With my vows to protect my brother from my father, I abandoned childhood altogether. Many years prior to maturation, I declared myself an adult, a warrior capable of defending my family. I had no inclination as to what awaited me.

A year into Xelan's life, we attended a ceremony on the viewing platform. The flags, banners, and coordinated uniforms distinguished this event from Umbra's previous displays of power. The entire population of Cinder arrived in droves, making camp far into the mountains and the desert. I dreaded the cause for such an occasion. Mother, holding Xelan, glanced down at me, and we shared the same apprehension.

Drums and horns hailed the commencement. Father swept through the entryway. In strips of varying thickness, black leather slashed across his chest and back. He adorned his trousers with hooks, spikes, and buckles. Umbra draped the long, curled half of his hair over his marred face. The freshly shaved half of his head shined in the light. Striking and wasted on his audience.

The only person who seemed impressed with her King's appearance was Amolot as she followed behind in a matching ensemble. The leather straps barely covered her nipples and revealed strange gold piercings, utterly unfamiliar to Icarean kind. She caught me gawking and blew me a kiss.

Karter kept in line with the Valkyrie. She glared at Amolot as the woman took my mother's place at my father's side. The mohawked warrior whispered to a smaller Valkyrie named Para. They peered from me to Amolot and seethed.

Umbra approached the banister. "My proud people. Witness my accomplishments in my short time as King. I kept all my promises to you. Now gaze upon our prosperity."

The army surrounding the castle grunted in respect. The rest of the spectators remained silent.

"Do not think I forgot the most important promise."

I perked up, recalling many complaints against my father, but one resounded louder than the rest.

Umbra spared me a glance as he turned to the columned entrance. Four robed figures with tall and slender builds stepped through the threshold. They hid their faces under hoods. Walking with an effortless grace, they joined father at the banister.

Billions of Icari gasped and cried out. Mother stared with her mouth open. Karter and Para frowned.

I glared. Under one man's robe, near the buckle of his belt, a blue orb glowed. Like my Physician.

"The Foreigners," Umbra announced. "They come to us in peace and offer our salvation. They ask little in return--"

"Let them speak!" someone shouted from the crowd.

The shortest Foreigner, who dwarfed my father by several feet, held up his hand to cut off Umbra's retaliation. "Icari of Cinder, we represent planets outside your solar system in a congruity known as the Vast Collective. We want to help you."

Now the crowd cheered. But the situation unnerved me. Who were these people? And why did one of them slink around my family for centuries before announcing their presence?

At that moment, the tallest Foreigner turned and locked onto my gaze. I knew without seeing his face it was the "Physician." Just as I knew he smirked at my recognition through his hood. I wanted to call him a snake and beat him with my fists like Karter taught me. But I was small. I must bide my time until I was big enough. He glanced over at mother holding my baby brother and stared.

Fuck big enough. I barreled across the platform, ready to tear his lungs out--if he had lungs--when thick arms swept me back.

"Calm yourself, Night Prince, or you will contend with me." Amolot's voice shriveled my insides. She squeezed my biceps and purred in my ear, "It appears you were unfaithful in your lessons. Meet me in the training circle after your bedtime to collect your punishment."

She released me, and I rushed away from her touch. I planned to meet her all right, but only to mete out my vengeance.

When screams erupted from the crowd, I turned my attention back to the ceremony. Two of the Foreigners removed their hoods. A Tritan makes for a fearsome sight the first time. A light blue complexion in the middle that gradually darkened on the parameter of their frame. Black veins peeked through the more translucent skin. No lips or nose. Only holes. Black eyes of varying shapes and sizes. Lots of sharp teeth in their dark mouths. An intimidating species.

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The leader continued, "We are Tritans. Please accept our gifts."

Another added, "Nacre upgrades for the warrior caste and above. Blood stores. Enough for the entire population for some time. Education and training for one member of each household in our world."

The Physician spoke up next, "We will assist you in reviving your planet and incorporating it within the Collective after you complete certain missions and meet our criteria. We look forward to integrating you."

Grateful cheers thundered throughout the valley and beyond.

Afterward, father insisted the family dine with the Foreigners in our home. Amolot excused herself to prepare for her evening. The entire affair struck me as strange. When I reflected later on why, I realized they never once ate a bite of our food.

