Golden Renegade- Chapters 4-6

 CHAPTER FOUR

THERE WAS A MOMENT of unspoken sheer terror between them, watching the two dark shapes approach at such speed, and Polaris gripped Epsilon’s hand.
“Is it them?” she asked him in a broken whisper. He nodded and said,
“Get on your knees and keep your heads down.”
Without hesitation, Polaris grabbed Venus and the three of them dropped to the ground and knelt over submissively. Venus struggled to keep from sobbing out loud, and could feel her mother shaking beside her. Within seconds, footsteps moved the dirt in front of them and stopped beside their heads.
“Fra una drao?” a man’s voice said.
“Miig ud dras uht vyht ied,” the other man answered. At this one of them grabbed Polaris’ arm and pulled her to her feet. Venus bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming and glanced over at her father, but he only gave her a look that clearly meant to keep silent.
“Paudyvem fasuh,” one of them said slowly, as if he were fascinated. “Liemt drao pa Jalcouhc?”
“Biccypmo,” the other replied. He stepped over to where Venus was and knelt down in front of her. Her heart was beating so quickly she couldn’t breathe fast enough to keep up with it. He put one hand under her chin and tilted her head back so that he could look at her square in the face.
There was one thing Venus remembered her father telling her mother one day as they walked the castle hallways together while he spoke of his nightmares. He said to see a Saiteimian was something you could never block out of your mind, no matter how hard you tried or wished it. He went on to explain that the reason for this was because their features were so dark, fierce, and distinctive, and their eyes so penetrating, the fear they created in you would be burned into your mind for as long as you lived.
When Venus looked into the face of this man, she immediately knew that he was a Saiteimian. His slanted eyes were as black as onyx so that it was impossible to see his pupils, and his hair, which stood up on its own, was just as dark. His cheekbones were sharp so that his cheeks were somewhat sunken in, and his thin nose came down slightly over his lip. Every crease and shape on his face right down to his deep frown gave her a chill.
“Drao miig dii kaat-miigyhk di pa Jalcouhc,” he said, examining Venus’ face. “Ucg dra suh.”
At this the other man, who looked very much like his revolting companion, grabbed Epsilon and stood him upright.
“Who are you?” he asked with a scowl. “And where did you come from?”
“My name is Evon Midani,” Epsilon answered calmly. “This is my family. We are Vecsyans returning to our home.”
“Vecsyans?” the Saiteimian standing before him said. He looked at the other Saiteimian, who was shorter than him. “Imus, maybe they are Vecsyans after all.”
“Don’t be a fool,” Imus replied. “We conquered and cleaned out the Vecsyan homeland years ago. Where are you traveling from?”
He was addressing Epsilon, who turned to him with confusion on his face.
“Our homeland was captured?”
“Shut up and answer my question. Where are you and your family traveling from? ”
“Some of our ancestors moved away many years ago to Belyon, and we were born there. We just decided to return home to see the world where our race’s origin was.” Epsilon narrowed his eyes at them and said, “How could our homeland have been captured? Where are we?”
Imus looked at the other Saiteimian with a grin. “Bevim, they have no clue.”
Bevim began to laugh loudly, and he did it in an odd way so that his face was pointing at the sky.
“So tell me already,” Epsilon cut in, clearly annoyed. “I wanna know.”
“Impatient, are you? I’ll gladly tell you then,” Imus said, folding his huge arms. “You’ve landed on the planet Sidon, home of the infamous Saiteimians. We have enslaved your race and they’ve been here for years, working for us. I guess you were fortunate when your ancestors relocated before we got to your planet. But now! This will be the worst day of your life ‘cuz you ended up in our hands anyway.”
Epsilon said nothing to this, but simply looked at Venus and made a gesture with his hand for her to stand up, which she did in puzzlement, keeping her eyes to the ground. Imus watched Epsilon pensively and finally Epsilon looked right at him.
“Who is your leader?”
“We have seven kings spread across Sidon,” Imus replied. “But head of the entire planet is Emperor Zeito. His castle is actually not too far from here.”
“So you Saiteimians have other races as your slaves?”
“Yes. We have millions of slaves of hundreds of different races that work for us here and the numbers keep growing. Why do you ask?”
“How does the Emperor rule his people and his slaves?”
Imus raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You’re very curious for one who is about to become a slave himself. You’ll learn the system as you go along… that is if you survive long enough under hard labor.”
“Is that right?” Epsilon said to him. “I’m sure you do know what you’re talking about. But as a Vecsyan who has traveled and expanded his views, I could be helpful.”
Imus began to smirk. “In what way?”
“Well, I should be angry upon discovering that the home of where my great ancestors lived is now desolate and probably a wasteland. But living elsewhere on a planet with another pathetically fragile culture with no vigor, no guidance and no leadership… and having this growing ambition in me…” He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders dramatically. “It’s beyond rough. My true race has been enslaved and yes, that is saddening. But from my life long experience, I think I may know why.”
Imus eyed him, perplexed. “Why?”
“Sir Saiteimian,” Epsilon said with a smile. “Inform me, please. If you took over my people so easily, just how powerful are you? Tell me what I want to know and I’ll let you know what I think of our, and of your race and I give you my word that I have an open mind, an aspiring dream, and a longing for strong direction.”
Imus and Bevim exchanged looks of puzzlement, then Imus looked at Epsilon.
“Alright then. Well… it’s all very organized. Our slaves produce for us all the supplies we need. They build our cities, dig for our oil, invent our weapons and do many other tasks to help us grow. It’s all part of the process to become the strongest race alive. We stop at nothing to attain this power.”
“In the meantime, you continue overthrowing other races and bringing them here?”
“Yes. The races that are the most unique and useful come here. Others are destroyed. Zeito decides who will be targeted, when this will happen, and oversees all the production being done.”
Epsilon nodded and looked around as if he was immersed in thought. “So… when can I meet this Zeito?” he asked.
Bevim threw his head back and roared in laughter again, but Imus held up a hand which immediately shushed him up.
“You want to meet the Emperor?” he asked, wearing a suspecting look on his face.
“Yeah,” Epsilon replied.
“Why is that?””
“From what you just told me, I like the way he does things.”
Imus laughed comically, shaking his head. “Honestly, you like how he has put your race to work? No Vecsyan ever agreed to their own enslavement or to that of their own race, for that matter.”
“If it’s to help gain true dominance, why resist?”
“At the suppression of your own race?”
“Like I said before…I was raised in a place where there was no leadership. In a way, it was peaceful, but in other ways, it was mayhem. I learned that only the strongest survive and everyone must do what is best for their own self. How can one succeed otherwise? It seems you Saiteimians are simply building yourselves up until you reach the top. I suspect you are the only ones who can do this. There is this energy about you that I can feel in my bones and it shifts my heart beat. Maybe you have forced my people to slave for you, but why would one that acknowledges this incredible power not want to be a part of helping it reach its ultimate peak?”
Now he looked Imus right in the eye. “My race… they lost to you because they were weak. You deserve the power you strive for. I can help you get it. Trust me.”
Imus looked at Epsilon for a long while, tilting his head to the side and back. At last he looked at Bevim.
“Wa’mm pnyhk dras di Xayhygi,” he said.
“Frud?” said Bevim hoarsely in bewilderment. “Ped fro?”
“Yv ra yc cyhlana, ra liemt pa iv eca di ec.”
“Xayhygi fih’d luna.”
“Ra fymm.”
“Rif ti oie ghif?”
“Cred ed uht vimmif so intanc!”
Bevim sighed with a growl, then nodded. “Oac, Ysec.”
“Kiit.” Imus smiled in a strange manner and beckoned to them. “Follow us.”
They walked down the dirt road, carrying their sacks of clothes with Imus leading them and Bevim following behind them. Polaris glanced at Epsilon every so often to get a clue of what was going on or what he was thinking. But his expression was unreadable, and he stared straight ahead. Venus walked along nervously, holding her sack in one hand and her mother’s hand in the other, trying not to trip over her own feet. She took this chance to sneak a look at what the two Saiteimians were wearing. Their clothes were a deep blue heavy fabric, with no sleeves. Their collars stood straight up and their wrists had thick silver bands on them with a strange symbol and foreign words cut into them. They both wore short, snug gloves that matched their outfits. Instead of a belt, they had a thick piece of dark blue fabric wrapped around their waists and tied behind them in a tight knot, while the rest of the fabric hung like two tails. The air then started to have an unusual metallic smell, and Polaris wrinkled up her nose in disgust. Just as Venus pinched her nose with her fingers, Imus stopped suddenly. The city rose above them in the distance, with odd-shaped black buildings whose tops seemed to touch the billowing clouds. Imus turned and pointed toward the left.
