The story so far:

----Aija, Zuri, and Ze are three friends, who were working at the Pristine School at Innermost. Aija gets involved with the Ytai first, leading Zuri and Ze to them as well. Zuri falls in love with Nala (Lalana), who is Ytai and works with Thieron. Aija and Ze are captured by Thieron, of H'eon, when they were at the Hospital - Aija was at the Hospital with Kuna of R'ies and Zuri to stop a Harvest; Ze was there to visit his sick student Xan. Thieron has bound Aija to himself, and Nala has bound Ze to herself. Luka works for Thieron(Ah'n), along with Lalana (Nala).

----Aija, Ze, Thieron, Luka, and Nala go to the South Land. Luka admits that they are there for a Harvest. While they are on the Harvest, they get stopped by a group of people - the Zayr. Aija and Ze meet Princess Ruyanir of the Zayr. Ze and the Princess have an instant connection. The Prince has requested Aija and Ze to meet him. Prince Irih' va and Aija have a conversation about the Àvo; he explains how it works. Aija seems to like the Prince. The Prince gives Aija a strand of his golden hair - for protection. Irih' va sees Aija in his future but isn't sure she will choose him. He wants her to choose him. Irih' va catches Ze using his powers, and he shows Ze that he, too, has the same powers.

----Etrie tells Zuri that he is going to kill Thieron and Nala. She is very adamant that she, too, goes to the Ker'zan with them.

----Aija and Thieron had been to the Open to meet his Uncle - Alton Ivar, Head of H'eon. There she learns that the conditions are worse than she had anticipated.

----They go to the Ker'zan. 

----Ze and Aija escape from the three Ytai. Ze tells Aija about the escape Prince Irih' va has offered them.

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****35.2 - Aija****

So, this was about the escape, after all. 

"It comes at a price, but it's better than being held captive only to be killed." Ze hurried his explanation. "Prince Irih' va wants me to help him with his Empire. In exchange, he will get me away from the Ytai and also keep my family safe. He promised he'd send my family to the South Land. 

"Ai, it's the same for you. The Prince told me he spoke to you of it in little detail because Thieron was there. Come with me to Ierne with the Prince. He'll make sure your family is protected too and sent to the South Land. Things are going to go bad on Earth Ai, but the South Land won't be touched. The H'eon is so close to destroying everyone – all humans. Prince Irih' va promised protection for our families when that time comes. Our families will join us on Ierne. All we need to do is go to Ierne with him. He can remove the bonds too. It's a small price in comparison." 

Aija stared at Ze, her thoughts overwhelmed by the prospect of escaping. She considered everything he had just told her. Ze removed two blades from the inside of his coat. 

Those blades... 

"These are Nala's and Thieron's," he told her, confirming her doubt. "There were the ones used to create the bonds. I also have a strand of hair of each of them. The Prince can remove the bonds. He has promised me. It's our only chance." 

When had Ze taken their blades? How? 

"Aija, please," he said, when she remained quiet, still considering all that he had told her. 

She was all for him to escape, but now that he was actually doing it, she didn't like the idea of it. It felt wrong, now that she knew his reasons. It felt like he was running away from an amazing opportunity to save the Earth; to help someone else, instead of protecting his own home. 

Is that why the Prince had wanted her to go to Ierne as well? To help him? But how would she even help? Ze had powers. She? Nothing. 

And, all of a sudden, the idea of escaping seemed terribly, awfully wrong. Not when they were with the enemy and had a chance to stop them. 

 "His guards will pick us up from here," he told her, and as if on cue a small aircraft – no, it was called a copter something – descended almost silently onto the rooftop. 

A man peered outside and called out, "Ze Roan? Aija Rao-Oshiro?" 

"Yes!" Ze called out to the man. 

The blades of the copter created silent gusts of wind, and it blew her dress and hair back. 

"Aija, please," Ze said again. "Let's go." 

"How could you do this?" she asked instead. 

Ze looked at her like she had stabbed him in the back. "What do you mean, Ai? This is our escape." 

"And, leave the human race to be destroyed?" she asked. "Being with Thieron helps us in finding a way to stop them; stop them from destroying our people!" she yelled, getting angry. 

Ze stared at her in disbelief, not understanding her reaction. "Ai?" 

"How can you run away from your own home to help someone else, Ze?!" she yelled, and her fury grew with each word. "We are supposed to be saving our people! We have the perfect opportunity, we are with our enemies, and they will be taking us to get the Àvo. We can do something, anything, to help save humans and all you can think of is running to help someone else. I would have understood if you were escaping to go back home to your family." 

The anger brought forth tears to her eyes. 

"Think about our families, Aija!" he screamed back at her. 

"I am thinking of them!" she screamed. "It's why I want to save Earth from the clutches of these aliens. It's not just the two of our families. What about Zuri and her family? What about the many other families on Earth, Ze? Don't be foolish, Ze! Don't go!" she burst into tears, unable to control the overwhelming emotions coursing through her. 

"I have to," he said softly, and it dawned on her that it was more than just escaping the Ytai, more than his family. Those were added benefits to a whole different reason. 

"It's because of Princess Ruyanir," she said with startling clarity. 

Ze didn't deny it. 

"Did he promise that you would get to be with her?" she asked. 

"Ze Roan! We need to leave!" the man shouted from the copter. 

Ze looked at the man and back at her. 

"I'm sorry, Aija. But, I have something with her – a connection," he told her, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I get to be with her and protect my family; it's a win-win." 

"And, so you betray Earth." she accused him. 

