Different.

Chapter 7: Special

Chapter 7

Special

Standing outside the large fortress was a long line of what I assumed to be soldiers. They were dressed in dark clothing that looked like it was made of some sort of snakeskin, and were abnormally tall, a whole head taller than my agitating guide.

Weirdly enough I noticed that not one of them was armed. No guns, not even spears, nothing.

I looked to Alexander, as I had no idea what to do next. But he didn't seem bothered by them.

"We're here to see Akshana. I brought the other girl." His voice projected, reaching every solider loudly and clearly.

The other girl? Is that me? And who's Akshana, why is she so important? I thought, but knew better than to ask just yet.

They looked none too happy about letting us in, but moved aside in uniform motion, allowing us just enough space to walk through the gates.

The tall bars snapped shut behind us, and as soon as we were out of earshot from the guards, I turned and asked, "Who is Akshana?"

A tired look crossed his face, as if I was a child asking about why the sky is blue, but I brushed it off.

"Akshana," he began with a dramatic sigh as we walked, footsteps echoing on the granite flooring inside. "Is the one who started it all. As far as we know, she's the first one to ever discover that she was like us. But knowing that the people up there," he pointed to the ceiling, and I assumed he meant up above ground, the normal people. "Would never accept us, she made this place. And so she sort of...runs it."

I was silent for a moment as I took this in.

"What do you mean people like us?" I asked. "And will all the answers you give me just give me more questions?"

This earned a chuckle from him as he replied, "No. Besides, you'll get all the answers you want. Look alive."

Looking away from him, I saw that we had arrived at a towering set of elegant double doors, painted a bright red with golden designs etched into it.

They swung inward slowly with a loud protesting groan, and we stepped inside.

Sitting at the far end of the room atop what looked like a throne was a small, dark skinned woman. Her hair was tied up high above her head, and her gown closely resembled the doors, along with everything else in the monumentally sized room.

I didn't have to ask to know that that was Akshana.

When we reached her, I expected Alexander to bow and greet her as your highness, but he just nodded.

"This is the girl I was telling you about," he informed her calmly, hands in his pockets, seeming almost slightly disinterested.

Her small, dark eyes darted towards me, taking in my appearance, and I was suddenly very self conscious.

She nodded and stood, then waved a hand and said in a voice deeper than I would expect, "Come, let me show you something." She looked at Alexander briefly and added on, "You can go now if you want Alex." But he waved away the offer, and she shrugged, as if to say, oh well.

We followed her through a small side door which she closed tightly behind us, and then motioned for us to sit.

The room we stepped into was much smaller than the previous one. Painted on the ceiling was an intricate map of the stars, and in the center of the room was a long oval shaped table with some sort of assorted pieces scattered about on it.