Cielo took less than two minutes to reach her destination.

  — It looks like some of our gardens... how does it manage to float?

  — "The data says that the rocks of the floating island are absorbing and emitting this strange energy; that must maintain the levitation somehow."

  — Somehow? Can’t you provide more details?

  — "Unfortunately not, miss. I am sorry."

  — It will have to be the questioning tactic, then... And that strange watery dome around the city?

  — "The analysis shows it is a kind of barrier."

  — Like the one covering the planet?

  — "No, it is entirely different. I could not extract any information from the planetary barrier; this one in the city seems to be only basic energy."

  — I understand, it is a difference in development. What number would you give this barrier compared to the planetary one in technological terms?

  — "Mmm... I would say the city's represents our first energy shield from 2,000 years ago, and the planetary one from about 200 years ago, but it is only a guess with very little data."

  — Too much of a gap. Those gods are a bit selfish... How do we get in?

  — "The data says the energy difference is so vast that for our shield there should be no problems."

  Cielo approached the city. The moment she crossed the barrier, the medallion that was floating nearby began to glow, and a sort of opening was formed.

  — A key? Interesting... Boldo, what is the composition of this medallion?

  — "Unknown. It is a material with several unknown elements; I only recognize silver, which makes up 78% of the material."

  — As soon as we enter, analyze the city and send me the data.

  — "At your command, miss."

  Cielo crossed the opening, and the data was not long in coming.

  — Mmm... 36 million lizards. That is a lot of lives.

  — "I have already created a map of the city along with details of the most striking points, both in terms of architecture and energy levels. Sending it to the neural chip."

  The map appeared on Cielo's optical receptors. She analyzed each point of interest and quickly decided on a structure with a symbol at the entrance that was identical to the one on the medallion.

  — That must be the priest's church.

  With her camouflage activated, she levitated to the church without being detected. Inside, it was just an empty space with many lizards on their knees praying in front of a large statue of an armored lizard.

  — The giant head of the supposed god that appeared during our entry is not the same as this lizard.

  — "That is correct, but it was not human either."

  There were already robots all over the structure sending images and audio. Cielo went to the room where they were in a meeting.

  — Our superior should have sent some notice by now!

  — The notice was clear: great rewards for killing the invader!

  — Our city will be able to become the largest in this district!

  — Finally, hahah! The best females, the best luxuries!

  — We will be the most powerful! Our race will finally be able to dominate the others!

  — Well, with that we confirm that their god does have to do with the other god, and that they plan to kill us — Cielo reflected. — Have you finished analyzing them?

  — "Yes. Same biological composition as the one who committed suicide."

  — Let us listen for a few hours and see what information we can obtain.

  Cielo spent hours listening, but she could not get much; they only spoke nonsense and the entire dialogue was shouted. But not all was lost: Boldo was able to obtain plenty of data on food, customs, and materials.

  — They are really idiots. None of them has wondered why their leader has not returned.

  — "Attention. Another UFO approaching our position."

  — Another? Estimated arrival?

  — "6 minutes and 29 seconds. To avoid making the same mistake, I placed sensors 2,000 kilometers from our position in all directions. The cameras indicate it is another lizard with the same clothing and staff; the only difference is that the stone is a deep red color, and the staff is also red."

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  — That confirms we are marked, which is very bad. It took seven hours for another priest to appear. If we assume he traveled at a constant speed, motivated by the rewards his god promised him, the other city must be at a distance of 129,000 kilometers. Calculate the possible location using his trajectory; I can assume he traveled in a straight line.

  — "At your command."

  — Also, think of some way to remove the mark.

  — "I am already on it."

  Cielo left the city to find a place where the encounter would not be seen; the small floating islands in the distance seemed appropriate. She waited, and the lizard was not long in arriving.

  — Here you are, heretic! The rewards are mine, hahaha! I will be the most powerful in the district!

  — The blue lizard said something similar — Cielo replied.

  — Do you speak my language?

  — Evidently, you idiotic beast. The previous one blew himself up before telling me what I asked. Are you going to do the same?

  — Hahahah! Do you think you can beat me? I know this floating city; the priest of this city was a prodigy, but I am 10 times his age, he is no match for me.

  He raised his staff and a sphere of fire began to form in the air.

  — Mmm... let me guess: another transmutation?

  — "Yes, miss. But this seems to be a transmutation of more elements, although technically it is much easier than the creation of the lightning."

  — More elements but simpler? Give me details.

  — "Once again, this strange energy transmutes into different elements. The lizard, somehow, transmuted calcium and carbon from this energy and then proceeded to apply a high temperature to it to form calcium carbide. Afterward, it again transmuted water from the energy to, all together, form acetylene. Due to the low presence of oxygen in the air, that fireball only reaches a temperature of 1200 degrees."

  — He created two different elements to form a compound, then created another compound, water, to combine them and form a third compound... interesting — Cielo commented. — Transmutations have no limits, though it is less surprising than the lightning. It also shows less skill and power; his fireball emits a lot of black smoke, most likely caused by the low amount of oxygen in the combustion, causing many carbon particles not to burn.

