Drides looked down at Rayna, trying to hide just how scared she was. She was a small Earthen girl, taken prisoner in a strange world by people that she couldn’t relate at all with. Trinqit, with a devious smile, held the child at her side. Viveri stood further away with a slightly perplexed look.

  “I…” Drides sighed deeply. “Trinqit, I believe I told you—in every sense of the word—that I did not want her here. Why did you disobey me?”

  Trinqit angrily replied, “And I can’t believe you want them to have a kid we’ve been looking for this entire time! What the hell is that reasoning?”

  “That isn’t the point,” Drides snapped. “Have you forgotten that I only wanted Rayna before to keep her safe from the king? After seeing that Milla’s group was capable of keeping her away from Lontonkon, I wanted her to stay with them. I can’t simply withhold Rayna from the king if she’s here! It’s dangerous. I can’t give him the upper-hand.”

  “But we all know she’s safer with you! Lontonkon is putting all of his effort into stopping Rivia’s slaves, while you’re off… playing with them.”

  “Jenera, let me tell you one last time. Straight to your face. I. Killed. The Original. I don’t see why you still think I’m lying about this. I needed their help to do the job.”

  “I don’t think you’re lying. I’m just skeptical if it was the Original.”

  “Whatever. I’m too tired to argue. I’ve got a council meeting to go to shortly, where I have to waste more energy humoring politicians.”

  “Sir, what are we going to do with Rayna?” Viveri inquired.

  “We can’t just give her back, can we? That would confuse their little minds. Let me make this clear: I won’t punish you, and I won’t commend you. What’s done is done. I can’t hide Rayna from the king. I can only buy myself some time. Rivia will arrive soon, and I suspect that Milla’s group will learn of Eden’s Burrow not too long after that. And from there, they come to get Rayna, and all hell breaks loose. Just as Lontonkon wants. Depending on what happens at that point, I may finally go against him.”

  “Sir, do you think… Do you think we could’ve stopped Rivia from returning with his army if we wanted?”

  “What? Him and his paradigms? Probably. But it doesn’t matter now. A war is exactly what Lontonkon wants, anyway. Win or lose, he only attacked I to let them know the Guard is still here. The king thinks this is all a game, like we never even lost providence. I’ll be glad when he’s dead.”

  “M-mister Drides…” Rayna said with a shaky voice. “Can… can I please go back to the others?”

  “I know. You liked them better, I’m sure. And you could’ve been with your parents. You have this mean lady here to thank for this turn of events. I can’t just hide you from the king, I’m afraid. You’ll have to be with me for a little bit. I’m sorry. That said, I’ll take good care of you while you’re here. I know this palace is dreary, but it’s a safe place.”

  “Why… why do you want to kill the king?”

  “He’s a bad person who has no respect for the people he rules over. He’s killed many for little or no reason at all, and he only cares about himself. I care for all of Aurra, even if I seem at odds with your friends’.”

  “Why does he want me?”

  “He wants the power you possess. I don’t want him to get it. But this has to be our secret. He still thinks I’m loyal to him. Once I eventually make sure he’ll never bother us again, you can return to the others.”

  “Okay…”

  “Good. You’re quite brave. Would you like to accompany me to a senate session? It’s just boring politics, but you’ll also get to see some of our most beautiful City. And I’m not actually giving you a choice.”

  “Okay…”

  “Drides, this child…” Trinqit spoke a bit more modestly. “She… I think she used a nova technique. I saw it happen right in front of me.”

  “That’s because she is a nova. Don’t question how Lontonkon managed to do it, as I still don’t know myself.”

  “What does the king have to do with me?” Rayna replied.

  “Nothing. I was referring to… Ah, could you just tell me how you managed to create your spell back when you were getting kidnapped?”

  “I… don’t really know. It’s a power that I’ve always felt. Once I knew what alchemagi was, I guess it kind of started to…”

  “Come to life, yes. But to use even a base spell without trying…”

  “Mr. Drides? Do you know what’s wrong with me?”

  “Why do you think that something is wrong with you?”

  “Please, just tell me…”

  Drides sighed and replied. “There’s nothing wrong with you, child. There’s just something… living in you. And if I can, I will remove it completely. But for now, I’d like you to accompany me to City A.”

  “Are you sure that’s such a good idea?” Trinqit asked.

