When one is familiar with the Ezoni, thoughts are evoked of their playful and eccentric natures. They are beings who prefer lying in the lap of luxury, napping their days away and rising at twilight for adventure. Their magnetic charm and effortless charisma make them social dominators among other species—they are the life of the party and the heart of the discussion. Many off-worlders (other interstellar civilizations) have opinions about the Ezoni: some think their inability for aggression is a weakness, others say they demand inclusion in every political discussion, and some claim they would be lazy if given the option. However, there is so much more to this warm-blooded, violet-skinned, flirtatious bunch that makes the Ezoni so remarkable: they have never had a war.

Not to say they are unfamiliar with the odd skirmish in their earlier ages, but they have never waged a mass war that resulted in widespread loss of life. Some off-worlders have studied the species’ expansive history to find answers—even during times when they had the technological capacity to wipe out entire continents, the Ezoni did not. Some say they don’t have the stomach for it, citing their physical frailty, lack of stamina, or the nature of their hormones that don’t allow for prolonged aggressive emotions. None of this is entirely true. In reality, they possess an unbreakable psionic bond with one another that prevents them from enacting extreme violence. With enough mental training, an Ezoni could potentially override this bond, but it has become a cultural custom to never do physical harm. This doesn’t mean the occasional Ezoni can’t be emotionally destructive—but at least they won’t punch someone in the face.

This relatively peaceful way of life extends to the flora and fauna that share their homeworld: Elzona. The planet itself is breathtaking to behold. Every lifeform is adorned in perfectly matching colors on its ornate surface, whether it flies, swims, or wriggles in the dirt. From the sparkling navy mountains to the verdant emerald forests, to the crème sands of the sunset deserts—Elzona sings with life. No, I mean it literally sings. If one strips away the birds chirping, the leaves clapping in the wind, and the stillness of the ocean’s waves, there’s a deep melodic hum just beyond the edge of hearing. The Ezoni have a saying: Elzona’s secrets lie deeper than her core. That’s why they both revere and fear their world.

Much of Ezoni architecture and artistic style is inspired by their natural environment. In their eyes, Elzona is perfect, and no matter what they create, it will only be a pale comparison—I suppose that’s why everything they make is so beautiful. The Ezoni are also famous for their unusual appearance; their many shades of violet give them a mystical and ethereal beauty. However, their forms partially change depending on their emotions. When they are joyful, their aura glows and their smiles are eternal. When they’re neutral, one could easily overlook them. When they’re low, their aura dims, almost like a blue cloud follows over them. But when they are enraged—they are nightmarish.

The Ezoni are adept psychics. Energy-bending and psionic insight are inherent from birth. Entering another’s mind is as natural to them as shaking hands. However, some species have laws that consider this a breach of privacy and personal boundaries. As a result, there are frequent violations of this rule by young Ezoni tourists. Some groups view the Ezoni as a threat—their influence across many worlds runs deep, and their population grows at lightning speed, with millions of members intermingling with other species. These groups refer to this as a “charming invasion.”

Of course, this isn’t how most Ezoni see it. They believe intermingling is the next step in spiritual evolution. They have an unyielding desire to understand life from the other side and embrace off-worlders with every molecule of their being. Maybe in my lifetime, the Ezoni will teach this way of being to us, too.

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Lea Kapiteli

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