The Law of Zotoss

By Elizabeth G Hall

Carra and her cousin, Jaivall, set out on a trip with two strangers, with innocent intentions to travel the world and see new places. But when the trip begins to take a turn and suspicions of one of the group members grow, Carra begins to suspect one of the men she is travelling with is not who he says he is. These suspicions lead to one big secret that could kill them both, or all of them. But when she falls for him, she must choose between her love for him and her loyalty to her country and the rest of the world's beliefs. She is given a chance to run away from it all, to throw him into a prison where she will most likely never see him again. But she doesn't accept. And when they leave a little desert town, they find themselves trapped. They get captured and a rescue mission gets underway. When saved, they are forced to finish their journey and enter the most dangerous region on their planet: the Bizarre. Where they are to hide and for how long is undetermined.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Jun 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9780228877301

Elizabeth G Hall

Elizabeth G Hall is a seventeen-year-old author from Ontario. Canada. The Law of Zotoss is her first book and she is currently writing a second to go along with it. Elizabeth is interested in history and reads and writes in her free time, along with illustrating and designing characters and images for her books.

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Copyright © 2022 by Elizabeth G Hall

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-7731-8 (Hardcover)

978-0-2288-7732-5 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-7730-1 (eBook)

For Dawn. This world wouldn’t exist if it weren’t

for that notebook you gave me on my 16th birthday.

Table of Contents

Maps

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-three

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-six

Chapter Thirty-seven

Chapter Thirty-eight

Chapter Thirty-nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-one

Chapter Forty-two

Chapter Forty-three

Chapter Forty-four

Chapter Forty-five

Chapter Forty-six

Chapter Forty-seven

Chapter Forty-eight

Chapter Forty-nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-one

Chapter Fifty-two

Chapter Fifty-three

Chapter Fifty-four

Epilogue

Pronunciation Guide

Cassinian Alphabet

Newest Neveein Alphabet

Chapter One

There’s something to be said about how a man treats a woman, of how he bows his head to her and reveals his darkest secrets. And how he doesn’t treat her as less, or as more, but as equal. Because he loves her so, and he’d go out of his way to make sure she is safe. Those are the best kind, but the most dangerous.

My mother never told me why they were the most dangerous, I always just had to assume what she would have said if I had thought to ask her. Maybe she meant their past was dark, they’ve lost too much, or they were afraid of losing and therefore didn’t love. But I would never find out what she really meant. Because she went to bed that night and never woke up.

If I was told that I’d run into a man like this, I never would have believed it. For a love like this doesn’t exist anymore. But if I only knew, I would have gone running for it sooner.

There was fire, smoke, people ran around to try and survive. Men in red armoured masks walked around shooting everyone they saw. He hid in a corner; his breath was heavy, and his eyes were blurry with a waterfall of tears. He tried wiping them away with his dirty sleeve, but it was no use, they kept coming and he couldn’t help it. He had popped his head over the large block of clay that was a part of a broken building that had just fallen in front of him. He would scream for his mother, and then his father. But only ever received unfamiliar screams in return.

Someone else’s past started haunting me. The images and sounds of the screams were burned into my mind, as if permanently welded into my memory. It was so terrifying, every night I woke up screaming, screaming for it to all just go away. It went on for five years, until the scary parts of it slowly started to fade away, and I grew up. Every now and then, a flash of the horrific scenes from the nightmare enter my mind. I can’t help it when I doze off during the day, from not being able to sleep the night prior. But I couldn’t find sleep anywhere, not even during the day did the nightmare give me peace. It only went away when I focused hard on something else or rambled on about topic after topic just to keep the memory, the thought of it, away from me.

It was about a young boy, brown skin, hair as dark as the darkest brown, and black eyes.

He was no more than five or six years old, dressed in a bright red tunic, brown leather pants underneath and small leather boots on his feet. He was screaming for someone, as bombs went off behind him, and troopers soullessly shot and killed civilians running for cover.

His tears looked like a rushing river, streaked down his red cheeks, and his screams escaping his mouth were enough to make me shiver just thinking about it, even to this day.

A trooper picked him up and dragged him along the dirty ground by his feet, still screaming and crying. Up some stairs, and into a building he was dragged. It had a big hole in the wall behind a counter. The boy was lifted to a standing position and held close to the trooper, his tiny wrists tied and pulled over his head. He had screamed again as more troopers entered, pushing a woman and a man into the room. They were both wearing red tunics as well, the woman’s darker than the boy and man’s. "Caevyn, said the man. And then the rest of that sentence was in a different language, I had assumed that was a name, it sounded as much. Tadid lanka," was what he said next, and I will never forget it. The woman standing next to him was struggling to break free, and she was crying too, sobbing more like.

