Beneath the Cloudline

United we climb. Divided we fall.

A story about a divided society, shared responsibility, and what it costs to put it back together.

Halidom's towers rise above an old seabed. On the ground, the Rooted work and build. Up high, the Skybloods move in quiet efficiency. Between them hangs the Cloudline. Beyond the mist, the exiled Seedbinders wait in the lost spire.

Beneath the Cloudline follows four kids: a climber, an engineer, a researcher, and a boy who doesn't know where he belongs.

Together, they realize the systems keeping them apart are the same ones failing the city. Now, The Bloom, a that nearly ended the world has grown back. Hungrier this time.

So they climb. Across altitudes. Across grudges. Through the silence their grandparents left behind. Not to win a war. To repair what was broken, they need to trust each other long enough to finish the job.

Part 1: The Divided Sky

The city's towers harness power and the ground holds them up. Its people have forgotten that they depend on each other. When Jax, a Rooted climber, and Elyra, a Highborn engineer, cross the Cloudline, they uncover a truth buried by fear and sealed into law. To save Halidom, they'll have to trust each other and convince both sides that restoration is better than revolution.

Part 2: The Eleventh Spire

The rain is changing. Someone has tampered with the Cloudline's core, and the Bloom, a threat the city buried long ago, stirs beneath the soil. To find answers, Jax, Elyra, and Zinn follow a Seedbinder named Brae back to the spire Halidom erased from its maps and descend into its buried labs, where the trail leads to a betrayal inside the Council itself.

Part 3: Skywoven

The phase-runners drift above the wasteland. Eight airships hold to a central cradle, moving as one. Each pod stays aloft on heated air, fed by the slow burn of old vine sap. Its song shields the valleys below from the Rootbane's return. But the harmony is fading, and an amplifier has gone silent. When Jax and Zinn join the Skywoven, they discover that the towers were never the whole system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's at the heart of the story?

At its heart, it's a story about people choosing unity over division.

Is this a dystopia?

It's post-collapse hopepunk. World rebuilding after bad science nearly ended everything. The story asks: Can we learn from our mistakes?

Do I need to like sci-fi to enjoy this?

No. It's sci-fi in setting, but a fable at heart. Focused on people, not technology.

What age range is this for?

Young adult (ages 13+). It's written for older teens but reads well for adults.

Is this a safe read for all audiences?

Yes. No graphic violence, sexual content, or profanity.

How long is it?

Just under 60,000 words—a fast-paced read most teens finish in a weekend.

About the Author

Patrick LaJuett is a storyteller, designer, and lifelong truth seeker.

Perfect for fans of

The Giver
Skyward
Miyazaki-style worldbuilding

Themes

Found family
Revolution without war
Hope in a fractured world

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse