“Alkoz?” she said, uncertainly.
“He is an Oxilian,” Leonard replied. “What else do you remember?”
“I don’t know….” Her voice cracked.
“Do you remember me?” Herman anxiously queried.
Heopsie’s eyes fluttered, blinked and then widened. Pictures were flashing before her, things of which she had no prior recollection. Nevertheless, they were there in her memory. Her heart galloped with the realization that she had another life she had forgotten.
The stone on the necklace had an electrical charge that connected with her. Its voltaic charge coursed through her, igniting a part of her brain that lay dormant for the past twenty years.
Chapter 23
“We’ve been deceived, Overlord Premier,” Alvolzol declared, with a piqued expression.
He paced the expansive council room at the high tower of Maxzoliokz. Things were not as they planned. Heilfelst rose from the long oval table, scowling at him.
“What do you mean?”
“There are deeper secrets than we know. The Oxilian child is still alive and has been in our reach all along!”
In shock, Heilfelst staggered a few steps backwards. One hand flew to his forehead while the other grabbed for the edge of the table. He quickly regained his stance and straightened.
“Where is he?” He squeezed through his teeth.
“Not HE, Premier,” Alvolzol replied, turning from the window through which he’d been staring. Meeting the eyes of the Premier, he added, “She.”
“How did you obtain this knowledge?”
“The human scientist and his colleagues have defected; however, our sources confirm the Princess is alive. We just don’t know where she is as of this moment.”
“What about Volztaggh?” Heilfelst’s gut wrenched, fear gripping it. If all his scientists betrayed him, he may as well leave the galaxy.
Alvolzol nodded. “He is still in the lab, Premier.”
“Tell me more,” Heilfelst ordered. Clasping his hands behind his back, he paced in front of the window.
“The infant was taken and hidden on another planet, in plain sight. We just do not know which planet. We are doing our investigations. We understand she also conceived a child.”
“We have monitored every planet closely. We destroyed everything. How is it possible a princess existed without our knowledge? Did she lead the life of a commoner?”
Alvolzol fingered his chin. “That must be the case. How else would we not have known of her existence?”
“We better move fast in finding the blaerix and completing the last of the experiments.”
The tele-communicator flashed on, presenting the face of the captain of the guard. His resemblance to the overlord premier was uncanny, so much so, many thought they were the same. His long white hair fell well below his shoulders, not as long as the Premier’s, but the shape of the face, eye color and skin tone matched exactly. Even his uniform matched that of the robe the Overlord wore, a silvery material with scarlet trim. Heilfelst was especially proud of this, his handy work. If only he could replicate the formula that produced such a specimen.
“Speak, Captain,” he instructed, his adoration for the captain evident.
“The siblings have united, Premier Heilfelst. They have destroyed the beasts on Nabalar, as well as many of our troops,” informed the captain in his drab drone-like tone.
Heilfelst clenched his fist, pounding the table. His eyes, becoming a deep purple with flashes of amber, betrayed his otherwise calm demeanor.
“Send more troops and destroy them both!” he commanded. “What about the human?”
“She lives, Overlord Premier,” the captain’s unchanging tone returned.
The captain was about to speak when the screen flashed and another face appeared. The face floated in an egg-like object. Its white sparkling eyes bore into him. It had no body, just the oval, hovering on the screen. In the background were other faces floating in similar egg-shaped objects. They all looked the alike, only the others had their eyes closed.
Heilfelst stared at the screen, his eyes quickly reverting to amethyst. He was aware of the Oracles’ presence in the galaxy, but he had never seen or spoken with them. Taking a quick step back, his heart drummed restlessly.
He hated the emotions experienced by his species. He deemed emotions weak. More than that, he hated the similarities his people shared with the humans. They shared the same feelings, of pain, love, hatred and fear. He now felt fear, the emotion he hated the most.
“Overlord Heilfelst, we have a message for you. Heed this warning before you proceed further,” the mouth on the face declared in a sweet silken tone.
