On the seventeenth day after the Sumer flagship departed, carrying Queen Nammu into exile, Ars Pheria received a new communication from the Sumer. It was a pre-recorded message from Ka, sixteen-year-old son of Queen Nammu. The massage was looping endlessly, as if forgotten, repeating itself for more than two hours.

  Alessandro, Perla, and Senator Guellermo were the first to listen. The message was a cryptic and unsettling one, but its meaning was clear, leaving an eerie sense of unease in the room. Soon, select members of the Senate gathered in the white communication room, drawn by the urgency of the transmission.

  One of Alessandro’s first actions as Emperor had been to form a dedicated working group of senators to assist him directly with matters regarding the Sumer. He wanted to ensure that every member of the Senate felt included and that each had a hand in shaping the course of their response. This wasn’t just about him; it was about the unity of Ars Pheria in the face of an unprecedented threat.

  Ka’s message was direct and unmistakably clear:

  "This is Ka, son of Queen Nammu, speaking. Our communication with the Sumer flagship has been severed by the Ziggurat defenders, and we have no information regarding its current whereabouts. This message is to inform Emperor Sephianos and the people of Ars Pheria that the flagship crew, along with Queen Nammu, will arrive in peace. I repeat, the flagship will not use weapons upon arrival. Queen Nammu expects Ars Pheria to welcome her and her crew in peace."

  Alessandro and the senators knew they didn’t have a choice but to welcome the queen in peace and see if the Sumer Ziggurat will follow to get back the flagship. At least now they know that they have some more time to think and maybe find a way to help the Queen in exile to return to her planet.

  “What does ‘the flagship will not use weapons upon arrival’ mean?” Senator Guellermo asked, furrowing his brow. “Should we interpret this as the flagship being armed and capable of using weapons if necessary?”

  "Yes, the flagship is heavily armed and can use its weapons if Queen Nammu is not welcomed in peace," Alessandro explained. "To ensure her safety, she will remain aboard the flagship in space and travel to Ars Pheria in a shuttle. If she feels her safety is at risk upon arrival, the flagship will be prepared to use force."

  "So, it seems we’ll be playing a high-stakes game of poker with the Queen," Senator Guellermo said raising his one brow in uncertainty. "Let’s hope she’s convinced we have the means to defend our planet."

  “She will,” Perla said, reassuring the senator. “All Sumerians fear the Ghull, in one way or another. Queen Nammu may believe she’s free from such fears, but she doesn’t realize how deeply it still affects her. We’ll convince her that the Ghull is our protector.”

  On the nineteenth day after leaving Sumeria, the Sumer flagship appeared over the city of Terra Nova, a colossal sphere-shaped vessel gleaming in the morning sun. The copper-colored ship, despite barely grazing the second layer of the planet's atmosphere, was clearly visible from Terra Nova. Ars Pherians watched anxiously, yet they were prepared to welcome the exiled Queen.

  As Alessandro had anticipated, the Queen landed on Ars Pherian soil in a shuttle, accompanied by a small crew of four Sumerians. Marcus and his commanders recovered the shuttle from the plains south of Terra Nova and escorted the passengers to the palace. Citizens of Terra Nova filled the streets around the palace, eager to witness this historic day.

  Queen Nammu gazed at the streets of Terra Nova, filled with people in their solar vehicles, all eager to catch a glimpse of her. Despite the city’s beauty and order, there was something unsettling about Ars Pheria. The statues of life-sized nudes and proud horses made her uneasy. The grace and confidence of the city’s people only deepened her insecurity. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were laughing at her, mocking her. Perhaps they had expected a more glorious queen, draped in elaborate gowns, not one in the utilitarian suits of space travel.

  Queen Nammu’s gaze fell upon one of the women as they neared the palace. The woman was beautiful, but too delicate by Sumerian standards, dressed in a sheer silk gown that clung to her slender frame, far slimmer than the typical Sumerian body. Queen Nammu herself was taller, fuller, and more solidly built. Her own lush, curly hair, thick and untamed, was braided neatly as always, a stark contrast to the softness of the other woman's appearance.

  The vehicle came to a stop before the grand stairs leading to the palace entrance. At the top, Alessandro and Perla stood waiting for the Queen. As Queen Nammu and General Urla made their way up the steps side by side, Nammu had expected to be greeted by Perla alone. Instead, she was taken aback to see Alessandro standing in place of Emperor Sephianos.

  A flicker of doubt crossed her mind. Had the Emperor chosen not to greet her himself? Or had he deliberately sent his son, perhaps as a subtle political message, that a queen in exile was no longer his equal?

  “Emperor Sephianos the Second, and Princess Perla Sephianos,” Marcus announced, his voice strong and respectful as he introduced them.

  “Welcome to Ars Pheria, Queen Nammu,” Alessandro said, his tone polite but stern. “I am pleased to finally meet you. We have been expecting your arrival.”

