“AHHH!” I cried as I lifted myself onto the platform where many other Hands stood.

They, along with a still shirtless Lham, watched as I loudly and painfully breathed.

“Well?”

One of them asked as Lham gently placed his arms beneath me. He then picked me up before carrying me past the other Hands.

“You are looking at our newest sister. Well... if she survives the procedure.” Lham said as he helped carried me into the mountain.

My vision darkened and blurred as he carried me into one of the mountains many chambers.

Two other hands entered before raising their hands.

Lham placed me on a large golden pedestal while wisps of green light went from their bodies to mine.

My eyes widened as my body felt numb.

I no longer felt the pain in my feet nor the ache in my head.

All the pain my body vanished and I was left with nothing but a feeling of relief.

Lham walked up to my right hand.

“Umm… do you want to keep the rock?” He asked while taking Dia and I weakly nodded.

“Ah… one more thing. Everyone has two hands. From now on you shall use one hand to carry out your duties as a member of our order, but what will you other hand do? What will you cling to on this… march, as you called it.”

I looked up into the bright light above me before taking a single breath.

“I would like to keep my hand free and open, so that it may one day hold Adia’s if we ever meet again.” I said.

“Alright, it is time to turn you into a Hand of Summus and if you survive, you will be Bathed in his light as part of the fourth and fifth rites.” Lham said as more Hands entered the chamber. Some of them held strange crystalline bones while others held strange tools.

Lham placed hands on my shoulders as the light above brightened.

“Breathe.” He instructed.

I did as he said before letting a gross squawk as all the air in my lungs left my body.

My vision quickly darkened and I fell unconscious, but not before being assaulted by a pain that far surpassed that I had ever felt in my life.

.

..

“Zuri.”

A voice called and for some reason, it sounded extremely clear.

As though the person speaking was standing right next to me.

I opened my eyes and looked into the bright light above me to find that it was coming from an orb that hung in the air.

I looked to my left and saw Lham standing next to me with his hands clasped together.

“Welcome to the order of Hands, sister Zuri.” He said with a gentle smile.

I tried replying, but I realized that I was clenching my jaw really hard.

“There, there. Take deep and calm breaths. Try to relax.”

I nodded before doing as he said.

I took deep breaths before slackening my jaw, which slowly opened.

“How… how did it go?” I sluggishly asked.

My jaw felt rather heavy and my facial muscles were all stiff.

“It all went swimmingly. You received your new bones without complication and your body is ready to fulfil its duties.” Lham said while grabbing something behind him.

He turned around and placed a cold rock into my hands.

“New bones?” I asked while tilting my heavy head to find Dia nicely rested in my palm-

My eyes widened upon seeing that my arm had several thin golden lines running across it.

I slowly sat up and saw that my entire body was covered in golden lines.

“There. Now, follow me and remember, take your time.” He said.

I nodded before slowly following him out of the chamber.

We made it to the central chamber where the other Hands prayed and Lham gestured that I stand on the pedestal where the light of day once landed, but since it was night-time, no such light could be seen.

I did as he said while he raised his arms triumphantly.

“Go on, brothers and sisters. Bathed her in the light of Summus for even in the dead of night, does its blessing shine through you.” Lham said prompting the other Hands to raise their bald heads.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

They are opened their eyes which had a pale golden glow and just as they all looked at me, rays of golden light Bathed my body from above.

Each of the lines on my skin seemingly danced with joy as I stood in the light.

“By Summus’s light, are you anointed. As a hand to carry out his will and protect the Golden Prince.” Lham said while lowering his arms.

One of the Hands approached him with some clothes which he offered me as the light from above dimmed.

“Here.”

I accepted the clothes before following Lham back to the corridor where a certain chamber was, but instead of re-entering the chamber he took me to a separate, smaller room which had a stone bed, covered in a thin blanket and a polished golden mirror.

“You have more than earned this, Zuri. Rest.” Lham said as I entered the room.

He then closed the door behind me, leaving me in a silence that would normally have bothered me, but the room was warm and I wasn’t in pain, so I laid down on the stone bed, gathered the blanket and made it into a pillow before closing my eyes to sleep.

.

..

Mmm…

To say that I hadn’t slept would be incorrect.

I had closed my eyes and my mind had darkened somewhat, but I terms of overall consciousness… I felt as though if someone made the slightest noise I’d open my eyes.

I eventually got up and looked myself over using the mirror made of polished gold.

Although my face was the same as before, I no longer had any hair or eyebrows.

I wondered what Adia would think.

If he saw me like this.

I wondered if we’d ever see each other again.

A gentle knock came from the door.

“Zuri?”

“Yes?” I said and the door open shortly after, revealing a fully dressed Lham.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“I’m alright.” I said flatly while eyeing my hands.

“Good. Follow me, please.” He said before leading me out of the temple.

We then stepped onto the platform.

“I think you are now ready to fulfil the most important of duties, but for that, we will have to step onto sacred grounds. Are you ready?”

I nodded.

“Good. Take us to the his highness’s Palace.” Lham said and before I could even blink we were in a different place standing on a different platform.

