Amber slowly opens his eyes, squinting before reaching up to shield them, the lights flickering overhead. He slowly sits up and rubs his eyes with his hand, turning to see that Lana is still asleep. He exhales sharply while pulling himself to his paws, stumbling slightly and turning to look out the window, noticing lights coming from the windows of Danial and Vivian's house. He glances at the crown, reaching to grab it before Maxwell’s door swings open.

  “Amber,” Maxwell remarks, causing him to look up. Maxwell holds out a string, moving closer. Amber’s eyes drift to Maxwell’s left arm, noticing a ring of green painted halfway down his forearm. “I made you another one.” He stops just before him, holding it out to Amber, who slowly grabs it before reaching for the crown

  “What’s… with the paint?” Amber asks, lifting the crown with both hands, looping the string through it before connecting it to his belt.

  “It’s for Lux. Once it’s ready, I want to make sure it knows where to cut. And how about your arm? How does it feel?”

  “It’s… I think Fuerza fixed it. It doesn't hurt anymore.” Maxwell nods, glancing at the window.

  “I got the power back on.” Maxwell watches as Amber glances at the window before turning back to him.

  “I- I see. Thanks.” Maxwell clicks his tongue, glancing at Lana.

  “It’s rare to see you awake before Lana. How did you sleep?” Maxwell asks, stepping past him towards the kitchen.

  “I… I slept fine, I guess. How about you?”

  “I don't really need to sleep, but I got some good work done last night.”

  “You… don't sleep?” Amber adds, watching as Maxwell reaches under the sink, crouching down as he pulls open the small door.

  “Lux is connected directly to my brain, so I have plenty of energy.”

  “That… can't be healthy.”

  “It's absolutely not, but I can't survive without Lux for now, and I haven’t noticed anything too bad yet,” he adds, ripping a sheet of metal from the small door.

  “What… are you doing?” Amber asks, stepping into the kitchen, watching Maxwell.

  “I’ll replace it with better stuff, don't worry. I checked out the internet’s data centers, and they’re in pretty good shape, they just need some small repairs, and I’m out of metal. In exchange for some random bits of metal I find around the house, I’ll fix that hole in the wall whenever I can,” Maxwell adds, causing Amber to turn to the large hole that was made when he struck Maroon, a few tarps covering it.

  “Yeah, you… You can have any metal you find, just please don't destroy the house.” Maxwell inspects the strips of metal in his hand, squinting his eyes.

  “Thanks. I won't cause any damage to the house that I can't fix within a few minutes.” He then shoves the metal into his left pocket, standing up straight. “Can you go wake up Lana? I’ve got another pair of glasses ready.” He reaches into his right pocket and pulls out a pair of large glasses. Amber nods, turning towards Lana and approaching her. He then kneels, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “Hey, Lana… wake up,” he mutters, very gently shaking her shoulder. He watches as she opens her eyes, squinting before her hand reaches off the side of the mattress, grabs her glasses, and lifts them to her face.

  “Everything alright?” she asks, squeezing her eyes shut as she sits up, stretching. Amber glances back at Maxwell.

  “Yeah, everything’s fine. Maxwell’s got the new glasses ready.” Lana rubs her eyes with her hand, watching as Maxwell walks closer.

  “Thanks, Max… do you mind if I call you that?” she adds, reaching forward and taking the new glasses from his hand. She then sets the cracked pair aside, beginning to put on the new ones.

  “Sure, Max works,” Maxwell answers, watching as she clamps the rings around her ears. Maxwell then stands, taking a slow breath. “I’m going to go wake up Shari. Go get ready, and we’ll leave after.” Lana nods, turning as Amber scratches his arm, pulling himself upright.

  A little while later, Maxwell watches as the others sit across the table from him, staring at him.

  “So… it’s time to leave now, right?” Shari remarks, watching as Maxwell pulls the map from his pocket and sets it down on the table.

  “As long as everyone’s ready, then yes. We’ll listen to the description, then we’ll get going. I had Lux decode the coordinates.” He then uses his hand to flatten it against the glass. His fingers press against the surface, moving to create a jagged shape. “Description.” He watches as the map pulses, the hologram appearing above.

  “Description. Reality offered protection by Athrin, gifted a large quantity of a rare mineral, allowing them to power Athrin’s gifted tech, as well as their own.” It pauses for a moment before continuing. “Trials description attached to coordinates. In exchange for the minerals, the Aquilians were asked to keep the next set of coordinates and judge all who seek it as they please, withholding it from anyone they deem unworthy. Meet with their leader to be judged, and pass the tests they give you to obtain the coordinates,” the voice announces. Maxwell glances up, exhaling.