  “As long as this child is with us, I’m not letting her out of my sight. Lontonkon will take her when he sees the chance. I’m not giving him one.”

  “Very well…”

  “Rayna, we have a few minutes to spare. First thing we’ll do when we get to City A… is find a tailor and finally get you some Aurrian clothing. I can’t believe Milla never got you changed out of your Earth attire. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself, do you?”

  “I… guess not, sir.”

  “You don’t need to call me ‘sir’. Mr. Drides will do fine,” he replied with a small smile. “Follow me to the machine that will take us to A.”

  “Okay…”

  “Have fun with the politicians, Mr. Drides,” Trinqit added rather snidely as the two left.

  “Couple of idiots…” he muttered to Rayna, now at his side.

  “I thought they were your friends?”

  “Not really, no. Let me tell you a little about myself. I’m determined, but not self-centered. I’m aware of my powers, but I only use them to better all of Aurra. I respect human life and I do not like to make people suffer. However, I will not let anyone get in my way, so sometimes I must demonstrate what I can do to others in ways I may not like.”

  “Change Aurra? How?”

  “That’s… not something I can share with anyone.”

  He opened a metal door and entered a small, lit room with a high-tech chamber in the middle of it. It was already warmed up, and emitted a loud humming noise. Rayna looked on in a slight fear of the machine as Drides went to its computer system and tapped on the keyboard.

  “Don’t be afraid. You just climb right in, and it’ll take you to a faraway place. For now, we’re going to A’s forum. It’s like the hub of all Aurra. Anyone with a City T rank or above can visit, as can any Guardsmen or politician. Follow me in. The machine light will go on when it’s ready.”

  “Um, okay, I guess…”

  Drides went ahead and slipped through the vibrant pillar of light in the center of the machine as Rayna watched in a curious fascination. For the moment, she was alone, but she knew that there was little reason not to follow him. He seemed nicer than Trinqit, and the cold, wet, dark place where he lived was one she wanted to spend as least time in as possible.

  Holding her breath, she walked through after the light had flickered on, and then suddenly found herself in a larger but similar room. There was almost no feeling throughout the entire process aside from a tiny jolt, and the journey was over before she even knew that it had begun. Drides was talking with the security chief next to the door, in a state of fearful respect.

  “Come along, stay close,” Drides said towards Rayna.

  She did as she was told, and this time, she followed just a bit closer. As they left the secured facility, he raised the hood on his cloak and covered his left eye with it. With the mechanical patch hidden, he hardly stood out at all—while Rayna drew some of her own from the fibrocator station staff.

  “Raining,” he murmured as they stepped out onto a cobblestone street under a gray, overcast sky. “Not the greatest day to see A.”

  “We… we don’t have umbrellas,” Rayna stated.

  “Not to worry. A tailor shouldn’t be far from here.”

  Using the subtlest of nature manipulation, Drides bent the drops around him as he and Rayna walked down the busy street, keeping the two perfectly dry. Most everyone else used an umbrella, although a few alchemagists could be spotted following Drides’ act.

  Through the gray fog, Rayna could just barely make out the dark shapes of the towers in the distance. Their current location, however, was comprised of low-rise, very fanciful shops and apartments. An ornate marble fountain and bench seemed to be at every corner, with the nobles and politicians dressed heavily in grand, fantastical Aurrian garments.

  “This City is… different…” Rayna whispered.

  “Yes, it is. Every other City has hundreds upon hundreds of those bland, colorless skyscrapers. This is why so many visit A, at least in more peaceful times. As small as this City is, there’s about enough people passing through here each day to meet N’s permanent residents. Once you get past the giant walls protecting Aurra’s inner sanctum, however, all goes quiet. It’s pure luxury—even the streets there are made of marble… but are very empty. Ah, here we are. And they have children’s clothing.”

  She peered into the shop window. The store had a single floor, but went back so far that she couldn’t see the wall on the other side. Although it had a few adult-sized clothes on the side, most of the racks were indeed filled with clothes meant for the younger set. Dozens of kids were sorting through coats, shirts, pants, and dresses. Some had parents; most did not.

  “I still don’t really understand how you pay for things…” Rayna said as she gazed through the storefront window. “And all of these clothes are so… weird looking.”

