CHAPTER 30: A City under Stone

As the elevator descended, Antigua stared at the metallic walls with an elated hype. What did Tangente mean by that last statement? Was the underground section really that much more impressive than the city above ground? What would it look like? Would it have bricks of stone or more metal, like the elevator walls? How high was it? It felt like they had descended for quite a while. Suddenly, the metal room came to a halt. As the metal gates moved apart on their own, a feat that Antigua viewed as utterly mesmerizing, Antigua's jaw dropped as soon as the city under the earth was unveiled. Gorgeous. Clean. Refined. The pureness of the white making up the colossal sloping walls of the city stood above in chaotic contrast to the abyssal black tile that made up the flooring of all the streets and flooring of the ground outside the gold and silver towers complimented with glass as clear as the finest freshwater. Buildings, twenty times the size of the largest temples aboveground, didn't even come close to scratching the ceiling. They were thin and lean structures, with tendrils of gold running up their silver infrastructures and supporting beams. At key points in the buildings' structures, the golden tendrils reached out and branched off the towers, creating elegant curved thorns and tusks decorating the exterior of each monumental house, tower and facility. They were all made unique, yet still had similar geometries between their core infrastructures. The utilization of triangles, curves, and hexagons gave the architecture a special artsy appearance that contrasted with the influence of rectangular geometry found inside the buildings and art of the aboveground. The walls of the city itself were only barely visible in the vast distance following the central road in which the buildings wrapped around elaborately. As Antigua stepped out of the large room that was the elevator, he gazed upon the rows and rows of (seemingly) small circular lights that flowed with thin engraved black lines that formed waves and circles around the massive white pillars that concave as they extended from the floor to the ceiling like two giant funnels attached at the end. Such pillars dotted the underground landscape symmetrically. At this observation, Antigua realized the entire underground was shaped like some compressed cylinder with great curved walls that transitioned into the ceiling flawlessly. The pillars, meant for structural support, were larger than any other structure inside the underground(taller and as wide as a modern nuclear power plant, with a similar shape but no ulterior purpose). Antigua's breath escaped him, this was beyond his wildest expectations. How did they create such a large space underground? He wanted to explore more than anything, a laughing smile radiating on his face.

"Exciting, right? What's your favorite out of all these buildings?"

Antigua was lost for words, only pointing to the second largest of the towering structures.

"The... long towers? Tall towers? Do you have a name for them?!"

"Ah, the skyscrapers. Unlike stone structures, they can have over one-hundred floors stacked on top of each other, which is great for space management. It takes land that is normally used flatly in the two dimensions and adds another direction to build: up."

"They're amazing." Antigua put simply.

"If you think this is a good view, you should have seen High Society. They had giant bubble-ring structures that housed an entire city! They were even mobile, and could travel from planet to planet to restock on resources. But that wasn't even touching the extent of what our society had to offer. Space-borne ships the size of nations, micro-planets with compromised gravity and atmospheres, macro-fusion reactors harvesting stars' power for incomprehensible amounts of energy, and anti-gravity, something that challenged our comprehension of forces and manipulations in space-time. I can't list them all right now, there's too many. All you need to know is that High Society is big, beautiful, and vastly different from any society on this planet currently."

Antigua chuckled. "I didn't understand any of that"

"I can't wait for the time when you do. Now come, enjoy the sights while we go to the cradle."

"Cradle?"

"Where we will transform you into something stronger."

As Antigua and Tangente walked together through the city, he saw a shadow glide across the ground. He looked up to find out its origin when he saw something very peculiar that was obscured by the building to the right of him. He saw it only for a split second, but recognized its shape. Wings? From the rooftops, shadows of heads popped out and leered down at the two.

"Uh, Tangente?"

"Yes?"

"We're being watched."

Tangente rolled his eyes. "Nothing to worry about" He raised his hand and motioned with his fingers.

"Get down here, Volante." Tangente's stern voice erupted. A figure. A woman jumped from the dizzying heights of the building of at least thirty floors. Antigua was shocked and concerned, how was the woman going to survive? He saw the blur of what looked like a long robe trailing behind her back and feet. What was that? As the woman was about to collide head first into the black-tiled floor, gargantuan wings of extreme proportion flapped to life and sent her swirling into a fast glide that made her feet slide across the floor just short of Tangente. The wind alone almost sent Antigua to the ground. Standing in front of him was a tall, beautiful woman with green and blue feathers lining her wings, back, and forearms. Her short navy blue hair consisted of delicate-looking fluffy plume that followed down the back of her neck, with two locks of plume falling down past the sides of her face. The behemoth wings were attached to her back, her long thin arms hanging at her sides. Her nails on her hands were replaced by black talons fitting the shape of her fingers. She went barefoot with regular-looking feet, with the exception of a white pattern on her soles. What was that for? As she opened her mouth, Antigua saw the four small fangs that replaced her canines. He had never heard of manbeasts such as these before.