  “Are you all ready to continue?” he asks, watching as they nod. He then taps his thumb against the surface of the map four times, causing all of their eyes to pulse purple before everything goes black.

  Amber’s eyes shoot open, staring at the endless blue landscape before him as he falls, the ocean reaching as far as he can see. He then crashes into the water below him, submerging for a second before he forces himself upright, inhaling as he breaks free from the water. He shivers, looking around before Lana surfaces, coughing.

  “Lana!” Amber shouts, glancing back as Shari surfaces as well. “Is- is everyone okay?” he calls, treading water. Shari wipes her eyes with the back of her blade, glancing around.

  “Where’s Maxwell?” She calls, shouting over the sound of the crashing waves before turning to Lana.

  “I don't know!” Lana replies, looking down at the water, which seems to be bottomless. Amber turns towards Shari, the sound of the crashing waves drowning out her voice. He turns to look back at Lana, though she’s gone. He then looks back to Shari, though she is gone as well. He feels a hand grab his leg, and before he can pull away, he is ripped under the water, a powerful shock running through his body, causing him to tense before something slams into the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.

  Amber slowly opens his eyes, his irises flickering as he tries to move, something holding him in place. He looks down, staring at the bubble around his body, made of a thin layer of clear liquid that warps continuously, untwisting the light from the water, which is all around him, allowing him to see through it clearly. A figure floats before him at the other end of a table, its body consisting of a long tail covered in greenish-blue scales. Mounted above that is a round head, a long, scarf-like piece of red material wrapped around their neck. A long, rectangular segment of it hangs behind them, flicking in the water as Amber looks up at them. The long, golden, hair-like mass on their head quivers slightly, their large orange eyes locking onto him. Two white, mitton-like hands float on either side, one holding a large, purple, trident-like weapon.

  “Hello?” Amber mutters, squinting as the figure before them tenses slightly, their tail flicking. Suddenly, a small device chimes, resting on the table between them.

  “Language detected… English. Translating to Garnlish,” A robotic voice announces before emitting a gargling sound, said in the same tone Amber used. After a few moments, the figure across the table responds in an unfamiliar language, the sound similar to gurgling. After they finish, the translator starts to speak in a feminine voice.

  “...State your full name, birth date, your reality's current year, your age, your sex, and your species,” The voice demands. Amber exhales, glancing down at the device, before looking back up at them.

  “Amber… Menzando. I was born twelve, sixty-five, six, September ninth, and… the current year is twelve, sixty-eight, one. I’m twenty-five. I’m a guy, and I’m a Variant.” Amber listens as the device translates his voice, and then the figure starts to speak again, the translator following after.

  “...Good. My name is Zarra. You have entered the South territory, and, by order of the new king, have been arrested, as outsiders are not welcome. State your business for coming here. We have assumed that you are the leader of this group. You were carrying what we consider to be one of, if not the most dangerous artifact in the vast.”

  “We’re… we’re here for the coordinates to the next trial, we’re looking for the Golden Star.”

  “...Unfortunately, the king is the only one who is permitted to handle the coordinates now, not me.” Amber stares at their mouth, which does not move when they speak, and instead, the sound comes from the gills on the side of their head, which vibrate to create the gurgling sound.

  “I’m not the leader, I… if anything, Maxwell is. Can we talk to the… king?”

  “...I can give him your request, but I can not promise that he will come to see you.”

  “Where am I? Why can’t I move?” Amber adds, looking around at the flooded metal chamber.

  “...You are in one of our holding cells, and your aerasuit is set to restraint, so everything below the neck is held in place.”

  “And… how long will I be kept like this?”

  “...Until I leave. This is for my safety. We have not seen any Variants in quite a while, not since Athrin came… so this is quite a surprise for us.” Amber exhales, glancing down at his belt, staring where the crown used to be. It is no longer there.

  “Where… where’s the crown?” Amber mutters, looking back up at them.

  “...In our vault, safe.”

  “I… I need it back. Please.”

  “...Why? If you need the Golden Star, and you have the crown, then I am assuming Gorlac is attacking you. The crown would be safest with us.”

  “You- you don't understand, I don’t want Fuerza to be alone, I’m… I’m all they have.”

  “...Fuerza?”

  “Yes, Fuerza, the crown, they’re in- they’re inside the crown.”

  “...I am not following.”

  “Inside the crown is a person named Fuerza, they’re… it’s hard to explain what they are, but I don't want them to be alone.”

  “...The crown is too dangerous. Even if I believed you, it does not make sense to risk so many lives for a single one.”