  “Get used to them. You’re basically an Aurrian now, because the truth is, you may not be able to go home for a long while. And you do get used to them. As for money, we don’t really have a monetary… I mean cash system. If you don’t work, you’re limited to three clothing credits and five household credits a month. The coins are worth quite a bit, so it’s up to the seller when it comes to how much they’ll trade for them.”

  “That’s… um, like, it’s called bartering, right?”

  “Yes. And if you do work, you get more credits. If you join the Guard, you get even more. And I… Well, I get as much as I want.”

  “Oh, wow. You could just grab everything in there?”

  “Yes. But that wouldn’t be very nice, would it? Also, you get a bunch of credits once a year to update your wardrobe and home. And typically, custom synthesized clothing costs double—even four times more. I could pay to have something designed just for you, but our issue is time.”

  “I’ll just pick one or two things from the racks,” Rayna said. “I like clothes shopping with my parents, so I’m used to this kinda thing. Come on—I think I already see something I might want.”

  This time, he followed Rayna in and practically let her drag him about the store as she searched a set of clothes. He was patient and silent throughout, and no one would’ve suspected that they were in the midst of the top pretorian, and in such an odd place for him to visit.

  After about twenty minutes, Rayna returned to Drides with a set of dull scarlet, high-grade clothing: a dress with deep pockets that reached the knees and a pair of silk pants that went just past them. The collar of the flowing, wavy dress had a small bow tied on, and going through the mid-section was a stitched-on sash in an even deeper red.

  “Is this your favorite color?”

  Rayna nodded and handed Drides her selection. “That’ll be enough,” she said. “I don’t want to waste that time you need.”

  “I’ll purchase these, and you can change in one of the booths.”

  Three minutes later, Rayna looked like any other Aurrian child. She stepped out from the store and under the awning, where Drides was waiting quietly and watching the rain. A relationship of modest trust seemed to have sprouted between the two, and Rayna almost felt as if she weren’t a prisoner. A bag of her Earth clothes at her side, she stepped up to Drides, and after not hearing a word from him, she also turned to look at the rain.

  “You don’t stand out anymore,” Drides finally said. “Rayna. About your parents… I didn’t want to harm them. In fact, I was actually trying to protect them from our king. I fear that had he gotten to you first, he may have killed them. He doesn’t really value life like I do. And he’s trying to do something… horrible with the demon. Something I can’t even really yet comprehend. And since he’s evil and twisted, I don’t want him to succeed.”

  “I don’t know what to say. I guess you don’t have a reason to lie.”

  “The problem is, the pretorians have never really had that much power. We’re just in a special, high-ranking wing of the Guard’s military. We don’t even have much authority over generals—although we have the power to challenge them. I’m keeping my true abilities a secret until the time comes when I know I can finally rid this world of that man.”

  “Who exactly is Lontonkon?”

  “Hm. So… I’m actually from Earth. My powers awakened in Hold, and they let me escape and make it to Aurra without going the ‘normal route.’ That was two years ago. The king took an interest in me and ‘raised’ me, as he calls it, to be his best soldier. But I’ve been playing him. He’s a tyrannical idiot, no more or less. At the meeting, no matter who shows up, all I want you to do is stay silent and let me do the talking.” He looked at her. “I’m probably boring you, telling you all these things, right?”

  “No, not really. I don’t understand all of it… But I want to. Um, Mr. Drides… so why are you being so nice to me?”

  “You… wouldn’t understand. I mean, I couldn’t tell you. Let’s just keep it at me trying to make you happy.”

  “You want me to be happy?”

  “Yes. That’s all. I think children deserve to be happy, both on Earth and in Aurra. No matter how many lives they’ve lived. Children should have no worries about the stupid, trivial things adults bicker about.”

  “Are… are you happy?”

  Drides said nothing. Rayna eventually gave up on an answer and went back to watching the rain and the people walking by.

  “Come on…” He said after a few minutes. “They’re waiting. We’ll use the same device we used to get here to go to the chamber. And I’ll warn you now—it will be boring. Hopefully we won’t have to stay long.”

  “Is this like… that place that’s on TV? My dad watched this news stuff sometimes, where a bunch of old people talked a lot in a big room.”

  “You’re American, so you’re probably thinking of senate hearings. Ours are similar; people argue, get nothing done, and yet feel important.”

