~RYDER~

I inhaled deeply, leaning my head back to rest against the headboard of my bed. I allowed myself to exhale, attempting to calm the storm that was raging within me. I returned my attention to the frail girl lying in my arms.

Her breathing was slow and quiet, her facial expression reflecting peacefulness. I absent-mindedly played with a strand of her long brown hair with my finger, being conscious not to tug too hard. I had no intentions of waking her up, agreeing with the others that she needed rest.

Anger continued to manifest within me, my various attempts to calm myself seemed futile.

My demon wanted revenge. He wanted to find this so-called Owner and obliterate him, slowly. How dare he take what was ours for his own selfish reasons and doing it not once, but twice. I felt a chilly draft blow past me, the temperature in my room getting colder by the second. I knew the windows were closed shut, so the culprit of the sudden temperature drop was me.

Deep breaths Ryder, deep breaths. I couldn’t lose control now.

“Mine.”

I returned my concentration back to the girl, her soft declaration made me smile. She called herself Makoto, oblivious of her past. That man had done something to her memories and she knew absolutely nothing of her background or about us. She said I looked familiar to her. Her confession pained my heart.

When our eyes first met that faithful day, when my family was visiting Realm Eight to celebrate my ninth birthday, I thought time had stilled. She was my first love and the one I was destined to protect and serve. Yet, I failed her, unable to fulfil my duty as her knight when she needed me the most.

I watched her rotate slightly, her hold around my arm tightened.  I promised the others I’d stay and watch her while they reported back to Professor Oxwell, giving him an update on how our mission unfolded. To be honest, I was happy I got to stay behind. All I wanted to do was stay with her. All those cycles, we could have been together, training and enjoying the life the Starlight gods granted us.

My demon ached for Rose. Would she even remember us? Sixteen cycles had passed since the day before her sixth birthday. I swore to be her protector, encouraging her to be patient and wait till I grew big and strong.

I swore to become a diligent demon shifter and knight to serve her through all our cycles. She had laughed at my declarations, but she acknowledged my determination. I promised to give her, her birthday gift the next morning, hugging her as I wished her good night, unaware it would be my last.

That next morning, I woke up extra early, her gift in my hands as I walked towards her room, ready to surprise her. The image of the maids collapsed on the floor crying frantically, as the guards rushed back and forth, was forever engraved into my mind. The frustration, the anger, the fear, all those emotions were still fresh, as if it all happened yesterday.

“Mine, mine…mine.”

I shook my head, hoping to rid myself of those dreadful memories. I had to live in the present. I smiled as I pressed my lips against her forehead.

“She still talks in her sleep?” My demon acknowledged, his cold, rigid voice echoed in my mind.

“Ya.” I replied, closing my eyes. I guess that part of her never changed.

“We won’t lose her again, Ryder. We won’t be foolish a third time.” He stressed, his words weighed on my troubled heart. He was right. I couldn’t mess up a third time. Losing Mako once was unbearable. Then when I lost Anya…it broke me. I don’t think I can survive a third time.

“No more mistakes.” I vowed solemnly.

 

***

~MAKO~

“So…spill.” I encouraged, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at the four men before me.

I’d awakened after a full ten hours of uninterrupted sleep. No nightmares, no sleep walking, just blissful, dreamless sleep. I had to give myself a pat on the back for such a miracle.

Now, I was stationed in the boy’s household. I couldn’t tell how big the house was, but I sat in the spacious living room, gazing through the transparent glass doors that revealed a spacious backyard.

Beyond it, was a vast forest. It was the first time I had ever seen a glimpse of the outside world. If it wasn’t for the multiple books I’d read in the past, I probably wouldn’t even know it was a forest. The vibrant colours, the variety of greens and browns, to the wondrous blue sky above beginning to change colour, the sun making its descent. I prayed I’d get to watch the sun set for the first time.

I stared at the landscape beyond the glass for fifteen minutes before Elias snapped me out of my daze, uninterested in my appreciation of their backyard. Hmph, maybe if he hadn’t seen the world for sixteen cycles, he’d appreciate Mother Nature’s immense beauty.  It was time to get to the point, as frightened as I was to know the truth.

