Gloria Elizabeth Tosoratti

 The Holies No reproduction, copy or transmission, total or partially, of this book may be made neither its computer processing in any way or by any means, either electronic, mechanical, by photocopy, by registration or other methods, without the prior written permission granted by the Copyright holders. Copyright © 2017, regarding to the first edition in Spanish, by: © Carmen Jack © Samarcanda Publishing ISBN:- ISBN e-book:- Cover Image: Raúl Doblado Publishing production: Lantia Publishing S.L. Plaza de la Magdalena, 9, 3 (41004) www.lantia.com IMPRESO EN ESPAÑA – PRINTED IN SPAIN Carmen Jack THE HOLIES “There is a world where a race is afraid, Of people fighting against the chaos behind their eyes And carry the burden of being too different. Vulnerability and strength live there, Paradoxes beat in the light of their bodies And they will break over and over to get back on their feet. I extend my invitation to this place to all those who are now feeling alone”. Index Chapter 1. Sentence.........................................................13 Chapter 2. Allies...............................................................53 Chapter 3. Hetry.............................................................139 Chapter 4. Hysteresis......................................................181 Chapter 5. Adebayum.....................................................201 Chapter 6. Rendezvous...................................................267 Chapter 7. Rise...............................................................283 Chapter 8. Unwanted......................................................307 Chapter 9. Wizard..........................................................337 Chapter 10. Estregon......................................................371 Chapter 11. Snakes.........................................................421 Chapter 12. Solfatara......................................................449 Chapter 13. Avol............................................................505 Backup notes for the reader............................................559 RAINBOW PERIODS WITH ITS CORRESPONDING FESTIVITIES Turquoise Period: hot weather. Day 41st, “Memorial Day” Green Period: hot weather. Day 10th, “Punishment Day”; day 48th, “Juventus” Sky-blue Period: warm weather. Day 2nd, “Juno” Lilac Period: cool weather. Day 25th, “Hermes” Pink Period: cold weather. Day 15th, “Razur” Red Period: cold weather. Day 28th, “Vulcan” Purple Period: cool weather. Days from 36th to 46th, “Lapse of Bahibak” Black Period: warm weather. Day 22nd, “Day of Chie”; day 43rd, “Hermaion”. Golden Period: hot weather. Day 50th, End of Time”; day 51s, “Hefesis” Each day 13th the “Baldo’s afternoon” is celebrated. Each period consists of 50 days of 18 hours, except the Golden Period, that has 51 days. In hot weathers, there are 14 hours of daylight and 4 hours of darkness. In warm and cool, there are 13 hours of daylight and 5 hours of darkness. In cold, there are 12 hours of daylight and 6 hours of darkness. DOMAIN REFERENCES PLANETARIUM Northern domain: “Ransen” Demonym: Ranserian Iconic color: metallic petrol Iconic stone: amber Dominician family during the chronos 2.5.0.0.5: former chocolate Queen Ar- gula Jake and her son, the elf chocolate King Riss Jake. Southern domain: “Antaro” Demonym: Antarian Iconic color: golden Iconic stone: obsidian Dominician family during the chronos 2.5.0.0.5: king Fefalas Usigli and his nixte daughter, Shawaza Usigli. Eastern domain: “Tamesu” Demonym: Tamesian Iconic color: silver Iconic stone: emerald Dominician family during the chronos 2.5.0.0.5: King Arkhai Kelek and his daughter, Yome Kelek. Western domain: “Agasis” Demonym: agasian Iconic color: reddish Iconic stone: diamond Dominician family during the chronos 2.5.0.0.5: Queen Zaddanak Allog and her twin elf daughters, Kinich and Ahau Allog. Central domain: “Seicer” Demonym: Seicerian Iconic color: metallic lilac Iconic stone: crystal Dominician family during the chronos 2.5.0.0.5: King Pistis Halster and his son, Dante Halster "The purest form of energy makes an entity perfect." ~~ Only them, The holies, the sacrosanct of snowy hair, may achieve the excellence; Touched by the baptism of the most complete power, Gifted with unlimited strength And an open heart. Only they can look with hazel eyes And be qualified to rule the planetary domains. They must arise in a single day, The last one left of all, And hand-in-hand in a perfect chance. They make others tremble, Announcing the great arrival, with an overnight spark. Feared, respected, stoned, But in their integrity there is honesty And they wait for the time of their reign. They disguise in the crowd Downcast to hide their egregious look, Which everybody wishes And so much mystery it rekindles But the species of the world see them And they shiver to know That they, Those with a glowing spirit, those with exceptional color, They exceed the order and any force, Being able to reduce the ether to ashes, Although they will never do it. Chapter 1 Sentence Chronos 2.5.0.0.5 Golden Period Day 45th There were five days left for the End of Time and one more for the disturbing date of Hephaesis. White skies, flanked by stellar pink spots, they spread unabated, lit by the heat from the stars Nahui and Zon. Humans and elves walked along irrigated streets with golden hues. The tulips, those tiny and graceful beings, let their wings rest and they chat in their language gathered on the uneven roofs of the houses. From time to time, it was possible to see ansilons1 jumping over the towers of the highest buildings. In different corners, on the sides of the roads or even between slits of concrete, plants with black stems or violet leaves with yellow flowers grew, as well as leafy orange shrubs and loaded trees with fruit. Some kids, especially kids, ran playing garboli, sometimes called “Hide and Seek!”, while many others attended academies; it was an odd day, after all, and only not compulsory athletic and mental training classes were taught, which were all youngsters preference. The 1 Ansilon: small mammal animal, herbivore and frugivore, when it walks it rests the hands and the feet on the ground. Externally, it has similar features to the human body, covered with fur which can vary between yellow, white or silvery. It lacks the ability to conjure magic. elders, occasionally nicknamed horkost, had the habit of reading philosophical novels outdoors. And each family in each house were ready to celebrate the 450th day chronos that was about to finish. But, struck by this request, the rulers of the world knew that everything could change. In none of the five Dominician2 families nor in any of the political bodies remained the natural purity of the last blessed ones who had chaired some two hundred chronos ago. With it, the unknown of whether it would be time to announce a change of thrones; whether it would come with the chronos 2.5.0.0.6 the age of the star, came up. To make a decision, all the kings gathered in the northern domain Ransen, named in honour to the first blessed governor. In the entrance to the palace, where the invited authorities arrived in crafts, fast land vehicles or giant butterflies, as in the case of the impassible King Arkhai, from the western domain Tamesu, columns were raised of fuchsia kaludes, one of the most beautiful and deadly flowers. A yellowish stone path guided the advents to the great gateway, whose polished bas-relief showed the image of the distinguished historic lady Ransen, with her white and long curls that flew to the sound of a solemn breeze. The sentinels that protected the entrance, made the kings pass without delay. All of them were about fifty chronos old, and together went into the gleaming hall, getting compliments and praises from the presents. They led into a great room equipped with sumptuous furniture. There, the elf King Riss, of chocolate-colored skin and dressed in a metallic blue leather suit, was waiting, talking to one of his most efficient civil servants. When the door opened and he heard the leaders getting into the scene, whose companions would wait outside in the hallway. He looked up flaunting his golden eyes. He had just turned twenty-five, three days ago. And as it was the case of all the inhabitants, respectively, he has been conceived in a Golden period. The scheme clearly saved confusions: after eight thousand one hundred hours of ongoing growth into her mother’s womb, the former chocolate Queen Argula, had been born in the next same period. That’s the basis of the majestic calendar rainbow, and for the same reason, anyone who had green eyes, like King 2 Dominician: concerning the government. Examples: dominician family, dominician city. Fefalas, from the southern domain Antaro, had been conceived during a Green period, too. —Ah, gentlemen, lady Zaddanak, welcome —Riss said to everyone, smiling and getting an echo of thanks. —How was the journey? —No disturbance, fortunately —Pistis answered, the king from the central domain Seicer—. And you, how are you? —Fine, actually, fine; thanks for asking. Sit down, please. Everybody facing each other, and the five leaders chatted. A woman took them boiled port wine, a mandatory beverage in commissions of aristocratic figures, and with it, Riss’s mother made her appearance, she received several greetings. She sat next to her son and shared the meeting before the board of authorities started. —How did you spend your counchronos3, Mr Riss? —the lady with black eyes, Zaddanak, regent of Agasis domain, from the West asked. —In peace, thanks for your interest. I spent two days in my ranch in Omikiron. Do you remember, in the eminence of Paradoxus city? —Of course I remember. It’s a very attractive place; I was thinking about taking my daughter for Juventus day. —It’s a great time to go. How are they going? After puckering up both of his thin lips and his brow, said: —Fine. Very teenagers. —What do you mean? —To all the behaviors of the age —told, smiling frivolously. —It’s a tumultuous age —Fefalas asserted. —The same thing must happen to you, or wasn’t your daughter fourteen? —Yes. She’ll be fifteen the next period. —And, what does she say? —She usually isolate herself, and as you can imagine, I don’t spend too much time with her, but she’s growing up well. The eldest, Argula, intervened: —And, Dante and Yome? Aren’t they about a chronos to be promoted? Pistis, young Dante’s father, nodded, while Arkahi, beautiful Yome’s father, clarified: 3 Counchronos: festivity which takes place every chronos and marks the birth of a person. —Dante is two periods away from promotion. Yome, remember, he is seventeen and still has to reach the next chronos. —How are they prepared in the event of becoming governors? —she said Arkhai continued, while Pistis was thinking carefully: —Yome never revealed herself too