The Right To Rule

Chapter 1

There was peace and order in well-organized movements of people, they carried the auras of their duties effortlessly, move about with such grace as the city of Betelgeuse came alive again with a new day. On the east, beyond the mountains and the cities, and right above the Sea of Gods, Orion and his ring shone brilliantly. It was majestically embers of dark blue with a bright silver of light under the cloudless sky. Orion was a power source at Sky Kingdoms, he was a bringer of life and the brightest moon from his four siblings.

Asandria de’Mist warmed herself with Orion’s light as she stood on the balcony of de’Mist manor at Crown Hills. She sensed its energy, Celestial, pulsing softly around her like a fog covering her, and in front of her and beyond, there was clarity bathed in its light.

From a vintage view at Crown Hills, Betelgeuse worshiped her. The city sat at the coastline of the Sea of Gods, it was a trading city, more than half of the coastline was taken up by harbors and from this distance ships in their varieties were like dots. The rooftops of the city were mucky gray, walls a pale peach. This was home.

Asandria leaned forward against the railing of the balcony, it was silver steel bars connected horizontally from the pillars that supported the roof, with her teacup in her hands. The balcony was an oval arc, vine pots spilled, weave around the pillars transforming the air around it with the scent of nature. The balcony led to Asandria’s study room walled with dark glass on the side of the balcony.

Her clear, angelic face had a distant cloud hovering over it. She looked at the city, she saw nothing of it. Thoughts troubled her in the early hours of waking. Thoughts of this world, thoughts of Sky Kingdoms.

Sky Kingdoms was at war. It was an ideal to fathom, a reality many were oblivious about. War, where? They would say and laughed hands covering their mouths. But one had to look up at the sky, the answer will come easy, Asandria thought taking a sip of her tea.

Sky Kingdoms had no sun, or rather, the sun only make a single appearance every twenty-nine days. The sky held moons, stars and the gods, and all the forces that held the sun away. This was war at Sky Kingdoms, a raging war between Vulcans and Watchers of Time, Moonweavers, that had last thousands of years and had changed the geographic stature of the world.

“I long for the world I never knew, strange,” Asandria said to herself aloud than she intended.

Answers that’s what I am missing if I can get a glimpse into the past, and mold my perspective around it. Ah, who knew? She might be singing a different tune.

It infuriated her endlessly, the lack of answers; the Origin was kept a secret like a myth that lost its foundation of facts. The only thing that remained from the Origin was the Last War which gave birth to the Origin and the fact that Vulcans and Watchers were in a war. Well, at least something had not changed on this side of Origin.

One thing everyone knew about the Origin was Ithamar’s rage and in his madness, he burned the whole nation into ashes, but what drove Ithamar to rage? The books she had read were not forthcoming. She was confident if she knew the source of Ithamar’s madness, she will know why the sky held no sun.

But sadly, there was a place Asandria can find answers to her questions. A trip to Timeless Halls was the only thing required and she will come back with answers, bearing a silver chain and burden she cannot carry for centuries.

Asandria turned as she heard movement inside her study, her cup’s warmth turning cold in her hands. She watched as Oslo approached her in his flouring purple robes. She was bemused by Oslo’s sense of fashion, it was as if he was a High Priest of the Illuminator, though their robes were often crimson like a bleeding sun. Regardless, Oslo’s robes were tightly fit, shiny silk with dark markings on the shoulders, cuffs, and hem.

Oslo de’Mist, the Minister of Scorpius, had turned sixty a week ago with a bald head and finely trimmed mustache. Standing close to him, Asandria seemed younger to him. Beside him, she looked as if she was in her mid-thirties with short dark curls without a hint of gray hair. Age had not caught up with her as yet.

“The view is somewhat mesmerizing. This is truly a vantage point,” Oslo said holding his hands in front of him.

“Somewhat?” Asandria asked raising an eyebrow. “I feel offended that your statements contradict each other. You had lived so long yet you failed to appreciate the priceless monument of the city.”

“The views held little interest, I fail to find their significance. It troubled me a little though, how most seemed to find values of views and treasure them,” Oslo said.

“I am obliged to teach you, yes? I will do an exceptional job with you,” Asandria said with a smile.

“Please bear in mind I am nearing the end of my days.”

“You are only sixty Oslo! You are at the peak of your life.”

“Said an immortal being,” Oslo said with a hint of a smile. Smiling does look good on him, Asandria might have said but she was afraid of ruining it.

“Well, you managed to silence me. Only just,” Asandria said.

Oslo nodded, he took a moment without saying anything. He looked at the city but Asandria knew he was a bit troubled. His face had a slight frown, his eyes were distant; he was looking at the city but he was not seeing it. His mind was afar. One of the things Asandria loved about Oslo was the fact she didn’t need to push him to anything. They understood each other. He was more like his father.

