“Sara, you are smart,” Arct said.

  “Thank you, what a compliment,” she commented, sounding annoyed.

  “Sara.” He lowered his voice.

  She went silent and started to pace around for a moment. A few minutes later, she came closer and sat near him. Still, she didn’t comment. Visibly, she was thinking.

  Arct observed.

  When Sara was angry at him, she usually sat closer. She didn’t keep her distance, as if she wanted to solve the problem less officially. Arct had to say—it worked on him all the time.

  He knew why he made his choice when he was young. Not to chase her, but to chase his Unio dream. Forty-one years ago, he decided to follow his dreams, and thirty-five years ago, he fulfilled his wishes, created Unio and became the first Domini.

  Sara, she fulfilled her dreams as well. She became Shadow.

  From then on, she was on the other side of the river for him. They were incompatible. Forever.

  He decided to focus on political goals. He married into an alliance with one of the powerful families. The girl was beautiful, although not particularly bright. Not stupid; it was not it. She was educated to be an elegant wife and reasonable mother. But not to be a partner in life, in problems.

  To be a life partner, a different mindset was needed. Arct understood it too late. Completely another mindset and bravery. The woman needed to be brave enough to say what she was thinking and wanting. And to cooperate. Bravery to cooperate was also needed.

  His wife didn’t have any of it.

  Sara did have then and had still.

  Shadows Lord was wiser—he chose first his partner, decided on his family’s future, and then he fully engaged in politics. Overall, it helped him to navigate politics better.

  Arct did it the other way around. And he was where he was.

  For all these years, he was stealing Shadows Lady. He did it when he needed to talk.

  It was saddening for Arct to see his rival that sick. Sara deserved a great life. But they lost their sons. Shadows’ people suffered giant losses.

  His rival aged badly, with his energy severely damaged.

  Arct also felt old. He knew he should live forty more years. He felt, though, it was less ahead of him. He could feel it.

  Unio reached the total number of four planets and three moons. Thirty-six billion people, with around thirty-four billion having Crystal implants with basic energy for health issues, life prolongation, and life energy improvements.

  Crystals were mandatory.

  There were those who were found incompatible; they needed to be helped—healed by Abilitiers or Shadows. It was one of the reasons why natural energy stayed with them after the Sect fell. Healing.

  Crystals energy was efficient. It solved their problems of power supply, purification, ecology, health, and technology. Many crime cases solved themselves because of the entirely different capabilities the human body had. But other problems arose.

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  Currently, the main one was to maintain unification. Also, to accelerate the development of science around energy.

  Both natural and artificial energies needed further research.

  Crystals implants were working fine but still caused deaths and infections. Rejections also happened.

  But natural energy. Previous cultivation methods were to balance, to neutralize energy, and somehow humanity omitted the other aspects of energy because focused on neutral ways of cultivation only. There was a moment when both types of energies collided and natural Ability was corrupted. The Sect fell. Many inventions were lost.

  It took years before they started to discover new features of both energies again.

  The discovery of waves. Currently, the negative waves were Shadows’ science focus. However, the positive waves. They called them that; it was still unknown, still under research. The possibilities—enormous. Did the Sect discover it?

  The knowledge about it was not to be found; only bits were here and there. Never confirmed.

  That was not worrying.

  What was worrying was the news he was surprised to learn about only recently. The science misconduct that happened seventy-nine years ago.

  Seventy-nine years, and they just now confirmed the problem.

  Since he found out, Arct tried to cover it up for as long as possible…

  He felt tired. Aging faster than others around him.

  They could seamlessly live longer than one hundred with no cognition issues. Only later did it start. Visually, they didn’t age much; it was not visible; it was more about their bodies’ capabilities. Brain capabilities—not wrinkles.

  Some parents decided to change their looks, age their looks to not feel strange near their own adult children. Sara decided to do it like this.

  Sara—she aged; she also had worries.

  “I have only one son left, Arct. I want him to have the choice. And he chooses science.” Sara finally broke the silence.

  “Sara. I understand. However, the situation is complex. Unio has to have the next Domini selected sooner than later. Look at the state of Unio. Corruption. Greed. The families—incapable. I cannot allow someone from the families to take over; it will fall. Imagine it all falling. Especially when we still have unsolved the attackers’ situation. It must be someone from outside Unio to bring fresh blood, openness, ideas…” Arct was saying, he tried to sound calm.

  She didn’t comment on it.

  “I was not competent enough. Both our worlds need someone better than me,” he added.

  “And you still think it needs to be my son?” she asked, sounding sour.

  “I see his talents. Si has vast energy; I am aware despite him hiding it. He is educated to be a good manager. He also understands science; he studied energy and physics. I am certain that Si could easily manage the constant tension between the scientifically illiterate and the politically clueless. His misfortune is that he was born to lead. Unio’s Domini is like being the president of a company. To rule Unio, a vast company, qualifications are needed. And Si has them.”

  Her son—he was the only reasonable choice Arct saw. Sara lost three sons. If not, it would be easier. Si was the last one, and his future looked difficult.

  “What about your son?” Sara suddenly asked.

  “Marc? I know where he is and what he had achieved. He chose to abandon our connection. He uses his mother’s favorite name, the second name she wanted him to have. I observe his actions.”

  “… And?” she asked further.

  “He also could be a suitable candidate, but as for now, I do not see he would like to take over. I think he more—” Arct stopped talking; he hesitated.

  Sara didn’t interrupt; she waited.

  “Who was right, Sara, back then? I think that you.”

  Arct changed the topic.

  “Oh? Explain.”

  “You raised your children to have the choice. You did not force them. And they all turned out fine. I protected my only son like a god and sent him to receive rigorous training and education. I tried to force him in preparation to be the next Domini.”

  “And how did he turn out?” she asked.

  She was observing him carefully; he noticed.

  “Great, also great, I can say. But he refuses to follow my path. I am aware he was a very lonely child,” Arct said, surprising himself with the last remark.

  “Are you aware what your son’s plans are then?” Sara asked, but her tone suggested she knew the answer.

  She knew the answer; of course she knew. This was why she traveled to visit him, to talk. Why she was worried about her son’s future. It was because she already knew what the future ahead was.

  “Yes, and it worries me,” Arct said; a second later he added. “You do not need to look at me like this, Sara. I can explain right away. It is because my son, Sara, my son, wants to tear down what I built and start fresh.”