 
Beth Hoyer

Eric's Purpose

Eric's Purpose

Edenia Series

By Beth Hoyer

Copyright Smashwords

Story submitted to Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine and was rejected.

Eric jerked from the angry rages clouding up his golden eyes' eyesight with whiteness making him blind and roared loudly as he felt a toddler child clutch his left leg of his Human like form. He opened his eyes narrowing at the whiteness and grabbed the child yanking from holding onto his leg up to eye level. He shut his eyes as he felt the familiar headache of his mind scanned and opened them as the rages went away to stare held in his gloved hands was his niece Erica, a Highlander a species with pointed ears and an Asian look on their faces which the species was known among himself secretly to be mind walkers.

He stared at Erica which he heard her tiny feminine voice sounding in his mind "Uncle Eric?"

Eric stiffened and didn't answer in response as he turned and thrust Erica to his sister, Erica's mother Arielia who appeared to scrutinizing him. He handed her Erica backing up turning invisible and ran towards the doors to the cafeteria only to see Brianna appear standing in front of the doors blocking his way with a loud whooshing noise of her ability to move at blurring speeds.

He groaned as Brianna spoke unseeing him "Your not leaving the room, Eric."

Eric turned visible as Brianna seeing he, appeared at his side with a whooshing sound besides him, grabbing his arm and yanked him to a chair where she pushed him to sit. He groaned as Brianna pulled his head towards her with her arms on his upper back rubbing. He placed his arms around her and burying his head on her form groaning loudly. Eric felt Brianna push herself from him and he released his hold on her as she leaned down stroking his cheek with a hand.

He stared at her as she spoke "Don't worry it'll pass."

Eric sighed to the reference to his angry rage episodes that would come without warning and leave him without another warning as she walked away walking towards his sisters Ionela with Lana and Yuri mate of Lana all visibly talking to a Trigan with an ape humanoid form but having similar clawed hands like himself that gave up poison at the fingertips, words unheard. He closed his eyes leaning backwards in the chair and felt small hands touch his left leg. He opened his eyes to see Erica staring at him with her brown eyes.

Eric frowned as Erica's voice sounded again in his mind speaking "Uncle Eric?"

He sighed and mentally spoke while staring at her back "Yes it's your Uncle Eric."

He saw Erica's lips turn into a smile as she raised her hands at him. Eric groaned and picked up Erica setting her right side on him. He looked at her to feel her settle leaning against him falling asleep. Eric frowned as he felt hands touch his right leg and looked to see his nephew Drew a Highlander offspring same aged as Erica, with his red orange short hair staring at him with blue eyes. He frowned as Drew threw his hands up at him. Eric sighed as he lifted Drew up with one arm and settled his left side on him and felt him adjust his position. Eric leaned against the chair as he felt Drew and Erica stop their fidgeting to fall asleep held on his lap by his arms. He frowned as he saw Henry, mate of Ionela, walk to Brent mate of Arielia and Arielia, appearing to be whispering words he unheard to them in a quiet talk while seeing them all nod their heads in agreement as the male finished his talk which he looked away to look elsewhere. He saw his two ten year old children Ricky and Cassie with Ionela's similar aged children Harry and Anna get up walking as a group towards the cafeteria entrance. He watched as they left the room and he turned his attention towards Henry whose back was towards him while still whispering to Brent and Arielia. Eric frowned as he saw Henry appeared to finish his whispered talk and saw him leave the room. He watched as Brent with Arielia walked towards him. He stared at his sister as she and Brent reached him.

Arielia spoke firmly to him "Eric, let me take Erica."

He removed his arm around Erica as Arielia bent down to take the sleeping child from him and watched her leave the room carrying his niece while being followed by Brent. He sighed as he turned his head towards the others talking to a Trigan who he saw finished their talk. The Trigan he saw turned invisible with outline walking away. He saw Lana with Yuri following her walk towards him which reaching him, he stood up holding a sleeping Drew and handed the child to his sister who nodded her head then watched her leave the room with the male following her. He sighed as he walked towards Ionela as an outline of another Trigan in a hidden form revealed itself showing a male with a face of a fish form appeared standing next to his sister. He stared at Ionela who reaching him hugged him in a bear hug then let go of him.

He spoke "Ionela?"

Ionela spoke "Eric, Henry and I want to leave the ship with our children and live in the city with other people."

Eric stared at her with anger forming inside him at the reference to the vast in size sea boat she referred as ship as she paused and continued "I think it's a good idea worth doing. What do you think?"

He narrowed his eyes folding his arms as he spoke with anger "I don't agree to this, Ionela."

Ionela he saw frowned and then she spoke "But Eric the children deserve a better life than one living here-"

He interrupted "I think the children's life here is fine. They don't need to leave the ship."

Ionela spoke "But Eric-"

He again interrupted "I don't want to hear more of this subject from you or anyone again. The children are not leaving the ship period."

Eric lowered his arms and gave Ionela a glare that flinched from the look then he walked out of the cafeteria towards his quarters. He saw doors to quarters were closed as he walked by them.

Reaching his quarters he walked inside slamming the door and went to the armchair to sit and grumbled out loud in anger "That Trigan she was talking to must have given her the idea of leaving the ship. I'll see that he's disciplined for that."

He leaned back in the armchair folding his arms as he muttered out loud "The children are fine here. They don't need to leave the ship. I don't see anything wrong with life here worth leaving to live in the city. I think living on the ship is fine and no need to abandon it."

He sighed as he felt his anger leave him and lowered his arms staring at the door to the room which opened to reveal Brianna. He smiled a small smile as Brianna entered the room closing the door behind her.

He stood up and spoke "Let me guess, it's Ionela and Henry's turn to watch the children tonight."

He saw Brianna nod her head in agreement he heard Brianna speak "Don't worry about the children. They'll be taken care of, I've seen to it."

He sighed as he watched her walk to the bathroom walking inside closing the door behind her. Eric sighed some more while taking off his shoes which he left piled on the floor then he put his clothes consisted of blue sweats in the dresser and put on his pajamas of white pants and a tank top and then went to the bed and got in pulling the blankets up to his chest. He lay on his side as Brianna wearing her nightgown carrying her clothes left the bathroom turning off the light. He saw her place the clothes in the dresser then he watched her walk towards him on the bed which she got in and saw her twist to turn off the lamp on the dresser besides the bed. He sighed as he felt Brianna lay her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her as he closed his eyes falling asleep.

Eric woke up hearing the beeping sound of the alarm and discovered himself spoon fashioning Brianna who he felt sit up turning on the lamp and shut off the alarm. He sighed as he stared at her getting up from the bed stretching her arms while walking towards the dresser where her clothes were lying in it. He watched as Brianna picked up the clothes after manipulating the dresser drawers and went inside the bathroom closing the door behind her. Eric smiled a small smile as he got up from the bed and went to exchange clothes from the dresser which he put on along with his socks and sneakers.

Eric spoke out loud "I might as well find that Trigan who gave Ionela the idea of leaving the ship and discipline him."

He left the quarters and frowned when he saw no outlines of hidden Trigans in the hallway along with bedroom doors open. Frowning he went to the cafeteria and stared with shock when he saw it was empty with no outlines seen. He stiffened with anger as he remembered his conversation with Ionela the previous day and ran out of the cafeteria going to the open bedroom doors peering in each of them as Brianna came out of his quarters to stand watching him. He felt anger rising some more as he saw each of the bedrooms were empty of people and outlines. Growling he reached the last room near the double doors of the hallway and stormed inside to see it was empty. He walked out into the hallway as the rages arrived with whiteness clouding up his eyes sight. He roared loudly as he charged with hands in fists and met a hard wall which he punched repeatedly as the rages left him. He continued to punch the wall as his eyes cleared up showing clear eyes sight along with his anger leaving him. Eric left the wall and went to Brianna standing in front of his quarters which he grabbed her arms in a tight grip.

He spoke "Brianna, what's going on? Where are the others?"

Eric stared at Brianna who stared back at him meeting his eyes spoke "While you were in our quarters, the others including our children left the ship to live in the city."  
Eric exclaimed "What?!"

Brianna, he stared with shock on his face, spoke "It's alright, Eric, the children will be taken care of as they live their lives out there in the city."

Eric spoke while feeling anger returning to him "But Brianna I told Ionela that the children will be fine as they live here. Why do they need to leave when they have everything they want here?"

Brianna he continued to stare at spoke "Not everything they want is here."

He frowned as he released his hold on Brianna's arms who continued talking "What they wanted was to live among the other races in the city and not live here being isolated from the world. They wanted to join the world to learn everything they wanted to learn. They weren't getting it from living here."  
He growled out as anger arrived "Hence them leaving the ship to live in the city."

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at Brianna who spoke "I oath to you, Eric, that I will stay with you and that includes as long as you want to stay here even as long as I live. That's a promise I aim to keep till death comes to me."

He spoke "Death won't come to you, Brianna."

Brianna spoke "Yes it will for I'm not ageless as you are judging by your hair still not showing white like mine is now."

He growled as he felt his stomach rumbling in hunger and heard Brianna speak again "Come love, to the cafeteria. You and I need to eat something for we need it to live."

He stared at Brianna who took one of his gloved hands and pulled him down the hallway through the double doors of the cafeteria which she led him to the dishwashing machine and started taking out a tray and dishes which she handed to him. He followed Brianna while holding the tray loaded with dishes for both her and him to the food processing units next to it. He sighed as she loaded the dishes with food and drink then he followed her to a table where they both sat down and began eating and drinking from the dishes on the tray. Once done Eric went to the dishwashing machine and placed the dishes away inside it. Then he went to pace watched by Brianna sitting in a chair as anger arrived.

He growled out loud knowing Brianna could hear him "I'm disappointed in the others for getting the idea of leaving the ship. Why couldn't they stay? Harrumph, they had to leave to join the world, Argh."

He heard the cafeteria doors open and looked with annoyance to see the familiar Highlander dubbed Tikcanni leader guard of the nation Oceana an ocean length away from the sea boat's docking at the city of Atlanta in the nation of Americania walking in escorted by four guards all Highlanders guard dubbed Kaddar.

He folded his arms and gave Tikcanni a glare who spoke "Eric, time for your punishment, so come along, you and Brianna."

Eric responded by roaring some loud nonsense sound recalling himself poisoning Tikcanni's twin brother by claw swiping and given punishment of whipping to keep himself and his people alive as payment for the death. He felt hands on his arm which he cut off to look at Brianna with a worry look on her face. He growled as she rubbed his arm and he turned his attention towards Tikcanni who left the room followed by his guards. Growling loudly he unfolded his arms and left the room with Brianna's hands on his arm to follow Tikcanni and escorts to the whipping room. Once inside he gave Brianna his shirt then walked to the fence holding out his hands watching the Kaddar a Highlander wrap his wrists with the chains. Eric leaned against the fence eyes on Brianna as he heard a humming sound and felt the chains become tighter raising his arms above his head. He kept his eyes on Brianna as he grimaced while feeling the whip hitting his bare back hard repeatedly with the pain rising after each hit. He roared some angry sound as the pain got intense along with the whipping hitting his back. Eric felt the whipping stop and he sagged in relief against the fence and felt the chains peel off his arms which he lowered. He walked around the fence to meet Brianna handing his shirt which he painfully put on as he glared at Tikcanni watching him surrounded by his four Kaddar guards.

Tikcanni spoke "Your people stopped by Oceana's Ambassadorial Headquarters to inform me that they had left the ship and were going to live in the city. I gave them directions on where to go. I assure you their doing fine."

Eric roared growling loudly hearing Tikcanni's words as the rages arrived. He felt his mind scanned followed by the rages leaving him along with the headache. He bore his eyes angrily at Tikcanni who turned and left the room followed by his guards. He looked down at Brianna as he felt himself relaxing from the angry feeling running throughout him.

Brianna spoke "Eric, it's alright. The others will take care of Ricky and Cassie as well as taking care of their children. Don't worry they'll be fine."

He responded to Brianna's words was to snarl some nonsense sound as she went to his side gripping his left arm. He didn't protest as she pulled him out of the whipping room into the all white hallway walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till they reached one of the outer decks facing the land deck where the gang plank sat.

Brianna, he heard continued speaking "Eric, we can leave to join the others if you want."

Eric stared at her and at the land deck as fear arrived billowing through out him. He shivered shaking from the fearful feeling.

He turned his attention towards her and spoke "I don't think I can leave the ship. I'm afraid."

He shook from the fearful feeling running through out him as his hands shook.

He heard Brianna speak "It's alright, there's nothing to be afraid out there but our family."

Eric felt her hands grip his arms as she pulled him towards the gang plank. He again felt the fearful feeling and shivered violently shaking visibly as he got closer to the gang plank. With a roaring cry he yanked himself out of Brianna's grip turning around and took off running towards the stairwell which he ran down the stairs running a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached his quarters and ran inside slamming the door. He fell on his knees as tears came to his eyes while rocking his form back and forth crying out in wails. Eric lay on the rugged floor curling in a ball still crying while feeling the fearful feeling running through out him. He shook violently as he cried wailing noises with his arms wrapped around his head. He continued to cry as he felt a hand touch his arm pulling it from his head as he blinked his tear stained eyes to see Brianna kneeling next to him with worry on her face. He pulled himself up and clung to her form in a tight grip as he continued to wail his cries while feeling her hands on him. He cried and cried till he was gasping and felt tears stopped flowing from his eyes as he felt the feeling of fear leave him. He sighed and pulled himself from Brianna's grip as he let go of holding her to stare at her in the eyes.

