6.

X

“He shouldn’t be here! I won’t allow it! And he brings human filth on my sacred planet?” M’gethir’s voice booms in the throne room. He hasn’t aged a bit, I see. Still as scrawny as ever though. He stands glaring at me. I glare back. The remaining soldiers in the room have pure hate written on their faces. I recognized a few from my time here. Bardoc, Magellan, and the other guy, what was his name? I couldn’t remember. M'gethir probably told them some awful lie about me, and labelled me a traitor. Well then, a traitor I shall be. I smile at one of them and his face becomes stone cold, he was probably fighting the urge to impale me. I get that a lot. He eventually calmed down and turned away, facing upward. Sucker.

“Hey, who are you calling filth, you scrawny fuck?” Tony yells back at him. The guards lose their cool and rush Tony. He swats them like flies and continues talking. “We’re here to help, so you could try to be nicer.” M'gethir’s eyes flare up with a bright green and a sigil appears beneath Tony’s feet. Tony sinks to the ground and gasps in pain. “Watch your tone when speaking to me, filth” Tony screams in pain as the immense gravity starts breaking his bones. I counter his spell and the sigil disappears. “That’s enough, M'gethir.” If you want to harm anyone, harm me” He glared at me, but there was a hint of pleasure in his eyes. “Xassin, the traitor, the murderer. You dare return here after what you did? I roll my eyes at the theatrics and stay silent. Zeus intervenes with his usual hearty grin. “If you’ve got complaints, You can always take it up with Lord Erebus. I’m sure he’ll love to have you over.”

M'gethir swallowed. He was afraid of the Lords. Mostly because they could wipe out his empire in seconds, but also because of his inability to fool them. They were more cunning than he was, and he despised that. So he steered far from the Lords' radars, moving his empire around as much as possible. “If the lord’s say so, then I have no problem. But make sure you watch that traitor at all times” He became more business-like and relaxed on the throne. “The harbingers have increased their attacks on Le'uthara, they know that we’ve found the Mind of Ente. Their attacks have also become more coordinated. I can only assume they have a leader of some sorts.” He looks at me, green eyes filled with malice. “If not for Arch-mage Xassin's arrival, we may have lost the planet.” A hushed silence follows and then I decide to speak.

“What is the plan now?” The attention of the entire room shifted to me. Clearly they were confused after the several attacks. All they relied on was the shield which was worn down now. The next wave would definitely destroy it. Tony stood up, stretching. I guess he had already finished healing himself. He’s looking at the throne with that kind of look he would use for a girl. I follow his gaze and mine rests on a female I couldn’t recognise. She was standing just beside the throne. She wore a black cloak with golden lines at the edges. What’s a Halit commander doing so close to the throne? Then I noticed her eyes. Green. Malicious. Powerful. This was M'gethir’s child. “She was the one I fought before. Cute, right?”

I’d better steer him away now, for his own good. “She’s his daughter. M'gethir’s child. You better just stay away” I look at him, my eyes burning into mine. “For your own good” I turned to face them again, but the girl was gone. Zeus spoke, his voice sounding like rolling thunder. “Once all known Arch-mages arrive, we shall start the new defence mechanism for Le’uthara. The harbingers will attack again, sooner than expected, se we must be ready. Until we can move the mind to Nirvana, where it will be safe. He paused and looked at M’gethir as if to say “from you, mostly” He continued. “Also, a few of the soldiers have reported seeing a looming shadow over Le'uthara during the attacks. They report seeing sharp grinning teeth and white eyes.” A sudden chill passed through me. This sounded familiar, too familiar. My childhood memories washed over me again and I shuddered. If he was still alive.....

“You okay, X?” Tony broke me out of my reverie. “Nothing, I just zoned out” He looked sceptic. “Uh-huh” I asked Zeus where those soldiers were. Be just shook his head and said, “They’re all dead...or senile.....or catatonic. Whatever that thing was, it drove them mad, to the breaking point.” This is bad. Something is definitely wrong here. I sighed. “That’s the real reason the Arch-mages are needed, to fight the thing if it shows up.” Zeus beamed. “As usual, always in the loop.” He turned to the rest. “He’s right, the Arch-mages are here for two reasons. One, is to destroy whatever that thing is, if it attacks, and the second is to secure the Mind.” People were speaking in hushed tones, debating whether the thing was that powerful to warrant all Arch-mages to convene. Then M’gethir stood up. “That will be all for now. Rest, we reconvene at the next two cycles.”

Tony flew back to the ship and I followed him, mindful of M’gethir’s watchful eyes. How did he even get a daughter? He despises children. We enter the ship and Tony brings out more food. We eat, and I tell him to get some rest. The cycle was almost over. “Ko'vren, take the ship into orbit around Le'uthara, the weapons loaded and primed for attacks.” The white glow from the black hole's accretion disk was soft and peaceful. Then I realized that Ko'vren hadn’t done anything. “Ko’vren?” No response. I try to turn around, but I feel a blade press against my throat. “gods, he didn’t even wait a few minutes?” I relax in my chair and the blade pressed tighter. Once slice and it would be over. “M'gethir didn’t send me.” The voice was female. Impressive. “Then, do you have something to say to me?” “Just one question.” She paused. “Why did you kill Z'ara?” My blood ran cold. That bastard...how dare he? My shock was soon replaced with building rage. “So that’s what he told you, huh?” I concentrated magical power to the index and a small shockwave pushed her back. I turn to see green eyes staring back at me. His daughter. Why does she even care? “Why do you care so much?” I ask, definitely angry now. She stands and scowls. “You bastard, Z’ara is my mother”

“W-what?” I stuttered, obviously shocked. M'gethir and Z'ara had a child? How is that even possible? She never told me... Her voice broke my train of thought again. “It’s time for you to face your punishment, Xassin.” Her sword rose and it glowed and soon blazed with a bluish flame. “Flame of the Inferno King” she pointed the sword at me and I set up wards instantly. But the attack never came. Tony’s glowing blue hand connected with the side of her neck with a chop and she crumpled to the ground.

“She’s hot”, he grinned. “Literally and figuratively” I put seal on her and placed her down on the bed. Tony knocked her out cold, but I wasn’t taking any chances. She had a lot of explaining to do. And she needed to know the truth. I remember the rage on his face as he dragged her away and I escaped. I hated him more, now that I knew he was intimate with her once, and still killed her.

As I lay down to sleep, I could swear I heard distant laughter from afar.

Something big is coming.

I finally fell into a dreamless sleep.