Magnus' ascended through the station easily. The dozens of security gates, armed guards, automatic turrets, and surveillance systems that worked in concert to keep people like him out, let him pass without issue. It was all too… easy.

  The first time Magnus had approached a security checkpoint that led to another district, a knott of nervousness had plagued him. Despite Roosters assurances, actually stepping in front of the guards and security systems was an intimidating prospect. A part of him knew he could have simply strode past, but a lifetime of oppression and authoritarian rule made him unable to see them as anything other than dangerous.

  So, when he’d stepped up to the gate, preparing himself to get a full body scan and possibly even interrogated in a small windowless room, the last thing he’d expected was the guard captain to personally greet him and escort him through without a single question. The second preceded much the same, as did the third.

  The strangeness never went away. Only when he approached the main terminal and its military force, which divided the districts from the wealthier parts of the station, did he expect it to be different. Manned with far more cameras, guns, and soldiers, it was almost nigh impossible to pass unless they let you. The dozens of warnings promised imprisonment and death. Everyone had heard the horror stories, hundreds of rioters mown down mercilessly.

  “So why did they just let me through the VIP gate?”

  Magnus wanted to scream. At the guards, at the AI system overseeing the checkpoint, at the people dutifully lining up watching him pass with awe, and at himself. For so long he’d been trapped in that same shitty district, only able to experience a tiny slice of humanity's vast lands, and he’d just wandered out of the cage. No one even questioned him.

  “Rooster is more important than I thought. How was she able to set my credentials so high that I’m able to pass freely?”

  Mired in confusion, he also had to contend with the twisted aspect of himself that drew intense satisfaction from the veneration he received. Why did he think everything was as it should be? That they were lower beings who rightly should worship the ground upon which he walked.

  Troubled, Magnus barely noticed the wondrous sights, following the directions his communicator spat out. Immaculately cultivated gardens full of flowers and trees, skyscrapers that offered every delight humanity had invented, and stores full of so much wealth a single day's profit would have fed everyone in his district for a year. He passed them by without a glance. Eventually he arrived at the spaceport, where he passed through another checkpoint. Strangely this time, the attendants all greeted him by name, calling him Mr Magnus no less.

  That too was a strange experience.

  The communicator led him deep into the spaceport, away from the civilian and commercial ships and towards the expensive yachts. It finally let out a ding, letting him know he had reached his destination. Looking up, he found himself standing before a small luxury spacecraft made of pristine white metal. His knowledge of spacecrafts was nonexistent but even so, he could tell it was terribly expensive.

  “This is the place?”

  “Master Magnus, you may rest assured, you have indeed come to the right place,” a vaguely masculine voice said. Stepping off the white spaceship was an android dressed in an immaculate butler's uniform. “Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Weathers, and have been tasked with ensuring your wellbeing and enjoyment whilst you travel onboard the Lightsinger.”

  “This isn’t some sort of joke right? Rooster isn’t just trying to mess with me?”

  “Rooster?” Weathers tilted their head to the side for a second. “Ah. The one you know as Rooster has indeed organised all this. There is no practical joke here, Master Magnus, let me assure you.”

  “So you know who Rooster is then?” Magnus’s eyes lit up at that.

  “Unfortunately I am unable to speak on that subject, my most sincere apologies. If you would please step aboard the Lightsinger, we may begin our journey.” The android stepped to the side and waved one hand towards the door, beckoning him inside. “Any questions you may have can be answered aboard.”

  Seeing that the android would say no more about Rooster, Magnus could only let out a sigh and stepped aboard. Ordinarily he would have felt suspicious or unsafe, but the pact he and Rooster had made still weighed on him heavily, anchored to his being. She shouldn’t be able to set any traps, or betray him.

  “Hopefully.”

  The ship's interior was more akin to a fancy penthouse than a ship, or so Magnus assumed. The temperature was perfectly maintained, and the walls were adorned in fine art. Sinking into one of the plush chairs, he stared at the enormous holoscreen affixed to the wall, far more impressive than the one he’d destroyed in the Goldlight Gang’s hideout.

  “If you are ready we can initiate our departure, Master Magnus.” The android stood to his side, bowing slightly.

  “Hmm, oh. Yeah sure, no point wasting time.”

  “Excellent.”

  The ship came to life in an instant, lifting off the ground moving towards one of the many open hatches. Caught off guard, Magnus rushed to the nearest window, watching in awe as the Lightsinger exited one of the station's many hangers. Hundreds of other ships were either moored to the spaceport or sitting in orbit around the enormous station, but the Lightsinger deftly navigated through them and accelerated into the vastness of space.

  “It’s so small,” Magnus said quietly, watching the entirety of his life begin to shrink as they moved further away. His heart ached, and as he looked past the station into the vast black of space dotted by millions of stars, he wondered just what was in store for him.