The woman spoke, her voice slurred and unsteady from the sadness that was overtaking her. "Sa vanno," she said. And then the troopers holding their hands over their heads, shoved a vile of something down their throats and they both fell to the floor, clawing at their skin trying to get out whatever it was that was forced into them. Their skin turned beet red, and holes appeared in their bodies, and blood was pouring out of them. The little boy was terrified and trying to break loose of the trooper’s firm grip on his small hands.

And then the troopers standing over the crippled body of the woman and the man pulled out swords and plunged them into the backs of them, digging right into the floor.

The boy was taken away, shoved into a rider with a ton of other people from his city. That’s when the dream ended. I was three when all this happened, and after it occurred it was always the same. My father explained to me what was going on in the world then. He explained what was happening to those poor people in the country the boy was from. He convinced me that the boy wasn’t real, that all it was was a dream and not a vision. I had nothing to be scared of, the people were dying, yes, but he told me no one would kill a person in such a brutal way. But the way the dream played out, the way the people reacted to certain things, to everything. It all seemed so real and authentic, the sound of the ear shattering screams of the people, and the blood. There was so much blood. I don’t doubt someone would kill in a way they did, it’s not impossible. At the time I believed him, because all I wanted was to forget everything I saw, everything it felt like I experienced. But as I grew older, and the dream reappeared night after night for another few years, it felt more real than it did the first time it came to me. I want to find the boy if he is still alive. But first, I need to figure out where he was taken.

Chapter Two

Where did he say we were meeting? I asked my cousin, Jaivall, as we pushed past people rushing down the busy pebbled street.

He unfolded the worn piece of paper he wrote the meeting place on and studied it for a second. The shallow and cold wind brushed through his golden-brown hair, making it dance and then spill onto his face when the sudden breeze died down. His bright blue eyes darted around the paper he held, searching for the right address on the wrinkled sheet with a million other notes on it.

Kindin Zin Station, he finally said. But I don’t know where that is.

We could ask someone, I suggested.

We don’t speak Kindin. Or at least I don’t. Do you?

I shook my head in defeat. No, I don’t. But my uncle did.

Car that’s not going to help us, with all respect, your uncle’s dead. We need to find someone that speaks Neveein. Or at least English, he said, stuffing the paper into his back pocket and brushing some hair from his icy blue eyes. He sighed. I’m starving.

I looked around the street at the many stores lining this crowded area. Then spotted a small sign with an arrow painted in gold on it. It was swinging in the light wind that was brushing over our heads. I tried to decipher what was written on the sign, remembering my struggles of trying to learn the foreign language of Atkin. Before we departed Neveeah, I already knew I wanted to travel. I started learning as much of every language as I could, which was only four, and not fluently. When Jaivall came running into my house with news of a man willing to help us make our way through the countries it seemed too good to be true. It was on one condition, though: Jaivall and I would have to stay with him until he met his journey’s end. The man Jaivall found was putting together people to travel with to get to the Bizarre, the most dangerous region in our world. It’s full of forests and a lot of unexplored territory. Many people, even soldiers, have tried to claim that land but have been knocked down by the natives that live there, hundreds of tribes of the countries in the Bizarre. Even the war-torn countries, controlled by the military, are safer than the ones in the Bizarre. But my father wouldn’t let me travel unless I had a guide. And this man Jaivall found, seemed to have been to all eighteen countries, not including the five in the Bizarre. He’s even been to Cassin and the other four countries in the Red Region. Which are danger zones now due to the Red Leader and his troops. This man’s name is Sinson Valley, apparently he’s an old friend of Jaivall’s father, but Jaivall has never heard of him, nor has he met him.

The sign that was swinging in the light breeze was written in Kindin, Atkin’s native language. A mixture of Bankin and their own language created when they were granted separation from Banko’s laws and beliefs. It was easier to give them a country than try to convert them so that’s what happened. Atkin was formed from the rebels of Banko. Bankin was one of the four languages I was determined to learn, Banko being one of the countries I wanted to visit. Its huge cities filled with glorious carved stone towers from the ancient Tyverian societies that once ran the country. Kindin is very similar to Bankin, I’d hoped.

I think that building has food, I told him, pointing towards the building, and tugging on the sleeve of his dark blue shirt. Let’s go see. I grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him along the street.

He shoved me to a stop. I’m not going to walk into a random building, that’s such a tourist thing to do.

Jay. I sighed. We are tourists.

He rolled his eyes then continued to let me pull him into the building with the polished stone walls.

