Nima's eyes open slowly. She turns over and finds Joran is not sitting where he was. This makes her sit right up and look around fast. His swords are also gone. She looks to the desk and see a Premderian knife and grab it. Voices echo outside of the room. One of them she knows belongs to Joran. He sounds very angry and begins shouting.
"Watch out!"
This makes her rush down the hallway and into the main caverns. She sees something unusual and unexpected. Joran is sitting down in front of a computer monitor. On his head, he has an electronic device wired into the computer.
Several monitors on the wall show what is happening at different angles. The armor of Joran's design is badly damaged. He holds both of his swords. Nima watches on with curiosity. The armor that is the one he imagined in the hill, come on the screen and attack with their sword.
Joran does everything he can to attack while shots are fired from a higher vantage point. Mildral's armor fire from an elevated position but their enemy shows how good they are. They use Joran as a stepping stone and leap up using his thrusters. Mildral fires several shots but deflect each one.
They cut off the end of Mildral's rifle and makes him back off. The wrist blades on Mildral's armor extend out while Joran flies up towards them. As they charge at them, their enemy thrust the blade into the throat of Mildral. The head nearly come off. They turn around even faster and cut Joran in half from the waist down. The simulation ends with their enemy armor standing tall.
"How is it the two of us lose every time?" Joran questions in complaint.
"You know the reason. Be patient. We aren't fully grown yet and have several years before we reach our peak. Statistically, we should be able to win in five years.
"Always thinking with numbers. In five years I plan to win on my own."
"How about a little one on one in the Warehouse Facility?" Mildral asks him and Joran has a loud immediate response to that suggestion.
"You cheat every time we do that grid map! You place proximity mines and take up an elevated position before I find you!"
"It's not my fault you have not figured out how to beat me yet in that scenario. Besides it looks like the fun is over," Mildral says and Joran takes off his helmet and looks behind him seeing Nima. "I hope you were safe."
"The place is locked down tight, Doc. Not with your security."
"That's not what I meant but you are an idiot so I am not surprised," Mildral tells him but Joran remind Mildral of something.
"You are the brains Mildral, but if it wasn't for me, you would still be eating sand on the beach like seven years ago," Joran says before ending the transmission. "I have no idea what he is referring to," Joran says as he scratches the back of his head before looking at Nima. "Good morning," Joran says with a large smile, standing up. "Are you hungry?" He asks and she nods showing one of her own. "I am not a very good cook. I have to warn you of that."
She sits on the same stool while Joran goes into the refrigerator and pulls out a bowl of raw meat. The sight of it makes her eyes fixed on that one thing alone. Joran pulls other things out but hears the bowl of meat sliding. He turns around and sees her looking at it. She notices Joran looking at her and she stops. She stops and puts her hands together embrarressed. The bowl slides back in front of her unwrapped, and the meat still there.
"You are not alone," he says to her and takes one piece of raw meat for himself and starts eating it with his hands. "Quite tasty when it is uncooked. I mean it saves so much time too," he says with a mouth full.
That makes Nima quite happy and she begins eating as well. While she devours the meat rather fast, Joran takes out a couple of cups and pours a dark brown liquid substance in them. He places it in front of her and she stops eating. Her curiosity in it makes Joran continue showing a small smile. She put her finger in it. The slight cold wetness is weird. She taste: it with her fingers and find it a sweet and delicious taste. After feeling the taste on her lips, she grabs the cup and drinks it with some of it pouring down her chin. She finishes it all without taking a single pause.
Joran watches while she makes sure he sees her smile. That alone makes Joran slide his cup towards her. It brings her great joy in his kindness. Again she finishes the cup without taking a single breath. Joran having a small laugh make her laugh as well. While she continuously eats, Joran just watches while cleaning dishes.
"You want to see a game Mildral designed?" He asks and she nods with enthusiasm while she wipes away the drink running down her mouth.
Joran takes her by the hand and brings her over to the lounging area where the big screen is. He goes on the computer and uploads a game called Elite Strategy. A strategy game that Honor Guards of Premderia use as a simulation to work on decision making. She finds it interesting. A team consists of sixteen Premderians. Most of the time two teams operate together for higher success and zero casualty rate. He shows her the team he creates on his own. All of them look like Joran and his friends but older and all wearing specific armor.
"It is cool. Mildral made so much money from this game. That is why he was able to afford so much stuff like this mine and several others. A lot of the stuff is his," he explains before an image of several savage species come up."
"These species cause trouble all over the deep-space regions of the galaxy. They are our enemy," Joran explains but notice something wrong when looking at Nima. She stands terrified by them. "Nima," he says several times but she never responds.
Nima's mind has her drift back into darkness. A vision of her strapped down by metal braces, and her eyes opened wide by specific tools. In front of her, she sees a clear orb and it plays images of the four creatures. They run wild slaying all in their path. All of them are innocent and refuse to show mercy. Her master watch on in front of the image. His small sinister laugh makes her fight to the best she can.
Everything stops when she feels hands on her cheek and sees Joran touching their foreheads together. Her breathing goes heavy once more but his touch slows it. She shed a few tears while shaking in fear, gripping his arms extremely tight from the quick image that floods her mind.
