Novels by Manuel Sterling

The walls were carved with symbols that hurt to read. The ceiling was lost in darkness. And in the center— A pillar. Not stone. Not metal. Something between. Pulsing with that same wrong-blue light. And chained to it was a man. Miko's father. He looked the same. Older maybe. Thinner. But the same face Miko remembered. The same features. The same— No. Not the same. Something was wrong. The way he hung there. Lifeless. Like a puppet with cut strings. "Dad," Miko breathed. He ran forward. Didn't think. Just moved. He reached the pillar. Reached for his father. Tried to pull him away from the chains. His father's eyes snapped open. Black. Completely black. Like the Trinide. And his hand shot out. Grabbed Miko's throat. Squeezed. Miko couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. His father's grip was like iron. Impossibly strong. The man's mouth opened. When he spoke, the voice was his father's. But wrong. Layered. Like multiple voices speaking at once. "Welcome, my son," the thing wear

The cave was quiet except for the sound of breathing. Miko sat with his back against the stone wall, staff across his lap. Garcia was beside him, eyes scanning the darkness outside. Their watch shift had another hour before Liam and Blaze took over. Then the whispers started. Not the normal Abyss whispers. These were different. Closer. More focused. Garcia tensed. "Something's coming." Miko stood slowly. The ash around his hands began to swirl without him calling it. His body recognized danger before his mind did. Three shapes emerged from the darkness. The Trinide. They walked with that same confident stride. That same mocking smile. But something was different tonight. More purposeful. Less patient. "Wake the others," Miko said quietly. Garcia moved fast. Within seconds, everyone was up. Weapons ready. Larok came to stand at the cave entrance, axe-hammer in hand. The woman stopped about twenty feet from the cave. Her companions flanked her. All three staring with those bl

Dawn came cold and gray.They gathered in the courtyard. Packs on their backs. Weapons ready. The monastery felt different now. Not home anymore. Just a place they'd been.Larok checked everyone's gear one last time. Efficient. Thorough."Food for three days. Water for two. We'll refill when we can but don't count on it." He looked at Anna. "Healing supplies?""Packed.""Good. Everyone understand the plan?"They nodded. They'd gone over it last night. Reach the tear. Enter the twilight zone. Navigate to the first gate. Get through it. Repeat until they reached the deep Abyss.Simple. On paper."Then let's move." Larok headed for the gates. "Stay close. The Trinide will try something. Be ready."They followed him out of the monastery. Through the gates that had protected them for three weeks.The moment they crossed the threshold, Miko felt it. The wards releasing them. The protection falling away.The Trinide felt it too."Leaving so soon?" The woman's voice. She stood with the two ma

Day twenty-eight.Larok woke them earlier than usual. Still dark outside. No stars visible."Final test today," he announced. "Pass, and we descend tomorrow. Fail, and we train another week."Nobody wanted another week.They gathered in the training grounds. Cold. Tired. But ready."Here's how this works," Larok said. "You fight me. All of you. Together. No holding back. Use everything I've taught you. Magic, weapons, tactics. Everything.""Just fight you?" Liam asked. "That's the test?""That's the test. You land three solid hits on me, you pass. Simple." Larok rolled his shoulders. "But I'm not holding back either. So don't expect easy."He took his stance. Axe-hammer in hand. Lightning already crackling around him."Begin."They moved as one.Three weeks of training together showed. Garcia called the strategy. Miko and Liam flanked left and right. Blaze straight down the middle. Akiya from behind. Anna stayed back, ready to heal.Larok met them head-on.His axe-hammer swept in a wi

Three weeks.That's how long Larok made them fight without magic.On day twenty-two, everything changed.Miko woke to the usual cold water. Got dressed. Made it to the training grounds expecting the usual drills.But Larok was standing there with a different expression. Something almost like approval."No weapons today," he announced. "No blindfolds. No complications.""What then?" Blaze asked warily."Today you remember what you are." Larok gestured to the training ground. "Mages. Elementalists. People with power in their blood. Today, we bring that back."Relief washed over the group. They'd been aching to use their magic again. Three weeks of pure physical combat had been torture."But," Larok continued, "we do it my way. Not the way you learned at the Academy. Not the way you've always done it. My way."He pointed at Miko. "You. Show me your fire."Miko raised his hand. Fire burst to life in his palm. Hot. Bright. Strong."Good. Now make it subtle.""What?""Subtle. Quiet. A flame

“Good," Larok said. He wasn't even winded. Never was. "You're all improving. Garcia, your footwork is solid now. Liam, those twin blades are finally working together. Blaze, nice job not telegraphing that last strike."He looked at Miko. "And you. You're starting to fight like someone who knows what they're doing.""High praise," Miko said dryly."From me? Yes." Larok grinned. "Water break. Then we work on something new."They gathered around the well in the courtyard. Drinking. Cooling down. The morning sun was warm but not hot. Perfect weather for torture, as Blaze liked to say."What's the new thing?" Akiya asked. Her voice was almost normal now. The throat damage had healed."You'll see." Larok disappeared into one of the buildings. Came back carrying a wooden box. Set it down and opened it.Inside were stones. Smooth. Black. They seemed to drink the light."What are those?" Garcia asked."Abyssal fragments. Small pieces of corruption given physical form." Larok picked one up. "Ha