"Hmmm… and who's our little newcomer? Brought us a snack, Tangente?" The woman looked at Antigua like a predator watching its prey. Creepy.

"Not this time," Tangente joked "This boy is to be our special-type thirty-seven. He'll be the first of his kind, and our last general. If he manages to survive, that is."

"What do you mean by that?" Antigua felt a sinking feeling.

"The procedure we're going to do on you doesn't have a 100% success rate. You could be disabled or killed during the time your asleep and transforming"

"I was never told this!"

"Well, you can't get out of it now. And don't even try to run. Don't worry, the procedure is relatively painless because you're unconscious. If the signs show a notable failure, we'll kill you so you don't have to suffer with pain or significant disability."

Antigua's gut churned. He couldn't believe what was coming out of Tangente's mouth. But he had to do it. Tangente had supposedly kept his end of the agreement. Or did he?

"Tangente, is my family ok?"

"Yes, I made sure of it. You can visit them after the procedure, if you want. I wish I could give you more proof, but I didn't really prepare for it. Just trust me, I keep the promises I make."

Antigua still had his suspicions, but could no longer rebuttal. The three left the shadows of the other bird humans behind as Antigua strikes up another conversation.

"You're winged, unlike the manbeasts my grandma described. What is that about?"

"Hmm, when I first came to this empire, I arrived with an army of type thirty-fives. They had the traits of ground animals because I wasn't confident in an aviation design yet. I began to colonize this place by bringing supplies, people, medical technology(including vaccines), and modified humans from other nations in my own empire. Did you ever wonder why you look a little different from the other people in the north province? It's because you have blood from another continent across the sea running through your veins."

Tangente paused as the three entered a wide facility with many thick doors. After many turns, they arrived at a long room with countless metal pods with a small slit window displaying humans inside. Each was in a different stage of grotesque metamorphosis, the oldest one's finally displaying the traits of a birdman. But there were others, too. One ash-haired woman was developing shriveled brown wings displaying a detailed pattern like an animal's eyes. Moth wings. A feminine male with shriveled blood-red wings that glistened and reflected the ambient light and long bright aquamarine hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. One hell of a butterfly.

"As you can see, all of my airborne units are created here. It started with thirty-six A's, or the birdmen like Volante here. We now are trying to mass-produce the B and C variants, or the moth and butterfly people you see here. The special type of a species of modified humans is our trial version of said species. They are more customized and allow us to gain insight on how to safely replicate the results. This is why the procedure for a special type is riskier yet it yields more refined traits and strength. The moth and butterfly you see here are the special types that have survived near the end of their 'metamorphosis'. They, alongside Volante, will be three of the four generals in command of their corresponding thirty-six variants."

"And the manbeast special type is the fourth?"

"No, you will be the fourth. Few of the beastmen remain here in this nation. They have been relocated for later plans. You are the leader of the thirty-sevens."

"And what is our specialty? You mentioned 'fangs' some time ago."

"Manbeasts and their claws and guns as our artillery, airborne humans and their wings as our air force, and 'Vamps' with their ironclad fangs and defensive skin as our tanks. Like the name? I hope it sticks… Anyways, we have high-speed attackers and air attackers, but not a good blend of offense and defense. I lost a couple of men in the siege on the Toltec Empire. At the end of their desperation, they invented traps made to trivialize their resilience and hide. So we must be cautious of the remaining rebels, as they have learned tactics hundreds of years ahead of their time. We must push the bar above and beyond until they cannot reach it. And we also must keep the casualties to a minimum, as I am trying for a less bloody transition of power in the next nation I invade. I could just kill all of the rebels myself as I did my first day here all those years ago. But I will not, as I am trying to get myself to value these imperfect human lives day by day. I have learned I can befriend some, but only the smartest and wisest of them. There are also some with a spark of dire will that I don't seem to fully understand. I believe that it is because they are mortal and have something more special to lose that these sparks of desire exist. After all, one appreciates time and life much more when it is of short supply. Mortals put much more on the line when they go in to fight for what they believe in. What a deathless and ageless immortal can start anew, a timed an aging human cannot. Therefore, they fight... for what little time they have left. In this way, they are my inspiration. It has been hard this past millennium. However, I see a peasant working his field from sun up to sun down and can't help but cry. Why, man, do you struggle like this when there will be an end to your journey? Your progress will be consumed by the earth, waves, and sun some time again. So why? Why by the sweat of your brow do you plow that field for the thousandth time if it means nothing when you and your bloodline expire?"

