Above the Icy Northern Continent, Summer of the Red Moon, Present Day: Aboard the Mothership.

“Oi Zedd,” Great called out from behind a sealed door. “Zedd,” he called out again. “We’re here!”

“Coming,” Black Eyes yelled back. He was busy preparing a little surprise for his invited guests.

Zedd Darkstar, the man with peculiar black irises and golden, rectangular pupils in the middle, was a man of very talents but a humble beginning. He swore, years ago, to rid the world of the leaders that corrupted it. He didn’t care about the price he’d have to pay, what mattered most was reaching his objective.

The door in front of which the ex-Quartermaster of Ulmir’s castle stood, sprung open, revealing a tall man with black hair and a demonic demeanor. Zedd took a long breath in then exhaled with an air of satisfaction about him.

“Call everyone on deck Great,” he said. “I have an announcement to make.” Black Eyes disappeared behind the door before the one eyed Quartermaster could utter another word.

“Fuckin’ cocksure,” Great muttered as he ordered his legs to move toward the ship’s deck. He stood by the captain’s wheel, jumped on the railing then bellowed to everybody in the ship. “Gather round you sorry ass motherfuckers!” Great always had a foul mouth, there was no changing it. “Your savior’s callin’ for yeh!”

Zedd had destroyed Ulmir’s domain under the watchful eyes of every Kozagan and the emperor of Auruun, the largest country in the western continent. He gave the people on Ulmir’s Castle a choice, join him or die. Those who felt they had nothing to do with his quarrel against Ulmir’s Priests, joined in. Those who felt the need to protect their lord’s domain died with the realm.

There were about two dozen fair maidens, ten priests and five guards. They all gathered on deck on Great’s request. The Quartermaster had made sure to remind Zedd of Myles’ promise. Myles, the familiar Zedd had on his side, had won the Holi Tribulations then got rid of the bind that linked him to his master. Zedd however, decided to honor his familiar’s word. He had something to gain from it anyway.

The people gathered by the deck. Murmurs of dissatisfaction and intrigue filled the place. Most of them shivered as they left the coziness of the guest cabins. The northern continent was a cold place. Temperatures seldom rose above sub-zero.

The fair maidens gathered in a separate crowd, eyeing the others with great disdain. They’d been sent to Ulmir’s domain under Lord Supreme’s orders, against their will. They were, in other words, slaves to the previous High Priest: Utar. They despised the other priests and guards most of all. The men always regarded them as objects to be used for their own pleasure.

If it weren’t for Utar’s monopoly on the maidens, every man in the castle would’ve had their fun with them. Now that they were out of trouble, they didn’t want to mingle with the ones they disdained so.

“What are we doing Great?” one of Ulmir’s priests bellowed. “We’re freezing our asses here!”

Great didn’t have to answer though. The door to the captain’s cabin, below the quarterdeck, sprung open once more. Zedd was pulling two large, oblong structures behind him. Each one was hollow on the inside with silver coating on the edges.

“Gather around everyone,” Zedd called out as soon as he came out. He was walking with both hands behind his back. The two structures floated as they followed him closely from behind. As soon as Black Eyes reached the main mast, he raised his arms and the structures softly landed.

“I have here,” he started, “two teleportation panels. One will lead you down there,” he pointed at the ice desert below. “The other will lead you to the city of Yanoku. I believe most priests are eager to report back to their house.

“However,” he called out before any could mutter a remark, “the portal to Yanoku is faulty.” He smiled in his usual nonchalant way. “Well, I can’t say it’s faulty, I’ve just been tinkering with it a bit. If you intend to tell your masters about this ship’s capabilities, you can be sure that you will not reach your destination. You might find yourself in Helton, at the Crucible doors. Or you might find yourselves in the Citadel, to answer Emperor Avourel’s questioning. I assure you, he won’t be nice about it.”

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He looked around at the priests and guards. None dared meet his gaze. His eerie eyes scared them.

“To the fair maidens in here,” he went on. “I will not keep you here against your will. But I must warn you about joining the world we live in today. Your presence there may cause an uproar I’m not sure anybody can deal with at the moment.”

The two dozen maidens gave Black Eyes a contemptuous look, which he answered with his most charming smile. To everyone present however, it looked like a demon trying to look friendly. Demons were not the friendly type. No one could accept that.

