COMING AUG. 28th!
In a world where immortality comes at a harrowing cost, Zyir, the heir to the Immortal throne of Earth, finds himself on the run with his symbiotic wife, Ta’Jae, and their son, Qadir. Marked for death after rejecting the toxic legacy of their lineage, the young melanated family grapples with the weight of familial expectations and the brutal realities of their power. As they evade the relentless pursuit of the royal court, the family’s formidable abilities to constantly evade them are put to the test.
Yet, it is the turmoil within their family that poses the greatest threat. Caught between the ideals of love and the brutal realities of survival, the family must confront their past and redefine what it means to be truly free. Will they succeed in breaking the cycle of trauma, or has the proof of their love come through with a price too high that the unmotivated are unwilling to pay?
“When Family’s Out for Your Head” is a tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and the fight against a destructive legacy as immortals navigate a treacherous path toward redemption and the hope of a brighter future.
Prologue
It was a new dawn. The first light of the Dravite sun began its ascent in the sky, casting its unpolluted, light brown-yellow rays across the royal courtyard of the Sempiternal Spire. The Spire, a massive ziggurat, stood majestically above the city of Sommore. Constructed from mud bricks, technology, and crystal, the Sempiternal Spire was a symbol of the immortals’ mastery over both ancient and alien materials. Inside the monumental structure, each level served a distinct purpose: private living quarters, libraries brimming with esoteric knowledge, meeting rooms for clandestine councils, an indoor amphitheater for the arts, and medical spaces to heal even the gravest wounds. At its pinnacle lay the Council Apex, where the immortal elite convened to make decisions that shape the future of their world and the galaxy beyond.
Prince Zyir stood in the courtyard, his emerald eyes glaring at the rising sun over Sommore. The skyline was mesmerizing, with towering structures crafted from alien and bio-engineered materials. Lush greenery weaved not only through the city but the world. Vertical gardens climbed the sides of skyscrapers, and rooftop parks provided oases of tranquility amidst the bustling cityscape. Trees lined the streets, and streams of crystal-clear distilled water meandered through every single pedestrian pathway, reflecting the early morning light.
Resolve built within Zyir, standing there, feeling a pair of strong amethyst-colored eyes upon him. Behind him was his father Rayan, emanating an aura of authority long unchallenged. The tension between them crackled in the crisp morning air.
“Are you going to speak aloud or telepathically?” Zyir inquired, breaking the silence.
“You’ve really let that woman poison your mind — let her convince you to turn your back on everything that makes you who you are?” Rayan’s eyes narrowed, his voice carrying the weight of expectation and disappointment.
Zyir shook his head. “Y’all will never not make this about her when it’s about the bigger picture. For too long, I’ve watched as the immortal throne has demanded the sacrifice of our souls. I refuse to be a pawn in this endless cycle of power and control — whether we’re melanated-homo superior or not.”
“You speak of betrayal, Zyir. To turn your back on your heritage is to defy the gods themselves,” Rayan’s eyes met Zyir’s with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “You endanger not just yourself but Ta’Jae and Qadir as well. Your mother and I should have returned to Aaru after Qadir was born — if you took your destiny seriously.”
Zyir’s jaw tightened at the mention of “destiny”, but his resolve didn’t waver. He had to do this. Despite the consequences. …Because this wasn’t about destiny. It was his father not wanting things to change.
“I’m endangering them by staying. This path you, Momma, and the ancestors tread only leads to shame, anger, and pain. The immortals have eradicated ninety percent of homo sapiens — human DNA on Earth. Must we continue to destroy in the name of survival?” Zyir quizzed, trying to appeal to the man who raised him and not the King he was talking to.
“You are a fool if you think you can escape the blood that binds us. Once the “Pursuit” is called, you condemn your family to a life of fear, running, and death.” Rayan replied, his voice a hardened blend of authority and warning.
“I’m choosing love over fear. I choose life, not as a shadow of what it could be, but in the light of what it should be.” Zyir took a step forward, his choice clear. “Ta’Jae and Qadir deserve a future untainted by the past.”
“Then go … but never for a second believe that you’re safe.” Rayan’s expression softened. He shut his eyes as the full gambit of emotions ran through him. Sadness, regret, frustration, anger, and finally vengeance in a nanosecond as his amethyst eyes glowing upon opening them. “The gods demand that the bonds of blood are never broken. They will find you and reclaim what you’re taking from us.”
Zyir nodded, a somber understanding passing between them. “I know the risks, Father. But for Ta’Jae and Qadir, I would face any danger. We will find our way, beyond the shadow of our people.” With those words, Zyir turned away from the life he had known, walking out of the courtyard and into a future fraught with uncertainty but filled with the hope of a life free of his lineage.