"It is because we live and work in the present, Tangente, whereas you look only to the future. Why should we care that in one thousand years the remnants of our fields will be the foundation of some other civilization? He probably looked upon that field in the darkness of dusk and thought to himself 'I did it. Now I can go relax and have fun with my family or my friends or my passion.' Upon preparing that field, he secured that tomorrow, he and his family would be fed. That they could live, laugh, and enjoy. That their legacy, like a fire running short on wood, may be preserved that much longer. Legacy. That is why we try so hard. We want to be remembered, and never forgotten. That is why many strive for fame, fortune, and power. So that they can remain in the memories of others for as long as possible, or at least be comfortable until they die. Death is nothing new to us, and that allows us to even terrify gods, every once in a while."

Tangente scoffed.

"How old are you, again?"

"Fifteen."

"Hmph, good talk. I think I've uncovered one more piece of this puzzle. Thank you, Antigua. Oh wait- the time! I gotta go! Now just remember long fangs, hard skin, and better senses and strength. Bye."

"Wha-" was all Antigua could muster before being picked up like a rag doll and thrown into a pod with its door up. Tangente gave sparkling finger guns to the guys and girls running the pods, who promptly finger gunned back. He then left with a speed walk that turned into a full-on sprint outside the door. Before Antigua could even raise his head, the pod shut on him.

"Look at him go…" a woman said to everyone in the room as she swung her head towards Antigua "Well hi, Antigua! Don't worry, we'll take very good care of you! Just relax, and before you know it, you'll be done!"

"No wait, Not ye-" and just like that, the gas knocked him out cold.

Antigua's eyes opened with blurred vision. Shapes here, figures there, everything was so confusing. He heard a voice. "Let me see! Let me see!" one said. "Give him space, Luna! He needs to breathe!" as the image cleared, he saw two figures standing over him. The moth and the butterfly.

"There he goes, look, Oceano! Hello, young general!" The pale-skinned, tanish-grey-haired lady spouted enthusiastically. She was so short, small, and adorable. Antigua sat up, only then realizing he was naked.

"Oop!" he yipped, covering himself instantly. His eyes darted around, only for Oceano, the butterfly man, to throw him some undergarments. He put them on as fast as he could, and caught a glimpse at his fingers. Very sharp nails, and so strong-looking, too.

"Is there anything I could use to see myself?"

"Yup" Luna, the moth woman, squeaked. She took out a small folding mirror from her pocket. As Antigua gazed at himself, he was slightly disturbed. He looked nothing like he used to, with the exception of his skin and his short, thin physique. Off-white hair grew down to his neck, and his eyes were no longer reflective and foil-like. They were a solid yellow cream color, unlike the dark eyes he had before. Then he spotted it. The fangs Tangente had bragged about. They were no mere canines. Eight long, sickle-like fangs grew inside his mouth, and all of the teeth were slightly sharper. But it was the reflective metallic coloring of his teeth that surprised him the most. He clanked them together, feeling the power of his jaw send vibrations evenly through his skull. Now that's a lot of power. Antigua jumped up from the pod, looking at the hundreds of pods proceeding his own pod. They were filled with the moth and butterfly soldiers. Looks like they got their mass-produced variants up and running.

"So, you guys are the new generals?" Antigua said, trying to get to know his new soon-to-be friends.

"We are. And we have three months of experience on you, so you better catch up!" Luna said with a playful grin. Her hair was cut clean at the base of her neck, unlike the other generals and their untrimmed nests that sat on the tops of their heads. Her hair was so soft-looking and fuzzy. Antigua fought the urge to touch it. Her eyes had whites and pupils but no iris. It was all hazy and reflective. It looked… a lot like a starless night sky, with a gorgeous green hue. Very pretty, Antigua thought.