I got myself comfortable, crossing my legs meditation style, as I straightened my posture on the black suede sofa.

I was currently sitting in the middle, Marcus was on my right while Daniel was on my left. Across from me was a replica of the couch I occupied, where Ryder sat alone as Elias loomed behind him, leaning against the black wooden bookshelf. They all wore serious expressions, giving me the impression that no one wanted to start the evening with this conversation.

Ryder took a quick glance at the others. Their faces changed with different expressions; Marcus looked upset, Daniel appeared concerned and Elias…he looked unamused as usual. I wondered if he ever smiled. I came to two conclusions; they were either super close or had some telepathic ability to understand each other through eye contact. I was leaning more towards the second option.

“Do you know anything about the realms?” Ryder questioned.

“Realms? What the hell is a realm?” I asked.

“Please, Starlight help us. You don’t know what a realm is. You were living on Realm One this whole time?” Elias groaned, his frustration evident in his monotonous voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. King. It’s not my fault I’ve never seen the outside world before. Oh, how unfortunate of me to admit my shortcomings.” I snapped back. Seriously, what’s this shifter's problem.

“Elias.” Ryder warned, his voice so deep it sent shivers down my spine.

“Looks like his demon doesn’t have much patience… I like.” Rose revealed.

I sighed. You saw him annihilate that bear shifter, heard his voice twice and now you like him? Maybe you should get his number or learn his name?”

“We know him.” Rose replied, the realization raising Rose’s voice higher in my mind.

I wanted to question her sudden revelation, but she disappeared within my mind. She loved leaving me hanging. Demons…so aggravating.

Elias scrunched his face, but didn’t argue, placing his hands in his pockets as he glanced to his left, moving his attention to the backyard.

“The facility you were held in, Mako, is located on Realm One. Think of it as its own designated planet. There are ten realms in total. The one we’re currently on is Realm Five, Minato.” Ryder explained.

“So, you’re telling me I was on a different planet!” I shrieked.

Holy Starlight! It was one thing to find out you have been locked up in a building on an isolated planet, but now I found out there were nine others.

He nodded, his stern expression softening. He probably pitied me.

“We won’t get into details regarding the other realms, but we're going to focus on three main ones, Realm One, Five and Eight.” Marcus proposed, turning to face me. I nodded, my heart racing with anticipation. Ryder continued.

“Realm Eight is known as Heila, kingdom of prosperity and good fortune. They had an abundance of power in various areas, but their people essentially focused on summoning magic. They are the most populated realm out of the galaxy, holding about two hundred and fifty thousand shifters from all over the realms. The King and Queen are the ones who requested Minato’s assistance in locating their child, the youngest heir.” As Ryder finished, Daniel picked up the story.

“Realm One use to be known as Latelia. It was once a beautiful, peaceful realm. Their purpose was centered on the enhancement of technology. They strived to create machinery that would benefit all the realms and was fully supported by the King and Queen of Heila, due to their vast knowledge and quick productions of defensive weaponry. The King of Heila and King of Latelia became best friends, supporting one another in all things. Such events eventually lead to the creation of an alliance. The people of Heila would teach the people of Latelia their knowledge and skill in summoning magic while the people of Latelia shared their plans of creating state of the art machinery to help with medical facilities, weaponry and overall welfare. It was a time of harmony and things went on smoothly.” Daniel explained.

“This has a bad ending, doesn’t it?” I speculated, frowning. I hate tragic endings. Elias nodded.

“The King of Latelia, Blair Aspen, wanted more power. He hated how the other realms grew in population, while his seemed to have stalled. Shifters from the other realms were more intrigued by Realm Eight’s beauty and knowledge of magic, compared to technology. King Aspen became greedy, wanting his realm to be the most powerful amongst the others. He had an idea.” Ryder carried on.

“He knew shifters couldn’t always outpower machinery, regardless of their spirit. He needed a weapon that could guarantee victory. He began to devise the theory that if a shifter had more than one spirit, would they acquire more endurance? If you had a shifter with a wolf and a tiger, what happens when your wolf is too exhausted?” Ryder asked.

