FIVE
It appeared to be some kind of creature—though it had hands, feet, arms, and legs, it wasn’t quite human. It was like a man wrapped in a suit of iron, with a helmet atop his head.
"It's not alive, Elsa. It's your suit for the lab," Joseph said as she cautiously approached it.
"Suit...? Are you out of your mind? It looks like a man made of iron," she murmured, hesitantly reaching out to touch it. As soon as her fingers brushed against it, the figure trembled, and she jumped back.
"Oh God... it's moving!" Her voice trembled with fear.
"It’s reacting to your touch. I designed it specifically for you." Joseph's pride was evident. As king of his people, he rarely involved himself in such small tasks, yet here he was, crafting a suit for Anahita. But she remained wary, her gaze fixed on the strange figure. Joseph gestured, and the front of it opened like a door—just large enough for her to fit through.
"Bend down and step inside."
"No way! I’ll suffocate in there." She backed away, fear etched across her face.
"Okay." He shrugged, a familiar smile on his lips.
Anahita knew that smile. Joseph always had a solution. Before she could react, an invisible force pushed her into the hollow statue that he referred to as a suit. Her head lowered involuntarily, and with the door closing behind her, she felt trapped. Once again, Joseph had reminded her of his control. Panicking, she began to scream.
"Joseph, I can't breathe! Get me out!" Her hands and feet pressed against the walls, but they barely moved within the confines.
"Relax, Elsa. There’s oxygen, and the temperature is stable. You’re fine." His calm voice entered her ears as she paused to take a breath, realizing that she truly wasn’t suffocating.
"Oh God... I thought I was going to die," she muttered, finally catching her breath.
"Can you hear me?" she asked, suddenly aware of his voice in her mind.
"Yes, I can. No need to yell." He raised his voice in her head, making her flinch. "Now, come with me."
"I can barely move in this thing!" she shouted in frustration.
"Stop yelling, or I’ll lock you in here permanently," he warned, his tone taking on a darker edge.
"Ugh, typical Joseph. I swear, you’ve learned all the wrong things," she grumbled under her breath, cursing his threats.
Joseph spoke a few words, and suddenly the suit began to move, guiding her along as if it carried its own weight—and hers. Despite her initial discomfort, Anahita started to feel a strange sense of ease.
"Well, at least it’s walking at a normal pace," she thought, only to gasp as the suit suddenly sped up, moving three times faster.
"Joseph! Slow it down!" she screamed, her body jerking as her head smacked against the inner shell of the suit. Pain shot through her.
"Ow!" she winced, clenching her teeth.
"Stop screaming. I can hear your thoughts too, you know," Joseph's voice echoed inside her mind, making it clear he was still in control. She hadn’t realized he had disappeared from her sight.
"Okay, okay, I won’t scream anymore," she said aloud, not wanting to provoke him further. Joseph sighed, and the suit slowed down.
"Where are you, Joseph?" Her voice faltered, noticing the surrounding darkness. It felt like they were entering a deep cave, devoid of any exit.
"I’m getting ready for your arrival. Stay calm." His voice was both reassuring and unnerving.
Elsa swallowed her anger. She couldn’t risk provoking him any further. Moments later, the suit stopped inside a massive room. As it opened, she saw dozens of beings—humanoid, but not human—gathered around a long table. Each of them, like Joseph, wore thick robes. The room had the air of a grand event, with at least three hundred beings present. Anahita's heart raced. They all looked human, but she knew they were aliens.
She walked towards Joseph, who stood at the head of the table, speaking in a foreign language. His voice carried a strange vibration, as though introducing her to the assembly. He gestured toward her, and in unison, the group bowed their heads in greeting. A hesitant smile crept across her face. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
Joseph placed a glass box on the table in front of her. Similar boxes were placed before the others, each containing a beating heart. Anahita gasped, her eyes widening at the sight of at least fifty hearts lined up in rows.
"You... you killed all these people?" Her voice wavered with disbelief.
"More than that. The rest have already been sacrificed." Joseph’s casual tone sent a chill down her spine. She stared at him, unable to comprehend how calmly he spoke of such horrors.
Meanwhile, the others focused on the hearts, completely attuned to Joseph’s every gesture. They followed his commands without hesitation, their loyalty unquestionable. Anahita quickly understood that Joseph was not just important—he was their leader.
"Let’s begin, Elsa," he said, his voice low as he activated a device. Suddenly, her words began translating into their language, echoing throughout the grand hall.
"How did you do that?" she asked, amazed by the technology.
"That’s a secret." He smiled, and she gritted her teeth in frustration.
For hours, Anahita spoke. Her legs grew weak, her body exhausted, but she couldn’t stop without Joseph’s permission. The aliens listened, unaffected by the passage of time, while she struggled to remain standing. When her voice finally lowered, she looked to Joseph helplessly.
With a motion from Joseph, the crowd bowed once more and slowly filed out. Anahita was returned to the suit, her body carried back to the bed where she collapsed the moment the door opened.
"There was plenty of oxygen inside," Joseph remarked, standing over her, but Anahita buried her face in the pillow, too exhausted to respond. After watching her for a while, he silently left the room.