"Oh, and Tangente is waiting. Let us escort you up to the top of the overground palace" It was Oceano who spoke. He had a sort of chaotic elegance to him. At first, he seemed kind and gentlemanly, but a hint of something much more sinister could be felt from him. It was not towards Antigua or any of Oceano's comrades, it just felt like he was pissed off about something, and Antigua just couldn't put his finger on it. The man was stunning regardless. His bright, outstanding aquamarine eyes, eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair contrasted magnificently with the light chocolate coloring of his skin and the vibrant blood red of his folded wings that dragged like a cape or a robe on the ground. Such a red penetrated right through Antigua's eyes with its overflowing saturation. Each spot and stretch of the light crimson coloring was encapsulated with a velvet frame of bordering black. He looked like a mythical creature, and was totally hot, which Antigua was pretty envious of. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Antigua noticed sharp black lines and fading black shading on the back of Oceano's tan neck as he turned to his side.

"What is that on your neck? A tattoo?"

"No, it's a general's insignia." Oceano pulled his long shiny hair to the side to reveal a detailed picture of a butterfly's side while perched on a branch embroidered with a thick rhombus frame with flowers and vines growing around it. Luna did the same to reveal an overhead view of a moth sitting on the bark of a wrinkled and creased tree. This image was framed by an ornate oval decorated with serrated leaves.

"Every general gets theirs. It's part of your skin, it will never fade."

"Interesting. Luna, do you have another mirror?" Antigua asked excitedly.

"Ummm" the little Luna said as she reached in the bag at her waist. As she looked up and was about to say no, Oceano slapped his own pocket mirror into his hand. Both Antigua and Luna looked somewhat shocked while Antigua took a look at his insignia. In its center, a wide turtle shell with a smooth anterior and a thick jagged backside was displayed flat on his neck. The shell was empty or its owner was hiding, as no legs, arms, or head could be seen. Only a long, rough-skinned tail. Antigua thought, 'What is this? A turtle shell... Why? Whatever… It's not like it matters much.'

"What? Man's gotta keep his beauty standards, too!" Oceano put his hand on his chest confidently as a joke. He was serious about maintaining his beauty, though. Antigua could see the time Oceano spent on his skin, hair, and quite possibly wings. Luna scoffed and poked at Oceanos cheek, teasing him to oblivion. Antigua came out with a comeback to assist his beautiful fallen comrade.

"Well, little Luna..." Antigua taunted "He's got a more refined demeanor than you will ever have! You're practically bouncing off the walls, you're so annoyingly energetic!" Luna didn't seem to mind at first, but the last sentence made her puff up like a small balloon. The paleness turned a rosary pink as she tried to retaliate.

"YOU'RE THE LITTLE ONE! I'm almost twice your age! And look at you, I'm only a head shorter than you! How does it feel, knowing that you're not going to get the cream of the crop when it comes to love! Girls like the handsomest, tallest, and most confident guys! You're like an old bald mouse, with those graying hairs and short, boney complexion!"

Antigua had never been so offended by something he totally agreed with.

"Well, I've still got time to grow...and I don't look that bad, do I?" He laughed off the pain, shocked by the brutality of such a cute little creature.

"Well, my original name is Redwind, what's your guys'?" Antigua said, drying little tears from his eyes.

"We don't speak about our original names here. Tangente has given us new ones for a reason. We're no longer citizens of this land, we are the guardians of it. We have been given special attention, because not even our commanders we choose are given new ones. We have to cherish our new names, as they give us political power as well as military power. We can freely travel to the other nations in our off time, and meet and talk with other generals Tangente has set up across the world while still remaining in the comfort of your own nation thanks to telephone wires laid out. We also have the right to attend the grand assemblies that Tangente holds. It decides the distribution of trade and resources between the empire as new territories are gained and new stand-in rulers are elected in said territories."

"Could you stop exposition dumping for five seconds and let me see my damn insignia?"

"Oh, sorry..." Oceano's head drooped. "Then what else are we going to talk about?"

"How about work? You're adults, what did you used to do?"

"I make all sorts of quality clothing and sell them for very good prices. Those new textile machines do make my job a lot easier, so I could sit back and think of more complex designs!" Luna's eyes glittered

"Awesome, I'm going to pretend like I care." Antigua said.

"I'm... just kidding, you should show me a sample some time! And what did you do, Oceano?" Antigua remarked with a little grin. Oceano's eyes darted away as if embarrassed by something.