"Aija, please. This is beyond our control. Come with me. The two of us alone can't save Earth." 

"No," she shook her head. 

And, it all became clear to her; her purpose in life. She had been so lost all her life doing what was expected of her by her parents. But this – saving humans – this was what she was meant to do or at least die trying. She had decided on that a long time ago; that she wouldn't escape anymore, she wouldn't go home. She had the opportunity to stop Thieron or at least try, and she was going to utilize it. 

She thought of Rez who died so young, of Taylor - whose friend died for no fault of hers; Zuri had her family, sweet Quinn, who had told her 'I can fall in love with you one day, I know.' and his family and all the other families that called Earth home. It wasn't just about her family. 

How many hopeful lives Earth held? To let them all be destroyed was blasphemy. 

Of course, being with Prince Irih' va was a tempting offer. She found that she liked him – a lot. It would be wonderful to have a life with the Prince and know that her parents and siblings were safe and would live through the destruction of the human race; that they would be with her on Ierne, and they could start a new life. But as good as it sounded, she knew it was a betrayal to her home planet, the planet that gave her life. It needed her help – as small and insignificant as it may be. 

Ze looked at her like she had betrayed him. But, who had betrayed whom? Ze her, or her Ze? 

She remembered being so shy around him at school. She had hardly been able to talk to him. And where had time brought them, now? They were yelling at each other, pleading the other person to go with them; Aija wanted to go back to the enemy, and Ze wanted to pursue love – the one thing he had been terrified of. Time was strange. 

"Don't go." she pleaded one last time, tears streaking her cheeks, though she knew his answer already. "Ze, please, let's save the human race and Earth. Or at least try. What about Zuri?" 

"I'm sorry, Aija," he said. "I'm sure the Prince will offer Zuri and her family protection if we ask. The Prince will do it if you ask." 

It hurt, even though she knew his answer. It hurt a lot; Ze going away because of a girl. 

Ze reached into the pocket of his coat, took something out, and handed it to her. She took it from him. It was a flat oval-shaped stone, white with veins of gold snaking through it. It was the size of half of her thumb, and it was looped through a thin golden chain. 

She frowned at him. 

"Prince Irih' va gave this to me to give to you if you denied his offer to escape," Ze told her. 

The Prince had anticipated her denial? Of course. He had told her that she would have to choose. Now, she understood what it meant. She had to choose between the Prince and her home. And, despite her liking for the Prince, her choice was clear. 

Ze continued, "It's a powerful stone with magic. If you ever change your mind and decide that you want to go to the Prince, all you need to do is hold the stone in your hand and ask it to take you to him. Okay?" 

She nodded, not fully understanding how it could work that way. 

He must have seen the disbelief on her face, for he added, "Don't worry, the stone works. I tried it just now; it brought me directly to the rooftop. Just think of me or the Prince and ask the stone to take you there. It's simple." 

Ze took it from her and put it around her neck. She felt the coolness of the stone in the hollow of her clavicle. "I wish you'd go with me," he whispered. 

"I wish you'd stay," she whispered back. 

"Ze!" the man shouted impatiently from the copter. "Aija!" 

Ze hugged her, surprising her. She held him tightly. "Go to Luka," he whispered. "And don't ever remove this chain." 

"What? Luka?" 

"Go to Luka. The Prince asked me to tell you that in case you didn't join us. You must go back to Luka and only to him. Stay by him, no matter what." 

He pulled away from her, and she saw the beginnings of tears in his icy-green eyes. "You've been a good friend, Aija. Go now, to Luka. Stay alive." 

She nodded, her tears, uncontrollable. Ze left, and the guard stared at her in question when only Ze climbed in and nodded at the man. She saw Ze leave in the copter and wiped her tears. 

'Go to Luka.' Ze had told her. Why had the Prince asked her to do that? She touched the cold stone lying against her collarbone. Was it really magic? 

She found her way back inside the building. Many Ytai were looking at her, some curious; some with an evil glint in their eyes. She had to get herself back to Luka. Soon. 

She ran, glad that Nala had given her flat shoes. 

"Hey there, human!" a man's voice came from beside her. 

A Ytai was making his way to her, a blade already in his hands, grinning wildly. She ran faster, and the Ytai man followed her. 

No, no, she thought, hurrying down another flight of stairs. 

She heard loud shots and a few screams. The man behind her wasn't running anymore; he had fallen and was bleeding. Shuddering with fear, Aija didn't linger; she ran and was caught by someone. 

"Let go!" she yelled. 

"Aija Rao-Oshiro!" It was a woman's voice. 

She wore a dark green combat outfit, a gas mask over her nose, and protective eye gear. She had blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. She had a rifle in her right hand. She was human. 

"Aija Rao-Oshiro," the woman said as Aija tried to get away. "I'm here to rescue you." 

"What? Let me go! Luka!" she yelled.

"I'm from the Gale. I'm Iyler. Please stop struggling, Aija." the woman – Iyler panted, trying to grip her harder. 

"No, I can't go with you," Aija said and tried to wriggle out of Iyler's grip. 

"Luka!" she yelled, hoping he would find her. 

There were shots heard from somewhere close by, and then chaos ensued. Aija managed to get away from a distracted Iyler, and she ran. She had left Luka downstairs, maybe he was still there. 

"Aija!" Iyler called out after her. 

Aija reached the balcony. Almost there, she thought. Someone caught her by her hair and dragged her back. Pain shot up in her head and neck. She looked at her captor, it wasn't Iyler. 

It was a Ytai man with a blade in his other hand. And, he smiled at her menacingly.

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