The Twilights: The Basics of Secrets

Chapter 16

Jay

Luna said she was just tired, and that Azura would wake up shortly. But we were already half way through our hyperspace travel and she still hadn't come around. The rest of the crew stayed back to help with the batros villagers, but Azura and I needed to go. One of the troopers will report what they saw and then the whole Zarion Empire will be hunting down two Zario. I could easily go back into hiding, but what Azura had done, no postponing this trip any longer.

My eyes had been transfixed on the colors outside the ship, but my ears were alert. Azura was lying on the bench in the back, and she groaned as she came out of slumber. I was on my feet and sat on the bench opposite of her, waiting for her to fully wake. Memories were brought back to our first meeting inside her tree home.

I'll admit, stunning a teenager wasn't the most mature move I could have made, but it needed to happen. Right in this instant, I understood the pain Azura was going through. Every Zario has a moment of pure power and their full power comes out in one swing. It mainly happens to young Zario who can't fully get their powers in check. I was eight when I had mine and it felt like I had been shot all over my body fifty times. But Azura's power moment wasn't like most. She held it for a long time and was powerful enough to hold heavy amounts of water away for a large ship to be free. That was raw power like I've rarely ever seen.

She kicked her legs over and rested her head on the wall. "What happened?"

"You saved the day," I told her. "The Spirit got the villagers away."

"Where are we?" Azura asked, noticing we were in hyperspace.

"We're going to one of the only safest places for a Zario in these dark times: a Zario temple. We can't hide for long. What you did on Hegaro was amazing and word will quickly reach all Zaria that a powerful Zario is with the Dissent. Things were already going to be difficult, but now, it will be ruthless." And I needed to protect Azura while she trained. With her display of power, it makes sense how she survived for so long, but there are a lot of Zaria in the galaxy, and they'll come for her.

I couldn't tell if it was pain or fear that washed over Azura's face. Maybe both. "I'm sorry," she said.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For not being strong enough."

I flat out laughed at that. "With what you just did? You are much stronger than I could have ever guessed."

"I don't mean that," she cried in an outburst. The pain in her head made her flinch at her rash movement. She took a deep breath and continued on. "I mean, I'm not strong enough. I'm scared and I haven't been more helpful because of it."

It took me some time to comprehend what she meant. She had done plenty for our team. Did she feel at fault because the crew didn't talk to her much? When did she feel she failed us?

"It's okay to be scared. This is all so new; I would think something is wrong with you if you weren't scared." I began to say, but she cut me off.

"But I can tell that you guys don't want me around. Like, I can feel that you are skeptical about me. I don't know how I can, I just do."

She was getting herself worked up about it and then I knew that Brie was right; Azura had unknowingly sensed everyone's feelings on the ship. I wasn't skeptical about her personally, but rather about what I needed to do with her. I needed to protect Azura, she needed to be trained and help the galaxy. As far as I know, I'm the only Zario around to still help her with that. How can I train her the best, but still help the Dissent? I never fully learned everything I could with my master and for a long time I abandoned the Zario ways. I wasn't a fit teacher for her. I also didn't know how to deal with younger kids. Part of the master's job was to train but also raise a young Zario into a strong and good adult. Azura is a teen and already has a lot of the hard parts of growing up sorted out, but I don't know how to help with the rest. It's not about her; it's about me.

"Azura, I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about what I can do for you. Your potential is so great, I don't know if I can help you the way you need. I probably could have been a bit nicer to you, in retrospect. You didn't do anything wrong Azura, you've done a lot for us as it is." I admitted.

"But I trust you. Like I said, I don't get why, but I just have this feeling that I can."

"It's part of being a Zario. You can sense other's feelings and with certain people, you can create connections. Connections like you can sense if the other is in danger or where that person is. It's a connection normally formed between master and apprentice." I remembered the connection Alina and I had. I remembered the emptiness when it was severed when she died.

"So be my master." Azura let out.

I could still sense the tension swirling inside her. "Do you want to go back to Sugloria? If you're scared enough, I get it. You still have time."

She took several moments before saying anything. "My parents were taken from me when I was eight. My father was a smuggler pilot and my mom a smuggler. They smuggled people to and from Sugloria, trying to hide those wanted by the Zarions. They told me they did what they did because the galaxy was their home too, and that they had a right to defend it. And because they could fight, they used all that was in their power to help others. The Zarions found them of course and took them away. I think. I've been on my own for the past eight years. It's left me with a lot of trust issues and sense of independence. But I always honored what they did. They didn't have the powers I do, but they still fought. I think they would want me to. I'll learn to make the galaxy my home like they did."

Azura's parents hadn't fully left my mind. I figured they were dead and that Azura was an orphan; an orphan who has the skills to take care of themselves for so long. I knew what it was like to be young and afraid of the galaxy because you are alone. I was younger than Azura is now when I was left to my own.

The Glory fell out of hyperspace and faced the purple color of the Zaotis System. I went to the controls and went into jumpspace. The ship then popped out in front of the green planet of Zaplion.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked.

No pain or any sign of fear on her face. Just determination. "Yes."