Salia Gray:

The entire city of Mylons was gathered around the Celestial Dome, a massive structure engineered to teleport objects from anywhere in the universe. The Mylons cheers echoed through the corridors beneath me. I could hear them, even from here, inside the private viewing room reserved for the higher echelon. They were all waiting for the same thing—the arrival of the X-Nature. It was supposed to be our moment, the moment the Mylons would finally become the strongest force in the universe. The thought of it made my pulse race.

I sat quietly by the window, staring at the glowing dome. As I looked down at my tablet my reflection caught my eye: jade green skin that shimmered in the light, brown-orange eyes reflecting the energy below, and strands of turquoise hair cascading down my shoulders. My fingers absently scrolled through the tablet on my lap, flipping through a list of species we had encountered across the stars. Plasmarians. Gruniks. Dolorians, Kinen. So many names. But none of them would matter once Emperor Rahool consumed the X-Nature. He is the ruler of the Mylons, the chosen one. The one who would lead us to power that even the Sovereign Stars couldn't control. So they Say.

Across the room, my Father, Surreal Gray, stood at the head of the table, his calm, calculating gaze fixed on the dome. Simon Grene, his ever-present shadow, stood beside him, silent and stoic as usual. Emperor Rahool sat in his rightful place, looking every bit the ruler he was, surrounded by General Javen, the Chief Engineer, the High Seer, and the Intelligence Coordinator. Each of them eager, filled with anticipation, just like me.

The Mylon Announcer’s voice filled the room, beginning the presentation. "Today marks the culmination of centuries of work. Our scientists, led by the esteemed Surreal Gray, have crafted this machine to tap into the very fabric of the universe. With the X-Nature in our hands, we will no longer be bound by the whims of the Sovereign Stars. Our future begins now."

My heart pounded as I leaned forward, watching the workers underground on the screens, setting up the Celestial Generator. This was it.

The process began, and I could feel the tension in the air as the dome filled with energy. A large black sphere appeared in the center, majestic and mesmerizing, with stars and swirling gas reflecting off its surface. It was beautiful, more beautiful than I could have imagined. Everyone was transfixed, watching in silence, including me. My green skin tingled as the power washed over us, making the hairs on my neck stand on end.

Then, without warning, the sphere started to vibrate violently, a low hum building into a deafening roar. I gripped the edge of my seat, my eyes wide as the vibrations grew stronger. The sound rattled through my bones. And just as quickly as it began, it stopped. Complete silence filled the room.

The explosion that followed inside was both terrifying and stunning. Ashes, like tiny stars, floated through the dome, illuminating the space with their soft glow. The entire room held its breath, waiting for the reveal. My fingers dug into the tablet, my eyes refusing to blink.

When the ashes cleared, what lay in the dome wasn’t the X-Nature. It wasn’t power or energy. It was... bodies. Five unconscious, naked beings. My heart skipped a beat, and I leaned closer to the glass, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. They were... so strange. Their skin, their features... they weren’t Mylon.

"What... what is this?" The engineer murmured behind me.

I could hear the confusion ripple through the room, disbelief turning into anger. "Is this some kind of joke?" General Javen demanded. "Why are these disgusting creatures here?" The air turned hostile. Mylons were a proud race, and we believed ourselves to be superior to all others. And now this? This was not what we expected.

Emperor Rahool’s voice boomed from his seat. "Surreal! Explain yourself!" I could see the anger in his eyes as he turned to my Father.

Surreal’s green face paled, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek. He stared at the bodies, just as confused as the rest of us. "I... I don’t understand. This wasn’t supposed to happen."

My gaze drifted back to the figures in the dome. There was something... something about them. My breath caught in my throat as I looked closer. I’d never seen anyone like them before, not this close, not in person. Mylons didn’t mingle with outsiders often. And yet, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them. They were all strikingly unique, fairly young and male. Two of them shared similar features: dark brown skin and coal-black spiky hair, one slightly larger than the other. Another had beautiful, flowing white hair that cascaded down his back, pointy ears peeking through, and an olive skin tone that glowed with an otherworldly allure. The next was a striking smooth blue-skinned being with a long tail that flicked restlessly behind him, long ears accentuating his alien charm. But it was the last one that drew my attention most—a boy with dark brown hair in messy locs, looking thoroughly battered. His skin was marred with scratches and bruises, and what stood out the most was his missing arm, the severed stump.

There was something about all of them. Something... different.

"The substance could be hidden on them," the Intelligence Coordinator spoke up. "Perhaps it’s in their hair, or on their skin."

The Announcer stammered, pulling himself together. "We... We have a diverse group of beings here, ladies and gentlemen. I... I honestly don’t know what to tell you."

The room descended into chaos, but I stayed silent, my eyes fixed on the five unconscious figures. I was supposed to be anticipating the X-Nature, supposed to be celebrating the rise of the Mylons. But now, all I could think about was who these beings were... and why they had been sent to us.

The council members floated closer in their pods, examining the bodies. "They’re not carrying the X," one of them confirmed. "Shut it down."

As the Announcer called off the event, I knew this was just the beginning. I had no idea what had just happened, but I had a feeling that those five beings in the dome were about to change everything.

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As the crowd of Mylons began to filter out of the stadium, the council remained huddled together, engrossed in analyzing the strange beings before them.

A wave of pure confusion washed over the members, thickening the air with tension.

“This is an unprecedented situation,” the High Seer declared, his voice steady but tinged with uncertainty.

Emperor Rahool, visibly agitated, gripped his temple in frustration. “Surreal, I need a logical explanation for how this happened. How could we possibly have ended up with them?”

