*TengFei: Observatory Tower*

"Son," YiLei addresses YiHuang, leading him towards the large window from which almost the whole city was visible. "The General is concerned about you. I suggest you don't hide things from him...from me."

"Father, I have never refused an order you have given, but this time I don't think I can. I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the kingdom." He lowers his eyes, "Even if you don't allow it, I will proceed with it even at the cost of incurring your wrath."

YiHuang's words intrigue the old man.

'Whatever it is, must be important. If I give him my word that I will allow it in exchange for his cooperation, I can ensure that he will do as I say.' YiLei nods and pats his shoulder,  "Fine. If you are so hell-bent on protecting your secret, I will not push you for now. Ah-Huang, there is a reason why I have asked you here today."

YiHuang quirks his brow and looks at him questioningly, "Father, does it have something to do with the barriers weakening all over the kingdom. I was on my way-"

"That and more, Ah-Huang." The Emperor sighs and looks at the horizon. "Son, as leader of our race, there are innumerable responsibilities on me, the most important being protecting the lives of our citizens and ensuring the continued existence of our race."

"Father, I don't understand."

"Son, I am sure you know why this Observatory was built." The Emperor asks; the young prince nods, "To detect threats."

The Emperor agrees, "Yes. But there is one more reason. You see, when The First decided to settle here, he knew that one day, this place would start to wither and eventually die. He, like me, could look into the future, but since the future was very distant, it came to him in spoken words rather than images."

"Words of The First?"

"Yes. Though it's a secret, everyone knows that the first left us some instructions in the form of words. Only a few of us know what the instructions were. YiHuang, today I need to tell you what they are."

YiHuang fringes ignorance, "Why, Father?"

The Emperor explains what he had been told by his father and the vision he had had thirty years ago. YiHuang pretends to be shocked when the Emperor reveals the name of his biological father. He cross-questions him about how he could be sure that 'The Key' would open the beacon, how could it resurrect the first, and how could he be sure that they could trust the XudianJi. It is then that YiLei recites the words of the first:

When the end nears, the beacon will glow. The planets will align; the seed shall deliver 'The Key' home. Through their blood, the essence of the first will once again flow. Two races shall begin anew as one.

After hearing all of it, YiHuang shakes his head. "Father, what if that's not what the words mean at all. What if your plan doesn't work?"

YiLei wonders if Hu Kwan had filled his son's head with his family's thoughts on the matter. Anger bubbled inside him, "Are you doubting the first, or do you lack faith in me!?"

"Father!" YiHuang falls at his father's feet. "I won't dare to do that. I was merely considering other ways in which the words could be interpreted. It was not my intention to offend you. I am willing to receive any punishment you see fit, father."

The Emperor fumes but realizes that he couldn't afford to lose the boy's trust in him. He lifts his head, "YiHuang, trust your father. And in exchange for your cooperation, I promise to give you anything you ask for."

YiHuang's brows knit, "Anything?"

"If you desire the crown, you can have it." The Emperor offers sincerely, making YiHuang cringe from within.
"I am merely a soldier, father. I don't know a thing about leading people. I have never craved the crown."

"Son, as long as you cooperate with me, you can have whatever you want. I give you my word. But right now, the wormhole is all but stabilized. However, we have yet to find The Key. According to the words of The First, it has already arrived on TengFei. You are the first seed. You are the one who is destined to deliver it." The Emperor glances at YiHuang expectantly, "Son, let me see your hands."

YiHuang's mind had drifted to Zhang as soon as YiLei had mentioned the wormhole. 'How much time do I have before Zhang has to leave?' He wonders and inquiries, "How much longer till it stabilizes, father?"

"Two hours, give or take a few minutes." The Emperor responds and urges, "YiHuang, let me see your hands."

'Even if I leave now, it will take me at least an hour just to get to GuHai.' YiHuang calculates and holds out his hands to his father in a daze. 'I need to leave here without arousing suspicion. One wrong move and the drones monitoring the borders and the Astro-destroyers aimed at the wormhole will be alerted.'