enthusiastic by the idea of being a queen, but she already has the habit of hiding her feelings. I doubt she performs badly in the position, although I don’t think it's a tragedy for her to lose the legacy of the Tamesu domain, actually. —So, currently, does it matter? —I certainly don’t know, but I run the risk of thinking positively. —Mr. Pistis? —Riss demanded when he noted the lack of answer. How is your son Dante? —Really fine, indeed. He’s really involved with his political and general living. —Does he want to become a king? —Yes, of course. He is very enthusiastic and grew up with that outlook. —Too much enthusiasm —Argula interceded again—, wouldn’t it be an issue? Pistis silenced the soft whispering that dwelled inside his head and discreetly massaged the back of his neck with one hand. He answered with a lack of concern that could be reflected in his tone of voice: —I don’t think so, madam. Dante enjoys a great efficiency as a man; just that should be a contribution to the Seicer domain. —That’s not what I’m talking about. Her son, Riss, supported her: —I agree: For some time now, the possibility of renewing the thrones of the domains has been considered, so that the princesses and Dante’s future isn’t safe. And so much excitement for such a project could lead to great disappointment in the event it wasn’t fulfilled. With his fingertips, Pistis figured out the strength of the kinks in his neck. He gave them a massage for a little while and left, meanwhile he continued explaining his point of view: —You’ve said: the possibility for a change has been considered. There isn’t certainty about the future of the governments in any way, and in the meantime, Dante has worked with a meaningful speed and there’s no point in discouraging his spirit for a simple possibility. —If I might say so, I think you’re wrong —Argula came back to talk.—Do you think Dante would act with less determination if he weren’t crowned king? —It isn’t worth trying to find out it. In every area in which he takes part, he stands out and strengthen our government management. Just before having another sip of his boiled port wine, Fefalas Usigli talked: —I always got the impression that this guy, in addition to be talented, he is inflexible, isn’t that right? —He isn’t inflexible; he has a special personality. Why do you say that, Mr. Usigli? —How would you define that “special personality”? —Queen Zaddanak joined, covering up, randomly, Pistis’s question. —If he is given some slack to work, everything around him becomes harmonized, but sometimes he's just a difficult man to deal with. It’s not intransigence nor is it his fault. I haven’t been very present at his growth and he doesn’t trust me or, by extension, people, which is natural, but it has led us to have nasty arguments when we don’t make a deal. And his mood can bully; he is very skillful and very energetic. Think about it, when he could barely walk, he developed the Pyrokinesis spontaneously because I gave him an order he didn’t like... It’s a matter of the mood he was born with; hence to be pigheaded there’s a big gap. The kings were fascinated. Arkhaí, with sky-blue eyes caught by amazement, told: —As you say, he’s intimidating, undoubtedly, but such a level of mental development is also praiseworthy! You must be proud of him, Pistis. What a genetics! I wasn’t aware of this detail. Zaddanak continued: —The offhand statements of the mental skills take much longer to trigger in a human being. Dante, has he been induced by any particular food or medicine...? What you said is astonishing. —That expression of Pyrokinesis came from him naturally —Pistis explained again—. That’s why, I insist, I don’t think it’s smart to diminish such a dynamic mind like his. —But even so —Riss Jake, the host, insisted—, have you ever meditated how you would state Dante the facts against the background of change of thrones? —If necessary I’d do it, Lord King Jake. So far, I see no point. Riss’s mother, Argula, rolled her purple eyes slightly and told: —I humbly believe you underestimate the case, Pistis. If your son is so energetic with his political life, and inevitably, his project of reign, his disappointment will also be drastic. I think you should take care of him in that regard. After all..., isn’t the possible stellar age the point of meeting of today? Pistis Halster kept his lilac eyes looking at the former Queen of Ransen and hurried to draw up an answer that refuses those four sentences. He sensed a gentle motion in his entrails, like the soft wiggle of an expectant parasite, lodged in his bowel waiting for stress rekindle him. Surprised for such appearance, the man made his effort to conceal it and calm down before it becomes a specific pain. And outside from his abstraction, Fefalas filled the silence with a question: —Will we have the chance of meeting Dante soon? —Yes, sure —he answered as soon as he stop thinking about the pain in his body. For the next ten minutes, Pistis sought not to continue participating in the colloquium. Without wishing to think about it, the meeting has already bored him and he didn’t have any interest in talking to his colleagues, even though he had always felt at ease with them. He heard some crossed dialogues among the five politicians and he forced to pay attention to the content of them and ignore the subtle whispering that crawled through the corners in his mind. When the ten minutes went by, the Ranserian4 King’s assistant came into the room. Holding a folder in his hand, he warned the chiefs: —My Lords, the Magnum Parliament is waiting for you. —Thanks —Riss Jake told his public notary—. Dama Zaddanak, gentlemen —invited, standing up—, if you please... Responding to the invitation, the four leaders, the former Queen, went towards the assistant, who called for us, with a gesture to follow 4 Ranserian: demonym for the Ransen domain. her. Riss, far behind, and the others walked towards an enormous facility, of ivory dimensions, and had a carved ceiling with indecipherable words of ancient sovereigns. The members of five different parliaments were present, collectively getting the name of Magnum Parliament, consisting of a large number of philosophers and specialists. Each king was asked to sit with the members of their corresponding advisory alliance and they clearly distinguished five large groups of people. After the gateway was closed, the five highest authorities of parliaments, chairing together from a wide platform, demanded order. The politician of Ranserian origin spoke: —Order, ladies and gentlemen. Being four hours thirty five minutes of the 45th day of the Golden Period of the chronos 2.5.0.0.5, in my duties as President of the Ranserian Parliament, I preside over the authority board of the five planetary domains, setting the Magnum Parliament temporarily. Subject of the board: the imperative need to make a firm decision about the next date for the sacred age of the star. The present authorities, with the participation of the dominant Kings and the former Ranserian Queen, Lady Argula Jake, are urged to cooperate responsibly, in order to solve this controversy. I start this honorable board. Roughly and with an oil-green hammer, hit a bright wooden peg, and the resulting echoic din opened the congress. Then, the President of Antaro Parliament took the floor: —Ladies and gentlemen of this praiseworthy superior parliament, we are aware that there are only six days left until a new chronos begins. As it is traditional on the first day, it is up to the supreme leader of a domain to give a welcome speech, and in this harangue, the announcement of a stellar age or age of the star should be included. The absence of such a proclamation points out that at least four hundred and fifty one days shall elapse to make it possible that a chronos of these exceptional characteristics; I mean, it will take an additional waiting chronos. Ergo, it is essential that this commission decides the nature of the chronos 2.5.0.0.6: ordinary or extraordinary. —In the first place —the President of the Tamesian5 parliament talked —the participant kings, would you like to make a statement? 5 Tamesian: demonym of the Tamesu domain. Raising his hand, Riss asked to talk. —The Ranserian King Riss has the floor. —Thank you very much, Madam President —he said when he stood up—. I would simply like to inform this distinguished Magnum Parliament that the northern domain is willing to support the motion of a stellar age for chronos 2.5.0.0.6. Our aim is the welfare of the world. If it is necessary a change of thrones in order to achieve this, so be it. Thanks a lot. —To you, sir. The remaining kings, would any of you like to make another statement? They all denied. In the light of this, another of the leaders who led the board from the bench, the Chairman of parliament of Seicer, reported: —Next, an informal vote will be held, no possibility of abstentions, for the plain motion of a stellar age for chronos 2.5.0.0.6. Each representative of the domains, on appointment, please stand up and say “favor” or “against” out loud. He began to ask: —Western domain Agasis. —Against. —Eastern domain Tamesu. —Against. —Southern domain Antaro. —Favor. —Central domain Seicer. —Against. —Northern domain Ransen. —Favor. —The motion has been rejected by three votes against. The refusal of a single domain would have been enough. Each had the right to veto, which forced them to reach a total agreement to be able to approve something, even though the board had the faculties to solve it partially. —Pass the floor to Agasis domain. Will you please do your statement? —Thanks, Presidents of this Magnum Parliament —perforce said the elf representative of Lady Zaddanak’s government, when he stood up. In the name of Agasis domain, our commission wishes to express its position regarding the possibility of the changes of thrones... The Agasian6 agent based his explanation mainly on the idea that the practice of the age of the star had become a bit orthodox, even artificial. He saw no need to carry out a renewal of thrones and didn’t recognize the sense of having called the board of authorities. However, those were the only words that Zaddanak, through her comrade, could allow herself to say; the reason that most pushed her to vote against the motion lay in her twin daughters Kinich and Ahau. Living with them had always been a special challenge, being, in both cases, of very strong personalities. And over the time, when they had reached the age of sixteen chronos, their nature started to show rather obscure under the gaze of their mother. They were very insightful and thought in a synchronized way, to the point that sometimes they didn’t need to talk to agree on an idea mostly shady. Zaddanak didn’t feel at peace sleeping the night under the same roof and ran away if she saw them muttering in some corner of the Agasis