Sophianopolis airport was bubbling with feverish activity. Normally calm and orderly, the place seemed to have been transformed into a giant open-air market. On all sides, airport staff were racing to prepare a Sukoi-27, the flagship of angelic aviation.
Parked right in the middle of the main esplanade, the Imperial fleet vessel was undergoing a battery of tests and being refuelled. To this hive of activity was added the crowd that had come to witness the departure. News of the 'awakening' of the last swordmaster had spread quickly through the population and the Prince's events had been relayed and followed closely. The angels had come to show their support for their prince and, at the same time, to satisfy their curiosity by seeing with their own eyes Lou standing on two legs, her blades crossed behind her back.
Niris felt numb from all the commotion. His conversation with the swordmaster had taken place only the day before, and she had announced their departure in the same breath. He had just woken up from a fierce battle with his inner demon and was now parachuted into a Sukoï-27 on his way to Selanpe. He wouldn't even have time to say goodbye to his father, who was off on a tour of conferences and meetings at the organisation....
But he knew he had no time. They were racing against time and they were sure to lose if they started too late. Lou's state of health was worrying, and his fight with Niyari couldn't wait. Nor could Seiran, about whom he still had no news.
He shook his head to clear the dark thoughts from his mind and strode towards the machine in the middle of last-minute maintenance.
-Niris!" called a voice behind him.
He turned to face his best friend and his twin brother. His eyes widened in surprise and a smile lit up his face.
-Jabiru! You're back from your mission? it's been a long time!
The tall angel hugged the prince warmly.
-I got back in the middle of the night," he explained. I had to drag myself out of bed to say goodbye to you, so be grateful!
Niris patted him on the shoulder and the travelling angel looked as if he was in pain. Jibaru rolled his eyes. Unlike him, his brother was a child who had forgotten to grow up. With Niris, he was a pair. The two of them never wasted a moment playing the fool.
-You bet, I dragged him out of bed and if I hadn't kicked him in the arse he'd never have moved!
Jabiru laughed guiltily and Niris continued to provoke him. The little group bickered their way to the launch pad where the Sukoï-27 would be installed for its departure. The air ruffled their hair and a rush of adrenalin made Niris want to dive into the air in a twisting dive towards the ground before climbing back up with the warm currents. But he held back. He had no time for games.
-I absolutely wanted to see you before you left," the twin resumed, looking serious again. You don't know this, but your father sent me on a secret mission to Yerpena a month ago.
Niris instinctively turned his head, all his attention focused on his friend.
-To Yerpena? Have you seen Seiran?" he questioned her without delay.
-Yes, I saw him," sighed the angel with a smile. My mission was to check on his health, to plant a spy with Zorkiel to support Seiran and to find a clue to the disappearance of his mother, the regent.
-Méohle Ralaar," added Niris mechanically.
The travelling angel nodded.
-The Emperor wanted to know if she was being held prisoner by Zorkiel or if she had managed to escape, so he would know how to proceed. I haven't been able to find any indication of her whereabouts, but one thing's for sure: she's no longer on Ornikarn and Zorkiel's looking for her too.
Niris frowned. The news was rather reassuring, but now it was a question of finding out where she was before Zorkiel.
-Do you have any news about her sister?" asked Niris.
-Her sister?" asked Jibaru in astonishment. The regent has a sister?
-No, Prince Seiran's sister," corrected Jabiru.
Jibaru looked at Niris in bewilderment. How was it that he was the only one who didn't know that Prince Seiran, the demon heir, had a sister?
-Seiran has a little sister, but few people know of her existence because his mother didn't bring him up on Ornikarn," explained Niris, seeing the shocked look on his friend's face. They faked her death at birth to hide her existence from the world.
Jabiru shook his head as he listened to the prince's story.
-Why did her parents want to hide her existence? asked the head of the imperial administration, still flabbergasted not to know such a thing.
-She's inherited some... special skills, so to speak.
Niris didn't want to elaborate. Firstly because Seiran himself hadn't given him many more details, but above all because his sister's existence had to remain a secret for as long as possible to protect her.
-In any case, she's safe for the moment. I managed to locate her with the help of Prince Seiran and was able to confirm her good health and isolation. Zorkiel has no knowledge of her existence at the moment. The good news is that he has no direct leverage over Seiran.
Niris couldn't hold back a sigh of relief. This was the first good news he'd heard about the coup in Yerpena in two months.
-Thank you, Jabi," he smiled.