“The host allows the wolf to switch out and the tiger takes his place? The tiger would essentially have full stamina and the wolf would rest in the meantime. I mean if the host is strong enough to handle the switches…they could go back and forth repeatedly without the host depleting all their energy.” I replied, realizing what he was getting at. Continuous switching, endless stamina, perfect weapon for war. Ryder nodded, continuing.

“Back then, having more than one spirit was considered a rare trait. It’s not like now where there are shifters with two and three spirits.”

I took a moment to absorb the information, my mind still pondering on the continuous shifting point. It reminded me of the training sessions the Owner forced us to participate in. He’d push us to our limits, especially the special shifters like me with more than one residing spirit. Marcus sighed, his hand going through his hair before joining in.

“Continuous shifting, only, if the host can withstand it. We all know how tiring it is to allow our spirit to take over, let alone shift fully. So, imagine a person with multiple spirits.” Marcus pointed out.

“But hold on. The Starlight gods are the only ones who can bless a shifter with a spirit right? I know some receive them at birth and others can be blessed along their life span. How did he expect to find shifters with multiple spirits?” I questioned. No one would possibly volunteer to be a test subject.

“Exactly, no one would volunteer themselves as tribute to such a malicious cause. So, he started with his own son.” Daniel answered, taking his glasses off, a grim expression on his face.

“You can’t be serious! He used his own son?! Wait, shouldn’t such experiments be illegal or against common law?” I blurted out. It didn’t take a genius to understand the Starlight law, it was simple really. Ryder nodded.

“How much do you know about the Starlight law?” He questioned.

“Um, the five basic rules. That’s really it.” I replied.

“There’s history behind the creation of those laws.” He answered, glancing at Daniel who nodded his head.

“The Starlight gods had created the realms a long time ago, uninhabited. The ten gods combined their powers and created their first living creatures; the human species. They watched as humans grew, but they weren’t satisfied. They wanted a variety of species, to coexist with one another and occupy the remaining realms. They gathered together and combined their various powers, the result lead to the birth of the shifter race. The process was simple enough, the gods would bless a human with a spirit; their purpose to protect their designated realm and their people.” He explained. Ryder carried on.

“In the beginning, humans received their spirits during their life span. But as time went on and the realms began to expand, many were blessed at birth. The gods watched as their children advanced and procreated. They emphasized harmony and guided us through Star readers; or psychics and fortune tellers as they were known in other realms.” He continued, Daniel taking over.

“Regardless, in order to promote peace, rules were created and enforced, to ensure all species would coincide among one another, without meaningless wars and outbreaks. The humans had their set of rules; the gods allowing them the freedom to choose whether to follow them or not. The shifters were no different.” He concluded.

“We had five rules to follow, but one of them was absolute.” Marcus announced. I nodded, the words leaving my mouth as I recited the absolute law.  

 

“Thy shall not take upon the role of the gods. We bless you with thy protection, your purpose to defend not destroy. One shall be blessed with the number of spirits we bestow and commend. No creation shall be granted ultimate power over the species. Defy this law and you shall know nothing but catastrophe and everlasting despair.”

 

“Correct. He was driven by greed and wanted to become a god. So, he used the realms vast technology and started experimenting on his son and subjects. Shifters volunteered at first, unaware of his underlying motives. He informed them that they were finding a way to cure various diseases, many that killed humans on Realm Six. The shifters volunteered to help their fellow species, but as time went on, shifters began to realize the volunteers never returned. When the number of volunteers declined to none, King Aspen ordered his guards to kidnap people.” Marcus revealed, Daniel nodding before continuing.

“The other realms were unaware of the experiments until the realms population was beyond replaceable, becoming a crisis across the realms. The Starlight gods promote equilibrium, and Realm One had to contribute to such balance. The most startling problem that revealed itself, was shifters began to go missing across the realms, specifically children.” Daniel stated.

By what Daniel had just confirmed, the loss of multiple shifters around these realms would have caused an imbalance. It would only be a matter of time till the gods noticed the population decline, especially if children were disappearing.

“The realms’ Kings and Queens gathered in Realm Eight, realizing King Aspen’s wrong doings and decided to work together to stop his experimentations. They took their best knights and mages, travelling to Realm One with the intentions of overthrowing him, but by the time they reached it, King Aspen had succeeded with his son; Malik. He had used machinery to procreate two spirits, inserting them into Malik.” Daniel explained.