Her brown eyes he saw were filled with worry as she spoke "Eric, Merra tells me that you're fearful reaction to leaving shows that you and the ship are somehow connected together."

He frowned at her words and referring to Merra a giant sentient mind walking plant that lived in the ocean rising to the surface at each sunrise and going underwater after each sunset.

He spoke "I don't need to leave the ship. Everything I want is here. Why do I need to go out in the world when everything I want is provided here?"

Eric heard Brianna sigh loudly as he continued speaking with anger in his voice "The others can live wherever they want and who cares about them."

He paused as he felt anger running throughout him and he added "I don't care if they come begging for me to leave and join them for I'm not leaving period."

He got up as Brianna got up and began pacing with his arms folded as he growled out "I'm not leaving not ever."

Eric felt tiredness arrive overtaking his anger and he unfolded his arms to stare at Brianna looking at him.

He spoke "I'm tired, Brianna. I want to get some sleep."

He sighed as he took off his shoes leaving his clothes on as Brianna pulled back the blankets and he got in the bed as she pulled the blankets to settle on his chest. Eric sighed loudly as he closed his eyes falling asleep. He heard the lamp click off followed by sensing darkness and heard the door to the room open and close as he let sleep over come him.

Eric woke up to hear the beeping of the alarm and found himself spoon fashioning Brianna who reached over to turn on the lamp and turned off the alarm. He got up from the bed as she got up. He went to his shoes as she picked up her clothes and saw her went inside the bathroom gently closing the door behind her. Eric sat on the bed putting on his sneakers. He sat staring at the wall with a frown on his face as he heard the bathroom door open from behind him followed by Brianna walking into his line of sight. He sighed as she took his hand and pulled him from the room to the hallway to the cafeteria. Once again he held the tray as Brianna loaded up dishes and silverware from the dishwashing machine then he followed her to the food processing units where she loaded the dishes with food. Eric followed Brianna to a table where he sat down next to her putting the tray on the table. He and Brianna ate and drank in silence then once done he took the tray to the dishwashing machine and put away the dishes and silverware then began to pace watched by Brianna. He sighed and walked out of the room to the hallway to his quarters as his meeting with Tikcanni for the first time flashed in his mind's eye. He frowned as his feet took him to the meeting spot in the hallway as he stared at the area with a narrowed eyed glare.

Tikcanni's words about Highlanders echoed in his mind which he exhaled breath thinking to himself about one of the species mind wiping him to have amnesia which his memories were later restored by another "I'll never forgive them for what they did to me."

He cut himself off as he felt his mind scanned followed by Merra's feminine voice speaking sounding in his mind "I don't like having to tell you this but the Highlander responsible for the mind wiping has died a few days ago which his last words to me was 'Merra don't let Highlanders do what I did to Eric happen ever'."

He heard Merra paused then continued speaking "You're free of this Highlander's torture and his influence so be happy with that knowing that he can no longer torment you. Be happy living the rest of your life without being influenced by a Highlander like what he did to you ever again. I oath to you on that for I'll see it won't happen to anyone or you again."

He sighed as Merra left his mind and spoke out loud "Finally dead. At least I won't suffer from this again. Thanks Merra."

He turned and walked to the door to his quarters opening it a bit to hear noises inside. Eric frowned as he recognized the noises as Brianna crying. He walked into the quarters towards the open bathroom doorway where he could see Brianna leaning over the sink crying tears while staring at the mirror.

He spoke "Brianna."

He heard Brianna speak in a weepy voice "I'm losing my looks. I'm aging which is making my hair change from its state to another state along with getting wrinkles on my face and elsewhere on me."

Eric sighed and walked till he was standing behind Brianna and placed hands on her shoulders that felt thin to the touch while rubbing the areas.  
He spoke "Your eyes will always be the same despite your appearance changing. I can still see that look you always give me is still there."

Brianna moved out of his hands towards the rack next to the sink where she grabbed a towel rubbing her face into it. He stared at her as she placed the towel back on the rack and looked at him with affection in her eyes. He opened his arms wide as Brianna walked to him which he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

He heard Brianna sigh loudly before speaking "Eric, oath me something."

Eric groaned softly as he hugged Brianna before speaking "You have my oath so tell me what it is."

Brianna spoke "I want you to continue living your life after I die and if you have an opportunity to live without me, you are to take it please."

He spoke with a groaning tone "Brianna that is something I don't agree with for nothing will replace you as my purpose to live."

He felt Brianna's hands on his cheeks and looked down to look at her in the eyes whose expression he saw had a serious look in them.

She spoke "Please, it'll hurt me if you don't continue living your life after my death."

Eric opened his mouth to speak and found a hand forcing his jaw shut as Brianna continued "I insist on this just so you have my permission to move on and I can rest easy knowing that you'll continue your life with a purpose to live."

Eric sighed and with a hand stroked Brianna's cheek as she removed her hand from touching his jaw to his cheek. He heard her sigh as he hugged her and felt her push herself out of his arms taking his hand. He sighed as she pulled him out of the bathroom to the bedroom and sighed again as she hugged him before letting go to go to the armchair to sit staring at him.

He spoke "I think I'll explore the ship."

He saw Brianna nod her head and he walked out of the quarters to lean his form on the wall groaning loudly. He straightened up and stood in the hallway with a frown on his face. He sighed and turned his form invisible and frowned as he saw Brianna with tears streaming down her face leave his quarters walking towards the double doors to the stairwell in the hallway. He silently followed her walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached an outer deck where the gang plank was. Eric frowned as Brianna paused from walking to look behind her still sobbing away. He quickly and silently ran till he was ahead of Brianna and stood watching her as she turned and continued walking. He walked backwards ahead of Brianna watching her face that showed sadness with tears running down from her eyes. He reached the edge of the gang plank folded his arms and made his appearance from his hidden state as he saw a surprised look arrive on Brianna's face.

Eric spoke with a begging tone "Brianna, don't leave me."

Brianna he stared burst out a wailing like sound and cried harder. He walked up to her and took her hand pulling her away from the gang plank.

He spoke as he held a firm grip on her hand "Stay with me, Brianna."

Brianna in response to his annoyance gave up another wailing like sound as she continued to cry tears. Eric exhaled a breath and pulled her walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached a grey wall with a small TV monitor on it. He put his hand on the monitor that flashed a white light and then the wall in front of him opened sliding like a door showing a huge room with large vertical tubes jutting from the floor with wires coming from the tops going into the ceiling. He heard Brianna gasp as he pulled her into the room walking by tubes ignoring their emptiness till he reached a tube and stopped. He felt Brianna stiffened with his hand on hers as he stared at the tube's contents which he saw had a lumpy tan object he recognized as a brain with wires attached to it.

Eric spoke "Brianna, this is Anya what's left of me who is talking through him."

Brianna he heard gave another gasp as he continued "Eric isn't aware of me and I will keep it that way and will make sure he doesn't believe you even if you tell him."

He placed a gloved hand on the tube partition and added "Eric won't remember this after he wakes up from sleeping off a headache."

He turned towards Brianna and gently rubbed a hand on her cheek as she wiped her tear stained eyes with her free hand. Eric smiled a small smile at Brianna then gently pulled her out of the room walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached the hallway where his quarters stood.

He pulled her into the bedroom and forced her to sit in an armchair then spoke "Brianna, I have a headache. I need to sleep this off."

Eric went to the bed and laid his form on it lying sideways facing Brianna and he closed his eyes. Eric opened his eyes with confusion in his face. He frowned as he looked around the room and saw Brianna sitting in an arm chair with a sad look on her face eyes staring at the floor. He got up from the bed and went to Brianna gently putting hands on her cheeks rubbing the areas. Her eyes he saw continued to stare down as he released his hands' touch on Brianna to stare at her. Sighing loudly he walked out of the quarters walking towards the double doors entering the stairwell. He walked a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached the outer deck leading to the gang plank and stood with arms folded staring at the land deck that was empty of people. He stared at the land deck seemingly lengthy and heard a whooshing sound behind him. He looked to see Brianna standing at his side with a frown on her face that was showing wrinkles on it. He groaned as she walked towards him and went in his embrace as he wrapped arms around her.

He heard her speak "Eric, what's wrong? You seem upset about something."

Eric spoke "I'm upset about the others not coming to visit us or let me know how their doing."

He felt Brianna raise her head and he looked at her in the face where he could see was showing wrinkles of old age.

He stared at Brianna who spoke "What would happen if the others come visit us?"

Eric spoke "I'll keep them from leaving again-"

Brianna interrupted "That's why they don't visit."

He stared at Brianna with shock who stared back at him with a serious expression on her face.

Eric spoke in a groaning tone "If they can't visit us then why can't they sent someone to update me on their lives?"

He heard Brianna sigh loudly again before she spoke "Perhaps it's best to not to know how their leading their life."

He rubbed her back with his gloved hands as he spoke "I really would like to know about Ricky and Cassie growing up to adulthood, perhaps learn if they have mates which could result in them having children. I also want to know how Ricky handled his rages something I suffer with myself. I really want to know how Arielia and Ionela are doing living out there for I miss them."

He paused as he looked at the land deck and growled loudly as he saw Tikcanni walking slowly towards the gang plank while being escorted by four Kaddar all Highlanders. Eric felt Brianna remove her hands as he let go of her back. He turned and walked towards the gang plank while being followed by Brianna. Reaching the gang plank he stood with arms folded a glare on his face as he watched Tikcanni looking wearily slowly walked on the gang plank towards him. He narrowed his eyes as Tikcanni reached him with tiredness. Eric glared at Tikcanni who took off the glove of his right hand and rolled his sleeve.

He stared at Tikcanni as the Highlander spoke in Basic "Eric, I never thought I would live to see this day when I will no longer see you as an enemy for killing my brother. The whipping, I oath to you will stop for your free of the punishment."

Eric widen his eyes of shock as Tikcanni paused then continued "I see you as someone worthy of being an ally, a friend who I look with respect. Will you see me as the same?"

He frowned as Tikcanni rose up his bare right hand towards him but kept his arms folded.

Tikcanni added "I just hope the day will come when you will no longer see Highlanders as your enemy but your allies worth being friends with."

Eric sighed softly as he lowered his arms and with his right gloved hand took Tikcanni's bare hand and shook it.

He spoke as he let go of Tikcanni's hand "I accept you as my friend for you see me as the same."

Eric sighed again as Tikcanni nodded his head as the Highlander placed his glove back on his hand rolling down his sleeve. He stood and watched as Tikcanni escorted by Kaddar guards slowly turned around and walked down the gang plank to reach the land deck. Eric groaned loudly as he saw Brianna went to stand in front of him and he felt her arms around him holding him in a hug. He rubbed his hands on her back as he felt tears come to his eyes and continued to groan loudly.

He felt Brianna tighten her hold on him as he cried loudly crying out "Brianna."

Eric cried and cried as Brianna's arms continued to hold him in a hug.

He groaned out loudly during a bout of sobbing "Oh why, why did I have to kill a Highlander because of my anger towards Highlanders? I could have left one alive and found another way to express my anger towards the species."

He broke off to cry as he heard Brianna speaking "It's alright, Eric. That happened in the past. There's nothing you can do to change the past but put it aside by moving on. Tikcanni let go of his anger towards you for what happened to his brother so don't hold onto the pain of the killing, just let it go and free yourself of this torment."

He closed his eyes struggling to relax from the crying. Eric exhaled air as the rages arrived and breathe through his mouth as the anger went throughout him.

He heard Brianna's voice and concentrated on the words understanding them "It'll pass, don't worry, just ride this out."

He continued to breathe through his mouth as he felt himself calming down. Eric rubbed her back with his gloved hands as he opened his eyes to look at her in the eyes. Her eyes he saw were filled with affection towards him as she stared back at him. He sighed loudly as he tightened his arms around Brianna while feeling her place her head on his shoulder. He leaned his chin on her head while smelling her hair's scent as he felt her arms go around him in a hug then they let go to stand staring at the land deck. He stared at her appearance which was beginning to show her age. He could see her hair was white and was frizzy along with her skin no longer smooth but bumpy with wrinkles on it. Eric rubbed her back that felt thin to the touch with his gloved hands.

He exhaled air as he felt a headache and heard Merra's voice speaking in his mind "Eric, Brianna, some things I think you should know. Terrania is now united ruled by a newly created title holder called Sun Lord who was introduced during the opening ceremonies of the Terrania Unity Games. The Sun Lord I should add rules with his identity hidden wearing a mask covering his head showing no features of his species. I thought I'll let you know of this."

Eric again exhaled air as he felt the headache left him as Merra left his mind. He sighed tightening his arms around Brianna who laid her head on his shoulder. He sighed as the light of the sky began to leave which the ceiling lights abruptly turned on illuminating them.

He sighed as the darkness of the night arrived and he spoke "Come love, its night time, let's go in and get some sleep."

