Fear swept through the Kingdom of Zebulun as news of Riley and Raynin’s escape spread. Shaul sent soldiers throughout the kingdom to terrorize the people for information on the whereabouts of Riley and his daughter while Othello and Kieran searched the palace for Nunya, tearing apart both Raynin and Riley’s living quarters in the process. Finding nothing, Othello and Kieran returned to Shaul’s study where he sat contemplating his next move against his daughter and her allies.
“Let me guess, Nunya has also fled the kingdom and none of the people were helpful in the search for my daughter and her friends? That about right?” Shaul asked as he continued to write.
“Yes sir. According to Prince Riley’s servants, he sent Nunya away last night.”
“And did they happen to know where?”
“No, sir.” Othello answered.
“No matter. I know where my daughter is headed.”
“Sir?” Kieran looked from Shaul to Othello.
“My daughter and her friends are headed to the one place they know will offer them protection.”
“The Chosen Realm.”
“More specifically, Hevel. You see, what my daughter so often fails to remember is that I have eyes and ears everywhere. Isn’t that right, Larissa?”
The young servant entered the room behind Kieran and Othello. “Undoubtedly, my king.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
“You shouldn’t be in that much awe, Captain. Surely you know everyone has a price.”
“Don’t mistake my surprise for admiration. All you have done is prostitute yourself to the highest bidder and proved how disloyal you are. Surely you know how useless you have now become.”
The young maid’s eyes widened. “I’m afraid he’s right.” Shaul threw Larissa a bag of coins. “100 baklas as agreed. Now, I’d start running if I were you. If there’s one thing my daughter hates, it’s traitors.” Larissa bowed and left the study in a hurry.
“My king, what exactly is the plan?”
“I’m glad you asked, Othello. You see, I figured since I now know for sure where they are headed, Plan B will work just fine. See to it that it’s carried out to the fullest. If we cut off the head, the tail stops moving.”
“Are you sending both of us?”
“No, Kieran. Your purposes are best served here. Othello, I want you to leave immediately for Hevel. Take whoever and whatever you need.” Shaul wrote down further instructions and sealed it with the royal stamp. “Don’t open this until you are onboard the arávas.” Othello nodded and withdrew from the study. “Kieran, ride out and start informing our allies of the impending war. I expect numbers when the day comes.”
“Yes, my lord.” Kieran turned to leave.
“And Kieran, don’t disappoint me.”
Kieran looked over his shoulder and then left the room. A servant entered the room and bowed. “Azimuth has arrived, my lord King.”
“Very well. Show him to the throne room.”
“Yes, my King.” The servant withdrew from the study.
Shaul continued to scribble notes down before joining Azimuth in the throne room. “Welcome, Azimuth. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.” Shaul opened his arms to embrace Azimuth who was dressed in all black with a red cloak.
“Not long enough.” Azimuth stepped to the side, dismissing Shaul’s welcome.
“I see. Well, that’s too bad. Your self-imposed exile is over. Your king needs your service.”
“King? Your old age seems to be taking a toll on your memory. You are not my king.”
“That may very well be the case, but I am a king and you will show me respect.”
Azimuth scoffed and proceeded to leave. “Brother.” Azimuth turned around to face his sister. Meela stood a foot shorter than him but their physical likeness was apparent. “Your tongue has grown sharper. Perhaps your gift gives you too much power and a false sense of authority.”
“Shall we test it out?” Azimuth pointed his open hand at Shaul.
“That’s enough, Azimuth. You may have everyone else scared, but you don’t scare me,” she replied pointedly as she advanced.
“No? I could crumble you from the inside out with no effort or hesitation.”
“Your threats fall on deaf ears. Now, if you’re done wasting your time, we can get to why we summoned you.”
“I’m listening.”
Meela cleared her throat and motioned for Azimuth to approach the thrones as her and Shaul sat down. “My lord,” Meela looked to Shaul.
“How would you like to be reunited with a few old friends?”
“They’re not my friends, so no thank you.”
“I’m glad you said that, because I have a task for you. Last night, my daughter and her friends fled the Guardian Realm and are seeking refuge in the Chosen Realm. That realm has sat in peace for far too long. I want you to attack it. My men are at your command.”