palace, so that she could bet her life that neither of them would be a compassionate leader or noble for their domain if they take the throne. The Tamesian delegate of Arkahi declared he had voted in the negative because of disbelieving the supposed “pure” essence of the holies people who would reign in case of a change of thrones, besides agreeing with the Agasian delegate’s words about he didn’t think it was necessary. And the Seicerian comission7 opposed as a matter of a lack of time. He considered that discussing the issue six days after the beginning of the new chronos had no neatness and order, making clear that even if the Magnum Parliament were about to decide the opening of a stellar age for 2.5.0.0.6, it wouldn’t be possible, because of the lack of physical resources of time. In addition, he argued that such a change would bring serious problems to the current Dominican families, due to the kind relations that were between them and because of the susceptibility of the princes who so longed to ascend and take their crowns after a long professional preparation time. Despite a change of thrones also implies the resignation to their positions to lower paid duties, the chairmen of the superior parliament rejected each of the presented points. On the one hand, it wasn’t possible to affirm that there was orthodoxy in the concept of stellar ages; it was based in the sacrosanct agreement that the first holy rulers had established in its starting time of sovereignty, long time before. What exactly didn’t have back up was the idea to give up from such hieratic doctrine. Then, they defended the intrinsic truth of the inherent truth of the holies; since its purity was something that nobody could and shouldn’t deny; it was unthinkable (regardless of the society’s views) to doubt the integrity of the people who had mostly done the world well. On the other hand, it was confirmed, and with the support of the ranserian commission, the time left to make the necessary transactions for the throne changes. It wasn’t very much, but it was enough to execute all the required operations and coincide with the beginning of the new chronos. The comment about the untidiness and chaos was upsetting, stating that the reasons why parliaments gathered so close to the end of that chronos weren’t just for carelessness or incompetence to get organized. And regarding the sensitive condition of Dominician families, it wasn’t acceptable basis in the congress, so it was revoked. After fifty minutes of formal debate, the chairmen of parliament left the place and the committees spoke freely. They didn’t reach an agreement, of course, but the resistance of those who had gone against the renewal of thrones weakened, something that would be decisive for what would happen the next day. When the meeting finished on that date, the committees of each domain went to their bedrooms to make conclusions and approach what they would say in the next meeting. Who was really caught up in a personal conflict for having to vote before the Magnum Parliament, was Pistis, who had received a digital text message from his son close to bedtime. One of the most reliable representatives, Caiko Straton, with scarlet hair and dressed in a black suit, a leading member of the Dominician Counseling Alliance who gives advice relentlessly, handed over the communication device where such a message had ended up, by the way, enthusiastic. On the blue and round screen on the great communication watch that was attached to Straton’s forearm, a funny symbol from a small animated yellow box which was shaking because there was a message to read. The sender said Prince Lord Dante Halster, and Pistis asked his mentor not only to open it, but also to read it, meanwhile he looked sorrowfully through the large window in his pompous bedroom. The kid had written: “Father! I could complete my work out! I can already control the magic of Dyscrasia! It cost me a few headaches, but I’ve got it! What do you think? When do you come back? I know you usually take some time off, but I don’t want to finish this chronos without you. You're going to arrive by day 50th, aren’t you? Regards. I love you, father”. —He gets over at every moment —Straton said after closing the message—. He’s a man of marked improvements. —And you know how much it troubles me —Pistis said almost whispering—; you know him as much as me. —I wouldn’t be so sure. The King turned to look at Straton. He took his forehead and sighed exhausted, walking towards the baroque exit door, behind that one, who didn’t move. In his mind, the predicament caused by his son’s stubborn mettle drove him crazy, denying peace and tranquility. The Tahen man spoke, by sensing which the words that his superior needed to hear were: —Why is he so afraid of him? He’s his own son, his offspring, his creation. In spite of any displeasure, does he really think he would be capable of an act he would regret? There are limits..., codes of nature and moral which aren’t violated by a whim for thirst for power. —Caiko... —What are the chances? If he couldn’t become the king of Seicer, what is the worst thing that might happen? —-I've never tried it to such a point, but my soul implores me not to try. If you want to start a war against me, you can do it. —Is that it? I am afraid you are exaggerating Dante’s profile —he said, while the sovereign continued walking around the room and covered his lilac eyes with one hand. —He’ll hate me forever if I support the change of thrones... —The hatred of a son towards his father cannot be perpetuated. —You have a little daughter who adores you. But I know Dante’s hate can burn up. —This statement, stems from you as a father or from you as a child? —Both of them allows me to uphold it with certainty. —That’s right, sir —he gave up, then—. But, however, for your sake, you should consider the option to support the motion of the change of thrones. —Tell me why, Caiko... I want to hear it. Help me, please. I feel a bit lost... —Because the other domains will begin to confront you. The current kings have a financial backing that allows them to retire right now, if they wish, and it’s pretty clear they are already tired of working, even Arkhai Kelek and Zaddanak Allog, who today, voted against the motion on the basis of, surely, private nature. Different analyzes of the political agenda show that there is a wear and tear and a change of authorities would be required. Therefore, the arguments that could hinder the reform hours ago and are weak, right now may be undoing, which will leave you alone to veto the motion. You already know how the Magnum Parliament responds to this type of divergence, especially if there is some pressure due to the lack of time. Sir, I don’t think it’s wise to oppose the whole congress because of the fear that you, with all due respect, feel for Dante, even if it is an overwhelming panic. My suggestion is you submit to the idea that 2.5.0.0.6 will be a stellar age; think carefully how you’ll tell it to your son, muster the necessary strength to face the rejection it’ll stir up on him. If tomorrow the domains of Agasis and Tamesu are willing to vote in favor, desist from your negative view. It is pointless to insist. —And if they continue to oppose? —Well, the privilege of resisting may be provided, keep in the opposition if you wish, of course..., but I think it’s unlikely. With sorrow on his body, Pistis embraced Straton’s idea, and after some seconds of refection, he answered: —All right... —Then I’ll inform the rest of the advisory alliance. Do you need anything else from me? —Do you have a copy of the new argument? —Yes. Do I leave it for you to evaluate? The King nodded and his advisor put a light-blue sheet on the adamant8 shelf next to the door. On it, a stronger foundation was written just in case you have to deny the motion of the authority board, since the allegation firstly formulated had been trivial. When Straton left and Pistis was in solitude, he stared at the document from afar, and after thinking about the sayings of the red-haired man, went towards it and took it with his old hands. For the benefit of the evolution achieved over a long, long time, to study was something usual and certainly easy for both the human beings and the elves. It was enough to read a book once in order to remember most of its paragraphs, and what was learned was kept for long chronos, and although the information wasn’t used a lot, it didn’t get lost. However, Pistis needed to review the writing about four times to help him to remember the most important details. He was so absorbed in the distrust of his son that he couldn’t think clearly. That night, he wasn’t able to sleep either. At two pm, more or less, when the dual light of the stars Nahui and Zon had moved away to light up another place, the night started and the King laid down on his bed. But although he closed his eyes trying to replenish energy, the idea of the unstable prince Dante settled in his consciousness and couldn’t get rid of the dilemma. A dilemma he still wasn’t able to solve, despite Straton’s kind comments. That boy's smile seemed always fake to him, although he said it was founded on love. Pistis used to blame himself for that, he knew his frequent absences had caused that a feeling of animosity grow in the young man from the earliest age. And as to stir the mood more, the boy had learned the magic of Dyscrasia, which was almost taboo... It was one of the most corrosive and frightening magic; it spoilt the conjuror as well as his enemy, bordering sometimes with the risk of losing, on the sport, the life itself. Four hour and a half later, when Nahui and Zon already lighted up on the 46th, Caiko Straton knocked at the door in Pistis’s room, who said, looking out the window: 8 Adamant: a gemstone with low gloss but highly resistant, used as construction material, décor and design. —Come in, Caiko. —Good morning, sir. I see you are already prepared —remarked, and saw his boss was wearing his casual outfit: black thick silk trousers, a green mithril blouse and a white coat almost to his feet. —Is the advisory alliance ready? —Yes, sir. Have you studied the foundation? —Yes. —Are you okay? —I need a little of ciderine... —I’ll make sure you get it immediately —said and turned to go for it, but he stopped and came back, with squinty eyes: —have you slept? —Have you? —No, but... He didn’t believe it was good to have inquired him, so he left after the ciderine, an acid kind of drink from which Pistis used to get cravings every now and then. Later on, a maid brought it and the King drank it with pleasure, he breathed with aplomb after the first sip which tasted like heaven. After a night of emotional contradictions that only made worse his sorrow, he needed a getaway to take off burden from his shoulders, and the refreshing beverage relieved his body