  They had soon left the rain-soaked streets of A behind and re-entered the fibrocator. This time, the room they were brought to was even more secured, with three royal Guardsmen and a large robotic creature.

  The metal beast had six legs and looked oddly like a lobster, with a body covered in heavy, dull armor, with its two forward automated weapons clearly visible. A blue circle with an ‘X’ running through it was marked on its head in fading paint, and along with patches of rust, the machine looked quite old—but still very dangerous.

  “Ah, master Drides,” one of the Guardsmen greeted.

  He lowered his hood and stared back at all three of them, his usual way of greeting others. They opened the metal doors so that the two could proceed, and Drides led Rayna into the next hall without a sound. Behind them, the machine whirred and clanked a few times as it turned its bulky structure around and locked onto the two with its visor-eyes.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “What the heck was that thing?”

  “A schutz,” Drides replied. “A rather nasty relic of a recent era. Schutz is German for ‘protector.’ There’s about a hundred of them still around, about a thousand originally.”

  “It was a… big robot.”

  “It is. They’re heavy, slow-moving machinery, crafted by former German scientists who lost their lives during the First World War. Some were improved after the Second. Even I may have trouble taking one of those down. They can take a beating. They’d be used in combat, I’m sure, but they move about a mile an hour at most. So, they’re just used to protect vital areas like political centers. City A has quite a collection of the things.”

  “It looked scary…”

  “Sure does. They won’t attack without very good reason, though. I guess you could say they’re loyal little doggies.”

  They turned into the next hall of the massive senate chamber in the heart of the City. Stone archways nearly a hundred feet up supported the building, which was larger than any stadium on Earth and one of the biggest structures on Aurra’s surface world. Senators, councilmen, and their assistants scoured the corridors, preparing for the upcoming meeting. But for the most part, it was as cold, gray, and empty as it had always been.

  “Mr. Drides…”

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks… for being nice to me and telling me all about things, but do you think you could… Not hurt my friends?”

  “So long as they don’t give me a reason to, then I won’t.”

  “But you did last time they were with you… You hurt them pretty bad, in fact.”

  “They attacked me first. I only defended myself. I had no intention of killing them, either. I need them to help beat the king’s armies.”

  “Okay. It’s just that… I worry about them.”

  “I understand. Hm… you know, Rayna, you look a little awkward carrying that bag about in such a place. Here, I’ll give you a little present.”

  Drides reached into his pocket and took out something she identified right away—a storage disc, just like the one Wendell used.

  “H-hey… Mr. Wendell has one of those. Aren’t they rare?”

  “They are, but I can get as many as I want. You can have this one.”

  “Thank you.”

  Already knowing how to use it, she stored her bag inside of the disc, and then secured it in one of her dress’s pockets. She gave Drides a small smile as the two stopped at a large, decorated wooden door protected by four Guardsmen. They opened it right away, and the visitors finally made their way into the central chamber.

  Inside was a spacious stone amphitheater, lined with wall-sized paintings and wall carvings. Three other entrances were at the north, south, and west ends, each with a moderately sized waiting room behind them. Rayna followed Drides as he turned into a stairwell and went up a few flights before officially entering the chamber from a higher position.

  They arrived at a box seat lined with Guardsmen, and waiting for them at a small throne was Lontonkon himself, with Delqua at his side. Upon hearing the footsteps, the king turned around, noticed Drides, stared at Rayna for a moment, turned back around, and silently waved them in.

  “Is… is that him?” Rayna murmured.

  “Unfortunately,” Drides replied.

  The two stepped inside the box, where the loud ruckus of the senate could be heard throughout the air. It was quickly evident that only half—if less—of the officials were present, and those attending didn’t seem the least bit calm or collected. Drides had only been to a few meetings, and this was somehow both the smallest he had seen, and the noisiest.

  “And here you are,” the king welcomed him. “I see you’ve brought someone with you. Is it who I expect it to be?”

  Drides and Rayna took their places at the side of the small throne, the only seat in the box at all. Delqua gave both of them a look over, while Rayna nervously stayed focused on taking in the size of the building.

  “Rayna Carthy. You’ve been waiting to meet her,” Drides replied.

  “Good. Hello, Rayna.”

  “Um, hello,” she almost squeaked back.

  “I’ve heard that there’s a creature causing you some trouble.”

