ENOCH

From the ash, our people have managed to build new structures. Buildings designed by myself. Few in number, but tall and hardy to endure the mushy earth below our newly carved street.

It was a dirty, and unfortunately, deadly feat. Many lives were lost, having fallen in or breathed in too much, the rubble mounds of soot. Beating and cutting such dirty hardened lava was no easy task. Many of our law abiding civilians had to be enslaved for us to build this new city.

It is more of a grand, communal, palace I'd like to think.

A full moon has passed and we still remain in the dark since my father's disappearance. Cephine told me word of their true destination.

I did not think they would be gone for so long. Once they arrived, messengers reported me of Greta's well health along with my family's.

We stand in the new courtyard. Many empirical soldiers have transported healthy, blooming, plants from the terrain of the nook. I'm not sure how well the plants will do in this darkness.

My father was to fix the light.

Rumor is, well, Cephine had made me aware of her little tantrum. Some amount of the observatory must have been restored. The shade is not so dark, but torchlight is still needed when one is traveling our streets where instruments of reflection have yet to be placed.

All our new living towers have been equipped with the necessary mirrors and are lit nicely.

Outside crime thrives still in darkness. I am hoping to fix that soon...

It doesn't matter now. Zard is leaving today. Arrangements have been made for an exchange in return for lasting peace between our race and his.

The Eyuul are a very advanced race. I've been tracking their progress to our star. Adler should have never interfered with the galactic trafficker.

Zard's home planet is quite young. He has come to take care of Adler for good. It was a terribly difficult decision, but Greta must be banished as well. She knows too much.

Ashtium needs a responsible, worthy, ruler.

***

ADLER

The empty pile of cloth beside me is warm to the touch.

A beautiful hum trickles through the air. My gaze follows the source of the sound.

I crawl on my hands and knees entranced by the ethereal sight of my little pearl wrapped in pearled armor. Silver chainmail lays over her tunic hugging her form loosely like a man's. Sleeves of metal rimmed bone cover her arms and legs.

Her hair has been carefully half shaved off. The faint smell of burning hair emits from the cooling metallic knife she must have roasted this morning on her desk.

I have never seen such hair! How exciting. The other half of her silky hair has been spared the touch of the piping hot heat.

The light indeed has been made. Not in here now, but in the temple.

When I make it to the bed's edge, my sweet begins eating the scrumptious steaming pastry on her desk, my belly screams, empty and neglected.

"Good morning, my sweet!" At last, she turns to face me. Her hard expression softens as I lift my arms to be moved to my destination much quicker. "Hold me! Me hungry," I murmur as reality snuffs out my dignity.

I have shrunken...and my words leave through an embarrassing babbled filter.

Oh, but to be held so close, I cannot resist temptation and grasp her chest for support.

"Hello," I giggle while being placed on her lap. The steaming sweet makes me drool and beat my fists against the surface of the desk. "Me food!"

The plate is moved out of my reach.

Her tone is not very apologetic, "My food."

Frustration bubbles in me rapidly.

A man does not cry and scream for attention. Helpless, I circle my arms around her sweet-smelling neck as she lifts me back up, having emptied her plate without sparing me a crumb.

"Cephine is to look after you now. Do you not remember Brommy dropping you off this morning? You took a very long nap today."

"No," I grumble. A lie but convenient for I do not wish to dwell on the fact my brother must care for me. "Me tired. No want leave. Put me in bed," I request while enjoying her fierce beauty from this angle.

My great youth makes my face burn easily at the thought of my sweet tucking me in, and perhaps, I may be rewarded the cushioning of her ultra soft chest.

She ignores my wish as she steps out into the smoldering heat. The tunnel provides little relief in this light. However, my pearl moves quickly for my cries grow louder.

Soon enough, we enter the temple, finding the elders and no Cephine.

"Cephine?"

I smile hearing her stern, commanding tone. My current wife appears to be absent, as I predicted. My pearl's voice hardens, growing louder, as I grasp her shoulder and smile feeling her hand hold the back of my head. Gently, she begins stroking my hair just like she does her pet.

Does she consider me as such now?

How degrading to be thought of as no more than a squeaking rodent.

A voice comes from behind, "Greta, Cephine left this morning. I told her Adler departed already."

I have never smiled so much. It is a wonderful feeling to be petted by the object of my brother's desire. A smirk forms on my face as I earn his glare.

Brometheus thinks he has fooled me. I am the greatest trickster. I have already won my pearl's heart...well, I'm fairly certain.

Her voice is hard as iron, "What are you going to do, Brommy? I do not want to watch over him! My sisters will have to...or you."

Brometheous folds his arms behind his back raising his chin in defiance.

"I do not yet know. He should grow back by the day's end anyway. I must be off."

"To where?" my sweet cries back.

He has already disappeared beyond the columned wall.

Newly alone, Greta looks down at me as though I have intentionally done this. Well, she wouldn't be wrong. I did not want to go back to the docks.

So, I made myself shrink.

Her hand leaves my head making me feel cold and ignored. I peep over her shoulder. The unsightly scene of the old women bathing in my great fountain sours my mood. If only my pearl would bathe me. I am quite sweaty and my tunic is soiled for she did not change me yet.

She catches my mischievous grin.

"I am not bathing with you," she whispers. Her mouth forms into a hard line as my spyrt wilts for I am handed off to be cleaned by one of the elders instead. "After your bath, Brommy will be returning you to the docks."

What happened to my timid sweet? My heart races watching her manly scowl directed at me. Where could she be going in such armor?

"Me want to know where going!"

Unaffected by my outburst, she turns away quietly, leaving me in the care of the wrinkled hags.

I have never felt so insulted. A wave of heat flashes across the stone floor rippling over the water's surface. My spyrt jolts upright as I rise up and return to my normal height.

Curled, wispy, clouds roll out from beneath my feet.

Why won't she care for me herself? Does she truly despise me? Who has her heart now?

Maybe my past has finally scared her away...or hasn't it already? My sweet wanted to end her life.

I swat at the wine I'm offered. "No!" I holler. The glass lands on the ground sending the old women scrambling away in a smear of silver hues. Hastily, I pick up a spare tunic, newly soaked in wine. My words come out in a throaty growl, "Mindless sheep! You old, dried-up incubators...get the hell out of my damned temple!"

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