The sun was coming down over the eastern hemisphere on Temrack. The desert’s temperatures dropped dramatically at night, which made it even more dangerous. The locals on Temrack understood the importance of having shelter to reside in until morning. The only individuals who were out and about were usually the mail carriers. Service men and women who travelled just about everywhere delivering correspondences for people. They will travel all day and night if needed, just to deliver an important message to someone. In Jamerson’s case, the letter he received was one of the most important letters he would ever deliver.

  He was miles away from any major city in unfamiliar territory. Jamerson became quickly frustrated because the young mail carrier didn’t know where he was. “Shit, I’m lost.” Looking at his map one more time, he realized he was close to a super small remote village named Sotto. It was so remote that the village only showed on certain detailed maps. When he arrived, the village consisted of about four buildings with the exception of a burnt barn that was stashed in the back. There was a refueling station, a general store, and a miniature bar and hotel. At this point, Jamerson had no choice but to ask someone for help.

  When he walked into the two-story hotel, Jamerson immediately approached the tall gentleman that was behind the bar counter. The server was dressed in a white button-down shirt and a black vest. His black hair was combed to the side, and his mustache was perfectly shaped over his upper lip. The server was wiping down the countertop when he asked, “Well, hello there! I wasn’t expecting anyone new today, but that’s no issue. How can I help you?”

  That statement puzzled the mail carrier a bit but decided to brush it off. “Um, yes sir. I need some help looking for this town.” Jamerson reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter that had a special emblem on it.

  The server took the letter into his hands and squinted hard at the writing at the left top corner. He then licked his thumb and wiped off a smudge of something, maybe dirt. “Aw, there you go. You, my young mail carrier, are in the right place. The letter is addressed to a resident who is currently staying here. You do know that you’re in Sotto, right?”

  “The letter was addressed to someone here? I thought it said something different.” Jamerson shook his head. "No matter, can you point me to which room this person is staying in? It’s very important I get this message delivered.”

  The server coughed in his hand before saying, “Why don’t you give me the letter and I’d be happy to deliver it for you, sir.”

  The mail carrier shoved the letter back inside his inner coat. “That’s not possible. You see the sender paid a very hefty amount to get the letter delivered over night and...”

  The server immediately interrupted, “And? This is no mere hotel young man. Every resident pays a fee for their discretion. I cannot just have you walking around upstairs.”

  “Sir,” Jamerson’s tone was low and calm. “I cannot give it to you because the letter can only be released and opened by the receiver. If anyone else tries to attempt to open it or touch it without the receiver’s permission, the letter will burn to dust.”

  The server lowered his eyes at the mail carrier, finally giving up. “I see. It’s one of those letters... Well, I just so happened to have glanced at the name. Wait right here while I fetch someone who can help you.”

  Jamerson gave him a nod as he watched the man step down from the counter then walk upstairs. That’s when Jamerson realized he was in a very elegant hotel. Too elegant for being in the middle of nowhere... There were white and beige marble countertops, marble statues of half-naked women, crystal chandeliers hung above his head, and a set of dark brown wooden tables near the bar. Jamerson, for a second, believed he had walked into another dimension. The outside of this hotel was very misleading, especially with the burnt barn in the back. He started to see that was the point; to discourage unwanted visitors from coming.

  Just as he was about to sit down, Jamerson saw a woman pacing down the stairs followed by the server. Her long, silky brown hair bounced in the ponytail as she quickly turned the corner. The mail carrier sprung upward to his feet as she approached. The woman’s features were soft and non-intimidating. It was her outfit that made him feel like he was in the right place. Her pearl and golden robes were that of a Star Counsel’s advisor. Jamerson bowed respectfully when she stopped in front of him. The advisor looked the mail carrier from head to toe before saying, “Come with me...”

  Jamerson glanced at the server one more time as he followed the advisor up the carpeted stairs. He realized he had left a trail of sand and dirt behind him when he looked back at the bottom. Still in tow, the nameless woman walked all the way down the hallway to the last room on the right. When she opened the door, Jamerson couldn’t believe his eyes for how enormous the rooms were. It was so nice and fancy that it reminded him of something a royal family would stay in. “Is it here?” A deep male voice shouted from around the corner.

  “I believe so, sir. The sender has placed a fingerprint emblem upon the seal. It can only be opened by you, sir.” The advisor said as she stood by the door with the mail carrier. He was still looking around at how this hotel room resembled more of a small apartment. It had a kitchen, a living space, two master bedrooms, and a large balcony with glass sliding doors.

