It had been millennia since the young cadet had completed his dual training. And now, Tcenex was missing. His starship destroyed. His crew presumed dead. His last known location: close to a blue-green planet on the outer rim of the Infiniverse, known locally as Earth.
But Xadanex wasn't worried. He had forseen the boy's path, after all.
He knew that somewhere, on that primitive world, Tcenex was just beginning the true test of his training.
And when the time came, the universe would know the name. Not as Tcenex. But as someone... more.
Because the galaxy's strongest warriors are not forged only in the barracks of steel or the temples of spirit—they are forged in fire, loss, exile... and rebirth.
Though his world lay shattered, Tcenex's fire had only just been lit.
Back on Earth, in real time, as Tcenex and Adamma were still trekking across the savannah toward their destination, Tcenex said: "So, let me get this straight. "The reason we're taking this long walk is simply because you wish to establish a ridiculously false fact that I'm a god, huh?"
His words carried no malice, but rather a playful humor that danced in his eyes.
"You'll soon see, my—" Adamma replied, then halted abruptly, catching herself before uttering "lord." She shifted direction smoothly. "Actually, the Oracle of Nri—"
"Nri?" Tcenex cut in, his brow furrowing with curiosity.
"Nri is the name of my hamlet," Adamma explained, her voice warming with pride for her homeland. "He visited you while you were in deep sleep. How he discovered your presence in my dwelling remains a mystery to me. All he proclaimed was: 'I've been sent by the great goddess Ani to remind him of who he is.' When he touched your slumbering form, he felt something so powerful he drew back in awe and satisfaction. Then he declared: 'Bring him to me as soon as he wakes and gains strength to walk. He is The One, without question...' Then, pointing at me with those mysterious, knowing eyes of his, he concluded: 'Treat this as urgent, my daughter, for your destiny is bound to his.' And then he departed, leaving me bewildered yet determined."
Tcenex contemplated this revelation as he processed her words. "If your oracle is so convinced that I'm this so-called 'One,' then let's not keep him waiting." He gestured theatrically toward their path, urging her forward with an exaggerated flourish that betrayed his lingering skepticism.
She felt an overwhelming urge to push him playfully, her hand actually rising slightly, but restrained herself upon remembering who he was destined to become. Instead, she composed her features into an apologetic expression, her eyes lowered respectfully.
He understood her internal struggle, deliberately suppressing the amusement rising within him, though a ghost of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
As they walked through the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above, she inquired, "What is that strange, colorless stone on your headband?" She glanced sideways in reference, indicating the peculiar stone artfully embedded in the band across his forehead, its surface catching the light in mesmerizing ways.
"It's called diamond," he answered, his voice softening with familiarity.
"What is diamond?" she asked, genuine curiosity brightening her eyes.
"A gemstone."
"What's a gemstone?" she pressed, leaning slightly closer to examine the object of her fascination.
"A precious stone," came his response, patience evident in his measured tone.
"And what's a precious stone?" Her questions flowed naturally, each one building upon the last.
Tcenex sighed, his expression reflecting amusement rather than irritation. Clearly, she had never encountered a diamond before, nor any gemstone for that matter. Be patient with her, he reminded himself silently, appreciating her genuine thirst for knowledge.
"A precious stone possesses rare quality. You understand what 'rare' means, don't you?" he asked for clarification, his tone gentle and free of condescension.
"I'm not daft, Tcenex, since you insist I address you by your direct name," she teased good-naturedly, a mischievous spark in her eyes. "I've simply never encountered a rare stone before, especially a colorless one. Do you possess more?"
"Where I come from, we have abundance," Tcenex replied, momentary homesickness flickering across his features. "Unfortunately, I carry no others with me here."
"What a shame," she murmured, disappointment evident in her downcast eyes and slightly pouted lips. "I was hoping to request one."
"I wish I could offer you one, truly. But I can't. This particular one is unique," he said softly, almost regretfully, his fingers unconsciously rising to touch the stone.