Elias pushed himself off the bookshelf, walking around to sit next to Ryder, his eyes looking straight into mine as he continued explained.

“They went straight into the war, their goal to bring down Malik, who was now considered an abomination to the Starlight gods. The battle raged on and was fought viciously, but Malik was powerful, switching between his born demon spirit and the two manual implanted spirits; a werewolf and dragon. When his physical body became weak, King Aspen administered some type of serum that would boost him up again.” I was familiar with the serum; the same black fluid having been used on me several times before.

Marcus lifted his hand over his head, looking at the ceiling, continuing.

“The battle raged for days, many shifters were killed in the process. Malik became consumed with dark power, destroying whatever stood in his path. Darkness began to spread across the land, polluted the air and turned Realm One into a wasteland. The realms’ Royals, banned together, praying to the gods for divine assistance, to put an end to the chaos that was unfolding.” Marcus revealed.  Daniel nodded next to me, facing me again as he carried on the conversation.

“The Starlight goddess, Nightmare, Goddess of Destruction and daughter of Death, descended upon the realm. She summoned an inferno that raged across the land, destroying Malik and everyone in the process, except for the King.” Daniel concluded.

“Wait, she killed everyone BUT the King! Why did she spare him?” I questioned, fury building within me.

This King was so enraged with power he sacrificed his son, his people and the whole realm? His plan to make his realm the best clearly became the opposite.

“The Starlight law declares that the person who defies the gods would know only catastrophe and everlasting despair. King Aspen’s punishment was to live on Realm One for fifty cycles, unable to leave until his sentence was completed. They wanted him to realize the power that he once craved, gave him nothing but desolation and loss of his family, subjects and realm.” Marcus answered.

“Okay…so after the fifty cycles he repented, right? Or did he waste away in his realm?” I asked, the suspense killing me.

He was consumed with greed and cursed with the constant reminder of his wrong doings. A king who’d once sworn to protect his people, only to lead them to their demise.

“Neither.” Elias responded, leaning back against the cushions.

“During those cycles of isolation, King Aspen’s anger only grew. He had lost his one and only son, his subjects and kingdom, thanks to the other realms summoning of the gods. So, he wanted them to feel the same pain. He still had a few followers across the realms so he reached out to them, asking for their aid. He secretly created facilities across the realms, beginning his experiments once more.” He confirmed.

I felt a shiver go down my spine. The dots were starting to line up in my mind.

“Wait…why didn’t the Starlight gods interfere then? He clearly didn’t learn from his mistakes! Why didn’t they just…you know, kill him?” I demanded.

“The Starlight gods interfere when multiple realms are at risk of being wiped out. Other than that, they can’t baby us. They believe in forgiveness and second chances.” Elias reinforced, shrugging. He leaned back into his seat, allowing a moment for his words to sink in before continuing.

“Anyways, Aspen continued his experiments, kidnapping shifters who we’d classify as less important. Say, a prostitute or a homeless shifter goes missing, no one would really notice. He also coaxed shifters into joining him. Claiming to give them a powerful position or wealth.” Elias explained.

“Okay, but when they got there, wouldn’t they realize it was all fake? Why would they stay?” I retorted, rolling my eyes. Who would possibly stay by his side at that point? Ryder chuckled.

“Mako, you know what a royalty mark is?” He asked. My eyes widened at the mention of the mark. Please don’t tell me he’s referring to THAT mark.

“Royalty…mark? Um…we have a loyalty mark.” I pondered.

Daniel stood up, pulling his left sleeve up to reveal a circular mark, RM within, written in cursive. The symbol was located on his lower arm in the middle. I felt my heart stop as I stared. No bloody fucking way. Don’t tell me…

“A royalty mark can only be applied by a King or Queen of a realm. All subjects of their designated realms have this mark. It’s basically pleading allegiance to your realm, to agree to protect and defend your designated realm if peaceful times go astray. If a shifter wants to migrate to another realm, they get permission from their Kingdom before being transferred over. The new Kingdom will place a new mark, the previous one fading away. The mark is usually applied willingly…but it can be applied by force, as long as the person states their allegiance. Once this mark is placed, you cannot defy the individual who applied it.” Daniel affirmed.