“There was a ship that docked a few hours ago and it was Kepnes Rodfold’s ship.”

Asandria took a moment to place the name, the name was familiar but she cannot wrap her mind around it to form a picture in her mind. Ah, the Banker. The Vulcan had as many starlings as much as the sky held the stars, or even more. The Vulcan had lived fewer years than Asandria but he managed to bank elites and citizens’ starlings and lesser coins and made some dreams possible by lending starlings to others. Wherever he went, there surely was a fair amount of starlings to spend, and since he had much, recently he dealt with ruling governments of nations and their smaller councils. And here he was at Betelgeuse.

“I was not aware we have a Minister with financial problems. It was my understanding the city was striving in trades and the ports are busy between resting and waking.”

“We have none. Rodfold is here by his own merit and with twenty Radiators if the report is accurate.”

Twenty are too much for guards, Asandria shook her head; it was the second time in the last five years she has heard for a group of Vulcans outside Barren Lands. Vulcans were solitude. Twenty Vulcans left unchecked can cause chaos even in big cities such as Betelgeuse.

“That’s not all,” Oslo continued, “ he had invited us at Sun Temple ten hours from waking.”

“Ah, then we will find us why the Banker has graced our shores.”

Asandria didn’t give it a second thought nor thought of bending to the Vulcan’s will. The Banker was in her city, she had to know the reasons for his visit.

***

Asandria walked into the Sun Temple beside Oslo as he helped her from their carriage, Oslo had instructed his guards to remain by their transportation and that summed up the attendance of de'Mist from the Founding House. Oslo thought it was unnecessary to bring along his guards when Asandria suggested. I had you and that's enough, he replied when Asandria tried to tell him about the guards; they were not only for protection but a show of power, however, she was preaching to deaf ears.

Creator's name! There was little she can do against twenty Vulcans nor there was much she can do either against a pair.

The Sun Temple was on Star Walking, the elites district of the city, where elites, citizens, and Vulcans who worshiped the sun came to do their homage. It was a white circular building with a glass dome that let the sun in during Daylight. On the first steps it was tiled with white and dark marbles which shone under the white-lights, two tall pillars supported the arch in the entrance. All Sun Temples Asandria had seen looked identically, they only vary in size and their display of wealth never passed Asandria's attention, it was no surprise the Banker choose it for his meeting. It was also where Vulcans find salvation. If there was any to be found.

Before she walked in, Asandria stopped and sensed how many Vulcans the Banker had brought with him to the meeting. Any woman who can touch Celestial, the power from the moons, can sense Radiation directly from Vulcans, mostly when they touch it. The process of touching Radiation and Celestial was like an embrace; it's all about the will and mental control. It was a complex procedure of a person who was touching Celestial, it took years to learn all the secrets of Celestial and Vulcans can learn all abilities Radiation had to offer within a year.

Asandria felt a tickling warmth within her body, it was easy to dismiss it. The Vulcans were touching as little Radiation as possible. It surprised her. It had been a very long time ago she had sensed a precise control of Radiation, it was the discipline she never thought she will witness again.

Walmer, you would have been proud, Asandria's mind lingered on the edges of her past briefly.

"Are you sure the Banker had bought twenty Vulcans with him?" Asandria asked.

"I am certain. The report was conclusive," Oslo replied

"Yet I am only sensing three Vulcans inside the temple, strange won't you say?"

Oslo paused for a moment before he can reply.

What's the point of the Banker bringing his army if he was not gonna display it?

Asandria shook her head. She will find the reason why he bought his army to Betelgeuse. Regardless, the presence of three Vulcans was not easy to come to terms with, it still made Asandria uneasy. She had her fair share of troubles with Vulcans before, she always paused when she was about to deal with a Vulcan.

She had had precious memories with a Vulcan too. She had fallen in love a few lifetimes ago.

"Probably he doesn't want to scare us," Oslo said. His eyes were focused on the entrance of the temple. "He might also be using the oldest tactic in the book, first negotiate and if that fails then use force. It might work but he will need more than twenty Vulcans to conquer us."

"Ah, but Vulcans are not interested in conquest, only dominance against Watchers, and few of them have a dream to live longer to see their daughters wed. Impossible dreams, though."

Asandria followed the source of Radiation when she entered the temple.

There were two dark wood doors that led to the dome, another door on both sides. On her left, there was a sensation of Radiation.

Oslo pushed the door open and Asandria was the first one to get in. She found people already seated on the table decorated with exotic fruits and purple and red wines. The room was small, painted in gold and white with walls alive with paintings of the sun at different times in the sky. Asandria stopped in her tracks. The room was illuminated by candles burning an orange-yellowish fire flickering softly. The forbidden flames. She had forgotten that Sun Temple almost use nothing connected to Celestial which meant they had no white lights. But stars above, fire made her uneasy. It terrifies her.

