CASSIUS

"Millions of years ago, our ancestors discovered the Vectreon Galaxy. They had traveled the expanses of space searching for a new galaxy to support life, to sustain our people. After the Milky Way Galaxy was lost--due to the Red Star burning too bright and consuming its planets--a small number of people managed to escape, to evacuate the dying galaxy.

"They ventured through the stars, searching for a solar system that was adequate. How lucky they must've been when they found the galaxy for which we live now: the Vectreon Galaxy. Equipped with eight substantially diverse planets and a large star, our sun, Unis, it became our new home. Our ancestors believed that had it not been for Unis' bright light, our galaxy would've never been found. For that, we thank Unis, our sun god, for guiding us to a new home for which he had blessed us with.

"With an assortment of people, each planet was soon given a name and inhabited by a certain type of people. These people created what we know to be our very own civilizations. They were structured to fit in accordance with each planet's geography as well as its people's attributes. The other seven planets aside, it was the warriors, the fighters, those with strength and passion, who inhabited the large red planet: Ojak. The planet we call home.

"Our society has always rested heavily upon our specialty being of military capability. It makes sense, considering who our ancestors had been. All Ojakians should take pride in our history, our origin. All Ojakians know the story of how we came to be, only those who are too old to remember forget. Even the misfits of our society know. We are warriors, we are strong and passionate, and that is who we are.

"As for our government, Ojak is the only planet whose government consists of a monarchy equipped with a noble assembly. Each planet has a different form of government that's best for their people and their specialty. In terms of military, a monarchy makes sense. After all, soldiers need someone to follow and take orders from, it's only logic. Without structure, the lifestyle of a soldier would fall apart, and so would all of society."

"Wow, you now officially sound like a stuck-up Lypnian Professor," was the lighthearted remark of a sturdy young man, whose lips wore a teasing smirk.

The sinewy young man who had just finished a lengthy explanation of historical value rolled his eyes at the jest. "Thanks a lot, Atlas," he drawled, his dark eyes showing no such amusement.

"Oh lighten up, Cass," Atlas--the sturdy male--replied, chuckling under his breath, "you take everything so literally."

"I have to be serious you know. My future depends on it. As future king of Ojak I must retain composure. The people will look to me," he insisted with a small huff. "Besides you never let me finish."

"Oh yes, the mighty Cassius Ignis, please forgive my intolerable acts against you and spare me. I grovel at your feet and beg forgiveness," Atlas gave an amused eye roll and scoffed, "but please, continue that hefty speech of yours."

With a small scoff of his own and another roll of his eyes, Cassius cleared his throat and continued, "As Ojakians, we must all stand together to remember our proud heritage. We must remember from where we come from and cherish the progress made since the beginning of our planet. Our lineage has made us who we are and we shall never forget them for that. We may not be equipped with vain pride like Zevians, but we should always have definitive pride in who we are because we are Ojakians, strong and passionate, rival to none. Until the day Unis burns out, we shall remain where we stand, solid as rock. Ojak, forever!"

Atlas nodded along as he listened, "It certainly is compelling."

"So it's good?"

"Sure, if you plan to sound like a passion-filled general leading an army to war," Atlas joked.

"That's not funny, Atlas!" Cassius insisted, his dark eyebrows furrowing with discontent. How could his friend make such a comment? This was a very serious matter and here Atlas was joking around about the whole thing!

"Mhm, sure. I think it kind of is," he replied with another teasing smirk.

With a shake of his head, Cassius sighed, "You're unbearable."

"Yet you still put up with me," Atlas made sure to point out with a shrug.

"Yes, and sometimes I question why," he remarked, but his lips curled up into a small, amused smile, "but joking aside, how was it really?"

"The historical address?"

The Ojakian prince deadpanned, "What else would I be talking about, Atlas?"

With a small laugh, his friend nodded, "Spot on. Your father will be quite proud, and I'm sure every Ojakian tuning into the speech will think your words are right as rain. The Ancestral Festival only happens once every ten years after all, and a speech like that will be remembered through time, I'm certain."

A breath of relief seemed to escape Cassius' lungs, as his nervousness over the quality of his prepared speech had left him uptight and anxious. "Good, I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Now that that's over, how about a little adventure?" Atlas suggested, wiggling his eyebrows as if such a silly gesture might convince the heir.