  “Please… I… I need them…”

  “...The crown was given its own class in terms of the threat it poses to the vast by Athrin. They exiled one of their own for becoming obsessed with it. We have no idea how you could have gotten hold of it, as it was heavily guarded. However, Athrin has been silent for the past seventy years. Was that you?”

  “What? What do you mean? What do you think we did?”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “...Actually, you don't appear to be seventy. Even for your kind, you would look a lot older. You must have visited Athrin’s tower, then.”

  “We… we did run into a tower… and that’s where we found the crown, but it was already empty, there was only one guy there.”

  “...Do you know their name?”

  “No, I…” Amber begins, exhaling before looking up. “Well… I think Fuerza… I think they called him Keven.” Zarra’s gills quiver slightly, and she moves as if exhaling.

  “...Listen, Menzando, I can pass your requests to the king before I talk with the rest of your group, but I can not promise anything. He is a stubborn man. However, trust me that none of your friends will be harmed.” Zarra begins to turn towards the heavy metal door at the end of the chamber. “...You can keep the translator on the desk. That way, you can communicate with us. Press the button on the top to turn it into a necklace, that way you can carry it with you in case we have to move you.” She swims towards the door, watching as it opens. She waves one of her hands as she moves through the opening, and Amber is suddenly released, slumping back against the chair slightly before the door closes. He takes a shuddering breath, staring up at the ceiling before pulling himself upright, putting his hands on the table to stabilize himself. He then grabs the translator, glancing back at the door.

  Maxwell’s eyes scan the surrounding area before looking down at the bubble around his body.

  “Lux, where am I?” Maxwell asks, pulling against the bubble, his body being held in place.

  “I am unsure. I cannot tell based on the look alone,” Lux answers. Maxwell exhales as he continues pulling against the bubble.

  “Alright, do you have any idea what this bubble is? I can’t move.” Lux remains silent for a moment, pulsing purple before responding.

  “That is an aerasuit, a bubble made to allow land animals to move freely underwater like they would on land. It creates breathable oxygen, as well as warps the light from the water to allow you to see.”

  “Alright, and why can’t I move?”

  “Aerasuits can be set to restrain the wearer, often used to hold prisoners.”

  “Prisoner? Does that mean that we’re in a prison? I remember you mentioning prisons before, but I’ve still never seen a real one before… it looks a lot different than the ones from the movies.”

  “That seems to be a safe assumption. Aerasuits were made by the Aquillians, so that means this must be an Aquillian prison.”

  “Alright, and what’s an Aquillian?”

  “Aquillians, also logged as the south fish people, are a class callidus species, meaning they have around or slightly above human intelligence. They speak a language known as Garnlish, consisting of sounds made by vibrating the water around their gills.”

  “Can you translate it for me?”

  “I can. Whenever I can, I will translate.”

  “Good. Is there anything else I need to know? Culture differences that might cause me to offend them, or anything they’re weak to?”

  “Due to them not having individual fingers, pointing at an Aquillian with a single finger is taken as a sign of deep disrespect. Aquillians are proud, so they will not take any disrespect lightly.”

  “Understood, anything else?”

  “Aquillians have a very specific type of justice system. If convicted of a crime, your punishment will match exactly what you did.” Maxwell opens his mouth to speak, but the door at the end of the chamber suddenly starts to open, revealing Zarra, who holds a translator in her hand.

  “Hello?” Maxwell remarks, his voice being translated by Lux once he finishes speaking.

  “...Good, you already have a translator… saves us some materials,” Zarra adds, moving closer. “...My name is Zarra. Please state your full name, birth date, your reality's current year, your age, your sex, and your species.”

  “Maxwell Corleno. twelve, sixty-three, four, March tenth. The current year is twelve, sixty-eight, one. forty-seven, Male, variant.”

  “...Thank you. What is your business here?”

  “We’re here for the coordinates to the Golden Star.”

  “...Good, your stories match. I spoke to your accomplice, Menzando, and he informed me that you’re the leader. He claims that there is a person inside the crown. What do you have to say about this?”

  “You mean Fuerza? Yeah, there’s someone in the crown. I don't really know anything else about it, though.”

  “...Understood. Menzando has requested to speak to the king, and if he agrees, all four of you will be brought to the throne room. Until I leave, you will remain restrained for my safety.”

  “I get that. Is there anything I should know about the king? What might anger him, perhaps? I wish to avoid spending longer than I have to in here.”

