4 The Pas

After leaving the Kingdom's Imperial War Hall, the First Prince reappeared in his throne room. He doesn't like giving all the detailed orders that his Armed Forces had to do. What's the use of having thousands of Generals? The truth: he was apathetic when it came in this kind of situation.

A powerful aura of death covered the entirety of the throne room. Precious stones and ice became its foundation. The platform was inundated with silvery smoke as if you were walking in a cloudy sky. The ceiling was as beautiful as the twinkling stars at night. Nebulas, comets, and galaxies were only a touch away from the tip of your hair. The throne was only made to be sat by a God that could control anything. If that God said to kill yourself, without a thought you'd comply.

The First Prince immediately noticed the deathly aura of a Jadasian leaning in the wall. This Jadasian was taller than him by few inches. His features could be considered at the acme of perfection added that to the red hair that was burning above him. His left eye depicted the rising star in the morning while the right was the setting star. This Jadasian was like himself, a God.

Upon realizing who it was, the First Prince gave him a smirk. He made four casual strode towards him and spoke in a mocking and displeased tone, "Second Prince Beru Solar Eclipse Jadase, my brother, what are you doing in here? You're melting the ice."

2nd Prince Beru Solar Eclipse Jadase was the current King of the Kingdom of Symeth. The other Kingdom that composed the Empire of Jadase. His only brother and the only being he wouldn't dare to live in a single sky.

"Are you afraid that I'll be drowned, Laquadia Daniel Zenon Jadase, my ugly, brother?" hearing Laquadia's words, he also replied to him with his own mocking tone. And his smile showed that he was so much inclined in this kind of situation.

"Of course, I'm very afraid because I don't know how much resources I'm going to spend in your funeral," replied Laquadia, and began to walk towards his throne.

"Oh really! 1 diamond is enough," Beru said thankful in a sarcastic way. The both of them knew that diamonds could be found anywhere in the Empire. It only added fire to a raging bull.

"1 diamond? You are worth, affordable."

"Yeah, because I'm afraid you're not going to give me anything when I say 23 diamonds, 63 emeralds, and 147 rubies," Beru said in a very strict way like a teacher giving a lesson to his student.

"Oh!" Laquadia replied without speaking anymore. Beru knew that this brother of his was very stupid when it came to solving basic mathematics. He learned this when their father, the late Emperor, asked Laquadia when they were still young, 23 minus 87. He'd never forgot that his brother took 2 full minutes in giving his answer. At that time, Beru doesn't knew whether to laugh or to cry, because a Great Prince of the Empire was so foolish when it came to solving basic mathematics. When the news leaked out, it became an Imperial Scandal, even today.

"I am here in your place not to humiliate you, even though it is really a humiliation that you are an idiot, my brother," Beru said in a pitiful way with a glint of mockery in his eyes. "I came here to let you know that..." he stopped in midway and straightened his posture.

"Why, what's the problem again - traitor, spy?"

Laquadia knew that those things were natural in this vast Universe, but this what made him very infuriated - knowing that there was a spy and more than so, a traitor in the Empire.

"No, she's back."

When those words penetrated his ears and recognized by his brain, Laquadia froze in his state. He could deduce on the expression that was plastered on Beru's face that there was only one individual he was referring to. That was the woman whom he waited for 30 years.

"I don't want to see her," Laquadia replied in a very chilly voice that could freeze time itself. When he heard his brother's voice, Beru felt all the air was gone and he was literally suffocated from the pressure he was given. He was aware that his brother was powerful, but he didn't expect to be powerful like this. Mountains came crushing towards his skin, penetrating every layer all the way down to his bones. He regretted saying this news to his brother now that he felt the excruciating pressure that was crashing down on his body. His body started to numb and pleaded struggling, "Brother... I'm... not... her."

"Sorry. Just leave," Laquadia said and looked in his eyes meaningfully.

