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~ The Solar Dimension ~

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A cluster of swirling galaxies peered from within the black veil of outer space. An armada of shooting stars and meteorites flew over to say hi before they disappeared into the universe.

Several asteroids played together, mischievously kicking chunks of metallic silver dust towards colorful nebulas. Blazing suns flared a fiery warning, burning the silver dust to where not even ashes remained. Startled, the asteroids fled towards the far reaches of outer space, away from the blazing suns.

All in all, everything was still and quiet. Even the blazing suns seemed to have settled in for a nap.

Then, out of nowhere, a portal opened, disrupting the silence with a noise, a deep sonic boom that increased in volume.

The blazing suns sent out solar flares, only for the solar flares to reflect, striking the surprised blazing suns with powerful force, propelled by the vibrations of the engines that powered two spaceships that ripped out of a portal like bullets from a gun barrel, cutting through space at deadly speed.

Markerer gritted his teeth as the spaceship shook and shuddered all around him. His knuckles were white, gripping the panel tightly, as he struggled to maintain control of his ship while evading his pursuer. In the backseat behind him, the baby Iressa cried softly, secure in blankets and a seatbelt.

"We're gonna be safe soon, Irie. Just gotta lose Redek and make it to planet Earth," Markerer said in a comforting tone. Irie was his personal nickname for Iressa, the stolen princess of Iredescent.

Markerer glanced around the ship interior, hoping it would stay stable, at least until they reached Earth's atmosphere. Redek's spaceship had scraped against Markerer's spaceship soon after exiting the portal, damaging one side of the ship. Markerer had no idea how to repair the damage; he was a computer engineer, not a ship mechanic.

Redek's ship was dangerously close behind him, attempting to rear-end him, since the side collision didn't suffice. Markerer fired up the dash, driving the ship to its maximum speed capacity. The rapid acceleration and excessive time warping would wear out the shield combuster and dynamics, as well as deplete the fuel capacity, but he was intent on speed.

It didn't matter whether the ship crashed and humans learned the existence of the Iredescent aliens. All that mattered to Markerer was for Iressa to be safe from the murderous Redek that killed her family.

Markerer's spaceship buckled, threatening to fall apart at any minute. Markerer took slow, steady breaths to try to calm his nerves. He kept his gaze at the cockpit window view, searching for the planet that would provide safe refuge.

At last, planet Earth appeared in view.

An extremely relieved Markerer forced the ship to continue, moving towards the northern part of planet Earth. Markerer unbuckled himself and moved out of his seat, the clutch shaking like a trapped pendulum. Without Markerer at the wheel, the ship nose-dived, falling like a comet. Markerer grabbed the baby, clutching her tightly to his chest.

Just a little closer and....

Now!

Soon as the damaged spaceship broke through planet Earth's atmosphere, Markerer shut his eyes and used his teleportation ability to suddenly appear in a medical hospital in Esteva, Portugal.

Nurses and doctors walked past him with clipboards, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. A few people jumped in startlement at Markerer's sudden appearance, but they thought nothing of it and continued their way.

Markerer used his shapeshifting ability to alter his appearance, hiding his Iredescent skin shimmer within his light Causasian skin. He kept his wings dematerialized, thankful that Iredescent wings were able to naturally materialize and dematerialize by thought.

To everyone around him, Markerer appeared as a handsome man in his late thirties with blond hair. He was wearing a v-neck burgundy shirt and darkish blue jeans, holding a duffel bag and a baby to his chest, his warm blue eyes studying the place.

Markerer glanced down at the baby, who looked back at him with trusting blue eyes. "Well, Irie, let's go find your new family," Markerer said, relieved that he had thought of this ahead of time. Iressa would need someone to take care of her now that she was an orphan, and Markerer had no idea how to take care of a baby, nor was he in the position to do so, since he had to be on the lookout for Redek.

Thankfully, this wasn't his first time on planet Earth.

A memory appeared in Markerer's mind, a memory of an Iredescent merman with spikey black hair and a golden sheen in his light purple eyes that indicated he was a finned one. Iressa looks so much like her mother and father, Markerer thought wistfully, missing the man he thought of as his brother.

Iressa's father had confided his fears to Markerer, including the absurd idea of turning his children into humans.