The automatic metal door opened as we neared the entrance. Jay stumbled at the silver metal sliding closed behind him. In Neveeah the doors only slid to the sides, but in Atkin they’re circles, twisting into themselves with sharp edges that could cut a limb right off. It’s comforting to know they’re trying to kill us before we even have our last meal, he mumbled.

Inside it was dimly lit and the air was foggy with smoke. People were seated at round tables, bar counters, and benches. Sipping glowing drinks from cups carved from animal bones. Or they were smoking a pipe and chatting happily.

Great, Carra, you’ve walked us into one of many of Atkin’s taverns.

Everyone here I could say looked the same: brown or blonde hair, pale skin. And most of them were men dressed in dark clothing, midnight blue shirts and black or brown leather pants, with pistols or knives strapped to their legs.

It’s not my fault, I sneered quietly, my voice almost a whisper. It turned to a mumble as I said, Neveein dictionaries don’t have the most accurate depiction of the Bankin language.

He glared at me then wandered deeper into the tavern, pushing past me. Please tell me we’re at least old enough to be in here?

I shrugged and kept close to his side, holding onto his bicep to make sure I didn’t lose him in the busy room.

Everyone’s dressed so dark, I mumbled and walked even closer to Jay. The men sitting around the area reminded me of shadows; dark clothing that wasn’t black, but rather a darker blue that made it seem mysterious to me, as I thought shadows were mysterious. And the smoke in the air covered them like a blanket, making some of their faces impossible to see. It almost felt like I had entered a dream.

Yeah, he said, finding us two seats at the bar counter, Everyone except for him. He pointed to a man dressed all in red clothing: red shirt, red cloak, and a small red bandana around his neck to catch sweat. His pants were brown with many pockets sewn onto them, giving a very military feel, and his boots were made of a similar coloured brown leather with laces climbing in criss-crosses up the whole front of the boot, and then buckles at the very top to tighten the loose leather closer to his calf. He stuck out like a sore thumb and didn’t remind me of the rest of the shadow-like men around us. Among all these people wearing black or dark blue, his bright red clothing could be spotted a mile away. He had his head down and was scribbling something into a leather journal. His hands were gloved, but he had his hood down and his hair was dark, and his skin looked to be very tanned, or brown as opposed to everyone else in here being so very pale.

He looks so—

Cassinian, Jaivall whispered, finishing my sentence for me.

And it seemed we weren’t the only ones thinking that; A group of men walked into the bar just after we did and approached the man dressed all in red.

They stood behind him in a line, the one in the middle had his arms crossed over his beefy chest. He looked much older than Jay and I, by a couple decades at least. He was taller than the rest and had more muscle. He was pale, just as everyone else here was. His hair was dark brown, but he had a bald top with a ring of hair going around the sides, ear to ear. He also had a beard and rotten looking teeth. I could almost smell his foul breath just looking at him.

He reached out and tapped the man’s shoulder. But he didn’t turn around. So, the older man decided to speak, hey, he said, in a deep booming voice.

Everyone in the tavern stopped chatting and turned to look at this man filling the room with his loud presence.

Jaivall and I sat on the stools, staring at them to not miss what might happen next.

Usually in big city taverns such as this one, the first sight of a possible fight and you’d be kicked out. Because they don’t tolerate it. Bars that are known for having breakouts lose business. And in these big cities it’s hard to find work. They can’t afford to lose their work. That was back in Neveeah. Maybe here it is different.

Hey, the man said again.

The man dressed in red let out an annoyed sigh and slowly turned around. I caught a glimpse of his face. He looked young, at least a few years older than Jay and me. His eyes were pitch black and his brown skin glossy with sweat.

How can I help you? he asked, an interesting accent filling his voice. I cocked my head to the side, seeing if I recognized where he could possibly be from.

You look Cassinian, said the older man, as bluntly as one could get.

The red man grinned playfully. I assure you I am not, he said, crossing his arms to mimic the older man.

Oh no, Car, what if he’s a red trooper? Jay whispered in my ear.

I glanced back at the man in red, scanning his clothes and figure. He was muscular, but it was hard to tell much with so much clothes covering him. He was tall, too, over six foot by a few inches. There’s no way, they don’t come out this far. And I don’t think they look that casual, I whispered, leaning backwards so only he would hear me.

But look, he whispered back, pointing to the red man’s hip where a gun sat, holstered, and the other couple of knives strapped to his legs. Oh, my gods. Could he be?

Jay shrugged nervously.

It wasn’t unusual for someone to have a gun on them, or knives, for that matter. In fact, it was quite normal. People die in bar fights all the time and most times the killer gets out with minimal, or more often than not, no consequence. And they usually don’t end up in prison. Having a gun could very well mean he is a trooper, but it can also mean he is just the type of person to carry around weapons to seem intimidating. I hate those types of people; Neveen was full of them.