“Shortcut,” he said, and began climbing a hill steep enough to make Venus’ eyes well up with tears. Epsilon gave Polaris a nod and she followed him, squeezing Venus’ hand. They trudged up the hill at a steady pace with Bevim grunting behind them in apparent frustration. Venus didn’t dare look at him, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off her mother, and Polaris sped up her feet because of this. Finally they reached the top of the hill and Imus slowly exhaled. Before them stood tall, black stone walls with black metal gates. It was impossible to see what was on the other side of these walls and the gates didn’t appear very welcoming. Their vertical metal bars stood close together and curled inward at their tops. A metal symbol was in the center of the gates, seeming to interlock them together. Imus casually walked up to the stone wall and looked to his left, then upward. An intercom speaker was fitted into the stone, and a voice spoke over it.
“Fri yc yd?”
“Ysec. Ibah eb,” Imus answered. The gates opened slowly with such a shrill creak it could’ve shattered glass, and Imus led them through. Now Epsilon raised his eyes and nearly stopped in mid-stride. Up the dirt path was another rocky hill and beyond this hill lay a towering black castle, as massive as a stone mountain. It was different from their castle on Saihami; more modern, boxier, and made out of metal. It had five main towers that stood out of it with one in the center, which was the tallest, and looked like a person’s head to Venus, only more square shaped. Polaris looked Epsilon in fear. He didn’t say a word but gave her an odd smile. Because of the serenity on his face, Venus suppressed her worry for a brief moment, when she happened to look up at the sky as she walked in exhaustion. It was quickly darkening and the clouds were growing thicker. By the time they were almost to the castle doors, rain had begun to fall. The first few drops struck Venus in the face and she let out a surprised squeal, for she had never felt rain fall on her skin before. She let go of her mother’s hand and held out her own. A large drop fell right into her palm and she gasped in astonishment. Her mother peered at her in concern, then with some sort of pride. Venus saw her father smile again, but it quickly disappeared into what seemed like sorrow and he turned his face the other way. Imus glanced at Venus as if to question whether something was mentally wrong with her or not, then looked up at the enormous, black metal front doors to the castle. There was another giant gold symbol spread across them, and after letting them gaze at it for a moment, he pushed open the doors as if they weighed nothing.
They entered cautiously and Bevim shut the doors behind them with an ominous clang. Before any one had time to draw two breaths, a man came down the crimson carpeted hallway. He wore a long, simple brown robe and walked with small, brisk steps. Once he reached them, he stepped into the light of the two torches that burned on each side of the front doors and Polaris cringed. He was tall and thin, with the bones in his face protruding in a grotesque way. As he stood there, he began to fidget constantly, twitching, and glancing around in a sort of compulsive nervousness.
“Ysec, fri una draca baibma?” he said loudly, hardly leaving spaces between his words. “Fa’ja hi dysa vin dryc oie ghif.”
“Drao una Jalcouhc fri muhtat ih ien bmuhad,” Imus replied. “Drao fanah’d lubdenat pavina palueca drayn uhlacdinc sijat di uhidran bmuhad, ped drao liemt pa iv eca di dra Asbanin. Pnyhk dras di Xayhygi.”
“Xayhygi yc peco!” the nervous man snapped. “Tih’d pidran rys fydr dryc!”
“Frud yc yd?” a loud voice echoed down the hallway. They looked up to see another tall Saiteimian standing in the fully lit room at the end of the corridor. From far away, his clothes seemed more elaborate than the other two Saiteimians, and he stood in a proud, erect stance. Once they caught sight of him, Bevim, Imus, and the other nervous Saiteimian immediately bowed deeply.
“Xayhygi,” Imus called, standing upright. “Y ruja Jalcouhc fri muhtat rana oie criemt saad.”
This “Xayhygi” they kept speaking of was obviously this Saiteimian of high authority, standing down the hallway, looking at them with a grimace on his face. He leaned to the side a bit, to get a better look at Epsilon, then said, “Yc dryc ysbinduhd?”
“Oac!” Imus answered.
Xayhygi waved his hand. “Caht dras di Xaodi.”
Imus seemed shocked at this reply, but before he could say anything else, Xayhygi disappeared. Bevim suddenly clapped his hands, startling them all.
“Imus, he probably just wants to get rid of them,” he said, stepping back against the entrance doors.
“If he wanted to do that, he’d do it himself. You know how much fun he has with that sword of his,” Imus said to him. Bevim shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Besides,” Imus went on. “Zeito doesn’t like to get his hands dirty, nor does he like to be bothered.”
“I don’t know,” Bevim said, sounding worried. “I just don’t wanna get in trouble, especially with Zeiniko. He looked kinda mad.”
“No, he wasn’t. Papotis,” Imus said, this time talking to the bony Saiteimian. “You heard Zeiniko. Take them to Zeito.”
Papotis stamped his foot several times like a drunkard then crossed his arms. “Curse you! Zeito is displeased with me already and I have to face him again? I rather drink out of the toilet!”
“That’s not my problem. Hurry up!”
Papotis sighed exaggeratedly and turned to Epsilon. “What is your name, fool?”
“I’m no fool, especially compared to somebody who’d drink out of a toilet,” Epsilon answered.
Imus stifled a laugh while Papotis gritted his teeth. “Tell me your name!”
“My name is Evon Midani.”
“Fine then! Follow me!”
With this, Papotis stomped down the corridor, which was dim and only lit by gold candle holders which held five candles each, curving out of the stone walls. At the end of this hallway, the carpet ended, and they stepped into a large octagon-shaped room with very high ceilings. Four black stone pillars that reached the ceiling stood in the middle, surrounding a black symbol on the tan and black marble floor. Around this symbol was a black ring and the pillars stood inside a large black diamond. On each pillar hung bright lamps, shaped like white orbs that shined their light directly on four dark wooden double doors in the corners of the room. Each door had long gold handles and symbols carved into them. A fifth pair of double doors, which were the tallest and made of some sort of glossy black metal, lay straight ahead. Two gold lamps on each side of these doors lit the same gold symbol on their surface. Before they got a chance to examine it more carefully, a low voice said:
“Bydyvemm viim, mauja hif.”
Papotis looked around in confusion, then ran back down the corridor as if someone was chasing him. Epsilon watched him, with his sack of clothes slung over his shoulder, then looked at Polaris. By the look on his face she knew no matter what happened or however confronted, she was to remain calm and silent. And just as he communicated this to her by his expression, he turned around in time to see Zeiniko step out from behind one of the pillars.
Everything about Zeiniko was frightening, even the intimidating way he walked toward them. He was half a foot taller than Epsilon, and of a slightly bigger build. He wore nearly all black, including his armor which gleamed like lacquer and covered his entire upper body down to his waist, his black loose-fitted pants held up by a black and silver belt, and his tall black boots. The only thing he wore that wasn’t black was his cape, which was navy blue and draped around his shoulders. As for his face, Zeiniko had the usual traits of a Saiteimian, with long black, pin straight hair that fell down his back and eyes as dark as his armor. He wasn’t as nearly as repulsive as Bevim, Imus, or Papotis, but actually very attractive. His eyes were slanted in the corners and his face had somewhat feminine features, such as his high, gentle cheekbones and the soft angles they created around his mouth down to his chin. His nose was long and thin and reminded Venus surprisingly a lot of her mother’s, and she was about to look at her mother to compare them, but stirred from her thoughts when she saw the menacing expression on Zeiniko’s face which almost seemed natural on him.
He walked straight up to Epsilon and looked him directly in the face. Epsilon never wavered and stood his ground, glaring right back at him. Zeiniko’s eyes narrowed.
“Your name is Evon, is it not?” he asked. After he said this, there was a long pause. Zeiniko spoke with a small lilting accent and Epsilon seemed to take this in for a moment.
“It is,” he answered at last.
“What do you want with the Emperor?”
“I wanted to meet him.”
“Why?”
“Is this your job? To interrogate newcomers?”
“I do much more than ask questions. But if you slip up too much in how you speak to me I can show you what I love doing most.”
He was still standing very close to Epsilon and now tried to stare him down, in which he got even closer. Epsilon had to turn his face to the side, and he eyed Zeiniko so heatedly, Zeiniko finally stepped back seeming amused.
“Tell me how you could possibly be so useful to us.”
“Are you the Emperor?”
His face suddenly hardened. “No, I’m not.”
“I want to speak to Emperor.”
“Everyone who goes to the Emperor has to go through me first.”
“Is that why you were about to let me see him, but changed your mind?”
Zeiniko was obviously taken aback by this and his eyes widened so that they could see the contrast of his charcoal irises against the whites of his eyes. Epsilon nonchalantly looked away, then at Zeiniko again and said, “I can be of plenty of use to you. My whole family can.”