  A few moments later, a dark complected man with crisp white hair came from around the corner. He pushed up his silver framed glasses over his nose then said, “Come in! Please have a seat and freshen up. I know your journey was a long one.”

  The advisor gave the mail carrier a quick annoyed glance as she continued to escort Jamerson into the living space. “Honestly sir, I just came to deliver this to you and be on my way.”

  “You have two more of these special letters to deliver, do you not?” The Counselman stared at the mail carrier.

  “Um, yes sir. How did you know that?”

  The Counselman smiled and calmly replied, “As I said, sit down and enjoy some refreshments. You’re going to want to hear this... You should know why you’re delivering material that could get you killed. My name is Counselman Shaka by the way.”

  Jamerson’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me, sir? Counselman Shaka? The Counselman Shaka?”

  Clapping his hands in excitement, the Counselman replied. “So, you’ve heard of me?”

  “Sir!” The advisor jumped to her feet in protest. “Maybe we should dismiss the boy so he wouldn’t be held liable. You are sure you can trust him?”

  “Of course we can, Amber, relax. I know whose boy this is...” Counselman Shaka turned and looked directly at Jamerson. “You’re Helta’s boy, right?" Jamerson nodded his head. “You’ll have to excuse my advisor here, she’s very protective of me. It doesn’t help that she hates the heat. You see, my dear advisor, Amber comes from a frozen planet in the second sector. So, the heat does a number on her mood.” He said jokingly.

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  Amber crossed her arms then turned her head to the side. “That was all you had to say...”

  The Counselman waved his hand in the air and said, “Well, let’s see this special correspondence.” Jamerson got up and handed the letter over.

  “Is it from him? From Counselman Esio?” Amber asked her superior impatiently.

  “Yes, it is. Everything is finally falling into place from what’s been prophesized.”

  Jamerson, again gave the two a shocked look. “Did you say, Esio? He’s the most wanted man in Stella right now. Supposedly he assaulted the Mother Queen and now is on the run.”

  The Counselman huffed as he ran his large hand through his white hair. “And do you believe that? There’s been an ongoing feud between the queens and Councilmen for some time now. The Mother Queen needed a better reason to get rid of Esio, and seduction was the only way she knew how.” Amber threw her hands in the air, giving up on filtering her superior’s words. Shaka continued, “Having our lead Counselman wrongfully imprisoned without due process was causing an uproar. Mother Queen Trina knew she needed a more solid reason to get Esio out of the way. Fortunately, for our risk-taking leader, her plan didn’t work.”

  “Counselman Esio knew it was coming...” Jamerson said as he took the glass of water that was near him. After taking a few sips, he noticed the sharp taste of iron in his mouth. He had almost completely forgotten that he was covered in dirt and sand. His attention quickly returned to the conversation at hand. “I remember as a boy, my mother telling me bedtime stories about this legendary prophecy. I always thought it was just that, a story. Throughout the years, there’s been so many different versions that no one is sure what to listen to.”

  Counselman Shaka poured another glass of white wine. “And that my boy is called good propaganda. Of course, the prophecy is true, and it will come to past.”

  Amber stood up and walked to one of the large windows that faced Temrack’s desert. Looking at their surroundings, she noticed the day was quickly turning to night. The nocturnal animals were beginning to make their debut. She turned around and scoffed at the young mail carrier. The thought of him getting hurt or worse those letters ended up in the wrong hands made Amber annoyed even more. “You should probably stay here tonight. It won’t be safe for you to go out there alone. You don’t look no older than eighteen...”

  Jamerson looked down at his hands. “I’m twenty and thank you. I could freshen up a bit but come morning I must make haste to my other deliveries.”

  “Great!” The Counselman clapped again. “Now I’ll have the time to tell you how all this bullshit began.”

  Amber joined her boss in pouring another glass of wine while Jamerson took the time to use the restroom. After a few minutes, he returned with a clean face, ready for the story of a lifetime. “So, now I’m curious. Which story is true then?” Asked Amber as she sat down next to Jamerson.

  “Well, truth be told, the real story began long before your parents were born. It all began on Takeaway; that much is true. Not many people know this fact. There are seven unique planets throughout the universe the Ancients call Majestic Planets. One of them is Takeaway... After the discovery of such planets, creatures like the Barbarians sought to take control of them. The planets weren’t just alive but actively communicated with its inhabitants. That’s how we found out Takeaway does not like anyone taking anything from it without permission.” Counselman Shaka stared into space as he recalled his experiences from his past. “Those were dark times, however. A lot of battles and death... To make matters worse, the current Star Lord’s successor betrayed the Star Counsel, the queens and his duty all together. So, it forced change and many didn’t agree with them. The Ancients did something they had never done before which was employing an outsider, so to speak.”

