Chapter 4
Armathea
Elsewhere in the Galaxy
Armathea was not merely an ordinary deep space cruiser; it represented the pinnacle of Dracarian technology. With its sleek design and silent operation, its cloaking capabilities were unmatched in the galaxy, making it invisible to the most advanced radar systems.
Tucked away in her private quarters, something jostled Kendra from a deep slumber. She wasn’t quite sure what, but it left her with a strange, unsettled feeling that lingered in her gut. Had it been a nightmare or some other weird dream, she would have felt more at ease.
With a heavy sigh, she pounded the pillow and rolled onto her back, letting the sapphire coverlet fall from her shoulders as she turned. It was then she caught the faint glow emulating from her chest and heard a soft, almost chilling chant.
Kendra tugged on the chain around her neck to peer at the glowing orb. Oh no, not again. Her mind started racing.
She leapt from her bed and padded to the comm. center. “Odin, are you there?”
A distinguished older man with keen blueish-gray eyes and a neatly trimmed silver beard appeared on screen. “Kendra, I’m here. Is something amiss?”
“It’s happening again.” She held up the glowing amulet. “Can you meet me on the observation deck?”
“Of course,” he responded. “I’ll be right there.”
Kendra sought Odin’s counsel because he was the only one onboard Armathea who could understand the significance of the moonstone.
In their realms, they were sworn enemies.
Yet, they were no longer on Valeria and Talear, and they were not enemies.
Here, they were survivors, just like the rest of the Armathea's crew.
After securing her silken robe and tightening the belt, she departed her quarters with a swift pace.
She ascended the spiral staircase that led to the observation deck.
Perched at the highest point of the ship, it offered an unparalleled panoramic view.
The dome itself was constructed from a transparent, indestructible material that allowed for an unobstructed view of the stars and planets drifting by as they cruised the galaxy.
Odin stood at the top, waiting for her arrival. His features were drawn with worry. He was older, around fifty if she had to guess, but he didn’t seem old to her—only wise, but the creases around his eyes and his dark hair laced with grey betrayed his age.
“May I see it?”
She held up her precious pendant, a small opaque marble-sized moonstone, secured in place by a meticulously crafted talon that dangled from an unbreakable silver chain. The orb’s glowing waves had begun to wane, its pulsating melody barely audible. “This is getting weird.”
“It could be nothing,” Odin offered, his expression hopeful.
“This is twice now. In less than a week,” she reminded him with a weak smile.
The orb had been dormant since her exile from Valeria five years ago.
But there could be no mistake this time.
Some event of great importance had occurred on Valeria, or maybe Talear, or perhaps both.
Something so significant that the moonstones had made two separate calls to the Keepers of the Archives to record the events.
“Do you want to head for Calypsta?”
“I’m curious. I won’t deny it.” She admitted. “What could have happened after such a long slumber? One event could be random. But two? And so close together? It could mean war between Talear and Valeria.”
“If this is the start of another war, Mordrick was the instigator. I’d bet on it.”
Mordrick. Just the sound of his name being spoken aloud gave her spine a snake-like chill. His tyrannical rule over Talear and his cruelty to his own people was legendary. “How about you? Aren’t you curious about Talear?”
“No. I’ve been away from Talear for eight years. The rebellion is long gone.” His tone held a bitter edge that verged on sadness. “What happens there is no longer a concern of mine.”
“Could there be another rebel uprising?”
“Possible. There have been many over the years. But I doubt it.” Odin paced for a moment in silence.
“After our betrayal, there was no one left to take the reins. Mordrick and his minions saw to its complete destruction. Besides, until the shield matrix protecting Mordrick’s stronghold is destroyed, any attempts against him would be futile. ”
Realizing the orb’s glow had ceased she tucked it beneath her robes.
Odin stopped pacing and eyed her. “Kendra, what do you want to do?”
Good question. She truly didn’t know. As she considered her choices, her thoughts drifted to her last day on Valeria.
“Father, don’t do this,” Kendra pleaded with hot tears streaming down her face. “Don’t let them take me. I’ll change my hair color, or you can send me to the mountains, so I’ll be out of sight.”
“Since you cannot be wed, this will fulfill your duty to Valeria, daughter.” The king reminded her harshly.
“But father…”
“Your sacrifice today will save many lives and secure our future.”
“Please…”
“Enough!” He bellowed. “You will leave with the Dracarians, and you will do so with honor. Do not disgrace our royal name any further by begging. Not today or in the future. You will obey the Dracarians as you would your king.” Her father flicked his wrist in dismissal, then turned from her, leaving her staring at his unyielding back.
Stricken with grief, her mother, so regal and beautiful with her long flaxen hair and crystal blue eyes, ran to her with unshed tears. She removed the moonstone amulet from around her neck and pressed it into Kendra’s hand, forcing her palms to close around the precious orb.
“Promise me you will treasure this always,” her mother pleaded as she stepped away from her. Kendra was about to run to her mother when fingers wrapped around her upper arms, stopping her.
“I promise.” Kendra sobbed as she was tugged in the opposite direction by two dark-haired Dracarians.
“And no matter what, never forget you are a Princess of Valeria.”
Kendra wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her trembling hand.
She allowed the Dracarians to escort her from the throne room with as much dignity as she could muster, silently making two vows.
The first was to never part with her moonstone, and the second was to never step foot on Valeria again.
From this day forward, she would refuse to think of her family again, for they were her family no more.
“Kendra.”
A hand on her shoulder broke her reverie, snapping her back to the present. She blinked, then gazed into the vast darkness of space through the domed window.
“Kendra, what do you want to do?” Odin asked again, this time with a bit of persistence in his concerned voice.
“Ignore it. Whatever has transpired is of no consequence to me either.” Whatever love she had for Valeria died five years ago.
Odin nodded. “Should you change your mind, just let me know.”
“I’m not going to change my mind,” she assured him before they both departed the observation deck, heading down separate darkened corridors.
Once back in her quarters, Kendra loosened her robe, slipped under the heavy velvet coverlet and tried to sleep, but her mind refused to quiet and the persistent feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach refused to fade.
She pulled her knees to her chest and took a deep breath, releasing a long exhale.
She reminded herself she was safe on her cloaked Dracarian cruiser, far away from those unknown events.
After a while she drifted into a restless sleep, convinced her sudden anxiety was unfounded, because Kendra Kunnetsov, once a princess of Valeria, no longer had anything to fear.
Or so she thought.
Valeria
The Frozen Palace
Twelve pristine priests in white linen cloaks and tall square hats took their glowing royal moonstone as a sign their lost princess would return to Valeria, saving their moon from civil war, or worse, imminent invasion from the sadistic Taleari overlord.
Talear
The Ebony Fortress
Deep in the bowels of the mountain fortress, twelve dark hooded druids took their glowing royal moonstone as a sign that Mordrick’s schemes for power would prevail, and that their overlord would soon rule more than just Talear.
Calyspta
The Temple of the Archives
Inside the Temple of the Archives, located deep in the jungle, grobets, a race of small non-humanoids, with greyish-green hued skin, long pointed ears and small curvy horns that jutted from their temples, were busy recording Reyne’s departure from Talear.
As keepers, they were required only to ensure the records were kept in order and were forbidden to choose sides.
One grobet, the youngest of the twelve keepers, climbed the small wooden ladder with vibrant paint and assorted brushes, preparing to transform a blank section of the chamber wall into a living story with colorful depictions of the scene he just witnessed.
As his brush made the first colorful swipe against the cold-colorless stone, the young grobet defied sacred orders by secretly hoping for an outcome.
One opposite from either the Taleari or the Valerians.
One that could heal all three realms.