“How is that?”
“We’re on the same side. I want to help you Saiteimians get what you want.”
“What is it that we want?”
“To be the best.”
“Is it just that simple?”
“’Course not. There’s much more. But I want to speak to the Emperor.”
“Well, I’m Emperor Zeito’s chief advisor. And, you know… I don’t like Vecsyans much,” Zeiniko said in a tone Venus didn’t like. “They’re intelligent but sly. If you’re lying to me in any way…” He reached over to a sheath at his side and pulled out a long, thin sword, holding the tip to Polaris’ chin. “I’ll have a fine time ruining your wife’s face.”
Polaris lowered her eyes to the floor and kept her face calm. Epsilon saw the edge of the sword’s blade sink into her skin, and his face flushed with anger. In half a breath he reached out and knocked the sword away. Zeiniko did not drop it, but simply twirled it in one hand and thrust it into the floor to lean on it.
“Either you love that sword,” said Epsilon, regaining his composure. “Or you need a woman.”
Zeiniko’s scowl faded and he began to smile. He slid his sword back into its sheath. “It’s time for you to meet Zeito.”
He turned around and headed toward the large door with the gold symbol on it. Epsilon turned to Polaris. There was a cut on her chin and it was beginning to bleed and drip down onto the floor. He held her face with one hand and used his sleeve to wipe it when he felt her body shudder. He looked at her and saw her eyes glaze over that told him she was on the verge of a breakdown.
“Listen to me,” he said very quietly. “We’re almost there. Just hold on a little bit longer, okay?”
He patted Venus on the head, who was shaking with her face covered by her hands.
“You too, kid,” he whispered. “Be brave for me.”
He took Polaris by the hand who took Venus’ hand, and they walked over to Zeiniko, who watched them with a smirk on his face. Then he pushed open the metal doors.
The room they entered no doubt the throne room by how grand it was; twice as large than Saihami’s. The walls, ceilings and floors were made of black granite and there were no windows so the room was very dark and gloomy. A long red carpet stretched out before them, and on either side of it stood more black pillars with torches burning on them. For a long while it felt like they were walking down a shadowed tunnel with the heat from the torches on their faces. Venus kept hearing movements behind the pillars but every time she turned her head, she saw no one. She saw her mother do the same in alarm, and move in closer toward her father. Then what caught her eye were swirling shapes reflecting off the shimmering surface of the pillars. They looked like glowing pieces of fabric being blown about by the wind. Venus blinked in awe and felt her mother’s hand begin to tremble, which made her look up at her. Polaris bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering. This almost crushed Venus’ self-control and she tried very hard not to start wailing as she normally would from being so terrified. Then the rows of pillars ended and there rose ten steps in front of them, with two block shaped black granite chairs at the top. Two silhouettes sat in these chairs, but with so little light from the burning torches, it was impossible to see their features.
“Xaodi,” Zeiniko said, his voice echoing around them. “Drana haf Jalcouhc ruja lisa di caa oie. Drao ruja qecd muhtat rana po ullytahd. Oie criemt cbaug fydr dras.” There was a long silence and Zeiniko went on, “Ucg dras di damm drayn cdino.” He gestured toward Epsilon. “Acbalyummo dryc iha.”
After he said this, one of the figures slowly stood up. Polaris’ eyes grew wide and Venus’ felt her hand suddenly go cold. The person who had stood up had to be the Emperor, for the dark shadow rose until it was a couple inches from eight feet in height. Venus let out a gasp and froze. She could see the panic on her mother’s face and the air suddenly thickened, making breathing difficult. The black shape descended the stairs, with each step being felt in their chests, and approached them. The flickering firelight fell across its face.
At this, Zeiniko struck Epsilon on the back with his fist. “Bow, all of you!” he said loudly.
They immediately dropped their sacks of clothes and fell to their knees, bowing as low as they could. Venus stole a glance at her father. He seemed to be kneeling over only because Zeiniko had hit him hard enough to almost knock the breath out of him. He was wincing in pain and tears began to blur her vision.
“Xayhygi,” a man’s voice said, that didn’t belong to Zeiniko. “Tih’d pa lneam oad.” A long pause followed, and the same voice said, “All of you, look at me.”
They raised their heads. Emperor Zeito began to smile. Surprisingly, he wasn’t as frightening to look upon as the other Saiteimians they had encountered, despite his height. He actually was as attractive in appearance as Epsilon, with smooth hair that matched the granite and fell over his forehead in the front, eyes like black marbles and a smile like a greedy little boy’s. He had a resemblance to Zeiniko in a way, only his face was more squared, his nose wider, and his complexion more tan. His features were also more masculine, from his slanted dark eyes down to his dimpled chin. His broad smile now seemed to make every force in the room at his command. He raised his hands.
“Stand up.”
They did as they were told, and he looked at each of them carefully, then stared right at Polaris.
“Are you sure they’re Vecsyans?” he said, not seeming to really want to an answer. “Vecsyans aren’t usually this good-looking.” His accent was thicker than Zeiniko’s and his voice deeper, but his words not as sharp. He looked down at Polaris for a long moment when another woman suddenly appeared beside them.
“Zeito, what are you staring at?” she asked with the same unusual accent. She looked angrily at Venus who cringed. She was as tall as Epsilon and as beautiful as Polaris. Her skin was fair which made her almond shaped black eyes and long curved eyelashes stand out more. Her nose was small and pointed and her mouth shaped like a certain red flower that grew on Saihami when it was in bloom. Her midnight black hair was tied tightly back into a long braid that reached well past her waist and she wore a tight, long black dress embroidered with black beads that trailed onto the floor. It seemed that Saiteimians favored the color black. The orange light revealed that Zeito matched her, wearing a simple black robe made out of a smooth, reflective fabric with some sort of swirling black velvet design down the chest to the hip, where he had a belt like Zeiniko’s but only thicker with another silver symbol as the buckle. Last of all they could see was his long black cape, which he now pushed aside in irritation.
“Ila, don’t question me,” he said. “Zeiniko wouldn’t bring these people to me for no reason.” He looked at Epsilon. “Tell me… you’ve got plenty to say, I can tell. And Zeiniko doesn’t seem to like you which gets me more interested. Who are you?”
“I’m Evon Midani,” Epsilon answered.
“And you are a Vecsyan who just arrived. Where did you come from?”
“From Belyon.”
“Belyon?”
“Yes.”
“Where is that?”
“A planet two months to the east of this one.”
“I’ve never heard of that planet before. Zeiniko?”
“Nor I,” Zeiniko replied.
“Well,” Emperor Zeito said, looking at Epsilon with more curiosity. “I can already see that you must have had ancestors that left the Vecsyan homeland before we got to it. This isn’t the first I’ve heard of stragglers roaming around in an attempt to avoid us. Is that the case with you and your family?”
“Yes. But my family and I were trying to return to our race’s homeland and we ended up here.”
“Why were you trying to return to your race’s homeland?”
“To visit the place of our race’s origin.”
“That’s a shame,” Zeito said with a little smile. “You have never heard of us Saiteimians until now, have you?”
“No. Never.”
“Let’s get to the point. Why did you want to see me?”
“I asked around and I was told how you govern your world.”
“And how is that?”
“By suppressing those inferior than you to help you grow stronger.”
“Yes. What do you think?”
“Well, on Belyon they sort of had a liberal culture, with no rule or no real order. Sometimes it could be chaotic, but for the most part dull and tiresome because no one took the lead. It was take what you can get. Survival of the fittest, if you know what I mean.”
“Really.”
“Yes. How you run your government interests me.”
Zeito smirked. “Your fellow Vecsyans aren’t like you. They’re very hard-headed when it comes to following orders.”
“I was raised to be competitive,” Epsilon told him. “But at the same time I know true strength when I see it.”
“Our goal is to be omnipotent,” said Zeito. “Are you saying we deserve to achieve this?”
“I would say you’ve earned it.”
“But it causes your race to suffer.”
“Only because they weren’t strong enough to match your race. And maybe if they weren’t so ‘hard-headed’ as you say, they wouldn’t be in the predicament they are in.”
“It is well known that Vecsyans are very skilled in technology. Do you have this skill too, Evon?”
“Unfortunately I don’t. I was never encouraged to, really.”
“Then what is it exactly that you want?”
“To help you get what you want. This is what I’ve always dreamed of on Belyon. My drive is to triumph. To finally take a lead, make something out of myself, and be the best at it. In this case, be with the best.”
The soft light from the torches were reflecting off Zeito’s eyes, and he looked at Ila. The whole time Epsilon had been speaking, Ila had been eyeing him as if she hadn’t had a meal all day and Epsilon was the main course. She folded her arms and went on staring at him, then said,
“Zeito, I think you have a rare find here.”
