CHAPTER FIVE.
the prophecy be told.

THE THREE ELDERS LED MARS AND KP THROUGH A LONG, GRAND HALLWAY. Mars could barely see the tall, wooden doors that stood at the end of it, and her mind could only imagine what it held for the two of them.

There were golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, one every five or so feet. They reflected the decorative wallpaper neatly, the amber colored symbols gleaming and shining at every angle. There wasn't anything else in the hall other than a few sleek tables with flowers and other antiques sitting atop them, even though there was definitely enough room to fit a couch sideways. Mars got the impression that most people didn't spend much time in the hallway itself, but rather in the room it hid at the end.

With guards standing at every point she seemed to look, Mars couldn't help the nervous feeling eating at her stomach. Even though Hebron had acted as if they were welcome guests, she had the idea that wrecking into their gardens with a missing war weapon probably wasn't what got you into a dinner party with the Council.

Beside her, KP's shoulders slumped defeatedly, and his dark eyes stared at the feet of Delia Kane, which happened to be what Mars would call one of the ugliest pairs of heels she'd ever seen. Mars tried to relieve her nerves by calming his, bumping his arm with her elbow, gaining a slight side eye in return. KP quickly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets as he nudged her back.

Mars let out a quiet exhale, thinking that maybe she would be alright and if they were about to be interrogated by the wisest minds of Andromeda, then she had hope that she would be okay. Little hope, but hope nonetheless.

After what felt like a fifteen minute walk, they finally reached the doors, and the two guards standing in front of it lifted their hands to a salute simultaneously, like machines. Their uniforms were a matte gold color, little intricate designs drawn across their chests like the wallpaper in the hall.

" Wills, Taylor, " Delia nodded in recognition, and the two guards, as if on cue, pushed the doors open before them.

As they slowly swung open, the lights from inside the meeting room were instantly in their eyes, bright and blinding as they filled the hall. Shielding her eyes partially, Mars didn't even see the trio of Elders stride inside. KP grabbed her forearm and pulled her forward with him. The doors shut quicker than they had opened.

" Oh, my gods, " KP said in awe while Mars' eyes refocused, now seeing that the striking light was coming from a huge chandelier, much bigger than the ones in the hall; it had many little crystals hanging from it, sparkling from the candles lit behind them.

Mars imagined the Council's meeting room would be larger, but she guessed it didn't need to be when it had so many extravagant looking things inside. A long, glass table sat in the middle of the room, thirteen chairs with golden framing sat on either side of it, with one sitting by itself on the end. The rest of the Elders had already filled the seats, as Hebron, Delia, and Ginae went to take theirs, leaving one chair on the end empty. She knew it was symbolic to the thirteenth planet, Xenia, it was meant to represent that they were still here, or some sappy thing like that.

Any thought of being okay completely left Mars' mind when she saw all of the Elders' eyes on her and KP. She had never seen all of them, at least, not in person. Of course, she'd seen segments on the holograms displayed at school when they'd have open discussions about whether to build a bridge or which planet would hold the X Race, but she never dreamed she'd be standing in front of the twelve Elders, certainly not after she wrecked their precious garden.

" Children, please, do not be frightened. " Delia cooed, her pale hands sat on the crystal clear table as her lips held a warm smile. " We have not called you here because you are in trouble. "

" Even though we should be confining you to planting duty for two months. " Kasha Nyo, the Pax Elder, complained with a hard glare in their direction

Delia gave the golden haired woman a slightly annoyed look before she turned her attention to Mars and KP again.

While they had all the attention, Mars couldn't help but stare at all of the Elders. She was starting to question why they were called that at all, when the majority of them didn't look older than fifty, and even then, they still looked more lively than half of Mars' ex-classmates.

" These two have proved that they are ready for the prophecy— " Delia began, but was rudely interrupted by Kumenrah, the Titan Elder.

" And, how can we be absolutely certain about that? " He spat, a nasty look on his face as his thick, dark eyebrows furrowed together on his graying skin. " Miss Kane, with all due respect, why should we believe that these children are capable of saving the universe? They have not even taken the test. "

" They may be young, but strength and intelligence has no limitations on age, Kumenrah. " Hebron interjected coolly, raising a brow at the sudden outburst.

