ATRIA

She hadn't meant to see his near future. She hadn't meant to upset Cassius Ignis, heir to the Ojakian throne, with news of his life being threatened. But she had seen his future, and, like it or not, someone was going to attempt to take his life.

Atria was a strange girl indeed, but her visions were never wrong. She couldn't explain why she got them, especially since it was impossible for her to see the future like she did. However, she had always seemed to possess the strange gift for as long as she could remember. This ability was powerful, but dangerous.

Not only was Atria Zamet considered strange for her visions of the future, as if she were Ojak's Seer, but she was also strange in appearance. Her hair wasn't much a problem as Ojakians had hair of all colors. However, she was pale, and that was strange, considering Ojak's constant warmth and exposure to the sun. She burned easily whereas most others on this planet glowed from the sun's radiance. Perhaps the strangest trait of all was her physical build. Her facial features were soft instead of angled and bold. Her build was slender and lean, slim and fragile-looking. She wasn't well muscled nor was she stocky and broad-shouldered like most other Ojakians. On a planet of warriors, she looked like anything but one. It was true to say she stood out in a crowd.

But back to the matter at hand: she'd seen his future. She just hoped he would heed her warning as he bought the medallion and stormed out of the shop. With a small sigh, Atria returned to the front counter of the store.

"Atria, who was that?" asked a sonorous and mellow voice, one she knew quite well: it belonged to her brother, Amias. Unlike her, Amias was a stereotypical Ojakian. He had broad shoulders and was well-muscled. He was also fairly tall. He wasn't brawny though. He too was on the slim side, but still looked as powerful as ever. He had wavy blonde hair and defined features. The only trait he seemed to share with his sister was their hazel eyes.

As she deposited the five hundred shillings into the register, she glanced up at her brother, "It was nobody, Amias. Just a snobby customer," she shrugged, her voice never wavering as she told the little white lie. She couldn't explain it, but it was as if she felt it necessary to keep the prince's identity a secret.

Amias quirked an eyebrow, not seeming convinced, "Atria...?"

"Does it really matter? I still made a sale. That's all that truly matters," Atria huffed.

With a sigh of defeat, he dropped the subject, "Fine, you're right," Amias chose his words carefully. There were very few explanations for her cross behavior, and he knew them all. Amias was more clever than people gave him credit for. With caution, he spoke the words with a quiet hesitation, "You had another vision?"

By the way she stiffened at the suggestion, it was no longer a mystery as to her reason for the cross behavior. "Yes," the word was barely more than a whisper, her hazel eyes fixed on her feet, her auburn locks falling over her face.

It was no secret among those in the Zamet household that Atria had such a unique ability. So, it was no surprise that Amias knew of Atria and her visions of the future. "What was it this time?"

Atria gritted her teeth softly, "It's not important--"

"Atria," Amias replied with a pointed tone, frowning slightly at her quickness to deny him the right to know. "It's always important. Besides, we've always been honest with each other," he added.

At her brother's words, she glanced up at him and sighed. She knew he was right, but she hesitated anyways. Finally, she parted her lips and spoke, "Prince Cassius Ignis' life is in danger. Someone will attempt to take his life tonight when he gives the speech of our origin."

His face almost paled, "You thought that wasn't important?" he asked in bewilderment.

She frowned, "What good will it do us? The palace authority wouldn't even begin to believe us. I'm no Seer, Amias. If Orpheus hasn't foreseen it, why would they bother listening to a silly girl?"

"Because your visions are never wrong, Atria!"

"That may be so, but my abilities are impossible, Amias! They won't believe a word I say. For all they know, it's merely a bluff."

Amias remained silent this time. He knew that Atria was right. Nobody believed her visions and waved it off as a simply a crazy fallacy. It wasn't wrong for them to doubt her, either. It was impossible for a planet to have more than one Seer, and Orpheus was still far from death, so him suddenly passing seemed far off. The natural laws of the Vectreon Galaxy denied such an anomaly to occur. That's why it was out of the question for Atria to truly possess said abilities. Yet her visions were as real and true as breathing. Nobody could explain it, that's just the way things were.