"I-I cook." He said meekly. Antigua's eyes lit up with a certain special smugness.

"There we go, something I can relate to! My mother is a baker. The northern province may have been the first area that Tangente raided, but it certainly didn't get the most development. Whatever resources Tangente wanted weren't there. That's my guess. But as the only remaining agricultural region of this part of the empire, our souls and minds lived and breathed grain, meat, and earth as the other provinces developed their own specialties. Nonetheless, I am proud of my mother, she is one of the best bakers in the province by far. And hey man, just between you and me…" Antigua leaned forward and cupped his hand as Oceano lent his ear.

"It doesn't matter if they're a boy or a girl, the best way to a person's heart is through kindness, conversation, and food. Tons of food. I'm talking about a mountain here." Both the guys laughed maniacally, while Luna pointed her ear in as best she could with no luck.

"That's true!" Oceano said aloud with an innocent grin. Luna's head shot sideways and stayed there for a while before gently looking back at Oceano's face, who was now concentrating on talking with Antigua. Antigua noticed from the corner of his eye. How strange, Antigua thought. What's with the reaction?

As they headed to get Antigua quickly fitted for his standard-issue uniform, Luna pulled Antigua aside as they walked.

"What did you guys talk about?" Luna whispered with a slight pouty face.

"What's it to you?" Antigua said. Luna took a glance at Oceano, but quickly looked down as soon as he glanced back. She held tight onto her own hand, squeezing her fingers. As she opened her mouth, Antigua got the gist and interrupted.

"Let me guess, little Luna's got a little crush!" He teased and almost broke cover by laughing.

"No! I-I mean, yes, but… you didn't have to put it like that! He's just… so cool, and fun to talk to, and he's so elegant... and… cute. So so soooo cute."

"And he knows how to cook." Antigua added.

"And he knows how to cook." She reaffirmed. "But I've never tried it. I can tell it's going to be sooo delicious! I bet I can eat it by the boat-full" she squirmed.

"Yeah… I can tell…" Antigua said, looking at the slight chubbiness of her stomach and legs as well as her sizable rack.

"But what if he doesn't like me back? What if I'm too short? Or too chubby? Or he doesn't like that I'm a hyperactive fuzz ball? Or that I wrap up in my blanket and cry a little too often?"

"Those are all positives if you look at it in the right way. Except for that last one, too much information. Just kidding! I think I know what type of person Oceano is. He's a lil' softie. And he's very polite. Go on and go for it. Be a BIG Luna!"

"Mmmmm… but… I just don't have enough confidence. How about you help me?" Luna said smugly. Antigua looked up and put on his cat face.

"Yeahhhh… sure! Not now, though."

"Well, of course!"

And just like that, a secret pact was formed between the two. As Antigua arrived at the dressing room and his measurements were being taken, Oceano was holding up the conversation.

"-and what types of desserts can your mother make? I can make quite a few myself, though it is a change to find the ingredients, though the traders bring in a ton of things by the ship-full…" Oceano dragged on and on as Antigua barely kept up and Luna listened intently. Antigua glanced around the room, looking at all of the sleek gray mysterious fabric that looked like nothing Antigua had ever seen before. That's when he noticed it. The feather on the ground. From one of the bird people? Perhaps, it was rather large, after all. He stared at Oceano, who was playing out the process of kneading and mixing in the air as Luna enjoyed the show. Antigua then got an idea, and snickered to himself silently. With his foot, he grabbed the feather and brought it to his hands, with the accuracy of a fencer, he shot the tip right up Oceano's nose and retracted it swiftly.

"HEY! What was that fo- ah… ah.. ATOO!" From Oceano's mouth escaped a quiet, cute little sneeze. Jackpot. Antigua laughed while watching as Luna covered her nose and mouth to hide her expression. Even then, you could tell she was thinking something along the lines of "OH LAWD HE HAWT". One hundred percent.

"Ah… Excuse me." Oceano said while bonking Antigua on the head for such outrageous behavior. Worth every bump.

Antigua finally stood with the same light fabric uniform as the other two. It was well-made and clearly made to last a century. Parts of the Matt gray were accented by the shininess of metal. The shoulders were stiff and sharp, giving the uniform a clean-cut and disciplined appearance, which Antigua was very satisfied with. In the middle of the chest, a hollow rhombus space was left. The other two had uniforms with their respective insignia with a straight black five-point star interrupting the center. The background to the badge was some kind of metal in which the insignia was engraved. Steel. The entirety of the walls seemed to be reinforced with it. Later, Antigua and the group had finished riding up the room-sized elevator. As they got to the top, Oceano spoke.