The last time she saw an open flame was the time she fought a Radiator at Menahan when he had lost his will, the madness. It was a long time, long before she settled at Betelgeuse.

At times, Asandria's view of Vulcans surprised her, fears and thoughts, it was as if she had never lived among Vulcans. There was a time she thought of them and nothing less. Now, well, it was different.

But three hundred years was a very long time.

"Be at ease," a male's voice spoke. "This is a peaceful gathering. Flames are for Him, to bear witness."

Asandria looked at the man who spoke. He was about six feet tall, with strong jaws but a wrinkled, old and tired face. He supported himself with a cane, he looked regal in his dark red coat with dark buttons and gold chains on the shoulders. His eyes were glassy, hair ashen like Orion's face. Asandria sensed Radiation coming from him. Vulcans rarely lived past the age of thirty-five but this one looked close to sixty. No, he was burning out.

Rodfold Kepnes, the Banker, was thirty-three in age. Asandria knew that from the records she had studied before she came. He had touched so much Radiation his body was slowly shutting down. A fate no Vulcan can ever escape. He will die within six months. Or less.

"You're burning out," Asandria whispered, surprised she had said it too loud.

"Some of us are not immortal, Skylady de'Mist," the Vulcan bowed slightly and looked at Oslo. "Minister your presence illuminates the heart of the Spiral Pulser."

Two youths stood beside the Banker, she can sense Radiation from them.

Stars! The Banker was burning out.

If Timeless Halls knew about it they would be throwing feasts by each chance they got. The Banker was the second most influential Vulcan living at Sky Kingdoms, he was not military but there was a rumor that he was the finance behind Hamal Court and supporter of Aamon Berdal.

Other people in the room were Minister Ruben Simon and his two attendances. He had a glass filled with purple wine which he rose to Asandria and Oslo when they entered the room. Ruben control the tax of Scorpius and the vaults of the Merchant Council, despite that he was such a cheerful man, and Asandria always enjoyed his company.

Sitting opposite Ruben was Minister Aram de'Asaph, the commander of the policing force of Scorpius. Asandria didn't like him much, he desired power, for the past twenty years he has been persuading the Merchant Council and Ministers to invade Zibal and Izar. In his plans, he always forgets Watchers' intervention. Beside him were probably his most skilled officers clad in dark green uniforms.

That made attendance of three Ministers out of seven who were at the city currently. It was probably time for one more.

Asandria took a seat beside Ruben and took a piece of sliced oranges from the tray.

"While we are still waiting," the Banker spoke, "Skylady de'Mist you are not a Watcher, are you?"

"No."

"But you can touch Celestial." Asandria watched the Banker shook his head in confusion. "How is it possible you are not a Watcher? Certainly, Timeless Halls are not that crowded."

Asandria smiled. She had been asked this question too many times, she had found many ways to avoid it. It was hard to find a woman who touched Celestial who was not a Watcher, certainly not one who has been touching Celestial as long as she has been touching it.

Not the one who had trained with some of the current highest ranked Watchers, she almost said.

"I would gladly answer your question," she said. The Banker sat down and bore his glassy eyes to her, Aram leaned forward slightly and Ruben set his glass down and focused on her. "But first tell me, the Banker, is it true you are the behind Aamon Berdal's army finance?"

"Hamal flourish on its own, Skylady Asandria, it will be like an insult to offer them any kind of financial support," the Banker replied.

Asandria didn't press the matter, she knew the Banker was not telling the truth. She had been in politics longer than he had been alive, she knew how to tell a lie.

Asandria touched Celestial, the coldness washed over her, she shivered briefly as the power settle in her body. She sensed the incoming Radiation, she ignored the warmth she was already feeling, the one of Vulcans already in the room, and she wanted to feel one from a distance. Ah, there he was. Madese's Vulcan was touching more Radiation than the Banker and his lads combined. There was a Vulcan without a precise of Radiation. It reassured her at the exact moment it let her grip to her Celestial to fend the warmth her body felt when a Vulcan was touching Radiation. Sensing that much Radiation it was like your insides were burning.

"After Madese, that would be all of us," Aram nodded with satisfaction. "I doubt the sisters would allow other Ministers to attend."

"Are we supposed to be forever divided by the gods we believed in?" Ruben asked leaning closer at Asandria.

"It makes one doubt the notation that Sky Kingdoms was for all," Asandria said.

Asandria agreed with Aram. It was about time the Banker tell them why he was at Betelgeuse. The Ministers desired to know why Vulcans were at Betelgeuse, all but three who were tied to Watchers and Watchers do pull their strings, and if it was not commanded for them to attend then they won't attend. But Asandria hoped one will at least come unless they have someone who was already attending who will deliver news to them. Regardless of years, she had been involved, politics, they were such a headache.