“And your daughter and her friends?” Azimuth inquired.
“Dispose of them, if you can,” Shaul responded, challenging him.
“And what’s in it for me?”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Anything you want.”
“My sister.”
“Excuse me?” Shaul and Meela looked at him with alarm and confusion as he grinned from ear to ear.
“I want my sister gone. If I do this, Meela goes into exile and gives up her position as queen for good.”
Meela opened her mouth to protest but Shaul silenced her. “Done. Is that it?”
“One more thing. If you ever, in your cowardice, summon me again to fulfill a task you should be taking care of, I will finish what I started.”
Shaul balled his fists as he watched Azimuth’s tall figure exit the throne room. “Be at peace, Meela. When he does what I requested, he won’t live to reap the benefit.”
“Remember, he is my brother,” Meela interjected.
Shaul pounded his fist on the throne and stood up. “Not anymore!”
#
The Weynar Vas rumbled from the inside out as they flew further into the MoonStar Portal. Raynin stood looking out the window in her room at the bluish, purple aurora that made up the MoonStar Portal.
A knock sounded on her door interrupting her thoughts. Raynin turned to face Trent. “My lady, Captain Nael requests a moment.”
Raynin nodded and sat down on her bed. “Forgive the intrusion, my lady,” the captain began, “but your presence is needed in Command.”
“And Riley?”
“He has been sent for as well, Your Majesty.”
“Very well. Trent, we’re leaving.” Trent reentered the room. “ERIN, teleport all to Command.”
The three of them stood in the doorway of the Command Center. Riley approached Raynin as Nael assumed command.
“Lieutenant, what’s our status?”
“10 minutes until we breach the barrier of the Chosen Realm.” Nortus turned to face Nael, Riley and Raynin. “Shall I contact the Chosen Realm and alert them to our arrival?”
“Yes. We can’t afford any surprises and I’d rather they didn’t shoot blindly at us when our ship is detected but can’t be seen.”
“Yes, Captain.” Nortus turned on the communications link for the holographic system sending out a broadcasting signal to the command post within range. A male figure appeared and glanced around the Command Center. “Sir, I am Lieutenant Nortus of the Weynar Vas. Who do I address?”
“Who commands the Weynar Vas?” the man asked, ignoring the lieutenant’s question.
Captain Nael turned to Riley and Raynin. “I believe he is asking for you.”
“Prince Riley and Princess Raynin,” Riley answered as they stepped forward into view. “To whom do we speak?”
The holographic figure disappeared momentarily and then reappeared. “Riley. Raynin. We’ve been expecting you,” a new voice said. “Though, you are a day early.”
“That’s because we are no longer visiting but seeking refuge, Dr. Wyler,” Raynin responded.
“I see. Well, you are cleared to enter the Chosen Realm. However, you’re going to have to deactivate your stealth mode before crossing the barrier. It’s standard protocol.”
“Are we to be escorted?” Riley asked as Captain Nael ordered the stealth mode to be deactivated.
“Yes. As soon as you enter the Chosen Realm, two of our ships will escort you to our base on Hevel. Upon your arrival, I will be there to greet you.”
“And Cameron?” Raynin asked. “Will she also be there to greet us?”
“I can’t answer for sure, but I will see what I can do.” Dr. Wyler bade them goodbye and ended the broadcast.
Raynin glanced at Captain Nael and frowned. “Was that all you needed to see us for?”
“Not exactly. Have the two of you only lived in the Guardian Realm?”
“As far as we know, yes.”
“Then, I’ve been asked by Dr. Neira to direct you to Med Bay.”
“Or they could just follow me there,” a soft voice spoke from behind Captain Nael. Stepping into view, a young woman in a lab coat smiled at Raynin and Riley. “I’m Dr. Neira.”
“Riley.”
“Raynin.”
“A real pleasure, Your Majesties. Forgive my abruptness, but we need to walk and talk.”
“Okay.” They followed Dr. Neira out of the Command Center. “What’s the problem?” Riley quickened his pace so that he now walked side by side with the doctor.