“Do you really. Well, it’s true I’ve never heard a Vecsyan speak such words before.” He began to smile again. “But this could become more interesting.”
“How is that?” Ila asked him.
“First, I want your opinion.”
“Well…” Ila glanced at Polaris and Venus with contempt, then looked at Epsilon again and stared more deeply than before. “I wonder if all Vecsyans were raised in a different environment… would they be as clever as him? Why is he different from the others? Maybe it is all psychological.” She smiled at Epsilon. “I like the way he thinks.”
Zeito nodded, looked at Zeiniko and said, “Kyja dras u niis.”
Zeiniko’s face went through several changes before at last it became obvious that he was in sheer shock.
“U niis? Fro? Xaodi, Y tih’d dryhg oie criemt ti drud.”
“Hajan syht drud. Ti uc y cuo.”
Zeiniko looked at Epsilon with a terrible frown, then bowed. “Oac, Asbanin.”
Emperor Zeito said nothing to this, but turned around and walked back up the steps with Ila following him. Zeiniko growled at Epsilon for them to come with him and they followed him out of the throne room.




 CHAPTER FIVE

ZEINIKO LED THEM back through the entrance room and through one of the double wooden doors. He walked down a few long dark hallways to a bedroom of a decent size with a queen sized bed, told them to settle in and left. Once his footsteps could no longer be heard, Polaris hugged Venus and Epsilon.
“How in this world did you get us in here?” she asked in disbelief. “What just happened?”
“I’ll tell you what happened,” Epsilon replied calmly. “But first, are you alright?”
She released him and nodded, trying to hide her trembling hands. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Epsilon knelt down to look Venus in the face. “Are you okay, cutie?”
Venus nodded and hugged him, burying her face in his robe. He picked her up into his arms and took Polaris’ hand. “You’re still shaking.”
“I’m fine, Evon.”
Epsilon looked at the cut on her chin and Polaris suddenly smacked his hand away. “You told me to trust you,” she said sharply. “Explain to me what happened.”
“Alright.” He pulled Venus close to him, looked directly into Polaris’ eyes and said, “Those two soldiers who found us outside were first class soldiers. Now, you saw how they were dressed. Did you see those silver bands on their wrists? They kinda look like watches. Thanks to Vecsyan technology, each first class soldier has a link to Zeiniko by means of a communicator built into the bands they wear on their right wrists. Bevim, being the less experienced soldier, decides to confront me. So when he grabbed me and lifted me up, this accidentally switched on the communicator. He thought about it for a split second, but was more preoccupied with questioning me while trying to intimidate me. Meanwhile, Zeiniko happened to be speaking with Zeito and Ila when the communicator turned on. Therefore, I decided to give my best speech upfront so Zeiniko, Zeito, and Ila could hear it, and better my chances on getting inside the castle.”
“And they heard you?” Polaris asked in a astonishment.
“Loud and clear. That’s why it didn’t take much to convince Zeito face-to-face that I was on his side. He already liked my attitude from the start. Zeiniko, on the other hand… will be a problem.”
“Why?”
“Once Zeito heard what I said, he ordered Zeiniko that once the two soldiers brought me inside the castle, to bring me straight to him and Ila. But Zeiniko decides to get wise and interrogate me first. Nobody told him to do that; he was just tryin’ to be a pain in the rear. He is prejudice against Vecsyans, and didn’t like the fact that Zeito was interested in me. This made him feel threatened and very defensive. It seems he’s territorial too and might lose face to me… which pretty much means he just does not like me at all.”
“What does it matter what he thinks?” Polaris said. “He’s only chief advisor. What really matters is what the Emperor thinks.”
“On the contrary, under Zeito and Ila, Zeiniko is third in power on this entire planet,” Epsilon said gravely. “What he thinks can have a big effect. Besides that, when he says he’ll hurt you, he’s not joking. He’s a master of the sword, Liana. The best swordsman in all of Sidon. We must try not to anger him.” He touched the cut on her chin. “Or he’ll do a lot worse than this.” Polaris turned her face away, then reached out and took her daughter from his arms. She felt Venus hug her tightly and this almost brought tears to her eyes.
“Why so cold, Liana?” Epsilon asked. “You know I was worried about you when he did what he did and threatened-”
“That’s enough. Don’t start with your pathetic sympathies. This whole game was your idea anyway and it seems like the cards are already not playing in our favor.”
“What do you mean?”
“Zeiniko… that man looks like he can be horrid. Now you say he can’t stand you. How do you expect to get through this when he’s going to be like a giant thorn in our sides?”
“You don’t trust me?”
Polaris turned and looked at him with such anger on her face, he was sorry he asked.
“I try,” she said, pursing her lips in resentment. “But it’s no fun having a sword pointed at your face.”
Venus started to squirm in her arms suddenly, so much that Polaris had to put her down.
“Ariah? What’s wrong?”
Venus didn’t answer her and crossed over to the only window in the room, staring out of it blankly.
Polaris looked at Epsilon. “Something’s wrong with her.”
“She’s scared and confused, that’s all. Besides, it doesn’t help that we argue in front of her. It upsets her.”
“Don’t give me that look. You have to stop getting me angry in front of her.”
“Okay, whatever. She just has to keep being reminded that everything is going to be alright.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes.”
Polaris eyed him. “Do I have your word?”
“Yes.”
Polaris turned and walked over to Venus. “Ariah, are you okay?”
Venus looked up at her, her eyes welling up with tears. “I wanna go home.”
“We can’t go home. We have to save the slaves, remember?”
“But they’re going to hurt us like they hurt you.”
“They’re not going to hurt us, Ariah. Your father just promised me that everything will be alright.”
Epsilon sat on the edge of the bed beside the window. “Ariah, come here.”
Venus did as she was told and before he could say anything, she threw herself into his lap and began to bawl miserably.
“Listen,” he said to her, and she quieted down. “While we’re here, a lot of scary things will probably happen.” There was a scream that suddenly echoed from outside in the hallway, and Venus jumped. She began to cry and tremble again when Epsilon took her by the shoulders. “Ariah, look at me… look at me! Look right at my eyes. I won’t let anybody hurt you or your mother, okay? You just have to be brave. You did a good job today.” She looked up at him, wiping her eyes on her sleeve and he pinched her plump cheeks.
“Now we should rest.” He took off his shoes and pulled back the burgundy comforter. Polaris watched him as he layed down and pulled the covers over him. Venus went over and kneeled in front of the window, peering out as she did before. Polaris layed down beside Epsilon so that she was looking him right in the face.
“How can you sleep now?” she asked him.
“In case you haven’t noticed, Liana,” he said to her. “I haven’t slept in days and I’m just a tad bit stressed. Besides that, taking a rest lets Ariah know everything is fine so far. You can do me a favor and stop asking me questions. It gets a little annoying after a while.”
“For goodness sake, Evon. You’re impossible. What will they do to us?”
“Nothing, for now. They’re deciding what they should do…use us or kill us. Don’t worry ‘bout it. Go to sleep.”
He smiled and rolled over away from her, then suddenly sat up and took off his tan colored Vecsyan robe and threw it on the floor, revealing his tan shorts underneath. Then he layed back down again so that he was facing away from Polaris. She wasn’t too happy about this and was about to complain when she noticed a reddish colored bruise on his back, already beginning to turn blue. It had to have been from when Zeiniko struck him. Polaris felt a twinge of pain in her heart and laid down beside him, forcing herself to close her eyes.
Venus went on watching the rain through the window. The eerie black cities in the distance became blurry, and the sky grew darker. It seemed to her that the sky was crying over them, and crying enough tears for the whole world. Her stomach ached. She already wanted to go home.



After a few hours the sky darkened to night. Venus squeezed in between her mother and father on the bed. It was only a queen sized bed so they were all pressed together, but they quietly slept for hours while the rain pattered down the window. At one point, Venus had a nightmare of a group of Saiteimians storming into the room. Zeiniko was there, with a wicked grin on his face, and pulled out his sword. Then he lunged at her parents. She screamed and woke up. It was still raining, with some white light coming through the window, and her parents hadn’t moved. They were lying facing each other with her face-up in the middle. Venus blinked out tears that spilled down her temples toward her ears. She sat up and rubbed her face on her sleeves. There were so many emotions growing inside her; too much for the room itself to fit. She knew the reasons why they had come to Sidon, and for the most part they made sense to her. But everything was so frightening and she felt full of unexplainable feelings, but yet empty and alone, even though her parents were right beside her. This overwhelmed her with such confusion, guilt and sadness, her throat seemed to close up and her body tingled from anxiety. She climbed across the bed and slid onto the floor. Her parents didn’t stir. Polaris let out a soft sigh. Venus stood up and crossed the room over to the door. There were no sounds beyond it, and she glanced back at her parents. Her stomach began to ache again. She opened the door and stepped out, closing it gently behind her.
