Sisters of the Sands

by Villinger, James

  “I’ve used my portals to hide myself in the desert, and I’ve used the ground as a weapon a couple of times … to push and … impale.”

  Sula stopped in her tracks and glanced back at me. “And? What else?”

  “There is … no else. That’s it,” I said.

  She sighed. “Young people today have such tremendous gifts and they squander them. The way I understand your power, there are so many more applications, like levitation perhaps. Have you tried to fly yet?”

  “What? How … how would I even … I …”

  “Spare me the brain damage for a moment and listen. Put one portal flat on the ground face down, and the destination on top of it face up.”

  I didn’t understand where she was going with this, but I supposed it was worth a try. I stood up, concentrated and spun my fingers. My portals opened almost instantly this time. My powers had improved by a vast amount overnight. I supposed the procedure did help after all.

  “Good, now hold it.”

  Sula dematerialised from where she was standing and rematerialised near the side of the room. She bent down and grabbed onto one of the huge weights. She wasn’t serious was she? As if she was going to lift that.

  She looked back over to where I had created my portals and dematerialised with the weight. She reappeared again, but this time the weight transported with her on top of the portals.

  Sula backed away a couple of paces. “Okay … now … listen very carefully so you don’t pull a stupid again and hurt yourself. I want you to keep the bottom portal stationary, but lift the top portal up, slowly.”

  Her insults were starting to get on my nerves. She reminded me of my grandfather. I was going to shut her up with this. I raised the second portal towards the ceiling, which caused the weight to levitate upwards, but it began to wobble.

  “Slowly, I said. Slower!”

  I tried adjusting the balance of the portal but it was no use, it tipped to the side and I lost control. As the weight came falling down to the floor, we both braced our hands around our ears and it crashed with a loud thud, shaking the ground.

  Sula brought her hands back down again, bent down and picked up her walking stick. She disappeared from where she was standing and I felt a strong smack to the side of my head. I fell to the ground, brought my hand to the welt and cringed in pain.

  Sula stood over me and whacked her walking stick along my back repeatedly, “That’s not what I asked you to do, idiot! If we are going to get anywhere, then you need to start listening. Do it again, slowly this time like I asked.”

  Even my grandfather never hit me like this. I rolled away from her, stood up and backed farther away. “I don’t have to take this abuse from you. Go and leave, go back to your stupid manor! I would rather train myself.”

  She was speechless. I wasn’t going to give her another chance to hit me, I ran towards the door. As I was about to reach it, Sula materialised in front of me and tried to swing at me again with her stick, but I ducked and avoided it.

  “You’re not going anywhere until I say you’re done! Now get back there and levitate the weight again!” she said as she stomped her walking stick onto the floor.

  No way was I going to put up with this. My second perception sought out what was beyond the door, and I saw Maya and Tau sitting on chairs. I concentrated and opened one portal behind me, and another in front of the chairs they were sitting on.

  I took what I hoped was one last look at the decrepit face of my torturous tutor and stepped backwards into the portal. As I closed the portal behind me, Maya and Tau shot up from their seats with startled expressions.

  “Sacet? What are you doing? You can’t be finished already,” Maya said as I stormed down the corridor. “And what happened to your head?”

  “I’m not coming back here ever again!” I yelled back. Hopefully Maya and Tau would not try to stop me, because I didn’t care about anything but leaving this place right now.

  “Wait!” Tau called out from behind. “What happened? Talk to us.”

  I could hear their steps behind me as they tried to catch up. I rounded the corridor’s corner and entered back into the mess hall. Looking left and right for the main entrance, I spotted it and continued striding through the gaps between the long row tables. As I walked, all of the soldiers followed me with their eyes.

  Whatever. Just leave me alone, I’ve had enough. A lone soldier stood up from her table and strolled into my path. A wide grin formed on her face as I stopped in front of her.

  She looked at the crowd of soldiers to her sides. “Looks like she’s had enough already. Our training too hard for you, huh? How piti …”

  I forced a portal under her feet and launched her into the air. It rapidly levitated her and smacked her into the roof. I closed my portals and the whole room watched as she fell from the high ceiling back down to the floor. Everyone was silent except for the sound of her body as it thumped back down onto the solid floor, and a loud crack as one of her leg bones must have broken. She shrieked in agony.

  I wasn’t letting these … weaklings … push me around anymore. I walked over to her writhing body and pulled her up by the collar close to my face.

  “If any of you disrespect me again … I’ll end you!” I shouted into her crying face.

  I dropped her back onto the ground again and stood up. The soldiers around me were shocked. Sula had entered the hall on the far side and observed me as well. She had a disturbing smile on her face. Was that what you wanted? Was that what you meant by levitation, you old crone?

  “Stop!”

  Several soldiers in elaborate armour were running towards me from the entrance of the mess hall. Their masks and armour glistened with a mixture of silver and gold. They held long, spear-like sticks, and at the end of each were gun barrels and a sharp-pointed end.

  They raised their weapons and trained them on me. “You’re coming with us, Sacet.”

  Was I being punished for putting this soldier in her place? That’s what I had been told to do.