He let go of holding Brianna who removed her hands to grip his right hand with her left hand. He and Brianna hand in hand walked towards the stairwell and entered it walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till they reached the hallway where their quarters were. He sighed loudly as he let go of Brianna's hand to enter his quarters with her following him. He yanked off his clothes as Brianna picked up her nightgown from the dresser and went into the bathroom. He went to the dresser on his side of the bed and pulled out his pajamas as he stood which he put on his form. He sighed and laid his form on the bed closing his eyes as he felt himself falling unconscious.

Eric dreamed an eye sight view of himself lying in bed as if standing in front of the wall opposite from the area and the view shifted to show Brianna walking out of the bathroom doorway carrying her nightgown which she quietly placed in the dresser. The view showed Brianna looking towards the bed at himself with a sad look on her face then placed hands on the alarm clock and he heard small beeping sounds then she removed her hands and laid her form on the bed on top of the blankets while still wearing her clothes eyes staring at himself lying in the bed before closing them then the view went black.

Eric jerked to hear the beeping sound of the alarm along with confusion raging throughout him. He frowned as he sat up and leaned over Brianna turning the lamp on while shutting off the alarm. He stared at Brianna lying asleep in bed on top of the blankets while wearing her blue dress and shoes on her feet who didn't stir. Sighing he got up from the bed yanking off his pajamas and grabbed his clothes from the dresser which he put on his form. He went to sit on the bed as he put on his socks and sneakers then he stood up to stare at Brianna who was still sleeping. He frowned as he went to Brianna's side of the bed and gently with a gloved hand placed a hand on her head.

He frowned some more as Brianna spoke with a cranky tone weariness in her voice "Eric, I'm tired and I can't shake the tiredness so let me sleep some more."

Groaning softly Eric left Brianna and the room gently closing the door behind him. He went to the cafeteria to the dishwashing machine where he picked up a tray and loaded it with dishes and silverware which he filled with food and drink from the processing units. Sighing he went to a table and sat eating and drinking then once done he put the dishes away in the dishwashing machine then went to his quarters to stare at Brianna laying asleep.

Eric frowned as he thought "I might as well explore the ship."

He walked towards the double doors at the end of the hallway and entered the stairwell which his feet led him through a maze of hallways and stairwells till he entered a familiar hallway with doors at the end which he recognized led to the whipping room. Eric growled some sound as annoyance arrived within him. He walked into the room where he could see a fence underneath a spotlight with chains hanging next to it. Growling loudly he stormed pass the fence to the whipping machine and its switch console nearby it. He felt anger arrived with a roar he charged at the whipping machine's console which he grabbed yanking it off the floor with sparks flashing. He held the box pole in his hands and threw it repeatedly towards the ground. Growling he threw the console at the fence which it hit then tumbled towards the floor falling apart. Eric stormed towards the whip attached to a metal pole and grabbed the pole which he yanked out of the floor with sparks flashing. He angrily threw it towards the floor repeatedly as the whipping pole fell apart at each hit. He threw the whipping pole towards the fence which hit then tumbled towards the floor falling apart. Eric roared loudly as the rages arrived clouding up his eyes sight with whiteness. He growled roaring nonsense sounds as the rages ran through out him. He shut his eyes and breathed through his mouth while struggling to calm down from the rages. He breathed hard panting as the rages left him clearing up his eyes sight. Sighing he ran out of the whipping room running a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached a wall with a monitor next to it in the middle of a hallway. He touched the monitor with his hand then the wall slid opened like a door and showed him a large room with vertical tubes jutting from the floor with wires attached on top going to the ceiling. He speed walked into the room as a compelling instinct feeling told him to where to go. He walked pass vertical tubes sparing them no glances till he reached a tube with series of wires inside attached to tan bumpy object that his instincts told him was a brain. He walked up to the brain's tube and placed a hand on the glass wall staring at the brain inside. Eric jerked shutting his eyes as a headache arrive pounding in his head. He groaned putting a gloved hand on his forehead as the headache abruptly left him. He jerked his hand from his forehead opening his eyes as confusion arrive through out him. He stared at the tube his hand was on and its contents with a frown as nothing came to his mind telling him what it was. Eric lowered his hand stepping back from the tube as an image of Brianna sleeping in bed while wearing her blue dress came to his mind.

Eric spoke "Brianna."

He darted out of the room running a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached his quarters while panting for breath. He still panting entered the room to see Brianna lying asleep on the blankets in bed. He went to the bed and sat and took one of her hands holding it in his gloved hands.

He spoke softly "Brianna."

Brianna he stared at as if sensing him opened her eyes to stare at him then she spoke "Eric, I want to watch the sun rise. Can you carry me?"

Eric without a word lifted Brianna up and felt her arms wrap around his neck as he carried her out of the room to the hallway. He walked a maze of hallways and stairwells guided by Brianna voicing the directions till he reached an outer deck and there was a metal bench in the hallway. He went to the bench and sat holding her on his lap.

Brianna spoke "Eric, wake me up when the sky is lighter just before the sun rises."

He spoke "Will do, love."

Brianna he felt placed her head on his shoulder and fell asleep. Eric frowned sitting on the bench with Brianna sitting sideways on his lap with her head on his shoulder and her eyes on her wrinkled face were closed. Eric sighed breathing the cool air of the night while looking with night vision which showed the scene as daylight in the color yellow. He looked up at the sky to see the moon. Then he looked down at Brianna and brought an arm around her form that stirred but kept on slumbering. He stared out at the moving sea that stretched far beyond the horizon ahead of him. He stared at the sky and frowned as his night vision began to blink out showing day vision back and forth.

He reached a gloved hand to Brianna's cheek stroking it as he spoke "Brianna, wake up love, the sun will be coming up soon."

Eric felt Brianna remove her head from his shoulder as he removed his hand as the sky became lighter and lighter announcing the sun's rise. Eric sighed as the sun peered over the horizon shining rays illuminating the ocean and the sky with colors of sun rise. He blinked his eyes from the sun's glare as his eyes sight changed from night vision to day vision. He saw the sun slowly rise from peering over the horizon till it was completely above it.

He heard Brianna speak with weariness in her voice "Eric, I'm so tired, I want to sleep, take me home please."

He gathered her up carrying her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, head touching his. He carried her into the ship walking a maze of hallways and stairwells till he reached the hallway where his quarters were. He carried her inside their room and gently laid her on the bed then stood standing next to it.

Brianna he saw raised a wrinkled hand towards him and he gripped it as she spoke "Eric, I love you. I may not be with you physically but I will be with you in your heart. Remember that you oath to me that you'll have a purpose to live after I'm gone."

He stared at her as she closed her eyes and he lowered her hand onto the bed. He went to the armchair and sat. Eric sat in the armchair staring at the wall with his eyes not seeing them. He looked at the bed to see Brianna, laying there asleep while lying on top of the blankets. He could hear her breathing becoming lesser and lesser as her body began to give up its life. He got up from the chair to sit on the bed next to Brianna's side taking her old wrinkled hand with his gloved hands. Eric held the hand and listened as there was a rasping sound coming from her followed by her breathing cut off. He placed a hand on her forehead and brought his hand back to her hand gripping it in his hands. He let the tears flow as he felt a shaking vibration. He laid his form on the bed on his side and brought his arms around Brianna's lifeless body weeping as the tears flowed from his eyes.

He groaned out "Brianna."

He felt the shaking vibration become harder as he lay on the bed clutching her in his arms.

Eric felt the familiar headache followed by Merra's voice speaking "Eric, the ship is being pulled towards the ocean where it will sink. Get out while you can."

He spoke "A life without Brianna is a life not without purpose."

He heard Merra speak "Eric, I oath to you, you will have a purpose worth living but not when your dead. Get out of the ship while you can."

Eric repeated his words as the shaking continued "A life without Brianna is a life not without purpose."

He closed his eyes as he felt the headache left him and placed his chin on the top of white haired Brianna's head.

He felt the headache again and he spoke "Merra, I'm not leaving the ship."

He heard a male voice speak in his head "What will Brianna want you to do after her death? I'm at the doorway."

Eric opened his eyes raising his head to stare standing in the doorway was a long black haired Highlander in a uniform with a male form.

He heard the male voice from the Highlander speak again "You oath to Brianna that you'll live on after her death with a purpose didn't you? Will you honor that oath?"

Eric stared at the Highlander with shock on his face as he continued mentally speaking "I know from your mind that she talked to you about living your life after she dies. Brianna made it clear to you that you were to live with a purpose as you oath to her."

Eric turned his head away to stare at Brianna's face who's eyes were closed as he heard the Highlander mentally speak again in his mind "Your time with Brianna ended doesn't mean your life is finished. There's a new beginning with a new life. I know that you love Brianna but will you honor what she wanted?"

He raised his head to stare at the Highlander who raised a gloved hand out towards him. He heard the Highlander add "You can take Brianna with you. There's a place prepared for her to rest for eternity until the day comes when you will join her. I'll see to it that you can visit Brianna and look at her from time to time."

Eric sighed as the headache went away and got up from the bed picking up Brianna's lifeless body cradling it in his arms. He paused to look around and followed the Highlander out of the room into the hallway where lights were blinking on and off. He kept his eyes on the Highlander's back as they walked a maze of hallways and stairwells till they reached the outer deck with a gangplank leading towards the land deck. He could see a crowd standing on the land deck and heard cheering like sounds coming from them as he followed the Highlander down the gangplank to the land deck. Once on the land deck Eric turned around to see the gangplank twist on its side before breaking in two falling into the ocean water below. He stood watching as the ship moved in a fast speed sailing past the land deck going into the horizon and soon was out of sight.

He felt a hand clawed on his shoulder and heard a voice he recognize belonging to a male Akylah a bird headed humanoid speaking in Basic "Today's a black day with the loss of your home."

Eric looked at the Akylah and spoke in Basic voice breaking "And the loss of Brianna, my mate, who I hold in my arms."

He saw the Akylah turn his head to look at him with goggles covering the eyes and speak "That makes the day even blacker."

He turned his head towards the open sea and felt the Akylah release his hold on his shoulder with a pat.

Eric stared at the moving sea as he heard a male voice of a Highlander accent speak in Basic "I'm not lying when I said there's a place prepared for Brianna. Come with me as I take you to the place where Brianna can have her rest."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at the Highlander standing at his side and nodded his head. Eric numbly felt the Highlander let go of his shoulder and followed him through the crowd that parted forming an aisle going silent. He kept his eyes on the Highlander's back who led him to a car like vehicle sitting with rumbling noises. Eric got inside following the Highlander who sat across from him as he felt the vehicle lift up in the air flying in the sky like a helicopter. He allowed the tears to flow as he held Brianna in his arms and buried his face on her chest weeping loudly. He felt the vehicle hover and land with a thud then was rolling followed by a stopping motion.

Eric felt a hand on his head and looked up with tear stained eyes at the Highlander who spoke "Follow me, we're here."

Eric kept his eyes on the Highlander as he followed him out of the vehicle passing by identical vehicles parked in a large room. He with the Highlander reached a metal door in a wall that separated in two showing a small room liked an elevator which they both got in with the doors closing. He felt the elevator go down with a humming sound then stop and then the doors opened showing a hallway with a large metal door at the end in the wall and two large barrel shaped devices besides it showing a green shield field between them in front of the door. Eric followed the Highlander out of the elevator towards the large metal door where they reached the shield field in front of it. He watched as the Highlander took off his glove and stuck his hand in the shield field which disappeared as the door slid open showing its thickness. The Highlander put on his glove as they both entered the doorway and went inside. Eric stared at a lighted by circular lights hanging from the ceiling vast room with shock as he saw too many to count long glass rectangular boxes some with bodies in them sitting scattered in the room along with some on raised platforms.

The Highlander spoke "A former Americanian Presidential ruler was said to discover this room by accident in his grief of losing his mate to child birth. He saw this room and its contents and ordered his mate put here. The shield guarding the door he discovered has a mind of its own and would only admit a select few to rest here. The shield has accepted me once because of your loss of Brianna and would not accept me again should I come back to visit."

Eric looked around the room with a frown and heard the Highlander speak again "It's your choice on where you wish to put Brianna."

He stared at the glass coffins when something shiny caught his eyes. He looked to see the shininess was from a staff with a letter Z symbol carved on the top sitting on a raised platform feet away and in front of it was an empty coffin with a see through cover open. Eric felt his feet moving towards the platform and reached the two step stairs which he walked up towards the coffin. He kissed Brianna's forehead and lowered her body into the coffin placing her hands together. Something shiny around her neck caught his eye and he reached with trembling hands to the gold chain necklace around her neck which he took off unclasping the metal.

He held up the necklace and spoke "In memory of you, I'll wear this so I won't forget."

He placed the necklace around his neck held in place with a clasp and stepped back as the cover moved closing over Brianna's body with a click sound. He stared at her form through the cover as he reached with a hand and fingered the necklace.

With a sigh he spoke again with determination in his voice "Life won't be the same without you but I'll see that I won't forget you ever. I'll oath my life on it that I'll remember you no matter what happens to me."

Eric heard the Highlander speak from behind him "Eric, the shield has a price on those who put their loved ones here. The price is that the shield will make people wait seven suns before they'll be allowed to enter again which is followed by entering as many times they like."