"Anyways, we should get ready for the final day of the Ancestral Festival. I don't intend to waste the day worrying about something that's out of my control," Atria murmured, dropping the subject just like that.

"Right. Is Gem coming over again this year to celebrate with us?" Amias asked in a voice that was far too casual, as if he was trying too hard.

Atria gave an amused smirk, "Why do you ask?" she inquired. Gemini--better known as Gem--was Atria's best friend. They had always been really close ever since they were young. However, it wasn't only Atria and Gem who were close. Lately, it was no secret that Amias and Gem had perhaps been exchanging glances in far more than a friendly manner. They were becoming very friendly. Nothing was official, but you'd have to be quite dense to not notice.

Amias was skilled at hiding his embarrassment because Atria could tell by his tone of voice that his face should've been bright red, "Oh, no reason..."

She gave her brother a teasing look, "Mhm, sure," she rolled her eyes amused by his constant refusal to admit something was up.

"What? I mean it..."

"You know, Amias, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if you admitted that you fancy Gemini."

Amias had been doing so well at hiding his embarrassment from his sister's prodding personal questions about his possible love life. However, the moment Atria said those words to him, a red color crept up his neck and made his ears flare with color. "I just..." he trailed off, considering what to say next, "...not yet, Atria."

"And why not?" she continued to pester.

He frowned and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "I don't know, okay? Can we just drop it? It's not important," he mumbled and averted his gaze.

"Okay," Atria replied with a slight nod. She may have been persistent in pestering her older brother, but she knew when to stop. With the previous conversation put to an end, the two siblings closed down the shop together before proceeding to make their way back towards home. They still had the final day of the Ancestral Festival to celebrate. For once in her life, Atria silently hoped that her vision hadn't been true, that chaos wouldn't ruin a crucial tradition of Ojakian culture. However, she knew the truth and that was the fact that her visions never lied.

✩✩✩

The city of Hessai was bustling with activities and wild celebrations of the Ancestral Festival. The streets were crowded and full. The scent of seared loquats and glazed pork roast filled the air, along with the stench of alcohol that seemed to bathe the breaths of far too many. Aside from food, there were performers playing traditional music while other performers played an upbeat tune. There were people dancing, and people watching. There were story-tellers and wild children. There were even friendly sparring matches that were set up where many people tried to prove their strengths. These matches had also seemed to become a hub for bidders, people who bet their money on someone in hopes to make back more; gambling wasn't necessarily a good thing, nor was it wise in any way.

Atria and Amias were wandering the city, joined by Gemini. The three had a little time to kill before heading to the Zamet Household for a grand meal and the watching of the historical address. Knowing this, the three tried to make the most of the festivities. They all stopped for a small dragon-fruit tart before making their way through the crowds. They didn't get far before they came upon a street with vendors selling their wares. However, these weren't ordinary Ojakian vendors. No, they were foreign, their origin being from other planets within the Vectreon Galaxy. The exotic vendors called out in sloppy Ojakian, hoping to draw in a customer, or even a crowd. They boasted about their exotic wares, their marvelous food, and whatever else they had available. It was different for each little stand, considering these people all came from different planets of course.

There was a Mithian seller who boasted about the precious jewelry she had in stock. From a glance, anyone could see she was charging a high bargain. There was a Zevian vendor who had a stand equipped with wild inventions like nothing any Ojakian had ever seen before. A seller from Trekka prided himself on his fresh produce that was unlike the usual source of food found on Ojak. A Jannian herbalist even tried to sell her exotic medicines. The list went on as the three traveled down the street, but it was a certain stand that caught Atria's attention. There was a Lypnian purveyor whose wares consisted of books and nothing more.

An Ojakian didn't own many books as their culture didn't revolve around knowledge like the Lypnian's culture did. However, Atria adored books and when her father returned home with a book from his travels, it was a special treat indeed. Without really meaning to, her feet led her over to the Lypnian, the gravity of unknown knowledge reeling her in like a fish caught on a hook.