Mars and KP exchanged a brief glance as the Elders seemed to have forgotten that they were standing right in front of them, continuing to bicker amongst themselves. She felt one hand grasp her necklace, clutching it so hard she felt like it might break, while the other was taken by KP, who used his grip to pull her closer to him, close enough to feel the slight shaking of his body.

A wordless expression wasn't going to calm KP down, but she didn't want to speak and have Kumenrah turn his rampage directly on them, so she just squeezed his hand and hoped that the fighting would settle and—

" We found the Silver Wolf, didn't we? " Mars was thoroughly shocked to hear the words come from KP's voice, snappy and aggressive, and she glanced up at him with a dropped jaw as she saw the glare on his face, burning right into the Titan. " I think that's evidence enough that we're not just some dumb kids. "

That little shit, he wasn't trying to find the courage to be brave, and he definitely wasn't looking for comfort, he was angry. Kumenrah was never a fan favorite on Ceren, and KP was no exception. Mars couldn't help but smile slightly to herself, impressed with KP's abrupt urge to defend himself against someone of higher ranking. It was rare.

Kumenrah, along with the others, went silent. Mars could see his face reddening, with either embarrassment or fury, but he relaxed rather quickly and let out a condescending sigh.

" Maybe, but two fools can still find stars if they hit their heads hard enough. " He replied sharply, to which the most elderly Elder, Elayne Juno, countered.

She straightened in her chair, her white, slicked back hair a striking contrast to her pale blue skin and bright green eyes. Mars found her eyes lingering on the gills that trailed along her neck and the turquoise scales that ran along her arms, crawling underneath her shirt's sleeves. The Oceons had always interested Mars, she often found herself wondering what it'd be like to breathe underwater, to live underwater.

" And a prophesied hero has never led us wrong. " She commented, her eyes locked firmly on Kumenrah's in what Mars would jokingly call a staring contest, but she knew it was no time to make jokes by the way the Titan tensed at the look. Then she turned her head ever so slightly to look at KP and Mars, " He is right about that last bit, though. You did not say you wanted to take the test, and we can't force something like the prophecy on you. "

Mars pressed her lips together, eyes downcast. She had told KP she wanted to take their test, and that hadn't changed from the time she said it originally, but finding the Silver Wolf made her question herself. She wasn't even able to fly it without KP, how was she supposed to be the person to lead the Life Alliance? The person that will defeat the Titan Army again? She wasn't a hero or a leader, that much has always been clear, and she certainly wasn't her father.

She wasn't her father by any means, but he was the reason she even thought of taking the test. If he was still out there, somewhere amongst the planets, being part of this mission might be her only chance at finding him. No, it was her only chance. Her mother would have no power to stop her. She could find her father.

" I want to take your test. " Mars confirmed, making a few of the Elders rustle in their seats while they looked to Elayne. She also looked at the white haired woman, a determined expression etched on her face.

Elayne's lips turned upwards into a small, graceful smile as she looked at Mars. She glanced over an inch to ask KP, " And you, Mr. Barnes? "

KP was a bit startled that she knew his name but knew better than to question it. Mars also looked up at him, knitting her brows. She could see the indecision on his face, and she didn't want him to feel responsible for her. He didn't need to say yes for her. She gently grabbed his forearm, turning her body towards him as he looked down at her with a conflicted face.

" KP, you don't have to. You've got a lot more going for you here than I do. " She insisted, but his reaction was not at all what she was expecting. At her words, KP's mouth shifted into a grin and he gripped her forearm in response.

" What, I'm just supposed to let you have all the glory? " He said in a joking tone, but it still felt like he was covering up his worries with lackluster humor. He gave her a squeeze for extra reassurance, as if he could feel her concern, and added, " Plus, how the hell would you even fly that thing if it weren't for me? You need me, Mars. "

Mars still looked wary, but she nodded and released his arm, " Yeah, I guess I do. If that's really what you want to do. "

KP also let go of her, both of them shifting back to look at Elayne. He nodded solemnly before agreeing, " I'd like to take it, too. "

Elayne looked pleased, her smile having never left her face while they discussed. She held her palms out after a moment and stated, " Well, that's good, but there's no need for a test. You've already passed. "

" What? How? " Mars questioned sharply, both her and KP looking puzzled at her words. She really hoped it wasn't one of those things where just their "brave" words and agreement made them pass.