temperature and it gently loosened the bonds of his bastardized spirit. While he was drinking the ciderine, he was watching the surrounding plains through the large window and struggled to swallow the stress deep-rooted in his stomach because he knew what was going to happen soon. He still had no idea how to talk to Dante if the chronos 2.5.0.0.6 proved to be stellar. A bit like what he did, tried to ignore the imminent truth, keeping his refusal to the issue and take a really stubborn position. That way, within some minutes he left his bedroom and met his committee, which quickly informed him about the steps to take in the congress that would star in half an hour. But, exhausted because of the topic and starving, he asked for silence and all together went to the restaurant, a colossal facility with oil green stony pillars which held a ceiling embellished with mural paintings. Nutritious breakfasts were served at several tables in opaque ceramic dishes, set on flawless white handmade tablecloths. While the atmosphere was covered with the aromas which came from the delicatessen, over there someone was playing the violineum, a musical instrument admired because of its finesse and beauty. The glossy chairs were taken by some public servants and other members of different committees, they motivated them to take a seat, at least to enjoy them a bit and get their elegance. Pistis relaxed when he delighted his palate with the exquisiteness of the food, mainly from fineo, a sweet snack even healthier than the typical krill that villagers ate. The sudden easygoing look of the King made his advisors even more impatient. A bit later, the Tamesian King Arkhai and his group of professionals were present. In contrast to the governor of the central domain Seicer, he had been talking actively to his people and endorsing documents in the preparation for the upcoming meeting. He went into the restaurant just because his stomach was demanding, since he hadn’t touched a piece of bread for several hours. And as far as Pisitis could hear, he was going to vote in favor of the stellar age 2.5.0.0.6. Afflicted by an annoyance tinged with a feeling of betrayal, he decided not to look at it. Arkahi greeted him fleetingly as he passed by his table and he didn’t stop to wait for an answer. In the light of this scene, the one and only ally who supported Pistis’s decision was the Queen of Agasis, Zadannak. If she was about to change her mind, the fears of that man would become an irrefutable fact, as well. —Are you all right, sir? —Straton, by his side, whispered. He nodded and closed his lilac eyes. His stressed face showed an invincible and expression of unbeatable regret. —The outlook is turning against us. —It looks that way... —the King answered. —Would you like some advice from me, sir? —No, I appreciate it. Breakfast time was interrupted by duty when a secretary came into the room and called out the representatives of each domain to move to parliament. Everybody left the delicious dishes and moved forward the board room, where the Ranserian and Antarian committees were located. The charismatic King Riss got close to his attendant colleagues and welcomed them with his famous friendliness. Fefalas answered raising his hand from his seat and Arkhai showed himself flattered for it, but Pistis was different. The coordinators urged everybody to take a seat and prepare their speeches, meanwhile they waited for Zaddanak’s presence, who was arriving. The presidents of parliament entered a few moments before her, and when all of them were in their seats, the congress, which was suspended the day before, restarted. To four dates from the End of Times the kings had to reach an agreement regardless of whether a further extension would make the pertinent procedures impossible. Therefore, the chairmen quickly proceeded to ask: —Has this Magnum Parliament come to an agreement among the Lord Kings of the planetary domain? The representative of Ransen, as well as that of Antaro and Tamesu, stood up and answered with a statement. It didn’t apply to the Agasian delegate, and then, the Seicerian. An informal controversy arose among the dissenters, but the five authorities who watch from the platform called to order and encourage the diplomacy, pointing, at the same time that this opposite pair had more responsibility to give in than the other three, besides, two of them had already defined their position from the beginning and they encouraged to solve the conflict, something that Pistis’s and Zaddanak’s people didn’t show. Therefore, the opposing ones, who said they felt really offended by the parliament movements, were given the floor, since the contribution of goodwill before a change of thrones alluded to a negative assessment to the current heirs. It equaled to an insult to them, the kings’ own children, and provoked indignation in them. The world economy was working well and soon, it would be even better with the so-called Kirimae Challenge Competition, the Olympic tournament held every five chronos which solved difficulties, either mere or serious, the financial system of a domain had. And neither was it an issue of moral values of citizens who are distorted and infused by new philosophies from the holy people, life was linear, and even if people may lack some traits of decency, it wasn’t for a cause which could be determined by the actions of the rulers. In addition, the renewal of thrones hacked the domain organizational system and they caused a generalized restlessness. And even worse, the parliament might allege that the holy ones were pure, but the truth was in the judgment of the townies, who didn’t actually consider such individuals the way a king is seen; in fact, they were feared or hated, and that was a certainty that grew each chro- nos and the five chairmen couldn’t refute. Both Pistis and Zaddanak attest to their children’s ability to govern. However, Riss’s representative hurried to refute what was said although none of the presidents had given him the turn to speak. With a steady gaze and a balanced voice, he exposed a truth that both of the opposing kings had brought into the light the day before: the opinion they had given about their children didn’t belong to what their representatives were saying at this meeting. Only the previous day, they had suggested that such princes had changeable profiles, too intense, or lacking clear interest in politics, and therefore, unsuitable for a king. What then, had they lied before or are they lying now? The commissioners of Seicer and Agasis defended themselves annoyed at the same time, it made that the chairmen ask for order again. It didn’t mean, nevertheless, that the Ranserian’s meddlesome words were fundamental and had set another pace in the debate; they had to be taken into account, and the two accused committees faced each other because of the need to clarify the issue. In the first instance, they replied that they hadn’t lied at any time. Then, that Queen Zaddanak and King Pistis’s previous opinion about their children hadn’t been discussed seriously enough. The rest of the kings who had been present during the exposition hadn’t meant to imply that the matter goes beyond, since it only was the remark of a simple chat. The topics they had been expressing were only classified as a courtesy exchange before the formal congresses that came afterwards. So, they stated, those weren’t plausible opinions for a basis of seriousness that was in judgment. The parliament chairmen refuted, though, this last notion. The Ranserian representative had made a mistake about the order into the chamber, but his audacity had provided a key element to the argument. The five endorsed the Ranserian’s speech, and the Agasians and the Seicerian were given a second chance to reformulate their replies. Zaddanak, dressed in her long reddish gown, emblematic color of her reign, muttered with her representative and later she apologize for the mistake. She also acknowledged, yes, she had declared her daughters Kinich and Ahau were going through the usual symptoms of youth, but this wouldn’t determine their understanding. Her refusal lay mainly in the dismissal of the holies and in the lack of need for their participation. Pistis instructed his delegate to simply support the Agasian queen defense. Still dissatisfied, the chairmen remained supporting the holies’ idea, and King Fefalas’ representative asked for permission to speak in summation, appealing to the constitutional words which the first worldwide sovereigns had engraved on the sacred stone of the southern mountain Nunavut: “On the summit of this virgin world, An ether with a hundred pasts, a shining today and a thousand futures, We promise in the sacred union of planetary domains That we have to protect our lands and our rivers, Our skies and the unreadable abyss of the Tartaris, With the love we have for everyone, And we swear never to fail, Awarding our blood and souls if necessary, Destroying hatred and fear caused by the beasts, Arresting the shadows of hesitation and ignorance, Fighting unceasingly the lie and the dishonor of obscene entities. We are faithfully committed to reign with responsibility, Respecting the poor and the rich, Children and the elderly, Women and men, Elves and human beings, Young and adults. In this Dominician consensus, we take a supreme vote for the security of all our people. Without exercising discrimination based on dogma, opinion, employment, age, sex, color or species, Since we are all together Under the gaze of our pair of enjoyable suns And the eager surveillance of our nocturnal satellite Ixel, Being a cyclic unit Which will last forever, And although one day our bodies die and become part of dust, We will come back to take care of what we love, Since there are many beginnings, But end, none.” With a pride that could be felt in the air, the Antarian delegate intoned the prayers the five holy founders had written countless chrones ago. In the room, an echo of sound was answered back. A lot of the present politicians had forgotten that statement. The ideal nature of the holies was very difficult to call into question when old writings like that one were reproduced again. Zaddanak and Pistis had run out of the possibility to discredit them and both kings’ commissioners recognized that put up a fight for their ambitions already implied a too forced challenge. The Agasian representative asked to take a recess to think about a few moments. The Seicerian committee didn’t say anything, since the king was in silence, but the chairmen of parliament accepted the request, by making that extension about twenty minutes long. They moved away and the Agasian company was isolated to debate. The Seicerian didn’t have the reflex of doing it at the beginning, because of Pistis’s disturbing lack of response, but Caiko Straton, who already struggled