I felt my body shiver as I absorbed the information. B. A…Blair Aspen. Holy Starlight! The mental case King was my OWNER!!!

I could see my hands shake as I stared at the couch under me. My hand involuntarily reached up, brushing over the mark branded into my chest. The raised circular scar and the initials BA in the center, suddenly felt warm against my fingertips. I felt a hand brush against my back.

“Relax Mako. He won’t take you back again, I promise.” Marcus reassured me.

“Take me back? But that’s my home! I remember arriving there. No, you guys must be mistaking him for someone else. Why would I possibly pledge allegiance to an experimental, addictive, merciless, mass murderer!” I shrieked.

My sudden outburst of anger made my magic surge to life, the power flowing down my finger tips, attempting to find a release. I watched the glass cup on the table crack. We all stared down at it, the four pairs of eyes looking up to stare at me. Oops…

“Mako…take a deep breath.” Ryder encouraged. I obeyed, inhaling deeply, exhaling out. I needed to calm down…there must be a reason.

“Remember how I said he wanted revenge against the Royals?” Elias asked. I nodded in reply.

“He disguised himself as one of the Royal’s second in command. I don’t know how he did it, maybe hiring a fairy shifter to use a glamour spell to create a disguise, but he worked his way around the realms, getting close to all the Kings, specifically King Arthur of Realm Eight. They had once been best friends remember, so it was easy to know the King’s likes and distastes. The King had trusted him, and encouraged him to visit his kingdom frequently.”

“Twenty-three cycles ago, the Queen became pregnant with their third child. They already had two boys, so they prayed hard for a girl. Not only did the Starlight gods grant their wish, Nightmare herself descended upon the castle, the night the child was born. She blessed the child with two spirits and professed that the child would be the first to carry four spirits by adulthood. She would bring peace to the realms, she herself would guide the child along the way, bestowing knights to protect and serve her when the time was right.” Daniel revealed, taking a breath before continuing.

“The kingdom rejoiced, celebrating the birth of a blessed child with the other realms, all of them sharing their blessings and happiness. But not everyone had good intentions. King Aspen witnessed the goddess’ declaration and was furious. He plotted against the King as he continued his experimental work. He got so close to the king’s children, they referred to him as Uncle Ace.”

I winced, the pain in my head coming back with force, the familiarity of the name haunting me.

“Mako, you okay?” Ryder asked, his face full of concern, noticing my reaction. I nodded.

“Continue.” I urged.

“It was declared on the princess’ sixth birthday, she would be assigned six knights, who would guard her at all times. The fortune-teller of the kingdom foretold that her powers would blossom on that day, her chosen knights would find each other and declare their servitude to her. King Aspen overheard the confession and realized his plan for revenge needed to be implemented before that day arrived.” Ryder explained, taking a deep breath as he glanced away.

I noticed his right-hand twitch as he looked at the glass. This part of the discussion was having some type of effect on him; his body tensed up. I caught Elias looking down at Ryder’s hand before clearing his throat and continuing.

“The day of the princess’ sixth birthday arrived, the King and Queen awoken to the cries of the maids and found their daughter was missing. A search was announced across the realms, no one being able to track the princess' whereabouts. It was as if she had vanished, and so did Uncle Ace. The King ordered a detailed search of Realm One, but the land was clouded with debris and darkness, no one was able to discover anything. We had no idea there were any living shifters still there, let alone a whole facility until recently.” Elias concluded.

“You’re saying…you can’t really think that I’m the princess…right?” I questioned, my head pounding from the information overload. The boys all stood up.

“Makoto. The day the princess was kidnapped, the knights to protect her were chosen by the gods. There was a specific oath the gods enforced over the knights which allowed us to find one another. More importantly, the gods insisted that the princess would know how to instill the bond. It didn’t matter where she was in the galaxy, her subconscious would know the oath and respond accordingly. The knights were instructed that upon the declaration of the oath, the princess would be instilling a blessing upon her knights, claiming them as hers. A marking will bestow upon all of them, sealing their fates with the stars.” Ryder finished.

I uncrossed my legs, sitting on the edge of the couch as my anxiety settled in. They really can’t be serious.