  “Indeed it is Master Magnus,” Weathers said, standing just beside him dutifully. “While home to roughly a million inhabitants, Craigton Station is rather small for its population. Compared to celestial objects like the moons of Jupiter or Saturn, but especially Mars and Earth, it is quite lacking.

  “Will I ever get to see those places?”

  “Im afraid I do not know the answer to that question, Master Magnus. Perhaps one day.”

  Turning to the android, he cleared his throat and asked a question that’d been on his mind ever since the conversation with Rooster. While not pressing, he saw no reason not to ask now. “Where are we headed Weathers?”

  “Having just left Craigton Station, we will be passing by Jupiter and heading inwards. Our final destination is Nexus Prime.”

  “Nexus Prime…” Magnus' voice was barely a whisper, the man-made cradle of humanity something everyone knew of, even him. It had been the product of centuries, and was the majority centrepoint of the Solar System, which connected the inner and outer populations. Almost all trade eventually passed through its dozens of spaceports, acting as the technological capital of humanity. “Are we really?”

  “Indeed, Master Magnus. We should reach Nexus Prime in no more than a few hours.”

  “THAT FAST!!!”

  “The Lightsinger is an incredibly advanced and experimental vessel. You are incredibly lucky to have the chance to ride aboard it. Many would be envious of your position.”

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  That was unfathomable to Magnus, but he didn’t really know enough to comment on it. Once again, his view of Rooster warped even more. Perhaps the other things could be explained away, if rather feebly, but the existence of the Lightsinger took a sledgehammer to his mind. He felt scared to even touch anything, worried that breaking even one thing could indebt him for a lifetime.

  “What a scary woman. Just who are you, Rooster?”

  “Master Magnus, if you would please take a seat as we accelerate, I will have some refreshments prepared for you. The Lightsinger has scanned you and found you suffer no allergies. Do you have any dietary preferences?” Weathers asked deferentially, escorting him away from the window and back to one of the comfortable seats.

  “No, anything's fine.”

  “Excellent.”

  “The Lightsinger scanned me?” The little voice in his head roared with indignation upon hearing that fact. That someone would dare violate his person was unthinkable to it, but he managed to keep it constrained with some effort. Really, the mood swings and emotions were getting tiring to deal with.

  “Here you are Master Magnus,” Weathers said, placing the refreshments and food on the table before him. “Please, enjoy.”

  The smell drove him crazy, staring at the plates full of food so vivid in colour that they didn't seem real. Greens, reds, purples, far different from the protein bricks he was accustomed to. Unable to help himself, he cut off a small sliver of something meaty, and placed it on his tongue. The flavour was sublime, an eruption of spices that made his mouth feel on fire. Leaning back, he let the flavours wash over him quietly.

  Reaching for the glass, he breathed it in, something fruity tickling his nose. The clearish liquid contained a few bubbles, and when he tilted the large glass back, he was met with a subtle sourness. Going back to the food, he cut another slice, and began to eat in earnest. It took a great deal of self control to not wolf it all down.

  “What is this Weathers?” he asked, pointing to the glass. “It’s delicious.”

  “You are tasting a 2217 West Charim Valley Riesling. A Martian wine, of course. Considered one of the Charim family's finest years, a single bottle typically ranges in the low seven figures. Is it to your liking?”

  Magnus almost choked, coughing as he took in the androids words. In a daze he looked down at the glass he was holding, hand trembling now that he knew he held something worth millions.

  “I…” He couldn’t get a proper word out. “Millions?”

  “Correct Master Magnus, though the price tag is a bit of a misnomer. Demand far outstrips supply. We do have other bottles of similar vintage if you would like to try something else instead.”

  “No no, this is perfect. Please, don’t open any more bottles,” Magnus said quickly. “Please.”

  “As you wish.”

  Despite the shock at the price, his mind hummed softly, delighted in savouring such expensive artisanal goods. Somehow, the wine tasted even better than before, but that might have been because he tried to unearth more from it. Enjoying his meal, he didn’t let the opportunity of getting information out of the android pass him by.

  “So, what can you tell me Weathers?”

  “About what, Master Magnus? I have access to a vast amount of knowledge, though limits have been placed on particular subjects” Weathers gave a short bow, watching Magnus with his soft brown eyes that glowed slightly. He seemed almost human. “Please, ask away. I shall endeavour to answer you as accurately as possible.”

  “So you’re taking me to Nexus Prime. Do you know why?”

  “You’ve a meeting you will be attending, though for what I cannot say. That information is classified from one such as myself. Neither do I know why specifically Nexus Prime is your destination, out of all others.”

