn back now.
He gasped for air, each breath rasping in his throat, panic rising as the walls pressed in from all sides. Rough stone scraped against his shoulders, rubbing flesh raw, an abrasive bite he couldn’t escape. Each step grew more punishing than the last until, finally, the passage opened into a broader corridor, its reinforced arched ceiling standing in stark contrast to the ragged throat he’d just endured. With room to move, he quickened his pace, determined to close the gap on the smaller, more agile Reticulan. Yet even as he advanced, a whisper gnawed at the back of his mind: was it wise to follow this demon into its underworld?
His unease deepened as he suddenly realized how light his rifle felt in his hands, a chilling reminder of the hollow click that had followed its last burst of fire. His final magazine was spent. Now there was only his sword.
***TO CONTINUE READING, please search for "World Apart: Extinction War by C. J. Connor" on Amazon, published June 18, 2026. Since "World Apart" was first uploaded on Inkitt, the book has been heavily revised and rewritten, with roughly 55,000 new words added, new scenes, new perspectives, and even some great new characters. For anyone who has already read the book and enjoyed it, perhaps you may be interested in checking it out for a second read. For those who are just starting it or are in the middle or reading it, I apologize for removing the old version, but please consider checking Amazon for the current, new-and-improved version. I would really appreciate positive reviews in the early stages of the book launch, as they are very important to attracting more readers, and as a self-published author, I will be doing all the marketing on my own. It has long been a dream of mine to hold my own book in my hand, and I'm so excited to finally be making that a reality. I hope the world finds the characters and plot of this epic novel as fun and gripping as I do. Thank you so much for the support!***