to approve the renovation of thrones, due to Riss, Fefalas and Arkhai’s fixed position, encouraged all his colleagues on his own. Different dialogues were exchanged while the cold Prince Dante Halster’s memory zigzagged through his father's mind. Stalking around with his lilac eyes, Pistis stared at the others’ faces. He felt immersed in a hostile environment, infested by traitors who didn’t support his claims, and although his main adviser tried to keep him focused on the board of his Seicerian followers, the anticipated echo of his future captivated him. With regret, he knew his next days would be tinged with screams and anger of the young heir. Those green eyes, full of vigor and bravery, so prone to glitter hate randomly, sparkled in the tortured king’s memory with the power of ten newborn hearts. There was no way to think that the announcement of a stellar age might avoid the rage of such a spirit. Pisits felt exhausted in advance. Halfway through the interim, Zaddanak was almost determined to agree with Riss, Fefalas and Arkhai, but Straton had to fight to persuade his king to come up with some solution. Taking into account that insisting would be useless, even stubborn, Pistis decided he’d agree to the exchange of thrones only whether each parliament performed a strict control procedure in each rainbow period, making sure that the holy rulers carried out his work as it should be. As regards the slightest evidence of noncompliance with the domains’ precepts, the hegemony of those holy persons would have to stop and a parliamentary authority would take part. It was exposed to the rest of the commissions when the five presidents came back to the room, and without too much controversy, the world leaders accepted to include this requirement. The Seicerian parliament chairman, who was in the center of the platform, put Pistis’s proposal to formal voting and everyone agree. Finally, the next question was made: —Has this Magnum Parliament got an agreement? Each committee said yes. —Well then, each domain is entrusted to carry out the corresponding procedures for the displacement of the current Dominician families towards their respective parliaments, in order to go on with the renovation of the thrones. You already know the protocol: it is necessary the holy ones call, the exams and hearings for them and the restructuring of parliament and the alliances of Dominician counseling, after providing the traditional show of the stellar festival, whose date will be informed to each domain twenty days in advance. Because it’s up to them, on this occasion, the Seicer domain has the duty to organize the new chronos opening ceremony and the required arrangements for the festival. —Yes, Mr. President —agreed Pistis’s representative. —The security measures presented by the commission of King Pistis’s domain will be taken, they will last two chronos, starting in the holies’ promotion period. This Magnum Parliament will be responsible of the establishment of chronos 2.5.0.0.6 as a stellar age and will look out for the continuity of these honorable congresses good performance until our own entire resignation. From now on, we have all to head towards a new generation and we conclude this board of authorities. With a high flown blow of the oil green hammer, the controversy was put to an end and everybody stood up to applaud the general approval, but Pistis did it after a short while, together with Caiko Straton, who couldn’t comfort the reason for the sorrow of the almost non-king sovereign. As a common victory, Riss shook hands with Fefalas, Arkhai and Zaddanak, who reacted with low spirit. He bowed Pistis from afar, and he replied with only a gloomy face. Actually, the only thing he wanted was to leave the Ranserian palace; he didn’t want to go home, but he just wished to leave, and yet he had to wait until sunset to respect the pertinent protocols to the approved case. When the waiting time passed, the sky became raging fuchsia and the silver gleam of satellite Ixel began to light along with several young stars. King Arkhai left on a giant butterfly, together with his committee, back to his eastern palace. After him, Zaddanak did the same, then Fefalas and finally Pistis. Riss wished him good luck so that there weren’t family disputes with Dante. The Seicerian leader skimped on words and left. The darkness at night fell over the domains, and each of the monuments began to shine; in Ransen, a great amber stone, on the top of a bluish-green metallic pole, was symbol of the kingdom custody worked as a lighthouse. After a long day getting the light and heat of the master stars Nahui and Zon, the fluorescent properties of things flourished. When night came, uncountable stars dominated the sky, plenty of black and indigo colors. Among them Ixel brightness stood out and the light blue corals of the stellar ring that circled the world, called “Maku loop”. Those corals, surrounded by almost static lilac spores, were the answers to the rainbow calendar which worked in the population since long time ago: they got energy from Nahui and Zon the whole day, and with both of them, refractive and fluorescent properties, were constantly released to the surface of the planet in imperceptible way until it bumped into a sensitive body, which took a specific color depending on the degree of energy absorbed by the Maku loop. It was increased with the proximity of the world with the stars Nahui and Zon, since that one moved by a practically oval orbit and not always passed close to that splendid duo. And only materials with particular chemical traits could take those colors; the nails, the hair, some vegetables, the lips and the dense vapor surface which covered the Tartaris worldwide abyss, they were typical examples of bodies which were able to show tone colors that come from this wonderful effect, named “annular energy effect” by the deceased holy Tamesu. There were nine chronos periods because of it. The calendar also work about this phenomenon, which presented nine different levels of energy along the whole movement the world did around Nahui and Zon in four hundred and fifty days. *** Pistis got home a little before dawn on the 49th. There was only one night hour on the 48th, but Prince Dante Halster refused to sleep. He watched the peace in the Dominician city of Akeba, the central metropolis, at whose highest hillock the domain of Seicer arose. The lights of the houses down there created a cloak of neonic9 serenity, and keeping the ears it was possible to hear sharp melodies from the discos plenty of natural dancers and gave off energetic music from different spots of town. The youngster, with his hand over the lilac railing of his bedroom balcony, gazed at the homes which slept at the authority’s feet, and fed his own vanity by thinking that in a very short time all of it would be his. Through his veins ran scary feeling of tyranny, and his alluring lips suggested a deceitful smile so intense that even his worst enemy would fall in love with him; they were perfect lips, fairly full and masculine, but they shone with an almost feminine edge. From his earliest ages he had had the power to manage souls and he was aware of it. His virile, beautiful face enhanced this skill with ladies who crossed his path and who, in the end, fell at his command. A sigh went with a smile and he went back a little, rose his chin in an arrogant expression typical of his personality. He blinked and admired the skies full of life, always embellished with all the trails, corals and bright auroras, while with a hand he stroked his thin hair back. So, when he heard that his father had arrived, he turned and hurried to the palace entrance, which boasting a main metallic lilac color, emblematic of Seicer, shone with its splendorous violet diamonds and a great same color flagpole, which upraised the magnificent white crystal stone that crowned the architecture in general. And Pistis arrived with a splendid welcome, but he didn’t realized; the confusion in his mind and soul blurred his eyes to feel a miserable gratitude towards that constant reality he had been given. He got out his land car 9 Neonic: related or belonging to neon. and faced the tall doors of his mansion, but he wasn’t willing to go through them. Behind them the most irreverent shouts were listened and the quake of a spirit impossible to break, and they came ahead of time sounding like echoes in Pistis’s mind. Caiko Straton stepped by his side, whispering: —Sir, are you all right? —Yes... Both of them could listen to that sarcastic prince telling off from inside the amazing building: —What are you waiting for?! Open the doors now! The King sighed, tilted his head back slightly and plucked up courage. The guards who protected the fortress entrance activated the mechanism and it opened. The gate moved heavily aside. Dante’s magnificent image illuminated by the opening exalted Pistis’s concern, who nodded hello reluctantly. The young boy smiled and welcomed him with open arms. They didn’t hug with much affection as the King evidently wanted to keep away, but the boy, nevertheless, continued: —Father, I missed you. I thought you wouldn’t arrive on time. How were things in the Ransen domain? —Fine, son, they were fine... —Straton listened carefully without looking at the young man. —Really? You seem a bit exhausted. —I am, Dante; I haven’t slept well. —Why...? —I don’t know... I think I’m close to have jahlon10. —So, it’s better you go to bed now. —It’s almost dawn, son I have some things to deal with —he ruled while he was going towards the inside of the palace. Dante just stared at him for a moment, tasting, up from there, the sting for a discreet concern that poked him inside. Indeed, the King didn’t sleep thirty minutes, time that his descendant took advantage of. Although without giving up his tasks to 10 Jahlon: a light illness which causes nausea and dizziness for three or four days. The treatment is just rest and meditation, but a lack of attention may cause that jahlon gets worse and becomes “rideon”, which affects memory and may suppress memories permanently. The rideon is cured by medicine called “bolt”, which is injected in the brain organize the required procedures for the opening of a new chronos, Caiko Straton ran away from his duty for a while when he bumped into his leader in the great hall of effigies. It was a shadowy room, in fact, a huge corridor, whose walls exhibit a lot of portraits of Seicerian queens and kings. Each painting was lit from the lower and upper edges with small light bulbs of powerful yellow light, and the one that Pistis was looking at, while he was holding a glass of steamy lemonade tea, was his father’s, Lurin. His lilac eyes moved quietly through the former king image, analyzing each detail wittily, since, even over the time, he still felt disgrace for him. Lurin was