" I'd say finding where the Silver Wolf was hidden and flying it is more impressive than any test we could possibly give you. " She explained, glancing amongst the other members with a raised brow, " Wouldn't you all agree? "

The other Elders were silent, but Mars noticed the subtle grin on Hebron's face at Elayne's words. There were collective nods after a moment, except Kumenrah, who still looked unnecessarily irritated. The Oceon Elder didn't move her gaze, or even blink, but after the Elders seemed to come to a wordless agreement, she raised a hand and gently waved to the guards standing at the doors.

Mars turned to glance back at the doors as everyone in the room watched four more guards enter; these ones were dressed fully in black, suits and helmets, not to mention the sleek guns tucked at their sides that she felt her eyes anxiously stray to. In between them, almost like they were in a huddle, were three other kids who looked like they were around Mars' age.

The one in the middle was the most striking, but she looked like the youngest, her face youthful and unscathed. Her hair was dark, almost purely black and her pale skin was a sharp contrast to the rest of her features. Her face was soft but didn't match the stoic expression she wore. Mars guessed that she was quite a few inches shorter than herself, but under the long-sleeved compression shirt she wore couldn't hide the muscular build of her arms. Slung over her shoulder was a sleek looking saya, the tsuba sticking out the top with what Mars imagined were Japanese symbols that she couldn't quite read from her distance.

The two boys were taller than Mars, but the one on the right was significantly taller. If she had to estimate, Mars would say he was at least 6'2. She recognized him as a Vulcan almost instantly, due to his soot-covered shirt and the blackened skin on his knuckles. One thing that nearly threw her for a loop was the metal contraption fused to his bicep, replacing what would be a fleshy, muscular forearm and hand. The mechanical prosthetic looked exactly like what Mars imagined the bone structure of an arm looked like, it was just missing the skin, blood, and tissue.

The boy must've noticed her staring, or maybe he noticed everyone staring, since the Elders were dead silent. Either way, with his 'normal' arm, he tugged his black, long sleeve over the metal arm, leaving the hand uncovered and vulnerable and the mechanical fingers flexed unnervingly. This caused Mars to shift her gaze up, to see his slender neck, covered halfway by the long sleeve underneath his t-shirt, and then his oval face. He had dull, brown eyes, and a mess of unkempt, raven hair framed his deep brown complexion, nearly reaching his shoulders.

     Sitting nearly on top of his head, a pair of bronze goggles glared underneath the bright light of the Council room. He was squinting, but it was hard to tell if that was due to the sudden bright lights of the room or- actually, he was glaring at her, yup, right at her. Mars felt embarrassment instantly and hurriedly switched her curious gaze to the last of the three to avoid his burning eyes.

The other tall boy was lanky whereas the others were muscular, shorter than KP but still taller than Mars, and while they looked confused, he looked... smug. His expression worried Mars more than she felt like it should have. The grin on his olive colored skin was devilish and concerning, but she couldn't help but be intrigued by it. He wore a wrinkled, pale button up, the collar popped up, and two brown straps ran down the length of his chest, connecting in the middle to secure the bag on his back on the harness. The red bandana tied around his head didn't keep the light brown tendrils of hair from falling around his face, which held not only a mischievous smirk, but also the strangest eyes Mars had ever seen.

As they got closer (Mars hasn't even noticed that they were still walking as she took in their appearances) she could see the jagged scarring running across his left eye which was a contrasting milky white, absent of a pupil, whereas the other was a perfectly intact green-blue color, and she made a mental note to get that story from him. Maybe, if he wasn't a criminal or going to try to kill her in her sleep.

