by Ross Buzzell
“You are the first to come through your trial Xero, well done.”
Xero approaches the wormhole when he hears something, something inaudible but one of panic. His brother’s voice crackles through his bracer.
“Xero help!”
In a flash Xero turns away from the Emissary’s portal. Her voice echoes weightily at the soldier.
“You may not help him. His trial is his own!”
Xero opens a wormhole of his own; on the far side he sees flames, explosions and the burning capital city of Boron.
“I will not leave my brother to die in a trial!”
Xero sprints and leaps through the wormhole into his brother’s trial. As he lands on the other side he stops and looks in horror as Boron burns.
“Xero help!”
Ro shouts once again. Xero turns to see his brother backed into a corner by a massive being that stands head and shoulders above even Xero’s towering six foot eight inches. Recognizing the species, Xero immediately charges the monstrosity and tackles him to the ground.
“Ro, get out of here. Let me handle this!”
Ro gets up and pulls a shattered metal sword from the rubble, calling back to his brother.
“No, I will not leave you to fight in MY trial alone!”
Xero looks back at his bleeding brother. Knowing what serious injuries on the battlefield looked like, he knows that Ro is barely hanging onto life. Xero gets up and runs at his brother. Grabbing Ro by his cloak he throws Ro back through his wormhole and into the completed trial where he sees the Emissary grab Ro just as Xero’s portal closes.
Xero turns to face this behemoth. As he climbs to his feet, something wasn’t right though, the last trial felt real but somehow Xero knew it to be an illusion. This on the other hand did more than just feel real, something deep in Xero’s gut wrenched as it told him it was the future.
“Who are you!”
Xero growls as he reignites his sword. The massive humanoid slowly turned around. His eyes glowing red as the shadows around him slowly turn into monsters of their own as the giant wills them into existence.
“Do you not recognize my race? It was you who overthrew us and slaughtered us all!”
Xero’s eyes widen in terror as he literally feels his heart stop beating for a brief moment at the sight of the monstrous being.
“You’re the Dark Titan.”
he nods as a wicked grin forms over his gray lips.
“The combined power of my people channeled into a single vessel for the sole purpose of destroying the ones who killed us.”
The Dark Titan looks at his creatures and nods. The growling shadows lurch forward at Xero. Without a moment’s hesitation he throws his hand up. There is a bright flash of blue light as one of the creatures disintegrates. With a swift swing of his sword the other two disappear in an explosion of smoke as well.
The Dark Titan dashes at Xero while he is distracted and grabs Xero by the throat, lifting him off the ground. The sheer size of his hand encompasses not just his neck but also his shoulders as he feels his throat begin to be forcibly closed. The Dark Titan makes eye contact with Xero. Both men’s eyes change color, Xero’s red, the Dark Titan’s blue. For a single moment the Dark Titan looks into Xero’s future. The Dark Titan drops Xero with a deep and sinister laugh.
“There is use of you yet Xero of Boron. Should you tap into your true potential, you may be able to prevent this.”
The Dark Titan motions to the carnage around him.
“But that can only be when you unlock the secret to the abilities of your bloodline.”
A loud scream echoes up the gorge from a distance. There is a bright flash of white light, the Dark Titan faces the explosion as it rips across the surface of the planet pulling it apart atom by atom. Xero covers his face at the sheer brightness of the light and awaits death without fear. When it does not come Xero lowers his arms and looks around. He stands in the library of the palace with his brother, the Emissary and the High King. As he speaks, the High King’s voice is weak yet stern.
“You interceded in your brother’s trial Xero, that is expressly forbidden.”
Xero frustratingly places his weapon back in its holster as he justifies his actions to his father.
“Father, Ro would have died had I not interceded.”
The king walks past his son, hands behind his back. He looks into the fire as it dances over the logs inside.
“The rules are simple; under no circumstance are you to aid another when they face…”
Xero interrupts.
“…A Dark Titan?”
Upon hearing that name the king slowly turns and faces his youngest son as the fire crackles behind him.
“Is this true?”
Ro shakes his head; having never studied war, Ro was painfully unaware of the enemies of Boron.
“I would not know father, I have not studied as Xero has.”
The Emissary takes a few steps forward. Holding her book against her side she faces the king. Xero stands in pensive silence and Ro’s mind races as to what this trial could have meant.
“My king, I opened the trials for both, but there was something strange about Ro and his trial. I lost connection with it, which is why you had to pull Xero from it. As the one put in charge of this trial Xero, while breaking the rules, did so for the right reasons, I certify that he passes.”
The king nods as he looks at his sons. Worry builds behind his eyes as he makes contact with Xero’s. The interaction with the Dark Titan had changed him somehow and it was already visible to the king. The frail man nods in acceptance of the Emissary’s judgment.
“I accept your sentence.”
The king begins to slowly walk from the library. His voice echoes through the halls as it grows less and less the further he gets away.
