Plutonian

Chapter 9

The moment I walk past the luminescent doors and into the foyer my mind goes blank and my mouth falls open in awe.

I don't know what I was expecting to see here, maybe something fitting for such a sadistic civilization like widespread dungeons or torture chambers, anything but what I saw in front of me.

The long sofas and extended chairs remind me of the living room in my house on Earth but the similarities end there. The mere size of this room could rival the size of a football field.

"This way Miss Aria," Another polite Plutonian gestures for me to follow him through a maze of artistry. We walk past intricately carved statues of creatures I've never seen before, paintings and tapestries of various colours that I have ceased to remember.

And gold. I have never seen so much gold in my life.

Gold painted across the walls, gold chandeliers that hang from the ceiling and gold jewels littered on top of every piece of decoration, bringing everything to life.

I follow the tall Plutonian past the living room and down a long corridor. He doesn't utter a word as we walk along a row of portraits and I can't help but stare at the faces who watch me. Lucian I, Lucian XI, Lucian VII and so on. All generals of the Plutonian army.

The creatures responsible for plundering all the other planets under their control and exploiting them, just like they are doing to Earth. My fists clench and I force myself to take a breath. When we reach the end I see the name Lucian X printed boldly below a golden frame that gleams under a bright spotlight, I look up and am surprised to see a blank canvas with no face.

We stop at a glass balcony that looks over a beautiful garden with a blue pool in the centre that glows fluorescent blue. I peer over the glass edge and look up when I hear a whizzing sound approach us.

I barely pull my head in in time to avoid the platform that stops right beyond the balcony. I cast a wary glance at the Plutonian escorting me, he never bothered mentioning that a moving floor was about to smash into my head but he only stares ahead blankly.

He walks passed the glass railing that has folded to the sides and waits for me to do the same. I walk in apprehensively and try to steady myself as we move up a few floors.

Unlike the closed compartment lifts I am used to, this one consists of only a floor and glass barriers that reach up to my hips on all sides. If I were to fall over here I am certain no one would be bothered to help.

We go up three floors and he leads me in a circle down a corridor that looks over the pool in the centre. We walk past five doors before he finally stops at one and knocks on it.

He pauses and we wait in silence until I hear the words "Come in."

He opens the door for me and I take a deep breath before walking in. I am afraid of what awaits and am only partly thankful when the Plutonian who lead me here walks in after.

On one hand I am afraid to be alone with Lucian but this Plutonian doesn't seem so helpful. I suddenly long for the calmness in Aster's voice or the assurance in Quan's gaze.

Once we are in I have to blink a few times to adjust to the dimness of my surroundings.

Everything outside is bright and vibrant, but here it is dark, almost menacing.

My heart thumps in my chest as I take in the faint outline of a huge bed that takes up half of the large room. There are no lights on, only lamps with translucent bubbles that burst with each other upon contact.

They are all different shades of blue and they give the room a rather ominous look making me wonder if he has done this to frighten me.

"Master Lucian, would you like me to send in an appetizer or a snack before your meal is ready?" The Plutonian next to me almost whispers and I notice that his hands are shivering.