Chapter 1: Prologue

My legacy, my kingdom, gathered right in front of my palace cheering and anticipating the moment that will determine the future of our kind.

Their emperor was about to be born, my child that will guide the army and put an end to this war. A true leader just like his father; level-headed, strong, and tactical individual. That's how it must be, no other way was acceptable.

Raising my hands, a gesture to silence the crowd before my speech, I held faint hope in my heart.

"Our kind," I began, my words echoing in the air. "Mocked, stomped by the others, laughed at for our roots with the Earthians." Booing and whistling sent a smile upon my old and tired face. "I understand!" I shouted feeling the pain and disappointment of my people. "We might not be Martians, Azgardians, or even Qourk, but we are descendants of the greatest kind that ruled over this galaxy. People of the Sun, who once conquered the Moon, and held elders at their feet."

Taking a moment for the cheers to quiet down I continued, "But never forget that even the greatest fall. Our ancestor, The Emperor has committed a crime of mating with earthians, creating a new race, much weaker, yet more wilful than any other. We aren't a mistake! This child, my son, he will bring greatness to this nation, this planet!"

The excitement that overtook the thousands has made me hopeful, this mustn't be the end.

"Sir," Helarias, my right-hand and a trusted friend approached me with a little box. "It's done, child has been born."

The fear and escalating heartbeat, taking a last look at my nation so full of pride and strength. I gulped, for this to be the first time I felt truly terrified.

It had to be a boy, otherwise we stood no chance, only men could inherit the right to lead. With the biggest nations waiting to destroy our planet for insubordination, this was the moment of truth.

"Do you remember what we spoke about?" Not receiving a verbal answer, I called his name, "Helarias."

Averting his eyes up from the ground, he looked into mine and nodded. "Yes, my friend. If it's a girl, I will do as you said..." hesitance still present in his tone.

Seeing his uncertainty I asked, "What?"

"I just... I don't understand, why won't you do it yourself, my king?"

A tiny smirk overtook my wrinkly face, he knew me better than that, why ask when knowing the answer? My reaction was enough as he briefly looked at the crowd and nodded in understanding.

"Before we do this," he stopped me from opening the box. "Her name, please let it be from her father. The King. The Emperor of the Sun."

If it were to be a girl, she deserved as much as a name. Helarias was right, for the countless of times, I became grateful to my friend before acting hastily. Taking a step closer, I whispered into his ear, so no guards could hear.

"Elina. The sun, beautiful, bright, and shining in ancient Greek... May she survive."

"Understood, the child will know her name. I promise you, my friend."

Exchanging the signs of love in our language I turned towards my people and opened the box containing our future. Observing the silver blood that was drained from my newborn, Helerias and I exchanged quick, yet one of the most meaningful looks in our lives.

Silver for a girl, obsidian for a boy.

Closing the box, he rushed into the palace, watching him for the last time, once he disappeared my eyes have focused on the crowd in front. Taking the knife gifted by the previous leaders I slit my throat in front of the nation. There was no more future for this kind.

Elina, my child. I know you will never hear this, but in these last moments, before life escapes my soul and forms into a star, please know. You might have not been what this nation needed, the war will take over and you will be living a lie, but one day when you find out the truth, please not for a second think you weren't enough. You already are.

Stay strong, level-headed, and never bow to anyone. Starting today you are the Empress of the Sun. Forgive me for not keeping it ready for your arrival, your father and the previous leader has failed you.

To the sun and moon, survive.

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"I beg you Rosetta, the King... Our friend, he trusted in you, you are this child's last hope. Please, accept her, let me fulfill his last wish."

The woman whom once I thought a friend has expressed nothing else, but coldness towards Garma's child.

Oh, little Elina, such a tiny and fragile thing, jiggling and breathing with difficulty ever since we stood on Earth's ground. The atmosphere was much different than the one on our now buried by war planet.

"Helarias, we went through wars together, we conquered and cried on each other's sides, but this..." she observed the little girl, that snuggled herself into my neck. "This I cannot do, she's not an ordinary kid. They will come for her, once they destroy our planet, they will come looking for the last heir. I-"

"I know!" I whisper-shouted, not wanting to alarm Elina.

Shaking her head, she broke a tear. "I escaped to Earth in search of peace, but I found something much more than that," she confused me with her sudden revelation.

"What is it, Rosetta?"

Hesitantly, she glanced between me and the stars before sighing defeated and walking into her house from where she returned this time with a child. A peculiar one at that, black sunglasses rested on her nose, and ashy brown hair fell against her tiny shoulders.

"A purpose." Awaiting patiently for my friend to elaborate she held the child's hand and sternly searched my eyes, as if not wanting to say anything, but for me to guess it.

It was bright outside, but the sun wasn't present. Why would the child need those glasses? Taking a few hesitant steps, I felt the odd presence coming from the kid.

Scared to say out loud I uttered, "It cannot be..." Taking another look at Rosetta she didn't discard this absurd idea. "A moonchild?" I whispered as if our enemies could hear from the planets away. "How?! Where did you find her?" I was conflicted, not expecting this to become this messy.

Elina must have felt my uneasiness because she began to cry. Doing my best to coo the baby, the other kid shifted to the sound of those tears. Pulling Rosetta's hand, she freed herself and approached me and the baby in the calmest, yet certain manner. Seeing as it were a kid, I allowed her to get closer.

She might have been blind, but she didn't act in need. Motioning for me to lower myself I did as ask and watched her whisper something into Elina's ear, magically stopping her cries.

"What did you say?" I wondered.

Suddenly her covered by the dark glasses' eyes, blazed into my soul.

"Don't cry," her melodic tone not fitting the Earth's ground.

Frowning I couldn't believe it was all it took, yet there was no reason to argue with a kid, a moonchild at that.

"I see now," I turned to Rosetta. "You cannot risk being found."

Pulling her grey hair into a ponytail she brought the kid back to her side. "Forgive me Helarias, my advice? Leave her at the Intergalactic Pentagon, no one will be able to touch her there."

Anger rushed through my blood. "They will brainwash her! She will become a tool," I shouted with frustration, this wasn't what Garma wanted for his daughter.

"Then take care of her yourself," she gave me a warm smile. "You will give her more than she needs, love and care, but most importantly memories."

Looking at Elina my heart ached, there was nothing more I wished to do, to be there for her and guide her, but I couldn't.

"I'm to leave this child in safety and immediately return to our home."

"You will die," calmness and sorrow came out of her mouth.

"I'm a warrior, a guard. My family, my nation is there, fighting. My King has died on its soil, and I will be deemed if I won't follow in his steps."

A scoff and eyes filled with sorrow. "That's why we never worked out, you stubborn old man. Always doing everything for the nation... We could have had a life here on Earth."

Considering such a possibility was more painful than any bullet shot into my body because I knew she was right.

"Forgive me Elina," I said through gritted teeth and regret as I walked out of Rosetta's land and directed my spaceship towards our next destination.

Writing down the name on the piece of paper, I laid a frail child in front of the Pentagon doors.

"My Empress..." I fought off the tears and headed to my last adventure, its name written in five letters - Death.

May the stars guide your soul.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧.

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