Alex Sansta held tightly to Bianchi’s back as they rode toward Light Castle. They had been on the road for several days, having stopped several times to admire the countryside, aware that what awaited them at the castle would be, at the very least, complicated.
Alex touched the Green Amulet of Jhrelth on her chest. The relic was what she had gone to the Sacred Ruins to retrieve: the key that allowed her to transform into Thir’ahmh, Hound of Eternity, a Cthulhu creature from the world of R’lyeh.
“Other worlds,” thought Alex. “The secrets my family hides aren’t as secret as I thought.” In one of her conversations with Zacky, the best detective in Academy City, she had discovered that other people also knew, or at least suspected, something about other worlds.
She herself had learned it the hard way after her father’s death, as a heritage of the heir to the throne of the Light Palace. What had once been legends, tales told to scare children, turned out to be a great truth. Other worlds existed, and some people, called “Wanderers,” could travel between them at will. But the most surprising thing was the existence of portals that allowed access to these other worlds.
And Alex knew where one of them was.
—How are you? Holding up back there? —asked Bianchi, pulling her out of her thoughts.
—Fine! —Alex replied curtly, not in the mood to talk.
—We’re almost there! I can see the castle city! —Bianchi announced.
Alex leaned to the side, more out of habit than necessity, as she already knew what she would see. A massive city surrounded Light Castle, with sturdy walls and vast fields of crops around it. Small houses dotted the outer area, home to farmers, while taller two- and three-level houses stood inside the walls, inhabited by the so-called “middle class.” But the most striking sight was the tanks. Her mother, Giotto Sansta, had strategically placed them surrounding the city under the pretext of defending their lands and people from potential enemy attacks, though those attacks had been provoked by the queen’s bellicose and undiplomatic behavior.
However, there was something Alex hadn’t expected to see. Near the southwestern gate, toward which they were rapidly approaching, stood a group of about two dozen... people? waving and waiting for them. As they got closer, they could see they were automatons from the HANADA Group, bearing the company’s logo, uniforms, and a couple of transport trucks. But none of them had weapons.
—It’s the princess! The princess! —shouted the automatons as they arrived. Bianchi slowed the motorcycle to a stop beside them.
—What are you doing here? —he asked.
—Master Goliath HANADA sent us as a support unit for Princess Alex Sansta —said one of the more humanoid-looking automatons.
—What? —Alex said— Why and for what purpose?
—To foster unity between nations that “became allies” during the conflict at the Sacred Ruins —said a shrill voice. Whoever it was sounded irritated.
—Show yourself —Alex commanded.
From among the group of robots emerged Wu Xiaohu, dressed in an elegant suit. He looked uncomfortable in such formal attire.
—You’re Lucie and Lyka’s friend! —Alex said.
—I’m no friend of any witch! —replied Wu Xiaohu.
—The kitty cat sure has an attitude —Bianchi said, laughing.
—I’m not a cat! —Wu Xiaohu exclaimed— We also brought support from Mi Sung. The Makoto Cloth Corps have gone to explore the city.
—And the HANADA Group put you in charge? —Alex asked. Wu Xiaohu nodded— I see. What made Goliath put a stranger in command of this... unit?
—My exceptional ability to perform my duties —Wu Xiaohu said with a shrug—. Besides, the automatons respect me. Director Takayuki respects me.
The princess nodded, understanding Goliath HANADA’s strategy. The HANADA Group was one of the few parties pleased with the outcome of the battle at the Sacred Ruins, aside from herself, and they were trying to become her allies in the traditional way: by showering her with gifts. It was a political move that a princess shouldn’t reject, so she decided to play along as long as their interests aligned.
—We also brought a gift for him —Wu Xiaohu said, pointing at Bianchi with all the disdain he could muster. The tiny werebeast snapped his fingers, and the automatons opened the cargo compartment of one of the trucks. From inside rolled out a highly advanced motorcycle.
—That... that motorcycle... is for me? —Bianchi was speechless.
—It has the highest engine capacity we offer. Additionally, it comes with many unique and special features, such as concealed weapons, voice activation, geolocation, remote control... —explained one of the automatons— and Master Goliath’s special touch: this motorcycle can transform into a giant fist and/or a special armor, both compatible with Princess Alex Sansta’s special abilities.