an elderly man and he still was in prison because of his past acts, several chronos ago. The former kings had to live in the palaces of the domains with the responsibility of bringing up their grandchildren in case of the parents were absent, by helping them to rule according to their wise advice, in a more intimate way than the leaders of the Dominician advisory alliances. And this is why, in the case of Pistis, Caiko Straton was closer than the same Lurin who was in jail. —Sir? —the advisor said, he was three meters far from Pistis. —Yes, Caiko? —Are you okay? —Yes. How did things end with the Mercantile Control Council? —As they should. Right now the leaflets are being sent to the people to inform about the festival. I think the fairs will be ready in twenty days approximately. I tried they were before. —Fine. —About the orchestras, the dancers, the singers and other performers who will take part in the acts, will be received in audience during the first days of the Turquoise period in the Council of Culture and Social Development. For that, people are also being notified. The information is being uploaded on the Internet and some delegations were sent to the most important cities like Camirra, Faelivrin, Hunda, Laoh and Gauthier with the same task. —Excellent job, Caiko. —Thanks, sir. An interlude silence was created that avoided Straton to leave. Pistis sighed when he moved his eyes away from his father and the other chose to get closer again, without resisting the anxiety: —Sir, may I ask you something? —Go ahead. —Have you already told Dante...? —No —blurted out—. I haven’t done it yet. —With all due respect, shall I do it for you? This proposal made the King think. The idea seduced him, as it opened the doors to a solution, but deep down he knew that although it was Straton’s mouth which reveals the truth, the green-eyed prince would burst into rage and even inflict to the counselor a lethal damage that Pistis wouldn’t be affected by the simple fact of being his father. On the other hand, it was his duty to confess everything to his son, and to send Straton to do such a forced labor revealed cruel cowardice from him. —No, Caiko, I appreciate it. —Don’t mention it. Is there anything you want me to do? —Go on with your job. Don’t worry about me. I’ll talk to Dante as soon as he wakes up —he said, while he watched back Lurin’s portrait once more. The counselor left, not free from embarrassment, and the King looked for the outline of his elder father’s sight. Before he gets a lump in his throat, frustration made him feel that his head would be squeezed. He sighed, struggling to get rid of the uneasiness, and he thought aloud the question he would make to the man on the painting: —Might it be that I’m not as sinful as you but I am really weak...? *** Sleeping a couple of hours was enough for the Prince to get strength back. In the case of normal people, it was a different thing, they needed four, the time that a night in hot weather lasted. So, with the light of Nahui and Zon ruling the skies on the 49th, the young man was again prepared, wearing black waterproof trousers, an iridescent blue blouse, under it a white short-sleeved T-shirt full of rare grey symbols (some delirious people claimed they were the so-called “Aztecs”, but it wasn’t easy to believe in something that there wasn’t any record), and silver trainers. His wrists had dark leather bracelets and there was a black lace around his neck. Over his chest he had a shining and delicate lilac chain, whose pendant was a little crystal, instead of the emblematic stone of the domain he hoped inherit soon. His green eyes matched perfectly with the colors of his outfit, and his gloomy hair emphasized his natural bright. After having a thick portion of royal jelly and pesquedo, a steak rich in quenora, an essential mineral for the development of the psychic abilities, Dante rushed to his training ground. It was called “Aquarium”, because of the condition of sand: in a spacious hall of shiny lilac marble, five teachers in a white suit and fifteen assistants in black were waiting for the youngster, some of them with their arms crossed on their backs, and others, with guns and specific elements in their hands. None of them lacked the protective gear of vest and helmet. —Good morning, Lord Prince Dante —everybody greeted at the same time, but not before an intriguing heavy metal song began to sound in the hall. At the beginning it was slow, suggestive of a state of deep reflection which led to the listeners to feel fascinated by the sound. Different studies showed that music was the main external stimulant for the development of both physical and mental skills. That’s why, in spite of the fact that music was one of his spontaneous passions, Dante refused to train without it. The dark and Gothic style of rebel singers fascinated him and even more those who tend to certain frenzied ideas, keeping the variations not so aggressive of alternative rock & roll which also made him vibrate the skin. Each domain owned part of a database of music with beginnings in ancient times. The information of the singers of each song had been kept almost miraculously in retrieved files. Such a virtual store had been found in an underground shelter dating back to unknown times, together with a lot of artistic samples and human technologies. Its origin involved an intense enigma, but the investigations carried out by government entities which aimed to unveil the mystery lacked of foundation because they didn’t have other evidence and they hadn’t been officially announced that they had reached a conclusion about what had happened for these artistic samples to appear there... And if indeed the cause was known, very few would have that truth. However, all the songs enjoyed of a spectacular quality, which had allowed a massive cloning to make them well-known to the public. This is how true music masterpieces could be admired in the nightclubs, where respected masters dealt with synchronic playback every night. Entranced by the old rock song, Dante didn’t answer to the trainers’ greetings. He went towards the center of the room and stopped at the edge of a lilac one-meter-deep swimming pool. He glanced at the crystal clear water and looked over his shoulder to his favorite teacher, who made him a signal to get into it. He went down slowly and placed in the center of the pool; the water reached his hips and his hands, hanging by his sides, made contact with it. While the music filled his soul of inspiration, the Prince closed his eyes and lowered his head, looking for concentration. Hidden compartments in the training room began to open, and when the sound was gaining forces, lots of sparkles danced around Dante’s skull, between his fingers and surrounding his waist; tiny rays spread by water and climbed up his back and his arms until settled in his nape. The song had changed radically to an alarming rhythm that was introduction to the training, which began at the same time the music burst into rhythmical acceleration. From different places, spheres of ten centimeters in diameter blindexum11 glass were shot to the young man, who opened the eyes when he felt them coming close his body. He raised his hand and left a trail of sparkling tail and caused a bluish twinkle that demolished the glass bullet. That efficiency was usual in the boy, and in the same way he reacted to the following and the next and the subsequent, to all the forty ones which were thrown during the first round. It consisted of using the ability of Electrolysi12s to protect himself and attack as well, which certainly wasn’t typical, because that skill was used mainly to damage; to use it for protection required a greater power. The masters and assistants had the defensive skill Bloc, the ability to make force shields in the shape of cubes or prisms. Therefore, the rests of blindexum that were launched by Dante’s counterattack crashed into blue and green shields, in the case of women and the men respectively. With total control over his agile mental replies, Dante remained impeccable along the song. So, the leader trainer pushed the switch she had in her hand, it opened a compartment inside the swimming pool and released a shoal of eels. Because of the unknown characteristics of such animals, the Prince quickly noticed that Electrolysis wasn’t an option to 11 Blindexum: very hard glass. 12 Electrolysis: ability to handle the electricity defeat them before they kill him by electric shock. Thus, he decided to reveal the Necrosis, another of his mental arts. With it, releasing swift orange emissions, was able to beat them, literally, by destroying their tissue. It was violent black magic, and in the case of this youngster, it was something to be scared of. As soon as the eels rose inert to the surface of the pool, the young boy throw out the carcasses, releasing a flying shock of electricity that got out of the water and launched against the trainers, who without any problem embraced again in the practice of Bloc. Later on, more blindexum bullets came back to the act, but not as many as the explosive boomerangs that several assistants threw with remarkable marksmanship while the masters in white moved back against the walls. Pistis’s young son blew out with electricity not only solid glass spheres but also the boomerangs, but they left an effect of dark smoke that spread to his lungs, it compelled him to cough and his eyes got irritated. As it was almost a principle for him not to show signals of defeat, he stopped breathing and cleared the black gas really quickly with the invisible strength of Zephyr’s skill, the ability to manage the winds and use them for their own benefit, or even to create strong gusts of air. A tornado, gathered in the boundaries of Aquarium, shook the trainers and consumed the density of dark-color smoke. And the water in contact with Dante’s body intensified his psychic attacks, because it’s a good mineral conductor of energy and sound; thus, despite the sin of wasting a resource of vital need and so scarce worldwide, the trainers and instructors were sure the boy was terrific. Below the sooty veil left behind by the destroyed boomerangs, another compartment opened in the pool, releasing in this occasion a group of silver piranhas. Dante felt them and proceeded to discharge the Electrolysis, spreading in a more versatile way all the power of the attack. Blue flashes gave off from his robust legs and the piranhas went off, dying its surroundings with yellow blood. The song was close to end; he had already gone over to an instance of violent audio and now got in a quiet transition. The marksmen hidden in the compartments on the walls and the ceiling of the arena launched a last series of blindex bullets, all together in order to beat the youngster at once, who certainly didn’t give up, but smashed them to