Two young men occupied the well-appointed hovercraft, sitting on supple leather-clad couches that ringed the back half of the vehicle. They stared in awe at the images projected onto the ballistic view screen, which wrapped around the cabin. Empty wine glasses in their hands, temporarily forgotten.

  “I didn’t know it would be so immense,” one said.

  “Same here. My dad talked about the estate before, and I’ve been to the palace, but I didn’t know the grounds were so immense. I know it’s half the moon, but to experience it …” the second man said.

  The hovercraft sped across the empress’s estate. The vehicle, commissioned two years earlier for the event, had sleek, soft lines that discretely hid an immense array of technology. A few hours ago, it had left Atlantara, the capital city, and the seat of power in the Solvonus system. The craft’s autopilot flew them towards tonight’s opening gala; the first of nine nights celebrating the empress’s one-hundred years on the imperial throne.

  Verdant rolling grasslands, stretching from horizon to horizon, swept beneath the craft’s hull. The setting sun silhouetted the Crater Rim Mountains, their topmost peaks highlighting the far western horizon. The empress’s lands, a gift from the people of Solvonus upon her ascension to the throne, covered half of Talunne. It was one of the many small moons that orbited the empress’s home world of Nthandi, which dominated the southern sky.

  One man refilled his glass from a carafe sitting on the low, narrow table that ran down the cabin’s center. It was the house wine from his family’s estates on Senovar. The Hakana winery produced some of the most desirable wines in the system, the house wine being the best of them, kept only for the family’s enjoyment.

  The young man, Davos, had grown up with this wine on the table for each meal, and he still preferred the vintage over the countless others he had sampled from across Solvonus. Davos, the heir to the Great House of Hakana, looked to his companion for the evening, Aiden Vintrell, and asked if he would like a refill with a tip of the carafe. It took a moment for Davos to realize the scenery flashing by on the view-screens absorbed his friend’s attention.

  “Aiden?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Nothing,” Davos said, familiar humor tinging his voice

  The young Hakana chuckled softly, recognizing the distracted air that often ensorcelled his friend. He had known his companion most of his young life. Aiden’s father was the personal secretary of Lord Nadim Hakana, High marshal of the Imperial Navy, Davos’s father.

  Technically, Aiden was Davos’s bodyman, in charge of keeping his schedule and maintaining the young lord’s personal staff. However, both men were closer to brothers than master and servant. Long ago, Aiden’s duties had been given to someone else, freeing the young man to join Davos on his many adventures.

  Davos sank back into the couch, allowing the wine and the gentle hum of the hovercraft’s engines to lull him into a peaceful, semi-drowsy state. Both men silently watched as the image on the view-screen slowly changed from grasslands into the foothills of the Crater Rim Mountains, their destination for tonight.

  The two young friends had been looking forward to these celebrations since the empress’s coterie delivered the invitations two years earlier. Tempering the excitement of the invitation was the requirement for each Great House to send every Power grand master they employed to the empress’s estates. She wished for nine venues for the festivities, one for each of the planets of Solvonus, showcasing the Power of each planet.

  It had taken the most substantial Powers in the system two full years, with the help of countless skilled laborers, but the venues were finally ready. Tonight, the first night of nine, was to showcase the Power of Natural Cultivation from the young men’s planet of Senovar. The grand masters Lord Hakana had sent to the empress had transformed the peak at the center of the Crater Rim Mountains into an immense palace.

  The moments stretched by, both men comfortable in the silence as the scenery below continued to change. They were entering the mountain pass that led to the central peak, joining a long line of vehicles making their way to the celebration. The increasingly steep sides blocked any light for the external cameras and dimmed the projection shown on the view-screen.

  “How much Lush do you think they used for tonight’s display?” Aiden asked absently.

  Davos chuffed quietly at the thought.

  “I can’t even think about how much the empress had to supply to the masters.”

  “It’s crazy to think about,” Aiden said, falling silent for a moment before continuing. “Do you think either of us will pass our Testing?”