  Drides sighed very quietly at the king’s ignorance, while Rayna didn’t know how to respond at all.

  “Well, don’t worry. We’ll remove it from you soon, child. Drides, we will meet in the island palace tomorrow at this time. Understood?”

  “Sorry, but no. For what you’re trying to do, I need to run some tests on her. You have to realize that it’s for our—and your own safety.”

  “What? Now you’re making demands?”

  “Do you want to die?” Drides replied through telepathy. “Mutate into something horrendous, maybe? We have no idea what the results of this will be. As Aurra’s ruler, you owe our world the proper procedures on this. Let me keep her for a few days so I can perform some tests.”

  Drides looked back out at the senate as Lontonkon replied into his subordinate’s mind, “And what will you do if I don’t agree?”

  “Then I’m afraid I’ll have to kill her. She’ll return to Earth—with her parents. Their lives will be changed and they’ll go through the ordeal of trying to find one another, but at least she’ll be out of your reach.”

  “You presumptuous… Fine then. We’ll do it your way. Just know that I never gave you permission to go after the Original.”

  “It was the first purpose I had to you, remember? What did it matter when I did it?”

  “Because you made Earth inaccessible, which gives you leverage against me. Sometimes I wonder if you’re still on my side.”

  “Wonder all you want, my king.”

  Lontonkon grumbled quietly and looked back out at the senate, settled and ready for the session. He waved at Delqua as a signal to begin.

  “Bastard…” Drides muttered.

  “What is it?” Rayna replied.

  “He’s trying to take you away. Just like that. He doesn’t trust me at all anymore. But I won’t let him have you. You’re safe from him.”

  “All rise,” Delqua shouted out, his voice amplified through the chamber. “The twenty-ninth session of the six-hundred and tenth Aurrian Senate has now commenced. In Flentek’s absence, the king himself will lead this session, which will primarily host security council subjects, including the efforts against the Aurrian rebellion, the new state of Aurra, and the continuing debate of our government acting against the Administration.”

  “Might I ask where everyone is today?” Lontonkon began. “We’re in a crisis here, and only half the representatives have shown up?”

  “My liege…” one of the three City L senators replied from across the room. “Nearly a dozen senators have gone missing. A dozen more are in hiding, fearing for their lives. Dear I say, they may be limited to the more… unpopular officials, but that’s how it is these days. We seem to be falling apart. We can’t handle this… We’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “How pitiful. You lose your immortality, and you lose your nerve. We still have jobs to do, people! We still need to govern Aurra! Earthen politicians have always been mortal and disliked, yet they still go to work.”

  “But the attack on I failed! D has fallen!” another added. “The rebellion is stronger than expected, and Rivia is about to return to Aurra!”

  “Where is the Administration? Why aren’t they helping us? The suppression device should’ve been repaired by now, no matter the damage!”

  One of G’s senators added, “I just watched our councilor and my friend assassinated, just feet away from me, three days ago! We don’t have adequate security in the Cities! The rebels are everywhere, and now that the word is out on the loss of providence, we’ve more and more daily uprisings. We don’t know who to suspect, and we can’t arrest every single person!”

  “This is why we need providence. You know all about death, and everyone becomes unafraid of murder. Human nature is a disgusting thing. Aurra may not have been perfect before this, but at least it functioned.”

  “And what of F’s military base? We still haven’t been told why it was destroyed, and my people still worry that their homes may be next.”

  “Aurra hates what we’re doing. God is punishing us. Taking away our paradise. He dims our sun, fouls our air… This is a time of judgment.”

  “He’s right! God, the Administration, the people, Aurra itself—whatever you want to call it, wherever you place the blame, they’re all punishing us! Aurra’s government will be left in ruins!”

  “Settle down!” Lontonkon demanded. “All of you! We have to retain control, no matter the cost. If we let the Administration and public know we’re afraid, then we’ve lost! We have scientists working hard to reverse what has happened to Aurra. We are making progress in restoring full suppression, and as for City F… Well, that’s what I want to discuss today. Today, my loyal delegates, generals, and City leaders, I will tell you of the new Aurrian army, to be fully unveiled early tomorrow morning.