  “Okay, I was expecting that. Who owns the Lightsinger?”

  “Again, I regret to inform you that I cannot say.”

  “Ugh, what can you say then!” Magnus frowned, for some reason feeling the urge to destroy something. Pushing it away, he continued, “When did the Lightsinger arrive at Craigton Station? How long was it sitting there? It seems rather suspicious that a ship of this quality was conveniently waiting around.”

  “Before you arrived, the Lightsinger had been docked at the spaceport for 34 minutes and 12 seconds.”

  “Which means Rooster would have had to send it almost straightaway. I don’t know how long I was unconscious for, but it couldn't have been that long. She was sure I’d agree to her proposal before she’d even made it.”

  The more he found out about the mysteries Chosen of the Rooster, the more unsettled he became. Perhaps it was for the best that he’d decided to join her alliance. He shuddered to think what ploys and plots she could have woven around him, had he refused.

  “Okay then, can you tell me anything about the Zodiac War then?”

  “Historical records contain a plethora of information on that topic, dating back as far as the 12th century. Of course, records from those times are incomplete, and anything prior may have been lost to time. More recently, there have been several conflicts linked to this phenomenon, occurring every 60 years. Most notably is the one that took place 180 years ago, where a vast amount of destruction and death occurred, perpetrated by those who called themselves the Chosen of the Zodiac. Multiple cities were lost, and the death toll rose into the high eight figures.”

  “Uh, what? Are you serious?”

  “I cannot lie, Master Magnus. After a quick calculation, I have deduced that this specific Zodiac War was uncharacteristically bloody, mainly caused by multiple of the so-called Chosen fighting in large population centres, as well as fleeing across the stars. These factors, amongst others, combined to elongate the War and involve even more bystanders.”

  “... I see.”

  Apparently the Zodiac War wasn’t as secret as he’d first imagined, but then again, it made sense. He himself had already used the powers gifted to seek a personal vengeance, so what stopped any of the other Chosen from doing the same. Twelve every War, every sixty years. It was just a numbers game until something went wrong. “Did the winners really get a wish?”

  “Unknown. My apologises Master Magnus, but that information doesn’t seem to be in my databanks.” Weathers did truly look sorry as they cleaned away the plates from the table. “Perhaps you might find the answers to such questions on Nexus Prime.”

  “Maybe… maybe,” Magnus mumbled, thinking. It appeared that the Zodiac War might be a lot worse than he’d first imagined. “... Millions of dead.”

  “I need to go refresh myself, is there a bathroom or something onboard Weathers?”

  “Of course. The Lightsinger is equipped with everything required for an enjoyable voyage. If you’ll please follow me.”

  Weathers lead Magnus through a few extravagantly decorated rooms, all seemingly designed for luxury, relaxations, and enjoyment. There was even an entire bedroom, with the largest bed he’d ever seen. A large retractable window looked out amidst the stars, making for one of the most magical views he’d ever seen. The bathroom was similarly stocked, truly containing anything a guest might desire.

  “Please feel free to use any of the amenities, Master Magnus. A selection of new clothes has also been arranged for you as well, if you so desire. I think you’ll find the selection will have something to your tastes.” Weathers gave him another bow, and walked away. “Feel free to speak my name if you require any assistance.”

  Ignoring the ramifications that statement had about his privacy, Magnus was left alone staring at his reflection in the mirror. The man looking back at him felt strange and uncanny, like it wasn’t really him anymore. Not properly at least.

  His eyes were golden now, and took on a reptilian vibe. Pulling open his mouth, his teeth were sharper and elongated too. He’d noticed that while he was eating, unable to stop himself running his tongue along them. There were other minute changes as well, but less specific. The man in the reflection seemed to radiate an arrogant pride, as if he were some sort of ruler or being above many. Being the Chosen of the Dragon seemed to be changing Magnus in ways he couldn’t quantify.

  Sighing, he disrobed and stepped into the shower. Unlike what he was used too, he wasn’t met with a powerful spray of water from every direction. A simple screen greeted him instead, which he tapped, making water erupt from the ceiling.

  Waving a hand beneath the waterfall, it wasn’t hot enough, and he had to change the setting until a thick cloud of steam shrouded the entire room. The water was almost boiling as it hit his skin, but it didn’t hurt at all. Stepping into it, the water felt like a cleansing balm, the heat sinking into his flesh and warming his core. The grim and sweat fell away, leaving his porcelain skin clean and unmarked.

  Magnus enjoyed the sensation immensely, taking the opportunity to fully immerse himself in the pleasure. It was a completely different experience from the grueling and miserable showers he was used to. Taking full advantage of it, he stayed beneath the water for a long time, the sound of the water drowning out his thoughts.

  It was peaceful, and for a time, that was all he needed.