  Davos knew the testing that Aiden meant. Upon reaching twenty-one, Solvonus citizens were urged to attend their world’s Examination and Training Facility for Power aptitude testing. Both men were turning twenty-one within days of each other and were planning on making the trip together in two months.

  “The real question is: Do we want to be Powers?” The Hakana heir said, a weary tone coloring his reply, threatening his relaxed air.

  It was a familiar conversation for both men. As their birthdays had drawn closer, they focused more on their debate about the merits of being a Power. Both men had argued each side of the conversation, but neither had decided for themselves how they felt.

  Aiden watched the scenery drift by, regretting his lapse in judgment that caused him to speak without thinking. He knew Davos had a different perspective. As the heir to the Hakana House, Davos already had authority and responsibility. His mother had died years ago during the Corvonus plague that had swept through the system, taking Davos’ unborn brother with her. Since her passing, Lord Hakana had poured his energy into his remaining passions; his son, and his work as the high marshal. If Davos tested as a Power, he would have to leave immediately for training, which was a lifelong commitment.

  Powers were tools used by each Great House, but they were not the rulers, other than the empress, of course. If Davos tested as a Power, he could still serve his father, but he could not follow in his steps as heir.

  It was not the law. Yet, the testing was the duty of each Solvonus citizen.

  Thick silence filled the cabin, the thoughts of both men heavy with potential responsibilities.

  Possible futures.

  Another moment passed before Davos shook his whole body, releasing the building tension.

  “Thoughts for another time, Aiden. Another day,” he said, taking a long drink, emptying his wineglass.

  Aiden could hear his friend force the cheer back into his voice, brushing aside the oppressive feelings their conversation had settled on them. He drank the last of his wine and lifted the carafe, refilling both glasses.

  “A toast.” Aiden said, joining his friend in pushing the complex thoughts aside.

  Davos, matching Aiden, lifted his glass.

  “To tonight’s entertainment and the Empress, may she live forever,” Aiden said.

  Davos echoed his friend, lingering feelings dissipating at the thought of their night ahead.

  “May she live forever.”

  Both men drank deeply, emptying their glasses again, laughing as they realized they had run out of wine.

  “Another bottle?” Aiden asked quizzically.

  “Absolutely, little brother,” Davos said, using his nickname for Aiden. “After all, tonight’s supposed to be a party.”

  Aiden turned and reached behind his seat to the hovercraft’s built-in wine cabinet, selecting a bottle of the wine they had just finished. He found it too sweet for his taste, but he knew it was Davos’ favorite. As he turned back in his seat, Davos startled Aiden, holding a box out to his friend.

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  “What’s that?”

  “Oh! this?!” Davos said with a slight shrug, the hint of a smile playing across his lips. “Just a little something I ordered for tonight’s escapade.”

  He leaned forward, giving the box to Aiden while taking the bottle of wine from his friend.

  “Go ahead. You open that, and I’ll open this,” Davos said, already reaching for the corkscrew laying on the low table between them.

  Aiden shook his head but knew a losing battle when he saw one. Davos, always one for fashion, took pains to make sure Aiden dressed the same. He looked at the box in his hands, not recognizing the symbol on the lid.

  “What are you making me wear tonight, Davos?”

  In reply, Davos merely laughed while opening the bottle in his hands.

  Aiden knew his friend and, better yet, that he had no choice. He tentatively undid the clasps on the side of the box and opened the lid. A small gasp escaped his lips as he looked at the shimmering material inside. It was a swirl of black, with hints of colors seeming to swim in its dark depths. It was unlike anything he had seen before.

  He placed the box on the table, reaching in with both hands, lifting out the exotic material. Holding one side, he let the rest of the fabric fall, sending ripples down its length. The colors swam up from the depths, coming alive with the movement.

  It resembled a small blanket with clasps on one of the short ends.

  “What is it?” He asked, looking to his friend who had refilled both glasses before reclining back to watch Aiden open his gift.

  “It’s a cape, the latest thing,” Davos answered, sipping his wine. “It’s made from Nightstalker silk.”

  “Davos!” Aiden said, his mind occupied by the shimmering material in his hands. “It’s amazing. You shouldn’t have, buuuuttttt I won’t argue with you for once.”