  “Fine,” I muttered. “Get me out of here.”

  I was happy to leave this dreadful place anyway. I would be happy if I never had to come back. As I walked towards the soldiers, they parted and allowed me through to continue out of the silent hall.

  16. Caste

  Outside the Royal Citadel

  The pathway was lined with Royal Guards facing inwards every few paces. They wore the same gold and silver garments as my captors. The Citadel was surrounded by them. As we walked, I studied the lush garden surrounding the path.

  The Capitol building was up ahead. The tower’s bright, luminous surfaces stood in stark contrast to the darkening evening sky behind it. The massive Citadel was covered in glass windows, and the tops of the windows were curved. Balconies protruded from the upper levels and were supported by more pillars. The colossal, golden construction reached into the sky higher than any of the other buildings in the cityscape behind it.

  We reached the end of the pathway and were faced with immense golden doors, which opened inwards as we approached. The hall inside was lined with yet more ornate pillars. The floor glistened and reflected the light from around the room. A bright red carpet led down the centre to the other end of the chamber, where a large throne was built into the wall, above some steps. My eyes were drawn upwards to the second story, for the city lights poured in from its windows.

  The chamber was filled with guards; some were on the second floor, their weapons trained down on me. Near the throne, wearing military armour, six women stood idly by. They weren’t wearing their helmets and their exposed fringes revealed purple streaks with yellow tips; they must have been the six Acolyte colonels. There were turrets hanging in the highest corners of the ceiling, each one of them traced my movement as I entered.

  I was ushered through the chamber and brought in front of an empty throne. There was a strong kick to the back of my legs and the force caused me to fall to my knees. One of the colonels broke formation
from the others and stepped towards me. She was in her late 20s, had short, black hair and an ugly expression.

  “When the Queen graces you with her presence, you must bow. Only speak when you are spoken to, show absolute respect, and don’t try anything stupid,” she instructed, pointing to the soldiers and turrets around me. “It would only take us an instant to kill you.” The colonel leered and stepped back into formation.

  Why exactly was I here? Was I being punished for what I did to that soldier? If the Queen was going to be right in front of me, I could assassinate her, although I wouldn’t last long after that. Would that change anything though? Even if I was able to kill her, another person would take power anyway, Mira perhaps. No, until my brother was safe I couldn’t plan an escape, let alone a rebellion.

  Just outside my periphery a door opened on the side of the room. The colonels and all of the other soldiers surrounding me aligned their feet together and stood to attention. By the door was an older woman dressed in a long white gown, its edges laced with gold.

  Her oversized sleeves hung down to her knees. Her torso was wrapped in layers, the design elaborate and golden-edged. Her shoulders were padded and metallic, and behind the pads was a golden circular arc that extended over her head, connecting the two pads. The radiant aureole shone around her, giving off a bright glow.

  A strong smack to the back of my head forced me to look down at the ground as the Queen approached. The soldier held onto my hair so I wouldn’t move. As I stared at the floor the Queen’s long gown dragged along the ground. It swished from side to side with each step, before stopping in front of me.

  “Rise, rise,” she insisted.

  The soldier released her grasp on my hair and instead gripped the back of my collar, pulling me up with her.

  “Please forgive my guards. They can be quite overprotective. Come with me, I want to show you something. Guards, remain here.” She started for the door at the side of the chamber.

  With widened eyes and an anxious expression, the colonel who spoke to me earlier broke formation. “But my Queen, she is dangerous. She was just seen assaulting one of the troops. I insist on accompanying you for your protection!”

  “I can take care of myself, Korin. I’m fully aware of what she can do, and I’m sure she’ll show respect while she is here. That will be all.”

  I smirked back at Korin as the Queen and I made our way over to the doorway. Korin obeyed the command, albeit with a look of scorn towards me. Now alongside the Queen, we passed through the door on the side of the chamber and strolled down a corridor.

  If it wasn’t for the elaborate clothes she wore and the lack of facial scars then she would look a lot like Sula, but then again I hadn’t met many old people. She must have been at least 60. There was something off about her but I didn’t know what.

  “Welcome to the Citadel, Sacet,” she began as we walked. “I trust the guards I sent weren’t too hard on you.” She noticed my confused expression. “I heard you’re having a bad day.”

  “What?”

  “Your trainer is a good friend of mine. I spoke to her not moments ago about your little, shall we say, incident. Perhaps I might have a word to her about training you a bit more gently?”

  This all felt so surreal. “Oh, uhh … thanks?”

  She stopped and raised a finger. “Hmm, we still need to work on your manners, I think. Make sure to address me as Queen, yes?”

  I nodded. “Thank-you, my Queen.”

  She smiled and we continued on. Here I was thinking the Queen, the brutal ruler of an evil empire that covered half the planet, would be ruthless and cruel. Why was she being so friendly with me?

  “I realise Sula can be a bit harsh sometimes. I’m sure you will learn so much from her if you give her another chance.” We approached a large clear tube that came out from the floor and stretched upwards through the ceiling. “Does that sound fair to you?”

  A circular panel came hurtling down the tube and stopped at the ground level. A pair of transparent doors parted. We both stepped in and onto the panel.