The hallway was nearly pitch black, with only the tear-drop shaped glass candle lamps, which held three candles each inside them, hanging on the walls to light it. Venus looked around before beginning to wander her way down the silent hall. She had no idea where she was going, but foolishly hoped she would be fortunate enough to find a bathroom, or a spot where she could sit without being noticed. For a flicker of a moment, it occurred to her that a random Saiteimian could stumble across her and kill her before asking any questions. She quickly dismissed this from her mind when all the candle lamps in the hall went out suddenly.
Everything plunged into darkness and Venus froze where she was. Her heart began to race. She spun around to return back to her parents when she nearly died in fright. A window at the other end of the hall let in what seemed like very faint moonlight, and it was just enough to reveal a shadow that stood right in front of her. But what was more was that all that could be seen was its glowing eyes which burned like two circles of blue fire and stared directly at her. Her legs buckled from under her and she fell onto the carpet. It felt as if her muscles were paralyzed from fear. She could only push herself backward away from the shadow, but to her horror, it began to follow her. She couldn’t scream, though she tried with all her strength, and kept dragging herself frantically up the carpet. Her limbs burned from the friction and she finally curled up into a ball and covered her face with her arms, expecting the worst.
Then a lamp became lit above her.
Venus lowered her arms and peered upward at the candles, then looked in front of her and gasped. A boy stood there, gazing at her. He appeared to be her age or maybe older, and wore a black, long-sleeved elegant velvet robe that hung down to his feet with a broad black and silver threaded sash. He looked every bit as puzzled as she was, and not threatening at all. Venus slowly stood up, feeling somewhat relieved and pushed her long hair out of her face. The boy said nothing, but simply went on looking at her. She finally decided to stare back. Her eyes leaked tears from being frightened so badly, but she could’ve cared less. In the weak candlelight, she could see his eyes widen a bit and noticed they were a remarkable bright blue; different from her father’s. There was another color mixed in them, but she couldn’t tell which. His hair was the color of pale gold and spiked out in every direction imaginable. He had a soft, round face, and a nose like a button, with long eyelashes surrounding his light eyes.
Venus wiped her eyes on her sleeve and became more confused the more she stared at him. Was he a Saiteimian? He certainly didn’t look like one. He had none of their typical features. She stood there for a while, trying in her mind to figure out who he was. Was he a slave? But why did he have such a fashionable robe on? Could he hurt her? Her head was filling up with questions and she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Who are you?” she asked at last, keeping her distance. The boy blinked as if her voice was unreal.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you!”
“You tell me first.”
The boy had the same strong accent as Zeiniko, Zeito, and Ila. This made her step back. “Are you going to hurt me?”
“No.”
“I need my Mom and Dad. You’re in my way. Let me go, please?”
“But I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name? Where did you come from? Where are your parents?”
“My name’s Ariah,” she said, as she had rehearsed numerous times with her mother. “I’m a Vecsyan. My parents are…” She glanced down the hall. “Can you let me go to them?”
“You’re a Vecsyan?” he asked. His eyes flickered like a flame for a brief moment; the color they emitted was pure orange. Venus recoiled at this, feeling her fear returning. Tears began to gather on her eyelids. The boy looked at her carefully.
“Are you afraid of me?”
“Yes! You’re scary! I want my Mom and Dad!”
“I’m sorry I scared you. I’m not a bad person.”
“I can’t talk to strangers! Let me go!”
“But I’m not holding onto you.”
“You’re in my way!”
“I’ll let you go by but don’t be afraid of me. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Venus cautiously stepped around him and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Then she stopped and looked at him.
“Are you a Saiteimian?”
He hesitated. “Yes.”
“But you don’t look like one.”
“I know.”
“So how can you be one?”
“I don’t know.”
“You like to hurt people with swords?”
“No. I don’t like to hurt anybody.”
“But you’re a Saiteimian.”
“I know, but I’m not bad.” His eyes suddenly appeared grey and Venus squinted to be sure she was seeing clearly.
“I’m not like everybody else,” he said. “No one likes me because I’m not like my family.”
“Your family? What are they like?”
He stood there without saying a word, then said, “Ariah, you should go back to your parents. If a Saiteimian guard sees you, you can get in trouble. Where are your parents?”
“In a room over there,” she said, pointing down the hall.
“Hurry and run. I’ll make sure you get there safe.” Once he finished his sentence, all the candle lamps in the hallway became lit again. Venus looked around in bewilderment, then gazed at his face. His eyes were bright blue again. She turned and bolted up the hall to the room where her parents slept. She opened the door, and before going in the room, glanced down the hall. To her shock, no one was there. She shut the door behind her.



The following morning, the three of them had barely begun to awaken and stretch, when Epsilon suddenly sat up and said, “Don’t move!”
The door to the room swung open and Zeiniko walked in. Venus nearly screamed when she saw him. He drifted across the room in his black cape like a dark storm cloud and stood before them. It was clear he wasn’t in a very good mood at all, for the frown he had on his face was deep enough to make the room seem shadowed all of a sudden. And sure enough, was the visible silver gleam of his sword at his side.
“Get up,” he said. “Emperor Zeito has made his decision and summoned for you. Be out in the hall in five minutes and no less.” He turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Polaris looked at Epsilon in horror. “What is it? What does Zeito want with us?” she asked him.
“From what I know, it’s nothing to be worried about,” he answered. “Just worry about Zeiniko. He’ll probably pull out his sword again if we’re not ready on time.”
They got up and practically threw on their Vecsyan peasant robes from their clothes’ sacks. Venus was pale as her mother pulled her robe over her head, and she kept swaying side to side as if she was going to tip over.
“Ariah, what’s wrong?” Polaris asked her at last.
“I don’t feel good, Mama. I’m scared.”
“Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Your father and I will protect you.”
“I know, but what if they hurt us like how they hurt you?” She looked right at the cut on Polaris’ chin.
“That’s not going to happen, kid,” Epsilon said to her. “Trust me. I’ve got everything under control. The Saiteimians are evil and they can get pretty mean, but I won’t let them hurt you or your mom. Got it?”
Venus nodded, and Polaris said, “Now hurry. We don’t want to keep Zeiniko waiting long.”
Zeiniko was leaning against a wall with his arms folded when they walked out into the hallway. Without a word, he led them down several long corridors back to the throne room, down the dreadful red-carpet walk between the marble pillars, and toward where Zeito sat.
“Rana una drao,” he said, with an annoyed gesture toward them. “Y ahdnaud oie di suga dryc zeylg.”
“Y fymm talyta drud,” Zeito replied, standing up from his throne. Zeiniko gave the back of Epsilon’s right leg a sharp kick. “Bow!”
All three of them bowed on their knees. Venus could feel Zeiniko standing behind them and she almost threw up.
“Rise,” Zeito said, and they got to their feet again.
Polaris noticed Venus was unsteady and pulled her close to her so that her daughter rested her face against her belly. She touched Venus’ forehead and it felt hot enough to know she had a fever. When Polaris looked up, she saw that Zeito was looking at her. Ila then stepped forward beside him, awaiting his next words. He turned to Epsilon.
“Evon Midani, I’ve decided what to do with you and your family. Since you seem clever, self-motivated, and more interested in helping us Saiteimians achieve our goals more than anything else, I’ve decided that you and your wife will have the privilege of becoming my advisors. But first, there is much you have to learn about our race, our culture, and our world. I will be happy to inform you and help you out in understanding everything you need to know, and so will Zeiniko. Isn’t that right, Zeiniko?”
“With pleasure,” Zeiniko answered, giving Epsilon a dirty look.
“As for your daughter,” Zeito went on. “She is to be Ila’s maid for the time being.”
“What?” Venus blurted out, staring up at him. Ila was scowling while Zeito smiled down at her in amusement and snapped his fingers. A young girl stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of them. She looked to be older then Venus, around eight or nine, and had straight black hair that hung just below her chin. Her round eyes were light brown and she wore a ragged grey robe with a white apron that had a pocket on the front. She was thin like a straw and had an especially stern look about her for a young girl.
“This is Phyllis,” said Zeito. “She’s one of our young maids and she will teach your daughter the chores that have to be done around the castle.” As soon as he said this, Phyllis walked forward and held out her hand to Venus. Venus pulled back and hid behind her mother. “Mama, I don’t wanna go!”
Polaris looked up at Zeito. “Emperor, my daughter isn’t feeling well. Is it possible that she may be allowed to rest for a while before learning her chores?”
