Chapter 591 - Day MMCXLI, Part III

For a moment I spaced out, thinking about that stuff, but Ashal Kal Anur's words brought me back t reality:

- I hope you, brave warriors, are prepared for such travel, as I would like to depart today.

I immediately looked at him.

- Moreover, I would also like to take the Atri, present here today, with us, as a witness of Zor'xal's madness - he turned to focus on her. - It would be safer for you if you were to come, as the emperor's hand might still reach you here, and he does consider you a traitor. Until he is not properly dealt with he has some influence even despite being kept prisoner in his palace until the Queen's judgment arrives.

She immediately stood up.

- It would be an honor for me to accompany you, o enlightened by Queen's grace, and the brave warriors - she bowed showing her respect, and sat back down.

He nodded acknowledging her gesture.

- I believe this concludes my part here. The rest is in your hands - he then said. - Please join me outside, brave warriors.

Then he simply turned around and left.

- First, he hopes we are ready to follow him, and then he expects us to? - asked Gavriil as both of his eyebrows climbed their way higher on his forehead.

- It's better if we don't annoy him, at least for now - said Will, and he stood up.

Adam, Atri, and a couple of others followed him, as he want after the imperial official. I waited a bit longer, just like Semenov did. The politicians around us looked straight at us, but nobody said anything. I didn't know if it was because of me or maybe the vampire, or perhaps the mix of our reputations. 

Eventually, though, he sighed and picked himself up.

- If we don't go they will leave us here, and I'm actually a bit curious about that whole queen - he said, and then went after the rest.

I waited a bit longer, and then shadow walked to get in front of him. He just snorted.

That's how we reached the outside, where a group of hunters surrounding Ashal Kal Anur was standing in a shadow thrown by a massive spaceship docked in the air above the city of Cairo. It looked like the night was coming despite the fact that it was still morning.

The imperial official glanced around, and as he seemed to be content with the numbers surrounding him, he rose bot of his hands like a priest would in church. Then, with a strange sound, I can only compare to a large piece of metal slowly bending under immense pressure, we all started levitating slowly towards the gargantuan object above our heads. A light appeared on the solid block of, probably, metal, and it formed a symbol that then fragmented alongside the surface it was placed on. Like a giant swarm of bugs would just move.

It revealed a large space that we could barely see because of our position, but the higher we got the more we saw. It was some kind of large hall, with blue and gold pennants on the walls made out of something that I can only compare to solid metal. The light was provided by blue crystals placed here and there.

There were also golden symbols on the ceiling, which shimmered a little.

I glanced down below, at the city architecture covered by thick shadows, at the river called the Nile, ad the people standing on the streets or peaking through their windows at the spaceship and us slowly raising to reach it.

When we did the last piece of the interior decoration was revealed. A blue rug with golden patterns at the edges formed a cross with a hole in the middle, where we were entering the vessel. There was a door at each end of that cross.

Inside, there was nobody.

- Welcome to my personal skyship - said Ashal Kal Anur. - There are quarters prepared for you, and the servants will answer every single question you might have. Please rest well, and enjoy your stay here, until we reach our destination.

I looked around to clarify if there really were absolutely no people around since he mentioned servants, and I couldn't see a single soul. Then he clapped with his both hands, and all four doors opened revealing a procession of aliens in different shapes and forms. All wearing the same white robes he did, but without the golden jewelry and with collars around their necks.

I was turning left and right, checking out the strange crowd, and I didn't even notice as one of them got close to me.

It was a small woman of physique similar to human, with long deep-blue wavy hair, and light-blue skin. The only difference was that she lacked a nose, and had gills on her neck. She had a ring on her lip, the same as Ashal Kal Anur, and a similar device on one of her ears hidden under curls, with only slowly blinking lights indicating it's there.

- Are you human called Peter? - she asked in her language, which quickly got translated to English.

- Yes - I admitted, still a bit confused and clearly taken by surprise.

- I'm Sor. I've been assigned to take care of you. Your wish is my command - she bowed deeply with both hands on her stomach.

- Uhm - escaped my mouth. - Take me to my room, I guess?

- Your wish is my command - she repeated herself, then turned around. - Please follow me.

I did, but also glanced around. A similar situation was happening to everybody. We all were walking in different directions towards different doors. Ashal Kal Anur was already gone.

She led me on the same path she came from, and we passed through the now open door. The blue rug on the floor continued throughout the whole corridor which started on the other side. In silence, we passed by many other doors.

She clearly knew where she was going, but I had no idea, so I kept looking around led by confusion and curiosity.