Galaxies Apart

Royally Pissed

It's been two days since Avni has been worried sick about her outburst at Mr. King. There hasn't been any backlash from him yet, and she hasn't seen Precious since then either. Everything is too silent, like the calm before the storm. She may not know him much but so far she has learnt one thing, the alien king doesn't let things go easily, and her temper is going to come back to bite her sooner or later.

Since Vadarius is still hospitalized, their training has been taken over by Commander. He's good, his feedback and perspective is unique, but he doesn't push Avni like Vadarius does. He just trains everyone like it's his job, without any passion towards the trainees or their improvement.

Avni visited Vadarius in the hospital wing of the castle two days ago, but he was still unconscious, so she wasn't allowed to meet. She just hopes he recovers soon, for both his sake and of humans.

______

The next morning, everyone is summoned to the main stadium hall and Avni doesn't have a good feeling about it. She's worried things are going to get a lot worse, and it's going to be her fault again. She never learns when to keep her big mouth shut and her lecture on kindness is going to get everyone in trouble.

"Hello Earthlings!" The familiar aristocratic voice speaks suddenly and Avni looks at the throne to find Mr. King already seated. And he looks royally pissed. The telecast to Earth has begun too. She sucks in a sharp breath and hopes he doesn't do something rash just to get back at her for her brazenness.

As if he's feeding on her fears, his eyes snap towards Avni and his lip twitches in amusement. She cannot help but think that this smug jerk enjoys traumatizing her way too much.

"You must be wondering why you all are here today. After all we're not even two weeks into training yet. As you know, one of the trainers, my brother, Vadarius is hospitalized, so he can't train you anymore. And, my Commander here is overworked with training the two dozen of you. I want to make things easier for him by reducing the number of participants. So, if anybody is considering choosing the dungeons lately, feel free to step aside towards my dungeon keepers. Else, I'll have to find some creative way to get you to do it."

Avni breathes a sigh of relief. That doesn't sound so bad thankfully.

She takes a quick look around the hall and finds two leaders, bruised and injured through intense training, stepping aside hesitantly.

"There, Commander. That's two free hours for you", Mr. King's voice is cold, missing any amusement that is usually present at breaking the spirits of more and more humans.

"Now since the rest of you chose to stay back, things are going to get trickier for you. Every participant will be presented with two choices. Whatever you choose will be guaranteed to you - no take backs, no double crossing, no treachery from my people. You have my word."

He pauses for effect, then one by one each of us is called forward to be presented with two choices. One of the choices is constant, choosing to duel against a Volzite champion to win a chance at sealing Earth's fate. The other, however, keeps changing - from billions of dollars in money for their human family back home, to a chance for them to take a world tour before the world ends. A choice between morality and luxury.

Avni thinks it's sickening, how some of her colleagues easily choose a life of luxury for their families back home without a moment's hesitation, even though they know that life could be cut too short. But every time one of them chooses a duel, Mr. King makes sure to raise the stakes, making the counter offer so lucrative that many fail to ignore it anymore, until finally either the human loses to his greed or proclaims with utter confidence that no amount of money and luxury can change his choice.