"This is where we part ways for now. Just go to the top tower of Tangente's new palace. It's hard to miss, unlike this temple. Have fun, and don't overthink what he's going to tell you!"

And just like they had appeared, they had vanished. Antigua walked alone in the quiet darkness of night, great torches of stone lighting the road ever so softly. The air was warm and humid, the breeze carrying with it the scent of the plants, rain, and mysteries across the land. Very unusual, given the climate's typical dryness, but very welcome as well. Beautiful clouds obscured most parts of the moon from view, a spot of glowing moonlight seemingly peeking through the clouds and staring right at Antigua. He looked to his sides as the giant rectangular statues had returned. And the all seemed to be facing away from one direction: the mountainous palace looming now overhead. Antigua was here, at the grand palace built in somehow only four months, that towered over everything in sight, a physical representation of Tangente's power and might over all onlookers. He was reminded that, though Tangente was a kind king, his heart was still founded on stone. Guards escorted him up the winding stone tower, and as he rose up from the stairs and walls, he saw Tangente. He had grown a short and neatly trimmed garnet beard. He was looking down on the city below, which had become even bigger and brighter, the fire piercing through the heavy darkness of night and laying rest gently on Tangente's face, giving his features new definition. His eyes watched below like a hawk, sure to send shivers down the spine of any passerby who happened to look up. As he turned, it was as if the half-moon behind him had sent its beams straight through him and into those illuminated silver and gold eyes. It had only now dawned on him that he truly was in the presence of a king. A great king. A mighty king. A king worthy of the throne of the Toltecs on which he sat. His dignified presence alone made Antigua feel greatly out of place standing with him as though he was an equal. Tangente reached into his pocket, pulling out a small metal plate. As he walked up to Antigua, he held it in a sacred manner, displaying the badge to show off the turtle shell insignia that had found its place on Antigua's neck. Four stars were pressed into the metal in each corner of the diamond.

"I have given you a name, but not a title. You will undergo nearly two years of training to wear this badge with full confidence in your qualifications for this privilege. And from here on..." Tangente raised his hand to insert the diamond-shaped rank into its metal frame in the center of Antigua's breast. He pushed it in until a snapping clink was heard, the rank locking into its resting place snug and secure "...I will hold you to that vow you promised me some months ago. I hereby officially assign you military dominance over the northern province. Protect your people. Protect your family. Honor all that you hold dear. Honor me and my empire. Congratulations, General. Your time to serve begins now."

Antigua could not stop smiling. Blood rushed like a river through his veins, his heart going faster than a hummingbird's wings. Energy coursed through Antigua ever-bountiful and overflowing. But Tangente spoke again.

"Now that initiation is over..." Tangente said, his long hair waving to his side as the elevated winds touching the great heights of the tower blew unceasingly.

"I want to show you something. Do you see that bird? Flying over there on the currents?" Tangente said, pointing to the sky. Antigua caught a glimpse at the swift little guy.

"And what of it?" Antigua was confused. What did a bird have to do with anything?

"Observe." Tangente said, whistling to draw the animal's attention. The tone in his eyes suddenly shifted dramatically, revealing a cold, menacing glare. The bird became dazed for a split second, its flapping and gliding halting as it nearly dropped to the ground before flapping against the current desperately towards the tower. The bird landed on Tangente's arm.

"Have you trained that bird?" Antigua said, questioning and trying to piece together the puzzle laid out before him.

"I met this bird at the same time you did. I've never seen it before in my life. Do you know what that means?" Tangente asked.

"That someone else had previously trained it?" That was the only possible answer Antigua could think of.