We should leave, he said in a hushed panic.

No. I quickly grabbed the collar of his shirt to stop him from leaving and tried to pull him back onto the seat. He stumbled, tripping over his own feet. Let’s stay and watch. I’ve never seen a bar fight before.

This isn’t a bar fight, Carra, he hissed into my ear, my hand still gripping the collar of his thin shirt. This is a man accusing another man of being a race that shouldn’t be alive.

I rolled my eyes. Cassinians don’t exist anymore, everyone knows that, it’s just a fight.

I heard him sigh then sit back down on the metal stool behind me.

Why are you dressed like one then? yelled the older man, as if wanting to draw more attention to himself and the situation. The situation that he was causing, and the situation that would, and could not have happened if he had just left the young man alone. But like I said, people want to seem intimidating. Atkin isn’t far off from Neveeah, much of this country is the same as mine. Maybe the people are the same too.

The red man’s grin faded, and his arms lowered down to the sides of his leg, where his right hand then rested on top of his pistol.

The older man scoffed. You think you can win against us, Cassinian? Not a chance. We have you four to one.

The red man looked even more annoyed. I like those odds, he spat through gritted teeth.

The man erupted with laughter. You’re tiny, no muscle, I could pick you up with one arm.

I would like to see you try. The red man’s grip tightened, and a muscle rolled in his jaw.

The older man’s grin faded, too. I’ll have you arrested, and I won’t hesitate to shoot you myself if you try to run away.

The red man smiled, showing teeth. Could you catch up to me?

People whispered in their seats. The older man lowered his arms from their crossed position over his chest. He glanced at a few of the people who were chatting with each other, then also intently watching the banter. He likes attention, but not this kind of attention, the attention where you are being belittled and humiliated.

Show us your mark, demanded one of the older man’s hunks beside him.

Everyone in the room started whispering to the person beside them again, as if they all were back in school where gossip spread like wildfire. To accuse someone of being the wrong race then asking to see their mark, that’s a serious gesture. And a dangerous thing to ask. I’ve seen people get so angry over someone asking to see their mark after an accusation, some people get seriously injured from the fights that break out. Some people die.

The red man didn’t fight, though. He peeled off the glove covering his left hand and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal his mark. The black tattoo-like symbol appeared before everyone in the bar as the red man held out his arm, though it looked incredibly faded from where Jay and I stood. They represent what country you are from. Everyone has one, once you turn nine years old it’s illegal not to have one. But before that age, you’re only identifiable by your skin.

Ethian? said the older man looking at the red man’s mark. Last I heard real Ethians weren’t brown-skinned. He laughed. His men laughed with him.

I saw the red man grip his gun even tighter and his jaw tensed up again.

A real Ethian. Everyone has been in a debate about what a real Ethian should look like. After the rebellion in Banko a long time ago, people seem to think the real Ethian looks like a Bankin: blonde and pale. But Ethos is its own country, heavily influenced by the three other countries surrounding it, mind you, but it’s its own. An Ethian is just someone from Ethos; they could look like a Sleef and have an Ethian mark. But they’re still Ethian.

I can’t believe he just asked to see his mark, Jaivall whispered.

I nodded slowly, watching the red man’s hand intensely, waiting for him to pull and shoot at any moment. He looked as if he would kill the man right then and there, but he held back and kept his cool, an impressive thing; many people can’t stay calm when they are being threatened.

I think he might shoot, I whispered back.

Car we better leave.

No way, it’s just getting interesting.

Car, please.

I rolled my eyes and stayed seated. The red man’s hand was still firmly grasping his pistol as the old man spoke, Cassinian scum! I’ll report you!

And that’s when the red man pulled out his gun and fired a bullet, knocking the old man over into one of his men behind him. Everyone was surprised. The room went silent. I didn’t even see his arm move until it was out in front of him, and the old man was on the ground. The red man slid his gun back into the holster before one of the hunks lunged forward to try and attack him. He ran into the counter instead because the red man moved out of the way. He wrapped his hands around the hunks’ neck and smashed it into the metal counter, knocking him out.

A little out of breath, he turned to face the other two. Come, he said, waving for them to fight him. But instead, they fled, tripping over their own and each other’s feet. The red man gathered his things on the counter behind him then turned on his heels, stepping over the two men he attacked, whining on the ground, and walked past everyone to get to the door. He flipped a coin in the bartender’s direction, saying, for the mess to come.

His voice was deep and husky, almost dreamy. The strong scent of sweat and something like smoke prickled my nostrils as he waltzed past us. We locked eyes as he passed me, and everything seemed to slow down as his shadowy gaze never left mine. It all ended when he neared the stairs to the door, and I was brought back to the present.