  “You’re talking about the disgraced Star Lord Cashius and the Sagen Princess who saved everyone, Iya the Great. That story is legendary... You’re saying they’re connected?”

  The Counselman huffed as he remembered the time. “Yes, and that’s when the Star Counsel found out about the prophecy. The Ancients gave Iya the task of finding the most unique Star Children throughout the universe. What wasn’t paraded was she was told the Ancient’s true goal was to be born. We didn’t know when or how it was going to happen. After waiting for so long, some started to give up hope it would ever happen.”

  Amber took another sip of her wine before asking, “What does this have to do with Ephrim, sir?” Jamerson nodded his head, agreeing with the question.

  “Ephrim,” Shaka said in between chewing on some chips, “Was a traitor... He was working with multiple underground organizations just like the one that is famously from here. The KFM... After the Ancients named the Majesty Planets special, they were under strict protection laws. In turn, it made conquering those planets even more taunting. Ephrim believed he and his blind followers could take a piece of Takeaway’s power. Well, he and many others found out the hard way about the consequences of messing with the Majestic Planets.”

  Amber chimed in, “That makes so much sense now. The queens have been trying to cover up this story for years now. It was rumored that they believed if an Ancient was to be born, they would be replaced...”

  “Yes! That’s true!” Counselman Shaka shouted full of energy and alcohol jumped to his feet. “But that was supposed to happen, you see. Change is inevitable, my young people, and most do not ever want to accept that. Our purpose may or may not have came to an end. It was our responsiblity to ensure the inhabitants of the universe were safe and well governed. If an Ancient was to be born, none of our purpose would have changed.”

  “Just the people...” Amber said quietly as she took another sip. “The queens didn’t want to lose their positions, their power. They were threatened by the Angels because they knew somewhere down the line an Ancient was going to upgrade one of them. Low and behold, it was Iya the Great’s granddaughter. Honestly, there couldn’t have been a better pick.”

  Counselman Shaka nodded. “Yes, it was easier to control one Star Lord than four Angels of Death. The queens hated the thought they could be replaced at any moment, so that’s where Ephrim came into play. He knew teaming up with the queens would gain him the cover he needed to make moves in the underground world. The Star Counsel’s whole theology was surrounded by what the Ancients deemed fitting until some became greedy. Now we must finish this once and for all...”

  Jamerson sat quietly and listened to these ‘higher-ups’ debunk and confirmed old rumors. One piece of the story didn’t make sense to him, however. “Um, excuse me, how are you getting your up-to-date information. No one has seen you in decades. Is someone spying for you?”

  Amber choked on her sip, making the Counselman chuckle as he handed her a napkin. “I wouldn’t call it ‘spying’. Counselman Esio’s advisor is currently with the remaining Angels, and he reports to me the news as often as he can. Advisor Jaca is one of the most loyal and best advisors any Counselman can have. Besides, my Amber of course...” Shaka winked at his advisor.

  “So, is one of the Angels with child?” Jamerson asked bluntly. Silence filled the room for a moment. Jamerson looked between his two companions while waiting for an answer. “I’m sorry if that question was too forward.”

  “It is!” Amber snapped.

  “It’s ok, my boy. Yes, one is with child, but that information must remain a secret. The story in how that happened is also quite interesting I hear. However, that will be for another day.” The Counselman turned and looked outside. He noticed the dark night sky was beginning to turn different shades of light colors. “Come on, my boy. Your mother would kill me if she knew I kept you up all night. In the morning, you’ll have a much better understanding of why this needs to happen. An Ancient being born in our lifetime is one of the greatest honors any member of the Star Counsel could experience. To try to take that away is blasphemy...”

  Jamerson stared at the old Counselman’s face. He studied Shaka’s wrinkles and thick glasses that took over his face. He knew in his heart that he meant well even if it meant possible losing his position. Counselman Shaka, his advisor, and others like them were there to ensure the rightful people took their place in this universe. Before retiring for the night, Jamerson asked one more question. “So, what now for you two? Do you plan on ever returning back to Stella?”

  Amber huffed at the question because she already knew the answer. She turned her head to the side once more. The Counselman smirked and said, “I will return home someday. Just not until we true Star Counselman put an Ancient back on our throne. That day, my boy is coming soon. Very soon...”