Chapter One

Zafir strode into a meeting room high in the Resonance Project HQ, a data pad tucked under his arm and an enormous thermos of coffee in the other. General Crowe and people from different military branches, public relations, and even Imperator Julien’s assistant were present. Appearing rather out of place amongst the humans, Citomy observed, a haughty air exuding from her every pore.

“Footage of Subject Zero’s fight has spread too far,” a woman from public relations spoke up. “We can’t squash this.”

“I want to know who hacked into the facility’s surveillance system to broadcast that bloodbath!” A general Zafir wasn’t familiar with demanded. “That was our highest security—”

“We are dealing with Syldrari. I wouldn’t be surprised if the sick bastard did it himself so he could record his conquest,” the Imperator’s assistant interrupted, his expression dull. “You’re all here to analyze the footage and draft a formal report for the Imperator. Get to it. Professor Zafir, you have what you needed?”

“Yes. My colleague finished processing the raw footage,” Zafir answered promptly, placing his thermos on the table so he could tap away on his data pad.

“How is Elara’s condition?” General Crowe asked, a hint of gentleness entering his voice.

“She will make a full recovery—it looked worse than it is.” Zafir grimaced, the image of Elara’s blood-soaked body, covered in dozens of sword wounds flickered through his mind and his throat tightened. “There may be some trauma from the pain and blood loss when she wakes. However, we confirmed there was no rape. Perhaps we misunderstood her opponent’s threat?”

Zafir’s stomach turned at his own report. He knew damn well what Jysel was doing, and that he would never harm someone in such a way. Playing along was difficult, at best. He was, however, thankful that it was easy to prove nothing had happened beyond their combat.

Of course, that didn’t mean the humans would stop pushing the narrative. With the entire empire’s eyes focused on what had happened…

“They are a fight-hungry species…” Crowe rubbed his chin, then a look of realization came over him, and Zafir hastened to refocus. “You think he was playing with her like a cat with a mouse.”

“I wouldn’t say we are fight-hungry,” Citomy quipped, tapping her nails against her arm.

Crow winced. “Apologies, ma’am. Just an observation in comparison to human tendencies toward the same.”

“Yes, sir.” Zafir nodded, choosing to ignore Citomy’s interjection and focus on his task. “Syldrari fluids—aside from their blood—glow bright colors. There wasn’t so much as saliva, sir.”

“Good. That’s one concern out of the way.” Crowe nodded, then motioned at the blank wall. “That enough space for the footage, Zafir?”

“Yes, sir. I’m almost ready,” Zafir answered, silently quelling his desire to tap into any number of harmonic combat arts. With the right pitch, I could fracture their skeletal structure. I wonder if I could make it more targeted, perhaps? Prolong the pain? Elara wouldn’t be in this mess if these imbeciles—

“Bastard didn’t even put armor back on?!” One of the onlookers snapped as a paused video flickered into existence on the wall.

“A show of power, clearly. He is saying he doesn’t require armor to fight this ‘Elara’ girl.” The Imperator’s assistant sighed irritably and motioned loosely with one hand. “Play it.”

Zafir steeled himself, then pressed play. He watched as they stalked each other, neither making an aggressive move nor speaking a word aloud. Both Jysel and Elara seemed completely in their element.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

That was until a brief look of surprise crossed Elara’s face moments before Jysel swung his sword down at full force at her, the blade becoming a blur.

“Pause,” a uniformed woman ordered, the program immediately complying. “They weren’t speaking—so why did she look surprised?”

“Without working audio there’s no way to be certain, but Syldrari are capable of using sounds they make as a weapon,” Zafir answered in his best lecture voice. “It is likely that he emanated a disorienting or shocking sound. ‘Going feral’ is known as kuhir-dal in Syldran. If the R’selkti deserter was looking for an animal to hunt…”

“…he made one.” Crowe narrowed his eyes. “Play.”

Zafir’s stomach twisted as the footage resumed and he watched Jysel and Elara rip each other apart. Her switch to kuhir-dal, the feral state, was so quick that Jysel didn’t get far in his downward arc before the smaller woman darted to the side, toward Jysel, and clawed his chest open.