Cassius quirked an eyebrow at such a comment, "Oh? And just what might you have in mind?"

A mischievous smirk should've been enough to warn anyone that the sturdy young male was surely up to no good. One might think Cass would've realized staying in the company of such a flighty person would only spell bad news for him. However, sometimes loyalty blinded reason. "I'm thinking something exciting," finally came Atlas' response.

"What a surprise, I would've never guessed," the Ojakian prince uttered with a hint of sarcasm. "Could you stop being so vague and just tell me?"

"I say we head into Hessai and enjoy the festivities of commoners."

Cassius thought this over, his lips pursed slightly and his eyebrows moderately furrowed as they often did when he pondered something, "Leave the Ojakian Palace and venture into the city of Hessai?"

"Mhm, that is what I just said, right?" Atlas rolled his eyes, stretching his arms behind his head as he waited for an answer.

"Fine, let's do it," Cass gave a small grin, giving in to his curiosity and genuine desire for a bit of fun.

Giving a satisfied chuckle, Atlas gave a brief nod, "Good, then let's get going."

With that, the two young men ventured out of the confines of the Palace, easily sneaking their way past security. When they arrived at the city, the two weaved amongst the crowds of common Ojakians. Cassius' eyes scanned over everything as he took in the scene around him. It was chaotic, bustling, and overall hectic. There was no order here, and seriousness seemed fickle. It was wonderfully refreshing and he soaked up every aspect. The heir was dragged by Atlas towards a small corner shop. The inside was adorned with goods from all over the Vectreon Galaxy. The goods ranged from jewelry forged with the precious minerals and ores of Mithium to the innovative technology of Zevistis. It was surely a wonder of a store and like nothing Cassius had ever seen before.

"What is this place?" the Ojakian prince whispered to his companion, wondering what family operated such a captivating establishment.

"This is the "Products of Planets" establishment. It's operated by the Zamet family, an average Ojakian family whose Head of Household travels the Vectreon Galaxy collecting products of other worlds. He does this in order to pique the interests of simple Ojakians who are far too fascinated in the goods of other planets," Atlas went on to explain, shrugging as he ventured into the store and examined some of the wares for sale.

This surprised Cassius. Never before had he known of a family whose Head of Household traveled the galaxy for the fun of it and sold what treasures he found. It was unique. After all, the only people who traveled the galaxy for the products of other planets were typically Royal Merchants who sold goods to the royal family and other important figures or organizations. He also knew of traveling merchants who set up shop from time to time on other planets to sell their wares.

Thoughts aside, Cassius veered off from the path Atlas was taking as he examined a different section of the establishment. The wares were exotic and beautifully strange. Then a glint of metal caught his eye. He approached a small display and hanging from it was a pendant of Mithian gold that was nicely weathered. At the end of the chain though hung a pendant of a symbol, one Cassius did not recognize. It was an elongated squiggle of a line with a curled end that twisted back inwards towards a small circle in the widest point of the squiggle.

"It means strength," a soft and mellow voice told him.

He quickly turned away from the pendant, his head snapping up to see who addressed him. His eyes fell upon a slender girl whose facial features seemed a bit too soft for the Ojakian lifestyle she was born into. Her hair was a thick and wavy mass of auburn which was tied atop her head in a messy bun. Her cheeks and nose were dusted with light freckles and her eyes an unforgettable shade of hazel like none he had ever seen before. To say the least, she was odd in appearance, if odd was even the word he was searching for. However, a slight frown made its way onto his face, "The isn't Ojakian in origin, past or present."

"Well of course not," the girl shook her head, "it's an ancient Mithian symbol, one that is no longer used."

"How could you possibly know?" Cassius demanded, feeling a bit out of place by the fact this girl knew something he hadn't.

The girl rose a brow in surprise but still answered in her mellow voice, "That's what my father told me. He bought it from an old Mithian jeweler. He could be wrong, but my father would never lie to me."

"Your father? The Head of Household who owns this establishment? That would mean you're a Zamet..."

"Yes, my father, Ragnald Zamet. And I am indeed a Zamet, the youngest in fact: Atria. I mean, that's my name. Though, I doubt someone like you would even know who I or my family even was. Not important enough," she sighed, rolling her eyes slightly.

