Crimson Seraph (Tale series)

## Introduction

***Crimson Seraph*** is the title of a series of interlinked Maincanon short stories centered around Yelena Trotskaya, the titular seraph. It is categorised into two volumes, with each volume representing a different part of Trotskaya's life as she proceeds with her quest to bring greatness to the world and to herself.

Three stories from the *Crimson Seraph* saga exist as Tales from the Frencoverse; the rest are intended to be published on Writing Forums.

## Volume One

### *The Proposal*

*The Proposal* is set immediately after Trotskaya is rescued by Mir. While in the process of healing from her wounds, the Archaelect introduces itself to her as she struggles in her restraints, desperate to rescue her mother from her rapist and torturer, Anatoly Rakovsky. Mir proposes to her that she assist it in bringing about its grand vision of a united humanity. Trotskaya agrees, on the condition that she be made strong so as to never suffer the loss of anyone she cares about again.

### *The Prophecy*

*The Prophecy*, set the next morning after *The Proposal*, sees Trotskaya (quite literally) waking up to her new reality, and beginning to waver as she starts to realise what lies before her. Mir takes her to the undercity of New Leningrad, where it explains to her the dream that was passed down to it by its maker, Sergey Trotsky - Trotskaya's great grandfather.

*The Prophecy* has yet to appear in prose.

### *The Judgement*

*The Judgement*, set a year after *The Prophecy*, opens with an introduction to Tisifona Okhotnova, the Marshal of the Mechanocracy and commander of the Drakon Brigade. Okhotnova expresses indignant disapproval of Mir's taking in what she perceives as nothing more than a child and giving her an officer rank at its whim; the Archaelect responds by allowing Okhotnova to assess Trotskaya herself, who is training in the Mir Complex's sparring arena, unaware of the marshal's presence. Mid-battle, Mir informs her that Okhotnova plans to assess her; Trotskaya responds that she will not bother prattling her virtues, instead inviting the marshal to witness her actions. At the end of the battle, Mir invites Trotskaya to tell that to Okhotnova herself; the marshal, having heard everything, smiles in approval.

### *The Evolution*

*The Evolution*, set a few days after *The Judgement*, details Okhotnova educating Trotskaya in the nuances of battlefield tactics and refining her fighting skill. Trotskaya proves competent in the former, but grows frustrated when the marshal berates her for sloppiness in her combat trial.

Like *The Prophecy*, *The Evolution* is yet to be written.

### *The Absolution*

The last story of *Crimson Seraph*'s first volume details Trotskaya, now having completed her training as a supersoldier and inducted into the Drakon Brigade, going to hunt down and kill Anatoly Rakovsky. She slaughters her way through his security detail and kills several of his vozhd associates, before smashing her way into the same dungeon where she was kept and raped. Rakovsky makes a pitiful attempt to recapture her by striking her on the head with a baseball bat, to no avail. Expecting her to destroy him, Rakovsky is shocked to hear Trotskaya express forgiveness - because Rakovsky's depredations granted her insight into the world of evil and set her dream in motion. As a 'reward', Trotskaya proceeds to *"purge"* Rakovsky of his sins. The story ends with a chant of *"blessed are the visionaries, for they will inherit the earth"*.

## Volume Two

The second volume is set to transpire a year after *Operation Red Hammer*. It will detail Trotskaya's first mission without the supervision of Mir or Okhotnova - to terminate Lavrentiy Krapotkin, a vicious warlord who has established a massive narcotics ring from the Khatanga Exclusion Zone. There, her self-proclaimed resolve will be put through the most strenuous trials that she has ever faced.

The five stories in the volume will be titled *Pain*, *Anger*, *Terror*, *Sorrow* and *Hatred*.