"Your son... Xelan, is it?" The leader nodded to my brother playing on the floor.

Savis smiled out of respect. "Yes."

The stranger finished, "He truly is beautiful."

The other two nodded in agreement. The Physician stared without commenting either way.

Father grumbled and rolled his eyes.

Mother hesitated to answer, "Thank you. I better tuck him into bed. He missed his afternoon nap." She cupped her hands and bowed to the strangers. I noticed for the first time that her hands trembled as she reached for my brother and carried off with him.

The Physician's gaze lingered on her until well after she left the room. He broke the silence, "Do not touch the boy, Umbra. I will dethrone you and feed you to your people."

The leader nodded. "You did enough damage to the first experiment without causation. Consider yourself lucky we let you keep your testicles."

The second, unhooded Tritan concurred, "We must test the capabilities soon, and we often entertain the notion of you as the target. It would only be just."

My father's complexion transitioned between many shades of blue and purple. On the last threat, the color drained from him altogether. The men poignantly held this conversation in front of me. And I experienced a reluctant surge of gratitude for them, even though I didn't completely understand what they meant.

Umbra declared, "The second experiment is yours and within your rights to educate as you see fit." He pointed at me. "But that is my son, and I will punish him as I feel the situation demands--"

My father clutched his gut and rolled out of the chair, heaving on a groan. Curled in a tight ball, blood dripped from Umbra's eyes, ears, and nose. He growled and snarled, but posed no threat in that much agony. "Yield!"

I went very still so as not to attract their attention.

They released him. As Umbra breathed deep in his relief on the floor, the leader turned to me. "Remember these lessons, Nox."

I wasn't likely to forget them.

That night I wrapped myself for my fight with Amolot. All of five feet tall, I didn't expect to last long. But in my prayers to Elden, I only asked that I left an impression of one not to be bullied.

In the training circle, she wore the same indecent garments from earlier. I inquired, "Am I so little a threat to you that you need not change into armor?"

Amolot smirked at me and tossed her heavy braids behind one shoulder. "I thought it would please my prince, who admired this very dress only hours earlier."

I blushed.

She laughed.

I made her choke on it with a blow to her gut.

Amolot jumped back quickly and cradled her stomach. "Strong." Straightening, she grinned again. "Let us test your defense."

She kicked. I ducked and attempted to sweep her legs. Avoiding it with two backflips, she righted. "You move fast."

"I took on better instruction than you."

The witch threw her head back and cackled. Her abrupt silence unnerved me as those yellow eyes roved over my body. "In what other ways did Karter instruct you?"

Earth-age six, I barely understood what she meant and tried my best to ignore it. But Amolot was quite persistent. She stripped naked. I stared at the stones and avoided looking at her with my peripheral vision. Softly, I murmured, "This is dishonorable, General."

"Are you afraid your masculine urges will distract you from fighting your opponent? In that case, this is not dishonor. This is a tactical advantage."

Refusing to look at her, I took several blows to the head and one to the back. I dodged, ducked, and tried to leave, but she proved more formidable with my discomfort blinding me. So when she hit me hard enough to leave the world spinning, I gave up.

I looked. Striking more than attractive, the woman's chiseled nude body stirred me. I felt so ashamed.

Amolot kicked me, and I captured her leg. Flipping her up into the air, I jumped and kicked her back to the rough stone surface. I landed with no intention of letting her get up. I uncoiled a wrap quickly and set to work tying it around her neck. Dragging Amolot to the edge of the training circle, I tied the wrap to the banister. I kicked her twice in the head for good measure as I prepared to roll her off the ledge.

Dizzy from the concussions I gave her, the female soldier tried to suppress her fear.

I positioned my eyes over hers. I wanted her to see the cold fury inside me. "I want to kill you. I want to hang you for all the suffering you caused my family. My mother. But I am only Prince. On my first day as King, Amolot, if you are still alive, I will execute you where you stand. Leave Xelan and my mother alone. Leave me alone. You have no idea what I am or what I will be. Now get dressed. You disgrace yourself."

The warrior surprised me by submitting with, "Yes, your majesty."

"I like the sound of that."