Book of Hours

The Ninth Hour

Sitting alone in a room filled to mend and heal my very body I felt an ironic sense that nothing would help me. Like its initial design was to hault any advancement to my own personal happiness. I couldn't trust anyone, I could cry to anyone, and I felt the same cosmic loneliness that fill space with cold emptiness and vast nothingness. I could cry, I couldn't scream, and I couldn't move. Never have I felt so helpless in a place I fought to keep orderly. Time was running out, and soon death and fight would rain down into the halls of the Citadel, leaving nothing but shard remains of God's Creation.

Who was left to help me in a world where I have no control over?

Then a light broke my though and a glimmer of hope shined as the princess was brought into the same room and mine. Wheeling her in the attached her to the same halo of wires, unknowingly giving me the edge I need to escape. They figured that my interaction with her some how triggered my independence from them yet, didn't understand how it happened. By recreating the event they hope it would show them how exactly it could of happened.

She still hasn't moved and I worried she might be losing her strength by being cut and probed. As she drew closer her thoughts invaded mine and for the first time we spoke collectively.

Lonely.

I could hear her in my mind and I could sense she felt my sorrows.

We. Are. Lonely.

I didn't have to say anything it was as if she knew my every thought and she understood what it was to be me, and I her. We were connected, and in her company I wasn't alone.

We. Must. Flee.

I felt a surge of power the closer she got, and with out thinking, I freed myself from my restraints by some act of magic.

It was as if I could manipulate the air around me and electrify the room by sheer will to do so.

We. Are. Stronger. Together.

I couldn't understand how it was all happened but I knew I could trust her with my life. I slowly lift from the ground and she did the very same, as for the scientist they were dumbfounded not know how to react to the scene of unexplainable magic.

Quickly they alerted the rest of the Citadel and soon I was a fugitive to the very place I swore to protect.

Flying down the hall I felt a happiness of actual freedom as if I took my first breath today and I am unchained. Unfettered. Light as air and as hard as stone. I was impenetrable.

Armed men waited me at the end of the hall, and I saw the same shock as the other. See me along side the enemy, escaping the safest place in the Citadel. As they shot their rounds, every bullet recoiled as by some invisible shield engulfing me and the princess. Soon alarms blared and I felt eminent danger rapidly approaching.

We. Must. Leave. This. Place.

I knew if we stayed we would be killed, but the outside would do just the same. I would die in seconds and that scared me more then Vega's wrath.

I had only one option, to comadere one of the vessels and steal the Guardian from the tyrant who built it. It was a labor of potential failure but I believe I could accomplish anything with my new companion.

Turning the corner, I was stopped by the sight of my brother and the android. He has a new twin apparently, but I has no time to be jealous.

"Return the war criminal and return to your quarters before I am forced to use deadly force" he spoke with such distaint for my presence as if I was diseased or toxic to his health.

I couldn't speak, I hated him, but loved him. I was torn and so was the princess, we couldn't hurt him, even if he was not aware of his own actions.

"Would you really hurt me Kress," I knew the answer but wanted to hear him say it. Yet, he just repeated him self, like a mindless puppet.

I stood my ground and he ordered the android to attack. She spoke with the voice of a four year old, and ask me nicely to surrender but I knew it couldn't hurt me.

"Please behave," said the android as if I've done the wrongdoing and not her master.

Drawing a plasma knife from her hands she charge me and the princess, I braced myself for impact and held my breath.

The knife cut and burned my face and I didn't understand how it was possible.

It's. Hot. Sunfire.

In disbelief I changed course of action and flew over them and continued my escape.

Even with the distance between us I could hear my brother betray me and informing the others of my position.

Looking back, I saw my brother and it filled me again with sorrow. As he ordered the android to pursue us down the corridor and in to the main pavillion.