The boy shot her a look, and Mars instantly felt heat rush to her face after being caught staring twice now, but she could only let her curiosity fly as she looked between his two eyes, the whitened one and the blue-green one. Fortunately (or not), he didn't look angry like the other guy, but rather he winked at her with the same, scarred eye. She wasn't sure which was worse. Mars awkwardly pulled at her red jacket before shoving her hands into the pockets, gaining an odd look from KP as he noticed her sudden fidgeting and the slight wave of pink on her cheeks. He looked as if he was going to say something as her head turned to look elsewhere, and he glanced over to the white-eyed boy with a raised brow but said nothing as the room seemed to settle again.

" Elders, " Delia began, her voice loud and confident as the five teens now stood in a line in front of the Council, the guards backing away to give them space, " these are the five we believe fit the Prophecy. A small collective of us, Elayne, Armie, and myself have been keeping a close eye on these three specifically for a while now. "

Mars was taken aback by that reveal, her eyes widening as she looked over to the three teens standing beside her for their reactions; surely they hadn't known that they were being watched, right? The short girl didn't seem fazed in the slightest, though, and that was almost more confusing to Mars. The one with the white eye took a step forward with a scowl on his face, but the boy with the mechanical arm beat him to the punch, lightly pushing him out of his way (and, consequently, into Mars and KP) as he stepped towards the table.

" You've been spying on us? " He questioned in a scarily calm voice, but his teeth were clenched and Mars could see his fist twitching. The room suddenly got even more tense, which Mars didn't think was possible, while the rest of the Elders glanced amongst themselves, like they weren't sure how to react. Delia seemed to take the opportunity to continue with her speech, ignoring his question and pointing directly at him. It was odd to see someone so important do something that Mars' mother had always told her was impolite, but maybe that was the difference between Delia Kane and the other Elders; she wasn't one for manners or professionalism.

" Don't take it as spying, Max Arkon of Vulcan. It was more so that we could anticipate the people who would volunteer, that's all. " Delia announced, giving him a warm smile that completely negated the threatening look on his own face. Mars felt accomplished to be at least somewhat up-to-date on the multiple species in Andromeda, thanking KP for sneaking her books about the galaxy every now and then. " He is a truly beautiful mechanic, one of the most talented I've seen in all my years. "

The boy, Max, must've realized he wasn't going to get a further answer, so he retracted his steps, falling back in line with the others and crossing his arms across his chest with a dry look. He looked a bit uncomfortable from her compliment, Mars was unsure why. Delia continued down the line in her little roll call, her gaze reaching the short, dark haired girl who seemed to not have even blinked.

" Kanae Armstrong, she is physically the youngest but, without a doubt, the strongest, half Titan half Inbi, which is more than enough— "

" To kill this prophecy before it even starts? " One of the other Elders, Carlyle Vici, the Minervan Elder, spoke up, earning a narrowed look from Delia. " She is half Titan, which means she is tied to the enemy, have you forgotten what they can do? "

" She has been trained for all her seventeen years for this, " The Inbi Elder, Armie, stated, a straight look on his face as he turned from Carlyle to Kanae. " My daughter does not have a problem with loyalty, that is certain. And, while I do have some reluctance to her going on this mission, I will not stop her from proving herself to the likes of you. "

Mars instantly heard the Elders burst into whispers at the word 'daughter', but that wasn't what set the blaring alarm off in her head. She was half Titan, which means that she might have some form of intel on the Army to offer, or something crazy, like she's secretly a spy for the Army; She dearly wished it to be the former, but Mars didn't really see why they were so upset about this information; her father was an Elder, so she clearly was on their side? What was the big deal, especially when they had Kumenrah representing the Titans right there.

" Thank you, Armie. " Delia nodded, continuing with her introduction, " Kanae has not only trained for years in combat, but she memorized the prophecy, backwards and forwards. She was the first member to volunteer and be tested. She's the most qualified out of all of you to accomplish this mission, that much is true. "

" Aleksander Murphy, well known to most of you here as the White-Eyed Bandit. " There were some scoffs and eye rolls at that, but either she didn't hear them or care enough to scold them. Mars' eyes snapped to the Elders, seeing the distaste on the majority of their faces. So he was a criminal. Great.