"It is alright," Joran says to her and she wipes away her tears. "How about a different game?" He asks her and she nods. "It is much easier and doesn't involve scary monsters," Joran assures her with a small chuckle and she finds it helpful. He holds out his three fingers. "I am going to tap the back of your head a few times using my three fingers. When I finish, you guess which ones I used," he says and she nods, finding it interesting. He places his hand on the back of her head he begins tapping the back of her head very gently. "Fingers, fingers, fingers, which fingers am I using?"
He says it three times and stops tapping the back of her head. Joran holds out the three fingers in front of her. She thinks for a moment before finally deciding on which ones. First, she picks the middle finger, and Joran nods which sees her smile. Nima continues to think and pick her next choice which is the left finger. Again, Joran nod to tell her she is right. She thinks for a moment about the right finger but looks into Joran's eyes and his smile. A shake of her head smiling is what she gives for an answer.
"You are good."
Nima can't believe it. She is happy to know she is right and so is Joran. There is an odd pause as their attention is taken away from the game. The two of them look down and see her hand on top of his. Neither of them retracts their hand. Both find the situation odd. Joran didn't know what to do and neither did she. He wants to say something but it took him a moment and the chance never come.
Joran didn't get to do what he desires. His wrist device starts going off. An audio transmission coming from his father. Joran transfers his call onto the large screen in front of them.
"Father?" Joran questions and is surprised by the early call.
"Are you and the girl safe, son?"
"Yes, father. Why do..."
"Good. Disable the defense systems on the main entrance. We are coming in."
Joran finds it odd hearing his father's demands but do as he asks. The main doors open. Kalsor comes down with Andor, Bodgar and Lorphiel. The new faces make Nima hide behind Joran. Joran is fast to put his fist over his heart and bow his head to the sight of King Andor. Before Joran can ask anything about the wound on his father, Kalsor assures him.
"I'm alright."
"We had some guests late last night that were not welcome. A few Golden Nova bastards paid off by a Federation soldier to kidnap the girl. He knows you have been around her as have I," Kalsor explains before looking to Nima. "There is something else at work here. Something deeper."
"What do you mean, father?"
"I am not sure but I have to go away for the day into the Vemoit region. I need to visit someone who might have some answers to these mysteries. Until then, I don't want of you to leave the compound until my return," Kalsor tells him and Joran immediately object to his father's orders.
"Father, the Ascending Inferno Dance is tonight. They are having it at the beach where the borders meet. All my friends will be there," Joran says abruptly and Kalsor is silent trying to think of something to calm his son's complaint.
"I need you here to stay safe," Kalsor tells him, and Joran object once more.
"I will be fine. The others will be there too," he says before there is a beep and Mildral's logo comes up on the main screen.
"It is true. Plus I will have my bots and drones there. I can watch out for them. Nobody is going to harm him."
"I appreciate your assistance, Mildral but it is a sacrifice Joran will have to make," Kalsor says to him and Joran verbally fight him.
"Why?" His son asks and Kalsor finds it surprising.
"What?"
"Why must I sacrifice this? It is on the beaches in a large crowd. Plus there are plenty of Federation soldiers on duty and with Mildral there it will be fine."
"You will do as instructed, son," Kalsor tells him with a more firm tone and Joran is silent but still bothered. "We will discuss this when I return," he says to him placing his hands on his son seeing the displeasure.
Kalsor says nothing more or allows more of a debate about the matter. He and the others he arrived with start their long hike. Kalsor is focused on the path in front of him but Andor did not hesitate to address the matter.
"Do you think he won't defy you?"
"He best not if he knows what is good for him."
"What is good for him?" Lorphiel questions shaking his head. "He is thirteen and allowed to make his choices now."
"He may be a Premderian adult but is still a child who knows nothing."
"Limiting him and not allowing to what he desires is terrible but he is not caged like a wild beast," Bodgar tells him, and Kalsor didn't argue with his friend. "But..." Bodgar saying the word before pausing makes everyone listen. "If he finds out what happened a year ago, no cage will hold him."
Back in the caves, Joran did stand unhappy but is different. Restraint is far from his mind. He pounds his fist down hard on the floor. The ground shakes, startling Nima while she stands there. She sees Joran drop his hand. His blood drops down to the rocks. Her eyes watch it make a very small puddle but stop shortly. She sees his hand and watches as it instantly heals. Joran is far from calm and breathes fast. Nima takes a step forward.
"Don't," he says with a voice that sounds like his but another that is deeper and more sinister. "Don't come near me."
Joran feels himself changing. The bones in his body become thicker along with his muscles. He feels his teeth become sharper suddenly. The whole time he has his eyes shut. When he opens them they are that of a beast. Joran didn't finish as he feels her hands wrap around him just when his fingernails become slightly longer and sharper. She holds him tight while whispering something.
"You are not alone."
Her words make him stop transforming. His hands loosen and the grown muscles return to normal form. The eyes he shows change back. After returning to his regular form, Nima still holds him tight. Joran places his hands on top of hers. She finds his touch as a good sign.
"Are you interested in going?" He asks before turning around to look at her showing his smile that attracts her interest.
"Your...father..."
"I will not keep you held here against your will," Joran says while looking to her arm and see she have thirteen crimson bars like him. "You are an adult like me. You should be free to do the same," he tells her and Nima find his words encouraging.
"Safe...with...Joran... I am happy...with...Joran," she says to him and smiles while making eye contact with him. "I...go...with...Joran..."