James Madese came in trailed by a lone figure, a Vulcan. He took a seat beside Aram without much of a greeting to anyone.

"Vulcan Rodfold," Madese nodded softly a moment after he had sat.

"I thank you all for coming and I won't take much of your time," his voice was rusty and slow like old age caught upon him. "You are here because all of you possessed Rings of Fortune."

Asandria watched Oslo finger his ring without paying mind to it.

"I have been researching about blacksteel for the past ten years, it's an ancient metal Vulcans used to possess before the Origin and I believe your rings are made of it."

"That's interesting," Ruben murmured as he took a sip on his refilled glass.

Asandria had had of blacksteel. Reports said it granted Vulcans unimaginable power, however, it didn't say how. Perhaps she will find out today.

"Not to bore you with details and history," the Banker inhaled deeply. "How much starlings it will cost me for one ring?"

The room was muffled by silence. Rings of Fortune were tradition to Ministers and an ancient belief old as seven hundred years, it was also a show of power and respect among the society. It was everything more but it was not for sale.

"We can't sell them," Asandria spoke for all of them. "And that you can weaponize this blacksteel."

The Banker nodded. "For a weapon, I will need a great deal of blacksteel. But for the moment, I just want to live, and I only require a ring for that."

"I have been wearing this ring for forty years and I have never felt anything magical about it," Ruben spoke fingering his ring towards candlelight.

"Because you are not a Vulcan, Minister Simon. But to answer your question, which you have not even asked yet; the ring will help me create an artifact that will slow down tearing and grant me at least two years of life. Believe me, Skylady de'Mist, two years is eternity."

"Radiation Artifact?!" they all shouted in unison.

"Yes."

Asandria's head swam with thoughts, trying to remember if she had had of Radiation Artifact, read it somewhere. She hadn't. This was the first she was hearing about it. What had this world hidden from all of them?

She looked at Oslo's middle finger, a dark band was there. She had also spent twenty years wearing it, she didn't feel anything nor sense Radiation from it. Artifacts were built to trap energy, if the Rings of Fortune have Radiation within them she would have known.

"How can you identify a blacksteel?" Asandria asked.

"A Vulcan with a blacksteel cannot be sensed by a Watcher or anyone who touches Celestial."

Asandria frowned. That was something new to her, well, a second one. Moreover, she had never met a Vulcan she cannot sense.

"Then we should put that to a test, don't you agree Asandria?" Ruben suggested taking off his ring.

He threw it to the Banker. The Banker caught it, looked it at long and hard; his face frown with disbelieve and a shadow of possibilities lingered like a flash of light. After a few moments, the Banker wore the ring on his index finger and look directly at Asandria. She knew it was a signal for her to sense his Radiation.

Asandria concentrated on sensing the Banker's Radiation, she closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and let her mind free. She felt it, a weak warmth coming from him. Nothing had changed. Wherever he got his information, it was a lie. There were no Radiation Artifacts.

"I can still sense you," Asandria said with a sight. The youths behind the Banker looked at each other in disbelieve.

"But it has to be," the Banker said wounded, his voice betrayed him. His efforts to prolong his life burned out like he was.

"It appears the rings were never blacksteel, such a wasted trip you have embarked," Asandria said.

"But I won't dare come to you, honorable men and woman, with a lie. I won't hope," the Banker said.

"Why do want to live so much? I thought your kind had accepted their fate," Aram said curiously.

"But who doesn't want to live, Minister?" the Banker said moving his head sideways still shocked.

Asandria stood up. Oslo looked up at her for a second and he stood up too.

"If you have proven that Rings of Fortune are blacksteel and those ones are not," Asandria said and watched Ruben's eyes widen in surprise. "The original rings will have to be somewhere in the city. You have to understand we are not aiding you to prolong your life. Our belief cannot be based on a lie."

Asandria and Oslo said their goodbyes.

Outside night had fallen to the city, this was the most dangerous time at Sky Kingdoms where Spiral Pulser was at large. Cities, however, can withstand the unnatural darkness.

"If blacksteel didn't have a connection with a Vulcan, you won't believe Rodfold," Oslo said and didn't complete his statement.

"You understand whenever a Vulcan is concerned, Watchers are always there," Asandria said looking in the sky. Stars beamed down on them, lighters of the sky slowly crowing it. James, like a silver saucer, beamed high north radiating his Celestial.

"I certainly hope this won't lead to war. Betelgeuse cannot afford that."

Asandria stopped and look directly at Oslo.

"No, Betelgeuse cannot afford to be lied to. It cannot be chained!"

Asandria watched Oslo's face paled, stunned by her tone. She left him recovering, she walked back to their transport.