The boy with the scar perked his head up at the ending, an eyebrow raised and that smirk never leaving his face as he met the angry glares of some of the Elders. Mars couldn't deny that the nickname piqued her interest so she discreetly stole a glance up at the apparent thief standing beside her, eyebrows raised as she turned to Delia, half expecting more of an elaboration. He might've been infamous to the Elders, but she had never heard of such a person.

" Being Eol, he was gifted the ability to see glimpses of the future, and, perhaps even more extraordinarily, he can see memories. " Delia explained briefly, glancing over at him, a small smile on her face as he held a gloved hand up to interrupt.

" I'd just like to point out that the whole future-seeing thing is very rare, and very very useless. Kind of just happens whenever it feels like it. " Murphy stated, earning disapproving looks from half the room as he gestured with his hands; he paused for a moment, then pointed towards the chandelier swaying over them. " Like... that. "

The fluorescent lights flickered briefly.

The Elders seemed less than impressed and rather dismissive at his words, but Mars felt herself tense at Delia's words. Mars had heard about Eols before. She never got to read about them because her mother insisted that they were more trouble than they were worth, which she seemed to think about everything that wasn't Ceren. She remembered rumors going around about how an Eol infiltrated the school, impersonating a Ceren. It turned out to be just another stupid rumor to fuel some teenager's boredom, but it gave her an opportunity to ask about the magical species without looking crazy. Her mother never really liked talking about them, though, so all she got were bits and pieces to fill in the blanks her classmates had left.

None of the teens could take their eyes off of this particular Eol, especially not Mars, who's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. Aleksander lifted his palms and clicked his tongue, seeing that his actions weren't received warmly.

" Okay, then, " He muttered, turning and glancing over at Mars and KP with an exaggerated shrug, " tough crowd. "

" Kenton Phineas Barnes, " Delia continued, skipping over Mars and earning a questionable look from her, but before she could get another word out, Ginae added her piece, " This one is the pilot. He's to blame for our gardens. "

Mars couldn't tell if she was playing around or if she was serious, but she still felt a bit guilty when she watched KP's eyes widen and his dark cheeks flush slightly.

" He does have excellent flying skills, not to mention minor training in botany. Near if not the top of his class for the past several years. Whether by accident or fate, he is a welcome participant in this mission. " She explained, warmly smiling at him. In any other situation, Mars would've laughed at KP's wide-eyed look, and she definitely would tease him about it afterwards.

" And, last, but certainly not least, " Delia declared, meeting Mars' nervous eyes with a calming smile, " Mars Argo, daughter of Louis Argo. "

" Louis? " Elayne questioned, a hand over her heavy heart as she slowly stood from her seat; it was funny to see her shocked, she always seemed so put together and as if she knew everything in the world, yet the mention of Mars' father surprised her. She slowly rose from her chair, walking over to the aforementioned girl, holding her hands in front of her as if she were going to reach for Mars' face. With a soft smile, she said, " It's been quite a few years since we've seen you, excuse us. You look so different, older, more like your father now. "

She pressed her lips together, keeping her hand on her chest and bowing her head respectfully. The girl instantly felt awkward and out of place, her cheeks beginning to burn as Hebron joined her, following the Eldest's motions. Then, Ginae, and Delia, Armie and Carlyle. Slowly, the others dropped their heads in respect as well, even Kumenrah albeit begrudgingly. KP elbowed the girl slightly, shifting his eyes from the Elders to the three other teens, who were watching in confusion. Apparently the tale of Louis Argo wasn't common knowledge everywhere, as he had thought.

" Louis Argo? " Max questioned in a whisper as he leaned very far down to reach Kanae's ear, the other teens glancing over at him while Mars stared ahead at the Elders kneeled before her, wiping her now sweating hands on to her pants.