"Atria!" Gemini called as her friend seemingly took off without a word.

The girl paid no heed to her friend's call. Instead, she approached the stand, looking wide-eyed at all of the books. Atria was fascinated by them, and that much was evident to any on-looker.

The Lypnian seemed to notice because an amused smile curled up onto her lips, "How strange that an Ojakian would take interest in literature," she remarked, seeming almost as curious about Atria and her odd mannerisms. The Lypnian tilted her head ever so slightly, as if she were a bird observing a morsel of food on the path.

Atria glanced up, taken a little off-guard by the sudden words from the Lypnian. The foreigner possessed dark red hair, leaning more towards a maroon color, and extremely pale skin. Atria knew her planetology. Lypnok was a winter planet with cold temperatures, fierce blizzards, and hardly any sunlight. The pale skin made sense. However, the other thing the Ojakian noticed was the curiosity that sparkled in the depths of the Lypnian's green eyes.

Finally, Atria was able to finally retort, "Well, in case you haven't already noticed, I'm not exactly the epitome of what an Ojakian should be."

"No, you're certainly not," she replied with a blunt certainty. Atria gave the Lypnian a pointed look, not quite amused by the brutal honesty in the retort. With a quip like that you'd think the Lypnian was Draxtian. However, the vendor seemed to understand that her words weren't necessarily the most polite and she mentally backpedaled a bit. With an easy smile, she went on, "Though, appearances don't always reflect the soul."

"Well, I'm strange regardless, so there's that," Atria huffed and rolled her eyes, but saying those words stung. The Ojakian fully believed the words she spoke. She was far too strange to be normal.

"But not necessarily," the Lypnian replied swiftly, seeming extremely prepared to prove the young Ojakian wrong. "You may not look like the soldier they want you to be, but your soul is Ojakian through and through. You have that fire in your eyes, that stubbornness, that strength. Physically you may lack, but your heart does not."

Atria blinked in surprise from the words the young woman spoke. She'd never thought of it that way. After all, what good was being weak? But all Atria had done was compare herself in terms of size and physical strength. There was so much more to life than that! That much was obvious. But it hadn't been obvious enough considering a Lypnian had to tell her like she was a foolish child who was innocent to the greater workings of the world. That's the thing about Lypnians: they always talked down to others.

"Now, I do sense something more from you though, something that isn't quite Ojakian. A natural curiosity, a sense of something greater. I can't quite place it, and why you possess it is a mystery to me," the Lypnian commented with a shrug, as if she couldn't quite wrap her mind around a complex theory of life. She made Atria feel like she was merely a creature meant for observation, a materialistic being that intrigued the Lypnian.

"I didn't realize you were oh so insightful," Atria replied with a bit of sarcasm tagged on to the end.

The Lypnian merely laughed, "Ah, and this is why I travel. You're just the cutest thing," she mused with a small grin. Her eyes still sparkled with amusement and that deep curiosity that you could drown in. "What's your name, little Ojakian?"

Atria quirked an eyebrow and frowned slightly, "What's your name?" she asked a little pointedly, not too fond of having to give her name first.

"Vivianna Da Lavelle, Lypnian merchant of Vectreon," she answered swiftly, without a second thought. That kind of transparency belonged to Draxtians, surely? "Now, you are?"

"Atria Zamet," the Ojakian said, hesitating on giving out her last name. Transparency wasn't something she was used to.

Vivianna considered this with a slow nod, that little grin still plastered on her face. She then spoke once more, "So, see anything that catches your fancy?"

"I don't know yet, you interrupted me from browsing," Atria retorted, a fierce edge to her voice. She wasn't too amused by Vivianna's antics.

Instead of being taken off-guard, the Lypnian only laughed, seeming so damn amused with the turn of events. It was as if Vivianna was too light-hearted to take anything seriously. That or she just didn't pay Atria's sharp tongue any mind. Maybe she was used to it; after all, the Lypnian had ventured the galaxy and met all sorts of people.