pieces halfway, long before they reach him. Then the assistants stepped forward showing their weapons; some of them, spears and batons; others, revolvers and sawed-off shotguns. In the light of that, the Prince got quickly out of the bloody pool, by jumping in a spin and ending up in front of the ladies and gentlemen who put up a fight. He struggled against them with his fierce fists and legs, and to the shots he received from the guns, he replied again with the choleric Electrolysis. With not even a scratch, the boy carried out his martial and psychic art perfectly, and a piece of music similar to the previous entered in a subtle way in the Aquarium. *** Pistis couldn’t continue to extend his duty. With steady progress, more with his heart sick from fear, moved forward the training camp. His lilac short platinum cape waved caressing gently the air, when he walked through the ornate corridors of his palace. In his eyes the uncertainty of an inexperienced father shuddered, and with all the plans for the opening of a new stellar age ready and about to take place, the whole context pushed him unavoidably to cope with his own son’s caustic spirit. Sighing deeply, he got closer the Aquarium, and Caiko Straton, who was waiting near the room entrance, got ready to not intercede. —Good luck, sir —he said when the King arrived. He nodded after staring into his eyes. He wanted to look away, but the adviser’s sure gesture guided him again to the big radiant metal electric door which was waiting for him at the forefront. When he stepped the black rug which was put ahead, it opened automatically and Pistis went into a long hallway, it led into an entrance hall, and then, into the same training arena. Two of the persons he found in his way knew why he was there, and mute and still, they seemed to want to disappear, as if the fact of knowing that Dante would go mad when he knew it, it also terrify them. Getting closer to the sector where the young man was training, the sound that came from the fights between him and the masters, increased. Likewise the lilac-eyed king’s heartbeats. The five masters in white stood back when they saw him coming, and the seven assistants who still were in physical conditions of offering battle against the boy, calm down the exercise and asked for a halt. Realizing of the changing, Dante stopped the feverish pace of his ninjean13 movements and turned distrustfully to his father, who didn’t move, but he waited in his place. The music that captivated the hall, soon slid to almost a muteness, all the mentors moved aside, bowed head to privilege the conversation between the two leaders of the palace. —Father..., what a surprise that you come here! —the young son said, going towards Pistis with a not too energetic smile. —Son... —the King greeted. Rubbing his forehead to dry the traces of sweat that his virgin body gave off, the Prince sighed and kept talking, frowning: —Has anything happened? —Dante..., we have to talk. —Talk? —He adopted a chastened position. —About what? —Let’s get out. —No, I haven’t finished my training yet; talk quickly and let me go on. —Let’s go out, Dante. —No. What do you want to tell me? —His heart beat even faster that his father’s. Pistis closed the eyes for a while and breathed out. Taking care of not chasing him away, he put his hands on his son’s shoulders. —An Extraordinary Resolution was achieved in the Ransen domain —he said, watching him with mercy. He took a quick step back and breaking physical contact, the young man half-closed one eye in his skepticism. —B-Bu...What? What... What are you talking about? —There will be a change. —A change...? —Let’s get out. —No. —It’ll be made public. You do realize I’m trying to take care of you. —Just tell me what’ve happened! —he shouted helplessly, building a quite right line about what the King would say; he had been thinking for a while he had something to confess, and although he wanted to deny what his mouth was going to burst out, he feared with good reason 13 Ninjean: belonging or relative to the ninjas. that the truth was the following: —Dante..., there’ll be a renovation of thrones —he gave up, inwardly annoyed and outwardly downhearted. The Prince’s face harden in astonishment. —It was decided by unanimity of votes; the chronos 2.5.0.0.6 will be a stellar age. The fifteen trainers could hardly understand the seriousness of what they were being witnesses. The youngster wasn’t able to speak; he tried to do it, but just a whisper of a fading voice aroused from his frigid throat while his gaze asked for help to express what his ripped soul couldn’t believe. Without wanting to suffer the fruits of his crude declaration, Pisits turned around and notified, before leaving: If the promotion extends enough, you’ll still take part in the exhibition fight in Kirimae tournament. He made three steps towards the exit. The guy didn’t get over his amazement, when his father did a last clarification, now with an air of grief: —I did my best to avoid it happens. We were pushed, Dante. —He turned his head and looked over his shoulder. —I managed to impose a control measure that restrict to the holy race for two chronos, so that we don’t lose all our authority, son... He waited for an answer, no matter how brief it was, but the silence chased him away. His captivated offspring was abandoned in the flamboyance of this tragic news and desperation finished to overwhelm him within half a minute, taking any (minimum) mark of mercy that his eligible sour heart keep. The disdain that spread in his chest changed him in a new being, plenty of a deep feeling of disgust for everyone, especially for his traitor father and those blessed who’d take his place. Slowly, he turned around, and with his green eyes flashing a pure expression of massive rage, he demanded to his instructors to continue with the training. The music took up its volume and Dante put his soul in each following practice. He broke a leg to one of his assistants and almost dislocated the shoulder to another one. *** Chronos 2.5.0.0.5 Golden Period Day 50th End of Time It’s only one day short for the date of Hefesis. Almost nobody worked in the cities and towns; only those who assisted food-selling shops or fireworks, because there were some people who buy things at the very last moment. Neither students nor teachers attended the academies or the universities, and since dawn, a holiday atmosphere spread out in the air. It was promoted that domestic worries were left in the background, despite some suffered of certain embarrassment because of the rumor that the chronos 2.5.0.0.6 would be different. Women and men of any species and color went to the street to sing and play musical instruments to the sound of relaxed claps. The golden coat that covered people’s hair lost strength, because of the closeness with a new period. And just that day it was too hot. Kids agreed to gather some water to refresh themselves while they were playing of talking on the treetops, in the porches of the houses or in the balconies. Delicious sandwiches and lots of coffee were served as afternoon snack, so that they could be clear-eyed during the night and the following hours of the exceptional day 51st. As soon as Nahui and Zon started to hide, the curve of the ring Maku was appearing in the skies. A lot of people went up to their terraces to prepare the fireworks. At four pm, two after the beginning of the night, eccentric exquisite banquets were had for dinner, full of color and made like artwork, prevailing acid flavors. Kids were delighted with sour food, and to the elders, the sweet ones. There were some people outside, at the open air, starting the celebration with flashing firework while they listened to high volume music and drank ciderine and jazz, a violet soft-drink which caused a nice itch in the tongue (some people said that the production company of this beverage used a specific addictive substance to produce this effect). When the time was six pm, Nahui and Zon began the trip back to their places, there high in the sky, and a new day started. Everybody was ready to watch the authentic performance of the day. The experts in fireworks threw flashes into the sky. Different colors, mainly warm to contrast with the sea view of Maku loop, went off to the tune of the artful squeak and musical themes which were born with loud energy from different loudspeakers along the houses. Claps and whistles were heard, joy and party everywhere, meanwhile each city in the world raised their eyes to the clouds to stare at the stellar dance of the multicolor gunpowder. And when there wasn’t any remnant of the night left, the black, navy blue and violet fireworks started, with dark tones which highlighted over the light nirvanas. People hugged and wished each other a better and renew future for the chronos 2.5.0.0.6. Satisfaction conquered the atmosphere and the celebration extended until the four hours of Hefesis day, whose significance was specifically reached during the night. That day wasn’t considered part of the chronos; it was indeed a “surplus” date and it wasn’t included in any period of the calendar. For that reason, many people used to extend the celebration the previous day, to occupy part of the disturbing Hefesis. Disturbing, because it’s a key point in time. During that day, the four hundred and fifty first of the chronos, to conceive a holy baby might be chosen, thanks to a unique cosmic phenomenon: the planet lined up perfectly with the satellite Ixel, in a perpendicular way to the straight line of Nahui and Zon. So that, in a triangular layout and with the planet just in the middle of the formation, the energy released from the stars bounced in Ixel and it redirected to the planet. Therefore, during the alignment, it was constantly irradiated by stars; both day and night. Not only because the energy received had the right size and it was more powerful, but also because even at night it remained getting into, the abyss of Tartaris showed its saturation and triggered waves of ethereal forces and an answer. That pure energy stream was responsible for blessing a child by the process which ruled for the whole population, but in this case got an optimum state of integrity. More sensitive than the nails, hair and some minerals and vegetation, the passion built between two lovers by creating a life was the aim where the energy, that ring energy, fell back with more aplomb, since it was inserted lively into the mother and gifted the son with an incredible power under an idyllic framework with no comparison. This sacred day 51st was the opportunity given by nature to start a unique way of life. Despite the fact that the holies had supernatural skills with which they were able to destroy everything, their souls were good, plenty of uprightness and sincerity. They took care of what they loved with devotion and