Alex’s eyes widened. Had Goliath prepared a tool to assist her when she transformed into Thir’ahmh? When did he expect that to happen?
—Thank Master Goliath in the name of the Princess of the Light Castle —she said instead. Her manners and upbringing always prevailed over surprise.
—We will, Princess —said Wu Xiaohu—. May we accompany you to the castle?
—I’m afraid my other duties will take me away from your wonderful company —Alex said with a smile. She gestured with her chin towards the inner walls, where a crowd had gathered.
They were enthusiastic citizens. Alex was a princess of the people, leaving the castle daily to help with whatever tasks the city’s inhabitants needed. But not just the simple ones: she took on heavy labor as well, from working in the fields to escorting young children to school. Alex Sansta worked tirelessly to make her city a better place. Without meaning to, she had earned the people’s love. For her, connecting with people was natural, but for the townsfolk, royalty mingling with them was extraordinary.
As the crowd began cheering and clapping, Alex felt overwhelmed. They held handmade banners, wore shirts embroidered with her face, and even carried bouquets of flowers.
—The princess has returned! —someone shouted.
—Come, it’s princess Alex! She’s back from her journey! —another person called.
—We must celebrate her return in style! —cried an elderly woman.
Alex Sansta got off the motorcycle, still smiling, and headed toward the crowd. When the automatons moved to accompany her, she gestured for them to stay back. She didn’t need protection. This was her people, her land, her palace.
Here, everyone loved her.
Bianchi and Wu Xiaohu stayed behind, watching the princess walk away.
—Ah, I have something else for you. It’s a message from Miss Zacky —said Wu Xiaohu.
—You mean a message for the princess —said Bianchi.
—Miss Zacky was very clear: “Give this message to the princess’s puppy protector, but make sure she doesn’t hear it,” she said —Wu Xiaohu handed Bianchi a tablet, grinning at the skulk’s expression upon hearing the word “puppy”—. It’s a private message, so when you’re done, return the tablet to me.
Bianchi walked away, connected the device, and a video began to play. On the screen appeared Zacky’s face. The detective looked worried and was lying in a hospital bed.
—Hi, puppy. This message is for you. Don’t show it to the princess… for now —Zacky’s voice sounded heavy and she was in pain—. Do you see the state I’m in? It’s pathetic. This message is being recorded the day after you left. If you remember, I was fine yesterday. Today... I’m much worse. This is due to the wound Thir’ahmh inflicted on my torso. Look.
Zacky lowered the sheets and revealed the side of her body, completely bandaged. Where her skin was visible, black lines spread from the covered area, radiating from the centre of the wound.
—These are the effects Thir’ahmh has when it comes into contact with human flesh. Aideen himself is in the same condition, but luckily, his Hippocratic Negative Healing Suit contained the spread from the dozen wounds he received. We don’t know if this will get worse or not. Aideen says it’s possible this “disease” could reach the heart, although he’s treating us with medication and very invasive procedures to stop it. For now, it’s working —Zacky explained.
The woman covered herself again. Her breathing grew heavier, and the machines she was connected began beeping. An automaton nurse approached her bed, but she stopped it with a faint gesture.
—Puppy, this is important. If a superficial wound like this did this to me, what could complete exposure do to Princess Alex Sansta? She and Thir’ahmh have fused! I’m worried the spread will be much faster in her case. So... if you love her, and I know you do, top her at all costs from using the power of the Hound of Eternity. Don’t let her transform, Bianchi. I’m sending this message to you because if I send it to her, she’ll ignore it. She’s too kind-hearted, too committed to her cause and too stubborn —Zacky said.
Bianchi turned pale, nearly dropping the tablet to the ground.
—What do you expect me to…? —he said, but the video hadn’t ended.
—Protect her, puppy. The future of your princess is in your hands —said Zacky. And the video ended.
Distressed, Bianchi rubbed his snout. In the distance, the princess was still among her people, unaware of the danger she herself faced. Suddenly, Alex Sansta turned toward him and looked directly into his eyes from afar.
It was a gaze full of meaning and emotion. Not the gaze of someone who didn’t know what they were doing.
It was the gaze of someone unafraid to die for what they believed was right.