“Rules are put in place for a reason. If an exception is made to one, it can be made for another and thus will burn the very foundation on which this planet was built.”
With that the king’s voice disappears entirely. Ro looks at his brother; approaching him he places a hand on his shoulder. Overwhelmed with gratefulness of Xero’s actions that saved his life, Ro speaks with the utmost respect and gratitude.
“Pay him no mind brother. You saved my life even at the risk of your own. That is the true meaning of leadership, to put others above yourself.”
The king’s words echoing in Xero’s mind causes him not to hear the uplifting tone of his brother. Xero pulls away and begins to walk down the hallway. As he does he hears the Emissary speak with Ro, a hint of concern in her voice.
“While you were in the trial you were out of my sight… What did you see?”
There is a long pause and almost as a whisper Xero hears his brother’s response.
“I can’t remember.”
Chapter: 12
Xero stands on the patio of the palace. He overlooks his beautiful city. His cape flaps quietly in the wind as the blue sun of the day begins to set and the brown sun of the night begins to rise. Xero closes his eyes. The words of the Dark Titan echo in his mind as he has a flashback of the second trial. In all his years there was never a being that Xero did not fear, not like that. No opponent he would not go up against. But this opponent, this particular Titan was different from the last he had faced and Xero prayed he would never have to face him again.
The sound of heels clicking on the white marble catches his ear and steadily grows louder. Xero opens his eyes. Immediately he recognizes the walk of his brother’s wife. Not turning around Xero keeps his sights set forward as he continues to piece together what he had experienced. Shey Lorian was a beautiful princess. She stood to Xero’s shoulder and while she may be slender and refined. Xero knew that she could hold her own in a fight against the best warriors on Boron. Shey approaches Xero, hands clasp in front of her, her robes, similar to those of Ro’s dance in the gentle wind as well. Shey stops when she is next to Xero, keeping her eyes forward as well she speaks with a soft voice.
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“I heard what you did for Ro today in your trials…”
She looks over to Xero, worried about him but also grateful for his actions. Her magenta eyes glistening in the blue light of Boron’s setting sun. Gently she places a hand on his arm. Her contact with him brings Xero out of his thoughts of the Dark Titan and back to the present. He looks over at his sister-in-law and gives her a forced smile.
“I’m sorry Shey. I was lost in thought.”
She smiles and gives him a gentle pat.
“We are all entitled to our thoughts Xero. I thank you for saving my husband today. How have the trials been going?”
Xero attempts to cover his angst with joy, the trials being a rite of passage for any Boronian male into a place of honor amongst their people. For the six royal families, however, it was a competition to see who would rule the kingdom after the patriarch dies.
“My dear brother is faster than I. He won the race. I am a soldier; the courage trial is what I was trained for all my life.”
“Are you ready for the intelligence trial?”
Shey asks in a curious yet delighted tone. Boronians are a competitive yet gracious race.
“I am. I just hope that Ro is as prepared as I.”
Shey smiles and brings her hand down to her side.
“He is. He awaits you in his chambers. He wishes to speak with you before the final task.”
Xero turns his back to the city and looks at Shey Lorian, the beautiful daughter of the king from the third kingdom betrothed to his brother on the day they were born.
“Then I best not keep him waiting my sister.”
Xero turns and begins to walk into the palace; Shey stands silently on the patio and watches Xero as he disappears. The fact that Xero was handling a tie with such dignity showed great promise for the next trial. Win or lose Shey knew that the unshakeable bond between Xero and Ro would only grow stronger and that both men would be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
Xero walks through the halls of the palace. Since his father had entered into the last cycle of his life, the palace had fallen eerily quiet with only the guards standing at their posts like armored toys awaiting a battle that may never come. As Xero passes the guards, each of which stand in front of the evenly spaced Greco-Roman pillars, none acknowledge him. They stair forward. Their family crests glowing in their breastplates. With only the sound of his footsteps to keep him company Xero enters the corridor with his brother’s chambers. He approaches the wooden door engraved with the great deeds performed by Ro during his lifetime.
Xero hesitates for a moment, as doubt creeps into his mind for the first time of whether or not he should even be High King. He is a soldier, and he knew how to lead on a battle field but knew nothing of leading a people. After a moment’s hesitation Xero knocks on the door with a closed fist. The sound echoes down the lonely corridors. Muffled he hears his brother’s voice from the far side of the door.
“Enter.”
Xero slowly pushes the doors open to see his brother hovering two feet off the ground in a cross leg seated position meditating. Xero approaches his brother but keeps his distance enough not to disturb him.
“Are you ready for the final trial?”
Xero asks softly. Noting the hesitation in his brother’s voice Ro slowly rotates and faces Xero. Lowering his legs Ro stands on his own two feet and approaches his brother.
“We are brothers you and I. I know you better than any other. I beseech you tell me, what bothers you Xero?”