“Please tell me, Oracle,” he replied, his heartbeat deafening him.
The Oracle continued, “That which you seek to find will be your ultimate debacle. Take heed.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but the face disappeared and was replaced by the captain’s.
“Who were you talking to?” Alvolzol asked, quite mystified.
Heilfelst turned to the Premier-luxta (second tier) in confusion. “Did you not see it?”
“The channel fizzled for a few seconds but you were still conversing.”
The captain’s voice interrupted them. “Premier Heilfelst, what shall we do about Xygor?”
“Concentrate on annihilating the brothers. If they come into their true power, there is nothing we can do to stop them. They must be destroyed before they unite as allies.”
The captain bowed. “Yes, Overlord Heilfelst. I will destroy them both.”
“Do not forget that human. I am perturbed by her presence.”
The captain bowed once more. The screen zoomed out, leaving the usual red glow in the center, before slowly fading.
“Do you think it is wise to ignore Xygor?” Alvolzol asked.
Heilfelst leveled eyes with his second in command. “The extermination of the brothers will only bring ruin to their people. Problem solved.”
Heilfelst moved back to the window, admiring the lush vegetation and beautifully designed palaces. Maxzoliokz was the wealthiest of the 13 planets in his sector, followed by Oxilia. Having taken the wealth from the remaining planets, then sharing it only with Oxilia, he took credit for their wealth and prosperity.
After executing the kings of Uvieroein, Heilfelst believed his plans would come to fruition quickly. He had been wrong. It had taken many moons, and many more lives. The two serums his scientists were developing continued to fail, and still he had not found the ultimate source of Uvieroein power.
He was growing impatient. Unless hidden on the planet of the oracles, Axrylore, the, blaerix, was nowhere to be found. This posed a problem since a force field prevented unapproved entry to Axrylore. He felt he would finally find what he was searching for if only he could break through that force field.
Chapter 24
His lips caressed hers, sending electric shockwaves through her body. She trembled in his arms, savoring the pleasure of the moment. When she once again gained control of her senses, Ariella’s eyes flew open. She pushed against the hard body of her prince, causing him to step back.
“Not so fast,” she hissed. “You can’t seduce me in the middle of a battle. That’s not fair.”
“I love you.” Mirsux’s sultry tone made her pulse quicken and her knees weak.
“No,” she moaned, turning away. “I don’t want to hear it.”
He gripped her arm, pulling her against himself again. The energy field burst open; its strength drawing them together.
“No,” she whimpered, realizing defeat, unable to fight her own heart. Just for the moment, she decided to forgive him. Sagging against his body, she sank willingly into the current that consumed them. The knotted hair had been burned; the bond of marriage broken. But the connection they shared went beyond the symbol of hair tying. Ariella realized she too had experienced an awakening.
A tremor ran through Mirsux. His eyes widened in shock. With a sharp
intake of breath, he pulled her closer. At that exact moment, the Ysark brightened. Mirsux felt the Ysark infuse him with the energy he had lost when the knotted hair had burned. At that moment, they both realized the true source of their energy and power was the love they shared.
The blaring of an alarm drew their attention, causing them to pull apart. Another federation ship arrived, dropping off more soldiers and Migrels. She took a few seconds to cup Mirsux’s face and kissed his cheeks.
“Please forgive me. I promise to stand by you always and we will rescue your father as soon as we defeat the federation army,” he said.
Although her heart still felt the ache of betrayal, something told her that he needed her, and if she were honest, she needed him as well. The unique bond they shared went far beyond physical attraction. Her desire was to be with him. She now understood that in returning to earth, she would be the one to lose the most.
She smiled, her own emerald eyes gleaming. “I forgive you.”
“Hakkk!” Julkaz shouted.
Mirsux’s head whipped around at the sound of his brother’s voice. The federation soldiers were closing in. Ariella retrieved a fallen federation soldier’s saber from the ground as Mirsux ran to the approaching troops. The marking on its hilt seem familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Pushing all thoughts aside, she also advanced towards the oncoming men.