Atria's hazel eyes looked over the books, her fingertips skimming over the spines of each book. A few of the titles she recognized, seeing as her father owned those works of literature himself and her curious eyes had read the words at least two times over. She still had a decision to make and only enough shillings to purchase one of the many books. Finally, her gaze landed on an old book, one whose title struck the Ojakian's interest. The Art of Seeing it read. Lifting the book carefully from its position, Atria looked it over.

However, in the process of lifting the book, another book toppled over into view. This one wore a strange title, a name: Idonis. Atria tilted her head curiously, peering at that book. It looked ancient, and that wasn't an exaggeration either. Its cover was dull, the color having faded, the edges of the book beginning to fray.

The weight of only enough shillings to purchase one of the two books was heavy in Atria's pocket. She glanced between the two. The book she held could help her understand her visions, understand why she was this way. But the other book was something entirely new, something foreign, something unknown. The other book held a name that Atria couldn't place, but it felt familiar, as if the name hung in the hot air around her.

"You seem to have a dilemma," Vivianna finally spoke up after a long stretch of silence. It almost startled the Ojakian girl.

Atria's spare hand reached for the old book, each hand containing a book, her hazel eyes flickering between the two. "Indeed."

"I'll tell you what," the Lypnian merchant began, "You can have both. An Ojakian with a thirst for knowledge is a rare feat, and I don't want to squash that curious ember inside you."

Atria looked up at Vivianna, her eyes wide in surprise but a small smile curling onto her lips, "Really?"

"Yes, but they're not free. It'll cost you the shillings you do possess and you'll owe a debt to me."

"A debt?"

"A debt."

Atria considered this, her mind churning. Vivianna was by far more clever, and she had the knowledge to prove it. This deal could be a clever scheme that'll end up biting Atria in the arse when it was all said and done. However, she couldn't help the desire she held, the desire to know more, to learn of something greater, something unknown to her. "Deal," she agreed, digging the shillings out of her pocket, handing them over with ease and leaving her hand there for a shake, to make the deal official, to make the agreement officially binding between the two.

That grin returned to the Lypnian's face, glad to hear the Ojakian agreed so easily. She took the shillings and quickly shook on it. She then worked quickly to give the Ojakian girl a bag for her two books, "Best to keep your fascination hidden, I'd presume," she shrugged and hid the two books within the bag.

"Yes, I suppose you're probably right about that," Atria nodded, "thank you."

"Oh, you're quite welcome. I do hope you find exactly what you're looking for," Vivianna replied with a knowing smile, one that Atria couldn't possibly understand. "Oh, and before you go, do you have a transmitter?"

A transmitter was a device used for communication and it also possessed other features and applications. It was portable and extremely similar to a cellular device used ages ago on a world called Earth. However, transmitters communicated through projected holograms. Though, there was messaging, a feature that was a little more private and one that didn't possess holograms available to the public. Atria dug hers out of her other pocket, "Yes, I do. Why?"

"Well, you owe me, and I'll need to find you when I decide to cash that in," Vivianna stated with a shrug, acting like that had been obvious.

"Oh, right," Atria nodded. She held her transmitter to Vivianna's, the style of the Lypnian's transmitter being a bit different, and the two devices exchanged contact information.

"Thank you," Vivianna nodded and looked back to the Ojakian, giving a small wave of farewell, "Enjoy your festival, and enjoy your new knowledge."

With that, Atria took her leave. She scanned the street for Amias and Gemini, wondering where the two could've run off to. She was surprised they hadn't come after her. Soon, she spotted the pair hovering near a Mithian vendor selling interesting jewelry like nothing Atria had ever seen. Yes, it was Mithian and foreign, but her father brought foreign things home all the time, so she wasn't ignorant to certain wares. She came up behind her brother, tapping him lightly on the back.

Amias glanced over his shoulder, "Atria! Where did you run off to?" He asked, but obviously looked relieved to see she had made it back to them in one piece.

