July 8th, 2486 - Planet Sanctuary, Sanctuary City - Koltura District - The Ruins of the Teqaku Family Mansion

The clock struck midnight, somewhere in the carcass of the Teqaku family mansion. They stood on the balcony, overlooking the entrance. Abiona’s breath became shallow, her eyes widened and her pulse raced.

‘So good of you to join us, Abiona. You seem to be in good health—although, that was to be expected. You have always been very good at causing trouble for everyone else … but as per usual, you’re doing just fine.’

Yared stepped forward, causing Chara to flinch instinctively. Abiona wondered what the others saw, when they looked at him. Her brother was handsome, although not particularly tall. His smile was innocent, his hair framed his face as a lion’s mane frames the jaws of that magnificent creature. Angora grew tense beside her, and Abiona stole a glance at her companions. Ichiro had picked up on it too; those lifeless, yet penetrating eyes.

‘Abiona … who is that?’ Ichiro asked, his voice low.

‘My brother’, Abiona responded, shakily. ‘Yared Var Oostabar Gan Kuji, first of his name … and second in line to the throne of the Wulver Empire.’

‘We’re taking you in, Ichiro Gorkanja!’ Olivia Mar Kolla yelled from below, hand tightening on her holster.

‘I like her!’ Yared said. ‘Olivia is very driven, she’ll go far … but let’s drop the false pretences shall we?’

Now it was Akira Choganta’s turn to tense up. Yared began to pace, slowly, from left to right, Chara fearfully following him with her eyes, glued to the spot.

‘I don’t believe that you two miscreants were capable of kidnapping a Princess’, Yared continued, pacing, pacing ... ‘I do believe, however, that my sister is to blame, as she often is, for her current predicament. Tell me Ichiro Gorkanja, how much did she pay you to take her away from her cruel, cruel prison, hm? More money than you’ve ever seen in your life I’d wager.’

Ichiro remained silent, stony faced.

‘She’s incredibly selfish … her presence on this planet jeopardises the integrity of the entire Wulver Empire’, Yared continued. ‘She is the heir to the throne, after all. Not that it matters anymore. I’m going to turn you into an example, Ichiro, and strange Bungirban from the colonies. My sister isn’t fit to rule anymore! A stranger stole her away, did unspeakable things to her—look, look she’s traumatised! She’ll never be right again! I suppose I’ll have to ascend the throne in her stead ... and I’ll have to colonise Sanctuary for allowing this atrocity to take place.’

‘How dare you Yared!’ Abiona spat. ‘You know better than that! You’re not this cruel, I know you’re not!’

‘Who taught me how to be?’ Yared asked, bluntly. ‘Was it the mother who absconded with rebels when I was five … a father that was never home, spending his time in leisure facilities on distant worlds, or the sister who kept trying to run away … no, it was Akira Choganta who stepped up when you wouldn’t. I am the man I am today because of him.’

Akira let out a sigh of relief, running a hand through his beard. Angora cracked his neck and bounced on his feet.

‘You alright down there Chara?’ he asked.

‘I—I’ve been better’, Chara replied, her voice warbling.

‘Sounds like there’s going to be a fight’, Pazzik sighed.

‘Yared!’ Abiona yelled. ‘I’ll come home when I’m ready, and not before—these two men are innocent, and I’ll be damned if I let you tell anyone otherwise! You hear me?’

‘Blow them away—try not to hit my sister’, Yared said with a yawn, and raised his hand.

Akira and Olivia drew their guns in a flash.

‘Pazzik, Chara—I’m gonna’ do something stupid—try not die!’, Angora yelled.

He jumped, summersaulting in the air to gain momentum. His legs ignited, a pulsing, vibrant red aura engulfing the two limbs. Akira and Olivia fired, bolts of superheated plasma erupting from their guns and launching through the air. Angora fell, the bolts missing him by a few inches. Chara was running full tilt, towards the corridor that led to the kitchen, pulling her grandfather by the arm. They just made it out of the blast radius as Angora’s feet hit the floor. The mosaic floor exploded. Ceramic, brick, mortar, glass shards from the chandelier—all came up in a plume of smoke and dust, the foundations of the mansion shaking with the impact. A room collapsed on the second floor, a turret crumbled into ash outside. Abiona and Ichiro held fast to the balcony for dear life.

‘This power is wonderful!‘, Yared cried out.

A second later he was winded, as he was flung backwards through the air.