"Are you serious, Nend?! Only a Phoenix has the authority to do such a thing! You're the Ruler of Iredescent. Why not directly confront Redek?" Markerer exclaimed incredulously.

Nend's voice was quiet, unusually solemn. His shoulders were slumped in defeat. "He killed every soldier I sent to arrest him. We are unable to capture Redek. I spoke with Merrotay and the Phoenix, and they sent Iro to find him, but he evaded him. It got to the point where an issue was ordered that Redek is to be killed on sight."

"I saw him several times around the castle grounds," Markerer said. "But he disappeared each time."

"Exactly," Nend said ruefully. "He is like a mirage or illusion that appears and disappears, unable to be caught. Aryle hasn't been able to sleep from frequent nightmares. We are considering turning our children into humans so they would be safe from Redek, in case he targets them next."

"Redek made it clear that Aryle is his target. You and your children are safe. It is Aryle that should be protected."

"I'm protecting her as best I can!" Nend exclaimed, his voice breaking as the stressful tension snapped. "I simply cannot risk losing any more soldiers. We even have the Phoenix's son searching for Redek, and he is nowhere to be found. I feel hopeless, Markerer."

The conversation had occurred just a week before the murder of the Nyssi family.

The Phoenix had reluctantly agreed with Nend's decision to turn his young children, including the newborn baby Iressa, into humans. After the successful transformations, all seemed well until the night Redek snuck into Mirror Castle, disguising himself as a spaceship pilot, a royal employee.

And now Markerer, the sole protector of Nend's daughter Iressa, was on planet Earth, faraway from his home planet Iredescent.

At least Iressa and I are safe, Markerer thought, focusing on the silver lining of the situation. He waited until his nerves calmed down completely before he went over to the front desk.

The receptionist, a young lady with long brunette hair and glasses, smiled at Markerer and asked if there was anything she could help him with.

Because he was an Iredescent, and because Iredescents naturally had the omnilinguistic ability to understand any alien language in the galaxy, Markerer was able to understand the receptionist even though she spoke in a foreign language, and even though he only spoke fluent Iredescent language.

Upon arriving in the medical hospital, Markerer's natural Iredescent ability picked up on the sounds of the Portuguese language, listening as people around him spoke in Portuguese. His Iredescent mind processed the language, therefore enabling him to automatically understand it, despite never learning it.

Markerer responded to the receptionist in Portuguese, saying, "My sister, Lisel Eclipse, is giving birth to a child at this hospital. May I know which room she is in, please?"

"Room nine on the third floor," the receptionist responded, motioning towards the elevator.

"Thank you," Markerer said, going for the elevator.

On the third floor, Markerer stood outside the door to the indicated room, keeping Iressa close to him as he listened to his surroundings. His Iredescent senses and superhuman hearing allowed him to understand what was going on in the room, even though he was outside the door.

Lisel Eclipse, of course, was not truly Markerer's sister. The woman was merely selected to be Iressa's surrogate mother in case of an emergency event. As it turned out, the emergency event occurred, and another would occur for Lisel in just a few moments, thought she would not know.

The emergency event that was the loss of a stillborn child, intended to be replaced with Iressa, a healthy and alive child.

Lisel was in the final stages of giving birth. There was a delivery nurse and a practitioner with her. It would be less than an hour before her child was born. There was a pale pallor over her tanned skin, and her dark brown hair was matted and sweaty.

There was nothing Markerer could do except wait. As predicated time prior, Lisel would give birth to a stillborn child. But instead of mourning a loss, Lisel would rejoice, assuming the child was hers.

Markerer knew the deception would eventually be uncovered, undoubtedly with shocking consequence, but he felt it was a necessary lie. In this way, Iressa would be safe with a loving family who would care for her as though she was their own. Redek wouldn't be able to find her, and Markerer would watch Iressa as she grew up as a human, in a human family, and completely unaware of her true alien origin.

Markerer sat down on a bench near the door. He glanced at Iressa, who had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently kissed the top of her head, knowing he would soon have to give her to Lisel, but Markerer would be watching over Iressa as her ever-present guardian.

A few doors away, Lisel's husband Darz and seven year old son Garrett sat on another bench, waiting restlessly while Lisel gave birth.