" Her dad's a Ceren war hero, " Kanae informed him rather stoically, finding herself watching the tan girl with an expression of admiration; she spared him a short glance when she realized he still didn't recognize the name, " he led the Life Alliance to victory in the Damning War against the Titan Army. "

Mars didn't move or speak, she didn't think she could. The anxious feeling was still pumping in her heart, but she felt something else, too. Something like pride, it swelled in her chest as she saw how much her father truly impacted the universe, but she was nowhere on that level and it felt almost wrong to let these people bow before her as if she were one of the gods. Her dad was the hero, the one that deserved this honor, not her.

" Not only did he lead us to victory, " Hebron said as he stood to his feet, the others beginning to follow his lead as he looked to Kanae and Max, " but he was also the leader of the Silver Wolf, just like you, Mars. "

Suddenly, the reality of those words hit Mars like a truck and she blinked hard before the realization came in, making her literally lurch backwards.

" Woah, no, wait, no, I can't lead us in a war, are you crazy? " She blurted, eyebrows knitted together as she shook her head wildly, stepping away from the Council as she let out a puff of air, everyone in the room exchanging looks while KP shifted on his feet. " I'm seventeen, you can't expect me to do that! I've never even flown— "

" We just did. " KP quietly interjected, making Mars glare over at him instantly.

" Not helping, KP. " She retorted before turning back to the Elders, eyes crossing over each of their faces in hopes that one of them would crack and smile or laugh hysterically in her face, anything to assure her that they weren't being serious. Her stomach filled with dread as they all stared at her with questionable looks. " I. . I can't. . "

" You don't have a choice in the matter, unfortunately. You already accepted and passed the test. " Kumenrah drawled poisonously, narrowing his viper-like eyes at the girl who's eyes hardened right back at him. " The Prophecy has been told, there's no changing it. And, if there's one person that I, myself, can confirm would be here, it certainly would be the daughter of the last leader of the Silver Wolf. "

" But why do I have to be the leader? Why me, over any of them?. " Mars irrationally asked, gesturing to the others beside her as she attempted to prove she was still unconvinced, " Why should I believe that it has to be me? Show me this prophecy that you think is so true, not just what you said in the announcement. "

Mars knew it was really, incredibly stupid of her to say that. She was being immature and childish, and she was fully aware of it. Her father had said it in the letter, and here were the singlehandedly most valuable members of the Galaxy reinforcing it, but she couldn't believe them. Sure, she agreed to the test, but she didn't know that automatically made her the leader. Being put on this mission was pressure enough, but to be the one carrying all the responsibility on your shoulders? She didn't want to believe them. She wasn't her father, and she surely couldn't lead a war front, she couldn't even manage to stay in school! Mars was confident about a lot of things: spacewalking, physics, the occasional sarcastic comment, but being a leader? Stopping a war?

Delia met Mars' sour glare with a warm smile as she raised a hand near the center of the table, " Gladly. "

A hologram appeared before them, levitating just a few inches off the Council's table. Delia inched her fingers towards herself, beckoning, not only Mars, but all five of the teens to move closer. They cautiously looked amongst one another, and Mars was the first to step forward, eyes trained to the blue lines forming what looked to be an aerial view of Ceren. Her hands stayed glued to the sides of her legs, gripping tightly at the fabric of her pants; she didn't actually want to see the Prophecy, she didn't want to have to accept that it was true. She had already made the decision to put her fate in her own hands, there wasn't really a choice now, was there?

" The Prophecy was told three years ago by Sibyl.. " Delia explained, her eyes focused on the hologram in delight, a small smile lifting on her face as it showed what Mars gathered to be a previous recording; throughout the dissipating blue lines, she could make out a room, all white and pristine, revealing that it must be somewhere in the building they were in. Sibyl, the Eol Elder, sat down at a table, palms laying flat and eyes closed, she looked serene and peaceful. There was no one else in the room, and that left a troubling feeling within Mars.

What left an even worse feeling in her was the fact that Sibyl was seated at the table across from them, watching as if this was the first time she, too, had seen this footage. Mars almost wondered if it was, seeing as it would've been weird had she had to keep experiencing this moment every time the Elders tried to analyze it.

