Exordium

  “Kill another whale with your power

  Shoot a bunch of kids from a tower

  Snipe them in their cars, blood keeps them warm

  Or make a better world from the old one

  Make yourself a baby and hold one

  Hold her in your arms and keep her warm”

  -Keep It Warm by Flo and Eddie

  "Light and matter are both single entities, and the apparent duality arises in the limitations of our language."

  -Werner Heisenberg

  The Voltaunos, or Volts as most were apt to call them, had sent a harbinger of the soon to occur, once in a generation, Suon Joining Ceremony.

  The Abbot, Leo’andres Vertano, led a royal guard from their ship to the Seminary of the Electrical Saint Elontress. A modest cathedral, made of large monochrome stained glass windows, multi-colored bricks build in a pyramid rose into a two story square structure. It’s point piercing the ground signifying the edge of the artist’s city of Aquvand on the planet Waxx.

  Leo’andres, as Volt’s did, carried himself inside a mechanical body. A ghostly somber expression shot through an electron gun to the screen sitting on top of a humanoid shape covered mostly in a black robe beautifully embroidered in light blue and white silk intertwining into a growing lightning storm on his back. His polished brass hands had slim agile fingers covered in gem set bone rings. They held concert placed gently front of himself like the phalanx behind him where walked beefy hunks of well crafted steel machines. The Many Mechs, with their own etched brass embroidering of the Volt crest; A lightning storm beset a reddish rusting black circled moon. The metal bodies all holding the electrical essence of the members of The Abbot’s holy Voltauno guard, as well as his own. The Mechs followed in lock step silence behind Leo’andres.

  Leo was well oiled and thin in construction thus moved with little sound. In contrast his guard cracked the stone ground in places and in turn they began to pause at every door passed by the Abbot. Quickly they began to slam open and extricate any who may have not heard word to gather in the upper main chamber for the announcement, or for any of those who may have be hiding from attendence, which a good handful were though not for long as the Mechs dragged them out.

  Leo’andres had the members of the church line the pews of the large atrium and sit. His guard watched the exits as he took the center stage.

  In the still silence a humming grew as the air began to feel tense and The Volt Abbot, Leo’andres spoke his lightning language through the air, soundless waves were picked up by the translators worn in the congregants’ ears.

  The crowd, like Aquvand, was filled of a collection of different species, various skins of blue and purple, reds and oranges, beings of animal, beings made of wood, stone, fire, and water turned soft and solid in form. Some wore happy excited faces, while other’s betrayed fear. The young people who were most likely to be chosen, felt mostly confusion and excitement as this would be their first experience and if the elders knew what was to unfold they told little of what this ceremony was.

  “It is time once again my beautiful flock, we must select those who would offer themselves to the greatness of the Mother Moon. Those of you selected will have the honor and privilege to see the next generation of Holy Men such as myself to transcendence, so that we may channel the energies The Mother Moon grants us to save those who need saving. Such as she has saved us all.” Leo’andres communicates to the crowd. “Now, do we have any volunteers?” His screen made line of a mouth turned upwards and began creating perfectly lined teeth that seem sharp and pixelated the closer you were.

  Many an indoctrinated martyr’s hand went up, most full of youthful excitement and naivete, or else surrender. Of them only two of the volunteers are chosen and brought to the front, One a pink skinned young women with black scarred tattoos and the other a young blue man whose skin roiled with white waves yet held a strong singular muscular form, both beautiful, and devout to a fault. The other five are chosen by Leo’andres with many tears and scared frozen bodies being forced to stand and get to the stage. Lizbelle among the chosen, to many’s surprise. Liz stood not frozen in fear but instead boiling with a rage. Her jaw clenched and every foot step was heavy and deliberate as the eyes bore into her and whispers hissed indignation.

  The seven young beautiful chosen stood at the dais behind Leo’andres, as he sent his words out to the crowd.

  “We will return in a month’s time alongside our Brothers and The Great Subduer, Archon Zol’ubel Malius and his children, this will be the greatest Ceremony of Joining in memory and a dawn of a new age of prosperity, those filled with the darkness will not, and can not stop us. Glory to Zol! Glory to the Mother!” The crowd repeated his words and began to shuffle out and away. Leo’andres turned to the chosen young adults and children. telling them, “Get your affairs in order, you have only a month and if no one has told you already, after this ceremony, you will not be returning as you once were.” Before taking his own leave.

  Leo’andres, spoke to The Shadow briefly outside. They would notify the Queen.

  The Volt’s returned to their ship, the large crowd of people surrounding it split through to let them pass, as they only wanted that rare glimpse of the sight of not only Volts themselves, but of a ship capable of planetary travel.

  The crowd ran as the engines started up but quickly turned around to watch the large pea shaped vessel take off at an incredible speed towards the sky, disappearing to it’s own planet, Acar’dcar.