  “...He is going to tell you his name when you see him. Do not call him that. Only refer to him as your majesty. He is very easily offended. Also, bow when you see him. We have our own kind of greeting, but your tails are too weak for it, so a bow will suffice.” Maxwell nods, watching as Zarra floats before the table, lowering to the floor, their tail coiling on the ground.

  Lana’s eyes slowly open. She looks up, staring at the Aquillian before her, their tail much longer than Zarra’s, their head slightly more square. Their blue eyes stare at Lana, their short golden hair flicking slightly.

  “...You are up?” The translator mutters, the voice masculine. Lana’s ears twitch.

  “Hello?” she mutters, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment before opening them again, attempting to move, the bubble holding her firmly in place.

  “...My name is Atkez. Please state your full name, birth date, your reality's current year, your age, your sex, and your species.” Lana inhales slowly, glancing around at the chamber, then down at herself.

  “Uh… Lana… Lana Valkan. I was born twelve, sixty-five, six, september twenty-fifth. I’m assuming you mean… like, the current year where I come from? It’s twelve, sixty-eight, one. I’m twenty-five… Female and Variant.” Atkes nods, one of his hands reaching towards the device on the table. He places his hand against the screen, the skin pulsing slightly, causing text to appear above it, written in an unfamiliar language.

  “I don't mean to be rude, but… what about you? What’s your species?” Atkez looks up at her, narrowing his eyes before replying.

  “...We are Aquillians. South Aquillians to be exact.”

  “And… where am I?”

  “...The south dungeon.” Lana exhales, glancing down at the translator on the table.

  “I don't know what that means. I don't know what a Dungeon is, but it looks like a prison.”

  “...That is essentially what it is.”

  “What about this bubble? What is it? Why can’t I move?” she adds, pulling against it slightly. Lana stares at them, the device translating the man’s words as he starts to explain the aerasuit to her.

  Shari gasps awake, staring at the table before her, her eyes darting around the chamber. She pulls against the bubble around her body, taking a sharp breath.

  “Hello?” she calls, attempting to clench her fist, her hand being held in one position by the suit. Her eyes lock onto the figure before her, staring at Zarra. The device on the table translates Shari’s words. Zarra then rests her hands on the table, beginning to speak.

  “...You took much longer to wake up than the rest of your friends, so if the king agrees to, you will be meeting him soon. My name is Zarra. state your full name, birth date, your reality's current year, your age, your sex, and your species.” Shari glances down at the translator, then back up at Zarra.

  “I… I’m not giving you anything,” Shari answers, looking down at her hand as she pulls against the restraint.

  “...I can not imagine there is much you have to hide that your friends have not already told me. They were pretty open with their plans, and all their stories matched. Why would you be more difficult?”

  “If they were honest, then there’s nothing you need from me.”

  “...At minimum, tell us your name, that way the king will not have to ask you himself.”

  “Shari, Shari Snow.”

  “...And what about the rest of the information I asked for? How much of that can you tell us?”

  “For age, I’m thirty-eight, and for gender, I’m female.”

  “...I guess that is enough for us to work with. What is your reason for being here?”

  “I already said I’m not talking.”

  “...You are a lot less cooperative than your friends. According to them, you are here for the Golden Star. Is this correct?” Shari remains quiet, staring at her hand. “...Either way, you will be transferred to a cell with your friends soon if the king accepts your request. I would recommend a better attitude. He is not as kind as I am. Your behavior is different from the rest. I will have to make a note of that when I write the report.” Zarra moves back slightly, staring at Shari.

  “...If you cannot be more cooperative, then when you meet the king, stay silent. He is not a forgiving man, nor a patient one.”

  Amber sits in the chair, staring at his hands before looking up at the door.

  “I…” he begins, glancing down at his belt where the crown used to be. He then pulls himself upright, the translator hanging from his neck like a necklace. “...Wonder if you can still hear me, Fuerza. We are… linked, after all.” He looks down at himself, taking a slow breath. After a few moments, he speaks.

  “I’m… hungry,” he mutters, tilting his head. “I haven’t felt hungry since we started. I just… assumed I didn’t need to eat anymore.” he looks up at the camera in the corner, staring at the lens. “Hey! When do I get to meet the king?” he shouts, his voice being translated. He exhales as he is met with silence before leaning against the table. He stumbles slightly as the table slides back, moving effortlessly due to the lack of friction from the water. He sits on the ground, looking up at the ceiling. He closes his eyes and lies back. He takes a slow breath.

  “If you can still hear me, Fuerza… I promise I won’t leave you here.”

  After a little while, the sound of the door opening behind Amber causes his ears to twitch. He quickly sits up, turning to see Zarra standing in the door. He stares at her, inhaling as she looks down at him.