Gee, that was the fastest pull I’ve ever seen! Jaivall’s mouth was hanging slightly open, his eyes following the red man all the way out the door.

I nodded when his gaze fell back onto mine. Me too.

We turned to face the bartender who was wiping a glass cup dry with a cloth, shaking his head at the event that just took place. I couldn’t get those black eyes out of my mind; they were so mystifying and unreal. I’ve never seen someone with eyes so dark. I shook my head and sat straighter. Uh, ta drinka? I asked, suddenly cringing at myself.

The bartender raised an eyebrow.

Well great, now you’ve really made us look like tourists. Your Bankin is getting us nowhere.

I sighed, accepting his victory in points of my bad Bankin.

The majority of Kindin speaks English, the bartender told us, placing a cup on the counter.

I nodded, embarrassed, and bit the inside of my mouth to keep from cringing again.

Should’ve guessed, everything those two in the fight were saying was in English. Jay rolled his eyes.

So, you’re tourists? Where are you from? If I wasn’t mistaken, that was Neveein you were speaking, right? he asked, grabbing two glasses he had cleaned and filling them with the blue glowing drink everyone had in their cups.

Neveen, Jaivall answered as the bartender handed us our drinks.

Wow, the capital of Neveeah? So, I was right. What are you doing out here?

Travelling, I told him, remembering Jaivall telling me Sinson wanted very few people to know about this trip. The bartender nodded. Where to?

I shrugged. Just around. I glanced at Jaivall, and he released a tiny nod in my direction.

I peered over my shoulder when something red flashed across my gaze, back at the circular metal door. Hey. I pulled on the bartender’s sleeve. Do you know who that was? The man in red?

He nodded. His name’s Koe. He’s been here only a few times. He’s a traveller, just like you. And I think maybe something else, with all the weapons on him, I doubt he’s a simple man.

Do you know if he’s really Cassinian? Jaivall chirped. I hit him in the gut for asking such a stupid question.

The bartender chuckled a little. The Cassinians are all extinct, he answered, cleaning another glass. And even if there were a few still alive, none would be so stupid to come around these parts.

I frowned, the answer was kind of obvious, but I still asked, Why not?

Kindin is crawling with red troopers. And there’s even more when you get closer to the border of Banko.

I gawked. So, there are troopers here?

He nodded and handed someone behind us a drink. Lots of ‘em. Troopers are everywhere these days. I pray for a day where they’ll all be gone. Jay and I made eye contact then he gulped.

Not to worry though, as long as you’ve got your mark, you’re fine.

I already knew I was fine, it’s just, the sight of a red trooper sends a shiver right up your spine. They’re dangerous, and their only job is to catch and kill criminals, people like Cassinians.

Would Koe be one?

He chuckled again, his voice raspy and dry. No way. The colour of his skin would make him not able, even if he is a true Ethian with a legal mark. Besides, Troopers don’t dress as casually as he did.

As I thought. The troopers from my childhood nightmare wore helmets and cloaks draped over them, covering their whole body. I doubt a trooper would look as rough as he did, too.

Jaivall asked the bartender for some to-go food as I finished up my drink and paid him.

Oh, one more thing, I said, turning back around to face the bartender. Do you know where the Kindin Zin Station is? I asked.

He nodded and reached under the counter and pulled out a sheet of yellowed paper then handed it to me.

I unfolded it. It was a map of the city. I wonder how many people he’s handed these out to, or if we were the only ones. Thank you. I smiled then followed Jay out of the tavern and back out onto the street.

Oh, my gods, Jay, look! I pointed down the street in the direction the red man was going. He was there, the red man, fighting off more men that had pinned him to a wall and hit him.

We need to go, this Koe man seems dangerous. Jay pushed me along in the opposite direction of the second fight.

I unfolded the map again and studied it as I was dragged by the arm. Wait, no, we must go that way! That’s where the station is!

He sulked. But there’s another fight and I don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.

I bit my lip and looked down at the map again. It looks like there’s another street that goes right around that area. I told him, leaning the map towards him so he could see where I was dragging my finger on the paper.

He nodded. Let’s go that way.

I pulled his arm as we ran up the street then made a sharp left turn down an alley right by the red man. There were some people chatting and sharing a pipe that eyed us weirdly as we made our way past them. When we made it to the street on the other end of the alley, I started running to catch up with the red man who I saw, through another alley we passed, stepping over the men he had knocked out.

I stepped out right in front of him. The bandana that was around his neck was now strung over his ears and covering his mouth and nose, and the hood of his thin red cloak was over his head too, covering his dark hair, but his eyes were still very much exposed. They were darker in the bright daylight, like you were peering into a bottomless pit and all there was was just black, all the way down. My apologies, he said with a nod. His voice no longer sounded so dreamy, it sounded as if it was drained, or dry. He then pushed past me to get into the alley we just ran out of.