The auction office was buzzing with activity. Zen stood at the payment counter, signing papers while the staff verified his bank transfer. Two million dollars, gone in thirty seconds. He'd spent more on worse things."Mr. Diel," the clerk said, sliding a receipt across the counter. "Your necklace will be ready for pickup in about twenty minutes. We just need to remove it from the display and complete the paperwork.""I'll wait."Keisha stood beside him, checking her phone. "Boss, I've got three missed calls from Willow and two from Sinclair. Might be important.""Later.""And Rosalia texted asking if you're free for dinner tomorrow—""Keisha.""Right. Later."They moved to a quiet corner of the office to wait. Through the glass windows, Zen could see the auction still going on in the main ballroom. Lot fifty-three was up now—some painting that looked like a child had thrown paint at a canvas."Sir?" A young woman in a hotel uniform approached them. "The lady from table three asked me

The Grand Metropolitan Hotel was packed. Zen stepped out of his black sedan, adjusting his cufflinks as he took in the scene. Rich people everywhere, all dressed like they were trying to impress each other. Same old story."You sure about this, boss?" Keisha asked, falling into step beside him. "Could be a trap.""It's not a trap," Zen replied. "It's something worse."They walked through the lobby, past marble columns and crystal chandeliers. The charity auction was being held in the main ballroom, and Zen could already hear the chatter of the crowd inside."Evening, sir. Name for the guest list?" The hostess smiled at him, tablet in hand."Tom Diel."She scrolled through her list. "Ah yes, Mr. Diel. Welcome to the Children's Hospital Foundation auction. Your table is number seven."Zen nodded and moved into the ballroom. The place was huge, with round tables scattered across the floor and a stage at the front where items were being displayed. He found his table and sat down, scanning

The press conference was a masterclass in corporate theater. Zen stood on the podium at the future site of Skyline, the skeletal framework of the unfinished building rising behind him like the bones of a slumbering giant. Construction equipment gleamed in the afternoon sun, workers in Mega-branded safety gear positioned strategically in the background.Camera flashes punctuated his arrival as journalists frantically took notes. The city's most prominent business reporters had rushed to the site following Mega's cryptic announcement of "significant developments regarding the Skyline project."Zen adjusted the microphone, his expression betraying nothing of the calculated vengeance driving his actions. Sinclair stood to the side, scanning the crowd with practiced vigilance, while Keisha managed the press at the perimeter."Good afternoon," Zen began, his voice carrying across the assembled media with commanding precision. "Thank you for joining us on such short notice. Today marks a sig

Night had fallen across the city as Zen sat alone in his office, the only illumination coming from his desk lamp and the soft glow of his computer screen. The Rossi loan documents were spread before him, each page meticulously annotated with his observations. The evidence was damning—predatory terms, hidden clauses, and what appeared to be deliberate manipulation of financial projections to ensure default.Mrs. Rossi had overplayed her hand, and now Zen had everything he needed to take control of the Skyline project.A soft ping from his security system alerted him to movement in the outer office. Zen glanced at his watch—11:47 PM. The cleaning staff had already finished hours ago, and his assistant had left shortly after six.He wasn't expecting anyone.With calmness, Zen closed the folder containing the loan documents and slid it into his desk drawer. He then pressed a concealed button beneath his desk, activating the silent recording system he'd installed for exactly this type of s

The Skyline project dominated the horizon, its partially completed towers rising like monoliths against the afternoon sky. Construction cranes swung in choreographed precision, while teams of workers navigated the massive structure with efficiency. Despite being 15 percent complete, the development already commanded attention—a testament to Tom's architectural vision and business ambition.Zen stood at the edge of the site, ostensibly reviewing progress reports while actually conducting a far more strategic assessment. Following Wilson's revelations about the underground infrastructure connections, a personal inspection had become necessary."The north tower foundation is proceeding ahead of schedule," James Wilson explained as they walked the perimeter. "Structural integrity tests exceeded specifications by twelve percent.""And the sublevel excavation?" Zen asked, his attention focused on the massive pit that would eventually become the project's underground parking and service are

Back in Zen’s Home country, after the whole heat has died down.Evelyn Rossi's office occupied the entire top floor of the Rossi Enterprises headquarters, a testament to both her inflated sense of importance and desperate need for the appearance of power. Floor-to-ceiling windows provided a 360-degree view of the city, including—Zen noted with satisfaction—a perfect sightline to the Skyline project rising in the distance. A project she'd foolishly leveraged her company to infiltrate."Mr. Diel," she greeted as he was ushered in by her assistant. Her voice carried the brittle warmth of someone trying to mask anxiety behind social pleasantries. "What an unexpected pleasure. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."Zen moved into the spacious office with confident strides, each step calculated to remind her who truly held power in this room. He didn't wait for her invitation before settling comfortably in the chair opposite her desk."Avoiding you, Evelyn? Quite the contrary. I've