He stared at Brianna's form lying in the glass coffin and then he turned around walking down the stairs giving her backward glances as he reached the Highlander who led him towards the doorway. Once out of the room Eric looked behind him to see the door slid shut followed by the shield field appearing between the devices guarding the door.

With a groan he went to the wall to lean on it with his hand and heard the Highlander speak "Eric, you have a life to live. Those seven suns will go by if you're busy with something to do."

He straightened up and turned to stare at the Highlander who gestured with a hand to follow him. He numbly followed the Highlander to the elevator which went up with a jerk. Eric jerked shutting his eyes as he felt the rages arrive and placed his fisted hands on his forehead growling loudly. He lowered his hands opening his eyes seeing nothing but whiteness and charged with fists hitting the metal wall of the elevator. He leaned his head on the wall panting as the rages left him and he unclenched his hands while feeling the elevator stop. Eric left the elevator following the Highlander down the hallway to a doorway where another Highlander standing there opened the door.

He heard the familiar Highlander speak "These quarters are for you to stay in. Do what you want with the contents. I have business that requires me elsewhere."

Eric was pushed inside and heard the door close behind him. He looked around the room and saw two doors on opposite walls, one with glass squares in it. He went to the door without glass in it and opened it looking inside to see a large sized bed jutting from one wall facing him flanked by two dressers with lamps on top of them. He saw there was a window in the wall on his right and a door on the opposite wall. He went to the window and pulled up the cloth covering it to see the sun which was touching the horizon from peering through tall towering buildings of the city scattered in his eyes sight. Frowning he yanked the cloth down and went to the door opening it to stare at the contents of the room which appeared to be a bathroom. He closed the door and went out the bedroom to stand looking around in the quarters' living room. Growling he yanked his gloves off and threw them onto the smooth yellow floor of the kitchen unit while grabbing the see through square small table that was in front of the couch and threw it at the bare wall. The table shattered as he went around the room picking up things and throwing them at the walls as anger arrived. Eric roared charging at the room's padded chairs and couch clawing them with his clawed hands' nails ripping off the material and shredding the padding. He charged attacking at the room's contents with his hands as he let the anger take control followed by the rages arriving as his eyes sight clouded up in whiteness. He blindly looked around the room and charged with his fists in front of him. His fists hit the wall which he punched repeatedly pounding as the rages left him and his eyes sight cleared up. Growling he kept punching the wall till his strength began to leave him and stopped his punching to lean his head on the wall with his hands. He shook as he allowed the tears to flow from his eyes and twisted his form till his back was on the wall. Eric slid down till he was sitting on the floor and pulled up his legs with his face buried in his arms as he wept wet tears. He lay onto the floor curling in a ball still crying away as the light of the sun went away followed by night time. Eric gasped shaking of crying bouts through him. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to sleep dreamlessly passing out unconscious.

The sun rose shining through the uncovered windows of the living room waking Eric up. He sat up with back to the wall and rubbed his hand on his face. He got up and looked around the apartment looking at the damage. His gloves lay on the kitchen unit's floor alone. Frowning Eric went to the kitchen unit and picked up his gloves putting them on. He stood looking around and heard a knock on the door to the quarters. He went to the door and opened it which a Highlander in a female form wearing a blue uniform stood outside in the hallway.

The Highlander spoke using her voice "His majesty the Sun Lord is home in the headquarters and wants to meet you. I'm here to take you to the Sun Lord."

Eric sighed and followed the Highlander out of the hallway to the elevator which they both went inside. He groaned feeling the confines of the elevator which went down then stopped opening revealing a hallway with doors in the walls with a corner at one end. He walked out following the Highlander to around the corner where there were more doors. Standing he saw in front of one of the doors was two Highlanders in blue uniforms.

Reaching the door one of the Highlanders knocked on it and Eric heard a voice speak "Enter."

The Highlander opened the door and Eric walked inside the apartment to see other Highlanders standing around a male figure in black he assumed was the Sun Lord sitting in a chair at a table. He stiffened seeing the barrel shaped black head cover mask on the figure's head and face that showed no details and no outline of the face, the eyes or ears.

Frowning Eric walked forward towards the Sun Lord who held up a black gloved hand and he heard a male Highlander with head facing the figure speak while standing besides him "Says that's close enough."

He stopped and stood staring at the Sun Lord who lowered his hand to place on his lap as the Highlander spoke again "Says I heard about your loss of your home and your mate, Brianna. Your descendants are being told of your situation."

Eric frowned at the Sun Lord's words and kept his mouth shut.

The Highlander spoke as the Sun Lord pointed to a female Highlander standing in front of the kitchen unit "Says put the breathing device on, Eric."

Eric looked to see the Highlander walking forward holding a device with tubes in one hand along with a thin hand sized boxy device in her other hand. He frowned as the Highlander reached him holding up two small tubes that were attached to two long large tubes that went to a thin hand sized boxy device. He sighed as he took the two small tubes and put them in his nostrils inside his nose while sensing air coming from them as he slipped part of the tubes around the back of his ears. The Highlander leaned down and clipped the box to his pant waist as he breathed through the device with his nose. Eric groaned as his eyes sight clouded up with whiteness then abruptly went clear leaving him blinking his eyes.

He stared at the Sun Lord as the Highlander besides the figure spoke "Says your descendants have figured out a way to help you control your rages along with clothes for you to wear protecting you from the rains."

The Sun Lord he saw pointed at him as a Highlander besides him leaned behind picking up clothing from the table and walked forward carrying them. Eric stiffened seeing the clothes were exactly like the Sun Lord's in the color black which were black socks attached to a thick suit with a collar and a jacket.

He spoke "What's going on? The clothes are exactly like yours, Your Majesty."

The Highlander spoke "Says I want you to take my place as Sun Lord."

He widened his eyes staring at the Sun Lord as he opened and closed his mouth of shock.

Eric stared at the Sun Lord who reached up with gloved hands on the back of his head and pulled off the head cover mask lowering it to his lap. He gulped when he saw the Sun Lord's face was Human, identical to his face looks but he had brown eyes and his short hair was completely white.

He saw the Sun Lord move his mouth and heard a male voice speak "Eric, I'm your descendant named Eric whose line is from your son Ricky. Your nephew Drew and niece Erica have Highlander descendants who are currently serving me. Your other sister Ionela's descendants went towards the medical field which it was they who worked on figuring out a way for you to control your rages and make it safer for you to walk in the rain."

The Sun Lord paused to get up from the chair which Eric saw had help from the Highlanders besides him while coughing spasms. He frowned as the Sun Lord limped towards him till he was standing inches away before placing hands on his shoulders.

The Sun Lord continued "The position of Sun Lord was created to unite all of Terrania under one ruler. A Drainer answering to the name of Hades was given the job to select a Human to hold the position which he with influence from a descendant from your daughter Cassie chose my predecessor more than once times passed down to me to the position which has passed from male to male."

Eric frowned as the Sun Lord paused to lower his hands from touching his shoulders before speaking again "I am old with short time left. I have daughters and no male heir to take my place when I pass. Your ageless state will make it easier for you to hold the position as Sun Lord freeing the rest of us to continue our lives living normally as we wish."

He sighed as the Sun Lord again paused then added "I believe the loss of your Brianna has left you with no purpose in life to live to see the next day. You taking the position of Sun Lord will assure you of having a purpose to live."

The Sun Lord, Eric heard stopped to cough spasms then he spoke "I'll give you time to think about this, Eric. It's up to you on whether you should accept or refuse."

Eric frowned as the Sun Lord turned and limped towards the chair before sitting down with the help of the Highlanders standing next to him.

Eric spoke "I'll consider your offer."

The Sun Lord spoke "Thank you that's all I ask. You may leave to think this through."

He saw a Highlander guard point at him and towards the door which he turned around and followed a female Highlander out of the apartment who led him to the elevator which they both got inside. The elevator Eric felt went up and stopped at a floor which he got out following the Highlander into the hallway pass doors who led him to a door opening it. He went inside as the Highlander closed the door behind him to see the apartment's living room was not the one he destroyed. Frowning he went to the living room's windows to lean his head on the glass window staring out at the scenery outside.

He mumbled out loud repeating the Sun Lord's words "I believe the loss of your Brianna has left you with no purpose in life to live to see the next day. You taking the position of Sun Lord will assure you of having a purpose to live."

Sighing Eric went to the dining room section of the apartment and sat down in a chair next to the dining table. He frowned as he rubbed hands on his forehead and lowered his hands to his lap. He sat there staring at the apartment door as the sun peering through the open windows behind him shined its rays into the apartment of various lengths then stopped followed by night vision arriving. Eric sat in the night hands on his lap staring at the apartment door with a blank look on his face. He lowered his head to stare at his hands and sighed loudly before getting up to walk to one of the apartment's bedrooms. Groaning he walked inside the bedroom and lay on the bed staring at the ceiling as sleep overcame him.

Eric woke up with a gasp staring at the ceiling recalling a memory of his oath to Brianna of him living after she dies with a purpose he'll find. He exhaled a breath and figured to himself that he'll take the Sun Lord position and keep his oath to Brianna in the process. With a groan he got up from the bed and went to the living room as the sun shined rays through the windows. Groaning he went to the table to sit and heard a knocking sound on the door.

Eric spoke "Come in."

The door opened revealing a male Highlander carrying a tray of food that made his stomach rumble. The Highlander he saw brought the tray to the table and set it in front of him and stood watching him ravenously eat and drink. Once he finished with the food and drink the Highlander took the tray and went to the kitchen unit's sink as he leaned back in the chair staring at his gloved hands.

He heard another knock on the door and spoke "Come in."

A male Highlander walked in from opening the door speaking "The Sun Lord wants to see you about his offer in his quarters."

Eric got up and followed the Highlander out of the apartment to the elevator that went down and opened at the familiar hallway with doors. He frowned following the Highlander to the door to the quarters which opened by a female Highlander standing in front of it. He went inside seeing a male wearing a long white jacket of a medical doctor with a black hood on the back and blue scrub clothing with a Human appearance on his face with brown eyes and short spiky black hair come out of a doorway with a grim look.

He heard a Highlander speak "Eric, go in the bedroom."

Eric obeyed going inside the room to see the Sun Lord lying on the bed wearing blue clothing with two Highlanders standing besides the bed.

He kept his mouth in a frown as the Sun Lord opened his eyes and rasped seeing him "Come here, Eric."

He went to sit on the bed besides the Sun Lord who spoke in a raspy tone "My offer have you decided your decision?"

Eric spoke "I decided to accept."

The Sun Lord coughed violently then rasped "My life as Sun Lord has ended while yours has begun. See that he is taught how to handle the position."

Eric heard the two Highlanders standing besides the bed say in unison "We'll see that this will be done."

He stared at the Sun Lord who raised a wrinkled bare hand towards him which he gripped and heard him rasp out "Go and assume the position as Sun Lord, Your Majesty."

The Sun Lord closed his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at the Highlander who released his shoulder to point at the door. Eric nodded his head and got up from the bed walking out as the medical doctor walked inside closing the door.

He stood staring at the door with a frown on his face as he sensed a hand on his arm and looked at a female Highlander who spoke "Come with me, Your Majesty."

Eric followed the Highlander out of the apartment to the elevator which went down and opened showing a short hallway with a door at the side on his left and double doors at the end in front of him. He sighed as the Highlander walked towards the double doors opening one of them showing a large room with ten beds he counted jutting from the wall in a semi circular pattern with beeping equipment at the heads of them and some having equipment at their sides.

The Highlander spoke "Please wait here while your personal physician arrives to examine you."

He watched the Highlander leave the room with the doors banging behind her. Eric frowned as he went to a bed and sat on it feet dangling off the side with his eyes watching the doors. He didn't have to wait long for the doors opened admitting the Human male wearing medical clothing on his form that walked towards him.

Eric sighed as the medical doctor spoke "The name is Trevor Kossman so lie down on the bed so I can scan you."

Eric stiffened at the doctor's name and he laid down as Trevor went to the head picking up a long arm sized device which he waved over him.

Eric spoke "How did you get your name?"

He heard Trevor hiss a breath then the doctor looked at him and spoke "I'm one of the descendants of your sister Ionela."

He widen his eyes as Trevor continued talking "I have a twin brother named Creve who's a doctor like I am along with a younger sister named Iona a nurse at the hospital and with a younger brother named Rick who's the youngest of us that currently in school."

Eric sighed as he spoke "Oh."

He heard another hiss of breath from Trevor who spoke "I hate to say this but the breathing device you're wearing has a side effect which involves you verbalizing your words."

He frown hearing that as Trevor continued talking "The side effect is the loss of verbalizing words after a certain time period I guess three suns will pass while wearing that breathing device. It's not entirely permanent but only involves when wearing the breathing device for longer than normal means. Just thought I would let you know of that."

He spoke recalling Erica and how she communicated using mental mind talk to him spoke "How are you with mental mind abilities?"

He heard from Trevor "Sorry I and some of my family members didn't learn very well on that despite having some mental mind abilities due to trying to learn things in the medical field which took priority as emphasized by my father who mentioned you to us and that you were still living as usual."

Eric formed a frown on his face as Trevor looked away appearing to be staring at a monitor screen while pressing buttons with a hand and still waving the arm sized scanner over him. He heard the sound of doors banging eyed them to see a familiar male Highlander was there that came up to him sounding like saying ahem to him.