The night before, while going through the live feed, YiHuang had noticed that as an extra measure of precaution, General Teng had stationed drones just outside the atmospheric bubble. Luckily, if shot at the right time and right angle, a pod, the shape and size of their space traveler Xue, could exit TengFei undetected by them. However, that was not the only problem. All Astro-destroyes (the Arial strikers) were built to defend TengFei against wayward asteroids or any kind of threat. All of them were aimed at the wormhole. Though technically the Resistance Facility was incapacitated, General Teng had not let his guard down. With so many eyes on the wormhole, only an unexpected, surprise attack that had the power to destroy the vortex in one shot had any chance of succeeding.

"YiHuang...YiHuang!" The Emperor's desperate voice reaches the second prince, dragging him back to the present. He tries to think of a way to return to GuHai...to his Zhang but draws a blank. He stares past YiLei with empty eyes; everything is a blur. Every emotion dulls; the only thing that remains and intensifies is the ache in his heart. 'You won't wait for me, will you, Ah-Zhang?'

"YiHuang!" Strong pair of arms grab the second prince's shoulders and rock his frame violently, desperately. "Son, why don't you answer me? How did you get this mark?"

"The mark," YiHuang repeats but doesn't add anything else. He keeps staring past YiLei, who grows apprehensive by the minute.

The Emperor had guessed YiHuang to have held the Key sometime during the past few days; what he did not understand, however,  was his reaction now. His usually calm, composed, and obedient son looked lost and broken; it seemed like his soul had parted ways with his body. 'Has he gone into shock after hearing that he is not my son, or is it that he is scared of what future might have in store for our race?'

The Emperor had tried to snap the boy out of the daze and failed. He had been patient with him, but it had not yielded the desired result; the Emperor was running out of time. He grinds his teeth, and a moment later, the observation deck resonates with the sound of a slap.

The act startles the young prince, who bows to the Emperor immediately and begs, "Father, I need to leave. There is something I need to take care of. I will return and do as you please."

"I am sorry, Son. I can't let you do that. Whatever it is, it can wait till the first has risen. Once you have done your part, I will grant you anything you wish for."

YiHuang's eyes well up, "It will be too late by then, father. Please. Please, let me go."

"Guards!" YiLei bellows, and ten armed guards enter the deck, "Restrain the prince!"

"Father, you can't do that. Please. I am begging you. I will do anything." YiHuang pleads as multiple pairs of arms hold him down on the spot.

YiLei crouches next to him, "Rebellious, just like your grand aunt. I thought I could mold you into a model Yuanjian, but it appears that I failed. I should never have let you keep in contact with Hu Kwan. If it hadn't been my sister's last wish, I would never have let that family of traitors come close to you."

"Father, please let me go. I promise that I will return." YiHuang begs, trying to free himself.

"Do you have the key?" The Emperor demands in a cold tone.

YiHuang nods, "Will you let me go if I hand it over to you?"

The reply angers YiLei further. 'So, father and son were in on it all along.' He concludes. He schools his features into that of nonchalance and nods, "Yes, I will."

"Unhand me now!" YiHuang growls, but the guards don't budge. They glance at the Emperor, who gestures to them to let the young prince go.

YiHuang removes the charm from the front of his robes, but no sooner has he done that, YiLei snatches it from his hand. "Guards, cuff him." He commands. In an instant, YiHuang is taken captive again.

"Father!" YiHuang exclaims, feeling betrayed, "I gave it to you. You promised to let me go."

"I lied." YiLei sneers. "Don't call me father. I am not your father. You have betrayed our race. You are a traitor. If it weren't for the fact that you are still of use, I would have killed you."

"Father, I am not-"

"Gage him. I don't want to hear any of his lies." The Emperor interjects.

"You are committing a grave...Mmmm!" YiHuang's words drown in his throat as the guards comply with the order. Bound, gagged, and struggling to free himself, he still tries to get them out. Tears roll down his cheek and disappear under his collar. No one pays them any heed.

YiLei fixes him with a cold stare, "Is my son working with you? Is he also planning to betray me?" He demands but changes his mind, "There is no point in asking you." He gestures one of the guards to approach him and whispers something in his ear; the guard leaves.

"I suspect that the traitors are up to something. Tell the general to report here right now. Capture Hu Kwan and bring him here. If the second prince doesn't cooperate, we will get rid of him and his biological father together once the First rises."

{Author's Note :- Word count 1785

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