Beneath Which Sky: Otherworld, #1

By Madeline Walz

At that very moment, the sun exploded. The supernova ripped across the remains of the sun's companion star, across the moon, across the planet. When the blast finally cleared, only a small, glowing pulsar remained. There was no trace of the once-thriving world.

      Arkeda Mothran has a massive secret: he is the only survivor of the supernova that destroyed his home planet, Otreau. He's kept his secret for over a decade, but now, as he enters college, his internal conflict grows and he begins to realize that no secret can be kept forever.

      In this first installment of the Otherworld series, you will meet one of four people who are destined to save two worlds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Madeline Walz
• Release date: Jul 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201127930

Madeline Walz

Madeline Walz attends the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she studies user experience design. Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, she now lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her family of six people, a dog, and a parakeet. She loves reading seven books at a time, doing math puzzles, and browsing for typefaces.  You can visit her website at madelinewalz.com or find her on Facebook @MadelineWalzAuthorDesigner.

Book preview

Part I

September 2049

Arkeda

The portal is unlike anything I had ever seen. It’s as if the vacuum of space had solidified to form a clear, twisting tunnel. Occasionally, I see a star off in the distance, and every few seconds, there is a flash of light: pearly white, flaming red, bright violet, and electric blue. Then, suddenly, the tunnel ends, and I’m approaching a blue sphere that quickly grows to fill my entire field of vision.

As the pod gets closer to the surface of the planet, I begin to make out details: clouds, lakes, rivers, forests, deserts. It looks like home, I think. Maybe it won’t be so bad.

After several minutes, the pod lands with a bump in a field. The hatch opens, and I wake up.

I sit up in bed and look at the clock. It’s only two a.m., but now I’m wide awake. I quietly slip out of bed and go to get some water from the tiny fridge on the other side of the hotel room. When I return to bed, I lay down and think about the dream.

For the past ten years, I’ve relived that day in my dreams, every night, repeating over and over. Tomorrow, I know, I’ll dream about how the day began. It all seemed so normal, until my parents sent me away. I push the painful memories away. Tomorrow–technically, later today–I’m moving into the freshman dorms at Gabriel Possenti University. That means meeting more people I’ll have to keep at arm’s-length.

Several hours later, I manage to go back to sleep, and the dream continues where it left off.

I get out of the pod and look around, careful to stay close to the ground like I was taught. There’s not much to see: grass, a few birds, and trees in the distance. Near the horizon to the north I see a thin dark line. A river? Or a road? There’s only one way to find out. I search the pod for anything useful and find a canteen of water. I grab it and begin to walk.

After what feels like hours, I reach what is, in fact, a road. There are no vehicles in sight, so I pull out the paper my mother gave me and open it. It’s a letter.

Our dear son,

If you are reading this, then the day we have been waiting for has arrived and we have sent you away. It was very hard, but it is the only way.

Though our time together has been short, we will always be with you, in your heart.

You are our world, and we love you more than you will ever know. You are so talented, and your extraordinary memory is something to be proud of. It is rare, even where we sent you.

Remember what we taught you: learn their ways and their language. Someday, you may find someone with whom you will share your story.

Love forever,

Mum and Dad

My face wet with tears, I turn to the