He continued to eye the Highlander who spoke "Your Majesty, your descendant just prior to the hand over of the title Sun Lord ordered me to the job as your personal guard."

He didn't comment a response as the Highlander continued "I am called Jiang named in honor of a former President of Americania hence me assuring you of where the name originated."

Eric spoke "Fine, Jiang it is."

He heard from Trevor "Ah Jiang you know how to use mental mind abilities to communicate due to Highlanders don't have a talking ability when their children?"

He frowned as Jiang spoke "Sorry I was one of the lucky ones who didn't need the use of mental mind abilities for communication as an offspring so why do you ask?"

He shift to stare at Trevor looking away from him appearing to be looking at Jiang he assumed who spoke "Well there's a side effect to the breathing device that His Majesty is wearing. It involves the shut down of his verbal voice ability making him not able to verbalize his words."

He looked at Jiang who he saw was appearing to be looking at Trevor which the Highlander spoke "Oh"

He didn't comment as Jiang looked in his direction and added "Your Majesty when you wish to give out commands to I simply stare at me in the face and I'll scan your mind and will verbalize them."

He frowned as he felt the headache of his mind scanned and heard Jiang's mental voice sounding in his mind "Confirm do you hear me and respond mentally by telling me how you can detect your mind scanned. I prefer to keep this fact quiet. The subject of mind walkers is very well known among the planetary natives of Terrania but its been pinpointed as various species. And that all Highlanders are mind walkers at the moment have yet to admit this due to feelings that it'll outcast my species from carefully worded questions towards other species who have given out that view in answer to the questions."

Eric mentally spoke "I hear you Jiang loud and clear. The mind detecting thing I do have is from feeling a certain head pain I dub headache and yes I've had this detecting thing for awhile now."

He eyed Jiang who looked away and heard him speaking "Doctor, I was checking to see about His Majesty's mental mind abilities to detect his mind scanned along with receiving mental talk and seeing about being able to hear him when he mental chats back to the mind scanner."

He frowned as he heard from Jiang mentally as the Highlander looked at him "The doctor is aware of the issue of Highlanders being mind walkers and has been coached to give out an excuse towards people when asked about mind walkers so don't ask him about that please."

He spoke verbalizing his words "Doctor how's my descendant doing anyway? It appears he's not doing well medically."

He frowned as Trevor spoke "That reminds me I need to go check on him with the scanner I didn't bring along with me when ordered to his quarters. Excuse me about this while I go check and will tell you the results."

He watched as Trevor went to the equipment at the foot of the bed and picked up a different arm sized scanner and left the room. He got up without a comment to hear the doors to the room bang open showing a female Highlander walking into the room that paused to stop and appeared to be staring at Jiang.

Eric frowned as he went to Jiang who looked at him and spoke verbalizing his words "A lesson you need to learn, Your Majesty so shake hands with the guard."

He went to the female and reached out his hand as she grabbed it and gripped it and with a twist he found her behind him with his arm twisted behind on his back in some tight hold along with her arm around his neck.

He spoke while feeling her arm hold not gagging him "Don't tell me people have been pulling this stunt on people when hand shaking is attempted."

He heard from Jiang as he was released abruptly "Actually no hand shaking is a policy the first Sun Lord has taken up copying a ruler doing that policy which has been passed down towards males holding the Sun Lord position. The first Sun Lord has given reasons of people would try to do what the guard did when they grab a hold on his hand to immobilize him enough to allow others to take him down. His other reason is he's given is that people would grab his hand and with their other hand inject poison into him via needle dart into his arm or hand."

Eric frowned but looked at Jiang who added "Another lesson Your Majesty is to copy what the guard did to you so see if you can do it. It'll be a handy lesson towards people who are very insistent on shaking your hand."

He recalled the moves shrugged in response as he looked at the female Highlander having her hand out which he copied her moves getting her arm behind her back and an arm around her neck in a quick move.

He spoke "Now what do I do next besides this?"

He heard from Jiang "Usually that involves gagging the person with the arm and raising their arm up a bit that is behind their back till they scream out in pain and voice out their surrender. You don't need to do that to the guard Your Majesty. Just remember what I told you so release her."

He obeyed to see the female Highlander rubbing her arm where it was gripped behind her back which he looked at Jiang which he heard the sound of doors banging open turned to look to see a male Highlander with a frown on his face that appeared to be staring at Jiang from the looks of it. He frown shifting eyes towards the male Highlander and Jiang while noticing the female had left the room.

Eric heard from Jiang as he looked at him "Argh the doctor says that your descendant will die from scans of him and requests your presence to be there for the passing if you don't mind."

He spoke recalling Brianna's passing fully in his mind and didn't feel any mental hurt from the thoughts "I don't mind. I'll be there so take me to there please."

He heard from Jiang "Ah Your Majesty the use of the word please when giving out orders is unnecessary. We guards are ordered to just do your orders without question whether we agree with them or not for we'll do it period."

He spoke "Oh well just take me to my descendant."

He heard from Jiang "Follow me."

Eric obeyed following Jiang out of medical to the familiar hallway and found himself led to the elevator with the doors open holding three Highlanders inside which he went inside following the Highlander. He grimaced inwardly from the confines of the elevator as he felt it go up. He willed himself to get used to being in the elevator figuring out it was his mode of travel around in the Sun Lord's headquarters and figured that the guards would put him off his order of using the stairs. He felt the elevator stopped and followed Jiang out to a familiar hallway that led him to a door where there was a Highlander guard standing in front of it that opened the door seeing him and Jiang.

Eric went inside following Jiang who stopped and spoke pointing a finger at a bedroom door "He's inside with the doctor as indicated by the guard telling me."

He didn't comment a response went to the bedroom door knocking on it.

He heard a faint "Come in."

Eric opened the door and went inside shutting it behind him to spot the Sun Lord lying on the bed with eyes shut and Trevor standing nearby off the male's left side while waving a scanner device in his hand towards the man. He stood in the bedroom staring at the Sun Lord lying asleep breathing becoming slower from the sounds of him. He saw Trevor standing next to the bed with a grim look on his face and figured that the Sun Lord was slowly giving up his life to death. Eric turned his attention back to the Sun Lord and went to the bed sitting next to him while taking one of the male's hands in a handheld grip.

He heard Trevor speak "I'm sorry to say but it won't be long now before he slips away surrendering to death."

Eric nodded his head and listened as the Sun Lord's breathing became slower followed by the familiar rasping sound along with his breathing cut off. He turned his attention to Trevor who pulled out a small hand held device from his pocket and waved it over the Sun Lord.

He exhaled air as Trevor spoke "He has surrendered to death. I'll see that his body is cremated and ashes scattered like he wanted."

Eric released his hold on the Sun Lord's hand and he got up from the bed and left the room to face Jiang standing there looking at him.

He exhaled air as he heard Trevor's voice from behind him "The Sun Lord has passed. Please get the coroner to attend to the body for cremating and ashes scattered like he wanted."

He saw Jiang nod his head and watched as the Highlander turned his head towards another Highlander standing in front of the door to the quarters that nodded his head and left the apartment.

Eric frowned as Trevor added "There's nothing much you can do here Your Majesty so I recommended that you go to your quarters and get some sleep for I suspect that you need the rest."

He frowned further to hear from Jiang "Follow me Your Majesty. I know where your quarters are for you're to stay in for holding the position."

He hesitated only to hear from Trevor "Eric its common practice here in Americania when people pass away to have their bodies cremated and ashes scattered over a selected nature setting. There's select few who have issued their bodies to be preserved for medical reasons. There's others who once held important positions in Americania to have their bodies intact when their deposed sometimes for medical reasons when their deaths call for that and sometimes for memorials of honoring them for them doing things historic for Americania. I thought I would let you know of it."

He didn't comment in response eyed Trevor which he gave a head bob then looked towards Jiang who spoke "Follow me."

He obeyed following Jiang out of the quarters to the elevator and once inside frowned feeling himself not sad from the Sun Lord's passing away status in front of him as the thing moved to its destination. He felt the elevator stop and followed Jiang down a hallway to a door having two male Highlanders in front of it which one opened the door seeing the both of them arriving. He went inside following Jiang and heard the door shut behind him.

Eric frowned as Jiang turned to look at him followed by speaking "One of my duties as your personal guard involves waking you up in the morning when its time for you to wake up. Also you have twin personal guards who guard you while you're sleeping as in standing inside the quarters in front of the entrance's door. That is not my job when you're sleeping. My job when you're sleeping is to get nourishment for myself and sleep rest along with attending to my personal needs. Other duties involving being your personal guard is to be your voice when your out and about among the public as the Sun Lord and seeing that your kept safe from harm as well which this safety issue is shared among the other guards who escort you from time to time."

He made a motion to sigh and frowned hearing himself not doing it figured that the breathing device was beginning to cut off his voice ability which he spoke finding his voice still there "I get it your words Jiang."

He heard from Jiang "You'll find the proper clothing for sleepwear inside one of the bedroom's clothes holder."

He frowned as Jiang added describing the clothes holder which he figured was a dresser spoke "I get it what you're talking about."

He heard "I suggest you go get some rest like what the doctor ordered Your Majesty."

He exhaled a breath hearing that and without a word went to a bedroom door picking the one without the windows in its door and opened it going inside shutting the door softly behind him. He examined the room with his eyes to find three dressers in it with the bed having them flank it on both sides of it with lamps on top of them. He examined the third dresser next to the door to the bedroom's entrance seeing it held six drawers and was tall yanking open the drawers to find clothes similar to the Sun Lord's uniform inside it along with folded materials he figured from the looks of it were blankets. Eric once done examining the dresser went to the dresser next to the bed with the bed off his left side which he peered in the drawers seeing it held three drawers. He found pajama pants inside the first drawer which he put onto the bed and examined the folded cloth he found next to the pants. He lifted the cloth out of the drawer to examined it unfolding it and discovered from the looks of it that it was a bathrobe which he folded up and placed back into the drawer figuring it was useless for him to wear due to not feeling inclined to wear it. Eric examined the rest of the dresser's drawers to find the middle one empty and the bottom one holding black cloth that he figured was the Sun Lord's uniform along with shoes boots he figured was the titled position's footwear. He frowned and began taking off his clothes putting them into the empty drawer with careful maneuvering while keeping the breathing device on and placed on top of the dresser. He examined his gloved hands and figured he'll keep them on when sleeping and felt inclined to keep them on which he obeyed to the feeling. Eric leaned towards the bed grabbing the pajama pants feeling them stretchable and smooth to the touch as he put on his form. He frowned feeling himself not protesting to wearing the pants grabbed the breathing device with a hand and eyed the lamps seeing that they were on which he went to the one opposite from him going around the bed and examined it seeing it didn't have a jarred pole push button but spotted an indentation in the lamp's thick pole which he pressed a finger on it and discovered the thing turning itself off. He exhaled a breath and went around the bed to the other lamp and shut it off seeing with night vision in his eyesight which he went to the window. He saw the window covered by a shade lifted up the stiff material to peer outside and saw the Atlanta city's buildings some appearing to block his view of the city and figured that the city was vast in size.

He thought to himself "I'll see about asking about Atlanta the city and its functions once I have the opportunity to do it. I really should know about Atlanta since I live there as Sun Lord. It'll be best to know of it along with the nation of Americania and the other nations as well."

He exhaled a breath through his mouth and felt himself feeling himself needing to sleep but not sleepy lowered the window shade covering the window then went to the bed yanking back a blanket with his hand to find another one in its spot which he yanked back and found a third appearing to look on the thin side. He found the bed after yanking back the third blanket and got inside putting the breathing device between the pillows and yanked the blankets on top of him up to his chest. He frowned as he felt himself too warm yanked off a blanket off to his side and felt himself fine with the remaining two blankets. He rolled over onto his right side adjusting the blankets to cover himself up to his shoulder and shut his eyes feeling like passing out unconscious.

Eric came to hearing a male voice sounding familiar in his mind speaking "Your Majesty, its morning and time to get up and start your day."

He jerked open his eyes and rolled over to find Jiang at the door partially open peering at him which he again heard from the Highlander "You'll find your nourishment on the table ready for you to eat."

He didn't comment a response as Jiang shut the door which he grabbed the breathing device and got up from the bed going to the dresser. He frowned eyeing his blue clothing in the drawer he opened and took off the pajamas and hooked the breathing device to his underwear shorts and shut the drawer figuring that he'll wear the Sun Lord clothes. Eric opened the bottom drawer to find the clothes were there waiting for him to put on. He put on the clothes consisted of attached socks to pants attached to a long sleeve top with a round thick collar with a zipper in the back leading to the collar he zipped up with no trouble while feeling them snug to his form but thought it was normal for them to be like that. He frowned finding the jacket with some shiny black edging didn't come with attached gloves to the long sleeves exhaled a breath and kept his own gloves on while again feeling the snugness from the jacket. He pulled out the boots finding that they seemed to include shoelaces to tie and came up to his ankles and felt flimsy to him on his feet.

He mentally thought "I better ask Jiang about getting better clothes and shoes for the title along with something to protect me from the rains when I'm out traveling among the public."