  “Good!” Davos said, pulling an identical box from under his seat. “I’ve got one too. It would be a shame to be the only one wearing such exquisite artistry.”

  Aiden laughed, putting the cape down and reaching for his glass.

  “Thank you, Davos,” he said, tipping his glass to his friend in salute.

  “Don’t mention it, little brother.” Davos saluted him back, joy etched on his face.

  The low light from the view-screen brightened while the exterior cameras fought with the sudden intense change in light levels. Both men turned their focus back to the image on the view-screen. The deep pass they traveled abruptly opened, depositing the hovercraft into the center of the Crater Rim Mountains. As the name implied, they were a ring of mountains formed around the rim of a long-extinct volcano. In their center was a giant mountain that towered above the rest.

  “Damn,” Aiden said.

  “No kidding,” Davos replied a second later.

  For the past two years, news of the celebrations and progress of the venues had saturated the data-net. Like most throughout Solvonus, the two men found themselves caught up in the imagination and scope of the celebrations. They devoured each new scrap of news, spending hours dissecting each vid stream to tease out the secrets of what was being created by the grand masters.

  What the two friends saw on the hovercraft’s view-screen left them in awe. All their sleuthing had not prepared them for the otherworldly scope of tonight’s venue; a palace carved from the very mountain itself, the top third shrouded by a layer of mist.

  The palace’s automated systems pinged each vehicle’s nav-computer when they exited the pass, directing the autopilots to the correct landing pad. It was a dance of immense proportions as complex algorithms coordinated thousands of vehicles, of all makes and sizes, to their proper location.

  The Hakana hovercraft, carrying the heir to a Great House who was also the son of the High Marshal of the Imperial Navy, received priority landing on one of the upper tiers of the palace. As they made their way up through the mass of vehicles, the palace slowly revealed its secrets to the two young men glued to the view-screen.

  Natural Cultivation, the Power showcased tonight, was from the planet of Senovar. Powers from that planet could manipulate the surrounding environment, taming and molding it to anything desired. Senovar, initially a barren world, barely hospitable, was now filled with grand estates and sprawling cities dedicated to the intersection of knowledge and nature.

  The Power in question had transformed the central mountain into tonight’s venue. Where once had stood rocky slopes and sheer cliffs now sat huge terraces, one on top of another, climbing to the mountain’s peak. The mist that hid the upper third of the mountain peak showered the lower terraces with moisture that ran in rivulets down force-fields, which protected the celebrants from the elements.

  As they ascended, the view-screen momentarily showed only the heavy layer of mist outside the hovercraft as it climbed.

  Both men sat in rapt attention, staring, waiting.

  The mist pulsed with diffuse light all around the hovercraft. Combined with the wine, it caused both Davos and Aiden to experience a sense of mild vertigo. It was not unpleasant. Instead, it enhanced their excitement, almost as if they were passing through a portal to another dimension.

  As they emerged into the open air, the two young men let out a collective breath they had not realized they were holding.

  Davos blew out a low whistle, his eyes looking everywhere at once, trying to see it all.

  Aiden sat speechless, the spectacle before him robbing him of his voice.

  They had emerged from the mist, traveling upwards along the face of a massive waterfall that had completely iced over. The autopilot’s path placed the two men only a hundred feet from the frozen edifice. As they climbed, they could see that it spilled over three of the five terraces, starting far above them.

  “Davos, look!” Aiden exclaimed, pointing to the view-screen near the front of the cabin.

  “I don’t believe it,” Davos said, disbelief filling his voice as he reached to manipulate the controls built into his armrest, zooming in on the image. “Hold on.”

  Both men gasped as they saw a pair of acrobats, seeming to dance along the waterfall’s iced fa?ade.

  “Is that really what I think it is?” Aiden asked, the question bloated with incredulity.

  “Yeah,” Davos chuffed, “I think it is. I think those are the Ice Walkers of Ikalitek.”

  “Well,” Aiden said, stunned, sitting back, “shoots.”

  “No kidding, I didn’t think they ever left Ikalitek.” Davos said, sitting back in his own chair and reaching for his glass of wine.