Markerer watched as a nurse redirected them to the waiting room. Darz feigned calmness as he put an arm around his nervous son, who had the same dark brown hair and brown eyes as his father. The nurse offered them snacks, but they politely declined. Markerer watched them as they slowly headed for the waiting room.

The nurse was about to apprehend Markerer when a doctor approached her, informing the nurse something about another patient. Markerer took careful notice of the doctor, intending to shapeshift into his form. The nurse followed the doctor to another room, making Markerer sigh with relief. He didn't want to have to go to the waiting room, needing to stay near Lisel's room.

As he waited, Markerer checked the coordinates on his comect, an Iredescent phone device powered by moonlight. His ship had crashed in Greenland, off course from his desired crash site, which was in northern Alaska.

Markerer shrugged, putting the comect back in his pocket. At least it's not near Portugal, Markerer thought. That would make it harder for Redek to find him if he found his crashed ship and assumed he was near his crash site.

When he heard a soft, dreadful sigh from the medical staff that foreshadowed a heartbreak, that was when Markerer knew it was time for him to step into action. He rose from the bench, shapeshifting into the form of the doctor that intercepted the nurse. Markerer opened the door to Lisel's room, surprising the medical staff with the unusual sight of a doctor holding a sleeping baby and a duffel bag.

Here goes, Markerer thought, withdrawing a diamond-shaped, teal blue gemstone from his pocket.

It was kronosdra, a Mijishian gemstone with time manipulation properties, freezing time to alter events and memories. It was a highly sought after gemstone that could only be found on planet Mijishin. Markerer had been lucky to obtain it, for Iressa's life depended on his actions.

Markerer clutched the kronosdra tightly in his hand, projecting his thoughts to the gemstone so that it would carry out his intentions, since the gemstone operated by thought from the gemstone user.

The kronosdra began to glow, releasing swirling streaks of glows that spread out, freezing the entire room. The labor and delivery nurses, the practitioner, Lisel, the hospital machines and equipment, everything froze in place. Time stood still, and nobody moved.

Nobody except Markerer.

His footsteps steadily approached the nurse that held the newborn child. But the child was stillborn, showing no signs of life.

Markerer calmly took the stillborn child out of the nurse's arms, replacing the stillborn child with Iressa, and repositioning the nurse's arms. He wrapped the stillborn child in the blanket Iressa was in, carefully placing him in the open duffle bag. He closed the duffle bag and checked to make sure Iressa was secure in the nurse's arms.

Markerer then placed a hand on each individual person's head. The kronosdra's glow wrapped around each individual person as Markerer used the gemstone to alter memories. Markerer stepped back, watching Iressa wake up and begin to cry because she was not in his arms anymore.

Markerer placed the kronosdra in his pocket, preparing for another important moment. He watched the room unfreeze and continue as if nothing happened. The nurse placed Iressa in a special bed for newborn babies, while the practitioner excitedly told Lisel, "It's a girl! Very alive and healthy!"

Lisel smiled through her pain, looking on adoringly at her supposed child. Markerer was smiling with her when the nurse suddenly questioned Markerer why he was there. He went ahead with his prepared answer, saying, "An extra doctor was sent to make sure Lisel's child is alive and well. Now please, allow me to see the patient."

The nurse left to allow Darz in the room. Seven year old Garrett remained outside with another nurse. Markerer allowed Lisel and Darz a moment with Iressa, watching them from a distance. He felt relieved upon seeing their happy, smiling faces, pleased to see that they would love Iressa as though she was their own.

Markerer stepped forward, coming face to face with the family that would raise Iressa. Though he had seen them from a distance, this was his first time actually meeting them.

"Hello, Darz and Lisel Eclipse. A pleasure to meet you," Markerer said politely, trying to contain his delight, though a bright smile emerged like sunshine from all the relief he experienced. "I am happy to see you are doing well and your child is healthy."

"What should we name her?" Darz asked, holding the baby Iressa. Markerer felt a tug in his heart upon remembering when Nend held the newborn Iressa. Now, she would be held by a human father.

Then Darz's words suddenly registered with Markerer, alarming him. Markerer had been so preoccupied with getting Iressa to safety, away from Redek, that he had forgotten she would need a new name to go with her new life on planet Earth.

