The Right To Rule

Chapter 23

One thing had worst about been able to touch Celestial was that you cannot store it without a source, Asandria thought as she descend the stairs to the basement. Tomorrow was Daylight and there was no moon in the sky. She had Celestial stored within her Universe, only for emergency, but she cannot store much of it or her mind will collapse and it will all evaporate. It fascinated her, at some point, when she thought of time before the Origin where the moon was only available for seven days only.

When there was a moon in the sky, including Orion, the body soak Celestial almost without limit, but when there was no moon, the mind and Celestial became enemies. The body suddenly had a limit.

Asandria’s thoughts were engulfed by air when she arrived at the basement. She looked around and nodded with approval. It was not what she was expecting. Asandria was expecting bare walls and the smell of damp moss.

The walls were painted fine white without paint hanging on them. It was lit with wall lamps, both raining blueish light of pure Celestial. There was a small bookshelf on the far corner, four fluffy couches sitting on the mat of red and faded gold. The couches worshiped a small table with crystal goblets and a jug with a yellowish wine.

“You have done well to the place,” Asandria said. “One won’t even think it is a story below the ground.”

Suzanne beamed with praise. “It’s not mine, Lady Asandria. I just collect a favor.”

“You seem to have few people who owe you a favor, Suzanne. Am I indebted to you?”

Suzanne shook her head, she still had her smile on her face.

“Not at all, Lady Asandria. The well-being of Scorpius held a tender spot in my heart. You owe me no favors.”

Asandria removed her hooded coat and throw it on the back of a couch. She took her seat. She looked at Suzanne took a seat next to her.

“Let’s say I owe you a favor. How would you wish to collect it?” Asandria asked.

“James’ radiance, Lady Asandria; that’s a curious question and one which answer I wished to remain secret until such time presents itself,” Suzanne said. “Regardless, I would have asked what made you leave Timeless Halls.”

“But I am sure as a Watcher of Time you might have come up with your own conclusion. It’s not a secret that I almost became a member of Order of Justice.”

“No, not at all. You might not want the bloodbath and constant fear of being burned to ash, but why you didn’t change the Order? Now that’s a secret we all wish to know.”

Asandria leaned forward, poured some wine, and did slow gulps. One would think after she had lived so long she might have forgotten some memories. It was not the case, some other things cannot be forgotten.

The Order of Justice broke her in the worst way and it has stained all the Orders she thought she might join. Been Agatha’s assistant made her see the ways of Watchers most people at Sky Kingdoms had no idea Watchers was capable of.

“Good thing I don’t owe you favors as yet, Suzanne.”

Asandria didn’t turn as she heard footsteps coming in her direction. It was about time she arrived.

Lourdes looked at Asandria with a shy smile. Asandria raised her glass slightly to her accusing eyes and indicate she should take a chair.

“Suzanne has been helping me for the past few days,” Asandria said. “She said she has news for me and I thought we should both hear what she has to say. Suzanne, please.”

Suzanne cleared her throat.

“I studied the ranks on the records,” Suzanne said. “They can also be accessed by someone within the ranks of Ministers but above them at the same time.”

Asandria frowned. It was not what she had expected. She was expecting a meeting of Ministers of some sort; in the Creator’s name, there was no one above the ranks of Ministers and Scorpius had never had monarchy including before the Origin. There was an emperor, but there was no kin left; it was expected after two thousand and five hundred years.

“This shift the power,” Asandria replied. “The power was supposed to reside with Ministers. How on Sky Kingdoms did those Ministers give that away? No offense, but I thought Watchers were kept in a leash here at Scorpius.”

Asandria sighted. She poured herself another drink as she exhaled deeply. She felt powerless, not in the absence of Celestial, but by not having the ability to access the records.

She looked back on her time at Timeless Halls, a place she first felt powerful; a place she had learned what powerful meant. She learned been powerful meant having the correct information, an endless source of it before an action. Information was leveraged.

“Ministers are equal ranks as kings and queens,” Asandria continued. “I might say monarchy have slightly higher rank than Ministers, but ladies, monarchy won’t see a light at Scorpius.”

“How about what they do at Zibal and Izar for voting for Presidency?” Lourdes asked.