took up arms to help the defenseless. For this reason, after the turbulent wartime, the first worldwide leaders had been five of them. Their hairs were white and their eyes brown, with spherical pupils. That features stood them out from the crowd, due to all the others had vertical slant-pupils as a cat, that animal extinct four hundred chronos ago. But, as they rely on a great power and any apparently tyranny, many of them tried to take advantage of stoning them quickly, that’s why now the holies had to be ousted from society; they were feared by being different, and consequently, discriminated. It caused that there were fewer and fewer newborns; only parents who wanted to make the difference took the decision to get pregnant the day of Hefesis, and what’s more, most of those kids were then given for adoption. However, the date of Hefesis wasn’t exclusive. In fact, sometimes at random children were brought to life, too. It was something that could happen during the rest of the chronos, any day and beyond the calendar. That implied that certain condition was met: So far, it was known that the existence of holy background in the genealogy might lead to the repetition of the birth of a holy child; the genes. It wasn’t set up whether the leaps could be from grandparents to grandchildren, from great-great grandparents to great-great grandchildren or even from parents to children, but it was a possibility which was always latent if any time a holy had joint to some lineage. On the other side, it’d also been checked that people who sometimes suffered the illness of “Epura” would be potential begetters of holy children. It was a sickness with no cure, whose mode of transmission wasn’t still clear, and it might end with the patient’s life or lessen after it goes through all the corresponding stages. It was characterized by including symptoms of very high fever, and a strange and painful growth of whitish feathers in the dermis and paralysis in the legs. It, in fact, used to produce certain unpleasant beliefs, like, for example, the Epura was caused by a virus present in the holy people and spread among them, even during the past time, the western domain of Agasis had carried out a great quarantine campaign for the holy ones in order to isolate the virus and discover how to counteract, supposing that those people were born already infected and modified by the viral agent. Events like them, needless to say, contributed to make up a cynical view that put the holies away in the anonymity that society claimed indirectly. And then, in the holy date, in the date of Hefesis, the Tartaris as captured public’s attention. An inscrutable depression that included a bit less than the half of the global mass, covered by a surface of dense steam that changed the color of each period. It was the greatest mystery in the world. There were dozens of assumptions about its origin, but even its present was a puzzle as many claimed to have heard songs and roars coming from down there, and even those obsessed with the issue asserted they had seen scary creatures come up the dense steam. Nobody dared to explore it, and those reckless men who had started expeditions to deflect it, never came back. On the day 451st of the chronos, people carried on the tradition of throwing bright objects to the abyss, as a symbol of submission by its hugeness and sacrament. In another parts of the world, troops closer to the banks of Tartaris threw from small empty cans to expensive silver jewelry, and they never heard they hit rock bottom in the great chasm that this day was full of white steam. When the night came, very few people faced the show of the Tartaris. Under a peaceful sky but plenty of activity, the sacred energy of the date filled up the abyss and started showing glowing waves. The firmament, sprouting from countless stars blurred by the heights, acted as a mirror and reflected the phenomenal sparks. Kids stared astonished, overwhelmed by curiosity. The elders, or horkost, told the myths and the facts of the subject, with old voices of peace and a tough sense of wisdom. Saints with snowy hair and brown eyes fulfilled chronos in a world which repressed them without deserving it. In silence, hiding their magnanimous identities, they waited for the day to finish without the crowds set up riots and aggressive protests. At the moment of six pm and the new chronos began, each domain, specially Seicer, launched pyrotechnic missiles to the clouds and everything covered with polychromatic bright, while between them a huge 2.5.0.0.6 aurora was displayed. The towns showed off joy and they enjoyed with the ethereal show, while a green-eyed prince burst into hate by knowing what that meant for his screwed up future. Since his father had confessed him he wouldn’t be a king, he had decided to take up the routine of resting and spend the time training in the Aquarium. His trainers were exhausted and three of them had already got sick because of the excessive non-stop hour after hour exercise by his side. This youngster’s rage was his bellicose body and mind engine; it encouraged him to become stronger, more violent in his attacks, tougher in his defenses, and the fire of his gaze has reached a dangerous point that wouldn’t go unnoticed. Pistis had released a beast. Although he tried to get closer to talk to his son, he didn’t get any reply, except a silent rancor. Dante wasn’t willing to waste his beautiful voice in an incompetent and traitor elder; if he wanted to tell him something, it’d be another way, a more effective and clearer that would come at the perfect time and with a sense of aplomb which transmit the whole truth that whipped his savage heart. *** While the sweet light from the stars Nahui and Zon was caressing the mounts and the highest trees, slipping out between the planet’s appendices, daylight creatures woke up with the singing of a gentle woman whose phonetics took the air when she performed the ballad that she began praying: “You can depend On certainty; Count it out and weigh it up again. You can be sure You've reached the end And still you don't feel...” It was a piece of music stored in the Seicerian domain database. It was called “Beautiful”, by Nicola Hitchcock, historically better known as the Mandalay performer. His anthem was delicate, gorgeous, such as the title revealed, and covered Akeba city with a mantle of sonorous finesse that invoked everybody to leave what they were doing and listen. Women and men of all ages hurried to the terraces to get this caress, delighting in its exquisiteness; even the lover of opposite musical genres were enchanted by her. The lovers felt identified with the sound of such a tune and gave a hint of smiles along with it. A large amount of journalists were at Pistis’s great palace feet to record the opening of the new chronos, spreading, the booming song while they broadcasted audio and image to the rest of the world live and direct. The pink, yellow, gleaming skies, lulled the singing peace of Mandalay from the beginning to the end, meanwhile the silver Ixel left the scene being adored by its colleagues Zon and Nahui’s honored power. The Seicerian King, together with Caiko Straton, the president of his parliament and other imperial members of the domain, waited for Hitchcock’s poem to finish, watching, with his hands at the back, the sunrise of a stellar age. His son Dante stared, too, from his bedroom, breathing out disdain and promising himself revenge. The cool morning breeze tried to stroke his face to calm him down, but it was useless. When Mandalay’s voice became to vanish, people clapped overjoyed in the whole planet, with their hands up. And since this performance was just a part of the usual induction ceremony for each chronos, authorities of Seicer applauded as well, but affected by a clear seriousness. Later, all the journalists’ small flying cameras pointed Pisitis, who carried his lilac tiara, and who, after swallowing a red pill, addressed to the audience: —Ladies, gentlemen, children and elders of the world: Today is the beginning of one more chronos. With this graceful song we welcome it, in the hope that the coming days are better than yesterday. —With the prodigious effect of the red pill, his hoarse voice rose in a great echo, which moved through the streets where the Seicerians were listening. —As you will suspect, this chronos isn’t like the others. We are waiting for a time full of changes and sacrosanct intrigue, challenges and dazzling events. However, the leadership of all of us will be in new hands. That’s why, holies of the world, listen now: complying with the tradition, all of you are called, all of those who are older than nineteen chronos, to be present at a hearing in the headquarters of the prefecture in their corresponding domains, to be inquired to make the decision from which five will take the legacy of the current kings and who else will become members of the parliaments and government agencies. We open our arms, we must follow the path shown by our ancestors, in search of total peace and the harmonious union of peoples. He paused briefly, so lots of people ratified their doubts. —The Magnum Parliament, which was celebrated in the northern domain Ransen, took, by unanimity, the resolution to carry out as so as possible a renovation of thrones. The current leaders are leaving our crowns to pave the way to those who will lead us from now on. With faith, we look at the future that shines and we get into the chronos 2.5.0.0.6: age of the star. The crowds clapped again, although only a few out of duty. Pistis stayed watching the city of Akeba for some seconds before thinking again about his son Dante, the shadowy hair guy who groaned in silence from his bedroom. To accept that the Seicerian King had given the power to the blessed after a lot of chronos was something that population was forced to do. The conflict lay in the legends, the prophecies that tested the prevailing need that these holy people rose to rule the world. Through generations the idea that not respecting the master statute of the renovation of thrones had spread. And it would make “the stars fall”, “awaken the beast of the unknown hells”, “raise the death”, “dry the waters”, “break the lands”, “die the day”, “reign the shadows", "sicken the children", "die to the parents"... Bloody omens like them filled up of fear to the members of the domains and they were forced to do well their abilities each time their families lacked of holy features. That way, the world entered in a new date, an age of the star. It was said this way because five holy kings were who ascended the thrones. The symbol of a star had the same number of points, and when flashing in the skies, it does like a white spot, similar to the holy’s hair. The five new venerable kings, all together, crowned, represented the harmony of a rising star.