“That can be arranged,” he said with a nod in a distracted voice and Ila raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you very much.” Polaris looked down at Venus. “Ariah, you have to go,” she whispered. “This girl is going to take you so you can lie down. Don’t worry… you’ll be fine. Nobody is going to hurt you or us. We’ll see you in a little while, okay? Now go…”
She pulled Venus gently by the arm out from behind her and Phyllis snatched her hand. Venus frowned and twisted her arm out of Phyllis’ grasp.
“I don’t wanna go!” she shouted, running behind her father. “I wanna stay with my mom and dad!”
“Feisty kid, isn’t she?” Zeito said, sounding impressed.
“You have no idea,” Epsilon said to him. “But if you can, Emperor, please reassure her that no harm will to her or us and she’ll hopefully cooperate.”
“Alright then. Remind me what your name was again?” Zeito asked Venus.
Upon hearing his strong masculine voice, Venus peeked out from behind her father. “Ariah.”
“Ariah, your parents are under my protection. No one can hurt them, and no one can hurt you either. You have my word on that. Don’t be afraid. Go ahead, Phyllis.”
Phyllis sped around Epsilon, grabbed Venus, who let out a shriek, and yanked her by the arm down the long carpet. At the end of the room where the carpet ended, Venus dug her heels into the marble floor, causing her to slide and nearly fall on her back. The huge metal doors then opened by themselves to her surprise and while she stared up at them in awe, Phyllis dragged her right through them. Venus glanced back at her parents before they slammed shut, and her eyes filled with tears.
“There’s no use in crying, little girl,” Phyllis said, without looking at her. “Especially in this place.”
“Where are we going?”
“Downstairs so you can lie down. You look like you’re gonna puke.”
She led Venus across the octagon shaped room and through the double doors that were to the left of the doors of the throne room. They walked down a long hall, Phyllis walking with brisk steps. The walls were white with gold candleholders on them and black stone trim instead of wood like on Saihami. The carpet itself was black with white symbols on it. The whole black and white theme had Venus’ head spinning in confusion. They rounded a corner and through a metal door. Behind it were several flights of stone stairs. They descended until they finally reached a floor where light bulbs hung on black wires from the ceiling and it smelled like dirty laundry. The floor was all cracked concrete and Venus almost tripped while walking on it. They went down a long hallway with wood doors on each side, when Phyllis stopped and pushed then kicked one of the doors open. Inside was a twin-sized bed, a small wooden table with a cracked lamp on it and another smaller door that looked like a closet.
“You can lie down here,” Phyllis said, pointing at the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
She slipped out the door and Venus heard her footsteps padding down the corridor. Even though the pillow on the bed looked flat and the grey blanket had a hole in it, she wasn’t about to complain. She kicked off her brown Vecsyan shoes and crawled under the covers. Her eyes wandered the concrete ceiling above her head. It was full of ridges and bumps and as she began to doze off, the bumps seemed to take the shape of faces. She found her grandfather’s face, as well as the old man with the camera at the beach on Saihami. Just as she was beginning to feel the warm breeze on her skin, someone poked her arm. She opened her eyes and Phyllis peered down at her.
“Here…” She put a wet washcloth on Venus’ forehead. “This’ll help with your fever.”
“Thank you.”
Phyllis sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t thank me. Just rest. What was your name again?”
“Ariah.”
“How old are you?”
“Five. I’ll be six in three months.”
“Poor kid,” said Phyllis, seemingly to herself.
“How old are you?”
“I’m nine. Are you Vecsyan?”
“Um, yes. Are you a Vecsyan?”
“No, I’m Cyrilian. Listen, I know you must be wantin’ to ask a million questions, but I’m not gonna talk to you about anything else.”
“Why not?”
“Because your parents are friends with the Emperor now. I heard him say it when we were in the throne room, and I don’t trust you or your parents.”
Venus felt cold water from the washcloth drip down her eyebrow. “He said… my mom and dad are his friends?”
“He said he’s gonna make them his advisors. That means they are his helpers now. If you’re Vecsyan, that means your parents are helping the Emperor torture other Vecsyans who are working for him. And that means you’re traitors. I hate traitors.” She folded her arms and furrowed her brow while staring straight ahead at the wall.
“What are traitors?” Venus asked, puzzled.
“A traitor is someone who betrays people.”
“What does ‘betrays’ mean?”
“Never mind. Saiteimians are bad, even worse than bad. No one should ever help them.” Phyllis stood up. “I have to teach you your chores, but you look like you’re gonna be lying there for a while. I guess I’ll stay around here.” She walked over to the small door in one of the corners of the room and opened it. It actually did turn out to be a small closet full of ragged clothes on hooks. Phyllis bent over and reached around for a while before pulling out an old brown book. She sat on the foot of the bed this time, with her back toward Venus and opened the book.
“Phyllis?”
“What?”
“Are all Saiteimians bad?”
“That’s what I just said. They are all evil. It’s in their blood.”
Venus closed her eyes for a moment, feeling her fever rise. “But what about that boy who walks around the halls?”
“What boy?”
“You know, he’s got blonde hair and blue eyes.”
Phyllis shut her book and peered over her shoulder at Venus. “Blonde hair and blue eyes?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s his name?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t tell me.”
“Where did you see him?”
“In the hallway next to our room.”
“What was he doing?”
“I don’t know.”
“How old was he?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Well, how old did he look?”
“Maybe six? I dunno.”
“What was he wearing?”
“Black… all black.”
Phyllis put her book down and almost turned completely around. “Did you talk to him?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“That he was a Saiteimian, but that he wasn’t bad. That’s why I’m asking- oh! But he was wicked scary ‘cause he snuck up on me and his eyes were glowing really bright-“
“You saw his eyes?”
“Yeah?”
“Did they change colors?”
“… I think so. It was hard to see ‘cuz it was dark. But I think they did.”
Phyllis got up and sat right beside Venus. “So… he didn’t tell you his name?”
“Nope.”
“And he said he was Saiteimian?”
“Yup.”
“And he was nice to you?”
“Yeah, and he said he wouldn’t hurt me. He promised.”
“Listen, Ariah, the next time you see that little kid you gotta tell me, okay?”
“Why?”
“Don’t worry about it. You just gotta tell me. It’s very important.”
“…Okay.”
Phyllis didn’t say anything else, but just opened her book and went on reading as if they hadn’t had any conversation at all. Venus closed her eyes and felt the cold washcloth melt on her skin.



Drifting through her dreams of Saihami, Venus slept a long while. In her dreams there was no bed under her and no ceiling above her, just a wind carrying her across the waves on the beach. Then the suns turned orange and the water turned fuchsia and the water twisted into a small glistening tempest that reached up all the way into the clouds. The washcloth on her forehead began to leak more water and she awakened when it ran down into her eye. She turned her head so that the little stream rolled down her cheek. Her throat was dry and scratchy as if she had swallowed sand and she wanted a glass of water.
“Phyllis?”
There was no answer. Venus wiped her face against her sleeve.
“Phyllis?”
Nothing but silence. She opened her eyelids a bit when she saw a dark blur move past the bed. Her eyes flew all the way open and she gasped. Phyllis was nowhere in the room and there stood the blonde boy she had seen the night before beside the bed, looking at her. Venus sat up so fast, the washcloth went flying off to the floor. She threw the blanket aside and struggled to get up as fast as she could but ended up falling off the bed. The blanket became entangled around her legs and she kicked to get it off when she noticed the boy standing over her.
“What are you doing?” he asked calmly.
“Trying to get away from you! Phyllis!”
“She can’t hear you.”
“Where is she?”
“Doing her chores.”
“What are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer this, but looked toward the bed and then down at her. “Are you sick?”
“I don’t feel good.”
“Then you have to rest.”
“I was! But then you came and scared me!”
“I’m sorry. I told you before I’m not going to hurt you.”
“But who are you? And why do you keep followin’ me around?”
“I’m not following you.”
“Yea you are! What’s your name?”
“Why?”
“’Cuz I wanna know!”
He didn’t say anything but just looked at her in this odd way as if something was stuck to her face and she became dizzy all of a sudden. Then he looked her right in the eyes.
“Ariah, what is a Saihami?”
“Huh?”
“You were talking in your sleep. You said something about a Saihami.”
“Oh…”
“What is a Saihami?”
“I don’t know!”
He leaned forward. “Is it a place?”
“No!”
“Then what is it?”
“Nothing!”
“Are you a liar?”
“No. Can you leave me alone? I’m sick.”
“Maybe. But I’m not supposed to.”
“Why not?”
“Just because.” He looked at the door then at her. “I’ll leave you alone, but can you tell me something first?”
“What?”
“Why does your mother look a lot like the lady in my dreams?”
Venus stared at him. “What?”
“Your mother. She looks like a lady I see in my dreams all the time.”