We watched, again, as he strolled down the dark alley, his cloak swaying at his ankles as he hurried towards the light at the other end.

I wanted to keep chasing after him, and interrogate him on why everyone fights him, but an uncomfortable feeling washed over me, I couldn’t explain it. Almost like you’ve just seen something from someone you shouldn’t have and being around that someone was suddenly awkward. Let’s go. I pulled on Jay’s sleeve and continued through the rest of the alley.

What?

Let’s go, I repeated.

Well finally, I’ve been wanting to leave this city since we entered that bar.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the alley to continue walking towards our destination.

Did you get a weird feeling when he passed us? I asked him.

He shrugged. I think anyone would get a weird feeling around a red trooper, if that’s even what he is.

No, I mean, a weird sense to leave, or were you uncomfortable?

He frowned. What do you mean, Car?

I shrugged. I don’t know, I suddenly felt uneasy, and uncomfortable looking at him.

Huh, he said. That is weird. But Kindin’s one of the safest cities in the world. We’ll be fine if we don’t do anything illegal, he joked. I don’t know what their prison hospitality is like here, but I’m not sure we want to find out.

I shook my head.

We’re fine, Carra. As long as we don’t run into that Koe guy again.

I know we’re fine, we’re not bearing illegal marks. It just gave me a weird feeling, that’s all.

Let’s just get to that station before it gets dark, he said, looking up at the cloudy sky.

I nodded and held the map out to him so we could navigate our way through the city to get to the zin station.

Chapter Three

Do you even know what Sinson looks like? I asked as we approached the benches outside of the station. It was dark now, the sky was pitch black and stars glistened in the sky, and the silver sun, too.

He shook his head. But apparently he knows what I look like.

We took a seat on the shiny new benches outside of the station building and waited. I slouched, my back arching in towards the cold stone.

Jay, I started. He glanced over at me. You took law class, right?

He nodded slowly. Why do you ask?

Do you know why Cassinians are dangerous?

He looked stunned at the question, as if such a thing should never be asked. I suppose they shouldn’t, a question like that could get you arrested. Why do you ask?

I shrugged. I just want to know why we are supposed to be afraid of them.

He let out a heavy sigh. They’re said to harness powers or abilities, he answered simply.

What type of powers?

He shrugged. Mind control abilities, like moving things with their minds or making you do something without you really doing it or reading your mind and making you say things they want you to.

I frowned. What do you mean?

Cassinians could get out of anything, they could make a red trooper let them out of prison if they wanted to.

But how? Is it like brainwashing?

He shook his head. It’s like they stare you in the eye and make you say what they want you to without you being conscious you’re saying it at all.

"But is that really that dangerous? Were they doing it for sport? To do things that are illegal?"

"That’s not the point, Carra, he said, suddenly sounding annoyed. The point is that they could end up using their powers to control the world, so they needed to be stopped before that ever happened."

I leaned back against the bench; my arms crossed tightly over my chest. That’s barbaric. Innocent people, children, were killed soullessly just because they could have these abilities that could be dangerous? What if they’re not and they just killed all those people for nothing? And it’s not just Cassin, it’s the whole region next to ours, the Red Region. Faffien, Sinco, Cosine, Takini Island, all those countries are under military control as well as Cassin. Cassin got pulled into the war even when they’re a part of our region and not the others, but the Red Leader rules Cassin just as he does with Faffien.

Ah, Jaivall! Someone yelled and snapped me out of my haze.

Jay got up to greet the man walking around the bench to face us directly. Are you Sinson? Jay asked.

The man nodded. Indeed I am. He smiled, his white teeth shining like a beacon as he opened his mouth. His skin was dark, darker than the red man’s. And his hair was black as well as his eyes. He had a fit but chubbier build and stood at least six feet tall. Sinson reached out a hand for us to shake.

This is Carra, my cousin, Jay said, pointing at me on the bench. I got up with a smile and shook Sinson’s hand. Very nice to meet you, Carra, he said, smiling again. I nodded. Likewise.

So, Jay started, you said there was another? Where are they?

Sinson nodded. Inside. He motioned for us to get up. We gathered our two bags and followed him through the doors.

I was surprised at how small the station’s building was, for such a fine city I would have expected a grander one. If they were going for cozy over sophistication, then they achieved that. When you first walked in there was a line of cushioned metal seats set down the middle of the room. To the left of the door was the ticket desk, to the right was a fireplace, a few metal tables and chairs and some couches. The floor was made of solid wood boards and the walls were a brown tile. It reminded me of my uncle’s cabin he had in the forest near the small town, Lift, a few days away from our home in Neveen.