“I have, however,” he went on, “a safe place for you. You’ll have your own land, no living soul would dare come near you unless you give them permission.”

To these words, the ladies exchanged intrigued looks.

“The time to choose sides is now,” Zedd went on. “You either join me or leave this place while you can. I don’t do well with traitors. You’d wish Avourel caught you if you ever think of betraying me.”

“Betray you how?” a guard called out from the crowd. “We don’t even know your intentions.”

“And I had a very good reason for hiding it from you. If you’d like to join a good cause against the powers that threaten to crush us all, join me. If you want to keep on living, with your usual boring lives, then step into this portal and go.”

The guard that spoke earlier advanced. “I’ll go to Yanoku,” he said. His chin raised high, his chest puffed out like a cock trying to assert dominance. As soon as his eyes met Zedd’s though, his shoulders slouched and his chin pointed at his throat. “If you don’t mind,” he added.

“I don’t mind,” Zedd said with a smile, “as long as you allow me to probe you.”

“Probe?” the soldier asked.

“Nasty process,” Zedd answered. “Resist and you may lose your mind. Give in and I’ll erase the memory of ever meeting me. You’ll live the monotonous, boring life you want in Yanoku, without arousing anyone’s suspicions.”

“They’ll probe me too!” the guard protested.

“Cooperate then, and they’ll find nothing. You’ll be cleared, and forgotten.”

“What if I refuse?” the guard asked.

“You’ll go down there,” Zedd pointed at the northern continent below. “Find your way to green land and report what you’ve found out about me. I won’t guarantee your survival though.”

The guard cursed under his breath. “I don’t have a choice then, do I?”

“You had a choice,” Zedd reiterated, “and you chose life. Don’t waste it. You could’ve stayed with the others and died. But here you are, alive. Make the best of it!”

“Very well,” the guard finally conceded.

“Stay still,” Zedd instructed. “You’ll feel a slight tingling, don’t fight it. It will be over in a second.”

Black Eyes placed his hand on the man’s head. He closed his eyes and a black aura enveloped his body. The man seemed to convulse for a moment but it didn’t last. Zedd let go of him then smiled. He waved his hand and the portal to Yanoku activated. The guard was thrown in and the portal was deactivated again.

“Next,” Zedd called out.

A fair maiden advanced. Her fair skin, hourglass figure, and long black hair were her dominant features. She looked like every modern man’s dream. Fair, beautiful, and with the innocent eyes that made her look vulnerable. Anybody would fight to win her heart and good graces.

“I’d rather not have you leave,” Zedd said in fatherly tone.

“I don’t take orders from a freak!” the maiden spat out.

“I’m only saying this for your own good,” Black Eyes went on, ignoring her gibe.

“I want to leave,” the maiden said, determined but unwilling to meet Zedd’s gaze.

“So, do you accept to be probed?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Very well,” Zedd said after heaving a heavy sigh.

“Next!” he called out, after the probing and teleportation were done.

A priest came next. He tried to attack their benefactor, their savior.

It was a stupid move! Zedd made sure he’d teleport his head to Ulmir’s temple door.

“Anyone else wants to resist?” he asked, his hands bloody. He’d wrenched the man’s head out with his bare hands. No one else showed resistance after that.

In the end, only ten maidens remained. All priests and guards had left too.

“Now,” Zedd called out to the maidens and Great, who said he had nowhere to go and wanted to fight along Zedd. “Go back to your quarters. Our trip will take twelve hours. Get some rest. I’ll call for you when we arrive.”

The maidens left the deck to their rooms. Great was about to leave too when Zedd called him over. “Not you!” he said. “You stay here with me. There’s a promise you have to fulfill.”

Great turned around. Zedd towered above him. Compared to the man with Black Eyes, Great looked like a Dwarf from the ancient northern myths and legends. “What can I do yeh fer?” Great asked.

“What did you promise my familiar?” Zedd asked.

“A Fragment,” the Quartermaster replied, “summat of a fairy tale really.”

“Tell me about it.” Zedd raised his arms and the teleportation portals floated in the air. “Over some tea maybe?”

“Sure!” Great answered, beaming at Darkstar. He was the only happy passenger aboard the ship.