Surreal Gray squinted, focusing intently on the unconscious figures sprawled before him. The silence hung heavy as he processed the implications of their arrival. “The only explanation that fits,” he finally said, “is that these beings have already consumed the X-Nature. We need to quickly take them to the lab for further research.”

The council members exchanged uneasy glances, their unease palpable. The High Seer leaned in, his voice barely a whisper. “And if they possess that power? What will it mean for us?

Inside the lab, we made sure that each of the beings remained unconscious, injecting them with narcotics, encased within a transparent dome. We also made sure that we cladded them in all white clothing from their wrist down to their ankle. The space buzzed with the hum of high-tech computers and holographic displays lining every counter. The dome positioned their bodies laying down in the anatomical position, ready for study under the watchful eyes of the researchers.

Surreal Gray was directing his lab subordinates, issuing orders with an air of authority. They busily worked on the main controls for the detector, eager to uncover any signs of X-Nature. Meanwhile, Salia stood apart, her tablet pressed against her chest, her gaze fixed on the aliens before her. She approached the pod containing the smaller purple eyed dark-skinned boy, a strange pull drawing her closer. As she analyzed him, she felt her attention lock onto his features, finding herself inexplicably captivated by his appearance. A warm smile crept onto her face as she absorbed his presence, unaware of how long she had been staring.

Simon Grene approached, holding a tablet connected to the (MES) Molecular essence scanner’s main controls. “Surreal, take a look at this,” he said, presenting the screen to Surreal.

The tablet displayed the energies integrated in the boy's body, and Simon pointed eagerly at the screen. “The X-substance is actually inside them. Look!” He leaned in closer. “See how the detector shows this dark purple substance coursing throughout their bodies? That’s where all that energy is coming from.”

The lab filled with murmurs as they explored various methods to extract this energy. They attempted to draw blood, and more, but each attempt was met with failure.

“We must drain the very essence from them,” Surreal declared, a steely determination in his voice.

Salia, still enraptured by the boy, was suddenly jolted from her thoughts. Realizing she had been staring for too long, she turned to Surreal, her curiosity piqued. “Father, what race is this blue one? I can’t find any records in my logs.”

Surreal frowned, tapping a finger against his chin. “I recognize the Voltarian, the Veloxians, and human, but that blue specimen… I don’t know what it is. But it won’t matter if they die during the extraction.”

Salia’s expression shifted to one of shock and concern. “Huh? Why are they going to die?”

Simon intervened, his tone serious. “Salia, have you not been paying attention? Any normal method won’t work. We’ll have to create a new machine for this major extraction.” He glanced at the document in his hand. “Once we finish applying the necessities outlined here, we’ll report to the Chief Engineer to get it built.”

After hearing this, a bothersome feeling washed over me, leaving me puzzled about its origin. I didn’t even know these aliens; there was no connection between us. Perhaps it was my passion for learning about other species that stirred this unease. No, it felt deeper than that. Was it compassion? I couldn't quite pinpoint it.

I turned to Simon. “How long will it take to build this extraction machine?”

“Nine hours,” he replied, his voice stern and irritating as ever. I had always despised Simon; my father treated him like a golden child, despite their lack of blood relation. But at least I felt a little more at ease knowing I had time to observe these beings up close.

“Salia, are you coming? We’re about to leave for the Chief Engineer’s office,” my father asks.

“No, I think I want to stay and watch them some more,” I replied, my voice steady. He merely shot me a quick glance before turning away, leaving with the rest of his crew. I relished the solitude; it granted me a sense of autonomy I rarely experienced.

As I continued to stare at the aliens, my gaze was irresistibly drawn back to the dark-skinned boy. I found him inexplicably beautiful, and the emptiness of the lab only intensified my fascination. Driven by curiosity, I decided to open the pod.

I couldn’t quite articulate it, but I felt a magnetic pull toward their energy, especially him. Gently, I reached out and brushed my fingers through his coal-black hair, marveling at its texture. I continued to analyze his body, captivated by the unique details that made him who he was. Time slipped away as I lost myself in this moment; I could have spent hours simply exploring the softness of his hair.

Minutes turned into what felt like an eternity of pure leisure as I moved on to the other aliens, my hands exploring their features with equal wonder. But eventually, fatigue began to creep in, and I felt my eyelids grow heavy. Seems like the loss of sleep awaiting this event took a toll on my body. Finding a nearby chair, I settled into it and drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the quiet hum of the lab and the extraordinary beings that lay before me.

As I stirred awake, the blaring lights of the lab momentarily blinded me. My heart raced as I grabbed my tablet to check the time. Just a few minutes remained before they would enter for the extraction. Panic washed over me.

“Oh my God, I left them open!” I gasped, covering my mouth in horror.

I sprang to my feet, rushing to each pod and quickly closing them, my mind racing with the potential consequences. If anyone discovered the pods open, I could get in serious trouble. Or worse—what if something happened while I was asleep? I shook that thought away, focusing instead on the time ticking ominously on the wall.

With every passing second, an uneasy feeling twisted in my gut. I didn’t want these beings to die. I don’t know why but I felt an obligation to save them, but I knew that taking such a risk would lead to unimaginable consequences—not just from my father, but from the entire council and the people of Malona (Their Continent).

Time dragged on, the feeling intensifying until my heart hammered in my chest. I couldn’t endure it any longer. I let my emotions override my logic. “I’m taking these guys somewhere else,” I declared, my voice resolute.

Realizing I’d spoken aloud, I quickly covered my mouth, then hurried to unplug the wires connecting the first pod to the ground. It began to levitate, making it easier to maneuver. With determination fueling me, I pushed the first two pods toward my father’s Haven parked outside then the next two. The vehicle was massive, spacious enough to hold another vehicle in its trunk.

Just as I re-entered the lab to retrieve the last alien, I froze, coming face to face with Simon.