"That's not true--"

"Save it. I don't want to hear you wasting your royal breath on trying to convince me of something I know to be false."

Cassius' lips wore a frown at her comment but he did not argue with her. An argument with someone like her was not worth his time. "Fine. How much for the pendant?" he asked. The item had caught his eye and he almost could feel it calling to him, as strange as that was.

"Five hundred shillings," the auburn haired girl, Atria, told him with a shrug.

The Ojakian prince pulled a small pouch of money from his pocket, counting out the amount she desired. Atria held out her hand to him in a gesture to take the shillings and Cassius dropped the currency into her palm.

As her hand wrapped around the shillings, her eyes almost seemed to gloss over, her eyes slightly widening. Cassius, in turn, furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. What was wrong with her? Maybe she was a freak. But then her expression returned to normal, almost as quickly as it had transformed. She gulped and looked to him, "Your life is in danger."

"What?" he questioned, almost scoffing at such a wild accusation. How could she possibly be telling him this? It didn't make sense.

"I just saw it, a vision of the future. When you make your historical speech for the Ancestral Festival, there will be an attempt to end your life. You'll be shot, fatally wounded. I don't know anything else but...the shot will come from the west side of the crowd. The culprit will adorn a navy hood. Your life is in danger, Prince Cassius!" Atria whispered in a hushed tone, her eyes looking as troubled as her voice sounded.

Upon hearing this, Cass couldn't very well believe anything she was saying. "A vision of the future? You must be mad! Ojak's Seer still lives! Orpheus is alive, and no planet has more than one Seer. Everyone in the Vectreon Galaxy knows that! You dare to declare lies to me?"

"But I'm not lying!" Atria insisted, her voice, once mellow, now sounding a little strained.

"Good day, Atria Zamet," Cassius rudely cut her off with his huff of annoyance. He took the pendant he had purchased and left the shop. He refused to listen to such bunkum.

Atlas must've exited the store earlier because the Ojakian prince spotted his friend already outside. The sturdy, young noble was munching away on a lightly seared loquat, a common food during festival times. Cassius slipped the pendant around his neck, hiding it under his shirt. The heir couldn't explain it, but he felt the urge to keep the Mithian symbol hidden. After concealing the pendant beneath his clothing, the Ojakian prince approached his friend. The young noble perked up and smiled before quickly taking another bite of the seared loquat.

"Come on, Atlas, time to head back to the palace," Cassius instructed with all seriousness, glancing around. While he didn't believe what Atria Zamet had told him, he couldn't help but be a bit on edge anyhow.

"We still have time before the speech--"

"--It doesn't matter. I'd like to be ready sooner than later."

Atlas furrowed his eyebrows, licking some fruit juice off his fingers, "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing has gotten into me. I just don't think we should remain in Hessai any longer. I'd rather enjoy the final day of festivities from inside the palace walls," the heir insisted a little stubbornly.

It was obvious that something had happened but Atlas knew better than to ask about it. When Cass became rigid and insistent over something, it was better not to ask. While the sturdy young noble may not have been aware of Atria nor what she had told Cassius, he was aware that the anxiety the heir had for giving a great speech and making his father proud was definitely weighing heavily on him. "Alright, let's head back then," Atlas agreed with a curt nod and just like that the two were off on their way back to the palace.

✩✩✩

Upon arrival, Cassius had been berated by his mother about running off without informing anyone of his whereabouts. Apparently, she had been terribly worried and his father had been vexed about his rebellious streak of behavior. Needless to say, he had a stern talking to before he was sent to prepare for his speech. It was sometimes unbearable to uphold their expectations for him. After all, it limited his very life.

Now, Cass was pacing the length of his room, reciting the speech under his breath. He was dressed in finery, as any royal member should be. Underneath it all though, he wore the medallion he'd bought earlier. Strength. He'd certainly need it to get through tonight's speech. After all, he was addressing the entire planet of his people. All of Ojak would be either present in the palace courtyard to witness the speech live, or they'd enjoy it being broadcasted through their screens of technology, courtesy of the innovative Zevians.

As he continued to pace, back and forth, there was a knock upon his door. Stopping in his tracks, he approached the door, turning the handle and opening it to see a guard waiting to escort him. Cassius sighed and subtly rolled his eyes. He couldn't even walk to the speech unaccompanied.