“The hell’s going on? Slow by half!” Crowe demanded.

Of course, at such speed… Zafir’s thoughts paused momentarily as he tracked Elara’s movements and her sheer disregard for her opponent’s weapon. If Jysel hadn’t been careful, Elara would have been cut into chunks within the first thirty seconds of their fight—at most.

“He hasn’t forgotten to show courtesy to a queen, at least,” Citomy scoffed, placing a hand on her hip. “Modified or not, she has the genetic data of a queen. Poor boy must have hoped he might convince her to join him.

“I’ve seen enough. Jysel may have slaughtered most people manning your weapon’s platform, but he was correct in his assessment of the danger your shoddy resonance cannon posed. You will continue to try and arrest him—but your government is to turn him over to me.”

Crowe grunted. “That isn’t my decision. Imperator Julien has the final say in such matters, as I am sure you can understand.”

Citomy huffed and turned her gaze back to the footage. “What’s this? Defeated by blood loss?”

The room watched as Elara stumbled toward a pained-looking Jysel, her wounds leaving a trail of blue splatter on the floor. She wobbled, then collapsed to her knees, swaying, before her body gave out and she tilted forward.

Jysel quickly caught her by the shoulders and lowered her, keeping her from smacking her head off the concrete floor. He looked just as maimed as her, but still took a moment to make certain Elara wasn’t going to drown in her own blood. Then, he pressed a device at his wrist, and vanished from the visible spectrum without a trace.

“He couldn’t have gone far with those wounds. She must’ve clawed him three inches deep,” one of the onlookers muttered.

Crowe turned to look at Zafir, “Have our men found him?”

Zafir made a show of checking his data pad, then shook his head. “No. The trail suggests that he left for the nearby sewers and either entered them or, more likely, boarded a waiting transport.”

“And why not the sewers?” Citomy demanded impatiently.

“They…are not a place a man of his size would fit. The old city’s sewers were built by children, and only fit children.” Zafir grimaced and pulled up a few shots on the screen for the Syldrari queen.

“Child labor…? Then, these sewers are not still in use?” Citomy gave the Imperator’s assistant a threatening glare.

“No ma’am,” Crowe stated. “Point is, your fugitive son must have boarded a craft, and it went undetected by all surveillance in the city. Unless Elara’s team improves drastically, we don’t have the means to capture him.”

“I don’t understand,” one of the generals spoke up. “Why didn’t he just kill her? I thought your species was good at what it does.”

Citomy rubbed her temples and sighed in exasperation. “Because the girl has a queen’s genetics, you utter buffoon. An unclaimed Syldrari—especially a Lun’iri—wouldn’t risk harming a queen.”

“A Lun-what-now?” The general blinked.

“For the love of…” Citomy rolled her eyes and rounded on the general. “Lun’iri! What your simplistic species would call a man. Lun’iri are visually masculine, have a dick, and no other sexual organ. Honestly! Would it kill your species to learn about those you make your allies?”

“This bitch—” the general snarled, rising to his feet.

“—is the Imperator’s guest, so you will show her respect.” The assistant narrowed his eyes at the general. “Imperator Julien made it clear what the punishments would be if anyone disrupted our arrangement.”

Zafir stifled his amusement and glanced down at his data pad as the humans argued among themselves. Though he loathed Citomy and her followers, she certainly had a way of making the humans less boring.

Zafir’s mouth tugged into a slight frown as a pop-up appeared on his data pad, blocking out his notes. He ground his teeth a moment, before finally speaking up, “I’ve been informed that I am needed in the hospital wing. General Crowe, sir, by your leave…?”

“Of course, getting Elara patched up should be your top priority. I can handle matters here.” Crowe nodded to Zafir.

“Thank you, sir. Ladies, gentlemen.” Zafir nodded to the room, then left, clutching his data pad.

Healed already…? Who… Zafir referenced the message from Amara again. She had lost contact with all systems for approximately ten minutes, and when they reconnected, Elara was no longer injured. Zafir fidgeted nervously with his glasses after entering an elevator and pressing a button for one of the sub-basement levels. One of the moles, most certainly. But from which faction? Citomy, Jysel, Rel, or… The Abyss Father?