"It holds special meaning to you. I understand—" she began, her voice gentle with empathy, but—
"No! It's not that I'm attached to it that I can't part with it. Rather, it's attached to me in a way I cannot part from it." Oh, what am I saying? He chuckled inwardly, recognizing the absurdity of trying to explain advanced technology to someone from this simpler world.
"Why speak in riddles?" she asked, amusement crinkling the corners of her eyes as she studied his face. "Only gods and oracles talk like this."
He laughed, the sound rich and genuine. "As you noted, it's quite special to me," he admitted, his shoulders relaxing. "Though not in the way you might imagine. It was crafted specifically for me and me alone." Because it bears my Frequency Signature, he thought, but dared not reveal the stone's true secret—that the diamond on his forehead was consecrated to synchronize with and amplify his pineal gland's transcendental abilities.
He knew that the pineal gland contained zirconium diamonds that functioned as a transmitter device. And that when activated, this zirconium diamond could generate a form of super wireless transmission, connecting him to realms beyond her comprehension.
And not only did the diamond on his forehead amplify the zirconium diamond's activities within his pineal gland, it also served as a Conduit Amplifier since part of his training as a Super-Soldier involved converting his body into an organic conduit for electric current to pass through!
These were things he could not explain to her. So, he must find very simple ways to break down these mind-boggling thoughts for her to understand.
"Because it's another charm built for another purpose," he tried to explain, "of which, as your god, I'm not at liberty to expose the secret – otherwise the very secret will strike you dead with lightning, for no mortal is meant to hear such sacred secret," he finished, conveniently feigning enigmatism.
The look on Adamma's countenance told of one who would rather stay alive than to die for a secret she was not yet prepared to die for.
He burst out laughing. "I was only pulling your legs, as your people would put it! "Oh, that look on your face," he exclaimed, bursting into laughter again.
Momentarily forgetting her disguise, Adamma pushed him. "Why you...?" she added, shoving a bit harder than intended. Catching him off-guard, she sent him tumbling, both of them falling to the ground with her atop him.
Their eyes locked... Time froze... Yet eternity seemed to pass between them...
As her face drew closer to his, her lips nearly meeting his, when—
"Ahem!" A throat-clearing male voice interrupted nearby. "I know I said your destiny is tied to his, my daughter," the middle-aged, graceful man remarked gently yet deliberately as he stood over them, "But I didn't quite imagine it to be tied like this."
Scrambling to their feet, Adamma bowed apologetically to the Oracle of Nri, whose sudden appearance bewildered her. "Baba! I'm sorry. I—" she began.
"No need to apologize, my daughter," the Oracle interjected. "What will be will be. Not even I, with all my powers, could alter that." He glanced at Tcenex with reserved approval. "Hmm..." he mused, approaching the young man and whispering: "She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Tcenex smiled silently. Despite ruining a perfect moment with Adamma, he found himself warming to the Oracle immediately upon meeting him. Such an interruption seemed forgivable.
I may yet have another beautiful moment with her, Tcenex contemplated.
"Of course, you may, young blood," replied the Oracle mischievously, clearly reading Tcenex's thoughts. "What? You think you're the only one with gifts, young god?" He winked playfully at a bewildered Tcenex before his expression shifted abruptly to seriousness. "Right now is not the time for hanky-pankying. Hurry – I haven't got all day!" Then he vanished just as mysteriously as he had appeared.
And next thing Tcenex knew, he was being pushed by Adamma who fell on top of him as both of them fell to the ground.
This has just happened before, he mused, confused.
Apparently, Adamma was not aware of this premonition occurrence. All she was aware of was that her lips were about to find his, when –
"Hey!" a male voice yelled from across the meadow. "What no-good are you kids up to?" A farmer had interrupted and ruined a would-have-been perfectly beautiful moment as they scrambled on their feet and took off toward their destination, laughing loudly like spoilt kids.