I could hear loud gusts of wind that sounded like they were from a jet engine, but my attention shifted to the dark palace before me.

It was a gigantic structure which had beautiful golden lines across its many flat surfaces. Surfaces which looked like they were made from slabs of dark stone.

In front of the pedestal where Lham and I stood were two staircases.

A large one that seemed far too big for normal people to walk on that went up towards the palace and another smaller one that went down into the rock atop which the palace sat.

It’s here that I noticed that the entire structure was floating several hundreds of meters in the air.

I wanted to loudly gasp, but I composed myself.

The from of the palace was shielded from the wind by gigantic stone shields that kept us from being blown away.

Two hands approached us from the smaller set of stairs. They too were dressed in dark grey robes which had the same engraving as Lham’s.

“Greetings Lham. What brings you up here?”

One of them asked as Lham led me off the pedestal.

“I have a new Hand freshly anointed and ready to work.” Lham said with a bright smile.

“Is that so?” The leftmost Hand asked as he looked me over.

“Not just that, she’s also the mother of one of the boys.”

“Really? Did you tell her that she will not be able to see him?” The other Hand asked with a raised brow and hearing that pained my heart a little.

“No, but I am sure that she will be happy to hear that he is safe. Not only that, she will be working so close to him.” Lham said.

The two hands let out audible hums.

“Well, thank you for bringing her here. What now? It looks like you have taken a liking to her. Are you going to stay and watch over her?”

“Partially. I still have my duties on the surface. I will come by every now and then. As for you, Zuri, just do as these two instruct and all should be well.” Lham said before stepping back onto the pedestal.

His body then vanished in an instant and I turned to face the palace.

“Follow us, please.” One of the Hands said before leading me into the hidden part of the structure and much to my surprise, it was a spacious area which was brightly lit.

They led me to a certain room which was much like the one I’d slept in the night before.

“This will be your quarters.” My superior said before leading me to what looked like a kitchen.

“We receive supplies once a month, but you may eat as you please.”

I was then led to a large circular chamber which was filled with Hands.

At the chamber’s centre was a pillar of light that came from a hole in the ceiling.

“This is the prayer room.” The Hand said before taking me out of the hidden part of the Palace.

We emerged at the bottom of the grand staircase which we climbed.

My eyes widened slightly as we arrived at a gigantic courtyard.

It was about the size of four tennis courts and was surrounded by lush tall bushes.

The courtyard was also made from various stones which all cake together to make a pattern that resembled a burning sun.

“Your duty will be to help you brothers and sisters ensure that this place is clean. If you discover a security problem, report it to one of the Helma Knights or a fellow Hand immediately.” The Hands said before leading me to the end of the courtyard where we climbed another staircase to find ourselves in front of the palace’s front door.

Guarding the three meter tall door were equally tall golden statues. Golden knights which held great lances. Their armour was covered in intricate engravings and sitting above their helmets was a golden circle that I assumed represented the sun.

“These are two Helma Knights. They are the Prince’s personal guard. Do not disturb their watch unless you spot a security problem.”

“Huh?” I sounded aloud and almost instantly after, one of the statues grabbed its helmet before slipping it off, revealing the head of a beautiful man. His head was covered in short fuzzy hair and he had golden eyes which stared at me brightly.

I wanted to fall to my knees and cry, but I maintain my composure as my guiding Hand waved at the knight in greeting.

“Good morning.”

“Mmm. She seems… familiar. Will she be helping out around here?” The Knight asked, his voice soft and almost sleep inducing.

“Yes. What was your name again?” My guiding Hand asked.

“Zuri.” I said with a lowered head.

“Raise your head, Zuri. We are comrades now. Feel free to share whatever thoughts have. I may not be able to move from this spot, but the least I can do I lend an ear.” The knight sang.

I frantically nodded while taking care not to look into the Knight’s eyes.

“Good. Now, you may do whatever you please for the rest of today. Your work will begin in earnest when the sun next rises-“

“So she is currently unoccupied?” The knight asked with widened eyes, but his face was still expressionless.

“Yes.” My guiding Hand droned.

“Then why not keep us company for a while.”

“Sidus…” My guiding Hand droned only for Sidus to dismissively shake his head.

“Worry not, Kuda. It has just been quite some time since I talked to someone new.” Sidus said with a faint smile.

Kuda looked at me before sighing.

“Fine.” He said before making his way back to the courtyard where he disappeared down the staircase.

I then turned to Sidus who eyed me intently.

“You are the mother of the new boy, yes?” He asked and I weakly nodded.

“Ah… I see. Well, worry not. Your child is in good hands and is partaking in the holiest of ceremonies.” Sidus said, but I simply stood frozen.

“I was informed that you and the boy are not of this world. Tell me, what was life back on your home world?”

I looked up in thought for a moment before detailing what life on earth was like and Sidus absolutely ate up everything I told him. Even his comrade eventually started paying attention as I talked about many things that seemed normal in the not so distant past.

I enjoyed telling them what little i knew and I especially liked the faces Sidus made whenever he learnt something new.