by David Roman
“You think you’re not ready?”
“Yes, we are!” Exander said.
“Oryon wanted to begin the Trials once you’d successfully completed the mission on Corsair, but you’ve outdone yourselves by rescuing me and defeating the Order.”
“Very well, then.” Damocles chuckled. “Sage Exander.” He bowed to his brother.
“Sage Damocles,” Exander returned.
Spaide scoffed. “Don’t get too excited. Sage or not, you’re still gonna fix the dashboard you smashed.”
*
Galadan’s saucer-shaped ship was several hundred yards away—a distance Vincent managed to clear in a few seconds. Gaia was ascending the ramp along with the Urtan escort.
“Gaia!” he cried out.
She whirled around with surprise, yet her face lit up in excitement as she saw him.
He ran up the ramp and stopped before her. “I…” he forced out, gasping for air. “Let me just say something… before you decide to leave.”
Gaia gestured the Urtans away and turned back to Vincent, anxious as to what he’d say.
“I believe…” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner, but now I know this entire incident happened on purpose. Now I understand why I accepted Oryon’s powers. It brought me here… not to the Tel Kasar, but to you… and I… well, I messed up…” He took her hands, continuing to stare in her beautiful eyes. “I’m sorry for my peevish cries. I was scared…
“I don’t want to go back. My life had no meaning—has no meaning back home. I want to be with you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone and… and I think… I love you.” He exhaled and repeated, “I love you, Gaia. I don’t want you to go. Stay with me, with us. I’ll train with Duell, become a Warrior Sage, and together we can restore freedom to the galaxy. I know I may be just an alien to you, but—”
“Shut up,” she said, grabbed him by the collar, and kissed him.
His heart pounded furiously. He hugged her and held her close, nearly suffocating her. They survived, and now he wasn’t going to let her go: his love from another world.
“Does this mean you’ll come?” he managed to whisper through the kiss.
She giggled. “Yes, kiddo!”
*
The only thing they took from the Urtans was the fuel for the Serpent. Spaide and the big guy started the ship as Duell and Exander waited outside for Vincent.
“Well, I’ll be…” Exander muttered. “Look! He did it!”
Vincent approached holding Gaia’s hand.
“Amazing,” Duell said. “Now the Princess will join us.”
Vincent let go of Gaia’s hand, came before Duell, and got down on one knee. “Master, I was blind for not seeing the truth,” he said, “for not seeing my true purpose. I want to live up to the name of Oryon Krynne. Let me help you in your quest to bring liberty to the galaxy. Let me join you. Teach me to control these powers that were bestowed upon me and the way of the Warrior Sage.”
“Rise, my brother,” Duell said, smiling. “This quest has just begun.”
“Come on, already!” Spaide stuck his head out. “Let’s go!”
Vincent took a deep breath. His life finally made sense: he had the greatest power anyone could ever dream of; he had friends, ones that he could rely on for his very life; but most importantly, he had the love of the most wonderful and beautiful woman he’d ever met…
“We cling on to the dreams of the past as our future withers away.”
—Gaia Ferra
EPILOGUE
General Zeth cautiously walked down the dark hall. Complete silence engulfed the setting, disturbed only by his echoing footsteps. Huge columns shot upwards on either side of him with a multitude of bookshelves lined with thousands of books hiding in the shadows behind. Numerous contraptions glowing in ghostly shades of purple and blue were stacked alongside the bookshelves. The true purpose of these machines escaped his knowledge, but he didn’t care; he hated coming here. Coming here meant he could not perform his duty—that he’d failed.
But now it was imperative.
He ascended the stairs to the high platform at the end of the hall which held an enormous machine consisting of tall, round pods connected by thick conduits. A caped figure, his back turned, stood before the machine, observing a panel of monitors in its side.
Halfway through, Zeth stopped and bowed his head. “Master…”
“Have you found Oryon?” a deep baritone voice asked.
“No,” the general replied.
“Then why do you disturb me?”
Zeth raised his helmet. “Cosmos has fallen.”
Silence. The man didn’t turn around.
Zeth began to intensely sweat beneath his armor.
Finally, “How?”
“Oryon’s students, along with a… a man…” Zeth stuttered. “A man unlike any other man…”
“What do you mean? Explain yourself.”
“A creature from an uncharted planet… yet he has the powers of the Tel Kasar…”
Another moment of silence. The man turned. “Find him, Sage Zeth, and bring him before me.”
TERMINOLOGY
Ancients—the term describing prehistoric races.
Azalean—an Ancient race, the Azaleans assisted in originating the Galactic Federation and created the first common alphabet of Pantegonia. The Azalean race was one of the belligerents during the Genova War and perished as the result of its aftermath.
Axiom—one of the larger cities of Xenon. Pop. 19,000,000
Baltean—the brown-haired race of Xenians.
Blessed, The—Tel Kasar term for someone who possesses their uncanny power.
Centurions—the elite commandos of the Imperial Army. The Centurions are handpicked from the best army cadets at a very young age and are put through a rigorous training regime, studying the deadliest offensive forms of combat for fifteen hours a day for a period of ten years.