Before Atria had to chance to even answer her brother, Gemini turned to face Atria. She looked just as enthused to see her best friend once more. However, Gem was holding a pair of opal earrings that sparkled brilliantly; they looked like a galaxy of stars trapped within a stone. "What do you think?" she asked, looking eager and holding them up near her own ears. She was asking for an opinion.

"Honestly, I think they're stunning, Gem," Atria replied with a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

That answer seemed to please her because Gem nearly beamed, "Exactly! Then it's settled, I want them," she giggled with a boisterous energy that only Gemini possessed it seemed.

The Mithian vendor nodded and took the earrings from Gem, wrapping them carefully in cloth and then placing them in a little drawstring pouch. "That'll be six-hundred and fifty shillings."

Atria nearly had a heart attack at that price. When she had charged Prince Cassius earlier, she hadn't exactly been fair, seeing as the true price of that pendant had been closer to two hundred shillings cheaper. But she figured he was royalty and had plenty of money to spare. Now, Atria balked at the price that was spoken. The earrings were stunning though...

What was even more surprising was the moment that Amias pulled the shillings from his pockets. Gem beamed with a genuine happiness, something that you couldn't replace for a million shillings or more. It was priceless, and that was exactly why Amias was doing it, Atria figured. Her brother just couldn't resist seeing Gemini so happy.

Once everything was said and done, the three made their way back to the Zamet household where the rest of the festivities would take place. Now, walking home, with the weight of the books being heavy in the bag, Atria had something else to occupy her thoughts. Her vision from earlier a distant memory, but soon, it wouldn't be much of a memory at all.

✩✩✩

After a filling meal that included a juicy glazed pork roast, lightly grilled maize, savory fried rice, and a warm and sweet banana cake that melted on your tongue, the Zamets went and crowded around their televising device. In a few moments, the historical address would begin.

Hearing, and watching, the address was a bittersweet moment. While it upheld tradition and was a celebration of Ojak's origin, it also marked the end of the Ancestral Festival. However, the final celebration of the Festival wasn't missed without good reason. Even Ojakians who were visiting other planets or traveling in spaceships tuned into the historical address.

Now, the Zamet household, plus Gemini, sat around the main sitting area, eyes glued to the televising device as the feed went live and the speech began. The soft chatter that had filled the room fell just as quickly as it had come. As they sat there, Atria silently prayed that Unis had granted her a false vision, that what she had seen was wrong. But no matter how much she told herself that she was wrong, she had that knowing feeling that she couldn't be wrong.

Prince Cassius stepped forward and began giving the speech, his voice confident and laced with the authority that any royal possessed. He looked beyond elegantly regal standing up there, and his words were heavy with importance, and it looked like he knew that. He was all seriousness, spewing his words away and preaching to his people, the Ojakians, about their origin long, long ago.

So far, so good. Not to mention that the speech was winding down to a close from the sounds of it. Atria was hopeful, and she figured that perhaps, quite literally, he'd dodged a bullet, that she'd dodged a bullet. But of course, the galaxy didn't give faulty visions to Atria. Just when she thought all could be well, the gunshot sounded and all hell broke loose. Chaos ensued on the screen and that dreadful, sinking feeling weighed down in Atria's stomach like a heavy stone. The vision had come true. The future was now the present.

Atria turned her head, her gaze falling on Amias. Her brother turned to her and the two siblings exchanged a knowing look. Prince Cassius just had his life threatened. Anarchy was rising, as was rebellion. The televisor was still running the live broadcast and there was an eerie chanting rising from the man the palace guards were arresting: Curse the bloody crown, we shall break it down! The monarchy shall fall! Only then can there be freedom for all!

However, despite all of this, Atria and Amias both knew what had occurred. Atria had predicted this, she had foreseen this fate. The only difference was that Cassius hadn't been fatally wounded. But one thing was certain as ever: Atria's visions were never wrong, as if this catastrophe wasn't evidence enough.