"No. I commanded it to do that. It's a technique modified humans in all of their complexity can learn but cannot be instinctually ingrained to use. It is a technique that allows its inflictor to take the deepest instinctual behavior, the fight or flight response, and use it to manipulate and control the actions or even sensations of the inflicted through use of extremely subtle universal microexpressions and language. For instance, this bird came to me not because it personally wanted to, but because its innate fear instinct, its strong gut feeling, told it to. The bird felt, both consciously and subconsciously, as if it would die if it did not follow my nonverbal instructions to come closer. Verbal instructions on animals almost never work, however, as they are unable to fully understand the meaning behind a language they are not accustomed to, unless, of course, they were previously trained with a key-word. Neither does this technique work on any regular human, or even some primates and mammals. The 'new' brain, or advanced mammalian brain, has a much larger amount of control over their actions, and therefore can inhibit the signals before they become actions. They will feel fear, but will not necessarily be inclined to follow orders. Most modified humans, including me, have heightened instincts and completely new ones. These serve two purposes: to allow some things like fighting and flying to become second nature, and also to provide a backup plan in case a rebellion or other certain unplanned incidents occur. Allow me to show you, sorry in advance."

"Wh-"

"Kneel."

Such a plain, simple word. Yet it seemed to carry the weight and threat of one-thousand suns. Tangente seemed to loom over Antigua like ten boulders crushing him on his chest. Sweat beaded from his face. His breath escaped him as he tried to fill his burning lungs with what little air he could. But there was nothing. Tangente's charming eyes turned imperiling as they looked through him, burning a hole through Antigua's mind and soul. There was no way to resist, no debating or compromising. It felt as though Tangente himself was seeping into Antigua's mind and pulling the strings to Antigua's very own body. He did not merely kneel, he dropped to his knee and bowed his head the lowest possible. His hands trembled and his breath shook. Was this the power of a god? Antigua kneeled there, his eyes and face reeking of ghastly death.

"Enough."

And with one word, the grasp of mortification loosened its hold and Antigua's mind became free. He collapsed to the floor, still shaking, tears running down his face and an elated smile stretching his lips to their most extreme corners. He escaped! Life! Breath! Happiness! The sweet embrace of air filling his lungs made Antigua dizzied and drunk. Crazed laughter escaped Antigua's mouth, an action that he could not control. The pupils of his eyes narrowed and quivered to a pinpoint.

"This is not a threat, but a morbid glimpse at the darkness ahead of you, should you ever betray me. Just like this bird, you are in the palm of my hand..." He said while reaching and picking up the bird with his other hand, his fingers wrapping around the creature gently but with a hint of lurking insidiousness. "... and your fate could be easily swayed and toppled by me." The grip on the bird tightened. In one's lifetime, there are a handful of gut-wrenching, teeth-grinding moments where a person can do nothing but simply wait and simply pray. Pray for things to get better. Pray for things to work out. Pray for just a morsel of control. This was all that Antigua could hope for himself. But prayer was useless when your enemy could scare even the gods from their thrones. In an instant, Tangente released the bird, who flew in panic across the sky, physically unharmed but mentally traumatized.

After a short while, Antigua posted with his jittery hands on the cooled floor down below. Night had swallowed the warmth from the air, leaving nothing but dry remains. His elbows shook and folded as his body dropped to the floor once again. This frustrated Antigua, and with a single burst of remaining strength, he sat up and held himself straight by locking his arms behind him.

"Are you sure you're not a god?" Antigua exclaimed with an exhaling breath.

"If only you knew..." Tangente said. "I am nothing compared to the others. I am but a simple economist in the world of monsters that come from above. That ship I crashed down from that fateful day... It brought with me eight other survivors. An engineer, a mechanic, a judge, a linguist, a pilot, a negotiator, and two guards. You better thank the heavens that there wasn't a warrior or gods forbid a noble."

"Why is a lone noble worse than a warrior?"

"Because they are the true terrors to this world. In High Society, those given the most advanced prowess and control are the nobles. However, each of the individual powers they possess carry a significant weight and strain on the individual, as well as taking up a lot of space in their genetic code. Hence why it was, at the time of our stranding, impossible to give a noble all of these 'Divine Rights', as they call them. So they split these powers into four major types amongst four noble familias who are genetically similar but not blood-related. First of the four, the Violetta Familia was given the divine right of command. With a single word from their breath or a glare from their violet eyes, armies fall dead and civilizations collapse in an instant. Unlike me, the Violettas can command death upon others, and have supreme control over every single organism with a capacity for fear. Their voice or eyes need not even to be seen or heard for the order or hallucination to take hold as other, more complex forces come into play. Second of the four, the Annesta Familia is gifted with their wings of light. They are the fastest beings ever recorded by our civilization, with enough power and speed to level those skyscrapers you saw with just the shockwave produced from their speed from quite a long distance away. You get the gist. It takes more than just physical strength to best even one of them. Now get up, you've got work to do."