The Evil That Came

Part 18 : The Ancients

"Sire Xylan, what do you think of this planet?" Eirn the scholar asked.

"Their planet is so advanced. This is amazing!" Xylan stared in awe as he stood on his ship, peering through his binoculars.

The planet had flying cars zipping around tall, immaculate skyscrapers, their building made of gold shimmering in the sun's red glow.

The loud alarm jolted Xylan from his awe. Panic surged through him as red lights strobed across the bridge. Eirn, ever the scholar, remained calm. His hand hovered over the ship's communication console, and he pushed a silent alarm.

Looks like our friendly welcome has taken a turn," Eirn quipped, a nervous tremor in his voice.

Xylan could not tear his gaze away from the holographic image before him. The Waiian guards on the ship, clad in sleek black armor, aimed weapons that glowed with an unknown energy. Their purple eyes, devoid of any emotion, locked onto Xylan and Eirn.

The holographic image was of a woman, her hair golden, her skin tan, and her eyes as blue as the ocean. Xylan couldn't look away. She spoke in a foreign language Xylan couldn't understand, so the woman bent over her console and pressed a button. Her voice was loud and commanding, "State your business on Wa. Identify yourselves and explain your unauthorized presence in our airspace."

Eirn cleared his throat; his voice strained as he spoke into the console. "Hello, Waiians. We come in peace. My name is Eirn, and I am a scholar from the planet Pui. This is Xylan, our King." He gestured towards Xylan.

The woman leaned back and took a good look at Xylan. "I am Queen Lirith. We do not allow strangers to our lands." The woman told the guards in her language to cuff them.

Xylan's heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs as the guards marched them into a cold metal chamber. Panic clawed at his throat, making his breath come in ragged gasps. He glanced at Eirn, whose face was pale but etched with a steely determination.

"We need to explain ourselves, Eirn," Xylan rasped, his voice tight.

Eirn nodded curtly, stepping forward and pressing his palms against the transparent wall. Outside, the guards stood like imposing statues, their purple eyes devoid of emotion and their weapons glowing with an ominous hum.

Suddenly, the chamber door hissed open, revealing a tall, statuesque woman. She exuded an aura of power, her gaze sweeping over Xylan and Eirn with chilling intensity.

Before Xylan could speak, a sharp voice filled the room, a language that grated on his ears. Eirn raised his hand in a placating gesture.

"Hello, Your Majesty," he said, his voice strained but steady. "We come in peace. There must be some misunderstanding. Perhaps we can come to an understanding?"

Queen Lirith studied Xylan for a long moment. A flicker of something crossed her face – was it suspicion, or perhaps something more? She spoke again, this time in a measured tone, though the words remained a mystery.

Xylan felt his stomach sink as the Queen issued a command in her language. The guards' hands twitched towards the holsters strapped to their thighs. A growl escaped Xylan's throat. He wouldn't go down without a fight.

With a blur of movement, Xylan launched himself at the nearest guard. His foot connected with the guard's chest, sending him sprawling backward. Eirn, capitalizing on the distraction, used his agility to dodge a swipe from the other guard's weapon.

The chamber door burst open again, but Xylan's Puian guards stormed in this time, weapons drawn. Gunshots echoed through the chamber, and the Puian soldiers arrived just before Queen Lirith could grab a weapon from a hidden compartment in her armor. The Queen and the Waiian guards were quickly subdued and pinned against the wall.