When Beru saw Laquadia's eyes, he knew that his brother was angry, however, he saw a hint of longing. And that was something he can't afford to cross. So he immediately vanished into thin air. He knew and understood that his brother was truly hurt. This was the time when they best became brothers and knew to rely on each other. They hate each other very much. With that hate came a brotherly love only themselves knew the power.

Traveling in a time machine and went back 30 years ago. In an asteroid field, near planet Frevok, a huge spaceship that was surrounded by different classes of Frigates flew near it mightily. The spacecraft's name was Heltrum 67, it was the most powerful Armada Command Ship of the Kingdom of Yoahan at that time. Inside one of its rooms, there was a couple having a heartbreaking conversation.

"I must leave you," said a crying woman in an embrace of a handsome man.

"Why?" asked the man full of grief deep down in his heart. Tears were flowing down his face. This was his most vulnerable state, very weak and pitiful.

"We... can't be together. I don't have the courage to be by your side," replied the woman firmly with a sorrowful look on her eyes.

The man's eyes were asking her 'why?'. However, the woman chose to loosen her embrace into him and walked in fast motions worrying that she'd look back at him. After another three steps, she vanished and appeared in a docking bay where a small-class frigate was waiting for her. She went inside and slammed her room's door and cried non-stop. She's not just crying, she's grieving for her lost. She made up her mind and there's no turning back. How she hated to be in this situation.

"Fate is not in our side, Daniel," she finally spoke in between her sobs. Her cries could melt any stone and cry with her. Her eyes were withered flowers in autumn, while her face experienced a decade of loneliness.

When she felt that the spacecraft had been carried out by the Armada Command Ship, she left her entire heart. The spacecraft powered its engines, and traveled into space at the speed of light, not wanting to go back.

"I will always find ways to make fate in our hands, my love," said the handsome man full of determination before he left the room. When he reappeared on his ship's command station, he ordered the Captain to start firing the engine and went back to their home planet, Melicah.

Boommmm!

A familiar sound erupted even before the Heltrum 67 could fire its engines. A loud blast covered the western section of the Armada Command Ship. The whole spacecraft was immediately inundated by powerful booming sounds as its sections broke apart. Everyone felt the whole spacecraft shook violently as the fire spread all over. It resulted for the crews to panic as they never anticipated that this would occur in their own System. 'Someone wanted war.' The only phrase that ran through the minds of everyone who felt and witnessed the tragedy.

Boommmm!

Another loud explosion echoed all over the spacecraft's Command Room. Thankfully, Laquadia had summoned a powerful spell shield in a nick of time. If his reflexes were not fast, he'll surely become one of the crews and officers floating in space dead. It's unlucky for him that his shield didn't hold longer and broke. It only took a second before he felt pain overwhelmed his body. He witnessed how fire ate his clothes digging all the way to his chest, then his back, lastly his right foot before he forced himself to dive into space breaking the Command Room's window.

Laquadia saw Jadasians and (Imperial Lower Individuals) ILI's flying frozen. Their skins were painted with burns and their faces all had the same expression, shock, and disbelief. They were more fortunate compared to the others who had been separated from their bodies. There was also a group of Jadasians packed inside the debris. They were all inside a room, brewing coffee as one of them still held a cup in his hand.

The huge explosion traveled to the nearest planet and caused its inhabitants to be in shocked. Jadasians, ILI's and some tourists looked at the space above them flabbergasted while panting heavily. They couldn't believe that one of the Armada Command Ships of the Empire had been blasted out from space just like that. Especially, when this ACS was a Flagship of Yoahan.

Then, to their surprise, a loud roar blasted out in space and powerful ripples shook the nearby asteroids as the spacecraft gave out its final explosion. They saw how some of its debris entered the nearest planet's atmosphere like an asteroid. The nearby Cruisers and Frigates that were stationed immediately responded and shoot out the falling debris to prevent more casualties.

"Serah..." the only word Laquadia had said before he fell unconscious in space.