There were only a few people here at this late hour. Sinson led us over to a table in the far-right corner, where I noticed a man dressed all in red.

You’re kidding, Jay whispered, gawking.

We approached the table and the man in red stood up to greet us.

This is Koe Baaker, he’s the fourth member of the group. Sinson introduced Koe as if he was some close friend, as if he knew all the things Koe did to people in bars, and it was alright with him.

Koe reached out his hand to shake. We both hesitated before taking it. His grip was firm around my small hand, and his seemed to hug mine. Though, I found they fit together nicely.

There are no zins running at this hour, but this station does provide lodging. I’ll go check us in, Sinson told us and left us here with Koe.

We all took a seat and Jay scooted closer to me. Koe leaned back in his chair and let down the hood of his cloak and pulled down the bandana over his mouth and nose. He was definitely young, now that I was seeing him in a brighter, less hazy light. His hair was dark, almost black, and fluffy but slightly overgrown at the sides, making the small hairs spill over his ears, it only slightly fell onto his forehead. His jaw was chiselled but his cheek bones weren’t sharp, they were soft and round, making him look younger than he possibly was. He had a black beauty mark on his left cheek, right in the centre of the fleshy part.

So, I said awkwardly, where are you from? I asked, even though I already knew.

Ethos, he answered simply, his voice still sounding dry.

But you look Cassinian, Jay said bluntly.

He nodded. I get that a lot. I assure you I am not. Where are you from, then?

Neveen, Jay replied confidently.

Koe smiled and nodded. So, what are two city kids doing out here?

We’re not kids, Jay sneered, offended.

Koe looked him up and down, then said, okay.

Jay crossed his arms over his chest. We just want to travel, and I know Sinson, so he offered for us to come out.

Travelling? You mean innocently travelling?

Jay nodded, a small, confused look on his face.

Koe chuckled. You know where we’re going, right?

The Bizarre. We know.

So why did you come? We need fighters.

I rolled my eyes, Koe caught me and sent me a dirty look, as if I should know that we weren’t cut out for such a journey. I did know, but I just wanted to travel. I sent him a dirty glare back and he grinned a little, lifting a corner of his mouth.

We can fight, Jay said, sitting straighter in his seat.

Koe’s gaze flicked from me to Jay. He stared at him, unimpressed at the lack of muscle tone on Jay’s body.

I almost couldn’t take it anymore. "Why are you so rude? We’re from Neveeah but you’re from Ethos, that can’t be much better," I snapped.

His eyes slowly travelled back over to me. It is neither better nor worse, he said, leaning onto the table, But at least my town isn’t filled with— he paused.

Spoiled brats? I finished, sounding as if it were a question, but I already knew what he was going to say.

He nodded. Something like that, he mumbled, then sat back against the chair.

You were a lot more polite on the street, I muttered under my breath.

Koe nodded. That was before I knew two city kids would be joining our group on a journey to the most dangerous region on the planet. You must be pretty stupid to agree to this trip, and even stupider to agree when you know the destination. He smiled at me, charming yet sarcastic.

I hated him, that smile, so charming and handsome. I wanted to smack it right off his face.

I glared at him. We’re more than just city kids, I spat at him, we’re smart, and clever, and exceptionally good at getting out of tight situations.

Koe shrugged, that amused grin still on his face. Alright.

I felt as if I was just embarrassing myself in front of him. Trying to make up excuses and comebacks to his stupid responses was difficult, and my answers weren’t what I wanted them to be.

Jay rolled his eyes. I’d rather be called a city kid than a Cassinian anyways, He muttered under his breath. But Koe heard, and his eyes were filled with annoyance but also pain. Being accused of being someone everyone has been told to fear could ruin someone’s life. And I can’t imagine how many times he’s been called one of those people or been pushed around for looking like one.

Right, gather your stuff, Sinson said when he came back. I’ve got us a room.

We all got up and pulled together our things. Jay and I moved towards Sinson and headed towards the stairs, but he turned around and stopped us. You have to go show him your mark, it’s the law here.

I nodded and went up beside Koe who had just finished putting his glove back on from showing the man behind the desk his black inked mark. My eyes met with Koe’s as he turned away from the counter and joined Sinson at the base of the staircase. Something about the way he looked at me, the way he grinned when I was trying to make him angry, it sent tingles free in my stomach. Angry tingles or nervous ones, I didn’t know. When Jay and I were finished Sinson guided us all up some stairs and down a narrow hallway that the guys had to walk sideways in to fit their broad shoulders.