  He offered no smile, no warmth in his words, his greeting was as formal and controlled as the situation demanded. There was no need for cordial pleasantries, not in the face of such political weight. The space between them was filled with a quiet tension, each of them aware of the delicate balance being struck in that moment.

  “Emperor Sephianos, the pleasure is all ours to be on Ars Pheria with such a warm welcome,” Queen Nammu said, her voice calm, though her eyes scanned Alessandro, weighing him. “Congratulations on your ascension, and I hope your father retired in good health.”

  Alessandro’s expression remained impassive. “Unfortunately, my father passed away while you were on your way,” he said, his words devoid of any overt emotion.

  “I am deeply saddened to hear that,” Queen Nammu replied, her tone dipping into a rare, genuine sadness.

  “Thank you,” Alessandro replied, then gestured for the Sumerians to follow him into the palace. As they approached the entrance, Marcus stepped closer to Alessandro, his voice low and urgent.

  "Sire, the two Sumerian soldiers are carrying light weapons," Marcus whispered, his eyes flicking toward the soldiers. Both Marcus and Alessandro knew well that the soldiers' weapons were the least of the threats Ars Pheria was facing at the moment, but it was still important not to allow weapons inside the palace. Marcus saw this as an opportunity for the new Emperor to assert his authority before they entered.

  Alessandro’s steps faltered. He stopped and turned sharply toward Queen Nammu, his expression unreadable.

  "Queen Nammu, I must ask that you disarm your companions," Alessandro said, hiding his displeasure. "Please rest assured, you will not be harmed in my home."

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  The young Emperor's self-confidence impressed Queen Nammu. He was more poised and striking than his late father, with a sharper presence that both intrigued and unsettled her. Despite her reservations, she knew she had little choice in the matter. She nodded curtly to her two soldiers, signaling them to surrender their weapons to Marcus. The soldiers complied without protest, following Alessandro in silence as they entered the palace.

  “You may rest for the remainder of the day,” Perla said smoothly, assuming her role as the gracious hostess. “The Emperor and I would like you to join us for dinner later.”

  The Sumerian guests were escorted to their rooms at the back of the palace. These quarters had originally been designed for the palace maids, but after they were relocated to another building, the rooms had remained empty. Now, they would serve a different purpose, hosting the very guests that Alessandro wished, with increasing reluctance, did not exist.

  Before dinner, Queen Nammu and General Urla were introduced to Ava, the rumored “secret weapon” of Ars Pheria, who was said to have the unique ability to communicate with the Ghull. The moment was part of the delicate political dance Alessandro had choreographed, one in which Ava was a carefully placed card in his hand. He introduced her with a confident smile, “This is Ava, my future wife and the future Empress of Ars Pheria.”

  Perla, momentarily caught off-guard by Alessandro’s bold and unanticipated promotion of Ava, composed herself quickly and nodded with a polite smile. There was no room for personal doubts or discussions about internal matters in front of strangers, not when every word and gesture could be scrutinized by the Queen and her General.

  Queen Nammu, however, seemed to soften toward Ava in a way that was notably absent when she looked at Perla. The Queen's gaze lingered on Ava with an intensity that could only be described as both inquisitive and thoughtful. During dinner, as the conversations followed important topics, Queen Nammu took the opportunity to ask the question that had been on her mind since their introduction. She was interested in Ava and her glowing skin.

  “There are phenomena in this universe that technology cannot explain,” said Ava. “I am a light healer, and my glow is my protection from the Ghull’s dark fumes.”

  Queen Nammu froze when she heard the word "Ghull." She did not move for a long time, her eyes locked on Ava. Her emotional aura flared with fearful purples and deep, dark blues. General Urla’s face turned ashen, and he barely managed to reach for his water, swallowing hard as he struggled to maintain his composure.

  Ava took the game one step further and demonstrated how she could concentrate the light in her palm. The soft glow illuminated her face as she shaped the sphere of light, her control over it steady and precise.

  It took several long minutes for Queen Nammu to regain her composure. Her eyes flickered between the glowing sphere and Ava, her mind clearly struggling to reconcile what she had just witnessed. Slowly, her breath returned to normal, and she blinked, shaking her head as though to clear the haze of disbelief.

  “Are you all right, Queen Nammu?” asked Perla, her voice dripping with quiet satisfaction as she observed the queen’s reaction.

  “I think I didn’t quite understand what you mean,” the exiled queen replied, her gaze still fixed on Ava. “Who is the Ghull?”

  “The Ghull is the divine being who granted Ars Pheria to all of us, the descendants of Rome. He is our protector,” Alessandro answered boldly, his voice firm. He could see the swirling emotions in the queen’s aura, fear and confusion tangled together. But there was no suspicion, no sense of deceit in her expression. She wasn’t yet convinced, but she wasn’t dismissing the possibility either.