He got up once done with the boots and rubbed a hand on his forehead which he exhaled a breath and went to the bedroom door swinging it open. He walked out to hear groaning noises appearing to be from Jiang who had a gloved hand covering his eyes which he frowned at that gesture as he went to the table and sat eyeing the food finding it different from what he normally ate while in the ship. He examined the food finding it was the same he ate while in the Sun Lord's headquarters just prior to taking the title. He with careful maneuvering got himself to use the silverware in his left hand finding it natural to use it and began eating the food which he felt himself terribly hungry gobbled it up in quick bites. He once done eye the drink to see it was in a clear cup in the color of brown picked it up and brought it to his lips gulping it down after finding it taste good to him despite feeling it wasn't what he normally drank while on the ship. He once done lean back and stared at Jiang which he opened his mouth to speak and stiffened as no sound came out and shut his mouth to continue staring at the Highlander who still had a hand covering his eyes. Eric frowned as Jiang jerked his hand from his eyes and stared back at him with some look of disapproval in his eyes while feeling his mind scanned.

Eric mentally spoke "I lost my voice and couldn't get your attention by verbalizing that. Anyway don't you have anything better for me to wear as Sun Lord? These clothes and shoes won't do despite me wearing them. I do hope you have something to protect me from water due to that it'll kill me like poison and it doesn't matter if it's injected by needle dart, touched by skin or drunken through mouth."

He frowned as he heard from Jiang mentally "Excuse my reaction towards you wearing the clothes for they don't appear to fit you properly and are flaunting your body's details too well enough to make people assume that it's a Human wearing them when the mask is on covering the head."

He looked down at himself and realized the snugness feeling to figure that Jiang wasn't kidding about that body flaunting by the clothes. He looked up hearing the door to the room open and closed to see Trevor come into the room looking annoyed by the expression on his face seeing him.

Eric got up from the chair and heard Jiang speak "You see what the problem is, doctor as indicated. Plus His Majesty has admitted to not able to talk as seen by the guards attempting to speak."

He folded his arms feeling the snugness become tight as he stared at Trevor who he noticed had his familiar arm sized scanner in his hand.

He frowned as Trevor spoke "Why are you alerting me now after two suns without a word?"

Eric frowned forming it on his lips as Jiang spoke "His Majesty was out asleep for two suns straight resisting my attempts to wake him up by mind scanning him. It was figured he hadn't slept since he left the water ship and reacting badly from the loss of his mate hence he allowed to sleep longer than normal means."

He frowned hearing Jiang's words as Trevor spoke "Well my twin brother with help from others has managed to perfect the material for His Majesty to wear protecting him from water but needs his size and measurements to make them properly fit on him and hide his species form in the process."

He continued to eye Trevor who looked at him and spoke "Your Majesty would you mind exchanging clothes back to the ones you were previously wearing? I need to see again how they look on you and figure out if they match the size you should wear for the title."

He heard Jiang chime in agreement which he obeyed going into the bedroom and with a great deal of effort yanked off the clothes and shoes off of him leaving his underwear shorts and gloves on. He yanked out the water ship clothes from the dresser then placed on his socks and sweats then held his sneakers in his hand and left the bedroom. Eric stood and stared at Trevor who appeared to scrutinize him.

He gave Jiang a glare that scanned his mind and he mentally spoke "I hope you have something better for me to wear for my feet. Those shoes I wore with the titled clothes were not up to my standards when it comes to footwear."  
Eric heard Jiang speak as the Highlander looked away "His Majesty requests better shoes for his feet. He says that the shoes he wore with the clothes weren't up to his standards when it comes to footwear."

He shifted to stare at Trevor who spoke "That's fine with me due to that the shoes weren't waterproof anyway. I'll see about getting word to Creve to fix something for his feet. Anyway I need you in Medical Bay for testing you on you losing your voice ability. Just need to make sure that the breathing device is only affecting your voice and no where else despite doing its purposed job."

He glared at Jiang in response that looked at him and he again felt the mind scanned "You forgot to tell me how my water ship clothes look on my form so spill it now."

He dropped his sneakers as Jiang verbalized his words saying the words His Majesty says before echoing him.

Eric looked at Trevor who stared at him looking him up and down before speaking loudly "Appears the clothes are the right size for you to wear due to that I don't see any of your body's details flaunted very well. I request that you exchange them back to the Sun Lord clothes so I can get them to my brother along with the shoes you wore with them so he'll get your feet size to make the proper footwear. I warn you it'll take time for that to happen due to that Creve has to do this secretly and use discreet ways of getting them made and into your hands."

Eric exhaled a breath through his mouth as he heard from Jiang verbalizing "Argh I just remembered that the titled clothes we have are all the same size. I believe we'll have to make up an excuse to the public on why the Sun Lord isn't showing himself as expected by the people. Hmm this won't go well with the Shadonia due to that they can detect lies and will point it out and get people quite annoyed enough to demand for the Sun Lord's presence."

He threw up his hands as Trevor spoke "Just don't give an excuse anyway. Just say to the public when they demand for him that the Sun Lord himself decides on when to show himself to them period."

He heard a fine comment from Jiang along with "Oh dear what about the gloves His Majesty is wearing due to protecting people from getting accidentally scratched from his poison he gives off?"

He frowned as Trevor he eyed gave up a groaning noise while looking down at the floor before resuming looking up at him while speaking "Eric I'm afraid you'll have to go gloveless for awhile so my brother can make gloves for you. I warn you they maybe made attached to the jacket's sleeves while having to take off the sleeves and part of the jacket to get your hands bare."

He shifted to stare at Jiang and felt his mind scanned which he spoke hearing the Highlander verbalizing the words "Fine I accept this but I want my gloves back once your brother is done with them. I prefer to wear them when I'm not wearing the Sun Lord clothes and I won't accept any replacements period."

He looked at Trevor and gave the doctor a glare who spoke "Anyway I get it what you mean so exchange your clothes now so I can get a courier to get them to my brother. The soonest he has them the quicker he can make the clothes and shoes and less time we can make the public wait for an appearance. I warn you that it's well known among the public who came up with that idea that when the Sun Lord balks a requested appearance it means that he's furious with something and this balking has happened before but usually lasting a traditional three suns before showing himself. Also any longer than that and the public will assume he's sick with a medical ailment which this thought has happened before which will be going around the city the next sun due to that the three suns has already passed."

Eric without a comment went into the bedroom shutting the door which he stripped himself of his clothes leaving his underwear shorts on his form and then grabbed the Sun Lord clothes putting them on along with the flimsy boots. He folded his water ship clothes and placed the gloves with regret on top of them and carried them out of the room one handed while manipulating the door to the bedroom.

He frowned as Jiang seeing him spoke "Hand them to him."

He saw Jiang point a finger at a male Highlander wearing all brown clothing that reminded him of a courier who had an object in his hand that made him recall it was a backpack which he obeyed and found the Highlander putting them into the backpack along with zipping it shut.

Eric recalling something shot out his hand onto the Highlander's shoulder that stiffened from the touch which he looked at Jiang and mentally spoke "Does he have my shoes?"

He heard from Jiang verbalizing "He has your shoes so let him go now."

He obeyed to watch the Highlander leave the room slinging the backpack onto his back to hear from Trevor sounding off his left "Ah there's an issue of a medical exam required involving you losing your ability to talk which must be done now."

Eric exhaled a breath and pointed a finger at the door which he saw Jiang come into view and followed the Highlander out of the quarters sensing Trevor taking up the rear which the group entered the hallway and took the elevator to the Medical Bay's floor. He once inside the Medical Bay sat on a bed feeling the clothes become tight from that and eyed Trevor who waved the scanner over his form before putting it away.

Eric continued to eye Trevor who picked up a small pen like device with a thick tube jutting from it towards the equipment at the foot of the bed and spoke "Open your mouth and don't resist while I stick this into you towards your throat."

He obeyed and frowned inwardly as Trevor stuck the device into his mouth and continued to push it down his throat till he heard a loud beep sound and felt the movements stopped while feeling a faint choking sensation.

Eric heard from Trevor "Don't pull this out until I say so and keep your form still so excuse me I have to go to the scanner monitor to see what the results say."

He kept his form still with hands clasped together and eyed Trevor out of the corners of his eyes as the doctor went to the foot of the bed and felt a vibration from within his throat that made him confused. He continued to feel the vibration kept himself still as Trevor he eyed appeared to be pressing buttons on the equipment along with giving out hmm sounds. He felt the vibration stop as Trevor walked into his sight in full view and gently took out the device from within him which he felt relieved to have it out of him.

Jiang spoke "The test results doctor?"

He eyed Trevor who took the device and hooked it back to the equipment before speaking while looking at him "The test results prove what I thought involving the breathing device you're wearing. It has affected only your voice ability organ making you unable to verbalize your words but from tests it has indicated on stopping the medical ailment you have seemed to hate having."

Eric exhaled a breath through his mouth then inhaled through the breathing device feeling himself relieved from hearing Trevor's words due to recalling himself not having a rage episode since he first started wearing the breathing device.

He looked at Jiang who looked at him and he mentally spoke while feeling the familiar head pain "Fine I accept that I can no longer talk my words and have accepted that price tag. Its no concern to me anyway due to that I suffered too much without an end to that medical ailment and nothing before the breathing device seemed to help stop it permanently."

He heard Jiang repeat his words again using the word His Majesty says followed by looking away towards Trevor who was looking at Jiang and him back as the Highlander spoke his words.

He eyed Trevor who spoke while looking at him "Alright I figured out on what you're talking about due to some passed down story coming from Ionela mentioning her life with you and others talking to her about their life with you as well."

He kept his eyes on Trevor as the doctor added "Nothing much can be done here so you can go Your Majesty but warn you I will without a moment's notice will be testing you and it doesn't matter if it involves Medical Bay or not."

He didn't without a look at Jiang got up from the bed and walked out of the Medical Bay to pause in the hallway leaning a hand on the wall while bending down mouth breathing abruptly and felt a hand on his shoulder which he looked to see Jiang there and Trevor nearby frowning as he mouthed breathed. He felt his knees weak abruptly fell into kneeling position while spotting Trevor waving his familiar arm sized scanner and stiffened as his eyes clouded up with whiteness along with feeling the angry feeling of his rages hitting him as he continued to mouth breathe.

He heard a loud gasp sound that sounded Highlander like along with Jiang's voice speaking sounding shocked "Doctor his eyes have changed."

Eric continued to mouth breathe while seeing nothing but whiteness in his eyesight as he heard Trevor's voice speaking "Argh just what the computer was indicating and trying to tell me due to me feeling confused with the results. Jiang help him close his mouth and make him breathe through his nose now."

Eric felt cloth cover his mouth along with forced to nose breathe through the tubes in them which he felt his angry feeling leaving him along with the whiteness going away leaving his eyesight clear to see Jiang had his hat covering his mouth who removed it to place it on top of his head along with helping him to a standing position which he didn't protest to that.

He stared at Trevor feeling himself confused as the Doctor spoke while looking at him "The results indicate that your medical ailment doesn't surface when you use the breathing device for breathing but it'll come out when your mouth breathing so refrain from doing that and you won't have to suffer from that."

He exhaled a breath hearing Jiang's voice speaking "Doctor, admit it that the medical ailment is nothing but great rages of anger that makes him lash out hurting people and it doesn't matter who they are."

He stiffened hearing Jiang's words as Trevor he eyed spoke "Your Majesty? I need your permission to answer Jiang. I have a doctor/patient confidentially oath every medical personal has sworn to that oath and needs patient's permission to talk to others not family about it."

He looked at Jiang and felt his mind scanned and spoke words verbalized by the Highlander "Yes Jiang on what you said towards the doctor on my medical ailment. Except they make me become blind to seeing things as in seeing nothing but people who have the fear emotion as one color without any details seen which makes me lash out without warning. I also am aware that my eyes change states when I have that rage episode in control. Someone told me that when I'm in my angry state that I hate people with fear emotion hence me lashing out. Also I was told that a mind walker scanning my mind would stop the rage episode which has proven to be true."  
He paused to look at Trevor who didn't appear to look surprised to his admission as he heard from Jiang "Ah I admit it having a family predecessor who had a connection to a guard belonging to the nation of Oceana while living in Americania who passed down details involving encounters with His Majesty back then."

He stiffened hearing that admission from Jiang as Trevor he eyed spoke "Yah I know what the encounters are due to that several people connected to Oceana whether their guards or not have told family predecessors their encounters with His Majesty and that their very clearly detailed. Anyway nothing more can be done for His Majesty medically. I already took the liberty of getting His Majesty's head measured by the internal scanner and have already transmitted the measurements to my brother who'll make the head cover first as quickly as possible for him to get used to wearing it."

He exhaled a breath through his mouth and eyed Jiang out of the corners of his eyes to see the Highlander looking at Trevor which his guard spoke "Argh should have realized that when the clothes appeared too small for His Majesty that the head cover mask his predecessor wore would be too small for him to wear or get on covering his head."

He shifted to look at Trevor who spoke "I figured the same thing as well hence me doing that test in an attempt to get his head measured while medically scanning him for his loss of voice ability."

He watched as Trevor left the hallway going into Medical Bay with the doors slamming behind the doctor while hearing ahem from Jiang.

