THE SUN SUMMONER

02

575 BC
BABYLON

SOLARYA FIRED at the Deviants as they chased after the people of Babylon. The frightened people screamed, terrified of the large creatures. Makkari was speeding around getting people out of the way, Thena was battling with one of the Deviants and Kingo called out, "Hey that one was mine!"

"You could have mine if you want," Solarya yelled as she flipped over the back of the Deviant and pressed her palms to it. Her hands lit up and blasted a hole through the throat of the Deviant. As it slumped to the ground, dead, Solarya smirked, "Sorry."

"Oh, never mind," Kingo called as he saw one and blasted it.

Solarya saw the largest Deviant throw Gilgamesh away and Makkari caught him before he hit the ground. Ikaris flew towards it firing his larder vision. It growled and Solarya shot a beam of light at it.

Gilgamesh boosted Thena upwards and she landed on the Deviant, slashing at it. It crumbled to the ground and Thena jumped off. Makkari sped around and Gilgamesh punched it, causing it to fall into the large wall behind it.

It snarled quietly before standing.

Gilgamesh turned irritatedly and smacked it in the face. They all looked over the destroyed city and Solarya sighed at the mess. They opened the gates and walked in.

Solarya assured the the people in the native language before going to where the Domo was kept. She saw Ajak standing on the terrace above with a blank look on her face. She shook it away and entered the obsidian ship.

She skipped towards the lab where she knew Phastos would be working.

"Arya," Sprite exclaimed happily.

"Hey, pixie," Solarya hugged the girl before looking towards Phastos, "What are you working on?"

"Come here," Phastos motioned. She walked over to him and looked up at the gold hologram swirling in the air, "It's a steam engine."

"Are you joking? Phastos this is amazing. People could get to and from places without having to walk. This will revolutionise the human race," Solarya gushed.

Phastos shrugged, "Well I'll have to keep working on it but yeah."

"Phastos, Solarya," Ajak called, "Did you go to the party last night like I told you to?"

Phastos scoffed, "The party, yeah."

"Of course I did Ajak," Solarya said more convincingly, even though she was blatantly lying. She had spent her night sitting in her room reading some of the books she had gathered and trying to see what she could help Phastos build to help evolve the planet. She didn't really build things but merely gave Phastos ideas.

"He worked all night," Druig spoke, "And Solarya sat in her room working and reading until she passed out from exhaustion." Solarya and Druig had a strange relationship. One minute they would be best friends and the next they would be arguing until sunrise.

The girl turned to face him, "A; how do you know that. B; since when were you in here and C; leave," Solarya said.

Druig chuckled, "Your thoughts are very loud, even when you're sleeping."

"Stay out of my head," she said picking up an apple off of the table and throwing it at him. He caught it and bit into it with a smirk.

"Get a life. Both of you. And where's Sersi?" Ajak asked.

Sprite spoke up, "Late as usual."

"I'm sorry but I have something very exciting to show you, okay?" Phastos said happily, "Wait till you see this." He lowered the hologram and she looked up at it confused.

"What is it?"

"It's an engine. It moves steam from high pressure to low pressure," Phastos explained. Solarya already knew how it worked so she walked towards the table where Druig was pouring himself a glass of water.

"Thank you so much," she teased as she took it from him and took a sip. He glared at her playfully. Before picking up another cup and pouring more. She watched him and he stared at her, his eyes going gold, "Stay out of my mind."

"I can't help it," Druig shrugged. She rolled her eyes.

"It's gonna freak them out," she heard Sprite say.

"I mean they've only had the wheel for 1000 years so..." Druig said.

Solarya whirled to face him, "Shut it. They will love it."

"Or you know we could do that thing where you use your mind to control them and they could do it quicker," Phastos suggested.

"Ajak, you listening to this?" Druig asked with a teasing smirk on his face, knowing that it would never happen.

"Don't be an ass," Solarya said.

"Arya," Ajak scolded causing the girl to pout, "Phastos, this steam..."

"Engine. It's a steam engine," Phastos corrected.

"It's too soon. And there she is," Ajak commented as Sersi jogged in bashfully.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing. Just the screams of my deep disappointment," Phastos said sarcastically.

Solarya laughed and Druig looked down at her, he enjoyed it when she laughed. Not only did her powers light up a room but so did she. He would never admit that to either himself or anyone else. Sprite gave him a knowing look and he rolled his eyes.

Ajak tried to reassure him, "I'm sure you have something simpler."

"Simple," Phastos nodded bitterly, "Okay, let's see. Uh..." he took apart the engine, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Plow. 'Cause, that's what it does. Plots dirt."

Solarya patted him on the shoulder, "Maybe someday."

"I met another group of settlers who are planning to build their homes in the northern fields. They'll need to plant their own crops," Sersi tried.

"Thanks, Sersi," Phastos replied as he leaned on the table on the other side of Solarya.

"Listen. Humanity may be coming along slower than some of us want. But there is no telling what wonders they will discover when the advance," Ajak smiled.