When someone rushed towards her from the side, she turned to defend herself. She was relieved to see Gulk. He held his hand up, grinning at her, then moved to fight the advancing soldiers.
Hearing footsteps approaching from the direction of the palace, Ariella turned to see King Volnomy leading a small contingent of the royal guard. Carrying a saber similar to the Ysark he’d gifted Mirsux at their wedding, the king approached Ariella. Lifting the saber in salute, he stopped and bowed.
“Please forgive us, Daughter,” he said, going down on one knee.
Plucking an object from under his robe, the king held it out to her. It was her Diainspar. Hesitant to touch it, she stared at the gem for a long moment. The king’s supplication finally won her heart; she reached for it. As soon as her hand came into contact with the stone, it sparked and began to glow. One of the guards handed her the belt she’d worn to Xygor, the one designed to hold the stone.
She took the Diainspar, snapping it into its slot. While she latched the belt around her waist, the king rose and then rushed to Mirsux and Julkaz, joining in their fight against the federation soldiers.
She still wore the same outfit she’d changed into at the Xygorian palace. It was torn and badly soiled with Nabalar’s clingy grey dust, reminding her of her first few hours after she crash landed on the planet.
Watching the battle before her, she quickly considered the situation. It was obvious Heilfelst saw her as a threat. He had sentenced her to death, a horrible one, being fed to the Migrel; and now more troops arrived to destroy her and Mirsux. What were the overlords hiding; and why were they bent upon destroying Mirsux and Julkaz?
She watched with interest as Volnomy reached Julkaz’s side. Gulk stepped in, taking on the soldier the Xygorian prince had been fighting. Julkaz appeared confused as the king spoke to him and handed him the Ysark.
The Ysark gave off a spark; the small stone in its pommel emitted a dull glow. It was not as luminous as that of Mirsux’s, but its presence indicated his awakening was near.
More Migrels offloaded from the hovering craft. Their mutations did not seem as severe as she had seen in previous creatures. They also had long, white, thin, dull hair, unlike the typically bald beasts to which she was accustomed. Their eyes were a rich amethyst, their skin, a deeper shade of purple. Other than these obvious differences, they remained the same with pointy ears and bulging overgrown muscles.
As King Volnomy bent to pick up a saber dropped by a fallen federation soldier, shrill screams coming from the direction of the Nabalarian soldiers pierced the air. As blue laser pellets struck the soldiers, they fell lifeless to the ground.
The soldiers arriving with the second federation ship were armed with several different models of cosmic diffusers. Some were small like handguns while others had the appearance of assault rifles. The Nabalarian soldiers were no match for them. She hoped the Diainspar jewel worked the same as it had before. Closing her eyes, she drew on her courage.
Inhaling deeply, she moved swiftly towards the advancing federation troops. Picking up speed, she transitioned into a sprint. Nearing the soldiers armed with the cosmic diffusers, she touched the Diainspar jewel, hoping it would do as she expected.
She was disappointed when nothing happened. Her power had failed and the Nabalarian soldiers continued to fall. Not having time to ponder the reasons for the jewel’s failure, she quickly positioned herself between the enemy and her own troops, wielding her borrowed saber. As one opponent aimed his weapon in her direction, she leapt into the air, twirled and came down with the saber, slicing cleanly through his wrist. Blood gushed as the hand fell. She dove to the ground, snatching up the weapon he had dropped. Since it was the larger model of diffusers, it took a moment for her to adjust to its weight.
“Let’s see if I can do some damage with this,” she murmured, pleased with her retrieval of the weapon.
A blue pellet zinged past her, missing only by an inch. She turned, her finger ready on the red trigger button. Aiming at her attacker, she pressed the button. He fell as a laser bullet hit him square in the chest.
An insuppressible smile danced across her lips. Finally, she had something to use to successfully down the enemy. More soldiers advanced towards them. She used the diffuser to take out another enemy soldier, directing one of her men to take the newly dropped diffuser.