“Alright. Enough. Information overload.” I stood from the couch – needing to move as I processed the information they had given me. 

“So, you’re trying to tell me that I, Makoto Heart, was the only girl born into the Royal family of this Realm called Heila, was kidnapped by this Uncle Ace, who of course, was Blair Aspen, the King of Realm One in disguise, aiming for revenge. He kidnapped me, hearing I would have four spirits from some foretold prophecy by the Starlight Goddess Nightmare, in hopes of using me for his future diabolic plan!” Frustration poured out of me as I threw my hands in the air, continuing my rant.

“NOW, you say the Starlight gods have given me knights who would declare their allegiance and protect me, having some special oath that the princess, which you guys are insinuating is me by the way, would be able to complete and fulfill this bond?! Holy shit, I’m sorry, but this sounds a tad bit crazy, even to me. Thanks for saving me from my demise, but I think I’m just going to leave now.” I responded, waving goodbye. My feet quickly carried me forward, but I was stopped by Marcus.

“Mako. Let us at least say the oath. If you have no reaction at all to it, we’ll know you're not her.” Marcus insisted, grabbing my arm gently. I peered into those pleading, sapphire eyes. I glanced to the others, all of them with similar expressions. I sighed.

“Fine. Shoot. Do your royal knightly mojo oath.” I insisted, crossing my arms over my chest as I widened my stance, waiting. I was totally fed up with this madness. Might as well let them prove how wrong they were so I could get out of here.

The four of them lined up before me, kneeling on one knee as they placed their left hand over their chest. I can’t believe they’re actually doing this.

 

“Our Princess, future Queen of all the realms. We offer you our protection. As your knights, we come to your aid, protecting and loving you as we strive together to bring peace upon thy lands. You shall be our light as we follow you across the galaxy. Bestow us with your power, as we bring evil to justice. Guide us away from the darkness that plagues our galaxy, for the greater good of all Starlight.”

 

They declared as one. Their voices blended together and I could feel their feelings of sorrow and perseverance. I could see the determination in their eyes, but wondered if the hint of sadness meant something. Were they sorry for not being able to complete their duty?

Before I could roll my eyes and dismiss them, my lips moved on their own as my body fell into a trance like state.

 

“My lovely Star Knights. Oh strong, kind and forgiving. May the Starlight gods grant you strength for the journey before us. Vanquish such fears, leave hopelessness behind, and replace calamity with feelings of hope. Be strong, my dear Star Knights, for we shall conquer all who oppose our forward march towards salvation. I, your Princess, shall stand not behind, but with you, as we protect our lands, restore thy peace and unite all shifters alike.” I commanded as power flowed from every word.

 

I felt a surge of energy build within me as I mindlessly extended my arm, as if signalling a stop. I was aware of my actions, but it was as if my body had a mind of its own. 

 

“I intrust this duty upon thee, to protect and serve me, as long as I see fit. May the Starlight gods bless our bonding, for everlasting love and trust. I proclaim, the gods as my witness.” I finished, a gentle light forming in my hand.

 

A light golden hue appeared, followed by a bright sea blue, then a dark green the colour of spring leaves and finally, the familiar Tyrian purple – the same shade as the eyes I found hauntingly familiar. I watched the boys left hands become immersed in different coloured light.

I noticed a new mark forming on my left hand; the Celtic knotwork was in four bright colours as they came together in the middle, joining as one in a spiral design. The multiple forms of crosses, spirals and trinity knots, flowing to create a wondrous design, lopping and intertwining before meeting in the center, a single blossom rose, the six petals flaring out from the center. The different lines reminded me of vines with delicate petals, branching out to search for life.

“In stars, we trust.” They responded strongly, appearing to be in the same trance state I was experiencing. The light slowly faded, leaving behind a mark of similar appearance on their left hands.

The room fell silent, all of us trying to absorb what had just occurred. I stood there in shock as I attempted to piece everything together, my head beginning to pound furiously.

“I’m royalty.” I whispered, so low I wonder if they even heard me.

I blinked slowly a few times, staring at the boys before me; my star knights. I watched them nod, confirming my claim before my surroundings started to spin, dark spots appearing before me. After that, I lost consciousness.