"Ready to go, Prince Cassius?" the guard asked, standing at full attention and prepared to do the job he'd been assigned. However, the heir could see the obvious doubt written across his face. He too was doubting the necessity of him escorting the twenty-year-old royal.

"I suppose so," he replied in a bored tone, exiting his room and closing the door behind him.

"Alright, then let's go," came the guard's reply and the two were on their way, walking towards the palace courtyard, the place the speech would be given. Cassius was prepared, or so he thought. A stream of words crossed his mind. It was the warning the girl of the Zamet household had given him. He frowned. It was all a load of bunkum, but a small voice kept urging him to inform the guard.

Finally, after a moment of internal battle, Cassius spoke up, "I'm sure everything will go fine, but could you somehow inform the other guards to keep a careful watch on the west side?"

The guard blinked in surprise at first, but dipped his head, "Of course, Prince Cassius. I'll inform the others."

"Good," were his only words. He kept his chin up, his eyes steady, his expression serious. He couldn't afford for anything to go wrong tonight. Even the tiniest thing could be catastrophic. At least in his eyes. You could say the heir was nothing short of a perfectionist.

After a few more minutes of walking along, Cassius and his escort arrived at the courtyard balcony. The guard dismissed himself and went over to take his post, but not without informing the head guard of the heir's request. From there, the head guard held up a device, spoke in a hushed tone, before pocketing the device one more. Apparently, the deed was done and Cassius hoped that meant all was good. It was silly though, to even think he was in danger. He was always safe, that wouldn't change now. The people had no reason to attack him or strike him down. He was certain that Ojak was content with its rulers. They had done nothing to oppress or upset their people, after all.

Then, the camera lights flicked on, the broadcast having begun. Cassius stood back beside his mother, Sosephane Ignis, Queen of Ojak. She was adorned in a lovely dress, deep red like the color of their planet. Cassius' father, Magnus Ignis, King of Ojak, stepped forward towards a microphone. Magnus cleared his throat before beginning, "Ojak, as you are well aware, it is the final day of the Ancestral Festival. Typically, the commemorative historical address would be given by myself or even Queen Sosephane. However, tonight, Ojak's heir will be presenting the speech. I know he will do us all proud. Please welcome, Prince Cassius Ignis, heir to the Ojakian throne!"

The applause thundered through the crowd gathered below and even a few cheers could be heard. Cassius stepped forward, away from the side of his mother, and dipped his head respectfully to his father. He then stepped up to the microphone. No adjustment in its placement or height was needed as the prince stood as tall as his father did. Looking down at the Ojakian citizens below, his face serious and looking quite confident with himself, he began to speak. "Millions of years ago, our ancestors discovered the Vectreon Galaxy," he began, his voice resonating through speakers and no doubt heard across the expanse of the red planet. Cassius went on, reciting his speech as he had planned, his words vigorous and proud.

"As for our government, Ojak is the only planet whose government consists of a monarchy equipped with a noble assembly. Each planet has a different form of government that's best for their people and their specialty," Cassius continued. He took a breath and went on, "In terms of military, a monarchy makes sense. After all--" but he never got to finish his statement because a cry rose from the crowd, and a weapon was fired. The heir ducked at the sound, swift in his movements. He managed to leave the line of fire, but a sharp sting to his ear and he knew it has been skimmed by a bullet. The scene became chaos. Ojakian citizens were screaming, children were crying, guards were shouting. But above all the noise one statement could be heard. The mantra being shouted was profound and shrill, but it made Cassius look up from his huddled position. He spotted the man being arrested, the one whose weapon lay on the cobbles below. He was shouting above all the other noise. "Curse the bloody crown, we shall break it down! The monarchy shall fall! Only then can there be freedom for all!" His words were venomous and his eyes were like flames of hatred and burning malice. Never in his life had Cassius seen such anger directed towards him nor his family. But the man kept chanting his words, kept screaming his mantra so that all might hear. The cameras turned and zoomed in upon him, no doubt catching everything. The heir got to his feet, surveying the chaos that had been caused. Blood trickled down the side of his face from the cut on his ear, caused by the skimming of the bullet.

However, despite the blood of the wound and the pain, despite the chaos, and despite the malicious mantra, one thought crossed Cassius' mind. Atria Zamet had been right; she had seen a vision of the future. And that was impossible.