  — "That is correct, miss. It is more a ball of smoke at 1200 degrees than a ball of fire," Boldo responded.

  — I want you to analyze my robots to see how that god marked them while I talk to this lizard.

  — "Proceeding."

  The ball of smoke was launched with extreme speed and power, but, as was to be expected, before Cielo's shield it was like a match before a mountain of steel.

  — H-how is this possible? — the lizard stammered. — This attack is enough to destroy a Category 3 beast... That means your category is... Impossible! Did God send us to our deaths?!

  — Smart boy, much more so than the previous one — Cielo said coldly. — I will ask you, beast: do you want to live?

  — You do not understand... I have no salvation. If I help you, something worse than death awaits me. Just for saying this phrase, I must have less than three minutes left.

  — You only had to say it, beast. Boldo, create a shield with 1% of the energy around the lizard — Cielo ordered.

  — "Done, miss."

  — Oh, really? And what is this destiny you are referring to?

  — My magical system will be activated with the divine mandate... and the mandate controls my time and space. I will suffer torture for all eternity... — The lizard threw his staff to the floating island with his head bowed, showing evident resignation and defeat.

  — I understand your fear, beast, but your god is not the only one who can control time.

  A ray of hope appeared in the eyes of the creature, but it quickly faded into anger and fury.

  — Only lies! Only the gods have such power!

  — But you are already dead, are you not? What do you have to lose? I already met one of your gods and he could not penetrate my temporal barrier; I have created the same barrier around you. — Cielo raised a finger in the air and projected a clock. — Three minutes, is it not? If in three minutes the divine mandate you speak of does not affect you, will you help me?

  — If you have such power... I will serve you eternally.

  — Sounds good to me. Boldo, how is the analysis of the mark going?

  — "Already completed, miss. I am already sending the robots to disintegrate the carbon around us to create a new fleet."

  — How so, a new fleet? Why that decision?

  — "Because a persistent deviation in the spin magnetic moment of the leptons in the outer layer of the fleet has been detected," the AI explained. "The anomaly presents 100% coherence with the energy signature of the solar mass entity. Technically, the robots have not been marked with light or heat, but rather their quantum structure has been reoriented to act as a non-local resonance beacon."

  — So the damn... That is how he tracks us. He does not need to see anything; he simply "feels" where there is a cluster of matter with that distinct spin. For that same reason we cannot self-replicate them, because the subatomic mark will be transferred to the copy. Your only solution was manufacturing ex novo.

  — "That is correct, miss."

  — Hey, you, beast. What is your name?

  — What is the point of answering? I will die at any moment.

  — As you say. Only five more seconds — Cielo said, pointing to the projected timer.

  The lizard's face was full of desperation and fear mixed with resignation. At some point after the time ran out, a flash of light fell from the sky directly onto the beast; it hit the shield and nothing happened.

  — Boldo, data. And where are my little ones!

  — "The shield captured a form of energy similar to the one we suffered in the teleportation. Petunia is the only one who can obtain specific data of origin and, perhaps, replication. Regarding the fleet: it will take me another 120 seconds to create a small amount so they can begin a clean self-replication."

  — Stop praying and trembling, lizard. Do you not see my clock? — Cielo pointed to the floating clock. — Nothing happened.

  The lizard opened his eyes. It was true: he was indeed alive.

  — Im-possibleeee!! It is true, you control temporal magic! Hajahá, I am alive! Alive!

  — For now, at least. What is your name?

  The laughter was cut short by a terrible fear upon understanding that, although he escaped death, the being in front of him possessed incalculable power. It was just another type of slavery... but what does it matter? From what he saw, she was as powerful as a god and, with this one, at least he could communicate.

  — My name is Lucil, my goddess...

  — "Hajahajahá, he called you 'goddess', miss," Boldo mocked.

  — Nothing about 'goddess', Lucil. My name is Cielo. You and I have a lot to talk about. First, tell me where we are and how big this planet is.

  — Planet? What is a 'planet'?

  — It is the place where we are standing. This jungle, this floating island... all that. How do you call it?

  — We call them 'Planes', and we are only on one of many. They are divided by the general power of the living beings of the plane. No one from my plane knows exactly how many there are above, although we know there are two below from where, in ancient times, our ancestors came.

  — So we are at the bottom... I already tried to go up to leave, but my servants evaporate. Why does that happen?

  — There is only one path that works as entry and exit for each plane; trying to take any other is impossible.

  — Boldo, have you analyzed Lucil yet?

  — "Yes, miss. Same composition."

  — And why is this one so smart compared to the others? Because of his age? He said he was ten times older than the previous one.

  — "I think the same, miss. It must be because he is an old man."

  — How long does your species usually live, Lucil? And how close are you to that end?

  — Agh... I suppose my senile appearance does not go unnoticed. I am the oldest priest of this plane; my end could come at any moment.