  “City D is now seen as a rebellion stronghold, but come tomorrow, we will give them a grand surprise. This is Aurra. We can rebuild any City down to the leaves on a branch. If an entire City has to go to stop this war, then so be it. And unfortunately, that is the selfish position that former Guard Colonel Klayson has put himself in. Tomorrow, D will belong to us again, and we will prove to all of Aurra that we still rule this land with a fist of steel and military might. This kind of intimidation is what we need. It is the only way to restore our world and the peace and balance within it.

  “To build this army, I had to take extreme measures. Some of these were already in place years before this threat arrived. Although I cannot share all of the details, I will say that F’s academy was used to develop a new weapon—mobile hammers, capable of demolishing anything in their way. We had the technology to destroy entire buildings in one blow, so why not advance on it and create a new weapon? As for F’s military, I had them moved and their forces readjusted. Feeling that the academy was in danger of rebel attack, I had it flattened for safety of its secrets and possible use as a rebel base. Some men, likely rebel sympathizers, fought back, but a majority were saved. And if you doubt this new super army, then let me assure you that it is now ready to show its full strength, and it is currently marching to D. We will retake and rebuild that City no matter the cost.”

  All fell silent. The reality that Aurra was now in its first, full-scale war seemed to finally be sinking in among the politicians.

  “We will soon have new, more powerful airships to replace the Gods’ Palm and the Avenger. We will rid our world of the rebels and begin reconstruction on C. Suppression will be repaired and our laws changed and reformed. The Administration will no longer assert its full, hidden authority over us after its failure to prevent this war, or intervene when it began.

  “In the end, this rebellion will reawaken hope in all Aurrians, giving them the security that their government is here to watch out for them, no matter how strict we may be. And… what brings about a victory more than anything else? A trump card, a single key element. Shortly, with your help, Aurra will be ruled over by two powerful figures the likes of which you’ve never seen. I will be one of them. The young man standing next to me will be the other. Together, we cover all of our flaws so that we have none at all. We will be benevolent, yet rule Aurra on a tight leash.”

  “What a load of crap…” Drides thought to himself as he took a step forward into the light. “The king has become a cartoon villain.”

  Upon noticing the tall man with the mechanical eye patch, the senate went into a storm of murmurs. They had heard of the king’s newest “project,” but the descriptions were scattered and sometimes unbelievable. But now, there he was; the Aurrian who could kill someone with a simple gaze, and tear open portals to the feared Fragmented Dimension.

  “I present… William Drides, our lead pretorian. And apostle.”

  The senate fell silent again, and into deep thought. An apostle? When was the last time that one was known publicly? Indeed, they had always existed since recorded history, but hundreds might’ve lived by now—and many of them wouldn’t have even realized it.

  “An apostle,” one of the senators repeated. “My… my liege, I mean no disrespect, but are you positive? It hasn’t even been proven just what it takes to activate the powers of one of these… people.”

  “If you need proof, then I will provide it. I know that Drides’ kind has been shrouded in secrecy, their powers often never coming to light. It takes effort to awaken their powers, and they can easily be mistaken for silvers. There is no known easy way to find them. Throughout history, only nineteen have ever been verified. And our twentieth, William Drides… Well, he is completely unique. Allow me to demonstrate his abilities.”

  “What?” Drides whispered back sharply. “We never agreed to…”

  “Easy, Will,” he replied and then spoke to the senate once more. “I realize that this may seem cruel, but keep in mind that we have held high treason executions in this chamber for thousands of years. And we have with us today a man worthy of this punishment. Many of you are likely expecting Drides to open a portal to the Fragmented Dimension, but we now know that such a punishment can no longer be utilized. On top of this, such an ability is not exclusive to Drides; it’s unworthy of demonstration.”

  “Why are we doing this?” William continued.

  Lontonkon ignored him and signaled to Delqua.

  “Bring the prisoner to the floor,” Delqua said into the microphone in front of him. “We shall have our first public execution in a century.”

  Below, the doors to the stage in the center of the chamber opened, and two royal Guardsmen walked in, escorting between them a small old man in shackles. Drides watched the scene and sighed deeply. It was bad enough taking orders from the man he loathed; worse when it involved taking the life of someone he didn’t know. The king signaled to Drides, who reluctantly obeyed and used watairre elemental travel to disappear and reappear on the stage, much to the surprise of both Rayna and the council.