“You and your friends are going to suffocate if we don’t put you in Bio Pods.”
“Bio Pods? Like the ones we train in? How would that help us exactly?” Raynin questioned her as they entered the Med Bay.
“Essentially. These Bio Pods are pressure capsules used on airships to enhance a person’s chemistry thus making them able to travel in and out of the realms,” Dr. Neira replied placing her clipboard on the table. “Once you’ve gone through this process, you won’t have to repeat it again.” A medical assistant entered the room with Joseph and The Twins. “Perfect timing. Now that we are all here, let’s move quickly. Follow me.”
The group followed Dr. Neira into the adjacent room. Each of them were guided to separate Bio Pods and locked in them. The Bio Pods stood vertically at about 10 feet tall and were 5 feet wide. Dr. Neira walked over to the monitors to confirm that each Bio Pod was secure and that their vitals were registering on screen.
“Everything looks good. Initiate bio sequence.”
Fluid began to pour into the Bio Pods. “Hey! What the hell are you doing?” The Bio Pods started to fill up quickly. “We need oxygen masks!” Riley exclaimed.
“Don’t be alarmed. The fluid you are being submerged in is like the fluid used in the simulation pods you go in for virtual training. The only difference is that we have added other chemicals to help alter the bodies chemistry. Hence you being able to breathe while under and being able to travel between worlds, realms, etc. Really, you have nothing to worry about.”
“You’ll forgive me if I’m not too trusting,” Riley said dryly.
“Now, you are able to speak while you are submerged but we won’t be able to hear what you are saying. However, you will be able to hear us. We’ll have people on watch to read your lips if you have questions. Do any of you have any right now before you are completely under the bio gel?”
“Yes, how long do we need to stay in the pods?” Joseph asked.
“Until we land. Anyone else?” Everyone shook their heads as the bio gel slowly crept over their mouths. “Okay then.” Dr. Neira turned to a medical staff member. “Monitor them and make sure their stats stay level.”
“Yes, doctor.” Dr. Neira nodded and then left, leaving the group with her medical staff and Trent and Skylar, who at this point made their presence known. Trent took up his post beside the monitor as Skylar approached Riley’s Bio Pod.
“Find out how much longer until we land on Hevel,” Riley mouthed to Skylar.
Skylar nodded and immediately left the room. Raynin looked over at the Twins. Ashley was beginning to doze off and Daniel poked at the bubbles forming in his bio gel. Near them, Joseph floated with his eyes closed.
“You okay?” Riley mouthed, moving closer to the glass.
Raynin shook her head. “I have a bad feeling,” she mouthed as Skylar returned.
“What’s our ETA?”
“We have 30 minutes before we land on Hevel,” Skylar reported.
“Okay... Ah!” Riley started to seize sending off bluish white sparks.
Raynin banged on the glass. “What’s happening?”
“His body is rejecting the change.” Raynin turned back to Riley and immediately began to seize as well. “Get Dr. Neira. They’re both rejecting the change.”
Raynin hunched over in pain as Riley became unresponsive. Her eyes turned red as the bio gel around her began to spread out. “Get him out now,” Raynin ordered Trent who was now standing with the panicking doctor. The glass holding Raynin inside the Bio Pod began to crack.
“What are you waiting for? Get them out before she destroys this room or worse, this arávas,” Skylar exclaimed.
“I can’t. It wasn’t designed with an override feature,” Dr. Neira explained. “I don’t understand why they are rejecting the change and their friends aren’t,” she added quickly, motioning to their friends who were now pressed up against their bio pods gesturing frantically.
“Maybe it’s because they’re Anciént Onés,” Skylar growled. “ERIN, can you teleport them out?”
“No. This system was built to prevent any teleportation out until the process is complete.”
“Great.” Frustrated, he turned to Raynin. You have to destroy the Bio Pods. You have to use whatever strength you have left to get both of you out,” Skylar said to Raynin as she floated limp with her eyes closed. Suddenly, her head flew up as she exerted her remaining strength into one full blast that shattered both hers and Riley’s Bio Pods, leaving them both on the floor unconscious.