The Heart Of Gems

~ Chapter 1: Citrine ~

Crack!

Pain shoots up my back as the whip cuts open skin. Fresh blood wells up and drips to the floor.

I weakly groan in pain and raise my arms to block the next blow.

"Come on, you lazy fool!" Master yells. His words make my ears ring.

Anger flames in my stomach, and I can't help but glare at my master. He laughs angrily at my futile resistance.

The whip continues to flay my back.

It's another day when Master is having a bad day. He woke up this morning in a fit. I was serving breakfast this morning, and he said that the eggs I fried were still raw. It makes no sense because I'd already cooked them.

Agonizing pain explodes in my back. The lashes add on to the cuts below them, and everything is spinning. Stars appear in my eyes. If he doesn't stop this punishment soon, I'll pass out.

As if reading my mind, he mercifully halts the continuous blows.

His heavy pants reach my ears, "Go. I don't want to see you in my sights ever again."

I weakly rise to my feet and bow respectfully to him.

He allows me to hobble back to my shared hut. My back burns terribly, and my legs are quivering with the effort of

Once I enter my tiny house, I collapse into the floor in my stomach, gasping in pain. I'm already used to Master's cruel punishments, but I can still feel pain.

This is the world I live in.

My fellow slave friends call me Citrine. My master is too lazy to remember specific slave names, so he calls us "you, slave," "fool," or "idiot." Something along the lines of that.

I've been a slave since the fall of Zandora ten years ago. I was taken along with the survivors to human slave masters. Forced into human form, we labor day and night to please them.

Although the years have passed, I have never forgotten my Zandorian blood.

Humans used to be our friends, but they betrayed us all. Ten years ago, at night, the Heart of Zandora was stolen. It contains the power of our gems. Every single Zandorian is born with the power of a single specific Gem. Our true form is a Gem. Each Gem contains our own power. When the Heart was stolen, our powers disappeared entirely. Only with the power of the Heart can our power be fully displayed. Our Empress was killed, and the King was taken prisoner.

We have a female Empress and below her, there's the King. If we call the King the Emperor, it will put him in the same status as Empress. Thus, he is called a King.

I can barely remember the faces of my parents, Empress Tourmaline and King Alexandrite. The last time I saw them was the night that my world shattered. The guards sneaked me out and saved my life. They told me to never tell anyone my true identity.

I listened to their words. Some Zandorians survivors have recognized me, but they won't tell the humans. It will endanger their life and mine if humans find out my identity as Prince of Zandora.

Zandorians have a specific gem in their identity. It gives them special abilities.

There are six current Gems in Zandora: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Amethyst, Diamond, and Pearl. They are the only Gems that still work. All the smaller Gems are extinct, and their powers no longer exist.

Emerald shifts with nature.
Ruby is the flame of fire.
Sapphire bursts blue water.
Amethyst speaks with animals.
Diamond freezes ice.
Pearl works emotion.
The Heart of Gems cries for the Gems.

Every Zandorian is born with an affinity to one Gem. Only the royal family will have an affinity with more than one Gem. For me, I have the ability of all the Gems. It's not rare for successors and the Empress to be recognized by all six Gems. I don't have another sibling, which is unusual. Usually, females will become the Empress. I'm rare in that I'm a male successor. My mother died before she could create another Gem.

A knock on the door forces me to shut my thoughts.

"Come in," I command hoarsely.

The wooden door creaks open and in comes Zafar, one of my slave friends. He's Zandorian and doesn't know my real identity. Most Zandorians have never met the royal family before, so they don't know what we look like.

In human form, it's basically impossible to tell who is who. Our true form is a Gem, and we prefer wandering around as one. It's better to be in Gem form. We float around happily, and all our abilities are enhanced. Hearing and seeing is easier as a Gem. If it wasn't for Humans forcing us, we wouldn't be in Human form. It makes life harder.

Zafar whispers, "Master wants you again. He says to stop being lazy."

I groan and shift on the bed. Pain from the lashes penetrate to the very bone. Why did Master have to call me now right after a beating? Can't he wait a couple hours until I've mostly healed? He should now that cuts don't heal in a split second.

My legs rise reluctantly. If I don't, Master will come sooner or later and carry out a worse punishment for being late. I can never understand Humans.

I exit the door, limping. My Master's mansion comes into view. I've followed this path to the house millions of times. Zafar trails behind, keeping his head down. Zandorians used to have courage to walk with their heads high, and an aura of majesty around them. Not anymore. Ten years of captivity has slowly weakened our pride.

"Yes, master?"

I finally make my way in twists and turns to my master's large room. It's too big for my liking. Gems always love dark, confined spaces without a single peeking spot. We're too exposed in the light.

Zafar scuttles into the corner, trying to make himself as small as possible. Our Zandorian blood still run through us. We like to live as before. Humans have taken away that right.

My master is a dark-haired Human with a too-pale complexion. He stares at me through two dark brown eyes.

I lightly bow my head to show submission and respect.

"You'll be leaving today along with two other slaves," he pauses, "there's a mention of a Human rebellion somewhere. Our monarch has decreed that each household send three slaves to him to settle the rebellion. My friend will drive you with his slaves to the King. You should be able to solve the rebels."

Oh. This might be why Master woke up in a fit today.

His eyes narrow, "Don't you dare think of escaping because the truth is, you can't."

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Of course, I know that. Without the Heart, we won't be able to use our powers. The Human King has the Heart with him. He'll be able to mind control us to fight against anyone, and we'll be in full control of what we're doing.

It's scary of what he is able to do. We'll be fully conscious and still have no way to rebel under the suppression of the Heart Gem in his control.

If he tells us to sacrifice ourselves, we'll do exactly as he says.