In this scene from Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas, the immortal Pietas argues with his father, who contends that war has cost billions of human lives, while as immortals, none of the Ultras has suffered a perma-death.

Freedom, Fairness, Fortune

“As usual, you discount my deaths.”

“Yours don’t count. You come back.”

“I see.” Had anything Pietas had ever done counted? Not to the man before him. “Tell me, Father.” He picked up a silver circlet and toyed with it. “Would it be better if some of us had been terminated by fire, or one of the other ways to end us permanently? How many perma-deaths would suffice? Are two sufficient? A hundred? Or would mine be enough?”

“Why must you twist my words? Of course Ultras have died, but we revive in peak condition. Humans stay dead. All I’m saying is the loss is heavy on one side.”

“Every war has losses. Yet you don’t celebrate the victory. You count the enemy’s defeat as your own.”

“This is why you are unfit to lead the council. You–”

“Ah, there it is.” Pietas twirled the diadem around one finger. “The real reason you’re here. To whine about losing your place of power.”

“That’s petty and you know it. Too many mortals have died!”

“Mortals! How I tire of that word. I believe I’ll start calling them Mundanes.”

“Why not? It smacks of your usual disrespect and bigotry.”

Pietas sputtered a laugh. “I find it incredulous that the indignant and righteous Mahikos who led our people in rebellion against humanity has fallen so far from his ideals. What happened to the motto ‘Freedom, Fairness, Fortune’ that rallied our people? I was four years old. We were still hidden then. No one knew Dessy and I existed except you and Mother. But you hoisted us both onto your shoulders and we stayed behind darkened glass and watched as thousands of our people cheered in the streets. You’d won them freedom, and they shouted your name. Oh, in that moment, Father, I wanted to be just like you. No, I wanted to be you. Now?” He ignored the angry twitch tugging at one eyelid. “You want us to treat humans as equals. They never treated us as such. Even now, we’re hated and reviled. Putting them on the council will make them haughtier. I want nothing to do with humans.”

“Then you want nothing to do with me, Son. Humans are all I care about.”

And wasn’t that the naked truth of his father’s betrayal? He had turned his back on their people. He had turned his back on his son.

Bringer of Chaos: Origin of Pietas by Kayelle Allen

Immortal Council member Pietas, leader of the Ultra race, wants nothing to do with faithless, lying humans. After discovering humans captured and tortured his people, Pietas declares war. To him, humans deserve nothing more than conquest and elimination. They possess no honor. They lie, cheat, and sign faithless treaties. He washes his hands of them.

Following centuries of battle, Pietas learns with dismay that the Ultra High Council has agreed to peace talks. He suspects a trap, but grudgingly complies. Upon arrival at the site, his worst fears are realized. Cornered, out of options and with his beloved mother’s immortality at stake, Pietas surrenders.

Now a captive of the people he loathes, Pietas is left for dead on the planet Sempervia. He can’t survive on his own. Six, a human soldier abandoned with him, offers food and water. Is this man worthy of friendship? Or is this another trap?

Either way, Pietas must do the one thing he detests. Trust a human…

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Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She’s a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she’s tenured.

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