  One month later

  The Silk Queen of Aquvand, Luxxe Divine lay awake in bed hours before dawn. Luxxe was to be the last pure blood ruler of her people, a tradition held by old beliefs now being fought against by its young people, who have grown to welcome this false religion tauted by The Volts. Little did the people know Luxxe was not true blood but an orphan taken up by her parents who’s families ruled Aquvand as a diarchy working in sync for generations. Now they are both dead and gone. Luxxe had an adopted child of their own, a lovely daughter named Ivvy. Luxxe thought of what her father had told her on his death bed, when he finally told the brutal truth forever changing the way Luxxe saw the universe and those within it.

  “The Archon Zol cannot be trusted, you must listen to me now.” King Rexx Divine croaked in memory. Squeezing his only daughter’s hand, a young Luxxe stares clouded with tears into his bloodshot eyes as he continued “I wish I hadn’t treated you as such a child. I tried to hide the darkness of the world, and now you must face the truth of it and keep our people as safe as you can” A bloody cough, “The Volt religion is a farce, a lie, they use our people like puppets and their ceremony is an orgy of sadistic death” Rexx’s eye were wide and he gripped his daughter’s blouse pulling her into his face, “We are but slaves my beautiful Luxxe, The Volts are all powerful and they will destroy everything you love if you disobey them, they will leave our city in ruin if we lose our usefulness, we live to serve, to entertain.” Rexx kisses Luxxe’s forehead, thinks on how much she reminds him of her mother, maybe not by blood, but she had surely left a mark on Luxxe, in her mannerism, her intelligence. Rexx felt his lung lose a fight within himself and knew the end was near, “I have one last piece of advice for you my life, Luxxe, marry, find love, have and adopt a beautiful child as I and your mother have and do as your told, keep them safe…” The warmth left him completely before he continued, “Or fight, as I know you can. But then steel yourself, it would take a cold heart to fight The Volt Machine and I can no longer shield you from the pain of this world so you must shield…I” His eyes clouded as his heart returned for a moment before stopping.

  “I can see your mother now.” King Rexx whispered as death came.

  Luxxe came back into her large bed, pulled the soft elaborate diamond spider’s silk covers from her fluid blue skin, feeling the warmth of the day and breathing in her own scent of flowers and perfumes from previous days left over. She thought of her daughter Ivvy and wondered if she had chosen the wrong life. At first, she had taken her father’s words and resigned to a life of lonely political intrigue and to sabotage The Volts at any point she could, then she saw Ivvy, on the streets so young and begging for food, left to the wolves by the same people she gave up everything to save. Ivvy pressed into her heart and until the last few years wouldn’t leave. Now Luxxe wonders if she was only making the same mistakes her father did, sure she turned out fine, but times change.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  There was a knock at Luxxe’s chambers.

  “You may enter.” Luxxe sang to which her personal Veynar, who had lost their family name and taken up a moniker; The Shadow, entered. They bowed deeply before speaking.

  “The chosen will be making the walk soon, you’ll be expected at the balcony. They expect you to give some words as they reach the outside of The Palace’s entrance”

  “Very well, I’ll begin to dress and prepare shortly. Where is Ivvy? Send her to my room please, so I can speak with her before we’re expected to appear.”

  “Your Majesty, it seems your daughter Ivvy has snuck out of The Palace early this morning, likely to get a better view of the festivities. I have some of your guard out looking for her now.” Shadow told Luxxe with their head lowered.

  “Find her Now! I want her in the Palace and if I find out she was left alone with a Volt for even a minute, my wrath will be felt through the city itself. Do you understand?” Luxxe betrayed her nerves

  “Yes. Understood your majesty. There is another matter, if it pleases you.”

  “Firstly my daughter must be taken care of, she is the utmost priority. When is the Archon and the Volts to arrive?”

  “We expect them to arrive mid-morning, three to four hours at most. Which is why this other matter may also hold priority. I’ve had creditable reports from my spy network within the savages that a Kālacuna has appeared” The word was whispered and Luxxe went stiff with fear

  “Reports from those who saw it are scattered and confused, they say it was large as house, and whispered songs of promise and death. Some say it was a black void, others saw an oil painting of the Death-Ring, Mother Moon’s light shinning at it’s edges” Shadow had appeared at the bedside now, talking below the atmosphere as if the air would carry secrets.

  “Tell no one, all of those who saw need to be held under strict guard until I can question them.” Luxxe told them in a matching tone.

  “I’m afraid that’s not all my queen, a ship has fallen from it and lays still in the forest. It is not like the ships The Volts use, this one is long and cylindrical with strange crude marks. It could be a language.” The shadow told them with a conspiratorial smirk that seemed resting for them.

