Chapter 1: Vesper
The Imperium held its tributes upright like puppets; while the void bracelets that dampened their powers leashed them to the floor. On Emancipation Day, the greater risk was the possibility of fainting in view of the entire world. Oppressive heat from the Ibisian sun surrounded Vesper as she tried not to squint against its glare. Looking down provided no relief, as her crisp white uniform reflected the brilliant midday light, forming a headache behind her eyes.
Nerine Gulsharo, the tiny princess of Zerzura, the desert land to the south of her homeland of Aminna, swayed on her pedestal at the edge of the dais. The white cape that accompanied their uniforms followed her movements, looking like the broken wing of a bird. Nerine had tried to escape their first tribute ceremony ten years ago. The sound of men breaking her arm had not dissuaded other tributes from trying and failing in the many years to follow.
As if on cue, Endius Pallallis, one of the remaining tributes from the Free State of Awera, passed out in the back row. His limp body hung at a grotesque angle, suspended by the energy field. His family likely watched on the vid feed in horror at his show of weakness. If they only knew the suffering he had endured the night before in backbreaking agony while still maintaining the honor of the Free State through his continued resistance to their captors. Vesper had suppressed a shudder at the sound of grinding teeth, popping joints, and the sight of minuscule movement under his skin as the nanotech mites moved beneath his tissue, repairing the damage as quickly as it occurred.
Imperial Councillor Vecatus Medeis’ voice rang out, celebrating the genius of Emperor Ruslan Tenebra for creating the Awera Guest Program at the Imperial Academy twenty years ago, a key part of ending the war between the western continent of Ibis and the eastern continent of Awera. Vesper kept her expression neutral with practiced ease as attendants discreetly revived Endius, and the vid drones moved away to find another target of interest. Her eyes met his as he stood tall with the bearing of the Free State warriors that had carved out an existence free of kings. He gave her a small nod, and she turned her attention back to the man who haunted the dreams of children and crafted them into precision instruments of the state.
“Princess Vesper Ayida Elio, First Daughter of the late Queen Bahare of Aminna, demonstrated remarkable aptitude in every subject throughout this program,” the councillor said, as faint pain lanced her heart at the mention of her assassinated mother. “She certainly kept me on my toes,” he said with a chuckle.
Obligatory laughter filled the air, and she tensed as the vid drones shifted to record her impassive expression. The councillor continued, and she imagined him choking on his words and dying in agony, a daydream she had entertained for years. The familiar zip of pain shot up her immobilized arm as the void bracelet she wore prevented her from fully accessing her power, even subconsciously. She ignored it.
A gasp from the crowd brought her attention back to the podium as Councillor Medeis grabbed at his chest and leaned forward. Vesper scanned the monitors around the parade field and saw the Councillor’s bulging eyes. Tiny rivulets of red flowed down his face. The man gave a strangled cough, and deep crimson liquid spilled out of his mouth. He collapsed to the ground, where he lay gaping like a fish.
To her right, Regen, Prince of Vuorikoti, the mountainous kingdom north of Aminna, strained against his restraints. The tense muscles in his neck told her he was trying to access his nullified powers to no avail. Jumping off her pedestal, Imperial Princess Tamsin Tenebra, always free of restraints but also a tribute to the Imperial Academy, walked out of view of the vid drones and audience. Vesper could see her behind a pillar opening a panel in the facade. After a few seconds, the energy fields surrounding the tributes dropped, and she heard the quiet clattering of the void bracelets falling to the ground.
The Imperium guards in front of the dais rushed to the stage, inadvertently triggering a force field the Councillor had installed to prevent escapees. Vesper rubbed her wrists as power rushed back into her body, overwhelming her senses. Around her, other tributes fell over one another, and one vomited. The sky darkened momentarily, providing a respite before disappearing and leaving them once again to be assaulted by the burning sun.
Vesper took a deep breath and straightened her spine. As she stepped off her pedestal, the sound of gurgling breaths drew her attention to the Councillor, coughing blood on the ground. She studied him for a moment, noting that no one rushed to his aid. When she crouched down, he looked at her with wide eyes and grasped her arm in a bruising grip. Shushing him, she gently stroked his head and assessed his state. With unfettered access to her power, she could pull the water from his veins and bleed him out more rapidly. Looking at him lying on the ground, afraid of the death he had inflicted on so many victims, she stayed her hand to let nature take its course.