Her mouth hung open and he watched her, waiting for an answer. “I don’t… know,” she said at last. “You saw my mom?”
“Yes. And your father too.”
“Did they see you?”
“That’s not important. Can you answer my question?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking a bout.” She slammed her fists down onto the floor. “Who are you?!”
He didn’t say anything but just looked at her for a long while until she had had enough. She stood up and pointed at the door. “Get out!”



Epsilon watched Emperor Zeito as he stood at the edge of the black granite balcony, staring off at the cities in the distance. Zeiniko stood nearby, leaning against the railing with his arms folded while Ila stood beside him looking on. There was a long awkward silence as they waited for Zeito to speak but he simply went on looking toward the horizon. Epsilon’s mind jumped to that of Venus’ thoughts and he saw the strange blonde boy’s face and his solemn blue eyes. Then Zeito turned around to face them and Epsilon was jolted from the distracting mental pictures passing behind his eyes.
“I’m not going to bore you with a long story,” said Zeito. “Because you already know about our goals and how we’ve already put our plans into motion. I would say we’re already undefeatable, but there’s always room for improvement.” He looked at Ila with an agitation in his black eyes, then smiled at Epsilon. Polaris who was standing beside her husband thought this was strange, and out of the corner of her vision she saw Zeiniko smirk to himself.
“We have a unique culture,” Zeito went on. “You might think it cruel and unusual but it is who we are. We form no emotional attachments to anything or anyone. From birth, a Saiteimian is shown how to be independent and to use their power to their own advantage. They are taught to do what is best for themselves and their race, no one else. To care about anything or anyone can make one vulnerable with worry and fear. So you see, having those types of traits would only slow us down. Not that we could have them anyway… we are a cold race.”
“Every man for himself and his people,” Epsilon said. “Fair enough.”
“That’s the exact mentality a Saiteimian is born with,” Zeito explained. “But to become all-powerful and successful, you also have to be intelligent and educated. We couldn’t be a pathetic race that couldn’t read and write in our own language. Therefore, Saiteimian children are schooled from age six to thirteen After they’re done with school, they’re left to fend for themselves in this world. They become leaders and fighters. They never stop practicing how to fight.” He paused and looked at Epsilon in question.
“What do you know about your race and their abilities, Evon?”
“Well,” said Epsilon. “I know the Vecsyans are very good with their hands and with inventing. I never was exposed to these things growing up in the place where I lived so it’s sort of new to me. But I know we have a gift in understanding technology.”
“Vecsyans are clever in many ways. They are truly the best inventors, and what they invent can help us grow stronger and make our lives easier… not to mention more fun.”
“Sounds like enough fun as it is,” Epsilon said. “You live pretty much in control of everyone around you and spend your time making yourselves stronger. What could be more fun than that?”
“Trust me,” said Zeito with a sly smile. “Besides using our strengths, we know how to have a good time.”
“You’ve got to show me that fun someday,” Epsilon said, and Zeiniko let out a chuckle.
“I forgot to inform you, Evon,” Zeito said. “That though you and your wife are advisors, you are now on a trial period. If you don’t do well in your positions within the next four weeks, you become slaves just like the rest of your race.”
“Well,” Epsilon said. “I guess we better get started.”
Zeito laughed and as he did, a gust blew. The tan clouds drifting across the slate-colored sky broke apart and weak sunlight filtered down onto the land. Polaris turned to look at the city below, but the black sheen of the metal buildings seemed to reflect misery and imprisonment instead of light. She didn’t want to end up helping build these skyscrapers or be trapped inside them to do labor if that’s what it meant to be a slave to the Saiteimians. The feeling made her stomach twist and her heart pound. She thought sadly of Venus and wondered what she was doing at the moment then turned and looked at Epsilon, hoping he would sense her worry.
“Well, I’ve done enough talking about our kind for today,” Zeito said all of a sudden. “The rest you’ll see and learn for yourself. Is there anything you want to know or need at the moment?”
“My daughter,” Epsilon said, to Polaris’ relief. “She doesn’t do well being away from us too long. Could we see her?”
“Of course. Zeiniko.”
Zeiniko looked up.
“Ki tifhcduync uht kad dra kynm. Pnyhk ran di drayn niis.”
Zeiniko stood up straight. “Ti Y ruja di pupocyd dii?” He had a frown on his face when he spoke as if he wasn’t interested in doing anything he was asked, but he walked past Epsilon, across the balcony, and inside through the glass doors.
“Anyways,” Zeito went on. “How old is your daughter, Evon?”
“She’ll be six in a few months.”
“Really? That’s perfect. School starts again in a couple weeks.”
Epsilon looked at Zeito in question, wondering what he was trying to imply, and to his shock Zeito said, “Don’t worry. I’ll have her enrolled by the end of the week.”




CHAPTER SIX

THE BLONDE BOY WASN’T MOVING and Venus was getting aggravated.
“I told you to get out!” she said angrily. “How come you won’t listen to me?”
The boy suddenly raised his head and looked around. “He’s coming.”
“Who?” Venus asked.
“Him.”
“Who?”
“You have to hide. He’ll hurt you.”
“Who?”
They heard the metal door at the end of the hallway creak open and slam. The boy looked toward the open doorway then turned around to face her. His eyes were bright yellow.
“Hide!”
Venus tensed up in fear then rushed into the little closet and shut the door. She heard heavy footsteps echoing down the hall. Then they entered into the room. From the little crack under the door, she could see a shadow and it paused for a moment. She tried to sit on the floor but instead sat on top of something with hard edges. When she reached down to feel what it was, she realized it was a book; most likely the book Phyllis was reading earlier. Venus pulled it our from under her and slid it in one of the hidden pockets sewn inside her robe. Just as she did this, the closet door swung open.
“There you are,” Zeiniko said, staring down at her coldly. “I was looking for you. Why are you hiding?”
Venus pushed herself backward with her legs until her back was against the wall.
“Oh, I get it,” he said with a smirk. “You’re afraid of me. Big surprise. I haven’t done anything to you yet, little girl. So you have no reason to be afraid of me.” He stood there in thought for a moment while Venus cowered below him.
“Unless…” he said to himself. He reached down and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet.
“What scares you kid?” he asked her. “Tell me what are the things about people that scare you.”
“Ow! My arm!” Venus screeched. “That hurts!”
“I’m not gonna let go ‘til you answer my question. “How ‘bout this? What is it about me that scares you?”
At first she couldn’t tell whether he was actually serious or just teasing, but when he squeezed her arm harder she knew she had to answer him.
“You’re tall and mean and you have… black eyes!”
“What else?”
“You hurt my mom!” And with this Venus swung her free arm and punched him in the thigh. Unfortunately it felt as if he were made out of rock instead of flesh. “Ow!”
Zeiniko began to laugh. “Diekr myddma lrylg.” He held her arm straight up and looked her in the eyes. “Listen, girl, and stop fighting me. I want to talk to you. How ‘bout we be friends?”
“I don’t wanna be your friend!” she said, struggling to pull away. “Let go!”
“Oh come on. Your dad is a friendly fellow. He likes Saiteimians. How come you don’t like us?”
“‘Cuz you’re mean and scary! Stop hurtin’ me!”
“Interesting. So I guess you don’t like us. That means we can’t be friends.” He let go of her and Venus held her arm out in pain.
“What if…” he said thoughtfully, kneeling down in front of her. “…if I was a little boy, would you be friends with me?”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“You’d still be scary!”
“So what? Have you ever had friends before?”
“…No.”
“Really? What a sad look you have when you say that.”
“I don’t want any friends and I don’t need any friends!”
“Aha,” he said nodding. “Thank you. You answered my question perfectly.” He stood and held out his black gloved hand. Venus slowly stood up and stared at his hand, but didn’t dare to take it.
“You’re awfully squeamish when it comes to coming in contact with another person,” he said. He grabbed her hand and she gasped. “But that’s even more to my convenience.” He smiled in a way that made her nauseous then scooped her up into his arms and walked out of the room. Venus began to kick and scream, but Zeiniko clamped one of his hands over her mouth and said to her in a quiet voice, “Remember what I did to your mom? I can do the same thing to your tongue and then no one will hear you scream.”
When she heard this, Venus stopped and became still, limp like a doll in his arms. His evil expression mellowed into deep contemplation as he walked and she wondered just what troubled him so much to create such a look on his face. He walked through the creaky metal door, up the stone stairs, through another door, and down the long hallways. He had just entered the octagon-shaped entrance hall, when he paused and looked around.
“Drana’c hi eca yh rytyhk,” he said loudly. “Y ghif oie’na yh rana.”
“Oie fih’d rend ran, fymm oie?” another familiar voice echoed.
Zeiniko narrowed his eyes and let out a sigh. “Ihmo yv oie una u kiit pio.”