He looked at Jiang who mentally spoke sounding in his mind "I took the liberty of asking the guards to keep the elevator doors shut giving us privacy for a bit. I warn you that as your personal guard I am wearing a radio device with an off switch that is transmitting my words when I have it on which are what all guards have on them. I also like the guards have a device in one of my ears for the guards to contact me when they want to talk to me about something and I doing the same."

Eric frowned hearing that as Jiang continued talking "A predecessor of your titled position when he gave out his orders preferred it through Highlander version of word of mouth due to claims that our radio devices could be transmitted elsewhere along with claims that people who didn't agree with his orders while eavesdropping could do sabotage to him. He passed down this to his successor who wasn't his offspring but an offspring of a family member due to not having males to carry on the position which has happened already."

Eric continued to frown as Jiang spoke out loud verbalizing his words "Everything is fine now I was just giving some information to His Majesty on the position at his asking. Yes we're going to his quarters so open the elevator doors."

He heard them open behind him and heard nothing from Jiang which he walked inside sensing the Highlander following him and felt the thing move going to his quarters' floor he assumed which he saw his hunch correct. He followed Jiang out to his quarters and once inside went to the couch to sit and spied on the wall flat screened rectangular TV monitors about six of them which he saw five were small sized surrounding a large oversized monitor on the wall.

He eyed it and then looked for Jiang to find the Highlander off his right standing next to the couch which he mentally spoke while staring at the male feeling his mind scanned "How do you turn the TV monitors on anyway?"

He got handed a device from Jiang picking it up from the small see through square table in front of the couch and instructed on how to use it dubbed a remote to turn on the TV monitors along with getting them to flash various scenes on the biggest TV from smaller monitors and how to get the scene to focus on a subject he wanted to view. He obeyed and turned on the TVs using the remote control clicking through various scenes showing life in the city along with life in some of the buildings he had to ask Jiang what they were doing. He got told various answers such as of directing traffic when he noticed a uniformed Highlander standing in the middle of the road waving his white gloved hands towards vehicles that were lumbering on the streets seeing some stop for the traffic cop's gesture and some move at his gesture while keeping on doing it. He also got told of a school seeing people looking young as his children to him seated in desks he's told while staring at an adult female of the Akylah species writing on the board and the students raising their hands before lowering them and one of them appearing to be talking which the scene happened repeatedly over and over.

Eric continued to pester Jiang questions about what he was seeing till the Highlander spoke loudly "Its night time now. You should be going to bed and sleeping."

He saw the Highlander point in a direction and looked to see windows showing darkness behind them and without a protest turned off the TV monitors with his remote and got up going into his bedroom shutting the door behind him. He exhaled a breath feeling the clothes felt confining to him stripped himself of them and put them away messy like in the dresser's drawer then put on his pajama pants hooking the breathing device to it then glared at the lamp opposite from him.

He mentally thought "Argh I better tell the guards to keep that lamp shut off due to that I don't need it anyway."

He went around the bed to the lamp shutting it off then and eyed the bed to see it still was made with a blanket covering it. Eric frowned recalling himself leaving it unmade after getting up in the morning which he figured a guard made it for him. He rubbed a hand on his forehead and then lowered the hand to stare at it finding it bare and frowned feeling himself missing his gloves.

He mentally thought to himself "Do hope Trevor's brother hurries with the clothes making for I miss my gloves. I think it'll be nice to wear clothes that aren't too confining to me anyway their beginning to not be comfortable."

He exhaled a breath and got into the bed then rolled over to the lighted lamp's side and reached towards the lamp turning it off plunging the room into darkness with night vision in his eyesight which he laid on his back staring at the ceiling.

He shut his eyes and passed out unconscious only to come to hearing Jiang's voice sounding in his mind "Its time for you to get up for its morning."

He jerked open his eyes and glared at Jiang peering from the open door who shut it closed seeing him up awake. He rubbed hands on his forehead along with running them through his hair yanking them at the strains feeling himself not well rested. He got up and stripped himself of the pajama pants dumping them into the drawer and eyed the Sun Lord clothes with distaste running through him after clipping the breathing device on. Eric yanked the clothes out and put them on finding that they were still confining as ever along with the shoes feeling flimsy and not what he had in mind to wear on his feet. He stomped out of the bedroom slamming the door open and went to the dining table which he ate his food feeling himself hungry along with gulping down the drink.

He once done got up to hear from Jiang "Ah one thing Your Majesty. Here put this on."

He gave the Highlander a glare to see he held a piece of cloth in his hand which he took and discovered it was the barrel shaped mask and instructed by the Highlander on how to put it on and off which he obeyed feeling himself fine wearing it despite easily slipped over his head. He wearing the mask folded his arms and stared at Jiang lengthy who gave up an hmm sound while appearing to scrutinizing him before scanning his mind.

He mentally spoke "Well the mask? Plus should I bother making an appearance at some place where people won't look at me closely due to them begging the Sun Lord to show himself?"

He heard from Jiang mentally "Ah the mask covers your head fine without any problems of showing details. I would advise against showing yourself due to that there's species called Akylah that are known for an ability to see things way too far for any of the species can see and they'll notice your clothing problem too clearly. Also Akylahs aren't known for keeping secrets but known for being too blabby on various things and their also known for spreading rumors around here on various things including about you as well even if their true or not."

He mentally spoke as Jiang became silent recalling Brianna "I want to see Brianna now."

He heard from Jiang "Sorry Your Majesty the seventh sun enforced by the shield hasn't passed yet. You have today and twin suns to go before the shield will let you inside the room to view her."  
He felt anger mentally roared "I want to see Brianna!"

He heard from Jiang "The seventh sun-"

Eric interrupted mentally while unfolding his arms "Now! I want to see her now! Who cares about the seventh sun for I don't give a care!"

He glared at Jiang while fisting his hands who remained silent staring at him as he added "You said it yourself that you and the guards obey what orders I give without question which is what your doing so stop it now. I want to see Brianna now."

He glared at Jiang who stopped scanning his mind which he walked away feeling angry towards the quarters door to see guards standing in front of it get out of his way leaving him to open the door. He slammed it open and walked out heading towards the elevator finding it open with two guards inside and went in it sensing Jiang had followed him. He stood with arms folded hands still fisted as he felt the elevator went down and then stopped showing the shielded door floor and he stomped out and halted in front of the shield to glare at Jiang standing next to him.

Eric mentally spoke while feeling his mind scanned by Jiang "Well stick your hand in there and get the shield down now."

He heard from Jiang "Please don't get upset if nothing happens for the shield has appeared to have some kind of mind of its own when allowing people-"  
He interrupted "Just stick your hand into the shield now!"

He glared at Jiang to see the Highlander do what he ordered with a hand gloved which he saw the shield remained and recalled the male doing the shield down with hand bare. He darted forwards grabbing Jiang's hand who got out of his hand grips and avoided his attempts to grab his hand while feeling his mind scanned.

Eric heard from Jiang mentally "Your Majesty it's not proper for the Sun Lord to do this."

He heard it over and over as he attempted to grab Jiang's hand till he stopped and mentally yelled "You will stick your hand bare of glove into the shield now!"

He found Jiang obeying to his order and felt his mood fouler by the shield refusing to turn itself off.

He heard nothing from Jiang but his mind continued scanned as he mentally spoke "Argh someone is playing some sick joke onto me to do this stunt to me."

He reached out his hand bare and stuck it in the shield feeling itchiness from the shield's touch along with hearing a buzzing sound but felt rage as the shield refused to go down. He removed his hand and fisted it then charged towards the shield to meet what felt like a wall which he banged himself onto it while again hearing repeated buzzing sounds from it each time he hit it with his body. He halted his banging to stick his hands fisted into the shield to feel the familiar itchiness along with hearing familiar buzzing sounds as the shield refused to go down. He felt rage take control till his rage left him followed by sadness hitting him making his knees weak which he fell to kneel and wrapped his arms around his form while rocking himself back and forth uncaring that his head was hitting the shield making buzzing sounds as his eyes watered from the feeling running through him. He halted his rocking to slide his form onto the floor on his side and curled into a ball still crying away feeling like sleeping and shut his eyes.

He heard sounding in his mind "Your Majesty, your reaction is similar to others having a twin reaction to having their loved one contained in the shield room and forced to wait a certain time period just before allowed in-"

He interrupted "Just leave me alone. Leave me be now."

He felt the headache stop followed by keeping his eyes shut and curled into a ball with arms still clinging to his form. He felt gloved hands take his hand rolling down his sleeve along with a prick of pain of a needle dart into his wrist and he felt himself becoming sleepier and sleepier surrendered to the drug's contents letting himself pass out unconscious.

Eric came to hearing Jiang's voice sounding in his mind "Your Majesty, its morning, time to get up."

He numbly mentally spoke "Just let me sleep I don't want to do anything but that."

He heard "I would except that doctor of yours insists that you get up and take in nourishment due to sensing that your body would need it after being asleep for two suns straight. You had a bad reaction to the drug given you and it kept you asleep till the doctor gave you a drug to wake you up which he insists that you take in nourishment for your health period."

He opened his eyes and sat up finding Jiang at the door that shut it close which he got up from the bed. He felt annoyance take hold with having to wear his confining clothes went to the bedroom door and yanked it open while sticking his head out.

He glared at Jiang who scanned him which he mentally spoke "The clothes are they ready yet? I'm itching to wear something else other than those confiners."

He heard a groaning noise from Jiang who mentally spoke replying to him "No their not ready but you'll find your water ship clothes and gloves in the clothes holder. Your shoes to wear will be the ones you hate for the water ship shoes are being examined for creating the shoes you want for the Sun Lord clothes as ordered by you."

He slammed the door in response and went to the dresser near the bathroom door next to the bed and yanked open drawers finding them empty and then went to the dresser next to the bed opposite that and found what he was looking for which he put on the clothes and exhaled a breath finding himself relieved to wear them. He exhaled another breath after inhaling and with a mental groan he put on the flimsy shoes feeling disgusted with having to wear them. He slammed open the bedroom door and went out to see Jiang looking at him who he thought he saw relief in the Highlander's eyes but looked away going to the dining table to sit and eat his food. Eric felt himself terribly hungry gobbled up the food and gulped down the drink. He once done got up and went to the couch to sit and grabbed the remote turning on the TVs.

He noticed Jiang standing off his right next to the couch which he gave a glare and mentally spoke "I expect answers to my questions I ask to what I see on the monitors."

He heard in response "It'll be done as you wish."

He looked away and stared at the TV and once again pestered Jiang with various questions mentally spoken along with pointing fingers at the TV while gesturing to the Highlander to view and give him an explanation which lasted till the male told him "Enough its time for you to go to bed and get some sleep now."

He peered at the windows to spot instead of darkness the sun going away followed by some heavy spotted whiteness appearing to be falling from the sky and shut off the TVs showing blaring blue screens instead of scenes which he put the remote down on the table and got up going to the window to peer outside. He eyed the whiteness that seemed lengthy and eyed the sky that was white with spotted whiteness coming from it.

He placed hands on the window while staring at it and then shifted to look for Jiang seeing the Highlander behind him nearby while mentally speaking "What's going on outside?"

He heard mentally "It's a cold storm courtesy of King Winter, Lord and ruler of the cold and snow. I wouldn't go out in that if I would you. Cold storms bring death to anyone caught in it. Cold storms have hit Atlanta for cycles at various times while coming and going with noise warning from the Guardian building warning the natives which they must get indoors to avoid being caught in one and passing away as a result. I believe you should be in bed sleeping due to that the doctor stuck at the local hospital has communicated to us after we sent him a communication that you should be doing that. Sorry you're without your personal physician at the moment due to the cold storm outside."

He shifted his form entirely to face Jiang and mentally spoke "Why is Trevor at the hospital anyway?"

Eric heard from Jiang "Ah that's part of his duties as your personal physician to be at the hospital examining test results he's done on you that have been transmitted to the hospital for further study. The hospital's medical technology is more advanced than here when it comes to examining tests results hence he there at the moment so off to bed you go."

He felt no urged to sleep as he stared at Jiang and mentally spoke "Tell me when the seventh day is going to go by?"

He heard a groaning noise from the Highlander as Jiang mentally spoke "I believe the seventh sun is the following sun but you would have to wait till that passes first before you can see Brianna. Sorry about this so off to bed you go I insist for the doctor told us to dart you out if you resists to that order. That darting you out thing is something I don't agree to and prefer you to sleep without help by yourself."

He recalled himself able to turn invisible mentally spoke "Not if you can find me."

He turned himself invisible and heard from Jiang verbalizing his words loudly "Sun Lord is resisting the order!"

He figured he'll walk up towards Jiang only to feel himself darted by a syringe hitting him in the arm after hearing a familiar dart gun going off while feeling himself appearing from hidden state along with sleepiness and fell towards the floor falling unconscious which he heard a male voice sounding familiar speaking "Its time for you to get up its morning."

Eric found himself lying on a bed still clad in his clothes which he jerked open his eyes rubbed a gloved hand on his forehead he got up from the bed and eyed Jiang standing in the doorway looking at him who spoke mentally to him "The clothes and shoes aka boots are ready but their stuck at a discreet location. That's due to that there's going to be a cold storm hitting soon due to the Guardian sounding his warning. I can't tell you how long the cold storm will last due to that they are various on time frame lengths so you'll have to be patient."