“What a little man you are, Councillor,” she whispered softly, as if she were soothing a child. “All those years of torturing children to steal something our mothers gave us. I want you to die in pain and agony; and I hope an afterlife exists where you suffer eternally in your own insignificance.”
“Saints of service, you’re giving a farewell speech to the man who ripped out a kid’s spine a week ago,” Tamsin muttered behind her. “He doesn’t deserve the attention, Vesper. He’s already dead.”
“If we leave before he dies, he will survive somehow. You know he is determined enough to crawl back from death,” she rebutted.
“Let Vesper have the moment,” Regen said, his deep voice rolling over her.
Tamsin raised her hands in surrender. “Fine. Why don’t we just kill him?”
“It’s murder, Tamsin,” sighed Nerine, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Not to mention there are witnesses everywhere.”
“Also treason?” offered Jorie, Prince of the Serpent Isles. “For you, Imperial Princess, I mean. We’re just political prisoners.”
Tamsin muttered a curse under her breath. “Didn’t you do this?” she asked, looking at Vesper and gesturing to the Councillor.
“No!” Vesper exclaimed. “We’ve been in void cuffs for a decade. I had other things occupying my time. I thought you did this. You pranced off your pedestal like this was part of your plan.”
“I didn’t have a plan!” Tamsin gasped. “It just made sense to turn it off, so I wasn’t the only one that could run if they tried to kill all the tributes.”
She seemed about to say more, but Nerine interrupted.
“Hello!” she called out, slightly apart from the group. “We can’t stay here.”
She gestured to the crowd still milling about on the parade grounds, watching them, and then to the armored security guards at the edge of the dais. “What are we going to do?”
Vesper gave a quick glance to the guards before looking back down at the Councillor.
“The automatic force field will hold. Our dear Councillor here designed it so that the more one pushes on it, the stronger it becomes. I believe your last escape attempt was the catalyst for that invention, Nerine,” she said.
She focused her attention back on the dying man. A deep sense of satisfaction filled her as she watched him fade away into nothing, his face turning gray. Rising, she stepped over the body and stood before the podium as vid-drones swung towards her.
“For years, we have been unwilling pawns in an international power struggle. That ends today,” she said, her voice echoing in the silence. “Based on the statutes set forth in the Treaty for International Peace signed by the representatives of Awera and the Imperium of Khanates, I, Vesper Ayida Elio of Aminna, emancipate myself from the Imperium.”
She stepped back, her heart pounding, her head rushing with blood. Regen stepped up to the podium next.
“I, Regen Volos Damati, Prince of Vourkoti, also emancipate myself from the Imperium.”
He stepped back and stood next to Vesper, brushing his hand against hers. Each subsequent tribute declared themselves emancipated until only Tamsin stood alone. As an imperial princess, emancipation would mean abdicating the line of succession. They stood on opposite sides of the podium, watching each other before a measured voice rang out through the speakers.
“What an unfortunate number of rash decisions people have made today.”
The images on the monitor screens blurred as the drones pivoted to the speaker. The emperor sat in tailored military regalia before an impressive desk. He gave the air of a disappointed parent, but his eyes shone with barely contained indignation.
“Shit,” Tamsin muttered.
“Your actions have consequences,” the emperor intoned. “I call for the arrest of all tributes in connection with the death of my esteemed Councillor. You will stand before a tribunal to be judged and sentenced for your part in this horrendous tragedy.”
“How about we leave this way?” whispered Jorie, tilting his head to the trapdoor on the floor.
They had used it many times during academy drills. In the event of terror attacks, the tributes were to provide body shields for the Imperial Princess, the Councillor, and his executive staff. No one missed the irony that he lay dead on the stage near them. Tamsin grinned and leaned toward the podium to press the release button. A square hole appeared in the floor, and darkness loomed beneath.
“After you, Your Highness,” she said with a grin.
Jorie returned her smile and waved his arms in a wide arc. Clouds moved and covered the sun; fog and mist covered the stage, and then he dropped through the opening. The others followed suit.
“First steps to freedom,” Vesper said to Regen as she dropped into the darkness.