Claus, Clausuian—the planet in the Tariador system known for their vehicles and robotics. Pop. 3,125,000,000
Conglomerate, The—this term refers to the coalition of sixty Dirsalian crime guilds and their affiliates.
Corsair—the largest planet in the Dahanburg constellations and the capital system of the Order. Tragedy befell Corsair in 11,071 as the pariah Damien Un Hathar returned after his pilgrimage with the army of Cosmos and conquered the entire planet. Pop. 6,345,000,000
Corsarian—the pale-skinned, hominid race of Corsair. Majority of them live on different planets because of the Corsarian Diaspora, caused by Damien and the Order.
Creed of Cosmos, The—the holy doctrine of the Order written by Damien 200 years ago.
Cross-strike—a deadly move of the Tel-Kasar, it requires two Warriors to attack simultaneously from opposite sides.
Dahanburg—the name applied to several constellations on the outer rims of Pantegonia. Most of it is under the control of the Order.
Dalamer—the blue-haired race of Xenians.
Dargonass—the planet in the sector of the Callico Red Supergiant. The gravity on Dargonass is unstable, its mass nearly a hundred times that of Earth. Pop. 17,000,000
Dargonian—the inhabitants of Dargonass. Under the Imperial Decree, the Dargonians are not supposed to leave their home planet because of their inhuman strength on conventional worlds.
Dark Age—the time of Urtan history under the control of the Order.
Degraders—chemical weapons that temporarily shut down the central nervous system, turning the victim into a mindless shell. Primarily used against the Tel Kasar, thus rendering them of their supernatural abilities.
Dellah—in the terms of the Tel Kasar, the Dellah is the force that moves around the entire universe. The Dellah brings together people and events where a choice has to be made.
Dirasali—the planet in the inner rim of Pantegonia, an influential center and one of the main systems of the Imperial Republic. Pop. 17,000,000,000
Dirsalian—the hominid race of Dira
sali. The Dirsalians have a crystal in their forehead that ceases to shine when they die.
Dorior—an Imperial vassalage on the outer rims. Dorior is a planet of pacifists who subdued to the Imperial rule without a fight. Pop. 3,157,000,000
Dragoons—the merciless android cavalry that compiles Zeth’s personal Death Squad.
DRP— the acronym for The Democratic Republic of Pantegonia, an idea of a free, senate-controlled government originally proposed by Sage Oryon Krynne and his student, Duell Kammasiarra. The establishment of the DRP is the sole purpose of the Revolution.
Duke Barathon—known as “The Voice of the Republic,” Barathon achieved his title by exposing King Jamon Pestechinno, the traitor. Barathon currently resides over the Baltean nations and hosts the most popular political show in the galaxy.
Eternity, The—the largest ship in the Grand Imperial Fleet.
Faithful Ones—the term applied by the Order to those who have accepted Cosmos as their god.
Galactic Congress—this is the lawmaking center of the Imperial Republic. There are several Senators from every planet that partake in its monthly convention and bring the problems before the Galactic Council.
Galactic Council—the Council is composed of both Senators and Vassals representing the most influential sectors of the Republic. The Council oversees the Senate and simultaneously acts as the judicial body.
Galactic Federation—the libertarian coalition of systems that existed for thirteen thousand years before the Intergalactic War. The top echelon of the Federation was composed of the most advanced systems in Pantegonia. The Federation began to fall apart when planet Xenon ceded from the coalition.
Galactic Map— the current map of Pantegonia. It constantly changes as new systems are mapped.
Gegalah—a planet in the Dahanburg constellations. The planet has an unstable environment with winds exceeding 200mph. As a result, its denizens have developed raucous voices. Pop. 5,000,000,000
Genesis Technology—the advanced technology of the Xenians that changed the outcome of the Intergalactic War. The technology is capable of changing the shape and state of matter within minutes.
Genova—the barren planet that once was a home to the Ancient race of the Genoveans.
Genova War—the most massive war on the galactic scale to date, the Genova War lasted for 76 years (1,003-1,079), as a conflict between the technologically advanced Azaleans and the giant Genoveans. The war ended with both worlds obliterating each other.
Gerand, Gerandian—a small planet in the easternmost part of Pantegonia. Gerand is known for producing the most resilient metal in the galaxy. Gerand was also the planet that was the main contest in the Intergalactic War. Pop. 1,300,000,000
Grand Arm of Pantegonia—the name of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way.
Grand Bazaar—the largest marketplace on Sebalon 2.
Grand Imperial Army—the main army of the Imperial Republic, composed mostly of Xenians and headed by General Zeth himself. The number of active troops in the GIA is well over a billion.
Grand Imperial Fleet—the main armada of the Republic, headed by the prestigious Grand Admiral Xenon Dunabar.
Grand Library—located on Tetraxenes, this place is considered to be the largest library in Pantegonia.
Great Stairs—the stairs built by Urtans two thousand years ago.
Heradonn—the planet located in the Grand Arm of Pantegonia. Heradonn is one of the most valuable energy processing systems in the galaxy. Pop. 44,000,000
Horde, The—the main army of the Order, composed of creatures from more than 30 systems.