  The two men watched in silence as the hovercraft continued to ascend, leaving the Ice Walkers behind.

  After they passed the stunning view, Davos pressed a button on his armrest controls, allowing the external cameras to return to their default setting.

  Moments passed before they reached the top of the waterfall. The hovercraft continued to make its way up and around the mountain palace, slowly heading towards its programmed destination.

  Crowds were already milling about on the open terraces that ringed the palace—entertainers and servers keeping the mood light and celebrant.

  As they neared the top of the mountain, their climb leveled off, and they crossed an expansive terrace. The hovercraft passed over pools of water that resembled mirrors; their surfaces were so still. Giant trees, each climbing hundreds of feet, surrounded the pools, seeming to reach the very peak of the mountain itself. Stretched across the pools, anchored to the trees, were wide rope and wood bridges that Davos thought might be stout enough to land the hovercraft.

  The men could see that bridges on two different terraces accessed the trees. The bridges led to massive balconies built into the trees, the thick branches acting as supports. These were the famed mirrored lakes and Oka trees found in the deep jungles of Da’ashan, where the Da’ashani people built their cities. Viewing platforms randomly departed the balconies with small groups of celebrants, bringing them down to skim along the surface of the mirror lakes.

  “Davos?” Aiden asked, looking at every part of the view-screen surrounding the cabin.

  “Hmmm?” Davos asked as he continued to take in the sights.

  “I don’t see any other ships as close as us. They all seem to move along a transit corridor far from the palace. I think we’re the only ones who are this close.”

  “Really?” Davos said, looking around in some confusion, seeing that his friend was right.

  He pulled his data-pad from his jacket pocket, its security features identifying him immediately and unlocking. He opened a program, typed a quickly worded message. Pressing send, he returned the device to his pocket.

  “What’re you thinking?” Aiden asked.

  “I’ve got a hunch. But we’ll see,” Davos said. “In the meantime, I think we’re here.”

  The two friends watched, their excitement mounting as they realized their intended landing spot was on one of the broad balconies built into the towering Oka trees. They drew near, the hovercraft slowing, beginning a gentle descent, the crowd looking up at them. Looks of astonishment greeted their arrival as people backed away once they realized the hovercraft intended to land amongst them.

  Davos and Aiden looked at each other, smiles wide on their faces.

  “Well,” Aiden said.

  “Well, indeed,” Davos said, merriment coloring in his voice. “Should we find some entertainment, maybe even a little mischief?”

  “Lead on, good sir,” Aiden said, reaching down to the box Davos had given him earlier.

  He reached in and pulled out the shimmering cape of Nightstalker silk and threw it around his shoulders, clasping it at the neck. He looked up and saw that Davos had also donned his cape; the colors swirling in its black depths, his pale blue suit highlighted by the cape’s darkness.

  Aiden gestured to his friend, indicating he should go first. Davos nodded his thanks and stood, taking a few quick steps to the front of the cabin, where he thumbed the control to open the hatch. As Aiden joined him, the hatch slowly lowering into a ramp, Davos’s data-pad chimed from his pocket. He took it out and opened the same app he’d used earlier—a heavily encrypted version of the communications app ubiquitous in Solvonus.

  Davos chuffed again.

  “It was dad,” he said, showing Aiden the screen. “He and the Empress arranged that little entrance for us.”

  “Well, thank you, dad,” Aiden said, chuckling. “He knows you, oh so well, Davos.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Aiden laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “It’s just that he knows you love to make an entrance.”

  Davos chuckled at that. He did like to make a spectacle, alright. And that was one hell of a way to enter. He looked down the ramp the hatch had formed. A crowd was gathering, curious to see who had just arrived in such a spectacular manner.

  “Come on,” Davos said, grabbing his friend’s arm and leading them down the ramp. “Let’s get something to eat and see the sights. The night’s wasting away.”

  They quickly made their way down the ramp, the crowd parting, allowing the pair to pass. As the hatch hissed closed behind them, the two young men, the heir apparent, and his best friend, disappeared into the crowd, whispers and rumor following in their wake.