  “Rulius Linksy stands before us today as a guilty man,” the king’s voice echoed harshly. “An assistant to the general once known as a hero but now a traitor to us all, Jonan Rivia, Linsky worked at his side for years, knowing full well what he was planning. Yet, he never came forward. And then, when we arrested him, he never confessed to any involvement or the fact that he allowed Rivia’s scheming to blossom. It may be true that Linsky himself never tried to destroy Aurra, but he has still become another victim of the unfortunate collateral in this needless war.

  “His execution will demonstrate that inaction is criminal in our fragile world. Had he only reported Rivia or been helpful to us after his capture, he may have been here to witness the end of this conflict! But do not weep for him, councilmen. These punishments will continue many times over. They will tell the rebels that they are causing far greater damage than they realize. They will realize the innocent lives they are destroying.”

  “You can’t do this to me!” Linsky pleaded and struggled. “I’ve done nothing wrong! You can’t treat an old man like this! Someone say something! You can’t tolerate such cruelty! We are more civilized than this!”

  The senate remained fearfully silent as Lontonkon continued, “Mr. Linsky, it is time for you to fulfill your civic duty. In death, you will be forgiven. I wish you a pleasant Earth life, a fair judgment on your return, and your unwavering loyalty to the next king or queen.”

  Linsky cried out, “Damn you, Lontonkon! You’re no king of mine! You can’t treat your people like this! I’ve done nothing wrong! Nothing!”

  “Drides, carry out Linsky’s execution, if you would.”

  The pretorian shook his head and stepped forward.

  “Why are you doing this? All I did for Rivia was take care of his dogs and welcome visitors! Why not go and kill everyone who’s ever known him? Would that help you sleep at night? You’re a coward, Lontonkon!”

  The Guardsmen forced Linsky to turn towards Drides and kept him firmly in place. He shut his eyes tightly as Drides came closer.

  “No! You can’t do this! Where’s Flentek? He’d never approve!”

  “I’m sorry about this,” Drides whispered in the old man’s mind. “This is not fair, but I must obey my king. For now. Perhaps I can send him your way some day. Please relax. This should not be painful.”

  Linsky seemed to calm down the slightest bit, but he kept his eyes forced shut as Drides opened up his eye patch. To everyone else, his eye seemed normal, but if Linsky were to gaze straight ahead, it would appear as a terrifying red eclipse for just a split second, and then, nothingness. As one of the Guardsmen reached over and pried the old man’s eye open, he pleaded one last time, directly to Drides’ mind.

  “Please… don’t…”

  “I’m sorry,” he said back.

  Only a fragment of his line of sight needed to catch Drides’ eye, and once that happened, he was hit by a powerful force that tore his body and spirit asunder. He disappeared before he even had a chance to hit the ground. The impact of the shackles echoed through the chamber. The eye patch closed as Drides took in a deep breath, and the senate stayed silent.

  Filled with a subtle, aggravating anger over what he had just done, Drides returned to his place near Lontonkon. Rayna turned to him, her expression confused and forlorn.

  “I’m leaving,” Drides stated.

  “Fine. Take good care of Rayna. You know your task. I think we really struck fear into them today, Will—”

  “Struck fear. You enjoy doing that to everyone, don’t you?”

  “If it is what must be done.”

  “We’re done here. I have nothing more to say to you.”

  “Very well. Leave.”

  Rayna followed Drides out, at a distance greater than before. The moment the doors were closed behind him, Lontonkon continued what would likely be a long session with the senate. After all, he had plenty of reassuring to do. His whole day was going to full of it.

  “M-mister Drides…” Rayna spoke up in the vast emptiness of the gray chamber halls. “Why did you kill that old man? I don’t understand…”

  “I don’t either. As I said, I don’t like taking the lives of people who enjoy living, the happy or innocent. All I could do for him was to make it quick. It sickens me… I see value in every life, and yet I’m constantly forced to end them. I only kill others as a last resort if it’s up to me. He didn’t deserve that. His death changed nothing; made nothing right, righted any wrong. It’s in our nature to put the blame on someone else, but…”

  “You don’t need to say anymore,” Rayna replied. “I know the king forced you to do it. It’s just… the powers you have are… scary.”

  “Yes. But I was born with this curse. Whether I want to or not, I have the power to change Aurra. And I feel that I’m obligated to do so.”