“It will take time,” Asandria answered, “plus the Sanctuary will take action.”

“There is another way to go about this,” Suzanne said. Both Asandria and Lourdes looked at her. “We need an ambassador of Ministers, someone who can talk for them and be heard. The important thing is for Ministers to retain their power at full capacity, but knew there is someone who can elevate that for them.”

“We will need someone the Ministers trust. Someone who abides by the will,” Lourdes said, “but I doubt there is such person.”

“Oh, there is,” Suzanne said beaming. “Lady Asandria de’Mist.”

Asandria looked at Suzanne blank, wordlessly.

“Right now she had the support of four Ministers and soon she gonna have five by Minister Tous. She just needs to again one Minster to be certain of victory.”

“They are proud. They won’t allow it,” Asandria said.

“Yes, they won’t. That’s true. You have to trade, Lady Asandria,” Suzanne said emphasizing with her hands. “You have to give them something that will benefit them, but something which you can do while you are in power.”

“Power corrupts,” Asandria said, barely a whisper.

“There is no better person than you, Asandria,” Lourdes said. “Forgetting that you have been a powerful figure at Betelgeuse for more than two hundred years. Indeed power corrupts, however, it should have corrupted you hundreds of years ago.”

“I will give it a chance,” Asandria said. “Now let’s discuss finer details and the common course I should present to Ministers.”

How strange, Asandria thought, I am been counseled by Watchers.

***

Rodfold steady himself with an aid of a wall and his cane. He had dismissed Pitt and Jakob. He didn’t want of their pity.

He coughed, his chest rusty and painful. Radiation was killing him, regardless, his body crave it. He was starting to doubt if he will longer than he had expected. The past few days have not been easier. For nineteen years of touching Radiation, Rodfold was afraid tomorrow might be his last Daylight. Every bone in his body felt like it had broken, his lungs cannot support his regular breathing. Walking itself, oh Illuminator, was torture. But he cannot give up, not at yet. His flame still burns.

Rodfold needed a rest. Await Daylight and he will have the next five days of bliss. Jakob’s healing was no longer effective. The lad had somehow been able to weave his Radiation to smooth his tearing, to lessen the pain. Now nothing can work on him. His last choice was a Radiation Artifact.

But why? Rodfold thought bitterly, such a brief lifetime blessed with the power of challenge Skygods and no single Vulcan has been able to ascend since the Origin.

Rodfold walked to his resting chambers. He opened the door and close it carefully. He finally arrived.

“I am not very known for mercy but I will grant it to you.”

Rodfold turned sharply to locate the source of the voice. It was a woman, more than six feet tall. Rodfold looked at her face. She was beautiful once, but now half of her face was disfigured with burn wounds.

Illuminator, that’s…

Rodfold lost the sense of his body as the woman extended her left hand to him. He cannot move, he cannot speak. He tried to touch Radiation, his Well was creaked, infected, with molten red veins, and no drop of Radiation was left for him to touch.

“Asandria had always fancy weaker men,” the woman curled her lips into a smile. “It must be breaking her not able to help you, but I will. Yes, I will end your suffering.”

Rodfold felt his body raised from the ground, only about ten inches but his feet were in the air. His body became pulled towards the woman. He was in no control of his action. It was as if she Pulling him. Impossible, Watchers can only do that aided by Moonstone. Oh sweet Radiation, why it had abandoned him?

He looked at the woman’s eyes which were now glowing blue. Rodfold was certain those eyes were a faded shade of green. Not anymore.

A huge sword, blue as light, appeared on her hand.

Rodfold felt the Pull become tighter and faster. There was no other way, he die today.

“You will be at peace now, Kepnes Rodfold.”

The woman ran her sword on his chest. Rodfold felt cold from the inside like he was freezing from within. He was fire, he knew burning. But to freeze was more painful.

The woman removed her sword and dropped to the floor with a thud. He felt nothing, not the fall nor the coolness of the tiles; there was no more coldness inside of him. His flame had burned out.

***

Asandria didn’t allow herself to sit still. She should be in motion. After her meeting with Lourdes and Suzanne had ended, she head to Sword and Spear where she knew she will find Aram. She was not still wrapped in the idea of being the Prime Minister, nonetheless, she will pave the path.