Hyperspace—the superluminal speed technology used to travel between the systems. Originally developed by the Illandali.
Illandali—the race of the Ancients that helped the Azaleans form the first intergalactic civilization, the Illandali possessed the most advanced technology in the galaxy. When their technology was used by the Azaleans to create weapons, the Illandali stopped all contact with the world and vanished.
Imperial Republic—the constitutional monarchy that was formed after the Intergalactic War. The government is composed of Senators chosen by the public and of Vassals appointed by the ruling Xenian nations. As of 13,070, the Republic spans the distance of 25,000 light years.
Industrial Revolution, The—during the age of the Federation, trading machinery with undeveloped worlds was prohibited. That all changed with the formation of the Sinkha’ar campaign, which spread advanced technology throughout the galaxy, at the same time sprouting hundreds of dictatorships.
Intergalactic War—there is no accurate date when the war began, but most historians agree that it happened in the Galactic Year 13,025 when planet Xenon was sanctioned by the Federation. For the next twenty-five years, the war raged on between the remains of the Federation and the planets under the movement of the Xenian-based “Sinkha’ar Empire.” The Sinkha’ar Empire emerged as the victor, and in the year 13,051, the Imperial Republic was formed.
Jamon Pestechinno—the late King of the Baltean Nations, Jamon was executed in the year 13,050 for his condemnation of the Sinkha’ar campaign.
Jarek “Bane” Nostriani—no other man is revered on Xenon as is Jarek. Jarek forged the Palermius swords and formed the Tel Kasar: a secret society of warriors. The Tel Kasar freed planet Xenon from the invading army in the year 11,012.
Kaball, Kaballa—the planet of a carnivorous race that is a mix of primate and ungulate mammals. Pop. 2,700,000,000
Kasar Delia—the lifestyle of the Warrior Sage. It is based on a code of honor, valor, virtue, vigor, and the endless pursuit of knowledge.
Kienor—the small agrarian planet on the outer rims. Pop. 15,000,000
Kusanak—a planet of reptilians in the outer rims. Pop. 7,000,000,000
List, The—the list of the Republic’s nine most wanted criminals.
Lorinth, Lorinthian—one of the planets in the outer rims, Lorinth is known for its enormous forests filled with primeval life. The system also produces the best leather products in the universe, extracted from the skin of the creatures. Pop. 17,000,000
Lung Filter—the device used by aerobic organisms to adapt to an environment without sufficient amount of oxygen.
Mor’amer Battlestation—the main weapon of the Empire. It was last used at the end of the Intergalactic War and has been stationed ever since.
Netherworld—the afterlife in certain Tel Kasar theories. They believe the Netherworld to be a place where time and space merge.
Neural Translator—the device that fits into the auditory canal where it receives mental frequencies and then excretes a translation into the language that the wearer can understand.
Nutaria, Nutarian—a small planet in the Grand Arm known for producing the best beverages in Pantegonia. Pop.6,700,000,000
Order of Cosmos, The—the official name of the largest religion in the galaxy and their theocratic vassal state that dominates the majority of systems in the Dahanburg constellations. The numbers of their followers exceed five billion.
Palermius—the rarest and strongest metal in Pantegonia. The only objects made of this element are the ten swords of the Tel Kasar.
Pantegonia—the Milky Way galaxy.
Philosophy of the Warrior Sage, The—the tome written by Sage Jarek Bane that elaborates on the beliefs of the Tel Kasar and the Kasar Delia code. The second version of the book was written by Sage Duell Kammasiarra in 13,067, and is currently banned by the Imperial government
Revolution, The—the growing alliance of the people that stand against the Imperial Republic. The majority of them are remnants of the Federation.
Sabel—the planet of green-skinned humanoids in one of the arms of Pantegonia. Pop. 8, 500,000,000
Sage—the title given to the Tel Kasar once they complete their training. It is usually used as a prefix.
Sebalon 1—the luxurious, private planet in the inner Grand Arm. Aside from Xenon, it’s the most highly protected system in Pantegonia. Pop. 3,870,0
00,000
Sebalon 2—the sister planet of Sebalon 1, this planet is considered by most to be the melting pot of the galaxy. It’s the commercial and entertainment center of Pantegonia. Est. pop. 27,000,000,000
Sect, The—the informal name given to the Order of Cosmos. It’s considered blasphemous and offensive to its members.
Senator—the Senators are the parliamentary leaders of the Republic chosen by the people.
Seturcica—the planet on the outer rims. In 13,069, its locals drove out the Imperial-favored body of government and declared autonomy. As the case was debated in the Council, General Zeth secretly dispatched an army of mercenaries along with a legion of his troops to subdue the threat. The “Massacre at Seturcica” resulted in 63,000,000 deaths, and until this very day is unrecognized by the Imperial Republic. Pop. 2,000,000,000
Sezan Krynne—Sezan Krynne was the last survivor of the Tel Kasar during their internal conflict prior to the Xenian Civil War. Sezan died in 13, 024.