Venus looked around. Nobody else was in the room. She had no idea who he was talking to. Then he just stood there for along while. She finally got the courage to look at him directly in the face again, and his eyes were still slanted in meditation. All of a sudden he looked at her, and she cringed for he was so close, she could see her reflection in his marble black eyes. He didn’t say anything and she stared at his face in fear.
Finally he smiled at her with a fatherly gaze and said, “You want friends don’t you, Ariah?”
“How did you know my name?”
“Answer my question.”
“…Maybe.”
“I’ll give you a friend.”
She went on peering at him. He looked so different when he was smiling a kindly smile, like the difference between night and day, pounding rain and glowing sunshine. Compared to the other Saiteimians they had encountered, he was far above their repulsiveness. He and Emperor Zeito had a sleek elegance about them and even when they glided around in their black clothes and long capes and talked their gibberish, Venus thought they were impressive. No one on Saihami ever had such a collected, domineering attitude like they did. But even if Venus was curious and a bit fascinated, she was still terrified of him.
“You’ll have to be patient,” he said. “Your friend isn’t ready to meet you yet.”
“What friend?” Venus asked, so puzzled she nearly forgot her fear.
“I just said I’d give you a friend, didn’t I? You should pay more attention when I talk to you.”
“But I’m… confused.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re a mean guy, and why are you gonna give me a friend?”
“Because we all have to be friends. Your family with us royal Saiteimians. You’re just a little foolish kid, but listen up. I can be a mean man, but you have to know that I have important jobs. Being mean helps me get them done, see? So don’t get all sad if I do things that seem bad. It’s got nothing to do with you. Now, since I’m such a nice guy, I’m going to let you have a little friend, since you never had one before. I’ll even keep the fact that you two are friends a secret.”
“Who is my friend?”
“That’s a secret too… for now.”
Venus folded down her eyebrows. “Who were you talking to?”
Zeiniko turned his face toward her with a smile. “You’ll find out.”
He set her down on her feet, and she peered up at him in confusion.
“Now we’re gonna pretend this never happened,” he said. “Because your parents won’t like it if they found out what I’ve said to you. So just pretend…” He slid an arm around her back. “… that we never had this conversation.” And with these words, he shoved her face first into the floor. Venus was instantly knocked into a daze and the next thing she knew, she was laying on her back with her nose feeling like it had been pounded by a hammer. The front of her robe was wet and when she touched it, there was blood on her fingers. Her eyes glazed with tears; there was blood pouring out of her nose and some had dried down to her lip. She had no clue of what had happened at all. Her hands squeezed into fists and she was on the verge of crying out in pain when someone stood over her. She blinked several times to see it was Ila.
“Goodness,” she said, looking down at her. “When does her ever stop?”
She reached down and grabbed Venus’ arm and yanked her straight up off the floor. Venus screamed and lashed out at her with her other arm, when Ila slapped her across the face, causing her to scream at the top of her lungs.
“You did something, little girl, to deserve him giving you a bloody nose,” she said in Venus’ face, holding her head by digging her long nails into her scalp. “I want to know what it is.”
“Sidran!”
Ila paused, and stood up straight, looking around. Venus followed her gaze to the center of the room to see the mysterious blonde boy standing there.
“Bmauca tih’d rend ran,” he said. “Bmauca.”
“Guyouh,” Ila said solemnly. “Frud una oie tiyhk rana?”
“Sidran, Y raunt ran clnaus. Bmauca.”
Ila let go of Venus and she fell to the floor, crying loudly. The boy rushed forward beside her.
“Are you okay?” he asked her.
Ila slapped him across the top of his head. “What are you doing? Get away from her!” She gave him a shove with a terrible scowl, but he turned to face her.
“She didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “Zeiniko was being stupid.”
“You don’t call family stupid,” Ila snapped at him. “Now get out of here before your-“
“Before your what?” they heard a voice say. They turned their heads and Emperor Zeito emerged from the shadows with Epsilon and Polaris following him. Once Venus caught sight of her parents, she screamed, “Mama! Daddy!”
Polaris gasped in horror and ran over to Venus, taking her face into her hands. “Ve-Ariah! What happened to you? What happened to your face?”
“It had to be an accident,” Ila cut in. “I found her here on the floor.”
“Zeito,” Epsilon said to him in a stern voice. “You promised my daughter would be safe.”
“Indeed I did, and I sent Zeiniko to bring her to you a while ago. Where is he?”
“He’s not here,” Ila said, folding her arms. “I don’t think he was ever here.”
“Ariah,” Epsilon said to his daughter, apparently annoyed because he knew better. “What happened? Tell us exactly what happened.”
“I don’t know...”
“This was foul play, Zeito,” Epsilon said, ignoring the fact that Ila was staring at him. “I know it was.”
“I’ll have this figured out later,” said Zeito. “Her nose looks like it’s broken. I’ll have her treated by the Gomeans immediately.”
“Gomeans?” Epsilon said to him.
“They are a certain race that have the ability to heal. They’ll fix her up,” Zeito replied. He looked at Polaris. “I’ll lead you to them.”
“May I come too?” a voice asked. They looked at the little blonde boy, who still stood there, peering up at them.
“Guyouh?” Zeito said, sounding a bit surprised. “Frud una oie tiyhk rana?”
The boy shrugged his shoulders and the sleeves of his elegant black robe fluttered.
“Emperor,” Epsilon said. “Who is this boy?”
Zeito looked at Ila in contempt then shifted his gaze back to Epsilon. “Evon, this is my youngest son, Kaiyan.”
Kaiyan bowed politely. “Hello.”
“Kaiyan,” Venus suddenly said out loud in awe, then fainted.



While the Gomeans tended to Venus’ nose on one of the lower floors of the castle with Polaris to keep her company, Epsilon sat on the floor beside the window in his bedroom with his legs crossed, looking at the little boy with the beautiful blue eyes sitting in front of him.
“You’re good at sneaking around, Kaiyan,” he said. “You’re so sly, nobody sees you.”
Kaiyan nodded and went on peering at him blankly. Finally Epsilon said to him:
“You look nothing like a Saiteimian. Why is that?”
“…I don’t know.”
“It’s alright. You can talk to me.”
“Sir, I have many questions to ask. Who are you?”
“I can’t tell you that right now, I’m afraid. But something tells me, Kaiyan, that you’re different from your race. How are you different?”
“I don’t like to hurt anyone. I don’t want to rule over every race like I’m supposed to. I just want peace.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m seven, sir.”
“Very young. Your father seems a bit embarrassed of you.”
“I know he doesn’t like me.”
“With no good reason though.”
“No one likes me. Sir, Zeiniko was the one that hurt your daughter. I don’t know why he did it, but I saw him do it.”
“I know, Kaiyan.”
“How do you know?”
“It’s hard to explain. I have a way of knowing things before other people do. Zeiniko is a troublemaker, that’s for sure.”
“You must be careful, sir. He can hurt anyone.”
“Ah yes, but see… that’s where you come in.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you feel that you are special? That you are supposed to do something about your race? That you are supposed to somehow stop them?”
“Ella tells me I am special.”
“Ella?”
“She’s a lady in my dreams. I see her every night. Your wife looks a lot like her. She says that I am special and different from my family and everyone else. She tells me not to become like them.”
“What else does she say?”
“That’s it, sir. She says that as I get older, she’ll tell me more.”
“Well, that’s… interesting. How do you feel about this?”
“Nobody else has ever been nice to me except her, you… and your daughter. But your daughter is afraid of me.”
“She doesn’t know you. You just have to give her some time.”
“I knew you were good people when I first saw you. I just wanted to talk to your daughter to find out who you were. Ella told me a man named Evon would come to help me.”
“Well, she was certainly right. But for now I can’t tell you who I really am. I promise though… everything will come to you soon enough.” When he said this, there was a radiance in Kaiyan’s magnificent blue eyes that grew brighter, but he didn’t smile at all. This made Epsilon sit back and lean on his hands in amazement.
The door suddenly opened and a weary-looking maid stepped in, unfolded a metal stand, and placed three trays of food upon it. Then she left.
“That’s your lunch,” Kaiyan said. “Father must’ve just remembered to send it up.”
“Thank you Kaiyan. That’ll be all for now. I don’t want you to get in trouble. Next time, we’ll talk more about me.”
“Okay, sir. Is Ariah okay?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. But I’ll tell her you asked for her.”
Kaiyan nodded and walked to the door. “Bye Kaiyan,” Epsilon said. “Tell Ella I said hello.”
“Okay.” He opened the door, and shut it carefully behind him as if he was afraid to make too much noise. Epsilon sighed and lay flat on his back on the floor. “He’s the one,” he said to himself.