Xero hesitates for a moment before looking his brother square in the eye. He had never hid anything from his younger brother and he was not about to start to now.
“I feel I am not the best selection to lead our people. You have the training, the mindset, the skill to lead not only this kingdom but the other five as well. I wish to withdraw my participation in the final trial.”
The dark itch in the back of Xero’s mind begins to scream within him. Xero pushes the noise out. The itching had begun when he touched the figure that was known to corrupt; if the seed in his mind was silent he knew he was probably doing the wrong thing. Ro is taken aback at his brother’s claim. Once a trial is entered into it was one’s sacred duty to finish it. To forego its completion would be heresy of the highest caliber.
“You must finish your trial; to withdraw would mean your exile! You are a leader my brother, as fine a leader as anyone I’ve known. You have led our men to countless victories, prevented hundreds of invasions of our allies and brokered a treaty with one of the most powerful races that we have come across. Now we have a Draronian as a battle master and our soldiers are growing better than they have ever been.”
“A leader on the battlefield yes. I can face my exile so long as I am where I need to be, on the field of battle. If a threat were to ever arise, as High King I cannot do that.”
Ro sighs. This decision weighed heavily on him. The thought of never seeing his brother again was almost more than Ro could bare. Ro shakes his head as he begins to walk out of his chambers and through the corridors of the palace. Xero follows him.
“You will compete in the final trial with me brother. I have no doubt you will do your best.”
Ro pauses and turns to his brother with an assuring smile. He raises one of his white eyebrows slightly as he cracks a playful grin.
“I shall just have to be better.”
With that Ro leaves Xero with his thoughts as he heads to the third and final trial. As he gets to the end of the corridor, Ro’s voice echoes back to Xero.
“You’d better hurry up Xero; I do not wish to start without you!”
Xero faces his brother; with a deep breath he begins to walk toward him. Ro enters the king’s chamber first and from a distance Xero can see a peek of the vast beauty that is inside. As Xero approaches, the hall becomes exponentially more radiant with each step. Upon entering the room constructed of gold and crystal, it seems to have a light of its own that fills the space within. Xero puts the beauty out of his mind for the time being as he approaches the Emissary and his brother once more. This time their father oversees their trial. As Xero stops the king looks at both of his sons before speaking to them.
“This, the final trial is the trial of intelligence. You will be tested on knowledge, tactics, and most importantly compassion. For if you cannot love your people then you cannot rule them. Emissary, begin the trial.”
The Emissary’s eyes begin to glow once more but this time white. She holds her hands out to both men who find themselves standing in a white room. Xero and Ro both look around. They each take a number of steps but their feet make no noise. Xero turns to his brother and opens his mouth to speak and while the words leave his mouth no sound does. Ro looks at Xero in confusion, then back to the Emissary. She speaks and her voice is heard as it echoes each reverberation deeper than the last.
“One does not need words to lead, one needs their mind. Complete this task without your ability to speak.”
The Emissary slowly fades away. As she does a glorious king’s court room shapes around the two men. Approaching each other the glorious hall of gold and white slowly begins to fill in with sick and dying Boronians. The people interact with Xero as if Ro is not in the room. Xero attempts to speak but no words come out. A young woman, holding her sickly dying son approaches Xero. He voice echoes as the Emissary’s did.
“My king, what are we to do? Will you not help us?”
Xero looks around as he feels panic slowly creep up inside of him; this is a situation out of his control, something which he was not used to. Xero closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he forces the feelings of panic and fear out of his mind. As calm reasserts itself upon Xero once again, Ro takes a step back to observe his brother’s trial.
Xero looks around. An idea begins to form in his mind and as it takes shape he smiles. Kneeling he slowly takes the boy from his mother before gently placing a hand on her cheek. Xero gives her a reassuring nod. A comforted smile slowly forms o
n the young woman’s face. Xero turns and walks away; Ro attempts to follow but cannot pass the barrier of the great hall. The great hall’s doors open as Xero leaves to travel deeper into the palace. The young boy convulsing with coughs as his condition steadily worsens. Xero holds the boy closer to him. Arriving at a spiral stairwell that goes into the belly of the palace, Xero unhesitatingly traverses the stairs as he descends into darkness.
A small light slowly flickers to life in the black depths of the palace. The light gradually grows brighter illuminating a laboratory. The light slowly ascends to the middle of the laboratory. Xero lays the boy down on a gurney and allows his gaze to look at the highly advanced equipment that fills the room. Xero picks up an arched rod; walking over to the boy he smiles down at him. Light emits itself from the arch and washes over the boy. The light blinks off; Xero sets the arch down as it projects a white light hologram of the boy in front of Xero. Xero smiles as he looks at the scan with promise. His smile quickly disappears as a small blinking red ping on the hologram begins to spread, gradually at first then all at once, consuming the boy’s body.