  “Uhh, yes, I’ll apologise next time I see her … my Queen,” I said. “Umm, may I ask why I’m here? Am I being punished for what I did?”

  She looked up through the tube. “Queen’s chamber.”

  The panel beneath our feet shook and rocketed upwards through the tube. Once we had cleared the ceiling, I observed a magnificent view of the city out through the tube. She looked out at the panorama, too, and smiled.

  “You’re not being punished. I actually encourage little rivalries like that. It’s good for troop morale, just so long as you don’t take it too far. No, the reason I brought you here was to discuss your future. Having new arrivals in my city is important business, especially when they’re Acolytes. I have to make sure I can trust them, or how else will the citizens trust me? And you are now one of my citizens, after all.”

  The panel lurched and slowed as we approached another room. We elevated through the floor, and the city view was obscured. We stopped and the doors parted to reveal the Queen’s personal chambers. It was filled with extravagant furniture. At the far end of the room stood a desk that overlooked the city below through a large window. The Queen walked over and sat in the chair behind it, and then gestured at the cushioned seats near me.

  “Please, sit.”

  “Thanks … my Queen,” I stuttered as I sat, feeling awkward. “Forgive me if this sounds rude but I don’t know your name.”

  She grinned. “My name is Antwin, but I would appreciate it if you called me by my title like everyone else. We mustn’t forget our place after all, and we each have a role to play.” She reached for a bottle that sat on the desk and poured its contents into a glass. “Drink?”

  I shook my head.

  She clasped her glass and took a sip, before staring at the liquid. “Now, it’s quite important that you and your trainer get along smoothly. For one reason, there’s the annual tournament coming up, and almost every one of our Acolytes from around the world will be coming to the capital to put on a show for our city’s residents.”

  “A tournament?”

  “Yes, and being an Acolyte, you’ll be required to participate. So we need to get you strong before then. The people of the city are always worried when we try to assimilate an Acolyte. They’re afraid of you. This tournament will be the perfect way to prove that you’re not here to hurt them.”

  “I wouldn’t hurt innocent people, my Queen.”

  “I know that, but still, to see you compete, it might put them at ease a bit, I think. So make sure you give it your all, okay?”

  I didn’t like where this was going. I was already having enough trouble trying to think of ways to escape this mess, and now she was trying to get me on side for this tournament? What would it entail? Fighting other Acolytes?

  Wait, what if I did go along with this? If they trusted me then I would have more control, I would be able to walk throughout this city without being under constant watch. I could work out how to get this tracking device out. Then, when the timing was right, I could escape this place for good. I would go along with this … for now.

  Antwin was looking at me expectantly.

  I looked out through the window for a moment, before turning back to her. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  “Good!” she said as she put her drink down and clasped her hands together with excitement. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I’m afraid I must meet my next appointment. I’m sure you can find your own way out of here, yes?”

  “Uh, yes I should be fine. Goodbye.”

  Antwin raised her finger up to the air. “My Queen. Goodbye, my Queen.”

  “Oh, right, sorry,” I said as I pictured the entrance hall in my mind and twirled my fingers to make a portal appear in front of me. “Goodbye, my Queen.”

  She took another sip of her drink. “Thank-you, Sacet. Train hard.” As I was about to leave, she cleared her throat. “Oh, and Sacet?”

  I pa
used and turned back.

  Her warm smile disappeared. “I’ll be watching you.”

  I turned and stepped through the portal and back into the throne room, where the soldiers were waiting for me. All of the soldiers and turrets trained their weapons on me again. The colonels had broken formation and rushed over. One of them had her hand to her ear and was listening intently; probably a communications device.

  As they stopped in front of me, Korin gave another look of contempt. “You’re free to go. Your friends are waiting for you outside. Don’t come back anytime soon.”

  The guards around the room all lowered their weapons. The colonels sneered at me and then made their way back to the throne area. They didn’t have to tell me twice − I left through the golden doors. Tau and Maya were waiting for me amongst the golden pillars.

  “Sacet!” Tau yelled, running towards me. “What was that all about?”

  The doors began to close behind me.

  “Where’s Iya?” I asked, although I was thankful she wasn’t here.

  Maya came striding over, too. “She should be here, those are her orders.” She shook her head. “But that doesn’t matter right now, what was all that about?”

  “The Queen wanted to meet with me … and talk.”

  We started walking back through the golden pillars in the courtyard.

  “Meet with you, on your first day?” Maya said with raised eyebrows. “I’ve been here for cycles now and I’ve never been asked to meet her. What did she want to talk to you about?”

  “She wanted to make sure everything was okay with my trainer. She said she would help.”

  A confused look came over Tau’s face. “She’s going out of her way to help you? The Queen?”

  “I know, I don’t get it either,” I said. “She was really nice, and … everything she said kind of made sense to me. She seemed to really care about the people here.”

  “That was all?” Maya said.

  “No, she said something about a tournament. Making sure I was going to behave, I guess.”

  Maya stopped in the middle of the path. “They’re putting you in the tournament so soon? Did she tell you what you’d be doing exactly?”