Sword and Spear was a military district on the east of Crown Hill. It was a collection of simple buildings serving to keep Scorpius and Betelgeuse peaceful.

Asandria jumped on the lower building roof. The familiar coldness of Celestial course through her body, beating like her heartbeat. She looked higher to the central building with two sets of domes and an open section in the middle. She ran towards it. Six, seven steps; she anchored herself and throw her Moonstone. It hit the dome roof, she Pulled herself. A smooth arc and with seconds she was standing vertically on the dome. She walked around it until she was on top of it. Three feet above her night reigns. The white-lights at this section didn’t reach that high nor should they. Asandria was standing on the highest point.

Asandria was still wearing her dark hooded cloak, she wore a dark wool dress to match her cloak. She looked down at the center of the main building. She jumped, both Moonstone on her hands, one connected to her. She landed smoothly after she had Pushed herself. Soldiers gasped, some drew their swords.

A soldier offered to walk her to Aram after she asked where she might him. Asandria cancel her anchor and hid her Moonstone on her sleeves. She still held Celestial. For now, she needed it after spending the better part of the day dull without it.

After a few turns, she was ushered to a big hall where Aram was sparring with another soldier. She nodded to the soldier who had escorted her.

Asandria leaned against the wall, she watched the sparring. She had spared with Aram twenty years ago, she wanted to see if he still held his skills.

Aram held a long slender sword while his opponent has a short sword and a dagger. Aram was on the offensive, he attacked quickly; he still has his speed, Asandria nodded with approval. Aram slowly back his opponent a step back with every attack.

Asandria didn’t know the initial conditions of the sparring, if it was a fight, Aram would have won already. He was using both power and speed, instead of allowing his opponent to come to him, Aram was never on defense.

Asandria sighed with disapproval. A long sword has a range short sword didn’t have. The soldier should be pressing Aram and hard, he shouldn’t give him a chance to breathe, a chance to swing. Ah, but the soldier has done the opposite. There was nothing more he can do than defend himself.

Aram came to Asandria only after two minutes since she has arrived. He had won the fight. Asandria looked him up and down; he was wearing a sleeveless shirt that show his toned muscles, his face wore a thin line smile. He was breathing heavily, regardless, he strolled to her head held high and arms on the side.

“Fancy seeing you,” Aram said looking at Asandria’s cloak. “Got bored with Oslo and Ruben, eh? I certainly hope you have errands for me, Asandria.”

“You just read my mind. I have such a thing for you,” Asandria replied with a smile.

“Go to Madese then. I have a city to patrol and men to lead, I can’t spend my time running your errands.”

Aram started to walk away.

Asandria raised her hand, make a fist and Aram stopped. She had anchored her Gravity Manipulation with the Moonstone she had driven to the wall the moment Aram walked to her. She had thrown waves and waves of gravity to where Aram was standing, she had thrown enough to restrict his movements.

“Fire burns you, woman! Let me go,” Aram barked.

Asandria walked in front of him.

“I need you to be busy in those upcoming months preparing a march to Greystone Bay,” Asandria watched him stopping to struggle after the mention of Greystone Bay. “Yes, we will be invading Izar and reclaim it as ours again.”

Aram laughed. “You don’t have the ranks. Don’t tell me you grew senile, Asandria, but a march-like that needs six Ministers’ worth of ranks.”

“Yes, I don’t have the ranks. Your job is to get ready and I will get the ranks and the starlings. I only want to know if you will do that for Scorpius.”

Asandria canceled her Gravity Manipulation. Aram tested his arms and limps before he could focus on Asandria again.

“Night cursed world, you are serious. Well, who would think in all people you will be the first one to see the light. I will do the initial preparation.”

Aram offered Asandria his hand. She took it and shake it.

I hope this will draw the Sanctuary to Vulcans for a while, Asandria thought as she retrieve her Moonstone from the wall.

She walked to Aram’s chamber to discuss the details. Without a doubt, it will soon bring the full weight of Timeless Halls to Scorpius. But Asandria thought if Aamon Berdal was surviving, she will too.

I will create something new with power, not corrupted by it. I only hope no drop of blood is spilled.