  “Why not just run away and hide? You seem like a nice person. At least, there’s a nice person somewhere inside you. You could be happy…”

  “Happy,” Drides sighed. “I suppose I could be. But there’s just something I can’t let go of. One single thing that’s keeping me here…”

  “What is it?”

  “Sorry. I can’t tell you. For now, we should return to my home. The less time I spend this close to the king, the better.”

  “Okay. I’m… sorry if you’re suffering.”

  Suffering. Drides repeated the word in his head. Maybe I am.

  As they returned to the fibrocator station, Drides rubbed the small, metal object in his robe’s deep pocket, just to make sure it was still there.

  The dim Aurrian sun was rising above the frozen horizon, casting the dullest of light on an empty City I. Milla’s group, the City officials and staff, and the small military force watched from their observation deck dug partially into the mountainside, none knowing quite what to expect.

  The sweeping view that the tinted and curving window provided of the scenery gave everyone a clear look at the City in the distance, and the white landscape that surrounded it. The increased haze had created a thin blanket of ugly smog, but even so, enough detail got through to see that I’s sphere of light was indeed the slightest bit smaller. Parts of its very outer edge were now exposed to the destructive poisonous atmosphere.

  “He’s really giving us some extra time,” Garder muttered. “And here I thought we had just made a cool, exciting last-minute escape.”

  “Yeah, well, here’s hoping that Rivia even knows what he’s doing,” Verim replied from his side. “He said he found the thing keeping the City in that dimension, but does he really know what to do with it?”

  “Let’s give him another couple hours, and then we can check ourselves,” Shin suggested. “Although it’s probably a really bad idea to return to that place right now.”

  Tess, with her grandson by her side, stood closely near Hekens and Milla. The two were rather somberly awaiting old City J’s return to Aurra, each long ago accepting that it likely meant the end of their home.

  Then, inexplicably, the air changed. Energy had been introduced to the local area, and while no one could account for it, everyone could feel it. Something was about to happen. Soon, the only sound anyone could hear was breathing. The winds outside quieted. Absolute stillness.

  There was a mighty flash, firing off in all directions from the outer rim of the City. The light burst was followed by a deep, dull booming sound and a shallow outward ripple in the ice below. There were a few more flashes, each not quite as vibrant as the last.

  And then, the destruction—or perhaps simple reallocation of I began. The few observers of the event watched on in quiet reverence.

  It started with a light wind that eventually picked up to a strong gale. The City and all of the ice and earth around it trembled, and black flames sprouted. At first, the embers were tiny, like millions of bits of dust. They quickly gathered and collected, and it became clear to the observers that anything they touched was removed from existence.

  Soon, they formed towering pillars of solid black fire, consuming whatever they engulfed yet burning nothing. Entire towers were cut in half, but did not topple or collapse. Fire built up around the outer walls, feeding on them and sweeping inward. Thick dark smoke gathered in the air above the City, where small flurries of ash floated upwards and disappeared.

  Then, in one sudden and massive conflagration, the entire City went up in an infernal blast. The black fire swept over everything, devouring whatever was left of I in Aurra. It continued for at least another minute, and then as rapidly as it had begun, the flames started dying off.

  Like liquid being pulled off of a surface by a force above, the flames fled into the air and unveiled a pristine, Roman-inspired, much smaller City underneath. Even though it looked so much different from the outside and was in full color—two ways it hadn’t been seen in thousands of years—there was no doubt that it was the lost, ancient land of J.

  As thousands of “ghosts” vanished into the air and were finally freed from their prison along with the Cardinal Five, the observers stood in place, in awe of what they had just witnessed. And it took them a few more minutes to realize something else that the City had brought on its return.

  Along with the flashes at the beginning of its entry, the nearby haze had cleared completely. Even the sun had briefly picked up in intensity. But right when people had finally noticed the strange phenomenon, the haze was already sweeping back in as if filling a vacuum.

  A mystical sight stood before them: an old, advanced metropolis, frozen in time and unchanged for thousands of years during its existence in a colorless place where time and space itself were weakened. Now that place of ghosts and prisoners who had once thought that they’d be locked up for eternity was back and a part of Aurra again—as were three paradigms and the lead organizer of the rebellion.

  Yet despite the event’s wonder, the only thing any of it truly meant was that the first Aurrian war was maturing into a life of its own.