So, do you think he’s lying? About where he’s from? Jay whispered to me, slowing me down so Koe didn’t have a chance to hear us.

I shrugged. He has an Ethian mark; I don’t know how he could be lying.

Jay nodded slowly then sighed. I guess. We rushed down the hall to catch up with the other two just as Sinson was unlocking the door to our room.

We all stepped in. I know it’s small, but it’s just one night, Sinson told us, throwing his satchel up onto one of the bunks.

Koe swung off his cloak and threw it onto the floor then hauled himself up onto the other bunk.

Small was an understatement. It was tiny. You walked in and there were the beds right there. Four thick metal platforms that pull out of the wall with thin mattresses on them, no pillows, and a very thin blanket. Four beds, two below and two up top.

Koe and I will sleep up top and you two can sleep down here, Sinson offered.

I placed my bag on the minimal floor space beside the bed I was sitting on. The walls were the same tile as downstairs, and the floor, too, was the same.

Bathroom’s down the hall, the only other door up here, Sinson said, struggling to pull himself up onto his bunk with Koe. We leave early tomorrow morning so try to get some sleep, he added.

Everyone went quiet as Jay clicked off the lights.

Chapter Four

There was knocking on something hollow, echoing through the object like leaves flying with the wind. I woke up with a sudden flick of my eyes. The dim light of the station lodging room filled my vision. Even though it wasn’t that bright, I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. They had not yet adjusted to the light. Everyone was up and rushing around in the small room. I sat up; Koe’s legs were dangling right in front of my face.

I pushed them out of the way, and he jumped down, turning around and giving me a weird look once he landed. Though weird, handsome too. Lowthoh is the Neveein word to describe someone who is appealing to the eyes. And he is very much lowthoh. The word may as well be his.

Finally, you’re up. Jay yawned, handing me my boots to slip on.

I rolled my eyes and tied up the laces.

Koe and Sinson were almost ready, piling on their layers and tying up their own boots.

On one side, Koe had a pistol and a black handled dagger with silver metal designs in the black wood, on the other, he had another dagger, identical to the other. They were both sitting in leather harnesses strapped to his thighs. He had another pistol, too, and both of them were strapped to either one of his hips. He was just sliding one of the daggers into its harness when he caught me looking at him. I blushed and looked away. I heard a small chuckle as he threw on his cloak and lifted the hood over his head.

Once all of us were ready, we picked up our bags and headed down the hall and the stairs.

Car, I need to tell you something, Jay whispered to me, pulling me aside from Koe and Sinson at the desk paying for our stay.

I stood, waiting for him to speak as he glanced one more time at the other two at the ticket desk.

I saw Koe.

I frowned. What do you mean?

In the bathroom last night.

I grimaced. Jay is interesting but spying on someone in the bathroom was the last thing I’d expect him to do.

Ew, why would you do that?

No Car, that’s not what I mean.

What do you mean, then?

I didn’t fall asleep for a while last night, and I heard a yelp come from Koe’s bunk. He sat up and it was like he couldn’t breathe. Then he climbed down the ladder but fell off the last few pegs and stumbled out of the room like he couldn’t walk.

That’s it?

He shook his head, as if annoyed I wasn’t understanding instantly.

I followed him out. Carra, there was a huge gash on his back. From his right shoulder all the way down to his left hip.

My jaw dropped and I found myself looking back over at Koe. He was already looking, though, and I began to wonder if he could hear us, or maybe understand us. I turned back to Jay and tried to ignore Koe’s penetrating gaze. But he seemed fine.

Yeah, I know, that’s why I think something might have happened in his dream.

That’s impossible. A wound he got in a dream transferred to his real life?

Jay shrugged. There’s no other way I can think of. If he had that big of an injury when he was fighting off all those people in the streets, there’s no way he would have won. And the way he woke up, like it was a sudden shock.

Sinson waved us over as we were good to leave.

I studied Koe’s posture as he walked out the door in front of me. Everything slowed down, Koe’s cloak buckling at his ankles, the wind through his short dark brown hair, the swaying of his hips as he put one foot in front of the other.

I couldn’t see any change in his actions.

Are you sure you saw something? I asked Jay.

He nodded. I’m positive.

He seems fine though. I motioned over to where Koe stood, staring, and examining him as he waited for the zin. Could you have been dreaming?

He glared at me. You never take me seriously.

I’m sorry, I said to him. I just think it’s unrealistic.

He rolled his eyes. Whatever.

Don’t get upset, Jay. I placed a hand on his arm and gently pulled him back to me as he started to leave.

Why? It wasn’t a dream Carra, and you aren’t believing me.

When I didn’t answer he rolled his eyes again then turned away from me and headed towards Sinson opening one of the narrow doors on the