"Follow me, alien," Grey said, leading the way.
Saal glanced at Qin Mo in confusion before following Grey toward the shuttle bay.
As they walked through the corridor, every passerby fixed their gaze on the pair. It was the first time anyone had seen an alien, and although they weren't sure exactly what kind, it was clear it wasn't human.
Saal basked in their stares, feeling as though he were walking among mere animals. Surely, these little creatures must be thinking: "What is this magnificent being? Why does he seem so regal?"
In his moment of self-admiration, Saal followed Grey to the shuttle dock and boarded the craft.
Grey sat first, and once Saal had taken his seat, he instructed, "You should fasten yourself with the straps on the side, then lower the harness above your head…"
"Do you take me for a monkey?" Saal snapped, clearly offended, ignoring Grey's advice. He gripped the protruding edges of the seat with his hands instead.
The shuttle took off swiftly, headed for the planet's surface.
Though the ride was turbulent, to Grey's surprise, Saal managed to steady himself using sheer strength, remaining unaffected by the lack of restraints.
As Grey studied Saal, analysis data appeared in his field of vision, detailing the alien's physique. The readings showed that Saal had no body fat and his heart rate was alarmingly fast, as though he were ill.
Noticing Grey's gaze, Saal shifted his eyes and asked suddenly, "Your army uses teleportation technology. What's the principle behind it?"
Grey remained silent.
"How many warriors like you are there? I've noticed your power armor differs from that of the regular soldiers," Saal probed again.
Still, Grey said nothing.
"Come on, share something," Saal frowned. "I've fought alongside the resistance for a long time. I've stood in foul-smelling sewers, battling enemies to buy time for hundreds of children to escape deeper underground."
"So?" Grey asked bluntly.
Realizing Grey hadn't grasped the gravity of his words, Saal quickly added, "Perhaps to you, wading through filth is nothing. But for me, it's intolerable. Dying in battle might be painful, but stepping in sewage is far worse. Do you understand? I've made great sacrifices."
Grey shook his head, bewildered. "I heard from my elders that your kind survives by eating trash."
"No, no, no. We don't—well, perhaps some of us do," Saal stopped mid-sentence, realizing Grey was playing dumb to avoid answering questions about teleportation technology.
Saal asked no more until the shuttle finally landed on the planet's surface.
As the door slowly lowered, Grey stood and gestured for Saal to leave. "Thank you for your service to the Loyalists on this planet. In return, we'll ensure your safe departure."
"That's it?" Saal's brow furrowed in dissatisfaction.
"That's it," Grey nodded, raising his hands as the shotguns embedded in his gauntlets began to spin. "Though, if you'd prefer, I could offer you a duel as a parting gift."
Saal had no interest in fighting Grey but couldn't suppress his discontent. "Shame on you, monkey. Shame for your rudeness. Not only did I assist your people, but I also have crucial information for you."
Curiosity piqued, Grey raised an eyebrow as Saal pulled a map from his armor, pointing to the southern polar region. "The leader of the Cult of the Lord of Wisdom—the Governor—he's hiding beneath this glacier."
"Thank you," Grey said, scanning the map and transmitting it to Qin Mo.
"Don't thank me. Feel ashamed for your insolence," Saal scoffed as he exited the shuttle, sprinting away at a speed that left him out of sight within seconds.
Grey scratched the back of his head and spoke through the comms. "Were we too hard on him? He did tell us where the Governor is hiding."
"Don't be fooled," Qin Mo replied. "Killing that Governor might be his real mission. He's just using us to get the job done."
"What do we do now?" Grey asked.
"Go kill the Governor, of course. I'll be joining the battle this time," Qin Mo responded, readying himself.
...
Tyrone II.
Beneath the icy expanse of the southern polar glacier stood an ancient fortress, heavily guarded at every corner by a mass of soldiers. They were tasked with protecting the leader of the Cult of the Lord of Wisdom—the nominal Governor of both Tyrone I and II—Arken.
While the soldiers maintained their strict vigilance, Arken sat in the central chamber of the fortress, silently observing the ritual before him.
A sorcerer stood at the center, chanting incantations.
Before him lay an ancient stone coffin, inside of which rested a red-haired girl with an angelic face. Her features were pure and innocent, and even in death, she wore a sweet smile.
"All-knowing K'yeh, you are the omniscient oracle under the Lord of Wisdom, a beacon of foresight in mortal eyes," the sorcerer intoned. "Governor Arken of the Tyrone system summons you. We have sacrificed tens of thousands of souls, our sincerity beyond question…"
"Please, deign to inhabit this perfect vessel. I have dispelled the soul that once resided within it, leaving it vacant for your divine presence."
The sorcerer's language shifted into something Arken could understand as he continued.
The girl's body began to tremble, scales and feathers emerging from her arms and face.
Arken's heart ached as he watched her transform—his own daughter, now a mere tool for the ritual. He had sacrificed so much: burning hundreds of thousands of pure souls from the planet and using his daughter's body as the vessel.
But at least, it had worked.
The girl's body floated out of the coffin, grotesquely morphing into a two-legged bird-like creature, a hideous demon host.
The demon, K'yeh, had arrived. It opened its eyes, surveying the room before turning its gaze to Arken.
"Devoted mortal, what is it you seek from me?" K'yeh's ethereal voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"I need you as my advisor. I want the truth and prophecy from your lips so that I may rise unchallenged in the game of power and schemes," Arken declared.
K'yeh nodded silently. "You may ask me anything, and I will give you the true answer."
"Finally," Arken laughed, though tears streamed down his face. "I've given up my status. I've given up my daughter. Finally, I—"
K'yeh interrupted with a burst of laughter.
Arken, startled, looked at the demon in confusion. "Why are you laughing?"
"The ritual to summon me is complex... but not so complex as to require your daughter as a vessel. You could have used anyone," K'yeh explained.
Arken's fury flared, and he glared at the sorcerer.
The sorcerer laughed too.
K'yeh then offered a parting warning. "Once I enter the material universe, unless you speak my true name, I can only tell the truth."
Realizing the depth of his betrayal, Arken grabbed his communicator and ordered his guards outside, "Drag the sorcerer out and subject him to every punishment known in this system!"
The guards stormed into the chamber, seizing the laughing sorcerer.