  “Ava is fortunate to be born as a light healer,” he continued, his tone carrying the weight of a deep truth he had come to accept. “She can see and speak with the Ghull.”

  The room grew quieter. Queen Nammu’s uncertainty remained, but there was something more in her expression now. She took a slow breath, then spoke, her voice tinged with disbelief.

  “I never thought the myths could have a fraction of reality in them,” she said, her gaze flickering between Ava and Alessandro. “I am deeply shaken to hear that the existence of the Ghull is real, especially from a firsthand witness.”

  Her words were heavy with the realization that the Sumerian legends she had dismissed as mere stories were now staring her in the face. She glanced at Ava again, her fear still present but now mixed with awe.

  “I had been taught that the Ghull was a creation of fear, a tale told to keep us in line, to keep us from questioning the authority of the ancients. To hear that not only is it real but that one can communicate with it…” Her voice trailed off, struggling to wrap itself around the weight of the revelation.

  “The Ghull is real, powerful, and quite protective,” Ava said confidently.

  “And may I ask what he would gain in return?” the Queen asked, suddenly calm, her emotional aura shifting from purple to orange, the color of courage and resolve. “Not even a divine being would give power and protection for free.”

  Alessandro could see the Queen gaining confidence. Though she was still scared, she refused to surrender to her fear. Her big brown eyes had faced many poker-faces before, and it became clear to him that he had underestimated her political resolve.

  “The Ghull will receive what he deserves in due time, though that moment has not yet come,” Alessandro replied before Ava could, shielding her from the Queen’s daring question. “Neither of us should concern ourselves with that now. You should focus on your own immediate worries.”

  “Do you have a plan in mind, Queen Nammu?” interrupted Perla. “To reclaim your throne and save Princess An?” She shifted the subject from the Ghull to the direction her brother had indicated. The Queen’s question bothered Perla as much as it did the Emperor.

  “Yes, there is a plan we worked on with General Urla,” the Queen replied. Her confidence wavered slightly, but it was still evident. “For this plan to succeed, we need your help, Emperor Sephianos. We need fuel for our flagship to return to Sumeria and launch a surprise attack on the Ziggurat ships. Many commanders of the Sumer space navy are still loyal to me. With their support, there’s a strong chance we can prevail.”

  “What sort of fuel do you need?” Alessandro asked.

  “Uranium, plutonium, or thorium are commonly used for nuclear power,” General Urla replied. “However, there are rarer and more powerful elements, such as Aureon, also known as Solarex or ‘liquid gold’, due to its striking resemblance to gold.”

  Perla glanced at Alessandro with alarmed eyes. It was clear to her that General Urla was lying, he already knew about the liquid gold reserves of Ars Pheria. Denial was no longer an option.

  “We will not deny that we possess vast amounts of the fuel you need here on Ars Pheria,” Alessandro replied, his voice calm and unperturbed. It was as if he hadn’t been fazed by the fact that the Sumerians already knew about the liquid gold reserves. Instead, he leaned into the conversation with the confidence of a protection by an unseen force, like the Ghull, whom he had never seen, yet believed could halt the massive, nuclear-armed flagship hovering above the city. "But what do you offer in return?" he asked.

  “Your Highness,” General Urla began, his voice steady, “our Sumerian space research has uncovered evidence of another civilization in a neighboring galaxy. It is clear that neither we nor you are alone in this universe. In time, we or those civilizations will inevitably encounter each other. Not all of them may be as peaceful or friendly as Ars Pheria and Sumeria. We must form an alliance, one that ensures mutual protection should an attack come.”

  “Perhaps it would be better if we never find those civilizations,” Alessandro said, his tone resolute. “Maybe all Sumer needs to do is stop searching.”

  “If we stop searching for intelligent life, we lose our advantage,” Queen Nammu replied, her voice steady. “We must keep looking to understand what we might face. Unfortunately, the Ziggurat will not allow General Urla’s research to continue. If I reclaim my throne, I can share any new intelligence with Ars Pheria.” She paused for a moment, her gaze sharpening on Ava. “Or perhaps you already know about these other civilizations. Maybe the Ghull has already revealed the universe’s secrets to you.”

  The queen's arrogant tone struck a nerve in Alessandro, but deep down, he knew she was right. The most logical course of action for Ars Pheria was to help her.

  “We will need some time to consider your offer,” Alessandro said, his voice controlled but firm.

  “I’m afraid time is not a luxury we have, Your Highness,” General Urla interjected. “The flagship will soon be out of power if we don’t act quickly.”

  As soon as the General finished his sentence, a deafening bang echoed through the air. The room fell into stunned silence before they rushed to the windows to witness a massive explosion on the side of the flagship, followed by the detonation of three other surrounding ships. The flashes of light illuminated the dark night sky over Ars Pheria.

  “We are too late!” Queen Nammu cried out in despair, her voice trembling with disbelief.