Looking around, Ariella saw that Julkaz also wielded a diffuser while Mirsux brandished his Ysark, which flared brightly at the hilt and center, to neutralize the oncoming laser bullets.
She gasped, seeing a soldier fire upon Julkaz. Mirsux moved quickly, blocking the pellets with his Ysark. Julkaz looked at him in shock. His shock wore off quickly, however, as another group of soldiers advanced towards them.
King Volnomy continued to battle against a soldier armed with a saber. He successfully held his ground until one of the newly arrived soldiers hit him in the shoulder with a pellet.
Anger curled in Ariella’s belly. She moved in his direction, diffusing several enemies along the way. As she pounced upon them, releasing the catch on the weapon, she snarled. With a 360 degree pivot, she unleashed her rage through the weapon, felling about a dozen in its wake.
* * *
In the palace, Heffun watched the battle raging outside its walls. Anxiety, coupled with her outrage, caused her eyes to glint fiercely. Fury surged through her. She moved to the communication screen, staring at it, contemplating her next move. She lifted her hand as if to touch the surface, then hesitatingly withdrew it.
“No, how can I?” she muttered.
As the intense battle unfolded before her, a bitter taste rose to her mouth. She’d kept silent through the ruin of her people… the entire sector, in fact. No more. Heffun had reached her limits. She knew what she must do. Her hatred for the Al Qithoghuex far exceeded that of the Xygorian queen.
Determined to save her people, she opened the Xygorian channel. The face of the Xygorian captain of the guard appeared.
“Queen Heffun,” he greeted, trying to hide his surprise.
“I would like a conference with your Queen immediately,” she replied, barely holding in her distress.
Heopsie appeared a few moments later, shocked to see Heffun.
“Heffun, how may I assist you?”
“Your son is in danger… our sons are in danger from the Al Qithoghuex!”
“I know, we need to formulate a plan to bring them to justice….”
Heffun cut her short. “No, they are embattled as we speak. The federation has dispatched their army to annihilate us all! We must work together to save our people.”
Heopsi
e’s eyes widened in terror. “They are fighting? Now? I wondered why he had not returned.”
“Heopsie, I know we are mortal enemies, but we must put aside our differences to save our children, and ultimately our people,” Heffun urged.
“I will consign my guards posthaste. But Heffun, there are things I must tell you,” Heopsie replied.
A puzzled look crossed Heffun’s face. “What things?”
“I will accompany the army to Nabalar where we will talk,” Heopsie replied in a calm manner. “I will also send those prisoners who are able to fight.”
“What?” Heffun wrinkled her brow. “How is that possible? How did you release them? I thought only the federation could release their prisoners.”
“Yes, that was true. But I… we, have an ally.”
Heffun’s mouth gaped in surprise. If what Heopsie said was true, there was hope yet. She believed several of the Uvieroein princes had been imprisoned. There were many officials also locked away, those who had dared to defy the council.
The council had executed her own father, of that she was sure. All the kings of Uvieroein had been murdered at the hands of Heilfelst and his league of overlords. The time for retribution had finally come.
Heilfelst had been captain of the guard in the Uvieroein army when he began plotting the demise of the kings. Having heard of the ultimate source of Uvieroein power, he was making his way through the planets searching for the ultimate source of Uvieroein power. When the Oxilian king learned of his operation, Heilfelst used the army to do his dirty deeds.
Heopsie’s voice brought Heffun back to the present. Pushing the evil Overlord from her thoughts, she focused on the battle raging on her planet.
“I will dispatch the soldiers immediately, then I will make my entry,” Heopsie said.
The screen went blank, except for the telltale sign of the diminishing red glow.
As she turned back to the window, the monitor flashed on once more. Thinking it was Heopsie, she turned a questioning eye back to the screen. Viewing the oval floating face of an Oracle, her look was quickly replaced by a shocked stare.
Awakening: The Prince of Nabalar (The Princes of Uvieroein Book 1) Page 20