Six years later, in a large house built on an incline of the coastal city of Saulis located between the borders of A’Kumen and Jericosa, Theia Zarosian, a young woman about sixteen years in age, having bright blue eyes and a beautiful, triangular face, her cheeks were light red as was her lips. Her light-colored skin was soft and shined in the sun. But her most notable feature was her hair: she had long, curly, bright, blonde hair that reached down to her hips, each strand shined like freshly polished gold.

She stared out of the window of her room and looked at the beautiful city with its pearl white buildings with their many domed roofs and arched windows. She eyed the crystal blue ocean the city was built next to and saw a large ship pulling into the city harbor. As she watched the ship, two light-skinned men and man with a more light yellow skin tone entered the room, two of them wearing white robes while the other was dressed in Xainish armor mixed with Orianan military wears. He also had a military-grade rifle (bolt action) strapped on his back and a katana, sheathed at his left side.

“O daughter of the goddess of light,” said one of the robed men. “the ship has arrived.”

Theia turned to face the men, her golden hair flowing as she turned, “Why didn’t my sister come to tell me herself?” she asked.

“Your sister in making the necessary arrangements for your marriage to Hamaza Ⅲ, with the help of Galavonii's assistants, of course.”

“Since she is my older sister, I would’ve liked her to have told me.”

“Forgive me, daughter of light, but your sister personally sent us.”

Theia looked at the man in armor and asked, “Who’s this?"

“Oh, this is Osamu Kyokou, a warrior from Xain who has been hired to protect you and serve as your advisor. He knows A’Kumen better than anyone, the people, the culture, and the land. He will serve you well.”

“It’s a pleasure to serve you, my liege.” Osamu said as he bowed to Theia.

Just then, a woman walked in that looked like Theia, except that she looked at least ten years older (although it is quite hard to know how old exactly due to her young appearance) and her hair was more straight and shorter. “Theia, my sister. May I have a moment with you in private?” the woman asked.

“Of course, Kiera.” Theia said.

The three men left the two women alone in the room. Kiera walked over to Theia and put her hands on her upper arms, “Look at you, once a wild and mischievous child, now a beautiful young woman. Lord Hamaza will definitely accept our alliance now. I can just see myself burning down that damned throne, that symbol of our family’s downfall.” Kiera then walked towards a large box and opened it, revealing a small, blue, glass-like sphere that rested on a beautiful silk cloth. She gently caressed it with her hands, “And with this, no one will stand against us. The power of the titans flow through our blood.”. She then walked back over to Theia and put her hand on her sister’s shoulders.

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“I’m happy to do my part to make sure the Zarosian bloodline claims Oriana once again.” Theia said softly.

Kiera slipped her hand under Theia’s dress and lightly squeezed her sister’s left breast, “They’re so small and soft, and your belly is flat and smooth. Value your body while you can, it’ll be different after you start baring Lord Hamaza children. After my first childbirth, my body was never the same.” she said before undressing Theia. “You should shower and put on a new dress. You want to look presentable for your soon to be husband.”

“Yes, Sister.” Theia said, walking off to a small shower stall made from marble-like material. Theia’s sister walked off out of the room. Theia turned a wooden knob and out from a metal pipe cam a flow of water that washed over her body. As she scrubbed herself and started to wash her hair, she noticed that a few strands of her hair were black. She took a pair of scissors from a nearby table and cut the strands off, she was a little shocked as she had never known her own hair to be another color than blonde. Deciding to not think too much of it, Theia finished washing and put a white dress on that was made from the finest silk that when light shined on it, the pearl white color turns to a sparkling pink hue. She then walked out of her room to find her sister. She asked one of the robed men the whereabouts of her sister to which the man old her that she was headed to the harbor. Theia exited the building and made her way towards the docks.

She walked down the streets of Saulis accompanied by four guards dressed in golden armor. As she walked reserved and a little timid, she saw some poor people sitting on the side of the street staring at her blonde hair, “It’s the daughter of Xenith!” one exclaimed. Theia kept walking, holding her head down towards the ground. She arrived at the docks where one of the robed men that came to her room was waiting.

“Ah, my lady.” he said, walking along side her. “Your sister is expecting you. You must be proud to do your mother’s work. With any luck, your family will claim the throne of Oriana and reunify the eight nations under the banner of the goddess of light.”

“Um, yes, I am happy to serve my mother in any way I can.” Theia said, her voice sounding so quiet that the robed man had to ask her what she said.

She caught up with her sister at the ship which was being loaded with cargo, men and a few robed men. Kiera was with Osamu and an A’Kumenian who was an olive skinned man wearing a tan and green robe and a white turban on his head. “Ah, dear sister,” Kiera said. “We were just waiting for you. This is Amir, he’s the representative sent from Hamaza to make sure the negotiations go as planned.

Amir said hello in the A’Kumenian tongue which Osamu translated for, and he then said that Hamaza will be expecting them to arrive.

“Then let us go. The sooner I get my army, the sooner I can burn the Ferdinands and their allies to the ground.” Kiera said.

“Don’t act so confident, my queen. The Ferdinands may not have that large of an army, but they are becoming more advanced in their technology that easily outmatches ours.”

“Don’t worry, Osamu. The people of Oriana will come to the aid of their queen when they see me. Oriana is practically mine by right.”

“I hope you’re right.” Osamu sighed.

“Why, you interested in my cause.”

“No.” he replied. “I’m just interested in getting paid.”

“You mercenaries are all the same.”

Theia with Osamu at her side boarded the ship followed by Kiera – after they boarded, four men in white robes carried the large box that contained the blue sphere and brought it to a room bellow the ship’s deck on the aft side. Once they boarded the ship, the vessel set sail to al-Halamun, a city located in the south eastern part of the Sal-Kaeem peninsula in south western A’Kumen, and right next to the city of al-Halamun was the Bay of Lions.