  “...The king has agreed to speak with you and your friends,” she says. Amber pulls himself to his paws, stumbling slightly.

  “He will?”

  “...Yes, he will. You and your group will meet with the king in the throne room. You can negotiate an agreement with him.” Amber watches as the wrists of the aerasuit start to quiver before being pulled behind his back and clasping together, causing him to flinch and look down at his hands.

  “What the?” Amber remarks, stumbling slightly.

  “Based on your world’s current year, and other information gathered, we have determined that you are from world VAR, which is strange. That is one of the very few worlds to get a name instead of an ID number. As well as being the only one Athrin refused to invade, he said that it was much more profitable that way. Your currency, the airum, is one of the most valuable currencies in the vast. It is worth nearly a thousand times what you price it at, so Athrin had made traveling there without authorization highly illegal, punishable by death. How did your world of all worlds end up with the crown? Very few can travel the vast at all, and those who can are only able to because of Athrin. The king will have many questions. Come with me.” Amber slowly approaches, stepping around the table. “...You will be put in a holding cell with your friends for a few minutes while the king finishes other things.”

  “Alright,” Amber replies. He looks up at her, watching as she turns and moves through the door. He follows behind her as they enter the hall.

  “...Since you are new here, I will give you some important information. Your friends already know what I am about to tell you. One, do not point at anyone, it is considered an insult. Two, do not call the king by the name he gives you, only refer to him as your majesty. Three, do not insult anyone. After the new king took over, he made it so that prisoners no longer have any rights. The only thing keeping you safe is the fact that nobody dislikes you.”

  “Understood,” Amber replies, looking around at the hall, which is decorated with blue and gold stone. Hundreds of cells line the walls, the doors getting heavier and heavier the further down they walk.

  “...You must wait for the prisoner who came before you to finish. You are lucky you came when you did, the king is in a good mood today, so he has been talking with many of the prisoners.” Amber’s eyes lock onto the heavy doors at the end of the hall, watching as Zarra raises her hand, speaking in Garnlish. The device does not translate her words. After a few moments, the door starts to open, revealing another thick metal barrier behind it. That one then opens, followed by three more before it reveals the chamber inside. Lana looks back at Amber, pulling herself upright.

  “Amber!” she calls, watching as he steps closer. Zarra watches as Amber steps through before lowering her hand, causing the doors to slam shut behind him. He jumps slightly at the sound, turning to stare at the heavy barrier before turning back to Lana, who is now standing just before him.

  “Are you alright?” she asks, his hands suddenly being released, falling to his side.

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” he answers, rubbing his wrist with his hand. “What about you? Are you all okay?”

  “We’re fine,” Maxwell remarks, staring at the wide door ahead. “But they took anything they thought might be dangerous or help us escape. That includes the map, and I’m assuming that includes the crown as well.” Amber glances at Maxwell, then back at Lana.

  “Yeah… they took the crown. What are we gonna say? How are we going to get out of this? How are we going to get the crown back?” Amber asks, watching as Maxwell turns to look at him.

  “I don’t know. We don't have much to offer him. But I should do most of the talking.” Amber nods, looking around at the chamber.

  “I… should tell you all something. Something that Zarra told me.”

  “What is it?” Maxwell asks.

  “Well, Zara said that… that our currency, the airum, is worth like a thousand times what we price it at. Maybe we could… offer that to the king? I… have a few thousand in my savings.”

  “That could work,” Maxwell says, tapping his finger against the ground. “But if he refuses, then what?”

  “I don't know,” Amber answers, turning to Lana, as if hoping she could help. He then glances at the translator around her neck, then to the one around Shari’s neck, then back at Maxwell. “We… all have translators, how come you don't?”

  “I don’t need one, Lux can translate for me,” Maxwell answers.

  “Alright. Anyways, do you have any money on you right now?” Amber asks. Maxwell leans forward, reaching into his pocket. He rummages around for a moment before pulling something out.

  “I’ve got three airums with me right now,” Maxwell answers, holding something out. In his hand are three small, round, leaf-shaped coins, made entirely of gold, a bit larger than a quarter.

  “So… three thousand to them? Do you think that’ll be enough for now? Does anyone else have any money on them?” Amber adds, glancing around. Lana and Shari shake their heads.

  “For now, it’ll have to do,” Maxwell adds, shoving the coins back into his pocket. “I don’t know how long we have until they let us in, and while I don't see any security cameras in here, we should still be careful what we say, that way we don't… offend the king.” Amber nods, glancing at the corners. He then drops to the floor, taking a slow breath as he sits.

  is Airum a good name for the currency?