The Marked Hosts

The darkness cleared. Water spread beneath them. A beautiful sky was overhead. In the middle of the sparkling ocean sat a towering white and gold city. It was almost unnatural how pure the walls were. The clear ocean showed the city went miles underwater. Transparent glowing animals swam past. In the distance, a waterfall went straight to the clouds.

The world was too clean. It made her feel sullied. Contessa couldn’t see another village. The white city stood alone on the ocean. Tiny people all stopped and started as Zena and Imagi flew over. The inhabitants looked like children. That must’ve been the distance playing tricks on her eyes. How could children run such a pristine city?

“Imagi and Zena, please land. Thir, we need something to land on,” Cezon ordered.

A sheet of ice formed over the water. Imagi and Zena landed on it.

Contessa rolled her shoulders. She never liked the Sencil carrying her in their claws.

Cezon tapped his chin and paced.

Sarisha grunted.

“We can’t read your mind.”
When did Sarisha start speaking to Cezon? Contessa was only unconscious for four days. Why did it feel like a lifetime?

“I didn’t expect people. We need to be strategic or we won’t get close to Asamee and Tachiba.” He turned to Imagi. “Where are they?”

Imagi closed her eyes then opened them. “I feel them in that city. Sharp power is interfering. I can’t tell their location.”

Cezon nodded. “We need to get close. Sneaking in is not an option.”

The Draiors were the best at manipulating others into seeing the world their way.

“Sencil, can you tell me anything about this world.”

“It’s as old as the Sencil,” Zena said. “Maybe older. The inhabitants have access to power as strong as ours.”

“Thir’s never come across this place in his travels,’ Cezon said. “This world is not easy to get to.”

“I believe the door opened for us only because of Tachiba,” Imagi said. “He’s best at opening doors to other worlds.”

“Sarisha, if you don’t mind, you’ll play the role of my wife. The triplets will be our children. Contessa, the children’s caretaker.”

The pain in Contessa’s head and chest exploded. She was across the ice. Her legs found Cezon’s. She kicked them and slammed her fist in his chest. Cezon hit the ice. Contessa jumped on him with her knee is his chest.

Cezon stared up at her with a bored expression. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t told her body to move. She suddenly attacked Cezon. She couldn’t move after thoroughly making a fool out of herself. She didn’t know what to say.