He without a comment went to the doorway as Jiang backed up and he walked out of the bedroom to the dining table and sat gobbling up the food and gulping down the drink and once done went to the windows of the covered porch to glare outside seeing the sun was fast disappearing from behind clouds as spotted whiteness arrived falling from them appearing to be thick in number from the looks of it. He continued to glare out the window seeing that the cold storm seemed lengthy and felt himself annoyed.

Eric turned to glare at Jiang standing off his left he found and mentally spoke "Has anyone bothered to time those cold storms?"

He heard from Jiang still mentally "Actually they have been doing it for cycles but the timer results aren't very well done. That's from depending on when the sun shines to time the cold storms. The city natives have balked help from other nations having invented timer devices to tell time during a cold storm or when its time for meals and bed as well. The natives like most of Atlanta still depend on the sun to wake them up along with when to go to bed something we have adapted to doing here due to that the Sun Lord's residence is here as well."

He didn't comment a response went to the couch and sat picking up the remote which he clicked the button and found blaring blue screens in response to his remote's manipulating.

He heard from Jiang loudly verbalizing his words "Sorry Your Majesty but cold storms always shut down visuals but verbal communications are still active as always."

He with disgust running through him shut off the TVs and thumped the remote down onto the table and leaned back with arms folded feeling himself further disgusted. He felt himself itching to do something got up from the couch and began to pace back and forth till he recalled the incident of the previous day gave Jiang a glare sensing the familiar feeling.

He mentally spoke "Spill it Jiang how come your not surprised to see me turn hidden and how were you able to knock me out detecting me in my hidden state?"

He glared at Jiang who appeared to gulp before the Highlander mentally spoke "Like I said about having a family predecessor talking about encountering you while serving Oceana. The family predecessor did give out very clear details involving you attacking Kaddar guards while in some hidden state in retaliation to your male offspring taken by force and one of the guards using an elevator to knock you out making you reveal your form."

He stiffened hearing Jiang's talk as the Highlander continued talking "I admit it that it was a guard's gun and a lucky shot that the dart hit you in the arm darting you out. The guard in question guessed on where you were and fired the gun blindly guessing that it would hit you and it did. You were out for the whole sun and night till morning is when I successfully woke you up."

He mentally spoke "Did Trevor's brother test the clothes and boots for any leakage before I wear them?"

He heard from Jiang "I assure you that Creve was thinking very smartly when it comes to the clothes and boots enough to do tests on them. I know your doctor has said that Creve personally wouldn't give up various inventions whether their medically or not without bothering to test them very thoroughly for any flaws. Your doctor has said that Creve has this very picky habit of doing what it takes to find flaws in things invented whether their medically or not which I believe is what he's doing with the clothes and boots at the moment. I oath to you that I got word to your doctor to tell Creve not to be lengthy with the tests due your duties of being Sun Lord requires making an oath appearance to the public."

He mentally spoke "Oath appearance? What oath appearance?"

He glared at Jiang who spoke mentally "Ah that was an excuse used on the public when a rumor was going around heard saying that the Sun Lord was very sick with a medical ailment and seeking a replacement for the titled duties. We managed to spread via Akylah that the Sun Lord is doing fine medically and will show himself at a sun on the appearance spot and oath that it'll happen. Lucky for us the cold storms' arrival have managed to put that off for now."

Eric folded his arms and mentally spoke "Jiang what were you planning on doing if the cold storms haven't arrived and the public insisting on keeping the oath?"

He heard from Jiang "Ah I thought of having a guard similar sized to your predecessor wearing the Sun Lord clothes and mask to make an appearance on the appearance spot. Humans have dubbed the appearance spot by this word of balcony which has taken effect among the natives of the city who use that word when referring to it."

He mentally spoke "Show me this balcony."

Eric heard from his guard "Sorry that hallway leading to the balcony is exposed to outside air by an end of it open to the balcony with nothing to keep out the air in place yet. It's still cold storming outside at the moment and I wouldn't recommend going to there due to that the hallway is only accessed by elevator. I warn you that technology regardless of what they are have repeatedly broken down once exposed to cold storms which I'm sure will happen to the elevator if its exposed to the cold storm's air. The technology has reportedly resumed function once cold storms stop which suggests that their programmed to shut down when exposed to cold storms and then resume once the cold storm has stopped."

He felt disgust take hold without a comment turned around and glared out the window seeing it was still like Jiang said cold storming outside as he continued to stare out the window like in a trance.

A loud ahem broke Eric of his trance which he felt a hand shake his shoulder jerked his head towards his left to stare finding Jiang was the one who touched him that removed his hand.

Jiang he heard mentally "I thought of an idea of having you go back to bed and get some sleep seeing you don't have much to do around here but you'll shot that down anyway."

He exhaled a breath hearing Jiang's words as he mentally spoke "Well I'll go to bed anyway and let my thoughts amuse me."

He got nothing from Jiang but a head bob in a Human styled yes gesture which the Highlander backed aside and he walked passed him to his bedroom going inside and shut the door to again find the bed made only to recall he slept on top of the blankets. He went to the dresser holding his pajamas and stripped himself of his clothes and shoes exchanging them for pajama pants but leaving on his gloves. He picked up the shoes arm length in front of him and carried them to the bedroom door yanking it open to throw them out into the living room satisfied hearing banging noises from them hitting something which he shut the door shut and went to the bed yanking back the blankets.

He got into the bed and maneuvered leaning over shutting off the lamp then grumbled mentally "Argh forgot to tell the guards about leaving a lamp off."

He rolled over and reached towards that lamp to hear the door to the bedroom open which he looked to spot a guard put down a pair of familiar shoes then backed out shutting the door in a gentle slam.

Eric grumbled mentally "Don't tell me that's because of this Creve not finished with his stinking tests."

He felt sleepy in response shut off the lamp and adjusted position till he was lying on one side of the bed nearest the dresser holding his water ship clothes which he shut his eyes feeling himself passing out unconscious to come to hearing a familiar voice sounding his mind "Its time to get up for its morning."

Eric jerked open his eyes which he saw Jiang at the doorway that mentally added "You'll find your titled duty clothes in the clothes holder along with the requested shoes so put them on and come out so we can see if they need adjusting."

He obeyed getting up as Jiang shut the door feeling his mood good. Eric went to the dresser and yanked open the top drawer taking off the breathing device leaving it on top of the dresser along with his pajama pants and gloves leaving his form wearing the underwear shorts while shutting the drawer. He opened the one in the middle to find black clothing inside along with shoe wear which he took out the items tossing them to the bed while leaving them piled onto there. He hooked the breathing device to his underwear shorts then went to the bed to pick up the clothes to examine. Eric found that they were similar as the too tight confining Sun Lord clothes but the jacket had gloves firmly attached to the sleeves and the boots he saw at closer inspection appeared to be some version of his sneakers but without laces and appeared to be the type for slipping in feet in and out. He put on the clothes feeling them loose on his form but fitting at the right places along with the boots fitting his feet fine to his standards. He went to the door to the bedroom and yanked it open walking out to stand staring at Jiang noticing Trevor there which both were appearing to scrutinizing him up and down with narrowed eyed looks.

He heard from Trevor "I recommend that His Majesty take in nourishment first before we attempt to see how the clothes will do under shower water with him wearing them. I prefer he have a full stomach to fight off any water poisoning if it happens for I figured that the nourishment will help him recover faster."

He eyed Jiang who eyed him back while feeling his mind scanned and he heard from the Highlander "I suggest you agree to this."

Eric looked away feeling the mind scanning stopped which he went to the table and sat and proceeded to eat his food first leaving no bites left due to thinking it was a must to eat it all up. He eyed the drink to see it was an orange color instead of brown and gulped it down finding it tasty and familiar to him he recognized as orange juice from drinking it as a child.

He heard Jiang's voice sounding in his mind speaking "Excuse me but the doctor wants to test you on the effectiveness of water proofing the clothes your wearing and see if your safe wearing them."

He stared at Jiang standing next to Trevor sensing his mind scanned which he mentally spoke "You'll have to teach me how to turn on the water in the shower stall in my bedroom's bathroom. Due to my water poisoning I never pursued such things like that."

He got up as Jiang verbalized his words which he was handed his familiar mask by the Highlander and he put it on covering his head to notice the male and Trevor scrutinizing him up and down again.

Eric heard from Trevor "I don't see the breathing device in view. How did you managed to hide that? It was assumed it'll be hooked outside of your clothes."

He stared at Jiang sensing the familiar headache and spoke words verbalized by the Highlander saying His Majesty says "I hooked it to my underwear shorts in case you wanted to know for I'm comfortable having it that way. Oh this bit about the shower? Can we get it over with now? I'm anxious to see if the clothes are good enough to keep me safe from being water poisoned."

He shifted to look at Trevor who waved his arm scanner in his direction before speaking "Yah lets do it now. Jiang, you assist to be ready to help me get His Majesty out if water poisoning is sensed and I'll need guards to standby ready to help the both of us get the clothes off his form and him onto his bed along with one ready to inject him with the medicine."

He heard from Jiang verbalizing his words "It'll be done as you requested doctor so let's get this over with."

Eric walked to his bedroom leading the way to again find his bed made which he didn't focus on instead went into the bathroom to the shower stall opening the door and stepped inside turning around to face Trevor who cleared his throat.

He frowned as Trevor spoke "Actually Your Majesty, simply turn a bit in that direction."

He obeyed at Trevor's finger gesture then frowned staring at the wall seeing it had an overhead sink like large faucet and at his waist level were two knobs jutting from the wall along with colors of red on one and blue on the other one with indentions in the middle of them.

He looked at Trevor who spoke "Just press the button on the one with blue color on it with a finger and the water will turn on."

He obeyed as he wearing the new Sun Lord outfit and mask covering his head stood in the shower stall with the water running over him. He frowned at the sensation of the water falling over him and looked at Trevor standing nearby holding an arm sized scanner which he was waving. Eric closed his eyes letting the water fall over his clothes and the mask he was wearing covering his head. He let his senses take control as he sensed no familiar feeling of water poisoning.

Frowning he opened his eyes and continued to look at Trevor who spoke "Everything's fine just press the button again with a finger and it'll shut off the water."

Eric obeyed finding the water shut off and he walked out of the stall to face Trevor who was still waving the arm sized scanner over him.

Trevor spoke "Appears the clothes work for according to the scanner you're perfectly fine."

Eric left the bathroom followed by Trevor to see Jiang watching him from the doorway of the bedroom. He reached the doorway of the bedroom stopped and turned his head towards Jiang and felt the headache as the Highlander scanned him.

He mentally spoke "Has the seventh day imposed by the shield passed?"

He heard Jiang speak voice in his head "Yes."

Eric mentally spoke again "I want to see Brianna now."

He heard Jiang mentally speak "Follow me."

He followed Jiang out of the apartment towards the elevator where three Highlanders two females and a male stood inside as they both entered it. The elevator he felt went down with a humming sound. He frowned as the elevator stopped opening its doors revealing the hallway where the two devices sat in front of the door with the shield field between them. He walked out of the elevator followed by Jiang and a female Highlander towards the shield field where he pulled at the glove and attached sleeve yanking off part of his jacket baring his clawed hand and stuck it in the shield while holding his breath feeling the familiar itchiness along with buzzing sounds heard. The shield he saw went off to his relief with a loud beep sound and he put his hand back into the sleeve and attached glove of the jacket as the door opened itself. He walked inside the vast room yanking off his mask and handed it to the female Highlander as he went to Brianna's coffin walking up the steps where it lay on a platform. Eric stood next to the glass coffin staring at Brianna who lay dead to the world inside it. He raised his hands to stare at them covered by gloves and lowered his hands with a frown. He heard ahem noise and looked at two guards, Jiang and female standing below the platform watching him. He eyed the barrel shaped head cover mask held in the female Highlander's gloved hands. Eric resumed looking at Brianna's form in the coffin then placed his hands on his chest. He recalled something about Brianna when he laid her in there placed a hand on his neck abruptly covered by a black collar and felt the familiar budge of the chain he wore with relief hitting him.

Frowning he heard ahem again and felt the headache followed by a female voice speaking in his mind "Your majesty, time grows short. The people are eagerly awaiting their ruler, the Sun Lord to make an appearance as oath."

Eric left the coffin walking down the steps as the headache left him. Frowning he went to the female and took the barrel shaped head cover mask which he placed covering his head then followed the two guards out of the room. Eric followed the guards to the elevator with two others in it that went up with the familiar humming sound. The elevator he felt stopped and opened revealing a large hallway with three open doorways in a row leading to an open ended balcony at the end of it. He walked out of the elevator following Jiang as the other Highlanders followed. Reaching the doorways Jiang stepped aside and gestured with a hand. Eric stepped through one and reached the end of the balcony at the series of metal railings to see below was a vast crowd of people of different humanoid species outside standing surrounding a large square pool of water with scattered trees as far as his eyes could see. The crowd he saw waved their hands some clapping as he heard loud cheering like noises coming from them.

He mentally spoke realizing something "I kept my oath to Brianna for I have a purpose to live on after her death. It's the titled position as Sun Lord which I rule over all of Terrania as her ruler which I accept as my purpose now."

Eric with face hidden smiled.

40