The angel reassured him with a pat on the shoulder that almost made him take a step to the side. Although he resembled his twin in every way, Jabiru had a natural strength that always surprised the prince. He was no slouch himself, but his small stature could never compensate for his friend's brute strength.
-Don't worry, we'll get him out of there," he reassured him. My mission now is to find Regent Meohle Ralaar and get her to safety. After that, we can get down to business.
Niris felt galvanised by the travelling angel's confidence. A lot was still uncertain, but it wasn't hopeless. They could still turn things around. This new information gave him renewed courage and determination to fight his own battle.
He was about to resume his conversation with his two friends when Lou called him in a loud voice. He turned round. She motioned for him to join her. The Sukoï-27 was being moved by the ground teams. Totally silent, it moved slowly from its parking place to the launch pad. Departure was approaching.
Niris turned to say goodbye to the two brothers, his eyes moist, as Jabiru placed a small seed in his hand.
-Take this," he said with a warm smile.
Curious, the angel opened his hand. In the palm of his hand, he saw a small pale yellow bean that he recognised immediately.
-I gave the second one to Seiran," said the angel with a wink.
A radiant smile suddenly lit up the angel's face. Suddenly, he threw himself at the two brothers, who laughed in return.
-Thank you, thank you for everything," said Niris with emotion.
After a moment, he separated from them and watched them for a while.
-I'm going to train, I'm going to control Niyari, I'm going to get stronger and I'm going to come back to save Seiran and beat Zorkiel," he announced forcefully. I promise I'll come back twice as strong as I am now!
-We're counting on you!" replied Jibaru, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
His brother nodded with the same confidence. They both knew the Prince could do it. They trusted him.
-You can count on us to take care of the rest, and don't worry about Zorkiel during your training," Jabiru assured her.
Clasping their hands tightly, Niris took a step backwards and finally separated from his two friends before rejoining Lou, who was calling his name. Before climbing into the vehicle, he gave them one last wave. On the last step leading inside, the angel stopped. He cast a peripheral glance around him. At the foot of the Sukoï, all those who ensured the smooth running of the airport had gathered to watch it leave. Further on, behind the security barriers that prevented public access to the aircraft runway, the crowd watched in silence.
For a moment, Niris immersed himself in the solemn atmosphere that had suddenly taken over the crowded and noisy place a few moments earlier. He watched the smiles, the gestures of encouragement and the joy of the children as they waved excitedly from afar. A tingling sensation ran through his body. At that very moment, he felt all the confidence and hope that these angels had placed in him. He had the feeling that he was leaving without the loneliness that had accompanied him since the day before at the thought of departure, but with his heart swelling with the support of his own kind.
Resuming his ascent, he entered the aircraft and went to stand next to the swordmaster who was already installed in the command post. He sat down in the co-pilot's seat in front of the large window that opened onto the sky in front of them.
-Are you ready?" asked Lou as a formality.
-Yes, we're good to go," he confirmed.
For the first time since his return to his home planet, he felt calm. Almost serene. He was no longer afraid. He had regained confidence in himself, and in Seiran too. In the future. He wasn't alone. His friends were there to support him, his people supported him in his fight, his father and above all, this strange person who had returned from the past to help him accomplish his mission, Lou. He had an extraordinary master to make him stronger. He had everything he needed to succeed and he would succeed.
Ready for take-off!" Lou said into his microphone.
"Very well, launch supra-space engine," replied the control tower. "Take-off in forty seconds. Prince Niris, swordmaster, we wish you good luck on your journey. All the angels are with you in spirit in your fight and will support you to the end, so never doubt the righteousness of your actions!"
These words from the control tower pilot finished comforting Niris.
-All right, you can count on us! replied the swordmaster.
"Countdown begins. 40...39...38...37..." came a robotic voice in the prince's earpiece.
As the machine slowly began to move towards the end of the platform, Niris looked at the little Gojiak that he had kept in his hand. It had not yet germinated, so it was impossible for him to feel anything coming from the demon. He closed his fist gently and pressed it against his chest.
As the countdown drew to a close, the Sukoï-27 was propelled at an astonishing speed, pinning him against the back of his seat. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft took off into the sky. Propelled by the supra-spatial engine to keep it moving forward despite the constraint exerted on it by gravity. In no time at all, it would arrive in space and get rid of its engine, which would go straight back to the airport where it would be stored and reconditioned for a new take-off. After that, the Sukhoi-27 would run on natural energy supplied by a recycling co-inventor.
Their trip to Selanpe would take around two weeks, depending on the weather in space. Niris gazed into the dark blue of the space they had just reached. Their journey had begun.