you got into the atmosphere. There were so few open spaces that the land had to be cleared in order for ships to land there.
The groups themselves were a loosely organized bunch, divided into tribes of small cities each located on a different planet. Each group was named after planet they lived on. The prince would be meeting the Vermillions. They were all organized under the banner of their church, known as the Trinity. It began as an offshoot of the Crusaders when the Lorian Sisterhood took over, but never grew very much. They simply relocated themselves outside the borders during the Blood Jihad and kept quiet.
They adopted some technology over the years. Their main concern was computers, but they did have electronics and mechanical devices. Their bio-engineering was the stuff of legends. It was said that they could build an ecosystem if they wanted, but there was no proof of that. If they could, then they wouldn't be living in a pile of dust.
The most intriguing thing about the group was their ability to travel from one system to another. Nobody was certain how they did it without the use of the Artemis system. It was a closely guarded secret. The main consensus was that they had developed a propulsion system that allowed humans to move fast enough without getting hurt. It was unlikely considering the fact pilots would have the same issue the early space folders did with trying to dodge obstacles.
The reason why they were so feared was because of the propaganda campaign that had been launched by the church, and the violence that ensued because of it. Groups were careening themselves into the Empire, taking over planets and destroying machines. It was only a matter of time before they started suicide bombing the Artemis complex, and that was a major worry. Once that started happening, they would be painting the galaxy red with the blood of martyrs from every system they could reach.
It was no wonder that when they folded space, Antoni had his eyes closed hoping to wake up in bed. He was a strong man, one that could withstand many things, but it was his willpower and intellect that made him strong. He melted in the face of danger.
What really got him about this was the fact that he had been begging his father to let him travel to the outer reaches for years, but now that he was finally on his way he was terrified. Maybe it was a good thing that he stayed at home for the most part.
He wanted to be strong enough, and he always thought that he was. He realized that he had an unrealistic view of himself. He wasn't a barbaric warrior, or a fierce fighter, he was a strategist. He could sit in the boardroom conducting wars, just like a true Emperor, but he couldn't take his place of the battlefield. If he was going to rule, he would have to find a way to change that.
When he opened his eyes, Magnus was trying to stifle his laughter. “All that time, begging and begging, “Magnus I wanna go.'” He imitated a whining child.
Antoni jumped up and punched him in the face, then jolted back certain that Magnus was going to hit him. The guard just laughed harder.
“Just don't piss yourself.”
They landed softly in the middle of a blood red field of dust then put on their face masks before the door opened, drenching them in sand. It got everywhere. It covered their clothes, stuck to their hair, and dyed their skin. The guards that were waiting outside were wearing scarves over their faces and goggles so the sand didn't get in their eyes as the wind rained it down on them.
“This is terrible,” Antoni shrieked.
One of the guards traded a look with Magnus who handed him a pair of goggles and a scarf. He put them on, glad to have something to shield him, but the sand kept clumping and blocking off his vision. He had to keep wiping it off as they got into a transport and drove to the city.
He was able to get a glimpse of the landscape as they drove passed. The sharp red spires contrasted against the jet black sky, and the
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