" Then couldn't she have told you how to defeat the Titans? " Murphy remarked, jumping the gun before the clip could even really begin, cocking an eyebrow as he crossed his slender arms over his chest, acting as if he didn't see Sibyl sitting there. " You wouldn't need us if she was good at her job. "

" Not all Eols hold the control to unlock all of their ability's limits. You know that better than all, Mr. Murphy. " Delia replied softly, her voice seeming friendly and warningly all in the same before she returned her attention to the hologram. Mars side eyed him briefly, watching as his smug face dropped momentarily until he caught her stare, a stoic expression instantly up. He was an Eol, right? Why was he trying to antagonize one of the only people in the room-- on this planet-- that could relate to him?

" Sibyl told us that she wasn't feeling well and that she believed it had something to do with an impending war. " Delia continued, briefly glancing over to meet the Eol Elder's solemn face and saddened eyes; Mars frowned instantly upon seeing her questionable expression. " We brought her to a room and let her concentrate. After nearly four hours, she gave us The Prophecy. "

The teens' eyes all snapped down to the hologram simultaneously as they heard a loud screeching noise. Sibyl was screaming, hands clenched into fists and eyes open, inky blackness spread throughout them. After what felt like several minutes of listening to her ear splitting cry, all of the teens clasping their hands over their ears minus Kanae, she went silent but her mouth still hung open. The Elders had seen the footage many times before, but it still unnerved some of them, making them lean back in their seats. Though, Kumenrah looked blank, almost like he was bored. Mars waited with bated breath as Sibyl suddenly sucked in a deep breath, causing many in the room to flinch.

" The Titan War is approaching. We will conquer the first. They will bring the worst. " Her voice was unsettlingly deep, like something else had overcome her body as she spoke in short, nearly broken sentences. " Ceren hails the hero to us before Winter Solstice. Our children will prevail all. The Silver Wolf mustn't fall. "

The hologram ended as soon as she finished, leaving Mars blinking at her words while straightening back up, eyebrows lowered in confusion. This still didn't make any sense. Were they really that sure that it was the five of them specifically? No, they couldn't, there's no way to tell with that vague description. How could they pick such important roles based off of volunteers? What if the real saviors of the universe were just cowards who didn't come forward? Hell, there were barely three sentences in that Prophecy, it just doesn't make sense!

" I don't understand, how does that mean I'm supposed to be the leader? How are you all so certain this is even necessary? " She asked frantically, looking towards the Elders questionably.

" We won the first war, the Damning War, and the Titans are coming back. There have been whispers amongst the planets, they're scared. They know they're coming. It's only a matter of time before they strike, and we need a defense. " Hebron explained, tilting his head slightly as he nodded towards them. " You each know why you volunteered for the test, and whether you choose to accept it or not, that is why you fit the Prophecy. "

" It's not something we can explain with facts or evidence, Mars. We've been trying to figure this out for the past three years. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but it will. " Delia claimed, making Alec scoff in return; she spared a brief look at him with a tight-lipped smile before turning back to Mars, whose eyes were locked firmly on the Elder. For a second, Mars saw a flash of her from many years ago, when they had first met when she was a child. She wished she could go back to that moment, or any moment rather than here. It was becoming too overwhelming now that she understood what she had really agreed to. " We just know. You have to trust us. "

Mars pressed her lips together thinly, unsure of how to respond. The Elders were supposed to be the most knowledgeable of all the galaxy, but she couldn't help but have a knot of doubt twisting in her stomach at the thought of engaging in war, let alone leading one. The most fighting she'd ever done was in the simulations that were used for practice exams at the Ceren School of Technology and Science. Mars stopped arguing, though, realizing how futile it was and instead trying to figure out a way to wrap her mind around this-- and how it would possibly work without them dying some crazy, horrible deaths.