Before Lisel could respond, Markerer hurriedly exclaimed, "Tessa! Please, name her Tessa. It would mean a lot to me." Upon seeing the bewildered faces of Darz and Lisel, Markerer added, "She, uh, reminds me of someone. Someone dear to me."

The bewilderment faded into understanding. Lisel glanced at Darz, who shrugged and nodded in agreement.

"Her name will be Tessa Eclipse," Lisel finally said.

Markerer gave way to a relieved sigh. "Thank you," he said gratefully, bowing slightly. Markerer was glad that Darz and Lisel allowed him to name her. He thought the name Tessa was similar to the word terra meaning earth, which was a suitable name for her. It fit the girl: a beautiful Iredescent named Iressa hidden as a human on Earth named Tessa.

Content, Markerer handed his clipboard to a nurse, saying, "It is a success here! Lisel, I am beyond pleased to see that your new daughter is excellent. May she receive the best of care from you and your husband, and may her older brother love and protect her from the world."

Markerer left the hospital room, taking the duffel bag with him. He glanced back at Iressa, feeling much relief upon seeing her in the loving arms of the Eclipse family.

Markerer teleported to a house he had already bought and prearranged in a remote location in Brenna, just a few hours away from Esteva.

Shedding his doctor form, resuming the same clothing he wore when he entered the hospital, Markerer walked into the forest surrounding his house. It was a simple two story home in the countryside, far away from curious onlookers. There was a long dirt road lined with acorn trees.

Grabbing a shovel, Markerer dug a grave for the stillborn child and buried him. He used a blowtorch to create a burnt line to mark the spot, marking the grave with violets. He stood looking at the grave, shedding tears for the child nobody knew.

Lisel was supposed to give birth to a baby boy. The Eclipse family wanted it to be a surprise, so they chose not to know whether the child was a boy or girl until the child was born. Both parents would've been happy with either gender. It just so happened that I replaced their dead son for an alive daughter of my friend. Nobody in the entire universe knows except me and my trusted friend Suduko.

Markerer sniffed and wiped his tears with the back of his hand, sorrowful for the lonely funeral that nobody attended. He disposed of the shovel next to a tree and went inside the house, pouring himself a shot of whiskey.

It has been a successful day, Markerer thought to himself with some sadness. Despite the successful escape from Redek and his accomplished mission, Markerer felt depression weighing heavily on him. He looked over the documents on the wooden table, the papers of a fake persona he would assume for himself: Veren Ulspeth, a computer engineer.

Markerer sighed, knowing he had to stay on planet Earth until Redek was either arrested or dead.

Markerer had prepared for this since Redek first started breathing threats against the Nyssi family. It all started when Redek lusted after Arlye. He became enraged when she refused him. Redek lived a fine life much like the majority of Iredescents, but it was not enough for him. He coveted Arlye, but she rejected his advances, telling him that she already had a boyfriend. But Redek relentlessly pursued her, to the point of obsession. He avoided confrontation with Nend, only wanting Aryle.

After Nend confided his fears to Markerer, Markerer spoke with Suduko, and the two of them secretly went to planet Earth in search of a solution to the problem.

Suduko had a blood manipulation ability that allowed him to predict stillborn deaths caused by insufficient blood flow. Suduko found a pregnant Lisel, sensing she was due for a stillborn. After watching to make sure Lisel would be a good mother, and Darz a good father, seeing that the Eclipse family would be good to Iressa, Suduko and Markerer decided that they would be her adoptive parents in the event of an emergency.

Markerer drank another shot of whiskey. It would be nice if Iressa married Tren someday, Markerer thought distractedly. There is no doubt that Iressa would grow up to be a beautiful young woman. I would love for her to meet Tren someday. He would be an excellent husband for her. His father is one of the only few people that I trust completely. He is a good man, and I would love for my best friend's daughter to marry his son someday.

Markerer contented himself with these hopeful thoughts, trying to navigate through the rocky start of an uncertain future. He would have to get used to living on Earth, a planet so different from Iredescent. He wouldn't be able to materialize his wings unless he was entirely alone. He would miss flying, miss the sparkly landscape, the shimmery food, even the red vanilla scented grass.

A handful of fresh-picked violets remained on the table as Markerer looked out the window, the violet flowers reminding him of Iressa.