Galaxy Pirates

Chapter 46: Imi and Zehu

It was midnight. Rain pattered upon the palace windows. From time to time, it would flash outside and illuminate the gardens, followed by a gruesome roar of strong Cyberian thunder. Imi groaned and hastily raised her eyelids, to sense immense heat nearly choking her – she had a high fever and could barely move. Apparently, the mistreatment during the voyage with Richder Mahut's crew had taken its effect – she had caught an illness. Was it due to her inhaling a lot of jirin dust, or because of the cold and hunger back in the cell? – She didn't know, but the outcome was dire regardless. She gasped for air and intended to yell for help, but no voice came out – her throat was so sore it had silenced her completely. Barely able to breathe, she lost consciousness quite fast. The last sound she could hear before blacking out was the buzz of her robot servant Yon.

When she came to, it was already past midnight, but it hadn't started dawning yet. The heavy storm still roared outside. Surprisingly for her, she didn't feel the choking heat anymore. Instead, her pain had lulled and her fever too had gone down. In the darkness, she could scarcely make out a manly figure sitting on a chair near her bed, his hands placed upon her forehead and heart, sending her some unusual green energy. Once it flashed, she saw he was Zehu Vaagard the Crystal Crusher – the Daluman prince well-known for his hypnotic powers.

"Ah!"

Her throat sore no more, she managed to scream in fear. The young man quickly put his hand to her mouth and silenced her. His green eyes flickered upon the flashes of lightning outside the windows. While the poor maiden trembled in apparent dread, she heard a strange voice echo in her mind – a voice that was somehow her own, yet was not, at the same time:

"Do not fear. I'm here to heal you. You ought not to scream, people are sleeping".

He had most likely sent her a telepathic message as he often used to. He was a master of hypnosis and mind-manipulation, after all. Realising he had so easily managed to penetrate in her thoughts, Imi grew even more perturbed and quivered in the bed:

"P-Please don't hurt me..."

"I've just told you I was here to heal you. Why such a scaredy bean? Lie still now".

Thus reassured by his benevolent smile and some strange sense of peace within her mind, Imi sighed with relief and obeyed his command. He continued sending the green energy into her forehead and heart, quelling her internal pain altogether.

Soon, her fever was completely gone. Zehu, having finished his work, stood up and headed towards the door.

"Wait!"

He halted and turned back, his placid green eyes illuminated by the flash.

He doesn't seem gruesome at all, unlike that blond monster...

"Y...You're Prince Zehu Vaagard, right?"

She received a slight nod.

"Are you my warden they'd been talking about? W... What are they going to do to me?"

Zehu returned to her side and gently stroked her pale forehead, sending her some mild green energy again. Imi felt as if she were lying in green grass in a breezy forest, watching the thick leaves rustle.

"Yes, I'm your guardian while you remain here. You needn't worry so much – Lord Captain is not as heartless as you may presently think, and neither are we. You are an innocent soul. We'd never want to hurt you. Now try to sleep. I'll check on you tomorrow".

Not long after this message ran through her mind, Imi's eyes drooped – the young man had apparently cast a hypnotic spell on her. Soon, she indeed dived into a deep sleep, dreaming of peaceful forests and rustling leaves.