After a moment of heavy silence passed though, Murphy broke it, " What do we get out of this? "

" Excuse me? " Kumenrah demanded, the five teens all snapping their eyes over at him as he raised in his seat, a fiery glare piercing straight through the Eol boy. " You get the pleasure of keeping our galaxy alive and well, is that not enough? "

" No. " He answered plainly, and Mars instinctively gave him a perplexed look, to which he just met her eyes, pausing briefly before turning back to the Council. " Titans, Elders, doesn't matter to me who rules the galaxy if I'm still going to be thrown in jail after risking my ass. I'm not that stupid, you think I didn't notice there were twice as many guards watching me than these two? I'm certainly not Ceren royalty like she is, but I'm not gonna save a galaxy that wants me dead. "

" You are a thief, you should be grateful you aren't locked away on Damnation right now! " Kumenrah shouted in frustration, slamming his hands against the glass table that, somehow, didn't shatter underneath the force. A scary silence overtook the room the instant he rose, his voice booming against the walls, but, when Mars looked over at Murphy, he was staring right back at Kumenrah with an unmoved expression.

" Kumenrah, that is enough. " Elayne said in a calm, warning tone, side eyeing him long enough to make him slowly sit back down in his chair with a quiet huff; she turned her head to the teens, offering Murphy a small, comforting smile that made the boy shift on his feet impatiently. " Mr. Murphy, I can safely assure you that if you aid us in this mission, you will be free to roam wherever you wish, slate wiped clean. "

Something about the way his face lifted and fell within the same second made Mars' curiosity soar, but she pushed the questions she wanted to ask down as another voice chimed in, and he seemed relatively satisfied.

" What do you need us to do? " Mars looked slightly surprised at the firm tone that Max Arkon spoke with, arms crossed over his chest defensively. It was kind of unnerving that almost everyone else seemed so content, teetering on the word eager, to take on this task. Everyone except her, she realized. Was she really all that crazy for having second thoughts? Did the rest of them really trust themselves with the fate of the galaxy?

" I'm glad you asked, Mr. Arkon. " Elayne said with genuine elation; before she continued, she allowed her analytic eyes to scan over each of the five teens. " The Silver Wolf is a symbol of unity, ever since it led the Life Alliance to victory in the Damning War. However, that unity is shaken, uncertainty plagues our galaxy, as it has ever since the original Silver Wolf team was broken. "

She gave Mars a sympathetic look, bowing her head respectfully while the girl just stared right back at her with a still unsure expression before Elayne continued, " Louis Argo, was, for lack of better words, Andromeda's Golden Boy. He had built trust between the planets and the people on them, and he and the other members of the Silver Wolf were essential for our victory. Now that he is gone, however, that bond they created in the Life Alliance threatens to break."

" And I'm gonna guess that's where we come in. " KP suggested, raising an eyebrow at Elayne, who nodded with a serenely peaceful smile still lighting on her face.

" We need the five of you to travel the Andromeda Galaxy, to each of the former alliance's planets, to meet with their leaders. We need to reignite unity between the planets before the Titan Army gets to them first. " Elayne explained, a sullen look overcoming her face as she seemed to imagine the outcome. " You must negotiate an alliance with them, get them to rejoin the Life Alliance so that we have enough manpower to fight the Titans. It shouldn't be too hard, as most of them sided fairly easily with the alliance in the first war, but, times have changed I supposed. Without all of the planets together, the Titans will win, and centuries of darkness will drown Andromeda. "

It was quiet as the information sunk in. The Elders all seemed to be waiting for an inevitable answer to an unasked question. Mars glanced over at the others; KP stood solemnly, hands shoved into his pockets. Murphy's eyes were narrowed like he was still unsure of Elayne's promise, and Max was biting his lip in contemplation, even though Mars could tell he had already made up his mind. Kanae was the only one that looked prepared, shoulders rolled back and set, a hardened expression on her youthful face.

Mars turned her head back to the Elders, closing her eyes and letting in a short inhale before she reopened them. A dangerously naive yet responsible thought crossed her mind: maybe, just maybe, her father was still out there. Or, at the very least, an answer to what happened to him could be found within one of the people he had been connected with. She desperately hoped her next words wouldn't be the ultimate cause of her own death, though.

" Okay, when do we start?

xxx.

note.

me: hates huge chunks of exposition and character appearance explanation

me: writes this entire chapter

also I previously tried to downsize the planets from 13 to 6 but literally couldn't cut the plot I'd already conjured so I apologize now for how many characters and how much world building lore there is, if you guys have any questions or confusion feel free to ask and I'll gladly clarify