Every new moon he comes, the essence of powerful dark energy on Earth. A wretched man in spirit, the residue of centuries of hatred. He has no name, no real beginning or end and he has only grown stronger.

This information had been coming to Zoe waves. Aip had transmitted the thoughts to her head as a sick feeling overtook her.

The walls of the hotel twisted, the floors bent with every faltering step. Shadow wind filled the halls like smoke. She couldn't even begin to describe the color of it or the feeling of evil among it.

Pumpkin, walking along beside her, mewed as a beam of healing light emitted from his forehead. The room stopped spinning.

The sickness began to dissolve. "Thanks, Pumpkin." She picked him up and made it back to the room to see Aip no longer a blob, but in a body of his own. He was small, no taller than 4 feet, bulgy, and blue. His eyes were green and very large. On his forehead was a glistening white gem.

“About time you got here,” Sorci said. He stood by the window, looking out at the city lights as if he owned them.

“I see you’re feeling better.” She kneeled to Aip and tried not to squeal at his pretty adorable alien face. “What about you?”

“Better,” Aip said. “And you?”

Zoe gave a heavy sigh. “Fine, I guess.”

“Don’t let it trouble you, Zoe.” Aip’s words were enough to let her know he knew exactly what she was thinking. “There’s a reason this night was chosen.”

Sorci stepped away from the window. “So? Are we going to meet this ruler or not?”

“He cannot see me this weak,” Aip said. “You both must go and give him a message for me.”

“What message?” Zoe asked.

“Tell him to prepare," Aip said. "We will fight when the sun is farthest from the Earth.”

Zoe stood close to Sorci as they walked down the secret top floor of the building. Pumpkin followed not far behind them, stopping to sniff around at his own pace.

At the end of the hall was a spacious, empty room with a panoramic view of the city.

He was there, exactly like Aip said, sitting on his throne, a chair made of what looked like elephant tusks. He was ghost-like with slitted eyes like that of a snake. When he smiled at them, his teeth were sharp. Shadow wind lingered from his breath. He could change forms in the blink of an eye. So fast, you couldn’t see what it was he had momentarily turned into.

His voice alone froze the room. It was thick and heavy, iced over with hate. “Aha!” he said. “You know the secret of me!”

Sorci laughed. “I don’t think any preparation is necessary,” he said, rolling back his shoulders as he neared the ruler.

Zoe shook her head. “Ralph, don’t.”

The ruler’s eyes changed color and shape until they became a replica of Sorci’s.

“Nice trick.” Sorci’s hands went for the ruler’s neck but were pulled back by an invisible force.

“Ack!” The ruler laughed, his sharp teeth turning black as smoke blew from Sorci’s nose, eyes, and mouth as he fell to the floor, all life fading from him.

"Stop!" Zoe yelled.

The ruler turned to her. For a moment, his eyes turned white before becoming her own.

“Come closer,” he cackled.

“Only if you stop.”

“But I have.”

Zoe looked down at Sorci, sprawled on the floor, quiet and stiff. She could tell he would be okay as long as the ruler left him alone. So she did as he said and took a step closer.

The ruler's suit and tie turned into a familiar hospital gown. Bruises ran along the veins in his bare arm. “It was Aip, who brought you?” He said. “Is that correct?”

“Yes,” she said, horrified by his face, now a mixture of hers and his.

“Why?” The ruler suddenly shrieked. “Why do I have to be messed up like you?!”

A memory flashed through her head, the first time she was admitted to a mental hospital. Kristy was standing over her, crying.

“I didn’t mean it,” Zoe said. “I was just a kid!"

The ruler gave a crooked smile. “I hate you! I hate you!”

Blood boiled under her new skin. “I don’t know who you are, or what you are, but when the sun is farthest from the Earth, we will fight you!"

Sorci flinched from where he lay. Slowly he lifted himself up, limp and listless as a zombie. He looked around as if he’d forgotten where they were.

"Then it must be," the ruler said as he turned his back to them. "Meet me on the red planet, if you so wish for a fight."

Dust fragmenting from the corners of the room devoured the ruler until he was gone.

Sorci stumbled back, eyes wide with fear. "That's not right...What the hell was he?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you're a ghost for a hundred years, you see things, but nothing like that."

"Aip told us he was powerful. Maybe you should believe him."

"Fine. If I can't take him out with my own hands, I'll do whatever to take his place."

"I don't think that's what Aip brought us here to do," Zoe said. "Defeat him, yeah, but take his place?"

"I'd be better than that wretched thing, that's for sure."

"Maybe no one should be ruling the world."

"What do you know about order and power? You know nothing. You're just a girl. And not a particularly bright one."

Zoe glared at him. "Just shut up, okay? I'm not listening to some power freak who can barely stand straight."

Sorci winced in pain. "Fine," he said. "I need to get back to the terip."

Zoe reluctantly helped him walk down rows of stairs back to their room.

"And don't tell Aip what I told you," Sorci whispered before she unlocked the door.

"I won't," she said. He probably already knows.

They walked in to see Aip, a small shadow blob, gently pulling out a long, dark fabric printing from the terip with his tiny figures.

Zoe was mesmerized by the fabric. It looked black from far away, but up close it was aglow with the night sky. "These are the cloaks," she said. "The ones that protect you in space."

"Very good," Sorci mocked. "Surprised you figured that out."

Zoe kneeled beside Aip and shrugged. "Sorry," she said. "He's bummed out that some old guy beat the living daylights out of him."

"I take it it didn't go very well," Aip said, a somberness to his voice.

"He said he'd fight on the red planet."

"July 4th," Sorci said. "That's when the sun's furthest from the Earth."

"We have time then to prepare, I guess," Zoe said. "I don't understand. He seemed so powerful."

"He is part shapeshifter," Aip said. "He has no real identity, but he likes to take on others."

"Guess so," said Sorci.

The first cloak was finally freed from the terip.

"Here," Aip said, handing it to Zoe. "It's yours."

"Thank you, Aip." She stood up and put it on. The thin, silk-like fabric draped down to her ankles and a large, pointed hood hung at the shoulders. It changed colors in some spots like a mood ring. The moon moved around, changing phases until it stopped at a shining crescent in the middle of her back.

Aip began to print out Sorci's, though Zoe could feel his hesitation. It was no surprise to anyone anymore that Sorci was a lost cause, only trying to fight for his own gains.

"You will help us," Aip said. "Will you?"

"I said I would," Sorci said. "Didn't I?"