  This could be good! Thought Luxxe, Space travel between the planets was held only by The Volts and a select few, the ships they did offer at great cost were badly junked things devoid of any real strength. It had been many years since a Kālacuna had appeared, Luxxe had only heard stories mostly from history books, about the first settlers and the (clearly propagandized with retrospect) story of when The Volts arrived, saving the people from hunger and offering up shelter and technology for trade, the told us of the other planet, with a metropolis, where they sent her Aunt Elizza. The Kālacuna she had heard of had never been as big as Shadow spoke of. In all her stories they were nine feet around at most and would only deposit the people of a dying planet, or at least that’s what she was told. That her Great Great Great Great Grandfather had arrived here via a Kālacuna that took him from his dying planet where the Vvatan race came from, a great world of water that slowly dried until one day he was taken away to this the world of Waxx

  “Secure the ship and hide it until after the ceremony. I don’t want a single Volt to hear about it, this could be a great technology. Good work Shadow. Leave me, you have much to do with little time.” Luxxe told them and with seriousness added, “bring me my daughter.” To which Shadow bowed and vanished.

  A small group began to gather outside The Seminary of the Electrical Saint Elontress

  Marod, Simoan, Groge, Ventile, Ashrin, and Ma’ulle had all said their final goodbyes to anyone left that might have loved them enough to protest.

  “Marod, step forward.” An older man in priests robes called out.

  Marod, the beautiful young man with blue skin, now wearing his best robes sewn by his mother, steps up from the front immediately.

  “Lizbelle, Lizbelle?” he repeated the name as the six young adults, and gathered elders of the church looked at each other. Finally one of the men in arms came up to The Priest and whispered,

  “Lizbelle hasn’t been found, I have a unit out searching.”

  “hrfmp” The Priest muttered, “Go and oversee it. Make sure that we find her before the queen or Volts find out. Dismissed!”

  Marelle, the guard, clicked his heels and salutes before heading off to join the unit he had charged with finding the known trouble maker, Lizbelle.

  “You’re so lucky!” Ivvy told Lizbelle

  “You’re... Stupid” Liz cocked a smile; Ivvy hurt for a millisecond then smiled back; and they both began to laugh. They both sat across from each other on the dusty wooden floor of an abandoned shack in the heart of Aquvand. The inside, mostly gutted then renovated with the cracked and stained discarded furniture of the city. The walls were covered in years of changing artwork. Turning more and more rebellious with age yet keeping an innocent beauty.

  After they laughed it grew quiet for a moment. Liz found this shack years ago after an old women went crazy and left Aquvand to live in the woods with the savages, people called her cursed and left the place to rot in the slums. Liz brought Ivvy here for the first time a few months ago; finally trusting her enough to be a friend. After she showed Ivvy, Ivvy had told them that they were really a princess in costume, not a beggar. And that’s when they became sisters. They said they would never lie to each other again.

  “Why are you so afraid?” asked Ivvy

  “What? You want to get rid of me?” Liz asks wearing sad smile, “Maybe, I’m not scared. Maybe I just don’t want to leave. Maybe I’m crazy and should go live with the savages. I’d rather be eaten alive by them then become some Holy Ghost in a bullshit eternity. Why us! Why do they get to choose?!” Lizbelle wiped away a tear.

  “Saint Elontress would say…”

  “No! Don’t quote scripture at me, not today.” Lizbelle stood then and began to pace, “How can you believe that garbage, you’re my sister... my everything, but I just don’t understand. Even your Mother hates the church. She doesn’t even want you around us.”

  “It’s..it’s Elontress and her sacrifice to the Mother Moon, that we have what we have. They saved our families from broken worlds so that we can live in their great planets and maybe one day be worthy enough to feel the Mother’s embrace in eternal paradise, and they seem to think you are worthy enough, why?! I have no clue!”

  “What did I just tell you, you’re brainwashed just like the rumors, they burrowed into your skull with their electric eel like bodies.” Lizbelle poked Ivvy’s forehead.

  “Why must you speak such blasphemy.” she said backing away

  “Why must you speak such blasphemy.” Lizbelle mocked, “You used to be cool, it wasn’t till I was forced into the church that you became so obsessive. What is it with you?”

  “I’m sorry if I find comfort in scripture and, and community while you would rather run wild and alone, against any one who might actually show you love.” Ivvy said frustrated

  “I’m not alone with you.” Lizbelle whispered before feeling hot and angry, “You’re a damn princess! A loving mom. You’ve already got paradise.”

  “You don’t know my mother like I do and I’m only a princess by name, with no power to gain; which is fine, I don’t want any. I only want to help people as the church does.”

  “All I want is my freedom and my sister.” Lisbelle offers.

  “Well, I don’t think you can have both.” Ivvy said tears and silence falling over the rotting hovel, filled with happy memories, shadows looming despair. Ivvy had been leading to this point in a way, or it was something they wanted to suggest but knew it would change everything. Everything already felt like it was falling apart, and in Ivvy’s heart she knew it was what they were meant to do, even if their mother and friend... sister, didn’t see it.

  “What if I took your place?” Ivvy asked.