STELLARIUM(BOOK ONE)

Chapter 19: Xander's Quest

"I want to know what my quest will be, what is my fate? What is my journey? Good or bad? Sweet or sour?"

         Apex laughed through his throat, he asked, "would you care for an apple? Maybe then you'll see who you are at the real level? You are a prince Xander, a prince of realms. You shouldn't ask me for the strength you already have? But if at all, I'll guide you to the throne you'll possess and the weapons you need."

      Apex turned to walk away, "Apex? I'm not done. I need to know more about my powers."

       "Like I said, you should have asked for wisdom instead of weapons. Come with me, there's a lot I need to show you." He walked out of sight.

        Xander followed him, "Xander take that suit off. You are a prince of realms you don't need that solid amount of oxygen to breathe here. That apparel is so uncomfortable."

        Xander removed the suit and inhaled the air in the midst, he exhaled. His eyes saw clearly what he missed due to the glass helmet he had on formerly. He stared at the ceiling, the gold and black made it look maximal to him. "How long has this Earth existed?"

       "Since Solstice asked it to exist. How old do you think he'll be?"

     "Who? Solstice? I don't know. I don't think I've even met the man. I don't know anything about him so I guess a hundred."

        Apex turned from his wardrobe to him, "a hundred, by now? Don't be ridiculous. Wear this."

        Xander took the apparel from him saying, "thank you."

       "For new apparel?" He sits by his golden couch.

       "Yes and for my mother, I never got the chance to say it. You left suddenly."

      "It's fine, get dressed and prepare to see the Earth realm you ditched for this one."

      Xander's eyebrows furrowed, "ditched? Who said I ditched the other portal? I just walked into this one because I felt it was necessary."

       "I see you are certainly serious about life and you can't take a joke. It wasn't pronounced to attack you. Remain calm."

      "I'm calm, you are the one asking the questions."

       "Oh and Solstice calls me argumentative, he should see you."

       Xander stared at him in silence, he takes his shirt off and attempted to wear the apparel.

      Apex held his hand stopping him in his tracks, "Excuse you? Without a shower or a bath? You are a prince, you should act like one."

       He dropped the piece of clothing frustrated and he walked into the pool at the bathroom. He buried his body in it leaving his neck and his head out. Apex walked in on him.

       Xander can't bear Apex staring at him for more than a few seconds, "Apex do you really need to be here? Are you gay?"

       "That's not the real question, the real question is why are you bothered about me staring at you even when you are covered with water in a pool?"

        Xander asked, "Do you always act like this? Inquisitive and annoying? I need space, it's not about the calmness of mind or the royal house or anything else. I simply need space till I'm done with it is I have going on here."

       "Wrong? Number one, this is my royal house and I walk into any space as I want. Number two, it is about the calmness of mind. As a royal, you must master it. A subject must not see you shrink or shake. It is the law. If you step before Solstice or any other royal in another realm. You must practice this. That's why you are staying here for a month."

        Xander stopped moving and stared into his eyes, his heart dropped. He promised his mother one thing, to get back as soon as possible. To his understanding, one month doesn't mean soon.

        "You can't be serious, I'm stuck here with you for a month? I told them now, "I can't do that."

        "The thing is, you are not stuck here for jokes, you need to train yourself for the worst. It starts here and guess what the last place you'll revisit is Earth X. You'll spend at least one month with each of us. Vexis and Void are not the only enemies of the galaxy, some are placed under hold in chains and some are exiled. We are awaiting their return, do you think you'll have a chance like this?"

   "That's just eleven months then."

      Apex giggled, "Xander?"

    "Yes, Apex."
    
      "That's eleven years."

     "Eleven years! How!? I can't stay away for eleven years?! Shorten it!"

      "The thing about the royal lords is this, you could lose your powers if you stay away from your throne for a long time. You'll need proper time here, you may visit your family as you wish but running away will make it a risk. In regards to the duration, a month symbolizes a year."

      "Risk? It's already risky like this. I need to know who I'm going against and why I'm even fighting them. I'm not done with my science projects, am I?"

       "The problem here is not Vexis or Void, the issue is this. You are the missing piece to the puzzle, you come from a bloodline of two powerful sources. You must understand this. You are a prince of more than one royal house."

        "Apex, I don't know what you've planned or what anyone else has in mind. I just want clarity on one thing, my future, my life." He buried his head into the water after the statement. Apex walked out on him.

        Xander held his breath under the water, his eyes opened staring at the unknown. He took his forward and noticed he had an unknown energy flowing through his veins. He turned his right palm in a circle and it swirled the water around. From the swirls emerged a face, the face of an entity. He removed his face from the water in fear, he choked on his breath.

        He sat still in fear after what he saw, he continued exhaling heavily till his heartbeat slowed it's beating pace. Apex stared at him silently, Xander asked, "What was that? What are you not telling me?"

        Apex stepped closer to the pool, "There's literally a logical explanation for what your eyes could see and what it couldn't see. A power you possess is what you just used, the power of water and the power of time travel. When you used the Aurum sphere, you never took note of time travel?"

        "I did but this scared me a bit."

      "Of course it should, you are new to it. Prepare for more. Soon you'll be seeing creatures." Apex walked out through the door, Xander stepped out of the pool, he took a towel by the side. He wiped his body clean and he wore the apparel. He walked fast to meet Apex by the table.

         "Apex? A moment." he blocked his path. He stopped in his tracks, he asked, "when do we begin training after we see Solstice. You'll need his stamp and seal."