God Complex

Chapter One

6 years later

Zandra hated mathematics and strongly believed numbers were useless.

"Auntie," Zandra remarked, "when is weapons class?"

Laurel smiled, but quickly replaced her expression with a sterner one,"A little while longer, Zandra. You must do your lessons before you can train."

Zandra groaned, loudly. She wanted nothing more than to burn off her frustration with a few hours of an increased pulse rate and a little bit of sweat.

"Your mother hated math, too," her uncle said, smiling as he remembered.

Zandra averted her eyes and grew solemn. She did not want to talk about her mother.

She felt her Auntie's dark eyes narrow.

Zandra did not even have to look to feel the woman's wrath. Her Auntie's anger was thick enough to suffocate.

"Never mind, Zandra, run along. Learn to dismember things," Laurel quipped, falsifying brightness.

Zandra spared a look at her uncle, who was looking at the floor.

He must of felt it, too.

Zandra was not fooled but left, regardless. At least she didn't have to sit through math class.

As she exited the library, where she was tutored, she ran smack into her cousin's friend, Julian.

His warm tone was flushed pink and he sported a wicked bruise on his cheek in stark black against his skin.

His black colored eyes were wide, as if he was panicked.

"Julian," she called,"did Chancellor-"

Julian cut her off abruptly,"Zandra, it's neither the time nor the place. Where is Laurel?"

He was panting, she noted with confusion.

Zandra rolled her eyes,"Library."

At that, she walked briskly away.

What a jerk, she thought.

She opened the door to the gym, where she practiced and worked out.

She expected a full room and a mad scramble to the climbing frame. Yet, the room was empty.

"Sweet," Zandra mumbled.

She began to stretch where she stood, in order to prevent strained muscles. She couldn't afford to be benched. Her work was her release.

As she reached into one of the cabinets for her stretching band, she felt a cold grip on her wrist.

Zandra let her training kick in as she whipped around and pulled the dagger out of her belt with her free hand.

"Get off of me, Audric."

Zandra used her foot to kick open the corresponding door to the cabinet.

It wasn't Audric.

On instinct, Zandra slashed downward against the grip and grabbed the intruder from curled up inside the cabinet.

"Who are you?"

Zandra was now face to face with a girl dressed in Tellurian clothing.

Small in size. Unremarkable. Yet, she was in a world she did not belong in.

"I'm Liliana. Your stupid friends kidnapped me. Where the hell am I?"

Zandra stood, shocked.

"Where are you from?"